A Year in the Life of a Complete and Total Genius Read Online Free Page A

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    Peer Tutoring Program—Progress Report
    Session: November 9th
    Worked On: Synonyms.
    I think this is impossible. This guy is a turd.
    â€”Arthur
    I concur (agree)
    â€”Robbie

    â€¢ • •
    Assignment: Remembrance Day Poems
    Write a poem for Remembrance Day. Look at some of the poems. we read and studied in class for inspiration. Perhaps your poem is inspirational, or perhaps it is antiwar. Maybe you want to consider writing the poetic story of a soldier in World War II. We’ll read the works in class and choose a favorite to be read at the school Remembrance Day Assembly.
    Due: November 10
    â€¢ • •
    War
    By Arthur Bean
    In schoolyard fields
    The insults are said
    Between the bullies
    Grade to grade
    They don’t throw bombs
    They throw water balloons
    They think they’re funny
    They’re just baboons
    We are the nerds
    Short days ago, we knit,
    Felt pride, wrote songs
    And poems, then felt wronged
    And now we hide
    In classrooms, side by side
    Away from schoolyard fields
    We are the lowest of the low
    To cooler kids we throw
    The answers to next week’s test
    And maybe they won’t pick on us
    At least until we miss the bus
    And have to wait
    In schoolyard fields
    Dear Arthur,
    Your reimagined poem of “In Flanders Fields” is very interesting. I appreciate your creative variation on the assignment—to suggest that war could be considered bullying on a much larger scale. It is an intriguing concept. However, you understand that your liberal interpretation of the assignment would be inappropriate for a school assembly marking an occasion as solemn as Remembrance Day, don’t you? Many people have a soft spot for this particular poem, even today.
    Ms. Whitehead
    â€¢ • •
    We Shall Grow Old during the Assembly
    By Arthur Bean
    Terry Fox Jr. High celebrated another Remembrance Day with an assembly on November 10th. As expected from an assembly, there was the usual singing of the national anthem, a bad rendition of a mournful song by the choir, and some speakers. Three poems were read, one by a student in each grade. Representing the ninth graders was Mikayla Connors, reading a rhyming poem pretending she was a dead soldier from World War I. Eighth-grade student Brianna Lau read her poem about being a dead soldier from World War II, and finishing off the trio was seventh-grade student Paige Petrovych, who read—yes, you got it—her poem about being a soldier who watches his best friend die in World War I. Certainly there were better poems in the seventh-grade class than this overwrought free verse. In case you fell asleep during this part of the show, you can read all three poems on page 5 of this edition of the Terry Fox Jr. High Marathon .
    The poems were followed by the obligatory two minutes of silence, one of which was punctuated by a teacher’s cell phone ringing. Read more about the school cell phone policy on page 1.
    The best part of the assembly was the talk from a soldier who recently served in Afghanistan. Lt. Ducharme was funny but also serious, and told us some great and sad stories about life as a soldier and about living in a war zone. He should come to every assembly.
    Hiya, Arthur,
    There’s some great work in your writing here! You’ve covered some of the major points of the assembly, and I like how you refer your readers to other parts of the newspaper. For your next piece, focus on being more objective while you are reporting. It’s awesome that you covered everything so completely, so now try and look at your subject like a scientist! Think objectively, and avoid adding your own personal commentary. I’ve done some editing on your article to show you what I mean—check it out!
    Would you like to try covering a school sporting event next? The boys’ volleyball finals are next week. Should be a smashing game!
    Cheers!
    Mr. E.
    Dear Mr. Everett,
    No offense, but sports don’t