Lindsey Farmer Future Teacher
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Surviving the Applewhites
13-year-old Jakeis a known trouble maker and his dark clothes and spikey hair do not tell other wise. He moved from Rhode island to North Carolina to live with his grandfather after being kicked out of all the schools back home. He has trouble finding a school take will accept him after all of this, and the only educational institution that will is the Creative Academy. Which is run by the zany Applewhite family. The Applewhites, are all creative, talented, artistic types, and their school is more of a self-education opportunity. E.D., the almost 13-year-old daughter of the family feels like she is the outcast of the family lacking artistic talents. E.D.s father decides to produce a community play of the Sound of Music. E.D. finds herself as stage manager, and Jake gets a starring role in the play and discovers a passion for the stage. The two kids find their passion and who they are in this novel about self discovery.
This book can help teachers by showing them every student has their own talent. Kids all have different talents and all students should be given a chance to find their way. It also touches on not judgin a book by its cover Jake wasn't a bad kid he just hadn't found something to focus him yet.
Frindle
In this book Frindle by Andrew Clements the main character Nick Allen had just entered the fifth grade and with that comes his newest project- gettiing around the rules of his new strict teacher Mrs. Granger. Nick sets out on a quest by taking Mrs. Grangers words literally and creating a new word. The power struggle begins and Nick has no idea whats in store for him and his new seven letter word... FRINDLE.
This book contributes to education and is helpful for because it shows how important it is to give students a chance to be creative. Nick is the perfect example of a challenging student because he is never actually breaking the rules. The lesson to take from this is to let children spread their wings and do things that are a little out of the ordinary.