2/22: Here's the "Dear Daddy" video that Mikaila found. It is terrific.
2/12: We are going to watch two TED talks today to dig a little deeper into some of the issues that came up in our discussions about the articles.The first talk is Colin Stokes (you can find it here). As you watch, please jot down ideas that you find interesting ( bulleted notes: strive for 8-12). Repeat the process for Mellody Hobson's talk (you can find it here). Then, when we’ve finished both talks, please respond on the back of the Flint water issues notecard (OR if you do not have that, on a 4x6 cards). Your response should be focused on thinking through points of view presented in these talks that you haven’t wrestled with before. I want you to really try to refrain from arguing with the talks – instead THINK about what ideas struck you as new and how the perspective of the speaker helped you to see through a different position, or how did this talk help you to understand what you didn’t before in the articles or how does this help to build on your own experiences, your own background knowledge, etc. Fill the side of that card.
2/10: We finished in groups about the articles and tried to come up with "takeaways."
2/9: HOMEWORK: reread "America, Who Are We?" in an effort to better understand Charles Blow's main point about writing. Read closely and carefully. After you read, please reflect (in the space left at the end of the article) on what you learned, what you understand, what new insights you have, etc. Fill the space at the end of the article.
2/5: Read and react to “The Stereotype Trap.” (it is also attached as a WORD document below). As you do so, keep in mind the discussions we’ve had over the past few days – particularly about the articles you read and discussed, posted videos, interview and articles online (below 2/1). On the front of the notecard, react to the article – tell me what you understand, what surprises you, what you question and why, how you have seen any of these ideas play out in your own experience. On the back of the card, explore connections between these studies and what you read and talked about in your groups. Be specific and clear and make strong, insightful connections about why these experiments and their results matter to issues in our culture today.
2/3: B and C Blocks: See "Cont Am Culture Packets (attached below). If you were not in class, please email me for the readings).
2/2: Today in class we worked with Terrance Hayes' poem "Talk" (attached below) and watched a news report about Flint's water problems.
Homework between now and Friday is to return to the website and watch/listen to all of the posted videos. While watching, make a list (in your journals) of points you find interesting (6-10). After you've watched, respond in the journal. What struck you as important? What surprised you? What 2-4 points did you agree with and why? What 2-3 points challenged your thinking and why? I will collect the journals on Thursday, so please make sure that they ae caught up.
2/1: Please watch and respond to one of the following: John Stewart and Bill O'Reilly debate white privilege, an audio piece about living in poverty, from a teen's perspective, a news report about the controversy surrounding American Sniper, the story of the death of Janese Talton-Jackson. While watching, make a list (in your journals) of points you find interesting (6-10). After you've watched, respond in the journal. What struck you as important? What surprised you? What 2-4 points did you agree with and why? What 2-3 points challenged your thinking and why?
1/28: C Block: your homework is attached below "Cont Am Culture Day 4"
B Block: weekend homework - You can find a video of Richard Blanco's inaugural poem here (OR copy and paste the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkSRy8SGTEE) and Robert Frost's here (OR copy and paste the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rov3usRnu64). Start at 39:55 where Frost tries to read the poem he wrote for the occasion - watch at least :30 of this before fast-forwarding to 41:50 where he regains his footing by switching to "The Gift Outright." Watch all of that. Response prompt is attached below in your block's notes (B Block Day 4, C Block Day 4).
1/27: classwork and homework - see "Cont Am Culture day 3" (and your block) attached below. The Ta-Nehisi-Coates excerpt is also attached (for C Block) as are the essays (B Block).
1/26: classwork and homework - see "Cont Am Culture day 2" attached below. I have also attached the essays and the poems if you need them.
1/25: see "Cont Am Culture opening day" attached below
HOMEWORK: Here's the American Dream piece in The Atlantic ( you can also find it by searching for "Who Still Believes in the American Dream?" by Chris Arnade). Please read through the essay and the profiles and choose 4 of the people who are featured to write about (at least one of these should be a person whose views are different from yours or who makes you see America from a different perspective). On a piece of notebook paper that you can hand in tomorrow (not in your journal), write down the person’s name, summarize his/her view and tell me why you chose it (the WHY part should be reflective and probing and each should be about a paragraph long). Do this in addition to the “website homework.”