august 15

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Little Know It All" by Iggy Pop and "Words (Between the Lines of Age)" by Neil Young]

Consider the following image (courtesy of the fine folks at BoingBoing). What issues/problems/challenges in your life once seemed HUGE but got smaller as you gained a greater perspective on things--as you learned? As you reflect, step back and "watch" yourself go through the process of remembering; how does the way you tell yourself the story reinforce ideas and feelings: how does it teach you? [Update: Watching students, re-reading this and thinking the topic needs more seasoning: a) How does gaining a greater perspective motivate you to make the world a better place; and b) when is it appropriate to use words that have an emotionally cathartic effect?


















AGENDA:
1. Journal/turn in
2."Richard Cory"
3. Socratic seminar: "The Right to Your Opinion"

• What is a right?  What obligation/s do entitlements create?
• How does asserting the right to an opinion affect the search for truth?
• In 2 weeks when I'm in London, if I watch another American look the wrong way for traffic and step off the curb, does his right to an opinion mean I'm obligated to watch him die? 

4. Q&A re: catching up over the weekend: blog, Twitter, assignments, prep, etc.

HW:
1. Launch your blog and email the link to dpreston.learning@gmail.com
2. Create your Twitter account and follow @prestonlearning
3. Catch up on posts and comments.
4. If you aced "Richard Cory" you get to pick our next readings. Have a look at these sites-- Native American Culture, Native American Myths of Creation, and American Folklore-- and then do your own research to find other sources that may have better choices. Identify your top 3-5 and comment to this post or email to dpreston.learning@gmail.com.
5. If you did not ace "Richard Cory" (or you weren't called on, in which case you should be ready Monday :) you can go double-or-nothing. Get two As--and mad respect-- by reciting Jimmy Santiago Baca's "Immigrants in Our Own Land" as soon as you're ready. This is a poem we'll all get to in Spring; if you learn it now you can teach it then.  I will also be inviting Jimmy Santiago Baca to join us, so if you know the poem you can be the expert.
4. Think about the week in this class. Reflect on where you felt strong and where you felt like "[gulp]." Think of something you need to work on and change. Think of ways your colleagues and I can help. Post these ideas to your blog. I'll plan to read by 8:30 Sunday evening.