IB Theatre Solo Performances
Written & Photographed by Soepe Ya
What is an IB Theatre Solo performance?
Theatre and English students took to the stage for the Theatre Solo performances. It was a night that included performances from the Higher Level (HL) Theatre and Standard Level (SL) Literature and Performance English students. Students choose a published piece and adapted it using the style and methods of one of the theatre practitioners they studied. Students can adapt any published piece as a monologue, as long as it stays within a set time limit. Chosen pieces can be derived from books, plays, movies, music, and other forms of art. Once chosen, students interpret their piece through various styles. Finally, the pieces were then put into a monologue and performed for 60 audience members.
The pieces performed expressed the different styles and topics of theatre and writing. Senior HL Theatre student Alexis Torres, performed a piece called “A thing for Nerds” from the book My William Shatner Man Crush. The piece, introduced as a Ted Talk, has Torres’ character speak on why they love the company of nerds. Alexis played the main character as self conscious and as though she is seeking attention. Her practitioner, Konstantin Stanislavski, believed that the best way for actors to portray a character was to step into that role in the mindset of that character, or in other words, “walk in their shoes”. These performances give both the audience and the performer an opportunity to better their writing and performing skills.
The Theatre Students were joined on stage by Mr. Puddicombe's Lit and Performance class with adapted scenes from Jamaica Kincaid’s novel, A Small Place. Each scene was written during class time and was some of the performers first times on stage. Each of the scenes was directed by the students themselves under the supervision of Puddicombe. This was the first time the Lit and Performance class performed during the IB Theater Solo performances. Based on audience and student reaction, this will not be the last time.
Theatre and English students took to the stage for the Theatre Solo performances. It was a night that included performances from the Higher Level (HL) Theatre and Standard Level (SL) Literature and Performance English students. Students choose a published piece and adapted it using the style and methods of one of the theatre practitioners they studied. Students can adapt any published piece as a monologue, as long as it stays within a set time limit. Chosen pieces can be derived from books, plays, movies, music, and other forms of art. Once chosen, students interpret their piece through various styles. Finally, the pieces were then put into a monologue and performed for 60 audience members.
The pieces performed expressed the different styles and topics of theatre and writing. Senior HL Theatre student Alexis Torres, performed a piece called “A thing for Nerds” from the book My William Shatner Man Crush. The piece, introduced as a Ted Talk, has Torres’ character speak on why they love the company of nerds. Alexis played the main character as self conscious and as though she is seeking attention. Her practitioner, Konstantin Stanislavski, believed that the best way for actors to portray a character was to step into that role in the mindset of that character, or in other words, “walk in their shoes”. These performances give both the audience and the performer an opportunity to better their writing and performing skills.
The Theatre Students were joined on stage by Mr. Puddicombe's Lit and Performance class with adapted scenes from Jamaica Kincaid’s novel, A Small Place. Each scene was written during class time and was some of the performers first times on stage. Each of the scenes was directed by the students themselves under the supervision of Puddicombe. This was the first time the Lit and Performance class performed during the IB Theater Solo performances. Based on audience and student reaction, this will not be the last time.
Like the name suggests, is Intro To IB Tech and Design an introduction to IB or a Technology class?
Written by Rebeca Acosta
Intro to IB Tech and Design is a class that is respective to an IB school and at Reagan, freshman have a common class: Intro to IB Tech and Design. The class is to prepare the students by “getting them familiar with the IB terms,” Joe Veierstahler, one out of four teachers who teach Intro to IB, stated. Matt Sanders agrees with Mr. veierstahler that the class is “useful for getting them familiarized with the program.” Along with Mr. Veierstahler, Mr. Sanders, Sandra Kelly, and Kurt Dillman teach Intro to IB Tech and Design.
Four years ago, Mr. Dillman began teaching Intro to IB. He said that the “Curriculum is changing” because the administration has “Listened to the students to have more meaningful relevant conversations.” However, with the class constantly changing, there are challenges to teaching it. Mr. Sanders claims that “at Reagan it's also tech and design” which makes the class complex in its curriculum. Mr. Sanders adds that it is to “practice skills related to the design cycle and finding that basic balance”. The challenge to find that balance between the IB half and the Tech and Design portions is a “challenge to what makes the class exciting.”
Intro to IB tech and design is a curriculum that teaches freshman how to apply problem solving in the real world. Mr. Sanders says its because the class is “inculturated in the idea of this global community.” Mr. Dillman says that “After taking design class, students will be more prepared for the diploma program, for college, and life after that.” Additionally, Mr. veierstahler agrees that the “school as a whole is what gets them ready for the world.” Mr. Dillman believes that “some students don't see it as important as their Math or English class” but Mr. Sanders says that “to the degree we teach the IB framework.. A global framework.” He goes to add on how Intro to IB teaches the “Kinds of consideration and skills needed to survive in a global environment.” As a whole, “thinking in a global way about the interconnectedness of the things we do at Reagan or the things the students do in their own lives and how those things reflect upon or influence by more global issue,” Mr. Sanders concludes.
There is one thing that Intro to IB is founded on that all three teachers mentioned: The design cycle. Mr. veierstahler is about “reflecting what you've done” and Mr. Sanders adds it is about “inquiring, designing, producing, and reflecting.” Mr. Dillman says that the whole point of the design cycle is “being able to support their opinions with evidence and being able to use the design cycle to think critically will help them.” Mr. veierstahler argues that one of the most important things about supporting evidence is about “thinking about legitics.” Mr. Sanders put it in another way by “analyze what known currently to find the flaws to what we know currently… Improvement we can make to the current solutions and then examining and reflecting upon how effective our solutions are.”
Attitude is how to approach problems by the Intro to IB curriculum. Mr. Sanders believes that “Social problems and how we might approach those problems with the same attitude we would approach a technological problem.” That is just what students need to approach and solve problems. In this day in age, students need to understand how to approach problems, using technical solutions and Intro to IB offers that.
The Intro to IB is teaching an Ethics unit. Being a class that brings up topics in such a way that continues. Mr. Dillman states that “students have definite opinions about cultural appropriation and about important issues to them...dress code.” Mr. Sanders class discuss the “ethics of Immigration and students of all of America have mixed beliefs mixed understanding and diversity in solutions to the problems.” He adds that the class brings ”diversity on how to fix them, some are technological and some are not and then we have this idea that we can make a proposal.” because “current set of solutions to the problem.. none of them work very well.”
Keeping that in mind, it can be challenging to understand the difference between the idea and the person which is something that intro to Ib correlates with. Mr. Dillman's tells his class that “We challenge ideas but don't confront people and we don't attack people.” Mr. veierstahler agrees that in a class discussion students need “to focus on the ideas instead of the people saying the ideas. I think when you can separate the idea from the person that's the strength of a good debater.” Mr. Sanders finds “To draw parallels in the problems of oriented process from unit to unit” can be difficult.
While the curriculum changes annually, teachers voiced that the class should “Implement a little more invention slash technology type of topics where we look at a problem where we come up with a product and fix it and look for the things that would be specific to the problem,” like Mr. veierstahler said. One thing is for sure, the class is driven on “Effective human curiosity,” mr. sanders said. Students are curious to why probelmes are they way they are and how to solve for them. “That's why we need a class like into to IB”
Intro to IB Tech and Design is a challenge for both teachers and students but the outcome is beneficial to build skill for problem solving. One thing that is common between what the Intro to IB being a freshman class, it has taught the teachers that freshman exceed their expectations. Mr. Dillman agreed that he “shouldn't underestimate freshman.” Mr. Dillman says that “It's really inspiring to me that their willing to have these conversations, their willing to talk about these things, and they handle themselves pretty maturely. Mr veierstahler finds frightening that students have the “Freedom in which students are able to answer questions.” He continues by saying that “students want to specifically say what's on their mind without thinking about how someone else might feel about their statement because they are eager to get their opinion out.” This class is good for a practice on open discussion, considering perspectives, and putting one into their shoes. Mr. veierstahler is right on how “without considering other people's feelings, things just come out and then students feel bad about it.”
Students also agree with what teachers said. Intro to IB Tech and Design class opens the spectrum while also teaching the students to respectfully share their opinions. Eliana Dyson stated that “People can be racism and not even know it” in the class. Demi Lewis, a student apart of the freshman class, says that “learning about different things going on in the world” is what the class teaches the students. In addition, Ryleigh Carroll, a freshman student, says the most important thing about Intro to IB is “the fact that I could learn about different ways people find things to be right or wrong.” She adds that it “helps them recognize different issues that we weren't aware of.” In coordination with Carroll, “being able to disagree in a respectful manner” like Dyson said is how Intro to IB teaches controversial issues. What makes the class unique according to Lewis is “learning about different things going on in the world.” Carroll has learned from “right and wrong” but also like the class, Carroll found “learning conflicts and coming up with a solutions” is the foundation and essentially what Intro to IB Tech and Design is all about.
Intro to IB’s curriculum can be implemented anywhere. Mr.Sanders mentions that he “get to bring a lot of those things in” to his sociology class. It is arguably one of the most important classes because as Mr. Sanders puts it, it has “A familiarity in this global attitude,” it prepares students for their future at Reagan while also preparing them for their future out of school.
Four years ago, Mr. Dillman began teaching Intro to IB. He said that the “Curriculum is changing” because the administration has “Listened to the students to have more meaningful relevant conversations.” However, with the class constantly changing, there are challenges to teaching it. Mr. Sanders claims that “at Reagan it's also tech and design” which makes the class complex in its curriculum. Mr. Sanders adds that it is to “practice skills related to the design cycle and finding that basic balance”. The challenge to find that balance between the IB half and the Tech and Design portions is a “challenge to what makes the class exciting.”
Intro to IB tech and design is a curriculum that teaches freshman how to apply problem solving in the real world. Mr. Sanders says its because the class is “inculturated in the idea of this global community.” Mr. Dillman says that “After taking design class, students will be more prepared for the diploma program, for college, and life after that.” Additionally, Mr. veierstahler agrees that the “school as a whole is what gets them ready for the world.” Mr. Dillman believes that “some students don't see it as important as their Math or English class” but Mr. Sanders says that “to the degree we teach the IB framework.. A global framework.” He goes to add on how Intro to IB teaches the “Kinds of consideration and skills needed to survive in a global environment.” As a whole, “thinking in a global way about the interconnectedness of the things we do at Reagan or the things the students do in their own lives and how those things reflect upon or influence by more global issue,” Mr. Sanders concludes.
There is one thing that Intro to IB is founded on that all three teachers mentioned: The design cycle. Mr. veierstahler is about “reflecting what you've done” and Mr. Sanders adds it is about “inquiring, designing, producing, and reflecting.” Mr. Dillman says that the whole point of the design cycle is “being able to support their opinions with evidence and being able to use the design cycle to think critically will help them.” Mr. veierstahler argues that one of the most important things about supporting evidence is about “thinking about legitics.” Mr. Sanders put it in another way by “analyze what known currently to find the flaws to what we know currently… Improvement we can make to the current solutions and then examining and reflecting upon how effective our solutions are.”
Attitude is how to approach problems by the Intro to IB curriculum. Mr. Sanders believes that “Social problems and how we might approach those problems with the same attitude we would approach a technological problem.” That is just what students need to approach and solve problems. In this day in age, students need to understand how to approach problems, using technical solutions and Intro to IB offers that.
The Intro to IB is teaching an Ethics unit. Being a class that brings up topics in such a way that continues. Mr. Dillman states that “students have definite opinions about cultural appropriation and about important issues to them...dress code.” Mr. Sanders class discuss the “ethics of Immigration and students of all of America have mixed beliefs mixed understanding and diversity in solutions to the problems.” He adds that the class brings ”diversity on how to fix them, some are technological and some are not and then we have this idea that we can make a proposal.” because “current set of solutions to the problem.. none of them work very well.”
Keeping that in mind, it can be challenging to understand the difference between the idea and the person which is something that intro to Ib correlates with. Mr. Dillman's tells his class that “We challenge ideas but don't confront people and we don't attack people.” Mr. veierstahler agrees that in a class discussion students need “to focus on the ideas instead of the people saying the ideas. I think when you can separate the idea from the person that's the strength of a good debater.” Mr. Sanders finds “To draw parallels in the problems of oriented process from unit to unit” can be difficult.
While the curriculum changes annually, teachers voiced that the class should “Implement a little more invention slash technology type of topics where we look at a problem where we come up with a product and fix it and look for the things that would be specific to the problem,” like Mr. veierstahler said. One thing is for sure, the class is driven on “Effective human curiosity,” mr. sanders said. Students are curious to why probelmes are they way they are and how to solve for them. “That's why we need a class like into to IB”
Intro to IB Tech and Design is a challenge for both teachers and students but the outcome is beneficial to build skill for problem solving. One thing that is common between what the Intro to IB being a freshman class, it has taught the teachers that freshman exceed their expectations. Mr. Dillman agreed that he “shouldn't underestimate freshman.” Mr. Dillman says that “It's really inspiring to me that their willing to have these conversations, their willing to talk about these things, and they handle themselves pretty maturely. Mr veierstahler finds frightening that students have the “Freedom in which students are able to answer questions.” He continues by saying that “students want to specifically say what's on their mind without thinking about how someone else might feel about their statement because they are eager to get their opinion out.” This class is good for a practice on open discussion, considering perspectives, and putting one into their shoes. Mr. veierstahler is right on how “without considering other people's feelings, things just come out and then students feel bad about it.”
Students also agree with what teachers said. Intro to IB Tech and Design class opens the spectrum while also teaching the students to respectfully share their opinions. Eliana Dyson stated that “People can be racism and not even know it” in the class. Demi Lewis, a student apart of the freshman class, says that “learning about different things going on in the world” is what the class teaches the students. In addition, Ryleigh Carroll, a freshman student, says the most important thing about Intro to IB is “the fact that I could learn about different ways people find things to be right or wrong.” She adds that it “helps them recognize different issues that we weren't aware of.” In coordination with Carroll, “being able to disagree in a respectful manner” like Dyson said is how Intro to IB teaches controversial issues. What makes the class unique according to Lewis is “learning about different things going on in the world.” Carroll has learned from “right and wrong” but also like the class, Carroll found “learning conflicts and coming up with a solutions” is the foundation and essentially what Intro to IB Tech and Design is all about.
Intro to IB’s curriculum can be implemented anywhere. Mr.Sanders mentions that he “get to bring a lot of those things in” to his sociology class. It is arguably one of the most important classes because as Mr. Sanders puts it, it has “A familiarity in this global attitude,” it prepares students for their future at Reagan while also preparing them for their future out of school.
Did Trump Abuse his Power?
Written by Rebeca Acosta
After Trump signed a compromise bill on February 14 that funds the wall with only $1.375 billion out of the 5.7 billion, President Trump hoped for a 55 mile barriers along the Southern Border, and declared a national emergency to fully fund the U.S-Mexico border. When the partial government shutdown ended, Trump stated that if there is no bill that Congress executes to fund the wall will result in another government shutdown. However, Democrats decided on a bill that would partially fund the wall. Even though the bill did not completely fund the wall, Trump signed the bill to avoid another government shutdown. But a day later on February 15, Trump declared a national emergency.
A couple days later, 16 states filed lawsuits against the President’s declaration of a national emergency, “challenging his use of executive power as unconstitutional,” NBC news argued. “Joining California and New York are Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon and Virginia, and Maryland,” according to the New York Times.
The persuasive argument that the Trump Administration might appeal to loopholes of the National Emergencies Act. The National Emergencies Act gives a wide range of powers to the Executive to deal with any situation that could arise quickly and with little to no oversight. These powers have been employed by the Administration to deal with the “border crisis.” On the other hand, the Democrats who defer to the president’s decision may argue that they are “suffering” from Trump’s decision to declare a national emergency, according to The New York Times.
“Despite Trump’s claims, the government has not completed any new sections of wall under his administration,” The Washington Post stated. Time plays a factor in building the wall. It states that it could possibly take to the end of the President’s term to begin building the wall. With the 2020 presidential elections, the next president may refute building the wall. If so, it would be costly and timely. However, if Trump wins the 2020 election, he will continue to follow through with building the wall.
On February 26, the House of Representatives voted to repeal the national emergency declared by President Trump to fully fund the Southern Border. Now it will be taken to the Senate. However, the Washington Post says that Republicans do “not have the votes to prevent the full Senate from voting to annul Trump’s order.” But Trump still has the power to veto the resolution proposed, to reverse the declaration of a national emergency. In addition, Trump has requested for an additional $8.6 billion in wall funding by 2020.
One thing after another, disputes continue to happen. While parties argue, the Southern Border has no resolution and no timeframe.