I just finished reading The Children of Kings: A Darkover Novel by Deborah Ross and Marion Zimmer Bradley. While it was a good story, it was one I could fairly easily put down, sometimes for weeks at a time. I know that, to an extent, my busy schedule has prevented me from really delving into the story, but I also know that a really good book over-rides that. When The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult arrived in the mail last year, I had no problem pushing everything else aside for the day and a half it took me to read it. I had no problem getting up to throw in a load of laundry while mid-chapter in The Children of Kings -- not a good sign for a book.
This story has all the elements I like: familiar characters, new characters, adventure, a little romance. So why did it not click with me? The weapons smugglers and their interaction with the villagers were a little too predictable and cliched. The desert lands could have been anywhere in the Middle East -- there was nothing Darkovian about them besides Gareth. Once Rahella's identity was revealed, it was clear that Gareth would end up marrying her. Why her father allowed her to run around dressed like a boy was far less clear and did not fit the established societal norms for the series. The story may have been better without a love interest. I was happy to discover the fate of Regis' daughter, but parts of her story also didn't ring true with me.
The December issue of Poetry looks promising, so that's where I'll turn next.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Deborah Ross v Marion Zimmer Bradley
I love that Ross and Bradley collaborated on the final Darkover novels, but my recent switching back and forth between the two writers has highlighted some differences in writing styles. While Ross is an incredible writer, she does not always use the elevated vocabulary that is the norm for Bradley's writing, and, while much of what happens between the sheets in Bradley's books is alluded to, Ross provides details that limit how much is left to the imagination. I do not mean to imply that Ross' descriptions are pornographic, but I do prefer Bradley's allusions -- not just for me, but for the myriad of young readers who are drawn to science fiction and fantasy. Regardless of our age, what we are able to envision is limited by our experiences. When I think about my daughters in their teenage years, and my current students, I prefer that their understanding and visualization of sexual situations be limited to what they already know instead of providing details of things they have yet to experience.
Of course, when I think back to my teenage years and the songs that Mary Whitehouse attempted to ban, I know I run the risk of sounding like her 2014 counterpart with my views about some movies, television shows, and novels. But still, I do feel that there must be some balance between providing accurate information in sex education classes and providing too much information in literature. (In high school, not only did our biology text book limit coverage of reproduction to flowers and rabbits, our male biology teacher in our girls' school always returned to chapter one rather than discuss how bunnies do it! I do not advocate that, and I am very thankful that Mr. Bailey resigned and was replaced with a more progressive teacher for year 5 of biology.) But I digress.... my preference for allusion and limited detail applies not only to sexuality in novels. I also prefer to build my own image of each character and his or her environment. In the Darkover novels, red hair indicates the likelihood of psychic abilities and is therefore an important component of the story. Other than that, I prefer to be given a general idea of a character's appearance and then allowed to flesh out the details in my mind.
The differences in Ross' and Bradley's writing is echoed in the differences between younger teachers and me. There are scenes in White Oleander and The Bluest Eye that I do not want to discuss with students, but I am comfortable telling students that Hamlet is referring to sex in parts of the play -- and then letting them use their imaginations. Or maybe the difference reflects my English upbringing. Regardless, I am very happy that Ross is continuing the Darkover story lines, but I mourn the passing of Marion Zimmer Bradley and other writers of her ilk.
Of course, when I think back to my teenage years and the songs that Mary Whitehouse attempted to ban, I know I run the risk of sounding like her 2014 counterpart with my views about some movies, television shows, and novels. But still, I do feel that there must be some balance between providing accurate information in sex education classes and providing too much information in literature. (In high school, not only did our biology text book limit coverage of reproduction to flowers and rabbits, our male biology teacher in our girls' school always returned to chapter one rather than discuss how bunnies do it! I do not advocate that, and I am very thankful that Mr. Bailey resigned and was replaced with a more progressive teacher for year 5 of biology.) But I digress.... my preference for allusion and limited detail applies not only to sexuality in novels. I also prefer to build my own image of each character and his or her environment. In the Darkover novels, red hair indicates the likelihood of psychic abilities and is therefore an important component of the story. Other than that, I prefer to be given a general idea of a character's appearance and then allowed to flesh out the details in my mind.
The differences in Ross' and Bradley's writing is echoed in the differences between younger teachers and me. There are scenes in White Oleander and The Bluest Eye that I do not want to discuss with students, but I am comfortable telling students that Hamlet is referring to sex in parts of the play -- and then letting them use their imaginations. Or maybe the difference reflects my English upbringing. Regardless, I am very happy that Ross is continuing the Darkover story lines, but I mourn the passing of Marion Zimmer Bradley and other writers of her ilk.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Back to Marion Zimmer Bradley
It's been a while since I had time to read for pleasure, but I decided to take my Kindle along on our recent trip to an air rifle competition to Nashville instead of playing endless games of Candy Crush on my phone during the trip as I had done in summer. I have three books from the Darkover series on my Kindle, each of which I have only read once. Hastur Lord fills in much of the background that I have always wondered about while reading about the characters in the books that chronologically follow the Sharra rebellion. (Marion Zimmer Bradley did not write or publish the books in chronological order, which is actually one of the things that I love about the series.) I enjoyed reading Hastur Lord so much that I continued reading sporadically after we returned home and am now part way through The Alton Gift, written with Deborah Ross. In this book, Michael's and Maguerida's children are grown up and Regis Hastur is dead.
What keeps bringing me back to these books is the combination of well-rounded characters and the wonderful style of writing. When I haven't read for pleasure for a while, I am always more aware of the number of "SAT words" that I encounter in my favorite novels. It's not like the intended audience for these books is necessarily highly educated; the books are just well written and include this level of words when appropriate. I will admit that there are words that I now look up on the Kindle when I encounter them that I would not have interrupted my reading to go get a dictionary for, but through being an avid reader, I naturally came to know the meaning of so many of the words that I now directly teach to my students simply so that they can improve their SAT scores.
When my husband and I talk about the books we loved as teenagers, we always seem to return to discussing the impact that reading had on our lives. I don't believe that anything impacted my writing style and vocabulary more than reading -- except for Miss Southall, my high school English teacher. (I still channel her when writing research papers!) My love of history originated with novels, which led to reading non-fiction books and biographies. This counteracted the deep hatred I felt for the subject instilled in me by Mrs. Howell, my high school history teacher.
While I will always believe there is a place in the classroom for young adult literature, I also believe that there is a place for well-written popular literature that does not necessarily target teens. I'm not saying that we should throw out the classics, but I do think we need to offer students books that are both interesting and stretch their reading fluency and vocabulary skills. Students need to see vocabulary as a skill that will make reading more pleasurable and not just a necessary evil to endure until they have conquered whatever standardized test they are currently facing.
What keeps bringing me back to these books is the combination of well-rounded characters and the wonderful style of writing. When I haven't read for pleasure for a while, I am always more aware of the number of "SAT words" that I encounter in my favorite novels. It's not like the intended audience for these books is necessarily highly educated; the books are just well written and include this level of words when appropriate. I will admit that there are words that I now look up on the Kindle when I encounter them that I would not have interrupted my reading to go get a dictionary for, but through being an avid reader, I naturally came to know the meaning of so many of the words that I now directly teach to my students simply so that they can improve their SAT scores.
When my husband and I talk about the books we loved as teenagers, we always seem to return to discussing the impact that reading had on our lives. I don't believe that anything impacted my writing style and vocabulary more than reading -- except for Miss Southall, my high school English teacher. (I still channel her when writing research papers!) My love of history originated with novels, which led to reading non-fiction books and biographies. This counteracted the deep hatred I felt for the subject instilled in me by Mrs. Howell, my high school history teacher.
While I will always believe there is a place in the classroom for young adult literature, I also believe that there is a place for well-written popular literature that does not necessarily target teens. I'm not saying that we should throw out the classics, but I do think we need to offer students books that are both interesting and stretch their reading fluency and vocabulary skills. Students need to see vocabulary as a skill that will make reading more pleasurable and not just a necessary evil to endure until they have conquered whatever standardized test they are currently facing.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Running out of summer....
I was reading Rebel Angels by Linda Bray last night (the second book in the trilogy) and really like it so far. After the way the first book ended, I am impatient to find out how the story continues. However, I know that I will probably have to wait until winter break to find out now! I wish I could read on the treadmill, but that doesn't work well with bi-focals, and I am uncoordinated enough at the best of times to risk exercising with reading glasses on!
I did finish Angela's Ashes and like it as much as I did the first time. Many people who have seen me carrying the book have recommended 'Tis, so that, too, will go on the winter break list. I was disappointed in Teacher Man, but mainly because I was looking forward to being inspired and instead found myself reliving some of my more discouraged days in the classroom. Maybe the book turns around after a while, but as long as I'm teaching, I need to read books about how wonderful teaching can be.
A book that I have started and really want to read as soon as possible is Building Resilience in Children and Teens by Dr. Kenneth R. Ginsburg. Dr. Ginsburg spoke at one of the sessions at the Military Child Education Coalition Conference and inspired me to order this book. He very effectively communicated how to talk to teenagers, and how to unintentionally shut them down. The first edition of this book was written with parents in mind. This edition has additional information geared toward organizations, including schools. I hope to bring you updates about this book even while school is in session, and I already wish that I'd had access to this book when my daughters were in school.
I did finish Angela's Ashes and like it as much as I did the first time. Many people who have seen me carrying the book have recommended 'Tis, so that, too, will go on the winter break list. I was disappointed in Teacher Man, but mainly because I was looking forward to being inspired and instead found myself reliving some of my more discouraged days in the classroom. Maybe the book turns around after a while, but as long as I'm teaching, I need to read books about how wonderful teaching can be.
A book that I have started and really want to read as soon as possible is Building Resilience in Children and Teens by Dr. Kenneth R. Ginsburg. Dr. Ginsburg spoke at one of the sessions at the Military Child Education Coalition Conference and inspired me to order this book. He very effectively communicated how to talk to teenagers, and how to unintentionally shut them down. The first edition of this book was written with parents in mind. This edition has additional information geared toward organizations, including schools. I hope to bring you updates about this book even while school is in session, and I already wish that I'd had access to this book when my daughters were in school.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Dinner with the Smileys
I just finished Dinner with the Smileys (the only good thing about insomnia is the quiet-time for reading as I try to move back toward sleep), and the second half of the book is just as good as the first. When I read about Ford, the eldest Smiley son, I think about my students and the changes they go through over a school year. They are older than Ford, but the difference between one August and the next is still incredible as they find out who they are as young adults. Reading about Ford, and sometimes Owen, I remember the days of teenage moodiness and discontent that I endured with my own girls. Those days seemed to be so very long when I was in the midst of them, but looking back, they were a blip on the radar screen. The hurtful things that were said as they tried to distance themselves from childhood and parents are outweighed by all the good, but it isn't always easy to see this mid-journey.
While this book does a wonderful job of showing everyone what a military deployment looks like from one family's point of view, it does so much more than that. It's a reminder to me that people are more important than whether or not all the laundry is folded, and that difficult times in our lives do pass, leaving us with experience and skills to handle more than we would have thought possible. Sarah Smiley has written other books, but they will have to wait until I have MY summer reading for school done!
While this book does a wonderful job of showing everyone what a military deployment looks like from one family's point of view, it does so much more than that. It's a reminder to me that people are more important than whether or not all the laundry is folded, and that difficult times in our lives do pass, leaving us with experience and skills to handle more than we would have thought possible. Sarah Smiley has written other books, but they will have to wait until I have MY summer reading for school done!
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Dinner with the Smileys
I purchased Dinner with the Smileys by Sarah Smiley at the Military Child Education Coalition Conference this week, started reading it when I arrived home on Thursday, and am already half-way through it. It's a heart-warming story of a family adjusting to the father's 13-month deployment at a time that the oldest son is in the cusp of that roller-coaster ride of the teenage years. The family comes up with the idea of inviting one person a week to sit in dad's chair at the dinner table -- not to take his place, but to fill his empty seat. Sarah's life is already hectic before her husband leaves, so the dinners end up being family dinners, like many of us have every night of the week. The dishes and glasses don't match, she hands out paper towels as napkins, the boys don't always behave, but the whole family learns and grows. Some of the dinner guests become part of their support network, others introduce the boys to facts of life such as death, childhood cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. The children react just the way my girls reacted, and Sarah doesn't sugarcoat the fact that this is not always pretty. But the process helps the children mature and become more compassionate citizens. Sarah did not set out to accomplish this -- she just wanted a way to get through the time her husband was away. Looking ahead to the next dinner instead of looking ahead to an ambiguous and changeable return date in the distant future helped them get through the year one bite at a time.
This book isn't just for military families, it's for parents raising teenagers, teenagers dealing with all those conflicting emotions that come with growing up, those of us who need a good laugh, and those of us who can benefit from an inside look at how long-term deployment impacts the whole family. Then this book extends to us thinking not only of the family missing a parent, but the family across the road or at school missing a family member due to one of the many other reasons life throws at us. For the second summer in a row, I've planned to invite a couple we know to my house for a German meal, and now summer is once again almost over. For 10 years, we planned to invite our elderly neighbors to dinner, and now they are gone. This book is a reminder that following through on plans like that is more important than worrying about whether the house is immaculate or we have real napkins -- just invite friends over and share an evening of camaraderie.
This book isn't just for military families, it's for parents raising teenagers, teenagers dealing with all those conflicting emotions that come with growing up, those of us who need a good laugh, and those of us who can benefit from an inside look at how long-term deployment impacts the whole family. Then this book extends to us thinking not only of the family missing a parent, but the family across the road or at school missing a family member due to one of the many other reasons life throws at us. For the second summer in a row, I've planned to invite a couple we know to my house for a German meal, and now summer is once again almost over. For 10 years, we planned to invite our elderly neighbors to dinner, and now they are gone. This book is a reminder that following through on plans like that is more important than worrying about whether the house is immaculate or we have real napkins -- just invite friends over and share an evening of camaraderie.
Friday, June 27, 2014
A Great and Terrible Beauty
Once I read past chapter 8 and realized that this was not going to be another teen-vampire type story, I was able to get into the story more. Events picked up and characters became more rounded. There were some unexpected plot twists that kept me reading as much as I could while traveling back from Ohio. (Reading while in a van or car became headache inducing once I started wearing bi-focals.) I finished the book today and ordered the next two in print. If my Kindle would unlock I'd already be reading the second one.
The story developed into the start of a fairly unique battle between good and evil which I assume will continue. Gemma is attracted to Kartik, but they appear to be on opposite sides, although I don't see Kartik as being on the side of evil. I want them to end up together, although that would not be socially acceptable. Is Gemma going to develop enough confidence in herself to be able to flout convention?
I am also interested in how the lives of two of Gemma's friends will continue. I'm not sure whether I like Tom enough to consider him good enough for one friend, and I worry that the other has been seduced by evil. I may end up impatient enough to order book two in a Kindle version and read it on my phone.
The story developed into the start of a fairly unique battle between good and evil which I assume will continue. Gemma is attracted to Kartik, but they appear to be on opposite sides, although I don't see Kartik as being on the side of evil. I want them to end up together, although that would not be socially acceptable. Is Gemma going to develop enough confidence in herself to be able to flout convention?
I am also interested in how the lives of two of Gemma's friends will continue. I'm not sure whether I like Tom enough to consider him good enough for one friend, and I worry that the other has been seduced by evil. I may end up impatient enough to order book two in a Kindle version and read it on my phone.
A Great and Terrible Beauty
Following a student's recommendation, I've started reading A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray. The style and time period remind me of Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers, a book that I now realize I never finished. When I finish Beauty, I really need to go back and reread that one before I get busy preparing for another school year.
Beauty has an air of mystery. I know that the malevolence lurking in the story is tied to two generations of females, which leads me to wonder whether it is an "inherited" spirit similar to that in Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches trilogy. At the start of chapter 8, Gemma has read her mother's diary, but it doesn't appear to offer any clues as to the form or origination of this spirit. A newspaper clipping found therein, however, hints at a link between multiple girls' boarding schools and whatever is going on. The boarding school itself is so far somewhat stereotypical along the lines of Jane Eyre.
So far, the book interests me, but it has yet to captivate me. It is the only book I have with me on an out-of-town trip, and reading it passes time between events at the competition at which I am chaperoning students. Gemma's brother, father, and the mysterious man from India are all stock characters with little to give the story the depth I would like to see, but hopefully they will be developed more fully as the book progresses.
Beauty has an air of mystery. I know that the malevolence lurking in the story is tied to two generations of females, which leads me to wonder whether it is an "inherited" spirit similar to that in Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches trilogy. At the start of chapter 8, Gemma has read her mother's diary, but it doesn't appear to offer any clues as to the form or origination of this spirit. A newspaper clipping found therein, however, hints at a link between multiple girls' boarding schools and whatever is going on. The boarding school itself is so far somewhat stereotypical along the lines of Jane Eyre.
So far, the book interests me, but it has yet to captivate me. It is the only book I have with me on an out-of-town trip, and reading it passes time between events at the competition at which I am chaperoning students. Gemma's brother, father, and the mysterious man from India are all stock characters with little to give the story the depth I would like to see, but hopefully they will be developed more fully as the book progresses.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Anonymity
I finished reading Anonymity at 1:45am on the last day I blogged. I don't know if I liked the ending, but I do feel that the ending was appropriate. Toward the end of the book, the chapters became shorter so the pace picked up -- and the plot line was never slow-paced to being with. That's why I was still up reading well past midnight! There were several surprises (but one predictable outcome regarding the journalist), so the book held my interest until the end. I fully recommend this book, but still have reservations about assigning it to students.
In between exercising with my Wii Fit and working to repair storm damage to the yard, I've read another book on my Kindle (I don't remember the title) and started re-reading Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews. My Kindle locked up for the first time yesterday morning, so I'm now re-reading The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall by Anne McCaffrey. Apparently I bought this book on my way back from England in 2002 and have not read it since that flight. I love using plane and train tickets as bookmarks -- they provide a reading history! I have a stack of print books on the table next to the couch that I'll make my way through while waiting to see what happens with the Kindle. As it had a full charge when it locked up, I may have a while to wait to see if it unlocks once the power runs out. It has ignored all my attempts to reset it so far. Both McCaffrey and Andrews make for great summer reading with my brain set on coast. I don't plan to read anything work related until mid-July -- for the first time in 5 years, I'm not taking any graduate classes this summer and I plan to start next school year thoroughly refreshed and enthusiastic!
In between exercising with my Wii Fit and working to repair storm damage to the yard, I've read another book on my Kindle (I don't remember the title) and started re-reading Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews. My Kindle locked up for the first time yesterday morning, so I'm now re-reading The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall by Anne McCaffrey. Apparently I bought this book on my way back from England in 2002 and have not read it since that flight. I love using plane and train tickets as bookmarks -- they provide a reading history! I have a stack of print books on the table next to the couch that I'll make my way through while waiting to see what happens with the Kindle. As it had a full charge when it locked up, I may have a while to wait to see if it unlocks once the power runs out. It has ignored all my attempts to reset it so far. Both McCaffrey and Andrews make for great summer reading with my brain set on coast. I don't plan to read anything work related until mid-July -- for the first time in 5 years, I'm not taking any graduate classes this summer and I plan to start next school year thoroughly refreshed and enthusiastic!
Friday, June 13, 2014
Anonymity by Janna McMahan
I'm about 1/4 of the way through Anonymity, a story about multiple characters all somehow tied together by a homeless girl named Lorelei. This would be a good companion book to Can't Get There From Here and From Homeless to Harvard. There is a shroud of mystery around Lorelei (hence the title) that makes me want to keep reading. McMahan mentions Lorelei's brother at intervals and Lorelei appears to be searching for him. The novel also hints at other reasons why this young lady (she should be in her junior year of high school) left home, but details are lacking so far.
Emily, another major female character, appears to be drifting through her life without a real purpose. She works and supports herself, but doesn't appear to be really using her abilities. She doesn't seem unhappy, but nor does she really seem happy. She enjoyed photography in school, but left her camera at home when she moved to Austin. Now her mother has convinced her to experiment with photography again and she has met a man who may or may not become a love interest who needs a photographer. From a photograph she took of this man, the reader can see that she has a good eye and knows how to use a camera. There are multiple threads to her story that I want to follow.
The chapters of this novel revolve around one particular character at a time. Lorelei and Emily are clearly the main characters at this point, but other people have had their own chapters. This makes me wonder who of these other people will play greater roles in the plot as the story goes on.
I find this book less cliched than Can't Get There From Here, but it is written for a different audience. If I teach Can't Get There From Here again, I may offer this book and From Homeless to Harvard as alternatives to my stronger readers. The F word is present, but only when it would occur naturally in conversation. UPDATE: I would not give this book to a sophomore, which is when I teach Can't Get There. Two pages of steamy sex don't ruin the book, but they do make this inappropriate for the classroom.
Enough writing...... back to reading...... (I love summer!)
Emily, another major female character, appears to be drifting through her life without a real purpose. She works and supports herself, but doesn't appear to be really using her abilities. She doesn't seem unhappy, but nor does she really seem happy. She enjoyed photography in school, but left her camera at home when she moved to Austin. Now her mother has convinced her to experiment with photography again and she has met a man who may or may not become a love interest who needs a photographer. From a photograph she took of this man, the reader can see that she has a good eye and knows how to use a camera. There are multiple threads to her story that I want to follow.
The chapters of this novel revolve around one particular character at a time. Lorelei and Emily are clearly the main characters at this point, but other people have had their own chapters. This makes me wonder who of these other people will play greater roles in the plot as the story goes on.
I find this book less cliched than Can't Get There From Here, but it is written for a different audience. If I teach Can't Get There From Here again, I may offer this book and From Homeless to Harvard as alternatives to my stronger readers. The F word is present, but only when it would occur naturally in conversation. UPDATE: I would not give this book to a sophomore, which is when I teach Can't Get There. Two pages of steamy sex don't ruin the book, but they do make this inappropriate for the classroom.
Enough writing...... back to reading...... (I love summer!)
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Fat Chance
My copy of Fat Chance arrived in the mail yesterday, so the final two chapters of The Guide are on hold, although I really need to finish reading it and make a decision about teaching it before the weekend is over.
Fat Chance discusses the biochemistry behind obesity and metabolic disease in an often humorous way. For the first time, I now know just why I have no energy after giving in to my craving for Skittles! I don't know yet whether that will help me resist high sugar snacks when I'm stressed or tired, but it does give me something to think about.
One thing that is amazing is the lack of empirical data behind many of the dietary recommendations to which we are encouraged to adhere. The first dietary guidelines (reduce fat) were written by a reporter with no scientific background who gleaned most of his information from one source. Yes, trans fats are evil and should be avoided at all costs, but not all fats are equal. The reduction of fats in manufactured foods after the release of those 1977 guidelines led to the increase of sugar and sodium, and sugar leads to the body's manufacture of small and harmful LDL. (Big LDL doesn't damage arteries, so high LDL numbers alone don't give us the information we need.)
What appears to be the answer to the obesity problem is not new -- avoid processed foods, increase fiber, eat more veggies -- but the chemistry behind it fascinates me. (Who would have thought chemistry could ever fascinate me after my track record in high school? Then again, it's biochemistry and I did enjoy biology classes.)
Dr. Lustig, the author, starts each chapter with a case study of one of his patients. Many of these patients are brain tumor survivors with metabolic problems resulting from the placement of the tumor or brain damage caused by chemotherapy. He and other doctors have been able to help these patients with a variety of treatments that give insights into what would help those of us who simply have middle-aged spread! They have also discovered what doesn't work, which is just as helpful. Does it help me to see hunger and a lack of energy as a symptom rather than the cause of my weight gain over the past few years? Maybe. Does it help to know that my under-active thyroid makes the battle harder for me? Not really -- I've known that for years and it frustrates me, but I'm hoping for at least a partial solution to that before the end of the book! Does it help me to see how chronic stress makes my body want to store every calorie it can. Definitely! (Did stress make me crave Starburst yesterday -- yes. I ended up with Skittles, which make me crash even more because there were no Starburst left in the snack machine.)
Overall, this book is thought provoking, especially when I consider the long-term damage that a continued dependence on processed food will cause. Summer is almost here, and that's when we typically eat healthier meals and, of course, exercise more. I doubt that we'll get to the stage where all of our meals are home-cooked with fresh veggies, at least not as long as we're both teaching, but knowing that eating better will lead to more energy and less depression, which will in turn will lead to more energy to cook after a day at work, is motivational. More energy will also lead to more exercise, which leads to less stress, which reduces metabolic syndrome, which leads to less hunger and more energy.... that's worth spending 30 minutes cooking at the end of the day!
Over summer, I am also going to add more of our favorite healthy recipes into the grocery list app we use on our phones. Just buying the things we need to cook those healthy meals is often more of a road-block than the actual cooking. Getting out of the grocery store parking lots after 5:00pm is something I avoid at all costs, so planning ahead on weekends has proven to be the best solution to the "what do we eat" problem.
Back to reading -- but first, I'm going to check on the veggie garden and encourage the plants to get busy
Fat Chance discusses the biochemistry behind obesity and metabolic disease in an often humorous way. For the first time, I now know just why I have no energy after giving in to my craving for Skittles! I don't know yet whether that will help me resist high sugar snacks when I'm stressed or tired, but it does give me something to think about.
One thing that is amazing is the lack of empirical data behind many of the dietary recommendations to which we are encouraged to adhere. The first dietary guidelines (reduce fat) were written by a reporter with no scientific background who gleaned most of his information from one source. Yes, trans fats are evil and should be avoided at all costs, but not all fats are equal. The reduction of fats in manufactured foods after the release of those 1977 guidelines led to the increase of sugar and sodium, and sugar leads to the body's manufacture of small and harmful LDL. (Big LDL doesn't damage arteries, so high LDL numbers alone don't give us the information we need.)
What appears to be the answer to the obesity problem is not new -- avoid processed foods, increase fiber, eat more veggies -- but the chemistry behind it fascinates me. (Who would have thought chemistry could ever fascinate me after my track record in high school? Then again, it's biochemistry and I did enjoy biology classes.)
Dr. Lustig, the author, starts each chapter with a case study of one of his patients. Many of these patients are brain tumor survivors with metabolic problems resulting from the placement of the tumor or brain damage caused by chemotherapy. He and other doctors have been able to help these patients with a variety of treatments that give insights into what would help those of us who simply have middle-aged spread! They have also discovered what doesn't work, which is just as helpful. Does it help me to see hunger and a lack of energy as a symptom rather than the cause of my weight gain over the past few years? Maybe. Does it help to know that my under-active thyroid makes the battle harder for me? Not really -- I've known that for years and it frustrates me, but I'm hoping for at least a partial solution to that before the end of the book! Does it help me to see how chronic stress makes my body want to store every calorie it can. Definitely! (Did stress make me crave Starburst yesterday -- yes. I ended up with Skittles, which make me crash even more because there were no Starburst left in the snack machine.)
Overall, this book is thought provoking, especially when I consider the long-term damage that a continued dependence on processed food will cause. Summer is almost here, and that's when we typically eat healthier meals and, of course, exercise more. I doubt that we'll get to the stage where all of our meals are home-cooked with fresh veggies, at least not as long as we're both teaching, but knowing that eating better will lead to more energy and less depression, which will in turn will lead to more energy to cook after a day at work, is motivational. More energy will also lead to more exercise, which leads to less stress, which reduces metabolic syndrome, which leads to less hunger and more energy.... that's worth spending 30 minutes cooking at the end of the day!
Over summer, I am also going to add more of our favorite healthy recipes into the grocery list app we use on our phones. Just buying the things we need to cook those healthy meals is often more of a road-block than the actual cooking. Getting out of the grocery store parking lots after 5:00pm is something I avoid at all costs, so planning ahead on weekends has proven to be the best solution to the "what do we eat" problem.
Back to reading -- but first, I'm going to check on the veggie garden and encourage the plants to get busy
Clifton Chronicles - Be Careful What You Wish For
Book 3 of The Clifton Chronicles finished on a cliff-hanger, and Be Careful What You Wish For is no different. I had pre-ordered this book and it downloaded to my Kindle without me noticing, so that was a nice surprise. It took me a while to remember who all the characters were and what had led up to the car accident, but once my memory kicked in, I could not put the book down. However, I now cannot even pre-order the next book. All I know is that it will be published in 2015.
Jeffrey Archer has been one of my favorite authors for many years now. The Kane and Able series and As The Crow Flies remain at the top of my list, but this series comes a close third. (Don't ask me to decide between the first two.) His characters are eminently relatable and his plots never have dull spots.
The Clifton Chronicles start in 1920 with Only Time Will Tell and Be Careful What You Wish For takes the reader up to the 1960s. As in all of Archer's books, new characters enter the story, many old ones keep trying to cause havoc and the family at the center of the drama goes through the life events we all experience. Marriage, divorce, love, betrayal, children, and death weave through the story, often in unexpected ways. The cliff-hangers at the end of each book are what induced me to read the first three books in one weekend after randomly picking up the middle one while wandering Books-A-Million. Once I realized it was the second book, the wonderful technology of the Kindle allowed me to read the three books in order with no delay!
Check online for more information about the plot, but be careful not to read too much and ruin the surprises along the way!
Jeffrey Archer has been one of my favorite authors for many years now. The Kane and Able series and As The Crow Flies remain at the top of my list, but this series comes a close third. (Don't ask me to decide between the first two.) His characters are eminently relatable and his plots never have dull spots.
The Clifton Chronicles start in 1920 with Only Time Will Tell and Be Careful What You Wish For takes the reader up to the 1960s. As in all of Archer's books, new characters enter the story, many old ones keep trying to cause havoc and the family at the center of the drama goes through the life events we all experience. Marriage, divorce, love, betrayal, children, and death weave through the story, often in unexpected ways. The cliff-hangers at the end of each book are what induced me to read the first three books in one weekend after randomly picking up the middle one while wandering Books-A-Million. Once I realized it was the second book, the wonderful technology of the Kindle allowed me to read the three books in order with no delay!
Check online for more information about the plot, but be careful not to read too much and ruin the surprises along the way!
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
The Guide to Teaching as a Subversive Activity
I liked the end of The Guide, but/and I know it will drive my students crazy! The very last sentence can be interpreted in more than one day; I know what I think happens, I can different interpretations. Outwardly the protagonist changes, but when Narayan reveals his thoughts it doesn't appear that he has learned through his experiences. Despite my cynicism, I prefer unethical characters in books to learn, grow, and become nice people. I am also ambivalent about the changes in Rosie's character, despite the fact that I find her character development very logical and believable. While I don't always like books to leave me with questions that linger long after I finish reading, I do like teaching this kind of book because students have to reach their own conclusions about some of the open-ended questions. Even though I feel that not everything is fully resolved at the end of the book, I still feel that the book has a solid conclusion.
When I ordered it, I did not realize that Teaching as a Subversive Activity was published in 1971. I agree with the premise that students need to think rather than memorize, but education is moving in that direction. When examples of how much society and technology have changed "recently," I have to think about all the things that have changed since the invention of television and LP records that are the examples given in the book. I may go back and read more over the summer as reviews mention good ideas, but I have so many other books that I've started since winter break that there are others that I'd rather finish first.
When I ordered it, I did not realize that Teaching as a Subversive Activity was published in 1971. I agree with the premise that students need to think rather than memorize, but education is moving in that direction. When examples of how much society and technology have changed "recently," I have to think about all the things that have changed since the invention of television and LP records that are the examples given in the book. I may go back and read more over the summer as reviews mention good ideas, but I have so many other books that I've started since winter break that there are others that I'd rather finish first.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
The Guide by R.K. Narayan
I am about halfway through The Guide by R.K. Narayan, one of my considerations for next year's IB class. I really like Narayan's writing style and I like the structure of the story. The book starts in the present, and that story continues chronologically. At the same time, we learn the protagonist's background in a series of flashbacks, written in first person. In addition, there are smaller flashbacks written in third person that provide additional background to the present tense narrative. There is a subtle difference in the diction of the first person flashbacks and the third person narrative, but not as distinct as in many books that I've read.
The structure of the novel would present a challenge to some of my students, but would also provide them with plenty to discuss in essays and in the oral exam. The development of Raju, the child, and Raju, the spiritual leader contrasts active decision making with simply allowing things to happen. The flashbacks provide the reader with an insight to Raju's character, pre-prison, that the villagers of Mangal lack. I find myself asking how long Raju the charlatan will be able to fool the villagers. Of course, I also want to know what happened to Rosie, the woman with whom all of Raju's troubles began, according to the start of his flashback in chapter one.
There are enough questions to make me want to keep reading. The book is not as compelling as The Handmaid's Tale, but so far it doesn't contain any scenes which could potentially upset parents.
The structure of the novel would present a challenge to some of my students, but would also provide them with plenty to discuss in essays and in the oral exam. The development of Raju, the child, and Raju, the spiritual leader contrasts active decision making with simply allowing things to happen. The flashbacks provide the reader with an insight to Raju's character, pre-prison, that the villagers of Mangal lack. I find myself asking how long Raju the charlatan will be able to fool the villagers. Of course, I also want to know what happened to Rosie, the woman with whom all of Raju's troubles began, according to the start of his flashback in chapter one.
There are enough questions to make me want to keep reading. The book is not as compelling as The Handmaid's Tale, but so far it doesn't contain any scenes which could potentially upset parents.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Breaking Night by Liz Murray
Like The Freedom Writers Diary, Breaking Night tells a very different story than the movie version of Liz Murray's life. One page that really impacted me was Liz's description of a life that revolves around "right now." "Right now bills were due," "right now Ma had the shakes and needed a fix," "right now I had no clean clothes." This, juxtaposed with the concepts of middle class life in the next paragraph, showcases the difference between living from paycheck to paycheck and being able to plan for a future. Liz writes, "[f]or people on our side of the wall, talking about the future always meant our near future and the greatest concern was the immediate solution to our most urgent needs" so "we did not set our sights on anything as lofty as long-term planning" (page 249). This is the life that many of my students are living. Why worry about next week's test when I don't know whether I will have food or even a place to stay tonight? How can we expect students to look 6 years into the future and aim for a high school diploma followed by a degree when they are living in these circumstances?
Making high school course offerings more relevant to life, as is done at Humanities Preparatory Academy, would go a long way to accomplishing this. The courses are designed "to cultivate an environment of authenticity and encourage a depth of thought" (page 253). While I am hopeful that the Common Core curriculum will move us in that direction, we are still bound to the standardized testing that doesn't fit into the model of writing for a real audience or successfully creating meaningful presentations about topics that interest the student.
But back to the book.....
Liz's story is inspiring in that she was able to overcome obstacles created by her parents and by herself. She makes no excuses for the bad decisions that she made, and her regret over some of those decisions is sincere and heart-breaking. The timeline of events makes more sense than that of the movie, as do some of the situations she finds herself in. Being alone, except for her friend Chris, is more dramatic than having a network of friends who are not homeless and are able to sporadically help her, but being motivated to earn an education by woman who became successful through attending an alternative school is far more realistic than a sudden graveside decision following her mother's death.
I hope that the movie is a gateway for my students to read the memoir, as there is so much more they could learn from the memoir. I hope that teachers and guidance counselors read the memoir as it helps even those of us who have lived for a period of time in poverty see the student who is hiding behind the frequent absenteeism and lack of motivation to study for a test on literature that in no way applies to life.
Making high school course offerings more relevant to life, as is done at Humanities Preparatory Academy, would go a long way to accomplishing this. The courses are designed "to cultivate an environment of authenticity and encourage a depth of thought" (page 253). While I am hopeful that the Common Core curriculum will move us in that direction, we are still bound to the standardized testing that doesn't fit into the model of writing for a real audience or successfully creating meaningful presentations about topics that interest the student.
But back to the book.....
Liz's story is inspiring in that she was able to overcome obstacles created by her parents and by herself. She makes no excuses for the bad decisions that she made, and her regret over some of those decisions is sincere and heart-breaking. The timeline of events makes more sense than that of the movie, as do some of the situations she finds herself in. Being alone, except for her friend Chris, is more dramatic than having a network of friends who are not homeless and are able to sporadically help her, but being motivated to earn an education by woman who became successful through attending an alternative school is far more realistic than a sudden graveside decision following her mother's death.
I hope that the movie is a gateway for my students to read the memoir, as there is so much more they could learn from the memoir. I hope that teachers and guidance counselors read the memoir as it helps even those of us who have lived for a period of time in poverty see the student who is hiding behind the frequent absenteeism and lack of motivation to study for a test on literature that in no way applies to life.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Common Core CPR - Close Reading
Thanks to the inclement weather, I finally found time to finish reading chapter 4 - How To Go Deeper. It is a good time to read it as the last part of the chapter discusses the kind of open ended questions that promote reading the text rather than just skimming to look for answers. Two of my sophomore classes are currently working in groups to discuss and answer questions about the book they are reading. About a third of the students have responses that prove they are thinking deeply about the text, a third has superficial answers only, and the other third is simply not doing the assignments even though they know that means they will fail this grading period. I know of two students who are basing their (superficial) answers on the summaries they have read on Sparknotes.
One thing that the book mentions that I have not been doing is coming together as a class to discuss the issues raised by the questions for each day. My struggling students would be helped by hearing the insights of the students who are successful. They would also be helped by hearing some of the better responses and then understand my expectations. In the past, I have been able to guide groups and give immediate feedback when answers were not in depth. I have also been able to provide more support to the students who struggle most. The biggest difference between those classes and my current classes is the time constraint of teaching skinny (45 minute) classes instead of teaching blocks. Another thing that I used to do when I taught blocks (90 minutes) was have students journal -- a practice also recommended in this chapter. How do I include group work, whole class discussions, journal writing, and vocabulary all in one 45 minute period? If students would read for homework and come to class prepared to discuss (another common core standard), I could fit everything in. As it is, few students complete homework, especially when it involves reading. My students who are accustomed to failing, and expect to fail, are not motivated by the threat of failing due to non-completion of homework. If anything, a series of zeros makes them give up faster.
While I know that I need to spend more time on the skills discussed in the book at the start of next school year, I am also trying to figure out how to implement these great ideas now while also preparing my students for the standardized test that they will take in 6 weeks time. I need time to find some good texts written from different perspectives about interesting issues and then write effective, open-ended questions to go along with them. I need to keep reading this book to find more ways to counteract student apathy and the constraints of teaching short classes.
One thing that the book mentions that I have not been doing is coming together as a class to discuss the issues raised by the questions for each day. My struggling students would be helped by hearing the insights of the students who are successful. They would also be helped by hearing some of the better responses and then understand my expectations. In the past, I have been able to guide groups and give immediate feedback when answers were not in depth. I have also been able to provide more support to the students who struggle most. The biggest difference between those classes and my current classes is the time constraint of teaching skinny (45 minute) classes instead of teaching blocks. Another thing that I used to do when I taught blocks (90 minutes) was have students journal -- a practice also recommended in this chapter. How do I include group work, whole class discussions, journal writing, and vocabulary all in one 45 minute period? If students would read for homework and come to class prepared to discuss (another common core standard), I could fit everything in. As it is, few students complete homework, especially when it involves reading. My students who are accustomed to failing, and expect to fail, are not motivated by the threat of failing due to non-completion of homework. If anything, a series of zeros makes them give up faster.
While I know that I need to spend more time on the skills discussed in the book at the start of next school year, I am also trying to figure out how to implement these great ideas now while also preparing my students for the standardized test that they will take in 6 weeks time. I need time to find some good texts written from different perspectives about interesting issues and then write effective, open-ended questions to go along with them. I need to keep reading this book to find more ways to counteract student apathy and the constraints of teaching short classes.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Common Core CPR - Chapter 3 - Engaging All Students
This chapter not only suggested ways to engage students in reading and writing, it made me think "outside the box" about meeting the requirement to include more informational text in the classroom. One teacher uses movie trailers as informational text to start talking about intended audience and voice. Students not only identify the targeted audience, they have to back their claims up with details from the text/trailer. I have used movie segments from Shrek and passages from The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss as discussion starters for audience and satire with great success in the past. I need to find similar materials to start discussions at the start of other units. (For The Butter Battle Book introduction to satire -- adapted from a lesson plan on ReadWriteThink.org -- I scanned every page of the book and added each picture to a PowerPoint presentation that I then show my students while I read. Even my most lively senior classes are remarkably quiet when I read the book to them!)
The chapter starts with an example of how one teacher addresses the idea of clear writing. His students write directions for making a peanut butter sandwich. The next day, he brings in everything he needs and then follows their directions with varying degrees of success. He does this at the start of the school year and refers back to lessons learned through this activity throughout the year.
Another idea to encourage reluctant writers is to only grade early drafts for completion. This provides a student who has had bad experiences with writing to get ideas onto paper in a non-threatening environment. I have successfully used journal writing in a similar way. I require students to write at least half a page in response to a writing prompt. I mark what I see as the top three errors in mechanics and grammar, but do not deduct any points so long as the student makes it to halfway down the page. With some classes -- those that need the additional motivation -- I give bonus points for reaching the 3/4 and full page lengths. An idea that I plan to implement from this chapter in conjunction with these journal entries is to require that students address each entry to a specific person.
There is so much more in this chapter. After reading it, I feel better about incorporating more informational text into my classroom. I am already rethinking some of the units I have planned for spring semester -- the units will stay the same, but the activities will change.
The chapter starts with an example of how one teacher addresses the idea of clear writing. His students write directions for making a peanut butter sandwich. The next day, he brings in everything he needs and then follows their directions with varying degrees of success. He does this at the start of the school year and refers back to lessons learned through this activity throughout the year.
Another idea to encourage reluctant writers is to only grade early drafts for completion. This provides a student who has had bad experiences with writing to get ideas onto paper in a non-threatening environment. I have successfully used journal writing in a similar way. I require students to write at least half a page in response to a writing prompt. I mark what I see as the top three errors in mechanics and grammar, but do not deduct any points so long as the student makes it to halfway down the page. With some classes -- those that need the additional motivation -- I give bonus points for reaching the 3/4 and full page lengths. An idea that I plan to implement from this chapter in conjunction with these journal entries is to require that students address each entry to a specific person.
There is so much more in this chapter. After reading it, I feel better about incorporating more informational text into my classroom. I am already rethinking some of the units I have planned for spring semester -- the units will stay the same, but the activities will change.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Common Core CPR chapter 2
The second chapter of this book deals with the do's and don't s of scaffolding. Like one of the teachers mentioned in the book, there are times when discussing and analyzing a text turns into me providing the students with a synopsis of the text. Quite frequently it is apparent that few students have completed the assigned reading and have therefore not thought about the text, never mind being prepared to talk about it. This applies to all levels of students. The author's also mention the ability of students to answer questions and throw together an essay purely relying on what they have gleaned from commercial study guides. One of the answers to this problem is to provide effective scaffolding, providing prior knowledge and background support in order to give students the tools they need to independently interact with the text. One of the challenges acknowledged by the authors is the amount of time that this takes, but they propose teaching fewer works in greater depth rather than rushing through a multitude of literature and never allowing students to gain confidence or the skills sets needed to become actively involved in their education.
The authors also provide an excellent example of collaboration across disciplines to employ scaffolding for one text across multiple classes. This not only has the benefit of providing students with support from more than one teacher, it shows students the relevance of what learned in one class in direct correlation to another. Those of us who visited North Mecklenburg High School last year saw this work incredibly well in a high school setting, but it is hard to implement in a school where students are not taking the same classes in a given semester. The example in the book and what we saw in action at NMHS were both collaborations between social studies and English classes. The ability to work on a cross-curricular unit with another teacher, whether social studies, the sciences, or the arts, would be especially helpful for our struggling students, but they are the least likely to be scheduled in a way that makes this possible.
There are plenty of good ideas in this chapter that I can employ in my classroom. One thing that is striking is that the authors point out that our more academically successful students are the ones who most often meet the common core goals of working in collaborative groups or independently on assignments. They acknowledge that is takes more time and patience (and a willingness to be somewhat flexible with expectations) to assign group work to struggling or unmotivated students, but these students are the ones who will benefit most from learning to work effectively in groups. I am often guilty of taking the easier (maybe) path of whole class instruction, but is it really easier when I feel like I'm pushing 25 students up a steep hill for 50 minutes at a time? I will take the author's suggestions and blend them with things that have worked for me and other teachers in the past and try more group work with my unmotivated students.
On to chapter 3 -- How Do We Engage All Students in Reading and Writing?
The authors also provide an excellent example of collaboration across disciplines to employ scaffolding for one text across multiple classes. This not only has the benefit of providing students with support from more than one teacher, it shows students the relevance of what learned in one class in direct correlation to another. Those of us who visited North Mecklenburg High School last year saw this work incredibly well in a high school setting, but it is hard to implement in a school where students are not taking the same classes in a given semester. The example in the book and what we saw in action at NMHS were both collaborations between social studies and English classes. The ability to work on a cross-curricular unit with another teacher, whether social studies, the sciences, or the arts, would be especially helpful for our struggling students, but they are the least likely to be scheduled in a way that makes this possible.
There are plenty of good ideas in this chapter that I can employ in my classroom. One thing that is striking is that the authors point out that our more academically successful students are the ones who most often meet the common core goals of working in collaborative groups or independently on assignments. They acknowledge that is takes more time and patience (and a willingness to be somewhat flexible with expectations) to assign group work to struggling or unmotivated students, but these students are the ones who will benefit most from learning to work effectively in groups. I am often guilty of taking the easier (maybe) path of whole class instruction, but is it really easier when I feel like I'm pushing 25 students up a steep hill for 50 minutes at a time? I will take the author's suggestions and blend them with things that have worked for me and other teachers in the past and try more group work with my unmotivated students.
On to chapter 3 -- How Do We Engage All Students in Reading and Writing?
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