On Task

While the President and Congress wrangled over tax cuts, and the world looked on as the European Union tried to put its financial house in order, your efforts were focused on your “It’s My World” task. You had nine days to think about the prompt and to collect and analyze three articles on an international topic of your choosing. We went over the rubric twice and explained each requirement in an effort to prepare you for the assignment. Many of you came into the library ready to write...congratulations for good time management skills! Those who were ready to write completed the task within the two-day allotment, while those who were still collecting articles had difficulty meeting the deadline. This was a very manageable task as it was just what you have been doing with your regular current events assignments only in an expanded form. One student even entitled the essay “Just a Big Current Event”... that made me laugh!

If you were absent for one of the days for writing or you are granted extra time, you may work on the essay at home and upload to TieNet. I will keep the task open until December 14. Please hand in a hard copy, rubric and articles to me no later than December 14. The task was also your major project for second quarter.

South Asia
This week we also continued our study of South Asia. You have completed your map and have taken notes from “The World Today.” You will have your map and note quiz on Monday, and as usual you will be able to use your own map and notes to help you with the questions. Sounds like a great opportunity to earn high marks!

Your current event on South Asia is due December 15 (which also happens to be Bill of Rights Day…this is cause for a celebration). Make sure you select an event from a country that is in the region so check your map for eligible countries…don’t just Google “South Asia current event” as you may get a country outside the region.

As you will see from the photos we will view in class, this is a complex region. We have the mountain kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan, the largest democracy in the world, India, and Pakistan, which has been described “as the most dangerous country in the world.” President Obama travelled to this region last year and spent several days in India in an effort to boost our trade with a country that can also help keep the balance of power in a region being encroached upon by China. It is crucial that India continue to be closely aligned with the US. Two years ago, President Obama signaled to the world that our relationship with India was unique by holding his first state dinner honoring Prime Minister Singh. A White House State Dinner is an elegant and unique function reserved for the most important alliances. The President spoke eloquently about our relationship with India and Gandhi’s impact on our own Martin Luther King. India has entered our contemporary culture through the popularity of such films as “Monsoon Wedding,” “Slum Dog Millionaire” and “The Namesake.” A former Rhode Islander, Jhumpa Lahiri, winner of the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, bases much of her writing on experiences growing up in a household with parents from India. If you are looking for quality short story fiction, I highly recommend any of her books.

Guest Speakers
On December 16 we will be having an in-school field trip in room 212 during advisory to hear from the Naval War College International Officers from Peru and Lithuania. This is a unique opportunity to hear about far off countries from a leading military officer of the country. Let me remind you that you are expected to arrive on time and to listen to our guests. This is the time when your best manners are on display. Time will be allotted for a question and answer period. Students who ask questions will earn extra credit.

Intra-terms
Intra-terms are due next week so we will take class time to update our status of assignment sheet and figure out your score as of December 12. Your task will count for the second half of the quarter.

When You’re Absent
While we have gone over the expectations and they are outlined in your room management plan, I want to remind you that when you are absent, you must arrange time (before or after school or during advisory) to come by and make up the work. You have 5 days to complete the work. If you do not make arrangements then you will receive no credit for the assignments. It is up to you!

“Gifts That Say You Care”
As this is the time for giving, our friend, New York Times columnist Nicolas Kristof, had some interesting suggestions for holiday shopping in his article entitled “Gifts that say you care.” I have given you the link if you are interested in reading more about his idea. He also used the column to announce his annual win a trip contest. Remember…we heard Paul Bower, one of the winners, report on famine in Africa.