English V at LDVHS

Suggestions

2007-02-01T06:21:00.000-08:00

Do you have any great ideas for powerpoint projects or other projects for this class? We do have acess to a video camera if we need one. Some of you have mentioned some ideas and have told me what you'd like to do. Let me know on this blog what direction we should be going in. Do you think we need to focus more on powerpoint or should we focus on word processing or another program? I look forward to reading your responses!

High School Lessons

2006-12-10T16:27:00.000-08:00

Ok Guys...I want you to really think about this one. I'll expect a response by Friday, December 15. Here it is...What is the single most important thing you learned in high school? (Think about this as if you were talking to someone who was just about to enter high school) I can't wait to read your responses!

I'll take care of that tomorrow...

2006-11-12T10:19:00.000-08:00

Why do we procrastinate so much? Why is it that we put things off (or sometimes not do things at all) knowing full well that we are going to suffer for it later? From papers that are due, to cards needing to be sent, to phone calls needing to be made...what makes us fool ourselves into believing that it will all work out or that things will "magically"take care of themselves? Do you ever put things off and try to fool yourself into believing that things will be OK? Why do you think we do these things?

Preparation For College/Life

2006-10-12T07:59:00.000-07:00

I was at a meeting yesterday and a comment was made that we may not be doing enough to prepare students for college level courses- that we are not demanding enough of our students academically in high school. Many believe there needs to be more of an emphasis placed on higher order thinking skills, research papers and independent study in high school. How prepared do you feel for college? Some of you take college courses right now. Do you feel that you are on par with your college classmates? Do you feel that you are at a disadvantage in some ways? What is being done to prepare you for the "real world"? What more should be done at the high school level to prepare students for life beyond 12th grade?

Are our schools safe?

2006-10-04T18:46:00.000-07:00

In light of the two recent school shootings, I wanted to know how you feel about safety in school. Are we safe? Is anyone really safe? What should be done to make our schools safer? Many schools are installing metal detectors to check for weapons. Many of you mentioned the issue of safety when responding to the posting on cell phones. We have an open campus here. Should that be changed? How can we all work together to make sure we are safe?

Cell Phones in School

2006-09-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

What do you think about the cell phone policy? Can you think of any reasons why cell phones should be allowed in school? What problems could arise if all students were allowed to use their cell phones in schools?

WIKI MADNESS!

2006-09-17T07:52:00.000-07:00

Hello! You all have done a great job getting up and running with your personal wikis. I want you to think about the other ways wikis could be used in the classroom. Give it some thought and post a response to this posting by Wednesday 9/20/06.
(5 sentence minimum/ check your spelling BEFORE you publish!!)

Frustration!

2006-09-12T04:32:00.000-07:00

Hello, class!
How frustrating is it that we cannot do the things we want to do in class because the filters block our progress? I am concerned that we won't be able to accomplish the things I had hoped we would because of the blocks that are in place. What can we do? How should a district handle the increased importance of technology as a classroom tool while still protecting the students from some of the dangers we all know are out there on the web? For today, do a google search on internet censorship. Find a few sites that discuss this subject and respond to the blog after you have read the information on those sites. In your response, include the addresses of at least two sites where you found information. Your responses should be at least 7 or more sentences in length (use proper spelling and grammar!)

Hello, Seniors!!

2006-09-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

I hope you have found this site and are going to respond to this blog. Please use first names only to respond unless I have instructed you otherwise. So, what do you think of the ideas I have for this year's class? I really hope we can help each other learn a lot about new technologies available to us. Please remember to be safe when posting on any blogs and never to use this or any other space to belittle or bully anyone. My question today is: Do you think people realize that the things they say online could come back to haunt them in ways they never dreamed? Things written online- stay online. What are some of the ramifications of writing things online that you may someday regret?

Blogging in the Classroom

2006-07-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

I would like to incorporate blogging into a curriculum for English IV- a computer based English course being offered at the high school where I work. I would love any suggestions on how to do this and any success stories that I could share with my principal to help her to understand this new technology. We have had some trouble with MySpace accounts in the past and I think she will be a little apprehensive about using blogs. I would appreciate any input!

Book titles

2006-07-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the titles. I have read The Kite Runner and although I enjoyed it very much, I think that it could be a little intense for some of my students. Motherless Brooklyn is not a title I am familiar with, but I will look into it while I'm on summer layoff. What I find especially difficult is finding titles that appeal to both male and female students.

Books for High School Students

2006-07-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for interesting books to study with my students. I teach American Literature and I'm finding the old standbys are getting old. I use The Great Gatsby, The Chosen, Slaughterhouse Five, Fahrenheit 451. Any suggestions?