We are now into reading the poems. In order to get a B, they must read the poem with no errors in rhythm or pronunciation. Any errors lowers the score to a B- or eventually a C. An A reading is expressive and contains emotion. I gave examples in class, and we read a few poems so they could learn a little bit about interpreting poems.
The problem in many classes is students are not prepared with their introductions. When it is time to read, they are not ready. That is a grade down. Not being ready is the only way a student could get a D. Otherwise, any reading could get a C.
Next week will be crazy. I will not see my usual students, so there will be no homework, and we will not be reading the poems. We still are not doing vocab. That will start back up the following week. We have 14 and 15 to finish as well as a vocab final.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Thursday, April 27, 2006
April 27, 2006
Signed grade slips were collected today. Not many were turned in. Getting them signed is a grade.
Today also was another example of how hard it is to get a good grade this MP. Many students were absent. Also, students were supposed to have written an intro for the poem reading, but I still had students wondering what their poem was! I explained this before break and every day up until today. Again, I am just going to plow forward. I will try to keep you and the students informed of all collected assignments. I list them on the board in class as well as post them on the calendar from this web site.
Next week will be interesting. Students will be assigned to groups and travel through five academic teachers. They will be completing assignments for each of the teachers. They will be responsible for working in each class. The week will not be a party. Now, for those going on the Henlopen trip, it will be! I will be going during the first half of the week.
Today also was another example of how hard it is to get a good grade this MP. Many students were absent. Also, students were supposed to have written an intro for the poem reading, but I still had students wondering what their poem was! I explained this before break and every day up until today. Again, I am just going to plow forward. I will try to keep you and the students informed of all collected assignments. I list them on the board in class as well as post them on the calendar from this web site.
Next week will be interesting. Students will be assigned to groups and travel through five academic teachers. They will be completing assignments for each of the teachers. They will be responsible for working in each class. The week will not be a party. Now, for those going on the Henlopen trip, it will be! I will be going during the first half of the week.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
April 26, 2006
We finished the history of the Harlem Renaissance today. The students should now have a completed outline of the period which they will use when they figure out what their poem means. They will need that for their introduction as well. That outline will be handed in tomorrow in class.
Thursday we will begin reading the poems aloud. I will demonstrate what I am looking for, and we will discuss the first few students to read. I will record all the readings for posterity.
The grade slips were sent home today. They should be signed.
Thursday we will begin reading the poems aloud. I will demonstrate what I am looking for, and we will discuss the first few students to read. I will record all the readings for posterity.
The grade slips were sent home today. They should be signed.
Monday, April 24, 2006
April 24, 2006
I posted the best songs from the blues songs recording sessions. You can listen to them here: http://www.mrboz.com/school/assignment_blues.htm . I made the songs so that when you play them on an iPod, a picture of the students singing will appear as artwork. Creating the songs did take a lot of time, but I love to create things for posterity. I hope the students will keep these files and appreciate them when they are older. I also hope that I can find storage options so that I can keep their files handy. If they ever stop by, it would be nice to show them what they sounded like years before. But my laptop can only hold so much. Even my 20GB external drive is getting filled by past years' files. Donations welcomed! (joking) ... (um sort of joking)
The students should be ready to explain a topic assigned to them before the break. They had at least two days in the writing lab to research. The requirements are listed on the Harlem Renaissance assignment page.
I will be handing out grades tomorrow if everything goes well. I have them on paper. I just need to enter them into the computer. I have taken so long because the research papers overwhelmed me. Sorry about that.
The students should be ready to explain a topic assigned to them before the break. They had at least two days in the writing lab to research. The requirements are listed on the Harlem Renaissance assignment page.
I will be handing out grades tomorrow if everything goes well. I have them on paper. I just need to enter them into the computer. I have taken so long because the research papers overwhelmed me. Sorry about that.
April 13, 2006 (I forgot to post this that day.)
The students are currently working on exploring the times surrounding the Harlem Renaissance. Wednesday we reviewed some of the topics they explored in the writing lab the previous day. Today, Thursday, we will go to the lab again so that they can get the research they need to present their poem to the class.
I have listed a specific way to read the poem. The most important part of the reading is creating an introduction to set the stage for reading. A reading of a poem is not just a recitation of the words. The reading adds to the piece. One way that is done is through preparing the audience by setting a purpose for listening. Since we in the audience do not have time to read the poem over and over, the preparation allows us to listen for something, focuses our attention towards a specific message.
Today we will work on exploring the lives of the writers and research the poems. My goal is to give those who do not have access to computers at home time to gather their information. I will give examples of how to read poems when we return from break.
Everything is spelled out on the worksheet. You can find it under the Harlem Renaissance assignment web page.
I have listed a specific way to read the poem. The most important part of the reading is creating an introduction to set the stage for reading. A reading of a poem is not just a recitation of the words. The reading adds to the piece. One way that is done is through preparing the audience by setting a purpose for listening. Since we in the audience do not have time to read the poem over and over, the preparation allows us to listen for something, focuses our attention towards a specific message.
Today we will work on exploring the lives of the writers and research the poems. My goal is to give those who do not have access to computers at home time to gather their information. I will give examples of how to read poems when we return from break.
Everything is spelled out on the worksheet. You can find it under the Harlem Renaissance assignment web page.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
April 11, 2006
I updated many of the pages on the classroom web page. Therefore, I ran out of time to write this entry. Sorry.
On Tuesday, we went to the writing lab to do some research. I need the students to understand the times surrounding the Harlem Renaissance. This way, they can be more expressive when they read their assigned poem because they will know what the writer is trying to express. For example, if they do not know what lynching is, they will not understand the despair the poet is trying to express.
I used the timeline from the Negro Baseball League movie as the basis for studying the background of the times. The movie examines the struggles of blacks from the Restoration after the Civil War up through Brown vs. Board of Education in 1956. We are examining how blacks struggled to form their identity in a society that did not always accept them as equals.
Ultimately, I want the students to be examining themselves. The final project will project their understand of themselves and their place in the world as they see themselves today. Just as the black writers of the Harlem Renaissance were excited to explore their roots and express their hopes for the future, I want to see the students expressing themselves through a creative presentation.
On Tuesday, we went to the writing lab to do some research. I need the students to understand the times surrounding the Harlem Renaissance. This way, they can be more expressive when they read their assigned poem because they will know what the writer is trying to express. For example, if they do not know what lynching is, they will not understand the despair the poet is trying to express.
I used the timeline from the Negro Baseball League movie as the basis for studying the background of the times. The movie examines the struggles of blacks from the Restoration after the Civil War up through Brown vs. Board of Education in 1956. We are examining how blacks struggled to form their identity in a society that did not always accept them as equals.
Ultimately, I want the students to be examining themselves. The final project will project their understand of themselves and their place in the world as they see themselves today. Just as the black writers of the Harlem Renaissance were excited to explore their roots and express their hopes for the future, I want to see the students expressing themselves through a creative presentation.
Monday, April 10, 2006
April 10, 2006
No homework. I will update the pages soon. I am trying to wrap up the media essays, plan the next unit, and update the grades by Thursday. Sorry. I don't have time for more.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
April 6, 2006
I have not been so diligent with these entries as I have been in the past. I guess I am prioritizing. I do have a calendar linked to my home page.
Lately we have been recording our blues songs. I have to process each one of them individually, so it will take a little while to get them all done. I am also still grading media essays. My time is limited. When I do find time, I will make recordings available. I probably won't post them all on the internet as before, but I will look into it. Most likely, I will make CD's available for a small cost.
Next week we will do daily drills and a root word packet. The packet will be homework, but I will discuss the words on Monday. We will also be beginning the Harlem Renaissance study. The blues recordings are taking longer than expected.
Lately we have been recording our blues songs. I have to process each one of them individually, so it will take a little while to get them all done. I am also still grading media essays. My time is limited. When I do find time, I will make recordings available. I probably won't post them all on the internet as before, but I will look into it. Most likely, I will make CD's available for a small cost.
Next week we will do daily drills and a root word packet. The packet will be homework, but I will discuss the words on Monday. We will also be beginning the Harlem Renaissance study. The blues recordings are taking longer than expected.
Monday, April 03, 2006
April 3, 2006
The recording of our blues songs is under way! I think I will go crazy by the end because most of the students have chosen the same song: John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom Boom." We are making recordings using Garage Band which I will save as MP3's. I will also be adding their pictures to the song so that when you listen to the songs on iTunes, their pictures will appear on the player. That includes iPods as well.
Homework is to finish unit 13 in the vocab. This week we will have a quiz on Wednesday. We will also be recording the songs for as long as it takes. After that, we will begin a study of Harlem Renaissance poetry. They will be responsible for finding a poem and performing it for the class. Again, I will record them.
Homework is to finish unit 13 in the vocab. This week we will have a quiz on Wednesday. We will also be recording the songs for as long as it takes. After that, we will begin a study of Harlem Renaissance poetry. They will be responsible for finding a poem and performing it for the class. Again, I will record them.
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