Passage 1

Donna′s fourth-grade classroom looked typically traditional.My job was to make classroom visits and encourage implementing of a training program focusing on language arts ideas that would empower students to?feel good about them and take charge of their lives.Donna was one of the volunteer teachers in this project.

I sat in the back of the room and watched.All the students were working on the task,filling their notebook paper with thoughts and ideas.A student next to me was filling her page with"I can′t kick the soccer?ball.""I can′t do long division with more than three numerals."Her page was half full and she showed no?signs of letting up.I walked down the row glancing at students′papers.Everyone was writing down things they?couldn′t do.

By this time,the activity engaged my curiosity.I decided to check with the teacher to see what was going?on but I noticed she too was busy writing."I can′t get John′s mother to come in for a teacher conference.""I?can′t get my daughter to put gas in the car.""I can′t..."

Curious and puzzled about what they were doing,I returned to my seat and continued my observations.

Students wrote for another ten minutes.They were then instructed to fold their papers in half and bring them to the front.They placed their"I can′t"statements into an empty shoe box.Then Donna added hers.

She put the lid on the box,tucked it under her arm and headed out the door and down the hall.

Students followed her.I followed the students.Halfway down the hall,Donna entered the custodian′s room,came out with a shovel,and marched the students out to the farthest corner of the playground.There they began to dig.They were going to bury their"I Can′ts"!

The digging took over ten minutes with dirt.Students stood around the freshly dug grave.At this point Donna announced,"Boys and girls,please join hands and bow your heads."They quickly formed a circle a-round the grave.

They lowered their heads and wa

• A.Donna and Her Pupils
• B.The"I Can't"Funeral
• C.The"I Can't"and It's Relatives
• D.The"I Can't"Touches the Lives of Everyone