A Writing Revolution

"Writing has never been accorded the cultural respect or the support that reading has enjoyed, in part because through reading, society could control it's citzens, whereas through writing, citizens might exercise their own control"
K. Yancey

Web 2.0 is helped shift the focus of literacy from obedience to creativity. So go ahead and Tweet your heart out, the world is listening.

For an excellent article on literacy in the 21st century, click here.

Shmoop There It Is!

Shmoop wants to make you a better lover (of literature, history, poetry and writing). See many sides to the argument. Find your writing groove. Understand how lit and history are relevant today. We want to show your brain a good time.

Our mission: To make learning and writing more fun and relevant for students in the digital age.

Shmoop is currently a Beta Test. To paraphrase Robert Frost, we know that we still have miles to go before we sleep.

To visit Shmoop, click here.

Learn to Laugh & Laugh to Learn

"Humor is needed in literature because it ventilates or disrupts oppressive conditions, it provides a different lens to view reality, provides hope, pleasure, and fun."
Zarnowski (2000)

The moralistic, didacticism of 17th Century Puritan literature is gone. If we want our children to read, let reading be enjoyable, and the universal sound of enjoyment is laughter!

Comic Creator, a free online tool for educators, is just the right medicine to cure classroom boredom. Students can easily write and illustrate their own stories, or develop a comic strip as an extension exercise for assigned readings.

To visit Comic Creator, click here.

Middle School Literacy

Teachers' Domain is a multi-modal, multi-media approach to providing middle school literacy instruction. Utilizing standards-based lessons delivered with the support of online video, audio, flash interactives, images, and documents, Teachers' Domain is an excellent FREE (cross-curricular) resource to engage your students in Literacy.

To visit Teachers' Domain, click here.

Cyber Literacy

Looking to make reading comprehension relevant?

Why not teach students what and where they learn?

The International Reading Association has developed comprehensive
lesson plans to develop meta-cognitive skills for understanding
online text.

To visit their site and see if this material is right for your
class, click here.

Digital Opportunities

Paul E. Resta, director of the University of Texas at Austin's Learning Technology Center, speaking at NECC this month outlined 6 essential conditions to provide digital opportunities for learners:

(1) basic literacy skills
(2) access to information and communications technology (ICT) devices, software, and connectivity
(3) access to culturally relevant content in the student's local language
(4) the ability to create, share, and exchange digital content
(5) access to educators who know how to use digital tools and resources in pedagogically sound ways
(6) access to effective leadership in policy and planning.

For some light reading on the subject, click here.

Did you know? 68% of Internet content is in English; next highest is Japanese (6%)

Why Johnny Can't Read

My job affords me the opportunity to unobtrusively observe teachers and students in their natural environment. Often, what I witness makes me proud to be an educator. Unfortunately, today was not one of those uplifting occasions.

A 1st grade teacher had dropped off her students to work in the computer lab on an educational reading software program under the supervision of the school librarian. Many of the students excitedly dove into their work. Others did not. Upon further inspection I discovered several of the apprehensive children had not mastered a single learning objective the entire year! The librarian shared my concern and asked how she could help. We made what modifications the program would allow, but it was clear teacher intervention and remediation would be required.

When the group's instructor returned to claim her students, I listened as the librarian relayed the struggles students were having with basic literacy skills. I was crushed by the teacher's response.

"I don't care what they are doing as long as you keep them away from me for the period. Let them paint their toes for all I care. I don't think kids learn from these things anyhow (pointing toward the computers). When it comes to reading, some of them get it and some don't."

I agree with half of that statement. Some kids do "get it" without us. More than likely they come from a stable family with an above average income level. The ones that don't get it need to be taught. Isn't that what we do as teachers?

If you think this is an isolated case you are either at a very special school or have become numb to this type of outrageous behavior. Teaching is not easy. Then again, nothing worthwhile ever is.

Native Alien

The following poem was written by John Corcoran
(See archive - The Teacher Who Couldn't Read)

It was one of John's first attempts to communicate his
emotions after learning to read and write at age 48.

The poem is a perfect illustration of the pain and anger felt
by those who have not succeeded academically and therefore
feel marginalized or completely forgotten by society.

The Native Alien

Native Alien here from there,
You can be found everywhere,
Going through the motions,
showing your emotions.

Oh! Native Alien, you are lame,
And literate society plays its games
They still keep looking for someone to blame.
Isn't that the shame?
Don't they have any ideas of our pain?
It seems so plain,
But they keep looking for someone to blame,
What a national shame.

They give us our promotions,
And put us through the motions.
Bluebirds here, Redbirds there,
And now we have Jailbirds everywhere.

Oh! How we tried.
Oh! How we cried.
We were just past five,
And How we had to hide.
Oh! How we had to hide.
Oh! How they stole our pride.
Oh! How they lied.

Native Alien, here from there,
Native Alien everywhere.
Shame, shame, we can't read,
And how this nation bleeds.
But they still will not heed,
Why Johnny, the Native Alien,
Still can't read.

Oh! How we tried.
Oh! How many times has he died.
Literate society, you can't hide.
Oh! Literate society, how come you lie?
Scapegoat, cover up, alibi too.
Oh! Literate society shame on you.
Oh! Literate society you can't hide
Illiteracy statistics have your hide,
While you choke on your own pride.
Native Alien, he can't read.
It limits him, we concede,
But he has ideas, concepts, and theories too!
And that's the stuff of thought,
That you ought to concede to.

John closed by saying:
"Your understanding of this illiteracy problem in"
America is an important part of the healing and
rehabilitation of our country's most important
natural resource, our people.
If you will lead, others will follow.