My post will be short today. I am spending the weekend with my Berry Queens in Jackson, MS. for the Sweet Potato Queens weekend. I’ll be writing about this wholesome-woman-power fun later, but today I want to celebrate what may be a breakthrough.
I have a 6th grade gifted boy who has been extremely underachieving all year long. This is a typical problem with gifted students, boys in particular. He has resisted almost every incentive or motivation I have put before him. I have tried a number of things, but this week I may have made the miracle happen.
Karl(not his real name) may have found the just right book, Hatchet, to finally make him love reading. His reader response on Tuesday, posted late as usual, was 48 words long and began with “I really like this book.” I read this and had a serious talk with him. I did all of the talking. I blasted him. Then I looked at his tear-stained face and said, “You may not think that you are able to do this. You may think you are not good enough to be in this class. But you are here because you are good enough. You can do it.” I took another student’s journal and read to him her response to Hatchet.
I prompted him with questions, “How would you feel if you were Brian and the pilot died? If you had to fly that plane, what would that feel like?” I told him to go read a chapter and come back to the computer and write another response. I threw in more bait. “If you make a personal connection to the book, you can use it as a Slice of Life.”
He came to me later and said with a grin, “I read more than one chapter.” Then he wrote 250 words! Not only did he write more words, he made a connection to the character. I’m not sure if it was the “discussion” or the student model or the just right book, perhaps all three, but I am celebrating a break through. I gave Karl praise, but to top it all off, Anna Gratz Cockerille, the Two Writing Teachers leader for the Classroom Challenge, commented on his post. You can read his post here.
I’ve read Hatchet more than once with a group. There is so much there to love. I hope this is “the” book, Margaret, & that this was a turning point. Have a wonderful day!
Breakthroughs are huge. I bet he felt it too. Love that your students are slicing.
From 48 to 250 – noticeable change, but better than the word count is the fact that he read more than expected, that he gets lost in the book. Celebrating this breakthrough together with you.
Those apathetic learners can test your patience. You recommend and recommend and recommend–and they show no interest. Then suddenly all the stars align and their brilliance pops through. Hopefully, this is the book that leads “Karl” to fall in love with reading and sharing his thinking. Your perseverance is to be commended. (I also think you sharing your belief in him may have had something to do with it.)
I can’t wait to hear more about the Berry Queens! I loved the Sweet Potato Queens books. 🙂 Gifted underachievers can be so frustrating, and like you said, more common than people realize! Sounds like you made a wonderful breakthrough – Hatchet reaches so many reluctant students! Good for you for challenging him to do his best!
Between you matching Karl to a great book and Anna’s comment, it sounds like Karl is getting lots of encouragement on the literacy front this week. That’s awesome.
Looking forward to hearing more about your Sweet Potato Queens Weekend.
This certainly sounds like a breakthrough. It is so rewarding when we finally reach someone. Looking forward to that post on the Sweet Potato Queens! 🙂