Journal question #7

The winter solstice comes on December 21st.  It is the shortest day of the year - or the longest night if you look at it that way.  After the 21st, each day in the northern hemisphere gets a little longer.  Still, this is the darkest time of the year, and many people don't like the limited sunshine.  How about you, are you bothered by the lack of light?  Are you waiting impatiently for longer, sunnier days?  How do you live with the darkness?  

Journal Question #6

 

Gratitude.  In less than two weeks, Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday dedicated to gratitude, or giving thanks.  It's important to express thanks to people in your life, and thanks for the blessings of your life.  Let's face it, no one can live without help from someone, and we all have much to be thankful for.  Who would you like to thank?  What are you thankful for?

Journal Question #5

 

Cigarettes.  Lots of smokers start when they are teenagers, and the earlier you start to smoke, the harder it is to quit smoking later on.  Even if a smoker knows that smoking causes lung cancer and other diseases, he can't stop.  Here's the question: why do teenagers start smoking?  

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

This time of year - autumn - is the best time to eat in New England.  The harvest is in, and you can find all kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables in farmers markets, roadside farm stands, restaurants, and grocery stores.  My favorites include corn, tomatoes, and apples.  How about you?  What are your favorite foods?  Is there food that you love to eat in your country that you can't find here in America?  Tell us about it!

Journal Question #2, 2021-2022

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, 2021-2022

One of the pillars of TA is Compassion.  As we begin another year with the pandemic still a part of our lives, compassion toward one another - at home, in school, in society - remains an essential virtue.  What does compassion mean to you?  How do you show compassion?  Give examples of compassion, either your own or others'.

Journal Question #18

What will you remember about the school year, 2020-2021?  Look back and write down two or three events or people that will stay with you.  Then, look to the future - to next school year, for example - and write about your hopes and expectations, either for yourself or for people close to you or for the world.

Journal Question #17

 

Why do you learn?  To get a job?  To get good grades?  to get into a good college?  To be praised by teachers and parents?  Or do you learn for other reasons: joy, curiosity, truth, beauty, virtue?  As we approach the end of the school year, write down a few thoughts on your reasons for learning.

Journal Question #16

 

Are you a different person when you speak English?    Language is a big part of your identity, of who you are, so I wonder if speaking English has changed your identity at all.  Another way to look at it: when you return to your home this summer and speak your first language, will you also become your "old" self?

Journal Question #15

 

Earth Day is April 22nd.  We humans have only one home, and we haven't done a very good job taking care of it.  What do you see as the biggest threat to Mother Earth?  Do you have any ideas about how to reduce or eliminate this threat?  Is it possible, in the future, that the human race would leave Earth and start a new civilization on another planet?

Journal Question #14

In the last two weeks, there have been two mass shootings in the United States, in Atlanta, Georgia and Boulder, Colorado.  Unfortunately, this is not a rare event in this country.  Guns are available to pretty much anybody who has the money to buy one.  What do you think of guns?  Should they be easy to get?  Can you buy a gun in your country?  How can America reduce gun violence?
 

Journal question #13

 

Is playing a sport an important part of a person's education?  Should sports be a part of school?  Should a student be required to play a sport, or to get exercise in some organized way?  Express your opinion on the  value of sports in school, particularly high school. 

Journal Question #12

 

It's hard to pay attention.   There is so much to distract a student: digital devices, classmates, intercom announcements, bells, the stream of thoughts running through one's head.  And Remote Learning makes paying attention even harder.    Here's the question: How do you pay attention when all these distractions are around you?  Do you have any strategies or tips to share with your classmates?  

Journal Question #11

Winter can be a hard season, especially in the middle of a pandemic.  There's snow, ice, freezing temperatures, dark days, a tendency toward isolation and introspection.   But winter can also be wonderful if looked at and experienced with a positive attitude.  Here's the question:  how do you survive the winter?  What are some tips you can share to make the best of the cold season?

Journal Question #10

Compassion is one of TA's four pillars.  At any time, compassion is an important trait, but especially in a time of crisis - such as the COVID-19 pandemic - compassion is crucial, even life-saving.  What are actions you take that show compassion?  Remember, acts of compassion can be small as well as large, personal or communal.

Journal Question #9

 

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?