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Friday, June 8, 2007
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Shout out to the reader
Dear Reader,
This is a compilation of works done for and by my students in my English 98, introduction to college writing. It's been a great quarter and as one of my past students wrote, "My teacher was never lacking in the area of assigning homework." So thank you to my students for all your hard work.
I've included in my e-portfolios several assignments that I've been proud of: a major writing assignment that I use to instruct students on how to write a persuasion paper, an activity that helped students to learn how to develop an academic voice, a handout on how to hold and prepare for seminar discussions, and finally, a writer's choice, The Inventory of Being, a little exercise in poetic creativity that we used to get to know each other better.
All of these assignments are symbolic of the philosophy behind this class: the need for strong written communication skills, the emphasis on effective writing, the development of critical thinking, and finally, the infusion of fun and creativity that makes it all worth it.
Thanks for taking the time to look at our collective work. Keep going in the write direction!
Next
This is a compilation of works done for and by my students in my English 98, introduction to college writing. It's been a great quarter and as one of my past students wrote, "My teacher was never lacking in the area of assigning homework." So thank you to my students for all your hard work.
I've included in my e-portfolios several assignments that I've been proud of: a major writing assignment that I use to instruct students on how to write a persuasion paper, an activity that helped students to learn how to develop an academic voice, a handout on how to hold and prepare for seminar discussions, and finally, a writer's choice, The Inventory of Being, a little exercise in poetic creativity that we used to get to know each other better.
All of these assignments are symbolic of the philosophy behind this class: the need for strong written communication skills, the emphasis on effective writing, the development of critical thinking, and finally, the infusion of fun and creativity that makes it all worth it.
Thanks for taking the time to look at our collective work. Keep going in the write direction!
The Major Writing Assignment: Introduction to the Persuasion Piece
Major writing assignments are what English 98 is all about. All the readings, discussions, sentence skills work, etc., are all supposed to be synthesized to create a strong, well-crafted, well-argued final essay that demonstrates the students understanding of a particular rhetorical form. This quarter we've done three: the comparison/contrast essay, the definition essay, and the one that I will be showcasing, the persuasion essay.
We started preparing for this essay by talking about Aristotle's rhetorical triangle: ethos/pathos/logs and how those elements work to create a strong argument. We read essays regarding whether or not piercings and other outward markers should make a difference in the work place, whether college athletics ought to be abolished, and whether animal experimentation should be continued. This was followed by a trip to the library to learn about reliability in sources as well as an introduction to some paid databases the library has. One that I hadn't seen before that seemed very impressive for any argument source is CQ Researcher. Finally, we followed all this up with a rousing lecture on plagiarism by Dr. Dhil and the Plagiarism Court. All in all, this unit covered a lot of ground and I was pleased with the way it incorporated so many skills.
We started preparing for this essay by talking about Aristotle's rhetorical triangle: ethos/pathos/logs and how those elements work to create a strong argument. We read essays regarding whether or not piercings and other outward markers should make a difference in the work place, whether college athletics ought to be abolished, and whether animal experimentation should be continued. This was followed by a trip to the library to learn about reliability in sources as well as an introduction to some paid databases the library has. One that I hadn't seen before that seemed very impressive for any argument source is CQ Researcher. Finally, we followed all this up with a rousing lecture on plagiarism by Dr. Dhil and the Plagiarism Court. All in all, this unit covered a lot of ground and I was pleased with the way it incorporated so many skills.
The Persuasion Paper
English 98
Major Writing Assignment #3
The Argument Essay
Argument writing is one of the most useful and complicated modes of writing. This is because you are not only dealing with complex ideas and organization but more often than not, trying to persuade someone to see things your way. A good argument has four parts: the issue, the claim, the support, and the counterargument (concession/refutation). Depending on your purpose and/or audience, you may choose to have a claim of fact (Raising the drinking age will decrease traffic accidents), a claim of value (Beauty pageants degrade women), or a claim of policy (Voters should pass ordinance 10 to fund the new ice rink).
For your second major writing assignment, write an argument paper that demonstrates your understanding of what a good argument essay is as well as all the parts of an effective essay. Start by doing the topic proposal found on p.288. Remember that a lot of preparation work in terms of thinking/brainstorming/researching will help you to pick an interesting and appropriate topic. Keep the page length of 3-4 pages in mind while deciding. Reasonable support for your claim includes reasons, personal experiences, expert or relevant testimony, facts, statistics, etc. As you do research for your topic, make sure to keep track of your sources so you can cite them in your paper. You must include one article from a library subscription site like ProQuest. Remember, any writing or information used but not cited is considered weak evidence and/or plagiarism. Try doing a pros and cons list, and pick out the strongest arguments on either side to incorporate into your paper. Look at the organizing patterns given on p.277 and decide which pattern fits best with your argument.
Your final essay should be 3-4 pages long. All sources MUST be documented using the MLA format found on p.388. No second draft will be required for this paper; however, if you wish to receive some further feedback about your arguments, grammar, and/or syntax, I will be happy to help you out with that. All drafts should be typed, if possible, and double-spaced. Final drafts MUST be typed, double-spaced, with a 12pt font, standard 1.25” margins, and an easy to read font. Finally, since we have been talking extensively about sentence variety, try to incorporate a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) as well as a rich vocabulary into your writing. Aim for a popular level of formality: this means NO using “you” in your writing. Remember, to get full points for the process, you must have your drafts ready on the date due, with adequate copies for your peer group as well as the instructor as well as be present the day the group meets, having read and critiqued your group members’ writings. Any drafts not turned in on the dates given below will be considered late.
Deadlines
Topic Proposal Fri, 5/18
Draft 1 (+5 copies) Tues, 5/22
Peer response Wed, 5/23
Final draft (all copies in envelope) Tues, 5/29
Remember! If at any point you get stuck, ask for help.
Major Writing Assignment #3
The Argument Essay
Argument writing is one of the most useful and complicated modes of writing. This is because you are not only dealing with complex ideas and organization but more often than not, trying to persuade someone to see things your way. A good argument has four parts: the issue, the claim, the support, and the counterargument (concession/refutation). Depending on your purpose and/or audience, you may choose to have a claim of fact (Raising the drinking age will decrease traffic accidents), a claim of value (Beauty pageants degrade women), or a claim of policy (Voters should pass ordinance 10 to fund the new ice rink).
For your second major writing assignment, write an argument paper that demonstrates your understanding of what a good argument essay is as well as all the parts of an effective essay. Start by doing the topic proposal found on p.288. Remember that a lot of preparation work in terms of thinking/brainstorming/researching will help you to pick an interesting and appropriate topic. Keep the page length of 3-4 pages in mind while deciding. Reasonable support for your claim includes reasons, personal experiences, expert or relevant testimony, facts, statistics, etc. As you do research for your topic, make sure to keep track of your sources so you can cite them in your paper. You must include one article from a library subscription site like ProQuest. Remember, any writing or information used but not cited is considered weak evidence and/or plagiarism. Try doing a pros and cons list, and pick out the strongest arguments on either side to incorporate into your paper. Look at the organizing patterns given on p.277 and decide which pattern fits best with your argument.
Your final essay should be 3-4 pages long. All sources MUST be documented using the MLA format found on p.388. No second draft will be required for this paper; however, if you wish to receive some further feedback about your arguments, grammar, and/or syntax, I will be happy to help you out with that. All drafts should be typed, if possible, and double-spaced. Final drafts MUST be typed, double-spaced, with a 12pt font, standard 1.25” margins, and an easy to read font. Finally, since we have been talking extensively about sentence variety, try to incorporate a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) as well as a rich vocabulary into your writing. Aim for a popular level of formality: this means NO using “you” in your writing. Remember, to get full points for the process, you must have your drafts ready on the date due, with adequate copies for your peer group as well as the instructor as well as be present the day the group meets, having read and critiqued your group members’ writings. Any drafts not turned in on the dates given below will be considered late.
Deadlines
Topic Proposal Fri, 5/18
Draft 1 (+5 copies) Tues, 5/22
Peer response Wed, 5/23
Final draft (all copies in envelope) Tues, 5/29
Remember! If at any point you get stuck, ask for help.
Sentence Skills: Introduction to Developing an Academic Voice
Developing an academic voice is one of the hardest things for students to do well. We're so used to writing the way that we talk, with fragments, breaks in thoughts, and colloquialisms. Living in the IM and text message age also serves to create a digital language that somehow doesn't translate well into academia where Standard Written English still reigns.
Getting students to stop and notice their language has been an ongoing process. The following two exercises are simple, but they do the job of getting students to think about how eliminating the second person "you" and metalanguage like "I believe" or "In the following essay I will talk about" creates a much stronger academic voice.
Getting students to stop and notice their language has been an ongoing process. The following two exercises are simple, but they do the job of getting students to think about how eliminating the second person "you" and metalanguage like "I believe" or "In the following essay I will talk about" creates a much stronger academic voice.
Developing an academic voice: elminating "you" and your metalanguage
What is metadiscourse and why should I avoid it?
Metadiscourse is when you are self-referential in your writing. Use of phrases like "I believe" or "I am writing about" or "In the paragraph before" are all referring back to yourself as writer or the act of writing the essay. These bits of metadiscourse tend to be distracting, pulling the reader's attention from the ideas being discussed to focus instead on the writer and his or her process of writing. Though it is true that every piece of writing is authored and perhaps avoiding any reference to the writer is merely presents an illusion of objectivity, it is nevertheless conventional to avoid such discourse markers. Lastly, ideas expressed in your essays are implicitly yours, so you do no need to say "I believe", "I think", or "In my opinion." These are phrases we like to throw into our speech and writing to qualify our ideas. Women especially have been found to use these types of qualifying discourse markers to avoid sounding too authoritative. However, in your academic writing, you are the expert and you should sound like one. Check out the two examples below to see what a difference metadiscourse makes:
A. There are many definitions of the word grassroot and I tried to find where the root of the word started. I found it started in the United States in 1912 by the Progressive Party. One other definition that I discovered on the Internet describes grassroots as designing political processes where the decision making authority is shifted to the organization's lowest levels rather than being isolated at the top. Grassroots movements are important because I think that democratic power is best exercised when it is vested in the local community rather than in isolated individuals.
B. There are many definitions of the word grassroot and where the root of the word started. It started in the United States in 1912 by the Progressive Party. One other definition on the Internet describes grassroots as designing political processes where the decision making authority is shifted to the organization's lowest levels rather than being isolated at the top. Grassroots movements are important because democratic power is best exercised when it is vested in the local community rather than in isolated individuals.
Avoiding 2nd person "You"
Read the following paragraph and rewrite it in the third person, using pronouns and eliminating the use of 2nd person you. Make sure that your indefinite pronouns agree with their antecedents.
"Another example of commitment ouside of marriage is one that is made when you make a financial decision to obligate yourself to a signed contract. An example of this would be purchasing a new car. Once you have decided to on the car, you want and have to come to an agreement on the terms. You then sign a contract that you are expected to fulfill. If you do not adhere to this formal commitment, you will have to face getting the car repossessed by the company whom you purchased the car from."
Student versions that solve this problem:
"Another example of commitment outside of marriage is one that is made when one makes a financial decision to obligate oneself to a signed contract. An example of this would be purchasing a new car. Once someone has decided on the car, he or she wants and has come to an agreement on the terms. When one signs a contract that person is expected to fulfill the terms of that contract. If that person does not adhere to this formal commitment, he or she faces getting the car repossessed by the company which it was purchased from."
"Another example of commitment outside of marriage is one that is made when a financial decision is made to make an obligation to a signed contract. An example of this would be purchasing a new car. Once an individual has decided on a car, he wants to have come to an agreement on the terms. The individual would then sign a contract and be expected to fulfill it. If he does not adhere to this formal commitment, he/ will have to face getting the car repossessed by the company from whom he purchased the car from."
Metadiscourse is when you are self-referential in your writing. Use of phrases like "I believe" or "I am writing about" or "In the paragraph before" are all referring back to yourself as writer or the act of writing the essay. These bits of metadiscourse tend to be distracting, pulling the reader's attention from the ideas being discussed to focus instead on the writer and his or her process of writing. Though it is true that every piece of writing is authored and perhaps avoiding any reference to the writer is merely presents an illusion of objectivity, it is nevertheless conventional to avoid such discourse markers. Lastly, ideas expressed in your essays are implicitly yours, so you do no need to say "I believe", "I think", or "In my opinion." These are phrases we like to throw into our speech and writing to qualify our ideas. Women especially have been found to use these types of qualifying discourse markers to avoid sounding too authoritative. However, in your academic writing, you are the expert and you should sound like one. Check out the two examples below to see what a difference metadiscourse makes:
A. There are many definitions of the word grassroot and I tried to find where the root of the word started. I found it started in the United States in 1912 by the Progressive Party. One other definition that I discovered on the Internet describes grassroots as designing political processes where the decision making authority is shifted to the organization's lowest levels rather than being isolated at the top. Grassroots movements are important because I think that democratic power is best exercised when it is vested in the local community rather than in isolated individuals.
B. There are many definitions of the word grassroot and where the root of the word started. It started in the United States in 1912 by the Progressive Party. One other definition on the Internet describes grassroots as designing political processes where the decision making authority is shifted to the organization's lowest levels rather than being isolated at the top. Grassroots movements are important because democratic power is best exercised when it is vested in the local community rather than in isolated individuals.
Avoiding 2nd person "You"
Read the following paragraph and rewrite it in the third person, using pronouns and eliminating the use of 2nd person you. Make sure that your indefinite pronouns agree with their antecedents.
"Another example of commitment ouside of marriage is one that is made when you make a financial decision to obligate yourself to a signed contract. An example of this would be purchasing a new car. Once you have decided to on the car, you want and have to come to an agreement on the terms. You then sign a contract that you are expected to fulfill. If you do not adhere to this formal commitment, you will have to face getting the car repossessed by the company whom you purchased the car from."
Student versions that solve this problem:
"Another example of commitment outside of marriage is one that is made when one makes a financial decision to obligate oneself to a signed contract. An example of this would be purchasing a new car. Once someone has decided on the car, he or she wants and has come to an agreement on the terms. When one signs a contract that person is expected to fulfill the terms of that contract. If that person does not adhere to this formal commitment, he or she faces getting the car repossessed by the company which it was purchased from."
"Another example of commitment outside of marriage is one that is made when a financial decision is made to make an obligation to a signed contract. An example of this would be purchasing a new car. Once an individual has decided on a car, he wants to have come to an agreement on the terms. The individual would then sign a contract and be expected to fulfill it. If he does not adhere to this formal commitment, he/ will have to face getting the car repossessed by the company from whom he purchased the car from."
Critical Analysis: Introduction to Seminaring
One of the goals of English 98 is to help students develop their reading skiills by simply reading more. I'm also interested in helping students learn to be more critical readers. We accomplished this by reading two novels this quarter: Touching the Void by Joe Simpson and The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner. We met in seminar groups to discuss the novels every two weeks. Seminars are different than a typical class discussion where the teacher asks a question and then one or maybe two students answer it. Instead, seminars ask students to be active readers by thinking about surprising/confusing/interesting quotes or ideas in the book and bringing observations to their seminar group. The group then discusses these quotes and ideas, thus enriching and furthering each student's thinking on the book and giving students agency in the discussion as well. Overall, I think the seminars were effective and enjoyable for us all.
Seminars
Seminar paper #1
E98
Directions for First Seminar—due Fri., 4/13
Read: Touching the Void, ch. 6
Plan on reading this chapter twice. Time yourself on how long it will take you to read one page and then multiply by number of pages (approx. 20). This will give you an idea of how much time you should budget for your reading. If you read one page in two minutes, then you will need about an hour, at a minimum, to read through this chapter once.
As you read, you should underline, highlight, note in the margin, or index in a reading journal or on blank pages at the end of the book passages, specific terms, sentences, or paragraphs that strike you as important, interesting, confusing, or simply those you want to share with others in the seminar.
Make a list of new words, names, phrases that you looked up in a dictionary. A good reader will have a dictionary available, and look up several words in each section of reading. (taut (p.98) = tightly drawn/tense) Hint: there’s a dictionary of climbing terms in the back of the book.
Your objective is more than just getting through these pages and more than just a passive read to generally familiarize yourself with the topic. Rather your purpose should be to explore this work to see what you can discover or what the author would want you to underline.
To make the seminar work, you will need to be able to point to specific passages and explain in your own words what they mean and why they are important.
Seminar Preparations Paper—to be typed and turned in:
1. Make a list of words you needed to look up in a dictionary and be ready to explain them to your seminar group.
2. Prioritize five of the most important passages you underlined, marking them #1, 2, 3, etc.
3. Choose the 3 quotes you found most interesting/complex/worthy of discussion and copy out exactly including quote marks and page number. Format this in the Modern Language Association (MLA) in-text citation method using the author’s last name and page number in parenthesis after the quote marks but before the period. For example, “Climbing is tough.” (Simpson 47).
4. Finally, in a good paragraph explain what each of these quotes mean in your own words and why you think they are important. If the quote was confusing, work out some possibilities as to its meaning. Ask a further question. Explain what it shows about the characters or the situation.
EXAMPLE:
“For over two hours we had acted as if nothing had happened. We had a silent agreement. It needed time to work itself out. We both knew the truth; it was very simple. I was injured and unlikely to survive. Simon could get down alone. While I waited on his actions, it felt as if I was holding something terrifyingly fragile and precious. If I asked Simon to help, I might lose this precious thing” (Simpson 79).
This passage describes Joe’s reaction to Simon after breaking his leg. Joe knows that generally speaking, a climber in his position is likely to die. He knows that Simon can leave him and survive, but that he wouldn’t be able to survive without Simon. This changes their entire relationship. They used to be partners and now, one person has more of the power and responsibility. Joe is afraid to approach the subject because if he speaks, he’s afraid that this delicate balance might be broken. It’s so strange to think that not communicating about each person’s thoughts and fears would make him feel safer than speaking out about them. But it’s understandable. By not speaking, he doesn’t have to confront the truth and therefore can delay what seems to be the inevitable.
DB3: TTV Online Follow-up
After the seminar, over the weekend, reflect and answer the following things in the DB:
• What new insights into the reading did you get from this type of close reading?
• What or who was helpful in the seminar process? What did you enjoy?
• How might you prepare differently for future seminars?
• What questions would you pose to the group about the reading now?
E98
Directions for First Seminar—due Fri., 4/13
Read: Touching the Void, ch. 6
Plan on reading this chapter twice. Time yourself on how long it will take you to read one page and then multiply by number of pages (approx. 20). This will give you an idea of how much time you should budget for your reading. If you read one page in two minutes, then you will need about an hour, at a minimum, to read through this chapter once.
As you read, you should underline, highlight, note in the margin, or index in a reading journal or on blank pages at the end of the book passages, specific terms, sentences, or paragraphs that strike you as important, interesting, confusing, or simply those you want to share with others in the seminar.
Make a list of new words, names, phrases that you looked up in a dictionary. A good reader will have a dictionary available, and look up several words in each section of reading. (taut (p.98) = tightly drawn/tense) Hint: there’s a dictionary of climbing terms in the back of the book.
Your objective is more than just getting through these pages and more than just a passive read to generally familiarize yourself with the topic. Rather your purpose should be to explore this work to see what you can discover or what the author would want you to underline.
To make the seminar work, you will need to be able to point to specific passages and explain in your own words what they mean and why they are important.
Seminar Preparations Paper—to be typed and turned in:
1. Make a list of words you needed to look up in a dictionary and be ready to explain them to your seminar group.
2. Prioritize five of the most important passages you underlined, marking them #1, 2, 3, etc.
3. Choose the 3 quotes you found most interesting/complex/worthy of discussion and copy out exactly including quote marks and page number. Format this in the Modern Language Association (MLA) in-text citation method using the author’s last name and page number in parenthesis after the quote marks but before the period. For example, “Climbing is tough.” (Simpson 47).
4. Finally, in a good paragraph explain what each of these quotes mean in your own words and why you think they are important. If the quote was confusing, work out some possibilities as to its meaning. Ask a further question. Explain what it shows about the characters or the situation.
EXAMPLE:
“For over two hours we had acted as if nothing had happened. We had a silent agreement. It needed time to work itself out. We both knew the truth; it was very simple. I was injured and unlikely to survive. Simon could get down alone. While I waited on his actions, it felt as if I was holding something terrifyingly fragile and precious. If I asked Simon to help, I might lose this precious thing” (Simpson 79).
This passage describes Joe’s reaction to Simon after breaking his leg. Joe knows that generally speaking, a climber in his position is likely to die. He knows that Simon can leave him and survive, but that he wouldn’t be able to survive without Simon. This changes their entire relationship. They used to be partners and now, one person has more of the power and responsibility. Joe is afraid to approach the subject because if he speaks, he’s afraid that this delicate balance might be broken. It’s so strange to think that not communicating about each person’s thoughts and fears would make him feel safer than speaking out about them. But it’s understandable. By not speaking, he doesn’t have to confront the truth and therefore can delay what seems to be the inevitable.
DB3: TTV Online Follow-up
After the seminar, over the weekend, reflect and answer the following things in the DB:
• What new insights into the reading did you get from this type of close reading?
• What or who was helpful in the seminar process? What did you enjoy?
• How might you prepare differently for future seminars?
• What questions would you pose to the group about the reading now?
The Writer's Choice: An Inventory of Being
The Inventory of Being is a poetic exercise that I use at the beginning of the quarter to help students to share a bit of their own personal lives before we dive into the hard task of acquiring academic voices and writing analytically. Students were given Leah Wait's poem "Ellie: An Inventory of Being" and asked to model it. They then posted their versions in Blackboard and were asked to read and comment on each others' poems. I then took snippets out of each of their poems and created a class inventory of being, which is posted here. I think this activity worked out great in helping students get to know one another and familiarize themselves with Blackboard.
Inventory of Being
I am English 98
I am a chick breaking out of her shell.
I am a student, but also learning for life.
I am a man, parent, child, and friend, but mostly I am human…I hope.
I like pears and giant pinecones
I like searching for Easter Eggs
I love chicken gizzards and ranch dressing
I love someone who is far away from me.
I own a million stars in a clear night sky.
I believe in myself not in role models.
I believe in god, but I think he does not believe in me.
I am uncertain of our world, our place on earth.
I wish life were easier, but I wouldn't be the person I am today.
I wish I could change the past, and appreciate the unknown.
I try to smile as much as I can.
My Fictional hero is Peter pan. I wish I could live in Neverland.
I one day wish to be an Oscar Meyer Weinermobile driver.
I cannot live without the people I care about
I mix things up like salsa
A dozen roses will melt my heart.
A gorgeous day will make me smile.
Dogs are very funny –
They make me laugh and smile.
I know that taking vacations is just as important as working.
I hope I win the lottery.
I hate being cold, but I love the snow
I love walking in the rain, but hate to get wet
I am scared of heights, but I want to go skydiving.
I know that I’m a good person,
But sometimes I can’t help but think bad thoughts.
I don’t wish on stars,
I never regret anything,
I'm afraid of the future, but I know it'll come.
And I’m afraid of hurting others feelings due to my actions.
I try not to hate things but I’m not sure if I hate, or just strongly dislike spiders.
I do not understand the feeling of the person who makes a fool of other people.
I think we should have peace.
Life is short and you should spend the most of it with loved ones.
I hope tomorrow I can do a better job than what I did today.
I hope to become the person I was meant to be.
I believe everyone is here for a reason
We are English 98 and this Spring 2007.
Inventory of Being
I am English 98
I am a chick breaking out of her shell.
I am a student, but also learning for life.
I am a man, parent, child, and friend, but mostly I am human…I hope.
I like pears and giant pinecones
I like searching for Easter Eggs
I love chicken gizzards and ranch dressing
I love someone who is far away from me.
I own a million stars in a clear night sky.
I believe in myself not in role models.
I believe in god, but I think he does not believe in me.
I am uncertain of our world, our place on earth.
I wish life were easier, but I wouldn't be the person I am today.
I wish I could change the past, and appreciate the unknown.
I try to smile as much as I can.
My Fictional hero is Peter pan. I wish I could live in Neverland.
I one day wish to be an Oscar Meyer Weinermobile driver.
I cannot live without the people I care about
I mix things up like salsa
A dozen roses will melt my heart.
A gorgeous day will make me smile.
Dogs are very funny –
They make me laugh and smile.
I know that taking vacations is just as important as working.
I hope I win the lottery.
I hate being cold, but I love the snow
I love walking in the rain, but hate to get wet
I am scared of heights, but I want to go skydiving.
I know that I’m a good person,
But sometimes I can’t help but think bad thoughts.
I don’t wish on stars,
I never regret anything,
I'm afraid of the future, but I know it'll come.
And I’m afraid of hurting others feelings due to my actions.
I try not to hate things but I’m not sure if I hate, or just strongly dislike spiders.
I do not understand the feeling of the person who makes a fool of other people.
I think we should have peace.
Life is short and you should spend the most of it with loved ones.
I hope tomorrow I can do a better job than what I did today.
I hope to become the person I was meant to be.
I believe everyone is here for a reason
We are English 98 and this Spring 2007.
The Inventory of Being
Please read Lea Wait's Inventory of Being. While you read, note the many things she believes comprises who she is. Then write your own version using her poem as a model. Think about the things you like, love, hope for, believe, know, don't understand, hate, can't live with, can't live without, spend too much money on, wish, etc. Brainstorm and give yourself plenty of time and room to think about what you really believe. Be sure to start with "I am________" and end with "I am _________ and this is ____________."
Post your final version in DB1 by midnight on Friday. Then read and respond to at least 3 other class member's Inventory of Beings by midnight on Sunday. Respond by telling them your favorite lines and anything else you'd like to encourage them with. Have fun!
Here is an example of what one young woman did with her version of Wait's poem:
Christina: An Inventory of Being
I am Christina
I am fourteen years old.
I am a student, but only in school.
I am a young woman, but a girl at heart.
At my fullest height, I am 65 inches.
I have blue eyes, but they’re sometimes green.
My hair is light brown, but once it was brown.
Sometimes my hair is fancy.
But on other days it’s dull.
I’m one of two children.
Being the older one, I have more responsibilities.
I think.
I love to draw, but I don’t really share it.
I’ve drawn a couple pictures but am afraid to show them.
Yet, I adore art.
I love the outdoors.
But despise leaving home.
In the summer my house is empty.
I believe in God.
But sometimes I feel like he’s not there.
I go to Church,
But only on special occasions.
I’ve been called a nerd.
But then again I agree.
I love to read.
Some people hate it.
But they don’t know what they’re missing.
Reading is my life.
The air that I breathe are the words that I read.
I eat the chapters.
But paper doesn’t taste good.
My younger sister is sporty.
And I’m bookish.
My Dad said that she could run me into the ground.
And I said I could read her into the ground.
Touché.
People nowadays judge by appearance.
And think before they get to know.
I don’t care what people think.
Especially about me.
I’m a proud Italian.
Yet I don’t like spaghetti.
I’m a proud English.
And dying for the accent.
Fate.
Some people think it doesn’t happen.
But I think different.
One day it will happen.
My name is Christina and this is 2006.
This work is ©2006 Christina Ewbank.
Post your final version in DB1 by midnight on Friday. Then read and respond to at least 3 other class member's Inventory of Beings by midnight on Sunday. Respond by telling them your favorite lines and anything else you'd like to encourage them with. Have fun!
Here is an example of what one young woman did with her version of Wait's poem:
Christina: An Inventory of Being
I am Christina
I am fourteen years old.
I am a student, but only in school.
I am a young woman, but a girl at heart.
At my fullest height, I am 65 inches.
I have blue eyes, but they’re sometimes green.
My hair is light brown, but once it was brown.
Sometimes my hair is fancy.
But on other days it’s dull.
I’m one of two children.
Being the older one, I have more responsibilities.
I think.
I love to draw, but I don’t really share it.
I’ve drawn a couple pictures but am afraid to show them.
Yet, I adore art.
I love the outdoors.
But despise leaving home.
In the summer my house is empty.
I believe in God.
But sometimes I feel like he’s not there.
I go to Church,
But only on special occasions.
I’ve been called a nerd.
But then again I agree.
I love to read.
Some people hate it.
But they don’t know what they’re missing.
Reading is my life.
The air that I breathe are the words that I read.
I eat the chapters.
But paper doesn’t taste good.
My younger sister is sporty.
And I’m bookish.
My Dad said that she could run me into the ground.
And I said I could read her into the ground.
Touché.
People nowadays judge by appearance.
And think before they get to know.
I don’t care what people think.
Especially about me.
I’m a proud Italian.
Yet I don’t like spaghetti.
I’m a proud English.
And dying for the accent.
Fate.
Some people think it doesn’t happen.
But I think different.
One day it will happen.
My name is Christina and this is 2006.
This work is ©2006 Christina Ewbank.
End Game
Thanks for taking the time to look through my e-portfolio. I hope it's given you some inspiration and understanding of the reason behind all the madness.
And to my students, I've learned a lot from all of you this quarter; thank you!
And to my students, I've learned a lot from all of you this quarter; thank you!
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