Pi, A Modern Day Odysseus?

Okay, so I was completely immersed in The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, that is, the life of Piscine Molitor Patel, until I drifted into ‘Part Three: Benito Judrez Infirmary, Tomatlan, Mexico’.  To say this story-or, shall I say, stories-is a modern day epic is not a complete reach, however the ending (Part Three) was, paradoxically, arid in comparison to the supple, densely saturated, life-sustaining narrative.  This is where Martel failed to put this eloquently crafted novel in the neighborhood of great, must-read literature.  For nearly 286 pages I was ready to baptize Pi (I really have no authority to do this other than being an avid reader of a plethora of literature, both modern and classic) as a modern day Odysseus.

If we were to investigate this novel for epic characteristics they would be sparse.  For example, in its purest artistic form The Life of Pi is a novel not a poem, there is figurative language used but it would be a stretch to label similes as extended or epic, there is a natural beginning but, I suppose arguable, the novel does not begin in medias res, and there is no invocation of a Muse.

Upon further investigation we do find echoes of epic characteristics.  The novel addresses a serious topic, one of self-discovery and survival under the weight of extreme natural forces and battles of wit with varying species.  Pi’s family-his father, mother, brother, and Pi-are pushed out of India due to a concern over politics-or, as in epics, the fate of their nation, and pulled to Canada.  The novel holds a large, expansive setting from India, to the middle of the Pacific ocean, to Mexico, and finally Canada.  In Homer’s epics, we are bombarded with the intervention of gods and goddesses. Certainly, Pi is helped by his belief in God and his practicing of three separate faiths.  Depending upon the impression of heroic qualities and based on which of Pi’s stories is most reliable, one might argue that Piscine Molitor Patel is a larger than life hero.

I was hooked by the lure of spirituality.  Believing in one God while practicing Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity made sense.

A wave of emotions washed over me as I read.  First, when Pi’s father decided to shut down the family zoo and move out of India, next as I realized Pi’s father, mother, and brother drowned as the Tsimtsum sank to the depths of the Pacific ocean, then as Pi struggled to survive as he drifted aimlessly on the ocean in a lifeboat with a Royal Bengal tiger as his first-mate, and, finally, his miraculous rescue, on the shores of Mexico, when he barely had strength to stand on his own two feet, struggling to even trust the ground underneath him.

Early on Pi claims this story is one that will make you believe in God.  The story comes full circle, the circumference made up of a long voyage, the radius of struggle after struggle on the Pacific, and the diameter of a spiritual connection that aided in Pi’s survival.  At the end, when he asks the Japanese interviewers whether they liked his story with or without animals, Mr. Okamoto replied as Mr. Chiba agreed,  ”The story with animals is the better story.”  Pi responds, “And so it goes with God.”

Did this story make me believe in God?  No more than I already do.  Was this story full of symbolism of human nature and our pursuit of understanding our purpose?  Yes, absolutely.  Is Pi a modern day Odysseus?  Maybe, but, because of an ending that leads to more confusion, disillusionment, and a white-washing of the first 300 pages,  Yann Martel is not a modern day Homer, not that he wants to be.  He has hit upon something significant in The Life of Pi.  Namely, the possibility of a peaceful coexistence of three faiths based on enduring, sustaining, unconditional love.  If nothing else, that is worthwhile and valuable in our age.

Favoring The Home Team

Trying to avoid filling my blog with unsolicited sports fandom commentary, I rarely broach the topic of sports.  Based on what I am currently reading, I am compelled to share what I have learned about referee bias and home field advantage.

I am stepping over the line with this post…slightly.

In a few weeks I will begin teaching a course for high school seniors, Sports Literature.  As I have been preparing, I have been reading the books I will share with my students.  The book with which I will be kicking off the semester has me fascinated.

SCORECASTING: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played And Games Are Won written by Tobias J. Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim is an in-depth study of the subtle biases that influence sports, particularly professional sports.  One the eve of the NFL Divisional Round Playoffs commencing and my beloved Green Bay Packers preparing to battle the San Francisco 49ers, I couldn’t help but share some engaging insight this book offers.

The chapter that has caught my attention most, no doubt because the Packers are traveling TO San Francisco for their playoff game, “What IS Driving the Home Field Advantage”, asserts that there is a single factor in home field advantage.  One might think it is the crowd.  Another might think travel and time differences might be the advantage for the home team.  Even further, one might suppose that professional athletes play differently (effectively or ineffectively) on the road versus at home.

In fact, Maskowitz and Wertheim claim the “leading cause of the home field advantage is…referee bias” (p. 165).

Yep. That’s right.  For all you sports fans who declare your team got screwed from the officials, there just maybe some truth in that sentiment.  And Maskowitz and Wertheim have plenty of evidence to back it up!

With volumes of statistical data and psychological research, Maskowitz and Wertheim launch out on a mission to show, among other things, referee bias.  What they found was astounding.  ”When humans are faced with enormous pressure–say, making a crucial call with a rabid crowd yelling, taunting and chanting a few feet away–it is natural to want to alleviate that pressure.  By making snap-judgment calls in favor of the home team, referees, whether they consciously appreciate it or not, are relieving some of that stress” (p. 159).

Some might think this obvious, but there is a correlation with the crowd size and home field advantage.  Despite what you might believe is causing that advantage, like the Seattle Seahawks 12th MAN or the DAWG POUND in Cleveland driving their home team heroes to extraordinary levels,  the fact is the referees are more affected than the athletes.

“Even in the NFL, in which most games are sold out, the home-away discrepancies in penalties and turnovers increase with crowd size.  With virtually every discretionary official’s call–in virtually every sport–the home advantage is significantly larger when the crowd is bigger” (p. 162).  The appropriate conclusion is “(h)ome team favoritism…should be greater the larger and more relevant the crowd and the more ambiguous the situation.  They may also be taking a cue from the crowd when trying to make the right call, especially in an uncertain situations” (p. 160).

In 2007 the Italian government forced professional soccer teams who did not have sufficient security at their stadiums to play home games without spectators.  Upon analyzing the data from these ‘spectator-less’ games, it was found that the behavior of the athletes, namely their level of play, did not change.  What did change, however, was the officiating.  ”The same referee overseeing the same two teams in the same stadium behaved dramatically differently when spectators were present versus when no one was watching” (p. 164).

This got me reflecting on the game earlier in the year when the Packers traveled TO Seattle to play the Seahawks on Monday Night Football.  As has been well documented, the Seahawks won the game on a much argued completed Hail Mary pass from quarterback Russell Wilson (a Wisconsin favorite, by the way) to wide receiver Golden Tate.  It appeared as though Packers defensive back M.D. Jennings had intercepted and gained control of the ball before Tate muscled his way to, what was moments later decided, simultaneous possession.  The NFL rules indicate that simultaneous possession results in awarding the offense possession of the football.  In this case, the ball was caught (possessed) in the end zone, resulting in a touchdown, giving the Seahawks enough points to win the game.

Arguably, CenturyLink Field is THE loudest stadium in professional sports.  In the video and photographs of the miraculous simultaneous possession reception that followed, the backdrop often included Seahawk fans–who are seemingly closer to the field than in other NFL stadiums–screaming, ranting, and pounding on the stadium walls for the referees to make the favorable decision for the home team.

The officials obliged, relieved the pressure, and ruled in favor of the home team.  ”…(T)he closer officials are to the crowd, the more likely they are to favor the home team” (p. 167).

In reading SCORECASTING, I am reassured that players most often dictate the outcome of a game.  I am hopeful that Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, and company will out-execute and out-perform their counterparts from San Francisco.  I know the 49er fans will be ready for some football on Saturday night by showing rabid support for their team.  I suppose, if they were smart, they would direct all their attention and energy to the referees rather than the players.  That is counter intuitive and goes against conventional fan wisdom, if there is such a thing.

Moskowitz and Wertheim aptly assert that when fans scream players  (for or against), the outcome is not affected.  On the other hand, when they scream at officials (against, I suppose), “well…that’s another story entirely” (p. 167).

 

 

Literacy Stamina and Social Media

I use social media in assorted formats and diverse purposes.  As a high school ELA teacher, I aspire to immerse students in literacy: lots of opportunities to read and write every day.  As time has passed, there has always been a certain population of students who are reluctant readers and insecure writers.  Today’s culture, and its flood of social media, has created, to some degree, more reluctant readers and minimalist writers.

I have brought my personal library of books into my classroom, placing several (nearly 100 different titles) on display in my classroom.  I invite students to check out my books any time; if it doesn’t fit for them, I propose they put it back and try another one.  Sometimes, I will even suggest certain titles to certain students, based on their interest, from my personal library.

I encourage students to read books: long ones, short ones, and anything in between.  I require students to read non-fiction, magazine articles, newspaper articles, and longer memoirs.

In various forms, my students write nearly every day.  Some writing is quick and to the point, other writing is extensive and in-depth.

I model writing for my students as often as I can, even so far as placing the two books I have authored on display, inviting my students to read them.  This blog is another option for my students to sample my writing (and, yes, be critical of it too): style, tone, structure, and interest.  Writing in front of them, with them, is a powerful way to teach the writing process.

While I attempt to lure students into literacy, I feel defeated when some st

udents don’t find the appeal of reading and writing and, sooner than
Social media is trending.  Use of multiple forms of technology to communicate is shrinking our world.  Our students are utilizing technology to connect, cooperate, and, ultimately, coexist.later, give up.  In observing students behavior, both socially and academically, I have noticed their keen interest in social media, namely Facebook, Twitter, and texting.  I began to reflect on the effect the “140-Characters-or-Less” era has on our students’ willingness to embrace literacy.

My hypothesis is students don’t have the stamina to sustain long periods of reading and/or writing because our culture is begging for concise summations in ‘140-Characters-or-Less’.  The effects are numerous, the most obvious being a growing reluctance to read and a shape shift as to what ‘good’ writing looks like.

As a high school ELA teacher, I have embraced technology and social media as a tool in my classroom, an efficient way to connect with my students and move from a traditional classroom to a more blended experience.  However, my concern is balancing the literacy immersion with the concise status updates our culture has encouraged us to compose and read.

There is a place in our world for deep literacy and ’20 second updates’.  We just have to find the right blend for our students to understand, appreciate, and utilize both.  We must promote the relevance of technology and social media in today’s culture and how it might drive deeper reading and in-depth writing.

Self-Discovery: Cheryl Strayed’s Most Compelling Message in WILD

I have been using Cheryl Strayed’s memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail in my Outdoor and Survival Literature class.  I’m not completely convinced of the aesthetic value, but it’s message(s) is noble, engaging, and worthwhile.

The universe in which our emotions gather and play never settled into a predictable pattern for Strayed.  ”I was as searching as I was skeptical…’you’re a seeker,’ my mother had said to me when she was in her last week, lying in bed in the hospital, ‘like me’”(p.134).  Strayed finds herself hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in an effort to lose herself, that is, somehow lose the lasting effects of a detached father, being a witness to her emotionally numb mother’s harrowing battle with cancer at age 45 ending in a morphine-laced passing “over the river”, and her own failed relationships, especially with that of her ex-husband Paul.

“I’d come, I realized, to stare that fear down, to stare everything down, really — all that I had done to myself and all that had been done to me”(p. 122).  As she hiked the PCT, Strayed went so far as to catalog the pain, anger, shame, and resentment she experienced as a child (p. 265-267).

I hope my students  never have to experience the depth of darkness Strayed did prior to her PCT hike, but the reality is, for some (too many, really), the darkness too often dims the light.

Prior to the age of six, Strayed had witnessed her father smashing dinner plates full of food against the wall and threatening to throw all of them, her mother and her two siblings, onto the street naked.  Strayed began to understand the need to be “in the driver’s seat” of her own life, as her mother admittedly failed to achieve.  Trying to fill a whole in her heart, presumably a wound from her father, Strayed attempted to fill it with the security of a man, any man; when she found someone who loved her and she loved equally, she felt unworthy and the relationship ended in divorce.  ”I had problems a therapist couldn’t solve; grief that no man in a room could ameliorate”(p.134).

Strayed attempted to eradicate her past through various means like heroin and multiple physical relationships with men.  After noticing a guidebook to the PCT at a local store, her interest was piqued; she felt a calling to reach the depths of her guarded soul by hiking some 11,000 miles in the wilderness alone.  In many ways Strayed yearned to be alone, a place where she felt she could truly be herself.  Being alone on the PCT was different though, she “was alone in (the) world , occupying it in a way (she) never had before…the world (felt) both bigger and smaller…until now, (she) hadn’t truly understood the world’s vastness…until each mile was beheld at walking speed”(p. 119).

By being alone in the world, occupying it in way she had never done before, Strayed discovered a deeper understanding of who she is and the worthiness of her existence.  ”There were so many other amazing things in this world.  They opened up inside of me like a river…I laughed with the joy of it, and the next moment I was crying…I was crying because I was full.  Of those fifty-some hard days on the trail and of the 9,760 days that had come before them too”(p.234).

The physical demand and suffering she experienced of hiking the PCT helped Strayed realize that all she “needed to survive could be carried on (her) back.  ”And, most surprising of all, that (she) could carry it…That (her) complicated life could be made so simple was astounding” (p. 92).

Strayed is more spiritual than she claims.  Certainly in order for any of us to achieve a spiritual balance we have to die to ourselves and be resurrected, which is arguably what occurred in Strayed’s experience on the PCT.  I suppose that is a completely different post.

For now, however, the most poignant point of this book for readers, especially young readers, is to achieve self-discovery.  As Strayed aptly illustrates through her memoir, self-discovery is cleansing, liberating, and empowering.  Isn’t it true that part of my job description as an educator is to help students discover their strengths and limitations?  In turn, won’t this discovery illuminate the path for each of them as they move forward on the trail of their lives?

I hope I can help my students appreciate that life doesn’t always have to be so complicated and get them to laugh at joys they have never experienced, joys that will help them feel complete as they discover their self-worth and who they were meant to be.

Wild is an extraordinary complex web of  emotional and physical struggle which evolves into a beautiful tapestry of emotional and physical triumph.

Embracing Complex Texts: 2nd Draft Reading

With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards and the research validating the need for children to read, read more, and read again, I have  been doing some teacher soul-searching in recent years.  I am in the midst of a series of blog posts regarding my experiences in helping and supporting high school ELA students embrace complex texts.

I have adapted Kelly Gallagher’s complex text approach to the demographics of our students as well as my own strengths and weaknesses as an educator.  The first step in the process is to Access and/or Build Background Knowledge.   The next step, as Gallagher identifies, is First-Draft Reading.  As in the writing process, we ask our students to pre-plan, craft a rough draft, edit, revise, and complete a final draft for publishing, it is just as important for ELA teachers to demand something similar while reading.

As Gallagher proposes, and I advocate for because I have witnessed its efficacy, 2nd Draft Reading is quintessential in comprehending and applying the depths of complex texts.  This is a fun and engaging level of embracing complex texts.

When I was coaching football and basketball, I would utilize practice drills or ‘games’ that would stealthily include conditioning.  Rather than lining players up on a line, asking them to sprint to one end of the floor, and repeat, I would do my best to ‘hide’ the conditioning in drills athletes found to be fun or competitive.  The same concept holds true in 2nd Draft Reading.  Students don’t need to necessarily read the entire text again (although that might be ideal, time is certainly a constraint), they do need to dive into the text to retrieve deeper meaning and understanding using some of the following strategies.

1. Search for Figurative Language and/or Literary Devices:  This can be done in multiple ways.  I encourage you to utilize your creativity in asking students to find figurative language and/or literary devices (use of metaphor, simile, personification, symbolism etc.) in portions of the text they have completed reading.  I always have students record page numbers of where they find the examples.  This way, when writing a reflection or for simple class discussion, students have a reference point for defending their claims.
2. Multi-Layered Time Lines:  I love this activity.  The multi-layered time line is a  living organism throughout reading a complex text.  We don’t begin this activity until well into the text or at its completion.  The multiple layers can include just about anything you or your students desire to track.  For example, one layer may be the events of the plot.  Another layer may then be a specific character who influenced or was influenced by the event.  A third layer then might show how the event was contributing to a conflict or its resolution.  Identifying a minor character’s contribution to the event may be a fourth layer.  As you can see, the list of possible layers is long and can go in several directions.  Again, I have students record page numbers of where they find the examples providing a reference point for defending their claims..
3. Character Charts w/ Multiple Categories:  Character charts are effective in understanding human nature and comprehending beyond the surface of the text.  As with the multi-layered time lines, character charts can have many different layers as well.  Categories might include all or a few of these: strength of character, weakness of character, role in conflict(s), defining moment, symbol representing character, physical description, relationship to main character, connection to reader, and the list goes on.
4. Tracking Emerging Themes and Tracking Emerging Conflicts:  While these two concepts are two separate searches, the process is nearly the same.  So, I will be writing about these two as one, but please note these are two different 2nd draft reading techniques.  Identifying theme or conflict in literature is not always simple.  There are implied messages and inferences where readers must learn to read between the lines, beyond the surface.  After beginning a complex text, we might spend a portion of a class period discussing themes and conflicts that might be emerging.  I ask students to form theme statements and conflict statements, simply a sentence or two identifying an emerging theme or conflict.  Then, as we continue reading, students are asked to track that theme or conflict.  As a class, we will come back to the emerging theme chart or the emerging conflict chart once or twice a week to reflect on how the reading has either further developed an identified theme/conflict or has completely dissolved what was initially thought of as an emerging theme/conflict.  Maybe it pans out, maybe it doesn’t.  Great tool to discovery.  However it plays out, students are to record page numbers and even passages to help support their claim of a developing theme.
5. What Does the Text NOT Tell Us?:  I usually T-Chart this.  On one side of the T-Chart I have students write down everything we know about the reading.  On the other side of the T-Chart, I ask students to brainstorm what details the author doesn’t give us.  Then, I ask them to analyze those details we are not privy to and try to wrap their minds around the author’s purpose of leaving this information out.
6. Analyzing Plot, Structure, Setting,  and Character w/ Graphic Organizers:  I have a tendency to create my own graphic organizers; my mind is always adapting to the needs of my students, day-to-day and year-to-year.  Also, as I read about what other educators are doing, I borrow (steal) their stuff too that I might apply in my classroom  I love the idea of using a completely different, foreign if you will, platform to analyze literature.  For example, I have used a graphic organizer in the form of a fishing boat to analyze character (the character is in the boat and ‘catches’ stuff (strengths, weaknesses, minor characters, conflicts, etc.) to put in his/her boat.  I have used the concept of a snow globe to analyze setting.  There are multiple graphic organizers that can be created for a plethora of topics.

We can create similar activities with different names or different focus points.  To avoid predictability and over indulgence, we must remember to use all of these judiciously.  I highly recommend Gallagher’s book, Deeper Reading, for further exploration on embracing complex texts. I know, firsthand, using these strategies have increased reading interest, comprehension, understanding, relevancy, and real-life application of complex texts.

Embracing Complex Texts: Supporting First Reads

Often, in the midst of blogging,  there’s a voice inside my head, a writer’s voice I suppose,  haunting me, “For Blog’s sake John, get to the flippin’ point!  Folks want to learn in 140 characters or less…stop getting lost in the words, the semantics, the parallel structure, the bold ‘new’ ideas…you are not writing a PhD Dissertation.”

I just heard the voice….

With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards and the research validating the need for children to read, read more, and read again, I have really been doing some teacher soul-searching in recent years.  I am in the midst of a series of blog posts regarding my experiences in helping and supporting high school ELA students embrace complex texts.

I have adapted Kelly Gallagher’s complex text approach to the demographics of our students as well as my own strengths and weaknesses as an educator.  The first step in the process is to Access and/or Build Background Knowledge.   The next step, as Gallagher identifies, is First-Draft Reading.

Here are a few strategies that I have found working best to support our students in first-draft reading,  some are directly connected to Gallagher’s theories while others I have adopted and adapted through trial and error:

1. Post-It Notes:  Because the books are owned by our school district, my students are not allowed to annotate in the margins of the text.  As an alternative, I hand out small packets of post-it notes to all students.  I invite students to mark their confusion and show close reading by asking questions and/or commenting on the reading bu using the post-it notes.  Some students have multiple notes per page and, when turning the book in, take 10 minutes just to remove their post-its.  I keep a supply of small post-it notes in my room at all times; students will consistently request more sticky notes as we progress through the text.  As part of small group or large group discussion in class, I will have students share their confusion and questions to gain clarity on the reading.
2. Reading Journal:  I have my students utilize their reading journals for various close reading strategies.  One way is to use their reading journal, or notebook, as an alternative to the post-it-notes.  Another option is to have students create T-Charts for selected sections, chapters, stanzas, and/or Acts of the reading.  On the left hand side of the t-chart are questions raised from the reading; on the right side, students will answer their questions or resolve their confusion as they read or through in-class discussion.  While reading complex texts I have my students complete quick-writes.  In a normal five-day week my students have three quick-writes.  The prompts are both text specific (for comprehension and understanding) and reaction specific (for connection and reflection).
3. 20 Questions:  The majority of this activity is taken directly from Gallagher.  Students are asked to write 20 open-ended (not yes/no) questions for a given reading assignment.  In small groups, I invite students to share and attempt to resolve their questions.  Each small group is then asked to categorize and articulate in a short statement the nature of their remaining unanswered questions.  I record these categorical statements to revisit in our second-draft reads.
4. Focus Groups:  Another great strategy from Gallagher…. Specifically design small groups based on strengths and weaknesses of students.  I usually create seven to ten groups of no more than three students in a group.  I provide each group with a specific focus (i.e, [for The Odyssey] extended simile, the journey of Telemachus, the journey of Odysseus, Penelope’s emotional state, various characters influencing Odysseus, etc.).  This is designed to help students focus as they read as well as makes them accountable to their peers.  Once or twice a week each group will conference with me then share their findings with the rest of the class.  The entire class is responsible for the information shared by each small group.
5. Daily Quick-Writes:  Three days a week (typically Tuesday-Thursday) during a unit where we are using a complex text, I have my students complete a quick-write in their writing journals.  These are timed and limited to five minutes.  I post on the white board either a text specific question (open ended) or a general reaction/connection-type prompt (again, open ended).  I read each quick write at the end of each day and attach a small point value.  At the end of the week, I ask students to choose one of the three quick-writes for the week to complete a Quick-Write-Rewrite.  This QWRW will be edited and polished and read (by me) with a higher level of expectation and increased point value.

Okay…I just heard the voice again…five first-draft reading strategies are enough for now….

All of us can create similar activities with different names or different focus points.  We must remember to use these judiciously as well to avoid predictability and staleness.  I highly recommend Gallagher’s book, Deeper Reading, for further exploration on embracing complex texts. I know, firsthand, using these strategies have increased reading interest, comprehension, understanding, relevancy, and real-life application of complex texts.

A True Spirit of Christmas

On Saturday morning, December 22, 2012, our ten-year-old daughter opened the front door to our home and found quite a surprise.  With big eyes, high voice, and harnessed excitement she turned to her mother and siblings and said, “Come look! There’s a bag of gifts on the front porch.”  Her three younger siblings rushed the front door.   Desiree cautiously followed.  Desiree carefully examined the package and its contents.  She noticed there was no signature or greeting card, this was done anonymously.

At the time, I, along with 100 other eager folks, was at our specialty meat market selecting our Christmas ham.  My cell phone rang.  I saw the call coming from Desiree and I was sure she was calling to ask me to pick up something extra.  When I answered she began telling me what our oldest daughter discovered on the front porch.  Soon, as she was describing the package, she began weeping.  I could hear it in her voice.  She was weeping tears of joy, tears of gratitude, tears of humility.  It didn’t take long for the same emotions to start flowing through my veins.

As I was driving home, my mind raced thinking of so many people in our lives with hearts of gold, but who might think our family deserving of such kindness?  From what Desiree had told me on the phone, in the bag were five presents, one for each child and one for Desiree and I.  On the outside of the bag was a large note that read “I Spent It On Christmas” with no indication of the giver.We hosted a holiday gathering the night before at our home with nearly 70 guests-adults and children.  I kept picturing all of our guests, all of them generous people.

After I arrived home, we decided to have the children open the gifts specifically labeled for each of them, and Desiree and I opened ours.  As the gifts were revealed, and the phrase I Spent It On Christmas continued running through my brain, instantly I was convinced I knew who dropped this Christmas package on our front porch.  Among the many thoughts and feelings rushing through me, one stood out, I repeated out loud several times to my family, “This is an example of the true spirit of Christmas.”

The Back Story:

About six weeks ago Desiree and I had planned a Friday night out for dinner and Christmas shopping with our nine- and ten-year-old, our two oldest children.  We had to be sure to choose a Friday night when Desiree wasn’t working at the hospital, and we had to be sure this night was open for our babysitter who would stay home with our three-year-old twins.  All elements fell into place perfectly.

The long awaited Friday arrived.  Desiree had worked all day at the hospital and, knowing we had a special evening ahead, she worked with a smile on her face and a skip in her step all day.

She picked up our two oldest children from school, as I rushed home from school with our babysitter.  In the span of a few moments our plan completely unraveled.  It was soon determined that the stars were not aligning for our eagerly anticipated evening out.  All parents can appreciate the unforeseen variables that arise at the brink of fulfilling the best-laid-plans.

We had been home from school and work for all of 20 minutes.  As it became increasingly more obvious that our plans were deteriorating, there was some awkwardness when Desiree confessed to our babysitter that we had to take her home.  The awkwardness came from Desiree and I, not our babysitter.  Desiree took our babysitter home as they spent the fifteen minute drive making small talk.

Of course it’s  completely appropriate to pay our babysitter for the entire night we asked her to clear her schedule.  She  was highly reluctant and strongly resisted taking the money.  Who wouldn’t feel guilty for taking seemingly unearned money?  Desiree strongly encouraged her to take it, at the very least for her inconvenience.  After a few friendly exchanges our babysitter finally accepted the money.

As she exited the van, Desiree apologized one more time and thanked her again.  Finally, Desiree, in a compassionate, genuine tone said, “Spend it on Christmas.”

Scrooge Offers Hope for All of Us

Our faculty book club’s selection for December 2012 was the haunting Charles Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol.  While it is true I have read this Victorian classic many times before, the promising shadows of hope continue to inspire me.

The story’s backdrop consists of all the standard ideologies of Christmas: family, selfless love, and happiness…at least for this one day on the year’s calendar.  Clouding these warm ideas is a pervasive fog of one man’s misery.  Scrooge has made a good living (at least in
his mind) by being frugal, rigid, and overly task oriented.  He doesn’t make time or effort to get to know anyone or allow anyone to really know him. Maybe it was because of his time sent off to school as a young boy.  Maybe it was because of regret and guilt brought about by the untimely death of his business partner, Jacob Marley.  Maybe it was because showing any sort of emotion meant weakness.
Scrooge’s attitude toward family, selfless love, and happiness was, quite simply, ‘Bah humbug!”  He preferred being alone, counting every pound in his pocket, and believing happiness was wrapped up in these first two endeavors.

The final ‘Stave’ lifts the fog.  As dreary as Scrooge was, the light penetrates outwardly from his heart as the story draws to a close.   Scrooge finally awakens and confesses, ” ‘ I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.’ ”  He realizes where happiness is drawn and promises to share that experience with others.

As I finished reading, yet again I felt an overwhelming amount of hope that opportunities present themselves daily for each of us to turn our lives around.   As long as we are living and breathing on this earth, we have the chance to do good, the chance to help others.

Finally, isn’t it true that genuine happiness is in the giving of ourselves to others?  As Dickens writes, “…it was always said of him (Scrooge), that he knew how to keep Christmas well….  May that be truly said of us, and all of us!  And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!”

Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life…SHS-Style

Students were asked to create an ‘Encyclopedia’ of their lives drawing inspiration from their heart maps, memoir-worthy lists, and brainstormed writing territories.  The process of creating this personal ‘Encyclopedia’ was inspired by educator Kelly Gallagher and based on the book Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life written by Amy Rosenthal.
I couldn’t resist sharing some of the creativity of my students, adding my commentary and observations in italics below each entry.  Enjoy….

 

Arthritis

I have Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Whatever that means. It’s a mouth full.  It can be very painful at times and I give myself injections every week for at least a year to help cure it. It often is a bother to have in my right hand because it prevents me from doing stuff like writing or throwing balls for sports.

Each and every day I am impressed with the many layers to the lives of my students.  Often, I am consumed by helping my students become better readers, writers, and speakers.  I have a burning desire for my students to love reading and possess the ability to write effectively for their future success.  In the midst of discussing figurative language or root words or epic poetry, or assessing writing or presentations or whatever, I can forget or  completely fail to recognize each student has responsibilities and challenges outside of English Language Arts.  High school students are amazing!!

Baby, Drop Kicked

I almost killed my dog, Baby. I know, silly name, blame my mom. Anyways, we were playing hide-and-seek and she started chasing me so I turned to the stairs and I picked up my foot. When I picked up my foot, though, her head was in the way and I might have kicked her head into a wall… and knocked her unconscious. My bad.

Lots to think about here…the title of this entry – at first I thought a human baby was drop-kicked, blaming mom for a silly pet name, playing hide-and-seek with a dog?, playing hide-and-seek with a silly mom?, pet homicide…I suppose many of us have been in situations where our pets got in the way and the sudden screeching sounds of our little fury friends makes the hair on our necks stand straight up…that is, if we have hair on our necks with legs to stand.  I suppose, too, many of us have endured stupid, unthinkable names given the wild animals living in our homes by our younger brother or parent or grandma Ruthi.  At the end of the day, aren’t we all just thankful for pets who love us unconditionally?  

Bacon

The smell of bacon gives me a sudden sense of joy. Doesn’t matter what kind or flavor or cut. I find it all delicious. It reminds me of no-school days, saturdays, and the I-can`t-find-anything-for-dinner-and-ooh-here’s-bacon days. Bacon can be a lifesaver as well when it comes to making some things taste better. It can add crunch to a limp salad, give more effort into a plain burger and even make eggs an actual meal. Bacon is the refrigerated superhero.

The third sentence in this entry sums up that intoxicating aroma of bacon and the emotions and feelings it conjures up for me.  Not so sure about the ‘refrigerated superhero’ part, but nothing beats a bacon sandwich…two slices of toast, butter, and bacon washed down with an ice-cold Pepsi.

Camping

Roasting hot dogs over the flame, imagining them coming alive and screaming in pain when they fall into the flames. The others are watching, waiting, praying that they’re not next to fall. It’s all fun and games ‘til someone loses a wiener.

Not sure why, but reading this entry is a bit painful.

Doorway Awkwardness

It’s happened to everyone, unless you are a liar. Maybe me more than others, because that’s just how I am. The bell has just rung, and there’s a huge pileup at the door. We all didn’t get here at the same time, how can we all expect to leave at the same time? It doesn’t work, which is partly why this situation happens. You and another kid exchange a glance. He’s waiting for you, you’re waiting for him. Who goes first? You could say “Go ahead.”, but that would just draw attention to the awkwardness. So you go, hoping he doesn’t go at the same time. If he does, and you have a head on collision, you might as well just go home. You will go through at least 15 minutes of embarrassment afterwards.

How can we all expect to leave at the same time? That is a great question. This entry reminds me of elevator awkwardness. Why is it everyone stares up at the floor numbers above the door while riding a crowded elevator. Rarely do people talk. I imagine myself sometime standing with my back to the doors of an elevator staring right into the face of the others ascending to their destination, forcing them to look at me rather than the numbers. THAT would be awkward…yes or yes?

Eavesdropper

Though it bugs me when people eavesdrop on my conversations, I am a horrid eavesdropper because I always am jumping into other peoples’ conversations. It’s so rude of me and I feel awkward and bad after.

The word ‘awkward’ again…must be an easily recognizable and applicable word for teenagers.  Works for me too, I guess.  I am annoyed by people who do this.  If I am talking with someone and an ‘outside party’ joins the conversation without an invitation, it IS rude and obnoxious.  Really, if I wanted the other person to provide some insight I would have asked.  I’m not being judgmental, but…wait, maybe that is judgmental.  In any case, I guess the good news about these situations is our conversation must be interesting enough for people to want to listen.

Fingers, Cheeto

I absolutely hate cheeto fingers. I love cheetos and their crunch crunch noise they make when you eat, especially cheeto puffs. But I could go without getting cheese on my fingers.

TOTALLY AGREE!

Follower, Don’t Be A

 

Never be a follower. Be a leader whenever possible. Don’t be one of those people that does what everybody else does because that might be what’s ‘cool’ at the moment. Especially if you’re getting in trouble. Don’t be the kid who’s easily talked into things. What you’re doing may be cool at the moment, but a few hours later when you’re sitting without a response for anything, like the guys on Cops, it’s not going to be as awesome as it once was being with all those “cool kids.” Do what YOU want to do, or you’ll end up regretting it.

Wise advice from a freshmen in high school.  Being a leader isn’t easy and doing the right thing is harder yet, but it is the healthiest way to become the best version of yourself .

Gluttony, First Stages Of

I love food. I love eating food. And I eat food frequently. I sound like the perfect candidate to be gluttonous. Though this needs to change because it is one of the 7 deadly sins. SO in the end if I continue down this road, I might be full in my stomach but in God’s eyes I would be empty.

I love the paradox at the end of this entry…full in my stomach, but empty in God’s eyes.  I find it important to have some discipline in my life.  I love food too, but I can LOOK at a piece of cake and gain five pounds.  Being disciplined, I suppose, helps fend off gluttony, however I am too weak, too human, to avoid gluttony entirely.  It’s a daily challenge.

Grass

I love laying on my back looking up at the sky, drifting in and out of sleep, finding pictures in the clouds, smelling the fresh, soft breeze, while the sun is tickling your cheeks, nose, and eyelids with its warm fingers.

I want it to be July. Hot. Sun. Green leaves flittering in the breeze. Mosquitos. Yellow-Jackets. Sun burn on my bald head. Uncomfortable, sweaty sleep…I digress. 

Hit, S

Happens.

…enough said

Immortality

Why do so many people believe that immortality is so great? I don’t really think that it is all so great. If a person were to never die, then life wouldn’t mean squat to them, and they could become a raging psychopath. Or if you live forever with the one you love, there is a good chance you’ll get sick of each other eventually. So I guess my point is that so many books are about immortals and yada, yada, yada. Really, though, they are getting tiring, especially after the Twilight movies.

Okay, I have never seen the Twilight movies and yada, yada, yada I don’t think my life will go unfulfilled.  I live my life in fear of psychopaths…not really, but I do like watching Criminal Minds.  However, I do live my life knowing I have a limited amount of time which helps me to stay focused on important things like my faith and my family.

Janitor

 

I’m sorry, but that would be the WORST job on the planet.  Being a janitor would be like screwing caps on water bottles all day or counting spoons or something.

I’m not sure if being a janitor – or shall I say custodian – is the worst job on the planet.  However, I DO think screwing caps on water bottles should be the WORST job on the planet.

 

Justin Bieber, I Hate

If there’s one person in the whole world I’d become a psychopathic killer for, it’s Justin Bieber. Some think he’s cute, to me, he’s mostly just nauseating. When he wrote a country song, I almost died, I have to say.

I just hope, by the end of your freshmen year, I don’t make ‘The One Person in The Whole World I’d Become a Psychopathic Killer For’ list.  Maybe I SHOULD fear psychopaths….

 

Kids

Something the I am not very fond of. Kids are sticky and messy and gross. They always have obs and globs of gooey stuff on them.

I have four of these sticky, messy creatures who have obs and globs of gooey stuff, leaking liquids everywhere (stole ‘leaking liquids everywhere from the book Make Lemonade) living in MY house…I LOVE every minute of it  

 

Love

In the words of Albus Dumbledore, “Do not pity the dead Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, pity those who live without love.” Love is kind of like water; it’s needed to sustain life.

Love is the key to world peace. Yes or yes?  I pity the fool who chooses not to love or not to be loved.

 

Movies

I wish my life was like a movie. Preferably a romantic comedy one. There is always a good happy ending in  movies like that and the characters have an interesting life. Movies express themselves in a way words  could watch them all day everyday.

Sappy…but that’s okay.  

I’m a guy and I have learned that I have to suffer (don’t tell me wife, Desiree)  through movies like this - chic flicks, right? - to watch football on Sundays and Criminal Minds on Wednesdays and baseball all summer and basketball during the week all winter-long….wait, almost forgot, football on Saturdays, Mondays, and Thursdays too.  Gosh, I need to be a little more considerate to the others living in my house, sharing our television.  

Okay…movie night, that’s Saturday night.  I can do that.  We’ll start with The Avengers, then Star Wars, then ….

 

New Moon

The bright light of the moon, the eery sound when a sudden wolf howl breaks silence, the dry air you breath as you look up and realize it’s a new moon, the taste in your mouth as it goes dry from fear, the feeling of your hands and they clamp together, frightened. As a kid, I swore that’s what I would feel like when there was new moons. I thought werewolves came out and you would see them in shadow form over the new moon. I feel dumber than a box of rocks when I look back and realize I thought that.

Love how all five senses are addressed in this entry: sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel.

 

Old, I Can’t Wait to Retire When I’m

It’s not necessarily that I can’t wait for the wrinkly skin and millions of diseases and pills and aches and sores and things I can’t do anymore along with all the other hindrances that accompany old age. I don’t want to “wish my life away”, but it’s pretty hard to say the idea of not having to work or go to school every day, or any real schedule for that matter isn’t appealing for anyone.

No work.  No school.  Playing my guitar. Fishing.  Sounds pretty good.  I pray, God willing, I am healthy and happy when it comes time for me to retire.

Oranges

The mystery of my life is probably why are oranges called oranges? There aren’t any other foods named after a color. It confuses me beyond belief. “ Saying I’m eating an orange.” is just weird., no matter how many times skittles say “Taste the rainbow” You just can’t taste colors.

The point is, if you were to taste a rainbow, it would taste like skittles, right?  I learned at a young age, you can’t eat things like skittles, M&Ms, or chips one at a time.  The more  you have in your mouth, the better they taste.  I suppose a little leprechaun once explained to some food technologist what a rainbow actually tasted like and, voila, skittles were created.  I imagine a rainbow tasting like a misty, moist, stale – neither sweet nor sour – flaky shortbread.  I would like to meet a leprechaun and get a guided trip to the end of the rainbow.

Kiddie Pool, the Shameful

Everyone has that pathetic eyesore in their backyard. That cheap, plastic kiddie pool with those faded, smiling fish printed on it’s bottom. Everyone has swum in one and has also had one  at one time or another. Sure they can be useful, I’ve seen them filled with either ice and beer cans or cold salad and ice at some parties. As for the rest of the year, however, those tiny pools are filled with scummy water, old, long forgotten toys and mosquitoes. They are shields against time, though. If your parents bought you one, you will still have it to give to your kids. They are part of many families that are embarrassed by them and yet, not enough to get rid of them.

This reminds me of Jeff Foxworthy, the comedian.  He used to have a bit where he would say ‘You’re a redneck if…”  Well, I suppose you’re a redneck if you have a kiddie pool filled with ice, potato salad, and beer…I am kidding of course, please no offense meant or given.  I really don’t even understand the term redneck.  I use phrases too often I don’t completely understand, like ‘you guys are the cream of the crop’.  I know what these phrases imply, but not sure where they came from or how they apply.  Keeping things cold at a party, that’s a perfectly good use of a kiddy pool that has done its time.  Nothing to be shameful for.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter and I have a very special relationship. We meet every morning for breakfast and I rely on it to fill me up. And just like the true friend it is, it never lets me down. Sure, sometimes we get bored with each other and decide to take a break. But then I realize how good I had it with peanut butter and we happily get back together. We invite our mutual friend banana over sometimes. Those are always good times. But absolutely no one can compare to peanut butter.

I love peanut butter, but I don’t, and won’t, carry on a relationship with peanut butter.  I just read this entry again, and my conclusion is some people need to get out and meet more friends

Quit, Don’t

I hate when people quit or give up because of stupid reasons like “I don’t like the coach” or “This is just boring.” You shouldn’t quit something because you don’t like somebody or they put a bad influence on you. Using something like this as an excuse makes you look like you’re very vulnerable. Don’t let somebody else ruin or influence your dreams in a negative way. Don’t quit.

Unless, of course, it’s smoking or drinking or procrastinating.  Seriously, though, this is wise advice from a freshmen in high school.  I hope all heed the advice given in this entry.  No Excuses!

Really

When somebody wants to emphasize something they put the word ‘really’ in front of it. Really can get really overused really fast.

Really?

Steltz, John

The name of the person who is going to give me an A on this project.  He is just a lovely loving bald fellow who really likes to give A’s to people who put his name in an encyclopedia.

How could I not include this entry?  I mean, my name was the title of the entry!  How cool is that!  Sucking up doesn’t change how I feel about you though.

Tacos

Crunch, crunch, tacos are my favorite food. Tacos taste totally terrific on Tuesdays.

 

Monday Macaroni. Wednesday White Fish.  Thirsty Thursday Thumb Licking Chicken.  Fish Fry Friday.  Saturday Scalloped Spuds.  Sunday Steak and Sauce with Steamed Seeds.

Unibrows

Unibrows are just cool looking. I would probably never want one because people get laughed at for having them. My one cousin Josh looks like he’s starting one though, and I always tease him about it.

 

When I was younger, I used to have one.  I looked like Bert or Ernie (I can’t remember which one) from Sesame Street.  Then I discovered plucking.  I decided that wasn’t for me though, a little too painful…I am wimpy when it comes to pulling hair out of my skin.

 

Unique, Everyone Should Be

I don’t like the way words can cut people down. Terrible, hurtful words are like society today. They try to mold every human being into their precious, perfect person. You are who you are and if someone doesn’t like you for you, there will always be someone out there who does. Be as unique as fingerprints. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, because everyone else is already taken. Be unusually unique. Everyone should be as different as night and day.

NOH8!

Wide Open Spaces

I love wide open spaces, like our family farm. Having 200 some acres of field. Being able to snowmobile, run, bike, and play as a child with so much room was amazing. Plus, I’m a little claustrophobic and I would die if I had to live in the city, even if it was in town in Seymour, I would die.

Reminds me of a song…  I do love wide open spaces too.  Freedom.  Empowering.  Liberating.

Vacation, Brain

Sometimes I go on brain vacations, usually at random. My brain just wanders. My worst brain vacation moment was when I was swimming in a swim meet at Kiel. I started thinking about the Cristo Redentor in Brazil and how they build and what it would look like up close, things like that. Then (as I was in the mid of my 100 back) I bang my head on the wall, that jolted me back to real life where I was on my last 25 and to make up for bumping my head I just gave it all I had and end the race in second (to last) place.

Knowing the person who wrote this makes this entry hilarious.  The image this entry provides me makes me laugh out loud every time I read it.  I take brain vacations too, mostly when I am teaching Eng9 Lit&Comp…just kidding.  This usually happens to me when I am reading or writing or driving or sitting in church.  I can’t say I have ever been injured though.

X, The Letter

For some strange reason I always loved the letter X, even as a kid. But I do not like it in math, algebra cough cough. Algebra is like having a nasty cold and then having to take horrible cough medicine on top of it.

I think of how hard the math teachers work to teach students algebra at SHS, knowing full well many students despise the undefined letters of X and Y.  Ugh.  My freshmen algebra teacher was a Nun (I went to a Catholic high school).  She was 6’5 and OLD and S-C-A-R-Y (and she ain’t got no alibi).  I swear to God she hated me because I was the quarterback of the football team.  I was afraid of her.  I was nauseated every time a test was given to me.  I survived though.  I have lots of respect for math teachers.

“X” is Missing

We’ve all heard it in class “find x” or “If this is y what is x” Personally I don’t care what it is, and I’m sick of making “y” help. Sometimes I wonder why is it “x” and not “a” or “s”, who decided “x” was so great? But then I think it’s an eXample of what we don’t want to do.

Again…Nuns. Scary. Algebra. Nausea.  I think I might puke…

Yellowstone

In 2010, my family went out west to Yellowstone. The magnificent, majestic mountains were more beautiful than I imagined. Driving through Mammoth Hot Springs you could smell the sulfur from the hot springs. I saw my first bear in the wild and I felt as if I saw an alien when I saw the bear. I thought my heart was going to leap right out of my chest it was beating so hard.

We took a family vacation this past summer to Washington D.C, New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Cleveland.  This was our first major family trip.  It was awesome.  All six of us crammed into a rockin’ mini-van cruisin’ down the road.  I loved it.  It’s these moments in our lives that are the most significant.  I have never been west of Minneapolis.  I would love to take my family to Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore…anything out west.

Y.O.L.O

Sure it is not a word but it sure is used in way too many peoples vocabulary I enjoy to poke fun at it and use different meanings of “You Only Live Once” such as “You Obviously Love Oreos”, “You Only Love Oppah” and my personal favorite “You Obviously Love Onew” (Kpop reference Onew is a member of the band SHINee).

New favorite meaning of YOLO: You Obviously Lack Originality.

Did not know what YOLO meant until I read several references to it for this assignment.  I love the creativity of the creating different meanings for this acronym.  I don’t know anything about KPOP, but I do know You Obviously Lack Originality…Not (YOLON).  Hey, I just made a new acronym…cool!

Zoo, Milwaukee County

I hate animals with a passion. They are all stinky and annoying to me. But, at this zoo, I can get past the animal part. My dad and I would walk around the zoo for hours on end like we were lost explorers.  I will always cherish those day trips to the zoo with my dad.

The best gift to me has been the opportunity to be a dad.  Even more, I am fortunate to still have my dad around.  I enjoy spending time with my parents.  I cherish each and every moment I spend with my wife and children.

All students are creative, interesting, and engaging; each story is worthwhile!!

Embracing Complex Texts: Accessing and Building Background Knowledge

I suppose there should be a blog focusing solely on embracing complex texts, perhaps there is.  That research is for another time, but I am certain it would benefit English Language Arts teachers.

I must note that my ideas are not unique or original, maybe just articulated in a different way.  I have developed these ideas over the many years I have been an educator and the many hours of collaboration with colleagues and other professionals.

When I begin a unit where the anchor text is a complex one (i.e., The Odyssey, Hamlet, The Great Gatsby, etc.) I scrawl across my whiteboard EMBRACE YOUR CONFUSION.  Yes, this is a phrase I have borrowed (stolen?) from Kelly Gallagher, the educator who has ignited an inferno inside of me for teaching, at the high school level, reading and writing (SEE Embracing Complex Texts).  I want to guide students to become effective, engaged readers.  I have gone so far as to use the phrase “Man Your Oars!” to high school freshmen as they embark on the journey of The Odyssey.  In fact, I extend the metaphor throughout the unit by illustrating that ‘manning your oars’ means each student is responsible for reading, discussing, re-reading, discovering, and applying the most important ideas (or themes) to personal, real-life experiences.  Furthermore, students can hold each other accountable when asked (or forced as my students may quip under their breath) to collaborate by reminding each to “Man Your Oar!”  On a side note, as a class we will use the twitter hash-tag #manyouroars to promote a blended experience and move the classroom beyond the walls of room #452.

Accessing, acquiring, and building background knowledge for a complex text certainly seems overwhelming and daunting, maybe even a bit tricky, particularly, given the wide-ranging demographics and life experiences of all students.  I begin by deciding what I want my students to experience while they read and as a result of reading the complex text.  Keep in mind, these are two fundamental layers of the reading experience: the processing during the reading and the analysis, interpretation, and application post-reading.  Addressing these fundamental layers of the reading process will produce a positive, engaging reading experience, but before that happens we must set the scene for success by building background knowledge.

Whether I have been using an anchor text for many years or, in contrast, am using it for the first time, I might ask myself (or my colleagues…they are priceless resources of information!!!) one or more of the following four questions, as I am certain all educators do:

1. What is the point of using this anchor text?
2. What value does reading this anchor text have to the modern teenager?
3. Why are we reading this anchor text?
4. In the end, what lasting experience will students have after reading the text?

With these questions, and possible solutions, in mind, I choose four or five major ideas the anchor text will likely illustrate to most engaged readers.  For example, The Odyssey presents ideas of loyalty, fate, free-will, leadership, pride, courage, and heroism (among others).  After choosing four or five of these big ideas – and this is where Gallagher’s work comes back into play – I will ask students to conduct a web-search with multiple layers.  First, students need to understand the meaning of these big ideas in the context of metaphor and literature.  Second, students will find multiple examples of these big ideas across genres.  As a third layer, I may add to the search, as seen in The Odyssey, the requirement for students to research, understand, and apply literary terms such epic and epic hero.  Another layer may include research of the author, including the time and place the author lived showing the influences to the ideologies and philosophies presented in the literature.

When students have been given ample time to complete their web-search, I will ask them to share, in small groups, what they have learned.  Students are to compare and contrast ideas and they should add to their notes if a classmate has something they don’t.  Next, the students will be asked to summarize their ideas into one statement per big idea they researched.  For heroism (The Odyssey web-search), a small group of students wrote, “A hero is someone who does something courageous to help someone else.”  Another small group wrote, “leadership is getting people to believe in you and getting others involved” when addressing leadership.  As a large group, students share these summarized ideas which, in return, lay the foundation for the ideas students will encounter as they read.  In addition, I learn valuable information from the students as to where they are in their background knowledge and where their interests might guide our activities.

The next step in web-search process is having students fill out a K-W-L-R Chart (many have done this, Gallagher included).  In one column students will identify what they K now about the topic, what they W ant to know about the topic by the time they finish reading, what they have L earned as they read, and, finally, R emaining unanswered questions upon completion of the reading.  Frequently throughout the unit I direct students back to the K-W-L-R Chart to add more questions or resolve any previous questions.

The K-W-L-R chart, or similar activity, is a key component (guide) for my instruction and the path my students will take throughout the unit.  The remaining unanswered question(s) will result in a research project for students to further explore the gaps of information.

The end result cannot be achieved without building background knowledge.  Students will be engaged with a complex text when they have a foundation of knowledge that gives them a purpose for continued reading.  Once I have helped students access relevant background knowledge, I can then provide some tools to utilize while reading a complex text.  My goal, as always, is to have students become confident readers who are not intimidated to attack any text on their journey.  Embracing complex texts can only happen when students have acquired enough background knowledge  that empowers them to man their oars.

There are many more activities teachers use to build background knowledge such as literary bridges, vocabulary study, and virtual (cyber) experiences.  If you have other suggestions, I would love to read about them.