What do you want to be when you grow up?

Each year the 9th grade College Prep classes write a research paper which asks them to consider a future career. They research skills needed, education required, the need for that profession in the world, and other other related information. I tell them that at the conclusion of the paper, they can make an honest assessment: "After researching this career, it is something I DO want to pursue" or "I DO NOT think this is the job for me!"

It's always one thing to read about a job, but no one can argue that it is better to talk to someone who is already in the field. I thought I'd devote some blog space to helping my students out by interviewing real people in real professions. All the individuals I meet with (I'm sure) will be able to continue a conversation beyond mine at any time.

Yesterday I was warmly welcomed by my former student/current friend, Joie Formando. Joie, a Central Catholic graduate of 09, is currently the Head Librarian at Lancaster Country Day School. Joie has a BA in English from Millersville University and a Master's of Library Science from Clarion University.

After spending a day with Joie, forget about all the stereotypes about a librarian! Joie, especially because she is a school librarian, does a lot more than sit behind a desk and check out books. She is as much a part of the faculty as any classroom teacher. She starts her day by meeting with a core group of 8th graders, being their "go-to" advisory person for grades, school information, and probably what they enjoy most, an ear to chat. I observed her first class that she co-teaches, a Health and Information Literacy course for 8th graders. This class centered on using proper sources and citations for a research project. She also visited a 7th grade class to show them the Data Bases that are available at their school.

BUT WAIT--IT GETS EVEN BETTER!

Joie does do important things for the library like ordering/processing/cataloging books, managing the library's Social Media sites, and collaborating with the faculty, but she makes it really exciting for her students.

She started some fun clubs, including a chapter of the Harry Potter Allegiance and organized a "Hogwarts Library" for Halloween. When you go in this library, it's obvious that it's a welcoming, fun place to read and study and just absorb the "reading is fun" atmosphere.

The black dome-like thing in the background is a star dome where kids spent some of the day with their  classes. It's kind  of a "blow-up" planetarium!

Miss Joie Formando, School Librarian Extraordinaire!

A day spent with Joie made me think of what a great career this is for anyone who loves books, kids, fun, and helping others--not only finding great books to read or sources for research, but helping them feel smart and special and important---what could be better than that?

One great thing about being a high school teacher is that it only takes 4 years to see my students "move on" and tackle the world. Many of you reading this blog may be, fortunately for me, a former student. If you have a career you'd like to share with my students let me know...bonus for all of the readers to catch-up and see where life has taken you.

Coming up: The Philadelphia Free Library---and Walt Whitman

"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found its words"

Robert Frost

The second quarter has always been a favorite for me as a teacher, mostly because it is when I introduce a poetry unit. Often the announcement of this unit is met with both happiness and dread. I tell the haters that it will be my personal goal to turn them around!

I vary the types of poems we read; one that creates a very emotional response is what I call "Social Justice" poems. I ask the students to name things that make them angry or emotional in some way. They list things like war, racism, immigration policies, sexism, environmental issues, abortion, bullying, and more. We read an old poem called "The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy:

Related Poem Content Details

BY THOMAS HARDY

"Had he and I but met 

            By some old ancient inn, 

We should have sat us down to wet 

            Right many a nipperkin! 

            "But ranged as infantry, 

            And staring face to face, 

I shot at him as he at me, 

            And killed him in his place. 

            "I shot him dead because — 

            Because he was my foe, 

Just so: my foe of course he was; 

            That's clear enough; although 

            "He thought he'd 'list, perhaps, 

            Off-hand like — just as I — 

Was out of work — had sold his traps — 

            No other reason why. 

            "Yes; quaint and curious war is! 

            You shoot a fellow down 

You'd treat if met where any bar is, 

            Or help to half-a-crown." 

This leads to a discussion of war and humanity. This gets the students evaluating their own experiences with injustice, and many wonderful poems are born. Today I'll share two of these, but first I'd like to present a general reflection on poetry written by a student, Jordan Y.  It's from a poem analysis she wrote at the end of the unit, and her words made a big impact on me. Jordan wrote:

"People may think that poetry is old-fashioned, but if it really does help people stay in touch with their emotions, it may be this modern society that needs poetry the most."

I say "Amen" Jordan!

The following are two students' poems written as part of the "Social Justice" group:

Hanging Humanity The chocolate is locked in the cabinet as they try to escape they fall onto the floor The rainbows are afraid to shine And when they do the rain comes back Society makes us this way The doe have grown antlers But are still given a lesser share of prey One half of a whole heart Still seeks more love Just to find it never had any to begin with And society makes us this way Why do I own so much makeup To clog my pores and stain my face Just to be accepted By fellow hypocrites Who will always find a flaw The ones I try to ignore Society makes me this way Nagya Howze and the second:  Aleppo Children are buried under rubble As citizen run frantically through the city. The white hats push through crowds To save anyone they can. Boom! Explosions are heard left and right. Far away and right next door. These ruthless acts have changed lives In the worst possible ways. We must stand together in such a time of need. Please, pray for Aleppo. Marissa Ream  Both girls proudly read their poems in class. It's not uncommon for me to wipe a tear from my eye as students share their poems. I'm proud of their work, but mostly for them gaining an insight into their own feelings--the "thought has found its words."  Now, if the words become actions, we all can have an unmistakable optimism for our future!  This has been the debut of "Stanza Saturday'! (Thanks to Mary K. Period 5 for the alliterative title!) Coming up: A visit to a former student to begin     an exploration of future careers!

I saw the bells bells bells bells bells

(well, the words....)

I was planning to head home after my day in DC, but I heard of an exhibition in Baltimore that was nearing its end, and I knew I couldn't miss it: The Enigmatic Edgar Allan Poe in Baltimore and Beyond.

(May I pause here to remind Periods 2,4,5 that "enigma" was a first semester vocab word so you get why it applies to Poe.) I learned and viewed a lot that was new and I think exciting.

The exhibit was in the George Peabody Library in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore. The Peabody Institute is affiliated with Johns Hopkins University--it's the place for the right-brained group of students who excel in the arts.

This is looking up at the many floors of old books (nothing published after 1930) housed in the Peabody Library---that's what this particular library is known for. Only the staff is allowed to go to these floors to retrieve the books.

This is not where the exhibit was, but I wanted to share this awesome part of the Peabody Library.

While I learned more about Poe and his life at this exhibit, I want to save some of that information for when I travel to some other cities with which he is affiliated. I'll tell you first about the start of his fame as a writer, which did occur in Baltimore.

Poe submitted an early short story entitled "MS in a Bottle" to the Baltimore Saturday Visitor, a newspaper which was sponsoring a writing contest. I just read the story--it's a horror-filled sea adventure. It has a flavor of "The Most Dangerous Game" (which you read) at the beginning  combined with The Odyssey (which you will read)--no spoilers from me! Well, as you may have guessed, Poe won first prize and $50.00. He was on his way to literary fame.

A portion of the story "MS In a Bottle"

The top part of the Baltimore Saturday Visitor where the story was published

The second share I have is the most exciting for us-----the original manuscript of "The Bells"!!!!!

"Hear the sledges with the bells-Silver Bells"...."To the TINTINNABULATION that so musically wells..." (Did you use that word at home like I told you to do?)

There's so much more to say about Poe, but I will save that for another time. I will leave you with one final portion of the exhibit:

A lock of his hair---because it was there....... and everyone needs to see the hair that was on the head that housed the brain of a literary genius. You're welcome.

Coming up on Saturday...the debut of "Stanza Saturday"----BC student poems unveiled

Collections...and Shakespeare...and books

Read o’er the volume of young Paris’ face

, And find delight writ there with beauty’s pen; 

Examine every married lineament,

And see how one another lends content

And what obscured in this fair volume lies 

Find written in the margent of his eyes.

This precious book of love, this unbound lover, 

To beautify him, only lacks a cover:

The fish lives in the sea, and ’tis much pride 

For fair without the fair within to hide:

That book in many’s eyes doth share the glory, 

That in gold clasps locks in the golden story;

Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Sc 3

In this scene from Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's mother and her Nurse are trying to talk Juliet into considering Paris for a boyfriend. They compare him to something people at the time treasured, a BOOK! (Imagine your parents telling you to check someone out by calling him or her a "precious book of love"!)

Some people really love and appreciate books, and when I was in Washington, DC yesterday I learned just how much. I visited the Folger Shakespeare Library on Capitol Hill. It houses the largest collection of Shakespeare-related material in the world. It wasn't so much a museum about Shakespeare, but rather a glorious place of preservation of all things Shakespeare. 

The library was founded by Henry and Emily Folger in 1932. Their love of Shakespeare was one of the bonds of their relationship; after they married, they did not have children, but put much of their shared energy into collecting Shakespeare.  The Folgers believed that poets help unite us as Americans--it is from them that we draw our national thought, faith and hope. To them, the library was their gift to America.

Thank goodness that someone realized that Shakespeare's works were worth preserving. He would write just one version of a play and an in-house dramatist would write out each individual actor's roles...so there weren't necessarily many duplicates of full plays. His contemporaries did put together several plays and published what is known as the First Folio in  1623.

This is a Folio that was on display in the library

The Folger Library also has a theater that is reminiscint of a Renaissance Era playhouse, an extensive research library, and a preservation lab. Although visitors aren't allowed in the lab, I learned that the process of preservation has somewhat changed due to recent technology.  Before, when a book was cleaned, the "dirt" (for lack of a better word) was discarded. Now, however, preservationist realize that this "dirt" contains DNA! Think about it---a person licks his fingers to turn a page......Wow! They now collect and harvest this material, and in conjunction with the NIH (National Institute of Health) they may find out exactly who was also enjoying Shakespeare's work!

This trip made me think about collections...do people still have them? My daughter had a keychain collection in grade school. It was so long it took 4-5 people to hold it like a long chain!

What do people collect these days?

BC Students, enjoy Romeo and Juliet, and as you read, appreciate the fact that someone thought it was a good idea to save it for us to read! Unlock the "golden story" as Will says.

Coming up....Poe in Baltimore (Part 1)---yes...."The Bells"!!!!

Gratitude

My mind is filled with anticipation of all that is hopefully to come....but I cannot begin without honoring and reflecting on gratitude and recognizing all the factors that brought me to this interesting bypass on my life's journey.

I begin a 4 month sabbatical today after teaching 34 years at Holy Guardian Angels School, Central Catholic High School, and for the last 6 years, Berks Catholic High School. I take this break to catch my breath and explore new sights and people and bring these back to my students at Berks Catholic.

Before this I must thank those who made this possible and who never questioned me. I thank the Diocese of Allentown for its support, as well as Tony Balistrere, Principal of Berks Catholic and Alice Einolf, Assistant Principal of Studies. I will try to "Do small things with great love"as your journal gift suggests.

Thank-you Nicole Smith, Director of Admissions at BC, for the heart-felt gift of the travel bracelet with St. Christopher there to guide me in my travels. Look for it as I explore!

Thank-you, Julie Gulling, French teacher at BC,  my biggest faculty cheerleader, who painted a reminder for me to "Embrace the Journey." And finally thank-you to Lauren Urban for the gift of holding my pictures to preserve for my future students. Life is a journey, and I'm taking the time to honor that.

Notes of support from other faculty and students also are inspirational. Mr. Olivard, I pass the baton to you, and I look forward to our classroom collaboration.

The ones who have truly encouraged me are those who are the most important in my life: my mom (who will help me keep tabs on BC happenings); my husband, who as the CFO in our house has assured me this is a wonderful opportunity; my children Alex, who already has Poe-related sights lined up for us in New York, and Emily, who when I was feeling doubtful about this process, encouraged me with her enthusiasm and pride in what I am about to undertake. I love you all!

BC Students: this ultimately is about YOU! I have enjoyed meeting you this first semester, and I hope I will continue to be a part of your freshman year experience.

SO....here we go! 

Upcoming this week: a trip to the Shakespeare Library in Washington DC and an exhibit on "The Enigmatic Edgar Allan Poe" in Baltimore.