It's Punctuation Day. Celebrate well...and remember, commas save lives!!!
Let's eat, Grandma.
Let's eat Grandma.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Homage to the Short Story
I love
teaching the short story to my seventh graders.
We read YA classics in their literature anthology, like Langston Hughes’s
“Thank You, M’am” and “Charles” by Shirley Jackson. Of course the culminating highlight is Edgar
Allan Poe’s riveting “The Tell Tale Heart.”
My students’ faces at the end of the story are priceless, and the
impending class discussion goes something like this:
“You mean the psycho guy buries the
old dude alive?”
“Yep!”
“You mean the heart the he hears is
his own?”
“Yep!”
“That’s tight, Ms. Dana!”
“Sure is. They don’t credit Edgar Allan Poe with Master
of the Detective Story for nothing. And
did you know he married and fell in love with his thirteen year old cousin?”
“Ewwwwwwwwww!!!!!”
Never a
dull moment when Poe is on the agenda…
As a genre, my students prefer short
stories over poetry and the novel. They
appreciate the brevity and are bowled over by the dramatic denouement present
in so many. What I love is their
exposure to unique voices, profound characters, and universal themes – all in
one class period!
If you
forgot the thrill of the short story, are between novels, or just in a reading
funk – check out or revisit these spine-tingling tales:
“Roman Fever” – Edith Wharton
“A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” – Ernest Hemingway
“The Necklace” – Guy de Maupassant
“Lamb to the Slaughter” – Roald Dahl
“The Dinner Party” – Mona Gardner
“The Tell-Tale Heart” – Edgar Allan Poe
“The Lottery” – Shirley Jackson
“The Monkey’s Paw” – W. W. Jacobs
“Bernice Bobs Her Hair” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Sunday, September 1, 2013
A Parent's Guide to Surviving (and Thriving) in Middle School
Back to school
is right around the corner. Only this
time your child is entering middle school – that rite of passage where they will
undergo academic, social, and developmental challenges like never before. While your eager middle schooler is raring to
go, you may be secretly asking yourself if you’re truly ready for this
auspicious journey. The answer is
Yes! With today’s challenges, middle
school may seem like the new high school, but below are six tips on how to make
the transition seamless for both you and your child. Get your brave on and learn how to survive
(and thrive) as a parent of a middle schooler…
6 Steps to Swinging Into Middle School With
Ease
Prepare: Middle school isn’t exactly The Hunger Games – but you will fare
much better if you know the rules.
Procure a copy of the school’s handbook and read it, ideally with your
child. Be familiar with the school’s
policies. For instance, does the school
have a dress code? Is there a general class
supplies list? What is the protocol for
absences, medications, cell phone usage, etc.?
Make sure to complete all emergency card information with several
contacts and up-to-date phone numbers for easy communication.
Volunteer: Join the PTA, PTO, or Booster Club. Introduce yourself to the principal,
counselor, and teachers letting them know you are available to assist wherever
needed.
With school
funding at a premium, some ways parents can help are volunteering in the computer
lab, chaperoning field trips, selling concessions, leading a book club, or supervising
dances. If working with students
one-on-one, be sure to check the district’s policy on parent volunteer
fingerprinting and/or background checks.
Be a Study Buddy: Check homework once a week or more if your
child is struggling. Designate a study time and place free of distractions with
adequate supplies, including pencils, paper, dictionary, and calculator. Calendar long-term projects, and be available
for assistance or hire a tutor if needed.
Many schools offer free after-the-bell tutoring programs or intervention
services. Encourage and teach time
management and organization skills – before social networking, cell phone, and
television time.
Communicate: In elementary school, teachers call home if
there is an academic issue, but in middle school the report card is often a
parent’s first notification that their child is struggling. To avoid Report Card Shock Syndrome and
address problems early on, attend Back-to-School Night and all parent/teacher conferences. Introduce yourself to your child’s teachers, provide
email contact information, and let them know you want to work as a team. In middle school, each teacher has their own
way of posting homework, grading, and communicating with parents. Ask for a copy of the class syllabus. Communication is key to your child’s success.
Get Social: Your child’s circle of friends will most
likely be at the top of their priority list.
This is a good time to rally your own parental BFF’s, if nothing else
for moral support. In short, get to know
the parents of your child’s friends. Arrange
a lunch to establish common norms for sleepovers, social networking, etc. Discuss bullying and implementing appropriate
safety precautions. Talk over the
school’s vision and what you can do as parents to make it the best place it can
be.
Be a
Cheerleader: As your child enters middle
school, he or she will tackle academic, social, and peer related issues. There will be laughter and there will be
tears. Let your child know that you are
their greatest fan and support.
Encourage their strengths and interests with extracurricular activities
such as clubs, sports, band, and foreign language. When a problem arises, be there to help but
also just to listen. At the end of the
day, sometimes a tween just needs a sympathetic ear. Middle school is a challenge, but never let
your child forget that you are their
ultimate BFF and secret cheerleader.
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