Stearns Fatherblog

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”

Stearns Fatherblog

Cheezy Journey songs…

We’ll be going to library to replenish our supply of good books first.

Next, we’ll see the Wall Street Journal’s list of best vs. worst jobs, talk, and then you’ll write:

What would be the greatest, most fulfilling job that you could ever hold?  What would you do all day? What would you be paid?  What would the working conditions be?  Why would it be so amazing?  Explain.  (100-200 words)

Then, we’ll go on to a short story in Good Scent called “Open Arms.” We’ll talk a bit about what you know and don’t know about the Vietnam War and then we’ll read the story in stages.  First, read pages 1-12 and then we’ll talk in small groups.

What do you think will happen next?

Then we’ll read the rest.  Afterward, answer the following questions:

  1. What is the “Open Arms” program?
  2. What do we know about Thâp?  What kind of guy is he? What has he done? Why is he with the Australians?
  3. Why do Buddhists find communism appealing?
  4. How does the main character react to the smut film?
  5. What does Thâp do at the end of the story and why?
  6. Paraphrase the last paragraph and explain what it has to do with Thâp’s story.

HW:  Learn about the Vietnam war: Read this page and this slideshow to get acquainted.

Lie-berry?

So, in order to make Monday Reading Day work, we’re going to the library. I love the library.  You will too.

Next, we’ll talk Personal Essay. Let’s read D.G.’s handout on the Personal Essay and see what it’s all about.

Then, let’s see an example: The Power of Mysteries and then Be Cool to the Pizza Dude.

Power of Mysteries

  1. How does the early scene where Lightman talks about being a child show his attitude towards mysteries?
  2. How does Lightman show that we obsessed as a astrophysicist?
  3. Why does he use the Einstein quote?
  4. Comment on the last sentence.  Why is mystery so important to Lightman?

Pizza Dude

  1. Give at least 2 examples of sensory details meant to demonstrate or show something.
  2. Explain the use of the bubbly cheese/pizza metaphor in Principle 2.
  3. Why, in Principle 3, does the writer suggest the pizza dudes are better than, say rich people?
  4. Paraphrase this passage: I am the equal of the world not because of the car I drive, the size of the TV I own, the weight I can bench press, or the calculus equations I can solve. I am the equal to all I meet because of the kindness in my heart.
  5. Comment on the writing style. What words would you use to describe your sense of the author? Explain.

Then, we’ll try it.  Imagine that you’re writing a “This I believe” essay and that your statement of belief is: I believe that people just need to relax. Write the hook.

HW: Explore.  Write 5 statements of belief for next Wednesday. Bring your book.

Twue Wuv…

So, let’s start with a little Good News/Bad News RE: The Great Library Field Trip. We’ll then link up to Library Thing and make a short list (3-5) of possible nonfiction books of interest.

Next, let’s have a little Marriage Cure discussion…In each group, pull out a short-ish selection from the essay and throw it up on a Keynote.  Then, in small groups, have a discussion about the fiction-like techniques (dialogue, description, characterization, figurative language, etc.)  you see in the piece.  Then, we’ll present and discuss.

Next, we’ll read Lee Gutkind’s  “What is Creative Nonfiction?” and talk about how CN differs from an essay or from journalism.  I’ll then ask you to QuickieQ me some ideas for good subjects for CN.  I want to give you about 2 weeks (including the Feb break) to have such an experience to write about.

Next, let’s read and excerpt from Tom Wolfe’s Kandy-Colored Tangerine Flake Baby.  Imagine you are writing about an experience that mostly involves high school students. Write a paragraph that is modeled on Wolfe’s style but describes a teen event (a school dance, a track meet, a weekend party, a study session, a camping trip, something).  QuickieQ that too.

HW: Read the best celebrity profile ever written: Frank Sinatra has a cold by Gay Talese.  In a 200 word blogs post analyze how Talese is able to capture the essence of Sinatra through interviews and description without ever actually talking to him. How does he show us the complexities inherent in his character and how the celebrity culture influence how we see him?

Don’t touch the shoes!

cricketsIt’s a new semester. Let the awesomeness begin! Welcome new students. We’ll get you integrated into our ways as soon as we can.  Check out the syllabus and we’ll talk at the end of class about blogs and other such things.

Let me give a little info on the upcoming semester. We’ll be beginning a unit on war (with either All Quiet or The Things they Carried as our texts depending on the District) and beginning an occasional unit on career that will culminate in a job shadow and an informative career speech before the class.

Today, though, we’ll be reading a short story and getting our minds wrapped around a little literary analysis…which I’ve missed (you too?).  First, let’s write.  Here’s the prompt.

Do you have a totem animal? Is there an animal that you think best exemplifies your qualities and nature?  Which animal is it? Explain with details and specificity (maybe even a little story). 200 words.

After we discuss some of your answers, read “Crickets” by Robert Olen Butler (in Good Scent from a Strange Mountain).

Individually, please answer these questions and then we’ll discuss them as a large group.

  1. Why does it bother the main character that the people at work call him “Ted?”
  2. Why is he ashamed of his real name?
  3. What does Thiêu do for a job and how does he like it?
  4. What did Thiêu during the Vietnam war?
  5. How did Thiêu get to the US?
  6. How is Thiêu’s son different from his Dad?
  7. What does Thiêu try to do to interest his son in Vietnamese culture?
  8. How does the Cricket fight work?
  9. What kinds of crickets are available in Thailand but aren’t in the US (at least in Louisiana)? Why does this disappoint Thiêu?
  10. Why doesn’t Thiêu’s plan work?
  11. Why does Thiêu seem so disappointed in his son’s interest in his Reeboks?
  12. What do you think about the son’s behavior? Was it selfish or understandable? What about the father’s?  Explain.

After we have a discussion of this, I’m going to ask you try a little bit of acting.

In small groups, create a skit in which one of you meets a totem animal (it can be anything–hawk, bear, raccoon, chihuahua) and learns an important lesson.  Try and make the skit work by establishing that the main character see or does things in an incorrect way and then the encounter with the totem animals cause him/her to see the world differently.  The skits should be about 2-3 minutes long.

Good luck.

HW: None

Bwahahahaha!

Welcome College Writing students! This is our first day.  I can’t wait to see what you can do.

Here is the syllabus. I’m going to fly through it, but I need to explain some of the major elements of the class, including the use of computers and the grading system.

Next, I’ll try and get you set up with blogs.  Here is edublogs; follow the directions for establishing a new blog.  Please enter your username as lastnameEF (for example, mine would be stearnsef).  I’ll show you how to write your first blogs post:

If there were any invention that could possibly be invented to make writing both easier and better, what would it be explain. (100 words or so).

Then, we’re going to talk about the issue that means the most to me. If I could have a third child, I would name it Show don’t (just) Tell.  Read this handout and then we’ll talk.

It’s your turn.  Imagine that you need to write a short paragraph in which you describe a time in which you were cheated or deceived.  Talk in small groups and group write a paragraph that tells the story while using the hallowed techniques of Show Don’t (just) Tell.

HW: Write me a blog post in which you tell me what you think about you’re writing.  On a scale of 1-10 how good are you?  What do you do well? What not so much? What would you like to be able to improve on this semester?  (100-200 words)

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