An archived stack of papers: April 2006
Hopes And Dreams In Japan
In a stack of papers called Personal.
- Apr
- 25
- 2006
While in Japan, someone asked me about the difference between “hope” and “dream.” I started off saying that “hope” typically is used for something you expect to happen. You hope for an end to hunger. You hope for the day you can see your long-lost relatives again. “Dream” is used to describe things that would be cool, but you don’t anticipate... read more
Start Writing Now
In a stack of papers called Writing.
- Apr
- 15
- 2006
I leave for Japan tomorrow. I’ll be in Kyoto for a few days, Izumo for a few more, spend the night in Osaka, then head for home. It should be fun, but it means that I’ll be away from my girlfriend, my cat, and my blog.
As I get ready to spend my Spring Break, not relaxing and reading, but running through train stations and lugging around baggage, you need to start writing... read more
The Problem Of The Long-Term
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Apr
- 14
- 2006
As we move to the end of the year, I spring long-term projects on my classes. The 3-week A Yellow Raft In Blue Water project for English 3 has groups reading only one section of the novel and preparing a presentation on that section according to specific guidelines. English 4’s Siddhartha project found the seniors with 2 weeks of class time for planning, practicing, and preparing... read more
4 Hours
In a stack of papers called Unorganized.
- Apr
- 13
- 2006
Classes let out today at 1:05 due to STAR testing. Students piled out my door as I sat down to begin. The tasks never stopped their parade across my desk.
And here I still sit, packed up except for my computer, in the early evening of a beautiful April day. The sun slowly sinks behind the hills off in the distance and reflections across campus darken. A quick glance at the clock and I realize... read more
Required And Allowed Reading
In a stack of papers called Reading.
- Apr
- 12
- 2006
What books should be added to the approved reading list? Which titles should be cleared for instruction in high-school classrooms? Do you have any suggestions to add to the age old list of mostly canonical literature we teach to teenagers?
Should required reading lists exist anymore? Does it really matter what books are read, as long as standards are addressed? If literacy is promoted, critical... read more
High School Is Memorex
In a stack of papers called Unorganized.
- Apr
- 11
- 2006
Most students don’t view high school as “the real world.” My seniors got to the idea that Siddhartha doesn’t think any of it is real, the life he leads and the people he meets. I pressed and asked if that’s the way teenagers feel about high school. When bad news comes from school, does it really matter? What about good news? In the grand scheme of things, does it have an... read more
An Open Letter About STAR Testing
In a stack of papers called Testing.
- Apr
- 10
- 2006
Dear Student:
We begin STAR testing tomorrow. You just finished with the CAHSEE a few weeks ago, the AP tests are around the corner, and you know that semester finals aren’t too far off. In short, there’s hella... read more
Make A Scene For Your Classroom
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Apr
- 09
- 2006
While watching Election for quite possibly the 100th time, I was reminded of why I thought a short clip of that film might be good to play for my students.
Toward the end of the movie, in a segment that’s about 5... read more
Another Quick Use Of A Good Site
In a stack of papers called Technology.
- Apr
- 08
- 2006
Today brought the 2nd of 3 Spring Saturday events sponsored by the San Jose Area Writing Project. Titled Super Saturday, these events offer 3 different workshops, typically one each for elementary, junior high, and high school. Our numbers were slightly lower than the last 2 Saturdays we met, but we still had a good turn out with roughly 47 participants in attendance.
I gave the opening speech... read more
Just Do It
In a stack of papers called Technology.
- Apr
- 07
- 2006
Let’s face it: Nike is right.
There are so many times I am a teaching Hamlet: I procrastinate by thinking too much, mulling over an issue in my head for so long that the moment for action passes me by. Entire units begin weeks late because I stumble on setting up just the right introduction. And by the time that perfect introduction is... read more