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We are on "vacation."
The assignment is huge.
Select a poem (any poem) from a book or anthology; identify three elements of good poetry; interpret the poem in a "well-developed response"; cite sources according to MLA; type the poem and the assignment (school doesn't teach typing, so I guess that's my job); OPTIONAL: research poet, find out about poet, etc.
This is starting at the top.
So....recent assignments have been way over C's head, but the few books he's been required to read are below grade level.
aargh
Anyway, here's the question.
I am not an English major.
I have no idea how to analyze a poem.
I have no idea, even, how to read a work of 19th century literature intelligently.
I know nothing!
So I need books. Books with shortcuts. Books that will give me a superficial but useable map-of-the-world where poetry analysis is concerned.
I thank you in advance.
being your child's frontal lobes
We've just today managed to figure out that C., although terrifically responsible when it comes to homework he can do, is avoidant when it comes to homework he can't do.
Avoidant means:
- didn't select a poem to analyze from the books at school & copy it down (good thing I spent hours researching and purchasing poetry anthologies last school year!)
- avoids the assignment altogether; and fails to mention assignment to parents
I guess we can say he's not proactive when it comes to seeking extra help.
Ed awaits his B-.
.
7 comments:
Your school doesn't teach typing?
For all my complaints about it, as an adult I realise learning to touch-type rates somewhere in the top five of most useful things I learnt at school.
I was going to say the same thing. Hasn't he had keyboarding?
We have the same problem. Major avoidance of assignments like that until the very last minute. Every time. Drives me nuts.
They also still color in middle school. He is tortured by those assignments.
We are on spring break this week and my third grader's assignment is to make up his own new species of animal. He has to make a 3-D model and use at least three pieces of recycled material.
The teacher says this is a great lead into talking about recycling and natural resources. "It is this type of project that makes learning fun," she says.
The project is okay. I simply wish his teacher would place more emphasis on learning math and how to read instead of coloring and working on "fun" projects. The word from other parents about his teacher is that she isn't very academic, but creative.
Great.
--PaulaV
When I was in 7th grade I constantly frustrated my Mom by telling her about projects right before they were due. I have memories of scavaging leaves from a large park 20 minutes before it closed for a leaf collection due the next day. Boy was she mad and man-oh-man did I hate those projects. And the next day I wanted to punch those kids who managed to do a good job.
Good luck with all the project work. I think it works itself out in the end. As an engineer I do projects all the time!
Cheers
Sean
We are on spring break this week and my third grader's assignment is to make up his own new species of animal. He has to make a 3-D model and use at least three pieces of recycled material.
AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH
These things aren't projects - they're assignments that are way over his head.
He hasn't been taught any of the underlying skills.
Touch typing is EXTREMELY useful.
I type 100 wpm.
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