may 30

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Up to you.

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness

2. Les Mis continued

POST:
Do you think the characters in Les Mis are driven by reason, passion, or both?  Please explain your answer. (title: LES THINKING & FEELING)

photos you don't want to miss

I love these pictures for three reasons:

1. They are beautiful.
2. They teach me about phenomena and a place I knew nothing about. (Look closely: that rock isn't falling, it is sitting on ICE that has been sculpted by the wind.)
3. Now I don't have to go to Siberia to see these things.

You can see the rest HERE.

may 29

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Up to you.

AGENDA:
1. Wanna watch a movie?  I've got an idea...

if you can fix it you can have it

UPDATE: The speakers have been adopted.  Good luck and enjoy, Kevin!

For years I relied on my trusty computer speakers for journal soundtracks and audio whenever I taught.

Then yesterday, I started playing a movie.

And they didn't work.

I was sad.

I've tried everything I know how to do, and I can't seem to resuscitate them.  But I don't feel good about adding more plastic to the landfill or the ocean, so before I toss them I thought I'd offer them here.  If you think you can bring them back to life, they're yours.

may 28

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Beginning this week, writing in your journal is up to you.  Writing is something that you can do every day for the rest of your life, depending on what needs it meets for you.  The journals are in the front of the room, where I am keeping them for review/writers' conferences as needed.  Choose your own topics / ideas and have fun!

AGENDA:
***Collect Term Papers***
1. Mindfulness
2. Journal
3. Plan for the week
4. Lit circles/ writers' conferences

i'm doing my homework this weekend... are you?

Hi everyone, I hope you're enjoying the three-day weekend!  However you celebrate Memorial Day and time away from school, please remember to finish your term paper and bring the hard copy with you tomorrow.  I will collect papers at the beginning of the period.  REMINDER: due to our tight timeline this week, I have offered consistent reminders and invitations for help.  Late / incomplete papers will not be accepted for review or credit.  See you tomorrow!

(Please Note: Per our conversation in class re: Grad Night, if you know you won't be at school tomorrow please remember to give your paper to a friend, or email it to me for on-time credit.  If you email it, please bring a hard copy when you do come to class. Thanks and have fun!)

If it makes you feel any better, I'm working through the last eight (!) stacks of evaluations...

masterpiece academy day 10

Thanks to our faculty!

Angel gave us some ideas on building muscle and overall fitness:


Araceli shared her study of how we perceive money:





And Luis reminded us about what robots can and can't do.

self-assessment questions for the semester

If you weren't in class today, please take a moment to reflect on these and answer (either in a private email to me at dpreston.learning@gmail.com or on paper -- if you choose paper, please bring to class with you on Tuesday).

If you were in class, please feel free to continue your reflection and let me know if your answers change at all over the weekend.

Given all of the learning experiences we've shared together in this course:

1. What do you look back on with pride?
2. What do you look forward to with hope?
3. How are you doing on your paper?  What will you do this weekend to succeed?
4. What letter grade are you aiming for on the paper?  What grade will you earn on the semester report card?

may 24

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe something you learned in the Masterpiece Academy this week.  What made this memorable?  Was it the content, or something the presenter did, or ...?

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Self-assessment & intention/prediction
3. Masterpiece Academy

• Luis Farfan (10 minutes)
• Angel Espinoza (10 minutes)
• Araceli Carmona (10 minutes)
• Pablo Rivera (10 minutes)

4. Journal/turn in

language is important

Full story HERE

masterpiece academy day 9

Thanks to our faculty today!

Tim gave us a window into the future of school.




Jervin helped us understand our past by sharing the importance -- and the nuance-- of tradition. (Which also happens to be my family's favorite song from Fiddler on the Roof.)





Irene reminded me of what works in school, what used to work in school and is now obsolete, and what was never a good idea in the first place.




Natalia taught us about dreams. (My dream is for all of you to create awesome versions of yourselves online and -- even better -- in real life, so that everyone who meets you gives you opportunities for great experiences after you graduate!)

favor

I don't know Drew Kringel, but he showed up this morning wearing a cool sweatshirt and asking a favor.

If you have a few minutes please complete his survey HERE.  -Mahalo

may 23

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Imagine that it's late at night.  You hear an unfamiliar sound.  What's your first reaction?  What information do you need?  What will you do?

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Masterpiece Academy

• Tim Eulogio-Mendez (10 minutes)
• Jervin Herrera (10 minutes)
• Irene Madrigal (10 minutes)
• Natalia Sanchez (10 minutes)

3. Journal
4. Work on term paper (if time)

masterpiece academy day 8

Thanks to our presenters!

Cynthia reminded us that life is largely a matter of perspective:





Ernie raised our awareness about surviving the drive -- an important reminder at this time of year.

SPRING FINALS SCHEDULE

may 22

JOURNAL TOPIC:
(TBD)


AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Masterpiece Academy

• Ernie Gallardo (20 minutes)
• Cynthia Palomino (30 minutes)

3. Journal
4. Work on term paper (if time)

masterpiece academy day 7

Thought-provoking day!

First, Nathaniel started his presentation on time management -- and then he stopped, and at the end of the period he gave us Part II.  My thinking on this is incomplete, and therefore so are my notes, so if you need to review or have any questions please ask Nathaniel directly.

Jose talked about guns, and whether or not people really need them for positive purposes or if they just cause harm.

Veterinary by dpreston1441 on Scribd

practice your democracy

Thanks again to Christian for yesterday's talk about politics.  This just in: Christian has posted a link on his blog for voter registration.  You can find it HERE.

may 21

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Have you ever had a conversation where you thought of the PERFECT thing to say-- after the conversation was over?  Describe the conversation.  Why didn't you think to speak your mind in the moment?  What happened afterward that led you to the idea?

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Masterpiece Academy

• Nathaniel Hernandez (20 minutes)
• Jose Lopez (10 minutes)
• Adriana Tadeo (10 minutes)
• Lizbeth Mosqueda (10 minutes)

3. Journal

masterpiece academy day 6

Thanks to today's faculty!

Christian took us inside the wonderful world of American political discourse:

Cristian’s Masterpiece 5-1 by dpreston1441 on Scribd

Alejandro gave us some insight on macro-level economics...

Economy by dpreston1441 on Scribd

Eduardo led an inquiry into what happens after we die.

what are you waiting for?

Your paper is due one week from tomorrow.  That means that you should bring the hard copy and turn it in at the beginning of class on Tuesday, May 28.)

You can review the assignment

HERE

may 20

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Who would win in a fight between your two favorite famous people?  Describe/explain.

-OR-
Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness

2. Masterpiece Academy

• Christian Meza-Leon (10 minutes)
• Alejandro Lazaro (10 minutes)
• Eduardo Rodriguez (10 minutes)

3. Journal

masterpiece academy day 5

Today Christian taught us about his thinking journey from
career choices --> life choices --> difficult choices

Presentation 4 1 by dpreston1441 on Scribd

Phillip focused on A.I. -- check his blog for more soon:

Report Phillip by dpreston1441 on Scribd

Brian helped us understand the relationship between money and our life goals/ problems/ solutions (spoiler: more money doesn't necessarily mean less problems)

And lastly, Hector (who reminded me that Masterpiece Academy is like Forrest Gump's mama's box of chocolates-- you never know what you're gonna get) taught us how to wash a dog.

Big Question by dpreston1441 on Scribd

Thanks Hector

may 17

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe something you wish you had time to do.

AGENDA:
1. Masterpiece Academy

• Christian Gomez (10 minutes)
• Phillip Becerra (10 minutes)
• Brian Esparza (10 minutes)
• Hector Farfan (10 minutes)

2. Journal (please remember to turn in today)

masterpiece academy day 4

Ricardo started us off with an interesting perspective on budgeting and money.

Next, Aleah offered insight into the world of computer science:



Brenda reminded us about the importance of health and responsibility when it comes to making decisions about sex.

Presentation 4 by dpreston1441 on Scribd

Jenn wrapped up the morning with a talk on graffiti. (One of my favorite subjects-- what literature teacher doesn't love the most ancient form of literature?)

Graffiti by dpreston1441 on Scribd

may 16

JOURNAL TOPIC:
When you were a little kid, did you have a favorite toy?  Stuffed animal?  Imaginary friend?  Game?  Please describe this in detail.

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Journal
3. Masterpiece Academy

• Jenn Flores (10 minutes)
• Aleah Garcia (10 minutes)
• Brenda Aguayo (10 minutes)
• Ricardo Perez (15 minutes)

masterpiece academy day 3

Victor asked us the million-dollar question: "Are you making good decisions?"

Angeles gave us some insight into the world of dogs and their owners.  (My dog does make me happier, and I'm going to tell him all about this when I get home.)

Presentation 1 Angeles by dpreston1441 on Scribd

And finally, thanks to Erica for all the information about "la brujeria."  (In reflection, I find that I believe more when I need something or I'm afraid of something...)  

may 15

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe something that you've learned so far in the Masterpiece Academy that either: a) impressed you, b) challenged something you thought you knew, c) surprised you by teaching you something new about the topic or the speaker, and/or d) gave you an idea that can help you in your life.

AGENDA:
1. Masterpiece Academy

• Erica De Jesus (35 minutes)
• Angeles Guzman-Garcia (10 minutes)
• Victor Roman (10 minutes)

2. Journal

masterpiece academy day 2

Thanks to Josue for not only teaching us about the world of the DJ...

but showing us how it's done!

Rodrigo talked about life after high school.  He reminded us of what we've learned in school-- and what we haven't-- so that we can make a meaningful plan and succeed.

Our last presenter of the day took things a step further-- life after death (and sleep).  What happens to us when we go to a different level of consciousness?  Are there really butterfingered angels dropping people all over the place?  Or witches and warlocks who walk among us?

may 14

JOURNAL TOPIC:
I'm still thinking about the talk Janessa gave yesterday.  If you could live on after your body died, but you were reduced to a head on someone's desk, would it be worth it?  Why/why not?

AGENDA:
1. Evaluating the Masterpiece Academy Faculty
2. Masterpiece Academy Day 2

• Josue Lopez (30 minutes)
• Rodrigo Rodriguez (10 minutes)
• Evelyn Flores (10 minutes) 

3. Journal
4. Mindfulness

POST:
What are your highlights so far in the Masterpiece Academy?  What benefits do you see of students teaching us?  (title: MY COLLEAGUES MY FACULTY) 

masterpiece academy day 1

Thanks to our first presenters!

Kevin taught us -- and warned us -- about what we should be thinking about before getting a tattoo.  (I thought about this once, a long time ago. Briefly. Then I laughed at myself and forgot all about it.)

Janessa introduced us to the concepts and issues surrounding lifetime preservation.  (I reserve the right to change my mind about preserving my mind, especially if it's stuck in a jar on a lab shelf.)

Big Question Period 5 by dpreston1441 on Scribd

may 13

JOURNAL TOPIC:
This morning I saw a story about a suspenseful basketball game.  What impressed me most wasn't the game winning shot-- it was the reaction of the fans.  Why do people get so excited and spend so much energy rooting for athletes they don't really know and hardly ever meet?

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Kevin's masterpiece
2. Janessa's masterpiece
3. (If we have time after these presentations, we'll talk masterpiece evaluations/journal/mindfulness; if we run out of time, we'll have the evaluation conversation tomorrow and you'll need to write in your journal on your own time)

hello?

may 10

JOURNAL TOPIC:
The artist Pablo Picasso once said, "Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them as an artist."  Which rules in life do you think are important to follow, and which rules do you think are OK-- necessary, even-- to break?

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Journal
3. MASTERPIECE ACADEMY 

• Your Final / How to Prepare
• Calendar reminders

4. MGOM
5. Writers' conferences (*piority --> next week's presenters)

masterpiece academy final question

When the last presentation has been given, this is the question I will ask you to write on for your final reflection.  Please start a post or notes that will help you remember what's important.
______________________________________________________________________________

For the next few weeks the Masterpiece Academy will be your showcase.  As you reflect on this experience, and your overall experience in this course throughout the year, please address the following questions in a traditional MLA-style essay.  Then post about it to your blog in any medium (music, pictures, video, animation, [?]) that brings your thesis to life.  (You may embed the original paper if you can't think of a better way to communicate.)

Please Note: Everything on the traditional paper assignment counts.  Please proofread and/or ask a friend or relative to help with organization, flow, and mechanics (capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, MLA style, e.g.)


Masterpiece Academy Question

Montaigne ended his essay "Of The Education of Children" this way:

To return to my subject, there is nothing like alluring the appetite and affections; otherwise you make nothing but so many asses laden with books; by dint of the lash, you give them their pocketful of learning to keep; whereas, to do well you should not only lodge it with them, but make them espouse it. (1580)

The word espouse originally meant "to marry" and took on connotations like "embrace," "love," and "advocate."  Have you espoused learning?  Explain your growth in this course via a narrative that portrays you as the dynamic protagonist in your own Bildungsroman.  Please include the following elements.

ELEMENT 1: You have been treated as colleagues and you have been given a great deal of choice in this course; this represents a high level of trust.  Did you and the others deserve it?  Earn it?  Honor it? 

ELEMENT 2: Fiction has been called "the lie that tells the truth."  Which works, authors, or characters did you read this year that rang true enough to make you feel like they described parts of you and/or your journey? (Please mention at least three.  It makes them sad when we forget them.)

ELEMENT 3: Have you re/connected with a passion that drives you?  If so, how will you continue your learning?  If not, how will you proceed?

ELEMENT 4: [Something about literature or this course that made you laugh out loud.]

ELEMENT 5: [A unifying theme that runs through a minimum of five (5) presentations; a quality of the content, or the speakers, or their communication techniques that strikes you as something important that we have in common.]  Please illustrate/support your point with specific examples from the presentations.

ELEMENT 6: Evaluate whether you completed the hero's journey.  Are you a hero?  To what extent did you respond to the call of adventure?  Did you find a mentor, conquer a challenge, and return enlightened?

ELEMENT 7: For old time's sake, sneak in a literary technique.  Don't make a big deal out of it.  I'll know it's there.

may 9

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe a time you took responsibility for something-- a project, an action, a conversation.  How did the experience make you feel?

-OR-

Choose your own topic

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Journal
3. MGOM/ Lit Circles
4. Writers' conferences

POST:
Which two pieces (besides last weekend's essay) did you select for your conference?  Why are you proud of these?  (title: MY BEST WRITING/ first sentences: "I have a writer's conference coming up with Dr. Preston, and I am excited to go over [...] and [...].  I chose these two pieces for specific reasons.")

may 8

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "I Melt With You" by Modern English; "Modern Love" by David Bowie; "Modern Man" by Bad Religion]

Agree or disagree with the following quote:

I have always had this view about the modern education system: we pay attention to brain development, but the development of warmheartedness we take for granted.
Dalai Lama

--OR--

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Journal
3. How to design a lesson
4. MGOM
5. Individual writing / planning conferences

may 7

JOURNAL TOPIC:
How's your masterpiece progressing?  Are you satisfied?  What do you still have left to do?

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Masterpiece Calendar
3. How we learn and how we teach: modalities, emotions, memories, and strategies/tools
4. Journal

POST:
Which learning modalities are most effective for your Masterpiece Topic?  How will you address these in your presentation?  (title: MONKEY SEE/HEAR/DO)

may 6

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe something you really care about.  What is it about this person/place/thing that matters to you?  How would your life be different if it didn't exist?

-OR-

Did anyone celebrate Cinco de Mayo?  Why?  How?

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Journal
3. How to prepare for your writer's conference
4. How to prepare for your Masterpiece
5. Masterpiece sign-ups
6. Blogs/ independent work

may 3

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Think back on your last writer's conference.  Do you remember what you wanted to improve in your writing?  Think about it now: are you focused on the introduction, your thesis statement, your organization, your mechanics (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar), or something else?  Today, as you write this, are you excited about showing more skill in an area that once frustrated you?

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Journal: discussion
3. Weekend essay
4. Independent work / optional writers' conferences

POST:
1. Please remember to post your essay by noon on Sunday.
2. Please remember to continue your masterpiece research, and post anything you find that makes you think :)
3. As we begin the final month of building this semester, please review your blog.  Feel free to tweak the design, share posts to gain followers, make up any work you've missed, and add posts that reflect your knowledge/interests/passions/sense of humor and that you think will be of interest to your readers.

somaderm

OK, I am posting this, because it's not only creepy in general, but it happens to be perfectly aligned with the ideas we discussed in class today about Brave New World.  And the name.  Somaderm.  Sheesh.

may 2

JOURNAL TOPIC:
How do you feel about your ignite talk now that it's over?  Are you happy?  Relieved?  Looking forward to learning more?  Thinking you could have done something better if you could do it over again?  Please explain.

-OR-

Choose your own topic.

AGENDA:
1. Mindfulness
2. Journal
* Ignite leftover (José)
3. Debrief: ignite talks and masterpieces
4. Q & A: Brave New World
5. Independent work: masterpiece and/or BNW essay
6. Optional writers' conferences


POST:
1. After Helmholtz and Bernard are exiled, John runs off to be alone.  Where does he go?  What happens when he gets there?  Describe the end of the of the novel in 6-8 sentences. (title: THE END OF A BRAVE NEW WORLD)

2. Describe at least two big ideas you got by reading the ending of Brave New World. (title: A BRAVE NEW END OF THE WORLD)

ignite talks

Kevin: Tattoos are an art.  Lots of people want tattoos, and they need to understand how to do it.

Phillip: Should we have more Artificial Intelligence?  We spend a lot of time with technology in this course so there is a connection.  Next I'm going to start building my presentation.

Araceli: Why does money make people feel and act certain ways?  Over break I tried to spend a day without spending money -- and I didn't make it.  I'm going to college out of the city and I want to plan for it.  I think that money does buy you happiness.

Erica: I changed my big question to: Are there really witches and curses?  Where I come from people believe in these things.  I thought about this when we read Macbeth.  I want to do more research and talk to people about this.

Brian: My original question was whether money is the root of all evil, but now I think of it in terms of the problems money causes.  Even if you're rich, how do you know if people like .  Next I'm going to do a survey to see what other people think.

Angel: How does the human body build muscle?  Most people think you just have to work out in the gym, but I've found that it's the gym plus nutrition and sleep/ recovery.  Lots of people quit on fitness because they don't understand this.  Next I'm going to research food and hydration.

Timoteo: My first question was motivation, and now I want to focus on what should improve about school.  To succeed you have to be curious and resilient.  Today's school makes us hate reading by giving us textbooks we don't like.  Teachers should be more passionate.

Hector: How should you wash your dog or cat?  You have to be careful with chemicals so that you don't hurt your pet.  I need to do

Luis: Will machines take our jobs?  My research says that by 2025 more than half of American jobs will be done by machines.  There is a connection to this course because we can use our blogs to avoid coming to class.  Next I'll put my research together into a presentation

Evelyn: [CROWDSOURCED IGNITE TOPIC]  I have trouble staying with an interest.  [Suggestions: guitar, culinary, ...?] This

Jenn: I see graffiti and I love it.  Over the break I went to Las Vegas and I saw graffiti everywhere, and I started wondering about why it's so important-- what makes graffiti art?

Ernie: My topic is space and I got inspired by the meditating we do in this course.  It's how I feel when I look up at the stars.  I go to the library and read books on space; recently I've been watching video online.  Next I'm going to do more research.

Aleah: I'm going to study Computer Science at Cal Poly, and over the break I did research on my major.  I focused on cybersecurity and coding. We have alluded to it in this course and now I want to go more in-depth.

Christian G: At first my masterpiece focused on careers, then life choices, and now hard choices.  How can we make hard choices easier?  I've learned that hard choices aren't really hard-- in fact, it's usually because we have at least two good options.  I'm starting to list the pros and cons to evaluate my choices.

Angeles: Does having a pet make a person happier?  Dogs are good influences on mental and emotional health. Next I will ask dog owners questions about their experiences.

Nathaniel: How can we manage time better?  Over break I drove to my grandparents' in Temecula.  The drive took 5-6 hours and I didn't really do anything.  This relates to our course because Preston gives us time where we can make decisions about what we do.  Next I'm going to gather more information about research.

Brenda: Safe sex is important to know about.  There are lots of diseases that are avoidable and it's important to understand our choices.  STDs affect people our age and doing research on this actually scared me.  I see a connection with Brave New World because there was so much sex that people could get infected if they acted that way in real life.

Jervin: How can an individual keep up with a country's culture and traditions?  I talked with people and did some research on this topic.  We have talked about this in this course, and I plan to start organizing my ideas.

Alejandro: We need to understand how the economy works.  I want to learn more about the role of business and the government.  Over the break I did some research and it looks like the U.S. is doing well.  I want to do more research.

Josue: How can you tell the difference between a good mix and a bad mix when a DJ is playing music?  I'm going to show you how to use a live app and work with a crowd to create an experience.  Over the break I researched videos on how people mixed and learned from them.  Next I'll simulate their styles.  This connects to Brave New World because the book shows how recorded music and sounds can manipulate people.

Irene: How will school change with technology?  People don't seem like they need teachers because they can just search out facts on the internet or use a calculator.  Next I'm going to talk to teachers to see what they think.

Christian M: Why are Republicans scared of socialism?  I'm independent and I want to understand this better because of the president, and when we read Brave New World it seemed like politics played a large role.

Lizbeth: I want to learn how to become a veterenarian.  It's important to understand pets' health and even their emotions.  I am doing research so that I can become a vet and teacher others about the importance of animals' health.

Janessa: I researched a robot that seems to have humanoid desires and emotions.  This seems strange and yet I also see a connection with Brave New World.

Cynthia: The way we perceive things can create a multitude of opinions.  I want to learn more about this through drawing and creating three different kinds of perspectives in visual art.  Now I need to figure out how to teach it.

Ricardo: When I started working and making money, I wanted to learn more about budgeting.  I go out to eat a lot and I wanted to focus on tracking where I spend, how I can save, and how to make money work for me.  I'm experimenting by restricting my expenses and learning how I can teach others.

Pablo: Why do we procrastinate?  

Eduardo: Is there life after death?  I have looked for information on the internet and the articles all seem to focus on religious belief.  This connects to Hamlet because his dad came back as a ghost.  Next I'll go into more details with the religions.

Rodrigo: Is there life after high school?  What will it be like?  Military?  College?  Work?  This is always on my mind and everyone in my classes is talking about their plans.  This interests me because I want to know more about our choices.

Victor: Do you think you're making the right decisions?  In my job I meet a lot of high school dropouts and they all say they regret not continuing their education.  They went for work instead of school, but it made me think because people who went for the money now regret it.  This connects with the decisions we make when Dr. Preston gives

Natalia: Why do we have the dreams that we do?  I had random dreams about falling (flying?) off of buildings and it made me want to learn more.  I did some research and learned that there is even a dream machine that images what people experience when they sleep.

Adriana: What goes into building buildings?  Creativity, engineering, and other skills.  I want to learn more about this-- especially the mind of an engineer.

may 1

JOURNAL TOPIC: (at the end of the period)

Write about your favorite ignite talk.  What was it (about the speaker's ethos/pathos/logos or the topic itself) that made the talk fun, or interesting, or memorable?

AGENDA:
1. Ignite Talks
2. Journal

*Remember to update your blog :)