Coming back from Thanksgiving break there is a lot of catching up to do. I have been so stressed out on papers, speeches, articles, and reading. I know I will be able to accomplish my goals in my classes. In these last weeks there is no time for playing or hanging out. I know that I am not the only person feeling this way. I wonder why teachers put all the students through this stress. I guess it is to make us better in the end. Well, I know I'm ready for the end because sometimes I want to give up, but I'm going to make it.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
5- When you enter the college classroom, you bring with you years of experience from all your previous classrooms, from elementary school through high school. What kind of mind-set might you bring to your current classrooms and how might your mindset influence your experiences at the University? What mind0sets might instructors have developed over the years? What role do you think you might have in shaping--and reshaping--classroom?
As a current graduate from high school I know first hand that teachers instill certain thoughts of what to expect when they attend college. I had a lot of teachers who told me things like, you have to manage time, do not expect teachers to care about you because you will not have a personal relationship between them, develop better study habits, and put fourth the effort needed to accomplish goals in each class. When I entered into college I did not expect my teacher's to know my name or care about me as an individual. I look forward to late night and hard work. So basically I entered college thinking that I cannot count on anyone except for myself so I had to make the best choices for myself in order to succeed. Based on me having this particular mindset I will put fourth more effort and it will make me a better student. Teacher's, as well, have developed certain mindsets on how incoming students will act. I believe that most professors and teacher look for students being immature and not having good study habits. They know that students will probably depend on them more than they should. Teachers will therefore be more prepared to handle situations that incoming students will put themselves into. I think I will not have a great influence on shaping or reshaping classrooms because there are so many students that there has to be more than one person to change the ways of the classroom. I can say that I might be an example or influence on some, but in a way to shape or reshape the classroom, I do not think that is possible as of right now.
As a current graduate from high school I know first hand that teachers instill certain thoughts of what to expect when they attend college. I had a lot of teachers who told me things like, you have to manage time, do not expect teachers to care about you because you will not have a personal relationship between them, develop better study habits, and put fourth the effort needed to accomplish goals in each class. When I entered into college I did not expect my teacher's to know my name or care about me as an individual. I look forward to late night and hard work. So basically I entered college thinking that I cannot count on anyone except for myself so I had to make the best choices for myself in order to succeed. Based on me having this particular mindset I will put fourth more effort and it will make me a better student. Teacher's, as well, have developed certain mindsets on how incoming students will act. I believe that most professors and teacher look for students being immature and not having good study habits. They know that students will probably depend on them more than they should. Teachers will therefore be more prepared to handle situations that incoming students will put themselves into. I think I will not have a great influence on shaping or reshaping classrooms because there are so many students that there has to be more than one person to change the ways of the classroom. I can say that I might be an example or influence on some, but in a way to shape or reshape the classroom, I do not think that is possible as of right now.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
The Season
First, the best season of all. Summer, no jackets, no pants, and no sleeves. I like this season because it is when everyone comes out of there house that has been stuck there for all of winter and part of spring. Summer is when the sun shines the brightest. I like the summer because it is the hottest season. Maybe it is just me, but I love it when it is extremely hot outside. The Summer changes the color of your skin and for some the color of their hair. I hope Summer means as much to you as it does to me.
Monday, November 5, 2007
3- Recall the experience of some newcomer trying to enter your community or trying to appropriate and use your own language. How did you feel or react? What does it mean to “own” language, and what is entailed in “taking” or adopting” a language or a set of rituals and traditions?Recall an experience when some misunderstanding occurred in a bi-cultural or multicultural context despite everyone trying to be well intentioned and polite. In a journal entry, explore what it was about the social context failed “in translation.”
Language is an important way of communication. People take others language for granted or sometimes do play it. This should not be done because every race of people have a different way in which they communicate with one another. I am African American and I see people from other races all the time trying to fit in with blacks and trying to speak they way they do.When I see this happening I feel upset because one should feel comfortable in their own skin to not have to imitate someone else's language or way of living. The phrase, " to own language," is fiction to me. I believe that no one can own a language because it is a way of life. It is natural for people to do and one person cannot be the owner simply because everyone makes and participates in the such language. When a person adopts the language or rituals of another culture let's me know that they are not confident or independent. I think that they are not capable of making their own decisions and fell to realize the importance of their own culture. I am ashamed to see people who are not proud of who they are and have the desire to fit in with other race. An experience I had once before is when a white boy knew these black boys, like they saw and spoke to one another on a daily bases, and they looked upon one another as associates. Well, the word nigga is used by blacks in a way of endearment or name like friend or acknowledging a person. The white boy of course heard them calling one another by this word and did as they did with thinking the reasons why they use it. The black boys took offense to this because when a white person says nigga the word is look at differently. It is look at as if the white person is trying to down the black person or mocking them. This was an unpleasant situation but everything turned out okay. If the white boy would have spoken the way he does normally instead of trying to do what he saw the black boys doing then there would not have been a misunderstanding. The is a lesson that everyone is different and should embrace the person that they are, and not try and follow the things that others do.
Language is an important way of communication. People take others language for granted or sometimes do play it. This should not be done because every race of people have a different way in which they communicate with one another. I am African American and I see people from other races all the time trying to fit in with blacks and trying to speak they way they do.When I see this happening I feel upset because one should feel comfortable in their own skin to not have to imitate someone else's language or way of living. The phrase, " to own language," is fiction to me. I believe that no one can own a language because it is a way of life. It is natural for people to do and one person cannot be the owner simply because everyone makes and participates in the such language. When a person adopts the language or rituals of another culture let's me know that they are not confident or independent. I think that they are not capable of making their own decisions and fell to realize the importance of their own culture. I am ashamed to see people who are not proud of who they are and have the desire to fit in with other race. An experience I had once before is when a white boy knew these black boys, like they saw and spoke to one another on a daily bases, and they looked upon one another as associates. Well, the word nigga is used by blacks in a way of endearment or name like friend or acknowledging a person. The white boy of course heard them calling one another by this word and did as they did with thinking the reasons why they use it. The black boys took offense to this because when a white person says nigga the word is look at differently. It is look at as if the white person is trying to down the black person or mocking them. This was an unpleasant situation but everything turned out okay. If the white boy would have spoken the way he does normally instead of trying to do what he saw the black boys doing then there would not have been a misunderstanding. The is a lesson that everyone is different and should embrace the person that they are, and not try and follow the things that others do.
Learning Both Sides
9- In many of your prior courses, whether in college, whether in college or in high school, you were working on two fronts at once: learning the material in the course ("what" is covered) even as you were learning the methods of working in that field ("how" things are done). Discuss the competing demands of learning both content and method by using a concrete example from your own experience at UIUC
Some people learn from hands on work while others learn in the classroom. No matter which way of learning is easier for you, it is best to know how to do both. Some people believe that they can get ahead just by knowing how to perform in a certain field. Some people believe that they can get ahead by knowing the procedures for a certain field. The people who think like this are greatly mistaken. It is extremely important for people to realize that they need to know both aspects in a field. One reason is because just learning how to do something in a classroom is different than actually knowing how to do it when you are put in front of it. Another reason is because if know how to do something hands on doesn't mean you how to communicate or write all the steps or procedures taken in the particular field. Their is a high demand for people now based on them knowing how to perform both. A truly skilled person would not have a problem with learning both ways because they know it will be beneficial in the long run. One experience I have had with having to know both is in my Rhetoric class. In the classroom we learn ways in which we can write our papers better. I understand the concepts in class but it was up to me actually putting concepts to work. When I would write my papers later on in the day I would look back on the notes or concepts given and be sure to incorporate them into my writing. This pays off because by using the concepts given I was able to improve my writing as well as get a higher grade on my paper. So, I am letting everyone know that learning both sides of a field is very helpful and needs to be looked at as a priority from now on.
Some people learn from hands on work while others learn in the classroom. No matter which way of learning is easier for you, it is best to know how to do both. Some people believe that they can get ahead just by knowing how to perform in a certain field. Some people believe that they can get ahead by knowing the procedures for a certain field. The people who think like this are greatly mistaken. It is extremely important for people to realize that they need to know both aspects in a field. One reason is because just learning how to do something in a classroom is different than actually knowing how to do it when you are put in front of it. Another reason is because if know how to do something hands on doesn't mean you how to communicate or write all the steps or procedures taken in the particular field. Their is a high demand for people now based on them knowing how to perform both. A truly skilled person would not have a problem with learning both ways because they know it will be beneficial in the long run. One experience I have had with having to know both is in my Rhetoric class. In the classroom we learn ways in which we can write our papers better. I understand the concepts in class but it was up to me actually putting concepts to work. When I would write my papers later on in the day I would look back on the notes or concepts given and be sure to incorporate them into my writing. This pays off because by using the concepts given I was able to improve my writing as well as get a higher grade on my paper. So, I am letting everyone know that learning both sides of a field is very helpful and needs to be looked at as a priority from now on.
9- In many of your prior courses, whether in college, whether in college or in high school, you were working on two fronts at once: learning the material in the course ("what" is covered) even as you were learning the methods of working in that field ("how" things are done). Discuss the competing demands of learning both content and method by using a concrete example from your own experience at UIUC
Some people learn from hands on work while others learn in the classroom. No matter which way of learning is easier for you, it is best to know how to do both. Some people believe that they can get ahead just by knowing how to perform in a certain field. Some people believe that they can get ahead by knowing the procedures for a certain field. The people who think like this are greatly mistaken. It is extremely important for people to realize that they need to know both aspects in a field. One reason is because just learning how to do something in a classroom is different than actually knowing how to do it when you are put in front of it. Another reason is because if know how to do something hands on doesn't mean you how to communicate or write all the steps or procedures taken in the particular field. Their is a high demand for people now based on them knowing how to perform both. A truly skilled person would not have a problem with learning both ways because they know it will be beneficial in the long run. One experience I have had with having to know both is in my Rhetoric class. In the classroom we learn ways in which we can write our papers better. I understand the concepts in class but it was up to me actually putting concepts to work. When I would write my papers later on in the day I would look back on the notes or concepts given and be sure to incorporate them into my writing. This pays off because by using the concepts given I was able to improve my writing as well as get a higher grade on my paper. So, I am letting everyone know that learning both sides of a field is very helpful and needs to be looked at as a priority from now on.
Some people learn from hands on work while others learn in the classroom. No matter which way of learning is easier for you, it is best to know how to do both. Some people believe that they can get ahead just by knowing how to perform in a certain field. Some people believe that they can get ahead by knowing the procedures for a certain field. The people who think like this are greatly mistaken. It is extremely important for people to realize that they need to know both aspects in a field. One reason is because just learning how to do something in a classroom is different than actually knowing how to do it when you are put in front of it. Another reason is because if know how to do something hands on doesn't mean you how to communicate or write all the steps or procedures taken in the particular field. Their is a high demand for people now based on them knowing how to perform both. A truly skilled person would not have a problem with learning both ways because they know it will be beneficial in the long run. One experience I have had with having to know both is in my Rhetoric class. In the classroom we learn ways in which we can write our papers better. I understand the concepts in class but it was up to me actually putting concepts to work. When I would write my papers later on in the day I would look back on the notes or concepts given and be sure to incorporate them into my writing. This pays off because by using the concepts given I was able to improve my writing as well as get a higher grade on my paper. So, I am letting everyone know that learning both sides of a field is very helpful and needs to be looked at as a priority from now on.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Anxious
Anxiously I wait. Heart racing fast and I cannot stand still. My nerves are racing and I cannot calm down. What is the reason for all of this. Thanksgiving is coming! I cannot speak for someone else but I am extremely looking forward to homecooked meal. I love going to visit all of my relatives and seeing those I have not seen in such a long time. Everyone sitting around the table discussing stories about when everyone was younger. I like thanksgiving because if gives me a chance to reflect on my life. The things I have been through and the things I am thankful for. I know sometimes everyone gets upset with their family members, but in the end you still love them no matter what and will always be there for them if they were to ever need you. I plan on eating up everything I can because I have to turn around and come right back to dorm food until Christmas break. Well, I decided to let you all know why I am so excited. Hopefully I am not the only feeling like this.
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