To Teach a Teacher

I learned so much more than I ever thought I would in this class, and most of it was by doing and discussing, (rather than the usual heavy workload of reading and writing papers that many other classes require.) This is exactly how I want to teach -- through engagement. Engaging students is by far the most important concept I learned this semester, and I feel as though other classes or teachers have not stressed how utterly important it is. We cannot just stand in front of a classroom and lecture, or click through a Powerpoint presentation. We need to reach our students, and differentiate instruction to reach each and every one of them. The biggest shift in my view of education is that I now put myself in the students' shoes. If I would rather do a simulation activity modeling the Holocaust when reading Number the Stars than writing an essay, then why would I assign them an essay? I think that some teachers take the easy way out; I've had teachers like this in the past. My curriculum here at Shippensburg has shown me what past teachers could have done better. I am distraught when I think back to my junior high and high school classrooms that lacked the engagement I, and all of my friends, really needed. I could have had a better educational experience, which upsets me. I never want a student to reflect back on my class and have this same thought. If an individual prefers to take the easy road, then teaching is certainly not for him/her.

On the other hand, I have had wonderful teachers as well. And when I think back to their classes, they implemented much of the same engagement strategies that I have come to know. We did activities, we analyzed the book, we became the book, rather than just talking broadly or writing about it. My approach to literature and the way in which I will teach it has changed as well. I am not afraid to have my students just delve into a book like I do. I was worried for a long time that there would be a divide between the way in which I read and the way in which they will. But now I have the confidence to just convince them to jump in head first, even if it is a hard text (like Shakespeare). Because I will be right there if they need my help, and we can work as a class through our difficulties together.

I want to make my classroom a community, as mentioned above. I believe this creates more positive surroundings for everyone, which makes students want to come to class and enjoy their time there. Much of what I learned in Adolescent Lit was not taught through instruction, but through how our class was structured. Dr. Shannon promoted such a relaxed and fun atmosphere, such that I always felt comfortable asking questions and sharing my thoughts. This is vital to a classroom. If students cannot share their ideas, then we have nothing; because their education is about them. I want to keep my classroom management under control, but at the same time create the relaxed atmosphere I felt in this class. Lastly, I think if we are understanding and kind teachers, who are compassionate towards the needs of our students, we can never go wrong. If students make a connection with us as people, even if it is just that they feel as though we are easy to talk to, then maybe they will make a connection with us as teachers as well, and engage in our class.

The Lyrics of My Life

"The House That Built Me" ~ Miranda Lambert
I know they say you can’t go home again
I just had to come back one last time
Ma’am I know you don’t know me from Adam
But these handprints on the front steps are mine

Up those stairs in that little back bedroom
Is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar
I bet you didn’t know under that live oak
My favorite dog is buried in the yard

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
This brokenness inside me might start healing
Out here it’s like I’m someone else
I thought that maybe I could find myself

If I could just come in I swear I’ll leave
Won’t take nothing but a memory
From the house that built me

Mama cut out pictures of houses for years
From Better Homes and Gardens magazine
Plans were drawn and concrete poured
Nail by nail and board by board
Daddy gave life to mama’s dream

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
This brokenness inside me might start healing
Out here it’s like I’m someone else
I thought that maybe I could find myself

If I could just come in I swear I’ll leave
Won’t take nothing but a memory
From the house that built me

You leave home and you move on and you do the best you can
I got lost in this old world and forgot who I am

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
This brokenness inside me might start healing
Out here it’s like I’m someone else
I thought that maybe I could find myself

If I could walk around I swear I’ll leave
Won’t take nothing but a memory
From the house that built me


"Banana Pancakes" ~ Jack Johnson 
Can't you see that it's just raining?
Ain't no need to go outside...

Baby, you hardly even notice
When I try to show you this
Song is meant to keep you
From doing what you're supposed to.
Waking up too early
Maybe we can sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now

And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just raining?
Ain't no need to go outside

But just maybe, laka ukulele
Mommy made a baby
Really don't mind the breakfast
'cause you're my little lady
Lady, lady, love me
'cause I love to lay here lazy
We could close the curtains
Pretend like there's no world outside

And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just raining?
Ain't no need to go outside

Ain't no need, ain't no need, mmm, mmm,
Can't you see, can't you see?
Rain all day, rain all night.

The telephone is singing
Ringing
It's too early
Don't pick it up
We don't need to we got everything
We need right here
And everything we need is enough
Just so easy
When the whole world fits inside of your arms
Don't really need to pay attention to the alarm
Wake up slow, yeah, wake up slow

Baby, you hardly even notice
When I try to show you this
Song is meant to keep ya
From doing what your supposed to
Waking up too early
Maybe we can sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now

And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just raining?
Ain't no need to go outside
Ain't no need, ain't no need
Rain all day and I really really, really don't mind
Can't you see, can't you see?
You gotta wake up slow 


"Life After You" ~ Daughtry
Ten miles from town and I just broke down
Spittin' out smoke on the side of the road
I'm out here alone just tryin' to get home
To tell you I was wrong but you already know

Believe me I won't stop at nothin'
To see you so I've started runnin'

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
As long as I'm laughin' with you
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after
After the life we've been through
'Cause I know there's no life after you

Last time we talked, the night that I walked
Burns like an iron in the back of my mind
I must've been high to say you and I
Weren't meant to be and just wastin' my time

Oh, why did I ever doubt you?
You know I would die here without you

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
As long as I'm laughin' with you
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after
[From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/d/daughtry-lyrics/life-after-you-lyrics.html]
After the life we've been through
'Cause I know there's no life after you

You and I, right or wrong, there's no other one
After this time I spent alone
It's hard to believe that a man with sight could be so blind
Thinkin' 'bout the better times, must've been outta my mind
So I'm runnin' back to tell you

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
Without you God knows what I'd do, yeah

All that I'm after is a life full of laughter
As long as I'm laughin' with you
I'm thinkin' 'bout all that still matters is love ever after
After the life we've been through, yeah
Know there's no life after you

Know there's no life after you
Know there's no life after you
Know there's no life after you
Know there's no life after you
Know there's no life after you
Know there's no life after you
Know there's no life after you, yeah

Students or Fact Machines??

I chose to read Chapter 4 of Teaching Shakespeare Today, "The Use of Quotations in Teaching Shakespeare" by Leila Christenbury. I am such a "quote lover," you could say, and always seem to place inspirational and beautifully written quotations that I find around my room. So this chapter spoke to me from the beginning, and I came to embrace Christenbury's approach almost immediately. She pulls specific quotes from scenes of plays to teach the Shakespeare unit to her class, rather than having them read the plays in entirety. Smaller chunks of text focus students and provide more structure. Christenbury states that her approach uses the "part" to teach the "whole," meaning that quotes can exhibit for students a main theme of a Shakespeare play just as well as the whole play could. This method would be way less intimidating to students, I think, because many are discouraged before they even begin a play by its length and language. Even I was intimidated last semester taking Shakespeare as a Junior English major in college. We need to be sensitive to our students' feelings about Shakespeare and other complex texts, and facilitate enjoyment of reading more so than just pulling out facts. Christenbury reminds us that the "big picture" of a novel or play is of utmost importance; students should not be treated as fact machines. I remember so many times in high school where I would read a novel and love it; and my teacher would completely ruin these good feelings by asking us to restate menial facts about the story. (i.e. What color is the hat John wears?) These things have no relevance to the meaning and themes of a text, whether it be by Shakespeare or any author. I think that I will follow Christenbury's approach when teaching Shakespeare, and even other texts, in my classroom. It opens the door to creative extensions and activities that can be done with students, which facilitate a much higher level of thinking than fact spewing.

Can 1984 still fit into a 2011 classroom??

Feed could be our 1984 of today, but then where does George Orwell's novel fit into society and our classrooms? It was written in 1948 (oddly enough) and published in 1949, and predicted what the world would be like 36 years ahead of its time. 1984 is now 27 years behind us, and all of the proposals Orwell sets out seemingly did not even come true...or did they? Teacher Vision, a teacher resource website, explains the relevance of 1984 still today:
    
     1984...was intended as a warning against totalitarian tendencies rather than as a prophetic work. Now that the year 1984 has passed, many may scoff at the warning, but those who do would be wise to look at the present a bit more closely. Currently, we have subliminal messages, two-way televisions, computer viruses threatening to endanger our much depended-upon information systems (with possible global impact), and countries all over the world committing atrocities against their own people. Recent political campaigns have shown us explicitly the extent to which propaganda has corrupted our own language. Politicians have perfected their own type of "Newspeak."
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/science-fiction/activity/3305.html


The above excerpt points out all of the flaws of today's society that occur in Orwell's novel published 28 years ago. I remember sitting in my senior English class and thinking, "Why the heck are we reading this, when 1984 is long gone?" It is before some of us were even born! I think it is important to open with a quote like the one above to show students the relevance of both Orwell's and other futuristic novels. They can do reflections and/or have a class discussion at stopping points throughout the book to discuss which of Orwell's predictions or variations of them have actually come true. 

I never EVER want a feed.

Feed. is. weird. I have so many questioning thoughts about this novel! First of all, the lesions that all the characters have are DISGUSTING! They almost serve as a symbol of trends in modern-day societies: no matter how ugly or awful something is, if peers have one or are participating, we just jump on the badwagon! I wonder also if the lesions are a result of something harmful in the atmosphere. Maybe they are an exaggerated extension of the results of all the pollutants in our atmosphere today, since the novel is futuristic. Going back to the idea of the badwagon and lesions...this is a direct representation of how the characters cannot think for themselves because of the feed. In today's world, teens and young adults are already so easily influenced by friends and surroundings. Imagine if we had computers to think FOR us! This aspect of M.T. Anderson's book particularly scares me. It seems as though this is the direction in which our world is headed, the world where just a few generations below us could live. And the sad part is, they won't even realize how controlling and terrible technology is until it is ruling their lives. The characters in this book seem to think that the feed is the only way to think and communicate. They cannot fathom a time, nor want to, where people use their own thoughts and emotions to drive decisions and interactions. I do not want my children or my children's children to live in a world like this.

Feed does however have many positive aspects for our future students. The language personally drove me crazy as an English major, and was a challenge to get through at first. I was confused in certain parts of the novel where the characters would constantly switch back and forth between their own simple language and modern-day English. However I do think the language is very relatable to students, who spend their days using short responses in texts and on social networks. Another positive aspect of the novel for students is its text and length. Not only is the language itself quick and easy to read, but the format of the novel is not at all intimidating. The chapters are short, and the amount of text on each page is minimal. Finally, the themes presented in Anderson's story are fun and interesting to discuss with a class of high school students. Many extensions and activities could be used in a Feed unit in the classroom. We could have students communicate one class period only through texting or instant messaging, and ask them if the activity is similar or different to their real lives. Students could create a future world in a 3-D version (diorama) or a drawn version on poster board. To accompany this, they could submit a short paper listing both the positive and negative aspects of their created world.

I began Feed on the plane ride to my Spring break destination and quite honestly was like, "What the heck?!" at first. But once I read farther and got past the language a bit, I did enjoy it. :)

I am enjoying Lois Lowry's Number the Stars just as much now as I did in sixth grade! This was one of my favorite books as a child, partly because I remember my teacher being so enthusiastic about it. I will definitely include this novel in my curriculum whenever possible, and hopefully portray the same enthusiasm my sixth grade teacher did. This book is so easy to relate to, especially for children, which is another reason I enjoy it so much. However on my second read because I am older, I find myself relating more to Annemarie's parents than to Annemarie and Ellen. I cannot imagine being put in their situation with, say, the two little girls I babysit or my little cousins. I would not even know how to go about informing children of such a serious and dangerous event, but they seem to do it beautifully. In this sense then, Number the Stars offers young readers other children they can relate to (Annemarie and Ellen), and also wonderful role models (the girls' parents). The fact that a story of the Holocaust is told through the eyes of a young girl makes it so much less intimidating for our students. It informs them of how that terrible time affected children and young adults their own age, which can help them to comprehend much better than reading facts out of a history book. In my opinion, relating material to students' own lives will always improve their understanding and remembrance of it. Lowry also provides a glimpse of the Holocaust through the eyes of what could just as easily be these young readers' parents. I think making these connections when teaching a unit as serious and tough as the Holocaust can put the material on our students' level, and make it a little less scary to learn and discuss.


I looked online for ideas to teach Number the Stars in relation to the Holocaust. One website strongly suggested discussing with students the reoccurring Star of  David, and what it means to Jewish people. I think this is especially important, since it comes up many times in the novel and our students may not know a lot about the Jewish faith. Perhaps introducing the Jewish faith in general and major events and countries included in the Holocaust prior to reading the novel would be beneficial. In addition, Denmark may be a little known country to students in sixth or seventh grade. I remember wondering about characteristics of Copenhagen, Denmark in sixth grade. It is hard to understand the context of a story if the reader cannot grasp setting. One website offered this activity:

"1. Travel Brochure

Prepare a travel brochure using pictures found or drawn from Denmark to share with the class and encouraging people to visit this country after the war."

Some modifications could be made to this activity, such as half the class making a brochure of Denmark during the war, and half of post-war Denmark. Comparisons could then be made in class discussion. This would also be beneficial to students if completed prior to reading the novel, and help them to accurately imagine where Number the Stars takes place. 

A Fun Thought :)

Can I just tell everyone how excited I am to read a book that I actually want to read over Spring Break?! Any suggestions?