We Shall Waste No Tax Dollars
Your school (public school) is NOT free. Your parents pay tons of money to finance it. In El Paso, it is largely through property taxes (which you pay even if you rent). They also pay for it via their federal income taxes and state sales taxes. We have a fiduciary responsibility to not waste these resources! I know that for 99% of you, the STAAR test is in the rear-view mirror and that there will be no more NEW graded assignments - (because your grade is finalized) so we are entering the FINAL unit of our class, where we will "LEARN FOR THE SAKE OF LEARNING"!
If you have been a good student throughout the semester and have a great grade already, the way in which you conduct yourself during this period of "Learning for the Sake of Learning" period (where it is not for a grade) will leave your LASTING IMPRESSION on me. What I mean is, if you care what I think of you (in the context of providing recommendations for you in the future), you can either leave me with a positive or negative impression. The choice is up to you.
In Week One of the "Learning for the Sake of Learning" unit, I offer the following over-arching philosophical (epistemological) thought experiment: To what extent do your 1) IDENTITIES shape your BELIEFS / OPINIONS / POSITIONS; and 2) to what extent do your beliefs / opinions / positions shape your identities?
Case Example for #1: Because I am a Liberal Democrat (identity), I will wear a face mask at all times when outside of my home (beliefs / opinions / positions).
Case Example for #2: Because I believe in the validity of the findings of the CDC in regards to COVID-19 (beliefs / opinions / positions), I choose to identify with the goals of the Democratic Party (identity).
We are all going to challenge ourselves to apply this philosophical framework this week as we address two very hotly-contested topics: 1) race in America (Tuesday and Wednesday), and 2) the Israeli - Palestinian conflict (Thursday and Friday).
Case Example for #1: Because I am a Liberal Democrat (identity), I will wear a face mask at all times when outside of my home (beliefs / opinions / positions).
Case Example for #2: Because I believe in the validity of the findings of the CDC in regards to COVID-19 (beliefs / opinions / positions), I choose to identify with the goals of the Democratic Party (identity).
We are all going to challenge ourselves to apply this philosophical framework this week as we address two very hotly-contested topics: 1) race in America (Tuesday and Wednesday), and 2) the Israeli - Palestinian conflict (Thursday and Friday).
Another way to think of the epistemological framework above is Dogmatism vs Empiricism.
Dogmatism: Because I am a _________ (identity), my belief / position / opinion is __________ .
Empiricism: Because I have come to believe __________ (belief /position / opinion) as a result of weighing the facts and best available evidence, I am likely to identify with ___________ (a given group identity).
Dogmatism: Because I am a _________ (identity), my belief / position / opinion is __________ .
Empiricism: Because I have come to believe __________ (belief /position / opinion) as a result of weighing the facts and best available evidence, I am likely to identify with ___________ (a given group identity).
Plan of the Day - A Mon 5/9 & B Tues 5/10
We're going to read the introduction to the book below in class today. You're going to read chapter 1 for homework.
Plan of the Day - B Thurs 5/12 & A Fri 5/13
I want everyone to have read chapters 1-3 of How Fascism Works by Monday/Tuesday.
Plan of the Day - B Mon 5/16 & A Tues 5/17
Plan of the Day - A Tues 5/17 & B Wed 5/18
Well, "IT" (the white nationalist racist-motivated mass murder of American racial minorities) has happened again... We're going to evaluate the coverage of this event by the PBS Newshour, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show, and FOX News's Tucker Carlson Tonight. Then, you're going to synthesize this coverage with the various arguments advanced in How Fascism Works.
You should have already read chapters 1 - 3 of "How Fascism Works." (1. Mythic Past; 2. Propaganda; 3. Anti-Intellectual). By Thursday, I want you all to read chapter 4 (Unreality) and chapter 5 (Hierarchy)!
Plan of the Day - A Mon 5/23 & B Tues 5/24
We're focusing on chapters 5 (Hierarchy) and 6 (Victimhood) from How Fascism Works in class today.
Plan of the Day - A Wed 5/25 & B Thurs 5/26
I am stuck in some Bull#$it meetings all day. While I'm gone, do the following (The Assignment is in the Schoology Quiz Folder):
Carefully read ch 6 (Victimhood). Annotate (highight, underline, add notations, etc.) in a way that lets me know you have identified its central arguments. Upload your annotated file of ch 6 (part of this assignment).
Compose an essay of no more than ten paragraphs that accomplishes the following 1) identifies and explains the central arguments (main points) being advanced in ch 6. 2) Explain why YOU (you, personally) either agree or disagree with each of the main points being argued in the chapter. 3) Superbonus: draw non-obvious connections with the arguments being advanced in ch 6 with CURRENT American societal discourse and politics.
Compose an essay of no more than ten paragraphs that accomplishes the following 1) identifies and explains the central arguments (main points) being advanced in ch 6. 2) Explain why YOU (you, personally) either agree or disagree with each of the main points being argued in the chapter. 3) Superbonus: draw non-obvious connections with the arguments being advanced in ch 6 with CURRENT American societal discourse and politics.
If you blow this assignment off (because your grade is already finalized), I would advise against asking me to write you a recommendation letter next year....
The stuff below this part on the web page was LAST YEAR's stuff. Don't pay (too much) attention to it.
Hop on the Zoom at the START of your class opening sequence.
To be counted present for today's class, do the exit ticket below.
HOMEWORK! NONE! We are DONE with homework!
If you miss class, read all the stuff above (especially my introduction to this unit).
Plan of the Day - A Thurs 6/3 & B Fri 6/4
Message for B6 Bandits: I'm home sick today. To be counted present for today's class, consume the podcast below and read the article below the photo. They are both about the most recent session of the Texas Legislature. Then, do the exit ticket. Email me if you need something. See you next week.
Hop on the Zoom after listening to and reading "NY Times The Daily with OK Transcript" (the transcript is helpful, mostly) at 1:20 for A3; 3:05 for A4; and 11:05 for B6
I'm calling an audible. Instead of examining the controversial topic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we shall turn our attention to the recently concluded Texas Legislative Session.
To be counted present for today's class, do the exit ticket below.
HOMEWORK! NONE! We are DONE with homework!
Plan of the Day - A Mon 6/7 & B Tues 6/8
Here is what you need to know this week: Monday is an A Day with final exams designated for periods 1 and 3; Tuesday is a B Day with final exams designated for periods 6 and 8; Wednesday is an A Day with final exams designated for periods 2 and 4; Thursday is a B Day with final exams designated for periods 5 and 7; Friday is an A Day.
Important Note: you must attend ALL FOUR PERIODS each day REGARDLESS of whether or not that period is designated as a "final exam."
For my class this week, join the zoom at the start of your opening sequence. Because ALL of your grades are already finalized, no one is taking an exam for my class this week. After you join the zoom, we'll do a Meet the Press current events round up, and I can let you know what your STAAR score is. Other than that, I want you to use your time and energy this week working on your grades for classes that are still ongoing.
I will not count you present for today's class unless you do the attendance ticket above.
Plan of the Day - A Wed 6/9 & B Thurs 6/10
Hello my dear rascals. At the start of class, begin to read and listen to the podcast below. Join the Zoom at 40 minutes in (1:25 for A3; 3:10 for A4; and 11:10 for B6). You have my permission to blow today's class off ONLY if you ACTUALLY have something IMPORTANT to do during this time for another class. When we get into the Zoom, I'm going to ask two main questions: 1) What is the author/historian's central argument (thesis); and 2) How compelling do you find this central argument (thesis).
Do the attendance ticket below to be counted present for today's class.
Plan of the Day - A Fri 6/11 & B Mon 6/14
Well, gang, here's the deal. I feel like crap, so I am taking a sick day. And, while at home, I am going to be spending my hours calling the parents of freshmen that are failing human geography in a last-ditch attempt to get them to pass the semester. I feel bad about ditching you guys, but I have to put in the effort to try to help as many freshmen not fail as I can....
While I am calling freshmen's grandmas, grandpas, moms, dads, uncles, aunts, cousins, dog walkers, and parental - robot - guardian units - looking for rascals and their missing grades so they do not fail, I offer the optional podcast (above). If you really want to impress me, read and listen to it - and do the attendance ticket below. Even if you do not consume the optional podcast, do the attendance ticket to be counted present for today's class.
This year has been really hard for everybody, and harder for some than others. I am just so very happy that it is almost over and that we all survived. I CANNOT wait for the first day of school in August when we can get back to school together and kick some butt with high-quality teaching and learning.
Plan of the Day - C Tues 6/15
Stick a fork in it. We're done. Have a wonderful, restful, safe, rejuvenating summer.