September 5

*We discussed independent homework by looking over and completing the following sheet:

Why I’m offering self-directed learning as “homework”

Two reasons:

ONE: The best way to learn is to choose a topic that interests you. 

TWO: The quickest way to kill an interest in learning is to be forced to learn about things that have no interest to you.

What I’m expecting from you:

• I’m expecting you to figure out what things you want to learn about (with optional help from me)
• I’m expecting you to develop a plan for learning about these things that you can present to me (with optional help from me).
• I’m expecting you to start working on this immediately, continue working on it throughout the quarter, and finish one week before the quarter ends.

If you already know what you are going to do, GREAT! Setup a meeting with me before school, during my prep period, during lunch, or after school sometime within the next two weeks to discuss what you will do this quarter.

If you are unsure of what to do--no problem.  Answer these questions and come see me before school, during my prep period, during lunch, or after school sometime within the next two weeks.

1. What are you interested in?  Focus on things you CHOOSE to do outside the classroom. 

2. What would you like to learn/read/write about?

3. Are you already in a group that discusses any topic?

4. What do you see yourself doing after high school? 

5. What Language Arts skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening) would you like to work on to be successful in whatever you choose to do after high school?

Some ideas of what to do for the Independent Homework

Generally speaking, you will have to pick two of these.

·       Research something you are interested in and :

o   Write a paper

o   Do a Power Point

o   Collage

·       Read any book

·       Write a story

·       While reading a book or poem, respond to it

·       Work on a website

·       A diary or journal

·       Interview someone

·       Go to a play

·       Act in a play

·       Join a club and help to plan events/setup fundraising

·       Get some grammar/punctuation/spelling assignments from Schachter

·       Read a book and watch the movie-compare the two

·       Present a Power Point or poem to class

·       Begin a petition in the school

No matter what you choose, make sure to clear it with Schachter within two weeks of the start of the quarter.

*Next we created a collage with 3-4 pictures of what other people expect of us and 3-4 pictures of what we expect out of ourselves.