I like to peruse the comments, and I found one particularly interesting...
And I quote, "I think some of the prompts are really cheesy and elementary and doesn't sound like a senior english class project."
This is by no means the first negative comment I have had. But maybe it is the last straw for me. Not that defending my intelligence or experience as a senior English teacher is necessary, but I would like to remind you that I have been doing this for a while. I appreciate your candor and would like to invite you to seek information on what you will be doing in Freshman Composition next year. I found several sites in just a few seconds to indicate, as I knew already, that this project is relevant and necessary for your growth as a writer and a person.
Excerpts from what I found...
ASSIGNMENTS FOR FRESHMAN COMPOSITION Compiled by Elizabeth Brunner
While teaching English 114: Exposition, a freshman composition class at California Polytechnic State University, I used the following essay assignments.
Assignment one- Educational Autobiography
Ideas: Any topic related to your education or your writing is acceptable. For example, you could describe your favorite teacher, discuss your greatest academic accomplishment, tell a story about your award-winning fourth grade poem, use anecdotes to demonstrate how much you hate writing assignments, explain how you panic the night before a research paper is due, or explore your first day in college.
Assignment two- Letter of Admiration
Ideas: Any letter of love, friendship, admiration, or gratitude is acceptable. Be creative. You could write to a relative, friend, sweetheart, celebrity, or fictional character. For example, you might create an anniversary letter for your future spouse - dated in the year 2026, a love letter between Romeo and Juliet or Mickey and Minnie Mouse…
And on another site...
John Corbelly- Los Angeles Harbor College- Freshman Comp
Assignment one-
Write a focused personal-experience essay that looks at some habit (or obsession) that characterizes you or a friend or a member of your family; you may also show how this exhibits a behavior or value shared by many Americans (or, if you are not a native-born American, you may show how this is typical of your native country); in any case, you will need to provide ACTUAL experiences, personal (or personally-observed) examples…
So for all of you that have other complaints and thoughts about the next few weeks of your life in this class... if you don't have something constructive to say---------- don't say it on here. Complaints are valid if they are constructive and provide a possible solution.
This a NO WHINING ZONE!
6 comments:
I don't have any negative comments; while it does seem like a lot of work, i think the project itself is a great idea and many of the specific prompts have a great deal of depth. Despite the amount of work, I look forward to doing it and having a detailed reminder of my childhood through my high school years.
A very sincere apology was submitted to me and I really appreciate it. I realize that there was no malice in the motivation for the prompt, but I hope we are all reminded that we should be aware of the kinds of words used when on the blog.
I think the exact opposite. It is way too hard. Two page minimum! Sorry this is my last two cents.
I think this project is far from elementary. I don't think that elementary kids would be writing nine essays about their lives and compiling them into a memory book. I am very excited about the project. I think it will be good for all the seniors to reflect on their lives and think about what is to come in the future.
For the record... the comment was regarding the Senior Memory Book and not the Blog. But special thanks to those who defended the Blog.
I am not worried about this comment anymore. I am excited to see what happens with the projects and this Blog (even if you are second semester seniors!).
If reflecting on a passage or responding to a question is elementary I highly advise this person not to go into public relations or work with people at all. That type of attitude only leaves well... some type of math. I enjoy our blog and know it will only benefit us for future purposes.
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