Asking why, re: NCLB & literature emphasis

When I was in California, teaching fourth grade, I remember having to teach the children how to write a literature review, in case the state should happen to test that assignment in that particular year. Of course teaching to the test was the only instruction that was acceptable under their interpretation of No Child Left Behind.

I thought, how many times have I actually had to deal with literary elements in my past?

I think that I needed to know the literary elements for when I took acting classes, for understanding characterization, and dramatic intent. That was a couple times in the early 1970s. Certainly I never needed to write a literary review. I think that such is the realm of literature classes in the English department.

I believe that the next time I dealt with literary elements was in a Screenwriting class I took while I was in film school in Michigan. Understanding the literary elements and being able to communicate about them in screenplays, which we were either writing or analyzing, was extremely helpful.

Then I considered, how often would your average college student have to deal with the literary elements? I figured that I was about average. English majors would be on the high side. Engineers would be on the low side, and coming from a family of engineers, I believe the need to understand the literary elements is not highly valued, though I am sure there are exceptions.

So then I ask, why the hell are we wasting time teaching the 9 year olds how to write a literary review, using literary elements? Am I the only person asking if this is a valid standard?

When they need to know, they will figure it out.

There is another installment coming about teaching reading using only fiction for instruction.

Post-Malaise

Up through December I had a bout of malaise.

I have been watching a series on PBS: "This Emotional Life" with Dan Gilbert. If you have read earlier posts, you can tell that I am a fan of Dan the man.



I am looking at it with new eyes. One very salient point he makes is that our lives, our happiness is in the hands of others, meaning that we derive a lot of our happiness from our interrelationships with others. However it is my personal responsibility to reach out to the ones I know and love, and therein lies the irony.

As you can see from the last three postings, I have just recently reconnected with some very wonderful people, my former students.

Referring also back to my second posting, I had closed myself off. I suspect that being closed off is my default position. I need to become more vigilant not to slip back into that, though it does seem a habit of mine.

In the third of the series in "This Emotional Life" Dan Gilbert talks about altruism. I think that those who eschew being altruistic are impoverishing their own lives, by denying themselves the joy that comes from compassion. I will be sure to watch tonight: http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/

Reunion Pics, Jan 1, 2010

Caught off guard

When Tonya Moseley of KING5 News asked me what made the class of 1990-91 special in my mind, I just spaced. Appearing as a blathering idiot in front of the camera is not a good thing. I am sure that if video had a cutting room floor, that part would be down there.

What made them special, is what most all of my students had that made them special. They were honest of spirit, they wanted to learn and to grow, they were basically good human beings who just wanted to love and be loved.

I know that most teachers have these rules that a teacher should never befriend their students. But then, I was never very good at following rules.

I always thought the humans learn better when they are in a harmonious environment.

I don't know if I told this class this, but there are students to whom I have said, that when you grow up, I would like us to be friends.

Now that I am on Facebook, I am discovering how true that is becoming.

It is cause for celebration.

Pics From My Teaching Career

Field Trip Pics from My 1990-91 Class

Travis on the big toy:



Me pointing the way on the Oregon Trail:



Various class members enjoying the pool at the campground in Vantage:



Young ladies drying themselves at the waterslides in Kennewick:




These are pics from when we took the long distance field trip to eastern Washington.

My Kids' Reunion, New Year's Day 2010

Back row, left to right:
Colin Waterton, Travis Krick, Katherine Klein, David Hart, Lorne Sleipness, Stephen Moshay, Jenna Reiselman.

Middle Row:
Dean Neshem, Marit Bockelie, Amy King, Bryan Moritz, Brian Clay, Andrea Wells, Chris Ehlers, Katie Wiggins.

Front Row:
Dan Gomez, Melissa Reuter, Andrew Laberge (goes by Drew now), David Thompson (DT), Rosalyn Pham.

The adults are principal Cameron on the left, and Mr. (Richard) Lewis on the right.

I am so pleased and proud of my students from my 1990-91 class. They put together this reunion; special thanks go to Stephen Moshay and David Thompson.

It is such a wonderful and indescribable joy to get to see them again.



I have put in a video of this to show what happened.