Getting Close…
Posted on July 26, 2008
Filed Under About | 1 Comment
Welcome to Teaching The Outsiders. This is yet another attempt at blogging; the last couple have sort of petered out, and there were some administrative “issues” as well, and…well…anyway.
This one will follow me and my seventh graders through the process of reading S. E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. That’s the plan anyway. I have said for years that The Outsiders is the best way to make junior high, sorry, middle school kids like to read. To make them “get it” about literature having something to say about life. To make them understand what writers and readers do. To understand that it’s characters that make the story. And on and on. It’s my favorite thing we do in my class.
So mostly, I guess this is for those middle school teachers out there who want to see what it looks like in someone else’s room when they “cover” or “read” or “study” a novel.
Stay tuned.
Meanwhile:
Check out SeventhGradeEnglish.com for stuff to tide you through until September.
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Mr. Coward has been teaching on the beautiful central coast of California since 1989.
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- mrC commented on 8th Grade MaterialThe kids keep telling me that I gotta read that series. Isn't it pretty violent? Do you ever have parent "issues"? Thanks for following along. What are your class novels for eighth grade? This year I'm going with Nothing But The Truth, The Pearl, Call of the Wild, The Pigman, Maus, probably the Anne Frank
- joan b commented on 8th Grade Material8th grade, huh? Mine are all 8th graders...I've followed your escapades with The Outsiders for the past few years. This year, we started with The Hunger Games; talk about getting kids to love reading!! My brainiacs are reading independently and can't seem to stop. I'm reading this novel to the HP's, even
- mrC commented on A Rerun, Just to Keep the Streak Alive.Thanks for dropping in. I'm glad you're getting stoked. Tips: 1) Don't let them read it at home! 2) Follow this blog - my classes are on page 7 right now, so... ( You could also read the older posts tagged The Outsiders.) 3) Have you checked out my Outsiders page? Was that shameless
- Lindsey commented on A Rerun, Just to Keep the Streak Alive.I am starting this book with my 7th graders on Tuesday. I was already excited to read with them, but now I am excited to read to them. If you have any great lesson ideas or websites for me, let me know!!
- mrC commented on AnswersThanks for the kudos. I got really lazy this summer. It actually feels pretty good getting back in the saddle, as they say. Thanks again for reading!
- Carly commented on AnswersGlad you are updating your site once again. I've been reading it for a few years now and always enjoy your sense of humor and excellent teaching ideas. Even though I am not teaching English any more (I get to do electives now - drama and journalism) I still keep up with your posts. (I
- linda commented on OH NOOOOOO! (Part I)love this dialog... I am currently an elem school librarian but formerly an 8th grade English teacher...I taught the PIGMAN to my 8th graders ,20 years ago and they loved it (my dept head had serious reservations about it because of the bathroom "bomb" in the first chapter) cam't go wrong with anything by AVi.
- Erica commented on Wish I had at least one this year…Hey I am in Vegas! Hope you have a good time while you are here. If you need to know all the good places to eat, let me know, LOL
- mrC commented on OH NOOOOOO! (Part I)@ Mrs. M- My very first year here, I had three periods of eighth grade, and I pretty much stuck to the anthology, which had the play in it. I didn't have time to read the diary, so I went with the notes in the TE.
I think we also watched some of the - Sara commented on OH NOOOOOO! (Part I)While I understand why students should read Anne Frank, I have problems with it being done in 8th grade. Every year someone wants to compare the Confederates to the Nazis or ask when the Nazis entered the Civil War. It's just my pet peeve, though. I know that covering Anne Frank makes 10th grade World
- Mrs. M~ commented on OH NOOOOOO! (Part I)If you do not like reading the full diary, you could try the play version of Anne Frank. I do it every year, and it is one of my students' favorite units. The Prentice Hall textbook has a fantastic audio performance of the play, so we listen as we read along for the
- CLuce commented on Wish I had at least one this year…I understand completely! I teach sixth graders. In our district 6th grade is still part of the Elementary School (one of the few in our area). These kids cannot wait to move on to Middle School. They feel they are just too sophisticated to be in Elementary School. I wish
- mrC commented on TimerSend me your e-mail address, and I'll send you what you need to make it work!
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Thanks for creating your “awesome” site and for letting others have a peek at what goes on in your classroom — I am a new teacher (actually don’t have a job yet…) But you are doing some incredible stuff with the website (loved the comment on “demean” – look it up! Yes! That’s the way to do it.) Anyway, keep it up — it’s a great example to middle school teachers everywhere