Journalling

Hello L&L gang... I have to say I was blown away by your book talks today in Seminar. I had asked you to bring your favourite book and be prepared to give us the context for your relationship to the book and read us a memorable passage.  I was expecting awkward bursts of "here's my book, here's a quote" and then all done (you are awkward teenagers after all!!!), but what I got was a deep and thoughtful revelation of the styles and motifs that make reading meaningful for you. For some it was a recent reading experience, for some it was a book that went back many years. I loved the connections to family, friends, ways of getting books ("owners" vs "borrowers"), and the amazing connections you pull from your reading. EVERY person who spoke today left me humbled and filled with respect for how reading fits into your identity.

Anyways... start thinking about how you want to journal your reading experiences this year. Rather than make something artificial where you just summarize stuff for a teacher to read and mark, think about what you would share with a wider audience. What deep, thoughtful, meaningful revelations do you want to express for your friends, parents, and other readers? Start by writing about the book you brought in today. Write for yourself. Not everything you write will be published (that is, placed in your portfolio), but you need to have some writing that you can draw on when you start filling your portfolio with evidence of learning. That't the part that you will share with a wider audience.

Does this make sense?  Ask questions here by (clicking comments) or in class if you need more clarity from me.  Use your next bit of flex time to journal about your reading.  You'll notice I haven't told you what exactly to journal about (besides it being about the book you brought in).  I want you to figure that out... based on the depth and authenticity of today's activity, I have every confidence in you to know what you want to write about the things you read. (Srsly, though, if you need help just ask).