The end of the first week

Yesterday we finished taking notes on my five foundation skills for understanding grammar, and today we put the first four into action. What seemed like an overwhelming amount of information yesterday, no doubt sounding like a foreign language, started to make sense today, and I was super happy to see students start to see my way of thinking and that there is a method to my madness. Students quickly began to realize that my steps really would lead them to correct answers and fewer mistakes. They got a chuckle out my example of rule number five and the letter to the editor I used to illustrate my point (the dreaded who/whom conundrum). Another key issue that I addressed this week was what I call the language of language arts, in other words, the importance of knowing the terminology and being able to not only articulate what a term means (instead of the more simple giving of an example), recognizing it in action, and being able to differentiate between them. We have started writing and completed our first rough drafts last night. Today I checked them. I know it's intimidating for students to have me look at rough drafts on a one-on-one basis, but I feel it is truly one of the best ways to improve students writing. All students don't have the same problems, so I am able, over the course of the year, to guide each one to his or her best. I was a little disappointed at handwriting. Again, the errors with capitals and lower case letters, incorrect formation and placement, and spacing, simply are not going to be acceptable at the secondary level. I'm afraid a few will end up with some not so fun extra practice if they don't step up. I don't say that to be harsh; rather, I do it to help students reach their full potential. Illegible writing will not serve them well in their future. All in all, an excellent and productive first week.