Journal Question #8

This weekend I saw an amazing exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.  It was called "Strandbeest."  These are creations of a Dutch man named Theo Jansen, who calls himself a "prehistoric human."  Anyway, if you ever get a chance, try and see these inventions, which are made of PVC tubing and move by themselves, usually using wind power.  You can also check out his videos on YouTube.  Theo Jansen is a kind of Time Traveler, and both of my ELL classes have been discussing Time Travel lately.  So, you have a choice with this last journal of 2015:  check out Jansen's "Strandbeest" and respond to them, or answer this question: If you could travel through time, where would you go?  Why?

Journal Question #7

How do you choose a friend?  Do you speak the same language?  Do you come from the same place?  Do you have the same interests or believe in the same ideas?  How do you know when someone isn't a friend?  Do you choose not to be friends with some people for some of the above reasons (different language, place, interests, beliefs)?  How easily can a friend become not a friend?  How does that happen?

Journal Question #6

How do you study?  Do you work alone or with other people?  Are you in your room, a study hall, the ELL Lab, the library, at the kitchen table, in bed, at a desk, or some other place?  Do you study in school, after school, during evening study hours, or late at night?  Do you always study at the same time, or does your study time change from day to day?  Do you study quietly, or do you like to listen to music while studying?  Do you eat and drink while studying?  Finally, how much do you study?  Describe your study habits.

Journal Question #5

November is a month for eating well.  The weather is getting colder, all the crops have been harvested, and America's greatest food celebration - Thanksgiving - occurs.  So it's a good time to think about the food we eat: What's your favorite food?  Have your tastes changed over the years?  Is there a food you like because it reminds you of someone or some place?  While you are here in America, is there a food you can't get that you miss a lot?

Journal Question #4

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?

Question #3 - 2015-2016

Monday, October 12th is Columbus Day, an American holiday that celebrates the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, an Italian sailor who sailed for Spain.  Of course, Columbus didn't discover America - there were lots of people there already, whom he called "Indians" because he believed he had discovered a quick way to India.  Some people think Columbus' arrival in North America (or Central America) was a disaster for native Americans: in the following centuries, Europeans enslaved, killed, drove away, and, in general, brutalized them.  What's your view?  Is Columbus a hero or a villain (bad guy)?  Was his "discovery" a good event in world history?

Question #2 - 2015-2016

This is a picture of refugees fleeing their countries, on an overloaded boat, hoping to find a better life in Europe.  Right now, thousands of people from Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and other war-torn places are attempting dangerous journeys in order to save their lives and start new ones in safer places.  Some countries welcome these people and help them out; others try to keep them out.  What do you think European countries like Germany, England, and France should do?  What about the refugees?  What should they do if they are not allowed to go to Europe?

Question # 1, 2015-2016

Monday, September 7, is Labor Day in America.  It's a day to celebrate the worker, but also a day to celebrate work.  There's all kinds of work that needs to be done in society, and doing work gives an individual life meaning and importance.   You, as a student, are working, too; the knowledge you gain, skills you acquire, and habits you form through education will enable you to make a living, contribute to society, and take pride in doing a good job.  In your opinion, what is "good work"?  Is there work you have done, or work you hope to do someday that is meaningful and important to you?

Journal Question #17

This is a painting by the American artist Edward Hopper, called "Rooms by the Sea."  I usually put it on the ELL Journal at the end of the year, and it seems appropriate to have it illustrate this year's final journal.  For me, the work looks ahead and behind at the same time, and that's what I want you to do: look ahead to your summer vacation - or even further into the future - but also look behind to the year you have spent at TA.  What will you remember from the school year, 2014-2015?  What are you looking forward to as you get ready to go home?  Write whatever comes to mind: the good, the bad, the interesting, the scary...

Journal Question #16

Between now and the end of the school year, there are a lot of things going on at TA, including the International Fair (pictured above), Student Art Exhibit, Choral Concert, Dance Performance, Awards nights in Athletics and Academics, and, of course, Graduation.  This weekend was Prom.  The question: how many of these events will you attend or participate in?  Is it important for a student to go to these events?  Are some events more important than others?  Why or why not? 

Journal Question #15

While we were away on vacation, the world observed "Earth Day."  This is an occasion to remember where we live, and the importance of taking care of our home.  I recently read that scientists believe the earth has three billion years of life left - provided that we humans take care of it.  We're not doing a great job at the moment: climate change that is in great part due to human activity threatens to create catastrophic change, from melting polar ice to forming massive, destructive super storms to flooding coastlines, all of which could cause species extinction, including our own!  In the spirit of Earth Day, what can we, as individuals, do to save our planet and ourselves?

Journal Question #14

Last night I was talking with friends about great works or art, and Michelangelo's David came up.   We all agreed it is one of the most amazing pieces of art we have ever seen; if you are ever in Florence, Italy, you must see it.   So, having talked about music, let's turn our attention to visual art.  Is there a sculpture or painting or some other form of visual art that you love?  Write about it.  Where is it?  Have you seen it in person?  What about it draws you to it? 

Journal Question #13

 

Let's talk about music.  As I write this, I'm listening to Chopin's "Nocturnes for Piano," played by Arthur Rubenstein.  What are you listening to?  (Be specific - don't just say, "pop music," say "Lady Gaga's newest CD" or whatever.)  Tell me why you like your music.  When do you listen to music?  Do you listen to different musicians and singers at different times of day or in different situations?  Has your musical taste changed over time?  Do you prefer to listen to music alone or with other people?  Share your music!

Journal Quesrtion #12

In both ELL II and III, we have read stories this year that include time travel as a theme.  So, like Einstein, I want to meet a time traveler (Einstein misspells the word!).  A couple of questions: 1) Do you believe time travel will ever be possible?  2) If time travel were possible, when and where would you like to go?  Why?

Journal Question 11

"Arrangement in Grey and Black no. 1," also known as "Whistler's Mother," was painted in 1871 by James Whistler, an American artist living in London, England.  It now resides at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris.  He used his mother as his model.  This brings me to the next journal question:  What makes a good mother?  How about a good father?  How involved, for instance, should a parent be in her child's career and, before then, her child's education?  How involved should she be in her child's social life?  Is a parent mostly a teacher and guide, a friend, a disciplinarian, a boss, a confidant?  Share your thoughts on what a parent should be and do.

Journal Question #10

Romeo and Juliet are among the most famous couples ever - and they weren't even real people!  Shakespeare wrote the play a long time ago, but the story of two teenage lovers in a star-crossed relationship has kept its power through the years.  With Valentine's Day approaching, here's a question for you:  How important is it for teenagers to have a girlfriend or boyfriend?  What are some advantages and disadvantages to getting into a romantic relationship in high school?  Do your parents or your friends influence you in this decision?

Journal Question #9

 

What makes you motivated?  Why do you do your HW and write papers and prepare for tests?  Why do you practice shooting a basketball or playing the piano?  Does your motivation come from the outside (grades, SAT scores, teachers, parents, coaches)?  Or does it come from inside, some place inside you that makes you work harder, practice longer, go farther?   Is one kind of motivation better than the other?

Journal Question #8

It's 2015.  Look at the year ahead and make a prediction or a few predictions.  You can say what you believe will happen to you personally or what will happen in the world.  Be very specific if you want (i.e., "I will meet my future husband on vacation in England this summer.") or more general ("The cafeteria food will improve at TA.")  Try to think of surprising or unexpected possibilities.  Here's to an interesting 2015!