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)
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)
22 comments:
Dear Mr. Wind,
I would like to take this time to thank you for coming and taking your time on teaching us. I actually really like your teaching style. I think your transition will be hard but i think you will be able to succed. You taught all different things and i thank you for that. You put opertunity in all of our minds. Just like the letter to Barrack Obama from Alice Walker. As in the letter to James Baldwin's letter to his nephew, you taught us to be strong.
Thank you for coming.
Dear Mr.Wind,
I really want to thank you for coming to our school to teach us. You have brought change to our english class. You made things diffrent for us. You were a little bit more fast movings than most of the of the other teachers, but it was good for us students. I think your transiton to Buffalo will be difficult but you will adjust. Just be paitent and work hard like you have taught us. Like Kelly said you have taught us to be strong. We want you to continue to do the same.
Thank you so very much for coming.
Dear Mr. Wind
I agree with what Kelly said in the fact that she liked your teaching style and i also like how we did things that required our opinions. A lot of times teachers dont ask us our opinions they just either dont care or dont realize we have them. I think that your transition from our school to buffalo will be hard but thats just because the kids might not be used to your teaching style but either were we and i turned out to like it.
-Michael Murphy
Dear Mr. Wind
I agree with what Kelly said in the fact that she liked your teaching style and i also like how we did things that required our opinions. A lot of times teachers dont ask us our opinions they just either dont care or dont realize we have them. I think that your transition from our school to buffalo will be hard but thats just because the kids might not be used to your teaching style but either were we and i turned out to like it.
-Michael Murphy
Dear Mr Wind,
I agree with Mike and Nicole. Your teaching style was very good because you included the everyone to help teach the class. We had many great discussions and were able to hear many peoples opinions. The only thing I would suggest to you is that you incorporate some new things in class, we read many poems. Your transition will defiantly be difficult but you can do it. T5hanks again for coming to teach us.
-Al
Dear Mr. Wind,
I think it was great to have you in class and have a break from a normal lesson and learn about things that are happening in our everyday life. I really enjoyed this lesson because it showed me how different people look at different things and if you want something accomplish you have to work for it. Being able to also speak from my own point of view and have my own opinions was great because it made the class a lot less stressful. Even though there were some things i didnt agree with or disliked it was nice to see other peoples opinions and it made me sometimes change my mind about certain things.I think being able to stand up in front of a class and teach 11 graders takes a lot of courage so i have alot of respect for you.Especially with a different kind of lesson that you don't normally see in english classes. Im pretty sure 7th graders are going to be a lot different than 11 graders and i know they will deffinatly be talking alot more than my class ever did. Im sure youll do great because when teaching me you did do great.
-Emma
Mr. Wind-
Well to say the least i was glad that you gave us a break from endless books that had nothing to do with my future self or the world surrounding us outside of school. You made me consider some important factors on my life and problems in the world. The time you have spent here with us was very memorable. The occasonal curve ball needs to be thrown to us every once and a while to wake us up and fully open our eyes to realize that there are still many problems that we still need to overcome to fully acheive what we want. Happyness.
-Peace, Clay
Dear Mr. Wind,
First, I would like to say that I am not really big on technology. I really do not even know how to use my own computer, cellphone, or iPod; so when we were told we had to do this blog, I was pretty nervous. I have to say, it was pretty difficult, but it helps students communicate which can be really difficult, especially for our class. Being the student in the class who does not know anyone else is pretty hard, but this blog allowed me to get to know my classmates a lot more, and that is really special.
I am not really fond of debating either, and most of the things we did as a class had to do with us stating our opinion on a subject and defending it. I have always thought that it was better to keep what I thought to myself and not to intrude on another person's opinions and ideas. However, I guess that is what the whole social justice unit should have taught us in the end: we need to take action if we want to change the world, and the first step is showing our own unique points of view.
Although it has only been five short weeks, I am sure I will take the things I have learned in your class with me for some time. Thank you so much for taking the time to teach us that our opinions are more than just thoughts that will change; they are thoughts that can make change. Good luck, Mr. Wind!
Sincerely,
Erica George
I do not really agree with Kelly and Nicole when they said that they think you will have a difficult transition into Buffalo. I think anywhere you go there will be difficult things that you have to face and uncomfortable situations to live through, but there are a lot of great things in every place as well. I am sure you will love your new school in Buffalo. It will difficult but so was Mrs. Godwin's first period class.
I really enjoyed Clay's blog. I agree with every point he made in it, and I really like how he writes.
Dear Mr. Wind
I would like to thank you for coming out and teaching our class the social justice unit. It was better than any other unit in English this year. Even though I hated it, it was better than reading novels. I don't think the blogging was a bad idea at all I actually like it since there is no paper or writing involved. I also liked the Myspace/Facebook project since most of us know how to make a Myspace or a Facebook it made it easy. Its especially nice to have a teacher that is up to date and does not do notes on the overhead all day or writes on the chalkboard all class. Thats just plain annoying. Your projects where more hands on and I like that style of learning.
Thanks, Derek
David's Life
My name is David and I'm always sad.
It is because my parents are always mad.
They blame it on me even thought I'm not to blame.
They think their continual fighting is just a game
I wish it would stop. I wish it could end.
I wish they could get their act together once again.
Another problem is when my dad drinks beer
It is then that me and my mother fear.
I wish they would, if just for my sake, split apart
Instead of fighting so and breaking my heart.
They're always fighting and they're always yelling.
They're never talking - that's why I'm failing.
I wish they would seek help, oh surely I do
But all they ever say is, " I don't have time to listen you."
So they give me the blame and they yell at me about school
And I hope one day I can say, "I'm doing all right, it is you, you fools."
My name is David and I'm always sad.
It is because my parents are always mad.
mr. wind,
i really like the way that you have taught us. i like your method and i like how you involve the whole class in the discussion wether we want to comment or not. thank you for being with us. good luck in the future
i agree with kelly because we both liked your teaching style. although you gave us harder projects than mrs godwin would have given us we were still able to do them
dear mr. wind,
i really appreciate all you have taught us. I know we could be a really big pain the the butt most of the time, but im glad you put up with it, and continue to do so. You truly are a really good teacher and i know that you will do great in your new teaching job. Just as advice, in the future, i would not give as much projects as you did with us, it was a bit overwhelming. I really do wish you success in the future, but i know that you will not need it.
i agree with chickadee because i too did not like the idea of the bloging. i didnt like how we were responsible for making a blog. but it worked out
I agree with kelly because i liked your teaching style. You taught us to be strong.
I agree highly with Clay. He writes really good, and he definitly gets the point across that most teachers waste our time with pointless teachings.
Thank you all!
Both the Alice Walker letter and the James Baldwin letter express their views through the use of literary elements such as similes, metaphors and symbolism. Both letters also give advice on life to their recipient. However, the letter by James Baldwin and the letter from Alice Walker differ in the way in which they present their advice. James Baldwin uses the past to base his advice on, but Alice Walker's letter looks towards the future.
Both the Alice Walker letter and the James Baldwin letter express their views through the use of literary elements such as similes, metaphors and symbolism. Both letters also give advice on life to their recipient. However, the letter by James Baldwin and the letter from Alice Walker differ in the way in which they present their advice. James Baldwin uses the past to base his advice on, but Alice Walker's letter looks towards the future.
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