A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

As we complete our study of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain, the students are writing essays comparing how the main character Hank Morgan fared in the 6th century with how they think they themselves would fare. I was very pleased with the hard work that Ron Ryason put into his essay, especially since he is becoming so much more comfortable with the writing process than he was when he first came to Flint! Here is Ron's essay for your enjoyment!

Connecticut Yankee Essay

                 Toba Beta once said, “Time travel will never be impossible forever” My paper I’m writing is about a man from the 1800’s who went back to the 6^th century A.D. This is how he went back to the middle ages. He was bashed on the head with a hammer, by a man named Hercules. When the man woke up he saw he was in the Middle Ages.

                Hank brought many things back in time, because he was an inventor. He brought stuff back like guns, gun powder, knights on bicycles and lightning explosives. The reason why he brought all that stuff to the 6^th century is because he wanted to help the people.

                I know one of the characteristics about Hank. He was being bossy by telling people what to do. For example he was bossing the king, his knights, and the people.

                Hank believes that things should be decided based on what is right, not who just has power. He believes everyone should have enough money, not just the king and his nobles. I believe Hank says there should not be a lot of war. Hank wanted the people to decide things, not just the king.

                I would bring stuff back to the 6^th century, like reading and writing, because they didn't know how to do it back then. I would bring Jesus and life everlasting, because when people were talking about Jesus, they spoke Latin and people didn't understand that language. I’d bring back democracy so I could let people vote and share power. I would also bring God and the Ten Commandments to teach them about God’s law.

                I am a faithful person. I have faith because I believe in God and Jesus. Another reason I have faith is because I give offerings to help care for the poor. I ‘m very kind to other people. For example I volunteer to help people when needed. I also say kind things to help people feel good. I also have a good scene of humor. For example I make people laugh. When people tell jokes I laugh at them.

                I believe people should get along well. All people should have a good share of wealth. I believe I should tell people about Jesus. I would abolish slavery, because it is wrong.

                I would be better off in the 6^th century than Hank. One reason why I would be better in the 6^th century is because I have a lot of faith. Because of my faith God will protect and help me no matter what happens. Being helpful is another reason why I would be better in the 6^th century. The Yankee was helpful with his inventions for war, but I would be helpful for faith and kindness.

                In conclusion this essay was about time travel, if it is possible, what Hank did and what I would do. In my research I learned that time travel will never be possible with the technology that we have today. Hank brought some inventions like gunpowder, bicycles and explosives to help the king win wars. He wanted society to be different, for example he wanted people to be safe, he wanted people to be free and live a better life. What I would do in the 6^th century is teach people about Jesus. I would also teach them about democracy. I would also give people help when needed. I liked the book a lot because it was funny, exciting and interesting. 

October 8th

The first book we are studying in Literature this year is King Arthur and his Knights by Sir James Knowles. This is a 1920's adaptation of Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory in the 1400's, and is much more accessible while still using wonderful old-fashioned language. The students are having a great time getting into the spirit of the book, which is filled with action and adventures.

We've finished reading about the adventures of Sir Lancelot and the adventures of Sir Gareth, and this week we'll begin the story of Tristan and Isolde. These stories are all great examples of the chivalry and knighthood that we are learning about this year in our study of the Middle Ages.

We're very fortunate in the set of books that we get to use in class - they are gorgeous, illustrated, hard-cover editions and the illustrations are absolutely beautiful. They really capture the imagination!

A Day in Pictures

 Here is a typical day of teaching English at Flint Academy, in pictures!

 9:00 Arrive at Flint.

9:05 Look over the goals for the day.

9:10 Put copy work from Proverbs and poetry selections for memorization up on the board.

9:20 Call students in for homeroom Christian Studies. They copy verses from Proverbs in cursive, list things they are thankful for in their gratitude journals, discuss the verses, and never act silly!

9:40 Dismiss homeroom and prepare to read David Copperfield aloud to five classes in a row!

 9:45 My senior class!

10:35 Coach Hallford interrupts my third period class for a few minutes to make everyone laugh.

10:39 We try very hard to get back to work and be serious.

11:25 Fourth period class recites O Captain! My Captain! with great feeling before we settle in to read.

12:10 A mass exodus to lunch!

12:15 I enjoy a few minutes at my desk in solitude.

12:20 They enjoy a battle of checkers. Ever since we read The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allen Poe, which claims that skill at checkers is a better test of intellect than skill at chess, the checkers competitions here have been fierce.

1:05 Back to David Copperfield! Over five hundred pages in and we really will finish it before the school year is over, I promise!

1:55 My last English class of the day recites poetry with no enthusiasm whatsoever. They must be tired.

2:45 It's theater season at Flint! My costume crew has already accomplished a lot.

3:30 Time for chores.

3:45 Already prepared for a fresh day tomorrow.

January Newsletter

In literature class we remain thoroughly engaged in our reading of David Copperfield. We are nearly halfway finished and practically every student has become deeply interested in the unfolding events of the book. There is nothing so gratifying to a teacher as to stop reading at the end of a class period and be met with protests and pleas to keep reading! This is especially wonderful because David Copperfield is written with very complex, rich language and we are reading the unabridged version. The style and vocabulary of the book posed a challenge for many students at the beginning of the school year, and I am very pleased with how they have adapted!


The majority of our writing assignments are drawn from our reading. Currently the students are writing essays entitled Good and Bad Angels, which is the name of a chapter in David Copperfield where David, as a young adult, struggles with the conflicting influences of his peers. In their essays the students are exploring how people in their lives influence them both positively and negatively. When we finish these essays we will have a lesson on common verb errors and then identify and correct any verb errors in the rough drafts.


The students have previously learned to add exordium to the beginning of their essays as a way to create interest. The five types of exordia are challenge, question, quotation, statistic, and anecdote. The most popular choice is usually quotation and we have had a lot of fun finding relevant quotes and making sure that those quotes are connected and referenced later in the essays. Some of my favorite quotations that the students have found for the Good and Bad Angels assignment so far include:

"There is no such thing as a good influence. Because to influence someone is to give him one's own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions. His virtues are not real to him. His sins, if there are such things as sins, are borrowed. He becomes an echo of someone else's music, an actor of a part that has not been written for him." 

~Oscar Wilde

"A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example."

~Niccolo Machiavelli

"One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray."

~Proverbs 12:26

October Newsletter

Hi again! We've already been in school for a whole month! We have had a wonderful start to the school year, and I'd like to share some of the highlights of September with you all.


In art class the students have completed their study of the Lascaux cave paintings. They did a wonderful job making their own paint and paintbrushes from primitive supplies such as bones, horse hair, and ground minerals.

 

I have been bringing Fezzik, my Great Pyrenees dog to school quite a bit. Although he is too young to be a certified therapy dog, he meets all of the qualifications for a therapy dog and the students love him! He makes his rounds from student to student in each class and is always ready to be petted and hugged. Dogs are wonderful for lowering blood pressure and stress levels, and having Fezzik around definitely brings happiness to the classroom.

Last week the entire upper school took a field trip to see a Casa Manana performance of To Kill a Mockingbird. We read this book last year as it corresponded with our study of modern history, so the majority of the upper school students were very familiar with the story. The performance was amazing and the students were wonderfully behaved!

This week in writing class the students are learning a brainstorming technique from The Lost Tools of Writing, called the ANI column. The students take an issue and then write arguments for and against the issue (Affirmative and Negative) and also facts (Interesting) about the issue. This is a good way to think of lots of ideas before we even begin writing, and a wonderful way to start thinking logically beyond their own personal opinions. The students are creating an ANI column on the issue "Whether David Copperfield should have bitten Mr. Murdstone" which is drawn from our reading!

Earlier in the month we discussed foreshadowing in literature, and the students wrote the stories of their own births, imitating the account that David Copperfield gave of his birth. The students also explored possible foreshadowing in their birth stories. Here is a sample essay by seventh grader Brett Oatridge:

I was born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1998. The day I was born my mom woke up immediately in labor. She was in labor for twenty-one hours. Then she had to have a C-section. My dad held me in his hands while my mom was unconscious. My dad said I looked like Mister Magoo, which is funny,  because I still love to make people laugh.  I had a red face and every nurse in the room wanted me as their son, and even asked my mom, but she said, "No, he's mine."

We are looking forward to some exciting upcoming events in October, including the start of the Flint Falcons basketball season, our Barnes and Noble fundraiser, and Fall Fest!

Welcome Back!

       Hello everyone! It's almost time for school to begin! The Flint staff has been in inservice all week and we're getting really excited, anticipating the coming school year. This year I will be conducting morning devotions with my homeroom class, teaching literature and writing to all of the upper school students, and teaching the art elective. All of my favorite subjects! I will pass out my syllabi for these classes on the first day of school, but I thought I'd post them here, just in case the paper copies never make it home.

Devotions Syllabus

2011-2012

Course Description

          We will begin each day with a twenty minute devotions class, which will help everyone start their day on a positive, uplifting note. For devotions the students will have daily copy work from the book of Proverbs, which we will also discuss. In their copy books, the students will also list things they are grateful for. As we progress in the year, we will discuss ways to find gratitude and good even in things that do not initially seem positive. We will also read and discuss books filled with Christian purpose and meaning, such as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and the allegorical writings of George MacDonald.

Classroom Expectations

          Students are expected to have a positive and questioning attitude for devotions, as well as practicing their habits of attention, self-control, perfect execution, and sweet temper.

Literature and Writing Syllabus

2011-2012

Course Description

We will read classical literature in class, following the Charlotte Mason method of narration, where the teacher reads aloud as the students follow along in their own copies of the book, then the teacher calls on individual students to narrate and discuss what was read. This year we will study David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, a selection of Greek mythology and philosophy including The Allegory of the Cave by Plato, as well as a selection of poetry by poets such as Tennyson, Longfellow, Dickinson, Stevenson, and Henley. Poems will be memorized via choral recitation at the beginning of each class.

            Writing assignments will be drawn from our literature studies and discussions, and will incorporate concepts and strategies from The Lost Tools of Writing curriculum. This includes methods for gathering and classifying ideas, use of a traditional outline format, and elements of classical rhetoric such as exordium, amplification, refutation, parallelism, antithesis, alliteration, assonance, anaphora, and epistrophe. We will also touch on common verb and subject errors and nominalizations in writing.

Classroom Expectations

Students are expected to practice character-building habits at all times. Our classroom habits include the habit of attention, the habit of self-control, the habit of perfect execution, and the habit of sweet temper. We also strive to cultivate an atmosphere of joy in the classroom.

Although the majority of our writing work will be done in-class, work will be sent home occasionally. This work is assigned solely to the students, not their parents! If a student is unable to independently complete a homework assignment, we will find time during the next day to work one-on-one. I am available before school, during breaks throughout the day, and after school to answer questions and help students write their papers.

Assessments

            We will have midterm and final assessments each semester, which will involve written summaries of our book so far, brief essay questions, and definition questions regarding terms and concepts from our study of classic rhetoric.

Art Syllabus

2011-2012

Course Description

            We will study art for a two and a half month block before rotating electives. The art elective this year will cover artistic expression of ancient civilizations, to coincide with the historical period that the students are studying. This will include:

• The Lascaux Cave Paintings
• Sumerian sculpture
• Egyptian tomb wall frescoes
• The Bust of Nefertiti
• Minoan frescoes
• Greek red-figure and black-figure pottery
• Progression of Greek sculpture
• Nike of Samothrace
• Aphrodite of Melos
• Roman busts
• Roman mosaic

We will use a variety of approaches when studying these works of art, including the Charlotte Mason picture study strategy, sketching sculptures and artwork, and recreating through imitation. When we study the Lascaux Cave Paintings, for example, students will study the paintings, learn their history, and sketch various samples. They will then make their own paintbrushes and paints from Paleolithic materials such as horsehair, crushed minerals, and animal fats, and then recreate a portion of the cave paintings on individual chalkboards. In addition to studying the techniques and compositions of ancient art, we will also discuss the way various works of art reflect the cultures that produced them, the purposes that ancient art served, and ways that the visual arts influence other arts.

________________________________________________________________

I can't wait to see everyone on Tuesday morning and dive into all of this!

~Nicole Hallford

Important Lessons From The Hiding Place

After we finished reading The Hiding Place, I asked the students to write about the lessons that they carried away from the book. Everyone did a wonderful job with this assignment, and I would like to share a paper that struck me as particularly insightful. This paper is by a student who often questions the Christian belief system at Flint Academy:

IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM THE HIDING PLACE

"I will admit that at the beginning of this book I found both Corrie and Betsie to be your typical sheltered religious fanatics. However as the story progressed I learned to respect them. Even from my agnostic point of view I could easily respect them for their undying loyalty to their faith. I also learned to respect them for being so kind and righteous.

I have no trouble admitting that I could never have done half of the things they did. I'm selfish, I'm aggressive, and even at times cold hearted. Never in my whole life could I have not only forgiven the Nazis, but actually have the desire to heal my own tormentors.

The thing that I have learned is to forgive and have the desire to do so as well. The fact that people can be like this shocked me to no end.

I'm a pessimist by nature; very rarely do I have a positive view on the world. And like every other pessimist, once I am proven wrong I'm happy. They showed me that the world can be a wonderful place, no matter how much evil there is.

I couldn't believe that all this good happened in such an evil place. Yet why would she lie? That thought was what sparked the entire realization that they truly were saintly people."

To compliment our study of The Hiding Place, the upper school went on a field trip this week to the Dallas Holocaust Museum. The students were very interested in all of the information presented there and I was proud of their behavior. The museum staff told Dr. Flint that we were one of the best-behaved and engaged groups that has been there in a long time!