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Post by aln1982 on Jul 26, 2007 23:55:33 GMT -5
^ I think it still made Mr. Trout feel bad. Agree that it isn't the same but being ridiculed is being ridiculed. At least in my opinion and my experience. I just don't find things like the Follies funny. But to each his own. I don't know that Jessi really thought she was doing the right thing, either, but was more "going along with the group". In my experience, this can cause more ridicule/teasing (some of which those who inflict it don't even realize or mean for it to have such a lasting impact) than anything else.
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mckay
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Post by mckay on Jul 27, 2007 14:53:07 GMT -5
I reread this one the other day and was kind of annoyed by Mr. Trout. He really brought a lot of it on himself. Of course it wasn't right for the kids to torment him like that, but they're eleven. You need to control a classroom or you're screwed. And then to basically skip town? Sheesh, man, you're an adult! Act like it!
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Post by aln1982 on Jul 27, 2007 16:22:23 GMT -5
^ Mr. Trout was definitely not cut out for teaching. I had some teachers like that and it was horrible. They let the kids get out of control, which made the whole class a waste and also allowed other kids to be tormented and picked on. It's probably best that Mr. Trout left for whatever reason and found a job better suited for him.
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Penny Lane
Sitting For The Arnolds
The Girl With Colitis Goes By
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Post by Penny Lane on Nov 17, 2007 12:25:12 GMT -5
I just read this for the first time. (I'm trying to read all the ones I didn't read when I was little -- surprisingly, there are a lot)
I liked it, but not as much as I've liked other Jessi books. I didn't like how she thought "mr trout should take a course in human relations" when she saw him reading in the teacher's lounge. What is that? Everyone needs to be social all the time? When would we have time to read our BSC books?
Mr Trout brought some of it on himself -- he should have known better, he is an adult after all. Why was he teaching jr high if he clearly didn't want to be? And leaving mid session? That's a horrible idea, you would have thought he would have at least waited until the end of the semester. I also didn't like how he was a stereotyped version of a Comp-Sci grad student. The only way that could have been more offensive was if AMM had made him Indian. Also, considering how Jessi "loves different languages" and "became practically bi-lingual", I would think she would have caught on to the programming language a little faster.
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Post by aln1982 on Nov 17, 2007 17:21:13 GMT -5
^ To me, computer programming is totally different from foreign language. Of course, both are totally "foreign" and extremely difficult for me. ;D
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Penny Lane
Sitting For The Arnolds
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Post by Penny Lane on Nov 17, 2007 20:15:48 GMT -5
^ I thought this too, until I worked in the computer science department at college -- even though my major had nothing to do with CS and I really have no real, vested interest in most CS topics. I like web design and stuff, but not enough to do it forever. Anyway, while I worked there (and minored in french), I met a lot of people who were always trying to get me to take CS classes (instead of just working as a tutor/lab instructor for the freshmen). They explained to me that a lot of programming really is the same as learning a foreign language, it has it's own syntax and things. I just thought that was interesting.
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Post by sparklymouse on Feb 5, 2008 18:19:09 GMT -5
Anyone ever have a teacher like Mr. Trout? I never had one that wouldn't discipline the students at all. Even the "cool" teachers would hand out a detention if you ticked them off badly enough. I think I preferred the Mr. Trouts of the teaching world to the Dolly-like teachers. (If he had control of his classroom, anyway.) The fact that kids called them "The Dollies" in part because of their big boobs, and they thought it was funny just grossed me out.
I know Ghostwriter Peter wrote this one, so now I picture him looking just like Mr. Trout. Instead of computer programming, Peter sits in his basement writing young adult novels and never sees sunshine.
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mckay
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Post by mckay on Feb 5, 2008 18:25:21 GMT -5
I had a Mr. Trout teacher, but we were nice to him to his face because he really was nice. But whenever I read this book I picture him. He just kind of didn't know what to do with us.
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Post by aln1982 on Feb 5, 2008 20:23:38 GMT -5
Peter as Mr. Trout is a funny mental picture. ;D Not at all how I see Peter, though. For some reason, I picture him as being good looking (not sure why on this....) I'm getting ready to reread to see if I have a different perspective since I usually do not like this one much at all - plot or subplot. It really bothers me how mean they are to Mr. Trout and I don't find things like the follies funny. That's just me, though.
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Penny Lane
Sitting For The Arnolds
The Girl With Colitis Goes By
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Post by Penny Lane on Feb 5, 2008 20:34:32 GMT -5
I actually do like this one, and I think the follies are funny. Why don't you find them funny? Just wondering about your perspective. I do think that those group projects can be fun for kids, and if the grow ups being parodied or "follied" (never heard that term before this book) are grown up about their quirks and flaws, it is a good way to build a school community. I didn't think I would like this one, as I kept hearing mentions of it on LJ. But I actually did. I usually like Jessi books though.
And I think Mr Trout was a fish out water at stoneybrook middle. He was not ready to be teaching junior high kids. They shouldn't have been so mean, but you have to have thick skin. It comes with the territory. First you deal with the kids, but you also have to deal with the parents, who can be worse then the kids.
I don't know about the kid follies though. That just seems... weird.
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Post by greer on Feb 5, 2008 20:45:48 GMT -5
mr trout as a fish out of water? a pun worthy of abby. ;D
i think if you're going to teach middle school kids, it takes a LOT of self-esteem.
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Post by booboobrewer on Feb 5, 2008 20:51:50 GMT -5
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sarish
Sitting For The Papadakis's
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Post by sarish on Feb 5, 2008 23:06:50 GMT -5
I had a teacher in 7th grade who had no control over his class. He actually threw a desk across the room at one point. I remember the next year he moved up to teaching 8th grade, thinking the kids would be more mature, and then the year after, he went to Catholic school. I laughed when I found out.
I really enjoyed this book! I thought the follies were very funny!
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Post by aln1982 on Feb 6, 2008 16:40:55 GMT -5
I actually do like this one, and I think the follies are funny. Why don't you find them funny? Just wondering about your perspective. I do think that those group projects can be fun for kids, and if the grow ups being parodied or "follied" (never heard that term before this book) are grown up about their quirks and flaws, it is a good way to build a school community. Not that I don't do some of it myself (though I try really hard not to but often don't succeed ;D) but I just don't find anything funny about making fun of (even just "good natured teasing") anyone's unchangable characteristics like the way they talk or look. A sensitive issue for me and I've always been like this. I think some of it has to do with my personality and also the way I was brought up but making fun of people's looks, voice, etc. has always bothered me (not that I don't do it myself sometimes) I think this is the same reason I find nothing funny about the snark humor like Tiff's blog. This is just me, though, and I don't want to debate my position on it. I understand that most people think these things are hilarious and am not saying anything against these people - just that I personally find nothing funny about it. Agree that Mr. Trout was not suited to teaching middle school. I think teaching takes a special type of personality and ability and know that I don't have it, either. (I'd probably be in jail for going off on some disrespectful kid or something ;D) I did like in this book how Jessi wrote the letter to Mr. Trout at the end. It's situations like this that make me like Jessi more the more I read about her. I wish I would have given her books (though not this one ;D) a chance as a kid and started reading them sooner. Thanks for the link to Peter's picture, booboo. He is kind of how I picture him (not as good looking but same age, hair color, etc.) Interesting to put a face with the books. (Though I often don't like doing this - it can skew my perception ;D)
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Post by greer on Feb 6, 2008 16:50:01 GMT -5
Everyone's sense of humor is different--i don't think that's something you can change or debate. ;D
I actually never had an image of any of the ghostwriters in my mind.
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