Many students were out yesterday, paying respects to a classmate and friend who passed away recently. On one hand, I regret that many of the students were absent because electricity, enthusiasm, and introspection really flowed yesterday as the several students took the first step into their digital journals. On the other hand, I realize that posting class assignments and maintaining this blog can keep people up to speed, and allow them to catch up with little ambiguity about what needs to be done.
I decided to attack the COMPACT COMMA SUMMARY sheet from a simple, practical angle. For now, I'm going to require that students wire at least one comma tip into their writing. Yesterday, a few gave examples of using commas in a series, separating words, phrases, and clauses with what I think is the COOOOLEST kind of punctuatation which is the size and shape of a silk worm larvae.
Will I convince all of my students that the humble comma holds the key to truly writing well, that its correct use demands that we write fluidly, descriptively, and emphatically?
The important thing to remember with our version of journaling is that we keep this as a forum to share, to ignite class discussions, and to grow personally and professionally. No deep dark secrets here! No speculating about our lately crush. We will be concerned with writing in a professional manner.
It occured to me recently that this project will require my students to compose a product that many of their peers graduating from other high schools will lack. When applying for a job or an internship, how many people will be able to say that they have kept a professional journal containg many dozens of pages of reflection.
I decided to attack the COMPACT COMMA SUMMARY sheet from a simple, practical angle. For now, I'm going to require that students wire at least one comma tip into their writing. Yesterday, a few gave examples of using commas in a series, separating words, phrases, and clauses with what I think is the COOOOLEST kind of punctuatation which is the size and shape of a silk worm larvae.
Will I convince all of my students that the humble comma holds the key to truly writing well, that its correct use demands that we write fluidly, descriptively, and emphatically?
The important thing to remember with our version of journaling is that we keep this as a forum to share, to ignite class discussions, and to grow personally and professionally. No deep dark secrets here! No speculating about our lately crush. We will be concerned with writing in a professional manner.
It occured to me recently that this project will require my students to compose a product that many of their peers graduating from other high schools will lack. When applying for a job or an internship, how many people will be able to say that they have kept a professional journal containg many dozens of pages of reflection.
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