Holiday Truth Tea

Dear Lovelies,

2016 has been a difficult year for me personally.

I unexpectedly lost my mother to an aggressive stage four form of breast cancer on May 30th of this year.  Her diagnosis to her death was a whopping 13 days.  Her death came five days after I turned 40 and on the same day my older sister turned 42.  I held my mom's left hand as she took her final breath; my sister held her right.  And in that moment - the moment I saw my mother die - my whole world shattered.

My mother was a warrior - a single mom who worked the night shift at the local police department in order to drive us to school.  She was a role model - an inspiration to her two children who saw hard work, compassion, and kindness every single day.  (I didn't know chewing gum came in long sticks until I was in college because everything we ever had was split in two and shared.) To put it simply: my mother was my giant, my rock, my everything.  

I share this with you not to garner sympathy or pity but to let you know that this is the first holiday without the anchor of my family.  It's been a few months of "firsts" - the first day of school without my champion, the first Thanksgiving without her voice in my ear, the first time I have come home with a truckload of gifts from my students and I can't call her to wax poetic about how lucky I am to be your teacher.

I don't think you know how truly thankful I am for the love and light you bestow upon me - and I'm not talking about the generous gifts many of you took the time to give me.  I'm talking about the willingness to give our class a chance, the courage to step out of your Circle Thingy every single day, the hello's and goodbye's you offer each moment we get to share.

I know I am not perfect and I'm not fool enough to think you all speak of me positively but I do know that my days are made better because I get to do what I love (teach) in a place I adore (Room 853) with human beings (you) who remind me that hope is not a lost cause.

I wish you ALL the happiest of holidays.  May the road rise to meet each of you and may you know you are loved.

Love and Light and Happy 2017,
Beltran

p.s. - No mandatory Daily Journals but write if you'd like.

One More Day

Yes!!!! Almost there. I'll see y'all tomorrow for the Create Something Finale. Make us proud, people. Shout out to the people in the PAC. Seriously?

Love and light,
Beltran

DAILY JOURNAL: How do you feel about presenting?

Create Something

STEFAN!!!!

There are no words.

Looking forward to tomorrow.

Xoxo


DAILY JOURNAL:  Is your project reflective of the almost 8 weeks you had to think, craft and create? Honestly.

Day Three

I'm rocking out to Beyonce's Halo (and despite my cold) I am smiling.  Y's flying snake that has a home on top of the 800 building to the entirety of period 2 to the cranes to the colors to the....ahhhhhh.  "You're everything I need and more...".  Yes.  Just yes. 

Free topic Daily Journal for the night.

xoxo,
Beltran

Ooh ohh ohh - Day Two

Today was great too.  From the soup to the videos to the "oh no biggie" but I converted my words into music and here's the song.  I am amazed and inspired and impressed with your efforts.  Thank you for sharing of yourselves in such a way...looking forward to Day 3 tomorrow.

Have a peaceful and relaxing afternoon and evening.  Daily Journal below.

xoxo

Daily Journal:  After watching two days of presentations, what have you been impressed with from your peers?  

Day One of Create Something 1.0

Day One is in the books and it was spectacular.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for your effort and energy (and patience with technology).  I am looking forward to next week.  

No Daily Journals for the weekend.  Why?  Because I said so and someone gave me awesome moisturizer and a wire tree and pressed flowers and a shirt and I got an iced tea and there were nose warmers in period 6 and then Patrick and flying and oh my gravy.  I am just in a place that needs no journals so there.  

Enjoy the weekend.  

Love and light,

Beltran  :)

Indiana is a Pretty Cool State

Thank you for an engaging final Outliers discussion.  It is fascinating to see cultural legacies at play in the classroom.  Say bye to Malcolm for now but don't forget his claims.  They will be of use if you choose to take the AP Language exam in May.

Tomorrow sees us entering into Create Something 1.0!  I am excited.  Hope you are too.  Make sure evidence (proof, pictures, etc.) are emailed or shown to me tomorrow.  And make sure you signed up for a presentation slot.  Be ready.

Daily Journal below.

xoxo,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  How does your Create Something 1.0 project reflect who you are?

Malcolm Gladwell Date #2

So, so, so great today.  I love that you spoke and used your voices.  YES!!!  For tonight, consider reading Gladwell's Chapter 3 from Blink - The Warren Harding Error.  You can find the pdf online via Columbia University.  Also, check out Kurt Vonnegut's 1998 Commencement Address at Rice University.  In it he asks for the audience to share the name of someone who positively impacted their lives.  It's a great read.  As for the mandatory assignment, answer the Daily Journal prompt below in preparation for tomorrow's final discussion.

Love and light,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  What is your cultural legacy?

TED Talk Tuesday #13

Malcolm Gladwell, how you make my mind churn!  Access his talk here to review and rewatch.  And be ready for tomorrow's Outliers discussion.  I am interested in your thoughts on the questions I posed yesterday as well as the one in the Daily Dournal below.  :)

Those Daily Dournals are monumentally important as well.  Don't neglect them as they have a tendency to haunt people second semester.  Darn Daily Dournals, so diggity dog dominant in determining D's.

See y'all tomorrow!

xoxo,
Beltran

Daily Dournal:  What are your thoughts on "embracing the diversity" of our society???

Discussion #1

Good job today - very interesting conversations and discussions...I wonder what will happen on Wednesday???  Before that time, consider if you think everyone has a natural ability and what do you think about the time/era you were born in?  How has this shaped you?

I'll see you tomorrow for our TED Talk...

Beltran

Daily Journal:  Write your answers to the 2 discussion questions above.  

Final 2016 SAS

We definitely went out with a bang...from stories about bees to learning new languages to "they were indecisive...kind of" to magic tricks and grass...it was a great day.  Thank you.

Be sure to prep for the Outliers discussion on Monday.  I am beyond excited to discuss and learn from you.  Also, be sure to email me at ybeltran@sandi.net with your 6 weeks grade reflection.

Daily Journals for the weekend below.

Have a wonderful 2 days away from school,
Beltran

Daily Journal (Friday):  If you could create a new course/class at PLHS, what would it be and why?
Daily Journal (Saturday): When you were younger, what do you recall as your favorite activity? Be sure to explain.
Daily Journal (Sunday): Imagine you are in charge of creating a new food truck for San Diego.  What would you call it and what would you serve?  

Two Stepping and Dead Moths in Flames

Thank you for all your effort today in all ways.  Truly.  We are all "enough" to be in the room, but sometimes it comes down to charm and personality and character and risk taking and making yourself stand out.

Tomorrow we will enjoy SAS #11.  No theme or requirements - just your usual awesome passion and sharing.  In addition to that, please keep in mind that I need a GRADE REFLECTION emailed to me at ybeltran@sandi.net.  I would like you to assign yourself a numerical grade as well as a citizenship score.  Justify your reason for asking for the grade and be sure the email is in my inbox by MIDNIGHT SATURDAY 12/3.  Thank you.

Daily Journal is below and our first Outliers discussion is on Monday.  I CANNOT WAIT!!!!

Love and light and bugs burning in flames,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  Do you think you are charming? 

Outliers Reading Day

Hi, lovelies -

Thank so much for reading in class today and prepping for our class discussions next week.  In an effort to help you become even better students than you already are, take a look at some of the expectations/questions I have for our time together next week.

As a true reader, begin with the basics and context and journey into the critical thinking necessary for a strong consumer of rhetoric.

• Who is Malcolm Gladwell?
• When did he publish this book?
• Does he have a website?
• Has he written or produced other works?
• Consider the title and the subtitle.
• Look up geographic locations on a map so you have a mental visual about where things are taking place. 
• For each chapter, have you annotated the text with questions, thoughts, items that you challenge or are confused by?
• Have you looked up words and definitions as needed?
• After reading the book, have you done any research on critics' opinions of Gladwell's claims?  What else is out there in terms of Outliers?
• Most importantly, what do YOU THINK about the individual chapters and the book as a whole?
• What are you curious about in terms of how your classmates think?  Do you have any questions for them?
• Overall, what have you taken away from the text?
• And a PRO TIP for getting organized in discussions takes a lot of advanced prep work but it pays off in the end...Have a color coded system of Post-Its or even just really well-organized notes that give you clues as to what you want to say/discuss.  For example, red Post-Its can indicate items you disagreed with or had questions about, yellow Post-Its can represent quotable lines or items you feel are vital/good, and blue Post-Its can be outside research you did on vocabulary, maps, biographical info, etc.  The point is to BE PREPARED.  ("Achievement is talent plus preparation.  The problem with this view is that the closer psychologists look at the careers of the gifted, the smaller the role innate talent seems to play and the bigger the role preparation seems to play. " page 38)

Also, here's the video I showed a snippet of today - #Ham4Bey.  Just wow. 

Love and Light,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  Agree, disagree or qualify the following statement - - > "No one is a self-made person."

The Art of Asking

TED Talk here.

Thanks for a good day.  Happy Anniversary!!  Tomorrow have your Outliers book and be ready to read or prep notes for the class discussions next week.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  In what ways do you silence your own voice?

It's Almost Our Anniversary!

Oh my lovelies, tomorrow is our three month anniversary.  I'm so excited that we have made it this far with a few ups and downs along the way.  I missed you over break and am mostly glad to be back at "it" again.  Three weeks until Winter Break (I'm just sayin'...).  If you were absent (or just need a review), we went over important dates for the next few weeks and we also worked on a sheet documenting all the connections from the first week of school.  If you didn't turn it in to me at the end of class, please turn it in at the beginning of class tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will be watching our TED Talk and then working on our charts so have them with you.

Wednesday is an Outliers reading day.  Bring your book.

Thursday is practice Multiple Choice and Friday is SAS.

Whew.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  Complete the rest - "On my heart today..." GO!

Happy Break

So sorry I wasn't there today and didn't have the chance to give you a heads up.  Life sometimes happens but rest assured that all is well.  Thank you for the concerned emails and messages.

I wish each of you a peaceful and relaxing break and should you celebrate Thanksgiving, may you enjoy all that the tradition brings.

As for your "work" over break: NO JOURNALS.  You can feel free to write if you'd like but I will not be posting prompts as I, too, need a rest.  Be sure to read Outliers, though.  You are expected to have the book read in its entirety by Monday, December 5th.  And while we're at it, Create Something 1.0 is due on Friday, December 9th.

Be safe and be well.  I'll see you after break.

Love and light,
Beltran

P.S. A quotey quote for you as you (hopefully) check out of the school routine for a bit...

"My wish for you is that you continue.  

Continue to be who you are,

to astonish a mean world

with your acts of

KINDNESS."

~Maya Angelou

The Power of the Post-It

Thank you.

Just thank you for wholeheartedly participating today.

It's my favorite day of the year - always.

Love and light,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  How did today make you feel?  

 

Plato is My Homeboy

The prisoner returns to the cave to inform the other prisoner of his findings.  They do not believe him and threaten to kill him if he sets them free.  (The Allegory of the Cave by Plato)

"But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck."  (lyrics from "The Cave" by Mumford and Sons)

"When you open your hands to catch and wind up with only blisters and bruises; when you step out of the phone booth and try to fly and the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape; when your boots will fill with rain, and you'll be up to your knees in disappointment. And those are the very days you have all the more reason to say thank you." ("Point B" by Sarah Kay)

"What else can you ask someone else to do but try?"  (Ash Beckham)

"I sit here writing, for I know that time does not come fluid and whole into my trembling hands. All that is here comes piecemeal..." (Fault Lines by Meena Alexander)

"There Is A Crack In Everything, That's How the Light Gets In" (line from Leonard Cohen's song Anthem)

Just some legos for you...

Thanks for your work today.  Tomorrow, Post-It's.  xoxo

Daily Journal #56:  The concept of "sympathetic joy" rests firmly on the belief that we as human beings must learn to celebrate the success of others.  In this spirit, please think about your classmates (the ones in your specific class period, that is) and write about someone (or more than someONE) you admire.  Include why they are impressive.  This is just for me...

TED Talk Tuesday

Apologies to period 2 for the internet difficulties.  Here's the TED Talk.  Make sure you watch and take notes.  Make the connections - build your Lego towers!!!

Anyone who needed extra time on the name cards, please bring the completed versions to class tomorrow. 

Also, make sure you have the Meena Alexander questions and answers in class.  We will be using them to write a Rhetorical Precis.

See y'all then.

Daily Journal:  What kind of student are you this second six weeks?

Today's Shiny Pennies

Have you ever seen a shiny penny?  Just glistening in the sun, copper glinting and catching your eye?  A few of you today were my "shiny pennies" - catching not only my eye but my heart.  I don't ever feel comfortable using your actual names because people who aren't in this class read the blog but I can't go to sleep tonight without acknowledging some of the beauty I witnessed today.

Even though we "just" worked on an analysis prompt, I did see CH in period 2 be the kind of leader I want my girls to be - one who takes chances and includes.  I saw EM in period 3 be the kind of friend I wish we all had, and I saw CS literally extend herself to another.  And to hear I and L read and not give up...hearts of warriors, not worriers. Then CC and WH and their EPIC DANCE MOVES.  Geez Louise.

Then period 4 strolled on in and the pancakes brought it.  When we went to the "thrift shop", it got even better and when LK read out loud.. Heart...EXPLOSIONS. (Shout outs to the rest of you who read aloud as well.)

What to say about Period 5?  JK who "crossed the swamp".  THANK YOU!!!!

And period 6:  The kick dance.  #lot

Tomorrow is TED Talk Tuesday so be ready to open your minds...and don't forget, 35 Post-It Notes for class on Thursday!!!!!!

xoxo

Daily Journal:  In what ways (if any) can you relate to Meena Alexander's sense of a "fractured" self?

Gratitude is a Choice

As I enjoy the privilege of age, growing older with each breath, I realize the importance of gratitude.  Today I am grateful for hot coffee, for the curves of my daughters' noses, for the refrigerator full of food at my house.  I am grateful for hugs that last more than a second, for emails that crack me wide open, and lame tv shows that distract me from the politics of our nation.  I am grateful for the Class of 2018 and each moment I get to spend in my classroom with them.  I am grateful for the group texts I've been in the past few days.  I am grateful for the love I see alive and well in my small little world.

I wish each of you a beautiful, peaceful weekend.  Don't forget the Daily Journals and the need for 35 Post-It notes of any size. (You'll need those by Thursday.)

Next week's SAS has the theme of GRATITUDE.  Have fun with that...

Love and Light,
Beltran

Daily Journal (Thursday):  What is the meaning behind your name?
Daily Journal (Friday):  What are some of your quirks?
Daily Journal (Saturday): I want to improve my...
Daily Journal (Sunday):  Describe your daily routine.

Hope Is A Thing With Feathers

My people...take a look.  It will help, I promise.

xoxo

It's The End of The World As We Know It

Zion is the...oooh, No.  hhhhhhhhhhh.  Daily Journal:  Explain IT.  

Kountree ohvur Partea.

Bone Apple Tea!

Love you LOTs,
Beltran

Tuesday Prep for Tomorrow's Class

Today is Election Day!  I am beyond excited to live in a country that supports democracy.  May it reign.

As for class today - there wasn't really a class so what to say?  Thanks?  Hope the meeting helped?  Why am I writing so many question marks?

At any rate, to prep for tomorrow's class, you're going to want to rewatch Sarah Kay's TED Talk from last week and print out the transcript.  You can do that by clicking on the tab that reads "View Interactive Transcript". 

We will be analyzing this amazing young lady's rhetorical strategies in class.  Woot woot!!!!

Love and light, lovelies.

Beltran

Daily Journal:  Write a paragraph that shows (not tells) us about your favorite meal to eat.   

Daily Journal

Asyndeton:  deliberate leaving out of conjunctions (and, but, or) to PUSH things forward.

Daily Journal for tonight is to write about something of your choosing and use at least one example of asyndeton.

Love and light,
Beltran

xoxo

Tomorrow is Counselor Meeting Day.  So have something to read/work on when you're done with your meeting.

Sunday Sun

"When I meet you, in that moment, I'm no longer a part of your future. I start quickly becoming part of your past. But in that instant, I get to share your present. And you, you get to share mine. And that is the greatest present of all."  - Sarah Kay

Class of 2018, these are my current feelings about you and me. Beyond grateful we get to share each other's present.

See y'all tomorrow.

Xoxo

Flu Shots and the Park

Sorry this post is a bit later than usual. The fam bam and I had to go get our flu shots and that led us to the park. Apparently the littles have some mad upper body strength. Didn't get that from me...

At any rate, today's SAS was amazing. I really did enjoy learning from those of you who presented. Always a good time. Period 2 got us rolling and to end with a sing along in period 6...well, that's the cherry on top of the sundae (that I wouldn't eat).

I guess I just want to say thank you. Last school year was not easy or tons of fun for me and I am slowly but surely being reminded that this year is a whole different ballgame. I appreciate your hard work, your effort, your emails, your thoughtful presentations, your presence that adds a light to my daily existence. Even the most reluctant among you presents yourself as kind and observant. I'm not used to that. I'm not used to students cheering each other on, not used to seeing class colors on spirit day, not used to looking forward to each bell so that I can see you, you AND you.

I've laughed more these first few months together than I did all last school year. #truthtea

So...here are your reminders: t-chart on Keegan's essay and reading/understanding of the Brain Pickings article I linked for Monday.

And as a thank you, your other weekend homework is to sleep when you're tired, eat when you're hungry and do something that makes your heart happy. Daily Journals will return on Monday. Take some time to just be. You've earned it.

See y'all Monday.

Love and light and gratitude. I think I've fallen in love.
Beltran

Amoebas and Sharing Bits

The Cubs winning teaches a great lesson about building a team, paying attention to scouting reports, and respecting the process (which ironically leads to fruitful results).  The Time magazine article I read from isn't something I can link, but if you subscribe you can find it I'm sure.  It's called "How the Chicago Cubs Made World Series History" by Sean Gregory.

The rhetorical devices T-chart is due on Monday.  Use Keegan's essay (linked yesterday) for the work.  And read the Brain Pickings article we used in class - "Telling is Listening: Ursula K. Le Guin on the Magic of Real Human Conversation".

SAS #9 tomorrow.  Be ready and send stuff my way in case you don't present.

Have a great afternoon and night.
GO CUBS!!!!!!!!

Love and Light,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  How do you handle adversity?  Honestly.

Stability in Motion

Thanks for listening today.  I'll link Keegan's essay here. You should print it out by Monday.

I'm going to be a hot mess tomorrow so...

Daily Journal below.

Love and light,
Beltran

Daily Journal #45:  What are your thoughts on the past three days worth of lessons?

Sarah Kay TED Talk

Sarah Kay TED Talk here. 

NPR Story Corps

Sorry to be so short.  There's a Cubs game on!!!

xoxo

Daily Journal:  In honor of Sarah Kay, create a list of 10 things you know to be true.

Happy Halloween

Shout out to the cutest costumes I have seen in a long while...the ramen alone...At any rate, I hope you have a safe and happy evening.  My littles don't check this blog so I will have candy for the taking tomorrow as the "switch witch" will be visiting our house this evening to replace the tootsie rolls with tantalizing toys.

As a gentle and loving reminder, just because we don't have grades per say doesn't mean you aren't being assessed as a student so quizzes like the one today, the TED Talk Chart, prom dress notes, reading, etc. - they all MATTER.  Perhaps not on a numerical scale yet but some of you are training quite nicely for the "race" that is next semester and some of you are just dressed in workout clothes and headed for coffee.

Decide who you want to be and go be it.

A few deadlines to keep in mind:  Outliers  needs to be read in its entirety by MONDAY, DECEMBER 5th.  (I just went on Thrift Books and bought some copies for cheap so you can too.)  And your CREATE SOMETHING 1.0 is due FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9th.

 Tomorrow is our TED Talk and the next 3 weeks are all about our favorite things...

Love and light,
Beltran

Daily Journal #43:  Traditions are often a part of the holiday season and it seems we each have "normal" things our families do to celebrate.  Describe one of your family's holiday traditions.  (Keeping in mind, of course, that there is no "normal" and the definition of family is fluid.)

GO CUBS.

I'm Baaaack As Promised

Cubs lost.  Boo.  But life, as all things, must go on.

I know most of you will be very busy this weekend but I wanted to link this lovely document.  It would help you to study since Monday's spooktacular quiz will be the exact same thing. (The precis format and the devices are linked on older posts.)

More importantly, get some rest.  I know I could use some...and as the fates would have it, I rushed out of school so fast (to go get my littles) that I left every SINGLE one of your essays at school.  I'm taking that as a sign.  So off to bed I go.

Love and light as always,
Beltran

I Wear Pink

Today was great. The Lady Gaga alone...have fun this weekend but don't forget to study for Monday's quiz. And write 3 journals - all topics of your choosing. See what comes out.

I'll post more later (tonight or tomorrow). I've gotta go be a mama.

Xoxo

Thursday Thoughts

So you wrote today.  Thank you for that - it's never an easy thing to do and I appreciate your sincere effort.  For tomorrow, have SAS ready and remember, those of you who are legit (GO CUBS) about this class will either present or make sure I know you have your "stuff".

I thought it would be important to link THIS.  In my experience, knowledge is power so you might as well get to know the "beast" you'll be facing in May.

Hope you have started to read Outliers or The Opposite of Loneliness or BOTH.  They are so good for you (GO CUBS) and your brain and your soul...

Remember that Monday the quiz is happening and then next week, just dropping some good, good, good goodies on you. 

Love and Light,
Beltran

Daily Journal #39:  Write about your car - either the one you drive or the one you ride in.

Alfred M. Green Is a Mean, Mean Writing Machine

Thank you so much for rapping today.  Too.  Much.  Fun.

As for the work, tomorrow you will be writing an essay in response to Q2 so be ready with your mind and a blue pen.

For those of you looking to add to your bookshelf, here's the link to Thrift Books.  You can find Marina Keegan's book, Outliers and East of Eden so...

Friday is SAS so heads up and your quiz is on Monday.  Spooky!!!

Love and light,
Beltran

Daily Journal #38:  Write in the style of Marina Keegan (from the excerpt I read in class).  Write at least a paragraph in which you write detail rich sentences followed by a simple declarative statement. *Excellent future resource for your Personal Statements!

Drew Dudley - Everyday Leadership

Thank you so much for enjoying Drew Dudley's TED Talk with me today.  Despite being short, it is sweet and falls in line with Sir Kenneth Robinson's definition of creativity - "an original idea that has value".

Speaking of TED Talks, your chart will be checked on Monday while you complete the quiz.  Make sure you have all 9 rhetors and their talks completely handled.

Tomorrow we will be returning to Alfred Green and this time we will read and annotate his speech.  Bring a pencil to class...

Seriously check out Marina Keegan and her book The Opposite of Loneliness.  It is so, so, so very good.  And good for you.

Daily Journal #37: What is your "lollipop" moment?

Monday Mania

So much to write about...

First things first...here's a great link to a cool resource for rhetorical devices.  Thanks S.O.  You can also check out Quizlet.

In case you want to watch, here's the PBS documentary on "Hamilton".

And here's the Marina Keegan piece.  Enjoy the read and get the book.  It's gooooooood.

Tomorrow is the TED Talk.  Can't wait.  The rhetor has potential to be on the boyfriend short list.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Daily Journal:  Talk about a socially awkward moment you have experienced.  

Prep for the 10/31 Quiz

Out of respect for you and all your effort (truly) I thought I would go ahead and link the Rhetorical Precis format I will be looking for on the upcoming quiz.  You can find the format HERE and it also includes an example based on Angelou's Passports to Understanding.

I also just deleted the rhetorical triangle and its questions so it's now a blank template.  There are no surprises there so make sure you study.

As for the rhetorical devices, I will be providing you with a word bank and you will be responsible for definitions and examples.  Forget a particular order - that's moderately insane.

We can discuss tomorrow to clarify.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

xoxo

FRI-YAY!!

Great, great job on SAS today - especially periods 2 and 3.  Wow.  Just wow.  I am amazed by how much I can learn from you.  Much gratitude.

Daily Journals for today and the weekend will be listed below.

Have your packet completed for class on Monday so we can learn, learn, learn. 

A huge thank you to JK and PR for the final push of spirals.  Their purpose will become clear soon.  I promise.

Have a safe, happy and healthy weekend.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Daily Journal #33:  What do you believe in?
Daily Journal #34:  10 minutes and GO.
Daily Journal #35:  Think of a person you admire and write about why you admire them so much. 

There Are No Words

Today it was good to be back in the land of dancing, learning, and simply being.  Thanks for all the well wishes for the littlest little.  She is doing much better.

We reviewed Prom Dress notes and what they should look like.  To cover my bases, I will be collecting your first semester Prom Dress notes on Monday, January 30, 2017.  Anyone who says they didn't know that is not reading the blog.

We also worked on the Banneker prompt so that was fun (said no one ever).  Writing practice is tough.  Not gonna lie.  The four page packet should be completely done by Monday 10/24.  And your quiz on the devices, the precis format and the rhetorical triangle will be on Monday 10/31.  Start studying.

Tomorrow is SAS (except for period 4 - I'll see y'all in the Big Gym).

Love and Light, (I ONLY NEED 9 MORE SPIRALS.  PLEASE...)
Beltran

Daily Journal: Write a poem (any style) that expresses gratitude toward a loved one.

Now It's 11:45 AM and The Kid is On the Mend (I Hope)

So sorry for missing a day - even if it was a PSAT day and I was only going to see 2 classes.  I don't like to miss school.  But Thing 2 (the little one) is doing much better...or so it seems.  Fingers crossed and I will be back in class tomorrow.  Nothing like a little 3 am projectile vomit to put things in perspective...all that ultimately matters this go 'round is health.

I obviously don't know how periods 5 & 6 fared in the classroom so I will simply trust that all went as it should.

For tomorrow, whether or not I am there, your job is to complete and review the 4 pager on Analysis.  There's also a quiz on the Rhetorical Triangle, the Precis and the 2 lists of devices on Monday 10/31 so study up!!

Friday is SAS...except for period 4.  We will meet in the Big Gym for the Kaiser presentation What Goes Around.  So you pancakes need to email me your SAS so I know you did it.  Include links, publication information, why you chose it, visuals, etc.  Thank you.

Daily Journal for today is a free topic/free write so go forth and create.

Love and Light (and maybe some more spirals, too?),
Beltran

It's 3:07 AM and My Kid is Sick

I know this only impacts periods 5 & 6 but my littlest one just woke up puking. Not good. Needless to say, I won't be at school today. Please work on and go over the 4 page Banneker packet. Compare answers, look at your returned précis, examine the model essay (it got a 7 on a 9 point scale). And if that's not appealing, read for pleasure or prep for SAS on Friday.

I hope to see y'all tomorrow.

Xoxo

Sir Kenneth Robinson is My Jam (Don't Tell Shawn Achor) * UPDATED

** Forgot the Daily Journal...oops.  Here goes:  What are some of the things you absolutely love to do and are "good" at?  What would you do (besides sleep and veg out and eat) if you encountered some unexpected free time?

One of my favorite TED Talks today.  Find it here and re-enjoy again and again.  He is the epitome of a composed and quality speaker and he uses such magnificent rhetorical strategies to engage his audience.

Tomorrow for the morning classes (period 2, 3, 4), y'all need to go to the Big Gym for attendance.  If you don't, you will be marked absent.  Work on the documents for class tomorrow so you can show up prepared.

Create Something (1.0) was introduced today.  It's due Friday 12/9 and presentations will take place the following week.  It is what it sounds like for those of you who were absent - create something that is "original and has value".

I'll miss your faces tomorrow but I will see periods 5 and 6.

Love and Light,
xoxo

Monday Post #2 - Comments

Do you want me to publish your comments???

What You Risk Reveals What You Value

Today I risked some of you judging me for my high standards but that's because I value your futures and your success as human beings on this pale blue dot.  My sincere care for you is what makes me want to make you sparkle and shine as I know you can.  I slay and slay, so get outta my way...

If you missed today's truth tea class, someone can fill you in I'm sure.  Just be prepared for Thursday with the four page work from Saturday's post.  Wednesday I am proctoring the PSAT so I won't see periods 2, 3, and 4.  Periods 5 and 6, we will be working on sentences (you think boring?  I think thrilling!!)

Tomorrow is our TED Talk Tuesday and you are going to meet boyfriend #1...so jazzed.

And Daily Journal below:  Write young, lovelies.  WRITE.

Daily Journal #29:  Jeanette Winterson wrote in her book The Passion that "what you risk reveals what you value".  What do you risk in your life?  And does that show what you value?

Spread the Word

I know I  am busy multitasking like a boss on a Saturday night.  Watching the Cubs game, grading essays, taking notes, crafting a lesson that may or may not take a couple weeks...I know I'm busy so in an effort to respect your time as well, I am posting the document that you will need for class on Thursday 10/20.  You will have plenty of time to print this out so take care of your business.

GO CUBS!!!!!!!

Friday Night Fun

Hi, Lovelies...I just spent the past 2 hours reading your grade reflections and searching my inbox for shared documents and some of you didn't send me or give me anything.  So either you forgot or you are allowing the opportunity to self-select your grade pass you by.  At any rate, those of you who read the bliggity blog might want to text/notify your people who don't about the grade reflection thing...If I don't have your reflections by tomorrow night at this time, I am just going to input what I think you deserve.

This next 6 weeks is going to have a few more twists and turns - more "lego pieces" - but don't forget the "stuff" you've been exposed to already.

Before I sign off, shout out to the one kid whose clever interpretation of the reflection earned him some mad, mad respect.  #props

GO CUBS.

Happy Friday

I actually enjoyed not having electricity for the better part of the day - something sweet and sincere about returning to simplicity that my heart seems to need every once in a while.  As usual, you lovelies did an excellent job on SAS.  Very, very impressive.  From baseball commentators to coral reefs to tattoo artists, I walk away from this desk very well-fed.

I will be going through your reflections and inputting grades.  If I have any questions, I will email you or talk to you on Monday.

Your Daily Journals are below and I am still in need of spirals so please help if you can.  It is much appreciated.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Daily Journal 26:  What sets you on fire (in a good way)?
Daily Journal 27:  What advice would you offer your 9th grade self?
Daily Journal 28:  Write for 10 minutes and see what happens.

Banneker is a Boss...

...at least I think he is.  Thank you for your hard work on the Banneker prompt today.  Not gonna lie - it's one of my favorites.  As a heads up for those of you who like to know what's coming around the corner, we will be using the model essays from College Board to help inform our reading next week, so be sure to read them, check them out, print them, etc.

Tomorrow we have the final round of SAS for the first six weeks.  And while I have your attention, the STD presentation is next Friday 10/21 and the PSAT is on Wednesday 10/19.  I have to proctor the exam so periods 1-4 won't have class with me...Who will you be with?  I have no idea.  Use the time to read, prep for SAS, work on the model essays, study rhetorical devices, etc.

Daily Journal is below...And your 6 weeks reflection is due tomorrow.  TYPED.  HARD COPY.

Daily Journal #25:  "Forces are lined up (internet, television, movies, advertising, just for starters) that tell us who we are is not about how hard we work, how curious we are, or how much we are willing to make a positive difference to others and to our world in distress.  No, these forces say: You are what you wear, what you buy, how thin or buff you are, how many like you - on [social media] - or for the elite college bound - where you go to college.  When we focus on the wrong things, we create conditions for monumental cynicism in our kids." - Michael K. Mulligan 

What are your thoughts on this claim?

Daily Journal

Making a list of all the ways you occupy my heart and mind isn't going to be easy. Why not ask me to put all the stars in the universe in the palm of my hand? That would be more manageable than articulating the manner in which I'm obsessed with every tiny detail of your day, curious about every nook and cranny of your mind. My questions loop incessantly making my sleep interrupted and my dreams dismal. I breathe you in and breathe you out.  And what's more obsessive than my breath? My list - numbered one to infinity - is you, you, you.

The Arch Method, Milk and Honey, Bones

Thank you for sharing your shades of meaning today.  Very, very good, lovelies.

I expect you to be ready to write tomorrow on the prompt we previewed in class.  Feel free to bring in your devices cheat sheet (posted earlier this week) and the framework for the precis. And a blue pen!

Daily Journal for tonight is simple (kinda):  Make a list of your obsessions.  Be honest!  And if you have any people on your list, use initials or code names.  I don't need to know all your business.

Be well and, as always, love & light -
Beltran

TED Talk Tuesday Times Two

Y'all, Tom Thum and Reggie Watts...looks can be quite deceiving after all.  Rewatch these goodies at your leisure and make sure you fill out the Rhetorical Triangle. 

For your Daily Journal tonight, create a list of at least ten topics you can write about.  This will make sense later.

I'm in need of spiral notebooks - the ones with 70 sheets or so.  Thank you......

Friday you have your Six Weeks Reflections due and tomorrow you need your Shades of Meaning.

See me with questions.

And GO CUBS!!!

xoxo

10 Minutes

I just did what I asked y'all to do: write for 10 minutes without stopping, no edits. I started at 8:12 and stopped at 8:22, writing with a pink pen in one of my trusty journals. What came out? Wow. Something so raw and personal and revealing that I'd be a fool to publicly post it. All I can say is Natalie Goldberg is spot on. Just go.

Xoxo

A New Best Friend

Compliments of the other AP Language teacher, Mr. C, here's a sweet little list of rhetorical devices and terms that should be viewed frequently, memorized, owned like Adler would support.  If I were you, I would print this out (or at the very least, copy it) and have it handy when reading...well, pretty much anything that requires thinking.  Here is an additional, albeit shorter list, as well.

I'll be back later tonight.  I'm going to do my journal on the bliggity blog and see what comes out, but first, lunches to make, Cubs to root for, children to bathe, patriarchy to dismantle...you know, stuff.

xoxo

Oh Monday, Monday!

Hope you guys and gals had a good Monday.  Mine was all sorts of wonky.  But alas, what's a girl to do?  Make sure you have your rewritten Rhetorical Precis (if you chose to rewrite it, that is) for turn in tomorrow.

Shades of Meaning - connotation and denotation - is due Wednesday for presentation.  Make sure you have a visual with it and choose your neutral word wisely.  See me with questions.

The Daily Journal prompt is below and was inspired by Natalie Goldberg's book Writing Down the Bones.  Any of you interested in becoming a better writer should check it out.

I'll see y'all tomorrow for TED Talk Tuesday.

xoxo

Daily Journal:  Set a timer for 10 minutes.  Settle yourself and "GO".  Don't stop, don't make edits, don't censor yourself and see what pours forth.  

p.s. - I will be posting a Rhetorical Devices cheat sheet/guide later tonight.  Feel free to make it your best friend.

Top Ten Things (I Think) A Teenager Should Know

Someone requested this list so I thought I would oblige.

Here goes...

1.  How to change a flat tire.
2.  How to balance a checkbook.
3.  How to make a decent, well rounded, nutritious meal with a $20 budget.
4.  How to do laundry.
5.  How to have a face-to-face conversation with an adult.
6.  How to ask someone you like out on a date.
7.  How to read and navigate around an unfamiliar city/town.
8.  How to ride public transportation.
9.  How to write a "thank you" note.
10.  How to sew a button, mend a rip, etc.

These are my thoughts as a 40 year old woman who was once a teenager who knew how to do all of the above.

Love and Light.
Go Cubs!

SAS Round 5

Thanks for another great round of SAS...I always enjoy listening to you and learning from you.

For Monday, have your Rhetorical Precis ready on Klosterman, Angelou, or Strayed.

Daily Journals below:

Daily Journal #19:  Write about "that night...".
Daily Journal #20:  Write about accomplishments.
Daily Journal #21:  Write about a "leap of faith".

Much love to my pancakes.  You done real good today.  xoxoxoxoxoxxo

Rhetorical Precis Information

For Monday, have a Rhetorical Precis written for either the Angelou text, the Klosterman text or the Strayed text.  Your call.  In order to help you, check out this template.  It's got a word bank and sentence frames that might be useful.

Thanks for being ready for SAS tomorrow.  Cannot.  Wait.

xoxo

Daily Journal:  Write a Jessup like speech to someone in your life you kinda sorta want to belittle and demean.  Why not?  It's for creative purposes.  

For My Kiddos from 2015-2016

All of you from last year hold a special place in my heart because you are the class that carried me through a very difficult part of my life.  I spoke to my mother often about my "kids" at school and she knew of your names and your stories and how you positively (and maybe sometimes not so positively) impacted each of my days.

Today, several of you from last year's period 2 SHOWED up for me and for a little dancing.  Even though we had to FaceTime some people in, and a couple are at college, it was exactly what my heart and soul needed.

Thank you for dancing, lovelies.  Love on top...ALWAYS.  xoxo

For Your Consideration - Please Check Out

If you can help, please do.  Click here for more information.

xoxo

Rhetorical Precis

Rhetorical Precis work due tomorrow on the movie clip from "A Few Good Men".  Can't wait to see what you write.

xoxo

Daily Journal: Free Topic!!!

My Man Maz

You can access today's TED Talk here.  Make sure you rewatch and fill out the rhetorical triangle and your notes.  We also started the TED Talk Chart so don't be lazy with it - it will save you and help you come May. 

Also make sure you research the Rhetorical Precis so you can have a leg up for tomorrow's class. 
We will be learning how to use that sucker to write introductions worthy of AP consideration.

And...don't forget to sign up for our google classroom page.  See the earlier post for login info and see me tomorrow during Advisory if you need help.

xoxo

Daily Journal #16:  Chronicle an incident where you were stereotyped or you stereotyped someone else.

p.s. - I am working on a list of rhetorical devices you can use as a reference guide
p.p.s. - Look up a movie called A Few Good Men...

Class Code for Google Classroom

The code for Google classroom is: do1c8c

Your login is: IDnumber@stu.sandi.net
Password: Active Directory Password

Rhetorical Precis Look Up

Thanks for showing up to class.  For tonight, please use this link and sign up for our new google classroom site.  It's a work in progress so be patient. AND I just realized I left my class code on my desk. Oops! I'll update later after hip hop...

Also, look up Rhetorical Precis and be sure you know the format, what it is, why we use it.

Tomorrow is our TED Talk...so come ready.

Daily Journal below!

xoxo

P.S. - I just wanted to let you know that I love pancakes.  Sometimes I make them and they don't turn out great the first go round but I keep trying and trying and eventually they are on point.  So delicious and so great - everything they are supposed to be and more.  I won't ever give up on my love of pancakes.  They mean too much.

Daily Journal #15:  Describe your weekend.  

Impressive SAS

I just need to take a moment and thank you from one soul to another for the great SAS today.  Period 2 alone knocked it out of the park and just set the tone for the day.  From RM to LF to KG.  Just wow.  I am so impressed with what you are bringing to share and I sincerely appreciate the quality and care with which you are presenting.

For Monday, have the Strayed piece annotated as the capable students you are.  I look forward to discussing it with you.

Daily Journals for today and the weekend are below.  Be sure to incorporate some rhetorical devices to elevate your writing.  Just practice.

Have a beautiful weekend - stay safe and be happy.

xoxo


Daily Journal #12:  Words to live by....
Daily Journal #13:  Highlights of the month....
Daily Journal #14:  How I recharge...

Reading is Cool

Thanks for handling the work I threw at you today.  The Strayed piece "The Ordinary Miraculous" should be OWNED by Monday.  See me with questions...

Tomorrow is SAS #4.  Can't wait!

xoxo

Daily Journal #11:  Write about a favorite childhood memory and attempt to use some intentional repetition. Mimic Angelou or Strayed.

Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now

Thanks for participating in class and attacking those sentences from the Klosterman piece.  Tonight (or before class, let's be real),you need to annotate and KNOW the Angelou piece I handed out in class.  If you were absent, ask someone to text you a picture, or just look it up online.  It's from Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now and is the chapter called "Passports to Understanding".

Tomorrow in class, we will have a discussion on the text, paying close attention to rhetorical devices.
Friday is SAS #4 so be ready.

Love and Light ('cause what else is there?),
Beltran

Daily Journal #10: FREE TOPIC (but I am looking to see if you are using any rhetorical devices in your work)

The Danger of a Single Story

Chimamanda Adiche's TED Talk is one for the books.  Please rewatch it and "own" her words. 

Tomorrow be prepared to present your dissected sentence if you are called.  I will be sniffing for fear.

Hopefully tomorrow won't be as hot...

Love and Light,
Beltran

Daily Journal #9:  What do you find "weird"?  Why??

Dissecting...Wait, This Isn't Biology!

First off, stay hydrated.  It's hot.

Secondly, Harvard knows what's up.  Check it out.

Third, write down one golden line you love from Klosterman's piece and dissect the heck out of it.  Look up and define all of the "tools" he's using and be ready to share in class on Wednesday.

Daily Journal below.

Love and light always.

Daily Journal #8:  Think of your favorite song.  What lyrics speak to you?  What resonates with you?

To My Seniors

Hi, lovelies. If you're reading this and you're a junior, feel free but it's for my people from last year.

I suppose there's a better way to do this, but my sun kissed body is pretty tired from the day and I needed to fix this NOW.

Back in January, those Daily Journals imploded and I told you not to ask me for a letter of recommendation. I said I'd email you. Then May happened, and my heart shattered and splintered and split. A vital part of me died. I came back to work, and I think I managed to appear put together when the the truth of the matter is that I was (and still am) grieving.

MB had to remind me on a breakfast date in July that I said I'd email people. So I did manage to send off a few before more waves of grief swept me under. And then I blinked and here we are. PR - my prince in so many ways - reminded me earlier today that there are some of you who deserve and need letters. While I'm no author, if my words can help garner you an advantage, it'd be my pleasure.

So, if you're still reading this blog, you know what I'm offering and you can ask yourself if you're one of my people. Are you in my orbit still? Do we talk? Are you and I emailing, chatting, maintaining a relationship? If so, well...Amanda Palmer it up.

Love & Light

Top Ten Books (for Tay and the rest of you who asked...)

It's nearly impossible for me to narrow down my top ten favorite books.  That's like asking a mother to decide which of her children she loves the most.  But I'll give it my best shot...

Tiny Beautiful Things - Cheryl Strayed
A compilation of advice columns that I consider a manual for life.

The Inner Tradition of Yoga - Michael Stone
Teachings on the history and philosophy of yoga.

Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
A coming of age story about Janie, an older woman whose life is an inspiration to all.

Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now - Maya Angelou
Teachings from a woman I consider one of my greatest teachers.

How to Love - Thich Nhat Hanh 
Meditations on the mindful practice of love.  Simplistic but profound.

In the Lake of the Woods - Tim O'Brien
A husband and wife mystery that sheds light on the secrets we all carry within.

The Bean Trees - Barbara Kingsolver
A novel about the mother/daughter dynamic.

A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
A story of Mariam and Laila, two girls born in different generations but whose lives intersect and show the connectedness of us all.  

The Little House on the Prairie Series - Laura Ingalls Wilder
Beloved history of Laura Wilder and her beautiful, enviable family.

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
A novel that shows what happens when our creations destroy.  

Why these?  Each holds a special place in my heart for not only the lessons they taught, but for the time at which the lessons appeared.  The old saying goes, when the student is ready, the teacher appears.

Reading is as essential as breathing.  I can't wait to share more throughout the year.  Oh, and any of you super interested can follow Ann Patchett's independent bookstore blog.  She posts a list of recommended books monthly.  Find her site HERE.  Last night I had the chance to listen to her speak at USD.  Let me leave you with her words, "I care that you read, not how you read."

Love and Light, Lovelies...
Beltran

Happy Friday

Hope y'all enjoyed SAS as much as I did.  Mad shout out to period 5 for bringing IT and to BM for his dance moves in period 6.

I'll post the Daily Journals for today and the weekend below.

See y'all Monday.

Daily Journal #5:  Everyone has a story.  What is part of yours?
Daily Journal #6:  What matters most to you?  
Daily Journal #7:  How would your best friend describe you?

Daily Journal #4: Houses (In Case You Need Help)

The house I grew up in was about 700 square feet.  It was on the wrong side of the tracks and the kitchen was so small that you could sit at the round table and open the refrigerator.  My sister and I shared a room until she went to college, and it's the house where I administered my mother's cancer medicine to her via an IV when I was 16.

The house I grew up in made me feel mostly ashamed and embarrassed.  I never had a friend over, never had a sleepover, never had anyone pick me up on a date.  The first boy I let see my childhood home was a guy I was dating at the age of 22.  My mom made him homemade tortillas, beans and rice, and when I left the room, she brought out all of my school pictures - kindergarten through twelfth grade.

The house I grew up in sits in a town that I will never visit again.  When my mother moved off of Margaret Street into a custom built house my sister bought for her, she left behind the structure that had shamed me so.  When my mother died this past May, we packed up her house and all the memories, sold it within three days, locked the door and drove off blinded by tears of grief and rage.

The house I grew up in doesn't match the life I live now, but to a small family of three, it was indeed a home.

Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs

Thanks for annotating like you urinate today...I will be going though your work on the Klosterman piece and we will be using it again in class on Monday (just so you know).  And mad respect for the period 3 moves to Whitney today...it's completely allowed to have fun and be smart all at the same time.  ("I wanna dance with somebody...with somebody who loves me...")

Tomorrow we will be entering the arena (anyone???) for SAS Round #3.  Some of the classes have sign-ups and some don't so be ready either way.

Next week will see us working with words and the nuance of language with connotation and denotation.  If you're my students, you understand what I just did there.

And as a plug for all that is good in this world, remember that readers write and writers read.  There's no magical formula for getting better.  You just do the work.  BE TRUE BLUE.

Much love and see y'all tomorrow,
Beltran

P.S. You should be emailing me frequently to establish a connection and to share your thoughts about class.  This is an interactive experience, y'all.  xoxo

Daily Journal #4:  Topic = Houses.  Go.

How To Mark a Book OR Read, Baby, Read

Thanks for showing up today...hope you learned something valuable.

Tomorrow, a little reading and annotating to see if you were paying attention...Also, SAS Round #3 on Friday so be prepared.

Daily Journal #3 below.

Love and light,
Beltran

Daily Journal #3:  Tell me about a book that you own.  (Not own but OWN.)

My Boyfriend Shawn

Hands off, y'all.  He's taken.  Kidding, of course...or am I?  Please rewatch today's TED Talk by Shawn Achor and fall in love all over again.  Pay attention to how he uses anecdotes and humor to disarm the audience and make his research relatable.  And pay attention to what he is actually saying.

Read for pleasure tonight - carve out 15 minutes to just feed your brain.  And don't forget to bring your book with you tomorrow as well as How To Mark a Book.

I look forward to seeing y'all tomorrow...Daily Journal #2 prompt below.  Beneath the photo of my boy, that is.

Daily Journal #2:  What does happiness look like for you?  

Thus It Begins

Stuff happened today.
It went down,
Were you here?
Hope you were.

xoxo

Daily Journal #1:  If you were allowed to vote, who would you vote for in the upcoming presidential election?  WHY? Also, give an interesting fact about any other politician you know of.  

Who I Am - Or, I DID MY HOMEWORK, How 'Bout You?

When I was five years old, I realized that my life was finite.  I sat on the back porch steps of my childhood home staring at a pecan tree and when one of the nuts fell to the ground, it struck me that the tree had been around longer than me and would be around long after my body returned to dust.  I wasn't frightened by that discovery - almost more comforted by it because I knew then what I still know now - what really matters.

I was - and still am - an excellent student.  I earned nothing less than an A in my academic career, I was involved in everything from Student Council to orchestra to Academic Decathlon.  I took AP everything and was accepted socially by all the different peer groups that look very similar to the ones we find in the halls of PLHS.  I scored perfectly on my ACT, was accepted to all the colleges I applied to including Wellesley, Yale, and Rice and ended up with a full academic scholarship to the Harvard of the South.

But none of that actually says anything about me.  It just shows you that I could (and can) play the game well.  Perhaps what you should know is that I am a faithful friend, a loyal person to my people, a mother to two beautiful souls, and a wife to a beloved who is the true definition of a man.  I'm a sister and despite having lost both of my parents in less than 2 years, I am still a daughter.  Purple is my favorite color and reading and writing is like breathing to me.  Without it, I would not exist.

I'm highly observant and wickedly gifted when it comes to details but you could place me in a forest and ask me to count the trees at which point I would ask, "What trees?".  I didn't start drinking coffee until after I had my eldest daughter.  I don't function well on little sleep and Lenny Kravitz is my number one crush followed closely by Benedict Cumberbatch.  I don't know what that tells you but it's true.

I drink a cup of warm lemon water every morning, I practice yoga both on and off the mat, and when I fall for you, I fall hard and fast and get all sorts of hurt.  My mantra for life comes from the incomparable Cheryl Strayed and I live each moment adhering to her wisdom to be brave enough to break [my] own heart.

If you are one of my people, you know it, and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you including dousing you in truth tea.  The opposite of my love is indifference and my playlist is as diverse as the world we live in.  I believe in tiny threads that connect us all and my favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption and my favorite sport is baseball.  Go Cubs.  Go Rangers.

I'm a native Texan who is as comfortable in a pair jeans as a fish is in water, and teaching is my calling.  I don't believe in luck, but I do believe in gratitude and I am surrounded by magic every day of my life.

I live and love wholeheartedly and I am your 11th grade English teacher this year.

Buckle up.

The Thrill Is...

...Still here.  Despite it being the end of day 14 of school, I am still hopeful and excited about the intelligence, personality, and attentiveness of you APES (AP English Students...no offense).  Thank you for presenting - those of you who did, that is.  It's not an easy thing to do and even though this class might require less in terms of grades, it certainly does require more in terms of courage. So get into the arena...

As a little inspiration, reread Teddy Roosevelt's amazing quote.  It inspires me each day.  Have a great weekend and I'll see you on Monday.

Love and light,
Beltran

P.S. - for the one who asked, I sign off with "love and light" because what else is there?  We aren't here on earth for our finite period of time to walk around with our hands balled into fists...we are meant to enter into the complicated, messy business of loving and seeing the light in one another.  It's much easier to build a wall than a bigger table but I invite you to sit with me.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

~ Citizenship in a Republic, 1910

Diagnostic Day...

...Never fun but a necessary evil for AP exam preparation.  Besides, learning to read and write well are important.

We will be working with your tests on Monday but for tomorrow, be ready for SAS Round 2.  I'm looking forward to learning from you.

Have a happy rest of your day and know you are loved. Oh, and in an effort to respect your time, here is the text you will need to have read and annotated by class on Wednesday 9/21. 

xoxo

These Are My Thoughts

As Alicia Keys once sang, I keep on falling...I was very impressed with the presenters today and mad shout outs to those of you who clearly propelled yourself forward even though presenting is the last thing you wanted to do.  Mad respect.

Tomorrow isn't going to be sunshine and roses because we have an AP diagnostic - just a little baseline to see what you can and cannot do.  Please come to class with a pencil since we will be doing multiple choice.

Thank you again for your effort.

See y'all tomorrow.

xoxo

TED Talk Tuesday - Benjamin Zander

Thanks for the attention today in class, lovelies.  Here's the link for today's TED Talk by the effervescent Benjamin Zander.  Please rewatch and do what a student does...I will be asking some contextual/background information questions about the talk so make sure you look up rhetor information as well as any allusions you didn't quite get.

Also, tomorrow, I will be choosing from volunteers for the 9 Voices assignment.  Nothing fancy necessary but for the love of all that is good, don't just put lipstick on a pig and say it's not a pig.

And finally (there's a signal word), just in an attempt to get to know you better and as a nice little check to see if you read the bliggity blog, there's an assignment due Monday. Parameters below.

Love and light,
Beltran

Answer the following prompt: Who are you?
Format:  Typed, Times New Roman, size 12 font, double spaced.  At least a page long but can be longer OR handwritten in dark blue/blue ink, at least one page front and back or longer.

If any of you have printing issues, I will accept work via google docs (educator98@gmail.com) or via email (ybeltran@sandi.net) IF IT IS SUBMITTED BEFORE FRIDAY 9/16 BY MIDNIGHT. 

P.S. - Check this out Mitchell.  

The Rhetorical Triangle and 9 Voices

Thanks for the attention in class and for taking some good notes.  Hopefully you learned about the doozy of a Rhetorical Triangle - kinda like gold if you ask me.  It is truly the foundation of the class and of life in general if I am being honest.

For Wednesday, have the 9 voices/rhetors assignment ready.  If you were absent, please see me or better yet, a classmate for some notes.  I will be picking from volunteers on Wednesday.

See y'all tomorrow for TED Talk Tuesday.

xoxo

SAS Roundup

I'm supposed to post a roundup, I know. But I'm finding it difficult to articulate the amazingness I saw. Perhaps you just had to be there? At any rate, tomorrow = more learning. Bring your best self.

Xoxo

Very Impressive

Y'all brought it...particularly the ones who ponied up, went first, dared greatly and stepped into the arena. I'll post an SAS Roundup sometime this weekend. Thanks for making my heart explode.

Xoxo

SAS Round 1 Tomorrow

Thank you to the ever lovely Amy L. for presenting today.  I am utterly biased, but she is a rockstar in my book.

For tomorrow, be ready!!!

-Introduction
- Credible Sources
- Background Information
- Summarize
-Questions
-Thank you

Email me with questions.

xoxo

What A Student Does & Haiku History

First off, thank you for showing up to class both physically and mentally.  Secondly, we covered expectations for "how to be" a student.  (See the picture below.)  Also, we are getting set to rumble in the jungle tomorrow with Haiku History.  If you were absent, get a classmate to text you a picture of the document.

Come to class tomorrow PREPARED. 

We will "play" with the haikus and hear from a guest presenter.

Can't wait.

xoxo