Perfecting Discantus
The Importance of Language Arts
"Poetry, like human life, is an indeterminate middle between over-specified poles, always threatening to collapse it. The poles may be birth and death, father and mother… love and judgment, heaven and earth, first things and last things. Art narrates the middle region… for only if it exists can life exist; only if the imagination presses against the poles are error and life, wisdom and illusion possible" -Hartman
Discantus, from an etymological standpoint, means a voice that rises above the others. It was an art form in music during the Medieval Ages. The term has been overlooked by many, but the essence for which the term stands has not been forgotten through the years. This school year, I want you to perfect the art of discant. I want you to learn to develop your voice in a way that gives insight into your talent in discerning and critically considering concepts. This course is designed NOT to teach you WHAT to think, but to guide you in deciding HOW to exercise your freedom and intellect when determining WHAT to think.
For Those Asking Why
Some writers will probably always be remembered in literature. Some people criticize an overemphasis of the classics. Some claim that politics and other factors influence who is remembered. This is partly true. Yet, I believe we should never forget to acknowledge timeless works. Studying a wide range of literature is beneficial for a number of reasons. As soon as you think you have one perspective pegged, another text will offer another tale, another perspective, an implicit, indirect, complicated, ambiguous lens through which you must re-evaluate. This element of English language arts makes it dynamic and enthralling.
This class is for those who love to think deeply and untangle complex ideologies… For the inner psychologist in you that thrives off of analyzing human behavior… For historians and sociologists who study the way society and time influences people… For writers who want a plethora of styles to study, mimic, model, analyze… For philosophers who like to delve into theories… For artists who seek to embrace the aesthetics of experience and exploration… For people who like to challenge their minds… For scholars trying to find answers or perhaps trying to pose the right questions… For all of those in between- in the middle region- never to be categorized by over-specified poles… you may find a kernel of knowledge in each work that we study. Yet, you alone will be the one to interpret what is the kernel and what is the chaff. There are many paths in the art of perspective formulation.
Pertaining to Knowledge & Perspective
“For it is a false assertion that the sense of man is the measure of things. On the contrary, all perceptions as well of the sense of the mind are according to the measure of the individual and not according to the measure of the universe. And the human understanding is like a false mirror, which, receiving rays irregularly distorts and discolors the nature of things by mingling its own nature with it… For everyone (besides the errors common to human nature in general) has a cave or den of his own, which refracts and discolors the light of nature, owing either to his own proper and peculiar nature, or to his education and conversation with others, or to the reading of books, and the authority of those whom he esteems and admires; or to the difference of impressions, accordingly as they take place in a mind indifferent and settled, or the like. So that the spirit of man (according as it is meted out to different individuals) is in fact a thing variable and full of perturbation, and governed as it were by chance” -Sir Francis Bacon Novum Organum
"Poetry, like human life, is an indeterminate middle between over-specified poles, always threatening to collapse it. The poles may be birth and death, father and mother… love and judgment, heaven and earth, first things and last things. Art narrates the middle region… for only if it exists can life exist; only if the imagination presses against the poles are error and life, wisdom and illusion possible" -Hartman
Discantus, from an etymological standpoint, means a voice that rises above the others. It was an art form in music during the Medieval Ages. The term has been overlooked by many, but the essence for which the term stands has not been forgotten through the years. This school year, I want you to perfect the art of discant. I want you to learn to develop your voice in a way that gives insight into your talent in discerning and critically considering concepts. This course is designed NOT to teach you WHAT to think, but to guide you in deciding HOW to exercise your freedom and intellect when determining WHAT to think.
For Those Asking Why
Some writers will probably always be remembered in literature. Some people criticize an overemphasis of the classics. Some claim that politics and other factors influence who is remembered. This is partly true. Yet, I believe we should never forget to acknowledge timeless works. Studying a wide range of literature is beneficial for a number of reasons. As soon as you think you have one perspective pegged, another text will offer another tale, another perspective, an implicit, indirect, complicated, ambiguous lens through which you must re-evaluate. This element of English language arts makes it dynamic and enthralling.
This class is for those who love to think deeply and untangle complex ideologies… For the inner psychologist in you that thrives off of analyzing human behavior… For historians and sociologists who study the way society and time influences people… For writers who want a plethora of styles to study, mimic, model, analyze… For philosophers who like to delve into theories… For artists who seek to embrace the aesthetics of experience and exploration… For people who like to challenge their minds… For scholars trying to find answers or perhaps trying to pose the right questions… For all of those in between- in the middle region- never to be categorized by over-specified poles… you may find a kernel of knowledge in each work that we study. Yet, you alone will be the one to interpret what is the kernel and what is the chaff. There are many paths in the art of perspective formulation.
Pertaining to Knowledge & Perspective
“For it is a false assertion that the sense of man is the measure of things. On the contrary, all perceptions as well of the sense of the mind are according to the measure of the individual and not according to the measure of the universe. And the human understanding is like a false mirror, which, receiving rays irregularly distorts and discolors the nature of things by mingling its own nature with it… For everyone (besides the errors common to human nature in general) has a cave or den of his own, which refracts and discolors the light of nature, owing either to his own proper and peculiar nature, or to his education and conversation with others, or to the reading of books, and the authority of those whom he esteems and admires; or to the difference of impressions, accordingly as they take place in a mind indifferent and settled, or the like. So that the spirit of man (according as it is meted out to different individuals) is in fact a thing variable and full of perturbation, and governed as it were by chance” -Sir Francis Bacon Novum Organum
New Albany High School
My family has been a part of the New Albany community for over 100 years. Therefore, when a position for an English teacher became available, I applied for the position and subsequently began teaching at the oldest high school in Indiana. If you are reading this, you have discovered my teacher website. This website is designed for my students and parents who are interested in what goes on inside the classroom. I teach English 9A and English 10H. Subsequent pages include: English 9A, English 10H, Writing & Such, Vocabulary, Resources, Grammar, Independent Reading, Updates, Everything Else, and Randomness. This is a progressing website. Therefore, it is constantly evolving as we make our way through the school year. Please feel free to explore the rest of the website or email if you have further questions. My email address is [email protected].
A Little About me
I acknowledge that it is a standard of propriety to tell you a little about me. If you do not care, you are not obligated to read this. However, if you are curious as to whether or not I am another crazy English teacher… I am. If you were to ask me who I am, I would answer: I am a teacher, a writer, a poet, a philosopher, a gardener, a big sister, a daughter, a friend, a psychologist, an astronomer, a scientist, a colleague, a peer, an acquaintance, a scholar, a car-windows-down-backroads-driver, a photographer, a divergent thinker, an old soul, a Beatles and Billy Joel fan, a Bible scholar, an artist, and an inquisitive person.
If you seek to create and understand, if in any way, from dialogue to poetry, from scholarly discourse to canvas, you express yourself, then you are fulfilling the precedent it takes to be an artist. English language arts is a discipline that bridges many schools of thought together. I believe anything important is worth working for. Reading comprehension, articulating ideas through speech and writing, these are processes worth working for. I read, write, and converse for a number of reasons. Sometimes, I write for peace of mind. Sometimes, I read, because I am searching for something. Sometimes, I converse to re-mold my thoughts or to hear a different perspective. I constantly have a million thoughts circulating through my brain, bouncing off the walls of my mind, striving to be free and in tangible existence.
I fell in love with two career paths- psychology and English. Psychology, for the ability to read people, to understand behavior, and to look through the walls that people build… and English, for different perspectives, for theories in verse or prose, for philosophy, and for the joy of over-analysis. Together, because they gave me the ability to exercise freedom of what I contemplated- the freedom to venture down different avenues of thought, to look through a different perspective, to harness the aesthetics of recognition and exploration, and to ponder the internal contradictions and tangles of ideologies. Education became the perfect balance between psychology and English language arts. I am the type of person who has to have a purpose. Everything around us is evolving and changing constantly. Binary understandings are incomplete. Trying to make sense of everything and seeking a purpose in the middle ground is what I live for. It is why I love teaching.
If you seek to create and understand, if in any way, from dialogue to poetry, from scholarly discourse to canvas, you express yourself, then you are fulfilling the precedent it takes to be an artist. English language arts is a discipline that bridges many schools of thought together. I believe anything important is worth working for. Reading comprehension, articulating ideas through speech and writing, these are processes worth working for. I read, write, and converse for a number of reasons. Sometimes, I write for peace of mind. Sometimes, I read, because I am searching for something. Sometimes, I converse to re-mold my thoughts or to hear a different perspective. I constantly have a million thoughts circulating through my brain, bouncing off the walls of my mind, striving to be free and in tangible existence.
I fell in love with two career paths- psychology and English. Psychology, for the ability to read people, to understand behavior, and to look through the walls that people build… and English, for different perspectives, for theories in verse or prose, for philosophy, and for the joy of over-analysis. Together, because they gave me the ability to exercise freedom of what I contemplated- the freedom to venture down different avenues of thought, to look through a different perspective, to harness the aesthetics of recognition and exploration, and to ponder the internal contradictions and tangles of ideologies. Education became the perfect balance between psychology and English language arts. I am the type of person who has to have a purpose. Everything around us is evolving and changing constantly. Binary understandings are incomplete. Trying to make sense of everything and seeking a purpose in the middle ground is what I live for. It is why I love teaching.
what i am Reading
When I was in college, someone suggested Rainer Maria Rilke to me. Open to new ideas and in search of new writers, I bought a few of his works. Letters on Life is a collection of prose with dictums and proverb-esque excerpts regarding the big topics of life experience (love, friendship, death, art, etc.). Rilke's ability to articulate his ideas in his writing is phenomenal. The profound depth of his words beautifully delve into the semantic and philosophical realm of language.
I just started reading White Teeth by Zadie Smith. It is both an intelligent and witty text thus far. I like the inclusion of multiple characters and the development of the protagonist at this point. I will write a better reflection and critique after I finish reading the novel all the way through.
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Tell Me A Little About You
True Learning
Learning- true learning- is not defined by the grade that you receive. I am not ignoring the role of grades in academic institutions. They are responsible for accountability and many other reasons. However, when you leave school, you will enter what adults feel compelled to call "the real world." It is not per say anymore real than the previous lifestyle. It is different though. The difference is that many people become jaded by the curve balls that life throws. These curve balls lead to a level of realism that compels individuals to differentiate the lifestyles and call one the real world. However, you always have a choice.
You have a choice in life and you have a choice in my classroom. True learning means that you retain knowledge. True learning is when you walk away from the institutionalized, required classes, classes like mine, and remember something that somehow makes a connection to your life and your understanding of the life you find yourself in. True learning is neural connections in your brain that store knowledge. You may leave my class and think that you will never need to know what a past participle is or what an epic poem entails. You may never make the connections… but there are connections. The past participle is what communicates a history. The epic poem is a grandiose way to explain the same journeys that you will face in life. Never underestimate the value of any quest, big or small. A quest is a quest. The result is learning or some experience that causes change. Learning is as much about the journey as it is the result and final outcome.
You have a choice in life and you have a choice in my classroom. True learning means that you retain knowledge. True learning is when you walk away from the institutionalized, required classes, classes like mine, and remember something that somehow makes a connection to your life and your understanding of the life you find yourself in. True learning is neural connections in your brain that store knowledge. You may leave my class and think that you will never need to know what a past participle is or what an epic poem entails. You may never make the connections… but there are connections. The past participle is what communicates a history. The epic poem is a grandiose way to explain the same journeys that you will face in life. Never underestimate the value of any quest, big or small. A quest is a quest. The result is learning or some experience that causes change. Learning is as much about the journey as it is the result and final outcome.
Essential Learning Questions
Classroom Guidelines
1. Be Seated.
Be in your seat when the bell rings. Rationale: We have fifty-five minutes to cram in learning. The faster we start class, the more content we will cover during class time. The more content covered in class, the less homework or out-of-class work for you. In congruence with Attendance Policy: Each time you break this policy, I will write you up as if it were a tardy. Take this seriously and we will not have any problems. Extenuating circumstances- talk to me so that I understand the situation from both sides. See the NAHS handbook for attendance and tardy policy and discipline procedures.
2. Come Prepared.
Come to class with your 1 or 1.5 inch binder, the text that I indicate (on the board and the day before in class), loose-leaf paper, your writer’s notebook (journal), and a writing utensil everyday unless I tell you otherwise. Rationale: To do the activities in class, you need to have the necessary materials. If you have to leave for your locker everyday, you are missing class time. If you are missing class time, you are missing the lesson. If you are missing the lesson, you are not going to be as prepared as you should be in order to do your best. You have three passes a semester. Use them wisely. If you forget something, use a pass and go get it. After you use all three passes, there will be consequences. I also can say no even if you have a pass. When you use your passes, use them at appropriate times. I must sign off on the pass before you can leave.
3. Stay organized.
Organize your binders with five tabs. In addition, by the end of the year, you will have the information with the following sub-tabs or corresponding notes taken in and out of class. Sub-tabs will be created as the year progresses, but you should have all five main tabs in your binder by the end of week one. Rationale: This class is designed to give you a foundational understanding of Pluralistic literature. My goal is to prepare you for college and further academic pursuits. This binder, if kept properly, will be a valuable resource to you later. I will do binder checks once every nine weeks. The discipline procedure in this case is a deduction of points that factor into your final grade for the semester.
Tabs need to include: Literature, Poems/Articles, Vocabulary, Writing/Notes, and Exams.
Tabs need to include: Literature, Poems/Articles, Vocabulary, Writing/Notes, and Exams.
4. Do your best.
Do your best and I will award your effort. This entails doing your assignments. Your best entails your best work- not someone else’s best work. Rationale: I want to see your work, your thoughts, your ideas, and your level of understanding. It is okay to build from published works and from ideas that have been established in the past. It is okay to be inspired by different perspectives, but you must put your own spin on it and give credit where credit is due. You cannot be creative without being a little divergent. In congruence with Academic Integrity Policy, there will be no tolerance for plagiarism. See the NAHS handbook for expectations and discipline procedures regarding the academic integrity policy.
5. Be Respectful.
This means respecting the teacher, respecting your classmates, respecting the school, respecting materials, and respecting yourself. Rationale: This has come to be a cliché, but it is a necessary component in an effective learning environment. Respect. Code switching is a thing. You need to know when it is appropriate to speak and in what ways. You need to know when it is appropriate to listen. Respect is an indicator of your level of social integrity. I will NOT tolerate disrespect. However, there are different levels of disrespect and discipline procedures will vary according to the level of disrespect conveyed. Inappropriate language is disrespectful. I have a zero tolerance policy for any type of bullying. See the NAHS anti-bullying policy for more information and discipline procedures.
Classroom Procedures
End of class procedure
I dismiss you, NOT the bell. Most days, I will give you the last minute of class to pack up your items and write down your homework assignment, which will be written on the board and will usually be posted on the Everything Else tab as well.
Make-up work policy
There is a binder on the bookshelf for individuals who are absent for any reason and need to makeup work. In the binder, I keep extra copies of handouts used in the lesson. You will be given a day to make up work for each day you are absent. If you fail to turn in work past that time frame, there will be a ten percent deduction per day late. I understand that things come up. Nonetheless, it is your responsibility to ask for make-up work and an explanation of the assignment. You may speak to me before class begins, during journaling time, after class, or after school. You must speak with me if you need an extension on an assignment. COMMUNICATION IS ESSENTIAL.
Turning in Assignments
When you first walk into the room, there will be a table with a place to turn in assignments, sharpen pencils, get a tissue, leave feedback on my teaching via notecard, borrow a pencil, or pick up a worksheet for the day’s lesson. This landing station is available and accessible to you; utilize it.
class agenda
I will write the day’s agenda on the board each day so that it is visible to all. Beneath the agenda, I will write the necessary class materials needed for the day’s lesson (if necessary). While I will tell you the day before what you will need for the next class session, I will also write it on the board so you can double check if necessary.
Anti-Cell Phone & Anti-food/drink policy
You should never let me see your cell phone or headphones in my classroom. If I see it or hear it go off, I will take it and you will not get it back until the end of the school day. If you want to avoid losing your phone for a day, do not bring it to class. Also, I do not allow food or drinks in my classroom.
Classroom Survival Guide
No. 1 Think Outside of the Fence- Do NOT Limit Yourself.
Rationale: Creativity is one of the most important skill sets to master. It sets you apart from everyone else and yet, ties you together with other brilliant minds. Sometimes, it is a matter of seeing something from another perspective. Consider all options. Then, exercise your choice when deciding which to run with.
No. 2 Find a Focal Point- What Intrinsically Motivates You?
Rationale: You can have more than one focal point, but find at least one. Find something that you love- a writing style, a particular author, a recurrent theme, a vocabulary word, etc. Whatever it is- make sure that you invest in it.
No. 3 Discover 2 Favorite Books- 1 From Class- 1 From Elsewhere.
Rationale: Even if you do not like any of the books we read (and you have to read them in order to claim that), then which was your less least-liked book. If you don't like to read, well, humor me. If you were teaching this class, what book would you want others to read?
No. 4 Develop the Ability to Talk Extensively About Three Authors.
Rationale: One day you might be meeting or catching up with someone and there will be an awkward moment when you don't know what to say and the conversation lulls. Then, you will remember this ridiculous demand that your English teacher persisted that you develop in high school… and you will be saved.
No. 5 Take Handwritten Notes.
Rationale: Yes, this is because I am an old soul at heart. I would even encourage cursive. However, in addition to my nostalgic views on handwriting, there are neuro-scientific studies that reveal: one retains information better if they take notes by hand versus typing (or not taking notes at all). Food for thought.
No. 6 Write Letters… Old School… Mail Them.
Rationale: Save the post office. Letters are a great way to quickly reflect on something. They have a predictable format and help you get into the habit of organizing your ideas. Plus, people love snail mail. Nostalgic factor again.
No. 7 Photograph Things That Remind You of What You're Reading.
Rationale: I want you all to be photographers… This is just another way to reinforce learning and help you retain textual details more effectively.
No. 8 Keep a Reflective Journal.
Rationale: Cognitive Neuroscience. Better Retention. These are informal. Just write. Don't worry about grammar, spelling, or advanced word choice. Teaching is the highest form of learning. If you can teach it to someone else, you have a pretty good grasp of the content. Prepare entries as if you were explaining your thoughts to other people. Draw, sketch, take pictures, write poems, write songs, essays, etc. Be Creative. Be Free. Express.
No. 9 Do NOT Limit Expression.
Rationale: Books are not the only form of expression. Movies, music, advertisements, visual/fine arts, theatre, dance, television, media, commercials, websites, etc. are all literacies. Critique them, agree with them, hate them, whatever- just justify your answer thoroughly.
No. 10 Try to Think Holistically.
Rationale: Start to put the pieces together. How does everything situate itself in relation to the texts and literacies covered in class? Think 360.
Rationale: Creativity is one of the most important skill sets to master. It sets you apart from everyone else and yet, ties you together with other brilliant minds. Sometimes, it is a matter of seeing something from another perspective. Consider all options. Then, exercise your choice when deciding which to run with.
No. 2 Find a Focal Point- What Intrinsically Motivates You?
Rationale: You can have more than one focal point, but find at least one. Find something that you love- a writing style, a particular author, a recurrent theme, a vocabulary word, etc. Whatever it is- make sure that you invest in it.
No. 3 Discover 2 Favorite Books- 1 From Class- 1 From Elsewhere.
Rationale: Even if you do not like any of the books we read (and you have to read them in order to claim that), then which was your less least-liked book. If you don't like to read, well, humor me. If you were teaching this class, what book would you want others to read?
No. 4 Develop the Ability to Talk Extensively About Three Authors.
Rationale: One day you might be meeting or catching up with someone and there will be an awkward moment when you don't know what to say and the conversation lulls. Then, you will remember this ridiculous demand that your English teacher persisted that you develop in high school… and you will be saved.
No. 5 Take Handwritten Notes.
Rationale: Yes, this is because I am an old soul at heart. I would even encourage cursive. However, in addition to my nostalgic views on handwriting, there are neuro-scientific studies that reveal: one retains information better if they take notes by hand versus typing (or not taking notes at all). Food for thought.
No. 6 Write Letters… Old School… Mail Them.
Rationale: Save the post office. Letters are a great way to quickly reflect on something. They have a predictable format and help you get into the habit of organizing your ideas. Plus, people love snail mail. Nostalgic factor again.
No. 7 Photograph Things That Remind You of What You're Reading.
Rationale: I want you all to be photographers… This is just another way to reinforce learning and help you retain textual details more effectively.
No. 8 Keep a Reflective Journal.
Rationale: Cognitive Neuroscience. Better Retention. These are informal. Just write. Don't worry about grammar, spelling, or advanced word choice. Teaching is the highest form of learning. If you can teach it to someone else, you have a pretty good grasp of the content. Prepare entries as if you were explaining your thoughts to other people. Draw, sketch, take pictures, write poems, write songs, essays, etc. Be Creative. Be Free. Express.
No. 9 Do NOT Limit Expression.
Rationale: Books are not the only form of expression. Movies, music, advertisements, visual/fine arts, theatre, dance, television, media, commercials, websites, etc. are all literacies. Critique them, agree with them, hate them, whatever- just justify your answer thoroughly.
No. 10 Try to Think Holistically.
Rationale: Start to put the pieces together. How does everything situate itself in relation to the texts and literacies covered in class? Think 360.
How & Why We Read Literature
Organizing Your Binder
ORGANIZATION
As the semester continues, you will be expected to maintain a binder with the binder tabs to the left. I will keep a sample binder as well for your reference. Under the table, there is a box of binders for make-up work for those of you who are absent. Remember, you still need to speak to me during vocabulary or journaling time if you are absent. |
Accountability As the semester continues, you will be expected to maintain a binder with a table of contents. After the first quarter, I created a list for you. You can fill in your grades. In addition, there are the two binders up there for you to reference in order to stay organized. Let me know if you have questions. |
Check Out Our Mad Skills...
Using the pages of a book, students created blackout poems. They were required to make a meaningful poem AND work on aesthetic presentation. They were so creative!