Joann Cassano France
Dr. Sara Kajder
Student Writing Sequence
4/27/09
I. Overview
My student writing sequence is pulled from my Modernism Project I have done with my
advanced juniors. In our Modernism unit, we focused on the major events that occurred during
the era, how these events affected the nation’s overlying beliefs, and what methods and resources
authors used to demonstrate these beliefs. The goal of the project was to have students take what
they learned about Modernism and apply it to today’s world. This project has three major parts:
1. In a weekly post each student needs to provide 3-4 pictures. These pictures have to be
important to them and symbolize their day in some way. Under or next to each photo they
write a caption that explains the importance of the pictures. Once all the pictures are
posted, students have to cross-comment on each other’s picture two to three times a
week. This started students’ thinking about what kinds of things are important in our
everyday lives.
2. Once a week I post a blog entry that asks the students a question they need to respond to
in their own blogs. These blog entries bring the concepts discussed in class that week and
combine them with today’s ideas.
3. The final step of their writing is done individually and in groups. The students first need
to write a final blog entry that discusses their views on our time period. Then, using the
answers to the blog question as a springboard, in groups students will write a short story
or a series of poetry that demonstrate what they discussed in the blog. Students will
combine and consolidate their pictures and use them to enhance their story or write
poetry. The narration and pictures will be put together on Windows Movie Maker. This
final portion had students analyze everything they had learn about Modernism and use
their analytical skills to analyze their world today. Just like the Modernists, the students
had to determine what events affect our era, what the overlying beliefs are, and use their
methods and skills to show this in a creative work.
Since this project is done on blogs most of it is very informal. The most important thing to
me in this project is just writing. I want the students to be comfortable expressing their
thoughts and arguments in their writing. When they work on essays and other writing
assignments in class I focus more on grammar, but in the blogs I’ve explained to them that
grammar and mechanics is not being taken into consideration. We need to show students that
all types of grammar have their place in the classroom.
II. Assignment 1: Picture and caption posts; cross-commenting
This is the assignment where the students had to post pictures with captions. Inspired by
the Symbolist movement, the photos had to symbolize the most important thing about that
specific day to the students. With the pictures, the students needed to provide a caption.
These captions are supposed to be short, simple, but clear. The captions show to me whether
the students are making meaning from they are learning in class and beginning to apply it to
their world. If the caption discussed the objects in the picture solely or made a general life
statement and didn’t extend it into their lives then it was clear that they didn’t understand the
symbolism they were supposed to be portraying. When I saw these kinds of captions I
brought it up to the individual student in the comment I left, as well as make general
remainders in class to let students know what’s expected of them.
Some students were really creative while some were simple. I tried to push them to think
like an Imagist and make every word count, but not every student can achieve the power of
an imagist.
Once everyone’s pictures were posted, each student needed to comment on two to three
students’ photos from that week. These comments were supposed to say something
meaningful about the photo: why they think that image is powerful; suggestions for making it
better; something in the photo that’s interesting; the theme; how they might capture that
picture if they felt the same thing. Simply commenting on the objects in the picture without
making meaning did not count. As with the captions, some students had problems leaving
meaningful comments. I reminded students in class that they needed to make sure their
comments reflection the photos as symbols, not objects.
The goal of this section was to get students to start thinking about the symbols we see in
everyday life and what is important to them. This was the core of the Symbolism movement
during Modernism. This part of the project begins their thinking that the symbols we choose
change as we age, in different eras, and from various life experiences. Thus, this starts
reinforcing the concepts I want them to think about in their final project.
III.
Student samples
(teacher feedback is indicated by an indentation and “jjcassano”)
Student 1: daru22ian
Week1:
PRISONER
prisoner in my own home
This is a great photo. You have definitely taken a common item–a stairway railing–and
transformed it into a new symbol. There is also a clear emotion you have given us because we
are now behind the bars too. And the way you’ve set up the broom, dustpan, and vaccuum
further drives your point.
Also, keeping your caption short and to the point is great. Makes your message even clearer.
I love it. Great start!
SATS
This is pretty much how the SATs make me feel.
jjcassano
I wish you could have heard the hearty laugh that I’m sure my roommates just heard.
Don’t worry, the SATs will soon be behind you.
And there’s almost a humorous sense of defeat in your caption. It accentuates your
caption well.
Great photo and great caption.
Here is what I want you to work on for next week: try to make us feel the emotion to. I
know exactly what you’re saying here because trust me, I’ve been there. I think we’ve all
been there at this point. But, had we not experienced the SATs, what could you do to
make me understand? And it’s your choice whether you want to keep it serious,
humorous, sarcastic, etc.
Otherwise this is a great post. I love it.
SUNDAY SLEEP
This symbolizes what I did sunday, nothing.
jjcassano
Hmm….I think that you can do more with this one. I see a sense of chaos with the clothes
thrown about the room and the chair pulled away from the desk. Could you have used
this photo to represent something else? Or what else could you have used to show
lethargy? And also make sure that in your captions you’re making us feel, not telling us
how to.
The photo is a great one. I just think you can definitely do more with it.
Week 2:
STILL WAITING
The third time is not the charm.
jjcassano
Hm…I’m trying to figure out what this picture means. Those dates are Sundays. My first
guess would be that you slept in accidentally, but your title rejects that idea. But you also
have your keys in the picture. And your lanyard is army. I don’t know if this is significant
or not, but your keys and phone seem to be strategically placed so they must be important
some way. A new car? A call to go somewhere? Being called to some sort of “duty”?
I think this is a good picture because you have good elements in it, I’m just not sure what
it’s telling me.
ON THE EDGE
Uncomfortable near the comfortable on my bed
.
jjcassano
Ahahaha those kidden corners are vicious. I can only imagine that you were cursing and
soothing an injury as your took this picture.
It’s a good angle you used because with the pillow on the floor it makes the bed corner a
harder to see, thus making the picture say even more
HIDDEN
Hiding something close like everyone else.
jjcassano
Oh I love this one!!!! It almost gave me chills. It seems so dark and mysterious,
especially with the colors in the photo.
I also like that this table has a shiny finish to it. With the way the light reflects I had to
look a little closer to understand what was in the picture. It was almost like the contents
of the picture were secrets as well.
Week 3:
READY FOR WHATEVER
Preparedness… all it takes is a suit and a pen.
FAMILY FOOD
My fams is a pepperoni and pepper pizza.
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT HAHA
Always defying the system of conformity. Saw this when I went out to eat. I think you can
agree sometimes a good message doesn’t always have the right image.
jjcassano
Oh I love this. You’re exactly right: not all message are portrayed the way they should
be. Ironically, your image is perfect.
Week 4:
GOALS CAN BE MADE WITH ANYTHING
Making my goals with what I got.
jjcassano
The lighting in this picture and the first one is so cool. Did you use a sepia filter? It
makes that tree in the back right look like it’s in a winter setting for some reason.
I love that you have only the basketball hoop and nothing else. It reinforces your point of
using only what you have, which sometimes can be very little.
DO YOU FIGHT THE FLOW?
Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
THE END IS THE BEGINNING
The end is always close, so are begininngs.
Examples of comments made on other students’ photos:
Pictures of a kitchen, Rock Band drums, and the game Call of Duty
“all man really needs is here”
A road going through a tunnel
“i like tunnel pic because i can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
A picture of high gas prices
“chevron downtown, freedom is cheaper at sheets.”
Rain puddle on the sidewalk
“nice pic, reminds me of life and how its a puddle of gathered experience”
Flower blooming at night time and a batteries that are our of power
“the first ones cool, guessing you took it at night nice touch of something growing in the dark.
Can’t charge those batteries ; )”
Croc buried in leaves
“feel that way sometimes,cool pic hope someone wasn’t trying to bury something or someone
there and you found their croc”
Daffodils in a bottle
“looks like something from a magazine, smells like copyright infringement”
A tower of textbooks
“The tower of knowledge in Hickam’s room should be burned.”
Make-up is our mask
“haha i can relate, just without the makeup”
Candle burning at both ends
“this is awesome haha”
Economic stimulus plan of ½ off burgers every Monday
“lol America would not be disappointed”
Pile of trash
“I like this, just finding out life when your taking out trash.”
On his own photo from week 4 with the sepia tone. In response to others’ comments
“its a a crazy glare from a street light lol. To me, it looked like a trailing nuke exploding on the
horizon from my driveway. I tried to make it look like a basket ball in my other pic.”
Easter peanut butter egg
“lol mmmm easter”
Spinning record
“haha you could rap this especially on those trippy turn tables
And this mad, mad world…
just keeps on
spinnin’
spinnin from the linin
thats the thread of life
so quit with the strife
and live ya life!”
Nostalgic tree swing
“nostalgia… I have yet to encounter a better tree swing lol.”
Student 2: milkyway
Week 1:
PICTURE 1
An evening with friends
jjcassano Said:
Hopefully that was at someone else’s house so you didn’t have to clean up the mess!
I like what you’ve done here. By showing us the abandoned dinner plates you’re giving
us a tiny bit of each person’s personality. We know what kinds of salads they like, what
they push around and avoid on their plate, or who loves it all.
But remember to try and show some emotion in your caption as well. Was it a good
evening with friends? Fulfilling? Scrumptious? Hectic? You don’t want to tell us these
emotions outright, but try to find the right words to depict it.
Great start!
PICTURE 2
My schoolwork followed me through the weekend
All I practically did on Saturday was homework. The dreary weather outside helps show that the
homework was not welcomed.
jjcassano Said:
The best part about this picture was that your backpack is on a skateboard so that it
literally could follow you all weekend. Good creativity!
I think you nailed this photo by showing the dreary weather in the background. You’re
exactly right: when we have so much to do it weighs on us like a gloomy cloud.
Although, I’d much rather have to do homework on a cloudy day than on a sunny day.
And just like you, I’ve been sitting in my house doing homework all stinking weekend.
This is a great common feeling to capture.
Hopefully as the weeks keep coming not only will the sun come out but things will get
easier!
PICTURE 3
Talking from across the globe
Now that we finally got our tickets to go to India this summer, we have been talking with our
family members there nonstop. Good thing there are things like cell phones and internet to keep
us unified and hopefully help skip the awkward conversations of just meeting someone.
jjcassano Said:
I love this photo and the caption. It’s really smart and creative.
You definitely have this project done. Here’s your next challenge: what are you feeling
with this photo? Excitement? Hope? Dread? Reluctant? Try to show me those feelings
with your word choice. Make me feel the same thing.
Week 2:
PICTURE 1
Some doors are more tempting to open than others
jjcassano Said:
This picture makes me so giddy. It’s so creative. We have the door that leads to the
outside world and the door that leads to a great story and our imagination. Having the
light shine on the book is brilliant because you show us what you prefer without having
to say it.
Fantastic picture. I love it.
PICTURE 2
The gullibility of children…do we really yearn to go back to that?
After unplugging a little girl’s cd player so that we wouldn’t have to listen to another moment of
Hannah Montana, we couldn’t persuade the little girl that she had played her cd player for too
long and it just needed to cool down for an hour. She believed us immediately when we told her
that her imaginary friend, or enemy, “witchy” came and turned it off.
jjcassano Said:
I like that you made this picture more than just a statement, you made it an insightful
question. There is the question of ignorance and naivety and whether it’s good or not. I
think it is in some situations, but it also changes in each situation and person.
And I can also imagine how much you hurt after listening to Hannah Montana for so
long…I’m sorry!
PICTURE 3
So maybe it wasn’t the dark of Deciember, but I still heard a bird sing in forty degree
weather.
jjcassano Said:
Even though it’s chilly and dark in the morning, I still love the fact that I can hear birds
singing. It reminds me that I’m not the only one awake so early!
This picture is cool because the bird is a little hard to find, thus reminding us that it’s cold
out and the birds are sparse right now. But, it’s still light enough that we can find them.
Week 3
PICTURE 1
If only we could control the pace of time…
PICTURE 2
So I’m not always the sharpest pencil out there. I just need to be re-sharpened.
I chose the color pink as the middle color because when I do something that makes me realize
how not sharp I am, that’s the color I feel like I am.
jjcassano Said:
I like this picture a lot because of the lighting. I’m not sure if this is purposeful or if it’s
because of the way the pencils are laid out, but it seems that the portion in the middle of
all the pencils–where the pink one is–is the brightest spot. It gives this picture a double
meaning: maybe you’re not always the sharpest one out there (who is?) but you realize
that. In way, I think that makes you brighter than a lot of people. It’s good to recognize
our mistakes and know that something needs to be fixed.
PICTURE 3
Music can carry you to different places…
Week 4
Picture 1
So much can be said by just a color
The purple people show the strength and will to fight against cancer.
PICTURE 2
Everyone has their way out of darkness, mine is coming Wednesday, 2:35
So I’m exaggerating a little with the darkness, but there is definitely a brighter time coming soon.
PICTURE 3
Hypocracy on a different level
jjcassano Said:
Oh my gosh, I love this photo on so many levels. I love puns oh so much. So yes, this is
definitely hypocrisy on a different level than what we talk about (Scarlet Letter anyone?),
but they are literally on different tiers. This picture make me smile.
But, on a more serious note, this is a smart picture. It focuses on 2 simple things–
brownies and apples–and this reminds us that hypocrisy doesn’t have to be as serious as
it’s usually protrayed. It can manifest in more light-hearted ways.
Examples of comments made on other students’ photos:
Cheesecake is hard but rewarding work
“The cheesecake looks delicious. To me the swirls look violent and stressed, but the cheesecake
still seems sweet. I like the constrast. Maybe its also a reminder that things aren’t always as the
seem from the top.”
Studying for SATs by candlelight since the power went out
“I like this picture. It reminds of the stories my dad would tell me of studying under a lamp post
just for a source of light. I think the picture also shows how motivated you are. While some
people would give up using the light as a good excuse not to study, you pushed through and
found a way around the problem. Also, to me, the table looks so much more inviting with the
candles while everywhere else is in darkness, even though its for something so uninviting:
studying.”
Sitting in traffic
“I like this picture, because the caption is exactly what I think when I’m in that kind of situation.
When I was little, I always wished I could get out of the car and just jump ontop of the cars over
the traffic.”
Coming to a deadend where you have to turn either right or left
“Whenever I heard comparisons between pathways and life, I always pictured dirt paths with a
nice line of lush forest on either side. But this picture really does describe what people feel like
when they have to make big decisions in life. Who knows how many decisions we have made
that completely changed the course of our lives. If only we had signs warning us whenever a
situation like this would come.”
Dog excited to see owner
“I agree, its nice when my dog, or anyone gets excited to see me. It makes me wonder what
exactly I did or do right to deserve the affection.”
NY deli
“This picture makes me want to be there, walking down that sidewalk, despite how cold it must
have been. There is something about New York that makes the city stand out, and I think you
captured that in your picture as simple as it is.”
Binoculars
“Personifying the binoculars reminds me of the binoculars in toystory. From what I
remember, all it had were eyes and feet so all it could do was look for the right way. I kind of
feel sypathy for it and hopes if finds the direction it’s looking for.”
Refridgerator full and ready
“I like this picutre because it can be interpreted differently by different people. When I read the
caption, I looked around to see what would give me energy. My eyes fell on the hershey’s syrup
and the strawberries. Different people would look at different things.”
Bathtub in the middle of the woods
“I really like the bathtub picture. It explains what happens in a lot of situations. You think you
are somewhere, but then you feel maybe you are more out of place than you were first thinking.
Or in general, you just realize a truth you didn’t see before.”
Beautiful drive scenery
“I really like the second picture; its so pretty. I like the caption with it, too. Few people think
Southwest Virginia is very interesting at all, but when I first looked at the picture, I thought of
when I went to the Stonehenge. I had thought it was so beautiful there, but it looks like just what
we have here, and I never noticed.”
A tree described as elegant
“I like that you used elegance to explain a tree. That word really fits. Its so beautiful, but elegant
characterizes it more. This is a really pretty picture. It makes me happy.”
Student 2: fenwayfan18
Week 1: THOUGHTS ON SUNDAY
I liked the contrast between just one telephone pole, and thousands of birds in Louisiana.
Looking at it made me wonder where each bird was going in its life. Maybe each of us is a bird.
A slowly setting sun on the Sanibel Island shore in Florida. The relaxed, lazy feeling of summer,
never wanting to leave.
Mmmm. This strawberry marbled cheesecake was especially tasty after hard work (and lots of
time in the kitchen). Maybe the swirl represented how each individual ingrediant of the recipe
comes together to make something great.
Locked away with the music of my guitar.
jjcassano
You’re photos are wonderful. Great shots that have some real potential to be great. The
only reason they aren’t quite there yet are your captions.
Remember, your pictures are supposed to represent something about you. What was most
important to your day and why? Your caption enhances what you have done with your
photo. Following the footsteps of the imagist, choose the right words to make us feel the
same emotions you were feeling. So did you wish you were one of those birds? Is it
special that there was nothing but a telephone pole? Did the sunset and beautiful colors
on the beach signify your mood?
Your cheesecake photo (which looks amazing by the way. Can you bring some into class
please? Okay, thanks. :P) starts moving in the right direction. I’m starting to get more
significance from the picture. I can see exactly all your hard work went into and my
mouth starts salivating just as I’m sure yours was. But, I’m still not getting a concise
mood.
You hit it perfectly with your guitar picture. I definitely understand how it feels it be
completely involved with music. I don’t play any instruments, but being a former dancer,
and just one who loves music, I know that entrancing effects music and creating
something can have on you. You get locked into the trance.
So keep your guitar picture as the inspiration of how to do the rest of your photos. You
have wonderful photos that you can do a lot with. Just make sure you’re using your
captions to the fullest potential
Week 2: MORE THOUGHTS
One more mile until I am satisfied… it’s driving me crazy.. literally..
One more mile until I am satisfied… it’s driving me crazy.. literally..
Procrastination anyone? My weekly ‘late night laundry fest’.
Ahhh.. After several days of constant rain, it’s just nice to wake up in the morning with the sun
shining and the world outside refreshed.
jjcassano
Oh, you make me so happy with your pun. I love puns, especially terrible ones.
You have great pictures this week. I really like the crayon picture because it shows how
no matter what age we are some simple decisions can be difficult. It also alludes to the
idea that no matter how old we are there are tough decisions we’ll make, whether they are
simple or difficult. Good insight.
And that’s a great shot of a daffodil!!! Makes me want spring so much sooner….
Week 3: ANOTHER WEEK
Calculus and I spent some quality time together this week. Ug.
“When flamingos attack.” Haha. I’m just glad it wasn’t my yard. But even if it was my yard, it
would have been okay. We just have to laugh at the things life throws at us…
Why can’t nature make up its mind? It was another rainy week, but again Sunday morning, the
sun was shining on some blossoms.
Well.. I don’t know if anyone else has this obsession, but there is nothing more exciting to me
than being able to put the first divit in a brand new jar of peanut butter…
jjcassano
Yes, I have a PB obsession as well. There’s nothing more satisfying than being the first to
dip in. In fact I’m jealous of you right now.
The one picture I’m not sure of this week is the flamingo one. I agree, I’m so happy that’s
not your yard. And I’m sure seeing this added much comic relief to your day, but why is
it important to you?
I really like your blossom picture. It’s true, why can’t we just have SPRING weather? I
guess the crazy back anf forth is essential to Spring weather. It would have been cool if
you were able to get a picture with the blossoms in front of a gloomy sky. Then we would
really see the depressing juxtaposition of Spring.
Week 4: LAST POST
You can never be too old for Kool-Aid. Right?
Music is complicated, like life. Everyone can understand it differently as well as express it in
different ways.
Life is puzzling…
Love can be found anywhere.
jjcassano
I love your music picture. Remember Hemingway’s “A Few Dont’s”? He explained that
poetry and other art forms are just as complicated as music. And I think we’re often so
quick to judge things as easy, especially if we’re not in that situation. That’s what makes
sympathy so impersonal–if you’re not on the same level than how can you understand?
The choice of using music score was brilliant. You could have easily used an instrument,
cd, radio, etc, but the score shows everything that goes behind the making of music and
why it’s so complicated.
Examples of comments made on other students’ photos:
A nostalgic basketball hoop
“Reading your caption on the basketball goal made me remember all of the great times my
brother and I played “around the world” at our old house.. the majority of the memories are
good, even though I’d always get creamed… ”
Spinning record
“Nice.. the spiral throws in a bit of “woooah”.. Like you said, it’s life.. it’s crazy, but it just keeps
on going”
Frisbee spinning through air
“I like the frisbee picture… it’s spinning, spinning, spinning, and then all of a sudden it’ll be
stopped or caught. I also like the feeling of anticipation.. We know something’s going to happen
next, but what?”
Wanting to slide down banister
“I like the rich color of the wood from the flash, just because it looks cool. I wish I could slide
too, but it seems like everytime I try, I fall off in either direction.. Maybe it’s all about being
persistant in trying to find that balance…”
Rainy day
“This picture captures exactly how I was feeling. I wanted to be outside, but each bead of water
kept me in. Also, the gray/blue color sets a rainy mood.”
Picture collage
“This is great. I love picture walls. To other people it may just seem busy, but really, it’s just
made up of many important things and it seems that the ‘wall’ wouldn’t function without one of
the pieces.”
Brownies and fruit sharing the same space is hypocrisy
“Hehe I like this. The healthiest is on the bottom, sort of a foundation.. and then comes the
interesting stuff on the different level…”
IV. Discussion of samples:
The samples given above and below come from three students. The first student
(daru22ian) is a creative writing student. He is smart and very creative, but in formal writing has
shown that his mastery on structure and grammar lacks strength. When he speaks in class, which
isn’t as often as some of his peers, he always attempts to say something meaningful, even if he’s
not sure of what to say. The second student (milkyway) is one of the smartest in her class but is
very shy and rarely speaks in class. The third student (fenwayfan18) is average in her abilities.
She sometimes speaks up in class, even if she’s not sure what to say, and shows anxiety in
completing assignments, especially summative assessments such as essays.
For the first portion of this project all three of the above students did well. Daru22ian and
milkyway did a great job on their photos and captions, rarely needing a critique on what to do to
improve. Fenwayfan18 struggled somewhat in finding the best way to present her photos through
captions when the project began, but by the end of the project showed a strong grasp on what she
needed to do and how to do it. She showed a clear learning curve as she listened to the
suggestions I made to her specifically as well as in class, and also from looking at her peers’
work and seeing what everyone else is doing.
For assignment one, the biggest problem the class struggled with was the type of
comments being left on other students’ blogs. I had to remind students multiple times that they
need to comment on the pictures as symbols. They needed to say something important about
their meaning, not just the objects in the photo. The students above showed little problems with
commenting. What is interesting is to see the different styles in each person’s method of
commenting.
Daru22ian is the one student in the whole group that not only commented on more photos
than was asked of him, but he also commented on his own photos. He read other students’
comments and took the time to respond to what they had to say to either answer a question or
give more information. He even responded to a comment I left on something he did for
assignment two. When he exceeded his number amount for comments, some of the comments
stopped being as serious and meaningful, but he was still saying something about everyone’s
photos. Not only did he do this within his class, but he looked at the blogs from the other junior
class. He showed fervor for using this collaborative space.
Milkyway was the most thoughtful commenter. She often left long comments that took a
deep look into an aspect of the photo and said something about how the pictures were
meaningful to her. My goal was to have all students commenting like her, but since these
students rarely do cross-commenting on any assignments, it was tough to get them to her level in
only four weeks.
Fenwayfan18 did well on her comments too. She met the number requirement and often
said something meaningful. Sometimes she discussed how the picture was meaningful to her
specifically; other times she discussed how the picture was a great life statement. She didn’t have
much time struggling with commenting, but there is an improvement in her comments as the
weeks progressed. During this time, I had the students practice cross-commenting on unrelated
writing assignments, and I believe that this helped many of the students in general because they
were able to practice within a guided environment.
When commenting on their pictures I always tried to model the kinds of comments I
would like students to make. I focused on something specific in the picture and talked about how
it was good, bad, confusing, or how it enhanced the picture. Sometimes I would make comments
that were more conversational about the objects in the pictures, but I always made sure I had
something meaningful. For the first two weeks I commented on every picture posted, but for the
last two I only commented on one from each person and the let the students take control.
Overall, these three students, as well as the classes as a whole, did well on this portion of
the project. Since it was a beginning writing assignment where not a lot of formality was
demanded of them, the students were comfortable and able to find a new way to express
themselves. They weren’t answering question from their textbooks anymore, they were creating
symbols. Also, doing this portion in an environment similar to Myspace and Facebook made the
project less intimidating and more familiar to what they do actively in their off time.
V. Assignment 2: Weekly blog answers
In this portion of the assignment students had to answer four different blog questions I
posted. Post one asked the students to consider what they’ve learned about symbolists and create
their own symbols for today. This takes assignment one one step further by asking them to
actively think about what they would choose to be their personal symbols. Post two asked them
to create their own Hemingway Hero. The goal of this question was twofold: 1. to reinforce the
concept of the flawed hero; and 2. to show students that this character can be anyone in anytime
period.
Post three asked the students for their opinions on their favorite or least favorite
Modernist author as well as their general views on Modernism. Students spend so much time
being told their teachers’ opinions that it’s important we give our students a chance to speak. Not
only does it give students a chance to voice opinions, but it also forces them to practice making
arguments. The students weren’t allowed to solely state their opinion, they had to explain the
reasoning behind their opinions.
Post four asked the students to write in stream-of-consciousness writing. Provided with a
prompt, the students were instructed to write a paragraph while just letting their mind flow.
Then, they needed to read what they wrote and analyze their train of thoughts. The purpose of
this post was to show them how this style of writing functions. This post also demonstrated to
them that people often think and talk like this in everyday conversations. Seeing the connection
to the reality, students will learn to appreciate different styles of writing more.
The main goal of this section was to get the students thinking a little more. The picture
portion of this project requires thought, but in a less analytical way. Asking the students to
actively think and to explain their thoughts engages them into the literature they are reading. Not
only does it engage them into the concepts discussed in class, but it also starts them thinking
about how to connect Modernism with today.
VI. Student Samples
(teacher feedback is indicated by an indentation and “jjcassano”)
Student 1: daru22ian
Week 1:
REFLECTIONS IN THE WATER
This past week we’ve focused on the works, beliefs, influences, and lives of imagists and
symbolists. Remember the core goals of the symbolists: to throw away old symbols and find new
ones that create emotion in the reader. Brainstorm 5-7 ordinary objects you interact with in your
daily life that you could transform into symbols. Maybe it can be different places or things
around the house, something in school, a part of a bicycle, an aspect of a hobby, something you
see at work, an animal, or something in nature. It could be absolutely anything. Use your
imagination. Remember, our imagination is stronger and more reliable than reality. And every
symbol must send a message and elicit an emotion.
Car- Experience. Everything I’ve gotten out of life and now can drive it wherever I want.
Adventurous
SATs-Dumb People. That the real dumb people are the ones that think a test like that can accurately measure
people.
Anger.
Faucet-Ideas. How good ideas can’t run hot all the time, it’s a good idea too.
Humorous
Sweat-Work. Tastes salty and smells bad but in the end its doing a good thing.
Satisfaction.
Bouncy Balls-Life. Life goes up and down and fun to play around with.
Fun
Wrinkles-True Uniqueness. A testament to our own individual experience.
Individuality.
Reflections-Perfection. We aren’t perfect, but a reflection is us simplified without all conflicts.
Envy.
jjcassano
I seem to notice an SAT theme in people’s posts for the week. Am I sensing some stress
perhaps?
But your SAT symbol is very true. How can we expect to measure everyone’s full
potential with one test? Of course, there’s a huge argument I could give right now since I
agree to an extent, but I promise I won’t bore you with it. The thing I like most about this
symbol is that it’s really special to your place in life. No other time will the SAT matter
to you the same way it does now. And I think that’s a good thing to keep in mind: our
symbols will change as we grow older and change. Just as it’s interesting to see how we
can all look at one thing and see it in different ways, it’s interesting to see how one object
will change throughout one’s life.
I also really like the idea of a reflection being perfection. So many people use reflections
to critique themselves mercilessly, but in fact it’s us plain and simple.
Week 2:
THE MAN OF MEN
This week’s assignment is to create your own Hemingway Hero. Using the pictures of clothes
below, create an outfit for your hero. Next, develop your character. Answer the following
questions to develop your character:
Doesn’t wear a hat, his hair is like a lion’s mane, but has a bandanna to keep the hair out of his
eyes. Also wears an eye patch where his old mentor shot him in the face, but survived
through indomitable will.
Lumberjack shirt, because lumberjacks are the most rugged of men.
Prefers no pants, something about the conformity of society and the right of natural manhood,
but jeans will do.
Doesn’t care about bein dirty because its part of the world and he goes out in it.
1. How old is your person?
Young in appearce, old in the mind, with an unfading attitude of youth, so about thirty.
2. What does he/she do (student, teacher, worker, doctor, etc)?
Student of the world but a soldier of freedom for the United States.
3. What might be his/her interests? Hobbies?
Talking with anyone and learning any view, staying fit, reading as much as possible. women,
guns and fire.
3. What were his/her beliefs/values?
Be the perfect dam, because one crack and the strength is lost and will never be that strong again.
He could lose life at anytime on any day, and to live that day like the last. To be like a fire,
burning everything dead because life won’t burn. The ashes of aftermath allows for the greenest
of grass to grow. The means justifies the end, that the violence is worth the freedom and
the suppression of communism. The war will take us closer to perfection.
4. What is a major event that has happened in his/her life?
Fighting in the Vietnam War.
5. How has he/she changed since this major event? Does he/she do the same things as before?
Has his/her beliefs changed? Why?
He has now realized reality and is upset, but won’t remain upset at the truth. Changed from
seeing politics as views of the people to the realization that reality’s political party is power. To
which he never will be associated. He saw violence as unnecessary to life yet a necessary means
for perfection; however, he now sees violence as part of life. Even if the war was won, we still
lose because everything would be the same except where the money is going and who is in
power of it and who is next in line. That the best moments in life are our birth, our death, and the
dreams in between because its mostly a nightmare.
He doesn’t need to talk or read to find anymore views, he sees it all. Instead of an ending fire he
must be an eternal fire that never dies because nothing good will ever grow. Yet, he must remain
being an unyielding dam and must never break from his code.
Yes his belief in the world has changed and no his code has not, just strengthened.
There is no such thing as perfection, its only a pretty fairy tale in the nightmare that is life. He
won’t be hopeful for something that will never come, like unicorns. The world will never be
perfect and he must be the perfection it lacks. What does it matter if he dies, he has realized life
and that we all will die some day. Death is the only escape from his code and being the
world’s lacked perfection.
jjcassano
You have created something truly wonderful here. It’s beautiful writing, description,
word choice, etc. I also love the mix of emotions you put in here. I laughed with your
opening description and following descriptions of his clothes (but jeans will do). And
then later with your addition of “like unicorns” gives your description some light-
heartedness. I don’t know if this is something you were aiming for. And these lines can
be read both serious and light-hearted. I think that’s what makes your character great as
well–the sense that he can be read multiple ways shows that perhaps there’s been a
change.
You have captured not only your character perfectly but also the idea of the Hemingway
Hero. He experiences cognitive dissonance as he learns that reality and his perceptions
don’t add up.
Great work!!!
Week 3:
QUESTION #3
I like Imagism, its nothing complex, just simply the images. The red wheel barrow is a simple
poem that is very easy to visualize, its very purpose! The meanings are not meant to be complex.
Some are so obvious they are overlooked. Like the Red Wheel Barrow’s meaning of how images
make life. The meaning is so concise and powerful, just like pictures can be. Big things come in
small packages fits this, imagine that. Also, Imagism says to me that life is about the ride, just sit
back enjoy the ride and live your life. Symbolism is somewhat like a cause, making connections
to emotions and spirit and talk about how the world really lacks it and how all this ties into the
worlds complexities. I like the quote (dont quote me on this) ”life is simple, the sheer number of
simplicities makes it complex.” That would probably make T.S. Elliot punch me in the face.
Hemingway would probably agree that symbolism is almost hypocritical to the point of reading,
keeping things simple, but he may not agree when I say reading is to escape the problems of
the world. I feel when I read Hemingway he keeps it too real (a real Debbie downer) and is
almost hypocritical to reading and escaping. I greatly appreciate both writing styles, symbolism
for its complexities and Hemingway for its amazing simplicity.
I enjoyed Modernism the most. I think the name Modernism should be switched with Realism.
Because this movement seems much more real than modern. Especially with the man who
literally kept it real 24/7, Hemingway. In the the last movement, things seemed to have “modern”
ways of thinking like personality is based on genetics and heredity and dealt with psychology.
Also, modern things are not always for the better, like Freud’s ideas in Realism. Modernism even
had Frost, and the cool idea of keeping it real but staying fresh and unreal.
jjcassano
Yeah, Eliot might punch you in the face, but that’s okay. He can deal with it.
I really like your thought that Imagism reminds us that great things come in small
packages. You’re dead on. It reminds us that happiness can be found everywhere, no
matter how simple. Maybe that’s imagism’s negative comment on the world: we have
lost focus on what’s really important.
I agree that hemingway can be too real sometimes. His style is great, but can be a little
too depressing. I think that’s why I like “Hills Like White Elephants” so much. it’s
definitely depressing, but not too much. Also, the simplicity of his words make the
messge so much clearer.
Modernism should be renamed “Realism, pt 2″ I think. It does seem more real than
anything before it. The realism movement, although not as real, starts the movement
towards reality. And both bring up the fact that not all things are for the better. Realism
seems to have the slightest hint of happiness, however. Modernism definitely picks up
where Realism dropped off.
Week 4:
QUESTION #4
With Freud’s work with the unconscious and psychoanalytic psychology, an interest in how the
mind works to unconsciously and subconsciously control us started to permeate through art and
society. This interest sparked the literary development known as Stream of Consciousness
writing.
We often find that our minds make loose associations with other thoughts while we’re
talking/thinking/writing/etc. Thus, if I were talking about cupcakes and then started talking about
Labrador retrievers, my friend would have no clue how I jumped from cupcakes to dogs.
However, when I started talking about cupcakes I remembered the time my Labrador ate an
entire plate of cupcakes, which then made me think about dogs. Had I said this entire thought
process aloud my friend would have understood me better. But we do not usually talk in a stream
of consciousness, so my friend was confused.
Here is the challenge I present to you in your 4th and final blog answer: write in stream of
consciousness. I will give you a topic and you must immediately start writing. Begin with your
initial reaction and DO NOT stop to think. Just write. Here are the rules:
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO:
1. Stop or pause to think of what to say next.
2. Go back and edit your entry
3. Purposely keep out any thought (unless it’s innapropriate)
YOU MUST:
1. Never stop typing unless you have no other thoughts
2. Type every single thought that pops into your head no matter how silly it seems (unless it’s
innapropriate)
3. Type your thoughts as they come to you (aka do not rearrange anything)
4. POST IN YOUR OWN BLOG
TO END YOUR ENTRY:
Once you’ve written a fair amount (1-2 paragraphs) you may choose where to end. It doesn’t
have to end in a logical place whatsoever. However, remember that you can not edit any other
part of this entry.
Once you are done, read over what you wrote and then write a brief analysis. See if there seems
to be a theme or pattern to your thinking, or mention if you think it’s all over the place. Any
thoughts on why you might have this pattern or lack of one? Then, briefly discuss how difficult
or easy this task was for you.
In sum, your post must consist of:
1. your stream of consciousness entry
2. a quick analysis
Ready? Excited? Ok, here’s you’re starter:
–> I feel happiest when…..
when i’m at the beach just playing in the sand untill the sunset, with my family and being
thankful i’m with them and that there are good people in this world thateven though we look
around and we see nothing there is actually a little bit of something. That life is what you make
of it, sometimes its good sometimes it bad, and its hard to say what it is all around
sometimes you just have to compare what it is all around. Don’t get caught up with whats all
around, its about whats inside, thats where I like to be. Especially now since its cold, I can’t wait
for summer time, all the good times. Hopefully I won’t waste my time, but thats something I
never like to do. I like to do everything, I feel happiest when I’m real with myself, just having
those moments and realizing this is real, this is what it is, I don’t like to feel dumb, but thats just
part of being real. I feel realist when i’m in the moment, just really taking in all the real. Forreal
we can’t always be happy, but i like to make it last.
Doesn’t really make since at first. Flows in a random pattern. Im ready for the summer, I want to
be happy and undistracted at the beach. I want less of the real, more happiness, and have it last.
jjcassano
I think it’s interesting that most people are saying that there thoughts are just random, but
when you read these paragraphs you see that in most of them there is a clear linear path
as to why you can start talking about the beach and end with being real. One thing that
really shows that you were writing in the moment is the occasional run-on sentence you
have. It’s also cool that you change what makes you happiest as you think.
I’m like you, I like to take it all in in the moment while I can. I like to try and experience
everything I can.
Student 2: milkyway
Week 1:
WEEKLY BLOGS ANSWER #1
Retainers rules: as much as you sometimes wish they weren’t there, they keep everything in order
Depict-authority
Jump Drive gossiper: takes information from one place and shares it with everyone he’s
connected to
Depict-untrustworthy
Erasers mothers and fathers: amend their children’s mistakes, even if they have to carry some
of the burden and blacken
Depict-affection
Picture Frame self-confidence: Makes the person/picture stand out
Depict-pride
Jenga united we stand, divided we fall
Depict-unity
Volume Scroll state of composer: can be so low to leave important things unheard, or so high
to blow things out of proportion
Depict-control
Camera an observer: though the camera shows a glimpse of what is happening at that moment,
no one can fully understand the moment without actually being the one experiencing it.
Depict-missing out
jjcassano Said:
I must say that the couple of you who have already posted your symbols, I’m really proud
of what you’ve come up with. You have completed perfectly. And it’s very interesting to
see the many ways one thing can be interpreted.
I don’t know if I can choose a favorite out of your list. The Jenga reference makes me so
happy in and of itself. I think that the Eraser is your most creative symbol because we can
always assume the relate to mistakes, but we never take the time to think about how our
mistakes affect others, especially our parents.
But, because I’m a carpe diem sort of gal, I think the Eraser will have to tie with the
camera because I really believe that you need to experience every moment you can. I
think this is why I never take pictures when I’m out with friends. I just make them send
me the pictures they’ve taken.
Week 2:
WEEKLY BLOG ANSWER #2
1. How old is your person?
33
2. What does he/she do (student, teacher, worker, doctor, etc)?
CEO
3. What might be his/her interests? Hobbies?
Go as far as she can in her career and thats it. The one exception: caring for her four year old
daughter.
3. What were his/her beliefs/values?
Never depend on anyone. Never trust anyone but yourself, then no one but yourself can hurt
you. Never let anyone persuade her to change course from what she aims for in life.
4. What is a major event that has happened in his/her life?
She catches pnemonia and therefore is too sick to even go to work. Not too long later, her
daughter catches a disease that could prove to be deadly. She becomes dissillusioned with any
optimism as she lives everyday trying to care for her daughter and herself simultaneously. A
rare moment happens when her sister calls and they get in touch. The sister learns of their
sicknesses and leaves everything to travel across the country and live and care for her sister and
niece.
5. How has he/she changed since this major event? Does he/she do the same things as before?
Has his/her beliefs changed? Why?
She now realizes the importance of caring for, being there, and appreciating other people. After
her sister’s visit, she decides to be a more caring family member and friend remembering how
she felt when her sister did the same for her.
jjcassano Said:
I like your character. She seemed to be not the greatest person before, but she reminds us
that even people who are out for only their personal success can still experience
something tragic.
It’s also nice that you took your character one step further: you gave us her
disillusionment and then how she came back from it. Great story.
But remember with the Hemingway Hero the disillusionment is something that hangs on
a person for the rest of their lives
Week 3:
My favorite author would probably be Robert Frost, but Ezra Pound comes close. I really like
The River-Merchant’s Wife: A Letter. I like the poem as a whole more than by specific details.
The subject is also so different from any other poems. but I didn’t like The Garden as much. So
overall I think Robert Frost is better. I like the idea in Birches that we need a balance between
reality and imagination. “I’d like to get away from earth awhile. and then come back to it.” He
also doesn’t make reality seem as depressing as the other authors do. “Earth’s the right place for
love: I don’t know where it’s likely to go better.” I like Frost’s writing style as well. I like that
he keeps rythm in his poetry.
Modernism isn’t that bad. I didn’t really like Hemingway, but I appreciate Modernism. I
appreciate the different things the writers are trying to get across in their writings. Although it is
nice to be able to understand the poem the first time I read it, I also like the feeling of realizing
what was meant that I didn’t catch the first time, which isn’t there in some of the writings. Then
there are those that are just too confusing to understand. I think I would like Modernism better if
it wasn’t as depressing.
jjcassano Said:
Wow, I’m sorry this is a late reply!
You’re exactly right in saying that Modernism is too depressing. That depressing mood
overshadows a lot of this time period because it was filled with so much disillusionment.
I’m a Frost lover too. He’s a refreshing breath in Modernism since you never that sense
of disillusionment in his work.
If you’re one who likes to have a happier read, this definitely isn’t your time period, and
that’s ok! I’m really happy that you appreciate it though. I think that’s something really
important. We don’t have to like everything, but at least recognize it and appreciate it in
some way. I won’t lie, there are some books out there I won’t appreciate because I think
they are terrible, but I should.
Week 4:
BLOG ANSWER #4
–> I feel happiest when…..
when I am not in school and it is really nice outside. Like when I go somwhere that is really
pretty like Lake Tahoe California. And I am wearing a skirt, because I feel more summery in a
skirt, but it doesn’t have to be a skirt because I like hiking and hiking is done in pants. I like
hiking when the end is a really pretty scenery, which is what I saw when I went to Lake Tahoe.
There was a lake and mountains in the background with trees surrounding it and the lake was
glistening in the sun. I walked around in the lake with my shoes off and I loved it. I also thought
it reminded me of the scenery in Harry Potter. There were ducks there too that my friend tried to
get a picture of, but couldn’t get very close. Her dad is really good at taking pictures. I
remember she had to do a project where she had to take a really good picture that was “makes
you say wow” or something like that. Okay, she isn’t really MY friend, she is my youngest
sister’s age, so this was a little kid’s project. I just said friend because it was easier to type. But
she had a project and she wanted something from california so she took pictures of the the sky at
night, which was beautiful. The stars seemed like they could go on forever. It was like that
computer background where they make it seem like you are zooming through the stars, except
obviously prettier. She also took a picture at the ski lift. I’m not sure why we were at a ski lift in
the summer. It was really pretty, but really cold. I walked around in my flip flops and fell a
million times, but I covered up for it because I knew my dad would get mad I didn’t wear proper
shoes. He gets irritated a lot because I don’t wear jackets when its cold or proper walking shoes. I
walked around all of New York in flip flops and I was fine, but the shoes got ruined. The only
reason, since then, I would wear any other shoes is for the shoe’s sake. I just like wearing the
shoes that are the most comfortable. My sister has boots that she loves to wear and those are the
only shoes I can’t wear. It always made me mad that she was able to stop me from wearing one
of her shoes, but everything I own, she can have too. I decided to just suck it up and be a good a
sister. I do that sometimes. I think of a really good revenge for her, but I never pull through.
Once I did and I was pretty proud of myself. We had to sleep in the same bed for the night and
we got in a fight over something I can’t remember. I tend to forget the most important part of
stories a lot. But I think there was something to do with me having to have the uncomfortable
pillow because no one wanted to go all the way upstairs to get another pillow so she had to
charge her phone and the plug was next to me. I unplugged the charger and she had to get up
herself to plug it back in. I told her revenge is sweet. Retelling that story makes me realize its a
really dumb story and I actually feel bad, now that I think about it, that I did that. I can’t
remember what we fought over so obviously it wasn’t that big of a deal. Maybe, I shouldn’t have
done that. That reminds me of a time recently when I felt really bad. We were in Sheetz getting
food and the people were taking a really long time and I said something like “Oh my God, this is
taking so long.” Then then the person comes with our food and said “sorry for the wait.” I felt so
bad that he heard me. I felt like saying sorry, but that would be a really stupid reason to say
sorry. Now on I’m going to keep meaner thoughts in my head. Next time I go out to eat that is.
We only go out to eat when my dad’s not home, because he loves homefood only. Even when
we go on a long trip somewhere, he wants to eat in an Indian restaurant. My sister and I fought
with him about it last time we went to Canada. We went for a week and only twice got to go eat
in a normal place. I told him we had to experience Canada culture, but my dad was persistant. I
guess its overall okay, because when we did eat “Canada” food we had things like fries in gravy
with cheese shavings called poutines. I’m sure the Indian food was a little bit healthier.
And
I can’t think of anything more now.
I noticed when I wrote, I wrote about the vacations I’ve been on. I guess those are the times
when I am truly happy: seeing new places and things. I wrote some confessions, too, like
pulling out my sister’s charger as childish of a thing that is to do. I didn’t feel very proud while
writing it. I guess that means there was more emotions involved when writing this than when
trying to write properly. Sometimes I had one idea going, but by the time I finished the sentence
of the first thought, a new thought came, and I went in a completely new direction. This
happened when talking about the dad who is really good at pictures and and when talking about
his daughter. I wanted to explain they were family friends and everything, but I completely
forgot by the end of the sentence. I also wanted to explain putting conditions with my sister for
her to borrow things, but I never pull through with those. I have a lot of run-on sentences,
fragments, and both combined. I have a lot of grammar mistakes. For some reason, these
thoughts seem so personal, like a diary entry, that I don’t want to share.
jjcassano Said:
Thank you for sharing so much!!!! It was great to be able to really see your thinking
processes (something we don’t get a lot of in shorter pieces). You shouldn’t be
embarrassed or anything like that that you put up here. I hope you’re not. You did a great
job.
I love that you point out the grammar in this writing. The types of sentences show how
choppy or smoothly your thoughts are flowing. Looking back it makes for an interesting
analysis.
The fact that you talk about moments where you were upset with yourself when the
prompt was “I’m happiest when…” emphasizes to us how complex our emotions really
are. It’s rare that there is pure happiness/sadness.
My favorite part was when you were discussing the photo project and went into the
tangent about how you didn’t want to say it was someone your youngest sister’s age
because it would be too annoying to type–but you had to type it anyway! It was such an
authentic moment and something I know every single one of us has experienced at some
point. It was a part where I could giggle because I understood.
Students 3: fenwayfan18
Week 1:
SYMBOLS
Once you’ve developed your list of symbols, give a short explanation as to why each of these
new symbols is important. What are some emotions this symbol can elicit?
1) Phone charger- it can bring out a sense of renewal. Everyone’s battery runs low every now and
then, but eventually, we charge ourselves back up and continue on.
2) Cat treats- Simple. Feeling pampered and acknowledged is important. We can all use a reward
for even small things
3) A pencil and eraser- Again, something simple, but necessary. Mistakes are made and erasers
help us correct them. This brings out a sense of being normal, (everyone makes mistakes) maybe
even understanding.
4) A watch- even though we can know exactly what we want to do and when, we can’t possibly
plan out our lives down to the minute, hour, or day. I take it to mean that there is something
bigger than us and it’s planned out, but it’s not for us to know until the appropriate time
5) Car- A sense of freedom. Cars take you everywhere. The driver chooses exactly where to go
at that moment and how to get there. There can be several ways to get to the same spot.
jjcassano
I like the cat treats the best. We all need our little bit of pampering. It could be a little
peace of chocolate, relaxing on the couch, taking a bubblebath, or a whole array of
things. It’s important that we remember to indulge so we don’t lose our minds!
Week 2:
HEMINGWAY HERO
He looked like your typical college aged boy, fresh out of the house, trying to make it on his
own. He wears simple blue jeans, a nice button up blue striped shirt and to match, a blue baseball
cap. Then we see his shoes which shows the other side of him. His sneakers are well worn and
used often judging by the mud splatters. They show where he might go and where he’s been.
1. How old is your person? 19 years old
2. What does he/she do (student, teacher, worker, doctor, etc)? College student
3. What might be his/her interests? Hobbies? Music is his passion, loves the outdoors, cooking,
and his family and friends
3. What were his/her beliefs/values? He believed that everything in life happens for a reason and
that no matter what happens, it’ll turn out okay. He believes in never giving up. He’s honest,
trustworthy, and has a strong faith.
4. What is a major event that has happened in his/her life? His little sister was killed in an
accident
5. How has he/she changed since this major event? Does he/she do the same things as before?
Has his/her beliefs changed? Why? He’s become more callous and mature. He no longer sees
happiness everyday in his life and finds it tough to listen to songs that he and his sister used to
listen to. Everything reminds him of what used to be and he can no longer focus on school or
even a simple recipe. After his loss, he still can’t get back to his life, or even find enough
motivation to start seeing each day as something beautiful again. Rarely, he has moments where
something can make him smile and for an instant, he forgets his past, and enjoys that moment,
but as quickly as it comes, it goes.
jjcassano
Oh my, your story makes me so sound, but it’s so great! I love your beginning
description. Instead of just telling me what he wears you gave me personality as well.
And you have definitely captured the idea of what the Hemingway Anti-hero is all about.
I really liked that you added detail such as the fact he can’t even listen to the songs he
and his sister listened to. It makes the character seem more real and makes my chest drop
a little as I picture this sad story.
Beautifully written and well developed. Great job!
Week 3:
FROST
I think from the authors that we have looked at so far, Frost would have to be my favorite. I like
his writing style. It’s not bland and the words he uses to get his point across are never ‘too
much’. His poem “Birches” really caught my attention. I loved how he elaborated on finding the
balance of fantasy and reality and how going to far either way would get you nowhere. I think I
liked it so much because it’s something everyone can relate to. Also, the images of the trees
brought me back to memories my old house, which was in the middle of the woods. Something
about Frost’s writing is comfortable to me.
Although I’ve enjoyed the Modernism period, I think I’ve enjoyed Transcendentalism the most. I
liked how everything related to nature and the message it sent about life. Simply just to live it
and do all you can to enjoy it for what it truly is, not what it’s been made up to be. To me, the
idea of letting everything else go in life and just doing what you want to is absolutely crazy, yet
it’s something I want to be able to with my own life.
jjcassano
I love Frost too, especially this poem. That’s why I chose it to use in class. It’s such a
great messge with such a great representation. It speaks to me and brings back memories,
just like it does for you.
I love trancendentalism too. It’s funny, because I don’t know if I could choose a favorite.
I love Modernism because of it’s style, but I love transcendalism for it’s messages. If I
could I would leave everything behind and just live in the woods.
Week 4:
I FEEL HAPPIEST WHEN…
I feel happiest when I’m outside. Playing in the creek is too much fun. Peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches are amazing, and spinal tap is weird. Why do spinal taps have to hurt so much? Not
that I’ve ever had one done, but you’d think doctors would make something for the initial pain. I
have to remember delta t. Aw, I have a test in Chemistry on Wednesday. Maybe the tennis
schedule will change again. It was way too windy. Ultimate frisbee is impossible in the wind.
My wallet is still in my car. Ah! I have to go petsit. Make sure I get gas too.. ew.. I’ll need some
hand sanitizer.. The tattoo band aids aren’t really the best for fingers.
Well the first thing that came to mind for fun was what I did yesterday (playing in the creek).
Later, I had a pb&j sandwich and watched a weird movie.. Thinking about that made me think
about doctors. The word initial sparked a formula for chemistry, thus reminding me that I had a
test Wed. Then I tried to think of whether we had a match or practive then, which reminded me
of the really windy tennis practice on Friday. This led me to Saturday frisbee, which also was
extremely windy. I thought about driving, and how my wallet was still in the glove compartment.
Then I remembered that I needed to drive to feed some animals and I knew my car was low on
gas. I’d need hand sanitizer after using the gas pump because I’m weird like that. That made me
think about my fingers, which are all torn up, but my band aids won’t stick. So overall, it was
pretty random.. Maybe it was random because I do a lot of different things, but somehow in the
end, they all run together… I thought it was kind of challenging, because I’d try to think about it,
even though I knew I wasn’t supposed to. Once I let my mind go, it was a little bit easier.
jjcassano
I like your thought that maybe the reason your thoughts are so random is because you do
some many different things. I think this is a n important insight because what we do
influences our thoughts (and vice versa) and sometimes people forget this vital
connection.
And you’re right, it’s really hard not to think, especially when I’m telling you not to–it
makes you want to think even more. It’s really hard to just let go but once we do it almost
seems natural. We’re structured and governed so much by rules that it’s hard to just be
free.
VII.
Discussion of samples
Since this project was done with advanced juniors, I expected this portion of the project
to be relatively easy for them. I found that I had a range of quality and length in all my classes.
Daru22ian showed his personality in this portion of the project. I was able to hear his
voice as he wrote, especially in the third week’s blog post when he mentioned that T.S. Eliot
might want to punch him in the face. He was very relaxed in what he wrote, but he answered
each question thoroughly. He met all of my expectations for this portion.
Milkway was much more thorough in a lot of her answers. She was one of the few
students who answered week four as I hoped for: free-writing for a long time instead of just a
normal sized paragraph. What surprised me about her blogs was that in week two she was
amongst the many students who failed to show a sense of disillusionment in her Hemingway
character. Since this was the most important part of the answer, students lost some points if there
was no disillusionment shown. She wrote a beautiful character, but she didn’t fill the
requirements. This surprised me because she always provides such smart work. It was a good
thing to see because if one of my smartest students had trouble understanding a concept then I
knew that I needed to go back and explain some more.
Fenwayfan18 performed just as I had expected. What really pleased me was that on week
two she did fully understand the idea of disillusionment and was able to show that in her answer.
On her other assignments fenwayfan18 met all the requirements. I had hoped to hear more from
her, especially after her great work for week two, but she didn’t provide much more than she
needed to in the blog answers.
When I commented on the weekly blogs I always tried to give praise in some way, even
if the answer wasn’t something I was completely looking for. Since most of these questions
asked for opinions or creative writing, I couldn’t tell the students they were wrong in anything
they did. However, if they were missing part of the assignment or didn’t go as in depth as I had
wanted them too, I made sure to address that and ask questions to get their minds thinking.
I enjoyed this part of the project because it was interesting to see the personalities of my
students come out more. I started to see personalities with the pictures, but their informal writing
paints a much better picture of who they are. I got to see what kinds of things are important to
them, hear their voices, and see their thoughts. Some students stood out more than others, but all
said great things.
VIII. Assignment 3: Final blog post and creative movie
To this point the students have been focusing on the ideas and beliefs of Modernism: now
they are actively analyzing today’s beliefs and ideas to create their own art.
Part one of the assignment asks students to blog. The have to answer the following
questions in their blogs:
1. What makes our era unique?
2. How do you think the answer to #1 affects our beliefs? What do you think
some over lying beliefs are in our era?
3. How might these views vary?
4. Do you think you are personally affected by these events and beliefs?
5. What kinds of resources are available to us in our era? What affect does that
have on our beliefs, lives, communication, and art? Do these resources hinder
or assist the message we want to send with our art?
6. Finally (to be added after part 2 of this project), why did you choose to do the
option you chose? What was your goal? Did you meet your goal?
Part two asks students to get into groups, combine and condense their photos, and write a short
story or a series of poetry that are enhanced by the photos. The important requirement about this
part of the project is that the students have to create their story or poetry based on today’s beliefs
and values.
This final step shows them how to make the bridge between past beliefs and today’s. We
had spent a lot of class time discussing the beliefs of the Modernism time period, how the beliefs
were affected, and the variety of ways the authors showed these beliefs. As they analyze their
own time period to see how it is affected, students are using the skills they developed studying
the Modernists to study today. Everything they’ve worked on in this project brought them closer
to what they needed to write by slowly making them thinking of the symbols they see and what
kinds of ideas manifest in their minds. All prior steps of the project get pulled together in a
collaborative effort to develop something creative, smart, and unique.
To show that they have made the connection between Modernism and today, the students
first had to answer the final blog question individually. Next, in groups, the students had to write
a short story or a series of poetry that showed these beliefs in some way. Once they had written
their story or poetry, they needed to use the pictures they had posted throughout the unit to
enhance their story. Combining and condensing their selection, the students put their pictures on
Windows Movie Maker, added the narration of their story, and published a movie.
The portion of the project is equal to writing an essay because the students had to follow
all the steps in producing a piece of writing. The students brainstormed, drafted, edited, revised,
and published. These are all things they would have done had I told them to write an essay, but
the students were able to use their visual and spatial intelligences while also producing creative
writing.
IX. Student samples
Student 1: daru22ian
1. What makes our era unique?
Communication. Communication leads to learning new information and today there is no limit
on the amount or speed of information. Information is virtually unlimited, literally. It all comes
down to the speed of comprehension of information.
Comprehension. We comprehend things much differently now with so much information and
communication.
2. do you think the answer to #1 affects our beliefs? What do you think some over lying beliefs
are in our era?
We believe the need to focus more on communication and comprehension.
The biggest belief is that we are moving closer to something, I think equilibrium because Ill just
be real, sustained perfection is unreal. Undoubtedly we are moving towards something and are
closer than ever. The belief in individuality is stressed more than ever. It is really about yourself
in the 21st century America.
3. How might these views vary?
We are focusing communication and comprehension to get ahead of each other. We are
moving closer to something that is because of our selfishness and farther away every day. We
focus too much on individuality, not to be different, but to be better. Then we don’t see people
as individuals, just people trying to get ahead and ourselves falling behind.
4. Do you think you are personally affected by these events and beliefs?
Yes, my future will be shaped by these beliefs. The events that are occurring aren’t just shaping
me, they are shaping the future.
5. What kinds of resources are available to us in our era? What affect does that have on our
beliefs, lives, communication, and art? Do these resources hinder or assist the message we
want to send with our art?
Cell phones, satellites and the internet, these are the greatest resources ever devised and are
now even daily assets. The whole meaning of asset has been changed; it’s not an asset unless it
can access the internet.
Our whole belief of living is different. You’re not living unless you’re connected. Communication
can rarely be avoided, now it’s a necessity. Beliefs now can change as fast as one can type into
Google.
Art is definitely assisted by today’s instant communication. Again, the message comes down to
comprehension, something that should be the next step of our uniqueness. The message can be
more definite. There are a lot of resources like forums to discuss are and its messages. Art can’t
change but people have changed how to express it.
6. to be added after part 2 of this project), why did you choose to do the option you chose?
What was your goal? Did you meet your goal? The poems would have lacked the depth our
video produced. We had alot of really good pictures and alot tremendous talent. Our goal was
to show what we would do in the face of the apocolypse. Then to make people think about
what they would do, (our 50 sec song). People looked like they were deep in contemplation.
Our goal was met, but like always it could always been better.
jjcassano
I love this line: ” Art can’t change but people have changed how to express it”. I think
that’s a great point to make. Art hasn’t really changed itself, but the way people try to
express it has. I would say that maybe art has changed in that the meanings or purposes
behind it have altered, but at the same time, that’s not changing art itself is it?
And we do have this sense of competition in our world. Wait until you apply for college
or jobs: you’re told to brag about yourself as much as possible so that you are able to
compete with everyone else.
This sense of always needed to be connected is vital to our era as well. People are viewed
as archaic if they don’t have internet or cell phones. The less connected you are, the less
competitive. It’s such a shame too. I enjoy going out somewhere and leaving my cell
phone behind when I can.
Student 2: milkyway
1. What makes our era unique?
Our era is unique in that we have technology that was not there before making
there better modes of communication and transportation. We have gone
higher socially as well with less prejudices and more exceptance of different
people. In our era we improved on things we already had like televisions,
phones, women’s rights, and civil rights. Our era is also marked by the
recession and our influence on the world.
2. How do you think the answer to #1 affects our beliefs? What do you think
some over lying beliefs are in our era?
Our beliefs are affected greatly. We are similar to times of the Roaring Twenties
and the Great Depression in that at first we felt we could spend more, but there
is more want to save. Through the recession, the people of today like seeing a
way out of problems in following their dreams. As seen with the
improvements socially, technologically, internationally, and even medically,
this time period is marked by improving on the old. We like the previously
established ideas of flawed heroes, but famous stories of today, both fiction
and nonfiction show someone with hard times, but works through them and
achieves. In this day and age people are more fond of hearing of the people
with the tough childhoods, but were able to become rich, successful, and
happy. People like the ideas of following your dreams and fantasies. This can
be seen by the fame of fiction novels like Harry Potter, nonfiction works like
works of President Obama, and movies like Slumdog Millionaire.
3. How might these views vary?
There are those who try to be completely new or stick directly with the old or who
do not believe to follow fantasies
4. Do you think you are personally affected by these events and beliefs?
Yes, I appreciate the same works of art as do the masses and for the same reasons
of liking the ideas of achieving at the end.
5. What kinds of resources are available to us in our era? What affect does that
have on our beliefs, lives, communication, and art? Do these resources hinder or
assist the message we want to send with our art?
Today we have resources like cell phones, internet, and web cams that help us.
These things are used in art today. Photography has turned into an art form
and many people digitally make art. We are not hindered by these resources
because they do not stop us from using other forms of art, but the give other
newer ways.
jjcassano Said:
I love what you say about art: our new resources do not stop us from using other forms. A
few other people have mentioned this too, but it’s so true. We just have more, newer
ways to make art, while the other ways aren’t being replaced.
I also love the comparison you make with the roaring twenties and the depression. There
is definitely that idea that history repeats itself in our era because although it’s completely
different on the surface, we still are affected by similar events.
How do all these things affect your personal beliefs though? Do you agree with
everything you’ve written? Do you believe in the American Dream you’ve mentioned?
What is that dream?
Student 3: fenwayfan18
What makes our era unique?
I think that our era is unique because everything is faster, ‘better’, and new. Technology speeds up
our lives. We find that options for numerous paths are available for us to travel on. Generally
speaking, I think that people of our era are breaking away even more than past eras and are
becoming more and more independent. Also, we are facing hard times, not just with the
economy, but the planet itself. This era is the beginning of an overall advancement toward a
‘greener Earth’.
How do you think the answer to #1 affects our beliefs? What do you think some over lying
beliefs are in our era?
I think it affects our beliefs by exposure to many different things, whether it is cultures, ideas,
and choices to make in life. I think that a strong emphasis on the individual (especially one that
pursues a dream) is a main over lying belief. Different from previous eras, we realize that not
everyone can actually achieve the ‘american dream’ and it’s even harder to succeed in a tough
economy, but it does not affect our outcome. Still, somehow, we get where we are meant
to be. Our era also has begun to realize that this is the only planet that we have. It seems to me
like everyone is constantly working toward change in their lives, or at least trying to plan out
where they think their life may go.
How might these views vary?
These views may vary depending on a persons outlook on life. Going back to the ‘American
dream’, some may still say yes, it’s still possible in today’s economy, but others may say that it
never could really happen. Views on technology could be controversial also. Some may say that
technology can bring out the best in us and give us connections to the world, but on the other
hand, technology also is separating us apart (socially).
Do you think you are personally affected by these events and beliefs?
Yes, I do think I am personally affected by them because I try and plan out my life. I know that
some things right now are going to be necessary in the near future (like working hard in school to
go to college), which then leads to planning about what I might do after that. This idea also goes
along with ‘following your dream’. I want feel the idea of being able to accomplish something
great and to be confident in trusting that we’re where we are supposed to be in life. There is a
pressure when it comes to the environment. Personally, I almost feel to blame for the problems
of our globe, as well as a responsibility to fix it and make it better for the next era. The
technology puts a new perspective into my life. I feel like I can access the world, but it’s odd
because at the same time, because I can experience it all by myself.
What kinds of resources are available to us in our era? What affect does that have on our
beliefs, lives, communication, and art? Do these resources hinder or assist the message we
want to send with our art?
Again, our technology has opened many opportunities for us. It makes daily tasks easier for us
and we feel the freedom to go places, learn new things, and to reconnect with people. But as
easily as we can contact anyone, technology can also shut us out from the world. In general, I do
not think art is hindered by technology. Although it may close us out socially, it gives the ability
to express ourselves better. These new expressions reach a new level, an understanding. New
music can be shared and new artistic techniques will be developed, all expressing the artist’s
view about life.
Finally (to be added after part 2 of this project), why did you choose to do the option you
chose? What was your goal? Did you meet your goal?
jjcassano
While you touch on the importance of technology to our era, you focus on other things
that are important to our era and that’s great. We need to remember that there’s so much
more out there than just technology that affects us.
I love that you brought up the “American Dream”. While our dream might be different
from past eras, there is still an American Dream out there. One thing that seems to make
our era’s dreams different is the sense that there is this 1 track plan in order to achieve it
(which we know isn’t true…but it feels like it), thus we’re always planning our lives out.
Another thing I like about this post is that it isn’t as pessimistic as the others. We see the
ways the events above negatively affect our lives, but you remind us that there are
positive results as well.
X. Discussion of samples
The goal of the final part of this project was to make the final connection between
Modernism and today. While this connection has been explained to the students throughout the
semester, this is the first time students were overtly and actively told to think about today’s era as
they have thought about Modernism: looking at the major events that define the era, what are the
overlying beliefs of the time period, and what resources are available to enhance or hinder
communication and art. There is no right or wrong answer to these queries, but the students had
to explain their answers no matter what they said. When providing their thoughts in their final
blog answers, the students above produced well-thought and thorough answers.
The most important part about the movies was that the stories or poetry clearly aligned
with one or all of the group members’ beliefs. From the samples above, daru22ian’s group movie
was the least successful. With a requirement of at least three minutes long, I gave most groups
the flexibility of two to two and half minutes if the story was strong and well-written.
Daru22ian’s group made a minute long movie and then added a minute of music at the end. The
goal of their movie wasn’t completely clear either. I asked them what they had wanted to
achieve, and after watching their movie a couple of times I saw how they had achieved that goal.
They had a great idea behind their story, but they could have developed it much more, so they
got one of the lowest grades on their videos. This surprised me because daru22ian is a creative
writer and a hard worker, but he isn’t always the best student. The other students in his group,
one being a creative writer, one being a student who didn’t complete the whole project, and the
last being an average student, the quality of this video surprised me somewhat, but not
completely.
Milkyway and fenwayfan18 worked in the same group for their movie. Their video was
one of the best in the two classes. They had a great picture selection, as did all the groups, and
their story clearly aligned with their picture selection. The interesting thing about their video is
that their story is the only story that mimicked a fairy tale. It was a unique story that
encompassed a variety of their views. They clearly accomplished their goal.
I was very pleased with the videos as a whole. The only problems I had were videos that
didn’t meet the time length or videos that had no connection to the final blogs. In each instance, I
only had two groups in each category, so overall it was an incredibly productive project. Every
group had a great picture selection, great poetry or story whether it connected to the final blog or
not, and it was evident that the students enjoyed it. The students far surpassed the photo number
requirement, showed great creativity, and had fervor for completing the project, whether it was
correct or not.
XI. Final discussion
This project was incredibly successful. Of course I had students who didn’t take the time to
complete the project, but the majority of students did. While I have a variety of students’ ability
levels in my class, every student excelled in this project. While grading these projects I found
that it wasn’t the quality of work that hurt their grades, it was simply not completing the
assignments in full.
One of the main resources that reinforces to me that my students did well was looking at their
Scarlet Letter essays. We were doing the Modernism unit simultaneously with the Scarlet Letter
unit. The students wrote a final paper for Scarlet Letter and while many essays were good, many
were adequate or weak. I saw a lot of anxiety in the students. Students stressed about the essays
because they had to focus not only on content but structure as well. While many students could
answer the basics of the essay questions, there still seemed to be a lack of explanation or strong
content to many of them. There was only one way to communicate what they understood.
However, on the blogs, none of these problems arose. I did have some students ask me questions
about how to do the blog answers or photos because they were afraid they weren’t doing it right,
but overall little stress accompanied the blogs because the students weren’t in fear of doing it
completely wrong. They had a variety of ways to demonstrate to me that they understood the
concepts being discussed in class. I think this is a good practice for the students because if they
can do projects like these where there is little stress, then as their writing skills improve from
these projects they’ll be more confident when it comes time to write essays.
One portion of the project that was difficult for most students was commenting on other
pictures. Most students filled the number requirements needed, but they couldn’t always find
something meaningful to say. I found this a little surprising since the students were advanced,
but after watching them do essays with their teacher I realized that they had never practiced peer
editing or other similar collaborative projects. Since they lacked a familiarity with the practice of
cross-commenting, they had some problems on the blogs. During class time I had them do some
practice with cross-commenting on unrelated writing assignments so that they could have the
guided practice while I was physically near. I noticed that after those activities the comments on
the blogs improved.
One issue I saw with the project was that I’m not sure if the students saw the connection
between the project and in-class activities at first. I explained to them multiple times about why
the project was being done, but they didn’t always see the connection. When I do this project or a
similar one in the future I need to make sure that I make the connections between the blog work
and in-class work more often so they see the connections. I tried connecting the two often, but I
didn’t do it enough. Also, I might have students reflect more on what they’re learning in class
and how that relates to what they are doing on the blogs. I might have this be another weekly
blog post, or perhaps biweekly post. This will force them to actively think about what they are
doing in and out of class and how the two are working together. At the end of the project they
say the connections were clearer, but I want them to see these connections from the start.
As I mentioned before, all students succeeded in this project. I see multiple reasons for
this. The first reason is because it was a safe environment. I explained to all the students that
anything that is posted on the blog is free from grammatical assessment. I wanted them to speak
as much as they could and to use their voices. Since all the writing they do in class has to be
formal and grammatically correct, I wanted them to have a place where they could be more
informal and just write. As teachers we have to give our students a break from formal writing or
they’ll learn to hate the idea of writing altogether. I also reminded them that in these blogs there
is no one waiting silently for them to answer or waiting to point out mistakes. Creating this safe,
comfortable, informal, collaborative assignment helped them become more open in how much
they wrote and how reflective it was. I had students that never spoke in class but flourished on
the blogs.
Another reason why this project was successful was because it used a method they enjoy:
social networking. When explaining the project a lot of students would say “so, it’s like
Myspace?” I told them that was exactly what it was like, except that it was more meaningful.
Everyone is still posting pictures, writing meaningful captions, commenting on each other, and
making posts. They enjoy Myspace and Facebook so the blog technology was easy to use and
they weren’t shy about embracing the method.
The final reason I think this project worked so well was because it was something
different. While observing their classes before I started teaching I saw a routine. They read a
piece of literature, discussed the piece in class, answered questions, and moved on. At the end of
the unit there was a test or a paper. While I gave them quizzes throughout my unit and other
small assignments, this project acted as the main source of assessment. They had never done
something like this in a classroom and many students told me how excited they were to try it. It
was a new means of expression and showing me that they do know the material. By asking
students to use a variety of intelligences and applying what they were learning to today’s world,
many students were able to succeed.
The major reason why I chose to use the blogs in this project was because in the
Modernism unit we focused on how the authors used their resources to recreate art. As students
in the twenty-first century, one of the major resources for artists is technology. So, not only did I
have students create a movie with Windows Movie Maker, but I had them use the blogs to post
their pictures and writing. This gave them a spectrum of technology. Windows Movie Maker is
new to most students, and thus unfamiliar. The blogs were familiar to them. The blogs got them
familiar with using technology in school before using Windows Movie Maker. The progression
of technologies acted as a scaffold, and the students reacted positively to it.
Whether I used technology or not, the concept behind this project is very important:
multiple means of assessments. I can’t have my students always answer questions, take quizzes
and tests, and write essays. Even if I’m teaching AP Literature I’ll have students who do not
have good verbal skills. Some of the students who do have good verbal skills might have better
spatial skills. To avoid deterring students from English class, or school in general, there needs to
be a variety in the ways we assess. Not only does there need to be a variety in the types of
assessments, but in their formality as well. We can’t always expect students to be high-level
thinkers every single second. Teachers can’t even do this. We need to use informal and surfacelevel thinking assignments to ensure that our students have the basic knowledge before
continuing to the deeper level thinking. If we force them to do the same thing constantly,
especially if it’s always high-level, students will be burned out and jaded. Giving them variety
will keep them engaged in the learning process.