15 Days and Counting until the Lang Exam. No worries.
After that, we have approximately 4 weeks left together before you are on your way to a fun-filled and relaxing summer.
So, while it is true I have plans for you, I would like to know what kinds of things YOU would like to do with that time. (No, Zander, Ultimate Frisbee, Pokemon tournaments or cutting my class are NOT viable options.)
Make your list, check it twice and I promise to take it all under advisement and plan accordingly. Have at it, poppets!
58 comments:
Believe it or not, I really like the way we are managing our time right now. The frequent practice is definitly helping, especially going over everything afterward. The only thing that I think would help is maybe writing and essay together. I feel like everytime I look at the essay prompts, I do not know what they are talking about. So maybe also talking about the different types of prompts that could be given? Other than that, what we are doing now is really helping me to get a grasp on the questions and the different ways they ask them. Is that what you meant Bunj?
Not the last comment for once either :)
Wow, it’s really hard to believe that after these tests are all over with we will only have four weeks keeping us from summer! Then again it’s extremely hard for me to even imagine a world outside of this crazy, chaotic AP time that we have all been so encompassed in all year. But ahh if I can actually take a moment to get away from my endless amounts of homework and studying that needs to be done by this time two weeks from today, I would have to say anything revolving being outside in the, hopefully warm weather, would surely brighten my days. Being that we all have you towards the end of our day, the weather should be perfect for a nice venture out into the free, clean air that we are all so deprived of while being stuffed inside of Oakcrest all day. I think for at least a few days we should do something to just “detox” to get out all of this built up stress and worrying that we have all been undoubtedly feeling. After we get that out of the way, I would love to read a couple good books that are some of your favorites, not the typical “English class books” but something you find enjoyable, like the Secret Life of Bees. I think projects revolving around the book also helps to make it more enjoyable, like the Wailing Wall. When we were involved in that it connected us with an important part of the book. That’s all I can really think of, but I’m sure these were all part of your ideas anyway because you know us all very well by now. =]
I honestly can not believe this school year is almost over… it is almost summer time!!! Then we’ll be seniors. =D It’s fun but scary how fast this is all going, but honestly I can NOT wait until all of the up all night, studying all day, can’t get rid of my headache AP madness is all over. I am counting down the days on my puppy calendar… After May 14th all of the hard stuff is over. I would most like to have some more of the legendary, no real answer Bunje discussions. I also really like reading books.. as long as there are interesting. As long as we do not have any more RRLs or AP practice tests and 204 returns to its original stress-free bonhomie atmosphere I will be content. =D
I agree with Brittany about the fun projects based on the book. The wailing wall added a nice touch to the room and made the book a lot more fun.
=D
I can't believe that I'm actually writing a blog on what I want to do after the AP test. Junior year practially flew by and I feel like it went too fast. But since I can't change how fast time seems to pass, I'll just be happy with the fact that the test will soon be over and we'll all just go back to our pre-senioritis ways. I just want to have fun after the AP test. Like play silly games or do fun projects like the wailing wall as Brittany said. I thought that was pretty cool. I want to do something worthwhile that I can write my last and final occassional paper about. This one's gonna be good, I sware. I don't wanna worry about grades for once and I'm sure with what Bunje has planned for us already we won't have to worry about that. <3
=)
Now that I have my license I just want to go out and do stuff but I'm stuck right here at home to study, study, study. Right now I’m doing a 30 –something-long assignment for biology for 10 chapters that we need to quickly touch upon. Then I’m going to study for calculus because I need to figure out this one idea. Then hopefully, I can study history. I never get very far with that… And language I feel pretty secure considering we study for class. We have two passages and a practice test a week and also the essays. There isn’t much more I can do at home. But anyway, after all of these tests, in a matter of what was that… 15 days? We will be free as free as the wind blows. As free as the grass grows! And I really like Kim’s ideas. Good discussions, good books. And a lot of time outside. We definitely have to hit up that courtyard every day. So, not much more to say. I like the idea of ultimate Frisbee, pokemon tournaments, and not cutting class, but this Gary Carlson, signing out.
I personally cannot wait for this year to be over. Never have I stressed so much in my life, but I have so many memories from this year that ending it would be extremely sad too. Like Bec said, all I want to do after the AP test is over is have fun. I want to be able to go out and not have to worry about studying. After the AP test, I will also have a lot more time to think things through in my life and comprehend where I want to go as a get older. Lately, I have been so stressed that I don't even want to think about next week, but after the AP test, I want to spend all the time I can just sitting around and thinking.
Bec and Britt, you guys couldn't have said it any better for me. After the AP test, I just want to have FUN at school. It seems like this has not been possible at allllllll this year and it makes me dread waking up in the morning to go stress out for 8 hours in a classroom, sitting down all day. All I'm going to want to do after all of this is over is jump up and down and squeal and go outside and get my favorite feeling, energizica. Like Britt said, a detox directly after the test would be nice and I don't mind reading books either, as long as there is no daunting book report afterwards, or some huge test like that. But I know that's not you're style, Bunj, so I'm glad.
And now that we're on the topic of AP tests, can I just remind everyone that May 9th, next Friday, is not just important because it's the AP US History test but also my birthday?! It's going to be such a long day/weekend! I take the AP test and my driver's test all on the same day, and then the next day is prom, and then the day after that is Counties for crew. I'm still excited though :)
More occasional paper type free writing that gets read either by you or by the class.
Read the NY Times and discuss articles in class!
Movies! Good movies. Not Shrek. OR Finding Nemo. Or anything that comes from film studios by the name of Pixar or Dreamworks. We could watch House or something.
Interesting books, because I hated secret life of bees. Maybe we can make suggestions. I have so many many books I want to read but never have the time to.
Food! I love food. We can't have fondue parties with a beaker and a hot plate like in biology, but we can have alphabet cookies or something.
College stuff. We are going to have to think about where we are applying and what we are going to do with the rest of our lives. Essay help? Putting our voice on paper. All the admissions counselors say the purpose of the essay is so show how unique we are.
Bring in Allison.
Think about how we could change the world. And then do it.
Wow, this year flew by. I remember being in 8th grade and all of my cousins older than me told me it would fly by. My first day of my freshman year I didn't believe that. My first day of my sophmore year, I didn't believe that, now, with only about 30 more days of my most important year left of high school, I am so relieved. I can't count on one hand how many times I've spent literally HOURS studying for my chemistry tests. I've also spent stressful hours on the phone with my friends discussing my reader response logs, trying to figure out the tone of a passage. But, since that's all about to be over, I feel like I've accomplished my goal of being successful in my honors and AP classes. Soon, I will have the opportunity to turn off my alarm clock because I won't have to wake up early for school. Which means no more lates. (Remember you used to greet me everyday last year at the front desk around 8am, an hour late for school, just about every day. I'm glad those long sessions of credit completion are over. Anyway, I want to have fun. Since you see how stressed we all are about the upcoming test, you'd be able to tell that we need a break. I want to have deep discussions about interesting topics, debates, and outside, reading really good books on blankets in the bright sun. Even games! I can't wait until this is all over and done with.
Well, obviously, we are going to have a party with some good food and some meditation stuff to unwind. I think rocking ap tests deserves some celebration, and some rest. I think Brittany mentioned most of the things I'd want to do after the ap test: read some good books, do some fun projects and spend time outside. I liked the book project we did with Mrs. Finn last year, but I wouldn't want to do something exactly the same. Like Mikey said, I really want to do some college stuff, and also SAT stuff, since that's what we have to worry about next. I think most of us have no idea what to do for college application essays. I mean, 4 weeks isn't a lot of time, but we'll just have to make it the best 4 weeks possible. :)
Wow, it's kind of crazy how it is the last few weeks of school and the days are quickly counting down. Sadly, I will be missing around 4-6 days because of crew. During these last few days after the AP test I would like to just relax, but still learn new things. I would like to go outside and do things classes usually don't do. I wouldn't mind a party celebrating everyone's excellence in the class either =]! Fun writing exercises would be great and our conversations as a class are always amazing too. Overall, I would like to just keep the class interesting and do FUN English exercises. I hate it when we have to read boring books or do long pointless homework's in school. So let's just make these days count and keep learning new things everyday!
Now that I finished my blog I went back and read some other people's blog. It is so weird becasue we all want the same type of things in some ways. So Bunje make it good....
Okay, so 5 weeks? Really? That's it until the end of school. Am I the only one that finds this completely incomprehensible?! It seems sooo crazy that this year is already gone. I was thinking about this past summer and realizing that it was close to a full year ago and that our next, and infinitely better one, is right around the corner. Honestly, this summer, even without a license, I’m sure will be the best one we’ve had so far and of course one to remember. It’s the summer before our senior year, it can’t get much better.
But before that, we have 15 days until the end of AP exams, obviously. And for me, they start a week from today (AP stat). Then the next four weeks. I have figured out that my day should be fairly easy. Because I was insane and somehow people didn’t stop me from taking 4 AP’s this year, my schedule goes like this: French-joke, epa-easy, bio-ap so it’s over, stat-ditto, gym, cervi-ditto, and then AP lang. Ending the day with a bang.
As everyone else said, I really hope to RELAX. There are nights I can look back on and wonder how am I here today alive – nights where I knew I had a hairy, honking 10-chapter bio assignment, an RRL, and a history book review. I don’t know how we survived it. But now it’s almost over and I just want to have fun. Like Bec and Britt and Jo said, I want to have fun. I want to go outside and sit in the shade with a breeze instead of stuffy, sticky, stinking Oakcrest when its 100 degrees. I want to read books. I seriously just told Hannah today that I had so many books at home I’ve bought at Borders over the past couple of months that I want to read so badly but I have to study instead. Possibly, we could read one of those, or have an independent reading project on the side or something. I want to have random discussions like you said where you just pick a topic and we talk about it all class, but something interesting and philosophical where there aren’t facts like war or politics or anything like that. I want to just bask in the beauty of knowing I’m done with AP. SAT/College stuff could be nice, but honestly, that can wait I think. I wouldn’t overload us with a lot of that Bunj because we will already be, or already are, ready to kill anyone who has anything to do with standardized testing. I think that’s about it. Any one of that list would be beneficial as long as we don’t have to take any hard tests. But I trust you get the gist and know what we want since you know us by now =)
P.S. I agree with Mikey. Bring in Allison and Shaun! (and yes, Mikey and I say their names right unlike the rest of period 12)
Oh, and one more thing. I just noticed that the title of the blog is "Kids First". I would like to point out that this is the name of my doctor's office and that's a bit sad.
I vote that we do nothing. No but seriously, I’d like to read some good books. Like ones that leave you like “WOW! That was a good book.” And I like Shrek and Finding Nemo, for the record. They’re cute. I want to be able to relax and enjoy our last year before we’re seniors. Yipes. Okay Christine, way to write a novel. I want to just have nothing to stress about. Some nice, good books and tons and tons of fun. Which reminds me of Tunnels of Fun. I loved that place! I had my birthday party there when I was three I think. It’s a shame the employees had to do drugs in the ball pit and it had to get shut down…okay that’s it. OKAY BYE EVERYONE!!!!!
Wow, I cant believe it we have 5 more mondays until we are all set free.Yes I mean free.Junior year sure as hell went quick but it also went slow.Taking AP and Honors classes were a challenges at the beginning but at the end I was successful.I did what I had to do my Junior year and I am very proud.My grades have been better then all my years combined this year and I have grown as an indivdual.After this AP test I hope to take some real english with Bunje and just enjoying coming to class to learn about life and not why the diction and the syntax of a passage sets the tone but what the passage means to me and how it ties into my everyday life.As far as the summer goes;plan on seeing me on ABC news for something I did outrageous because I plan on having loads of FUN.Summer 2008 here I come!!
Ok I’m just going to write the first ideas that come to mind. First of all Rock Band. We get someone to bring a 360 in or something and play Rock Band in class. You know that would be awesome.
Also we should make class have more a “Buffet” approach taken to it. I know that may sound like some sort of bizarre teaching methodology, but I assure you that that was in no way a metaphor. At the side of the room we should just set up a buffet table we can go eat from at any point.
Also there are a few specific movies we should probably watch in class. First of all, Labyrinth. Come on Bunje, I really am in a real “David Bowie” mood right now. Also “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and some episodes of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” are a must.
Reading Megan’s post gives me another idea. Ball Pit. You should just turn the entire classroom into a ball pit one day with no warning. That would be pretty awesome in my opinion.
If I think of anything else I’ll keep you updated. See you later Bunje, and remember to dance magic dance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxoE2az9mJM
Only four more weeks of school after the AP Exam?! That's weird school always felt so long, well until it actually comes to an end. =] But I have to say I'll miss all our fun little ways in Oakcrest, summers not all that great, but yeah I do like my free time.^^ I agree with Kim and Brittany, more great books like Secret Life of Bees would be nice and some cool projects revolving around that would be a plus on our grades too. I also like the whole idea with spending more time outdoors, maybe we could go to six flags! I've only been there once and it was a blast! hehehe Hey I think we should do some weird contests too, that would be funny and relaxing at the same time. =D Or we could go to the beach and read there, we'll have a all day school trip to the beach and to six flags!!!^^
Holy cow. It's freaking May and soon, JUNE. This year will soon be a distant memory when s-u-m-m-e-r rolls around. But anyway, what do I want to do in class? A combination of everyones answer already, basically. Going outside and just relaxing while having a deep discussion about anything other then diction, syntax, and tone. please. Having a real English class would be nice too. I think the main thing is that we all get to blow off steam after these AP tests are over. Summer '08 can't come fast enough.
The end is near! How crazy! It feels like just yesterday we were damning Bunje to AP hell for giving us crazy assignments and now I really don’t want to leave her this summer! But on the other hand summer will bring about change, opportunity, and hot sexy boys! So for the last five weeks I want my friend to make an appearance once a week for help of course, I want to discuss topics that will make me cry smile and laugh, and I want to relax! I have heard the rumors of the marvelous Bunje and her marvelous English class, now I want to see it! I want to see how it feels to learn without stress (although Bunje has done a great job at balancing AP with discussions and life and all that crap) but I feel bamboozled out of the full experience! So Bunje you have your work cut out!
JU-BUN-GEE thanks for everything and I am feeling more confident about this AP exam, for once I’m overwhelmed but not by your class! More and more each day I feel prepared. You are a phenomenal teacher in other words YOU ROCK!
I ENDED EVERY SENTENCE BUT ONE IN AN EXCLIMATION LOL THAT’S GREAT!
What would I like to do? Come on now. I would like to skip school for those 15 days and just go to the farm. You know- clean some stalls, scrub some buckets, school Owen over a few jumps, ride bareback, and hang out with my awesome farm friends. But since that's totally not allowed, I suppose I could settle for some good discussions. I like hearing what everyone has to say about different issues. That's pretty much all I want to do, though. Actually, maybe I shouldn't answer that question because I really don't want to be in school at all after that date. I don't want to be here now! However, I'm sure Squash has quite a few tricks up her sleeves to keep us from going crazy until summer comes.
Really would just like to go to the farm though...
I can already smell the sweetness of summer summoning me into relaxation. But I will try not to yield to this temptation quite yet. After the AP exams are over, however, only thoughts of summer will be drifting dreamlike around my head like perfect cottony clouds. So, as a prelude to summer, I would love to read some really good books (as practice for immersing myself in a good read on those long days at the beach). Some thought provoking discussions outside in the sun would be welcome too (to work on our tans). And whatever projects you have up your sleeve that will allow us to express our thoughts and creativity would be awesome (to prep us for a summer consisting of only what we want to do and think about). I’m honestly looking forward to some good old-fashioned Bunje English class.
Oh! And I really hope we can go on that field trip to the art museum thing!
It boggles my mind that we only have five weeks left of school, even though I am reminded every day when I walk into homeroom. I swear, Mr. Matlack wants summer more than we do. Anyway, the last four weeks of school are going to be much less stressful than the past four or so weeks have been, I'm assuming. We won't have AP tests looming on the horizon, the fear of "death month" (yeah I know it's not technically called death month anymore but everyone calls it that anyway), or the hours upon hours of studying to worry about anymore. I'm going to be so happy when all this AP madness is over with, because the stress is really getting to me.
Now on to what I would like to do after the AP test. Well, the first few days after the test I would like to be "give our brains a rest after that insanely stressful test" time. After that, say the Monday after the AP test, we start reading a book ( I know Siddhartha is planned, and I really want to read it). I want the rest of the year to be more relaxed and not so structured as this year has been. Oh, and I agree with Jon on the Rock Band idea. I'll challenge anyone. (just not on drums, because I'm a little foot-pedal-at-the-same-time-as-the-drumsticks impaired). And I want to do a lot of stuff outside. I love reading outside. It's my favorite place to read. Oh and SAT prep. Because I know most of us are taking the SATs in June, and we need to prepare. Well, I know I do. But I don't think we should do too much because we don't need to get stressed out again. It's not healthy. Okay, I think that's it for now. Oh one more thing! I agree with anyone who says bring in Shaun and Allison. We want to meet them. Okay I'm done :)
So Emily Capille and I have been saying how we have been so lazy and unmotivated it isn't funny. We feel like there is so much to do before AP exams, we just don't know what to do. I know for me, I know I just don't want to. But like Emily said, I won't succumb to the enticing dreams about summer until after the AP exams. But after that, summer better come quickly. Just as Emily said, I want to read interesting books. Books that will entice in depth discussions. I want to have an English class, not an AP class that is only worried about getting a 5 on the exam. I want to warm up my imagination. If we do class outside though, please give me some warning because unlike Capille, I don't get tan. I'm either white or red. Nothing else. I want to be able to be able to relax and just curl up with a good book, (and I'm sure that any books assigned by Bunje will be stupendous!) Life after AP exams is going to be heaven.
Am I the only one who thinks the drums for Rock Band are incredibly easy? It's just patterns?@!#%
Oh man, Bunje, why did you make this blog so difficult!? Have you no heart!?!?!?
Here’s my list :
• Lots and lots of class discussions on life
• Read something or talk about something intellectual outside when its bright, warm, and sunny
• Write about the most rememberable class discussion, assignment, or project we did throughout the year and why it sticks out in our minds as we look back at our year together
• Eat lots of food
• Go through old blog responses and discuss them (or try to guess who wrote what)
• Pick a name out of a hat of a classmate and write about them using as many rhetorical devices as possible and see if we can figure out who they’re about (it will make it more interesting to read and pay attention to)
• Everyone brings in their favorite song with lyrics and we have to break it down and try to fully understand the ultimate message it was sending
• Eat more food
• Put all of the desks in a big circle and have a fun discussion or do something (I just like sitting in circles..)
• Have silly debates on random fun topics to keep practicing our persuasion skills
• Write poems
• Eat even more food
• Write letters to ourselves in 20 years telling us how we are now, where we hope to be, anything!! And we have to seal them up and put them somewhere we can’t get to until 20 years have passed =]
i love jon's idea about making the class more like a buffet =] if you didn't get the hint from my blog!! once prom is over i plan on eating atleast every 5 minutes..not like i don't do that now
Once the AP test is over, the only thing I can say I want to do is not see a multiple choice test or a rhetorical mode analysis essay. English is the most practical thing we learn in school, because once it is mastered, a student will only go far in their career. Last year with the man himself, I enjoyed the way we learned, the things we talked about, the topics debated. I can see us doing some of the same things, but with a different swagger.
We are juniors now, about to be seniors, and I know for a fact we are ready to embark on our college lives and experiences. But I do wonder sometimes if I am prepared. If I will make it. If I will survive. What I think will calm this doubt is reading more novels and short stories. This way as a class we will be well read and more knowledgeable than we are now, we always have room to grow.
I also wouldn’t mind class discussions, like we had earlier in the year, about topics globally and nationally controversial. We can learn a lot from each other, I see it everyday. As intellectual AP kids, we all have different reasons for doing things, and different ways to look at the same glass. When we all collaborate, great things can be accomplished, and insights will be brought out never imagined sitting in my room studying history alone.
BTW, I like Leslies idea of the song thing. Music is something that I not only listen for the song, but the meaning, to get away, to focus, or to relate to something. If we do different things with songs we can really learn about our classmates first, then ourselves.
I think what im saying is that I want to know what my classmates and friends are thinking, and I want to work with them to better myself. The most important type of teaching is the ability to learn it, understand it, and pass it on.
I love Leslie's blog idea. All year we have let our voices show through on this blog. It would be cool if we could guess who someone is based on the voice they developed all year and displayed on the blog.
I am confident that Miss Bunje will surprise us, teach us useful values, and keep us occupied after the AP Exams without any body feeling like the work given until the year ends is a waste of time. This might sound weird, but I actually miss the debates that our AP cohort engaged in last year. Debates are exciting and my favorite part about them is, those who "lose" never forget what shut them down. In my opinion finding the weak points in yourself is the key to understanding and eventually bettering yourself for the future. That’s all I can really suggest. I think that no matter what we do, the end of the year will be a blast simply because all of us will be relieved from the stresses of the AP exams and because we will all be so excited about summer heading our way. I know I will be one of those students with a ridiculous grin pasted on my face for no reason other than the fact that schools end is so close.
Wow. Its hard to believe that when AP testing is over we have so much time left. I mean yea 4 weeks is not alot of time but at the same time it is. I am not going to want to anything but we defiantly should. I LOVE reading books and discussing them in class. They have to interesting books, if you picked them i wouldnt worry that they would be interesting. I also love to read articles and discuss them as well. Not boring articles but weird things. We should have class outside. YEA!! that would be cool and it would be probably alot nicer than sitting in the stuffy class room. We should write poems too. Then we can write them out loud. I also love exercises that involve us to get up and move around and really get me thinking. We should def have tons of class discussions about everything. I just want to have fun and relax really, which i am sure we will do. Otherwise keep up the good teaching job and do your thing. lol
Basically, everything I want to do post-AP life is outlined in Mikey’s blog. I have New York Times articles emailed to my phone every morning and afternoon, and I love coming across interesting and up-to-date articles that would spark a discussion, if I wasn’t the only one reading them.
Mmmm. We should definitely watch movies, but not the same old same old Disney ones. We should watch “Monty Python”, “Across the Universe”, “V for Vendetta”, and “House” Season 3, just because.
Books are a good option, considering that this is an English class. I will most likely be annoyed by this though because I have a giant stack of books that I have been waiting to read. “The World is Flat” , “Mass Hate”, “Dante’s Divine Comedy”, and “Pride and Prejudice” are just a few. Maybe perhaps we could each read our own pre-approved books and do a little project on it.
Help with college stuff is definitely needed and/or wanted. Tips on writing the perfect application essay, college interviews, and how to be the all around perfect applicant would greatly be appreciated.
Food is a given. We AP kids love food, parties, and baked goods. We should have several parties before the end of the year.
I liked Leslie’s idea to where would pick out old blog responses and then guess who wrote them. We don’t even have to do old blogs, we could block out the name attached to old essays that we have written and guess who they are. That should be fun and would be a tell tale sign how our writing has evolved and whether or not and if we have effectively developed our own style and our own voice.
What I am really looking forward to after the AP exam is sleeping. Lets all take naps outside in the grass. Sleeping is very nice.
I have to leave for soccer practice and this is a fun blog, so I'm going to make this short and sweet.
First. Christine, his name is "Shane," not "Shaun." So, you were wrong. You're not the only one in 12th period who gets the name right. I am. :P
Next, I agree with every single one of Jon's ideas. Mostly the buffet and Rock Band parts. The ball pit could get a bit messy, especially if it's anything like Tunnels of Fun where the employees did drugs and the kids threw up and "pottyed."
I like the idea of going outside to read or meditate (or play Ultimate Frisbee) as well. Other than that, I think it should be AP Cinema/Study Hall all the way!
Or play the game of Life or Apples to Apples or a**hole or something fun like that. Anything that isn't multiple choice or essay related sounds good to me.
Well, the year is almost over and I am absolutely enthralled for AP Exams to be over and summer to come. This year was my hardest year in high school, however I definitely can say that I’ve learned more about myself this year alone than I’ve ever learned in my life leading up to this year. I don’t know if I could say that this was a good compromise for not keeping up with my grades, but maybe in some alternate world this all made sense and me doing horrible this year is meant to be…………- can you tell I kindda don’t even believe myself? But, I guess for the rest of our time together it would be awesome, like jon said, if we can eat more and talk less! I wanna walk into your class room and not have to worry if anything is due or if there’s a test creeping up on me. For the rest of the year want to continue learning more about myself, life and everything it has to offer and maybe answer all my “why” questions. But other than that I’m so excited for the sun kissed skin, sandy toes, tank-ini’s on the beach and everything that summer brings along.
I Think that i'm really going to miss school once it's over. Without realizing it most of our friends are school friends, and once we leave there are some friends we wont be able to see untill another year of school starts. Which for us will be SENIOR YEAR!!! But that's besides the point. After AP Tests and once this stupid weather finally decides to agree on being spring than i would love to take advantage of the newly cleaned courtyards. Also mabey we can even help clean one up if they haven't all been finished already. But it doesn't just have to be in the courtyard it could be anywhere. Personally i like lying in a field of grass.
I also like Kim's idea of free discussions about just whatever that we come to during our time togeather which i'm sure can be some wacky things.
Haha. I like Megan’s beginning of her blog. I would love to agree that we should do nothing after the testing, but honestly I know that would not benefit us. Yes. I do like Gary’s idea about going to the courtyard everyday.
I think for class like Leslie said have class discussions. We can either have them on the blogs or on ideas you might have had for a blog but never posted and we could just talk about in class. This is scary coming out of my mouth but you should give us books to read. Make sure to pick books that I will really like so I will definitely read them.
This comment might be even scarier coming out of my mouth but I liked the days when we had the SAT preparations. Since we will be done preparing for the AP exam you could help us with our SATs. Although I have really not liked this past couple weeks in your class, it has only been because you have been pushing us and making us work hard. I believe that all of these tests and quizzes and essays will help us on our exam. It reminds me of track. If you do not work hard in practice, if you never feel the pain, and if you feel the pain and stop working hard then you will not succeed. But you class has made me push myself to the mental limit. I have been feeling the pain for the past couple weeks and I believe that it will pay off. My time in the 800 improved and I believe so will my SAT scores and my AP exam will be great. Practice makes perfect.
But all in all, after the exam I do not care what we do. I am sure whatever you plan for us will either be fun or challenge and we will all enjoy it. But I do want some courtyard time.
Vote RACHEL CARLSON for treasurer tomorrow in you lunch!!!!!!!!!!
Considering, there’s no word limit to this blog, I'm going to make this short, sweet and to the point. Alright, I think that we should have a Bunje type English class for the rest of the year. Having you last year, I know how you really like to teach English and that's what I want. Forget about all this testing garbage. Let's have class discusses and whatnot, and if your lucky I may even contribute. Oh and if you could, in said class discussions let the guys have some time to talk. From experience I know that very few of your discussion topics are very conducive to having the male population of the class talking for very long. So if you could talk about something more geared towards the guys instead of the girls for once.
I’m actually quite sad about ending this year. Everything went by so fast and I feel like I haven’t been able to fully grasp everything and I don’t mean like lit terms or anything like that, but the year as a whole – school, extra curriculers, athletics, and the social life. I think I’m just not ready to take on the numerous AP classes next year, college aps and sports while still maintaining the social life of a senior. So, basically I totally agree with Bec that this year went by so fast and all I want to do is just live it up the few weeks left of school after AP. I love movies, so I think watching them would be fab and then having a discussion afterwards. I also like to read books especially when I’m lifeguarding in the summer =) so I think reading a book here and there would be totally chill. I also liked Leslie’s idea of writing letters to ourselves about ourselves that we’ll read years from now. I did that once with a bunch of friends when they slept over for my birthday… we were only in second grade haha. Oh and you can’t forget food, definitely can’t forget food. Well, that’s pretty much it – movies, books, the letter idea, and food.
I am so excited to think about how much less stressful my life will be after I get done all of my AP tests. It's not that I want junior year to end, because it has been nothing short of wonderful; I just want to finally be able to have a "regular Bunje english class" and not have to worry about the non-stop essays, vocab quizzes, lit terms tests, and reading comprehension tests. I think that we should spend a alot of time reflecting on everything that we have accomplished this year, but at the same time have fun. I don't want to stop learning altogether, as I'm sure you would never let happen anyway, I just want to do it in a more laid back way. I think that class discussions about not only AP Lang but life in general would be my favorite thing to do once all of this stress comes to an end:)
haha bunje you got me! i would never cut your class though
Group project competetion for an extra test grade, something that tests our creativity, groupwork, responsibility... like lets do a movie project that can be about anything but you need like 10 rhetorical devices
i'm looking forward to more grades to pick up my average from all these AP practice tests
i want to read another interesting book
Lets go outside for class more, to sit in the grass like H.T.
I want to do something where i can speak outloud: debate, poetry reading, group advertisement or persuasive projects.
i really can not believe that our time together in 204 is almost up. it feels like just yesterday that i was sitting in the back row on the first day of school not knowing what to expect and nervous beyond belief. After the Ap test is over i think we need some recuperation time. we shouldn't have to do any essays, or tests, or quizzes. Maybe for like a week. During that week we should have more of those random talks. i liked those. after the week of no work is done we should read a good book. we should read it together outside somewhere. maybe in the courtyard since it is being renovated and all. and like caitlin said. we need food! lol. a plethora of parties (where hannah should be forced to make buffalo chicken dip for all classes lol=]) would be nice. it is hard to imagine what class is going to be like without all the essays, quizes, and whatnot that we have been doing in preparation for the exam. i can't wait for the exam to be finished with but i know that will ultimately mean that the end of the year is coming. your class bunje i can honestly say is the only one that i am going to miss.
First and foremost, great job, Mikey. You have successfully encapsulated everything I wanted to say. Also kudos (if I can steal a word from Caitlin...whoops, even if I can't, I'm doing it:)) to Leslie for the addition of the music/lyrics analysis. I live with background music. Music speaks when words cannot, it intensifies and glorifies every mood, and it is definitely mmmcatchy. Hearing others' song choices and analyzing the lyrics would not only bring us closer to enlightenment, but to eachother, as I can always learn something about somebody by scrolling through their iPod. (So, please, if you're listening to your iPod and I show up manically requesting to pore through your library, don't be alarmed.)
But, to emphasize some things I'd love to do as the school year wanes:
1) FOOD. As often and in as exorbitant quantities as possible. =) (Also in support of the buffet-style.) ...also because it's a given, and a universal relaxer.
2) New York Times articles by the boatload. Also, why limit it to just the New York Times? I sometimes limit myself to just the Times, but why? Really, I ask myself. Why do I do that? There are so many other publications out there with just as much literary gusto and zest rippling through their articles. The New Yorker? Books go hand in hand with this number on the list, actually. I'd love to read more than I do. I should be reading all the time, and I readily admit I don't as much as I should. Because I know in reality how much I should be reading. ...It should be an unceasing flow of reading. All the time. Never stopping. No breaks. For the rest of ever. (This excites me, because I'm a freak.)
3) Relaxing for a little while after the test.
4) COLLEGE COLLEGE COLLEGE. We could get seniors in to talk to us about their college experiences (we could have a party! We could book the courtyard periods 9/10 and 11, because 11 is when they have their AP Lit class, and we could have food, and they could talk to us about their college application experiences, dos and don'ts, what they wish they would have done but didn't, how to best sell themselves, etc.) We're all worried about this, and it's coming up. I also want to hear your take on college essays, Bunje!!! And it would be so nice for all of us to say we have that advice and those vicarious experiences guiding us as we begin the process ourselves.
We could look at colleges in class, too. The overachievers are all looking into similar schools. We could try to matchmake eachother, picking out where we'd fit the best, mapping everything, talking about individual preferences, likes, dislikes, etc. in a relaxed 204 environment. With food and music. I know sometimes we all feel like we're going it alone. And it would be fun to find out where everyone else wants to go, and it would help each of us to just talk it out.
Also, I love the movies idea, movies and movie analyses (I WANT TO SEE V FOR VENDETTA SO BADLY. Also Crash, Capote, ...there's another one I want to see so badly...what the hell is it...okay, I'll post if I think of it). Old black-and-whites, new but artsy or politically charged, controversial movies (films, if you will) - anything is good. And I love Family Guy, so, so much. ...and I'd love to watch all the Pirates of the Carribeans, because I've never seen them! (Bunje conniption fit begins now =) ) (Surprising considering I love Johnny Depp.) We should also watch Stranger than Fiction. It's about English. It's my favorite.
Okay, I'm done. And any field trips we may want to take (ART MUSEUM! or anywhere, really) would be awesome.
Well, I was confused, as usual, and answered wrong. :) AFTER the AP exam, I think it would be fun to write some poetry. A fun was to tie in grammar to this is to write poems that have guideline using different types of words(i did it last year and it was really hard and really cool.) Mad Libs would be a blast too, trying to find the most outrageous word. But since you are such an amazing English teacher Bunje, I bet you have some fun tricks up your sleeve.
Wellllll, considering the fact that I am completely and utterly terrible at managing my time I really don’t know how to spend my remaining time. I mean of course I would need to say things like study and whatever else there is to do during this few lingering days, but as far as I can tell it seems your plans to prepare us for the AP Exam are going quite well my dear Bunje and whatever you have planned after should be stupendous as well. This whole idea of having a “normal” English class after the exam sounds awesome actually, since I have heard nothing but outstanding critiques of your teaching methods in good ol’ 204. Every time we basically force you to bring food for us I feel kind of bad since food USUALLY costs money, unless you steal it, which I know is not the case. I am not saying you can’t afford the food I just don’t like the idea of someone spending money on us, but oh well, I won’t take a stand because I know I will get jumped by all the food lovers in our class. Movies would be nice, and so would ultimate Frisbee, and apples to apples as suggested by Jacob, but once again if we don’t get any of the above I won’t complain. Meditation would be nice as well, but as far as I’m concerned, do with us as you please Bunjemiester.
As the exams terminate and the year comes to an end, I would like to experience "Bunje English." From what I have heard, it is the best. I liked in the beginning of the year where we had a top[ic to discuss and everyone and the chance to say what they thought. I also want to do some in-class debates. FOr example, like the other day, split the class up into two groups. One group who agrees and the other who disagrees. Another thing I would like to do is read a mystery book. Mary Higgins Clark, "While My Pretty One Sleeps," is my favorite book. It is suspenseful and i couldn't stop reading it. I would like to read a mystery and have class discussions after reading certain chapters. That's all i have to say. Flyers are up 2-0.
Honestly, Leslie's blog really summed up everything that I'd love to do for the end of the year. But let me reword it all. I think that we should do more reflection activities like today. I thought that was stress-free and a good way to just get your thoughts out there. Definitely more talks about life. Our class is so funny and so interesting that there's always SOMETHING new to talk about, and there are always plenty of ideas that are being shouted out. FOOD, as almost everyone else has pointed out, is definitely a priority for post-AP test classtime. And I apologize to all of you AP kids who somehow hate reading, but I would really like to read some more GOOD books (please steer away from types like The Scarlet Letter), but without the 10 page long essays analyzing the characters progress throughout the book that usually follow. Just more class discussions would be fine :).
I agree with emily. We should have more talks about life and they should be outside. ****If elected I will look to further make our courtyards look nice. Vote tomorrow in lunch******* But anyway, I like when we get into deep conversations that make me rethink my opinion.
It’s about time; finally a genuine "Bunje" class. I think a few reading would be nice to go out with. You do a good job of picking relatable, but controversial books that lead to class long discussions. There’s nothing better than our discussions. A good thing also would be a little SAT help. You have done a good job with the AP exam, and I think you could be a big help. Other than that, if it’s anything like last year but of course "AP style" it'll be a fun four weeks. And maybe we could hang a witch or something.
I definitely like the idea of being able to read and interpret literature, not based on use of rhetorical devices,and writing techniques, but on its merits as simply a good story or piece of writing. I also agree with pretty much everyone who said that having class discussions outdoors would enhance the experience incredibly. Generally, I would enjoy a more thought provoking, less work intensive 204 English experience.
Sorry I had to start my blog all over because everything that was open was working except the freaking comment form. Go figure but anyway well bunj after AP exams when everything is said and done. When our best efforts have been put forth. When syntax questions and what the AP readers said doesn’t matter anymore I would love to have a class like you used to have with your CP kids that made them love you so much. I’m a fan of class discussion so more of that would be nice. Another book like secret life of bees would be useful because I need to step my game up with book reading. Over the summer you should keep blogger up and give us some good books to read over the summer. I know some of my classmates might kill me for this but a project of some sort something fun and creative would be nice to do too. And we have to have to have to have class outside at least once just once that would be a great day. =)
Well.. let's start off with the idea that getting home before 9 o clock would be great! We won today but still, it would be nice to return to my nice cozy home before it gets dark at least once a week... So I definitely would like to relax within the next few weeks without compromising the ability to keep learning, but we are always learning so I don't think that will be a problem. I want to have fun with the last few weeks of school and learn and plan for the next year. I truly think the outdoors will benefit all of us in the coming days and hopefully I along with all of my other classmates can also learn to meditate as only the great Bunje knows how. But somehow I know that whatever we do will make us grow some way or another so lets do it! But first we all have to get 5's... I say bring it sucka! haha
After the AP exam I want to relax, watch movies of the books we talked about, see The Secret Life of Bees movie, and go to the beach. Even though I have things I want to do, I think that summer time is going to blow my plan up and make me really lazy. I hope that that holds off though, at least until after finals. To be honest I really thought that doing that research paper was going to be a fun project, but I am ok with just reading and having normal class. Sorry my blog is kind of late, my internet was not working last night and I was not home to fix it.
Sorry for being late. I meant to do it last night but the Flyers game was on and i was going to do the Blog afterward but i ended us falling asleep. I'm pretty mad about it actually. I would really appreciate it if you would find it in your heart to please give me some credit for this assignment.
Please and Thankyou.
Okay. For the time after the AP test i think that it would a good idea to have a Wii tournament. This sort of goes along the lines of what Jon was saying about Rock Band but different games. We could all play Super Smash Bros Brawl or Wii Sports or Guitar Hero or something. It would be fun and everyone would get exercise since the game requires movement. Also everyone could beat each other up without acutally beating each other up. I call dibs on Lucario. He's a beast!
Let me just say to all of my fellow AP Langers and Ms. Bunje that any requests for buffalo chicken dip at any time will be taken and fulfilled. Everyone in AP Lang will have tried buffalo chicken dip AT LEAST once by the end of the year, I'm determined. And before anyone says anything, the day after the AP Lang test I am already making buffalo chicken dip for all three classes anyway so that's taken care of. :)
hi. so i really thought today was wednesday.. I was just laying in my bed thinking thqat i had to write this blog before 9 tonight.. SDKGJSKGJ!! I really am retarded sometimes. It didn't even hit me until I just read Nick C's bolg about his being late. UGH Awesome. :( sorry bunjeee.
Wow, all of a sudden I feel important. Just kidding. Anyway, I think that we should have a few discussions about the degradation of today's culture. (I think that would be the right word choice.) The more I look around the more I see problems, and I want to know if I'm the only one that feels this way. I'm think we should have a day where we just sit, and make a list of all the things wrong with the world, then for the rest of the week, we each get a certain number of problems, and find foolproof ways to solve them. It isn't just Bush, as many people think, it is the attitude of people worldwide. Maybe if we could find little solutions to the little problems, the big solutions would fall into place.
There's my great plan for what we should do after the AP test.
It was the first song that came to my mind when I read the blog. It was the only song I could think of that speaks to me, and I understand it. On so many levels that I know I cannot possibly explain to you in a blog does this song make sense in my life. Its as if Jimmy Eat World crept into my mind and stole my thoughts, but expressed them with a style that made even more sense to me. “Always Be”, its my anthem.
Could've been a night like any other
One of us has to drive
One of us gets to think
I'll force a laugh to break the silence
It's gonna get harder still
Before it gets easy
You can't keep safe what wants to break
I'm alone in this
I'm all as I've always been
Right behind what's happening
She's all lost in this
She's all like she'll always be
A little far for me to reach
I was just a boy like every other
I thought I was something fierce
I thought I was ten times smarter
Love would be something that I just know
(Something I just know)
How you gonna know the feeling till you've lost it
I've been losing plenty since
I'm alone in this
I'm all as I've always been
Right behind what's happening
She's all lost in this
She's all like she'll always be
A little far for me to reach
Maybe something else I'm missing
Something good and your the reason
It's a dream but there's a real long wedding
I'm alone in this
I'm all as I've always been
Right behind what's happening
She's all lost in this
She's all like she'll always be
A little far for me to reach
I'm alone in this
I'm all as I've always been
Right behind what's happening
She's all lost in this
She's all like she'll always be
A little far for me to reach
From the second I heard it on the radio, I was like, wow, this is me in a song. Every time I heard it I understood it differently, in what felt like I discovered a new language and became instantly fluent in it. Its brilliant, poetic, and unbelievably true, so I will try to decode my reasoning for choosing this song.
It seems like this song highlights my life, and how I lived. “Its gonna get harder still, before it gets easy” speaks to the trails and tribulations, the ups and downs, the ebbs and flows of being a teen, of being an AP kid, of being a kid on intellect trying to do the best he can. It reminds me to work through the hard times, because like they say, it will get easy, eventually. The very next line, epitomizes what seems to be the way I have been living my last half year of my life. Just let things happen. I have always felt that we cannot force things to happen, or else they will be screwed up, for lack of a better word. We cannot interfere with what is meant to happen, we have to learn to go with it, to trust it, to learn from it, to live by it.
Skipping to the second verse, ( I will talk about the chorus later) it is the verse that makes the most sense to me, The verse that tells me everything will be ok. The verse that quenches the spec of doubt that has crawled into my head, wondering if I made the right decision.
“Love would be something that I just know
(Something I just know)
How you gonna know the feeling till you've lost it
I've been losing plenty since”- After all that has happened to me this year, these three lines could not have “summed it up” more perfectly. I can’t even explain how this is the song that I live by. I learned from this song that things are going to be ok. That things are for the best. What happens to each and every individual is for a reason, and this song, particularly this part, made me truly believe in that, and I will carry that with me to the grave.
I think for a part of my life, I lost the philosophy that I once took tremendous pride in. However, that loss of philosophy was adopted by something else, something that is intangible, but is probably the most powerful thing in the world; love. Now, some say that if its love, then why must it end? Those who wonder that need to look at the situation in a different way, in a different perspective. We can learn form it, and take it at face value. Let it happen. Let it be understood. Let it go. That’s the most we can do with situations that are painful. And from there, we move on, not to better things, but to different things. To things that must be understood in order to fully appreciate life.
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