Lost in my own Blogation

Preparing for our i21 Classroom, I have some documents that have to be read and signed by parents. The first is the user agreement for the netbooks, basically stating that they will be careful with them and treat them responsibly. The second is a disclosure for the online classroom that I am going to be using with my students. It is an opt out agreement, where you only need to return it if you do not want your student enrolled. See the links below.

Netbook User Agreement

Edmodo.com Disclosure/Information

Due Monday, 3/15/10

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Taken from a friend’s blog, these rules to live by were originally written by the immortal Kurt Vonnegut:

Now lend me your ears. Here is Creative Writing 101:

1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she
will not feel the time was wasted.
2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a
glass of water.
4. Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character
or advance the action.
5. Start as close to the end as possible.
6. Be a sadist. No matter sweet and innocent your leading
characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the
reader may see what they are made of.
7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and
make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get
pneumonia.
8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as
possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such
complete understanding of what is going on, where and why,
that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches
eat the last few pages.

The greatest American short story writer of my generation was Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964). She broke practically every one of my rules but the first. Great writers tend to do that.

Click the link below for the calendar. If you have any questions feel free to send me a message, or comment.

Into the Woods Calendar

I wanted to post the calendar online. Please note that there are some students who must attend the actual show nights who are not specifically listed. These are the house managers, tickets sales, programs, etc. They will be given a clearer idea as we approach the actual show dates.

Poem book report. Make sure to read the instructions carefully, don’t overwork it.

Poem Book Report

As we move into producing the musical students are going to learn a lot about multi-tasking. I’m going to be assigning production roles as we move into the musical.

When I assign jobs I’m going to be looking at what students can make after school commitments and what students cannot.

In addition, we are going to be working on monologues. Due MONDAY, February 1st, 2010, students must come to school with the monologue that they would like to perform with the entire play script. It is a tall order, but the students need to learn where to find scripts. Local public libraries will actually have a lot. Go there. Check online to get ideas. They will not be memorizing until I approve their choices.

Thank you for your support, as always.

We are currently finishing our persuasive papers. A typed version is due by Friday. We no longer have anymore time to work on them in class. They must have a complete 5 paragraph paper based on the outline/fill in sheet I gave them, along with parenthetical citations with a works cited page. Sounds complicated, but they can handle it, with a little help. I have been trying to help them as much as possible, but eventually it gets to the point where I have to let them fly solo.

Puppet Show Book Reports. I really hope that they have mentioned this to you. They are to be working on their final book report of the semester. This one is a group project where they must create a puppet show that will be performed in front of the class. Some inherent problems always arise, but we either conquer them, or students will end up with an alternative assignment. I really do hate to do that, but sometimes the circumstances demand it.

If you have questions about either of these you can of course e-mail me. mr.russell.07@gmail.com

Thank you everyone, as always your input with your students is as important, if not more important, than mine will ever be.

Puppet Show Project Information

Go to: http://www.easybib.com

It will provide fairly clear and easy steps in order to get your works cited page completed.

One thing that I am always trying to press with students, of all grades and levels, is that they need to become self directed and motivated learner.

One place that this seems to fall by the wayside is making up missed or failed assignments. English class is a process. No one begins or ends the journey in exactly the sake way. Some students have to take more or less steps than others.

One of the prime examples of this is retaking failed vocabulary quizzes or resubmitting a paper that received a low grade. Take advantage of these opportunities while they last. Make yourself the best student you can.

Resubmitting or retesting is extra work. But, it can mean the difference between success and failure. Only you can make the decision to succeed.