our minute of mindfulness (part II: about our inner dialogue)

 (This is the second half of a post about mindfulness - to read the first half, please click here.)

The students' solution worked! The first five minutes of each class period became known as a time to collect ourselves and do our best thinking and writing. By the time the door opened and late students entered, everyone was already in the flow, so the minor disturbance of neighbors walking past or sitting down didn't interrupt their thought process.

I may have been the most fortunate person in the room, because I got to experience this five times a day.

Still, one problem remained: even though the outside world of the classroom was calm and quiet, most of us have a pretty loud, chaotic chorus of thoughts in our head. How do you quiet THAT down?

Yesterday I asked students on Zoom whether any adult had ever helped them with a strategy for transitioning from one class --> passing period --> the next class. This doesn't seem to be a popular topic, but it's something that we have to do all day long. And this year, we have to do it on our own schedule.

It's not enough to say "clear your mind" or "switch gears" -- we all understand what those phrases are intended to mean, but it's sort of like telling a person to "pay attention." 

HOW DO YOU DO IT? 

Before I started teaching high school courses, I consulted for companies and organizations, helping them create ways to share information that improved their performance. To help the Los Angeles Police Department, I needed a better sense of what police officers needed to know on the job - I have never been a police officer - so I did a "ride along" with a veteran officer.

At one point the officer pulled over and said, "I'm going to talk to this guy." I cringed; the "guy" happened

october 29

For your MOM (Minute of Mindfulness): This morning I was supposed to have a meeting at 8:30. The people kept me waiting until 8:53. I had to email the student I was meeting with at 9:00 just in case I was late. It made me realize that lots of people/things keep us waiting. What if we turn this around? What if, after you sit and feel your feet and hands, a thought comes up -- and you think, "I'll be happy to see you in 60 seconds" and then just feel free to keep breathing? After all, we're in charge of our own minds. I'm going to try it today.

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tune is a video: https://youtu.be/QereR0CViMY]
Each of us has to balance our desire for individuality and our desire to belong and fit in.  How do you balance these needs?  How do these needs influence your personal sense of style, your appearance, your budget, and other decisions you make?

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:

1. Journal
2. Mindfulness (*more on this in upcoming blog posts and our Zoom meetings; for now, you can begin by closing your eyes and listening to yourself breathe for 60 seconds)
3. Catch up on anything you feel like catching up on.
4. Be well 

thank you to parents!

Hi All,

Thank you to the parents who joined this evening's hangout Zoom. I enjoyed meeting your families and I'm glad you have a team to support your success! No one has logged on in a few minutes, and it's just after 7:00 P.M., so I'm ending the meeting. If your parents missed it, they can join next Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. or schedule a personal Zoom with me on the course blog.

Enjoy the rest of your evening,

Dr. Preston

say hello to my little ofrenda

One thing I miss about being on campus during this time of year is all of the beautiful ofrendas in the administration hall. So, here is a picture of the one in my home. If you have one, post a picture on your blog and tell us about it!

our minute of mindfulness (part I: about community)

 If you walked by my classroom on campus last year, you may have noticed this sign on the door:

 

Technically, it's against school policy for a teacher to lock students out of the classroom. But I didn't lock the door. I didn't even make the policy.

It's easy to forget these days, but the classroom can be a difficult place to concentrate. People show up late, and on many occasions someone interrupts class by running errands for teachers and administrators, or yelling outside, or setting off a fire alarm. That's apart from all the students around you playing with their phones or trying to get your attention because they forgot to bring their [pencil/ pen/ notebook/ snack/ cosmetic product] to class.

During the first ten minutes of class, students write in their journals (just like you're supposed to be doing each day at home), and these types of interruptions were making it hard to concentrate. I started hearing about it from students who were getting annoyed with their colleagues. As one student put it rather loudly from across the room, "Dr. Preston, writing in my journal is the only thing I like about school -- can you please tell Juan to shut the f**k up?!?"

So we had a conversation. Right around that time, I took my family to see Les Misérables at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles (in case you missed that long link, I posted pictures and descriptions of our experience on a course blog HERE). 

One way you know you're at the Pantages Theater -- or the Hollywood Bowl, or anywhere else where the game is truly bigger than the players -- is that if you don't enter the theater on time, you don't enter the theater. If you're late, you have to wait outside until the next break in the action. Then, the ushers will show you to your seats without disrupting the performance or the audience.

I shared this with the students, and I asked them what they thought of the idea. 

Some didn't like it: "Hey, the people paid for their tickets, they should be able to go in whenever they want!" "Yeah, what if they got caught in traffic? That's not fair!"

Before I could follow up, other students chimed in: "They paid for a performance that started at a certain time. They knew that for months and they paid money for it. They knew all along that's what they were doing that day, so they should've planned ahead so they could get there on time." "They paid to see the show, not for the right to interrupt it and block everyone's view while they waddled down the row to their seat." "You asked about traffic? What, like their own personal traffic? Because everyone else drove the same roads to get there, and they managed to be in their seats when the show started."

You can guess who won that argument/ search for truth. At the end of each class period that day, students voted unanimously to create a new policy for themselves. If someone was late to class, no one would get upset -- life happens -- but that person would respectfully wait outside so that we could center ourselves ...

(to be continued)

october 28

[Minute of Mindfulness/ I'm going to think on this Zen proverb: "You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes a day.  Unless you're too busy; then you should sit for an hour."]

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tune: "Jump" by Van Halen]

You thought you wanted to do this, but now you're not sure.  The small plane doesn't feel like anything you've ever experienced.  There is just a thin sheet of metal between your feet... and nothing.  Just thousands of feet of empty space to the Earth below.  You stand up as the experienced skydiver next to you yells, "You're next!"  Every bump makes your knees weak.  Your stomach feels like it wants to live in your throat.  You're numb, but you move toward the open door.  Suddenly the wind whips at your hand and this is all suddenly too real.

What do you do next?  Will you sit back down or will you take the leap?  Describe your actions in detail.

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Mindfulness (*more on this in upcoming blog posts and our Zoom meetings; for now, you can begin by closing your eyes and listening to yourself breathe for 60 seconds)
3. Catch up on anything you feel like catching up on.
4. Be well

october 27

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Freedom of Choice" by Devo; "Freewill" by Rush]

At yesterday's meeting I listened to teachers discuss freedom.  One teacher asked, "Can freedom be given or does it have to be taken?"

What do you think?  Please support your answer with as many reasons as you can.

AGENDA:

1. Journal
2. Mindfulness (*more on this in upcoming blog posts and our Zoom meetings; for now, you can begin by closing your eyes and listening to yourself breathe for 60 seconds)
3. Catch up on anything you feel like catching up on.
4. Be well

october 26

JOURNAL TOPIC:
What do you really know about the current president of the United States?  What do you think of his policies and his leadership style?  Please support your main point/s with at least three factual events or evidence from primary sources.

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Happy Wellness Week! Please take a deep breath, catch up on your work, and know that things will get better. Really. They will.
3. Please email me a note about your status in the class - just a couple sentences to let me know how you're doing and what grade you think you deserve on the second Progress Report. Ordinarily, I would be asking specific questions for you to answer (as I did in the first progress reporting period), but I want to keep this simple in honor of Wellness Week.

Welcome to (Wellness) Week 11!

Hi All,

As many of you already know, this week is designed for everyone in the school district to catch up. The Progress Report #2 window is open and grades are due Monday, so take advantage of the opportunity! 

On our course blog, we will have our daily agendas and journal topics -- I don't consider 5-10 minutes of letting your mind wander on paper in ways I may never see a "work assignment" -- and during our Zoom meeting we will do the mindfulness practice we talked about last week. Please email me about your progress report as described in Monday's agenda. 

That's it for this week.
 

As always, please email or schedule a Zoom if you have any questions or need help with anything.
You know, I wish "Wellness" was something we could all focus on more every week. I hope this gives you a good, healthy, calm start! 

Best,
Dr. Preston

october 23

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe an important decision you had to make.  How did you do it?  What information did you need, and how did you get it?  What determined the direction you eventually took? (Bonus: Read "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost and quote a line to support your main point.)

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Please wrap up your journals and posts for the week by 5:00 P.M. today

link for smhs yearbook

 

Check it out: https://www.flow.page/smhsreview

sample first impression post

"The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury gave me the creeps. I like walking, and it's weird to think that the police might take me away just because they think walking is unusual. I think it's better than being a vegetable in front of a screen.

It was interesting that Ray Bradbury wrote this story in the 1950s. He predicted defunding the police and self-driving cars.

october 22

 JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tune: "Signs" by The Five Man Electrical Band]
Why is it legal for businesses to put up all sorts of ugly signs, but graffiti is illegal?

-OR-

Choose your own.

AGENDA:

1. Journal
2. Nothing new today. Please read "The Pedestrian" and post (see yesterday's agenda if you need a reminder)

PLEASE:
Make sure you're on pace to post your first impression and HOW I READ posts by Friday.

time management video from smhs counseling

Hi All,

The counseling staff at Santa Maria High School created a video to help you with time management. Spanish version included. Check it out:

credit opportunity

Tomorrow (Thursday) at 3:00 P.M. I am hosting a webinar with an expert on virtual learning.

I think listening to Dr. Quinn's ideas will be so helpful for us that I am willing to make you this offer:

If you attend the webinar and write about it on your blog, you will automatically receive a "10" on the next AERIES round.

Here is the information:

REMINDER: Tomorrow we rekindle our webinar series with guest Dr. Clark Quinn.

 

We will cover topics related to:

• Learning science
• Using technology to support learning at personal and institutional levels 
• Engagement & motivation
  

About Dr. Quinn:

Having spent the last 30 years developing and leading learning technology programs in Australia and the United States, Dr. Quinn has a unique perspective on how students and educators can thrive online during the pandemic and beyond. Join us for insights and bring your questions!

Here is the information for tomorrow's webinar:

When: Oct 22, 2020 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Learning with Clark Quinn

Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_y0paQ2uPQD68XZzsSrUVNw


After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

now you can listen to "the pedestrian"

Check it out on "The Pedestrian" page.

october 21

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tune: "Easy Come, Easy Go" by Bobby Sherman]

Remember that fortune you won yesterday? Easy come, easy go. Due to a computer error, 24,999,999 other people also won. That means your winnings total $2 (actually, more like $1.35 after taxes). How do you react? What thoughts and feelings do you experience? How will your plans change?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Nothing new today. Please read "The Pedestrian" and post (see yesterday's agenda if you need a reminder)

PLEASE:
Make sure you're on pace to post your first impression and HOW I READ posts by Friday.

october 20

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Money" by Pink Floyd]
Today is your day! You find a lottery ticket-- THE lottery ticket. After Dr. Preston cashes it for you (you're too young and smart to play the lottery), you have $50 million. What will you do with it?

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. (from yesterday) Read "The Pedestrian"
3. (also from yesterday) In a post on your course blog, describe your first impression/s of "The Pedestrian" (title: PEDESTRIAN FIRST IMPRESSIONS)
4. Start using the strategies from "How We Read" -- whether or not you loved the story, see if you can find three techniques that Ray Bradbury uses. (Consider elements of plot/building suspense, how the setting contributes to the tone, characterization, dialogue, figurative language/similes/metaphors...).

PLEASE:
Publish a post on your blog that describes: a) What you personally liked about the story (find at least one thing :) and b) At least three techniques that Ray Bradbury used to create the effects that mattered to you. (title: HOW I READ: THE PEDESTRIAN). Please note: This is due on your blog no later than Friday, 10/23 at 5:00 P.M. Pacific Time. Mahalo.

Welcome to Week 10!

 

Hi All,

I hope you enjoyed the weekend. This week we will be using what we've learned about symbolism and a "How We Read" to focus on a short story. If you didn't watch the symbolism videos or read/discuss "How We Read," please catch up so you know what we're talking about this week.

This morning I emailed every parent who listed their address on your contact info in AERIES. Since not every parent listed an email address, and since you are in charge of your own education in this course, I'm sharing the email -- and the Zoom information -- at the bottom of this message, so that you can share it with your parents as well. The general idea is to offer an opportunity for everyone who cares about you and/or learning to hang out and talk about whatever's on our minds. I'm happy to answer questions about technology, discuss what we do, etc.  This is not required and it is not formal, just an invitation to chat. 

As always, email or schedule a Zoom if you have questions. See you soon!

Dr. Preston

(HERE IS THE EMAIL I SENT WITH ZOOM INFO)

Hello,

I hope this finds you and your family well.  My name is David Preston and I teach English at Santa Maria High School. You are receiving this message because your email address is connected with a student in one of my courses.

This year is unusual. Many of us have questions about how things are going. If you would like to talk about technology, or learning, or how your student can succeed, or any other topic you think is important, please join me for a conversation.

I will be hosting two Zoom meetings:

• Wednesday, October 28, at 6:30 P.M. (*if the World Series goes to Game 7 I will reschedule)
  
• Wednesday, November 4, at 6:30 P.M.
  

My goal is to support you and your students. These get-togethers will be informal. You are welcome to turn your camera on or off. You can participate or just listen in. You can even watch the meeting at your dinner table; students and siblings are welcome to join.

If you can't attend either meeting, or if you would prefer to talk with me privately, you can also schedule a time to meet with me here: https://calendly.com/dpreston-learning/course-member-check-in?month=2020-10

If you have any questions, please feel free to reply to this email. I look forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,

David Preston

David Preston, Ph.D.
English Department
Santa Maria High School

ZOOM INVITATION

David Preston is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Dr. Preston's Parents Hangout

Time: Oct 28, 2020 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

        Every week on Wed, 2 occurrence(s)

        Oct 28, 2020 06:30 PM

        Nov 4, 2020 06:30 PM

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Weekly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZcpdemopzorG9MfjfvX720Fpz7UAWCKD07l/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGrqjkqGt2UsRiARpwqBojoc_TxmH5cjfpwmhXjFRgEMFPQJvgVB5NIM_P0

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83420091117?pwd=N0orY3FpQjlWZnhkeU1LK2F6cGZzQT09

Meeting ID: 834 2009 1117

Passcode: 921030

One tap mobile

+16699006833,,83420091117#,,,,,,0#,,921030# US (San Jose)

+13462487799,,83420091117#,,,,,,0#,,921030# US (Houston)

Dial by your location

        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

        +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

Meeting ID: 834 2009 1117

Passcode: 921030

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kEPDt5WPa

october 19

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "One Step Over the Line" by Roseanne Cash & John Hiatt]
What does it mean to "step over the line"?  (If this phrase isn't familiar to you, look it up.)  How do we know where the line is?  Is it different for different people or different situations?  What effect does stepping over the line have on conversations and relationships?

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. "The Pedestrian"

PLEASE:
1. Read "The Pedestrian"
2. In a post on your course blog, describe your first impression/s of "The Pedestrian" (title: PEDESTRIAN FIRST IMPRESSIONS)

book giveaway at smhs

SMHS's own Ms. Turner is giving away books to students for free, every Thursday from 1:45 -2:45, available on the sidewalk on the Stowell side of campus (across from the J.C. Penney's).

black gold - your key to the public library system

Hi All.

Do you have any idea how much the public library system has to offer you? Yes, books, but SO MUCH MORE!!! Click HERE to sign up for your e-card and click around the site to see all of the resources and services you can get for free.

october 16

 

***Thank you for letting me know today's agenda didn't post earlier -- it was stuck in Drafts!***

JOURNAL TOPIC:
How do you explain your grades? Was your performance the result of your effort, the difficulty of the concepts, or something else?  Given what you know about what went well and what didn't, what can you improve for next time?

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Finish up your work for the week
3. Enjoy your weekend 😁

smhs virtual spirit week

Mr. Salazar and ASB are AWESOME. It can't be easy to be in charge of spirit this year, but they are getting the job done! Check this out -- if you participate, and put a selfie on your blog to prove it, you will receive extra credit (not to mention big props and page views :).

 

 

yo period 6 A-L

 We're on Zoom -- join us! Meeting ID:  821 9358 9599

october 15

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Hazy Shade of Winter" by Simon & Garfunkel or The Bangles]
Some people are extremely sensitive to the conditions of the season.  They may feel more energetic and even anxious during the spring and summer. They respond to the lower light, the earlier sunset, and the cooler weather of fall and winter by feeling depressed, sleepier, or having less energy.  This has become known as Seasonal Affective Disorder.  This isn't true for everyone-- some of my friends and relatives love autumn.  They get to wear their sweaters for the first time in months, they love watching football, and they celebrate making warm meals like soup.  I have mixed feelings-- I can't help but think that in nature, fall is when things die.  Either way, I can't deny there's a difference.  In California we still have some warm days (known as Indian summer), but the change is undeniable.  The sun is setting and it's dusk in the canyon as I write this, and it's not even 6:30.

Do you notice a change in the season?  Does it seem like it's time for Halloween and Thanksgiving?  How do you feel about fall?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Checking in on Zoom about a whole lotta zeroes
3. Symbolism video, answers, & wrapping up "Young Goodman Brown" 3. Symbolism in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

october 14

JOURNAL TOPIC: 

Describe a time you thought of just the right thing to say to someone-- after the conversation was already over.

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:

1. Journal
2. Read "How We Read." In a post on your blog, please describe the four strategies recommended in the essay for how to love reading while also mastering reading for school. (title: HOW WE READ/ first lines: "Reading is supposed to be fun, but sometimes reading for school is a challenge. Here are four ways we can have more fun reading and do it better at the same time...")

pro tips: how to make the best out of week 9

As I think about your week, and the fact that we don't meet each week until Thursday or Friday, here are some ways you can make sure that you're succeeding, and also that you get everything you need out of our class zoom meetings:

1. Be sure to post your journals on your course blog today.

2. (IF YOUR COURSE BLOG IS UP PLEASE SKIP TO #3.) Since you can't post your journals -- or anything else -- without a course blog, please go to the Member Blogs page to see if your blog is listed. If it's not, that means I haven't received the URL, which means that I can't see the work you're doing, which means you are falling behind by the minute as we begin our third month of school. I'm putting the next round of two-week grades in AERIES tomorrow (Wednesday 10/14), so please create your blog and send me the URL -- or, email me or schedule a zoom with me so that we can get you up and running.
 

3. Read "How We Read," watch the "Meanings, Signs, and Symbols" video, and read "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" so that you'll know what we're talking about in our Zoom meeting later in the week.
 

4. Post to your course blog and claim your credit on the Sheets.
 

5. Do something nice for someone today. You'll both feel better. 😁

october 13

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "My Back Pages" by The Byrds]
When we're little kids we find all sorts of opportunities for creativity and fun. Why do so many of us do less of this as we get older? What do you do for fun? (Bonus: if you play the song while you write, you will make some connections with the lyrics -- it's possible for older kids and even adults to regain their curiosity and sense of humor... :)

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:

1. Journal
2. Please read "How We Read." In a post on your blog, please describe the four strategies recommended in the essay for how to love reading while also mastering reading for school. (title: HOW WE READ/ first lines: "Reading is supposed to be fun, but sometimes reading for school is a challenge. Here are four ways we can have more fun reading and do it better at the same time...")

PLEASE:

Review "how to publish your handwritten work online" and please post your three favorite journal entries from the past two weeks on your blog (making sure, of course, that they are internet-friendly and make you look good!) on your blog (title: PAGES FROM MY JOURNAL #2). This is due on your blog today, Tuesday, 10/13 at 5:00 P.M. Pacific. As always, if you need any help or have any questions about how to get this done, please email or grab a zoom time on my calendar.

october 12

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Use at least five vocabulary words from the list below to write about the following topic:

The internet has become more interactive, but it has also become more isolated.  We can contribute to websites (like this one), but more and more people only "hang out" with others who share their opinions and politics.  How do you think this is affecting our society?

meme
virus
viral
blog
wiki
URL
website
www
Internet
2.0
open source  

(Note: we will be using these words throughout the year, so you're going to need to know them. If you see something here that you don't know, please look it up -- please be ready to discuss in our zoom this week!) 

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Please review "How to Publish Your Handwritten Work Online" and publish your three favorite journal entries from the last two weeks (title: PAGES FROM MY JOURNAL #2). This is due on Tuesday, 10/13 by 5:00 P.M. Pacific.

Welcome to Week 9!

Hi All,

I hope you're enjoying the weekend. Does it still feel like a weekend? I find myself working every day -- harder than any other year I've taught -- because I want to make sure you have what you need before you need it.

Right now is a great time to work on this course. Since Canvas is down, you can't upload anything else!

This week you will see posts about the symbolism in Young Goodman Brown and "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot, along with an essay I wrote about how we read. The work is designed to build on last week's symbolism video and the book you were asked to choose in Week 7 for your literature analysis.  If you haven't yet watched the video or picked a book, do it now, before you get behind.

As always, if you have any questions or need help, please email (either at gmail or smjuhsd) or schedule a zoom with me. I'm also available by request on zoom tomorrow (Monday). Don't wait until Thursday or Friday!

Mahalo,

Dr. Preston

tutoring now available

This just in:

Tutoring Flyer With Links by dpreston1441 on Scribd

as we close month 2

I just saw that Canvas is down. Know what still works? Our course. Please make sure you're all caught up by the end of the weekend. I'm available via email and Zoom if you need help. The Week 9 Sheets and Work Product pages will be posted by 9:00 P.M. Sunday night, so please make sure you check the blog and get ready for a great third month!

october 9

JOURNAL TOPIC:

Please think of a person who is important to you, and write about something you think is important to him/her.

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Finish and post the work that's due this afternoon.

october 8

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Write your own obituary.  What will people say about you and your life when you're gone?

-OR-

Choose your own topic. 

 

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Make sure you are completing your work for the week and claiming your credit on your period's sheet.

Period 3 M-Z

Thank you for being patient with Zoom today! When I stopped sharing screen and opened AERIES to take roll, I couldn’t figure out why no one was answering me... then I saw that the Zoom meeting had cut off and no one could hear me! If you were with us today, please either comment to this post or be sure to claim your “did it” credit on our Sheet. Sorry once again (I’m behalf of the pandemic and the Internet) for the inconvenience. Please email or schedule a Zoom with me if you have any questions or need any help. Best, Dr. Preston

october 7

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Imagine that you are sitting at home one evening when you see a big spider walk across the floor in front of you. Do you ignore it, take it outside, smash it, or do something else? What information do you consider before you decide? Explain.

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1.Journal
2. Read "How We Read" and publish a post to your blog in which you: a) Explain why you like or dislike reading, b) Describe the four recommendations in "How We Read," and c) Describe the experience of reading the first few pages of the book you chose for your Literature Analysis. Are you enjoying it? Why/ why not? (title of your blog post: HOW I READ)

october 6

JOURNAL TOPIC:
How do you meet people and build relationships? Offline? (Through school/classes, extracurricular activities, community organizations...) Online? (Through general social media like Instagram, FB, Snapchat, or forums of interest, or...) Have you made any new friends since the pandemic started?

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Take the reading test and publish on your blog by Sunday 10/11 at noon Pacific time.

Welcome to Week 8!

Hi All, I hope you had a great weekend. Here are a few reminders to start your week:
1. Please read this blog once a day to get the journal topic (or choose your own) and the agenda. Today's journal topic actually depends on the tunes, so listen to the words.
2. I'm available Mondays by request, so if you need something please let me know.
3. The Work Product page and the Sheets page have been updated, please check them out and plan accordingly.
4. I look forward to seeing you for our class zooms! During our zooms this week I'll be taking questions about Part 2 of "Meanings, Signs, & Symbols," and we will apply that thinking to the reading we do.

Have a terrific day,
Dr. Preston

october 5

JOURNAL TOPIC: ["Flushed From the Bathroom Of Your Heart" by Johnny Cash; "Another Brick In The Wall (parts 1, 2, & 3)" by Pink Floyd]

Listen to today's tunes, and describe the use of metaphor in the lyrics.  What does the figurative language symbolize?  What do you think it's supposed to make you think and/or feel? Is the use of imagery more effective than simple, literal/denotative descriptions?  Why?

-OR-

Choose your own.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Watch "Meanings, Signs & Symbols Part 2" and answer the questions in a post on your blog (title: MSS PART 2). Due by 5:00 P.M. on Friday 10/9.
3. Catch up on any missing work, choose a novel to read, check this space every morning for a new agenda and journal topic, write in your journal every day, brush your teeth, and be a good human being.

literature analysis

One of the main issues students have with reading is that they don't get to choose the books. 

This is your chance. For the rest of the semester and the year, you will be able to choose as many books as you like, read them, and write about them for credit. You can see more about the writing part on the Literature Analysis page. Reading at least one book is required, but there is no limit (pad your grade, anyone?) and the current record for a semester is 19. 

No need to worry about deadlines yet, just choose a fiction book (a.k.a. a novel) that you would like to read.  Please comment to this post with your name and the book you've chosen.  Then, please publish a post on your blog (title: WHY I CHOOSE WHAT I CHOOSE) and tell us why. 2-3 sentences should do it. If you need some suggestions for books, or help with genres, authors, or ideas, comment here or email me -- I've got a million of 'em :).  Mahalo.

october 2

JOURNAL TOPIC:

Why do you think people depend so much on push notifications from their phones/tablets? If you need to be reminded about something, why not set a push notification for yourself?

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Last word on grades for now
3. Wrap up any work you're missing from weeks 1-7 by Sunday, and get ready to move on fresh Monday. New Sheet will go up Sunday night, along with Welcome to Week 8 and Work Product update. Have a great weekend!

publish your journal entries

Below is the demo I created during Thursday's zoom meeting with period 7, using the steps I posted for how to publish your handwritten work online. Now it's your turn! Please remember to post your 3 favorite journal entries from your notebook on your course blog.

 

am lit demo by dpreston1441 on Scribd

calling period 7 A-L

Hi there! If you're having trouble logging on to the Zoom meeting, please email to let me know. I want to make sure everyone can join us :)

october 1

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Words" by the Bee Gees]
People believe that words have so much power that we've declared some words "bad". George Carlin, on the other hand, said, "There are no bad words-- there are bad people, bad intentions, and words." What do you think?

-OR-

Choose your own.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. About your grades
3."What did the momma tomato say to the baby tomato?" (First person to answer this correctly in a comment to this post gets extra credit. First person to connect the answer to the theme of today's Zoom meeting can substitute an 'A' for any missing assignment.)
4. Clinic: the doctor is in, and today we get well.

PLEASE:
Create a post on your blog in which you explain: 1) What challenged you during the first progress report period; 2) What you learned in this week's Zoom meeting that will help you improve; and 3) What you're going to do differently in October to pass this course. (title: OCTOBER IS FOR WINNERS)

Speaking of October and winners, go Lakers and Dodgers!!