Agenda, October 31

Today, you should continue working on the rhetorical analysis piece that we began yesterday. 

The quarterly assessment is up. We'll go through it tomorrow together, but you're welcome to look at it today/start it tonight. On Monday we'll craft our essay introductions together. 

(Yesterday, some of you were concerned about your "Challenger Disaster" work disappearing. I put it in my "to be organized" pile, and it got organized. It's been returned to the bin. My apologies.) 

Agenda, October 9

Just because I'm not here doesn't mean you don't have work to do! 

Make sure you turn in your Coates "Notes from the Blue Period" piece, as well as the annotated text. 

If you are done with those, look at the blog from Monday and figure out what you're missing. 

If today is your first day in class (section 7), there is a questionnaire for you to fill out. 

I'm back

So, less than ten of you completed the self and course assessment that you had two days to finish. That means the majority of you are beginning the second quarter with a zero. Not cool. 

This is a short quarter; it ends on May 3. That means we do not have time to write a second essay. We'll use this quarter to really develop our annotation and analytic skills. Then, we have essays due on for the third and fourth quarters. 

While I was in Texas, I learned a new way of read text closely and thoughtfully. It was cool. So, that's what we're going to work on today. It connects to and builds on the annotation work we did last quarter. 

To get started, pick up a copy of "Tip 22: Pay attention immediately after you make a mistake." Read and annotate it (I'm not going to tell you what to do for your annotations). 

Get started!

By spending the first ten minutes of class continuing to work on your evidence. Your evidence should include any witness statements from the story. 

We'll go through the evidence together, and then move on to analysis.

Get it together, people!!!!

So, I just checked my email and saw that SIX people have completed the "Habit Two" worksheet. To those of you who did it, thank you for doing the right thing. You're showing that you have the motivation and maturity to succeed.

That mean the rest of you are currently failing the class.

The mission statement assignment will be posted by the time you walk into class on Wednesday. remember, it is worth 25% of your grade, and should represent significant effort. I will post the course and self assessment either tomorrow or Thursday.

You're young adults, and should be able to complete a worksheet in two days. Frankly, you should be disappointed in yourselves. I'm certainly disappointed in you.

And now, for something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!! You need a PEN!

So, yesterday after school I told Karen M. that we're reading poetry today. She was EXTREMELY concerned about this, because she's afraid that I'm going to DESTROY whatever poem it is that we're reading.

I understand her concern; sometimes we worry that over-analyzing something can ruin it. It's sort of like figuring out how a card trick works--once you know the trick, the magic is gone.

But poetry isn't a card trick; it's deeper than that. And, figuring out the trick of a poem can make it seem more magical, not less.

OK, enough of that sentimental old-school "Dead Poets Society" English teacher nonsense. 

In front of my desk is a copy of "If" by Rudyard Kipling. Grab a copy, skim it, and circle any words you don't know. Take three minutes to do this, no more, we have a lot to do.

Monday, April 23

Hi!

Some of you missed A LOT of work. See me Wednesday during office hours or after school.

Because the idea of a portfolio is new to me, I haven't been good about keeping them updated. You should have "Assignment One They say, I say,"  "Assignment Two Assessment 1," and "Assignment Three Academic Resolution" saved in your portfolio.

After you've organized your portfolio, please open today's assignment, "Covey, Habit 2"