My Notebooks & I

A few of my notebooks, and, yes, Michael Jackson's Invincible CD from 2001.

A basic suggestion that I have for my highschoolers who enjoy writing, but find themselves at a loss for subjects or ideas, is to carry a notebook with them during their daily travels. In the modern age, of course, you could sensibly substitute some sort of i-thing, I prefer ye ol' pen and spiral bound notebook approach. (Full disclosure: I have on occasion used the "Notes" function of my cell phone.) For times such as the current quarantine, they also provide an interesting way to look back on prior thinking and experiences as a means of mining for subject matter.


My thought process: connecting
Into Thin Air to Shakespeare
to Star Trek V.

In my estimation, this is slightly different than the Writing Journals I have my own students keep in class, though ideally the outcomes of  are similar. Those of my students who most seek to develop their skill (and love) of writing seem to understand and embrace the idea of two writing "journals': one for school that is more teacher directed and a second that is personal.


If math classes can watch Numbers
as curriculum, why not
CSI:NY for English?

In-class journaling is among the most enjoyable activities I have my students work on year long, for both of us. A subtle distinction is to be made between the two (in-class and in-pocket) writing journals. Different than a personal journal, or traditional diary, in-class writer's notebooks allow students to explore potential writing ideas at their own pace with the guidance of their teacher.

In all of my grade 11 (and in years past, 9, 10 and 12) English classes, students are asked to bring a Composition Book on the second day of school for safe keeping in our classroom. I recycle those left behind by prior students (after removing the completed original owner's entries) or purchase new ones for those who don't have access to supplies outside of school. Every few classes, students are provided with a prompt to get their writing juices flowing. While these entries are evaluated with points and feedback, the evaluation is not for content in as much as for quantity of information put forth and the quality of details provided (or whatever is is loosely prescribed by the prompt). Grammar, punctuation, consistent verb tenses are not important, I am looking for thinking.

I warned you that it was
bad imagery.

Personally, I am a proponent of the personal diary (or to confuse matters more, "personal journal") for my own purposes. While I, too, respond to the same prompts my students do as a means of modeling, I also almost always have a small spiral bound notebook with me (preferably in my shirt pocket). There, I keep notes as I fumble through my days. Some of what I scribble is related to work activities that I need to follow through on, items I need to pick up on the way home, books/artists/authors/websites that are mentioned to me in passing that I would like to learn more about, and even recipes that may be fun to make at home. Mixed in is the occasional story idea, image that has struck me, or haiku jottings.

The key for me here is that while these may seem like a disjointed collection of notes, ramblings or badly conceived poetry drafts, ultimately they may (just may) serve as fodder for some later project or piece I am moved to draft for my own pleasure. More often they just become part of a collection of notebooks that I'll thumb through for inspiration when none is to be found elsewhere.

But, for now anyway, they wait quietly on my shelf awaiting future mining...

Summer Reading: Your Black Friend

From My Black Friend, page 2, panels 1-2.

After seeing the extended collection of Ben Passmore's online comic strips, Your Black Friend and Other Strangers, recommended in the past few weekends' New York Times Book Review, I took the small step toward reading the entire collection by first ordering the single issue version online, Your Black Friend. The choice of the shorter, 11 page version was two-fold. First, I was looking to read with an eye toward sharing with my junior and senior high school students this coming school year (and as such it might be more affordable for their purchase). Secondly, given the subject matter and that first purpose, a direct succinct delivery of the message might serve more useful and accessible.

More a graphic-essay than novel, what we comic book collectors might call a "one-shot", Your Black friend is best described as "sharp, informed social commentary in the form of an open letter on race and being black in America." (Goodreads) Indie publisher Silver Sprocket, in a formal description picked up by other online sources, tells us that this is Passmore‘s "necessary contribution to the dialogue around race in the United States, Your Black Friend is a letter from your black friend to you about race, racism, friendship and alienation."

Perhaps not surprisingly, despite it's brevity, Your Black Friend is very challenging reading, and experience that is very likely to be shaped by one's own background and openness to facing difficult realities. Both Passmore's contemporary, colorful and engaging art, as well as a natural, organic, writing styles combine to craft a dialogue that resonates for the reader looking to engage. At the risk of sounding like that white friend that Passmore astutely suggests "express their undying enthusiasm for 'Black Lives Matter," Passmore objectively illustrates (in words and pictures) the self-defeating thoughts by many sides of the conversation that result in meaningful communication failing before it begins.

As a 49 year-old, white male reader auditing my own experience, Passmore has me pegged. In doing so he has my attention. The missteps Passmore presents, I think, are not intended to further deepen the white guilt that he astutely notes as problematic, but rather to prompt these moments of genuine reflection. For example, as a high school teacher of a primarily white student body with a (thankfully) growing level of diversity, I do find myself sliding into 'black' presentations thoughtlessly." This is a mistake, as Passmore notes I may have been "totally unaware of." I am now.

So where does this take us? As Passmore shows in the closing pages of his essay, which mirror the events in the open, often it seems to leave us as a community and culture right where we were in the first place. In between the framing device, Passmore opines insightfully, but the commentary appears to ultimately have little impact. At the end of the day, the "nicely dressed white woman" with the "Eat, Pray, Love vibe" and the white friend reading a Yoga Book remain peacefully blind (and mute).

Oddly this reminds me of my past experiences at school district opening days. Annually, teachers start the school year with a tremendous presentation preceded by "professional development" attended by a small group of administrators and select teacher-types. The entire district takes two hours before students arrive for the school year, to set the theme for the year to follows. Smaller building level trainings are sprinkled in for the whole body of teachers to participate in... and by June little is meaningfully changed within that system. Briefly though, maybe we feel better about ourselves...

I strongly recommend this graphic essay for all audiences, but especially white folks, well-intentioned or otherwise. I don't know about you, baby, there must be a better way. As the author notes in the panels above, "What white ppl fear most is making things awkward'" and perhaps the first step is accepting the invitation to be awkward.

Organizing Titles: Sci-fi Books

After multiple moves and seasonal cleaning flings, what remains of my book collection are those with either a high level of re-readability or a personal connection. While some were gifts (my son bought me 10 Billion Days and 100 Billion Nights nearly six Christmases ago), others are titles acquired at different stages in my life (the original Dune series were given to me in a paper bag rescued by a co-worker cleaning her garage--and quickly devoured--during my divorce 17 years ago). It's not just the memories of each book's content, but the nostalgia provided via the tome's acquisition. It's true that even after being read and shelved and re-read, some titles continue to grow.

Remnants of fancies past still present themselves in the forms of duplicate copies of the same title by different publishers. Though this phenomena is occasionally the result of my repurchasing a title because I forget that I had it, or had lent it out when I really needed to read it, most are the product of collecting. Back when used book stores were more plentiful, I would come across editions with interesting covers or alternate forwards and pick them up for a dollar or two. The older I have grown, the less likely I am to do this, though multiple copies of Stranger in a Strange Land reveal that my forgetfulness is still a factor.

Not surprisingly, going back through titles also elicits a few pangs of regret. For example, at one point I had the complete Riverworld series by Philip Jose Farmer, where now only the first, To Your Scattered Bodies Go, remains. Fortunately, lost or misplaced titles are quickly replaced by new once as my affection for Science-Fiction as a literary genre only continues to grow...

Bookshelf Titles

• Asimov, Isaac. Foundation.
• Barlowe, Wayne. Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials.
• Bradbury, Ray. The Illustrated Man.
• Bradbury, Ray. The Martian Chronicles. 
• Burroughs, Edgar Rice. A Princess of Mars.
• Clarke, Arthur C. Childhood’s End.
• Clarke, Arthur C. Rendezvous with Rama.
• Dick, Philip K. Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?).
• Dick, Philip K. Ubik.
• Dick, Philip K. Valis.
• Eisler, Steven. Space Wars: Worlds and Weapons.
• Farmer, Philip Jose. To Your Scattered Bodies Go.
• Heinlein, Robert A. Stranger in a Strange Land. x2
• Herbert, Brian. Dreamer of Dune (Frank Herbert Biography).
• Herbert, Brian and Anderson, Kevin J. Dune: House Atreides.
• Herbert, Brian and Anderson, Kevin J. Dune: House Harkonnen.
• Herbert, Brian and Anderson, Kevin J. Dune: House Corrino.
• Herbert, Brian and Anderson, Kevin J. Dune: The Butlerian Jihad.
• Herbert, Brian and Anderson, Kevin J. Dune: The Machine Crusade.
• Herbert, Frank, Herbert, Brian and Anderson, Kevin J. The Road to Dune.
• Herbert, Frank, Herbert, Brian (Editor). The Notebooks of Frank Herbert’s Dune.
• Herbert, Frank. The Book of Frank Herbert.
• Herbert, Frank. Dune. x3
• Herbert, Frank. Dune Messiah. x3 
• Herbert, Frank. Children of Dune. x3
• Herbert, Frank. God Emperor of Dune. x3
• Herbert, Frank. Heretics of Dune. x2
• Herbert, Frank. Chapterhouse: Dune. x2 
• Herbert, Frank. The Worlds of Frank Herbert.
• Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World.
• Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World Revisited.
• Kirkman, Robert and Bonansinga, Jay. The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor.
• Kirkman, Robert and Bonansinga, Jay. The Walking Dead: Road to Woodbury.
• Le Guin, Ursula K. The Lathe of Heaven.
• Lem, Stanislaw. Solaris.
• Miller Jr., Walter M. A Canticle for Leibowitz.
• Moorcock, Michael. The Final Programme.
• Murakami, Haruki. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.
• Mitsuse, Ryu. Smith, Alexander O. (Translator) 10 Billion Days and 100 Billion Nights.
• VanderMeer, Jeff. Annihilation (Southern Reach Trilogy Book 1). 
• VanderMeer, Jeff. Authority (Southern Reach Trilogy Book 2).

Inspired by Students... to Organize!

Blackbeard the cat taking a quick look at titles of zero interest to him. (11/11/17)

During class a few weeks ago, while talking with my students prior to teaching, in a segment I call "Housekeeping" on the agenda, our conversation turned to books. As this is an English Language and Composition class, I was happy, and pleasantly surprised to learn, that a number of my charges enjoy reading so much that they, like I, collect books. As one student so succinctly put it, "I like to own the books I read." I can relate.

My childhood book shelf, now

in my son's old bedroom. (11/11/17)

Over that past 35 or so years, I have purchased and been given numerous titles, and though I have occasionally purged by shelves of those without emotional connection or with little likelihood of being shared or re-read, books cover much of the space I am afforded at home. This more a source of embarrassment than pride as 1) I rarely have people over to marvel at the spines and 2) I recognize the inherent wastefulness of hording books where no one can read them but me (or my largely disinterested family). During what became a wide-ranging discussion of reading for fun, I introduced my class to the Little Library phenomenon that has long take root in my urban community and off late had begun popping up in our suburban school district (most notable with an elementary school sponsoring one just outside its entrance).

While my wife has often suggested I donate the books to the public library or some other organization like the Salvation Army, I balk at that as I know the fate awaiting them: sitting on a 50 cent shelve until eventually being discarded like so many old shoes. I can't do that to my friends, even if our relationship has grown frosty over the years... On an old cell phone somewhere are images of sadly discarded books from my school library, secretly hidden in black plastic garbage bags awaiting a trip to the dumpster after hours. That fate just doesn't seem right.

So, with my cross-country season having drawn to a close and a desire not to spend every last free, moment gaming or grading, my students have inspired me to organize my collection. The ultimate hope being that I will find away to meaningfully disseminate them to interested readers, or at the very least purge the shelves of unwanted hangers-on...

One shelf in gaming room (daughter's old bedroom). (11/11/17)

One of four shelves in the attic; my default Sanctum Sanctorum. (11/11/17)

Second attic bookshelf. (11/11/17)

Also in my daughter's old bedroom. (11/11/17)

Comic Bookshelf: The Influencing Machine (2012)

 From "The Golden Age of Objectivity,"
page 115.

Too many books, too little time. Despite having a number of literary irons in the fire (The Lone Ranger Goes North, Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher, to name a few), the final book I read as my summer break drew to a close over a month ago was one which was recommended to me by a former star student, Tom. The Influencing Machine (2012), written by Brooke Gladstone and illustrated by Josh Neufeld, was assigned as his freshman read prior to arriving at American University in September. His suggestion was based in equal parts on both my prior role as his AP Composition and Language teacher and appreciation of comic books graphic novels.

Illustrated in clean black-and-white (with baby blue accents) panels drawn by Josh Neufeld, The Influencing Machine is an engaging graphic novel detailing the ever-evolving ways in which information flows. The emphasis here is on information as "news," though concepts are applicable to broader arenas. Using balanced evidence, and an impartial voice, author (and NPR journalist) Gladstone deftly moves chronologically from ancient Guatemala to award-winning journalist Robert Wright, filling in gaps with a who's who of journalism including Dan Rather, Edward R. Murrow and Albert Camus.

Through examples from a variety of historic touchstones in which communication, or lack thereof, plays a role in impacting the American perception of events, Gladstone demonstrates how those in control of information's flow are capable of shaping the message in an effort to have it reflect there own best interests. The majority of scenarios shared by Gladstone are large scale efforts that are fairly common to anyone with even a superficial understanding of history, most notably (and perhaps obviously) the Vietnam and Iraq Wars. Gladstone reinforces the familiar with anecdotes from scientists (like those at the Max Planck Institute), journalists (George Seldes) and others that offer a variety of perspectives on the "machine."

From "The Goldilocks Number," page 51.

Along the way, Gladstone and Neufeld lay out concepts, such as the Goldilocks Number (left), that aid the reader's comprehension of numerous abstract theories in concrete use. As I read, I found myself post-it noting numerous pages worthy of further review. I also found myself wishing that the authors had taken some of these impressive ideas regarding communication and reduced the scale of consideration to a more personal level. It occurred to me that many of the fascinating concepts regarding the modern transmission of news are also worthy of consideration as they relate to interpersonal communication. It was these ideas that I set aside for later cherry-picking in future classes.

A thought came to me as I read: each year, educators at our school will suggest the offering of a media literacy course. Whether due to a lack of awareness of potential resources such as The Influencing Machine, or because there are secondary agendas at play, in application, these "courses" often become opportunities to inform on the evils of social networking. One of the things Gladstone and Neufeld do very well with their tome is illustrate (ugh!) the roles we has senders and receivers of information have in either objectively pursuing our own answers to questions or in questioning the answer we are given. If this doesn't get to the heart of media literacy, or rhetoric, than I'm unsure what does.

In an educational climate that promises to seek making high school students "college and career ready," you need look no further than the author's own reasoning as to why The Influencing Machine as suggested in an interview with NPR: "I wrote a 2,000-year history of the media and a manifesto as to why it is the way it is and what one needs to do to make it be the way we want it to be — all in panels, about 160 pages, 2,000 years and tons and tons and tons of end notes. And I think it's because it's so compressed. It's a useful book, because every chapter, rather than completing the discussion, is kind of a launch for discussion, because you really have to say things in very, very few words."

An accessible read recommended for news junkies, educators and those hoping to see the message both shaped and authentic.

Reflective Teacher Challenge... ACCEPTED!

Amtrak-ing home, visions
of happy school days dancing
in my head!

Trolling Twitter at 6 a.m. can lead to odd choices. While I have yet to accept the numerous student "challenges" to dump cold water on myself, while on Twitter this morning I did accept (at least for this post) the reflective challenge of "blog[ing] every day for 30 days" in the interest of "[c]onnecting with other teachers through the process–through the blogs and the hashtags and the RTs– to help get your year started off right–connected, and full of reflection."

Not surprisingly, given the whole "begin with the end in mind" mantra, the challenge starts with the task of establishing some possible goals for the new school year. While I have already completed this exercise as part of an introductory friendly letter task I'll be asking students to complete, much like lesson planning, I often myself waking early in the morning with a hankering to revise. The copies are already made, so these starter goals, to be shared with these new charges on the first day of classes, are set in copier ink:

Whenever I reread things that I've set on paper, opportunities for further wordsmithing seem to present themselves. But these are for my students, as much as myself, and my hope is that they will 1) communicate that I want this year to be positive and productive and 2) offer a model which can be used by them to establish a few goals of their own. The wonderful thing about teaching is that each year (and day or class if you're mindful) offers the opportunity to begin again for both students and teachers.

As much for them as for myself, it's worth remembering that each new school year also provides the opportunity to embrace the tabula rasa nature of schools. Students often do this by making the conscious choice to try a new personal style (hairdo, fashion don't, etc.). In addition to adding another pair of khakis and maybe (and if I'm feeling especially adventurous, a new button down shirt) to my official teacher costume, I choose to begin each year by forgetting.

Again, from my introductory letter (not sure why the image came out so distorted!):

Given past interactions, the goal implied above, at least at the onset, is the more important one, and will have a greater impact on where we as a class go from jump street. The daily exercise of forgetting the foibles and missteps of others, and allowing myself to trip, fall and get up, is where much of the real work of moving toward achieving those larger stated goals comes into play.

After a relaxing summer, at this moment, hurtling down the train tracks back to River City, and tomorrow back to my classroom, I feel properly pale, rested and ready to accept that challenge!

A Deer Skull Preserved

A white-tailed doe deer skull preserved by yours truly. (8/26/14)

There are some discoveries than can be made participating in high school cross-country that are just not likely to be found in other more traditional fall sports such as football or swimming. Chief among those would be finding decomposing animal remains on the field of play.

Each cross-country preseason, the student-athletes and coaches, travel to the courses we will be competing on during the regular season. Last Tuesday, while running with members of the girls team, we found ourselves slightly off course at Mendon Ponds Park, and came across the remains of a decomposing deer carcass. Half-joking, I told the girls I would be coming back later to retrieve the bones. Though it took me a few days, this past weekend, while on an early morning bottle return run, I drove back to Mendon and, searched back through the trails we had run earlier in the week.

The doe remains as we came across them. (8/23/14)

White tail deer are very common in upstate New York; I've even seen them within the Rochester city limits running down Monroe Avenue. The irony was not very subtle that when I walked along the trees looking for the trail head, I came across a deer quietly watching me from four feet deep in to the woods. After inadvertently startling the watcher away, I was fortunate enough to once again happen across the site where the bones lay. Leaving the spine and other mystery bones behind, I respectfully retrieved the doe deer skull and carefully placed it in a plastic shopping bag for transport. (Unfortunately the jaw bone was not in the general vicinity.) NOTE: While I realize that it is illegal in some states, such as Iowa, to take "live specimens" from public parks, I found nothing online regarding the collection of wildlife remains in New York state.

The skull--sans jawbone--as it lay just off the trail. (8/23/14)

I had two thoughts as I drove home. Firstly, I contemplated whether I had somehow been disrespectful to the animal that had passed and whose skull I now carried in the trunk of my vehicle. At that point I quietly promised myself to move forward in a mindful manner, conscious that the activity I was embarking on was not without cost.

My second thought was the activity I thought to engage in: to determine the most practical way to preserve the skull, my thinking being that it would be an interesting display piece in my classroom. In the practices that followed, our engagement with the remains had now become part of an interesting cross-country anecdote. I am by no means a scientist and this post should not be read as a set of how-to directions (though I frame it just that way), but I do often pick up odd activities just to see where they go, and this is just the most recent flight of fancy. In a way, it relates back to a previous one.

A number of years ago I took the hunting gun safety certification course because it seemed (and was interesting). One reason I've never pursued the hobby is the fear that I might actually (through luck rather than skill) kill something and would then be obligated to field dress it. One benefit of finding this gift-wrapped (and meat free) skull on the cross-country trail was the opportunity to look into the preservation of animal skulls and to give it a go...

In its original condition at the bottom of a bucket. (8/23/14)

Thanks to the Internet, the answer to the questions of "How to Preserve a Skull" was easily answered in six easy steps, giving me some basic guidelines for my little weekend project. If Steps 1, "Remove all flesh from inside and outside of the skull using one of several methods," and 2, "Dry the skull," had not already been well-handled by Mother Nature, the remains would still be in the park decomposing. The head did not require water maceration or the use of flesh eating bugs (two possible recommended approaches); it had clearly been laying at rest for a lengthy period of time. The top of the skull already had a bleached appearance due to exposure to the elements, though the underside that had been laying on the ground, including the teeth, was fairly stained.

A quick, cleansing boil. (8/23/14)

Despite the excellent condition of the skull immediately lifted from the trail, there were few odd matted strands of fur remaining, as well as small hairs that had yet to be picked out. This required a Step 2b not mentioned in the written portion of the linked page but is in the Youtube video near the end. Before repeating Step 2, to ease the separation of the remains from the skull, I placed it in boiling water to set for a short time. Using an old toothbrush, I carefully scrubbed in the open areas, careful not to disrupt the fairly intact nasal cartilage. Step 2b (which is not mentioned in the written portion of the linked page but is in the Youtube video near the end).

All the goodies necessary for a 24 hour hydrogen peroxide bath. (8/23/14)

Boiled, gently scrubbed and ready for "bleaching." (8/23/14)

Step 3 is "Bleach the skull," which oddly, based on other reading, would be a mistake. The goal is to give it a whitened appearance, but to use regular bleach would cause the bone to weaken and can lead to cracked teeth. I let the skull soak in 3% solution hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours, turning it occasionally to keep as much of it submerged as possible. It was still bubbling a little when I rinsed the skull of the next morning. I did not want to the skull to look artificial so I did not allow it to bleach completely white. My intention was to have the final preserved skull maintain the yellow-ish hue of natural bone. As a result of both boiling and soaking in hydrogen peroxide, the teeth also have a tendency to drop out. This happened and, as suggested, I glued them back (Steps 4 and 5 combined).

The first of two coats of polyurethane semi-gloss lacquer is applied. (8/24/14)

The last step was the application of a polyurethane lacquer to preserve the skull. The image above was taken on the picnic table in the sunshine, which accounts for it's clean white look. The photo the top of the post is the final product which I'm glad to report did maintain it's natural (thought thankfully cleaner) look. Though superficial I am hopeful that the presence of this artifact will serve as some sort of reminder... of just what, I have yet to fully process.

Tomorrow, as I continue setting up my classroom for the start of a new school year next week, I will bring the skull to work. Among the books, team photos and artificial crows it is sure to give students, as well as student-athletes, (and myself) something to talk and think about.

Outside My Classroom Window

A clearly proud Blue Jay. (3/21/14)

Two days ago during class, I received a tweet from a former student (sitting in another class elsewhere in the building) that "@Mister_Scott !!!! I see Bluejays in the court yard". Though spring has just sprung, winter seems to be hanging on, and despite frequent glances out the second story classroom window, I had not observed much activity in the courtyard. The tweet gave me hope that things might be picking up....

With the potential for a Blue Jay sighting in mind, and my camera packed stuffed into my backpack for the school day, I set off this morning to work hopeful of a view myself. Halfway through third block, I heard the unmistakable sound of Blue Jays vocalizing outside the closed window.

Fortunately this was (in part) my lunch period, so I could turn out the lights, open the window wide (despite the 32° temp), and let the time unfold int he courtyard. What followed was nearly 30 minutes during which I caught four Blue Jays, a Red-Bellied Woodpecker (which I had initially misidentified as a Downy Woodpecker) and what I believe to be an American Tree Sparrow at play in the courtyard.

Between trips to the higher branches, a Blue Jay at rest. (3/21/14)

My desk at work with the courtyard visible outside the window. (3/21/14)

Blue Jay strikes a pose with acorn in beak. (3/21/14)

Red-bellied Woodpecker. (3/21/14)

First spotted camouflaged against the tree but given away by his flashing red cap. (3/21/14)

Red-bellied Woodpecker. (3/21/14)

Standoff? Blue Jay mid-picture to left with Red-bellied Woodpecker
about 15 feet directly to the right. (3/21/14)

Best as a I figure, an American Tree Sparrow. (3/21/14)

American Tree Sparrow with fluffed out feathers--for
an even chubbier effect naturally. (3/21/14)

In the five years I've been in this classroom, this was diverse and interesting extended observation period I have had the pleasure to watch. Blue Jays and Tree Sparrows are fairly common visitors (as are American Robins which I did see briefly but failed to capture with my camera), but the introduction of the Red-Bellied Woodpecker is new. It will be interesting to see the season unfold and to track just what types of birds drop into the enclosed courtyard for a visit.

Poetry Snack: In the Trail of the Wind

The Great Spirit is in all things, he is in the air we breathe. The Great Spirit is our Father, but the Earth is our Mother. She nourishes us, that which we put into the ground she returns to us...~Big Thunder (Bedagi) Wabanaki Algonquin

While walking the hallways of school in the moments before students begin arriving, I recently noticed an old friend looking back at me through the library's display window. Among a collection of "Thanksgiving-themed" tomes bathed in faux leaves and seasonal orange/yellow was a slender hard copy I had recalled buying myself almost 25(!) years ago: In The Trail of the Wind: American Indian Poems and Ritual Orations, edited by John Bierhorst, it remains one of those anthologies I keep on my bookshelf for the occasional poetry snack. Recalling my earlier mental note, upon arriving home, I  once again made time time to take a taste.

Even after so many years and selective re-reading, In the Trail of the Wind remains a go-to collection for easing my mind in moments such as these. Originally purchased from the Liftbridge Bookstore in Brockport, New York, during my undergraduate days, it remains a welcome read especially during the transitional autumn days from patchwork leaf piles to the white fluffiness of the first snowfall. The first of its kind, In the Trail of the Wind is a cross-cultural anthology that brings into focus the similarities between tribes as widely separated as the Sioux and the Aztec, the Cherokee and the ancient Maya.

In the Trail of the Wind is one of the books that has followed me from place to place, apartment to apartment, home to home. It was among my first introductions to the written record of the Native American oral tradition, a genre for which my appreciation has only grown. Here are two poetry selections accompanied by brief remarks:

This Newly Created World (Winnebago Traditional)

Pleasant it looked,
this newly created world.
Along the entire length and breadth
of the earth, our grandmother,
extended the green reflection
of her covering
and the escaping odors
were pleasant to inhale.

"...(the) extended green reflection" This line brings me back to the early summer mornings during which time would I regularly walk the dog or go for a run. At these times, usually between 4:30-6:00 a.m., the dew is still heavy on the grass and trees. Occassionally, you can see the reflection of the streetlights or moon on the lawns, "along (thier) entire length and breadth..."

"...the escaping odors/were pleasant to inhale." Think about your earliest memories... if you're like me, you don't always "remember" much until your senses are stimulated and the memories triggered. For me, the olfactory sense is strong and a simple odor can release a myriad memories, that might otherwise remain unrevealed. On a number of occasions I've walked through a mall, store or park, only to be sent backwards through picking up a passing scent...

The Lands Around My Dwelling (Eskimo Traditional)

The lands around my dwelling
Are more beautiful
From the day
When it is given me to see
Faces I have never seen before.
All is more beautiful,
All is more beautiful,
and life is thankfulness.
These guests of mine
Make my house grand.

How big is your "house?" Are the faces of those you don't know well, welcome in your house, and if not, how beautiful is your house? How much more beautiful and grand could it be if it were metaphorically larger and  literally, more inclusive?

My current sedentary state of activity is a bummer, but good organic poetry always makes me feel a (little) better and more motivated to get back out there, walking and moving beyond the school hallways. I am heartened that, as evidenced by its appearance in our school library's display case, In the Trail of the Wind continues to be available for purchase and, more appropriately here, borrowing. First published in 1972, at least twenty-five years before most of the students in the school were even born, it has been regularly revised and re-released since then. Here's to hoping that some student elects to choose it for their own reflective poetry snack...

Sources:
Goodreads Entry

'Nuff Read: The Chrysalids

"And God created man in his own image. And God decreed that
man should have one body, one head, two arms and two legs:
that each arm should be jointed in two places and end in one hand:
that each hand should have four fingers and one thumb:
that each finger should bear a flat finger-nail... Any creature... that
is not formed thus, is not human."
The Definition of Man in The Chrysalids
When one sets their mind to it, finding a copy of a difficult to locate novel can be a journey in itself. Last summer after reading John Wyndham's Day of the Triffids, I had hoped to follow up this summer by reading another of his novels. One title that came up frequently as a solid successor, and "youth science fiction classic" in its own right, was The Chrysalids. Little did I know that this book (like all of Wyndham's work it appears--including Triffids) was a hard to track down text. After a few days of searching in local book stores (chains and independents), as well as suburban public libraries, I was able to find, with the help of a librarian, a single large print edition in the bowels of our community's largest urban public library.


The cover to the only edition I
could find to borrow or buy
in Rochester, New York!

The post-apocalyptic world of protagonist David Strorm is one in which the slightest physical difference, an extra toe or unusual shape, will result in the plant, animal or human in question being destroyed. This concept is referred to throughout as "The Definition of Man." As the son of a fervent believer in this adopted social norm, David must deal with reconciling this belief-system with his own affection for a young girl, Sophie. David befriends Sophie and her family, whose only "crime" is attempting to hide the fact that she has an extra toe. Inadvertently, Sophie is "outed" by David. From this inciting plot point, Wyndham takes us from the perceived safety of the world with which David is familiar, the Town of Waknuk, on a personal and physical journey to that place he has dreamed of from the beginning: a world of light (Sealand--a newly rechristened New Zealand which has somehow remained isolated enough to survive the alluded to nuclear holocaust). During this journey it is slowly revealed that David himself, may possess difference enough to fear for his own life...

It is difficult for me not to consider this book in the shadow of Triffids. Both are engaging sci-fi, the overall impact of which is only slightly diminished by those who are more well read, because many authors who have followed Wyndham cherry-picked plot point or concepts. Where The Chrysalids is very different from Triffids is in imbuing some characters, including David, with a level of precognition and telepathy that makes for a less grounded, or "realistic" read. Where both are frighteningly realistic in their depictions of base human behavior, Chrysalids is clearly a "young adult" book while Triffids may skew to the older reader.

The Chrysalids has seen a resurgence of popularity in some high schools. After reading the novel, the reason for this resurgent popularity was not difficult to see, and the same reading also revealed some reasons why this book will likely not to be added to the approved reading list at the relatively conservative school distinct in which I teach. With the timely, and appealing, theme of societies ruled by dogmatism this is unfortunate, and I suppose in the minds of some, dangerous. (Check out Edwin Frank's article "Where Even Gifts are Censored" for a compelling take.) Because this book is clearly Science-Fiction, and therefore a genre in school that is only acceptable if derivative of sparkling vampires or lesser watered down updates, I will simply need to suggest it in class for those adventurous readers who wish to seek out the source for many more modern plot points.

Pieces of the philosophy behind Marvel Comics X-Men series' are here, too, and for some this may be the hook that prompts them to read. Like the better X-men comic books, Chrysalids is ripe with social commentary that is just as relevant (and therefore dangerous) as it was during its success in the late 1950s. I highly recommend this to young readers, and especially to the young adult reader who has a grasp on history and current affairs, as they will see the deeper satirical intention that Wyndham had in mind.

Proofreading Q & A: moon or Moon?

 From Grade Six Daily Paragraph Editing (2004).

Each day my eleventh grade class and I begin class by proofreading one of four paragraphs, which together make a short narrative. While using an older workbook designed for use with sixth graders a decade ago, I've found the level of difficulty appropriate for most traditional eleventh graders, especially given the lack of grammar and punctuation acumen many seem to come into class with. The task is simple: using appropriate proofreader's marks, bring each paragraph into grammatical correctness in the cleanest way possible. In some cases, a more "sophisticated" revision (such as combining independent clauses using a well placed semi-colon) is possible (and "correct"), but we tend to go with the more accessible comma and conjunction correction.


For my own reference, as well as though students who occasionally assist at the front of the room, I also have an answer key for each, and last week came across a question from a student (you, know, the whole "teachable moment" thing). On rare occasions in the past, we have found that corrections which are suggested seem incorrect. I suspect that some of those "mistakes" which would have previously required correcting no longer do, given evolving nature of acceptable grammar. More commonly, though, there is a correction or non-correction that the key does accurately address, but I as a teacher am unable to properly articulate at the moment--so the teachable moment is deferred until the next class when I can find a satisfactory (and clear) answer.

Question: In the paragraph above, a question came up regarding proper capitalization of the word "moon" in line two: "his/crew was on his way to the moon." One student suggested that the word moon should be capitalized because it is referring to our (Earth's) moon, as evidenced by the article "the" preceding the noun. Should "moon" be capitalized, as a specific celestial body, or is the noun suitably common and should therefore remain lowercase?

Answer: One online source reads that "Names of celestial bodies: Mars, Saturn, the Milky Way (are capitalized). Do not, however, capitalize earth, moon, sun, except when those names appear in a context in which other (capitalized) celestial bodies are mentioned. 'I like it here on earth,' but 'It is further from Earth to Mars than it is from Mercury to the Sun.'" The key here is the necessary presence of a secondary specific celestial body (Mars, Earth, Haley's Comet) if one is to correctly  proofread line two by capitalizing "moon". In this case, the answer key was correct, and reflected the grammatical rule that the names of certain celestial bodies (moon, earth, sun) are not capitalized except when those names appear in a context in which other (capitalized) celestial bodies.

Source:
Capitalization

Catching Up in the Courtyard

Not quite the Garden of Earthly Delights, but a worthy natural distraction during a busy school day. (5/9/13)

Any number of times during the course of the school day I'll peek out the classroom window to see what aviary activity may be taking place. Any number of slight environmental factors (whether the lawn is cut, the state of the small artificial pond, if students are out there taking the course I affectionately call "Raking Class") can impact what may be gliding in for a rest. As the name would suggest, our school courtyard is an enclosed area that is somehow populated with any number of types of birds who find their way over the three story square building and onto this small patch of green.


Given the greenery of the courtyard, even the muted red of the Northern Cardinal stands out. (5/9/13)

Last week while teaching class I couldn't help but notice a small, brightly colored male Northern Cardinal briefly flitting around the courtyard at school. The bird captured in both images is the same one, though it's sharp color was much clearly captured in the one above. I am quick to notice colorful birds such as this one as they are not as common here as the more ubiquitous American Robin or the occasional .

Slightly different angle and lens results in more brightly captured red coat. (5/9/13)

In these pictures, the lawn is rather long (it was freshly cut a few days later) and and industrious American Robin can be seen in the images below collecting grass for nest building. I haven't had the opportunity to get down to ground zero to search for its location, but I suspect he is building for the summer. Robins are extremely common regionally, and this type of behavior in my backyard usually means a nest is going up in a nearby bush or soffet.

Just left of center, Robin looks for suitable building material (5/9/13)

The following day, (presumably) the same bird could be seen in roughly the same location scratching and pulling at dead grass and leaves. It occurs to me that any nest that is under construction may be taken down by school maintenance staff, or Raking Class, especially if any nest location is exposed. Reckon it's time to escape the "ivory tower" environs of my second story classroom and look around the courtyard for myself.

Robin certainly is enamored of that shadowy area just beneath the shrub's branches. (5/9/13)

School Birds: Meet the Mallards

Watching ducks from outside the computer lab window early today (4/12/13).

After a full 36 hours of traditional spring weather earlier this week, upstate New York once again returned to some semblance weather normalcy--for early/late winter, that is. From what could be observed in the school's courtyard, 36°F and rain is certainly ideal "duck weather." (I type this knowing full well that these birds are in fact the specific type of duck, Mallards, but "Mallard Weather" doesn't have quite the same ring to it.)

It had been quite a while since any noticeable duck Mallard activity in the tiny artificial "pond" outside my classroom window, but, as I was reminded by our school librarian when looking for a window to hang out, "Those ducks come back every year." She was correct...



A small part of the world outside my classroom window (4/11/12).

Over the past three days, beginning Wednesday, one female and one male Mallard have been spending progressively more time in the courtyard. They always seem to be walking together; at no time is there more than four feet between them. Being one prone to personification, I imagine that this young couple are house hunting or leisurely spending the day together.




Muddy, a little flooded, but passable for the web-footed (4/11/12).

The past two mornings, however, as luck would have it, I did have my camera handy. This gave me the opportunity to take advantage of the hubbub and to snap pics a couple of ducks tooling around the courtyard. On Thursday (the day on which the less vibrant images in this post were shot), the two spent much of the mid-morning in the area of the courtyard directly outside my classroom window. It was a grey day and they seemed content to pad back and forth between the shrubs and the artificial pond. Eventually, just as they had done the previous morning, the two took flight together for parts unknown by late morning.




The male Mallard patrolling the flood walkways (4/12/13).

Friday was the rainier, and therefore more lush (as evidenced in the pics) of the two days and the Mallards more time at play in the fields of the courtyard. The majority of their day consisted of walking the perimeter of the courtyard, stopping for long periods of time to splash in the puddles and inspect the surroundings. Eventually they left, or--more likely--I simply could not visually find them from my classroom window.


Nice shot of purple feathers beneath prominent brown coat (4/12/13).

With any luck, the weather will continue to improve over the weekend and perhaps, as activity in the courtyard increases with the doors being opened for student and staff traffic between wings, the Mallards will decide to stay. My camera will be at the ready as I look out the window from time to time just in case they return again.