Embedded Files
Shortly after my internship ended, the job hunt began. I interviewed at various Metro-Detroit schools at the MSU Job Fair, attended an open-house at a local Jesuit school, and then the waiting-game began. Luckily I did not have to wait too long as my mentor teacher came through with a contact at Cass Technical High School. I am beyond lucky to be able to work with such great kids, faculty, and families. Like my 9th graders, it was my first year at Cass. My 10th graders were so helpful at getting me acclimated to what it really means to be a Technician.
Can you see me? Barely.
Class favorite!
9th Grade Highlights
9th Grade Highlights
9th Grade English focused primarily on identity and journeys of self-discovery. Being a teenager is hard! Figuring out your role in society is tough! I wanted my students' voices, anxieties, and experiences heard clearly in the classroom because we are all in it together.
Novels & movies we consumed:
The Skin I'm In by Sharon G. Flake
Bad Kids (2016)
Wonder (2017)
"Flexin' in My Complexion" CNN News
"No One Eats Alone Day" NEWSELA
Freedom Writers (Film, 2007)
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Excerpts from Incidents in the Life of A Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs
"The Family I Lost...The Family I Gained" Ted Talk
"A Family of My Own" The Moth
Freedom Papers
Fugitive Slave Act
Of Mice & Men by John Steinbeck
"My American Success Story" CNN Money
America in Color 1930s PBS
"The Fruit of Cheap Labor" Vice News
Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare (Have No Fear Shakespeare Edition)
Romeo & Juliet (1997)
What Does My Face Say To The World: Storytelling Presentation
What Does My Face Say To The World: Storytelling Presentation
We spent much of the fall on Sharon Flake's novel The Skin I'm In to discuss identity, confidence, bullying and colorism. These themes hit home for a majority of my students which prompted heavy and vulnerable discussions. As our classes became closer to one another, it was fairly simply what their final assessment would be for this novel.
The ability to tell stories is what makes humans particularly unique. Their final assessment was a 5-7 minute storytelling where they had to answer the question "What Does My Face Say To The World" ] from the novel. Their personal narrative started from one of these three questions.
What experiences have made you who you are?
What can someone tell about your life just by looking at you?
What are experiences that you have hidden from your expression?
For a week and a half, students worked in class on their personal narrative. When they were ready, they would practice in the hallway. Memorization was not required but many of my students wanted to tell their story without looking at their phone or their narrative.
When we actually gathered in the Grand Theater, it was moving moment for all of us. Some of my students talked about moments that defined them, tragic or triumphant; some brought us to tears from grief or from laughter. We really bonded in that moment as it was just us, the stage, and the spotlight. I'm incredibly grateful for my students feeling confident enough to open up about their experiences with their classmates. It takes a lot of courage to vulnerable on the stage. But it also takes a lot of courage to recognize that your voice and your experiences matter.
Family History Gallery Walk
Family History Gallery Walk
Kindred by Octavia Butler was (and still is) my favorite book to teach. It created great dialogue about the tragedies families had to endure in order to survive, and the responsibility we have at acknowledging our families histories and how it contributes to our identity.
Their final assessment for the novel had three parts. First, they needed a thorough family tree completed. Second, they needed to write a report on their family history focusing on three generations. Third, they needed 3 artifacts that represented their family and anything that was unique to their experience.
Class Favorite!
10th Grade Highlights
10th Grade Highlights
Who would've thought that 15 years would be so fun?! While I taught two 9th grade classes, my other 3 classes were for 10th grade English.
The focuses for 10th grade were opportunity, class, wealth, and power. First semester was primarily on how wealth and class created vastly different experiences. Second semester was focused on power and corruption.
Novels & films we devoured:
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Excerpts from The Wild Truth by Carine McCandless
"Death of An Innocent" by Jon Krakauer
Self Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Against All Odds: The Fight For the Black Middle Class PBS
The Jefferson's (1971) Pilot Episode
A Raisin In The Sun (Film ,1961)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
America In Color: The 1920s PBS
The Great Gatsby (Film, 2012)
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
"Exposing China's Digital Dystopian Dictatorship" YouTube
Black Mirror "Men on Fire" Netflix
"Dita Kraus: The Librarian of Auschwitz" The Jewish Chronicle
"Nazi Book Burning" The United States Holocaust Museum
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare Edition)
Into The Wild-Debate
Into The Wild-Debate
Because every teenager says that they are great at arguing, I figured I could put them to the test. While many of my students did not enjoy Into the Wild, they had a lot to say about Chris McCandless and his adventures, but more importantly, his tragic ending.
The class was split into thirds: one group was the affirmative, the second ground was the opposition, and the third group was the judge. They had 3 in-class days to prepare their arguments by using guided notes I had provided. While the two arguing sides built their arguments, the judges were given various articles focusing on experiences similar to Chris', some just as tragic, others much more hopeful. Each side was assessed on how well they built their argument, regardless of whether the judges declared their argument the winner. Each group member was then able to assess each other on their contribution to the group (which definitely got messy).
4 Corners: Censorship
4 Corners: Censorship
Prior to reading Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, it was important to engage in a dialogue about censorship and its intentions. Each corner of the room had the designated sign "Strongly Disagree" "Disagree" "Agree" or "Strongly Agree", neutrality was not an option (which they loathed). As I read each statement aloud, I would ask one representative from each side of the room to share their stance. It really encouraged my students to think about systematic powers, oppression and censorship. My favorite part of the activity? A student of mine that typically spent the class hour watching a soccer game on his phone drove almost every conversation. This allowed my students to build the confidence to defend their claims when they may never felt the courage to do so.
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