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What you have above is yesterday's front page of The New York Times. Look it over.
In class today is your quotation assessment.
You then have the rest of the class and tomorrow's class to finish up your news stories. They are due by the end of class tomorrow. NOT MIDNIGHT. Remember this is a writing grade, so goes in the 50% category. Take your time. Review the rubric. There's another copy below.
Learning Target: I can demonstrate that I understand the language and skills employed in quotations in news writing, according to AP style.
I can write an effective news story that following the methodology use under the Associated Press style guide. This includes first and secondary headlines, reporter's name, leads, insertion of quotes, reported speech and correct grammar and punctuation.
Rubric for evaluating inverted pyramid stories
Ace reporter
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Good
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Fair
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Poor
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This story — so professional one would think it were cut from a professional news publication — convincingly demonstrates mastery of the inverted pyramid form by doing the following:
❍ with precision, arranges the key facts of the story from most important to least important
❍ relegates background information — information the writer could have known before the event — to a place below all new information
❍ is devoid of unattributed opinion
❍ artfully illustrates points with interesting, well-punctuated and well-attributed quotations; a transition is used to introduce each quotation.
❍ is a model of brevity, using few words to maximum effect.
❍ avoids passive voice except in the rare cases when it is merited
❍ shows few, if any, errors in the conventions of written English
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This solid inverted pyramid story, while not as impressive as that written by the Ace Reporter, consistently does most or all of the following:
❍ arranges the key facts of the story from most important to least important
❍ generally relegates background information — information the writer could have known before the event — to a place below all new information
❍ is devoid of unattributed opinion
❍ illustrates points with interesting, well-punctuated and well-attributed quotations; a transition is used to introduce each quotation
❍ is for the most part concise
❍ generally avoids passive voice except in the rare cases when it is merited
❍ shows few, if any, errors in the conventions of written English.
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This story suggests general awareness of the requirements for an inverted pyramid story, but does not suggest great prowess in meeting those requirements. This lead does much or all of the following:
❍ unconvincingly arranges the facts of the story from most important to least important
❍ in some cases, fails to keep background information in its place at the bottom of the story
❍ may include minor unattributed opinion
❍ sometimes illustrates points with quotations but may do so awkwardly and without adequate transitions or
❍ shows too little attention to the need for brevity
❍ may slip into passive voice
❍ shows some errors in the conventions of written English.
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These story doesn’t meaningfully address the assignment. This lead does much or all of the following:
❍ either does not have all the basic facts or shows clear errors in organizing them from most to least important
❍ fails to keep background information in its place at the bottom of the story
❍ is bereft of meaningful, supportive quotations; may fail to introduce quotations at all
❍ includes significant unattributed opinion
❍ noticeable over-use of the passive voice
❍ is wordy
❍ shows multiple errors in the conventions of written English.
(Note: The fact that a person is speaking to students is not in and of itself newsworthy; stories should focus on what a person says, not the fact that he/she has spoken.)
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Lockers and Expressing Oneself
ReplyDeleteLocker personalization at the high school level is very much supported in the Rochester area. Dynesha Burns said that if we give a school four years of our lives, we should at least be allowed one thing to do. Emily Hanrahan also said the same thing.
On the other hand, even though Evan Alaimo also feels that it is one great way to express oneself, he brought up the point of how the lockers would be “erased” each year. I then countered back saying that whoever painted the lockers must make them look brand new, or not decorate or them at all.
One of my friends, Hannah Smith, thought that it was a totally stupid idea to decorate something as simple as a locker, which is basically a metal container for your stuff. She further explained that it is so much work, and that if the student won’t have the locker every year, someone else will get it after you, and so. Therefore why go through all that work, just to have to erase it in June?
One teacher, Ms. Parker, thought that it is defacing of school property. She personally does not want to see anyone’s crap on the outside.
DyNesha Burns
ReplyDeleteBad Talk: Punishment for Foul Language in Schools
In schools get detention every day for using foul language and it is seen unfair by the students.
“Teachers use foul language everyday why can’t we? It is our first amendment right, right?” says one student who recently served a Saturday school for detention.
Many students feel as though if a teacher can say a bad word so can the student especially is the student is over 18, making them a legal adult.
Another student, Concetta Robinson added, “I think its fine… don’t curse your teacher out of course…” She continued to add, “It depends on the phrasing of the word. It depends on the reason to why you are cursing.”
According to many sources students feel that when you are being punished for swearing at a mature age it is very belittling on the teacher.
A student who received Saturday detention for swearing says: “It’s not fair that we get detention for saying words in class that teachers say in class too.”
Not only do students feel this way teacher’s feel this way also. One teacher, Mr. O’Conner said when asked is okay for teachers to use to foul language in school he said,”…Absolutely not, there is a time and place for everything, and your workplace is neither the time nor place for it.”
Another teacher, Ms. Parker agreed when she says, “When I go home you wouldn't believe the words I say about my day. But I would never say those words at school.”
Working On The Weekend: Students with Part Time Jobs
ReplyDeleteMany high school students choose to work part time jobs whether it be to gain experience with holding a job, save up for college, or earn personal spending money. Students legally can work at age 15, and many have gotten a job by the time they reach their senior year in high school.
School of the Arts senior Mystique Myrthil works at Roc City Reality with her aunt. She feels working a part time job while being in high school will help prepare her for her future, as she wishes to go into advertising eventually. It is also good money.
Most students who hold jobs work an average of 15 hours a week, posing a challenge in balancing school work and their jobs. Jacob Polcyn-Evans, a senior at School of the Arts, says his job bussing tables at the restaurant Lento gives him "a good work ethic, and a taste of the real world."
While balancing a 15 hour work week with school and extracurricular activities may seem like a lot to take on as a high school senior, most students wished they could work more hours than they do. "Making more money means more independence, less I have to ask my parents for and can just spend how I want," says senior Quinn Weisenreder who is employed at Wegmans.
For Jackson Bell who works an average of 10 hours a week at the Maplewood YMCA, his job means more than just a paycheck. He said he chose to get a job at the YMCA because he grew up going to one and benefitting from the programs it offered him. He said working at the YMCA is "easy and fun" and he enjoys adding to a community that added so much to his life.
Lauryl Sandman
ReplyDeleteBehind School Cliques
How Students Feel About Cliques at School of the Arts (if there are any)
It is most certain that almost all high schools have cliques, but the students at School of the Arts had many different perspectives on the topic.
When students were interviewed about cliques at School of the Arts, they had some interesting comments. A few students believed that cliques were alive and well within the school walls, whereas several others believed that there were none, and that all was unvarying among the students of School of the Arts.
Students were asked a variety of questions, such as: do you feel there are cliques at School of the Arts? And: if not, do you feel there ever were cliques?
One student, when asked if he thought there were cliques at School of the Arts, simply said: “No.” He also did not believe that cliques had ever existed. However, several other students had different views.
“I think that there are cliques here because most people only feel comfortable with their friend groups, and when they are with other people, they feel awkward,” an eleventh grader said. One senior completely avoided the question and quoted what she claimed was a song, saying: “Kill people, burn s***, f*** school.” She went on to say, “We are all just part of the clique of life.”
Many of the students interviewed believed that cliques were a thing of the past, and that only middle schoolers faced this problem. “I think that middle schoolers are trying to constantly fit in, so they form friend groups with people who they think are cool, in order to also be cool,” said a School of the Arts faculty member.
For the most part, seniors at School of the Arts do not feel that they are in a particular clique. Most claimed that they are able to get along fairly well with most of the other students.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHigh School Cliques
ReplyDeleteSocial groups, or cliques, affect the high school experience through mob mentality and peer pressure. Some think peer pressure is a purposeful and conscious effort of one person influencing another. However, peer pressure can be subconscious. This influence comes from what peers are doing, not telling you to do. Most cliques can form because of the after school activities the members are involved in, which may include sports, plays, math league, etc.
Some students reported that race was a factor in the clique formation. When asked if she felt uncomfortable with cliques of a different race, Veronica said “I don’t feel uncomfortable with other races. Race is a factor… you are drawn to people similar to you.”
Popularity also affects high school cliques. Alexis said “If there is a large population, cliques will form.” With larger population, the gap between popular and unpopular people grows. The people in one clique will set their standards to the others. When asked if cliques affect academic motivation, Alexis said “If my “clique” people are motivated, I am too. If they aren’t, it’s the norm.”
The clique’s members can change over time, kicking one out and replacing them with another. When talking about his clique, Duncan said “It’s been altered and it’s grown.” If the members of a clique are replaceable, there is a sense of insecurity, even though the nature of a clique is a group that stays together.
High school is a catalyst for cliques. Rachael said “It’s a place where people spend all of their time.” The high school environment seems to promote social groups, grouping students in the same set of classes. Making exclusive sports teams and plays and clubs so that everyone has a place to identify with.
Senior Attendance At School Of The Arts
ReplyDeleteHigh school seniors often encounter problems with attendance and truancy. Seniors are more likely to have jobs, responsibilities at home, and fewer classes. Their classes might be of little interest to them, as they scramble to get in their health credit or make up for failed gym classes. These extra responsibilities, coupled with a lack of motivation, can cause seniors to come late, or miss school altogether.
This tendency to miss class comes at possibly the most important time of a student’s high school career. Too many missed classes can mean a senior graduates late, or not at all. Frances, a senior creative writing major, said that she misses school due to sickness or exhaustion. “It doesn’t start too early,” she said, “it just isn’t very flexible.”
In 2013 SOTA implemented a new lateness policy, which required students who came late three or more times a marking period to spend first period in the commons. In 2014 the administration dropped the policy, and began allowing late students to go to their first period class after they have gone through the metal detector. Tim, a senior theater tech major, said “I like this year’s policy because waiting in the commons wasted class time.”
Many factors influence student attendance: the distance between a student’s home and school, the early start of school, weather conditions. Some factors are beyond the school’s control, but there are things SOTA can do to help students, especially seniors, maintain good attendance. Alison, a senior drama major, said “SOTA can help student attendance by starting school at 8:20 and allowing coffee.”
Tim said the school should “make classes worth going to and encourage stronger teacher participation in their own classes.”
Or SOTA could, as Frances said, “pay students to come to school.”
The Reality of Senior Year
ReplyDeleteSenior year is something that every teenager looks forward to in their lives. It is the last little step of young adulthood before being submerged into the next chapters of their lives. False perceptions of senior year are gained by youths because of movies and television shows. It is perceived as a laid back, carefree experience, when in reality, there is a lot more to it than freedom and relaxation.
“Senior year is definitely not what I’d expected it to be,” said one disappointed senior, “Well, it’s not what I’d always wanted, I should say, but it is what I expected since I came here,” she added. The School of the Arts attendee explained how the school is ‘different from other high schools’. Similar responses were given by other senior students at SOTA about it not being what they wanted, but kind of what they’d expected. Some students however did not even expect what they are experiencing this year. “I am so disappointed in our school this year, especially for the senior experiences. It is not personalized. We don’t feel special,” said one girl. It is true. Doing some research and polls, 93% of seniors feel as though the school is neglecting to celebrate the fact that they are seniors. “There is no personalization. Other graduating classes get stars and puzzle pieces with their names on them, but we get one poster with all of our names on it… Just like the seventh graders,” another student said, “I don’t know what happened between last year and this year but I don’t like it.”
Many students feel as though senior year is an easy year academically, unless they’ve put off a rough class from previous years that they need in order to graduate. “I’m taking trigonometry again, and it is a bit stressful. I need to work hard in order to reach success,” a student explained. Other than the last minute stress of passing math, 81% of seniors felt as though the year is pretty stress-free. College essays are the only things on the minds of many, and until they receive that acceptance letter, they are on the edge of their seats. Normally there would be distractors from this time gap between sending and receiving things to and from college such as senior events, though this is not the case. “What are senior events?” one senior, along with a couple of his friends, questioned, “We haven’t had any. At least not to my knowledge,” he continued.
Students at School of the Arts have lived through their high school experience, and mentally, most of them are ready to move on. The senior experience has not started off as euphoric as they had witnessed in television and film, and many feel that the only day they will realize that they are seniors is the day they walk the stage and get that diploma. “It’s just like any other year. That’s the reality of senior year.” So it goes. Senior year according to seniors is nothing like the dreams they had when they were young.
Angelica Scott
ReplyDeleteTeachers within the school system provide support to their Students
Students that attend School of the Arts in Rochester, NY seem to have very close relationships with their teachers. Benefiting from these kinds of relationships can affect each other in a positive way for lifelong goals or situations.
About 55% of the student body at the School of the Arts, the students and teachers put in an equal amount of effort into their relationship with each other. The other 45% don’t have the motivation to be in school or don’t have the communication skills to build a relationship with their teachers.
Concetta, a senior at School of the Arts, feels that a relationship with a teacher can help with a lot of things. Having a teachers’ insight on things can make life easier. She feels that teachers have experienced things that our generation today doesn’t think about asking. “I think having a close relationship with teachers is great because they are mentors. They are here for us as a tool,” Concetta said.
Marylee Miller, a modern Dance teacher at School of the Arts, also has a positive view on having relationships with her students. Being a dance teacher is already a gift but knowing a student’s background and what they go through is another gift. “My students can tell me anything. They feel like I am their mother away from home. My students tell me all the time that I am a very understanding teacher” says Miller.
Having a strong relationship between a teacher and a student can be useful because as a student, it is good to have someone that gives you advice daily on things that approach you or in your near future. Considering that adults have experienced these many things, hearing from them is also a bonus.