PREPARING FOR THE NEW YEAR

There will be no new blog post over Christmas. Breathe... enjoy time with your family and friends. If you have an inclination to do some work for this course, here's what your energy should be spent on:

1. CULMINATING PORTFOLIO - be sure all your marked assignments have been corrected and placed in a folder marked with your name and the title Culminating Portfolio. Share this folder with me if you have not already done so. It is due Jan. 21st or Jan. 25th at the latest.

NOTE - I would like to publish 2 or 3 pieces from each class member in a class book. These should be creative prose or poetry, and can be course assignments or something new. I will be asking you about this when we return.

2. YOUR BLOG - Take the time to go back to each of your past posts and make the suggested corrections if you have not already done so. This does not mean rewriting anything, just corrections to spelling, grammar and punctuation. It is due Jan 16th.

3. COLLABORATIVE WRITING - Each member should take a share of the agreed upon task. Get the text into a computer, get the images and layout organized. When we have draft versions of the children's books ready I will arrange to visit kindergarten classes to test the stories. Finished products by Jan. 21st.

JANUARY NEWSLETTER - We were caught with a very short submission timeline for the next school newsletter, and there will be little news in the way of school events. So we are doing an issue on "Student Voice". I have submitted the following;
- Emma's Mission article in an abbreviated version
- Toby's value of exercise article in an abbreviated version
- Matteo, Sierra, Jackie, Kim & Nadia - excerpts from your blogs on Grit and Growth Mindset
- Shelby, Renzel & Megan excerpts from your blogs on The Future

TO PROTECT AND SERVE

"Hey, hey. Ho, ho. These killer cops have got to go." (chant on NY streets this evening)

Ferguson, Missouri protestors

"Protect and Serve" is the motto of the LAPD, the OPP's motto is "Safe Communities, A Secure Ontario" and the Guelph Police Service  slogan is "Pride - Service - Trust", but can citizens feel safe when confronted with police officers? The Free Thought Project website suggests that Americans are more likely to be killed by a US police offer than a terrorist. Mint Press News, an online news service, reports that US police have killed 5,000 civilians since 9/11. This week protests erupted in New York City because a white police officer was not charged for the choke-hold death of an unarmed black man named Eric Garner. For the past several weeks the town of Ferguson, Missouri has suffered violent rioting because a white police officer shot Michael Brown, an unarmed black man, 12 times.

Just in case you think this only happens to black citizens and residents of the United States...

In July 2013 a bystander video recorded a Toronto police officer shoot Sammy Yatim (a white youth who was on a Toronto streetcar with a knife) 9 times and then tasered his inert body. Then in August 2013 RCMP officers went to the home of Josee Valiquette on Cold Lake Alberta’s First Nation’s reserve with the intent of arresting him, when a fight broke out Valiquette was shot dead. And just in case you think using tasers instead of guns is the answer, Robert Dziekanski was tasered to death at the Vancouver airport in 2010. Robert did not speak English and a witness video documents the aggressive police response to his failure to comply.

NYPD body camera pilot project

British police officers traditionally do not carry guns. New York City police a testing body cameras, initially to protect officers against wrongful accusations of excessive force, but knowing they are on camera has been found to modify police behaviour. 

Here's your reflection question: If you were on a consulting committee to a police force, what would you suggest as a means to address the problem of police officers killing unarmed citizens? Is this a matter of improved training, restricted weapons, stronger consequences following incidents, or something else?

Don't rant. Don't ramble. Develop a clear, concise statement of opinion.

Facing The Future

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. - Malcolm X , Muslim Minister and Human Rights Activist

American Diplomat

President of the U.S. and abolitionist.

THE TASK - As a graduating student you are facing a myriad of decisions that will impact your future. Post a reflection on "Facing The Future". Find a quote about the future and identify who the individual is. Explain your philosophy and how the chosen quote holds meaning for you.

Children's Author

EXAMPLE:

I have measured my life path against siblings and peers. I believe that the decisions I have made, about education, relationships and employment have led me to a life that I treasure. I had parents who tried to tell me what career to pursue, life partner to select and how to raise a family. I made my own choices, often contrary to their preferences, because I know that only I can create my future. I was raised to believe in myself and make conscious choices that will lead me to my goals. I don't think that one's FATE is predetermined, I think opportunities present themselves, sometimes in a very serendipitous manner, and it is in our power to act upon those chances or not.

Slammed By Poetry

Truth Is, Beth Anne and Fannon Holland

Kaitlyn, Megan and Sierra served as judges at the Guelph Spoken Word, Poetry Slam on Saturday night at the E-bar. Among the ten competitors, Fannon Holland knocked us off our seats with his content and delivery, and was awarded the $100 prize. Dan Murray was close at Holland's heels with his angry memories of elementary school track-and-field meets. A memorial video tribute to Zaccheus Jackson Nyce and spotlight performance by Guelph poet Amelia Meister added to an already entertaining evening.

The next Slam is Saturday, December 20th and will feature humourous poems.

How Can You "Remember" What You Didn't Experience?

Gen. Romeo Dallaire

Dr. Bill Winegard

On Monday, retired General Romeo Dallaire came to Lourdes and challenged you to get the dirt of a foreign land on your boots. By this he meant that you should experience first-hand the challenges faced in another part of the world, as he did in Rwanda. He expressed hope that mankind will achieve peace and suggested your generation, the global citizens, could accomplish this.

On Tuesday, we travelled to the Sleeman Centre were Dr. Bill Winegard pointed out that we lost more soldiers to suicide following their tour of duty in Afghanistan, than we did during the conflict itself. He criticized the Canadian government to expecting citizens to serve their country in war/peace-keeping and then abandoning them, and their families when they returned home with physical and mental health issues as a result.

What are your thoughts?

(use your notes from Monday if you have some)

Due by Saturday, November 15th at 8:00am

Below is the email Mr. MacPherson received about the Sleeman Centre Event.

Dear Sir,

 I was at the Remembrance day ceremony today at the Sleeman's centre and was sitting by myself when all of a sudden a bunch of kids from your school showed up and sat next to me surrounding me. All I honestly thought to myself is "Great I am not going to hear a word being spoken and they are going to be loud and obnoxious" 

 Well I must say I truly owe your students an apology, as they were not loud, rude or obnoxious. They were quiet, and very respectful of the ceremony.  The students that attended from  your school should  walk with their heads held high with pride.  They acted and behaved better then most adults do and it was a pleasure sitting with them. 

 In this day and age where teenagers get a lot of bad rap, I think it should be acknowledged when they are just plain good kids. 

 Sincerely,

Shirley Power

HALLOWEEN RANT

Post an opinion, a rant of sorts, expressing your views on the value of Halloween. Is it pagan cult, encouraging devil worship, or clean family fun? It is crass commercialism enticing us to buy cheap goods and unhealthy treats, or is it an opportunity for self-expression, community spirit and creativity? Pick ONE side and create a concise argument in favour of you view.

Finish this post by Friday, November 7th at 3:00 pm.

Slam Poet Guest Speaker - Oct. 29

Elora-based Slam Poet Racheal Walser

Racheal Walser is an fiction writer, poet and collage artist living in Elora. Her work has been included in numerous publications across North America. She will be presenting to our class on Wednesday, Oct. 29 to demonstrate her Slam Poetry skills and share with us videos by a couple of her favourite Slam Artists.

The content or Racheal's work, and the videos she will share by Asia Samson and Andrea Gibson are infused with raw emotion. Topics touch on depression and lost loved-ones, yet offer strong messages of hope and inspiration.

"I have friends, few, but friends all the same, that are self-motivated. They are initiators, self-sustaining moulds of motivation. And occasionally, we sit in coffee shops for hours talking about what we're working on. But I love it, every coffee, every conversation. These are the best days." RW

Slam Poet Videos that Racheal shared with us:
Andrea Gibson "The Madness Vase"
Asia Samsom - "Awakening"