Editor’s note: After posting the National Grammar Day, I received an e-mail from Konnie Krislock (CA mentor) with two resources that she sent her mentees. I then e-mailed her about how she shares resources with her mentees. Here’s the info from Konnie.

by Konnie Krislock
California mentor

Konnie Kirslock

I thought I would pass along information about two other supplemental texts you might want on your shelves for next year regarding grammar:

  • The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Strauss (ISBN 978-0-470-22268-3) that has great assignments and examples
  • Webster’s New World English Grammar Handbook, 2nd Edition, by Gordon Loberger and Kate Shoup (ISBN 978-0-470-41080-6)

Both books are distributed by Wiley Publishing, Inc., and our representative Chris Hegg, who has provided each of the JEA mentors with a copy of the award-winning Scholastic Journalism text, 11th Edition.

In terms of keeping in contact with my mentees, I try to do at least two e-mails a  month with “resource” information—sites, texts, articles, contests, etc.

Most of them are really busy (I have six now and one is 275 miles away), but this is a great way to keep in touch and let them know that even if they cannot find face time with me, I am still with them.

My brand new mentee, Patrick Geil, at San Joaquin Memorial H.S. in Fresno (that’s the 275 miles one) just entered his 16-page tabloid student newspaper (the first one at his school in 20 years) in a contest and they scored 95 out of 100 possible points. This is the staff that brought five students supported by the school principal to newspapers2 workshop last summer to learn to do a paper. They put one out three weeks later and have not missed a monthly issue since that time. The only “lost” points they had, Pat reports, were because they did not have a staff editorial.

We are all very proud of these students and their adviser who is also the school’s basketball coach. This past weekend he took his team to the state finals AND ALSO took his newspaper staff to the Fresno San Joaquin Valley write-off competition! So any adviser who says they are too busy . . . please see Pat.