Mr. V Threatens Students

Hey you!  Yeah, the kid without a permission slip in yet!  

2nd Semester... you're toast~!  

You've BEEN WARNED.  Beware.

Yeah, I don't have alligators, but it's gonna feel like that.  Kinda.

Let the Blogging Begin!

Dear Students:

I realize that so far, my blog has basically been (a) a list of things you can't do, (b) a list of requirements, and (c) a rubric that shows how I will evaluate your efforts.  All in all, it sounds a lot like school.  Which, to be fair, it is.

This blog entry, therefore, is an attempt to get you fired up.  To get you excited and inspired not because some teacher told you to be excited and inspired, but because excited and inspired is the natural state of kids, at least until the educational system takes it out of many of you.

Here's the thing - I can tell you what I would write about, and I can give ideas about what you might like to write about (more on that in a second), but my ideas will reflect only the most general and surface-deep understanding of what interests you.  And you know why I can't understand you perfectly, right?  I am a middle-aged dude with a sweet spare tire 'round the middle, two kids, three college degrees, 14 years of teaching, and 21 years of dating/marrying one woman.

YOU, however, are right at that moment where EVERYTHING and ANYTHING can still be possible.  I sincerely hope that you ignore my suggestions (they're almost here) and write on a topic that I couldn't come up with in a million years.  A topic that genuinely engages you, inspires strong feelings from you, and above all, motivates you to work hard toward understanding it.

This is tough; let's be honest.  It's tough because any topic can be simultaneously meaningful or trivial, depending on how you approach it.  I can't tell you "hip-hop" music is off limits; it isn't!  I think there are tons of really important things to say about the genre.  I won't tell you not to write about "LeBron vs. Kobe" because, again, there are many meaningful things to say about them as people, role models, and athletes.

Of course, those topics can be treated in the most trifling, shallow way possible: "LeBron's sneakers are way cooler.  Kobe's a hater."  You get the idea, and let's not go there.

So where to go?  Here's a few of my (perhaps pathetic) ideas to get you broken out of the mold and thinking big:

Image from Twirlit.com

• A music review of [fill in the blank]'s new song/album
• Thoughts on current fashion trends and why they exist
• Reflections on whether a college degree is worth the time and money anymore
• Commentary on Chris Brown and Rihanna's relationship and what it signifies
• Consideration of what it's like to be a young person in a time of political and financial distress

Blog Grading Rubric

Blog Grading Rubric
Points	Requirement and Details
30	News Roundup (Summary and response to 3 pieces) Mention the author, publication (or website) and date of publication Link to the source if you found it online Summarize the main points of the article, especially if you found anything surprising Personally respond to the article Must be 100-150 words in length minimum for full credit.
30	Main Blog Entry Must be approved by Mr. V or Mr. C 300 word minimum for full credit
15	Comment on at least 3 of your peer's blogs Must be constructive criticism, part of a conversation, or a serious response – not just any old comment!
15	Present your blog progress every two weeks. You'll be given 4-5 minutes to showcase your blog every other Friday (so half the class goes each week, with the other half the next week).
5	Embed at least one picture or video AND one link More would be better, but one of each is the minimum!
5	Edit at least one of you prior blog entries. Must make a comment that shows what you fixed and why