One of my favorite ways to involve community in my classroom is to ask my Comp 106 students to secure genuine readers (as opposed to "fake" readers like mothers and English teachers) for their research papers.
After selecting the topics, we brainstorm community members who might be interested in reading their papers. I do not let the students use family members (who wear rose-tinted glasses) or teachers (who are busy reading their own students' papers). The students' initial conversations with their readers frequently lead to tightening of the research focus as readers share their thoughts or questions about the topic.
After the papers are finished, marked and graded by me, students take their papers through a final polishing revision and deliver clean copies to the readers. My explanation of the value of the reader's role and a request for email confirmation of the paper's delivery is stapled to the top.
My students have shared research on Tommy John surgery with our hospital's physical therapist, electronic umpiring with a local baseball fan, assisted dying with a hospice nurse, and the future of NASA with our town's amateur astronomer.
I believe that my students writing is improved by holding a real reader in mind as they draft and revise. "Would (my reader) understand this?" drives the writing process. The readers often send a note or comments to the writers, but I make it clear in my explanation that simply by agreeing to be readers, they have helped to focus the students' writing.
Day 23: Write about one way that you “meaningfully” involve the community in the learning in your classroom. If you don’t yet do so, discuss one way you could get started.
Reflection: I wonder why "meaningfully" is put in quotes. Thoughts? Another bang-it-out blog post tonight. G'night.
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