Kathy Dudley  ::   HVWP I.I.14  :: 24.7.2014  ::  Draft 2: Teacher experiene

In walks this girl wearing an orange and white polka dotted jumper. It’s kind of short, just above her knees. The white collar like makes a strong contrast to the color of her slender neck I noticed the neck immediately because of the contrast, like. Don’t get me wrong. So, she just walks in, this girl. Without knocking, see. Which ain’t right. This is Wasserman’s classroom. And rule number one is knock before you enter. Rule number two: you better speak to whoever is in the room. Otherwise Wasserman makes you go back outside. And start all over. I’m not kidding. And you really have to start all over. Happened to me a couple a times.

So I’m sitting there and I look up. First at her, then at Wasserman. And Wasserman doesn’t say anything. Or make the girl go back out and knock. Like what she makes me do. Then, get a load of this: Wasserman actually smiles at the girl. Smiles! She never smiles. Ever. That prune mouth stays puckered like she just ate a lemon. To tell the truth, I had never seen Wasserman smile in over two years at this school.

I’m sitting in a seat farthest from the door. In a dark shady corner, making up the grammar test I missed two weeks ago. Wasserman sits in front of the class, watching me like a hawk, know what I mean? The dusty chalkboard is crammed with diagrammed sentences. The door and this thick bottle glass window are on the right from Wasserman’s desk. I’m in a shady spot, but the sun’s heat and light stream through the thick opaque glass. One small listless fan revolves left then right, slowly, scattering dust motes and warm air.

The girl has this big grin on her face. She is taller than me, I figure. I can’t believe it: she has freckles, too. She carries this single sheet of white paper in her left hand, and some thick folder in her right. A pigskin satchel over her right shoulder looks heavy. “Mrs. Wasserman. Sorry to barge in,” she says.

She didn’t even say excuse me. The Wasser man looks up and sweet as honey says, “Think nothing of it.” And then she sees the paper. “What have you there? Need help with a writing assignment?” Wasserman reaches out her bony hand. You ever see those fake monster parts kids buy at Halloween? You know, like green hands with red claws? Well the fat blue veins along her wrist and her blood-red nail polish make her hands look just like them monster claws.

The crisp paper rustles as Wasserman grasps it between two hands. She looks up at the girl, then down at the page. “A poem? An epic?” The girl nods. Wasserman reads silently, but mouths the words between pursed lips, head moving side to side across the page, right to left and back, like the fan. She pauses, a question on her face, scrunches up her brow up at the girl, then returns to reading.

The girl watches Wasserman closely, her head moving when Wasserman’s does, smiling when Wasserman smiles, questioning look matching Wasserman’s. “This is very thoughtful. Historical yet not time bound,” she murmurs, pleased.

Write a very short version of your children’s story. Look over your character map, your setting map and your conflict map to help the writing. The story should have a beginning, a middle and an end. Take ten minutes to complete the writing.

What do you know of the Easter story? What do you know of the Passover story? Please take five minutes to write the Easter story or the Passover story, using strong plot, setting, characterization, conflict, dialogue and other literary elements and devices.

Focus write: The Supreme Court is hearing a case today concerning marriage between human beings of the same gender. Two California men claim that California law banning their marriage is unconstitutional.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the Supreme Court will decide if the California law banning marriage is constitutional or unconstitutional.
[Answer the three questions below, using R.A.F.T.]

— What do you think the Supreme Court will decide?

— If you were a Supreme Court judge, what would you decide? Why?

— What do you think the Supreme court SHOULD decide?

— Believe & Doubt: “the California law banning marriage is unconstitutional” [30.6.2014]

In 1930, Zora Neale Hurston started working with Langston Hughes on a play which they named “Mule Bone,” a comedic depiction of Negro life in those days. Guess what? The play never saw the light of the day during the playwrights’ lifetimes. Do you know why? It’s because Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes had a giant dispute over credits. However, there’s a modern version of “Mule Bone” (now known as “Mules and Men”). It is in the form of a complete novel.

What have you learned about Zora and Langston that might explain why they argued?

Now that you have written your focus journal entry about your safe place in a Word document, copy and paste what you wrote here.
Remember, you should have a third person point of view in your writing.

Earlier during a focus-write, you wrote a richly descriptive narrative about your journey from home to school. You transcribed that description to MS Word, and uploaded the description to the class Moodle.
Open the MS Word document. Copy that description of your journey to school and paste it below. Be sure to add your first and last names and email address to the blog.

5-PARAGRAPH ESSAY: What crimes were committed in the CINDERELLA, YE SHEN, OR ASCHENPUTTEL STORY. Who should be on trial? What should they be accused of? Why?