Leftovers

I am finally getting around to posting comments from my students' year end surveys. Sorry for the delay. The questions are in italics. The surveys are a little different for each class but I have combined them as much as possible. I taught English 11, English 11E, and College English this year. As always, my comments are in (      ). 

What are one or two important things you have learned in English this year?

- ...standardized tests are evil. (You have learned well, grasshopper.)

- page layout (I shoot high.)

- Don't use Sparknotes. (Took you this long to learn that?)

- Don't have your phone out.

- How not to be vague.

- I can't write papers and conformity is bad.

- That you should always read so you can pass your tests.

- I have learned that first drafts are never good.

- I learned that if you write a paper in one period it's going to be terrible no matter what.

- Mr. Chaffee hates standardized testing. (Perhaps I harp on this too much...)

What was your favorite work we read this year and why?

- The Great Gatsby because it was a great book and I read the book and I don't read. 

- My favorite was Lord of the Flies because I liked the topic of ethics and morality. Sadly, I think it's a rather realistic storyline.

- My favorite work was The Great Gatsby because it was interesting, unlike Ethan Frome, and did not use outdated English, looking at you The Scarlet Letter.

- I enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald because I had already watched the movie and after reading the book I realized how bad the movie was. (True story.)

What was your least favorite work and why?

- The Crucible was my least favorite because most of the characters were ignorant and that's a little too life-like for me.

- Ethan Frome. Frome wasn't poorly written, but it felt insignificant. The book didn't seem to hold too much depth relative to our other novels. Frome seems like nothing more than petty people acting foolishly. (Take that, Edith Wharton! Though isn't life often petty people acting foolishly?)

What did you like most about English?

- Mr. Chaffee's sarcasm. (See, now I can't tell if that is sarcasm.)

- Mr. Chaffee's sarcasm. (Still can't tell.)

- lisening to your storys about your life. (Indeed I cut an adventurous swath through existence.)

What did you like the least about English?

- The homework, quizzes, and essays. (So, school work.)

- I didn't like the quizzes. I thought some of the quizzes were too deep.

On a scale of one to ten, how hard was this class?

- 8 - actually had to try to get good grades.

On a scale of one to ten, how much effort did you put into school this year? Explain.

- I put about an 8, I  knew this was a big year for scholarships and such. (Ah yes, scholarships; the true purpose of "learning.")

Do you have any suggestions to make this class better?

- Take more phones. (I do my best, really.)

- (A college English student) The only improvement I would suggest is instead of doing only 1 rough draft in 2nd semester we should have had to have done one for each paper because it helps improve our grades. (Second semester I set a rough draft due date for every paper; they are only required to do one rough draft, but they may submit a rough draft for each paper. If you don't turn one in...)

- Grade essays a little easier. We're not all destined for getting a Master's in English. (But I want you to write well enough to get a Bachelor's in something.)

Do you think you became a better writer this year?

- Yes, learning that you can write 12 rough drafts and still not have a perfect answer. There's always room for explanations and examples.

- Yes I think I have because there is less green on my paper.

- Yes... I picture what Mr. Chaffee will write awkward under and try to change it before I turn it in.

(College English only) Of the six papers... which was the hardest to write and why?

- The hardest paper to write was the compare / contrast paper mainly because it was the first one and I didn't know what Mr. Chaffee was looking for. (I was looking for a compare / contrast paper, the idea of which we went over in some detail in class.)

(College English only) Which of the six papers did you enjoy writing the most and why?

- I enjoyed writing the persuasive paper the most because I could write about something I was passionate about. (You got to pick the topic for all six papers...)

(Seniors only) When did your senioritis set in?

- The last month-ish.

- Somewhere near the beginning of May.

- My senioritis set in around May 10th at 7:30 am, so suddenly that it was a shock, not joking. *date and time are approximate.

- sophomore year

- Halfway through the year, when I decided I'm done with high school and all the crap that goes with it.

"Bonus:" Is there anything else you'd like to say on any topic whatsoever?

- Congrats on teaching (a certain student) to pronounce "library."

- I like when Mr. Chaffee gets off task and lectures us on his opinion. (I lecture you on my conclusions, reached through Reason, not my opinions.)

- Can a woodchuck actually chuck wood? like I've been asking myself this for years.

- I didn't enjoy the course but i did enjoy the class. (I'll take what I can get.) 

- The comments on the rough drafts were really helpful. (Just glad she didn't say "mean.")

See you in the fall.

J

Final Fun for '15

I haven't kept up with this blog even as much as I hope to, which isn't much. So I have a slightly longer than usual list of student sentences and fragments to share. This little project started one year when the English department was grading Regents exams and I copied down all the funny things they had written in their essays on that test. Now the rules forbid such note-taking, because as we all know, what the students write on standardized tests must be kept as closely guarded as state secrets. Even though we are making high stakes decisions based on these tests, we can't let anyone see the children's answers, or even the tests themselves. That would ruin the illusion that the tests are actually worthwhile! Anyway, these sentences come mostly from the last papers of the year and in-house final exams. At the end I will specially introduce one of my favorite student sentences of all time; I am not even sure I should post it. As always, my comments are in (    ).

- The choice of using a boy was carefully chosen.
- Using spring as the month... (Nope, you've got to narrow it down a little more.)
- As she got older the mirror would show her the aging she was doing.
- Robinson's poem "Richard Cory" is a modernist poem in which new techniques of idea conveyance are used.
- Among the children's first arrival...
- Ralph has decided that those on the island need order and semblance.
- (The book) was boring and didn't catch my interesting. (His interesting is hard to catch.)
- ... society is most ordeal.
- Through the novel, Gene and Finny's relationship doesn't change other than so much as Gene's perception of the relationship.
- ... they both climb up the tree and Gene's coincidence got to him. (I, too, have a nagging coincidence.)
- Gene and Finny became friends at the all-boys school called Devon school it's in New English.
- Gene began to think hostile toward Finny.
- Gene and Finny's friendship contains of many feelings and decisions for them to choose and be friends.
- Their friendship served to develop a theme of a novel by having the story written pretty much like if there is no Finny then there is not past, and if there is no past then there is no tree and if there is no tree then all of this was nothing. (That got quite confusingly existential.)
- ... he falls deeper into his conscience.
-... if the student is truggleing... (When reading this paper I was truggleing.)
- It's unique because theres many chooses to choose from. (Dr. Seuss? Is that you?)
- Gatsby is stuck living in the pass. (Which mountain range the student did not specify.)
- Jay Gatsby was in love with Daisy, who in which was married.
- In the play Hamlet by F. Scott Fitzgerald...
- The Aunt illusions herself...
- Phineas falls down some hard stairs, which leads to his deaths. (He had nine lives, like a cat.)
- Atticus told Scout to look at situations through someone else's skin. (I do not like the implications here.)

I have one final quote, but it comes with a warning. It is a simple and honest typo, but the results are, shall we say, off-color. Feel free to skip it, though now that I warned you I am sure you will press on. The student was writing about the idea that Zeena, the character in Ethan Frome, suffers from Munchausen's syndrome, and she included some symptoms of the disorder. Here it is in all its glory:

- Their methods for appearing sick can involve making up symptoms, purposely getting dick, or injuring themselves.

Sick. She meant sick... I hope.

I will post some comments from end-of-year surveys when I get around to it. Until then, don't injure yourselves while purposely getting... sick.

J

Keeping This One Short

Some people say the point of language is communication, and as long as the audience understands, fluency, errors, style, and the like are secondary matters. Suit yourself... As always, these sentences are from student work and my comments are in (     ).

- At first, Lady Macbeth appears as a strong willed, independent woman without a conscious.
- My favorite part of the play was when Lady Macbeth took initiative and made the plan to kill the king. I liked this scene because it showed Lady Macbeth's dominance in the marriage. (Not sure what to say...)
- Looks like it's curtains for Polonius! (Hamlet jokes!)
- Realism extends from the ideas of realism.
- As the story progressives...
- She took many repercussions to ensure that he would not get caught.
- ... his wife killed himself.
- After contemplating his own thoughts... (Is that redundant?)
- In the beginning of the story the narrator was still semi-in the non-mental mindset.
- Hamlet's actions of being noble, honorable, and just is reasonable.
- ... the Virgin Mary is good and riotous. (Maybe she went to Mardi Gras.)
- Hamlet does not cease the moment.
- The setting can be influential to the tone of the character.
- Her character had fully developed into insanity.
- (Said in class.) "High class women look at Motzart."
- His promise doesn't really seem promising.
- The narrator of the story explains her feelings by her actions.
- Every story has a plot and a meaning. (Have you read what passes for modern fiction?)

J.

More Reflectiness

Let me step up on my old soap box for just a second. On their Self-Reflection papers, written at the end of the semester, many of my College English students wrote something like, "This class taught me that I am not as good a writer as I thought I was." Mr. Chaffee says, good! That is the point! It's "College" English, after all, not "High-Level-High-School" English. However, some also griped about their grades. Mr. Chaffee says, that is why we should get rid of grades! The goal of education should be learning, not scoring and ranking. I shall now step off the soap box (thud) and return to your regularly scheduled student sentences. As always, these are from student work and my comments are in (    ).

- They forget to realize the meaning of life. (I hate when I forget that.)
- One reason of his unhappy bits...
- Although the title, "Great," is given to Gatsby by gossip and rumors, although there is.
- Tom and Daisy... show their true colors on how corrupt and carless they are. (No, no, I think they had a car.)
- The sister is at fear with her life.
- Sherlock is brought a case from a woman whose sister had pasted two years before.
- Father Brown is quite a blended man.
- Myrtle lives in a world full of allusions.
- Scott F. Fitzgerald (Syntax you here error have.)
- Daisy knows about the affair that Tom is doing. (Does she know about the Myrtle that Tom is having?)
- The filthy rich use cars as... a symbol of their garnish success.
- ... his wealth came from a long line of pharmaceuticals. (He must have worked for Big Pharma.)
- Ultimately in the end... (You know that's redundant, right?)
- Wilson shot Gatsby before going suicide. (Word. He went all suicide and what not.)
- Slavery was huge in this time period. (As opposed to that time period when it was wee?)
- One example is the position paper and the persuasive paper. (So, two examples?)
- Coarse Reflection Paper (I kept waiting for a dirty joke or ribald story, but no, she just reflected on the course.)
- Selfish is the opposite meaning of selfish. (And dark is the opposite of dark, up is the opposite of up, and true is the opposite of true. Mind blown?)

Here's to the start of a new semester. Until next time...

J

Disappointment

Well, it's been a while. Those of you who know me personally will know why. But I noticed last week that I had a few gems to share and I thought the long weekend might offer an opportunity to post. In January my College English students wrote self-reflection essays. The assignment was to look at the five papers they had written over the course of the fall semester and reflect on what they had learned, how their writing had improved, and what might still need improvement. (Some variation of "Mr. Chaffee is hard on our writing" is a popular comment. The level of bitterness varies.) Anyway, I tell you this because the first sentence below is the title of one of those self-reflection papers. As always, these are from real student work and my comments are in (    ).

- How Disappointed Can I Make Mr. Chaffee This Time?
- There has been recent research that has brought truth to this theory.
- Sexual Education is part of the required curriculum in heath class. (Heath class? Does that have anything to do with Heath Bars? I love those things...)
- Emerson and Thoreau have the same basis idea but some of there other ideas were different.
- Salem witch trials started to get injustice on the "witches."
- He further flaws himself...
- Childhood obesity can lead to health disease. (Sounds serious.)
- Some people think that smoking will make them "cool." Others are just curios and want to try it. (All the curios on my shelf are smokers. Lousy trinkets.)
- Smoking controls their lives and will make it possible to but cigarettes.
- He was overtaken by a carriage with a name by the name of Dr. Richards.
- The mystery trying to be solved... (Deep down, every mystery wants to be solved. It's their hearts' desire.)
- The meaning of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg are known to be like "God."
- People might think that a killer whale in a tank is not a big deal. These people are wrongfully mistaken.
- He was credibly corrupt.
- ...which many people associate guerrilla war with the use of bubby traps.
- Professional (football players) have taken abusing others to far. (A little light abuse is fine; but don't go overboard NFL players.)

One more. If you don't know what passive voice is, this won't make sense. If you do, let the delicious irony drip down your chin.

- I was unaware of passive voice and that it should not be used.

("It should not be used," is in the passive voice.)

J

Give Thanks For the Funny

No intros today, just straight to the fun. As always, these are from student work and my comments are in (    ).

- (Did you like The Crucible?) No, it was confusing and a lot of back and forth talking. (Well, it is a play.)
- Today's society has taken nerds to a different level.
- Her husband is a lone shark. (If he's married he's not lone.)
- She had such low self of steam. (No, I did not make that one up.)
- He helped getting confesses from the people.
- The Crucible is about the Harlem witch trials. (You are a few hundred miles off there.)
- ... the difference in the beliefs of a character from start to finish is different.
- One has often wondered who they really are. (I have a diagnosis!)
- My last experience writing a research paper was in health class. I wrote about herpes and everything that goes with it.
- The difference between how jelly and jam is made is quite different.
- The Crucible, by author Miller... (Well, he was the author...)
- The news spread all across the land just because of the Baleks unhonesty was created.
- Proctor violates the rule Adultery.
- They wouldn't have had the probably with the people getting ripped off.
- ... integrity can also benefit society negatively. (Oh, those negative benefits.)
- This means people have integrity to fix their fate and others in society.
- The story starts out by characterizing the old women as old.

Be back soon,

J

So, September's Almost Over

I realized today I had not posted anything on this blog yet this school year. Well, can't let September end without an update. So, without further ado, to the student writing. As always, my comments are in (    ).

(In answer to the question: Have you ever cheated in school?)
- No, because I don't like to talk to other people.
- Yes I have cause im tired of not doing good in school so I cheated so I could pass
- No, because cheating goes against my code of honor... unless it's a video game.
- Um yes, I cheated on homework before because I forgot to get it done so I felt it okay because I never really cheat on homework. (Except that one time... and that other time...)

- Location is a very important key factor. (Department of Redundancy Department)
- In New York City a medium sized apartment in a decent part of the city can be rented for alkjflajf a month. (I don't know how much that is, but it sounds expensive.)
- Songs can be created by the author in the same way as poems are, but are mostly created with thought sometimes like what is going on in the world and with someone else or the stereotype of what everybody assumes what goes on, or just about having fun. (I got lost a long time ago.)
- Capitalism and Communism were created as an attempt to improve on the same ideals. (Hmmm...)
- Abby wanted to witchcraft to kill Mrs. Proctor.
- (Chillingworth) gets his jollies from torturing Dimmesdale.
- To the town's people it means she could be only one other thing, a devil or a witch. (Not good at Math, are we?)
- She says that she is pregnate.
- Elizabeth is mad because John did adultery.
- He is accused of holding witchcraft.

(Three variations on the seventh commandment.)
- Thow shall not comet adultry.
- Thou shall not adulter.
- Though shall not do adultry.

Until next time.

J