seminar announcements

[clay dube]

Hi Everyone,
This discussion forum is for participants in the 2005 fall Torrance seminar. No one else has access to these posts. It's the perfect place to share ideas and questions and to recommend resources (e.g., readings, therapists -- just kidding!).

Some of you may find it easier to participate if you activate "email tracking" for this forum. This means that when someone posts a message to the forum, you receive a copy of the message via email. If you want to respond to the message, simply click on link and post your response. Click the profile link at the top of the page -- this will let you change your password, switch to a different color scheme, and so forth. There's an email tracking box on the page. Check it if you'd like to be able to receive messages. Finally, you must click on the "update" button at the bottom of the profile page for the changes you've made to take effect.

What are the advantages of the discussion forum?
-- all the messages are housed in one location
-- the messages are organized by topic
-- you can use the search function to find messages
-- you can upload images and documents which the user can decide whether or not to download (important for those using dial-in modems)
-- you can access this forum from any web-enabled computer (at home, work, library, on the road, in an internet cafe in Seoul....)
-- if you've made a mistake in a message or want to add something, you can correct it via the edit function

Please keep the following in mind as you use the forum:

-- Please create new threads sparingly. This simplifies things for the reader. For example, let's try to keep all philosophy related posts in the same place and not have 45 of our 50 threads wearing labels such as "Daoist family values". To post in the same thread, use the new post button, not the new thread button.

-- Use your subject line to help readers. If you have a film to discuss, click on the film festival thread in the Asia in My Classroom forum, then click on new post, and put "things you can teach using The Last Samurai" or something else in the subject line.

-- Put general "teaching about Asia" comments in the Asia in My Classroom, which is open to all teachers. You all have posting rights in that forum and in the public forums.

-- The formatting buttons (color, bold, italics and web links) work.

If you have any problems using the board, please send me a note: mailto:[email protected].

Finally, let me know if you'd like to use a private discussion forum with your students. We'll be happy to set it up for you to use.

Smiling,
clay

[clay dube]

A copy of the seminar assignment is attached. In addition to attendance at and active participation in every session, you are expected to complete three tasks.

1. Exchanging ideas via the discussion forum. Substantative posts are the norm. In evaluating websites, provide details on who created the resource, what are its particular strengths and weaknesses, and how might it be used by teachers. In reviewing films, summarize the story and focus on how teachers could use it to teach about Asia. What issues does it explore? Is it an accurate representation of a particular time and place? In discussing seminar readings or presentations, feel free to raise questions, offer interpretations, and brainstorm on classroom applications for the materials or concepts. For example, how can these primary sources be used to develop student skills?

Remember to post website evaluations and film reviews to the Asia in My Classroom forum. Put seminar-specific posts in this forum. Please put AsiaMedia (http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu) and Asia Pacific Arts (http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu) posts in the appropriate public forum. General discussion of Asia Institute articles or things you see in the newspaper should go in the Asia On My Mind forum.

2. Create a website for use either with your students or your fellow teachers. You may combine this assignment with the curriculum development task. Your website should have a minimum of three different pages. Be sure to check your spelling and grammar and to properly credit your sources of information and images. You may post your website to our web server (your URL will be http://international.ucla.edu/asia/lessons/yourfirstinitialyourlastname -- be sure to name your homepage "index.html") or elsewhere (your school site, your ISP, or on a free website host such as GeoCities). Please include your email address on the website so that interested colleagues may contact you.

3. Develop a set of lesson plans covering two - five days. These lessons should be appropriate for the students you have in class everyday. These plans should be fully developed with discussion questions, handouts, vocabulary lists, and so forth. Alternatively, you may write an essay discussing how you will bring ideas and resources from the seminar into your classes and to your colleagues.

Download and print out a copy of the assignment. Try to meet the discussion forum requirement by the end of the year. Start working on your webpages right away (while the techniques are fresh in your mind). And begin thinking about your curriculum project right now. Everything must be satisfactorily completed and submitted by February 10, 2006 for you to be eligible for the summer 2006 tour. If you are not applying for the tour you have until March 1, 2006 to submit everything.
[Edit by="Clay Dube on Sep 9, 5:36:39 AM"][/Edit]

[clay dube]

I've attached a guide to using the forum. It includes a section on why forums work better than email discussion lists for some tasks, plus information on how to post your ideas and how to respond to others.

A couple of quick notes:
1. Put seminar specific comments/questions in this forum. These include discussions of presentations and your projects.
2. Put more general comments/questions that other teachers would be interested in in the Asia in My Classroom forum or one of the other forums.
3. Rather than starting a new thread (topic) with your post, please try to put your post into an existing thread. This is much easier for readers. So to post something to the film festival thread, go inside that thread and click on the "reply" button. If your subject is different, change the subject line. This will make it easy for readers to scan.

Please click on the icon below to download the guide. It is in "pdf" format. You'll need a copy of the free Acrobat reader (you probably already have it on your computer) to read it. Try clicking on the icon and see what happens. If the file opens, or you are asked if you want to open it using Acrobat, you're all set. If not, you'll need to download and install Acrobat. It's pretty easy to do. Just go to:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Acrobat is handy and works on Windows, Linux, and Mac computers. Because it preserves formatting and is a standard, the US government (e.g., the IRS) uses it to distribute documents.

[clay dube]

Hi Folks,

A copy of the seminar reader table of contents is attached. To open it, just click on the icon below this post. You'll need Adobe Acrobat to read and print it. You probably already have it on your computer, but if not, get a free copy at:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

A copy of the table of contents is in your reader, but some of you may want to preview it.

[Anonymous]

I just wanted everyone to know that there is a workshop being held at the Korean Cultural Center in Los Angeles on November 5th. There is going to be music and dance performances, but I'm most interested in hearing Helie Lee speak: she is the author of Still Life in Rice. The workshop is free, and lunch is even provided. Darlene and Stefanie attended last year and said it was great. You can send the application through e-mail or snail mail. I'll bring a copy of the application tomorrow to our session, and if you want me to e-mail it to you, just give me your address tomorrow night. We have to act quickly!
Tracy Sprague

[clay dube]

Information, including applications, on the Korean Cultural Center workshop Tracy mentioned is available at:

http://www.kccla.org/html/Calendar.asp?EventID=262&sMonth=10&sYear=2005

[Anonymous]

I really enjoyed our debate last Tuesday evening. I've found that my students enjoy experiential and interactive lessons too. If you are interested in more information for your classes about Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism, I would be happy to share a unit I've expanded from a Teachers' Curriculum Institute (TCI) lesson. In it, we hold schools -- each day representing one philosophy, with its ideas about how to treat people and teach people front and center. For Confucianism, I select students ahead of time to be our Confucian teachers for the day and instruct them on what they will teach to small groups of students. All students must bow to the teachers and speak respectfully; in return, the teachers are benevolent and set a good example as they teach. I give them small bags of candies to use as rewards for exemplary behavior. At the conclusion, we have a test on Confucianism. For Legalism, I teach about legalism while enforcing strict rules and harsh punishments. At set times during the lesson, students may raise their grades by reporting on (spying on) the wrongdoing of others(slouching in their chairs; writing when pencils are to be down, etc.). Without questioning the validity of the report, I lower the accused's grade by one. This one needs plenty of time to debrief, particularly about the unfairness of the spying. Finally, we have Daoist school, where I give students handouts about Daoism and they may learn about Daoism in whatever way is best for them, as long as they do not draw any attention to themselves and move slowly and quietly, if any movement is needed. If they ask questions, I answer, "You have the answers within yourself. Meditate on nature and within yourself. YOu do not need others to show you the Way." Cheryl Tchir

[Anonymous]

As teachers we are always so busy ... with a to do list that never ends. So it was wonderful that the debate was so well prepared for by all. Thanks to my team approach (Portia & Shannon) we met and discussed our findings ... a great experience to be the student again and confirms once again that you get out what you put in! It was worthwhile and I intend to use the same format with my 11th graders soon.

Do you think that it is okay to include these Asian philosophies when I teach Transcendentalism? I teach American Literature and would like some feedback as to whether including these philosophies, poems and cartoons is appropriate. This will be my focus for the web site project so any ideas anyone may have, I'd be happy to have them!

[clay dube]

Hi Folks,

Please take a look at the attached list of sites. You might wish to write reviews of one or more of them.

[Anonymous]

Looking at the poem this morning, Wang Wei's "To the Assistant Prefect Chang", it reminded me very much of transcendentalism: the connection with nature, the simplicity, the anti-materialism. I think it would be neat to share this poem (or some others from The Anthology Of Chinese Literature) in connection with teaching Thoreau and Emerson. If nothing else, it would show students that these Transcendental leaders weren't really revolutionaries--their ideas were really old.

[Anonymous]

In World History & Cultures, we spend some time on World Religions. Generally we stick to Five Major World Religions. It was interesting looking in to some other schools of thought. This type of discussion/debate makes preparation/knowledge of your topic necessary to have a good session.
I'm trying to figure out how I could use this in the classroom. It works well w/ "schools of thought" (this time period is covered in the 6th/7th grade), a religious debate--in High School, I'm afraid, could be trouble...
Guess I'll wait and find a later topic to use this type of lesson with. It was a good way to cover the info.; although it would have been fun to be able to challenge the other groups statements.

[Anonymous]

Sprague, that is vague. I think you might wish to check the works of J.P.A. Rèmusat. He wrote L'Invariable Milieu, in 1817, and it is documented that Rèmusat was an integral part of the Concordians. Modern scholarship indicates that the connection between that of the Daoists and the Concordians was some magical spiritual similarity, yet structural aspects of the works indicate something very different. Specifically, Thoreau owned Confucius et MenciusConfucius et Mencius according to the Wakeman Collection.

If you care, I thought I would provide you with the actual documentation to support your position.

[Anonymous]

Clay,

I see that you are online. You'll be pleased to hear that the girls from South are getting together for a "posting party" tomorrow night at my place. We are trying to keep each other accountable! A little holiday cheer, Asian food and discussion will hopefully keep us in the grove.

[clay dube]

Hi Rochelle,

I'm delighted that you've combined for fun and exchange. Channel those energies into discussions in the Asia in My Classroom forum. Current events, curriculum materials, films, and whatever comes to mind....

[Anonymous]

Clayton,

Greatings from the Asia in My Classroom Beachhouse! Rochelle, Sheri, Shannon and I have all been discussing lesson plans and current events.

I just took your advice and started a tread on current events. So we are going a good job of mixing business and pleasure.

Wish you were here, but since you are not we will all have a glass of wine, jello shot or carmel apple martini in your honor. Anything for the class.

Warm regards,

Portia, Sheri, Rochelle & Shannon

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