Electives

I am currently teaching two elective classes, Debate and Speech.

Debate

nixon_kennedyDebate is an elective open to students in all grades. My goal is to help you become a more critical consumer of argumentation and someone whose insight is not limited to sound bites, but in-depth understanding. We are going to learn about the foundations of argument, techniques for persuasion, and tools for evaluating the advocacy of others. In the mix, we might also throw in some philosophy, ethics, current events,great films, and more.

 

Speech

free_speech_1Speech is an elective open to students in all grades. There will certainly be more to come later. The primary purpose of Speech class is to provide students will the opportunity to improve their public speaking, organizational, and argumentative skills. In the course of the semester, we will work on speeches that require short-term preparation and those that require careful revision and delivery.

In addition to presenting speeches, students will be expected to be good audience members, paying careful attention to the speeches that other students present and offering constructive feedback.

 
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Site Updates

As you may have noticed, I have made a few changes to the layout and functionality of the site. The new appearance, while simpler, should be faster loading. I’ve posted a poll on the right hand side of the site for you to indicate your preferences, if any. I’d appreciate it if you took a second to answer the question.

I’ve also added a completely new section. If you are logged in, you will see a menu item at the top called “Community.” What it does should be familiar to most of you. I’d appreciate it if you played around with it and saw what worked and didn’t.

Finally, I have tried to clean up all of the links on the site. If you notice any errors, drop me a line.

I hope you’re all enjoying your break.

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Dante

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.

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AP Class Reminders

AP Students-

Don’t forget that you have a bit of work to take care of over the break. You need to finish (because you have been diligently working for a week) your poetry explication by Friday at 4:00 p.m. and complete your sonnet for class on Monday.

Otherwise, have a great break.

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Your Deep Thought From Walt Whitman

O ME! O life!… of the questions of these recurring;   
Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish;    
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)     
Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever renew’d;     
Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me;            
Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined;     
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?     

Answer

That you are here—that life exists, and identity;     
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.

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