Assignment Details
Below you will find a description of my Discovery Notebook assignment, which is 10% of my final grade for ENG 405. This description comes directly from Dr. Catherine English's syllabus, and I do not claim credit for creating the assignment.
This notebook can be electronic (created on a flash drive or as a Weebly) or in a binder. The purpose of this notebook is to organize your thinking and learning throughout the semester. The ultimate goal is to create something that is useful for student teaching.
Organize this notebook in a way that will be useful to you. Create a table of contents to help you do that. Include the following:
Table of Contents
Weekly writing:
You are expected to write between 3-5 pages a week. Some of this will be done in class. We will begin each class with a writing prompt. When you arrive to class, get out a new piece of paper, put your name/date/prompt at the top, and begin writing. Include all of these in your notebook. If you miss a class, the prompt will be available on Blackboard.
Reading responses:
Most nights after you complete your reading assignment, you’ll be expected to reflect on your reading—question, consider, wonder, write. These responses also may be shared with your group via Blackboard (more details will be provided in class). The goal is to think through your reading beyond knowledge and comprehension. Freewrite for 10-15 minutes after you complete the reading then reread and edit your work before sharing it or including it in your notebook.
Reflections:
For this class, you will be working on developing a “split personality”—you’ll be processing what’s happening in our class first from the perspective of a student and then again from the perspective of a teacher. My goal is for this to become a habit you continue when you’re in your own classroom—what did this lesson look like from the point of view of your students? What did it look like to you? At the end of most classes, you’ll have questions to respond to thinking through what the lesson felt like from different perspectives. Date these and keep them together in your notebook.
Notes from your field experience
A place to keep notes on your experiences in the classroom. Also include any lesson plans you developed during your field experience.
Student Case study notes
You will use these to develop a more formal piece of writing. Keep rough notes in your notebook. More details will be given in class.
This notebook can be electronic (created on a flash drive or as a Weebly) or in a binder. The purpose of this notebook is to organize your thinking and learning throughout the semester. The ultimate goal is to create something that is useful for student teaching.
Organize this notebook in a way that will be useful to you. Create a table of contents to help you do that. Include the following:
Table of Contents
Weekly writing:
You are expected to write between 3-5 pages a week. Some of this will be done in class. We will begin each class with a writing prompt. When you arrive to class, get out a new piece of paper, put your name/date/prompt at the top, and begin writing. Include all of these in your notebook. If you miss a class, the prompt will be available on Blackboard.
Reading responses:
Most nights after you complete your reading assignment, you’ll be expected to reflect on your reading—question, consider, wonder, write. These responses also may be shared with your group via Blackboard (more details will be provided in class). The goal is to think through your reading beyond knowledge and comprehension. Freewrite for 10-15 minutes after you complete the reading then reread and edit your work before sharing it or including it in your notebook.
Reflections:
For this class, you will be working on developing a “split personality”—you’ll be processing what’s happening in our class first from the perspective of a student and then again from the perspective of a teacher. My goal is for this to become a habit you continue when you’re in your own classroom—what did this lesson look like from the point of view of your students? What did it look like to you? At the end of most classes, you’ll have questions to respond to thinking through what the lesson felt like from different perspectives. Date these and keep them together in your notebook.
Notes from your field experience
A place to keep notes on your experiences in the classroom. Also include any lesson plans you developed during your field experience.
Student Case study notes
You will use these to develop a more formal piece of writing. Keep rough notes in your notebook. More details will be given in class.