Book 9 of 2010

I finished this book while taking a break from grading during STAR testing.

9) Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman
Chuck Klosterman's latest book of essays is his best one yet, but the author is not without his annoying intricacies. His use of the word 'iconography', I'm looking at you.

Thesis Crunch Time

This here bloggy message thing (© Matt in period 5) has been neglected lately save for my updates about the books I'm reading, which in and of themselves have served to further distract me from the task at hand. That task is my thesis, which is due in t-minus four weeks. So while this blog is a valuable tool and one I intend to continue utilizing, my thesis, which is a big part of what will allow me to complete my Masters degree, will be my focus for the next few weeks. Also, the irony of the fact that I am putting my classroom blog on a temporary hiatus to focus on a thesis about teachers using things like blogs both effectively and professionally is not at all lost on me. The sooner I finish this project and the ULV semester, though, the sooner I can get one of those fancy new iPads. I will call it iPADD because that is a Star Trek reference. Nobody tell my wife, though, because I will never hear the end of it.

Meanwhile, good luck to everyone participating in the STAR testing tomorrow. It is my sincere hope that Alta Loma shoots well past the already lofty goal of 790.

Book 8 of 2010

There is nothing notable or interesting about when I finished this book.

8) My Custom Van - And 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays That Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face by Michael Ian Black
Michael Ian Black is a comedian best known for being a talking head commenting on pop culture during VH1 celebrations of various decades. He's also an actor who has been in movies and television shows like The Ten, Wet Hot American Summer and Ed. This is your standard "book by a comedian" whose title describes the format: essays (52, in this case, since I bought the paperback version) that will blow your mind all over your face.

Book 7 of 2010

This has been sitting on my shelf for awhile and I read it over Spring Break. And, yes, it's a graphic novel or comic or whatever you want to call it, but I enjoyed it and I read it, so there.

7) Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 1 by Robert Kirkman (and Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley)
Invincible is a new teen superhero whose dad fits into the Superman archetype, except this time Superman has a mustache and he goes by Omni-Man.

Book 6 of 2010

I finished this book on the furlough day before returning from Spring Break. The only reason I finished it was because it was required reading for my Educational Psychology class.

6) The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
In The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls recounts her childhood with two sisters, a brother and parents who are so out of their gourd nuts that it's amazing that any of the kids amounted to anything, let alone one being a published writer.

Episode One: On Thesis Writing

This is my first attempt at a podcast. I discuss my thesis and what I plan to write and how I plan to cover various topics that deal with teachers and their use of technology, specifically, social networking and its place in the classroom.

I'm okay, you're crazy.

As I finally feel as close to 100% as can be expected for the first time since early February, I'm now left with the monumental task of grading a ton of assignments that are backlogged while also attempting to get my own homework done for the Master's degree I hope to earn by the end of May. Come June, my brain will probably ooze out of my ear due to over exhaustion. 

Frosh
Wednesday and Thursday were spent presenting scenes from Act IV. This is a project that I revived this year, and I'm really glad that I did. In the last few years, the ninth grade classes I had couldn't handle the self-governing nature associated with group work, and the end-result culminating from it would often be disappointing and subpar from a majority of the groups. That was not the case this year. A very clear majority of the students had original ideas for their interpretations of Act IV's scenes, and even if the final product did not come out as squeaky clean and perfect as they intended (due to varying factors), I was still very much impressed with what I saw. There are some tweaks I'd like to make for next year, but I think it's a tremendous moment as a teacher to see a project come to fruition and then to get excited about the possibilities of how to improve the assignment for the future.

Seniors
We're heavy into existentialism at this point and hopefully you're almost through with part one of The Stranger, if not well into part two. The Sisyphus essay by Camus will make you think, and each paragraph in it allows for the possibility of a whole period's worth of discussion. I really hope you start to make connections to the philosophical ideas we've been discussing, looking at how existentialism and the finite time available in life, applies not just to The Stranger but also to what we look at next. Reread it a few times, too, because I guarantee you'll find something different to think about with each fresh look.

Day of Action

The budget cuts our district faces are extraordinary this year. As a protest to these cuts, there will be a rally outside of the campus during the morning before school on Thursday, March 4. Teachers wearing black with bandage strips as a show of solidarity against the disproportionate cuts education faces in the wake of the state budget crisis. While education takes up 41% of the state budget, the public school system has been charged with 60% of the impact. Besides increased class sizes, earlier start times, and a lack of proper staffing in many vital areas for next year, many teachers, administrators and classified staff will find themselves on the chopping block due to these cuts.

Ultimately, my job will be harder to do but that's the least of my concerns. I spent today at a workshop that constantly reiterated that teachers need to put the students first. These cuts put the students last in so many ways. I plan to protest on Thursday because teaching is not just a job nor a career but something for which I have a tremendous passion. Teaching matters to me. I'd like to keep doing it with the support necessary to do it well.

Book 5 of 2010

If you're interested in a sometimes repetitive but ultimately informative history of one of the greatest shows in television history, John Ortved's book is hard to beat.

My history with The Simpsons is somewhat storied: my parents forbade me from watching it during the first season and stuck to their guns after briefly relenting during Herb Powell's first appearance in the second season. I ruined it for myself when I mimicked Bart's repeated sing-song use of the word "bastard"...moreI finished this book at home while deaf in one ear.

5) The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History by John Ortved
If you're interested in a sometimes repetitive but ultimately informative history of one of the greatest shows in television history, John Ortved's book is hard to beat.

My dog passes wind while he sleeps.

Oftentimes, my dog will sleep on our couch. Sometimes he'll rest in the middle, but, especially if the wife is away at work or school, he'll sleep as far away as he possibly can from me while still also sharing the same sofa. Tonight is the exception. And I have to believe, because my dog is a jerk that is being raised (or owned or trained) by a jerk, he's doing it solely because he has gas and wants to guarantee I get a nice whiff. Thanks, Spider-Man.

Frosh
Everyone picked a time period/setting for their scene. A few folks chose some very interesting ones, but nobody picked "caveman" which I've always wanted to see but never have in any of the years that I've done this project. Oh, well...maybe next year.

Bonus Time (10 points): If you were handling this project solo, what's the time period/era/setting that you would pick? Why make that choice? Explain yourself in a minimum of five sentences.


Seniors
The existentialism unit always provides the best discussion of the entire year. It's always neck and neck with the philosophy unit, but one of the big differences is that the latter arrives so soon into the year that people aren't all that comfortable spouting off their opinions just yet. By the time we get to this point, people feel more comfortable and more willing to stand up for what they think. One of the bigger problems for me in having these discussions is that I want and need to hit very key points but each class can have a different way of getting around to these points. For instance, today I really, really enjoyed how fifth period organically made some connections during our discussion in comparing the pre-test to the experience of being in life. So many of the points were so great that I attempted to steer sixth period to some of those same ideas but it felt clunkier, like I was making the points more than the students. I hate when that happens.

Bonus Time (15 points total): Explain your personal definition of existentialism and try to provide your own metaphor as a way to represent it. (For instance, the metaphor I provided today was the pre-test.) Now come up with your own after your definition. Definitions should be three sentences (5 points). Metaphors will take however long you feel is necessary to get your point across (10 points).

All answers need to be in by the end of Wednesday.

And we're back!

Being sick is never any fun, and it's often more work to arrange for a day I'm not there than it is for me to actually be there doing the work. Unfortunately, for the second time this school year and the third time in a calendar year, my ear has betrayed me. Thankfully, I wasn't out for as long as last time, but the affliction is a bit worse than before. I appreciate your patience with me and my constant need for you to repeat yourself. I know I don't like to do that, and I really hate that I have been forced to ask you to do so. Hopefully, the lack of hearing on my right side will pass soon enough.

Frosh
You were assigned the Act IV group project, where each group is responsible for producing, interpreting and presenting a scene from act IV to the class and individuals will create a product and a half-page paper based on their roles in the group. Everyone needs to act in the presented scene, save directors who will be responsible for the script with stage directions and a full-page paper that explains their choices. This is an exciting project that I always anticipate doing throughout the school year. I'm a big stickler for creativity, and anyone that takes a chance to do something spectacular is rewarded for the effort, even if that chance falls through to some degree. Each day this week, I'll be giving you a different objective to fulfill. Today, for instance, I encouraged everyone to finish reading through their respective scenes and choose a time period for the setting.

Seniors
Monday saw everyone receive the final Macbeth paragraph assignment, and we discussed the different interpretations of the play, specifically those made by Roman Polanski in his film version. I'm looking to do one last Macbeth assignment, but I'm unsure of just what that will be yet or if it will even happen. Regardless, tomorrow we start off on existentialism, which means more talking about your own interpretation of the world and reality. This will be fun, and sometimes confusing.

Book 4 of 2010

This was completed while I was home sick with two ear infections in the same ear. Ear infections are brutal. 

4) The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan
If the testament to a trilogy is how much the part one makes a person anxious to read the next installment, then The Strain fails big time.

Senior Files

Here are the two files since it appears that Teacherweb, the service I pay for out of my own pocket, is down at a time when I actually need it to work and have students using it.  It's inconvenient more so than it is ironic. Thankfully, Google Docs comes to the rescue.

Macbeth Paragraph file

Outside Reading Update file

I'll probably have another blog up later tonight, Macbeth Paragraphs permitting.

Book 3 of 2010

This was completed on February 10, during my prep period.

3) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Lamb, like the title suggests, is the story of Jesus's life, the whole thing, as told by his best friend, Biff. Obviously, this is a fictional tale and those easily offended by the idea that Jesus may have laughed at fart jokes with his buddy as a young man would do well to tread no further.

On Metaphors and Due Dates

Frosh
The balcony scene provides plenty of opportunities to identify metaphors and other comparisons. It also sets the ground for the rest of the play, since Romeo proposes marriage. We also were introduced to the Friar, whose hasty decision to help the two young lovebirds ends poorly for everyone involved. If you're looking for someone to blame, he's the guy.

Seniors
Now Macbeth is not only a jerk, but an insane jerk. This is what happens when a body doesn't sleep. Considering the new visions he has, Macbeth finds himself at a crossroads. Ask yourself if what the witches show Macbeth are actually visions. Do any of them actually portend future events? Depending on your answer, what does that tell us about the witches?

Keep in mind the following dates:

• February 10 - Act III Paragraph due
• February 11 - Polanski Film Permission Slips due
• February 16 - Act IV Paragraph due
• February 18 - Act V Paragraph due; OR Update 3 due
• February 26 - Final Macbeth Paragraph due

All of these dates are currently reflected on the calendar on my class website. I know I haven't given you the assignment for the Final Macbeth Paragraph yet, but I will soon, so don't freak out. Also, please make sure you turn in those Polanski permission slips because you will have an alternate assignment in lieu of watching the very violent and kind of fun film. The director is a creepy rapist, but the movie works really well and has some very original interpretations.

Finally, if you plan to earn the bonus points associated with annotating your own copy of The Stranger, then you should make sure to have it in hand by March 1. This is a preliminary date, but more than likely, we'll be working with Albert Camus' novel by then.

Look out for the soliloquy power up!

Dante's Inferno Studio Thrilled with EA's Marketing Support

Why am I linking to an article about the marketing of a video game? Besides the fact that Dante's Inferno is a classic piece of literature (admittedly, one that I haven't read) which was turned into a new video game (admittedly again, one that I haven't played), but the makers of the game have quite the idea for a new game.

IG: So is there anything else in your classical studies that you'd like to realize in game form?
JK: Macbeth the game is something I've been thinking about for years, but now, I think the emotional quality that games are achieving and the value level of the acting and the sound work makes it possible. The thing is, the unique quality of games is being interactive; it's about action and killing things and pursuing those mechanics is tricky when bringing in classic media; Dante's is more of a violent interpretation of the poem for example. Macbeth would be great, though; there are witches and a supernatural experience along with plenty of intrigue and murder.

That's certainly...interesting. Any actual game is several years away, but I think I'd be interested in playing it should it ever be developed. At the very least, I'd feel obligated to play it so as to clear up misconceptions folks might develop about the play.

On Other Second Semesters

Currently, I'm sitting in my Educational Psychology class, which, besides my graduate seminar course where the goal is to write a very long paper, is my last actual class before earning my Master's Degree. Class has not actually begun yet as I type this up, so don't think I'm attempting to be a bad student or role model. Instead, I'm trying to catch up on some lost time in the blogging world.

From what I understand, pictures exist of my sumo hockey hijinks from the past weekend, so I'll make those available as soon as I can...if you care. Seriously, though, that was quite a good time.

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Frosh
After finally finishing that first scene, we are rolling along. Scenes ii, iii and iv are all short and sweet, each one introducing at least one important or noteworthy character. Paris arrives in scene ii, the nurse and Juliet show up in scene iii, and Mercutio makes his presence known in scene iv. Of those, Juliet is probably most important since her name is in the title, but I have a personal affinity for Mercutio. His motivations are fascinating and always open to multiple interpretations. Also, I hope you start to appreciate the advent of stage directions in future plays and scripts you read while realizing the pros and cons of the absence of them in Shakespeare's work. Understanding how and where characters address one another is tough to figure out at first, but it'll be helpful whenever you check out Shakespeare in the future.

Your ORU #2 is due on Thursday. The Act I Study Guide and Act I Review are both due on Friday. Remember that in order to get full credit, your answers need to be in complete sentences.

Seniors
Macbeth is quite the jerk since becoming king, or maybe it's just his true nature becoming clear. Still, the jerk part is evident what with ordering the assassination of Banquo and all. His wife is even starting to think so.

You also took both the terms re-test and a quiz on Act II. The third paragraph will be due a week from Wednesday. Meanwhile, your second Outside Reading Update will be due Thursday.

Bobblehead

During the break, my wife and I took a trip to Las Vegas. I ventured there with a specific mission in mind: to obtain a bobblehead of myself. A friend of mine found a booth at the Mandalay Bay near the aquarium. They take a picture of the customer's face with a fancy 3-D camera (like that movie Avatar!) and another with a standard camera. After choosing an appropriate body, I paid an exorbitant amount of money that counted as my Christmas gift from my lovely bride.

And talk about an appropriate body! The beauty of my buddy's bobblehead is that his holds a saxophone and he's a music teacher that played sax all through high school and college. Unfortunately, the only body available reading a book was one that was also sitting on a toilet. There weren't any others that truly felt like they captured me, at least not in bobblehead form. But then I turned the page in the catalogue and how could I say no to that lovely specimen?

I guess I have to grow my goatee back and haircuts are out of the question at this point.

The Blame Game

Frosh
The differences between the Franco Zeffirelli version of Romeo & Juliet and Baz Luhrman's version are numerous. It's your job to have noticed them in your notes and then write a paragraph discussing those differences. When looking at the characters, notice the way they act, the way they look, and the way they talk compared to how we read it together in class using the text. Notice what the actors do, their apparent feelings and emotions as well as what is left out when tracking the action. Finally, keep track of where the characters are located, the time period and the time of day when looking at the setting.

Bonus for Frosh (10 points): In a thoughtful (5 sentences minimum sounds thoughtful to me), explain who you think is most at fault for the brawl that occurs in I.i and why you think so. Use evidence from the scene to support your answer. The deadline to answer is Thursday. Any answers submitted beyond that will be lost to the sands of time.

Seniors
Act II is incredibly dense with thematic dichotomies. In particular, you'll find plenty of evidence for the natural vs. supernatural dichotomy towards the end of the act, both figuratively in what characters say and literally in the actions they describe happening in the wake of Duncan's death. Macbeth is the picture of insanity vs. sanity, too. Act II also provides the actual murder of the king, which up to now, had been something Macbeth seemed to want to avoid...or did he? That leads us to the bonus question.

Bonus for Seniors (10 points): In a thoughtful response (6-8 sentences minimum seems pretty thoughtful) explain who you feel to be most responsible for Duncan's death and why. Is it Macbeth, Lady Macbeth or the witches? Or is it someone else entirely? The deadline to answer is Thursday. Any answers submitted beyond that will be lost to the sands of time.

Emo Equivocation

Frosh
Emo is the word of the day because that's the best way to describe one of our titular characters. Look, Romeo is a bit of a putz, but he's also a teenager, and who among us wasn't a putz at some point? And who can say they won't be one in the future? I know there will be a point in the future where it happens again, too. A person is lucky if they go through a week with a putz-free moment viewed by the general public, let alone those smaller moments wherein he or she is secretly aware of the putziness involved even if others are not.

Seniors
Equivocation is the word of the day. It's fun because Macbeth allows you to determine what the title character says is true or not or if the truth even exists. This is the ultimate English major treat because there's evidence that supports both sides, and, as long as you can support it well with evidence, you're not wrong. Everybody wins!

On cynicism & hard work

Frosh
Last Thursday and Friday we read Romeo & Juliet. Meanwhile, I'm in the process of grading the accumulated work of the semester.

Seniors
We went through some more of Act II in Macbeth. Things pick up big time in this act. Make sure you're paying attention because while some texts may discuss the ideas of the thematic dichotomies, they rarely identify them as such.

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Finally, Conan O'Brien's farewell address on the Tonight Show last Friday was pretty inspiring. I'm writing this on Monday morning, but I'll edit the post later to include video of it. In the meantime, here's a transcript of what he said.

"Every comedian dreams of hosting the Tonight Show and—for seven months—I got to. I did it my way, with people I love, and I do not regret a second [of it] ... All I ask is one thing, and I'm asking this particularly of young people that watch: Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism, for the record it's my least favorite quality. It doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen."

Good stuff, right? I can't say I always live by it, but it is something I extol to others in the hope of seeing more people express optimism in the face of crushing defeat.

On Biting Thumbs & Late Nights

The rain has made it hard to get to the gym to work out. With the weather the way it is, my dog stays inside all day, so I have to rush home to let him out, and he's not too keen on being alone in his cage for another two hours after I get home. Then the wife arrives back and the motivation to stay home with her grows while the motivation to go anywhere else, let alone the gym, wanes. Angela is way cooler than any of the people there anyway. At least I can say I've been eating better, so hopefully the progress lost in not going these last four days isn't too severe. I just hate to lose that momentum, but the alternative ain't half bad.

Two other things before we get started on the day's events:

1. Everybody should turn in the first outside reading update tomorrow.
2. If you're not paying attention to the recent dust-up between NBC, Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien, you're missing out on some of the most interesting developments in late night television in almost 20 years. The original brouhaha that developed when Johnny Carson vacated his throne as the King of Late Night is one of the first entertainment stories that actively received my attention. The fact that there are three times as many people on at late night nowadays (the aforementioned Jay and Conan, Dave Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel, the largely silent Craig Ferguson and the largely unfunny Jimmy Fallon, not to mention the tag team of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert) has made this particular story even more interesting. In case you're wondering, I'm with Coco.
   

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Frosh
So how about that test, huh? Keep those terms in mind for our time reading the play.

The first and last scenes in Romeo & Juliet are the longest in the play, which is something I never really noticed before. However, diving in to Shakespeare is tough but it gets easier the more people read it. Keep up with the study guide for each act because those will be invaluable (which is better than valuable because it is priceless, you see) later on when having to write about the play or when taking a test.

Seniors
Well, the storms sure did honk up the testing time, didn't it? I hope you did well regardless.

The Royal Shakespeare Company's version of Macbeth starring Ian McKellen and Judi Dench is definitely interesting...and also sometimes laughable. BUT! It's important to understand that seeing the different interpretations of Shakespeare provides the opportunity for nuances in the story that could be there even if they are never explicitly stated. When Duncan orders the Thane of Cawdor's execution, he appears to address Ross in the text, but this particular version instead sees Duncan order Malcolm to take care of it. Malcolm's moment of hesitation allows Ross to step in and carry the burden for the Prince of Cumberland. What does this particular interpretation say about Malcolm? I'd love to see what you have to say in the comments.

On Shakespeare and Assignments

So we are a bit behind in our blog posting. Of course, this is the royal 'we,' which is really a grand effort to avoid taking responsibility in saying I and shifting the blame to a collective. But onward! There are tests on terms this Tuesday! Fascinating!

By the way, the Folger Shakespeare Library is a blog for both teachers and students about the Bard and provides some great resources. Check it out when you get the chance.

Frosh
Poetry has always been a weak spot for me, but sonnets are interesting in that they go against what I imagine is the natural convention of poetry, a form that's supposed to be free and spirited and all sorts of other hippie type words, by having so many rules and strict standards. Specifically over the last week, we covered Sonnet 73, which is a great poem to look at for its metaphorical content, as well as the prologue of Romeo & Juliet. Be prepared to really dive into metaphors and symbolism with Shakespeare because the dude loves it.

You will have a copy of the play on Monday, either one you pick up from the library or a bonus point copy you purchase for yourself.

Seniors
We finished Act I of Macbeth and I'd like to think everyone is starting to see Shakespeare in a different light. I genuinely get excited about this time of year because I like talking and I like Shakespeare and those are two great tastes that taste great together like peanut butter and chocolate. The big thematic dichotomy present, especially in the first half, is 'good vs. evil,' what with the witches and Macbeth's horrid thoughts of regicide. The latter part of the act, with the introduction of Lady Macbeth, develops the dichotomy of 'masculinity vs. femininity.'

You also received the Act Paragraphs assignment, the first of which will be due Monday, January 25 and is worth 50 points. Expect to have those due roughly three days after we finish each act. It's never clear how long an act will take to read together, which is why I can't give you hard and fast due dates for those paragraphs.

Everyone (hopefully) turned in their Aside Questions and the Shakespacket Essay. That's 85 points which I hope to have graded very soon.

I hope everyone is keeping up with the outside reading requirements. The first outside reading update is due on Thursday for both the freshpeople and the seniors.

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Finally, here's the only entertaining thing that will probably happen on American Idol this year. Enjoy.

Book 2 of 2010

This was completed on January 12 while driving to the gym.

2) I Drink for a Reason by David Cross
In an attempt to get through a few more books this year, I subscribed to Audible.com. The first book I ordered was Under the Dome by Stephen King, but that thing is a ridiculous 54 hours and I've only listened through the first file that's eight hours long by itself. That particular audiobook is daunting is what I'm saying.

And my eyes hurt.

Frosh
You learned the components of a sonnet. Then you got the opportunity to continue memorizing the lit terms for which there is a test next Tuesday.

Seniors
It's Macbeth time! And, seriously, I dig this play a heck of a lot, which might be apparent as I have a tendency to ramble on and on about it. My hope is that in my rambling, you get useful and interesting information because that's one of the cooler parts of education. Yeah, I want you to build skills and what not, but it's also awesome to find out something that you didn't know before. Right? How do you view education? I know there's more to it than that, but I'll save my answer for a later date. In the meantime, 10 point to the dudes and dudettes that give me a thoughtful answer.

Deadline to answer is tomorrow.