Wednesday

Since it was a short week, and we managed to finish "The Sniper" in two days, I decided to introduce the 9th graders to poetry. I first asked them to write a quick reflection on what they knew about poetry. Instead of having them read a poem, I used music to hook them in. I played two songs for them that use the acronym, "A-E-I-O-U." One song completes it with "sometimes Y," while the other says, "I sometimes cry." One song was produced in England at about the same time the other was produced in the United States. We discussed both songs briefly. I then handed out lyric sheets to Billie Holiday's "Loverman (Oh Where Can You Be)."I played the song and had them read along. Some clowns sang a little, but I could see others following intently. I also handed out a poetry terms sheet, which I'll go over with them more next week. I figured this could be an ongoing lesson if I run out of things to do (as if I would ever let that happen).

We discussed "Loverman" and I asked them what they thought the song was about. We went through each stanza and I wrote their suggestions on the board. The whole class agreed it was about love, longing, and lonliness. But I played devil's advocate and asked them, "What if 'Loverman' was a code?" This aroused their curiousity, and at that point I told them about Holiday's heroin addiction and that she was actually singing about her drug dealer. We then went through it again and interpreted each stanza. The whole class agreed that it was about drugs and her drug dealer. But I turned the tables again. The song was written by three men, so I asked them if it was possible that the song was about an interracial relationship. A black man and a white woman, or vice-versa. This version didn't interest them as much as the drug interpretation. So I tossed out another thought, "Since this was written by men, could it be about a relationship between two men?" First silence, then shouts of "EEEEwwww." I explained that the song was written in the 40s, and at a time when taboos such as drugs and sexuality were not mentioned or discussed.

"Why do you keep switching what the song is about?"
"Good question. Poetry is always about interpretation and what it might mean for one person is not necessarily what it will mean for someone else."

I met with the school nurse to discuss an 8th grader, who had been absent for almost two weeks. Apparently, he didn't have all his immunizations, but he made up some story to his mom and sister that they wouldn't let him back into school if they only had a copy of his records from the doctor. He is so behind right now in all his subjects. We were able to finish "Mrs. Flowers," but since the week is short, I will review the story with them next week.

The student who wrote the disturbing story has to go into counseling. He asked me why I showed his story to the vice principal, and I said, "Because it was disturbing that your main character shoots the principal twenty-six times after shooting up the graduation. I said to write a spooky/suspense story." He told me he also has to go through anger management counseling as well. Sometimes he's interesting to talk to, but then he puts on this gangster/thug attitude. I wonder if he does it because I pay more attention to him when he's like that. I'm not sure he has any positive role models around him. I could say that about a lot of the students. I have to keep reminding myself that I can't save them all, but I find myself getting attached to both classes. At times, they are funny and insightful, and every once in a while a spark of brilliance emerges from one of them that surprises me. I have four day weekend and I'm going to savor each of them.