"What idea/point did I want my readers to know?"
From my first paper, I wanted to convey to my readers that coming from strict and overprotective parents I have learned to become very independent. I also wanted to point out that how you were raised and your background can affect you in the long run.
Robinson's Lecture on Education notes:
Sir Ken Robinson's was very humorous and his lecture was very enjoyable to listen to. He engaged his listeners by being funny. I noted how he said, "creativity is as important as literacy" and also, "all kids have tremendous talent." I could relate to the example he brought up as he said, "kids grow into creativity and grow out of it as we get older."
Brainstorming ideas for paper #2:
What comes to mind when I think of teacher is someone who listens, engages their students, and is there to support their student regardless of any learning disability that they may have. When I think of teacher, I always think of Mr. Huggins. He was a teacher at my elementary school who helped students with after school tutoring and also was in charge of student patrol. I think I will use him as an example of a good teacher. I still think about him often and hope he is doing well. I think I will wait to see the movies to find if I can compare or contrast him to them.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Paper #1 Final Draft
Alice Rattananongsy
Dr. Sonia Begert
English 101
January 28, 2013
Parents are the greatest advocates for you as an infant. They are there to protect you from harm, look out for your best interests, and guide you toward the finer things in life. As an infant, you don’t know right from wrong and parents are there to help direct you. I was blessed to have parents that worked two to three jobs to ensure that our family was taken care of. I knew that I had loving and caring parents who tucked me in every night and made it known that they loved me. At the age of 9 I began realizing my parents were different from other parents.
My parents migrated from Laos and were very fortunate to have found a church that sponsored them to come to America to start a new life. Shortly after their arrival to the U.S., my mother gave birth to me. I was the first and only girl in my family with two older brothers. Growing up I was surrounded by male cousins of the same age and it never bothered me that I was the only girl. I played video games, rolled around in the dirt, played basketball, and tossed the football around. My parents were okay with the idea of me hanging out with the boys as long as they looked after me and made sure that I didn’t get kidnapped (they were very dramatic). As a young child, I remember routinely spending the night at my cousins’ house and waking up bright and early to watch Saturday morning cartoons. As I entered the fifth grade, I noticed changes in my parents’ demeanor and how they seemed to hover over every move that I made. For example, in the fifth grade I really wanted to go to the community swimming pool with my teacher and several classmates. The pool was free after 8 P.M. and I knew that it was way too late for me to go out. Prior to me even asking for permission, I told my teacher that I wouldn’t be able to go. Mr. Huggins, an admirable and kind teacher, actually came to my house (I lived across the street) to personally ask my parents if I could go. My parents were initially hesitant but allowed me to go because I was under the direct supervision of my teacher. I felt troubled and pressured about the whole ordeal because of my peers. I felt like I was the only kid with uptight parents because my schoolmates were allowed to go out every Friday to the pool. It’s obviously not a big deal now, but it seemed like it was the end of the world when I was a kid.
As I turned 11, my parents didn’t want me spending the night at my cousins’ house anymore. They simply told me it was because I was a girl and I shouldn’t be sleeping around. Wait—what!? I was completely shocked. After all these years, my parents had always been okay with me spending the night. This confused me because I was still a child. It didn’t register to me that because I was a girl, I was no longer able to sleep over. I was mad, annoyed, and beyond irritated. What did me being a girl have anything to do with spending time with my cousins? Why were my brothers allowed to sleep over at their friends’ houses? It simply did not make sense to me. I felt helpless and barely put up a fight.
Seventh grade came along and I felt a rebellious stage approaching. I made new friends that were in no way, shape, or form beneficial for me. By the time I got to the eighth grade, my ‘friends’ had influenced me so much that I started talking back to teachers, sneaking out to hang out with friends, talking back to my parents, and skipping school. I thought it was cool to rebel against my parents. My grades started to decline and I didn’t care what my parents thought about me. I went through phases where I convinced myself that they didn’t care about me because they wouldn’t let me go out and do what I wanted. I hated them for making me come home straight after school to do nothing while my friends went out. They made me follow them around every weekend because they didn’t want to leave me at home but frankly, all I wanted to do was stay away from them. I started to grow a love/hate relationship with my dad because he was so controlling. My mom played the good cop while my dad played the bad cop. My parents never told me that I had a curfew and I remember getting into so much trouble one Friday evening because I came home at 10 P.M., even after I told them where I was. My dad was never good at staying calm and to scare me into changing my rebellious ways, he would throw a huge temper tantrum like a child. He managed to punch a hole in the wall while screaming and throwing curse words into the mix. It was a horrific scene at the age of 12 and I knew that this would be the result every time I did something bad. I was in my rebellious teenager phase and didn’t care what my dad had to say. I began lying so much about so many different things just so I could go out. I lied about who I was with, where I was going, what I was doing, and saying anything I could think of just so that I could leave. I didn’t care what I was telling them because I was a teenager that needed my freedom. I was selfish and wanted everything my way. I feel like because of my parents’ way of trying to control me, I figured the only way for them to let me go out was to be deceptive.
Throughout my freshman year of high school, my rebellious ways weren’t as bad as they used to be. I still had the same troubles of going out with friends and attending school functions. Once I began sophomore year, I began to prioritize my life. I segregated myself from bad influences, improved my grades and started to better myself. Something inside me clicked, I figured that what I was doing was not working and I needed to change my attitude. I learned that I didn’t need my parent’s approval, but rather my approval. My parents were so overprotective and strict that I was unable to do anything fun and productive. I thought, “why not join a sports team?” I joined my high schools’ softball team and loved it so much I played until my senior year of high school. I found something that I loved and embraced it. It gave me time away from my parents, time away for myself, and a good time without anyone telling me no.
My parents were negative and they tried to be subtle about it. I knew whatever I did would never be good enough and it dampened my outlook of life. They nitpicked about how I looked, how I dressed, what I ate, what I was currently doing at the moment, why wasn’t I reading more, why I was so skinny and every other little thing. I knew that my parents loved me but I felt like they smothered me with their love. I had no room to grow and become my own person. Now that I don’t live with them, it’s nice to not be constantly reminded of my imperfections. I am learning to love myself along with my flaws but it has not been an easy task. I have learned to not worry so much and to live life knowing that there will be uncontrollable circumstances that I will encounter. I know that when I have children of my own, I will not carry over the cycle of negativity and strictness so that it hinders their outlook on life. It is much easier to live life not constantly worrying about not meeting my parent’s expectations, but rather my own.
Dr. Sonia Begert
English 101
January 28, 2013
Parents are the greatest advocates for you as an infant. They are there to protect you from harm, look out for your best interests, and guide you toward the finer things in life. As an infant, you don’t know right from wrong and parents are there to help direct you. I was blessed to have parents that worked two to three jobs to ensure that our family was taken care of. I knew that I had loving and caring parents who tucked me in every night and made it known that they loved me. At the age of 9 I began realizing my parents were different from other parents.
My parents migrated from Laos and were very fortunate to have found a church that sponsored them to come to America to start a new life. Shortly after their arrival to the U.S., my mother gave birth to me. I was the first and only girl in my family with two older brothers. Growing up I was surrounded by male cousins of the same age and it never bothered me that I was the only girl. I played video games, rolled around in the dirt, played basketball, and tossed the football around. My parents were okay with the idea of me hanging out with the boys as long as they looked after me and made sure that I didn’t get kidnapped (they were very dramatic). As a young child, I remember routinely spending the night at my cousins’ house and waking up bright and early to watch Saturday morning cartoons. As I entered the fifth grade, I noticed changes in my parents’ demeanor and how they seemed to hover over every move that I made. For example, in the fifth grade I really wanted to go to the community swimming pool with my teacher and several classmates. The pool was free after 8 P.M. and I knew that it was way too late for me to go out. Prior to me even asking for permission, I told my teacher that I wouldn’t be able to go. Mr. Huggins, an admirable and kind teacher, actually came to my house (I lived across the street) to personally ask my parents if I could go. My parents were initially hesitant but allowed me to go because I was under the direct supervision of my teacher. I felt troubled and pressured about the whole ordeal because of my peers. I felt like I was the only kid with uptight parents because my schoolmates were allowed to go out every Friday to the pool. It’s obviously not a big deal now, but it seemed like it was the end of the world when I was a kid.
As I turned 11, my parents didn’t want me spending the night at my cousins’ house anymore. They simply told me it was because I was a girl and I shouldn’t be sleeping around. Wait—what!? I was completely shocked. After all these years, my parents had always been okay with me spending the night. This confused me because I was still a child. It didn’t register to me that because I was a girl, I was no longer able to sleep over. I was mad, annoyed, and beyond irritated. What did me being a girl have anything to do with spending time with my cousins? Why were my brothers allowed to sleep over at their friends’ houses? It simply did not make sense to me. I felt helpless and barely put up a fight.
Seventh grade came along and I felt a rebellious stage approaching. I made new friends that were in no way, shape, or form beneficial for me. By the time I got to the eighth grade, my ‘friends’ had influenced me so much that I started talking back to teachers, sneaking out to hang out with friends, talking back to my parents, and skipping school. I thought it was cool to rebel against my parents. My grades started to decline and I didn’t care what my parents thought about me. I went through phases where I convinced myself that they didn’t care about me because they wouldn’t let me go out and do what I wanted. I hated them for making me come home straight after school to do nothing while my friends went out. They made me follow them around every weekend because they didn’t want to leave me at home but frankly, all I wanted to do was stay away from them. I started to grow a love/hate relationship with my dad because he was so controlling. My mom played the good cop while my dad played the bad cop. My parents never told me that I had a curfew and I remember getting into so much trouble one Friday evening because I came home at 10 P.M., even after I told them where I was. My dad was never good at staying calm and to scare me into changing my rebellious ways, he would throw a huge temper tantrum like a child. He managed to punch a hole in the wall while screaming and throwing curse words into the mix. It was a horrific scene at the age of 12 and I knew that this would be the result every time I did something bad. I was in my rebellious teenager phase and didn’t care what my dad had to say. I began lying so much about so many different things just so I could go out. I lied about who I was with, where I was going, what I was doing, and saying anything I could think of just so that I could leave. I didn’t care what I was telling them because I was a teenager that needed my freedom. I was selfish and wanted everything my way. I feel like because of my parents’ way of trying to control me, I figured the only way for them to let me go out was to be deceptive.
Throughout my freshman year of high school, my rebellious ways weren’t as bad as they used to be. I still had the same troubles of going out with friends and attending school functions. Once I began sophomore year, I began to prioritize my life. I segregated myself from bad influences, improved my grades and started to better myself. Something inside me clicked, I figured that what I was doing was not working and I needed to change my attitude. I learned that I didn’t need my parent’s approval, but rather my approval. My parents were so overprotective and strict that I was unable to do anything fun and productive. I thought, “why not join a sports team?” I joined my high schools’ softball team and loved it so much I played until my senior year of high school. I found something that I loved and embraced it. It gave me time away from my parents, time away for myself, and a good time without anyone telling me no.
My parents were negative and they tried to be subtle about it. I knew whatever I did would never be good enough and it dampened my outlook of life. They nitpicked about how I looked, how I dressed, what I ate, what I was currently doing at the moment, why wasn’t I reading more, why I was so skinny and every other little thing. I knew that my parents loved me but I felt like they smothered me with their love. I had no room to grow and become my own person. Now that I don’t live with them, it’s nice to not be constantly reminded of my imperfections. I am learning to love myself along with my flaws but it has not been an easy task. I have learned to not worry so much and to live life knowing that there will be uncontrollable circumstances that I will encounter. I know that when I have children of my own, I will not carry over the cycle of negativity and strictness so that it hinders their outlook on life. It is much easier to live life not constantly worrying about not meeting my parent’s expectations, but rather my own.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Rough Draft: Paper #1
Parents are the greatest advocates for you as an infant. They are there to protect you from harm, look out for your best interests and guide you toward the finer things in life. As an infant, you don’t know right from wrong and parents are there to help direct you. I was blessed to have parents that worked two to three jobs to ensure that the family was taken care of. I knew that I had loving and caring parents who tucked me in every night and made it known that they loved me. It was until I was about 9 years old that I knew my parents were different from other parents.
My parents migrated from Laos and were very fortunate to have found a church that sponsored them to come to America to start a new life. Shortly after their arrival to the U.S., I was born and became the baby of the family and a sister to two older brothers. I also happened to be the first baby girl in my family. Growing up, I was surrounded by my boy cousins who were around my age and it didn’t bother me that I was the only girl. I would play video games with them, go roll around in the dirt, play basketball, and throw the football around. My parents were okay with the idea of me hanging out with the boys only if they looked after me and made sure I didn’t get kidnapped (they may have been watching the news too much). As a young child, I remember always spending the night over at my cousin’s house and waking up bright and early to watch Saturday morning cartoons. This happened every weekend and my parents didn’t mind that I was spending the night. As I entered the fifth grade, I noticed changes in my parent’s demeanor and how they seemed to hover over every move I made. There was a time in the fifth grade where I really wanted to go to the community swimming pool with my teacher and a couple classmates. The pool was free after 8 P.M. and I knew that it was way too late for me to go out. I told my teacher that they would not let me go even though I hadn’t even asked yet. Mr. Huggins, an admirable and kind teacher, actually came to my house (I lived across the street) to personally ask my parents if I could go. My parents were hesitant at first but allowed me to go because my teacher would be responsible for us. I remembered going through a lot of trouble and pressure from my classmates to ask my parents if I could go. I also remembered feeling like I was the only kid with parents who were so uptight because my schoolmates were allowed to go every Friday to the community pool. It doesn’t seem like a big deal now, but it was when I was a kid.
As I got to the age of 11, my parents didn’t want me to spend the night over at my cousin’s house anymore. They simply told me it was because I, “was a girl” and I shouldn’t be “sleeping around” wait, what? I was completely shocked, after all these years my parents were okay with me spending the night and it was no big deal. This confused me because I was still a child, it didn’t register in my mind that because I was a girl, I could no longer sleep over. I was mad, annoyed and beyond irritated. What did me being a girl have anything to do with spending time with my cousins? It just didn’t make sense to me. I couldn’t do much more about it and didn’t even bother to put up a fight. Seventh grade came along and I could feel a rebellious stage coming. I made new friends but the friends that I made were in no way, shape, or form beneficial to me. By the time I got to the eighth grade, my ‘friends’ had influenced me so much that I starting talking back to teachers, I snuck out to hang out with friends, I took the bus to Downtown, talked back to my parents, my grades steadily declined and I just didn’t care what my parents thought about me anymore. They had such high standards for me that I felt like if I wasn’t meeting them already, what’s the point? I went through phases where I convinced myself that they didn’t care about me because they wouldn’t let me go out. I hated them for making me come home after school to do nothing while my friends were out. My parents made me follow them every weekend because they didn’t want to leave me at home bored, but frankly all I wanted to do was stay home as long as I wasn’t around them. I started to grow a love/hate relationship with my Dad because he controlled my life so much. My Mom seemed to play the good guy while my Dad didn’t seem to mind playing the bad guy. I remember I got into so much trouble because I came home at 10 P.M. on a Friday night and my parents called and called all evening even though I told them where I was. My Dad was never good at staying calm so to get his point across, like a child, started throwing a tantrum, punched, kicked, and screamed at the wall. I guess it was his way of trying to scare me, it worked, but only for a little while. I was in my rebellious teenager phase and didn’t care what my Dad had to say. I learned to lie so much about so many different things just so they would let me go out, I lied about who I was with, where I was going, what I was doing, anything I could think of just so that I could leave. There were plenty of times when I told them that I would be staying after school to do homework or study. At the time, I didn’t care what I was telling them, as a teenager I needed my freedom; I was selfish and wanted everything my way. I feel like because of my parent’s way of trying to control me, I figured the only way for them to let me go out was to be deceptive.
Throughout my freshman year of high school, my rebellious ways weren’t as bad as they used to be. I still had the same troubles about going to hang out with friends and attending school functions. I still felt like they were treating me like a child. Once I got to my sophomore year of high school, I really focused, got my grades up, and dropped the friends that I had so I could focus on myself. Something inside me just figured that what I was doing was not working and I really wanted to change my attitude to better myself. I learned that I didn’t need my parent’s approval, I just needed my approval. My parents were overprotective and so strict I was unable to do anything fun and productive. I thought, “why not join a sports team?” I joined my high schools softball team and loved it so much that I played until my senior year of high school. I found something that I loved to play and it was fun for me. It gave me time away from my parents and time away to just play and have fun without anyone telling me no.
My parents were negative and they tried to be subtle about it. I knew whatever I did would never be good enough and it brought a damper on my outlook of life. They always nitpicked about how I looked, how I dressed, what I ate, what I was currently doing at the moment, why wasn’t I reading more, why I was so skinny, and just about every little thing. It went on like this since middle school. I know that my parents love me but I feel like they were smothering me with their love. I had no room to grow and learn to be myself. Now that I don’t live with them or see them as often, it’s so nice to not be constantly reminded of my imperfections. I have learned to be ok with my imperfections. I have learned to worry less because seeing my parents worry about me so much did not benefit anyone. I know that when I have children, I will not carry over the cycle of negativity and being so strict that it hinders their outlook on life. It’s so much easier to live life and not constantly worry about not meeting my parent’s expectations.
My parents migrated from Laos and were very fortunate to have found a church that sponsored them to come to America to start a new life. Shortly after their arrival to the U.S., I was born and became the baby of the family and a sister to two older brothers. I also happened to be the first baby girl in my family. Growing up, I was surrounded by my boy cousins who were around my age and it didn’t bother me that I was the only girl. I would play video games with them, go roll around in the dirt, play basketball, and throw the football around. My parents were okay with the idea of me hanging out with the boys only if they looked after me and made sure I didn’t get kidnapped (they may have been watching the news too much). As a young child, I remember always spending the night over at my cousin’s house and waking up bright and early to watch Saturday morning cartoons. This happened every weekend and my parents didn’t mind that I was spending the night. As I entered the fifth grade, I noticed changes in my parent’s demeanor and how they seemed to hover over every move I made. There was a time in the fifth grade where I really wanted to go to the community swimming pool with my teacher and a couple classmates. The pool was free after 8 P.M. and I knew that it was way too late for me to go out. I told my teacher that they would not let me go even though I hadn’t even asked yet. Mr. Huggins, an admirable and kind teacher, actually came to my house (I lived across the street) to personally ask my parents if I could go. My parents were hesitant at first but allowed me to go because my teacher would be responsible for us. I remembered going through a lot of trouble and pressure from my classmates to ask my parents if I could go. I also remembered feeling like I was the only kid with parents who were so uptight because my schoolmates were allowed to go every Friday to the community pool. It doesn’t seem like a big deal now, but it was when I was a kid.
As I got to the age of 11, my parents didn’t want me to spend the night over at my cousin’s house anymore. They simply told me it was because I, “was a girl” and I shouldn’t be “sleeping around” wait, what? I was completely shocked, after all these years my parents were okay with me spending the night and it was no big deal. This confused me because I was still a child, it didn’t register in my mind that because I was a girl, I could no longer sleep over. I was mad, annoyed and beyond irritated. What did me being a girl have anything to do with spending time with my cousins? It just didn’t make sense to me. I couldn’t do much more about it and didn’t even bother to put up a fight. Seventh grade came along and I could feel a rebellious stage coming. I made new friends but the friends that I made were in no way, shape, or form beneficial to me. By the time I got to the eighth grade, my ‘friends’ had influenced me so much that I starting talking back to teachers, I snuck out to hang out with friends, I took the bus to Downtown, talked back to my parents, my grades steadily declined and I just didn’t care what my parents thought about me anymore. They had such high standards for me that I felt like if I wasn’t meeting them already, what’s the point? I went through phases where I convinced myself that they didn’t care about me because they wouldn’t let me go out. I hated them for making me come home after school to do nothing while my friends were out. My parents made me follow them every weekend because they didn’t want to leave me at home bored, but frankly all I wanted to do was stay home as long as I wasn’t around them. I started to grow a love/hate relationship with my Dad because he controlled my life so much. My Mom seemed to play the good guy while my Dad didn’t seem to mind playing the bad guy. I remember I got into so much trouble because I came home at 10 P.M. on a Friday night and my parents called and called all evening even though I told them where I was. My Dad was never good at staying calm so to get his point across, like a child, started throwing a tantrum, punched, kicked, and screamed at the wall. I guess it was his way of trying to scare me, it worked, but only for a little while. I was in my rebellious teenager phase and didn’t care what my Dad had to say. I learned to lie so much about so many different things just so they would let me go out, I lied about who I was with, where I was going, what I was doing, anything I could think of just so that I could leave. There were plenty of times when I told them that I would be staying after school to do homework or study. At the time, I didn’t care what I was telling them, as a teenager I needed my freedom; I was selfish and wanted everything my way. I feel like because of my parent’s way of trying to control me, I figured the only way for them to let me go out was to be deceptive.
Throughout my freshman year of high school, my rebellious ways weren’t as bad as they used to be. I still had the same troubles about going to hang out with friends and attending school functions. I still felt like they were treating me like a child. Once I got to my sophomore year of high school, I really focused, got my grades up, and dropped the friends that I had so I could focus on myself. Something inside me just figured that what I was doing was not working and I really wanted to change my attitude to better myself. I learned that I didn’t need my parent’s approval, I just needed my approval. My parents were overprotective and so strict I was unable to do anything fun and productive. I thought, “why not join a sports team?” I joined my high schools softball team and loved it so much that I played until my senior year of high school. I found something that I loved to play and it was fun for me. It gave me time away from my parents and time away to just play and have fun without anyone telling me no.
My parents were negative and they tried to be subtle about it. I knew whatever I did would never be good enough and it brought a damper on my outlook of life. They always nitpicked about how I looked, how I dressed, what I ate, what I was currently doing at the moment, why wasn’t I reading more, why I was so skinny, and just about every little thing. It went on like this since middle school. I know that my parents love me but I feel like they were smothering me with their love. I had no room to grow and learn to be myself. Now that I don’t live with them or see them as often, it’s so nice to not be constantly reminded of my imperfections. I have learned to be ok with my imperfections. I have learned to worry less because seeing my parents worry about me so much did not benefit anyone. I know that when I have children, I will not carry over the cycle of negativity and being so strict that it hinders their outlook on life. It’s so much easier to live life and not constantly worry about not meeting my parent’s expectations.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Which Essay Did I Like?
After reading Rose's essay, I feel like it may be a contender on my list. Although I only read a short excerpt of Malcolm X's essay, I feel like it was very well written and he had made the connection with his audience. I was able to identify my common interest with Malcolm X and it drew me in and kept me interested. I really admire his triumph and at the end of his essay, all his hard work of being persistent had paid off. I enjoyed the part where he said, "...the ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to mentally be alive." It was great that he said that because after I read something that is informing and educational I feel like my brain has gotten 10x bigger! No, seriously though, I think reading opens up so many doors and it's such a great opportunity to help expand your imagination. I think Rose's essay became a second favorite because he overcame his "inadequate preparation and intellectual neglect," by becoming a teacher and scholar. I feel like he overcame the system of just being average and wanted to achieve more than that. A mistake from his test placement landed him in vocational education but he did not fall victim to what could have potentially happened. He could have easily gave in and tried to be average, but he persevered and I think that is really admirable.
Malcolm X, Rose, and Franklin Essays
The three essays were written very well and the messages in the essays were well conveyed. Malcolm X's essay showed a lot of his personality and what he wanted to communicate to his readers. His essay showed that he overcame the stereotypical African American who did not know how to read and he used his new found ability to help out fellow African Americans by becoming a leader. Franklin's essay was descriptive and very informative. He was able to describe to his readers about his life during the late modern days and what he did to help improve himself as a reader and writer. There were times where I had to stop and reread the essay and look up words I was not familiar with. Franklin's essay seemed to aim towards more of an intellectual audience and Malcolm X's essay was geared toward a very general audience. Rose's essay was very informative and educational because I didn't even know that vocational education even existed. Rose was good at describing the people he met during his vocational education and I felt like I could relate because I knew some people like that. I think his essay was also geared toward a general audience but also people who wanted to be informed about students who were "neglected and undervalued by society."
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Successful Strategies for Development
There are a variety of strategies that I have used over the years to help develop my writing and also helped me to figure out where to start with my papers. I have used the comparison and/or contrast strategy many times and I feel like that strategy is usually a good start off point for me. There are many things or people in the world you are able to compare and contrast because no two things are usually alike and there are always differences you'll notice. This kind of strategy allows for creativity and can also be applied to the cubing technique. Cubing can help to see what others find different and similar that might have been bypassed the first time. I think all of the strategies for development can be tied to cubing because it can help to expand on your ideas. Another strategy for development that I have used successfully is the enumeration/chronology. This helped to bring structure and order to my essays because it helps you to see what the proper order your paper should be in. I find that it is very helpful to recognize what goes first and what steps you need in order to make it to your last and final step. The reader would be able to follow your writing and would help them to understand where you are going with the essay.
Mike Rose's "I Just Wanna Be Average" questions
1) Rose's life in vocational education seemed to be really hectic. The teachers appeared to not have a structure or outline to follow and they all just went with the flow. It is unfortunate that students had to go through this vocational "education" and weren't given a chance at real education. Teachers are there to teach, not to belittle students and physically abuse them. Fortunately, I have not come across teachers like these even though I grew up in South Seattle. I had enjoyable teachers who had a passion for teaching and would tend to their students first before anything.
2) Fellow students that Rose describes sounded like they were already troubled teenagers. It certainly does not help students to be on a vocational track which is described as, "a place for those who are just not making it." If students already know what kind of track they are on, how does that help them to become successful? I think intellectually, emotionally and socially, students just didn't care anymore. Why have belief in yourself when teachers didn't believe in you? It was hard for Rose to catch up in math because he tuned out and the teachers didn't figure out ways to be creative to engage their students. Rose said, "I did what I had to do to get by, and I did it with half a mind."
3) High school can be disorienting because it is a whole new level of adulthood. There is more responsibility while trying to figure out your identity, making new friends, and also being mixed with kids from different backgrounds. I think Ken just wanted to "fit in" and be average. He wasn't willing to go above and beyond to exceed expectations because he didn't think much of himself. He coped by allowing himself to become just like everyone else on the vocational track. Students don't want to be made fun of or left out so I think instead of getting bullied or being left out, some students feel the need to join in and act like they belong.
4) My experience at Olympic College has been a little disorienting in a sense that, I couldn't find where to go for resources and it was a whole new environment that I was encountering. I think now that I am a couple weeks in, it is a little easier to find my way around. To help students lessen feelings of disorientation, they could explore their surroundings and be aware of what is true and what isn't to avoid confusion.
5) I think there are some parts in my education that can compare to Mike Rose's and also parts where my education has been different. There are many times that I can remember where I have tuned out in class and don't understand material. There have also been times where I just wanted to "be average" and not excel and do well in my classes. I know that I am in a better place now with my education and am working hard to catch up.
2) Fellow students that Rose describes sounded like they were already troubled teenagers. It certainly does not help students to be on a vocational track which is described as, "a place for those who are just not making it." If students already know what kind of track they are on, how does that help them to become successful? I think intellectually, emotionally and socially, students just didn't care anymore. Why have belief in yourself when teachers didn't believe in you? It was hard for Rose to catch up in math because he tuned out and the teachers didn't figure out ways to be creative to engage their students. Rose said, "I did what I had to do to get by, and I did it with half a mind."
3) High school can be disorienting because it is a whole new level of adulthood. There is more responsibility while trying to figure out your identity, making new friends, and also being mixed with kids from different backgrounds. I think Ken just wanted to "fit in" and be average. He wasn't willing to go above and beyond to exceed expectations because he didn't think much of himself. He coped by allowing himself to become just like everyone else on the vocational track. Students don't want to be made fun of or left out so I think instead of getting bullied or being left out, some students feel the need to join in and act like they belong.
4) My experience at Olympic College has been a little disorienting in a sense that, I couldn't find where to go for resources and it was a whole new environment that I was encountering. I think now that I am a couple weeks in, it is a little easier to find my way around. To help students lessen feelings of disorientation, they could explore their surroundings and be aware of what is true and what isn't to avoid confusion.
5) I think there are some parts in my education that can compare to Mike Rose's and also parts where my education has been different. There are many times that I can remember where I have tuned out in class and don't understand material. There have also been times where I just wanted to "be average" and not excel and do well in my classes. I know that I am in a better place now with my education and am working hard to catch up.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Cubing the first paper
Topic 1
Describe it:
To describe my first topic, I think I may want to write about my parents and how I learned to overcome the strict and overprotective atmosphere I grew up in. My parents are Asian and from what I know and my own experience, Asian parents are strict, especially on their daughters. Even though I'm 21 years old, my parents still call me everyday, which I totally appreciate but I feel like they have loosened up a bit in terms of letting me grow up and doing my own thing.
Compare it:
I would compare it to how I remember feeling vs. how I am feeling now about my parents and how even though I am not physically with them, I feel like in some ways they do still do try to control my life in some aspects.
Apply it:
Even though my parents were strict, I don't think their ways of discipline will be how I will want to pass down to my children. I think they were being too overprotective but I guess I wouldn't know until I have kids myself.
Associate it:
My parents are a huge part of my life and what they have done in the past for me, I will forever be grateful. There have also been many downsides and things that I have carried into my adulthood. My parents have been so overprotective that I feel like it has caused me to withdraw from socializing and I retreat into my safe place. I feel like because of how they raised me and how they were so strict, I feel a little like I'm at a disadvantage.
Topic 2
Describe it:
I am stuck on two topics so for my second, I want to describe my six year relationship with my boyfriend. I don't want to turn this into a love story but more of, looking throughout the six years, what we have learned about each other, what we have learned about ourselves through our relationship and how we are helping and motivating each other to succeed. He is not only my boyfriend but my best friend.
Analyze it:
I have thought about how much time and effort we put into making this relationship work and the obstacles we had to overcome together to be together. We are blessed to be surrounded by people who are positive, motivated, and driven by success to help us get to where we want to be.
Compare it:
It is hard to compare it to something else because I have never been in a relationship for this long. I just know that if something is this good, I wouldn't want to give it up because we have worked hard to get to this point in our lives but, if something were to separate us, I know it will be for good reason. Trying to compare it to anything is difficult, it's been one hell of a ride, I'll tell you that!
Apply it:
The lessons that we have learned together about life circumstances and people have been an experience. I know that the things we have been through together, I have learned as an individual to apply to my own life. I have learned to be patient and accept others for who they are. It has been hard for me because I'm the type of person where I want things done my way or it's wrong. I have learned that there are other ways in doing something. My boyfriend has also taught me to a positive force rather than a negative one. My negative vibes have grown from my experience as a child and have carried on with me to this day.
Describe it:
To describe my first topic, I think I may want to write about my parents and how I learned to overcome the strict and overprotective atmosphere I grew up in. My parents are Asian and from what I know and my own experience, Asian parents are strict, especially on their daughters. Even though I'm 21 years old, my parents still call me everyday, which I totally appreciate but I feel like they have loosened up a bit in terms of letting me grow up and doing my own thing.
Compare it:
I would compare it to how I remember feeling vs. how I am feeling now about my parents and how even though I am not physically with them, I feel like in some ways they do still do try to control my life in some aspects.
Apply it:
Even though my parents were strict, I don't think their ways of discipline will be how I will want to pass down to my children. I think they were being too overprotective but I guess I wouldn't know until I have kids myself.
Associate it:
My parents are a huge part of my life and what they have done in the past for me, I will forever be grateful. There have also been many downsides and things that I have carried into my adulthood. My parents have been so overprotective that I feel like it has caused me to withdraw from socializing and I retreat into my safe place. I feel like because of how they raised me and how they were so strict, I feel a little like I'm at a disadvantage.
Topic 2
Describe it:
I am stuck on two topics so for my second, I want to describe my six year relationship with my boyfriend. I don't want to turn this into a love story but more of, looking throughout the six years, what we have learned about each other, what we have learned about ourselves through our relationship and how we are helping and motivating each other to succeed. He is not only my boyfriend but my best friend.
Analyze it:
I have thought about how much time and effort we put into making this relationship work and the obstacles we had to overcome together to be together. We are blessed to be surrounded by people who are positive, motivated, and driven by success to help us get to where we want to be.
Compare it:
It is hard to compare it to something else because I have never been in a relationship for this long. I just know that if something is this good, I wouldn't want to give it up because we have worked hard to get to this point in our lives but, if something were to separate us, I know it will be for good reason. Trying to compare it to anything is difficult, it's been one hell of a ride, I'll tell you that!
Apply it:
The lessons that we have learned together about life circumstances and people have been an experience. I know that the things we have been through together, I have learned as an individual to apply to my own life. I have learned to be patient and accept others for who they are. It has been hard for me because I'm the type of person where I want things done my way or it's wrong. I have learned that there are other ways in doing something. My boyfriend has also taught me to a positive force rather than a negative one. My negative vibes have grown from my experience as a child and have carried on with me to this day.
Cubing
Cell Phones: What parts or components make it up?
Cell phones have come a long way from the touch dial pads and now some include the touch screen dial pads. Cell phones are mostly battery operated so make sure to charge it. Cell phones include a 3mm jack so you can listen to your tunes or plug a headset in. There is usually a button on the side for the volume. There is also a button to turn on/off the phone. Ways to store memory onto your phone includes a mini SD card which ranges in memory size of 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB, and 16 GB. This little chip is stored in the back of the phone and can hold a variety of music, pictures, and videos. Some cell phones include internal memory that you don’t need to purchase.
Ducks: What is it similar to? How so?
Ducks are two legged birds that can usually be seen floating in ponds, wandering around parks and quacking. They range in color and smaller than swans and geese. Ducks are similar to swans in ways that they look a little similar and that they like to swim in fresh water and sea water.
I think the method, “cubing,” is an interesting way to get a conversation started. The questions that are brought up leave me pondering about how I’ll answer it and when I hear my classmate’s answers, it’s interesting to see it from their point of view. There will always be an A, B, and C side to every story and it is helpful to know that there is more than one way to tackle the scenario. I think in my essay I will try to keep the questions in mind to help me see it from the different angles.
Cell phones have come a long way from the touch dial pads and now some include the touch screen dial pads. Cell phones are mostly battery operated so make sure to charge it. Cell phones include a 3mm jack so you can listen to your tunes or plug a headset in. There is usually a button on the side for the volume. There is also a button to turn on/off the phone. Ways to store memory onto your phone includes a mini SD card which ranges in memory size of 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB, and 16 GB. This little chip is stored in the back of the phone and can hold a variety of music, pictures, and videos. Some cell phones include internal memory that you don’t need to purchase.
Ducks: What is it similar to? How so?
Ducks are two legged birds that can usually be seen floating in ponds, wandering around parks and quacking. They range in color and smaller than swans and geese. Ducks are similar to swans in ways that they look a little similar and that they like to swim in fresh water and sea water.
I think the method, “cubing,” is an interesting way to get a conversation started. The questions that are brought up leave me pondering about how I’ll answer it and when I hear my classmate’s answers, it’s interesting to see it from their point of view. There will always be an A, B, and C side to every story and it is helpful to know that there is more than one way to tackle the scenario. I think in my essay I will try to keep the questions in mind to help me see it from the different angles.
Malcolm X vs. Ben Franklin's essay
Right off the bat, I knew that the writing styles of the two articles were going to be different, considering that Malcolm X and Benjamin Franklin were from two eras. The tone of the two were very distinct. Franklin's essay had more of the late modern English tone and I found that to be a little dry and didn't find it as interesting. I felt comfortable reading Malcolm X's excerpt because it possessed a modern tone which made it an easy read. While reading Franklin's essay, there were times where I had to reread sentences to fully understand what he was saying. Malcolm X's essay kept me entertained because I wanted to learn and know more about how he was able to overcome his obstacle. He was stuck in prison with no where to go and he chose to educate himself and found out how cruel the world was.
I found that they both wanted to improve on their reading and writing by comparing their work with others, they figured out that it was the best way to better themselves at what they lacked on. They truly put a lot of time, effort and dedication to self educate and it really shows because they turned out to be exceptional leaders. The essays were both written to include a significant educational experience in their life.
I found that they both wanted to improve on their reading and writing by comparing their work with others, they figured out that it was the best way to better themselves at what they lacked on. They truly put a lot of time, effort and dedication to self educate and it really shows because they turned out to be exceptional leaders. The essays were both written to include a significant educational experience in their life.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Prewriting
I find that prewriting can be really useful in writing essays. It's a lot easier for me to freewrite and go from there to jot down ideas than to sit down and really think of what to write. There have been times where I do start off an essay just freewriting and I edit it and voila, an A ;) well, only if I'm lucky. I think my ideas flow a lot easier when I freewrite. I have also used lists where I write what I'm going to talk about in the introduction, first, second, third paragraph and then figure out my conclusion. Prewriting is a great tool to help you figure out if you have enough information for what you want to write about and also to organize your ideas. I did a lot of journaling during my middle school and high school days and I feel that it really helped me organize my thoughts and put things into perspective.
Before I sit down to write my first paper, I know that I will be doing a lot of brainstorming, freewriting and outlining to figure out what I want to write about. It will really narrow down my list of "what should I write about?"
Before I sit down to write my first paper, I know that I will be doing a lot of brainstorming, freewriting and outlining to figure out what I want to write about. It will really narrow down my list of "what should I write about?"
Malcolm X's "Learning to Read" Response
After reading an excerpt of Malcolm X’s autobiography, I felt that I could relate in regards to self-education. There have been countless times where I wanted to learn more about something and looked it up on Google or made a stop to the library to find what I was looking for. The curiosity and thirst for more knowledge is a part of self-education. Malcolm X had the drive, motivation, and passion to learn to read because he wanted to be able to express himself in letters that he wrote.
I felt like this excerpt was better than the last two articles because it kept me interested and I felt like I was able to relate more to this article. Everyone learns to read at some point in their life so reading this excerpt from Malcolm X help me put into perspective how hard it must have been for him. I think this excerpt and the last two articles were easy to read and it did aim toward a wide-ranging audience. It wasn’t too formal and he did write about a significant educational experience in his life. His persistence to learn how to read is very admirable and I feel that it has inspired me to go out and learn about something I don’t know about.
I felt like this excerpt was better than the last two articles because it kept me interested and I felt like I was able to relate more to this article. Everyone learns to read at some point in their life so reading this excerpt from Malcolm X help me put into perspective how hard it must have been for him. I think this excerpt and the last two articles were easy to read and it did aim toward a wide-ranging audience. It wasn’t too formal and he did write about a significant educational experience in his life. His persistence to learn how to read is very admirable and I feel that it has inspired me to go out and learn about something I don’t know about.
"What must you do on paper #1 to get an A?"
To get an "A" on paper #1, the paper should be significantly educational and not too personal. It does not need proof from websites or documents. The paper should include specific details and provide supporting examples for your educational experience. The paper should have flow and follow a step by step process. Illustrating what you are trying to convey would also be important to help the reader see your educational experience from your point of view. Paper #1 should also analyze your learning experience and show how it was significant to you. Giving thorough explanations in your paper will be very helpful to the reader. The essay must be 1,200-1,500 word narrative essay and not lazily written. You should not plagarize and correctly use the MLA style. The paper shouldn't be too formal and does not need to have a clear thesis. Essay should be directed to a wide-range audience and should be general. Making connections and providing background information will help identify your signifcant experience and allow reader to connect with you on a deeper level. The details in the paper should be clear and concise but not too much. The first two written examples were clear but I didn't find either of them fun to read. I think paper #1 should be fun and enjoyable for the reader and not feeling like they are being tortured reading it.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
First blog for English 101!! :)
After reading these two articles, I feel like it will be a little difficult to come up with a model for my first paper. I know it will be about something significant and educational but for some reason, I can’t figure it out right now. There have been many things that I have learned but I feel like they have not been significant enough for me to remember. To go through some ideas, maybe I can write about how I learned to be grateful? Or something that is in relation to self-improvement. I have read many articles and books about having a better attitude so maybe I can write about that. The two articles that I read were more of learning how to do something and I feel that it was significant for them because they loved what they did. They both ended up with jobs that related to what they learned. For example, the guy who learned to program computers started out young by teaching himself and learning programs by reading about others experience. He also worked at software companies and learned from people who had years of experience. The guy who learned to live google free had a job that revolved around going on the internet because he is a web journalist. These articles are a little hard to relate to because I don’t think I have learned something that I am passionate about. Well, maybe I have, I just haven’t discovered it yet.
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