Meeks, Lynn Langer. "Making English Classrooms Happier Places to Learn." English Journal 88.4 March (1999): 73-80.

Summary Meeks article "Making English Classrooms Happier Places to Learn," is based on the integration of "a theory of literacy learning developed by Australian linguist and learning theorist, Brian Cambourne" (73). It suggests that Cambourne's theories about how kids learn can be used to maximize learning in the English Classroom by creating the right "conditions for learning" (74). These conditions are "immersion, demonstration, expectations, responsibility, approximations, employment, response and engagement." The integration is founded on the idea that if the conditions for learning which exist in everyday, "real" life are brought into the classroom, kids will be more likely to learn the material. Therefore, much of the article is set up in a parallel form, juxtaposing explanations of the conditions for learning, as they exist in the "real world" and how they can be brought into the classroom (specifically as they can be used in a unit on poetry).

Analysis I was first attracted to this article as I was glancing through various volumes of English Journal, trying to get a handle on what kind of helpful information it contained. This particular issue carries the theme: Humor in the English Class - a theme, which I found particularly interesting. I was drawn to this theme because I am very conscious of the fact that most of my future pupils will not share my enthusiasm and love for English and therefore, I am always interested in learning new ways to approach the material. I am also aware that being funny is not always a good thing either, as it is quite easy to lose the proper respect necessary for an effective teacher-student relationship. My concern was quickly alleviated in the first two paragraphs of the article however, as this issue was addressed up front with an excerpt from a cartoon posted "on the bulletin board in my [Meeks'] English Department" (see attached).
This article is directed, as the title suggests, toward making English classrooms happier places - not only happier places to learn, but I would argue, happier places to teach. After all, if your students are learning, it only follows that you, as a teacher, ought to be happy. I feel that this article is helpful to teachers of English simply because Meeks has convinced me that the integration of Cambourne's theories into the classroom will actually work. I spent this past entire summer (2000) working with children who ranged anywhere from two years old to fifteen years old. I was a Recreation Counselor and it was my job to teach kids how to play games, do crafts, etc. and also to participate with them. My own experience forces me to agree with Meeks and Cambourne regarding how kids learn in the "real world." I have seen children accomplish very complicated tasks in relatively short periods of time - tasks, which are more difficult than much of the most difficult classroom activities.
In addition to my own concurrence with the article, I also believe that there are a lot of helpful ideas contained within the article which could be of use to any teacher. For example, the notion of Immersion: it only makes sense to surround students with the material that they are expected to learn. This not only continuously reinforces your own efforts as a teacher, but it also gives them a wealth of reference material for ideas, etc. literally at their fingertips! Likewise with the idea of Demonstration - kids learn by example. It is a good teaching practice, in my opinion, to not only tell students how to do something, but whenever possible, to show them how (and to get them involved in the examples by giving their own demonstrations). An ancient Chinese proverb states: Tell me and I may forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I will understand. That is what this entire article is about - actively involving students in the learning process; engaging students on an interpersonal level by getting them to want to participate. Any piece of writing which helps teachers to accomplish this kind of teaching is a worthy read for even the most experienced educator.
In addition to this, Meeks also makes rhetorical many of the questions that some educators might ask, like "Is that all there is to making classrooms happier places?" She points out Cambourne's suggestion that "putting these principles of engagement [outlined on page 78] in place may be difficult for teachers who do not like or enjoy their students" (78). By making note of this, Meeks is reinforcing the notion that if one does not want to teach, one ought not to become a teacher! Beyond that, she ends the article by giving a piece of advice, which is true for all teachers everywhere. This advice is prompted in the article by the question/heading "Ok, but what about fending off potential criticism from parents, colleagues, and/or administrators?"(79) and it consists of the same advice that my own colleagues and I are given almost on a daily basis - be prepared. That is, Meeks states: "I have found that having a coherent theory of literacy learning that I can refer to when I talk to parents, colleagues, or administrators helps to alleviate their concerns . . .[and] when I can explain how my pedagogy helps students engage in literacy learning and how that relates to their future successes - that's when I fend off criticism" (79).