After watching the recent video posted by Prof McGuire, I have been writing my lists of “what went wrong” and “what went right”. Originally on my “went wrong” list I wrote “I procrastinate”. Then as I was lying in bed last night, I realized that was not true at all. I don’t procrastinate, I am far from it. Do I wait until the last minute at times? Yes, but it is not because I put the assignment off. I spend days pondering and jotting down notes. Then I turn into a night writer. It’s just me. My thoughts seem to come together better late at night. I use to think it was a bad thing I stayed up so late doing it, but realized it is not. In Chapter 1 of WWR I remembered reading on the different descriptions of the writer’s desks and their own unique techniques. Being a night writer just happens to be mine.
In the beginning of this course I thought revising my work was tedious (and that I would procrastinate on!). After spending quite some time revising, I have discovered how crucial it is to becoming a better writer. I found it to be rewarding and had a sense of accomplishment when finished. Through our service project, I have also learned how important any hours given of my time can be worth it, not only to the organization or people I assisted, but to me as well.
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Maureen Rich
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Maureen Rich
I wanted to share this article with this class not only because I am the proud aunt of the talented boy (Jack Lyle) in the article, but also because I felt it is somewhat related to what we have been working on this semester. This article is about sled hockey, which is a sport for the disabled ranging from the age 5-20 years old. This is a non-profit organization that is run by volunteers and donations. I have been to several games and although it looks easy, it is quite difficult. It is astonishing what these children can do with their disabilities. If you are a big hockey fan, this is a great way to help out in the community. If you are not, step out of your comfort zone again and come watch a game! You will not only be impressed, but you will walk away with a great appreciation for these children. They are all truly amazing. http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/12358608-418/sled-hockey-lets-players-put-disabilities-on-ice.html
Vickroy, Donna. “Sled hockey lets players put disabilities on ice.” Southtown Star [Chicago] 08 05 2012, n. pag. Web. 9 May. 2012. .-
Kelly Creed
Thanks for sharing this Maureen!
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Maureen Rich
Thanks girls!
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Patrycja Gola
I loved that you shared this article, it really does relate to everything we have been learning about, and what makes it even better is that your nephew is apart of it.
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Maureen Rich
In the beginning our final portfolio seemed so far away. Now with the due date approaching, I cannot believe how fast this course flew by. I would like to express my gratitude to Professor McGuire and my classmates with assisting me in being one step closer to my goal. I started in this course assuming it was to improve my writing skills. It didn’t take long, but I soon discovered that this course was much more than gaining knowledge in writing. I obtained knowledge of myself as a person. I may have dug deep to pull my thoughts out through my writing, but I feel I dug deeper in pulling out my thoughts on who I am, who I want to be and who I am now determined to become. Thank you to all who have contributed to this life lesson. Now….is anyone else nervous about their portfolio? Am I the only sap or does anyone else get emotional each time you re-read your piece and make changes?
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Maureen Rich
Chapter 8 caught my attention right away. In the beginning, I was amused with “Is it really true that there are no dumb questions? No, that is not true. There are, in fact, stupid questions.” This humor made me want to read on. There were a lot of questions to ponder on throughout this Chapter, especially to assist me in my revision for my final portfolio. I particularly liked how it states on page 183 “Find a way to make each project your own. Then, own it. And see it through.” We have all been given the same requirements for each of our papers, yet each one of us has a different thoughts and opinions, which makes each of our own work unique. We are responsible for what we wrote, as well as how we were educated by the lesson learned. Throughout our revision process, it has taught me to be a more confident writer. So when I read “own it” it made me feel proud. We all began with our drafts and made our changes accordingly. I know with each change, as a writer, I felt more attached to each piece. I felt as if more of my own emotions were grasping on. I found myself getting more emotional each time I revised or re-read. Does that make sense to anyone else? LOL I was also able to relate to page 188 where it states “Practice over time will yield results.” I remember in the beginning of this course, I dreaded my revision. Now, I have to admit, I actually enjoyed this process. I don’t think I was ever really taught how to revise correctly. After learning more about revision in this course, it wasn’t that bad after all.
Dow, Thomas. “Advice, Writer to Writer.’ Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt, 2010. 175-197. Print. -
Maureen Rich
After watching the video Writing Style What is it? I was really anxious to go and start revising! I found this to be quite helpful and inspiring. I never really thought of grammar and style to be the same. It was stated in the video “Grammar and Style are part of the same continuum. Essentially they refer to the same thing: the choices a writer makes and the effects those choices have on the reader.” I never looked at the two it the way the video described. There was a lot to learn in this video. The part I was pulled in the most was “all writing is creative”, explaining the “show don’t tell” aspect. I was able to tell the difference of which writing was “show” and which one was “tell”. This aspect is great to learn from to become a better writer. It assists you in your writing with creativity to reach out to the reader and engage them. Like Professor McGuire stated, let the reader determine what he wants to feel or believe. It is the writers job to get the reader to be interested. I also think the reminder of using all five senses is a tip I know I personally forget when writing. Using the specific details using the senses is a way to pull the reader in so they can really feel you. The video also stated “images are not just visuals” which is also inspiring to me. Using the 5 senses can help you with having the reader visualize without an image. All these tips will definitely be significant in my revision and whereas before I dreaded revising, I am actually looking forward to it.
McGuire, Michael. “Writing Style what is it?.” learning.writing101. writing101, 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.-
Linda Seguin
Good Morning Maureen, Just wanted to cheer you on with the revision process. I know you will make it come to life even more! Excellent statement, “Using the 5 senses can help you with having the reader visualize without an image.”
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Maureen Rich
Thanks Linda!!!
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Maureen Rich
At first I thought this reading was going to be hard to follow along but it wasn’t and I found it to be quite interesting. I was able to affiliate this reading with a book I read previously called “The Power of Words”. Both were similar in many ways. The use of our words can hurt others, even if we do not mean it intentionally. Whether it is labeling with our words or the way we use them it can offend someone. Language Tool 6 states “Sometimes the meaning of a comment depends more on the tone or spirit in which it is said than it does on the literal definition of the words themselves.” I believe our tone says just as much as our words. The way you present yourself in your tone is just as important in the choice of words you choose. Like names, your tone can be heard in different meanings. I cannot remember if it was in WWR or one of our other readings, but this kind of goes along with how we use our punctuation and how that can be read differently as well. It is all about presentation and we have to respect the fact that someone else may be offended by something we say or write. Using labels or group slurs can be very hurtful to others. Most people are aware of the proper way to use our words but often some are careless and offend others. The reading states “Thus each label we use, especially those of primary potency, distracts our attention from concrete reality. The living, breathing, complex individual-the ultimate unit of human nature-is lost to site.” We are all human, we all have feelings and labels or words tend to hurt.
2006. 293-307 PDF, and Stereotypes.” Bauer, James Holmes and Paul Warren. Language Matters. Palgrave Macmillan, Laurie, Solidarity, “What we call ourselves and others: Names-
Linda Seguin
This is a great comment Maureen , “We are all human, we all have feelings and labels or words tend to hurt.” It starts with the bullying as children and escalates from there. Maybe if we as educators and parents, nip name calling in the butt while kids are still in the formative years and stress that is not OK to use certain words.
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Maureen Rich
Thanks Linda. I still remember a sign I saw years ago related to child abuse, but I think it could relate to bullying as well. It said “Words hurt just as hard as a punch.” I truly believe in that phrase. Words can be very hurtful and they can scar.
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Maureen Rich
During this Chapter there were several things I was able to relate to. I think my favorite was on page 144, “To All the Good Ones Along the Way, We Salute You: by Eric DeVillez because I did have that one teacher who really touched me. I was lucky enough to not only have her in 4th grade, but in 8th as well. I remember one specific writing we were assigned in 4th grade. She called me up to her desk I was scared because I thought I did something wrong. Here it was the opposite. She told me how much she enjoyed it and loved my creativity. I don’t even remember what exactly the assignment was, but I can still remember the picture I drew to go along with it. It was of a gym shoe. I vaguely remember it had something to do with a gym shoe and a washing machine! Anyway, when she pulled me aside she told me she felt with my creativity that I needed to go further with writing and she sees me as a writer when I grow up. At that point, she gave me the incentive to want to learn more about writing and to enjoy it. I had the dream of actually writing children’s books one day and wrote poems for fun. I never did pursue that dream, but I do enjoy writing and using my creativity. She inspired me and had a huge impact on my writing skills. I also had a teacher years ago for my COM101 class that I really did not care too much for in the beginning. He was so hard. He was very critical and I dreaded writing my papers in his class. Then once he graded them, he would put them on the overhead to show the entire class and everyone would have to point out your mistakes. It was embarrassing and I just absolutely dreaded it. He came straight out and said during the week of our fist paper that no one could get above a D, then the next week you were not going to get above a C and so on. I thought this was the most ridiculous grading system I had ever heard of, until he explained. He would not give us above that letter grade until he taught us that new level or new way of writing. Well as much as I despised his class, this just pushed me 10 times harder. I was always determined to push myself harder and to excel just to get that higher grade. At the end of the semester, I was looking him up for my next class. If he wasn’t so hard on us I don’t know if I would have tried as hard as I did. Although he did not bring out creativity, he did push me to try harder. I do have to admit that I have had more teachers who wanted you to follow the rules rather than be creative. For one of my other classes we had specific guidelines we had to follow and quite honestly, I hated it. It was boring and my heart was just not in it. So I do have to agree with what Prof McGuire states on page 142: “This is unfortunate because quite simply ‘correct’ writing alone does not make for ‘good’ writing. I think that says it all.
Michael McGuire. “Existential Angst, Orgasm (s), and Jazz Recognizing that All Writing Is Creative Writing.” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Kendall Hunt, 2010. 133-162. Print -
Maureen Rich
When reading Ruptura: Acknowledging the Lost Subjects of the Service Learning Story, I was drawn in when it stated “As students meet people and enter places that put pressure on their sense of who they are and how the world is, we set in motion processes of identification and misidentification, moments of comfort and discomfort. Going outside our own comfort zone can be scary but also very rewarding. When I first picked my service project I was very nervous. I have never volunteered for an organization like the one I chose, but I have to admit I am glad I was given that push. I have always wanted to do something similar to the place I picked, but sad to say, I never made the time to go. After going it did make me regret that I hadn’t done it sooner, but on a positive note it made me want to do that much more to make up for lost time. Also, I was really able to relate to Kaye Berube. Kaye struggled to write her descriptive paper about an after school program she worked with. I too had difficulty writing my reflection as well. When she stated “ I am not someone who feels comfortable writing about other people” I could really feel her. It is not easy writing about an experience for someone to picture when you do not want the wrong message sent. When I did my service I enjoyed it in so many aspects. There was one particular thing that bothered me about the place I chose and I was unsure if I should include it in my reflection or not for the reason of not wanting someone to picture the wrong idea. This was just my own personal opinion and I did not want it to sound like I was that unhappy about the place. I wanted to leave a good impression because it was such a great experience.
Hamler Carrick Tracy, Himley Margaret, and Jacobi Tobi. Language and Learning Across the Disciplines. Reptura: Acknowledging the Lost Subjects of the Service Learning Story. (2000):56-74.-
Linda Seguin
Good Morning Maureen,
I can relate to your hesitation about writting anything negative about an organization that does so much good for the community. It is a difficult line to walk as to what input or diffrence you can really make especially since you only spend a short amount of time there. I know these agencies depend on volunteers to make the magic happen and i am sure they feel uncomfortable at times with allowing the public to view their operation and the feedback they may get. Every agency should strive to do better though so some positive constructive criticism sould be expected when you look at the sheer volume of workers that pass through their doors.
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Maureen Rich
I read the interview with Taylor and Butler and then watched the video. I found both to be interesting. I liked watching the video more even though the article was the same. I felt by watching it I was able to feel more out of it. I was able to relate tot his interview because I have a disabled nephew. This interview described what it meant to take a walk in a different perspective. In the beginning, Taylor stated “I use that word even though I can’t physically walk. I mean, to me, I think the experience of going for a walk is probably very similar to anybody else’s: it’s a clearing of the mind, it’s enjoying whatever I’m walking past. And my body is very much involved even though I’m physically not walking.” After reading this is made me think how right Taylor is. For example, when we take a baby for a walk in stroller, the baby is not using his or her legs, they are in the stroller, but we still call it a walk. This goes the same for one in a wheelchair, it is still a walk. Like she said, she does the same things we do when we walk. My nephew who has a disability and uses a walker for assistance amazes me with how he gets around. In the beginning I was a little nervous and wanted to do a lot of things for him. It wasn’t before long that I learned he was very capable of doing everything on his own. He learned to manage. Like it states on page 191, people assume that our hands are for picking things up, giving things or shaking hands. Our mouths are for drinking, kissing or talking. Taylor uses her mouth holding her cup. She states “it’s sort of undoing this assumption that people just take for granted.” When it comes to disabilities I think society tends to underestimate their capabilities. I went to watch a hockey game for my nephew who is disabled. They played on the ice, but on sleds. It was an amazing experience to watch these children play. They did not let their disability deter them away from something they loved doing. I think this is why it bothered me when Taylor was talking about limited housing and less career opportunities. Just because someone has a disability does not mean they can’t handle what someone without a disability can.
Butler, Judith. “Interdependence.” learning. writting101. Professor McGuire. Web. 28 March 2012 -
Maureen Rich
The “Vision Test” by Wes Kim was very intersting. At first when he started with the eye exam, I was not too sure what he was getting at. Once the different pictures of the people were shown, I figured it out. This was a very unique way to open the eyes of different ethics or gender and how we choose. We may not seem like we are biased in anyway, but when asked those specific questions, we tend to choose based on how we were raised. I felt this was difficult to choose an answer because I feel no one should be judged by their race, gender, religion or age. I believe in the old phrase of “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”. This test and the Harro piece are similar because when it comes to picking between two choices, we tend to go with what we were taught growing up.
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Linda Seguin
hi Maureen I agree with you that,”The Vision Test” by Wes Kim … was a very unique way to open the eyes of different ethics or gender and how we choose. ” The questions asked all related to the individuals preferences and could only base the decision by the very apparent physical characteristics that hinted at that persons morals and values as well as if they appeared confident and trustworthy. Religion was a mor easy picture to deciphor and therefor could lead one to speculate a persons bias with that choice.
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Maureen Rich
As I read the article The Cycle of Socialization by Bobbie Harro, I was able to relate. He explains and elaborates on how our socialization begins before we are born. We are born and instantly have the love and trust for our families. We are raised to their ways, their rules and their beliefs. As we enter life, we automatically have these beliefs and rules that we follow. As we get older, it is all by choice to make the change if we do not agree, but do we? Standing up against what we were brought up to believe in is not easy at all. Bobbie Harro states “People who go against the grain of conventional societal messages are accused of being troublemakers, of making waves, or of being ‘the cause of the problem’.” This is not an easy road to head down if we go against our upbringings. I agree how this article states how we do not have a choice as to what our part is. Although, once we are older, it is up to us if we want to make that change. I was not too surprised when the article mentioned about the laws and how the higher numbers of people of color who are targeted by the criminal justice system. I liked when he mentioned “Battering statistics are rising as more woman assert their equal rights with men, and the number one suspect for the murder of women in the United States is the husband or boyfriend. Should woman who try to be equal with men be killed?” This article states a lot of intriguing points to our society that I am very well aware of, but again, it’s taking that stand. Who wants to step out of their comfort zone? Who has the courage to go against their upbringing? A person in my eyes who is courageous, strong and admirable.
Harro, Bobbi. “Cycle of Socialization”. Reading for Diversity and Social Justice. Ed. 15-21. Web-
Linda Seguin
Maureen you are absolutely right that anyone ,”Who wants to step out of their comfort zone? Who has the courage to go against their upbringing? A person in my eyes who is courageous, strong and admirable.” That is what good leaders are made of. One that sticks to moral values and protects those unable to speak up for themselves because of being held down by society. Being treated unfairly is detrimental to anyones psyche and unless they decide to address the issues will remain in the vicious cycle of societies stereotypes.
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Maureen Rich
I was also able to relate this video to a meeting we had a work. We were all asked these questions that we had to stand up in a room full of people if we were responding yes. Well, the questions asked were very personable, about diversity and how we were raised or our beliefs. It was a tough exercise, especially knowing that a way we were raised may not be the way we are now, but we still had to stand. Anyway, it was very courageous for all those that participated, just the fact they were honest was very admirable to me, regardless of the question.
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Maureen Rich
After reading , “Writing about People: The Interview” by William Zinsser, it gave me a different perspective on interviewing. It’s easy to listen to or watch an interview and think how fun is it to just sit and ask the person all these different questions, but it takes a lot of hard work. Getting to know the person you are interviewing is a very important key in an interview. It is very similar to trying to get to your reader. When you interview, you want the person to know you are interested in them. Knowing the simple facts in advance and learning what that person is about is helpful to getting to know the person beforehand. On page 105, it states “ You will be resented if you inquire about facts you could have learned in advance.“ I feel this is extremely important. If the person feels that you actually took the time to read or research them, I think that helps build the trust. Trust is an important key in interviewing because you want the person to open up as much as possible. This is very similar in any job interview as well. It is always suggested that you research the company before you interview. Why do we research a company we haven’t even began working for yet? For the same reasons, you want them to know you are interested. Therefore, like stated, it is very important you research the person you are interviewing. This can take some time and dedication. So when watching interviews or listening to them, I never really considered the leg work behind the scenes. This reading was helpful and will be when I need to do an interview. I will for sure do all the leg work before hand, to show my interest.
Zinsser, William. “Writing About People: The Interview.” 100-115. -
Maureen Rich
I have to admit I was a bit surprised with the movie about Sister Helen, as this is the first I have heard of her. I was also expecting a story similar to Mother Teresa. Sister Helen is very admirable in what she has done. It was quite sad to hear about her life prior to her running the recovery house. Sister Helen does not deny the fact she made plenty of mistakes in her life. She herself was an alcoholic and was married to one as well. Although it took her husband and sons dying for her to become sober, she did accomplish much more than that. She believed everyone deserves another chance at life. Sister Helen felt that God had given her another chance at life and she took that lesson and turned it into good by helping others. She opened her home to run a recovery house for addicts. I was shocked to hear how she talked to the men in the house, but it seemed to work. She ran a strict home for the recovering addicts, but she was well respected. The story of Sister Helen goes to show that you can turn your life around for the better and take advantage of that second chance. Sister Helen proved that helping society can be done without money but by her own experiences, a big heart and hard work. She gave it her all to help not only drug addicts, but alcoholics and other members of society as well. Anyone is capable of making a difference.
Sister Helen. Perf. Sister Helen. Hulu, 2003. Web. -
Maureen Rich
Prof McGuire, should our peer reviews be as long as they usually are this week? I was just wondering seeing our letters to the editor were not as long as our usual work. Thanks!
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Prof McGuire
Yes, shoot for the same length as usual for the peer reviews. Even though the letters are short, you can still write about them in length. Consider the how one could write a very detailed long essay about a very short poem. Just go deeper with your analysis and discussion.
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Maureen Rich
Thanks Prof McGuire!
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Maureen Rich
There were several funny and interesting parts in our assigned reading of Chapter 2. I had to laugh when I read what Troy Swanson wrote on page 27, “Some people will not read this because they are too overloaded with work, family and school. “ I found this to be funny because I am the opposite. I am a single parent of 3 children, working full time, as well as going to school full time. I find any possible moment to get all my assigned readings done. I have learned to read during basketball and hockey games, dance classes, music lessons, lunch breaks, any spare moment, I make use of my time. I also knew when I signed up to be a full time student not to expect to be sleeping much! I thought the most helpful section of Chapter 2 for me was 2.5.2 Revision as discovery. I have been having a tough time wondering how to revise my original work. After reading this, I realized it is because I feel like the trained pigeon! I was always taught that if you have to rewrite your paper you did not do it right the first time. As stated by Michael McGuire, “ The truth of the matter is writing is revision; there are no good writers, only good rewriters, as the old saying goes. All successful writers know this. I hope you will come to learn, believe, and practice this as well. Good writing is revision.“ This section gave me a clearer view as to what it means to revise my work. This entire section gave me a different perspective of revision as well as confidence. It made me feel better when I read that it’s OK not to know what you are doing or where you are going, that it is a good thing. I have to admit this made me anxious to get to my revisions rather than dreading them like I was.
McGuire, Michael. “Chapter 2.” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Kendall Hunt Pub, 2010.30.Print-
Linda Seguin
Good for you Maureen! What you are doing as a single mother is tough. I waited until my children where much older before I committed to going back to school. Now that I am working more ( to pay for those kids), I still find it difficult to find time for studies so revisions are a must. My work will not sense to me without stepping away at times to only come back to the work with clarity and new focus. Good luck.
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Maureen Rich
Prof McGuire, I don’t know what is going on but I am having trouble getting my letter to post how we normally do. It keeps showing up on this page. Help!!
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Maureen Rich
I sent you an email with details, it is still not letting me type in that section at all. I tried logging out and back in again and still nothing.
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Prof McGuire
I just sent you an e-mail. Check it out. Don’t worry, we’ll get this figured out for you.
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Maureen Rich
For this week’s Research Journal, I would like to share a book I have been reading that relates to my topic for our service/activist guide. Although my topic is bullying, this book is more directed at the approach of talking to children. It is called “The Power of Our Words” by Paula Denton, EdD. I started reading this book to assist me with taking actions in the topic I chose. The book focuses on language and how it is the most powerful tool. There was a particular part of the Introduction that intrigued me. It states on page 3 “Language is far more than the simple expression of thoughts, feelings, and experiences. As psychologist Lev Vygotsky said, language actually shapes thoughts, feelings and experiences. It produces ‘fundamentally new forms of behavior’. (Vygotsky 1986/1934,24)” Language does this in several ways: It molds our sense of who we are; helps us understand how we think, work and play; and influences the nature of our relationships.” Just as the title states, our words have power. What we say can affect others in any way, good or bad. It is important to choose words wisely because our words carry that much power. In this reading, I was also able to relate to our peer reviews. Chapter 1, “General Guidelines for Teacher Language” elaborates on guidelines for the use of language. It talks about taking the time to notice the positives. It states “When children believe in themselves, they are more likely to work hard at learning and to enjoy the process.“ This specifically reminded me of when Professor McGuire asked us how we felt about the peer reviews. Most of the comments I read people stated that they liked the peer reviews. I myself can say the same. It gave me that boost of confidence and left me feeling positive about my writing and it was due to the power of the words people left. So although this book was not directly targeted towards my topic of bullying, it has helped me in more ways than one.
Denton, EdD, Paula. The Power of Our Words. Turners Falls, Ma: Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc., 2007. Print -
Maureen Rich
Did anyone else feel nervous doing their “Elevator Speech”? I guess it doesn’t matter if I am speaking into a phone or in front of a group of people I still get those annoying nerves!!
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Mayra Pulido
I was nervous too. Maureen I get nervous too. Especially with people I first meet or don’t know as well. Typing is easier than speaking! but it was a fun assignment to do. Something different. I think we all did great! and Natalie, we are interested in what you have to say not how you speak or sound
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Natalie Nalepa
I’m just a little nervous cause I have an accent, and people are ignorant and point it out all the time, which makes me self conscious to speak in front of people.
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Kelly Creed
Yes! I have had my phone in my hand with the intention to doing my elevator speech for quite some time now. I guess I should conquer my nerves and just get it over with. It’s easy to hide behind a computer screen and type away as we have done most of the class, but allowing our classmates to hear us opens up a new aspect and makes us vulnerable. You’re not alone with your nervous feelings and its things like this that will allow us to grow.
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Maureen Rich
Natalie, I would hope that no one in this class would be ignorant to you. We are all different in our own ways and as adults we should be able to respect that. In a way I can relate to you. My daughter has a speech impediment and there are ignorant people (including adults) who have made fun of her. This has really affected her confidence when speaking. So I can definitely see how you would be nervous, but don’t be! You should be proud of your accent!
Kelly, you are so right, it will allow us to grow. I thought at first oh no biggie, picked up the phone and then almost froze, as if I were standing in front to the classroom! I started my speech and then I slurred a word and then the shakey voice began! I think what got me through it was thinking OK there are how many students in this class, I can’t possibly be the only one with these nerves!
Thanks to you both for sharing! I am glad I am not the only one.
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Natalie Nalepa
I messed it up really really bad….nerves……please let me redo it. Lol
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Maureen Rich
Rajeev Goyal engaged in created problem thinking by using what he had to solve problems. He didn’t just wait and see what someone else would do, he took a stand and did it. Not only the work he did was admirable, but the influence he gave to others.
As far as my service/activism project, I have already started to use my creativity towards the issue I picked. I picked bullying in children and seeing I work at a school, it was the perfect opportunity to get involved. I don’t know why, but I tend to have a magnet inside me and I attract the ones with behavior issues. I was in the lunch room one day and about 4 different children, that are not in my class, came running up to me to talk to me about their day and the “bad choices” they made, which most of it was bullying. After a few days of them getting excited to see me and talk about their day with me, I decided I was going to step in a bit. I made them all incentives to make “good choices” and to get rewarded by me at the end of the week. I put a visual chart on their desks so their teacher could mark whether they had a good or bad day. This has given them the visual of seeing their choices and an incentive to make the good choices or they lose their prize at the end of the week. I have to admit I did not think this would work as well as it did. One of the students went from spending every day in the principal’s office (usually for fighting) to being the first to earn the prize with me. When he did make a “bad choice” you could see his remorse where as before he would laugh about it. I had went into the principal’s office to discuss with him that his bad choice caused him to lose his prize and he could barely look at me, I could see the disappointment. This same student was also one of the most disrespectful students to his teacher. He has now become the most helpful. So with that long story, the possibilities are there, it’s just finding what works.
This semester I feel getting involved more will be an accomplishment for me. For example, the bullying. Yes, it is in my own workplace I was able to get involved, but it was also by choice. These children I am having an impact on are not even in my class or the children I am assigned to. I feel showing them I care and going out of my way is making an impact on them. As soon as they see me they are running up to me trying to fill me in on the good and the bad. It shows them I am there to help as well as to listen whether good or bad.
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Maureen Rich
Nussbaum’s video was quite intriguing. I agree with her perspective on the social contract. Woman being discriminated against men due to their physical strength was not surprising to me. It’s sad in today’s society that it is like that, but it is. I think the world has become better at acknowledging the disabled. Not in every place, but from what it use to be, there has been improvement. Working in a school, I see this happening. They try to focus more on disabled children being in a regular classroom rather than a separate room or pulling them out and making it noticeable. This helps the child in more ways than their education.
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Maureen Rich
In regards to Chomsky’s response, I do not think he is being paranoid. I think we are all too involved in our every day life to stop and really take the time to understand what is going on around us. We are all oppressed in a way. We are all capable of taking a stand and doing something about it. It’s just do we take the time.
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Maureen Rich
There was definitely a lot of information to take in with Chapter 4. I had to laugh when I read 4.1, The Dreaded Word: Thesis because I had just written a research paper for another class I am taking. I had called my nephew for some tips and the first question out of his mouth was “What is your thesis?” My response was very similar to that on page 85, swearing a little bit. I have written my thesis in different ways in the past. If it is a topic I am very knowledgeable and excited about, my thesis can be a piece of cake. If it’s a topic I dread and know nothing about, that’s where the swearing comes in. If I have trouble writing one, I don’t write it right away, I begin just writing the paper. Then, I get to a point in the writing that the thesis will then come to me. As stated on page 90, “Don’t over think writing your thesis- often times, your thesis will come to you as you’re writing and thinking about your topic, I can truly relate. When I was reading about writing a thesis in this chapter, I thought of Chapter 1 when it mentioned the G.A.S. Factor. It goes back to caring about your work. If you write your thesis and there’s really no care in it, then the rest of your paper is going to reflect that and your reader will know. If you start your writing and then go back and do your thesis, sometimes that is better. Once you start writing you get into your topic and you become passionate about it, that’s when your creative thesis may hit you.
DeVillez, Eric. “You Can Do It in the Garden or in an Elevator, Writing Is Critical Thinking.” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Kendall Hunt, 2010. 77-99. Print -
Maureen Rich
I will admit that I was not too fond of the peer reviews when I originally heard we had to do them. I was very nervous and scared. After receiving a guidline to follow, I felt a bit more at ease. Writing them did not seem so bad after all! It actually felt good to write positive reviews. Pointing out other writer’s good qualities also made me think of different tactics for myself. The reviews in return were very helpful and rewarding. I am looking forward to future reviews to continue my growth in writing.
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Natalie Nalepa
I was actually really scared, trying not to offend someone. I hate it say it, but it feels like a couple people truly hated the essay that I had written. It is often harder to take criticism than give it.
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Patrycja Gola
Don’t say that! I’m sure they didn’t hate it, just take the criticism as a good thing, take what they said and make your draft even better than the last.
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Kenyatta Greer
Natalie,
I read your essay and I did not hate it. I think what people are responding to is your
unconventional approach.
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Maureen Rich
Before reading Chapter 7, I already knew how bad plagiarism was but this chapter brought up some new perspectives on the subject. I have learned when taking notes to not copy word for word in my notes so when I get ready to write my paper it’s pretty much already in my own words. I truly believe credit is due to the original author. This chapter made a good point about also noting where your information came from so that the reader may use it as a source as well. I was just recently doing a research paper and found some great details and interesting facts. The first thing I did was look at the source to find where that information came from. At that point, it led me to another resource and I was able to learn about that topic more. I do remember the incident with Obama’s speech a few years ago and just remember thinking how could he do that? Knowing a person in his permission should know better and he did receive permission from his friend, but I still think it should have credited where it was from. On page 173, it states “You don’t understand that your audience needs to trust the things you say.” The reader needs to have that trust in you so they can feel you care about your work, as well as the reader reading the work.
Troy Swanson.” Mash It Up…Gracefully”. “Why White Rice? -Thinking Through Writing”. Kendall Hunt Pub. 2010. p.163-174. Print. -
Maureen Rich
Service is assisting people and activism is engaging more to bring change to the world. I chose to participate in the first service opportunity, “Feed My Starving Children”. I feel it will be a form of both, sevice and activism. We will be feeding starving children and saving lives. Just reading the statistics on the web site was quite touching. To know that I can help or offer my service to feed children, will bring change to the world. I feel there are a variety of ways we can offer our service on different issues. I also feel the stories by Dave Eggers and the tip to not be a procrastinator tie into all of this as well. We shouldn’t just sit around and do nothing. The world around us needs our service, each and every one of us. So we need to stop procrastinating and offer our services and become more active in our society.
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Maureen Rich
After reading both of the stories by Dave Eggers I was touched. I did feel more feelings through the first one about the soldier. It was very descripitve, which brought out the emotions reading it. I could relate how the man reading the article was feeling and thinking. I think the meaning behind it was everyone suffers, all around us, we just don’t always make it a point to realize it. Here one of our soldiers, fighting for our country was killed and mistreated and not even around any of his loved ones while he was dying, as we sit at home and are able to enjoy looking out the window or talking to a friend at our on leisure. I did get a little lost at first in the second one “Your Mother and I” but was able to figure it out. This writing was a little humerous at times. I think both of the writings were very descriptive so when reading it you can picture yourself in that scenerio. It is impossible for just one or two people to save the world. It takes a little bit of help from everyone. As we proceed in this course, I feel that these stories relate to what we will be doing for our service. Any help, no matter how little it may be, can make a difference.
Eggers, Dave “Your mother and I” & — Eggers, Dave What It Means When a Crowd in a Faraway Nation Takes a Soldier Representing Your Own Nation, Shoots Him, Drags Him From His Vehicle, and Then Mutilates Him in the Dust” -
Maureen Rich
I think this is the first quiz I found humorous! As soon as I opend Exhibit 2, I could clearly see it was a fake. Exhibit 1, I have to admit I thought it was real, but then wondered if this was a trick question! I was very intrgued with all the information I have learned about the sites that pull up on Google. I hardly ever scroll down past the first 10 to be honest. I will definitly be more careful and verfying the credibility of the source. I have added the MVCC Library to my favorites tab and I will be relying on the research database more often.
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Maureen Rich
Did anyone sign up for the first service opportunity? I think this will not only be a great experience to help out in the community, but to meet the faces behind the screens as well! I am looking forward to it.
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Prof McGuire
It’s going to be awesome!
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Kimberly Kolozy
I did!
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Maureen Rich
Chapter 5 of “Why White Rice?“ contained a lot of helpful information. First of all, I wish I would have read not to lick a flag pole in the winter before I tried it! I am kidding. As soon as I read that, all I could picture was the boy from A Christmas Story and had to chuckle. I like the stories used to help you relate to topic, like in 5.2 “Do You Know What You Think You Know?”. On page 107 it states “The fourth down example also illustrates different types of knowledge about a topic”. This gives a clear understanding that you need to take a more detailed look at your information. Another part of this section I found to be interesting was about Google and Wikipedia. I have to admit, I am a guilty user of Google. I find myself using it all the time to find information. I thought the tips given were very helpful. For example, I never explored enough to know that if you search just .edu Web sites or .ed.gov and search just the Department of Education. That is definitely a great tip to know. I am really careful on the sources I use on the internet, but I liked the questions listed on page 114 to ask yourself. “1. Who is writing this (author)? 2. Why do I care?” “If you can’t answer either of these questions, don’t use the source.” This will really make me think twice next time I am looking something up.
Swanson, Troy. “Dry Your Hair and Don’t Lick the Frozen Flag Pole Reaserching and Infromation Literacy.” Why White Rice?. IA: Kendall Hunt, 2010. 101-132.Print. -
Maureen Rich
I have to admit after reading Chapter 1 in Why White Rice?, it has eased my mind a bit on this course. I was nervous going into this course wondering if I would be able to remember the proper format for an essay or if my grammar was correct. After reading Chapter 1, I learned that the focus on this course is so much more than that. I really enjoyed the analogies used and the humor to keep me interested. The section on Correct Writing is Good Writing, was very intriguing to me. On page 10, the author compared how caring for his brother doesn’t make his brother good, just as caring about your writing doesn’t make that good either. The author stated “instead, your caring about your writing will allow it to have a chance at being good”. I feel it is important to care about what you are writing so you can capture the reader’s interest. Just as this chapter did to me. There were true stories and no holding back with the humor or personal experiences. You can tell Eric DeVillez’s intent when writing this that he cared not just about what he was writing , but cared about the readers as well. Sharing his own personal experience about what the G.A.S. factor was another example how Eric DeVillez showed he cared about his writing. This grabbed my attention and kept me wanting to read more. I feel if a writer cares about what he is writing, it will allow it to have that chance of being good because you can reach the reader when you have that passion.
DeVillez, Eric. “Myth Busting:Overcoming Your Misconceptions of Writing.” Dubuque, IA. Kendall Hunt, 2010. 1-24.Print-
Prof McGuire
Nice post, but a quick note on your citation. You should include the title of the book, too, following the name of the chapter.
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Maureen Rich
Thanks!!! I felt something was missing when I wrote that, just didn’t know what!
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Patrycja Gola, and 
Iwona Ligeska are discussing. 
Maureen Rich, 
Kelly Creed, and 
Linda Seguin are discussing. 
Mayra Pulido, 
Natalie Nalepa, 
Kenyatta Greer, 
Kimberly Kolozy are discussing. 
Patrycja Gola 10:37 pm on May 12, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I agree as well, sometimes I get mad at myself for waiting until the last minute to start on a writing assignment, but once I start writing I realize that I already know exactly what I will write because I spent the last week constantly thinking about it. There were times when I have logged into this course just to look at what is due and what the requirements are, and then I turn my laptop off again, and think for the next couple days on the topic and what I will include in my draft.
Iwona Ligeska 1:38 pm on May 10, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I agree with you Moureen. Like you, I was taking notes, thinking during the day about the next project to come. When everyone finally would go to sleep I would go to the kitchen and and take out my notes. I would read it, reflect on them and realize how blessed I am to have this time for myself. I am very happy that I was able to give some time for others as well.