- The first day back at school after a long break is a whipping.
- Getting the kids to refocus on Romeo and Juliet after 16 days off is a HUGE whipping. But, Tybalt and Mercutio died in sword fights, R&J had their wedding night, and Juliet's father yelled at her "Hang thee young baggage! Thou disobedient wretch!" That livens the discussions.
- R&J meet on Sunday, marry on Monday, on Tuesday Juliet is told she will marry Paris, Wednesday she fakes her death, and, by early Thursday morning, R&J are both dead.
- The Reduced Shakespeare Company has a dvd of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare-Abridged. The kids howl over the 15 minute Romeo and Juliet. It's an easy way to bring home to them that literate people find life to be a great deal more amusing than those who are not well read.
- I've discovered that elementary schools no longer teach Roman numerals. I have to do a lesson in those before we read The Odyssey (Books I-XXIV), and Romeo and Juliet (Acts I-V). No wonder the children don't laugh at the Hercules cartoon when the little character runs from a fire yelling "Call IXII, call IXII".
Monday, January 5, 2009
First Day Back
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5 comments:
Why did the stop teaching Roman Numerals. I have had times in my adult life I needed that education?
And on another note .... How do you do it? I had only one child and he drove me nuts. May the Lord be with you ;)
Aww...You're sweet. I can do this because it is my passion. I truly wake up every day happy to go to work. That's not to say that there are not moments in the day that I want to bang my head against the wall, but nothing gives me a thrill like seeing the light of understanding dawn on a kid's face!
I do not know why Roman numerals are no longer taught. I can only assume that it is because kids are not held accountable for that knowledge on the TAKS tests. In addition, many of them have not a clue how to read an analog clock. I do a mini lesson at the start of every term to teach my ninth graders how to read the clock in my room.
I truely feel for you. Thanks to 'no kid left behind' all are falling behind. The Odyessy has been a favorite of mine for XXX+ yrs. Sorry I just had to.
YOU CAN SHARE WITH US AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK! First time I've used all caps in one sentence.
If you're gonna be that happy, please share your escapades... regularly
Please forgive me if I'm too forward,
DC
Geez, DC, sorry! I'll try to do better.
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