If you are already using Youth Voices — or planning to soon, we think you'll enjoy this Teachers Teaching Teachers podcast , recorded about a month ago. We talked the Youth Voices curriculum, guides, and more! Lennie Irvin, who is having his first-year college writing students contributing to the “Crossing to College” group. Here’s more from Lennie on bridging from high school to college:
What is College Readiness in Writing? and How Do We Get There?
Every year, we have far too many students like Ian. They aren’t the AP kids (though they might be), and they aren’t the students who fail our classes. They do OK, even sometimes receiving excellent grades in our high school classrooms. But when they get to college, they place into Developmental English classes, or worse (like Ian) they crash and burn and drop out of college. They fall off the bridge between high school and college. This site is devoted to local efforts to help more students graduating from high school place directly into college level writing classes, and importantly—do well in freshman composition. It is meant both as a resource and a professional community of practice dedicated to doing more to prepare our students for college and for helping these students do well once they are in college, for “college readiness” and “student success” in college are really two sides of the same coin.
The Three Frameworks of College Readiness
When we talk about “college readiness,” we can understand it within three frameworks. Each represents a significant part of what we mean by “readiness.”
Technical Readiness—Do students place into college level English classes? Refers to placement issues.
Writing Readiness—Are students’ writing skills and literacy practices able to handle college-level writing and reading assignments?
Student Readiness—Do students have the study skills, personal discipline and emotional readiness for pursing college-level work?
21:03:41 PeggyG: I don't have my headset on right now. If your topic is something I can contribute to I'd be happy to put it on and talk on Skype :-)
21:03:44 SusanEttenheim: great thanks and you can hear all sides? me and the guests?
21:03:50 PeggyG: yes both sides :-)
21:03:56 SusanEttenheim: thanks peggy
21:04:10 SusanEttenheim: peggy can we skype you in?
21:04:13 PeggyG: surprise surprise!!
21:04:25 PeggyG: what's the topic tonight?
21:05:09 SusanEttenheim: haha not sure peggy but you can join in on any topic!
21:05:10 SusanEttenheim: ;)
21:05:28 PeggyG: :-)
21:05:34 SusanEttenheim: so can I call you?
21:05:36 PeggyG: sure
21:06:56 PeggyG: always interested in what you're planning and doing with Youth Voices!!
21:10:51 PeggyG: it's the best kind of teacher's lounge ever!!
21:11:50 SusanEttenheim: thanks for joining us peggy
21:12:10 SusanEttenheim: I always want to join other shows and so seldomly can be online at the right time!
21:12:18 PeggyG: Can you share a link for San Antonio College?
21:13:02 Lennie: http://www.alamo.edu
21:13:03 PeggyG: home page would be fantastic!!
21:13:21 Lennie: http://www.alamo.edu/sac/english/lirvin
21:14:50 PeggyG: that's really similar to my university population--many older students
21:16:26 Paul Allison: 
21:18:31 Paul Allison: Hi Gail
21:18:49 PeggyG: yes the President is finished
21:18:50 Gail Desler: Hi Paul. Heading in to Real to get audio
21:19:25 SusanEttenheim: hi gail!! can we skype you in?
21:19:33 PeggyG: that sounds like a great project!! do you intend to limit it to writing without video options?
21:19:44 SusanEttenheim: then you can skip the real!
21:20:06 PeggyG: how about some video "trailers" or "teasers" that would entice the HS students to want to read more??
21:20:26 Fiona: Have you thought of the high school students writing a letter to their older selves...the college students?
21:20:26 SusanEttenheim: ha peggy - a great book!
21:20:29 Gail Desler: @ susan Sure, let me open Skpe
21:20:40 PeggyG: that would be fun too Fiona!!
21:21:02 SusanEttenheim: humm fiona... interesting..
21:21:34 Lennie: Good idea Peggy!
21:27:43 PeggyG: I think when they collaborate on a project they have something to talk about--similar what they are doing with the Flat Classroom project
21:27:45 Gail Desler: Can you try calling again, susan
21:28:04 Fiona: That is a great project!!
21:28:20 PeggyG: could they create a collaborative essay with their new "friend"?
21:28:35 Fiona: a great idea Peggy!!
21:28:55 Fiona: I think they would like to work with a 'grown-up'
21:29:03 SusanEttenheim: can you hear us gail?
21:29:04 PeggyG: I think so too
21:29:38 PeggyG: and they could create a "fictitious" college student in their collaborative essay that would describe the kind of student they would like to be :-)
21:30:08 PeggyG: use google docs to collaborate if that doesn't work on Youth Voices
21:30:37 Gail Desler: I'm mute now, but will check back with you
21:30:54 SusanEttenheim: gail ok if you're muted i'll call back againg
21:31:03 PeggyG: collaborating through Youth Voices should address that concern
21:31:22 PeggyG: collaboration between HS and college students
21:31:45 PeggyG: it's definitely monitored and supervised so it's a safe place for this collaboration
21:32:09 SusanEttenheim: gail we are getting feedback from you
21:32:17 SusanEttenheim: do you have a mic?
21:32:23 PeggyG: partner collaboration would work well--just 2 people collaborating: hs/college
21:32:26 Gail Desler: I'll see if I can find another headset
21:32:32 SusanEttenheim: ok
21:33:06 SusanEttenheim: fiona - just mute if you type ok? tnx!
21:33:10 PeggyG: be careful about it being an older person advising a younger person--needs to really be collaborative
21:33:30 SusanEttenheim: peggy can you jump in and talk?
21:33:49 SusanEttenheim: gail can you hear?
21:33:49 Gail Desler: YEs, Peggy!
21:33:56 PeggyG: I'm sure they all have common experiences they could write or talk about
21:34:09 Gail Desler: @susan, no - but am following chat
21:34:31 SusanEttenheim: ok I wonder what can I do to help you fix the sound problems today?
21:34:42 PeggyG: they could definitely share their stories/experiences about writing challenges :-)
21:34:45 SusanEttenheim: what's your setup?
21:34:54 SusanEttenheim: fiona can you hear ok?
21:34:59 Fiona: yes
21:35:16 PeggyG: even college students fear writing because of their lack of success with it in earlier years
21:35:16 SusanEttenheim: do your students do much writing in chemistry?
21:35:23 SusanEttenheim: how true peggy
21:35:33 Lennie: I agree with Peggy
21:35:41 SusanEttenheim: oops fiona can you mute when you type please?
21:35:53 Fiona: I get them to do quite a bit; one of our present school goals is working on increasing literacy
21:35:56 Fiona: k
21:36:07 SusanEttenheim: is it in lab reports?
21:36:14 SusanEttenheim: or research papers?
21:36:19 Fiona: but now working on incorporating digital storytelling...
21:36:33 PeggyG: process journals sound very interesting
21:36:43 SusanEttenheim: oops fiona we hear you typing
21:36:51 SusanEttenheim: do you know how to mute?
21:36:56 Fiona: I get them to write and illustrate books for elementary kids explaining science and the elementary kids act as the as assessors
21:38:39 PeggyG: it would also be interesting to have both groups writing on the same topic and then share their finished pieces to collaborate on--I'm sure they would have a lot in common :-)
21:38:42 SusanEttenheim:  The Book Project - set of 6 writings [PeggyG] that's really similar to my university population--many older students [Paul Allison]  [Paul Allison] 
21:39:24 carolteach4: Hi, Susan and all. My internet is really pokey tonight. It tooka minute or two for real audio to load, and my chat keeps freezing. It seems better now,
21:39:32 SusanEttenheim: fiona we were getting a lot of noise in the background
21:39:55 Fiona: what can i do to fix?
21:40:17 SusanEttenheim: fiona do you see the mute button at the bottom of the skype window?
21:40:26 SusanEttenheim: it looks like a little mike
21:40:53 SusanEttenheim: don't worry - once you find it ... you always know how!
21:40:55 Fiona: got it...I was muting in edtech
21:41:00 SusanEttenheim: great
21:41:01 SusanEttenheim: tnx
21:43:59 PeggyG: I think it really depends on which writing skills you're wanting to develop with these tools and selecting the tool that best fits
21:44:45 PeggyG: do you use student created glossaries on your Moodle site Lennie?
21:45:15 Lennie: I have tried that Peggy. Last semester in fact. I need to perfect that task
21:46:20 carolteach4: We have a literacy initiative in full swing in our district,middle and high schools, for reading and writing across all curriculums. All teachers get literacy training and are help responsible for direct teaching of reading and writing skills integrated into the classes.
21:47:10 PeggyG: that sounds great carolteach4!
21:47:31 SusanEttenheim: glad you're back gail!
21:47:45 Fiona: very similar to the initiative at our school carol...we often forget that students need to be taught how to write and often assume that since they write in English class that they will be able to write in all classes...
21:47:53 SusanEttenheim: do you have a writing center carol?
21:47:55 Gail Desler: Technical issues:-(
21:48:11 carolteach4: Has anyone figured out how to access the Google tools such as Sites and Docs through Moodle. I heard they were going to be integrated.
21:48:20 SusanEttenheim: happens to everyone gail..
21:48:42 Lennie: I hadn't heard about that Carol. Sounds interesting
21:49:06 PeggyG: I haven't tried it yet carolteach4 but I understand it's possible :-)
21:49:08 SusanEttenheim: carol do you mean you would embed a google doc in a moodle post?
21:49:11 Fiona: Carol that sounds really interesting and useful...
21:49:21 PeggyG: key words would work really well
21:49:38 carolteach4: We have reading specialists who work with small groups on reading as well as writing skills. We also hired a CMT (Connecticut Master Test) tutor to work with students who need extra help in writing.
21:49:42 PeggyG: google apps are available through Moodle
21:50:14 PeggyG: I really like that idea Paul!
21:51:43 PeggyG: I sharpen my pencils a lot when I need to write something :-)
21:51:53 carolteach4: @Peggy - how do you access them????We have a domain through Google for our school, but I don't know how to access it through Moodle. Several of our 8th grade teachers use Moodle, and their students (our last year's 7th graders) are all set with google apps for education accounts. I don't know how to get to them through Moodle.
21:52:01 PeggyG: great example Lennie!
21:52:21 Fiona: we have grade level testing that schools get ranked on..at 3rd, 6th and 9th grades..
21:52:29 PeggyG: I believe you have to install the block and an administrator needs to do that
21:52:31 SusanEttenheim: similar to us
21:52:48 SusanEttenheim: that would make sense peggy
21:53:08 carolteach4: @ Susan and Fiona - CT Mastery Testing is a very important focus in our school
21:53:27 PeggyG: I think it would be fun to ask them to take a picture of themselves in their writing environment and then have a conversation about it (in writing) :-)
21:53:38 carolteach4: Our 7th and 8th graders take the CMT's in March .
21:53:51 SusanEttenheim: testing big for us too
21:54:04 Fiona: do they have to pass to move to the next grade?
21:54:39 carolteach4: @ Fiona - no, but the scores are a big issue -
21:54:42 PeggyG: I love the idea of focusing on how they get started on their writing
21:55:03 SusanEttenheim: cmon peggy - say that...
21:55:05 SusanEttenheim: :)
21:55:16 PeggyG: for many (including me) I'm sure they use a lot of avoidance/procrastination steps :-)
21:55:28 SusanEttenheim: easy to do in college peggy
21:55:36 PeggyG: easy to do anytime!!
21:56:14 PeggyG: you don't sound exhausted--you have great energy in your ideas!
21:56:36 carolteach4: @Susan - been in school with kids since last Tuesday, Sept. 1 - lots of kids to track down who didn't turn in signed Acceptable Use Policies and hence, can't use the computers. I was at school until 6:50PM last night.
21:56:50 SusanEttenheim: wow carol
21:57:04 PeggyG: hang in there carolteach4
21:57:18 carolteach4: The good thing is teachers have had the kids in the lab since week one
21:58:35 PeggyG: I'm sure people will be interested in seeing the topics you're thinking of using for the writing assignments
21:58:47 PeggyG: thank you all!! a great conversation!
21:58:57 PeggyG: isn't technology wonderful!!
21:58:57 carolteach4: Has Lennie dropped a link previously?
21:59:08 Fiona: thank you and best wishes for a successful project
21:59:11 carolteach4: I came in late and may have missed it.
21:59:16 PeggyG: great to meet you Fiona!
21:59:18 Lennie: thank you all