Friday, February 10, 2012

Night and the Publishing Process

We are in the thick of our reading of Night, by Elie Wiesel.  The slim volume is packed with emotion and insight and we exploring some of the issues on which Wiesel focuses, including family, dignity, the power of language, and faith.  While, given the subject matter, our class discussions can sometimes be disheartening, they have been thoughtful and engaging.  I am continuously impressed by the level of analytical thought that I am seeing in our conversations and in students' writing.

We are also moving ahead with the publishing process for our book.  As many of you know, we have partnered with Student Press Initiative and Columbia University to publish a book on our study of human nature and literature.  The editorial committee was hard at work last week devising ideas for writing pieces that could be included in the book.  Be on the lookout for an increase in the writing workload over the course of the next few months.  You can find the due dates and official assignment sheet on the 8th grade calendar.  Aside from the writing component, the Art committee is also meeting to discuss how to integrate images into our book.

On a logistical note, I've found some students have had trouble accessing the February Reading Log online.  Though the page is updated, sometimes students are directed to the old page.  To solve the problem, simply clear your browser's cache.  Apologies for any inconvenience!