Week 8--Friday May 22--Final instructions!

Ah, the end of the term is nearly upon us, and this will be one of my final posts. With the expanse of summer days coming up, it feels like the sun is rising on a new mountain of time, but with school ending, I also feel like the sun is setting on a strange moment in history. Thanks for weathering it all!

Overall, I think most of you did really well. You didn't lose it. You checked in every day. You did the best you could, and you did it all while worrying about life and the future. Good job.

We have one week left, so all you need to do is finish the book and take your final quiz on it next Thursday. We do have 10 chapters remaining, and I know some folks have read ahead and are nearly finished, but I want to be sure to give everyone enough time to finish it, so next Thursday should be enough time. If it isn't, please let me know. *As always, no work from this week accepted after Sunday.

I hope the book makes you think about the personal ways that race, class, and gender affected people not only in the 1960s, but also now. It is definitely a story about change, and how change can happen little by little.

Think about how Aibileen felt at the beginning of the story...

She was lonely, sad, and frustrated about her life. Treelore's death was a constant memory. Plus, the Leefolts took on debt to build a bathroom for her just so they didn't have to share, and her friend Minny had just been wrongly accused of stealing by Hilly. Did she want things to change? Of course! Who wouldn't?

Was it worth the risk though? Change was starting to happen in 1960s Jackson and all over the South, but every step forward came at a cost: kids getting blown up in churches, Medgar Evers getting shot, the national guard having to escort James Meredith to college just so no one would attack him. This is why the decision for the maids to help Skeeter with the book was such a heavy one. Helping her didn't just mean risking their lives, it meant affecting the lives of everyone they loved. Can you imagine losing your mom just because she told her story in a book? That's what we are talking about here.

They did take the risk though, and they trusted Skeeter, a white woman, to help them. Have you ever thought about why she was different and what made them eventually trust her?

Was she different because she was basically raised by Constantine, a black woman? Maybe, but I'd venture to guess most of her friends had black nannies as well. Was she different because she finished college and had more education than her friends who dropped out as soon as they found a husband? Maybe. Was she different because she could never rely on being pretty to help her out? Maybe. Was she different because she grew up in the country and not in town? Perhaps.

It's probably a combination of these factors that enabled her to take the risks she did as well. While it certainly wasn't easy for the maids to help with the book, it comes at a cost for Skeeter too as you will see in the coming chapters. The next chapter - 25- is the climax of the story and so many funny and intense events happen. It is the only chapter for which there is no narrator because it is set at the charity benefit and an omniscient narrator tells you everything that happens. Do not miss it! There is a show-down between Hilly and Celia that is just pure gold.

Enjoy the long weekend and the rest of the story!
Mrs. C

Tuesday, March 31st - Day 2 Online school

Checking in...
Hopefully yesterday went fairly smoothly for you. I know there were some glitches at my end, but anytime we all have to rely on technology, I assume that will be the case. However, I do appreciate the messages early on that let me know some things weren't working for you as it enabled me to troubleshoot. Also, after reading over the surveys, I want to address some of your concerns:

*Lots of you are worried about due dates and getting things in on time. I hear you, so rest assured that I will be flexible on this. By the end of this week, I am hoping we all get comfortable with turning things in online, and if you need the weekend, that is fine too.

*There are concerns about technology, work, and family welfare....these are all items that I think about as well, so let's all just try to do the best we can and strike a balance between thinking, learning, and adapting to this new situation with some patience and grace. We will still be reading the book and responding to ideas from it, but "school" is not going to be the exact same as it was.


What are you doing today for class?
So in the reading yesterday (Ch. 10-11), Holden left his isolated room (which I'm sure we all wish we could do) and tried to have some fun...mostly in the form of dancing and conversation.

The jitterbug dancing that he references looks something like this...

As a result of his interactions with people, there were several humorous things that he said and did in Ch. 10-11, so today here is your assignment:

1. Follow this link to GoSoapbox (also linked in the sidebar)  and enter the code 662-060-069 to be able to record your response to the discussion question I have for you over the reading. (It works like Kahoot, so all you need is the code number).  You will type a 4-5 sentence response to the question you see there.

2. Read Ch. 12-13 in your Catcher books (p. 81-98).
                           
Stay safe and be well!
Mrs. C

Monday, March 30th - Day 1 of Online School

Hello everyone!
Here is the plan and links for today. I really just want to hear how you are doing and set up some guidelines for how this class is going to go online. We are all trying something new, so don't worry if it takes time to figure things out.

Our first week agenda looks like this, and I will try to maintain this structure every week so that you feel comfortable knowing what comes next. We will have to adjust as we need to. Please let me know if you have any troubles.

Monday 
1.Take this survey.

2.Type up your responses from Ch. 8--9 of the yellow reading guide I gave out in class awhile ago into this FORM.

3. Read Ch. 10-11 (p. 66-80 in your books...this may look different in the PDF version.)

Tuesday - Reading and Responding Day
Wednesday - No Red Ink Practice Day
Thursday - Reading and Making Connections Day
Friday - Reflection & Assessment Day

Do the best you can! I will be available from 12-3:30 to answer question live online! Teams chat is probably the best way to reach me.

Be well!
Mrs. C