Schadenfreude?

"What in the world is the teacher wasting everyone's time teaching them a German word?  Doesn't he know that were in the middle of testing?"

That is what I imagine some of you might have been saying last night.  The word, schadenfreude, was highlighted in the picture book that I read to them titled That's Not Funny by Adrian Johnson.  The main character is a boy who laughs at the misfortune of others.  At the end of the story, a mishap occurs and he ends up being sat on by an elephant.  He didn't think it was so funny then.  The postscript of the book explains that we don't have a word for this in the English language.  Pronounced "shah-den-froy-duh," it is laughing or taking delight in the bad luck of others.  This is one of those books where the postscript is essential in making the book worthy of reading.  Otherwise it is just a book where a little boy gets his comeuppance.  I thought it would be nice, light reading for the class after another hard day of testing.  The little lesson at the end intrigued enough of them for me to give them a quick assignment to show me that they understood the word.  I got some funny stories.  They understand.

I read the last few pages of Morning Girl by Michael Dorris today along with some excerpts from the journal of Christopher Columbus.  Columbus gives his initial impressions of the native Taino that he met: "... it seemed to me that they were a people very poor in everything...  They should be good and intelligent servants, for I see that they say very quickly everything that is said to them; and I believe that they would become Christians very easily, for it seems to me that they have no religion... I will take six of them (back to Europe) to your highness when I depart, in order that they may learn to speak (our language)."

Morning Girl is written from a Taino girl's perspective.  She thinks the white men that come to visit are "fat" and "dressed silly."  They stare at her "like babies: wide eyed, with their mouths open." 

These excerpts are just part of what I read this morning.  It sparked some lively conversation.  Some students were calling Columbus a jerk.  I reminded them of our tribes yesterday.  It must have been extremely difficult for both "tribes" - in this case the Europeans and Taino.  I asked the class to look at all the incorrect assumptions that both sides were making.  I drew some more parallels to yesterday.  I think some were making the connections, many will take another day. 

We'll read Encounter by Jane Yolen tomorrow.  It is a picture book.  It is also a "guessed at" history from the Taino's perspective.  Which brings me to another lesson: Who gets to write history?  I touched on that a bit today, but am hoping that there are so many hands in the air tomorrow wanting to give their two cents, that we may have to leave that for another day. 

Harry Potter Book Club started today.  I opened it up to all classes, but capped it at 30 kids.  I had 43 kids two years ago and it was just too much.  We split the group and met twice a week.  We needed twice the after school meetings.  I won't do that again.  Thirty is enough.  If we have some drop outs, we'll add some from the waiting list.  Today's meeting took place during lunch time.  I handed out a Sorting Quiz to help sort them into a house.  If they don't like the results of the quiz, I will give them a one time chance to be sorted by the Sorting Hat on my IPhone app.  But then, it's whatever the hat says, goes.

Some activities that the kids seemed enthusiastic to do this year include: quill making, Quidditch, movie watching, wand making, Harry Potter Jeopardy Challenges and tea leaf reading. 

Wow, it's late.  I'll stop.

Good night.

Mr. Shea