Month: February 2020

Today was one of those days that, honestly, passed by smoothly. I had a few ah-ha moments in all of my classes. Those who care appreciate the humor in To Kill a Mockingbird despite the tense mood of Chapter Fifteen. We all did pretty well, considering that it was our first day back from mid-winter break.

With that having been said, I asked my students what they would miss most about MWB, and many of them said “Sleep.” and “Not stressing about school-related things.”

When I was in college, my sister’s friend Brian had this theory that human beings thrive on chaos. If things were hunky-dory and going fine, then what would we have to complain about.

Maybe because the end of card-marking period four is fast approaching (March 6th), not to mention parent teacher conferences, many students have expressed concerns about their grades (my thoughts on grades here).

Today I got to thinking – what makes one student care more about their learning/education compared to another student. I mean, I don’t have the answer – although I wish I did.

I do know that I try; it makes me think of the church I visited yesterday and how the pastor was literally a one-man show trying to keep the congregation captivated – I felt his pain. But it can’t just come from me – I can’t be the only one caring.

It’s back to the old Chinese proverb, “Teachers can open the door, but you yourself must walk through.”

• Worried about how procrastination is robbing you of learning opportunities? Make better choices.
• Worried about your grade (insert eye roll here). Make better choices.

Sometimes I feel like teachers’ expectations rob students of their humanness, but it’s not that. Being human, messy and flawed, is commonplace. The trick? Students should actively be trying to be their best in order to see the growth/progress their desire.

I can’t do it for you; and I wouldn’t want to – because some of the best lessons we learn are from disappointment and failure.

And to the ones who don’t care. Help me help you. You only have one shot at this small window of your life. Make better choices and I guarantee you will see better results.

XOXO – Mx. Sabbagh

IN THEIR OWN WORDS – please enjoy one student’s reflection after finishing the second half of Part One of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

As the chapters progress through the second half of part one of To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a significant shift in theme is portrayed, as it begins shifting away from innocence and fun and towards the harsh realities of life. Chapter 6, for instance, begins with the children sneaking into the Radley place, highlighting the immaturity that has been recurrently portrayed throughout the book. In Chapter 11, on the other hand, it becomes clear that the children are learning more about life itself, with the death of Ms Dubose and the lesson with courage that comes along with it. This event also signifies the said shift into a more down-to-earth theme that will continue into the second part of the book. Additionally, more news about the trial, where Atticus will defend the black man Tom Robinson, is revealed in these chapters, and it is shown that the children are beginning to face more profound bullying and discrimination for this. This also brings up the recurring theme of the “child defending the parent,” as we see that Scout continually stands up for her father despite being continually showered with rude remarks. Aunt Alexandra is aso introduced in these chapters, and the reader begins to get a taste of what tradition and proper etiquette in the South is supposed to look like, which is problematic as Scout’s behavior consistently contradicts this. Her introduction plays a significant role in furthering this theme of shifting away from childhood, as Scout is now able to have more insight into who society expects her to be, especially since she has been portrayed as to the contrary of a “normal” girl throughout the book. This theme is also reflected in the incident in Chapter 10, where Atticus is forced to kill the rabid dog in order to uphold his moral code and protect his family. After this, he references the mockingbird to which the title refers to, and he explains how the children should never inflict harm upon individuals that are weaker than them just on the basis of them having more power. This provides the kids with a strong moral foundation, furthering the theme of maturity and continuing to shift the book into a more pragmatic viewpoint.

Reflection submitted by R.H. in Mx. Sabbagh’s first hour Language Arts 4 class.

• acquired
• dispel
• garish
• qualm
• propel
• tactful
• ponder
• indulge
• edification
• ominous
• tranquil
• prevail
• oblivious
• acquiescence

Assessment on Thursday, February 27th

Depending on who you ask, being a teenager is either the best thing in the world, or the worst.

Ask an adult, and they would give anything to go back to a time when their greatest responsibilities included being able to learn new things and studying for tests.

Ask a teenager, and they can’t wait to leave behind being hampered by rules they have to follow or being regaled by how “good” they have it compared to the adults in their lives.

Perception and reality are two sides of the same coin. If you listen to author Mark Manson, control is an illusion, and what we actually do, on a daily basis, is insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Struggle seems to be the only constant – no matter what age you find yourself.

So, pick your poison.

Absolutely – control is an illusion, but you know what’s not… preparation, hard work, integrity, accountability, just to name a few….

Four tests in one day – that’s not something you can control. Feeling prepared because you studied and paid attention in class… well, you get the idea.

As human beings, it is very easy to feel wildly overwhelmed and powerless. So many of us are playing defense in our own lives, that we feel soul-tired and rundown. The instinctive need to survive, make things better, and yes, even struggle is not going away anytime soon. Our only solution – focus on what matters (to us) and what makes us feel alive/empowered.

Today I had a student tell me that he had no idea what was going on in To Kill a Mockingbird. As his teacher, I had to ask him – has he been reading with us, on his own, has he been watching summary videos of each chapter, has he been asking questions during discussions, has he been completing each task with due diligence?

I mean, I get it…. I do.

It’s so easy, too easy in fact, to throw your hands in the air and exclaim, “It’s too much!” and give up without doing your part.

We’ve heard it… time and time again…. that nothing is handed to you on a silver platter. And while yes, some people undeniably have greater advantages, if they fail to take ownership of their own lives, they too will struggle.

Here’s the thing – the test doesn’t matter. Heck, even the results don’t matter. What really matters is what you learn about habits of work, and what you learn about yourself.

The definition of insanity, according to Albert Einstein, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Don’t like how you’re feeling today? Spend time reflecting on the choices you made that brought you to this point. Want something to change – start within.

Extra Credit Opportunity: Write a poem inspired by the title of this blog. You can email me your poem, or submit it as a comment below.

When I was in high school, I took an Oral Interpretations class taught by an esteemed theatre teacher. I had to be sneaky about it – telling my parents that it counted for the Speech requirement – since they were not inclined to indulge me in my desire to take theatre/drama/art classes (since those kinds of classes would not be helpful for whatever science-based career I would undoubtedly pursue).

I remember sitting there – surrounded by members of the thespian community – and I felt like an interloper, a wannabe, a fraud… what’s worse, my high school self fully believed that the teacher suspected this “truth” about me also, and nothing anybody could have told me at the time would have convinced me otherwise.

I got through the class – relishing in moments where I could shine along the bright stars of our theatre program. I remember crushing my monologue – preparing to enter into a competition. The teacher was both stern and motivating – not that I was receptive – my mind was made up, she thought I didn’t belong there, and I resented her for it.

The time came for me to exact my revenge when the end of the semester came along and we were able to evaluate our teachers. I let her have it, both barrels – talked about the blatant favoritism, the ineffective feedback, and the lack of attention to non-theatre students. And then, with a flourish, I signed my name. After all, I said what I said – and I was no coward.

That class came and went. I graduated. Time moved forward.

*Flash forward YEARS later.*

I had returned to the high school to support the theatre’s latest production of The Music Man . That teacher was still there. I made sure to pass by and laud her work on the musical – not giving that long ago evaluation a second thought.

Her eyes shuttered when I approached her. The hug was lukewarm at best. She accepted the accolades graciously, but I could tell her heart wasn’t behind it.

That was when she revealed to me that my words, all those years ago, had hurt her. Then, she relayed her perception of my time in the class. She complimented my tenacity, my intensity, my astuteness, and shared how she longed for my parents to change their mind so that I could have been a part of the theatre program. My mind was blown. I could not believe how different our impressions of the same reality were.

I don’t know if I could have handled things differently when I was in high school. I was a proud, angsty, and headstrong individual. Maybe if the teacher had pulled me aside, I could have apologized then, instead of years later? But that teacher being who she was, wouldn’t have handled things differently either. If I have one regret it is that the words written were intended to hurt – and knowing that they did, does not fill me with any sense of righteousness, but rather a sense of despair. I can belatedly hope that maybe my evaluation influenced her to be more kind to other non-theatre students – but what if it just hardened her heart? I’ll never know.

I think that’s why – of ALL the things I hope to teach in Language Arts – it’s that WORDS are extremely powerful

Fast forward to today. Maybe it’s poetic justice that I am receiving a taste of my own medicine. I am certainly not everybody’s cup of tea – nor is it my goal to be. I am not here to make friends – I just want to help each student become the best version of themselves. To help students learn valuable lessons and to move forward with grace. Will I reach every student? It’s not likely – but that won’t stop me from trying.

*blog title is a line from the monologue I performed in high school, from a play by Craig Lucas entitled “Credo” from a collection of plays edited by Eric Lane and Nina Shengold, entitled “Plays for Actresses”