This site is a class blog space for new Career and Technical Specializations and Heathcare Science teachers enrolled in the New Teacher Institute (NTI) at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
This week, Nov. 3-7
Well, this week has been hectic. We are getting students signed up for the Skills USA competition and also getting ready to sign up juniors for their senior schedules. Most of my classes are going well. I'm still struggling with students doing classwork and homework. There is no drive in them. Most students that I have that aren't doing their work say they can't write and hate reading. I don't know what happened to them in middle school, but I don't understand why a 10th grader can't write a half page essay on anything! It was a lot different when I was in school. Students never complained about work, or argued with teachers. I remember writing research papers all of the time, even in jr. high school. By the time I was in high school, I could write a seven page term paper on some really boring history topic in only two evenings, maybe three. I'm trying to push the magazine article summary essays in my class, and some have no problem doing them. But, last week, out of 98 students only five students turned their essays in. I was shocked! Well, I hope everyone else's week is going good. See you all Monday!
Hi, Andrea - great to hear about Skills USA coming up - hope you have many students involved and also that they have success in the competition and other events. Looking forward to hearing all about it!
ReplyDeleteHave you tried generating interest in writing by tying it in to job requirements. Remember also that you have students who, by and large, may struggle with writing, so having them write as they would at an auto shop may force them to realize the necessity of writing in the auto business, thereby motivating them to apply themselves. Technicians must write service reports and often complete similar documents, so students should be required to do the same.
Also, if you have students coming to you for extra credit, or makeup, writing assignments can be one method of earning such credit. It may be a motivational thing with your non-writing students, so make sure they know the grading rewards for completing writing assignments. Keep after them!