Welcome to Humanities 11!

Class Biz'

1. Interested in honors? Pick up an honors syllabus from me, read over it and discuss with your parents if it is a good fit.  I'll go over questions tomorrow at LUNCH so please attend that lunch meeting if you are interested in doing honors.

Today's Goals: 

1. Think critically about what the function of education is
2. Begin to get oriented to Humanities 11-- what this course is all about and what my expectations of you are.

Starter

1. Please make a name-tent like the example at the front of the class. Draw a symbol to represent your spirit animal OR your personal theme song.  

2. On a piece of scratch paper, write down a memorable moment from the summer. Don't put your name! I'll pull out a few of these each day and we'll guess whose it is!

3. We will typically do these electronically, so make sure to have your laptops by Monday at the latest! Today, please answer the following question on a piece of loose-leaf paper and put your name and the date on the top:

•  What do you know about the event depicted in this photograph?
  
• If you know where this photograph is from, what are your attitudes about the event? If you do not recognize this photograph, what guesses do you have about what happened and WHY?

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Agenda

Introductions
1. Let's help the new Ospreys feel welcome!

• Name
• Spirit Animal OR Theme Song
• Why did you choose Animas?  

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2. Who am I, Ashley, your teacher?  Questions for me?
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3. A note on junior year:  Best year of your life so far?  

• "For there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so." --Hamlet
• THIS IS YOUR EDUCATION!!!  We are going to be doing this together.

Starter Share-Out

1. Discuss photograph 
2. Generate a list of what you KNOW and what you WANT to know related to the event depicted in the photo.
3. Get informed: We will be studying race politics and the history of racism in the United States over the next few weeks as part of our Morality and Politics of Justice project.  Please try to read two news articles per day related to Charlottesville and the ensuing debate it is has raised.  Try to read from different sources: New York Times/NPR/Atlantic/VICE  on one side and Washington Journal/FOX News on the other!  Get yourselves informed.  If you find particularly thought-provoking or enlightening sources, email them to me!

What are we doing today?  
Today, we are going to read a short chapter from a book entitled, Think on These Things by Krishnamurti about what the function (or role, or purpose) of education should be.

Why? Because I want you all to begin calling into question assumptions we as a society often make about how the way things are, are the way things ought to be.   Because I want you to begin to formulate your own personal philosophy on the role of education.  Because I want you to respond to the ideas in this reading as a way to shape our own classroom culture.  

1. On the front/back of the reading:  In 1 sentence or less,  what do you think the function of education in our society is?

2.  Read as much of the reading as you can and as you do, highlight/underline/star at least 2 lines or passages that stand out to you.  Your selections can be ideas you love, hate, or simply find interesting.

3. Spirit Read! Share one of the lines/passages you selected.

1. Everyone participates at least once.  You can speak more than once.
2. Read a word, phrase, or sentence.
3. No commentary or opinions.
4. When possible, try to connect with what was just read.
5. Give all voices a chance.
6. Pauses can be powerful.
7. Repeating words and phrases is fine.

 
4. Jot down key takeaways that answer this question:  What ideas from this reading would you like to apply to our own class culture (how we treat each other, how this class is run, etc...?  Or, if there are certain ideas that did not resonate with you, feel free to jot down those ideas that you DON’T want to be a part of this class culture.

Syllabus and Class Orientation

1. Read introduction to this course and what our first project will be about (see the "Syllabus" page on my DP for a digital copy of this document)
2. Go over supplies needed
3. Honors syllabus (see "Honors" page under "More" on my DP tabs)
   
4. Homework (see the homework page of my DP) is to read this and bring it back tomorrow. Have back page signed by your parents by Monday at the latest for a 10 point grade. There will be a quiz on the contents of the syllabus.
5. DP safari (in partners with laptops)