requesting your input for finals week

This is where I feel the campus closure. In an ordinary year, this would be my favorite weekend. I'd be curating everyone's Masterpiece Academy presentations, reading final essays, and heading into a week of feasting, reflection, and celebration with you all.

Instead, I'm back on the course blog, wondering where/how you are.

Thanks to those of you who have contributed pieces for "Surviving With Class." I'm beginning to stitch those together into one document that we can edit and share on Monday.

Thanks to those of you who have posted your final reflection, and/or gotten in touch with me about final grades.

I'm writing today because there are things happening in the world that directly affect our lives. As a teacher, a father, and a caring human being, I cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that racism, violence, and economic inequality continue to plague our country and our community. We need to discuss this. Please comment to this post with any ideas you want to share, or questions you'd like to ask, and I will make space in Monday's 1:00 meeting for this.

Please plan on attending either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday at 1:00.

And understand: racism and inequality isn't something that happens to other people. There is no "them" -- even racists are different versions of us. As painful as they are, this is also about more than the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Aubery, and Breonna Taylor, and so many other people of color who have suffered at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve. The pandemic is not evenly distributed. People of color, and especially poor people of color, are suffering disproportionately. If we are ever going to get anywhere with regard to healing and improving this country's tradition of racism, we must speak to it and act on our convictions.  NOW.

Having said all that, I hope you and your families are well and enjoying a peaceful weekend. See you Monday.

may 29 w online meeting #47

For your MOM: [If you haven't been doing a minute of mindfulness each day -- if you've been telling yourself you're too busy, you're too stressed, it doesn't matter, whatever-- stop cheating yourself. Give yourself the gift of a minute. Better yet, give yourself 5-10.]

JOURNAL TOPIC: Today it's foggy and overcast where I live. But here on the central coast we have microclimates, so the weather might be different a few miles away. The same is true with how people are treating the coronavirus. In some communities, people are being really careful and maintaining social distance and cleaning protocols, and in other communities people are getting together without masks. What's the weather -- and the attitude -- like where you live?

- OR -

You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.

AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Meeting
4. Post

POST:
Today on Zoom we talked about the idea (which originated as a quote in Shakespeare's Hamlet) that, "Brevity is the soul of wit." What does this mean?  How do you see the relationship between the power of language and how much language we use to express ourselves? (title: BREVITY IS THE SOUL OF WIT)

final spring semester grades

Hi. I know there has been a lot of confusion about grades, and I have received emails from some of you, so just to clarify:

• Credit/No Credit is the default grade everyone will be receiving, unless they specifically request letter grades
• UNLESS they have a grade of A or A-, in which case I took the liberty of entering the letter grade
• So
• If you have a B, and you want that on your transcript, please contact me (via comment to this post or email) and let me know.
• Also please contact me if you have any questions or need clarification.

We have a 1:00 Zoom today (Friday). Our last 1:00 Zoom -- online meeting #50! -- will be Wednesday.  Please plan to join us.

may 28 w online meeting #46

For your MOM: [If you haven't been doing a minute of mindfulness each day -- if you've been telling yourself you're too busy, you're too stressed, it doesn't matter, whatever-- stop cheating yourself. Give yourself the gift of a minute. Better yet, give yourself 5-10.]

JOURNAL TOPIC: In a normal year, everyone would be gearing up for finals week and eyeing the exits for summer. How do you feel about the end of school this year? Are you looking forward to having a break for summer vacation?

- OR -

You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.

AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Meeting
4. Post

POST:
Today on Zoom we read and discussed two poems by Emily Dickinson: "Hope is the thing with feathers" and "Because I could not stop for death." The poems deal with vastly different subjects, but they also have some things in common: 1) they reify abstract ideas through the use of metaphor, b) they use figurative language to paint pictures in the mind of the reader, and c) they use specific meters to create a sense of rhyme and rhythm. Perhaps most importantly, they both deal with topics that exist in all our lives. Over this time period, hope seems especially important. Please read both and post your thoughts (title: THE POEMS OF EMILY DICKINSON) 

final grading

As everyone is considering Credit/No Credit versus Grades this week, I'm mindful that we are ending this most unusual semester without the benefit of sharing a feast, celebrating, and adjourning our learning journey together. 

Since we won't have the opportunity to talk in person, I am asking that each of you publish one last post on your blog, in which you reflect on what you've learned this year. REMINDER: your learning includes what we studied together, but it also includes what you have experienced throughout the year, including these last few months.

Here is a suggested title and an outline for you to follow. As always, you are free to build on this and include anything else you think is important.  I look forward to reading your thoughts. I will enter final grades on Aeries Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

(title: FINAL REFLECTION FOR AMERICAN LITERATURE 2019-2020)

"This year was unlike any other..."

1. From the beginning, what made our course different than any other course you have ever taken?
2. As you look back on our experience together, what did you find most meaningful?
3. As you consider the work you've done, what are you most proud of?
4. Is there anything you wish you would have done differently, or better?
5. As you look forward, what did you learn in this course that will help you for the future?
6. Are you choosing the Credit/No Credit option, or a grade? If you're choosing a grade, what grade do you believe you've earned? Why?

may 27 w online meeting #45

For your MOM: [If you haven't been doing a minute of mindfulness each day -- if you've been telling yourself you're too busy, you're too stressed, it doesn't matter, whatever-- stop cheating yourself. Give yourself the gift of a minute. Better yet, give yourself 5-10.]

JOURNAL TOPIC: If you could travel anywhere in the world this week, where would you go?

- OR -

You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.

AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Meeting
4. Post

POST:
Today on Zoom we read "The Monkey's Paw" (click the title to read if you missed it, or watch the recording below). The theme we discussed is that we should be careful what we wish for, because we might GET it. This might seem illogical - shouldn't we wish for the things we want, and hope that we get them? Isn't that the whole point of wishing? The thing is, sometimes the things we wish for come to us in ways we would never wish for (this is where you should read the story for a powerful example). So, today's post is this: either in a nonfiction essay/reflection, OR in a fiction story, describe what happens when an SMHS student goes to sleep on March 13 wishing for no more school this year. And gets her wish, in the form of a pandemic.

may 26 w online meeting #44

For your MOM: [If you haven't been doing a minute of mindfulness each day -- if you've been telling yourself you're too busy, you're too stressed, it doesn't matter, whatever-- stop cheating yourself. Give yourself the gift of a minute. Better yet, give yourself 5-10.]

JOURNAL TOPIC: What do you make of all the craziness out there?

- OR -

You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.

AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Meeting
4. Post

POST:
Today on Zoom we decided to take it easy today.  Most of you have writing to do, whether that's your journal, your blog, "Surviving With Class," your Big Question, or your final reflection blog post. Our "meeting" lasted just a few minutes, and you don't have a new post today. Hope to see you and/or hear from you -- we're meeting again at 1:00 tomorrow.