Juicy Bits & Multiple Choice

I was listening to NPR this morning and this very fascinating program came on regarding gifted and talented programs in Houston, Texas.  It caught my attention because I started my teaching career in Houston back in 1998.  Anyhoo, the claim is that minority students in the Houston Independent School District are overlooked for GT programs.  I'd encourage you to take a listen.

As a Hispanic female who grew up in Texas and took a test one day that changed my life (and has me typing these words to you today) I urge you to consider the claim that is being made.  Are "blacks and Latinos" being overlooked?  What are the demographics of your upper level/AP classes?

In terms of MC, continue reflecting on the thinking that goes into strategy.  A test doesn't show your character, it just shows your skill set.

Tomorrow come prepared for brain food.  And Friday I expect for you to "feed me" with quality SAS.

xoxo

p.s. - Outliers needed by October 12th.  Check out Thrift Books if you're looking to purchase a copy.  BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO!  Go to the library! AND, you will also be required to read John Steinbeck's East of Eden so you might want to start looking for copies.

Shawn Achor

My boyfriend!!  Enjoy the TED Talk again before next week and take notes like a good student would!!

Have a great Tuesday,
xoxo

Essay Feedback and Tomorrow

Thanks for being open to the essay feedback.  The only way we improve is with a growth mindset, not a fixed one.

For tonight, MAKE SURE YOU WRITE YOUR DAILY JOURNAL.  And make sure you have TED Talk notes (the kind that meet my standards) on Brene Brown and Benjamin Zander.  You will need them in class tomorrow.

Grab a copy of Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers by Monday, October 12th.

Try to stay cool, read something that will feed your brain, check out NPR, and be open.  Just open.

Be brave.
Be kind.
Be open hearted.

I'm just saying!!!

xoxo

P.S. - In an effort to just see who is here, leave a comment that tells me your all time favorite place to eat...

T.G.I.F. **Updated**

**I just read through all of period 4's journals.  Loving it.  Loving you. :)
**I will be asking for your TED Talk notes on Tuesday (Brene Brown & Benjamin Zander)

Multiple Choice happened.  Welcome to AP Language.  We will use your results to teach you how to mindfully take tests.  Promise.

As a heads up, though, you will ALL need to secure a copy of Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers.  You will need a copy of the book by Monday, October 12th.

Ideas for securing a copy:

• Buy a copy if you can (bookstore, friends of library book sale)
• Check the book out from the school library
• Check the book out from the public library
• Borrow a copy from a friend
• Borrow a copy from a teacher on campus (I only have 1)
• Share a copy with a friend in a different class
• ***And here's the kicker, if you can afford it, buy an extra copy of the book and donate it to the class so someone else can use it.

See me with questions/issues.

Have a great weekend!

xoxo

Second Thursday Post

For period 7, the book I mentioned in class is called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. And someone in Period 3 mentioned the VW recall. Check out the depth of their deception in this Mother Jones article. Pardon the title. I'd recommend reading the article referenced regarding the peanut CEO.

See you tomorrow.
Xoxo

Multiple Choice Tomorrow

Hey there. Great job on SAS. Period 4 slayed me!!!!!!

I'll see you tomorrow for Multiple Choice. Gotta go to my other job: mom.

Xoxo

Gratitude

I very much appreciate your effort today.  I could sense that this was not an easy task for many of you, and I can only imagine the brain pain in writing a timed essay after a glorious summer of not.  :)
I will be reading through your work and scoring it according to the AP scale of 1-9.  You can expect feedback on Monday, and I will teach you what it means to get a paper back in this class because it's more than just shuffling papers and reading your score.  It's a learning opportunity.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT SAS IS HAPPENING TOMORROW instead of Friday.  

And in an effort to show you that I do the work I ask you to do, here is a great article from a fantastic site called Greater Good, The Science of a Meaningful Life.  Some of you might enjoy it.

Have a great rest of the day!
xoxo

TED Talk Tuesday #2 Benjamin Zander

Benjamin Zander is my boyfriend.  Just saying.  His TED Talk is amazing on so many levels.  Be sure to rewatch, take notes, BE A STUDENT.

In an effort to remind you of my expectations, zoom in on the pictures below.  They are meant to help.

ALSO, we are doing a diagnostic writing assignment tomorrow so have a blue pen and notebook paper.  If you don't have a blue pen, black will do for now.  

And...Daily Journal #2 - topic of your choice.

xoxo

Monday P.S.

Bring your notes on Brene Brown's TED Talk to class tomorrow.

Xoxo

Monday Musings

Before I get started with the post, Happy Monday!

Today in class we reviewed the AP Language Exam format and took notes.  If you were absent, see a fellow classmate.

I also shared out some SAS highlights from Friday.  Again, if you missed it, find a friend for notes.

We also reviewed the expectations for Daily Journals which start today with entry #1.

• journals dated
• written daily - that includes weekends!!!
• share by midnight tonight
• I will read randomly, picking and choosing and may or may not respond so don't ask me, "Did you read my journal?".
• rationale: writing stamina & future personal statements
• topics of your choosing
• minimum paragraph requirement
• have fun and be seen 
• DAILY JOURNAL #1:  You've been given an "A" first semester in this class.  How will you earn it?

Create your google doc and title it Period#LastNameFirstNameDailyJournal.  Your Daily Journal is to go in reverse chronological order, meaning that when I see the finished document, it should begin with Daily Journal #238 dated June 12, 2016.  Do not create new documents each day.  ONE HUGE DOCUMENT IS WHAT I'M SEEKING.  See me with questions.

The email to share the journal is yrbeltran@gmail.com.  That's yrbeltran@gmail.com.

Final Announcement:  I'm moving SAS to THURSDAY of this week.  Be ready.

xoxo

89.5

Was just in the car and listened to some great radio. Thought you might appreciate knowing the schedule for 89.5.

I'm Doing My Work...

are you???? Your job as a thinking human being is to synthesize information and decipher what is useful, what you're curious about, what you want to know.  SAS is not just taking notes.  It's taking notes, rereading them, doing more research and applying that to your own SAS journal.

After I finish, I shall reward myself with an iced cold latte.  YOU. KNOW. THIS.

Enjoy your Sunday and see y'all tomorrow

xoxo!

Nice Job

I very much appreciate the effort on SAS today. Very nice. 

On Monday I will share the best of the best from each class so have your journal with you. 

Enjoy the weekend and I'll see you Monday. 

Xoxo

SAS Tomorrow

Hi All -

Tomorrow is your first opportunity to share your Stuff About Stuff.  In an effort to help those of you who are struggling or need more guidelines, I am posting below my example that I'll be sharing tomorrow.  Feel free to listen to the story if you can't wait.

If I were you, I would use the example as a guide for your own work.  I'd write out everything you want to say and then I would practice.  If your nerves get the best of you tomorrow, then at least you will have something tangible you can read to us or email/show me as proof you did the work.

Make sure you have your SAS journal as well.  I'm excited to see them.

xoxo

Example:

Hi everybody.  Happy Friday!  I'm Ms. Beltran. I'd like to present today about one of my favorite sources of information - NPR.  

National Public Radio is just ridiculously good.  I listen to NPR everyday on my way to work and I follow them on Twitter and check their website often.  It seems to be a source of unbiased, credible information and it feeds my brain.

One of my favorite programs on NPR is called Story Corps and it runs every Friday at 7:30am.  (I know most of you are already in class by then, but you can access all of NPR's shows online.)  Story Corps travels the country collecting the stories of everyday people, who get to take the microphone and interview each other about their lives. 

In March of this year, a man named Albert Sykes interviewed his nine year old son Adien in Jackson, Mississippi.  The interview is so heartfelt and focuses on their relationship.  The part I found most compelling is Albert's answer to his son's question regarding his wishes for his son's future.  So many of us never take the time to ask our parents what they really want for us, and sometimes we miss our opportunity.

Each of us needs to walk through life with vulnerability, and what Albert conveys to his son is very similar to the lesson Dr. Brene Brown supports in her TED Talk "The Power of Vulnerability".  

I encourage each of you to listen to the program.  I've linked it below.

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.

NPR Story Corps

Rhetorical Triangle and 9 Rhetors

I love the rhetorical triangle.  I do.  If that makes me a nerd, then make me a t-shirt (size L).

Hope I made sense with the notes today and that it's clear what you are expected to do with creating a question that 9 rhetors/voices answer.

And any of you who didn't email me last night, please do so...like right now.  Right now right now?  Yes, right now right now.

See y'all tomorrow.

xoxo

TED Talk Tuesday!!!!! xoxoxoxoxoxox

We experienced our first TED Talk today.  The lovely Brene Brown.  Your job as a student is to rewatch the video, take notes, and fill out the chart information we covered in class.  You should take care of that before the next TTT (TED Talk Tuesday).

I am requesting that ALL of you email me at yrbeltran@gmail.com by midnight tonight with the answers to the following questions:

1.  What is the #1 (most viewed) TED Talk of all time?
2.  Who was Jackson Pollock?
3.  Do you believe you are worthy of love and belonging?  Why?  Why not?  Explain.

See y'all tomorrow!

xoxo

The Circle Thingy

For some of you, life changing.  For others not so much.  So interesting to see who is who.  I'll leave the image up tonight but will remove it tomorrow since it's on the board in class.

See you tomorrow for our first TED Talk Tuesday.

xoxo

Sunday

This.  Makes.  Me.  HAPPY.

xoxo

Presentations

Thank you to all who presented in class and revealed a little (or a lot) about themselves.  I really do appreciate it.  It's always thrilling for me to get glimpses of who you are (or who you claim to be).

Over the weekend, in addition to securing your SAS Journal, please consider/reflect upon the following question:  How do you see?   I'm interested in the metaphorical answer and not the literal (i.e., with my eyes...).  Bring your thoughtful answers to class on Monday.

If you are in period 3, still answer the question.  We'll double book some presentations and the lesson I have on Monday.

Enjoy the weekend and try to stay cool.

xoxo

SAS Explained

I really hope you were in class today because SAS was introduced and explained.  It's probably the easiest/most complicated aspect of our class.  Deceptively simple, right?  If you have any questions, please let me know either in person or via email.

The first SAS will happen next Friday, September 18th and it will be a learning curve as you get your feet wet and see what I'm expecting.

You don't need a fancy notebook but if you want to use it as an excuse to get one, feel free.  I'm a Moleskin Mama myself.

Attached you'll find the document I used as a SAS template.

I can't wait for your 6 Word presentations tomorrow...crickets or a stampede to present??  We shall see....

xoxo

p.s. I can't even...I told the photographer I was a 9th grader.  Kinda bummed he didn't believe me but instead laughed.

6 Words

So by Friday you need to have a 6 word memoir ready to present.  And presentation does matter.  For continued inspiration, watch Taylor Mali's video and pump yourself up to become the student/person you want to be.  Don't get stuck in your story!!!

Also, TOMORROW is our textbook check out.  So have your schedules and your id's.  We will be going to the library after class starts and I practice names.

xoxo

First Day

It was a pleasure meeting you all.  I'm excited to see what becomes.  Troll around and leave a comment.  See you tomorrow!

xoxo,
Beltran

Room 853

Who's out there?  Tell me.

I'm here in our room missing your vibe and your energy.  I did get to see the band this morning (i.e., last year's 6th period - ha!).  Made me miss you and feel kind of bad that I'm still not over you and I have this big day coming up on Tuesday and I think maybe I might like them too...

Stop by seniors.  I'd love a hug.

xoxo