week of 9/4/12

9/4/12

Goal: Write authentically about experience.

First Step--Freewrite (choose one):

Option 1: An awkward moment with a pet
Option 2: What would you do if you woke up tomorrow and were 10 years younger.


Read some color poems: DYT/DET, responders

Weighing The Dog by Billy Collins

On Turning Ten by Billy Collins

Homework: Narrative Portrait Poem. Note you must submit this on Edmodo. Come see me if you are having problems.

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9/6/12

Goal: Continue to write about our experience.

First Step Freewrite: Think of something you do really, really well. Something you know you're an expert at. Describe how you do it.

IB 5: On Becoming Closer Readers.

Moving Poems (on Edmodo)

 

In Malcolm Gladwell's essay "Outliers," he claims that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert. Just for the sake of argument, let's see if I should be an expert at teaching, at least based on my contracted hours as high school teacher.

7 hours per day x 180 days = 1,260 hours per year.

1,260 h.p.y. x 11.5 years= 15,750 hours. I should be an expert. In fact I become one 3.5 years ago! (and no one even told me. Dang it!)

Pick whatever skill you want, but realize that your topic does not have to be something that would impress your teacher. For example, if you are an expert liar, you might want to discuss lying. Good at listening? Ignoring? Faking paying attention? Being someone you're not? Being yourself? Running? Cooking? Taking care of little kids? Making lasagna? Eating lasagna? (Anything goes.)

Homework: (Due next Tuesday):

"The Art of___________________"
Steps:
1. Fill in the blank.
2. Give at least ten pieces of advice to someone who would want to learn the art of _________________."

Link to an example poem:

"The Art of Disappearing" by Naomi Shihab Nye.

"The Art of Drowning" by Billly Collins is another good one.