Sajame2's Blog

End of the Semester

sajame2 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:10:03 +0000

1) What was your favorite project? Explain why. Project three was my favorite in English 101. This was my favorite because I had the chance to make a poster and explain an ad. Hand on projects is stuff I enjoy to do. This project made me expand my writing.

2) What was your least favorite project? Explain why. My least favorite project was project four because the topic for me was little difficult to talk about. That is why I did a survey for our group.

3) Do you have any suggestions regarding peer response? Would you change anything about peer response? Peer response is a good thing, when we do it in the workshop. I would keep that the same.

4) Do you feel like you were given too much time to work on projects? Too little time? Explain your answer. I thought the time was a perfect amount, I think project four was a little to long though.

5) What are your thoughts about breaking each project up into multiple drafts or phases? Did it help to have drafts or would you just have preferred to turn in one draft – the final-for-now? I like what we did for our class. With having a deadline but we can change it at any time.

6) What are your thoughts about the pacing of the semester? Were there any projects that felt too short? Too long? Project four felt long, but other than that I thought everything else was good.

7) Do you think you were given enough time to work on your final portfolio? Explain. Yes, there is plenty of time to work on the final portfolio.

8) Do you feel like I provided too many comments on drafts or not enough comments? Were my comments helpful? Why or why not? The comments were very helpful, and when we needed them you always were there to give us advise. It was also nice that we can email you when we needed help.

9) What about the course would you change? Do you have any suggestions for change as I revise the course to teach it again? I like the course it was my favorite class this semester. I would just have the future students to come and see you twice a semester for help.

10) Do you feel like this class helped you to be better able to read and compose texts, both in college and in the real world? Explain your answer. Yes this class has helped me so much to become a better writer.

11) Please offer some advice or helpful hints for students taking this course in the future. Do your blogs after every class so you dont fall behind. Make sure you go see Mr. Halle or email him for help.

I often use writing samples from past students as models in my classroom. Please check one of the boxes and type in your name and today’s date below:

_X I give you permission to use writing samples from my English 101 portfolio

__ I do not give you permission to use writing samples from my English 101 portfolio

Print Name: Stefanie James Date: 11-25-09

Signature:

Project 4 survey essay

sajame2 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:49:31 +0000

“The pathway to educational excellence lies within each school” -Terrance Deal. It’s up to the schools to make the change of diversity in education. The first change in education was with the first landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court case with Brown, v. Board of Education of Topeka, in 1954. From there on out, education has slowly changed in America, but there will always be an issue of race in education.

I have created a survey on race in education, to figure out students opinions on this topic. After getting all the surveys back, the answers I received were pretty much exactly what I figured them to be. In my survey, I ended up getting seven males and eight females to respond back. Six of the females and five of the males are Caucasian. Caucasians are the most populated race in American schools. Then two females and one male are African American, and I had one male Hispanic.

Thirteen of the students said they had a teacher that was a different race then them. Two students said they never had a teacher that was a different race then them. In 1954, most of the teachers were Caucasian; and now in 2009 we have more teachers that are a different race then their students. So far America has already made a huge step from the past. Nine of the students that had a teacher that was a different race then them said it didn’t matter what race they were. But, three students said that it is easier to have a teacher the same race as them. This just depends on the way the student learns or the background they grew up in.

Personally, race will always be an issue in schools. But the real question is will it ever not be? Thirteen students say race is an issue in schools today, three students say it is not. As Americans, can this be stopped or changed. This just depends on what the future holds for us. In 1954, people feared the African Americans in the Caucasian schools; the students had their groups and clicks. They did not want to associate with the African Americans, even in sports. Today we are much closer to one and another, but there is still something that is blocking us (Americans) from becoming one person.

When asked what percentage of the people in your high school was the same race as you, one student said between 25 and 50 percent. Seven said between 50 and 75 and another seven said between 75 and 100 percent. This percent will depend on the area you are living in and what school district you attend. If you live in a rural area compared to a urban area you will have different types of people in your schools.

“Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another”- G.K. Chesterton. This quote is so true, what children remember from the past or from their families opinions will always affect the change we are trying to make in education. This survey has showed what a small majority of people feel about race in education. It’s still there but it is slowly changing.

Cities

sajame2 — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:05:21 +0000

If you’ve scaled back your summer vacation and swapped dining out for eating in, you’re not alone. Americans everywhere are sweating their daily expenses. It is not easy now these days for families to afford a good home. A main concern parents have is also the safety for their children. I have found the best family friendly cities and the family budgets who live there.

Most Family Friendly Cities

1. San Jose, Calif.Median Annual Family Income: $100,027
Average Annual Family Budget: $54,685
Budget as Percent of Income: 55%

2. Salt Lake City, UtahMedian Annual Family Income: $64,436
Average Annual Family Budget: $43,499
Budget as Percent of Income: 68%

3. Baltimore, Md.Median Annual Family Income: $78,097
Average Annual Family Budget: $52,812
Budget as Percent of Income: 68%

4. Detroit, Mich.Median Annual Family Income: $64,908
Average Annual Family Budget: $43,993
Budget as Percent of Income: 68%

5. San Francisco, Calif.Median Annual Family Income: $89,175
Average Annual Family Budget: $60,826
Budget as Percent of Income: 68%

Click here for the full list of the Best Cities for Families

Least Family Friendly Cities

1. Virginia Beach, Va.Median Annual Family Income: $59,441
Average Annual Family Budget: $48,349
Budget as Percent of Income: 81%

2. Providence, R.I.Median Annual Family Income: $67,983
Average Annual Family Budget: $55,632
Budget as Percent of Income: 82%

3. Las Vegas, Nev.Median Annual Family Income: $58,672
Average Annual Family Budget: $48,058
Budget as Percent of Income: 82%

4. San Diego, Calif.Median Annual Family Income: $67,743
Average Annual Family Budget: $55,945
Budget as Percent of Income: 83%

5. Cleveland, Ohio Median Annual Family Income: $59,540
Average Annual Family Budget: $50,735
Budget as Percent of Income: 85%

First Semester

sajame2 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:47:38 +0000

For my first semester of college, it has gone by so fast. I am so excited that it is almost over. Most days go by so fast, and thats usually a good thing. I really thought that college would go by slow. I hope the next semester goes by just as fast as the first one.

This first semester, has taught me a lot about what is to come in my future. I know how to study and manage my time.

I like college but I really miss high school and being home (sometimes). I like being on my own, but I just don’t like missing out on everything that is happening at home. My sister is a Junior in High school and she plays all these sports and i dont get to see her play. Also my boyfriend is a senior in high school and he is in three sports and i cant watch him either. It makes me mad that i miss everything.

I can’t wait for Christmas break, that will be so nice. I have never had a month off before for school so that will be a nice change. I will be able to stay at home and do things i cant do down here. I will get to see my friends and hang out with them.

Even though I complain a lot about college, I am happy I came to ISU.

Electronics

sajame2 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:09:05 +0000

Today in class Mr. Halle showed us a video of students project for project for. He showed us a before and after. The video ended up being pretty good but there was still somethings they could have fixed. For instance, they still had a lot of words for students to read. The music was just too much in the video. It was very overwhelming with everything else that was going on.

I would like to do a video but I am really bad with electronics. I would get to frustrated with everything I would have to put together. Another reason why I couldn’t make a video is because I wouldn’t even Know where to start. I’m more of the old school teacher. I’m the teacher that likes making posters and doing crafts. I mean the most electronic I could get is making a power point.

For my group project we are making a blog and putting all our individual stuff on there. What I am doing is making a survey about race. I’m just going to type some questions and hand them out to people on my floor.

Teaching

sajame2 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:58:29 +0000

What do you value as a teacher? (Think about last Thursday’s workshop discussion.) What I value as a teacher is the relationship and respect I will be getting from my students. I want my students to respect me and my teaching lessons. I want them to realize that I am the adult and that they are the students, not the other way around. I want my students to be able to talk to me whenever the want to, and about what ever they want. I want my students to have fun in my classes and still get something out of the class.

Were you able to stay true to what you value in this project and still cover the material? If yes, how? If no, what parts of the assignment impeded your ability to teach how you would like (the difficulty of the material, taking a section of the book out of context, the group dynamic, time constraints, etc.)? In this project I would have a different way of projecting my message to the class. I would have made it more hands on instead of just lecturing about the book. I am a hands on learner and I know most students are.

What did other groups do in their presentation, positive or negative, that stood out? Did you have any “a-ha moments” where another group did something you wish you would have thought of? In what ways could groups have improved? Did you have enough to base your “reading” of the book on? I like how most of the groups got involved with the students. I like the group that had the students act out the definition. Most of the groups got off topic and started making side conversations. Yea I understood the book more after I learned the other groups lessons.

Would you ever consider doing a read-group-share assignment like this one in your classes? Compare and contrast collaborative reading with your experience of reading texts independently. In my classroom I would have group-projects because with my major I will like to have the students work together.

What I have learnded

sajame2 — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:43:16 +0000

What I have taken in from Pedagogy, is that there could be many different views in communicating to the world. Some ways are talking right to your students, and learning from them. When some teachers teach they actually learn new things when they teach to their students. This is always a positive thing. Another way is just lecturing and not getting involved with your students education. For example, you may have a teacher that just talks and talks and a student may not pick up the materials because it is not interesting to them.

Another portion on the book is leadership roles. One role is, someone who takes over and runs everything, including people. These people don’t get a choice of what goes on in their life. The leader makes all the rules and doesn’t listen to anything the people want. There is also the leader that listens to the people and listens to what they want. The leaders allow them to do things they want but with boundaries.

Also this book had a ton of tough words that we had to look up in a dictionary. Even though this book was one of the tough books I have ever read, it had a lot of thought and meanings to it.

Life Goals

sajame2 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:55:50 +0000

When I picture my life, I see myself happy and lucky. I want to become a Family Consumer Science Teacher, for a high school. I would like to work at a medium size school(800 students.) I would also like to coach volleyball, be the student council and FCCLA sponsor. My goal as a teacher is to have my students be able to be comfortable around me. I want them to have fun in my classes and want to come to my class everyday.

I would Like to get married when I’m young; hopefully to my current boyfriend. He also wants to become a teacher and a coach. I would like to live by some body of water, either a river or lake. I want to live in a two-story house with a big size yard. Just like what my parents have.

I want to have children young (three or four). I love children and I can’t wait to have a family in the future. I want my children to have gaols and big dreams. Just like what my parents did for us. My mother and father care and love us so much and they want the best for us. Thats what I want to give to my children and so much more.

Homework

sajame2 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:15:21 +0000

In high school students pretty much had homework everyday, I know my little sister does. I always thought homework was annoying and I hated it. But now that I’m in college I wish I had home. In college your grade is based on test and quizes. That was always my weakness in school, the homework always gave my grade a boost.

I understand that you might have like 300 students is one class and you dont want to grade all their homework. But the teacher can make assignments online or the teacher can get helpers to grade the homework. I just don’t understand I guess why if we dont do good on a test that means we might not be able to pass a course.

Why is college education way different than high schools? Why can’t the teachers understand that some students are not good test takers?

Project 4

sajame2 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:01:00 +0000

Our Mission

For our English 101 class, we have decided to make a collaborative blog addressing the issue of race in the classroom. This issue has excited in schools for decades. In this project, each group member will use their own page to critique and analyze our issue and inform our classmates about the effects of race in the classroom.

Focus Themes

Culture and Diversity at ISU
People’s opinions of race in schools
The importance of inner-racial relationships between teachers and students
Analyzing the priviledge and power of students in urban and suburban areas

Ch. 4, part 1 of Pedagogy of the oppressed

Power Point of main points
Hand-out

Deadlines:

+10 Min Presentation

Ch. 4, Part 1 read by Tuesday, October 20
Keep in contact through regular blogs
Post important themes and concepts we found in the chapter on our own blogs
By Wednesday, everyone should have a clear understanding of the chapter
Have power point and hand-out done by Thursday, October 22

+Group Project

Do individual research on topics
Continue to update projects on our newly made blog