SO EXCITED!!!!

I met with the host teacher for my first placement today, and I have just been re-energized!

I’m going to teach three sections of 9th grade honors, as well as two sections of 10th grade regular classes. This means two different, exciting unit plans!

For the 9th grade classes, I’m teaching an awesome book: Monster by Walter Dean Myers. You HAVE to check out this link , as it shows some of the book. It’s multigenre-ish, and is written as a narrative and sort of a screen play. I’m SO excited. I can’t stress that enough!

For the 10th grade classes, I’m teaching Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. This link provides an introduction to the book, in case you have not read it. If you haven’t you MUST.  I have loved this book since the first time I read it in high school. For more on Anderson, one of my favorite YA authors to date, check out her blog. What do you think of her writing challenge? Shall we participate?

I’m so excited to be able to teach texts that I am overly passionate about. I love the classics, but I see contemporary YA fiction as much more meaningful for students.

Along with these novels, I have freedom to do WHATEVER I WANT! I’m going to incorporate poems as well as short stories into my units, and I am being encouraged to do creative activities with the students. I’m SO happy to be working with Mrs. McKenney in the fall… She seems like the “dream” host teacher!

Krystina