Thursday and today

I had the 9th graders do another proof reading/correction exercise on Thursday. They need to get into the habit of proof reading their work before they turn it in. Their homework was to look through 4 articles on Edgar Allen Poe, and choose the one that they would like to write about. I arranged them into groups by articles and told them to read and discuss the articles. I gave them a graphic organizer to record their information. It was interesting to see the groups that wanted to work hard to get an A. This one group comprised of students who did not do very well in previous groups. I felt bad for some of the other students in that group.

Today, as a Halloween treat, we got into a circle and I had them read their spooky stories out loud. One particular student wouldn't read his, yet he is always the first one to talk or make comments. Basically, he's disruptive. So I gave him and the class and ultimatum: if he even makes one rude comment while others are reading, I'm going to stop the fun and assign classwork. I reiterated that his actions were going to ruin it for the rest of them (Yes, peer pressure works very well.). I couldn't believe how quiet he was for the rest of the period. I handed out candy to everyone, with two big prizes for the best stories.

With the 8th graders on Thursday, we continued to read "Too Soon a Woman," and I had them work on conjunctions. The story, about a poor family in the early 1800s, has peaked their interest. It's sort of a coming of age story, but I think some of the students can relate to the children and how they're trying to survive.

Today, we watched The Birds. At the end, we discussed the main points of the story in regards to protagonist, antagonist, conflict, plot, basic situation, climax, and resolution. We also included minor characters and if they were either flat or round, and the subplots. It was interesting to see how many of them remembered these aspects, but when it comes to reading stories and trying to figure out the same elements, many of them draw a blank. I just might be able to use the movie and refer back to it when we're reading, perhaps they'll be able to see these elements much better.

Mon, Tue, & Wed

I couldn't log on for the past couple of days. Let's see, I assigned the 9th graders to write a "spooky/suspense" story which is due on Friday. I will ask for volunteers to read their stories aloud, and the story that is the best gets a big chocolate candy bar. I'm trying to stay in the spirit of Halloween. I also assigned the accompanying Holt handouts for "The Cask of Amontillado." I reviewed the story with them on Tuesday because they had a test on it today. A number of students did well, and I noticed that some students scored higher than the last story test. However, I had hoped that they would all have done better considering I practically gave them the answers yesterday. I've broken down their grades into 4 categories: Tests, classwork/homework, group/participation, and writing. I plan on averaging their current grades next week. I'm getting in a better habit of thanking each student by name whenever they answer or read. I also use some students as examples of doing good work. Their next writing assignment is an analysis of nonfiction material. They may also have to do some outside research. There are four articles on the death of Edgar Allen Poe to choose from. I'm thinking of trying something a little different for their essay. They will have 4 choices for presentation: a research paper, an editorial, a speech, or a letter. I've been finding myself getting attached to this class because I want them all to succeed. However, they have to work, and work hard, if they want credit to go back into regular classes.

And then there's 8th grade. It's amazing what a difference one year makes. I even had one of my 9th grade students stay after to finish his work. He commented, "You have a lot of talkers in this class. We're not that bad. Are we?" I told him no. But as much as they whine and complain, a majority of the time the 8th graders do their work, but it's a constant challenge to keep them on task. Idle gossip is the culprit that interrupts the learning flow. We worked on adverbs, prepositions, and conjunctions this week. We also started a new story, "Too Soon A Woman." They seem to be interested in this story, but what surprised me today was when my talker girl asked when we were going to read The Diary of Anne Frank. She seemed genuinely interested. We lost one student to home study and we may be losing another to special ed. The girl who I thought had already been reassigned, wasn't, but it's quite possible she may be soon.

Thursday and Friday

I know I just have the two classes but sometimes I'm a little tired from the day, and especially on Fridays, I just want to relax, but I think of my students during the weekend because sometimes I recall funny things they've done in class. For example with 9th grade, the proper use of "don't" and "doesn't." One phrase I keep hearing them say is "Don't be hating." So I used that phrase and various forms of that phrase (improperly) to show the difference between the two and also how one is used with plurals while the other is not. This helped them with their Holt handout because there were only a few errors when I corrected them. I didn't keep any of them after school on Friday because something suddenly came up and I couldn't stay. Imagine the joy in the land.

But overall, they worked very well both days and especially liked the climax and outcome of "The Cask of Amontillado." We'll be working a couple more days with the story, and I hope they will all do well on the test.

My talker was gone for most of the week and it was relatively quiet while she was gone. Also, the students were able to get their work done with very few distractions. However, when she came back, it was like working at an elementary school. But, I do admire her for speaking her mind when it comes to the literature. When she has something critical to say, or even when she challenges what someone else is saying, her boldness works for her. I wish she'd realize that she is smart and can accomplish anything, but her constant need to talk at inappropriate times is her weakness.

I arranged them in a circle to read and discuss "from Harriet Tubman." It was during the discussion that it dawned on me: We were all minorities. Each one had something to add to the discussion about racial tension or discrimination. At times, the discussion would go off on a tangent, but overall, the fact that they were discussing the story and it's importance was really good.

Wednesday

The "Cask of Amontillado" may be a little difficult for some of the 9th graders. There are some big words in this story, but it is a story about revenge which seems to appeal to them. I was a little annoyed with some of the students today because they kept commenting at how hard it was raining. It's as if they've never seen rain before. The substitute finally told them that he was not going to put up with their foolishness. He even reiterated why they are in Options: "You're doing the same things that put you in here in the first place, why continue?" The threat of referrals looms over them today and tomorrow. Unfortunately for some, they will have to stay after tomorrow to finish late work. For homework, I gave them this activity called, "Wall of Revenge," which they have to write down similar protagonists, who also seek revenge, from either books, movies, or television.

The 8th graders worked on their personal narratives which are due Friday. We finished the rest of Charley. One of the girls said she didn't like the movie and that the story was better. I would have to agree with her. But the film was entertaining, and a little risque for the year it was produced. My talker girl was absent the past two days and it was nice because not only was the room quiet, but the rest of the students were able to work with few distractions.

It's raining

On Monday, I had the 9th graders work on subject/verb agreement, because some of their writing reflected a need to concentrate on this area. Coincidently, this topic is also on the schedule of the district curriculum guide. We continued to read "Marigolds" and there's a good number of students who are able to interpret what is going on.

The 8th graders are almost finished with their grammar packets. A nice thing about this Holt packet is that it will prepare them for 9th grade. They also took part of the class time to work on their final drafts, which gave them opportunities to ask questions or have me look over their writing. Anything to make my life easier grading them.

Today, the 9th graders finished "Marigolds." Many of them seemed to like the story because it dealt with defiance, anger, and in some respects, coming of age. These things I'm sure most of the students are experiencing now. We started Edgar Allen Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado," a story about revenge. This seemed to stir their interest, however, there are some big words in it, but I'm sure they'll be able to read through it.

The 8th graders continued with their Holt packets and they are almost finished with "from Harriet Tubman." There were a few students absent today and a couple were disruptive. It could be the changing seasons or the rain, or both.

Friday

Minimum day!
The 9th graders read some more of "Marigolds," and the story is beginning to get really good. They all seem to be able to relate to what is happening: children tormenting and old woman and her mentally challenged son. I went over their applications with them, and I'm sorry to say, I would only hire 2 students and would remotely consider 3 others. I explained how important English will be to them in the future and this is a good example of why. Some couldn't understand and follow the directions. Some had mispelled words. Lightbulbs went off that day.

I collected rough drafts from both classes and let the 8th graders watch a good portion of Charley.

An easy day

I went over the criteria for the autobiographical narrative with the 9th graders today. Their rough drafts are due tomorrow and it will be interesting to see who completes it. The two students who turned in introductory paragraphs have an advantage because I was able to make comments and suggestions. I did try something that I did last fall, I handed out applications and told them that they were applying for a job at my restaurant.
"You're opening up a restaurant?"
"No, it's fake...but take this assignment seriously as if you were really applying for a job."
I gave them 20 minutes to fill it out and some were able to, and some were not. Some didn't understand some of the questions on the application. However, there were a few that went beyond the assignment and included high school, college, and military service. My intention was to show how important English will be to them outside the classroom. We then began reading where we left off on "Marigolds." One thing I like trying is assigning characters to students. It seems to generate a lot more interest from the others.
I received my first evaluation today and it went very well. I also got some really good ideas such as evaluating and assessing the students knowledge after the lesson(s). Also, another good idea is positive reinforcement after each student reads, which I wish I would have done today because there were some good readers today, even one guy who never wants to read.

The 8th graders continued with that HUMONGOUS grammar packet. I also worked with students who needed help with their rough drafts. Several students already finished their roughs and turned them in early, which I thought was great. We started reading "from Harriet Tubman." There was a little time left over so we continued to watch Charley. I finally handed out the 3 girls progress reports. My talker was concerned about her D citizenship grade. Did she honestly think that her "constant need to talk whenever possible" wouldn't hurt her grade?

Pushing the boundaries

The 9th graders worked on infinitives and the infinitive phrase yesterday. This appeared to be the easiest of the 3 verbals. I spoke briefly about the death of Christopher Reeves and the irony of his portrayal of Superman and his serious accident that left him a quadriplegic. However, his relentless fight for stem cell research brought controversy and praise. I asked the students to write on the topic, "How Will I Be Remembered." I told them they could either write about it as a teen or 10 or 20 years down the line. I got some interesting responses and some that were just awful. We then started reading "Marigolds," and I got a most interesting comment; "Why do you make us read stories only about black people?" What I liked about this comment was that apparently my choices touched a nerve. There are two students of mixed African-American heritage, who didn't seem offended by the statement although one expressed, "There's nothing wrong with it." I explained that there were stories outlined by the school district but I would try to find the ones that were more ethnically diverse or multi-cultural. What I like about "Marigolds" are the two children in the story, who are a little on the mean side. Something I'm sure the students can relate to. They also test the substitute and myself, but overall they're behaving well.

With the 8th graders, we worked on the Holt grammar packet and on their personal narratives. The rough drafts are due on Friday. We have 8 students right now, and as much as they whine and complain, they do their work with a little nudging. However, they sure do love to talk.

Changes and adjustments

Yesterday, I worked with the 9th graders on the participle and the participial phrase. I've been creating warm-up/introductory exercise sheets before teaching any grammar. This appears to work well, however, today it didn't. The gerund gave them a little difficulty. We will be doing the infinitive tomorrow. I've been using an autobiographical model to explain and show what an effective essay should look like. They will start writing it this week. They didn't do so well on the "Thank you, M'am" story test. I've got to figure out the best way to review with them. Susan will be out for the rest of this week and next week as well. The sub is great. He works for the fire department and substitutes part-time. Two of the students have been taken out of the class and put on independent study. I'm not sure how effective that is, considering they are confined at home, near a t.v.

The 8th graders are continuing with their Holt grammar packets and personal narratives. I did let them watch part of "Charley," the movie version of "Flowers for Algernon," today. Even though this movie is old, it still has enough charm and appeal to keep their attention. The 2 girls who recently read the story commented back to the story, which I thought was great. One student was tested as special ed last year and was taken out of Options. But a new girl was added today and it's beginning to look like a nice little group, but sometimes they whine and complain too much. Some days I feel like a parent.

A Great Day!

The 9th graders will be writing an autobiographical narrative beginning next week. It is their first major essay of the school year. I gave them an assessment test; they were to read an essay and answer questions about it. This would give me a better idea on each one's strengths. I then selected 4 people to pick students to be in their groups. I had four playing cards and they each chose one, which meant they had to answer one of the numbered questions for "Thank you, Ma'm." The group discussions were good...however, some students goofed around and talked. But Susan gave me a great idea; tell each team leader they had $100 and they had to pay each student based on their contribution to the group. I told them they had to honestly tell me how each student performed, in other words, they were assigning the grades to the students by the dollar amount they gave each of them.

I started with AR reading with the 8th graders and it's a great way to start the class because they all settle down. I worked with them on analyzing and dissecting a personal narrative. In doing so, they will be able to include important details in their papers, have a catchy opening, and close the paper with a profound statement. (I'm keeping my fingers crossed) We start writing next week.

Now here's the tricky part; many of the 9th graders had afterschool detention for missing assignments. I stayed after to work with them, but at the same time, I was teaching my 8th grade class because the 9th graders get out earlier. So I had all these students raising their hands and asking for help. And to top it off, each assignment was different, except for the 8th graders. So I got a feel of a huge class with multiple intelligence levels. It was a little overwhelming but satisfying at the same time. One thing I kept saying was, "If you did your work when I assigned it, you wouldn't be here." One girl finished 10 assignments in about 3 hours. Some had a little attitude because they didn't want to be there, but I almost got the feeling that some enjoyed being there because there was someone that took an interest in what they were doing. I'd have to say it was a great day!

Thursday

It was a relatively easy day today. We went over conjunctions and interjections. I gave them the Holt handout on them, which is a little more difficult. We discussed "Thank you, M'am" and I was surprised at the number of students who read. I moved the test to Monday because I didn't get a chance to put them into groups and assign discussion questions. Unfortunately, quite a few of them will have O-Class today until they finish at least 4 assignments. We did have a lively discussion about the story and I related it to the mothers and their children who sell "chicklet" in Tijuana.

The 8th graders worked on more grammar and elements of a personal narrative. My talkative girl was not in class, so there were fewer distractions and more work done. Again, it was an easy day, which was nice.

Opposites

Susan and I came to a realization today: Sometimes the 9th graders listen to me more, most times the 8th graders listen to her more. But we agree that many of them need O-Class to finish missed assignments.

The 9th graders had a test on "Can Animals Think?" It was such a short article that I thought they would all read through it. However, that was not the case. Many of them couldn't match the definitions to the 5 vocabulary words. Here is where their grades are going to suffer. They have another test tomorrow on a short, short story, "Thank you, M'am." I had two of the students read and act as the characters and one student do the narration. This generated interest and most of the students read along with them. When they finished their tests, I gave them a little time to finish their homework. Progress reports come out next week and sad to say, 9 students are not progressing.

I had two students loose their way to their 8th grade class. Susan spent most of the first part of the class time trying to find them, as were campus supervision/security. We worked on compound nouns and verbs, and I had them write as many details as they could about the experience they plan on writing about in their personal narrative.

Bad Apples

It didn't surprise me that a majority of them didn't do their homework. Progress reports come out next week. Things were going well with the discussion of "Can Animals Think," but all it takes is just a couple of students to be disruptive and it ruins everything. I thought that the sign language discussion was fun because in the article, an orangutang learned sign language. A few students knew the alphabet, and one student knew some words and phrases. I then brought it closer to home with gang signs, although they are inappropriate and against school policy, I felt they could relate better to the story with some kind of connection. There's a test tomorrow on the article. It's a short test, and it will be interesting to see how well they do on it. Conjunctions and interjections was a fun exercise. They seemed to enjoy it because I put some of their names in the examples.

We added two new students to 8th grade and it seems to be a little bit more fun because there are more students to ask questions and get feedback from. We worked on grammar and elements of a personal narrative. The class might get even bigger after progress reports come out. Overall, it was a good day.

"Oh, that's right..."

This phrase echoed through the classroom when the students remembered that there was an exam on "The Most Dangerous Game." A majority of them failed even though I graded it on a curve. I asked what they thought about the exam after they finished. Most of them thought it was hard, but I reiterated that it took us nearly a week to read through it, and that I went over the plot and actually asked them questions directly from the exam during the review. I ended the discussion with, "I didn't give you homework, you knew there was an exam, I told you to study. If you read and studied, this test would have been cake." They have another story exam on Wednesday on an article, "Can Animals Think?" They appeared to understand adverbs, so I can move on to interjections and conjunctions. I ended class with a discussion on siblings and then related their frustrations with their little brothers and sisters to what teachers have to put up with sometimes in the classroom. I believe I saw several light bulbs flash on.

We read an information article in the 8th grade class and I gave them time to work together answering the reading questions. I assigned two big packets which include grammar and writing of a personal narrative. They were a little restless and it's funny to see the difference between them and the 9th graders. 8th graders complain A LOT!

Trust

I made a big mistake by trusting the word of a student. One of the 9th graders told me that they had already done math and world geography. I should have checked with Ms. Reese when she got back, but I didn't. So when she came up to me and told me that they wouldn't have enough time for WG, I asked the group who told me that WG was already done; and they all pointed to this one student. Unfortunately, because of his actions, many of them had to stay after school. They weren't too happy with him. The review went well, but the proof will be on the exam on Monday. The fun part was when I put them in a circle and had them write a sentence with at least a noun, verb, and an adjective. I had them past their papers to the right, and each student had to add a new sentence and stay within the thought or subject. I made them pass papers six times. The equivalent to a decent paragraph. It was fun, especially when they were reading them aloud. I had one student refuse to read, and honestly, he has behavior problems and no self-discipline; definitely a challenge. It's been tough to get him to turn in assignments. We've had to get his mother envolved. I was pleased with the performance and attitude of the other students.

8th grade went well, but my problem girl just wants attention from the boys. It's starting to get old. She was good when she came into Options, but is slowly regressing back to the attitude that got her in Options in the first place. She actually wants to go to O-class and the only reason I can think of is the bad boys that are sent there. Another challenge. I tried something new with them; finding key words and phrases in advertisements. Their first big paper is a persuasive essay.