My portrait of Dre

Hope your homework is going well. Feel free to use the comment stream to ask each other questions, react to anything, etc... as long as, of course, you are appropriate. Use it for clarification or intellectual dialogue--or don't: I insist on your freedom.
Peace.
Image is ink and graphite on paper.

More introductions, some basic blogging etiquette

Hello Bloggers.

1. Post a comment about something from your notes that someone said in class that struck you as interesting. It helps to start with something like: “Dear (blank), I was interested in your comments on (blank).” Then you may want to quote something he or she said and continue the idea, or ask a specific question, or move on to a related topic. Intellectual dialogue is the key here.

2. Look for the comment directed at you and respond.



Three "Blue and Gold" Rules:

1. Compose your comments in Word and paste in when you are complete. If the internet crashes while you are composing, you will lose all your work.

2. Sarcasm is basically impossible to pull off in this forum. Keep all dialogue professional, courteous, and appropriate. This is a virtual classroom and once you post your comments, there is a record of them. This is the reality of the world you live in and you may as well learn how to perform in it.

3. Do not use your last name. (You do not want a literary stalker.) This site is publicly viewable. Simply write your first name.

Photo of Salvador Dali with rhino mustache tied with flowers. He claimed that he wore his mustache this way because it pointed towards God.

Welcome to Blogland, Bloggers.

We have limited time here in blogland today, people, so let's use the time effectively. You should already have a google account from the summer work, so I would like you to sign in and change your "display name" to your first name. When everyone is set up, I will briefly show you all some of the steps in building your own blog. You may spend the whole rest of this period "personalizing" your blog if you want. By the time I see you on Tuesday, however, I would like you to post your summer work--(the paper and blog entries specifically, though if you can figure out how to post your notes, you are more than welcome.) This will be an on/going portfolio of your work for the year and you should post any work you do for my class on this blog. (I also suggest you post work from other classes on this blog, but this is your choice--you can use the label bar at the bottom to separate your subjects.)

Agenda for September 8-12, 2008:

Focus: Point of View

9.08.08: Do to the unfortunate nature of rotation, this class will not meet.
9.09.08: Read "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner and take notes for Student Led Discussion (SLD). (This will be the last ungraded SLD and we will "debrief" on process at the end of class.)
9.10.08: The first half the class will be devoted to finishing discussion. The second half of the class will be on strategies for close readings of passages and thesis statement work.
9.11.08: Read "Miss Brill" by Katherine Mansfield and take notes for SLD. (I will not talk this class.)
9.12.08: Blog/Homework: Post a summation of an "insight" that someone had during the class discussions (from your notes) and expand on it. The first part of the class will cover Paper Assignment #1 and Scoring Guide and tie up any loose ends. After lunch we will cover the first independent reading project on memoir: yes, I am setting you up for your college essays. Your paper will be due on Monday.

Summer Reading...

quiz is tomorrow. Review your books--pretty straight forward, but will take the whole period.

Please bring in your summer reading books--I will give you new ones.
Peace, bloggies.

"The Syllabus" 2008-2009

Ryan Gallagher's AP Syllabus 2008-2009 - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: Ryan Gallagher's AP Syllabus 2008-2009

Please print out a copy, place in your binder, and bring to class tomorrow. Peace.

AP Packet # 1

AP Binder packet # 1 - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: AP Binder packet # 1

Please print this packet and put it in your binder for tomorrow.

Welcome back class of 2009

Welcome back.
Hopefully, this should set the mood for the year:



Okay people, now I'm ready.