English class trial

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

Freshmen at Winner High School really get into the classic book “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck.

Cyndy DeMers teaches freshmen English and to help the students get into the book a mock trial is held.

Now, nowhere is the book is there mention of a trial but there is a murder.

So, characters in the book can easily be plugged into a trial setting with lawyers, witnesses and even a jury.

So, last Tuesday afternoon, Kendall Dice put on her best lawyer face and acted as the prosecutor in the case. Bailey Fairbanks was the defense lawyer. Other class member served as witnesses and were sworn in to tell the truth just like the in real trail.

There is a guest judge and on this afternoon WHS principal Gerald Witte was the judge.

Since she has been teaching freshmen English full time, DeMers, who is retiring this year after a career of 37 years, has added a trial when the class is done reading the book. “It is a way to get the students more involved in what is going on in the book,” said DeMers.

“Of Mice and Men” narrates the experiences of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression. The book was published in 1937.

Students pick which character they want to play and they have to dress the part to portray that character.

Now remember this book takes place in the Great Depression so students had to dress the part.

Students are graded on their dress and how well they get in character.

“The students have to know their character inside out and the lawyers have to know all the characters,” explained DeMers.

“Honestly, I think they get more enjoyment out of this rather than writing an essay. They learn the book better.”

The jury has to decide if the defendant is guilty or not guilty.

DeMers noted the funny part is that she is putting on a mock trial in a class but most the kids do not know what happens in a trial. Most say they watch  Judge Judy but DeMers says there is no trial in that TV show.

So there is some class discussion and instruction on what happens in a trial before the students do their mock trial.

During their freshmen year the students read outloud the condensed version of “Romeo and Juliet.”

Only the boys in the class do the reading because in Shakespeare ‘s day women were outlawed  from playing parts in a play.

DeMers asked the boys not just to “read” but  to put so me feeling in  their character.

“This is the only way I am going to get them to read Romeo and Juliet.,” said the teacher.

This then  leads into Brit Lit  when they are seniors and are exposed to more British  classics. As juniors the students take American Literature.

“We have a good reading curriculum thought the four years of high school,” said DeMers.

Why is it important for students to read books like this?  

“Reading is so important because we want you to learn the book but to also make your think. If you can read something and figure out what is really being said that is going to help you,” said the teacher.

“It is proven if kids don’t read well they don’t score well in ACT and SAT tests and will struggle in a lot of areas,” added DeMers.

Now while the freshmen were doing a mock trial the juniors were doing a debate on the book they just read “A Separate Peace,” set in the era of World War II.

DeMers noted there was a lot of good debate.

Just another example of how Winner High School is using innovate ways to prepare students for the real world.