Greetings and thanks for coming back to our English class blog! This week's assignment will take 2 possible directions, depending on your blogging from last week (see Why Study Literature? - Part 1):
Possibility #1: You read last week's blog post and responded to the question contained in my post on time. If so, your assignment for this week is to please view the comments from last week's post and look for my response to your comment (I have personally read and responded to each one of your comments). Once you have read my response, add new comments to last week's post to continue our discussion. Again, please check for spelling and grammar, and also be sure that you use at least 150 words.
Possibilty #2: If you missed the deadline for last week's post (Why Study Literature? - Part 1) Please comment to last weeks' post on this week's post (Why Study Literature? - Part 2). PLEASE NOTE: Any comments posted in the wrong place will not be considered.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Why Study Literature? - Part 1
The popular answer among secondary-level English students world-wide might sound something like, "Because we have to!" OK, let's admit that a certain sense of duty and obligation that comes with school-life can turn the act of reading literature into a chore more than a pleasurable experience for many students. Many students claim they simply "don't like to read." Other students claim they like to read, but not what is assigned in English. Here are some other common complaints that many students have about reading in English: "This books just doesn't relate to my life," "I would read more if I got to choose the books myself," and "This book is too old!" As an English teacher, I am open to the idea that there may be some truth in these time-tested complaints.
After having read and studied 3 major works of American literature (The Crucible, The Catcher in the Rye, Of Mice and Men), and as we are currently studying William Shakespeare's Othello, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on our experiences as 10th grade English student up to this point. In trying to keep up with the demands of assigned curriculum, it becomes difficult to pause and ask important questions like, "Is this course of study worthwhile to me?" and "What am I learning from studying literature?"
So in the spirit of reflection, consider the following questions here: "Is studying literature in English worthwhile to me? Why or why not? What am I learning as a 10th grade English student, if anything, that is important to me as a student and as a person?
A good comment to the above questions will contain references to the works of literature which we have studied, and are studying, so far this year (refers to the above paragraphs). Also, a good comment will avoid obvious statements such as, "It is valuable to me because I need to read and study literature to pass the class, to pass high school, so my parents won't kill me, etc."
Please make sure your comment is checked for spelling and grammar, and is at least 150 words in length.
Points: 20
Due Date: Friday, February 20, 2009
After having read and studied 3 major works of American literature (The Crucible, The Catcher in the Rye, Of Mice and Men), and as we are currently studying William Shakespeare's Othello, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on our experiences as 10th grade English student up to this point. In trying to keep up with the demands of assigned curriculum, it becomes difficult to pause and ask important questions like, "Is this course of study worthwhile to me?" and "What am I learning from studying literature?"
So in the spirit of reflection, consider the following questions here: "Is studying literature in English worthwhile to me? Why or why not? What am I learning as a 10th grade English student, if anything, that is important to me as a student and as a person?
A good comment to the above questions will contain references to the works of literature which we have studied, and are studying, so far this year (refers to the above paragraphs). Also, a good comment will avoid obvious statements such as, "It is valuable to me because I need to read and study literature to pass the class, to pass high school, so my parents won't kill me, etc."
Please make sure your comment is checked for spelling and grammar, and is at least 150 words in length.
Points: 20
Due Date: Friday, February 20, 2009
Purpose of this Blog
Welcome to the blog site for Mr. Rendine's Period 1 English class at Abington Senior High School, in Abington, PA. The purpose of this blog is to serve as a class portal to communicate information about the class and to archive course materials (i.e. worksheets, homework assignments, and links the web). It will also serve as a place to discuss important issues regarding the experience of studying literature, ranging from the important of reading in general to specific works of literature we are reading in class. In addition to these purposes, I would also like this to be a place where students are free to voice constructive criticism about class issues in order to help the teacher build a more "user-friendly" course.
Some important things to keep in mind when blogging here:
1) Please keep all comments appropriate, respectful, and relevant to a particular discussion prompt.
2) Please include your name (at very least, your first name and first letter of your last name, i.e. John D.) on all comments you post.
3) Please be timely with your responses. Blog posts later than 2 days from the due date will be rejected.
For security purposes, the teacher will screen all comments before publishing them to the web. Please make sure you comply with the above guidelines to make your posting eligible for publication and grading.
I look forward to an interesting educational experience as we explore the power of technology and the English classroom together.
Happy blogging!
Mr. Rendine
Some important things to keep in mind when blogging here:
1) Please keep all comments appropriate, respectful, and relevant to a particular discussion prompt.
2) Please include your name (at very least, your first name and first letter of your last name, i.e. John D.) on all comments you post.
3) Please be timely with your responses. Blog posts later than 2 days from the due date will be rejected.
For security purposes, the teacher will screen all comments before publishing them to the web. Please make sure you comply with the above guidelines to make your posting eligible for publication and grading.
I look forward to an interesting educational experience as we explore the power of technology and the English classroom together.
Happy blogging!
Mr. Rendine
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