june 3

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Take notes on the presentations that will enable you to connect the dots and prepare for your final.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Masterpiece presentations

June 1
3
Esme
Christian

7

masterpiece academy question

When the last presentation has been given, this is the question I'll ask you to write on for your final reflection.  Please feel free to start a post or notes that will help you remember what's important.
______________________________________________________________________________

For the last two weeks the Masterpiece Academy has been your showcase.  As you reflect on this experience, and your overall experience in this course throughout the year, please address the following questions in a traditional MLA-style essay.  Then post about it to your blog in any medium (music, pictures, video, animation, [?]) that brings your thesis to life.  (You may embed the original paper if you can't think of a better way to communicate.)

Please Note: Everything on the traditional paper assignment counts.  Please proofread and/or ask a friend or relative to help with organization, flow, and mechanics (capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, MLA style, e.g.)


Masterpiece Academy Question

Montaigne ended his essay "Of The Education of Children" this way:

To return to my subject, there is nothing like alluring the appetite and affections; otherwise you make nothing but so many asses laden with books; by dint of the lash, you give them their pocketful of learning to keep; whereas, to do well you should not only lodge it with them, but make them espouse it. (1580)

The word espouse originally meant "to marry" and took on connotations like "embrace," "love," and "advocate."  Have you espoused learning?  Explain your growth in this course via a narrative that portrays you as the dynamic protagonist in your own Bildungsroman.  Please include the following elements.

ELEMENT 1: You have been treated as colleagues and you have been given a great deal of choice in this course; this represents a high level of trust.  Did you and the others deserve it?  Earn it?  Honor it? 

ELEMENT 2: Fiction has been called "the lie that tells the truth."  Which works, authors, or characters did you read this year that rang true enough to make you feel like they described parts of you and/or your journey? (Please mention at least three.  It makes them sad when we forget them.)

ELEMENT 3: Have you re/connected with a passion that drives you?  If so, how will you continue your learning?  If not, how will you proceed?

ELEMENT 4: [Something about literature or this course that made you laugh out loud.]

ELEMENT 5: [A unifying theme that runs through a minimum of five (5) presentations; a quality of the content, or the speakers, or their communication techniques that strikes you as something important that we have in common.]  Please illustrate/support your point with specific examples from the presentations.

ELEMENT 6: Evaluate whether you completed the hero's journey.  Are you a hero?  To what extent did you respond to the call of adventure?  Did you find a mentor, conquer a challenge, and return enlightened?

ELEMENT 7: For old time's sake, sneak in a literary technique.  Don't make a big deal out of it.  I'll know it's there.

orientation for next year's students tomorrow at lunch in 608

If you are interested in co-facilitating a brief lunch meeting tomorrow in 608 for next year's students, please let me know.  And if you know a junior who is planning to take the course next year, please let him/her know.

june 1

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Take notes on the presentations that will enable you to connect the dots and prepare for your final.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Masterpiece presentations

June 1
3
Ashley
Morgan

7
Mollee
 

may 29

JOURNAL TOPIC:  Please take notes that help you connect the dots and prepare for your final.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Masterpiece presentations


3
Justin
Christina
Emilio


(Brigette if time)

7
*Follow up on Jared's work
*Quiz

1: Who is the main character? 

2: What is the event that scars the main character? Why does it affect him 

so deeply, meaning, why does he almost shut everyone out?

3: What happened to the main characters mother when he and his brother 

were young? 

4: Who is Catherine and how is she effected by the same event, and why?

5: Who is Amon, and whose orders is he following? 

6: Who and what is Ragnarok? Why does he serve the main character?

7: What age was the main character taken captive, and what was the group 

that did it?

8: Who is Hina? What does she do in the coils, and what is her special 

ability?

9: Who shows up after Archer is revealed to be alive? Do you personally 

trust him?

10: Who is Lord Dreadwyrm? What is his real name? What really happened to 

the main character's mother, and what is the out come of the epic battle? 

may 28

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Take notes on the masterpiece presentations that will help you connect the dots and write on the final. 

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Masterpiece presentations

3
Isaiah

7

may 27

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Take notes on the masterpiece presentations that will help you connect the dots and write on the final.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Masterpieces:

Period 3
Jonatan
Ronaldo
Brigette

Period 7
Rachel
Christine

may 26

For presentations: please use the classroom computer and projector, and please take notes according to the questions we've discussed. Presenters, please email Dr. Preston your presentation file or a link to your Prezi, etc.

May 26
 
3
Morgan

7
Cody

may 21

JOURNAL TOPIC:

(period 3) Take notes on Caitlin's presentation and add your own thoughts.

(period 7) What are you doing in/about this course this week?

AGENDA:
(period 3) Caitlin's Masterpiece

(period 7) Check-in/ MGOTM

masterpiece academy final question

may 20

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Read Caitlin's post and write a response.

AGENDA:

3
Ethan 's presentation

7
MGOTM

may 19

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Invent a magic spell.  Explain what it does, why you wrote it, and how it makes the world a better place.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. MGOTM/Masterpiece Academy

We are giving up

Towards the end of the school year each student starts to either give up because they know they are going to pass or go into a panic because they are going to fail a class. We all have this fear that if we fail then we are just going to fail at everything.Well that's not the case. While I was reading over the past few days I realized something. Each student has a different mindset and within those mindsets we have a fate. Fate isn't something that you just know, it is something that you feel. Our fate for the rest of this school year doesn't lie in our teachers hands, it lies in ours. We are the only holder of our fate and for that very reason we must take a step back from the chaos we call High School and take a breath. You must first see want you want and realize what you need before you can step forward in life. From only then will you know the feeling of success. You will know what is it like to achieve something that you have always wanted to. You must not fight against what is going on and rather embrace the problems. We only have a few weeks left in school. Lets get our butts into gear and show that we have learned something. It may have seemed like we all gave up but when in all reality we sat, we learned, and we will teach.

may 18

JOURNAL TOPIC:

Wave your mental magic wand and imagine the next three weeks as valuable, unforgettable learning.  What do you expect from the Masterpiece Academy and how can you contribute to making it the experience you envision?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. I reinjured my shoulder and I'm aiming to be back in class tomorrow (Tuesday).  Please use the short period to consider the journal topic and-- most importantly-- sign up for a presentation slot if you haven't already.  Thanks.

HW:

Applied Self-determination Theory, as expressed through your masterpiece work and/or literary exploration.

may 15

*COMPUTER LAB*
1. Blogs
2. Masterpieces

may 14

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Please watch the following and write a response.  Thanks to Allyson (RHS '14) for sharing this!




AGENDA:
1. Journal/discussion
2. MGOTM & complete individual interviews

HW:
Please read the post on Masterpiece Academy Presentations and get yours ready.  The Academy begins next Monday, May 18.

mike wallace interviews aldous huxley

Here is the interview with Mike Wallace (of eventual "60 Minutes" fame) and Aldous Huxley.

masterpiece presentations

Now it's time for the inmates will take over the asylum as students show how they've become the masters.  Each of you will teach the rest of us:

• How you decided what you're passionate about;
• The value your topic/field/skill has for us;
• How you learned more about the topic/field/skill by:
• Finding resources
• Becoming fluent in the language of the practitioner
• Seeking out a mentor 
• Collaborating and getting feedback from peers/blog followers
• How this has enriched your life and your experience in this course.

Per our conversations in class, your presentation should include:

• Visuals and/or hands-on experiences that bring the audience into your world
• Enough craft so as to convince us you didn't just throw something together for a grade
• Handouts or main points you think we should remember.

Please note that there will be a final essay exam based on the curriculum you create, so be sure-- as both presenter and audience member-- that you are getting the maximum understanding and value from everyone's presentations. 

masterpiece academy lineup

Thanks to everyone who requested dates via comments.  Below is the first draft schedule (with presenters' time estimates in parentheses).  If you haven't yet requested a date, please do so by Friday (May 15).  Apart from Matthew's period 4 presentation tomorrow (May 13) I have this scheduled as a working week, but don't let that stop you-- if you're ready please let me know.  I look forward to taking your micro-courses!


May 18
3

7

May 19
3

7

May 20
3
Ethan

7

May 21
3
Caitlin

7


May 26
3
Morgan

7


May 27
3
Jonatan
Ronaldo
Brigette

7
Rachel


May 28
3
Isaiah

7



May 29

3
Justin
Christina
Emilio

7

June 1
3
Ashley
Morgan

7
Mollee

June 2
3
Leandro
Maddi
Grant


7

June 3
3
Esme
Carlos
Sabrina, Rayann, & Hunter

7

June 4
3
Robert
Edwin
Kyra

7
Erica

June 5
3
Megan
Mahmoud

7

may 13

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Today professional cyclists are riding from Pismo to Avila-- by way of Guad and Santa Maria.  What's the boldest physical task you've ever undertaken?  How did it make you feel?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Brave New World: wrap-up discussion

HW:
1. Watch this interview with Aldous Huxley & explain how it helped you understand the book
2. Sign up for Masterpiece Academy