Moved to reflection

Ernest Hemingway – “If he wrote it, he could get rid of it. He had gotten rid of many things by writing them.”

There are always layers of ideas in my head…..lots going on.  Much noise.

A two fold purpose today.

First, to document the extent to which I am moved by the guest teacher in my classroom today.

Second, to clear out all of the thoughts so that I can focus.

“You are not your mistakes.” –Megan Sauer

I am the major benefactor when I allow teachers in training to come into my classroom to practice their craft.  Today, particularly, I am refreshed and renewed and put in a thoughtful, reflective place.  She is so good.  It was a poetry lesson that drew on topics that students have chosen for themselves in composing their researched arguments.  She began with a Venn diagram to compare the two modes/genres.  Researched Argument v. Poetry.  Excellent frame/bridge.  The poetry lesson which focused on the Dinka form is perfect as students are currently creating a visual that is a public awareness ad for their researched topics.  The poetry lesson required students to come up with visual imagery to include in their poem which will hopefully transfer to the visual aid.  The strength of her teaching lies in the way she honors students and the work they do.  And it was a moving experience to watch her in this, her very first teaching experience with real students.  Her lesson is something I will incorporate every year.

 

 

 

What has been going on?

“Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own.”  Carol Burnett

 

In AP Lang, we finished up the Rhetorical Analysis presentations.

We continue to work on the junior portfolio and the reading of Brave New World and the multiple choice questions which are due May 14.  Students will be given lab time until May 30 to complete these independent projects.  I am still collecting t-shirt money from a few folks in second hour.  Our shirts will be here on May 14.

FOR ALL JUNIORS:  Vocab quiz 21 is this Friday.  The final vocab exam is the 15th and the 17th of May.

English 11 students continue their reading of Siddhartha, check the English 11 calendar on my website for information about due dates.  Students are working to create a life map for the main character that will reflect their understanding of his journey.  Additionally, we continue our lab time on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays as students complete the junior portfolio.

Seniors:  So close…..to the end.  Senior Project is due Friday.  Exam is next week Thursday.  Bring paper and something with which to write.

My apologies

I feel like I may be apologizing a great deal in this blog as it is difficult to keep up  on a daily basis.  I am sorry there have been no posts for awhile. It might be helpful to continue to check the site calendar to make sure you are aware of any upcoming deadlines.

Friday all English 11 and AP Lang classes took Vocab 20.  Make sure that you schedule a time to make it up if you were not here.  We have one more vocab lesson this week: lesson 21.  OUr quiz is Friday and then next week on May 15 and May 17 we will take the final vocab exam that covers lessons 11-21.

Today in AP Lang, we watched more rhetorical presentations.  Also, we checked out Brave New World from the main office.  The novel must be read by May 14.  Tomorrow I will distribute some multiple choice questions that will act as the test grade for the novel. We also went to the lab to work on the junior portfolio.  We will have lab days Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  During this time, students may work on the portfolio or the reading and multiple choice and I will be available to answer questions.

In English 11, students completed exercise I and V for Vocabulary lesson 21.  They too have the same vocabulary exam on the 15th and 17th.  Lab days this week will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday and studetns need to make sure that they keep up with the Siddhartha reading.  The life map for Siddhartha is due Thursday at the end of the hour and counts as a test grade.

Seniors!  Your senior project is due on Friday!  There will be an exam for those who are required to take it and this will take place on May 17.  It will be an in-class writing.

“And the beat goes on…..”

AP Lang

Rhetorical analysis presentations

Correction of Vocab 20 Exercise I and V

Time in the lab to work on Junior portfolio

English 11

Today we met in East 27 and discussed the Definition Essay for the junior portfolio.    I shared several documents that explain the strategies of definition. For tomorrow, students need to read the two models provided in the google docs and be prepared to discuss the various strategies that are used to define “quiet” in one essay and “Writing” in the other essay.  If I were you, I’d print them off and annotate them for the strategies, but this is not required.  Check your email for the link to the documents.

We corrected Vocab 20: quiz Friday.

I also assigned the life map for the novel Siddhartha.  This will take the place of the test.  Again, see the shared doc in your email.  Students had some time to work on this in class.

Creative Writing;  I collected Script Frenzy today and the guidance counselors came in to help seniors complete a required survey.  go to connection.naviance.com/fhnhs to complete the survey.

Okay, one more try.

This will be the second time I am updating this today. The annotated (irritated) version:

AP Lang

We watched two presentations.  Check the calendar for essays to read and annotate for tomorrow.

Check out our AP Lang shirts on my website.  10.00 by Friday.

Vocab 20, Lesson I and V due tomorrow.

Optional Argumentative prompt for those who are taking the AP Lang exam. Small group study tomorrow.

Timed multiple choice today.  Ask for the questions if you’d like the practice.

 

ENGLISH 11

Took Vocab 19 quiz today.  I assigned the vocab exercises I and V for lesson 20.  Due tomorrow.  Many received their graded  Cautionary Tales.  Students worked in the lab on the junior portfolio.  Tomorrow, we meet in East 27.  be sure to check the calendar to complete the assigned reading for Siddhartha.

Friday, 4/27/2012

English 11:  Today students worked in the computer lab to complete the work for the junior portfolio.  4th hour chose to postpone the  Vocab 19 quiz until Monday.

AP Lang:  Two more rhetorical analysis presentations today.  Also, vocab 19.  In addition, small study groups will beheld on Monday to cover the argument and synthesis portions of the upcoming AP exams.  Students who are not taking the exam will be allowed lab time after the rhetorical analysis presentations.  Again, Junior Portfolio is due May 30.

Creative Writing:  students provided me with their email addresses so that I could invite them to view my website which contains a calendar with all of the deadlines and lab times.  In addition, students were allowed to utilize lab time to work on their senior projects.

April 26, 2012

AP Lang:  Two more presentations and some timed multiple choice to practice for the AP Lang exam.

Announcements:  Vocab Quiz 19 tomorrow.  Check the English with McAllister site AP Lang calendar for other important deadlines and due dates.

Update April 25, 2012

This is where I try to keep up with documenting what we did in class today.

Here we go:

In AP lang, we watched two rhetorical analysis presentations.  I did not collect the annotated essays today because we had so many absences for the play preview. Be sure to check the calendar to get teh information for tomorrow’s presentations.  You should again, print, read and annotate the essays that will be presented tomorrow.  I may collect them.  Reminder:  Vocab 19 quiz on Friday.  Junior Portfolios are due May 30.

In English 11, we met in the computer lab.  Most students worked on the life map portion of the junior portfolio. Tomorrow we will meet in East 27 to read and discuss Siddhartha. Reminder: Vocab Quiz 19 on Friday.  Our final vocab test is May 15 and 16.

In Creative Writing, students worked with Mrs. Musliu on ScriptFrenzy. She is expecting 600 words by tomorrow.

AP Lang 9/22/11

Today we corrected passages 4,5, and 6 for Heart of Darkness. Students picked up passage 10. I will be absent tomorrow. So the expectation will be that students take the quiz for Lesson 1 vocab and then work on completing passages 7, 8,9 and 10 for Monday. Monday we will again do vocabulary skits for lesson 2 and we will correct passages 7-10. Students will then complete passages 11 and 12 for a grade.

English 11

Everyday we review our vocab words, so you should review them too.
Today we also completed and corrected the Identifying Sentence Errors and Improving Sentences sections in the vocabulary book. Do those too and see me for the answers upon your return.

Today we will finish Beowulf with our reading of The Final Battle. Additionally, we will cover the background material for the Medieval Age and begin The Canterbury Tales for which our focus will be analyzing tone. So, if you were gone today, you should at minimum read the Beowulf selection.

Reminder: Vocab Quiz 1 is Friday.