I've been thinking back on my year. It has been a whirlwind of Crazy! New curriculum, new schedule, four classes of seventh graders instead of my normal schedule of eighth graders ... plus I have my own family and the two crazy children who live in my house ... it's a lot. There are many days I can barely drag out of bed, many days I feel guilty for not being a stay-at-home mom, many days when I'm counting down the days to the break. Despite all of that, though, I am one of the lucky ones who loves my job.
I get to watch an entire group of kids mature, grow, and change over the 36 weeks they are in my class. How cool is that? They come so young and weird but leave just a little more mature ... especially my eighth graders. They do a LOT of growing up during that year before high school. Maybe it's being the oldest class, maybe it's the very real light at the end of the middle school tunnel; maybe it's just turning 14 (or ... ahem ... 15). Whatever it is, I don't care. It's neat to watch and a real blessing for their parents.
Everyday I ask 121 students to think. Not to sit in front of a TV. Not to play video games. Not to text with their friends. I get to ask them to really, truly think. I get to frustrate them and irritate them and ask them to do things that would infuriate any adult ... and I get paid to do it. In fact I am encouraged to do it and provided with resources to make sure each day is extra mind-boggling. So. Awesome. If anyone else hounded kids as much as I am encouraged to do everyday they'd be hit with a harassment charge. As a bonus, the next day I get to say something like, "Remember that really hard thing we did yesterday that had you banging your head on the desk? Today we're going to do that again, but now you're going to do it on your own!" Really, it makes me smile because who else gets to do that? Who gets to challenge kids like that. Teachers, that's who. Teachers who give up their Saturdays and weekends to go to performances/games to cheer on kids they didn't even give birth to. Teachers who take care of your kids AND their own kids. Teachers who love what they do, love your kids, and love watching them grow.
And at the end of every year, it's a giant empty nest syndrome. Don't get me wrong; there are some kids I will happily escort out the door on that last day. But most of them make me cry because they move on to high school and get all grown up and I don't even recognize them and they [think] they don't need me anymore. They are brand new people. And I had a hand in that ... even if only for a moment.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
For Your Consideration
I've decided that this year I will give my students a parting gift. I totally borrowed Mrs. Daulton's idea of the bookmark. I want them to read this summer, and I'm hoping that this will serve as a subtle reminder. To further this purpose, I am putting a list of five books on the front that I'm encouraging the students to read before they start school in the fall.
Young Adult books can be enjoyed by adults as well. They are good for a quick read, and many well-known adult authors, James Patterson, for example, write YA books. YA is also divided into two categories: 4-7 grade and 8-12 grade. While the 4-7 stuff can be a whip down, the 8-12 stuff tends to be very adult in nature. Generally classified as "Teen", these books can hold the attention of an adult looking for something fun to read. The Hunger Games, for example, is "Teen".
You'll notice that lacking are some of the super-popular books, like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games. This is because most students have heard of these books, and they have either read them or already have plans to read them. I wanted to pick books that the students may not have heard of or may not know much about.
So, without further ado, here are my recommendations for 2012:
Night by Eli Wiesel
I am always disturbed by the number of my students who have no idea what the Holocaust is. They may have heard of it, but they have no true grasp of the brutality and suffering that went on in the camps. Wiesel's story is haunting. Violent without being unnecessarily so, it sticks with you for a lifetime.
Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn
While most of her stuff is based on fairy tales, Breathing Underwater goes in a different direction. It is the story of a couple in high school. As their relationship evolves, his true nature comes out. What makes this not your typical abusive relationship story is that it is told through a series of journal entries he writes. Reading his twisted justifications for hitting her is eye-opening. I'm hopeful that if one of my own students finds him/herself in a similar situation, they will recognize some of the warning signs and get out.
Split by Swati Avasthi
This is a novel about what happens after you get out of an abusive home. How do you break the cycle when violence is the only thing you know? This novel looks at that situation, and again, I'm hoping my students will recognize warning signs in their own lives before it gets to be too late. I also want those who may be living in a violent home to realize they can get out and break the cycle.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
This one is very male centric, and it kind of reminded me of The Lord of the Flies. However, it is a really good story, and unique. The few students who have read it say they can't put it down.
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
This story of a kid who is on trial for murder is a dark look at jail and how it effects your psyche.
Red Rider's Hood by Neal Shusterman
It's a fairy tale revamp, but with gangs and stuff. It's also very dark ... very, very dark.
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
More for girls, this story appeals to those who liked Twilight but wish the writing had been better. Clare is a much better story teller than Meyer, with more depth to her characters and less gratuitous love-stuff.
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
See the explanation for City of Bones. It's the same justification.
Romiette y Julio by Sharon M. Draper
It's what it sounds like ... a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, with gangs and violence - just like the original. The girls especially dig this book, and it's a great way to introduce them to the idea of Shakespeare without scaring them. Plus, it introduces them to an author that they usually end up liking.
Young Adult books can be enjoyed by adults as well. They are good for a quick read, and many well-known adult authors, James Patterson, for example, write YA books. YA is also divided into two categories: 4-7 grade and 8-12 grade. While the 4-7 stuff can be a whip down, the 8-12 stuff tends to be very adult in nature. Generally classified as "Teen", these books can hold the attention of an adult looking for something fun to read. The Hunger Games, for example, is "Teen".
You'll notice that lacking are some of the super-popular books, like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games. This is because most students have heard of these books, and they have either read them or already have plans to read them. I wanted to pick books that the students may not have heard of or may not know much about.
So, without further ado, here are my recommendations for 2012:
Night by Eli Wiesel
I am always disturbed by the number of my students who have no idea what the Holocaust is. They may have heard of it, but they have no true grasp of the brutality and suffering that went on in the camps. Wiesel's story is haunting. Violent without being unnecessarily so, it sticks with you for a lifetime.
Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn
While most of her stuff is based on fairy tales, Breathing Underwater goes in a different direction. It is the story of a couple in high school. As their relationship evolves, his true nature comes out. What makes this not your typical abusive relationship story is that it is told through a series of journal entries he writes. Reading his twisted justifications for hitting her is eye-opening. I'm hopeful that if one of my own students finds him/herself in a similar situation, they will recognize some of the warning signs and get out.
Split by Swati Avasthi
This is a novel about what happens after you get out of an abusive home. How do you break the cycle when violence is the only thing you know? This novel looks at that situation, and again, I'm hoping my students will recognize warning signs in their own lives before it gets to be too late. I also want those who may be living in a violent home to realize they can get out and break the cycle.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
This one is very male centric, and it kind of reminded me of The Lord of the Flies. However, it is a really good story, and unique. The few students who have read it say they can't put it down.
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
This story of a kid who is on trial for murder is a dark look at jail and how it effects your psyche.
Red Rider's Hood by Neal Shusterman
It's a fairy tale revamp, but with gangs and stuff. It's also very dark ... very, very dark.
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
More for girls, this story appeals to those who liked Twilight but wish the writing had been better. Clare is a much better story teller than Meyer, with more depth to her characters and less gratuitous love-stuff.
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
See the explanation for City of Bones. It's the same justification.
Romiette y Julio by Sharon M. Draper
It's what it sounds like ... a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, with gangs and violence - just like the original. The girls especially dig this book, and it's a great way to introduce them to the idea of Shakespeare without scaring them. Plus, it introduces them to an author that they usually end up liking.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Future Prediction
Like any good educator, I hate lockers. They are obnoxious noise-makers that breed congregating and lolly-gagging. They are pits of darkness that suck up homework assignments, binders, and library books. They are waste receptacles and a good place to stash the stuff you don't want adults to see.
However, while I hate them, there are students who should fear them. These students are usually immature and irritate their peers beyond all reason. They are the students who are going to end up in a locker.
Bradley is one such student. He is incredibly immature for an 8th grader. He whines and moans and asks questions just for the sake of hearing his own voice. But if I think he's annoying, his peers barely tolerate him, and the line between tolerance and fed up is getting thinner and thinner. He plays pranks that a 3rd grader would find amusing ... sweeping kids' feet so they trip, pulling out chairs, hiding backpacks, etc. His peers made the mistake of laughing the first few times, and now they have created a monster they can't get rid of.
So, I would like to lock in my prediction for Bradley's future at his high school: sometime before he graduates, Bradley will end up in a locker.
There is a legendary tale at my school of a student who would do things like shove other kids into the walls in between classes then run into the teachers' lounge crying about the big bully who was trying to hurt him. The other students could not stand this kid. One afternoon a teacher was walking down the deserted halls when he heard Darth-Vadar-like breathing coming from a locker. Someone had gotten so tired of this kid's shenanigans that he shoved him into the nearest open locker, slammed it shut, and snapped the lock closed. Administration had to track down bolt cutters to get this kid out.
Therefore, Bradley, I am pleading with you directly. Mature some over the summer. Realize that the seniors will find you even less funny than your immediate peers. They will not hesitate to stash you away in someone's personal waste receptacle. And if you're lucky, they will be kind and make it a full-sized locker.
However, while I hate them, there are students who should fear them. These students are usually immature and irritate their peers beyond all reason. They are the students who are going to end up in a locker.
Bradley is one such student. He is incredibly immature for an 8th grader. He whines and moans and asks questions just for the sake of hearing his own voice. But if I think he's annoying, his peers barely tolerate him, and the line between tolerance and fed up is getting thinner and thinner. He plays pranks that a 3rd grader would find amusing ... sweeping kids' feet so they trip, pulling out chairs, hiding backpacks, etc. His peers made the mistake of laughing the first few times, and now they have created a monster they can't get rid of.
So, I would like to lock in my prediction for Bradley's future at his high school: sometime before he graduates, Bradley will end up in a locker.
There is a legendary tale at my school of a student who would do things like shove other kids into the walls in between classes then run into the teachers' lounge crying about the big bully who was trying to hurt him. The other students could not stand this kid. One afternoon a teacher was walking down the deserted halls when he heard Darth-Vadar-like breathing coming from a locker. Someone had gotten so tired of this kid's shenanigans that he shoved him into the nearest open locker, slammed it shut, and snapped the lock closed. Administration had to track down bolt cutters to get this kid out.
Therefore, Bradley, I am pleading with you directly. Mature some over the summer. Realize that the seniors will find you even less funny than your immediate peers. They will not hesitate to stash you away in someone's personal waste receptacle. And if you're lucky, they will be kind and make it a full-sized locker.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Do you get it now?
Reteaching ... it is my nightmare. I have a well-thought-out and planned schedule that I like to follow. My little calendar is all filled out with units and lessons, carefully scheduled around awards ceremonies and state testing, and I don't like to deviate from it. That being stated, there is always the reteach. There is always going to be some kiddo who doesn't get the skill that I need him to get. I never plan for the reteach. By now I should have learned my lesson, but I haven't. So, I could ignore it and move on, hoping he'll get it by osmosis along the way. (That would certainly fit into my planned calendar.) However, this almost always never happens, and I'm under obligation by my district's grading policy to stop and go back ... to RETEACH. This is so not how I wanted to spend the precious little time I have with these babies.
But Jimmy, who answered a question about symbolism with this gem: Mrs. Mallard's heart trouble is a symbol of her heart trouble, needs the opportunity to try again ... but first he has to go through the learning process ... again.
It throws off my whole week.
But Jimmy, who answered a question about symbolism with this gem: Mrs. Mallard's heart trouble is a symbol of her heart trouble, needs the opportunity to try again ... but first he has to go through the learning process ... again.
It throws off my whole week.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
A Letter to Two Students
Dear Students Running at Break-neck Speed Off Campus-
I can see you because I have giant windows … and because you’re not very ninja about this whole skipping school thing. You should have just gone inside and stayed there, not run around the back yard ... where I can see you ... because of the a fore mentioned giant windows. So, if you’re wondering why you’re sitting in the AP office with the police officer, that’s why.
Love,
Mrs. Edwards
I can see you because I have giant windows … and because you’re not very ninja about this whole skipping school thing. You should have just gone inside and stayed there, not run around the back yard ... where I can see you ... because of the a fore mentioned giant windows. So, if you’re wondering why you’re sitting in the AP office with the police officer, that’s why.
Love,
Mrs. Edwards
Friday, December 16, 2011
Literary Throwdown
A student challenged me today - read Halo: The Fall of Reach (The official prequel to the award-winning Xbox game!) because "it's a really good book, Miss!" He was super excited about this book. In fact, he has read it three times, and it looks like he has read it multiple times. It's all battered and beaten and it doesn't quite close all the way.
This got me thinking. My students really do love to read. I'd like to think that I did that this year by allowing them to read whatever novel their little hearts desire. I mean, as a teacher, it is in my nature to take the credit when something goes right, and to blame the students when something goes horribly wrong. However, I don't think it's all me. While I know for a fact I have several students who are now reading because of my doing, I have tons more who always loved to read. At home. With the lights off and a flashlight on. When no one was looking. Secret readers. Fearing getting teased, these students refused to carry books at school. Some even refused to allow their own families to see that they loved to read. But they have been readers for years and years. And now that almost every single student is carrying a book around, these students can stop being secret readers and read whenever the heck they want. You know, because it's for school and all ... not because they want to or anything :)
One student spent her summer reading the Vampire Academy books.There are six pretty thick books in this series. But that's what she spent her time this summer doing. Then, to my amazement, she and another student got into a heated debate about the outcome of the novels centered around plot lines and characterization. Blew. My. Mind.
Another student rejected every book I gave him as lame. Finally the librarian gave him a copy of Bruiser by Neal Shusterman. I cannot get this kid to put his books down. He has read one Shusterman novel after another. It's like an addiction for him.
I have students who take their books to lunch. I have students who cheer when we have a reading day. I have students begging to go to the library! It has truly been an amazing year so far with reading. I have not ever witnessed this kind of literary enthusiasm in my ten years of teaching.
So we come full circle back to Halo: The Fall of Reach. I never would have picked this book up in a million years. First off, it's based on a video game (one I love to play, but still ... it's based on a video game). Second, it is written for people who play this game a lot. (I'm not going to get into stereotypes here, but you all know what I'm implying.) It is full of very technical descriptions of nouns which do not really exist. Third, it is such a boy book!
But I've been challenged. A literary throwdown of sorts has been issued, so I must answer it. It's a matter of pride ... and good teaching. How can I expect him to trust me when I tell him to read something because it's really good if I won't return the favor? So while I know this will probably be a literary beating, I will spend some time over my break reading Halo: The Fall of Reach.
Because my student asked me to.
This way, I can ask him to read Little Women.
This got me thinking. My students really do love to read. I'd like to think that I did that this year by allowing them to read whatever novel their little hearts desire. I mean, as a teacher, it is in my nature to take the credit when something goes right, and to blame the students when something goes horribly wrong. However, I don't think it's all me. While I know for a fact I have several students who are now reading because of my doing, I have tons more who always loved to read. At home. With the lights off and a flashlight on. When no one was looking. Secret readers. Fearing getting teased, these students refused to carry books at school. Some even refused to allow their own families to see that they loved to read. But they have been readers for years and years. And now that almost every single student is carrying a book around, these students can stop being secret readers and read whenever the heck they want. You know, because it's for school and all ... not because they want to or anything :)
One student spent her summer reading the Vampire Academy books.There are six pretty thick books in this series. But that's what she spent her time this summer doing. Then, to my amazement, she and another student got into a heated debate about the outcome of the novels centered around plot lines and characterization. Blew. My. Mind.
Another student rejected every book I gave him as lame. Finally the librarian gave him a copy of Bruiser by Neal Shusterman. I cannot get this kid to put his books down. He has read one Shusterman novel after another. It's like an addiction for him.
I have students who take their books to lunch. I have students who cheer when we have a reading day. I have students begging to go to the library! It has truly been an amazing year so far with reading. I have not ever witnessed this kind of literary enthusiasm in my ten years of teaching.
So we come full circle back to Halo: The Fall of Reach. I never would have picked this book up in a million years. First off, it's based on a video game (one I love to play, but still ... it's based on a video game). Second, it is written for people who play this game a lot. (I'm not going to get into stereotypes here, but you all know what I'm implying.) It is full of very technical descriptions of nouns which do not really exist. Third, it is such a boy book!
But I've been challenged. A literary throwdown of sorts has been issued, so I must answer it. It's a matter of pride ... and good teaching. How can I expect him to trust me when I tell him to read something because it's really good if I won't return the favor? So while I know this will probably be a literary beating, I will spend some time over my break reading Halo: The Fall of Reach.
Because my student asked me to.
This way, I can ask him to read Little Women.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
The Blind Leading the Blind
I have no clue what I am doing with my students tomorrow. Honestly ... not an idea at all. This could get downright frightening. What can I do that won't take all day to set up but is also meaningful? Plus, it's raining outside, which shouldn't matter, but I really just want to sit here in my pajamas and read. Being responsible and earning my paycheck is not fun.
Oh, and molding young minds ... I am molding young minds ... which is fun. I should remember that :)
Oh, and molding young minds ... I am molding young minds ... which is fun. I should remember that :)
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