HB Chapter 3


Research Article 3:

 

 

     "Lewin!"

     There was no reply.

     "Lewin Olvia Lassing!! I know you're here, but at least just give me an answer."

     "Lewin," Renda Luffy whispered hoarsely, finally mustering up the courage to talk. "Teacher's calling."

     Lewin blinked.

     "Ah--yes, Mr. Smith! Here! Present!"

     The Language Arts teacher sighed.

     "Lewin, ah, Lewin. Whatever shall we do with you? Jean!"

     The morning's roll call proceeded without anyfurther delay. I glanced at Lewin as she shook the sleep out of her head. We sat one seat apart--Renda was between us.

     "Today, we will continue yesterday's debate," Mr. Smith announced. "Since yesterday we finished debate B, we'll do C and D today. Team C" he drew a diagram on the whiteboard "will debate about whether block scheduling or traditional scheduling is more benefficial to students. Will team C- please come to the right podium."

     Renda looked at Lewin, Lewin looked at me, I giggled. We were team C+.

     "Team C+, please come to the left podium."

     We would have sat down at the same time, if Lewin hadn't stumbled over an inconspicuous backpack. I would go first, Renda second, and Lewin last. The other team would start, though. Jessica Rume rose and strode to the front of the class a little too fast. I sat back and waited to hear the words I could already see.

     "Thank you, Mr. Smith, for--setting this up, and everyone, all of you, for listening. Um--we, I mean I believe that block scheduling is detrimental to--student learning, because it--contrary to popular belief, it actually shortens the amount of time for learning, subjects such as foreign language and music that need daily repetition suffer, and according to numerous studies made across the continent, block scheduling is overall detrimental to student--to academic achievements. Um..." Jessica flipped a page of her notebook. "Though block scheduling is said to lighten the atmosphere in a classroom, this is only true for--especially motivated students. In truth, the majority of students actually pay less attention. The--teachers, believing that they have more time, give students more time to do homework...so it reduces classwork. Procrastinating students also tend to do their homework the day after the lesson, when there's--there's a higher chance they'd do poorly. Um, overall, therefore, traditional scheduling is be-tter..."

     Jessica Rume, terribly flustered and red, hurried back to her seat and plopped down. Her two teammates desperately tried to cheer her up before she started crying. It probably worked--but it was my turn next. I got up and walked to the podium.

     "No, block scheduling is not detrimental

 

Version 2

 

     "I swear, Lass, one day you're gonna wink out like an overheated lightbulb."

     Lewin Lassing moaned.

     "Don't state the obvious. I think I already have."

     She lay sprawled out on her desk. The battle-remnants of her lunch were strewn in a semi-circle around her, and as I watched she picked up a 7' by 8' piece of tin foil that was still speckled with bread crumbs. She crumpled it up into a ball using one hand, and wearily tossed it towards the squat trash can. It bounced off the rim and landed in Jean's lap.

     "Oh, my gosh, I am so sorry about that, it bounced off the trash can and..."

     Lewin leaped to her feet and rambled on with a long explanation of her ineptitude [?] to control where her arm wanted to shoot, the tin foil's unpredictability, a mysterious gust of wind even though the door was closed, and ended with an accusation of the way the trash can's rim had been designed. Clumsily she retrieved the tin foil and dropped it into the trash can from directly above the opening. Jean and her friends, throughout, had been too surprised to say much more than, "No, it's okay, I'm fine..."

     Lewin returned to her original position.

     "...Wow. So what were you saying?"

     "I was saying something?"

     "You're already an overheated lightbulb or something like that."

     "Oh yeah. Yeah. That's what I said. What else was I supposed to say?"

     "Like, for example, why you think so, or what exactly were you spending your energy on instead of sleeping at 3 in the morning?"

     "Shush, you're being all analytical again. I actually went to bed at 2 this morning. And plus I wasn't really spending my energy, I just can't sleep. Not my fault. So I draw to pass the time--hardly anything comes out anyways."

     "Then try exercising right before you go to bed."

     Lewin gave me her puppy-dog look.

     "Lass, if you doodle until later than 12 midnight, I will personally administer your punishment and treatment at the same time--a sledgehammer to the head. Understood?"

     Lewin threw up her hands and whined for mercy. "I get it. I'll try."

     After a few more minutes of doddling, the bell rang. The 45-minutes lunch break was over.