Here is the transcript to the best of my ability from their second book club. Xavier actually talked very little. The whole group is focused on some details that are not that surprising, like the fact that there is sex. And it's not that those aren't important but still. Also, at one point London tells the group that the therapist is high. And so then xavier and leif believe him. And then it comes out that he just made that up. Which shows me how easily they can be derailed.
Xavier is able to make some basic personal connections ( he likes football, I like football) and some basic predictions (I think he's not going to die). He's not able to take specific points fo the text and use that make predictions. He also gets a kick out of telling Mila that she has to write lines bc she didn't do her homework. Pointing to the importance of doing your reading to him.
One of the things I regularly notice about low readers is that they'll continue to make very general predictions, and they'll make the same one over and over. I try to push predictions with focus on predicting from very specific parts of the text.
HOWEVER, on the positive side, I do think he read. He stated that he liked the book. He even came up to me and told me he liked it.
He wouldn't talk when i was around and he really changes his personality when i'm there. This is unfortnate and points to my other research about building trust with students. we don't have that kind of relationship.
The other thing I've notcied, but it's not caputred here, is since he's reading with better readers, they're correcting him. I heard him say that the dad held the mom down, thinking like he was beating her. His peers explained that he was helping her, bc she was going to hurt herself or something.
I also noticed times when they're all wrong. For example the therapist on drugs thing, also there's a point in the book when the waitress says she slipped Dallas Suzuki something, but she was being sarcastic, they're taking it literally.
When I explained this misunderstanding to someone else, he said to me, well, you can get different things from a book at different times. which is a good point. maybe its okay if they have misunderstandings. but otoh, they might also misinterpret a bunch of things as a result.
Overall, this recording and the first week of book clubs point to:
peer pressure to get kids to read.
relatable protagonist and content
the rules that they create and enforce are important to them (lines, talking stick, etc)
I have a summary of what Xavier wrote from friday. He didn't write a letter, but he made notes for himself. I will look at it on Monday.
None of this is that amazing, although I'm having a lot more success with these book clubs so far than I've ever had. At least with engagement. Not necessarily with deep conversations. Is it because:
a) they're getting freedom that they haven't had all year, so they're excited?
b) they got to suggest a lot of the books, they're new, contemporary (at least the ones that the groups that are really excited about are...
c)they have a lot of autonomy with choosing rules, enforcing them, etc.
d) they were better prepared to run themselves since we've had it so structured all year?
Also, on Friday I added an element of conversation cards. There are around 28 cards that are laminated, with pretty good questions, I stole them from somewhere, can't reemmber where, and I told them if they got stuck, they could use them to encourage conversation. In some ways, it's like having an adult there to push them. A few of the kids said the cards were really helpful. The one thing the cards don't do is pick up the thread of a conversation that the kids started down, right? But I think they're helpful to encouraging more kids to talk. Also, maybe the cards will make it so that they can start to internalize the questions and ask them without the the cards.
Next steps:
record a conversation with the cards. See what else Xavier, or Joshua are doing during the conversation and what is stopping them. But I'm seeing more engagement from him than I've seen all year. so this is progress!
Leif: Did everyone read?
Conversation about who read and who didn't.
M: I know, I need to write.
L: what were you reading when you finished the test. Did you have that book.
X: every single line.
X: London, what do you have to say about the book.
L: talking stick, talking stick
M: wait what are we supposed to write again.
LOn: I really liked the book, I thought it was really good. Um, I actually know that he's not going to get laid. Yeah. I think it's a good book.
X: I think it's a good book too. Because he likes football, I like football too (PC)
Lon: Xavier's like, I want to get laid, he wants to get laid (PC)
X: yeah, London, she's recording this.
Leif: Ok, so. I really like this book too. I think it's really interesting. Um.
X: I also think Ben is not going to die.
L: Ummmm.
X: that's my prediction.
L: wait, talking stick. I think he's really smart. I think it's funny bc his mom is crazy.
Lon:that's not funny really. I don't htink it's funny, bc that's kind of sad though. (challenging)
X: His coach is retarded.
Leif: why is his coach retarded (challenging each other)
X: bc he has hella rules.
Lon: he's like a dad to him.
X: he has too much rules.
Leif: I like the doctor, and i liek the therapist
X:He has way too many rules
Lon: But he says he wants to get laid in the next two years and he keeps cussing. but I understand why he's cussing. But he cusses kind of a lot. But I don't think that dallas suzuki likes him. so.
Leif: wait, he only cusses like twice.
Lon: three times, whatever.
x: that's not a lot and we're on the fourth chapter.
Lefi: are we getting recorded.
x: okay. so i'm going to read a page.
x: i predict that he's going to survive. and he's going to get better at football, and he's going to strat. that's what i think.
leif: meadow, you have to talk.
M: I already read the next chapter.
lon: TALK
Leif: here you have to hold the talking stick.
M: the dream, the jesus thing, that's like sorta weird. (no one responds to her bringing this up, but I did hear them talking about this same thing on friday)
leif: oh yeah, and he calls him hey-sus, that's like the spanish
leif: so do you have any predications or questions?
m: i already read the next chapter
leif: mila's turn
lon: mila didn't read her books so she has to write a whole paper about i will read my book
mila: I don't ahve a problem with writing
x:well, it's a problem with us. you're letting us down.
x: oh my jesus, did you just threaten me.
mi: i liked the book.
conversation gets off track? maybe not, maybe it's about something related??
lon: we all thought that the book was kind of inappropriate
X: diana she's the main the character. she should stop getting high. (wrong name, and also, she's not the main character. He's picking this up from what London says.)
leif: in the book, the therapist lady, diana, she gets high like every single
lon: I don't even think her name is diana
leif: isn't that what he calls her?
lon: i odn't know, let me check (goes back to text)
leif: wait, what's her name
mead: I don't think it tells us her name
leif: it is diana. the therapist is named diana. what does she get high on?
lon: I dont think she smokes, I don't. I just thought that bc she seems kind of out of it and she's kind of weird too.
mead: she just gets mad at him bc everyone doesn't want him dying.
lon: and she thought he was hitting on her
leif: I know that was funny, he's like, I have to get laid. and she's all like, and she thinks it with her.
lon: diana's gonna kill herself. no I just think the therapist. I'm not actually sure.
leif: we just made up the name diana bc one of thought it was diana and then it kinda stuck.
dina: I don't remember it being diana either
lon: the therapist lady
mead: it's marla (pretty sure she went to the text)
lon: no that's his mom
dina: let's go back to the text.
leif: it says hes in marlas office
lon: okay then its marla. she's kinda weird honestly. she thinks like he was hitting on her and stuff. and all this weird stuff and also this weird stuff. she seems like she's mad at him.
mead: she just like doesn't want him to fine with like him dying.
lon: why does she care about him, why does she know him, does she know him?
mead: bc she gets paid for it.
dina: who else has some questions or ideas or thoughts about the book
x: I talked already
lon: i think it's kind of sad how his mom does that thing and i think it's really nice of him that he's being such a nice guy and not telling his mom-
leif: or his brother
lon: bc she might actually kill herself, like i'm not kidding. she locked herself in her room for days
dina: what do you guys think, is he being nice by not telling his mom?
leif: bc she's like crazy, and i think that's really sad
leif:i think he is, bc if his mom knows then she'll like get even worse
lon: if his mom was not insane then i would tellher, but she might not take it the right way. she said that she just wants to be a good mom, that's all she ever wanted. so she would think she's not a good mom.
mead: he doesn't want to tell any of the family bc he's trying to amke the most out of the rest of his life, and he thinks that if he tells them, they're just going to be worrying about him and stuff, so he's not like, going to be like, as good for him. so it's not going to be as good for him, bc he's just trying to make his life good.
leif: i understand why he's not telling anybody, bc then he'll be treated differently
lon: yeah totally
leif: he just wants to have a normal like and have a normal last year of high school
Dina: what do you think xavier?
x: i talked already
d: but do you have an idea on whether he should have told his mom or not?
x: i agree with london
d: what do you think is going to happen when she finds outlater?
lon: how do we know she's going to find out later?
leif: well, when he dies
lon: oh yea
x: what if he don't die?
lon: oh my god, she's like going to go and kill herself
x: this is his second book, right?
lon: no its not
dina: he's got a lot of books actualy
leif: i think he actually should tell her
x: it's maybe just all a dream
leif: i think he should tell her, bc if his mom knows now, then she'll be able to be prepare, but if he just like dies.
mila: there, done with it ( lines she's writing)
x: no, that's not enough. put it ina binder man
leif: yeah, we have to put all the punishments in a binder. okay, mila, you have to write your name, so we can keep count of how many times you fail. no i'm kidding.
x: mila, skylar. (her chosen name)
dina: you know what you're reading next.
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