My gift to you!

http://youtu.be/UV_27QuGCu0

Dear Students...

At the end of the semester, I always have conflicting feelings. On the one hand, I'm happy that it's over and that I'm going to get some time off. On the other hand, I'm sad that we have to disband after building our very own little international community and finally getting truly at ease with each other. So, bittersweet... 

Yours was really an outstanding class, filled with smart, interesting, and interested students (a teacher's dream). Coming to "work" with you guys was always a pleasure. I enjoyed our many conversations and activities. I wish we had had time for more. 

For those of you staying in Houston--please come and visit me at the LCC or email me (holly_cin@yahoo.com) or call (713-721-3460) to say hi. If you throw a party, invite me and I will try my best to come. Also, if you need anything while you are in Houston, and I can be of help, feel free to contact me. Former students often consult with me on their academic decisions as well as their parking tickets and baby questions! Should you have a legal issue, my husband is a good person to consult. If in the future you lose my contact information, you can always call the LCC office and they'll know how to reach me. At the very least, you can remember my last name. That's Cin. C-I-N. Like cinammon. Or cinema. Of course I hope you will remember more than my last name!

For those of you entering the university, I wish you tremendous success. It won't be easy but with hard work and determination you will achieve your goals. To be a successful student requires a good brain (which you all have) and a lot of hard work.

For those of you returning home, I wish you a safe and pleasant journey and I hope you continue to learn and to practice, and I hope to see you in your country one of these days soon.

Finally, I want to congratulate Veronica for her excellent graduation speech and Ileana for being chosen as outstanding student. There were lots of smart and hard working students so it was not easy to isolate the "most outstanding."

Thanks, guys, for a really fun semester. I will miss you a lot!

Yours,
Holly

p.s. I will post our class pictures on the blog when I get the chance to download them from my camera. Give me a little time!

Celebration dinner

Would anyone like to join me and Ileana for a celebration dinner Thursday night at 7:30 at Madras Pavilion (cuisine is Indian vegetarian--tasty and inexpensive)?

3910 Kirby Dr
Ste 130
Houston, TX 77098

713) 521-2617

See you guys soon!  

Next Week's Schedule

Monday: Writing Sample (9 a.m. in Roy Cullen 102 (LCC Bldg)
Tuesday: Free
Wednesday: Field Trip to San Antonio
Thursday: Final conferences (beginning at 10:00 IN GREG'S ROOM)
GRADUATION REHEARSAL: 1:15 (Chapel)
GRADUATION: 2:00

Final conference schedule:
10:00:  Eiman
10:10:  Lin
10:20:  Shay
10:30:  Kyoung
10:40:  Ileana
10:50:  Luisa
11:00:  Jacky
11:10:  Veronica
11:20:  Fatimah
11:30:  Yo
11:40:  Jo
11:50:  Vu
12:00:  Bank
12:10:  Chune
12:20:  Omar
12:30:  Mohammad

Please post a comment as to which time you'd like. If you're not going to come to the final conference, you need to sign the form which allows someone else to pick up your records. Go to the office for that form, sign it, and then ask someone to place it in my box.

Are any of you interested in a final celebration on Thursday night? If so, may I recommend Madras Pavilion, which is one of the few restaurants that I'm able to eat at due to my kosher restrictions. It's on Kirby near Richmond. If everyone prefers a different restaurant, that's okay. I'll come, but I won't eat :D. I can't go earlier than 7:30.

Was it the power of context?

http://news.yahoo.com/homeless-man-charged-ny-subway-riders-death-075012828.html

Reading Test and Schedule for tomorrow

I want to make sure that all of you are aware that the test will cover the last chapters of the reading book on argument and reasoning, even though we didn't discuss the material in class. Sometimes that's the way it works at the university, so at the end of level 6, I expect you can do this. You can prepare by doing the exercises in the book, for which you have the answers, and on line at TownsendPress. If you have questions, post them here, or you can ask Greg before the test tomorrow. SCHEDULE TOMORROW: You will have both classes in our room. The first class will be with Greg. For the first 45 minutes, he will review your tests with you. Then at 9:15, Greg will give you my reading test. We will switch classes at 10:30. From 10:30-12:30, we will try to complete all of the presentations. Feel free to bring popcorn :D I know it will be a long time to sit and listen, but your patience is appreciated. I will try to give you a short break after 3 or 4 presentations. If we don't finish all of the presentations by 12:30, then those who haven't presented will have to present with me (and with whichever classmates would like to stay) after 12:30. All presentations must be completed by 1:20! If I am correct, we have 10 presentations to cover tomorrow.

PARTY POST SCRIPT

Well, I hope you guys had as much fun as I did tonight. I wish the party would have gone on even longer! I would have loved to play poker with you guys! I'm so glad that most of you came. Of course we really missed Eiman and Fatimah and Jacky and Joe and Omar. Maybe we can go out together as a class to celebrate your graduation next Thursday night. Please forgive me for forgetting to thank Ileana, Veronica, and Vu for coming early and helping out with all of the food preparation. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Your Process Presentations

Vu/Bank:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NzTedWQ6UA

Shay/Omar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsIsixtYBm0

Luisa/Lin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOeZrPGMUm8

Veronica/Mohammad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27TPZL9DPME

Jacky/Kyoung:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nB13GU40eI

Ileana/Joe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMJ44ZxCSCY

Your Final Presentations

Vu:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7xoxTBU19Q

Vero:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A6unUHsu5I

Luisa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDI9CC8i34E

Bank:
 http://youtu.be/S8eOo8TnBbM

Lin:
 http://youtu.be/6TMiBxUTksk

Shay:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj3Ig2U0f7Q

Ileana:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaNOOOE53ic

Chune:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgVWJlh1_mg

Kyoung:
 http://youtu.be/O2xs1KTJ5LA

Jacky:
 http://youtu.be/3mLXVbvH5Y8

Mohammad: 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYRkxVNZ4aw






 

Looking ahead to next week...

Since we are pressed for time, we will start class promptly at 8:30 each day next week! By next Friday, the reading assignments on the internet (townsendpress.com) MUST BE COMPLETED. These grades will be considered as part of your final reading grade. But the main reason I'm having you do them is that they are fantastic reading practice.  Friday, November 30: COMPASS TEST! HW: Tipping Point, chapters seven and eight (reading test on Monday) Lecture preparation (TBA)

Monday, December 3: Research presentations (1 hour) Listen to lecture for final exam tomorrow (30 minutes) Tipping Point reading exam (chapters 6 and 7) OPEN NOTE (30 minutes)

Tuesday, December 4:*

Research presentations (1 hour)

Listening exam (1 hour)

Class Party!

Thursday, December 6:

Research presentations (1 hour)

Final Reading exam (chapters 8, 9, and 10) (1 hour)

Tipping Point Reading Test Chapter 5 (due Thursday night at midnight!)

You may use your notes. I trust you not to use your book.

3 Questions:

1.     Gladwell writes:  “As human beings…we can only handle so much information at once. Once we pass a certain boundary, we become overwhelmed. What I’m describing here is an intellectual capacity—our ability to process raw information. But if you think about it, we clearly have a channel capacity for feelings as well” (TP, 176).                                                                  

 The Tipping Point was written before the phenomenon of Facebook. What do you think Gladwell would say about Facebook friends in terms of this “channel capacity?”

 

2.  Explain the concept of transactive (shared) memory as it relates to the chapter. Give an example how it might work in one of your relationships.

  

3.     The Ya-Ya Sisterhood epidemic reveals the critical role that groups play in social epidemics. Psychologists tell us much the same thing: that when people are asked to consider evidence or make decisions in a group, they come to very different conclusions than when they are asked the same questions by themselves. Can we ever really make a decision in a vacuum (which means, in isolation), solely based on our own feelings, or do our peers or surroundings always influence us somehow? Explain.

Presentation Schedule

You can switch with each other. Just let me know.

Thursday:  Veronica, Vu, Luisa
Monday:  Chune, Jacky, Mohammad, Lin
Tuesday:  Kyoung, Fatimah, Joe, Yo
Thursday:  Eiman, Ileana, Shay, Bank

Grammar Powerpoint Presentations

Here are some powerpoints that I made for my 5 class. I'm posting them here in case you guys want to review before the Compass. Also, here is a link to my video reviewing adverb clauses (it says adjective clauses by mistake): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTKXw9v2NF4 If you watch it, please tell me how I did!

Good news

I've decided to cancel the listening test this week. We will have a final listening test next week and that will be it. We just don't have time. I know that you're all going to be very depressed about this, but you'll get over it ;) Tomorrow I'd like to spend the entire time talking about arguments, fallacies, facts and opinions, and bias. Then on Thursday we'll have 3 presentations, a TP reading quiz, and we'll speak some more about arguments, fallacies, facts and opinions, and bias.

Invitation to the party

Please check your gmail accounts for the evite.

Final Presentations: Presenting Your Research Paper

 We're going to do four presentations each day, beginning on Thursday, and then continuing next Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (there is no class this Friday due to the Compass test and then next week there is no class on Wednesday or Friday). I am looking for volunteers who can be ready for Thursday, so please let me know. Otherwise, I will pick presenters ARBITRARILY (to use one of our vocabulary words).

 Final Presentation Instructions

1.     Address your topic in an interesting and informative manner in 7-10 minutes. You will then spend 2-3 minutes for questions from the audience and/or use your discussion questions to facilitate conversation.   

2.     Organize your talk into:

·      An introduction (including the background to the topic, if necessary, and the main points of your presentation).

·       A main body (including all the supporting points and any examples you think may make the meaning more clear).

·      A conclusion (in which you sum up the main ideas already presented). Include your own opinion about the topic if you wish.

3.     Be properly prepared:  Good presenters always rehearse what they are going to say.  Do this a couple of times every day starting a few days before you give the presentation.  I strongly advise that you do not memorize your research paper and stand in front of class and recite it.  That will be a very mundane presentation and your audience will be bored.  Be prepared to explain your points in more detail and show visual examples.

4.     Know your pronunciation problems: You are advised to ask your teacher how to say those words in advance.  Remember to stress key words.

5.  Use visual aids.  This is a requirement, not an option.  Select the information you choose to show wisely.  What you show us should either guide your audience and/or help illustrate your main point.  It should not be a distraction.

6.  Key/Vocabulary Words:  Be sure to prepare adequate explanations of any new, key words that you plan to use in your presentation. Choose only those vocabulary words that your classmates probably don't know, but that are essential to understand the topic and your discussion.  Put these words and their definitions (five or less) on a sheet of paper and make enough copies for each person in the class.

7.  Use cues and transition words/phrases to help your audience understand the format of your presentation.

8.  Be sure to refer to your sources either during the presentation or after.  Your last slide should be your bibliography. 

9.  You may use a NOTECARD during your presentation that includes key words, but nothing else.  

10. You must prepare two discussion questions that you can ask your classmates after the presentation.  These should not be yes/no questions.  They should be thinking questions.

Audience's Instructions

1.   It is your responsibility to understand the presentation, so if you have a question, please ask.  However, it is polite to wait until the end.

2. It is your responsibility to be a good audience which means being polite and attentive, maintaining good eye contact with the presenter, and responding to the presenter's questions.

Hi Guys... Checking in...

I hope everyone has had a good Thanksgiving break. And I hope it won't be too hard to come back to class tomorrow (me included)!

I had a good time camping with my family. Thankfully, the weather was mild.

I mentioned having a class party at my home this week. I'd like to postpone it until Tuesday, December 4th because there is no class that Wednesday so we can hang out without the pressure of having to wake up early the next day. Actually, I will have to go to the LCC, but you won't. Please let me know if there is an objection to the party next Tuesday.

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Please post a comment if you did anything worth talking about!

Friday Fun Days

Bowling Queens

Happy Feet

Fall Festival

Friday Fun Day:  Halloween Edition

Work for this week

This week I'd like to cover the chapter on argument.
I'd like to you to do practices 2-6 and review tests 3 and 4.
We'll talk about argument in class on Tuesday.
On Monday we'll have presentations and the vocabulary test.
On Tuesday we'll have presentations and talk about argument.
We'll hold off on a Tipping Point reading quiz until we return from the break.

Sign of the Times

 Having some coffee

 dinner in a restaurant

 appreciating art in the museum

 conversation in a coffee shop

 a pleasant day at the beach

 rooting for your team

 a date with your boyfriend or girlfriend

sightseeing...

Albert Einstein:
"I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of IDIOTS."