Take Copious Notes

Speech 101 (HTC): The Final Class Meeting

2006-06-14T14:19:00.000-05:00

Watch this space for news concerning the final class meeting of Speech 101.

Nachi Lazar will present his self introductory speech, and we will likely have other activities to do.

HTC (Speech 101): Assignment for 8.VI.2006

2006-06-07T08:57:00.000-05:00

Gentlemen,

Your assignment for the antepenultimate class meeting is another parody. This time you will need to parody Lincoln's Second Inaugural, imitating the rhythms, devices, and even sentence constructions (not the words themselves, but the way he puts them together). You will also have a task to fulfill: give your speech while not using any form of the verb "to be". Do not use the following words "am," "is," "are," "was," "were," or "been." The task will be a little difficult, but it will teach you something about word choice. Time requirement: 3 - 5 minutes.

My email address can be found in one of the posts below, or on your syllabus.

Still Further Explanations of the "Passionate Shepherd . . ." assignment

2006-06-05T22:25:00.000-05:00

If you cannot find Elizabeth's "Passionate Shepherd . . . " poem, just use the three.

(Ms. Keleman: leave your email, and we can be more direct with this conversation.)

TI (English 275): Further Explanation of "The Passionate Shepherd . . . " Assignment Options

2006-06-04T14:31:00.000-05:00

I've received questions about the length requirement for this assignment. If you choose Option A below, it's two poems of twenty-five lines each; this would, at most, require about two pages, but probably only one. Option B, which is a paper comparing various iterations of the "Passionate Shepherd . . . " mode, should be a minimum of 4 pages long, which is the same requirement as the rest of the paper topics I suggested in class.

Students have also inquired regarding the necessity of outside sources. Although normally I would suggest that two or three scholarly essays should be read and cited to write a four or five page paper, Option B's task of comparing and, hopefully, coming up with some kind of thesis that makes an interesting claim about the "Passionate Shepherd . . . " tradition does not need outside sources. If you wish to look up some articles that would help you understand the pastoral mode or the "Passionate Shepherd . . . " tradition (there's plenty out there, much of it online), feel free to do so, and should you do so, you should, of course, properly cite and document your sources. I do not think, however, that any reading other than the poems themselves is necessary. So, the short answer to the question of whether or not you need outside sources for Option B is NO, but they are optional.

Hope this helps. My email address, which I thought was on here, is jsanchez517(at)yahoo(dot)com; replace the "(at)" with "@" and the "(dot)" "." You can, however, keep using the comment feature to communicate with me.

(I need some help. The above sentences are ridiculously long some of them.)

TI (English 275): The "Passionate Shepherd Tradition" Option Explained

2006-06-01T08:23:00.000-05:00

Ladies,

A request for clarification has been submitted regarding the option of doing the paper on the "Passionate Shepherd Tradition" (i.e., the several poems responding, sometimes satirizing, sometimes emulating, Marlowe's pastoral lyric "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love").

You could either A) write two poems in the tradition, 25 lines each, observing the conventions of pastoral poetry (i.e, a "nature" setting, specific language and imagery (e.g., shepherds, oaten flutes, etc.)), OR B) consider the way that "The Passionate Shepherd . . ." set off a kind of literary fad where anybody who was anybody (including Queen Elizabeth I herself) wrote a reply, imitation, or satire of Marlowe's poem.

I hope this answers your questions, allays any anxiety, and quells all doubts. If not, feel free to submit a comment or to email me. Otherwise, Chag Sameach (that's "[Have a] Joyous Festival" for all you goyim).

(Now, ladies, would it have been proper for me to have wished you a "Chag Sameach Shavuos" or a "Shavuos Sameach" or something like that. "Chag" is pretty general in my understanding -J)

TI: English 275 (The Passionate Shepherd Tradition)

2006-05-30T13:01:00.000-05:00

One of your paper options is to write on the tradition of pastoral poems that begin with Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love". Here are four poems in that tradition:

Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" and Raleigh's "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd."
John Donne's "The Bait."

I can't find Elizabeth I's contribution to the tradition because I'm behind a SonicWALL filter, but it should be fairly easy to find in an anthology of British literature. If you can't find it, these three should suffice.

Syllabi for Beis Midrash Courses (Spring '06)

2006-05-08T07:49:00.000-05:00

Gentlemen,

Welcome to the Spring 2006 term at HTC. Below are the syllabi for both of the courses I will be teaching. The syllabi will be available here throughout the term, although as more posts are made to the website, you may have to use the "Archives" feature along the right hand side to access them. But do not fear, they will be here.

English 305: Intro. to the Short Story (M & W, 6:15 - 9:15)
Speech 101: Fundamentals of Public Speaking (Tues. & Thurs., 6:15 - 9:15)

On the first day of English 305, we read "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson.

On the first of Speech 101, we read "I Have a Dream" by Martin Luther King.

Watch this space. It is recommended that you look at this blog at least once before every class meeting. Additional readings, for which you will be responsible, may appear here up to twelve hours before the class meets.

English 111: Mark Twain's "Advice to Youth"

2006-04-04T19:38:00.000-05:00

Here it is.

English 111: Francis Bacon essays!!!

2006-03-22T10:10:00.000-06:00

Apologies, my dear students: here are the essays of the estimable Sir Francis Bacon: Of Studies, Of Parents and Children, Of Truth, and Of Death.

Assignments for 6 March 2006

2006-03-06T12:57:00.000-06:00

FYHS

English G40 (Seniors; World Literature): Act II, Hamlet.
English G30 (Juniors; British Literature): "A Poison Tree" by Blake and "Work without Hope" by Coleridge.
English G20 (Sophomores; American Literature): "I Have a Dream" by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Beis Midrash
English 111: Intro to Elements of Style
English 211: Writing Assignment due.

TI: English 275 Assignment (Chaucer)

2006-03-01T10:17:00.000-06:00

Sorry that I'm getting the copies to my mailbox a little late today.

I ask you to read the entire packet. Do not panic: half of it is the Middle English version of the General Prologue, and the other half is a "translated" version. Try the Middle English, but refer to the translation for clarification.

FYHS: Announcements for the week of 27 Feb - 2 Mar (All Sections)

2006-02-27T10:48:00.000-06:00

General Announcements

As you all know, you will have a 50 question, multiple choice, "Scantron"-type test on Wednesday. It will be graded by the next day.

Seniors: You will have a review session today, as well as an indepedent study session tomorrow.

Juniors: You will have a review project today, and a review session tomorrow.

Sophomores: We will go over the assigned reading today, and have a review session tomorrow.

Definitions
Independent Study Session: Students will be given time to individuall or in small groups go over examination material. Students must work on English class materials only.

Review Project: Students will work in small groups to present mini-review presentations to the class by the end of the period.

Review Session: A student favorite: the instructor brings in questions and answers to review for the test in a lecture-style environment.

TI: English 275 (Assignment for Tues., 28 Feb)

2006-02-27T10:45:00.000-06:00

The Wife's Lament is available here; with excellent general "Wife's Lament" resources here.

This makes me want to open an option for writing about Old English elegies, in addition to the other options . . . hmm, any takers?

(Sorry this is so late going up.)

Assignment for English 111

2006-02-23T08:19:00.000-06:00

You can find Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" here.

Assignments and Notes for Thursday, February 23, 2006

2006-02-21T13:32:00.000-06:00

TI

English 275: Here is my favorite translation of "The Wanderer" although you can look here for other translations. For "The Seafarer" click here.

FYHS

All Sections: It's Thursday; you know the drill.

Assignments and Notes for Wednesday, February 22, 2006

2006-02-21T13:29:00.000-06:00

FYHS
English G40 (Seniors: World Literature): Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act I
English G30 (Juniors: British Literature): Four questions/observations on Burns' poetry.
English G20 (Sophomores: American Literature): Washington's Response.

Beis Medrash
English 111: Free writing and Lecture on Dangling Modifiers
Engilsh 211: Rollo May essay.

Assignments and Notes for Tuesday, February 21, 2006

2006-02-21T13:23:00.000-06:00

TI

English 275: Leyerle and Chance essays.

FYHS
English G40 (Seniors: World Literature): In-Class Writing Assignment
English G30 (Juniors: British Literature): Burns' "The Louse." No notes.
English G20 (Sophomores: American Literature): The Letter to Washington.

FYHS & TI:Assignment and Lecture for Tuesday, February 7, 2006.

2006-02-06T12:50:00.000-06:00

Fasman Yeshiva High School
English G40 (Seniors: World Literature): Ibsen's A Doll's House, Act I. Notes.
English G30 (Juniors: British Literature): TBA
English G20 (Sophomore: American Literature): Discussion of Sanburg's "The Funeral Train."

Anne M. Blitstein Teachers' Institute
English 275: "The Battle of Maldon" and the Art of Translation.

FYHS: Assignment and Notes for Monday, February 6, 2006

2006-02-06T12:47:00.000-06:00

English G40 (Seniors: World Literature): No class; Ibsen's A Doll House, Act I for tomorrow.
English G30 (Juniors: British Literature): Elegy in a Country Churchyard. Notes.
English G20 (Sophomores: American Literature): "The Funeral Train" by Carl Sandburg. Notes.

FYHS: Announcement of Policy Change

2006-02-06T12:33:00.000-06:00

I have decided to change my policy regarding posting lectures on the Internet. Although I plan and intend to continue posting notes in some form (i.e., key words, outlines, etc.) on this 'blog, I will no longer publish my entire lecture online.

I have noticed that sometimes three or four books and fewer notebooks are on the desks of some of my classes. To encourage you take copious notes and otherwise remain in engaged in the class, even when I'm lecturing, I will no longer post the full lecture online. Also, anyone not in possession of a pen, a notebook, and the text in question will be refused entry to class, marked absent, and possibly receive a zero on a quiz.

Graphete de kai prassete.

FYHS: Lecture for English G30 (British Literature)

2006-02-02T10:00:00.000-06:00

Here's a link to my lecture for my British Literature class.

TI: English 275 Syllabus and Initial Reading

2006-01-31T07:01:00.000-06:00

Welcome, ladies, to Eng 275: Survey of British Literature I. The first day's lecture notes are here.

The reading for the Merry and August Non-Holiday of the Groundhog, Thursday, February 2 is "The Battle of Maldon" (you can find the original Old English here).

The Old English text is taken from an old and respected site on Old English, so old that I used it when I was in school (!). It is Cathy Ball's Old English Pages.

Assignments and Lectures for Monday, January 23, 2006

2006-01-22T18:02:00.000-06:00

Fasman Yeshiva High School
English G20 (American Literature): "What is an American?" by De Crevecoeur. Lecture
English G30 (British Literature): "The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D." by Boswell. No Formal Lecture.English G40 (World Literature): Antigone by Sophocles (up to line 700). Lecture

Beis Medrash
English 111: English Composition: Selected exercises from English Brushup.
English 211: Advanced Composition: Victor Maslow reading.

NB*: All lectures will be posted here after classes on Monday.

*"NB" stands for nota bene, which is Latin for "note well"; it is used in scholarly and academic writing to point out information of which readers should take notice.

Assignments and Lectures for January 16, 2006

2006-01-12T14:38:00.000-06:00

English G20 (Sophomores, American Literature): "My Life" by Frederick Douglass and "What is an American?" by J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur. Lecture (Delivered on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006).
English G30 (Juniors, British Literature): Excerpt from "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift.
English G40 (Seniors, World Literature): "In the Penal Colony" by Franz Kafka. Lecture.

English 111: Selected exercises in English Brushup.
English 211: Selected readings found in From Dialogue to Discovery and From Idea to Essay.

FYHS Assignments for January 11, 2006

2006-01-11T13:03:00.000-06:00

The assignment for all sections is the following:

Each student should have at least four questions or observations about the reading for Monday or the lecture given on that day.

Tomorrow's in-class writing assignment will be significantly easier than last week's. Trust me.

Assignments and Lectures for January 9, 2005

2006-01-09T12:39:00.000-06:00

English G20 (Sophomores; American Literature): "Father Cures a Presidential Fever," by Pardee Lowe Lecture
English G30 (Juniors; British Literature): "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe Lecture
English G40 (Seniors; World Literature): "Bartelby the Scrivener" by Herman Melville Lecture
English 111 (Beis Midrash; English Composition) Lecture
English 211 (Beis Midrash; Advanced Composition)

TI: English 211

2006-01-05T09:09:00.000-06:00

English 211 students at TI, read "Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell for Tuesday.

FYHS: All Sections (Frost's "Mending Wall")

2006-01-04T21:19:00.000-06:00

Robert Frost's Mending Wall can be found here.

Syllabi for Beis Midrash Courses

2006-01-04T07:34:00.000-06:00

English 111: English Composition
English 211: Advanced Composition

Also, all students in English 111 or English 211 should read "Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell for Monday.

Assignments and Lectures for Monday, January 9, 2006

2006-01-03T14:44:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Second Semester

2006-01-03T08:29:00.001-06:00

Scholari Cariti:

If you are reading this, then I have decided to go public with this 'blog. On it, I hope to post not just lectures, but other resources for you. The first thing I'm going to put up is the lecture from the first day of class.