MSU Teaching Standard 1:
Knows and Teaches English as a Subject Matter
Description of Standard: "This standard includes such elements as demonstrating the breadth and depth of your content knowledge, the ability to plan curriculum that demonstrates purpose and coherence, an orientation towards increasing student independent learning in the subject matter, and teaching for understanding."
English was, and is, much more than just my major in college; it is, without question, my passion. I love losing myself within the world of a text and I love that I was able to hone my ardor and admiration for language through the diverse and challenging English courses offered at Michigan State University. Moreover, perhaps above all else, I love that teaching allows me the opportunity to scaffold and ultimately share my fervor for reading and writing, for there is nothing I love more than giving my students a platform for self-expression, and nothing that brings me more joy than bringing the characters, the symbols, the themes, and even the plights of a novel to life with my students by making connections between literature and the real world. The following artifacts illuminate many of the ways in which I gave my students the opportunity to truly and meaningfully immerse themselves in the subject that drives my spirit, through both reading and writing.
"The Crucible" Rumor Lesson Plan
The picture above embodies one of the most powerful lessons I had the privilege of leading during my internship year. This lesson, as part of a larger unit on Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible," involved students exploring the nuances of the word "rumor." I first asked students to look up definitions of the word rumor on their phones before writing the definitions down. In a large group discussion, we then expanded upon dictionary definitions by considering what a rumor feels, "smells," "tastes," and finally, "looks" like. In prompting my students to consider what a rumor "looks" like more specifically, I asked them to draw a visual representation of a rumor. After allowing students ample time to finish their artwork, I asked for volunteers who would be willing to share their drawings with the class. In showcasing their work, students powerfully and collaboratively analyzed pictures such as this one, delving into dialogue about the dangers of bullying and spreading rumors. The energy in the room was electrifying; this lesson is one that I am exceptionally proud of, and is one that I feel truly hit home with students.
Download the full lesson plan below:
Download the full lesson plan below:
ohs_internship_the_crucible_rumor_lesson_.docx | |
File Size: | 90 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Siddhartha Pre-Reading Collaborative Research Project
In order to expand upon students' background knowledge prior to our examination of Hermann Hesse's reflective Buddhist novel, Siddhartha, I asked my seniors to work collaboratively in small groups to research topics driven by their interests. More specifically, students explored topics such as author Hermann Hesse, ancient Indian culture, the Indian Caste System, Indian religions, and meditation practices. The slides above are an example of one group's collaborative research presentation on Indian social hierarchies. Furthermore, after completing this material, each group was required to present the information gathered in an engaging way. My students took on this challenge with open arms. For instance, this particular group created a human pyramid in order to visually represent the Indian Caste System. Another group presented biographical information on author Hermann Hesse by "interviewing" Hesse at different points in his life (his childhood, his teenage years, his adulthood), while yet another asked the class to participate in ancient Indian meditation practices. This lesson exceeded my expectations and objectives as my students took charge of their own learning and creatively presented their newfound knowledge to their peers in thorough, captivating ways.
Download the full lesson plan below:
Download the full lesson plan below:
ohs_internship-eng_12_siddhartha_research_lesson_plan.docx | |
File Size: | 93 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Siddhartha "What is Love?" Song-Related Socratic Seminar
The video above showcases an excerpt of a student-led Socratic Seminar discussion centered around the thought-provoking question, "what is love, really?" in correspondence with Hermann Hesse's novel, Siddhartha. In an effort to encourage students to deeply contemplate and complicate this inquiry, they were required to compare an aspect of the text to a song of their choice as well as put their song analyses in conversation with one another. Through this discussion, I contend, students constructively and collaboratively grappled with their interpretations of the novel, in turn developing deeper meanings and forging deeper connections with this piece of literature overall. Prior to this particular lesson, I effectively scaffolded my students' learning by deliberately choosing and playing a song (on an almost daily basis) that I felt corresponded well with the themes presented in previous chapters of Hermann Hesse's novel. Students gradually began to engage in engaging, deeply analytical discussions centered around these songs in relation to the text, improving each time in their depth and articulation of literary analyses. These foundational discussions ultimately allowed them to develop their critical thinking and communication skills and in turn cogently participate in this thorough, engaging, and mid-unit Socratic Seminar discussion.
Download the full lesson plan below:
Download the full lesson plan below:
ohs_internship_eng_12h_siddhartha_what_is_love | |
File Size: | 122 kb |
File Type: | ohs internship eng 12h siddhartha what is love |
1984 Close Reading Passage Analyses
The handout above engaged students in deeply and critically thinking about key passages in Book 1 of George Orwell's critically-acclaimed dystopian novel, 1984. Students initially interpreted these quotes individually before working to further develop their analyses in small groups before finally discussing these quotations as a class. These analytical discussions functioned as scaffolds as students elaborated upon their interpretations of essential passages on both formative and summative assessments.