Comments on: 10 Things Teenage Writers Should Know About Writing http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/ DEVISING A SYSTEM FOR REMEMBERING EVERYTHING Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:10:43 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: John Scalzi http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129742 John Scalzi Mon, 16 Feb 2009 01:41:12 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129742 This comment thread is now so long that this page takes a noticeable time to load, so I'm closing the comment thread here and <a href="http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/02/15/comment-overflow-for-10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/" rel="nofollow">opening a supplementary comment thread at this link.</a> Just click through and leave whatever comment you were planning to make. Be sure to read the preface entry <i>before</i> you comment, however; it contains important information. Thanks. This comment thread is now so long that this page takes a noticeable time to load, so I’m closing the comment thread here and opening a supplementary comment thread at this link. Just click through and leave whatever comment you were planning to make. Be sure to read the preface entry before you comment, however; it contains important information. Thanks.

]]> By: Liz http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129740 Liz Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:42:28 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129740 Jonathan Vos Post: that would be a good idea to do but i cant write a story by the end of that time. but thanks for the idea Jonathan Vos Post: that would be a good idea to do but i cant write a story by the end of that time. but thanks for the idea

]]> By: Jonathan Vos Post http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129737 Jonathan Vos Post Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:18:16 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129737 stereotypical behavior and teenagers -- that's a thread itself. I was observing 3 High School Math teachers in excruciating detail Friday the 13th at a charter school "Stern Math And Science School" from 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. They draw a 98% Hispanic student body from down-scale East Los Angeles, and get spectacularly good test scores and college admissions. I'm keenly interested in finding out how they do it. The two most interesting comments that I got from teachers after their students left, and I was putting away my 30+ pages of hand-scribbled narrative and dozens of pages of assessment instruments, were these. JVP: Do you have any comments on Classroom Environment Warmth and Control? Teacher #1: "Behaviorally, they can't help themselves, because their brains are simply not like our adult brains." She then went into a profound summary of the Amygdala as it is involved in behavior, per fMRI data and her analysis. How often do people bring up "Amygdala" in ordinary conversation? "Isn't that, like, the Queen in Star Wars?" Teacher #2: "What I have here is 'controlled chaos.' When I started teaching, I thought that a 'good' teacher kept the students at their desks and quiet. Now, you saw that when you observed my Algebra class a couple of weeks ago, but in the AP Calculus class, they are bouncing around the classroom, communicating with each other all the time. It is noisy, but noise is NOT chaos. So long as they are getting the material, and happy about it, I've learned to accept abandoning rigidity, not cooling them into a crystal, not letting them be a hot gas, but right on the edge of the phase transition, they are creative and grasping things well, each in a different way. Today's transition from antiderivatives to integrals -- I didn't think they'd get it, but they seemed to. We'll know in May with the AP exams, but they are combining the algebraic and the geometric viewpoints better than I expected, so I go with the flow and allow for surprises." Since my 100+ pages of notes towards an Ed.D. dissertation for a program I've been informally invited to (saw the prof. Dr. Stephanie Evans who invited me, a couple of weeks ago; she was back from a long trip to Cuba), but haven't applied, deals with Neurophysiology and Chaos Theory as the foundations of a New Pedagogy, I could hardly have been more delighted. It was pouring with rain (snow level down to 3,000 feet) but my heart was filled with sunshine. stereotypical behavior and teenagers — that’s a thread itself.

I was observing 3 High School Math teachers in excruciating detail Friday the 13th at a charter school “Stern Math And Science School” from 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

They draw a 98% Hispanic student body from down-scale East Los Angeles, and get spectacularly good test scores and college admissions. I’m keenly interested in finding out how they do it.

The two most interesting comments that I got from teachers after their students left, and I was putting away my 30+ pages of hand-scribbled narrative and dozens of pages of assessment instruments, were these.

JVP: Do you have any comments on Classroom Environment Warmth and Control?

Teacher #1: “Behaviorally, they can’t help themselves, because their brains are simply not like our adult brains.” She then went into a profound summary of the Amygdala as it is involved in behavior, per fMRI data and her analysis. How often do people bring up “Amygdala” in
ordinary conversation? “Isn’t that, like, the Queen in Star Wars?”

Teacher #2: “What I have here is ‘controlled chaos.’ When I started teaching, I thought that a ‘good’ teacher kept the students at their desks and quiet. Now, you saw that when you observed my Algebra class a couple of weeks ago, but in the AP Calculus class, they are bouncing around the classroom, communicating with each other all the time. It is noisy, but noise is NOT chaos. So long as they are getting the material, and happy about it, I’ve learned to accept abandoning
rigidity, not cooling them into a crystal, not letting them be a hot gas, but right on the edge of the phase transition, they are creative and grasping things well, each in a different way. Today’s transition from antiderivatives to integrals — I didn’t think they’d get it, but they seemed to. We’ll know in May with the AP exams, but they are combining the algebraic and the geometric viewpoints better than I expected, so I go with the flow and allow for surprises.”

Since my 100+ pages of notes towards an Ed.D. dissertation for a program I’ve been informally invited to (saw the prof. Dr. Stephanie Evans who invited me, a couple of weeks ago; she was back from a long trip to Cuba), but haven’t applied, deals with Neurophysiology and Chaos Theory as the foundations of a New Pedagogy, I could hardly have been more delighted.

It was pouring with rain (snow level down to 3,000 feet) but my heart was filled with sunshine.

]]> By: John Scalzi http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129735 John Scalzi Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:20:08 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129735 Yet another person who didn't read the <a href="http://whatever.scalzi.com/2007/06/18/on-teens-and-the-fact-their-writing-sucks/" rel="nofollow">follow-up piece</a> before posting, thus missing the fact this point is addressed. Indeed, at this point, one might say it's stereotypical behavior. Yet another person who didn’t read the follow-up piece before posting, thus missing the fact this point is addressed. Indeed, at this point, one might say it’s stereotypical behavior.

]]> By: Lorlei http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129734 Lorlei Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:08:18 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129734 Wow, stereotypical much? Not all teenagers suck at writing, even if you did. Wow, stereotypical much? Not all teenagers suck at writing, even if you did.

]]> By: Faranya http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129697 Faranya Sun, 15 Feb 2009 02:36:22 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129697 So, I just read this, and I must say, I enjoyed it. I'm in my first year of a bachelors of engineering program, and in what precious little free time I have, I have been hammering away at a little fantasy novel. I like it, I suppose, but I think it sucks. I'm only the equivalent of 3 chapters in, and let someone read chapter one, and they liked it, but I still think it sucks. But, I enjoy it, so I'll keep writing my terrible story. Who knows? Maybe I'll finish it. And maybe I can sell it. Lord knows there are all kinds of horrible writers who sell well...not to name names...my, er, I guess that's all I have to say... Again, good article! So, I just read this, and I must say, I enjoyed it. I’m in my first year of a bachelors of engineering program, and in what precious little free time I have, I have been hammering away at a little fantasy novel. I like it, I suppose, but I think it sucks. I’m only the equivalent of 3 chapters in, and let someone read chapter one, and they liked it, but I still think it sucks. But, I enjoy it, so I’ll keep writing my terrible story. Who knows? Maybe I’ll finish it. And maybe I can sell it. Lord knows there are all kinds of horrible writers who sell well…not to name names…my, er, I guess that’s all I have to say…

Again, good article!

]]> By: Jonathan Vos Post http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129670 Jonathan Vos Post Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:16:49 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129670 Liz: you might try writing a Romantic Mystery, or a Detective Romance... with insights into how housework complicates sleuth-work and love. Whoops, got to go see if the washing machine load is ready to go into the dryer. Really. Liz: you might try writing a Romantic Mystery, or a Detective Romance… with insights into how housework complicates sleuth-work and love. Whoops, got to go see if the washing machine load is ready to go into the dryer. Really.

]]> By: Liz http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129665 Liz Sat, 14 Feb 2009 20:26:46 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129665 i would like to be in that i guess but i am terrible at mystery i would rather write romance novles and even if i could i cant do that and do homework at the same time it just wouldn't work for me i am sorry i would like to be in that i guess but i am terrible at mystery i would rather write romance novles and even if i could i cant do that and do homework at the same time it just wouldn’t work for me i am sorry

]]> By: Kristine Hayes http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129614 Kristine Hayes Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:42:46 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129614 Thank you for your advice. I am a teenage writer and I appreciate all the direction I can get in my writing. I am glad that someone cares about the younger generations of writers and I've read through all of the comments and, as with any article, I realize that there will always be contradicting information. I am glad you were blunt about the tough facts of writing/publishing. Thanks again. Thank you for your advice. I am a teenage writer and I appreciate all the direction I can get in my writing. I am glad that someone cares about the younger generations of writers and I’ve read through all of the comments and, as with any article, I realize that there will always be contradicting information. I am glad you were blunt about the tough facts of writing/publishing. Thanks again.

]]> By: John Scalzi http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129593 John Scalzi Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:31:31 +0000 http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/#comment-129593 In the future, Victoria, please ask first before you use the thread to promote something you're doing on your own site. I usually confine those to speak "promote yourself" threads I run regularly here, so typically when something like the above pops up without permission I delete them. Not planning to this time, but remember to ping me first before next time. In the future, Victoria, please ask first before you use the thread to promote something you’re doing on your own site. I usually confine those to speak “promote yourself” threads I run regularly here, so typically when something like the above pops up without permission I delete them. Not planning to this time, but remember to ping me first before next time.

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