Friday, February 1, 2008
On-line Check In
I’ve been thinking about the first semester some and wondering about your experience. This might not be a blog we can dialogue with everyone about – though you never know – I think the possibilities for dialogue are endless. I want to know what worked for you, what you enjoyed, what you struggled with, what you really learned, what you think you want to do differently in the second semester…..kind of like a semester internal/on-line check in. Give it a shot. Make your one entry longer, if you don’t plan on commenting on others. This will be due next Friday at 1:30.
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11 comments:
I honestly enjoyed the first semester immensely. i thought the material, though there was ALOT, was very interesting, because unlike last year were learning about OUR country's history, what is the foundation of our life today in essence. The class has been amazing with all you guys, every single class is fun and hilarious as well. Second Semester has already started out with a bang and i find the thievery and business of the gilded age very amusing. I know second semester will be just as good if not better than first semester.
History was a pain last year. It was rather uninteresting and the reading was extremely annoying, however less we had to deal with. I find US history to be a lot more intruiging, possibly because I find it more affecting and because it is directly related to where and who I am today. The class atmosphere was great--maybe we didn't review as much, maybe we didn't discuss in-depth too much of the material as other classes may have or our European History teachers may have last year. Regardless, the fact that, during a first period class when most of us are either tired or still pissed about being at school, we are more relaxed and opening up the room for discussion and dialogue truly placates our minds and I personally think that the overall mood contributes to our learning and grasp of the material. What else can really explain why we scored that much higher on the midterm than other classes did, even though other classes had not had as many check-in days as we had?
I don't know if there is anything I would like to change about how the class is run or with how the material is dealt with. It's been enjoyable and valuable at the same time and I'd like to keep it this way. Honestly, sometimes I find myself relieved that my day starts off with a calm, less hectic class. Of course this is not to say I don't think the class is productive because I think the exact opposite; sometimes it's just nice to start the day off without equations or hardcore analysis of reading material, all the while learning of an invaluable subject and how it affects us today in the United States.
I agree with Adam in that there was a lot of material, but it was much more manageable than last year. Last year it was like reading a fact book and everything had to be memorized. This year the information is presented in a less intimidating way. Also, learning about our past is WAY better. I really enjoy that class is not the sit-down-listen-to-me-and-write-non-stop kind of class. I feel that I get a lot more out of our discussions than I would from endless note taking. I hope that second semester is as good as the first.
I don't think that I would want to change anything about our class. I just need to find a way to remember the previous nights reading.
I also felt that last years history class was extrememly boring and was a big pain to have to sit through each day. I had no particular interest in what we were learning. This year; however, I am much more interested in the material because it relates back to where we came from. I enjoy the class a lot and I agree completely with Yoon when he said that it is often a relief that our day starts of with history. I feel that it is a relief because it is a very calm, enjoyable class and I absolutely love the check-ins that we do weekly. I also love how the class is conducted. The tests in history I feel are difficult for me but history has never been my subject. Hopefully i will get a hang of it by second semester and raise my grade as I did last year. But yea, I love our class.. a lot!
This year was actually suprisingly really fun. I really enjoy coming to class. We're like a family; the check-ins and funny comments by everyone pulls us together.
For the first time in my life, literally, I actually understand the history. Last year (don't tell anyone) I didnt even study for the final because I was like I didn't understand it to begin with, so there is no way I can make sense of the whole year right now. On a more postive note, studying this year was much more enjoyable because I felt smart seeing material I understood and because the year as a whole was so pleasant that it brought back good memories.
My theory was always that we should learn the material in class and then read to enforce it. But this year has worked out so well in that I read, understand hopefully and come to class to enforce it.
The only thing I can think of is that if it was one of those days that I didn't understand so thouroughly and we have a quiz... it's not so pretty. Maybe if we communally went over the main ideas or confusing parts we could iron out some problems.
But I agree with adam, "yoon", nicole and mark that this year has been great.
in the beginning i was totally overwhelmed because there's an entire book for one semester, it was kind of showing up on my grades that i didn't really know what to do -- however with pretty much every single test we've taken i've been doing really well on the essays but poorly on the multiple choice (the essays pretty much save me every time), i'm still trying to figure out a way to do better on the multiple choice and since the midterm i've been typing up notes of every single chapter we read. it takes forever -- i read it first and then wait about 2 hours and do other homework before i type the notes, so far it seems helpful, i feel like a have a better understanding of everything that goes on within the chapter because when typing notes you're forced to read whatever you underlined a few times before you actually type, it's kind of a pain though but hopefully it will eventually be a routine kind of thing
i agree with everyone that there's a lot of material, i like how the class is kind of chill because it's so early in the morning and it'd kind of needed to get into the day
-- rebecca
My wonderful, sometimes sleepy, sometimes incredibly energetic 1st period….where are the rest of you? Thank you Adam for starting us off and for Yoon, Nicole, Margaux, Paulina and Rebecca for sharing your experiences. I deeply appreciate your voices here. Partly….this space is for you, but it’s also for me. I want to hear how you are.
I think studying US History is often much easier also—there is something to it being “OURS.” Some day I’d love to learn more of the world’s history as “our” story also. That’s in my spare time:-) I get that multiple choice tests can be a drag….they were a drag for me too in school. I loved the essay portions so much more. I’m glad the check-in’s help to get us here. I hear that you enjoy them. I do too. It’s amazing to me how saying one word can often bring us back to Seaver 306. Sometimes! I know having history first period is challenging for many of you. Not everybody likes to be up at 4:30am like I do. I have the pleasure of seeing your wonderful faces in all kinds of states – sleepy, absolutely exhausted, sleeping, anxious, but also happy, excited and calm. Every day feels new with you and I greatly appreciate that. I’d love to know how to get more of you involved….if you are quiet, perhaps you could email me privately to share (some of you have) and tell me how I can support your learning. I’m here for you, please know that.
As for me, my first semester has been challenging and absolutely amazing. Amazing in that I really get paid to come and share space with not just the minds of incredible young people, but your hearts and souls as well and what can I say…I love it. I love it more every day actually and that feels truly inspiring to me. I do not take it for granted. It has also been challenging, but that’s partly because I am pushing myself more and more. I’m hitting edges around all the creative ideas I have brewing in my mind and the amount of time we actually have to do them. I so want to put together a piece for This American Life and I’m finally at this place where I know I need help to do it. So….that balancing act has been…..well, a balancing act. I trust the process.
I am deeply appreciating you in this moment and I thank you for sharing your truths, especially the difficult ones. I think you are all wonderful and I am so proud of you. I am proud of your kindness to one another most of all. I so respect that you can share your differences with one another and pass the fruit or ice cream (thanks Paulina). I think some days, especially in my really idealistic moments, that we are learning so much more than history. Some days I feel like we are learning how to be in a world of differences and think from our hearts. That matters to me….so much more than Chester Arthur…..and maybe we can find that fine delicate line where we can also say, hey….but Arthur passed the Pendleton Act and that’s cool because the Government was trying to do SOMETHING about political corruption, even if it was a very small step.
It's like Paulina said, "We're like a family." Sometimes it is amazingly functional, sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry, sometimes history is just hard....but regardless, we are experiencing it together. That matters to me also!
Thank you for being yourselves. It makes a huge difference in my life.
I find that what made our class so unique was that we actually check in with each other about what's going on outside of the classroom. That kind of intimacy makes a more comfortable environment to learn and made class so much more enjoyable. I mostly struggled with the reading quizzes, but I feel like those can be hit-or-miss. Certain aspects of the reading stand out more to me than other aspects, which appear unimportant but are actually key elements. I feel like the best way I could help myself to improve is to type up my notes more often than as a cumulative unit, because that's less stressful and time-consuming.
I find that the material this year is much more stimulating than last year. European history... there are too many George's and Henry's! Oh my gosh! By the end of the year I couldn't handle another roman numeral. US History is all about US. I think it's extremely interesting and important to see where we come from and understand the history of our country. What brought us to what we are now? Who suffered for our greatness? How did ideals evolve to shape the unique country we are now? It's all just so much better than some roman numeral monarchist.
History this year has undoubtedly been a challenge for me.. At first I was caught by surprise with the amount of reading we were required to do but at the end of the semester, when i realized we read that ENTIRE book, i felt so accomplished (even more so because I actually read this year, unlike 10th grade). I agree with Doc Roc that the multiple choice sucks a lot and essays are definitely more intriguing and interesting, but there's nothing we can really do about it i guess. In regards to the reading quizzes, I don't even know what to say... I can spend an hour doing the reading or three hours doing the reading and it really won't make a difference. But I do find that the more I keep up with typing up notes every night, the better I am at understanding and i'm more able to have constructive discussions regarding the material. I guess I'll just havta deal with with being completely inept at the quizzes.
And, yeah, our class is pretty fun/entertaining. The check-ins are for sure a plus and I definitely enjoy them. I also find that the more we talk about past issues and their relation to how our country and government works today, the more interested I am in the subject.
Basically, although it is still a little overwhelming sometimes, I find it getting easier by the day and this class is not nearly as much of a drag as most of my past history classes. PEACEEEE
oopsies sorry about forgetting but better late than never. I really love how in first semester we were constantly seeing how the stuff we were learnign applied to us today. It was really nice knowing that our learning wasnt going to waste. My favorite part was when we put ourselves in the positions of former people/situations to see/think about what we would have done. I really feel like through thsoe type of activities and of course the great checkins we relaly have developd a special bond in our class and i have gotten to know people better which is great. However material wise i do feel overhwlemed just like neha. i'm definitely not useed to 100 page tests and this class was a HUGE difference than art history whcih i took last year. I feel like there is always something im missing when im reading even tho i take notes and everything. who knowssss im trying to figure it out tho. But more importantly its a fun class and a nice start out of my day thanks everyone
-Brittany
First of all, i love seeing my name in other people's comment because I feel really good about myself so thank you for doing that.
Also, back to what we were taking about with family, the check-ins really make a difference. Hearing a childhood moment from everyone allowed me to piece each person together.
I think that if History wasn't this hard, and if we didn't ask each othet last minute questions before a quiz we wouldn't be as united. When I'm confused or overwhelmed with the reading in this class or in any class, I think to myself that I am not the only one in this situation. I remember that most of the class is confused about this or that so that problem seems manageable. But on the same hand, I agree with Gina 100%; last year there were way too many Louis' and Georges'. Whats also nice about this year is that we somehow have heard of a lot of the people from 3rd grade story time history class (except that I hadn't heard about the Gold Rush until I came to California...)
Paulina
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