The Literate Teacher's Manifesto

Tonight's reading assignment is to read Act I, Scenes i-ii, and complete a log entry reflecting on the scenes.  To access the play online, visit http://bit.ly/134blCn  or http://bit.ly/Wa0wr5 .  The play can be read online for free at these sites.  Because Shakespeare's work is in the public domain, there are multiple apps for all platforms by which you can access his works.  Here are a small sample of available apps/ downloads: Project Gutenberg  and  PlayShakespeare.com  offer the play for free download to any e-reader.  PlayShakespeare also has a library of podcasts and video performances of scenes to help you with your understanding. The Shakespeare  app is available for IPhone, IPod Touch, and Android platforms.  It is free, and offers all of Shakespeare's works as well as glossaries for unfamiliar words.  For Android, the Shakespeare app is in beta, and there is also a second app that (imho) is not as attractive or as easy to use as the original Shakespeare .

Give 3 details that prove your book is fiction. Within the genre of FICTION, which SUBGENRE does your book fit in?  How do you know? Would you recommend this book to the person seated next to you?  Why or why not?

Of these characters: O'Brien, Mr. Charrington, and Julia, one is a member of the Thought Police who will be responsible for betraying Winston. Based on the evidence, which is it? Support your answer with details from the text.

I underwent a revelation in my teaching about four years ago, when I read a grammar text called The Magic Lens  by Michael Clay Thompson.  (That's right, I read grammar textbooks in my free time.  I'm that  nerdy.)  I never struggled with grammar.  It just made sense to me.  However, teaching grammar was another matter. It was an impossible task.  Insurmountable.  Completely unmanageable.  So, I never taught it.  First, it was hard.  Second, it wasn't tested.  Third, the kids didn't like it.  Looking back on this decision now, I realize that it was only the first reason that truly drove my resolution.  Testing has never really driven my personal teaching philosophy, and I've never hesitated to make my students do things they objected to.  But, this was my personal comfort level we were talking about!  I have a profound burden now for all of those students who missed out on grammar instruction, but I must press on, learn from the past, and do better in the future.

1984 Related Reading Article Worksheet for Reading Assignment

As of this posting, our country has narrowly avoided the dreaded "fiscal cliff," but I still feel very nervous that our lifestyles may not remain as comfortable as they have been for the past several years.  In keeping with that nervousness, I am attempting to cut corners in some areas, one of which is my book-buying habit (trying to balance out my boot-buying habit, which is a topic for another post...). I have a bad habit of buying interesting books from bargain tables, rummage sales, discards at the library, Goodwill, etc, as well as from the shelves at Barnes and Noble or Books A Million, and never actually getting around to reading them.  I believe that I am probably not the only book-lover who does this, so one of my new year's ideas is to start a "Resolution Book Club".  I want to have read everything on my bookshelves at least once.  I went through them today and chose found enough unread titles to last me through the year (probably). I am aware that