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Ninth graders enter high school full of energy and trepidation, usually eager to learn but often distracted by their own hormonal upheavals. The aim of this seminar is to introduce participants to the challenges of teaching English to adolescents caught between polarities. The seminar is mostly exploratory and discussion-oriented, relying in large measure upon the questions and interests of the participants.
Getting Ready - An overview of the ninth grade curriculum and how it meets the needs of freshmen
Establishing Rhythm - The value of an opening exercise; classroom routine; the "three-part lesson"
Group Work - building on a Waldorf strength; awakening awareness of positive interactive styles
Using Reference Tools - fun with the dictionary; introduction to the thesaurus; the delight of libraries; unravelling the "net"
Teaching Poetry - sound leads to sense; observation leads to metaphor
Teaching Short Fiction - how to achieve silence in the classroom
The Power of Organization - study skills
The Power of Precision - vocabulary-building, overcoming sloppy speech, bringing grammar to life, practicing precis exercises
The Power of Observation - journal writing
Working with Literature - The Education of Little Tree; how to help students understand character, enter a discussion, shape ideas on paper
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