"What if I don't like it?  What if I don't understand it?"

I was caught off guard by this question today in class.  I honestly had no good answer for her.  I tried to think of a time when I had to write on something I didn't like.  I could not think of something I didn't like.  

That is not to say that I did not understand it.  I have had many occasions where I had to write on a text I did not understand.  I still did not give her a good answer.  I am not sure I even gave her an answer.  I am sure this frustrated her.

I know when I run into having to write on a text I don't understand, I research it.  I find essays on the text and analysis written by other people on that text.  Sometimes I have to get a different translation of the text to understand it.  I have often had to listen to the text to understand it.  

With Shakespeare, I watch a theatrical production of the play I'm reading because I can interpret the subtle facial expressions and gestures by the characters to understand the text.  I allowed the students to watch a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  I thought this would help, but it obviously did not help her.  I have a feeling she may be one of those readers who only understands texts if it tells her exactly what it is about.  It would have to be a text where she would have to infer nothing!

God, help her!

A Japanese Model

As I pondered on our reading of Carol Jago's chapter six "Lesson Design for Classical Literature" from her professional development book entitled Classics in the Classroom, I just had to pause and comment on a few of her points.

First, what the coincidence that she uses Japan as an example of teacher professional development.  Right, Trent?

So very interesting how they provide professional development, pd based on the premise that "successful teachers are the best teachers of teachers."  True.  The teachers themselves identify a problem and then plan a lesson that addresses this concern.  One teacher demonstrates the lesson for the other teachers, who critique. Then revisions are made.  As Jago notes, "One of the most powerful outcomes of this lesson study process is that teachers develop a shared language for describing and analyzing classroom practices."

Just have to note here, that this, too, is the premise of Lyon College and this class.  When asked if would teach Methods for Secondary English, I had to acknowledge that my masters degree is not in English.  Quickly, the reply came, "You are in the classroom teaching English, aren't you?"

Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.

In my situation in my current school, I would love for this to happen, for I spend hours creating lesson plans for my classes.  Yes, hours.  "Americans ascribe virtue to individual effort and originality, but the longer I am in this profession, the more I am convinced that we need to spend more time working together toward a common goal."  Those are Jago's words, but they might as well be mine, for I wholeheartedly support this also.

Another echo I hear of Jago's is "I still can't write lesson plans for more than a week in advance."  Map out the skills to be taught?  Yes.  Create the big picture of a grading period?  Yes.  Begin with the end in mind?  Yes. But detailed, down-to-the-minute lesson plans?  No?  If I have learned anything in twenty-one-plus years of teaching, it's that every class is different, and interruptions are just the norm.

Our department is working closer than it ever has.  That I appreciate, yet I want more.  More for myself as a teacher and more for my students.  More.

Use of technology to understand Shakespeare

I find it difficult at times to understand the language of Shakespeare.  I know this is a shocking confession considering how much I love Shakespeare's work.  So, I usually watch a production of the play I am reading.  To be able to see the gestures and facial expression make the words come alive for me.  For this reason, I decided to allow the student to watch a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  I found an app on the iPod that is pg rated.  It does have the words "ass" and "hell," but does not give in to the sexual suggestions.  Plus, it is in cartoon form.  They seem mesmerized by the "B" rated program.  I will do all I can to allow them to experience many things.

Paper Topics

Sometimes I have problems figuring out paper topics.  A professor confronted me about a paper I still owe him and asked to have a meeting to go over possible paper topics.  I do not currently have any possible paper topics. 
What are some ways to spark ideas about paper topics and is it wrong for a teacher to assist a student to spark creativity on a certain subject?

Warning Signs Of Depression

So I will come right out and say that I have been battling with depression lately.  This is very unlike me, and took me by surprise when I could not get out of bed for over two weeks.  I got behind in classes, papers, tests, quizzes, etc.  I contemplated withdrawing because the feelings of being overwhelmed crippled me, and getting behind only magnified the situation. 
I went to class one day in the middle of this and had a break down moment in front of a fellow classmate who took the initiative to type a line on a blank word document and told me to WRITE!  So I did.  In 45 minutes I had written the issues paper that I was 4 days late turning in.  Small accomplishment.  Then I went to class to turn in the paper and my professor confronted me about my odd behavior lately.  He insisted that I go see the school nurse to be screened for depression.  I did just that and started a web of understanding and support.  The nurse set me up an appointment with a doctor to get on an anti depressant and to begin the process of helping myself out of my anxiety. 
This is not a story about depression as much as it is a story about kind and understanding friends, faculty and staff that helped me see what was wrong.  I did not want to talk to anyone about anything and all it took was opening up to the right people to show me the path to help. 
I am still battling the urge to go to bed but every day someone shows me some kind gesture that helps me get through it and keep persevering. 
How would you handle a student who is suddenly showing warning signs of something being wrong without any self awareness on their part?

"You can handle them all!"

My teacher introduced me to a great app.  It gives you a list of different students, the clown, the last word, the drama queen.  It also gives you symptoms by which to diagnose them.  It tells you what behavoirs to look for.  It tells you how this behavior affects teachers, classmates, and parents.  It will also give you primary needs being revealed, secondary needs being revealed, and primary causes of such behavior.  Then it gives you several ways to work with the student.  It will aslo give you a list of thing NOT to do with these types of behaviors.  It will also give related behaviors.  It is fantastic!!!  I think the app may be $3.99.

The Internet version is www.disciplinehelp.com.  You do have to register for it.  This is a great weapon to have in any teacher's discipline arsenal.  

Frustration Abounds

How To Handle A Discouraging Professor?

Today I went to my Japanese professor to ask her about my application for the JET program.  When I walked in I said the standard greeting  which is  respectful way to say excuse the interruption when entering some one's office.  Without looking up from her desk she had a smile on her face and replied for me to come in and sit down.  Once she looked up at me her face turned into a frown and she said "Oh it's you.  I was expecting someone else." 
I continued anyway informing her that I was beginning my application to the JET program and I asked if she had any of the past participant's statements of purpose that I could review to get an idea of formatting and content.  She told me she did not understand my question and I had to explain again that if these former student had been accepted then obviously they had an understanding of what was expected.  She told me that she would not let me copy some one's work.  That is not what I wanted to do.  Obviously I would not cheat or copy anyone else's statement of purpose because it would not be MY statement of purpose.  She began to berate me about how I was not equipped for the position, and that she thought that I would probably "offend MANY Japanese people" because I did not understand Japanese culture.  I politely asked her if she would at least review my application and tell me what needed to be done.  She told me she would, but that she would not recommend me.  I then asked her if she was going to go out of her way to give me a bad recommendation.  She said "I want nothing to do with your application."  This interaction was very disheartening.  Am I really equipped to go through with this dream, or is it just that a dream that I am not qualified to fulfill?  How do I go about proving myself to someone who is so pivotal in the application process for this program?