Whale Talk - Day 8

Well, the two chapters I sent home over the weekend provided a little bit of a reprieve from all the intensity that we had read, and that they will read for Wednesday. These two chapters set us up with just a little more reinforcement that Mike and Rich are jerks, TJ is amazing, John is the epitome of a good man, and the other characters provide a rich background to support that. So, our discussion wasn't overly involved today.

Mostly, the kids talked about Andy Mott. We found out in Chapter 12 how he lost his leg, and let me tell you, it's about as tragic and disheartening as anything in this book. I don't want to give much away (because I'm hoping if you haven't already, you'll read this book), but Andy is a hard ass for a reason. The kids in my class were pretty shaken up by the whole thing. They also keep admitting that they don't totally believe that everything in here is plausible. Here are the reasons why they find this novel hard to believe sometimes (in their words):

1. Every character has a major life problem.
2. There is too much abuse in it.
3. The characters are too different to actually get along with each other so well.
4. People don't really open up and bond the way the Mermen have.

At the end of our discussion today, I addressed several of these "concerns" along with others. Here are my rebuttals, as well as a summation:

1. Jackie, Simet, Georgia, and even Simon don't have off-the-wall problems.
2. I didn't directly address this.
3. Sometimes people bring out the best in each other because they are so different.
4. I talked about this one in a previous class/post.

Summation: It's called fiction. In order to believe any work of fiction we have to suspend reality (I explained this further to them as being able to accept the far fetched). In this book, we don't even have to suspend reality that much. When we did our opening activity, the majority of the class said they wouldn't give Andy Mott the time of day. Is that still true? (They said no, FYI). Well, that's the point that Crutcher is making here. For instance, I could pull a slacker, jock, special education student, and loner aside in Old Town High School, and if I got to know them, I would learn something. That's what makes this believable - that we have to look beyond the surface level in order to really see people. We all make judgements - I know I do - and that's human nature, but we also have to be willing to take another look.

Then, because I admitted to being judgemental sometimes, they wanted to know what judgements I made when I first met them. I told them, but really, that should be dealt with in another entry altogether.

Some kids have finished the novel, and are dying to talk it out, because the end is rather shocking. You can see SOMETHING coming, but not what does, and boy-oh-boy, even I can't wait until Wednesday to see what they think.

Whale Talk - Day 7

I'm getting close to the end of this novel, and I'm getting a little sad. There's so much more I want to have done with it. So many more discussion, so many more writing topics, so much more. There just isn't time. There are 7 weeks of school left, and I need to get Romeo and Juliet in there, so we'll be finishing WT next week. Here's what happened in class today ...

I was super excited about the discussion today because in one of the chapters they read, this passage came up. It's my favorite passage of literature - probably ever. I always remember the essence of these words, and when I read them, I get chills. But, I digress.

I was excited (to restate). I lost about 30 minutes of class time to class registration for next year, so I was extra anxious to talk to the kids. I've discovered, though, that one of them really hates this book. It makes me sad that she does, but 14 others either tolerate, like, or love it. I can live with that. So, when guidance left, we jumped right into those two pages of text. I read them out loud - which I love doing - and when I was done we talked about what John meant.

At first, I got some blank stares, so I broke it down for them. Sitting upon the perch that is a student desk, I asked my students what was different about the way that whales communicate. The answers were astounding - like got me so excited I shook a little bit.

The kids GOT IT. They totally understood, and articulated, that when a whale feels something, they FEEL it. They share it in the most primal way, and all of the others whale hear that and feel it too. There is not censoring. Just raw, brutal emotion.

There's one student - we'll call him G. He's a goofball. He cracks jokes, never stops talking, and is one of those kids who doesn't take things seriously (he tried to milk himself in my class, and I'm serious here). He explained part of the passage better than the others saying, "When whales talk, everyone gets heard. Sometimes when we (humans) talk people aren't always heard. Like stars and newscasters are heard, but other people don't get the same kind of attention." I hadn't looked at it that way before, so this blew me away. It was also a perfect transition into talking about what it IS to be human, and how we cheat each other.

I asked how, as humans, we differ from whales. The told me: we don't always let our emotions show. I asked what we do when we keep information from people to try to protect them. We cheat them out of that feeling, that experience. Then, because they looked a little confused, I brought them back to the speech I had given last class. I can't remember exactly what I said, and what they said, but the gist is ...

If we - humans - let ourselves FEEL things. If we didn't bottle it up, or try to mask it, or ignore it. If, instead, we just felt it and talked about the world would be better. We could learn from each other, and even though that wouldn't stop us from hurting, we wouldn't be alone. I feel like so many of the problems in the world could be solved if we talked openly and honestly with each other. There wouldn't need to be lying or cheating - just truth. Does that hurt sometimes? Hell yes, but in the long run we would be so much better off as a species. We can learn just as much from the Jeffry Dahmer's of the world as we can the Mother Teresa's. If we took the time to understand one another things could BE better.

I swear I could keep going there, but I'll spare you.

As if that weren't enough to occupy us until 1:47, we had a WHOLE OTHER CHAPTER to discuss. Here are some of the conclusions drawn by my students today:

1. Kristen Sweetwater is a complete foil to Carly Hudson
2. Mike Barbour and Rich Marshall (and people like them) are products of their environments - a circle of abuse.
3. Andy Mott gives information (like how he lost his leg) on a need-to-know basis for two reasons:
a. To keep people's attention so they need him around
b. He understands that people need time to process all the terrible things that have happened to him.
4. We love TJ's parents.

And that, dear reader, was my fabulous day of class with the Freshman Honors group :-)

What is Whale Talk?

I'm sure I'll expand on this tomorrow after my honors class, but for now, you need to know this is my favorite passage of literature. Probably ever. I get chills each and every time I read it. And, each and every time I finish it, I have tears in my eyes. It's that good.

Just to set you up ... TJ's dad, John, had a horrible thing happen to him - well, because of him. It's something that this man struggles with daily; something that he constantly tries to make up for. Just before this conversation, TJ found his Dad at home, in a bedroom, crying.

"... 'I realized I had reached adulthood without even knowing what it is to be human. Nobody ever told me how dangerous it is, how risky. I started wishing I were a whale. At least they know what it is to be a whale. I mean, think of it. I walk outside and scream at the top of my lungs, and it travels maybe two blocks. A whale unleashes a cry and it travels hundreds or even thousands of miles. Every whale in the ocean will at one time or another run into that song. And I figure whales probably don't edit. It they think it, they say it. If some man-whale cheats on his wife, her anguish, her rage, her despair, is heard and understood by every whale who swims into the range of her voice. The joy of lovemaking, the crippling heartache of a lost child - it's all heard and understood. Predators and prey have equal voice. The Mother Teresa whales and the Jeffry Dahmer whales all have their say. Whale talk is the truth, and in a very short period of time, if you're a whale, you know exactly what is to be you.'

I watch a spider crawl across the ceiling toward the light.

'All that is exactly opposite of what it is to be human. My parents were wonderful people, I suppose, but they didn't want me to know the real skinny on sex or love or boredom or hate or disappointment. They sold me their wishes as if they were fact. After you saw me in the bedroom, I was embarrassed. I feel so weak when I get like that. But, the truth is, that's just the way it is with me some of the time, and you might as well know it.'

I tell him what I haven't said. 'I guess I was afraid you were suicidal.'

'Suicidal or not, I'm not going to kill myself,' he said with a smile. 'If I were going to do that, I'd have done it a long time ago. What you need to know about your old man is that I always bounce back.'

I went to my room and tried to get some sleep, but I couldn't help running Dad's and my conversation over in my head. If we all spoke in whale talk, and I heard the voice of Chris Coughlin and Andy Mott and Simon Delong, how would I put them in the same ocean with the shit that comes out of Rich Marshall and Mike Barbour?'"

Whale Talk - Day 6

Get ready. This could be long. In an effort to keep myself on track, I shall categorize today's post on class. Here we go.

1. Discussion Time
The kids have now read 10 of the 15 chapters in this book. They get it (mostly), they're reading it (mostly), and they seem to like it (mostly). Instead of sitting as a whole class and discussing today, I had the kids work in small groups. This was purposeful. I can tell, when we talk as a class, that they want me to GIVE them an answer. I keep having to drill into their heads that with literature, there is not RIGHT answer as long as you can back up your ideas with the text. The other reason I wanted to do it as small groups was because there were a lot of things to talk about, and not enough time.

The groups did pretty well. There were 4 of them, and they answered 1 question each. After about 20 minutes, we came back as a large group and the smaller groups reported out. The kids had a chance to add their two cents and I got to add my quarter. I was really impressed with SOME of the answers. They seem to be really "getting" the characters in this book, and I'm not surprised. One of the marvelous things about WT is that each character, though exaggerated in some ways, is believable. The kids can all find someone to whom they relate, which keeps them engaged in the book. It also makes them feel invested, at least that's my hope.



2. Bearing it All - for the discussion
I realize that the previous paragraphs covered the class discussion, however, something significant came up.

During these chapters Andy Mott becomes a pretty significant presence. He's one of the most intense characters I've ever read, and I love him. One of the things that came up during the discussion, from the kids, is that Andy's role on the team is as the challenger. He challenges the rest of the characters to BE better, to see things differently, and to be careful what assumptions they make. He does this during "cocoon like" bus rides to and from swim meets. These bus rides are when the team bonds - and that term doesn't truly capture the connection that these 7 boys and 2 coaches make.

One of the discussion questions asked the kids whether this kind of sharing (of REALLY personal stuff) is believable among virtual strangers. Among the points raised by the students were:
1. They aren't really strangers because they've been practicing and traveling for months
2. People aren't usually willing to share such horrific things about themselves

At this point, because it was the final question, we were short on time. I needed the kids to leave understanding that there are people who would believably share that much of themselves. I spent the next five minutes recounting my personal belief about humans. The more extensive version can be found here (it's my learning autobiography for the Maine Writing Project). What I shared with kids was this:

I really believe that as humans we are here for each other. That when we go through things we need to share. It's easy for us to share the good things - the successes - because those make us proud. I believe that it's just as important to share the hardships. I'm open. Ask me a question, and I'll give you an answer because I don't feel like I have anything to hide. My Mom dying - I feel like I have a responsibility to share that story. I don't share it because I want to be depressing - it's the opposite. I want people to see that I made it through to the other side. If we don't share the hardships, how can we share the lessons we've learned? I wouldn't want to go through losing my mother again, but I do thing that that I am a better person for having survived that. Other people need to know so that they, too, can survive.

I am so passionate about that sentiment. I sometimes forget HOW passionate I am until I look out to 15 freshman faces, all wide-eyed and not one of them makes a sound. I could see the wheels turning in their heads, and I thought to myself, "This is it. This is what I'm supposed to me doing." And having read this post just before class, I was glad that I GET to teach these students.


3. I Love Grading WT Journals (this is it, I promise)

I love coming home from work and WANTING to read the things my students write. It's fabulous. In my last WT post, I mentioned that I had started getting mixed reviews. I still did. However, before they left class today I explained that they don't have to like every book. It's OK not to enjoy something, but you have to give it a chance. The thing that is funny about this class and this book is that most the "negative" journals begin and/or end like this:

I don't know Ms. Davis. I think this book is kind of boring. Why is it your favorite? I don't get it. BUT, I do really love reading about the characters' stories.

I actually explained to the class that this book is unique. It isn't driven by plot events; it's driven by the characters. I tried to show them (in the 3 minutes of class we had left) that if they like the stories of the characters, they do kind of like the book. That if they have an emotional response to a novel, the author has done his job. And, whoa nelly, has he in this book.

So, anyway. I got home tonight, walked the dog, fixed dinner, and sat down to treat myself (dead serious here, not sarcastic at all) to a dose of WT journals. Here are some of my favorite quotes - directly from OTHS Honors English Freshman (with commentary from yours truly):

"Carly is my favorite character hands down. She's independent, and wants to be independent. She doesn't want to count on other people, and that's the kind of person I want to be eventually." Whoa.

"The fact that I'm a hundred pages in and I don't know how the story is going to turn out makes a good book!" Oh, you have NO idea!

"Is it possible the point of this book is to show change? That these people can overcome all of these problems? The these letter jackets will change the school's opinion? Their prejudices?" I swear, he's in 9th grade.

"This book does a good job at breaking stereotypes." I concur! And it's believable breaking, at that!

"I don't want to admit it, but I am starting to really like this book." Mwuahahaha - sucked another one in!

And my favorite part of any journal to date, because it says what I could not seem to articulate ...

"I love how it is based on one simple thing, but it covers so much really deep information. From bullying to racism to obesity. You name it!"

Whale Talk - Day 5

Despite the fact that there is laundry fold, a dog to bathe, and grading to do, I'm sitting here writing a post on Whale Talk progress. There isn't a ton to report, but I started this, and I plan on finishing it.

One of my great regrets with this unit - which is only half way over at this point - is that I haven't given myself enough time. With all of the standard grade 9 curriculum elements, the previous teachers assigned a novel as outside reading. They chose The Count of Monte Cristo. While I'm certain this book is probably good, it's not WT. WT needs to be taught explicitly, and there isn't enough time to do everything I want to. I've had to make sacrifices, but it's still going well.

On Friday, we started out with a reading check quiz. 5 questions to make sure they read their 60 pages for the week. They did. All of them. 15 out of 15 read. Not bad for a novel - especially when the honors sophomores in my homeroom tell me they blow off entire novels; well, A Tale of Two Cities. But, I digress. All the kids did well on their reading check. On the back, they had to respond to this:
Please write a few paragraphs explaining your reactions to the novel so far. What do you like? Dislike? Are there things confusing you?

I got more mixed reviews than in previous days, but no one hates it. The kids who said they didn't like it also said they were confused. Crutcher uses flashback a lot to elaborate on characters' lives when the information is necessary. We talked about that in class. One student asked why he didn't just give us all the info in the exposition (I was excited she remembered that term). Well, B, it's a need-to-know thing. If we got all the info at the start, there would be nothing driving the plot. Each character has secrets and unexpected elements to their life. If we knew that from the beginning, it wouldn't be as effective when things all come together - and, oh boy, do they.

Anyhoo ... kids that love it. I took pictures. Here's what a few said:






These were most definitely some of the BEST chapters. We spent almost an hour engaged in conversation. They asked questions, I answered. They discussed characters and events. It was just so great to sit in class and talk about LITERATURE. This, after all, is why I became and English teacher.

Whale Talk - Day 4

Well, I'm still stoked about teaching this book, and I'm still excited to be writing about it on my blog. I like writing about it because it gets me writing. It's something for other people to read, or for me to look back on - as I suspect I might be the only person interested at all in these posts.

Our lesson today wasn't totally Whale Talk centered. The kids have until Friday to read chapters 4, 5, and 6. This was an in-between day. BUT, it was productive, and it was about the novel. I assigned their project. It's a project I did in British Literature at BHS with Mrs. Manhart. We did it in conjunction with Lord of the Flies, but with a little tweaking Megan (the fabulous new English teacher at OTHS) and I made it work. I'm kind of excited. Here's what it is:

I think the kids were a little bit intimidated, but I have confidence that they'll pull it off. It's a really great project because - and I know this from experience - it makes you analyze without really knowing that you're doing that. I loved this project so much that I still have mine. It was on Piggy.

Anyway, we also looked at the basic principles of Taoism today. It wasn't stellar, and if I had researched more ahead of time it could have been. I gave a small handout, read it, and then we listed the basic ideas in the board. The biggest one that I wanted them to get was that nothing can exist without its opposite - good needs evil; light needs dark; male needs female, and so on. They're writing journals about how Taoism relates to the plot/characters. I'm hoping they'll see the opposites thing in the characters.

The best part of today's class was when Riley looked at me, with wide blue eyes, and said, "I've already done all the reading for Friday. This book is AWESOME!"

Whale Talk - Characters

It occurred to me, as I wrote the previous post, that if you don't know the characters of this book, you won't get the blogs. While I'm not sure anyone even reads this, I would be remiss if I didn't share the background I wrote up for 14 of the book's characters (for that HOOK activity that was so epic).

TJ Jones, you...
- Are a natural athlete, but dislike organized school sports and what they stand for
- Are loyal. Your friends are protected by you, sometimes at a personal cost
- Have trouble staying in control when you’re angry
- See wrongness/evil in the world and want to fight it
- Are virtuous and honorable to a fault

Chris Coughlin, you ...
- Have a serious mental disability. It prohibits you from fully understanding social situations
- Are afraid of people you do not know
- Are gentle and caring
- Want to find a place where you fit in
- Spend a lot of time alone

Andy Mott, you ...
- Hate everyone and everything
- Are angry, and take out on whomever you can
- Are incredibly smart, but do just enough to pass (classes and life)
- Don’t have many friends
- Have only one leg
- Will protect those who can’t protect themselves, but don’t want credit for it
- Defy authority in anyway you can

Dan Hole, you ...
- Are a genius, and you talk like it. You’re a math whiz and your vocabulary is out of control
- Are socially awkward because you spend more time with books than with people
- Enjoy having a sense of purpose

Jackie Craig, you ...
- Are an outsider
- Insecure and have low self-esteem
- Almost never speak
- Seem invisible to yourself and others
- Observant and caring

Tay-Roy Kibble, you ...
- Are stacked
- Are confident, but not overly
- Have few friends, but are very friendly
- Are disciplined and dedicated
- Willing to stand up for the people you care about

Simon Delong, you ...
- Are massive in size
- Are looking for quality friends
- Are reserved and shy at first
- Are willing to lie to get a girl

Mike Barbour, you ...
- Are a follower and bully
- Are a jock, and a good one at that
- A person willing to learn from his mistakes
- Believe that you are entitled to the best
- Stick to traditions and have high standards

Simmet, you ...
- Are a caring and giving person
- Will bend rules to fit your needs
- Want what’s best for the people you care about
- Are diplomatic and pragmatic

Georgia, you ...
- Are great with kids, especially troubled ones
- Offer words of wisdom when they are needed most

Alicia, you ...
- Are scared and are unsure of the future
- Have low self-esteem
- Don’t always do what’s best for your family, but want to more than anything
- Need support from strong people in order to do what is right

Oliver "Icko" Van Zandt, you ...
- Give more than you truly can to those you love
- Word very hard
- Are respected by those who know you best

Rich Marshall, you ...
- Are abusive
- Are a pillar in the community and hold power
- Scare people
- Are racist and bigoted

Heidi, you ...
- Are scared
- Need to be able to trust people to take care of you
- Are forgiving, but not naïve

John Jones (Dad), you ...
- Try to make up for the sins of your past
- Are a caretaker and protector for those who can’t do that for themselves
- Have a strong moral compass, and trust it implicitly
- Intimidating, but not on purpose

Abby Jones (Mom), you ...
- Are protective of those you love and those who cannot protect themselves
- Ready to fight injustice

Carly, you ...
- Able to take care of yourself, and do not want a caretaker
- Are athletic and attractive
- Could be a snob, but are not
- Are objective and straight forward

Benson/Roundtree, you ...
- Value athletes above others
- Don't always use your position at school for the betterment of students