Students are asked to follow Netiquette rules when they participate in this and any other online activity. The "I Am Responsible" edu-social network was designed for students to learn, discuss, and share their knowledge about character qualities that bring out the best in people. Positive interaction and collaboration here is of key importance and relevance. Please visit the link below to learn more about Netiquette and proper online behavior. Should participants of this community have any concerns or questions, they are invited to e-mail the administrator of this community, EnglishLearnersOnline aka MaestroSersea. Improper use of this online resource will result in significant sanctions including, but not limited to account termination, character project grade dismissal, etc...

Students with the most constructive comments written by different visitors (only one entry per individual visitor accepted) on their blogs by Wednesday, 5/7/2008 at 7PM, win one of five top prizes: 1. 1st Place Medal, 3 'Homework Credit Passes' and 3 'Restroom Passes' 2. 2nd Place Medal, 2 'Homework Credit Passes' and 2 'Restroom Passes' 3. 3rd Place Medal, 1 'Homework Credit Passes' and 1 'Restroom Pass' 4. 4th Place Award and 1 'Homework Credit Pass' 5. 5th Place Award and 1 'Restroom Pass' Note: On Monday, April 21st, all of MaestroSersea's students will receive 2 restroom passes to be used until the end of the school year. Other than contest prizes and 'outstanding class participation' credits, no other passes will be issued.

By: Don Midgett

Everywhere you turn today there are businesses, schools and even churches looking seriously at their "mission" in their chosen fields and the "vision" of success they hold. People are also inundated with the "mission" of new products, services, entrepreneurs and politicians. Colleges too are requiring applicants to submit their personal "mission statement" and "vision statement."

It becomes evident that mi... more >>

Character Project for AVID 10, English 10 and Literacy 9 and 10 students of MaestroSersea 1. Students complete 30 learning logs (one for each character quality) with a minimum of 4 lines of summary/analysis based on the Character Packet assigned. 2. Students discuss the 30 character qualities with their family, teachers, and friends. Students are especially guided to discuss the importance of these character qualities with their parents/family members and to ask them for anecdotes/examples. 3. Students join the free, character-building "I AM RESPONSIBLE" online edu-social community. 4. Students click on the "BLOG" feature and create their own blog, writing an entry on a character quality assigned in class. Each entry must be a minimum of 150 words following proper punctuation, capitalization, and grammar in English. Students title their blog entry with the character quality assigned, as well as define it, share an example of it from real world situations, and explain why this personal quality is an important characteristic of successful people. 5. Students are invited to visit peer-blogs and write constructive comments on character-quality blogs, while bloggers are asked to check their entries for comments and answer comments with positive additional information. 6. Audio-CD Interviews - Students discuss various character traits in small group discussions and interviews using our digital recorder to be published in either our class Character Project audio CD, or to be (possibly-pending administrator approval) played back on the school's daily PA announcements. (Extra Credit - To Be Completed By 5/9/2008, 8 pm.) 7. "What makes good character?" Essay - Due Friday, May 9, 2008. Student write a 5, 1-chunk paragraph (TS, CD, CM, CM, CS) essay defining good character, using any 3 of the 30 character traits discussed in class as supporting elements of the thesis statement. (Outline: Introduction, Body Paragraph/Character Quality #1, Body Paragraph/Character Quality #2, Body Paragraph/Character Quality #3, Conclusion - Students are encouraged to paste their essay in their personal blog as an additional entry) 8. Character Online FORUM Discussion and 2 responses to peer forum entries(50 words or more)- To Be Completed by Friday, 5/9/2008, 8 pm. 9. GROUPS/Personal Clubs - Start a Group in the "GROUPS" section based on a favorite sport, entertainer, writer, or other personal interest and participate in other 2 groups created by your peers - To Be Completed by Friday, 5/9/2008, 8 pm. 10. AFFLUENZA BLOG - View Affluenza Videos Suggested by MaestroSersea and write a 100-word blog entry in which you define and discuss Affluenza. In addition, comment (50 words or more) on 2 blogs created by your peers on the topic of Affluenza - To Be Completed by Friday, 5/9/2008, 8 pm. Character Building EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES 11A. Character Values Blog Community Collaborative Research Blog - Due by 6/1/2008 - Extra Credit - See teacher for details) OR 11B. AFFLUENZA Hoover Student Survey and Presentation of Results - Due by 6/1/2008 - Extra Credit - See teacher for details) OR 11C. Character Presentation - Due by 6/1/2008 - Extra Credit - See teacher for details)