Our principal has implemented a change for block teachers. He asked us to divide up our kids according to ability levels and each teacher takes a group (two low groups, a proficient group and an advanced group) during 3rd hour. I have the lowest group. We were working on 'setting' last week. I showed several movie trailers so we could discuss the settings. I first showed "Night at the Museum 2" - I asked them where and when they thought this movie took place. Thankfully they all knew it was in a museum, although they couldn't remember it was the Smithsonian even though that was mentioned several times throughout the short 3 minute clip and Ben Stiller's character had a big patch on his arm that said, "Smithsonian" throughout the entire clip, but I digress. Anyway, when I probed them to figure out when it took place, I asked them - past, present, or future... thinking that was going back to the basics and sooooooo obvious. My first response was, "Past." When I asked why, she explained, "I saw Abraham Lincoln in it, and he lived a long time ago." After our discussion about the fact that it was actually a statue of Abraham Lincoln that is coming back to 'life' in this movie, etc., I asked for any other ideas. My next response was, "Future." Their reasoning was that they saw animatronics with the dinosaur. I was about ready to pull my hair out. We watched it again this time with me pointing out their clothing, the transportation, their dialect, etc. and we all agreed it was present. (Even though a few of the kids were very hard to convince that the teenagers clothing was similar to their own. They insisted that they don't dress like that.) I thought I'd try again with another clip. I played "Marley and Me". The clip we saw showed aerial views of the ocean, swimming pools in every back yard, palm trees, beautiful weather, summer clothing, swim suits, etc. I asked again when and where they thought this movie took place. My first response was "New York." I was floored, but I still managed to ask why. She shook her head and said she didn't know. I began to point out everything I mentioned above, and thankfully one boy said, "California." I praised him to the hilt and then told them that I had seen this movie and even though California was a good guess, it wasn't where the movie took place. Did they have any other thoughts? One girl bravely raised her hand and said, "Mexico" - I would've started laughing except by this point I am sweating bullets thinking, "How in the world can I make a difference with this crew by MAP time?" M.A.P. is our state test given in April. Back to the story - I asked her if she noticed anyone speaking Spanish? Or if she noticed the people to be predominantly Hispanic? Of course she said, "No," and we went on with the lesson.
5 comments:
This story is hilarious! I love it! You really should post these anecdotes more often. Poor kids, having to be in the "low" group. How's that working out?
Maybe they know that they are in the "low" group and that is why they are acting so... I won't say the word. You do tell a fabulous story!
'I believe the children are our future..."
Yikes! That story is funny, although really it isn't.
nat, your comment made me laugh out loud! Have you seen that episode of "The Office" , when it's take your child to work day? Dwight and Michael sing, "Teach, your children well..." It's a good one. Anyway. Man, Jenn, I want to pull my hair out after reading that. You just want to grab their faces and yell until they get it. Of course, I never would though.....
Your story is seriously sad. I work with teens all day and I know you're telling the truth. You know with in minutes how intelligent a child is by the way they follow direction and by the questions they ask just after you've given them instructions and information about that which you have just explained in great detail. If you talk to the parents, you understand why the children are having problems. There still are more awesome children, thank goodness!
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