Dear Seniors,

Grades 95% done; currently updating ProgressBook. Should be accurate by tomorrow, one-ish.

If you still need to submit a HofD paper on www.turnitin.com or e-mail it to me (you know who you are) let me know ASAP. Grades are due to Dr. J. by noon on Thursday.

Dear Sophys:

I know I've been neglectful, but you have to admit that class lately has been insightful. I'm giving you 100% on the instructional side to hopefully compensate for the slackerdom on the assessment side. And then the seniors go! And it's ALL YOU for a few days!

And I haven't slept. . .

Love to all.

Monday, May 23, 2010

And the slacking continues with the updating-of-the-blog thing! Goodness.

Today begins SENIOR FINALS. Today's schedule will be "normal" for everyone; students in periods 5,6, and 7 will take their final. If you are one of my APees, and you took the AP Exam on May 6 in good faith, you have one final written task to do today to earn the "A" on your final exam grade. Only two people messed this up last year, so don't be one of them this year!

Periods One and Two (Gifted English II): Author of the Day; Word of the Day; Holiday of the Day; Moral Homework--find your favorite opening line of a book; discussing the Letter to Self assignment; poetry and analysis (starting with "Courage" by Sexton from last week and culminating with a more complicated piece from the anthology.)

Period Three: Distribute the letters you wrote to yourselves in tenth grade, if you were in my class; yearbook signings galore; pass back a whale's belly-full of graded work to trash or treasure. Just don't throw it away/recycle it in front of me.

Period Four: Writing Center; need some help if you're available. We're back in 315 this week.

Periods Five, Six, Seven: Final assessment for AP Lit and Comp; you need one or two pieces of paper and a pen. No worries. If you finish early feel free to pick up any graded work in the respective pile o'love.

I have a SAC meeting tonight back up at school, so I might stay straight through to finish grades. If you need a letter for a scholarship or comm service, see me ASAP. Love to all.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Yes, I have been hideously lax posting here. I am sorry. AP Hell Weeks have taken their toll.

But there is Hope! We are moving toward the end of the quarter and all is well.

Mostly.

Gifted English II: Things Fall Apart Check-Reading Test is Wednesday; you may use your book, but you may NOT use someone else's. Plan ahead.

APees: We are shifting into our Every Other Day Modality. Your Heart of Darkness focus paper is still due ASAP (I'd like a Friday deadline, but I could take it next Monday) AND the character chart. Some of y'all need those grades. Final is next week.

Tomorrow's lessons:

Gifted English II: Author of the Day: Dorothy Parker; Word of the Day: hagiography; Holiday of the Day: National Hypertension Day. After we finish assessing "The Highwayman" and finish the six questions (the only one of which that is really significant is THEME) we are reading an AMAZING poem called "Courage" by Anne Sexton that will change your life. It does make me cry, though. Tomorrow, bring your book and character list.

APees: Visual cultural activity today, as long as you promise to read tomorrow. I like pirates.

Epic and Honest Mobile Home Commercial

This is the commercial I told a few of you about in class. Check it out for its unflinching honesty and surprisingly awesome soundtrack.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Your teachers may look slightly happier today, as it is payday, and we are getting our 2009-2010 raise now. Yes, it's May. We work efficiently around here!

Word of the Day: imbricate

Holiday of the Day: Limerick Day, Nutty Fudge Day, Nurses Day, Night Workers Day

Author of the Day: The exhilaratingly funny, and unfortunately deceased, Douglas Adams

Gifted English II: We are listening to two ballads today, with the help of iPod and a friendly copy code. Loreena McKennitt's version of Sir Alfred Noyes's "The Highwayman" is very, very good, and old-school diehards may appreciate Gordon Lightfoot's tribute to the Edmund Fitzgerald, an iron ore carrier that went down in Lake Superior in 1975. Do any of you remember the mnemonic device for remembering the Great Lakes? Scroll below to find out!

APees: Finishing Chapter One and beginning Chapter Two of The Orchid Thief. What makes John Laroche tick? How is he the most potentially entertaining anti-hero we have yet met? And can we trust Susan Orlean as a narrator? Why or why not?

Answer to the Sophys: HOMES. Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

FIRE DRILL!

I thought it was yesterday, but, alas, it was today. Nice weather, though.

Many, many AP tests today.

SOPHYS:

Author du jour was Judy Blume yesterday, as it turns out, but I have no idea who it was today. Someone interesting, I hope. I'll have to check the board tomorrow. Interesting how a massive glut of grading backlogged work can soak up your brain tissues, eh?

And then we talked about some truly interesting things: What is the distinction between a current event and history, and, therefore, what defines fiction v. literature? What has longevity? Why?

Socratic crap at its best!

APees:

Well, we watching Apoc Now, at least in one class. The other classes just kind of hung out and talked, since we had five students in one group, four in another, due to the AP-osity of the day.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Yes, I've been bad again about posting and updating. It was AP Hell Week for me, and I'm sorry.

So let's get on with it!

NOTE: Starbucks is having half-price frapps through May 16 from 3-5 p.m. I do not work for SBux, nor get any kickbacks for advertising for them, but I know how some of you love your caffeine and felt obligation to pass on the info. And as you know, I live there, so. . .

NOTE NOTE: School is almost over for the year. Can you believe it?

Gifted English II: Author of the Day is Judy Blume; word of the day is "logy," and we have a special outdoor opportunity during first period. Can't say specifically what it is, but it rhymes with "mire will." Or "tire swill." Or "man, it's hot on this practice field in May." After that layer of fun, we will saunter back to 313 for an article on Good Bad Books, and discuss Things Fall Apart with more scrutiny, since it's due Friday. As in the whole book. As in some of you might be in trouble. . .

APees: REMINDER that the Heart of Darkness focus paper, your last for the year, is due at some point in the next two weeks. I truly don't care when, but if I don't start getting papers by the end of this week I will start peppering you with passive-aggressive e-mails that will fill your mailbox and, no doubt, offer you millions of money from far-away princes if you attach an account number. Kidding. I am no scammer. Yet. Also, the Heart of Darkness character chart should come in soon, too. See how nice and flexible (read: apathetic) I am being? Especially in light of APness? Today is AP Physics, and tomorrow is Psych, and Wednesday is Art History, and Thursday is Econ. . .and it goes on and on and on.

Today, though, we are going to finish the first chapter of The Orchid Thief and then change directions entirely by watching two scenes from Apocalypse Now.

Brontë Sisters Power Dolls: Brontesaurus!

Monday, May 3, 2010

So one of my 46 major character flaws upon which I am working is an intense level of laziness, which is why I neglected to post Friday's lessons. The sophomores took the Author of the Day quiz with varying degrees of success, and the seniors all rec'd the Prom Speech, with varying degrees of success.

Today, however, is another day.

I know several students will be out for the AP Gov test today, but lessons go on despite ourselves.

Gifted English II: Author of the Day is Bill Bryson, word of the day is je ne sais quoi, and the holiday today ranges from Accountant Appreciation Day to Melanoma Monday. And then, unfortunately, we have a timed writing from the State of Florida. Fortunately, this is the adjusted topic for Gifted/Honors, and it has a literary bent. I actually almost like it. Ten points for doing it, plus a grade for your actual score out of 36.

APees: Depending on how many people are out today, we are probably doing small-group preparation for the AP exam this Thursday. All students will be assigned the next (final!) focus paper on Heart of Darkness, though--check this site tomorrow for the prompt if you are out for AP Gov.