Day 2

Today we are going to try a free blog. You can talk about whatever you want as long as it is appropriate and that it actually says something. Or, you can respond appropriately to someone else's blog continuing their conversation. The points for this will be based on a meaningful piece of information or a meaningful exchange.

Have a great break. Enjoy your Thanksgiving in whatever manner you celebrate. Be smart, be safe and see you on Tuesday.

Cardmarking 3, Week 1, Day 1

Well, at least this is a short week. Make sure that your 2nd copy of the paper is completed by the end of the hour tomorrow.

For this evening, pick another current event and comment on it. You may not pick the same as you did last week. I thought that people's comments about the current events were great and we will be doing this on a regular basis (once a week). Remember to tell me what you know if the topic, what is going on with the topic, and yoru opinion of the importance of the topic. Also, site your source for your topic. No Site, No points.

Day 29

Here we are at the end of the second cardmarking. Hard to believe that it is happening this fast. I am, overall, pleased with most of the way the class has gone although I would really love to see people put in more of an effort and show what you are truly capable of.

For today, I would like you to discuss your strengths and weaknesses thus far in this class. Also, what are your goals for the next cardmarking both in my class and as a student in general. Give a letter grade goal with ways you plan to make this happen. Lastly, give any constructive feedback as to how the class could be better or my teaching style could help you more. This does not include the comment no more blogging as that will not be happening.

Day 28

I am pleased with the continued work on your papers. Remember for tomorrow that if you did not have rough draft done yesterday it must be ready for peer discussion and editing. For those who had the rough draft completed, you must have a book to read for tomorrow after the quiz.

For this evening, I would like you to pick one current event from a newspaper or from the internet and discuss why this event is topical and your take on the event. Be thorough and mention the source that you used in your discussion.

Day 27

Good work on the papers. For those who were done today, I am very pleased with what you have accomplished. For those who were not, I hope you have a better understanding of what needs to be done and that you will now get it done by Friday.

For this evening, please talk about a value that you think is undervalued in our society. How could this value become more important?

Day 26

Hope all is well. Communication Camp was great and several of your classmates can share with you some of the experience. Hopefully, over the next few years, more of you can have an opportunity for this event.

It seems there is some confusion in regards to the rough draft. You were given two days to complete the rough draft during class but that does not mean that you should not be using your own time as well. This assignment, while given class time, needs to be worked on by you at home even if that means emailing the document to yourself to work on it. I find it odd to think that some would assume that you would only have to work on it in class.

For this evening:

Deepak Chopra:
Giving connects two people, the giver and the receiver, and this connection gives birth to a new sense of belonging.

Week 6, Day 25

Please do not respond to this blog until Monday. As I am at Communication Camp connecting with people it begs me to think about connections in high school. Oddly, I only keep in touch with about 3 or 4 people I was friends with in high school. Honestly, the summer before college I went away to work at a camp, made new friends and many of them went to MSU which is where I was going. I truly wanted a break from most of the people I went to high school with for a variety of reasons. I look back and wonder if that cheapens my high school experience.

With that said, what is your views of friendship in high school? Where do you see you and your group of friends in 3-4 years? What is the importance of communication in maintaining friendships past high school? Do you think technology makes communication easier for you than it was for me and my friends?

Day 24

Hope to see many of you at the game tomorrow at Warren Fitzgerald. I remind you that in order to get the extra credit you have to find me, say hello and give me a piece of paper with your name on it so I remember who I saw. NO PAPER, NO EXTRA CREDIT!

Monday you will, hopefully, get back your first paragraph. Look at comments and then you can begin writing the rest of the first draft. I would suggest writing the next 2 body paragraphs and then the intro and conclusion. Remember that the third body paragraph is your opinion so you may use first person.

For tonight, contemplate the importance of you. What value do you think you give to your family, friends, community and greater world at this time? Do you think that you represent who you want to be or are there changes you would like to make before you go off on the next phase of your life (post high school)? Lastly, if you had to write an epitaph (sentence on your tomb stone) what would you want it to say?

Day 23

Some good work going on today. People are invested in making sure they have good thesis statements. This is what the process is all about. That is why we are taking it slowly. I gave out due dates but if we need to adjust them a bit we will.

For tonight:

"The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority."
Ralph W. Sockman

Day 22

Hope the paper information I gave out today was helpful. Remember to have a thesis tomorrow for me to look at as well as, by the end of the hour, your first paragraph. We will be looking at some writing strategies for this paper to help guide you. The reason we are doing this slowly is to give you techniques in writing to help you from here on out.

For today:

"Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly."
Thomas H. Huxley
English biologist (1825 - 1895)

Day 21

We continue to fine tune the writing process. Some asked for a specific prompt to this assignment so I will have one for you tomorrow.

For tonight:

Talk about an experience in your life where the event that occurred caused you to learn about values or morals. Make sure that you back up the moral or value with the experience.

Week 5 Day 20

First off, good luck on your PLAN test tomorrow. From my understanding, you will be eating lunch at around noon and then go to class after so I am not sure what the timing is in class tomorrow.

For this evening:

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."

-Pablo Picasso

Day 19

Vocab quiz Monday
Sources and quotes Monday

Respond to the following:

"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life."
Confucious

Day 18

Wow, we accomplished a great deal today in both classes. The discussion on the "Dr. Heidgregger" story was great as was the discussion on the 3 poems. Remember that you are able to use the poems as a 2nd source if you would like to switch. Tomorrow, I will be looking at everyone's sources and quotes during your quiet reading time. Please study for the quiz as I would truly like to see everyone do well. If everyone passes with a C or above there will be a treat waiting for you on Monday.

As for today, please do the following:

We talked quite a bit about growing older and whether it can be positive or negative. With that in mind, pick an older person who has had an impact on you (older than say 65)in some way. Explain who they are and their impact and then discuss whether you would view them at all transcendental. If they are transcendental, decide on dark or not and why. Finally, what are your hopes of how you will be when you are "older."

Day 17

Make sure you begin studying those vocab words! Please complete today's assignment so that you can be part of the discussion tomorrow. Lastly, make sure you have your 2 sources and 2 quotes from each source.

For today, comment on the following:

“Freedom is a package deal - with it comes responsibilities and consequences”

Answer what this means to you and how it falls into the idea of transcendentalism. Think about Chris' behaviors and how this concept of freedom effected how he lived and then died.

Week 4 Day 1

A couple things to remember:

1. Please find a quote, example, etc. from your second source in regards to the value you chose about Chris McClandless.
2. When you are working in groups, it is important to get work done. This is a skill that you all need to work on to be more productive.
3. There is no blog when there is no school but today's blog is due by 11:59 p.m. this evening.

We have suffered through the longest political campaign ever based on the fact that these people truly started campaining over 2 years ago. Based on the political climate that we live in, and for some you may need to do some reading before writing this blog, what is the most pressing issue the winner of tomorrows election has to deal with? Also, if you could create a law about campaigning would you make changes to our current system and why?

Have a great day off and think of me while I am sitting in meetings all day. This will give me time to think of more ways to torture you on Wednesday.