Choices, Changes and the Chills....It's all relative

Ahh..spring pause.
I was driving today, no particlular destination, and I passed four different high schools. All of them, every one, listed the message "Spring Break 21-30" on their signs. Meaning, while we troop back into the hallowed halls of the Oak tomorrow, the kids and teachers that call those other four schools "home" will still be sleeping and wondering what to do with their day. Now, probably you guys think that I am telling you this because it aggravated me to know that our spring break is probably the shortest in the state (while our school day is, in fact, the longest--go figure), but that is not actually the case. Of course, I could use another day off--I didn't get to finish everything I needed to get done, does anyone?--but to be quite honest, there is a certain level of comfort in knowing that I have somewhere to be with people who are expecting me to be there. Or maybe I just miss you fools. I don't know what it is exactly, but the fact is I am not all that upset to be going back to school tomorrow. Last week you talked about "happy places," well, mine, hokey as it seems, is 204. From 7:20 til 2:35 there is no place on earth I would rather be, honestly. I hate school when you all aren't there--a school without kids in it seems to me to be the loneliest, saddest place on earth. But there is something about the energy that exists in a school, all of that potential, all of those dreams; colliding, meshing, expanding and reforming...it gives me the chills and I thank Buddha, God and all that is holy that I get to be a part of it for 180 days a year.
But..I digress. Well, technically I haven't digressed exactly since I didn't start making a point yet. But anyway...onto this week's musings.

Reading over previous postings and thinking about what I know about each of you individually offered me an insightful glimpse into a collective psyche. Most, if not all, of you have two fundamental fears: 1, the idea of change and/or 2, the possibility of making the "wrong" choice. Now, I know that there are plenty of people who will tell me that the idea of change, especially if it includes a change of scenery from sunny Mays Landing/Mullica to just about anywhere else would be welcomed with open arms and a huge, block-lettered sign. But, despite the wanderlust or pre-"senioritis" that you have all felt creeping in on you, you have to admit that, at its core, change is a scary proposition. After all, the intrinsic nature of change is that of the unknown, the unchartered, the unfamiliar and the unrevealed.
So, if you are one of the restless souls who yearns for change--what is it about it that is so appealing to you? What do you hope the changes you want to seek out, to undergo or to witness will mean for you, your future, your life? On the other hand, if you are one who double locks the door when change comes a-knockin', tell me what it is about the prospect of it that fightens you. What do you think might happen?

Now, one of Change's many dance partners is Choice. Right/wrong, smart/stupid, bad/ good..choice exists and you are confronted with the notion of it every single day. Sometimes, these are choices of epic proportions--break-up or stay together; cut class to get that paper done or suck it up and take a zero; confront the back-stabbing friend or let it go; get high just this once or walk away never knowing; and sometimes it can be as inconsequential as chicken patty or PB&J. Either way, your mind has a process it undergoes when you have to make a choice. Tell me about it. Do your weigh all your options and consider possible outcomes, or do you dive in and hope the water isn't too cold? I think I am metaphoring myself into a corner here--but I know you know what I mean. When you are confronted with a choice--how do you make it? And, more importantly, why? A lot to think about, I know...
(450 words/75pts)

Breathe In...Breathe out

From time to time, when tensions are high or I can sense a pervading uneasy energy, I have you do a little meditative exercise. Usually, it is a visualization or relaxation ritual; something easy to refocus your minds. As exam time draws near, I will begin to show you some more advanced techniques for meditation and you can use it however you see fit.
So, in preparation for that, this week's blog will have you contemplating your "happy place" either real or metaphorical or imaginary. Please answer the following questions.
Where do you like to go to escape from the pressures of your life? (It doesn't have to be a real place).
What is your best childhood memory? Describe it in detail.
Where and when do you feel your absolute best? Why?
What is the most soothing sound you can imagine?
Which colors affect your mood the most? How do those colors affect it?
When during the day do you feel the most at ease? Why? What is it about that time of day that provides comfort?
(60pts-400 words)

Countdown to Success

Well, as I may have told some of you on Friday, I have been thinking a lot about the upcoming weeks ahead. I know that I have repeatedly drilled into your head that April is the month where we truly separate the “men from the boys” as it were.
Sidebar: isn’t it weird how so many of those banal adages exclusively use male/masculine pronouns/references etc? Why is that? Anyway, Word is telling me to reword that tired old cliché to read: “distinguish the professionals from the amateurs” which does sound better I suppose.
I know for the past few months I have been referring to April as “Death Month” which, in hindsight, really doesn’t reflect what I want it to. In fact, it is a terrible phrase and I am sorry those inimical words ever tumbled from my mouth because that is not how I want you all to look at it. Rather, I want you to take it, and the work that will need to be done to prepare for it, seriously, but I also want you to understand that that’s really all you need to do. You’ve already done the hard stuff—you’ve learned it. April is just extra time to master what you already know, and maybe to clarify some things about which you aren’t entirely confident yet.
And that, poppets, is where this week’s blog comes in.
What I would like you to do is think about the things we’ve learned so far. This and next week will be entirely devoted to writing, but consider carefully the things we have done in class up until this point. What, if any, are the obstacles that you foresee to getting a 4 or 5 on the exam? What do you think your weak areas are, and what would you like to review more of come April? What do you think are the best ways to review? Your responses here will determine how I break up the different areas for Exam Review Month (Death Month’s new and improved moniker), so please be as precise as possible.
(No word count, but I expect some serious and reflective thoughts/50pts)

Takin' it Easy for a Week

OK--due to the nature of the HSPA tests--that is to say, the fact that they are stress-inducing and utterly annoying--this week we will do a little light reflection in the form of one of those "MYSPACE-type" quizzes. The trick is, you will have to copy and paste the entire thing into a word doc, and then change your answers to reflect your individual responses. Then paste it back into the posting dialogue box. Read a few of your classmates and find some things about them--and possibly yourself--that you may otherwise not have known. The list below contain my answers in their entirety.

The Rule of Four



A) Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. bartender
2. waitress
3. director of admin. finance
4. English teacher

B) Four movies I would watch over and over (in no particular order):

1. All 5 HP
2. The Fugitive
3. POC natcurally
4. 50 First Dates

C) Four places I have lived:

1. Cali
2. Utah
3. Lacey
4. Linden


D) Four TV shows that I watch:

1. House
2. CSI NY Miami whatever
3. Criminal Minds
4. I watch a lot of baseball.


Four Places I've been:

1. Ireland
2. St. Lucia
3. Belize
4. Aruba

F) People who email me (pretty regularly)

1. college board
2. Geico
3. macys
4. mr. hall

G) Four of my favorite foods:

1. Any seafood
2. bruschetta
3. spinach dip
4. grilled cheese and tomato

H) Four places I'd rather be:

1. Europe
2. NYC
3. Cali
4. the beach on any far away island

Four things I am looking forward to this coming year:

1. my kids getting 4s and 5s.
2. my seniors graduating
3. Summer :)
4. going away somewhere

"In the beginning the universe was created. This made a lot of people
angry and has widely been considered as a bad move."
"The Book" - Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

AP Essay Thesis Statement

Due to unforseen chemistry experiments gone awry (the reason for today's multiple fire drills, I'm told) none of the Langers got the chance to nail down a solid thesis statement. We did have some good brainstorming sessions in each class, however, and we made some progress in each period.

Period 9/10 had the brilliant and insightful Megan Coburn who came up with a jazzy little ditty that we'll ruminate more on here.

Period 11 had JW steppin' up to the plate and delivering what sounded to be a homerun statement--also which we will ruminate more on here.

Period 12 saw Mikey, with his usual style and grace, working up a sound and cogent intellectual proposition. Also one which will be batted around here.

So, as soon as the three of them post what they had in class today, we can begin the discussion. I will log back on periodically to check on the progress and to make the final decision about each period's thesis statement.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SHARE INFORMATION WITH ONE ANOTHER. IF YOUR FRIEND COULDN'T LOG ONTO BLOGGER TONIGHT, PLEASE TELL THEM WHAT YOUR PERIOD'S THESIS STATEMENT IS, BECAUSE IF HE/SHE DOESN'T HAVE IT, HE/SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO WRITE TOMORROW (2/21/08).

Also, in case I didn't get a chance to fully explain what I am looking for, I just want to remind you that the biggest thing I want you all to focus on is your transitions between ideas and your development of those ideas. Don't limit yourselves to one dimensional thoughts that can be explained in a 7-8 sentence paragraph. Consider the "Breaking Through" article as you write: remember how many smaller ideas she had yoked into one big one? It was multi-dimensional--one larger idea and a bunch of different perspectives and smaller ideas. Try doing that and please feel free to refer to "Breaking Through" as you are writing.

The biggest thing is DON'T PANIC. I know this is new and a little scary for some of you, and we are going to workshop this essay until you feel comfortable with it, so there is no pressure. Good Luck! See you all Monday. Oh--and don't forget the real blog is due Friday!

This Wasn't It, But It'll Do in a Pinch

Definitions schmefinitions. This week,let's try something different. (No, this was not what I was originally going to post, but since just the right words are determined to remain a "secret ingredient", I am thinking that must mean that whatever brilliant and insightful bit of gibberish I was thinking about needs more time to cook). After all the AP test fun is over we are going to do a fun little project called The Quotation Festival. Details to come later, but in preparation for that, this week's blog should have you thumbing through Bartlett's--or just hitching a ride on the Google express under "Quotes"--to come up with a quote you think sums up the aspect of your character you like best. What is it? Who said it? How does it apply to your life? (350-400 words/45pts)

Fear

Over the past few months, we have begun the process of trying to make sense of who we are, what we believe and what morals, values and ideas we are trying to develop. Doing this, while sometimes extremely stressful and dare I say even aggravating, is an integral part of determining our place in the world. For those of you sitting at your computers week after week, cursing me to the fiery pits of the abyss for coming up with questions that make your brains bleed, please know that the reasons above are my motivation. Now, with that said, onto this week's brain blaster!

In your own words, ones that make the most sense to you, define for me the idea of "fear." It means different things to different people; what does it mean to you? What is your biggest fear? What keeps you awake at night? Is whatever your fear now the same as it was when you were a sophomore, a freshmen, an eighth-grader? How has the idea of fear evolved for you? What do you notice about the evolution? From where do you think this fear comes? How do you deal with it? Don't be scared--once it's here, it's out of you! (450-500 words/60pts)