Patience, Epic Fails, and Student Motivation

Not only is it true that not every lesson resolves itself in a single class period, but sometimes a lesson that leaves kids bewildered can be a good thing. Sounds like pedagogical blasphemy, doesn't it? It isn't and I come prepared with ethnological proof to support that assertion.  Our classes are preparing to write their first formal essay of the year, now that we have finished reading the first novel of the year, That Was Then, This Is Now.

Class began with a review of the basic parts of a five paragraph essay. Typical for a Monday, the students were mostly lethargic, listless, and alarmingly apathetic. They had the glazed over "Been there. Done that. Bought the t-shirt" expression on their faces. The problem? They had never been asked to formally use text in a written argument before now, so when I introduced the basic rules for in-text citation, they did not change their affect because they had tuned out, assuming it was more of the same.

I reminded kids to listen and participate but the will and inclination were not present yesterday. When I handed out the guided practice prompts for them to practice two of the rules for in-text citation (MLA Format,) all the sudden students jumped into crisis mode. They had dutifully written down key concepts from the board that they were going to need: "signal phrase, dynamic character, static character." and they were somewhat quiet during the explanation but I could tell they were not really with me. The rythm of the class was "off" and I was uncomfortable.

Their exit pass was to demonstrate what they learned:

Directions: Take a quote from pages 157-158 and another quote from page 42 in That Was Then, This Is Now to show how Mark is a static character using the “Citation for Textual Support” sheet (page 2) in your “Anatomy of a 5 Paragraph Essay” packet.

1.      Prove the point using a signal phrase involving SE Hinton and the character.

2.      Prove the point without a signal phrase.

Many did not finish in my first 2 classes. They forgot what a signal phrase was. Even though we had talked about how Mark was a static character earlier that period and even though we had read the quotes on pages 42 and 157 through 158, students were acting like I was looking for new undiscovered territory. Sounds like a nightmare epic fail doesn't it?

Or was it? By fourth period, word had made its way around the student population that Logan was teaching something difficult and confusing. I found this out because the kids from fourth period told me. When I recounted the behaviors from first and second period while suggesting that their inattention may have had an impact on their depth of understanding, students in the latter classes seemed more motivated to be active learners.

The later students were actively participating by asking questions and were eager to attempt the work publicly. This was one case where the rumor mill helped fuel student achivement. The later students were motivated to see what was so difficult and did not understand their peer's confusion.

Today, the early classes came in wearing their Patti LaBelle new attitudes. We reviewed the first two rules again, this time with better focus from my students. Together, we created a signal phrase incorporating SE Hinton's name, the fact was that Mark was a static character and a quote from page 42.

The sounds of "lightbulbs" turning on in class was audible. The answers to the probing for understanding poll were genuine thumbs up. In short, the shock of not understanding something in class, because they were only half-way paying attention, actually transformed passive learners into motivated learners the following day. Sometimes we learn while we are failing only to succeed on another day. So the next time class seems like an epic fail, consider how my Maudlin Monday turned  into a Terrific Tuesday.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.