Mark Twain Elementary School is a Chicago Public School on the Southwest side of Chicago. By making students aware of some of Keller’s life actions outside of the texts, students will be able to see the multidimensional nature of Keller and why the melodramatic nature of the The Miracle Worker only captures a small sliver of her life. As you will come to see, it is critical to consider Keller’s entire biography instead of focusing exclusively on The Story of Life and its derivative texts. However well-intentioned, that approach to teaching using Keller’s story diminishes her varied contributions and unique circumstances that she faced during her lifetime. With that in mind, I would like to explicitly state that the purpose of this unit is not to use her story as a means “to goad students into upright behaviors, or to silence students' concerns or grievances about their own lives.” 1 A teacher taking a didactic approach to discussing Keller’s life risks reducing Keller’s experiences to being viewed solely from a perspective that that is hyper-focused on her disabilities. In selecting Helen Keller as the subject of extended reading, I hope that my students appreciate the accomplishments of an individual that are more complicated than the commonly-accepted historical narrative of her life. She was born with natural talent that was unlocked with the help of a supporting crew of individuals that had her best interest at heart. Being deaf and blind, she relied on the support of her teacher and companions to make it through her life successfully. Helen Keller strikes me as an individual worth exploring with my students.
With that in mind, I think it is helpful to think about individuals like my former student who have faced major life challenges and were able to move forward in the best way possible. In fact, many of the challenges that my students face can even seem daunting and life-altering. Humor aside, the transition into adolescence isn’t easy. The joy whipping foam dodgeballs at all of my students that day still brings a smile to my face. He made sure to call me out to throw that dodgeball at him, and I gladly obliged. For instance, I remember taking the kids outside at the end of the year to play dodgeball. He would ask questions about my day to show that he cared and was a good friend to his peers who had grown to look out for him. When I think back on him, I remember what a thoughtful student he was in eighth grade. This student, who was extremely friendly and worked as hard as he could, received inclusion services to support his academic achievement. This child relied on a wheelchair to get around the school campus and had to wear special protective devices to support his upper body. When I first started teaching, I taught a student that had suffered an injury at birth that impaired his physical development. At the water pump Annie spells “water” into Helen’s hand and suddenly the miracle happens-Helen understands.The Miracle Worker: Bridging Drama and Film Study to Build Critical Literacy Skills by Brandon Barr Introduction Although Helen can spell them back, she doesn’t understand that these words actually represent things. Annie teaches Helen words by constantly spelling them into Helen’s palm. Helen and Annie become locked in a ferocious battle of wills, but Annie is determined to bring a sense of discipline into Helen’s life.
In desperation, her parents send for teacher Annie Sullivan to bring some discipline into the spoiled child’s life. Helen Keller is rendered deaf and blind at an early age, and by the time she is six years old, her behavior becomes completely unmanageable. This story is an emotional and vivid portrayal of the relationship between a child and her teacher. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included.
Identify all the problems and their solutions in a chart. Research the real-life location of Ivy Green and plan a field trip to this important location. Explain the event in Helen's past that made it possible for her to realize what 'water' was.
Find the synonym of the vocabulary word from the text. Students attempt to understand the motivations of the characters in the play. Put events from the novel in order as they happened when Annie and Helen were eating dinner. Gain insight into the difficulties of being blind and/or deaf. An ideal play for students with a low reading level. Experience the miracle of understanding that we all take for granted.