Happy Holidays!

Just want to say a very quick and late Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Huge thanks to everyone for being such wonderful students and for making my lessons extremely enjoyable! Stay safe throughout the holiday season and get reading and writing before school resumes! Feel free to email me or call me if you have any questions or need some help with study preparation for 2010!

PS: Thanks to everyone who texted me with a 'Merry XMAS' or 'Happy New Year'! It made my night.

Big Birthday Wishes: December 09.

Wishing a BIG Happy Birthday to the following English students:

- 13th of December: Daniel Nou
- 25th of December: Lisa TranPS: I need all of my students to email me with their birthday dates ASAP. If you want presents, let me know when your birthday is. The earlier, the better. Cheers.

Item Returns for the Holidays.

With holidays literally just around the corner, I am just reminding you all that if I have lent you any books, films etc. to borrow, read and/or watch, if I could please get these items returned to me before the Summer holidays officially take place. It'll just help avoiding further confusion and misplacement of items in the New Year. I appreciate your efforts. Hope the texts I lent you helped you felt inspired.

Last student survey for 2009.

Let's end the year happily with a randomly lovely last survey.

1. What are three things on your to-do list?
2. What are some things on your Christmas wishlist/to-buy list?

3. What are your Summer Holiday plans?

4. What are five of your current obsessions?

5. Where is your favourite place in the whole wide world?

6. What makes you happy?

7. What is your favourite music genre/artists?

8. Who inspires you?

9. What is your favourite food?

10. What is one word to describe you?

Write your responses in the comments section. Cheers.

Year Nine English Class Last Payment Due.

Just a reminder that the payment for the next two English lessons (12th of Dec and 19th of Dec) are due next week (12th Dec). I forgot to remind you in class so I'm hoping you can please have this ready by our lesson. Also, Kris Kringle gifts are due and must be brought in appropriately. Please make sure these are packaged neatly with a card, just out of courtesy. Thanks so much.

PS: I need to talk to you all about a last minute plan. Remind me.

Creative writing competition due soon!

Just a reminder that the creative writing competition piece is due very soon on the 12th of December 2009. Please make sure you have this ready as any last minute entries will be accepted however any late entries will be accepted yet might not qualify in the competition. Keep up the time management and before you all know it, the academic year will be over, so make the most of it. Check the link below for the competition details.

http://analyse-english.blogspot.com/2009/09/competition-win-1-of-3-prizes.html

Remember this is a compulsory task to complete! Good luck!

HSC 2009 Paper One: Are you prepared?

Thanks to one of my newly finished year 12 student, I have managed to get a copy of the exam questions which appeared in the 2009 Higher School Certificate in Paper One. The questions are as followed:

1. "Drawing on the ideas in ONE of these quotations, write an imaginative piece that celebrates the ways relationships contribute to a sense of belonging." Stimuli were "Human beings, like plants, grow in the soil of acceptance, not in the atmosphere of rejection" or "When someone prizes us just as we are; he or she confirms our existence."

2. "Understanding nourishes belonging... a lack of understanding prevents it. Demonstrate how your prescribed text and ONE other related text of your own choosing represent this interpretation of belonging."

Would you be ready to answer these?

Website of the day: www.eventful.com

I've found a site which is so handy for all my senior students who are planning to have a blast after the HSC and who don't want to go to typical Byron Bay or QLD. Check out eventful.com, a website that has the world's largest collection of events in every country, state, city and suburb imaginable! From festivals, to concerts, to sporting events and more, this site covers it all in one place. Enjoy!

Discussion Topic: Area of Study

Area of Study: BELONGING HSC 2009

What defines Belonging? What are the certain parameters and limits to which one can belong? What types of belonging is there? Is there a connection between an individual and society in determining how one may belong or feel as if they belong?

Create a five lined thesis statement which epitomises your views on the topic.

High School Certificate Trials.

Good luck with your English Higher School Certificate Trials! I am positive that you will all do perfectly. Feel free to email me any essays and creative writing pieces which you have written so that I can provide feedback and critical comments to assist your preparation with the 2009 High School Certificate Exams. My new email is analyse_english@gmail.com Remember to balance study with relaxation and spend your time wisely for a second wasted is a second you will never get back! I look forward to seeing you all soon.