Gryphon
By
Charles Baxter
•born on May 13, 1947
•went to the University Of Buffalo
•he won the Michigan Author Award
•he was born in Minneapolis
•he was nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction
•went to the University Of Buffalo
•he won the Michigan Author Award
•he was born in Minneapolis
•he was nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction
Prereading Reflection
What do you expect to learn when you have a substitute teacher?
I expect a substitute teacher to be super duper smart and know what they are doing.
What are some strategies substitutes used to teach their classes? Which strategies work? Which do not?
Substitutes usually ask the students what they do in class, then they read the note that the normal teacher leaves for them. A strategy that substitutes usually use is doing what the students tell them, and us students usually tell them nonsense.
I expect a substitute teacher to be super duper smart and know what they are doing.
What are some strategies substitutes used to teach their classes? Which strategies work? Which do not?
Substitutes usually ask the students what they do in class, then they read the note that the normal teacher leaves for them. A strategy that substitutes usually use is doing what the students tell them, and us students usually tell them nonsense.
Vocabulary In Context
Painstakingly
Definition: boring; a way that causes suffering
Quote: "Let us go on to your assigned problems for today, as painstakingly outlined, I see, in Mr. Hilber's lesson plan." (p.69)
Cosmic
Definition: universal; supernatural
Quote: "The nature of a pyramid is to guide cosmic energy forces into a concentrated point." (p.72)
Improvise
Definition: make it up
Quote: "I had to improvise, to outrage about this scientist, this mad scientist in the Swiss Alps, and he's been putting genes and chromosomes and stuff together in test tubes, and he combined a human being and a hamster." (p.74)
Variant
Definition: different; various
Quotes: "Gryphon: variant of griffin." (p.76)
Fabulous
Definition: amazing
Quote: "Fabulous was right, I shouted with triumph and ran outside to put my father's tools in their proper places." (p.76)
Pretense
Definition: going to do it
Quote: "This time there was no pretense of doing a reading lesson or moving on to arithmetic." (p.76)
Demoralized
Definition: disbelief; doubts himself
Quote: "He seemed demoralized." (p.79)
Definition: boring; a way that causes suffering
Quote: "Let us go on to your assigned problems for today, as painstakingly outlined, I see, in Mr. Hilber's lesson plan." (p.69)
Cosmic
Definition: universal; supernatural
Quote: "The nature of a pyramid is to guide cosmic energy forces into a concentrated point." (p.72)
Improvise
Definition: make it up
Quote: "I had to improvise, to outrage about this scientist, this mad scientist in the Swiss Alps, and he's been putting genes and chromosomes and stuff together in test tubes, and he combined a human being and a hamster." (p.74)
Variant
Definition: different; various
Quotes: "Gryphon: variant of griffin." (p.76)
Fabulous
Definition: amazing
Quote: "Fabulous was right, I shouted with triumph and ran outside to put my father's tools in their proper places." (p.76)
Pretense
Definition: going to do it
Quote: "This time there was no pretense of doing a reading lesson or moving on to arithmetic." (p.76)
Demoralized
Definition: disbelief; doubts himself
Quote: "He seemed demoralized." (p.79)
Contrasting Ideas
Miss Ferenczi says or does something TYPICAL of a teacher
•Standard subjects •Instructs them •She follows directions •She struggles •Practice subjects |
Miss Ferenczi says or does something NOT TYPICAL of a teacher
•Answers aren't typical •Told fortunes to 4th graders •Washington wasn't a true president •Teaching her opinion •Tells unrealistic stories |