My Brain by Michiko

In our Language Arts class we drew our brain and wrote what we thought would be in it. Around that I put my Life List. My Life List has things that I want to do, places I want to go, and doing something for someone else. On my Life List I have some of the following things: go to New York, visit Hawaii, help someone in need, be on a school sports team, travel to all seven continents, own a beach house, and be someone’s hero. I choose to put those things on my Life List because if I had unlimited money and time, that is what I would try to do. Another thing that is on my brain is topics like school. I put school on my brain because school is an important part of your life, and sometimes it can determine your career. School teaches you things that you need to know in life. That is why I put my Life List and school on my brain.

 

iPads by Michiko

At the beginning of the school year, Durham Academy gave each student an iPad. The iPads were for school work only and at the end of the year the iPads were all turned in. Throughout this year I have used my iPad so much. I write all of my homework down on it and use it to email my teachers if I am absent, but the most helpful thing on the iPad is an app called Evernote.

Evernote is an app that you can take notes in but in addition to that your teachers can share a notebook of theirs with you so that you can get things like vocabulary lists that they put in their notebook. In just about every class Evernote is used. If you forget to write down your homework you can find it in Evernote.

In every class I use my iPad at least a little bit. In science, instead of my teacher collecting our homework and grading it he makes a short multiple choice quiz that you can use your homework on. It only has things that are on your homework. It is in an app called Nearpod.

We do projects on our iPads too! For projects we use more than one app. For example, if I was doing a Keynote presentation I would use Keynote, Reminders to remind me to do it, Safari, Camera, Sketchbook Express, and Easybib. My iPad has been very helpful during the year.

 

iPads By Norman

As you may know, we have iPads for school. I think that that is very cool. We can use them for homework, research or just for fun. This is the one school year mark so we will be turning them in tomorrow. They will be wiped of all information and given back to someone else next year. I have used my iPad in every class except fine arts. Hopefully when we get them back they will have more apps. Other than that, they are fun.

 

What Was The Best Experience For You This Year? By David

Photo Drawn by Me!

With the school year coming to a close, I think it is safe to designate one special thing about this year. This can be from all the way back to the first day of school to today, even. For me, it was getting to meet all of my morning teachers and Mrs. Donnelly on the first day of class. It made me happy that there were so many nice teachers that I would get for a whole year. What was yours? Please comment below!

 

An Ideal Teacher by Bella K.

An ideal teacher for any grade should not give any homework on weekends. Students get school off on weekends meant to rest and spend time with their friends, families, or outside of school activities such as sports or vacations. However, if we get work to do on Fridays, then what difference does that make from regular school days other than actually having school? Some teachers at DA give out homework on weekends for different reasons, but they should all know these two days are really supposed to be “work-free”.

 

The Ideal Teacher by Norman

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ideal teacher would teach hands on learning. They would also teach things useful in the real world, like how to tie certain knots, and how to build a good fire. The ideal teacher would educate us about real world problems like hunger and poverty and how to avoid them. The ideal teacher would teach many different subjects like a language of your choice, history, math, science, outdoors skills and many others. The ideal teacher would help us through any blocks that we might have when learning.

 

Community Service By Nathan G.

Twice a year our school has a day dedicated to our community. This is where we spend half the day doing school work and the other half going into the community to help make it better. This is from laying down mulch to helping out at a thrift shop. My advisory went to a public school down the road to be teachers’ assistants for half the day. A few of us went and helped with kindergarteners while others were scattered around the school. Mathew, Tanner, and I went to the fifth to help a teacher. First, very briefly, we helped proofread the children’s books they were writing. We then went back to the class to grade tests for two hours. I have to say and the others would agree, it was not the most fun thing in the world! But it did bring a new appreciation for my teachers! We then went out for recess for the last few minutes. It was not the most enjoyable experience for me but I heard from others that they had a great time helping out with the kindergarteners!

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Community Service at Hope Valley by Fred

Photo from Flickrstorm

At our school, ocassionaly during school we go out to help our community and make North Carolina a better place. Our advisory, which is basically a classroom, went to Hope Valley Elementary. We split into groups, and Michael J, Sarah, and I, got to go to a kindergarten class. We first got to wrap there presents for their Mothers Day gift. We finished very early (although I had lots of trouble with the ribbons), so we taught certain kids and helped them subtract. They were all very sweet and cute, especially the boy I helped the most with. He was sweet, cute, and has great manners. In the beginning, I didn’t think this would be a fun trip, but it was actually really fun, and same with almost everyone else. If we had the opportunity to go back, it would be a no brainer YES!

 

Community Service #2 By Joanna

For community service this time, we went to Hope Valley Elementary to help out with the classes. My friend Kristina and I were assigned to Kindergarten kids. First, we were told to play with the Kindergartners for their recess. They almost immediately idolized us and would do whatever we said and follow us wherever we went. Then, we went back inside with them and we went to their cafeteria. This was slightly awkward because neither of us have been in a cafeteria for over three years, but soon we kind of got where to sit. Then, we went back to the classroom with about five Kindergarteners hanging on to each hand. When we got to the classroom, we played math games with them. Then they learned even and odd numbers. Finally, we had to leave. All of the kids wanted us to come back tomorrow. We told them that we would talk to our advisor about coming back again some time. Our community service was very, very cute.