I don't think my students even woke up until 5th period.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Saturday, September 28, 2013
From Autobiography to Zombie
A big part of the memoir unit we teach in sixth grade reading is helping students identify the theme of whatever story we are reading. Earlier this week, I asked for kids to throw out possible themes for the piece we had just finished, an excerpt from Jerry Spinelli's memoir, Knots in my YoYo String.
We read the part where Jerry considers himself a non-reader because he doesn't like that many books. He reads comics voraciously and sports statistics and he loves words and writers who use them playfully, but in his mind, reading and writing are nothing special-- they simply take their place with the "popsicles, pen knives and bicycle tires" of his life. One day he even writes an extra poem to go with a brochure project on Mexico, and his teacher accuses him of plagiarism, probably because she doesn't see any strength in that area either.
"So, what's the lesson?" I asked the class.
A kid who probably doesn't consider himself very literary raised his hand, and I called on him with pleasure.
"Your greatest strength might contain your greatest weakness?" he suggested.
"Hmmmm. That sounds familiar," I said. "Did you see World War Z recently?"
He shrugged sheepishly. "Yeah. Last weekend."
"Think about it though," I advised him. "Turn it around a little. You thought of that for a reason."
He considered it a moment, and then I saw the light of an idea in his face. "Your weakness might contain your strength?"
"I think it might," I told him. "I think it might."
We read the part where Jerry considers himself a non-reader because he doesn't like that many books. He reads comics voraciously and sports statistics and he loves words and writers who use them playfully, but in his mind, reading and writing are nothing special-- they simply take their place with the "popsicles, pen knives and bicycle tires" of his life. One day he even writes an extra poem to go with a brochure project on Mexico, and his teacher accuses him of plagiarism, probably because she doesn't see any strength in that area either.
"So, what's the lesson?" I asked the class.
A kid who probably doesn't consider himself very literary raised his hand, and I called on him with pleasure.
"Your greatest strength might contain your greatest weakness?" he suggested.
"Hmmmm. That sounds familiar," I said. "Did you see World War Z recently?"
He shrugged sheepishly. "Yeah. Last weekend."
"Think about it though," I advised him. "Turn it around a little. You thought of that for a reason."
He considered it a moment, and then I saw the light of an idea in his face. "Your weakness might contain your strength?"
"I think it might," I told him. "I think it might."
Friday, September 27, 2013
Color Blind
"Are Katie and Lizzy sisters?" a student asked me today. I understood why she might wonder that, because both girls happen to have albinism.
"No," I told her.
"Are they cousins?"
"Nope," I said.
"Well, they just look so much alike," she continued.
"Kind of," I shrugged. "They definitely have the same hair color."
"Are you sure they aren't related?" She couldn't let it go.
"Listen," I said, "what you're asking is like somebody wondering if you and [here I named another student] are related."
"Why?" she frowned. "Because we're Asian? We don't look anything alike."
"I know," I said, "and that's the point."
"No," I told her.
"Are they cousins?"
"Nope," I said.
"Well, they just look so much alike," she continued.
"Kind of," I shrugged. "They definitely have the same hair color."
"Are you sure they aren't related?" She couldn't let it go.
"Listen," I said, "what you're asking is like somebody wondering if you and [here I named another student] are related."
"Why?" she frowned. "Because we're Asian? We don't look anything alike."
"I know," I said, "and that's the point."
Thursday, September 26, 2013
The Reading Boss
I administered yet another standardized test to my students today. Upon seeing our agenda, they literally groaned with disbelief. I shrugged in sympathy. There is nothing I can do about the 20 days (4 full weeks) of instruction and learning in my class that is replaced by mandated testing. Still, I hate for the kids to get discouraged so early in the year.
"Oh! This one's different," I said. "First you pick the type of passages you like so they give you questions you will find interesting."
They did not seem sold. "How many questions are there?" someone asked.
"It depends," I told them. "It's like..." I grasped for a simile. "It's like a video game. You keep answering until you get a certain number wrong, and then they end your test, tell you thanks for playing, and give you a score."
This they found intriguing. "Do they tell you when you get one wrong?"
"Only during the practice test," I said.
They began to strategize. "Do they get harder as you go?"
I nodded, and I could almost hear the gears turning.
"What if you never miss any?" someone asked. "Do you have to keep going forever?"
"No," I answered. "Eventually, you beat the test."
I guess they had never thought of it that way.
"When can we start!?"
"Oh! This one's different," I said. "First you pick the type of passages you like so they give you questions you will find interesting."
They did not seem sold. "How many questions are there?" someone asked.
"It depends," I told them. "It's like..." I grasped for a simile. "It's like a video game. You keep answering until you get a certain number wrong, and then they end your test, tell you thanks for playing, and give you a score."
This they found intriguing. "Do they tell you when you get one wrong?"
"Only during the practice test," I said.
They began to strategize. "Do they get harder as you go?"
I nodded, and I could almost hear the gears turning.
"What if you never miss any?" someone asked. "Do you have to keep going forever?"
"No," I answered. "Eventually, you beat the test."
I guess they had never thought of it that way.
"When can we start!?"
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Dictionary Skills
What's an antonym for deficit as in Deficit Thinking?
I attended a required work shop for English teachers today. As a result, I got to sleep in by an hour, spend time with some of my favorite teacher friends, laugh a little, eat a free lunch in the sunshine, and get out early enough to go to the gym, walk the dog, and cook dinner.
That was enough.
- abundance
- adequacy
- advantage
- enough
- perfection
- plenty
- satisfaction
- success
- sufficiency
- excess
- superfluousness
- proficiency
That was enough.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
APS ABCs
Kagan, CRISS,
and SRI,
IA, RICA, oh my my,
SOL, AMO,
writing sample, yes or no?
IB, PIPs, ERO,
catch a SMART goal by the toe.
Synergy is EGP
with less functionality,
and don't forget your UbD:
what's
the
objective?
and SRI,
IA, RICA, oh my my,
SOL, AMO,
writing sample, yes or no?
IB, PIPs, ERO,
catch a SMART goal by the toe.
Synergy is EGP
with less functionality,
and don't forget your UbD:
what's
the
objective?
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