Another Reason to Love CA!
The best thing about teaching is the interaction one has with students. They are fun, insightful, and unpredictable. At Colorado Academy, our students look out for one another, and they have fun together. There is trust between students and teachers at this school, and I love to see the types of positive relationships that students have with their teachers and advisors. This happens even though students are challenged with rigorous academics and high expectations. In every class, we want kids to think critically. We want them to challenge authority and ask "Why?" We teach them how to write and how to put forth an argument. We teach them about logic. This is why I have to share this email from senior Tia Yang pleading for a snow day. As snow was falling in Denver, I know hundreds of students were anxiously checking weather websites and news sources to monitor the forecast. Tia took matters into her own hands and went straight to the top with a very fun essay on why I should call a snow day. Alas, this February snowstorm didn't have quite enough punch. But, with Tia's permission, I share her great example of persuasive writing.
Dr. Davis:
With regard to recent weather, here are some reasons for which to make Thursday, 21 February 2013 a snow day:
1) The storm currently assaulting us is named Q- a weather system with a name is a big deal in Colorado, and should be accorded the appropriate level of respect.
2) The senior class deserves a snow day because they know it will be their last, and they will cherish the memory forever and ever. No senior class in the state of Colorado should be deprived of a last snow day. It's a crime against humanity.
3) This storm is bad enough that TVs are losing reception.
4) Half the seniors won’t show up anyway, which will result in unhappy teachers, which will result in more homework, which will result in unhappy students. It’s a vicious cycle.
1) The storm currently assaulting us is named Q- a weather system with a name is a big deal in Colorado, and should be accorded the appropriate level of respect.
2) The senior class deserves a snow day because they know it will be their last, and they will cherish the memory forever and ever. No senior class in the state of Colorado should be deprived of a last snow day. It's a crime against humanity.
3) This storm is bad enough that TVs are losing reception.
4) Half the seniors won’t show up anyway, which will result in unhappy teachers, which will result in more homework, which will result in unhappy students. It’s a vicious cycle.
Because every good argument is arguable, here are counterpoints to above reasons for a snow day:
1) We cannot allow this storm to take liberties at the expense of our highly valuable education. We wouldn’t want named storms to think they can walk all over Colorado anytime they want, wreaking havoc and closing schools willy nilly. Besides, what sort of name is Q?
2) The senior class has been so darn entitled since they had to spend all that time in the temp buildings. This should put them in their place. Besides, if they want cherished memories, they should really be bonding with their peers before they go their separate ways and continue to lead productive lives.
3) Well, in that case, you wouldn’t even be able to see if the school was closed, so you’d be fully expected to come to school.
4) Students should take their responsibilities more seriously, and if they don’t then teachers have every right to be upset.
1) We cannot allow this storm to take liberties at the expense of our highly valuable education. We wouldn’t want named storms to think they can walk all over Colorado anytime they want, wreaking havoc and closing schools willy nilly. Besides, what sort of name is Q?
2) The senior class has been so darn entitled since they had to spend all that time in the temp buildings. This should put them in their place. Besides, if they want cherished memories, they should really be bonding with their peers before they go their separate ways and continue to lead productive lives.
3) Well, in that case, you wouldn’t even be able to see if the school was closed, so you’d be fully expected to come to school.
4) Students should take their responsibilities more seriously, and if they don’t then teachers have every right to be upset.
Finally, here are counter-counterpoints, which will hopefully prove sufficient to demonstrate that a snow day would be proper, even necessary, in current conditions:
1) If we don’t appease Q, the next storm will be even more determined, and might just decide to take out the entire school for its horrible indecency towards Q. By the way, Q is a real storm name, not just a letter. The next storm (currently in Colorado Academy attack standby mode pending a snow day decision) is named Rocky. That’s intimidating, isn’t it?
2) Upon returning from a relaxing day of soon-to-be-cherished snow day memories, students will bond with peers over their unforgettable experiences. And remember, the phrase "crime against humanity" has been thrown around...
3) That counterargument is so staggeringly illogical it took me at least five minutes to come up with it.
4) Sigh… In an ideal world, yes. Sadly, such a vicious cycle is the inconvenient truth of the fallen world we live in. However, a snow day might serve to check the acceleration of the aforementioned cycle. It would be advisable to take full advantage of this exceptional absence of student/teacher collective unhappiness to devise an action plan. Student Dean Steven Hammer, for one, would be glad to lecture the senior class on the dangers of the grievously prevalent disease known commonly as “senioritis.” The science department, as well, might have insight as to the correct steps in developing a vaccine.
1) If we don’t appease Q, the next storm will be even more determined, and might just decide to take out the entire school for its horrible indecency towards Q. By the way, Q is a real storm name, not just a letter. The next storm (currently in Colorado Academy attack standby mode pending a snow day decision) is named Rocky. That’s intimidating, isn’t it?
2) Upon returning from a relaxing day of soon-to-be-cherished snow day memories, students will bond with peers over their unforgettable experiences. And remember, the phrase "crime against humanity" has been thrown around...
3) That counterargument is so staggeringly illogical it took me at least five minutes to come up with it.
4) Sigh… In an ideal world, yes. Sadly, such a vicious cycle is the inconvenient truth of the fallen world we live in. However, a snow day might serve to check the acceleration of the aforementioned cycle. It would be advisable to take full advantage of this exceptional absence of student/teacher collective unhappiness to devise an action plan. Student Dean Steven Hammer, for one, would be glad to lecture the senior class on the dangers of the grievously prevalent disease known commonly as “senioritis.” The science department, as well, might have insight as to the correct steps in developing a vaccine.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Credit to Tess Hamilton, for being a shining example of how snow day headmaster communication is a viable option.
-Tia
Credit to Tess Hamilton, for being a shining example of how snow day headmaster communication is a viable option.
-Tia
(But really, snow days are really a good thing...)
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