The Owl’s Room

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classroom owl

At one time my art students had to use a key to enter the restroom in our wing of the school. In order to keep the key from becoming lost it was attached it to the largest available item… an 18″ plastic owl, the type gardeners use to scare off birds. Although the owl enabled us to always find the key, apparently its presence was not menacing enough to prevent some from setting fires in the restroom trash cans and stuffing paper towels in the toilets. So the local bathroom was closed permanently, allowing my students to traverse the hallowed halls of the main building where they have the privilege of using keyless restrooms.
Reluctant to retire, the owl retained its perch of honor (the classroom paper towel dispenser) and became the art room’s patron bird. Although a bulldog serves as the mascot for the rest of the school, I am reluctant to pay homage to the tough facade and violence represented therein. I (perhaps naively) see the purpose of school as a place where we learn. The few students who are indeed zealous learners just don’t seem the bulldog type. The owl, on the other hand, represents wisdom, Athena, watchfulness and, of course, the beautiful town of Siena. In my mind the bulldog simply cannot compete. Therefore my students’ visual academic inquiry and aesthetic endeavors occur, from 8:30 until the last person goes home, in a place known as the Owl’s Room. Sometimes it’s good to know what room you’re in.

Student Blogging Policies

1. Never post anything you don’t want the whole world (including your parents) to see.

This includes, but is not limited to:

your full name,

phone number,

addresses,

private thoughts,

and inappropriate links.

2. Don’t use any words that you would not (should not) use in the classroom.

3. What you put on the internet stays on the internet. Do you really want a future employer – say 10 years from now, reading something rude or profane that you wrote at age 15?

For more info check out this:Anne’s site

How to enter a Post

The fast way:

Go to your dashboard once you are logged in;

click on Posts ;

and start typing your entry;

when you need to stop click Save.

Each new post it will appear above the previous post. This bothers some students because it looks backwards and causes their writing to lack continuity. To avoid this situation students can use the ~

not so fast way:

Type your enry in a word document;

save it;

copy it (under edit);

go to your dashboard once you are logged in;

click on Posts ;

click in the text box;

click paste (under edit) and your document will appear in the post; then click Save.

Using this method you can drop your entire draft into one post.

Ms. K-O does not care which method you use.

How to receive Comments

Ms. K-O will post comments designed to help you write a better blog or paper. Classmates may want leave comments and questions for you regarding what you have written. In order to receive these comments you will need to select Allow Comments which is located under Discussion in the right side bar of the Post page under Manage. You must do this! You can see if you have received posts by looking at the bottom of your posts.  It will show the number of comments you have received.  Click on Comments to see them.  You can edit, delete or reply to comments.  If you delete (accidentally of course!) Ms. K-O’s comments we will not be able to retrieve them.  Remember the teacher’s comments are not grades, but advice designed to help you write an effective descriptive essay.