Masterpiece Academy Question

               For the first time in our lives my peers and I have been given the opportunity to design a course that is fit to each of our individual needs. I think that we have proven that this is power that we can handle. I have seen many people in the course rise to the occasion. I love that students who struggle in their other classes have been able to flourish in a course designed for them. We are in our final year of high school. If teachers can't trust us to make decisions for ourselves by now how will we ever make it in college.
               Macbeth, Hamlet, and Allegory of the cave are all pertinent tales for me. I relate to Macbeth's character, because I think there comes a point in everyone's life where they have to decide how far they are willing to go to achieve their goals. Hamlet is a character who holds interest to me, because he's trying to find himself, much like many students going off to college. I really like the Allegory of the cave, because it's kind of a tale about the power of ignorance. Everyone in the world is in an ongoing battle against ignorance. Everyone is searching for what they can hold true in the world.
              I think when it comes to passion in this course what I've learned more than anything is that it's okay not to know what you're passionate about, as long as you are still trying to find it. I know that I want to be a teacher someday. I am going to go to college with an open mind, and hopefully I will learn that my passion for kids will be easily translated into my commitment to becoming a teacher.
              I laughed a lot at some of the masterpieces. I loved getting to know my classmates better. The MGOTM projects were a great way for each of us to share our passions with our peers. I liked listening to everyone's take on life and it's importance.
              The motif that runs through all of our projects is passion. We all really seemed to care about what we were talking about. I didn't see a single person in front of the class who didn't care about their topic. It was truly inspirational to see so many young minds put to such great use. I think we each learned something form at least one other presentation.
               I don't think I'd call myself a hero. I think that I conquered many challenges in this course. One example would be the fact that I am actually super terrible with technology. The fact that I have made it this far is a miracle in and of itself. I have worked hard in this course, but effort is part of succeeding in any course. I think my biggest accomplishment has been all the collaborating that I was able to do through out my year in this class. I may not be a hero, but I am proud of the work i have done!

Five steps

Okay so I know it's the end of break, but here is what I've done

1) I have decided to change my masterpiece to one about passion.

2) I have begun researching ways to find your passion

3) I have started building a blog with the steps to finding your passion

4) I have reached out to people in search of their passion

5) I have read articles that give tips on finding your passion so I can share them on my blog

The Crossroads Between Should and Must

This article is about decision making. There comes a time in everyone's life where you must decide between doing what you should and what will make you happy. We have to balance the two in an even manner. This article made me second guess whether or not I'm doing enough of what I need to do to make myself happy. I think an underlying struggle in the balance between should and must is the ability to time manage.

Macbeth notes

•so far there has been foreshadowing on the horrors lady macbeth will inflict

• Macbeth although very harsh is also very respected in his community

• 3 witches are in a few scenes to give readers hints about the future of the play

•Macbeth has already murdered a sergeant

Meet Macbeth

In the start of Shakespeare's Macbeth  Macbeth is introduced as being a very cruel man through indirect characterization. The witches foreshadowed that Lady Macbeth would be even more evil than Macbeth. Shakespeare seems to have an illusive tone towards the play thus far. Some themes that have already been showed are pride and respect. The will be a key factor in the play.

Seeking a mentor

My mentor is Mrs. Byrne she can tach me about the process of becoming a leader in the classroom. She can tell me about what it's like to go through the college process and tell me about experiences she has had. This will be helpful, because since she is right on campus she is a very accessible resource for me.

Is there an expert in the house?!

My project is about body image, so I think that an ideal person to be my expert on it would be someone who has struggled with their body. I'm not really sure how to find someone willing to share about their experiences, so if you or someone you know is please tell me!

10 questions

1) where'd you go to school?

2) why did you choose you're profession?

3) Are you happy with you're career?

4) do you have any kids of your own?

5) what's the weirdest thing that's happened to you in your job?

6) Name a time your patience has been tested?

7) Do you have a favorite student?

8) Do you ever get sick of your job? 

9) Do you like your coworkers?

10) what do you love most about your job?

Benchmark

I am working on a project that is about self esteem. I want to raise awareness on how low self-esteem effects people, and learn more about body image. I am new to the group I'm doing this project with, so I'm not going to claim to have done much work on it yet. Rachel and Rebecca (my group) have begun conducting interviews with people about their feelings on body image. We are planning on having another meeting to discuss what needs to happen next soon.

Learning Brave New world

I wasn't in class today. What I did instead was I looked over all of my old notes on the book, and looked online to answer a few questions I had. My experience was informal, but still very helpful.

Super 5

Deanna Byrne 

Julie Atkinson

Mark Rocha

Nicole Rocha 

Todd Strunk

My team

I think I had a pretty productive day. We talked about our products virtually all period. When Erica came to the table we were able to discuss ways to collaborate. Lindsey, Kylie, Erica, and I all decided that in some ways all of our projects related to compassion. Erica invited us to be a component in her project, and agreed to be one in our's. We will see where it goes from here!

Thank you for making my day

For a few weeks now, I have been trying to figure out how to put into words my appreciation for the man who lives down the street from me. Finally, I decided it can't be done. Every day just as the sun sets, this little old man crosses Orcutt road on foot and takes a picture of the sun slowly lowering itself across Broadway. He then stands there, as if trying to engrain the moment into his memory. He can see the beauty of the world through a busy street. He is the definition of "taking time to smell the roses." If everyone could see the good in life, the way this man does, the world would be so much better of a place. I really want to learn how to appreciate the little things as much as he does. I just get so caught up in day to day struggles, that I forget how lucky I am to be alive and living in such a beautiful world with such great people. I think it gets harder to love life, the older you get, but this man has managed to maintain his zest for it. So while he's staring at the sunset, and I'm staring at him, we both find meaning in the same moment. He, in that moment, loves the world, and I love it's inhabitants. I guess this post is really just to thank the man who gives me a happy moment every day.

LAUNCH

Nothing has really changed since the last launch post. My goals in life are pretty much the same. The only thing that has changed is my project. After learning about Rebecca and Rachel's project I asked if I could join. I want to be a part of a project to help people to explore their insecurities and eventually expel them. I like talking to my classmates about their projects, I am excited to learn more about them.

I, Jury

Shane:
I think you did a really good job stating your point clearly without summarizing. Good use of examples. Maybe incorporate more literary techniques.
Melissa:
I really enjoyed reading this. Great use of literary techniques and vocabulary.
Bailey:
I really like the quote you used at the beginning. Good job describing the world's state.
Rebecca:
Really well written. Good job describing the characters. By the way when you say your essay sucks and I say mine does too make sure yours actually does hahah.
Kylie:
Great job properly describing the author's use of the literary devices. I like your description of Bernard's mental state

Everyone did a great job with their essays. I hope to soon do as great of a job using literary device examples as smoothly as they did soon. I want to work on that most overall.

Brave New Essay

                        In the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, the main character Bernard Marx struggles with internal feelings of rebellion, while still trying to fight his status as a social pariah. It is his status as a short statured man in a world that excepts only big things that helps him to get an unmuddled  view of the flaws of his society. To voice his opinions could mean sacrificing his already low community standing. Some ways that Bernard's opinions differ from those of his society are his belief in monogamous relationships and his yearning for an identity.


                        In the world Bernard lives in love isn't a necessary part of life. People often have multiple partners and relationships at once. Relationships are very mechanical and cold. Sex isn't considered intimate, it's social. Bernard wants more than that. He wants to be with only one woman. On the inside he truly believes that's how all relationships should be. If he started sharing that information with everyone he may be treated even worse than he is now.


                     Bernard wants to find a life outside of what is required of him to do before he dies. He seems to want so separate himself from society, and create a whole new identity. He doesn't seem proud of who he is. He wants to live a life that follows his own ideas as opposed to those of the rest of the world. He is a very independent man in a very codependent world.


                     In conclusion,  Bernard has many thoughts and ideas that are frowned upon within his society. His character represents an inner want for change. If only he could act upon that change he would be a true hero. There is still strength in his willingness to accept new ideas. What are considered strengths here are weaknesses in his world. He is to fearful of those around him to act upon his wishes. The only way to make a change is to summon courage.
                         

Brave New essay topic

 Analyze the character of Bernard Marx.  In what ways is he admirable? In what ways is he less than admirable?  Overall, how would you characterize his motivations and actions?  Explore the function his character plays in the novel. What purpose does he serve?

In answering this essay prompt their are a few things I would definitely need to mention:

1) Bernard is constantly searching for his identity.

2) He is admirable, because in a world where everyone shares the same thoughts he dares to have his own.

3) By the same token his character flaw is that although he has his own thoughts so far he has not had the courage to act on them.

4) His role in the novel is to show the point of view of someone in this world who is of a lower caste.

I am here

I feel I have expanded my vocabulary since entering this course. I hope I continue to be able to use the words I have learned in my writing in the future. I still really want to get better at essay writing. I think expanding my vocabulary is a great stepping stone towards achieving my goal. I am excited to do my senior project. I am also excited to see where the peer mentoring group takes me in the future.

Welcome to interdisciplinary

My project is about being a positive rolemodel. It's about having a good influence on the youth who will one day take our place. I want my project to show people the difference between a good and bad influence. 

Hafta/wanna

I don't think the changes that happen to your life when you graduate are immediate, but they happen over time. I think going to college is a way to escape ideas that your parents have drilled into your head, and decide for yourself what you believe. In college there will be no one to make sure you do your work and go to school. This is a time for you to learn to be independent. Part of being independent is learning to balance all of the important aspects of your life, and to prioritize. These are important life skills you will always need. I know I personally will need to work on being independent, because I am so spoiled right now.

The Nose

1)Ivan is a barber

2) Ivan finds a nose in a loaf of bread.

3) Ivan's wife accuses him of cutting it off someone's face.

4) Ivan wants to destroy or throw out the nose.

5) The nose in this story represents how happiness is not easy to achieve, and when it is found you must hold on to it.

6) The nose belongs where it ends up in a river where it can't cause anymore trouble. It only brought a world of trouble to Ivan's life.

Launch/Draft

• I am passionate about working with children. I want to go to school to become a Kindergarten teacher.
• Last semester I learned how to use some tools online that I can use to find work in the future by advertising myself.
• I want to feel like a better writer by the end of this year. I know this goal will always be helpful to me if I can accomplish it.
• I think people would be pleased that I was lucky enough to travel to another country and help people, just because this is an opportunity not many people have in their life.
• The only way to move past the "what if" part of life is by working hard and taking risks.
• My teachers are experts on the field of study I wish to go into.

The time of my life

Well on Friday I was not in class. At the time of my class period on Friday I was in Oxnard for a water polo tournament. During this game I was probably losing by 1 point in overtime. If I were to have gone to class I would have been discussing the characterization in The Tale of Two Cities. I have lot's of notes and I will try to talk to some of my group outside of my class about them on Monday. 

Literature Analysis

 

 

  The Joy Luck Club

1) This book is about women who have emigrated from China to the United States, and their struggle to be independent without losing their identities. All of the women share the same struggle to find happiness. They meet up religiously to talk about their struggles with each other to help one another. It is about to generations of women. Both generations struggle to gain control over their lives. The second generation of women try to learn more about the backgrounds of their parents. Some of the main conflicts happen within the women's marriage. 

2) The main theme of this novel is self-discovery. Each of the women are working to find their own niche in the world.

3) The tone of this book is hopeful each of the women have traveled to America in the hopes of creating a better life for themselves and their families.

" and in my memory I can feel the hope that beat in me in the night"

" how else could I appreciate what my parents had done for me?"

" He gave me this from his heart"

4)Foreshadow- "I was beginning to think about how to escape my marriage"

 

diction-"Play note right, but doesn't sound good! No singing sound" The moms don't speak the best English, because they came from China

 

setting-" We were a city of leftovers mixed together"

 

imagery- " He had lost most of the hair on top of his and he had eyes that looked tired and sleepy

 

pathos- " I had just seen a little girl die right in front of me"

 

allusion-" The Vietnam war was wildly unpopular"

 

irony- " He told her he could make her beautiful, instead one side of her smile fell"

 

symbolism- "To make her point she crushed the stand of beads she had just given her"

 

flashback-"When the bombing sounds grew further away, we scratched our way back to the city"

 

dialogue- "What kind of punishment?'

" Too many questions"

 

Characterization

1)Indirect- " She yanked the full length of my hair like the reins of horse"

" My mom told me about a man who lived in a room I was never to go in. I have been scared to since then"

direct- " I was very confident with childish excitement."

" My mother had grand dreams of wealth"

2) The authors diction changes based on which generation of women the character talking is from. The first generation doesn't speak proper English, because they are from China.

3) There are many different protagonists, but I would describe them all as being very dynamic. Each of them have different background that have affected their lives today.

4)In the end I don't think this novel has really changed me too much. I have a better idea of what it must have been like to grow up in China during war. I feel like I have gotten to know all of the main characters on a personal level. I feel sympathy for all of them.

 

 

 

 

 

Tale of two cities lecture notes

- the book was largely influenced by Dicken's views on the revolution

- his career started off small with him being an editor

- Paris and London were both important parts of his life.

- he helped write and play a part in " the Frozen Deep" 

- Most of the characters in Dicken's plays have the initials CD or DC

- During an acting job Dickens came out with the idea for this novel

What's the story

Charles Dickens wrote A tale of two Cities to illustrate the trials and tribulations of exploring the world of love. He wanted people to know that to get to the good parts of life you have to pass through the bad. He does this using a anaphora " it was the best of times it was the worst of times", imagery " mysterious backs and ends peeped out at us while we were walking", and diction " I do hope there will be no oniony and tobaccoey smotherings" 

Lit terms #4

interior monologue-expression of a character's thoughts: an extended passage in a story or novel that expresses what a character is thinking and feeling
ex. " I couldn't help but think how cute he was"
inversion- An interchange of position of adjacent objects in a sequence
ex. "together we stand, divided we fall"
juxtaposition- an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.
ex. " to be, or not to be"
lyric-a. expressing the writer's personal feelings and thoughts : b. having the form and manner of a song
ex. "kids again"
magic(al) realism-  a genre where magic elements are a natural part in an otherwise mundane, realistic environment.
 ex. "romeo and Juliet"
metaphor (extended, controlling, & mixed)-implicit comparison
ex. the sun is yellow as corn
metonymy- a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is called not by its own name but rather by the name of something associated in meaning
ex. redneck
modernism-a philosophical movement in the arts
ex. the book Ulysses
 monologue- is presented by a single character, most often to express their mental thoughts aloud
ex "to be or not to be"
mood-a state or quality of feeling at a particular time
ex. happy
motif-theme in work of literature
ex. in " a doll's house" the dolls were a motif
myth-a traditional story about heroes or supernatural beings, often attempting to explain the origins of natural phenomena or aspects of human behavior
ex. black watermelon  seeds will sprout in your stomach
narrative-story , account
ex. Huckleberry fin
narrator- a person who tells a story or gives an account of something
ex Holden in catcher in the rye
naturalism- a movement, esp in art and literature, advocating detailed realistic and factual description
ex. white fang
novelette/novella-a written, fictional, prose narrative normally longer than a short story but shorter than a novel.
ex. of mice and men
omniscient point of view-Point of view in which the narrator sees into the minds of some but not all of the characters
onomatopoeia-imitation of sound in words: the formation or use of words that imitate the sound associated with something
ex. kind kendall kisses killers
oxymoron-expression with contradictory words
ex. alone together, act natural
 pacing-a rate of movement
ex. Shakespeare's writing is all well pace
 parable-moral or religious story: a short simple story intended to illustrate a moral or religious lesson
ex. the turtle and the hare
 paradox-something absurd or contradictory
ex. you may just wake up dead

Lit terms Remix 1-5

circumlocution- more talking than necessary

 classicism- art that is too classy for me


 cliché- lets all just do the same thing. We'll make money right?


 climax- well this will keep things interesting...

 colloquialism- no classy talk in my house!

Literary terms 2

circumlocution- an indirect way of saying something
ex. My nana says bless her heart when someone says something stupid
 classicism-restrained Greek or Roman arts
ex. Homer liked to write in this style
 cliché- an overused term or statement
ex The sun will come out tomorrow
 climax- turning point
ex. During the climax in a romance novel the main character may realize they're in love
 colloquialism- informal presentation of information
ex. Dayum girl you fine
comedy- a narrative that ends happily
ex. Shakespeare has written a few comedies
 conflict- a prolonged struggle
ex. The conflict in Matilda was the mean principal
 connotation- having a different meaning
ex. Belly button rings may have a negative connotation
 contrast- marked difference
ex. A foil is created in many stories to provide contrast in the characters
 denotation-dictionary definition
ex. conflict- prolonged struggle
 denouement- the outcome of events
ex. The denouement of My sisters keeper is the sister dies.
 dialect-regional variety of language
ex. Someone from Alabama might say "fixin to"
 dialectics- tension between conflicting ideas
ex. A philosopher might argue using this
dichotomy- separation of different things
ex. there is dichotomy between republicans and democrats
 diction-choice of words
ex. The authors choice of diction reflected the characters lack of education
 didactic- containing a moral or a message
ex. the story with the turtle who wins the race slow and steady
 dogmatic- having strong rigid opinions
ex. a nun believe god exists
 elegy- mournful poem or song
ex. the poem someone might read at a funeral
 epic- a long narrative poem with a hero
ex. The odyssey
 epigram- a witty saying
ex. it better to love and hurt than never love at all
 epitaph- writing commemorating the dead
ex. he was a great brother and father
 epithet- an insult
ex. you smell
 euphemism- use of a neutral phrase
ex. to say "passed gas' instead of fart
 evocative- stimulating memories
ex. that smell reminds me of my grandma

AP Prep post 1: Siddhartha

 

1)How was this novel an allegory and what was one theme from Siddhartha?

A.  I personally think the story from the novel is about the struggle to find your niche in society. The theme is self discovery.

http://www.gradesaver.com/siddhartha/q-and-a/how-was-this-novel-an-allegory-and-what-was-one-theme-from-siddhartha-130944/

2)What would happen if Siddhartha was alone and did not have Govinda?

I had trouble answering this question with little background information. This is the answer I found.

A.

I suppose Siddhartha would have had nobody to travel with. Govinda was a true companion that helped Siddhartha establish his path. Things would have changed slightly if Siddhartha had been alone but, as a major theme presents, Siddhartha's path would have only been slightly different on his way to enlightenment.

http://www.gradesaver.com/siddhartha/q-and-a/how-was-this-novel-an-allegory-and-what-was-one-theme-from-siddhartha-130944/

3) What purpose does self-denial serve in Siddhartha? What about self-indulgence?

A. With out self denial/indulgence there would be no self discovery. Siddhartha has not up until this point realized how alone in the world he is.

http://www.shmoop.com/siddhartha/questions.html

4) What does Siddhartha do that allows him to achieve enlightenment?

I didn't know the answer, but I found this.

A.He lets his son follow his own path

http://www.shmoop.com/siddhartha/enlighten-me-flashcards.html

5) Siddhartha’s father is a Brahmin, which means he is a what?

I found this answer online.

A. Religious leader. (seemed important to know the exact definition)

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/siddhartha/quiz.html

 

 

 

Hacking my education

During my last semester in this course I hope to learn to be a good mentor. My personal belief is the only way to get better at something is to practice. I have joined a collaborative working group filled with students my age who also hope to achieve this goal. We are coming together not only to help ourselves, but also to help each other. By doing this I think we are already becoming better mentors to each other. We will be enlisting the help of Dr. Preston and other teachers to get a better idea of what we need to improve in order to become better mentors. I want to be a good mentor, because in the future I want to be a teacher. I appreciate the opportunity I have to work with my peers to take the next step towards my career path.

What's in it for me?

This blog is a tool for me to share what I learn about both myself and this curriculum throughout the year. I want to use it as a way to connect with people who are at similar points in their lives. That is my goal in all of this. What is the purpose of taking my time to do these posts, if not because of you the people who read it? Sure you may be just a classmate looking for ideas on how to do your post, but hey my goal of sharing information would then be accomplished! So that is all my blog is meant for.