Mindset

We have been looking at Mindset in class and how Mindset looks, sounds, works in the world we live.  We have listened to a TED Talk, read an article, and watched it in a speech.  This week, I want you to examine how Mindset appears in your world.  

Choose a scenario: a classroom conversation; a television show/movie; an interview with an athlete, writer, artist; a conversation with a family member; or anther situation you find yourself present for.  Examine the scenario and record how you see Mindset. 

Here is an example for you to follow:The movie Remember the Titans:

Coach Boone: This is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today. This green field right here, painted red, bubblin' with the blood of young boys. Smoke and hot lead pouring right through their bodies. Listen to their souls, men. I killed my brother with malice in my heart. Hatred destroyed my family. You listen, and you take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were. I don't care if you like each other of not, but you will respect each other. And maybe... I don't know, maybe we'll learn to play this game like men.


Here Coach Boone is trying to help his players change their mindset on how they see others and how they interact with each other. They came to camp a town divided by race, and in the end they have begun to demonstrate the growth mindset. They allowed their views of others to change--to grow. As a result, they won games, worked hard for each other, and formed lasting relationships with their teammates. Those who were unable to change, the fixed mindset, found themselves unable to perform as athletes and form the friendships on the team.

New Beginning

       School starts every August.  This is one thing we can be sure of as students in America.  We begin to see the advertisements for school supplies and back to school clothing sales each July.  For many, a feeling of excitement and dread comes about at this time.  The best thing about beginnings, though, is that each time we get a "do over."  We get to start the year off fresh.
      Fresh starts are like a clean chalkboard.  We are free to write our story.  The teachers do not know us, our work habits get to be reborn, our outlook is our responsibility.  Like all beginnings, this one is important for you.  You get to choose who you will be and the actions you will take.  Ironically, this beginning of twelfth grade is also your last high school beginning.  Look back at all of your beginnings and decide how this one will be different.  
      For this week's post, I am asking you to set three goals for your senior year. I want them to be academic goals.  These are not social goals or generic goals.  I want them to be specific to you.  An example of an academic goal would be as follows:  I want to turn in all of my work knowing it is the best I have to offer.  Make your goals reasonable and attainable.  Goals are what we strive for.  They give us hope, and they give us incentive.  Make your goals, and let's work toward these goals all year long!
       

Moment of reflection

     As with most moments in our lives, we are approaching an ending.  This ending is one that we count on from the moment we step into the doorway of kindergarten.   Graduation is a time for celebration.  Meeting the graduation requirements is a testament to the world, to you, and to those who care about you that you have completed your journey.  This is about you working hard to complete your journey so that a new one awaits on the horizon.  Once you complete this, you will find that it is only the beginning.  Many more journeys will grow from this.  It is your responsibility to determine how much of a blossom you allow the the world to see.  
     For this week, I want you to reflect on a moment.  What moment in your life prepared you to meet and excel beyond this milestone?  Tell me a story about one of your stepping stones to graduation.  Your stepping stone may have been a moment of failure where you learned to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and then persevere regardless of any obstacles; or,  it may be a moment of inspiration or success where you knew in that moment you were bound for success.  Tell me a story.
     With only a few weeks left until the end of this journey, you can see the finish line.  Don't slow down, don't stop believing (Sorry Journey!), and don't allow yourself to be detoured.  
Happy blogging:)    
   

Guidelines: If your story is negative and would paint another person in a negative light, please refrain from using their name.  This is not meant to bash others, but to celebrate you and your many stepping stones.

Voice is an incredibly powerful tool.  The voice of a writer is defined as the following: 

VOICE is an author’s distinctive literary style, basic vision and general attitude toward the world.  This “voice” is revealed through an author’s use of SYNTAX (sentence construction); DICTION (distinctive vocabulary); PUNCTUATION; CHARACTERIZATION and DIALOGUE.  The voice of an author may cover a wide range of possibilities (e.g. “victim,” “judge,” “friend," "coach," “spy,” “opponent,” "cheerleader,” "critic," "alien") (AP Glossary of Literary Terms).

All of us have a distinct writing voice.  The way we construct our writing and present our ideas to the world is unique to each of us.  Your blog this week is to find an example (not discussed in class) that you can determine the following:

Type a paragraph of the text into your response. This can come from any school appropriate source.   Explain the following about your passage.
1. What is the passage trying to say?
2. How does this writer say it? Look at vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation, and dialogue.
3. Why does this style appeal to you?

The News

     I struggle to keep up with the news.  It can often be a problem.  People around me will engage in a conversation and I am left out of the dialogue simply because I did not read my Twitter feed or catch the six o'clock news.  I have gotten better at following along.  What I have found interesting, though, is the organization, vocabulary and perspective of the news.  Depending on the paper it changes.
    Certain news sources have elevated vocabulary, longer sentence construction, and more complex text.  Others, have more ads, more hyperbole, smaller  vocabulary, and sentences that are not very complicated.  The reason, audience.

Your assignment this week is to choose ANY SCHOOL APPROPRIATE news article from a reputable news source: New York Times, Boston Globe, Plain Dealer, Washington Post--to name a few. Read one of the articles--preferably a full length article--full pages.  Using the article, complete the following information:

1. Summarize the article and cite the source
2. Explain what you notice about the writing: sentence construction, vocabulary, topic etc.
3. Who is the audience of this article? (Teens, woman, economic level...)
4. How do they build their argument? (Ethos, logos, pathos)  How do you know? 

Street Art

The word "Art" like any word is subjective.  We see art everyday and do not stop to appreciate it. Go to the site, Huffington Post, and look at what the different individuals say about the role or definition of art. Once you have have read through those definitions, go to the below websites and choose three art pieces to discuss.

What to discuss:
1. Give the title of each art piece before you discuss it. (If the art piece does not have a name, describe it as best as you can.)
2. Explain which artist's definition applies to each artwork.
3. Explain what you see when you look at the art piece.
4. What is the purpose behind each artist's piece of artwork? What is their message for society?

Websites to find the artwork:
1. http://www.aasarchitecture.com/2012/10/3D-street-artists.html
2. http://kurtwenner.com/gallery/street_gallery/
3. http://www.streetartutopia.com/?p=8241

As always, keep all posts school appropriate! 

End of a Quarter

The third quarter is dwindling down to the end.  This last quarter is your last nine weeks of high school.  College and the real world will bring about new expectations; often times, these expectations will be much higher than what was expected of a student in high school. 

This next step is a necessary step in the maturation process.  You will need to step out in the world and be on your own.  Some will find themselves in college, others the military, and others will join the work force.  You will be an adult.  You will be responsible for yourself.  I can preach to you the changes that are coming, but I want you to hear it from your peers.

This week's blog asks you to list five things you know will be different in your life within the next year. What will you need to do in order to prepare to meet these changes and who will help you meet these changes directly?