Reading and Writing on the Web

Today each class created and voted on guidelines for posting to our weblog. I was amazed at your cooperation and the high expectations you set for yourselves. Bravo! I will post these guidelines on each of your weblogs. (First and third block guidelines will be up tomorrow, and second is already posted.) As you check your e-mail tonight, you may find an invitation to our weblog, and you can establish your account on your own or wait until class tomorrow. Those who won't be in class (band trip) can set up and post on your own. If you need some help, you can get set up when you return on Monday. Good luck to all of you!

Creating a Community

We are going to be collaborating today on our own expectations for our blog. This is your chance to have a say. How should the writing look? Should we allow abbreviations? Can you interpret misspellings, mechanical errors, and so forth? Exactly what are YOUR expectations for this project?

This is a short post today. I'm still looking for a number of e-mail addresses. The beauty of getting your weblog underway is that our classroom extends outside our high school campus. Some of you will be taking band trips, or leaving for athletic events, or going to music competitions, but you can always catch up with the weblog because you can access it any time.

Rules of the Road - Netiquette

We shared this information in class today when we discussed rules of safety and netiquette. Click on the title The Core Rules of Netiquette to review Virginia Shea's advice in the excerpt from her book.



Introduction
Rule 1: Remember the Human
Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life
Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace
Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth
Rule 5: Make yourself look good online
Rule 6: Share expert knowledge
Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control
Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy
Rule 9: Don't abuse your power
Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes


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Historical Fiction - Sad Times/Sweet Story

I can't imagine growing up in times like those described in Mockingbird: not enough food to feed families, issues of gender and race, jobs at a minimum, loss of hope and fear in the atmosphere. All the same, the world seems a simple place as described by Scout, and even through all the hard times, the picture she paints of childhood and innocence is appealing. As I am rereading, I am thinking about impressions I first had as I read the first few chapters. The way our narrator sees the world, she seems so grown up for such a small child. It must be her relationship with her father, which seems more adult somehow. Reading the newspaper over Atticus's shoulder, trying to explain the Cunninghams' ways to Miss Caroline, Scout seems wiser than her years. It makes me wonder how many times teachers jump in - like Miss Caroline did- without understanding circumstances that kids already know. Have any of you sat in a classroom "learning" something that you already know?

Another BIG element of curiosity is Boo Radley. I imagine that some of the stories about him might say more about the town gossips than it actually does about Boo. How could he be shut up in that house so long, and what did he really do to land in so much trouble? We'll have to look at the clues.

Lastly, I am wondering about the vocabulary. What rich and wonderful narrative Mockingbird offers. Don't be discouraged if you find an inordinate number of words to decipher. Scout is a wise woman and precocious child. Somehow Harper Lee's simple way of capturing small town Southern life in the Great Depression has a powerful message for us all.

Curl Up With A Great Book

Monday brings a number of activities. Our first writing packets are due, complete with first drafts (with evidence of conferencing), second drafts (with evidence of conferencing), third drafts, and a letter we'll write in class. I am anxious to read your work. We are also starting To Kill A Mockingbird tomorrow, and I'll be handing out a reading schedule so that you can know ahead of each class exactly what chapters we'll be discussing. This might enable those of you with busy schedules to plan ahead! You might be curious about the title of the book, so in case you are wondering what a mockingbird looks like, this is a picture of one.

I'm also looking forward to reading over your responses to the Reader's Digest article on manners, especially your practice weblog post. If time permits tomorrow, we'll also practice commenting.

It's a busy week. Rest up. We're starting my favorite book.