Last week we wrapped up three weeks of reading The Pearl by John Steinbeck.  This was my second time reading the book and very enjoyable for me.  Steinbeck is my favorite author in pure number of books written that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

The Pearl was good for reading in class because it is a pretty straightforward story.  Poor people find great wealth and society tries to scheme them out of it.  It is set in Mexico during the Spanish colonization.  I placed it 1800’s ish for the kids.  It is very emotionally compelling near the end and offers a satisfying (if not sad) conclusion that justifies the parts where it might drag for students.  If they hang with it, they’ll have a hard time saying it wasn’t worth it.

We read three days a week for the first two weeks then four days the final week.  We discussed style and folklore during our read.  We frequently paused checking for understanding and using active reading strategies in groups (e.g. visualization, summarizing or connecting it to something else.)  We studied ten vocabulary words per week from the reading.

Vocabulary in my class consists of introduction on the first day of the week.  I create a Power Point presentation over the weekend with each word getting its own slide.  On the slide, the vocabulary word is printed largest.  Next largest is the definition with word part (i.e. noun, verb, adjective or adverb.)  Then I select a picture to represent some aspect of the word.  When appropriate I make references to root words, prefixes and suffixes as well.

My students have a vocabulary notebook they need to bring to class every day.  On Mondays, they write the vocabulary words with word part and definition into their vocabulary notebook.  This routine consists of: first having them say the word to a partner, so they have an opportunity to practice first and hear it said back to them.  Then I call on a student to say the word out loud (I have a tally sheet with all of their names on it, so I track when I ask them to do something.)

While this is taking place they are all writing the word and definition in their notebook.  At the same time, I call on someone to read the word part and definition.  I track it.  We then get a couple thirty seconds to briefly discuss the picture with a neighbor and how it relates to the word.  Finally, I’ll call on a couple of people to share their conversation.

That’s the first touch with the vocabulary.  The second day of the week, I give them a crossword puzzle with the definitions as clues to solve the puzzle.  The ten words in the puzzle are the spelling test on Friday.  The words for the spelling test can come from any words we’ve already written in our book. 

In theory, a student wanting to do well (I’ve explained this to them) will complete the vocabulary puzzle Tuesday night and then take the words out of the puzzle putting them into a list.  Study the list five minutes Wednesday and Thursday.  Bring the list with you on Friday, so you can study it ten minutes before the test (a time when I get the greatest amount of engagement because so many students haven’t studied.) 

Still I get students failing these tests with a 30% or less.  Those not wanting to do well, I try to encourage but unfortunately this year I’ve got students whose sole goal in my classroom seems to be taking us off track.  Friday’s spelling test is pretty traditional really.  I say the word giving a definition and the word part.  Then they write the word. 

During the last three weeks, we also read about ten pages of The Pearl each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  I record myself reading the previous weekend and then bring in a CD to play while the students read along.  It really engages students.  Kids that don’t read suddenly are willing to read quietly, so that everyone is able to read without distraction. 

I’ve used the audio many times in the last two-plus years.  What I haven’t used before was a novel in class.  The pacing is much different than reading short stories and articles that may only be ten pages long.  Due to my teaching blocks being only 50 minutes long (as opposed to the two-and-a-half hours to all day atmosphere I had the last two years) I didn’t adjust my use of classroom time as effectively as I could of.  The other problem was my students don’t all have a copy of the book since I’ve only got a class set.  Don’t get me wrong.  It is fantastic that I have enough books for each student, but it means I have felt limited in having him or her read outside of class in preparation.

I will solve this problem with reflection and time.  This week is a testing week though and in my experience that means nightmare.  Kids get out of their routine and start to lose their minds.  I’ve set up a very routine environment in my classroom.  That takes care of a lot of behavior issues.  Kids know what to do when they walk through my door on a Friday.  They know what to expect on Monday, except when it is testing week.

Yesterday, kids were apeshit in my class.  My third period turned into a bunch of terrorists blowing up my lesson plans.  In thirty minutes time, we got absolutely nothing accomplished!  I sentenced two kids to writing 100 times “I will follow direction.”  One brought it in today.  The other didn’t and tried to tell me he didn’t understand.  I explained it to him today and told him I expect it tomorrow or he’ll have after school detention.  He said he understood and we shook hands.

Yesterday, I was tired and unprepared.  I didn’t prepare myself and let things slide.  Important things like my seating chart.  Today, seating chart was in full enforcement in each one of my classes.  It was better.  My third period tried to take us off track again, but I reined them in.  We are covering mythology and I had a pretty cool presentation I put together, last Sunday, giving some general details about Norse mythology.  The movie “Thor” certainly helped getting some of the engagement and for some of the students the similarities to Christianity also engaged.  Very few questioned whether or not the stories were true, but I did get an eighth-grader or two asking if this really happened.

Is Jormungard really a serpent encircling the Earth with his tail in his mouth waiting to release and bring on our impending doom?

These are good questions I think, because they show an engagement with the material and when kids are engaged they don’t really tend to misbehave as much.  Plus they’re making connections.  The rest of the week will be even more interesting.  Tomorrow is another testing day.  Thursday is a half day where I’ll only see my first three periods.  Friday is a half day where I’ll see my last two periods.  Then it is fall break for one full week.  Getting out of the week will be interesting, but when we come back I’ll be prepared to press them back into the security of a routine.