I moved!
http://mscardona.com
Ms. Cardona. WHS. AP Language. Poetry. Philosophy.
9.03.2014
4.07.2014
Modernism
Please view the prezi on Modernism and take good notes. You are responsible for learning and remembering this information. Also, you should praise me for making such a beautiful prezi.
Modernism Prezi
You're working your way through NaPoWriMo, and soon you'll be thinking about your portfolio project so there are lots of things up in the air. I am aware of this, but you will still have some homeworky things to do from time to time. Your pastiche poem (you got the handout today in class) is due Thursday, and as we begin reading The Waste Land, you'll have some things to do in preparation for class and as extensions of our conversations. But it is amazing so get over it.
Modernism Prezi
You're working your way through NaPoWriMo, and soon you'll be thinking about your portfolio project so there are lots of things up in the air. I am aware of this, but you will still have some homeworky things to do from time to time. Your pastiche poem (you got the handout today in class) is due Thursday, and as we begin reading The Waste Land, you'll have some things to do in preparation for class and as extensions of our conversations. But it is amazing so get over it.
3.07.2014
Poetry!
Hey poets,
First of all, your poems today were awesome! I know we still have to hear the others--we'll do that on Monday. Next week we're going to take a stroll through literary romanticism. To prepare for it, please click through this prezi and take notes on the content using the sheet I gave you in class. Expect this content to show up on a quiz, so pay attention to it!
Romanticism Prezi
Remember, the other part is to bring in a contemporary example of one of the ideas of romanticism. This example could be a song, a poem, a work of art, a film, an object--whatever, you decide.
Also, go to the poetry slam on Saturday. It will be rad.
Happy weekend.
First of all, your poems today were awesome! I know we still have to hear the others--we'll do that on Monday. Next week we're going to take a stroll through literary romanticism. To prepare for it, please click through this prezi and take notes on the content using the sheet I gave you in class. Expect this content to show up on a quiz, so pay attention to it!
Romanticism Prezi
Remember, the other part is to bring in a contemporary example of one of the ideas of romanticism. This example could be a song, a poem, a work of art, a film, an object--whatever, you decide.
Also, go to the poetry slam on Saturday. It will be rad.
Happy weekend.
1.22.2014
NOSCHOOLNOSCHOOLNOSCHOOL
So, school has been cancelled tomorrow because it's going to be colder than the 9th circle of hell. (Quick: somebody explain that allusion!) Which means you can sleep in and relax, but it also means a sort of weird, anti-climactic closing to our semester. Update: See you Monday. Treat the following as your final weekend blog post. Newer update: See you Tuesday because Monday is no-school-due-to-polar-vortex-day #4. A couple of you have your index poems up--yay!
What we were going to do in class was compose index poems that function as entertaining summaries of the course experience. Here's a tiny sample of how an index poem might look. This is an excerpt from an index poem written by a poet/acquaintance/colleague of mine named Amorak Huey.
Airbrush
tattoos 135
Anna 121, 124, 139, 140-157, 160
College boyfriend of 122
.........Conversation on the drive down about 120-124
.........Dumping-boyfriend rumors 125
.........Eric and 158-160
.........Optimism and 126-157
Arcade 129
Arrogance 122, 125, 146
.........Making fun of everyone who is not we 122, 129, 133, 141
.........Nicknames, occasionally cruel 123, 139
.........Visibility of, in hindsight 159
Autonomous self, the 120, 140, 145
.........Unrealized expectations for 159
Bartles & James 124, 126-132
.........purchase of (see also Keith from first period; see also fake ID) 124
.........taste of (see also Kool-Aid) 129
Beach 121, 133, 144, 147
Best week ever, anticipation of 120, 122
Notice a couple things about the set-up: alphabetical A-Z (again, I just gave you a snippet), imaginary page numbers are included, the (see also) element to indicate other cross-references, and the blend of obvious and literal with quirky, inside-jokes and humor and the word or phrase building into a line or full sentence by indentation of the following line. It's a lot of fun to write these, actually. Think about all of your silly inside jokes about Bitzer and Orwell and how crazy your teacher is and have some fun with it. I challenge you to write one as your final blog send-off.
Stay warm!
What we were going to do in class was compose index poems that function as entertaining summaries of the course experience. Here's a tiny sample of how an index poem might look. This is an excerpt from an index poem written by a poet/acquaintance/colleague of mine named Amorak Huey.
Anna 121, 124, 139, 140-157, 160
College boyfriend of 122
.........Conversation on the drive down about 120-124
.........Dumping-boyfriend rumors 125
.........Eric and 158-160
.........Optimism and 126-157
Arcade 129
Arrogance 122, 125, 146
.........Making fun of everyone who is not we 122, 129, 133, 141
.........Nicknames, occasionally cruel 123, 139
.........Visibility of, in hindsight 159
Autonomous self, the 120, 140, 145
.........Unrealized expectations for 159
Bartles & James 124, 126-132
.........purchase of (see also Keith from first period; see also fake ID) 124
.........taste of (see also Kool-Aid) 129
Beach 121, 133, 144, 147
Best week ever, anticipation of 120, 122
Notice a couple things about the set-up: alphabetical A-Z (again, I just gave you a snippet), imaginary page numbers are included, the (see also) element to indicate other cross-references, and the blend of obvious and literal with quirky, inside-jokes and humor and the word or phrase building into a line or full sentence by indentation of the following line. It's a lot of fun to write these, actually. Think about all of your silly inside jokes about Bitzer and Orwell and how crazy your teacher is and have some fun with it. I challenge you to write one as your final blog send-off.
Stay warm!
1.18.2014
Your Assignment: BLA
For this weekend's blog post, please offer a brief analysis and response to the argument your BLA selection presented. I would encourage you to find additional information/sources/perspectives on the topic discussed by your author(s) simply because it would be an interesting way to inform your response. There is no requirement to do so, I just think it would be good mental exercise.
At this point, you are pros when it comes to identifying and analyzing argument (right?) and you've pretty much always been pros at responding to stuff -- you know, what do you think about x, y, z? stuff. So this task should be straightforward for you.
A word about grades and the end of term cookiness of it all: As your grades are presently, they do not include: a) the most substantial piece of writing you've done this semester, b) the most substantial project you've done this semester, and c) a final exam that will be similar in substance and grade-impact potential as the term 1 final was. This means you can and should expect that your grade will most likely change. And if/when it does, and you think ugh, my grade went down-ah, that's so unfair-ah, you must simply re-evaluate your logic: Your grade did not go down. Rather, your grade was incomplete before the input of this data. Now, it reflects your performance on these culminating, summative assessments.
I heart you all, and I'm pulling for you, but I simply will not tolerate whiny, last-minute grade-grubbing. I've been upfront with you about my expectations all semester. This is where that counts. If you are dissatisfied with your work on something, I sympathize. These things happen. We learn from it and we carry on. You are allowed to have a moment of tantrum, just please keep it to a minimum.
At this point, you are pros when it comes to identifying and analyzing argument (right?) and you've pretty much always been pros at responding to stuff -- you know, what do you think about x, y, z? stuff. So this task should be straightforward for you.
A word about grades and the end of term cookiness of it all: As your grades are presently, they do not include: a) the most substantial piece of writing you've done this semester, b) the most substantial project you've done this semester, and c) a final exam that will be similar in substance and grade-impact potential as the term 1 final was. This means you can and should expect that your grade will most likely change. And if/when it does, and you think ugh, my grade went down-ah, that's so unfair-ah, you must simply re-evaluate your logic: Your grade did not go down. Rather, your grade was incomplete before the input of this data. Now, it reflects your performance on these culminating, summative assessments.
I heart you all, and I'm pulling for you, but I simply will not tolerate whiny, last-minute grade-grubbing. I've been upfront with you about my expectations all semester. This is where that counts. If you are dissatisfied with your work on something, I sympathize. These things happen. We learn from it and we carry on. You are allowed to have a moment of tantrum, just please keep it to a minimum.
 |
| She's mostly just sad about her haircut. I know, honey, I know. |
1.10.2014
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
I am always surprised by how quickly the days escape us. It seems like just yesterday I was introducing you to Friday Freewrites and now you are about to graduate from the land of AP Lang. Crazy.
In these final eight days, you will be presenting your author study work, wrapping up your term BLA, nervously awaiting your essay grade, nervously wondering what kinds of mischief the final exam will entail, and all kinds of other mentally-taxing, and emotionally-draining experiences. And then it will be over and you will move on to other, less important classes.
Today, we looked at these four prompts at the end of class. I asked you to jot down a few ideas about how you might respond to one of them and now, I'm asking to to go a little further. For your blog post this weekend, please respond to one of the prompts from class however you'd like to. If you want to use this as an opportunity to construct a solid exam-worthy response, go for it, but if you'd like to be a bit more casual or creative or interpretive in your response, that's a-ok, too.
The prompts:
In these final eight days, you will be presenting your author study work, wrapping up your term BLA, nervously awaiting your essay grade, nervously wondering what kinds of mischief the final exam will entail, and all kinds of other mentally-taxing, and emotionally-draining experiences. And then it will be over and you will move on to other, less important classes.
Today, we looked at these four prompts at the end of class. I asked you to jot down a few ideas about how you might respond to one of them and now, I'm asking to to go a little further. For your blog post this weekend, please respond to one of the prompts from class however you'd like to. If you want to use this as an opportunity to construct a solid exam-worthy response, go for it, but if you'd like to be a bit more casual or creative or interpretive in your response, that's a-ok, too.
The prompts:
1.
Read and think carefully about the following quotation from Voltaire: “It is dangerous to be right in matters
about which the established authorities are wrong.” Then write an essay in
which you refute, support, or qualify Voltaire’s claim. Make sure to use
appropriate evidence from literary, historical, or personal sources to develop
your argument.
2.
From talk radio to television shows, from popular magazines to Web blogs,
ordinary citizens, political figures, and entertainers express their opinions
on a wide range of topics. Are these opinions worthwhile? Does the expression
of such opinions foster democratic values? Then write an essay in which you
take a position on the value of such public statements of opinion, supporting
your view with appropriate evidence.
3.
Socrates is known to have said first said what is know known as the
philosopher’s credo: “the unexamined life is not worth living.” Is he right?
Use appropriate evidence from literature, history, or your own personal
experience to support your claim.
4.
In "The Singer Solution to World Poverty," an article that appeared
in The New York Times Magazine,
Peter Singer, a professor of bioethics, calls attention to the urgent need
for food and medicine in many parts of the world. Singer argues that prosperous
people should donate to overseas aid organizations such as UNICEF or Oxfam
America all money not needed for the basic requirements of life. "The
formula is simple: whatever money you're spending on luxuries, not necessities,
should be given away." Write an essay in which you evaluate the pros and
cons of Singer's argument. Use appropriate evidence as you examine each side,
and indicate which position you find more persuasive.
Happy Blogging.
12.20.2013
See You Next Year
Post at least once over break. You can write about anything you want, but maybe consider commenting on this New Year's phenomenon I was just rambling about...I'm interested to know what you think of it. Do you participate in the practice of resolutions? The countdown? Nothing? Are you surly about it? Okay, you get the idea.
The paper. Draft, brainstorm, develop, revise. Read the assignment sheet. Thursday and Friday after break will be work days so make sure you have stuff to work on. Those days will be more useful to you for the essay if you have a full (though rough) draft going into it.
The project. Read and annotate like a beast. Very few of you had the quantity and quality of notes I had expected to see at this point. That's not a jab; it's an expression of genuine concern. Read the assignment sheet. Really get to know your author's style. Refer to that "incredibly tedious guide" I gave you a while back. Remember the in-class work we've done with identifying style and writing style statements. You have everything you need to do well on this, but you've got to make use of those resources and pay attention to the assignment's objectives, articulated on the assignment sheet.
Get some rest. Play in the snow. Drink hot cocoa. Eat cookies. See you in January.
12.12.2013
Not Gonna Lie
Try to be 100% truthful this weekend. Just see how it goes. At the very least, take notice of how many times you bend, smother, or evade the truth...and consider why you do that. Write about it if you want to, but otherwise your blog post topic is open. You haven't had one of those in a while.
For Monday, please read the essay "A Clack of Tiny Sparks" by Bernard Cooper (it's on our Moodle page). CRJ it if you'd like. At some point next week (not Monday) I will collect a CRJ from you. Consider yourself warned. Pay specific attention to how he shapes the narrative and uses it to say something.
GET GOING ON YOUR AUTHOR STUDY. Before you leave for winter break, you must show me that you are making progress. I will ask to see your notes/annotations/CRJ type stuff probably on Thursday. I might publicly shame you if you have nothing.
Happy weekend.
For Monday, please read the essay "A Clack of Tiny Sparks" by Bernard Cooper (it's on our Moodle page). CRJ it if you'd like. At some point next week (not Monday) I will collect a CRJ from you. Consider yourself warned. Pay specific attention to how he shapes the narrative and uses it to say something.
GET GOING ON YOUR AUTHOR STUDY. Before you leave for winter break, you must show me that you are making progress. I will ask to see your notes/annotations/CRJ type stuff probably on Thursday. I might publicly shame you if you have nothing.
Happy weekend.
12.06.2013
Thirteen Ways of Looking at Porridge
I
Among hundreds of frozen trees
the only cottage
was the cottage of the three bears.
II
I was of three minds
Like a table
at which there are three chairs.
III
The porridge steamed the chilly air
it was a small part of my ritual.
IV
A girl and her porridge
Are one.
A girl and three bears and porridge
Are one.
Okay, that's enough fun. This weekend, blog about whatever you want, but approach it in a few different ways. What do I mean? "Fifteen Comments on Cookie-Baking" or "Six Ways of Looking at Sledding" or Twenty Observations on Sleep" or something like that. The goal is to toy with structure and perspective. Change up the usual--what are some other angles to explore? What are the different components of something you do all the time? If you have a low number, those chunks should be a tad longish. If you have a high number, those chunks can be little.
Remember to read and CRJ Eric Liu's essay "Notes of a Native Speaker" for Monday. It's on our Moodle page and I'll try to get it up on my website, too, but it's been giving me fits.
BLA on Tuesday and get started with your author study. Holler if you decide to 86 your author and replace him or her with a new one.
Happy weekend.
Among hundreds of frozen trees
the only cottage
was the cottage of the three bears.
II
I was of three minds
Like a table
at which there are three chairs.
III
The porridge steamed the chilly air
it was a small part of my ritual.
IV
A girl and her porridge
Are one.
A girl and three bears and porridge
Are one.
Okay, that's enough fun. This weekend, blog about whatever you want, but approach it in a few different ways. What do I mean? "Fifteen Comments on Cookie-Baking" or "Six Ways of Looking at Sledding" or Twenty Observations on Sleep" or something like that. The goal is to toy with structure and perspective. Change up the usual--what are some other angles to explore? What are the different components of something you do all the time? If you have a low number, those chunks should be a tad longish. If you have a high number, those chunks can be little.
Remember to read and CRJ Eric Liu's essay "Notes of a Native Speaker" for Monday. It's on our Moodle page and I'll try to get it up on my website, too, but it's been giving me fits.
BLA on Tuesday and get started with your author study. Holler if you decide to 86 your author and replace him or her with a new one.
Happy weekend.
12.03.2013
The Author Study
As an extended study of style, you will be reading an author of your choice extensively. This work will span the rest of the term and will result in a presentation of sorts in January. This is all I will tell you about the project at this time. For now, your task is to find an author whose work you wish to study in-depth. This author must be established/published, but can work in any genre. Here are some suggestions (you may propose another author to study but I get to say no for any number of reasons):
Sign-up is first ask, first get on Friday in class. Have a few options.
If you "don't get" poetry, don't pick a poet. And then sign up for poetry class because, seriously.
Then secure copies of this author's work for to read and study.
This is a good resource, by the way: The Electric Typewriter
This is a good resource, by the way: The Electric Typewriter
11.26.2013
Turkeys, Menorahs, Shopping!
First of all, whatever you plan to do for the next several days, I hope you enjoy the break and take some time to relax.
What I'd like you to blog about is the curious obsession we humans have with tradition. You can explore this in any way you'd like to--maybe your family has all kinds of traditions, maybe they don't, but you don't have to write about yourself and your traditions. One needs only to flick on the tele to see evidence of culturally ingrained traditions...what do you think about this? Why do we create and maintain traditions? What do we gain from them? Do you think having traditions is healthy and positive or bizarre and twisted? These are not questions you have to answer, I'm just trying to get the ball rolling because what I'm not asking for is a play-by-play of your Turkey-day festivities. Think more broadly about tradition than that. Comment on it.
What I'd like you to blog about is the curious obsession we humans have with tradition. You can explore this in any way you'd like to--maybe your family has all kinds of traditions, maybe they don't, but you don't have to write about yourself and your traditions. One needs only to flick on the tele to see evidence of culturally ingrained traditions...what do you think about this? Why do we create and maintain traditions? What do we gain from them? Do you think having traditions is healthy and positive or bizarre and twisted? These are not questions you have to answer, I'm just trying to get the ball rolling because what I'm not asking for is a play-by-play of your Turkey-day festivities. Think more broadly about tradition than that. Comment on it.
11.22.2013
You Are Supernatural: Weekend Blog Post
Hi there.
This week, we've spent a great deal of time on detail, observation, description, careful crafting of language to communicate a specific tone/feeling/setting/etc. Yesterday, Seth was talking to you about a number of things, but chief among them was imagination. Creativity. Inspiration. I cannot tell you how it pains me to hear you all groan But I'm not creative! Because you are. You've just forgotten.
And I am going to force you to remember.
This weekend, I'm asking you to go find cool stuff on the internet and when something strikes you as interesting, unique, creative, inspiring, etc, use it to prompt your blog post. Perhaps you snoop around on Vimeo and find some crazy video that gets your imagination buzzing--embed it in a blog post in which you discuss what you dig about the video and/or how it inspires you and/or something that you wrote as inspired by said video. Cool Tumblr images might take the place of the video. Maybe it's from YouTube and not Vimeo--that stuff doesn't matter, the goal is to find something interesting and let it inspire you and then write about it. Maybe it will inspire you to dig out your finger paints--go for it. And then blog about it.
You and your big, beautiful brains need to remember how to create.
Here's a super cool video to get you started:
The Vein / Magma from Dvein on Vimeo.
This week, we've spent a great deal of time on detail, observation, description, careful crafting of language to communicate a specific tone/feeling/setting/etc. Yesterday, Seth was talking to you about a number of things, but chief among them was imagination. Creativity. Inspiration. I cannot tell you how it pains me to hear you all groan But I'm not creative! Because you are. You've just forgotten.
And I am going to force you to remember.
This weekend, I'm asking you to go find cool stuff on the internet and when something strikes you as interesting, unique, creative, inspiring, etc, use it to prompt your blog post. Perhaps you snoop around on Vimeo and find some crazy video that gets your imagination buzzing--embed it in a blog post in which you discuss what you dig about the video and/or how it inspires you and/or something that you wrote as inspired by said video. Cool Tumblr images might take the place of the video. Maybe it's from YouTube and not Vimeo--that stuff doesn't matter, the goal is to find something interesting and let it inspire you and then write about it. Maybe it will inspire you to dig out your finger paints--go for it. And then blog about it.
You and your big, beautiful brains need to remember how to create.
Here's a super cool video to get you started:
The Vein / Magma from Dvein on Vimeo.
11.21.2013
Your Observations
These are the observations you shared with us yesterday. 3rd and 4th block. This is how I recorded them, so if it doesn't make sense...well, then it doesn't.
Three spiders in house + Backstreet Boys
People are passionate about childhood
movies
Turkey has an avg of
3,000 feathers
This month has rained more than snowed
Majority of items owned are blue
Lady bite apple in Target and puts it
back
Listen—hear blood pumping in ears
Classrooms with windows = better
participation
Gets dark at 5:18 dark blue to black
Humans baboon, chimps are only animals to kiss
9 yr old having a boyfriend
7th
grade girls have horrible style (aero uggs and baggy jeans)
News makes my parents angry – they yell
at the TV
Contrast b/w public cheer and angst
Making eye contact with teachers during
tests is very very scary
Formula for WHS girl: Uggs,
Lulus, Northface,
Caribou cup
Pomegranates looks really strange (overall)
When we blush, it evokes sympathy of
those around us (adrenaline response to stimuli)
NPR!!!!!!!! Poems about food: eating is
the only form of professionalism tha tmost people ever attain
There’s a water bottle in my ceiling
Bathroom stall 2nd floor D wing: Keep Calm and Breathe
Spyhouse Cafe—girl walking with 2 guys…chucked the
flowers
Telephone poles look like crooked cacti
Norwegian chess player (peeps are
obsessed)
Ellie stares at people at stoplights-- awks
DQ meal– chicken tenders come with toast
No 2 laughs are the same
7 lovely logics: (advice)
All the classrooms in the horseshoes have
windows with blinds (that are in bad condition) so during lockdowns, the blinds
don’t really help…
Grandma’s house: tiling and carpet
separated by thin metal transitions that wiggle
Strange how people share intimate details
about their lives with their hairdressers (counseling)
Food: sensory experience versus cognitive
awareness
In Romania Christmas eve—no decorations,
Christmas day is when decorations appear
The way people treat their pets says a
lot about how they treat other/their character
Trail run: in the woods, beware purple
thorns
The world is never completely silent
People are either staunchly, stubbornly
closed minded or apathetic
Highway, white sedan, little old ladies
surrounding tall man
APUSH didn’t mention anniversary of
Gettysburg…but AP CALC did!
It’s fun to hold/smell money-- flashback and realizations about money
People have tics and habits and
mannerisms
Brother’s long hair-- “weird woman”
Email: etiquette is missing in many exchanges with adults
(it reflects poorly on them)
When teacher leaves the classroom during
a test/quiz …cheating? Nope.
One camera for each level…surveillance
Hanukkah begins the day before
Thanksgiving this year.
Ms. Boyd swears. (When girls fight.)
When a person dies, the brain is active
for 7 minutes: WAKING LIFE
Dumbledore=bumblebee
The girl who sits in front of me just had a 10 minute discussion with
her table-mates about the popular game "Candy Crush". I have never
played it, but apparently she heard on a night-time news program the previous
night that changes to the game were in planning. There is mutual outrage among
the involved parties. Clearly "Candy Crush" is a major part of their
day to day existence. This is troubling ...
11.15.2013
Happy Weekend
This weekend, you're exploring 10 words from that mondo list--look into origin and etymology, look into context, connotation, usage, etc. and write 2 exemplar sentences that demonstrate the accurate use of the words. These sentences should aim to be legitimate and believable--not halting and awkward.
Also this weekend, you're hunting for a passage of mind-blowingly good writing. Find and bring in a passage that exemplifies qualities of good writing--a passage that you'd commit to memory if you were ever compelled to do such a thing. It can be any genre, any form. No more than a page.
New BLA groups will meet briefly on Tuesday to finalize their plans. The following week, Nov. 26th, will be the first official BLA meeting. (That's the day right before Thanksgiving break.)
Keep up with those observations journals. Remember to blend fun facts, random things, stories, bits of conversation, thoughts, etc. Sometimes pause and write for a while. Explain why you find something interesting, what you notice about it and why it maybe seems interesting to you. Other times you can just record snippets.
As for your weekend blog post, please write something based on a conversation you overheard or participated in. Take this however you'd like, but offer a little blurb of introduction before your post that explains where and when this conversation took place and whether or not you were a participant or merely a snooping bystander. Have some fun with it. Craft your words, don't just barf up a story.
Also this weekend, you're hunting for a passage of mind-blowingly good writing. Find and bring in a passage that exemplifies qualities of good writing--a passage that you'd commit to memory if you were ever compelled to do such a thing. It can be any genre, any form. No more than a page.
New BLA groups will meet briefly on Tuesday to finalize their plans. The following week, Nov. 26th, will be the first official BLA meeting. (That's the day right before Thanksgiving break.)
Keep up with those observations journals. Remember to blend fun facts, random things, stories, bits of conversation, thoughts, etc. Sometimes pause and write for a while. Explain why you find something interesting, what you notice about it and why it maybe seems interesting to you. Other times you can just record snippets.
As for your weekend blog post, please write something based on a conversation you overheard or participated in. Take this however you'd like, but offer a little blurb of introduction before your post that explains where and when this conversation took place and whether or not you were a participant or merely a snooping bystander. Have some fun with it. Craft your words, don't just barf up a story.
11.13.2013
The Art of Looking
The Art of Looking is the article/essay you are reading for tomorrow. This link takes you to one of the greatest resources for interesting things I have ever known ever: Brainpickings.org. I love it.
A more printer-friendly version is on our moodle page and I'm working on putting it on my website, too. Read it. Enjoy it. Heed the suggestions to observe your surroundings and learn from them.
This directly feeds into your observations journal.
A more printer-friendly version is on our moodle page and I'm working on putting it on my website, too. Read it. Enjoy it. Heed the suggestions to observe your surroundings and learn from them.
This directly feeds into your observations journal.
11.07.2013
Grades and Things
Hi cats and kittens.
Don't email me forty times about your grade and skyward and all that. Nothing is finalized. I am still grading and entering scores and adjusting scores and all of that good stuff. Settle.
Don't email me forty times about your grade and skyward and all that. Nothing is finalized. I am still grading and entering scores and adjusting scores and all of that good stuff. Settle.
11.05.2013
Term 1 Final: Take Home Portion
Watch this video. Identify his argument. Respond to it intelligently. In under 300 words.
Due tomorrow when you walk in the door. Typed.
Due tomorrow when you walk in the door. Typed.
11.02.2013
Scary Stuff
Hi. Sorry about the delay...things just happen sometimes.
This weekend, I'd like you to blog about fear. If this means you mull over the abstract concept of fear and wish to write about it that way, go nuts. If you'd rather write about things that scare you, or things that people generally find scary and explore why, sweet. If you end up writing about fear in some other capacity, that's fine, too.
Speaking of fear, you all have this incredible fear of "failure" (and by "failure" I mean getting anything less than a perfect score on anything and everything). This is madness, people. I get why this happens, but at some point you've really got to settle down. This is just high school. This is where you are supposed to take risks and make mistakes and learn from them. But since I understand your neurosis, let me remind you that Monday will be a review/study day for our term final (course midterm). Bring in any/all materials you have and be prepared to make a mess of them and then re-organize them. This isn't really a test you can study for in the traditional sense. You can, however, review certain materials and remind yourself how to analyze and read closely. Actually, all "studying" really ought to be just this. Tests are designed to measure what you have learned thus far. They should be sprung on you without warning to be accurate. But you all freak out too much and there's too much emphasis placed on the results, so we've quit doing that. Instead we warn you well in advance so you can prepare, which isn't a bad thing if it helps you learn the material more deeply.
Happy "studying" everyone!
This weekend, I'd like you to blog about fear. If this means you mull over the abstract concept of fear and wish to write about it that way, go nuts. If you'd rather write about things that scare you, or things that people generally find scary and explore why, sweet. If you end up writing about fear in some other capacity, that's fine, too.
And if you get to scared during this process, just pause and look at this puppy:
 | ||
| Isn't he just the ugliest puppy you've ever seen? |
Speaking of fear, you all have this incredible fear of "failure" (and by "failure" I mean getting anything less than a perfect score on anything and everything). This is madness, people. I get why this happens, but at some point you've really got to settle down. This is just high school. This is where you are supposed to take risks and make mistakes and learn from them. But since I understand your neurosis, let me remind you that Monday will be a review/study day for our term final (course midterm). Bring in any/all materials you have and be prepared to make a mess of them and then re-organize them. This isn't really a test you can study for in the traditional sense. You can, however, review certain materials and remind yourself how to analyze and read closely. Actually, all "studying" really ought to be just this. Tests are designed to measure what you have learned thus far. They should be sprung on you without warning to be accurate. But you all freak out too much and there's too much emphasis placed on the results, so we've quit doing that. Instead we warn you well in advance so you can prepare, which isn't a bad thing if it helps you learn the material more deeply.
Happy "studying" everyone!
10.25.2013
How About Those Zombies?
Alright, so.
You're revising your little tails off this weekend. Good. This is the writing process, folks. Remember to, first and foremost, write an interesting and solid essay. Stop worrying about what "I want"--I've told you what I want: interesting, thoughtful, and engaging writing. Do that. Worry about whether what you're writing is any good in general terms not what grade you're going to get. If you do good work, the grade will take care of itself. If you panic and default to sad, boring, stilted, studenty writing, the grades will likewise reflect that. Consult the original assignment sheet--there is valuable information there--and go through the workshop/revision steps in that blue packet. I am only collecting your final draft, so go ahead and set the other drafts on fire if you want. Really, it's cathartic.
You need to read that "Extended Language" piece for our work next week. Reading all of that and working on your essay and blogging and doing everything else you must do is probably kind of a lot. Read it when you can, I am not going to sniff out those of you who haven't read it yet on Monday, but it will help you to make sense of what we're doing Monday and Tuesday so... you know, read it, but sleep, too.
Your blog post is not open topic this weekend. Instead, pay attention to the lyrics of a song you have been listening to recently. Post the song and/or the lyrics and then comment on them. (When I say "comment on them" I mean make some sense of them, see what you notice about them, explain how they are oh-so-effective and why. Not like mad-rhetorical-analysis-why, but some kind of why.)
Oh, and stay warm because suddenly winter is all:
I'M HEEEEEEEERE.
You're revising your little tails off this weekend. Good. This is the writing process, folks. Remember to, first and foremost, write an interesting and solid essay. Stop worrying about what "I want"--I've told you what I want: interesting, thoughtful, and engaging writing. Do that. Worry about whether what you're writing is any good in general terms not what grade you're going to get. If you do good work, the grade will take care of itself. If you panic and default to sad, boring, stilted, studenty writing, the grades will likewise reflect that. Consult the original assignment sheet--there is valuable information there--and go through the workshop/revision steps in that blue packet. I am only collecting your final draft, so go ahead and set the other drafts on fire if you want. Really, it's cathartic.
You need to read that "Extended Language" piece for our work next week. Reading all of that and working on your essay and blogging and doing everything else you must do is probably kind of a lot. Read it when you can, I am not going to sniff out those of you who haven't read it yet on Monday, but it will help you to make sense of what we're doing Monday and Tuesday so... you know, read it, but sleep, too.
Your blog post is not open topic this weekend. Instead, pay attention to the lyrics of a song you have been listening to recently. Post the song and/or the lyrics and then comment on them. (When I say "comment on them" I mean make some sense of them, see what you notice about them, explain how they are oh-so-effective and why. Not like mad-rhetorical-analysis-why, but some kind of why.)
Oh, and stay warm because suddenly winter is all:
I'M HEEEEEEEERE.
10.23.2013
Those Essays of Yours
Hey, remember when I moved your due date to Monday and you all cheered jubilantly? That was hilarious. I hope you learn something from this: I may expect you do so hard things but I am not altogether unreasonable, nor am I "out to get you" or some such nonsense. It took us a little longer to get through the documentary and I really wanted to be able to talk about it, so a concession I make is that we shove some things around. So what does this mean? It means this:
Tomorrow is our field trip to see King-Fu Zombies vs. Cannibals. Meet at the Trojan Head at the beginning of second block. Bring a bag lunch.
Friday you must have a printed draft of your essay in class forshredding and dismembering revisions and other workshop goodness. See blue packet you picked up for details about this revision.
Over the weekend, you'll have your usual weekend blog post, your essay to make awesome, and that "Extended Language" reading which is a xeroxed textbook chapter, so plan accordingly. This chapter should be read by early next week. Monday would be great. Tuesday is, I think, more realistic for you. It will inform the work we do next week and the work we will carryover into next term, so treat it accordingly.
End-of-term BLA stuff is right around the corner. I will tell you about it on Friday.
Tomorrow is our field trip to see King-Fu Zombies vs. Cannibals. Meet at the Trojan Head at the beginning of second block. Bring a bag lunch.
Friday you must have a printed draft of your essay in class for
Over the weekend, you'll have your usual weekend blog post, your essay to make awesome, and that "Extended Language" reading which is a xeroxed textbook chapter, so plan accordingly. This chapter should be read by early next week. Monday would be great. Tuesday is, I think, more realistic for you. It will inform the work we do next week and the work we will carryover into next term, so treat it accordingly.
End-of-term BLA stuff is right around the corner. I will tell you about it on Friday.
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