The Professor and the Madman

Okay, I'm guilty. I am guilty of committing a crime no English teacher should ever commit. I JUDGED A BOOK BY ITS COVER. I know, it's terrible. But, I could not even fathom reading another book for school looking like this:

I do admit, now after reading, I could not put this book down. It was so exciting, interesting, and unlike other things I have read for Dr. Kist's class. It was suspenseful and I cannot wait until I finish it!

I like how the stories are told. For example, in the chapter titled "The Dead of Night in Lambeth Marsh" there was a murder mystery. The reader got to learn about what happened, the background information of the victim and the murderer, and what happened in the court trail.

This is definitely not what I was expecting when I picked up this book to read it. It goes to show

Image Grammar Chapter 5

One thing that I really enjoy about reading the works of Harry Noden is that he gives examples. This is something I have yet to find in other books talking about teaching strategies. For example on page 101 he states, "Hyperbole seems to be a favorite device of many sports writers. So, sports columns make great sources for classroom analysis. Bob Chieger and Pat Sullivan (1990), who have cataloged hundreds of snappy comments in their Football's Greatest Quotes, provide a rich source for hyperboles." Then he goes on to show some of the quotes these sports writers have used with hyperboles. From this information, teachers can do their own research, find a local sports writer students might be familiar with, and use this to their advantage when teaching hyperboles. Many times, Noden also includes work done by students. These are great examples as well.

I also love the strategies at the end of this chapter. The "Play with Fragments and Run-ons" strategy is something I can see a lot of students being able to easily grasp and get creative with. I also greatly appreciate how Noden always uses a model for students. Especially if students are doing an activity like this for the first time, they need to be shown though a model what the expectations are.

10-Day Unit

I just wanted to briefly talk about some of the things going on in my 10-day unit. I decided not to post my journals because I talk about specific instances during class and I would rather not post them online.

My class had a debate about Abigail Williams from The Crucible. I was so proud on the day that so many students were able to come up with a bunch of supporting evidence. On the day of the debate, I told the students they would receive a point for each valid point they could make towards their argument, and receive an additional point if they could find supporting evidence for their claim in the text. This was a good call by Ms. Covelli because the students were flipping through the pages of their text books throughout the debate in order to find evidence.

I was very proud when a few select students came up with points I hadn't even thought of! This day was extremely rewarding for me.

Modern Writer's Workshop Chapter 5

This chapter discusses the difference between talking (verbally) and writing prose. When we talk to someone there is always a physical listener. The way we speak is usually boring and repetitive. When we write it is different. While writing, you need to come up with an imagined reader. The text states, "[p]rose, on the other hand, must focus on an absent and, in fact, 'invented'-'invented' in our sense-figure known as 'the Reader.' Prose-all prose-addresses this absent but imagined figure and shapes itself and that figure and its needs in an unseen relationship between them" (117).

I thought this quote was interesting because it is so true. While writing, I always think about what specifically I would like the reader to know. In fact, I happened to change the title of my piece if writing for the writing workshop because I felt it gave the read too much information in the beginning. It is also crucial to consider the reader while writing for clarity. Sometimes, something might make perfect sense to the author because they wrote the text, but it may be unclear to those reading.

While teaching writing I think will make up a worksheet for my students to fill out before their writing process begins. The students will need to answer the questions "what do you want the readers to know?" and "how will you tell them this in your writing?"

Modern Library Writer's Workshop chapter 1

What I love about this chapter is that it is all about letting the reader know that anyone can write. Everyone has their own story and this text clearly states it should be written. The text stresses that you do not need to know what is going to happen in a story before you begin writing. Some authors interviewed said that they allowed the characters to lead the way for their story writing.

I could definitely relate to the "Rules for the First Draft" section. The text states, "Do it. Hemingway said that the only thing that really matters about the first draft is getting it done. You are looking for the sound and shape of a story, and this is the only place you can hope to find them. So get to it" (Koch 22).

I liked this section because my first drafts are always terrible. But, for some reason, after I begin typing the second draft everything become a lot more clear and better.

I would like to encourage my future students to do A LOT of writing. I feel it is so important for students to confident in the writing process and know what works best for themselves. I thought this cartoon was cute and ties in nicely with this blog.

Knowledge

All educators should be aware of what has been going on in our nation with discrimination.

Speed Writing Activity

Today in class, Dr. Kist went over some strategies for his students to think about using while making their 10-day unit plans. One that I have never done before was the Speed Writing Activity. This is how it works:

1. Students are given a certain amount of time to read. Students can be given 2-5 minutes.

2. Then, students are given a certain amount of time to summarize what they have read. Students can be given 1-3 minutes for this.

(Keep in mind, all activities can be modified to fit a specific lesson.)

The reason why I liked this activity was because it forced me to pay attention to what I was reading. For some reason, putting a short time constraint on my reading time made me focus more than I normally would. I also knew I would need to write something about my reading, so I wanted to read carefully.

This exercise forces students to paraphrase what they have just read. By doing this exercise, teachers will be able to know if their student were able to understand the reading assignment.

Hungry Minds

I feel that the purpose of this article is to show that everyone has a story to tell. Through the church writing workshop this was possible. I feel that the writer of this article could and should have cut his story in half. The same points could have been made. It was nice to read about all of the volunteers and the soup kitchen. I cannot believe they serve as many meals as they do. Starting with only serving 35 meals, the kitchen now needs over 2 million dollars to cover the costs of food they need each year. (The article said it take $10,000 to run the kitchen each day!)

I like the idea of having the writing workshop. I do think it might be one of the last things a homeless person might consider doing, but I feel that their stories will be some of the most interesting. Those with personal experience can be great writers. I bet these workshops served as a stress reliever and as therapy for some people.

I also loved to hear about the man who had his article published in News Street.

I also enjoyed reading about how the year's work is typed up and put into a booklet for the church members to read. I think this process gives the writer's initiative to know what they are doing is worth while.

Atwell Chapter 10

One thing I am constantly impressed with from Atwell is her dedication to her classroom. She begins chapter 10 by talking about being a writing role model for her students.

She states, "Sometimes I published a story or poem in a class magazine, or brought a finished draft to the group for their response, or showed them a piece of my writing that had been professionally published. I did these things with one agenda in mind: to play the role of writer for their benefit and to try to lend adult credibility to the act of writing. I performed writing" (331).

I can honestly say that I never have had a teacher from k-12 show me their personal writing. I have never even seen a teacher have writing published (until I got to college). I feel that the simple act of showing her writing enables Atwell's writing lessons to become much more purposeful. She shows her students her writing is not perfect. She shows her students adults do write. And most importantly, she is a role model her students can look up to.

Whenever Atwell has a few minutes to herself, she writes. Rather than take advantage of the extra time she has for herself while at school, she writes. My teachers all took this time to get papers graded, so they would not have to bring them home. Atwell is simply selfless in the fact that she does everything in her power to help her students succeed. I want to be just like her when I have my own classroom.

Atwell Chapter 6

This chapter is all about minilessons. I feel that minilessons are beneficial because students are not forced to sit through class all day and listen to a teacher lecture. It was nice for how Atwell models how she does her minilessons. I was surprised to find out that her minilessons are not just about english content. Atwell uses minilessons to teach her class how she wants them to behave and how classroom procedures should be. Atwell even uses them to show her students where to find resources in her classroom. I never thought about using a minilesson for something besides grammar usage before. With all of Atwell's lists, it is easy to see that many areas of school information can be delivered through minilessons.

Atwell Chapter 5

I loved how Atwell went into deep descriptions in this chapter of her writing and reading "territories." I feel this is a wonderful exercise that will get students thinking about what they would like to write and read about. Atwell modeled this activity for her students. It not only helped her students know what was expected of their territories lists, but it also gave them some ideas. The wide variety in Atwell's lists was really impressing. I now have a way bigger book list than I did before this chapter because I want to read some of the selections she suggested.

I feel it is important for students to love what they are writing about and love what they are reading about. I feel there are too many teachers today who assign topics such as "What did you do on your summer vacation?"

My favorite quote from this chapter is on page 147. It states, "The act of launching a writing-reading workshop each September, however exhausting, also feels like a blessing. I leave school at the ned of our first week together with a sense of awe: they may not know it yet, but my students have already become members of a community of writers and readers."

I feel that this quote shows just how awesome of a teacher Atwell is. She cares so much about her students becoming better readers and writers. She seems to be a truly amazing teacher.

Atwell Chapter 4

Okay, so I understand that it is important for students to read. It improves comprehension, test scores, general knowledge, and also can make students want to read more. Atwell also talks about how important writing is. The more students write, the better they become at writing. This makes sense. Practice make perfect. What I do not understand is how Atwell has time to have writing workshops everyday and also have SSR everyday. There are other things that need to be taught in English class.

It would be ideal to have students learn the way Atwell sets up her classroom, but is this really possible? I guess I feel like with all of the independent work going on, there would be no time to read books from the cannon, or time to learn literary terms. I wish these things were less important in today's society, but the truth is, one is expected to know all of these things when entering into college.

I want my English class to be like Atwell's, but I am afraid there would be no time to do the things the school district requires. On pages 97-98, Atwell proposes what to do when a curriculum is required. But, most teachers I know take all year to try and get the curriculum covered. I am not sure if it depends directly on the school, or if what needs to be taught depends on something else. Maybe Dr. Kist could comment on this and answer that question for me?

I liked Atwell's idea of calling her class a "Writing and Reading Workshop." I think this title better describes an English class than just the word "English."

I do think it is crucial to get students writing as much as possible. I would like to find a way to come to some happy medium of having students to be able to read, write, and be prepared for what they will need to know for standardized tests/higher education.

Atwell Chapter 2

I thought it was very interesting to learn about how students watch a teacher for her implicit and explicit actions. This is definitely true. Teachers should be role models to their students. It should be a no-brainer that students should see their teacher reading. Teachers model during lesson plans, which shows students how to perform a certain task. What they don't always pay attention to is that their daily behaviors are also being modeled and watched closely by their students.

One thing I envy about Atwell is her curriculum. She was able to allow her students to read up to four and five days per week. The students were reading books suited to their interests. How do you get a school district to allow a teacher to let her students read whatever they want? Also, with all of this reading, would there be enough time for other areas studied in English class? Vocabulary, literary terms, writing, reading comprehension etc.

It would be amazing to have a class that is so interested in reading as Atwell's class. But how do you measure if students are really reading? A teacher would not be able to make assessments for all of the books her students chose. Maybe there would be no assessment... but what about the students who would then not read during the time they were supposed to?

I have so many questions about this strategy of teaching reading in the classroom. I wish I could talk to Atwell in person. She seems like a down-to-earth teacher who cares so much about the teaching profession.

My favorite part about this chapter was Atwell's idea of her classroom being a dining room table. Atwell said, "Somehow I had to get that table into my classroom and invite my students to pull up their chairs" (32). Atwell wanted her students to laugh and cry over literature. This is what I want in my classroom.

Atwell "In the Middle" Chapter 1

I enjoyed doing the reading homework assigned in this book. Nancie Awtell seems to be a down to earth teacher who wants the best for her students and other teachers reading her book. She addressed many issues in the first chapter that I have questions about. One of the first things I liked was that Atwell admitted her beginning strategy to teaching writing was not what works best. It took her a long time (7 years) to figure it out, but she did. Atwell thought telling students what to write about would produce the best results. But, this is not true. When students have the freedom to write about whatever they want to, they are more committed to their writing and the writing process.

It took Atwell a lot to realize all of her students should be working at a "big desk" and not just herself. She needed to let go and watch her students come up with topics they are passionate about-subjects she could have never came up with on her own. Her students went on to actually do things with the pieces of writing completed in class. Some students won awards, others made a difference in their local community, and some student work was even published.

I would like to know how teachers find out about student publication. I would love to offer this option to my students when I have my own classroom. I feel that it is rewarding and shows students that their work is worth something.

Recitation and Report Literacy

I was very surprised while reading this article. There were many new things I learned about education and how the subject of English came to be established in public schools. Teachers used to make their students do some crazy things. Mouth movement exercises seem to have no purpose. Memorization and recitation were key to the classroom. I was thinking about how things like "'directory' information- street signs, the population of a city, addresses of businesses, the distance to a railroad, [and] 'cures' for colds"(67) needed to be known. Today, with technology, all one needs to do is type a few key words into a search engine. Then, this information needed to be known.

Something that really bothered me about the reading was the seating arrangements. The text states, "teachers sorted their students by seating them in rank order by 'achievement'" (69). I feel bad for the students who were placed towards the back of the classroom. They were known to be the "not smart" ones in the classroom. Also, I was not happy when I read that high school was mainly for white males who came from wealthy backgrounds. This is because these were the children who had parents who"often had the resources to buy their children books, tutors, and post-high school opportunities" (69).

Teachers also did not seem to take their jobs very seriously. Teachers allowed students to complete reading assignments as long as their students attempted to pronounce words. Comprehension played no part in the classroom assessments. Some teachers chose not to correct wrong pronunciation (69). So... my question is, what exactly were the teachers doing?

Teachers also assumed students could only write something about what they had previously read (72). So, this left room for no creative writing. The imagination and the free writing process were ignored. I cannot imagine an English classroom today without students having the freedom to express themselves and use their creativity.

Student graduation rates were terrible. About two out of every one hundred students graduated from high school (74). I guess I cannot blame these students though. This is because the school's bragged about their high dropout rates. The text claims, "students were pushed out, especially during the secondary school years" (89).

The class sizes were insane! Many teachers had over one hundred students per classroom (75). Teachers today complain about having around thirty students. How could there be any type of individual attention for students when there was one teacher per one hundred students?

The text also talked about how "at-risk students are rarely asked to do what their more privileged peers routinely do" (80). Today, we have these students in classes with all other types of students. There are opportunities for these at-risk students to succeed and to do projects all of the other students do.

On page 84, I learned about the beginning of NCTE. This was interesting to me because next year will be the 100th year anniversary.

The article states, "literary critics argued that for college prep students, the complexities of the modern world required that human beings be capable of tolerating ambiguity in meaning and avoiding the hubris of certainty in meaning"(91). This was a step closer to what I think should be included in the classroom. I do think this kind of teaching should be included for all types of students because it allows for critical thinking.

There was something else that surprised me in the text. Some people thought writing quality could be learned by students in a few days (94). Therefore, there was not much time spent on writing.

Something good for education that was discussed was the ideas that students should learn the skills in high school they will need in the working world (110). From this need came the ideas for students to work in groups and also use devices such as calculators during math class.

Overall, this text taught me a lot about schools during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I am very grateful that there have been so many changes in education.

Teaching Language and Composition.

I loved the activity that we did in class today. Dr. Kist bought many spiral notebooks. Each one had a subject written on the front cover. All students picked a notebook and wrote about the topic on the front of the book. I think this is a great activity because it simply gets students writing. I feel that by using this method students will be inclined to write more because they are writing about a topic that personally interests them.

I did go to Walmart tonight and bought some notebooks to do this during my student teaching. I did not get the good ten cent deal Dr. Kist got. I had to pay fifteen cents! Any way, this is a great activity for a teacher to do because it is inexpensive (whether the notebooks be ten or fifteen cents) and fun for students to do.

Dr. Pytash Reflection

In class this year I was able to get some experience with making lesson plans. This is something I was not used to. I am so excited to start teaching now. I really think everyday is going to be so much fun. One thing we talked a lot about over the semester was how to teach students efficiently. A teacher should want to have memorable lessons, so students are able to do well on assessments and use the material to their advantage in their futures. I do not think anyone will be forgetting MC on the Track with her hit single “Anticipation Guides.” I feel very comfortable in front of a classroom now. We had to do a lot of talking and things in front of the rest of the class. I am no longer shy. Ask anyone in Dr. Pytash’s class.

Another valuable technique I learn about was modeling. I did not include modeling in my first lessons because I did not know how important it is. But how are student supposed to know what to do unless a teacher shows them? Modeling makes perfect sense.

Another major thing I learned about this year is using critical theories to examine texts. I now know about many different theories and how they open up different aspects of text. I also learned about sites such as readwritethink.org. I am so happy to know I can find lesson plans instead of making them all on my own.

I really value having Carol Jago’s text book as well. This has been my favorite book I have had to buy for a class so far. She explains things in a certain way that makes sense to me and will make sense for my future students. She talked a lot about levels of achievement and how you always want to push your students to the next level. If someone is a poor writer, he or she should become decent. If you have a good writer, the teacher should strive to make him or her excellent.

I thank you Dr. Pytash for always being there for our class when we needed something. You were always quick to answer emails and were very supportive of our questions. I was very appreciative of covering the topics our class wanted to learn about. =) Have a wonderful summer. Don’t forget about us!!

Multi-Modal Reflection

Over the course of this semester I have learned so much about incorporating technology into the classroom. This is something that I did not strongly think about before taking this course. But, HELLO!! It’s the 21st century. As pre-service teachers, we must use technology in the classroom. With the information I have been taught this semester, I will be able to make my classes more exciting for students. I mean, lets think about it. Who wants to sit around and use paper and pencil all the time? There are blogs, wikis, and social networking sites such as Facebook for students to use to their educational advantage.

I am especially excited to have the opportunity to present in Florida at this year’s NCTE conference. I am so grateful to have this opportunity. This is truly a once in a lifetime experience and I am more than thrilled to be a part of it. I am anxious to start planning for the presentation as well.

I am also happy I learned how to use a wiki. The wiki done in class will help me when I need to teach something from the cannon. I feel our class did a great job and I will definitely have something to turn to when I need some extra ideas for my lesson plans.

I also like learning about the team building activities. I do think it would have been helpful if we were provided with a worksheet with all of them written down, but I have the activities safely stored in my class notebook. I did a presentation in another class about team building activities and used Dr. Kist’s book as a reference.

Overall, I was very happy I had the opportunity to learn about incorporating technology in the classroom. I feel its greatest importance is about being able to connect with students. Everyone has those teachers who are afraid or unwilling to adapt to the new technology. A teacher needs to be willing to keep up with the times. It makes them more available to their students.

I feel over the course of the semester I have realized how many different way technology can be a part of the classroom. I found out how crucial it is to students' education this semester.

Boy, I learned a lot!

For about an hour in class, we listened to Michelle Rhoades Cahoon, a woman who has a son with autism. I think the stories she told to our class are ones I will remember for the rest of my teaching career. I learned more in this hour session, than I learned in my entire exceptionalities class. I feel I did learn more because the experience was personal. Michelle told us stories from a parent's perspective, which made them a lot different from others I have heard.

I am very grateful for the packet she gave us with information in it. I plan to read some of the book recommendations she made for us this summer. I learned, as a teacher, all I have to do is ask. I should ask the parents what works best with their child. I do not have to try and figure it out all on my own. I also learned about taking small steps to try and help the students in my classroom. Michelle mentioned using pictures instead of words and other small things that can be done (such as "how-to" charts) to make life easier for my students.

Naruto is Not for Me.

After reading American Born Chinese and Naruto, Volume 1, I feel I have some experience with reading graphic novels. I can say with one hundred percent certainty I enjoyed American Born Chinese the most.

In American Born Chinese, all of the text was in balloons and tiny captain boxes. I liked this because it was easy to follow. The balloons were easy to understand because they pointed to who was speaking.

I had some confusion while reading Naruto. The balloons used in this novel were not as easy to understand. Sometimes, I did not know which character was talking. Eventually, towards the end of the book it became clearer to me as I began to recognize the characters and what they were most likely to say. Naruto also had some text not in balloons. During different sections of the story, the author would jump in and start talking about his success with drawing the characters. I thought this took away from the story because it was an interruption. There were some great sound effects in Naruto though. Although, I must admit, I did not understand some of them because characters were either standing if front of the words or they were in Japanese.

I found the characters in both novels to be interesting. I could relate better to the characters in American Born Chinese. I feel that this book dealt with many of the issues children and teens deal with. Being left out, embarrassment, and young love were all themes. I liked how the book used color ink. This helped me easily identify characters throughout the story. The illustrations in this novel were great. I thought the ones of the school seemed very realistic and were able to paint the picture of the story along with the words. The actions of the characters are internal and external. The characters had a problem, but then acted out externally to try and solve it.

In Naruto, the characters were sometimes hard to identify because they were in black ink. In the beginning, I was a little bit confused with this. This story took place mainly in a school and outside. Some of the pictures were great, while others were not clear in what they were supposed to be. A lot of the action in this novel was external. The main conflict at end, where Naruto was trying to get a ball, was the part that drew me in the most.

American Born Chinese used panels with gutters in-between them. Most of the panels had a think black border surrounding them. Naruto used paneling with think black borders as well. In this novel, the panels are of different sizes on each page. There are also gutters on some of the pages.

I feel that most of the pictures in American Born Chinese were close-ups. The majority of the pictures were of a character from the shoulders and up. But, there were also pictures using just about every other shot. Naruto has some close-up shots as well, but there is more longshots than anything else.

I found the mood of American Born Chinese to be fun and enjoyable. I would not mind reading more books by Gene Luen Yang. The stories were rather simple in the beginning, but they became more difficult as the reader continued on and found out all of them were related. There was some foreshadowing in this novel and I feel it teaches some great morals.

I did not feel the same about Naruto. I did not personally like any of the characters, so I felt disconnected from the reading. All of the characters were fighting for power, but none of them were likeable. I feel that this story started out more complex and then became easier to understand as the reader continued. I feel the material in this novel was more sexually explicit.

I enjoyed getting the opportunity to read some graphic novels because they are not something I would have initially picked up for myself to read. I can see how they are addicting for students because they are so quick and fun to read.

I learned from a student on Facebook!

While working on our Facebook projects with the high school students, we were told to introduce ourselves. I started off by giving my name and telling the students where I go to school. I told them I am a huge Cavs fan and also mentioned I like to fish.

Then I asked for some suggestions for teaching English. After all, we are working with high school students. They would be the ones who know what they want to learn and what their ideas of fun are.

So far, I have received one comment from a high school girl named Katie. She suggested that students have the freedom to speak in class when something comes into their minds. Instead of having to wait to be called on, she enjoys the freedom to respond when she feels she has something important to say. Katie is very well-spoken and I appreciate her suggestion. She also told me to have my students thinking outside-the-box. I think she is a very intelligent girl and was very pleased with the response she gave me.

wiki wiki wiki

I loved learning how to use a wiki. Although I feel the site can use some upgrading, I think by using this, it is a great way for students to be excited about learning. Since many students go home after school and are online, why not have a project there? It can fit in with a student’s normal schedule and is cool! I think this will be the new way to have fun with students. Using the site can allow students to apply team working skills, or can allow them to accomplish something individually.

I found this project to be one of the most meaningful things we have done in class this semester. I can always turn to my class wiki to get some great resources while teaching books from the canon. I also learned a lot about how others want to teach from their selections. I especially enjoyed Dave’s mini presentation because I would love to use some of the ideas he shared.

Dr. Pytash (Chapter Seven)

I liked reading this chapter because it summed up the entire book. It was nice to learn about some ways in which literature can relate to students. In high school, I remember thinking the same things Jago's students do. "Why are we reading this? It has nothing to do with me." One of the great parts about teaching is that as teachers, we are able to show students how the classics relate to their lives. It can help them question their views, make good decisions, and know that someone out there is feeling the same things they are.

I liked the idea Jago described for her project. She was going to have students pick a character from Julius Caesar to be the president. Students would have to defend their character with evidence from the text.

I also liked how she give out quizzes to test the comprehension of students. Jago commented on group projects not working well because there are always students slacking off and putting their work on another student.

Dr. Pytash (Chapter Five)

I'll have to admit, I am one of those students who really does not enjoy reading poetry. I think a lot of it is very hard to understand and I have never been able to come up with the meaning to it quickly. In short, I am like the students Jago described. I do not like poetry because I think it is hard.

This is one area that I feel I could use some improvement in.

I liked how Jago talked about images in the poems. She let students work together and share what they thought. This is a great way to scaffold the class into a larger discussion of a poem.

On page 91 there is a chart I feel would be helpful for students beginning a poem. It enables them to write something down about the poem having to do with sensory images.

I also liked how Jago began this chapter. She brought up something everyone can relate to: Music. This really hit home for me because I love my country songs. When thinking of the lyrics as a type of poetry, I realized how important it was to my life. I feel this same technique can be done in high school, so students realize they can relate to and already like poetry.

Dr. Pytash (Chapter Four)

I thought that this chapter was interesting because it gave some pretty good reasons of why students should know the common literary terms. I found this to be some great information because I will now have an answer for students when they ask me why they need to know this stuff.

Jago says that students should be able to use these terms to discuss a text. By knowing these words, a reader is able to understand form, author intent, and the story itself.

Jago also says graphic organizers are great for students dealing with texts out of their minimal effort zones. It is so important teachers use books that could not already be read by their students. Teachers should be pushing forward for students to raise their personal effort zone bars.

I plan to buy the book Jago mentioned on page 71. I believe it will not only benefit my students, but also myself.

I Heart Novels

I thought it was interesting to read about the new craze of people writing books by using nothing but their cell phones. It amazed me that some people would rather type on their phones than on a computer. It would definitely be more convenient for those to use their phones because of space and accessibility.

I never knew people actually wrote books from using their cells. Maybe I'll give it a try.

Toe to Toe Contemporary Film Review

A. Personal Issues. What struck the most responsive cords in me were the lifestyles of Jessie and Tasha. I was reminded of the worlds that kids are living in. In addition to going to school, these two students both had a lot on their minds. I noticed this because I am going to be working with many students when I am a teacher who have complicated home lives. Tasha came home to find her baby niece playing by the street as her brother was doing drugs. Jessie never received attention from her mother, so she tried to get sexual attention from the male students at school. There is so much going on in a high school student's mind. I was reminded of what some of those things were. I feel that my response would be felt by others who work with students. Kids are growing up faster and faster these days, which is something society definitely needs to be aware of.

B. Technique. In the beginning of the movie, there was a part where the camera was all over the place and watching made me feel a little dizzy. This is something that could be changed because I am sure I was not the only one who felt this way during that part. I thought that the dialogue in the movie was very realistic to what teens would say in real life. I also like the music choice in the background. I did not really notice any special effects and I think some could have been incorporated during the scene where all of the students were at the club dancing.

C. Acting. Jessie and Tasha were the main roles. Jessie was a rich girl who was very sexually advanced for her age. I feel she did a really good job playing her part. I was disgusted by some of the things that were said and some of her facial expressions at times. Tasha was another well-played character. Tasha grew up in a bad part of town and was made fun of by the girls that lived in "her hood." Again, the acting was phenomenal and the characters were very believable.

D. Plot. Two girls, Jessie and Tasha, become friends at school. They came from very different backgrounds. Jessie is rich, but has no parental support. Tasha lives in the ghetto and does not have enough money to go to college. She plans to get a full ride for her grades and lacrosse. These girls meet and then become enemies because Jessie starts giving sexual attention to the boy Tasha likes. Jessie and Tasha both play on the lacrosse team together. When Jessie gets really drunk, Tasha is the only one who can help her. When Tasha's full ride is on the line, Jessie will have to make a decision. --- I found the plot to be original. It was very sexually graphic and did not hold anything back. I appreciated this because the plot told the story how it is. Nothing was covered up, so the viewer was really able to see the lives of both Jessie and Tasha.

E. Themes. In my opinion, there are many themes this movie has. Some of them are: friendship, interracial friendship, growing up rich vs. growing up poor, absence of parents, alcoholism, drugs, relationships, and sex. These are all things things that happen with students in high school. Even though many pretend it does not happen, it does. I believe the movie shows that no matter where you come from, you can always help someone out who is in need. I think the movie also goes over the idea that parents should be a part of their children's lives. A job should not be more important than your child. The messages are integrated with the plot, so they were easy for me to explain and talk about.

F. Genre. I do not think this film has a certain genre. Drama would be a good category it could fit into. I have never seen a movie like this before. The closest thing I could think of is Mean Girls, but the message in Toe to Toe was much stronger. These films both deal with high school girls coming from different backgrounds. The friends also both hate one another at one point and there is a party all of the students, including the main characters, attend. I think this is popular today, because it is what actually goes on. Girls can relate to the story.

G. Representation. This film represents "the poor girl" as being appreciative and hard working. The "rich girl" is seen as sexually advanced, mean, and careless. But, there are other factors that can explain why the girls are this way. I do not think it is fair to say the movie says all poor are hard working. For example, Tasha's brother was poor and doing drugs when he had a child. The film shows the guy that both girls like to be a player. These representations need to be there in order for the movie's plot to work.

H. Ideology. The cultural beliefs that are brought up in this film are parenting, sex, and interracial relationships. The movie showed what could happen when parents are not involved and sex becomes a way to make friends and fit in. I feel that this movie explores interracial relationships in a positive way.

Environment of the Film Festival

Eight young, adventurous Kent State students set off to find a film festival on Sunday, March 21, 2010. They packed themselves into two cars and headed off North, in search of some delicious food, wild fun, and an intriguing movie.

As these youngsters set out, the country music was blaring and the students sang along.

One wrong turn lead to the next and pretty soon the students got to see some of the finer parts of Cleveland. The students toured The Flats and the outside of some other local businesses.

Finally, the students made it inside Tower City. The mall was huge and had many stores and vendors with set up tables. One vendor tried to get the students to buy hot sauce by saying "You know you like hot sauce!"

The hungry students ventured off to the Hard Rock Cafe. There, they ate and had harmonious conversations about how much they LOVE Dr. Kist's class.

Finally, it was time to see a movie. It was very crowded and many people were in the "stand-by" line that the students were in. The movie the students bought tickets to was maxed out. There were no seats left. The workers promised to refund the students' tickets, but this was not good enough!

"Sir," Marissa said to a worker, "We need to see a movie for Dr. Kist's class at Kent State University. Can you please help us?"

The man personally escorted the eight students into a different movie.

Everything worked out and the students are now able to complete the assignments about the movie festival!

Dr. Pytash (Chapter Two)

Chapter two was all about vocabulary. I always learn many new things when reading Classics in the Classroom. By reading this chapter, I found out that what my elementary teachers used to have my class do was ineffective. This is looking up vocabulary words in the dictionary and then writing them down. This activity never helped me, but I always had to do it.

The chapter states, "Vocabulary experts tell us that for reasonable reading comprehension a student needs to know 90-95 percent of the words" (Jago 22).

The best way for students to learn more vocabulary is incidentally through reading. Those memorization definition-exercises simply do not cut it.


"Dale and O'Rourke (1986) describe four levels of knowing a word:

Stage 1: Never saw it before.
Stage 2: Heard it, but don't know what it means.
Stage 3: Recognize it in context as something to do with . . .
Stage 4: Know it" (Jago 29).

I really liked learning about the exercise Jago did with the words honorable, gullible, stoic, and idealist. Students learned these words by relating them to their own lives and using them to describe people they knew. I bet now they will never forget what the words mean.

You’re Leaving a Digital Trail. What About Privacy?

Many teens, including Harrison Brown, decided to give up their privacy in exchange for a smart phone. Every move they make is being watched. (CREEPY!)

Later in the article, a computer scientist states he cannot imagine this type of technology not coming into everyday life because there are so many uses for it. (GETTING WEIRDER AND WEIRDER!)

A lot of great statistical information can be gained from this. But, I still do not like the idea of people knowing what you are doing every second of the day. I feel that this technology will be misused by many people and will cause a lot of problems.

When privacy is weighed against the good of the public, I feel privacy should be taken away. If you have nothing to hide, then you should be fine.

But, I feel there will always be those who take advantage of new technology and in doing so, harm others.

Dr. Kist's class on March 8, 2010

Today was fun--A type of class that I feel most students would enjoy. There were many laughs. The laughter was from the creativity of students.

Today's class was all about being open and being comfortable in the classroom. If a student did not feel comfortable, this class would have certainly helped him or her to gain some confidence and maybe some friends.

This is because all the activities used teamwork. All of the students had to work together to accomplish goals. Every student had to participate, or the class would fail---together.

I believe in the importance of teamwork in the classroom. The sequencing games, storyboarding, and the "I wish" poems all required input from the entire class.

I plan to use these activities in my classroom to build a community of students, friends, and learners. Together, we can grow.

Great Films and How to Teach Them (Chapters 5-9)

First off, I would like to say that I wish that it still cost five cents to see a movie and there was a new one out each week I would enjoy seeing. If it cost that little, I might even buy the $7 popcorn.

Chapter five talks about the reasons movie makers moved to Hollywood. This was because of the awesome weather, the various locations, and there was a lot a daylight. I found it interesting to learn about star actors. They had to sign a 7-year contract and then worked long hours, 6 days a week. But, they made a lot of money. I learned in Media, Power, and Culture that the "star system" did not actually come into place until moviegoers demanded to see their favorite actors and actresses.

The theatres, or nickelodeons, were put through a lot. They were forced into blockbooking and blockbinding, which was unfair to both the theatres and the independent filmmakers. Later, these policies were deemed illegal.

Chapter six states, "Other theorists believe that movies are best seen as products of an entire society, reflecting values so ingrained that even those who make and view the films are unaware of them." (Costanzo 65). I found a lot of truth in this statement and this is why I feel it is important to include movies in the classroom. By watching them, students are able to gain more opportunities to understand the cultural views and ways of life of others not like them. It allows for a deeper and more thorough understanding of points in history.

Chapter six also went over theories and different approaches used in movies. Many of them were familiar to me because they seemed similar to literary theories. Feminism, structuralism, deconstruction, and Marxism are all theories I have went over in literature classes this year.

Chapter seven goes over movie genres. I found it cool to know that young people today are more aware of them than ever before (Costanzo 78). I feel that this is because of all the technology the newer generations are used to. The Internet, movies, and television shows all contain genres.

Page 82 talks about how genres change over periods of time. I found this to be very interesting. It reminds me of fashion trends. Sometimes an unpopular genre will come back, just like bell-bottoms did. It is important to know different types of genres, so you can learn about what types of movies you like. There are "themes, myths, and ideologies" (Costanzo 84) that go along with each genre. My particular favorite is comedy because I love to laugh.

Chapter eight, "Representation in Film," asks the question of whether or not we see ourselves in movies. I would like to make a personal comment to this. My favorite movie, Freedom Writers, is my favorite because I can relate to it. It is what makes the movie special for me. I can see myself in the main character and I treasure the movie every time I watch it.

This chapter also discusses the stereotypes in movies. We just discussed this in class yesterday. We looked at clips of women and noticed many of them had severe stereotyping such as the "dumb blonde."

According to Costanza, "[i]t has been estimated that by 2050 more than half of the U.S. population will be Asian, Hispanic, and black" (97). This will greatly effect the types of characters in movies as well as what types of movies are being shown. I feel that it is partially because of the movies that "[t]he melting pot seems to have given way to the rainbow. [and] At the same time, Americans have grown more vocal about their differences. We speak openly about our ethnic identities, our sexual preferences, and what used to be called our disabilities" (Costanzo 97).

Chapter 9 was the chapter I was looking forward to reading most. Movies became a growing trend in the classroom. They are used now more than ever before. These two sentences depict my ideal classroom: "[Discussion] pumps up the mental energy, gets the juices flowing, circulates ideas, and nourishes the group's collective insight. Discussing a film enables students to articulate their personal experiences, to compare their first impressions to other points of view, to connect what they have seen to larger social, political, and cultural events" (Costanzo 117). I think that these statements are awesome because it is exactly why films should be incorporated into schools.

Chapter 9 also talks about censorship. I was concerned about this because I wanted to know what rated material teachers are allowed to show in their classrooms. Unfortunately, the section did not answer my question. The NCTE is said to have a guide on film censorship. I will have to check that out!

The History of BookFace (haha just kidding)

So... Facebook might have been created by a thief of ideas. Is Zuckerberg an idea stealer?

To be honest, I don't really think most Facebook users care... as long as they can check their Facebooks without any problem.

When the day comes that a thief has hacked into Facebook and people can no longer update their statuses.... THERE WILL BE MAJOR PROBLEMS.


Zuckerberg seemed to be a very intelligent youngster. Intelligent and mean. Comparing people's faces with those of animals is terrible. I'm starting not to like him.

It does seem to me that Zuckerberg may have been influenced to make Facebook by the ideas of others. It may not have been fair to the students who were waiting on him to come up with a code.

Zuckerberg seems to be out for himself, which is fine in the business world. But, we are only hearing other people's side of the story. The reader does not hear a lot about what Zuckerberg has to say. There will always be those who claim they had the "big idea" first.

I'm so Totally, Digitally Close to You.

I found it very interesting to read this article. I think it is awesome that a college student invented Facebook.

It is weird to learn about Facebook not having features such as news feed and privacy. Those are just some of the things I have taken for granted.

Learning about Loopt was kind of scary. (It lets your friends know wherever you are.) I think it is important to still have some privacy in every day life. I do not like to broadcast my business all over the Internet. I do not think everyone cares about what I am doing every minute of the day...

But, I will admit I do check out my News Feed to see what others are doing. I think this is something that most Facebookers do. When something comes up that interests you, why not check out what the other person is doing? After all, they did put it online...

I found the section about Seery to be a little strange. I do not think I would start following someone on Twitter if I did not personally know them and if they were not a celebrity. I think it is a little strange to just start following someone out of the blue.

I do agree with the article when it discussed most of the relationships or "friendships" on Facebook are just loose ties held together by technology. Many of my "friends" are from high school and are old acquaintances. Only a select few are people who I would consider myself to be very close with.

I also think that Facebook is something that can be used to hurt others. The article briefly talked about this, but I feel it was very important to bring up. As a future educator, I feel it is important for teachers to know what is capable of being said, tagged, and published on Facebook. There is a lot going on in high school and most of it can be found online. In my opinion, Facebook can be compared to a talking yearbook.

Alice in Awful-land

I went to see Alice in Wonderland expecting an exciting 3D experience similar to the experience I had with Avatar. I got to the movie theatre to find that the movie was not being shown in 3D.

I came to realize... even if it was in 3D, it would not have helped! Alice was terrible! The storyline was not the same as in the book and the characters randomly broke out in dance in the middle of the film. I did not know how to react. I wasn't the only one in the theatre laughing at how ridiculous it was.

This review was more entertaining than the actual movie.

Don't waste your $8.50!

Great Films and How to Teach Them (Chapters 1-4)

Although I do love movies, I'll admit I felt this reading assignment was very dry. The first chapter was the hardest for me to get through. This is because so many movies, such as The Innocents, on page 11 were discussed. I have not seen many movies from that time period, so I was lost through a lot of the examples.

Although it is untrue, I did find Alain Resnais' comment comparing a reheated meal to a movie based a book funny (page10). The basis of the first chapter was to compare movies to books and explain how movies can sometimes be better. There was an emphasis on using a book for a movie, but also adding new elements to make a good movie.

Chapter two was like taking linguistics class all over again. The terms signified, signifier, and sign were heavily discussed in movie terms.

I was most interested in the first section of the second chapter. It stated, "How do we learn that when the image of an eye fills the screen, it means we're watching a close-up rather than a giant eyeball? How do we learn that when the screen gradually grows black, a scene has ended? When do we learn that when a row of houses glides across the screen, what is really moving is the camera, not the houses?" (page 16). I found this to be interesting because I always have taken for granted my knowledge of film. This is something that I have learned over time. There are examples later in the book that describe people from Iran who thought a close-in on a bug represented its actual size. Now, wouldn't that be scary?!?

Chapter three went over what is involved in making a film. I found the pages on sound to be the most interesting. It is cool to know that many different sounds are used at one time in the movies in order to give viewers the feel of really being where the actors are (page 31). I also learned about the 4 stages major movies go through::: development, preproduction, production, and postproduction (creative names huh?) on pages 33 to 39.

This week in my Media, Power, and Culture class we learned about the history of filmmaking. Chapter four was a complete review of the quiz I just took on the material. I think there were a lot of interesting things the chapter left out, such as why filmmakers moved to California.

Dr. Pytash (Chapter Six)

This chapter gave me many ideas for handouts and worksheets while teaching a text in class.

One statement that bothered me from the book was when Jago discussed that many new teachers only know about teaching from what they have been shown while they were in school. Well... duh!
I know many things that I believe about teaching now will change when I actually get into a classroom. What does Jago expect? Most new teachers have been in school all of their lives. What other options do we really have to grasp the concepts of teaching?

Luckily, I will have gone through the process of student teaching before entering my own classroom. But, the majority of what I know will still be what I have learned from my previous teachers. Is this bad?

Jago took advantage of her opportunities to be involved with the Writing Project. Here, she learned from elder teachers and passed on the tips she learned. I greatly appreciate getting any sort of teaching tips I can find!

Jago went into depth about her lesson plans for teaching The Odyssey. She said that her plans change every year, but gave her most recent plan for her readers to use and enjoy.

I found many of the things she did to be helpful. Character lists, Venn diagrams, a "What's Important?" page, and the "Odysseus' Open Mind" page would all be very useful for students working with the text.

I would like to be able to provide students with the same types of guides to help keep them focused and able to understand what is going on throughout their reading.

I feel that it is crucial to use group work, which Jago does with her students and has groups put on a presentation for each chapter. She scaffolds her students by teaching the first half of the book, but then backs off to have the students learn the material, use reading strategies, and work with their classmates to uncover the text.

A Socially Networked Classroom

In chapter 4 Dr. Kist discusses student access to sites such as blogger. Many teachers are trying to get more freedom in the world of censorship for their students. These sites are blocked for obvious reasons. I feel there may be more educational disadvantages for students not being exposed to the "blogosphere" than there are advantages for students not being able to view inappropraite material online.

On page 72 in the chapter, I learned about Technoati. This is a website used for searching specifically through blogs. I checked out the site myself to see how it worked. You can type in any subject and blogs pertaining to that issue will come up. It works just like Google, but it only looks through blogs.

Page 72 also discussed the need for teachers to learn how to blog themselves. It is an exciting world to get into and I am glad I was given the opportunity in this class.

One thing I always wanted to do in a classroom are journals. If something is not personal or private, why not blog about it? I may have my students do both.

One downfall I see to blogging is if students do not have access to a computer at home. If the school is blocking the site, students may not have other access to do their assignment.

Web gave 'Twilight' fresh blood

This article really made me see what an impact Stephanie Meyers had on her readers. I am a huge fan, but did not know Meyers was so involved with her fans. I knew about her being a "normal mom" and then springing to fame by writing on her own personal computer while her kids were sleeping or at practice.

I think it is really cool that she took an interest in her readers. The article said Meyers would go to her fan's blogs and comment on things they said. How cool!

I also knew about the Twilight Dictionary. I did not know that it broke from being overused. Meyers seems to be very cooperative with her readers and take matters into her own hands when necessary. She set up her own website which I have done some exploring on myself.

More on Little Brother

Because I am a girl and love chick flicks, I liked the sections of Little Brother that focused on the relationship between Marcus and Ange. I loved that she was so confident and ready. Marcus liked that she was aggressive as well. (I think it made things easier on him because he did not always have to make the first move.) Ange shows her true confidence at the end of chapter 14 on page 230. Marcus tell her that she is smart, but Ange adds in that she is good looking as well. I feel that Ange is a very likable character in the book. Maybe some girls reading will find that confidence is an attractive character trait.

Another thing that I really liked about the book was Marus' attitude. He was always up for the challenge. In the beginning of the novel, he was ready to sneak out of school. Cameras were all around and were analyzing the way student's walked. Marcus discussed his tactics to avoid getting in trouble in chapter one on page 18. He puts gravel inside his one shoe to throw off the cameras. Smart kid!

I feel it is good for students to know that the language in this book can be a bit confusing at times. Students should be encouraged to try and get through it rather than stop reading. Even I did not understand some parts with the "techy words." It is not essential to understand every sentence to still enjoy this novel. For example, on page 278 there is a lot of jargon used. Cory Doctorow even announced that he understood this was a common issue with the book.

Dr. Kist's Activities

It is very important for me to learn about all the different ways I can make my classroom a community. I feel this is one of the most essential aspects of a high school English classroom.

The activities we have done in class are some that allow students to work together, which in return, can foster relationships among them and build the community I hope for in my future classroom.

My favorite activity was when all students had to try and count to 20...

• Students must collectively count to 20, but only one person may say each number.
• No pattern is allowed.
• Random numbers should be spouted off by students standing in a circle.
• If the same number is called more than once, the whole class starts over again.

This activity has many benefits. It provides laughter in the classroom. What kind of classroom do you have without any laughter? Obviously, not a very fun one. It also makes teamwork necessary. It is fun to watch students depend on one another to try and get a common goal accomplished.

Multigenre Literacy Autobiographies

What is the point in having students present multigenre literacy autobiographies?

In my opinion, there are many different reasons. First off, I think it is something educational for students to reflect on, but also have fun with. There were many laughs during the presentations in class.

It lets students focus on what they have achieved, what books they have read, and what has been important to them over the years.

I believe it is crucial for teachers to get to know each student personally. This is another way for him or her to do so. It bring out the personality in students.

And... it also lets students connect with one another. Some may have enjoyed reading the same book or loved the same children's television series. There are many reasons bonds and the class community can be strengthened though the process of these presentations.

I was able to gain something for the experience I was not expecting. I learned about some of the students I am in class with. "They are different from me because.... ( I am able to fill in the blank) and we are similar because...." This helped me appreciate the diversity in my classroom.

Family influence was a major factor in the presentations as well. It is important to understand why that is. Much of what a person is exposed to is a direct effect of family values, concerns, and religious beliefs.

It is also important for students to be able to reflect on how the media they have previously viewed has changed them. Books such as Native Son, Ishmael, and A Long Way Gone have greatly impacted my life. I cherish the news ways of thinking I endured by reading and using the text in comparison with my own life.

In the future, I do plan to use this activity in my classroom. I feel it is important in an English class, where many different viewpoints are being discussed on a daily basis because it allows students to understand where one another are coming from. The following questions can be answered after the presentations.

• What types of media have students been exposed to?
• How do the students feel about the media they have grown up with?
• Why is someone's views they way they are? What are they shaped by?

The Socially Networked Classroom (Chapter 2)

One of the first sentences in chapter two states, "And some teachers work in schools that have lots of technology but choose not to use that technology, whether because they are too busy to learn something new or are just fearful."

In my opinion, there is a lot wrong with this true statement. IT IS A TEACHER'S JOB to help their students grow and learn. There is no excuse for teachers not "having enough time" to learn how to use computers and blogs. I do not think teachers are expected to be tech-geniuses, but they should always know the basics in order to help their students succeed.

I know many older teachers who did not want to bother with technology. Many professors at the college level claim they do not know how to use Vista/Blackboard. Is there really an excuse for this? (Come on, at a university?)

I feel very strongly about teachers needing to do everything in their power to engage their students. Paper and pencil just won't do it anymore. Throw away the "busy work" worksheets and allow students to learn and practice using technology.

Before taking Multi-Modal Literacies, I had never blogged before. Thanks to Dr. Kist I am now better prepared to become a teacher. I realize the importance of technology in every classroom (especially English--which I will be teaching.)

Dr. Pytash (Chapter Three)

This chapter reminded me of all the work teachers need to do just in order to prepare for one book. Teachers are always going to have homework.

I was very surprised at the amount of books Carol Jago made her tenth grade classroom read. It seems like they would not have much time for other homework or even a social life. 20 books a year for a tenth grade class is more than anything I have ever heard of. It will definitely benefit the students who are in her class. I wish I was required to read more of the cannon in high school. Some of the books the students read I have never heard of before.

I am not sure if the work load for Jago's class is too much or not. I do not think students would be very happy with a teacher if they had to do such a large amount of work. Although it is beneficial, I feel the amount of books to be read in 180 days is a bit excessive. 180/20 =9... Therefore, if students read only during the days they have school, each book would need to be completed in nine days. I do not think is enough time to cover each book fully.

This chapter also went in depth about Frankenstein. I loved reading about all the different points Jago brings up. She discusses why she teaches the book and says that you should make sure you know the reasons why you are teaching a book. The chapter ends by Jago addressing teachers to teach novels which make their students think.

Little Brother

I am very upset because Severe Haircut Lady (Carrie Johnstone) should have went to jail. Nope!! She was sent to Iraq and her charges were dropped.

I also would like to know if Marcus is ever going to tell Ange he cheated on her with Van. I do not think it would have been such a happy ending if Ange knew about their "steamy, wet" kiss.

I loved the story in Little Brother. I think this would be a fun book for students to read, but I do not think I would teach this book in my classroom. I feel the material is inappropriate for the classroom atmosphere. I may, however, recommend the book to students for pleasure reading.

Dr. Pytash (Chapter One)

I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed reading this book. It helped me to understand more of the conversation we had with Professor Ford in her lesson. The discussion was about why teachers should teach the books in the cannon. Jago points out that it is important for students to do reading on their own. Pleasure reading is something that should be strongly encouraged. But, it should not be the only thing students get their hands on. Jago talked about the importance students gain from literature as opposed to books read for pleasure. She also talked about how these books can bring students into other time periods, cultures, and worlds.

I was alarmed and sad when I read the statistics about students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. It is hard for me to read about this because these students do not have the same opportunities as others. By the age of three, children had much larger vocabularies when they were living with parents not on welfare. Children who are three cannot help what they know and do not know. It is like they are being set up to fail...


This is where awesome teachers come in. This is why the achievement gap is bogus! It is simply not fair to these students. Teachers who step it up and challenge students who come from tougher backgrounds are going to help them succeed. It will be a struggle, but totally worth it. The text talked about how students in lower or regular level classes were not tackling the same type of work as the honors students. Why not? Because it is too hard? I don't think so. The regular classes should be the ones trying harder, pushing to get ahead. Reading tougher material and finding out what a "harder to read" book has to offer is what a "regular" English class should be all about.

I really like this text and plan on keeping it for the rest of my life. =)

An Oral History of the Internet

I just finished reading "An Oral History of the Internet." I learned a lot that I never knew before. I found I could relate this article to the book Little Brother we are reading for Multi-Modal class. I suggested during class this was a book boys could really get into. In the online article, Steward Brand suggested the engineers working on email and other things were all male. The article itself, only had one female's picture and audio clip. It had multiple pictures of men. I feel technology has a stereotype of being mianly associated with males. Another comparison I made between the book and the article was there was a lot of "techy" language I did not really understand. It would have been easier to comprehend if some of the terms were explained in greater detail.

I was surprised to learn AT&T did not think "packet switching" would work and wanted nothing to do with the early learning process. Boy, did they miss out!

Taylor Swift

Watching the Grammy's last night with my roommate was exciting. I was very intersted in the performances. They seem to be getting stranger and stranger each year. Pink was in the air and soaked with water. There were also dancing robots in the "I Gotta Feeling" perfromance by the Black Eyed Peas. The performance I enjoyed the most was Taylor Swift and Stevie Nick's. It was awesome. This is because Taylor Swift is my favorite singer in the entire world. Here is a video of the performance.

Beginning Class, Country Music, and Staples Commercials =]

This is my first time writing on my blog and I am very excited to be starting something new. I would like to comment on Dr. Kist’s first class that I attended Monday. We were assigned to our first project. Normally, you hear a loud sigh from students as a professor gives directions for a big project. Not today! Students will be making multigenre literacy autobiographies. This will be a collage of different pictures representing personal history as a reader and writer. Just thinking about old shows takes me to a place where Barney taught me my most valuable life lessons, such as sharing and to “Clean up. Clean up. Everybody everywhere.” I plan on using this project with my future students. This will enable me to learn about what types of genres they have been exposed to. It can also help me get to know my students better.

I would also like to introduce myself to my readers. I think my dog, Roxy, is a human. I cherish the time I have on Earth. Fishing is my favorite hobby. I am aspiring to be an awesome English teacher. I love country music and I recently attended the Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, and Justin Moore concert on January 22. It was awesome!

I was also watching The Bachelor on Monday night and I saw a funny Staples commercial. I love shopping for school supplies. It is one of my favorite things to do. So, this hysterical marketing proposal made me laugh. The expression on the man’s face at the end is very convincing.