Hard Times Blogs

In hopes of offering a different form of discussion, we will be implementing more blog discussions into our 12 AP Lit curriculum this year. Hard Times is the first text we are using to enter the digital world, but there will be many opportunities in the future. I am hoping you will occasionally check to see what the students are doing and discussing. Additionally, I am hoping to use this blog as a way to share with all of you what the students are doing in class and maybe even share some of their awesome work (anonymously of course).

I believe this is important for a few reasons. 1, it gives students a place where they can grapple with ideas and hear (I mean see) other students' perspectives even when they are not physically in class. Our five hours a week is not the only time students think about the text, so this gives them constant access to discussion.

2, it gives students who are often uncomfortable discussing in large class discussions for various reasons a chance to discuss with their peers in a "safer" way. While I still want and encourage students to participate in all forms of discussions, I find it beneficial to give them multiple opportunities and formats to help them be more successful.

3, it gives me a forum to also engage with students in discussion. Not that this doesn't happen in class, but often times students are participating in a graded discussion in which I try to limit my interruption because often times, a teacher speaking halts their own ideas instead of it being an offering of another interpretation. Your kids are incredibly strong in terms of a classroom discussion, but I like and they like the opportunity for me to engage more with them as a peer engaging in the literary analysis as well; I am finding the blogs to offer that experience.

4, technology is a prevalent role in our society now, especially social media. I believe it is important for students to understand one type of digital communication, especially since many colleges are using such media for class discussions and some classes are fully digital. Beyond higher education, jobs are using this type of discussion forum and tools, so creating a comfort with online discussions should be beneficial for all students as a citizen of a technological world.

Our goals for understanding Muggles

AP Literature and Composition will expose students to the type of scholarly environment that one can expect in college.  Inquiry will guide not only our exploration into the topics which follow, but it will also guide our study of the AP Exam itself.  The course will explore these issues: the impact of one’s philosophical beliefs and ideologies on one’s ability to exist within reality, tragedy’s effects on an individual’s identity, the philosophical beliefs of those involved, and the community’s sustainability, and the possibility of surviving tragedy and making meaning of this loss.

With all of that said, the real goal of this course is for you to become good readers and good writers and not only of Muggle literature. Being a good reader and writer will help you in whatever occupation you decide to pursue.  As such, while we will prepare you for the exam, the course is not designed around the test.  

AP Lit Test Website

So for anyone interested, here is a link to the AP Literature and Composition website. The website provides details for the different portions of the test as well as practice tests and samples to peruse. What I find most helpful and/or interesting are the scoring guides provided. I think as you look through them that most of you will notice that my expectations for your work is much higher than the expectations of the test.

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_englit.html