Transcript

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TEACHER: So, why do you think that Fair Gwen was scared when she saw Max with
Kevin?

JACK: Because hes an L.D.

KENNY: Because hes big.

TEACHER: Because hes an L.D. Because hes big. Good. Why else?

SALLY: He looks like an older man.

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TEACHER: OK. He looks like an older man. OK. You said because he is L.D. You
said he is big. And because he looks like an older man?

JACK: Because they didnt tell his parents

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TEACHER: OK.

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JACK: Didnt tell his parents where he was going.

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TEACHER: Didnt tell the parents. Why else? (pause) Why else would she have a
shocked look on her face? (pause) Think about what you know about Freak.

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JACK: Oh, hes disabled.

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SALLY: Or hes crazy?

BRANDY: She might have been shocked because Freak is making friends. He might not
get along with everyone.

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TEACHER: OK. Alright. (pause) What did you hear in the beginning from Max about
Freak?

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SALLY: They went to preschool together.

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TEACHER: (eyes wide and in a whisper to show discovery and emphasis) They went to
preschool together.

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SALLY: Shes surprised to see him.

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TEACHER: Alright. (point to another student whose hand is raised) Yep.

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BRYNN: Maybe shes remembering something that happened in preschool.

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TEACHER: OK.

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ERIC: Might be overwhelmed by how much hes grown.

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TEACHER: OK. That will happen. I think of my buddy when I was in 8th grade. To
me, in my mind, shes still four years old. You know how old I am, so were talking a
long time ago, 18 years ago. Shes now in her 20s now. Im sure if I saw her again I
would have absolutely no idea who she was, until she said something. Then I would be
like Oh my goodness! Kids change. You guys are going to change. Im going to see
you in 10 years and Im going to be like Shawn? Really? Youre not going to look
much different than you do now.

student disruption
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TEACHER: (finishing reading)and the weird thing is, Im happy.

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KENNY: I dont think the moms dead.

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SALLY: I think the dad killed her accidentally.

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TEACHER: OK. These are really good predictions.

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KENNY: I think the dad abused her.

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SALLY: It kind of says that he, uh, wouldnt let her have any friends.

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JACK: Kenny, we know the mom is dead.

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KENNY: How?
JACK: Because they said, uh

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SALLY: He lives with his grandparents.

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TEACHER: Hold on, let Jack finish.

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JACK: Uh, that, uh, whats the word, dis

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ETHAN: Departed?

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JACK: Departed, uh, mother.

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SALLY: Oh yeah.

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KENNY: What if shes just gone, though?

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JACK: Dearly departed means shes dead.

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SALLY: Yeah.

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JACK: Shes not alive.

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TEACHER: OK. Very good, Jack. Thats right.

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SALLY: And he lives with his grandma and grandpa

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KENNY: The dads in prison, so

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BRANDY: The dad abused the mom to death so the dads in prison.

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KENNY: What if she committed suicide?

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TEACHER: The mom committed suicide? OK. Thats an interesting thought.

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ETHAN: Yeah, cause the dad abused.

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TEACHER: The dad abused. OK. Any other predictions? This is really good.

(pause)
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TEACHER: How Yeah, go ahead.

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KENNY: I think, uh, whatever her name is, I think her son and her have more of a, uh,
not like a adult kid relationships but like a, uh, like a adult, like the kids smarter than the
mom.

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TEACHER: OK

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JACK: Cause he doesnt say mom. He says, um, Gwen, or whatever

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KENNY: Because he feels like hes smarter than her.

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SALLY: Sister and brother.

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TEACHER: Like a sister and brother feeling? OK. Alright. Put yourself in Maxs
shoes. How do you feel?

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KENNY: Tall.

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SALLY: Awkward.

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BRYNN: Like, not happy with yourself.

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TEACHER: Youre not happy with yourself. OK. Eric?

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ERIC: I feel like I dont fit in.

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BRYNN: Like self-conscious.

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KENNY: Since he always goes under the bed he like feels like nothing ever happened
like his moms never been there or something.

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TEACHER: OK. What does going under the bed do?

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BRANDY: Makes him feel better

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KENNY: Gets him away from the world.

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TEACHER: Gets him away. OK. (to Brandy) What did you say?

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BRANDY: Makes him feel better about himself.

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TEACHER: OK. What does he call that area? What does he call that when he does
that?

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ETHAN: Like nothing?

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TEACHER: Hold on to that. Thats good. But what does he call that area?

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SALLY: Can we look back in the story?

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TEACHER: Absolutely. Please do.

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KENNY: The down under.

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TEACHER: Theres a specific name he calls it. When he goes under the bed? What
does he call that?

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SALLY: He doesnt call it anything.

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TEACHER: Yes, keep looking. Its on the bottom of page 21.

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BRYNN: Time out?

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TEACHER: Yes, time out.

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SALLY: But thats not a good thing.

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TEACHER: In our eyes, right. But in his eyes, what does it mean to be in time out?

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BRYNN: Hes like taking a break to get away

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JACK: From reality.

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TEACHER: Yes, a break from reality. A break from reality makes him feel how, Ethan?

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ETHAN: Like nothing.

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TEACHER: Exactly. Like nothing. Read what it says at the bottom of page 21.
(reading) And before long, Im somewhere else, sort of floating. And its so cool and
empty in there. You dont have to think about
anythingYourenothingYourenobodyNothingmatters

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KENNY: Thats kind of depressing.

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TEACHER: Yeah, isnt it?

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BRYNN: Like he doesnt want to be there.

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KENNY: Its like me when I listen to Sam Smith.

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SALLY: Is he depressed?

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BRYNN: Well, I mean, probably.

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TEACHER: Thats a good question. Do you think hes depressed?

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BRYNN: Yes.
SALLY: Yeah.

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TEACHER: You cant just say yes. You have to give an explanation. One at a time.
Brynn?

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BRYNN: Like I think hes depressed like when hes like by himself and hes like
thinking about his past but when hes happy and like with Gwen and acting like a family
hes like not so depressed.

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TEACHER: OK. So thats a good parallel. At the beginning of the chapter he talks
about Youre nothing. Youre nobody. Time out. And at the end of the chapter what
happens? Brynn?

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BRYNN: Hes happy

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TEACHER: Hes so happy hes

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BRYNN: Like crying.

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TEACHER: Hes crying. Yeah. Hes crying, but hes crying because hes happy. OK.
Kenny?

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KENNY: For some reason this story, like the beginning of it, reminds me of an Offspring
song.

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TEACHER: OK. Which one?

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KENNY: The kids arent all right. Like, cause, like the whole neighborhood is all like
screwed up and like the mom committed suicide and the dad abused her so like

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JACK: But the dad killed her

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KENNY: Well Im guessing that, so like

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TEACHER: So thats his prediction. OK.

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KENNY: It just reminded me of an Offspring song, so

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TEACHER: Thats a good connection. Do you guys realize that when you make
connections in life with literature, youll remember things a lot better, youll get the
meaning. That is the best thing.

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JACK: He might be depressed because he might be afraid of the way other people might
judge him because of his father.

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TEACHER: Oh, I like that. So maybe knowing that he looks like his father affects him.
It makes him depressed. Why would that make him depressed? I look exactly like my
father. Im not depressed about that

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KENNY: Everybody hates his father.

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TEACHER: Everybody hates his father

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SALLY: His dad has a bad reputation.

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JACK: His fathers in prison.

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TEACHER: OK. Because we always associate being in prison with

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KENNY: Bad stuff.

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SALLY: Bad

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TEACHER: Bad or bad guys.

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KENNY: Like especially bad cell mates and stuff

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TEACHER: OK. Brynn?

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BRYNN: Uhhhhh, wait I forgot what I was going to say.

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TEACHER: OK. Any other comments for the good of the order? (pause) OK. Really
good conversation today. Great job everyone.