Friday 2 September 2011: introduction / Proust Questionaire

Welcome to Journalism.

Today we are reviewing classroom policies. As most of our work will take place in one of the two computer labs, it is imperative that there is no food or beverages- never / ever - brought into these rooms.
Students should share the criteria information with their parents and sign and return the attached sheet by Wednesday 7 September. Please retain the top sheet for contact information. As well, get the photo release signed if you want me to use class pictures on the blog.

Note that for this class you will need ear buds and a thumb drive. You will be listening to podcasts and watching videos. As folks pace themselves differently and to avoid a cacophonous environment- and to keep some sanity within the class- in order to listen to your assignment, you must have your own-not shared with the buddy next door- set of ear phones.

Note that on MONDAY SEPTEMBER 12 the class, as well as every English class, is writing a critical lens essay on the two choice books that the students were required to read over the summer. This is 20% of this marking period's grade. The format of the essay is a critical lens. If for some reason you have not read the material, you may still write the essays; however 15 points for each non assigned novel will be deducted. The SOTA website: http://www.rochester.org/ has the book selections for each grade that were handed out last June.

Each day when you come into the room, you should log onto this site. This may be reached either directly: http://journalism11-12.blogspot.com/ or through the SOTA website under www.rcsdk12.org/sota. From there go to teachers and then Parker. Memorize this!

What's happening? Next week we are exploring the First Amendment of the Constitution, the relevant portion of the First Amendment, passed in 1791, reads

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Please memorize the above; this will be part of a quiz on Friday September 9.

In the meantime....you need by our next class to have yourself registered on this blog. This is where most of your writing will occur. And I promise you, we will be writing lots! As well, I have set up a drop box account for more involved work, so that very little need be printed out.

For TUESDAY'S CLASS:

I would like to try something a bit more creative in the getting-to-know-you category. Below you will see The Proust Questionaire. Open up a word document and respond to the questions. When you have completed the task, send them along in an e-mail, where I'll collect them in the drop box. Take your time. Your responses should be fluid and grammatically correct. However, they may be witty and imaginative. Tasty bits will be shared on the blog. As noted above these are due before class on Tuesday. You have tomorrow in class to work on them, but no time on Tuesday. The grading rubric will be based upon correct grammar, spelling and completion of the assignment. Have fun! (this is a quick homework grade: (check minus, check, or check plus (75 / 85 / 95). There is no classtime for this.

The Proust Questionnaire
Marcel Proust 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, critic and essayist best known for his monumental À la Recherche du Temps Perdu (In Search of Lost Time- earlier translated as Remembrance of Things Past). It was published in seven parts between 1913 and 1927. In the back pages of Vanity Fair magazine each month, readers find The Proust Questionnaire, a series of questions posed to famous subjects about their lives, thoughts, values and experience. As a way of getting to know you, and by extension each other, please read and respond to the following questions. They are from a party game the young Proust played at the age of 13. As with this writer, the questions give insight into character and life beliefs. Take your time and reflect. These should not be extended responses. Humor and wit are welcomed. Make sure you are registered on the blog and post accordingly.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
2. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is your greatest extravagance?
4. What is your current state of mind?
5. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
6. On what occasion do you lie?
7. What do you dislike most about your appearance?
8. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Man?
9. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
10. When and where were you happiest?
11. Which talent would you most like to have?
12. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
13. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
14. What is your most treasured possession?
15. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
16. What do you most value in your friends?
17. What historical figure do you most identify with?
18. What is your favorite hero of fiction?
19. What is it that you most dislike?
20. How would you like to die?