Post date: Feb 11, 2012 5:23:41 AM
Dear Parents and Students:
This teaching job has got to be the best gig around – rewarding, rigorous, and week-long vacations every couple of months. I try hard not to gloat when I chat with my cubicle-confined contemporaries on Facebook or at various reunions. Thanks to all of you who make the job so great.
English: This week we began our venture into the world of the great American writer, John Steinbeck. I explained that his style is in sharp contrast to the plot-driven shock-value draw of much of today's juvenile fiction. Steinbeck's books are about the common man, the perseverant beauty of nature, and the great economic and social injustices -- heady topics for early teens but (and therefore) very valuable nonetheless. On Monday, the kids created class "wiki's" about JS and his books. (HR25 and HR26) and then on Tuesday we did a "speed dating" session with the books as described in an email I sent out last night. By the way, some parents have added great tips and resources for getting the books on the spreadsheet that Stephanie started.
Another product of the week was the step-by-step construction of a personal reflective essay on "Screen Time". I used the "Screen Zombie" article from SCOPE magazine and their essay kit. The essay was due today but not all students turned theirs in -- I assume it will be homework for the weekend for some.
Science: The content of the week was quite varied. An explanation of daylight savings time and some group studying on Monday, a test and building marshmallow molecules on Tuesday, a presentation from an American Airlines pilot on Wednesday, a day of Science World current events on Thursday, and a Lego-enhanced lesson on chemical reactions (photosynthesis-respiration) today. There are two ongoing projects should be well established by now. First, the experiments/projects might be causing some interest or at least raised eyebrows at home. Please remind the kids that every experiment requires documentation and/or data collection. Second, each student should also have logged in a science demo and given me a date on which they would like to present. (see science assignment calendar).
Something on my Mind:
There has been an unsettling thought swirling in my head as well as a tone of concern in some parent discussions lately: How can the remaining time in 8th grade best prepare the kids for the requirements and rigor of non-DCS high school? I'm in the process of putting my thoughts into a paper I'm calling "The Frontage Road and the Freeway" about this very topic. Two-second summary: how to help the kids make the merge from the scenic and experiential county frontage road (of "alternative ed") to the fast-paced demands of life on the freeway (of "traditional ed"). I'd love to hear your thoughts. If you have time and desire, please reply with whatever input and ideas you have. This will probably be a topic of discussion during our parent meeting on Wednesday (2/15).
Core Time Classes:
The eighth grade teachers have decided to use some of the core sessions in March for "Interest-Based Mini Courses", wherein students explore areas of personal interest. Last year the topics fit into three general overarching themes: Current Events and Controversy, Media and Entertainment, and Health and Nutrition. The group that met in my room (again, last year) chose topics such as Capitalism & SocioEconomics, Animal Abuse, Japan's Disasters, The Black Gold (effect does foreign oil on US), and Video Game Regulation (how do first-person shooter games effect kids, and what control should adults have over them?). I'm eager to see what great things this year's 8th graders come up with! This will also provide time for the 8th grade kids to work together, regardless of homeroom class.
Until next time,
Chris
Parent responses to the "Frontage-Freeway"
High school can certainly feel like the freeway--a rush of 7 classes, the pursuit of a 4.3 GPA, decisions that affect UC admissions. Having ushered plenty of youth through the demands, I can speak about the insanity of a system that expects teens today to be excellent at everything they do. Watching teens and parents go through the gauntlet called Traditional Education has made me even more determined to find different ways to approach learning. These experiences led me to the group who is founding Communitas--the alternative to what often seems like a disjointed, outdated approach. Rigor shouldn't be about driving youth away from learning. In the end what I know is that whichever road a student takes, focus, goal-setting and attitude about learning are critical.
My thoughts on the "merging." People need to stop worrying about it. The whole purpose of "alternative ed" as you call it is to create flexible thinkers who have a sense of themselves. If we have done that well, then the kids have all the "training" they need to jump into a new environment.