Owens 1

Alyssa Owens

Dr. Power-Carter

L408

15 December 2019

Final Assignment

Part I:
As an educator it is clear to me that I have a tendency to be very forward and dominate

when facilitating student learning. In some instances, this works quite well, with my ability to be

direct ensuring students pay attention and maintain engagement. In the role of a teacher, there are

some very obvious drawbacks to being overtly direct, including some students finding me

intimidating. I think this natural tendency to lead discussion is useful in some instances, but for

individual student learning this quality is detrimental. I do, however, think that I can repurpose

this approach to my advantage, maintaining a strong presence in the classroom. I will have to

make sure that I reserve time for small groups and self-directed student activity in order to offset

my tendency to be overly involved.

My only real confidence issue so far has been not knowing where my authority ends and

begins. If my students are not respecting each other or are acting up, what can I do? If I were

totally in charge of my classroom, I could implement different classroom management strategies,

but in this case I’m not sure that would be the best course of action, especially in a small group

setting. I attempted to redirect student’s attention or draw them back into the conversation by

using what they were talking about and applying it to the reading. This generally helped. But

occasionally these strategies just didn’t work and students would talk to each other about a
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totally different topic without paying attention to the lesson. I think that I need to work to find

out more strategies that I can apply in these situations.

When it comes to meeting the needs of all learners, I attempt to attend as many

workshops as I possibly can that address student background/identity/ or current issues that could

affect my students. I firmly believe that understanding where your students come from and the

issues affecting them are the first step to figuring out how to best assist them in the classroom.

I’m most interested in how to help ELL students, and have attempted to have some knowledge of

a few different languages so that I can understand the general way different languages might be

structured. If I understand that English is structured as an SVO language but that Korean is a

SOV language, I can better help my Korean students learn English. Since I’ve studied a number

of languages, I know various grammatical structures and can format my assignments to better

explain grammar and verb usage per each student’s native language. Any IEP students in my

classroom will obviously need more individualized attention, though I am already preparing to

provide audio books and visual aids for students generally, since each student learns differently

and will benefit from a variety of lesson aids. I also think that providing audio books will

encourage students to ‘read’ more, since many students find the act of reading itself to be

burdensome. I will also be taking a class next fall that focuses in on how to best help IEP

students in a secondary classroom. Because this isn’t a mandatory part of my program, I will

hone in on my blind spots as much as possible to help prepare for a multitude of eventualities.

I strongly value teaching about social justice issues and also want to emphasize the

importance of context and facts in relation to modern news media. While I have very strong

opinions, this class has made it clear to me that my own classroom is not necessarily the place to

exercise that interest. While I can easily justify talking about different topics, I have to keep in
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mind that my students (and their parents) might have different opinions. This shouldn’t prohibit

me from talking about controversial topics, but I should definitely exercise caution. I definitely

want to push my students to confront their own biases and be uncomfortable, but I also need to

remember that not every issue is one that needs to be discussed.

A majority of the theory that I ascribe to changes depending on my class and their

learning style. I certainly believe in a more relaxed classroom management style, and don’t

foresee that changing. As for learning theory I am most interested in applying both deductive and

inductive language learning into my classrooms to see which is most effective for each group of

students. Because the inductive method relies primarily on context to learn a language and I

personally learn better from the deductive method, which tells students directly how different

language constructions work, I will have to experiment to find a balance that works with my own

teaching style.

The curricular challenge that I most anticipate is a frustration with required readings. I’ve

always wanted to emphasize world literatures, especially at higher grade levels, but it just simply

isn’t practical to have students read dense pieces like The Tale of Genji, especially at the high

school level. This, combined with a curriculum that values Western literature more than any

other, will likely cause me a lot of frustration. More practically, this class has taught me that

students do not read. Occasionally they do, but it is very difficult to teach a lesson when one

student has finished the book and the rest are still on the first half (if they have even started at

all). I will likely do a lot of in-class reading with my students, especially sophomores and below.

By providing alternative reading methods (audio books) I will also hopefully encourage students

to engage with the material.

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To make my classroom more equitable I will likely make very clear signs and symbols

that tell students they are welcome. At the beginning of each rotation, I am planning on

providing students with a questionnaire that asks for preferred pronouns, anything I should

know, how best they learn and any accommodations they might need, what ticks they may have

(e.g. they need to get up and walk every half hour), etc. So much of my future classrooms

effectiveness will depend on my knowing my students, so giving out this paper on the first day

will both let students know that they are listened to while also allowing me to get to know my

students quickly (and avoid any potential embarrassment they might feel in coming to me

personally). The emphasis on preferred learning strategies will also allow me to make lesson

modifications at the beginning of the semester to help suit students’ needs.

More than anything, I think I need to have a more open mindset concerning what

literature can be used to teach. While I value classics and also appreciate young adult literature, I

have to admit that I am biased towards classical literature. The difficulty level of the material

combined with the writing style often made me feel that classical literature (with few exceptions)

is what should be used to teach English literature. After reading books like The Sun is Also a

Star, I can understand how using a more ‘relaxed’ novel could assist in teaching, especially since

students are more likely to engage with it than a heavier book that discusses immigration or

family abuse. If students are actively involved and still engaging with the topic of immigration, it

shouldn’t matter so much what book I use.

Part II:

Maus Pt. 1
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Materials/Resources: 8 pieces of paper w/ comic panels and instructions, colored pencils, copies

of Maus for all students/teachers

Overview/Purpose: To introduce students to a different writing style and understand the

metaphors present in the novel.

Learning Objectives:
 Students will be able to write in comic/graphic novel format
 Students will use word association to understand animal metaphors in Maus
 Students will demonstrate an understanding of autobiography through their writing

Academic Standards Addressed: 

11-12.W.3.3 Write narrative compositions in a variety of forms that –
● Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its
significance, 
establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters. 
● Create a smooth progression of experiences or events. 
● Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot
lines, to 
develop experiences, events, and/or characters. 
● Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a 
coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery,
suspense, 
growth, or resolution). 
● Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture
of the 
experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. 
● Provide an ending that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved
over 
the course of the narrative.

Overview of Student Activity: 

1. We will begin by splitting the group in two and discussing the book (questions to be
asked are below)
2. After individual discussions we will reconvene and discuss what the other groups
discovered about the reading and determine if there are any similarities/differences in
interpretation
3. We will introduce the drawing activity, students will work on their own individual comic,
sharing with the group ten minutes before class ends

Discussion questions:
1. How does the “comic book” formatting influence the story for you personally? 
2. How do you usually picture things in your head when you read a “normal novel”? Do you
miss that process with a book like Maus? 
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3. Would you consider Vladek your average “hero”? Why or why not? 
4. What do you think of the use of the “cat and mouse” archetype? Do you think it’s
appropriate to describe something like the holocaust? 

Assessments: Students will be assessed based on individual participation, students will be

required to finish the writing activity (either in class or at home) for a participation grade

Modifications/Accommodations: ELL learners will be provided with a translated copy of the

instructions and reading to compare side by side with the English version, any IEP students with
dyslexia or similar will be provided with an audio book to assist with reading, students who have
a seeing disability will also be provided with an audiobook or braille book and will have an
alternative writing assignment (perhaps a short dictated assignment instead), instructions will
also be provided orally to all of the above

Trouble Shooting: In the case of the copy machine not working, students will be able to access
the appropriate documents online. Students will then draw out the comic panels on their own. In
the case of technology being inaccessible, we will go around the room and do popcorn reading
and then discuss each chapter.
Technology Used: No technology required.

The Long Road Home by Martha Raddatz

Materials/Resources:
 Article for bias activity (we will print off enough copies for each student):
https://nypost.com/2019/10/03/why-college-athletes-deserve-a-piece-of-the-action/
 Bulls-eye target for bias activity
 Copies of The Long Road Home for all students and teachers
Overview/Purpose: To understand the distinction between facts and opinion and identify author
bias

Learning Objectives:
 Students will be able to identify bias in a work
 Students will understand what counts as a reliable source
 Students will discuss how bias shapes a narrative

Standards Addressed: 
11-12.RN.3.3 Determine an author’s perspective or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is
particularly effective (e.g., appeals to both friendly and hostile audiences, anticipates and
addresses reader concerns and counterclaims), analyzing how style and content contribute to the
power, persuasiveness or beauty of the text. 
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11-12.RN.4.1 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in seminal U.S. and world
texts, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient;
identify false statements and fallacious reasoning

Overview of Student Activates: 

1. Ice-breaker: We will ask everyone to say their name and share something that they enjoy
doing (2 minutes). Community expectations: We will ask everyone to take 60 seconds to
think of something that they can do to help create an atmosphere of respect and support
during our group discussion (3 minutes).
2. Bias (15 minutes)
1. First, we will ask students what “bias” means to them. After hearing their
thoughts, we will present this view of bias: Bias occurs when an author’s
worldview affects their presentation of information. Bias is not necessarily always
either good or bad, but it is always important to recognize
2. To practice analyzing writing for bias, we will give the students a short article
(found in materials) and have them place sentences taken from the article around
the bullseye depending on how biased they believe them to be. We will ask them
what words in the excerpt lead them to their decision.
3. To transition into discussing the book, we will ask them what ways bias can be
created in literature. If none of the students bring it up, we will mention POV,
tone, and characterization. 
b. Conversation (25 minutes)
1. For the second half of the lesson, we want students to be able to direct the
conversation based on what they found interesting in the text. We have prepared a
set of possible conversation questions depending on where the conversation goes. 
Questions: 
1. Pick out five moments in the text that describe the US soldiers or the Iraqi
citizens. What tone, word choice, and symbolism does Raddatz use with
each group? What attitude does Raddatz have towards the different
groups?
2. From whose perspective is the story told? How does perspective affect the
depiction of characters and events? 
3. Looking at the book’s cover, how are US soldiers depicted? From what
you’ve read of the book so far, does the attitude of the cover align with
that of the book?
4. Read the passage closely and consider who is being depicted and how--
word choice, tone, etc. If there are multiple people/groups depicted in a
single passage, what sort of relationship do they have--hostile, supportive,
etc. 
1. P. 78 “This was the first time he had aimed directly at another
human being…”
2. P. 84 “Bourquin saw Jassim putting on Eddie Chen’s body
armor…”
3. P. 28 “Beth loved being a mother…”
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4. P. 14 “This must be how Custer felt just before the Battle of Little
Bighorn...everyone they encountered had voiced disdain for the
Americans…”

Modifications/Accommodations: We will read the articles out loud in order to help ELL and
visually impaired learners. A braille/translated/or audiobook addition of The Long Road Home
will also be provided.

Troubleshooting: If unable to get copies of the article students will be allowed to access the
additional readings on their phones/tablets/laptops. If completely unable to access the additional
materials, we will launch directly into discussion of the book. If students are confused after the
bias activity, more time will be spent to focus in on that particular topic.

Technology Used: No additional technology required.

Part III:

“Critical Conversations on Whiteness With Young Adult Literature” drove home how we

often make the mistake of teaching about diversity without fully explaining why different

minority groups are classified as minorities in the first place. While an ongoing process this

semester, I made several attempts to confront the lens of whiteness and the power structures that

are unspoken that make whiteness the default in most literary works. My first attempt at getting

students to think about these structures was with The Long Road Home, where the author

(Raddatz) often explicitly mentioned a character’s skin color only if they were black. Her writing

felt problematic in other instances, where she felt they need to emphasize the vulnerability of

women. Our bias activity that preceded discussion of the book was meant to get students to think

about why an author chooses to portray something a specific way, and to demonstrate the

implicit biases we carry into our writing. By using this lens, I feel that students achieved a deeper

understanding of the material by thinking about author motivation and viewing the author’s
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voice as biased, regardless of the amount of objectivism that they may try to insert into their

writing. I used a similar technique with our second Maus lesson plan, using a majority of our

lesson to read supplemental texts explaining more about what genocide truly means and the

motivations behind it. I specifically chose to do this after hearing a couple of my students

express a frustration with the material, saying that it didn’t apply to them. Through this

additional reading and discussion, we tried to show just how applicable the material was, since

genocide is a result of power structures (often white) that oppress people physically and

culturally.

I also admit a certain unwillingness early in the class to use young adult literature at all.

While I enjoy reading young adult literature and it is the reason for my reading habits, like many

of the teachers in “Young Adult Literature: Young Adult Novels in the Classroom?” I felt that

students would not be exposed to true “literature” unless they were forced to read those novels in

a classroom setting. I also am often overwhelmed when considering the number of classical

novels that students should read, so the idea of taking away more time to focus on a less

culturally impactful work caused me a lot of stress. However, after reading the article and

understanding how much of an impact young adult literature made in my own life, I began to see

the use it could serve in a classroom setting. The Sun is Also a Star is a fantastic example of a

book I wouldn’t have considered prior to reading the article, but after reading it myself and

seeing how it addressed a number of difficult topics like immigration, family abuse, and complex

racial relations in the United States, I could easily see how it would allow for a deeper dive into

the topics it briefly mentions. With A Long Road Home, I felt similarly: that the book was an

inferior representation of many of the issues of family and violence it attempted to confront.
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However, after seeing how students engaged with the material it was made clear that use of

young adult literature engages in a way that classical literature might not.

Part IV:

I value an emphasis on diversity, particularly within the resources I use. I want my

students to be exposed to as many cultures, languages, and ways of thinking as possible,

particularly from areas that are overlooked in a traditional education (Africa, the Middle East,

Asia). I also want to emphasize how privilege changes the way we view the world, and help

students understand different viewpoints, and the distinction between equality and equity. I want

my students to walk away with an ability to identify bias and think critically about information

they are given so that they are able to fully participate in society as well-informed citizens.

My classroom will be a place where students can fully participate, feeling safe and able to

express their opinions and debate different topics. Because so much of my ideal curriculum will

feature likely controversial material, I want students to feel safe enough to express opinions that

are contrary to material I may give. Since critical thinking means you will likely disagree with

material or lack of nuance in a piece of literature, students should feel they are able to speak up

in my class without fear of embarrassment.