Computer Time in High School...

Well........Computer time in High School meant a lot of things for a lot of different people. For teachers, it meant time to give their students a research assignment these wonderful students can work on while they (the teacher) had time to actually get other things done. For the librarian (because I went to a poor school and we had the computer lab and the library in one!), it meant time to actually work...because, not many people went into the library to actually get books or anything useful like that. And, last but not least, for the students it meant time to get on their myspace and livejournal accounts and hang out and play games online the whole time. There wasn't really much constructively done during computer time in High School, even though it was something everyone looked forward too. And I must say, I looked forward to it as well. I had a pretty crappy computer at my house and so I actually got to do all that online stuff at school and get it all over and done with.

Oh...and P.S. I was one of the few dorky kids in school who was actually known by the librarian because I really did go there to get books to read too! Go figure! HeHeHe!

Of course, I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I think, a lot of the time, computer access to students in high school was spent doing nothing that was truly required of them. It was just time during the school day to hang out and play games. Nothing important ever really happened there.

Technology: Benefit or Hinderance?

There a lot of ups and downs about technology in the classroom. As we have seen in this class even, it can serve to be somewhat distracting when we've got the computers out and we are doing something that we aren't supposed to be doing. But, there are major benefits to having these computers in the classroom. One can have immediate research taken, facts can be proven or disproven, etc. It is that handle on immediacy that makes technology great.

Of course, this is just an example of modern-day technology. Other technological advances in the classroom have involved projectors and slides and refillable ink pens and pencils. They help to bring convenience and, as said before, immediacy to the task at hand. That sense of immediacy is what technological advancements are all about.

Poetry Slammed

This candle is lighting my world.
This world is quiet...a little damp.
But this is my world
in the world of open windows
and leaky roofs
and empty houses
and empty dreams
and empty candles to wet to light.

This candle lit for me
and this candle is lighting my world.

Forget this time I spend alone
with my world being lit
by the raindrop's pitter-patter
on the shingles. Those shingles keeping warmth
for the rats in the walls.
The rats that have stolen my warmth.
Those rats are warm and I am cold.

This room is hollow with my heart.
Forget me too. ...in this room.

I am leaving this room.
I don't know where I'll go or
even with whom I'll go.
A moth to lead my light and follow
my eye's hopeful desperation in the months
I've spent alone in this empty, hollow
room.

I light the match.
This last match has lit and
I am leaving this place of rats and hate.
The cold is too much for me now, and
so I light this candle and
I am about to leave
with this candle
lighting my world.

But my world turns dank
when you open that door.

You left too long ago...
and you've put out my light again.

This room is dark again...
This light is gone...again...
And this poem is the only light in my world.

This poem is the light of my world.

This poem has lit my world.

Professor Letter vs. Friend Letter

Hello Professor Josie,

This past weekend was actually quite enjoyable for me. Friday I had to work at the Bernhard Center Bookstore for half of the day, but afterward I went with two of my friends (Ashley and Carolyn) to Grand Rapids on a shopping trip. Of course, the main point of the trip was so Carolyn could pick up her skis that her mother bought her for Christmas, but we ended up having a great time. I found a great new coat for winter time, which I've been wearing everyday since, and we all found new outfits for the upcoming holidays. When we finally got back to Kalamazoo we were all exhausted. Deciding to simply head in for the night, we made plans for the rest of the weekend as well.

On Saturday, I spent most of my day cooking and baking. In the morning I made pancakes for myself and Carloyn (who came over to help with my baking) and we watched a lot of Grey's Anatomy on DVD. Later, we made Rice Krispie Treats, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Sugar Cookies for me to bring to my Religions class on Monday. And, after watching more Grey's Anatomy, we made Spaghetti for dinner. It was a nice, calm night that was just great for relaxing and enjoying tastey food and some Grey's.

Then, on Sunday I took Ashley and Carolyn back home with me to the Birch Run Prime Outlets and Frankenmuth's Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland (which is the world's largest Christmas store in the world). Literally, we spent the entire day shopping and searching for gifts and Christmas decorations. Though, we left somewhat early to get back to Kalamazoo in time to watch The Wizard of Oz on TBS, it was still a great time.

Thank you for letting me share my experiences with you. I hope your weekend was just as enjoyable.

Amanda Valley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey!

What's up dude?? Not to much goin' on here. I am SoooOOOooo frickin' tired...I had a crazy busy weekend. I went shopping twice (!!) with Ashley and Carolyn this weekend, first in Grand Rapids friday night and back home on Sunday morning. I never would have though I'd be taking people back home to go shopping...I hate the Outlets. HORRIBLE DRIVER!!!! Frickin' tourists. Oh well...we still had fun. We went to Muth after the Outlets and Max (my b/f) met us out there and Ashley and Carolyn finally got to meet him...even though he was REALLY sick. I miss him so much...I hate that we live so far away from each other. It's all good, it makes it better when we do get to see each other. But I was really excited about Friday because I got this AWESOME new coat that I just FELL IN LOVE WITH! And I got it...and I'm happy now! HeHeHe! It was really fun getting to hang out with them...we don't really get to hang out outside of work very often. And then on Saturday I was baking and cooking and watching Grey's all day. I'm so proud of myself! HaHa! And Carolyn came over for a while and hung out too...it was fun. It was nice to just have a nice, relaxing weekend. That's been very rare, especially lately...but it's all good. Well I g2g, so I'll ttyl. Loves!

~*Manderz

Picture Perfect with a Sense of Creation

It feels so lonely here, this tunnel of frozen hearts. The trees have captured time in the iced flesh of each branch and each twig, and leaf. I look around to see that there is yet one leaf still hanging from the branches already duried in the cold white. The snow falls gently upon the crystal leaf, graceully frozen in time. Walking farther down the tunnel, I find myself being captured in this blank canvas. I am painting my own picture with my pink scarf, and pink wool hat. A flake of snow falls upon my pink glove, and I stare into its tiny abyss. This world of shapes and sizes melting on my fingertips, and I glance around to find these shapes and sizes melting in this tunnel of lonesome emptiness. It's cold, and no one is here. These trees have found a place in my heart, and I am anxious to see them liven in the brightness of sunshine, with the white drying quick. But, this white is how I will always remember these trees. Frozen in a movement, in a time, and in a lonesome call for companionship.

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Why do stars shine?

The reason that stars shine is because of the cool winds reaching space, the life that lives in the skies, and the light in every soul's eyes. The reason that stars shine is because every soul that passes on earth is blown by the winds of rain and sorrow toward the heavens visible on earth. Each star is a set of eyes watching over the loved ones they've left behind. The light in their soul and the love that they share gives them the brightness they need to see us all in the daylight and the night. At night, we find ourselves more vulnerable here on earth. We seem to let ourselves go at night, and that is when the eyes of those we miss come searching for us. Of course, there are those lost souls that feel as if they have no one to watch over, and so they form themselves into a different star, a shooting star. With every shooting star is a soul still searching for someone to love, and someone to love them back. They are lost, but they run forever from that great sense of loneliness toward a search of fullfillment. The Sun however, the largest and brightest star of them all, is the place where each soul retreats to once they are reunited with the loves they've left behind. That is the reason the Sun is so bright, so bright that eyes on earth cannot look directly at it, because the love the forms the Sun is too bright for the hearts on earth to imagine. So, just remember to search for your loved ones in the stars each night, for they look for you and watch for your happiness. And, in the twilight shining down, if you find a star winking ever so slightly at you, know that it is someone you love loving you back.

Fire Write!!!!!...with a Free Write.

I recently recieved an email from my Mom about this forward that some woman had been sending around discussing a stamp that is coming out. It is a stamp that supposedly says Merry Christmas in Arabic (I have to go an translate it still to make sure), and this woman was completely angered that America would come out with a stamp like that because of "everything the Muslims have done to this country and our people and everyone in the world." This email angered me to no end. I ended up sending a reply to my Mom about this email and we talked about it later. But, I would like to make aware that one of the reasons this really upset me so much is the fact that I am part Lebanese, aka part Arab. Ever since 9/11, I've come to know what racism really means, and that's something I've never personally experienced before that event. The kind of hatred that people spawn from individual actions is what has ruined this world, and that is what I truly belief. Below is what I replied to my mother.

"I absolutely despise this forward.

It was not the entire Muslim community that attacked America and American troops, and nor was it the entire American community that attacked the Arab countries! It was the FANATICAL MUSLIM JIHAD TERRORISTS that attacked this country and its people. A select group. NOT the entirety of a nation or believe system. This is what is wrong with this world today. Spreading around that because one group of people does something bad or horrible, then the entire race is bad and horrible. That's what spawns RACISM!

Yes, it matters what these FANATICS did to us. But, how does it make it any better if we go overseas simply to attack their civilians too?! It doesn't. Period. All it does is cause more problems and nothing gets solved because these FANATICS get even more angry, and it's not the FANATICS that we end up killing because we spend too much time trying to instill our own way of life on people who believe in completely different things than we do.

These kind of emails just upset me. It's pure ignorance on humanities' part as a whole because we allow these things to happen with our own people. And, when I say our own people, I mean it as the entire world! We are all human, all flesh and blood, all hearts and emotions...so why do we have to be so different?

ARGH! People can really suck sometimes!

I Love You Mumma! I kind of want to try and see what the stamp actually says, but it really doesn't matter that much to me. Everything I said above is what matters. Just because something might be written in a different language shouldn't make it offensive. IT'S A UNIFIER!!!! DUH PEOPLE!!!

Frickin' Feliz Navidad Jerks!"

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"A Poem of Apathy"

Why are we different colors
in a world so black and white?
Why is there so much anger
in a world where we all must fight?
Why do we hate one another
to the ends of the earth and back,
when from the ends of the earth and back
no one wishes to suffer these great attacks?

In a world of black and white
there's simply too much grey.
In this world of black and white
that grey will never go away.
Opinions matter, and hope makes sense,
but hope has been lost in nonsensical opinions.
All hearts have dwindled to a Grinch sized beat,
and the hearts who still care have no voice in the Sun.

Group Teach!

Ok...this is my schedule.

Mondays: Class 12-1:50 ... Class 4-7:20
Teusdays: Work 8-12 ... Class 12:30-1:45 ... Class 4-5:15 ... Class 6-9:30
Wednesdays: Work 8-11:30 ... Class 12-1:50 ...Work 2-6
Thursdays: Work 8-12 ... Class 12:30-1:45 ... Class 4-5:15
Fridays: Work 8-1

This weekend (Nov. 2-4) I'll be home too.

I know this is a tough schedule to work with, but if anyone can meet at all, let me know!

Comments on Group #3

I really enjoyed this group's presentation because there were so many things and ideas that were discussed to go along with the ideas of Social Injustice. The first day's activity with the advertisements brought out the idea of working with everyday objects we don't really put much thought into, and the activity with the Disney films and the story book helped to bring out ideas with things we've always known but never really second guessed. There's a lot of different ways to approach Social Injustice, and the writing about it, and this group did a great job with just beginning to approach the many ideas that can easily flow from this subject. Creatively, I found this group to be working from any and all aspects of creativity. They used all of our senses in the projects we were involved in, and they kept us involved all the way through. With every exercise presented, there was something to go along with it. There was nothing left hanging and every issue was discussed. I really enjoyed this group's efforts toward putting forth the many thoughts and theories of social injustice. Not only were racial topics approached, but self-esteem, history, entertainment and media, as well as personal issues in society as well. I was surprised with how much was able to be fit into such a short period of time too, and it helped to show how easy it can be to approach social issues and the many ways it impacts all of our lives. From childhood to adulthood, we can see the stereotypes we've discussed, the differences throughout the years and the differences throughout the many societies in the world as well.

Dear Disney,

Wow! After growing up and not being led under the guise of a child's innocence, I have noticed so many overtly racist things in your movies. Images of the Native Americans as "Red Men" or "Injuns" in "Peter Pan", literally colored a bright cherry-red, and dancing around and talking as simplistic as can be, I have found myself in shock. Portrayals of the Native Americans in your child-focused eyes have brought many racist thoughts to my head. And, as I look back on other Disney films, I see the same amount of shocking descriptions of people and cultures. Again, with the Native Americans in "Pocahontas", we see a better version than previously developed, but still have that undertone of bigotry when discussing and developing their culture. Also, this is extremely prevelent when looking at other movies such as "Dumbo" and "Aladdin". In "Dumbo" we see a literal working of black face, which is a technique used in minstrel theatres in history to portray African-Americans. No matter if it was a white man or a black man being depicted on the stage, their faces were covered in black face, a tone of black as black as can be. And, in this Disney film, all of these African-Americans are greatly portrayed in black face and they have no other characteristics drawn out. All they are said to do is to be constantly working and losing all the money that they make. But, we see a drastic difference in the description of the Arab culture by the physical characteristics put together. The large noses, the big eyes, the small stature; all of which are stereotypical characteristics of an Arab person. The saddest thing here, is that these are all just breif examples I have found within the many films you have produced. As a child, I always enjoyed your movies, and I still do. My only problem, is that I look at them through a new window of bigotry and stereotyping. I, as an adult, no better than to belief everything you have put out to the public. But, my biggest concern is that the rest of the population probably does not. As a company greatly known for children's movies and being incorporated into all children's lives, I simply wish for you to be aware of the impact you make and actually do something about it.

Fake is for Last Night, Not Handbags

I had a different ad previously, but found this one afterward. It is an advertisement for an energy drink, did you think that right away? I first looked at it and thought something completely different and didn't realize it was for an advertisement for an energy drink. Just the saying that's bold across the ad "Fake is for last night, not handbags" doesn't really relate to handbags. It quite relates to the fact that women are fake on dates, as the picture behind the saying shows a woman at a restaurant. But, it's all about the energy drink giving the woman energy for the date and for the night ahead. Obviously it's got a sexual connotation toward women needing a type of sexual energy that she can get from the energy drink. The ad doesn't even show the woman's face, it shows just her body, and it doesn't show her "date" either. This ad is selling a type of sexuality for women in a drink.

So, in my commercial or advertisement for a women's energy drink, I think I would just have a bunch of girls hanging out just doing whatever. And, I would have all different types of women together, any size and any race, any stereotype, drinking the energy drink with some saying like "Keep the energy going" going across the ad. With this change, it doesn't rely on any sexuality and basing attractiveness on the advertisement. Instead, it promotes the idea of simply hanging out and having fun with anyone and everyone.

Mmmmm...Moolatte

One of my favorite commercials is actually an older one, it's a Dairy Queen Moolatte commercial. There's a woman in a room with a blindfold on and with two scientists and there's two cups sitting in front of the woman. The scientists ask her to try both drinks and see which one tasted better. She tries them and obviously likes the Moolatte, but then they try to take the Moolatte away from her and she freaks out and tries run out of the room with the drink. Of course, she's still got the blindfold on and so she ends up running into the wall while trying to get out of the room.

I just like this commercial because it's funny and it always made me laugh.

I wish I were a boy when...

...I first started playing soccer. I started playing soccer when I was in fourth grade, the only thing was that my school didn't have the sport. So, I had to go to one of the next towns over in order to play, which I loved because it was completely different surroundings and people than I'd known before. The only thing that was bothersome was the fact that at my own school, I was the only girl to be interested in playing soccer. Not many people in general were interested in the sport, but the few who were ended up being boys. I was constantly made fun of for being the only girl at my school playing soccer, even though I played on a girls team! It didn't matter though...until one day I convinced some of my girl friends to go practice with me one day. They ended up loving it! Before they came to my practice all I wished was that I could play on the boys team and not have any worries with it, but it got so much better when I got others interested. By the time I was in high school I'd gotten enough girls interested to start a soccer club, which consisted of all girls because the boys weren't interested anymore. By that point, I didn't wish I was a boy that was interested in soccer anymore. At first I felt that way because I thought that it would have been easier to handle, but I soon found out that girls were tougher than boys when my girls team scrimmaged the boys and won 5-0. A turning point in life, boys make fun of girls only because we're better and stronger!

Just Kidding! I don't completely believe that...

Chapter 14

I felt that this chapter was very important because it discussed what all of us are thinking, that multi-genre writing is something that needs to be incorporated into the classroom. I'm sure that many of us have hardly ever experienced such a style in writing, at least not until college. I believe that is not only because it is not introduced to the students in high school, but because teachers aren't really comfortable with it either. As a creative writer myself, I feel that it is much more important to begin a focus on multi-genre writing in order to help encourage the creative writers constantly being shut down by high standards of formality. Multi-genre works gives a writer the chance to be creative and use what they really know to do so. This chapter was very significant reading because of all the reasons stated above, and because as developing teachers ourselves, we must learn to allow that creativity in our students and in ourselves.

Read-Around Poem

This is my poem I wrote for the read-around session in class this past Wednesday. Which, if you read in my previous blog, I quite enjoyed! Thank you to everyone for the great comments received in class, and I hope to get more. Thanks!

Oh, and it's still untitled, sorry!

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I am from Showtunes in country,
warm Hummus on the counter,
hard work and old traditions
that guide my future to new places.

Through freshly mowed grass and old
climbing trees. I am from lilacs
on a gentle breese.

Apple blossoms that bloom
when the wind passes through;
I am the pink rain of blossom
petals storming the street.

Each car passes by on the country
side highway. And, I am the passenger
hoping to get out for a while.

I am from hometowns, city and country
alike. My brother and I are from home
in the night. In the night I can see all the stars
in the sky.

I am from night, but the night passes by.

With a shooting star shooting far from my sight,
I travel with it, through the vanishing night.

I am from heritage,
from music,
from craft. and from flow.

I am from Arabs, and French,
and from ketchup unknown.

I am from pain
and heartache and gain.
I am from loss
in a winter rain.

I am from birth from my mother's womb.
And I am from death in my unforseen tomb.

I am from lots and from little and from country hicks,
I am from low down and big bustle and from city chicks.
I am from me, in the growth of my years.

But I am from you in my years still to growing fears.

Assignment #2

The passage I chose to write about began on the first page of The Read-Around: Raising Writers, the passage entitled "The Read-Around as Writing Text."

I love doing read-arounds in workshopping classes! Or in any class even. They are more beneficial than people seem to realize, and that's one of the things I love so much about them. It's the best way to get good feedback on your work. Through listening to other's thoughts, more theories and inspiration develop to make the piece work better. And, all of us writers know that it takes a lot of effort to make something truly work. It takes a lot of revision as well. With read-arounds, writers are able to accomplish such revisions with the help of other talented classmates. But, one of my favorite aspects of read-arounds is actually addressed in this passage in the bit about what Heather wrote; the way inspiration and technique show their faces in the listening of others' writings. Going back to an old saying of "the best writers are the best readers", and in a way, listeners are as well. Even when I'm revising pieces I've written on my own, I always get more out of it when I read it aloud. When you hear something read, you can see how it should be written. And, it's so much easier to catch any mistakes made as well. Whatever the tongue trips over is a slip that needs fixing! No matter what kind of class is being taught, if there is any type of writing requirements, read-arounds should be requirements as well. The benefits of such time is always well spent. Those who are having trouble starting get to find their way through thoughts and ideas spun off from others', and constructive criticism always helps with any project. Things are never perfect right off the bat, but with the rhythm a swing of a read-around, anything can improve.

First Blogging Assignment.

Before I start writing down what I've come up with from the readings, I want to say that I've only just begun thinking about being a teacher and the mere idea of it scares me to death. I'm sipmly a writer by nature, by night. And, a performer by day. But, as most know, performers are never themselves. Performers perform something else, someone else, to everyone else. That is what I am. So the idea of teaching, being up there in front of them all, with all eyes on me, the real me, expecting me...is what I'm having the most trouble with. Hopefully, this class will be a great help with that...that is my greatest expectation of this class. Though, large it may be, it's something I hope for.

But, here I go...homework from the first day of class.

Teaching the Best Practice Way

1. What is your understanding of Best Practice teaching?

~To my understanding, Best Practice teaching is simply “hands-on” teaching. Instead of coldly lecturing, emptily handing out worksheets, and assigning note-taking and readings, Best Practice teaching gets the students involved by having the teachers be involved as well. There’s more interaction between the student and teacher, and it seems as if there’s more want for that interaction by the student. I suppose it’s that there’s less expectation to know and memorize so much in such little time, but, instead, having more understanding of what’s being taught throughout the entire time spent in school. There is a gigantic difference between “knowing” and “understanding”.

2. What are the tenants of Best Practice teaching?

~The seven methods of Best Practice teaching are choice, responsibility, expression, community, diversity, and technology. All of these connect to help bring out a better understanding of study and learning. We all have the choice of wanting to teach and wanting to learn, that’s a choice that must be made right away. And, with that, we all have the responsibility to live up to that choice. But, it’s in the expression that shows what each student, as well as each teacher, has learned. Both through the togetherness of the community and the togetherness of each diverse group are we able to take advantage of the learning opportunities we have around us. But, what we must take advantage of first and foremost, is the great advantage of technology and what it gives us. Through these seven intertwining methods, teaching and learning becomes simpler, and simply fun.

3. What is *not* Best Practice?

~“Not” Best Practice is simply cold teaching. As I began in the first question’s answer, cold teaching is the clear separation between teacher and student, whereas Best Practice embraces their connection.

4. How might you incorporate Best Practice teaching in you English classroom?

~Journal, journal, journal. There’s no better way to present what the student understands and is experiencing than being able to read it first hand on a constant basis. Not only is the student able to convey knowledge, understanding and expression, but as the teacher, one would be able to see what they have learned over time.


Crafting a Life

2. Choose one quote from the reading o comment on in your blog.

~On the very last page given to us was my favorite quote. It was written on a line all by itself, as well it should be…the quote?
“The solution is to write what you have to write.”
Many people forget that idea when they sit down to write. There’s too many deadlines, too many requirements, too many guidelines. I write my worst in those circumstances, even if others see it differently. I write my best when I write what I simply have to write for myself.

1. What does it mean to be a writer?

~And, yes, I did this backwards, because I feel like my answer to the first question draws itself from the second. A writer is someone who simply writes for themselves. Yes, they may have certain ways of doing things, specific routines, or even no routines; but each individual writer is a writer because they write for themselves.