[MOSAIC] Comprehension in general

[Bill Roberts]

Hi,
You haven't heard from me in awhile because I've met my match with this 
year's 8th graders. They don't read, they don't do homework, they don't do 
anything.  They have no hobbies, interests, opinions.  They are zombies who 
come into the classroom, sit, and take up space.  For the first time ever, I 
can say they are not any smarter or better prepared than they were in the 
beginning of school...and this is confirmed by every 8th grade teacher I 
work with!  But I've discovered something that at least explains what is 
going on, even though it offers no solutions:

They have NO comprehension at all.

I assigned movie reviews thinking it might get them to try and do something. 
I gave a list of the AFI Top 100 Films of all time, plus a list of the top 
250 foreign films of all time.  The best films ever made.  I hoped they 
might discover a new world by seeing classics like CASABLANCA or GONE WITH 
THE WIND or even SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.  Was I wrong.  Most couldn't even 
watch a film because they didn't want to make the effort.  They had 9 weeks 
to find a film, watch it, review it, and they didn't do it.  So I made it an 
assignment for the next grading period...I wasn't going to give up.  Same 
assignment, but this time they had to do an oral review and talk about the 
movie.  My plan was for them to use their reading strategies and apply them 
to a movie....

18 weeks of cajoling, reminding, and pleading, and about half did it.  The 
ones who did, though, couldn't remember how the movie ended.  They could 
tell me in detail about the first 10-15 minutes of the films, but they 
couldn't tell me the story, who the characters were, how the movie 
ended...nothing.  I thought they might have fallen asleep, or stopped 
watching, but all said they watched the entire movie....they just couldn't 
remember anything.  Some even remembered wrong endings like the girl who 
said the shark survived the ending of JAWS.  Her logic?  The shark was in 
JAWS 2 and 3, so it must have survived.  One girl couldn't remember anything 
about THE WIZARD OF OZ, not the yellow brick road, Dorothy, the music,...she 
couldn't even tell me the name of the land they were in!  One advanced 
student told me he watched WIZARD OF OZ, but he couldn't explain it because 
he got lost and confused.  Another told about the Lion, Scarecrow, and the 
Robot.  Most could not stay focused on 90 minutes of film long enough to 
process and remember it.  Another, who loved CASABLANCA, couldn't remember 
what state Casablanca was located in.  According to another, Clarice was 
interested in Hannibal Lechter because she was writing a book on him. 
Another watched MY FAIR LADY, but hated it because she hates musicals.  I 
asked why did she pick it when she had over 300 to choose from and she said 
"it sounded interesting."

If they can't comprehend a movie, then what hope do we have of them 
comprehending a book?

Bill