One of the things I did with my extra day is this:
I added sections to this blog to record homework assignments for each individual class. If you scroll down the page you will find them. E3H is in blue and on the far left; E2CP is in pink and in the middle; Film is in yellow and in the middle. As new assignments are given I will add them to these boxes, so you will always have a single location in which to locate current and past assignments.
I wonder why I have never thought of this before!
Meanwhile, back at the blog...
Film continued watching "Run, Lola, Run."
E3H continued Oedipus or discussed the issues of the day. In either case, there is a Vocab test/quiz/thingie tomorrow.
E2CP continued discussing Holden. You have a test/quiz/thingie on vocab tomorrow.
WORD OF THE DAY*: YIKES!
Tomorrow's Conferences: Isaiah, Willie, Madeline, Carter, Tommy W, Camron, Kathereine W
One of the great pop stars of my youth died today. RIP Davy Jones of the Monkees.
Film: We started "Run, Lola, Run" and would have discussed more of the "Movement" chapter if a few more of you had actually read the thing. Bring your books to class.
E2CP: We started Catcher today, discussing the first few pages and the background of Holden's character. Also we introduced the ongoing journal assignment. Read chapters 1-3.
E3H: Today we discussed more of Oedipus the King. Read through the Oedipus/Messenger scene (around p.124).
WORD OF THE DAY*: VOCAB TEST ON THURSDAY. SOME OLD WORDS MAY BE INCLUDED!!!
Tomorrow's Conferences: Allie, Emma W, Jenna, Steven
I don't know who is funnier here, the girl caught in the back or the newsgirl when she realizes what's going on:
And a little "behind the scenes" journey into yesterday's video:
Film: Finished talking about Oscar nominees.Watch one this weekend for your weekly review! The ceremony starts at 7 on Sunday; who will be watching? (You can try to pick the winners here.)
E2CP: Today we began the March RW project. To see details, check out the February 3 blog post. WW on Monday (start of Cycle 4). Catcher in the Rye begins on Tuesday.
E3H: Finished (most of) the projects today. WW on Monday, back to Sophocles (remember him?) on Tuesday.
WORD OF THE DAY*: DON"T FORGET THAT VOCAB!
In honor of the Oscars:
More Honest Oscar Posters:
(Want to read my comparative review of the Swedish and American versions of Girl With a Dragon Tattoo?)
And, just for the heck of it...
The top movie moments of all time, told in Legos...
Just a quickie today, as I had some conferences after school and I have appointments I need to get to. So let's get down to it:
Film: We're watching some DVD extras from "Moulin Rouge." Finish reading "Movement." Highlight or take notes on your reading. I just might quiz you on it.
E2CP: We discussed "The Lottery." You did not read Jackson's commentary; do so. Also: write a one-page personal response essay exploring traditions in your family/school/town/country that may be obsolete but are still being done because, hey, it's always been that way. BUY CATCHER IN THE RYE. $7
E3H: We saw some projects today. We'll be reading Oedipus if there is extra time around conferences, so have it with you.
WORD OF THE DAY*: STUDY YOUR VOCAB!
Tomorrow's Conferences: Kylie, Brian, Henry, Allena, Ahmmad, Tom, Claire
Want to revisit Christmas for a moment? No? Well, tough. Anyway, this video is appropriate for any gift-giving occasion:
Anyway, here we are: business as usual, except that our junior portfolio countdown is now only 28 and our new class countdown goes to spring break. Fun fun fun!
Film: We finished "Moulin Rouge." Tomorrow we will look at some of the "extras" on the DVD and discuss the film more. Then we will be moving on (no pun intended) to the "Movement" chapter of your books, which you should be reading.
E3H: We had a WW, though we did enjoy one yummy project in 8th period. Double check where you are in connection to your portfolio and March 19. Tomorrow is part WW, part projects, and all Late Start.
E2CP: We had a WW today; back to short stories tomorrow (Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery"). But first: have you chosen your RW groups and books yet?
WORD OF THE DAY*: study your vocab!!!
Tomorrow's Conferences: Meghan, Kathleen, Katherine J, Annalisa, Ella
Think back to a day not that long ago when I explained to you how quickly you would be here. And here you are: the middle of February, five weeks (which include yet another long weekend) from spring break. As I said: once you weather that initial lengthy period of several five-day weeks in a row, time simply flies.
:-)
Speaking of which: if you are in my sophomore or junior classes, time has flown since we have had a vocabulary assessment. I think it's about time for another one, don't you? I mean there are 21 words in list two; that seems enough. Thus: there will be no new vocab words this weekend. Instead, you should look back on List Two and prep yourself for some kind of assessment next week. (I'd remind myself of List One words too; you never know.)
E2CP did not meet today. There will be a WW on Tuesday, of course, with your new stories as your focus. (See this past Monday's blog post.) For Tuesday: Read Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and her comment about it in the back section of the book. (Pages posted yesterday.) Also: it might be a good idea to find partners for the RW group project that begins next week. (Reminder: 2-3 people will read the same book at the same pace and do a project/report on it.)
E3H: We continued reading and discussion about Oedipus the King. And we scared the crap out of ourselves with the Choral Ode of Death. ;-) Have a great weekend and don't forget about your projects! UPDATE: PROJECTS ARE NOW DUE ON WEDNESDAY. WW IS TUESDAY. (CAN'T LOSE TWO WEEKS IN A ROW THIS CLOSE TO PORTFOLIOS.)
Film: I wish I could say that we finished "Moulin Rouge" today but we did not. We have between 15-30 minutes left, which we will see on Tuesday. For Tuesday, you have your Mise en Scene essays due. (No review this week.) Also, read through the Movement chapter in the text. We will be discussing issues contained in that chapter next week.
WORD OF THE DAY*: Nothing new today* * See the red text above for information
Tuesday's Conferences: Kasia, Tommy L, Emmett, Tommy S, Laura, John Roberts, David, Casey Please remember that you need to make up missed Friday or Monday conferences before next Friday.
There is a new meme in town! How others see us (told through stock photos):
(click to enlarge)
Yes, this is a double-hump day. It's Wednesday, of course, but it is also the fifteenth of a February that contains 29 days: the exact middle of the week and the exact middle of the month!
Happy Double-Hump Day!
Film: We continued watching and discussing "Moulin Rouge." Your Mise en Scene papers are due Tuesday; there is no review this weekend.
E2CP: We discussed Flannery O'Connor's views about "AGMIHTF." Interesting thoughts on your part. Then we moved on to Kincaid's "Girl" and had more interesting discussion. For next Tuesday: Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" (562) and her commentary on it (1254). Course registration is tomorrow. Note to Katherine Jones: your conference this semester is B week Wednesday, Period 5.
E3H: Today we began reading and discussing "Oedipus the King." Read through to p 173 (?)...after Oedipus responds to the first choral ode.
Katy Perry songs? Such a nice change after about fifteen years of "ooga-chaka." :-)
I hope that everyone has had and is having a lovely Valentine's Day. President Snow wishes it also. ;-)
Film: We continued with "Moulin Rouge" after discussing the state of the gradebook.
E2CP: We discussed "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." Tonight, read O'Connor's commentary on 1287 as well as Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl" on 673.
E3H: We opened the door to a unit on a new and specific art form: tragedy. Springing from SD's definition of the dramatic form and going back over the origins of drama, we moved to the story of Oedipus as all Greeks knew it. We also went over the form of the play and the place where it was staged. Bring in The Theban Plays tomorrow. For tonight, read "Greece and the Theatre," the preface beginning on page 13 of that book.
WORD OF THE DAY*: INEFFABLE * Click word for information.
Tomorrow's Conferences: Allie, Emma W, Jenna, Steven
If I had known I would be finished at 10:35, I would have left right after third period. :-)
Ah, junior registration day! Quelle surprise!
Film: Today we discussed your new paper: the Mise en Scene assignment, due next Tuesday.
E2CP: We had WW today and collected Piece #2. Cycle 3 for this semester began. For Piece #3, we brainstormed some of our "go to" stories. The prompt is to take your own or someone else's story, recast it to third person, and tell it. Begin with a line of dialogue followed by narrative. And make a very important factual change in the story itself. Reminder that the "Good Man Is Hard to Find" responses are due tomorrow. The topic is to examine the final conversations in the story and discuss what they tell us about the characters. 1+ pages.
E3H: Registration today; WW tomorrow.
WORD OF THE DAY*: PARAMOUR * Click word for information.
Tomorrow's Conferences:Tommy L, Amy, Andy, Amanda, Collin, Jack, Angela, Emma B
Hi, everyone, and welcome back to another (or your first) year at LFHS.
What you have heard is true. The English teacher has lost her ever-loving mind and is not going to be giving any grades at all in her classes this year. Not. One.
There will be no percentages, no numbers, no scores, no letters, no anything that will count toward anything that will end up being averaged for a final grade. But before you call in the men with the white coats, let me explain:
As I hope you have read in the doc your son or daughter (I have always hated the phrase "your student" when addressed to a parent) should have showed you, there is a wealth of research that indicates that grades--or the need to achieve them--are the single greatest thing that stand in the way of a great education. Studies show that the most influential thing a teacher can do to help a student grow academically is to allow him or her to self-grade. Most teachers would rather climb Mt. Everest dressed only in a swimsuit.
But the thing is: our academic system is severely broken. We say that our goal is to get our students to master Common Core Standards, and that is all well and good. But if that is truly the goal, then why do we care how long it takes them to master them? I'm serious. Think about it this way:
Try to remember back to when you were learning how to ride a bike. Oh, it was scary. You needed all kinds of support at first, lots of help from Daddy or Mommy. Then they let go and you were very, very wobbly. Probably you fell off, maybe several times. It took quite a while before you completely mastered the skill. But when you had...you had it down perfectly for the rest of your life.
Now imagine if you were being graded on that learning experience the way schools grade you. We would not score those first scaffolding attempts with Mommy and Daddy, but then...oh, you failed those quizzes when you fell off. And those wobbly rides? C's at best. Then a bunch of B's probably before you finally settled into 100% forever. But if we graded you right at that point, you'd probably average, oh, 83% or so. Why?You've mastered the skill perfectly. So why do you not get 100% if that is what we say we care about? Why on earth do we care about all those earlier times when you didn't have it down yet?
That will be what we go for here. Students will know what the goals are. They will understand what an "A" student looks like. And they will know when they have mastered an objective. Those who do so earlier than others will become tutors to those who have not yet done it: everyone gains from this and the newly learned skills, instead of being quickly forgotten as things studied for a test usually are, will continue being applied as masters tutor their classmates.
That is an awful lot to imagine will happen because I don't give grades this year, but what the heck: if you don't dream big, you never win big, right? The research is behind this, as is the school administration. I'm happy--well, actually I am excited--to pilot this concept at LFHS. As always, I'm glad to discuss this or anything else with you.
