Another Week Down and We're Now In Routine

Another week has come and gone.  When we're in the middle of them I feel like they're dragging, but by the weekend when I look back it feels like the school year is flying.  We're into our routines by now:  reading difficult texts, writing papers, and presenting information in various ways.  My routine of weekend Type 3 essay grading is off to the races.  I'm working through them as fast as I can, while trying to keep up with the regular paperwork.

In English 9, we're still working our way through Romeo and Juliet.  It's so slow for us because I keep trying to throw in interesting activities that allow us to play with the text, rather than just reading and testing.  I truly believe that Shakespeare was playing with words and he'd like us to do the same.  I think a huge mistake people make with his plays is taking them too seriously.  They should be played with, messed with, and explored.  This week I showed your students how to do a common dance in his day:  the Prevane.  Sixth hour was so fabulous and open to this experience, that they all ended up twirling around the lobby with their partners.  They let me take video of them, so here's what I put together:

6th Hour Shakespearean Prevane

For the rest of this week, we'll still be trying to get through more of the text.  They seem like they're really getting into it now, and mostly want to keep going in order to see where this play goes.  An exciting thing coming up (we hope) is that we're trying to pull together a fieldtrip to Novi to see the brand new movie.  If your student says they have no homework, they're in earnest.  I'm trying to get through the R&J text more quickly, and then I'll assign another book.  If they have a writing to do at home, I'll notify you.

In English 11, we're finishing Beowulf.  In my 1st and 5th hours, one of the funniest moments of the week was a class directed act-out of the fight between Beowulf and Grendel's Mother.  Unfortunately, I didn't get it on video.  In 3rd Hour, we're moving more quickly, so they have already started toward the goal of reading another book.  All classes have had writings to finish at home for homework, but third hour is the only class with assigned readings.  This will quickly change as we finish Beowulf.  All of my English 11 classes wrote their first blog.  I had them use Beowulf's voice, but I had two goals:  have them dig into the text and find Beowulf's voice, and learn how to use a blog.  Those who were able to make it work now have access to their own blogs.  Those who did not, ended up creating it on a Word document.  One way or another, they all got it done.  Here's a picture of them blogging away:

1st Hour English 11 Blogging in the Lab

 

By Thursday, we should be able to take a test over Beowulf, with another Type3/4 writing to follow.  I'll try to send out reminders.

 

I hope you're all enjoying this glorious weather we've been having and have been able to get out and enjoy it.  It's a beautiful Michigan fall, but we all know what follows, so here's to hoping you've been able to take a few minutes to relax in it.

 

Have a great week!