AP/Pre-AP Guide

I got the Pre-AP/AP handbook from printing today. It's bound and pretty and wonderful. There is tons of stuff for AP Language and Literature. I think Van Vleck high school (or whatever) gives this thing out to every student.

Anyway, I popped it in your mailboxes at the end of the day. Check out the section on writing AP style multiple choice questions. Muy fantastico.

Today's Minutes & Tomorrow's Notes

This morning five of us met in my room to further discuss syntax, vocabulary, and grammar instruction. To recap, the section of syntax has broadened our discussion into the things we do department wide, and we have started to discuss aligning instruction vertically and laterally. This morning, Cheryl shared her ideas about skill breakdown by grade level.

We also addressed other issues:

• We tossed around dates for the 11th grade practice exam. We are planning on having 11th grade students take parts 2 & 3 of the Regents in the cafeteria, and then gathering together to correct. Dates to follow.
• We discussed the "What if All of McKinley Read the Same Book" initiative. The Obama books are in, and its all systems go for next week.
• We chewed on getting materials for the department. Cheryl was thinking a class set of highlighters and thesauri for students in order to help address the grammar and language stuff. We talked about meeting our needs through petty cash and the dollar store.
• We talked about committing to or developing a set of editing marks and revision suggestions to use throughout every grade level.
• Lastly, we discussed using this blog as a means to discuss ideas throughout the week. Then, we can discuss our findings at our next meeting (date yet to be determined).

Lastly, I am going to a pull-out session for the AP Literature audit on Friday. I am bringing Anne and Julie our fluency findings (they weren't collected at our last meeting). I have five sets of findings, including my own. If you've yet to give them to me, please get them together. Time permitting, I'll probably come and bug you in person tomorrow.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Okay...so...let's discuss a plan for addressing lower levels of grammar instruction and higher levels of syntax analysis. How should we break it down? What strategies work well? How can we develop common assessments? What ideas do you have? Use the comments section to share.

Tomorrow's Meeting

we are meeting as a vertical AP planning team tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 7:30 am in room 305. We will be discussing further ideas about the syntax chapter of the guide. Come with rough ideas about breaking up the content across the grade levels, and possible teaching ideas.

AP Vertical Team Minutes - 2/22/7

We met in my room and discussed the section on syntax. It is a rather extensive section, with many different things going on. We came to the following understandings:

• While reading the section, much of the information served as a needed refresher, and a few terms were completely new to us (or at least me).
  
• We feel that while it is not so important to have students memorize the terms, there are many syntactical and rhetorical techniqes that we could help them utilize.
  
• As a department, we need to further discuss what grammar & syntax needs direct instruction and reinforcement, and we need to determine some sort of plan for department implementation.
• We also decided to spend at least one more week on syntax. For this Wednesday we each are planning on bringing rough ideas to start to establish
  

1. essential grammar stuff & when to introduce/reinforce
2. an overall plan for some of the syntax stuff, including lesson plan ideas

See you Wednesday at 7:30.

Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

So, obvsiously, I have a lot of time on my hands. My student teacher is doing a wonderful job, so I am doing some research and what not. Anyway, I've been looking into podcasts for the past week or two and today discovered this podcast. If you don't have iTunes, you can still stream or download the podcast here.

BPS Report Article - "Reading and Literacy Are Keys to Success

I received this in my mailbox the other day. Read it if you get the chance. Use the comments section to share your thoughts, if you'd like.

Language! Teachers! Language! Online Component

Brian & Robin,

Apparently, we received an email in November requesting information for the Language program. Coach Daye asked about it the other day, so I went to my email and low and behold there was an email about it, along with some forms. I sincerely apologize for not bringing it to your attention sooner (although I believe you received the same email). It seems I have dropped the pelota (although, every other school but one has as well).

I'm posting .jpeg files of the pictures right now, and I am also posting a link to download the .xls spreadsheet that they want you to fill out. I will be coming to talk to you before you read this post, but I want to let you know what's what.





A blank .xls copy of this sheet can be downloaded here.

Brian's song

Hi. I am looking for copies of William Blinn's Brian's Song to teach with my 9th graders? Does anyone have any that I may borrow?

African, African American History & Diversity Conference Essay Competition

I created an SAT essay style prompt from the theme of the conference. My competetion sheet can be downloaded here. This is what it looks like...sort of. If you download it, I assure you it will be black print on white, as opposed to what you see below:

Major Assignments/Test Dates for 2/26 - 3/1

Please post your major assignments or test dates for next week in the comments section of this post. Please do this by Thursday night so I can add them to the school website by Friday afternoon.

Check out our district sponsored department site!

I finally was able to access the new school site. Check it out!

2/20 Version of "What's In My Mailbox?"

I deliver these episodes just in case you're looking to order anything. The full catologues and handouts are in my room. If you're interested, let me know via the comments section and I will drop it in your mailbox, or shoot on by to 305. I have a bin full of glossy catalogues and what not(s).

The Leadership in Literacy catalogue offers books and stuff. It seems like a catalogue full of teacher type books. Giddy.



Also, Office Max. Discount. Sweet.

A few interesting articles

It would be tres magnifique if we could start to share interesting things that we come across via this blog. I know we all read a lot. So, if you come across a book, article, recipe (joking), or whatever, feel free to add a link or a quote or a something. Blogging is cool. Blogging shares information with people of like interests. Blogging loves furry puppies and may alleviate world hunger (although not with the aforementioned furry puppies).

That's just a picture of the article. The whole article can be found here. I found the change of gears to be interesting, and am wondering what possible impact this has/would have on student research projects. I wonder what databases would also be accessible in our school.

And, while not a laughing matter, there is a funny sentence in a Buffalo News article about a recent fight at City Honors.


Ah...those clever pranksters over there at Honors. Read the full article here.

Apple Learning Interchange Website

I received an email the other day after I signed up for a free Apple DVD about technology in the classroom. It led me to a website that has some interesting stuff on it about the Apple Learning Interchange. Here's their description:

The Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) is a free online resource for educators. This online community provides a wealth of content ranging from simple lesson ideas to in-depth curriculum units, rich with digital media.

ALI enables educators to create their own curriculum content, find colleagues and collaborate around their classroom methods and experiences, and share movies, images, sounds, and other powerful teaching tools. Accessing these assets is then as easy as opening any iLife application or plugging in your iPod.

In looking around, I've found a wonderful set of Podcasts titled "Conference Connections," published by the educational community at apple.com. I've listened to a few, and have been very impressed by both the content and quality of the podcasts. They deal with using "emerging trends and technologies" in the classroom. To access, search for "conference connections" at the iTunes music store (subscriptions and downloads are free), or click on the link above.

Here's a screenshot of the Podcast library, as well as the description:


I can personally recommend Wes Fryer's podcast on 1:1 computing in the classroom and digital curriculum, "Tales of a Classroom Blogger," and "Promoting 21st Century Skills," which explores the skills we should be teaching in high school. So, if you have an iPod, download it and transfer it, if you have a CD player, grab it, burn it, and pop it in your car on the way to work. Either way, enjoy.

Furthermore, check out Wes Fryer's website Moving at the Speed of Creativity, and Ken Kay's organization's website 21st Century Skills.

National Bar Association Essay Contest

I got this contest in my mailbox as well. I wanted to separate it from the commercial drivel.

Another Round of "What's in My Mailbox"

Hey folks...I get catalogues and stuff, and now I can share them with you. The following have stumbled into my mailbox this week. If you want more information, see me. I have a box in my room.

Recorded books! Oh Yeah!


Teacher Resources! Hallelujah!


On a more serious note, here is an opportunity for AP training this summer. Only $900 (unless you want to commute to Connecticut, in which case you can pay $750).

Finally, I received a pamphlet from Bard College's Institute for Writing and Thinking. Here's the cover and calendar.

Liberty Partnership Tutors

I spoke with Theresa Bonito the other day about the tutors available in the library. It is the overall wish of those in high places that these tutors escape the library and get into specific classrooms. Here is their schedule. (Notice the availability of Mack alums Casey Wisniewski and Mallory Mendolera!)

Essay Contest - 5th African and African American History and Diversity Conference

There is no specific essay topic for the conference this year. Instead, Mrs. Barton is looking for entries that will reflect the theme of the conference. The theme of the conference is that we must "[reach] backward to go forward" and that history truth " will set [us] free." Put your own individual spin on the essay prompt. Let's set a due date for next Thursday (tentatively).

Poetry Speaks

Just a reminder...Mrs. Barton ordered some wonderful resources which I shared at a department meeting earlier in the year. Poetry Speaks is a collection of recordings of "canonical poets" reading their own works. Lots of good stuff in here...Tennyson, Whitman, Yeats, Frost, WCW, Hughes, Roethke, Brooks, Ginsberg, etc. Anyway, if you want to use it, come up and see me. It's in our department collection. Below I have posted the cover page and track list.

Discussion of "Syntax" in AP Vertical Team Blog

Hey folks...so, next Friday we're discussing "Syntax"...something I know I don't have a great handle on. It's going to be a learning experience for me, to say the least. Throughout the next week, if you have a comment on the chapter, or a question, or whatever, post it in the comments section.

AP Vertical Team Meeting 2/15/6

Today, three of us met in my room to discuss integrating strategies from the AP Vertical team guide in order to help transform the way we collectively go about our business.

Today, the topic of discussion was diction. We discussed the following:

• LEAD (Low or Informal Diction, Elevated Language or Formal Diction, Abstract and Concrete Diction, Denotation and Connotation) - This is an acronym the guide suggests for helping students indentify AND analyze diction in a work. We discussed how younger students would be able to handle identifying the level of diction, and the methods we could use to help scaffold them up to the analytical task.
• Vocabulary/Connotation - We acknowledged that connotation is a bit more difficult for younger students, which led us into a general discussion of vocabulary intruction department wide. Many times we have a hard time getting students to recognize and understand complex words, much less the meanings suggested by the words. We talked about the things we do when we "do" vocabulary. We also talked about working to create a vocab list. We weren't sure about the overall setup, but its a discussion we'd like to revisit. More on that later.
• We decided that next Wednesday, February 21st, we will have a working meeting to discuss and develop some semblance of a list of vocabulary words. (We should probably take into account the thematic units being discussed/developed at the lead teacher meetings.)
• We will discuss the section titled "Syntax" from 36-53 for next Friday, February 23rd.

Finally, we hope that more department members will attend these meetings. We are being paid through the grant, and think it is a great opportunity to talk about structuring and improving our instruction. If you can't, try to read along, and comment in the next post titled "Syntax".


(I am adding this note as I will be printing out this post to insert into people's mailboxes. Hey, check out our blog at www.mackenglishdept.blogspot.com! I'm posting any and all department information, so if you don't, you're missing out.)

AP Vertical Team Meeting Rescheduled 2/15/6 7:30 AM

Last week we were supposed to meet, but I screwed up the schedule. Sorry. This week we will be meeting at the above time in room 305.

Major Assignments/Test Dates for 2/20-2/23

Please post your major assignments or test dates for next week in the comments section of this post. Please do this by Thursday night so I can add them to the school website by Friday afternoon.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Posting Weekly Assignments to School Website

Mrs. Barton has requested that each teacher post major assignments and test dates to the school website. Mr. Hughes has provided me with access to the website in order to post these assignments. I will be posting assignments for teachers each Friday during 7th/8th period.

You may get this information to me in the following ways:

• email me at malleyjoel@yahoo.com
• post your assignments in the comment section of the post I'm about to create (I'd prefer this)(If you are reading this note on a piece of paper, the blog address is www.mackenglishdept.blogspot.com)
  
• write them down and shoot them in my mailbox (least preferable option)

Remember, we are being asked to post assignments for the following week. So, by Friday, please pass along your major assignment due dates or test dates for the week of 2/20-2/23.

Pre AP/AP Handbook - Van Vleck High School

I've been using parts of this handbook with my AP Lit class. It has a lot of good handouts & lessons for vertical teams. I will print and bind a copy for each of us. If you want a manipulable copy, you can download one here.

Random Notes from the Underground

Hello folks...a few things:

Vertical Team Meeting 2/8/6
I owe Cheryl & Mia an apology. Yesterday I remembered that my meeting was this morning, so I spoke to Cheryl and then forgot to update everyone else. I knew that I had a meeting, but did not make the connection between that meeting and our meeting. Many apologies.

After I speak to Mia, we'll go from there.

Language Walk Through
The The Language! walkthrough scheduled for 2/14 has been rescheduled for March 21st. Robin is the only one who will be affected by this, but everyone else should make sure their respective house is in order (I don't know what I mean...I know I'm making sure my room is presentable. Cachinga.)

Door Design Contest
As I mentioned at the faculty meeting, and as displayed on the assignment sheet I popped in your mailbox yesterday, McKinley is doing an interhouse door design contest. Here is the assignment sheet in case you misplaced it.


Lead Teachers Meeting 2/8/7
We met this morning at Burgard High School. Julie Romain presided. We discussed a number of things, which are outlined below:

• Workshops for 3/28 Superintendent's Day - Julie is looking for workshop ideas for this date. She wants to know the type of professional development teachers are looking for. So, if you have any ideas, either email her directly through Lotus notes or shoot some ideas to me and I'll forward them. So far, we proposed Pre-AP strategies, Task 2 strategies, and a few more that I can't remember. Technology maybe. Something about books. Anyhoo, if you're looking for guidance, get some info to her (her email address is most likely jromain@buffaloschools.org...if not...look it up in the district address book that accompanies Lotus notes).
• AP Workshops - AP Language teachers and myself will be attending an AP workshop on 3/28. If we can think of any specific things we want the presenter to...present...we should send him suggestions at oman9@aol.com. His name is Frasier O'Leary and he did a 4-7 pm workshop for AP Literature teachers.
• Book Selection Rubric - We are continuing to hone the book selection process. At this point we have developed a rough rubric. We are making sure that books have a good combination of literary merit, scope (diversity/culture/cross curricular possibilities), accessibility (reading interest/appropriateness/reading level), and thematic relevance.
  
• Remember, thematic relevance means how well the works fit with the themes we will be using by grade level. If you've forgotten, 9th grade will be "Rites of Passage/Coming of Age," "Struggle for Self Definition," "Loss of Innocence," and "Journeys, Pilgramages, and Quests for Enlightenment." 10th grade will be "Crossing Borders: The Immigrant Experience," "Overcoming Obstacles," and "Our Heritage: The Family Saga." 11th grade will be "The Decline of the American Dream," "Alienation of the Individual," "Changing Landscapes: Cities, Factories, & Capitalism," and "Social Inequalities." 12th grade will be "Magical Realism," "Mystery; Reality and Illusion," "Romanticism/Victorian Ideals," and "Science Fiction and Fantasy." For the record, I hate the 12th grade stuff and will actively campaign for something different. Just don't tell anyone (smirk).

Anyways, if there are questions, comments, or concerns, let me know via email, air mail, in person, or via the comments.

Comrades...........

Finally I joined and I have to say that I am honored and proud to be part of the coooooolest department at McKinley High...no one has it over us.

It took so long- but I am here

Sorry it took me so long, but I have finally become an intrigal part of the English Department Blog. Are we allowed to have random comments, such as this, displayed??

Tone Handouts

By the way, here are a couple of sheets with tone words. I think CC requested them. I think I got one from Mrs. Grice, one from a teacher at Hutch Tech, and one from an PreAP workbook from some school somewhere (great attribution, huh?):





Also, I have a 45 page College Board handout on "The Importance of Tone," if anyone is interested.

AP Vertical Team Meeting 2/1 7:30

Well, we met again last Thursday morning. We all read the chapter beforehand, and discussed the following items:

• Utilizing a SIFT Method Chart/Graphic Organizer across grade levels and in all classes. We think that this is one possible option for starting to use the same terminology on a mass scale.
• We started to discuss structuring information and activities over the grade levels. We figured that a good way to get students to start discussing tone would be to have them read various opinion/editorial pieces in 9th and 10th grade. Then they could start working with texts with subtler tones in 11th and 12th (such as novels and poetry).
• We also talked about the best ways to go about building skills, specifically in reference to the literary elements. We think it best to limit literary element discussion in each grade to just a few essential terms. We realize that as much time as we devote time to literary elements, students have no idea what we are talking about most of time. We also spoke about implementation of uniform double entry journals.
• I'm sure we spoke about more, but, since four days have lapsed, I think I've forgotten some stuff. I guess random disfunctional notes in the margins of my AP Vertical Team booklet may not be the best way to go. CURSE YOU ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER! Anyway, if I've forgotten major things, pop them in the comments.
• Lastly, we are meeting again Thursday 2/8 at 7:30. We are reading pages 25-36. On the docket are tragedy, diction, and denotation & connotation.
  

Even More Contests & Boquard's Tech Infusion Link

Susquehanna U puts together a publication for student writing and photography. Here goes:

The Journalism Department of the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University (that's a mouthful) is having a high school journalism contest about the importance of the availability of free media. Word.



Lastly, Lesley put a sheet in all of our mailboxes which described Project Poster. Here's the link: Project Poster. Looks pretty neat.

Man...It's Been Busy

Miscellaneous department news and notes:

I know most of us have information on the Carter G. Woodson Essay Contest. If you missed it, here's the flyer:


Also, Lesley showed this contest to me earlier in the week. Looks interesting.

Also, Buffalo State College just contacted me seeking mentor teachers for Methods students. They are required to complete 20 hours of fieldwork and 10 hours of tutoring at a site specified by the college. This fieldwork should include "some general observations, the opportunity to experience duties of teachers outside the classroom (for example: extracurricular activities after school, planning time, team meetings, etc.) and actual teaching time"(emphasis added by Buffalo State). If you are interested, call Wynnie Fisher at 878-5501 or email her at fisherwl@bscmail.buffalostate.edu.

Also, Studio Arena contacted me and let me in on the fact that next year they will be performing To Kill a Mockingbird. It's special knowledge, only available to me, you, and every other Joe Teacher that responded to their survey.

Lastly, I will be posting minutes from the last AP Vertical Team meeting shortly. Grades, grading and other miscellany have really mired me in morass.