Will+Brooks

Will Brooks


 * Scenario #1**

= The same two or three students try to answer all questions you ask. =

Journal Entry #21: I've recently noticed that Kenneth and Barbara seem to be the only two students that volunteer to answer questions that I ask during class. While it is great that they are enthusiastic about actively participating in class, it is vital that everyone else is actively engaged and have the opportunities to answer questions as well. One way that I could foster a more equally distributed discussion is by giving each student 1-2 objects that will signify how often they can answer a question asked by the teacher. With this strategy, I can not only increase the amount of discussion with those who are normally more quiet, but also I can decrease the question-hogging ways of Barbara and Kennth.

.**Scenario # 2**

= The class is shortened because of a pep rally. = // Conversation between me, the teacher, and the English department chair in a staff meeting after a day in which classes were shortened due to a pep rally //

Department Chair: What were you able to fit in today with the pep rally shortening class?

Teacher: Well, you know me; I always overplan. I had intended fitting in a DGP, the student's presentations for thier imagery drawing assignment, a timed compare/contrast writing prompt, a mini-lesson on introductroy paragraphs, and having them start on their introductory paragraph until the end of the period.

Department Chair: Wow! What were you able to do out of all that in just 30 minutes?

Teacher: I had to think about what they **needed** to do today, so that we would not be behind, and I decided that I would start with the timed compare/contrast writing since the prompt was about the plays we viewed yesterday that I wanted to be fresh on their minds. After that, I did the mini-lesson on introductory paragraphs, so that they would get some good tips and strategies for opening their papers that we started today after the lesson.

Department Chair: Ok, that's great! Why did you decide to cut out the DGP and their presentations rather than something else though?

Teacher: Well, many times we will complete multiple days of the DGP's in a very short amount of time in one class period, so I figured that it would not be very difficult to make up today's DGP in tomorrow's class period. As for the presentations, since they have already turned in the concrete part of that project, I know who has turned them in on-time and late. Therefore, the presentations for the project could afford being put off a day or two, so that we could fit in the expository writing lesson and practice that I do not want them to get behind on.

Department Chair: Well, I think you made some wise choices. It is hard to determine which assignments should be prioritized over the others when we encounter an unexpected schedule change like we did today, but you were very well prepared and did a great job!

Teacher: Thanks!