The first intro was the best to me. The writer used many adjectives to describe a scene that I could actually picture in my head. I even could see myself in a department store doing almost exactly as the writer described. I was pulled in immediately and wanted to keep reading to see what has going to happen. The ethos seems trustworthy, believable, interesting, the tone is a bit comedic. I can tell they are developing a kind of relationship that sucks readers in right away; the writer wants to capture my attention immediately in hopes that I'll stick around to read the rest of the paper. Based on the intro I am assuming the paper is about subliminal messages in advertisement and media.
I've never heard of the Tort System, or of the phrase "the long arm of the law" but based on what I gathered in the second intro is that having such control over society can lead to damming effects. This intro was straight to the point and the writer seems to want me to think about how law effects me in everyday life and it wants to teach me about this system. The tone is very serious, no undertones of comedy like the first one, so that could make for credibility. I believe what they say about the law having control in general but I can't believe anything about this Tort system until I read on. Based on how it started, I think I would be interested to keep reading.
The third intro did nothing for me. There were a few grammatical errors that drove me crazy, and the writing was just boring. The sentences were so cold and dry, it was like a robot typed it. The ethos being created appear genuine and credible but this writer does nothing at all to capture the reader. I wouldn't be interested in reading this paper at all. Seems like something a high schooler would write. It's very obvious what this paper is about, the writer made that clear several times in the intro.
The intro had the reader imagining again by telling a story and placing you right in the middle of it. Always a good start. They want to develop a close relationship with you and attempt to make their paper relatable to your own situations. Unfortunately I have no idea where this one is going. If I had to guess I'd assume the paper is about rights that will be taken away from us when we reach adulthood? Could be a government/political paper, or maybe about cigarettes being banned all over? No clue really. I would like to keep reading because I want to know where the writer is going with this intro.
Number five is again asking me to use my imagination which I mentioned earlier that I enjoy, but this time it's a little dull. No awesome adjectives, not comedic relief, just seriousness about the environment. The writer wants to scare readers into listening to what they have to say about their topic. I believe what they are saying is credible, but does it make me want to continue reading? No, not really. I tried to think of ways to make this topic into a better intro but I came up empty-handed. This is a serious topic and if you're human you've known about this issue for a long time. Honestly, I don't know that this would be a good topic in any class unless it was an environmental science class I suppose.
"Maybe you haven't noticed", and "most of you likely...", and "you may be tempted...". The sixth intro really seems to make me feel like they are better than me and they know all about what I think and how I feel. Not a good start. I don't think this is the best way to draw in readers. I feel like they are not on my side and even blame me for the planet's mess or for my ignorance. This paper rubs me the wrong way already and I wouldn't wan to keep reading. However, it gave me another intro about the environment to compare #5 to. I guess if I had to choose I'd pick #5 because it used that imaginative perspective that I like.
Seventh intro-good one. Futuristic thoughts, lots of comparing. Bringing back memories of the past, mentioning shows and movies I've seen. The writer seems to know how to pull in readers by sharing relatable thoughts and ideas. Can't really say what this paper is about but I'd be interested in continuing to read it. If I had to guess on this one, I think they are going to tell me about why we aren't as futuristic as what we imagined we would be back in the day. Can't imagine where that would go, however, but that's why I would wanto to learn more about what the writer has to say.
As you can probably see by now, I enjoy papers where the writer uses comedic, entertaining, imaginative intros to their papers. Blatently laying out EXACTLY what youur paper is about right away kind of defeats the purpose and leaves nothing left to the reader's curiousity and imagination. Based on these observations I just made, I will go back and make sure my paper does just that.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Reflecting on My Own Reflection
After doing the reflection assignment and reading other blogs, I realize that my reflection paper isn't much of my own honest thoughts but more about what I read and learned. It is pretty cold and dry and I think I need to make it more personable. I agreed with my own responses to these questions, as well as other responses that I've read so now I just need to apply these to my own reflection.
Reflecting on Reflective Writing in Our Class
Dani Seeger and Steph Matheus
Writers who say "I think" or "I believe" make me believe that their own thoughts are involved in their writing. Also, when writers talk about past experiences it shows that their own self is incorporated into the paper.
When writers talk about soething trivial or taboo, it shows that they are being completely honest and are not concerned about what others think about them.
When writers talk about a personal experience or about another reading or source they thought of after reading an article, it tells me that they were really engaged with the reading.
Writers who bring in new ideas to the paper, and showing how their thoughts have differed show that they have learned; we also see this when they revise their writing several times. Making generalities out of particular circumstances is optional but it isn't needed.
I think they do need to show if their ready to apply these principles because these processes can be applied to several aspects of life. The more you know the better it will be.
When drafts change, and they call out thoughts they've had before and what thoughts they have now, show that their thinking has developed. This convines me that they've learned.
Writers should show examples of different things they've learned and their process of thinking toward new ideas and should also address the readings that have affected them, if any have really affected them.
Writers who say "I think" or "I believe" make me believe that their own thoughts are involved in their writing. Also, when writers talk about past experiences it shows that their own self is incorporated into the paper.
When writers talk about soething trivial or taboo, it shows that they are being completely honest and are not concerned about what others think about them.
When writers talk about a personal experience or about another reading or source they thought of after reading an article, it tells me that they were really engaged with the reading.
Writers who bring in new ideas to the paper, and showing how their thoughts have differed show that they have learned; we also see this when they revise their writing several times. Making generalities out of particular circumstances is optional but it isn't needed.
I think they do need to show if their ready to apply these principles because these processes can be applied to several aspects of life. The more you know the better it will be.
When drafts change, and they call out thoughts they've had before and what thoughts they have now, show that their thinking has developed. This convines me that they've learned.
Writers should show examples of different things they've learned and their process of thinking toward new ideas and should also address the readings that have affected them, if any have really affected them.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Drafting Posters
I've learned by creating these that, like writing, there is a process and what you create can affect people differently. By arranging the pictures and the text in a certain way, my paper can make different points. I found that by arranging the items on my poster, my poster made more sense the more I played around with it. The less junk I had on my poster, the better it became. The point is clear, without having to spell it out. All of these things relate to the composing process.
Evaluation of My Writing
Almost missed this blog post-was too busy focusing on my current paper and the eval. Relating to what is on the rubric, I think I need to expand more on all of my sources and not use only one for the majority of my paper. I refer to Pugach a lot but that's because she makes great points in her book, all that I agree with and will follow when I am a teacher. But I will work on integrating more the other sources I found. I also will make sure that my paper is not too one-sided. Some may think that I am being disrespectful by referring to not-so-good teachers as quitters and failures so I will work on taking that out so that it doesn't turn some away.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Week 11-Creative Writing Workshop
After receiving feedback, I learned about a few sentences that completely contradict the point I am trying to make! Oops! I can see why I added those sentences, and I know what I was trying to say when I wrote it, but now that someone else read it and explained what they thought I was saying I realize it definitely doesn't fit. So, I need to work on changing them around to get my point across or just remove them altogether. I'm fine with either option. She also pointed out to me a really good idea I had in my paper and mentioned that I should expand on it a little more. She's right. The paragraph is very short and I can definitely give a few more ideas around the topic that needs expanding.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Week 11-Revising Comments
I haven't received the copies of my drafts from my classmates so I'm not sure what feedback they had but I've talked to a few of them who have read it or heard about my ideas for my paper. The latest revision I did was really getting my conclusion down and making the suggestions for solving the issue flow well with the rest of the paper. I still don't have a title, which is pretty much the hardest part of my paper so far, but hopefully I will have that before tomorrow night's class. I also went through and read my paper again and fixed many small errors and even replaced some words and sentences with others to make it sound better. I even found a point where I felt the need to insert the feelings that I had at that point in time, so I think I will read it one more time before Wednesday night's class to make sure I really wanted that thought included in my paper (sometimes I get carried away, but usually I can catch myself and fix it before I go too far).
Overall, I think that revisions that I've made over the course of creating the paper have been helpful in making my paper sound more relatable and less like a technical, dry research paper. My ideas have been inserted more than actual quotes from other people so I think that makes my paper show more feeling; I am talking about why students from different culture backgrounds receive an unequal treatment in schools, which in turn is the reason for the achievement gap, so there should be real feeling involved in order to sway my readers into believing what I do. Thus, to me, showing my voice in this writing rather than using someone else's voice is most important.
Overall, I think that revisions that I've made over the course of creating the paper have been helpful in making my paper sound more relatable and less like a technical, dry research paper. My ideas have been inserted more than actual quotes from other people so I think that makes my paper show more feeling; I am talking about why students from different culture backgrounds receive an unequal treatment in schools, which in turn is the reason for the achievement gap, so there should be real feeling involved in order to sway my readers into believing what I do. Thus, to me, showing my voice in this writing rather than using someone else's voice is most important.
Visual Composition
What was new and surprising to me after reading these articles is that art can tell so many stories. I never knew there was so much thought behind positioning something on a page just to get an idea across. From positioning for a feeling of comfort, or gravity, or fear, or to show hierarchy, there are so many different stories a picture can tell just by these things. Not only can visuals tell stories, they can even show movement and tension.
From what I gathered in the readings, visual composition is expressing a sense of reality in a picture and creating a visual language. Literacy is not always verbal, it can also come from pictures that we create. In art we can create a visual message and, the better the art the clearer the message. It's about "understanding expressive visual communication in the search for a universal visual language (Dondis)." Written composition sounds familiar, although it is not visual but rather a process of getting a message across clearly.
When I read these articles I was constantly trying to find a comparison to the written composition because I forgot all about the poster we are to do by the end of the semester. I tried really hard to take what I was reading and compare it to what we were learning. Finally when I was done reading I went back to the calendar and remembered the poster, and then had to sit and think about what I was really reading and put my thoughts back to art and not the metaphors I created to relate to the writing composition process. Now that I started to think about my poster, I will be sure to use the techniques of centered-ness and gravity, as well as creating a focus that stands out more than anything else (the main point). I think I have an idea of how to do my poster to show all the connections of the composition process and will start drawing it out soon.
From what I gathered in the readings, visual composition is expressing a sense of reality in a picture and creating a visual language. Literacy is not always verbal, it can also come from pictures that we create. In art we can create a visual message and, the better the art the clearer the message. It's about "understanding expressive visual communication in the search for a universal visual language (Dondis)." Written composition sounds familiar, although it is not visual but rather a process of getting a message across clearly.
When I read these articles I was constantly trying to find a comparison to the written composition because I forgot all about the poster we are to do by the end of the semester. I tried really hard to take what I was reading and compare it to what we were learning. Finally when I was done reading I went back to the calendar and remembered the poster, and then had to sit and think about what I was really reading and put my thoughts back to art and not the metaphors I created to relate to the writing composition process. Now that I started to think about my poster, I will be sure to use the techniques of centered-ness and gravity, as well as creating a focus that stands out more than anything else (the main point). I think I have an idea of how to do my poster to show all the connections of the composition process and will start drawing it out soon.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Week 10-Language and Power
Delpit's article focused on the "culture of power" and the debate over skills vs. process when it comes to writing and teaching. Delpit speaks about the differences between a teacher showing power in the classroom vs. not showing power and how that can have a major effect on students. I like how Delpit gave examples of white middle-class parents being a little bit more lenient with directions to their kids, "isn't it time for your bath?", vs. black parents who are more direct with their children, "get in that bathtub!". If teachers don't know how to show power in a classroom, some students will not respond well and therefore be set up for failure. Delpit states that teachers should also find ways to incorporate different languages in the classroom and allow students to use the language they are most comfortable with at home, but to also teach them about the power behind standard English.
Young examined the disconnect between the black culture and literacy and talks about the dilemma of being a black male in school and how using standard English, or White English vernacular (WEV), can seem feminine or homosexual. He explains that many young black males protect their masculinity by choosing not to accept standard English. Like Delpit, he talks about ways that teachers incorporate their BEV in the classroom but emphasizes that they set them up for failure by not teaching them WEV and when it is appropriate to use both.
I've been learning about how to accept BEV, also known as AAVE (African American Vernacular English) in the classroom when I am a teacher, as well as how to teach my students about when it is important to use VS. when standard English should be used. The ultimate goal in making sure they learn standard English is exactly what these articles talk about-power. I actually have been affected in how I am perceived by people because of my language uses. In school I went to all MPS and the way I spoke came off to my predominantly black classmates as white. Things that I pronounced correctly would be laughed at by some. Not that I was bullied, but if I wanted to avoid that, I would have to change my language a bit to fit in. With that being said, I feel like I can relate to African Americans who change their language in certain situations. I, however, do not judge people for their language, unless they are using the wrong language at the wrong time (i.e. using "slang" at an interview or with someone of power). The point in both articles, I think, is to show that standard English shows a form of power in society, but that all other languages should not simply be dismissed. Students should learn about the power they can have if they choose when to use standard English VS. their own language that they've known since they were very young. It is part of their culture and teachers cannot and should not see it as unimportant or of having no value (I talk about this in my paper!).
Young examined the disconnect between the black culture and literacy and talks about the dilemma of being a black male in school and how using standard English, or White English vernacular (WEV), can seem feminine or homosexual. He explains that many young black males protect their masculinity by choosing not to accept standard English. Like Delpit, he talks about ways that teachers incorporate their BEV in the classroom but emphasizes that they set them up for failure by not teaching them WEV and when it is appropriate to use both.
I've been learning about how to accept BEV, also known as AAVE (African American Vernacular English) in the classroom when I am a teacher, as well as how to teach my students about when it is important to use VS. when standard English should be used. The ultimate goal in making sure they learn standard English is exactly what these articles talk about-power. I actually have been affected in how I am perceived by people because of my language uses. In school I went to all MPS and the way I spoke came off to my predominantly black classmates as white. Things that I pronounced correctly would be laughed at by some. Not that I was bullied, but if I wanted to avoid that, I would have to change my language a bit to fit in. With that being said, I feel like I can relate to African Americans who change their language in certain situations. I, however, do not judge people for their language, unless they are using the wrong language at the wrong time (i.e. using "slang" at an interview or with someone of power). The point in both articles, I think, is to show that standard English shows a form of power in society, but that all other languages should not simply be dismissed. Students should learn about the power they can have if they choose when to use standard English VS. their own language that they've known since they were very young. It is part of their culture and teachers cannot and should not see it as unimportant or of having no value (I talk about this in my paper!).
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
My Definition of Writing
Writing as I know it after nine weeks of class is a process. This process has many steps and should be thought out thoroughly, over and over again. We don't often know where our thoughts, and our stored memories, and feelings and emotions, will take us until they come out of our heads and out of our mouths and onto paper. That's why writing is always changing and as a writer we are always learning. Writing cannot just simply be taught as instruction, instead we have to teach ourselves based off of the support and responses we receive from others about our writing, but most importantly our internal thoughts and development from ourselves.
The implications of this definition implies that as a future teacher I will help students learn that writing takes time and should not be done in one sitting. I will have my students (3rd graders) write a paper about something they like, and then have them revise it a few times throughout the year to see how well their writing develops by the time they do a final draft. It might sound like a lot for a nine year old but I think a page of something fun to them shouldn't be that hard. Plus they wrtie pretty big still so it should fill up the page pretty fast! :) I think if you show them at a young age that their writing changes as they discover internal and external ideas, they will keep this practice in minda s they advance through school.
The implications of this definition implies that as a future teacher I will help students learn that writing takes time and should not be done in one sitting. I will have my students (3rd graders) write a paper about something they like, and then have them revise it a few times throughout the year to see how well their writing develops by the time they do a final draft. It might sound like a lot for a nine year old but I think a page of something fun to them shouldn't be that hard. Plus they wrtie pretty big still so it should fill up the page pretty fast! :) I think if you show them at a young age that their writing changes as they discover internal and external ideas, they will keep this practice in minda s they advance through school.
Responding to Alyssa's Assignment
Alyssa's assignment was very helpful. Although my paper is nearly finished, I was able to think again about my main ideas, write them down, and then go back to my paper to validate that these ideas were clear. It even helped me to think of a new idea since it has been awhile since I last looked at my paper. Her assignment would also be beneficial for those who are not as far as I am in my writing. Without looking at notes, outlines, drafts, etc. the assignment really has you thinking about what you now know about your topic and also about what you think your paper is addressing. This is a good assignment because it takes us away from all the research and revision and editing and allows us to just reflect on our topics/arguments to make sure they are still entact with the points we are trying to make. I'll have to remember to do this once more before the end of the semester.
Revision Plan
The biggest thing I need to work on when I revise my paper is to finish it! I still need to talk about solutions to the issues I present. Then I will need to wrap up my paper with a good conclusion. Finally, I need to develop my thesis statement!! I had one, kind of, but I hated it. I changed it over and over again because I want to make sure it covers exactly what I am talking about and not just bits and pieces. The last thing I am going to do is go through the entire paper and make sure it is not boring. This is my chance to write a good paper about something that interests me and not worry about getting a bad grade for using bad grammar, or a coma in the wrong place. I can focus on the issue and not the actual writing.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Trial Assignment for You
Comparing Your Writing to Others of the Same Topic
This assignment will help you to see your arguing topic from a different perspective and help you develop new ideas.
1. Look at different professional examples of writing within the realm of your topic.
2. Look at articles that do not agree with your argument. That is, search for the exact opposite of the point you are trying to make.
3. Of the articles that do not agree with your point, pull out 3-5 main ideas that their article is attempting to argue. Then answer the following questions:
*Of these other main ideas, how many of them do you counter or address in your own writing?
*If there are ideas that are not currently addressed in your writing, how can you incorporate at least one of these?
4. If you are struggling with your thesis, compare the theses of the opposing articles to yours, then write your thesis to be the exact opposite of these articles.
This assignment will help you to see your arguing topic from a different perspective and help you develop new ideas.
1. Look at different professional examples of writing within the realm of your topic.
2. Look at articles that do not agree with your argument. That is, search for the exact opposite of the point you are trying to make.
3. Of the articles that do not agree with your point, pull out 3-5 main ideas that their article is attempting to argue. Then answer the following questions:
*Of these other main ideas, how many of them do you counter or address in your own writing?
*If there are ideas that are not currently addressed in your writing, how can you incorporate at least one of these?
4. If you are struggling with your thesis, compare the theses of the opposing articles to yours, then write your thesis to be the exact opposite of these articles.
Thinking Towards a Revision Plan
All I have left to do with my paper is the thesis, the solutions, and the conclusion. Then I will go through and make sure my paper isn't dry and dull.
- Am I clear about my argument? Can I state it as a thesis statement?
This is one of the last things I need to do. I have to get my thesis statement together so that it fits with the rest of my paper. My argument is clear, but I still don't have a thesis.
- Does my writing offer well-supported and accurate evidence for each of my claims?
Yes, the evidence I have is valid and it supports my argument.
- Is my writing fair and respectful toward the differing positions one could take on my arguments?
Yes, I am only providing facts and just arguing who/what is to blame for the issue. Some may argue that other things are to blame, but they wouldn't think my paper was unfair.
- Will my readers understand the purpose of each paragraph?
I think my paper flows well so yes, each paragraph has a reason and is in the right place (in my opinion).
- Can I say why my paragraphs are ordered as they are? Can I describe the steps of my argument?
Yes, it is pretty clear to see how my paper is orgnazied. It starts with all the problems of my issues, or causes, then ends with solutions to the problems.
- Will my writing engage readers?
Another thing I need to do is, once I am finished with the remaining paragraphs, is go back through a few times and make sure that it isn't boring. I don't want it to seem like a research paper so I have to make sure my voice shines through and that it is interesting to read.
- Does my introduction engage readers with my argument and initial concerns?
I'm pretty happy with my intro, I just need to work on the thesis. Other than that, I have a good quote and I really talk aobut what my paper is all about.
- Have I given appropriate stylistic emphasis to the main parts of my arguments?
Another thing I need to work on. Again, I have to make sure my paper isn't a boring research paper full of dull statistics. I have to make sure I show emotion and my voice so that it actually has a meaning.
- Do my transitions help readers move from one paragraph to the next?
Again, it flows well. It moves from one fact to the next without being too dry. I think any reader would understand where I'm going with my paper.
- Does my conclusion sum up my argument and end memorably for readers?
I still have to work on my conclusion, but I have some good ideas that will really wrap up my argument.
Bartholomae
David Bartholomae´s main ideas in ¨Writing Assignments: Where Writing Begins" all have to do with the best way to teach students to compose, by starting with the process of composing. One big idea is that students should be free to discover topics of interest on their own and not just be assigned to write. Another idea of his is that writers develop their ideas after writing has begun; they can't just come up with something to write about, or find their point or arguement, until they begin to write. The point of this is that you don't always know how you really feel about something until after you have started to talk or write about it. Another big idea is that students constantly need support and that writing is a constant, on-going process that cannot just be done once for a grade. Students need assistance and interference while developing their writing.
Bartholomae wants writers to learn is that writing requires a repeated and on-going effort (quoting him here) and that writing cannot simply be taught, only the process of writing.
Nothing is really odd or surprising in what he writes, but I think I need to work on developing some ideas on how I can teach this way to my future students. How can I make them think about writing, or the process, in this way? That will be somewhat of a challenge, but one I am willing to accept. I also need to take what I've learned from Bartholomae and apply it to my paper. We have pretty much followed his ideas throughout the semester and have been taking the composing process one piece at a time. What I need to do is make sure that my paper includes my own thoughts and ideas about the subject matter.
Bartholomae wants writers to learn is that writing requires a repeated and on-going effort (quoting him here) and that writing cannot simply be taught, only the process of writing.
Nothing is really odd or surprising in what he writes, but I think I need to work on developing some ideas on how I can teach this way to my future students. How can I make them think about writing, or the process, in this way? That will be somewhat of a challenge, but one I am willing to accept. I also need to take what I've learned from Bartholomae and apply it to my paper. We have pretty much followed his ideas throughout the semester and have been taking the composing process one piece at a time. What I need to do is make sure that my paper includes my own thoughts and ideas about the subject matter.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
In Class Discussion-Midterm Reflection
I now think of the composing process as just that, a process. Writing should take time and we should take it one piece at a time. In order to get the best out of your writing, it should be spread out over a long period of time. Cramming everything into a writing a day or two before it is due will be the worst thing you've ever written. Up until now, I feel like this is how I wrote everything in high school and even college. All I wanted was a decent grade and I was happy. Now I see that anyone can be a good writer if they just take the time in what they are writing.
The readings and discussions have been very helpful in establishing what good writing is and what it can be. As I said, writing has always just been work to me, school work. Writing at work is different in that I dont have to hand it "perfect" essays or research papers. However, after this class I will have better feelings about writing and I can also use different techniques now to teach my students about writing, and make it something they are interested in, when I become a teacher.
The process is easy, some of it you may already even know:
-Start with brainstorming, pre-writing. Just get your ideas on paper
-Try to write a couple of paragraphs
-Try to write a few more
-Again, a few more
-Add a conclusion
-Have someone else now read your rough draft (ta-da! you have a rough draft!!)
-Any questions? Thoughts? Concerns? Ask them!!
-With the revised versions and answers from peers and teacher, go back and re-write what you have
-Change any or all of it
-Never stop looking for resources; if you can't find what you're looking for in the sources you already have, look for new ones..you can never have too many
-Read about what others have to say about writing, and the composing process
-Finally, at some point you will have another rough draft
-Have someone read it again
-Turn it into your final draft
The readings and discussions have been very helpful in establishing what good writing is and what it can be. As I said, writing has always just been work to me, school work. Writing at work is different in that I dont have to hand it "perfect" essays or research papers. However, after this class I will have better feelings about writing and I can also use different techniques now to teach my students about writing, and make it something they are interested in, when I become a teacher.
The process is easy, some of it you may already even know:
-Start with brainstorming, pre-writing. Just get your ideas on paper
-Try to write a couple of paragraphs
-Try to write a few more
-Again, a few more
-Add a conclusion
-Have someone else now read your rough draft (ta-da! you have a rough draft!!)
-Any questions? Thoughts? Concerns? Ask them!!
-With the revised versions and answers from peers and teacher, go back and re-write what you have
-Change any or all of it
-Never stop looking for resources; if you can't find what you're looking for in the sources you already have, look for new ones..you can never have too many
-Read about what others have to say about writing, and the composing process
-Finally, at some point you will have another rough draft
-Have someone read it again
-Turn it into your final draft
The Revision I Did for Elizabeth and Alyssa
I decided that I would check their blogs first to see what kind of feedback they were looking for, questions they had, etc. From there I read their paper from start to finish once, and then read it again with comments. At the end, I answered any questions they had, gave them some feedback on how well I think they did or things they could work on. Overall, however, I let their own voices shine and didn't criticize too much on their own ideas. I did not focus on grammatical errors or sentence structure at all. Just the overall idea and flow, and then answered any questions they had. Both had very good styles of writing and even gave me some ideas on my own paper, even though we were not covering the same topics/argument.
Monday, October 20, 2014
My Response to Fellow Writers
After reading Faigley and Harris’ article about revision, I have some general ideas on how I will respond to the writings of my classmates:
· I will have an open mind to the fact that the writer has their own voice and their own style of writing and that it is different than my own
· I will only provide suggestions to organization and flow, but not be too critical as the writer may have their own ideas about what works best for their writing
· I will provide punctuation and spelling corrections to only obvious mistakes, not certain grammar that is there for the purpose of making a point
· I will attempt to provide additional thoughts/ideas they could use for their writing if they find it useful
· Finally, I will be honest and open about my thoughts, without being offensive or too critical
Faigley/Harris and Revision
Had a very hard time reading Faigley’s article…yikes!! Spent way too much time than I’d like to admit trying to understand where the article was going. Again, it is another article talking about history and writing and compares it to modern times. But basically, he talks about writers using a kind of voice that is their own and that it might be harder for teacher to assess or grade based on this. Writers as students should write as an autobiographical type so that it shows “self”.
Harris was easier to read…way easier. She talks about the necessity of going through all steps of writing. She basically is taking the same steps we are taking in class right now. From pre-writing to different goals set along the way. Writing should be a process and not just a paper to be graded. She also mentions that the teacher should be a coach and help them resolve issues that they may run into. Writing should be a complete work, with focus on every part of it, and revision until it is the best writing, but to the writer and not anyone else.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
For Those Revising My Paper
I'm hoping you can help me decide if my paper is arranged in a way that makes the most sense (does it flow?). Also, I don't have the solutions added to my paper yet but they should be pretty straight-forward and will be right before the conclusion.
Also, after yesterday's class I think I have a solid thesis statement that I have to add...so if it's obvious that I don't have one (because it should be pretty obvious), that's why. Just hoping my intro paragraph makes sense so far and fits with where I'm going with the rest of the paper.
Finally, please be brutally honest...if it makes you fall asleep, let me know. I'm really trying to make this not just another research paper and something I can actually hold on to and be proud of. If this is the case, though, what could I do to keep you interested?!
Thanks guys!! :)
Steph
Also, after yesterday's class I think I have a solid thesis statement that I have to add...so if it's obvious that I don't have one (because it should be pretty obvious), that's why. Just hoping my intro paragraph makes sense so far and fits with where I'm going with the rest of the paper.
Finally, please be brutally honest...if it makes you fall asleep, let me know. I'm really trying to make this not just another research paper and something I can actually hold on to and be proud of. If this is the case, though, what could I do to keep you interested?!
Thanks guys!! :)
Steph
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
What Does My Audience Already Agree with Me on? What Do They Not? How Do I Convince Them?
The audience already knows that there are achievement gaps between different ethnicities and they have to agree with it because it is a fact. What they may not agree with is the fact that the causes for the gap really have little to do with their ethnic background and more to do with what happens in school. They may not agree that unequity is still prevelant in school.
I will have to give them facts, facts about why children of different ethnicities, social classes, cultures don't do as well as white middle-class kids. I also have to show them ways to fix it so that all children have the same chance.
This is the heuristic approach. And the A to B, B to C, A to C model.
I will have to give them facts, facts about why children of different ethnicities, social classes, cultures don't do as well as white middle-class kids. I also have to show them ways to fix it so that all children have the same chance.
This is the heuristic approach. And the A to B, B to C, A to C model.
Student or Expeerienced Writer?
Based merely on the content given in Sommer's pieces, I would call myself an experienced writer, and I'm hardly an expert at anything. I call myself an experienced writer, however, because I don't do the things that she says a student writer does. I know that revising is bigger than just replacing bad words with better ones. I am able to look at my writing as a whole and change some parts or all parts once I realize what I need to do to get my point across. I see the bigger picture, the pattern, the design I'm going for. I know that my first draft is never my final, and that I am going to change it several times before I am satisfied.
I also agree with Sommers and her idea of an experienced writer, but to say that I am one, to me that is a little far-fetched (even though I just did). My friends and family and even classmates, before learning about Sommer's definition would never read my writing and call me an expert. They would probably think the opposite! Experienced writing is having a passion for it and using all kinds of different techniques to get the writing to shine above the rest. My writing is average; it's student writing in my own definition. I follow the rules I've learned in school and hardly go above and beyond.
I also agree with Sommers and her idea of an experienced writer, but to say that I am one, to me that is a little far-fetched (even though I just did). My friends and family and even classmates, before learning about Sommer's definition would never read my writing and call me an expert. They would probably think the opposite! Experienced writing is having a passion for it and using all kinds of different techniques to get the writing to shine above the rest. My writing is average; it's student writing in my own definition. I follow the rules I've learned in school and hardly go above and beyond.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Revision and Sommers
Sommers explains in her article that there are student and experienced writers who have different perceptions of revision. Student writers see revising and removing and adding better words to make there papers sound more professional. Experienced writers see revising as rewriting, restructuring, and really developing a clearer, more acceptable finished product. Some experienced writers get rid of paragraphs and even pages altogether and replace them with new ideas they didn't think of at first. Students, on the other hand, think revising is about grammar only.
I will make sure that I look at my paper from an experienced writers perspective, which I already think I am doing. I have been working on my second draft all weekend and I have spent about three hours just changing the content that I already had. I still haven't continued my paper, just focused on and adjusted what was already there. So I am re-reading and re-writing and reorganizing as I see fit. I haven't really focused any time on changing different words or using different grammar, so I believe that I can call myself "experienced".
I will make sure that I look at my paper from an experienced writers perspective, which I already think I am doing. I have been working on my second draft all weekend and I have spent about three hours just changing the content that I already had. I still haven't continued my paper, just focused on and adjusted what was already there. So I am re-reading and re-writing and reorganizing as I see fit. I haven't really focused any time on changing different words or using different grammar, so I believe that I can call myself "experienced".
Monday, October 13, 2014
Revision
Revising a writing is reading it over yourself and having someone else read it if possible, and allowing yourself and others to change it for the better. Your initial thoughts may have sounded good at first, but reading it again will help you develop new ideas, whether it's changing the arrangement of the paper altogether, adding additional thoughts or content, or eliminating content.
When writing in school, I usually revise while I'm still writing and then when I think I'm done, I'll read through it again and revise. I always have at least one other person read it as well and I will take their suggestions, tips or tricks, and revise again as needed. However, I don't always take others' advice if I don't agree with it, unless of course it is from the teacher! I often revise because after I read a writing, I often change my mind on how a sentence or paragraph is arranged. I also fill in places that need a little more "meat" and eliminate parts that don't turn out fitting like I wanted. I also revise to catch spelling and grammatical errors.
When writing in school, I usually revise while I'm still writing and then when I think I'm done, I'll read through it again and revise. I always have at least one other person read it as well and I will take their suggestions, tips or tricks, and revise again as needed. However, I don't always take others' advice if I don't agree with it, unless of course it is from the teacher! I often revise because after I read a writing, I often change my mind on how a sentence or paragraph is arranged. I also fill in places that need a little more "meat" and eliminate parts that don't turn out fitting like I wanted. I also revise to catch spelling and grammatical errors.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
class reflection
The articles from this week helped me to think about my own writing. After reading them, I've decided that I am not going to focus so much on proper, perfect grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. (well, still spelling...I'm anal that way). Instead, I am going to focus more on my own voice, my own ideas, and make sure they shine throughout my paper. After tonight's class and getting to share some sentences/ideas from my rough rough draft with some of my classmates, I realized that my paper is really boring. I focused too much on actual data and facts rather than letting my own ideas, thoughts, feelings stand out and make the paper. With that being said, I'm more excited than I was to continue revising my paper.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Ehrenworth, Vinton, Micciche-Delivery
What I see the main point as being in both of this week’s readings is that grammar can be powerful. Ehrenworth and Vinton touched on the fact that the English language is a living breathing thing and is evolving just as much as we are, therefore we should evolve what grammar means and how it is taught. Micciche also compared grammar to having power, and I believe this is true. Knowing standard English-that is, being able to speak it, write it, recognize it-is important in America and has power behind it, from school to the economy and up. With that being said, writing pieces don’t necessarily always have to be in Standard English. With the world evolving so much, we need to be able to teach grammar in a way that still explains how and when to use proper punctuation, but that also does not devalue creative, unique styles of writing.
Culture was brought up in Micciche’s reading and I thought that was a very important concept. This connection between grammar and culture was also recently brought up in another class I am taking related to an intro to urban schools. ELL (English language learners) students are more prevalent today in America than any other time and will only continue to get greater in size. On top of that, you have the AAVE (African American Vernacular English) speaking students, who use their own kind of “Ebonics” in their culture and thus naturally bring it in the classroom (by the way, I looked this up before I referred to it as Ebonics and it is acceptable to call AAVE this…just so I don’t offend anyone!!). My point here is that English and grammar is constantly changing so to correct ELL or AAVE students is to attempt to assimilate them and to make them conform to society or the majority.
Both readings brought up great points to grammar and how to use it as a tool when writing that best fits in the classroom in present time. When I am in the classroom, I will make sure that I allow time for my students to use their own language and time to teach them standard English as a tool to develop a sense of power in language. Grammar will be something that I will teach, but I will make sure that I design criteria that will allow them to use their own creative voices to express their points, without straying too far away from appropriateness. As far as the paper I am writing for this class, I will make sure that I use my own voice but not stray too far from standard English (it IS a research paper, after all!).
Grammar and Mechanics
I pay attention to grammar and mechanics any time I write anything, even an email at work to a coworker. It's something that I consider both a strength and weakness of mine. A strength because I think it's important to write with proper grammar, and to use certain mechanics to make sure my writing is clear and in the format that is appropriate for the writing. It is a weakness of mine because I often spend way too much unnessesary time reading and re-reading and editting a simple writing. Grammar is anything from correct spelling, to using a comma in the right place, to structuring sentences correctly, and using standard english. Mechanics, to me, is using tools available to structure my writing into the format that fits best. It's kind of related to the style, in my opinion.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Statement of Purpose
My audience is going to be my classmates, who are, for the majority, future teachers like myself. My paper is going to blame public schools and their practices for the wide achievement gaps and the low success rate of minority children. I don't want it to be a boring paper to read, so I have to think of clever ways to get them to understand the points that I'm making. These points are facts and not my opinions, but some may think that schools have nothing to do with this gap and all to do with the child's background (family, culture, social class).
Minority students struggle the most in schooling, mostly public schooling, because they are set up for failure. From academic tracking to a self-fulfilling prophecy that, from day one, has a negative affect on children just stepping through those school doors. Teachers (everyone, actually) have innately negative views of people who are different from them just by witnessing one bad experience, or from hearing their families expressing their views for 20 years of their lives. What I will attempt to do is share many realities of public schooling and how the perception given is misleading, and even where that perception comes from.
To get my audience to understand the issue at hand, I'll have to give perspectives from both sides; the demographics of minorities who attend public schools, as well as what is happening within these public schools that continues to widen this gap. Not only do I want them to understand, I also hope to change the perspectives of these future teachers and hopefully convince them to be part of the solution, part of the change that will hopefully start to turn these schools around. I believe teachers can make all the difference in urban, public schools, they just have to know how. I have to get them to see how serious the issue is and make them want to be part of change.
Minority students struggle the most in schooling, mostly public schooling, because they are set up for failure. From academic tracking to a self-fulfilling prophecy that, from day one, has a negative affect on children just stepping through those school doors. Teachers (everyone, actually) have innately negative views of people who are different from them just by witnessing one bad experience, or from hearing their families expressing their views for 20 years of their lives. What I will attempt to do is share many realities of public schooling and how the perception given is misleading, and even where that perception comes from.
To get my audience to understand the issue at hand, I'll have to give perspectives from both sides; the demographics of minorities who attend public schools, as well as what is happening within these public schools that continues to widen this gap. Not only do I want them to understand, I also hope to change the perspectives of these future teachers and hopefully convince them to be part of the solution, part of the change that will hopefully start to turn these schools around. I believe teachers can make all the difference in urban, public schools, they just have to know how. I have to get them to see how serious the issue is and make them want to be part of change.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Continuing My Research
How can schools reform to eliminate the difference in literacy between children of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds?
This question best fits the argument that I want to make so I am sticking with it (for now).
I found a few books that I plan on using for my paper. The first is Because Teaching Matters by Marleen Pugach. This is actually a textbook and covers many reasons for the achievement gap, many definitions, and many solutions to the issue at hand.
Next is a book titled Lessons from the Heartland by Barbara Miner. This is a nonfiction book that covers the history of public education in Milwaukee and I think it will really provide me with some excellent support for my argument.
The third is a scholarly article called "Funds of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms" by Luis Moll, Cathy Amanti, Deborah Neff, and Norma Gonzalez. I chose this article because it has one of the key concepts from the textbook in the title, which is "funds of knowledge". This key concept is extremely important for all teachers to know, especially in this evergrowing, culturally diverse country. http://www.sonoma.edu/users/f/filp/ed415/moll.pdf
These sources will, I think, bring many different perspectives to my paper and help me to argue my case. I purchased the textbook for a curriculum and instruction class I am taking, which is an intro to teaching in urban settings. The next book was recommended to me by a classmate who I was explaining my argument to. Finally, the third article found just by typing in some key words in Google Scholar.
This question best fits the argument that I want to make so I am sticking with it (for now).
I found a few books that I plan on using for my paper. The first is Because Teaching Matters by Marleen Pugach. This is actually a textbook and covers many reasons for the achievement gap, many definitions, and many solutions to the issue at hand.
Next is a book titled Lessons from the Heartland by Barbara Miner. This is a nonfiction book that covers the history of public education in Milwaukee and I think it will really provide me with some excellent support for my argument.
The third is a scholarly article called "Funds of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms" by Luis Moll, Cathy Amanti, Deborah Neff, and Norma Gonzalez. I chose this article because it has one of the key concepts from the textbook in the title, which is "funds of knowledge". This key concept is extremely important for all teachers to know, especially in this evergrowing, culturally diverse country. http://www.sonoma.edu/users/f/filp/ed415/moll.pdf
These sources will, I think, bring many different perspectives to my paper and help me to argue my case. I purchased the textbook for a curriculum and instruction class I am taking, which is an intro to teaching in urban settings. The next book was recommended to me by a classmate who I was explaining my argument to. Finally, the third article found just by typing in some key words in Google Scholar.
Appropriate Style for My Research Paper
The styles I am going to use for my paper are clarity and emphasis. Since this is a research paper in which we have to argue our point, I want to make sure my point is clear and that I emphasis on important details. I want to avoid all unessesary words, sentences, paragrahs. I don't want the audience to think I am desperate (might make me seem crazy) but I want them to see how serious my argument is, without any question.
Reading Johnson on Style
Focus, flow, story, rhythmic emphasis
These are the four stylistic principles that Johnson explains in this chapter. Johnson also spends a great deal of time talking about a "felt sense". This sense basically allows a writer to tell if they are writing well or not. It's a bodily sense that makes us feel good, feel relieved, when our writing is going well and makes us feel the opposite when it is not.
What stood out the most to me was when Johnson said "rhetoric as the study of style is the primary focus of education, culture, and even humanity". I feel like the main concept Johnson wants his readers to grasp regarding style is that it has the ability to give any writing great power. Style is taking your own thought, your own writing, and twisting and turning it into many forms until you feel confident, great, excited about it.
I found the information on story as a stylistic principle the most useful. Johnson made a point that readers gain interest and want to continue reading when ia writing is in a story format; stories have a way of sucking readers in and not stopping until the end. I am going to attempt to use this style somehow in my paper.
These are the four stylistic principles that Johnson explains in this chapter. Johnson also spends a great deal of time talking about a "felt sense". This sense basically allows a writer to tell if they are writing well or not. It's a bodily sense that makes us feel good, feel relieved, when our writing is going well and makes us feel the opposite when it is not.
What stood out the most to me was when Johnson said "rhetoric as the study of style is the primary focus of education, culture, and even humanity". I feel like the main concept Johnson wants his readers to grasp regarding style is that it has the ability to give any writing great power. Style is taking your own thought, your own writing, and twisting and turning it into many forms until you feel confident, great, excited about it.
I found the information on story as a stylistic principle the most useful. Johnson made a point that readers gain interest and want to continue reading when ia writing is in a story format; stories have a way of sucking readers in and not stopping until the end. I am going to attempt to use this style somehow in my paper.
Style in Handbooks
Hill's chapter was just too much for me. I feel like it was the very first book ever written about writing a paper. It covered style, but in WAY too much detail, as well as too much detail about every other aspect of writing. It even went so far as to explain what certain words are used for when writing, like "but" and "instead". Not interested in reading that whole thing in the least bit! Glad we were able to just skim it...
The other two readings were much more to my pace. Brooks covered all kinds of sentence structures and styles, and the DKHBStyle reading had many helpful tips that I know will help me towards developing a great paper. Brooks, to me, covered things I have learned about writing since elementary school. The DKHBStyle reading was interesting because it covers style from the words used, sentence and paragraph structure, down to the font and color, but not until after a first draft is written. I like this technique because it takes less think work out of writing the first draft. It makes it less of a stressful task and more about just getting your ideas out first, and then going back and cleaning it up. So much emphasis has been made in my prior education background to really make a rough draft almost as good as a final, but now I see that is totally unnessesary. A rough draft should be just that-rough.
The other two readings were much more to my pace. Brooks covered all kinds of sentence structures and styles, and the DKHBStyle reading had many helpful tips that I know will help me towards developing a great paper. Brooks, to me, covered things I have learned about writing since elementary school. The DKHBStyle reading was interesting because it covers style from the words used, sentence and paragraph structure, down to the font and color, but not until after a first draft is written. I like this technique because it takes less think work out of writing the first draft. It makes it less of a stressful task and more about just getting your ideas out first, and then going back and cleaning it up. So much emphasis has been made in my prior education background to really make a rough draft almost as good as a final, but now I see that is totally unnessesary. A rough draft should be just that-rough.
Monday, September 29, 2014
My definition of style
Writing can take many forms and writings have the freedom (most times) to develop their own style of writing, or adopt a style from other writers. A style of writing is what gives writing life and personality. A style of writing makes it funny, or emotional, or clever. Choosing a style before writing really lays the foundation and gives your writing a voice; it sets the tone of your work.
reforming research question
Original Question: What are the causes of achievement gaps of children from different ethnic/cultural backgrounds and how can these gaps be closed?
Problem/Solution Form
New Question: How can schools reform to eliminate the difference in literacy between children of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds?
This new form turns the issue into an identifiable problem/solution form. I can list the problem first and then spend the rest of the paper addressing several different solutions OR it might be better to list all the problems out, along with a solution for every problem. In my head I am thinking:
I. Intro/Thesis
II. Problems
III. Solution #1
IV. Solution #2, 3, 4, etc.
V. Conclusion
OR
I. Intro/Thesis
II. 1st problem and a solution
III. 2nd problem and a solution
IV. 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. and their solutions
V. Conclusion
Appearance/Reality Form
New Question: Is the home life of children in poverty or low-income to blame for illiteracy in school?
This new form shines a light on the fact that many believe the background of children (home, social, economical, parenting, etc.) play a major role in how that child performs in school. This can easily be turned into an argument because research shows that schools also play a major role in how children perform. I think that schools are to blame for the achievement gap so I would show what appears to be the issue and then what the reality really is.
I. Intro/thesis
II. Appearance
III. Reality #1
IV. Reality #2
V. Reality #3, 4, 5, etc.
VI. Conclusion
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
My First Attempt at My Research Question
How do different social and cultural backgrounds affect children's reading and writing abilities?
To answer this I would have to:
- develop a cause/effect form
- find statistics of children with different cultural and social backgrounds and compare/contrast reading/writing scores
- figure out what causes these literacy gaps between different cultural/ethnic groups
-find solution that can be used in schools to help children
What are the causes of achievement gaps of children from different ethnic/cultural backgrounds and how can these gaps be closed?
(note to self while it is fresh in my brain-- the argument can be that I believe the issue starts at home; more specifically it is the parenting, or lack thereof, that affects children's ability to learn and enjoy it...or something like that)
Who would disagree with this? Why would they disagree?
Schools in urban settings do not have enough resources to stimulate children and teach them at a higher level. Schools in urban settings follow a strict curriculum and don't go above and beyond to reach their students. Schools in suburban areas push their students more and challenge them.
Lack of parenting at home leads to illiterate children and achievement gaps in school.
Some would disagree with this, stating that it's the schools/teachers fault. Or they blame the child as having some kind of learning disability. Or they think that some kids just don't have an interest in school. Parents without higher education may teach their kids that school isn't important.
Who would disagree with this? Why would they disagree?
Schools in urban settings do not have enough resources to stimulate children and teach them at a higher level. Schools in urban settings follow a strict curriculum and don't go above and beyond to reach their students. Schools in suburban areas push their students more and challenge them.
Lack of parenting at home leads to illiterate children and achievement gaps in school.
Some would disagree with this, stating that it's the schools/teachers fault. Or they blame the child as having some kind of learning disability. Or they think that some kids just don't have an interest in school. Parents without higher education may teach their kids that school isn't important.
Kayla and Steph's Revised Research Questions
Is the death penalty effective and moral?
Revised:
How has the death penalty shown to be effective and moral?
Is there any pattern to occurrence of earthquakes?
Revised:
What is the pattern of occurences of earthquakes in the United States in the past decade?
Revised:
What is the pattern of occurences of earthquakes in the United States in the past decade?
Kayla and Steph's Research Questions Response
What is the effect on the environment from global warming?
This question would need to be researched in order to find out the effects of global warming on the environment. This question is similar to the second one above and would take that form. It would probably be best written using a cause/effect format, listing all of the effects from global warming and what causes them. It would be a good idea to also include possible solutions to reduce global warming.
Should teens in the US adopt the British custom of taking a “gap-year” between high school and college?
This question takes a similar form to the first question above. It can be easily answered with a "yes/no" and does not need to be reserached; it is more of an opinion of the person answering the question. It would probably be best written by listing advantages and disadvantages and then ultimately choosing a side. It could an argumentative paper, as well.
This question would need to be researched in order to find out the effects of global warming on the environment. This question is similar to the second one above and would take that form. It would probably be best written using a cause/effect format, listing all of the effects from global warming and what causes them. It would be a good idea to also include possible solutions to reduce global warming.
Should teens in the US adopt the British custom of taking a “gap-year” between high school and college?
This question takes a similar form to the first question above. It can be easily answered with a "yes/no" and does not need to be reserached; it is more of an opinion of the person answering the question. It would probably be best written by listing advantages and disadvantages and then ultimately choosing a side. It could an argumentative paper, as well.
How I Define 'Form'
I define the form of a paper as the layout or arrangement of it. You have to figure out the form you would like your paper to take before you can actually write it. It's important, aslo, to make sure that the form fits with the point you are trying to make. For example, if you are arguing an issue, it might be a good idea to use a cause/effect form so that your paper flows nicely.
Starting My Research
Found some good research to start with. The first two are scholarly articles and the other two are from some credible websites. Three of them lay out the causes of literacy gaps between children with different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and include facts that I can use in my argument; they also give solutions for closing this gap. Another resource covers academic standards and ways it can close this gap. I found some others, as well, that I think will be very helpful in arguing my stance.
Matthews, J. S., Kizzie, K. T., Rowley, S. J., & Cortina, K. (2010). African Americans and boys: Understanding the literacy gap, tracing academic trajectories, and evaluating the role of learning-related skills. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 102(3), 757-771. doi:10.1037/a0019616
Haskins, R., Murnane, R., Sawhill, I., & Snow, C. (2012). Can Academic Standards Boost Literacy and Close the Achievement Gap?. Future Of Children, 1-5.
National Center for Education Statistics
Inequality at the starting gate: Social background differences in achievement as children begin school
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
My Research Issue
So, it took me awhile this past week to decide what my research topic/issue was going to be. I finally came up with something, though, after re-reading the items due this week and realizing that I just needed to come up with the issue, not the actual thesis. Phew! So here it goes...
I had a couple of ideas in mind, but I couldn't really find many resources to use for one of the ideas I had, meaning that I am hoping that the other idea in mind will get me farther than the first. Where I hope to go with this second idea is find out what cultural differences there are in regards to literacy, specifically with children. I want to focus on the gaps in the levels of reading and writing skills and find out what causes these issues. And finally, I want to research ways to resolve these issues. My argument is something I'm not so sure of, yet, but am in the process of developing. I keep asking myself, what is the argument here? What might other people disagree with as far as why I think this is happening or why I think this is even an issue? Hopefully this can be resolved in class!!
I had a couple of ideas in mind, but I couldn't really find many resources to use for one of the ideas I had, meaning that I am hoping that the other idea in mind will get me farther than the first. Where I hope to go with this second idea is find out what cultural differences there are in regards to literacy, specifically with children. I want to focus on the gaps in the levels of reading and writing skills and find out what causes these issues. And finally, I want to research ways to resolve these issues. My argument is something I'm not so sure of, yet, but am in the process of developing. I keep asking myself, what is the argument here? What might other people disagree with as far as why I think this is happening or why I think this is even an issue? Hopefully this can be resolved in class!!
Arrangement Readings
The main difference I see between the readings is how they view arrangement. Lindemann seems to talk about arrangement as discovering and developing the form of your paper; she talks about everything from the five-paragraph form taught to us before college to Frank D’Angelo’s paradigms, which helps to form and arrange our thoughts and ideas in an “orderly manner”. Her point, or at least what I got from it, is to pick the subject apart enough to find the best way to organize and arrange the material, and she shares several examples of this.
Podis also talks about organization as a big part of arrangement. He mentions that good organization does a good job at highlighting the point of your paper. He also incorporates some of Lindemann’s ideas but focuses more on specific examples of arrangement. He mentions the order in which you lay out your points and how they all affect the reader differentlf. For example, start with more general ideas to start a paragraph off and then lead to more specific ideas. You don’t want your ideas randomly spread across the entire paper; instead, group them into similar areas so that your paper flows.
None of their ideas were new to me, but some of the points and examples given were. I gathered a lot of helpful information, including how I will organize my paper. I liked Lindemann’s cause/effect paradigm she laid out, and also Podis’ example of the pattern, which also includes cause/effect but goes deeper by explaining how to organize those causes by importance. I wrote down several examples from both to help my organize my thoughts.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Topic Idea #2 and Crowley's Techniques
Topic #2- The history in writing approaches in public schools in the United States
Are there noticeable differences between public and private schools when teaching writing/composing processes?
What is the history of writing approaches in public schools in the United States?
Why are private schools more successful than public schools as far as test scores, graduation rates, etc?
I didn't think of a lot of question because I think I have an idea of what I want to do and I didn't want to complete throw myself off by forcing myself to think of more, which I've already done a bunch of times. See Topic Idea #1 to find out how I felt about Crowley's techniques.....
Topic Idea # 1 and Crowley's Techniques
Possible topic #1- Cultural differences in writing techniques
How do people in different cultural backgrounds view writing?
What are the influences of different cultures and their relationship with reading and writing?
Do socioeconomic reasons affect the relationship between writing techniques/skills and cultures?
Crowley’s techniques weren’t very helpful for me; seemed like too much unnecessary work. I already had some questions laid out to help me come up with a thesis. It was good, however, to decide whether I was going to generate a question as a hypothesis or a thesis. I think, based on the topics I am debating over, that it should be a thesis rather than a hypothesis. I think of science when I think of hypothesis and my topics are going to be argued so a thesis would be best.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
9/17 in class reflection
After tonight's class I am at the point where I can begin to start doing some research. Still don't have my exact topic/issue down so I'm hoping doing some searching of the general info will help me narrow it down. I know at least that the topic is going to be about the different cultural backgrounds of children and how it affects their interest in writing and literacy in general, and how to make it better for the ones who have less resources available to them as the other more privileged kids.
Lindemann's techniques were used in class tonight and they seemed to help me find a more specific topic and I was able to create a good starting point in order to do some research. The only part that was not helpful was the heuristic questions.
Invention now to me is grabbing a starting point of an issue and coming up with a good argument that has some good content.
Invention now to me is grabbing a starting point of an issue and coming up with a good argument that has some good content.
What I learned about my topic/issue and about invention
After doing some of Lindemann's suggested exercises, I think I have narrowed down my topic a little more. I am now leaning towards how different cultures have an affect on children's illiteracy and how schools in urban settings can find solutions to these problems. I have also created a nice map of different subjects I can touch on that relate and affect children from different cultural backgrounds.
Class Discussion Reflection 9/17
Prior to tonight's class I assumed our research papers were going to be persuasive. After the initial discussion in class I found out it is going to be an argumentative paper which kind of throws me off because my topics I thought of don't really seem to have much to argue about; instead they intend to provide factual information. With that being said, I will have to decide if I am going to keep one of my topics/issues I thought of and find some kind of argument or disagreement with my stand, or pick a new topic/issue altogether that I know some people don't agree with, or vise versa. I suppose an argumentive paper can also serve the purpose of persuading those on the other side from me, so I will have to just figure out how to find opposite points of view while researching and go from there. Hopefully I find something!
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Thinking About Issues to Research
After reading some of the suggestions of possible research topics related to our composing class, I started thinking of ways that I could make this research paper not only show what I am interested in, but also make it beneficial to me in the long-run, more specifically when I am a teacher and need to teach my students about writing/composing.
A good issue would be cultural differences in writing techniques. More specifically, how people with different cultural backgrounds view writing (do they generally love it/hate it, use it as part of their cultural or religious beliefs, not exposed to it because of other socioeconomic reasons (poverty, privilege, etc.)).
Going kind of along those same lines, another good topic I am considering is the history in writing approaches in public schools in the United States. Maybe even compare those approaches to private schools and see if there is a noticeable difference (more/less resources, higher/lower expectations of the students, etc.).
Either of these topics would greatly benefit me as a future teacher because I can discover techniques I am unfamiliar with within different cultures and backgrounds, and then find ways of applying successful writing techniques and making writing fun to children. These both can help me lay the ground work as a teacher to open up doors that children were unaware existed due to their different backgrounds.
A good issue would be cultural differences in writing techniques. More specifically, how people with different cultural backgrounds view writing (do they generally love it/hate it, use it as part of their cultural or religious beliefs, not exposed to it because of other socioeconomic reasons (poverty, privilege, etc.)).
Going kind of along those same lines, another good topic I am considering is the history in writing approaches in public schools in the United States. Maybe even compare those approaches to private schools and see if there is a noticeable difference (more/less resources, higher/lower expectations of the students, etc.).
Either of these topics would greatly benefit me as a future teacher because I can discover techniques I am unfamiliar with within different cultures and backgrounds, and then find ways of applying successful writing techniques and making writing fun to children. These both can help me lay the ground work as a teacher to open up doors that children were unaware existed due to their different backgrounds.
Invention Readings-Crowley and Lindemann
I read Sharon Crowley’s article “Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students” and chapter 7 involving prewriting techniques in Erika Lindemann’s “A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers”. Both touched on several ideas and suggestions regarding how to develop different ways of coming up with a topic, or thesis, as well as different questions to ask when attempting to create a good argument for your writing. Crowley really laid out the groundwork in how to ask good questions, when to ask them, and even what questions to ask based on the situation. What Lindemann did was share different techniques from a teacher’s perspective on how to get your ideas and thoughts out and then organized.
They both talked about the heuristic approach as discovery of something, or invention of something. Crowly connects invention to rhetoric in ways that lays out the ground work in discovering propositions and proofs or statements used to persuade audiences. It also helps to decide if a topic is worth writing about. Lindemann doesn’t get that much into detail but instead gives us techniques and strategies to help organize thoughts and ideas. To me, if I were writing a paper I would start with Lindemann’s techniques first, and then apply my ideas or topics to Crowley’s techniques.
Both readings had similarities to them because both shared ideas and helpful techniques in starting a research paper. However, I preferred Lindemann’s article more because, as a current student as well as a future teacher, I not only learned ways to make my writing better, I also learned ways of teaching these techniques to my future students. However, Crowley’s article also shed light on different key terms I was unaware of and provided very useful tools which will help me to develop my own thesis for my research paper. More specifically, her article has specific questions (Hermagoras’s Questions-Conjecture, Definition, Quality, and Procedure) that I should ask depending on which route I decide to go with my paper.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Defining Invention and Discovery
Invention is creating something new, something that no one has thought about before. Discovery is finding something that has already been invented, but not hearing about it right away. However, what you are discovering must be something of interest to you. For example, I won't be too excited about discovering some weird smelling, disgusting food in another country but I would be interested and excited in discovering new territory in another country.
Invention matters in writing because it allows you to develop your own style of writing, based on your own rules.
Invention matters in writing because it allows you to develop your own style of writing, based on your own rules.
Bunn/Bean End of Class Discussion
From tonight's discussion I want to hold onto the fact that I am not and should not believe everything I read; one person's process in reading is going to be different than my own. A subject that may capture the attention of some may not always be a favorite topic of mine. Sometimes the things I read are going to be boring to me but that's ok. I can take away what I want from what I read and develop my own opinions. Although I might not use the majority of what Bunn wrote about, I may use a few tips he shared. Mostly, though, I am going to find my own technique in reading better and writing better than I do now.
Bean Reading-What I need to work on as a future teacher
After reading his article I realized that I most need to work on becoming a deep reader altogether. Specifically, I need to work on adjusting reading strategies to different genres. I don't have a problem identifying a purpose in most of what I read, but understanding that, based on genre, the reading may be written in a different context, I have to figure out how I can be better at reading it. I also need to know how to identify different genres and how to read based on that genre. Do I skim and look for specific points? Do I read it deeply? What's the point in what I am reading? Learning the different strategies based on genre will also be helpful because then I can teach these skills to my future students.
Powerful Reading, Deep Reading
Powerful reading, to me, is reading something and being affected by it in some way. A powerful reading is when I read something and have some kind of strong feeling or emotion, either positive or negative. I also think that the author intentionally makes the reading powerful in that they want the reader to feel some kind of emotion.
Deep reading is getting involved with what you are reading; really getting a complete understanding of what you are reading is what I consider deep. Getting lost in a book, or studying every sentence you are reading are some examples of deep reading.
Both powerful and deep reading matter to me as a reader, a writer, and a future teacher because it helps me to become not only a stronger reader and writer, but it also helps me explain and teach this kind of reading skill to students so that they can become stronger readers as well.
Deep reading is useful not only in school but in everyday life. Reading a novel, for example, can be read deeply if you are really into it. In school, deep reading helps you understand content better which therefore leads you to success. Powerful reading is useful because it either affects you in a way that opens your mind to something different and something you either were unaware of or not supportive of, or something that you were completely ignorant to. This can make you a better, well-rounded, critical thinker, reader, writer, etc. to allow readings to have such a powerful affect on you. Being a deep reader can open the flood gates to thoughts and feelings that you weren't even aware were bottled up inside.
Deep reading is getting involved with what you are reading; really getting a complete understanding of what you are reading is what I consider deep. Getting lost in a book, or studying every sentence you are reading are some examples of deep reading.
Both powerful and deep reading matter to me as a reader, a writer, and a future teacher because it helps me to become not only a stronger reader and writer, but it also helps me explain and teach this kind of reading skill to students so that they can become stronger readers as well.
Deep reading is useful not only in school but in everyday life. Reading a novel, for example, can be read deeply if you are really into it. In school, deep reading helps you understand content better which therefore leads you to success. Powerful reading is useful because it either affects you in a way that opens your mind to something different and something you either were unaware of or not supportive of, or something that you were completely ignorant to. This can make you a better, well-rounded, critical thinker, reader, writer, etc. to allow readings to have such a powerful affect on you. Being a deep reader can open the flood gates to thoughts and feelings that you weren't even aware were bottled up inside.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Bean/Bunn Articles on Reading
I just finished reading two articles this week on reading, one by John Bean called "Helping Stduents Read Difficult Texts" and the other from Mike Bunn called "How to Read Like a Writer". I was interested in reading these articles because no one up until now has ever attempted to explain to me how to read as a technique. Of course as I child I learned about the alphabet, spelling, vowels, grammar, punctuation, phonics, etc., but not on the overall technique of how to read something. I suprised to learn after reading both articles that there are several things to learn by developing and using reading skills.
Bean’s main points in his article is in regards to teaching “deep reading” skills to students; these skills range from teaching students when to take the time to read something slower than others or even how to read texts of different genres using multiple techniques. The problem today relating to students with poor reading skills mainly has to do with how they are taught to read, or not taught. Teachers reward students for memorizing ideas temporarily so they read texts looking for main ideas and not the text in its entire structure; a real understanding isn’t necessary for good grades if all they have to do is memorize a few key points and answer correctly on a multiple-choice quiz. Teachers also are in the habit of lecturing students on reading assignments, thus preventing students from developing reading skills because the main points are laid out to them. To summarize, Bean discusses these problems and then shares techniques to better teach students to read.
Bunn's article, on the other hand, is about reading like a writer. In this he means trying to identify with the author as you are reading to try and understand why certain words, techniques, etc. are used to gain not only a better perspective, but to help you become a better writer by understanding how and why things are done when writing. Bunn mentioned always asking "how" when reading and also compared reading and writing to architecture in that you are reading to understand it so that you can replicate it in your own work. It is important before understanding the entire text to learn about choices that were made by the author and then try to gain a better idea as to why those certain choices were made.
Both Bean's and Bunn's articles had similarities that I caught onto. They both touched on the fact that understanding different styles and choices of how to write something are important when reading because it leads to a greater skill within your own reading and writing. They both also mentioned the importance of asking questions before, during, and after reading, again to gain a better understanding for it. Their main differences were really related to the fact that Bean focused on how to be a better reader so that you gain a deeper knowledge into how and what you read, and Bunn focused on how to be a better writer by understanding the techniques used in the reading.
I think that learning how to do both of these things can be greatly beneficial. Both techniques are new to me and both seem to have some great advantages if I use them in my every day reading and writing. I have always struggled when it came to reading things that I was not interested in, especially the contents of textbooks. However, if I have these techniques in hand, I can make any reading more interesting just by trying to gain an understanding as to why a certain piece was written.
Bean’s main points in his article is in regards to teaching “deep reading” skills to students; these skills range from teaching students when to take the time to read something slower than others or even how to read texts of different genres using multiple techniques. The problem today relating to students with poor reading skills mainly has to do with how they are taught to read, or not taught. Teachers reward students for memorizing ideas temporarily so they read texts looking for main ideas and not the text in its entire structure; a real understanding isn’t necessary for good grades if all they have to do is memorize a few key points and answer correctly on a multiple-choice quiz. Teachers also are in the habit of lecturing students on reading assignments, thus preventing students from developing reading skills because the main points are laid out to them. To summarize, Bean discusses these problems and then shares techniques to better teach students to read.
Bunn's article, on the other hand, is about reading like a writer. In this he means trying to identify with the author as you are reading to try and understand why certain words, techniques, etc. are used to gain not only a better perspective, but to help you become a better writer by understanding how and why things are done when writing. Bunn mentioned always asking "how" when reading and also compared reading and writing to architecture in that you are reading to understand it so that you can replicate it in your own work. It is important before understanding the entire text to learn about choices that were made by the author and then try to gain a better idea as to why those certain choices were made.
Both Bean's and Bunn's articles had similarities that I caught onto. They both touched on the fact that understanding different styles and choices of how to write something are important when reading because it leads to a greater skill within your own reading and writing. They both also mentioned the importance of asking questions before, during, and after reading, again to gain a better understanding for it. Their main differences were really related to the fact that Bean focused on how to be a better reader so that you gain a deeper knowledge into how and what you read, and Bunn focused on how to be a better writer by understanding the techniques used in the reading.
I think that learning how to do both of these things can be greatly beneficial. Both techniques are new to me and both seem to have some great advantages if I use them in my every day reading and writing. I have always struggled when it came to reading things that I was not interested in, especially the contents of textbooks. However, if I have these techniques in hand, I can make any reading more interesting just by trying to gain an understanding as to why a certain piece was written.
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