Something New; Something Different; Something Memorable
Write your response as a comment before coming to class. Bring a word processed (and double spaced) copy to class that day.
Write a minimum of 100 words (and no more than 150) per topic. Provide a heading to each one in order to separate your text. One paragraph per topic seems to work best. Using a variety of sentences and punctuation will increase your score.
Remember that your words will be read by next term’s class, so try to provide useful and accurate information for them to better understand our studies this term. I will post a comment here during the vacation but do not expect you to do your work before the first week of January.
Stay safe and enjoy your holiday.
24 comments:
Something New
Wislawa Szymborska reminds us: “Nothing’s a gift/It’s all on loan.” And, as we found out, “Life is the only way,” so, with her words in mind, I design each new semester and hope to experience something new. On the first day, I counted 41 in English 12; that was certainly new. Group work, though often frantic, still worked in a large class. Although I love teaching my smaller English 11, the fantastic number of combinations of student styles and personalities in 12 made planning groups a new and interesting challenge (after first figuring out who’s present, late, probably coming and so on!). I had more younger students and am often charmed (and sometimes exasperated) by your youthful energy. It’s not new to notice that adults lead complicated lives; it is new for me to note how younger adults face equal complexity. In the end, there is always something new but, as the semester closes I have to remember “It’s all on loan”!
—161 words
Something Different
Grading is hard. Does a poorly done assignment reflect student misunderstanding of instructions, hurried work due to personal burdens, a lack of the intellect needed to get the job done? Since my decisions and judgements affect students in profound ways, I need to be careful. What is different is that I am getting better at it every year. Students have challenged my judgements more this term (perhaps the influence of youth) and I find myself having to justify to myself exactly why I’ve reached a conclusion. Allowing rewrites for assignments that fail to meet ministry standards has made a difference for students and that is encouraging. I feel it’s better to have a chance to make it right (and know what makes it that way). Students often come back stronger from the experience if it’s done with the right spirit. Although it is never easy being the marker, I like to try something different in hopes of softening the blows!
—160 words
Something Memorable
We humans love a good conversation; this term we’ve had quite a few. Teachers often comment on our noise level during group work (the 12s, especially!) but in the context of “It sounds like they’re having fun!” Indeed, I have fond memories of this term. One day that sticks out is our “Let’s Take a Look” exercise, where we came back to class having witnessed how state power collides with the right to protest and dissent. The issues were important, the conversations intense. Many had mixed feelings but, more important, you had the chance to explore how you felt about what you had seen; in a safe place, I think, one that has created a number of good memories for many of you. I only wish I could remember more—observing groups in action is frustrating too, since I cannot follow the many conversations. But it’s not what I remember, it’s that you had them!
—155 words
Something New
In my English 12 class, with an enthusiastic teacher like Brad, lots of things have been new for me. For the first time, I had experienced writing homework on the class’s blog. Posting on the blog and being aware that all my classmates can read my work, made me a bit anxious; it wasn’t an easy task. I would always reread my work a few times before posting it; fortunately, in time, my comfort level with posting got better. Writing a travel anecdote was something new to me too; it was fun to do it, though. I had a good laugh after reading some of my classmates’ anecdotes. Poetry was another new thing that I was introduced to, in my English 12 class. The tips for writing poetry evidently were very useful to all of us, because in the end, we all “sounded” like real poets.
146 words
Something Different
We are in Canada, a multicultural country, so my English 12 class was mixture of different cultures, experiences, and personalities. Every group discussion was enriched with inner “treasures” of every group member; despite of sometimes heated up discussions and disagreements (or better to say - different opinions) within a group, all group presentations ended with a unique, worth listening conclusions. Brad encouraged us to be free to express our different opinions, because there is no right answer due to our uniqueness. With Brad, we had chance to experience learning from a different perspective – by using all our senses; he combined readings with watching video clips and movies (on the same subject), and that way, the learning content was more understandable. This modernized learning, without Shakespeare, made us informed up-to-date learners, aware and ready for the new challenges of the modern society.
141 words
Something Memorable
The most memorable class time, that I will always remember, is the day when we were reading our poems in front of the class. Even though some student said that they didn’t like or they didn’t know how to write a poem, every poem was exceptional and interesting to hear. In every poem I could find words that touched my soul. Some of the loving examples are Cornelia’s “to hold a lover, savor a perfume,” Esther’s “to squeeze hands, look into a heart,” Rosemary’s ” spin in the morning thoughts,” Noel’s “to tell opponents winner takes it all,” Lois’s “ to dance in the rain, chase falling leafs in the wind,” and I can go, on and on. Each student shared beautiful poetry that day; creativity and uniqueness were characteristic of each poem. In conclusion, Szymborska is not the only one who can write a good poem.
147 words
~Something new:
Something new, something new, something new. Is there anything I learned something new this term? Ah, yes! I remember it now; I learned how to be a confident person in front of people because whenever I stand to have public speaking, my knees starts to shake, my hands starts to tremble. Now, I can say I now overcome my one of my biggest fears. I don’t know about the future but right now, I now have confidence about public speaking. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for overcoming my biggest fear, Brad!
-95 words.
~Something peculiar:
I have to admit: this term is definitely different from last term for sure, because for one thing, Brad gave us presentations instead of in class writing. Especially when he taught us how to look at things differently and we had to do a presentation on various topics. This presentation was a new experience for me to have because for one thing we never had to make presentations on the first of the term and everything I did, Brad gave me a higher mark ever – well, except for the last term that is!
-93 words.
~Something reminiscent:
I've never thought about writing about English 12 to you, I don’t know why but every time it’s getting harder and harder because I have so much to say to you – future students, hopefully not including me, seriously! – about English 12 and how much fun it is to be taught by Brad. Now, I know how Brad can be hard to understand sometimes because he teaching methods are different from others but if you get to know Brad, you’ll regret why you didn’t get a chance to meet him sooner. If you get a chance to know Brad, then your so-called “prejudice” about Brad will be gone (I don’t mean to butter Brad up; I’m just telling you the truth!)!
-120 words.
Something New
In English Twelve many things were new for me and the other students like new friends, new materials to learn, and new prospective of life. I see always my classmate mention “the blog” as a something new for us. This could be right, but it is not the only thing that could be considerate as a new innovation in English Twelve Course. “The blog” is an interesting instrument to make bridges among students’ mined. “The blog” created a web communication that everyone could participate and give his or her opinion in any conversation and argue on the treated topic in the class. The class was not a traditional course with a teacher who continued his monologue then students should only listen to him. I think, the new thing in this course (English Twelve) is “networking,” and I hope this educational method could be a potential sample for a public education system not only in Canada but also in the wide world.(161 words)
Something Different
In English Twelve are several things that I can mention like many students with different cultures, religions, and background or a teacher (Brad) with several innovated method to teach English. For me the most different, enjoyable experience from the course was composing poetry. I had never written a poem neither in my mother tongue since English Twelve. I remember, when I was student in Iran, my native country, teacher of Persian language asked us to “memorize and read in a loud voice the poem” of the ancient famous Persian poets like Sadi, Omar Khaiam, and Ferdousy. That was a hateful experience for me (with whole my respect for Persian poets) because I should use my talent and energy to memorize the poems of someone else. Differently, in this course, the poem of a poet helped me out to write down my poem using my talent, mind, and Words.(148 words)
Something memorable
The memorable “anecdote” of the English Twelve was working in the group and making a list from different point of views of the students, and arguing about those. During this semester two classes were very interesting and unforgettable. The first one was “ A Framing for Occupy Wall Street” by George Lakoff, and the other one was “What’s going on?; Nineteen Eighty-Four” by George Orwell. Both classes had a political concept that was helpful to figure out the students’ opinions about the social and political issue. Obviously, the conversation contained different opinions and reaction, but whole were instructive and peacefully. I remember, that I participated in those turns of conversation very actively, and I hope that my intervention would be helpful and harmless for the people who did not have the same opinion and idea.(136 words)
Something new
I had no confident in myself at all in the beginning of my English class. Of course, I was not looking forward to learning the same way and doing same things all over again. Certainly, I wanted to experience something that is not normal, not compulsory, or something that is not on auto-pilot. Therefore, I was glad when Mr. Brad, announced we won’t do Shakespeare. He told us we will have different stories to read and we will post our response online. No doubt, it was a new and refreshing experience. It was the first time a teacher pushed me to step out of my comfort zone. Brad, is very supportive, encouraging teacher who truly love the language and, is passionate about teaching. Today when I look in the mirror, I see a girl who is not afraid of experiencing something new. (144 Words)
Something different
No teacher has ever given me the opportunity to discuss every story I read with my classmates. However, this English class was different. Because, with every story given I knew my teacher wanted to know my opinion on it and wanted me to talk about it with others. In addition, sharing a story with others and explaining my observations to others helps me gain an excellent understanding of a story. Not to mention, talking in groups helps me get an entirely new segment of views and interpretations helping me see it in a whole different way. Furthermore, sometimes my classmates change my opinion and made me see things different. That surprises me because; I am a very stubborn person. After all, discussing a story with people from different countries, ages, culture and religion gives me insights in to the mind of others and see the world in different way. This experience was something powerful and different. (149 Words)
Something memorable
The most memorable thing for me was when we did the “Here I Am” poem. To stand in front of forty something students who I do not knew was nerve racking. Not only, was I uncomfortable to share information about myself, I had no clue if my classmates will laugh or even listen. However, once again they proved me wrong. Truly, they were mature, respectful and understanding. While I was reading my poem I can see on their faces they were really interested in what I have to say and made me feel very comfortable. I will never forget the feeling I had that day and the amount of respect I got. We live in a very diverse nation made up of many different culture, status, and race. I know having different kind of variety can be interesting and fun, however that is if we only had respect for one another. And my classmates definitely had respect for each other. (152)
Something New
When we watched the disturbing and chilling movie “Nineteen Eighty-Four” by George Orwell, I thought it was something surprisingly new. A movie of this atmosphere is still banned in the Philippines. That might be the reason why it was my first time seeing it and inside the classroom. On the other side of the world in Saudi Arabia where I worked, the movies on television were strictly monitored. The newspapers and magazines were closely guarded that it does not contain images of women with revealing bodies, anti Islamic pictures or anything that criticize the government. Watching the movie “Nineteen Eighty-Four” was quite a surprise because it’s even part of the English 12 curriculum. To my understanding it only shows how open North America is on political issues. Canada may not be a perfect place but democracy is alive here.
(139 words)
Something Different
Discussion in a multicultural group is something different because I get to hear how we react on issues. North Americans are more open and expressive on political issues like the “Occupy wall street incident” in November 2011. Europeans too express concern on the issue. I notice though that Asians like me are sometimes politically numb or less expressive. We tend to see it as just a minor incident in a day. Back in the Philippines in the 1970’s, people were banned to speak on anything political from classroom to public areas. On the other hand in North America people are free to discuss anything without malice. Students can express their views and can even protest. Canada is a mixture of different cultures from tough places like Afghanistan, Persia, Philippines, China and Serbia. Personally speaking, it is a unique experience listening from opinions of various cultural backgrounds.
(145 words)
Something Memorable
When I composed “A Note to Myself” I thought it was something reminiscing. Each time that I recall those memorable years of my childhood, it excites emotionally. Whenever I look back on those wonderful years, I usually do it orally like a story in front of my family or friends. However, collecting memories and translating them into words to become a poem was tougher than I expected. I struggled along the way because if I run too fast I might cross a boundary line. I tried to pick my words in a way to create the closest competition image possible like “only to rise again and charge head-on”. A poem is like compressing a long story using few words that says it all. It was quite difficult but it paid off because I just discovered that with few words I can bring back precious memories.
(144 words)
Something New
Writing a poem in English is a new experience to me. I have never thought that I can do it because poetry, to me, is a mysterious and complicated style that I don’t dare to touch it; however, I finally accomplished my work in a surprisingly enjoyable way. Not only the topic that we were given interested me, but also the way that the message is carried amazed me. I still can’t figure out thoroughly how such a short piece could share so many contents and emotions, but it really does. Although my first poem seems quite naïve, it truly touches me. I can’t believe that reading my own poem in the class actually made me cry. (That was very embarrassing.) Thank Brad for giving me such a unique experience; I am pretty sure that I will try another one some day.
-------142 words
Something Different
Talking about the controversial political issue happened around us in the class is quite different from the regular classes. Most teachers may try to avoid some sensitive topics discussed by the students, especially politics, but that’s not Brad’s type. He likes to share his opinions with us about the problems that our society is facing now, which makes me---an ignoramus in politics----start to realize that how intimate our life and politics are! When I read the “We are the 99 percent,” I suddenly found out that I am one of the 99 percent, and what all the protesters are doing now is actually fighting for my future as well. Although this kind of different thing cannot please everyone, it is still valuable to me.
------126 words
Something Memorable
The group work on the story “A Man Like Him” is a memorable experience to me. I’m not an argumentative person; most of time I’m willing to be an audience to other people during discussions. However, when we shared our opinions on “A Man Like Him,” I actually debated with all other members. I was surprised that no one liked the story except me because they couldn’t understand Teacher Fei at all. Since I am familiar with Chinese history and I’ve heard a lot of tragedies similar with Teacher Fei’s father, I love this story. Trying to convince other members, I presented much background information to them. Although Brad always says, “The world needs all kinds of minds,” I still had sense of success after some members changed their minds. During that debate, the most valuable thing to me is that I gained confidence which I lost long time ago. For this particular reason, I will always remember this experience.
-----160 words
Something New.
I have had Brad as an English 12 teacher second time. When I saw the class on the first day, I was shocked – forty one people were too much for English 12. I was very curious how Brad would manage with it. No problem. He slightly changed the program so we had less in class writing. Frankly speaking, I could not say that this fact upset me. However, key points of his teaching style, the blog and group work, remained unchanged. We published our comments in the blog. Most time in class, we worked in groups discussing our thoughts and ideas.
- 101 words
Something Different.
What was Brand’s purpose in discussing the movement, Occupy Wall Street? Why did Brad try to propagate its ideas from the students? A teacher had to be neutral. The students read and watched only OWS’ point of view. We didn’t have any other ideas, for example, the Tea Party platform. So I became an OWS opponent, not because I dislike OWS but because somebody was needed to have an opposite opinion in the class. However, working in a group, we debated and analyzed all students’ thoughts; as a result, we usually understood each other and found a compromise in our arguing.
– 101 words
Something Memorable.
I still remember when we, Steven, Nancy, Rosemary, and I, worked together in a group. People from different countries found a common language without any problem. I haven’t met a long time such creative and educated people knowing a lot about everything and generating so many ideas. Also, I remember my challenge, writing a travel anecdote. I was proud of my first draft but my classmates pointed some mistakes, gaps, and problems that after our group discussion I rewrote my story entirely. The list of memorized events includes the movies “Nineteen Eighty-Four”, the poem “Here I Am”, and writing poetry. I think I will attend Brad’s class next term.
– 109 words
Something New:
I remember the first time Brad told us we are going to be doing homework assignments on a blog site I thought to myself that means “all the other students will be able to see what I wrote” and I was really nervous about it. Gradually with time I started liking the idea of the blog because it gave me an opportunity to see what my other classmates had to say about the topic we were discussing in class. At some occasions it changed my opinion about certain issues happening in the current world. I definitely enjoyed doing the blog and I hope to do more blogs in the future.-110 words
Something Different: The first time I walked into the classroom, I was thirty minutes late. It was a really awkward moment for especially when everyone was looking at me. But something new I saw were 41 students sitting in the same classroom, it was so interesting for me to see this because in high school usually there are about twenty-seven to thirty students in one class. I thought to myself how am I going to be able to adjust in a class with so many students and knowing that I didn’t know anybody, but once we started doing group work together and I started to get to know everyone I knew being in this class was going to be interesting and fun.-122 words
Something Memorable:
The most memorable thing for me was presenting “here I am” because I was really nervous to present in front of people I did not know anybody. A hundred thoughts were running through my head like “I am going to get laughed at” or “my piece is going to sound weird.” I still remember the day I presented and I saw everyone listen so enthusiastically it showed me how nice, and mature my classmates were. And after having a great experience with “here I am” my next presentation in class felt so easy and comfortable to do.-97 words
Something New
Even though I had taken English 11 with Brad and was familiar with his way of teaching, there were still many things like, “Blog Homework,” writing poem, and media lessons that were new to me. Being aware of other students reading our homework was really stressful yet interesting for me. Actually, “Media lessons” was my favorite part of the class. We discussed many new topics; it related to a variety of cultures and different lifestyles that each of us had in our home country. Writing Poems was another new experience in Brad’s class. Ones, I was done, I knew how difficult it was it took a lot of energy out of me and made me think hard. I must say that this new system of education allows students to become creative and independent thinkers. There is no doubt that this class has been very useful and enjoyable for me. (149 words)
Something Memorable
I found Brad’s way of teaching English 11 and 12 a memorable experience. He always challenges the students along and assigns group works to them. The interesting thing about Brad is that he likes to risk choosing his topics; it can be about a film or a novel. Moreover, he is always a winner because, most of the time, the topics make his classes more entertaining for students. In our class, everyone was interested and participated in discussions. Over all, I will never forget this enjoyable experience, the funny stories, and even Brad’s tough marking method. (96 words)
Something Different
Brad’s comments are very interesting and helpful for me. He always posts a sample for each blog of homework that he assigns to us. This makes the work easier to understand. Sometimes it is hard to know what your teacher expect of you to write; any guidelines like this could be of great help. Writing about different subjects is not an easy task; you may not even have a single idea what to write about. However, by reading Brad’s comments, you will find the right way easier. In my opinion, his comments are like holding a candle in a dark room. Also, in Brad’s class you won’t be a listener forever; you can express your ideas and disagree, if necessary, about the subject matter that being discussed. (127 words)
Something New
Temple Grandin’s unique outlook of the world was interesting. I had never known some people thinking in pictures before I watched the film. They are as smart as, or even smarter in some areas than the majority. Examining my own thinking style, it is logical, but not rich and colorful. Could that be the reason why my paragraphs were often commented by teachers as “too brief” for their lacking specific details? There are many new things I experienced in this class so far. I would not believe that I could be able to write an English poem, but following Brad’s instruction, I managed to write something! Using blog as an active learning tool is new to me. It motivates me work harder, submit assignments on time and get opportunities to learn from my classmates writing. (138 words)
Something Different
Choosing special photos as a homework on the blog and bringing a photo into class was very interesting and different for me. Through each picture I got lots of information about my classmates, different places and different ideas. Since then, I have been trying to view my pictures and trying to remember why I took those pictures and what is special in them. It was interesting to see all the different choices. Everybody shared a different opinion for each picture. Currently, these different things attract me to find out some extra information.(99 words)
Something Memorable
Learning about “Writing Good English” by William Zinsser I found that there are useful advices for academic tasks and most importantly for me are a few of the things he says: that there are “words that are in our bones”. William Zinsser suggested to all of us, “short is better than long”, and being creatine, concise and clear . Therefore I am convinced of the saying “less is more” and of the author’s statement that simplicity and clarity are principles of a good writing.(100 words)
Something New
In order to understand others behaviors and reach people’s thoughts, communication is one of the crucial thing that Brad uses in his class. The group work was an ideal chance for me to get know and understand people better. Through discussing with other students I experienced a range of expressions and ideas; it helped me to open mu sight wider and understand things more clearly. Thanks to group work, I learned not only to communicate in English but also to hear and accept others comments (comments that I don’t agree with but respect and find reasonable).
108 words
Something Different
My biggest challenge in Brad’s class was watching movies and video clips and writing comments about it (it is a hard task especially when you need to quote). While seeing movies and video clip, I learned new vocabulary and got knowledge from different areas – I also became aware of the world in which I live and became an active looker. I have learned not to believe in everything I hear and have my strong opinion about things around me. I am glad that I was the witness of a useful method that my teacher presented us successfully.
107 words
Something Memorable
The movie, “Nineteen – Eighty Four”, had an immense effect on me. I could not believe what I saw in the movie (it was filmed long ago) actually was noticeable in this modern world. Suddenly, I became aware how we are small figures in a society where government may do with us what they want. It makes me sad to think that we cannot change a lot of around us; it is also miserable that officials use our inner feeling unmercifully to win their fights. Perhaps we cannot change everything but we cannot also close our eyes in front of it. An outstanding film!
100 words
Something New
Since the first day, this term has been a pleasure to work with particular classmates. Nancy full of experiences, Steve updated on news, Alex bringing different interesting points of view, and Faiz from a very different culture; were my first group. Instantly I fall in love with them. Later, Soheil working for his best, Pierre the “chocolate” in class, Esther close to my ideas and the beautiful Sussie made my day several times. Darija down-to-earth or John among other interesting people taught me other ways to experience life. I will remember discussions about domestic animals, and Shirley Temple; “Ghosts” “the Bagdad of Haiti.” The controversy about “A Man like Him” or the diversity political thoughts talking about “1984,” or “OWS” excited my adrenaline. I believe William Zinsser would be delighted having this class. I expected every class something new and I found it.
143 Words
Something Different
Coming to class is an expectation. Brad always on time, having everything ready and planned. Many students ready as well, others are coming behind the clock, sometimes by drops. Class stars, Brad’s introduction begins with comments and the day timeliness. Family is always present, his wife, his kids, in a generous sharing, but inviting students to communicate their own experiences. Most of the times, the target is reached. Unfortunately, this term an annoyance has been also present. A persistent whisper became another uncomfortable member of the class. This whisper disturbances and disrespects teachers and classmates. It does not realize how unpleasant its presence is. People who has not invited to whisper wish this displeasure rumor would not come anymore to our class, and on exams days. That day the class will be really different. That day we will say “to tell pain from everything is not;”!
146 Words
Something Memorable
Many things are memorable in class. The intimate moments, touching memories and out of control tears made teacher and classmates the accomplice family. In this cases anyone different from class would understood these exceptional circumstances. These unforgettable memories are possible because the teacher has the power to combine English goals with people’s feelings. This effective system is the result of the teacher’s passion and desire to make English "the only way” to succeed in their endeavors in Canada. Teacher seeks several ways, (movies, stories, news, politics, poetry…) to persuade his pupils awake their exhilaration for the Shakespeare language, “squeezing inside” their minds. Without doubting, I will repeat this course again and again because every time is new. As in Wislawa Szymborska’s poem, Brad’s re-invented himself over and over “rising on winds.”
131 Words
Something New
English 12 students had to write a poem. This entire exercise was easier said than done, yet inspiring, and astonishingly powerful. I felt nervous standing up and facing my peers and reading my poem out loud. After reading my poem, I felt delight because it was the first poem I had ever written. Composing my poem took about eight hours, and a small number of breaks. Truly I thought it was challenging to dig deep into what I really wanted to say about my life. Creating a poem was motivating, especially because I practiced using straightforward precise words to communicate deep meanings. While I read my poem I felt a sense of pride because I was able to achieve more self-confidence. Our teacher Brad raised the class to recognize that it takes time and effort to develop good writing and poetry skills.
Words-142
Something Different
Brad said “no Shakespeare” in our English 12 course. I was relived knowing that at least I won’t have to hear “Romeo and Juliet” again. Brad focused on English readings from way back to the present. For example, the “Pepper Spraying of Students at UC Davies” video connected us with the realities of current events and displayed that violence is difficult to deny. Further, the movie Nineteen-Eighty-Four by George Orwell was yet again a vital image of politics and unnecessary human cruelty. Our teacher Brad conducts his class through a diverse approach. For example, analyzing short stories, inscription paragraphs, and vocal presentations. There is great variety in Brad’s English 12 class - it is not only about writing, but it also integrates new techniques to help us develop novel means of English communication. Group discussions were valuable because they help us broaden our ideas and help us communicate through means that are outside the box.
Words- 150
Something Memorable
In our English 12 class, the “Taking a closer look: Sharing an image” project, was especially unforgettable for me. I accidentally presented a power point presentation instead of following instructions. I learned the hard way that instructions must be read and followed to the letter. The “Travel Anecdote” assignment was a treasure for me because I had a great thrill with it. I read students anecdotes and laughed when I read that a student unintentionally forgot their minor on the road. They were attention-grabbing and funny stories. A movie that Brad presented to our English 12 class was memorable for me because it depicted a young autistic girl, Temple Grandin, living on a farm and not being able to experience human touch or human emotions. She was cocooned in a self-made hug machine insulating her from stresses of humanity. I learned a great deal about autism - a subject I knew very little about.
Words-150
Something New
I have experienced a lot of new things in Brad’s class throughout both semesters. Posting our homework on the blog was one thing that was brand new for me when I first took this class. Poetry wasn’t new for me but presenting and being able to look at my classmates in the eye with self-confidence was definitely something new that I’ve come to achieve. ‘Sharing an Image’ was one of the most exciting assignment because everyone in the class presented something different that was a manmade object such as the sky train, utility pole, traffic lights and etc. The whole point of the assignment was to look at an object very closely like temple grandin does and explain what message the object gives you in every sense and I think everyone succeeded in passing on their object’s message.
(138 words)
Something Different
One of the most diverse and unique things I’ve experienced in this semester was sharing my test work with my group and comparing answers when writing our Third unit test. I bet none other English class does this because it would obviously be considered cheating. I also thought the movie ‘Temple Grandin’ was brilliant and it definitely inspired me in a lot of ways. Who knew that a person that thinks in pictures is much more capable than a normal human being? I’ve also learned that discussing a simple matter with classmates makes you look at it in a bunch of different ways which makes it so complex yet helpful.
(110 words)
Something Memorable
The “Travel Anecdote” assignment was a fun experience as most of the stories were really funny such as the ‘over-tanning’ situation that happened to Suzy. Some of my friends and I had a great time after class as we had more stories to share. I was always very hesitant when it comes to sharing my opinion with a group and I used to think that it never really made a difference but this semester has officially proven me wrong because I’ve realized that working with a group and understanding everyone’s perspective has always been useful. The moment when my classmates supported me when I was interrupted rudely while presenting my piece in front of the class will never be forgotten. And lastly, I will never forget the classmates I came to know over sushi and pizza.
(136 words)
Something New
Well honestly I have to say that this year my English 12 was completely different than my pervious English 12, which is I have learned so many new routines. Something that I have accomplished new material was using “The Blog,” I have to admitted at the begging I did not like the blog or understood the point of using blog to post. However, overtimes latter I have accepted and appreciated the benefits of it because, it thought me how to write better and learned to try my best to become a better writer from seen my mistakes on the “Blog.” Although, it was my biggest fear to post my writing at the “Blog” thinking how people would judge me: I learned to overthrow my concerns of others. Over all, this is something new that I have achieved this semester thanks (Brad). Words 141
Something Different
Something different that I have experienced in Brad class was working with different kind of people with incomparable cultures. Even though, we all had our differences and opinions toward many other things: we had one concept which, is to study. Meantime, I remember the first time I wrote “Here I Am,” it was totally something different that I have wrote as far as I can ever remember. And secondly it was incredible to be thought differently with all the group works and discussion that we had in our class. I suppose this class was different and I do cherish what I have learned along with my classmate’s. Words 108
I had great time learning even thou I had to face some challenges; but I am grateful to every journey that we had together as a team. Especially, working with groups and learning many kind of articles: and each class was memorable because, I know that we all had different viewpoints or theory but we all worked together and helped each other. However, something memorable lesson for me was when I learned about “Temple Grandin,” and watched the video I was inspired by her story. The reason is I have never really tried to study anything that has to do with autistic because I assumed it was not interesting. There for, I was wrong; considering their unique mind I was thrilled to know more about them to fill my curiosity. Lastly, those were something memorable that I have learned.
Words 139
Something New
Being in high school for the first time in 18 years was definitely something new for me. Having left high school prematurely I had built a case against my ever returning back. Upon putting my ego aside I noticed right away that there was the high percentage of students for whom English was a second language. Despite what my initial prejudices to where this course would lead me, this classroom became somewhere I looked forward to coming. The multiple class presentations for me were also very new. Although nerve-racking at first, I quickly lost my inhibitions as I became inspired by my other classmates courage and honesty. These assignments that we presented before the class in hindsight, were mini snapshots into our lives. Each presentation was unique and diverse just like the individual cultures and personalities that made up English 12. (142 words)
Something Different
Something different for me in English 12 was the online work we did on Blogger. At first I kind of rolled my eyes at the thought of putting my work on the internet for all to see. Once again and not too long after I became inspired by what my classmates were presenting on the blog. As the due date for any blog work approached I would catch myself checking in to see if another assignment had been posted. I soon found myself secretly searching for particular authors for whom I had enjoyed previous writings. Another feature of this course I found different was the amount of group work we did in class. This group work always enlightened me to a new and more enriched perspective on any given subject. (130 words)
Something Memorable
Personally, the most memorable part of the course was the product of all the presentations, blog work and group work. Even the conversations we as students had on breaks as well as before and after class. This product is the relationships that I built with my classmates. Each class was like adding another piece to an unfinished puzzle, as we were challenged to think for ourselves and open our minds to what others had to say. We were encouraged to be ourselves, yet vulnerable to others. Based on the past few months spent in the classroom striving towards a common goal, I have met many memorable people, some of which I can call friends. (114 words)
Something new
When I did English ten and eleven, I remember reading and explaining poems but I never had to write one. Writing a poem was defiantly something new for me. I am good at making quotes, but I thought writing a poem would be a challenge for me. Once I had my topic figured out, I found it to be easy. This poem was a little difficult though, because we had to follow rules we were given. When it was my turn to read my piece I thought people may take some offence and may disagree. After I read my poem I felt relief that most of my audience agreed to my topic. Although this assignment was new to me, it was something that was enjoyable. It proved that I could do something I never even thought of.
- 139 words
Something Different
In almost every class a teacher wants the student’s opinion and thoughts, but I like how Brad puts his students in groups and gives them time to discuss things and be comfortable with it. Because if you put a student on the spotlight and ask them things, they will not speak what they think, they will say what others might say. When students are put together and given a topic, one will speak, and the rest will listen and follow. That way student is more confident, and relaxed. This system should be recommended to every class, because it works do well.
- 103
Something memorable
The “travel anecdote” was one of the most memorable things we have done in class. This was an assignment that everyone enjoyed. The students in our class had a good laughter and made us closer to one another. We had lots of funny stories, and some were just hilarious, like Rosemary’s missed airplane situation and so on. Another memorable assignment that we have done in class, students took pictures of interesting things that they have seen around and shared it to class. It was nice to see what ours students were interested in. We all saw a different side of ourselves, the good side ourselves.
Words -107
Something New
Time has changed and so have many lifestyles changed. Of course, education can not be excluded from these new trends. Societies change, lifestyles change, many routines in different aspects of life change, and so should teaching styles change. In our English 12 course we were lucky to be taught by a teacher who understands the importance of these changes and adjusted his work perfectly parallel to those trends. As an example, using a full version of a Hollywood movie or a documentary film as a academic teaching material might sound new to some, but for Brad, gladly those and many other modern similar methods are parts of his normal class curriculum.
112 Words
Something Different
What was making learning even more enjoyable during our course was the fact that every class was a unique experience, something special for itself, and always something different from previous ones. Most assignments were presented in very innovative and entertaining methods. For example assignments were designed to not only challenge students in their understating of English language, but also give them a chance to understand a bit about their environment and even about themselves. Be it writing a list poem, or taking an image from their neighbourhood and commenting about that, or writing a travel anecdote that they possibly have survived for real, are all examples of that. They are at the same time examples of differences that were making this class outstanding from any regular or otherwise ordinary language class.
131 Words.
Something Memorable
Writing a poem is something that I seldom thought about and never tried it before taking Bard’s class. I am interested in poetry and enjoy reading poems but I never felt that I could write my own poem. In a part of the class we were asked to write our own poems. Now doing that (writing my own poem) was not only a challenge for me but something that I hardly thought about before. The good point is that at the end I happily realized that with a little hard work and some concentration I can accomplish things that I otherwise would not even think about. The result was a good boost to my self-confidence and a pleasant experience.
118 Words.
Something new
When I did English ten and eleven, I remember reading and explaining poems but I never had to write one. Writing a poem was defiantly something new for me. I am good at making quotes, but I thought writing a poem would be a challenge for me. Once I had my topic figured out, I found it to be easy. This poem was a little difficult though, because we had to follow rules we were given. When it was my turn to read my piece I thought people may take some offence and may disagree. After I read my poem I felt relief that most of my audience agreed to my topic. Although this assignment was new to me, it was something that was enjoyable. It proved that I could do something I never even thought of.
- 139 words
Something Different
In almost every class a teacher wants the student’s opinion and thoughts, but I like how Brad puts his students in groups and gives them time to discuss things and be comfortable with it. Because if you put a student on the spotlight and ask them things, they will not speak what they think, they will say what others might say. When students are put together and given a topic, one will speak, and the rest will listen and follow. That way student is more confident, and relaxed. This system should be recommended to every class, because it works do well.
- 103
Something memorable
The “travel anecdote” was one of the most memorable things we have done in class. This was an assignment that everyone enjoyed. The students in our class had a good laughter and made us closer to one another. We had lots of funny stories, and some were just hilarious, like Rosemary’s missed airplane situation and so on. Another memorable assignment that we have done in class, students took pictures of interesting things that they have seen around and shared it to class. It was nice to see what ours students were interested in. We all saw a different side of ourselves, the good side ourselves.
Words -107
Something New:
Coming to a classroom full of students barely finding any seats was like coming to a large conference or going to a movie theater with no seats available, how ironic I thought. I learned a lot that I didn’t learn from my other English classes. I learned the importance of presentations, group work, listening, answering questions, as well as academic writing. In my previous English class it was just about reading a novel and writing essays on it. Discussing with my groups though allowed me to share my ideas and help me look from others perspective. In my English 12 I had also learned things like annotating when reading articles which I will need to use in college and the guide to literary term wasn’t something I cared too much about but I knew it was important to know.
(139 words)
Something Different:
In my English 12 I was able to meet and be influenced by a diverse group that came to challenge themselves and had the ability to learn. Coming to class and seeing how much I could make use of the knowledge that I learned like writing poetry, putting my thoughts and ideas on paper . English 12 made me believe in my abilities, seeing how much I had to learn and to improve made me believe that when there is potential there is possibility. With all the different age groups ranging from 18-50 also made me realize that there is no age limit to learning and some of my fellow classmates have proven that.
(114 words)
Something memorable:
There were so many poems that I enjoyed listening to. I wasn’t able to memorize them offcourse but I do wish to hear them once more. Most of the students had left a great impression of themselves and it was the quiet students that seem to amaze me or even surprise me. I often would think “wow this student that never said a word has done a remarkable job”! Every one of the students here in my class was unique and it made me appreciate their work as we shared our opinions throughout our group discussion. Although we only met twice a week I still got a chance to work with more than half the class and it was a great opportunity.
(122 words)
Ru
Something new
Brad's way was something new to me.The way we worked in class was totally unexpected and unthinkable especially for a literature class.Having to read and to share our ideas in group along the many texts and studies was innovative and fruitful .Unlike the regular and mostly "boring" English class we had been able to go deeper into subjects and discover a larger view of our subjects.It is something we would have never been able to do otherwise;In a classic class where everyone has to focus on his work only.Brad opened us to each other and created a easier connection a better atmosphere between the students. Furthermore it was very helpful as it allowed the weakest of all in the groups to progress and understand with other without feeling left behind.It was effective to me and In that sens brad's way of teaching was totally unexpected and absolutely new.
-125 words
Something different
Brad's way of teaching was also consequently different.Unlike the other teachers I knew he did not use books reading but everyday life's experiences and media.Somehow he was more social by linking our work to our own experience and environment.The poem, texts, pictures, anecdotes ,the view of social and sociopolitical happening around us showed it very well.IN a sens his teaching was very human in its process and that surprised me.IN fact,I can already see the future students as I was toward Brad's way teaching;in a good or a bad way.Indeed Brad's way can also touch our feelings as it appeals to our very own experiences in Life;and sometimes be overwhelming.To me,I liked it since it allowed me to be more confident in my sharing thoughts and expression to others but it definitely can be a a difficult and emotive surprise at time.
-115 words
Something memorable
Away from brad's special way of teaching, temple Grandin was a memorable experience to me.From the exceptional movie to the TED's presentation I discover an amazing character.The one we always read in
books or see in movies.She captivated me.Her life's experience is a driving motor for the realization and accomplishment of human beings;she is an living inspiration.The obstacles she had to overcome as an autistic and a woman would have turned down many if not the most but with help courage determination and talent she overcame adversity and fear .She opened the doors;which make her to me For a reason i can't explain something memorable .
-125 words
Something New
Chanting the “Repeat after me:” part of Wiliam Zinsser’s “Writing Good English” gives me confidence—the faith of more precisely express my opinions. Follow the guidelines given in classes, challenge the provided topics, and response to the assigned group members were the best practices to help my writings. That’s the strength that has been growing inside me along the course. Instead of concerning about my marks, I kept asking myself: “Do I make my point clear enough?” By revising my writings continually my thinking is getting more logic as well. Even the mistakes I’ve made nurtures my confidence of mastering English. The positive feeling that I’m having as never before is my latest interpretation to the saying: “Knowledge is power.”—120 words
Something Different
Exercising the citizen’s right of protesting is a very different experience to me. Since the OWS evoked an overwhelming movement globally, my class got the best chance to take a closer look of its whole cycle and some controversial incidents. From how the movement being framed by participants and by the media, to the officer who applied the pepper spray on the students sitting on their way in the UC Davis campus; all I’ve seen were people fighting for their rights. How does our society become so uneven? As citizens, what can we do to change it? Indeed, those systemic problems are too complicated to solve by individuals. Fortunately this question leads to the point of protesting: the more people aware and work on those problems, the faster the solutions can be found.—133 words
Something Memorable
Group work notes are all over in my binder when I was flipping through them and recalling interesting ones. Every group that I anticipated were so into the discussions most of time, therefore; flashed the light in the classroom was the only way for Brad to draw everybody’s attention. Thanks to my full house class so that I was able to speak to different classmates with interesting topics. Those voices with diverse point of views enriched the content of my handouts. Finally, in the class discussion time, Brad would categorize and organize the different opinions and sometime explained a bit further. Beside everything I’ve learnt, the noise with laughter is sure lodged in my mind for good, because I was having so much fun in my English 12 class.—129 words
Something New
Last semester, I was in Brad’s class. Most of the things I have learned in his class were similar to last semester. Paragraph and Poem writing, group work and watching movies. That are helpful in listening and writing are some of the things that are similar to this semester class activities. However, Brad’s choice of movie (1984) was new and different. It wasn’t similar to the one we watched last semester. The second thing, new I realized was taking a photo pictures related to our community. When we watched everyone’s different pictures it made me understand how everyone’s of us different point of views and different ideas in the community.
Word count: 112
Something Different
Another thing that is different to me in Brad’s class this term is to have 41 students in one class. I remember when I was a child that we were more than 40 students in a class room. It was crowded and hard to listen to what the teacher was saying. We didn’t have group discussions since there were too many students. It was difficult to organize all of them in groups. We never watched movies in classroom. We didn’t have curriculum that teaches visualizing. So watching movies in a classroom and learning from it was something different to me.
Word count : 102
Something Memorable
Some of the things that are memorable from this semester class are the occupy Wall Street videos we watched and the group discussion we had in class. I personally try to stay away from politics. But when I watched the occupy Wall Street you tube videos, it made me that politics cannot be avoided since it is in our daily life. Watching the officer pepper sprays the protestors who were just sitting non –violently was one of the most memorable moments from this class. The other memorable thing from this class was the group discussion with our classmates. It was helpful in understanding different people’s views and it helps me to know them better.
Word count : 114
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