Language Arts Student of the Year: 2019

“Even though this is English class, I would also like to be taught about the world.” she wrote on the first day of school. This year’s Language Arts Spotlight shines on a Renaissance Woman, who does everything and does it well: Honors English, AP Geo, Theater, French, track, soccer, and, I recently heard she’s quite a dancer. She is also a “Phenomenal Woman,” like in Maya Angelou’s poem: “Now you understand/Just why my head’s not bowed./I don’t shout or jump about/Or have to talk real loud./When you see me passing,/It ought to make you proud.” Well, it did! I am proud to stand and tell you about a young woman who puts the honors in Honors English: Greta Svagr!

Most of the “world travel” we did in Honors English was through time: World War II with Night and Animal Farm; ancient Greece with The Odyssey; Victorian England with Jane Eyre; Bastille Day with A Tale of Two Cities. Shakespeare’s Elizabethan England was in there somewhere, too, and we finished off in the dystopian American future of Fahrenheit 451. All great literature, which was either originally in or translated to English, as you’d expect from an Honors English class. Greta handled it all without complaint, as she promised she would in that first-day letter. But what I didn’t mention before is that I couldn’t read the rest of her letter because it was in Czech. See, Greta already knows quite a bit more about the world than most of her contemporaries because she is an immigrant from the Czech Republic, a fact that you would not know just to hear her speak or read her written English. It’s flawless. Language, apparently, is Greta’s strong suit because in her spare time she took French, and I’m going to steal Dr. Krahn’s words here because I can’t find a more poetic way to express it: “Greta Svagr makes you a better teacher. A swan among pigeons. She sparkles when everyone else scrapes by. How she stays so sweet and motivated … astounds me.” Me too!

During the third term, she and her friend Sam created video podcasts based on Romeo and Juliet. Greta’s enthusiasm for the part of Romeo was a highlight of my year, and the balcony scene was unforgettable. But Greta isn’t just interested in classics. Recently, she asked me for a copy “the scariest Stephen King book,” which also happens to be 1400 pages long. (If she can handle the horrors therein, I’m sure she’ll be done by the end of the summer!) I figured anyone who would ask for The Stand could be trusted to deliver a head in a bag to a certain locker …and so it came to pass. With all this gruesome fun, I was flattered when Greta asked me to teach her to laugh maniacally. [Like this: Demonstrate maniacal laugh to crazy applause.]

Greta, I admire the way you embrace learning, make it your own, and seek out new challenges. You never had to “shout or jump about or talk real loud,” but you are a Phenomenal Woman, indeed! I’m glad I got to know you this year!

Students of the Month: January 2019

Raine Knight

Under the ice of a deep, frozen lake

There’s a lot going on ‘neath the surface opaque.

This metaphor describes a student so bright,

And on this snowy morning her name’s Raine Knight!

Raine works hard and takes home straight A’s,

Which she earns writing thoughtful, creative essays.

And I like her humor, which others don’t see

Because I read her classroom journal: Hee-hee!

I see the thoughts behind those flashing eyes,

And I know what her subtle sarcasm implies!

Raine’s impressive! She handles details

Like vocab and grammar. And she never fails!

Raine’s well-rounded, involved and engaged:

Her paintings and artwork leap from the page!

She once absorbed Science Olympiad facts;

Now she plays in Solo/Ensemble -- alto sax!

And if she directed a film of The Odyssey,

The guy who played Cyclops would look just like me!

I know all this stuff because she writes a lot,

Which I read; then I smile, more often than not.

Raine: You’re quiet and create no ado,

Like that peaceful lake, which reminds me of you.

                                                                                                                                                                

Jenna Mollinet

If you’re searching for scholarship, it’s a safe bet

You’ll find what you’re after in a Mollinet.

In this case it’s Jenna, the youngest of five:

She’s keeping the fam’s reputation alive!

Jenna writes essays, so quick and complete.

She’s certainly part of the Honors Elite!

She finishes homework and always on time,

One of many fine traits to merit this rhyme!

Jenna participates, raises her hand,

Speaks aloud willingly, not just on demand.

Not only in English does Jenna excel:

At cheering and track she’s also quite swell!

Her math class is almost as hard as Jane Eyre,

A novel the honors 9^th graders must bear.

One-hundred percent on the pre-AP quiz,

She’s a Victorian Literature whiz!

So, Jenna, I thank you!

You’re easy to teach!

And I hope you like this poem

Instead of a speech!

*<%^) Thompson

Language Arts Student of the Year: 2018

“If you are a dancer, leap in!” she wrote on the first day in Honors English. I’ve read quite a bit about her passion for dance, but I’ve yet to see her do it. So, Cassie Bowers, if you would, dance up here so I can tell everyone why the Language Arts Spotlight shines on you.

We dealt with metaphors a lot this year. Here are some to describe Cassie: She is a calm ocean on the outside, all quiet confidence and grace. On the inside roars a Force Ten hurricane of meticulous organization, diligent attention to detail, and the driving ambition to live up to the highest expectations. The lightning flashes of merriment or dismay in her ocean-colored eyes only suggest what lies beneath the peaceful surface.

In her own words: “I am the type of girl who loves to be sarcastic…it’s a bonus if the teacher enjoys sarcasm as much as I do.” I knew we were going to get along when I read that. More recently, she reflected, “At the beginning of 9th grade, I became less shy and louder I guess.” [?!?] In order to be loud-ER, you first have to be loud, and she never was, but her performance spoke for itself right from the start, and the message was always clear: She gets it!  Cassie was one of a small handful of students with straight A’s in Honors English this year, and the only one who never needed extra credit or extra time to do it. (Which didn’t stop her from completing the extra credit assignments, just in case.) After a hectic week of AP testing, she came in during Intervention to take the year-end Word Cells test, and she was the only one in her class to get 100%.

Dutiful students like Cassie are easy to overlook, but I couldn’t overlook her obvious talent for all things literate. She draws attention to herself not with a constantly-raised hand but with the quiet excellence of her work and her perseverance with novels like A Tale of Two Cities and Jane Eyre, which drove many of her classmates to Spark Note Purgatory. And I like the personal philosophy that comes through in her reflections on literature: “Reading requires you to be engaged…it is necessary to hear different opinions to have a diverse society.”

Not only is Cassie Bowers academically brilliant, but she also has a passion for challenge and a caring spirit that the world needs more of. I am honored when she comes to my room for Intervention, even if it is only to study for her AP Geography test. And, speaking of AP classes, if you really want to see those eyes flash, ask her about that four-hour AP French test!

So, young dancer, take your own advice: “…leap in! Let your ideas run wild and be carefree, for we have an audience, and they want to see! Arabesque in! Pirouette in!” I’m glad you danced into my classroom this year!

Students of the Month: May 2018

As the end of the school year approaches, I try to make sure that students who deserve to be recognized are recognized. Sometimes that means a note scribbled at the bottom of an assignment, but sometimes more formal acknowledgement is called for. Such is the case with each of these four students, all of whom have set themselves apart in their own way.

Trevor Poulson is the “typical” excellent student. He works hard, gets straight A’s, finishes his homework on time, yadda-yadda-yadda. In other words, he is the sort of guy you would expect to have been recognized at every awards ceremony all year. He should be one of those names that you hear whenever anyone is talking about the shining superstars of the school. In my mind, he is that. But Trevor doesn’t draw attention to himself. He just gets the job done without drama, and he doesn’t require a lot from his teachers. He knows if he needs help; he asks for the specific help he needs; and then he takes it upon himself to follow through. As a teacher, it’s easy to overlook him in a room full of 15-year-olds demanding so many different kinds of attention. Well, Trevor, today I thought you should get a little extra attention for an entire year’s worth of excellent work in Honors English. Thanks!

Annie Martineau is a naturally gifted student. Most of the stuff in Honors English comes easy for her, but that isn’t the reason I wanted to recognize her. The Honors classes tend to be stocked with students who have been raised in excellence. They understand how to “be good” in a classroom. They are quiet (sometimes chillingly so), but they are often risk-averse, meaning they don’t dare to suggest responses that might not be “the right answer.” This can be frustrating when I’m trying to foster a discussion about a literary passage, and that is always when I can depend on Annie. She was never afraid to participate. Unlike certain classmates who have Myles to go before they achieve enlightenment, Annie’s participation was always polite and appropriate for the setting, but she was never afraid to offer her ideas. So, Annie, for your fearlessness, I recognize and thank you!

Samantha Newey is a quiet student, and because of that she was hard for me to figure out. She always performed well enough to fly under my radar, but as the year went on, I had a sense that she could have been doing much better than she was. The old saying is to “leave well enough alone,” but now I know that Sammy is better than “well enough.” Before my students took the end-of-year test as 9th graders, I was looking over their 8th grade results, and I was surprised at Sammy’s score because it seemed lower than it should have been. I’d been reading her essays and scoring her tests all year, and it just seemed to me that she could do better. So I challenged her to do that. Guess what? She did it. Now, Sammy, we have the evidence of your ability, so our expectations are going up! And as you head off to high school, I am sure you will prove to others, as you showed me, that you can live up to them! Thanks!

Kyler Hardy is the type of student who makes me craziest. He is naturally gifted, so school doesn’t challenge him all that much, but during the first couple terms, he could follow the merest distraction down a rabbit hole that would set my small 8th period class in an uproar. And somehow he’d still get a decent grade. Academically, when he puts his mind to it, he is an A-student, and I have noticed this semester that he is putting his mind to it a bit more often: Fewer distractions, more good work, more willingness to participate with the class rather than in spite of it. This is a sign of maturity that will serve him well in the future, but it is not the sort of thing we usually recognize at events like this. Well, Kyler, I am recognizing it in you and thanking you for all your improvements in my class this year. As the poem goes, “You’ll be a man, my son!”

Language Arts Student of the Year: 2017

On the first day of school, there was new student in Honors English. I did not know then that this soft-spoken, long-braided new kid with the sparkling blue eyes would later earn the Homeric nickname Enduring Kennedy, the Arm-Wrestling Goddess of Dirty Converse and She Who Goes the Extra Mile...usually on a bike. (The part about the Converse was hers.) This year the Language Arts Spotlight shines on Kennedy Taintor.

As part of the first-day assignment, I had the students write about themselves and ask me their questions. Kennedy wrote, “I am the type of reader who stays up until 3:00 A.M. reading a book and then wakes up at 6:00 to read again.” So far so good, for an Honors English student. Then, her question for me: “Are you the type of teacher who teases students….?” Uh-oh. She went on: “Don’t tease me or anyone else in a mean way because that bugs me.” Duly noted. She also included the sentence “I am a VERY hard worker.” Mm-hmm, I thought at the time, we shall see….”

By the beginning of second term, the new kid had already distinguished herself in multiple ways, one being her meticulous and exquisitely legible printing, which I had plenty of opportunity to appreciate as we plowed through novel responses, journals, and essays. Kennedy’s writing was so easy-to-read that I sometimes wondered how she was seemingly able to type and print her in-class responses in such an attractive font when so many of her classmates (raised in a world where most “writing” is done with only thumbs) suffered headache-inducing dysgraphia (Cough: Braden, Cough: Ethan). I began to think of her manuscript as the Kennedy Font, and I wished more of her classmates would use it.

Her third-term paper on the leadership style of Odysseus was not only the longest, most in-depth, most precisely researched of all that were turned in, but she was also one of the only students who dared to just say it: Odysseus wasn’t a very good leader. Although we referred to him repeatedly as a hero during our study of The Odyssey, Kennedy was not afraid to take issue with tradition. She stated her case clearly and defended it powerfully. Her writing was memorable, and her hard work was paying off.

Recently, I assigned Kennedy to read a poem aloud to the class. “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver reminds us to pay attention because life goes by in a blur. I remind students it isn’t mere existence that makes you special. It’s what you DO with that blur of your life, so you should do something! Pursue it with passion and ambition, whatever it is. “Dream big! Work hard!” I’ve written that on a lot of final papers in the past couple weeks, but I didn’t need to write it on Kennedy’s because she already knew…and she told me so on that first day of school.

Indeed, you are a hard worker, young lady! And even though I didn’t always have time to say it, I did notice, and I appreciate all your extremely legible, precisely researched, and thoughtfully complete work. I’m glad the new kid ended up in my class this year!

Rocket Man: Dennis Erickson

Every time I hear “Rocket Man” by Elton John, I think of my 23-year friendship with Dennis Erickson. Most of the lyrics don’t actually apply to him, but a few certain lines of that song resonate Dennis. Some apply to me. This one, for example: “All this science / I don’t understand.” That’s me. And whenever there was something biological or astronomical I needed to know, I went to Dennis. He’s not afraid of scary creatures…or terrible puns.

My first clear memory of Dennis was preceded by a shrieking group of seventh graders abandoning a hallway ahead of a three-foot long lizard who was menacingly patrolling it, followed by Dennis, guiding said creature with a stick as students ran from its path. As he passed me, he looked up and said simply, “Hall Monitor.”

A few years later, I encountered the largest praying mantis I had ever seen on the sidewalk coming into the school. I carefully scooped it onto a piece of cardboard and stopped by Dennis’s classroom with the specimen, which he promptly scooped up INTO HIS HAND and held up just inches from his face to diagnose the case of insectile gigantism as pregnancy: She was about to lay an egg sac, of the kind I had always seen decorating my back fence but had never known what I was looking at. I then stood there for half an hour and watched, fascinated, this strange birth.

I’ll never forget the smell in the northeast corner of the school when Dennis’s snake, freshly fed had been squeezed too hard by a nervous 7^th grader. It haunts me to this day.

When Carla Money brought in a sealed plastic ice-cream bucket containing the largest and most aggressive wolf spider I’ve ever seen, I had to take it to Dennis for identification. (He put his face uncomfortably close to it, as well.) I then kept it in my classroom all year, feeding it crickets bred in the library terrarium for Dennis’s constantly changing and growing classroom menagerie.

Carla also once brought in a dead rattlesnake she found on a hike in the canyon, which I think Dennis may have included in his collection of gruesome creepy crawlies floating in glass jars around his room. There are rumors, passed on by some of Dennis’s children in essays written for my class, that his science classroom is not the only place he stores such gruesome remains. I think it was Michelle who expressed a fear of actually cooking wrapped items from their freezer because she could never be sure if it was meant for human consumption or for later classroom dissection.

Speaking of children, both of mine enjoyed the same elements of Dennis’s class that I would have had I been lucky enough to be in it. My daughter spent much of her seventh grade year cuddling bunnies and handfeeding rats. My son liked the bug collection assignment (although my wife most assuredly did not). And I liked hearing about all of it and participating in the science of everyday life with them.

These and other stories have made their way into my lesson plans, writing prompts, and classroom conversations over the years, but I’ll have to leave the formal accounting of his numerous accomplishments and awards to others because I can’t get past the profound personal impact he has had on me. Dennis wasn’t just educating his students. His legacy here will run forever in the veins of his colleagues who have been privileged to suffer his puns, teach his children and have theirs taught by him, reap by association the rewards of his passion and excellence, and learn that science isn’t just something that happens in a classroom. It is all around us, waiting to be observed and handled and, most of all, appreciated. 

Every time there is an eclipse or meteor shower or satellite passing over, the faculty gets a reminder from Rocket Man Dennis to watch it or participate with him as he makes pinhole projectors with his students after school. Every time you drive past the school on a Saturday, there is a lone car almost certain to be parked at the northeast corner door. In the song, the Rocket Man says science is “just my job five days a week,” but that doesn’t apply to Dennis, either. He has spent more time in this school than anyone else, and he has given more to it than anyone else. Period.

So, why do I think of Dennis when I hear “Rocket Man” even though so few of the lyrics actually describe him? Because “I think it’s gonna be a long, long time ‘til touchdown brings me around again to find”…another teacher with the dedication and insane, ridiculous, outrageous, amazing commitment to what he does so well. We’ve been taking him for granted for so long that the school and the community will not realize until later how much we miss him when he retires. And the great tragedy of teacher retirements (and life itself) is how quickly we are forgotten as the past becomes the future. But his impact on me will last the rest of my life.

Thank you, Dennis.

“And I think it's gonna be a long long time
'Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no.  I'm a rocket man!
Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone…”

Students of the Month: May 2017

Eduard Alvarado

At the beginning of this school year, Eduard was the student who never missed a day of school…but somehow he would have six missing assignments, so I had to call him in for Intervention quite a bit. He was one of the first students whose names I learned because from the beginning he had a sense of humor I could appreciate: it included a merciless desire to drive me crazy with odd questions at random times. In other words, at the beginning of the year, I remember lots of conversations with Eduard, but he struggled academically. Well, I realized the other day that I wasn’t having as many of those odd conversations, and I also realized I hadn’t called him in for Intervention in a long time because his grade has never dropped below a C since the beginning of January. He studies for quizzes and turns in all his assignments on time. This shows that Eduard has matured a lot this year. Where I once worried that he might not be able to handle high school, I now know he will do just fine because of this newfound maturity. His sense of humor is unchanged, but now he manages to get his work done, too. I’ve noticed. And I appreciate it. Thank you, Eduard!

Mariela Cobos

Mariela has always been a hard worker, and good grades are important to her (and her family). I learned this one day when I wanted her to come in for Intervention to work on a class project, so I assigned her an “I”. When a teacher does that, it makes the student’s online grade drop until the “I” is removed, but I knew that I would be removing it the following morning, so I didn’t think it would be a big deal. I was wrong. Mariela stopped by my room at lunchtime (as she and her friends often have this year), and I jokingly said something like, “Ooh, you better check your grade!” because I knew that I had just put that “I” in the computer. I was  teasing, of course, (as I often do), but to Mariela, it was no joke. I wish I could imitate her response when she saw her grade, but I don’t think I can generate a shriek that high-pitched! And it merited an immediate call home to explain the situation to Aunt Liz. I felt kinda bad afterwards, but it makes a good story now. And I wanted to make sure Mariela knew how much I appreciated her good work all year. Thank you, Mariela!