Self-Reflection of Argument Writing Lesson

Introduction to Assignment 

     For this assignment, we were asked to create a short demo lesson on argumentative writing using the New Jersey English standards. We developed a SWBAT, designed a class activity, along with a short script, and a model example for our students to follow. 

Creating My Lesson

    To begin my class, I asked my students to raise their hands and share their knowledge of argumentative writing. Afterward, I read aloud the SWBAT so that students knew our topic of focus. When thinking about my lesson I wanted to choose a topic that students would be able to relate to and feel strongly about one side in particular. That being said, I chose the question: Should cell phones be allowed in the classroom? Students then had thirty minutes to read the article I provided and were given instructions to: write a response supporting their argument using evidence from the source, discuss counterarguments, and use their own personal experience if relevant. I put emphasis on the fact that there was no rubric for this assignment, and it was graded as complete/incomplete. I wanted to see what prior knowledge students had with argumentative writing without feeling pressured. Writing my model, I made sure I had everything that I was asking of the students for them to use as an example. I wrote one paragraph which is what I expected most students would write. Lastly, the feedback from my classmates was extremely helpful. They informed me that they loved my tone and my clarity which was great to hear. They also informed me to be mindful of the instructions given in a short time period which is something I will think about next time.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w3dbroeUi5xQwaSM16ucUSA1Q69SYc1hMa_y5rfmTL4/ 

Experience As a Learner

    All three of my classmates presented wonderful demonstrations. I loved how my classmate took a twist and for their lesson, they had the class read an argumentative piece and identify key elements used in persuasive writing. It is a different approach and I think would work great as a warmup for the lesson to follow. Additionally, I enjoyed that all of us in the group had planned out different lessons around the same subject. It is awesome to see how one lesson can be taught in many different ways. One classmate's lesson, in particular, I found very effective as they chose to focus on a deeper topic rather than a broad argument. They provided examples for the students and created an awesome worksheet that I think would be very helpful as a student. In conclusion, I think everyone did incredibly well and we can build off of what we have learned.