Tuesday, August 12, 2008

This is NOT Education as Usual

Guess what? You are seniors! Because you are so learned in your ways and I can't teach you anything you don't already know ( I am being facetious- look up this word if you don't know what it means), I want you to think about what you want your last year of high school to look like. THINK BIG!

What do you hope to get out of this class?
What do you want to learn?
What do grades mean to you?How do you learn best?
What activities have you previously done in other classes that have been meaningful or interesting to you?

29 comments:

MollyT177 said...

I'm not sure what I want in this this class. I whould just like an enviornmetn where everyone is respected. I want to learn how to edit papers, I'm really terrible at that. I geuss that's about it.

KatieM2009 said...

I want to better my writing skills and become as prepared for college as possible. I want to learn the bigger picture of English Literature and have a better understanding of the different literature that is around me. To me grades are a reflection of not only how much you learn, but how much you apply yourself in school. I learn with visual and verbal teaching the best. Being able to see and hear the material makes it easier to understand. Fishbowls are my favorite things done in English class because if I don't understand something that happened in the book the other people in the class can help me to understand. They are also a great way to get a better understanding of the book and its deeper meanings.

SarahE2010 said...

I hope to learn/get out of this class how to wrtie a really good paper. I'd like to learn how to edit them well, and structure them well. Grades mean something to me, but they aren't everything. I learn the best with hands on activites, I can't sit still for very long.

shellim2009 said...

Out of this class, I really want to be able to grow in my writing knowledge. I hope to learn more so that I can write a fantastic, well-educated paper for my college essays. I also hope to read stories that will benefit my life, so that I can have a well-rounded education in literature.
I want to learn how to write a good college essay, that will be able to propell me into the future, and guide my writing for the rest of my life.
Grades are important to me only as a GPA for getting scolarship money to colleges. I have gotten a 4.0 the past three years, so I work hard, but I don't get too upset when I fail. I will just try again the next time, and as long as I do my best, I feel like I have succeded. I learn best by doing hands-on things. When I am up and moving around, and actively participating in the class, I remember everything much better.
I love my science classes because they are adding meaning to my life, since I want to go into physical therapy, but I have never used lap tops before so I think that they will really help in my focus.

KatieO2010 said...

I guess what I really want from this class is a class that isn't just like every other English class. More chances to be creative too. I don't really know what I want to learn, but I do want a chance to read some good authors... and stuff. Grades are important to me, but definitely not the most important things in the world. I learn best when I'm actually interested in the subject. I can’t really think of anything specific activities wise, but it’s generally a good idea to change things once in a while so it doesn’t get boring.

Mackenzie said...

Through this class I hope my writing will really improve, and along with that a few good college essays wouldn't hurt! I want to learn about English Literature, like what makes it different? Who are the great authors? What are they trying to say? Grades...are grades. I think they are necessary but very limited on how they judge a student's work. I think that grades should not only be based on quality, which is important, but also on effort because if a student is really trying they are learning, which is what school is all about. Usually I like individual work best just because it's hard to work with other group members outside of school with everyone's hectic scheduals. However, in Kakos' class two years ago we acted out some of The Crucible and made collages to represent ideas. I learn best if there is a creative aspect to what we are studying.

Anonymous said...

I hope to be able to become a stronger writer and be able to create intelligent and powerful pieces of writing. I'm hoping that I can enjoy some good pieces of literature. I want to learn how I can better my writing as well as become a more confident writer. I would also like to learn what makes English Literature, "English Literature" (if that makes sense). Grades are pretty important to me. I set high expectations and goals for myself and I plan to achieve them. However, I have learned that if I do stumble a little, it only makes me smarter and stronger. I learn best in an environment where I am able to be an active and involved member of a discussion as well as being able to get help and constructive feedback on my work. In previous classes I have found that in class discussions and creative assignments are interesting and helpful. Also, any activities that keep the class light and playful help to ease tension and create a better atmosphere.

EricL2009 said...

I want to become a better writer and get a better understanding of English Lit. Grades to me are there for show and tell I believe. I think that they are there so people can brag and can say what you got cause for most instances I have gotten good grades but a week later I have forgotten everything that I have learned. I don’t think it should be about grades because people are doing the work to just achieve the grade that they want or the grade that their parents want them to get. It’s about learning and even though you can memorize something is not learning it. On the other hand, I believe we need a grading system because without it some kids wont be motivated to learn and just show up and not do a thing. With a grading system it hangs over peoples heads that they need to get their work done and receive good grades. I learn best through discussions and group activities so I can get a feel of what other peoples opinions are of what are going on in certain situation where I might think something totally different.

HaileyM2009 said...
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HaileyM2009 said...

I appreciate any teacher who makes the effort to actually help students LEARN in class, not just cram information into our brains that will later be forgotten. I think that education is all too often taken for granted in America, and part of this may be because we are simply trying to pass a class or memorize facts so that we can move on or get a good grade. All I can say is that I feel really frustrated when I know that I am working hard to learn something I don’t care about, the teacher doesn’t care about, or that I know I will soon forget.
Though grades aren't the greatest way to motivate students to do work, I (as most do) like good grades as that means good colleges!
I learn best visually and I listen best when I am doing something (like doodling or coloring). Honestly, if I’m just listening, even if it may seem like I am paying attention or I am trying very hard to pay attention, my brain is wandering and I probably won’t remember much of what is being said!
I loved Mrs. Comp’s inquiry project when we made documentaries. Mrs. Comp just had a great class in general.

DrewB2009 said...

I want to be better prepared for college next year so I know more of what to expect and be ready for it. Obviously I would rather get better grades but at this point it doesn't make that big of a difference. Instead I would just like to learn some cool new stuff and develop good habits for next year. I learn better when I write things down and when I am involved in an activity or something. The lap tops will for sure help me because it kind of does both.

EricB2009 said...

What I want to able to learn this semester is being able to develop my thoughts further. Also being ready for college would help alot!! The main thing with that is being able to write bomb thesis statements and being able to edit my papers alot better than I have been. The learning enviornment is just being respected even if your writting skills aren's amazing.

JesseB09 said...

i would really like to find a better way to translate from my thoughts to words on paper. i would like to get at least a b this semester. i am a very kinesthetic learner, i like doing things hands-on. i loved doing socratic seminars in past language arts classes.

LaurenB2009 said...

Throughout this year I hope to become a more efficient and fluent essay writer. I also hope to become more creative with my words and be able to create a piece of literature that I’m proud of. I also want to learn how to better read at a college level to prepare me for the next four years. As far as grades go they mean a lot to me. I want to get an A in this class. I have found that I learn best through visual and hands on activities, lectures aren’t my thing. I have really liked in other classes when we watch movies that tie along with the reading and also when the class discusses what we read the previous last so everyone knows what’s going on in the story.

SaraB2009 said...

I hope to learn how to write a good college essay. I also hope that this class will help prepare me for college english classes and college level literature.

I want to learn how to write at a college level to help me later in college.

Grades, I think are not that important, I think they show the amount of effort put in, not the amount of knowledge people have.
I learn best when I am organized and i have other people to share ideas with.

I really like class descusions because it gives me another point of view on what we are studying, therefore helps me learn and think outside the box.

AdrienneB2009 said...

I would like to become a better writer this year. I do well in discussions but when it comes to writing an analytical essay, I'm weak sauce. I'm excited to read the books planned for this year. Grades show me where I need to improve and what I need to focus on. I'm a very visual/ hands-on learner. I enjoy Socratics and Fishbowls the most because I gain perspective on the literature that I may not have on my own.

KendraS2009 said...

By the time this class is over, I want to be fully prepared for college in my writing skills as well as in my work habits. I want to learn to write with feeling rather than just putting words down on the paper. Grades show my weaknesses in the area where my grades are low and my strengths in areas where my grades are high. I believe grades are important only because we need high grades to get into college. I learn best in group activities. I do not have specific examples though.

Kim C. 2010 said...

I hope to get a better understanding of College essays as well as what the college English papers are supposed to look like and how they should be structured.

I want to learn all about Beowulf and Hamlet, as well as how to create an amazing paper.

Grades are important but they aren't my life, as the grades from my junior year are probably most vital this year means alot, and I will try my best!

I like to do activities that get me up and moving, and also ones that get my mind really thinking. Hands-on activities are great as well as multi-media lessons.

TaylorS2009 said...

I want to come out of this class ready for any college classes, I want to be as prepared as possible. Grades are pretty important to me, especially this year so i can boost up my GPA a bit further. I learn best from just seeing an example and then figuring out the rest on my own. I just need a starting place and I do pretty well.

Rick Maestas said...

What do you hope to get out of this class?
I hope to experience what educators are reffering to as the 21st century learning environment. I believe our instructor is unique in that she understands the changing world. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to be part of the technological revolution that is taking place in the education system

What do you want to learn?
I want to learn effective ways of presenting a topic to a group of people that aren't necessarily receptive to the topic. I don't believe anyone is expecting they'll like the Shakespear, but if the instructor presents it well, I believe the class would enjoy his work.

What do grades mean to you? How do you learn best?
Grades aren't important to me, I don't feel i could be affected by an A on a piece of paper any more than an F. However, grades are viewed as a means of assessing a student's performance, and how my performance appears to a college admission officer or a teacher who is giving me permission to move on in school is important to me. I learn best by being able to employ a range of methods and tools in order to accomplish a task. These methods can be anything from working in groups to drafting a paper, and the tools range from researching a topic in a text book to using a laptop to write a paper.

What activities have you previously done in other classes that have been meaningful or interesting to you?
The activities that have been most meaningful and interesting to me are activities that involved group, or activities that revolved around a topic that I found interesting.

KaitlanW2009 said...

I guess I want my last year of high school to look lke I've left a mark. I hope to learn in this class how to write a powerfull college essay that will knock em' dead when I get there. I'm also hoping to make a couple new friends, because there are some people I don't know in the class. My grades are important to me because they are part of what gets me into college. I learn best by doing fun, and creative activities in a group. The most meaningfull thing to me that I've done in past classes was when my friends and i did a Great Gatsby project together. We wrote and recorded a song about The Great Gatsby. It was meaningfull to me because we worked hard on it, and in the end we were proud of the result.

Lauren L said...

I hope this year I define my skills as a writer because in college that is something I will be doing a alot. I'm not sure what I want to learn yet but I hope every time I leave class I learn something new and it doesn't always have to be about english. Well personally grades mean so much to be because I want to get into a good college and I want my family to be proud of me. Though right now grades seem to be everything to me in the long run they won't matter. I learn best when I actually understand the directions and pay attention. Fishbowls and our second semester American Lit final video were the most fun and impacted me the most in the past.

Anna P2009 said...

This class will be so different from all of the rest of my classes. It's more of a new age class because of the laptops and I think that will make me college ready and used to typing my notes rather than writing them out. The famous Marie Paul has told me so much about this class and I am excited to go through close to the same experience as her. This class helped her so much with college essays and I know that that is an important skill that I want to have. Grades to me only mean that my GPA will either go up or down and that my parents will either be disappointed or proud. My GPA is so important though because that is a major part of scholarships and acceptance to colleges. I am unlike my sister in that I am more of a science and math person and she is an English buff. English isn't one of my better subjects. I really struggled in Mrs. Comp's class because she was always going over 5 different things at one time. I have to be able to focus on one topic at a time because too much throws me off and I loose track of projects and assignments. I really enjoyed the creative writing unit that I had my sophomore year in Ms. Gaffney's class.

mollyp2010 said...

I am not a senior yet, but I hope to get some experience writing essays for college before I actually have to do the real thing. Also I would like to improve my writing skills and learn how to incorporate more elements into my writing. Also I would like to learn how to really read and understand, and maybe even like reading shakespeare and some of the classics. I personally dont like grades very much, but I suppose they are important for getting into college. I am definitely a visual learner so seeing things done really helps, but I also like hands on activities. In previous classes I have enjoyed art related assignments that I can be creative with.

EricL2009 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
KCH2009 said...

+i hope to get an A or B to raise my GPA
+I want to learn stuff about English Lit.
+they do now being a senior and all
+Visual projects that help the whole class to learn something new.

TaylorH2009 said...

in this class all i want is a positive environment where everyone gets along and it is an overall enjoyable experience. I feel if this is achieved that not only i, but as a class we will obtain necessary knowledge for our future education.

Pat said...

I hope to learn the skills I need to become successful in college. I need to learn how to grab more detail in my writing. Grades to me don't reflect how smart a person is. It is more of a system of responsibility. I want the class to be more interesting and not just reading and analyzing over and over again.

Wilberry09 said...

Although I'm a bit late on the whole blogger thing, i still believe I have a little something to contribute :]. Well i hope to become more proficient in the area of English literature in general as well as other literature. I hope to learn more about myself and my writing skills as a person in this particular class. Well, up until last year grades didn't really mean all that much to me, and ill be honest, i didn't have much weight to carry on my shoulders since i had done well until that point, but it seems as though grades have become a major priority for me just for the fact that i want to go to college. In psychology class we did a peculiar experiment with lemon juice and when the teacher would smack a seemingly innocent ruler on a desk we would take a sip of said lemon juice. The experiment was to see if we could salivate to the noise of the ruler at the end of class, it's hard to explain haha.