Hi Bill, Sorry to hear you're having such a hard time with your class this year. I teach younger children (4th grade) so I'm not sure I can be very helpful, but my suggestion would be lots of modeling and guided practice. Since you're trying to engage them, I know it would be hard to find a movie that would appeal to everyone, but maybe you just have to make the leap and choose one to watch and discuss together as it goes along. Something suspenseful might be good so you can stop it at strategic places to discuss what's going on. I remember several years ago going to one that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout, but I don't remember the title. It was action-packed too, but not too violent. I think maybe Harrison Ford was in it? I wish I could remember the title because I bet it would catch your class's attention. In any case, a movie like that, watched and discussed all together might help get things going. You could start by modeling and then move to guided practice (not that you aren't already doing that; these are just ideas). Remember the Titans would be another good one--thought-provoking and appealing to both boys and girls. Then, you could do the same with a read-aloud novel together. Maybe start with a short one.
I don't know how much school you have left, but don't give up the ship. There's always hope. Hope this helps, Eve At 05:19 PM 3/10/2007, Bill Roberts wrote: >Hi, >You haven't heard from me in awhile because I've met my match with this >year's 8th graders. They don't read, they don't do homework, they don't do >anything. They have no hobbies, interests, opinions. They are zombies who >come into the classroom, sit, and take up space. For the first time ever, I >can say they are not any smarter or better prepared than they were in the >beginning of school...and this is confirmed by every 8th grade teacher I >work with! But I've discovered something that at least explains what is >going on, even though it offers no solutions: > >They have NO comprehension at all. > >I assigned movie reviews thinking it might get them to try and do something. >I gave a list of the AFI Top 100 Films of all time, plus a list of the top >250 foreign films of all time. The best films ever made. I hoped they >might discover a new world by seeing classics like CASABLANCA or GONE WITH >THE WIND or even SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Was I wrong. Most couldn't even >watch a film because they didn't want to make the effort. They had 9 weeks >to find a film, watch it, review it, and they didn't do it. So I made it an >assignment for the next grading period...I wasn't going to give up. Same >assignment, but this time they had to do an oral review and talk about the >movie. My plan was for them to use their reading strategies and apply them >to a movie.... > >18 weeks of cajoling, reminding, and pleading, and about half did it. The >ones who did, though, couldn't remember how the movie ended. They could >tell me in detail about the first 10-15 minutes of the films, but they >couldn't tell me the story, who the characters were, how the movie >ended...nothing. I thought they might have fallen asleep, or stopped >watching, but all said they watched the entire movie....they just couldn't >remember anything. Some even remembered wrong endings like the girl who >said the shark survived the ending of JAWS. Her logic? The shark was in >JAWS 2 and 3, so it must have survived. One girl couldn't remember anything >about THE WIZARD OF OZ, not the yellow brick road, Dorothy, the music,...she >couldn't even tell me the name of the land they were in! One advanced >student told me he watched WIZARD OF OZ, but he couldn't explain it because >he got lost and confused. Another told about the Lion, Scarecrow, and the >Robot. Most could not stay focused on 90 minutes of film long enough to >process and remember it. Another, who loved CASABLANCA, couldn't remember >what state Casablanca was located in. According to another, Clarice was >interested in Hannibal Lechter because she was writing a book on him. >Another watched MY FAIR LADY, but hated it because she hates musicals. I >asked why did she pick it when she had over 300 to choose from and she said >"it sounded interesting." > >If they can't comprehend a movie, then what hope do we have of them >comprehending a book? > >Bill > > > >_______________________________________________ >Mosaic mailing list >[email protected] >To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > >Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. -*-*-*- Eve Dubois Classroom Teacher Renaissance School Shelburne, Vermont _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
