GLPS Best Blogger Awards

 

Dear Students,

After weeks of writing, writing, and writing some more, I'd like to take this time to present to you the best blogs of GLPS.  It's been really tough deciding, and I'd like to give you all a round of applause.  I think you've all improved, learned new skills, discovered some creativity, and had fun along the way.  

Please be aware that performance on key assignments was weighted, and to be fair - all blogs were judged as late as possible in the program.  Quantity, Quality, and Creativity were the things I focused on. It has taken a very long time to decide.

Here are the best blogs of GLPS, listed by class:

Class 21 

1st - Lee Yu Yeon 

2nd - Kim Goo Yun

3rd - Park So Eun

Honorable Mention: Park Seo Yeon

Class 22

1st - Byun Yu Bin
2nd - Kang Ji Sue
3rd - Jang Yoo Jin

Honorable Mention: Lee Seung Hyun


Class 23

1st - Kevin Jung

2nd - No Cha Rin 

3rd - Lee Na Eun

Honorable Mention: Ryoo Kyung Seok


Class 24

1st - Kim Da Eun
2nd - Cho So Yun
3rd - Taek So Kim


Honorable Mention: Kim Yae Ryn


Class 25

1st - Min Ji Woo
2nd - Lee Sun Ha
3rd - Shin Hae Kyung

Honorable Mention: Lee Kwan Soo


Class 26

1st - Lim Joo Young
2nd - Kim Sun Myung
3rd - Park Jong Ae

Honorable Mention: Jung So Ha

Congratulations to all! 

Let's keep in touch: )

Relax, and enjoy the rest of your time at GLPS : )

Dear Students,

This last week, I've really been happy with the effort you've been putting into your blogs. At times, it looked like many students were more focused on History, and not completing the Writing assignments as seriously. But that changed late in the camp.

That said, many of you have been asking me if you can use the computers tonight to finish up some things, and many of you have also asked me to wait until tomorrow to decide the top three blogs. Tonight is your last regular night at GLPS, so I think you should use your free time to relax with your friends and cherish good memories. I've already decided the winners, and will post them later tonight. So, I don't want you guys to experience last minute stress if it isn't necessary.

The results will be up very soon! Enjoy your fried chicken and again - have fun!

A film shot entirely with a mobile phone...

Hello Students,

Just thought I'd share one last viral video with you before the end of the camp.  While we can question whether or not some videos have a positive message, we can't question one.  This was made by one guy piecing together words from signs he encountered on the street in two cities he'd lived in: Sydney and New York.  The final result is amazing, and I hope you can hear the accompanying music. What do you think inspired him to make this film in this way, and why does that make the film even more effective? Could you make something like this?

Help! I can't decide which bloggers to choose for awards! Nominations?

Dear GLPS Bloggers,

I'm proud of you all for your excellent work, and I think most of you have enjoyed blogging during the camp.  Some of you have REALLY enjoyed it, and it shows in your work.  My problem is there are so many excellent blogs, I'm having trouble choosing.  Some of you have really stepped on the gas and improved your blogs a lot over the last week!

So, if you know of a really good blog, or even think your blog is really good, please nominate it and tell me why you think it's good!

We could go and on and on with various sorts of awards...such as:

1-Funniest Blog
2-Prettiest Blog
3-Most Annoying Orange Videos Blog
4-Most Debate Posts Blog
5-Best Boys Blog
6-Best Girls Blog
7-Award for Best Grammar
8-Award for Best Spelling
9-Award for Most Pictures of Puppies
10-Award for Most Pictures of Justin Bieberlake

Did I miss any?  Of course I did. We could go on forever until everyone has an award.  But what I'm really interested in are the two best blogs from each class - fitting into all categories.  Please nominate in comments below!

Last Chance to Publish!

To blog, indeed!

Today, I'm going to start choosing the best blogs from each class!  So if you have anything you haven't published yet, try to do so ASAP.  What does that mean?  As Soon As Possible.

What am I looking for? 

1) Completion - did you finish most of the assignments, and did you do a good job?

2) Presentation - do your posts look good?  Is everything straight and sized appropriately? Can I read the font? 

3) Creativity - did you do something extra with your blog, and write things I didn't assign on your own?  Does your blog have a fun title and nice background?  Is the design nice?

4) Attention to Detail - did you make sure your spelling errors are fixed?  Is your grammar cleaned up? 

5) Participation - did you comment on other blogs, and reply to people who commented on yours? 

I hope you've all learned some valuable skills in creating these blogs, and I hope you keep blogging after the camp.  If not, that's up to you - but for the next two days....ROCK ON, and BLOG ON!

I like GLPS!

What do you like?  This young zombie in the video below likes turtles, and it only took three words to change his life forever.  Do you think it's actually funny, or is it American pop-culture going too far?  Would you like to be world famous for something like this?



This has been viewed 27 million times, and if you read this article at the Washington Post, it's really changed this boys life. But for better or worse? Is it good to become famous for something like this? I'd like to hear your opinions after you read the article.

As you can see, I've just discussed a viral video and dug up some background information on it.  If you haven't done so with videos you've posted, please do.

Keep Debating!

This House Believes...

Students should write more about what they are debating about at GLPS.  Since you guys spend so much time researching and reading and forming your debate arguments, why not post them on your blogs as short but sweet argumentative essays?  It's good to share your opinions if you are well-informed regarding an issue.

Here's a good example from Jenny at Jenny The World, where she discusses the trustworthiness of today's newspapers.  Good work Jenny!  If you agree or disagree with her opinion, let her know in a comment.  Debate doesn't have to only happen during a debate!

Last Week to Get Things Done!

Happy Monday Students!

As you all know, this is the last week of GLPS, and that means CRUNCH TIME.  That means you have to start hitting those keyboards and banging out some good posts, finishing up your essays.

I will introduce some more things you can write IF you are done everything else, but what I really want to see are:

1) The Compare and Contrasts HIGHRISE Essay. How long should it be?  At least 400 words, but more like 500.  I've read some, and some are very good, but what you all need to include is a strong introduction that explains the 5 W's:  Who you are writing about, Where they live, Why it is interesting, What you learned, and one more big WHERE - where you got all this information, which is the Highrise website.  This should be the first sentence in the essay. If people don't know this, it makes the essay a bit pointless.

Here's a very nice essay with a good intro from Emily at Certainly Loves Writing.  It appears she certainly does!

2) The Ode.  I've read some good ones, but most are too short.  Remember, this is more of a letter than poem, and should be longer than a poem.  I want it to be poetic, but it is not a poem.  At least 300 words, but closer to 400.

IF you are done these assignment, write whatever you want!  For example, Kevin at Shrimp Bro has been writing lots of video game reviews.  This is excellent, and he enjoys blogging about games.  Maybe he will become a professional game reviewer and get free games someday.  Who knows?

Also I've seen some good book reviews, Jiyoon's at Every Word a Star.  So, keep blogging and keep in mind that the two best blogs from each class will be picked this week.

Some thoughts about the GLPS Blogs: Quantity vs. Quality

Hello Students,

Having reviewed most of the blogs, there are clearly three categories of writers: 1) Those that are inspired and wanting to write quality with quantity.  2)  Those that are more interested in quantity instead of quality.  3) Those that are achieving very little quality and very little quantity (less than 7 posts is too few).

As a teacher at KMLA who teaches hard working high school students (some of whom are your PA's and TA's), I assure you that it is focusing on both quality and quantity that got them into this school, and will also get them into universities like Harvard and Yale.  When you write, when you present, when you do anything and everything - always ask yourself - "Is this quality work?"

"The Whacky Web Tales" are an example of quantity being misused.  Cutting and Pasting to fill up a blog with posts is like adding water to wine.  If you are going to post a "Whacky Web Tale," explain what it is.  Tell us where you got it.  Format it so we know which words you introduced.  Posting 3 or 4 of these in your blog, all without pictures or explanation, is like messing up your bedroom with dirty laundry.  My message to you:  Clean up your rooms! Do I sound like your mom?  Keep in mind your mom might be reading your blog.  What would she think?  If she reads a Whacky Web Tale and has no idea what it is, she's not going to like it.

The history presentations etc. are also an example of lazy blogging.  If you post it - make it look good!  Separate ideas into paragraphs.  Do you want to read a brick wall of text?  No! Put in some pictures. 

My message:  If you aren't going to do it right, don't do it at all! When you push the "Publish Post" button, think of it as actually "publishing."  Quality is more important than quantity.  

It is my hope that all students develop the following skills in this program:

 

1) Pride in your work.  You have been given ownership of a blog, so treat it like DaVinci might treat a painting.  Make it pretty!

2) Self-Guided Learning.  You are given time to use the computers without a teacher looking over your shoulder.  Use your time wisely and effectively, and get your work done.  Your blog speaks for itself.  It's like building a house.  Is it half-finished with out a roof? Or is it a sparkling mansion with a pool in the backyard?  I hope it's the latter and not the former by the end of this camp.

3) Creativity.  Do I post the same video and picture everyone else did, or do I find something fresh and new?  Try being original.

4) Improved Writing Skills.  Good writing is good writing.  It looks good, it sounds good, and it is good. If you are in the Immersion program, you should know basic grammar and basic spelling.  You should always check your work for mistakes, and fix them accordingly. A little more care and focus is all you need.  Try to be a perfectionist.

Next week, Mr. Crawford and I will choose the two best blogs from each class.  I hope you use your time wisely and start focusing on quality blogging.  And, of course, quantity.  But not without quality!

Thank you for reading!

 

The Power of Blogging!

Dear Students,

This is your third week as an official "blogger," and hopefully by now you've realized two things: 1) A blog is a powerful communication tool.  You can immediately communicate your thoughts and observations to a world wide audience.  2) When you push the "publish post" button, you are indeed doing something writers could not easily do in the not so distant past - PUBLISH!

But with great power comes great responsibility (in the words of Spiderman's Uncle), and you should always ask yourself two questions: 1) Does it look good?  Is everything straight? Can people read my font?  2) Does it sound good?  Does it make sense?  Is my writing clean and effective and error free?

It might come as a surprise to you, but there are people in this world who blog professionally, and make a lot of money doing it.  Blogs spread ideas, and often times these ideas are the stuff of popular culture - which means capitalism!  This means "product placement" and "marketing."  Word of mouth advertising is what makes things sell, especially things like music and fashion.  On that note, check out "Style Rookie's Blog."  She's just 13 years old, and she's using the exact same website, Blogspot, as we are.  Her blog is already attracting world wide attention from fashion industry giants.  Everyday, she gets tons of free stuff in the mail, and invitations to fashion shows all over the world.  They all want her to blog about their clothing.  If Style Rookie says it's cool, lot's of young girls will wear it.  Again, blogs spread ideas, and the more people who read your blog the better.

Think of all the blogs out there with specific themes and purposes.  Some blogs are about travel, some are about music, and some are even about chocolate or Starcraft.  The people who write these blogs become virtual experts, and constantly get free stuff.  Free meals, free movies, free clothes, free music.   What do you want for free?

Read about her Style Rookie here.

Write an "Ode" to something!

What is an "ode?"  Let's ask Wikipedia:

An ode is typically a lyrical verse written in praise of, or dedicated to someone or something which captures the poet's interest or serves as an inspiration for the ode.

In fact, the "greatest poem ever written" is an ode written by the famous English poet John Keats.  He died very young, and many believed if he'd lived longer that he could have rivaled William Shakespeare as one of the greatest writers ever.

One day, while he was sitting under a tree, a nightingale bird landed in the branches and began singing. At the time, he was very sick, so he felt envious of the bird's freedom and health.  Thus, "Ode to a Nightingale" was born, and many consider this to be a "perfect poem."
 

Keats is truly amazing.  For our purposes, we are going to change things a little and basically write a poetic letter to something or somewhere instead of someone. Imagine what you might say in a letter that begins with:

Dear Seoul,
Dear California,
Dear North Korea,
Dear iPhone,
Dear PS3,
Dear Sadness,
Dear Boredom,
Dear English,
Dear EOP,
Dear Green Card,
Dear GLPS,
Dear Sleep,
Dear Bed,
Dear Starcraft,
Dear Angry Birds,
Dear Pizza,
Dear Broccoli,
Dear Internet,
Dear Harry Potter Series,

The possibilities are endless, and I want you to write a poetic letter using lots of descriptive writing and philosophical insight.  Think of that object or place as a friend or enemy that you know very well.  Metaphorically give it qualities that are human, and have fun poeticizing the things you love, hate, or hate to love or love to hate about that thing.

This should be written as a letter and a poem mixed together in a style of writing we might call "lyrical prose."  Imagine your sentences are music, and each word a note.  You can start thinking about:

Alliteration: using words with similar sounds in one sentence, sort of like a tongue twister.
Example - "The sweet sound of your soft voice silences my spirit into a still sleep."

This sentence has a smooth ring to it, all because "s" was used repeatedly in a musical way.

Repetition: repeating a sentence structure for more emphasis.  Politicians use this a lot when they make speeches.
Example - "We can make change.  We can fight for freedom.  We can be the light through the world's darkness.  We are America, and yes we can!"

So try and use these while you write your ode.  This is not really a poem, so try to write at least 300-400 words (hopefully more if you chose a good topic).  As usual, include a picture and be creative (and clean) with your formatting.

Writing in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Person Narratives!

Hello Students,

This week, I would like to see three posts from you regarding daily life at GLPS. These can either be fact or fiction, and I encourage you to take full creative license with these three assignments.

What I would like you to do is try writing in different narrative styles. Let's look at them.

1st Person - This is the most common narrative, and is the one you do daily in your English Diary. Most people agree that this is the easiest to write.  But is it the most adventurous?


I woke up this morning a little bit late, and had to miss breakfast. I'm really looking forward to lunch!

2nd Person-This one is the rarest, and we usually only see it in RPG video games.  That said, I like it because it kind of sounds like the "little voice in your head" that tells you what you often forget to tell yourself.

You wake up to the harsh sunlight, and realize you've slept in.  Your alarm clock! You forgot to set it.  As you swing your feet out of bed wearily, you also realize that you will have to skip breakfast.  Your stomach will be in constant agony until lunch!

3rd Person-This one is easy - it's the most common mode for fiction, and J.K. Rowling couldn't have pulled off Harry Potter with it.  It allows you, the writer, to act as God in an all-knowing "omniscient" way.  We sometimes say "omniscient narrator," as you can jump around from character to character and get inside their thoughts.

Harry wakes up slowly, rubbing his eyes as they adjust to the sunlight.  His clock! He suddenly recalls that he forgot to set it. "Looks like I'm not eating breakfast..." he mourns regretfully.  "I'm going to be ravenous by noon!"

Which one do you like writing in most, and why?  Experiment with all three during this week.  Again, have some fun, and you can write the truth or make something up (perhaps a GLPS horror story or an adventure involving escape!).  I will be checking in.

Shout Outs!

Check out some good poetry by Yu Bin of Class 22 over at "Writing Holic" ! She choose some philosophical topics and matched them up with excellent pictures and words.  She also explained what her poems were about, which makes them even more interesting.  Please try and follow her lead.

Also, over at Jisue's Blog, Jisue has been busy and writing/posting a lot of stuff from other classes, and not just History, but also two posts from debate! Keep posting everybody!

Kevin in Class 23 has uploaded his speech over at Shrimp Bro. 
I strongly encourage you to do the same, and always try to include pictures.  This is one of the reasons why a blog is so much better than a printed piece of paper! Kevin talks about some interesting coffee if you read towards the end. I hope Starbucks never serves it!

Na Eun in Class 23 wrote a good post about GLPS, hoping to help future students of the camp prepare for the arduous schedule!  The only thing she's missing is pictures, but I hope she'll put some up.  Remember everyone: "A picture speaks a thousand words."  It's a very cliche statement, but in many ways it is true.

Anyways...have a great weekend and keep blogging!  We only have two weeks left and I want to see if the best is yet to come!

Here's a cool video to think about!

Major Assignment: Compare & Contrast Essay - "Out My Window"

Dear Intensive Students,

For the last two weeks of the camp, you will have to focus on your major essay assignment, which is a "compare and contrast essay." After exploring a very unique interactive website, you will compare your life, and the view out your window, to that of someone else from another country.  This is the website:

NFB: HIGHRISE - 360° Interactive

 

There are 14 people in 14 different cities living in 14 different highrise apartments.  Lots to compare and contrast! In class, every student will get to choose one to explore (every student a different selection), and you will then begin navigating and gathering your observations for your essay.  This essay is very "societal" in nature, and you may want to comment on politics, history, culture, ethnicity, economy, health, family, and just about anything and everything else that ties in with community.  Essentially, you are comparing Korean culture and daily life (yours) to that of a different (or maybe not so different) environment. 

Questions you will want to consider:

What do I see when I look out my window? 

How does that compare to the view out ________'s window?

What are the items/features of my home that define culture, family, and well being?

How does Korea's economy, politics, and cultural issues compare to that of (other country)?

What are your impressions after experiencing HIGHRISE? 

 

Most of you probably live in a highrise apartment, and you'll notice Korea is not among the nations chosen for this project.  Pretend you are writing your essay for the producers of this project, so that they might choose Korea (and even your home) as the 15th highrise.

Compare & Contrast Essay

Length: 500 Words

Include: Pictures of your home if possible.  Pictures from the website. (use Crtl Print Screen for a screen capture, and paste the image into Paintbrush or pixlr.com)

I recently gave this very same assignment to my KMLA highschool students, and you can see some of their essays at:

Out Our Windows - KMLA and Beyond

Here is one of the better essays from a KMLA student:

Out My Window: Comparing Mazen's Life With My Own 

You will have to write this essay in-class on paper early in the last week of GLPS.  If you have time, begin exploring, and have fun learning about new people and places.

Class 25 - kick it up a notch!

This is a message to Class 25.  You share the highest class rank at this camp with Class 26, and therefore your blogs should be among the best in quality with the number of posts and good formatting.  I just gave you over one hour to write a couple of Diamante poems and only a few of you did it.  Other classes, such as 26, and even the youngest classes such as 22 and 23, have produced better results.

My message - kick it up a notch!  If you are in the "intensive" program then start writing more "intensively." 

Shout Outs!

 I've read over some of the reflective essays inspired by the film "Spring," and from classes 25 and 26 the best one I read was from Sophia over at JB Holic.  I've used this same writing exercise with KMLA highschool students, and this easily competes with the best of them in terms of structure and tone.   Read it here! She did a great job of formatting the post and making the video smaller as well. 


I've also come across a great viral video essay from Eleanor at her blog.  She did a bit of research on the "Double Rainbow Guy"  and wrote an extensive essay about viral videos.
What impresses me is that while many students just posted videos and wrote as little as possible (some didn't write anything yet), Eleanor dove in and got the job done on her own time.  Good stuff!

I also found an interesting Chain Writing essay that sounded like a professionally written book.  Read about Denying Fariytales and enjoy this creative 1st person narrative that shows a lot of writing style.

Keep up the good writing guys! You are all awesome.  I'm slowly getting around to reading and commenting on everyone's blog with help from Mr. Crawford.

Diamante Poems!

Diamante Poems

Diamante poems are named after "diamonds" for their shape.  They are simple, easy and fun to write, and I'd like to see at least three on your blogs.  This will give you a chance to use your THESAURUS and find some good words to replace simple words.  It will also allow you to play with some creative formatting.  As you can see in the Diamante Poem I wrote below, I made the fonts different colors and even used emoticons and pictures to contrast the opposites. 

Here is how a Diamante Poem is written:

NOUN
ADJECTIVE  ADJECTIVE

ING-VERB   ING-VERB   ING-VERB

NOUN       NOUN      NOUN       NOUN

ING-VERB      ING-VERB     ING-VERB

ADJECTIVE  ADJECTIVE

NOUN

There are a few ways to write them.  They can be about one thing, from start to finish, but it's more fun to start with something and transition towards an opposite - such as HOT & COLD, COMPUTER GAMES & HOMEWORK, or even SISTER & BROTHER.

In the past, I've had students start with CHEESEBURGER and move towards GLOBAL WARMING.  It doesn't have to be an opposite.  As long as it's related and the reader sees the connection, your Diamante Poem will be good.  

Here is an example of what I expect from you guys with the Diamante Poems.  Try to write at least two or three, and creatively make a transition from one subject to the next.  Post pictures to jazz things up a little.  This one, about Red Cards and Green Cards.  These pictures help a lot, and make sure everything is centered . As well, we've made the font as big as possible for more impact.  Let's have some fun with this simple yet very creative style of poetry.  The best ones from each class will get a GREEN CARD!!!!! 

ㅠ,ㅠ
Red Cards

harsh, critical

catching, punishing, crying

P.A., T.A., Teachers, Students

winning, earning, enjoying

positive, proud

Green Cards!
^,^

Blog Checklist!

Hello GLPS Bloggers,


We are almost halfway through the camp, and for the last two weeks of GLPS you are going to be doing a lot more writing now that you've made your blog and know how to use it.


As I've explained before, there will be two blogs chosen as the best from each class, and those students will be eligible for the GLPS Scholarships.  So that means you should be using your blog as much as possible, and making it look as good as possible.


Here is a checklist of things you should try and achieve with your blog:

1-Daily posts about what's going on at GLPS (kind of like your English Diary), complete with

pictures taken from the GLPS website (or your own camera if you have one). 

2-The Chain Writing Essay (with as few errors as possible) complete with a picture that matches the content.

3-A movie, music, or book review (or even one of each!) complete with video or pictures.  At least 200-300 words in length.

4-A discussion and investigation concerning a "viral video," where you post the video and find out some background information.  Some of you have posted videos (many) but haven't written about them.  Remember - a blog is for WRITING.  This should be 200-300 words at least.

5-An S.A.T. style reflective essay written about the short film "Spring."  You should have the video accompanying your essay so people can know what you are writing about. Here's a good example!

6-Your History presentations with pictures.

7-Have left at least 10 comments on 10 other students blogs (and not just "Hello!")

8-Diamante Poems with pictures.

IF you are done with all of that, why not keep writing?  Here are some ideas:

1-An "argumentative essay" based on what you are discussing in Debate Class.

2-A short story!  Try out one of the "Wacky Web Tales" in my links above.

3-Letter to your parents or a friend.

4-A poem about whatever you want to write about.

5-A poll about GLPS, with your opinion on something.

6-Anything you want! Your blog is yours and you should have fun with it.

S.A.T. Style Reflective Essay - "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring"

When you get to high school, you'll start to think about what university you want to go to, and where.  If you want to study abroad, especially in America, you'll have to start preparing for the S.A.T., which is a big focus at KMLA.  In addition to Math, Grammar, and Critical Reading, you'll have to write a short essay in a short period of time.  This requires quick thinking, a mastery of essay structure, and the ability to "think outside the box."  Make sure to read the "prompt" carefully, as many people who write these tests make the mistake of answering a question other than that stated.  Usually, these questions are philosophical in nature.

In class, I've asked you to watch the first section "Spring" from the famous Kim Ki Duk film "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring."  After viewing, I gave you a paper with the following prompt:

In the film, what lesson do you think the monk is trying to teach his young student? Reflectively relate this learning process to your own personal experience.  



Hopefully you enjoyed this short film, and were inspired to write about it.  I'll ask you to post this same video on your blog, together with a second draft of your essay after you are done. You can cut and paste this html code to put the video on your blog:

<object width="540" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f40c3-czsF8?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f40c3-czsF8?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="540" height="285"></embed></object>

Please title your blog post:
S.A.T. Style Reflective Essay: "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring"

Shout Outs: Peppermint Candy, Fantasy World, Sua's Blog, Dreamy Birdy, and a music review of Pink!

I'm seeing a lot of impressive blogs and it's hard to keep up with everything, but I'm trying!  I'd love to give every student a Shout Out!, but for now I'll just give out a few.  If you think you deserve a Shout Out!, leave a comment and tell me why you are awesome.

First of all, a Shout Out! to the Peppermint Blog of Lim Joo Young in Class 26 and Emily in Class 24.  They've been writing regularly and paying close attention to format.  As we all know, formatting is important.  Is everything straight? Does it look good? Is it the right size?  They've spent a lot of time making things look nice, and so should everybody.  If it's easy to read and eye catching, your work will get more attention and fulfill its purpose more effectively.

I'd also like to give a Shout Out! to Sarah in Class 24 for being one of the first students to upload her History Presentation.  Like I said before, try to include your work from other classes on your blog.  The more writing and content the better!  You might even be able to use your blog during your presentation to show pictures or important points.

A big Shout Out! to Sua and her blog! Coincidentally,  Sua of Class 22 has been maintaining a blog at Blogspot for over two years.  That's a long time! I hope most of you follow her example and continue blogging after GLPS.  Stay in touch and keep writing.



Dong Bin in Class 24 has been having a lot of fun with Gadgets.  Too much fun?  Maybe.  But what I do like is his "poll" on "Where would you like to go?"  I said Australia.  Polls are fun, so I encourage you to make one for your blog asking interesting questions.  Maybe you can ask one's related to GLPS.  Have fun and add a few gadgets.  But ask yourself if it's necessary, and if it looks good.  Feeding the fish is fine, but video games are not.  Some "gadgets" are merely advertising and will make your blog look like a messy bedroom.  Think of your blog as a store where you are selling your writing.  Will customers want to buy what you have to sell if they can't find it?

One last Shout Out! for today to Ann of Class 25 for her music review of Pink!  I hope all of you have had a chance to share some thoughts on a favorite book, film, or piece of music by now.  Ann researched and presented a lot of interesting facts about Pink, and even a few pictures. Nice!

If you think you or your friends have done something good, nominate yourself or someone else for a Shout Out! Keep up the good work!

Mr. Crawford is in the house!

Mr. Crawford now has a blog, 

and you can visit him HERE.

Be sure to stop by and say hello!

Viral Videos - Do you have a favorite? Discuss one in your next post...

Hello GLPS Intenstive Writing Students,

So far, your blogs are looking good!  If you don't see your name in the right side column, please leave me a comment below with your Class Number follwed by your Family Name and first name, as follows:  20-Kim Tae Hyun - ilovecookies.blogspot.com

By now, you should have:

-a few posts about GLPS (pop song contest, the first few days here, speech preperations etc.),

-a review of either a movie, music, or book that you like (200-300 words) with a picture or video.  

-the Chain Writing essay (look two posts below for guidelines).

***Your next assignment is to comment on a "Viral Video" and embed it in your blog.  To do that, you have to get the "share code" from Youtube and cut and paste it into the "Edit HTML" section of a new post.  We will talk about this in class.  But start thinking about a video you want to write about, answering the following questions:

-How did this video become popular and go "viral"?
-Why do people enjoy it so much?
-Is it's influence positive or negative? As we all know, some viral videos are not positive.

Here's an example of "The Star Wars Kid":



At first, he was the victim of "cyber bullies," but then this happened and he became positively famous:



Whether it's "Charlie Bite Me" or "Double Rainbow Guy,"  your job is to choose a viral video to research and write about.  Find out some background information and give your opinion about why the video is so popular, and if it can be seen as postive, negative, or even both.


Note to Bloggers: Your job is to post as many things on your blog as possible before the end of the camp, and this includes your speeches, presentations, and essays.  Anything and everything so long as it's quality work and formatted properly.  As well, you should leave comments on other blogs and read the work of other students to create a better network.  Have fun, and keep writing!

Remember, the best blogs (two from every class) will be nominated for awards/scholarships at the end of the camp.  Pay attention to detail, and put in a good effort!

Shout Out: A Good Writing Chain Essay from Class 23

This is a "shout out" to Carrie of Class 23.  She did a good job of proofreading Class 23's collaborative essay "Plastic Surgery Must Be Stopped."  The title is properly capitalized, she uploaded a picture that compliments the content, and she even highlighted key words.  Excellent work Carrie!  Click here to see her work!


Remember students - try to leave comments on each others blogs!

Writing Chain: Step #2 - The Final Polish!

Writing Chain

Step #2: Peer Editing and Proofreading

 Now that you’ve written your collaborative essays, it’s time to clean them up and put them on your blogs. Find the essay that you began writing, and see how it turned out.  Each essay/story should be proofread (looking for mistakes) by at least two people, and as you type the essay onto your blog, you should also edit (improve the content/ideas/clarity/structure).  Is it interesting?  Does it make sense?  You can make small changes by adding or deleting a few sentences, but don’t change it too much.  Use the following symbols in RED PEN to proofread:

Now that it’s been proofread, ask yourself some questions.

                           =>Does it make sense?

                           =>Do you like how it turned out?

                           =>How did it change?

     =>What would you have done differently?

Before you begin putting the story/essay onto your blog, you should come up with a suitable title for the finished product.  Be creative.  In addition to retyping the essay, you should introduce it but answering some of the above questions.  Accordingly, tell us what you learned from the Chain Writing activity, what is was, and if you think the finished essay would be something you would want to put your name on.  Evaluate the final product.  Don’t be shy! You can be honest.  When you post it on your blog, use the following format in the title bar.

Writing Chain: “Smoking Must Be Stopped” by Class 20

Once you are finished, try to upload a suitable picture that might compliment the content of the essay or story.  If it’s an essay about smoking, find a picture that will help convey the message. 

Have fun reading Chain Writing essays and stories uploaded by other students, and leave comments on other blogs! 

Have fun!

Our first week of classes...

Dear Immersion Students of GLPS 15,

Welcome to KMLA~! It's been a busy first week getting to know all of you, and so far I've enjoyed the process.  You've told me some interesting facts about yourselves (66% of them true!), and from what I can see we have a uniquely talented group of students at this camp.

If you are reading this now, you've probably created your blog, which means you are equipped with a very important tool for this GLPS Writing Program.   For writing to truly matter, it has to be read, and not just by a single teacher.  Remember one very important thing: Writers Write! The only way to improve your skills is to write and write and write some more.  But that is not all.  You must also read and read and read some more! Good writers read, and they learn from other writers.  Shakespeare can tell you as much.  So always be reading a book, and always be learning new words.  And now that you have a blog, start writing and don't stop!  Your blog is a showcase for your talents.  Feel free to express yourself in creative ways, and write about everything and anything.  You can write about movies you've seen and loved, and even food you've eaten and hated! There are no limits.


An additional purpose of your blog is to create a unique and creative network among your new GLPS classmates.  Although it is just the fifth day of camp, and you are still getting to know your new friends, you can be sure that on January 29th, when it's time to say goodbye, that you'll want to keep in touch.  A blog is a grand opportunity to do so, and I hope you continue blogging after the camp.

So for now, keep writing about your daily observations and learning experiences at GLPS.  Have fun, and upload pictures.  I'll be checking in! And keep in mind that when you are finished with the Chain Writing exercise, that I'm going to ask you to edit one of them and type it - and then post it on your blog.

See you in class! :)