Journal Question #8

When the new year arrives, many people make "new year's resolutions," meaning they promise to improve themselves in some way during the coming year.  For instance, this January 1st people may say they will quit smoking or learn a musical instrument or lose weight or help people in need more often in 2014.  In that spirit, what is your new year's resolution for 2014?  Explain why you are making this change.

Journal Question #7

Sunlight is a precious commodity this time of year: there isn't much of it.  It's no accident that Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, and other religious celebrations happen in December.  This is when the winter solstice occurs (December 21), meaning that, beginning on the 21st, we will see just a little more sunlight each day.  How important is the sunlight to you?  Do you dislike this time of year, when it is dark so much?  Will you celebrate the winter solstice?

Journal Question #6

Deer hunting season is about to start in Maine (and elsewhere).  Hunters go out into the woods with their guns and try to shoot deer - especially deer with large antlers.  It's a sport, not  really a way to feed one's family; no one is going to go hungry if the typical hunter fails to kill a deer.  By the way, if you go for a walk in the woods - or even near the woods - remember to wear bright orange clothing, or else a hunter might mistake you for a deer!  Of course, deer isn't the only animal that is hunted - birds, bear, moose all get shot for sport, too.  What do you think about hunting?  Is it okay to kill animals for sport?

Journal Question #5

Halloween is coming, and many people - not only children - will dress up, some in masks.  America and Europe are not alone in having a celebration or holiday that includes costumes: every culture has rituals that include costumes of some kind.  Pictured above, for instance, is a Native American mask.  Why do humans wear costumes and/or masks?  Do you like to dress up and pretend you are someone - or something - else?  Do you plan to wear a costume or a mask for Halloween?  Why or why not?

Journal Question #4

Is it important to have a girlfriend/boyfriend?  Think of your situation now, as a teenager, in high school, working on learning English as well as learning other subjects.  Where does having  a personal relationship with someone - someone more than a "friend" - fit into your life?  What do your parents think?  (Does that matter?)

Journal Question #3

It's autumn - also called fall - and the leaves are turning color.  Many think the fall is New England's most beautiful season: not only do the trees become orange, red, and yellow, but the skies are often clear blue, and the days are crisp and cool, perfect for all sorts of activities.  What do you think of fall?  Is it your favorite season?  Why or why not?  If not, which is your favorite season and why?

Journal Question #2

 

Each of us is an individual; we all have characteristics that define us, that identify us as different from others.  Think about yourself: what makes you different from other people you know?  The difference(s) could be physical, psychological, social.  In other words, what makes you, you?

Journal Question #1

Welcome, everyone, to a new school year at Thornton Academy and in ELL class.  Let's begin with a simple question: Why are you learning English?  A secondary question is, Why are you learning English in America?  I look forward to reading your reasons.

Journal Question #19

Have you noticed that irises have recently blossomed?  Vincent Van Gogh, among many, loved these flowers, which in New England always blossom around Memorial Day.  So irises symbolize the start of summer.  Share your summer thoughts as the school year closes.

Journal Question # 18

Do you ride a bicycle?  There's a growing movement throughout the world to increase the number of bicycles and bicyclists, especially in cities.  There are many good reasons to do this: bicycles are non-polluting; physical exercise is good for humans; as the above picture shows, bicycles take up much less space than motorized vehicles.  Many cities have bike lanes; some people think there should even be bike-only roads.  What do you think?

Journal Question #17

Spring finally appears to have arrived in Maine: daffodils and tulips are blooming, as are some of the fruit trees; leaves are coming out on previously bare tree branches; the days are longer and temperatures are edging up into the 60's (Fahrenheit).  Schools such as TA are also entering their final stretch - 7 weeks to go, 5 for seniors.  So, it's as good a time as any to make a "Spring Resolution": what would you like to accomplish before the end of the school year?  As the flowers bloom, what do you hope "blooms" in you?

Journal Question #16

When you speak English, are you a different person than when you speak your native language?  Language and identity are closely connected, as the language we use influences how we see the world, how we experience the world, and how we find meaning in the world.   It's hard to learn a second language not only because of the different sounds, grammar, and vocabulary, but also because of the different culture - or different way of looking at the world - that the new language represents.  So, how have you had to change in order to learn English?

Journal 15

 

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" is an expression in English, meaning that a child is similar to his/her parents in appearance, personality, habits, and other ways, too.  Do you think this is true?  Do you know any children who aren't at all like their parents?   Some children resemble one parent more closely than another - both in looks and in behavior.  Why does that happen?  How about you: which parent are you most like?  Or are you one of those unusual children who isn't like either parent?

Journal Question 14

Ever feel stressed out by school?  What are some good ways to cope with, avoid, or eliminate stress?  What can a student do to make his/her life at school as stress-free as possible?  Share some tips with your fellow students, and read some of your classmates' ideas; you might find out ways to improve your life at TA and beyond!

Journal Question #13

This is a charcoal and pastel drawing by an artist named Susan Grossman.  It's title is "Nightfall."  I saw a show of hers at a gallery in New York over February vacation - if you want to see more of her art, go to www.susangrossman.net.  Write about this or any other drawing of Ms. Grossman's, or tell me about art you may have seen over vacation.

Journal Question 12

 

This is a picture of Chen Guanbiao, a Chinese businessman, who is giving out cans of fresh air to people in Beijing.  Lately, the smog (air pollution) has been so bad that the government has told people to stay inside and asked factories to operate fewer hours in attempt to make the air cleaner.  Do you live in a city with bad air pollution?   What should be done, in your opinion, to make the air cleaner?  What about canned air - is it a silly idea or a necessary product?

Journal Question 11

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Robert Frost

This short poem by the American poet, Robert Frost, poses the question: how will the world end - through fire or ice?  If fire is desire, and ice is hate, either one is capable of destroying the world.  In the end, it doesn't really matter how the world ends, it only matters that the world ends.  I thought of it because the weather is getting really cold, and January is the coldest month.  In your opinion, which is the greater destroyer: fire/desire, or ice/hate?  If that's too hard to think about, discuss which you prefer: extreme cold or extreme heat. 

Journal Question #10

This is a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was perhaps the greatest American leader of the 20th century.  In a couple of weeks, Americans will celebrate a holiday in his honor.  Think about leadership: Who is a great leader, in your opinion, and why?  What qualities define leadership?  Are there "born leaders," or do certain people become leaders through hard work and accidents of time and place?