Final Reflection Blog

What was your favorite lesson this year and why?

My favorite lesson this year would be on The Kite Runner. I enjoyed the blogs, reading, and projects on character analysis. This is one book I would most certainly advise you to read with next years class. I enjoyed this lesson because the book was interesting to read and easy for any reader to understand. The overall message of the novel was great and the projects were more creative.

What was your least favorite lesson this year? Why?

This may not seem realistic considering no high school student always finds schoolwork fun and enjoyable, however I can not think of one single lesson I did not like.

Academically, what have you learned from this class?

I have learned many things throughout this year. I learned how to analyze what I read, write better essays, and many new literary devices that I did not quite understand before. If it was not for this class I would not be so sure and ready in my writing skills for college.

What life lessons have you learned from this class?

Life lessons I have learned from this class are numerous. After every book we read, I learned something new about myself and realized the empathy I have for others going through certain situations. I learned not to take things out on myself that I had no part in controlling, to not settle for less than I deserve, and that bad things may have happened in the past, however nothing is impossible of overcoming. You helped me realize how strong I was and how my impact in the world can change things more than I realize. You made us all feel like we all mattered and praised us for the good we done. I have not had many other teachers do that as well as you could.

• What can I change and improve upon as an educator to make this class more beneficial for future classes

I would not change many things because I must say, you have done an excellant job. The only thing that I believe would benefit future students would be teaching poetry earlier in the year and having an essay or two based on poetry in order to prepare for the exam.

Final thoughts and opinions

Thank you for being an amazing english teacher. You have helped me learn many new things in english, as well as learning new things about myself. This class has prepared me for the real world in so many ways. If it was not for you I would not be so sure of my success in college and life. Please continue to be one of the greatest people I know and most influential english teachers I have ever met. It has been an enjoyable year just by starting my day in your class room.

* Just so you know, while writing this blog I thought about all the things we done this year. We shared so many good memories in your class. I am going to cry very much come next week. I love you!*

Novel Project Blog 4 (A Separate Peace)

17.your opinion of the work, good or bad, supported by specific references from the work

 

A Separate Peace by John Knowles was not a very good piece of literature to read for enjoyment rather than necessity. The author used unique characters however, there was not enough detail and depth put into each ones actions and ways of thinking. Even the main character Gene did not successfully portray his feelings to the readers through thinking to himself. One had no clue as to why Gene truly felt the need to push his friend Finny from the tree or if he was genuinely sorry for what he had done or if guilt just so happen to take over. The meaning of the work as a whole was not very specific and could leave one wondering what the purpose of the book truly was. The author did have good intentions and a well thought out plot, however there was not enough detail of importance, rather than rambling of things that did not truly matter to the story as a whole. The death of Finny was not much of a surprise and did not connect well with the reader‘s emotions due to the shortness of discussion in it throughout the rest of the book. The ending just so happen to be unpleasing also by not truly stating weather it was a happy or sad ending. The tone was plain and once again, there was not enough important details listed for the reader’s knowledge.  The work could also be very confusing to the back and forth analysis Gene makes to himself about pushing Finny and basically sending him to his death. For instance in the final few paragraphs, the author goes from saying “I never killed anybody and I never developed an intense level of hatred for the enemy. Because my war ended before I ever put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at school; I killed my enemy there.” In the following sentence one could not tell if Gene felt remorse or that he had to push Finny for his own needs. The reason will forever be unknown.

Novel Project Blog 3 (A Separate Peace)

6. an analysis of the effect of setting -- time, place, circumstances

In A Separate Peace by John Knowles the setting in at an all boy’s school in New England. The time is around 1940 and World War 2 is in the midst. It begins in the summer time which was when times were much easier and the war had not yet progressed for those living in New England. The war was only stories and photographs, which kept the boys at Devon from being discouraged or worried. Phineas and Gene were developing a good friendship and they contributed into making everyone’s summer enjoyable. Summer is known for joy and happiness, therefore it was no surprise of the comforting atmosphere within the story at this time. However, when it turned to almost fall, things began to take a turn for the worse. Gene secretly betrayed Finny and let him fall into a life changing moment. When winter occurred the damage done in the fall was magnified as was the war. The seasonal change and the plot change is a tactic well known in the book How to Read Literature like A Professor. For instance Gene thinks to himself “Peace lay on Devon like a blessing, the summer’s peace, the reprieve, New Hampshire’s response to all the cogitation and deadness of winter.” The fact the characters of the story are in a boy’s only school, the World War 2 is taking place, and it is in the 1940’s are mainly what the reader would focus on while interpreting the events taken place within the story. Without these three key elements of the setting, the whole story could have been written and taken place in a different manner. If the boys were not away from home at a boy’s only school, then the events would not be the same due to the different actions a girl would take in these circumstances. Without the setting the message of the overall story would not be understood in the same way.

Novel Project Blog 2 (A Separate Peace)

2. an analysis of a major character -- flat/round, static/dynamic, internal / external conflicts, dominant traits, significant actions, personal relationships...

In A Separate Peace by John Knowles one of the major characters would be a boy by the name of Gene. This young man is very smart in more ways than one. He is pretty fair at sports and a true scholar. However, there is more to Gene than meets the eye. Gene is a very round character due to the depth of his thoughts and why his actions reflect in a certain way. For instance, when he jounced the limb causing Phineas to fall and break his leg; Gene did it for a valid reason. He did not hurt Phineas just for kicks or to be genuinely mean; he believe this was a way to defend himself from Phineas’s supposed plan on destroying Gene’s scholar reputation. As seen so far Gene is a very dynamic character because one can see he feels very badly about what he done to Phineas and knows now that he made a misjudgment about the situation. The internal conflicts within Gene would be mentally growing up and dealing with his personal issues, as well as, not knowing what he wants to do with his life and who he wants to become. Another main thing Gene is dealing with internal is what he done to Phineas and keeping it from others. One can see his struggle when he says to Phineas "You see! Kill me! Now you know what it is! I did it because I felt like that! Now you know yourself!" An external conflict Gene is dealing with would be the war. New England is in a great war and it is not even close to being over. A few dominant traits Gene portrays would include intelligence, the ability to make nice with others, and to put on a front for others that does not truly show his inner emotions. Gene does not have very many personal relationships. He has many friends in which he talks to throughout school and about war, however he does not trust any of them. The closest person to Gene would be Phineas and he even turned his back on him for his own well-being. I do believe this shows a lot about the character.

Novel Project Blog 1 (A Separate Peace)

1.       a general statement of the literary work’s content, a summary or a paraphrase (only allowed once)

In A Separate Peace by John Knowles a war is in the midst for New England. A few boys at the Devon school are learning and preparing for war and other scholastics. They take part in sports and activities that all relate to the war more than for fun. The boys stay in dormitories, only making contact with their hometowns on occasions. A boy named Gene and Phineas are roommates that summer at Devon and had many fun times together. The boys were completely different. Phineas was an athlete and Gene was a scholar. The excelled in the aspects the other did not, however Gene was also able to take a good part in sports as well. After a short amount of time in the sun, an unknown rivalry takes place between the boys. Gene suspected that Phineas was trying to take away his chances at becoming valedictorian. However, this was not so. Phineas was only trying to spend time with his friend and show him a good time, just because that was his personality. The unknown rivalry took a turn for the worse when the Suicide Society, developed by Phineas himself, called for a meeting. Phineas and Gene always took an oath to start out the meeting by jumping out of a tree into the river. Phineas gets a “good” idea to jump together with Gene as a since of showing their friendship and equality of power within the club. Gene decides to do a very disturbing and unfriend like thing, which was jouncing the limb and causing Phineas to fall off the branch and into the shallow water close to the bank. Phineas’s leg and athletic career were both shattered at that very moment.  As soon as this occurrence happens one can see the Gene knew he made a mistake. He exclaims “…This is the worst thing in the world, and I’m sorry and I hate to tell you but I’ve got to tell you.”

The Kite Runner Timed Writing Rating

1.       Examine the rubric closely. What score do you deserve based on that rubric? Justify why by giving examples.

 

I rated my essay as a 4 because it failed to correctly and fully respond to the prompt. There were little analysis and more plot summary, which is not what one is asked to do in the prompt. There is also not just one pivotal moment mentioned, which causes confusion within the essay.

 

2.        Read the student performance "Common errors" section. What common errors did you commit? If you were going to do this prompt over again, how would you correct these errors?

 

My vocabulary needs to be on a college level, there needs to be more analysis, better sentence structure, and more focus needs to be on one pivotal moment. If I could do this paper over I would correct all those mistakes and focus more on the topic and meaning of the work as whole.

 

3.        After reading the student response examples what have you learned? Is there anything specifically you would change in your own paper?

 

After reading the student response examples, I learned I need to focus on answering the prompt and analyzing better. I would also use better vocab and various sentence structures.

 

4.       What aspect of timed writings do you feel you need the most help on? What do you suggest we do in class to help with this?

 

The aspect of timed writings that I need the most help on is organizing the paper and focusing on the topic. Practicing graphic organizers would be the only way to help. For the most part, the mistakes were laziness on my part and I needed to take more time on the assignment.

Class discussion questions

Level 1.

1. What was one thing Sohrab liked to do every night before bed?
2. Who told Amir that Hassan was his brother?

Level 2.

1. Why did they keep the secret of Hassan being Baba's son for so long?
2. Did you believe the setting of the story has a hand in the plot and meaning of the work as a whole?

Level 3.
1. Can relate to a time when you felt rejected or someone was ashamed of you? How did you feel?
2.  Is there any time in your life that you have done something wrong and wish you could take back? Did you make a mends with the situation by redeeming yourself? or walk away cowardly?