For Tuesday, April 30th

1.) Read for 20 minutes - CREATE the HABIT. (Non-Fiction, I PLEDGE). Remember the I PLEDGE presentations will tentatively happen on May 31st.

2.) Tonight find an article from a NEWS source: Boston Globe, Time magazine, Newsweek, etc...
     Bring it to class tomorrow. Please find some interest in the story. The minimum length should be
     8-9 paragraphs long.

Welcome Back!

I hope you enjoyed your time away and found time to relax.

Two announcements:

1. Mr. Hurley's after school help day has been moved from Monday afternoons to Wednesday afternoons.

2. TWM Wisdom Books will be due this Tuesday, April 23rd. Please expect to peer review with other students on Tuesday.

Enjoy your time!

There is no homework assigned over break.
However, please remember your "Wisdom Books" are due on Tuesday, April 23rd.
These need to completed and brought to class by the 23rd. We will peer review in class.

 I hope you find time to read a new book, take a trip, meet new folks, play an old board-game, learn something new or relax with family/friends.

Enjoy your time...

Read below and place your reflections in your TWM response journal. Please type your responses.

8. Taking Attendance **

When Mitch arrives home from London, he is shocked and dismayed to learn that his union at the newspaper has gone on strike. This means that Mitch will not be able to work for the newspaper until the strike is resolved. He cannot report on sports matches for the paper, but more significantly, he will not be allowed to write for the newspaper. Mitch is most alarmed about this because it is his newspaper writing that brings him the most joy.

Mitch is upset to learn that not writing his column has no affect on the world at large. He thought his readers would miss his writing, but they seem completely unconcerned with the fact that Mitch’s column has not been in the paper. It is as if the world continues, even without his input. This idea of the world going on despite sadness is very similar to what happened to Morrie when he first learned that he was deathly ill. Draw a diagram that reflects the similarities and differences between Mitch’s situation and Morrie’s.

9. The First Tuesday: We Talk About the World

Mitch recounts an incident in Morrie’s classroom. As an experiment one day, Morrie entered the classroom, sat down at his desk, and didn’t say a word for the entire first fifteen minutes of class. The students’ reactions varied from giggles to contemplation to indifference. Morrie’s point in the experiment was to get the students to consider why we are all uncomfortable with silence. This is, in fact, a very interesting concept. You have probably noticed that, even if you’re in a group of strangers, it’s hard for everyone to keep completely quiet. Someone always begins to talk, to make a joke or an observation.

Why do you think that we are all so scared of silence? Why do we all feel the need to avoid quiet?

10. The Second Tuesday: We Talk About Feeling Sorry for Yourself

Examine Morrie’s observations about self-pity. How does Morrie feel about self-pity? Do you agree? Why or why not?

11. The Third Tuesday: We Talk About Regret

What is the significance of the tape recorder Mitch brings to his sessions with Morrie?

12. The Audiovisual: Part Two

Morrie’s first appearance on “Nightline” was so well-received that Ted Koppel returns to do a follow-up interview. Television viewers seem to have really connected to Morrie and his story. What do you think could be the attraction to Morrie?

13. The Professor

Henry Adams is quoted as saying, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”  Do you agree with this quote?  Why or why not?

  

14. The Fourth Tuesday: We Talk about Death

When Mitch comes back to visit Morrie, the topic turns to death. This is a pretty deep philosophical topic, as everyone has some opinion about death and how to cope with it. Of death, Morrie says that, “Everyone knows they’re going to die, but no one believes it.” What exactly does Morrie mean by this statement?

Homeplay...

Due Tuesday:
1. Vocabulary for the chapters titled:
"The First Tuesday-We Talk About the World"
"The Second Tuesday- We Talk about Feeling Sorry for Yourself"
"The Third Thursday- We Talk About Regrets"
**note that we have skipped a few chapters

2. Answer the following journal questions thoughtfully and thoroughly (for those of you
who like more concrete guidelines, shoot for about 1/2 page each):

a. Morrie talks about the tension of opposites, like the pull of  a rubber band. "Life is
series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you do the other. You take
things for granted when you know you shouldn't. Something hurts you, yet you know it
shouldn't."
Write about a tension of opposites you have in your life. Maybe it is something with your
friends, family or maybe it is a push/pull you feel as a student.

b. What change do you sense is coming in Mitch? Why?

c. Morrie told Mitch that, "The culture we have does not make people feel good about
themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't
buy it."

Write about something in your culture (school, American culture in general, your family
culture, your friend culture) that does not make you feel good about yourself. Why
doesn't it make you feel good? Did you chose not to "buy it" and do your own thing or did
you go along with the culture?

d. One of Morrie's aphorisms is, "Accept the past as past, with denying or discarding
it." What does this mean?
Creat 2 aphorisms that reflect what you believe and how you want to live your life. After
each one, explain why it is important to remember.