Lord of the Flies - Analysis & the Art of Close Reading

The boy with the fair hair lowered himself down ...

Those seven words, which open William Golding's classic coming-of-age novel Lord of the Flies, would take me roughly thirty minutes to teach when I began the novel each September. And that is my introduction for my freshman on how to study literature at the high school level. After the students have had the book for a couple days, and have been asked to read the first chapter, I open with a discussion of effective reading strategies. This follows an earlier class when I exposed them to the possibility they were fake reading. And, I propose that we revisit the chapter and "read it aloud" employing reading strategies such as "asking questions during reading" and being metacognitive. They seem surprised but intrigued.

So, I begin. I read, "The boy ..." And then, I pause. "So, what do you know?" I ask. They seem confused. "There's a boy," they say. But what does that mean? Why does Golding start with the word "boy"? Why not Ralph, as the boy is identified a couple pages later? The reason, of course, is that we must know him as a boy, not a man. He is a child - one who is still innocent - and he will come of age by losing that innocence when he recognizes and understands the darkness that is in man's heart. Thus, by beginning with boy, and not man or person or Ralph, Golding establishes a potential bildungsroman.

"And why not a girl?" I proceed to ask. Would it be a different novel with a group of girls on the island? Of course it would. We discuss the more physically aggressive, immature, and potentially savage nature of boys versus girls. We ponder the drama that might arise among a group of adolescent girls. We discuss the difference between boys and girls at all ages. I share stories of nieces who, as toddlers, would passively observe the flowers in my parents' garden, whereas as my nephews would walk right in, trample, even pick them. I point out that if there is a group of young children frying ants on the sidewalk in your neighborhood in the summer, it will most definitely be boys, not girls. I point out that girls and women would never have invented skateboard halfpipes or MMA fighting. And, then I share with them Golding's answer when asked why he chose adolescent boys as his characters. "Well," he said in perfect deadpan voice, "when you get right down to it, the fourteen-year-old-boy is the closest manifestation of true evil you will find anywhere in the world." The class erupts. The girls enthusiastically agree, and the boys concede and shrug their shoulders. Golding's diction, "the boy," is absolutely significant in conveying theme.

We proceed. The boy has "fair hair." Is that an important detail? Absolutely. An author of great literature will not bother to mention a character's hair unless that quality is significant. In this case, the boy's fair hair is a reflection of his demeanor and role in the novel. He is the "good guy." Light is a positive motif, and in Western allegory light is symbol of the forces of good in the battle of good and evil. Additionally, Ralph, the boy, attempts to establish a system of order and justice. Thus, he is "fair." And, hair becomes a primary motif throughout the work, as numerous characters are identified by their hair. However, the next point is that the fair-haired boy "lowers himself down." Is that significant? Of course, it is. Just as light and dark are symbolic of good and evil in Western civilization, directions of up and down are, too. Obviously, heaven is up and hell is down, and gods are always considered to be up on the mountain or up in the sky. Thus, the boy - coming from civilization - is going down. This foreshadows and will symbolize man's "fall from grace" as the boys on the island descend into savagery and wickedness. Additionally, the reflexive pronoun is significant as the boy "lowers himself." Our hero plays a role in his fall - just as Adam and Eve or any tragic hero. He is partially responsible.

Following this analysis, the class realizes my expectations for them in terms of close reading and the task of analyzing how the author uses language to achieve his purpose. Certainly, they argue, if they spend that much time on each word, the novel will take years to read and analyze. Alas, I explain that much of this dialogue should be going on inside their heads, subconsciously. And as we continue to study, they will learn to instinctively apply such knowledge and ask such questions. The remaining time in class is spent on the rest of the first paragraph. The boys are in an Edenic-like setting. It has been damaged with a "scar" from the airplane which crashed. We discuss the connotation of "scar" and the idea that man's actions have damaged the innocent natural world. Other details include the boy shedding his clothes, trailing this sign of civilization behind him. The scar is a steamy bath of heat, and a the silence is broken with a "witch-like cry" of a red and yellow bird. These particular words create an ominous tone, foreshadowing the evil to come and the fire that will also become a significant motif. At the end of the class, we realize we'll need another period for the rest of chapter one.

Ultimately, this class is time well spent, as the students are introduced to the ideas of close reading and style analysis. Expectations are set for studying literature beyond the elements of the novel on which they focused in middle school. They will eventually compose a written passage analysis of this first paragraph when they are asked to re-read the passage and analyze the way "the author uses language to convey his theme."

YA Lit is Simply Entertainment - and that's OK

I'm not overly impressed with the writing of Rick Riordan - namely his immensely popular Percy Jackson series. But that's OK because he is not writing for me. When I first read the first book: Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief, I was intrigued by the potential. Here was a book that drew heavily from classic traditions. Though as I read I was a bit disappointed in the quality of the writing ... and the way the stories seemed more like "hacks" than attributions and derivatives. The writing just seemed overly weak and cliched, especially when compared with the brilliance of JK Rowling, who had set a new bar in children's lit. However, my kids, who are 9 and 12, as well as their friends and millions of other young people are duly impressed and entertained and, even, fanatical about the stories. And, that is fine with people like Noah Berlatsky who reminds us that "Young Adult Fiction Does Not Have to be a Gateway to the Classics."

Discussions like this often seem to presume that there was an idyllic time, somewhere in the past, when kids' books were substantially better, or when young people read great adult literature. Graham contrasts Percy Jackson and Riordan's new encyclopedia Percy Jackson's Greek Gods to the classic 1925 collection of Greek myths by Ingri and Edgar D'Aulaire. She finds Riordan's book slangy and "inscribed with obsolescence," since it references Craigslist, iPhones, and other pop culture detritus. The D'Aulaires, on the other hand, remain "lucid"—though their poetic Victorian language is, she admits, "stilted." Graham seems to conclude that it's a loss that kids want to read lines like "At first, Kronos wasn’t so bad. He had to work his way up to being a complete slime bucket" instead of  “In olden times, when men still worshiped ugly idols, there lived in the land of Greece a folk of shepherds and herdsmen who cherished light and beauty." To me, though, Riordan's joke about Kronos is actually better written: less weighed down with reverence, more surprising, and less condescending towards its subject matter (who is it who sees those idols as "ugly"?). I read Riordan's The Last Hero multiple times and worked on a study guide about it; I wouldn't say that its prose is deathless, but I can think of many inferior books. Percy Jackson isn't any worse than the Hardy Boys adventures or Piers Anthony's Xanth novels that I read as a kid.

In the past few years, when English teachers I know have discussed new selections - especially for class assignments like summer reading - the debate about YA lit has come up. Certainly, kids are more likely to read YA, and some of the writing can be very compelling. But is it literature? Is it worthy of study? Is it only about character, plot, and theme? Do we want literature to be a window or a mirror?  The questions go on and on. And with the incredible rise of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter phenomenon, the interest of "adults" in "children's literature" has expanded, as the line on reading material has become blurry.

So, should adults read - and actually be engaged or entertained by - stories written for kids? New Hampshire writer Ruth Graham argues no in a compelling article for Slate.com, "Against YA."

Of course, Graham doesn't just believe the works aren't appropriate and shouldn't be interesting to adults. Her commentary claims adults "should be embarrassed when what you're reading was written for children." And this piece just happens to coincide with the theatrical release of the film adaption of John Green's poignant and compelling work The Fault in Our Stars. This is a richly written YA novel that Time Magazine named one of the Ten Best Books of the year. And, I know I really enjoyed the book. And I really enjoy all of John Green's work. However, I argued against the study of TFIOS in school simply because of the simplicity of the language. It is a great story, no doubt. But other than discussing themes and feelings, there is really nothing worthy of study on a language level.

As for whether adults should or shouldn't read kids books, that's simply a matter of debate.

Testing Giant Pearson, Inc. Devours the World of Education

With the talk of cash-strapped school budgets, you'd never think there is millions to be made in the world of public education. But, that's because you are not a text book and test-making company that is feeding off the education reform era. That's because you're not Pearson. As the growth and influence of Common Core and PARCC testing guides nearly all the discussion of public education, some people are beginning to wake up to the monopolistic behavior of a one-hundred-year old British company that began in construction. Pearson moved heavily into the education market nearly fifteen years ago in a prescient move to buy a testing company just as the United States Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act, which kicked off an era of testing the likes of which schools had never seen. In the years since, Pearson has had its hands in nearly every aspect of "education reform." It's now clear that the un-due and dis-proportionate control that Pearson has over public education in America demands investigation. To that end, Stephanie Simon has amassed some impressive information that calls into question the ethics of a profit-driven company influencing public education, as she exposes how Pearson is really about "No Profit Left Behind."

Is It Really about College Degrees, or Just About Wages

"You have to go to college." Or do you?

The discussion continues about the necessity of a college degree, as we struggle to close the "achievement gap" and increase the numbers of kids who are ready for college and careers. And that issue of "readiness" is the one that I've been troubled by lately. While US schools are sending more kids to college and producing more degrees than ever before, there is a growing "graduation gap" among the kids going on to post-secondary school. A study from the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy indicates a growing gap between the wealthier and poorer students in terms of degree achievement.

And, I am wondering about the push for degrees. It seems to me that education reformers are pushing more and more kids toward college and bachelor degrees for one simple reason:  more money and higher standard of living. We want to close the racial gaps in the middle and upper class, and we believe that the way families will increase status is through higher-paying, white collar jobs. If that's true, then the argument really isn't about degrees - it's about wages. Rather than telling people to go to college because that will give them access to higher paying jobs, we should instead be promoting and working toward higher wages for skilled labor. For, we know there are all sorts of people working in jobs that never required a degree.

And, that's OK.

Furthermore, while some may argue that we need to promote K-12 education, so that all students are qualified for and have the opportunity to "go to college," I question that logic. It seems to me that "readiness" for "college and career" are not often the same thing. And, promoting such an idea is actually quite inefficient. The "college/career" discussion is for another post.

But the truth about wages is clear.

Dick Hilker Offers Naive & Mis-informed View on Testing Debate in Colorado

Standardized testing remains the hot topic across the nation and in the legislature of Colorado as "pro-testing" and "protesting" forces battle over how much is enough and whether we should put PARCC-in-place or simply park-PARCC. To that issue, former newspaper columnist - and occasional curmudgeon - Dick Hilker believes the state should "leave standardized testing alone." Hiller takes a rather general and non-researched view that there's nothing wrong with testing ... and he then proceeds to disparage parents, teachers, kids, and public education.

Among those complaining: Educrats who claim test results really don't prove anything. Teachers who say they have to spend so much time "teaching to the test" that kids don't learn anything important. Parents who refuse to let their youngsters take the tests on the grounds that the pressure of performing well causes all types of emotional trauma.

Balderdash. These are probably the same people who think letter grades should be abolished and every child should be given a smiley face at the end of the year. If Tommy gets a tummy-ache before a core test, how can he possibly handle a college entrance exam, or even a classroom test that might mean the difference between him getting an A or B? Fortunately, most people have figured out that we can't improve our schools by simply providing them with more and more money. Improvement first requires a high degree of accountability on the part of school boards, administrators, teachers, individual schools and pupils. No one has found a way to measure progress — or the lack thereof — except by testing.

There are more than a few problems with Hilker's (mis)-view:

While his claims of "balderdash" and his mockery of teachers, parents, and children may entertain some readers, it really does nothing to complement or further the discussion.

This year students and teachers at hundreds of high schools around the state will lose ten or more days of instruction in order to complete the PARCC/CMAS tests. That's a simple hard reality of scheduling/proctoring of which Hilker has little-to-no understanding. However, students will/can complete the ACT (and associated ACT-Aspire tests for 9th & 10th graders) in one morning. And, we all know that ACT is the standard benchmark for college readiness nationwide. Thus, Hilker's call to simply leave the current testing requirements alone seems wildly misinformed ... and it lacks the critical thinking we hope to teach all students.

Additionally, the second round of PARCC comes a week before the state ACT and AP exams, and schools can expect that few juniors and AP students will bother to take the PARCC when the ACT and AP are what actually matter to them. Many will instead spend time preparing for AP exams. And, I can't say I blame them for their refusals, though as an educator, I must promote their participation in a test they don't value, and I will suffer any state reprisals that come from such refusals. Clearly, the push-back against testing is not simply an attempt to avoid accountability. It's actually a fact-based criticism and challenge of making accountability about a single test score which does not reflect anything other than the ability to take a test. Well, that and family income. As far as parents opting out, and Hilker's disparaging comments about "Tommy's tummy-ache," I'd argue he has some homework to do because there are numerous legitimate reasons for test refusal. 

Case in point - my 12-year-old son is currently studying calculus and recently won the Denver Math Counts competition, solving complex algorithms in less time than some pro-athletes run the 40. Obviously, the 7th-grade PARCC math exam is a colossal waste of his time. It's also a waste of resources to schedule such a test for him. And, as a veteran educator who has taught in schools from Denver to Taiwan, I have serious concerns about the quality and ability of the PARCC to accurately measure all students' strengths and weaknesses. It's not about a tummy-ache - it's much more complicated than that.

Obviously, Dick Hilker has a great deal of contempt for teachers and for public education, and he desires a convenient quick fix in the form of a test that will diagnose and solve all of education's challenges. Yet, it's simply not true that "no one has found a way to measure progress except for testing." Schools measure all day and all year through numerous means of data collection. And for the majority of students these measures work quite well. That's, of course, not to dismiss the challenges faced by roughly a third of schools and students. There are serious problems and challenges for many students. Testing critics simply point out that education is a complex system that can't be "fixed" by a standardized test.

Non-Fiction in the English Classroom

For years, some people in my English department argued that we severely under-serve and under-appreciate the genre of non-fiction in the classroom, especially at the high school level.  Despite our love for our stories in literature, we must acknowledge that nearly all the reading students will be asked to do in college is of the non-fiction slant, and we do our students a disservice by not studying non-fiction texts before then.  If the only non-fiction information and textual analysis students get in high school is their social studies textbook, that's a real shame.

Thus, I have attempted to promote non-fiction texts and work them into the curriculum.  For example, the summer reading assignment for my CE Intro to College Composition class was Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point.  This was Gladwell's first book, and it focuses on the role that trends and specific subgroups of people play in the development of society.  By focusing on ideas such as the Broken Windows Theory or the way products become hip, Gladwell outlines how small actions impact and determine society's development.  In crafting his argument, Gladwell identifies three subgroups of people - Mavens, Connectors, and Salesmen - who put these forces in play.  These descriptions are great fodder for discussion in the classroom.

Creativity and innovation are the qualities that lead to progress.  Beyond the obvious basic skills of literacy and computation, we want students to be able to problem solve - and that is linked to creativity.  Thus, books that can promote and inspire the ideas of creativity and innovation are useful tools in the classroom.  And, keeping in line with the push to promote more non-fiction in the classroom, I would recommend reading Daniel Pink's latest A Whole New Mind and Jonah Leher's Imagine.  Both these works are accessible in terms of promoting the values of imaginative, right-brain thinking which is integral to innovation and problem solving.

Other non-fiction works I've used are:

Michael Lewis' Next: The Future Just Happened

Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation 

The PARCC Test Won't Solve Anything - and it won't "fix' public education

The new Common Core State Standards, and the associated standardized assessments like PARCC, have been touted as the "magical cure" for all that ills public education. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here's my latest piece for the Denver Post, which explains why:

PARCC Won't Solve Our Problems.

The Post-Modern Puzzle of Good Writing & Literature.

Post-modern ...

It's just a word that sounds cool. And many literary types wish they could appreciate post-modernism, even if they can't. Every one talks about Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow, and often it's just to note how little of it they've read. For example, "I've tried to read it, but only got to page 47 ..." And, I am about to begin the post-modern discussion of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried with my AP Lang juniors. They are always a bit blown away by the creative blending of fiction and reality. And, the book is accessible enough that they aren't scared of like young readers are of Pynchon. So, that's what makes Lenika Cruz's recent essay for The Atlantic about "Post-Modernism - for Kids" so cool. Cruz takes a look at the children's classic "Lemony Snicket" Series of Unfortunate Events and argues that what made it so popular and engaging for kids is the same literary qualities that make Post-Modernism such a complex and engaging challenge for adults.

In college, I encountered postmodern novels including Italo Calvino’s If on a winter’s night a traveler…, Don Delillo’s White Noise, and Thomas Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49. My professors presented them as works that were radical, at least in their day. But to me the tone and techniques they deployed felt familiar and somehow comforting. For an example of postmodern hallmarks—such as metafiction, the unreliable narrator, irony, black humor, self-reference, maximalism, and paranoia—look no further than this excerpt from the seventh Unfortunate Events book, The Ersatz Elevator.

 
And that made me think about the idea of literature as a puzzle. According to writer Peter Turchi, literature is "a puzzling experience." In his new book, A Muse & a Maze: Writing as a Puzzle, Mystery, and Magic, Turchi examines and seeks to explain the "puzzle of the written word" as he explains the origins and significance of puzzles and similar mind games in society. Jigsaw puzzles have fascinated us for centuries, and they continue to sell well even in the era of digital media and X-box. In exploring the history of puzzles and games, Turchi explores the medium of narrative writing and wonders about the puzzling nature of stories. His basic explanation is that "all writers are puzzle makers," as they carefully construct and slowly reveal a complete portrait of an idea over the course of many pages. It's a fascinating way to look at literature and worth considering as we craft lessons for readers.

In a footnote I’d like to see appended to every article on Y.A. and every other B.S. genre browbeating, Turchi writes: “Is Toni Morrison’s Beloveda ghost story? Is Wuthering Heights a romance novel? Is Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses a western? … Outside of publishers’ sales meetings, when is it necessary or useful to attach labels to books?”

The analysis of literature, or simply the enjoyment of a well crafted tale, is really about appreciating the puzzling craft of narrative. So many disparate parts come together to create the ultimate paragraph, and for a reader, it's as gratifying to read that last sentence as it is to place that final jigsaw. Each moment brings not only satisfaction, but also understanding.

Reading Tom Robbins' Still Life with Woodpecker

A former student - a senior now who is probably one of the most astute readers I've had in high school classes - let me know that he is currently reading Tom Robbin's classic Still Life with Woodpecker. I was instantly transported back to freshman year of college when a friend handed it to me - and everything about literature changed for a young history major who was destined to switch to English. The book that promises to answer "the mystery of redheads" is a captivating intro to one of America's most innovative and significant writers. And I love when students discover Robbins and all his madcap irreverence.

My student's father recommended the book to him. And that is pretty cool as well, for Robbins is certainly edgy and downright inappropriate at times. Not that a senior in high school shouldn't be able to handle it - but many probably aren't ready. Despite that, Robbins is worth the time for avid readers because of all the ways he challenges convention. I love explaining to students the unique approach Robbins takes to composition. It truly captures the idea of writing as "craft." As teachers of writing, consider sharing some of the magic of Robbins with writers:

Tracy Robbins for Salon.com

Timothy Egan for the New York Times - on "perfect sentences in an imperfect world."

Alan Rinzler of The Book Deal - with Robbins' advice to writers.

Is Classic Literature Fun?

When I used to teach freshman honors English students would shared their thoughts and insight on the summer reading selection A Separate Peace by John Knowles.  "It was a good book," some would concede, "but it wasn't really a fun read."

Exactly.

As teacher Carol Jago has so eloquently put it, there is a fundamental difference "between reading for pleasure and the study of literature."  Far from giving the kids something fun to read, high school English classes are designed to educate, broaden horizons, and assist students in how to appreciate literature.  To appreciate literature a reader comes to understand and acknowledge the quality and significance of the writing - that doesn't mean they have to like it.  There are many classic works of art - from music to paintings to poems to novels to plays - that I don't prefer.  I might even say I don't like them, as they are not my taste.  However, I won't say that Wutthering Heights is a bad book or that Sonnet 145 is a miserable poem or The Doll House is a worthless piece of drama.  They are quality literature - for all the reasons that we English teachers should fully understand - and we hope that students can come to understand them and acknowledge their place as a record of the human experience.

But they might not like them.

A Separate Peace is the quintessential American coming-of-age novel about two young men in a time of war.  Gene and Finny exemplify the struggles of young people with issues of identity, innocence, and manhood, and ultimately come to understand that "wars are caused by some ignorance in the human heart."  The friendship between the two - especially with the doppleganger motif working - offers two opposing views of the nature of man.  And, as I would begin to work my way through the story with my classes each August, they would slowly, but truly, begin to appreciate the work and its significance.  It really becomes two stories for them - there is the book they read on their own about two boys at school. That is the young adult side to the novel. And, then, there is the allegorical work of literature about the fall of man and the passage into adulthood.  Ultimately, if I've done my job well, students will appreciate the work when we're finished.  But that doesn't mean they'll like it.  Though many will.  By senior year, a considerable number of students cite it as a favorite book from high school.

So, there is value.

"Teaching" Kids What They Like ... or What They Need?

"Why can't we read books we like?"

This all-too-common question in the English classroom has been asked of me numerous times by high school students, most recently a freshmen who eyed with suspicion the text Lord of the Flies. Though she wasn't my student - her class followed mine - we often talked with several of her friends before class, and I could tell she was bright and motivated but still viewed the world as a child.  In talking about what she "liked," we veered into discussion of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars - an amazing young adult novel that has moved onto some very credible lists as one of best books of the year.  The student "loved the novel" and thought it would be great to discuss in class.  I asked her a few questions regarding her reading.  "Was the book tough to read?"  Of course not.  "Did you struggle with the sentences or the vocabulary?"  Are you crazy.  "Did it challenge you in any way?"  Well, it was really sad ... but I loved it.  And that is the issue.

So, what makes it worthy of study?  Far too often these days students and parents and, surprisingly, English teachers are confusing the pleasure reading with the study of literature.  They are not the same thing.  They do not belong in the same venue.  The pleasure of reading is not in any standard of education.  It is not the public's mandate.  It is not our job.  Appreciation, on the other hand, is.

In the past couple years, that issue has risen in our English department as some teachers questioned the school's policy of summer reading.  For many years, honors English students have been asked to read books like John Knowles' A Separate Peace and Alan Patton's Cry, the Beloved Country during the summer.  And teachers have struggled with students reading a book "they hate."  Thus, they have argued for offering a book that students can just enjoy, and books like John Green's The Fault in Our Stars have been offered as alternatives in the past.  For the record, John Green is a fantastic author, I have read all his books, and I love his work.  However, in spite of his brilliance and his use of the word metaphor and allusion, Green's work is not a work of classic literature.  It is a great book, and I would recommend it to all my students - in fact, I do.  However, to argue that English teachers should stop reading John Knowles or Alan Paton because "it's hard" or students "don't like it," and instead shift to the "study" of a book that for all its brilliance is written at about a sixth-grade level is ... discouraging.

In response, I look to Carol Jago and her book With Rigor For All: Teaching Classics to Contemporary Students.  Jago actually visited my high school years ago after our principle purchased copies of her book for the English department.  Carol Jago worries that "in our determination to provide students with literature that they can relate to we sometimes end up teaching works that students actually don't need much help with at the expense of teaching classics they most certainly need assistance negotiating."  I share her concerns, yet I struggle to convince teachers who simply want children to love literature.  While a noble goal, I'd argue that is the very job of the teacher - helping students appreciate William Golding the same way they love John Green.  At the very least, it's worth noting Carol Jago's point that "If a student can read a book on their own [and fully "get it"], it probably isn't the best choice for classroom study.  Classroom texts should pose an intellectual challenge to young readers."  Ultimately, I see a divergence in the goal of English teachers and the English classroom.  And I was, interestingly, steered toward Carol Jago's work by a teacher who was trying to convince me I was wrong for opposing the inclusion on John Green in the curriculum.

To that end, I can only cite Jago who asserts, "While I believe young adult fiction has a place in the recreational life of teenagers, I don't think these titles are the best choice when your goal is the study of literature."

Why One Teacher Opposes the PARCC Exam

Mary Ellen Redmond is a veteran teacher in Massachusetts, home of the most highly rated schools in the nation. Schools in the state will begin to administer the PARCC test this spring, even as the number of states supporting PARCC has dwindled from 26 several years ago to only 10 now. And Ms. Redmond would certainly support a withdrawal of her state, as she "cannot support the PARCC exam" and encourages others to voice their concern. To understand her reticence, she explains the serious concerns and criticisms she has of this new test:

In the literary analysis section of the sixth-grade sample test online, students have to read two excerpts: one from “Boy’s Life” by Robert McCammon, and “Emancipation: A Life Fable.” The final task is an essay: “Write an essay that identifi es a similar theme in eachtext and compares and contrasts the approaches each text uses to develop this theme. Be sure to support your response with evidence from both texts.” Say what? This is a multilevel task requiring very high levels of synthesizing and analyzing.

Sixth-graders are just beginning to extract theme from a text and put it into a statement. To compare and contrast two texts is a cumbersome task that takes time to plan and organize. The wording is not kid-friendly: “to contrast and compare the approaches,” I can hear the questions in my students’ minds: What’s an approach? How do I compare an approach? This question doesn’t even allow the struggling ELA student to enter the testing arena.

Furthermore, the thirdsection of the test is the narrative section. In the sample test, students read an excerpt from a story. In this case, it is “Magic Elizabeth,” by Norma Kassirer. Here is the task: “In the passage from ‘Magic Elizabeth,’ the author creates a vivid setting and two distinct characters, Mrs. Chipley and Sally. Write an original story about what happens when Sally arrives at Aunt Sarah’s house. In your story, be sure to use what you have learned about the setting and the characters as you tell what happens next.”

Students need to glean details from setting and character development and then continue them in an original story. This task requires a broad subset of skills. It would take four to six weeks to teach,review and practice these skills for students to approach this task with confidence. But why is this task on this test? Does this prepare students for college or a career? No: It is a specialized subset of skills for a writer.

I recall criticism about the MCAS long composition. PARCC supporters said that no boss was going to ask her employee to write a personal essay about their summer vacation. Well, no boss is going to require this narrative task, either. The narrative writing task has no place on a high-stakes test. Should I teach short story writing in my classroom? Absolutely. But don’t set my students up for failure using this as a part of statewide assessment.

These are legitimate and serious concerns. And, all concerned parties, from parents to educators to the legislators making the rules, should go online and scrutinize these exams. People should take practice tests themselves, and they should sit with their children as they try to navigate the assessment. It may - and should - change some minds.

English Teachers Should Oppose On-line Testing

The Common Core and PARCC/SmarterBalanced testing have raised the ire of many parents and educators during the past year or so. However, most of the criticism of the new "standards" and the associated tests and homework has been in the subject area of math. Math teachers disagree on the value of the standards, but there is little doubt that kids and parents are frustrated by the "new way of doing math." There has been less coverage and criticism of the language arts standards - though many people are troubled by the inanity of the CCSS committee that decided to name them English Language Arts standards, which leads to the acronym ELA - an already established term for non-native speakers.

However, with the coming of new standardized tests like PARCC and SB, which will be administered online, English teachers have a significant reason to oppose CCSS. Despite the passivity of younger language arts teachers who have grown up more accustomed to online reading, "E-Reading Threatens Learning in the Humanities." True English teachers know that interacting with the text is a primary focus of language analysis, and that includes annotating, skimming, close reading, etc. These skills and techniques are associated with having a physical text in front of the reader. While e-readers are becoming more adapted to note-taking - and people are more adept at using them - there is still no substitute for physical texts. In fact, research shows that e-readers negatively impact comprehension. How, in good conscience, can any English teacher support that system?

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to take sample online questions for PARCC, and the format of the test convinced me of the problematic and harmful nature of the testing format. The idea of scrolling up and down between two screens - one with the passage and the other with the questions - absolutely unnerved me. And nothing in my knowledge of how people read and learn indicated that the online format is a positive development for education. It may be more efficient for state test writers and coordinators. And it may be a great revenue source for companies like Microsoft and Pearson. But this is not good pedagogy and not good instructional practice.

Thus, when my nine-year-old daughter came home from school, having learned that she would have to "write her state test essays on the computer," she announced, "I'm not doing it."

And I support her in that decision.

Stephen King's "On Writing" is a Useful Classroom Guide

If you're an English teacher, and you haven't read Stephen King's memoir On Writing, you might just be missing out, or, like me, you might have had an original elitist refusal to taking advice from the writer of thrillers and supermarket paperbacks. That's probably a position you should reconsider. Jess Lahey, an English educator and education writer for The Atlantic, has a great piece in Business Insider where she interviews King about the value of his book and his thoughts on teaching English. Both King and Lahey have a lot of great  insights about English education.

Lahey: When people ask me to name my favorite books, I have to ask them to narrow their request: to read or to teach? You provide a fantastic list of books to read at the end of "On Writing," but what were your favorite books to teach, and why?

King: When it comes to literature, the best luck I ever had with high school students was teaching James Dickey’s long poem “Falling.” It’s about a stewardess who’s sucked out of a plane. They see at once that it’s an extended metaphor for life itself, from the cradle to the grave, and they like the rich language. I had good success with The Lord of the Flies and short stories like“Big Blonde” and “The Lottery.” (They argued the shit out of that one—I’m smiling just thinking about it.) No one puts a grammar book on their list of riveting reads, but "The Elements of Style" is still a good handbook. The kids accept it.

Lahey: You write, “One either absorbs the grammatical principles of one’s native language in conversation and in reading or one does not.” If this is true, why teach grammar in school at all? Why bother to name the parts?

King: When we name the parts, we take away the mystery and turn writing into a problem that can be solved. I used to tell them that if you could put together a model car or assemble a piece of furniture from directions, you could write a sentence. Reading is the key, though. A kid who grows up hearing “It don’t matter to me” can only learndoesn’t if he/she reads it over and over again.

Lahey: While I love teaching grammar, I am conflicted on the utility of sentence diagramming. Did you teach diagramming, and if so, why?

King: I did teach it, always beginning by saying, “This is for fun, like solving a crossword puzzle or a Rubik’s Cube.” I told them to approach it as a game. I gave them sentences to diagram as homework but promised I would not test on it, and I never did. Do you really teach diagramming? Good for you! I didn’t think anyone did anymore.

Lahey: In the introduction to Strunk and White’s "The Elements of Style," E.B. White recounts William Strunk’s instruction to “omit needless words.” While your books are voluminous, your writing remains concise. How do you decide which words are unnecessary and which words are required for the telling?

King: It’s what you hear in your head, but it’s never right the first time. So you have to rewrite it and revise it. My rule of thumb is that a short story of 3,000 words should be rewritten down to 2,500. It’s not always true, but mostly it is. You need to take out the stuff that’s just sitting there and doing nothing. No slackers allowed! All meat, no filler!

Read more: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/09/how-stephen-king-teaches-writing/379870/?single_page=true#ixzz3LGWVh525

Twist - A Great Breckenridge Restaurant

While we're in the heart of winter, yesterday felt so summer-y in the shadows of the Rockies, that it reminded me the summer season is coming soon to the High Country, and all the hikers and bikers and anglers will be heading to the mountains to enjoy some fresh air and escape the oppressive heat that will soon descend on the Front Range. And as we head into the mud season when many of the resort town restaurants close down for a break, the summer vacationers will be looking for some tasty places to relax and dine. In the perfect mountain town of Breckenridge, the restaurant Twist is a prime choice for dinner or happy hour. The restaurant which sub-bills itself as a "Twist on classic comfort food" is classic resort restaurant in a beautifully renovated mountain Victorian home which truly is "Comfort food re{de}fined."



On a trip to our favorite place in the Rockies last fall, we took in a delicious happy hour at Twist, which we've been meaning to try for a while, and were forced to make that decision after our planned dining at our favorite Breck establishment Modis, was closed at the time for the mud season. It was a fortuitous event, as we grabbed a table in pleasantly shaded patio area as the sun began to set. A nice and refreshing pinot noir on the Happy Hour menu for only $5 accented the slight chill in the evening air. And it led in to some great "twists" such as the homemade chips and onion dip made with caramelized onions. This isn't your grocery story fare, to be sure. So rich and creamy, the chips and dip could be a meal.

We also dined on sweet potato tater tots with a mustard aioli with fresh cheese curds. They were like candy and quite addictive. But we had to leave room for the pork shoulder tacos and the spinach-artichoke mac-n-cheese. The tacos were so rich yet fun, we had to order a second round. Even the kids could not get enough. We might have stayed longer and stretched Happy Hour into dinner and more drinks, but we had to get up and on to what came next: a walk around town and a stop at Clint's Bakery - the best bakery in the High Country, and probably in all of Colorado.

Le Mot Juste - Diction and the Three-Word Poem

The difference between the almost right word and the right word is the difference between the lightening bug and the lightening - Mark Twain

Ol' Sam Clemens' "words" of wisdom regarding diction are a great bit of insight to share with students when teaching them to edit and think carefully about word choice.  Far too often, students will stick with the obvious word - the first word to pop into their head - rather than expanding their vocabulary.  Either that, or they will immediately head to the dictionary and resort to the grand mistake of putting five dollar words in two dollar sentences.  As a colleague once told me, the thesaurus is where you go to meet old friends, not pick up new ones.  To that end, I am committed to increasing my students' command of language through better word choice.  And, a great exercise regarding this came to me from another colleague years ago:

The three-word poem.

Each year I begin second semester of my AP Lang & Comp class by introducing the French phrase le mot juste - the right word.  I share with them Mark Twain's quote and we discuss different examples they can generate regarding effective word choice.  And then I assign them an exercise in diction - the three word poem.  The requirements for the three-word poem are that they must have at least three drafts, and their final draft must include a short paragraph explanation of their editing decisions.  We actually take a couple days for this - with other activities intertwined - as I require them to get some peer advice/feedback.  I also share with them one of the best examples I've encountered:

Algebra
Sucks
Bad

Years ago a student presented this poem, and gave an excellent analysis and explanation.  He began the poem by writing "I Hate Algebra."  He then chose to eliminate the word "I," as it detracts from the poems emphasis which is algebra.  And putting himself as the first word de-emphasized his subject.  Thus, his next draft was "Algebra Really Sucks."  It was certainly an improvement, as the word "sucks" clearly expresses his feelings.  And, I've found that when the word is used judiciously, it has great effect.  However, the student realized the word "really" is a truly weak and almost meaningless modifier, and it weakens the poem.  Thus, he arrived at "Algebra Sucks Bad."  The use of the adjective  - and the artistic license of mis-using the adjective - enhances the effect of the poem.  It truly speaks to the angst the speaker has regarding algebra.  (No offense to math teachers :-) ).

This little exercise is a great way to start the year and kick off a discussion of word choice.  I appreciate the effort the kids put into this, and it really establishes a student's effort, creativity, and willingness to play with language.  Some kids really run with it - others just get by.  But it makes for a nice intro to "diction."  And, of course, I require the students to "perform" their poem.  Each student goes to the front of the classroom and reads his poem.  Then, after a pause for effect, the students goes through his thought process.  It's a great intro activity to the idea of ...

Le mot juste.

Breckenridge vs. Estes Park?

A while ago a friend from the Midwest asked for advice on where to go as she plans a summer vacation to the Rocky Mountain State.  She and the family are driving out, hoping to do some camping and hiking, but they would also like to do a couple days of nice resort-style living.  Some friends told her Estes Park "all the way," while others threw out a few resort town names, especially those in the central mountain corridor.  It's a tough call, but really it's all about what you're looking for.

If they're looking to camp and hike, Estes Park is the classic national park camping experience.  Located at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park has countless campgrounds, hikes, and outdoor activities from fishing to rafting.  Many people favor it for the YMCA of the Rockies locations, and its definitely the place in Colorado that tourists are most likely to see wildlife. Moose, elk, deer, fox, and even wolves are prominent, even in the actual town of Estes Park.  In fact, that's one of the treats - a literal treat right out of the opening scenes of the 90s show Northern Exposure.  The town is touristy in a common man sort of way.  Of course, the downside is it being isolated from the rest of the Colorado resorts, and it's potentially a little less ... upscale than the resort areas.  Some people call it rustic; others would say a little less refined.

The other main options are the I-70 corridor - mainly Summit County - with the run of ski resort areas that transition to summer activities.  In that regard, Breckenridge is the perfect mountain town to me. Of course, it is a little more ... refined, with better restaurants, shopping, and amenities.  The proximity to other resorts is also key, as you can hit Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, Frisco, Lake Dillon, the Continental Divide, and other key spots all within driving distance.  Obviously, the resorts are not the spot for camping.  But the fishing, rafting, hiking, biking, and dining are pretty great.  I'm also a fan of Crested Butte to the south, especially in the summer.  With the Fat Tire Mountain Bike Festival followed by the Wildflower Festival followed by a great 4th of July, CB is a great place. And, of course, you're closer to Aspen as well as the southwest corner areas such as Durango and Telluride, which are a whole other story.

It's a tough call.  But I'd take the area around Breckenridge for the true Colorado experience.

Coehlo's The Alchemist & The Alchemist Project

Paulo Coehlo's The Alchemist is the perfect "self-help" book for high school students because it comes in the form of a readable parable, and the narrative helps to disguise the preachy nature of many books designed to help teens find themselves and find their way in the world.  However, it's not enough to simply read and discuss the book - teachers need to craft activities and tasks around the ideas of the book which engage the students in their own journey and quest for their personal legend.  Thus, in continuing my explanation of my "Alchemist Project," I always show a truly engaging TED talk, featuring Mike Rowe of the Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs."

Rowe has some fascinating bits of advice and insight for students.  Most importantly, he ponders the idea that "following your passion" might be the worst advice he ever got.  That fits well with my previous story of Sarah Marshall - the girl from The Ambitious Generation who was adept at getting into college, but not so adept at figuring out why she was going in the first place.  I advise my students that in Rowe's view "Some people should follow their passion, some should follow their skills, and some should just follow the market."  This video always has a significant impact on students.  And I ask them to journal and comment on Rowe's ideas in relation to their own search.

Other ideas come from David Brooks and his op-ed on institutional thinking called "What Life Asks of Us."  I ask students to honestly answer some tough questions meant to elicit some serious self-examination, for the goal of this book and this project is for students to figure out, not what they want to do, but who they really are.  I ask them to journal again after reading another Robert Fulghum essay about a girl who was "sitting on her ticket."  It always has a way of motivating them to think critically.  And, perhaps the most interesting and engaging of the tasks is for students to complete an extensive analysis of their "Imaginary Lives."  It gives them a chance to dream and wonder, and ultimately try to see themselves in a future.

I always conclude our unit by showing them a short clip of Randy Pausch, the man known for his Last Lecture.  The book and entire video are great - but if you want to limit the time, he gave a great short version of his speech on Oprah.  It is definitely worth the discussion and coincides well with the story of The Alchemist.  While Coehlo's book says "The universe conspires to help you achieve your personal legend," Randy Pausch posits "If you are living correctly, your dreams will come to you."

Ultimately, The Alchemist is a meaningful book for high school juniors or seniors.  I think any year before that is too young and too early.  Students sometimes dismiss the book as a little cheesy - and it probably is.  But even the most hardened student finds something useful in our Alchemist Project.

Keystone Resort Lodge & Spa ... Aahhhh

There's nothing better than a summer in Summit County, Colorado.

When the late summer heat arrives in Denver, it's time to head to the High Country, and the Resort at Keystone is the perfect way to ride out July. Located right along the Snake River and offering easy access to all the best that Summit County has to offer, Keystone Resort has provided my family with a nearly perfect, relaxing summer holiday for years. For lodging we prefer to stay in a beautiful condo near Keystone Lake at the Keystone Lodge and Spa. This location provides us all the access and amenities we need. The Lodge and Spa provides a huge outdoor, heated pool and two hot tubs that provide endless hours of relaxing fun. Whether we're swimming laps or playing beach ball baseball or simply lounging around with the pool noodles, the spa is a perfectly relaxing scene surrounded by great mountain views. We go back and forth between the pool, the two hot tubs, the scented steam, and the dry sauna, and we always finish the day showering in the large locker room before heading out for a walk around town, if not out to dinner.

The Keystone Lodge and Spa is directly along the Snake River which provides immediate and easy access to fishing or simply sitting in the shallows watching the water roll by on its way to Lake Dillon. There is plenty of action for fly fishers up and down the river - and even a novice like me can pull out the occasional rainbow trout with a rod and reel. The river is bordered by a beautiful biking and walking trail that heads up to River Run or all the way down to Dillion. You could even head up and over Swan Mountain Road and into Breckenridge or Frisco. A great way to spend the evening - after a day on the river or at the pool - is to stroll over to Keystone Lake for dinner at Pizza on the Plaza. The kids will enjoy feeding the plentiful fish and ducks at the lake, or even taking a quick spin on the paddleboats. Happy Hour for Pizza on the Plaza offers discounts on drinks and $1.50 slices of pizza, and this pizza is quite tasty. It's only bested by the calzones - which are certainly worth staying for dinner. And for a beverage, I always go with the Backcountry Wheat, which is brewed and now bottled in Frisco - make sure to ask for a slice of orange. Basking on the plaza and watching the sun go down over the beautiful Keystone Valley is the perfect end to a perfect mountain day.

For other great recreational opportunities, consider scheduling some hikes such as the easy and accessible climbs on the Tenderfoot Trail or up to Lily Pad Lake.  These hikes are doable for even families with young kids, and the views are truly breathtaking.  On Fridays, it's worth taking a free gondola ride up to Keystone Summit - though prepare to stay a while if the summer monsoon storms move in. Nothing like enjoying a beverage while watching the fire on the mountain. Fridays offer live music and plenty of lawn games, and it's always fun watching the hard-core mountain bikers take off down through Keystone's bike park adventure. One of these days I will challenge myself on one of the green runs - and anyone can ride down on the dirt roads that wind around the mountain. Of course, simply strolling around the resort on the trails is great fun as well. The views of the valley are worth the time - and my time in Keystone is literally my most relaxing week of the year.

The Keystone Lodge and Spa is also a popular place for conferences, and we see plenty of people on working vacations each year. I know if I had to attend a conference in the middle of the summer, Keystone Conference Center is one place I'd like to do it.

Being Quiet - the Power of Introverts

"You're quite the loner, aren't you?"

At the age of seventeen, I had no idea how true those words were. And, these days, few of my students would ever believe that I could be reserved or shy or introverted or anti-social. Yet, it is true. I am an outgoing and friendly introvert who is most comfortable by myself on a bike ride or a walk. It seems so strange, really. But there is much to be said for solitude. And that is the brilliance of the message found in Susan Cain's work on the "power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking." When the book first came out, I smiled at the simple truth of it all, but I hesitated to read what I knew to be true. Yet, in this day and age - a world truly awash in noise and information - there is much to be gleaned from Quiet: The Power of Introverts.

Being quiet is a good thing. And, I knew that I found my soul mate, best friend, and wife when I met the girl I "could be quiet with."

Some Thoughts on Teacher Accountability

The question is: "Is our children learning?"

Accountability for teachers and schools is behind the push for increased standardized testing in the era of No Child Left Behind. Edu-reformers have vigorously pushed standardized methods for identifying "good/bad" schools as a way for parents and taxpayers to know if they are getting their money's worth. Yet, in stirring analysis from education researcher Marc Tucker, we can conclude that a decade of testing has only produced ...

"... Very low teacher morale, plummeting applications to schools of education, the need to recruit too many of our teachers from the lowest levels of high school graduates, a testing regime that has narrowed the curriculum for millions of students to a handful of subjects and a very low level of aspiration. There is no evidence that it is contributing anything to improved student performance, much less the improved performance of the very low- income and minority students for which it was in the first instance created."

Denver-area teacher Mark Sass shared Tucker's sentiment and more in a recent piece for Colorado Chalkbeat where he offered his conclusions on "How to Make Standardized Tests More Useful for Teachers."

To use the standardized tests, I have to trust them. The onus to that build trust rests on the testing companies. Teachers should be involved in writing the questions and they need to release the actual test questions. I realize this is a difficult demand. Releasing test items is expensive, since every question made public would need to be replaced. In addition, many testing companies also claim intellectual rights to the questions. But the Colorado State Department of Education can write contracts with testing companies that require these companies to release exam items and to require them to involve practitioners in writing these exams.

Do Standardized Tests Measure Anything that Matters?

As the legislative sessions begin across the country and in Washington, standardized testing as related to NCLB and PARCC will be on the minds and on the debate floor. There is much debate about decreasing the burden - and signficance - of state and national standardized tests, and even Chief Educator (who has never actually taught) Arne Duncan is talking about lessening the mandated testing regimen.

In Colorado, the State Board of Education took the unique step of offering waivers to district to opt out, or not administer, part of the PARCC test. This news was great relief to many schools and students, as PARCC will take days rather than hours. Alas, the waiver is too good to be true, as, strangely, critics have argued that the State Board has "no authority" to grant such waivers. This, of course, poses the question - What exactly can the Board do, and why does Colorado have one without any authority?

Testing proponents immediately jumped to the defense of PARCC - especially as a state task force recommended less testing and clear rules on how parents can "opt out." In response, one of PARCC's and test-based reform's biggest advocates, the Denver Post editorial board, touted the value of PARCC, as it dissed the vote by the State Board to lessen testing. Writer Alicia Caldwell argued that Common Core and PARCC will "expose deficiencies" in the education system.

Well, that's one opinion.

Of course, veteran educator and education writer, Marion Brady has this to say:

"Even if standardized tests didn’t cost billions, even if they yielded something that teachers didn’t already know, even if they hadn’t narrowed the curriculum down to joke level, even if they weren’t the main generators of educational drivel, even if they weren’t driving the best teachers out of the profession, they should be abandoned because they measure the wrong thing." - Marion Brady

Standardized tests can't measure creativity, imagination, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, collaboration, charisma, insight, wisdom, maturity, tolerance, ... or really anything else that matters.

Spelling Bees - What's the Point? Really?

I never liked the spelling bee.

When I was in school, I was a good student who had no problems with reading and writing. And, on paper I was a pretty effective speller from the earliest grades. But ask me to spell something out loud, and I could quickly be at a loss for the word. That's why I was never very good at "parent code" either - because when my wife spelled a word that we didn't want the kids to know, I was at as much a loss as the kids. So, the thought of spelling words out loud in front of a group - for a competition - was simply annoying for me. As it was for Brian Regan:

I actually did that - failed "the Bee" on purpose in the early rounds. And I still can't figure out what our national fascination is with this contest. Spelling out loud from memory? What a completely worthless and pointless "skill." There is no marketable or useful quality in the ability to spell from memory on stage. Yet, it's a national fascination, and there is serious prize money associated with it. Why is Scripps still so committed to forking out cash for the ability to recite "e-r-y-t-h-r-o-m-y-c-i-n" from memory? What a colossal waste of time and money?

Why not award the kids for engineering feats? Or creative writing? Best poems? Even a memorized poem with dramatic interpretation? But spelling? It's nothing like "Math Counts" - now that is a school competition that has some value. But how is it that the prize for the Scripps Spelling Bee is $30,000, which is more than Math Counts? A kid who can do complex math in seconds is worth serious cash and college scholarships, and a kid who can spell ... is a kid who can spell.

Seriously. This Spelling Bee thing has to stop.

My Life & the Second Law of Thermodynamics - Order to Disorder

One week into 2015, and my life is like a high school locker or a Thomas Pynchon novel - slowly working its way toward disorder. The second law of thermodynamics, which is the explanation for both the locker and the theme of early Pynchon, explains the basic reality of entropy, or the tendency of systems to inevitably move from order to disorder. Ironically, entropy defies and encapsulates the very idea of a "system," which is designed to create and maintain order. Oh, yes, order - that elusively difficult standard which we hope we make everything work out.

Leafing through the Sunday paper, I often envision my life and house the way I want it to be with everything having a place and everything in it. Less clutter and more order is the goal. Whether it's a clean workspace or a few tubs for the holiday decorations or a system for hanging the bikes in the garage, I am ever seeking the "system." A schedule for taking care of daily business, from work to my writing aspirations, is also on the agenda. Yet, there never seems to be enough time in the day or motivation to "get busy." Parade Magazine recommends a daily regimen of meditation as the "number one health booster" for 2015, but ... well, you know.

That said, breakfast is awesome this morning.

Read to All Kids - It's Good for Them

Everyone loves to hear a story. And every kid loved being read to in elementary school. So, the question is, why do we stop? A new study has found that reading to kids of all ages has positive benefits and encourages them to read on their own.

The finding about reading aloud to children long after toddlerhood may come as a surprise to some parents who read books to children at bedtime when they were very young but then tapered off. Last summer, the American Academy of Pediatrics announced a new policy recommending that all parents read to their children from birth.“A lot of parents assume that once kids begin to read independently, that now that is the best thing for them to do,” said Maggie McGuire, the vice president for a website for parents operated by Scholastic.But reading aloud through elementary school seemed to be connected to a love of reading generally. According to the report, 41 percent of frequent readers ages 6 to 10 were read aloud to at home, while only 13 percent of infrequent readers were being read to.

I try to read regularly to my classes, even though they are AP English students. Whether it's as a starting point for a quick read, or a passage from one of the novels we're reading, or simply an interesting article I found in the paper. One year, I even read the entire first novel of Harry Potter out loud to my class of juniors, a few pages a day.

It was amazing how it captivated them.

New Health Rules in 2015

It's no surprise that we have health problems in this country, and it's a safe assumption that we are responsible for a significant portion of them. Yet, we have a lot of misinformed bias about the problems. For example, the belief that we can simply "exercise away weight" is a myth that is clouding the conversation. Today, I did a fifteen-minute interval workout on a treadmill and sweated up a storm - and I run hard - and I burned about 130 calories. That's, basically,a couple of Oreo cookies, or about a third of a Frappucino. Now, I am a grown man who is in shape, and I barely burned off a couple cookies. So, how in the world are little kids going to work up enough energy to burn off the snacks they have been bred to so casually eat. It's not a fair fight, and it's simply wrong to shame people, especially kids, who struggle with weight by telling them they just need to "get up and move around a little."

Certainly, people need to be active, and we should encourage exercise and physically active lifestyles. Many Americans are too sedentary, and our school system based on "sit and get" while preparing for standardized tests is not helping at all. However, food choices and eating habits are far more significant in successful weight management, and there are some simple lessons. Michael Pollan said it best when he advised people to simply: "Eat real food, not too much, mostly plants." And, this year, people who are resolving to be healthier have a new resource in Dr. Frank Lipman's The New Health Rules.

• Don’t fear fat. Coconut oil, avocados, and meat from grass- fed animals all contain healthy natural fats, which your brain and body need to function optimally.

• If you eat cows, make sure they eat grass. In other words, know what went into the meat before it goes into you!

• Get 15 minutes of sunshine a day. You’ll boost vitamin D, mood and immunity in minutes.

• Stop this egg-white omelet nonsense. Yolks are packed with satiating nutrients so put them back on your plate and feel fuller longer.

• Curb sugar cravings. Eating less sugar reduces your risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes so the sooner you taper off, the sooner your risk will drop.

• If you learn only one yoga pose…….let it be supta badha konasana.

• Break up with bread.…….and over a 100 more tips

Maintain, Don't Gain in only 7 Minutes

As part of my school's health and wellness campaign, I joined the "Maintain, Don't Gain" program to motivate me to not give in to excess during the winter holidays. That's not an easy task around my house because my wife is a former professional pastry chef who has a simple catering business during the holidays. Starting around Thanksgiving, we will have roughly two hundred dozen cookies in the freezer. And, of course, working in a school, there are countless parties and treats around school and in the community that are specifically designed to derail our healthy efforts.

Additionally, I've found that my workout routine - which is effective and routine for much of the year - can really take a hit during the midpoint of the school year. I can go from 3-4 days of cardio and weights down to one, usually only on Saturdays. I am certainly an afternoon exerciser. The mornings are reserved for waking up with the coffee and paper. And because we start school at 7 am, there is simply no way I am going to get the workout done early. Normally, I will run for 25 minutes outside, or work out with weights for at least that long.

So, I was intrigued when I read about "The Seven Minute Workout."

This high-intensity, interval workout featured on the New York Times blog might actually be all it's cracked up to be. Anyone can spare seven minutes, right? There have been times that I come home and want to crash on the couch with a beer and the news, but I've been able to commit seven minutes of intense exercise before that. And, it's easy to do with this really cool workout app. I've even added to it when I have the time ... and the energy. So, I'll do a 9-minute workout. And sometimes a few minutes of weights afterward, or even ten minutes on the bike in the basement. So, if you are hoping to keep yourself in check this winter, consider this workout:

Live the Life You Have Imagined

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. - Henry David Thoreau

With those words, transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau outlines for us how to live. I've shared these thoughts with my students many times, and I've written them in my journals numerous times as well ... and now, right here right now in 2015, it is time for me to start living them. Thoreau's words encapsulate just a bit of inspiration that has inspired a thousand self-help books, most notably the original tome, Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking. But none of those works have really expanded upon the simple significance of Thoreau's basic advice - "live the life you have imagined."

While I am proud of my life's work to the age of forty-five, and I am quite content with my hard work and success and current position in life, I am not, alas, "living the life I have imagined." I am, of course, in a good spot professionally, working in the best of all positions. My job as a high school administrator still allows me the opportunity to teach one class, which is a privilege many in administration must give up to pursue the leadership opportunity. And, I am blessed to still work with students directly as a GT Coordinator and sponsor of our Youth Advisory Board. Additionally, I work with great people in areas of tech support, staff development, and school culture. I really couldn't be happier with my job.

That said, there's more I've always planned to do.

For many years, I've told people that when I grow up "I want to be David Brooks of the New York Times." That, or perhaps, Malcolm Gladwell of the New Yorker and "Outliers" fame. Basically, being a writer and speaker and cultural critic is my dream job. I've always enjoyed researching and writing and, basically, passing on information to others. That's why I am a teacher ... and I am fairly confident that I am quite good at what I do. But, for as long as I've been teaching, I've always been waiting for that moment when the writing/speaking career develops out of something I've written. For many years, I mistakenly thought myself a novelist. It took a friend who really is a novelist (though shockingly unpublished as of yet) to point out that I should be focusing on the non-fiction success that I've had and pursue that option. Really, duh. It was a surprising lack of self awareness on my part.

Yet, I've never followed through on any of the big ideas I have for writing, and I spend more time reading people I admire and journaling about potential books than I do actually writing them.Granted, I do a fair amount of writing on several blogs, and I am regularly posting and passing on links and thoughts via Twitter and Facebook. This blog, A Teacher's View, was my original idea for my forum as a cultural critic, and I also began two others. Mazenglish is my blog which is supposed to focus primarily on my knowledge, skills, and insight as an English teacher. The term refers to the unique qualities  of my class which have made it popular and successful for so many years. After that, I started the blog Views on the Village as my Colorado blog which was going to be an eye on my community. Originally, I thought it would be focused on politics and community, and then I expanded it into culture, hoping to use it as list of my favorites and suggestions about the world in which I live. Despite my desire to write these blogs, and use them to create an audience for my work, I have not adequately maintained them, or developed an efficient system for doing so. Yet, I am not ready to abandon them, and I have hope that they can become more significant.

So, ....

Yeah, so.

So, I like my job, and I can't complain about my life, but I had a different vision of success in my life, and my daily-ness does not look like the life I had imagined. And, I will not be truly happy or content or satisfied until I am doing all that I have planned and am capable of doing. There are articles and books to be written, presentations to be crafted and made, products to be produced, businesses to develop, and refinements to my daily living experience to be crafted. And, 2015 should not end with the resigned disappointment and acceptance of "adequate" that has been the conclusion of previous years. And, I am hoping that this blog keeps me focused and honest and on track. Last year I turned forty-four, and it seemed like a convenient marking point for my next phase. I'd graduated college at 22, I'd achieved career success in public education at 44, and it was time to begin "Act III." Act III is a writing career and the role of "independent scholar" and public commentator.

So, here's to Act III. Here's to more writing and "advancing confidently ... to live the life I have imagined."

Is Teaching Actually a Blue-Collar Job?

I've never really complained about the money I make teaching - and I certainly don't agree that teachers should be making millions like pop stars and pro athletes. That said, I don't doubt that, like most teachers, I don't make nearly as much money as all the other college educated professions of people I know. Looking at pay scales from across the country, I realize that David Cook of the FreePress may be right - based on simple compensation and earning power, "Teaching is now a blue-collar job."

Teachers are not poorly paid, especially for ten months of work, but they are not necessarily compensated in a manner commensurate with their outlays in terms of education and credentialing. In most places, teachers don't make much more than people who work in skilled labor. As Cook points out, teachers are making roughly the same as electricians and masons. And, that's not necessarily an insult or out of kilter with the economy, but it is off base with what sort of money must be invested in the job training.

And, as readers of this blog will recall, I am a strong supporter of skilled labor and career education. In places like Colorado and South Dakota, laborers in the energy industry can pull down six figures. Additionally, the value of an education is increasingly suspect, so the value offered by a middle school language arts teacher may not be instantly quantifiable in terms comparable to a laborer or a accountant. That said, this sort of information may be useful advice for people considering education. And it may just be reason enough to encourage our best brightest - "Don't become a teacher."

Anya Kamenetz Puts Standardized Testing to "The Test"

One of the strongest voices in the world of education writing - or really many issues facing young people pondering their future - is Anya Kamenetz, who has published several books of non-fiction and has written for NPR, Fast Company, and others. Kamenetz is now turning her attention to the complicated world of education accountability and standardized testing. As an education writer and parent, Kamenetz was looking to investigate the state of public education, but was surprised to discover how every conversation was completely consumed by discussions of testing. Thus, with her curious and insightful mind, she set out to answer "What Are Education Tests for Anyway?" She offers a bit of a primer on what tests are out there, and what they are supposed to mean.

Did that trigger scary memories of the 10th grade? Or are you just curious how you'll measure up?
If the answer is "C: Either of the above," keep reading. Tests have existed throughout the history of education. Today they're being used more than ever before — but not necessarily as designed.
Different types of tests are best for different purposes. Some help students learn better. Some are there to sort individuals. Others help us understand how a whole population is doing.
But these types of tests are easily confused, and more easily misused. As the U.S. engages in another debate over how — and how much — we test kids, it might be helpful to do a little anatomy of assessment, or a taxonomy of tests.

Her initial article for NPR has taken on a life of its own, and now Kamenetz is offer a much more comprehensive look at the testing issue in her soon-to-be released The Test: Why Our Schools are Obsessed with Standardized Testing, But You Don't Have to Be. While I have not read this work, I am looking forward to Kamenetz's observations and analyses, for I have appreciated all that I've read by her before. Let's hope she keeps the keenly critical eye on the issue of how obtrusive, and ultimately inconclusive, all this testing has become.