Enjoying the Nook....

Seems like every time I try to read, someone (namely my husband) interrupts me! For instance, we were driving from our house to Lafayette yesterday (an hour's drive) and we had chatted for a bit, then he turned up the radio. Good clue for me to pull out the Nook. So I did. I picked up where I left off in The Help, and after he interruped me for the fourth time, I put the Nook back in my bag.

Then he said, "Oh, were you reading? I'll just not talk then." Which of course he SAYS he will do, then never does! Conversing with my husband is important, and we do talk a lot (maybe more than other couples do), but I really did want to 'get into' this book.

Yesterday afternoon, however, we were at my daughter's house. We had fixed dinner for all of us, and we were waiting for Hilary and Landon to come home from work/babysitter. Blaine had a call out (he is a firefighter/EMT) so he would be home later. Quiet house. Gary was reading the paper. I pulled out the Nook, once again. Later I got in some reading time before falling asleep. This book is really good. I am captured. I love it! One of these days I will find the time to just sit back in the wicker chair in the sunroom, glass of iced tea on the table, reading my Nook. I can't wait.

Of course, sunshine is needed to REALLY enjoy the sunroom. One of these days.......

Back to reading.....

So....back to the matters at hand....reading.

One of the books I tried to download the other day at Barnes and Noble was This Time Together by Carol Burnett. Some of you are too young to even remember her variety show, but for those of the older crowd, you probably remember her tugs on her ear at the end, Harvey Korman and Tim Conway, and the skits with Vicki Lawrence. My reading habits have changed lately, and I am exploring more of the non-fiction books, including biographies and autobiographies. I am excited to start on this one, but as I said, I "tried" to download it. Our credit card number changed due to our bank switching carriers. My account is tied to the old number, so the charge was denied since that number no longer exists for us. Changing the number was easy; getting the Nook people to realize that has been hard. I have selecting so many numbers and talked to no one that I finally gave up. Maybe I will try again today!


I am still trying to get past the first few pages of The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I have heard nothing but good reviews for this novel, so I am anxious to really get into it. Unfortunately people (like my husband, our daughters, and our grandson) have interrupted me (not that I am complaining, of course).

Now that the semester is officially over (after graduation) and I officially have some 'time off' I plan to migrate to the sunroom and just read. I'll keep you posted on the progress!

What are you reading this summer? Share! I am always looking for new titles.

Graduation 2010

During my first year at Ivy Tech, my office partner, Gretchen Jordan, told me how she felt about the graduation ceremony. I had, of course, participated in two graduation ceremonies---once from my high school and one from Indiana State with my BS degree. I opted not to walk for my MS from Purdue, a decision I have regretted often. My oldest daughter led the procession with a perfect 4.0 when she received her degree from ISU, and both my youngest daughter and my son-in-law have their associate degrees from Ivy Tech, Lafayette region. My oldest daughter decided not to walk this spring when she received her Master's degree from Indiana Wesleyan.

I, like Gretchen, have come to love graduation. There is a feeling of the 'academic' during a graduation ceremony. I always feel such pride when I don my cap and gown, then add the stole with the white velvet for Liberal Arts under my chin and the Purdue black and gold down the back of my stole. When I look around at my colleagues, I see the professionals that we are, that we sometimes miss in the day-to-day activities on the campuses.

The other sense of pride comes from watching the graduates file in, sit in the rows in front of us as faculty, then walk across the stage after their names are announced, full of excitement, happiness, and accomplishment. This year, after four years with Ivy Tech, I heard many of my students' names called, and I felt a sense of accomplishment with them as they accepted their diplomas.

Tonight was a little different, though, than the other four years. This year the student speaker was one of mine. Tonya was selected as the recipient of the highest award given in our region, the Chancellor's Award. As a result, she was also the one to give the 'charge' to the graduates and to lead them in turning their tassels. I know that I am not the only professor she had in her long journey toward her degree; however, I am probably one of the few she had for two classes, and probably the only one she had ALL YEAR this, her final year of Ivy Tech. Last week at the Honors Program was the first time Tonya and I actually met face to face. However, I felt like I have known her for a long time--and I had, since she had been in both ENGL 222 and ENGL 223 this year. I am so proud of her. She has accomplished so much. She is an excellent student and one that will continue to grow and learn as she pursues another degree somewhere, maybe Chicago.

Congratulations to Tonya on her graduation tonight. Congratulations to Lori, who is still floating around from her graduation last week. Keep in touch with us here on the blogs or through email. What an accomplishment for both of you!

Nook Time at B and N

Monday was a 'me day' but it went by too fast and I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to do. Yes, two trips to Hobby Lobby, one with each daughter. Lunch at McAlisters with Hilary. Trip to Target with Hilary which is always fun. Shopping for Megan's 2nd bridal shower. Finally Barnes and Noble for a couple of hours until Megan was out of school and ready to shop for curtain fabric.

Megan was always the reader of my two daughters (and she is the English teacher/librarian--go figure), but Hilary, the non-reader, is the one who had the parttime job at Barnes and Noble and now spends her 'paperwork time' at a table near the Cafe. She was already into her paperwork for the students she supervises as a Job Coach for special needs juniors and seniors when I arrived at B and N.

Scanning my 'in store' options was a treat, in every sense of the word. I found a coupon for a free Seven Layer Bar from the Cafe, which I promptly redeemed, and purchased a small drink--Taso Shaken Iced Tea and Lemonade (made with passion fruit tea). Both I shared with Hilary (fewer calories on the bar that way) and we decided that the tea needed a packet of sweet n low to take some of the bite away---then it was delicious!

I discovered that I can read several books free while I am in the store. That equates to sitting in a library and reading some of the books while there. Of course checking out the same book is 'free' too, but not quite the same. Too, I would have to spend much more time at B and N to take advantage of that particular opportunity and it is too far for me to drive (one hour each way) to do that on a regular basis. However, good option to keep in mind if I have time to kill in Lafayette sometime.

Another advantage for me was to be able to physically browse the shelves, checking out favorite authors, best sellers, new fiction, new non-fiction, biographies, and just pick up the actual book, read the back, flip through the contents, read a few passages, and then check it out on my Nook for purchase (usually much less expensive that buying the hard copy). I am not quite into the browsing on the Nook yet...I need to have the book in my hand to see it and read a little. I have been known to stand in Target with my pen and pad of paper, going through the books there and writing down titles also. Embarrassing for my daughters? Yes. Doesn't bother my husband though! I like browsing in B and N much better...more selections!

A downfall with the Nook---some titles are not available. One book that I really wanted to read was not available on the Nook. I found it on the bargain table and it was under $5, so I did buy it, but I was hoping it would be one of those 99 cents bargains on the Nook. Not to be.

So...I bought three books while I was in B and N, started reading one I had purchased earlier, enjoyed half of a Seven Layer Bar and half of a cup of Taso Shakend Iced Tea/Lemonade, and fulfilled part of my dream for the "Me Day" on Monday.

The phone call from Megan pulled me from my spot near the Cafe. The second trip to Hobby Lobby, then dinner with Hilary, Blaine, and Landon at Pepe's, then an overnight stay with them so I could spend time with Landon before Megan's bridal shower the next afternoon at Clinton Prairie. Not a bad way to celebrate the end of the semester and get started on my Nook reading for the summer.

Spending time with my Nook....

Time for a little reading for just me! Favorite store? Barnes and Noble. I know--many people would not choose the same, but I love just browsing, sitting and reading, drinking some hot caramel apple cider (more in the fall and winter--but today IS rather chilly), and relaxing. I enjoy the atmosphere. People watching is great---so many people, all ages, all sizes, very diverse, all looking for something to read which makes me smile.

So my Nook and I will be spending some time and B and N today. I have had my Nook with me just twice in the store. Once I couldn't access anything and once the Nookguy fixed the problem, my daughter and I left. Something about meeting my other daughter at David's Bridal took precedence, I think. The second time I had a similar problem, but once it was fixed, Gary was nice enough to wander around in HIS favorite area (movies) while I checked out the in-store offers and downloaded a free book. Today will be my chance to browse, relax, read, people watch, and enjoy a cup of something in one of my favorite places. I can't wait!

Watch for updates on Nook reading from the sunroom...future installments on the way!

Melt my heart....

What a day yesterday! I chatted with Lori last night on Pronto and we counted the pluses for the day. Sharing them here:

Lori graduated with honors from Ivy Tech Community College -South Bend campus. Woo Hoo!! She also received a scholarship to IUSB to continue her work on her Bachelor's Degree.

Tonya received the Outstanding Student in Liberal Arts Award from the Kokomo region - my region, by the way.

The Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Student in the Kokomo region was also TONYA! Woo Hoo~!!!

I have been using the phrase "melts my heart" so much lately. Yesterday was one of those "melts my heart" days. Congratulations to Lori! Congratulation to Tonya!

Keep me posted on your lives 'after ENGL 223.' The blogs will be here. Pronto is always on when I am working on the computer (or playing around on it too!). I will be waiting for more of the 'melt my heart' moments!

Thank you for exploring American literature with me. I loved every moment. Have a wonderful summer...and Happy Reading!

Everything is literature.....

Yes, I know. It is nearly 5:00 a.m. and I am posting on the Blog. I was so tired last night so I went to bed at 10. For some reason I was wide awake at 4:30 and instead of tossing and turning and ultimately disturbing my husband, I decided to read the blogs.

Kayla posted about researching. We read all the time, more than we realize. One of the things I always stressed to my students (in my past life) was how important reading was to each of them. Of course I was dealing with teenagers who thought English class was boring and unimportant and anything learned was useless. So we read. We read stories in the text (no pictures). We watched movie versions of short stories and novels to show that the 'good stuff' had to come from somewhere. We acted out the plays in the text so they would be more involved in the reading process. We wrote outside after reading Walden. We read the newspaper. We searched for messages on billboards. We read ads. We watched a game show with the sound off and read the closed captioning instead. Reading is everywhere.

Just before summer break a junior class was talking about their classes for their senior years. Novels class was a senior elective--a fun class, field trips to libraries, to the movie theatre to see Dances with Wolves and A River Runs through It (those trips were a LONG time ago). One student commented that she had better things to do with her time---while we were wasting our time reading, she would be enjoying life.

I was happy that I didn't have to say a thing--the rest of the class jumped on her about how she read every day, whether she realized it or not, that reading was important just to daily living, and that so much could be learned/experienced/gained from reading anything and everything. They surprised me then by listing all the things they could read and what they could learn: recipes (new ingredients, new cooking methods, new food --Kevin would like that, right!), directions when traveling (new places to see, new places to go), weather maps and statements (it was tornado season in the northern Indiana flatlands), and on and on. It did my heart good!

While some may disagree that everything is 'literature' (and I would have to concur to some extent), the words appear on the page, the eyes read, the mind processes, and new information is added to the bank of knowledge. Food for the mind!

Kate and Great Grandma Eva

Kate Chopin has long been a favorite author. I think I shared before that my first exposure to her writing came when I was a junior at Mt. Vernon High School (yes, Kayla and Kevin--the Mt. Vernon west of Evansville) and Mrs. Kuhn had us read several of her short stories. I loved her writing and the fact that she was 'breaking ground' on a movement of women writers.

A few years later she was a featured author on the syllabus for the Women in Literature course that was one of my electives at Indiana State. That was the first time I read The Awakening. That novel fed my eagerness to read more of her works. Since that time I have taught several of her short stories to juniors ("A Pair of Silk Stockings" and "The Story of an Hour") and have shared The Awakening with some of the more mature seniors in my Novels classes as reading for extra projects.

I was thrilled to see more of Kate's short stories appear in the Norton. "The Story of an Hour" was also included in the text for ENGL 111 and I used it with my lesson on literary terms which led to the required essay test in the curriculum.

Why do I like her work? Maybe it is because my great-grandmother lived during that time period. I am fairly certain that Great Grandma Eva Cattell did not exercise her freedom of speech and take a stand against Great Grandpa Howard. However, I remember Great Grandma Eva well. She died when I was in 3rd or 4th grade, so I did spend hours of time at her house, helping her with flowers, and cooking, and entertaining, and looking at the children's books she had stashed under the couch. Great Grandma was a devout Quaker, but I can imagine her being happy with some new-found freedom. From what I hear, my great-grandfather was a very strict man. Maybe she would have enjoyed buying a pair of silk stockings from the counter at The Boston Store in downtown Alliance. Maybe she would have sat at the counter at Murphys and enjoyed a lunch by herself. Maybe she would have sat in the streetcar on the way back to Beloit, wishing it would go on forever.

A brighter outlook

I have to admit I was feeling rather frustrated when I wrote the earlier post today. Grrrr.....too many students with sloppy work, whining about how hard the class is, complaining about how demanding I am, and it was getting to me.

Now, however, I am sitting in my sunroom, watching the sun dance across the yard, the wind rustling through the green leaves on the many trees around our house, and the cats sprinting across the yard after something only they can sense is there because I don't see anything! What a way to brighten my day, lighten the load, soften the edge.

After I finished the grades for one ENGL 112 class, I decided to pull up the excel files of your Pod #10 rubrics and catch up on reading your Blogs. WOW! All I need to do is check out the posts and the responses. I made it through the responses on mine and read everything in Tonya's and thoroughly enjoyed everything. Just what I needed. As Angela posted earlier in hers, this is just like journaling, only with a focus. I love it! I hope that we can continue communicating, or at least reading each other's blogs, long after the semester ends.

But now...back to the argument papers. Sigh...

Hmmm..what topic today?

My mind has been so muddled these past few days with grading argument essays from my four sections of ENGL 112. I have realized how much I enjoyed this particular class---reading, discussion, lack of 'fussing.' If you fussed, I didn't hear it, so that was great!

Emerson talked so much about Self-Reliance, being true to oneself, accepting responsibility for one's actions. This is something that has been popping through my mind frequently the last few days. One's education is the responsibility of---guess who? The student! I was always responsibile for my own homework, asked for help if I didn't understand something (chemistry--if not for my lab partner Mike Martin, I wouldn't have passed it), and accepted my grades. When I went to Indiana State for my undergrad and then to Purdue for my Master's degree, I was in charge--it was up to me. My grades reflected my efforts, the quality of my work, and the amount of time I decided to donate to the cause. My 'rush to study 10 minutes before the test' showed in a low grade. I never would have blamed my instructors/teachers/professors for my low grades. I would never have blamed ISU or Purdue for my lack of completion of my degree. The requirements are there; I had to work to meet them.

What has changed? Why is it that students feel like they can submit sub-average work, not meet requirements, and still receive high marks for inferior work? Why is it the fault of the instructor? Why is it the ridiculous rules or guidelines set forth by the institution? Why is it always the fault of someone else?

What would Emerson say today about the idea of self-reliance?

What's in a name?

I know, I know. William Shakespeare belongs in Brit Lit, not American, but a line from one of his plays (Romeo and Juliet) fits my train of thought lately.

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

Those of us who have children know the importance of selecting a perfect name for the newborn babe that enters our lives. A friend from church lamented after the birth of her latest grandchild that he had no name. His parents had to look at him, get to know him, and then name him. They had waited two weeks after the birth of their first child to name her! I understand that to some extent, because some of the names of former students just don't fit them in any way...like the petite cheerleader whose name was Mildred. A family name, but not one that fit her personality at all. She did go by Milly some, but still....

I guess it is all in what you are used to also. Our minister's wife is E. Anne. Her first name is really Elizabeth (one that I think is a beautiful name, by the way), but she has always been known by E. Anne. At first it seemed odd to call her that; now it is natural. That is just her name.

What is my point? Our names are our identity in many cases. While I know Tamara, Maria, Tyler, and Angela since they are or have been on the Logansport campus with me, and I have seen pictures of Kevin, Lori, Kayla, and Tonya, I would not know Tina or Teresa or Dawn if they walked into my office. I am not really sure I will recognize Tonya until she walks across the stage on May 13. How many people do you know just by their names? Is your imagined picture of that person accurate?

Which now brings me to another point. Hilary, my daughter the new mother, has been asking me repeatedly what I want to be called. Grandma? Grandma Beth? Nana? Grammy? Memaw (ugh!)? I always said to Landon "It's Grandma, Landon!" or "Grandma's here, Landon" or "Can you smile at Grandma?" Will that be me? Or will I be something different to that sweet little guy?

Our neighbor always called her little grandson "Sweetie" and when he started to talk, he called her "Sweetie" right back. He stills calls her that, and he is 10 now.

"Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language." -Dale Carnegie, "How to Win Friends and Influence People"


What's in a name? Everything, right now! Will it be Grandma? Nana? Whatever it will be, I am sure when Landon says it, it will be the 'sweetest and most important sound.' Any suggestions?

Pods

I just finished grading The Joy Luck Club Pod before my husband and I had dinner. I tend to lose myself in reading the submissions each week. Sometimes I think I have just enough time to skim through and get the main ideas of the posts, but I always find myself reading everything word for word--which should be comforting to the students. Yes, I do. I read everything! I can't force myself NOT to. Of course some of you may be thinking "Why wouldn't she read everything? Isn't that what she is SUPPOSED to do?" Which it is. And I do. But I have heard some instructors say that they just skim--they don't have time to read everything verbatim. Well, neither do I, but I do. I would miss out on some great ideas and discussions, plus new insights, if I didn't read anything.

Pods have been interesting. Sometimes each student will pick the same assignment; sometimes an assignment has no takers. I never know, and I commented to a friend that the next time I teach this, I may replace some of the unpopular assignments with others that may seem more interesting. How wrong that would be! Just because very few people read the chapter from The Red Pony a few pods ago doesn't mean that in another semester five or six students may really enjoy Steinbeck and want to read it. What I do want to do, however, is add to the mix. There are so many other stories, poems, and plays in the anthology that we did not have time for, or that I did not have a chance to develop. The next time, I will add more titles to the menu.

Also in the next two semesters there are no novels on the 'reading list' from the state curriculum committee. That means that I won't be able to officially teach The Scarlet Letter, The Red Badge of Courage, or The Joy Luck Club next year. I am not very happy about that, because I feel that the novel is such an important genre, but we will still have Huckleberry Finn in the anthology--I hope. The edition for that is changing as well. And once again, we are being restrited in our choices.

On to Pod #10, the final section of our semester's adventure through American literature. What fun it has been!

A favorite novel

Teaching is always a challenge, but teaching Engligh takes so much planning and a toll on the creativity. Maybe that is why my creativity is always so low! Very few people walk into an English class at any level, excited about it. It is one of those 'required so it must be bad' type of high school classes. Teaching juniors, all of them, for over 25 years made my life very challenging. At the point they walked through my door, they were a. tired of school and just wanted out b. hated English and everything to do with it with a passion (due to earlier experiences) c. siblings (or even worse CHILDREN) of former students who knew coming in what was expected and didn't want to do it or d. ready to do whatever I asked them to because they wanted good grades. That last group was easy. The other three were the challenges.

When I needed a novel to teach the boys who returned from the morning vocational classes and went right into my room after lunch, I came up with teaching Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Is it about mice? Well, not really, although Lennie does like to pet dead ones in his pocket. Is it about men? Yes, migrant farm workers on a ranch in California. Does it relate to life? Of course! But that is another issue.

Criteria for a novel for junior boys who don't want to be in English class at all: short (check), easy to read (check), good plot (which means someone dying usually - check), and a good way to keep the focus (check).

John Steinbeck wrote many novels ranging from The Grapes of Wrath (not exactly short) to The Red Pony (used in 8th grade English classes and one section of it we read in 223) to East of Eden (the movie version starring James Dean is a must-see) to Of Mice and Men, and I am omitting several from this list. His style in OM+M is one that fits the criteria needed for the juniors. It was short. It was easy to read. The vocabulary was very simple. The plot had just enough conflict to keep them interested. The symbolism was easy to understand (of course I always had to point that out). Plus..the novel included some great dialogue, which translates to fun in the classroom.

When I first introduced the novel I would assign parts and told them the parts were theirs until they died--the characters that is! That always intrigued them. I also acted like I was really pondering who would read which part (like I didn't already have it planned). Let's see...a short little guy who is always looking for a fight, thinks he has power, wants to be in charge even though he isn't---Curly...hmmm (looking around the room)...How about Frank? You could do that role! And the room would erupt with laughter and comments aimed at Frank.

At the end of each class I would assign some of the 'narrative' for them to read, ask them to answer the study questions, and be ready to roll when they walked in the door the next day. Most of the time they would walk in and start moving the desks so we would have plenty of room to 'act out' the scenes before I could even ask them to. Sometimes a student would stop me in the hall, look around, and quietly tell me how much he liked the next chapter and couldn't believe that Lennie had actually crushed Curley's hand. Of course it was told to me quietly, no one else around---can't be seen talking to Mrs. Siemens about a book, can you? Reputation to consider here.

Oh the intensity! The dream--would they pull it off? Why didn't Curley's Wife just stay away from them? What would The Boss do when he found out about the crushed hand? Would Lennie ever get a puppy? How could they hide the dead body and still keep Lennie safe?

When the last page was turned, when the novel ended, there was always a sense of disappointment and sadness in the room. The students left with shoulders sagging and spirits spent. They were disappointed the story of Lennie and George was over.

The test? The best grades ever! They knew that book. The only ones who didn't pass with flying colors were the habitual absentees who didn't bother to read anything that was missed, and who really didn't care anyway. But the rest of them? They loved it. Even today a former student will mention how much he enjoyed reading that book about those two guys who were on the farm and the one guy kept killing everything he touched.

Yes, Of Mice and Men is a favorite novel. I like Steinbeck's style. I like the story and the characters, the conflicts and the symbolism. But what I really like is that Steinbeck was able to capture the attention of many junior English students at West Central and give the experience of reading one of my favorite novels!

One of my favorite characters

Ok...double posting today! Today is my 'late day' on campus, and I am enjoying the recliner and piddling around with my laptop.

Nick Carroway...the narrator of The Great Gatsby. I like him. He is not only the narrator but a character in the story. Nick is Daisy's cousin, which is why he is involved in the story itself. He is also Jay Gatsby' neighbor, a former college acquaintance of Tom (Daisy's husband), and eventually the beau of Jordan (even though they are not really in the same 'league' which dooms the relationship from the start).

Nick is 'there' at the three parties which begin the novel. He is 'there' during the first meeting between Daisy and Jay after the years of separation. He is 'there' during the final dinner after which the confrontation occurs in the Plaza Hotel. He is 'there' to pick up the pieces after Jay's murder. He is the one who learns the truth behind Myrtle's death. And through him, we learn about the intricacies of the relationships: Tom and Daisy, Daisy and Jay, Tom and Myrtle, Myrtle and George. We learn from him about the American Dream and how it can be shattered so easily--and sometimes misguided. Everything we learn about the characters and their stories we learn because Nick was 'there.'

But also there are many things that we don't know. Because everything is told from Nick's perspective, there are many missed moments for us as readers because...well, because Nick misses them. The actual first time Jay and Daisy realized that they were together again, the first time their eyes met after years of being apart, we missed because Nick was fiddling about with a wet umbrella on the porch. We missed it. How intense did the renewed relationship become between Jay and Daisy? We don't know; we can only guess because Nick wasn't invited to the mansion during all of their clandestine meetings. We only know about the circumstances surrounding Jay's murder because Nick pieced it together from snippets of conversations before and after the fact. It reminds me of the flashbacks on the television shows like CSI that my husband seems to watch endlessly.

Nick never judges, well, rarely does he pass judgment. He presents the scenarios yet does not editorialize the events. We know Tom is sleazy because Nick went to the apartment with him when Tom and Myrtle entertained. Jay and Daisy's "meeting" was in his house and he willingly allowed Jay to arrange the flowers and the food. He was a participant even though he knew it was wrong. He didn't step in and try to advise Daisy NOT to commit adultery or to think of her child. He presents; we conclude.

Some feel like Nick is wimpy, that he should stand up for his beliefs (which he eventually does because he leaves the rottenness of Long Island and returns to his home in the Midwest), that he should have spoken up earlier and done something to prevent Myrtle's death, Jay's death, and George's death. But that wasn't his role. His role was to be there, on Long Island, connecting us to the stories of Tom and Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Jay Gatsby.

Speaking of the classics

I have been thinking about what my former student Ruth wrote about finally reading Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, and Night (see former blog post). One thing I am looking forward in a couple of weeks is reading more for me rather than grading endless argument papers. Of course spending time with my little grandson and working on wedding preparations will take up much of those three weeks 'off' between the spring and summer semesters, but I fully expect to enjoy some sunroom time, settled into the wicker chair with my Nook in my hands and a frosted glass of iced tea or lemonade on the table beside me.

I haven't had much of a chance to enjoy my Nook this semester, but I do know that I have received several free books, mainly classics. As I have scrolled through the 'shopping' area, I have seen that many of the titles (classics again) are free or very inexpensive, such as under $5, many under $3. My husband was going through some boxes in our spare room (nice term for the 'junk room' where everything we don't need at the moment ends up) and found the books I pulled from my classroom closet when I hurriedly packed up my 'stuff' from 33 years of teaching high school. In those boxes? Many of the classics I had taught, read in the past, or shared with my students who needed a book to read during 'free reading time.'

I hate to admit that I have never read Lord of the Flies. I would love to re-read To Kill a Mockingbird--I used to teach that to freshmen years ago. I loved A Farewell to Arms. Gatsby has always been my favorite Fitzgerald novel, but I need to return to some of his other titles. And The Grapes of Wrath? What a great novel! Finding time to read it again would be wonderful.

If are looking for me this summer, I will be playing with my grandson, working on my Mother of the Bride duties, or enjoying my sunroom, my Nook, and the Classics.

Episodic Narratives

Something we talked about tonight in Pronto, or rather that I mentioned in Pronto, was short stories that are actually taken from chapters of novels. The first time I read The Joy Luck Club was after I had taught a short story about the piano lessons, which came from the "Two Kinds" chapter about Jing-Mei Woo. I decided I needed to read the novel so I would know more about the culture, about Amy Tan, and about the background of the novel to share with my students. After that a short story appeared in the junior AmLit book about Waverly and the chess tournaments. "The Rules of the Game" was included nearly verbatim from what appears in the novel.

The point is....this novel is a perfect example of episodic narrative. One chapter, one story, can be lifted from the novel and read without needing to read previous or subsequent chapters in the book. My junior students could enjoy reading these two short stories without knowing any more about The Joy Luck Club than what I shared with them in the introduction and motivation portion of my lesson plans. However, now that I have re-read the novel for this course, I see how all the pieces fit together and how one adds to the understanding of another.

Reading just one 'episode' of a novel may be a tempting taste for some students, but the entire meal should be savored by taking time to read the novel. The reader will not be disappointed!

The Presence of Poetry

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all.” - Emily Dickinson

There was very sad news in the community over the weekend. A student where I used to teach died as a result of an overdose. That is sad in itself, but adding to the grief is the fact that this is the second son the parents have lost due to drugs. I did not know the student nor did I know the brother who died two years ago. But I know the students and the family's friends in the community are suffering greatly due to this loss.

I visited the Facebook page created in his memory and found the above quote posted from yet another one of my former students. She posted a narrative following the quote which was very appropriate for the situation. What struck me once again, not taking away from the grieving in this tragic situation, is that some of the literature that I taught to my students have stuck with them.

Emily Dickinson's poetry was difficult to teach. Some of the students just don't like poetry (I am sure that is not a surprising statement about high school students) or if they do, they don't like to admit it. But I really tried to show Emily's sensitivity in her writing and I tried to relate her words to their situations today. Granted *I* was the one who talked the most during the discussions, but often I would place the students in small groups with the idea of summarizing her thoughts into 'advice for now' type of passages. What they came up with was usually very good and full of insight into their lives.

When Cassie posted the quote, I had to smile. She knew Riley Hosptial for Children very well when she was young--she was a frequent patient there. She knows what it is like to 'hope' and how important it is to remember that it 'never stops at all.'

Once again, a passage of literature relating to real life.

The Classics

One of my former students (who also babysat our daughters, so that tells you how long ago Ruth was in my high school classes) commented on Facebook that she finally read The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, and The Scarlet Letter--novels she had seemed to miss during her high school years. I commented in return that she must have meant "re-read" those titles because those were three of the novels that I can practically recite from memory since I taught them year after year. She did admit to remembering the story of Hester Prynne. How many of you have read those three? We did read The Scarlet Letter in ENGL 222, but I didn't include the other two because I thought most of you would have read them in high school classes.

Are high school teachers now opting to include newer titles instead of reading what we now consider the classics? Can the attention of the students not be captured with a story of a guy trying to get back his girlfriend of his youth, convincing her to have an affair with him and then being murdered by a guy set up by the lover of that guy's wife who was killed in a hit-and-run accident?

The perfect novel for a class of boys who had just returned from vocational classes was Of Mice and Men. Easy vocabulary, riveting story--and they could read the dialogue in parts and act out some of the scenes. The best test scores they ever received were on that novel--they enjoyed reading it and remembered the plot, the characters, the conflicts, the details of Lennie crushing Curley's hand and then breaking the neck of Curley's Wife.

If you haven't read any of those three, I challenge you to do so over the summer. Take the book with you to the beach. Keep it in the car with you so you can read while waiting for your child to come out of school, or in the doctor's office, or in a traffic jam, or when you have some time over lunch. Get into one of the classics. You will be glad you did.

"The best laid plans of mice and men...."

The events of Thursday morning brought this line to mind. I love teaching the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, and I love teaching Brit Lit as well, but I digress. I mentioned previously about the presentation for the 21st Century Scholars for Thursday morning. I had enlisted the help of an ENGL 112 (and former ENGL 111) student who is also majoring in Education. By the time I left my office on Wednesday evening, the handout was printed (not copied yet) and I had several packets finished for the activity that I had planned for learning how to argue effectively in an argument paper. Since I couldn't find my markers which must have been misplaced in the move from the old building to the new campus, I stopped at CVS to pick up a pack to use that morning. I stopped. I bought the markers. The car stopped too! Permanently. Well, hopefully not 'permanently' but enough to prevent me from arriving at the campus in time for the presentation.

Long story short...

Two trips to and from Logansport for my husband (once following the tow truck).

One Jeep Compass with a transmission problem.

One presentation done by my ENGL 112 student who had called me on my cell phone with a "Are you REALLY not coming for the presentation? REALLY?????" followed by an "Ok..I think I can handle it."

And a pack of markers that I really have no other use for.

I had a good plan;other things got in the way so I couldn't see it to fruition. But---I do have a wonderful husband who got off the tractor and rescued me and my broken Jeep. It was a great experience for Scott as an education major to face a group of sophomores and pull off a 30 minute lesson in argument papers.

Maybe the 'best laid plans' went astray but were not a disaster (until we hear from the service dept at Brauns about the Jeep).

Talking to the Scholars...

I am posting a day ahead of schedule. It is really Wednesday night. Tomorrow a group of 21st Century Scholars are visiting the Logansport campus and I have been asked to do 'something fun in English' with them for 25 minutes.

Come on! It has to be 'something fun' and can only last 25 minutes. I am not sure that can be done. I tossed around several ideas, such as my own version of the GRAMO or BARDO games that I used as my Friday Fill Ins (when I was just tired of trying to teach the juniors on a football Friday). Too much work to create my own BINGO cards and too little time to do that. Scratch that idea. Then I thought of a fill in the blank activity that they could do about courses and other things connected to English classes. Naw...not a good idea.

How about a quick paragraph using the senses? Smell oregano. Eat a grape. Touch wet spaghetti. Ok...already, too much work in too little time to prepare, and not enough time to do the activity justice.

So, once again in the middle of the night, I came up with what I am actually using. First a quick talk about the importance of getting the most out of their English classes while they are in high school so they don't have to take Basic Skills classes. Then a run down of the courses we offer and the degrees available in Liberal Arts. Handout. Done.

Next groups of 4 to create the basics for an argument paper--same principles that I use in ENGL 112. I have six packets ready to go with topics and View #1, View #2, and View #3 so they can work with those and then share.

I even have a helper! Scott stopped by this evening to ask a question about his paper due next week---and I drafted him! Extra credit points will be coming his way. He even volunteered to tell them how important it is to NOT have to take the Basic Skills classes. All right!!!

It has been a few years since I have taught sophomores. In fact, my last year at West Central I did have one sophomore class during the first two terms, but Sarah taught them most of the semester.

It's only 25 minutes. I can do it! And I hope some of them will be in my classes in a few years, starting their degrees.

Flowers

The violets in the mountains have broken the rocks. ~Tennessee Williams

As my husband and I were working outside on Monday around noon, I made my way to the flower bed in the backyard around the outhouse. Yes, an outhouse. It was here on the farm when we purchased that land in 1975 and we have never removed it. My husband uses it for storage--rakes, shovels, all of those stand up gardening and yard tools. Years ago we replaced the overgrown vegetation around it with a more orderly flower garden. Well, not so much flowers but plants. Most of the green stuff there is of the hosta variety, with a few other plants thrown in---poppies, some rampant creeping things that smell when I remove them (actually they stink when pulled from the ground).

Last year I planted a bleeding heart there and had forgotten about it. Back to the 'made my way to the flower bed in the backyard around the outhouse.' My attention was captured by some bursts of red and white---the bleeding hearts had bloomed! What a surprise! Really, I had completely forgotten about that new plant. It is alive and well, and BLOOMING, by the outhouse.

I am always amazed at flowers that seem to pop up in unlikely places. Violets on rocks, as Tennessee Williams mentioned, little white flowers scattered around a pole, daffodils that poke their heads through the snow. Mother Nature has a mind of her own.

Thoreau on Facebook

Our life is frittered away by detail. . . Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million, count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumbnail." - Thoreau

I became "friends" with a former student from my high school classes just recently. She was the salutatorian after FOUR valedictorians---quite a competitive group for a class of fewer than 70 people. I had lost touch with her, but through the wonders of Facebook, we have reconnected. I was especially pleased to see the quote today as her status. As my juniors read Walden, and I seriously doubt that many of them actually did, I would point out to them my favorite passages, for the reason I just stated---I seriously doubt that many of them actually read anything by Thoreau or Emerson, for that matter.

Even though I stressed that passage and encouraged them, as juniors in high school, to simplify their lives, I knew that simplicity would be the one word that didn't define the lives of any of them, especially those in the college-bound track.

Why don't we simplify? We try, with microwaves, computers, debit cards, Nooks/Kindles, Blackberries, and now iPads. In the long run though, do these devises actually simplify our lives or just make them even more complicated?

Granted I can call my husband from my cell phone if and when I ever need assistance due to car problems on my 35 minute drive from Logansport to our house. Yes, I can defrost something quickly in the microwave upon my return home. It is much easier to communicate with students through Ivy Tech email and I save so much paper by posting the assignment sheets on Blackboard. But how much time do I spend posting assignments in the Pods for American Lit? What happened to the midterms from ENGL 222 last fall when they disappeared into the black hole of Blackboard? Do I really need access to the Internet through my cell phone, at any time, any place (as long as I have a signal!)?

Thanks, Dynelle, for reminding me of this passage. Every so often I need to be prodded to remember that simplifying my life should be my focus more often than not.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Today my youngest daughter celebrated her 26th birthday, which in itself amazes me since it seems like just a few years ago that she was born.

My husband and I arrived at her house before she did. We had carried in the birthday brownies (a tradition in our house), the gift, and the salads to add to the dinner menu (our son-in-law was grilling tonight).

Soon we were joined by our older daughter. She was carrying her book with her, and after greeting us, she settled into a chair to read. Of course I chastised her a bit, since I think reading while others that one doesn't see that often, especially one's parents, are in the same room is just rude. But she reminded me that I taught her always to carry a book with her---just in case. She didn't expect us to be at Hilary's house as early as we were, and she knew Hilary wouldn't be home yet, so she had planned to get in some reading time.

I don't remember ever 'teaching' her to carry a book with her, but I guess since I always grabbed a book before we went ANYWHERE while she was growing up, I was teaching by example. Then too she IS the librarian at Clinton Prairie High School and books are part of her position. She is always reading something new to possibly add to the shelves for the students. She too totes books with her when she comes to our house, had a book in each room of her new house, and always mentions what she is reading in our conversations.

Maybe I shouldn't have given her a hard time after she arrived, but I would have liked some conversation with her rather than competing with the pages. For the record, she closed the book, put it with her purse, and sat and talked to me--until her nephew arrived with his mother. Not even the best book could have competed with him! As I said, like mother, like daughter.

Thank you, Professor Byrd!

Robert Frost. One of my favorite poets. I always loved teaching his poetry to my high school students because there were so many messages for them to be found--if they would just look! "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"--take time to enjoy the moments in your life instead of counting the days to graduation. That was a good one to teach in mid-semester when the talk turned to 'how many days of school do we have left' or 'guess how many days till we graduate?? I can hardly wait to get out of here.'

But the one I always stressed was "The Road Not Taken." Teaching in a small rural school and seeing two generations of students pass through my classroom doors emphsized that many felt they were 'stuck' in the small towns and doomed to a life of never leaving Pulaski County, that the opportunities to move, to continue their educations, to pursue a dream were for others, not for them. That is why the poem was so important in my curriculum. There are choices, there are decisions, and often the best choice is the one that others DON'T take.

So where is this leading? Last night at the Awards and Recognition Program at the Logansport campus, Julie Byrd selected a poem to read in the closing remarks that she felt appropriate for the newly announced Instructor of the Year and that reflected the choices of many of us in the room---"The Road Not Taken." What was so special about this selection and her reading of it is that SHE was one of my former students at West Central; she was in 8th grade which was my second year of teaching (we tell everyone I was only 12 at the time--don't start doing the math!). I don't remember if I taught Frost to them, but Julie is the personification of that poem. She chose the 'road not taken' in many aspects of her life--personally and professionally. Not only was the poem appropriate for her, it also defines many of the Ivy Tech students. Many are returning to school for one reason or another. Many are juggling families, work, and studying. It would be so easy to take the well-traveled road and stay on the well-worn path. Instead they choose the 'road less traveled,' hitting a few bumps, getting stuck in some ruts, and needing help to keep on moving toward the destination, a degree. And when I think about it, I did the same. From the moment I signed my first contract at West Central (long story) to leaving when I did for my new family at Ivy Tech, from the projects I created for my students and all of the adventures we shared together (camping trips, field trips, treks to the Outdoor Lab, 'building' a restaurant, Gatsby parties, and on and on) to creating Pods and Blogs for my online AmLit students, I travel that 'road less traveled.' And I love it!

Thank you, Julie, for selecting such a wonderful poem to share last night. It was perfect--in so many ways.

Lilacs

As I have walked from the Compass to the house the last few days, or have just been outside wandering around, checking out the clean up work needed from the winter's wrath on the flower beds, the scent of lilacs from the many bushes we have around our house has been drifting through the air (what a long sentence!).

Lilacs must be blooming earlier than usual this spring. During my West Central days, I would cut lilacs to place in a vase on my desk during the early days of May. Why do I remember the time? Because they always bloomed around my birthday, and that was a gift to myself--lilacs on my desk, scenting the room. My students were hit with the smell as soon as they walked in the classroom, and sometimes it drifted to the hall and those passing by would catch a whiff and comment "Oh..Mrs. Siemens has been bringing in her lilacs again! Must be spring for sure!"

The connection to literature? I always think of Whitman's poem "When Lilacs Last in Dooryard Bloom'd" during this time of year as well. What a powerful poem, and such a great tribute to one of our most well-known Presidents. Maybe that was part of the intent of the poem---to tie together a remembrance of the death of President Lincoln and the effect on our country to an annual occurrence. Maybe it was to show the cycle of life--birth, death, rebirth. Every lilac bloom that was placed in the vase on my desk had a short life. The flowers would be so fragrant and beautiful, in all their glory, for a day or so. The next morning I would walk in to find limp stems and dried up blossoms littering my desk. Into the trash they went to be replaced with a new bouquet. Such is life---vibrant and fragrant, then suddenly, tossed aside to be replaced. Sounds too pessimistic to me. I would rather think of enjoying the moments, looking forward to new life, and knowing that next spring, around my birthday, there will be more lilacs.

The Last Pod

Whew! I just finished putting the last Pod on Blackboard. Each creation has been so much work, but I think it has all been worth it. After the problems I encountered in ENGL 222 last semester, and with creating my own online course being new to me, I knew that something had to change. After brainstorming with Daughter the Librarian, we came up with the Pod idea. I think it was successful..and I stress the "I think."

The idea was to give my students some freedom to select the authors and works they would enjoy and at the same time to give them a broad overview of American authors since 1865. Some students enjoy writing papers, others like discussion boards, and a few like to read and answer content questions as they go. Pronto sessions are fun and promote great discussion but finding a time that fits into everyone's schedules, in different regions, and from different time zones, is just hard. How can I require students to participate when they may be working or have other obligations during the pronto time? So the Pod idea seemed to be a great solution. Students can pick and choose authors/titles, work at their own pace, and participate in the activities that work best for them---as long as they meet the deadlines and accummulate the points needed. Using two-week and three-week time frames worked well too for some of the larger sections.

The problem for me was finding the time to put everything together. Often I had the ideas or the files or the handouts from previous classes, but everything had to be re-formatted for Blackboard. Plus the selections had be carefully chosen to include a variety of styles, ethnic groups, a blend of cultures, and genres. It was w.o.r.k. to create 8 pods of activities for the students. Two pods were for the midterm and semester projects, which were a little easier to create.

Now that The Joy Luck Club pod has made its appearance, I feel a weight lifted. The next time I teach ENGL 223 online, I will be ready. But knowing me, the Pods will not stay the same. There will be changes. Some selections will be deleted since very few people chose them to read. Others that I just didn't have time to work with will be added. I just learned that individual novels will not be on our textbook list as additional books, so adjustments will need to be made. No more Red Badge or Joy Luck Club for this semester or Scarlet Letter for ENGL 222.

The Last Pod...the end of the semester. Wow. So much work, but hasn't it been fun?

Finding reading time....

As a child I read all of the time. I was more of a stay-in-the-house-and-read kind of girl rather than a go-outside-and-play child. Losing myself in a book was great fun for me. Finishing a book was both a great sense of accomplishment along with the feeling of disappointment that the story had ended. I always imagined how the plot continued to develop after that last page. I missed the characters.

Today I read often. However, squeezing in time for pleasure reading is difficult. Somehow reading (and grading) argument essays in their various stages doesn't rank up there with the enjoyment of a new best-seller. I still consider the reading I do for my lit classes enjoyable, but I read with a different eye when the selection is something I am teaching or discussing intelligently! I miss the 'reading just because I want to' activity.

Enter "The Nook." My husband (with the help of the Christmas Elf aka Daughter #2) surprised me with The Nook for a Christmas gift. Of course it was back-ordered, and it finally arrived in mid-January. After fixing a couple of glitches for registration, I have happily enjoyed I, Alex Cross (my first purchase) and several other selections. The Nook is easy to transport, takes up little space, and is surprisingly easy to use. I love it!

Still...the time to read. Even though my intent is to read for pleasure a little each day, it doesn't always happen. Too much grading, too many other little things to do, too much travel time between home and campus or to see our daughters and new little grandson. Priorties, you know! However, I carry a book with me everywhere I go, in the hopes that there will be some moments to read, even if it is in the car while my husband is driving, while I am waiting for the Carside to Go meal from Applebees, or sitting in the doctor's office or waiting room.

I am a reader. I will read. And I am really really looking forward to May 8 when the grading is done for a while. My Nook and I will be best friends!

The only author I ever "met"......

A few years ago my daughter, the teacher/librarian at Clinton Prairie High School near Frankfort, asked me to join her at Purdue for a lecture by Amy Tan. Was I excited? You bet I was! I had never seen an author before, in person, and I had taught several of her stories in my high school classes. WOW! In preparation I visited the Waldens bookstore at the Logansport Mall and purchased her latest novel so she could sign it for me. I could hardly wait.

Megan and I found a set close to the front of the Elliott Hall of Music, which is a HUGE auditorium. It was by no means full to capacity, but there were several others in attendance, mainly female guests. Some were coeds who whipped out notebooks so we surmised that their attendance was part of a class assignment. Others were part of a literary group, or various book clubs, entered as a group, and sat as a group. You know what I mean.

When Ms. Tan walked onto the stage, I was amazed. She appeared to be shorter than I expected, she was carrying a large tote bag which she placed on the floor next to the podium, and she was wearing a caftan type garment over pants, high heeled shoes, and various necklaces and bracelets.

As she spoke, she leaned against one side of the podium, very casual in her demeanor and in her speech. She gave the impression that we were all friends and she had just stopped by to chat.

She talked about her life, her mother, her education, her heritage. She shared a story of the first time she saw her book title and her name on one of those black and yellow pamphlet type books---you know what I mean (Cliffs Notes) in a bookstore prior to a speaking engagement. After pinching herself to be sure she was still alive ("for only the dead authors are the ones whose works are condensed by Mr. Cliff"), she tucked a copy in her purse to read later in her hotel room. She discovered many interpretations of her book that she didn't know existed! And she learned some things about herself and the reasons she wrote the book also (that she hadn't know previously!).

The evening ended too soon. Megan and I were hanging on every word. The 90 minutes or so that she shared her experiences flew by. At the end she reached down to her tote bag and pulled out.....a little dog! He had been in the bag during her entire presentation, not a sound (at least none that we could hear). We found out later that he always accompanies her to her speaking engagements, snuggles into the tote, and then makes an appearance at the end.

Amy Tan has always been a favorite author, and I enjoy her more now that I have listened to her in person. Reading The Joy Luck Club in the lit class was a natural choice. Hopefully the ladies will enjoy it, and Kevin can at least make his way through without giving up! It IS a book more for female than male readers. Sorry, Kevin!

The beauty of nature...

Spring is my favorite time of year. Really, it is. My sister always said it was because my birthday is in May, but really it is because the drabness of winter is gone and the earth comes alive once again! I love the green grass, the tulips and daffodils, the robins chirping each morning, and the warmth of the sunshine on my face. I love the smell of new-mown grass and the scent of lilacs. I like the sounds of the outdoors through the open windows. Sitting in our new sunroom brings more contact with the outdoors as I find myself distracted by watching and listening to the activities outside the many windows instead of grading online assignments on my laptop.

It is no wonder, then, that two of my favorite American authors are Emerson and Thoreau. It is not a surprise that I pushed for a Nature unit when planning the GT curriculum. One of my favorite activites for the GT class was the annual camping trip to McCormick's Creek State Park where we 'communed with nature' for one fall weekend. A winter trip to the Dunes was a 'one time only' event for one class, but it was invigorating to stand on the shores with the crisp wind from Lake Michigan showing its force. Trips to the outdoor lab with my regular English 11 classes were favorite activities--and the writing the students produced always had a freedom and sensitivity that their other attempts did not.

Ah, yes...spring has arrived. I want to clean out my flower beds, plant pansies, and retrieve my garden art from the storage area. Can I use that as an excuse for not grading Pod assignments? Hmmm...better not! But I can sit in the sunroom while I grade!

The assignment is on!

I am excited about the final project for this class. I foresee that all of the students will be actively blogging their thoughts, perspectives, opinions, knowledge about American literature here! What fun those entries will be to read, not only for me, but for everyone else in the class. My only regret is that we didn't start the blogging earlier in the semester. As I said before, "life" sometimes gets in the way of plans, which often happens with me. When my dad died on New Year's Eve morning, I was devastated, and it has taken a lot of praying and talking to others to get me through the grief process. My oldest daughter is getting married on June 19, and while much of the planning had been done early, there are all of the small things that are essential to do..now. Guess what I will be doing in my three weeks 'off' in May? Then we have the new little grandson. My youngest daughter and her husband had been on the list for possible adoption through the Foster Care to Adopion program since October, and we knew that they would suddenly receive a call about a child. However, receiving a call about a possibility and then three weeks later, having the child be with them required lots of planning and work to ready the nursery, have clothes and other needed supplies, and just prepare. Life changed for all of us that day that Landon arrived in our family. Teaching an overload this semester has keep me busy with grading and planning (never again will I do this!). So..the blog project was pushed to the back burner more than once.

But, here it is now. Ready for action! Our first blog on the list is a good one. What will the creative minds in our class come up with for their contributions? I can hardly wait to see!

When I knew I was a reader.....

Isn't it funny how some memories stick with you through the years?

The place--the little brown house on Rt. 62 between Westville and Damascus. The living room.

The time---evening, because the news was on. Huntley and Brinkley, I think (I know--most of you don't even REMEMBER those guys.)

The activity---looking at the newspaper. I watched my parents read the newspaper every day. Dad was home from work, dinner was finished, and he was sitting in the chair, watching the news and reading the paper. I picked up a section, just to 'be like Dad' and flipped through some of the pages. I picked out a word here, and a word there, and soon, more and more words appeared on the pages. I was so excited that I could actually read!

No recall on the age, but I know I hadn't started going to school yet. There was no such thing as pre-school then, so everything I learned was at home from my stay-at-home Mom and my grandmother who lived a few miles away.

From that moment on, I have been a reader. My favorite Christmas gifts were, and still are, books. I remember Little Women appearing under the Christmas tree. Heidi. Swiss Family Robinson. Then the Nancy Drew series. WOW! I loved them all. When my girls were little, they received books every year for Christmas and birthdays. My nephew always receives a book or two from Aunt Beth. Now I am buying books for my grandson--and my oldest daughter (who is a librarian--go figure!) asked everyone to bring a book for Landon as a gift at his baby shower a few weeks ago. Hilary is so excited to have a nice collection for her new little son.

I am a reader. I have always been a reader. I love to read. My best Christmas gift this past year was my Nook. Love it, love it, love it.... And it all started when I picked up that newspaper years ago.

Task #1

Create your own blog!

It's easy to do. Just go to www.blogger.com and start. If I can do it, you can too! Remember that the focus of your blog is literature, so select a name that relates. This will be the final project for ENGL 223 this spring, so let's have fun and make this a great communication tool for everyone. If you need help, contact me or Lori for assistance (Hope that is fine with you, Lori!) Also you can click on the Create New Blog at the top right of the screen and start there. Send a note to me with your blog address and I will add you to the list on the right side of my front page.

I am looking forward to reading and sharing thoughts as we move through this last month of the semester.

First steps!

After chatting tonight in Pronto, we decided to give this a try as the semester project. I have a feeling that the only regret I will have is that I didn't start this sooner. Wouldn't it have been fun to be blogging all semester? Sometimes 'life' gets in the way of the 'best laid plans' ala Robert Burns, but we are here now, with a month to go in the semester, and we will give it our best shot.

The plan? The ideal would be for each student to start her (or his, Kevin and Tyler) own blog. Then that blog could be added to the list that all can access through this blog site. We can read each other's and post comments on each other's blogs. Literary discussions, here we come!

Let's Get Started.....

This is actually Try #2 on starting a class blog. My idea was to blog for our end-of-semester project. Sounds like fun, right? I love my personal blog, and I enjoy reading other blogs as well. This would be a chance for everyone to participate and share ideas about the literature we read this semester.

I am not sure how successful this idea will be, but it is worth a shot. Come along on this new adventure. You know me...always trying something new to keep my students involved and loving the learning process.