In a message dated 7/24/2000 7:22:49 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
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<< And how does one deal with curriculum demands when trying to implement
workshop?  I feel caught in the middle of old expectations and new ideas....
>>

Joanne,

I agree with you about being overwhelmed!  I have read so much about
workshopping, and the reality still seems to be at odds with what I'm trying
to accomplish.  I've actually resorted to "bribing" the sister-in-law of one
of our teachers to come to school this summer to give me a private inservice
in writer's workshop!  (I'm buying her lunch anywhere in Silicon Valley and
she's going to show me how she implements the grammar aspects in her
workshops.  I'll share anything that looks interesting - off-list if this is
too far afield for this list.)

Connie - thank you for your kind words and syllabus.  I printed it out and am
using it to help me plan.  It would be wonderful to see what each of us does
with Image Grammar.  Maybe your students might want to mentor a lesson with
mine?

One gem from last year I'd like to share.  We were discussing absolutes in my
sixth grade class, and I had printed out some transparencies with various
pictures as Harry Noden suggests in _Image Grammar_. They were really into
the activity but still a little shaky on the concept.  One young soul
pondered the picture of a goalie practicing blocking shots and went to the
board and wrote, "Balls zooming, the goalie tried to block the goals."  He
still isn't quite sure why the class exploded in laughter, and I never had
the nerve to explain that particular example fully . . . .

Gretchen in San Jose
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