I have bought into the idea that, if I'm a dynamic teacher, every child can learn from me. Still believe it. The problem is, I've gotten so smooth at teamwork and scaffolding and graphic organizers. A truly lazy kid can  chill  while her neighbor figures out the  text, then copy. It's time to change the show!

    For these next 3 weeks (plus finals) I''m using little sampler books that have the most engaging mix of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. I resolved, "They will read. This is a reading class, and even those who take 6 months to decode a paragraph should spend time doing it.  Those who need to translate should sit and gaze at the words until the squiggles take on meaning."

    On the board, I wrote: "Choose a story from the purple book. Read. Analyze. Take notes."  I supplied further detailed instructions at each table for students who ponder such precise requirements.  Many students were immediately stuck on the mind-boggling assumption that they should pick up a book, open its pages, and mentally consume the contents. My class is READING APPLICATIONS.  No one should be shocked that they must read.

    My 1st period 6th graders were stunned  when I explained the plan.  The clowns spoke up.

 
      "I don't have a pencil."

     "I don't know what to do."

     "Why can't we have a free day?"

     "Which story?  Which book?"

     Most of the kids settled down and flipped through the pictures, then chose a story--or two or three.  Some of the weasels tried to get their neighbors to read, then tell them what to write.  However, I had placed different books on each desk.  They came in sets of A,B,C, and D.

     There are always those kids who spend the whole class trooping back and forth the sharpen a pencil, which they never use.  There was the one who bellowed, "You won't help me!  Why won't you help me?" (This was 6th grade.)

    My 5th period ESL high schoolers did better. They looked at the pictures and attempted summaries. Six period ESL sketched and doodled and waited for Jesus to decode, but I set each kid alone at a table. "You must analyze these yourselved. Pick a short poem, if you want, or one of the stories that has a Spanish translation right there."

     And I waited.  Wait-time is the hardest thing for me. I want to jump in and show them examples.  I have done it all year.

     There were the ones who sketched elaborate hearts instead of reading. I kept optimistically announcing, "By now you should have started your Cornell notes. You whould have written questions and answered them."  However, the vast majority of the class lost themselves in choosing from charming stories to read and analyze.

    The 7th period students provided my reward. These are 6th graders. Flexible kids with athletic little brains. They settled quickly to the task and I experienced 30 minutes of unbroken page-rustling with the occasional intelligent query.

    Certainly, I'm ready for these guys to fall in love with the written word. We've been practicing all year--how to read, what to look for, how to interpret. That is the real show, after all--not me and my graphic organizers and neat group work. Books are the horses that carry the kids. Writing is the razzle-dazzle that they produce. It's time for the ringmaster to sit down and applaud for the performers.