It is bittersweet to write this final blog post as an ELA teacher on the Green Rev team. Throughout 16 years of teaching ELA at JFK, I have collaborated with well over 1000 students to expand their academic knowledge, foster their literacy skills, and inspire their creativity. In return, students have bolstered my patience and compassion; they have made me chuckle and teary with their heartfelt writing; and they've challenged my own knowledge and understanding of adolescents and how to teach them. It has been a rich and rewarding journey in so many ways.
Though feeling a bit sad about relinquishing my role as ELA teacher, particularly with this wonderful group of students this year, I am also excited to embark on the next leg of my trip. My new position as Reading Specialist will enable me to use my skills in a different context to help students who are challenged in the area of reading. I made the decision two years ago to pursue this license as I witnessed too many students who struggled with reading, which I consider the most fundamental and vital skill anyone can possess. The skill of reading comprehension seems absolutely essential in our media-drenched world in which there are so many sources and modes of communication. I hope that I can contribute my part in helping our young readers to hone their literacy skills as they grow into thoughtful, critical, and wise adults.
I have been in contact with Haley Pearl, our new ELA teacher, to help make her transition to JFK a smooth one, and I look forward to our future collaboration as colleagues. It is possible that in my position as Reading Specialist I will be "pushing in" to three of my current ELA classes to support students--so, a new beginning with old friends!
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Last week, we discussed mythology: what it is, it's purpose, and reasons why we study ancient Greek mythology. This week, students are beginning to read in their mythology books and to keep track of characters on a chart. On Thursday, students will be treated to their first story as told by our artist-in-residence, Nick Kachulis, who will be telling "Theseus and the Minotaur". Students will collaborate on questions related to the story which explore its themes, and we will consider levels of meaning that this story might hold for us, in 2020. A summary and video of the story is linked below for students who miss hearing it, and the story is also in the mythology book.
Homework:
Monday: read Athena and chart her
Tuesday: read Demeter and chart her
Wednesday: catch up on reading/charting or add info to your charts; finish Theseus pre-writing activity if needed
Video: "Theseus and the Minotaur"
Summary: "Theseus and the Minotaur"
