Classroom in Progress Brownbag Series
"Classroom in Progress" is a monthly brownbag series where graduate students, faculty members, and others interested in writing instruction come together in an informal environment to share ideas and concerns regarding classroom structures, assignments, activities, policies, and procedures. Since this series began in fall 1998, Classroom in Progress brownbag topics have included:
- Bringing an Instructor's Writing Talents into the Classroom
- Responding to Students' Texts
- Reading in Composition Classrooms
- Collaborative Writing and Learning in a Portfolio-based Class
- Evaluating a Text: What Makes Writing Work?
- Responding to Students' Offensive Comments
- Scaffolding and Modeling for Students
- A Case for Dictations in the University Classroom
- Journal Writing
- Blurters, Dozers, and Smirkers: Managing Classroom Discussions
- Preparing Students for Portfolios
- Encouraging Collaboration in the Writing Classroom
- Reading Practices in Composition Classrooms
- Teaching Argumentation
- Teaching Non-Argumentative Texts
- Narration v. Exposition: A Teaching Demonstration
- Undiagnosed Learning Disabilities
- Successful Assignments
- Socratic Circles
- Peer Response Activities, I
- Introducing Scientific Discourse in the Composition Classroom
- Personal Narratives
- Peer Response Activities, II
- Reading Writing Reflection
- "What Do I Do When Students . . . "
- Finding and Defining a Thesis for Text Analysis Essays
- Addressing Grammar and Punctuation Challenges
- Locating Logical Arguments
- Analyzing Visual Texts
- Analyzing Texts
- Vocabulary Building for Students
- Narrative Assignments
- Public Speaking
- Assignment Development
- Teaching Text Analysis
- Using Internet Resources in the Composition Classroom
- Working with Students with Disabilities in a Reading- and Writing-Intensive Course
All brownbag sessions will meet in the CWP Quinn Room in 114 Wheeler Hall. Participants are invited to join us when they can, for as long as they can. Brownbag topic and session schedules will be posted on-line in the Calendar of Events as information becomes available.
For more information, contact Caroline Cole cmcole@uclink.berkeley.edu.
Brownbags for Spring 2008
Engaging Students Beyond the Classroom: (More) Approaches to Student-Teacher Conferences
Stephanie Bobo and Katherine Lee, Facilitators
Thursday, February 28, 2008
12:15 to 1:45 p.m.
Quinn Room, 114 Wheeler Hall
When discussing student-teacher conferences, several questions emerge: How can instructors and students prepare to ensure their respective goals are met? Are some approaches more successful than others for addressing particular assignments or rhetorical tasks? What should—and shouldn't—instructors do in these sessions? What conferencing elements have instructors kept, modified, or rejected over the years in to ensure effective sessions? Are there more efficient, and saner, ways of engaging students? While we may not have personally asked all of these questions, many have asked how student-teacher conferences can be more productive for all involved.
This brownbag spotlights two instructors' approaches to engaging students beyond the classroom. After hearing their approaches, we will open the discussion to brownbag participants' questions, comments, observations, and ideas for making student-teacher conferences more successful. In doing so, we aim to continue earlier discussions exploring how instructors use student-teacher conferences to supplement work in the classroom. Participants are invited to bring copies of any student-teacher conferencing handouts they would be willing to share with colleagues.
Using 2008 Presidential Election Materials in the Writing Classroom
Sim Chiang, Michael Larkin, John Levine, Gail Offen-Brown, and Margi Wald, Panel Members
Thursday, March 20, 2008
12:15 to 1:45 p.m.
Quinn Room, 114 Wheeler Hall
How might faculty members incorporate elements of the 2008 Presidential elections into their writing classes? What kinds of formal and informal assignments are possible? What do students need to interpret, discuss, and convey presidential and vice presidential debates, on-going campaign speeches, media depictions of each party, and the election in general in an informed manner-and how can teachers provide or supplement students' foundation?
Panel members present ideas for working with election-oriented materials that participants can use next semester, or even this spring. Presentations will include or be followed by discussion or group brainstorming.
From Professional Conference to Classroom Practice
Michelle Baptiste, Katherine Lee, and John Levine, Panel Members
Thursday, April 17, 2008
12:15 to 1:45 p.m.
Quinn Room, 114 Wheeler Hall
In addition to helping us learn about advances in the field, (re)connect with colleagues, and earn frequent flier miles, professional conferences can encourage us to reexamine our current pedagogy and inspire us toward new approaches. Yet one challenge conference attendees face is sustaining that inspiration long enough to rework individual assignments or even curriculum. This session aims to sustain and disseminate conference momentum throughout College Writing by encouraging faculty members who have attended MLA, CCCC, TESOL, CATESOL, the Multilingual Symposium and other such forums to share the ideas, practices, materials, and assignments that they plan to bring from conference discussion to classroom practice.
