Singing the Second Semester Blues

After witnessing one of my journalism classes yesterday, I am still terrified for them to express themselves on the internet (for my class that is, I am very aware that all of them are on facebook, twitter or hoe-book or any of that nonsense because they talk about it endlessly). 

Is it really that difficult for teens to understand that there is a time and place for things? It wasn't too difficult for my 8th graders to understand last year. It wasn't very difficult for my classes to understand last semester. However, the maturity level of some of my students this semester is just astounding. Nobody needs to hear your input after every comment in class. Nobody needs to hear that you support proposition-what-ever-the-one-is-with-legalizing -- you are all too young to smoke tobacco anyway, so that law doesn't really affect you right now. Save that discussion for outside of school. Nobody needs to know that you had to use the restroom before class.  

My favorite part of teaching is building relationships with my students. Getting to know them. Getting to know their writing. Having fun in class while still learning. Making an impact. While last semester was different from last year, this semester is totally different than last semester. I'm struggling with mustering the enthusiasm I had last semester for journalism, because it is either met with dead silence or inappropriate comments. 

The point of this post isn't to make my classes feel bad about their behavior because it isn't every student.  It isn't even the majority of my students.

The purpose of this post is to find a way to make writing fun for my students while still protecting my class from rude, inappropriate, out of place comments and drama that seems to be on many teenage minds. Blogging is supposed to be fun. It isn't like writing in any other class. I'm not telling you you need to compare two characters or write a five paragraph essay. Blogs are yours to explore. To think. To share. 

So, second semester journalism classes. If you are reading this, we are going to try to start blogging. But before you build your own, I want you to check out a few blogs to understand what I am expecting. 

General Rules:

1) You are not allowed to write anything related to an illegal activity so long as your blog is connected to this class. That means no talk of drinking, smoking, stealing, bullying (yes, I am counting bullying as illegal), etc.

2) Do not use foul language. -- I am the judge of what is foul. Do not even try to argue that different words are OK to use. Think about the words I use in class. These are Ok.

3) I know tumblr and other sites have "blogs" with just photos and videos with a small caption. This is not acceptable in journalism. I want you to WRITE about what you post. Reflect. Think. 

Check out these blogs:

366 Random Acts of Kindness

Hello Giggles- Photobombs

(notice in this one, that they do use photos or video, but it also has at least two paragraphs of text! WRITING!)

I love the AV CLUB! Entertainment news and opinions. Still uses photos and videos but provides commentary just like you are supposed to do!

My friend's food blog: Freshly Grated Ginger. Again, photos, instructions and still commentary!

Sports blogs. One of my students likes this blog. 

Another friend's blog: Lovely Day

When you are done checking these out you can explore my previous posts to get an idea of what blogging was like last semester. We are going to do things a little differently. 

N to the Y to the C

Currently, I am trying to plan the rest (or at least a few more weeks) of class for journalism 1. Last semester we transitioned very easily into blogging after studying bias, propaganda, credibility and media law.

However, this semester I'm nervous about my journalism classes writing anything on the internet -- way more than last semester. So why not get back into it myself? Get some new ideas that would restrict "inappropriate" content from spewing forth from 17-year-old finger tips. 

First task in getting back into blogging: I remembered I said I would post pictures from my trip to New York this winter and STILL haven't. So here you go, previous journo students!

A fortune I received from Shanghai Inn. 

Looking downtown at the Waldorf-Astoria
(fancy schmancy hotel where I stayed).

Strand. 18 miles of books. Heaven on Broadway St. 

Everyone says NYC is super expensive. However,
you can get a lot of food (like this roll) for cheap
if you eat off the street carts. Sold. I was a sucker
for falafel sandwiches. Yummy.

Washington Square Park. 

On the rocks in Central Park. 

Beautiful garden at Columbia University.

My friend Lindsay (left), who just moved to NYC
in the fall and our friend Emily (center), who was
visiting at the same time. Girl fun!

The Stoning of Soraya M.

Oh my goodness. After meaning to watch this movie for years, I finally watched "The Stoning of Soraya M." last night. And it took me through a slur of emotions. Intrigue. Disgust. Anger. Sorrow.

The movie begins with a French/Iranian journalist traveling through Iran when his car breaks down near a small town. However, the small town has secrets. Secrets that the outside world would find disgusting and incredibly misogynistic.

I would have loved to show this in my journalism 1 classes (and skip the bloody stoning -- which gives it its "R" rating). With parent permission, I encourage all of you to watch it. It sheds a little light on the injustice happening around the world.

Thank you!

Ah, here we are. The end of the first semester. As my second period journalism 1 students are hunched over their tests, only the sound of striking pencils and the rattle of the heater can be heard.

I'm going to miss this class. All of my journalism 1 classes for that matter. I feel as though each journo class has bonded more in just four months than some of my other classes will do in a year. Perhaps it is the age. I know not all of you are underclassmen, but most are, and I feel comfortable with that age group for varoius reasons. Typically, you aren't jaded. You are fairly certain you don't know everything. You are eager to participate after getting to know one another. You are open to ideas or strategies that your other teachers use. You don't get defensive when criticism is given.

Thank you for that. Don't lose your curiosity, spunk and willingness to participate. Take newspaper and yearbook (shameless plug)!

Thus far what I've learned from your comments and discussions is that to improve journalism 1, we should have more visual aids --- something I am totatally capable of providing you with, so thank you for sharing! And we should blog more, which pleases me. I know many of you were timid to blog at the beginning but the responses and thoughtfulness that went into most posts were fantastic to see.

Among my teacher friends we often discuss questions we have about teens. One of which is, "Why are kids so arrogant? They are convinced they know everything about everything and have no desire to further their education." Now, I know that doesn't apply to all of you, but what many of us have concluded is that social networking has made many teens feel as though their every thought,every teeny tiny emotion needs to be broadcasted to the world ... Because, to them, they are the world.

Most of the time this troubles me, but when you guys share your thoughts on real issues, it's great to read your perspectives. You have a lot of insight to offer, so I encourage you to continue sharing ... just remember to listen to others as well and choose your comments wisely.

I hope you all have a great break and second semester. In exactly one week I'll be in NYC and promise to post photos.

I love this time of year.

The smell of pine and cinnamon, crisp (hopefully) snowy evenings, lounging for hours in my snowflake pants and a cup of nutcracker sweet. I'd take this time of year vs. summer always.

But what I really wanted to share with you isn't all this sentimental jazz, it's consumerism at it's finest. Here is some great junk I had (and loved) in the 90s. I hope it gives you youngsters a laugh.

Reminder

Bonjour, students! This isn't really a post as much as it is a reminder of what you are supposed to blog about. Yesterday you viewed quotes from teachers and community members in Beatrice about BHS students. (In case you were gone, I will list a few of them below so you have something to go off of)

You may blog about:
1) Your reaction to the teacher/community responses
2) Critical thinking/problem solving and an understanding of other ways of life
3) "The Other" in general -- even though many have already done this
4) What you think students should learn about other cultures/religions/sexual preferences

Happy blogging! Remember, when you are done, feel free to blog about whatever you like.

Some of you are missing blogs that were already assigned because you chose to blog about your own thing instead of following the prompts. If this is you, please make sure you go back to my previous posts and find your assignment! 

P.S. Be nice to the sub. It isn't easy walking in to an unfamiliar classroom.


**** Here are some teacher quotes taken directly from the form****

"Without being able to discuss God, many instructors avoid the religion issues.  If discussion is not lead in a classroom setting, it probably doesn't happen.  Church leaders seldom discuss a world view of religion, they more tend to advocate their own belief system."    


"very ego-centric people can spend hours on silly television programs, video games, surfing the web, updating facebook, etc.  A little time learning about the world would benefit without serious pain or injury.  It's a mindset."

"I think many of our students are very closed off to other cultures at BHS. Many times I think it is because the environment they are in (family, friends...) are not very tolerant/understanding of others "not like them" and so that gets passed down to the next generation."

"Not very knowledgable.  Often times their "understanding" is their parents' opinions."

"I am sick to death of kids using "Jew" or "Gay" or "Towel-Head" not to mention other awful things they say to each other.  They are too ignorant to have any idea how stupid they sound."

"Gay is now slang, and they have little appreciation for the actual context, they joke about sexual orientation enough that it makes me realize they are uncomfortable discussing it and having an understanding of views different from their own."

"From their willingness to describe everything bad as "gay" I would guess they have very little understanding of different sexual preferences. Also many feel they have God on their side when it comes to discrimminating against homesexuals."

What can you do with a sentimental heart?

A short and sweet post to help you blog about your weekend.

This weekend was filled with heartache as I put a period at the end of my stay at Lenox Village Apartments, said goodbye to my little kitty, and revisited and reminisced about my alma mater with college friends.

I've always been a person who grieves the loss of time or moments after they've passed. I can honestly remember being sad when 1996 ended (it was a good year what with the Magnificent Seven winning the Olympic Gold Medal and all -- plus, I got a bowl cut shortly into 1997 because I refused to let people brush my hair, but that's beside the point).

For all of you young folks:
My bowl cut (Thanks, Isaiah, for pointing out I had the wrong
 version of "bowl" on this for a month! You keep me on
my toes!) was referred to as the Amanda
Borden (far left); my sisters and I named
our dog Mochie (real name Dominique)
after Dominique Moceanu (third from right).

I've also been oddly attached to animals, especially animals I take care of. So giving Kitty to Ms. Wilbers -- even though I know he/she will be very happy there -- was hard. I cried most of the way from Lincoln to Beatrice Sunday night in anticipation of giving her/him up.

But, I have to be a big girl. I am in no position to have a cat because I have no idea what the future is going to hold for me. I'm ready to begin the ellipsis portion of my life. Decided what my future holds. Take whatever opportunity is tossed my way.

I leave you with this lovely song by She and Him.