learning, living, and lesson plans

I commented on Jack’s blog entry titled :
Fuel for the Media Fire on January 30, 2008.

I commented on Steve’s blog entry titled:
Stabbing in Newark OH on January 30, 2008

I commented on Kristin’s blog entry titled:
Is a Violent Essay Good Enough for Arrest? on February 17, 2008.

I commented on Mark’s blog entry titled:
Field Trip! on February 23, 2008.

I commented on Molly’s blog entry titled:
The Earlier the Better, For Us All on February 23, 2008.

I commented on Laura’s blog entry titled:
If You Can’t Bow Down, Bow Out on February 23, 2008.

I commented on Leigha’s blog entry titled:
Getting on the Right Track on April 11, 2008.

I commented on Desi’s blog entry titled:
But 5 Years Later? on April 11, 2008.

I commented on Brad’s blog entry titled:
Dad, Did You Finish Your English Homework? on April 11, 2008

I commented on Megan’s blog entry titled:
Practical Uses for Art Education on April 11, 2008

Upon thinking about this past semester in Eng 310, I can’t help but remember how excited I was to take this class when I signed up. Writing has always been my passion, as has teaching, and this seemed like the perfect class to incorporate two of my interests. Working at the Writing Center on campus, I realized the things I learned in this class could be applied directly to my job. I came into the classroom with a certain eagerness and excitement, but also numerous expectations and desires to be challenged in my professional development.

As I expected, I learned things that I consistently utilized at work. When we were learning about Peter Elbow and his theories of writing, I would shift my workshop “lesson plans” I make for the freshman I work with to mirror some of his thoughts. When brainstorming with students in labs, I had new ideas and strategies to offer. A large part of my job is responding to peer papers and teaching them how to improve their own papers. The segment on “marginal and end comments” was so helpful to me, because those are the type of comments I am required to make day after day.

Instead of being plagued with busy-work, like in many other classes, I found the great majority of the readings we were assigned to be useful. I enjoyed in-class writing assignments, and the chance to utilize my creativity in the “This I Believe” essay. The writing groups were helpful when discussing lesson plans and writing processes. I looked forward to coming to class each Tuesday and Thursday.

Through the blog writing, I have developed more of an understanding of writing in the high school curriculum. I have always been extremely interested in nutrition, and when I decided on the topic, I wasn’t sure that I would be able to relate nutrition to writing. The task proved to be difficult, as I sifted through pages and pages of articles in search of one that would be applicable. I found myself attempting to make very vague and unrelated connections between the article and my future teaching experience.

As the semester progressed, something changed. Either the articles being posted in April were more related to what I wanted to discuss (which is highly unlikely), or I had learned to make more critical connections regarding writing. I found myself becoming more invested in the articles I was finding. My final article both disturbed me with its topic about eating disorders, and also made me excited for the impact I will make on kids as I become a teacher.

Overall, this class has been informative and fun. I have learned a great deal about different approaches and assignments I can use when I become a teacher. I plan on keeping the majority of the books we read in class to use in my future classroom. This semester made me even more sure of the career decision I have made, and I can’t wait to start teaching.

In addition to worrying about nutrition, now-a-days, teachers also have to consider the prevalence of eating disorders in schools. While this is not something directly worked into the curriculum, teachers are finding more and more students struggling with eating problems in high schools — and discovering more and more ways writing can be a useful tool in relating to these students. There are ways schools can take preventative measures to make their learning institutions a safer and more informed place through writing, in an attempt to reduce these disorders.

In the article “Awareness Campaign Sheds Light on Eating Disorders,” author Meghan Dixon discusses how schools can take initiative to raise awareness about these disorders. Dianne Arguero-Trotter, a psychologist in a Seton Hall school district, realizes the destructive effects eating disorders have on both male and female students. She writes that students are most susceptible to developing a disorder “due to the transition from home to college life, added academic and financial stress, unregulated portions and social pressure.” This is why high schools are the perfect place to inform students about the dangers of eating disorders — because many develop them upon arriving at college.

Arguero-Trotter has been a driving force in helping students at her school understand disorders. Many resources are available for the entire school, including counseling, health services and a Women’s Resource Center. All of these services provide a plethora of information students can read regarding eating disorders. Dixon writes that:

Counseling Services offers free, confidential support to students at Seton Hall for a variety of concerns including eating disorders. The center provides screenings, that are mandatory for all student athletes that can help identify an individual’s risk of developing an eating disorder.

Along with these health screenings, schools could require students to complete a “Healthy Eating Survey” or respond to their eating habits through writing. These concerns are not just about meeting standards and teaching students how to write a five paragraph essay. The way writing connects to the reality of students’ lives in this case is showing that teachers care about their students outside of the classroom as well.

Another way writing can be used in a helpful and vital way is through the Women’s Resource Center at the school. This center “presents programs to the university regarding healthy issues that specifically affect women.” The programs have written information and posters about the signs of eating disorders and what students can do to get help. This is an innovative way of relating writing to nutrition and health concerns in high schools.

This school is doing everything it can to help students outside of the classroom. Since eating disorders are becoming more and more common, Seton Hall decided to be proactive about seeking solutions. By providing students with written handouts and online counseling, this school is using technology and writing to help save students’ lives.

Dixon, Meghan. “Awareness Campaign Sheds Light on Eating Disorders.” The Setonian. 10 April 2008. 11 April 2008. <http://domapp01.shu.edu/depts/affairs/Setonian.nsf>

There are countless ways to incorporate and relate writing with nutrition — besides cooking books and food reviews. Through a district-wide health fair, students in the Shreveport school district are discovering just a few. This article illustrates how kids can enjoy both composition and healthy eating through a few key projects and activities.

Along with “outdoor 4-H activities and a Kid Fun Run,” this Shreveport fair provided numerous activities that make learning about health and nutrition fun for kids. Having a big event can raise awareness for the event, and also build community in the district. Local businesses and libraries even got in on the fun. Local libraries “displayed children’s books about nutrition and health,” while the Morningstar Baptist Church used fliers to “alert students about its summer programs.” These are two more examples of how community can encourage academic curiosity by making it fun for the students.

The arrangement of the fair was conducive to tying academics to nutritional knowledge. Students, typically along with their parents, “rotated to different table displays throughout the cafeteria and outdoor displays.” This set-up allowed professionals to create posters and written pieces to teach children — in an interesting way — about nutrition. Any high school could copy this idea easily, and even include handouts and written summaries to incorporate writing skills

I think the ideas presented in the fair are things that can be incorporated in any high school curriculum. One way teachers can relate writing to “out of classroom” opportunities is asking student to reflect on the event in writing. Teachers could easily assign a research paper or reflection paper, further researching a topic they encountered at the fair, or simply reflecting on what they learned.

Another way teachers could work to tie nutrition into writing is having the students themselves put on this fair. Presenting this idea as a research opportunity and professional development speaking project, students could spend time looking into how nutrition ties into their school specifically. The end result would be a presentation fair, where the community could come view their project, discuss it with them and ask questions. Teachers could bring the experience back into the classroom by requiring students to write a letter to the school administration regarding their findings in the project.

Teachers and communities are finding new and creative ways to relate school curriculum with health and nutrition concerns, and this is just one example of many. Schools should be seeking innovative ways to make their students excited — not only about health and nutrition — but about learning as well.

Northington, Ashley. “Health Fair Educates Students About Staying Fit.” The Shreveport Times. 10 April 2008. 11 April 2008. <http://www.shreveporttimes.com>

For the professional development segment of this class, I was able to see a theater company out of Holland act out segments of Macbeth. I went into the three hour presentation feeling a little anxious and apprehensive — I had two papers to write that night, as well as numerous projects and assignments I should have been doing. Instead, I was stuck in a classroom watching theater nerds reenact a Shakespeare play that I had had to read in high school. However, from the moment they stepped onto their “stage” (which was really just the space between our desks in a classroom in Au Sable), they captured my attention and made me interested in theater again.

The director spent a little time discussing the themes and symbolism in the play, and asked for input from the audience. She made it interesting and informative, and by asking us to participate, I was already engaged in what she was saying. She had such a passion for the play, and throughout her speech, her passion somehow grabbed a hold of me in the audience. I couldn’t wait for the actual acting to begin.

Beginning with a scene between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, I realized right away that the company had definitely made their version of the play more modern in a way that the audience could relate to. Macbeth was wearing a leather bomber jacket, and Lady Macbeth was wearing a red outfit I’m sure I’ve seen Grand Valley students wearing before. The actors also took some liberties with the witches — and even included one male witch in the play. The language was much different than the old English, confusing wording that many Shakespeare plays contain.

Considering these alterations, I began to think about how I could get my future students as excited about Shakespeare as I was at that moment. I thought about the reasons students wouldn’t want to read Macbeth. The language is hard to understand, the characters and plot are seemingly impossible to relate to and the symbolism may be over students’ heads. In teaching Shakespeare, I would want to spend a good amount of time discussing the word choice used by the author, as well as really digging into the symbols and what they mean in the play. Once students had a better grasp on the technicalites of Macbeth, they could really begin to understand how they can find things that are applicable to their laptop and PDA filled lives.

Although I used to think it was an easy way out, I truly believe that when teaching Shakespeare (among other more difficult texts), it is important for students to see some sort of visual aid along with the reading. This could mean watching scenes from a movie, looking up pictures of the setting and characters online, or even going to a live version of the play as a class. It truly made the words come alive for me, and I want to be able to do that for my students.

Overall, this experience surprised me more than anything. I realized that these actors weren’t just “theater geeks” that got excited about soliloquies and kennings, but they understood how much work and creativity went into writing that play. In just three hours, I considered many different ideas of how I could eventually make my students excited about reading — something that will be applicable in ANY English class I teach in the future.

At what point do children start taking responsibility for their food choices? How responsible are parents for instilling healthy habits in their children’s minds? The article “Packing a healthful lunch for your child can be a daunting experiment” by Rebekah Denn explores the tricky relationship between parents, their children and food.

In the article, the art of packing a lunch is presented like a scientific experiment. The variables include time (how quickly the food can be eaten), volume (how long will the child stay full) and energy (how fulfilling the food actually is). Keeping these three things in mind, parents also have to pack things that the child will actually want to eat, and not just throw away.

Parents need to remember the individual taste of each child. Denn admits that it’s easy to get into a rut with lunch packing.Whole fruit and boring sandwiches are two things that, while they are healthy, often are not appealing to kids. Mother and chef Lisa Dupar of Pomegranate Bistro in Redmond tries to solve this problem,

“[The] key is making the food easy for kids to eat and not overwhelming…Also, just as on the restaurant plate, presentation makes a difference in the lunchbox. If the food looks appealing, with contrasting colors and textures, it’s more likely to get a warm reception.”

Dupar says that instead of just throwing an apple in the lunch bag, she will slice it up and include peanut butter or bananas between slices. This makes the healthy snack seem fun and less overwhelming than a whole apple. She gives a lot of good tips on making lunch-packing interesting.

Denn also spoke to nutritionists and dietitians to help solve the morning packing struggle. Food that is fast, easy and portable seem to be staples for any brown bag lunch. Fruit is healthy, low in calories and provides much needed vitamins and minerals. Denn consults dietitian Susan Levin, who claims that,

“…packing fruit regularly would solve some of our dilemmas, especially if it’s prepared so kids don’t use up their lunch minutes peeling and segmenting.”

Personally, I would feel more comfortable packing my child’s lunch than just giving the child money to spend in the lunch room. However, I would be worried about packing things that he or she would actually eat. I think a good solution to this is packing the lunch together with the child the night before. This allows time for preparation — we could both partner in making a salad or some pasta to pack, a feat that would be impossible in the rush of the morning. Also, by packing together, the child has no surprises the next day. They have a choice in what foods they want to include. This provides a great opportunity for the parent to explain the food pyramid and healthy eating to the child.

Denn, Rebekah. “Packing a healthful lunch for your child can be a daunting experiment.” Seattle PI. 20 Feb. 2008. 23 Feb. 2008. <http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/351890_lunchboxcalculus20.html?source=mypi>

What does it take to make kids excited about nutrition and healthy eating? Handing out free fruit and smoothies may be the answer. A recent article by Carol Reeves further investigates this idea: Dietary exercises take students from brainstorms to brain freezes. Students at Franklin School in Corvallis, Oregon spent their lunch hour brainstorming with their fellow peers. They weren’t thinking about topics for an upcoming paper, but instead, they were discussing different ways to eat all kinds of fruits.

The picture in the article shows a student dressed in a banana costume passing out Jamba Juice smoothies to peers. The school hosts “Mix It Up” days, where students get assigned different tables in the lunch room, allowing them to mingle with new friends. Each table received a list of things to do and talk about, each involving some aspect of healthy eating. Prizes and coupons might have inspired all students to participate. Reeves explains,

“Sixth- through eighth-graders sitting at the banana table listed 29 different fruits in their lunches and earned an extra prize of a coupon for a free smoothie the next time they visit the Jamba Juice store.”

Everyone loves free food. Making the “Mix It Up” days into a celebration is a great way of making kids interested in nutrition. Talking to peers about the topic can be very beneficial as well. Students are more apt to listen to ideas of friends and classmates than the lecture of an adult. At this particular lunch, they discussed the food pyramid, shared recipes and even discussed organic and alternative natural foods.

Prior to reading this article, I thought that more nutrition classes would be the best way to inform students about the risk of eating unhealthy food. However, this school has proven to me that there are potentially many enjoyable ways to involve students in learning. Teachers and administration at Franklin agree,

“The whole idea is to generate enthusiasm for healthy eating, explained Gigi Sims, a health education specialist assigned to Franklin and Cheldelin Middle School.”

I believe this is the way to really reach out to kids, especially with secondary education. First of all, by making it a “requirement” to meet new students and talk about nutrition, the students can pretend like they’re participating because they have to. They don’t have to blow their “cool” reputation by revealing a genuine interest. Also, it’s something outside of just sitting in a classroom and learning. This idea is new, innovative and just what students need to have fun and be informed about their health and nutritional needs.

Reeves, Carol. “Dietary exercises take students from brainstorms to brain freezes.” Corvallis Gazette Times. 21 Feb. 2008. 23 Feb. 2008. <http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2008/02/22/news/community/3loc01_mixitup.txt>

Imagine a world where parents and teachers work in tandem to provide the best life for their children and students. Imagine a community joined to discuss nutrition and healthy living for young adults. Recently, those in education and administration have been working to make this happen. In the article Program Stresses Exercise, Healthy Eating, Adam Rosing explains a new program that is catching on at schools nationwide.

Teachers in Hebron, Kentucky launched a program called WE CAN, which stands for Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition. Anita Courtney planned and organized a conference in Boone County, where she is the coordinator for Kentucky’s Department of Public Health. Those in the community met together this past Valentine’s day to listen to speakers, brainstorm nutritious cafeteria options and develop exercise programs. She describes the goals of the program,

“The program thinks really practically and realistically,” Courtney said. “In this crazy world with 64-ounce gulps and nonstop TV programming, we have to think about how we are going to rein this in and make kids healthier. It is all about being real and coming up with strategies that work.”

Communities could start small — holding an open panel discussion to invite parents and friends to  talk about nutrition and eating problems of teenagers. This could develop into shorter workshops (one to two hours) covering hot topics and ideas on how to be proactive in schools regarding food choices. Eventually, perhaps a program such as WE CAN will develop.

It seems logical to me that teachers work hand-in-hand with parents to discuss such topics. Since middle school and high school students are at school for at least one meal a day, it is a concern that educators must consider as well. Often, cafeterias are filled with greasy burgers and pizza, and vending machines for between class snacks of chocolate and candy. Calories and fat aren’t concerns for most young people, but even if their metabolism can handle the barrage of trans fats and high sodium, it doesn’t make them healthy. This raises the need for awareness of the nutritional information, which can be accomplished through more programs such as WE CAN.

Rosing, Adam. “Program Stresses Exercise, Healthy Eating.” Community Press. 14 Feb. 2008. 17 Feb. 2008. <http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080214/NEWS03/802140486/1102/RSS0803>

This article provided an interesting take on the cause of obesity in schools, and claims that it is somewhat dependent on gender. Authors Hallie D. Martin and Patti Moon claim that boys are obese mostly because they eat frequently and in large quantities during the day. Girls are more likely to starve at school and binge once they are back home. Both of these unhealthy options are packing on the pounds for students at younger and younger ages.

However, even with these differences, parents still play a key role in the nutritional habits of their children,

“Parents are the No.1 role model for kids,” said Tanner-Blasnier, who is also studies coordinator at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “If parents can lead by example [by eating right], even if the kid doesn’t like the parent, they will mimic them.”

I thought it was interesting that Tanner-Blasnier points out that even if the child doesn’t have a good relationship with their parent, they are still likely to take after their food habits. Ideally, parents should be able to sit and talk to their kids about healthy eating, but if that’s not possible, they can always lead by example.

After reading this article, I considered why it is so different for boys and girls with food, especially in a school setting. I think a lot of it has to do with pressures of society. Since girls are expected to be thin and petite, they feel pressured to starve in public places (at the lunch table). Once they get home for the day, they are so low on energy and blood sugar that they will eat everything in sight. For boys, they are pressured to be big and strong and muscular. They feel like they can get away with constant grazing, because they don’t feel like they are judged for what they eat in the way girls are. The article explains that,

“Society is more accepting of a ‘manly diet’ and dainty woman,” said Blatner, who is also a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association…“Societal influence plays a role in the things women and men like to eat.”

I found this to be true even when dining out with some friends earlier today. We went to Applebees, where the guys consistently ordered burgers and steak, and were praised by and respected by the rest of the group. The females almost ALL ordered something healthy, and five out of six of us ordered a salad (with dressing on the side). This definitely has to do with societal standards, and the desire to fulfill the roles we are expected to fill.

Martin, Hallie D. and Patti Moon. “Why Kids Gain Weight: Boys Eat Big All Day, Girls Binge
at Home.” Medill Reports 30 Jan. 2008. 30 Jan. 2008.
<http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=76445>

A slice of pizza, a snack pack of double stuff Oreos, a can of Pepsi and a side of fries — the aisle of a grocery store, or the typical lunch of American high schoolers these days? This has been a concern for nutritionists, parents and educators for the past decade. As obesity is on the rise, children are much more likely to be overweight than they were just five years ago.

Nanci Hellmich has explored this topic in an article titled, “For Kids, Fun Foods are Staples”. She realizes that kids are more attracted to bright packaging, sugar and grease, and reveals surprising results of one study –

“Kids get a whopping one-third of their calories from pizza, snacks and desserts, says a new analysis from a landmark study on children’s eating habits.” (Full Article)

Instead of a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, it seems as though Ramen noodles and chocolate chip cookies have taken over as their very own unhealthy food group. I see evidence of this in the high school I work at. After visiting my kids at lunch, the aftermath of the lunchroom is terrifying. There are uneaten apples and carrot sticks strewn about the room, accompanying the empty wrappers of candies, chocolates and even Taco Bell. It seems like there has been a huge shift in the staple lunch bag items from when I was younger, which included water, a sandwich, fruit and a vegetable.

In order to help families instill good eating habits for their children, Hellmich has provided a chart that parents can post on the refrigerator. To make it easy to follow for children, this visual aid contains three different sections. “Go Foods” are healthy foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, that kids can eat almost any time. that “Slow Foods” are foods that should be eaten sparingly (once or twice a week), including white bread and fruit juice. Finally, “Whoa Foods” are foods that should be eaten on special occasions, like pastries and fried foods.

I believe that ultimately it is the parent’s responsibility to teach their children good eating habits. However, schools can (and should) be making more of an effort to provide consistency for the students. I think it’s a good idea to eliminate vending machines altogether, and offer more organic and local foods for kids to purchase. Also, health and nutrition classes should be a requirement for all freshmen, because they are old enough to make their own choices with the foods they put in their mouths.

Hellmich, Nanci. “For Kids, ‘Fun Foods’ are Staples.” USA Today 31 May 2005.
15 Jan. 2008. <http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-05-31-kids-food_x.htm>