Two quick articles I promised my Seniors, but think all should read:
We begin Hamlet tomorrow. I realize that the name Shakespeare strikes fear (or ironic eye-rolling) in the hearts (or faces?) of many-a high school junior. For those few, I offer a cheat sheet.
More to come.
I was a bit startled that most of you are unaware of the health care debate raging around us, but that’s what this class is for, isn’t it?
I mentioned OpposingViews.com in class today, and while I haven’t had a chance to explore it thoroughly, they have a section on the health care debate. Might be worth thumbing through, as the people writing the arguments must meet one of the following criteria:
I mentioned TED.com as well. We are watching a video on the morality of liberals and conservatives in my senior English class, so pop over there if you’re interested. We’ll discuss articles tomorrow.
“Stallings wants us to find articles? From where?”
Anywhere. But, I know that’s a big place, so:
In no particular order. You may now be asking, “How do I find the time to read all of this? I found three that I like, but I can’t go to all of these sites just to find an article.”
My philosophical response: “That’s not the point. While it is important that you are able to find and analyze arguments, it is even more important that you begin a habit of consuming thoughts and opinions about the world around you. If you don’t use the skills you learn, you’re just going through the motions.”
My practical response: “Use an RSS reader, like Google Reader. You can subscribe to the sites you like (even My Life is Average, if you must), and even take a peek at what I’ve been reading. Check out the Feeds page for more information.”
And no, I won’t stop talking about RSS readers until all have signed up.
(at least in high school.)
We’ve all done it before—sometimes an elusive word is on the tip of the tongue, but we can’t seem to come up with it. So, we type in a similar word, right-click, and hope the synonym list jogs our memory. The right correct appropriate word pops up, the writer’s-block crisis is averted, and we’re on our way. Good times. Sometimes, though, the synonym doesn’t quite fit, or is the wrong word altogether.