March 3rd 2008

This was the first time that I was able to join Beth McDaniels sixth grade class.  I was sick on the previous trip to Beths class so it was a little nice this day was a bit of a recap on the persuasive letters they were working on. The students were doing testing the previous week so we were unable too come visit them.  Beth used the class to remind the students to be continuing their research on their subjet and showed an example of a persuasive letter.  This was intended to help the students along but there was a sort of  feeling in the air that no one really wanted to work.  It was a monday after a week of testing so i was able to understand where how they felt.

March 10th 2008dents could help

Today the students were working on their rough drafts and were following a template that showed the style Beth wanted them to follow.  I was working with a student Tyrel which was so much fun and I learned a lot i didnt previously know.  Tyrell is writting his persuasive letter about the lack of skate parks in Farmngton and how kids are getting in trouble for skating in parking lots because thet have no where else to go.  I think that he makes an awsome argument and has a great supporting facts as well as acknowledges the counter arguments but has a very logical solution.  He says that he realizes that the city has a budget but says that the skaters can have a skate competition to help raise the money. 

March 17th 2008

The class meeting today was one of the funnest yet in my opinion.  I throughly enjoyed the Authors chair the students put on today.  Each student had the oportunity if they wanted to go in front of the class and read the rough draft of their persuasuve letters.  They were so great and there were some really awsome, serious and real-life issues they decided to argue.  This was soo much fun because we were able to see the differences in each individual in the class and their opinions.

March 31st 2008 absent

April 7th 2008

To day we discusssed what were are going to be working on next and we read our I am poems we compiled for the kids.  The kids seem to be a little unsure about what to do but you can see that it is making them think.  I am excited for this next phase of working with them.

April 18th 2008

We were in charge of teaching the class today.  It was extremly scary for me since I do not intend to be a teacher.  We started the class by having them work on their poems and then share them some were willing and did share.  Then we got into groups to hear each others which didnt work to well.  Next we had each student brain storm for five minuets on what make the class.  We were going to make a We Are poem describing the class.  This went over pretty well we then had them design a class mascot and name that they drew on the poem sheet as well.

April 21st 2008 absent

April 28th 2008

Today we got together in groups and preformed a readers theater.  The class was split into four groups and were presented with poems we had previously selected for them to present. They all did a great job of embracing their creativity and expressing their poems.  We then had them each select a poem from one group member to present as well to the class.  This was a fun interactive class!