Wings

What makes you cool? Do you care about being cool? Do you feel a need to fit in?

We had a discussion in class a few weeks ago about consumerism, or buying things. Why do people wear what they wear and what does that mean to them and their ability to belong to certain groups of friends?

The song Wings really spoke to this issue when my son Nick showed me the video yesterday. I can't believe it came out three years ago and I'd never heard it before.

Wings by Macklemore

[Verse 1]
I was seven years old
When I got my first pair
And I stepped outside
And I was like, Momma
This air bubble right here
It’s gonna make me fly
I hit that court
And when I jumped, I jumped
I swear I got so high
I touched the net, Mom I touched the net
This is the best day of my life
Air Maxes were next
That air bubble, that mesh
The box, the smell, the stuffing, the tread
In school
I was so cool
I knew that I couldn’t crease em
My friends couldn’t afford em
Four stripes on their Adidas
On the court I wasn’t the best
But my kicks were like the pros
Yo, I stick out my tongue so everyone could see that logo
Nike Air Flight, book bag was so dope
And then my friend Carlos’ brother got murdered for his fours, whoa
See he just wanted a jump shot
But they wanted his Starter coat, though
Didn’t wanna get caught
From Genesee Park to Othello
You'd get clowned for those Pro Wings, with the velcro
Those were not tight
I was trying to fly without leaving the ground
Cause I wanted to be like Mike, right
Wanted to be him
I wanted to be that guy
I wanted to touch the rim
I wanted to be cool
And I wanted to fit in
I wanted what he had, America, it begins

[Hook]
I want to fly
Can you take me far away
Give me a star to reach for
Tell me what it takes
And I’ll go so high
I’ll go so high
My feet won’t touch the ground
Just stitch my wings
And pull the strings
I bought these dreams
That all fall down

[Verse 2]
We want what we can’t have
Commodity makes us want it
So expensive, dang
I just got to flaunt it
Got to show em
So exclusive, this that new stuff
A hundred dollars for a pair of shoes
I would never hoop in
Look at me, look at me
I’m a cool kid
I’m an individual, yeah
But I’m part of a movement
My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it
They told me to just do it
I listened to what that swoosh said
Look at what that swoosh did
See it consumed my thoughts
"Are you stupid?
Don’t crease 'em! Just leave 'em in that box!"
Strangled by these laces, laces I can barely talk
That’s my air bubble and I’m lost, if it pops
We are what we wear
We wear what we are
But see I look inside the mirror and think Phil Knight tricked us all
Will I stand for change
Or stay in my box
These Nikes help me define me
But I’m trying to take mine
Off

[Hook]

[Verse 3]
They started out
With what I wear to school
That first day
Like these are what make you cool
And this pair, this would be my parachute
So much more than just a pair of shoes
Nah, this is what I am
What I wore, this is the source of my youth
This dream that they sold to you
For a hundred dollars and some change
Consumption is in the veins
And now I see it’s just another pair of shoes

 


Here's the Wikipedia page that explains more about the song.

What really makes you cool? Do you care about being cool? Why? Explain in at least three complete sentences in the comment section.

PSA tips

Speak SLOWLY!

Film in silence - check that there is NO background noise

Film close to the people talking for best sound

Actors should look at the camera for best sound  

Never shoot video into a window

Use a slogan and repeat it 3-5 times in the PSA 

End with the slogan, looking directly at the camera

Consider titles, credits, and transitions

PSA is 50-70 seconds long

Can't Beat This Band

The theme from "Sanford and Son". Led Zeppelin's "The Imigrant Song". Journey's "Don't Stop Believing". These are just a few of the songs I have enjoyed all season from the UD Jesuit pep band. The band plays at every home game, and entertains the crowd with their loud, brassy sound.

The band features former BCS Cobra Don Rea on saxophone. Don's playing is a reminder of the importance of music in iur lives and how it lifts our spirits on all occasions.

UD Cubs - Catholic League Champs

The Cubs are the champs! The outcome was never in doubt. It's always exciting to be at the Big House - Calihan Hall.

Next up, a non-league game against Romulus, last year's state champ. Go Cubs!

Whart are all the ways we can reduce our use of electricity?

Please write a minimum of five things on the comment section.

Half the Light PSA Mentor Drafts

Which video do you think best convinces the public as a public service announcement about using less electricity? Copy and paste this list of six into the comment and grade them on a scale of 4-1.

HL 1
HL 2
HL 3
HL 4
HL 5
HL 6

Climate Change Video Questions

Write me five questions for the first half and five for the second half of this video. Write in the comments section.

Final Vote on Project Name

Below are the results of our voting. We had a primary winner and then a four-way tie (very rare!) for second place. Now, please select only one name from the five highlighted that will be the official name of our Climate Change Project.

1. Global Climate Change-Agents IIIIIIIIIII(11)
2. Climate Changers IIIIIIIIIII(11)
3. C^2 IIIIIIII
4. CC3 Heroes stands for Climate Change Tri-School Heroes. IIIIIIIIIII(11)
5. Climate HeroesIII
6. crazy climate coolersIII
7. Project ClimateIIIIIIIIIII(11)
8. Caring about climateIIII
9. Climate Changing Cobras IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII(16)
10. climate change crewIII
11. C.F.S which mean Changed forever schools. IIII
12. Climate Change Ballers IIIIII

Big Basketball Game Today

Today the Cubs play the Eaglets at  3pm at Calihan Hall. If they win, they are the Carholic League. Champs. If they win, they will play Pershing in the Operation Friendship game on Tuesday. Operation Friendship is also known as the. City Championship, because it matches up the Catholic  League Champ versus the Public School League champ. The last time Pershing played UD, Pershing won on a last-second shot, 62-60. This year could be different. 

But first, the Eaglets. Anything can happen in a game. Although I am confident that UD will win, we will never know the outcome until the game is over. The mystery of the contest is one of the reasons why games are fun. I am truly excited. Go Cubs!!

Congratulations, Leo and Megan!

Congratulations to Joberts writers Leo and Megan, our first Joberts Blog of the Week Winners! Leo and Megan are the inaugural Joberts Bloggers of the Week for February 10-14, 2014. They will take home the traveling trophy, receive candy of their choice, and an email to their parents/guardians congratulating them on this honor.

The next Joberts Bloggers of the Week will be celebrated for the week of February 24-28. Vote in the comment section below. Keep on blogging, everybody! "Five minutes a day, the Joberts Way!"

Growing Habits

I know the power of habits to change a life. If I want to be physically healthy, I have to exercise on a regular basis. If I want to get good at anything, I have to do it on a regular basis. So, the logic definitely applies to reading and writing. The challenge, of course, is to help students build a habit that they embrace, that they want and that they will continue to employ for the rest of their lives. 

20/5 is not unreasonable. Even the busiest, most overs scheduled kid in the world can find five minutes a day to blog and 20 minutes to read. As I always say, if not 20, then whatever you can do, but do something. Build the habit until it feels weird and unnatural when you DON'T do it as opposed to when you do.

I will give my kids a daily schedule and help them think about when they read and write. Hopefully my reading and writing life will serve as a model, but that's not nearly enough. I need to guide, support, and push. Relentlessly. I need to involve parents, who are ordinarily completely trusting of their kids' actions and totally unaware of what my wishes, as their teacher, are. This will happen. 

Big Game Sunday

I'm very excited. On Sunday, the UD Jesuit Cubs will face off against the Eaglets of Orchard Lake St. Mary at Calihan Hall on the campus of the university of Detroit Mercy. The two teams will vie for the catholic league championship. This would be UDJ's fourth catholic league championship in the 137 year history of the school.

The chance to go to a game at Calihan Hall is always thrilling. I first went to This storied venue as a nine year-old, to watch the University of Detroit Titans play. The intimacy of the arena makes it a perfect place to watch a college basketball game. When it's even half full, it gets very loud, which contributes to the exciting atmosphere. Anyone who likes basketball at any level really should check out a game at. Calihan. Long before sports fans started referring to Michigan Stadium as the Big House, that nickname belonged to Calihan Hall, especially in regard to the Catholic League finals. Go Cubs!

Just Use Your Imagination

There are many ways to be free. One of them is to transcend reality by imagination, as I try to do. -Anais Nin, writer (1903-1977)

When I saw this quote this morning, I couldn't help but reflect on the power of our imagination to transform ourselves. I know that Superhero Training Academy helps me do that. The trick is to figure out a way to empower my students to use the power of STA to transform themselves.

I recently got an email from a former student, Sid, who is a ninth grader at Groves HS. It says:

On Feb 14, 2014, at 4:12 PM, Sid wrote:

Hey Mr Joseph, I'm sure you remember the super hero project you had us do in 5th grade (or was it 6th?). Anyway, I'm a freshmen at groves now and its back once again. Laughing moon and friends came to talk to us last week and we have been assigned the task of using our core forces to do some good in the world outside of school. To be honest its kinda wierding me out because its been so long since Ive done a group project outside of school. But I was wondering if my team and I could come talk to your class one day and teach them something worth knowing and that will help them or at least be fun. We had trouble brainstorming ideas because its been so long since we were in middle/elementary school and we were wondering if you could give us some advice also; what do you think your kids struggle with or would enjoy learning about? So If you would allow us to take a little time out of your day, we don't want to be a burden or anything, it would be really appreciated.

 

I felt so excited to get this email because I felt like this kid was making a connection from 5th grade to 9th. Four years in my life is nothing because I'm 45 years old. In Sid's life, however, four years is 30% of his life. The point is, it was a long time ago for him. The fact that he remembered something from his time on 5/6 and wants to reconnect with our current Joberst kids is fantastic. What better way to hook in our current group of kids than to hear from a ninth grader? 

 

The power of our imaginations. No limit.

The Good and the Bad

Life is complicated sometimes. There are things that happen that feel really bad and then, moments later, things that happen that feel really good.

This morning I wanted to have a conversation with Zack about appropriate language and behavior. The conversation just didn't go very well. I think it's best not to have conversations about important things in the morning before school. Although, then again, maybe I just need to a better job at not reacting.

On the way back from dropping Zack off at school, I saw a car stopped in the middle of the turn lane going from Livernois onto 8 Mile. I noticed that a woman was sitting in the drivers seat by herslef as I passed by. Should I stop, I asked myself? As I had nowhere to go today, I felt compelled to help. I know I have been helped by lots of people throughout my life, especially whjen I ewas in a toihgh spot, like stuck in the middle of the street.

I pulled my car over, got out, and approached the driver. I asked her if she needed some help getting her car out of the middle of the road. She said she would and I pushed her car to the side of the road. She said AAA was on the way to help her get to where she needed to be. With that, I got in my car and took off.

Sick of Snow

Are you sick of snow?
Tired of the slip and slide
of the nowhere to go?

Are you ready for warm?
for a white-free landscape
of air free from the flakes swarm?

It will come
It will come soon
And when it's all too hot
I'll complain about what we've got.

Valentines Candy Fun!

As anyone who knows me can attest, I like candy. Well, I don't really like candy. I LOVE candy. And as long as I don't eat it too much of it and as long as I brush, floss, and rinse my teeth every day, I can eat it. 

More fun...okay, well just as as much fun as eating candy for me is giving candy away. I love the excited look on peoples' faces when you give them something that they enjoy. Plus, it feels good to give something away that I would just assume keep and eat myself.

That's one of the reasons Valentines Day is so exciting. I mean, who needs love and friendship when you've got tons of candy! (That was meant to be a joke. For once I'm not writing a serious post here).

So when I got home with my nice white bag of goodies from our Valentine's Day party, I did what I used to do when I would go trick-or-treating. I dumped all my candy carefully out of the bag and reveled in the ecstasy of looking at a bunch of candy all in one place and ALL FOR ME! Yeah!!

Then I commenced to doing something that always brings me great joy when it comes to candy consumption...sorting. I sorted the candy by type.  I have to say I am partial to chocolate, so I was totally psyched to see a massive Valentine's heart full of M&M's. The Airheads are always exciting as are the Fun Dips. Must be the colors. I was pretty impressed with the mustache tattoo, even though I have no trouble growing one myself. The sparkly red pencil completely caught my eye, especially since red is my favorite color. There was a ring pop and some Hershey's kisses, two different kinds of gum and some suckers. There was a sticky bug and some Skittles. I can't wait to go to Krispy Kreme and redeem my coupon for a free donut. I haven't decided where to pit the one Direction sticker, yet, though. Maybe on the edge of my computer so I'll never forget "The Lads". 

I wonder if any of this candy will last until the end of...the day today? the next two days? the week? I don't know. Think I better go brush my teeth.

Chapter 7 Colonies Test - Joseph Homeroom

1. It is 1740 and you have to leave England. Imagine that you had a choice between any of the 13 colonies to live. Where would you live and why? Answer in at least four complete sentences. The first sentence tells me the colony. The second, third, and fourth sentences tell me your reasons why.

2. Choose one of the colonies. Pick a job you'd like to have. Explain why in at least four sentences.

3. Why weren't there plantations in the north? If people had been able to grow cash crops in the north, would they have done so? Explain why in at least four full sentences that contain a minimum of three reasons.

Chapter 7 Colonies Test

1. It is 1740 and you have to leave England. Imagine that you had a choice between any of the 13 colonies to live. Where would you live and why? Answer in at least four complete sentences. The first sentence tells me the colony. The second, third, and fourth sentences tell me your reasons why.

2. Choose one of the colonies. Pick a job you'd like to have. Explain why in at least four sentences.

3. Why weren't there plantations in the north? If people had been able to grow cash crops in the north, would they have done so? Explain why in at least four full sentences that contain a minimum of three reasons.

"Love is Patient, Love is Kind"

When asked what love was, Paul of Taurus famously said "Love is patient, love is kind..." Love is a word that is used in many ways and in many contexts in our culture. In honor of Paul's definition of love, here are some poems that honor the importance of living a life of patience and kindness.

                                                                                                February 14, 2014

Mary Beth,

You are patient

You are kind

You are patient

With Zack and with Nick

When they bring worries to you

When they argue, fight

You listen to their troubles

Now all will be well

You are kind

When people are mean

Your peaceful heart loves them back

When ignorance comes

Deep breaths you offer and smile

Refusing to judge

Love is patient

Love is kind

You are Love, Mary Beth

You are Love

  

Poems have rhythm. That's what makes them poems and not just collections of random words. Some poems rhyme, but many don't. This poem gets it's rhythm from the syllabication or "sounding" of the words. It's based on the number of sounds or syllables in each line. Pay attention to the numbers in parentheses. They are the number of syllables in each line:

                                                                             February 14, 2014

Mary Beth,

You are patient

You are kind

You are patient

With Zack and with Nick(5)

When they bring worries to you (7)

When they argue, fight (5)

You listen to their troubles (7)

Now all will be well (5)

You are kind

When people are mean (5)

Your peaceful heart loves them back (7)

When ignorance comes(5)

Deep breaths you offer and smile (7)

Refusing to judge (5)

Love is patient

Love is kind

You are Love, Mary Beth

You are Love

Now it's your turn. Write a Love is Patient, Love is Kind poem of your own. It can be for anyone you know who shows patience and kindness. It must follow the pattern above. Bonus opportunities: Create a selfie video and post it to your blog under the text. Share the poem by reading it aloud and videorecording yourself reading it to the person for whom you wrote it.

Here's another example:

Nick

You are patient

You are kind.

You are patient

When you walk the dog

Without being asked at all

When Gina tells you

Stuff that you already know

When you wait to talk

You are kind

When Zack calls you names

And  you want to wring his neck

When kids say dumb stuff

And you refuse to go there

You rise up above

Love is patient

Love is kind

You are Love, Nick

You are Love



Video of me reading my poem