Hi

Hi

[AF & KC} Your mission, should you choose to accept it...

The Personal Statement on Skates!

This assignment is always crammed in after the exam, and this year we have less time than ever before! 

That is fine because our goal is simply
TWO ROUGH DRAFTS

We want you to start your senior year with two personal statements -- rough and certain to be revised further -- sitting in your Google Docs, ready to go.

Click the link in LINE 1 for detailed instructions.  Click any of these links.  They all go to the same place.

[AF & KC] Condoleezza Rice: the 2020 Sample Question

Here is the prompt.   The College Board has even kindly reminded you of what you must do.

Here is the text (I've copied and pasted the body of the text being considered here into a Google Doc); you can go out and read the speech online if you want.

My advice:  Write the essay!!  Why not??  Excellent practice.
(This is the essay I wrote in 45 minutes.  I found the most difficult part of this was adhering to the time constraints.  There were things I wanted to talk about that I did not have the time for.  Juniors!  Mind your time!)

Collns and I are rooting (and praying) for you!  Be good, attentive readers, observe what the speaker is doing to be effective, and then write about those choices!  Piece of cake.

Speaker - Occasion - Audience - Purpose - Subject

[AF & KC]: Intel from Gov't and Calc

What we've been hearing from seniors who took AP Gov't, and the kids who took Calculus -- the struggle has been in the upload, and getting this done in the alloted time.

In the slides in our previous post, the advice offered is to open up a word processor (Word, Google Docs, Notes, etc.) and type your response, and then when it is time to upload, to COPY/PASTE into the textbox.

Easier.  More foolproof.  Just check the formatting to see if anything changed in the transfer.

Miss you kids TONS.
Colln & Fletcher

[KC & AF]: Important Testing Details

Hi kids!

Are you nervous about the test because of all the technology involved and this weird new process that we weren't prepared for? Don't be! Instead, look at this set of slides which provides all the necessary details to answer your questions! :]

Pay close attention to the slides on "what to expect" and your different upload options. Copy/Paste means less possible glitch issues because you're not having to attach other files, but choose whatever method is best for you. (Also, if you're considering handwriting and attaching photos, be sure to look at the section on "Photo Submission Issues" in these Troubleshooting Tips. iPhone photos save in an unacceptable format so you'll have to do an additional step in your time frame.) Here's the link to all the new test details.

Also, here's a good timing schedule in case you're needing to give yourself structure:

• 10 minutes: read prompt and passage
• 5 minutes: plan essay and write intro and thesis statement
• 25 minutes: write body paragraphs
• 5 minutes: write conclusion and proofread/revise
• Last 5 minutes while flashing red: upload/submit

And remember, breathe. We'll try to answer any questions that we can as they pop up over the next week.

Always missing you,
Colln and Fletcher

AF: Writing Conferences

Click here to schedule a writing conference this week.  I am expecting to read Kelley, Kennedy, Louv or Thatcher, but you can ask for feedback on any essay.  Must make sure I have access to the essay at least a day in advance.  Let's just use the same Google Hangout link that we use for our other meetings.
😊

AF: Last Two Weeks of Prep!

It's May, and we are in countdown mode.  Everybody, all classes, keep an eye on this blog for test taking tips, information from the College Board, and review material.

For the Fletcher kids from 508:  As we run up to the deadline, here are the final four RA prompts we will discuss.  As always, I recommend that you look at ALL FOUR of these, consider them deeply, and write the essay in your head.  Get yourself started with a thesis, and think about how you will explain how the speaker is working to achieve their purpose, and what passages you will use to prove your explanation.

I will put a spot in Turnitin for Week of May 4 essays.  Any essay you write, I will score and discuss with you.  The next blog post I write will have the Essay-Review-Meeting schedule!

Week of May 4, 2020

Tuesday	2017 Booth Luce
Wednesday	2014 Adams
Thursday	2008 Fridman
Friday	2019 Gandhi

Week of May 11, 2019

Tuesday	2019 Gandhi
Wednesday	2017 Booth Luce
Thursday	2014 Adams
Friday	2008 Fridman

I stayed up too late last night, fooling around with my new iPad, so I need to take a nap now.  I'll come back and put up the schedule for Essay Conferences later.  Let me grab an hour's nap and take my walk!  Then I have to fix dinner -- I'm making potato soup, and then strawberry shortcake and whipped cream for dessert.  Be back at 8:00!  :)  

AF: Fletcher People, Week Four :)

This whole arrangement is hard, and unpleasant, but we are rising to the challenge.  We need to stay inside and stop the spread of the virus...

There is an AP Language meeting every day at 2:00.  I am looking for you on Mondays, and on the day you are scheduled, but as you know, you can change your day to fit your schedule.

The link is the same as last week.

We are working with the same prompts as last week, EXCEPT I moved them to new days, and this week we are writing the essay.  You need the practice.  Turn it in to Turnitin.com, and get feedback and a score, and in the gradebook, a big extra credit boost.  Many of you have been moving your grade up, and I am happy when I see you jump from a C to a B, or a B to an A.  Good for you.

I want to encourage you to take the time to examine and imagine your response to the two prompts you will NOT be working with.  For example, if you are a Kelley and a Kennedy, be sure to look at Louv and Thatcher and write the essay in your mind,  like "how would I approach this??"

Fourth week of intensive Rhetorical Analysis Review.

Four Groups.
Group names:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Each group gets their own prompt, and we will go over that prompt in the Google Meet Up on that day that corresponds to your group.  Come to the Meet Up prepared.  Here's what will happen:

1. We will talk about the prompt and the passage.
2. I will ask you to share your writing and your thinking.
3. I will review examples with you.
4. You will receive extra credit for showing up prepared and for sharing in the group.

Here is information from the College Board on the essay:

This question presents students with a passage of nonfiction prose of approximately 600-800 words. Students are asked to write an essay that analyzes the writer's rhetorical choices.  The question assesses students' ability to do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that analyzes the writer's rhetorical choices
• Select and use evidence to support a line of reasoning
• Explain how evidence supports a line of reasoning
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating an argument

Week Three: Come to the meeting with a full SOAPS analysis, and two or three rhetorical strategies that you want to discuss.  Here are the prompts.  This week, I want YOU to lead the discussion.  

Tuesday:  2012 Kennedy (speech)

Wednesday:  2013 Louv (excerpted prose)
Thursday:  2016 Thatcher (eulogy)
Friday:  2011 Kelley (speech)

This is a helpful handout that was shared by another AP teacher in a closed online group on Facebook. We hope that you will check it out and use it!

AF: Fletcher People, Week Three -- New Prompts!

Third week of intensive Rhetorical Analysis Review.

Four Groups.
Group names:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Each group gets their own prompt, and we will go over that prompt in the Google Meet Up on that day that corresponds to your group.  Come to the Meet Up prepared.  Here's what will happen:

1. We will talk about the prompt and the passage.
2. I will ask you to share your writing and your thinking.
3. I will review examples with you.
4. You will receive extra credit for showing up prepared and for sharing in the group.

Here is information from the College Board on the essay:

This question presents students with a passage of nonfiction prose of approximately 600-800 words. Students are asked to write an essay that analyzes the writer's rhetorical choices.  The question assesses students' ability to do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that analyzes the writer's rhetorical choices
• Select and use evidence to support a line of reasoning
• Explain how evidence supports a line of reasoning
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating an argument

Week Three: Come to the meeting with a full SOAPS analysis, and two or three rhetorical strategies that you want to discuss.  Here are the prompts.  This week, I want YOU to lead the discussion.  

Tuesday:  2011 Kelley (speech)

Wednesday:  2012 Kennedy (speech)

Thursday:  2013 Louv (excerpted prose)

Friday:  2016 Thatcher (eulogy)

This is a helpful handout that was shared by another AP teacher in a closed online group on Facebook. We hope that you will check it out and use it!

AF: All Kids >> check this link

College Board Updates on the AP exam

AF: Fletcher People, Week Two

Four weeks of Rhetorical Analysis Review:  Week Two

Four Groups.
Group names:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Each group gets their own prompt, and we will go over that prompt in the Google Meet Up on that day that corresponds to your group.  Come to the Meet Up prepared.  Here's what will happen:

1. We will talk about the prompt and the passage.
2. I will ask you to share your writing and your thinking.
3. I will review examples with you.
4. You will receive extra credit for showing up prepared and for sharing in the group.
5. This week:  Upload an introduction, including the thesis statement, and then bullet points for 2-3 rhetorical strategies you could discuss to demonstrate the logic of your thesis.

Here is information from the College Board on the essay:

This question presents students with a passage of nonfiction prose of approximately 600-800 words. Students are asked to write an essay that analyzes the writer's rhetorical choices.  The question assesses students' ability to do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that analyzes the writer's rhetorical choices
• Select and use evidence to support a line of reasoning
• Explain how evidence supports a line of reasoning
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating an argument

You are only required to attend on the day your group meets.  

If you can't attend that day for whatever reason, you have permission to write to another prompt and attend on that day, but please just send an email letting me know.

Also, if you are interested in attending more than one meeting in a week, you are welcome to do so.  Just come prepared.  Do the work.  

OK, here are the prompts:

Tuesday:  2003 Green (speech)

Wednesday:  2004 Chesterfield (letter)

Thursday:  2006 Rodriguez (excerpted prose)

Friday:  2002 Lincoln (speech)

To RECAP:  Week Two: Come to the meeting with a full SOAPS analysis, your introduction including thesis, and bullet points of two or three rhetorical strategies that you would likely analyze in an essay (upload document to Turnitin.com)

CLICK THIS LINK>>This is a helpful handout that was shared by another AP teacher in a closed online group on Facebook. We hope that you will check it out and use it!

AP Message from Mr. Gray! Show your mom and dad

Hello AP students and families-

CollegeBoard has created 45-minute online AP tests that students will take at home this year- art classes are also simplified. Students will need to follow directions on their own to take their exam since Mayfair will not be hosting the tests.

Please go to the AP information section on MayfairMonsoons.org AND check the e-mail address you gave CollegeBoard when you signed up for the exams this past fall for more information.

If you do not want to take an exam this year, simply reach out to your AP teacher to let them know - we will start a refund process at a later date.

Thanks,

Mr. Gray

[KC]: Colln's Class Game Plan

Hi kids!

View THIS LINK to pop open the document and see how I propose we tackle test prep between now and May 20th. Read through it. There's good info in there and essentials you need to know.

The GIST:

• We will unpack two prompts a week to hone our skills on analyzing the rhetorical situation, style, and argumentation. 
• We will meet once (twice?) a week to discuss our analysis. 
• We will have opportunities to practice writing in a timed setting with these new home environment challenges. 
• We will build our confidence and encourage each other. 

I need your feedback on this so let's meet virtually at 1pm on Friday. I'll send you the meeting id via Remind before the meeting.  And since, we're meeting we're going to unpack a prompt. So, be sure to take a look at the schedule provided in that doc and click on the Lord Chesterfield prompt. 

I can't wait to see you guys! 

- Ms. Colln

AF: Here's how it will work

Four weeks of intensive Rhetorical Analysis Review.

Four Groups.
Group names:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Each group gets their own prompt, and we will go over that prompt in the Google Meet Up on that day that corresponds to your group.  Come to the Meet Up prepared.  Here's what will happen:

1. We will talk about the prompt and the passage.
2. I will ask you to share your writing and your thinking.
3. I will review examples with you.
4. You will receive extra credit for showing up prepared and for sharing in the group.

Here is information from the College Board on the essay:

This question presents students with a passage of nonfiction prose of approximately 600-800 words. Students are asked to write an essay that analyzes the writer's rhetorical choices.  The question assesses students' ability to do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that analyzes the writer's rhetorical choices
• Select and use evidence to support a line of reasoning
• Explain how evidence supports a line of reasoning
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating an argument

You are only required to attend on the day your group meets.  

If you can't attend that day for whatever reason, you have permission to write to another prompt and attend on that day, but please just send an email letting me know.

Also, if you are interested in attending more than one meeting in a week, you are welcome to do so.  Just come prepared.  Do the work.  

OK, here are the prompts:

Tuesday:  2002 Lincoln (speech)

Wednesday:  2003 Green (speech)

Thursday:  2004 Chesterfield (letter)

Friday:  2006 Rodriguez (excerpted prose)

The work:  Week One: Come to the meeting with a full SOAPS analysis, and two or three rhetorical strategies that you would likely analyze in an essay

This is a helpful handout that was shared by another AP teacher in a closed online group on Facebook. We hope that you will check it out and use it!

AF: ZOOM! Colln today! and Fletcher kids? How 'bout Friday??

I miss your faces!  Let's get together on Friday, Monday Periods 1 and 2.  Let's just gather and share time together...it looks like we're in this for the long haul, so let's make some plans.  Come with ideas and stories and coping strategies.

Have you seen the College Board AP YouTube Channels?

I took a selfie yesterday.  (I need to learn to use filters.)  And did you know that I have a sleepy eye?  I don't usually notice it except in pictures.

AF: Announcement from Administration regarding AP Exams

Hello Mayfair parents of AP students:

The CollegeBoard is currently working on a plan to develop 45-minute, online 'take at home' AP exams that are based on the portion of AP content taught up until many schools across the nation were closed. They are organizing online review sessions on their AP YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/advancedplacement

CollegeBoard will have more information on April 3rd about what these exams will look like. We anticipate they will reach out to schools and students on the date.

Mayfair and BUSD are waiting on this pending announcement together as it will affect:

1. Students to pay of remaining AP balances

2. Students who wish to cancel their AP exam

3. Students who need to borrow technology to take the exam at home

Thank you for your patience as we work on these issues.

Mayfair Admin Team"

AF: Mayfair to the Rescue

Do you need a device to access the internet during the COVID-19 Pandemic??

KC: The Rise of Livestreams in Quarantine

Hi kids!

In this time of quarantine, I've been thinking a lot about the role of ART in our daily lives. Obviously, being an English teacher I'm talking about literature, but I'm also talking about music and film and painting and dance and comics, etc. There are so many forms of art out there, and if you're anything like me, those are some of the things we're turning to for peace and comfort in these uncertain times. One thing that has caught my attention in the past few weeks has been the sheer number of livestreams going on. It seems like each time I open my Instagram app, the little red circles catch my eye: I see four or five lives going at a time. For artists, this has always been a way to connect with fans, to give announcements and updates, and to market themselves in a more personal way. Yet, the livestreams I've seen lately have been different. It seems there's a different perspective, a different soul with them. What do you all think? Are we seeing more livestreams because it's a way for artists to stay relevant during a time where they can't sell out concerts or set up art showcases or go on book tours or have their films be seen in theaters across the world? Or are we seeing more livestreams because ART is something we need to survive, in the way we need air and water and human connection? Are we seeing artists show their talents for free because that connection is just as necessary for them as it is for us? What do you think?

I just got done watching a two-hour livestream of one of my favorite artists (Kina Grannis) singing songs from the floor of her living room and it filled me with so much hope in these weird times. What livestreams and other pieces of art have brought you hope during this time? Comment to let us know. Let's fill this thread with thoughts on art and recommendations :]

Stay hopeful, kids!
- Ms. Colln

AF: from November 2015

The Good Show, Radiolab
The whole hour is fascinating, but the episode I especially want you to listen is the Robert Axelrod segment, "One Good Deed Deserves Another."

You should subscribe to the Radiolab podcast, and listen to them on your iPod when you are doing your chores around the house.

AF: Argument Practice with the NYT

Remember, when you write, you can submit it to Turnitin.com for feedback.  No grades.

KC: But be sure to shoot us a message in Remind to let us know there's something up there to be looked at :]

AF: Hey kids, free review classes online

Check the schedule, and make the adjustment from Eastern Standard Time to Pacific Standard Time (if it's 3:00 in NYC, it's noon here).  English Language & Composition started at noon, and we missed it.  :(  But tomorrow!

The Daily Schedule for review

AF: News of no news, and a writing prompt

Hey, this is my seventh post with no comments or feedback.  Am I all alone out here?  Talk back, friends!  Let me know you're out there.

Your teachers do not yet know what the AP test is going to look like; we should know more on April 1st.  Further, there will be an "All-AP" online meeting with Mr. Gray on Friday.  As soon as I learn more, I will pass it along.

Meanwhile, I will posting things for you to read and review so that you stay ready.

I want to assure you that you are ALREADY prepared for the AP exam, as a pencil/pen and paper test.  Whatever College Board comes up with, you are already prepared.  We typically use this 4th quarter to polish your skills.

So don't quit reading.  And let's start writing.  Here's a prompt for you to play with.  If you write this, you can just upload it to this week's Turnitin folder, and I'll give you feedback.

Take 40 minutes.  Read the prompt carefully, and do EVERYTHING it tells you to do.  It will be OK to use the keyboard, since that is how you will test this year.

Q3 2000 Argument Question:  King Lear

AF: Learn Word Press, and make something cool

I have three websites.  Did you know that?

One is msfletcher.org  but I haven't updated it for years.

Another one is a blog I maintained for a few years with regular old blog posts -- alexfaye.com -- but I haven't updated that one either...for years.

And I have a new domain, that I haven't done anything with, YET -- lasflechas.farm.

I have forgotten much of what I knew about WordPress, and it has updated many times in the past few years so there are new features and functionalities that I know nothing about -- but with COVID19 shutting us down until at least April 19 (and likely beyond that), I think I will teach myself how again, and I'll start putting all of my blogs and websites in digital mothballs, closed, but linked in an archive at lasflechas.farm.

Want to learn now to use WordPress?  Want to make your own website?  Here is How to Learn WordPress for Free in a Week (or less). 

I like Google's Blogger for its simplicity and straightforwardness, but WordPress can really be cool, if you know how to harness it.  I don't.  But I'm about to learn.

AF: You should know Maria Popova

Hello, friends.

Maria Popova is one of the most studious, sensitive readers and writers on the planet.  She has been  producing Brain Pickings for many years now, so there is a rich archive to explore -- in it, she considers a theme and collects offerings from writers, scientists, poets of all kinds.  Her work always, always brings me something new to think about or admire.   If you can't find a way to read deeply and broadly, get acquainted with Maria Popova.  She can show you the way.

Here, her theme is the uncertainty that creative people must live with -- never really knowing whether your work is good enough, but the importance of pursuing your singular vision anyway.

AF: Paying it Forward

I am going to start combing through the AP blogs from the past many years, and share the good stuff I've created or found -- "my greatest hits," if you'll pardon the arrogance of that phrase.  What is a better way to describe what I intend to do here?  Am I "curating my career" as an AP teacher?  Something like that, I guess, although blog posts only offer a partial glimpse.

First up, please explore this link to my favorite book to teach and review logical fallacies, An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments. Look up the Slippery Slope.  Hilarious, and best of all, the illustration makes this impossible to forget.

Here's a little quiz:  do you recognize this as a fallacy?  Could you explain it?  Whether or not you remember its name is secondary, but do you remember what this is called??

KC&AF: Our email from the College Board

Here's a PDF of the email we received about exam administration during the COVID-19 year.

KC&AF: What should we do?

We miss you so much! And we hope you are feeling healthy and strong.  Keep washing those hands and sneezing into your sleeve.  Don't rub your eyes!  Don't pick your nose!  

We are in a strange pickle here.  We cannot assign work that will take a grade because we cannot know for sure that everyone has access to the internet, and that everyone has a computer to use.  Access and equity are the issues, as Superintendent McSparren pointed out in her email, and phone call home.

Although ACT and SAT tests have been cancelled for now, and Governor Gavin Newsom says we won't be taking the SBAC standardized tests this year, there is every indication that the College Board will find a way to administer the AP exam, either at home, or in a public place like a gymnasium, with a 6-foot perimeter around every seat.

And so we are here to encourage you to write.  We will not be able to GRADE it and put it in a grade book, but we can score it and give feedback...why not?  

Neither of us feel right just leaving you on your own until May 13.

So we will come out here to the blog and give you semi-regular reading and writing assignments.  You DO NOT have to do them, but we recommend that you do.  We are not grading them or keeping track of whether or not you do them.  But you are wise and self-motivated people, and you know that the practice could help you earn full college credit for taking only 75% of a class.  

Let's try this:  We will collect anything you write through Turnitin.com under assignments named by the date.  For example, we'll create an assignment called March 23-27, and anything you write and want feedback on that week will be uploaded there.  

So starting on Monday, March 23, we'll post something to read, and provide a prompt.  The reading and the writing may be connected, but they might not.  Perhaps we just want you to read something for the heck of it.  But sometimes, it might be an AP question, with something to read and respond to.  And in May, if we're still not together, we'll work on your personal statements remotely.

We can rise to this moment.  Be sure you are keeping a daily journal of your thoughts and what is going on in your day-to-day life; in 100 years, your writing will be among the primary sources people use to understand this catastrophic moment in our history.  Maybe it's time for you to start your own blog.  You don't have to make it public until you're good and ready.

Stay healthy!

AF: LA Public Library

I went cruising around the digital library today at LAPL.org and enrolled in a free Creative Writing class.  I've finished two lessons already.  It woke me up, mostly because I didn't feel like writing what the teacher suggested.  And I thought, "Oh, so this is how it is."

The teacher provided a link that I want to share with you, called Writers on Writing.  I am going through these in no particular order...favorites, people I've never heard of...it's helpful.  It's inspiring.

Deep Work 155-192

In this week of reading, Cal Newport emphasizes the importance of concentration. He makes note that this skill is something that isn't easy and must be trained. In order to get into the state of deep work, the individual must achieve two goals which include the ability to concentrate and to limit distractions. It is important to make break from complete focus but knowing the difference of relaxing yourself or just becoming distracted. Meditation is a good way to relax the body while not becoming distracted from your work. He introduces the idea of productive meditation by which the individual will occupy the body instead of the mind. In order to reach deadlines Newport suggests to make public deadlines such as telling to person to whom is receiving the work when it should be done. To conclude this week's reading we touched on the section where Newport suggests to quit social media and put a pause on Internet usage to truly defeat any distractions.

Deep Work Summary Week 3

Cal goes on to mention that the ability to do deep work needs to be fostered over a long period of time. If a person with less experience with deep work, they won't be working as deeply as someone who has been doing deep work for many years. Deep work is seen as a skill that must be worked on by yourself. You can't expect to be able to work deeply for hours from beginning to end. As you keep practicing, you'll be able to work deeply which then results in the production of great amounts of work. The two core skills that are needed for the ability to deep work is to concentrate intensely and the ability to overcome the desire for distraction. Both of these skills improve the skill of deep work.

Outliers Summary Week 3

As we go into the third week of our book club, we've read the various ideals to success such as social systems, heritage, and cultural which identities play a significant role in the individuals advantages and disadvantages towards success. In chapter five, Gladwell diverts the topic of Chris Langan to a man named Joe Flom, who has went against the odds before becoming a successful lawyer. Flom had a rough childhood, encouraging himself to challenge the odds into a difficult field. Even though he had the characteristics of ambition, talent, and intelligence to make him a scholar which was not enough. It wasn't that he didn't provide enough in character or effort but the tasks that came along the way. Obstacles have a huge role when individuals want to achieve a goal, they leave the person to struggle on more and make it harder than it should be for them. 

Overall, our third book club went sincerely well. We discussed the ideals to succeed what author provided. Hard work, dedication, and overcoming obstacles along the way aren't meant for the individual to slow down or give them reason to stop trying but to try harder and seek for the purpose behind it all. It can be scary and breath-taking, though, in the end we realize that the problem was nothing to what we have been waiting for in the future. It's the levels of difficulty that prepare us for the harder times, for our future goals, we are preparing everyday as we live on our lives. 

Moonwalking with Einstein #3

One of the first things discussed in this segment of the book Moonwalking with Einstein is the difference in how we read, contemporary style in comparison to ancient style, such as Middle Ages.  The primary difference is that, in the past, one read to memorize, but now we read to simply read, and don't retain much information.  This may be indicative of our lessening reliance on our internal memories.  Another interesting idea introduced was what Foer referred to as an "ok plateau."  Essentially, once we reach a certain level of proficiency in a given field or skill, such as typing, the process becomes most automated and improvement ceases.  However, he also indicates that the trick to getting off of this "ok plateau"  is consistent and trying practice, with immediate feedback.  He also touches on the idea that memory is a modular, not linear, system.  Basically, memory is several different segments that interact as a whole, and improving one segment will not necessarily improve memory as a whole.  In the end, this book provides several insights about how our memory really operates, and potential ways to improve that operation.

-Tyler Bartschi

How to Not Be Wrong: Week #3

During this week, our group read chapters 8 through 10, which doesn't seem a lot but each chapter is comprised of many sections where the author elaborates some of his points while some are explanations and facts about mathematical histories and theories. Me and my group members agreed that the author is making no definite point because he keeps going back to the topics of his previous chapters or starts off with a new topic before he finishes the old one. But, wrote down some of the main points the author repeats in the chapters.
A point that the author talks about through chapters 8-10 is chance. He says that many, if not most things, happen because of chance but we are not fully aware that most of the things that happen around us is chance. He tells us that most of what happens in our daily lives are natural occurrences, such us waking up in the morning, but, the author says that waking was only a chance of you not dying in your sleep. He further explains by using the probability of someone winning the lottery. We often think that winning the lottery happens once in a lifetime and it's almost impossible to win it twice. However, there is a slim chance that you can win twice, and usually we think of this as unnatural, in contrast to the natural occurrences that happen in our lives, but as the author says, everything happens by chance.
Another point the author makes is to take things into consideration. He says this throughout the book because it's essential in solving a math problem or drawing a hypothesis. The author tells us to make sure our assumptions and evidence is plausible or could be argued against by something that makes more sense. He gives us an example of a 1000 rooms with 1000 roulette wheels each and a player/spinner on each roulette. The player has to spin the roulette four times and it either lands on black or red, and we have to determine which sets of combinations appear more than the rest. In this case, it seems relatively easy for we can guess which combinations are most common, but the author tells us to consider our options; the speed of the roulette, the amount of people who actually want to play, and the null combinations. Basically, the author tells us to consider all the different possibilities where you could be wrong before you go around and make a fool of yourself.
Lastly, our book club meeting went really well. Once we were done with our roles, our discussion director asked us some very interesting questions and each of us had our own inquiry and answer.

Why We Sleep (Week #3)

Week #3 of reading chapters 6 and 7 of Why We Sleep: Unlocking The Power Of Sleep And Dream, uncovered shocking information and facts of not getting enough sleep. As I read chapter 6 in the book, it reveals many benefits towards the brain from getting enough sleep. Doctors recommend getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night for better memory aid, but we all know that impossible as of right now since we are juniors. What is so shocking about getting less than 8 hours of sleep is that our physical exhaustion drops by 10% to 30% making us easier to get impaired. The book talks more about impairment within chapter 7 because every hour someone dies in the United States from a fatigue-related accident due to people getting not enough sleep. I find this really scary because I know many of us are starting to begin driving and do not want any of us to drowsy drive since it is the same as drunk driving. Lastly, the book reveals that a lack of sleep in our adulthood would increase our chances of getting Alzheimer's disease. This really scares me because I know I do not get 8 hours of sleep each night so I am planning to change that soon. Overall, week #3 of our book club went great since we talked about these shocking facts that I mentioned in this post. I can say that all of us are definitely wanting to get at least 8 hours of sleep tonight.
-Daphne Salgado

Moonwalking With Einstein Ch. 3-6

 Throughout chapters 3-5 my group and I discovered the different perspectives of an intellectual and an average person. Joshua Foer, the author of Moonwalking with Einstein discusses experts more advanced and developed minds and their logical thinking compared to nonexperts. Foer also explains in his research he discovered while experimenting the "chunking method" that people can remember 7 chunks of info in their short term memory. In order to increase your memory and the size of chunks you have to give them meaning. Foer also discusses how he met a man EP, who has short term memory loss due to a serious flu. He lost the ability to create new memories and has never improved or worsened. Through this chapter Foer emphasizes two different types of memories, declarative and nondeclarative. Declarative memory in which you remember things consciously, this also includes semantic which are facts and concepts, and episodic like what you ate for lunch. Nondeclarative memory are things you know unconsciously like breathing. Each time we think about a memory we integrate it more deeply into our web of other memories, therefore making it stable and less likely to be forgotten. Through these next chapters we learn a lot about how we remember things and how they're described in our thoughts. He also introduced the memory palace, where you imagine the content you have to remember in a place. Most people have these without even realizing, which is what makes your memory so unique. 
Ultimately these chapters were very informative and eye-opening. We discussed our personal opinions and the ideas throughout each chapter. We felt that Foer has a good and simple language, which creates an easier understanding especially since he uses personal and scientific examples.

-  Pedroza

Deep Work Summary (Week 3)

This week's reading marked the beginning of the second half of Deep Work as stated by the author.  It's at this point that Cal Newport begins to go more into depth about how the reader can actually begin to use the deep work technique.  As the sections continue he begins to list the different mindsets for approaching its integration.  One in particular that he mentions is that of monastic philosophy which, in simple terms, essentially boils down to clear-cut scheduling for sessions of deep work and minimizing any obligations considered to be shallow in order to attain maximum effort for it.  However, Newport does mention some things in this section of the book that appear to contrast earlier assumptions about Deep Work.  For example, he mentions how Deep Work isn't solely restricted to having absolutely no distractions at all since people like Carl Jung were able to use it effectively whilst being able to keep up with the shallow tasks demanded by his job, basically he was able to balance the two without completely eliminating one.  Another thing mentioned that isn't really a contrast is that Newport acknowledges the importance of taking a break in order for someone's concentration to be recharged which he explains is important for an individual to consistently be able to focus on demanding tasks.

A very recurring criticism that my group has about this book is the repetitiveness of  the information being presented to the reader by Newport.  The common thing that gets repeated over and over goes along the lines of, "Deep Work is important because it helps you maximize work and is also important".  Now this on it's own isn't really a problem but it does become less and less bearable the more it's restated in different wording.

Week #3 - Atomic Habits: P101-137

Within this week's reading, my group read about the 2nd Law of Behavior Change which is to make habits attractive. In the book, the author talked about how having higher levels of dopamine contributes to every behavior that is highly habit-forming. People tend to imitate the culture and people around them. According to the author, humans try to copy the behavior of successful people in hopes to become successful themselves.

There are three social groups where people tend to imitate habits from: the close (family and friends), the many (tribe), and the powerful (prestigious and wealthy). Behavior that has approval, respect, and praise is attractive. In order to get rid of a bad habit, highlight the benefits of stopping to make it unattractive to do. Habits are attractive with positive feelings while they are unattractive with negative feelings.

Today our book club meeting went really well. We discussed all of the interesting passages and lines we wished to talk about. We also answered questions such as what habits did we do so often that we got sick of? What kind of habits did you get from your parents and so on.

Deep Work by Cal Newport Summary (pgs. 49-92)

In the following passage, Cal Newport further explained the meaning of going deep within your work. He reiterated how deep work is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy at the same time that it also is becoming increasingly rare. Big trends in businesses today actively decrease people's ability to perform deep work. Most businesses promote the use of technology, but Newport disagrees with it and believes that it distracts us, weakens our cognitive abilities, and our ability to concentrate. From his knowledge, deep work is key to extracting meaning from your profession. To embrace deep work in your career, and to direct it toward cultivating your skill, is an effort that transforms a job from a distracted, draining obligation into something satisfying and enriching. Newport argues that when it comes to the embrace of depth, such resonance is inevitable. Whether you approach the activity of going deep from the perspective of neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy, these paths all seem to lead back to a connection between depth and meaning.
Our book club meeting for this week was successful. We talked about how society really is revolved around technology nowadays, and it is keeping us distracted. We also discussed how Newport reiterates many good points but is not very realistic in this time.

Moonwalking with Einstein Summary of Chapters 6 and 7

Towards the beginning of this section of the book, Foer discusses how in past times, memorizing texts was key in mastering life, just as learning old chess games is the key to become a chess grand master.  He takes from this and explains how he struggled to memorize poetry.  When he searched in his copy of an old, respected memorization book, he came upon the idea that too be able to memorize easy things, you must train in memorizing difficult things, such as poetry (and this is applicable to many things throughout life).  It then explains that the best mnemonists are generally not in American because it says American is more concerned about the future, while Europe is more concerned about the past.  Next, Foer tells of his experience going to the World Memory Championship in Oxford, England; and that he met some people he believed only in myth to be true.  He says that many people started this the same way he did, they were impressed by mnemonists, then developed their memory themselves.  The championship lasted 3 days with 10 memorization events, consisting of poetry, decks of cards, binary code, random digits, book lines, and others. 

Foer then goes on to discuss memoria rerum  and memoria verborum, which is the memorization of things and of words, respectively.  Our brains are good at remembering what matters most: the meaning of words, or memoria rerum.  It is often times not necessary for someone to memorize something verbatim, but it may be necessary for someone to remember the concept behind what is being said.  In the past, transmitting culture meant transmitting it by mouth, or orally, so there were many more people with great memories.  Especially easy to remember is song, for example, turning something into a jingle is more memorable than trying to memorize a monotone speech.

Also, the whole basis of memory in this book is associating images within a place to the words you are remembering.  Though, abstract words are difficult to picture, so often times, people associate those words with other words that rhyme with it.  After that, Foer focuses the rest of his discussion on written language.  He says that when it was introduced, surprisingly memory did not experience an immediate drop, instead it increased, as the books served as a reminder more than the memory itself.  The people still memorized things, but used written language as a way to ensure permanence throughout history.

Book club this week was productive, though I feel that the first week's book club was most productive because that was when the main topic of the book was introduced.  This week, we talked about the importance of memorizing the gist of things versus memorizing words verbatim.  Another topic of discussion was books; we discussed how books have evolved from when they were first introduced, and how they affected people's memories when they started to become mass produced.

Why We Sleep: Summaries (Chapter 6-8)

During our most recent book club discussion, my group divulged into the vitality of sleep. We talked a lot about the scientific reasoning behind sleep, and discussed the negative implications of sleep deprivation, hearing input from both the author and from our own opinions. The questions we discussed, however, regarded if there is such a thing as excessive sleep, and if it can negatively affect the human body. We also were curious about the power of naps, and whether or not avoiding naps all together creates a large impact on our bodies, since naps cannot compensate for the lost sleep we’ve experienced thus far.

In chapters six and seven, Matthew Walker divulges into the reasons as to why humans must and require sleep, explaining that sleep is a vital part of our lives. Serving as a memory aid and performance beneficiary, it helps prepare our rested minds for memory formation and its eventual cementing and plays a role in our ability to be creative. Researchers found that sleep in stage 2 of NREM sleep is especially crucial for enhancing the speed and accuracy of our motor skills, since anything less than eight hours, and especially six hours, will severely impair our physical performance, ranging from cardiovascular to metabolic to respiratory capability.

The essence of sleep is captured in its link to neurological and psychiatric conditions, such as Alzheimer's, anxiety, and depression, and disease, such as cancer, diabetes, and weight gain. Full nights of recovery sleep, however, cannot compensate for lost sleep, while complex functions of our brains cannot be salvaged by any drug, device, or power nap. Humans need seven hours of sleep to maintain accurate cognitive function, affecting our ability to concentrate if our amount of sleep begins to waver. There are some rare individuals, due to genetics, that can survive on little sleep and naturally sleep very little with little side effect.

Why we sleep chapters 4&5

Chapters 1-3 of the book were mainly focused on the effects of not getting an adequate amount of sleep. To review the effects of not getting enough are possible cardiovascular disease, stroke,  congestive heart failure, and it demolishes your immune system which more than doubles your risk of cancer. After discussing the effects of inadequate sleep Walker then goes onto talking about sleep recovery, different species and how they sleep, as well as autism, effects of alcohol, and challenges that adolescents face. 

In our group we discussed the authors points that we felt were important. From what scientists know every single species sleeps because "sleep is something that is needed in order to fix that which has been upset by wake". Although not all species sleep the same amount of time. Size is a factor, but something more important is the complexity of the nervous system. Also there are different stages of sleep because some organisms need to be able to do certain actions right away and be on alert. Regardless of the amount of recovery opportunities the brain never gets back the amount of sleep it lost. This is why sleep is very important when we are young, kids diagnosed with autism do not have normal sleep patterns and this affects them negatively. If sleep is so important while we are young then why aren't kids receiving the necessary hours? Well Walkers say that adolescents face two challenges one is a change in their circadian rhythm and second is early  school start times. 

However do you think that if schools had later start times kids would be sleeping 8-10 hours or would they just stay up later because school starts later? Also what do you think are other reasons for why both kids and adults aren't receiving an adequate amount of sleep? 

Outliers Summary- Chapters 4, 5, & 6

       In chapter 4, Gladwell opens by talking intensively about a man named Chris Langan. Gladwell mentions how he grew up poor with an alcohoic father that rarely showed up or made an appearance in his life. The author states how Langan was very smart and ended up going to Reed University on a scholarship, but how unfortunately, he ends up loses his scholarship due to missing a deadline for a financial aid form. Gladwell points this out and brings up another man named Robert Oppenheimer. The author says how he was also extremely intelligent like Langan, but recieved better feedback from his University. Oppenheimer recieved probabtion for an attempt of murder, whereas Langan was kicked out of his University due to his inability to turn in a financial aid form, putting in action the events that follow to him dropping out. The author says how this is due to Oppenheimer possessing "practical intelligence", which is achieved through a child's upbringing. The wealthier the family, the better a child's "practical intelligence" will be. This feeds into Gladwell's main point that wealth (class) plays a huge role with being successful.

       
      In chapter 5, Gladwell talks about a man named Joe Flom, who is apart of the most well-renowned law firms in New York. Gladwell mentions how although Flom grew up in a Jewish family during the depression, he still managed to achieve a good education. The author asserts that the reason why Flom is so successful is because he was a Jewish lawyer in New York at the right time. This feeds into one of Gladwell's main points that time is a huge factor that coincides with success. 

   
    In chapter 6, Gladwell talks about a small town Harlan in Kentucky and how there was a fued between two families. The author then mentions how fueds were common all over towns in Kentucky. Gladwell asserts how patterns of crime in the south are so distinctable. A distinctable aspect of crime in the south is that it is more personal. This feeds into another one of Gladwell's main points that culture plays a huge role in success: traditions and attitudes we inherit from our forebears can influence the amount of success we acquire. 

- Jasmine Sohal

     

How Not to Be Wrong Summary Part III: Expectation

In part 3 of his book, How Not to Be Wrong, Jordan Ellenberg begins to describe the concept of expected value by using the lottery as his guide. Through algebraic expressions and a fair amount of visuals and graphs, Ellenberg proves the best time to purchase a lottery ticket while simultaneously introducing the notion that probability and risk aren't the same. While percentages and probable outcomes play a role in the likelihood of an event occurring it's not the same percentage that calculates the potential risk accompanying each consequence.

Ellenberg goes onto say that ultimately it's unwise to claim the lottery a waste of time and energy. Is there always a good chance of winning? No. But is it fun? For $2 I'd say it's worth $2 worth of fun. He denotes that you're more likely to fail than anything, but you'll fail 100% of the time if you don't try in the first place.

- Alfonso Gastelum

Atomic Habits: Chapters 11-15

The chapters read this week focused on the 3rd and 4th laws of behavior change which is to make it easy and make it satisfying. Many factors contribute to these laws. For the 3rd law, changing the environment to benefit the formation of good habits is a useful technique. For example, many of my peers use their phones all the time to rid themselves of boredom. However, this habit can lead to unproductiveness. One strategy to fix this problem is to place the phone where it is inaccessible for an interval of time to get priorities in order and do the more important things. 

For the 4th law, making a habit satisfying instills the person to repeat that certain habit to consistently feel the pleasure of the end result. No one will repeat a habit if it does not reward any pleasure. Clear uses an example about when chewing gum was first introduced. It wasn't widely popular until Wrigley added different flavors which made people want to keep purchasing it. Making something satisfying will make people repeat it. 

Although this book is meant for everyone, my peers and I can implement this book's advice into our daily lives. Students have a variety of bad habits such as sleeping late or not finishing homework. This book can help us change our terrible habitual actions and give us a better life. It's up to us to change ourselves.  

Outliers Chapter 3-4

Gladwell shows that people with innate talent has does not have much to do with people who are successful. He brings up the 10,000 hour rule which shows that people with roughly around 10,000 hours of practice are the ones that are masters of a certain art. Piano players put into different groups had different amounts of practice, those who had around 10,000 were considered professionals and those with 4,000 became teachers and such.

He also makes the point that people's success is also based on luck and their childhood. If Steve Jobs was not lucky to get so many opportunities to code, he would not be who he is today. Gladwell claims that a person's family background also has impact on how they turn out. A person from a wealthy family is taught differently that a person from a poor family. The person from the wealthy family is taught in such a way that will make them be more likely to be successful.

Atomic Habits Chapters 6-10

This weeks reading was mainly focused on the attractiveness of a habit, the 2nd law of behavior change.  After, having discussed how to make a habit invisible last week, the attraction of a habit is described as a dopamine-driven feedback loop.  The feedback loop is ran by the increased dopamine levels from anticipation and reward of an action, which is why a habit is difficult to quit.

The Author, then explains what initially determines what habits are attractive.  Due to human nature and our crave for acceptance and conformity, our family, friends, and culture have a major impact.  We see this happening all over school campus; there are many fellow classmates who have become victims to vaping or other like actions.  There are various reasons to why our peers have developed these habits, but at the end of the day they first indulged in these activities to try out what society is constantly portraying as an acceptable social interaction.

Consider, why is it a brag contest to see who slept at the latest time, or who started their work the latest?  Consider, the fact that because our classmates are all procrastinators, we ourselves have become procrastinators.  Is it a part of our want to conform to society, be able to relate to others, and be involved in the conversation that we have developed the habit of procrastination?

Atomic Habits chapters 4 - 7 review

In chapters 4-7,The First Law, Clear discusses filling out habits scorecards to help notice which habits are good and bad. He also explains two formulas to make habits easier to keep. The first is the implementation intention formula:"I will [behavior] at [time] in [location]". The other is the habit stacking formula:"After [current habit], I will [new habit]". Making the cues of good habits obvious and visible will also make keeping habits easier. Clear also deliberates that it is easier to build new habits in a new environment because you are not fighting against old one. Also, one of the ways to eliminate bad habits is to reduce exposure to the cue that causes it.

Why We Sleep Summary Week 2

In chapters 3-6 Walker explains to us how a vast majority of ancient tribes had a different sleeping schedule compared to modern day Americans. Ancient tribes would sleep periodically by taking at least a two hour nap throughout the day and finishing off the day with at least 6 more hours of sleep. This method proves to be a more efficient form of staying energized throughout the day, thus they were able to accomplish more rigorous activities. 

By reaching 6 hours of sleep your REM is finally activated. During REM your body rejuvenates in a chemical bath, restarting your body and feeling fresh. However if you are interrupted during REM you tend to be more tired and 10-30% more physically exhausted. With that being said, sleep is extremely pro active and helps your body drastically. 

Outliers Book Club Week 2

In this second portion of the book we find that Bill Gates has his success due to many opportunities, financial status, and the time period he was born. As we moved onto the third chapter we see that "geniuses" are credited more than people who met the threshold of smartness. But being labeled a genius may not have credit in the end because as professor Terman's students age they show us that high intellect doesn't guarantee achievement. Thus is also represented with the University of Michigan because the minority kids who met the threshold were still successful without the highest test scores. with the example with Florence who is a "genius" we find that high intellect also doesn't ensure proficiency in other areas, such as creativity. lastly, geniuses don't always fulfill their dreams of academic excellence because people like Chris Langan get hit with rejections that dismiss people who are intellectually talented.

Our Book club went well because we all fulfilled our part and we all contributed to the conversation. We went around the table and revealed our information to each other which led to deep analyzing and understanding of the text. One thing we all identified is that a high IQ doesn't necessarily measure a persons ability of success.

Moonwalking Summary Book Club Week 2

Throughout our reading this week of Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer, my group and I learned some new and interesting things about memory and how ours works.  For example, Foer explained that our short term memory is limited to the"magic number 7," plus or minus two.  In other words, we are only able to think about five to nine things at once before they vanish from our minds or turn into long term memories.

We also read that contrary to popular belief, our memory and perception of time actually speeds up when we're doing boring, repetitive things and it slows down when we start having richer experiences, like when we travel.  Lastly, we learned a new skill to remember things by placing them in an "intimately familiar" place, such as your house, and making them weird or funny to help you visualize them and make them stand out amongst everything else in your memory.

Our book club meeting was extremely productive today and I feel that our conversations are getting deeper as we get more comfortable with each other, our book, and our roles.  Today, most of our time was spent discussing our own long term memories, which were almost all consistent with Foer's discoveries.

- Annika H

Outliers Summary of Chapter 2 & 3

Chapter  two opens up with computer scientist and UC Berkeley graduate, Bill Joy. Gladwell mentions his many achievements and accomplishments due to his extraordinary and brilliant mind, and he goes more in depth of how innate talent and practicing effects success. The 10,000 hours he refers to is the amount of time needed to be an expert. Even for prodigies, practice only will not be enough, you need support from family and to be financially secure, and opportunity gives a person the chance to be an expert. Gladwell touches upon if the 10,000 hour method works for all people, specifically the Beatles and Bill Gates. After discussing their background, he concludes that what sets them apart is their lucky and random opportunities. Chapter three begins with Chris Langan, the man with 195 IQ, a intelligent and very successful person. Lewis Terman conducted intelligence testing on about 1,5000 young geniuses. He hypothesized that they would become great, successful, and famous. In general, the higher IQ, the higher achievements you will make in your life but once you reach about 120, that rule doesn't apply anymore. At the end of the test, it proved that Terman was wrong, at first it showed that many students became like what he had said, but many lived middle class lives.

Atomic Habits 59-97

During these pages of the novel, James Clear provides multiple methods of how to begin a new habit. Chapters 4-7 focus on his first law of behavior change, which is to "make it obvious". His first method is the Pointing-and-Calling method. This is used by many train conductors to raise your awareness levels and point out errors. We can use this in our lives by calling out the items you need before you leave the house.

A second method is implementation intention. This is when you associate a habit you want to begin with a time and location to keep you accountable with performing that habit. For example, if you want to go to the gym, instead of saying you will sometime this week, say you will on Tuesday at five o'clock. Another version of implementation intention is habit stacking, or when you add a new habit to a current habit. An example that he lists is if you want to start reading before you go to sleep every night, place a book on your pillow after you make your bed in the morning. These two methods create obvious cues that trigger your desire to perform the habit.
Aniya Steele

Deep Work (50-100)

Because most of this chapter is similar to Haley's first post. I will just cover some of the new points introduced rather than give a backstory. In an environment without clear impacts from our behavior, we will tend to follow the easiest path. With a lack of understanding of the value of productivity, people will tend to do busy work to make themselves appear to be hard-working. Life satisfaction correlates with the amount of flow experiences that occur in a given week. Flow experiences, such as ones involving deep work, are times where our mental abilities are being stretched to its limits. One's approach to a task is more important than the content of the task itself. Social media is necessary for no reason other than it exists. You have a finite amount of willpower, which depletes as you use it. Jobs are easier to enjoy than free-time because there are clearly defined goals built in.

So far in the book, Newport has made some interesting claims, but it is starting to get repetitive. Many of the situations are a repeat of someone noticing they've gotten more productive as they laid off of social media for a week. There has been more evidence to support the original claims made, but the statements themselves have not developed further. Fortunately, there is a new section of the book coming up which may introduce more diverse topics.

Moonwalking with Einstein Summary (Ch.3 - Ch. 5)

For people who specialize in one particular occupation like being a SWAT officer, or chicken sexing as this book made so aptly clear, what underlies their skill in those jobs is intuition. They've learned what they've learned based on the past experiences which in turn molded their skills, and they themselves cannot pinpoint the exact reason that burglar looked so suspicious or why that particular chicken is male; they just know. Intuition makes experts see the world non-experts don't. The author describes the skill of memorization along the lines of causality working in the opposite direction. By effectively placing the imperative knowledge needed for such jobs in what the author calls the "memory palace", these experts in turn become the cause of the intuition seen in their processes.

Likewise, people that forget (like really forget) more often than remembering not only lack this strict intuition, but a sense of time as well. People with Alzheimer's, or any imperative memory disease of that sort, have minds that are quite literally out of the loop. Without time, there is no place for memory. There is no spatial technique to remember the path taken to school. However as the author puts it, while monotony collapses time, novelty unfolds it. We have an inherent connection to images seen before, whether we've sought to remember them or not. Associating images with parts of a familiar setting is crucial for memory, and that even extends to victims of Alzheimer's. Even though cases like 80 year old EP in the book may forget 50 or so years of his entire life, he can still remember paths he'd take in the city even though he could not exactly pinpoint why he remembers. So while people like him like strict intuition, they still possess some form of it regardless.

Outliers Summary [Intro - Chapter 2]

Outliers opens up through a small unique town in Pennsylvania named Roseto comprised of only immigrants from a town in Italy called Roseto Valfortore. This town was very different than any other town in the United States during the 1890s. The residents of Roseto had a significant low amount of heart attacks and heart disease thus making Roseto an outlier. Stewart Wolf, a physician, and John Bruhn, a sociologist, decided to figure out why and what they discovered was something unheard of to the medical community which is what inspires Malcom Gladwell to write Outliers. Chapter 1 dives into the mystery surrounding professional athletes and focuses on hockey players. When looking at a list of birthdays of professional hockey players, Gladwell points out that they are born only in the first few months of the year. It turns out that January 1st is the cut off date for many hockey leagues. As a result, many older kids get put younger kids in hockey and then they move up the chain of hockey leagues through the experience and training they receive which keeps snowballing till their skill level is actually then superior to others the same age. This phenomenon is called the Matthew Effect and can also be applies to other sports like baseball, soccer, and even academics.

How not to be wrong summary

   In Jordan Ellenberg’s, how not to be wrong, Ellenberg opens by discussing how math is a universal language upon which all things can be proven or disproven. He continues on and discusses how many people see life as a linear line, when in reality it is better seen as a bell curve or even an quadratic function. Furthermore, Ellenberg demonstrates that we do not know everything there is to know about math and that not all things line up such as 3/3=.9999...=1. Ellenberg also shows how proportions especially in relations to deaths is often just comparing apples to kittens. Lastly, Ellenberg also discusses how percentages are manipulated in the political realm in order to alter views on various subjects such as job gains and losses.