topham's attic: 2/16 (updated 2/21) four-day week-end...how time flies

Thursday, February 16, 2012

2/16 (updated 2/21) four-day week-end...how time flies

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)

Have a great weekend!

Notes to Parents

8/24/14

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.

Karen

Feel free to email me any time at ktopham@lfschools.net.

topham's attic

Thursday, February 16, 2012

2/16 (updated 2/21) four-day week-end...how time flies

0 comments:

Important Links

Great Grammar (Etc.) Help from The Oatmeal

Vocab Lists

Portfolios!

Archive

Notes to Parents

Profile