NWEA Testing - Round 1: Done!

Is there ever really any such thing as a normal week?  As of right now, it doesn't feel like it.  This past week all of my classes took the English portion of the NWEA test.  We had a brief moment to breathe, and then we looked at next week's schedule.  Next week, not only is it homecoming week with all the craziness that comes with it, but we're also taking the reading portion of this test.  If there's one thing I've learned in life, however, it's that we will survive it, intact, and the journey will carry on.

In English 9 this last week, we made a little headway in Romeo and Juliet, but not as much as I'd like, so this coming week, when we're not doing Homecoming activities or testing, we'll be working on the play.  The link below will take you to a video I made of my English 9 - 2nd Hour performing out Romeo's oxymorons, leading us to an understanding of his confusion and the conflicted emotions of the play.

Video of 2nd Hour's Oxymorons

In English 11, we continued on with Beowulf and have completed reading the section where he fought with Grendel.  We still have work to do to understand the deeper meanings in the poem, however, so that is what is scheduled for the upcoming week.  I also am trying to get us into the library to create blogs for Beowulf in order to understand what is going on in his (and your student's) head.  Another new adventure with technology!

What has slowed both groups down is the independent reading that they are doing.  We are done reading the books, have finished the final literature circle, and are currently writing the persuasive book reviews.  Their final review is due on Wednesday, either typed or handwritten in blue or black ink.  Every time I feel frustrated that we're going so slowly through the text, I remind myself that we have been working on two texts, not one, so we're actually doing more work, not less.

I hope everyone has a great week, and if you feel so inclined, I may see you at some of the homecoming events this coming weekend.

Cheers!

Week 3 - Gettin' In the Groove of Things

Another week over, and we're starting to finally get into the groove of things...finally! It's been interesting to watch the class dynamics change as we get familiar with each other.  We're no longer quite as polite at all times (sometimes they tease their friends and it sounds an awful lot like a challenge from the movie 8 Mile), but we're no longer quite as cautious with each other either.  The feedback in discussion is getting more real, which pleases me immensely.

In the 9th grade group, we've finally begun reading Romeo and Juliet.  Everyone is so intimidated by Shakespeare that there's no enjoyment in it, so I'm working on showing them that it's actually quite fun to not only read his texts, but to get up and move with the words.  So far the feedback has been fairly positive, so I expect great things from this unit.  They have completed a second week of literature circles with their independent reading, and now we're in the home stretch.  They should be finished with their books this coming week.

In the 11th grade group we're reading Beowulf.  My experience with this text is that they either love it or hate it.  I'm trying to incorporate some activities to get the words in their mouths instead of mine, and to get them up and moving.  One of the best things my classes did all week was to act out a few lines of the text.  Your kids were fabulous at abandoning their caution and jumping into the activity, and they definitely made us all laugh.  At one point we had the best dragon noises I've ever heard come out of a human body cracking us all up.  Lots of fun!  They also have completed their second week of literature circles with their independent reading and should be finished with their books this coming week.

Coming up next week (and the week following) we will be taking the NWEA tests.  It's different this year because they'll be in their classrooms, and only take one test a day.  Therefore the schedule this week is a little crazy for English.  Things we will accomplish for class will include finishing their books and doing a Type Three writing, and continuing to work out of the textbook. 

I wish I had a camera on your kids at all times, because they say and do the most amazing things.  Because I don't let me just give you a couple highlights:

• A student who hates to read asked me for sticky notes to mark places in his book that he finds interesting and meaningful.
• We stood in a circle, and kids who hate to be the center of attention not only read to the group, but acted out the lines.
• 9th Graders actually laughed while reading Romeo and Juliet...and at the appropriate spots.

And because I do sometimes have a camera on me, here are a couple of treats:

After our literature circles, it's silent reading time!

 

Movie - Literature Circles, September 19, 2013

 

If you click on this link, it will take you to a movie I made of my 3rd Hour.  I'm having trouble posting it here from my phone.  I'll have to have one of my students show me how. ;-)

 

September 15 - second week of school: hot!

Wow!  What a week, and what great kids you have!  Between the pollen aggravating everyone’s allergies and the heat creating a sauna in my classroom, we could have had disasters in the making, but my magnificent students not only suffered through it all, they performed every task I gave them.  It helped that our fantastic principals supplied 6^th hour classrooms with popsicles (a big thank you shout out goes to them), but I really have to give credit to the students for going through so much with positive attitudes through it all.

My 9^th grade English classes have begun their Shakespearean adventure.  We haven’t gotten far, but we’re ready to read Act I of Romeo and Juliet.  I have many activities to offer them; some are artistic, some are active, and some involve creative writing.  I hope to share my love of the Bard with them, and show them that he’s not only fairly easy to understand, but that Shakespeare can be fun!  We’re also working on grammar; in particular, we’re focusing on prepositional phrases.  Ask them how the squirrel fits into the prepositional phrase and see if they can tell you!

The 11^th grade English classes are beginning work on the Anglo-Saxons.  Even though these people basically begin the history of who we are as Americans, it’s like studying a foreign culture.  We’re reading a few poems by them, and then we will begin studying the great epic hero, Beowulf.  Our first hurdle has been gaining understanding the he is a man, not a wolf (some of your kids really crack me up)!  I have been working on finding fun activities, both creative and active, to add into our schedule to make reading this epic poem more fun.

If your student is in my 5^th hour, please note that not only is it co-taught, but we now have a student teacher working with us for 1^st term.  Her name is Ms. Dakin, and we welcome her help, her ideas and her creativity.  It’s nice to have a third teacher in the room.  Your students should get lots of attention!

One of my favorite new activities of the year involves all of your students!  We are beginning our independent reading unit for September with literature circles.  This week was our first time working with this concept and I think they did beautifully (for the most part).  Most students are reading their books, and I think they really enjoyed getting together with each other to talk about them.  They each chose jobs for their discussion, I gave them guidance on how to prepare, and I heard some great conversations happening around the room.  Please note that each Thursday we will meet to discuss their books, and they should have them read by September 26.

As always, I welcome your comments and responses.  Please be sure to keep in touch, and if there are any issues I am unaware of, please let me know.

Thanks, Laura Stubbs

September 8th - First Week of School: Complete!

Welcome to the 2013-2014 school year!  I’m very excited to be starting my 20^th year of teaching.  I know it is going to be a great year!  This is my first blog of the year, and I hope to keep it brief but informative, since I know we’re all busy.

One of my goals is to increase my use of technology, and to help my students become more proficient using technology for academic and work purposes.  I know they are experts at the social technology, but they do not necessarily know how to use it beyond that.  We will be using blogs, Skydrive and Googledrive for saving documents in the internet atmosphere, hopefully Edmodo, Remind101 text services, and anything else I can think of that might help them to this purpose.  I am fully aware of the risks that are out there on the internet for kids (as a mom, trust me, I’m worried, too), but the reality of our world is that in order to become gainfully employed in a job that will become a career, they need to know how to find, test out, and use technology.  Please feel free to contact me at any time with your concerns and we will work together to do what’s best for your kid (yes, I know they’re big, but they’re still kids to me).

In both English 9 and English 11 this week, we made all the usual introductions with a few activities.  I tried to do a mixture of “old-school” activities (taking notes for background information, while sitting in rows for example) and newer activities such as working in groups, a throw-catch activity to learn names, a trip to the library for their month-long independent reading assignment, and signing up for the text message system Remind 101.  Both groups have an independent book to read with a writing assignment at the end of the month of a Type Three book review, which reminds me to make sure you’re aware that the Collins Writing System adopted by Airport Community Schools will continue this year.  In case you have not heard, it seems to be having a significant impact since we have jumped up in the state rankings this year so much that we’ve been designated a Rewards School!  More important to me, however, is that it seems to be helping your students think and learn in all of their subjects.  Therefore, we continue on since it is working!

English 9 is beginning a unit on Romeo and Juliet which will take us most of the month.  This week, I gave them some notes on background information; next week we should be able to start reading.  English 11 is beginning a unit on Beowulf and the Anglo-Saxons.  This will also take us most of the month of September.  Both texts are complex poems, so therefore we will read them together in class which is why they have independent reading books to be done on their own.  Any time they say they have no homework, simply ask them if they’ve finished their book.  If they have, please note that they are welcome to start another one (shhh, don’t tell, but I’m going to offer extra credit for reading extra books on their own this semester).

I think we’re off to a great start, and I’m feeling really positive about the school year, my classes, and my students.  As always, please feel free to contact me at any time either by email or phone.  I’m hoping we can help all students be successful this school year!

Have a wonderful second week of September, and hopefully we’ll meet again on next week’s blog.

Yours, Laura Stubbs