Five Things About.... Real Life

1. Taylor captures Wallace’s inner rage so perfectly- his emotional imagery left no uncertainty. Honestly, I was terrified at some points that he would end his own life, not because he was weak, but because he was surrounded by such selfishness.

2. The examples of racism and homophobia, both big and small, were painful and uncomfortable, as Taylor intended. How many times have you stayed silent? I am asking myself the same and know that we have to do better. 

3. I really wish this had been a book club book, since I feel like the relationship he has with Miller needs some collaborative unpacking. I understand that they both have so much trauma to cope with from the past, but the violence scared me on Wallace’s behalf. 

4. The scientific setting was such an added bonus for me. I loved reading about the lab, his research, and academia (although his perception of the dysfunction was not exactly inviting).

5. The female characters were fascinating- the woman who seems to just want a gay friend, the woman who tries to use feminism as a weapon, the woman in power who is way too steadfast in her support of other women, and the woman who is a loyal friend.

Intentionally Bad

Teacher confession: I make my students write bad analysis. I give them a short excerpt from what we're reading and I tell them to just blow me away with ineptitude. It's a challenge. Make it horrible. The absolute worst they can muster up. Read-it-and-cringe kind of analysis. It can't be nonsensical, but it has to be abysmal. Come up with some sort of point, but don't you dare develop it. Don't explain, don't elaborate, don't dive deeper. Surface level only, guys.

Then, we make it better. I have them pick a few ways to bring it up a notch. Can we add some textual support with a mediocre explaining sentence? Maybe toss in a literary device? Or an element of style? Wait! Can we connect to a theme, a symbol, or maybe a character? Awesome. Do, say two of those things. Make connections, though, we don't want it too disjointed. But don't do too good of a job. Keep some tricks in your back pocket. 

Then, we give it a final whirl. How can we make one or two super solid connections between the writer's choices and their content? What's really going on? Channel your inner literary critic. Can we connect it to the work as a whole, maybe thematically? Gimme that quote again, but really pick it apart this time. Dissect that sucker (and please, please, please provide the page or line). Now you're done? Are you sure? Read it through one more time, make sure to correct those mistakes and tighten up those sentences. There ya go. Submit. 

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But really, it works. I created a template for this exercise late during second semester last year and I made students do an assignment every week with whatever we were reading. They don't love it, but their analysis started improving. I score it out of fifteen on an informal rubric (fine, it's in my head, but they get it, I promise), and once they get a coveted thirteen they can skip the first two columns of bad and mediocre analysis and just wow me with their best attempt. If their score ever falls below that benchmark they have to start writing the bad stuff again, so there's a incentive to do well. I add plusses and minus to let them know what direction their headed in, as well. 

Think about it. Let's say someone told you to paint a room and do a really, really bad job (but don't get it on the floor). There'd be tons of white spots left, maybe some paint on the shutters, and areas where you could see through to the original color. You could look around and just see where you'd gone wrong, and then you could verbalize what needed to be done to get it looking better. While analysis might not be quite as obvious, and the student's current ability does matter, it's the same idea. Every single kid can improve from their intentional mistakes and there something confidence-boosting about it. They can look at their two beginning efforts and realize they didn't bring in the author's writing style or their ideas are disjointed, especially as we practice. 

I found that after several weeks of this their writing was improving as well. Sure, we're nowhere near perfection, but all I'm interested in is it getting steadily better. I have the same students this year and we're starting this exercise this week and I know that they'll all groan, but on the inside they love it. 

Five Things About... Chronicle of a Death Foretold

This was my sixth time reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez's novella and will be my fifth (I think?) time teaching it to my IB students. Here's why I love using it in the classroom so much:

1. It is the perfect introduction to magical realism. The examples are plentiful, delightful, and useful to understanding the text as a whole, as well as Marquez as a writer. 

2. There are so many thematic concepts to cover that really get the gets involved in analysis- honor, family, violence, authority, gender issues, etc...

3. Marquez's writing presents so many opportunities to dive into several stylistic elements, including foreshadowing, irony, imagery, and more

4. Sex! Violence! Scandal! My students are seniors, so they can handle maturely talking about these issues, which obviously interest them.

5. This novella serves as a great vehicle for discussing form and function, since it's narrative style is a bit untraditional.

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

Yesterday was Sawyer's first day of second grade and it went very well! It was the first time we had to deal with the childcare-school-childcare switch off and I was really anxious. He did great!

Honestly, the first day of school is pretty rough for most parents I know this year. We have to deal with our kids returning to full in-person days again, the threat of COVID, normal "do you know anyone in your class?" sorts of fears, and childcare logistics. On top of our own jobs! It's been a stressful few weeks and I can't wait for September, when everything will be a little bit more routine.

I just started Brandon Taylor's Real Life and so far, so good.

Do people in California realize that if you vote "no" on the recall election you are automatically voting to have a Republican run the state? I feel like recalls are really confusing to many, and I don't think people understand that the last time we had a conservative in charge education funding was pushed way down as priorities. Now, in a time of issues of race, public health, etc... I can't begin to believe what a disaster it would be.

I keep wanting to make these big proclamations about people not wanting to get the vaccine on social media, and how they're threatening the health of small children, and then I remember that basically everyone I talk to things the same way. BOOM. Birds of a feather flock together and all that.

I made the annual trip to the bookroom with my students and they were a little taken aback when I had them pick up eight books, four for each semester. Our load was a little lighter last year, but, luckily for them, many of what we read senior year is on the shorter side. We started Chronicle of a Death Foretold yesterday and the first reading quiz is tomorrow! We're off and running!

I know this is really unpopular, but I just an not Team Kristen Bell. I am listening to her on The Armchair Expert and there's just something about her tone or attitude or something that I find condescending and a little self-righteous (I'm going for it, I guess). She did make a funny pun about an "acowtant" at the beginning and I almost changed my mind. But I did not. I try not to make judgements on people I don't know, especially since I think public figures tend to get misrepresented so often. But I've listened to her on so many episodes now, and I just... don't want to be friends with her (not that she's over here knocking on my door, haha).

One thing we're definitely up against this year with students is this idea of easing them back into full time school, but also not allowing them to use their year off as a crutch. The push seems to have been "just get through it, just survive" so long that we have to teach them to really thrive again. It's hard, but I'm up for the challenge. 

Recent Acquisitions and Preorders

While I haven't been on a book-buying spree lately, I have definitely not halted my purchases either. I read nearly twenty or so books over the summer, so I definitely am reading faster than purchasing, which is always a win.... Someday I'll get my unread books back down to under 100. 

Well, maybe.

Here's a few that I've either added to my collection lately, or will be soon:

Acquisitions:

Guide to a Well-Behaved Dog by Zak George- Ellie is your typical one-year-old Golden Retriever, but I would like some more structured training tips without having to take her to classes or hire someone. 

The Vegetarian by Han Kang- I honestly have no clue what this about, but we're reading it next for our English department book club, so I need to get on it!

A is of Activist by Innosanto Nagara- I buy my brother's unborn baby a book a month, so this was the one for August

The Silence by Don Delillo- This recent novella received horrible reviews, so I want to see why (and it's short and was less than $5, so I'm even more intrigued) 

How to Be More Tree- This is a novelty sort of book, but I love the idea! So many things that are fundamental to trees would make for good habits for humans. 

We Are the Babysitter's Club edited by Marisa Crawford and Megan Milks- I saw this collection of essays about the impact of reading BSC and new I needed it. 

The Molecule of More by Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long- I have some pretty complex theories on my need for constant productivity, and I think this book about dopamine will help me understand, and explain, more 

Knock Knock! by Highlights- This is for Sawyer, since he is horrible at making up knock knock jokes and I thought this would help. It has not. 

Preorders: 

Matrix by Lauren Groff- I have no clue what this is about, to be honest, but I'll read whatever she writes (get ready to hear this refrain a lot...)

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead- see above

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett- see above

Between the Lines by Uli Beutter Cohen- I love her Instagram account in which she photographs and interviews readers on the subway, so I can't wait to support her by having the book version!

Bibliophile Diverse Spines by Jane Mount- I love Jane Mount so much, so I can't wait to see what her newest book holds. 

Cat Kid Comic Club Perspectives  by Dav Pilkey- This is for Sawyer, although I'm sure I'll be given a page-by-page run down