Driving Barefoot
High school English teacher trying to challenge the problems of the public school system with sarcasm, subtle rebellion, compassion, cute headbands, and an intense love for my kiddos.
Search
Things I Love
-
Book Lover’s Romance by Nadja Pausch
Capitol Books in Washington DC. November 2009
-
everybody dreams, but nobody has ever managed to tell me what their dream was like. not so that i really understood what they saw or felt. every...
-
need a book rec? read this.
Tag Results
65 posts tagged education
Vindication
Remember this kiddo?
He’s writing his college essay about how he wants to be a teacher because of me— so he can help other kids who struggle with motivation.
Well. I may have pretended to have an allergy attack after his 12th grade English teacher told me this today.
Sometimes, being a teacher is pretty damn wonderful.
“Dear Ms. T, I’m so sorry for this mistake. I meant to print my paper out this morning, but I was distracted by my delicious breakfast. My essay is attached. Have a great evening!”
Actual email from a student. Equally endearing and ridiculous. (But aren’t most things about teaching?)
Tic-Tac-Toe
Student- Ms. T, I just crushed Matt in tic-tac-toe.
Me- Oh yeah? [Looks at paper] Um...why are there curved lines?
Student- I won the first game with a parabola, and the second game with a square root function.
Me- Yup, pretty sure those aren't the rules.
“Ms. T, that was the best first day ever. All my other classes were so boring. So, thanks!”
One of my general-level seniors, who high-fived me as he walked out the door. So much love for these kiddos.
The Hunger Games
Student #1- If the whole staff were in The Hunger Games, who would win?
[A 15-minute conversation ensues, in which a group of students discuss this scenario in detail]
Student #2- What would happen to Ms. T?
Student #3- She's little, so she would climb a tree. Obviously.
Student #2- Like Rue!
Student #4- Yeah, and then she would die. And inspire a revolution.
Me- Thanks! ...I think.
Last Summer YA Book review Video— Jasper Jones, by Craig Silvey!
Check it out! I gave it 3/5 stars, but I think a lot of students (especially average - above-average male readers) would really like it. Great for thematic units on racism/prejudice or for teaching difficult vocabulary contextually. Also, I’m wearing my favorite headband. So there’s that.
Summer YA Book Review Video #5: Nothing, by Janne Teller
Unsettling philosophical book about meaning, purpose, human nature, and nothingness…check out the video for more on the plot, cross-curricular connections between English and philosophy, and ideas for incorporating excerpts into a thematic unit on a text like Lord of the Flies…
Did you know there’s a Pandora for books? It’s called booklamp.org and it’s pretty amazing. You can type in the name of an author or book and it creates a sort of “playlist” of books by mapping out their “story DNA.” I can imagine so many great possibilities for using this site— making book recommendations to students, planning thematic units… the site seems like it’s still developing, and the database of books is certainly not comprehensive, but you should definitely check it out!
Summer YA Book Review Video #4: Please Ignore Vera Dietz, by A.S. King
5/5 stars! Fantastic book, great narrator’s voice, edgy and resilient protagonist who deals with some really difficult topics, potential for some amazing discussion topics…check it out!
Summer YA Book Review Video #3: Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi
In which I discuss…Action and adventure on the high seas! Futuristic, dystopian America destroyed by the search for oil! The quest to find well-written books for boys! Interdisciplinary connections between English and Science! And a great “gateway” book for kiddos who have read Hunger Games or Maximum Ride and mournfully ask, “What do I read next?!” Enjoy. :)
