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English teachers think outside the box to teach reading, writing to STEM students


By Allison Rupp
Posted April 2, 2012 at 6 p.m.
Article from knoxsnews.com
Brandon Lee and Rob Williams, both 10th-grade STEM students at Hardin Valley Academy, look for evidence, or quotes, in William Shakespeare's "Othello" to prove what Shakespeare thought about marriage. Then they will fill out a lab report about their findings.
photos Special to the News Sentinel
Brandon Lee and Rob Williams, both 10th-grade STEM students at Hardin Valley Academy, look for evidence, or quotes, in William Shakespeare's "Othello" to prove what Shakespeare thought about marriage. Then they will fill out a lab report about their findings. photos Special to the News Sentinel

Hypothesis, equation, formula and lab report are words usually associated with a science or math classroom.

However, certain English teachers in Knox County Schools use these words to teach William Shakespeare's "Othello," persuasive writing and figurative language.

In schools with students designated as science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, learners, teachers have had to get creative to teach kids who generally don't like reading and writing how to read and write.

"If you are reading 'The Scarlet Letter' and you don't do anything to bring in science or math, they will hate you, and you will hate it," said Jennifer Pace, an English teacher within the STEM Academy at Hardin Valley Academy. "They hate poetry. They hate to write."

Though STEM students have been put on a math and science track, they still have to learn state standards and pass state English exams.

English teachers at Hardin Valley, L&N STEM Academy and Farragut High School said they've had to change the way they teach to reach math and science kids, but it's made them better teachers overall.

Teacher Beth Love said she was nervous when she first heard she was in the STEM Academy at Hardin Valley. Math and science were never her strong subjects.

Most of her job is spent marketing English to students and explaining why they need to learn to write a literary essay or read Shakespeare, even if they plan to be an engineer or mathematician. She always tries to give them real-world applications.

Whether they're an astronaut or scientist, they might have to write a grant, pitch a project to a client or give a presentation, Love said.

Tressie Norton's L&N students write business letters and emails to learn to write. Recently, students crafted emails to the librarian at Lawson-McGhee Public Library.

"Knowing that the letter goes to a real person ups the motivation," Norton said.

Even though she is an English and journalism teacher, Norton said she feels more like a communications teacher. She's become more "skill-oriented" in instruction.

"If you put a complex math problem in front of them, they can solve it immediately," Norton said. "But if you ask them to talk about it, it's a whole different story."

Norton said she knows she's not going to produce a mass amount of English majors at the end of the year, but if she can get STEM students to talk about current events in front of the class and write technically, the year will be a success.

English teachers have had to come up with ways to excite and interest STEM students about reading and writing as well as make them understand concepts.

"Liberal arts kids get it," said Meshon Crateau, an English teacher at Hardin Valley. "They can write. They want to read.

STEM students don't work in the abstract. They like the concrete where they can say, 'I can figure this out.' That doesn't lend itself to literature."

Lindsey Smith, an English teacher at Farragut, said STEM students sometimes can't get past the subjectivity of a poem to discuss it. She has them look at poetry like solving a problem.

Students are Farragut select different tracks like math and science, but they aren't separated like at Hardin Valley and L&N.

"These students make everything black and white instead of grayish," Smith said. "The subjectiveness is sometimes what turns them off."

Hardin Valley teachers use formulas to explain English concepts.

For example, acec2 tells a STEM student how to write an analytic paragraph. The letters stand for assertion, context, evidence, commentary and conclusion.

Other teachers have STEM students build replicas of Shakespeare's Globe Theater while others have students do lab reports on novels.

Recently, Love asked students to do a lab report about "Othello" and Shakespeare's views on marriage.

They had to state a purpose, materials and procedure, collect data and write a conclusion, all parts of the scientific method. The data and evidence were quotes and examples from the play.

Love even talked about chemistry between characters.

For teachers, it's almost as if they've had to learn a new language, Pace said.

"Instead of using 'prediction,' we say, 'Let's form a hypothesis,'" Pace said. "What do you think is going to happen? We change the language and provide examples."

STEM students like to use graphic organizers, index cards and diagrams to describe character development.

Pace teaches them literary devices, such as metaphor and hyperbole, through different types of novels. Her STEM students read "The Time Machine," "October Sky" and Michael Crichton, besides the classics.

Students at L&N also get to choose a lot of their own books, Norton said, and only five or six students read the same book. However, she said her students don't always choose science fiction books.

Though English might not be their favorite and strongest subject, Smith said math and science students at Farragut don't shy away from them. Many in her 12th-grade AP English class are on math or science tracks.

"Math and science kids are still taking AP English classes even though they may be intimidating," Smith said. "It's challenging, and I think math and science kids are ready for that."

Teachers also celebrate the successes of STEM students like they would the football team or cheerleaders. Recently, Hardin Valley held a pep rally for the robotics team.

 © 2012, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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