Henry J. Brajkovic
Teachers of History courses are confronted with the task of implementing the new policy of required writing within their subjects. Many a time teachers wonder how to stimulate the thinking of their students, trying, without success, to induce an interest in a topic that was chosen by the teachers. The students had no choice in selecting the topic. Sometimes this arbitrary method tends to stifle their enthusiasm and does not bring about good results. If the task of writing is done on a set monthly schedule, it tends to become a dull and boring routine, and the work is occasionally not up to par.
Objectives
How can teachers spark their interest so that the students will write with enthusiasm? One way would be to wait for the opportunity when the students initiate a class discussion on a topic they are interested in. This spontaneous exchange of ideas, of questions and answers between the teacher and the students prepares the groundwork for the writing of a composition. Since the students become personally involved in the subject being discussed, they are more willing to write out their opinions and feelings. This gives the students something to say that is not supplied exclusively by the teacher. This method is successful especially in a heterogeneous class because the discussion benefits the non-participants in helping them write their own compositions. In order to achieve this goal the teacher must be willing, on occasion, to give up the planned lesson for the class. It is profitable to have the students write the composition
immediately
after the discussion while the interest and memory are still alive. Therefore, the teacher should control the time spent on the discussion and leave sufficient time for the students to write out their compositions. By doing it in this manner it does not become a homework assignment, a separate burdensome task.
Each individual must have the right to express his own opinion about the topic while writing the composition. In order to achieve this the teacher has to foster an atmosphere of freedom of expression so that the students can say or write whatever they want to about the topic discussed, without fear of reprisal, i.e. not getting a lower mark. The teacher should guide the discussion but must make it clear that his opinions do not have to be accepted by the students.
This unit is directed primarily toward teachers of high school students but also to teachers of high-ability students in the middle schools.
Strategies
Finding a Topic
Where do the topics come from? The best response of the students toward a topic comes from a current event that hits the headlines rather than a topic from the textbook assignment. An example of a topic from current events: the attempted assassinations in 1981 on the lives of President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II. Other topics can be drawn from anniversaries of special occasions, such as:
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Martin Luther King, Jr., Day
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Memorial Day
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Career Week
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Brotherhood Week
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United Nations Day
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Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday
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George Washington’s Birthday
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Flag Day
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Independence Day
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Labor Day
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Columbus Day
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Veteran’s Day
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Powder House Day in New Haven
As an example, the teacher could select Brotherhood Week as the topic. The primary aim of observing Brotherhood Week in a classroom is to encourage the appreciation of the diversity of the American people and become aware of the contributions made by individuals of different cultural backgrounds.
It is a chance for the students to learn how members of various racial and ethnic groups enriched our society by their contributions in the performing arts, literature, culinary arts, architecture, etc. making America an exciting place to live.
This could be done in conjunction with the International Festival held on the New Haven Green or at Yale’s International Festival, both of which are open to the public. By attending the Festival the students could experience first hand the cuisine of different cultures, see native costumes, and even enjoy the music and dances of many nations. At times they might be able to hear some foreign languages spoken by the people in the crowd.
The experience of attending such an International Festival could spur the students into seeking more knowledge about a particular nationality.
Many schools receive the Connecticut Governor’s Proclamations honoring different historical personalities and different ethnic groups. Some examples are:
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Pulaski Day
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Indian Day
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Thanksgiving Day
The proclamations could be posted on the classroom bulletin board. This might induce some students to question the teacher about the Proclamation and lead into a discussion that will later result in the writing of a composition. Students might be sent to the library to utilize the encyclopedia or a biographical dictionary to gain more knowledge of a particular historical figure or topic.
Since some of the students become interested in pursuing the topic further, the teacher can assign these students to follow up on the topic and give oral reports from time to time.
Problems that are not resolved in certain corners of the world can become topics of inquiry for the students. The students can bring in newspaper clippings, magazine articles, or notes taken from a television “special” on the particular topic of their interest. Some of the on-going problems to be considered are:
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Israel and the Arab World
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the internal problems of Lebanon
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Northern Ireland and England
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Northern Ireland and the State of Ireland
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the internal problems of Poland
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Lybia as a supporter of terrorism or national liberation movements
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the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan
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El Salvador and the Insurgents
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Cuba and its influence on the Caribbean area
If more than one student pick the same topic, the teacher can assign them to take up differing viewpoints of the conflict and pursue their research from their particular angle. The next step could be the setting up of a debate on that one particular current event topic for the benefit of the whole class, especially the nonparticipating lower-ability students. This would give them a chance to learn about the topic under discussion. The debate could be on the point-counterpoint model.
The teacher can give extra credit to the students who take up a continuing inquiry approach of the topic. Their oral report on the on-going inquiry of the topic can be done from notes or newspaper clippings. This will make the other non-participants feel that the initial discussion of the topic was a worthwhile effort. It will also serve to bring the other students up-to-date on the topic. This experience will, hopefully, spur them into another spontaneous discussion at a later date when there is a further crisis developing pertaining to that particular current event topic.
The whole idea behind this method is to get the students to think and take sides on issues or on world problems, thereby acquiring knowledge to separate facts from personal opinions and being able to express it in writing. Therefore, any effort to turn these topics into major projects will kill the spontaneity one sought initially.
Preparing the Students to Write
The teacher could give the students a list of words pertaining to a major national event such as the political conventions. This type of work could be done at the beginning of the school year since some of the conventions are held in the summer. Some students might recollect some of the scenes they observed while watching the conventions on television. The teacher could give definitions of terms used in discussing the political conventions, thereby helping them understand the class discussion. Getting the students to understand the political process would help them write a composition about political conventions.
As the teacher and the students get into the discussion about the convention, naturally, the leading candidates for each political party will be examined more closely as to what their stands are on the different campaign issues.
This will bring forth expressions of candidate preferences and will make the discussion livelier. Students like to express their feelings about the presidential candidates. Some students might volunteer to do some research work on the personal background and qualifications of each presidential candidate. Other students might seek out information on each candidate’s political beliefs and stands on issues by using newspapers and magazines. The students could take notes or underline the main ideas in the newspaper clippings, magazine articles, or campaign materials they have collected from local campaign offices of the various political parties. The next day the students can give oral reports to the class based on their findings. This activity would aid the other students and give them more material for the writing of the composition on political conventions.
One cannot study the convention simply as a political process per se since it might become dull for the students unless one brings into the discussion real people and issues that they can relate to. In order to bring this about another type of activity could be introduced. Some students could volunteer to play the role of: the Republican, the Democratic, or any other independent presidential candidate. Again, this type of activity would give the other students a better insight into each presidential candidate. One might ask: “Why is it necessary to have the oral reports or do role-playing?” Let us remember that not all students read the newspapers or follow the news on television or radio.
All students benefit, one way or another, when a teacher shows a filmstrip on political conventions. Further classroom discussion could occur during the showing of the filmstrip. Filmstrips that have captions would help the lower-ability students gain some knowledge of the topic, especially if they copied some of the captions as directed by the teacher. These notes would help them in writing out their composition. A film on the same topic is not as good since the lower-ability students may find it difficult to take notes while viewing the film.
Occasionally the teacher can assist the students during their composition writing by leaving on the blackboard the geographical and personal names of individuals or other key terms that are more difficult. This method would alleviate some of the tension for some of the students who find it difficult to spell strange names and places, freeing them to express their opinions or state the facts they have learned about the particular topic. The danger of continuing such a practice could lead to a lack of effort in learning the proper spellings of names and places.
Setting Standards
The teacher should set standards before the beginning of the composition writing. We all realize that not all students are college bound, yet we must instill high expectations in order to get better results in composition writing. Being satisfied with anything written on the paper is the wrong approach on the high school level. In setting the standards one should take into consideration the grade level of the students, and the make-up of the heterogeneous class.
One should upgrade the standards as the year progresses. The school year can start with short compositions but the teacher can demand longer compositions toward the end of the year.
Students want specific instructions before writing their composition so that they would know how to write their paper and how it will be graded. It makes them feel comfortable in knowing what is expected of them.
The teacher may wish to distribute to the class a list containing the guides for writing the composition. This list may be handed out in the beginning of the school year. The students are to keep the list for reference the rest of the school year. The list could contain the following:
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neatness (appearance of paper)
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legible penmanship
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correct spelling
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correct use of capital letters
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correct punctuation
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complete sentences
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organizing ideas:
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title
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good introduction
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well-developed paragraphs
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being consistent
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logical conclusion on the topic
Proofread the composition before handing in assignment
When the composition is corrected and returned to the student, it is the student’s responsibility to rewrite the composition with the corrections included. The teacher will then go over the paper, correcting it again, and give it a final grade.
Evaluation
In the beginning of the school year one could correct the spelling, the punctuation, and the sentence structure without counting it against the student. One should try to encourage the students by praising their positive accomplishments in their writings. As the school year progresses one should look and strive for improvement in their composition writing.
In dealing with heterogeneous classes one has to take into consideration their individual abilities. Being too strict in correcting papers might “turn off” some of the students from writing in the future. The teacher has to get to know the students in order to judge their work and grade their papers accordingly.
