Dr. Louis' Blog

Dear Dr. D,

I have students stating that they struggle to reach the minimum word count while following the Jane Schaffer structure. For example, if the essay is to be 600-800 words, they may have only 450 words but state that they are following the formula. Any advice as to what you would do? - Julianna K, Grades 7-12

‍

‍Dear Julianna,

Are they writing only one-chunk paragraphs? Or are they writing two chunks per paragraph? Sounds like they need to increase the chunks as an option!

In an expository essay, the ratio of CD:CM is 2+:1. Are the students writing only two sentences of concrete details? Or are they writing two or more sentences of concrete details (hence, the plus [+])? In my class, if they write only two simple sentences of concrete detail, that’s a “C.” With the ratio at 2+:1, they could write five or six sentences of CDs and two or three sentences of CMs. Don't allow them to write the minimum -- push them.

Are they writing a solid topic sentence and a reflective, thoughtful concluding sentence?Look at the students' thesis statements. Sharon Kingston, one of my mentors and a valued friend of Jane's, used to say, "A thesis statement should be a compound-complex thought; therefore, it should be written as a compound-complex sentence."Are the students' introductions and conclusions 10% of the length of their essays? For example, if the essay is 600-800 words, then the introduction and conclusion might be somewhere between 60 and 80+ words each. That's a good guideline for students that I use.

Are the students varying their sentence types and sentence lengths? They should be writing simple sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences, and compound-complex sentences of varying lengths. That’s simply good writing and has nothing to do with the formula or word counts.

For the upper level students and more sophisticated students, are you working with syntax? Are they ready for practicing parallelism? Style?When the students go to college, their professors might ask for a 5,000 word essay. Think 10% intro (500), 10% conclusion (500), and 80% body (4,000). That body could be two body paragraphs (2,000), three body paragraphs (1,300), four body paragraphs (1,000), five body paragraphs (800), etc.Move each student beyond the formula when s/he is ready. Jane expects teachers to move on-level students beyond the formula.

Keep reading and writing!

Happy New Year!

Dr. D'

Dear Dr. Louis,‍

Would you please take a look at the following prompt and give me some suggestions for revision?

In the Greek Tragedy by Sophocles, “Oedipus Rex,” the protagonist, Oedipus lives a life both cursed and blessed by the gods. Read Oedipus Rex by Edith Hamilton looking closely at the author’s use of ethical appeal. Develop a well thought out two-chunk paragraph (2+:1) where you defend whether Oedipus is a victim of his circumstances or in control of his destiny. Use examples of ethos to support your claim. Consider the gods as you develop your paragraph.

Thank you,

John

‍

‍Dear John,

Of course, I am delighted to look at your prompt!

I firmly believe that teaching writing to students begins with the teacher knowing how to write effective prompts, prompts that allow student insight and creativity while also providing guidance and expectations. Students are often blind-sided by the vagueness of their teachers' prompts. And, unless we are trained in writing effective prompts, we write prompts that might make a lot of sense to us but confuses and even shuts down our students. Consequently, we receive from some of our students either nothing or a product completely different from what we anticipated. For that reason, I always appreciate when a master teacher, such as yourself, calls upon a colleague to provide feedback on a prompt before the former gives that prompt to 150-200 students. That's a smart teacher!

Let's look at your prompt!

• Your ratio: I understand why you are suggesting 2+:1; you are working with ethos, a rhetorical device used in argumentation, and you are asking them to defend a position. But you are asking the students to interpret literature. Any time we ask students to provide a literary analysis, even when argumentation is part of that assignment, the best papers will have more commentary. So, I think you'll be happier with a 1:2+ ratio.
• Your request: This topic could easily become a beautiful essay. That you're asking your students to write a paragraph concerns me, but if a paragraph is what you want, let's help your students by being more succinct in your instructions. Oedipus, the king of Thebes, lives a life both cursed and blessed by the gods. Read carefully Edith Hamilton’s translation of Sophocles’ famous tragedy, Oedipus Rex, paying special attention to Sophocles’ use of ethical appeal to characterize Oedipus and those who surround him, including the gods. Then, develop a well thought out two-chunk paragraph (1:2+) where you defend whether Oedipus is a victim of his circumstances or in control of his destiny (TS). Support your decision by embedding evidence  (CDs) from the text of ethos to support your claim. Your commentary (CMs) and concluding sentence (CS) might include how the evidence you choose contributes to the tone(s) of the piece, the meaning/theme/universal truth you derive, and/or the author's purpose.

I look forward to hearing about how they perform on this assignment. Send me samples to share!

Keep reading and writing!

Best regards,

Dr. Louis

P.S. I sure would like to see you teach those kids Oedipus at Colonus! It goes brilliantly with your teaching free will and destiny and how they relate to blame and guilt. And teaching this piece also allows us to discuss the idea of acceptance and being able to work with letting go of those issues in our lives that do not provide any answers or answer and riddles. I have written an essay on why teachers should teach this text. Let me know if you'd like to read it. DL

Hi. My name is Melissa. I was trained by you last school year with junior high and high school teachers of Ennis ISD. My seventh-grade students are writing a biography about an author. I'm requiring them to use the Jane Schaffer expository format, but most of them are struggling to form a topic sentence, commentary, or concluding sentences for their chunks. They seem to want to fill their paragraphs with nothing but concrete details. Is the Jane Schaffer format appropriate for a biography?

‍

‍Dear Melissa,

Yes. Use the 2+:1 ratio for the paragraphs, Melissa. Also, think of the biography in terms of a narrative with a beginning, middle, and end..Above the introduction: Title and Quote from the author (The title must be something from one of her works – it may not be her/his name)Introduction• Broad statements - Why do people read? Why do different people resonate with different authors?• Introduce author – name, century s/he lived, known best for• Thesis: Her/his life is meaningful because . . .Body Paragraph 1:TS – Early LifeCD – Details CD – Details CD+ – DetailsCM – What is interesting, odd, unusual? Impact?CS – Unexpected, Defied the odds, Impact on societyBody Paragraph 2:TS – Education, Mid-Life, First Book or PoemCD – Details CD – Details CD+ – DetailsCM – What is interesting, odd, unusual? Impact? Does first writing relate to her/his hardships, relationships?

CS – Unexpected, Defied the odds, Impact on societyBody Paragraph 3:TS – Late in LifeCD – Details - Awards CD – Details - CD+ – Details - DeathCM – What is interesting, odd, unusual? Impact? Does first writing relate to her/his hardships, relationships? CS – Unexpected, Defied the odds, Impact on society Conclusion - why out of all the authors you could have chosen did you choose this one? What makes him/her stand out above the rest?

Keep reading and writing!

Best regards,

Dr. Louis

Hi, Dr. Louis:

My name is Jaime, and I'm a teacher in Los Angeles. We spoke on the phone about a month ago or so. I'm just sort of in a quandary using the Jane Schaffer Method with my students right now. I'm mostly teaching 9th graders, more at the remedial end of the spectrum. So [. . .] the method [has] been extraordinarily helpful in helping my more remedial students learn how to organize their thoughts into paragraphs and eventually essays.

But I also have more advanced students in my classes who, for some reason, through better teaching in middle school or just natural aptitude, are more able to organize their thoughts more maturely into paragraphs and essays. I just don't know if I should require them to rewrite their work strictly using the format: topic sentence, concrete detail, etc., really strictly or give them more latitude with regard to their work. Student writing that for some reason just has a more natural flow to it with more advanced organization skills – I just don't know if I should like have them back up and rewrite strictly adhering to the Jane Schaffer format.

Anyway I'm sort of struggling with this quandary and thought you might have some feedback on the issue.

Thanks!

Jaime

‍

Dear Jaime,

Great question! Thank you for asking. Let's start with Jane's response to your question; then, I'll add a little more of my own commentary; then, I'll let Ralph Waldo Emerson finish this blog for me. From Jane's voice, straight to your ears: "Formula/structure is a place to start for students who need it; some don’t need it at all. We want students to leave the formula behind when they are ready to do so. Breaking the formula is called weaving –- mixing fact and opinion/concrete detail and commentary." Jane was adamant about valuing teachers' intuitions about students and the decisions that ensued, based on those intuitions.

For me, I have to tell a story. One year, on the very first day of school, I was busy greeting my ninth graders, and as I looked toward the back of the classroom, I saw a young man walking toward me. Normally, on the first day of school, ninth graders are shy, timid, and reserved. Not this ninth grader. His name was Adam, and he had a blue disk in his hand. As he approached me, his hand lifted and he said, "Ms. Louis, I would like you to read my novel.""Why, Mr. F (I called students by their last names), I'd be glad to read your novel," I said.

When I read the first few pages of his novel, I realized that this child was a natural writer. The next day, I gave the ninth graders a diagnostic essay prompt. It was a narrative assignment designed to provide me with their writing acumen. I told them to do their best writing so that I would be able to ascertain their strengths and weaknesses and plan their writing instruction accordingly. Adam's essay was exemplary. I knew that he did not need to start from scratch.

I pulled Adam aside the next day and said, Mr. F, your writing is beautiful. You have a natural talent. This year, your class and I will be working with a program called the Jane Schaffer Writing Program (JSWP). I would like for you to learn the terminology and the process for two reasons: 1) I'd like for us to use the terminology when we discuss your writing; and 2) I would like you to be one of my student writing coaches. However, when I assign paragraphs and essays to you and your classmates, you do not need to work through the JSWP process or graphic organizers unless you choose to do so. You may opt to write without the method. I'm fine with that." I tell you this story, Jaime, to reveal that there was no way I was going to take this child (or any child, for that matter) backward. He naturally understood the importance of the ratio in literary analysis; he naturally understood the purpose of an introduction and conclusion; he naturally understood how to create a logical, organized, cohesive piece of writing. When I gave prompts to Adam's class, I noticed that sometimes Adam would integrate a piece of JSWP if only to get him started. But that call was his, and I was happy that he had a variety of tools to access.

In my career, I had few students like Adam -- well, no student was like Adam. But I had few students with natural writing ability. When those students entered my classroom, however, I was comfortable and so was Jane with my having a conversation with those students about how they and I would handle writing assignments.

You are the expert in your classroom. Do what is best for each and every student. Have private conversations with students. Be respectful about the program, so other students won't feel like they are inept. Move individual students beyond the formula (see "weaving" in the guides) when they are ready.Back to Adam, at the age of fourteen, this young man was a Russian Revolution scholar. So, when I taught Animal Farm, I asked him to team teach with me. When he was a sophomore, University of North Texas (UNT) invited him to matriculate into their program his junior year. He was amazing. Every night, I prayed that I help and not hurt his academic progress. About four years after I had Adam in class, I received a letter in the mail from UNT, inviting me to attend their Math and Science Banquet. To my surprise, Adam had requested that the school invite me as the teacher who made the greatest impact in his life. I was humbled. I think he regarded me in that manner because I let him soar; I let him take the lead regarding how he would approach his assignments.

Some teachers are like Adam. Administrators need to just leave them alone and let them soar! I had administrators like that: Dr. Tribble, Dr. Clingman, Dr. Patton. Emerson said, "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." Go with that advice!

Warm regards,

Dr. Louis

Dear Dr. Louis,

 "You came to our campus [June 2017] and demonstrated the Jane Schaffer Writing Program by teaching our students as we teachers observed on the periphery of the classroom. You taught my eighth grade students. I know these students well. With you, they behaved differently. They were engaged, curious, and enthusiastic. They were, in fact, model students. You mesmerized them! How do I get that from them every day?"

Ann

Dear Ann,

Thank you for your kind words. You are correct. Your eighth graders were wonderful. Don't be disheartened, though. I was a new face, a novelty. And leading up to my arrival, you probably, in your best, firm teacher voice, threatened any misbehavior when the guest was presenting in your classroom (just kidding). I imagine that behavior, my friend, is more about their respect for you than for me. But it's an interesting question, and it allows me to talk to my colleagues, especially new teachers, about giving and gaining respect in the classroom.

I spent years as a young teacher, learning from my mentors. Jane was a kind, generous, and encouraging mentor. "Trial and Error" was definitely a generous one but not so kind at times! I learned different skills from each. From Jane, I learned that her writing method works for all types of students by removing the mystery from writing in an academic environment. From "Trial and Error," -- well, I learned a lot more than can be written in this one blog. However, to your point, I learned that students feel safe when they know someone is in charge who 1) is credible; 2) has their best interests at heart; and 3) sets expectations. We can have fun -- we do have fun -- but boundaries exist for optimum learning.

If I want engaged, curious, and enthusiastic learners, I must demonstrate those qualities as a teacher.

So, here are the sixteen rules I said to myself each day as I set my intention for the day: I call it "SWEET SIXTEEN: GIVING AND GAINING RESPECT IN THE CLASSROOM.

1. DRESS PROFESSIONALLY. Every day is a first impression when your children walk in the door. Something about business attire sends the message: “I respect you, and we're here to work and develop as productive global citizens.” On major test days, I would even ask my students to dress up. We complain about what the kids wear to school, but look in the mirror. Save the jeans for Fridays, and make sure that the jean you select make you look competent and classy! Every day, look like a professional. That impression goes a long way with students, because they pay attention to what you wear. Clothing, shoes, hairdos, and jewelry do not have to be expensive to be impressive. You are a professional. Dress the part.
2. USE PROPER ENGLISH or whatever proper language your students and you speak. Sure, make them laugh on occasion by using their vernacular, but make it a rarity. Talking like them puts you on their level. You are their teacher. You have at least two degrees, and many of you have several degrees.
3. Absolutely no profanity or even an inkling of profanity. I’m even talking about saying phrases, such as “that sucks,” “pissed off,” "crap," or "damn." Tempting on many days, but inappropriate. Whatever you say aloud to students is fair game for them to repeat. You are a teacher of behavior and etiquette whether you want to be or not. You took the job, and teaching youngsters about when and where certain phrases are appropriate or not will help them in their future.
4. And for goodness sake, do not start a sentence with "me and Jennie" or "her and Alex" or "him and Alicia."
5. BE PREPARED AND ENTHUSIASTIC about your lesson. If you're unprepared and/or bored, the students will be unprepared and/or bored. Trust me on this! They mirror you. They really do. With regard to creating engaging lessons, brainstorm with colleagues about approaches to a lesson that could make it more relevant to the students. Collegial coaching  is one of the most important professional development activity you can do! Also, when teaching, don't be the one asking all the questions. Teach the students to ask Level One, Level Two, and Level Three Questions. That skill will remove some of the apathy you sometimes witness. Yes, some days, I didn't want to be at school. We are all human! But every morning I meditated and set my intention for the day. Be prepared. Be excited. You are their Merlyn.
6. MODEL BEHAVIOR you desire to see in your students. RESPECT THE STUDENTS AND DEMAND THEIR RESPECT --  The way you listen, act, and speak will set the tone every day. I have an entire blog on not letting students call their female teachers “Miss.” You are not a waitress at a diner. I say, "Yes, m'am" and "No, m'am" and "Yes, sir" and "No, sir" to my students. "Please" and "Thank you." Decorum! Set the bar. Demand that STUDENTS ARE KIND TO AND RESPECT EACH OTHER -- The redundancy of good manners is very important in providing a safe environment for asking questions and taking risks when answering questions posed by the teacher. At the beginning of the year, one of my norms is “We do not make fun of each other in this class. We are a team. We care for and about each other. I will not tolerate your being unkind to each other. The punishment is severe for cruelty of any kind in this classroom.” ADDRESS STUDENTS BY NAME when you speak to and with them -- they love to hear their names. I am amazed when a teacher cannot remember a student's name in November. I had 150-200 students every day. I don't remember their names now, but I knew them within the first two weeks of school when they were mine. In high school, I called my students by their last names in the classroom (e.g., Mr. Ricci, Ms. Monda). In the halls and at extracurricular events, I called them by their first names (e.g., Caesar, Valerie). I was teaching how one must adjust one’s attitude and language in different situations. In other words, protocol and decorum rule in the classroom.
7. Pose questions in such a way to ENGAGE EVERYONE. Pose a question to the entire class; have all students write down their answers; wait; then accept volunteers and select non-volunteers to share their answers; everyone must speak and/or participate somehow every day (even in a class of 40). At some campuses I've visited, the lesson cycle (class period) is only forty-two minutes. Unbelievable, but true. In that situation, place your seating chart on a clipboard, and give a quick checkmark to students who spoke aloud during the class. Then, on the next day, make sure those other students speak before you start the cycle again. Adjustments must be made for different circumstances. When teachers expect everyone to participate, then the students realize that their teacher values everyone's opinion. Respect comes from this subtle method of engagement.
8. BE CURIOUS when students give an answer you did not anticipate or one which does not match the answer in your head. Especially in literature, if a student's interpretation is different from yours but can be traced back to evidence in the text, that's a magical moment. If you shut down answers, then don't be surprised when students do not volunteer. Find a way to praise their taking a risk among their peers. If you ask a question, and the student says, "I don't know," do not let that go! That response is a ploy by students. Jane used to respond: "Well, what would you say if you did know?" Be curious and participate in the learning!
9. DIFFERENTIATE by posing questions that fit certain students. Anticipate which student you will select to answer certain questions you have prepared -- everyone can be successful. For example, tell all the students to jot down their answers to a question; then, after all students have written their answers, select a non-volunteer, and say, "David, what did you write down?" See how I did that? When teaching to a whole group, always pose a question to the whole class. In other words, don't say, "David, what does the whirlpool symbolize in Moby Dick?  Everyone else thinks, "That's David's question; I don't have to think about it." When everyone writes down an answer before you call on students, you will be more successful when calling on non-volunteers.
10. How are your desks or tables arranged -- U-shape, in the round, pairs, triads, quads, rows? CHANGE UP YOUR SEATING ARRANGEMENT once a month or quarter or as needed for an activity so that the classroom as a whole remains cohesive and so that cliques cannot splinter off. If you have students in rows, on the first of each month, walk in and say, "Everyone in the last seat of the row, move to the front and everyone else move back one seat." In quads, I'll have a base group, then frequently, I'll move one student from each quad to the next table. The key is to shake things up a little. Routine and structure are imperative. But when students become too comfortable, they get a little lazy. Provide any guest or sub with an ACCURATE SEATING CHART, and make sure the students know that the sub or guest has the seating chart -- whether you are there or not!
11. COMPLIMENT YOUR STUDENTS, OTHER TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS and make sure your students see and hear you do that. We are in this together! We might not agree at times, but the stakes are too high for pettiness and gossip. Do not say, "Forget everything you were taught last year!" Such quips are disrespectful to your colleagues and to our profession. How would you like it if someone said that in reference to your hard work? Rather, say, "Last year, your teacher was was laying the groundwork for us. Now that you are older and wiser, we're going to take what you have learned and adjust it for your older self. Send notes to teachers and administrators once a semester, thanking them for their collegiality. We need each other. Kindness will pay off!
12. VARY ACTIVITIES FREQUENTLY to keep students on their toes, engaged, and guessing about what you might do next. Shift your middle school students' attention every 12-15 minutes and your high school students' attention every 15 - 20 minutes. Give the students brain breaks. I love gonoodle.com.
13. Alert them to the fact that EVERYTHING YOU ASK THEM TO DO IS FAIR GAME FOR A GRADE, from note-taking to homework to annotating a text, or decoding a prompt -- with or without notice. Keep them on their toes!
14. SMILE! It goes a long way and has a positive influence on everyone—the giver and the receiver!
15. Make EYE-TO-EYE CONTACT when you are talking or listening to students. Depending on the student and the particular interaction, moving toward a student who is answering a question helps to make the student feel like s/he is talking directly to you rather than presenting to the entire class of peers. Your eyes make a greater impact than you realize.
16. ASSIGN ROLES TO STUDENTS in a cooperative learning group: scribe, spokesperson, counselor, timekeeper, dictionary detective, thesaurus sleuth, materials manager, proofreader, comma cop, etc. Each student has a role that benefits the group and the end result. (Remember, group work does not work without individual accountability and positive interdependence) Also, set a social behavior objective for cooperative learning situations: encouragement; using each other's names; "please" and "thank you"; listening intently to each other; eye-to-eye contact when someone is talking. Cooperative learning and social skills practiced in the classroom will create a fun and mature environment and prepare the students for the work force.
17. BE PREDICTABLE, RELIABLE, FAIR, AND CONSISTENT in the manner in which you respond to your students.
18. APOLOGIZE to the whole class when you know you were a human and said something that was less than your spectacular self! Even if you said something you regret to one student, apologize to that student in front of the entire class. Teach them humility and mutual respect!

In her workshops, Jane said, "I can't make you a good teacher." What I realized years later is that she was talking about not only in a teacher's pedagogical approach, but also in a teacher's behavioral approach. If you want model students, be a model teacher!

Have a great school year!

Warm regards,

Dr. Louis

Dear Dr. Louis,

"Quick question -- I was just reviewing my notes from the webinars and remember that at one point, an online dictionary/thesaurus was referenced for the term 'left out' that helped students consider word choice that held the same tone or connotation. I don't seem to have written down the resource/website. It was very easy to navigate so would love to be sure we have that noted. Can you help?" -- Joan

‍

‍Dear Joan,

Sure! I referenced two: visualthesaurus.com and dictionary.com. I love visualthesaurus.com for many reasons. I especially like it because of its audio capabilityfor ELL students, its multi-dimensional purposes in teaching denotation and connotation, andits visual aesthetics. The other one is dictionary.com. Many teachers use it, and it has some super qualities: when you get there, select the <Thesaurus.> tab. You'll see wonderful tabs that delineate the word or phrase for different denotations and connotations!

And remember, one of the greatest skills a student can develop is the understanding of tone in a reading passage. By understanding the tone of a passage, a student can explain how the concrete details and the tone conveyed by those details contribute to the overall meaning of a passage. Come to our Back-to-Basics training.

There's No Place like Tone!

Keep reading and writing!

Best regards,

Dr. Louis