Participation Points

As the weeks go by, I find myself more and more confused while sitting in English class every day. Everyone knows about discussion participation points, but it seems that these points are becoming more and more elusive as the year progresses. For example, this week, I found myself talking an overly obnoxious amount of times, and still only received a 13/15 for my points. Now, given, this is a good score, but since alot of us have voiced concern over this issue, I felt that since I talk so much in class, I should be the one to talk about this issue.
                                              
  Ms. Serensky, please refresh us on the point system? There have been many rumors. I have heard that you only give a 1/4 point if you don't use a quote, and then I have heard that you take points away from someone if they say something dumb or if we cut off another person? Pleeeease Ms. Serensky, enlighten us!! I have no objection to your points system, but just am increasingly confused. I know that many of my classmates have said they would rather just write the one-page paper for missing class rather than coming to class, because the discussions can be so stressful.
    Also, how much is too much? Do you take points off if someone takes too much time away from other people to talk? I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO!! Ah! this is causing me alot of stress. I understand that adding a quote to your comment probably automatically gives you the full points, but got any other tips for us? Any ways to help us not attack eachother for that precious 20 seconds of speaking time each student covets on average 3-4 times a class period? Please help Ms. Serensky!

Sugar Rush

This past week, with the numerous poetry teachings, we were all given large quantities of candy, as a reward for doing what we normally do in English class, which is discuss. I find this very ironic. I think that all the students who used candy as a prize in their demonstrations, secretly were trying to convey a message to Ms. Serensky. Although Serensky's tactic of just intimidating looks, and the occasional nod that can make a students whole week, do work at aiding in class discussions, the candy could  be a more positive way to get kids to talk. I've decided to make pros and cons for giving out candy instead of discussion points.


PROS:
-its delicious
-its a little distraction, allowing your mind to take a short break to think about other ideas
-looking down and seeing a piece appear next to your arm is an excellent little surprise
-we would all have better grades if it was candy instead of points
-relieves stress

CONS
-rotting teeth
-not able to fit through the door
-eventually crashing every day and not being able to function?

In all, I believe the candy was a great enlightenment to our classes. Ms. Serensky, I would greatly salute you if you were to partake in candy giving. May I also suggest friday candy giving? It could make discussions much more interesting?

Haters gon win

Today, my team of me, Carley, Jackie and Jimmy defeated the self proclaimed "dream team" of Alex, John, Thomas and Sam in a poetry contest.

It was a ver fulfilling experience.

In defense, John and Thomas resorted to repeating the phrase, "haters gonn hate". I disagree with this statement. I think a better quote would have been "Haters gonn win". Because we did. I accept that we are haters of the "dream team", and no offense to it's members, everyone just takes such pleasure in beating a team with so much cockiness/confidence. (no offense to dream team members!!)

I also felt very enthused that Ms. Serensky finally got the oppurtunity to beat Thomas in something. I was upset though that we did not get a exerpt from a journal entry of Thomas's, but Ms. Serensky's cackle and the adimate head shaking of the dream team was well worth it.

Alex Kreger's rap was very entertaining though. I feel that Kreggs Benedict would be an excellent rap name for him to start his hip hop career with.
(Alex in 5-10 years)


Well played, both teams!

Haters gon win.

6 words

OH WHY DO YOU TORTURE US?

The Best this Year

Every February, the Superbowl comes around. And during every superbowl, millions of people love watching the commercials. Since ad time sells at $100,000 a second, snack, beer and car companies break out their wittiest commercials to try and take the cake for the ultimate prize of "best superbowl commercial". In my opinion, commercials during this year's game overall, were a bust. Many were tired ads, or just movie trailers. Who wants to see movie trailers during the superbowl? No one. People want funny. I'll give you my 3 favorite... my least favorites aren't even worth mentioning.



The Best.

1. E-Trade Babies
  Although most superbowl commercial reviews found these ads tired and repetitive, I still found myself rolling about with laughter. A tiny baby putting his finger to the lips of an old Italian man, saying, "don't speak" is quite humorous, and also having the baby and a sneezing cat named Peppers together would also be a winner. These commercials are cute, witty, and appeal to all audiences. Well done E-trade.

http://multimedia.foxsports.com/m/video/36896987/e-trade-tailor.htm#q=e+trade+babies

http://multimedia.foxsports.com/m/video/36896992/e-trade-cat.htm#q=e+trade+babies
2. Camero Commercial
    This classic car commercial with a twist, consisted of two men's voices dictating what should happen in the commercial, while whatever they said appeared on the screen. They changed the person driving from a man, to a woman, to a blonde, to a red-head, then were in the desert, then were in the city, then dodging hay-bales. The banter going on between the two narrators and the ever changing scene on the screen made for a very entertaining commercial. The concept was dull, but the spin off was very original.

3. Pepsi-Max
     This commercial, started off with a shot of two people on a date. First, you hear a narration of the woman's thoughts, consisting of questions like, "I wonder if he wants kids? Will he go bald? What's his mother like?" etc, but then we get a narration of the guys thoughts and his is just a constant repeat of "I want to sleep with her" until a pepsi max is set down on the table, then he switches to repeating, "I want a pepsi max". It was witty, and humorous to watch with both boys and girls. It looked like a low budget commercial, but it was excecuted well.

For you three, nice job. But every other company out there, step it up. That was the Superbowl, not an episode of Golden Girls. I'm expecting alot better next time. I wonder who will take the cake next year?

Superbowl

This weekend is the weekend millions of football fans have been waiting for... the Superbowl. Normally, I watch the game at a party with friends, or out of the corner of my eye while trying to finish hw. This year, my interest in the game has changed. No longer am I interested in only the commercials, I'm interested in the outcome of the game as well. My beloved Packers are playing against the Steelers. Now, just from in Ms. Serensky's 3rd period class, I realize we have fans from both sides. Me and Sam are hardcore Packers fans, while Thomas is a Steelers fanatic. I had a dream the other night that all the Packer fans and all the Steelers fans in the school had a big brawl in the gym to see who was better. What if we did that in English class? What if it was a giant physical fight between those who were rooting for the Packers and those rooting for the steelers? I would love to see that. I wonder what role Ms. Serensky would take on. Referee perhaps? making sure all hits were legal? or maybe commentator? switching back and forth between comentating on the actual fight and dictating what Thomas would be writing in his journal at that exact moment in battle. Our English class is always so quiet and dignified, what would happen if we all just gave into our animal instincts one day and just brawled it out? That would be a sight to see. But either way, Thomas, a message from Sam and I... STEELERS ARE GOING DOWN

Dynamics

Yesterday, as I walked out of our 3rd period English class, I found myself saying hi to a few of my friends in Ms. Serensky's 4th period Words, Words, Words class. As I walked away, I found myself wondering, what's the dynamic like in that class? I've never seen Ms. Serensky have to truly discipline anyone for talking or disrupting the class in my English classes (with very smart and well reserved students), so how does she handle certain individuals the NEVER EVER would have been in her classroom if not for Words. Now, no offense to those people, for I like alot of them, but I'm interested to know how Ms. Serensky deals with them. PJ for example. When he laughs, the whole class laughs, stopping work. What is the solution? Does Serensky just use the "stare, eyebrow clinch and head tilt" technique to intimidate him back to silence? Or does she break out a whip and start making threats? or better yet, does she threaten her students that she will commence with a Thomas-esque "Dear Journal" session, but with the unruly students name opposed to Thomas's. Then I think, what's the atmosphere like? Is it intense, like how it is during an in class writing, or is the mood more jovial, along the lines of the mood of an extra credit game? I'm confused and intrigued to see how Ms. Serensky deals with students who are not physically inclined to do work, and allow 80% of their alotted homework time for the work of her class. Now, given that the expectations are obviously different, I would like to observe the different dynamics in the two types of classes. The next class Serensky should teach, Regular Freshman English. Now that, would be an interesting dynamic.