Come today!
I was too busy to water the garden--
plus the weatherman promised
boomers and soakers
this evening.
Clear skies?
Go away!
Heaven
drench
us.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Any Time Now
We were on our way home from the movies this afternoon when a brilliant thought entered my mind. We had been to The Avengers, something I was eager to see but had put off since it opened a few weeks ago, because it was such an iconic summer movie, and summer was just too far away for me to enjoy it. After the pink, pink, pink of yesterday, though, I felt like maybe I was ready to kick off the cinematic season.
The movie was good, but, as I suspected, would have been much more enjoyable without a lengthy to-do list--with hard deadlines-- in the back of my brain. Driving home we commiserated about the busy weeks ahead. The end of the school year has a lot of time-consuming details made much more challenging by the fact that most students are mentally checking out early.
"Oh!" it came to me in a vision. "I totally know what we should do! The end of the year should be like the end of a soccer match, where only the official knows the time... that way they could call it at any moment!"
C'mon, it's genius! Not only would many of our students totally get the concept, but THAT would really keep us on our toes.
The movie was good, but, as I suspected, would have been much more enjoyable without a lengthy to-do list--with hard deadlines-- in the back of my brain. Driving home we commiserated about the busy weeks ahead. The end of the school year has a lot of time-consuming details made much more challenging by the fact that most students are mentally checking out early.
"Oh!" it came to me in a vision. "I totally know what we should do! The end of the year should be like the end of a soccer match, where only the official knows the time... that way they could call it at any moment!"
C'mon, it's genius! Not only would many of our students totally get the concept, but THAT would really keep us on our toes.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Z is for Zone 7
We put in some productive time at the garden this afternoon, and with luck and proper stewardship July should bring tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, and okra for sure. The watermelon and pumpkin are questionable, mainly because we've been unsuccessful growing them for the last two seasons, fingers crossed that third time's the charm. Our strawberry patch is going gangbusters except that we didn't put down the straw mulch so the fruit is rotting before it ripens, not a mistake we're likely to make again.
Life Lesson: There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder. - Alfred Austin
Life Lesson: There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder. - Alfred Austin
Friday, May 25, 2012
Y is for You're Definitely in My Top 131
A few of my students have started playing a silly game where they bicker loudly about which of them is my favorite. I don't think for a minute that their spectacle has anything to do with me; I am just an effigy in a drama they've invented for their own amusement.
It does make me wonder, though, about favorites. I hope all my students feel that I like them equally, although realistically I'm sure that's not true. Some kids don't really care, and others are convinced that they could never be the favored one.
I never really liked the parable of the prodigal son. I always sympathized with the guy who stayed home and did his duty and then was hurt by his father's celebration of his wayward brother. Even so, as a teacher, in an attempt to build positive relationships, I often extend a greater proportion of my time and energy to those students who are not being successful.
Does that make them my favorites? They seem to think so. At least they are willing to argue about it.
Life Lesson: It is appropriate to celebrate and be glad... for he who was lost is found again.
It does make me wonder, though, about favorites. I hope all my students feel that I like them equally, although realistically I'm sure that's not true. Some kids don't really care, and others are convinced that they could never be the favored one.
I never really liked the parable of the prodigal son. I always sympathized with the guy who stayed home and did his duty and then was hurt by his father's celebration of his wayward brother. Even so, as a teacher, in an attempt to build positive relationships, I often extend a greater proportion of my time and energy to those students who are not being successful.
Does that make them my favorites? They seem to think so. At least they are willing to argue about it.
Life Lesson: It is appropriate to celebrate and be glad... for he who was lost is found again.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
X is for X-ing Xs
Oh how tempting it can be to mark the days off on the calendar in a countdown to summer vacation. Who isn't looking forward to a break and time to rest and recharge? Still, when the kids start asking how many days we have left it makes me a little testy. For one thing-- is school really that awful? For another? If it is, then how hard could it be to do the calculation yourself!
For the record, we have 28 calendar days, and 19 school days remaining.
But as long as we're counting? Only 104 more days until school starts!
Life Lesson: Rather than count the days, make the days count.
For the record, we have 28 calendar days, and 19 school days remaining.
But as long as we're counting? Only 104 more days until school starts!
Life Lesson: Rather than count the days, make the days count.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
W is for Water Wings
As the year closes, my sixth grade students are grappling with theme. It is an abstract concept that requires higher order thinking to not only comprehend the elements of a given writing piece, but also to infer some greater meaning from them. Developmentally, it's a stretch for many 11 and 12 year olds.
As they work it through, I notice them clinging to cliches to keep from drowning in the depth of their own thinking. Kelly Clarkson's current hit Stronger provides quite a few life lines for the struggling-- in addition to the subtitle, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger, there is also the me, myself, and I thing, as well as, it doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone.
It's a start.
Life Lesson: Water wings get you in the pool, but they keep you on the surface.
As they work it through, I notice them clinging to cliches to keep from drowning in the depth of their own thinking. Kelly Clarkson's current hit Stronger provides quite a few life lines for the struggling-- in addition to the subtitle, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger, there is also the me, myself, and I thing, as well as, it doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone.
It's a start.
Life Lesson: Water wings get you in the pool, but they keep you on the surface.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
V is for Vertical
News today of two of my geographical preoccupations:
Going up
This time of year I click over every few days to a couple of climbing websites and follow the news as team after team tackles Everest during the narrow window of opportunity that nature offers. These days, technology allows you to follow the expeditions in real time-- several climbers tweeted their attempts at the summit, and there are all sorts of video clips and photos posted within hours of any push for the top.
The virtual proximity does not make the mountain any less deadly, however, and in some ways makes it even more cruel. In 1996 while trapped near the summit, mountaineer Rob Hall spoke to his pregnant fiancee by satellite phone and even chose names for their unborn child, before he froze to death where he huddled, too weak to make his descent. His body still lies a few feet from the path any climber takes from the South Col. For me, that story alone hollows the peal of those who clamor that the risk is worth it, because it's there!
Going down
Even today, with 50-75% of the water flow diverted to power most of Western New York and much of Ontario, Niagara Falls is by far one of the most impressive natural spectacles I have ever seen. Since we have family in Buffalo, I have the opportunity to visit regularly, but I never get bored of going out to the falls.
Yesterday a guy actually survived going over them, the third person to do so in recent years. Despite his wish to end his life, circumstances aligned to allow him to survive what an average of 20 people a year do not.
Hopefully his experience will mirror that of Kirk Jones, who threw himself into the wild and irrepressible waters of the Niagara River in 2003. "I honestly thought that it wasn't worth going on," Jones told ABC News. "But I can tell you now after hitting the falls I feel that life is worth living," he said.
Life Lesson: Without life, the lesson is lost.
Going up
This time of year I click over every few days to a couple of climbing websites and follow the news as team after team tackles Everest during the narrow window of opportunity that nature offers. These days, technology allows you to follow the expeditions in real time-- several climbers tweeted their attempts at the summit, and there are all sorts of video clips and photos posted within hours of any push for the top.
The virtual proximity does not make the mountain any less deadly, however, and in some ways makes it even more cruel. In 1996 while trapped near the summit, mountaineer Rob Hall spoke to his pregnant fiancee by satellite phone and even chose names for their unborn child, before he froze to death where he huddled, too weak to make his descent. His body still lies a few feet from the path any climber takes from the South Col. For me, that story alone hollows the peal of those who clamor that the risk is worth it, because it's there!
Going down
Even today, with 50-75% of the water flow diverted to power most of Western New York and much of Ontario, Niagara Falls is by far one of the most impressive natural spectacles I have ever seen. Since we have family in Buffalo, I have the opportunity to visit regularly, but I never get bored of going out to the falls.
Yesterday a guy actually survived going over them, the third person to do so in recent years. Despite his wish to end his life, circumstances aligned to allow him to survive what an average of 20 people a year do not.
Hopefully his experience will mirror that of Kirk Jones, who threw himself into the wild and irrepressible waters of the Niagara River in 2003. "I honestly thought that it wasn't worth going on," Jones told ABC News. "But I can tell you now after hitting the falls I feel that life is worth living," he said.
Life Lesson: Without life, the lesson is lost.
Monday, May 21, 2012
U is for Umbrella
It was a rainy spring day here today, and on such occasions, I delight in popping open my giant rainbow-striped umbrella. It enchants me because it's big and colorful and automatic: I never tire of simply pressing a button to instantly produce a huge canopy to protect me from the rain; it seems as close to a magic spell as I'll ever conjure.
When I was a child, umbrellas were way too much for me to manage; I needed a third or fourth hand to carry, open, and carry them, and getting wet seemed like a small price to pay to avoid such frustration. Even now, if there's no compelling reason to stay dry, I forgo any shield, no matter how nifty, and turn my face to the rain.
Life Lesson: Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet. ~Roger Miller
When I was a child, umbrellas were way too much for me to manage; I needed a third or fourth hand to carry, open, and carry them, and getting wet seemed like a small price to pay to avoid such frustration. Even now, if there's no compelling reason to stay dry, I forgo any shield, no matter how nifty, and turn my face to the rain.
Life Lesson: Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet. ~Roger Miller
Sunday, May 20, 2012
T is for Here's One Thing I Know
All my life, you're a friend of mine
We spent the day beginning to adapt to the Bingo-shaped hole in our lives. Oh, it is certain to shrink over time, but right now there are so many little things that remind us of our loss-- the extra food in the fridge, the unused bowl on the dish drain, the vacancy at the end of the couch-- you get the idea. He's gone and we really miss him.
At the end, it was our responsibility to ensure that he did not suffer. Such a choice is hard but very clear.
Life Lesson:
And you can count on me until the day you die
We spent the day beginning to adapt to the Bingo-shaped hole in our lives. Oh, it is certain to shrink over time, but right now there are so many little things that remind us of our loss-- the extra food in the fridge, the unused bowl on the dish drain, the vacancy at the end of the couch-- you get the idea. He's gone and we really miss him.
At the end, it was our responsibility to ensure that he did not suffer. Such a choice is hard but very clear.
Life Lesson:
And you can count on me until the day you die
Saturday, May 19, 2012
S is for So Long
and thanks for everything, Bingo! We'll miss you.
Life Lesson: I don't know. It's hard to find a lesson in loss.
Life Lesson: I don't know. It's hard to find a lesson in loss.
Friday, May 18, 2012
R is for Remorseless
My email pinged at around 10 last night alerting me to the fact that one of my students had shared a document. It turned out that it was the candy thief herself. Here is what she wrote:
I am so sorry that I stole candy from your tin thing. But well first let me tell you what happened. M. and E. dared me to. I know I shouldn’t have listened to them. Now I learned my lesson about stealing something that wasn’t mine. I also didn’t want to turn myself in because I thought that you were going to yell at me and make me sad. I am really emotional you know. Also I heard you were going to write me a reformer. I truly deserve it so I don’t blame you. I am nervous for tomorrow because you might put me out of the hallway in front of the class and tell you what happened. So that is why I am writing this letter. Also I was going to tell you that a few weeks back I saw M. and E. steal candy, too. I mean I was going to tell you but I was nervous to because you might think I had some, too. Once again I am truly sorry and I would do anything to make it up to you. Please type back no later than today.
I closed the document and went to bed.
Life Lesson: Sincere apologies do not include the word but.
I am so sorry that I stole candy from your tin thing. But well first let me tell you what happened. M. and E. dared me to. I know I shouldn’t have listened to them. Now I learned my lesson about stealing something that wasn’t mine. I also didn’t want to turn myself in because I thought that you were going to yell at me and make me sad. I am really emotional you know. Also I heard you were going to write me a reformer. I truly deserve it so I don’t blame you. I am nervous for tomorrow because you might put me out of the hallway in front of the class and tell you what happened. So that is why I am writing this letter. Also I was going to tell you that a few weeks back I saw M. and E. steal candy, too. I mean I was going to tell you but I was nervous to because you might think I had some, too. Once again I am truly sorry and I would do anything to make it up to you. Please type back no later than today.
I closed the document and went to bed.
Life Lesson: Sincere apologies do not include the word but.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Q is for Quite a Day
It couldn't have been more than 2 minutes that I stepped a few feet away from my room to answer a colleague's question. I didn't think twice about leaving my class; they were all busily working on an assignment, and there were only about ten minutes left in the period.
Still, when I returned, there was something off about the vibe in the room. I wish I could be more specific; were they too quiet? Too fidgety? A little too involved in the papers on their tables? I'm not sure, but I felt a bit wary and very alert when I sat down at my desk. A student popped out of her seat and moved quickly to the bookcase to my right; mumbling something about finding a book, she banged into the candy tin I keep there.
My suspicions mounted. "Did someone take candy from the can while I was out of the room?" I asked. The chorus of It wasn't me was as good as a yes, and I frowned.
I'm a big fan of the Dateline feature, My Kid Would Never Do That, and later when I thought about the whole thing, I realized how similar this situation was to some of the quandaries they set up for the kids on the show. In fact, we have used some of their segments on bullying, racism, and cheating with the Tolerance Club.
I could almost hear the promo: A student brazenly steals from the teacher, and the other kids in the room are thrust into an ethical dilemma. Do they snitch or go along? The stakes are raised when an adult discovers the misdeed and confronts the group. What will they do?
"Do you mean to tell me that I can't trust you to watch out for my stuff if I have to leave the room for a minute? Really?" I accused my class. "I'm disappointed."
I saw a few sheepish looks being exchanged. "She's right," one student whispered to the guy next to him. They made eye contact with me.
"I'll talk to you after class," the other one, who happens to be a member of the Tolerance Club, said quietly.
The bell rang, and, seeing those boys stay behind, some students made a quick exit, but some others joined them at my desk to tell me what happened and expose the culprit. Just like on TV, when they saw someone else standing up, they were encouraged to do the right thing, too.
Life Lesson: Bystander or upstander? The peer pressure is intense.
Still, when I returned, there was something off about the vibe in the room. I wish I could be more specific; were they too quiet? Too fidgety? A little too involved in the papers on their tables? I'm not sure, but I felt a bit wary and very alert when I sat down at my desk. A student popped out of her seat and moved quickly to the bookcase to my right; mumbling something about finding a book, she banged into the candy tin I keep there.
My suspicions mounted. "Did someone take candy from the can while I was out of the room?" I asked. The chorus of It wasn't me was as good as a yes, and I frowned.
I'm a big fan of the Dateline feature, My Kid Would Never Do That, and later when I thought about the whole thing, I realized how similar this situation was to some of the quandaries they set up for the kids on the show. In fact, we have used some of their segments on bullying, racism, and cheating with the Tolerance Club.
I could almost hear the promo: A student brazenly steals from the teacher, and the other kids in the room are thrust into an ethical dilemma. Do they snitch or go along? The stakes are raised when an adult discovers the misdeed and confronts the group. What will they do?
"Do you mean to tell me that I can't trust you to watch out for my stuff if I have to leave the room for a minute? Really?" I accused my class. "I'm disappointed."
I saw a few sheepish looks being exchanged. "She's right," one student whispered to the guy next to him. They made eye contact with me.
"I'll talk to you after class," the other one, who happens to be a member of the Tolerance Club, said quietly.
The bell rang, and, seeing those boys stay behind, some students made a quick exit, but some others joined them at my desk to tell me what happened and expose the culprit. Just like on TV, when they saw someone else standing up, they were encouraged to do the right thing, too.
Life Lesson: Bystander or upstander? The peer pressure is intense.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
P is for Patricia Says, "Hi!"
Or was it Ann?
Eight years ago, I taught one of a pair of identical twins. She was a nice enough girl; smart and conscientious, and a good writer, too, but there were days when she was really out of it. Since her grades were fine, I let it go. I chalked it up to early adolescence and dismissed her confusion.
When I was in sixth grade myself, my best friends were identical twins. Lois and Laura lived next door, and a week or two after they moved in, it seemed ridiculous that anyone considered them identical. They were soooo different in both appearance and personality that none of us neighborhood kids ever got them mixed up. The same could not be said for adults who didn't know them, and we laughed at their confusion.
Thirty years later, it was definitely a challenge for me to discriminate between Patricia and Ann. I rarely saw them together, and I just didn't get to spend enough time with either of them to get to know their distinguishing features. I was tempted to believe that they were more identical than Lois and Laura, but their friends assured me that they were easy to tell apart. To be honest? I guess I deserved it, but the kids kind of mocked my confusion.
Late in the year, it became apparent how much. "You know Ann and Patricia switch places all the time, right?" some well-meaning student asked me.
It took a moment for the significance to sink in, but I laughed when I realized all the times that ditzy Patricia must have been Ann.
Later I wondered why they bothered. It must have been so stressful to be in a situation where you could have been busted at any moment. Their classmates were totally in on the joke, and as helpful as they were, they might have given them away just as easily. I guess the thrill was worth the risk.
I have their little brother in my class right now. His sisters are home from college (They both go to the same university-- I wonder if they switch classes there... I'm guessing no.) and today he told me that Patricia says, "Hi!"
"Was it Patricia or Ann?" I asked. He frowned, and for just a beat I enjoyed his confusion.
Then I told him what pranksters his sisters were. He was delighted.
Life Lesson: Appearances can be deceiving.
Eight years ago, I taught one of a pair of identical twins. She was a nice enough girl; smart and conscientious, and a good writer, too, but there were days when she was really out of it. Since her grades were fine, I let it go. I chalked it up to early adolescence and dismissed her confusion.
When I was in sixth grade myself, my best friends were identical twins. Lois and Laura lived next door, and a week or two after they moved in, it seemed ridiculous that anyone considered them identical. They were soooo different in both appearance and personality that none of us neighborhood kids ever got them mixed up. The same could not be said for adults who didn't know them, and we laughed at their confusion.
Thirty years later, it was definitely a challenge for me to discriminate between Patricia and Ann. I rarely saw them together, and I just didn't get to spend enough time with either of them to get to know their distinguishing features. I was tempted to believe that they were more identical than Lois and Laura, but their friends assured me that they were easy to tell apart. To be honest? I guess I deserved it, but the kids kind of mocked my confusion.
Late in the year, it became apparent how much. "You know Ann and Patricia switch places all the time, right?" some well-meaning student asked me.
It took a moment for the significance to sink in, but I laughed when I realized all the times that ditzy Patricia must have been Ann.
Later I wondered why they bothered. It must have been so stressful to be in a situation where you could have been busted at any moment. Their classmates were totally in on the joke, and as helpful as they were, they might have given them away just as easily. I guess the thrill was worth the risk.
I have their little brother in my class right now. His sisters are home from college (They both go to the same university-- I wonder if they switch classes there... I'm guessing no.) and today he told me that Patricia says, "Hi!"
"Was it Patricia or Ann?" I asked. He frowned, and for just a beat I enjoyed his confusion.
Then I told him what pranksters his sisters were. He was delighted.
Life Lesson: Appearances can be deceiving.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
O is for Oeufs à la Diable
A longtime colleague is retiring at the end of the year, and tomorrow is our school celebration of her career. Since she is a sixth grade teacher, the sixth grade teams were asked to provide food, and so we decided on a picnic theme, which is both appropriate and wishful thinking for this time of the year.
Oh, we'll have red and white checked table cloths and li'l picnic baskets on every table, and there will be fried chicken and potato salad and deviled eggs and watermelon and sweet tea and lemonade. It promises to be a very nice event.
Today the other team leader and I were informally toting up the receipts-- it's not inexpensive to provide food for 75+. Even so, I laughed when I shared my own out of pocket. "Well, eggs were on sale for 97 cents a dozen, so I figure with everything? It'll be five bucks."
"Don't forget the labor," she was kind enough to remind me.
After peeling those eggs? Believe me; I won't. But they turned out great!
Life Lesson: It's the party, not the price point.
Oh, we'll have red and white checked table cloths and li'l picnic baskets on every table, and there will be fried chicken and potato salad and deviled eggs and watermelon and sweet tea and lemonade. It promises to be a very nice event.
Today the other team leader and I were informally toting up the receipts-- it's not inexpensive to provide food for 75+. Even so, I laughed when I shared my own out of pocket. "Well, eggs were on sale for 97 cents a dozen, so I figure with everything? It'll be five bucks."
"Don't forget the labor," she was kind enough to remind me.
After peeling those eggs? Believe me; I won't. But they turned out great!
Life Lesson: It's the party, not the price point.
Monday, May 14, 2012
N is for Nope
Will we get a snack?
Can we chew gum?
Can we...
play games
take a nap
go outside
when we're done?
These are the questions my students have about taking the high-stakes standardized tests that start tomorrow. Never mind that they never get a snack at that time; we don't allow gum anywhere in the school, but especially not in the computer labs; and planning fun activities at the end of anything encourages some kids to rush through and finish quickly.
But why shouldn't they dash to complete their test? In middle school, the consequences of these assessments are not borne by the students, but rather their schools and teachers. It is a disconnect that, despite their many questions, most sixth graders do not understand.
Life Lesson: Psst! Kid! I'll give you a granola bar if you pass this test.
Can we chew gum?
Can we...
play games
take a nap
go outside
when we're done?
These are the questions my students have about taking the high-stakes standardized tests that start tomorrow. Never mind that they never get a snack at that time; we don't allow gum anywhere in the school, but especially not in the computer labs; and planning fun activities at the end of anything encourages some kids to rush through and finish quickly.
But why shouldn't they dash to complete their test? In middle school, the consequences of these assessments are not borne by the students, but rather their schools and teachers. It is a disconnect that, despite their many questions, most sixth graders do not understand.
Life Lesson: Psst! Kid! I'll give you a granola bar if you pass this test.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
M is for the Many Things She Gave Me
One of my mother's many, many charms is that she knows a song for every occasion, and she is never afraid to sing it.
Here's one she taught us years ago:
Here's one she taught us years ago:
M is for the Many things she gave me.
O means only that she’s growing old.
T is for the tears she shed to save me.
H is for her heart of purest gold.
E is for her eyes with love light shining.
R means right, and right she’ll always be!
O means only that she’s growing old.
T is for the tears she shed to save me.
H is for her heart of purest gold.
E is for her eyes with love light shining.
R means right, and right she’ll always be!
Put them all together, they spell MOTHER,
a word that means the world to me.
Although personally, I feel that the second line needs some work, overall? I like it.
Life Lesson: I love you, Mom!
a word that means the world to me.
Although personally, I feel that the second line needs some work, overall? I like it.
Life Lesson: I love you, Mom!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
L is for Let's Go Already!
I am typing this very quickly, because my dog is whining at my ankles. A few minutes ago we asked her if she wanted to go to a party. She cocked her head in that cutest-dog-ever way she has, and when we elaborated, Do you want to see Sonic? Riley? Treat? Bill? Emily? She began barking and dancing around.
Too bad Heidi still needed to change, and I needed a quick trip to the powder room. Isabel whined and barked outside the door, and she is waiting very impatiently by the front door now. Fortunately, I hear Heidi on the stairs, and we will be on our way in just a second.
Life Lesson: Dogs live in the now, and now means NOW!
Too bad Heidi still needed to change, and I needed a quick trip to the powder room. Isabel whined and barked outside the door, and she is waiting very impatiently by the front door now. Fortunately, I hear Heidi on the stairs, and we will be on our way in just a second.
Life Lesson: Dogs live in the now, and now means NOW!
Friday, May 11, 2012
K is for Keeping Secrets
I have a colleague who is reading Gone With the Wind for the first time. She brings her kindle to the lunch room every day just to grab a few paragraphs of that tasty southern-fried drama, but the irresistibility of the tale and the fact that she is loving it seems to surprise her.
Not me. My mom gave me a copy of GWTW when I was 12, which coincided with one of the theatrical re-releases of the film, and she promised to take me to see the movie when I finished the book. It was definitely one of the most rewarding literary and cinematic experiences I've known.
So, it's fun to talk about the story, but since she hasn't seen the movie, either (!), it's a challenge not to give anything too important away. We were having one of our veiled conversations when another teacher on the team entered. She listened for a minute and then exclaimed, "Oh! Are you talking about Gone With the Wind?"
We nodded.
She turned to me. "You mean that part when Scarlett kills that guy who comes to their house and Melanie comes down with the sword?"
I shrugged at my friend apologetically. "Yep."
Life Lesson: If you want to keep something a secret, it's best to not speak of it all.
Not me. My mom gave me a copy of GWTW when I was 12, which coincided with one of the theatrical re-releases of the film, and she promised to take me to see the movie when I finished the book. It was definitely one of the most rewarding literary and cinematic experiences I've known.
So, it's fun to talk about the story, but since she hasn't seen the movie, either (!), it's a challenge not to give anything too important away. We were having one of our veiled conversations when another teacher on the team entered. She listened for a minute and then exclaimed, "Oh! Are you talking about Gone With the Wind?"
We nodded.
She turned to me. "You mean that part when Scarlett kills that guy who comes to their house and Melanie comes down with the sword?"
I shrugged at my friend apologetically. "Yep."
Life Lesson: If you want to keep something a secret, it's best to not speak of it all.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
J is for Journalist
We have reached the personal profile portion of our English class. This is an assignment that I have experimented with off and on for the last six or seven years, but it truly came into its own last year, when after three solid months of blogging, my students were ready to turn that introspection out. (Plus, they had created quite a body of work for anyone who might profile them to use as a reference.)
The way it works for us is that each student is randomly assigned a classmate to profile. There are at least two interviews, and the first is a basic get-to-know-you opportunity for which the journalist prepares a list of questions designed to uncover a lot of information. After reviewing the notes and reading some of their subject's writing on our online community for background, journalists must narrow the focus to find an "angle" for the profile piece. Next is a second interview with a much more focused set of questions. Our young journalists must also interview friends, classmates, and teachers about their subjects.
The final product is a 500 word profile with a clear focus and theme. (Think "life lesson" because that's our frame of reference at this point.) It is a non-fiction research piece that exposes students to primary sources and demands analysis, synthesis, and artistry, but those are not its greatest strengths.
Life Lesson: The kids love it!
The way it works for us is that each student is randomly assigned a classmate to profile. There are at least two interviews, and the first is a basic get-to-know-you opportunity for which the journalist prepares a list of questions designed to uncover a lot of information. After reviewing the notes and reading some of their subject's writing on our online community for background, journalists must narrow the focus to find an "angle" for the profile piece. Next is a second interview with a much more focused set of questions. Our young journalists must also interview friends, classmates, and teachers about their subjects.
The final product is a 500 word profile with a clear focus and theme. (Think "life lesson" because that's our frame of reference at this point.) It is a non-fiction research piece that exposes students to primary sources and demands analysis, synthesis, and artistry, but those are not its greatest strengths.
Life Lesson: The kids love it!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
I is for It's About Time
I was surprised at how emotional I became this afternoon when I read that President Obama had expressed his personal support for gay marriage. My throat tightened and there were tears in my eyes, and for a moment, it didn't matter that it was too long in coming and still a much too political calculation; the pulpit of the presidency made a purely symbolic gesture very real and very important.
Life Lesson: Do not underestimate the power of validation.
Life Lesson: Do not underestimate the power of validation.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
H is for Hip Hip
Several months ago I was out with the dog on the big, grassy hill by our house. A neighbor and her dog joined us, and there was a lot of canine joy, enough in fact to literally sweep me off my feet. Oh, I jumped up in that desperate, I-meant-to-do-that way, and brushed off the apologies of my neighbor. I was fine, and nothing hurt, except my pride.
A few weeks later I noticed a definite hitch in my left-side giddyup, especially after sitting for a while or going up hills. Oh, I gamely limped along and, considering age and inactivity my primary nemeses, increased my impact activities at the gym and focused more on lower body strengthening. After a while, it was still kind of owwie though, and so I made a doctor's appointment, which was canceled and then rescheduled for June.
At last I decided to call a doctor who specializes in acupuncture. Unlike everyone else I contacted yesterday, his office had a same day appointment at 4 PM. Considering it a good sign, off I went, and after a brief consultation and exam was diagnosed with bursitis of the hip.
It went like this: Dr. Tran listened to my story and then pressed a place on my upper leg.
"Ow!" I said.
"You have bursitis," he replied.
Looking it up later, it all made perfect sense-- the trauma, the delay of symptoms, the chronic pain-- it was a classic presentation of the condition. My primary care physician might have prescribed a shot of cortisone, (and she still could when I see her in June) but I opted for six twirling needles and a half-hour of quiet in the dark.
And I get to back on Thursday.
Life Lesson: Keep those alternatives open.
A few weeks later I noticed a definite hitch in my left-side giddyup, especially after sitting for a while or going up hills. Oh, I gamely limped along and, considering age and inactivity my primary nemeses, increased my impact activities at the gym and focused more on lower body strengthening. After a while, it was still kind of owwie though, and so I made a doctor's appointment, which was canceled and then rescheduled for June.
At last I decided to call a doctor who specializes in acupuncture. Unlike everyone else I contacted yesterday, his office had a same day appointment at 4 PM. Considering it a good sign, off I went, and after a brief consultation and exam was diagnosed with bursitis of the hip.
It went like this: Dr. Tran listened to my story and then pressed a place on my upper leg.
"Ow!" I said.
"You have bursitis," he replied.
Looking it up later, it all made perfect sense-- the trauma, the delay of symptoms, the chronic pain-- it was a classic presentation of the condition. My primary care physician might have prescribed a shot of cortisone, (and she still could when I see her in June) but I opted for six twirling needles and a half-hour of quiet in the dark.
And I get to back on Thursday.
Life Lesson: Keep those alternatives open.
Monday, May 7, 2012
G is for Getting S#*! Done
Why in the world does it take so much time to attend to the details of our lives?
I took today off to catch up on some personal business-- bill paying, phone calls, errands, etc. A chunk of my to-do list involved making various appointments for me and my dog. Can't we say it's a little outrageous when I have to wait until June for a physical, July for a vet appointment, and August for an eye exam?
On the phone, I was on hold for an average of 6 minutes today (times four), except for the call that was busy seven times until I got through. The post office? 15 minutes in line. Goodwill? Ten minutes until an attendant was available to accept our donation. The grocery store was full of Monday shoppers who were trying to avoid the weekend rush. And when all that was done, I still spent close to two hours answering emails and grading student work.
Some point proudly to our current economy which is producing more with fewer workers. They call it efficiency.
Life Lesson: I call it unsustainable.
I took today off to catch up on some personal business-- bill paying, phone calls, errands, etc. A chunk of my to-do list involved making various appointments for me and my dog. Can't we say it's a little outrageous when I have to wait until June for a physical, July for a vet appointment, and August for an eye exam?
On the phone, I was on hold for an average of 6 minutes today (times four), except for the call that was busy seven times until I got through. The post office? 15 minutes in line. Goodwill? Ten minutes until an attendant was available to accept our donation. The grocery store was full of Monday shoppers who were trying to avoid the weekend rush. And when all that was done, I still spent close to two hours answering emails and grading student work.
Some point proudly to our current economy which is producing more with fewer workers. They call it efficiency.
Life Lesson: I call it unsustainable.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
F is for Friends Who Do Stuff Together
Our principal is retiring at the end of the year, and so each team has been tasked to come up with some kind of "presentation" for her farewell assembly next month. One of the teachers on our team suggested having the students sing something, but a few others were sure that these particular kids would never be willing.
It seemed to me that this was one of the singingest bunches of sixth graders I have ever known. In addition to the Poem in Your Pocket Day song just last week, I remembered a bus ride not long ago where I was glad we didn't have far to go because of the enthusiastically loud singing.
So the next day I decided to ask them, starting with my homeroom. I explained the whole presentation thing to them, and ended with, "What would you guys think about singing something?"
NO NO NO! It seemed unanimous.
"But I thought you liked to sing," I said. "I hear enough of it around here."
"Oh yeah," one student laughed. "Remember yesterday? When we were thinking of Alphabiography titles? F is for..."
That's all it took. The whole group joined in on that Sponge Bob classic, even the ones that weren't there yesterday. "U is for you and me!" they thundered.
I had to wait until the song was through to be heard above the raucous racket. "See? You love singing! How about it?"
They said they would think about it.
Life Lesson: Sometimes N is not for anywhere and anytime at all.
It seemed to me that this was one of the singingest bunches of sixth graders I have ever known. In addition to the Poem in Your Pocket Day song just last week, I remembered a bus ride not long ago where I was glad we didn't have far to go because of the enthusiastically loud singing.
So the next day I decided to ask them, starting with my homeroom. I explained the whole presentation thing to them, and ended with, "What would you guys think about singing something?"
NO NO NO! It seemed unanimous.
"But I thought you liked to sing," I said. "I hear enough of it around here."
"Oh yeah," one student laughed. "Remember yesterday? When we were thinking of Alphabiography titles? F is for..."
That's all it took. The whole group joined in on that Sponge Bob classic, even the ones that weren't there yesterday. "U is for you and me!" they thundered.
I had to wait until the song was through to be heard above the raucous racket. "See? You love singing! How about it?"
They said they would think about it.
Life Lesson: Sometimes N is not for anywhere and anytime at all.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
E is for End of the Road Trip
We have a tradition around here. When our travels take us farther than a couple of hours or so from home (as they did today when we drove up to New Jersey for a first communion), and the timing of the trip back gets us in past our usual dinner time (which is already on the continental end of the spectrum), the minute we walk in the door, I throw on a quick Putanesca Sauce and boil some water for pasta. Then, in the time it takes to unpack and unwind and pour a glass of wine, we have a home-cooked meal to clear the dusty taste of the road from our palates.
Life Lesson: Cue the ruby slippers.
Life Lesson: Cue the ruby slippers.
Friday, May 4, 2012
D is for Draw Something
Back when we were doing the Slice of Life challenge in March, several students posted about how much fun they had with Draw Something, an app for their smart phones and tablets. They were convincing enough that I downloaded it, just to discover that it was a cooperative game, and I would need a partner to play.
I was so busy that I let it drop, but over spring break one of my fb friends started a game with me, and it didn't take long to get hooked on this pictionary-style diversion. In fact, I contacted my sister right away and got her playing, and my brother was next.
The object is to choose one of three options and draw it as quickly as possible, and then send it to your co-player. When it's your turn to guess, you get to see a real time recording of the drawing, and there are letters to choose from to help find the answer. As my students said-- it's really fun. Of course, there are rules about simply writing the answer down, but no one polices your game. Even so, I like to follow the rules.
Back at school, I mentioned to a couple of kids that I was playing, and immediately they wanted to challenge me. Hmmm. What to do? This was not really a school-related activity, but I couldn't see the harm in it.
Today, the New York City Department of Education released their social media guidelines for teachers. In so far as they apply to the largest, most high-profile school system in the country, I read them with interest. And, as extensive as they are? They don't mention Draw Something or any other games.
So... bring it, kids!
Life Lesson: Rules are rules... Right?
I was so busy that I let it drop, but over spring break one of my fb friends started a game with me, and it didn't take long to get hooked on this pictionary-style diversion. In fact, I contacted my sister right away and got her playing, and my brother was next.
The object is to choose one of three options and draw it as quickly as possible, and then send it to your co-player. When it's your turn to guess, you get to see a real time recording of the drawing, and there are letters to choose from to help find the answer. As my students said-- it's really fun. Of course, there are rules about simply writing the answer down, but no one polices your game. Even so, I like to follow the rules.
Back at school, I mentioned to a couple of kids that I was playing, and immediately they wanted to challenge me. Hmmm. What to do? This was not really a school-related activity, but I couldn't see the harm in it.
Today, the New York City Department of Education released their social media guidelines for teachers. In so far as they apply to the largest, most high-profile school system in the country, I read them with interest. And, as extensive as they are? They don't mention Draw Something or any other games.
So... bring it, kids!
Life Lesson: Rules are rules... Right?
Thursday, May 3, 2012
C is for Cooking Calamari
I read quite a few alphabiography drafts today, and perhaps my number one suggestion to my young writers was to add details. One student wrote that, "if you see someone cooking it, it's nasty, but calamari is delicious to eat." We talked a little about the piece, and then I asked him if he minded if I used it as an example, and he agreed.
"Do you know what's yucky about cooking calamari from this passage?" I asked, and all the students acknowledged that they did not. As a former cook who has cleaned and cooked quite a bit of squid, I was only too happy to fill them in on the details of grasping those eight slippery legs and two trailing tentacles, tearing them from the slimy water balloon-shaped mantle, scooping out the snotty purple guts of the animal, and throwing them away along with the milky eyes that stare at you with blank accusation as you amputate them from their body.
"EW!" someone said. "That's disgusting!"
"Exactly," I answered.
Life Lesson: "I get it! I get it!" another student raised his hand. "The writer has to use enough details so that it's the reader who says, 'Nasty!' Right?"
"Do you know what's yucky about cooking calamari from this passage?" I asked, and all the students acknowledged that they did not. As a former cook who has cleaned and cooked quite a bit of squid, I was only too happy to fill them in on the details of grasping those eight slippery legs and two trailing tentacles, tearing them from the slimy water balloon-shaped mantle, scooping out the snotty purple guts of the animal, and throwing them away along with the milky eyes that stare at you with blank accusation as you amputate them from their body.
"EW!" someone said. "That's disgusting!"
"Exactly," I answered.
Life Lesson: "I get it! I get it!" another student raised his hand. "The writer has to use enough details so that it's the reader who says, 'Nasty!' Right?"
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
B is for Blowing it Off
I'm a pretty conscientious worker, but this afternoon I could not face what, in my mind, would be one more meaningless meeting, so I didn't go. I stayed at my desk and answered questions for a couple students who stopped by, graded papers, met informally with a colleague about writing workshop, and then, when my contract day was over, went to the gym and the grocery store.
Once, in a conversation I had with non-educators about education practice and teacher time, I complained about what I perceive as the generally inefficient use of meeting time. In response, someone said that the school system had no responsibility to make meetings relevant. Technically, he pointed out, teachers are merely public employees who serve at the pleasure of the school board and commonwealth, and if we were paid to be in a certain place at a certain time, then that is where we should be.
Not today.
Life Lesson: (See below) Engagement is everything!
Corollary: Relevance is essential to engagement.
Once, in a conversation I had with non-educators about education practice and teacher time, I complained about what I perceive as the generally inefficient use of meeting time. In response, someone said that the school system had no responsibility to make meetings relevant. Technically, he pointed out, teachers are merely public employees who serve at the pleasure of the school board and commonwealth, and if we were paid to be in a certain place at a certain time, then that is where we should be.
Not today.
Life Lesson: (See below) Engagement is everything!
Corollary: Relevance is essential to engagement.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
A is for Away We Go
The first of May brings the second annual "Alphabiography" Challenge for my students. They are assigned to write short (100-250 word) "chapters" of their lives and title them by letters. The requirement is to write twice a week, but the challenge is to write either 20 times this month or all 31 days.
Each piece closes with a life lesson. This part is a good way to encourage these young writers to consider their purpose or message. Theme is an abstract concept that many sixth grade kids are just beginning to grasp, and these short, autobiographical vignettes give them a manageable and concrete step up to that higher order thinking.
Such consistent writing will help build their fluency and confidence, but I'm hoping it will be fun, too.
Life Lesson: Engagement is everything!
(Follow the Alphabiographica link to the right to see some examples of my students' writing.)
Each piece closes with a life lesson. This part is a good way to encourage these young writers to consider their purpose or message. Theme is an abstract concept that many sixth grade kids are just beginning to grasp, and these short, autobiographical vignettes give them a manageable and concrete step up to that higher order thinking.
Such consistent writing will help build their fluency and confidence, but I'm hoping it will be fun, too.
Life Lesson: Engagement is everything!
(Follow the Alphabiographica link to the right to see some examples of my students' writing.)
Monday, April 30, 2012
Glass Half... What?
At this time of the school year, everyone is really busy. Eight weeks out from summer vacation, there is a full slate of assignments and activities as every teacher and club sponsor pours it on for the big finish. With so many other things going on, it was hardly surprising then, that we only had four kids show up for Tolerance Club today.
None of them had been able to attend the showing of Bully that we had arranged yesterday, so we showed a few clips from the movie and talked about it with them. The most explicit footage in the film was shot on a school bus, and as I've written before, the images are appalling but not surprising to anyone who spends a lot of time with adolescent kids. Both times I saw the movie, the way the kids bully and brutalize Alex on the bus made people cry in the theater.
Today, when the clip ended, two of the girls who were there exchanged glances with eyebrows raised. "Do you guys think we have a bullying problem here at our school?" I asked. After a pause, they went on to describe an ongoing episode that sounded just as disturbing as the one on the screen.
"We told him to stop," one girl said, and I believed her.
"And I told his mother, too," she added, "but he still does it."
Oh, we got some names and details, and congratulated the girls for coming forward, and hopefully, our school will deal with this issue effectively.
And yet, ultimately, doesn't this story just demonstrate how insidious the problem really is?
None of them had been able to attend the showing of Bully that we had arranged yesterday, so we showed a few clips from the movie and talked about it with them. The most explicit footage in the film was shot on a school bus, and as I've written before, the images are appalling but not surprising to anyone who spends a lot of time with adolescent kids. Both times I saw the movie, the way the kids bully and brutalize Alex on the bus made people cry in the theater.
Today, when the clip ended, two of the girls who were there exchanged glances with eyebrows raised. "Do you guys think we have a bullying problem here at our school?" I asked. After a pause, they went on to describe an ongoing episode that sounded just as disturbing as the one on the screen.
"We told him to stop," one girl said, and I believed her.
"And I told his mother, too," she added, "but he still does it."
Oh, we got some names and details, and congratulated the girls for coming forward, and hopefully, our school will deal with this issue effectively.
And yet, ultimately, doesn't this story just demonstrate how insidious the problem really is?
Sunday, April 29, 2012
In the Real World
So often these days in education we justify certain practices by telling ourselves and our students, "Hey, that's how it is in the real world." And indeed, it is our job as educators to prepare them for the challenges that will face them once they are finished with school.
And yet... isn't that particular argument so broad as to be practically meaningless, especially since we can apply it as creatively as we like? For example, in our school, kids are not allowed to chew gum. In the real world, gum chewing is fine, but perhaps not appropriate in every situation. On the other hand, the real world is full of rules that we may not agree with, (leash your dog, follow the speed limit) and there are consequences for not following them (if you get caught).
Maybe that's the lesson? (But will it be on the test?)
And yet... isn't that particular argument so broad as to be practically meaningless, especially since we can apply it as creatively as we like? For example, in our school, kids are not allowed to chew gum. In the real world, gum chewing is fine, but perhaps not appropriate in every situation. On the other hand, the real world is full of rules that we may not agree with, (leash your dog, follow the speed limit) and there are consequences for not following them (if you get caught).
Maybe that's the lesson? (But will it be on the test?)
Saturday, April 28, 2012
What Would Worf Order?
I got David Chang's cookbook, Momofuko, for Christmas. Even though I have never had the fortune to eat at one of his restaurants, his reputation as both ingenious chef and tell-it-like-it-is writer intrigued me. And although I have yet to prepare a single dish from his cookbook, his philosophy and technique have brought me back to the book Saturday after Saturday, and I know I'm getting close to making something.
In fact, I planned a stop at my regular Asian market today to purchase some ingredients I'd like to have on hand. How disappointed was I when the inventory that I believed was pretty extensive was missing some crucial items?
Back at home, I researched buying what I wanted by mail order, but then I thought about searching for other, bigger markets near-by instead. There were several options, which was not surprising in the least given the diversity of our area. One in particular caught my eye, and I remembered that I had actually been there years ago.
As I recall, the store itself is supermarket sized, and shopping there was like being transported to a different country. Very few of the products for sale were familiar at all. I was fascinated by all of it, trolling the aisles, trying to figure out what this or that item might be. When I got to the produce section, I'm sure I gasped at the array of alien fruits and vegetables, or was my breath taken away by the cold food bar?
Crock after crock of unfamiliar food was nestled neatly in that twenty foot bed of ice. It hardly seemed real, so disorienting was it to literally not know what any of that stuff was. The friend I was with joined me in silence at the sight of it. Finally I spoke. "Oh my God! It's a Klingon salad bar!"
In fact, I planned a stop at my regular Asian market today to purchase some ingredients I'd like to have on hand. How disappointed was I when the inventory that I believed was pretty extensive was missing some crucial items?
Back at home, I researched buying what I wanted by mail order, but then I thought about searching for other, bigger markets near-by instead. There were several options, which was not surprising in the least given the diversity of our area. One in particular caught my eye, and I remembered that I had actually been there years ago.
As I recall, the store itself is supermarket sized, and shopping there was like being transported to a different country. Very few of the products for sale were familiar at all. I was fascinated by all of it, trolling the aisles, trying to figure out what this or that item might be. When I got to the produce section, I'm sure I gasped at the array of alien fruits and vegetables, or was my breath taken away by the cold food bar?
Crock after crock of unfamiliar food was nestled neatly in that twenty foot bed of ice. It hardly seemed real, so disorienting was it to literally not know what any of that stuff was. The friend I was with joined me in silence at the sight of it. Finally I spoke. "Oh my God! It's a Klingon salad bar!"
Friday, April 27, 2012
A Rope of Sand
I had the fortune to spend the day with one of my teaching idols today. Nancie Atwell was giving a workshop a few miles from my home. When I first received the flyer back in January, I asked and received permission from our principal to offer the opportunity to any teacher in our department who was interested. We hoped that it might be a unifying experience for a group of well-intentioned educators with rather disparate approaches to teaching writing.
What makes Atwell so impressive is that she is clear-minded about her underlying principles and yet pragmatic in the application of them. Her writing lessons evolve year by year, as do the details of their delivery and execution, but her framework remains true to the student-centered approach she introduced in 1987 in her seminal work In the Middle. She remains steadfast in the face of education trends that ultimately undermine our objective to foster literate, thoughtful, independent-minded citizens.
This is the third time that I've heard her in person, and each time I feel that my teaching has grown a little closer to the standard she holds up, but each time I am also struck by how some of my core convictions have been eroded by outside pressures. I guess that I was hoping if I could get my colleagues on board, we could work together and support each other to stay as true to our ideals as Atwell does.
I wish I could say that the day was a magical panacea which cured us of all of our departmental dysfunction, but I'm afraid that's not true. I do believe that many minds were opened to the possibilities of the workshop approach, though, and so we'll move [forward?] from there.
What makes Atwell so impressive is that she is clear-minded about her underlying principles and yet pragmatic in the application of them. Her writing lessons evolve year by year, as do the details of their delivery and execution, but her framework remains true to the student-centered approach she introduced in 1987 in her seminal work In the Middle. She remains steadfast in the face of education trends that ultimately undermine our objective to foster literate, thoughtful, independent-minded citizens.
This is the third time that I've heard her in person, and each time I feel that my teaching has grown a little closer to the standard she holds up, but each time I am also struck by how some of my core convictions have been eroded by outside pressures. I guess that I was hoping if I could get my colleagues on board, we could work together and support each other to stay as true to our ideals as Atwell does.
I wish I could say that the day was a magical panacea which cured us of all of our departmental dysfunction, but I'm afraid that's not true. I do believe that many minds were opened to the possibilities of the workshop approach, though, and so we'll move [forward?] from there.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Our English Holiday
Today was National Poem in Your Pocket Day, and as in years past, all of my students chose poems to carry with them. A part of our lesson was set aside for them to share if they wanted to.
It was a sweet day. Hearing young voices reciting verses that they have chosen is always uplifting. Every year, some kids select song lyrics, but today was the first time that anybody has ever asked to sing. Her version of You Don't Know You're Beautiful was met with applause and even demands for an encore.
It was a sweet day. Hearing young voices reciting verses that they have chosen is always uplifting. Every year, some kids select song lyrics, but today was the first time that anybody has ever asked to sing. Her version of You Don't Know You're Beautiful was met with applause and even demands for an encore.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Chipping Away
"I saw you carrying a bag into school yesterday," one of my homeroom students said this morning.
He's autistic, and he doesn't usually initiate conversations with me, so I was glad that he did, but like many teachers, I carry several bags every day, so it took me a few seconds to figure out what he was talking about."You mean that bag of chips?" I asked.
"Yeah. What were those for?"
"They were snacks for the Tolerance Club meeting," I told him.
"What's the Tolerance Club?" he asked.
"It's a club for kids that meets after school," I started. "We watch movies and talk about how to make our school a friendlier place. Do you think you would ever want to come to it?"
"No!" he said.
"Why not?" I asked him.
"Because it's for normal people," he answered.
That took me aback a bit. "It's for people who like people who are different," I told him. "Everybody is different in some way, right?"
"Yes," he said.
"So, would you like to come to a meeting sometime?" I asked again.
"Will I get chips?"
"Yep," I assured him.
"Then yes."
He's autistic, and he doesn't usually initiate conversations with me, so I was glad that he did, but like many teachers, I carry several bags every day, so it took me a few seconds to figure out what he was talking about."You mean that bag of chips?" I asked.
"Yeah. What were those for?"
"They were snacks for the Tolerance Club meeting," I told him.
"What's the Tolerance Club?" he asked.
"It's a club for kids that meets after school," I started. "We watch movies and talk about how to make our school a friendlier place. Do you think you would ever want to come to it?"
"No!" he said.
"Why not?" I asked him.
"Because it's for normal people," he answered.
That took me aback a bit. "It's for people who like people who are different," I told him. "Everybody is different in some way, right?"
"Yes," he said.
"So, would you like to come to a meeting sometime?" I asked again.
"Will I get chips?"
"Yep," I assured him.
"Then yes."
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Job Description
I have a colleague whose ex-husband used to wonder why she was so
tired at night. "All you have to do is sit behind your desk all day and
say, You may begin," he told her. I wonder why that marriage didn't work out.
Recently the NY Times published a piece about the software developed by the Educational Testing Service, e-Rater, that can read and score 16,000 essays in 20 seconds. Wow! Never mind the current flaws in the system, like disregarding facts and nonsense in favor of big vocabulary words and long sentences. Seriously! Any English teacher working her customary 50-60 hour week might be justified in indulging in a little wishful thinking.
Who wouldn't want to throw all your grading into a machine? Who cares if we start to teach students to write to a convenient algorithm rather than a human audience? While they're at it, maybe they can write some code so that e-Rater interfaces with the grade book, too!
Yeah, then I can get back to sitting on my butt, collecting my colossal paycheck, and biding my time until I can retire at the expense of the hardworking, private-sector citizens of my state.
Hey, ETS! You may begin.
Recently the NY Times published a piece about the software developed by the Educational Testing Service, e-Rater, that can read and score 16,000 essays in 20 seconds. Wow! Never mind the current flaws in the system, like disregarding facts and nonsense in favor of big vocabulary words and long sentences. Seriously! Any English teacher working her customary 50-60 hour week might be justified in indulging in a little wishful thinking.
Who wouldn't want to throw all your grading into a machine? Who cares if we start to teach students to write to a convenient algorithm rather than a human audience? While they're at it, maybe they can write some code so that e-Rater interfaces with the grade book, too!
Yeah, then I can get back to sitting on my butt, collecting my colossal paycheck, and biding my time until I can retire at the expense of the hardworking, private-sector citizens of my state.
Hey, ETS! You may begin.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Bully Pulpit
Today I took the opportunity to promote a couple of up-coming Tolerance Club activities in all of my English classes. In addition to the showing of Bully that we arranged, we were sharing the Academy Award Winning short subject documentary, Strangers No More, today after school.
I don't often take class time to do so, because there are always posters and morning announcements about every event, so I assume that if they are interested, students will attend.
Wrong. We had 15 new people show up this afternoon, and yes, they were all my students.
I don't often take class time to do so, because there are always posters and morning announcements about every event, so I assume that if they are interested, students will attend.
Wrong. We had 15 new people show up this afternoon, and yes, they were all my students.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Where Do We Start?
We saw the movie Bully today. It has been on our list since we first heard of it, but in order to encourage as many members of our school community to see it, the Tolerance Club is sponsoring a showing next Sunday afternoon, and I have agreed to help facilitate a brief discussion afterward for whoever is interested in staying. Obviously, I wanted to see the movie in advance.
There are tons of materials about bullying available both in general, and on the official website of the movie. So much stuff is out there in fact, that it can be overwhelming. Watching the movie today, which spans the school year 2009-10 and follows the experiences of five families of kids who have been bullied, my heart of course broke for the victims of such cruelty. As a person who works in a school, I know first hand how widespread bullying is, and also how difficult it is to address effectively, much less eradicate.
In fact, that is why we started the Tolerance Club, as an acknowledgement that we adults have to help the kids change the climate in their school. We, like most schools in the nation, have a zero tolerance for bullying, but most aggression takes place out of sight of authority. Must we be more vigilant? Absolutely, but the key is in changing the culture of the kids.
As I watched, I also considered what I might say next week and how best to focus the conversation in the little time we would have. The statistics say that 13 million kids get bullied each year, which is a staggering number, but common sense says that there are more bullies than victims. Therefore, parents are more likely to have children who are bullies, or at least bystanders, than they are to have kids who have been bullied.
That seems like a good place to start a discussion.
There are tons of materials about bullying available both in general, and on the official website of the movie. So much stuff is out there in fact, that it can be overwhelming. Watching the movie today, which spans the school year 2009-10 and follows the experiences of five families of kids who have been bullied, my heart of course broke for the victims of such cruelty. As a person who works in a school, I know first hand how widespread bullying is, and also how difficult it is to address effectively, much less eradicate.
In fact, that is why we started the Tolerance Club, as an acknowledgement that we adults have to help the kids change the climate in their school. We, like most schools in the nation, have a zero tolerance for bullying, but most aggression takes place out of sight of authority. Must we be more vigilant? Absolutely, but the key is in changing the culture of the kids.
As I watched, I also considered what I might say next week and how best to focus the conversation in the little time we would have. The statistics say that 13 million kids get bullied each year, which is a staggering number, but common sense says that there are more bullies than victims. Therefore, parents are more likely to have children who are bullies, or at least bystanders, than they are to have kids who have been bullied.
That seems like a good place to start a discussion.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
The Monster We've Created
Oh how cute it seemed when our cat started playing Game for Cats on the iPad. It was soooo hilarious to watch her track the moving images on the screen. She was pretty good at the game, too, so much so that we threatened to limit her screen time.
Well... now she thinks any screen time is her screen time, especially if something moves on the screen. Seriously, folks, I can not pick up the iPad without my feline friend dashing over to see what we're going to do with her toy.
In fact, she had a lovely conversation with my sister on FaceTime this afternoon.
Well... now she thinks any screen time is her screen time, especially if something moves on the screen. Seriously, folks, I can not pick up the iPad without my feline friend dashing over to see what we're going to do with her toy.
In fact, she had a lovely conversation with my sister on FaceTime this afternoon.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Pineapplegate
Let me add my voice to the chorus condemning dumb test questions. (But wait! Why stop at the questions?) I'm referring, of course, to the recently reported uproar over questions taken from a NY State test of reading for 8th graders. See what you think.
Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
In olden times, the animals of the forest could speak English just like you and me. One day, a pineapple challenged a hare to a race.
(I forgot to mention, fruits and vegetables were able to speak too.)
A hare is like a rabbit, only skinnier and faster. This particular hare was known to be the fastest animal in the forest.
“You, a pineapple have the nerve to challenge me, a hare, to a race,” the hare asked the pineapple. “This must be some sort of joke.”
“No,” said the pineapple. “I want to race you. Twenty-six miles, and may the best animal win."
"You aren't even an animal!" the hare said. “You're a tropical fruit!"
“Well, you know what I mean,” the pineapple said.
The animals of the forest thought it was very strange that tropical fruit should want to race a very fast animal.
"The pineapple has some trick up its sleeve," a moose said.
Pineapples don't have sleeves, an owl said
"Well, you know what I mean,” the moose said. "If a pineapple challenges a hare to a race, it must be that the pineapple knows some secret trick that will allow it to win.”
“The pineapple probably expects us to root for the hare and then look like fools when it loses,” said a crow. “Then the pineapple will win the race because the hare is overconfident and takes a nap, or gets lost, or something.”
The animals agreed that this made sense. There was no reason a pineapple should challenge a hare unless it had a clever plan of some sort. So the animals, wanting to back a winner, all cheered for the pineapple.
When the race began, the hare sprinted forward and was out of sight in less than a minute. The pineapple just sat there, never moving an inch.
The animals crowded around watching to see how the pineapple was going to cleverly beat the hare. Two hours later when the hare cross the finish line, the pineapple was still sitting still and hadn't moved an inch.
The animals ate the pineapple.
MORAL: Pineapples don't have sleeves
Questions:
Beginning with paragraph 4, in what order are the events in the story told?
A switching back and forth between places
B In the order in which the events happen
C Switching back and forth between the past and the present
D In the order in which the hare tells the events to another animal
The animals ate the pineapple most likely because they were
A Hungry
B Excited
C Annoyed
D Amused
Which animal spoke the wisest words?
A The hare
B The moose
C The crow
D The owl
Before the race, how did the animals feel toward the pineapple?
A Suspicious
B Kindly
C Sympathetic
D Envious
What would have happened if the animals had decided to cheer for the hare?
A The pineapple would have won the race.
B They would have been mad at the hare for winning.
C The hare would have just sat there and not moved.
D They would have been happy to have cheered for a winner.
When the moose said that the pineapple has some trick up its sleeve, he means that the pineapple
A is wearing a disguise
B wants to show the animals a trick
C has a plan to fool the animals
D is going to put something out of its sleeve
Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
In olden times, the animals of the forest could speak English just like you and me. One day, a pineapple challenged a hare to a race.
(I forgot to mention, fruits and vegetables were able to speak too.)
A hare is like a rabbit, only skinnier and faster. This particular hare was known to be the fastest animal in the forest.
“You, a pineapple have the nerve to challenge me, a hare, to a race,” the hare asked the pineapple. “This must be some sort of joke.”
“No,” said the pineapple. “I want to race you. Twenty-six miles, and may the best animal win."
"You aren't even an animal!" the hare said. “You're a tropical fruit!"
“Well, you know what I mean,” the pineapple said.
The animals of the forest thought it was very strange that tropical fruit should want to race a very fast animal.
"The pineapple has some trick up its sleeve," a moose said.
Pineapples don't have sleeves, an owl said
"Well, you know what I mean,” the moose said. "If a pineapple challenges a hare to a race, it must be that the pineapple knows some secret trick that will allow it to win.”
“The pineapple probably expects us to root for the hare and then look like fools when it loses,” said a crow. “Then the pineapple will win the race because the hare is overconfident and takes a nap, or gets lost, or something.”
The animals agreed that this made sense. There was no reason a pineapple should challenge a hare unless it had a clever plan of some sort. So the animals, wanting to back a winner, all cheered for the pineapple.
When the race began, the hare sprinted forward and was out of sight in less than a minute. The pineapple just sat there, never moving an inch.
The animals crowded around watching to see how the pineapple was going to cleverly beat the hare. Two hours later when the hare cross the finish line, the pineapple was still sitting still and hadn't moved an inch.
The animals ate the pineapple.
MORAL: Pineapples don't have sleeves
Questions:
Beginning with paragraph 4, in what order are the events in the story told?
A switching back and forth between places
B In the order in which the events happen
C Switching back and forth between the past and the present
D In the order in which the hare tells the events to another animal
The animals ate the pineapple most likely because they were
A Hungry
B Excited
C Annoyed
D Amused
Which animal spoke the wisest words?
A The hare
B The moose
C The crow
D The owl
Before the race, how did the animals feel toward the pineapple?
A Suspicious
B Kindly
C Sympathetic
D Envious
What would have happened if the animals had decided to cheer for the hare?
A The pineapple would have won the race.
B They would have been mad at the hare for winning.
C The hare would have just sat there and not moved.
D They would have been happy to have cheered for a winner.
When the moose said that the pineapple has some trick up its sleeve, he means that the pineapple
A is wearing a disguise
B wants to show the animals a trick
C has a plan to fool the animals
D is going to put something out of its sleeve
Thursday, April 19, 2012
A Dozen Opportunities
"What are those doughnuts for?" a student asked me today during class. He had spotted a see-through grocery bag containing a dozen Krispy Kremes behind my desk.
"They're for Writing Club," I told him.
"What's that?" he wanted to know.
And so I gave him a brief overview of the group. "Um, it's a club where kids who like to write come and write and share their writing."
"Can anyone come?" he asked.
I was pretty sure it was the doughnuts talking, since this particular student is a rather reluctant writer, but I told him that anyone was welcome, and secretly, in my writer's heart of hearts, I hoped he would come and that it would make a difference.
"I'm coming!" he said.
"Then I will see you there!" I answered, and upon returning to the lesson, promptly forgot the entire conversation.
Flash forward to 2:30 when, to my surprise, that guy and his equally non-writing buddy actually showed up for our meeting. I was glad, but the regular attendees looked upon these new recruits with doubt. They were classmates, but they were from very different social groups, and while you can't choose the kids in your class, the regulars liked writing club partially because it was a self-selected group of people with a like interest.
"You have to write, you know," one of the old timers informed the new boys.
They shrugged.
"They're just here for the snack," the first kid said, shaking his head in dismay.
Fortunately, there were notebooks and pens and yes, doughnuts, to distract and unify everyone. Our plan was to go outside and do some writing, and that is what we did. We found a pleasant spot, wrote for five minutes, and then moved to another location. There was plenty of chatter and play along the way, and everyone got some writing done.
At the end of the hour, as we headed back into the building, I found myself walking beside Mr. Skeptical. "That was fun," he said. "Those guys can be annoying in class, but they were all right today. I'm glad they came."
"They're for Writing Club," I told him.
"What's that?" he wanted to know.
And so I gave him a brief overview of the group. "Um, it's a club where kids who like to write come and write and share their writing."
"Can anyone come?" he asked.
I was pretty sure it was the doughnuts talking, since this particular student is a rather reluctant writer, but I told him that anyone was welcome, and secretly, in my writer's heart of hearts, I hoped he would come and that it would make a difference.
"I'm coming!" he said.
"Then I will see you there!" I answered, and upon returning to the lesson, promptly forgot the entire conversation.
Flash forward to 2:30 when, to my surprise, that guy and his equally non-writing buddy actually showed up for our meeting. I was glad, but the regular attendees looked upon these new recruits with doubt. They were classmates, but they were from very different social groups, and while you can't choose the kids in your class, the regulars liked writing club partially because it was a self-selected group of people with a like interest.
"You have to write, you know," one of the old timers informed the new boys.
They shrugged.
"They're just here for the snack," the first kid said, shaking his head in dismay.
Fortunately, there were notebooks and pens and yes, doughnuts, to distract and unify everyone. Our plan was to go outside and do some writing, and that is what we did. We found a pleasant spot, wrote for five minutes, and then moved to another location. There was plenty of chatter and play along the way, and everyone got some writing done.
At the end of the hour, as we headed back into the building, I found myself walking beside Mr. Skeptical. "That was fun," he said. "Those guys can be annoying in class, but they were all right today. I'm glad they came."
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
A Little Too Far Outside the Box?
My students are in the first stages of writing book reviews, and so I had them prepare some interview questions for each other about the books they were considering reviewing. The beauty of this assignment is that the other student need not have read the book; in fact it's better if he or she hasn't, because those questions help the reviewer figure out what the audience needs to know. The interviews also give the reviewer insight into who may or may not like the book. Plus it's a good way to get kids talking and thinking about books and writing.
Anyhow, my advice when they are writing the questions is for them to be as creative as possible. They will hear a brief summary of the book to begin with, so I encourage them to compose questions that will lead to a lively discussion.
I like it when my students follow the directions, and it pleases me when they are surprising, but I was a little shocked when I heard this question:
Which character would you be most likely to torture for information, how would you do it, and what would you want to know?
Fortunately? I know the student and how he thinks; the guy is just itching for adults to tell him he can't do something, so then he gets to debate the injustice of our authority rather than do the assignment. I don't usually pick that battle with him, but after a little prompting he amended his question to include this disclaimer:
In other words, who is your least favorite character and what would you say if you met them?
Anyhow, my advice when they are writing the questions is for them to be as creative as possible. They will hear a brief summary of the book to begin with, so I encourage them to compose questions that will lead to a lively discussion.
I like it when my students follow the directions, and it pleases me when they are surprising, but I was a little shocked when I heard this question:
Which character would you be most likely to torture for information, how would you do it, and what would you want to know?
Fortunately? I know the student and how he thinks; the guy is just itching for adults to tell him he can't do something, so then he gets to debate the injustice of our authority rather than do the assignment. I don't usually pick that battle with him, but after a little prompting he amended his question to include this disclaimer:
In other words, who is your least favorite character and what would you say if you met them?
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Moving Mountains
Our Tolerance Club took a group of 28 kids to the Martin Luther King Memorial this morning. I had been by the site from the Tidal Basin side, but not inside, as we had Isabel with us, and dogs are not allowed. This time, we entered from the Independence Avenue side, and I knew from the research I had done to prepare our group that the thirty-foot stones that flank the entrance are called The Mountain of Despair. Once inside, you see the huge center piece that has been removed to create the opening, and from it the sculpture of Dr. King emerges. This piece is called The Stone of Hope.
Both are a reference to a line in the I Have a Dream speech, but the symbolic power of those stones standing for what everyone wishing for equal civil rights faced, the mountain of despair, and what they were able to achieve through their hope and perseverance was very moving to me.
And it was not lost on our students, either. When, at the end of the trip, we gathered to talk about our thoughts and observations, all of them were able to express their admiration and appreciation for those who had moved mountains to allow them to have the opportunities they do.
Both are a reference to a line in the I Have a Dream speech, but the symbolic power of those stones standing for what everyone wishing for equal civil rights faced, the mountain of despair, and what they were able to achieve through their hope and perseverance was very moving to me.
And it was not lost on our students, either. When, at the end of the trip, we gathered to talk about our thoughts and observations, all of them were able to express their admiration and appreciation for those who had moved mountains to allow them to have the opportunities they do.
Monday, April 16, 2012
What Is Up With That?
Picture this:
A teacher is leading a perfectly respectable class discussion. Most, if not all, students seem to be listening and involved-- in fact, several hands are waving, signaling a willingness, if not a downright enthusiasm to participate. The teacher scans the group, wanting to be sure to include everyone, especially those kids who do not always seem engaged. With a smile and a nod, the teacher calls on just such a student, leaning forward in encouragement, eagerly waiting to hear what the usually reticent scholar has to contribute.
"Can I go to the bathroom?"
A teacher is leading a perfectly respectable class discussion. Most, if not all, students seem to be listening and involved-- in fact, several hands are waving, signaling a willingness, if not a downright enthusiasm to participate. The teacher scans the group, wanting to be sure to include everyone, especially those kids who do not always seem engaged. With a smile and a nod, the teacher calls on just such a student, leaning forward in encouragement, eagerly waiting to hear what the usually reticent scholar has to contribute.
"Can I go to the bathroom?"
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Kids Today
It was a beautiful day here with blue skies and temps pushing 80 and above, so of course we rolled down the windows and opened the sun roof when we went out to run errands. A little while later, with our mission accomplished and a fresh breeze blowing through the car, we turned up the music and headed home.
As we drove into our complex, we passed a neighbor leaned over to inflate his bike tire. At the sound of our raucous arrival, he straightened, put his hands on his hips, and gave us a disapproving look. His eyes widened a bit; I guess he didn't expect a couple of forty-something ladies in a station wagon to be creating such a disturbance-- especially since he couldn't have been more than 30 himself.
As we drove into our complex, we passed a neighbor leaned over to inflate his bike tire. At the sound of our raucous arrival, he straightened, put his hands on his hips, and gave us a disapproving look. His eyes widened a bit; I guess he didn't expect a couple of forty-something ladies in a station wagon to be creating such a disturbance-- especially since he couldn't have been more than 30 himself.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Signs of the Season
I saw my first summer commercial of the year a little while ago, and frankly, two guys sweating on the stoop drinking sweet tea never looked better. It can't be long now.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Hero and Villains
The Tolerance Club showed the movie Afghan Star today at school. Made in 2008, this remarkable documentary recounts the experience of four contestants on the Afghan TV version of American Idol, and it is very informative and revealing about life in Afghanistan since the overthrow of the Taliban regime.
Most interesting to me was the heightened awareness of and concern about the contestants' ethnicity and gender. Having read The Kite Runner, I was fascinated to see both a Pashtun and a Hazara man featured. The main drama however involved the women, for as controversial as singing in public was to this nation emerging from strict sharia law, allowing women to perform was even more divisive.
Each woman approached the storm of moral ambiguity differently. One tried to be as respectful as possible, honoring tradition as closely as she could, and the other was outspoken about her "open-mindedness," pushing the boundaries of propriety in her performances.
To add perspective, both women dressed quite modestly, and both covered their heads, and so the subtlety of their differences was mostly lost on a predominately western audience such as ours. When the one removed her head scarf and danced on stage for her exit number, though, there were many in the group that clapped.
There was at least one who did not. A sixth grade girl, who is Muslim and wears a head-covering herself, left the movie shortly after that scene. "What she did was really bad," she told her friend on the way out. "She showed her hair."
Most interesting to me was the heightened awareness of and concern about the contestants' ethnicity and gender. Having read The Kite Runner, I was fascinated to see both a Pashtun and a Hazara man featured. The main drama however involved the women, for as controversial as singing in public was to this nation emerging from strict sharia law, allowing women to perform was even more divisive.
Each woman approached the storm of moral ambiguity differently. One tried to be as respectful as possible, honoring tradition as closely as she could, and the other was outspoken about her "open-mindedness," pushing the boundaries of propriety in her performances.
To add perspective, both women dressed quite modestly, and both covered their heads, and so the subtlety of their differences was mostly lost on a predominately western audience such as ours. When the one removed her head scarf and danced on stage for her exit number, though, there were many in the group that clapped.
There was at least one who did not. A sixth grade girl, who is Muslim and wears a head-covering herself, left the movie shortly after that scene. "What she did was really bad," she told her friend on the way out. "She showed her hair."
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Low Tech Solution
We have a core group of students who come to our weekly writing club, but sometime before spring break, we threatened to rename it the Hanging Out and Talking Club, because so little actual writing was getting done. The kids spent a lot of time on the laptops collaborating to create websites and blogs, but they spent even more time talking about things completely unrelated to writing.
Still, it was hard to determine if we were being overly critical-- maybe this is just how writing looks in the early 21st century?-- but we decided that, at the risk of being too prescriptive, and perhaps even sacrificing the engagement of these students of the new millennium, we were going to try some more structured activities.
Then, as luck would have it, we couldn't get the laptops, and so we were all forced to write the old fashioned way. Oh, there has been some moaning and groaning for sure, but there has also been a lot more words put to paper, and they are still coming every week.
Still, it was hard to determine if we were being overly critical-- maybe this is just how writing looks in the early 21st century?-- but we decided that, at the risk of being too prescriptive, and perhaps even sacrificing the engagement of these students of the new millennium, we were going to try some more structured activities.
Then, as luck would have it, we couldn't get the laptops, and so we were all forced to write the old fashioned way. Oh, there has been some moaning and groaning for sure, but there has also been a lot more words put to paper, and they are still coming every week.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Five Things I'm Thankful for Today
#5. Quinoa
#4. Nikky Finney's poetry
(Not a girl any longer, she is capable of her own knife-work now.)
#3. The web TV show Anyone But Me
#2. Walking my dog
and....
#1. The auto-release on the mammogram machine
#4. Nikky Finney's poetry
(Not a girl any longer, she is capable of her own knife-work now.)
#3. The web TV show Anyone But Me
#2. Walking my dog
and....
#1. The auto-release on the mammogram machine
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Name That Book
My students were doing "speed book talks" today. This is an activity where they prepare a brief presentation about a book they have recently enjoyed and would like to recommend to others, and then kind of on the model of speed dating, rotate through the room in three minute increments to give and receive recommendations. In general it's a fun way to get sixth graders to think, write, and talk about books, plus it's good for their attention spans and it has plenty of movement opportunity built in.
As I circulate, I get a lot of insight into how and what they are thinking, too. For example, I overheard one girl begin the summary of her book this way:
It's about this girl, and instead of going out and partying with her friends, she has to stay in hiding and worry about getting caught by the Germans, so she spends a lot of time writing in her journal.
I confess that at first I was appalled, until I considered that at her age, this student is probably a little closer in mindset to Anne Frank than I. Plus? She obviously read the book.
As I circulate, I get a lot of insight into how and what they are thinking, too. For example, I overheard one girl begin the summary of her book this way:
It's about this girl, and instead of going out and partying with her friends, she has to stay in hiding and worry about getting caught by the Germans, so she spends a lot of time writing in her journal.
I confess that at first I was appalled, until I considered that at her age, this student is probably a little closer in mindset to Anne Frank than I. Plus? She obviously read the book.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)