Thursday, July 15, 2021

Yay Books

Last year at this time I accepted a summer school-type class at the alternative education center (read: the kiddos who were expelled from the other schools). But things were different last year. Firstly, I had a couple weeks warning to prepare. This time, I got called the morning of their first day of school. 

Last year, it was all virtual. This year, we're all back on campus. 

So, I've got two-hour blocks to fill with kiddos in the classroom with me. 

For the first day, the principal set them up with online work. (It's a program that I'm familiar with via the continuation high school. They've been using it for years.) And while that was great for the first day, I knew that would get old, quick. 

English class. Summer session (18 days). There was a bookcase in the classroom with many books. Why not read a book? 

And guess what was in that bookcase? The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Since they're not going to like the book I assign, I'm going to like it. And, I know quite a bit about it. Score! 

I ran the plan by another teacher and the principal, and they both agreed it sounded like a good plan.

Now I just have to figure out things to assign to go with it. Any ideas?

14 comments:

  1. If only my teachers would've assigned a book like that!

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    1. I know, right? I would have enjoyed this way more than The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Ick.

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  2. I would have loved to be assigned that book. Of course, I am drawing a blank for suggestions.

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    1. Alas, they're not so enthused over the choice of book. Ah well. I'm enjoying it.

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    1. Oh, you don't know the torture it is for me to not make 42 references for them. We're not there yet.

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  4. Sounds fun....can't wait to hear about that.

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    1. They're not enjoying it half as much as I am.

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  5. Animal farm. I know I read that in school

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  6. Book reading exercises are good fun!

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  7. My favorite! I remember the first time I started it, though. The first page - prologue? - threw me and I put it down for a year. It starts out reading like a scientific essay. For a page.

    What kind of assignments do you need to do? Writing? Discussion questions? I always like doing "what if" when my students have extra time. "What if the girl didn't run to hug her teacher, but a stranger? What would her parents do then?" Not sure if that's applicable here.

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    1. Getting them to discuss anything is like pulling teeth, so I'm giving them written assignments. (That gives me points for a grade, so win-win.) I had them write "Vogon poetry". That was fun.

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  8. I have no idea of the appropriate sort of assessment, so here are a few suggestions for your awesome book choice...
    - a creative story of their own eg what would you do if your best friend told you they were an alien?
    - if it needs to be something more analytical, What difference would a Babel Fish have made to initial meetings between Indigenous Americans and first settlers? [or insert relevant moment in time here]
    - write their own script for a comedy radio broadcast (if you are covering the fact it started as a radio comedy series)

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I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.