The Hughes News
Sophomore Honors English Newsletter ~ May/June 2019
SENIORITIS: It's Not Just for Seniors Anymore
"I Enjoy Reading."
In September, an anonymous survey revealed that only 16 of my 125 students agreed with the statement "I enjoy reading." This is unsettling for a myriad of reasons--one of which is that, as listed in our Program of Studies, it is a requirement for honors students to be "voracious, independent readers" who engage in "daily reading."
Gulp.
The good news? 72% claimed to have enjoyed reading back in elementary school. So, I knew that, with the right conditions, these readers could find their way back.
First, studies show that authentic, prolific readers earn the highest scores on both tests in school and on the standardized ones (e.g., MCAS, SAT, ACT).
However, beyond academics, I desperately want my students to become lifelong readers--rather than another statistic. (According to Pew Research Center's 2018 poll, one out of four people over the age of 16 didn't pick up a single book last year!)
I will be administering this anonymous survey again at the end of the year, and if this year's group is anything like last year's, that 16 will have grown exponentially. This is largely due to the fact that your student has been given the time to read in class and the ability to choose their own titles.
MACBETH: Less Is More
However, rather than read Macbeth in its entirety, we have explored a portion of it. (Your student may end up exploring the entire play as a senior.) This approach is based on the research Kimberly Hill Campbell conducted and shared in her book Less Is More. In it, she writes that "[her] task as a language arts teacher is to provide texts that are not so difficult that [her] students shut down in frustration and not so easy that [her] students don't push their thinking.” To do this, she exposes her students to portions of numerous, challenging texts, rather than reading only a few full-length ones. This way, her students become familiar with far more authors and more writing styles and more genres and more worlds than they would be after reading only a few few full-length books.
Her findings reveal that less really is more: The students closely read these rigorous texts and remain engaged throughout the entire process--rather than starting out strong, losing interest, and then phoning it in for the remainder of the unit.
Likewise, rather than spend five weeks on a Shakespearean play, your student and I have explored a portion of Macbeth together. They then had to analyze a scene from another Shakespearean play, as well as teach it to small groups of classmates. And the best part? The students remained engaged throughout the entire unit!
What's Your Favorite Book?
Your reader has just started his/her NINTH (!) book of the year. (For comparison, s/he was mostly likely assigned four books last year. However, in an anonymous survey, only 21% of the students said they read all four.)
But because most of us are creatures of habit--even as readers, back in January, I pushed the students out of their comfort zones. I asked the students to analyze the grade level of the books they'd read up to that point this year. Most were thrilled with the amount of titles they've devoured but realized that it was time to step up the rigor during second semester.
And many have done just that.
In addition to the monthly choice reading, we just finished our study in Macbeth and are ending the year with The Great Gatsby, so your student should be ready to go for junior year! (We'll end the year by watching the newest film adaptation--complete with popcorn and beverages!)
Want to engage your student in a discussion? Ask what your student has read--and which book has been his/her favorite!
For Parents of Almost-Juniors
The college-planning process is overwhelming. Thankfully, there are a slew of resources at your disposal. The good news? You don't need to invest in a college coach or shell out a lot of money on an SAT tutor.
You. And. Your. Student. Can. Do. This.
Your family already has its own personal college coach here at WMHS: your guidance counselor. Don't undervalue this rich resource. Your student can book appointments as needed, and parents are encouraged to reach out with any questions as well. Your student's guidance counselor can offer suggestions of what schools are within reach and which ones are the Reach Schools. College Panic usually sets in for students who wait for everyone else to begin the college process for them. To avoid this hot mess, (gently!) encourage your student to begin the process now.
A great starting point is Naviance, the online platform the district uses. (Your student already has a personalized account.) This website includes surveys to help learners narrow down their career options, identify their passions and strengths, and search for schools using various filters (e.g., small college close to home). This is also where students can build their resume, corral their volunteer experience, and make their formal requests for teacher recommendation letters. (Note: The teacher recommendation should always be requested in-person first. Here is one of my favorite articles for when that time comes. After spring break next year is the best time for students to ask teachers for letters, so that we have the summer to write them.)
Rather than investing money in the pre-college process (since tuition, room, and board will cost aplenty!), take advantage of all of the free resources at your disposal first. I swear by checklists. Creating--and then following--a year-by-year checklist for college planning is crucial. The College Board's website is a great starting point. (This is the outfit that writes and assesses the SAT, ACT, & AP exams.) Most of the resources are entirely free. So, if you haven't already, be sure to create a free parent account. (I just created one last week for my incoming high school freshman. Gulp.) And there is even a year-by-year checklist to help parents--and students--feel a bit more in control of this otherwise daunting season. Here is the roadmap for what your almost-junior should do this summer and throughout junior year. And here is a quick article that includes a five-item checklist for college-bound, high school juniors.
Is the process overwhelming? Absolutely. Is the entire process a whole lot more complicated and competitive than when we were applying to college? That's an understatement! But can we survive this? You bet!
Allusions 101
A little bit of one story joins onto an idea from another, and hey presto, . . .
not old tales but new ones. Nothing comes from nothing.
~Salmon Rushdie
The students and I recently practiced this referencing of one idea within another in our emulation writing. We discussed the three general types of references or allusions: literary (i.e., references to literature), biblical (i.e., references to the Bible), and historical (i.e., references to an event/person in history).
After looking at some fabulous examples in literature, the students set out to make this sophisticated technique their own. Take a look at some of their publishing!
- She played lots of tricks on her friends, but she was no Harry Potter.
- That night, she met her Prince Charming, and together they would have their happily ever after.
- The match-up for in the game was extremely lopsided. All the underdogs had was a slingshot and their faith.
- I went to the restaurant planning to eat a salad, but those apps were my Achilles heel.
- The battle seemed like Vietnam, as snowball after snowball was hurled at my fortress of ice.
- That day I vowed to cut my hair so short, because if men can climb hair, I can’t take my chances.
- I’m no Shakespeare, but I personally believe that my poem is exceptional!
- He was a renaissance man: His big, lofty arms were powerful in the ring, but also precise on the canvas.
- When his friend told the teacher that he’d been cheating on his homework, he felt like his friend was a real Judas.
- When coughing all day during school, the boy suddenly wished he had pulled a Ferris Bueller.
- All-day whispers surrounded me, the crowded hallway parting like the Red Sea as I walked from class to class.
- Oh my goodness, there’s so many people here. We’re going to need a loaves-and-fishes kind of miracle to feed them all.
- As the girl struggled to pick up her backpack, her only thought was that the hammer of Thor had to be lighter.
- I’d lend you money if I could, but do I look like Bill Gates?
How to Contact Me
Email: beth.hughes@wpsk12.org
Website: msbethhughes.org
Location: Wakefield Memorial High School, Farm Street, Wakefield, MA, United States
Phone: (781) 246-6440
Twitter: @msbethhughes