Night

Over the years I have read quite a few books and accounts of the horrors that ocured in Nazi Germany and the concentration camps, Elie Wiesel's book was by far one of the best tellings of what happened. The level of detail, the shear emotion and the exceptional story telling make this an incredible read. This is a book that I can see using stand alone in an English curriculum or even using parts or the whole book in a Social Studies classroom during the discussion of WWII and the atrocities performed by Germany during the Holocaust.

That being said there are some very graphic details and situations in this book and it will require a lot of discussion in class prior to reading it and also during the course of the book. Because of the sensitive nature of this topic it will be important to remember that there could possibly be students that this topic will directly affect.

Great read though and I think that most anybody should sit down and take the 3 to 4 hours it takes to read this and expand their mind and knowledge.

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo

For all of us Shakespeare, especially the play Romeo and Juliet, has been done in so many ways and in so many different mediums that the whole idea of teaching it to our students is almost mind numbing. Now I am by no means minimizing the artistic quality and excellent prose that WS put down on paper to be performed. The story in itself is ancient and has been retold over and over again, but the problem lies in the fact that everyone knows this play.

I think that to teach WS you will need to find a way to get the kids involved with the history of the play, understand the context in which the play is written and allow them to find meaning in what is going on without being told. Utilizing modern versions of the story and even some strong media examples may make this more relevant and enjoyable for the students.

The TPA

I will be the first one to say that the process for doing the TPA is redundant and frustrating. At times it feels as though it takes longer to compose your lesson plan than to teach it. That being said I have to admit that there are practical uses for the TPA and I understand the reasons behind the state of Washington in adopting this process. The focus that it provides, especially for areas such as assessment and differentiated instruction are valuable tools and helps the instructor focus on the needs of the class as a whole and how to reach them. When I first started using the TPA many of the sections didn't quite make sense to me and now as I sit down to write out lesson plans I tend to focus more on things like Student Voice and Assessment.

Differentiated Instruction

Classrooms are an ever changing environment. Over the years we have gone from classrooms that were set up for students of certain abilities and skills, to classrooms that are filled with kids of all different levels of understanding and education. As a teacher of Social Studies and English, I feel that Differentiated Instruction, when applied correctly, allows the teacher to create lessons that will connect in one way or another with their students, understanding the material and how it is being used. I spent some time on the website www.differentiatedinstruction.net and was able to get a better understanding of the the philosophy and the concept around differentiated instruction. I really enjoyed how it broke down what the program does and doesn't do and addresses a lot of the misconceptions that both teachers and parents can have in regards to the program.

The resource page provides great information to instructors as far as teaching manuals and literature that can be printed off and used at no cost. All in all as we move towards the TPA and teaching in a classroom this is a great resource.

Tovani - Reading In Flanders Field

1. Read the poem all the way through, twice

2. Think about any background knowledge that you have that will help you connect to the people, animals, or objects in the poem

     In Flanders Field was written by Lt.Cnl John McCrae, a Canadian physician during WWI. This was his attempt to paint a picture of the Second Battle of Ypres, where it was believed the Germans used poison gas for the first time. After the battle Dr. McCrae was burying his friend at Essex Farm just North of Ypres, when he noticed the vast amounts of poppies that grew among the battlefield. 

3. Try to make a picture in our head of what's happening in the poem

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands, we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

 

4. What  do you think the poem is about?

When I read this poem I feel that it is the voice of the fallen. They ask for those still fighting to fight the good fight, remember them with honor and do them proud. For this is the only way that they may rest in piece on this hallowed ground. 

 

Textual Evidence                                                                      Background Knowlege

Take up our quarrel with the foe:                                              Dr. In WWI

To you from falling hands, we throw                                        Beside medicine was an avid poet

The torch; be yours to hold it high                                            

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 

In Flanders fields.

Chris Tovani rocks

Wow..... from the very get go on this book, it was as though Tovani had taken a look at my life and struggles I had when I was a young reader. Her insight to reading difficulties and ideas to work around them were fantastic. I loved the way that she interacted with the kids in her class and answered their fears and apprehensions regarding not only reading but what to expect in her class. Gaining knowledge from her students and how they had survived up till this point in their education allowed her to directly address each one and discuss a technique that might work for them as they progressed. Even when she met opposition from students, it didn't deter her or set her back, instead it provided more focus and how she would work with this student to overcome the barriers that had been placed in front of them. One of my favorite quotes from the book has to be "Too many bright kids are wasting time sitting in back of the classroom expecting to be filled with knowledge. It's time to pull the plug on this type of behavior and begin teaching adolescents of all ages and reading abilities how to understand what they read so they can begin constructing meaning on their own." There are so many tools out there to help kids to day and there is no excuse for teachers to just let students slide by and fake read their way through school and life.

A Response to A Response Based Approach to Reading Literature

Loved this article. For me books and reading has always been about taking the words written by the author and finding my own meaning and purpose. I have had classes that have taken the approach of teaching classic lit and giving a traditional interpretation that has been used for years in the classroom. But for me and teaching lit I feel that it is important to allow kids to develop their own interpretations of  the text. 

I really appreciated the introduction to

SUPPORTING THE LITERARY EXPERIENCE:

THE FOCUS OF INSTRUCTION

The thought-provoking literature class is an environment where students

are encouraged to negotiate their own meanings by exploring possibilities,

consider understandings from multiple perspectives, sharpen their own

interpretations, and learn about features of literary style and analysis through the

insights of their own responses. Responses are based as much on readers' own

personal and cultural experiences as on the particular text and its author. 

To me this will allow the student to get the fullest opportunity to not only learn but to develop a manner of thought that will benefit them in years to come.