This spring my Junior High English class is studying Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes. Being the young, energetic, Ms. Frizzelish teacher that I am, I have looked for fun, creative ways to help the book come alive to the students. So far, my favorite activty has been dubbed "Maim Day."
Now, don't you worry, I didn't really maim the students, but I did come up with a fun, creative way for the students to experience a crucial event in the life of Johnny Tremain while teaching them to sympathize with those who live with disabilities everyday.
Johnny Tremain is the 12-year-old apprentice to a Boston silversmith in the early 1770s. Johnny is a pleasant boy who, unfortunately, has let his talent go to his head. Driven by arrogance and pride, Johnny runs his master's shop as if it were his own. Johnny's life was set--he would surely be a talented master silversmith one day. All he had to do was bide his time.
That is, until his accident.
As a result of a malicious, ignorant prank, Johnny severely burns his right hand in molten silver.
The morning after my students read of Johnny's horrific accident, I met them in their homeroom with prewrap & athletic tape. With no explanation to them, I bound the thumb of each students' dominant hand to his/her palm. They had to live maimed for one day.
Initial reactions included remarks like "why are we doing this?" "this is stupid" and "I can't feel my thumb!" A few students questioned my teaching capabilities as they wondered if I "had permission to do this" and "does my _________ teacher know"? Of course, I had sought counsel and gotten approval from administration and the other teachers before implementing the activity. But I was still worried: what if the students don't get the point I'm trying to make?The students fought & struggled against the activity during the first two class periods. More than one student was retaped between class periods, but this was expected. After all, English class wasn't until third hour & they still had no idea why Miss Lawson taped their thumb down.
After a mild reprimand & a third retaping session, I finally explained the activity to the students. Yes, I did have permission to do the activity, & (believe it or not) the purpose of the activity was not to inflict pain. We discussed that we could feel our thumbs but couldn't move them, which is why the activity was slightly alarming & exceedingly frustrating. The conversation turned to what Johnny Tremain must be feeling--what thoughts were going through his head? Do you think he was afraid? Frustrated? Angry? While I can't report that the students immediately changed their minds about the activity, I could see a slight change of attitude. Yes, this activity hurts & seems kind of dumb, but Miss Lawson seems to have a reason & she's taped up too.
From there, I expanded the conversation. Yes, the activity was about Johnny Tremain, but think about those who live with frustrating disabilities everyday. Almost instantly the room that was buzzing with complaints & concerns was filled with a thick, ominous silence. Do you think they ever wish they could "rip the tape off" & and just be "normal"? Do they complain or accept their disability?
The rest of the day went of without a hitch &, if you listened closely, I'm sure you could hear twenty-two junior high students singing the Hallelujah chorus as they ripped the tape off at the first ring of the dismissal bell. They made it: they lived maimed for one day.
While the students gloried in their freedom, I thought ahead. They would soon learn that Johnny's injury is irreversable: his thumb has melted to the palm of his hand. He can no longer function as a silversmith. Johnny is now maimed for life.
