Here are some reports from the teachers of each of our afternoon classes for the last week in the Program. We have organized them by class:
Choir (Ms. Colette Tanner, Instructor)
During this first week, the choir is “voice testing” for vocal placement in sections. We are also learning our “Warm-Up” and “Ear Training” routine and beginning to learn concert repertoire.
Computer Tech (Barry Humphus, Instructor)
Student are very excited to get started doing 3D printing. We have some preliminary ground rules to set up, but as soon as that is complete, we should be good to go.
Debate (Ms. Jessica Markstrom, Instructor)
This week began with a mock debate involving whether entities and actions in video games are “real.” I introduced students to topoi, basic foundations in argumentation, debate resolutions, and started covering the affirmative burdens in policy debate. Students engaged in activities that challenge their use of topoi. Basic foundations in argumentation included discussions and exercises in deductive logic, inductive logic, and casual logic. Additionally, students learned about Aristotle’s criteria for persuasive speaking and the Toulmin model of argumentation. Students were able to identify and create resolutions for fact, value, and policy debates. We ended the week by covering the prima facie burdens for the affirmative in policy debate.
Critical Thinking (Mr. Robert Markstrom, Instructor)
Students were introduced to numerous games sought to challenge different forms of problem solving and logic this week. Additionally, students were given a personality quiz in order to sort them into groups for the rest of the semester. Games available this week: Abalone, Bloodborne (board game), Chess, Exago, Gestures, Hippos and Crocs, the “Name Game,” Pirateer, Score 4, Set, Stratego, Ticket to Ride, Tsuro, and What Were You Thinking.
Musical (Mr. Keith Chamberlain, Instructor)
Auditions began on Monday and stretched into the evening. I am incredibly excited about our new cast. We began rehearsing the music in our production, since there is much of it, on Tuesday and continued that until Friday.
Costume/Make-up Design and Drama (Ms. Jessa Lormand, Instructor)
Costume/Make-up Design: This week we began working on daily diaries, sketching costumes, hair and makeup designs for both productions and began working on Brigadoon costuming.
Drama: We completed a full read through of the play which was very good to hear. We also discussed the show and student’s creative input on the production, began rehearsal and assigned/began varying creative duties that apply to the production.
Publishing (Ms. Christa Bell, Instructor)
During this week, The Thinker staff created the look for this summer’s paper. They also wrote and put together a four-page edition of the paper with essentially a one-day turnaround time. They are working to grasp the idea of media writing, as opposed to essay writing, and the idea of what makes news and how to relate information to an audience.