Remembering and Responsibility

November, a month to remember. We have all taken part in Remembrance Day ceremonies since we were very small, but how often have we actually thought, really thought, about what we ought to be remembering? What responsibilities do we, as citizens not only of this country, but of the world, have when it comes to remembering the events of our past? This month, you may choose to write about these things. Here are some articles and other links to help you.

1. Go to The Memory Project page (http://www.thememoryproject.com/remembrance) and listen, read or both to one of the stories there. How does it make you feel to hear the stories and memories of these soldiers, now grown old?
2. Look at the pictures posted here of the battle at Vimy Ridge. (http://news.globaltv.com/daysofremembrance/story.html?id=2133466). Canada lost thousands of soldiers in that battle. Was it worth it? How does their sacrifice effect you?
3. Watch this video that uses actual footage from WW1. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02TQUI_C0hc). Search for another video that helps you to put into context how or what we should remember on Remembrance Day. Be sure to include a link to the video you've found in your post.

This is a serious theme this month. I hope you take the time to think about your writing and then comment thoughtfully on what others have written.

Teamwork and Co-operation

October 2009

Now that you are getting the hang of this whole blogging process, here are the prompts for this month. I try to relate the prompts to whatever the Character Education themes are for the current month. This month, the themes are Teamwork and Co-operation. I encourage you to also lookfor interesting items that relate to these themes and share them with the class through your postings.

Here, then, are this month's prompts:

1. Robert Yates wrote these words:It is amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares about who gets the credit. How do you feel about this quote? Do you like receiveing credit for the things you have contributed when you work in a group? How can we build an environment in which the end result is cherished and not the individual contributions of each group member? Is this a realstic goal?
   


2. Watch this video clip of Pinball Clemons as he gives a speech to a group of teachers about Teamwork. How does his definiftion of teamwork compare to yours? How could you apply what he says to the way you work in groups at school?


3. Visit this website: Lessons From Geese. What can geese teach us about teamwork? Are these lessons applicable in any way to the work we do at school? At home? Anywhere else?

September

As a class we will be using this blog to communicate with each other. We will create a forum in which we will be able to explore ideas and think about some issues that come up throughout the year.

I am expecting that you will post two times each month as well as contributing comments to at least two of the postings created by your classmates. These posts and comments will count toward your writing and media marks this term. The posts should be between 200- 400 words in length. Please remember that spelling and grammar will count.

While you may blog about anything you wish, I will always provide several prompts which can help you if you get stuck. (If you come across anything that you think would be a good prompt for the class, let me know.)

Here are September's prompts:

1.
Colombia kills Drug Baron's Hippo
Pablo Escobar's Hippos
Tension Surfaces over Fate of Hippos
Click on one, or all, of the links above. How would you deal with this situation?

2.
1887 Law Could Send Man to Jail
Click on the above link and read about how a young man was arrested for using foul language. Should we, in Canada, have such a law? How do you think this incident will be dealt with in the courts?

3.
SAM's Character Education theme for September is Respect. How do you show respect through your day? Are there certain groups of people to whom you show more respect than others? What are some ways in which you could be more respectful?

Welcome

Welcome to our class blog. You will be visiting here on a regular basis. I hope you enjoy your visits. I look forward to interacting with you through this exciting medium.