BFFs

When I was younger, I always thought my popularity depended on how many "best" friends I had.  And aside from my imaginary friend, Bill, I had none.  But really, after graduating from high school and then college, I realized that all the friends I thought I had, ended up being phases in my life - mere acquaintances.  My true best friend stayed with me from middle school to the present.  I call him my best friend not because we spend a lot of time together, text every day or BBM every minute, but because we can go months without any communication and when we reconvene, it is like we were never apart.

Collin is to me, someone I can randomly call and have  a two hour conversation with about the most heart-wrenching situation, or the funniest line Michael Scott said on the latest episode of The Office.  We had a love-hate relationship in middle school - he would tease me and beat me at knock-out in his driveway - a "Bonnie and Clyde" partnership in high school - I would cover for him when he snuck out of his parent's house when grounded - and an almost undefinable relationship now.

Think of the person or people you identify as your best friend(s).  What qualifies that person as such?  What is a best friend and how are true friendships cultivated?  What kinds of friends are Gene and Finny and how can you evaluate their friendship thus far in the first five chapters?

If you still aren't sure what friendship means, take this statement into consideration:

"Friendship is being there when someone's feeling low and not being afraid to kick them." - Randy K. Milholland

(EXTRA CREDIT: to the student who can identify the grammar mistake in the above quote - goes to the first person to catch it!)

Everyday Use for . . . .

. . .who? 

Mama has a difficult decision to make in Alice Walker's short story, "Everyday Use for your Grandmama."  She finds herself in the position of a mediator between Dee and Maggie.  She is amidst two different worlds and must choose the daughter who will receive the family heirloom.

So, based on the evidence in the story, who should have the quilt?  Assume a fictitious role as someone who knows the situation regarding the controversy over the quilt.   Create a persuasive argument stating your opinion as to which sister should have been given the quilt.  Make sure you construct a clear argument on behalf of one of the sisters, and you may also be creative in your perspective in relation to the story.  Be sure to include plenty of evidence to support your position. 

We can pretend we are a panel of judges presiding over the "Case of the Family Quilt."  When you present your argument, be sure to address at least one other argument made by a classmate to either agree with or refute.  Meeting adjourned.

"Traditions are the guideposts driven deep in our subconscious minds. The most powerful ones are those we can't even describe, aren't even aware of."

Ellen Goodman

WHERE WERE WE and HOW FAR HAVE WE COME?

When viewing this film or even teaching the unit on Equality and Human Rights I am usually met with the same sentiment:  "Things are better now; people aren't so racist."  And my response is always the same: prove it.

Racism and discrimination may not seem to be as prevalent today as it was during the Civil Rights movement, but that does not mean it does not currently exist.  The more overt and direct racism historically represented in To Kill a Mockingbird, A Raisin in the Sun, "Recitatif," and Black Like Me may seem outdated, but racism still lies dormant and if you really look hard enough, you may be able to find it hidden in the recesses of people's minds, lurking in the loopholes of our justice system, and whispered in hallways.  After watching the documentary, The Trials of Darryl Hunt, we can see the obvious proof that we may not have advanced as far as we think we have in eradicating racism and prejudice.

Larry Little, the Alderman who organized the Darryl Hunt Defense Committee spoke very eloquently about the circumstances surrounding Hunt's wrongful conviction.  Read each statement below:

"It's like a little old man trying to move a mountain with a shovel ... but you try because if you don't you die."

"Racism is more powerful than facts because racism is illogical and it is emotional and therefore, facts don't matter."

Choose one of the statements above. Interpret and analyze its meaning.  How does it apply to the film?  How does it relate to the world at large?  Do you agree or disagree with his beliefs and why?  If you could sum up your reaction to the film in one "quotable statement" to a journalist asking for your opinion, what statement would you make?


For further information about recent injustices, you may read about one or more of the cases listed below. 

1997 - Abner Louima
1999 - Amadou Diallo
2006 - Jena Six (Click here for audio news)
2006 - Sean Bell

"Even after his repeated wrongful convictions and losses in the appellate system, Darryl remained prayful and never angry.  I cannot say as much for myself.  I was angry at the beginning and am still angry that all this happened, and I am angry that we still have a capital punishment system that cannot be fair." - Mark Rabil, Hunt's defense attorney

IMPOSING DEATH

The death penalty as a punishment has been argued for and against its ethical, moral, and justifiable implications since its entrance into our justice system in 1630.  Since colonial times, our ideas of justice have changed, adapted and responded to a variety of criminal activity.  The employment of capital punishment varies from state to state and currently there are 35 states upholding the death penalty. New Jersey abolished the punishment in 2007 - not too long ago.

Do you think our court system has the right to impose the death penalty on a criminal?  What is your viewpoint?  What do you think are some arguments for and against its constitutionality?  Knowing what we have studied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is there room for such a sentence?

Think about your position on the subject not only as a citizen, but as a hypothetical criminal, juror or judge, or victim or family member of a victim's position.  You may change your opinion depending on several factors.  Try to think of all sides of the argument before expressing your opinion.


For further information, you may be interested in reading a piece by New York Times journalist, Bob Herbert entitled, "Broken Beyond Repair" or an article called "The Death Penalty: Morally Defensible?" .

Fair or Unfair?

There are ten "commandments," three golden "rules," one "magic word" and thirty "articles" all teaching us how to play fair and not be mean.  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is nothing but a piece of paper with suggestions without a means by which to enforce the concepts of human dignity, freedoms and justice. 

When we are being bullied in the schoolyard, we turn to the teacher or principal, and when we our rights are being violated, we turn to the justice system.  Do you have confidence in our government's judicial structure, our court and legal systems?  There are rules, and when they are broken, there are consequences.  Do you have any issues with the way our system of justice is run?  Is it fair?  Think about both sides: being the accused and being the victim.  Would you feel comfortable standing trial in our country?  What is broken that needs to be fixed?

We rely heavily on judges, juries, evidence, police, lawyers and witnesses to convict the guilty and exonerate the innocent.  If your life depended on  any or all of the above, I wonder if you would feel protected by those 30 articles.

"A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means." - Sallust

Salt and Pepa

While the characters and text of "Recitatif" are attentive to race and other issues of difference, you may be struggling to clearly identify who is "salt" and who is "pepper."  Think about the stereotypes we discussed in class: the physical, social, economical judgments we associate with and place on  black and white people.  Now dissect the story thus far and try to align the stereotypes interwoven by Morrison in her story, with each of the characters.

Who is Roberta Fisk?  Is she a white or black woman?  Why?  What stereotypes are you using to assign her race?  Who is Twyla?  Is she black or white?  Why?  How can you tell?  If you had to make a bet, what would be your final decision?  Back up your reasoning with details from the story and an explanation as to what each "clue" means to you.  Remember, we are tracking these women through various time periods and stages in their lives.  It is important to include an acknowledgement of setting, environment and decade.

"All generalizations are dangerous, even this one." - Alexandre Dumas (1802 - 1870)

Do you want to know the answer? Click Here

AM I PREJUDICED?

Do we always say what we mean? Do we always mean what we say?  Half the time, I'm not even sure people know what they are saying.  We are beings with opinions - some very strong, others unfounded - but where do these opinions, that fuel and drive our actions and behaviors, really come from and do we truly understand why we form them?

A group of Harvard smarty pants's asked this very same question and instead of accepting it as a rhetorical inquiry, turned it into what else, but an experiment.  It is called the IMPLICIT ASSOCIATION TEST and this is how it goes:

People may not always speak their minds or share their opinions for one of two reasons: they are unwilling or unable.  To be unwilling is to not want to share (even though I was taught that "sharing is caring") because of shame, privacy, insecurity etc.  To be unable is to not even be aware of the reasoning behind a thought or assumption or to be "self-deceptive."

The Harvard geeks decided to create an experiment to test whether or not someone is unwilling or unable to reveal his/her deep-seeded inner consciousness, thoughts and feelings.  Nowhere is this more applicable than the issue of stereotyping - what we think and what we believe about another race, gender, sexuality, religion, etc.

If I ask you, "Are you racist?" I doubt you'd answer, "yes."  You probably don't think you favor one race over another, but do you, without even realizing it?  That is the essential question the Implicit Association Test attempts to uncover.

So, take the RACE IAT test. Find out if you are hiding in a closet of closed-mindedness or racial preference that you never even knew you were lost in.  Report your findings.  What do you think about the test?  Are you surprised by your findings?  Let this experiment help you unlock the door to your subconscious and maybe then you can open it and let the world in.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote: "Every man has reminiscences which he would not tell to everyone but only his friends. He has other matters in his mind which he would not reveal even to his friends, but only to himself, and that in secret. But there are other things which a man is afraid to tell even to himself, and every decent man has a number of such things stored away in his mind."

UP THE HILL, DOWN THE HILL ...

... it's a common answer to the typical West Orange question: "Where do you live?"  There are sections of West Orange, as there are demarcations in any town, that are stereotyped as "rich or poor" neighborhoods, "Black, White or Hispanic" neighborhoods, etc.   In a town and school district so diverse, it is ironic how there could be segregation within its borders. Or is there?

Just as the Younger family faces resentment and discrimination when purchasing a house in Clybourne Park, you or someone you know may have experienced first-hand similar tension when moving to a new town or area.  I distinctly remember when I first landed my teaching position at WOHS and told people where I would soon be working.  I was caught off guard by their reactions: "That's a tough school"; "Are you going to be able to handle those kids?"  I almost started buying into that mentality until I walked through those doors and met my first class of freshmen. There is no greater indication of the inaccuracy of those judgments than this simple fact: I have been here for eight years and have no intention of leaving any time soon.  I love where I work and especially who I work for – you.

So why does WOHS get such a bad rap?  Why do some families send their students to Seton Hall Prep, Mount Saint Dominic or Montclair Kimberly Academy?  Why has the demographic of this town changed so drastically from the days of "Mountain High School" where the town consisted of more white faces than brown, yellow or black?  Is there really such a thing as "white flight?"
Think about the situation the Youngers face.  Has our world changed much from that era or is racism and discrimination just more hidden, more sugarcoated as Mr. Lindner projects in his comments? 

I ironically graduated from Verona High School, just down PVW and around the corner.  My parents live literally three minutes away from WOHS.  My graduating class in 1997 consisted of 103 seniors.  And the number of minority students in my grade could be counted on one hand - literally!  I continued this sheltered experience at Villanova, fittingly referred to as "Vanilla-Nova," and look where I ended up: all the way at the other end of the spectrum, and I couldn't be happier.  Some, like Cesar may say it's because I'm "ashy," but I just think it's because I like to view my world in color.  Wouldn't you?


An anonymous comment posted as a response to an explanation of "White Flight" on Wisegeek.com:
                      "I see white America suffering from cultural relativism. Without tradition or religion, people tend to turn to nationalism, racial pride, or something else to keep their pack a cohesive group. So, you'll find many white people today using hate against the "others" to bring themselves together."

Life Lessons

YOU LIVE, YOU LEARN

Beyond such issues as racial tensions, classism, sexism and injustices that minorities face throughout the novel, Harper Lee is also telling us a coming-of-age story or what is known in the literary world as a Bildungsroman (a word of German origin meaning a "novel of personal development or education").  As the narrator and protagonist, Scout is telling a story of her journey from youth to maturity amidst a racially charged era.   Throughout  the chapters we see her moving from a state of innocence to one of maturity as the result of suffering and surviving various misadventures.

As Scout finishes her first year of school, the author expands on several themes, each becoming a life lesson for the young girl.  Think about the topics llisted below and explain what you believe to be the most important lesson Scout learns so far, how she learns it and why it is so important to learn.

·       Prejudice (other than racial)

·       Education (school vs. home)

·      Truth and Lies (good vs. bad lies)

·       Femininity (Women’s roles in Maycomb’s society/  boys vs. girls)

"Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from."

- Al Franken

THE BIGGEST LOSER

In life we tend to place people into two categories: winners and losers.  The "Scopes Monkey Trial" was a hard fought court battle that started out as a small fire and in the words of Henry Drummond, "[lit] up the whole sky." The motives and agendas behind those involved in the case may not be easily reconciled.  Each historical as well as fictional character fought for his own set of beliefs whether they be scientific, religious, philisophical or political.  And for each of these players, the battle took on a different meaning, it's direction not always straight or narrow.

As with any "fight" there is assumed to be a clear winner and a subsequent loser in the end.  Evaluate the resolution of the play.  Who wins the case?  Who loses?  Is the jury's decision just? Understandable?  Make sure you think about the setting including the town mentality, the court system and the actions and words of the people involved.

Inherit the Wind presents this court battle as a catalyst for a debate on the importance of freedom of thought, belief and speech.  It speaks to the intolerance of differing opinions and illuminates the search for Truth.  It may be a never-ending search for some, the road scattered with doubt and uncertainty, but a road well traveled nonetheless.

"...when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." -  

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

WELCOME PARENTS:


The English Department and I welcome you to West Orange High School.  The Honors English 10 curriculum is meant to be a challenging and rigorous course that will prepare your students for advanced placement courses (AP Composition and AP Literature), the SATs and the college or university of their choice.

It is my goal to foster a close-knit classroom where students can freely express and share their ideas and insights on the texts and literature reviewed in class as well as develop the writing and communication skills that will serve as the vehicle for that expression.

This blog site was created as a technology-based supplement that offers resources, links and a forum for continued communication of the discussions that take place in the classroom.  Everything the students need for this course can be found on this page and they have access to it at all times.

I am enjoying my sophomore students IMMENSELY and look forward to a productive and positive learning experience throughout the rest of the school year.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns:  edepalo@woboe.org

Taboo Topics

Philosophical questions lead us to come to terms with our own belief systems, values and judgements.  We are bombarded with moral and political messages and images from the media, peers and family on a constant basis and cannot escape their impact on the way we view the world.  Whose right is it to shape children's beliefs?

The preference sometimes voiced by parents that their children not discuss issues like religion, sex and politics in school settings is usually based on two concerns: that positions on these issues will be seen by children as endorsed by the teacher and school, and that children who are encouraged in a classroom to question or think critically about their own or their family's religious, moral, or political beliefs, might end up abandoning those beliefs.

What then is the role of the teacher?  What is the purpose of a classroom?  What makes a good teacher?

A good teacher does not lecture.  A good teacher does not silence other voices or opinions.  A good teacher does not overlook the multiple perspectives on any one subject.  A good teacher provokes inquiry.  A good teacher engages minds.  A good teacher establishes democratic interaction.

Is the school as a social institution responsible for covering such "taboo" topics?  Is prohibiting their discussion a form of censorship or an infringement on any rights?  What do you think is the underlying reason for not wanting these topics broached outside of the household?  Are these issues important to discuss and why?

"We have, in fact, two kinds of morality side by side: one which we preach but do not practice, and another which we practice but seldom preach. " 

Bertrand Russell

Equality

One of the tenants of democracy is the idea of equality and maintaining a goverment and society where everyone contributes, has a voice and is valued as an equal.  We attempt to treat everyone the same but as is historically evident, this creed has not been upheld.

Kurt Vonnegut criticizes the government of 2081 to highlight the faults of the extreme ideal of total equality.  Through the Handicapper General, the handicaps themselves and the outcome and fate of Harrison, we get a glimpse into the consequences of this direction.

In what ways have you or someone you know been subject to discrimination?  How were you treated differently or denied opportunities?  Why do you think that kind of discrimination exists? What needs to be in place to prevent that inequality from happening? Explore the issue of equality as a personal reflection.

In my own experience I can recall an incident I faced as a sophomore in college.  I took a job as a cashier at a deli/pizza place called "Campus Corner".  After working for a few months, I noticed that the delivery drivers were making more money than I was because they received tips in addition to an hourly rate.  I wanted the opportunity to earn as much and asked my boss if I could work as a delivery person.  His response was that it was not a job for girls because it was dangerous.  I was disappointed in this excuse and felt discriminated against because of my gender.  I subsequently quit.  This incident led to my interest in Women's Rights and I pursued a Women's Studies concentration in my academic studies.

Although America strives to uphold equal opportunities, we have a way to go. 

As feminist Betty Friedan wrote:  "A girl should not expect special privileges because of her sex, but neither should she adjust to prejudice and discrimination."

My Motivation:

As you begin to reflect and write your "motivation essay," think about who you are and how you got here.  And I don't mean literally (yes I am Ms. DePalo and I get to school by car, but there is more to me than my name or my Honda).  I think what inspires me most are my students.  Case in point:
I was at my mom's house this afternoon to pick up my dog Remy (my mom dog sits while I coach after school) and as I walked into the back door the first words I said were:


"I am going to have the BEST school year ever!"


And I meant it too.  My journey to becoming a teacher was a resistant path.  I was always strongest in English classes and knew that would be my major in college, but when my father told me I should become a teacher because, "it is a great occupation for women,"  I was dead set against his recommendation just to prove to him that his comment was sexist.  As I began working at a small public relations company after graduating, I soon was disenchanted with working behind a desk all day and did the only thing  knew best:  entered graduate school.  I substitute taught to earn some money and realized that the classroom was where I should be.
And voila: daddy was right.  So now I have the best job in the world and wake up excited for work each and every day (no joke).  My students inspire me most because every year, every day, every period they change, keep me on my toes and give me insight into their worlds while sharing mine.  I hope I can inspire you in some way during the year and look forward to what you all have to teach me in return.



If you have any questions regarding anything we do in class, assignments or life in general, email me:
edepalo@woboe.org