Since I am a new blogger, it seems that I spend countless hours searching for other high school English teachers who blog about their classrooms and issues that go on and assignments that they have created or situations that they become involved in.  I am in search of YOU!  I am looking to learn and fine tune my craft as well as share in stoires that are common in the education business.

In my small rural high school, we found out that the schedule will be different next year.  The idea of longer class periods had been coming up during department leader meetings.  After months of discussion, it was decided that next year our science department and the English department would go to teaching on the block.  Being an English teacher, this will be a big change for me.  I like the idea of longer instructional time but 82 minutes scares me!  This year I have a very large population of special education students that are blended in with other students.  These are the kids that I worry about.  These kids have trouble already paying attention during class that currently lasts 38 minutes!  What in the world will I do with them for 82 minutes?  How do I keep students who are already hard to captivate, motivated to stay tuned in?  Another issue I fear is not seeing these kids everyday.  Will they be able to maintain what was taught?  Then there is the fact that if a student is absent, they essentially miss two days by missing one 82 minute class period.  I realize that changing instructional strategies will be a must in this type of format.  However, attention span and attendance are my big worries for the changed schedule.

Recently, my colleague and I attended a seminar on incorporating Graphic Novels into the classroom.  Now, of course, being a high school English teacher I was skeptical as to the relevance of this genre.  I must say that after the seminar, I was intrigued and impressed with the knowledge I had gained.  My curiosity provoked me to actually purchase one of the titles that came highly recommended.  I anxiously await its arrival from Amazon!  One of my current students has been very helpful in teaching me how to read Manga and actually loaned me one of her own personal copies.  Reading in this format is tricky and I must confess, challenging.  Since the  book  starts at the back and reads right to left , it is awkward at first.  Slowly I am getting the hang of it.  Now, as summer reading lists are in the air, I am contemplating placing a title from this medium on my list.  I am anxious to see the student reaction and would eventually entertain the thought of incorporating Graphic Novels in my own classroom.  I am interested in anyone’s experience with these types of books.  Please share, I  want to grow and learn as an educator.

Ahh yes, it is research paper time in my class.  Students look at me every day like I have three heads.  I imagine they are thinking, “how can this be so difficult?!”  It is tedious and much attention needs to be paid to details like punctuation and alphabetizing and what needs to be quoted and what needs to be underlined and citing authors and sources.  This list goes on.  However, this process is so very important to those of you who will go on to college.  This type of paper will be given out frequently and expected to be done correctly with very little instruction from the professor.  So, all of your blood, sweat and tears WILL be worth it!  Believe me!  You will thank me some day!  What are your questions as you begin this process?  How can I help? Write to me and let me know.