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Teaching Sam and Scout

Teaching, Motherhood, and Life In-Between

TED Talk Project for AP Language and Composition

Well folks, it’s my last day of summer break. Tomorrow, it’s back to the grind for my *11th* year of teaching. Wow. As always, the end of summer is bittersweet… On the one hand, I’m sad that my time with my kids will be dramatically decreased, and I’m dreading the super early mornings; but, on the other, I’m excited for another school year. I can’t wait to catch up with my students from last year, meet my incoming freshman, and implement some of the ideas/strategies/etc. in my classroom that I’ve been thinking about this summer (more on that coming next week).

Today I’m sharing a project that I’ve done the last couple of years to kick things off in my AP Language and Composition/ English 11 class using TED Talks. My kids are always really engaged in this unit, it isn’t super hard to implement, and it is the perfect way to introduce them to the most basic concepts of rhetoric so that they have a good foundation for the course moving forward…

If you need a good introductory unit for your AP Language and Composition class, I strongly recommend using TED Talks. Here’s what I do:

STEP ONE: On the second(ish) day of school, I show Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” If you haven’t watched this yourself, you need to go do it RIGHT NOW. There are SO many great TED talks out there, but I really like this one because its message is so relevant to my students (who have been “schooled” for the last 11 years by this point) – they always have a lot of thoughts about his message and it sparks a good conversation about the way current education is structured, where priorities lie in education, and how they feel they’ve been affected by that system. . I also really like the fact that this a pretty simple, straight-forward speech. There’s nothing fancy about it – just a man standing on a stage – BUT, it’s still one of the most downloaded TED Talks of all time. I have my students think (and talk) about why that is… My students have (hopefully) just finished reading Thank You for Arguing as part of their summer reading at this point, so they should have some good vocabulary to discuss Robinsons’ delivery and persuasive techniques.

Then, after we’ve watched and discussed Robinson’s Talk thoroughly, I share what this has to do with OUR class…

See why I like this so much for the beginning of the year?!? 

If you’re pressed for time, you could definitely stop here, but I go further…

STEP TWO: Next, I ask my students to explore the TED website on their own and select two Talks that interest them to analyze and share with the class. (I have students sign up for the Talks they want to analyze on a Google Doc so that there are no duplicates.) Here are the posting instructions I give…

Analytical Work/Discussion Board Post: 

Students will offer a two-part written summary of and analysis of the persuasive strategies used in the TWO TED Talk videos of their choosing and post a review/analysis on the class discussion board. Your post should have the same title as the Talk so that your classmates can easily find it if they’d like to watch for themselves.  Each discussion board post should include the following —

      • Part One: Simply tell me about this particular TED Talk. What is it about? Why did you pick this Talk? What questions or thoughts did it spark in you? Would you recommend this to someone else? Why or why not? Write respectfully and thoughtfully. Attempt to be “remarkable,” so that visitors will want to choose and remark on your post. Beyond that, write in a way that is meaningful and compelling. You must be sure to include the TED talk title and the speaker’s first and last name in your first sentence. (5-10 sentences total)

      • Part Two: Identify the Rhetorical Situation (SOAPS) for your chosen TED Talk. Then, point out the speaker’s use of rhetorical appeals (logos, ethos, & pathos) as well as any additional persuasive/speaking techniques that you notice. Pay attention to the speaker’s ARRANGEMENT (How is his/her speech organized?), STYLE (things like repetition, humor, etc.), and DELIVERY (volume, pace, movement, visuals, etc.). Ultimately, tell whether the speaker is successful in achieving his/her purpose. (5-10 sentences total)

In addition to posting their own discussion board threads, I also require everyone to choose two posts on which to comment.

*Note* As I mentioned above, my students have some familiarity with these terms from their summer reading assignments, but this part may require some pre-teaching. I’d recommend at least introducing the Rhetorical Situation and SOAPS (subject, occasion, audience, purpose, and speaker) as well as logos, ethos, and pathos before moving on to the individual analysis. This can easily be done with the Ken Robison Talk.

STEP THREE: Finally, students have the opportunity to write their own TED Talk on a topic that matters to them. I intentionally keep the parameters pretty vague by saying that their Talk must be persuasive in nature, at least 2-3 minutes, and demonstrate an understanding of the rhetoric/persuasive techniques we have discussed in class and covered in our summer reading. Typically, I provide several resources from the TED website and elsewhere on “writing a TED Talk” and encourage students to do their own research. Ultimately, since my students are in a speciality program that gives them access to a green screen and editing software, they are required to actually film their talks, add special effects (they almost always add in the official TED background and logo), and upload to a shared class file for everyone to view. I also offer extra credit points for students that go above and beyond with additional graphics, videos, etc. that complement their content. (If you wanted to keep it a little simpler, you could just ask students to present their Talks live in class.)

I do not require students to write their TED Talks in a formal structure or anything like that, but these will become the basis for their first formal argumentative essay in a couple of weeks. (It really helps to show them early on that they really “already know how” to write an argument… Our class will just be about strengthening and tweaking those skills.)

So, there you go! In total, this unit takes about three weeks or 6-8 blocks with some class time devoted to independent work and some work done outside of class. It isn’t “quick” necessarily, but I really love how it sets up the rest of the course and introduces them to all the key components of rhetoric / AP Language and Composition. My students also really enjoy it — it’s one of the units they mention every year on their end-of-year surveys!

If you do something like this, I’d LOVE to hear how it works for you; and, if you have questions about my unit, please leave them in the comments – I promise I’ll come back and answer them asap!

Happy Back-to-School season!

E

P.S. Want more beginning-of-the-school-year resources? Here are a few of my favorites —

Decoration & Organization for the High School Classroom

How to Make a Custom Blackboard Course Banner for Free

Missing Work Log

My Favorite Tool for Teachers: Remind 101

First Day of School Activity and Meme Power Point to Go Over Syllabus Etc.

20 Things to Know Before Your First Year Teaching High School

Class Procedures BINGO Game

The Perfect School Bag for Teacher-Moms

If you’ve been in the blog world for any amount of time, chances are you’ve heard of Lily Jade – the amazing leather diaper bag company. I’ve been drooling over them for a while but, honestly, felt like my “day” had passed; after all, my “baby” is over 2 now…

Then this spring, just as the school year was wrapping up, I realized that the straps on my old Target teacher bag were hanging on by a thread and decided it was time to upgrade to something a little nicer (I guess after ten years at this it’s fair to say I’m in it for the long haul). I started searching the internet and asking around about the best bags and kept landing at Lily Jade. (I know, I know, they make diaper bags… Stick with me here!)

Long story short, once I got over the fact that it is *called* a diaper bag, I realized that LJ bags totally fit all the criteria I’d made for my “perfect school bag” and then some. Even better, when I emailed them and shared my idea to use this as a school bag for lugging my computer + books + allthepapers to and from work every day, they offered to send me one to try out!!!! I chose the Rosie in Camel and Jade and, y’all, I’m in love. It is PERFECT.

(P.S. That’s my disclosure. I got this bag for free from Lily Jade. To say I was giddy would be an extreme understatement; but, I promise you, the below comments are my honest opinion/review – I didn’t get paid to write this and none of the links are affiliate or anything like that. Scout’s honor. #seewhatIdidthere? #scoutshonor )

So, what exactly makes a bag the PERFECT SCHOOL BAG FOR TEACHER-MOMS?

I was hoping you’d ask!!!

(1) Size — not too big (this teacher refuses to be the rolling suitcase/crate type. I’m sorry. I just can’t) and not too small (on any given day, I’m carrying at least my laptop, a binder, my planner, and a stack of papers that I probably won’t grade). When it comes to bags, size matters.

All of the above fits – comfortably – inside.

(2) Pockets — on the outside, there are two big zipper pockets (one on the front and one on the back) that work well for extra notebooks, books, or chargers; and, on the inside, there’s an open pocket that fits my phone and wallet perfectly (so I don’t have to carry a purse too) and a smaller zipper pocket that’s just right for pens, paper clips, highlighters, post-its, etc.

(3) Easy to carry — probably one of my favorite features of this bag (and all of Lily Jade’s bags as far as I can tell) is that it easily converts from shoulder bag to cross body/messenger bag to backpack. Most days, I stick with a simple over-the-shoulder carry, but I love having the hands free options – especially the backpack – for the days when I’m also carrying a kid, coffee, and 17 thousand student-journals (it’s hard work avoiding the rolling crate scenario mentioned above).

(4) Beautiful — this may not be essential to everyone, but I carry this thing to and from work five days a week and – often – to at least one coffee shop or library on the weekend… I want it to look good. My Lily Jade bag is GORGEOUS. I’m not even kidding, I literally gasped when I opened it. The leather is super high quality (so soft), the camel color is perfectly neutral (gotta match my outfits) and the interior jade color is perfect. There are even tons of little details – like the gold hardware and that adorable beaded tassel – that just finish off its elegantly simple look. I feel about 10x more sophisticated and professional with this thing on my shoulder. #truth

(5) Versatile — honestly, when I ordered this bag, I intended to just take the little diaper bag insert out and shove it in the back of my closet or something; BUT, I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy it is to leave it packed up with all the things I need for a day out with my kids (read: diapers, wipes, snacks, sunscreen, toys, books) and then to simply take my school stuff out and put it in on the weekends or over the summer. The insert is fully removable, washable (key!!!), has twelve pockets (12!!), and comes with a matching changing pad. I like it so much, in fact, that lately I’ve kept it packed in my car on its own so I have all the essentials for my “mom life” on hand and can easily do a switch-a-roo with a moment’s notice when I need to. I LOVE that I can get more “bang for my buck*” out of this beautiful bag by using it in both of my important jobs – teaching and momming – and it makes that transition super streamlined (and stylish).

*A quick note about the $$… This bag isn’t cheap and, trust me, I know we teachers don’t exactly make the big bucks. I realize that a purchase like this isn’t for everyone, and I totally get that. THAT SAID, if – for whatever reason – you are willing/able to splurge, this bag is absolutely worth it!!! The quality is SO obvious – it’s durable but not heavy, feels amazing, and wears wonderfully (so far – I’ve been using mine daily since about April and it still looks brand new). I’m not sure I’ve ever really believed this before, but this bag is proof to me that “you get what you pay for.” (It would also make an AWESOME gift for a recent grad/ new teacher or just a well-loved teacher-mom in your life. She will feel SO spoiled!!!)

So there you go… The perfect bag for teachers, moms, and teacher-moms.

If you’re ready to treat yourself, you can pre-order the Rosie in Camel & Jade, like I have, at a discounted price now and it will be shipped some time in July — in plenty of time for a new school year!!! There are also lots of other great styles and colors – I like the Madeline myself, and the canvas Meggan is bigger AND cheaper than mine – available at www.lily-jade.com.

I’m, of course, happy to answer any questions about my bag if you have them AND, if you already own a Lily Jade bag, I’d love to hear your opinion in the comments!

In addition, please tell me: what’s the criteria for a perfect school bag in your book?!?

Have a great week friends!

E

Thanks to my sweet (and talented) friend Trent for all the photos in this post!! If you need a southwest Virginia photographer, make sure to check out Trent Currin Photography!

The New, Faster Way I’m Grading Essays

Testing… Testing… Is this thing on?!?

I don’t even know what day of the week it is (I’m not kidding), but let’s pretend it’s Tuesday, ok? Teaching Tuesday. Because you teachers deserve a blog post about how to make your life easier… Right?

If you are a teacher and you aren’t looking for a way to make your life easier right now, I’m going to need you to email me. (samandscoutblog@gmail.com) Seriously, send me all your secrets.

For all the rest of you, I’m popping in randomly to tell you about this great (I think?) new thing I’m doing to help me save some time *but still be as effective as possible* when it comes to grading student essays — everyone’s favorite activity!

Are you ready?

Here it is:

I write the class a letter after grading each set of papers.

Before you think I’ve officially lost it, let me explain…

Basically, you know how when you are grading a class set of essays you find yourself writing the SAME BLASTED COMMENTS on every.single.paper!?! (Just me? I didn’t think so.) Well, recently, I’ve quit (mostly) writing “italicize book titles” (seriously though, why is this so hard for them?) or “avoid first and second person in formal essays” ten million times, and just make a little mark – like an I for italicize or circling the word “you” – on the actual essay. THEN, I simply write a letter *to the whole class* that outlines and comments on all the most frequent mistakes. Then, I copy it and distribute it when I return the papers.

Need a visual?

You get the idea?

So far, it has worked really well to go over it point by point with the whole class, then ask students to actually go back through/re-read their own essay and look for places where they, personally, “committed these crimes.” (I tell them to star the points on the letter that specifically apply to their writing for reference/reminder later.) When we are done, they can staple the letter to their paper or just put it in their binder with it and use it as a reminder of what NOT to do on their next assignment.

Logistically, I’ve been able to implement this really easily. Most of the time, the key “areas for concern” are pretty easy to pick out as I’m grading, but I also keep a little post-it note with me to make notes/ jot down examples as I go. Then, right when I finish, while it is all still fresh in my mind, I write my letter and print/post it.

Of course this doesn’t fully take the place of marking on students’ papers — I still use a rubric to score each essay and make some marginal comments etc., but I really do think it cuts down on the amount of time it takes me to score each individual paper since I’m not writing the same little reminder over and over (and over and over) again.

I also really think this makes the experience of writing a paper (and getting it back) much more meaningful for my students. (Is it bad if I say that’s second to saving me time right now?) I had been noticing recently that when I returned a paper they immediately flipped to the back to see their grade and then barely glanced at my comments – super frustrating when I’d just given up HOURS of my life to write said comments. Then, to make matters even worse, they were making the same mistakes on every single assignment. Now, I can point them back to this letter as a sort of “checklist” before they turn in their next assignment.

It’s a win win.

I hope it helps someone out there today — goodness knows we need all the help we can get this time of year! 😉

If you do something similar to this, I’d love to hear about it? Or, if you give this a shot, let me know how it goes!

In the meantime, stay strong sister!

XOXO,

E

A Teacher’s To Do List for Break + a Winner!!!!

Good morning! Today’s Teaching Tuesday post is all about your well-deserved break… I think, from the outside, it’s easy to think teachers have a cushy job because we get ” so much time off,” but the reality is that we NEED that time. I’d compare it to the way that hours of sleep/rest are regulated for pilots between flights. Sure, the pilot probably could fly back to back trips sometimes, but we wouldn’t want him/her to. We recognize that a pilot needs to give his FULL attention to his work when he is “on duty,” and he needs sufficient time off in order to be at his very best – what we want – when he is flying… The same goes for doctors, nurses, air traffic controllers, etc. I fully believe you can LOVE your job, be good at your job, and still be really excited and really appreciate a break.  My friend and former-colleague posted on Facebook Friday in response to some haters asking why teachers even teach if they are only counting down the days until their next break. I thought her response was PERFECT. The whole thing is shared on my Facebook page, but the gist was that teachers DO love what their jobs/students/etc. Sometimes too much, in fact, and our own families, homes, and physical health take a back seat. We NEED breaks in order to “regroup, rest, and recover,” or else we would likely burn out and surely not be at our best in the classroom the rest of the time. I couldn’t agree more, and – based on the likes and comments on FB – many of you feel the same way.

santa

So, in that vein, teachers, I hope your break is EVERYTHING you need it to be… Whether you are already off, or still counting down the final days/hours/minutes, I hope you’ll make the most of this time in the best possible way.

To get you started, here are a few suggestions of things to add to your “Winter Break To Do List” —

1. REST – Get sleep. Go to bed early. Sleep in (if you don’t have kids – do it for all the rest of us!!). Don’t set an alarm. Take naps.

2. Read – Pick a good book – something you’ve been wanting to read “just for fun,” – and make time to simply sit and read it. (I just finished this one and started this one Saturday.)

3. Watch a movie or TV series without simultaneously grading papers, folding laundry, etc. (I’m committed to catching up on This Is Us and – maybe – starting The Crown.)

4. Play with your kids. Just do it. Get down on the floor. Make a mess. Succumb to play dough and glitter and all the things you say “no” to usually.

5. Go on a date with your husband. If possible, get some childcare (maybe while family is in town?) and make a whole day out of it. Heck, spend the night somewhere! Sadly, he probably gets the worst of you during the school year because your so exhausted from giving all your best to your school kids and your real kids. Make him a priority this week. If nothing else, play a board game and drink wine together after the kids go to bed.

6. Cook/Bake – Let’s be real, you probably don’t do a ton of this during the school year. Try a new recipe for dinner. Set the table and eat a real meal there. Or, just bake lots and lots of cookies and make a huge mess of your kitchen. (I made The Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls yesterday. They actually turned out just fine, but man did I ace the “make a huge mess” thing.)

7. Have another couple/family over for dinner. Don’t make it fancy – pizza or a frozen lasagna on paper plates is 100% acceptable – but do it. (Stop and send a text invite right now.) You’ll be able to actually enjoy this time knowing you don’t have to get up in the morning for work!

8. Catch up with a girlfriend. Let’s be honest, time with friends is HARD when you are working, but you NEED those friendships. Set up a coffee date, or – at the very least – call a long distance friend just to chat during nap time. This will be as refreshing as a nap – promise.

9. Get some exercise. You don’t have to go crazy here, but it will be good for you to get your heart rate up some – bonus points for getting fresh air. Go for a long walk (invite a friend to join you if you want to “kill two birds with one stone”), try out a new class at the gym, sign-up for a one-week pass at a dance/barre/pilates studio you’ve driven by a million times.

10. Do a project you’ve been putting off. If you’re like me, you still really feel best when you’re getting something done, so this is a great time to check something off your list that you never have time for during the school year – cleaning out a closet, organizing your photos, painting a small room, etc. *Just do go overboard. Aim to get ONE project done – not 15. (Trust me, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way.)

Bonus: Stay in your pajamas for a whole day! Most days, I need to take a shower and get dressed to feel like a human, but one or two days of pajamas from morning to night is sometimes just what the doctor ordered. 😉 My kids love it too!

And one “To DON’T” —

Absolutely, under no circumstances, are you allowed to feel guilty for not working during this time off. This is part of your contract. Time OFF is part of your job, because you NEED IT. If you go back to work unrefreshed in January, you won’t be doing anyone any favors. Seriously.

Speaking of deserving teachers, THANK YOU to all of you who entered yourselves and/or your friends to win my Dream Teacher Gift Basket Give Away. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed reading all of your comments and learning who you are / what you teach. I love this little community SO SO much, and I wish I could give a gift to every.single.one.of.you.

Alas, there’s only one gift basket this time… But I’m super excited to announce my internet friend and long-time blog reader Sarah Ross-Koves as the WINNER!!!! Sarah teaches high school English and psychology, and she sacrificed grading midterm exams to enter the give away. 😉 Well worth it!

giveaway-winner-announcement

See all the goodies she’s winning (and treat yourself to a few too) here. Plus, come back tomorrow to read my full review of the 2017 Simplified Planner and have all your questions answered about the investment, the quality, and how I use it…

In the meantime, have a restful, refreshing day!!!

E

P.S. Don’t forget to grab my maternity leave eBook for only $4.99 through Christmas!! (There’s a whole section about making the most of your maternity leave — the ultimate / MUCH-needed “break” from school.)

Get My Maternity Leave eBook for Only $4.99

Yep, you read that right!

I’m in the holiday spirit, and I’m offering my eBook on maternity leave for teachers at the SUPER discounted price of $4.99 from now until Christmas when you use the code “MERRY” at checkout.

merrystork

Two years ago, I had everything pink and cuddly on my Christmas list, and I spent a good portion of my two weeks off planning and prepping for my upcoming maternity leave that March. It was a daunting task; but, lucky for you, I learned A TON, and I’ve shared it ALL in this book!!!

gumroad-graphic

From now until Christmas, you can grab the 85-page eBook as an instant PDF download PLUS my Maternity Leave Checklist for Teachers, eight pretty printable long-term sub binder dividers, editable Word documents of my actual lesson plans and binder contents, and access to an exclusive Facebook group for new and expecting teacher-moms for ONLY $4.99. Seriously, this is the lowest price I’m ever going to offer for this little labor of love. (See what I did there?!?)

Learn more about exactly what’s covered by clicking HERE or head straight to purchase HERE. *Just make sure to use code MERRY at checkout to claim the discount – and HURRY, it’s only good until 12/25!

Even if the content doesn’t apply to you exactly, the book can easily be printed (at Kinkos or just on your own color printer), hold-punched, and put in a cute binder with a bow as a gift for an expecting colleague or even your child’s teacher *only if you’re 100% POSITIVE she’s pregnant! Shoot, even if you just might have a baby in the future, you can always save this for later! (None of the above?!? I’d still be SO grateful if you’d share the book by clicking any of the ‘Share’ buttons at the bottom of this post!)

Thanks friends! Another gift-guide of sorts will be up tomorrow!

E