why we share what we write

Sometimes we get so caught up in the technicalities of composition that we forget the original purpose of communicating.  This video of a musical composition is a powerful reminder.

august 23

JOURNAL TOPIC:

Do you see a difference between learning and being taught?  How do you learn differently when you're doing it independently?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Memorize, record, & post "Richard Cory"
3. Catch up on any unfinished work
4. Add some design to your blog
5. Read 180

august 22

JOURNAL TOPIC
Many of us use the word boring to describe anything we don't like or understand. How can a book be boring to one person and interesting to another? Describe something you really like and imagine how someone else might think it's boring. Use a specific example.

AGENDA
1. Journal
2. Read 180 Reading Inventory
3. Work on "Richard Cory"
4. Catch up on any unifinished work
5. "Conscience of a Hacker"

HW: Write a response to "Conscience of a Hacker" and publish it on your blog.  Do you agree or disagree with the author?  Considering this was written when I was in high school, and today's young people will eventually lead this school and this country, what is important for us to remember so that we can make education better for the next generation?

august 21 [sigh]

It turns out the software is working, so period 3 will meet in the lab (Room 235).

If you finish the test early, check out the Big Questions page.

august 21 [UPDATE]

Apparently the testing software wasn't up to testing today, so we are meeting in 619 as usual.  

Please bring your brain.

august 21

JOURNAL TOPIC:

Why are there so many tests in school?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Testing
3. Old Business: poem, post reading test to blog
4. Read 180

a seven year-old can pass this course

I just found this post from 2016 and thought you might like to see it. -dp

Today I'm home with my daughter.  So what am I up to?

Playing Legos and making chili con carne.

I have also been posting to the course blogs and answering emails from students.  Earlier my daughter was looking over my shoulder and saw the picture of her fish.  She read the post and cracked up (I already told her the story at dinner, but she didn't know it was online: "Daddy, you TWEETED that?")

When she saw the post my daughter noticed something else on the blog.  "Daddy," she said, "Why did you type that you never learned to read?"  I explained the reading assessment idea and showed her the video of me reading Fox in Sox. We had just finished a conversation about how learning should always be fun, even in school.  "Hey," she said.  "I can do that."

I answered with a smile: "Yeah? Prove it."

So she did.  And check out the look she gives me when she pronounces Dr. Seuss' name correctly.





Do your homework. For the grading period I may just make it simple: can you do what a 7 year-old can do? And the most important thing in this video and this post is what she DOESN'T do.

She doesn't get distracted by the dishwasher. She doesn't even look up when the timer goes off. And she never, ever, EVER gives up.