On Pope and Dryden and Androcentricity

Today's class was all about multiple choice and synthesis.

I gave some pointers about using your pointer finger while reading the multiple choice passages - I did it, and it worked for me! - and you all wrote half of the diagnostic MC questions I have in my test prep book. Just for interest's sake here is some information about Enlightenment poet, Alexander Pope and more info about John Dryden, poet of the English Restoration. There was also a passage written in 1911 about "the inextricable confusion of politics and warfare" as part of "the stumbling block in the minds of men." In short, the author was critical of an androcentric world view.

For homework, I have asked you to read page 61-68 and do the assignment on page 66-68 of your text. This is intended to get you thinking about writing a synthesis assignment, which essentially is the goal of most university academic essays no matter what the discipline. This kind of essay will also be part of the English 12 exam.

You also handed in your movie reflections today. They look good so far - you watched some pretty distrubing movies! From world poverty to letting human populations balance themselves naturally to bombing the Germans this class has been quite the downer lately. We need to find some feel good moments - The Things They Carried is next on the curriculum, and there's nothing uplifting about that! We need a comedy, people!

Go have a laugh, and we'll get depressed again next day!

The Singer Solution

I hope after today's class all you morally and ethically questionable people are able to enjoy your vacations. Yeesh - how stressful for you! Italy, Hawaii, Mexico - how can you possibly have fun after reading Peter Singer's essay? Luckily I am not going on a vacation - I'll just stay home and give my income to charity. But, seriously, I hope you all have a great, well-deserved break! Also, seriously, I am not going on vacation - hopefully there is a small pang of sympathy for me. You could bring me a grain of sand or a postcard just to show you care!

Today's class:

• We collected the $ for the AP exam; Emma you're in!
• I handed out and discussed the movie reflection assignment to be done on Spring Break.
• We read a couple of articles from The Onion to give an overview / preview of satire.
• We watched a You Tube video about the Freedom Riders and the Civil Rights movement.
• We discussed Bertrand Russell and The Singer Solution.

Homework:

• Movie reflection assignment.
• Read page 324 Lifeboat Ethics: The Case against Helping the Poor and page 333 In Westminster Abbey.
• Have a great Spring Break!

Dream a Little Dream

I have a dream that one day, on the golden beaches of Hawaii, the son of my in-laws and the eldest daughter of my parents will be able to sit down together at the table of relaxation.
I have a dream that my three little children will one day live in a happy, healthy home of their own where they will not be cared for by the labours of their mother but by the labours of their own.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every paper shall be marked, every report card shall be written, the sentence fragment will be made complete, and the run-ons will be remediated, and the glory of the English Language shall be revealed, and I will live happily ever after.

Today's class:

• In-class essay - 40 minutes
• Vocab test Unit 6
• MLK I Have a Dream video and speech

Homework: Read The Happy Life, by Bertrand Russell (page 317) and The Singer Solution to World Poverty (page 319). Actually, reading that last article will basically ruin any plans to go to Hawaii ever - you'll see what I mean!

Off to love those children while they still abide with me!

Analyse, Hypnotise, and Synthesise!

Hello,

Does that title look odd to you? I have to say I have some issues with the question of suffixes here. To my eye, "analyse" looks fine. But "hypnotize" should be spelled "ize", shouldn't it? And "synthesize" even more so! I found an article that debates the whole issue and suggests either is fine. I know, I know. All you evolutionary linguists out there would just tell me that language is organic and is constantly changing, and change is not bad, etc., etc. Even if our language is all Amercanised (ized) now? O.K. I'll let it go.

Whew. On to today's class:

• I gave back your essays. I am pleased to see the effort, effort, effort you are putting in here. The proof-reading and revisions were great on many of your papers. As I mentioned, this was quite a complex task, so congrats to you for working hard.
• We next looked at a sample synthesis essay from the AP exam. Ultimately, the College Board is trying to ensure you are prepared to write a coherent, well-researched paper in college / university. You need to be able to incorporate multiple sources into a paper that represents your own new ideas and new understandings in whatever field of study you pursue.
• Finally, we discussed the MLK Letter a little bit. Hopefully you have all read it by now and have taken some time to appreciate not only its immense historical, political, and rhetorical significance, but also King's adept use of language, metaphor, contrast, repetition, etc. Did any of you read the essay I posted in the last blog? You should. Really.

Next day: Vocab Unit 6 Quiz; in-class writing practice for 40 minutes; MLK video.

Off to pick up 3 kids and a Tylenol. (That would be a good name for a band!) All that marking has given me a massive headache. But, you're worth it, right? :)

Anthropomorphism and other fun stuff

Today's was a pretty relaxed class. You read various articles, which may give you something to include on your AP essay. Anyway, just so I've said it, now is probably a good time to read the paper, watch the news, read a novel of substance (I know that smacks of judgement, but it's probably not the time for Harry Potter - I love Harry Potter, but still ...). I will give you a film assignment for the break, so you can watch some movies (again, probably not HP).

Thanks to Michelle for bravely going to the front of the class alone (insert scary music here). Good work - you brought up a solid amount of important information about MLK's letter.

There is a great rhetorical analysis essay about Letter from a Birmingham Jail here. You should all read it. Seriously.

Homework: finish reading MLK's Letter and study Vocabulary Unit 6; Quiz and in-class practice writing next Wednesday.

Reminder: Bring your AP $105. Please remind me to remind you.

Note: anthropomorphism is giving human qualities to animals, non-living things, material states, and objects or abstract concepts; personification is where a thing or abstraction is represented as a person.

Well off to my weekend of drudgery - laundry, cleaning, cooking, laundry, cleaning, cooking, mark 23 essays, do report cards ... you see, not that fun. Sitting in class looks pretty good when you think about it! :)

Thank You for Arguing

Hello,

O.K. - First off, I have to give credit for the title to a T-Shirt you can order from the rhetoric guy. Nonetheless, it is appropriate for today's class. We were all about the argument today.

We reviewed a number of documents:

• A terms handout with terms for AP multiple choice
• Your practice essays were handed back.
• I gave a multi-page handout about the argumentative essay on the AP exam.
• I shared a sample essay with you.
• We reviewed a document about "working the prompt".

Homework: Essays due and must be handed in on Thursday. Make sure they are persuasive - not just information about your research; take a stand and ARGUE. Also, be sure to include in- line citations and a Works Cited page, as explained by Mrs. Berry.

Next day: Michelle will give a presentation on the beginning of MLK's Letter. Thanks, Michelle!