Humanities                                                Jacki Judd

Room  114                                                 Scot Key

 

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            The names of both teachers and students have changed over the years, but the Humanities Program for Gifted 7th and 8th Graders at Jefferson remains committed to a combination of rigorous academic standards and significant amounts of fun.  Parents familiar with work done in previous years will instantly recognize the program components below.  After all, they have worked so well for so long.  The core of our program remains Literature, Seminar, Independent Study and a few things best considered “miscellaneous”. 

 

            At the same time, with changing technology and changing times, we have tweaked the program to be more Internet and Email-based.  Your son or daughter in our classes may ask for more Internet time to research information, email teachers with word-processed papers and such.  For instance, you can check daily for what’s being done in our class by going our classroom web page:  http://www.jms.aps.edu/JMS/Key/index.html

 

 

Literature

 

            Yeah, we read books in Humanities class.  Lots of books, including some most folks don’t read until High School or College.  Books like To Kill A Mockingbird and Fast Food Nation.  As teachers of generally advanced readers, we focus on more challenging material and deeper concepts.  We also don’t want to lose the love for reading.  So we have designated books and stories for classes:  such as George Orwell’s Animal Farm for 7th Graders and Shakespeare’s Macbeth for 8th Graders.  We also give students the chance to read in class, extensively, reading books they want to read.  Stephen King. J.K. Rowling and other rich folks who write books are very popular in the “Independent Reading” component. 

 

            Another aspect we want to cover in the reading of literature is the writing of literature.  So we examine the thought process of the writer, trying to understand just what makes an author tick, and how that “ticking” gets put on the page.  The idea is to make students not only more skilled in literary analysis, but to understand that writing is a craft and not just a magical process that takes us away from reality.  Oh, and we also get taken away from reality via both our reading and writing, learning from and emulating our writing idols along the way. 

 

 

Seminar

 

            If you ask a graduate of the Jefferson MS Gifted Humanities class what they most remember about the experience, 95% of them will say forcefully:  “Seminar”. Covering a huge range of topics, from the most controversial (e.g., same sex marriage) to the most silly (e.g., holiday baking), Seminar gives students the chance to not only learn more about their world, but strengthen their ability to state their opinion and listen to the opinions of others. 

 

            Classes first brainstorm possible topics to be done for a school year.  After that, a list of most popular topics is generated.  Each topic is covered first through the extensive use of expert speakers, films, internet resources, lecture, etc.  Typically, students also work together in groups to create formal presentations illustrating things learned and opinions generated.  Seminar culminates in the Seminar Discussion, a structured small group conversation in which students are graded not only on how well they exhibit knowledge on the subject, but also on their ability to listen and respond appropriately to the ideas of others, regardless of how inane they think they are.  Oh, if only all adults could demonstrate that skill.

 

 

Independent Study

 

            In-depth research, note cards, bibliographies.  The Independent Study component of our class is just like you remember it from your own school days.  We even use index cards, lots of them.  Working in-class once a week we learn and practice the dual crafts of research papers and professional presentations.  Significant attention is devoted to critical thinking about research sources, attributing ideas and writing coherent analysis of findings.  We also make extensive use of LCD projectors, computers, video and software to allow students the same presentational resources found in boardrooms, universities and other “real job” environments.  To make our stringent requirements more palatable, students largely get to decide the focus of their work. 

 

            The final products we require for these projects varies over the two years of our program, but in every instance students will be required to:

 

 

 

Mock Trials, Debates and Assorted Miscellany

 

·       Bulwer-Lytton Writing Contest

·       Debates

·       Mock Trials

·       In-class skits and semi-formal presentations

·       Crafting writing into publishable work

·       Student-led seminar discussions

 

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