A World of Words

________________

An Interactive Play in Two Acts

By Judy (Bao-An) Ngo

Contact:
Judy Bao-An Ngo
1 LMU Drive, Suite 1340
Los Angeles, CA 90045
jngoplacer16@gmail.com
EDUC 6960 | Prof. Knotts
Final Project

July 27, 2016

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Characters:
1 Teacher/Host 20 Middle School Students

Educational Philosophers/Psychologists:
Jean Piaget
Lev Vygotsky
Benjamin Bloom
Phillip Yenawine
Abigail Housen

Note on characters: Philosophers/Psychologists may be added or removed based on director’s

educational philosophy. The set of philosophies provided are those the playwright believes to be
best suited, however, is understanding of the different styles and perspectives of the future
producers of the play.

Set Design:
Classroom library Two white boards Wall of windows 24 desks
Teacher’s desk 6-door rotating closet Prayer Corner
Library Book Shelves

Teachers’
Computer Desks

Desk
White board with Smart Board

Storage Shelves
Space-time White board
continuum

Prayer
Closet with Rotating Doors & Bulletin Boards corner

Note on Set Design: Main stage is set on a rotating platform. The four walls should be able to
slide on and off of the stage in order to transition between scenes effectively. Depending on the
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orientation of the classroom for the scene, the fourth wall will be removed in order to engage and
make the experience accessible to the audience.
Costumes:
Students are expected to be in full uniform and well-groomed each day.
Dennis Uniform Companies
Classroom scenes: Uniform sweaters or sweatshirts Playground scenes: Uniform jackets
Boys: Navy or White Polos; White Oxford shirts; Khaki shorts or pants
Girls: Navy or White Polos; White Oxford shirts; Khaki skirts, shorts, or pants; Plaid skirts

Lighting:
Indoor, warm tones of natural sunlight streaming through the windows with additional florescent
ceiling lights.
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ACT ONE: Relax, have a MANAGE-MINT

SCENE ONE

(In darkness: Sounds of children on the

playground singing nursery rhymes and
running around. A distant sound of footsteps
created from a distinct pair of teacher heels
progressively gets louder as it approaches.
The footsteps stop and a shuffling of papers
is heard along with the squeaking of a
marker on a white board. The sounds
continue softly in the background as a small
spotlight appears on a man entering SL and
slowly crossing the stage as he speaks. Enter
JEAN PIAGET ABIGAIL HOUSEN.)

JEAN PIAGET

1920. Theory of Cognitive Development. Sensori-motor, Pre-operational, Concrete-operational,

Formal operational. “It is with children that we have the best chance of studying the development
of logical knowledge, mathematical knowledge, physical knowledge, and so forth…If you want
to be creative, stay in part a child, with the creativity and invention that characterizes children
before they are deformed by adult society.”
(He exits SR as LEV VYGOTSKY enters
SR and crosses while speaking.)

LEV VYGOTSKY

Mid 1920s. Scaffolding. Zone of Proximal Development. Mind in Society. “A child's greatest
achievements are possible in play, achievements that tomorrow will become her basic level of
real action and morality…In the course of development, children change by virtue of the
experiences that they previously had, as well as the meaning those experiences have had for
them…Writing should be meaningful for children, that an intrinsic need should be aroused in
them, and that writing should be incorporated into a task that is necessary and relevant for life.”

(He exits SL as BENJAMIN BLOOM enters

SL and crosses while speaking.

BENJAMIN BLOOM

1956. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis,

Synthesis, Evaluation. “With a mastery approach, almost all students who are provided with
favorable learning conditions, learn well…The question is what can we do when we’re teaching
30 children at a time that will be closer to what we would do if we had the resources to teach
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them one at a time…The most important is the feedback-corrective process…When [it] is used
well, we begin to understand the enormous learning potential of all our students. They have the
prerequisites for each new learning task, they begin to use learning time more effectively, and
the amount of time required to learn each new step becomes more similar for more students.”

(He exits SR as PHILLIP YENAWINE

enters SR and crosses while speaking.)

PHILLIP YENAWINE

1997. Thoughts on Visual Literacy. “…the ability to find meaning in imagery. It involves a set of
skills ranging from simple identification (naming what one sees) to complex interpretation on
contextual, metaphoric and philosophical levels. Many aspects of cognition are called upon, such
as personal association, questioning, speculating, analyzing, fact-finding, and categorizing.
Objective understanding is the premise of much of this literacy, but subjective and affective
aspects of knowing are equally important.”
(He exits SL as ABIGAIL HOUSEN enters
SL and crosses while speaking.)

ABIGAIL HOUSEN

Mid 1970’s. Theory of Aesthetic Development. Visual Thinking Strategies. VTS. “We have
come to believe that discussions of art may be one of the most fertile grounds for teaching
critical thinking skills precisely because there is no one right answer…By posing
developmentally appropriate questions, by asking viewers to look again in a new and relevant
way, we are insuring that the learner generates his own learning...by using the framework
provided by the teacher to actively construct something new, something different, something that
becomes his own—namely a new way to puzzle over the meaning of a work of art.”

(In the darkness, the overlapping sounds in

the background crescendo just to the point
when it is almost too loud to bear. Suddenly
the bell rings, stopping all the other sounds.
It is quiet, peaceful as the light slowly rises
on a TEACHER at the white board in a
dimly lit, organized classroom.)

NARRATOR
(In calm, mechanical voiceover.)

This is a play about an English teacher. A plan on how to teach Language Arts. A play on
words.
(The tableau suddenly breaks as the teacher
turns and interrogates the voiceover.)

TEACHER
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Hold on! Why would a play on words begin with sounds? Well, I guess, because English and the
Language Arts are about much more than words—
NARRATOR
(Voiceover attempts to explain calmly.)

ELA is about speaking and listening.

(TEACHER mumbles an apology and

resumes the frozen tableau image as the
voiceover continues her soothing
introduction.)

It is about writing and reading; about critical thinking and communicating. This is a play about a
plan to open doors to new worlds through imagination, creativity, literature, and language.

(Lights gently fade to black. End of Scene

One.)
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SCENE TWO

(Lights up on TEACHER standing outside

of her classroom door. The fourth wall of
the classroom begins in front of the
audience, hiding the interior of the
classroom. Using the bulletin board outside
of her classroom, the TEACHER explains
her philosophy and schoolwide discipline
policy/plan.)

TEACHER

Hello and welcome to Immaculate Heart of Mary School located in the heart of Hollywood!
Before stepping into my classroom, let us first explore the expectations of the larger school
community.

(Displayed on the bulletin board:)

Schoolwide Learning Expectations:

 Children of Faith & Morality
 Children of Citizenship and Community
 Children as Critical Thinkers
 Children Practicing Good Communication
 Children as Life-Long Learners

Here at IHM, we have high hopes for the students and we expect them to learn and become
Children of Faith and Morality, of Citizenship and Community. Our students graduate as
Critical Thinkers who practice Good Communication, and are Life-Long Learners cherishing the
multitudinous opportunities for education. Taken straight from the Schoolwide Learning
Expectations, these values are perfectly in line with my own teaching philosophy. It was only by
Divine Providence that I was lead to this special community.

(As TEACHER speaks the last two lines, the

fourth wall begins to slide away as she
gestures with an open hand, welcoming the
audience into the classroom. End of Scene
Two.)
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SCENE THREE

(Lights transition to focus on the fully

language arts and literature immersed
arrangement of the classroom. Meaningful
quotes from well-known writers, images of
notable front cover artworks of famous
literature, and memorable verses of poetry
cover the bulletin boards and surround the
classroom. The TEACHER moves
throughout the classroom as she explains her
educational philosophy.)

TEACHER

In my dreams of becoming an educator, I always envisioned myself in an early childhood, self-

contained classroom. As life has it, I will instead be teaching junior high school
English/Language Arts. I highly doubted my abilities to do so at first, knowing I only had my
Theatre major and AP course studies to guide me in the right direction. After all, I grew up
struggling to read for fun while my sisters were always the bookworms. I realized, however, that
perhaps that was the reason I should be teaching ELA. I started out despising reading and
allowing it to become a chore, but through theatre, I learned to open my mind to new
possibilities of imagination and creativity. That is what I want to be able to do for my students.

From that point of realization on, I soon became aware of how capable I actually was to teach
middle school English. After all, I also had the Liberal Studies major backing me and it was not
long before I realized, my philosophy of education that catered toward young children, applied
directly to the older students as well. It is all based on four main goals that integrate education,
creativity, and the arts.

(TEACHER sets out the carpet and arranges

the chairs in the “space time continuum”)

First, building a safe space and an open environment in the classroom for the students to have
exploratory learning experiences and maintain their inherent curiosity.

(TEACHER crosses SR to the white board

and plays a muted video recording of a
Shakespeare performance displayed on the
Smart Board.)

Second, providing an interactive, engaging classroom with activity based lessons integrating the
visual and performing arts into the everyday classroom.
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(TEACHER crosses to the front door of the

classroom and greets STUDENTS
individually by name as they file into the
classroom.)

Third, maintaining an openness /(Good morning, Arthur!) and willingness to learn from /(Good
morning, Julia) and empathize with student experiences /(Good morning, Kyla) in order to build
trust /(Good morning, Sebastian!) and healthy student, teacher, parent relationships.

(TEACHER crosses back to the front white

board and writes “Today’s topic:
Happiness”)

Fourth, fostering creativity and lifelong learning to students in order to guide and equip them
with proper tools for a life of success and happiness.

(To STUDENTS.)

Good morning class! Please open your iPads and for the next 7 minutes, quickly research and
find something new about the topic of happiness. Write down a sentence or two on your findings
and be ready to share at the end of the 7 minutes.

(To audience.)

Using daily routines as these, along with POSITIVE discipline, direct instruction, modeling, low
profile intervention, and nonverbal cuing, my classroom will be a living example of achieving
the four goals of my educational philosophy.

(Lights fade on the teacher gathering

material to transition into the discussion as
students attentively finish their notes on the
research and get ready to discuss. End Scene
Three.)
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SCENE FOUR

(Epic intergalactic space exploration music

plays in the background as the lights
gradually rise on the corner bulletin board
detailing the Classroom Rules in the
acronym P.O.R.T.A.L.S.)

DEEP MALE ANNOUNCER VOICE

Far, far away in a classroom at the heart of Hollywood is a place you can only imagine. It
contains the secrets of new undiscovered worlds and P.O.R.T.A.L.S. to access them. Will you be
the one to step into these portals and explore the infinite worlds? Do you have what it takes to
unlock these doors?

(Displayed on the board:)

Preparation is key.
Openness of mind and heart.
Respect yourself & others.
Think critically.
Appreciate & be grateful.
Listen actively. Always.
Smile and have fun!
(Lights rise on the teacher as she sternly
paces back and forth in a test to prepare her
STUDENTS for the journey. STUDENTS
are seated and slightly bewildered but
intrigued.)

TEACHER

Students, are you ready for the task? Raise one hand if you dare to be prepared! Preparation is
key!

(STUDENTS reluctantly but all eventually

raise one hand.)

Now open your hands to the side if you promise to be open to whatever lies in the great beyond.
You will need an openness of body, mind, and heart.
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(STUDENTS transition to open arms, with a

few arms dangling without much support.)

Please stand if you deserve respect and swear it to those around you. You must Respect yourself
and others.
(STUDENTS all stand together looking
around the room to make sure they are not
the only ones.)

Place your hands on your head if you vow to Think critically to carry out the mission.

(STUDENTS bashfully raise their hands to

their heads and lightly smile at their
classmates because of the ridiculousness of
the activity.)
If you are ready to accept your fate, join your hands with another and Appreciate this
opportunity you have to share. Be grateful.

(STUDENTS smile as they look for friends

around them with whom to hold hands.)

In unity with one another, please form a circle, hands still joined together as we Listen actively.
Always.

(STUDENTS all gather into a circle feeling

silly, but comfortable with each other.)

Finally, as you have all proved your readiness to join the ranks, look around the room at your
fellow class and Smile. You will all be traveling together on this year-long journey so remember
to have fun.

(STUDENTS look around the circle smiling

and some audibly giggling.)

Congratulations. You are all now equipped with the proper tools to transport through the
PORTALS.

(Lights fade on the students in the circle and

transitions back to the TEACHER as she
addresses the audience.)

What is the rationale for this theme? Why even have a theme for the classroom? First, to
establish a necessary and often neglected continuity throughout the year. Second, to see the
bigger picture, the larger world, the infinite space around us. Third this outer worldly concept
ties together the relevance of the individual in the larger world, personal identity, and being a
part of a larger community. Fourth, the idea of portals, being a door, a mode, a space to move
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through, to transition, to change, to go from one place to a whole other dimension, is an all-
encompassing topic that is extremely relatable to the physical and emotional development of
junior high students. Finally, the enjoyment, excitement, and imagination of literature and
reading gets lost when applied to the school context in ELA. Approaching literature and
language with the mindfulness of limitless potential, allows for more exploration, interest, and
possibilities.

(Levin and Nolan Principles of Classroom Management: A Professional Decision-Making Model

supportive and prosocial behavior and student engagement in learning activities (p.10))
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SCENE FIVE

(Lights up on the empty classroom. The

TEACHER enters with a brisk march
followed by the students marching in the
same way. The TEACHER stops and pivot
turns to the audience, followed by the
STUDENTS mimicking the same action.)

TEACHER

In order for this mission to be fully successful, I need you all to demonstrate the routines and
procedures of our classroom. Don’t forget, the rest of you will also be announcing the number
and procedure so…Numbers 1 through 7 are you ready to begin?

OR

(Lights up on an empty classroom. The

TEACHER enters with a big exaggerated,
ideal smile as the STUDENTS quietly file in
behind her in an impeccably straight line
with hands behind their back. The
TEACHER speaks in a cheery, gentle voice
as soft, happy music plays in the
background.)

In order for us all to keep it Simple, Specific, Straightforward, and Safe, we must all go over the
routines and procedures of our classroom! Yay! Now remember, each of you will be speaking
aloud the procedure and its name so pay close attention! Are all the assigned number from 1
through 7 ready to begin? Excellent!

Number 1, please!

STUDENT

Number One: Restroom Policy. Raise your hand with a sign language R, wait for teacher
approval, grab the restroom pass, and bring it back when you’re done.

TEACHER
Excellent! Number Two, please.

STUDENT

Number Two! Pair & Share. Partner up and chat for 4 minutes, unless otherwise specified by the
teacher.
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(As STUDENTS continually go through the

procedures and routines, a range of student
voices from high pitches, to quickly
speaking students, to shy, nervous students
are heard.)

STUDENT

Number Three: Homework Policy. Due always into the bin/folder near the wall upon entry into
class. If you do not have it, take a pink homework sheet, fill it out, and turn the pink sheet into
the bin. Students will always have something to turn in when the homework is due.

STUDENT

Number Four? Questions? Questions are the first step to gaining answers. Raise your hand, ask
for the class! Remember, stupid questions are non-existent. Think first, raise your hand, and ask
the intelligent question on the tip of your tongue!

STUDENT

Number Five. Responding. Even if you are unsure how to phrase the question, raise your hand
and think out loud as you work out the answer or question. If it is off-track, Ms. will guide you
back!

STUDENT

Number Six! Warming up/Kick-off! There’s stretching, journaling…The LA stretch, behind your
chair stretches…

(Next STUDENT cuts off “Number six” and

enthusiastically announces the last one.)

STUDENT

Number Seven. Classwork/Catching Up! If students are behind schedule, need a breather, or are
working independently, please proceed to the “space-time-continuum!” Weehoo!

TEACHER

Thank you so very much my dear students for presenting all of those procedures with such great
enthusiasm and specificity! I know you will all apply these procedures throughout the whole
year! What a wonderful class!

(TEACHER clasps hands together in a

gesture of classic endearment. Lights fade to
black. End Scene Five.)
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SCENE SIX

(Lights up onstage with the TEACHER

holding a host microphone. House lights are
also dimly lit in order to transition into the
audience participation portion of the play.)

TEACHER/HOST

WEEEELLLLCOOOOOMME to the audience participation portion of the show!!!! Here, we

will ask 10 audience volunteers to come up and answer one brief question for us! So who out
there would like to give us a piece of advice? This new teacher right here can use whatever
you’ve got to say!

(Ten audience volunteers come up from the

audience and stand on the stage with the
TEACHER/HOST.)

Thank you, thank you to all you brave souls! Now, before we start, heeerrrreeee is our topic for
the night! Drumroll please! A description of techniques for responding to students!!!

If you saw a student exhibiting excellent behavior what would you say?

(Audience member answers will vary by

night but TEACHER will always respond
with what the survey says.)

In order to acknowledge good behavior of a student, the teacher survey says,

(In TEACHER voice,)

“Thank you [insert student name] for following the instructions given.”

(Back to HOST voice.)

Teachers recommend pointing out a specific student and commending them for their exemplary
behavior which will then encourage other students to follow suit. After all, just as Alfie Kohn
says, “The only way to help students become ethical people…is to help them figure out—for
themselves and with each other—how one ought to act.” (Quoted by Savage from Kohn 1996 in
Classroom Management: Perspectives on the Social Curriculum)

How would you respond to a question from a student when you do not know the answer?

(Audience member answers.)

Very interesting! Thank you for your response. Teacher survey says,
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(In TEACHER voice.)

“That is an excellent question. Let me make note of it and do some research in order to provide
you with an accurate and thoughtful answer.”

(In HOST voice.)

In addition, the teacher survey also adds,

(In TEACHER voice.)

“It would also be awesome to see what you can find and we can compare our information when
we come back tomorrow.”

(In HOST voice.)

Next question, say you encounter an overly verbose student. What could you say to keep their
comments concise?

(Audience member replies.)

OH! Looks like you are not meant for teaching, buddy! Let’s see what the teacher survey has to
say.

(In TEACHER voice.)

“Could you tell me in one sentence/5 words/10 syllables what you mean by that?”

(In HOST voice.)

Thank you very much, Teacher! Now onto the next question. How would you handle a rude or
disrespectful student?

(Audience member responds.)

I appreciate your candor. Let’s turn to the teacher survey for some advice.

(In TEACHER voice.)

“That was a very unnecessary and/or hurtful and/or inappropriate thing to say. I expect a much
more appropriate and respectful response from you from now on.”

(In HOST voice.)

Now here’s a curveball question! What would you say to a student who makes a surprising or
unexpected comment or question?
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(Audience member replies.)

I see you’re at a loss for words. Let’s ask the teacher survey what they have to say.

(In TEACHER voice.)

“Thank you for your question/response. Please give me 20 seconds to reflect on what you just
said.”

(In HOST voice.)

You see, there is always a reasonable and fair answer! Let’s jump into the deeper thinking
questions! Say you just finished a lesson in ancient history. How would you get your students to
connect to the material?

(Audience gives long winded answer.)

Alright, thank you sir/ma’am. That’s not quite the answer we were looking for so let’s turn to the
teacher survey.

(In TEACHER voice.)

“How does this relate to or connect with what we are currently studying?” or “Does this
incident/story/event remind you of something that is currently happening in our world today?”

(In HOST voice.)

Sounds just right to me! Now let’s continue with this idea and say the student was answering in
the right direction but not quite there. Kinda like our last audience member. What then would
you say to guide them closer the answer?

(Audience provides vague answer. HOST

looks at the audience in search of an answer.
Then simply transitions into TEACHER
voice.)

“I like where your ideas are headed. Could you tell me more about that specific aspect?”

(In HOST voice.)

THANK YOU, Teacher! Now this may be again, something straight for the survey, but we’re
gonna let you give it a shot! So there’s a method of response known as Visual Thinking
Strategies and these are all focused on asking open ended questions. Say you provide your
students with an image, perhaps the front cover of a book before beginning the reading. What
type of open ended questions would you then ask the students?
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(Audience likely answers with a correct

question in the VTS category.)

Not too far off! Teacher survey, what do you have?

(In TEACHER voice.)

“What did you see/hear/touch/smell/taste?” “How would you describe it?” What made you
describe it in the way that you did?” “What words come up when you see/hear/watch this?”

Awesome! Fun facts, although VTS is used mainly for images, the same types of open-ended
questions can be applied to the visual images in the literature read throughout the year, as well as
for any of the videos, and other informational media sources used in the classroom. The three
main questions of
- What’s going on in this picture?
- What do you see that makes you say that?
- What more can we find?
guide students to take a closer look at the material they observe, articulate their observations,
support their statements with evidence, listen to the perspectives of others, and discuss the
possibilities of multiple interpretations. All of these skills are necessary for critical thinking and
communication which not only tie into the SLE’s of Immaculate Heart of Mary School, but also
tackles at least five, if not more, Common Core Standards in Reading, as well as, Speaking and
Listening.

And last but not least, we have our last audience member. At the end of the day, you want to
close out the lesson with a brief recap of the learning throughout the day. How would you end
the day with a summative recap?

(Audience member answers.)

That’s one way to do it! Thank you for all of your answers tonight audience members, give them
all a round of applause! Let’s hear the teacher recommendation before we close up.

(In TEACHER voice.)

Students stand in a circle for a Bonita Circle exercise. “Use 5 syllables or less to describe one
thing you learned and will remember from today” paired with a full body gesture. Each person
does so and every time the whole class repeats what the one person said and did.”

(In HOST voice.)

What a great idea! Include the movement, language, and assessment! Well, that’s all we have for
tonight. We hope you enjoy the rest of your evening and tune in next time for our topic centered
on…BACTERIA! You’ll be dying to know the responses for this one so don’t forget. Thank
you and good night, America!

(Lights fade to black. End Scene Six.)

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SCENE SEVEN

(Projector screen turns on and begins to play

a teacher lesson using flip teaching for
grammar, language, and vocabulary. The
video plays for a brief time. Lights slowly
rise on a student sitting at a close desk to the
screen taking vigorous notes on a paper.
Video and student pauses as the TEACHER
enters the room.)

TEACHER

This other method of teaching is known as “flip teaching” which is an effective way to allow
students adequate time on their classwork and homework as appropriate and coming into class,
instead to do what would be traditionally viewed as homework, in class. As an interactive school
focused on implementing technology as a useful resource, flip teaching will greatly assist in the
Blended Learning pedagogy. It looks like up to this point, you are now fully informed on the
tools and resources necessary for specific, straightforward, safe, and systematic classroom
management. Thank you very much for your visit to IHM. Please join us in the lobby outside
for real examples of student work, a lesson plan, a rubric, a syllabus, and an example of parent-
teacher communication. We hope you enjoyed the show!

(Lights fade to black. End Scene Seven.

End of ACT ONE.)
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ACT TWO: Active ASSESSMENT

SCENE ONE

TEACHER

(TEACHER is dressed in coach attire and

getting ready to pep up the team for the
game and going over the play.)

Grading system assemble!

Alright team, it’s grade time! Remember, we are here to set a fair grading system while
maintaining high expectations for the students. We could draw connections straight to the
Common Core Standards including Standards for Literature, Informational Texts, Writing,
Speaking, and Listening, and Language, but it would be impractical and likely ineffective to do
so. Tackling each as its own respective category is the way to go.

So here, we have a general 1000 point scale with which to grade homework. I chose 1000 points
because it is an easy conversion thing to 100% and would be easier to understand both for me
and the students.

The breakdown is as follows:

200pts Tests/Quizzes
200pts Writing/Essays
200pts Final Portfolio/Presentation
150pts Classwork/Discussions
150pts Homework/Journal
100pts Participation

Vocabulary tests and quizzes are a must, however many classwork activities will be used to learn
the vocab words. We will be reading a minimum of 3 books for each class, in addition to the 3
individually chosen books.

Reading will be part of homework, while discussions for the reading contribute to the classwork
and participation points. This will hold students accountable because if the reading is not done,
students will be unable to contribute. In which case, the student or students may go to the “space
time continuum” and catch up to a certain point to join the class once again and attempt to
participate. Occasional comprehension checks will also be administered and included in the
test/quizzes category in the grading system.

Homework will include routine journaling along with various worksheets, depending on the
vocabulary and grammatical competence of the students. Throughout the year, the literature we
read will include various projects and papers, with at last 2 per unit of which will go towards the
final portfolio. In class conversation and discussion circles based on the literature will include
aspects of analysis and developing questions accompanied by designing activities to foster
creativity.
 Ngo 21

Participation points include the think-pair-share sessions, group work, and a willingness to share
in the activities during school. General writing consists of both formal writing as well as brief
shorter moments of bell-work writing, and also creative writing. Any type of research will be
considered on each assignment basis whether it will be homework or classwork. Grammar will
be incorporated as a daily practice, correcting sentences and similar activities during bell work.
These will hold the least weight in terms of written testing because the true test of grammar is in
the paper and essay writing.

Let’s go over our formations one more time. We’ve got formative assessments: making sure
everyone is good to go with what they know. Then there’s progress-monitoring assessment: Is
everyone on track? Bring it back, eyes on me! (Team responds) Back on track, in 1-2-3! Great.
Then, we have summative assessments: Make sure everyone is in place for the goal, and then
score to reach the end of the unit! (Reading/Language Arts Framework, Sacramento, 1999
handout)

Ready team? Remember, our goal is for 100% but we can’t get there unless you give it 110%!
GO EAGLES!
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SCENE TWO

(Lights up on a corner of the stage. The

TEACHER sits at her desk drafting an
important letter to a student’s parents. She
finishes writing and pauses. She begins to
read the letter out loud.)

October 3, 2016
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Flores,

As this academic year moves towards more focused and demanding material, I am compelled to
share with you the successes and potential future challenges of Arthur’s progress thus far. In the
past few months observing Arthur’s work ethic and interactions with his fellow classmates, I can
clearly see the leadership qualities he embodies. I have noticed that he is always willing to
extend a helping hand, whether it is to other students or to me with help around the classroom. I
have shared with him my commendations of his leadership traits and I will do my best to foster
his learning and growth as a leader in the class and the wider school community.

Because of his ability to reach out to many students, Arthur at times gets distracted when he
finds himself constantly wanting to interact with others. He has some difficulty carefully
fulfilling his responsibilities during independent work blocks in class. Although I vary the
instruction throughout the class period, Arthur much prefers focusing on the paired and group
work but he also has a tendency to neglect the worksheets and individual writings exercises until
just before they need to be turned in. Several times this has resulted in having him work
independently in the “continuum” and having to catch him up on the current lesson being taught.

Thus far, Arthur has been able to finish and turn in all of his work, but I am noticing a potential
habit forming that may pose a challenge for reaching higher expectations in the future. It will be
beneficial for Arthur to continue developing his independent work skills which we will practice
during class, but can also be practiced at home. One way to encourage Arthur’s independent
study habits is to set aside a specific block of time for homework, consistently on a daily basis,
and setting a time frame within which he will need to finish. Keeping a log of the times he
works and reads may also be a helpful visual tool to see the progress he is making.

Thank you very much for all of your support for Arthur’s education at IHM. If you have any
further questions or concerns, or would like a template for implementing a daily log, should you
choose to do so, please do not hesitate to contact me at jngo@ihmla.org.

Have a blessed day,

Ms. Ngo
Junior High English/Language Arts Teacher
 Ngo 23

TEACHER

That seems like a sound letter to me. Let me review it one more time to be sure I covered all my
bases.
 Introduce the reason for the letter? Check!
 Begin with positive feedback and commendable traits? Check!
 Discuss potential challenges of the student in a constructive manner? Check!
 Provide specific examples of student work or actions during the school day? Check!
 Make note of what specific skill can be improved both at school and at home? Check!
 Offer options to help guide student learning at home? Check!
 Clearly make yourself available to answer any questions or concerns? Check!
 Signed and Dated? Check!

Perfect! And just in time for Progress Reports with enough time to reintroduce the new teacher,
help students readjust harmful habits, improve grades before report cards, and maintain open
communication from the start!

(TEACHER folds the letter into the

envelope and seals it, beginning a pile of
letters. She picks up a new blank piece of
paper and begins to write the next letter.
Lights dim to black. End of Scene Two.)
 Ngo 24

SCENE THREE

(Lights up on the TEACHER downstage

directly addressing the audience.)

TEACHER

Since you have been sitting here for such a long time and so patiently, it is time to call it a day.
Students, that’s right, all of you sitting out there in the audience chairs, what did you learn today?
Oh! No need to answer! It is clear by your attention, all your hard work, and contributions that
you have learned plenty! I hope you all can take what you have learned and will apply to your
daily life in any way, shape, or form. Thank you so much for joining me today on this journey!
After all, I am about to enter a new portal myself. May you too find the keys to unlock the
world’s portals, just as you have done for me. Have a wonderful evening and safe travels!

(TEACHER exits into the projected portal in

the whiteboard. End of Scene Three. End of
Play.)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (Works Cited)

http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_197911_brandt2.pdf
https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/
https://www.uky.edu/~eushe2/philo.html
Housen, Abigail. Eye of the Beholder: Research, Theory, and Practice. 2001. Visual
Understanding in Education. Brooklyn, New York. (Downloads)
http://www.vtshome.org/research
Levin & Nolan Handout