This week in grammar we started out with the “Fish Bowl” discussion, or a Socratic discussion. I had never done this before and was, at first, skeptical. But after our group got rolling on the discussion, I loved it! I think that by doing this we will become better teachers. By being able to sit and discuss different teaching strategies we can learn from each other and each other’s opinions and techniques.
When I did my TL 317 Practicum, the English teachers did something like this. Not the “Fish Bowl” technique but they sat and discussed units from over the semester. They shared their opinions on which ones they should keep as well as new ones they wanted to try. Each teacher shared what they liked and didn’t like about each unit and it was their way of planning and preparing for the following year. As an onlooker, I liked being able to see what texts they were using for their units and how they incorporated their daily activities around these texts. I know they probably didn’t do this year-round, but when preparing for a school year I think it’s a good strategy.
My favorite part about our particular Socratic discussion was how discussed that while learning about the fundamentals of writing, learning the creative aspect of it is important as well. I believe this especially for secondary students because they are “at that age” so to speak. They are figuring out who they are and who they believe it and I think writing is a good way for them to play around with these ideas. Sometimes the whole “intro/body/conclusion” idea gets grilled into them that they forget to add themselves into their work, they forget their own voice. Something I mentioned in my quick write that one thing I love about creative writing is that students can get to engrossed in what they are working on that they forget they are actually learning through the process. Barbara commented on my paper asking me if this was a bad thing. Of course it isn’t! Apart of me hopes that I can make all my units entertaining enough that my kids don’t think they’re learning until they look back and realize what all they are taking from my classroom. Hey, a girl can dream.
As for my question for the week, I had a hard time with the three major sentence patterns and want to make sure I have it right. The magnetic poetry was ridiculously fun and for some, dirty! I know Melissa and I were blushing at our neighbor’s sentences.
An intransitive sentence is subject-verb pattern. It can stand by itself or have a modifier. Ex: The dog peed… on the tree (or window curtain if you have a dumb dog like me).
A transitive sentence is subject-verb-direct object pattern. Unlike the intransitive, it requires the direct object. Ex: My mom baked a cake.
Linking verbs are in a subject-linking verb-subject compliment pattern. So the subject is linked with a description of the subject. Ex: My car drives fast.
So I think these are right but I’m getting to the point where I might need to start making flashcards to keep up with everything. Does anyone have any techniques of how they remember all this? Thanks, and Go Cougs!
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I do not really have an easy way to remember the different sentence patterns. Other than what the book said about intransitive and transitive verbs. Transitive needs to carry something (the direct object). Intransitive verbs does not have to carry something (a direct object). Linking verbs link the subject to something that describes the subject, linking two parts together. That's how I remember it.
ReplyDeleteThe transitive sentence that you have, " My mom baked a cake." This sentence could possibly be an intransitive sentence, it does not have to carry the cake. "My mom baked." But otherwise I think you get the major sentence patterns more than you think!
See, that's another thing that confuses me because a lot of the time the transitive can also be intransitive. Gah!
ReplyDeleteI also am not quite sure about Intransitive vs transitive, but I think Whit-Harm makes a good point about your mom, baking. I didn't notice that until now.
ReplyDeleteHow I remember it (or at least, how I think about it) is that intransitive sentences can be reversed in their order. For example, Alumni coupons are fun, could become fun is alumni coupons. It's kind of goofy, I know, and doesn't sound very natural, and I might not even be right, but until Barbara confirms that I indeed have no clue what I'm talking about, I'll probably still use that.
yes, some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive. ex. the f-word. Some, though, can only be transitive or intransitive.
ReplyDeleteByron, yeah, kinda (about reversing the order). That works when the subject complement is a noun or pronoun. ex. Barbara is our professor. Our professor is Barbara. Not so much when the subject complement is an adjective. Reversing the subject/subject complement then becomes kinda poetic. ex. Barbara is crazy. Crazy is Barbara.
Good thinking, all!