Fall Syllabus 2024
Backwards planning for the Fall semester.
Blog Updates
I started The Paste Eaters Blog for three main reasons. One, I’ve always wanted to write. Two, as an extension of teaching conferences, posting and expanding upon talks and topics. And Three, because the most important opinions in education never come from teachers. While I’m still learning, I’ve enjoyed posting and interacting on Substack.
Anyways, it’s been a quiet August. As school started, I focused on adjusting, so instead I’ve been posting on my other newsletter, Happy Casserole. And I’ve enjoyed thinking about tech topics. Nothing serious except for Siri-ous rants. (Is that allowed?)
When summer started, I had posts partially mapped out. Then my grandpa died after a short but intense fight with cancer. Then I spent a week writing the eulogy. Then I helped my family clean his house. So I wrote. (I forgot about my mapped posts.)
Then I found a family genealogy stuffed in a desk. Later my dad would find THE family Bible, along with a book of family history. So I went from knowing nothing about family history to learning about my first relative, born in Ireland in 1730.
Then I almost forgot I was speaking about Dual Coding Theory at a local conference. So that took just under a month to whip scattered notes into a concrete presentation. And then I ran into writing trouble as my little guy emerged from the newborn stage. Then school started. And I’m sure other teachers know all too well how demanding those first few weeks are.
So with the first near month of school in the grade books, I wanted to spend a few minutes talking about upcoming posts. Sort of like a self-syllabus.
Fall Talks and Essays
This fall I’ll be speaking at two conferences: In October I’ll present at the ISTA Good Teaching Conference in Indianapolis, and in November I’ll present at AMLE24 in Nashville, Tennessee. Each time I’ll be presenting my talk, “Help! I don’t know how to teach writing!,” which I’ve delivered at previous conferences.
While my proposals factored a 60 minute version, I was given a 30 minute time slot for AMLE, so I’ll have to overhaul that entire presentation. Which isn’t a bad thing: It needs more brevity. I’ve tried a few drafts since May, but nothing special so far.
About the talk itself, I present six myths and misconceptions about teaching writing:
Myth 1: I can't teach writing. I don't know all the terms.
Myth 2: I don't have the time to teach writing.
Myth 3: Students should not write until they can write a perfect sentence.
Myth 4: Feedback takes too long. I have to mark everything!
Myth 5: A room of twenty has one grader.
Myth 6: Writing doesn't allow differentiation. Worksheets do.
From there, I pair myths with mantras that address common fears when teaching writing:
A writing-based English class is like a running-based Cross Country team.
Students should discuss what they wrote about literature.
Time not spent writing is time not spent writing.
Revising a sentence is the most individualized spelling and grammar.
*I have few truly bad writers, but many inexperienced organizers. And that can be taught!
Teachers, if you write it more than once, write a template instead.
*Write your feedback once and then never again. Don’t mark every mistake!
A room of twenty has twenty-one graders.
Peer review is imperfect. But if twenty students catch one mistake each, writing improves.
When I first presented this topic in 2023, I was shocked that my workshop filled a classroom twice. Since then I’ve wanted to expand outwards—say 10,000-15,000 words? An afternoon read? I mapped a working table of contents, but need to start rapidly producing posts before November.
From there, if I only polished waiting drafts, I’d have enough content to last until February. But I have several other posts, guest posts, and series starters in the works. Topics include:
Dual Coding Theory. I want to continue expanding my summer talk. Notes and outlines are completed, but I just need the time for polished drafts.
Cynical Teaching Dictionary. I want to put my own spin on teaching buzzwords and meaningless ideas: like formative assessments and the word “unit.” All made up. Useless.
English as a Fine Art. I’ll scrap any standards-driven framework and propose a more coherent alternative based on music and art.
Working Publishing Schedule
So if I polish and publish with any attention to time, my weekly posts may go as follows:
September: Dual Coding Theory
Ten Classroom Uses for Dual Coding Theory
Improving Comprehension through Imagination
Improving Writing through Drawing
October and November: “Help! I can’t teach writing!”
Working Talk Drafts
Working Talk Extensions (Chapters)
Conference Landing Pages
Hiatus after Nashville and during Thanksgiving.
December: TBA
English as a Fine Art (Exploratory Draft?)
Thoughts? Questions? Feedback?
Anyways, I hope your school years are off to a great start! You’re always free to leave a comment after reading.
📚 While you’re here, check out some other posts from this year:
📱 Also, check out some other posts from my side blog, HappyCasserole.
iPhones Need a “Classic iPod” mode. Sometimes your music player shouldn’t interrupt with Amazon flash deals.
Terrible Audiobooks (Listen then Delete). When audiobooks resemble neither albums nor books. Bad UI’s render them disposable.
Awful Coffee, Abandoned Shopping Carts, and Fake Art. A summer Note scrapbook complete with flying pigs.
Hey, Siri, play dumb. (It’s update time.): I vent about recent bugs—features—from iOS 17.
Siri Dictates “Moby Dick” (iOS 17.6.1): As a benchmark, Siri dictates Melville and the Pequod sinks.
