Ughh I'm terrible at this. Well, I should explain the "this" so as to not commit the cardinal sin of ambiguity.
I don't like endings. Well, when I get right up close and personal thinking about it, I don't like beginnings either.
I guess that makes me more of a "middle" person.
The awkwardness of first impressions, the anxiety of expectations either met or not met (depending on what they are--both can be stressful)--it's a jumble of heart-thumping, shallow breathing and knots-in-the-stomach over things said, unsaid, done or undone--ugh. It's all horrible.
But, like most things in 204, this is not about me.
So, in the interests of keeping this blog all about you, I would like you to think back on our year together, compile your best memories, anecdotes, lessons, words of wisdom and final requests and say farewell to our Lang class, in any way you would like.
Odds are, you may all have each other in classes again next year, and if I'm very lucky, perhaps I will be blessed enough to see you gracing 204 for AoP (or EPA or AP Lunch...whatever. I'm not picky) or just during your free time. It will be my sincere pleasure, indeed.
If not, though, please know that it has been a humbling and enlightening experience to meet you all--and one I'll not soon forget.
Thank you all for an amazing year. You have been a gift, truly.
Love always,
Bunj
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Saturday, May 21, 2016
The Education Proclamation
Not surprisingly, I have been thinking quite a lot about the education system of which I am currently a part. Naturally, from a professional standpoint, I have to. I am, after all, a teacher.
But, I'd like to think of myself as a bit more than that, most notably--a human being. And to me, education is about more than teaching kids how to prep for and take an expensive test (or series of tests) that will invariably lead them to a place where they will need to--you guessed it--take more tests. Ugh. Here's the thing that those test-prep wunderkinds never really get to the heart of--MOST of life is a test--and one where you don't often even SEE tangible results. At least, not quantified by a number. So, how much is all that test prep really worth? Well, see, that's it. I don't really know, and if I don't then you probably don't either. Well, Bryan might. See? It's all very confusing when we start to talk about education.
I am not the soothsayer of doom, at least most of the time I'm not, but I am a realist. And the reality of the situation is that our economy is recovering, albeit slowly, and as it becomes much more competitive, so too, do the opportunities that are available.
It's not enough anymore to be the best test-taker, to have the highest GPA and a transcript that boasts all AP classes. Other folks can meet that same criteria. The Princeton Admissions Board will tell you that the essay is an integral component of the decision making process most colleges use. But, that's ONE moment in a series of 12 years of education. Mind-numbing, isn't it?
So, with that in mind, I'd like you to take a look at something.
Below, you will find a link to an article written by Tony Wagner called "Rigor Redefined." It is a bit dated, but I think there are still nuggets of relevance contained within.
In it, he references many AP classes that he observed and how, in simple terms, he found them woefully inadequate.
I would like you to take this opportunity to tell me what you really thought of this article, specifically about what he mentioned about the skills that CEOs and company execs really look for in their new hires.
Do you feel as though your schooling thus far has prepared you for what these companies appear to be looking for?
Go a step further and consider the job pursuits you in which you hope to engage. What do you want to do? I know you don't want to think about that (Taylor) but you sort of have to. You don't need to decide--you only need to consider.
Finally, if you left school right now, do you feel as though you would be work-place ready and prepared for what they want? Why or why not?
What about the AP classes Wagner references...do they sound familiar to you? Why?
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct08/vol66/num02/Rigor-Redefined.aspx
But, I'd like to think of myself as a bit more than that, most notably--a human being. And to me, education is about more than teaching kids how to prep for and take an expensive test (or series of tests) that will invariably lead them to a place where they will need to--you guessed it--take more tests. Ugh. Here's the thing that those test-prep wunderkinds never really get to the heart of--MOST of life is a test--and one where you don't often even SEE tangible results. At least, not quantified by a number. So, how much is all that test prep really worth? Well, see, that's it. I don't really know, and if I don't then you probably don't either. Well, Bryan might. See? It's all very confusing when we start to talk about education.
I am not the soothsayer of doom, at least most of the time I'm not, but I am a realist. And the reality of the situation is that our economy is recovering, albeit slowly, and as it becomes much more competitive, so too, do the opportunities that are available.
It's not enough anymore to be the best test-taker, to have the highest GPA and a transcript that boasts all AP classes. Other folks can meet that same criteria. The Princeton Admissions Board will tell you that the essay is an integral component of the decision making process most colleges use. But, that's ONE moment in a series of 12 years of education. Mind-numbing, isn't it?
So, with that in mind, I'd like you to take a look at something.
Below, you will find a link to an article written by Tony Wagner called "Rigor Redefined." It is a bit dated, but I think there are still nuggets of relevance contained within.
In it, he references many AP classes that he observed and how, in simple terms, he found them woefully inadequate.
I would like you to take this opportunity to tell me what you really thought of this article, specifically about what he mentioned about the skills that CEOs and company execs really look for in their new hires.
Do you feel as though your schooling thus far has prepared you for what these companies appear to be looking for?
Go a step further and consider the job pursuits you in which you hope to engage. What do you want to do? I know you don't want to think about that (Taylor) but you sort of have to. You don't need to decide--you only need to consider.
Finally, if you left school right now, do you feel as though you would be work-place ready and prepared for what they want? Why or why not?
What about the AP classes Wagner references...do they sound familiar to you? Why?
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct08/vol66/num02/Rigor-Redefined.aspx
Saturday, May 14, 2016
"If you are silent about your pain, they'll kill you and say you enjoyed it" ---Zora Neale Hurston
Yesterday was both a proud and a hard day to be an Oakcrest Teacher.
I believe, whole-heartedly, in the above quote. Clearly, the metaphor is more timely now, in these moments of "civil unrest", and I want you to take that information, as well as whatever you know about me, and analyze:
a) why that is one of my favorite quotes
b) how it relates to current events
c) your own interpretation of it
That, however, is only the warm up (and a nod to using your lang skills). Next, I would like you to start thinking about your own quote--the one that you will be using for the quotation festival--and really analyze what it is that speaks to you about whatever you choose.
Please include the author (obv), and the time period it was written in because that may be relevant to what the author had in mind when s/he wrote it. The author's interpretation, however, is far less important to me than yours and why you chose it. So, most of your discussion about the quote should be about you and why or how you identify with the words.
I believe, whole-heartedly, in the above quote. Clearly, the metaphor is more timely now, in these moments of "civil unrest", and I want you to take that information, as well as whatever you know about me, and analyze:
a) why that is one of my favorite quotes
b) how it relates to current events
c) your own interpretation of it
That, however, is only the warm up (and a nod to using your lang skills). Next, I would like you to start thinking about your own quote--the one that you will be using for the quotation festival--and really analyze what it is that speaks to you about whatever you choose.
Please include the author (obv), and the time period it was written in because that may be relevant to what the author had in mind when s/he wrote it. The author's interpretation, however, is far less important to me than yours and why you chose it. So, most of your discussion about the quote should be about you and why or how you identify with the words.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
To Die For...or Not.
Please read this blog carefully and consider your thoughts and your responses for a bit before answering.
Passion. Courage. Conviction. These words are largely subjective, completely abstract, and open to interpretation; therefore, they are also indefinable in traditional senses. But, I would like you to look them up before you answer this week's blog question. Once you do that, consider the following:
What is it in your own life, this life that you have been given, that you think you would die for? Do the three words play into your answer in any way? If you need a more solid jumping-off point, ask yourself this: given the denotation of the words passion, courage and conviction what is it in your life that can inspire these seemingly esoteric concepts?
What is your passion; what gives you courage; about what do you hold an unshakeable conviction?
Once you answer those questions, go back to the original--what would you die for? Do your answers to the second set of questions fall in line with the first? Do you think there should be things you would die for? Why or why not?
Finally, do you think the natural follow-up to this question should be: What do you live for? I sort of do...so....yeah. Talk about that, too. Are what you'd die for and what you live for the same? Why or why not? What does that tell you? So.....many...questions... better get started. :)
Be true to yourself and answer these questions in the best way you know how.
Passion. Courage. Conviction. These words are largely subjective, completely abstract, and open to interpretation; therefore, they are also indefinable in traditional senses. But, I would like you to look them up before you answer this week's blog question. Once you do that, consider the following:
What is it in your own life, this life that you have been given, that you think you would die for? Do the three words play into your answer in any way? If you need a more solid jumping-off point, ask yourself this: given the denotation of the words passion, courage and conviction what is it in your life that can inspire these seemingly esoteric concepts?
What is your passion; what gives you courage; about what do you hold an unshakeable conviction?
Once you answer those questions, go back to the original--what would you die for? Do your answers to the second set of questions fall in line with the first? Do you think there should be things you would die for? Why or why not?
Finally, do you think the natural follow-up to this question should be: What do you live for? I sort of do...so....yeah. Talk about that, too. Are what you'd die for and what you live for the same? Why or why not? What does that tell you? So.....many...questions... better get started. :)
Be true to yourself and answer these questions in the best way you know how.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
"Suffer the Little Children..."
Sunday night. The proposed due date for this blog during this week of madness.
Sunday has sort of a paradoxical connotation tied to it for me. It goes back to, for lack of a better (read: trite) euphemism, my extremely crappy childhood.
Let me explain.
I was, like many of you, a child of divorce. I lived with my mother, saw my father on weekends (when he remembered he had a daughter waiting for him to pick her up) and dealt with all of the guilt, sadness, and overall wistfulness of being the kid caught between parents that hated each other. It was, as I mentioned, extremely crappy. And Sundays were the worst because that was the day that my father would drop me back off at home, and I knew it could be the last time I ever saw him. I would make my way into the house where my mother would be waiting, and if I looked even the least bit sad, she would launch into attack mode. “Oh what’s the matter—had so much fun with your dad that coming home to your boring old mother is too depressing? Well sorry I have to work two jobs to support us since that fun-loving s.o.b. doesn’t bother to pay child support….”
And on it would go until her energy was spent, and I was completely demoralized. My saving grace was, ironically, the fact that my father didn’t see me every weekend, so the times when I was forgotten actually saved part of my soul. Paradox extraordinaire, oui?
This childhood memory, glum though it may be, completely shaped the person I am today. For better or worse. What did I learn? Well, for one, I learned that being yourself and feeling what you feel has consequences. It seems like a crazy lesson, right? But it is one that I draw on to this day. I spent so much time trying to hide who I was and how I felt as a kid, that I eventually lost sight of who that actually was.
When I was little, the price seemed way too high, what with listening to my mother rant and rave and tell me how ungrateful I was, so I really felt that masking my true emotions was worth it. And into my teen years, I sort of just grew accustomed to doing that. It wasn’t until I was living on my own that the impact of that mindset became clear to me: I was alone. Nobody knew me. Oh sure, people knew who I was-my name was out there. But nobody actually KNEW me. And it was really scary, and really lonely.
I wish I could say that once I had this epiphany, my life magically transformed and I became a mature, well-adjusted, productive member of society. But, since I would never lie to you guys, I can’t say that because that’s not what happened. It took time. A lot of time, with a lot of very painful repercussions resulting from my journey of enlightenment. But, now, here I am. A bit worse for the wear, but soul utterly intact and identity firmly entrenched in each decision I make. Was it worth it? Absofreakinglutely. (WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS LIT TERM???)
So, now it’s your turn.
What childhood memory thus far has shaped who you are? Do you want this memory to be the blueprint for which you design your “true Self?” If the answer is no, think about how you can change your perspective on it. What can you learn? If the answer is yes, talk about how you can impact the world and those in it who are most important to you. What lesson would you want to impart that has its root in this memory? I know this is hard; take your time. Nothing worth having is ever easy. And this answer is worth having. Trust me.
Sunday has sort of a paradoxical connotation tied to it for me. It goes back to, for lack of a better (read: trite) euphemism, my extremely crappy childhood.
Let me explain.
I was, like many of you, a child of divorce. I lived with my mother, saw my father on weekends (when he remembered he had a daughter waiting for him to pick her up) and dealt with all of the guilt, sadness, and overall wistfulness of being the kid caught between parents that hated each other. It was, as I mentioned, extremely crappy. And Sundays were the worst because that was the day that my father would drop me back off at home, and I knew it could be the last time I ever saw him. I would make my way into the house where my mother would be waiting, and if I looked even the least bit sad, she would launch into attack mode. “Oh what’s the matter—had so much fun with your dad that coming home to your boring old mother is too depressing? Well sorry I have to work two jobs to support us since that fun-loving s.o.b. doesn’t bother to pay child support….”
And on it would go until her energy was spent, and I was completely demoralized. My saving grace was, ironically, the fact that my father didn’t see me every weekend, so the times when I was forgotten actually saved part of my soul. Paradox extraordinaire, oui?
This childhood memory, glum though it may be, completely shaped the person I am today. For better or worse. What did I learn? Well, for one, I learned that being yourself and feeling what you feel has consequences. It seems like a crazy lesson, right? But it is one that I draw on to this day. I spent so much time trying to hide who I was and how I felt as a kid, that I eventually lost sight of who that actually was.
When I was little, the price seemed way too high, what with listening to my mother rant and rave and tell me how ungrateful I was, so I really felt that masking my true emotions was worth it. And into my teen years, I sort of just grew accustomed to doing that. It wasn’t until I was living on my own that the impact of that mindset became clear to me: I was alone. Nobody knew me. Oh sure, people knew who I was-my name was out there. But nobody actually KNEW me. And it was really scary, and really lonely.
I wish I could say that once I had this epiphany, my life magically transformed and I became a mature, well-adjusted, productive member of society. But, since I would never lie to you guys, I can’t say that because that’s not what happened. It took time. A lot of time, with a lot of very painful repercussions resulting from my journey of enlightenment. But, now, here I am. A bit worse for the wear, but soul utterly intact and identity firmly entrenched in each decision I make. Was it worth it? Absofreakinglutely. (WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS LIT TERM???)
So, now it’s your turn.
What childhood memory thus far has shaped who you are? Do you want this memory to be the blueprint for which you design your “true Self?” If the answer is no, think about how you can change your perspective on it. What can you learn? If the answer is yes, talk about how you can impact the world and those in it who are most important to you. What lesson would you want to impart that has its root in this memory? I know this is hard; take your time. Nothing worth having is ever easy. And this answer is worth having. Trust me.
Monday, April 11, 2016
Quizlet Study Guides Link List
Please publish the links to your respective Quizlets here. Be sure to label each one.
"Platform 9 and 3/4 Right This Way..."
Did you hold the door open for anyone today? Did you let anyone step in front of you on your way into school, the cafeteria, a classroom? Lend anyone a pencil, pick up a fallen book or paper? For most of you, the answer is probably yes, you did in fact do one or more of those things. All of you are well-mannered, considerate and generally just a nice bunch of kids. So, for today, or the next 4 days as it were, let's take that one step further. This will require a bit of imagination, introspection and innovation, so again, don't sit down to this blog on Wednesday night at 11pm and think you can do a respectable job on it.
Ok, so imagine, one morning, after a kindly old wizard--who bears a striking resemblance to Albus Dumbledore--visits you in your dreams, you awaken with the power to give one person anything in the entire universe. (Nothing gross about a wizard from Harry Potter checking in on us from time to time, I say!) What would it be and why?
Now, that question, while startling limited in word content, is not as simple or straightforward as it seems.
I am not actually asking you to go ask someone what wish they would like to have granted (which seems like the obvious assumption given that I started off talking about wizards and magic); Instead, I am asking you what YOU want to give someone else if you had the power to give them anything, and I am asking you to explain that choice. Additionally, because there is always an "additionally," I would also like to know what advice you would give this person after you have bestowed this "gift" upon him or her.
Ok, so imagine, one morning, after a kindly old wizard--who bears a striking resemblance to Albus Dumbledore--visits you in your dreams, you awaken with the power to give one person anything in the entire universe. (Nothing gross about a wizard from Harry Potter checking in on us from time to time, I say!) What would it be and why?
Now, that question, while startling limited in word content, is not as simple or straightforward as it seems.
I am not actually asking you to go ask someone what wish they would like to have granted (which seems like the obvious assumption given that I started off talking about wizards and magic); Instead, I am asking you what YOU want to give someone else if you had the power to give them anything, and I am asking you to explain that choice. Additionally, because there is always an "additionally," I would also like to know what advice you would give this person after you have bestowed this "gift" upon him or her.
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