Education – Page 3 – Write on the World

Education, Essays, Written Communication

My Dream Career: A 5-paragraph essay

March 10, 2012August 30, 2012 Mandy Webster

English: Hands collaborating in co-writing or ... — Could I survive on writing alone? Or would I get too bored? | Image via Wikipedia

Earlier this morning, I wrote a post on teaching the 5-paragraph essay. In that post, I promised to share the essay I wrote for my Written Communication students this week. So, here it is…

My Dream Career

If you could have any job, what would you do? This is a typical first date question, job interview question, or composition class free writing topic, one whose answer may provide a great deal of insight into the life of the respondent. If you were to ask this question of me, my answer would surely provide insight into my psyche simply because the way I would answer is far different than the average American. Continue reading “My Dream Career: A 5-paragraph essay” →

Education, Essays, Writers on Writing

Teaching the five-paragraph essay

March 10, 2012 Mandy Webster

Yesterday, my Written Communication students workshopped their very first essays of the semester. I don’t like to ever ask my students to do anything that I wouldn’t do myself, so I wrote an essay along with them.

Early in the semester, I asked them to write ideas for free writing topics on little slips of paper that I placed in an envelope. We do a 10 – 15 minute free write in every class session. Sometimes I have a topic planned, and sometimes I’ll pull a couple of their ideas from the envelope and let them choose one. Usually, unless I have something I need to do to prepare for the next portion of the class, I’ll sit and free write with them. I think this is a useful activity for any w Continue reading “Teaching the five-paragraph essay” →

Blogging, Random Writing Rants

Too busy to blog

February 22, 2012February 22, 2012 Mandy Webster

Endless grading of term papers (Photo credit: joguldi)

It happens to the best of us. We want to write more often, but life somehow gets in the way. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got so many different projects in the works, I can’t seem to focus on any of them. And, I’m spending so much time worrying about getting my final project and paper written for one course, and my mid-term paper written for another, I have very little time left to write something I actually want to write.

Yes, here I am, complaining once again. *sigh* Continue reading “Too busy to blog” →

Random Writing Rants

I need to write something

February 1, 2012 Mandy Webster

A picture of my school bags packed with books — This is how busy I am right now, in case you wondered. I have a bag for each day of the week so I can keep everything organized!

Please feel free to skip this post, as I have nothing to say today.

One of the secrets to running a ‘good’ blog is to blog often. So, I feel the need to write something today, considering I have posted nothing since Friday. I hate when life gets in the way of writing.

I’m back to school – playing both student and teacher, for the semester – so I’ve been fairly busy lately. Not to mention the fact that my kids have been sick this week, and I am trying desperately not to get sick myself until at least tomorrow. I teach two classes on Wednesdays, so I just can’t afford to be sick today. I’ll be sick tomorrow and get well in time for my Friday morning class. Continue reading “I need to write something” →

Poetry, Poetry by Mandy Webster

Poetry Friday: Tackling teenage pregnancy

January 20, 2012January 20, 2012 Mandy Webster

MAHS Poetry Out Loud competition 5 — Image by Nic's events via Flickr

For today’s Poetry Friday, sponsored this week by Wild Rose Reader, comes from real-life. I remember how “everyone” in my 8th grade class talked about the girl who had a baby over the summer, and I also remember wondering if I was the only person who didn’t judge her. I only wish I’d had the guts to speak up for her. Continue reading “Poetry Friday: Tackling teenage pregnancy” →

Uncategorized

Blogging from my phone

January 17, 2012January 17, 2012 Mandy Webster

This is what my computer is doing this morning while I am working from my Android phone.

I’m blogging from my phone this morning because I think my computer has a virus, and I’m running a scan in safe mode as I type. So, forgive me in advance for the many typos you’ll likely see here today.

Anyway, my main project for this week is writing syllibi and lesson plans for the courses I’ll be teaching this semester. This is my last week to get it done, and I have a lot of work to do yet.

One of the courses I’ll be teaching this spring is communication technologies. I’m really excited about this course as it includes blogging, social media, and even a few technologies I haven’t had a chance to try yet myself.

Continue reading “Blogging from my phone” →

NaNoWriMo, Novel Writing

NaNo-NaNo-WriMo-WriMo… It’s almost here!

October 31, 2011 Mandy Webster

Happy Halloween! This is your last day of relative sanity before the frenzy of NaNoWriMo. Are you taking a deep breath and relaxing today or rushing to get your loose ends tied up before jumping into your NaNoWriMo novel tomorrow?

I have a huge pot of chili bubbling on the stove already this morning, so I at least have my meals planned out for the week. Otherwise, I’m just now remembering all of the little details I meant to take care of the past few weeks so I could concentrate on NaNoWriMo… the KTG blog posts I meant to write in advance and schedule to post on their own while I’m busily typing away at my novel… the lesson plans and PowerPoint presentations I meant to throw together for my classes, the poems I meant to write in advance for my poetry class… you get the picture, right? Are all writers this discombobulated or is it just me? Continue reading “NaNo-NaNo-WriMo-WriMo… It’s almost here!” →