It was a mad scene in class today as we all took on our Mad Lit word list...some classes got to read some of their stories out loud and let's just say they are completely proving my point...which is to come (a bit of FORESHADOWING!) Today's assignment is as follows:
Write the following sentence:
I am a __________________________________. (fill in the blank)
Then you are to write 4 sentences describing what kind of _______________________ you are. For example if you are a dancer you would do the following:
I am a dancer.
I am a strong dancer.
I am a skilled dancer.
You should write 4 adjective sentences...remember that adjectives help describe how or what we are.
Then you will write the following sentence, the most simple action sentence ever:
I _________________________.(fill in the blank with a verb)
Then you are to write 4 sentences describing how you ____________________.
I dance.
I dance beautifully.
I dance passionately.
You should write 4 adverb sentences...remember that adverbs help describe how we do the things we do.
Tomorrow in class we will finish up the Mad Lit stories and begin delving deeper into symbolism, metaphor, figurative language and context as we prepare to begin reading our first short story of the year: A WHITE HERON.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Breaking My Word...
On the first weekend of the school year I am breaking my cardinal rule of no homework on the weekend. I assure you I plan on returning to my initial promise but this assignment had to go out so that we can stay on track with the learning schedule.
I am so EXCITED and THRILLED with the participation of the students in the discussion we had today about symbolism. It can be kind of a challenge to get everyone on the same page, but everyone really seemed to understand it. We used concrete examples such as the fact that when we see a bald, bland little woman in a dress on a sign we know that there is a women's restroom nearby. There's never been confusion that perhaps that is a sign marking the giving away of free girls...but how do we know that? None of us could remember who told us and none of us knew who told our parents so they could tell us. There were so many good thoughts and ideas brought up in class - they all really seem to get it.
Now that we understand symbolism in everyday life, we will begin to funnel it down to literature. Monday we will look at metaphors (think Batman and why he is a Bat)and comparisons and contrasting along with context and inference and how all those work together to help us figure out the symbolism.
Homework: Exercise 2 on the symbolism worksheet. It may be done on a separate piece of paper or on the sheet with the exercise. DON'T FORGET SUPPLIES FROM THE SUPPLY LIST ON MONDAY!
Have a stupendous weekend!
I am so EXCITED and THRILLED with the participation of the students in the discussion we had today about symbolism. It can be kind of a challenge to get everyone on the same page, but everyone really seemed to understand it. We used concrete examples such as the fact that when we see a bald, bland little woman in a dress on a sign we know that there is a women's restroom nearby. There's never been confusion that perhaps that is a sign marking the giving away of free girls...but how do we know that? None of us could remember who told us and none of us knew who told our parents so they could tell us. There were so many good thoughts and ideas brought up in class - they all really seem to get it.
Now that we understand symbolism in everyday life, we will begin to funnel it down to literature. Monday we will look at metaphors (think Batman and why he is a Bat)and comparisons and contrasting along with context and inference and how all those work together to help us figure out the symbolism.
Homework: Exercise 2 on the symbolism worksheet. It may be done on a separate piece of paper or on the sheet with the exercise. DON'T FORGET SUPPLIES FROM THE SUPPLY LIST ON MONDAY!
Have a stupendous weekend!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
First Day of School
What an awesome and exuberant bunch of students I have this year! Very exciting! Despite not being able to figure out the bell schedule, forgetting to take attendance and at one point slamming my skirt in the car door it has been, thus far, a red letter day! And we've got an assembly coming up in about an hour and a half. Assemblies are always fun...so here is the info on first day assignments:
World Lit I - none
Journalism - none
Publications - bring in one page from a magazine that you feel is expression of your personal style and the style of the student body our yearbook will be representing.
Enjoy your welcome back break! There is much work to be done and here is a preview:
World Lit I - Crashing symbols: Why Batman is Batman and not Badgerman...
Journalism - We've Got Style...Yes We Do! - Journalism Boot Camp starts in t-1.5 days. GET ON YOUR BOOTS!
Publications - You are the Captain's Log so let's give her all she's got and hope we don't break apart (Trekkies unite)! Yearbook Boot Camp starts in t-1.5 days. I don't know but I've been told, the jpub room is always cold! SOUND OFF!
World Lit I - none
Journalism - none
Publications - bring in one page from a magazine that you feel is expression of your personal style and the style of the student body our yearbook will be representing.
Enjoy your welcome back break! There is much work to be done and here is a preview:
World Lit I - Crashing symbols: Why Batman is Batman and not Badgerman...
Journalism - We've Got Style...Yes We Do! - Journalism Boot Camp starts in t-1.5 days. GET ON YOUR BOOTS!
Publications - You are the Captain's Log so let's give her all she's got and hope we don't break apart (Trekkies unite)! Yearbook Boot Camp starts in t-1.5 days. I don't know but I've been told, the jpub room is always cold! SOUND OFF!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Other Side of the Desk
New Teacher Orientation was more rigorous than most of my college classes. Of course that could be because I really CARED about orientation. I can hear the ruffling feathers of my former college profs out there, so calm down and let me explain. There is a HUGE difference in learning because you are ready to learn and learning because someone told you to BE ready to learn. This was just one of the many valuable lessons that whacked me upside the head like a warm iron skillet.
I went straight to college after high school because that is what I was supposed to do. Truth be told, I wanted to pack up my clothes in the trunk of my old Chevy Malibu and take off across the country, writing poetry, taking pictures, working when I needed to pay rent or buy more paper or film. But I was not the rebel then that I am now, and so I went straight to college. And promptly rebelled against education in the only way I knew how to: I ignored my nature.
I knew by the time I was 6 years old that I was supposed to be a teacher. But in my teenage-angst-flannel-grunge philosophy, I rejected it. When you're young and convinced you are out of control of your own life, you tend to get wreckless. I got wreckless with my future; I got angry at my passion; I turned my back on myself.
And I floundered and flopped for about 16 years. From job to job, career to career, paycheck to paycheck. Everything I did circled around becoming a teacher, kind of like a little kid at their own birthday party circles the cake, knowing it is intended for them but still leary at the thought of what their actions may bring.
But here I am, face first in the cake. Past the rebellion, past the floundering and floating, past the circling... here I am and in a week or so I will go back to school and probably feel many of the same emotions: anticipation, nervousness, indifference, and excitement tinged with shock that I would be excited. The only difference is that this time, I'm on the other side of the desk!
I went straight to college after high school because that is what I was supposed to do. Truth be told, I wanted to pack up my clothes in the trunk of my old Chevy Malibu and take off across the country, writing poetry, taking pictures, working when I needed to pay rent or buy more paper or film. But I was not the rebel then that I am now, and so I went straight to college. And promptly rebelled against education in the only way I knew how to: I ignored my nature.
I knew by the time I was 6 years old that I was supposed to be a teacher. But in my teenage-angst-flannel-grunge philosophy, I rejected it. When you're young and convinced you are out of control of your own life, you tend to get wreckless. I got wreckless with my future; I got angry at my passion; I turned my back on myself.
And I floundered and flopped for about 16 years. From job to job, career to career, paycheck to paycheck. Everything I did circled around becoming a teacher, kind of like a little kid at their own birthday party circles the cake, knowing it is intended for them but still leary at the thought of what their actions may bring.
But here I am, face first in the cake. Past the rebellion, past the floundering and floating, past the circling... here I am and in a week or so I will go back to school and probably feel many of the same emotions: anticipation, nervousness, indifference, and excitement tinged with shock that I would be excited. The only difference is that this time, I'm on the other side of the desk!
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