ICYMI: Teachers are like markers...
April in review: writing letters, giving feedback, and Folgers sponsorship.
The Big Picture. Teachers are like markers: In August, markers are shiny and colorful and dependable. Full of possibility. But by April, markers are worn and weathered and might need shaken to work. Not that teachers need shaken, but like markers, we just sort of dry out from overuse.
Just don't question whether teachers smell like markers. That's weird.
Series Description. When possible, I want to post monthly roundups, aggregating past posts for old and new readers alike. Eventually I'll pin "Start Here" pages, but for now this will work.
Workshops and Writing Feedback
In March, I presented my workshop "Help! I don't know how to teach writing!" for the Indiana Council of Teachers of English. As my third time with this workshop, it went well.
I've been working on a TL;DR version--which isn't several thousand words--but it's not quite done.
As an extension, I focused on writing feedback with "Stop Grading Essays with Amnesia" and "Need Essay Feedback? Hit ‘Print’". Be proactive with feedback and pre-write the predictable stuff.
Until I post something on TPT, I posted free feedback on MLA formatting, summarizing, and letters and emails. More topics to follow.
Letter Writing and Mental Models
In April, I argued schools, burdened by testing, ignore letter writing as a medium. And what a shame! Letters have academic uses if we choose to see them.
As schools neglect letter writing, students likewise never learn how to count change or read analog clocks. "Students can use digital for X" sounds nice, until you realize they never learn X.
Letters become invaluable mental models for communication (through conventions) and academic writing (through responding). Society hasn't realized this yet.
When students learn texting before letter writing, different mental models and mindsets grow like vines. I fully expect letter writing to join "back to basics" calls like spelling tests and multiplication tables.
AI in the Classroom
In April I experimented using AI to create and evolve my writing prompts. The results so far have been mixed, but I'm not convinced I'm "good" with generative AI just yet.
For years I wanted metaphorical writing prompts as extensions for teaching analogies. However, while internet research proved a dead end, Chat GPT 3.5 solved this issue in seconds.
I published the results separately as "50 Free Metaphorical Writing Prompts." I hope to test them soon and integrate them into my writing topics next year.
Encouraged, I wondered if GPT could help revise my repeating reflection letters. Sadly, this did not end like I wanted. The journey, though, still warranted documentation.
As of this writing, I'm undecided on AI in the classroom. I love the possibilities, but understand how easily the worst elements undermine writing. Surely first principles will prevail.
After Hours
Until "English as a Fine Art" crawls out of prewriting--and perhaps a cynical vortex--I wrote a summary in SmartBrevity form with "Fast Food Workers of the Mind".
I may continue expanding the fast food metaphor with a similar style. I'm sure there's something lurking with french fry production... (Note: Not my post.)
In "Help! I don't know how to teach writing!", I joke about data on student thank you letters for comma splices. So GPT provided thank you letters that teachers so demanded.
[Humor] While others humble brag about subscribers, I've decided to pursue Folgers' generous sponsorship. Please help me towards this goal. Corporate sponsorship means never gloating about numbers.
Stay strong, teachers! The year’s almost over!
