Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Assignment for Seniors: Who Are You?

Well, that's a scary question, isn't it? It's one you've had to answer on your college and scholarship apps, and it's one you'll have to answer some day on job applications, too. It's a question that never goes away, really. And your answer will change over time.

Your Advisors and I have been asking you to ponder versions of that question over the last couple of weeks. We made a game of it with the "14 Truths & 3 Lies" and the "Sherlock Holmes Mad Libs" games we've played, and then we've tried to get you think a bit more seriously with the "7 Serious Truths" exercise. Now, I want you to dig even deeper. Some folks say that 

  • You are what you love:  what do you love (to do, to learn, etc)
  • You are what you do: what do you do (when you're not studying, eating, sleeping, or netflixing, etc)
  • You are what you care most about (what is it that makes you happy? what makes you mad? what break your heart?)
  • You are the sum of your past actions (what have you accomplished up to now?)
  • You are your hopes and dreams (who do you want to be? how do you envision your future self?)
  • You are your Google searches (maybe your search history will provide a clue? what are the most interesting websites you've visited recently?)
Write a blog post based on one or more of your answers to the "7 Serious Truths" exercise. It should be at least 500 words long, with at least one photo, taken by you or a family member. It should contain lots of detailed descriptions and interesting examples from your past experiences. It should contain at least one relevant link. Proofread it carefully--and get someone's feedback on it along the way. Publish it between Tuesday, November 22, and November 30. There's a rubric in Schoology. 

Monday, November 14, 2016

Flashback: "A Monstrous Manifesto"

A little more than three years ago, my AP Lit class read Catherine Valente's poem "A Monstrous Manifesto" and then decided to perform it for the Upper School at morning assembly. I was glad to help them get ready to do that, and I eagerly agreed to put aside our scheduled curriculum for a few days so they could practice. Their performance was very powerful, and I am still extremely proud of them.



I think the poem is still very relevant today, and you can read about the students' process and their rationale for performing the poem here. They also performed it for the Middle School, which you can read about here.  


What can you do to help others, to be a good friend, to make everyone feel included?