Monday, December 18, 2006

Burning Issues

In light of recent events, these issues interest me:

~Men will soon be able to carry a child full-term and give birth via Cesarean section.

~The world is going to end on December 12, 2012. (So say the Mayans.)

~Carol Channing is going to live forever. (That is, of course, only if the world does not end in 6 years.)

~Shakespeare is actually alive and living with Elvis in Borneo. (Hey, they had to go somewhere where they still use the English measurement system.)

Finally...

~Cryogenics is an intriguing field. Unfortunately, if human organs are frozen at extreme temperatures and thawed, they turn to mush.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

MUMRA vs. SKELETOR

Should these individuals ever meet, who would win in a man-on-man battle? Why?

What if Lord Voldemort was thrown into the fray? Now what?

What do YOU find interesting?

Has school become a stagnant cess pool where slop is constantly stirred about? Are students the byproduct of this system? Where is the thinking? Perhaps it is time to change. I am sure there will be a surge of reluctance and dagger-eyes thrown in my general direction. What do you mean I have to be responsible for my own learning? We need to move beyond this fill-me-in-I-am-an-empty-receptacle-that-needs-to-be-filled-by-the-teacher pedagogy of thinking. Teachers should not be the bottomless pit of flowing knowledge filling your cavernous brain. The wave of the future is changing! Let's ride that wave!

I hear the following complaints: "This is boring." "Why do we have to do this?" "Can't we do something we want to do?"

Here is your opportunity. Tell me what YOU find interesting. Find an article or a topic and talk about it. I am interested in what you find interesting.

MIDTERM EXTRAVAGANZA

It is that time of year again. No, I am not talking about the fluffy white stuff falling haphazardly from the cumulus clouds overhead. I am talking about Midterms. Instead of giving an exam ("what a snooze"), I am asking you to read a novel from...dun dun dun...THE BANNED BOOK LIST.

What I am asking you to do with this post is:

  1. Go to the following website: http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm
  2. Pick a novel. (At this point you may be saying, "Of my own choosing?!" YES! Indubitably yes! By now you are probabley sick of reading what I want to read. Take this chance to read what you want to read.)
  3. Every twenty or thirty pages, I want you to post your reaction to your chosen novel. (Here are a couple prompts: Do you feel this novel should be considered a "banned book?" What are some examples of situations, language, etc. where it is apparent the novel causes discomfort? Are people overreacting to its content?)
  4. Respond to others' posts. Ask your classmates questions about his or her novel. Do you see any connections to your novel and your peers' novels? Start discussions!

Posting counts as. . percent of your Midterm grade. The "Creative Cat" portion will count as the other. . percent.

Good luck and have fun!

Monday, October 30, 2006

What novels are appropriate to teach in 9th grade?

I am always looking for new novels to teach to both my Regents classes and my Honors class. Any suggestions?