Writing letters is said to be "a dying art." With that in mind, look at these letters with a critical lens and think about the last time you wrote or received a letter. Has email, text messaging and instant messaging replaced carefully penned and crafted letter? Please take this opportunity to write letters to Barack Obama using text speak or email format. What would you write to the President of the United States about? This is a reflective assignment.
The following are lists of response choices: (you need to post once, and read at-least two peer responses and comment refering to their post) (you must hand in a hand written response if you are not permitted to post)
Choose one!
1. You may rewrite the letter to Barack Obama (from Alice Walker) demonstrating your proficiency and skill with text speak or LOL language.
2. You may respond to the letter from Alice Walker, to Barack Obama and take a stance against her advice and the transition in government.
3. You may compare and contrast the James Baldwin Letter and the Alice Walker letter looking to demonstrate differences in style and purpose.
4. You may write a letter to Mr. Wind about your experience to his teaching style and his transition from an eleventh grade English Classroom in Hamburg to a seventh grade English Classroom at Grover Cleveland International School in Buffalo. It should take the shape of the Alice Walker letter and include literary elements (repetition, theme, metaphor, etc...).The following are the links to items we have read or watched in class.
• Alice Walker "Letter to President-Elect Barack Obama" (online print )
• James Baldwin ”My Dungeon Shook" (p. 792)
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14 comments:
In Alice Walker's "Letter to President-Elect Barack Obama" she tells Obama that we must remember that the Black men and women from our past that have helped Obama achieve this historic achievement. But in the end, Obama finished the job and Walker congratulates him on this conquest. Walkers also says that he shouldn't stress out about the crisis that this counrty is in, its not his fault that were in it, and were deffinatly not getting out of it just on one mans shoulders. Walker tended to refer to Obama as the man we, as in all black, have been waiting for. In James Baldwin's letter to his nephew James he talks about James needing to take action because time is running out and we have waited to long for our justice. This contradicts with Walkers letter because she was much more chill about it than Baldwin was.
The past couple weeks in your room have been a little different then what I am used to. I think that i can also speak for alot of people in our class. I enjoy the "open floor" method because i think discussion is a very great way to learn. I am indeed learning alot more about issues overlooked in my life. Being the critic in this situation I am going to say that yes Mr. Wind everything you have taught me is very helpful and i enjoy argueing and debating. But I also think that the whole ambition brought on by student teacher is inevitable. There is no way around it. A student teacher comes in and takes the class over and just changes the way the class learns. This is very unfair. Students hate change. I really like the traditional way of learning more than what we are doing now and its a step that everyone is oppressed into enduring. The projects were a little out of the ordinary. The Facebook poster was somthing ive never seen before. Thats totally ok with me doing the work on it, but this brings me to another issue that teachers as a whole opress students into doing what makes them uncomfortable. (presenting) I absolutely hate presenting. I hate being in front of people and i think it is unfair. You should make it so that if students choose to present then do so. Dont make the others uncomfortable. Shoudnt you learn enough about our topics when you're grading them?
Dear Mr. Wind,
For the last few months, you’ve graced our classroom with your presence, at first silently watching us like a lion stalking it’s prey. We knew nothing about you. Then, you took to that rickety old podium at the head of the room, and I must say, you grabbed the attention of the class ( well, my attention at least). For the past month, you’ve changed our ELA 11 class from a strict, curriculum based class, to a class that was allowed to grow and expand with the students. Especially enjoyable were those many thought provoking discussions about politics, wisdom, and other subjects that encourage the mind to ponder on a deeper level than it’s used to. We’ve talked about these topics before, but never in that way. The first time I learned about the Civil Rights Movement ( many years ago), it was enjoyable. The second, third, and fourth times, not so much. The last 4 weeks of class however, were quite enjoyable, even though they focused on things that had been drilled into my head countless times.
I wish you the best of luck teaching 7th graders. I think you’ll need it. Speaking from experience ( I was a seventh grader more recently than you were), I can say that they are probably the most ideal grade in the middle school to work with. They’ve already adapted to Middle School life, and have lost a lot of the cockiness that 6th graders seem to possess. They also haven’t gained the ignorance of many eighth graders. Eighth graders seem to see themselves as the kings of the school, a view shared by many seniors. So, seventh graders are pretty similar to juniors. They’re close to moving up in the ranks of the world ( at their level, going from middle to high school), yet they still have a ways to go. However, they are not as mature as juniors, in most cases, although I know some juniors whose maturity level doesn’t seem to have left the 5th grade. You might have to structure your class a bit differently. I don’t think you’ll be able to have as many free discussions as you managed to hold here at Hamburg High School, purely because at the 7th grade age, although they are perfectly capable of carrying on engaging, somewhat deep discussions, the students are still basically children, occupying a middle ground between childhood and their young adult years. Where as you can talk to a high school student on a level similar to that of an adult, I believe that in any grade under eighth grade, the pupils need to be handles a bit more like children. There’s more “babysitting” involved in teaching them. You have to make sure to be absolutely clear to them what they are supposed to do, and when it needs to be done by. I’d recommend setting firm due dates for assignments, and sticking with them. They, like many high schoolers, will try to “play the system”. Most of their teachers give them multiple chances to turn in assignments, unlike at the High School level, where most of the time, if it’s late, oh well. I’d of course advocate some leniency, because students are inevitably going to make mistakes, but I’d be sure not to let them carry outstanding missing assignments for too long. I have confidence, however, that you will be able to adapt your teaching methods to suit them just fine.
It’s been a pleasure learning from you, and with you. Good luck,
Sean Adamchick
I agree with danna. James Baldwin's letter advocated action on the part of the reader, where as Alice Walker's letter suggests to the President that things will fall into place, and that although he should do his best job he can do, the fact that he has made it to office is quite an accomplishment in it self, one that will open the door to other successes.
Mr. Wind,
The past half a semester has been a lot different that what I was used to in Mrs Godwin's Classroom. I liked the change from completely structured learning to where we got to interact and put our 2 cents in. We have gotten a lot more work since you have arrived but I think that is a pain now but in the end just prepares us for what is to come in college. The work you gave us was some what interesting and had a point where in English before you arrived it was all about structure which is not much fun. I think with you going to Grover Cleavland it is going to be a lot different. You will have to expect a lot less from the kids and I think give them a little more leeway with the amount of work. With the 7th graders I think they will take a lot more from what you have taught them because in 7th grade I know I listened a lot better. The 7th graders may need to see a stricter side of you to because they think they can get away with anything.I wish you good luck and I think you are going to do a really good job.
Response
I agree with Danna because the letters seem to mean the same thing but they are written totally differently. Both letter show they need to stand up and work from justice and for things to be right but in the end it takes time and I think that in the letter to Obama It makes scene that it cant do everything by himself he is going to need help.
Mr. Wind,
I can tell you really enjoy what you do when you teach which is always a good thing for a teacher to do. Nothing is worse than sitting in class with a teacher that you know hates teaching the same stuff over and over again. I liked that you are young enough to understand the new technology and use them when you teach, but yet still old enough to have respect from your students. I love reading off things on the computer much more than a over used overhead. I liked the new ways you taught, but I did not like doing them in the middle of the year. I am the kind of student that does not like change in my classroom. You and Mrs. Godwin are very different. It is honestly nothing against you personally, but I am not a fan of student teachers half way through the year. You get so used to one thing; then it changes for several weeks and then it goes back to the "original" classroom. To me it is almost like teaching a kid english for some time and making them speak it, then randomly teaching and making them speak spanish, and then after they got comfortable with that language again you make them go back to speaking english. That is hard for kids to deal with because it can become annoying. Its hard to keep up because I feel we haven't done like one project this whole year, but we did at least three big ones with you. On a good note I really loved sitting in a circle and discussing topics that can effect our everyday lives. I am a girl with strong opinions, but I also love hearing other people's thoughts on certain topics too. I feel I can relate more to the lesson being taught when the whole class can be involved with discussion. You are a great person that I can see has great morals and I do appreciate your time in our classroom. Good Luck in your future.
I have to agree with Chris's blog about how it's hard having a student teacher. What he said corresponded with a lot what I said. I think it's easier for younger kids to have student teachers, but not kids in high school. I do appreciate and "give props" for wanting to put up with us high schoolers and trying to teach us. It is just frustrating for us as students having different teachers. I also agreed with really enjoying the "open floor" as Chris stated it. I likes exspressing my thoughts and hearing other's thoughts. It made class a lot less stressful and way more interesting.
Like kelsey said having a student teacher in the middle of the year is very tough everyone is used to mrs. Godwins ways. Now once you leave we will have to go back to her ways. Once again change. But sometimes students have to just bite the bullet. Do we have a choice?
Mr. Wind,
i have enjoyed these past days as you being are student teacher. Unlike what chris said i think some students like change. I did and i think it was fun. Each day was different and we always took a deeper look into things and what they meant. The projects were like nothing ive done before, but i did like them. Most of the students and i can agree that there was a little much to do and a little overwhelming, but i understand your only here for a short period of time and there is so much to experiment with us. i think you'll do just fine in your next school you teach at. I think the things you taught us and showed us would still be ok to teach 7th grade, i dont think their to young to learn of wisdom and social justice, these wern't yes and no answer assignments, they always challenged our thought and opinions. I also agree with chris i dont think we shouldnt present if we are uncomfortable with presenting, maybe it could be extra credit, and for most classes i take it is EC for who presents. So, good luck to you Mr.Wind.
Mr. Wind,
Over the last few monthes, it has been great to get to know you and have you teach our english class. The projects we did were certainly nothing i have ever done before and it was refreshing to use some creativity and participate in new things. I also really liked the fact that you didn't just have us sit around and take notes but you let the students get involved and used your computer for different aspects of learning. While I enjoyed that however, I will admit that it was hard having a student teacher in the middle of the year. I had gotten used to Mrs Godwin's style of teaching and it was difficult to get used to something different. I am not opposed to change but in the middle of the year with so much other stuff going on at school, it can be a pain. I wasn't used to doing projects and activities since we used to just have quizes mostly. I did like the fact that we sat in a circle and had discussions though. I think that is a great way to learn and i liked hearing other people's opinions on various topics. I myself did not particularly voice my opinion much but i enjoyed listening to others speak. I am not sure that the circle method will work on your new 7th graders though because they are younger and it does not seem as though they would be able to take it seriously. It is hard to have an intelligent conversation at that age without someone having to be immature at some point. I aLso think you should make the due dates of projects a little stricter for them because when late work is accepted there is no motivation to do the work and try your best. I wish you luck in your future, I know you'll do great!
Mr. Wind
Lets be honest here, I had no problem with the way you personaly tought, or the unit that you were teaching. The only problem I had was that, like every student teacher, you come in and cram our minds with a totaly diffrent subject than what we were learing prior to your arivial. I agree with chris becaus ew ehave no choice. You just come in and do your thing, and when you leave we go back to normal. In the long run i may look back and realize that it was a nice break getting away from reading book and writing not refelcive essays. I think you will do very well wherever you go, and im glad you decided to come to Hamburg Ps. sorrry this may be a little all over the its 11:41 and im very tired.
Thanks again and good luck in your future.
I agree with Chris' statements about how the learning enviorment has changed over the past 5 weeks. I think that more people been talking and putting in their input into the topic. The past couple days we have been sitting in a circle and they have been exciting because we learn alot about everybody and what they think about certain things.
-ursh
Thanks you all for your words of wisdom...
I must say that I have a lot to think about in the coming weeks as I reflect upon my experience and my impression that I have made upon you. Likewise, I will have to consider my ability to reach or not reach each of you.
Good luck to all of you today and in your future...
Mr. Wind
Alice Walker tells Barack Obama in her letter that he has finaly achieved what other black leaders wanted for their people. She tells him not to be like other presidents in the past because their smiles have lost happiness and remind people of sizzors, and their hair is as white as the house they lived in. She tells Obama to relax and be a good leader. I dissagree about what Alice walker says in her letter. She makes it sound like all the other presidents were failures, but I think we have had plenty of successful presidents like Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Rossevelt. I also dissagree with the way she says that Obama should not get too worried about the current status of the country. I think that he should work hard until we are out of this economic mess.
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