for our MOM: [What about today makes it a great day?]
JOURNAL TOPIC:
In the passage we read today in Fahrenheit 451, Mildred's friends were really resistant to poetry -- and then, when Montag read it, they had an intense emotional reaction. Why do you think this happened? And what is it about poetry that creates a different reaction than prose?
-OR-
You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
In terms of his plan with Faber, Montag made a big mistake in reading the poem to Mildred and her friends. But Faber wasn't angry with Montag -- he tells Montag that it's good for Montag to make mistakes. Why? How can we use mistakes as opportunities, not just to learn, but also to reinforce our courage and build the capacity to take smart risks as we grow? (title: THE GLORY OF THE MISTAKE)
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
april 8 w online meeting #14
for our MOM: [Today, just take a breath -- then exhale and repeat. Continue for 60 seconds.]
JOURNAL TOPIC:
In the background of Fahrenheit 451, there is a war looming -- eventually (spoiler) there will be a bombing. The first time I wrote this journal topic, I was teaching class on December 7, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Before 9/11, Pearl Harbor was the biggest attack on the United States; unfortunately there are many examples of this sort of destruction throughout history. Unlike the coronavirus pandemic, national crises like 9/11 and Pearl Harbor were created on purpose -- they were intentional attacks designed to kill many people.
What can possibly account for this? Yesterday Faber described unflattering ways that the U.S. is seen by people in other countries. Do you think this could motivate people to do that sort of damage? Why do you think people resort to this type of violence? (NOTE: This is a loaded question -- please forgive the pun -- so you can also use it for today's post. Suggested title: A CASE FOR WAR?)
-OR-
You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
(Please see JOURNAL TOPIC above.)
JOURNAL TOPIC:
In the background of Fahrenheit 451, there is a war looming -- eventually (spoiler) there will be a bombing. The first time I wrote this journal topic, I was teaching class on December 7, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Before 9/11, Pearl Harbor was the biggest attack on the United States; unfortunately there are many examples of this sort of destruction throughout history. Unlike the coronavirus pandemic, national crises like 9/11 and Pearl Harbor were created on purpose -- they were intentional attacks designed to kill many people.
What can possibly account for this? Yesterday Faber described unflattering ways that the U.S. is seen by people in other countries. Do you think this could motivate people to do that sort of damage? Why do you think people resort to this type of violence? (NOTE: This is a loaded question -- please forgive the pun -- so you can also use it for today's post. Suggested title: A CASE FOR WAR?)
-OR-
You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
(Please see JOURNAL TOPIC above.)
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
april 7 w online meeting #13
for our MOM: [Today, just take a breath -- then exhale and repeat. Continue for 60 seconds.]
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Most of the recent journal topics that I've suggested have related to Fahrenheit 451. Today, I'm curious about the most frustrating, embarrassing, difficult, weird thing you've had to do since school closed due to the coronavirus. Why, you ask, did I think of this? Because yesterday I had to hold a screaming dog while my wife clipped his toenails.
-OR-
You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
What plans do Montag and Faber make? Where do you see this leading? (title: FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL)
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Most of the recent journal topics that I've suggested have related to Fahrenheit 451. Today, I'm curious about the most frustrating, embarrassing, difficult, weird thing you've had to do since school closed due to the coronavirus. Why, you ask, did I think of this? Because yesterday I had to hold a screaming dog while my wife clipped his toenails.
-OR-
You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
What plans do Montag and Faber make? Where do you see this leading? (title: FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL)
Monday, April 6, 2020
april 6 w online meeting #12
for our MOM: [Feel how healthy and strong you can feel. Imagine sharing that feeling around the world in such a powerful way that it heals everyone who's sick and destroys the coronavirus. I know, I know, but I can dream, can't I? At least use the first part to feel good for 60 seconds today.]
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe a time you read something, didn't quite understand it, and another person helped you. What was it about the way they explained that made the meaning clear?
-OR-
You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. We need a plan
3. Fahrenheit 451
POST:
1. Why does Montag want to get in touch with Faber? (Consult the book if you need to refresh your memory.) [title: SOMETIMES YOU NEED A PROFESSOR]
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe a time you read something, didn't quite understand it, and another person helped you. What was it about the way they explained that made the meaning clear?
-OR-
You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.
AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. We need a plan
3. Fahrenheit 451
POST:
1. Why does Montag want to get in touch with Faber? (Consult the book if you need to refresh your memory.) [title: SOMETIMES YOU NEED A PROFESSOR]
Friday, April 3, 2020
april 3 w online meeting #11
for our MOM: What makes you curious?
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Montag appears to be heavily influences by his relationships with other people. What influences you more, your relationship with yourself or your relationship with others? Why?
-OR-
You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
In today's meeting we talked about curiosity, and I realized I had two potential topics for posts: here are both. :)
1. Do you think our curiosity is determined by our personality, or by our culture, or both? Think about it: we have all these ways of controlling people, and one of them is warning them against curiosity ("curiosity killed the cat" and eating from the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden are two well-known examples). What do you think? How does the cat get curious enough to take the risk? (title: THIS CAT IS CURIOUS)
2. In the book, Montag gets "sick" and doesn't want to go to work. Now that he is reflecting on what firemen do and why, it's more difficult for him to justify doing this for a living. What do you think about what Montag does? How would you feel having to do something that hurts other people? Are there more important values that should guide what we do in our working lives, or is it just about the paycheck? (title: IS IT JUST ABOUT THE JOB?)
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Montag appears to be heavily influences by his relationships with other people. What influences you more, your relationship with yourself or your relationship with others? Why?
-OR-
You can use your journal simply to write about life and your experiences in these unusual, challenging times.
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
In today's meeting we talked about curiosity, and I realized I had two potential topics for posts: here are both. :)
1. Do you think our curiosity is determined by our personality, or by our culture, or both? Think about it: we have all these ways of controlling people, and one of them is warning them against curiosity ("curiosity killed the cat" and eating from the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden are two well-known examples). What do you think? How does the cat get curious enough to take the risk? (title: THIS CAT IS CURIOUS)
2. In the book, Montag gets "sick" and doesn't want to go to work. Now that he is reflecting on what firemen do and why, it's more difficult for him to justify doing this for a living. What do you think about what Montag does? How would you feel having to do something that hurts other people? Are there more important values that should guide what we do in our working lives, or is it just about the paycheck? (title: IS IT JUST ABOUT THE JOB?)
Thursday, April 2, 2020
april 2 w online meeting #10
For our MOM: [Today, try NOT thinking. Just breathe.]
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Write a commercial for Fahrenheit 451. What images would you show? What music would you play? What 3-5 ideas would you share to get people interested enough to buy and read the book?
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
What makes us happy? In Fahrenheit 451, Beatty says it's external things like entertainment, sports, or food. Do you agree? When those things are taken away -- like now -- are there internal sources of happiness on which we can draw to sustain ourselves? (title: MY INNER HAPPY)
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Write a commercial for Fahrenheit 451. What images would you show? What music would you play? What 3-5 ideas would you share to get people interested enough to buy and read the book?
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
What makes us happy? In Fahrenheit 451, Beatty says it's external things like entertainment, sports, or food. Do you agree? When those things are taken away -- like now -- are there internal sources of happiness on which we can draw to sustain ourselves? (title: MY INNER HAPPY)
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
april 1 w online meeting #9
For our MOM: For those times when it's just me, and I can't connect with anyone else, how can I keep myself better company?
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Write a commercial for Fahrenheit 451. What images would you show? What music would you play? What 3-5 ideas would you share to get people interested enough to buy and read the book?
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
1. When is independence important, and when is interdependence important? (title: UNITED WE STAND?)
2. Today we read a passage in which Captain Beatty said that the government didn't need to ban books, because people didn't want to read anymore. He said that slowing down and thinking made people sad and brought them into conflict. Is that true?
And: Why don't more people in our culture think of intelligence as a superpower? Why doesn't the media and even our own school champion academic accomplishments the way we celebrate football games and rallies? Why do so many people fear, criticize, and insult smart people in class or the workplace? Have we become the society Ray Bradbury feared? (title: ANTI-INTELLECTUALISM IN AMERICA)
JOURNAL TOPIC:
Write a commercial for Fahrenheit 451. What images would you show? What music would you play? What 3-5 ideas would you share to get people interested enough to buy and read the book?
AGENDA:
1. MOM
2. Journal
3. Our meeting
4. Post
POST:
1. When is independence important, and when is interdependence important? (title: UNITED WE STAND?)
2. Today we read a passage in which Captain Beatty said that the government didn't need to ban books, because people didn't want to read anymore. He said that slowing down and thinking made people sad and brought them into conflict. Is that true?
And: Why don't more people in our culture think of intelligence as a superpower? Why doesn't the media and even our own school champion academic accomplishments the way we celebrate football games and rallies? Why do so many people fear, criticize, and insult smart people in class or the workplace? Have we become the society Ray Bradbury feared? (title: ANTI-INTELLECTUALISM IN AMERICA)
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