Sixth Grade Chats with Author James Howe
On May 6 during their advisory period, the entire sixth grade got a special treat: a Skype visit with author James Howe!
Mr. Howe is the author of Totally Joe as well as numerous other books for children and young adults, from the Bunnicula books to the Misfits series. Totally Joe is the "alphabiography" of Joe Bunch, a gay seventh-grade student in a small New York town, and is the second book in the Misfits series, which has inspired No Name-Calling Week and other anti-bullying programs in schools around the country.
Sixth-grade students have been reading Totally Joe in Ms. Reen's class for the last several weeks, and they were thrilled to get to speak to the author. Not only had they read and loved the book, but they had also written heartfelt essays about the life lessons they took from the book, made individual pledges in honor of the book's protagonist, and prepared questions to ask Mr. Howe.
The Skype visit lasted for half an hour and was full of great questions from the students and insightful answers from Mr. Howe, who recalled growing up in a supportive family but in a very different era from our present day. Many students wanted to know whether the characters in the book were based on real people in Mr. Howe's life. (Several did have real-life parallels, including Joe's best friend Addie, who was inspired by Mr. Howe's childhood best friend Sue.) One student wanted to know if Mr. Howe had any rainbow-colored things in his home, and was rewarded by the sight of a Bunnicula doll waving a rainbow flag.
At the end of the talk, several students shared their life lessons and pledges, such as "I promise to always be myself, because an original is worth more than a copy," and "I pledge to be a Froot Loop in a world of Cheerios." Mr. Howe was clearly very appreciative of the thought they had put into their responses. Judging by the crowd's enthusiasm, it was a very successful visit, and one that we hope to repeat next year!
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Sixth-grade students have been reading Totally Joe in Ms. Reen's class for the last several weeks, and they were thrilled to get to speak to the author. Not only had they read and loved the book, but they had also written heartfelt essays about the life lessons they took from the book, made individual pledges in honor of the book's protagonist, and prepared questions to ask Mr. Howe.
The Skype visit lasted for half an hour and was full of great questions from the students and insightful answers from Mr. Howe, who recalled growing up in a supportive family but in a very different era from our present day. Many students wanted to know whether the characters in the book were based on real people in Mr. Howe's life. (Several did have real-life parallels, including Joe's best friend Addie, who was inspired by Mr. Howe's childhood best friend Sue.) One student wanted to know if Mr. Howe had any rainbow-colored things in his home, and was rewarded by the sight of a Bunnicula doll waving a rainbow flag.
At the end of the talk, several students shared their life lessons and pledges, such as "I promise to always be myself, because an original is worth more than a copy," and "I pledge to be a Froot Loop in a world of Cheerios." Mr. Howe was clearly very appreciative of the thought they had put into their responses. Judging by the crowd's enthusiasm, it was a very successful visit, and one that we hope to repeat next year!
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Athletes beyond Edgehill
Read MoreIt is common to have five or more University School of Nashville student-athletes sign college athletic commitment letters each year, and this year, USN saw eight more student-athletes commit to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. USN has several alumni participating in their chosen sport at the collegiate level from the Classes of 2021 through 2025. Continue reading to learn more about where Tigers are competing beyond Edgehill.
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Email: info@usn.org
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2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.