College Prep English Class notes for September 11, 2014
Dear former students, continuing students, new students, prospective students and classroom visitors — home-scholars all,
(Note that following links to classroom pages will require login. Please contact eclass@abacus-es.com for information on online classroom access.)
The classroom feed for this week has been posted in Our online classroom theater where you will also find an archive of past classes. A playlist for our 2014-2015 classes has been created: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLExCxI6q5_Xnpxfr0yI8ATzOnU6SmkO2x
The playlist of 2013-2014 is also on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLExCxI6q5_XmwbFdBDNpSar91svWKDe9Y
Class Notes
The class was started later this week than will be the case in future weeks. Normally the online feed will start at 2:30.
Discussion of class curricula
We discussed goals and decided to explore SAT essay writing and college admissions essay writing — two very different skillsets. There are a few college admission essays in our classroom but more will be added. A book of successful college admission essays is on its way.
Please read Dr. Perelman of MIT on the SAT essay exam. Though this was written some time ago, it is presumably still valid. Dr. Perelman concludes that, due to the way the SAT exam is graded, grades allotted are almost entirely a function of word count. We will discuss this.
We discussed the letter from Salman Khan and his use of language.
We looked at the vocabulary forum, the assignments forum and the writers forum. Please make regular postings in the vocabulary forum and post your work in the writers forum.
We looked briefly at the Class Orientation page. Please read it.
The suggestions was also made that we engage in debate but no debate topics were suggested. Let’s watch a couple of debates:
High School Debate Contest The City Club of Cleveland’s High School Debate Championship. Debate is on whether the US should support and comply with the International Criminal Court.
This is a very fine debate with positions well presented and justified. The commentary is also very useful, particularly for it’s explanation of the judges’ evaluation of the contestants.And the Oxford Union whistleblower debate
Please think of debate topics that would not require a great deal of research. Feel free to explore any of the many other debates posted in our classroom.
We looked at a brilliant Longfellow poem. It is worth another reading:
Travels by the Fireside
— H. W. Longfellow
The ceaseless rain is falling fast,
And yonder gilded vane,
Immovable for three days past,
Points to the misty main,
It drives me in upon myself
And to the fireside gleams,
To pleasant books that crowd my shelf,
And still more pleasant dreams,
I read whatever bards have sung
Of lands beyond the sea,
And the bright days when I was young
Come thronging back to me.
In fancy I can hear again
The Alpine torrent’s roar,
The mule-bells on the hills of Spain,
The sea at Elsinore.
I see the convent’s gleaming wall
Rise from its groves of pine,
And towers of old cathedrals tall,
And castles by the Rhine.
I journey on by park and spire,
Beneath centennial trees,
Through fields with poppies all on fire,
And gleams of distant seas.
I fear no more the dust and heat,
No more I feel fatigue,
While journeying with another’s feet
O’er many a lengthening league.
Let others traverse sea and land,
And toil through various climes,
I turn the world round with my hand
Reading these poets’ rhymes.
From them I learn whatever lies
Beneath each changing zone,
And see, when looking with their eyes,
Better than with mine own.
Textbook
Please read the first chapter in our textbook: SAT ACT TOEFL College Prep English Practice, available at the EIE bookstore and Amazon.com. We will use the text as a foundation and reference for grammar and style but will explore many other sources in multiple media, all of which will be supplied in our online classroom.
Class Organization
In-class time is used only for for interactive activities: oratory, discussion and recitations and never for reading, writing, watching videos and doing assignments, all of which take place on or off-line during the week. Absent online participants will be able to take part in the in-class sessions.
Our online classroom contains a vast trove of English language resources ranging from full text books and audiobooks to films, plays, software and all of the assignments and activities generated in previous years. Please feel free to explore. We will use these and expand upon them.
High Priority Assignments
(Note: these assignments should be enjoyable. Do only as much as you find enjoyable. If you find them to be onerous and pointless, please help shape future assignments with your suggestions)
Please look at the few college admission essays in our classroom. We will discuss them. There are more to come.
Please read Dr. Perelman of MIT on the SAT essay exam.
Please watch the High School Debate Contest, The City Club of Cleveland’s High School Debate Championship.
Please watch the Oxford Union whistleblower debate.
Please think of debate topics that would not require a great deal of research. Feel free to explore any of the many other debates posted in our classroom.
Please read the first chapter in our textbook: SAT ACT TOEFL College Prep English Practice, available at the EIE bookstore and Amazon.com.
Please let me know if you need more homework.