Four Perfect Pebbles --Chapter 9

"America at Last"

Finally the Blumenthals, minus Papa would died only 3 weeks after being liberated, make it to America.  What an incredible journey they had!  Although this last chapter is filled with happiness and finally a streak of good-luck this chapter made me cry--tears of joy or course.  The whole story is just simply captivating and amazing.

It is amazing to see how far Marion and her family came after such a tragic and life altering experience.  If I had to go through what Marion and her family went through I don't know if I would be able to take everything is stride as much as Marion did.  I don't know if I would have been able to continue on with my life and be as successful as she.  Although, it is hard to say if you have never been in that situation and you are not in that person shoes.  I think that it is absolutly amazing that Marion's life played out the way it did.  Althoug she may have not been in control for most of her early childhood once she was given control of her life back she did just that.  Marion was so determined and so in control of her life after her move to America.  She needed to learn english and so she put in all the extra time and effort even when it seemed as if she had no extra time in the day.  She went from being a 13 year old in fourth grade to graduating on time ranking 8th in her class.

This story really is a story of determination and above all hope.  Even after each series of unfortunate events, Marion remained hopeful.  As long as she found those four perfect pebbles everything would be okay.

Nothing as Certain as Change--Keene Chapter 7

Comprehension and understanding goes beyond simply just recalling the events of a story, telling who the main characters are, or being able to answer simple questions about a given story.  As Keene mentions in Chapter 7 of  To Understand, "Understanding is an outcome that can be manipulated, altered, and improved by using comprehension strategies (Keene 171)."  Understanding is not only being able to comprehend what you read, but understanding is also being able to see how that book changed your thinking in some way shape or form.

Thinking out loud is one of the best strategies to promote understanding (Keene 168).  When you model for your students by thinking out loud they are able to generate ideas and see what their thinking should be like or emulate.  However, when I think out loud many of my first grade students like to repeat my given answers or their classmates answer, which is a problem that Keene encountered as well.  As Keene mentioned in the previous chapter some students are afraid to take risks and they will only say what they think the teacher would want them or expect them to say.  However, if the students continue to just repeat what I said they really will not be comprehending or understanding.  The process of understanding means challenging and propelling your thinking forward.  The only way you can truly understand is if you rethink what you already thought you knew.  Students need to change  and challenging their thinking in order to comprehend at an even greater dimension (Keene 167). 

I think that it is very important the Keene brings up expository texts as opposed to narrative texts.  A lot of the time teachers promote and use a lot of narrative texts in their classrooms.  Expository texts sort of get left on the back burner and are not used nearly as much as narratives.  Keene points out that it is important to expose students to equal amounts of narrative and expository texts.  Exposure  and consistency to both will allow students to become better readers and writers in each style.  Students will be well versed in both the structure of expository and narrative texts, which makes it easier to understand the given text.

Favorite quote from this  chapter -- "Those who live interesting lives outside of school will bring the most to their students (Keene 192)."

To Understand Chapter 6

A Renaissance of Understanding

As this book goes on its content gets better.  Although it was a bit difficult to get through the first few chapter, I am now beginning to feel engaged and I am getting a lot of worthwhile ideas.  I really loved the concept of this chapter --renaissance thinking.  The renaissance just sticks out as one of the greatest thinking eras of all time.  In history we always study the great thinker.  However, aren't we all capable of thinking like that?  Don't we all hold some greater thinking ability within us?

A quote on page 139 sums this chapter up nicely.  "It is we teachers who can create the conditions and engage in the modeling necessary for children to experience and become intoxicated by the scope and power of their own minds."  Educators can and need to bring out the best in students each and every day.  Our students may not get the noterity of Michelangelo, but every student is capable of such renissance thinking. 

I really like that Ellin Oliver Keene talks about challenging authority.  Too often do students feel as they must agree to everything that the teachers says just because they are afraid to take risks.  However, in the long run, not challenging the teacher and taking risks hampers ones ability to truly understand.  Teachers need to create an environment where there students should feel comfortable taking risks and challenging the teacher in a respectful mannor. 

Four Perfect Pebbles Chapters7-8

Vocab:  Maimed
               Abated
               Montessori
               Shroud
               repatriation
               convalescent
               Bar Mitzvah

Reading ideas and question:
-Have students research Jewish customs
-Compare Marion's weight to that of an average 10 1/2 year old.
- 1/4 of the prisoners on the death train died, so show 1/4 students.
-Why did Marion and the other Jewish survivors have to eat very slow?
-Why did papa feel powerless.
-What do you think Marion and her family were thinking when papa died?
-Why did Marion say her worries were not yet over even after liberation?
-Why was Marion so scared her eye operation?


Chapters seven and eight were much more light hearted then the previous chapters because of course it is about liberation and moving to the land of freedom.  Once again I love the words and phrases in these two chapters.  It is fluid and packed with symbolism.  One of my favorite passages is on page 101 when Marion is talking about Albert's knapsack.   "Albert lost his treasured knapsack , which he had with him since Westerbork.  But this was nothing compared with what we and so many others were leaving behind."  I think this is a great quote for students to help connect with the story.  Everyday we have little things bother us and sometimes people make such a big deal out of them.  A student misses the bus and is in a crummy mood all day.  They think it is the worst day ever.  However, in comparison to what other people are going through at the exact same moment, is missing the bus really that devastating. 

Although I knew that Marion and the other prisioners were starved and have seen plenty of pictures before, when Marions weight of 35 lbs and her mothers of 75 lbs was mentioned I was astonished.  With so little body fat and so little nutrients it is amazing that anyone survived all the work and disease.   

The death of papa really just adds to the Blumenthals unfortunate events.  Here they were after year and years of hell, three weeks after being liberated papa dies.  It seems that they are always so close to getting to the end but the path takes an unfortunate and disparing turn.  In a way I think that papa's death was timely.  In fought tooth and nail for the safety of his family.  I think as long as they were prisoners under the Nazi's he would live to see his family reach safety.  Once he knew that his family would be safe, he could pass on peacefully.

Marion's fear when she goes to get her eye operation is very troubling and reminds be a lot of the post dramatic stress disorder that a lot of our soliders are coming home with.  I could not imagine after 6 1/2 years of having your humanity stripped coming back and intergrating into society.  I am sure there are a lot of things in her teenage years that frightened Marion to death.  I am sure her dreams were outrageous.  It really is amazing that any survivor of the Holocaust could reintergrate into society without an counciling.    Marion mentioned that Bergan Belson taught her to hold her feeling in and I feel that at her young age holding the immense amount of feelings she must of had could be a cause of caution.  

When Marion and her family first see the statue of liberty for the first time I think I tear came to my eye right alonside Marion.  They way it was described made me feel connected to Marion.  I was happy to know that they made it.  The FINALLY made it. 

Four Perfect Pebbles --Chapters 5 and 6

Chapter 5 "The Greatest Disappointment"


The setting of Chapter five is exactly how I pictured Nazi Germany in my mind for so many years.  "It was dark, bitterly cold, and raining" (Perl 61).  Every time I think of a concentration camp I picture it cold, wet, and dreary.  It is just the emotion that you get when you think about it.  You do not think sunshine and birds chirping sweetly.  Before I began reading this chapter I was in a great mood from the school day, however, once reading this initial setting my mood changed.  That, to me, is an example of a good book--when it can really impact your mood and draw you in, making you feel what the character is feeling.


This chapter is really about hope.  At nine years old Marion Blumenthal had to have hope.  When Marion and her family were standing in the Sternlager Square listening to the alphabetical list of Jews scheduled for exchange, she had hope.  It did not matter that the B's were already called and "Blumenthal" was not mentioned.  "Perhaps there would be a few more names after the Z's," Marion thought (Perl 63).  I think this is something that students and everyone can relate too, I can.  I remember entering the lottery for the New York City Marathon and when my name didn't show I thought perhaps they just haven't called everyone yet and my name would show up soon.  Granted Marion's situation could have meant life or death, one can still feel that since of hope.  No matter how young or old we are I think everyone can feel the short of hope Marion was feeling standing in Sternlager square. 


Marion's hope is also eminent in her quest to find the four perfect pebbles--which I am surprised as to why this has not been a more prevalent aspect of the story.  Marion says "We went on with out aimless existence.  It was now more important than ever for me to search over and over again for my four perfect pebbles.  I knew, even then, that in spite of everything, our family must survive" (Perl 65).   In other words, even though Marion was a young, naive, 9 years old, she still knew how important it was to remain hopeful and optimistic even in the worst possible circumstance. 


I think that this chapter explores and prescribes some important lessons.  When the guard gives Marion’s brother and apple it shows that not all German's were terrible and evil (Perl 66).  The German's had to do what they did because if they didn't obey Hitler and the SS, they jeopardized their own life.  It raises a good debate about whether or not Germans could or should be accountable for their actions. 


This chapter is definitely the most graphic to date.  I think that this chapter would be very difficult for elementary students to handle.  Even I had a hard time getting through it and I have research concentration camps and labor camps pretty extensively.  The chapter really starts to get graphic mid way through when Marion is talking about the stench of the burning flesh (Perl 68).  The visuals for me were atrocious and I could not even bare to smell what Marion had to smell, the thought just makes me cringe.  These sights for a nine year old must have been most unimaginable.


Chapter 6 "On the Death Train"

Chapter 6 actually brought a smile to my face because at the end the Blumenthals were liberated.  Of course I realize that they journey is not yet over, I was happy to see that perhaps the worst is behind them. 

At first I wondered why the prisoners did not try to escape from the train.  After all, the train was not going anywhere and it seemed as though the guards did not really care.  Escape, however, was not on the prisoners mind.  For one, most of the prisoners were too weak to try and escape—in the case of Marion her leg was infected from the soup burn and she was in no condition so try and escape.  The prisoners also did not escape because where would they escape?  No matter where they went they would still be surrounded by Nazi Germany (Perl 77). 

I think the passage about Albala, the head Kapo, was very interesting (Perl 79).  Although he had treated Marion and the other prisoners cruelly, Marion still felt his sorrow when he was burying his child. Marion said, “as I watched him place his child’s lifeless body alongside the track, I thought, No, not even he, the hated Albala, deserves such a sorrow” (Perl 79).  I think this is also Marion’s realization that Albala had to do what he had to do.  For just like the guard who gave Marion’s brother the apple, he was just trying to survive as well. 

To Understand Chapter 5--"To Savor the Struggle"

Throughout her book, Ellin Oliver Keene is pointing out the seemingly obvious when it comes to literacy education. However, I say that with a grain of salt because if it is so seemingly obvious then why are educators not following it.  I think it is very easy to point out the flaws and declare what should happen in education, but what we see, say, and do are three completely different things.

I think that Keene is absolutely correct when she tells of adversity as a means for stimulating ones intellect.  Keene used her own battle with cancer in the previous chapter to explain how adversity actually stimulated her intellect.  Gripped with a life threatening illness, Keene went through great lengths to research her condition.  She wanted and needed to know answers.  Similarly in Chapter 5, Keene tells the story of Reynolds Price (Keene 100).  Price had a tumor that developed on his spinal chord.  As a result of his battle and experience Keen wrote multiple stories of his journey.  In order to come to a better understanding of his condition and place in life he wrote.  I really enjoy stories like this and their are so many out there.  Adversity and understand adversity are certainly a means for intellectual stimulation.  For me this adversity was my friends battle with OCD.  In order to help my friend I went through great lengths to research OCD and ways in which I could help.  It was very stimulating, rewarding, and fun.  Long story short, adversity helps build ones internal drive to learn (Keene 104).  A common flaw in today's classroom is that kids are so driven by external rewards--a pizza party for reading so many books, a prize for reading all your sight words.  The external rewards overpower the internal gratification (Keene 106). 

Although I agree and understand much of what Keene is advocating, I am struggling with her ideas in regards to the current grade I am teaching--first grade.  First grade is when we are really pushing students to read and write as this is the foundational year.  In first grade there is a lot to cover.  I agree when Keene states that there is far less essential material then we perceive, however I still don't understand what is essential even after being exposed to her "what's essential model" (Keene 108).  Of course their is the 6 blocks that she proposes, which I fully understand and believe in.    However, what is the most effective way to incorporated these 6 blocks into the classroom.  I know that Keene herself admitted that this was not a how to book, I almost wish there was a little more of how to. 

One thing that I disagree with Keene on is when she mentions that graphic organizers do not facilitate learning (110).  The first grade teacher that I am working with right now is a huge proponent of graphic organizers, thus I have been using them in my own classroom.  I truly believe they are very helpful for students as we have been using them for every writing piece we have done so far this year.  I think that there is a huge benefit to them and I think it helps students use specific skills that might not otherwise be taught. 

Keene's book and thoughts constantly make me rethink my own teaching.  As I am reading I am always making notes of things that I could change to promote student understanding.  This is my first year teaching so I am constantly looking for ways to improve and so far Keene's book has given me a lot of insight.  Keene mentions that a lot of educators are not teaching enough of the deep structure in regards to the cognitive strategies she uses (Keene 118).  A lot of the time we focus on the surface structure but do not provide a lot of deep structure teaching.  I can see this in my own students.  When reading the are like robots, just reading the words, not constructing meaning and not self monitoring--which Keene says are examples if not enough deep structure (Keene 118).  However, my first graders are just learning to read so shouldn't this be expected?  Or am I not having high enough expectations?  

To Understand--Chapter 4

I was amazed by the school that Ellin Oliver Keene described in Chapter 4, Charles Lake school.  I could not believe how the classroom operated and how the students responded.  The Charles Lake school that Keene studied is exactly how I would like to run my classroom someday and I really took to Keene's idea of "rigor, inquiry, and intimacy."  When I compare my first grade classroom right now to that of the classroom at Charles Lake I almost see it as a failure.  Of course this is my first year teaching and I learn something new every second of the day, but in comparison to Charles Lake I feel like I am letting myself and my students down.  I am very guilty of rushing through the day without pushing students thinking to the next level, which is something Keene says is a major no-no if you really want your students to understand (Keene 77).  I would love for my class, like the class Keene describes, to be able to come into the classroom and know exactly what to do without being told.  With my class right now I have to repeat the directions numerous times even though the routine is practically the same everyday.  Although I teach first grade, I believe that if I created a better classroom community right from the very first day I too would be able to achieve these things.  A classroom based on the principals of rigor, intimacy, and inquiry would work for children at all levels.  Not only do the students that Keene described come in and get right to work, it seemed as though they were all being intellectual challenged and were having fun.  I feel that I do not have high enough standards for my students sometimes and it really shows in the quality of their work.  It was really interesting to see how the teacher at Charles Lake dealt with the student who was an English language learner, Rita.  The teacher did not just seat with Rita and give her all the words she didn't know.  Instead the teacher challenged Rita and reminded her of the strategies to use when you come across a difficult word.  The teacher did not lower her expectations just because Rita was an English language learner.   In fact she almost had higher expectations for this student.

Keene points out in chapter 4 that teachers not only lower their expectation for some students, but in general we seem to lower our expectations for poverty stricken schools and students (Keene 80).  The lowering of expectation for schools in poverty is very eminent.  To often do we assume that just because a student comes from a lower income family or is being education at a lower income school they are not intelligent.  From my own personal experience the best school that I worked at was a school in which 70% of the families attending the school were living in poverty.  The third grade classroom that I was involved with followed very much the ideals of intimacy, rigor, and inquiry.  Hanging on the walls were pictures of Ghandi and Martin Luther King, not posters about punctuation or essay writing.  If anything our expectations should be higher for those in poverty because those are the people we need to help. 

At first I did not really grasp the quote that Keene uses in chapter 4, "As important as what is happening is what is not."  After pondering for a while, before reading, it eventually clicked and was then supported by the reading.  My track coach always told me "it is the silence between the notes that make the melody."  In other words time off from running is just as crucial as actually running.  This is actual the same as the quote Keene uses.  Sometimes rather then students doing worksheets, answering question, or doing projects students need to just sit back and think.  The times when I just shut everything else off and just think are the times when I am the most intellectual stimulated.  Today kids rarely every just sit back and relax in the silence.  In the background there is the sounds of the tv or buzzing in their ear they have there Ipod headphones.  Children and adults are to caught up to just shut off and think.  .

Question and vocab for FPP chapter 4

Vocab:
-Luftwaffe
-transit
-crematorium
-refugee
-moor
-commandant

questions:
-Why might the move to Holland been a difficult journey for the Blumenthals?
-What do you think Marions education was like in Westerbrok?
-Do you think the Blumenthals will really leave for America in 2 months?
-How do you think Marions viewed her life at Westerbrok? Was it normal for her?
-Do you think it would be difficult to be happy, nice, and polite like Marion if you were in her situation?
-How do you think the Blumenthals felt when the found out they would have to wait until June to leave for America?
-How do you think Hitler became so powerful that he was able to defeat Denmark, Norway, and Holland?
-Do you think other countries were growing fearful of Hitler? How about America?
-Were the Jews safe anyplace?
-Why did the world refuse to believe the monstrosities of the concentration camps?
-Do you think that the Blumenthals will make it Palestine as an "exhange jew."

FPP--Chapter 4 "Escape to Holland"

Chapter 4 had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It was filled with emotion, feeling, and action. Although I have a reasonable sense of what this story is about and how the events unfold, there was still a part of me that thought perhaps the Blumenthals will make it to America before they are dehumanized by the Nazi's.  However, such was not the case.

I found it extremely interesting to see how the refugee camp, Westerbork, turned from a Jewish safe haven to a Nazi controlled camp that feed into life in a concentration camp.  Imagine seeking refuge, getting comfortable and safe, and then having that place of refuge turn into your worst fear.  That is what it was like for the Blumenthals and the other refugees in Westerbork.  As Ruth Blumenthal said "our escape to Holland had not been an escape at all.  Instead we had been caught in a trap" (Perl 52).  It would be like residents from Darfur coming to America to seek refuge, living in a camp for a few years, having the camp taken over by the government of Darfur, and being shipped back to Darfur to live their life under the fist of their oppressor.     

The numbers and figures in this chapter was absoultly sickening.  The books declares "the extermination camp know as Auschwitz-Birkenau could dispose of as many as 4,756 bodies ever twenty-four hours" (Perl 54).  4,746 bodies every 24 hours! That is astonishing.  That number is greater then the entire school district in which I teach.  That is the population of two towns completly gone overnight.

FPP questions/vocab for chapter 3

This is a list of vocabulary terms and questions that could be used while teaching this story

Vocab:
-whooping cough
-synagogues
-expulsion
-Torah
-Buchenwald --> students can research more about this camp
-Dachau --> students can reseach more about this camp
-expiation
-trousseau

questions:

-Why were Mr. Dannenberg and the Blumenthals worried after Ernst vom Rath was shot?
-How random were the "random" acts of violence against the jews?
-Do you think it is ironic that Walter could be arrested for having a gun that he used to once defend his own country?
-Why do you think the Gestapo were only taking men during the time Mr. Blumenthal was taken?
-Would you, like Mrs. Blumenthal, go to the Gestapo to find out about your husband?
-Do you think Mr. Blumenthal will be "released shortly" like the Gestapo told Mrs. Blumental?
-What do you think the Gestapo meant by "correctly treated?"
-What do you think of the Goverment charging the jews for the damage of Kristallnacht?
-Would it be hard for you to leave everything you worked hard for behind?
-Will the Blumenthals be safe in Holland?

FPP-Chapter 3 "Get Dressed and Come With Us"

The more I read of Four Perfect Pebbles the more I grow to love it.  I think that this is a remarkable story.  Chapter 3 is laden with so much imagery and even though the nature of the story is terrifying and horrible, the way that it is written makes it somehow poetic and beautiful. 

I received my undergrad degree in history and for some obscure reason I am absolutely fascinated with the holocaust and even more so with the labor camps of the Soviet Union.  In my thesis work I did a tremendous amount of research and exploration on the Gulags in the Soviet Union.  In Keene's book she talks about being engaged and excited about developing your own intellect.  For me, studying about Stalin and the Gulags is where I really get excited to learn.  While reading this story I see many similarities between what I have learned about the Soviet Union and the dialogue that is taking place in FPP.  So needless to say this book is very engaging for me.

As I mentioned previously, I love the imagery in this story.  The particular part that I find to be really poetic is the passage describing Kristallnacht on page 29 and 30.  The passage reads,

                                       In Germany alone, some eight thousand Jewish owned shops

                                       had had their windows smashed and their contents looted.  Two

                                       hundred synagogues has been destroyed, their Torah scrolls and

                                      holy books burned.  Unoccupied Jewish houses and apartments had 

                                       been entered by force.  Furniture and even pianos were heaved from

                                       balconies into the streets below.  Possession of every sort crackled in

                                       the bonfires that leaped up on numerous street corners.  But it was

                                       the vast amount of shattered glass that gave the infamous night of

                                       November 9-10 the name Kristallnact, Night of Broken Glass.

There is just something about this passage that I love.  Even in the midst of this tragic event the author finds beauty and peace.  The description is very poetic and vivid.  As I read it over and over again I am able to get a clear vision of this scene.

"Rethink what we believe is already working"

To often does the human race settle for good.  Why settle for good when you can do GREAT!  The same applies to teachers.  Sometimes teacher get into the idea of settling for what is good, both in their classroom instruction and in student expectations.  If we expect good from students, what then is going to propel them to do great.  We need to always be expected the great from our students.  Above and beyond, Ellin Oliver Keene states that teachers always need to "rethink what we believe is already working" (Keene 57).

All throughout my high school athletic career my basketball coach would always tell me, "if it is not broken do not fix it."  However, I could not disagree more with this.  Just because something is not broken does not mean that it doesn't need improvements, or maintenance if you will.  Teachers especially always need to be cognoscente of their instruction, what works and what does not.  Year to year, student to student, a teacher needs to rethink instruction.  Although an idea may work one year with some students, that idea is not a set mold.  Teachers need to be able to adapt to a new year, a new student, new standards, and new modes of learning/thinking.

One way in which teachers can rethink what already seems to be working that Keene highlights is the Literacy Studio (Keene 57).  As a new teacher I am still experimenting with what works and what does not.  Although I have never used a literacy studio model in my own classroom, based on my understanding of what Keene is saying a literacy studio model should be designed so that the student's intellect is able to thrive.  While, I have not used this model I really think that it is a great idea.  Going through the ideas outlined in Figure 3.2 on page 58-60  I see a lot of ideas that jump out at me.  First of all it naturally makes sense that students will be more interested in topics of their choosing.  I do not have the exact source on hand, but I once read an article explaining how students become more profound readers if they are allowed to pick books of their own choosing.  Just like Keene alludes on those pages, if a student is allowed to choose their books or choose a given topic then of course it is something they are interested in that book or topic.  When a students is actually interested in the material then they are more likely to become completly immersed in the material. 

In my classroom I do guided reading, so I enjoyed Keene's section on invitational groups (Keene 61).  While going through this chart I picked up on things that I may be doing well and things that I need to improve on.  As a first grade teacher I feel that I think outloud pretty well.  I am constantly telling my students what  I would predict or how I would go about solving something.  However, one thing that Keene highlights that I think needs to improve is the idea that "the teacher is free to focus exclusivley on the invitational group, having taught the rest of the class to read and write independently for long periods of time.  There are no interruptions."  Teaching first grade, this step is very difficult.  There are always interruptions and students are still struggling to read and write on their own.  However, by the middle of the year I think my students will be able to master this task. 

Question and Idea's for Chapter Two--Four Perfect Pebbles

As I continue to read Four Perfect Pebbles I still believe that I would read this story with sixth grade students.  Although some might challenge this idea, saying the the complexity of the material is too demanding and sixth grade students would not be able to handle the material,  like Keene promotes we need to challenge our students.  How can we expect our students to think critically and truly understand if we do not have high expectation for them.  This book and bring out students intellectual side and get them thinking and discussing.  Below are some ideas and questions that I would use in reading chapter two--A Small Town in Germany.

Before Reading:

-Have students write a brief summary of what the title--Four Perfect Pebbles-- means (quiz).  Then discuss.
-Review student predictions for chapter two
Key Vocab: Gypsies, Poles, denounced, remedy, swastika, Aryan, emigrated, annexed.

While Reading:

-Find Hoya and Tilsit on a map and display it to students.



                         Hoya

-Discuss with children the war of 1914-1918.  If following the history standards students will have already learned this but it would be good to review what the conflice was about.

-Discuss the way in which the German Government is set-up.

-Describe what an Aryan looked like in the eyes of Hitler.

-If you were the Blumenthal's would you try to leave Germany?

-Should the US have let more people emigrate?

After Reading:

-Recap how Hitler came to power.

-Make predications about the next chapter

Reactions to "A Small Town in Germany" --Chapter 2--Four Perfect Pebbles

I really like the way that Lila Perl and Marion Blumenthal have layed out this story.  While the story may not be straight forward and linear, like most stories children may be familiar with, I feel that the way the past, present, and future is utilized makes the story more effective and adds much more depth and meaning to it.  Chapter two is basically just a history of the Blumenthal family and an explanation of how Germany became to be ruled by Hitler and the Nazi's.  I believe that by starting chapter one in the concentration camp with Marion and the Blumethal's the reader is able to feel more deeply connected to Marion and her situation.  Right from the very beginning the reader is emotionally attached to that character and it makes the reader more interested in Marion's story leading in to chapter two. 

Chapter two was a very nice history lesson.  I feel that it did a very nice job telling the story of how Hitler and the Nazi's came to power.  It was very interesting to see how the Blumenthal family and the rest of Germany reacted to Hitlers rise.  At first everyone just thought that Hitler and his beliefs were just nonsense (Perl 12).  Hitler was able to rise to power so quickly and with so much ferocity because nobody was truly aware, nor wanted to be aware, of what Hitler was capable of.  Then of course when Hitler garnered so much power, people were  too afraid to defy him (Perl 18).

To Understand-- Chapter 2

I think that enthusiasm and passion are two qualities that make a great teacher.  If you are able to spread your passion and enthusiasm in the classroom then you will be able to engage students and help them develop their own intellectual lives.  In the beginning of chapter two in Ellin Oliver Keene's To Understand, she shows her passionate and enthusiastic side--this turned me on to Keene.  The first chapter I was a little bit unsure of her character and I had a hard time connecting with her.  However, immediately in chapter two, on page 20, when Keene was sharing her enthusiasm with her husband I knew that she has a true sense of passion for education.

Keene faced a predicament in which she had a hard time turning her students intellectual side on.  Sometimes she would have brilliant conversations with her students, but other times it was like pulling teeth.  I know that exact same feeling from my own personal experiences teaching.  When your students are talking and are getting engaged and excited you leave school feeling like the queen or king of the world because you did something--you helped your students understand.  However, there are days when you leave school feeling as though you could have done more or something different.  One of Keene's solutions to this problem was to have high expectations everyday (Keene 21).  I like this idea.  If we don't expect our students to think outside the books or deeper about the curriculum, then of course they are not going to produce those amazing intellectual moments.  We need to push and model our students in order to get to a higher intellectual thinking. 

I really like the way Keene has set up her book.  As she admitts, her book is designed to show teachers how we can get students to understand rather than tell educators how too (Keene 23).  Each state, each school district, and each teacher run their classroom differentently.  It would not be benificial for Keene to list step by step what to do, because that simply would not work for everyone.  It is wise for Keene to leave it open ended because it allows each educator to adapt it to their own teaching style and curriculum. 

As a first grade teacher, while I am reading Keene's ideas I am constantly thinking about how I could use her work in my classroom with my students.  One thing that I am struggling with though is her idea of observable outcomes (Keene 26).  I feel that this step is extremely difficult with first graders.  First graders are not able to communicate a lot of reason.  Right now I am teaching my students to reason.  If they solve an addition problem I asked them how they solved it and I ask them to walk me through the steps.  Half of the class can tell me the right answer, but they struggle with how they did it.  As I read through all the outcomes of understanding I had a hard time seeing how my students would be able to develop though cognitive strategies.  With that said, I am still holding high expectations like Keene says we should!

I completly agree with Keene in that we should "teach a few concepts of great import, teach them in depth over a long period of time, and apply them in a variety of texts and contexts" (Keene 31).  While I agree with this and would love to see it done, I feel as though it is easier said then done.  I dislike where our education has been going as of late and I believe that Keene's ideas are great for the ideal classroom.  As much as I would love to do the things she describes it is very hard realistically.  You have to cover so much material in such a sort time that you do not have time to teach things for a long period of time or just the most important concepts.  State standards require so much and time is so limited.   

 

Using Four Perfect Pebbles in the classroom--Chapter one

While reading the first chapter in Four Perfect Pebbles  I noted some question and ideas that could be used to help students gain a better understanding of the text.  I think that this text might be very hard for children to relate too because they are so disconnected from the ideologies of concentration camps and the Holocaust.  Although genocide is still happening today in places like Africa, and even on a smaller scale, racism in the United States I think that students might have a hard time seeing how these concepts relate to them--thus why is it important?  For this reason I think that it is extremely import to help make students see the connection and importance through questions and various outside discussions. 


Ideas before reading:


-Have students take a look at the front cover.  Based on the title and cover see if they can come up with a prediction of what the story might be about.


-Have students look at the table of contents and see if they can predict the events of the story based on the chapter titles (like Dr.  Cohen demonstrated with us in class). 


-Have students fill out a KWL chart of the Holocaust.  Then give a mini-lesson about the Holocaust.


-Discuss present day genocide or racial hatred --Rwanda, Darfur, racism.


Questions/Ideas while reading/after reading:


-Research about Bergen-Belsen
-Where does the title Four Perfect Pebbles come from?
-What would you do or how would you feel if you were in Marion's place?
-Finish Mama's story.  "when you were just a baby in that small town in Germany..."

"Four Perfect Pebbles" --Chapter 1 Reactions

Four Perfect Pebbles is a powerful book right from the very first page.  The whole time I was reading I was just in complete amazement that events like this ever happened and are still happening today.  When one thinks of Holocaust literature the first book that comes to mind is The Dairy of Anne Frank, but this is another great book to add to the arsenal of  Holocaust literature that can and should be taught in schools.

While reading the first chapter I had to do quite a bit of additional research, just as I would have my students do.  Once again, going back to Keene's beliefs and ideals, I feel that it would be absolutely necessary to research background information with your students in order for them to more fully understand the book.  I myself needed to look things up in order to paint a better picture in my mind of the setting and to relate more to the character.

The first thing that I researched was the actual concentration camp in which the story began--Bergen-Belsen.  This is something that I would also do with my students in order to gain a greater depth of background knowledge.   As stated in the text, the Bergen--Belsen camp was located in Northwest Germany.  Although, aaccording to the Jewish Virtual Library, (http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/Belsen.html), there were no gas-chambers or the typical forced labor that we usually associate with concentration camps, Begen-Belsen was still not a "camp" by any means.  Disease and hunger were the most common cause of death at Bergen-Belsen.  Located below is a map, and highlighted is Bergen-Belsen.

Picture provided from (http://www.ushmm.org/lcmedia/map/lc/image/bbe72020.gif)

Although I am fairly well versed in Holocaust history many students may not be.  I did not have to research much extra about the Holocaust in order to understand because I have that prior knowledge.  However, before reading this story with my students I would give a few mini-lessons on WWII and the Holocaust, once again to promote a better understanding of the events that will be described in the story.

I think it is so interesting to see the Holocaust through the eyes of a child.  The students who will be studying this book will be around the same age as Marion, which I think helps them put things in to perspective.  Throughout the first chapter I love how Marion's innocence and youth is portrayed.  Even when she is subjected to a concentration camp and is living a most dreadful life she is still able to be filled with hope.  On page two of the text when she at first thinks a cart of naked bodies is perhaps a big cart of firewood that will keep her warm.  Then again on page seven with her belief of the four perfect pebbles.  Her spirit shows that even in the most horrific times it is important to have hope and believe in good. 

I thought that this was a terrific chapter.  It engaged me and I could definitely see myself teaching this to a group of sixth grade students.  One thing that I loved on the writer, Lila Perls, part was the way she book ended the first and second chapter.  She ended the first chapter, "'when you were just a baby in that small town in Germany...'(Perl 9)" and began the title of chapter 2 with"A Small Town in Germany" (Perl 10).  I just thought that was a very creative touch and allows a lot of room for student predictions. 



Four Perfect Pebbles: A Holocaust Story

Four Perfect Pebbles: A Holocaust Story follows the struggles of a young girl, Marion Blumenthal, and her family during their stay at Bergen-Belsen and beyond.  The title Four Perfect Pebbles is derived from Marion's belief and hope that if she were to found four identical pebbles her family would stay together and be safe from Nazi harm.

Before even picking up the story to read I was wondering in my head if this book would be feasible to read with elementary students.  From my own education experiences I do not remember learning about the Holocaust until seventh or eighth grade.  Of course one cannot judge before they read the book, but I still was unsure about whether fifth of sixth graders could handle the extent of the holocaust.  If one was to look solely at educational standards, the Holocaust would fall into the realm of sixth grade social studies.  I don't doubt that sixth graders would be mature enough to handle the sensitivity of the holocaust, but going back to Keene and her dilemma with student understanding, I was stuck wondering if sixth graders would actually be able to understand the complexities of the book and the holocaust. 

However, my thoughts quickly changed after reading the first chapter of Four Perfect Pebbles and chapter two in Keene's book.  After reading these two seperate entities I discovered that Four Perfect Pebbles would absolutely be a great book to read with sixth graders.  Like Keene mentioned, how can we ever expect our students to think at high levels if we do not push their intellects and challenge them to discover new things. Obviously before reading Four Perfect Pebbles in a classroom setting it would be wise to get parental permission, but I think by not reading this story you would be doing your students a disservice.  It is not just a story of the Holocaust, for it also teaching empathy and understanding.  The Holocaust is a terrible event in our history and whether we like it or not the truth is that it happened.  Rather than shelter our kids from the truth we should help walk them through it to develop a deeper understanding of the events that took place.

Although I have only ready the first chapter I believe that this book would be a great edition to any sixth grade curriculum.

Teachers--Life Long Learners

As a teacher one must commit to being a life long learner.  An educator is constantly learning from their students, learning from their coworkers, and learning from experience.  At the end of the day when the students board the buses and go home the teachers job is not done.  After the school bell rings, a teacher should be immersed in the world of learning in order to educate and help their students understand in the most effective way.  Not only does it make you more prepared as a teacher, but it helps you communicate to your students the idea that learning can be very fun and rewarding.

In To Understand: New Horizons in Reading Comprehension, Ellin Oliver Keene implies that we, teachers, must develop our intellectual lives in order to better serve our students and promote a greater sense of understanding (Keene 18).  A teacher should be able to convey the idea that learning if fun and that it can be done just for learners sake, not just because they are told to do so or because they will be rewarded, albeit by grade or prize (Keene 13).  I agree with Ellin and believe that we need to promote learning and portray it as a success tool.

Although I agree with Ellin and believe that teachers need to develop their own intellectual lives to promote student learning, I must admit that so far I have failed at this.  As a first time teacher and a recent college undergrad graduate, I find it hard to just pick up a book and read because I want to learn something new.  The last four years I have spent all my time devoted to books and work that I did not have an interest in, but rather that I was required to read or do.  I was forced into writing essay after essay in which I had little interest in.  While I was not interested I still worked hard because working hard meant the reward of a good grade.  All the rigorous work  and the extrinsic reward left me just wanting to relax and escape the world of books and learning.  This is exactly what I do not want for my students.  School should not be a chore, it should be a hobby.    If we can promote our own love for learning, perhaps we can instill that in our students.

Are standards and testing hampering student comprehension?

State standards and standardized testing continuously create controversy in the world of education.  Are teachers "teaching to the test?"  Are standardized tests bias?  Are they designed to adhere to the traditional bell curve, automatically setting some students up for failure?  Are they really set in place to help fix the achievement gap?  Through standardized testing our nation has develop this ideology that only tests scores can show a students intellectual growth and capacity.   However, do these tests really show our students understanding?  This is the question that plagued Ellin Oliver Keen in her prelude to To Understand: New Horizons in Reading Comprehension.


It is no doubt that our society has become fixated with testing.  Teachers, now more than ever, are afraid to stray to far from the test and rarely ever do so.  Teaching to the test has become a very common thing and elementary and high school classes alike.  As long as students are able to remember information for a brief period of time and circle the right answer on the test we assume the student understands.  This idea could not be more opposite than that of Keen belief, and my belief as well.  Just because a student is able to "retell, answer questions, and learn new vocabulary," as Keene writes, it does not mean they understand (Keene 5).


While Keene admits that helping students truly understand, as opposed to retelling or simply answering question, can be a time consuming endeavor she points out that the extra time is worth it (Keene 15).  Teaching first grade this year, I complete realize that I myself am guilty of speeding through the day trying to get everything done.  The day is short and there is so much to cover, I myself would have a difficult time trying to experiment with Keene's ideas.  However,  I really like Keene's idea of "quality v. quantity" (Keene 13).  Education is not about how much material you fit into the day, it is the quality of what you teach.  If you rush your students through the curriculum each day, trying to fit in EVERYTHING, yet your students are struggling to truly understand, what impact have you actually had?  I don't want to be a teacher who pushed their students along, hoping that they will get good test scores in the future.  For what good is "learning for learning sake" (Keene 7).  I want to be a teacher who makes an impact and will help students become investing in education and all that it had to offer.