Stumbling upon solutions.

I've found the best way to solve a problem is to step away from the immediate issue and leave my mind open to new possibilities as I stumble upon them. If you know me well enough you're thinking that this sounds a bit too happy-go-lucky for a control freak. Perhaps "stumbling" isn't the best word for my process. I use the same critical and creative processes I preach to my students to construct unique solutions out of the possibilities and inspirations I encounter every day. Here's an example:

On Thursday I was stressing about what I'd do the next day with Mr. Banks' ELA 20-2 (applied language arts) students while he was hosting another staff conference. I've mentioned in other posts that the 20-2's are a tough crowd. Earlier this week I'd had reasonable success reviewing story elements with them but they were expressely disinterested in "reading more stupid short stories". In fact, 10 minutes of independent reading is a miracle with some of these students! What I needed was a story that would actually engage the students and a way for them to analyze story elements with limited note taking (too many notes means an angry mob). By the end of the day I had brainstormed myself into a rut and left to take my sister to her drum lessons.

On the way home from drumming I was subjecting Tess to a tour of my Ipod when "The Mariner's Revenge Song" by The Decemberists came on. I proceeded to rant about how the song was really a story with background music when I had one of those brick to the head epiphanies. What better way to engage the students in a story?!! "The Mariner's Revenge Song" isn't pop music by any stretch but it features a Tim Burtonesque storyline and a toe tapping rhythm. I decided that I would print out the lyrics and have the students follow along while I played the song.

A close look at the lyrics revealed everything I was hoping for: some challenging vocabulary, fabulous imagery, and all six story elements were viable for discussion. I decided to add a visual element to the lesson as well. Instead of having students make notes I found sets of coloured highlighters they could use to colour code hints in the story that informed them of the important elements. Finally, I planned for the students to work on the vocabulary in groups and contribute their answers on the board- the busier they stay the better.

The lesson was a huge success. I even noticed some toes tapping as the 20-2's followed the song without a single complaint. Colour coding kept students more involved than the usual note taking and I could't believe the outcome. The 20-2's were making important connections that they wouldn't even touch in the previous lesson simply because they were engaged. I had a lot less trouble with classroom management because there were so many transitions in the lesson. I hadn't planned for this but between listening to the music, using the dictionaries, writing on the board, colour coding, and discussing, the students had few opportunities to complain or wander off task. There were a few discipline issues as usual, but at the end of this lesson I felt great about the students and my teaching.

Today's vocabulary lesson, courtesy of my ELA 20-2's:


Here's a dramatic adaptation of the song. The story has great curricular potential. I heard that The Decemberists were a Canadian band but it turns out they're from Portland Oregon. Definitely worth a listen!