Archive for October 2011
#BCLUW students on #WhyIWrite
BCLUW students added their voice to the twitter feed on National Writing Day answering the question – #whyiwrite. Inspired by the challenge posted on the New York Times Learning Network, BCLUW students composed, reflected and tweeted reasons why they wrote. First year BCLUW English teacher, Molly Finkenbinder, also recorded student messages and a video will be posted shortly.
Here is a storify highlighting their reasons:
| “ | #bcluw students,, National Writing Day asks,,, #whyiwrite add your voice here! | |||
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| “ | #bcluw sophomores: Let me know 1 positive thing about writing in class today! Notecards. Pics. Voice Think. Create. Share. WRITE! #whyiwrite | |||
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| “ | #whyIwrite #bcluw I write to speak when no one listens.. | |||
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| “ | RT @mitch_mill: #bcluw #whyiwrite I write to communicate with friends | |||
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| “ | I write to feel free. #whyiwrite #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite I write to communicate with other people with something other than my voice. #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite I write because I want to or like to. Sometimes maybe to show my emotions. #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite I write to model for students. To be a better teacher. Add my voice to the mix! #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite I write because it’s all around you and it’s like we’re always doing it, sometimes I write because I have to. #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite I write to communicate with friends | |||
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| “ | #WhyIWrite I write to do my school work. To communicate with others. #BCLUW | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite To help people learn about chevy citations | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite i write to express my feelings. | |||
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| “ | I write because life depends on it #bcluw #whyiwrite | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite I write when I send emails. When I write I it seems to never stop so I guess i do it for fun. #bcluw | |||
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| “ | I write when I can’t think of what to say…#bcluw #whyiwrite | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite (jacob h.) I write when I sign birthday cards | |||
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| “ | To make sense of the world.. #whyiwrite #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite to communicate with people throughout the world. #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite I write so that I don’t forget what I want to say! #bcluw | |||
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| “ | to communicate without my voice #whyiwrite #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #IWriteBecause it’s the epitome of expressing myself and if I’m not me, who is? #BCLUW | |||
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| “ | I write when the realitivy of the world fails us. #whyiwrite #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite: to put my thoughts in a tangible form #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #BCLUW #WhyIWrite I write to express what I am feeling. To explain what I am thinking. To be heard of what I’m saying. | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #WhyIWrite I write so show i don’t care what others think about me. | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #WhyiWrite I write to tell the world how I really feel. | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite I write to be understood | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite i write to give people my ideas how to get passed monday | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite to leran more things for school work and it is fun to write | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite I write to leave a note on the counter when I leave the house. | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite I write to let people know where I am. | |||
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| “ | #Bcluw #whyiwrite So i can keep thinking of ideas for virtual reality | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite I write to preserve my ideas and feelings. #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #BCLUW #whyIwrite I can hold on to the memories I know I would forget. | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyIwrite I write because i would like to get better grades, get student of the week in math and get better grades over all. | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite To inform you of what i know!!! | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite to express myself. | |||
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| “ | #WhyIWrite to express my emotions, and clear my head. #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #WhyIWrite when i want to remember something | |||
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| “ | #bcluw#whyiwrite to show that i do have a personality and my interest in photgraphy | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #WhyIWrite to express my feelings | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite i write to tell fun and sad moments in my life | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite because it is a good way of communicating | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite #bcluw I write because I can’t draw | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #WhyIWrite to express my feelings and to remember something important. | |||
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| “ | #iwritebecause It allows me to express myself. #bcluw | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #iwrite to express my feelings if I don’t enjoy talking about them. | |||
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| “ | #bcluw #whyiwrite To communicate with friends and family, and to express my self. | |||
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| “ | #whyiwrite I write to SEE what I am thinking. #bcluw | |||
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Remembering 9/11 – A Lesson in Empathy
This year marked the 10th Anniversary of 9/11, and while I distinctly remember the events that unfolded on that tragic day, my seniors were only in second grade and recall scattered fragments or nothing at all. During a group skype call between the teachers of the blogging community (5 schools where students blog/comment enhancing engagement and widening audience to promote writing) we decided to create a collaborative lesson plan to teach our students empathy, citizenship, and patriotism with the end product in the form of an imovie.
Building a foundation of the tragedy with resources found on the NYTimes Learning Network Blog; teachers @eolsonteacher, @shawnhyervm, @Bev-Berns, @toddvogts, and myself shared videos, pictures, and reflections with students. We then allowed students to explore the plethora of links found on the blog and report back to the large group their findings. What happened was an emotional connection to the day that most had a disconnect with because of age. Empathetic stories of victims, family members, and heroes were retold through the voice of our students. One student even stated, “I have not thought about or viewed footage from that day for so long, I can finally understand what happened and how horrible it was.” As teachers, this type of response is music to our ears. We want to help mold a future generation of insightful, empathetic citizens who will lead our world in the future.
The next day we used a strategy taught by @KirsteyEwald during an experience while taking the Iowa Writing Project (a division of the National Writing Project). Students wrote answers to prompts on sticky notes which were then complied and edited to form a poem. Each school had different questions ranging from “How do you define America?” to “How can one honor the lives lost during the attacks?” Each student spoke their line and placed an image of their hand into the project. Teachers shared the movies using dropbox culminating in one movie written, spoken, and illustrated by the students!
Students proudly shared their video with family and friends. It floated around facebook and was highlighted in local newspapers and on local news stations making the Anniversary of September 11th more meaningful.
sfarnsworth
Engnology 