Anyone can follow a course on P2PU. Participating is the next level of engagement. The sign-up is a space where interested individuals can express their interest and background in the topic and commit to working with the rest of the participants. Please answer the following set(s) of questions if you want to become a participant or organizer.
Standard Set
This set of signup questions is common to all study groups, courses, ... in P2PU. The answers to these questions will be public once you get accepted.
- What made you interested in this topic?
- What do you hope to achieve by participating?
- Are you interested in helping with the course organization?
Public Custom Set
This set of signup questions is particular to this course. The answers to these questions will be public once you get accepted.
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When and where are you writing with students?
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What's one aim you have for your time in this course? Do you have the necessary time to accomplish that aim over the next six weeks while supporting and exploring course topics with others?
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In two sentences or less, what's the last book that you read that you liked?
Between Participants Custom Set
This set of signup questions is particular to this course. The answers to these questions will be visible to all participants once you get accepted.
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What do you teach (grade and subject), at what school, and what is your email address?
Answers
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Richard Beach
Nov. 1, 2011, 4:16 p.m.
Bio:
Professor Emeritus of English Education, University of Minnesota
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Standard Set Answer:
In the forthcoming book, Teaching To Exceed The English Language Arts Common Core State Standards: A Literacy Practices Approach For 6-12 Classrooms, by Richard Beach, University of Minnesota; Amanda Haertling Thein, University of Iowa; and Allen Webb, Western Michigan University (Routledge Press, March, 2012), we critique the formalist/genre base focus of the CCSS. We posit the need for a literary-practice curriculum framework that focuses more on the social practices related to writing, for example, considering the social purposes and aspects of audience identification in teaching argumentative writing, as reflected in the use of online role-play about an authentic issue facing students in their school.
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Joe Dillon
Oct. 22, 2011, 7:05 p.m.
Bio:
I'm am instructional coach in Aurora, Colorado, and a participant in Cohort 2 of the NWP Literacy in the Common Core project.
Location: Denver, CO
Standard Set Answer:
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What made you interested in this topic?
In my role as a teacher coach for secondary literacy, I have a strong motivation to keep up with the changes that are happening in literacy instruction. As a member of the NWP's 2nd cohort in the Literacy Design Collaborative, I want to stay connected to the ongoing discourse about the Common Core Standards.
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What do you hope to achieve by participating?
I hope to connect to a strong professional learning network and continue to develop my understanding of how teachers and schools work with the Common Core Standards. I also hope to learn more about this type of distributed course design. I want to learn more about network principles and pedagogy.
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Are you interested in helping with the course organization?
No. I'm sure my participation will be limited given the amount of time I have in my schedule for this type of work.
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When and where are you writing with students?
I'm proud to say that my instructional coaching role has allowed me to co-teach in middle school literacy classrooms and high school english classes. Most recently, I've written for sixth graders to model reading responses and I have written inquiry questions as models for the launch of a 12th grade research project.
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What's one aim you have for your time in this course? Do you have the necessary time to accomplish that aim over the next six weeks while supporting and exploring course topics with others?
My aim for this course is to participate in the online discourse weekly and to read enough to feel that I'm "in the loop."
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In two sentences or less, what's the last book that you read that you liked?
I just finished Gang Leader for a Day, by Sudhir Venkatesh. I'm intrigued by this type of sociology and I like to daydream about how this type of participant academic work has implications for research in secondary schools.
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Fred Haas
Oct. 8, 2011, 12:03 a.m.
Bio:
English teacher in Boston suburbs; Technology Liaison for the Boston Writing Project & Flat Classroom Certified
Location: Massachusetts
Standard Set Answer:
After spending a year involved in the Literacy Design Collaborative, a Common Core project, with teacher consultants from the National Writing Project who were located around the nation, I remain keenly interested in how this phenomenon will shake out in the education world.
I am hopng to gain a wider and deeper understanding of others thoughts and insights regarding this coming wave of change. I am also looking forward to experienceing a P2PU course, which I haven't really done yet.
I am definitely interested in potentially helping with the course organization, but I am not sure how involved I can be. So perhaps fulfilling a smaller role would suit me for this experience.
I write with students in the high school classes that I teach, particularly with ninth graders. I might not do it as much as I would like, but I have been doing it more lately.
More than anything I am really interested in what others have to say and offer in the course. I have had a deep immersion in the Common Core, so diving into that content is less an aim. It is more about the people and ideas others bring to the course that interest me. It will be tough to manage the time, but it is only six weeks. So I think I will be alright.
I just came off the summer binge, with a lot of books related tot he job which were great. Yet, for sheer pleasure, I really liked Mark Kurlansky's Cod.
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davidnoblitt
Oct. 5, 2011, 9:25 p.m.
Bio:
Location: Hunter Huss IB World School, Gastonia, NC
Standard Set Answer:
I am a strong advocate in teaching writing in all areas
I hope to achieve more content knowledge
I would be happy to provide any skills I may have to help this course - I am National Board Certified, International Baccalaureate Certified in many areas, and AP certified.
I teach International Baccalaureate Diploma Program history courses that are extremely writing intensive
I would like to further develop my skills in teaching writing
I am always reading 3 or more books at a time. While much of my reading is nonfiction (and history related), I just finished this year's Pulitzer winner "Welcome to the Goon Squad" by Jennifer Egan - amazing writer and great story.
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LaDonna Lawing
Oct. 5, 2011, 6:23 p.m.
Bio:
I am an instructional coach at a high school in North Carolina. Our school was designated as a Turnaround school because overall proficiency on state EOCs were below 60%. Our school-wide focus has been on changing the culture of literacy at our school. Our test scores have improved but, we continue to struggle with students who are reluctant readers and are disconnected to school. I've been teaching for 27 years. I've taught reading to kindergarteners, elementary students, secondary students, college students and adults. My husband, Mike and I have two daughters, Callie 23 and Sarah 17. I come from a big family with 5 sisters and 3 brothers, with who I am very close.
Location: North Carolina
Standard Set Answer:
I hope to collaborate to gain additional insight into the challenge that content area teacher have in making themselves aware of the literacy skills, knowledge and concepts they take for granted in their disciplines and how to make these explicit to their students.
I work as a literacy coach in classrooms with high school teachers. I also work with community organizations that partner in our school to improve our graduation rate. We work to provide grant funding to provide content area teachers with access to more and better reading materials for their classrooms. My main aim is to get our students reading and writing.
I read anything and everything. Last book I read was about Warren Buffet. Our school faculty just read, The Other Wes Moore-One Name Two Fates
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WizardOzTeacher
Oct. 3, 2011, 5:11 p.m.
Bio:
Elementary Intervention Specialist interested in how to make reading, writing and math authentic within the classroom.
Location: Ohio
Standard Set Answer:
I am interested in this topic because our district is in the process of rolling out the CCSS. We also have a district initiative to create a wrting workshop district-wide. I hope to achieve new methods and ideas to engage students in an authentic writing process. I am not interested in helping with course organization.
I will be writing with students during a writing workshop, at least one time per week, grades 3-5. One aim that I have for my time in this course is to gain an idea of how to incorporate CCSS and IBPYP together to make authentic, meaningful writing instruction for students. I do have necessary time, as we are looking to make those connections, in our district, through a districtwide initiative.
The last book that I read, that I like was Guantanamo Boy by anna Perera. I loved this boy because of the heart breaking nature of such a thought provoking story.
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skajder
Oct. 3, 2011, 1:28 p.m.
Bio:
English Education faculty at the University of Pittsburgh, writer, researcher, learner.
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Standard Set Answer:
Bud Hunt is one of my teachers, and I appreciate any opportunity to learn together as we figure out the ever-changing langscape of standards, expectations, assessments, and opportunities when it comes to teaching secondary English.
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Amanda
Oct. 3, 2011, 12:12 p.m.
Bio:
Engaged, my blog
Location: Asheville, NC
Standard Set Answer:
I'm currently one of our district's ELA Common Core trainers. I hope by participating in this course I can deepen my knowledge of CCSS and bring strategies back to my classroom and colleagues.
My students and I typically write or work on writing projects 2-3 days a week. Over the course of the next month, we are working through a unit on fear-what it is, how it is created, etc. We will be focusing on argumentative writing throughout this month. My goal for this course is to supplement my current writing plans and align with the CCSS.
The last book I read for myself was Incendiary by Chris Cleave, haunting and beautiful with a phenomenal, although unreliable, narrator. Definitely not for students.
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Deb
Oct. 1, 2011, 11:15 a.m.
Bio:
Started teaching English, then taught reading, then college writing and lit, now a curriculum person, but still teach courses in reading, curriculum, 21st century skills. Still learning all the time.
Location: Massachusetts
Standard Set Answer:
I am responsible for bringing the CC to a district along with a large team. As we have begun to work, we realized that writing in the content areas and that writing from K-12 will become more challenging for all teachers.
I want to see how others are addressing the question of writing.
I'd be glad to help, though I'm not sure what would be needed.
I'm not sure if this helps, but one of my major questions is about defining the emphasized "genres" of writing, the argument (not exactly persueasion as we teach it now), description (more like expository writing in non-fiction), and the narrative (also not just a self-told story, but part of a wonderful NF genre that I'm not confident are part of our present store of writing: memoirs, for example).
Maybe what I'm saying is that the NF world both of reading and writing is a really large area to learn about for all of us. And, as a former lit-ra-ture (English teacher), I was not very excited by nor was my teaching very strong in NF.
Deb
I am part of a district that is looking at student writing K-12 and across the disciplines. I just finished teaching a course with teachers about what 21st century teaching may entail. One thread of that work is with the technology/librarian teachers as we develop standards for K-12 research.
One aim: to learn from others, to see the perspectives of others as they look at the next steps to take to support improved writing and increased writing.
Fiction: The Night Circus: magical, imaginative, and a wonderful dream of a read.
Non-Fiction: "They Say, I Say:The Moves that Matter in Persuasive Writing" recommended by someone on-line at NCTE. A college book, but adaptable to K-12.
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Susan
Oct. 1, 2011, 9:23 a.m.
Bio:
I'm a retired middle school English teacher, now working with young writers in small groups at a studio I've opened. I learn and share here, here, and here. I enjoy working in online communities.
Location: Virginia
Standard Set Answer:
I have been teaching writing in the same way for years. I am hoping to learn from others new ways to inspire students to think of themselves as writers.
I write with my former students on their blogs and in person around my dining room table. I hope to learn creative ways to inspire students to think of themselves as writers and to explore the Common Core Standards as a way to do that.
Yes, I have necessary time.
I just finished Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr.
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Patrick Higgins
Sept. 30, 2011, 9:46 a.m.
Bio:
Location: West Caldwell, NJ
Standard Set Answer:
What made you interested in this topic?
It's a professional interest of mine to make sense of the Common Core Standards for Language Arts.
What do you hope to achieve by participating?
I hope to learn from more knowledgable colleagues.
Are you interested in helping with the course organization?
Absolutely.
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Cindy Minnich
Sept. 29, 2011, 8:58 p.m.
Bio:
Book lover, coffee addict, tech fanatic, writer who is up for any opportunity to connect with others who are lucky enough to call themselves teachers
You can find me on Twitter as @cbethm.
Location: Millersburg, PA
Standard Set Answer:
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Perhaps it is my liberal arts background, but I long for more connections to be made across curriculums. By writing and thinking deeply, I think it would be difficult NOT to make those connections across disciplines - and I believe this could afford so many new possibilities for us as educators if we embrace this.
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I hope to gain new ideas, perspectives, and opportunities for brain sweat as I reflect on my experiences here. I hope to set up a routine that will last beyond the six weeks of this course to have carved out some sacred writing time.
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I would be interested in helping with the course organization, but I believe I may have signed up too late for that...
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My students and I write in our notebooks, on computers, on our phones. It's still early in the school year so much of our writing is happening in our classroom, but I'm starting to see students having written at home and wherever their muses grace them with inspiration.
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My one aim is to write more deliberately. That, for me, means that I will be writing more regularly, drafting and sharing with my students more regularly, reflecting (in writing, of course) on what I am doing. I do write - a lot - but I don't always share or post or reflect on what I've done. I have the time, the inclination, and the desire to work on this course.
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I just finished Feynman this week and I am reminded why I found him such a fascinating human being from his autobiographies. I'm struggling with the physics concepts, but I love the challenge.
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firstgradeteacher
Sept. 29, 2011, 4:14 p.m.
Bio:
Location: North Carolina
Standard Set Answer:
I became interested in this topic because there was a lot of discussion at our school about how to best teach writing and should we participate in the state writing test. I am not very familiar with the Common Core Standards and am anxious to learn more.
I hope to become a better teacher of writing for my first graders. I also hope to earn some CEU's.
I don't think I would be a good choice to help with course organization.
I am writing each day at school, in our classroom, with my students.
I want to become more familiar with the Common Core Standards and improve how I'm teaching writing. (I am returning to work after an extended time off.) I do have the time to accomplish this goal and am excited at the prospect.
The last book I read that I like was not work related. It was Reaching the Animal MInd.
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pmbwolff
Sept. 27, 2011, 12:15 p.m.
Bio:
Education Administrator, Literacy Coach, Reading Specialist, Wife, Mother and Fan of Baltimore sports' teams.
Location: Reading, PA
Standard Set Answer:
I am working to support districts in Berks County, PA transition to the Common Core. I have led a few trainings around the ELA Common Core Standards and am interested to learn more about the emphasis writing compared the current PA State Standards. I am would like to have a deeper level of understanding of how to support districts and teachers incorporate more writing across the curriculum as well as meet the rigorous expectations of the Common Core.
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AmandaF
Sept. 26, 2011, 9:41 p.m.
Bio:
Location: China
Standard Set Answer:
I am very interested in the topic because I want to know how other educators feel about the writing standards and what works and what does not. I also want to help my stundents become better writers.
I can help out with the course organization of the course.
We are writing in all areas since I teach 5th grade. For more focused writing, we are piloting 6+1 Traits at our school.
I hope to learn how to teach my students writing with the back drop of the core standards in mind. I spent time developing and researching the core standards for our school both ELA and Math.
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Jessie Shores
Sept. 25, 2011, 8:43 p.m.
Bio:
Location: Pine City, MN
Standard Set Answer:
I am an English teacher and I hope to learn new ways to get my students excited about some different ways of writing.
I teach online classes and I'm constantly trying to engage my students in writing.
My aim is to learn different ways that might help to engage my students in writing. I do have the time necessary for this course and am eager to explore the various topics offered.
The last book I finally got to finish was Jurassic Park. I love to watch movies that are based on books and compare the two.
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Paul Oh
Sept. 22, 2011, 3:47 p.m.
Bio:
I work for the National Writing Project, have taught at the elementary level, and am a former journalist.
Location: Oakland, CA
Standard Set Answer:
I'm interested in p2pU generally and in this topic in particular because I feel like I have less knowledge than I'd like with regard to the Common Core ELA standards, particularly as they relate to composing, digitally or otherwise.
As an answer to both what made me interested in this topic and what I hope to achieve, I'm very much interested in hearing the perspectives of teachers who are faced with implementing these standards, and how they might do so in ways that feel consistent with my ideals about writing instruction - namely that writing should have authentic purpose, a sense of audience, and be seen as existing within a social context.
I'm interested in helping with the course organization, but realistically would probably be unable to devote much time to that. Speaking of which, I'm going to be away for much of the first week of the course. I completely understand if this presents too great an obstacle with regard to my full participation.
Thanks,
Paul
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I'm not currently writing with students; I work for an educational non-profit and so deal most often with teachers.
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I want to understand better the Common Core as it relates to writing, particularly digital composing. I'd also like to explore the idea of Common Core as a vehicle for "deeper learning" as the course title suggest. I'm committed to devoting the time necessary to the course.
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The last book I read that I liked was Steven Johnson's "Where Good Ideas Come From." I found the theme, the writing and the ideas presented extremely provocative.
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Joe Wood
Sept. 17, 2011, 2:05 p.m.
Bio:
I am an instructional coach in Sacramento, California and teacher consultant for Area 3 Writing Project. In my roles with both groups I work on a variety of topics including digital writing, technology integration, disciplinary literacy, writing workshop, and content-area writing.
Location: Sacramento, CA
Standard Set Answer:
I am interested in learning more about the Common Core Standards and how they apply to both content-area and digital writing.
I am interested in learning more about the Common Core Standards and how they apply to both content-area and digital writing. I work with writing students in a variety of K-12 classrooms. I should have the time to complete the course. The latest book that I really read and liked was A Wrinkle in Time...I have a 5th grade reading buddies class and we read a book every two weeks. That was our last book.
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pedrongfc
Sept. 11, 2011, 3:19 p.m.
Bio:
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Location: Brazil
Standard Set Answer:
- I'm interested in the process of writting.
- Gain more knowledge on the process of writting.
- No.
- I've just finished college and am about to start working in a classroom. I want to feel more secure about my practice.
- The aim is to gain as much knowledge as possible to feel a bit more ready do deal with teaching in a near future. I do have the necessary time to take the course, since I'm still on vacation.
- Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis.
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Jocelyn Condenzio-Hall
Sept. 9, 2011, 3:51 p.m.
Bio:
I am a Mother of 5 children and one grandchild. I also teach History to middle and high school age students at Bridgewater Academy, a virtual school, and I am an Adjunct Professor of Reading at Daytona State College.
Location: DeLand, FL
Standard Set Answer:
I have found that many of my students on both the secondary and post-secondary level lack the necessary skills to express themselves in writing well. I hope to learn a variety of methods to help my students develop their writing skills, and help them understand the connection between reading and writing more fully.
Due to working both teaching positions, I will be unable to help with course organization at this time.
I work on writing with all of my students just about everyday, in both the virtual online and college classrooms. I hope to use my time productively in this course, learning everything I can so I can use it in my classrooms. I'm a Mom so I'm pretty good at multi-tasking, therefore, I should be able to accomplish this during this course.
I've read so many books lately that i've enjoyed thoroughly. Currently, I'm reading Handle with Care, by Jodi Picoult.
