Introductory Things...

Today we began the day with a short reading self-evaluation. Then, after an introductory circle about our names, we read Adler's "How to Mark a Book" (in second period anyway). More on that tomorrow.

Monday & Tuesday: Welcome Back!

We spent these first two days examining a painting by William Blake and taking care of some introductory odds and ends.

For tomorrow:

By Friday: Read the full syllabus online, then locate, print and sign the AP Honor Statement.
By 9/7: Return Back-to-School Forms

Summer HW Part 3, Etc.

The discussion forum looks great and I am enjoying your thoughts on How to Read Literature Like a Professor. As you know, your posts to the discussion forum are due today; however, feel free to continue posting (or even post late). Everything I get in the next week will count (just less if you haven't been posting). Some reminders:

• Start your own thread or reply to someone. The goal is conversation.
• Be real. Make connections between the book and what you read, watch, play, etc.
• Keep it short and simple. The occasional long post is fine, but long posts often inhibit conversation (TL;DR). One idea=one post. Think Twitter rather than Facebook.
• Take 5 minutes and read the guidelines and rubric. Seriously.

The third and final piece of the summer assignment is posted at Google Classroom (due 8/26). It asks you to read and write about three short storties—Katherine Mansfield's "The Garden Party" (from HTRLLP) and two of the other short stories I have posted. Click on the assignment at Classroom and type your response in the Google doc it gives you.

I will be using Remind.com this year. You will get an email with details, but some of you will already be familiar with it (Muldoon and Lovfald use it, I think).

Enjoy your last few weeks of summer (and remind your friends to check their school email). Don't hesitate to contact me with questions.

See you all soon!

Foster & the Discussion Board

As we near the first due date for the summer homework (not counting the email in June), I wanted to touch base about a couple of things.

Foster & the Discussion Board:

• You should be well into Foster's book by now (there is a PDF here). I hope you are finding it interesting.
• As I mentioned previously, don't expect to get all the allusions to other books. The examples are just to help you get his point.
• Actually read it. Pretending to read it (or anything we study this year) is a useless exercise. It's like pretending to do push-ups: it won't make you stronger.
• Twenty-one of you have successfully logged in to Google Classroom. All of you should have an invitation in your email. The summer assignment is posted there in full.
• Discussion board posting has begun (posts are due 8/12 and 8/19); the more you engage, the better. I read the new posts every day; you should too.
• Read the discussion board guidelines posted at Classroom before you start posting. 
• You may post a new thread or comment on an existing thread.
• Good posts do not have to be long posts. Long posts, like long-winded people, actually tend to inhibit conversation.
• It is a good idea to connect Foster's book to books, movies, video games, etc. where you notice his ideas in action.
• How you craft your comments matters. Take care with your language, even if you are posting with your thumbs.

Don't hesitate to email or text with questions or concerns.