If my 139 students all 8th graders each wrote a letter to President Obama, would he read them and

[greenbriar]

visit our school?


I am not sure, but I think it is worth a try.



What would you suggest they include in their message?




And remember, the post is about getting my students to write to OUR PRESIDENT

not about how poorly I post on an internet chat board

[Obamanaut]

1. Punctuation nt

[greenbriar]

3. duh

but they won't be writing it on DU.

[TexasObserver]

40. Your lack of concern about writing skills is disturbing.

[PeaceNikki]

46. To be clear. It was edited and some punctuation was corrected.

[TexasObserver]

48. Oh, Lord!

If that's the corrected version, it's really disturbing.

[greenbriar]

55. to be clear, I picture you as one who is either a tattle tale

or the one who stands on the sidelines and yells FIGHT

[PeaceNikki]

57. Am I wearing a tiara?

I like tiaras.

[greenbriar]

74. what ever you wish dear

obviously you wish to add no relevant discourse to this thread

[bbinacan]

4. Amen to that. n/t

[PeaceNikki]

5. Indeed.

[VMI Dem]

2. There is a chance.

Its worth a try.

[bbinacan]

6. What subject do you teach?

:rofl:

[Name removed]

7. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[greenbriar]

8. Civility

You ought to try it sometime.

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. It's a fair question - what subject do you teach? If you teach math,

then you might want to have them write something related to math - NASA, or science, or what-have-you. If English, something related to how writes speeches or his books. If you teach woodworking or Japanese, you might have a more difficult sell.

[greenbriar]

15. I teach Social STudies and this week we are discussion the 3 branches

and have gotten some really great questions.


Some of them really want to write him. i am thinking it is a GREAT idea

[Rabrrrrrr]

23. An excellent class subject to try to get the president

and a good lesson for them to do the writing.

Have them ask him "Now that the dems control the government, why is Grayson the only one with enough fucking spine to do what we fucking voted you fuckers in for? Seriously, what the fuck? Grow a goddamn spine. You're not a bunch of castrated Jesuits trying to hump a drunk nun. I mean, Christ. It's like WEB DuBois farted into the punchbowl and mom broke her hip, she spread her legs so fast to be taken by the filthy mechanic at the car dealership while she's a getting a 'lube job', if you know what I mean.

As tired of the bullshit as a prostitute's vagina after a Republican and/or Promise Seekers convention, I remain, sincerely, (student name)."

That will impress Obama both their acute political insight AND by their incredibly filthy language.

If nothing else, pure curiosity will draw him to come see what the hell is up in your classroom.

[rug]

34. You know, Rabrrrrr, her school may have an opening for a guidance counselor. You would be excellent.

[crispini]

39. Are you Rude Pundit?

I'm impressed! :patriot:

[myrna minx]

42. Kids say the darndest things.

:D

[Dorian Gray]

53. Awesome letter

[Robb]

69. Under no circumstances will I laugh at this.

(mmmpff) :D

[bbinacan]

26. Please tell me

you are texting from your cell.

[bbinacan]

14. Let me get this straight,

you're a teacher that doesn't know proper punctuation, and your pissed at me?:rofl:

[greenbriar]

16. LET ME BE STRAIGHT This is a fucking message board. When I post

I am not thinking proper punctuation. Maybe I will follow you around and make damn sure you are perfect.



oh and before you comment on this, my principal has a worse potty mouth than I and I never cuss around my students!

[bbinacan]

22. "I am not thinking proper punctuation."

You convinced me. :rofl:

[REP]

29. Why isn't proper grammar, punctuation and syntax automatic whenever one writes?

I'm not talking about typos like the occasional "your" for "you're" but the more serious language deficiencies that are excused by 'I'm on a message board.' Writing is writing; if one wishes to be understood and taken seriously, one should do it properly, if not well.

[proud2BlibKansan]

44. I had no trouble understanding what she was saying

If this is your point, the criticism of her writing was uncalled for.

[REP]

78. My point was rather clear

Poor language skills cannot be excused by the medium used to display them. It is much the same as a student turning in similar work and saying that proper grammar, syntax, usage and punctuation do not matter because it is only a public school.

[Rabrrrrrr]

79. Well said! Either grammar (and etiquette, manners, and civility) is important always, or never.

It's such a lazy-fucker bullshit line to say "Oh, it's a discussion board - grammar doesn't matter here!"

Yeah, right.

In communication, grammar is ALWAYS important.

I don't want a doctor saying some bullshit line like "Well, this isn't the hospital's best operating room" or have my lawyer show up drunk and unprepared and say "Hey, it's not the Supreme Court - come on, it's a fucking county court. Fuck it."

It makes me so angry when people are intentionally and knowingly sloppy, and then brush it off as "Oh, this isn't an important enough place to do well."

Fuck that. It's assholish, it's lazy, and it's patently untrue.

It certainly does, however, let me know that whatever they have to say IS NOT WORTH A SHIT, since they don't think it's worth a shit enough to say it coherently.

Sorry, people - the issue isn't that "Oh, it's a discussion board, we don't have to be proper here". The issue is not the medium in which the conversation is taking place (or in which court we are, or which operating room). The issue is THE CONVERSATION ITSELF - WORDS ARE IMPORTANT WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE!

Goddamn lazy fucks.

[TexasObserver]

81. This discussion is relevant, because the topic is about writing letters.

If a class is going to write letters, I would hope those letters reflect skills that 8th graders should possess, one of which is having some notion of when to use commas. We all dispense with formalities in writing when posting, but there is a fundamental difference between a formality and a necessary part of sentence structure to communicate the thought effectively. Commas are used because they represent a break in a thought, a moment we want our mind to recognize as such. The purpose of writing is to communicate effectively the thought. Poor punctuation is the enemy of effective communication.

I'm much more concerned with the writing skills the students display, rather than the topics they choose to discuss. Why should there be any theme? Let them write him about anything they want.

[mikelgb]

82. laziness

if the subject is important and I want to be taken more seriously I am more likely to make the effort to dot i's and cross t's, if wou will...

that said, I am quite perplexed by the teacher that we are discussion... :hide:

[Fearless]

35. Technically that wasn't gramatically incorrect...

"proper punctuation" was what they were not thinking.


So, yeah... people can make mistakes. Let it go.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. And you don't know contractions

:rofl:

[bbinacan]

24. And I'm not a teacher. n/t

:rofl:

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. Learn perfect grammar first then we'll listen to your lectures

Your credibility on this topic is now at zero.

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[greenbriar]

71. Not even funny

not even joking

[proud2BlibKansan]

77. Sick

[Blue-Jay]

18. Don't you mean "you're"?

[bbinacan]

21. That's what I said. n't

[Rabrrrrrr]

25. The first time, but not the second.

[bbinacan]

27. You are correct.

I missed that. It's a good thing I'm not a teacher. :blush:

[Rabrrrrrr]

80. Of course I'm correct. I'm Rabrrrrrr. That's why it's ignorant to try to debate me on anything.

[A-Long-Little-Doggie]

28. "your"?

Should be "you're".

Kettle, meet pot.

[bbinacan]

31. The issue has been addressed.

BTW, I'm not a teacher.

[VMI Dem]

37. "...your pissed at me?"

Bwaahahaha. Get that diploma yet?

[bbinacan]

45. University of North Carolina. Chapel Hill, NC.

Class of 1986. BA Economics. Where'd you get yours, junior? And welcome to DU.

[VMI Dem]

47. Any english classes? Or just electives on how to be a jackass?

Apologize and withdraw. Duke is looking better and better.

[bbinacan]

49. Both.

Where did you get your degree?

:evilgrin:

[VMI Dem]

51. Uhhh...West Point?

[bbinacan]

56. Have you been there yet

or just hoping to go?

[VMI Dem]

58. Dude, you are awesome.

Heh.

[bbinacan]

60. Thanks,

I think you answered my question. Good luck in college.

[VMI Dem]

63. First the "your" then the old "I can't comprehend your username"

"Your" full of fail in this thread, Tarheel.

[bbinacan]

76. OK VMI

VMI DEM could mean anything. Are you saying that's where you got your degree? In what?

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. Amen

[Boojatta]

9. Why are governments using NC17 material to test students?

Tests

[Angry Dragon]

10. You might end up arrested

The right will come and get you for trying to brain wash the kids

[Fearless]

38. Teachers cannot be arrested for anything that they teach.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. Depends on what they write - you'll get him, the Secret Service, someone else, or no one.

[datasuspect]

12. are you in the banking or insurance industry?

[ddeclue]

20. Seems unlikely. nt

[liberal N proud]

30. Please!

[yellowwood]

32. I hope not

As much a thrill as it might be for your students to get answers from President Obama, I hope that he doesn't take time to read the letters of 139 students. Can you imagine how much time it would take to do this? And what about all of the other students in the nation who would like a visit to their school?
You can have them write the letters. They will probably get an answer from someone on staff. That should still thrill them.
President Obama has so many problems to deal with. I want him to concentrate on those.
But, best wishes to you and your students.
We can only hope that they all take inspiration from Prsident Obama who worked hard to succeed.

[Life Long Dem]

33. No.

[Fearless]

36. I fundamentally am astonished at how absurdly out of touch (and out of hand) people are...

It is an excellent idea to have students do this and actually mail the letters. It gets them not only involved with honing their aforementioned writing skills, but it also will inspire many of them to want to know more about their government and how it works. If I were doing it (as I am a high school social studies teacher), I would definitely try to tie in this kind of activity, which impacts them personally, into the curriculum that you have to teach them. It gives them ownership of the knowledge that they are being taught and helps them to become invested in the understanding of that knowledge; thus they will better remember what you are trying to teach them and will do better on the test to boot.

-Fearless.


Oh and everyone else about punctuation... bugger off. Teachers have enough to worry about without having to deal with nitpicking about banal points of contention.

[greenbriar]

50. thank you and

thanks

[Fearless]

73. Of course and

:fistbump:

[crispini]

41. I think you should do this,

but I don't think you should get their hopes up that he will definitely read and visit. He's a busy guy, after all. But it's a great project.

[greenbriar]

52. Thank you. I think I will

it would be very interesting to see what the students write!

[zbdent]

54. encourage them to write exactly how they feel ...

and if you know that there are a few "troublemakers" (kids with a-holish RW parents), make sure you announce it AND HAVE A VIDEO RECORDING OF IT ... to show that you didn't pressure any of them to write flowery stuff ...

Just don't announce that you're videotaping it ... keep it concealed ...

and when you are "exposed" as having "indoctrinated" their kids, whip out the tape ... and embarrass the parents' asses all to hell ...

[greenbriar]

59. There are only about 8 students I would even worry about

and I have a good enough rapport with the parents that if I sent home a letter explaining the project, I don't think there would be any backlash.

[zbdent]

75. as we've seen with the ufo balloon family,

it won't take too much for them to get their own shows on Faux for "reporting" you ... money does strange things to people ...

[d_b]

61. This thread delivers.

Recs

[pinto]

64. greenbriar, you may get some constructive input from the members in the Education forum.

We're moving your thread there. Good luck with the project.

[rwheeler31]

65. This is a great idea. If there is something special going on

at your school emphasize that. Invite the whole family. Talk to the students about how a visit would benefit them.

[rwheeler31]

66. This is a great idea. If there is something special going on

at your school emphasize that. Invite the whole family. Talk to the students about how a visit would benefit them.

[cherokeeprogressive]

67. I tried that when Clinton was President, but with adults.

I taught Adult Vocational Education in So. Cal. for 10 years and in an internet class each student wrote to President Clinton and invited him to come speak at our school to adults who were either unemployed or working to learn a new vocation.

Every response we got was from an Aide thanking us for our interest, but declining due to his busy schedule.

[greenbriar]

68. I figure that is probably the response they get

but I am curious as to how it will be received

[immoderate]

70. I suggest...

1. Give them a model for the type of letter you want to send. You might ask an English teacher for a style.
   
2. Allow for review and revision. First make sure they read what they wrote themselves. Have other students read and comment. Even have them read aloud. Might lead to good discussions. Some students may have better suggestions for wording.
   
3. If they are using a computer, discourage use of unreadable fonts.
   

You can get a lot from this, even if the letters are not successful.

--imm

[greenbriar]

72. I think I want it hand written

and I might even go buy some cool stationary for it.


Heck, many have probably never written a real letter.

[mikelgb]

83. Yes. I am sure.

I know this because I am a random person on the internet, therefore I have a direct line to the President.

They should include good displays of spelling and grammar skills.


Oops.

[noamnety]

84. I would recommend not having the kids invite him to the school.

I think it's better to give them more realistic expectations. The expectation should be that they might get a response, and then if they do, they can be excited about that. Setting them up for an unrealistic hope that he'd come to the school almost guarantees disappointment, and could turn into a negative exercise in alienation ("why bother writing to them if they don't do what you want anyway?").

random uncapitalized unpunctuated words included here because im a rebel first, teacher second :)