Monday, January 6, 2014

Happy 2014

Hi Everyone,
I hope you and your families have enjoyed your time away from school.

Welcome to the next chapter of our adventure.

Originally I planned on assigning work throughout the break as a way to sustain our momentum.  At the same time, however, I was also aware that (most of) you had done a lot of work and I wanted to avoid burn out, so I decided to give all of us a proper break.  (For the record, no one objected. :)

Now it's time to revisit what we accomplished in the fall and figure out how best to build toward achieving our goals in the spring.  Over the next few days I will post steps for you to take so that you're prepared for the first day.  These are assignments that will be evaluated not just by me, but by your entire learning network (which you will build

The first step is to figure out what you want to accomplish.

I'll go first. My goals for the spring semester are as follows:
  1. To help every member of our learning community accomplish his/her goals;
  2. To help every member of our learning community pass the AP English Literature and Composition exam
In order to accomplish my goals, I will obviously need to know more about yours.  So, as the first steps in this process, please do the following:
  1. Comment to this post with a brief (1-2 sentence) description of what you want to accomplish by participating in this course over the next six months. (NOTE: This should be about your personal passion, not a Hallmark-y "I want an A" or "I'll try real hard" nod to the assignment.)
  2. Post a longer description to your course blog under the title, "What's In This For Me?"
  3. If you haven't yet, write yourself an accompanying email here for delivery in one year.  Ultimately, the future you will have the best idea as to whether or not you have truly succeeded.
Think back on all of the threads we began last semester (Collaborative Working Groups, Big Questions, traditional academic study, Open Source Learning technology, gamification) and literally ask yourselves, "What IS in this for me?"  Some of you want to create entrepreneurial ventures.  Some of you want to explore a question or an idea through original research.  Some of you want to game and continue growing our AP learning network through technology and shared experiences.  Some of you want to keep your focus narrow and get a 5 on the AP exam.  Whatever your priorities, this is the chance to declare what YOU want out of this process so that we can design your experience together.  You may work with others or you may see this as your personal journey, but if you wait and rely on an authority figure or colleagues to tell you what to do, you will fail.  I will post more about how we can go about this in the next day or two.  My reason for posting this first is to get feedback from you about what it is that interests you most so I can plan accordingly.  As promised, you will also have input on the core curriculum.  For now, the key is for you to wave the magic wand and imagine an experience that enables everyone to pass the AP exam and emerge from this course (and HS) having created tangible value in the world.  Another way to think of this: Your senior project begins now.  If you have questions or want to bounce ideas around, please feel free to use the comments and/or email.  The idea here is to give you the opportunity to start the conversation without rubric-style limitations, but if you need structure/help I'm here.  

Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year,
Dr. Preston


47 comments:

  1. My ultimate goal for this semester is actually a bit more general, and applies to all my classes, not just English. My struggle with my health has made it very difficult for me to keep up in school, and this semester I will make a determined effort to use every possible tool available to me (that includes not cheating on my stupid diet that I hate, I'll even exercise if my doctors say I have to *shudder*) to maintain my health so I can avoid falling behind.

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  2. My goal for this semester is to get back that focus that I had freshmen-junior years. Being that it is senior year and so close to moving onto bigger and better things I've noticed my focus on school has noticeably shrunk and I don't want to end high school that way having given into senioritis so I will be more disciplined and really finish strongly.

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  3. My goal this semester is not to lose my focus in school, but also stress less about the small things. I want to focus on what's important, instead of getting frustrated over things I have no control over and won't have any real long term effects on me and my life. I spent the past few years stressed and tiring myself out over small things; so now is the time to stop wasting my energy and channel it towards what matters. This applies to all my classes, and will result in a better quality of work since I'll be working without all the extra pressure.

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  4. My goal this semester is to learn something that will be of use to me later in life. I want to accomplish something important. I want to do something that will be worth remembering ten years from now. I want to learn something other than just the usual high school curriculum.

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  5. Well I had numerous goals that I've have accomplished already during the Fall Semester from participating in this class, which I'm very thankful for. Now that spring is here I have to finish those old ones and start these new ones, primarily passing that AP Exam to financially help me get through college and understanding the core curriculums in this class for future references. On the other note, my one personal desired goal that will take longer than this semester is finishing developing my app with the learning from collaboration throughout this class.

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  6. My general goal is to pass and move on with contentedness. It may sound kind of "monochrome" or dull, but I just seek simplicity.

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  7. My ultimate goal for this semester is to be fully prepared for what lies ahead of me. Which means being able to focus on my priorities even more, balancing school life with my own life and social life, being able to collaborate with more people to increase my network, and participating in more activities/events/organizations that will help me create who I really want to be in the future.

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  8. One of the goals I made for this semester is to read more books than I read last semester (preferably books that are on the AP Reading List). I felt as though I should've read more books last semester...

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  9. My goal is to do well in this course to start, but it's also to focus my time and energy on things that matter to me and will be important to me in the long run. This semester I want to spend time exploring my interests in different fields, such as the athletic training program I just became a part of or reading up on historical figures and times since I will be focusing on history in college. I ultimately want this semester to be a sort of trial run for college.

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  10. This semester I plan on improving my overall work ethic in order for me to improve substantially in this course. I want to be perform at my best and be able to recognize the hard work as the best that I can do. Not just "passable". I need to discover that balance between everything I need to do and want to do in order for me to be successful this last semester. These are my goals that I hope to accomplish.

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  11. For this course specifically, my goal to focus more on memorization of the literary terms and vocabulary words. By doing so, it will enable me to establish a deeper understanding of what they are and how they are used. I also intend to complete my homework as soon as I get home and not leave it off until the last second.

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  12. My goal is to overcome this persistent "senioritis" and achieve everything to my full potential I want to pass the AP Exam because I want to graduate college sooner so I can start my career earlier. These next six months will be all about setting up my future for success.

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  13. My goal for this upcoming semester is to keep pushing myself academically and to pass each of my AP exams in order to build a strong foundation for my future.

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  14. My goal this semester is to remain focused and attentive for the last few months of school. I have worked hard these past three and half years and I hope I can continue that momentum in the months to come. I also hope to gain a better idea of what career path I want to go down. As of right now, I am unsure of what I want to do after college graduation, so hopefully this year will offer me inspiration and/or guidance.

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  15. For this upcoming semester, I want to continue to become familiar with the classics of English literature, including poetry, so I can have a better understanding of any references to them that I may encounter throughout my life.

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  16. This semester, my goal is to remain in focus and finish out my high school career on a high note. However, I also want to use these last few months to prepare myself for what is to come after graduation.

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  17. My most obvious goal this semester is to pass this class to my standards along with passing the AP Exam. But finding meaning in these last few months of school and using that to help me grow independently for college and what may come is my ultimate goal. Oh, another priority goal is to actually stick with my goals this semester too.

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  18. Well my main goal is to pass this class and the upcoming Exam. But my ultimate goal is to apply for scholarship and figure out what I'm passionate about. I'm having trouble deciding what I want to do with my life. I had a plan to become a nurse. But I realized it's not something that I really wanted to do. And I feel like I'm at a dead end. I want to attend Hancock and transfer later in but I want to take the classes that will suit me and better my schooling in the future. And another goal I have for this semester is to stay focused.

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  19. My main goal is to apply for a scholarship to get into the college Paul Mitchell. I know some people don't think cosmetology is good career or a real college to go to. The thing is that is what I am really passionate it about and what I want to do for a living. I rather do something that I love doing everyday then dreading going to work everyday.

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  20. I understand Dr. Preston didn't really want a hallmark response on what we wish to accomplish this semester, but I hope to be successful. My definition of success is having peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.

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  21. This semester I would like to understand a new subject that hasn't been covered a thousand different times so well that I can teach it.

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  22. This semester, my goal is to try and not to over-stress anything that I deem as very important. I want a way to tell myself that what will get done can get done and there shouldn't be anything to worry over.

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  23. My goal for this class is to be able to continue to continue to develop and refine the skill of transforming my thoughts into writing or speech to be able to communicate my thoughts clearly to others. This skill can be used not only on the AP test and in this class, but this quality is necessary in all parts of life. This eloquent skill of communication is used in relationships with family, friends, and everyone you come into contact with.

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  24. This semester I hope to do better in this class than last semester, and do well on the AP test. Along the way I want to figure out what college would be the best fit for me, because I'm sort of lost right now. Hopefully the class can help me figure out where I want to go too.

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  25. This semester I hope to read more about classic literature. I found it helpful to become more knowledgeable about authors and their books. Besides that, I would like to be fully prepared and pass the AP test. Lastly, I'm looking forward to learn more this semester.

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  26. My goal for this semester is to stay focused on my school work even though we are getting closer to graduation. I want to steer clear of "senioritis" and finish off strong. Something else I hope to accomplish is figuring out which college I want to attend.

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  27. During this semester I want to discover a way to apply writing to more than just literature, if that makes any sense what-so-ever. I feel like the field of writing is very small and underestimated, and I want to find a way that will allow me to combine my passion for writing with another, more applicable passion.
    Oh, and an A would be a great cherry-on-top.

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  28. My goal for this semester is to remain positive and perform to the best of my ability in not only this course, but my other courses as well without letting stress get to me. However, my ultimate goal for this semester is to figure out what I'm truly passionate about and what it is that I wish to pursue in life.

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  29. My goal for this semester is to force myself to desire learning as a whole and not to treat my assignments as just that. I want the ability to choose to do my best and enjoy every ounce of it instead of jumping into my life with the mindset that I am being forced to succeed.

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  30. ,My goal is to bring out the inner Lissette! I would like to focus more on my writing skills and try to improve on getting my work done!

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  31. My goal this semester is to show people what I can really do because I didn't really show my full potential last semester and that is something that I want to bring out.

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  32. My goal this semester is to stay motivated. I felt myself last semester in most of my classes, lacking motivation and it made it difficult to stay on task and learn. I feel that I already put this class over my others, but I think I am going to work on giving 100% to all my classes and not just to one class. I think that I will be more stress free if i work on this harder, which will make my last semester of high school much better!

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  33. My goal this semester is be satisfied and confident with my work. I also plan on practicing being curious and asking questions.

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  34. My goal for this semester is to set myself up for success early so I can enjoy new experiences later. (A week in Montenegro in March, will be an awesome experience but also makes keeping up with 5 AP classes difficult.) I also want to explore option for my future.

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  35. My goal is to keep being focused on school and not fall behind in any of my classes. For this class, I want to pass the AP test and in general, I would like to find something I am really passionate about and incorporate it in my daily life.

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  36. This semester, I want to focus on balance in all aspects of my life. Balancing friends and family with academics and everything else I want to do so I don't get burnt out on whatever I am doing. I also want to read as much as I can this semester for sheer pleasure and not for a grade or for an assignment.

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  37. My goal is to stay on top of things and to focus and make sure I do not procrastinate. Another part of my goal is to come out of the class ready for college.

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  38. My goal is to make sure that I can pay for college. I want to apply to as may scholarships as possible. I also want to get at least 4s on the rest of my AP tests so that I can use them as credits and save the money it would cost to retake the class.

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  39. My goal this semester (and throughout 2014 really) is to achieve more balance in my life. We already talked about time investment in class last semester and now I know I want to use it to my advantage! I want to learn how to balance my relationships and academics and be able to be successful in both areas.

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  40. Is it me, or does blogger just love to randomly freak out while you try to comment? Anyways now that my rant is over, this semester I simply want to lower my stress levels. I was anxious, upset and stressed out way too much last semester and it was not good. So this semester I want to try to use the tools we have in this class to make things a bit easier and plan things out better.

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  41. My goal for this semester is to learn better time management. I find myself putting other things before school work and not putting enough time into the things that I need to get done. Last semester I tried hard and did what I was supposed to but I didn't take advantage of the opportunities to learn something new and I really want to do that this semester.

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  42. My goal for the semester is to prepare myself to pass all the AP tests I am going to take. Another goal is to use what I learn in this semester in getting ready for my next chapter in life (college!). Oh! Also, I want to win some scholarships!!

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  43. I want to become more outgoing and engaged in connecting with others. This includes participating in class, and in just regular discussion with my peers.

    My goal is to not only apply the knowledge I've gained into course work but into other avenues of my life.

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  44. My goal for this semester is to improve my time management. I have a lot of time on my hands when I get home and I want to be able to allocate it efficiently so that I am able to get the best possible academic and personal results.

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  45. My main goal this semester is to place in the Santa Barbara County Science fair and advance to the State science fair. I've been waiting since the summer to unveil my (potentially revolutiojary) project to the world. Another one of my goals is to be able to afford college and hopefully have no or little debt upon graduating.

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  46. My goal for this semester is to read more. I enjoy reading, but need to prioritize and set time aside for it. This will also help me pass the AP test which is another goal of mine.

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  47. For the semester, all I really want is to enjoy my last few months in high school and hopefully not be bogged down with work or trying to catch up from being lazy.

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