English Department mtng 27 Jan 10
Agenda: For this meeting and beyond
1. Grammar–what is presented at the various grade levels, and what the evolving goals are.
2. Discussion of writing assignments, and how they are blended with basic grammar reenforcement.
3. What are primary themes that occur in the literature presented in each grade.
4. Please bring texts and student papers as examples
5. Ideas about various texts at different grade levels?
The actual meeting– Present: JK, KM, SPH, JU, GJF
Items discussed at the meeting:
1. The need to present grammar lessons repeatedly, grade after grade, so that the terms, patterns, and understanding of usage are reenforced.
2. Kate M. commented on her use of comma exercises in grade eight as a way to highlight more complex sentence structures.
3. Peer editing of written work is a tool used by Jeff U., Sarah P-H, and Kate M.
4. There was continued concern about the reduced number of English periods in grades four and five. These are the years when reading for understanding is ripening and when writing beyond simple description (branching into basic themes and archetypal elements) is blossoming. The reduction of seven periods to five has created a “jamb,” Sarah P=H noting that trying to accomplish “some” of what she did with mini-lessons last year was proving to be very demanding, if not impossible.
5. All of the English staff were encouraged to bring up new titles for discussion in the upcoming English Dept mtngs with an eye to possible rotation of titles in various classes.
6. The meeting concluded with a general discussion about the theme of tolerance as a continuing thread throughout much of American literature.
Jim Fawcett, Dept Chr.