Freshmen: Today our focus was on an overview of the course. We read the poem printed below. Please reread it, and post a comment on today's entry that answers the following question: Why read this particular poem the first day of school? What does the poem say that makes reading it the first day of school appropriate? Please put your first name, last initial, and the period you have English at the bottom of your response. The rest of your homework is to read for 20 minutes (and bring that book to school tomorrow) and have your parents read and sign the disclosure and return it tomorrow.
Valedictorian
I
shall reject
the
curve
and
fail
with
an A.
The
table of elements
will
not be
memorized
by me.
And
I will not
regurgitate
facts
like
an outdated
spreadsheet.
I
will remember
what
is pertinent,
not
for the test,
but
for life
and
become
the
valedictorian
of
me.
-Laura
Menssen, Brighton High School ‘94
Sophomores: Today our focus was on an overview of the course and an introduction to our quarterly prayer assignment. Check out the website listed on the previous post so that you know where to find each entry of The Tao te Ching. Your homework is to bring your disclosure back to class tomorrow.
Sophomore Honors: Today our focus was on an overview of the course and an introduction to our quarterly prayer assignment. Check out the website listed on the previous post so that you know where to find each entry of The Tao te Ching. Your homework is to bring your disclosure back to class tomorrow. Be sure to bring a copy of Thomas Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor to class tomorrow.
32 comments:
Mr.Baird you like all teachers wish to have your students leave on the first day having learned something to prepare themselves for the next four years of high school to come . You could use songs, assignments, movies or a poem. Poems are a great way to have a student receive your massage clearly.
This poem isn't so much an academic lesson, its more of a life goal. It's telling them in high school and in life not to just accomplished other peoples ideas of success. That reaching your own goals and learning for yourself is so much more important than getting and A. I do not wish to impress my piers as much I want to feel accomplished with myself and my work.
missy F. period 5
To me this poem is an academic lesson and also a life lesson. Its telling me to reach my own goals in life and to also be a successful student. Its not all about the A its about reaching your goals and trying your hardest.
BayLa Anderson Period 2
I think it was a good poem to read on the first day of school because it reminds you of what you need to do in school to be successful . I also think it reminds students to try their hardest in their school classes and to be who they are and not let anyone change that about them. This poem also talks about hierarchies or groups. When this is referenced I think it tells or reminds students that only they decide who they are and not anyone else. It is important for students to believe in themselves so they are not pure pressured into doing things they know is wrong. It may also remind students of past academic success and how great it was or make a student want to try better in school and get this fulfilling success. To sum up this paragraph I would like to say it brought me mentally back into the school year and reminded me to stay on task.
I believe that we read this particular poem on the first day because it shows that we should strive to achieve good grades, but not to the point where it becomes stressful. It obviously relates to school, and it is inspiring students to do their best.
Hunter C. (P.2)
Reading this poem on the first day is significant because I believe the poem is saying that you should focus of your school work but always keep in mind the big picture of the rest of your life. To me the poem is saying to be the best you can be. It's not necessarily about getting a perfect score consistently but doing your work to the best of your ability. It's about reaching your own personal goal by pushing yourself to do what you need to do and do it the in the best way you can do it.
Kayla K. period 2
Reading this poem on the first day of school is significant because the poem is suggesting that you should focus and do well on your school work, but also put time aside for the things that you want to focus on. Don't let school take over your life! Reading this on the first day of school rather than the last day of school reminds us to focus on our lives as well as our school work. If we read this on the last day of school, it would be too late by then and we might regret it.
Emma F. Period 5
To me this poem is read on the first day to remind students that it's not about having good grades, but trying your hardest and knowing you did your best. It's also saying push yourself to your limits and don't let anything, or anybody hold you back. The poem also refers to tests as items that aren't just for a grade but something to ensure your future. Basically, all this poem is trying to say that school isn't something taken lightly. Working hard is the key to success.
Alejandro S. Period 2
I think this was a good poem to read on the first day of school because it explains that you should not only take away knowledge out of a textbook, but also knowledge for real life. I think the poem also has a strong message saying to be the best you can be in your eyes, and not let other people categorize you.
Mason O. period 2
I think this poem was a good piece for us to read on the first day because it put us in the right mindset to start the school year. It shows us that the most important part of school isn't just the grades we get but how we feel about the effort we put in. We shouldn't just focus on the grades we receive, that our parents, teachers and piers will see, but how each day brings us closer to achieving our bigger goals in life.
Lindsay H. period 5
To me this means to try hard to accomplish things that are important to you. Don't cheat because you want a good grade, to impress someone, or any other reason. Heck, don't cheat ever on anything. Reject grades you don't deserve and accept grades that you do deserve.
Kasady Suchar second period
On the first day, students are getting used to getting back to school. I believe that the poem "Valedictorian" was a good poem to read on the first day of school because it is saying that while achieving academic excellence is good, taking the skills that we have acquired in high school and using them in the real world is as important. This poem is also telling us that being the best person we can be and achieving our best is what matters. She is telling us not to worry about what other people think about you, but what you think about yourself that counts. I believe that this poem was a good choice on the first day of school because it is telling us to do our best and try succeed in whatever comes our way.
Carin R. Period 5
I think this is a good poem to the read on the first day of school because, it is saying to be yourself and don't let anyone else define you. I think it is also saying to do well and try your best at everything you do in school but don't let it take over everything.
I think by reading this poem the first day of school has created a positive outlook on the way Judge students will feel about the new school year. Having read this poem today reminded me to always to think positively, even if I'm in a really boring math class. Why am I saying this? Because thinking positive about work is the baby steps to thinking like a valedictorian. The poem says not to "regurgitate" what you have learned in the chapter, onto the test; I think this is a very important message to address on the first day of school. To avoid "regurgitating" facts you learned onto a test, think positive: Don't memorize facts because you "have to" for a test. Do memorize them because it's for your own benefit. Who knows, you could use them in everyday life! For example (if you want to become a doctor), what are you going to do when the surgeon says, "Give me the scalpel" during a surgery and you didn't know which tool that is? Yup... you definitely wouldn't be in trouble at all... (Using sarcasm). - May J. Period 5
I think that this was a good poem to read on the first day of school because it motivates us to the best we ourselves can achieve, instead of comparing ourselves to others. it also tells us that while we should learn as much as we can from school, it is the real world skills and advice that will be most important.
Like many others said, this poem sets the stage for our future years in high school. It shows us that there are more important thing than just getting an A. Getting an A means that you've achieved something in class, but have you achieved something in life? The poem tells us to strive to be the best that we can be. Telling us that no one can label us as an A or an F, because thats only something we can do.
Abby B. period 5
In class we read the poem "Valedictorian" because it tells someone that they don’t have to be the best student of their class, just the best they can be. I think we read this poem on the first day of school because it tells someone that they can be more than someone that regurgitates facts on the test but actually has no idea what the information means. We read this poem to inspire the students to be the best we can be.
Juliana V
period 2
Shayla Cendejas
I think this poem that we read in class means to work harder in English and in other classes. To go beyond then not just try. It may be hard but it doesn't mean you have to give up, maybe it means to achieve as most as you can in all your classes. Just be the best you can be.
I think this was a really great poem to read on the first day of school because it reminds us that its not about A's its about trying to be the best you can be and reaching your goals. Also it reminds us that we are going to school not only to learn facts and theories but we are also their to learn important things that will help us in the real life.
jose cedano 2 period
I believe this poem was important to read on the first day because it inspires us to work to the best of our abilities and work hard to reach our goals. It reminds us to get as much as we can out f our high school experience. If we go above and beyond in our work we can reach our goals and be successful.
Sophie Robertson
Period 2
This poem is talking about meeting your own expectations. I think reading it the first day was appropriate because it tells the new students that we don't have to pass with flying colors, but to do the best we can do. Also i think that it is telling us to believe in ourselves.
John J. Period 5
After researching these myths they all had a few aspects of the stories in common. Most of them started off as one Creater, usually an all knowing god, creating man as the first creature to be on earth. Man is usually given a choice or a decision to make that will determine his fate for the rest of his life. This decision, in most cases, also reflects the rest of the humans in one way or another. These stories show how we have free will and have to made responsible choices as human beings.
Marcus Corbett
Period 1
Mr. Baird you have brought us a great poem for the first day of high school, it was a real eye opener. It shows us that as long as we are the "valedictorian" of ourselves we will be successful in our hearts even if it's not the letter grade that shows up on the paper. This poem taught me that I don't have to be the best in the class but to be the best of my ability and I will succeed in my goals.
Sophia Cordova
period 2
Mr Baird, this poem has really made me think about my life in the sense that in this case the "validvictorian" is not just the student that achievs the highest GPA, but rather the person that vould rather bring their school skills into their every day life rather than leave it in high school. I think that it was a great introduction into freshman year and a great thought to keep in mind through out the year!
Sorry for the late reply but I had a hard time finding the blog. I think we read this poem because of it's message, that to be successful is not to be what every one wants you to be but for you to be happy with you. Starting a new school it might be hard to stay true to yourself because you want to fit in but if we want to be successful how can we be if we constantly worry if people like us.
Kenzie Huffman
Period 5
We read this poem to tell all of the students that school isn't all about grades, it's about how hard we try at things. We all need to understand this so we don't always be stressed during the school year.
Casey B. Period 5
I we read this poem on the first day of school because it tells us we need to get good grades but to not make bad decisions out side of school.
Ayden Armstrong (P.2)
I think the first stanza is the most interesting part. " i will fail with an A" this part to me says that even if you fail its not about a grade its about learning something. this is also showed in the 4th stanza in a more obvious way. The poem also shows in the 5th stanza that you shouldnt care about what others think of you.
I posted a comment earlier but now I would like to post another one about what else I think of this poem. I went over the poem again and realized I did not say enough. I have found that I also believe that the poem is about being the best that you can make yourself be, and that you are supposed to remember the things that matter and not the things that don't matter, and remember those things for life. You do not have to remember the table of elements, but to remember your best way possible. To remember the old things while learning new things.
Ayden Armstrong (p.5) on my other comment I accidentally said period 2, I am sorry, i am actually period 5
Sorry for didn't comment,I didn't write down your blog.the poem says that the writer should be more hard-working,that way,he can be the top of the class,we read this poem in the first school day cause that we also need to be hard-working to being the top. Jiani Chen. Period 5
I think that this was important to read this poem on the first day of school because to me, it means that you should try your hardest on any assignment, yet you do not take any advantages if you do not to well.
i feel that this poem is appropriate for the first day of school for the following reasons: it gives me a good amount of optimism for the school year, and it also makes me look at succeeding in school in a different perspective. it makes me think of the idea that there is beauty in simplicity. and that is a type of optimism that i definitely like thinking about.
kendall Schwieger
period: 5
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