Whale Talk - Day 2

Ok, so after the hook activity I was afraid of an anticlimactic second day with Whale Talk. I was wrong.

We spent the first half of class on poetry terms, and I hated it. I like poetry, but wanted to jump right into WT stuff. I didn't. I got them through the terms, but then we talked.

Some of the kids were confused - which I expected because the exposition of WT is a little jumpy, but totally necessary. They asked questions; we answered them together. I asked the 14 students how many had actually done the reading assignment, and only 2 had not. They admitted it, and even told me that they were bummed. They had forgotten, not blown it off because of disliking the novel.

One of the boys in class pointed out that he really loved how realistic this book was. He said that he admires the TJ (the main character) is a good guy (who stands up for the brain-damaged Chris Coughlin).

One girl admitted that, while she wants to believe the best in people, she was skeptical that a real person would do what TJ did.

They all hated Mike (the jock who bullies Chris in ch 1).

I was ecstatic at how many of the social issues they picked up on, and was super excited to read their journals - so excited that I gave up my Saturday afternoon to do so. Here's what I learned from the journals:

All 14 kids like the book so far. 3 even LOVE it. This is because: it's about real-life things, the characters talk like real teens (as in swear. a lot), the issues are ones they encounter everyday, and they like the narrator/main character
They are already making predictions about what will happen - and some of them are correct.
They like TJ, feel bad for Chris, and hate Mike.
Nearly all of them are EXCITED to read more!

Thank you, Chris Crutcher for writing books that get kids to read. And for writing books that I could read everyday and still enjoy.

Whale Talk Begins

I decided today, while reading journals from my honors class, that I want to document our unit on my very favorite book Whale Talk by, Chris Crutcher. I didn't have this idea until after we had already started, so I'm creating two posts today. We'll start with the HOOK.
________________________________________________

To open a unit on this book, I needed something EPIC. The book deals with real-life issues, that students face each and every day. The characters are rich, real, and just so absolutely funny/heartbreaking. They are also vastly different from one another. The characters, who attend the fictional Cutter High, reflect students in actual high schools - including the tendency of teenagers to separate themselves into cliques. So, with the help of the OTHS literacy coach - Melanie - I developed an activity that forced my students to put the characters from WT into social groups.

They came into class on Tuesday afternoon, and were split into the Red team and the Green team. I created the groups purposely - making sure that best friends were not together; I had hoped to create some natural tension, but they all worked really well together.

After all of the kids were seated, I handed them this:

They also got a series of 14 cards that looked like this:
I spent almost a week creating those cards. I chose the characters to use, and filled out the interests/activities and about me sections with information from the novel. The other sections Mel helped me with - we fleshed out these characters based on what we knew from the novel. I spent an insane amount of time looking for quotations that would reflect the characters on a deeper level. The kids will "get" the quotes later - when we finish reading. Right now, they are just random quotations. Anyway ...

I gave them 30 minutes to use the information on the cards to create three believable groupings. I couldn't stop smiling the entire time because of HOW they approached the task. Both groups, though not talking to each other, created very similar groups. They generally put the characters in the same places, but are so far off in some cases that I actually laugh looking at the posters.

As the worked:



The Red Team's Groups:


And, the Green Team's Groups:


When the half hour was up, I asked the kids to do this:
I didn't give them a lot of time, because - as honors kids - they would have over analyzed. So, that was it. I told them that they had been working with the characters. I told them that they had some things "right" and some of their groups were WAY off. Then, we started reading.

I read almost the entire first chapter out loud, and they ate. it. up. It was amazing to watch them laugh, actually laugh, at a book. I watched them get into it in the first 30 pages. For homework, they read chapter 2, and I asked them to write a journal about what they think so far.

I'll let you know!

I'm feeling write on track.

The writing center at school is quickly coming together. In the past two weeks the kids have created a name (The Write Track), mission statement(you ask, we assist; you talk, we listen; you revise, we advise; you write, we help), and logo (it's in a picture below). It's getting kind of intense. Tomorrow, Matt, Melanie, and I will be going to the Maine High School Writing Centers conference. For this conference, we had to put together a poster. I finished it tonight, and felt like I wanted to share some of this hard work. Here it goes:



I thought I was pretty clever when I came up with this:








On the opposite side of the backboard is this:
And, one of my favorite things, our new, student-created logo:

Keeping the faith

It's always night. I always figure things out, and have epiphanies at night. I don't know why that happens, and I also don't know why I always let these discoveries slip my mind during the daylight hours. And, I don't mean slip my mind in the sense that I forget, I mean it in the sense that I don't believe them as much.

I am person who has faith. I don't have as much as I would like, but I have faith. I have faith in people - that they are kind and caring. I have faith in God - that there is a plan and he knows what he's doing. I usually have faith in myself - that I'm a good person, and on the right path. However, I sometimes lost faith in certain parts of my life - like the part where I want to find a life partner.

I find myself wondering, sometimes, why I'm still alone. I mean, ok. During high school I was too busy. My mother was sick, and I worked hard. I knew I needed to be academic, because I needed scholarships and grants for school. There was no time to deal with relationships. During college I was still really focused on school - on making it through. I also went to UVM (lots of boys who like boys) and then UMF (not many boys at all). My general situation has never really been conducive to finding a relationship. I've always known that, and owned that.

Lately, though, I've begun to wonder. I'm 26. I'm definitely not old, but I'm certainly not getting younger. I want things. I want kids, and a husband, and a house. I don't have time to date - as in lots of dates with different people. Casual dating isn't something I feel like I can, or want, to do. I want - and I think, I need - serious. Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting to marry someone right off the bat. However, it would be nice to meet someone.

I think I've always known that I would never be the kind of woman who has had several relationships. That's not me, because I give everything 100%. It would be difficult for me to cope with the failure of relationships (even though I know it happens). So, since I was a teenager, I've concluded that I'm going to be an exception to the trend. I feel, and I mean this, that when I meet the one, I'll know. And, I think that by the time I'm ready to invest in a man, he'll be the one.

I'm a one man kind of woman.

I get that I sound like a hopeless romantic (I am in many ways), and like I'm shooting for something unattainable. But the thing is - I FEEL it. Like somewhere in me I know that he's out there. I know that when it's right, I'll know. I just will. I tell myself to be patient, that when it's right, it will happen. The thing is, I'm starting to get tired of waiting.

There has been a lot of hurt in my life. I'm not alone there, I know. But I'm ready for something good. I'm ready to KNOW. And all of this brings me back to faith.

It's a struggle sometimes for me to keep the faith about this. I look around and see people coupled off, and they're so happy. I see people who struggle in their relationships, and I actually feel jealous. I want someone to struggle with. I want someone to have faith in, and who has faith in me.

I don't want to commit something that doesn't have the potential to be long term, because it's not worth it. I have faith that I'll find that someday, but I worry that it's far away.

All or nothing.

I don't do things half way. Work. Relationships. Life. Nothing in my life gets less than 100%. That's who I am, who I've always been, and who I'll always be. Most of the time, this particular quality serves me very well. Often, especially emotionally, this is cause for personal problems.

It's easy to do things all the way for work, or school, or whatever. It's not always easy to be the kid who goes all way with her emotions. It gives off the vibe that I'm a drama queen. Sometimes, I'll admit, I am. However, most of the time, I'm not trying to be dramatic. Most of the time, I'm just trying to get through.

If I'm angry, I get angry all the way. I want to break things or scream at the top of my lungs or both at the same time. I don't get kind of annoyed. I get pissed. When something makes me happy, I'm giddy. I jump up and down, clap my hands, grin, and celebrate. I get as excited over a nice card as most people would get if they found $100 on the ground. And, when I'm sad, I'm saaaaad. I cry. I mope. I get pessimistic. If I have a confrontation with a person at school (or a friend, or whomever), I cry. I get upset enough to sit in my room and let myself cry about it. I'm not ashamed of being an emotional person, but I do frustrate myself because of it.

I let things bug me longer than they should. Other people would be upset for an hour or two, and my day is ruined. And even though, once I'm over it, I'm usually over it, I carry these things with me and it's hard.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one in the world who gets so emotional. The only one who lets things affect me so easily, and to such a great extent. I'm proud of the fact that I don't accept less than my very best, but what is that going to cost me emotionally?

My first book.

Ok, today in school ...

I was yelled at and mocked by another student.
A student came to class long enough to get instructions on finding a fiction book, then turned around and walked away.
Two students got into a fist fight. There was blood.
A girl in my homeroom cried because she was referred to as "meaty". She is a size 6.

I think I should start writing a book. It will be dedicated (in part) to Coty for listening to me bitch about the kids at school. The title shall be:

The S#@* They Never Told You About Teaching

First day nightmare!

I can't remember - in the past two years - having a nightmare the day before school started. Last night, however, I did. Thankfully it wasn't of me showing up naked/in my underwear to school. It was actually kind of funny ...

I'm in class with 25ish kids (because the desks are all full). They won't settle down, and so I try staring at them. It doesn't work. I try huffing and puffing and sighing, but that doesn't work either. Then, I decide to yell. "QUIEEEEEEEET!" Nothing. They just keep on going. They aren't talking quietly, mind you, they are all shouting and laughing and having a grand old time. Then it happens ... I cup my hands over my mouth and in the biggest, loudest voice I can muster scream "SHUT UP!" It works. They look at me, and settle down. Too bad for them I'm already fuming! "That's it," I say. "I'm done. I will see ALL OF YOU IN DETENTION ON MONDAY!" (Apparantely my dream takes place on a Friday). So now, I have 25ish kids coming for detention. Except, there are three I ask to stay after class ... "You don't even have to come. You weren't doing anything, so you're totally free."

Later, in the dream and in the school day of that dream, I'm in my Vice Principal's office trying to explain to him why in the world I have that many kids for a detention. So, I explain the entire story to him ...

Then I woke up to my 5:50 alarm. It was time to shower and head in for the first day with a new crop of freshies.