What would you do if you could be invisible?  Perhaps you would play pranks on some of your friends or teachers, perhaps you would help someone without them knowing it, perhaps you would get back at that dog that keeps chasing you down the street or the bullies who always seem to catch you when no one else is around.

What would you do and why?

What are the qualities that are important in a friend.  Describe at least three and explain why.

My favorite movie changes sometimes even though I find it hard to beat some of the old classics.  I still enjoy "Murder By Death", "Blazing Saddles", "Roman Holiday" and "Princess Bride".  What is your favorite movie?  Tell me about it and tell me why it is your favorite.

Summer is full of different feelings.  These are usually different from the feelings I have during the school year.  I'm usually more relaxed and less worried.  I have time to think about what I want to do when school starts again.  What is different about summer for you?

Write at least one paragraph explaining how and why summer is different for you.

Most days when students see a substitute teacher in their class they think it will be a mixed up day.  Some students will take advantage of the sub and some will try to help.  I have never been a substitute teacher and it has been a long time since I was in an elementary or high school room as a student.  Tell me about the most interesting substitute teacher you have had.

It is supposed to be very hot here today, probably around 100 degrees Celsius.  When it is hot people go swimming, they eat ice cream, drink cold tea, play in the sprinklers and go to a place where there is air-conditioning.  Some people still do some of these activities when it is not hot outside, like this man eating ice cream when it it snowing! 

Describe an activity you do when it is cold that some people do when it is hot.

How have you done on your summer school goals? I made two goals for summer school.  First, I wanted my students to increase their understanding of how technology could help them learn on their own and how technology could help them create products which will grab other people's attention.  Secondly, I want to learn from my students what best meets their needs. 

I think I have done a fantastic job on the first one.  My student's project speak to that.  There are a lot of projects that I could not post because they were too large and those ones are even better.  I think I have done a good job on the second one as well.  I have not arrived, but I will keep pressing on in the area of assessing my student's needs.  That is something that I will never "arrive" at.  This summer has helped me improve my formula for a class I teach during  the regular school year.  During the summer I had in mind, the students I will have next year as well as the students I have had during the summer.  I wanted to create a course that I could teach during the "Study Skills" period.  The course I have taught this summer has been a opportunity to better prepare for that.  I plan to expand the course I taught this summer to create a course that will give the students an opportunity to improve their reading, communication, artistic, analytical and organizational skills.  All of these will be integrated into the projects that the students will complete.  All of the planning, organizing and implementing of the projects will hopefully increase their skills in all of these areas while having fun. 

More details will follow during the school year.

So, I was going to write about my least favorite subject but the best I could come up with was penmanship.  Last millennia, students would have to practice their handwriting skills.  We would have to print our letters by following a model letter.  We would print each letter over and over and use them in words.  We did the same in cursive, or handwriting as some call it.  Since this does not sound dramatic or tragic I'll write about my most favorite.

Art.  Not just any art class with any art teacher, but a Chinese art class with Mr. Roy Chang.  We learned how to make woven wicker baskets (no jokes about doing it underwater), we learned how to make lots of different kinds of pottery, we did a lot of brush painting and character writing with a traditional brush and ink on silk paper, we made the most amazing kites out of bent bamboo and rice paper.  Mostly I learned from Mr. Chang that art came with passion.  I learned from Mr. Chang that I should do my best the first time, be as careful as possible, be meticulous, always work in such a way as to say, "I did my best." 

I learned this from a lot of other people in my life too, but Mr. Chang's combination of love or art, love of people, high standards and integrity made an impression on my.  And by the way.  I had the privilege of knowing Mr. Chang from the time I was in sixth grade (at Latimer Hall)  until I graduated from high school.  Thank you Mr. Chang for being such a great example.

What is your favorite subject and why?

This location is a national park.  It is not a state park, or a local park.  This park contains rivers, streams, tree and mountains.  It is located within 1,000 miles of the Los Angeles area.  This park also contains an active volcano.  It's most recent eruption was witnessed in 1894.  This park has many alpine wild flowers in the spring and summer months.

Where do you think I am going?