One of my smarter colleagues suggested that the reason for that might be that I have not invited you all to comment. Or that I haven't shut up for a second to give someone else a chance. Consider this your invitation. Let's see...some questions to get it started.....what do I want to know about you? How about this.....
What are you thinking about all of this? The overwhelming reading? The offering of a workshop? The blog?
Or we could go in this direction: Why are you taking AP Lang?
What have you heard about it so far?
Here's another track: What is your reading life like? You know, the one that exists outside of school assignments? What do you read when you have the time? All of my juniors are currently in the middle of an "Independent Reading Experiment" where every they read what they want to read just because. Sometimes they write me letters about what they read. Reading those letters is my favorite "grading" because I learn about so many new good books.
Does anyone have an interesting "Fun Fact to Know and Yell" about any topic at all that you could share with us in this school environment?
Looking forward to some comments,
Mrs. McAllister
First student to comment! Woohoo! I'll go ahead and answer the first set of questions. What am I thinking about all of this? I'm excited to read The Emperor of All Maladies. My 16 year-old cousin (the same age I am), has been battling recurrent medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer, for several years. I'll be able to connect with at least some parts of the book personally. On the other hand, I admit that I'm intimidated by the long read- I'm not sure I'll be able to remember everything on test day. The offering of a workshop helped me know what's expected and it was awesome to get private tutoring! Finally, I think the blog is a fantastic idea to help us students along the way if we have questions and as another way to engage with the text. Thanks! ~Victoria Spiegel
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for commenting! I was so excited when I got the email notifying me. I'm glad that you are excited about Emperor. It is really so much better than King Leopold's Ghost. This past year's AP Langers were jealous when they saw what we would be reading this year and lamented the fact that I did not change the reading a year earlier. I think if we follow the 7 page schedule, we will be through the book before we realize and discussing it as we go will help you get some of the info into longer term memory. It is a relief to hear that the workshop was useful. It is the first time I offered it and I was so nervous. I felt as though there was so much I wanted to share with everyone who showed up that I wasn't sure I shared much of value at all. Please keep checking back, particularly after the 27th! Happy Summer!
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm Mia! I just got back from Germany, so I just found out about the assignment and your blog. I'm excited for next year, and for reading this book. I've actually heard only good things about it, well, other than "The font is tiny, and there are so many pages..." so I'm looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteHave a great summer!
It's great to hear from you, Mia.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say that at first when I looked at the book, I wasn't entirely sure that I was going to like it, but after just a few pages I was really pulled in. It's really interesting and I actually have a very new perspective on the book, unfortunately. My Uncle passed away from mesothelioma on Tuesday, and I think that the book was very appropriately titled, cancer really is "The Emperor of All Maladies".
ReplyDeleteI am super excited about reading the book. One thing that has really struck me as I am reading this book is how much cancer is a bondage of slaver. Oppressing people in an unwanted bondage. My goal in life is to end slavery in the world and this book has opened my eyes that people with diseases are as much apart of modern day slavery as those oppressed against their will to work for others. Thank you so much for having us read this book and give us view instead of point of view. Hope everyone is having a great summer!
ReplyDeleteI really like your comparison to slavery. It is apt. If you've known anyone who has gone through treatment, then you know that they are a slave to the chemo schedule, a slave (often) to the side effects, a slave to the anxiety that comes from all of the unknowns. Great thinking, Rachael!
ReplyDeleteMatt, I'm really sorry about your uncle. An interesting note, I was looking yesterday for Mukherjee's Pulitzer Prize acceptance speech for this book...I guess there was no speech. What I've learned instead is that there is another Pulitzer Prize winner or maybe it was a finalist written by another Indian author titled, The Interpreter of Maladies. I'm wondering if there is a connection. Actually, I've texted my question to my sister-in-law who is kind of a big deal in Boston. She is a cancer research scientist with her own lab at Boston Women and Children's hospital and she is on a first name basis with the author of our book! Can you believe it?
ReplyDeleteWow, that's amazing! Small world. That would be funny if she arranged for you to meet him. On another note, I am really glad that you chose this book as the summer reading, I really enjoy it, it's a page-turner.
DeleteHi! My name is Wendy and my classmate Chloe Chung love this class and you very much so I decide to have a try. As for reading, my favorite book is The Fountainhead so far.
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