Weekly Notes

The class has begun reading To Kill a Mockingbird. A couple of students have read and studied this book earlier in high school. I am working to integrate their experiences in the class discussions. So far, the students have enjoyed the book. We are examining the personalities of the main characters, their relationships, and the way things are beginning to change as they grow up. When reading how Scout's teacher treats her, the students immediately reacted to the use of corporal punishment and how it is not really effective as a form of discipline. The students also realized that the teacher was treating Scout differently because she already had a knowledge base, could read and write. The students felt it would have been better to encourage her instead of holding her back.