On The Professor and the Madman

I enjoyed reading The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. At first, I figured it was going to be very boring and extremely dry, but in fact, it proved to be quite an enjoyable read! Right from the very beginning I was hooked! Toward the end of the preface Governor of the asylum says "Dr. Minor is most certainly here. But he is an inmate" (xiii). I will admit that I was not expecting this! This brief preface drew me into the book and piqued my interest. Once I continued into chapter one, my interest was kept. I enjoyed reading about Minor's background and why he was in the asylum. I think, for me, the best part of the book was reading about Minor. I found him to be such an interesting individual. I think it was amazing how he wrote so much for the Oxford English Dictionary, yet he was considered insane. One particular area that I found fascinating to read about was the ward notes on Dr. Minor. On page 124, there are notes showing Minor's insane claims. June 1875: "The doctor is convinced that intruders manage to get in--from under the floor, or through the windows..." It is so odd to see that someone so brilliant was also clinically insane.

Another aspect of the book that I enjoyed was the fact that it provided details about word origins and how the dictionary was written. With word origins, I thought it was interesting that the word "bedlam" came from the Bethlehem Hospital for the Insane (18). Again, on page 28, there is a word origin for "protagonist". The book showed how this word would appear in the dictionary. There would be the spelling, etymology, and pronunciation of the word. Next, there are a string of six supporting quotations. Then, the quotations are divided under two headings. And then the process continues on. What I found interesting about this part of the book was that I have never considered how a dictionary was put together. This book provided good information on the processes that were involved in the production of the book. On page 151, there is an entire section about how words were properly defined. It was such an involved process. First words had to be defined according to the class of things that it belonged to. Then the word had to be differentiated from other members of that class, etc... These sections of the book provided fascinating information about the process of putting the book together.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. I found the lives of both Murray and Minor to be quite interesting! It was also fascinating to see how such a huge book was put together. It was an involved process that took years and years to complete. It was not an overnight event. I probably would never have any need to teach this book, but I think that it provided good information about something that students in English classes use often-the dictionary.

Also, I read and commented on an article about modeling in teaching and social networking. It is a really good post by Bud the Teacher that I recommend you all read. One important item said by Bud was that we, as teachers, should be the same person in real life that we are online.

On Kohn's "The Trouble with Rubrics"

I recently read the short article "The Trouble with Rubrics" by Alfie Kohn. After going through the article, I strongly disagree with what Kohn is saying. Kohn kept bringing up the argument that rubrics are "a tool to promote standardization, to turn teachers into grading machines..." I think that rubrics are a helpful way to grade students. When a student has a rubric they know what they are being graded on and what needs to be included in their paper in order to receive credit. In a way, the entire class is receiving a standardized rubric, but as a teacher I am going through and taking my time grading student papers. I do not plan to rush through my grading and circle any number that I please. Rubrics are helping both the students and the teacher know what elements need to be included in the paper.

Finally, another argument that Kohn brought up dealt with rubrics taking away students creativity. A sixth grader is quoted in the article as saying, "The whole time I'm writing, I'm not thinking about what I'm saying or how I'm saying it. I'm worried about what grade the teacher will give me, even if she's handed out a rubric." When I read this to myself I thought how many kids honestly feel this way? Kohn only provided one example! I talked with some of my friends about rubrics and they all agreed that they think they are helpful. My friend Nate said something along the lines of rubrics help him to know what he needs to include in his assignment. I agree with my friend. For me, rubrics are great. They help me to know exactly what I am being graded on and what specifically needs to be included in an assignment.

In general, I think rubrics are a wonderful instrument to use in the classroom. Not only do they help teachers, but they assist students in completing their assignments as well.

On a completely different note, I have really been enjoying the writing strategy demonstrations we have been doing in class. I have gotten a bunch of great ideas that I can use in my classroom. I plan to incorporate some of them next semester!!

On Image Grammar

I just finished reading Image Grammar by Professor Noden. Going into the reading, I was a little unsure of what to expect. I have spent so much time in grammar classes that are strictly worksheets and more worksheets, and this had always been my view on how grammar should be taught. Thankfully, Professor Noden's book was so helpful! It provided me with a ton of innovative ideas for teaching grammar! One aspect about the book that I liked was that it provided numerous strategies at the end of each chapter. One strategy in particular I liked was Strategy 3: Travel into the Twilight Zone on page 62. This activity has students examine the opening sequence of the television show. Students examine the parallel structures and repetition that Rod Serling used. I like that at the end of the activity the students are given a template of the introduction and they have to fill in the blanks to create a parody. I think this is a fun and interesting way to teach and assess repetition and parallel structures. Instead of a worksheet, students get to create a parody to demonstrate what they have learned.

Another aspect that I liked about the book occurred in the opening section. At the beginning of the book, Professor Noden made an important statement about image grammar. He said, "One of the clearest ways to define brush strokes for students is by showing models and having them imitate" (5). I think this is by far the best advice about teaching image grammar. In order for students to fully comprehend the concepts that are being taught, it is imperative that examples are shown. I really like that the examples shown are from famous authors, students, and Professor Noden. This gives the students a wide range of examples to view. It is also interesting to see how world famous authors use these techniques in some of the most well-known works of literature.

I also really liked that a CD was included with a wealth of resources to use. Every handout is provided along with images that students can use to help them write. I like that the student section can be uploaded to a website and actually used by entire class. Professor Noden put a lot of time and effort into this Cd and it definitely shows!

Finally, something else I noticed as I was reading the book was an activity on on imitating famous writers. One writer in particular was Edgar Allan Poe. I wish had looked at this book sooner because I would have liked to used this activity! Maybe in the spring when I am teaching grammar I can come back to it.

Overall, I enjoyed this book!!! It showed me that there is an alternative to boring worksheets! I do not need to drill my students on the rules of grammar. Instead, I can teach grammar in a fun and more hands-on way.

Aside from this book, I recently began reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. I've only read the first two stories in it, but I am hooked! I have never really been a fan of war stories, but this collection is enthralling! I wish had more time to read, but I think over Thanksgiving I may finally have a chance to catch up on some much needed reading!