When we went to Chicago for NCTE this year, my colleagues went to see Louder than a Bomb. I went to an adequate (not good or great) session. They returned pumped up and excited. I returned ready for a better session and saddened by my choice. Each year we do a poetry slam in our classes for the seventh graders. It's not a true slam because we do not have judges rating each student's poem. After all, according to Louder than a Bomb, "The points are not the point.. the point is the poetry." Most of our kids excel with this and some are seriously frightened for days about sharing their poem with the class. Poetry Slam week (or two weeks) is one of my favorite weeks of the year.
This year we're incorporating the movie, Louder than a Bomb. The plan is to show part of the movie each day and concentrate on an aspect of the reading (voice, gestures, eye contact, articulation, etc.). Since I didn't see it in Chicago, I watched it last night (iTunes... rent or buy it... NOW). It will be a fantastic way to teach and motivate the students. Language, however, is a bit of a problem. I always struggle with this. I don't want the principal to come in when the F word is spoken, nor do I want a parent to challenge my choice of movies. The other part of me wants to show it without having to forward through the use of two f words, shit, asshole, etc. My guess is not one of my students hasn't heard or used each of these.
Arghhh... This afternoon I'll watch it again and make a graphic organizer that coincides with our rubric, so they know what to watch for. I'll also mark down the time for the two F words, but the rest... I don't know what to do.
Comments