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22795. Ms. No - 11/2/2007 10:58:46 PM We did the Orson Welles War of the Worlds readers theater again this year and had twice the number of viewers as last year. It's fun, but I miss getting dressed up and reveling in Halloween. I haven't had any trick or treaters at any of the places I've lived since I left West LA and we used to get lots of them there.
Today I am running errands and brushing up on comma rules and British literary movements in preparation for taking the CSET tomorrow. I just found out today that if I pass the CBEST Writing Skills (which I did) then I don't have to take the CSET Writing Skills. I'm signed up for it though, so I don't know what's doing with that. It'd be nice not to have to write the essays since the questions are always such a bore. 22796. arkymalarky - 11/2/2007 11:17:21 PM I had to write something like 12 of them on the Praxis along with answering multiple choice in about two hours. Of course I didn't get all twelve written and I had about ten sharp pencils that were worn to nubs by the end. The test wasn't bad and the prompts weren't too boring, but I hate the feeling of not finishing something, even when I know they don't expect it. 22797. arkymalarky - 11/2/2007 11:18:12 PM You and Mose need to compare notes on your certification processes. 22798. Ms. No - 11/3/2007 5:47:30 AM I don't know if I'd be more freaked out or less freaked out having a test that I'm not expected to finish. 22799. arkymalarky - 11/3/2007 6:05:36 AM I didn't know that until I was in the test and then talked on break to others who'd taken it before or had friends who had, which was good. I don't think I could have judged how to pace myself and prioritize if I'd known in advance we wouldn't have time to finish, and as it was I just wrote until they called time. But until I got my results I kept wondering about leaving the last essay completely blank and getting about two sentences on the next to last one--and I read and write fast. I don't know if they pick your best 5 out of 12 or something. I never looked into the details before the test, just practiced the multiple choice. 22800. judithathome - 11/3/2007 3:43:47 PM and I read and write fast.
That's an example of "understatement" if I ever saw one! We were reading on the Mote once while visiting and Arky was looking over my shoulder...she had time to get a cup of coffee and do a load of wash while I finished the page!
(And THAT's an example of overstatement...ha! But just barely.) 22801. arkymalarky - 11/3/2007 5:13:12 PM Haha! It's a skill honed by teaching English and history and grading essays for 26 years. It's the only way I've managed to have a life outside my job. 22802. Ms. No - 11/3/2007 7:23:37 PM I've got a 7-Day Speed Reading course that I keep meaning to read and learn. It would've been helpful earlier in the semester since I've got so much reading for my history classes, but better late than never.
That's something that I think about often ---- how many of the classics I haven't read....and that I'll eventually have to teach. 22803. arkymalarky - 11/3/2007 10:11:23 PM You can't possibly teach everything, so it's very easy to teach what you're familiar with. My weak area is modern lit, and AP is leaning more toward that, but the students' skills are what matters. The test will use obscure poems and passages anyway, even if the authors are well known. Spook can really give good teaching tips in that regard. 22804. arkymalarky - 11/3/2007 10:13:20 PM In fact, he has great tips in general and has helped Mose a lot. I thought she was going to go over the edge a few weeks ago, but she's doing better. My friend whose job she took doesn't miss it a bit. They will have to adjust that position next year or they're not going to be able to get anyone to fill it. 22805. arkymalarky - 11/3/2007 10:28:32 PM What do people here think should be absolutely required reading in high school? 22806. jexster - 11/4/2007 3:17:50 AM Catcher in the Rye 22807. jexster - 11/4/2007 3:19:21 AM I bought some EXCELLENT pain de mie today. Some surrender monkey from Bordeaux bought himself a specialty mill in Utah and opened two bakery cafes and a bistro in SF...
Tartines, baguettes, brioches ooo la la! 22808. jexster - 11/4/2007 3:24:38 AM I'm trying to recall some of the books assigned for summer reading..typically 4 assigned due first day of class...
A couple of Faulkners for sure
Senior year Ulysees may have been on the list
Red Badge of Courage 22809. jexster - 11/4/2007 3:25:38 AM We didn't read any Negro works tho Arky...perhaps you ought to sprinkle a little chocolate on there too!
22810. jexster - 11/4/2007 3:26:16 AM Invisible Man 22811. jexster - 11/4/2007 3:28:21 AM The Thanatos Syndrome.
If for no other reason than there's a scene at Parlange Plantation where I used to play as a child 22812. jexster - 11/4/2007 3:38:47 AM The Call of the Wild
Scarlet Letter 22813. Ms. No - 11/4/2007 4:26:39 AM Arky,
I'd love to get tips from Spook. Hell, I'd love to come "go to school" with the lot of you for a long weekend. I think I'll already be in the middle of classes next summer when you do your annual, though.
After taking today's tests I know exactly what you mean about obscure works by known authors. They had a Phyllis Wheatley poem that was pretty atypical of her...or, more to the point they were using her to highlight Englightenment Era themes, and that's not really what she was about. I mean, she's not particularly representative and especially not the piece they had us read. I just did the best I could through elimination of the two that wouldn't work at all and the mental coin toss over the other two answers.
I will say that I'm patting myself on the back for having signed up for the Linguistics course and the Standard Grammar and Usage this semester. I don't see how anyone could've passed the second exam without having studied Linguistics. Seriously, about 75% of that test was specialized knowledge and the whole time I'm sitting there gleefully answering questions on a subject I find fascinating but scratching my head over how they think most of it applies to what you actually teach in high school English classes --- unless they're thinking it should be a background for teaching ESL or something.
22814. arkymalarky - 11/4/2007 4:31:00 AM You can come absolutely anytime, No! We'll make a gathering if you plan a trip.
I can't imagine wrt the linguistics. My Enlgish major required one grammar course. I know more about grammar and linguistics from the Fray/Mote than anywhere else.
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