Graduation Speech : Learning, Rubrics And Research

Weekly, one-page response papers are assigned based on their readings, which helps students understand my writing expectations, and gain confidence as the transition from generalized and vague language to academic writing. In class writing assignments, which deal with key questions from their reading, also helps students make the transition. After reading “Why I Write” by Joan Didion, I invite students to write a short essay about their writing process. Each reading and writing assignment escalates in difficulty, with the intention to build confidence, reduce anxiety, and overcome fear about their writing process, while increasing their academic language.

Reading and writing are two very important skills. These skills allow students to be successful, life long learners. Along with many other skills, one place students learn how to read and write is school. As an educator it is my job to ensure that students learn these essential skills, so that they can be successful, life long learners. It is important to know that writing-to-learn is different from learning-to- write. Writing-to-learn is different as the final product is not a piece that has undergone several edits (Knipper & Duggan, 2006). Writing-to-learn is the short informal pieces of writing that can be used in a lesson for students to reflect on subject matter and explore their own learning (Colorado State University, 2015). Where

The Great Being saith and I quote: “Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom”.

Because communicating effectively in writing is so critical, we want our students to have the skills necessary to express one’s ideas in writing. To address this need, PRA has included two major improvement strategies around writing on the Universal Improvement Plan (UIP). Our first improvement strategy states that educators will provide consistent and effective writing instruction using innovative, relevant, and engaging strategies. Our second improvement strategy explains that teachers will score student writing using common rubrics associated with established curriculum, both independently and collaboratively. The improvement strategies were written to specifically address the vetted root causes-- Lack of student engagement and effort were identified as causes for lack of growth in writing. A common language for teaching writing across the curriculum and over many grades will address this

(Graduates of Saint Joseph’s University class of 2020, I, Nicole Schall welcome you here today to this wonderful celebration. It is so nice to see all of your smiling faces together one last time. I would like to thank President Reed, the administration, and that crazy professor who almost who almost failed me freshman year for the opportunity to speak here today. The one who almost caused me not to be standing here today. First and foremost, graduates, congratulations on all of your achievements thus far. Parents, professors, friends and family you should be proud of each and every graduate sitting here on St. Mary’s lawn today. Give yourself a round of an applause. (round of applause sound effect) Can you believe it is already graduation? Time really does fly when you’re having fun am I right? I can only speak for myself, but I’m sure many will agree with me that freshman move-in day seems like yesterday. But truth be told you all have grown since freshman move-in day, not just in height, or from the freshman fifteen, you are all smarter, brighter, and ready to take on the world.)

As result of creating and implementing this artifact, I realized that the most effective lesson plans are those which initiate with the final assessment in mind. So, I applied a pre-test at the very beginning of my lessons with every different group I would be teaching to measure a starting point or the amount of pre-existing knowledge on the topics to be taught. Based on this, I planned the instruction to deliver and how to differentiate it.

Changes in technology and society have changed and will continue to transform the ways in which we think and communicate. Students must be ready for the new demands (Dixon, Cassady, Cross & Williams, 2005). In society, English forms the foundation for effective communication. Academic success requires writing skills (Castek et al, 2007). Writing is hard work; individuals think it is better to talk than write. Social and psychological factors such as social status, background, and age affect writing skills (Reeves & Stanford, 2009). Edwards-Groves (2011) rants that students must be taught the writing process. This will help students write in any situation. Writing should not be confined to just English classes but across all disciplines. Anecdotal evidence suggest students and faculty believe that learners improve their writing skills and subject area knowledge in writing across the disciplines (Hartley, Howe & McKeachie, 2001). All disciplines have their own form and conventions. If students are going to become better writers, they must write on a regular basis.

Writing can be an intimidating process for students. Once students complete a draft of writing, they often what to be done with it, and not have to revisit aspects of it. As teachers, we need to find ways to encourage writing, and revising. Responding to Student Writing: What does research tell us claims that teachers must respond to students’ purpose, context, and organization before editing other aspects of writing. This strategy focuses on the content and clarity of the writing, rather than nit-picking details. Content and clarity are typically the main focuses on writing effectively, so we want to help students establish these skills before focusing on anything else. Praising, Questioning, Wishing focuses on having a conversation about

Over the last three decades, there has been a major change in the way that writing is taught and assessed in schools. This shift has mainly been motivated by insights derived from grassroots teacher movements and research. Today, there are numerous trends in writing research, writing instruction and writing assessment as a learning activity.

This project was exciting to complete, as we rarely have prepared anything like this before. Beginning by looking at the roster of students, I was able to recognize how I would group the students. I knew, however, that I wanted to avoid groups larger than five students. I also understood, from the ideas of many education classes that the best pedagogical solution would be to include a mixture of performance levels. Because of these implications, my first set of groupings consisted of the grade of the student, followed by a break down of their level.

II. Main Point (state as a single declarative sentence): The progress that I have made helped me lead up to writing well-developed essays. The main reason I believe my essays are improved because of the time I take on my pre-writing.

If I am being completely honest, at the beginning of the semester, I detested writing in every form. However, this class has taught me otherwise. This class has taught me that writing takes practice just like anything else, moreover writing 150 taught me that writing is much more than just throwing some words together and praying they make sense. In high school, I vividly remember sitting in every English class feeling like I was the worst rhetor in existence consequently, I didn’t try. I wrote no more than one draft the night before and that was the extent of my effort. Throughout this class, however, I have learned that just like playing an instrument or riding a mountain bike down a hill, writing takes practice. As I began to write consistently and began to learn more about rhetoric and style I found that my writing greatly improved and that I was able to get my arguments across in a clear and interesting way.

Every student needs to be able to acquire their knowledge about the purposes of writing, the forms of writing, strategies for planning and being able to evaluate their work, have those basic writing skills and most importantly they require motivation. Everyone knows the important connections between reading and writing and the importance each one has to the other, and many will say that to become a better writer one needs to be a good reader, at least that’s what has been taught in the classroom. Teachers tend to provide readings and expect the student to provide a written assignment on this provided reading. The problem with this is that it is not well broken down, the classroom lacks certain components to assist the student become better writers. Students receive a grade at the end of every six weeks or semester teachers should be graded on their ability to teach these components.

As an incoming freshman it is overwhelming coming to a whole new different environment the guidance of others is an essential for being successful in academics and being involved in college. This person that is guiding me has already graduated and knows the most awarding path to take for a great experience at CSUN. This person is called David who majored in Mechanical Engineering that I interned for in my senior year. He was once an undergraduate his main advice to all undergraduates for the next three years is to get involved in school there is so many events that are low cost or free, academics is not your whole life. This advice has helped me for this couple months in college but does not mean I know it all for that reason I ask him questions when a challenge comes to me. He has inspired me to try my hardest in college and believe in myself.

English class seemed to be the most dreadful to take within school. Writing essays for most of my grade in a class is not what I was looking forward too. When I entered college I knew that it would be one of many challenging classes I would have to take. Starting from the lowest English class to moving on up, the writing assignments became longer and more thought out. The time came when I got into this class that I knew more work was going to have to be put into essays and thus brought out what I had not seen before in my work progress.