Adv. Comp. - fresh rubric

Students,
I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the holidays!  I want to let you know that I finally put the finishing touches on an "analytic" version of the ACT-based rubric we have used throughout the semester.

I've added this to my Google Drive, and I have posted it to the internet.  You may want to take a close look, as you are finishing your paper for Monday, Jan. 7.  

Notice that this is the same rubric, but I have broken the component parts into various "strands" for better understanding.  I will evaluate your papers across these "strands" which will render a more accurate understanding of your strengths and weaknesses.

~Dr. Jones

Eng. 3 - reminder regarding home access to network drives

Students, 

Throughout our study of The Great Gatsby, you will need access to the school share drive.  I've linked here to the instructions from our tech. dept.

Please remember, just as you do when on a nature-hike, leave the drive as you found it when you leave.

~ Dr. Jones

adv. comp. - clarification on homework for 11/13/12

Students,

I wanted to send just a few ideas as clarification of your homework for this long weekend.

For the homework we discussed on Friday (due on Tues.), use my model entries at my "Research Notebook" (link at my blog) as helpful guides.  You are writing two entries total: (1) a short, three paragraph entry that est. some background to the film and then gives (a) your assessment of the criticism you read and (b) your assessment of the film AFTER reading the criticism; (2) this is a short entry that includes your criteria for what to include in a review BASED on reading the reviews we have read.

For the second entry, you have three options:

1. for an "A-level" response - you come up with your own criteria all together

2. for a "B-level" response - you rewrite mine and add your own

3. for a "C-level" response - you fill in the blanks on mine and/or make minor changes ...

~ Dr. Jones

adv. comp. - end of the quarter and beyond

Students,

I have not emailed or blogged in a while, so I thought now was as good a time as any to offer some thoughts about our course what with the "quarter turn" upon us ...

Your editorials are due in hard copy form to me on this Wed. (10/31), and the rubric I will use is posted at Dr. Jones's Class Notes where I have added a link to evaluation information for this paper and the rest of the papers for the course.  Follow the link (upper right) to a Google Doc that explains point values and directs you to a posted copy of the rubric.

You need to have your personal-choice book read by the beginning of class on Monday, Nov. 5 as we will have begun discussing how to write a book review for your book.

You will notice that I added a link to the Q2, running presentation for our course to the link set at Dr. Jones's Class Notes, and, as you did for Q1, you will be able to keep up with class work and activites.

For this coming week as you finish your editorials, you will have two days of open work time in class -- Monday and Tuesday.  During these days you may work on your editorial, read your personal-choice, book, and/or finish college apps.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend ... see you on Monday!

Dr. Jones

for Adv. Comp. - final procedures for final draft of Memory Narrative

Students,

As you are gearing up for tomorrow's return to school after this three-day weekend, I wanted to send word regarding the final draft procedures for the Memory Narrative.

Check your email in-tray and/or your Google Doc/Drive for a modified copy of your rough draft narrative.  I have been commenting and posting on everyone's, and I will have this completed no later than Wed. morning.

After you receive my comments, act on them, and complete the final draft.  Do not forget to carefully proofread. (In fact, you may want to ask someone to read your final copy before submitting; you can, also, import back to Word and run spelling and grammar, as I did not comment on the many grammar errors I saw throughout.)

The rubric for evaluation of the final draft is posted online, and I have moved the final draft due date to Monday, Oct. 15.  Please, prepare to submit your final draft in PAPER form; do not - repeat do not - re-share this.  Print the final copy and turn this in on next Monday.

Dr. Jones

P.S. Our editorial flyer/pre-writing presentations resume tomorrow; the rotation picks up where we left off.

compilation of anecdotal data regarding my 76 senior students

Dear Students and Parents,

I have just posted an open Gooogle Doc that captures some interesting data about my 76 senior students.  I'm inviting you to take a look if you are interested.  It is by no means scientific but it is informative nonetheless.

(Parents, I previewed this in class today, so you may want to discuss it with your children.)

Regards,

Dr. Jones

adv. comp. - published editorial models

Students,

Read the following editorials from The New York Times before class tmrw. (10/2/12).

On John Dewey and education and on the TSA screeners at airports ...

I will go over these in class tomorrow with the goal of teaching the editorail form.  These will serve as the first two of many "models" to emulate.

Dr. Jones

P.S. Please, post on Facebook, etc.

for adv. comp. - research notebook notes

Students,
As you are plowing through your homework tonight, my advice is to keep it simple.  Take a deep breath, and remember all of the resources avail. to verify the quality of your research notbook site.  First, take a fresh look at my model page.  Then, take a few minutes to review the presentation I put together, outling all of the components.  Finally, pull out that handy, hot-pink page I gave you in class today.

If you have some extra time tonight, you should click through the sites you added to your "potential research topics" and read/skim the ACTUAL writing.  Don't be satisfied with merely adding the URLs and pages to your list.

Tomorrow in class you will post your research notebook URL to a Google Form in order to establish a course-wide data base of these sites for everyone.

As a final note, and I am sincere about this, these sites are lookin' GOOD!  Our classes should be proud of our progressive and "real-world" curriculum.

Dr. Jones

P.S. Remember to pack your book review/indie book for Friday when we will visit the "reading rainbow" again.

adv. comp. - image for use with editorial project

Students,
Below is a .png copy of the model flyer I created (with Pages for the iPad) for your next assignment.  Keep this post handy!  Also, remember that I have posted a Google Doc (linked from the day-to-day pres.) that provides a "key" to the requirements of the flyer.
Dr. Jones

for adv. comp. - an alternative to a trad. bio.

Students,
I urge you to spend some time looking around at creative examples of the "super short bio.",which is what you are writing for your research notebook site.  There are many good examples out there.  (And for some reason you can find them in the theater programs from high school plays?)

I have included a link to some good examples from the famous book, Best American Nonrequired Reading.

Dr. Jones

for adv. comp. - work for the weekend and into next week

Students,

Happy weekend!

Remember that you will need to read "Alicia's Story" Cha. 5 & 6 before Monday.  Also, you need to bring your independent reading/book review book to class on Monday.  Check-out, purchase, or download (Kindle, iPad, and EPUB formats are acceptable).

Finally, take a look over the weekend at a new presentation I put together regarding your "research notebook" site.  We will be working on these notebooks in class this coming week.

Dr. Jones

Eng. 3 - two links for Huck Finn study

Eng. 3 Students,

As you might imagine, the Internet is ripe with information regarding The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  For a full text copy of the book (which will be good to use as a reference when we need to write about the text, as you may search for specific quotations for support) look here -- the famous Project Gutenberg where you can find links to an EPUB, Kindle, or .txt version of the full text.

Also, many of you have mentioned the advantages of using an audio version, so I have decided to play parts of this audio version in class.  You may want to use it for your homework reading as well!

We will be proceeding a bit slower now; I want you to enjoy the language of this seminal American work!

Dr. Jones

Adv. Comp. - some help with the "selfie" (cross-posted from an email)

Dear Students,

So I've been thinking a lot about my request for you to bring a picture of yourself for your research website, and, well, I have mixed feelings about it.  I realize that you are really rather young (17 - 18), so I can understand your age-based (maybe its akward?) hesitation to want to share a photo openly on the internet.

But, having said that, I also think as writers developing a presence and online personality is something your generation must do.

Well ... let's keep talking about it ...

Here are some thoughts for tmrw.

1. these sites are avail. for ONLY those who have the link and are not searchable in any search engine

2. there are ways around the "ugly" "selfie" or really any picture that puts you in an unkind light ... for instance,

a. make a caricature of a photo

b. or take a selfie like one of these

(BTW - there are some really, really awesome self-portraits at the site above; I love the ones that are reflections.)

Dr. Jones

P.S. I also love that Photoshop-thing with the $5 bill ...

Adv. Comp. - the application essay assignment

At this point (Thur., Sept. 6), your second draft of the essay is due.  As I mentioned in class, you are, ostensibly, answering the first essay question on the Common Application while writing the "memory narrative" for this class.

As you continue to revise, you might consider the handy advice, provided by about.com regarding an effective answer to question #1.  Also, take a look at the sample essay for question #1, provided by about.com.  While this piece is about an "ethical dilemma," the tone and the details are appropriate to the task.

Continue to follow our Google Presentation for details regarding timelines, etc.

for Adv. Comp. - an overview of our college app. work thus far

As of this post, we have used the "Big Future" web-based tool from The College Board.  As I mentioned in class, we Midwesterners are not as familiar with The College Board, given that we take (and re-take, right?) the ACT.  Yet, The College Board is a top-notch organization that administers the SAT and all of the various AP tests one takes for high-school-based, college credit.

At this point, you should have at least five schools in your planning list, and you should know the basic admissions requirements to get into these schools.

Over Labor Day weekend, you should read some of "Alicia's Story" AND begin work on your first draft of your short memoir/college app. essay.

summer reading responsibilites

for Adv. Comp:
due to some confusion resulting from erroneous info. shared with students last year, I have decided to hold you responsible for only one of two "required" summer books ... please review (or read) one of the four, required choice texts ... the selected titles are avil. though the South homepage ...

for Eng. 3:
you will take a test today (Aug. 23) on Outliers ... as I mentioned yesterday in class, you will take the same test next week on Monday ... this will give everyone two chances to succeed on the summer assignment ...

Welcome to the new school year!

Students,
I am excited (very excited indeed!) to be here at Maine South after serving as English Chair at Maine West for the past eight.  I'm looking forward to being a full-time teacher again ...

Bookmark my blog, as I will be posting classroom information to it frequently.  In the coming days, look for calendars, etc. for your class as well.

This year I will do my best to run everything through this blog.

Dr. Jones