High School Reflection Week Two

Week two at North Providence High School was enlightening!  The seniors are working on their senior projects, and we got to hear some topics.  As we listened, we were able to hear  students  who had some passion for their topic and some who didn't-who were just going through the motions.  For example, one student has been involved with Special Olympics and so the topic came very easily to him, and he was charged.   I have the hand-out she gave them on possible presentation structure for this. I believe this school is a model for senior project, so it's great to be here for this.  My own child at NK is in the midst of this, and she is very challenged by the scope of the assignment.  I saw similarities at NPHS-from the mentor component to the timed fator of each element. At the beginning of the week, they finished up their Catcher in the Rye presentations.  I got a lot out of this, and I like how it focused on depth of the book, instead of breadth.  The exercise they did which supported my view was to focus on a thesis statement, and show evidence to support it from the text and argue why it makes sense.  She requested written feedback after they finished the book, since it is only her second time teaching it.  Her form was helpful to me for a future time.  She listed for them all the activities they had done surrounding the reading, and all supplementary readings that were part of the unit.  Then she asked them to cite their favorites and least favorites from the list.  They had a lively conversation about the book after all this was completed, and this was my personal favorite event since I've been in this school.  I think the reason is these are seniors, and they've been mostly un-engaged.

Writing Workshop/Sophomores were working on a portfolio reflection, in which they had to pick a poem or essay they had written and explain how it fulfilled performance based graduation requirements. The teacher encouraged them to do a poem for some reason I didn't hear.  Joey and I edited some of these works as they were typing, and they took suggestions well, I felt.  They're also continuing with Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.  They seem to enjoy this book,  and this usually turned off group (2, actually!)  wipes the sleep from their eyes and makes noises!

  Her classes were encouraged to share any writing from the semester since three shares in a marking period equals a quiz grade, and this week was the end of the third marking period.  I'm planning to take special note of any changes in students as the end this one and begin another.  Surely, some students will be feeling pressure to buckle down, as my Dad used to say.

The juniors worked on poetry presentations.  These were the steps in the oral presentation:
1. read it
2. give author info.
3. give a brief summary of the poem
4. cite any figurative language which stuck to you
5. cite any sound devices the author used
6. speak to the literary theory

My thoughts about what I see so far?  I see a school setting which has some calmness to it.  It makes me wonder at the effects of teaching where the National Writing Project has a strong influence, such as this school.  I'm aware of some ongoing scenarios where there are uncomfortable connections between kids, and I see staff members aware of things.  There is a vibe which I'm picking up on, that is positive.  This teacher is a positive example of a professional.  Her boundaries with her students are clear, and I admire the way she picks her battles with the kids.  She accomplishes plenty each day, and this trait is the reason.