Journal Question #16 (2010-2011)

Time never stops.  The New Year - 2011 - is only a couple of weeks away.  We all say, "Happy New Year."  But at the same time, many people wish time didn't move so fast!  What happened to 2010?  What about you:  does time move too fast, too slowly, or at just the right speed?  Are you happy that 2010 is ending and 2011 is on the way?  Here's hoping 2011 is  good year for the world.  See you next year!

Journal Question #15 (2010-2011)

Snow.  It's coming.  Are you ready for it?  Do you like it?  It's been snowing a lot in some parts of the United States recently - in Minnesota, for instance - and it's only a matter of time before Maine gets hit by a snowstorm.  This painting is of Dover, New Hampshire in a snowstorm - Dover is close to where I live.  I like snow; my feeling is, if it's going to be cold, it ought to snow, too, so I can have fun in the winter (skiing, snowshoeing, walking...).  What's your opinion about snow?

Journal Question #14 (2010-2011)

Computers, cell phones, television, itouch, ipad, ipod...  email, instant-messaging, texting, twittering, facebook, google, phone calls...  The list of distractions for people in general, and students in particular, goes on and on.  Do you do your HW with the laptop open and the iphone on?  Do these devices distract you from your work?  Is it hard to concentrate on one subject at a time?  Let me know your thoughts about all the technology that surrounds us and how it affects your learning.

Journal Question #13 (2010-2011)

This painting is called, "New England December Sunset."  At this time of year in New England, we don't see a lot of sunlight, and this bothers some people.  Do you feel the lack of sunlight these days?  Does it bother you that the sun goes down around 4 in the afternoon?  Until the winter solstice (December 21st or 22nd), the days will continue to get shorter and shorter, the nights longer and longer.  What can you do to stay cheerful when it's so dark?

Journal Question #12 (2010-2011)

Do you know who these people are?  If you have seen any of the "Harry Potter" movies, you do. They are, of course, Harry Potter and his friend Hermione, and this is a scene from the new Harry Potter movie, "The Deathly Hallows."  A lot of people - including yours truly - will see this movie over Thanksgiving break.  How about you?  Are you a fan of Harry Potter?  Have you read any of J.K. Rowling's books?  Tell me what you know or think of Harry Potter. 

Journal Question #11 (2010-2011)

Thanksgiving is 10 days away - November 25th - and Americans everywhere will be sitting down to eat Turkey (which won't look like the bird pictured above any longer).  They'll also eat stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, squash, pies, and on and on.  What do you think of this American holiday?  Do you like Turkey?  What do you plan to do on this day?

Journal Question #10 (2010-2011)

In ELL 2, we have been talking about the importance of Beauty in, it seems, every culture, including American culture.  This is a picture of ballerinas in Berlin, Germany - an image of beauty for many.  What about you?  In your opinion, what makes a person - or a place or an object - beautiful?  Is beauty important to you?  Do you think different cultures have different ideas of beauty?

Journal Question #9 (2010-2011)

Halloween happened yesterday (October 31st).  This is a pair of costumed people from Portsmouth - they were part of the annual Halloween parade.  How about you?  Did you get dressed up for Halloween?  If so, what were you dressed as?  If this was your first Halloween, what were your impressions?  Did you go trick-or-treating?  A costume party?  Let me know what you think of this holiday.

Journal Question #8 (2010-2011)

A week from today, Americans all over the country will vote.  These are called "midterm elections" because they come in the middle of the presidential term (in this case, the middle of Obama's first term as president).  National and state representatives, governors, and other offices are at stake for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.   In Maine, the biggest race is probably the one for governor, and there are three major candidates: Libby Mitchell (Democrat), a guy named LePage (Republican), and Eliot Cutler (Independent).  

You must have noticed all the signs, TV commercials, and other publicity surrounding the election.  What's your impression of American elections?  How are they similar or different from elections in your country?

Journal Question #7 (2010-2011)

This is a picture of the Philippines, where a powerful typhoon is causing a lot of damage and flooding.  In Vietnam, too, there has been terrible flooding in recent days, and many people have been injured or killed by the floods.  Have you - or members of your family -  ever been in a natural disaster (e.g., a typhoon, an earthquake, a tsunami, a hurricane, a tornado...)?  Write about one that you have either been in, or known about.  Can anything be done to avoid or minimize the effects of natural disasters? 

Journal Question #6 (2010-2011)

Do you know what this is a picture of?  The common cold germ.  Over the weekend, I caught a cold, and this made me think about how to avoid the cold.  Any ideas?  People say vitamin c is a cure for the cold - or it helps prevent colds, but I'm not so sure.  How do you stay healthy? Once you get a cold, how do you reduce its effects?  Do you get colds often, or do you stay healthy most of the time? 

Journal Question #5(2010-2011)

Okay, a quick quiz:  What's the best sport?  (See above picture for answer.)  Unfortunately, the season ended yesterday for the best team in the best sport, the Boston Red Sox.  No playoffs, no championship for the Red Sox this year.  That's okay, you can't always win.  Do you like the sport I'm talking about?  Or do you prefer another sport?  Why?  I like the best sport because it combines skill, psychology, and athleticism.  It's also the only major team sport that is not timed.  Over a season, you get to know the players on your team really well, and you expereince lots of ups and downs with them.  It's kind of like reading a really great story.  Anyway, tell me about your "best" sport, and why you enjoy it. 

Journal Question #4 (2010-2011)

Mmmm...Fall is a great time to eat!  The harvest is in, and there are a lot of local, delicious fruits and vegetables.  Farmers Markets in many towns take place on weekday and weekend mornings, and the farmers display food they have grown and sell it to you.  Talk about some of your favorite things to eat, especially food that is fresh at this time of year.  Maybe there's food that's grown in your country that you can't find here - tell me about it.

This week autumn starts.  Write your thoughts about this season: Do you like it?  Why or why not?  What comes to mind when you think of autumn: school?  a new start?  getting ready for the cold months?  Autumn in New England is usually very pretty, with the leaves changing color.  Do you think autumn  is a beautiful time of year?  What are some memories you associate with this season?

Journal Question #2 (2010-2011)

Saturday, 9/11/10, was the 9th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.  Please comment on the day (Do you remember it?  What did you think when you heard about the attacks?), terrorism, America's role in the world, or anything else related to this event.

Journal Question #1 (2010-2011)

WELCOME BACK, RETURNING STUDENTS, AND WELCOME TO TA, NEW STUDENTS!  Now that school has begun, write about goals, expectations, hopes, fears, and dreams you have for the 2010-2011 school year at Thornton Academy.  You can talk about academic subjects, athletics, arts, social life, life in the dorm, or anything else about the year ahead.

Journal Question #25

This painting, by Edward Hopper, is called "Rooms by the Sea."  Among other things, it reminds me of the summer, so I think this is a good end-of-school-year image to post.  There's also something frightening about this painting to me; it has the qualities of a nightmare despite the sunlight, the blue sky, and the blue sea.  What's your reaction?

Journal Question #24

The Third of May 1808, by Francisco Goya (1746-1828) of Spain, depicts one horror of war: the execution of civilians (not soldiers) by military forces.  This particular war is known as "The Peninsular War," when France invaded Spain in the early 1800's.  Respond to it in any way you like.

Journal Question #23

This painting, by Andrew Wyeth, is called "Cristina's World."  It's a very famous American painting.  Write your reaction to it.  What is the subject of the painting?  Where is the girl?  What is she doing?  What do you think she is thinking?  Why do you think so many people like this work?  What's your opinion of it?

Journal Question #22

journal Question #21

What are your goals for the rest of the school year?  Now that April vacation is over, there are 7 1/2 weeks of the school year left.  The question is, what would you like to do in these final weeks of the year that you haven't already done?  It could be an academic goal (e.g., learning 100 more vocabulary words, doing well on the SAT...) or a social goal (e.g., getting to know another American well, contacting an old classmate/teacher...) or a personal goal (e.g., getting 8 hours of sleep a night, swimming in the ocean, practicing a musical instrument every day...).  Maybe you want to visit a place or see someone or something before you return to your home in June.  Tell me about it!

Journal Question #20

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?  It's almost April vacation (yeah!), and most of you - maybe all of you - are traveling somewhere for the break.  But where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world right now?  I guess this is another way of asking what place, or kind of place, you like best: the mountains, the ocean, big cities, quiet countryside... Also, what kinds of activities do you like to do on vacation: hiking through the woods, going to an art museum, shopping in a busy downtown, going to an amusement park...?  

Journal Question #19

NO SCHOOL NEXT WEEK!  Due to the amount of rain we have had lately, Thornton Academy has just announced that April vacation will begin early this year, and there will be no school next week (April 5-9).

April Fools!  Of course there is school next week, and April vacation will start 4/16.  But the question for this journal is this: Have you ever played a trick on someone - either on April Fools Day or some other time?  What was it?  Has anyone ever played a good trick on you, one that really fooled you?  Tell us about it!

Journal Question #18

Do you have "Great Expectations"?  What are they?  In ELL 2, we are beginning a novel called Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens.  One of the themes of the novel concerns the expectations we have for ourselves, and others might have for us.  These can be goals or dreams or plans for the future.  So, in the spirit of Dickens, what are your expectations (great or not)?

Journal Question #17

How do you relax?  In ELL 3, we are reading a story about a man who likes to sit alone in the dark and smoke his pipe.  He says this relaxes him.  Have you ever tried turning everything off (cell phone, computer, iTouch, iPhone, iPod, TV, etc.) and just being quiet?  Otherwise, how do you relax?  Do you relax every day, every week, once a month - how often?  For how long do you relax: 10 minutes, an hour, a few hours, a whole day?  Share some good ideas for relaxation!

Journal Question #16

Let's talk about secrets.  Are there secrets about yourself that you keep and that you have never told anyone?  Are you good at keeping secrets that a family member or friend tells you? Do you think secrets are a good idea?  Or is it better to be totally open with everyone - especially people who are close to you?  Families often have secrets.  But it's also true that information you thought was secret is known by other people in your family.  Can you think of an example of that?

Journal Question #15

How's February Vacation?  If you feel like it - and you want to write a little bit of English over vacation - tell me how you are doing during the week.  Are you having fun?  Resting? Eating good food?  Sleeping 12 hours a day?  Seeing friends and family?  Is it warm where you are?  No requirements, but, if you want, let me know what's happening with you this week.  See you after break.  Mr. Griffin

Journal Question #14

How can you speak English more often?  Lots of you have said that, because there are so many Chinese students here, it's hard for you to improve your English - or to speak English outside of class.  So, here's your chance to brainstorm ideas for speaking more English.  Come up with ideas, even if they seem a little crazy, to help yourself and your friends find more opportunities to chat in English.  I'm listening!

Journal Question #13

End of Semester Question:  How has the first semester gone for you?  Write about your classes, dorm life, social life, sports, food, weather, activities - whatever comes to mind.  Has the first semester at TA been what you expected, or very different from what you thought when you first arrived?  How have you changed?  Do you think your English has improved?  Has your knowledge of the USA improved?  How about your self-knowledge?

Journal Question #12

What kind of music do you like?  Earlier, I asked you about your favorite visual art.  Now, write about the music you especially like.  Be specific: which artists and which songs do you listen to a lot?  Also, are there musical instruments you enjoy listening to more than others, such as the guitar, the piano, or the violin?  Perhaps the trumpet or saxophone?  Drums?  do you play an instrument, or would you like to learn to play one?

Journal Question #11

What's your New Year's Resolution?  At the new year, many people decide to change themselves in some way, big or small, so they make a resolution (a sort of promise to themselves) for the coming year.  For example, one person might tell herself she will eat fewer sweets and junk food, and have a healthier diet.  Another person might decide to quit smoking, or some other bad habit. A third person might make a more general resolution, such as being kinder to strangers, or helping around the house more (e.g., cleaning, cooking, doing laundry).  Is there some behavior or attitude of yours that you would like to change?  Tell me about it!