Wait, What's an "RQ" again?

Immediately after our attendance-taking, and a wee stretch, I returned students' Speak Reading Quiz #1.

Which was good. They could see what they got. And maybe think about coming to see me, on their own time, to ask me questions about their grade.

I had to give that quiz back, so I could give out

Speak Reading Quiz #2. It was not over everything we've read; rather, it was only over last night's reading assignment.

After the distribution and completion of the quiz, I invited students to examine Mr. Neck's "debate" on IMMIGRATION, in the context of the First Amendment and Free Speech.

This the slide I threw up on my powerpoint:

BUT LET ME BE CLEAR:

I did not open the discussion referenced above to student debate.

It was simply a visual reminder of Mr. Neck's debate.

With this slide in view, I asked students to answer a few questions (leading, of course, towards sharing and discussion), in their Classwork Composition Notebooks:

1. What is the First Amendment?
2. (a) Did Mr. Neck's class' debate observe, feature, or otherwise uphold free speech? (b) Was Mr. Neck's debate fair?
3. Have you ever, as a student, been a part of a class at all like Mr. Neck's discussion? How did it go? How did you feel? Connect personally, if you can and wish to, to this passage.
1. I neither required, nor forced, students to draw a personal connection. Nor did I require that any students share feedback of a personal nature. It was an invitational journal response only. That being said, several students, in all of my classes, had something to say about connections between Mr. Neck's "debate" and their own educational careers.

HW:

• Tomorrow, we're focusing on the Sordino Family Thanksgiving. You might wish to review pgs. 57-65 to prepare.
• Keep studying Membean.

Flipping Cushions

First of all, students began classes today with 15 minutes of Membean practice time, courtesy of Mrs. Syes' loan of the laptop cart.

The current 2-Wk Session of Membean:

9/8-9/21

Last Tuesday to Next Monday

90 Minutes of Study

6 different days

See me with individual questions about progress.

Students then joined me in sharing thoughts on a certain white couch in the Sordino living room.

This is a link to the slides I shared to move the discussion along.

As an added bonus, there are slides at the end with my critique of sample student responses.

See how yours stacks up.

Also, here's a sample of digital annotations I put up for the classes today:

HW:

• Read Speak pages 49-65. Stop @ PEELED AND CORED
• Continue to study Membean.

Analyzing Melinda's First Quarter

Classes today began in the Notes composition notebook:

• Capitalization Practice #2 from Purple Language Book, pg. 294-297
• Takes notes 10f(1-3)
• Complete Exercise 3, which we then checked in class.

Then, students transitioned to their Classwork Notebooks to respond to this Speak Journal Entry:

Yes, the discussion that followed occasionally derailed into venting. But only occasionally.

HW:

• Log your time on Membean.
• Here is a link to the Symbolism Analysis Document, which comes to class tomorrow completed.
• Spoiler Alert:

"What does 'RQ' stand for?"

"...and why is it on the whiteboard agenda?"

It stands for

Reading Quiz

and it was on the board because students had one today, over the first portion of reading: pg. 3-28 of Speak.

Of course you're allowed to ask me about taking the quiz again. Just bring me some proof that you didn't have your book yet*, such as an internet order confirmation, or delivery tracking number.

*I've heard a digital file might be available on the internet.

Students then were able to work in pairs on this classwork document:

What's In A Name?

HW:

• Finish "What's In A Name?"
• Read Speak to the end of the First Marking Period.
• You'll know it's the end of the marking period because Melinda will receive her report card.
• Fun fact! The MLK's First Marking Period ends on 10/2. Report Cards will go home on 10/19.
• "But Mr. Tidyman! How could you know such things!? You are but a lowly teacher! Who in their right minds would entrust you, you, with such precious information?!"

Words and A First Day of School

First Major thing? Membean Quiz. Remember, your Membean Studying grade is worth 40%, and your Quiz grade is worth 60%, of the grade you'll see in Gradespeed.

Which means if you're naturally talented at Vocab, and aced the Quiz, you might be thinking that you have a 100. But if you're so confident in your mellifluous diction that you neglected to complete any studying, please keep that in mind as you enjoy (irony) your 60.

And then! O then! It was finally time to begin Speak!

We read pages 3-5 together in class, as I led the students in sample annotations on an old-school overhead projector.

Students agreed, roundly, that Melinda had a pretty terrible first day of high school.

Yep.


HW:

• Read Speak to page 28. Stop @ CHEERLEADERS.
• Membean. Study some.

Notes on Membean

Here is the Membean document my classes received a couple of weeks ago, when we originally logged back into the site to reactivate usernames and pick back up with studying:

Membean Handout

See me, or e-mail me, your questions.

SPEAK and the Short Week

Having had a 4-Day weekend, students were bright-eyed and bushy tailed as they returned to classes today.

First, we began class in the 

• Notes Composition Notebook:
• Capitalization Notes #1
• Purple EoL book, pg. 292
• Take notes 10a-e
• Complete Ex. 2 on pg. 293

Classes then took a moment to pivot hard into some Membean details, prompted by Zorria's question in 2nd period:

Membean Deets:

Payment Window: 8/31-9/18

That's Next Friday, y'all.

Membean Cost: $10.00

Payment Options:

Yes, you can bring me $10 cash, or check made out to MLK Magnet

or...

You can pay right here! Online! Through MLK!

Don't worry about how it has Mrs. Syes' name on it. My students should use this same link.

Then, we pivoted back to our

• Classwork Composition Notebooks
• "Listen" Poem
• Poem included and explained in the 10th Anniversary printing of the novel (paperback).
• The "You:" referenced in the poem refers to the readers of the Speak. Every line, except for the first and last stanzas, was pulled from a note, letter, or message sent by a reader to Laurie Halse Anderson. The "Me:", consequently, represents Anderson herself, hearing from (Listening) her reading audience's painful, personal revelations.

HW:

• Speak books come to class tomorrow, to begin reading and annotating.
• Membean Quiz #1 in class
• Will be available online for 24 hours, and accessible by internet to those students who miss class tomorrow.

Speak Preview; Theme Paragraph Submission

First thing I asked students for today was a sandwich. A sandwich of written work! Haha! Get it?! I'm hilarious!

How to Make A Theme Paragraph Work-Sandwich:

• The revised, finalized copy of the Theme Paragraph goes on top.
• The Peer Review Sheet (completed) goes in the middle.
• The rough draft goes on the bottom
• Staple it all together, and Boom!
• That's a sandwich. Give it to Tidyman.

And Then...
Students received today a document called the

Speak Anticipation Guide

along with instructions about placing it in the Classwork Composition Notebook, as well as responding to the instructions.

Written responses on the chosen 3 prompts were to be recorded in the Classwork Notebook as well.

Reviewing the 10 statements of opinion (I was exceptionally clear that I was not "teaching" these statements as "facts"), even the most casual of readers will be quick to notice that they were written in order to ignite personal, possibly divisive, personal response. It should come as no surprise that I invited my students to discuss their thoughts on certain of the prompts about which they felt most strongly. Note: This discussion was not a Speaking & Listening grade, due to the limited exposure time to the material as well as the sensitive and personal nature of the content. It was an invitation to share thoughts.

HW For Long Weekend:

• Just get a copy of Speak, if you haven't already. You don't have to begin reading until next week.
• Other than that, enjoy yourself. Get some rest. Maybe read something you're interested in
• Like this, for example, which I'm reading. Not like you care.

Peer-Review Day

Students peer-reviewed each others' Theme Paragraph Drafts in class today.

The Peer Review Document

It's a .docx (Word) file.

HW:

• Edited and revised Theme Paragraphs will be handed in Friday, 9/4

Vocab; Updated Theme .pptx

First thing today, students in each of my classes had 15 minutes of time to engage with vocabulary practice on Membean.

Click this to sign in to Membean!

Then, students continued to draft their Summer Reading Theme Paragraphs, after I shared a few updated notes on...

This updated Powerpoint file!

(Please remember: the two student examples of work on the later slides are not perfect. In fact, there are several flaws in each. But at least the second one HAS the author's MESSAGE about an HUI)

HW:

• Theme Paragraph Drafts due Tomorrow, in class.
• Continue studying Membean (Study window closes next Tuesday)
• Perfect Credit = 90 mins split up over 6 different sessions