Welcome!
March 8, 2019 By
Welcome to Blackboarddreams.com! During the summer of 2012, I envisioned using a blog as a meaningful extension of my classroom where there would be resources aplenty and a communication hub. After a summer of trial and many an error, the website went live in the spring of 2013 and has been an e-home away from home for my students ever since. Here, parents and students can access the following: homework assignments, updates on the happenings and direction of the class, complementary materials, writing and research resources, exemplars, class forums, and more! I am most excited about using this website as an e-community built on the Blackboarddreams forums. My students and I use the forums to examine author’s craft in search of a deeper understanding of the readings and to use those readings as a catalyst for critical discussion of our world and ourselves.
So that is Blackboard Dreams! Here’s a bit about me: My name is Sean Leon. In 2002 I moved to NYC to join the NYC Teaching Fellowship. After teaching four years at a middle school in the Bronx, I was offered and accepted a high school English position at The Beacon School in Manhattan. Beacon—a prestigious college preparatory public high school known for its portfolio-based assessments, art and technological infusion across disciplines, and international travel—gave me an opportunity to give life to my vision of the English classroom. This vision is fundamentally shaped by the understanding that all instruction and assessment take place in a dynamic, human environment that must be factored into the day-to-day pedagogy of the class. So, as a priority, the English experience should be humanized in design and humanizing in effect. My classroom becomes an inclusive, democratic learning community where literacy acts as a conduit for holistic education.
Pedagogically, an inquiry-based framework shapes all literacy instruction and assessment. As a principle, I believe all instruction and assessment—formative and summative—should recognize the multiple intelligences and learning styles of the student body and should be varied accordingly. To that end, my classroom features an infusion of technology and the arts to help communicate content and to assess understanding. Additionally, I use the Socratic seminar and Socratic hybrids to facilitate discussion and catalyze the writing process. Ultimately, in satisfying the educational and civic responsibilities of a humanities classroom, I hope that quantitative and qualitative metrics show my students to be improved analytical and critical thinkers. [Read more…]
Due 11/7: The Bell Jar Essay
November 4, 2016 By
We are starting 1984 and our discussion of Politics and the English Language (Finish this essay by Tuesday. Be sure you are ready to discuss it in full.) in the new week. If you are buying your own copy, please have it with you starting on Tuesday.
1. The Bell Jar Essay–Completed First drafts are due on Monday. While you are expected to have an introduction and conclusion, I want you to focus most of your thought on development of the argument across the body of the essay. Remember, this essay should be 3-4 pages.
General Formatting:
- Double-spaced; size 12 font; Times New Roman or similar
- 1 inch margins on both left and right sides. Justify margin. Indentations– .5” or 1 tab space.
- All pages beyond the first page should be numbered. Page numbers should be placed at the bottom right of each page.
- No Cover Page. Include name, class, and date (Single space the heading)
- Be sure TITLE reflects the theme of the essay (for instance, 1984: Hierarchical Hegemony)
- Include Title, Author, and General Theme of work in first paragraph of essay…For Example—Jean Paul Sartre’s Nausea
- Follow MLA guidelines
Order of Arrangement:
- Final Draft on top. Staple.
- 1st Draft—with significant corrections made + name and signature of reader
Avoid the Following:
- Avoid Pronouns: I, it, you, me, we, us
- Avoid Troublesome language. Do your best to avoid the following words: it, these, this, those, kind of, almost, seems, maybe, like, then, later, eventually, basically, so, many, a lot, things, due to the fact (or any variations of the fact that), in reality, very, really, forms of the verb “to be”
- In the intro, nix all book-review commentary—i.e. “is fascinating, interesting…”
- Avoid meaningless sentences–i.e. “Authors rely heavily on symbolism.”
- Contractions
- While I am not suggesting that you avoid all modifiers, you certainly should be conscious of how you are using them. Yet, definitely avoid the likes of really, basically, very, excellent, terrible, etc.
- Avoid misspelling proper nouns!
Remember:
- When writing about literature, write in the present tense.
- Active voice should be your default voice and only use passive when you are CHOOSING to use passive voice.
- Get comfortable writing in complex and compound sentences.
- Introductions and conclusions are factored into the grading of this essay.
- Read your essay aloud and you will hear many diction and syntax issues.
Keys to Good Writing:
- Cohesion—Every sentence fits together; paragraphs flow smoothly. Ensure that the entire discussion comes together as one unified discussion of your text and its context.
- Concision—Less is more. Use fewer words to explain yourself. Begin fusing sentences by merging ideas into tightly knit phrases.
- Precision—Accuracy. Use words that accurately capture what you mean. Don’t settle for words or expressions that come close.
- Coherence—Does your essay make sense? Are your ideas organized in a logical sequence? Do you prove your thesis? Do the parts contain the essence of the whole?
HW12 due 10/20 (10/21 for 12G): Nausea
October 17, 2014 By
1. Nausea–Read and annotate up to p. 40
2. Class Forum
URGENT: MY KEYS!
May 8, 2014 By
Hello all! Since the end of H Band yesterday, I have not been able to find my keys! My apt keys and my school keys are on this key chain distinguished only by a purple fabric. Please be on the lookout for my keys! Email me if you know anything. Thank you!
