Monday, Dec. 10

Attention ALL students!

My primary email is youngen.lee@seoulforeign.org and not .com, as told to you since the beginning of the year. If you have emailed me at the .com email address, you have not received an email reply.

This may be a good time to review my email policy.

1. It's better to ask your questions in class, if you can. Sometimes I get emailed several questions in a row as if emailing can be used like chatting. This is not professional behavior. Please resist writing emails that ask one question only to be spurred by more. We would both be better served to have the conversation in person. Moreover, you might have the same questions other students have. You would do everyone a favor by being vocal and seeking clarification so your peers can benefit from your inquiry.

2. If you have a question, will be absent, or are frustrated with something, you SHOULD email me. It might be just to ask for a date and time I'm available to meet (as some conversations should be done in person), or to inform me of your absence, but just not getting your questions addressed, not showing up, or burning with frustration about something is NOT behavior conducive to a healthy learning environment. Consider it your obligation to make yourself comfortable and accommodated. Remember that I did not become a teacher for the pay or prestige. I became a teacher because I am passionate about my subject area and I'm passionate about being there for students like yourself. You wear your thoughts on your faces. Please let me help you in any way I can. That starts with communication on your part.

3. Your emergency is not my emergency. I state this mostly to deter those that send communication with the expectation that my email is a medium for me to be at a student's beckoned call, which of course is not the case. That means that you should email me with the expectation that emailing you is a courtesy not required of me, but is something I extend to you because your learning is important but still should not be abused. Thus, email only with it in mind that NO ONE is required to reply within 24-48 hours, excluding the weekend entirely. If you are entirely unsure, ask THREE BEFORE ME. What that means is, ask your peers and if at least three other students do not know, then please email for clarification.

**there seems to be a rumor spreading that I do not check emails over the weekend. This is not true. To further desist more rumors from spreading, I will now require that I be added to your class facebook pages. To whomever is the admin on the page, please do so ASAP.

Homework: 

1. Please leave a 50 word comment below indicating that you have read and understood the above.
2. Complete 1000 words of your SSA analysis for Wednesday for peer-editing.
3. Bring back your copy of the Gryphon and Gryphon worksheet.
4. Class FB page admins, send me the link to your page so that I may be added.

Thursday, Dec. 6th

Agenda: 

1. Students used the first 15 minutes of class completing the last of their quiz.

2. Students read and annotated Gryphon together as a class.

Homework: 

1. Finish annotating the short story, Gryphon.

2. Complete outline based on proposal. (Edline -> Contents -> Writing Help -> Outline Extended) Check Powerschool for additional comments. (Section 4).

3. Complete 1/5 of Gryphon worksheet based on the letter assigned in class (a, b, c, d, or e). This worksheet can be found on Edline ((Edline -> Contents -> Short Story -> Gryphon Worksheet).

4. See Previous Post for SSA deadlines coming up.

Tuesday, Dec. 4th

Agenda: 

Today students took a comprehensive quiz covering the Introduction and Body Paragraphs of an analytical essay and the short story, Interpreter of Maladies. Students will be given an extra 15 minutes of the next class to complete the assignment. Additionally, only the notes that were handed in with the quiz today are available for use during the second round with the assignment.

Proposals were also handed in for the SSA. I read them over and returned them to you with a written response. If you have questions regarding my suggestions, please make an appointment to see me.

Homework: 

1. Bring back your annotations for Chapter 5 of How to Read Literature Like a Professor. I will check them next class and we will discuss your annotations for both 1, 2 and 5 altogether. We will also start reading Gryphon, by Charles Baxter for a last and final --- of our short story unit.

2. Prepare an outline for your analytical essay by reprinting the worksheet found on Edline (Edline -> Contents -> Short Story Unit -> Outline Extended). Complete the outline for class on Monday, Dec. 9.

3. Include the following due dates for your SSA:
          a. Peer-Edit Rough Draft due Wednesday, Dec. 11
          b. Self-Edit Rough Draft due Friday, Dec. 13
          c. Final Draft due Thursday, January 10.

Writing Contest Opportunity

Students from SFS have won up to $1,000 USD!

Writing Categories

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL WRITING CATEGORIES
• Font: 12 pt. Times New Roman or Arial
• Titles: Titles at the top of the first page only. Do not use a separate title page. Poems should be titled individually.
• Do Not Use Real Names: Real names should not be used. Winning work is displayed publicly and the identities of real people must be protected.
• No Name: The student’s name should NOT appear anywhere on the manuscript.
• No Images: No illustrations, photographs or graphics.
• Sources: Sources must be cited. Footnotes/works cited are not considered part of the word count.
• Collaboration: Collaborative works are not allowed in any writing categories

Short Story

Category Description
A fictional narrative written in prose.

Special Instructions
1,300–3,000 words.
Please note word length limits for Flash Fiction compared to Short Story.
Short Stories in which humor or science fiction/fantasy are key elements should be submitted in those respective categories.

Personal Essay / Memoir

Category Description
A self-revelatory work dealing with individual experience.
Special Instructions
Grades 7–8: 500–3,000 words.
Grades 9–12: 750–3,000 words.
This category includes nonfiction work only. Fictional essays should be submitted in the Short Story or Flash Fiction categories.

Humor

Category Description
Writing that uses satire, parody or humorous anecdote.
600 – 3,000 words.
Work in any genre in which humor is the key element should be submitted in this category.

Details on how to submit can be found here.  If you are interested in submitting work, please see Mrs. Lee to continue the editing process. You must be entered by January (exact date TBA). 

Also, DEC. 5 is the last day to submit work to Magpie, the school's literary magazine. If you wish to submit your memoir, please email Mrs. Lee at youngen.lee@seoulforeign.org an electronic copy of your work.