Ah, the last day

For today, do freerice.com and give something back to the world:) Thanks for being a mellow, easy going bunch. I appreciate the efforts people put into making the best of a situation that wasn't ideal. You have my respect for your maturity in the face of challenge.

Happy Wednesday

Wait, did I already post for today? I think i did. Oh well. Read on to the next one for your daily blog:)

Shared Meals

Tonight, the Beck/McCammon family- that's mine- had a most delicious and healthy meal... or, we had McDonalds. Still, the three of us sat down, talked about our day and had a quite nice occasion. They say that the family that eats together stays together. Would you agree? What are the trends and patterns for your family and family meals or eating? Quinn has breakfast in bed or in his bedroom every morning. I bring it to him and while we get him dressed and ready for school, we encourage him to eat. At least once a week, usually on pizza night, we eat while watching a movie. We are by no means a model for meal-time, but this evening reminded me of how healthy it can be to sit down- even if what we're eating isn't the best. The company, though, was pretty fantastic:) and that makes any food go down a little bit easier.

Hope you're all having a merry end to your term.

Quinn's first conference

Today was Quinn's first conference for pre-school. It was for his afternoon session, which takes place in the St. Kate's Early Childhood Center. I wasn't able to make it to his conference because I had theater auditions. He Montessori conference is on Thursday and I will be present at that one. Learning about who your precious son is through the eyes of a teacher is fascinating, especially since I've been on the other side of the table for 10 years now. It's strange to think someone could know something I don't, but their eyes glimpse different things and he is a different person who I'm not with him- not a wholly new person but still someone who can reveal new things to people who aren't his mother. I wonder how much you recall about your early years in school and how you were perceived or thought of by educators. What role did your parents take in your education? How vulnerable I feel on this side of the table.

I'm away at a two day workshop, but will think of you in my absence. Have a productive day and be well!

The Final Week

Ah, we did it. We have reached the end of the first quarter. What describes your mood? Relief? Happiness? Sadness? At the end of every period in life, it's natural to be reflective. A new term means a fresh start and how often in real life do we have those? I've lived my whole life on a school schedule, or as much as I can recall. Every fall was a new beginning, every summer a break from it all. I don't know what it would be like to work a 50 week year doing the same thing. Sure, I've worked summers before, but I always have some element of change in what I'm doing. Do you look forward to life after school and living a different sort of life and schedule?

I will be out of the building for two days this week for a district workshop. If you need to reach me, email me at rebecca.mccammon@spps.org or comment on one of my blogs. Please be on-task and respectful of whoever subs for me. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding.

Funky Blogger

My blogger is being odd and not showing in my dashboard the most recent posts. So, I've gone searching this morning for people's most recent posts. I think I am caught up- whew! What a week! With all this testing, the early release and the registration process, not a single day has been routine. Today, though, should be a smooth day of classes without interruption:) Even as I write that, I wish I had some wood near by to knock on.

Last night I made my way to MOA with Luke and Quinn. It was a totally unplanned trip. Luke picked up Quinn from preschool and Quinn wanted to go ride the train/light rail. So, they stopped by the house, picked me up and away we went. Initially, it looked like out stop was going to be solely for Quinn to get an ice cream cone and then we were going to turn around and go home, but a trip to Lego Land and my need for some maternity attire stretched out of our trip. The woman at GAP was exceedingly friendly and not pushy at all. It turned out she has two adopted Korean kids of her own and so we were all a chatter. It was such a nice interaction that it reminded me that customer service is such a vital commodity. I would return to that store just to honor her strong work ethic. Of course, the Rosedale GAP doesn't have a maternity section, but I also would want to throw any commission her way that I could. We chatted about local Korean restaurants, potty training, the Mom works, as it were. So many days I function in my world that is the same from day to day, talking to the same people and interacting in the same ways. Meeting new people is extremely rare. How nice to come across such a genuine person who I had things in common with!? So, my musing today wonders if you are inclined to meet new people in your life? Do you like that process? When was the last time you met someone new? For as small as our school is, do you know everyone? Do you feel boxed into your social group or relationships?

Change is interesting

Yesterday was the first time we did registration the way we did. It is fascinating to watch people's reaction to stress. It's intriguing to watch individuals struggle with their transcripts and academic fate. It made me realize a series of things. For one, this was never something I had to think about in high school. I went to a big, traditional high school and we signed up for a year of classes in the spring prior to the new school year. My classes were nearly all the same all year long- English, History, Band, German, etc.. Sometimes, in having so many choices and yet not, there is enormous turmoil. I see students celebrate their hard work, bemoan their credit shortage and more. In my room, it was relatively calm because I help to advise the freshman who are new on the high school path. But, many an upperclassman wandered into my space and in varying degrees, changed the tone and mood of the room with their energy. I watched the explosion of emotions that had little to do with me, but was aimed at me. Odd. In my old high school, there was a whole office of people who handled the scheduling. Here, the teachers who already teach a larger variety of classes than in any other school are asked to also be guidance counselors. And I don't mind this, because I like helping students outside of my subject area, but when the school is then attacked by voices for doing their best-- it pains ms. Of course, some of this all relates back to the notion of equity. Shouldn't our school have the kinds of resources that others do? All interesting queries.

It sounds like that come springtime, you will register for the whole year at one time. Will you like this? Do you like being actively engaged in selecting your classes?

On a side note, my back has started to show signs of the pain that comes with pregnancy. uggh. What is running through your mind today? Tell me about your book.

For your amusement

This was actually taken a few weeks back at a family Halloween party, but here is Quinn and his Dad. His Dad crafted from cardboard and painted Quinn's wings. Pretty adorable, eh?

A new day

Ah, a Monday. So, how were your weekends? Mine was lovely:) Aside from some continued nausea and pregnancy sickness that hit me on Saturday, I did much of what fulfills me as a person. I had relaxed mornings with my family without any of the normal rushing that takes place on school days. I made my son breakfast both mornings. I went out to dinner with Luke while Quinn's Grandma took him to a pumpkin patch for outdoor fun and later, mall trick or treating. I watched adult tv programming without interruption (Dexter) and read from my book. We went to the MOA and played at Lego Land, I cleaned the downstairs of the house and I've just made meatballs for dinner. All in all, not bad. I need to do some planning and correcting, but I feel pretty pleased with how I've spent the last 48 hours. I've been with people I loved, relaxed as able and done for others what I could. Not bad. There's something about having lose ends tied in life that allows me to approach a new week or task with enthusiasm. For example, I can't correct papers in a super messy house. I can't focus on Quinn fully unless I have things sort of organized. They say that parents should spend at least 15 minutes a day doing exactly what the kid leads you to do and guides you. Often, Quinn invites me from my school work to come and play with him and I do. It's enough that I have to pull myself from him too often, but when he asks, I do my best to respond.

How have you responded to the needs pressing on you in life? How do you attend to your own needs and honor the needs of others? How will you approach the demands of the next two weeks while maintaining your physical and emotional health? How can I help?

Be well and have a glorious day.

Hello, hello

Just a quick note about some upcoming events that will keep the computer lab busy and your presence will need to be moved to the office or my classroom. Next week there will be testing both Tuesday and Wednesday in the computer lab. On those days, you will need to submit your blog about your book on paper, as opposed to electronically. Thanks!

For today, your question is to describe the various masks and disguises you wear everyday in order to stay sane. Is Halloween a celebration of something specific to your way of thinking? Why do you think we all enjoy the notion of becoming someone else? Is there someone in this school or in your life that you would like to be like or trade lives with, if only for a day? Why?

Looking forward to insightful, intriguing blogs today. Have a marvelous and safe weekend!

The Final Countdown

With just 11 days of class left in the term, I am sure many of us are facing the music on our work for the term. Some may be celebrating and full of elation for a term well done and others may be mulling over what patterns or routines to adjust for the coming term. The use of quarters in our school is just over a year old now and we used to have trimesters. At times, it seems like quarters fly by and other moments things seem just right- very Goldilocks. Next week we have a half day on Wednesday and the following week is 4 days. The end of the term event is on its way and with that comes rehearsals and great excitement. There are likely a flurry of exams and projects to complete, absences to be made up and all while we work to stay healthy and positive. So, for today's blog, please comment on what you need to accomplish over the course of the next 11 days in order to end the term strong. How will you make yourself proud?

Becky Has the Flu

So I've been home sick with the flu since last week. My beloved family is also ill so we end up trading caretaking, which has slowed- somewhat- the healing process. If you can't be the pathetic one resting, how can you heal, right? Quinn is funny with his flu. The first few days he was moody and fickle. Now, he just sleeps extra hard at naps and at night. Otherwise, he's active and wants to play. Me, I want to lay in bed and sleep. Tomorrow is the family's last day on the tamiflu, the anti-viral med they're giving the H1N1 folks, like us. It makes you nauseous, so it's a rather unpleasant medication. Still, if it helps to shorten the illness time, I guess I still take it. Quinn has to take his in chocolate syrup the stuff tastes so horrible.

So, I was just playing around on my blog dashboard and reading recent posts. If you have written about your book I've provided feedback and asked follow-up questions. If my inquiries require further info., please comment on my blog and I can respond. Otherwise, please me cognizant of blogging everyday and reading everyday. There are just two short weeks left in the term and I am reluctant to award credits to people who have not earned one.

Question of the day: How does your family deal with illness? Are there routines? My mom, for example, brought up homemade chicken noodle soup for me. She left it in our side door so she wouldn't get infected even:) I struggle to rest and get well. There are always things to do (care for my child, for example), but I also like when people take care of me and let me sleep. I think it's interesting that kids don't start out being pathetic when they are sick. They see it in others and then acquire that behavior. Or, do they? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hear more about your books.

Random note: While we were reading stories last night as a family, we were all exchanging "I love you's". I would say it to Quinn and he would say it back. His Dad would say it to him and he would say it back. Then, Quinn, on his own, said, "I love you guys". Sweet kid. You can never say or hear that kind of stuff enough!

Illness

So as some of you know, I have been fighting the good fight against a cold all week. I started by purchasing Jamba juice smoothies because I love the vitamin C. I've also taken in a good deal of tea in the last 24 hours. But, now it seems that the illness I have played host to has been passed on to my small son who is now quite sick, poor boy. After waiting hours to conference with a nurse at the careline (they were totally swamped) we were told that we both likely have h1n1. Now, we have yet to be seen, but we both have flu-like symptoms. So, even though I was going to try and tough it out today (Thursday) I am staying away so that I don't get anyone sick if what I have is indeed something contagious.

Foundations of Literature Folks- Your musical compilation is due next Tuesday. You need to have both the music and the paper ready for a short presentation to the class. Remember, your paper is being measured by the quality of your paragraph writing. If you have technical questions or concerns, please comment to this blog and I can return a response to you via your blog or email (leave me your email address in the comment).

3rd Hour Free Thinkers: For your opening topic, I'd like you to consider 3 top challenges that contemporary authors face when writing for a young audience. What do they struggle to accomplish? What considerations must they make when thinking about story appeal? Then, be sure that I get a daily dose of what's happening in your novel and why it is compelling to you.

The Countdown

3 1/2 Weeks remain in the term. It is vitally important that if you want to earn a credit in this course that you have demonstrated approximately 45 hours of work for a credit. It is difficult to know- in this situation- if no one blogs on a particular day for a special set of reasons or if people were distracted by the glorious internet. Were you reading? I'm not sure...

And I can be patient and understanding, but I won't compromise the meaning of a credit. A credit is a credit and though I've said time and again that this does not constitute an ideal learning situation, I have provided you with directions, tasks and feedback on your work. To the best of my ability I am creating a course that you can navigate with relative ease. I will happily conference in person with people, meet you after school or respond to blogs that ask for more direction, but I need your dedication and work ethic to match my enthusiasm and willingness to help.

Please.

Today's writing prompt: How would you respond to a day without technology? And yes, I realize the irony of this question considering I am asking it in a blogging class. How would you react to no phone, no texting, no computers, tv et al? To me, computer use is compulsive and I might go a bit crazy not being able to check emails or see the latest celeb news on People.com. hehe. Tell me your thoughts.

Ah, MEA:)

What would life be like if we all had 4 day weekends every week? Delightful:) I always want to accomplish a great deal over breaks and feel like anything is possible. At the same time, my soul aches for unplanned, alone time where I can be spontaneous or lazy in equal proportions. So, how was your break? What did you do? Did it give you just enough kick to get you to the end of the quarter?

Share:)

Long lost Becky

So there I was, enjoying the gorgeous snow and outdoor world of Afton, MN... the snow was falling softly because the trees were catching it and then releasing it in bunches. There was a gentleness and hilarity to the snow fall. One minute you're reveling in its glory and the next it splats on you. There's some magic to the woods and no human-made signs that guide your way. That is, until you are horribly lost and OFF the map. At times, my journey with the three delightful students whose company I was keeping was fun and spirited. Other times, people were discussing who'd be eaten first if we remained lost in the woods. Crazy. So, for today's daily post, please write about the experience of being lost, whether it was literal or figurative:)

Hello sweet writers

Hello, hello!
There is a flurry of work for me to read- hurrah! This is good stuff, folks! I am glad to read introductions to your books AND your interviews:) Marvy. Now, things to include as your novel kicks off: introduction to the characters and their relationships to one another; the setting and how that influences the plot; the action or conflict that is driving the story. Beyond that, I want to hear why you selected the book you did and your history as a reader. Do you frequently read? If so, within what genres? Please devise a schedule for your reading so that you finish your book by the end of the month. With that said, this means that you will need to read at home so you can blog while you're here- at school.

Cool.

Hello, hello

Hi there fair folks,

Sorry that you got kicked out yesterday. Just a random note: if Cadex is unhappy with our presence in the lab, help to monitor one another so that you're represented well. It may not be you who is off task, but it might be your neighbor. Advocate for the best in student etiquette in the lab and know that I appreciate your self-discipline. I know you don't NEED me for the discipline piece of functioning in the lab. I appreciate how people are coming to conference with me about this course. I love the chance for us to connect in person.

By tomorrow, it would be ideal for you to have a book to start. Each day, mark in your blog how many pages you have read and provide a summary of your reading, including powerful quotes, your personal reaction to the text and more:)

The interview projects remain outstanding for most people (the late kind of outstanding). Please complete this.

Another new day

Good morning happy bloggers,

Well, surely you've heard... the Vikings won. The rush is in the air and crispy comments back and forth between Packer and Viking fans will speckle many a conversation. In the wake of the big game, there's a state representative that is once again trying to make a go for building a new stadium for the Vikes and financing it with public money, in part. The debate over whether MN and Minnesotans should help out is intriguing to me. Much revenue is made by the city of Mpls when it hosts big games. A sort of civic pride and quality of life exists in states where teams are big deals. And yet, in a economic crunch, what should we spend our money on? Do we build a stadium so the team doesn't leave so people have something to put them in a good mood? Or, do we make sure that schools have enough money so that JV and freshman teams don't get cut so kids can still think about professional football? Complex, eh? What do you think? What place do professional sports play in our culture? Is it for good or ill? What benefits are there to being a fan? Are professional athletes mentors? How have sports played a role in your life?

Show me those novels as soon as you select them-- and once your interview project is done.

Cool. Have a great day!

A New Day

Hello learners,

What a weekend! Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night in the wee hours of a Monday morning and wish that it was not going to be Monday? That was the case for me last night. We hosted Luke's family for the day in St. Paul and it was exhausting. It was a fine day and all, just not totally my own, do you know what I mean? SO, my question for you today is what sacrifices do you make for family? What sacrifices do they make for you? What amount of time each week do you devote to family? Does that amount of time feel like enough to you? If you define your family in some other way, describe that?

Now, to other news. This week conferences are Thursday. With your parent or guardian, I will pull up your blog and show them your progress, on both daily blogs and major assignments. To my knowledge, little work has been done on the most recent interview project. Please advise me if I am mistaken.

For the second part of the term, I would like each of you to select a novel (have me check it out first, please) to read and blog about on a regular basis. I will post blogs that ask you to summarize, describe and analyze components of the novel. We will have a lengthy in-person book conference prior to the end of the term. More details to follow.

Welcome Back Becky

What's the hardest thing you've done that was also worthwhile? And when I say "hard" I mean that it might have been physically, mentally or emotionally exhausting... or even boring. Describe a time when the outcome outweighed the process involved with the task.

I've spent this week working on power standards for the school district and the process is arduous and it sometime feels like my brain has been cauterized, BUT I have the sense that in the end, it will improve student learning and that is a noble and good goal. But, I have to say that coming back to CAHS and seeing your smiling faces awakened me in a way that discussions about students never can. So, I'm glad to be back.

Your next task: Select a new student to our school. Design 12 interview questions that are open-ended and interesting. You may include a series of close-ended questions in addition to the more involved ones. Then, interview that student. If you need to get a pass to do so, please ask for one so we can be above board on this. Then, share your interview findings in an interesting narrative. Please also take a photo with your subject.

3rd Hour Notes for Wednesday

An interesting thing happened today that made me think and I'd like to use the idea of it for your prompt today. Do you think that it is more painful to experience tragedy or discomfort OR more painful to watch someone you love going through that pain and tragedy and feeling helpless to do anything? I don't think there's a clear cut answer, but I do think that in loving someone fully, you might begin to internalize and feel their pain. Perhaps the further away we are from a situation or person, the more we can emotionally distance ourselves.

I haven't seen anyone's song projects, but I hope to soon. There are some people who are very consistent about blogging and others who are not. Because of the nature of this course, I don't feel angry or panicked. I will happily award credit to those who enthusiastically and regularly wrote and engaged:)

For your next task I would like you to go to rottentomatoes.com and locate their list of the worst 100 movies of the last decade. I'd like you to read through the list and count the number of movies on the list that you have seen:) Then, I'd like you to select two of the films on the list and defend them as GOOD movies as opposed to lousy ones. I'll be very interested to see what movies you have seen that other critics despised:)

3rd Hour Fellas and Gals

Hello Ladies and Gents,

As you know, I am away. Thanks for your patience and understanding. Thanks too for blogging while I was away. I hope that you are finding that daily blogging gives you a space and place for venting and opening yourself up. I find that writing is therapeutic. The cool thing about blogs is that I don't publish all of them. A lot of times, I start things and then save them and wait for the time when I want to return to them. You might also want to try that:) Today, I'd like you to think about a special space or place for you. And then, I want you to describe that place in detail. For me, that kind of spot is anywhere where Quinn is or has been. Our home, for instance, is speckled with Quinn-things. Everywhere there are signs of his presence. Even a clean house shows signs of him. Right now, as I type from my bed, there's a box of Quinn's diapers in the bed, his pajamas from this morning are strewn on the floor, story books are piled on every surface, and even those things that are not specifically his, have been touched by him. The water bottle, for instance, that is missing a cap because Quinn insisted on taking it off so that he could use another water bottle and pour it into the first one. He really likes pouring things lately. In my closet, is Buzz Lightyear, lying face down because Quinn thought it was a nice spot for Buzz to sleep....

In physical things, there are memories and connections. For today's blog, please do you best to draw compelling connections between surroundings and emotions/feelings. Have a great day!

Foundations of Literature Blog to Read/Video to View

http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/teens-teach-about-rape-culture.html

Good morning 3rd hour awesome folks

Hello, hello!

Today, I would like you to merge together the lyrics from 3 or more songs to make a new song that you like and has a unique message:) Please let me know the artists, the titles of the songs and why you selected what you did. Be sure that your new song is accompanied by an explanation for what you hoped to achieve by merging the songs lyrics together.

Your next learning task is to select a series of songs that speak to who you are as a person. Please locate at least 6 songs, post the music to your blog and provide a 200 word reflection in a blog about why these songs speak to you and represent your person.

For Foundations of Literature Students

Hello dear Foundations Folk,

Today I would like you to write about a significant day in your life that took place at school- where the main action of the trauma or event took place with the walls of a hallowed educational site. For example, when I was in 7th grade, I had a big crush on a boy named Chad in my math class. I was also boy crazy, which adds to my general insanity. So, there I am in math class and I write a note to my friend expressing my total love for the boy. Now, kids can be funny. We think we can talk in a certain adult way and we don't always know what that means. On the note, I wrote that I would do something sexual with the boy- something so far out of my actual reality that it was laughable, but still, I wrote it for effect and thought it would seal the deal on how much I liked the boy. Needless to say, my math teacher intercepted the note and read it. Not good. Then, he referred me to the counselor at school who asked me if I was sexually promiscuous, which I was not. What a mortifying experience! Now, tell me an epic moment from your school life.:) When you finish, you may return you the classroom.

Happy Tuesday

Today I have some statistics on my mind. Last night as I was driving home from some light grocery shopping, I heard a man on the radio being interviewed on MPR. This man is the author of a new book called "How to Keep Your Kids off Drugs" or something like that. Anywho, Gary Eichten, the host of the show, was asking him if he thought we should legalize marijuana and tax it for revenue for the state. The author replied that we currently tax alcohol and cigarettes and that for every dollar that we make, the state spends $9 to cover the health costs or consequences of people who abuse those substances. So, if we were to tax marijuana, the money we "made" would pale in comparison to the money we would spend on the other end. Currently, we have more teens in rehab for marijuana than all other drugs put together, he said. AND, the marijuana of today is highly addictive, unlike the weed that parents and grandparents used to smoke. Compelling stuff. So, my question for today, dear readers, I wonder what you think about this topic. Do you see the damaging affects of marijuana in your life? What do you think about the legalization of it? I will be very interested to read your thoughts!

Have a terrific day! When you finish your Flickr project, come and find me and we will find a novel for you to read and daily blog about. Excellent!

Good morning 3rd hour learners

Hello dear learners,

I apologize for my absence on Friday and hope that you were able to proceed with your Flickr project. Some of you have found that Photobucket might work best for you and if you would like to use that tool than that is fine. I believe that an appropriate due date for the Tourism Project would be this Thursday. I believe that this takes into account my absence and any mis-starts you may have experienced due to computer issues. Please know that I would like you to blog each day. If you would like a topic in particular I can begin to provide one for each day. So, your topic for today is manners. At the recent Obama speech, the congressman from South Carolina shouted, "You lie!". Since then, he has raised more than 2 million dollars for his next campaign, even though such conduct is strictly forbidden. At last week's VMA's, Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech. He has been widely criticized for that mood. What do you think about such behavior? Do you more often than not see people acting in polite respectful ways or do you find that people are rude and unkind? Where do you think this comes from and why?

So, again, I know this forum isn't ideal in that I have another class I am tending to. I appreciate and honor the challenges that come with working independently. At the same time, I know and believe that you are capable of good work without my constant supervision. Please know that in order for me to issue a credit for this term, you will need to have achieved a certain amount of English related work. Thanks for your understanding and attention to your learning.

Questions? Post a comment to my blog:)

A Thursday Blog

Good morning dear learners,

What a morning I have had! My son contentedly lay in a pool of his urine until the moment I uncovered him from the bedsheets to dress him for school. This was after he was spoon fed his morning cereal:) Gracious. How ironic that last night he peed in his potty for the first time. So, on one hand, he's thrilled to go on the big boy potty, but also perfectly comfortable chilling in his pee when he's comfy and watching cartoons. Ah, my unique son.

This morning we were a picture of running late. It was one of those morning where I wish everything could begin when Quinn and I are good and ready. He wasn't psyched to go to school and wanted to jump on the bed, play with his balloon and walk around the back yard. I would have been fine lounging in bed too, but we both had places to be. What would it be like if time was on a continuum where it adjusted to the people, as opposed to time always remaining fixed and we are either early, late or right on time? Wild.

So, my Foundations of Literature students are joining the online blogging world and my third hour techies continue to explore 21st century tech virtues. I hope that you all enjoy your foray into blogging and experiment with all types of writing and expression in this forum. I will be gone from school tomorrow. Be well, be good for the sub and have a terrific weekend!

Hello again

Hi there 3rd hour learners,

Well, I think I have nearly everyone's blog address now and I've commented on your writing. Please monitor your blog for remarks or set it up so that you approve remarks before they are posted. Normally, blogger send your email a message to tell you you have a remark. Some people are missing blogs so please use my blog from yesterday to align the course expectations with what you have. I hope that yesterday allowed you the opportunity to begin your Flickr project and determine the location for your trip. Once your work is completed for this meaty project, please send me the address of your Flickr account so I can assess your written work and organization of the trip.

Thanks! Have a terrific Thursday!

Good morning patient students

Hello dear 3rd hour students,

Thank you for your patience and understanding with the school and your third hour learning. I realize that our situation is not ideal, but I thank you for making the best of the situation. I appreciate your willingness to forage into the world of technology and literacy. I want to review for you what you have achieved thus far and been assigned. I also want to introduce your next project and lay an outline for tasks to come.

Step 1: Establish a blog and compose an introduction post so that I may know you a bit better. Be sure that I have your blog address so I may begin reading it regularly. I will comment on your posts when I read them.

Step 2: Create a video on Animoto.com that introduces you to me in a stylish, tech-friendly way.

Step 3: Head to vark-learn.com to take the questionaire. Once you have completed the learning assessment, please post a blog that responds and reacts to your results. Were you surprised by how you were described as a learner? What reinforced your own self-awareness?

Step 4: Establish an account at Flickr.com and begin to plan a dream trip that spans at least 5 days in length. Include pictures on Flickr of your trip, making sure to highlight tourist spots, places you'd eat or stay and the many sights you will enjoy in that city/country. Be sure to include concise and detailed descriptions with each photo so I feel like I am reading a visual journal of your trip. Your dream trip should be comprised of at least 20 photos and narrations.

Step (Objective) 5: Jazz up your blog. I'd like you to add links and websites, songs and details to your blog that personalize it and make it user friendly.

Objective 6: Head to postsecret.com and read the various images there. Then, on your blog, respond to what you see and explore on a personal level why people maintain secrets and why we reveal them. What are the benefits to honesty and candor? What are the drawbacks? What reward is there to revealing a secret if it is done so anonymously?

Please blog daily about this and that. I hope this lays a more substantive template than our sporadic conversations allow for. I hope that this gives you something concrete to return to for direction. Have a terrific day!

Summer Musings

Hello all. I hope everyone had a swell 4th of July. We spent the day with Luke's family at the lake. His uncle and aunt have three kids, two of whom are right around Quinn's age and they had a total blast playing together. We did some swimming in the lake and it was a very nice day. I've been out so much this summer that I might actually walk away from this season with a tan. I'm generally indoors so much- and layered with sunscreen- that I never really color. Being outdoors so much for the science class I took the first two weeks of the summer has really shifted my outlook and comfort level with the outdoors so I am trying to embrace the season. I've spent the last week working diligently on my Master's paper at Hamline and I'm hoping to have a draft of the whole thing by Friday. Wish me luck! I'm reading the Twilight series again because I decided to use the first book in a curriculum I need to design for the aforementioned paper. You can't just read one of them and stop so I'm at it again. However, I still have 3-4 books waiting to be read for fun:) The summer is racing by but I intend to live it to its fullest. This coming weekend we move my brother to Des Moines where he is going to med school. He's lived with us for the past 4 years or so and this will be a major shift. Quinn will not know what to do:( But, it's for his bright future and it's the perfect time to figure out skype. I'm super excited to see the new Harry Potter film, though I want to re-read it before I view it. So much reading, so little time. Alright, well, I hope that everyone is having a delightful break from school or if you're in summer school that things are going swimmingly in the mad dash for mad credits. Looking forward to fall classes and seeing you all again. Cheers!

Science Class Update

Life in Science class is moving along swimmingly. We're in the second week now and we all can see the end in sight. The grant the course in funded with involves classroom work throughout the school year so we'll be partnering with these educators in the fall. The class itself of students has bonded a great deal and there are fun non-verbals and understanding between us as we bond as a unit. I have reaffirmed for myself why I don't lecture to classes. It's simply not something I find interesting to listen to. I also reminded myself why I should have something on the board or a handout to at least offer students the chance to do two things at once. I wonder how people will respond to me teaching science concepts or ideas...

Quinn turned 3 yesterday. I have a three year old.:)

Day 1 Reflection for Becky's Summer Science Class

I often need to step into my student's shoes to understand where they're coming from, both in their approach to English as an academic subject and also in their personal approach to education and school. So, it was good for me to be silenced today with an absence of coherent and intelligent thought. I was blown away by the knowledge contained in the pre-test and astonished that even my strong reading skills couldn't help me deduce a possible answer. What brilliance it must take to create a test in the sciences?! Back to my opening line. So there I am, standing on Mississippi River Road, staring at the damn without a clue as to what to do. I kept peaking glances at my peers and was depressed to note that everyone else seemed engaged and alive with the activity. All I could do was to keep my pencil moving and try to describe what I was feeling. The emotions I experienced? Frustration. Anxiety. Fear. And so in that moment, I chose to consider how and why my students might feel that way. I considered something like "Sonny's Blue's", a dense short story about a young man's struggle against an urban living that included drug addiction. The story is told through this brother's eyes. Most of my students- after their first read- find it dull or too difficult to "get into", just as I was feeling about looking at this wall of rock. When I teach it, I am all enthusiasm and joy, because I know and love the tale, how it is written, what it provokes in me. As I glanced at the three teachers of ESST, I saw that same vigor and familiarity in how they spoke about the wall of rock. Others in the class, with more background knowledge than me, had something to connect to, a starting place. For me, I felt like a person carrying an empty toolbox. And that is something I have to remind myself of with my students every single day. They look around at other people furiously writing in their notebooks or blogging off of one of my writing prompts and they wonder what to do, what to say, how to even phrase a question... This course will be enormously challenging for me and at times I may want to crawl away and sink into a novel that is familiar and safe, but that would be the cowardly thing to do. My students deserve better of me. I need to know and understand what their brains are being asked to do other hours of the day so I can respond in a way that builds off of that and complements those practices. I need to expect of myself that I can learn new, foreign knowledge even at this age.

Summer reading

Last week I was psyched to get not one, but two gift cards to Barnes and Noble. One was a belated birthday gift and another was from a graduating senior's parents. Gift cards to book stores are pretty freakin' sweet and it took me no time at all to spend them. Now, I've completed two of the 5 books purchased and feel charged to start my summer reading binge. I have a Hamline class for two weeks starting next Monday, but I'm sure I'll sneak in some social reading too. I've got a masters paper to finish this summer, as well as trying to squeeze in another 4 credits if possible.

SO, to my first book. Twilight. I finished it yesterday afternoon and immediately went out to rent the movie, though that was a dangerous move. My ability to watch a movie from start to finish is hampered by my curious son. Obviously, vampire flicks aren't meant for Quinn's eyes, so I have to wait until he's asleep.. and I digress. Immediately, the film irritated me because the lead actress was blinking annoyingly often and Edward wasn't as Edward as I wanted him to be, despite his ravishing looks. Alice, Emmitt, Rosalie and Jasper fit their descriptions alright, as well as Charlie, but... and Jessica looks exactly like a former CAHS student. I have only gotten through about 20 minutes of the movie and it's changing and cutting things right and left, much to my chagrin. I want to read the second book, if only because I read the teaser section at the end of Twilight, but I should try to hold that as some sort of reward for myself...

What was the last novel you read cover to cover? What are your early memories with reading and books? Do you read on your own time?

Good morning Fair Students

There's something in the air. I know, it smells like summer vacation. I can almost taste it! I am so excited for everyone to have some much needed time off from school and schedules. Even though I'll be attending a Hamline class starting almost immediately after school ends from 9-4 each day for two weeks, I am anxious to learn new things that can be used for next year's teaching!

We are at an end of the academic school year and this course. The final thing I would like you to do is this: I want you to read every single blog you've written since the beginning of the term and I want you to write a self-assessment of sorts that explains what your blog reveals about you, both as a person and a writer. I look forward to your reflections. Similarly, I would like you to select one student in the class and read through the whole of their blog. Take time to craft a thoughtful response to them and share with them what you learned, what you liked and what form you imagine their blog (and perhaps life) may take in the coming years.

Thank you!

Today's Task for Wednesday

Please follow the link below to read the article for today. Then, respond. What are your thoughts about the representation or absence of women, people of color, the GLBTQ and other marginalized or historically oppressed people in movies, tv and the media?

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/06/dear_pixar_from_all_the_girls.html

What movies from your childhood have stuck with you? Who did you admire or emulate? Are there female heroes for girls to emulate? Why are most women secondary characters? Why does that matter to you?

This week's assignments- and today's 6/2

This week, I'm asking you to do some critical reading and thoughtful response. At the same time, I am doing my best to showcase bloggers who, like you, write for an audience and with the intention to process the important events of our life and our world. All of the items I am asking you to read, are written by bloggers/journalists, a new brand of writer and researcher that seeks an audience that is atypical and wonderful. Read the article below. How can you break the silence? Then, I want you to start reflecting on where your blog will go once this course is over. How will you turn this into something that remains a positive vehicle for you? Will you also seek an audience? I'll return to these questions. Article link below and also on the sidebar of my blog.

http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/silence-is-the-enemy/

There are multiple blogs and tasks for today. Be sure to read on. Cool. Thanks!

Summer Tutoring Opportunities

For what seems like months I've been trying to brainstorm some unique ways for students to remain engaged in literature and learning this summer and here's what I've come up with. Please consider joining one of these adventures and sustaining a thoughtful and evolving mind throughout the summer.

AP Boot Camp
For students interested in taking my AP course next year, this is the ideal way to warm up to the rigor, pace and overall intensity of AP, without a looming grade and at a more reasonable tempo. We'll meet weekly for discussions and writing sessions where I will assign a new week's worth of work.

Dates: 8 Week Course Beginning June 29th and ending August 17th. We will meet for 1 1/2-2 hours on Monday's (or dates that accommodate student's schedules) at a location TBD.
Cost: $300
Goal: To prepare mentally and academically for the AP Literature and Composition Course with the end goal being a passing score on the AP exam, leading to college credit.

Creative Writing Consulting
Designed for active, ambitious students who are prolific writers and desire feedback from a practiced reader, this one-on-one program consists of 4 writer's conferences (one hour each) where students and Becky meet to examine student writing, as well as online interaction. Students may submit up to 100 pages of writing for Becky to critique.

Dates: Set up on an individual basis
Cost: $150
Goal: To provide aspiring writer's with constructive and supportive critique and encouragement.

A la Carte Tutoring
Whether it's help preparing for standardized testing, college essays or study skills, we will design a course of study that is tailored to your academic needs.

Dates: Set up on an individual basis
Cost $25 per hour
Goal: To hone and polish the skills and talents of young learners, making school a place of success.


FREE- Becky's Book Club
Every two weeks, we will meet at a local St. Paul eatery for food and fiction fodder. The first novel will be Twilight. Love it or hate it, Becky is going to read it. Attend if only to help pick out the next book. Students planning to attend should RSVP to r_mccammon@mac.com 24 hours before the event.

First book club meeting time and place: Cafe Latte, Thursday, July 2, 11:00
Cost: FREE
Goal: Fun and reading enrichment!

Myspace

For today's assignment, please listen to the NPR report that is linked below. Then, please share with me your own tales of myspace and social networking sites. How frequently do you witness things like cyber bullying or identity theft, as mentioned in the story?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104763472&ft=1&f=1013

Politics and Parents 6/2

Please read the following article and respond. Who do you think shapes the other more powerfully and permanently- kids impacting parents or the other way around?

http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/are-fathers-politics-changed-by-having-daughters/

Twilight

This is a really quirky and well-written article about men and women and how we may be steered towards certain books and steered away from others. At the center of the article is this man's love of the book Twilight. Go to the link below and read the article and provide me with a response. This is Monday's "work" on top of the question of the day. Cool.


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104347311

Oh, and will someone please lend me a copy of the Twilight series? I want to read them this summer. Thanks!

Entertaining Website to Check Out

runpee.com is a site designed to help people know when they can leave a movie theater during a new flick. How entertaining! It's based on contributions from people who have seen the film's and can say what parts are non-essential to seeing the film as a whole. Very fun. Check it out!

My ears are ringing

I have a congenital hearing loss. My left ear is much worse than my right and yet I insist on using my left to talk on the phone. I think I may have lost some of the right ear's capacity to function tonight. Here I sit, outside of the theater, and the noise is excruciatingly loud. I'm not sure how the people in the room are enduring. But, perhaps it's all a generational thing. Wait, no. There were definately people my age when in high school that blasted things like Guns and Roses; I was just wasn't one of them. For instance, after last fall's New Kids on the Block concert (I was in the third row) I couldn't hear properly for at least a week. Is that the same for others? Do you accept the deafness as a benefit to the musical experience? Larry says that he can't hear high frequencies.

So, what it is? What volume do you like to hear your music at and why? Do you feel like listening to music loudly is a worthy sacrifice or some bands are better louder? What about concerts? Ever gone to one with ear plugs?

Movies in Literature Recent Work

Hello folks,

If you've been absent from Movies in Literature, I may have recommended you head to my blog and read the work you must complete. Please also remember that Wednesday is the last day to post blogs on your book (I'm seeking five per book) and that Friday is the last day to turn in your movie paper with your planned activity for the class. Unless you've spoken with me about an extension please do your very best to observe these deadlines.

Today's task: Come up with a list of 10 movies that include sex between consenting partners. Then, star those movies that include discussions about protection and individual's sexual histories. Circle the movies where sex occurs between two people in a loving committed relationship. What do the results of your quick film study say to you? What message do film's send about sex that is contrary to the sex education school's or families try to provide to young adults?

Then, take one of your starred movies and re-write or craft the scene so that the two individuals HAVE a smart, thoughtful discussion about sex.

Yesterday's discussion: Inspired by Casino Royale. Compose a tale where you are a secret agent. What are your means of intellect and skill? What adventures do you go on? Are you hardened, like Bond, to love and trust? Why have you been recruited and why did you choose the life of a spy?

For High Fidelity:
Create a top 5 list for the following topics- Songs, Friends, Learning experiences, lessons from High Fidelity, and go-to foods.

For post Fight Club
To your way of thinking, what is more damaging, physical or emotional violence and why? Which results in the longest lasting scars?

Friday, May 29th

I have a hectic weekend ahead of me and it begins with the Band Show tonight. I am hoping for a major turn out because we still need to try and cover the cost of the busses to Valleyfair. It also seems there's some lingering invoice for dinner theater which I didn't think existed. Nurts.

Well, I had some good fun reading blogs this morning, though it is mildly intriguing that someone not actually in class is blogging more than those present in school. Hmm. Odd. Anywho, here's another memoir from Becky... though I think I just heard Quinn move upstairs... wait for it...

The garage sale is tomorrow, by the way, so people should stop by Grace's place for some fun shopping.

Becky's Memoir for the day
He eats his cereal with water. That's right. Water. When he and Chris were younger, my Mom would mix up something gross made from powder because they were both allergic to milk. Nowadays, kids have soy milk and whatnot to substitute the cow's best, but in the 80's, that wasn't the case-- or at least my Mom wasn't in the loop. I've been more fortunate in the dairy dept and can pretty much eat and drink what I want, save the trip to Germany in high school where I consumed far too much ice cream and catapulted my body into lactose intolerance.

So his bowl is sitting in the sink. Cereal shards are floating in slightly brown water. Next to that bowl is a macaroni and cheese encrusted bowl that I have dutifully filled with water so it will appear to Luke like Matt was making an attempt to clean his dish. My brother has lived with Luke and I for the past 4 years. Before that, he also resided with us for a year or so. And then of course, there's the 16 of so years we shared a family home in Apple Valley before I bounced off to college and he remained home to finish high school. Oh, and there was also a 6 month stint where we shared a posh apartment in Apple Valley. I had this enormous room and we each had our own bathroom. Who knows why we picked that spot-- it's certainly wasn't budget friendly. Thankfully, that was only 6 month lease and once finished, Luke and I found a place in Burnsville.

Back to the bowls. My brother normally eats his cereal out of mixing bowls. He has a gigantic appetite and this insane metabolism that allows him to consume at will. As he's now 29, I don't know that it will ever slow down. In addition to consuming cereal in this fashion, he'll also eat ice cream this way. In my family, my mother makes this very delicious chocolate sauce for ice cream and she does this at every family event. She announces it like it is special, even though we all have come to expect it. Matt's technique with ice cream and the sauce is to generously pour sauce over the ice cream and then to whip and stir it until the ice cream is a smooth light brown color, evenly distributing the chocolate. He never fails to do this.

Matt's closet is 90% empty and still, outside of his bedroom there are two laundry baskets, his school bag, his bike rack and some other small basket or hamper. His room is remarkably messy and chances are his sheets are mangled on his bed. Somehow, he is a sleeper who wrenches sheets from a bed. For 5 months, a comforter I bought him for his birthday remained in it's sterile plastic packaging while he tried to fit in 6'2 frame under a single throw blanket. For the whole of his life, Matt has bounced his head to put himself to sleep. Once, when I was feeling rather evil and approximately 10 years old in age, I put my fist below his head while he was doing this. Not nice. As he aged, he switched to a single leg kicking the bed (him laying on his stomach). Something about the rhythm of the movement puts him to sleep.

Matt is the third child in our family. He is the only biological child. Chris and I were adopted first because my parents didn't think they could conceive and then, MAGIC, here comes Matt:) We all look very different from one another and my Mom's line has always been, "Don't my kids have an excellent family resemblance". At this point, we all roll our eyes with one another. Since last week afforded my mother a new crowd to work this line on- at Chris' wedding- there was a healthy amount of rolling of the eyes.

Alright... must end this for now. Must get ready for the school day. So, by the end of today, people should have posted the equivalent to 3-4 days of memoir writing or I think I said something like 700 words?? Right?

Question of the day: What kind and good thing will you do for the world and for yourself this weekend and what motivates that choice?

Back to School...err, Valleyfair

Well, I'm nearly back. After a wonderfully exhausting and busy weekend, capped off by a relaxing birthday and trip to the dentist, I have returned to Creative Arts for the final stretch. Yesterday, Caleb sent me a text to ask if I would sign student's forms today and I said yes, but then I realized that many students are NOT passing their English class with me. Sigh. And that filled my body with dread. For example, in this class, some students have gone a full week without posting anything- zilch, zippo, nothing. Not a response to a daily question, not the first memoir entry, not any of the Wikipedia work assigned last week and in some cases, no Flickr work at all. I am aghast, dismayed and sad for those students. To those students who actively choose not to work: I am worried for you. For those who are under duress or experiencing difficult times, I am hear to listen to help. For anyone in between, a conversation is absolutely necessary if you haven't been blogging. Today is day two of memoir writing. For those who remain at school, may it be fruitful and productive.

There are three blogs to read for today. Here is a pic from my weekend at my brother's wedding. Quinn is dapper in his tux! The wedding was outdoors at Weddings of Wayzata and was a lovely affair! For more wedding pics, you can check out my flickr account

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckyteaches/

See you tomorrow! Don't forget your Valleyfair money!

Oh, and tomorrow at midnight is the last moment I will accept Flickr projects.

Tuesday's Question of the Day

Who in your life who has passed away is most memorable or meaningful to you?

For me, it's a package deal. I miss having grandparents. While one grandmother remains alive, her dementia is so severe that the woman I recall from growing up is lost. I remember griping about my grandparents as a teen because they were behind the times and not culturally competent, but nowadays I see them with a softer lens. Was it my grandfather's job to see the world the way I did? Nope. But he did his best to be loving, a wonderful husband and a great father to my mother. Both sets of my grandparents were shaped by the depression and were meticulous savers. On my mom's side, they pre-paid for their funerals and bought their way into an assisted living home so they would never be a "burden" to my mother and uncle. I admire them for their strength, love and well-planned life. Now, why do you think those traits didn't make it to my Mom? (Insert smile).

In Memorial- This week's task!

How fitting that the day after Memorial Day when we take time to think about the lives lost and sacrificed for our country that we also begin to compose selections for our personal memoirs. First, a bit of clarification. A biography or autobiography means to tell the whole of a person's life from beginning to end, or as much as the author knows. In a memoir, the author has the discretion to write about certain segments or moments in one's life, as opposed to the whole. For example, Augusten Burroughs, "Running With Scissors" is a memoir based on his childhood and adolescence. Susanna Kaysen writes in "Girl Interrupted" about her time in a mental institution. Furthermore, in memoir writing, there's an element of storytelling and description that- to my way of thinking- makes the writing more vivid and fiction-like.

Assignment- Compose a series of memoir moments (or one of greater length) that invite readers into your world. Your goal is to compose somewhere between 600-750 words.

Here's a sampling of what I might write:
"My brother's and I sat perched on the couch, while my Dad took his customary spot on "his" chair, a textured brown creation with a foot stool. The fabric on the chair was far from soft and I would never sit on it if I had shorts on, or back in that part of my life, a nightgown, Still, the gruff chair matched my father's personality to a T. While my father assumed his position of power in his chair, my mother sat on the stair that led from the dining room to the family room. Our rambler style home featured the bowling alley look that contained in one long space, a kitchen, the dining room and the family room. Separating the dining room from the family room was a hideous and enormous macrame hanging my Pop's had made and the lone stair my mother sat upon. The conversation began with my father's voice, but instinctively, my brother's and I looked to my mother for clarification and a more soothing voice. Surely, this irked our father, but our response to his voice was the result of too many scoldings and his irrational anger. My mother explain in calm tones that she and my father were separating and that it was only for a trial 6 months. At what point in a child's life do they begin to distinguish between truth and lies? For how long do we avoid having that critical thinking process so we can maintain our ignorance and innocence?

I knew that 6 months would turn into years, just as I knew the timing of this announcement- the day before my 10th birthday- was poor timing for such an announcement. There were no tears during the announcement or at least none that I can recall. It may be because even Matt, the youngest of us all at just 6, had already asked my mom over lunch one day when Mom and Dad were going to get a divorce. Years later, Matt's instinct would be right on about yet another major announcement from our father. The only words I managed to ask my parents as they described my father moving out and how we'd still see him (another lie) were, "Who is going to take what car?". Why I decided to be practical and pragmatic in that moment, I will never know. Perhaps I just needed to know what was "ours" and what was his because I certainly didn't feel like "his", at least not in the way that I saw my friends with their Dad's.

OK- So, there's what you want to do. I'm doing my best to get in the moment, but I'm also allowing for some present-day reflection. I'm being as detailed as possible about environment because it adds that element of, "she's an expert on her life". You may find that as you write, your first inspiration will take you far. Other times you will find that a different moment is better material for this kind of writing. Experiment, play and have fun!

Expenses

So the wedding weekend is over and I am feeling like myself again. Well, sort of. Right now I have a headache that is sitting at the back of my head vexing my severely. It's a really localized pain so it makes me feel like it shouldn't bother me so much, but it does. As I type, I mentally wince because my manicured nails are slowly being chipped away. My up-do is gone forever and all I have to show for it are a bunch of bobby pins left over. My checking account is also much smaller since the weekend included a plethora of costs. To be clear, I don't mind spending money on an occasion like my brother's wedding. What I find astonishing, is how much some people make in their respective positions. For example, the stylist who curled and sprayed by hair, earned $75 plus tip for something that took her less than an hour. That's one incredible wage. For Tuesday's blogging, I'd like you to select a series of professions and write down what you think they should make. Be playful and have fun with it.

Cool.

Question of the Day

What is the best and worst thing about summer coming?

Best: lilacs
Worst: mosquitos

I'd write more, but Quinn is calling. More in the am.

Ok, I'm back.
I love the smell of lilacs in the spring. Normally, I don't like perfumes and dislike most scented products because they smell more like the chemicals that produced them than the real thing. Lilacs in the early part of summer are exquisite though and make beautiful tree/bushes. Another thing I like about summer is that it makes it "logical" to eat ice cream everyday. Mmm.

I am allergic to mosquitos and when I get one bite, it's like a weird shot of adrenaline through my body that makes me anxious and itchy. They swell up and last for a week. Ick. If or when Quinn participates in outdoor sports, I'll be the Mom wearing a mosquito net because I despise the bugs so much. Currently, another icky aspect to summer is that I need a job because Luke was laid off and all I really want to do is take classes on teaching and play with Quinn. Note: I did not say my masters paper even though I absolutely need to do that.

Hello, hello

So I know I've been crazy busy with the show and now I'm off on a mini-vacation for my brother's wedding this weekend BUT, I want you to know that I'm doing my best to read your posts and stay in the loop. When I go a few days without reading or writing, it's always so addicting to get back to the computer and type. I love the zeal of fingers moving swiftly across the keyboard. It's pretty darn sweet. Learning to type well has been a god-send as a writer. And yet, for me, writing on a computer makes me a little bit of a compulsive editor. With blogging though, everything is time stamped and so I know that what I write is only a snap shot of who I am and how I feel, just as what you post is a moment to moment kind of reality. Or sometimes not. Sometimes you all eloquently and achingly write of the ebbs and flows in your life and how that pain, strife and joy moves and confuses you. I feel remarkably blessed to be on the receiving end of such marvelous composition and I hope that I honor your words with thoughtful responses.

Today is your last day of the Wiki project. My intent with this work was for each of you to explore your own store of knowledge. For example, the other day, a student posted something about a musician, I think, and the connectedness between that artist and others and the dynamics within the whole music genre. Gracious. That's a whole lot of very cool knowledge that was layered and expert and I knew none of what she was talking about. That's the thing... sometimes we are simply brilliant in ways that we don't realize or recognize. All of you have wisdom and strength beyond belief. When adding to the Wiki, consider how your voice should always be a part of important dialogues- if and when you choose to engage. Your voice is powerful and smart, educated and learning. Do not be afraid to talk with people about any number of topics and to teach any number of topics.

As we close out the term, I would like us to do a couple different thing. One, to compose some memoir passage that draw from specific recollections from our life. I would also like you to choose a creative writing venture, whether it be to write a short story, a series of poems, a play or more. On Tuesday, look for my first prompt that will be a memoir sample. Then, think hard and write spontaneously about your life:) My son is calling. I know this Wikipedia project is complex and got a late start because of the accounts being blocked by school but I fully trust that you have knowledge seeping from your brain that can contribute to the way others think, believe and act.

I'll be back Wednesday, which is Valleyfair Day, but checking in on the blog. The rehearsal dinner and such is tomorrow and then the wedding Saturday. There's a post wedding brunch on Sunday, but then I'll be chilling:) My birthday is Tuesday so I'm going to hang with the family-- and take Quinn to the dentist. I'll miss you, but I know my words are always with you!

Pretties, Uglies and Specials

I just finished the young adult novel Specials and before that, I read the two other books in the series- Pretties and Uglies. When I started the series, I thought for sure that they were going to be tired and lame, but it turns out that I was totally sucked in. Though I didn't necessarily love the ending to the series, I think it did a good job of creating some critical thinking in readers, while dishing out plenty of adventure, some romance and introduction to the utopia/dystopia genre. I would recommend them for summer reading.

I have a head ache tonight. I think while correcting some papers I had my neck at a funny angle and now my head aches. Bleh. Anyways, I wanted to tell you about the books in case you're planning ahead for beach reads:)

Keep reading. There's a bunch of posts for today.

A Life in Progress

I know I've talked about this before on the blog, this notion of always being in progress, but this week seems so ideal to revisit it. This is the third year that I've done the dinner theater. The first year was pure chaos- delightful and funny- but marvelous and wild. The second was much the same- hilarious, stressful, wonderful stress and hard work. This year, I did all I could to create a system that helped to lighten the load for everyone. We started writing the script way earlier, had a script done weeks before the show and I added a tech class to help with some of the many things that need to get done. In the past, the light or sound person was the student who wasn't going to memorize lines and so they may not have been reliable and I had to cobble together people to move the set at the last minute. This was the most organized I have ever been and still there are things that need to be done and MUCH work to accomplish. Do I feel stressed? Yes. Do I also feel really amazed by what we have accomplished this year? Yes. The students have done incredibly well, responding to the challenge of this show more maturely and beautifully than ever before. I celebrate all of that and at the same time, look to the future for what I can do better. With that said, part of designing a schedule that would work, involved creating courses I could teach that allowed me to place special time on the show. Thank you for being in this interactive course that allows me to have a voice, give you loads of feedback, teach you some cool stuff and also gives me space to be in more than one place at a time. I thank you for your patience and your investment in this class. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Wiki Help

Hello, hello,

So yesterday/today we ran into some Wiki problems. Wikipedia seems to have been "attacked" by our school's IP address so thank you for your patience while I brainstormed ways to circumvent their system. I was onto something terrific when I started making accounts for everyone last night/right now from my home computer but I ran into a glitch when I hit my "maximum" number of accounts. So, most of you have accounts you can now access and I can give you both your login and password- both of my creation. David and Sidney, your names were on the bottom of my list for no particular reason and you are without accounts- for now. Once the 24 hour window is up, I will create two more new accounts. For now, work on make-up work and plan what you will add to the Wiki pages once you get to them. You can even go to Wikipedia and so all the legwork. You'll just have to wait to add your own two cents.

Have loved the Flickr inspiration photostreams. If you haven't finished, get to it!

Anxiety & Wiki's

I have issues with anxiety. Have I mentioned this before? The anxiety attacks started back at my first teaching job. I was teaching full-time, advising 4 groups after school and commuting to Iowa to maintain my relationship with Quinn's Dad, Luke. I had a lot on my plate and I have always maintained the highest expectations or hopes for myself. I've nearly always felt I had something to prove. So, it all started getting to me and Sunday nights I could hardly get to sleep, even though I had to get up around 5:30 to get ready to get to school by 6:45. Gracious. It's weird to think back about those days.

Nowadays, I regulate things better and so my best not to overload myself nearly so often, except, for weeks like this. With the dinner theater this week, there are hundreds of details to achieve. Not only that, but I will be gone this Friday and next Tuesday for my brother's wedding and birthday and I need to get Valleyfair squared away before I go-- and leave lesson plans for the nice fellow who will be here in my stead. Whew! That's quite a bit to do!

Now, to this week of work. I would like you to experiment with Wikipedia. For a long time, I had personal misgivings about Wikipedia and assumed that knowledge created by thousands of people had to be unreliable and yet, the more I investigated Wikipedia, the more I came to respect what it is. Many mechanisms are in place to triple check Wikipedia and it evolves faster than your typical encyclopedia, which means it is always current.

What to do?
First, I want you all to find out what WIKI means. Then, I want you to register with Wikipedia. You are going to add to the store of information that Wikipedia houses with your own knowledge and expertise. From the following categories, you are going to select a topic or idea, person or place, to research on Wikipedia and then, after submitting to me a short summary of what you found, I want you to ADD something to that page.

Here are the categories for each day of the week. You need to summarize and add to one page per day.

Monday- Something or someone you admired from your childhood
Tuesday- A career path or subject you want to pursue professionally
Wednesday- Some kind of spirituality, school of thought or religion that has influenced your thinking
Thursday- A beloved author, musician or artist
Friday- Your choice

Each day you will submit to me a summary of the page that currently exists and also note what you added and why. I will check the Wiki pages to confirm your work. Note: plagiarism means recounting information given to you by others without crediting their work. Be mindful of re-wording and crediting Wiki.

Remember: you have two flickr projects that- for some- are still not complete. Be sure this work is done SOON!

Imitation is the Sweetest

My son has a cabbage patch doll that Luke's grandmother bought him. For a long time, "Xavier" as his butt tattoo names him, just sat around the closet unused. Nowadays, Quinn takes very good care of him. He kisses his head sweetly and is often putting little Xavier to bed. For a while now, Quinn has pretended that one of his diaper packs was Xavier's bed. It brought Quinn to tears when I had to tear that sucker open to get a fresh diaper for him:) Last night, Quinn and I went to Target to get more diapers and also to get a baby bed. Happily, the baby bed was only $10 (the diapers $20). Quinn immediately put a stuffed animal that he refers to as the baby pillow in the bed and then got a blanket to cover his baby. Then, he wanted me to lay down and go to bed. He instructed me to lay on the couch. Then, he came over to me and I thought he was going to give me a kiss on the lips. Instead, his hand gently caressed my forehead and he leaned over and gave me a kiss there. Then, he patted my shoulder and told me "night, night".

There are many things that I am going to screw up as a parent and the moment I hear condescension mixed with pedantic sarcasm out of his mouth, I'll know Quinn has been taking active notes, but in that dear moment last night, I knew that I was also modeling love and tenderness and that my son may pass that on. Did I tell you the other cool thing related to this? Luke and I got an anonymous note from one of our neighbors that said they had watched us from their upstairs window playing baseball and that we clapped and cheered equally for when Quinn hit the ball and when he tried his best. Pretty cool.

I used to say that the people I chose to be my friends, at their very core, would parent in a way that I respect. So, for example, if I had a new friend and I thought to myself, "Wow. I would not let me kids play with their kids" it created a sort of reality for me about my perception of this new friend. What are the essential things we model and teach others? How does that speak to our core selves? Intriguing questions. Curious to hear your thoughts on all this. What is the greatest thing your parents taught you- consciously or not?

What a day!

Today was a madhouse of meetings! I was in one meeting in the morning for nearly 2 hours and then an emergency of sorts took place and I had to speak with someone from the district office. From there, I had lunch. Then, I had another meeting during 4th hour. Gracious!

So, I am very sorry dear bloggers and students for being so absent. You ARE my priority. Unfortunately, meeting your needs sometimes means stepping outside of the classroom to better attend to your learning needs. Wild, eh?

One of the fantastic things about this school is that I have the wickedly cool opportunity to get to know students really well. At the same time, I sometimes feel like we are short on adults in the building to really attend to all of our student's mental, chemical, health and academic needs. Do you agree? I do my best to help where I can but I often feel pulled in different directions. Do you agree? How are you affected by our school's staffing? Is it just right?

How are you all? Ready for prom. For extra credit today, write a short story about prom:)

VExing

I was up really early this morning perseverating over details of the the dinner theater. Even though this is the most prepared we've ever been, I'm still stressing like crazy over the show. For someone who has never been in a show herself, I sure have enough stage fright for the cast as a whole. The thing is, the thing that was really stressing me out is that I need/want to share my opinion with some students about their work and I'm worried it will be discouraging or will fail to express how much I appreciate them-- but need them to maybe consider doing something over. Uggh. After ten years in a classroom, I trust my voice and my ability to express myself pretty clearly-- or kindly. But, there are times when my inner candor and honesty wants to eeek out and that voice isn't as gentle or censored. When I was a teen, I had quite the wicked voice and temper and could be downright mean to my family. It's taken my many years to trap that "animal" inside, but occasionally, flavors of that precise but possibly painful honesty ache to emerge. What to do?

On a regular basis, people tell me that they don't have homework or some other similarly disappointing statement and then they couch that remark with, "Well, at least I'm being honest". I don't know that honesty excuses poor behavior. I also don't know if honesty is always the best policy.... Do I want you to plagiarize? No. Do I want you to walk down the hall critiquing everyone's outfit? Also no. What is the best plan? And, how equipped are young people to hearing critique and feedback? How do you hear feedback differently from friends, family or teachers? Where did you learn your response to constructive criticism or compliments, for that matter?

Inspiration

Well, the Flickr projects that have come in are wonderful! I love the pictures people found and also how their infused their interests into their trips. Excellent! If you haven't finished this project, please do so ASAP! If you want to see some people's work, check out Twiggy's and David's blogs.

Looking at their work, I would like you to create a second folder or batch in your Flickr account. For this small task, I would like you to assemble a series of pictures that serve as your artistic inspiration and that motivate your work forward. What artists inspire you? What images or pieces are underpinnings of your art? Please include narration and a defense of your choices, as relates to your art. For some of you who are poets and writers, you do not need to include photos if you so choose. Instead, you can choose to include written works that move you.

Please complete this for Monday:) Excellent!

It's not a diet, it's a healthy way to live

For the past month, I've been on Weight Watchers. Gracious. It all started back in March when I had to take my measurements for a bridesmaid dress for my brother's wedding. My sister-in-law to be told me to go to David's Bridal or some shop to get my measurements taken. Since I wasn't going to actually purchase anything at the store, I didn't feel comfortable asking them a favor. So, I went on-line and figured out roughly where to measure. I called the shop that had the dresses the bride (Sheryl) had ordered, and they have me my size... at the bust line it was 8, at the waist, a 20, and at the butt, 4. How odd. After a number of phone calls and re-measurement, I ordered a size 10 dress instead of 20. Then, that wouldn't zip up when it came in and so I ended up in a 14 that was taken in a bit. In an attempt to fit into my dress, I've been using the online weight watchers. At first, it was alright and I liked entering my food each day. It gave me a task, something to monitor and control. Nowaadays, I would just like to eat what I want when I want--- without the guilt. Unfortunately, the guilt is a given now that I know how much I should actually eat each day, as opposed to what I usually consumed. What's the message to this rant or point? How do you feel about body image in our culture? How has weight impacted your life or thinking? How important to you is size?

I know that the majority of you are still completing your flickr project. Please comment to this message and let me know when you will be complete. I will extend the deadline only for people who will deliver excellent projects. Otherwise, your next task is before you!

Conferences and Slick Nails

I love typing with freshly trimmed and filed nails. I can type with such new efficiency. I love it. What grooming that you do makes you feel totally awesome? The funny thing is, I used to be long nail girl. My nails have always grown fast and are hard to boot so it was my thing, but nowadays it's just one more thing to maintain- or not.

Tonight are conferences and I'm excited to visit with parents, especially now that I have an online gradebook. It's funny. I usually have notes all over my red gradebook but it's barely used this term because I'm popping grades right into the computer and not bothering with doing things twice. Let's hope there's no meltdown at engrade.com. Next year our school will be on Campus so that will be righteously sweet.

Prom is this week and Asha is my date. Hoa Bien is one of her favorite restaurants and I enjoy it too so it should be a fun night. Funny friendship memory: I don't know how old we were but Asha, our friend Jenny and I decided we had some "notes" to burn. How romantic and silly to burn them over a coffee can fire, but that's what we did. While we watched them burn? We tried to smoke some of Asha's father's stolen Marlboro Reds. Uggh. To this day, that's not a cigarette I've ever smoked socially and I was a casual smoker for some years. Strangely enough, this wasn't my first cigarette experience, but that is for another day. What's an interesting "first" story in your life?

Read the blog below for more class specifics and notes about your Flickr project. Have a terrific day!

Oh, and feeling like you need to advance your grade? I'm a huge supporter of Freerice.com, a link on my blog. For every 500 grains of rice you can make up an absence and I can also award you some extra credit. Be sure to print out the page that verifies your achievement and donation to the UN World Food Bank. Awesome.

Hello 5/12

Hello dear bloggers,

My apologies for not posting yesterday. It was such a hectic weekend and I simply didn't have the mental ummphh to write. With that said, I'll give each of you on one of the daily questions you are expected to answer. Sounds like a fair trade, eh?

So, how was every one's Mother's Day celebrations? It was once busy weekend for me, but much was spent honoring the generation before me. I suppose that is as it should be since I'm a relatively new Mom. Still, a little down time would have been swell. In a month, we'll all have a little down time and that will make us pretty chipper:)

I'm so excited to see how everyone is doing on their Flickr projects. Yesterday I showed some students how to add in-picture notes and annotations so please ask if you don't know how. The narration or note that runs below the picture is really self-explanatory, but the notes are somewhat less obvious. I would like you to complete this project by the end of the day. Please see me if you will need a deadline and be ready to justify that extension.

Conferences are tonight and I hope to see you all! I have progress reports printed out so take some time this hour and meet with me to discuss your grade.

Cool.

Friday, 5/8

Hmm....

I hope that all is going swimmingly well with your projects and that you are energetically assembling your trip! For some of you, that trip might become a reality if you sign up for Rich's trip next spring.

I didn't see many daily response posts yesterday. Please remember that conferences are literally around the corner and that mid-terms are mailed Wednesday morning. Please also remember that your blog should include at least 2-3 misc. posts per week that can be about anything and everything.

Have a wonderful weekend and I hope you're donating some blood today at the blood drive!

Morning Writers 5/7

Quote from last night with Quinn.

"Hey Quinn, what are you doing?

"Scratching my butt, Mommy."

Nice. It was true, he was. More and more, my son is talkative and expressive with his words and I love that, but I also need to be aware of all that I say and how I say it all. My inflections, tone and attitude are all things he has observed from Day 1. Will he grow up talking like a teacher?

I digress. Mother's Day is right around the corner. What have all of you planned for the significant women in your life? You know it doesn't have to be a gift. It could be art, a letter, a homemade breakfast, or even time with you. What are your plans?

So, the more I work through this Travel Project in my head, the more exciting it gets. Yesterday I was thinking about how you could post photos and images of traditional clothing in the country, food you might eat, gifts you might purchase and more. I don't think the 15-20 photos I originally thought of will be nearly enough! Also, someone in class yesterday was creating images to post and I thought that was fabulous! Let the pictures tell your story as creatively as possible. If you know how to use Photoshop, by all means, put yourself in front of the Taj Majal. Or, if you've seen Amelie you know about the gnome that is in all of the photos. You could do something like that. I'm so excited to see what people come up with!

Last but not least, conferences are Tuesday. Please be sure that you have all your ducks in a row with work done prior to this project by Friday-- if not before. One of the great things about blogging and technology is that you can always post, expending the same amount of energy writing an assignment today as any other day and you don't have to go and search for the assignment from me-- you can just scroll down my posts!

I hear Quinn stirring upstairs. See you in class!

Sleepless Night

For whatever reason, last night was restless and without much sleep. I always know that when I sleep less, I will dream more, like my body knows it needs to go into deep sleep with the little time it has. Last time- in my dreams- I managed to push a bear down a flight of steps and that bear crushed some live chickens. How upsetting and strange!

So, today I have some of that make-up on I mentioned and no joke, at least 8 people have said something to me about it. Surreal. Being noticed is awfully uncomfortable for me, at least when it comes to my physical appearance. Rave to me about my parenting or poetry because those are things I have some say over-- but my face, goodness, that wasn't my choice:)

I digress. If you haven't already, please post or comment to me about your destination choice. I am so excited about this project! I can't wait to see what you mind and discover and how you choose to narrate those visuals. Another note about the in-photo notes: say that you're visiting a temple or famous site. The photo you choose may need additional detail and so the in-photo picture allows me to roll my mouse over the picture and glean additional details.

As your project grows, please send me or post your flickr account so I can check it out.

Question of the day: What do you dream about? How do you interpret those dreams? Or, how do you tackle insomnia and sleepless nights? I ended up getting up and finishing a book:) but I'll pay for that later today when all I want is a nap.

Have a terrific day!

Our next project

Good morning.

Note: a blog precedes this that you should read and respond to.

Ok, so the next endeavor I have for you is part research, part photography and part the manipulation of a popular online photo tool.

Step 1: Go to 43places.com and embark on a journey into places in this world that you would like to visit and travel to.

Step 2: Decide on a destination that you must see/visit in your lifetime.

Step 3: Research that place extensively, finding hot spots, little known about beautiful places and more.

Step 4: Plan a trip. Where will you stay? How long? What will you visit? It should be realistically planned, meaning you can't be on one end of the country one day and the other side the next.

Step 5: Locate photos and images of all the places you will stay at or view during your glorious vacation. Please make sure your trip is at least 10 days in length.

Step 6: Upload those images to Flickr.com in the sequence you will travel. For each photo, please add notes and descriptions to the image. Notes work two ways and I'd like you to use both of them. One way is to create a description or caption that sits below the picture. The other way to add notes is to highlight a section of the image so that when a mouse travels over that spot, a question or writing appears for viewers. You can see this on my Flickr site at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckyteaches/

If you go to the Labels and Critical Thinking Batch/Group (includes a juice box, etc.) you can roll your mouse over my images and see how the notes work.

For a 10 day stay on your trip, I would like you to include 15-20 images (or more!). The writing that accompanies your images should be descriptive and detailed enough so that I understand the history of the spots you are visiting or the importance of those sites. So, for example, if I choose to tour Korea, all of the images I provide for you need to be narrated well enough so that it makes sense that I'm going there. Should you just include images of tourist spots? Nope. It can be the truly cool hotel you would stay, the beach you would walk along or restaurants you would try.

When is this due? Tuesday, May 12th. Worth: 75 points!

Make-Up

Last night I went to the MAC counter at Rosedale with my sister-in-law to be. We were getting our make-up done as a preview (or potential one) for the wedding on 5/23. All of the preparation for the event is a little bit surreal. This is my brother Chris' wedding. He was married maybe 5 or 6 years ago. His first wife was named Beth (still is, I suppose). For the first wedding, I was asked to be a bridesmaid but after a wicked fight with my brother I was kicked out the wedding and ceremoniously told not to attend the event. My mother intervened and I was allowed to attend, but I wasn't in the wedding party as planned. Now, years later, here I am again on the brink of wearing a bright pink strapless gown and I'm thoughtful about it all.

For instance, Luke and I have been together for 11 some years. We've never had a wedding or gotten married. Of course, it's been on the table, tabled and the like. We've never been a financially well-to- do couple and so the wedding always seemed like a major investment for us to attempt. Luke proposed once while we were snuggling, but it turns out I said "yes" in my sleep. We laughed about it and then went on with our lives. We also believe that all people should be able to be legally married and we don't necessarily want to be a party to something that only the "privileged" can access.

So, with all of my thoughts about marriage and being raised by a single mother, staring at my made-up face last night was a little surreal. I want my brother to be happy, I do. Do I think he and his wife to be are meant for ever after? I don't know. Who knows? what a random post. I meant to write about the phenomenon of make-up and why only women are encouraged to cover up what we look like. Strange. I ended up musing about marriage.

Take your pick. Write about your thoughts and beliefs about marriage OR the giant mega-industry that is make-up. I mean seriously, I look VERY different with make-up on and it's unsettling, but my mind or trained conscience says, "Oh, you look pretty" but then I think, why is THIS look pretty, when it isn't really me? Wild.

Achilles Heel

What is an achilles heel, you ask? From Wikipedia:

An Achilles’ heel is a fatal weakness in spite of overall strength, actually or potentially leading to downfall. While the mythological origin refers to a physical vulnerability, metaphorical references to other attributes or qualities that can lead to their downfall are common.


My entry below refers to my Achilles heel.

Do you ever feel...

Like you just can't do something? And it turns out that the truth is that you just don't want to? Or, that you fear you will fail and so you use anything and everything to avoid trying at 100%?

In 2001, I started my graduate work at Hamline University. I enjoyed my coursework and liked meeting new educators who I could learn from and socialize with. In order to earn my master's degree I needed (and still need) to finish a capstone- Hamline's work for the master's thesis/paper. For years, I have procrastinated and tried, avoided and tried again and here I am, AGAIN, working on it so that I can FINALLY finish it and here I sit at my friend's house, trying to write without the added interference of Quinn wanting my attention... and I don't want to do it. I've not planned or researched as well as I should have and I hate writing bogus stuff. I don't want other people to have to read my crappy paper, but I also don't want to have a crappy paper. The thing is-- to write a superb paper means taking oodles of time to do so and I neither have the time nor want to give the time to this purpose. Uggh. So, I'm overeating and seriously wanting a nap. Terrific. My capstone is my achille's heal, the giant thing hanging over me that I need and want to achieve, but feel nearly incapable of doing.

What is your achille's heel? How can you help me to complete my paper? Help!

Provocative

Nicole has guided me to a very cool site that I went to this evening. It's called postsecret.com and it's pretty incredible. The images and words struck many cords with me. I'd like you to head there today and spend some time on the site, reading and viewing. Then, please post your thoughts and response to what you saw. What do you think every day, but never say to other people?

Did I mention already that next Monday is the last day to complete any missing work? Many of you have great starts on your beauty and soundtrack assignments. Be sure to wrap those up this week, please.

Tomorrow, we're going to try a blogging experiment and have you blog throughout a movie we watch. Nowadays, any major event means that bloggers are watching and commenting as things unfold. You will do the same. I will bring in the laptops and play a film and you will blog throughout, constantly reading one another's writing and spontaneously posting as something in the film moves you or triggers writing.

50 Posts

This is my 50th post on this blog. Cool.

Went to a Twins game last night and had a swell time with my brother and son. In July, my brother moves to Des Moines to start med school. He's 29 years old and he's had such a journey in life. One of his co-workers (he works at Park Nicollet) is a mother to a teen boy who is a senior in high school. Her son is one credit shy of graduating and is sabotaging his diploma. The kid has even been accepted to 4 colleges. Matt, my brother, found it interesting that she would ask him for advice and offered instead our mother's perspective. See, Matt also blew his graduation off. He had been accepted to colleges and whatnot, but the final trimester of his senior year he stopped waking up to go to his morning classes and lost those credits. It took him nearly two years to get those credits back. He was working full-time roofing for his friend's Dad's company and he just kept procrastinating. Finally, tired of roofing in both extreme heat and cold, and worn out by now lame partying, he finished his high school diploma and went back to school. 3 years ago he graduated from the U with a degree in Chemical Engineering. For the past year and a half he's been working on a Masters in Public Health. Now, he's suspended that degree and is going to med school. All this, from a kid who was voted the biggest partier in his senior class. All this, from a kid who fell off a hotel balcony in Mexico because he was so drunk that he toppled off the railing when acting like an idiot. Heck, all this, from a kid who was sometimes so unhappy with his life that he slashed at his wrists with knives, wound up in the city detox more times than my mother or he will admit...

And now he is almost 30. Heading to be a doctor. A phenomenal uncle. A newly avid bicyclist who gave up smoking cigarettes (for, like, the 10th time). And yet, even with all the time between his 18 year old self and now, it's difficult for him to articulate for another person how he got to this point and how to help someone avoid some of the difficulty he has encountered. So, while I'm musing and reflecting, I hope that each of you knows that your journey can end well- will end well- but it doesn't mean it will be idyllic or come without a lot of work on your part. Not everyone is destined to graduate in 12 years of public education. Not everyone's foray into drugs and alcohol is a "phase" limited only to high school.

So, for today, I'd like you to write about someone that you know and care about in life (could even be you) whose life is still in process, but they perhaps have made PROGRESS.

Notes: Now that you've had a chance to look at your progress report, you have until Monday morning to complete any of the missing work- without penalty. After Monday at midnight, those assignments will be closed. Please take this opportunity to complete those assignments. Because of the flurry of things you are asked to do- both big and small- it was vital that I got your input about tasks I might have commented on, but not graded, or things not read because I got caught up in another rush of new posts. Thank you for your patience and understanding.