something to consider over the weekend

I am curious to know something about the Big Question you talked about in class.  What's in it for you?  What will exploring this topic do for you?  Will it scratch a curiosity itch, or enable you to do something that appeals to you, or move you closer to a life goal, or ease a frustration about something that does not appear to make sense?  Or something else? 

Please take a few moments to write about this on your blog.  (Title: WHAT'S IN MY BIG QUESTION FOR ME)

I hope you have a great weekend.  See you Monday.

january 31

JOURNAL TOPIC:
(today's topic is inspired by yesterday's classes & guest-written by Ms. Anderson :)

Standing for the Pledge of Allegiance is something most of us have done since we entered school.  But, have you thought about why you're pledging allegiance to the flag?  Oftentimes we do things out of obligation, without even thinking about it ourselves.  If no one forced you to stand, would you still want to?  Would you feel social pressure one way or the other?  Please explain your answer.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Post a paragraph to your blog describing Nick, the narrator of The Great Gatsby  (title: MEET NICK).  In the paragraph, describe where Nick is from, where he is now, and 2-3 things about him that you think might be important to know as we get into the story next week.  You are welcome to read together and share ideas together, but please make sure that when you write your post that I'm reading your original thinking and writing. 

january 30

JOURNAL TOPIC:

Choose your own topic.  Write about whatever is on your mind.  (*Be sure to include descriptions and examples of what you're talking about, and shoot for half a page.)

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Some of you don't have a blog post to show for this entire decade.  Use today's period to get right with your work and post at least three things to your blog.  If you are a person who is already caught up, post three more things.

our dark patterns

Huh.  I publish a post about technology that affects all of you by routinely cheating you and your family out of money.  And the post gets ONE page view?  Ignorance is expensive.  Hope you have it to spare.

january 29

Today is Cake Wednesday, and I would rather get you paid than risk getting you sick, so hack this topic and write.  If you have questions or need clarification, you can collaborate with friends (making sure of course that what you turn in is original and uniquely yours) or comment to this post.  Use the journal as a pre-write.  I look forward to reading your work! -dp

JOURNAL TOPIC:
What would you do if someone paid you $500 to write your next essay?  What type of incentive would motivate you to do your best work?  What if the essay prompt asked you to think about ways to help your friends manage conflict using four questions: Is it the truth?  Will it build goodwill and better friendship?  Is it fair to all concerned?  Will it be beneficial to all concerned (will everyone get something positive out of it)?  Think about a way that you can help friends have a good argument (the search for truth we've been talking about all year) that answers each of these questions.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Write THIS ESSAY on paper and turn in your draft to Ms. Anderson at the end of the period. 

january 28

[Nobody ever plans to get sick.  My plan was to start in on The Great Gatsby with you today.  Now I'm thinking more along the lines of Tech Tuesday, Cake Wednesday, and Hopefully-I'm-Back-In-Class Thursday.  Please use the time to your greatest advantage.  Some of your blogs don't have a post since last decade, and that is not going to cut it come progress report time, which is already approaching...]

JOURNAL TOPIC:
It's an old joke: "You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose."  Why not?  In half a page (minimum) of thoughtful reflection, please explain your views on personal boundaries.  When is it OK to reach over and pluck something out of someone's hair, or tell them their shoe is untied, or their fly is unzipped?  Do some people invite this level of personal connection, or is it simply never OK?  Please explain and use examples to illustrate.

AGENDA:
1. [Mindfulness whenever you want to take a minute]
2. Journal
3. Post at least two makeup assignments (or, if you're all caught up, add a graphic design or widget) on your blog
4. Publish today's posts (see below)

TODAY'S POSTS:
1. Please read at least one article in the "Dark Patterns" post.  Publish a post on your blog in which you comment on this practice and describe an example from your personal experience.  If you don't have a personal experience, discuss the idea at your table and find someone who has. (title: DARK PATTERNS)
2. Reflect on yesterday's ignite talks, and publish yesterday's post if you haven't yet.  Find at least two speakers who impressed you with their ideas and/or enthusiasm.  Ask them how they came up with their ideas, and report on this in a blog post. (title: BEHIND THE IGNITE TALKS)

tech tuesday: dark patterns

Have you ever been on a site, thinking about buying something, when a message pops up that says, "31 people are looking at this!" or a timer appears that indicates unless you click before it runs out, you will lose the deal?

Those tactics are called "dark patterns" -- they seem like they give you an insider angle, some sort of advantage that will help you get what you want, but really they are just ways to manipulate you and get you to buy whatever you're looking at.

Dark patterns are simply tricks used in websites or apps to get you to do things you didn't intend to.

For more on dark patterns, check out: https://www.darkpatterns.org/

To see the article that goes with the headline above, go to:

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-01-28/how-online-stores-trick-you-into-buying (NOTE: This one is "hot off the press" from today's Los Angeles Times)

Also, this:
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20191211-the-fantasy-numbers-that-make-you-buy-things-online

ignite talks

Luis: Why does religion create conflict?

Dayanira: How do stickers work?

Vivecca: Why are abused men not heard as often?

Rubi: Why do students stress about high school and college, as opposed to economic problems or starting a new chapter?

Deanna: What are different challenges that engineers face?  How do engineers create structural designs that can withstand earthquakes?

Yenifer: What is the point of waking up the next day if you’re just going to do the same thing as today?

Alyssa: For as long as I’ve been in school… Why are we so pressured about college?  What do I need to do to become an artist?

Jonessallin: Is everyone really related because of Adam and Eve?

Angela: How many mass shootings have to happen before we change our policies and laws about guns?

Clarisse: How can we reduce poverty

Destiny: [absent]

Dana: Is life real or just a hallucination?

Tanya: Why does the brain work the way it does; can it work more effectively to make us happy?

Elizabeth: Why are we such social animals who imitate each other?

Miriam J: What are the pros and cons of emerging technology?

Miriam L: How long will it take human beings to completely destroy Earth?

Jennifer: Can a multiverse be open as a frequency or energy?  Does this make time travel and guardian angels a real possibility?

Jeffrey:  What makes individuals so unique?

Marina: Is the supernatural real?

Odalys: Can we survive on aeroponics farming?

Isaac: [absent]

Citlalli: How is a student’s home environment correlated with success in school?

Juan: The mandala effect real or time travel?

Giselle: Can a person of color be racist?

Elva: Even after so many mass shootings and deaths, why are people so unwilling to change their minds about gun control?

Yazmin: Why do people take so much for granted?

Erika: Why do influencers think it’s ok to change our ideas about beauty?

Lilly: How do anxiety and depression work in our brain neurologically?

Leo: When will we reach Mars?

Emma: Does social media have any impact preventing young people from smoking?

Jocelyn: Why do we always have the feeling that we have to please others?

CC: Is ignorance really bliss?

Adriana: Why do we instantly associate race or gender with certain careers and walks of life?

Heliodoro: How do we know what careers or jobs to choose?

Pedro: Why haven’t we sent more people to the moon more often?

Jimena: Why isn’t saving Earth our top priority?

january 27

JOURNAL TOPIC:

Today you have a choice.  Please select one of the following options (or, have a blast and write about both!)

What makes a person "great"?  Please define qualities or characteristics as specifically as you can, and give examples.

-OR-

Yesterday, former NBA player Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter accident.  Many people aspired to be like him-- athletic, articulate, good-looking, rich... and today he's gone.  So is his 13 year-old daughter and the other passengers.  What thoughts and feelings does this bring up for you?

AGENDA:
1. [MINUTE OF MINDFULNESS]
2. Journal
3. Your 30 seconds of greatness: Ignite talks

POST:
Which Big Questions were you most interested in or excited about today?  List these and explain what got your attention. (title: I'M IGNITED)

HW:
Meet The Great Gatsby.  Read the first few pages and come to class Tuesday prepared to discuss.

January 24

Journal topic: Why do you think so many people fear public speaking? We talk all the time without caring if people listen, so what’s a few more? If you’re nervous about speaking in public, ask yourself why, and brainstorm a little — how can you conquer your fear?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Fine tune your ignite talk

examples of big questions from the past

Some of you have asked for examples, so here you go.  Check out the comments to the following posts:

https://drprestonsrhsenglitcomp13.blogspot.com/2013/05/whats-your-big-question.html

https://drprestonsamlitsmhs1617.blogspot.com/2016/08/whats-your-big-question.html

https://drprestonslangcompsmhs1920.blogspot.com/2019/08/whats-your-big-question.html

january 23

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Ice Cream Man by Tom Waits; "Ice Cream Man" by Van Halen]
Imagine that you are having a conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  You say chocolate ice cream is the best.  He says nope, it's vanilla.  Who will win?  How would your ethos, pathos, and logos compare? Give at least one specific example for each concept.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Ignite talks
3. Begin work on your Big Question talk.  Due Monday 1/27

POST:
Look up HOPEPUNK.  It's America's newest literary genre.  Explain what it is and why authors think it matters. (title: HOPEPUNK)

thoughts on taking notes

This article is brilliant.  Read it.  It wasn't assigned by a teacher or written by a student.  It's by an adult, for an adult audience, because everyone wants to figure out how they can think better and use what they learn to succeed.

Take some notes.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/how-to-take-notes-while-reading?utm_source=pocket-newtab

scholarship opportunity

Over the next few weeks we will start finding and applying for scholarships.  This one just came to my attention this morning, and all of you are essay writers, so get started.  If enough people write, I will dedicate some time in class next week for us to discuss and edit.

allusion for the win

As you know, the United States Senate is currently holding an impeachment trial.  This is only the third time this has happened in the history of our country.  Yesterday, Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), one of the impeachment managers, answered a question in elegant fashion, and ended with an allusion that his supporters would undoubtedly recognize.  You can see the video HERE.

january 22

{MINUTE OF MINDFULNESS}

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega w/ DNA; "Breakfast in America" by Supertramp]

Are "secret ingredients" ever a good thing, or just a cynical ploy that entices us to eat cheaply manufactured nastiness?

1. Journal
2. Postscript: Misery, hope, and ways of writing about both
3. Anatomy of an argument
4. Genre at the beginning of the 20th century: naturalism, realism, and modernism

POST:
1. What is a syllogism?  Using your Big Question, create a syllogism with a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion (title: ARGUE THIS)

2. What is a genre?  What is the difference between naturalism, realism, and modernism?  (title: LAST CENTURY'S WRITING STYLES)

REMEMBER:
Tomorrow you will need to come to class prepared with THE Big Question you intend to research this semester.  I am available today at lunch and online to help you if you need it.  Tomorrow and Friday you will be working on your Ignite Talk (the 30 second speech) for next week.

elective opportunity

This just in.  For more info see Mr. Valencia in Room 615.

january 21

JOURNAL TOPIC:
What do you know?  Describe something you know-- and explain how you know that you know it.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Three questions (regarding ethos/pathos/logos, hearing/listening, and genre)
3. Test or no test
4. Steinbeck and what makes us happy and sad
5. Things to think about: (1) Your Big Question & (2) How you would introduce it in a speech of 30 seconds or less 

HW:
Finish reading this article on John Steinbeck (we'll start together in class). Follow one of the links, and then post an item to your blog in which you explain one thing you learned and why you chose to follow one particular link and not another.  (title: DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE)

our chat with cory doctorow

Here's the video.  And, I feel so dumb.  After updating my computer's OS, and updating Skype, and buying a new license for ECamm, and finding a way to rig all of the plugs and place the computer, all in the 60 minutes just before our talk, I thought I finally had everything working and the camera/screen capture set up to show Cory and us.  [Sigh.]  It wasn't.  You can't see Cory at all, just me on the screen for the whole hour.  Awful.  The good news is that the audio and Cory's ideas are all there, so I'm posting this anyway, even though I am completely embarrassed.  This is a great moment to be a role model for learning; you can bet I will figure out how to do this better before our next speaker!  If you have any follow-up questions or ideas (about the talk, and not my tech skills :), please comment to this post.

notes from a class january 16

(This is a model for how you might post your notes from class.)

Yesterday in my American Literature class, my teacher asked whether Paul Simon's album Graceland qualifies as American literature.  I had seen a video about the album (which you can see below) so I knew a little about the album and Simon's creative process.  He traveled to South Africa to collaborate with the artists who made one of his favorite mix tapes.  Simon thought it was important to play their music with them in their home community because it would be more authentic.

That may sound weird, because it took a lot of time and money, and Simon's record company told him that they could hire musicians right where Simon lived in New York.

But Simon knew something that the record company executives didn't.  You could have the same instruments, playing the same notes, but if it was different musicians in a different city-- this may sound obvious now-- it wouldn't be the same.

Chefs and foodies may recognize the idea: terroir.  You can taste the environment in things like tea, maple syrup, hot peppers, and coffee.

There was even more of an invisible force in Simon's music; in the video, one of the guitarists described music as being close to religion in the sense that it brings people together and promotes healing.

This was all pretty interesting, but at first I couldn't tell whether that made it American literature.

To answer that question, I worked with some people at my table to define those terms.  We started at the end: What is literature?

We defined it as written work (fiction and nonfiction books, movie/play scripts, poems, etc.) that has lasting artistic value.  We agreed that it was easy to tell whether a work was written-- there are either words on a page or there aren't-- but we also talked

january 17

(MINUTE OF MINDFULNESS)

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "We're Going To Be Friends" by The White Stripes; "Village Green Preservation Society" by The Kinks; "It Was a Very Good Year" by Frank Sinatra]

It's a common phrase: "The best years of my life..." What makes one year better than another? Assuming there is such a thing, how will you recognize "the best years" (or moments) when they happen?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
(*How to take and post notes from class)

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. MLK: Ethos, Pathos, Logos
3. Misery, hope, and ways of writing about both
4. Genre at the beginning of the 20th century: naturalism, realism, and modernism

POST:
Post your notes and observations/reflections from today's class to your blog (title: NOTES FROM TODAY'S LECTURE)

HW:
Watch it more than once. LEARN it.  Comment to this post with any reactions, observations, or questions that will help you better understand it.  Be ready to discuss it on Tuesday 1/21.

thought for the day

First, an apology: I just remembered that last semester a few students asked me to post what I read on a weekly basis.  I agreed to follow through-- and then I forgot all about it.  This weekend I'll install a widget or a tab where I share.

For now, one book I read frequently is a book of quotes about Stoicism.  Stoicism is a philosophy (you can read more HERE) that emphasizes our own reasoned choice as a way for us to understand life and get closer to some sense of contentment.

The Daily Stoic quotes Stoic philosophers, including a former slave and an emperor, and presents short interpretations that give me things to think about as I start my day.  Today's quote struck me because it is EXACTLY why I invite students to consider their own Big Questions.

As you consider your Big Question for next week, ask yourself: What's worth your best effort?

january 16

Today is our interview with Cory Doctorow.  Please get to class early if you can.  I will set up the Skype call as soon as Cory is online, and we'll get started right away.  Please write today's post in class if we have time (you can take notes as we talk).  Please write in your journal later.  Thanks to those of you who contributed questions.  Looking forward to a great conversation!

AGENDA:
1. Interview with Cory Doctorow

POST:
What did you learn from the conversation with Cory?  What was it like to participate in an interview of a bestselling author and public intellectual?  What kinds of people would you like to learn from in the future?  (title: TODAY I INTERVIEWED AN EXPERT)  *Note: Remember that your blog readers will need some background on Cory, his experience, and your reasons for being curious about what he knows.

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "I'm Sick Y'All" by Otis Redding; "Don't Let Us Get Sick" by Warren Zevon; "Sick City Sometimes" by Buzzcocks]

Sick.  It's an awful feeling.  And it seems like when we get physically sick, everyone around us has an opinion: rest up, drink fluids, see a doctor, sweat it out, take an ice bath, walk it off... How do you know what to do when you get sick?

You can also look at the word differently.  There are more than a couple connotations: Dude, that's sick!  I think about the roots of one synonym: disease.  The denotation is, "Not at ease."  How do you feel when you are not at ease, and what do you do to restore a sense of balance so that you can live your best life?  (Spoiler: sitting still and/or staring at a screen probably doesn't help.)

meet bill the cat

This morning my dog made a sound that described exactly how I felt about the first day of school.  I tried to describe this to my wife, and then I realized that a picture would be worth the right amount of words:

This is Bill the Cat (you can read his larger-than-life biography on Wikipedia HERE.)  Bill was created by Berkeley Breathed for Bloom County, one of my favorite comic strips of all time.  Thank you, Berkeley and Bill.

back by popular demand

Over the break I received a few requests to reinstate our "Minute of Mindfulness" at the beginning of the period.  I support the focus-- it's good for me too!-- so we'll restart our practice on Friday, January 17 (tomorrow we'll be connecting right away with Cory Doctorow).  Please be on time.  If you are late to class for any reason please wait outside and get started on your journal.

more on vaping & other ridiculously self-destructive behaviors

I've been sitting with this for 24 hours: "Should I post about what I learned at the meetings yesterday?  Even though I think it's awful?"

The answer is: Yes, I should.  This is how we share our thinking in an Open-Source Learning Network.  So, even though I am disgusted by the topics and the fact that SMHS teachers spent hours on them in meetings about this stuff yesterday, it's important to communicate so that we're all clear. (And, as always, if you have an idea or a question about anything you read here, please feel free to comment or bring it up when we see each other in class.)

The first topic is getting to class on time.  Apparently this has become some sort of campus-wide mystery.  An administrator went so far as to say, "This is our problem as a community."

No, it's not.

You and I have a simple job to do.  That job begins with getting to Room 619 at the same time every day, ready to learn.  If I show up late (like that one day in fall when I couldn't get back from the administration hall in time for the start of a period) I get teased endlessly by a class full of students.  And rightly so!  It's my job to be there for you, prepared and ready to go, BEFORE the last bell rings. 

That is your job too.  No one else is responsible for you keeping your appointments but you. 

You know me.  If there is a legitimate reason or a crisis, I will understand.  Life happens.  But being on time is an agreement.  Nobody likes or respects a person who is constantly breaking agreements.  Being on time is also an important habit of mind that comes down to a personal sense of responsibility and discipline. 

I trust you and I want to help you be your best self-- so, be advised, if you can't do it on your own, and your habits become a tardy, screaming cry for attention and help to get the support you need to show up on time, I will give you and your family so much attention that you'll wish you'd never been late in the first place.  Better just to be where you're supposed to be, when you're supposed to be there.

The second topic relates to substance abuse.  Back in September I posted this item about the health risks of vaping.  What I didn't know then was that the problem (along with marijuana and alcohol, among other substances) has grown to the point where security officers and administrators have to routinely confiscate material and discipline students.  I also didn't know that vaping devices routinely explode-- even when they are not in use-- and have caused injury and death to people nearby. 

I'm going to keep this part short.  I can empathize with anyone who is in pain, or who wants to fit in, or [whatever else might motivate someone to alter their mindset in a way that seems favorable in the moment].  However, apart from the fact that these materials are self-destructive and illegal, and so obviously not worth the risk of bringing to school and getting arrested, the fact that they can explode makes them a weapon that puts the rest of us in harm's way.  I have feelings about that.  I have no intention of getting hurt because someone hasn't done their research and decides to act like a sneaky, brain/lung-damaged idiot. 

Substances are tricky, and so is our culture; we're going to read a novel that was written by an alcoholic who eventually killed himself by drinking too much, and we're going to read a short story by a recreational drug user who constantly wrote about getting high.  So rather than act like people are perfect, let's simply agree that we all have invitations to make choices, and since your brains are developing (and you need all the neurons you have), drugs and alcohol -- or vape pens, or stupid logo sweatshirts with drawstrings you thought adults don't know about, or whatever-- have no place in the room where the rest of us are trying to live and learn.

And now back to our show.  I hope you had a great break and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.  Thanks for reading.

our thursday visit with cory doctorow

On Thursday we will be talking with Cory Doctorow via Skype.

Cory is an accomplished author and activist who is especially insightful on matters related to the internet, copyright, and technology law and policy.  Apart from his expertise in reality, Cory is also well-known for his imagination-- he is an award-winning science fiction author whose novels and stories have been translated into dozens of languages.  (You can read his complete, nearly-up-to-date biography on his website HERE.)

As you can probably imagine, Cory is a hugely busy guy who gets many requests for interviews, and he's being extremely generous in spending time with us, so I'd like to take full advantage.  Please take a few moments to visit his website (HERE).  Get a sense of the books he's written, or the columns, or the blog posts.  Listen to an episode or two of his podcast.  As you discover more, think of a question or two you'd like to ask him-- and then, please comment to this post with that question or two, so that I can include as many as possible.  (I'm happy to ask the questions, and even happier to share the mic with you so that you can talk with Cory directly.)

Cory last visited with a class of mine about seven years ago, just after he completed a publicity tour for his book Pirate Cinema.  (You can see that chat HERE.)  Since then, much has changed, and some things haven't.  Here are some topics we might consider exploring with Cory:

• Why he writes (Is it to be understood, like Montaigne?  Is it to make a point, like Swift?  Or is it something else, something different...)
• How he tackles the writing process 
• Why he cares about the internet and why he thinks it's important for learning, creating, and sharing
• What he thinks is important about having equal access to information (net neutrality)
• How he sees people connecting with information and each other in today's digital world
• What people (and especially young people) need to know about technology (coding? security? adversarial interoperability? dark patterns? internet of things? artificial intelligence? Moore's Law? the parallel computing bubble? what else?)

I'm open to anything you're curious about, so please spend some time with Cory's website (or his Wikipedia page, or his posts and articles elsewhere) and list your questions/ideas in a comment below.  Mahalo.

january 15

JOURNAL TOPIC: (today's tunes: "Let the Day Begin" by The Call; "Where Do I Begin?" by Jill Sobule; "Begin the Begin" by R.E.M.)

Describe a thought or a feeling that you'd forgotten over break and experienced again when you walked back into this room.  Now, remember that this is a new beginning, so here is the important question: How will you re/create the thoughts/feelings you WANT to have in this room this semester?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Reboot/ where is your word cloud?
3. Introduction to spring semester:

• Review technical elements of literature we covered last semester
• Prepare for the final in June (!)
• Take your Big Question to the next level: Masterpiece Academy starts late April
• Win the Internet
• Speak like a pro
• Create like a genius

HW:

Research Paul Simon's album Graceland (starting with this) and come to class Thursday prepared to discuss whether this qualifies as American Literature.  To do this properly, you will have to do some research and/or review your notes in order to define American Literature and make your case.

opsec on the internet

We will cover this in detail starting next week.  For now, if you want to get a head start, click this link and start reading.