Monthly Archives: October 2008

Moodle Time.

October 18, 2008
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I usually spend about 8-10 days each year in the computer lab. First, I like to do at least one on-line type project. Most years lately, it’s usually the Langston Hughes WebTrack (through TrackStar, a beauty service I should probably talk about later). And until last year, I usually also got in wikis or a web page of some sort. (Aside/Tip: Web pages and wikis (a type of reader-editable web page) are great ways to get kids to expand and revise their writing. By making them start with a 600 word word essay, and then requiring 5 links of at least 100 words each, I am getting them to add 500 words to their essays, and they hardly notice that they’re now writing over 1000 words. Many do more than 5 link pages. As long as they can also add pictures and graphics, you won’t hear many complaints. More on this later too.) Secondly, I usually try to STAR test their reading at least three times a year. That takes the slowest ones at least 25 minutes or more, not counting log-in issues: “You forgot your password again? You misspelled your name. Your CapsLock key is on. Not your student

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“Who is this Jhonny?”

October 16, 2008
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Most of them have gotten past chapter 10, and the answers to my question, “Why is Dally’s death somehow sadder than Johnny’s?” are starting to trickle in. I’ll share some of those soon, when we talk about chapter 12, but I want to talk about this guy Jhonny. (me, reading the first responses to the question, while they read silently) “‘Cal,’ how do you spell Johnny?” “J-o-h-n-n-y.” Sort of puzzled. “So, who’s this Jhonny guy?” I pronounce it like I’m clearing my throat, “Jah-Honny.” Everybody laughs. Of course, as you know, 7th graders are like parrots; they have to repeat everything they hear that catches their attention. So now I have half the class sounding like they have a 2 pack-a-day habit. “I figure I have at least 6 or 8 of you, in this class, who did the same thing. Who is this Jhonny guy? Some of you went even back and forth between Johnny and Jah-Honny.” Every year is the same. Jhonny. “Where does this come from? Who knows someone who spells his name that way? Where, in English, do we ever see the jh combo!?” Of course, some try to claim that, “I knew a guy in

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Old School (St. Mel’s)

October 15, 2008
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Is there a today’s equivalent of the old Mutt and Jeff duo? SpongeBob and Patrick? What do you call a dynamic duo of 7th grade boys? These are the kind that drive you batty, but there’s just something about them that makes it hard to get mad at them. Like Ponyboy describes Two-Bit. But they are exasperating at times. Sometimes the class beats me to shushing one or both of them. “Would you just be quiet?” “True that.” Oh yes, they’re those guys. I should move them both (they ended up next to each other because of my early-year, alphabetical seating chart), and I probably will soon, but somehow, their banter is rather amusing most of the time. Most of the time. Let’s call them (after an old comic book I have on the wall), Milk and Cheese – Dairy Products Gone Bad. M and C were bugging the other day, and I was pulling out some of my old-guy-isms. I’m a big fan of expressions like “Dagnabbit” and “Kids Today…” and “No Dice (Cheese Slice).” “Don’t make me get out of this chair. I’m going to have to go old school Catholic school on you guys.” “You mean like

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I hate “make-up” work requests. Also, silence.

October 14, 2008
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I was going to talk about the absolute silence that reigned when I turned them loose to read silently today. OK I will anyway, then I’ll rant about make-up work requests. I told them today I was going to read aloud up to the bottom of page 146, and then they were going to read silently until the end of chapter 11. I told them I wanted to watch them read (you’d be surprised at what you see – or maybe you wouldn’t), and see how well they could do on a quiz on their own. (Most of the Outsiders quizzes have been open-mouth stylie.) “But we don’t read as good as you! Or as fast!” “Well, not good. Adverb, remember? You’ll be fine. You don’t all have to be finished at the same time. You’ll get time each day this week.” I gave them a 20 question quiz to finish along the way. (Question 20: Why is Dally’s death somehow sadder than Johnny’s? Be sure to use an example from the book.) I read up to Dally saying, “Sucker,” to the cop. I left them laughing, and told them they were on their own. Instant, absolute silence. I was

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Chapter Nine – Part I (Also, sarcastic comedy.)

October 13, 2008
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Admittedly, chapter 9 has some filler. I still don’t get Pony’s little poll about why each of them fights. I finally eliminated questions about that from my quizzes. Unlike almost everything else in the novel, this feels tacked on, maybe just to build tension for the rumble. There are a few laughs. Soda trying to cheat at poker (I always have to stop a beat, and let them catch it), Steve catching him, and of course, the horseplay and Two-Bit’s Soc imitation. “Get thee hence…” They are quick to see that they are trying to get themselves fired up for the rumble. I point out that they do it by using the insults others hurl at them. Soda sticking his tongue out at Darry is a fine image. And Dally’s line when he shows up is a classic. Tomorrow, we’ll read aloud up to where Dally jukes the cop on the way to the hospital. I let (make) them read from there to the end of chapter 10 on their own. Part of it is like they figure, part of it is that they need to experience this for themselves. This is what makes them have a connection to a

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Random Featured Post

Best Faux Pas Ever. (Glad it wasn’t me.)

(Friday Flashback – Last Year) “Mrs. G” has been teaching in our district for over 40 years. She’s been at our school since it opened in 1980. She’s taught English, art, social studies, music, and much more. She is literally an immovable object, and doesn’t need to rise from her chair to strike fear (well, not exactly fear any more, but…) into 8th graders’ hearts. She doesn’t care what people (parents, admins, other teachers) think of her, and speaks her mind whether it’s “appropriate” or not. She currently teaches 8th grade US history, and has been going toe to toe with a particularly pesky student I had last year. Now, this “Steve” sends me e-mails about how the posts he’s reading in the discussion forums on our Moodle don’t have enough thought behind them, and he has a real brain. But he’s a loud-mouthed pain in the rear, whose parents it seems, are wrapped around his finger. I was probably the only teacher he got along with…until Mrs. G. He’s still a pain, and though, like me she recognizes and likes the Steve underneath, she’s not afeared of giving what she gets. So… Food is not allowed in our classooms. [...]

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Mr. Coward has been teaching on the beautiful central coast of California since 1989.

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Recent Comments

  • mrC commented on It’s Go Time!@Sarah-Most excellent! Keep up the good work, and don't let any of them talk you out of it. Glad to hear your kids recognize the value too. Fight the good fight!
  • Mrs. M~ commented on Illin’Feel better soon! There is nothing worse than being at school and trying to be "on" when you feel like death.
  • Sarah commented on It’s Go Time!I just came across your blog...I am a second year teacher and I am currently reading The Outsiders aloud to my seventh graders. I read it to them last year, too. I catch a lot of criticism for reading it to them...but they LOVE to have me read to them. I actually had a group
  • joan commented on Illin’I'm on day two of out-with-the-crud. I needed the rest. Hope you're in tip top shape by Monday!
  • mrC commented on “The Sub Used One of Your Sticks!”That one oughta be strung up like they used to do to horse thieves.
  • Heather commented on “The Sub Used One of Your Sticks!”The last sub I had left no note at all and broke the arm of my spinny chair by leaning back in it so far that he fell in the floor. The kids all said he was the best sub ever. I politely asked the school secretary to never have him sub in
  • mrC commented on The Future of Space Travel@Heather: Gawd I hate that. I think I even posted about it awhile back. @Kelli: This reminds me of high school. I went to a Jesuit high school (all boys) and for our Friday football rallies, we would import cheerleaders from other schools to be a part of the rally. And the girls would always begin
  • Heather commented on The Future of Space TravelMy eighth graders just have the habit of prefacing every question with, "I have a question." And announcing "I'm done" when they complete an assignment.
  • Kelli commented on The Future of Space TravelIs it bad that I sometimes start my stories with "Okay, so...."...? I guess the kids have rubbed off on me. Sigh.
  • Kelli commented on Blogging the Scoring Session (Part I)Ugh! Been there. I have been to those "Scoring and Rubric" type meetings in two different states now... Not fun, and not entirely informative, either.
  • Meg commented on No Groove Yet (Also: The Giver and No Homework Returns)There was a district I student taught in that hand the no fail policy. I child could not be held back a grade, even if they did absolutely nothing the whole year, until they were in high school. It took most of the middle schoolers about 3 seconds to realize they didn't have
  • Kelli commented on No Groove Yet (Also: The Giver and No Homework Returns)You know, that whole "no-zero" policy goes hand-in-hand with the "no-failure" or "no-retention" policy, and my school district is a definite contributor to this madness. I can understand the desire to stop giving zeros and MAKE the kids do the work (giving countless opportunities until successful), but I have been in a situation where
  • commented on Obligatory Santa VideoWe have an unofficial "no zero" policy. It takes a little extra effort on the teacher's part to get all of the students to complete their assignments but we have made it work. The thing that was most helpful was instituting a "homework detention" that is separate from discipline detention. If a

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