reader idea: helping students discover and write about the issues that matter to them - smart board reviews

Throughout the week, we were preparing for the 6 th annual student editing contest, releasing relevant ideas from teachers engaged in essay writing.
This is the work of two teachers from Newburgh. Y.
, Means the use of, to help students "break through the echo room" research and writing hot
Button problem, this is written by a teacher in Greenwich, Connecticut.
About his project "follow the columnist.
But our last game in the series is most closely related to the game itself.
Beth Pandolpho, language and art teacher at West Windsor-
North, Plainsboro High School, New Jersey, writes how she leads students through the process of finding and honing themes, and then writes, modifies and submits final drafts for our student challenges.
Enjoy, see the contest announcement itself for links to all the teaching materials related to this topic.
Do you have any thoughts on the teaching of the times?
Please let us know here.
You can also browse through all our great ideas from our readers.
Writing for a real audience, talking about when students write questions that are important to them for a real audience, they suddenly care about complex rhetorical movements, carefully select their words, and a strong rebuttal.
When they really want to change, they are willing to read about the topic, watch the TED talk I recommend, and think about the other side of the issue with curiosity and suspicion.
When students are engaged in writing, we have a rich and detailed conversation about the best way they can change the reader's mind.
Providing choices wisely is a powerful driving force.
Here's how I use the New York Times Learning Network's annual student editing contest to motivate my students to share their insights and perspectives outside of our class, because I feel strongly that the world needs to hear what they have to say.
I started talking about editorial writing and urged students to choose a question that is not only important to them, but will ignite their head.
In order to stimulate their interest, I shared with them many questions that annoyed me.
"How exactly does social media make people feel more connected to each other?
Everyone is looking down at the phone instead of looking at each other!
My favorite part of social media is to see the smiling faces of those I think are my friends and I am not invited to the party!
Is everyone really happy except me?
They laughed, but they knew I was not joking.
I soon talked about another issue that frustrated me.
"Like standardized testing?
How do we measure everyone's abilities in one exam?
May students feel more nervous than they are now?
How to learn in class to help anyone?
Isn't it difficult enough as a teenager to create more tests to measure their value?
"In my long story, my face began to turn red and they began to understand the fire and anger I was looking.
I tend to be very dramatic in order to motivate them to argue endlessly.
I tend . . . . . . Everything keeps an exaggerated attitude, but this quality is good for me and brings excitement to my students.
When David Brooks wrote, "what the teacher really teaches is himself --
They have an infectious passion for their subjects and students.
"I'm not pretending that I'm passionate about students writing a strong argument to the New York Times on a question that's important to them, I certainly wouldn't pretend I was passionate about the possibility that they were published.
I think it's important and they know it very well.
As I share Anne Lamot's words about writing from her book bird-to-bird, I continue to advance inspirational speeches.
There is a risk of being disliked, she said.
Tell the truth according to your understanding.
If you are a writer, you have a moral obligation to do so.
This is a revolutionary action.
Truth is always subversive.
We break these threads together to discuss why we have a moral obligation to discuss the corresponding issues and why doing so causes people to dislike us, and why the truth is subversive to those who don't believe it.
After this conversation, they are ready to begin.
Discover and narrow TopicsI using the many resources provided by the Learning Network to support the game, including questions and suggestions at the webinar with Nicholas Kristoff (
Can still be viewed on demand)
"Writing changes the world" and its 401 suggestions for writing.
I asked the students to review the 401 tips quietly and brainstorm in their journals that were adapted from the ideas shared by Kabby Hong teachers at the webinar.
First, write down 8-
10 ideas that resonate with you from the tips.
Then, consider the following questions and answer at least three of them: what are you trying to solve?
What are you passionate about?
What's wrong with your passion?
What worries/makes you angry when you see our society today?
What do you worry about/make you angry when you look at your generation?
What do you get that other people don't seem to get?
The students then narrowed down their options and everyone shared the first two questions that really bothered them.
There was a lot of nod and sigh when I was communicating and listening in some conversations.
Then I asked the students to share a question of their choice with the class.
Many of my students are not surprised to care about gun control and standardized testing, but interestingly, on topics such as military wage increases, discrimination on gay dating sites, etc, how vegetarian diets solve global warming.
I am always humbled and in awe of their honesty and enthusiasm, and as I said to them with confidence, my head hurts, "teenagers will change the world!
"When they are closer to deciding their questions, they add their diary entries by answering these additional questions: ● How do you think you can convince people to look at the issue from your perspective?
● How do you change their mind and bring them to you?
Why is it important for people to understand this problem?
Review the 10 tips Nicholas Kristoff wrote Op
Before the student promised a question, we reviewed together the handouts I created based on 10 suggestions
Kristof shared it at the webinar (
This can also be found here, at the bottom of the post).
When I left, I projected the quoted New York Times article on our smart board.
Here are some tips, as well as the specific editorial I used.
For each, the student must find an example from the text that states the prompt. 1.
Start with a very clear idea of what you want to express.
Think of this idea as a bumper sticker.
Column: prevent mass shootings like Vegas boulevard attacks or your taxes to help hungry children
Don't choose a topic, choose an argument.
This should be an argument that some people don't necessarily agree.
It could also be an argument that might make some life angry.
Is he innocent on death row?
Example of the text: 3.
Start with a bang.
Immediately draw people's attention with titles and lede.
Column: Surprise!
It's not a gun, it's an example in the text: why do we let Americans die if they love their mothers? 4.
Personal stories are often very powerful.
Don't be afraid to use the first person.
Don't be afraid to tell your story, and don't be afraid to tell the story of your family or friends.
Our brains are compassionate to a person, not to a large group of people.
So first, try to resonate and connect with the individual and then turn to the larger data.
Column: This is an example of a refugee looking like from the text: 5.
Use photos, videos, music, or other elements if the platform allows.
Related: Photos of the United StatesS.
Saudi Arabia does not want you to see it.
Don't feel formal and boring.
Dialogue.
Column: meeting with world leaders with hypocritical examples in the text: 7.
If the reader may be aware of the shortcomings in your argument and address them openly.
Column: the solution when a country's school fails from the text: 8.
An example of something you criticize, or a reference to an opponent, is often useful because it clarifies what you object.
Column: Anne Frank today is an example of a Syrian girl in the text: 9.
If you are really trying to convince those who are hesitant, remember that their way of thinking may not be yours.
Think about what you might have in common with someone who doesn't agree with you.
You want to expand the conversation and attract the people in the middle to you.
Think about the use of your audience and your language.
For example, the argument about gun control should avoid the use of the word "gun control" because it is in opposition to those who are in favor of carrying a gun. Mr.
Kristof used the word "gun safety" when writing about gun control, because most people agree with the idea of safe use of guns.
We don't deny Harvey. why do we deny climate change?
Example of the text: 10.
When your work is published, spread the word through social media, email, or any other way you can think.
Examples in Nicholas Kristoff's social media account or email newsletter: instructional text, writing sessions, and . . . . . . Submit!
As homework, the student chooses an editorial and an editorial or Op of the student who has previously won the learning online editing contest-
Ed in the opinion section of the New York Times analyzed and identified the following: "What are the important questions ? "?
What is the author's position and main argument?
What are the relevant background information provided by the author?
How does this help you understand the argument?
Does the author cite any external sources?
If so, how does this help support the main argument?
Where does the author acknowledge the counterclaim and/or the opposite view?
What is the call for action?
In other words, what should people do, think, or feel when reading this article?
Is the title provocative?
Have you aroused your curiosity?
How effective?
In the following classes, the students talked about these analyses in their group, and we created a shared document for editing and writing best practices, citing textual evidence from selected articles to illustrate each practice. (
As our peers edit their final drafts, we revisit these issues again. )
Since at this time the students have decided their problem, they begin to write an approval form asking them to complete the beginning of the following sentence: My topic is . . . . . . This is important because . . . . . . I personally care about this because . . . . . . My main argument in one sentence is . . . . . . I think the main opposite is . . . . . . I will probably say . . . . . . Since I read my editorial, I think people should do/think/feel . . . . . . I met each student individually to discuss their approval form, and I was able to answer questions, provide guidance and resources throughout the writing process, and introduce new skills and technologies when they become relevant.
The students initially focused on using at least one New York Times source and one other source to write a strong, compelling argument.
They know that they ultimately need to write a rebuttal and rebuttal, a call to action and a compelling title, but, once the student's arguments are fully developed and supported, I will teach strategy as a mini course with each of these elements.
If you listen at our editorial meeting, you hear the student ask, "Do you know where I can find?
Or "How do I get people to care about this ? "? ” —
Other than the more difficult question, "How can I admit each other if I really don't understand each other's position?
When a student makes a rebuttal, they must consider different points of view and try to empathize with those who hold these opposing points of view, which are sometimes part of the mind --
They feel very offensive.
By doing so, however, it gives students a deeper understanding of those who may look at the world in ways that they previously could not understand.
During these two years, my class took part in the editorial competition, and out of the thousands of student editorials received by the New York Times, four of my students --
Ruhee Damle, Neha Narayan, shamsha Shah and Maya maoren
Their work was recognized by the judge.
Perhaps the biggest part of this recognition is that some of the students are very shocked by the recognition of their writing, because of course they don't think they are the best writers in the class.
What these students have in common is that they gave up their lunch time, sent me a lot of emails about their work, and sought, listened to, and implemented feedback that must be hard to hear at times.
On 2017, one of my students, Ishita Bhimavarapu, received state-level recognition in the Library of Congress literature competition.
After feeling her voice suppressed by criticism from other students, she wrote, she tried to find her voice again.
It was a victory to know that her voice was heard by others, and she felt that the voice had become "small.
In the same year, Ishita was again recognized in the New York Times Student review contest.
Ishita is getting louder and she is one of the many teenagers we all need to listen.
In a world where young people often feel powerless, these real writing experiences make students feel that their voices are likely to be heard . . . . . . They can change the world by writing letters.
You can find Beth Pandolpho on Twitter @ bethpando.
She is currently working on a study.
Book based on solution tree, check how learners
A central classroom based on strong relationships and a sense of belonging can support students' achievements in the development of literacy skills.