English Class Notes
Second period freshmens completed “The Most Dangerous Game” and continued to work on their Chain of Events graphic organizer; seventh period began the story and we had some discussion of Rainsford’s assertion about animals and “hunters and the hunted”. I hope we can finish next class and be roughly caught up with second period. We’ll see.
APELC Class Notes
APELCers, as much as we could in the time we had, we discussed the Ayad text and I conferred with some of you over your free-responses. During the class discussion, I asked you several divergent questions that went beyond what you were instructed to answer initially, and I encouraged you to think of your own as you read from now on. These are level 3 questions and can be specific to a text or may be broader essential, existential questions.
I also challenged some of your interpretation and your ideas in a way that can be frustrating because I often engage in reductionism frequently leading to reductio ad absurdum.
Finally, I handed out a text about language for you to work on by yourselves, and which we’ll discuss later in class. See your class page for details.
I’ll see you next class.
UNOFFICIALLY. Please let me know if you’ll be attending one of the information sessions I’m conducting tomorrow (Tuesday) evening or the evening after (Wednesday) for those interested in traveling with me and several other Dorados across Europe at the end of this school year.
English 9 Class Notes
Second period freshmens began our new story “The Most Dangerous Game”, and got quite far, but the freshmens in seventh period spent time with me going over the incidents of Wednesday afternoon: Many students didn’t complete their work, few even really tried; rather, most tried to submit barely passable work and then decided to play in classroom, with its artifacts, and with each other. The mystery of the 3D apple puzzle was solved (almost), but there are still many details about the day that I need to uncover, which I’ll do by next class. Students had the opportunity to re-do their work, which took much of the hour. Seventh period will begin the story next class.
APELC Class Notes
APELCers, yesterday and today I began conferring with writers over their free-responses to the Downe text. While I worked with individuals, pairs examined and identified schemes and tropes in the correspondence under scrutiny and continued to highlight the Ayad text.
I regularly listen to BBC World Service Documentaries, and this week I downloaded “Cutting the Lifeline to Honduras”. You might find it interesting especially as it relates to opportunity, immigration, and separation, three issues presented in John Downe’s letter to his wife and children.
A VISIT. It was nice to see former APELCer Marie Clymer, currently of Wellesley, who came by fifth period for a brief visit and who I put on spot by asking her to share a little of her experiences at and advice for college. Thanks for coming by Marie.
English 9 Class Notes
Second period freshmens practiced answering some final questions over “Rules of the Game” using the rubric I introduced as a guide. Here it is:
- Four (4) points for a conscious answer with a credible and meaningful point sentence of at least 20 words, an illustration sentence of at least 30 words that supports the point sentence with focused and detailed evidence, and a thorough and insightful explanation sentence of at least 30 words that connects the illustration to or extends the point; the answer contains no serious or obvious conventions errors.
- Three (3) points for a passable answer with a requisite point sentence of at least 20 words, an illustration sentence of at least 30 words that supports the point sentence with general evidence, and a standard explanation sentence of at least 30 words that connects the illustration to or extends the point; the answer contains few serious or obvious conventions errors.
- Two (2) points for an answer with a questionable point sentence, an illustration sentence that supports the point sentence with incomplete evidence, and an explanation sentence that does little to connect the illustration to or extend the point, or is merely the point or illustration reworded; the answer contains serious, obvious conventions errors.
- One (1) point for a spare answer with less than the required number of sentences or words in sentences, or little evidence of thought or effort, with serious, obvious conventions errors.
Work took some time, after which I administered a multiple-choice quiz over the story. We began to to discuss plot as a way of entering the new story we’ll begin next class, and students finished the period reading silently.
I inferred from the sub’s notes, the work that was left in the basket, and the condition of the room when I returned for Open House that seventh period was not able to successfully follow the instructions I left. I’ll attend this Friday.
NOTE. I was stunned to see that the three-dimensional apple puzzle that was on the northeast bookshelf had been taken apart and hastily stuffed behind some (poorly) reorganized books. It seemed silly that students would think I wouldn’t notice this and the other obvious disturbances to the room. I’m not sure which period was responsible, but I will find out and mete out consequences.
APELC Class Notes
Fourth period APELCers worked with the Downe text the first hour of the period and an analytical essay by Layla Ayad. I hope third and fifth period were as successful; the notes left by the sub seem to indicate so, but I’ll see for myself on Friday.
I look forward to first revision conferences over the next two days. You’ll be surprised what we can accomplish in five minutes if you’re prepared.
NOTE. I was stunned to see that the three-dimensional apple puzzle that was on the northeast bookshelf had been taken apart and hastily stuffed behind some (poorly) reorganized books. It seemed silly that students would think I wouldn’t notice this and the other obvious disturbances to the room. I’m not sure which period was responsible, but I will find out and mete out consequences.
English 9 Class Notes
Freshmens, we completed our discussion of “Rules of the Game” today by reviewing the Guided Reading questions and completing the graphic organizers in which you described the conflicts Waverly experiences during the story and compared and contrasted the personality traits of Waverly and her mother. I quizzed second period over the story, but we ran up against the clock in seventh and so you’ll complete the quiz Wednesday.
Next class you’ll have an opportunity to wrap-up the story with some final questions and we’ll begin the succeeding selection in the textbook. Be sure to bring your independent reading book with you when we meet again; actually, bring it every time we meet.
See you soon.
APELC Class Notes
APELCers, today I asked you to add to your notes with definitions of discourse, speech and text event, and parts of the rhetorical triangle. I attempted to use Barack Obama’s inauguration speech as an example text that we could frame with the rhetorical triangle, but it was too distant in the past for most of your memories, so I took out a standby from last year which most of you knew (if not liked), Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold”. (It wasn’t my favorite either, but it worked for our purposes.) The question of audience came up: Who’s the intended audience of the song, a nameless subject in the song itself or the general listening public? I’ll say something of private and public text next time we meet.
Students also began to sign-up for revision conferences. There’re still many of you that need to choose a slot, and they’re limited now. I’ll leave a copy of the sign-up sheet on the extra computer cart where you can sign-up for what times that remain.
I’ve asked you also to select a text for outside reading. Any non-fiction book should do, but here’re two reading lists that might help you make a decision if you’re coming up empty:
- The Modern Library list of the 100 best nonfiction
- Sue Silverman’s list of contemporary literary nonfiction
I’d like you to have made a selection by the end of the week, and I’d like to you to bring the book with you to each class meeting. See me if you have any questions.
English 9 Class Notes
Freshmens, Thursday and Friday I gave you the opportunity to finish your guided reading questions over the Tan piece and we went to the liberry for orientation and book checkout. We’ll pick-up with the graphic organizers I gave you (second period, not seventh, yet), next class.
Until Monday, here’s a brief clip from the Associated Press, “San Francisco’s Chinatown Funeral Bands”, that may offer some insight into the setting and culture of our recent short story:
Seventh period students who borrowed books, don’t forget I need them by second hour Monday.
Have a nice couple of days off.
APELC Class Notes
Yesterday and today, APELCers, we asked and answered questions “The History Teacher”, by Billy Collins, and we went to the bookstore where you were issued your textbooks. I offered you several definitions of and commented on rhetoric, which helped you clarify the prompt of timed-writing 1. I returned your timed-writings to you, and you began to examine and assess your work. We’ll continue this on Monday.
Have a fine weekend.
English 9 Class Notes
Freshmens, we talked about culture and identity today: Many of you shared that you enjoy varied ethnic heritage from nations such as Bosnia, Croatia, Iraq, Germany, Ireland, and Spain, among others. The melding of cultures is addressed in your reading of “Rules of the Game”, which you read and answered several questions over to check your understanding. We’ll discuss your answer to these questions next class, and we’ll also head to the liberry for orientation and book checkout.
See you next time.
APELC Class Notes
Juniors and seniors, we reviewed different levels of questions we can create when approaching a text critically today and yesterday, and I offered some examples for a favorite piece of mine, Edward Hopper’s Automat.
Fourth period set creating their own questions for the piece, and third and fifth periods created their questions over other texts in the room. We didn’t get to them all, but we may have some time next class. I’ll hand back your papers then, too.
Please be sure to have your IDs with you because we’ll head to the bookstore and get out texts for the year.
See you soon.
English 9 Class Notes
Freshmens, I introduced you to a method of meeting a text today in which you examined and summarized some of the background information presented to you in the literature textbook you be using all year long. It might seem tedious now, but you’ll practice this with every text we encounter together and will help scaffold (a fancy teacher-term) your reading. You also wrote down several questions for which you’ll find answers as you read to check your comprehension.
You’ll begin reading “Rules of the Game” next class.
See you then.
APELC Class Notes
We reviewed culture, a little, today before I began to present on Bloom’s cognitive taxonomy, a useful way of classifying how we think that you’ll become very familiar with over the course of the year.
In fourth period, Eli implicitly observed in a questions similarities between analysis and synthesis. I explained that, for our purposes, the former will primarily involve working with evidence within the boundaries of a text while the latter will involve bringing in other information to inform judgments that’ll lead to well-founded evaluation. The difference between analysis and synthesis can be confusing, but we’ll learn to live with that and other ambiguities. Perhaps read the Wikipedia entry on “Bloom’s Cognitive Taxonomy” for more on the issues surrounding this critical thinking measuring tool.
We’ll apply the taxonomy to various text next time we meet in class, and you’ll also receive your scored timed-writings.
See you then.
English 9 Class Notes
Freshmens, we spent our second day together reviewing the Course Outline and I instructed you on how to adequately construct answers to questions using, essentially, PIE paragraphs. PIE is acronym for Point, Illustration, Explanation. I gave you synonyms for each of these too, that we’ll slowly incorporate into our class lexicon.
I gave you a brief tour of my life, and so I thought I’d leave a few links to pages for you to peruse. The Galapagos Islands were the most interesting places I’ve lived, so here’re some sites that contain information about the islands:
- Galapagos National Park Service
- Galapagos Conservancy
- Charles Darwin Foundation and Charles Darwin Research Station
Maybe you’ll find yourself in the islands one day as a tourist or possibly a researcher.
Have a great weekend.
APELC Class Notes
APELCers, yesterday and today we reviewed several important points from the Course Outline, and I presented you with foundational concepts that’ll guide our study of language and ideas and inform your composition this year, among them definitions of culture, worldview, schema, and various types of text and signs. Please review these notes carefully (note reviews will become important very soon); although I don’t give “unit” quizzes, I have been thinking of impromptu ways to make students accountable for knowing concepts. Even though they won’t show up on the APELC exam at the end of the year, they’re important and may support your thinking about ideas we encounter during our time together, so I may devise some quick assessment to make sure you’re understanding what you’re being presented.
Until we meet again, why not peruse the “Culture” article at Wikipedia? You may find it informative and interesting. Also, for those who disagree with positions on about my opinions of Inception and Avatar, here’re two opinion pieces (the first more a portal to other sources) about the blockbuster films: “‘Inception’: The Backlash Begins” at The Atlantic, and “Heaven and Nature” at the New York Times.
Have a great weekend.
English 9 Class Notes
Freshmens, welcome to high school and English 9 with me, your teacher, Rob Girard. I surprised you with an essay today, one in which you wrote about a text of your choice from your previous English language arts experiences in middle school. That took most of the period, but I had time to point out your homework, which you can find on your class page. Remember, if you have an issue with printing, see me.
I look forward to a productive year reading, thinking, and writing with you.
See you next time.
APELC Class Notes
Juniors and seniors, welcome to the 2010-2011 school year and Advanced Placement English Language and Composition. Today you completed your first timed-writing; I’ll have them scored and returned to you on Monday.
I asked each class to review, print, and bring the Course Outline to our next class meeting, but I added two more items after the fact. Please see the amended assignment list on your class page. You’ll eventually print all of the items that are currently listed under the Materials section of your class page, the rest actually for Monday, so you may just want to print them now. (I know this may tax your ink and paper supplies, and I will ask you print certain items throughout the year, but never in bulk. Teachers have been asked to make materials available for download by students to save material costs. You might try printing them at the school’s liberry if you need.)
I’ve enjoyed developing special learning communities with each of my nine classes of APELCers since I began my tenure at CDO in 2007, and I look forward to forging unique relationships with you this year.
See you next class.