[Katie Milani]

Dear Gordon Korman,

I want to share a quick story about the unexpected power of your words—though maybe not in the way you’d expect!

Back in July, when I received my class list for 7th grade, I was definitely taken aback. I was assigned a group of 12 boys and 1 girl who had earned quite a reputation for being rowdy, disinterested in learning, and, frankly, "unteachable." In fact, several colleagues strongly advised me to ask administration to split them up. "No single teacher should have to manage all those discipline issues," they warned.

Having taught many of them as 6th graders, and with 30 years of teaching under my belt, I saw things differently. I viewed this class not as a burden, but as an opportunity to build real relationships and prove the doubters wrong. I wanted to make a real difference with them before they headed off to junior high.

I spent weeks searching for the right novel to read together and finally settled on The Unteachables. I knew every single one of these students would find a character they could relate to—and, let's be honest, as a teacher, there are definitely days I relate to Mr. Kermit! I put 15 copies of the book on my Amazon wish list, and generous friends and family helped stock my classroom.

Once the school year began, it took a few days to establish a routine. For a group of students who hadn’t read a full book since early elementary school, tracking along with the audiobook proved challenging at first. They struggled with basic comprehension questions and lacked the stamina to make it through even a single chapter, leaving me concerned that they weren't actually tuning in.

That concern completely vanished last week.

A math colleague approached me with an unexpected question: "Are your 6A students reading a novel about kids charging money for test answers?"

At first, I was completely baffled—until it suddenly clicked. "Jake Terranova!" I exclaimed.

She gave me a puzzled look until I explained the reference. Apparently, one of my students had decided to emulate the book's resident mastermind. He had transcribed every answer from his math test onto a separate sheet of paper and was caught trying to sneak it out of class to sell.

Ironically, because this student rarely engages with his classwork, his sudden, hyper-focused interest in the test was the exact red flag that caught the teacher's attention!

When my colleague questioned our young would-be entrepreneur, he proudly told her that he had "learned about doing something like that in Miss Milani’s room."

Thanks a lot! Now I can relate to Mr. Kermit even more!

I am not sure whether to be proud of him for actually applying what he’s reading—which I always tell my students to do—or to be terrified to keep reading. The next chapter on our schedule is the one where the kids steal the vuvuzelas... wish me luck!

Thank you for writing books that captivate even the hardest-to-reach students.

Warmly,

Katie Milani

 

7th Grade Reading Specialist

Hi, Katie,

Now, that is a story I can relate to the teacher groups I speak to! I don't know if I should laugh or cry. Thanks for sharing! And thanks for your conviction that my books can help bridge the gap!

                                                                                  Kindest regards,                           -----Gordon Korman-----