The Literate Teacher's Manifesto

And we're off! (Slowly. Haltingly.  Some hitches.) Overall,  things went well today.  There were of course, a few technology glitches (fewer than last year), a few complaining kiddos (about the same as last year), and the usual problems about variations in completing the activities. I don't have a lot to write about, since by the time we talked through the directions and answered questions,  there was only enough time to get through two rotations. I will say that the pantomime scene was a resounding success, and that based on the station where the kids do a cold read of a scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream , I feel like this may be a better year for acting. The part of the activity that I love best, though, is watching the kids connect with Shakespeare.  They have to see it as something that can be accessed by everyone.  Shakespeare never intended his plays to be the sole province of academia. They were written for the masses crammed into the pit in fr...

Tonight finds me feverishly preparing for the introduction to our Shakespeare unit.  It is both my favorite thing and the thing I dread most. You may wonder about this dichotomy.  I adore this unit, and the opening activities are fantastic and really set the tone. However,  it is such a high-stress organizational task! I'm trying to remember everything we learned last year when we did this for the first time, which was a lot. But I've slept since then, and I can't shake the nagging feeling that I'm forgetting really important things. I guess tomorrow will tell the tale! The study of Shakespeare in general is very stress-inducing for me. Most of my students have never read or had any experience with Shakespeare. This unit will be their first exposure to something which will continue as a major part of the English curriculum through both high school and college.  The impression they leave my classroom with about Shakespeare and his work may very well set the tone for ...

Tonight's reading assignment is to read Act I, Scenes i-ii, and complete a log entry reflecting on the scenes.  To access the play online, visit http://bit.ly/134blCn  or http://bit.ly/Wa0wr5 .  The play can be read online for free at these sites.  Because Shakespeare's work is in the public domain, there are multiple apps for all platforms by which you can access his works.  Here are a small sample of available apps/ downloads: Project Gutenberg  and  PlayShakespeare.com  offer the play for free download to any e-reader.  PlayShakespeare also has a library of podcasts and video performances of scenes to help you with your understanding. The Shakespeare  app is available for IPhone, IPod Touch, and Android platforms.  It is free, and offers all of Shakespeare's works as well as glossaries for unfamiliar words.  For Android, the Shakespeare app is in beta, and there is also a second app that (imho) is not as attractive or a...

Give 3 details that prove your book is fiction. Within the genre of FICTION, which SUBGENRE does your book fit in?  How do you know? Would you recommend this book to the person seated next to you?  Why or why not?

Of these characters: O'Brien, Mr. Charrington, and Julia, one is a member of the Thought Police who will be responsible for betraying Winston. Based on the evidence, which is it? Support your answer with details from the text.

I underwent a revelation in my teaching about four years ago, when I read a grammar text called The Magic Lens  by Michael Clay Thompson.  (That's right, I read grammar textbooks in my free time.  I'm that  nerdy.)  I never struggled with grammar.  It just made sense to me.  However, teaching grammar was another matter. It was an impossible task.  Insurmountable.  Completely unmanageable.  So, I never taught it.  First, it was hard.  Second, it wasn't tested.  Third, the kids didn't like it.  Looking back on this decision now, I realize that it was only the first reason that truly drove my resolution.  Testing has never really driven my personal teaching philosophy, and I've never hesitated to make my students do things they objected to.  But, this was my personal comfort level we were talking about!  I have a profound burden now for all of those students who missed out on grammar instruction, but I mus...