From the first section of reading you get an interesting picture of Hollis Woods. What makes her “tick?”
This book is also organized a different way than most other novels we have read. Does this add to the experience or make things more confusing?
Have you ever been in a life or death situation?
I don’t think I have, so when I read the first section of the book it was hard for me to imagine how truly terrifying Brian must have felt. How, as a reader, do we put ourselves in the situations that the characters are in? Although I haven’t been in a plane crash, or anything close to that, I have been in a car crash, which was pretty scary.
I thought about all the things I would have done differently than Brian. What would you do differently?
I asked the children this morning what I should write about today. Unfortunately inspiration does not always present itself upon request. The students were happy to help. I got a myriad of responses, but the majority of what I heard was…
“Write about us”
“Fine, what do you want me to say about you?”
“Tell them how awesome we are!”
Easy! I don’t have a problem writing about that, I have been witness to their “awesomeness!” I get to watch them explore and learn, laugh and argue, sing and dance, succeed and fail every day. The growth of a fifth grader, or any child, is something that is pretty neat to watch. But the really great stuff can be missed. The laughs, inside jokes, mannerisms, voices, are all important parts to what makes them unique individuals. That is truly awesome.
“They already know how awesome you are. They’re your parents.”
Fall reminds me of so many things growing up. The changes in temperature, foliage, and smells bring back memories almost instantly. My favorite though is the smell of a wood burning fireplace. My brother and I used to chop the fire wood for our family. We lived in the country, with few neighbors and not much else to do but explore the woods around us. During the summers my father, my brother, and I would walk through the woods looking for trees that would be worthy for cutting down for firewood. We’d cut the trees into large stumps and leave them to dry until we came back to collect them in the fall. By September, the stumps were dry which meant that most our weekends consisted of splitting wood. Now I don’t want to make it seem like we were doing it sun-up to sun-down, (although as time goes by I’m sure I will start saying “sun-up to sun-down”) but I am sure there were several hours spent performing the repetitive motion of standing a piece of wood up, chopping the wood, stacking the wood, repeat. The drudgery of physical labor gave us time to commiserate about our “plight”, which of course in retrospect was not a “plight” at all. Laughing, joking, and general “horsing around”, followed by our father offering some sort of “cut that out”, “quit messing around” or “someone’s going to get hurt.” But for the most part we took an activity that was uncomfortable and made it worthwhile, and almost, ALMOST, fun. It wasn’t nearly as bad as doing it alone. As we grew up through middle school and high school, our interactions outside of the home became less frequent. As most people know big brothers don’t always want to be seen with their little brothers (especially around girls!), but there was always the time we spent every summer and fall looking for trees, cutting, and preparing firewood. When Kagey went to college we moved out of the woods into a subdivision to assimilate with civilized society and no longer needed firewood. I do miss the smell of it all during the fall time, as well as the good conversation a tedious task can inspire.
Next week is our first Outdoor Ed. Trip! I always think of a Henry David Thoreau quote when these trips get close:
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
While our trip will not confront all the things Thoreau did, we hope that your 5th grader will discover a few things about themselves. How will they react to not having all the comforts of home? Will they be nervous about stepping out of their “bubble?” Will they make new friends? What will they take away from their time outdoors? It is also a great bonding experience for the whole class, and we usually see a greater connection between the children upon return. Another wonderful thing about these trips is the interaction between the teachers and students. It is so much fun to be able to cut loose with the fifth graders. While the teachers are still “on” throughout the trip, there is a more relaxed feeling and the students will see that the teachers are human beings(hopefully).
In chapter 10 Bud decides he is going to walk 120 miles to Grand Rapids in 24 hours. As he is walking down the dark road a car pulls over and a man discovers Bud. After Bud finds out this stranger is not a vampire and Bud can not steal his car, he decides to ride with him to Grand Rapids. In the car, Bud finds out the stranger’s name is Mr. Lefty Lewis and he is transporting blood to a hospital (not drinking it). Comment below and tell me, what kind of a person is Lefty Lewis? Discuss his characteristics. What do we learn about him in this chapter?
Last weekend I was able to spend some quality time with my parents. Living 600 miles away from them does not make it easy to have a “spur of the moment” get together, so it is nice to see them when we can. We got to spend time with them at the wedding Saturday night and the next day I invited many of my childhood friends over to my folks’ house to relax, eat, and tell “tall tales.” My parents remember us from elementary age, sports games, sleep overs and school dances. Those same people that they remember are grown up now. Some have girlfriends, wives, and even families of their own. How quickly this has happened! I can still remember many images from my youth: being dropped off for school, going to the grocery store with my mother, walking through the woods with my father, and doing all sorts of “boy stuff” with my brother. I can even remember the down time on Sundays in the fall when we sat around and did nothing.
Cherish these days when you have, what feels like, 1000 things to do after school and on weekends. Embrace the full schedule. Get involved with the things your kids are doing. Most importantly, watch them be kids. Before you know it there won’t be a huge meal to cook for dinner each night. There won’t be endless loads of laundry. The house will get quieter, and soon your 5th grader will be calling from 600 miles away, just to say “hello” and to check in. It happens that fast.
Dear Class,
I am not at school today because my best friend is getting married tomorrow! What is some good advice you think I should give him? Anything he should remember once he gets married? Anything he should or should not do?
Thanks! See you Tuesday
Mr. Parrish
Chapter Three of Bud, Not Buddy we have been witness to a pretty hair-raising event in Bud’s life. Not only did he have to sleep outside in a tool shed, but he narrowly escaped several fish heads, and a nest of bees, which Bud assumes to be a bat at first.
How do you think Bud will get his revenge on the Amoses? What do you think will happen next?
Each August my father sends me an email, which looks very similar each year, encouraging me with my classroom and offering tidbits and advice. A retired teacher, he likes to check in just for the sake of checking in, but he offers lots of simple, and poignant advice.
“There will be new faces, new opportunities, new expectations, new friendships, new shoes, new clothes and back packs, but the most rewarding thing of all will be their great big smiles!
They, just like you, will be happy to be back ready to work. They have an advantage though, they already know everything about you. Your strengths and weaknesses , where you went to school, the sports you coach, the clothes you wear and how you conduct yourself. You , on the other hand, have to learn all about each one of them. What inspires them, what makes them happy, what books and movies they like, what sports and the kind of pizza they prefer. It will not take but a few days and you will have it all down. That is what makes teaching so rewarding, knowing each personality and having the ability and work ethic to take each one to the intellectual places they have never been before.
Oscar Wilde said long ago, “The school house is the one place that the village children should want to be everyday”. He was right with his thinking, Jack. School should be fun because it should inspire one to want to come back and continue to learn!”
I hope your children are enjoying learning with us.
