Wednesday 29 August 2012

SAT - Anthology Reading Report -

Today I have been engaged in an intense reading session. Without gap since 12 I have been able to cover a significant amount of the SAT Anthology. Till now I have found each and every document to be very very helpful and relevant to the preparation for both SAT and application process. Today I have finished reading and noting down the following:
1) Hills Like White Elephants

2) Pessimism and Modern Tragedy
3) Critical Thinking In College Writing

Topics 1 and 3 cover the way a texts are to be interpreted and critically analyzed for further academic evaluation and writing. However topic 2 talks about the modern tragedies and the pessimistic minds that are increasing in number due to its influence. I loved the piece for it connected with the characters I know from my social and family life. I agree with the writer at his argument of how the tragic struggle is required to obtain inert peace and have come to discover something that might be the reason for our pessimism in this modern era; the lack of "faith".


This Piece is Contributed by Argho

Gramsci - Knowledge - Literature

I have just finished Antonio Gramsci's theory of knowledge. The amount of knowledge and focus I have gained from it is unbelievable. I am now more aware about your comment today regarding the question on pursuing literature as a career. For the knowledge of literature won't have any reason for being, if it is not present as an influence to the society and its movements. However, I have also learned that one of the other purpose of knowledge lies in being able to lead one's own society and control those who lead. It is simply a great piece and a memorable one.

Report by Argho

Saturday 25 August 2012

Tomorrow's Class timing and others

I will be in the class tomorrow at 3 pm to have sitting with Nila and Mahmud. Our SAT class starts at 4 pm and ends at around 6.30 pm.

Everyone MUST bring SAT Official Test Book.

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Our class tomorrow - Wednesday

Our tomorrow's class begins at 8.30 am - till 11.30 am.

We discuss all the problem areas for the tests that you have given.

We also discuss Critical Reading Tactics.

Saturday 18 August 2012

A Week of Class and Essay Theme

After doing regular classes with you for a week, I have discovered that I am now more comfortable with vocabulary and passages that presents twisted ideas. I am really glad to notice that my grip on the SAT passages are back again. I am now more comfortable with passages regarding art, music, colonialism, feminism, epistemology, behaviorism, science fiction, science etc. But just now I have encountered a passage in the new official SAT book test 2 section 4 that tells us about a trip to a place - I was a bit baffled by it. After I did it, I noticed a number of mistakes.

I guess these mistakes are due to the fact that I failed to relate it with the reading items and the discussions of our class. I hope that since - we will have more discussion classes, these sort of things will be clearer and easier. In today's class we discussed about a SAT passage that is sardonic towards the thinking process that people from different disciplines have. I found it interesting and I am planning to write my college essay based on theme of the passage that we discussed and the book "College what it was, what it is, what it Should be". I will write why I am going to college "not to why I am going to that specific college".

Another matter. Till today, I cannot present argumentative essay without a personal story attached to it. Now I know what I am inclined to present in my commonapp essay. I think I am suffering the writer's block here. 

I really enjoyed the vocabulary classes that I did in this week. I am definitely more comfortable with vocabulary now.

Friday 17 August 2012

Dear All - I love ALL of YOU

It is because every year I put you through excruciating pain and you go through it all without any protest. Please make sure that you go through the word lists that you like and be prepared to spend 4 hours on Saturday.

Thursday 16 August 2012

Very Ashamed

I am VERY ashamed to admit that I failed to update the BLOG for more than a week. So much so that a few of you had even requested me to leave a post about our NEXT Class. So, here it is:

Next Class Timing:

Saturday: 8.30 am

This is a reminder that if there is EID on Monday then our Timing will be as Follows:

19th - Sunday - Class Closed
20th - Monday - EID
21th - Tuesday - Class Closed

I also want to tell everyone that I am becoming MORE satisfied with the quality of work that I am receiving from this class. A number of students have made significant improvement. However, I am not going to be satisfied until ALL have achieved same level.

I am still waiting to see BIG improvements from the some of you. Please try to help the class by encouraging one another. The time we have (One and a half Months) - is enough to effect a BIG Change.

I will POST again today. 

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Our Class - Tomorrow at 9.30 AM

Our class Tomorrow will be

9.30 AM to 12 PM

Everybody MUST bring their Working-plan for the next 72 Hours when they meet me tomorrow morning. The report should address the following items:
  1. SAT Test
  2. Report Writing
  3. Vocabulary
  4. Application Preparation
After this two and a half hour class I will sit with selected students with whom I have made appointments.

Tuesday 7 August 2012

Class Timing for Wednesday - Tomorrow.

Our class resumes tomorrow at 8 AM - it will be followed by my sitting with students who had previous appointments with me,

Those who are yet to sit with me - should ask for one by tomorrow evening.

I want to see ALL in the class.

Monday 6 August 2012

No Class Tomorrow

Well,

There will be NO class tomorrow. I hope those who attended today's session today have been cleared off a few confusions.

I will have to meet one very senior Surgeon at his Hospital. Therefore, I will NOT be able to sit with a few of the students who already have an appointment with me.

On the morning of Wednesday at *.00 am - I shall RESUME regular class.

IN the meantime - keep sending me reports. Its IMPORTANT!

Sunday 5 August 2012

Very Important Class Tomorrow - MONDAY

We will have a FINAL bout of Application Classes - attended by 3 Anglophiles alumni - Tomorrow at 8.00 am. They represent - Tufts, U Chicago, and Mount Holyoke.

I MUST request everyone to attend the class with an intention to 'participate' in the discussion.

I also congratulate everyone who took part in today's MOCK. Visible absentees from today's MOCK are - Mahmud, Shabbir, Nishat, Nirjhor, Raidah.

Finally, I am sad to note that Shababa have concluded her SAT class with me today - she is leaving tomorrow for her school in Wales, UK. 

Wednesday 1 August 2012

7 Hour Class

All students were present - except for Raidah and Farheen.

But let me talk a little about our class yesterday. We mostly talked some of the select Titles from the Cummings and I gave my own version of how I look at these Titles. We discussed a few:
  1. Huck Finn
  2. Babbitt
  3. Enemy of the People
  4. Frankenstein
  5. Great Gatsby
Today, we have started the class with a long list of Sentence Variations with examples. Some of the school Grammar was rehearsed in full. Some of the few things we came to know afresh. I also intend to put this entire Sentence Variation document in a separate Page on the BLOG.

We have also engaged in writing sample essays to test what we are capable of - after we had a full discussion of Sentence Variation.

I intend to split the class into TWO as I need fewer students for better interaction.