1. Students have a speech to write where they introduce someone who has faced a challenge of some type. They were given this class as a work period to either research or begin their writing for the project. This will be due on Wednesday when we have class together. We will be dressing up and toasting with white grape juice each of the individuals they introduce us to. 

1. We began class by reading aloud some of the paragraphs the students posted on the blog in response to an essay and poems we read recently. Their task was to compare and contrast the perspective of the parents from the literature. We discussed a few of the paragraphs, which were very thorough and insightful.
2. We talked about the inevitability that each of these students will one day surpass their parents in an intellectual way. That does not mean they will become ‘smarter’ than their parents, but they will learn about some area of study in their future studies that their parents will likely be unaware of. Each student will choose a future profession that will very possibly be different from the one of their parents, thereby causing a slight separation between the two mentally. 
3. This discussion was an intro to the story we were to read next titled “The Broken Globe” about a man who grew up in Alberta with a father who was raised to believe what his religion told him and nothing more. In school, this boy learned that the world was round and the earth rotated around the sun, which was directly contrary to what the father was raised to believe and held firmly to. This separation between the two in understanding and beliefs led to a greater distance between the two emotionally as well. We were able to finish the story, discuss it briefly, and began questions when the bell interrupted us. Students are to have those questions finished for next class.
4. I will not be in class on Monday when students have two classes in the afternoon. They will be watching a video titled The Emperor’s Club  with Kevin Klein in it. They will soon do an assignment with the movie as the base. I’m sure they’ll enjoy it.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://youtube.com/v/FGmK59lqRWo" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]The boy in the clip who exits the bathroom is the son of the man who is confronting his former teacher. He talks about worrying about what contribution he’ll give to the world “later” after he’s done what’s necessary to accomplish much in life. Except his son has just heard him confess to being a liar and a cheat. Consider from this what encompassed the idea of a “contribution” from individuals – it is not simply their actions or accomplishments, it is also the potential they pass on for the future. (I really like this movie because I relate a lot to Klein’s character and his purpose in teaching.)  

1. Today, students finished their study of Regional Voices in this unit. We looked at the Saskatchewan voice, that focused on the precarious relationship they have with the land, the Maritime voice, that focused on their intense pride for their Region before their country, and now the Yukon in which the author almost seems to take the role of a former lover to the female land and claims that she is powerful and full of wonder, but only for those who are truly deserving of her riches and bounty. 
2. We studied through the poem, “The Law of the Yukon”, after a brief biography of Robert W. Service. We read through the poem together after having looked up the vocabulary words as a class. Through our study, we answered several questions read out before our reading. The bell ended class before we were finished with the questions but the perspective of this region should be clearly understood, from this one author’s view point at least.
3. Students were also given back their comma tests from Wednesday, along with their personal essays. (They had already been given their essays back to briefly look at but I kept them until I had made copies of a few.) The only difference between their personal essay and the essay they will be required to write during their departmental is that this one contains personal view points, whereas the dept essay will prohibit that. 
4. Also, this was my last class teaching the Gr 12 ELA class. Mrs. Campbell returns on Monday to continue with the students. I will see them and even teach them a few more times but she will be determining what the content of our discussions is. It’s been a really great class to have with these Grade twelves. I’ve enjoyed our talks and time a great deal. 

1. Students had been told a few days ago to begin considering a person they know of who has had to face a personal difficulty, a challenge, that students can focus on in their next assignment. They were given that assignment today. We are going to write introductions to a person we believe has faced a challenge with a positive spirit. Each person chose someone different, some including their family members as their chosen individual. We read through the handout given and talked about the things they need to focus on as they write, including making sure the tone is appropriate and they include the reason why they chose this person.
2. We also began looking at transitional phrases. Students may already use these in their writing, naturally, but others need to think about including these short words or phrases that help the readers follow the thought process more easily. We looked at five or six simple sentences written on the board and then, after reading through the different groups of transitional types, we added the transitions in to make sure each sentence is connected to the next. For the assignment, students will have to add transitions and ensure they are typed in bold or italics so they stand out. 
3. Students will use tomorrow’s class to begin their writing. 

1. We had no class today because of other school activities that took up our time. We’ll continue tomorrow. Students got together with their virtues groups to decorate Christmas stockings that will be displayed throughout the school.     

1. We began class by rereading a portion of the essay titled “Goalie”. We discussed it briefly and then looked at the questions in detail. There were some really insightful and developed responses from the students.
2. We talked about the idea that a parent has to realize, at some point, that their child is alone and that they as a parent are unable to be there for their child as they may like. I shared with them the idea that a parent and child can be walking in a line, side by side, but eventually that child grows and starts widening that gap between themselves and the parent and, at some point, may try to venture off in a whole different direction, no longer walking alone side or parallel to their parent. But, from personal experience, I can share that they may find, one day, that they subconsciously walk back towards that line the parent walks and may find they walk again beside their parents, as a friend this time, though, and not as a child. Life is an interesting journey. Looking to the future and anticipating what it may bring is an interesting task. 
3. We looked at two poems from the perspective of fathers who find their children have become a disappointment. We studied the two poems on the overhead as students made comments on their own copies. We discussed questions concerning the first poem and were cut off by the bell. 
4. Students were asked, before they left, to consider the essay “Goalie” and one of the two poems we looked at. They are to compare and contrast the father’s from each and in a paragraph write how they are similar and how they are different. I requested that they write their paragraph (make it a proper paragraph with topic sentence and supporting details ) in a word document, proof read and spell check it, and then paste it into the homework blog under this entry. We will share their perspectives and thoughts together when we have finished. 
5. Their essay is due tomorrow but I will receive them until Friday. 

On a side note, I shared with the students a story I was reminded of through out discussions today. It was a time when my father asked me to do something he thought was right, though it killed me and I was utterly embarrassed. I hated that he made me do this thing, and though it means little now, it was one of those moments where a parent really tries to teach their child the right way, be it tough on child and parent or not! It was an emotional story, but I am glad I was able to share it with the students.  And I love my dad still!! 

1. Students began their class by sitting down to write a test focusing on comma usage. We have recently looked at eight specific types of comma usage and broken it down to three main uses. They were told to review the commas for today’s test.
2. After the test, students wrote responses on the board to the question given yesterday, to compare and contrast the last two essays we have reviewed. We discussed some of the questions assigned and had several students add to other responses. In comparing the Saskatchewan perspective to the Maritime one, we notice that the Sask. people share their constant awareness of the land as being larger than themselves and, at times, an aggresive opponent they must struggle against for their livelihood. Meanwhile, the focus of the Maritimer’s perspective was on their ultimate pride in their Maritime culture and identity, with their Canadian allegiance only secondary. The ultimate tone was one of pride in their history, slight regret for joining Canada, but an awareness of their uniqueness and essence. These were two very different essays but the voice of regional perspectives was clearly explored through two opposites.

1. Students began their class by sitting down to write a test focusing on comma usage. We have recently looked at eight specific types of comma usage and broken it down to three main uses. They were told to review the commas for today’s test.
2. After the test, students wrote responses on the board to the question given yesterday, to compare and contrast the last two essays we have reviewed. We discussed some of the questions assigned and had several students add to other responses. In comparing the Saskatchewan perspective to the Maritime one, we notice that the Sask. people share their constant awareness of the land as being larger than themselves and, at times, an aggresive opponent they must struggle against for their livelihood. Meanwhile, the focus of the Maritimer’s perspective was on their ultimate pride in their Maritime culture and identity, with their Canadian allegiance only secondary. The ultimate tone was one of pride in their history, slight regret for joining Canada, but an awareness of their uniqueness and essence. These were two very different essays but the voice of regional perspectives was clearly explored through two opposites.

1. Students came prepared and unprepared, for some, to discuss the questions assigned. We shared a few stories about people we knew who had suffered through traumas or physically challenging experiences but endured. I have to admit, after this past weekend cheering on the Sr Volleyball team that I am lacking sleep, still, and started laughing during the telling of a really sad and unfortunate story told by Brian. Sleep deprivation will do that, I guess. lol The students got a laugh but we got back on track and talked about the seriousness of our topic. 
2. Students began watching the video with Daniel Day Lewis where he plays the main character of the story, My Left Foot, which is also the title of the story we just finished reading, part of a autobiography written by the author. 

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/FbQV54k3Ul0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

1. Students came to finish watching the video of To Kill A Mockingbird. I am very glad we took the time in this unit to study, together, a book that holds such significance in popular society, but also that we were able to share that experience of getting to know the characters of Scout, Jem, and Boo as a class. 
2. We began the second unit of study for this English class, which focuses on looking towards the future and the honest expectations people can have about that. Students wrote out on a list twenty things they honestly anticipate in their future and each shared two with the class. Some were quite profound, such as anticipating dissappointing the people they love at some point, or anticipating losing one of their loved ones in their family. We have looked, in this course, to the past to see what influences and experiences guided them to become the individuals they are today. Now, with this next unit, we will look ahead to the future to see what potential experiences they may encounter in the years to come. 
3. We read aloud an essay titled “Goalie” but were cut off by the bell. Students were asked to read the rest of the essay at home and come to class with the answers attached completed.