Act V Feedback

Team,

Now that all of are postings are complete, let me reveal the answer to Act V, i.   I like the gravedigger because:

1. He is clever.  I like clever.  (Jon Stewart, the cartoon contest)

2. He is philosophical.  I like philosophy. (Voltaire, Dostoevsky)

3. He proves that life experience is just as valuable as formal education (Bear Grills, Elie Weisel, Steve Jobs)

4. He shows that social class does not define who you are, which is half of what drove me to become a teacher.  Despite what I wrote in #3, formal education does matter.  If Gravedigger #1 had had the opportunity to attend Oxford, he could have been the King of Denmark.

In fact, that's how the play should have ended.  Forget the norms of Shakespeare's day.  Forget Fortinbras...

The Gravedigger is King.

- Mr. Paul

Act IV Feedback

Team,

Reading your predictions was a lot of fun. Without giving away the ending, let me give you a few clues:

1. Don't forget that the full title is "The Tragedy of Hamlet."
2. Yet, not everyone will die. Someone must survive to tell the tale.
3. Just as Hollywood today follows certain rules (seriously flawed characters must die, you can't have a gun in a scene without it going off...) theater during Shakespeare's day did too. Think about his AUDIENCE, that is the audience for whom he was officially writing (if you don't know, perhaps Marx told you the name of his acting company? The King's Men. There's a big clue there.) Anyway, that audience determined some of what he could and could not do at the end of the play ... and explains why Fortinbras is in the story.

Good luck. We should finish by Thursday.

-Mr. Paul

PS: Oh never mind, I'll just tell you. Astrid nailed it ...

Act III Feedback

Team,

To the 80% of you who haven't missed a post yet, thank you for taking this project so seriously.  I haven't mentioned it in class, the Hamlet essay is just around the corner and participating in the blog is the best way to prepare for it.  For example, Alexa and Giselle's "argument" made me happy for the enthusiasm that it shows.  Though we don't have many entries left, feel free to fight, complain, make jokes, laugh or even cry in your posts.

However, if you're going to diss my one of my question (Lina... ;) you should be prepared to bake more brownies.  This space may resemble a democracy in its freedom, but there still is a monarch who needs to remain happy.

-Mr. Paul

Act II Feedback

Team,

I enjoyed reading your responses, especially to the second question -- parents spying on their children. In fact, I would love to print these out, seal them in a time capsule, and return them to you in 25 years to see if your ideas have changed. There's something very honest about your answers now ... that life may manipulate later.

Stay strong,

-Mr. Paul

Assignment: May 11-15

THE PLAN

 

As you already know, our course will continue online this week.  Assuming that we resume classes on Monday, May 18th, my plan simply involves re-arranging our unit.  This week you will be working on a creative writing assignment that I had originally scheduled to do right before exams.  Then, on the 18^th we will resume our study of Hamlet.

 

So, let’s get right to it.  Since March we have been studying acting and drama even though I know that very few of you will go on to become professional actors or playwrights.  So why have we spent so much time on this?  Because each of us will someday be called upon to speak in public.  And because actors are masters of skills like diction and poise that are required to do so well.  When you watch Kenneth Branagh’s deliver Hamlet’s soliloquies or Murat Dagli sing The King and I, you are witnessing models of the successful presentations that you will one day give at work.

 

To prove that learning, you will write the first draft of a speech this week, a speech that WILL be performed in class before you become 11^thgraders. 

 

PARAMETERS

 

TOPIC: Imagine that it is June, 2011 and YOU have been chosen to be the GRADUATION SPEAKER for your class.  Write the farewell speech that you would give at the commencement ceremony.

 

LENGTH: When spoken at a controlled speed, your speech should last 3-5 minutes.  As you write the draft this week, time yourself reading it aloud to best judge how many words you will need.

 

GENRE: As with so many writing assignments, your speech should follow basic essay structure.  That is, you should introduce your topic for an intelligent but ignorant audience, make a main point (thesis), defend and develop it, and finally conclude in a way that shows its importance to your reader.  Aside from this, feel free to use whatever style best reflects your personality and whatever tone best matches your audience.

 

GRADING: Points will be assigned in two categories based on the following two questions.  First, did you complete the draft a) on time and b) according to these rules?  Second, how well did you perform your speech?  The first points will be earned this week, the second when we return.

 

TIMELINE

 

MONDAY and TUESDAY: Study the directions above, watch the following graduation speech examples, and write any questions that you have on our BLOG as COMMENTS to this post (the same way you have been answering my Hamlet questions).  I want questions to be posted publicly so that they can help us all.  On Wednesday morning I will check the blog and write answers to your questions.

A very stereotypical graduation speech: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-wGxf2X6dY&feature=related

 

A graduation speech that is creative in its style:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niRmPBtf9fU

 

A graduation speech that is creative in it’s content (BTW, Chipotle is a Mexican fast food restaurant in the States … that I love.  They sell really big burritos.):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30m-zljeJGY&feature=related

 

WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY: Plan and draft your graduation speech.  EMAIL your speech to me at paul.gerber@asfg.mx by 10:00pm Thursday night.  DO NOT send your speech as an attachment.  Instead, COPY and PASTE your speech into the body of an email. I will check your emails.  Finally, bring a printed copy with you to class on Monday the 18^th.

 

I look forward to your questions and your speeches.

 

-Mr. Paul