WS 45-48

These sections talk about definition, process and enumeration. They give great examples on how to use these within your papers. When you define something, you give it meaning. you explain what it is youre talking about and what it means to you.

WS Sections: 49-51

These sections talk about compare and contrast and how these things tie into making a good thesis paper. They give great examples that are easy to follow. The sections explain the process to go through to make a great paragraph as well as a good paper. These are important aspects of writing because they give you the details you need to keep the paper flowing. This helped me alot throughout all the writings we have done, and it is a great guide to writing papers in the future.

FINAL PAPER: Education Critique

Victoria Baker

English 99- Begert

8/10/11

“Not Everything That Can Be Counted Counts & Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted” – Albert Einstein

Education is important for shaping the lives of students. In public school, grades kindergarten through twelfth grade only foster three out of the seven learning styles. For students that don’t learn the “traditional” way that schools teach , they miss out and are sometimes looked at as less than average, even though most students are very bright. There are many things that put a damper on children’s education as well as confidence. Standardized testing is unfair because it is potentially biased, inaccurate, boring, it concludes invalid test results, discourages children when they get low test scores, and penalizes schools with low scores by cutting federal funding.

            There are so many potential biases in standardized testing. The typical standardized test consists of a long, boring multiple choice- fill in the bubble answers. Children learn in all different types of ways and styles. Standardized tests are ‘black and white’ so to speak. They do not consider any other subjects or areas of study such as science, art or creativity within the child. The government mandates this test to try to pinpoint where the child is academically. In Michael Moore’s Idiot Nation, he states that ‘inside one in every four schools the children are learning from textbooks published before the 1980’s’. How do they expect children to perform well on these tests when they are being taught a curriculum that doesn’t teach them specifically what they need to be prepared for the tests that they are given? When the students are subjected to standardized testing, they are pressured to perform well in an environment that they are far from comfortable in.

            Most standard tests are very boring in the eyes of the students taking it as well as the teachers administrating them. A multiple choice test that you fill a bubble in for every answer you choose is very monotamous and can lead students to become disinterested. The atmosphere surrounding standardized tests are that students are given a timeframe to complete the particular section of the test they are on. Normally the students will receive 2 pencils and a piece of scratch paper. There is no talking allowed during the test, so students attention can easily waver performing the same task over and over again. Bored students tend to have lower test scores.

Standardized testing can be inaccurate and conclude invalid test scores. In an article I read on www.Fairtest.org , it talks about low income students and minorities suffering the most from invalid test scores. These inaccuracies can be anything from an entry level college exam test, or a test for a learning disability. The inaccuracies lead to children getting held back and being taught a watered down curriculum’. This is unfair for the students involved because they aren’t getting the same education as the ‘white or rich’ kids. The students should get the best education regardless of their background, culture, or test scores.

Students who receive low test scores on the standardized tests get very discouraged and begin to lose confidence.  These children aren’t held up to their full potential and it hurts the children tremendously in the long run. They see these scores and may decide not to perform to the best of their abilities because of it. It could even lead to children dropping out of school because some states require a standardized test to graduate high school and could potentially not graduate if they receive low scores, despite their good grades. Confidence is very important in students because when they feel good about something they will achieve better grades and will be more willing to learn.

Not only do low test scores impact the students, but they also impact the schools and the district themselves. The schools that submit low test scores get their federal and government funding cut. These budget cuts have a huge impact on everyone involved, including the students, teachers, and even the parents. It is completely unfair for the government to take funds from the schools and students based on a produced test score. Michael Moore’s Idiot Nation refers to this when he says “too many politicians and education bureaucrats have created a national obsession with testing, as if everything that’s wrong with the educational system in this country would be magically fixed if we could just raise those test scores”.  He goes on to say “I wonder what would happen f we tested our US Congressman to see how much they know?” All students should have an equal education and chance for advancement regardless of their test scores. The test scores should never be used as a factor to decide who gets educational funding and who does not.

Education should pave the roadway to a successful life. Submitting children to unfair standardized testing makes schools focus more on teaching a curriculum based on the material in the test, not what they need to know going into the rest of their lives in the real world. Mathematics and reading ARE essentials that all students need to know, however they should be taught in a fun learning environment that ties in all subjects of study, not just ones that will produce higher test scores from the students.

There are many alternatives to just the boring standard test. For example, the schools can administer a test based on the curriculum they were taught and studied throughout the school year.  It is important to include all subjects of study in school and in testing. This will make it more flexible for the teachers to teach the materials. And they can broaden their teaching methods and keep students interested in learning the material. When students are interested in the material they are learning, and do not have the pressures that standard tests put on them, they will have better attendance and confidence in their learning. This will reflect in their attitudes; with more confidence and less pressure to pass the test, students will show improved schoolwork and receive an overall better education.

In class activity: Mr. Escalante

Mr Escalante was a dedicated teacher because he snuck out of the hospital, going against doctors orders to be with his students, due to his heart attack.  he fought hard to give his kids the opportunity to retake the test due to everyone passing to show the school board members that they did not cheat on the ap calculus test. and he believed in his students when noone else did.

Mr escalante beliecved in education with great dedication. He brought this dedication with him when he began teaching at Garfield High school. During his routine nightly English class, Mr. escalante had finished his sentence before excusing himself and exiting the class when he then suffered a heart attack , stumbling and finally collapsing down the stairs. after being admitted to the hospital, he was told by family members that he had suffered his heart attack due to stress. He was told that he would have to be on bed rest which would interfere with him being with his kids, and preparing them for the AP calculus test. After the nurse had left, and against doctors orders,  Mr. Escalante snuck out of the hospital and arrived at school just in time to surprise the kids and do the last minute coaching before the big test. This gave them the boost of self confidence, in addition to the knowledge they needed to pass their test.

FINAL STAND AND DELIVER

My final thoughts on Mr. Escalante are that he is an AMAZING teacher and an even better person. He gave the students the things they lacked and the tools they needed to succeed. He adapted to the environment, both with the students and with the classes he ended up teaching (since he was supposed to teach computers.in the beginning) he came through for his students, they all passed the test. the school board tried to convince everyone that mr escalante's class had cheated. mr escalante fought hard for his students to get a retake of the test. He actually ended up having a heartattack and going against doctors orders and showed up the day of the test to give moral support! he was an excellent teacher who improved the status of garfield high school by improving and increasing the number of students who passed the test in the years to come.

Gatto's Against School

Gatto hit it on the nail when he talks about boredom in the classrooms. He couldn't be more right! students as well as teachers!  Its very sad top know that a school board would conspirisize against Gatto and put him and his family through that kind of torment. Thank goodness that the secretary stepped forward when she did to clear Gatto’s name. 

Idiot Nation.. Thoughts & Questions

 I’m not even going to begin to touch on how Micheal Moore attacked our president, unless he was talking about Bush, in which I would have to agree with him wholeheartedly!

I side with Moore when he talks about how the political leaders aren’t focused enough on our educational system.

I was appaled to hear that they actually opened 163 schools in the state of New York without a principal.

Its good to know that companies such as Pizza Hut, Nike, Campbell’s and General Mills are taking a stand and came up with ways to help promote education. They have reward programs that reward students who read a certain amount, and they also came out with Box Tops for education which supplies the schools with various materials. They also give monetary contributions.

I couldn’t believe that schools get millions. And I mean millions from Pepsi and Cola for having their drinks inside of the vending machines strewn throughout public school campuses across the nation.  WOW they are encouraging students to drink unhealthy beverages and getting paid for it!

Its kind of smart for Colorodo Springs to make so much money advertising companies on their merchandise, who in turn, sponser that school.

Moores essay reminds me of the movie dead poets society when he talks about the students being forced to be seen and not heard. And it reminds me of mike rose’s essay when he says that the students learn that its better to go along so that you get along.

Revised 2nd paper!!

 Victoria Baker

Sonia Begert

7/27/11

2^nd paper:  REVISED

Life Changing Science

 

There are some teachers you will never forget, and there are some teachers that change your life. Depending on who you ask, you may hear mixed statements about Oggie. Who is Oggie, you ask? Well for some, Oggie was a science teacher. For some he was a confidante. Still for others he was the one who kicked them out of school when they didn't meet the requirements, or failed to show up to school. But for me, Oggie was my senior advisor, and the reason I graduated high school and got my diploma at twenty years old. Oggie was an unforgettable teacher because he believed that education was important and that anyone who worked for it would succeed, he believed in his students, and pushed them to do better.

Oggie's real name is James Ogden and like most teachers, he believed that education was important, but unlike other high school teachers, he did not allow us to call him Mr. Ogden. Instead, he insisted that his friends call him Oggie, and that everyone should do so as well. Oggie, as you may come to understand, is not like your typical, ordinary teacher. Oggie is around 5'7 and a bit on the round side. On his face there is an extremely long, shabby beard; speckled with grey. On his head there is long hair with a bald spot smack dab in the middle. In which he normally covers with his favorite black cowboy hat, but occasionally with an erratic hat of his choice. Oggie's choice of clothes is irregular to say the least. This is because Oggie wears skirts. :) Now skirts aren’t the technical name for them, but everyone likes teasing him about it. (It's all in good fun).

Oggie really believed in his students, so you can't really define Oggie's teaching style, because it’s different with every class he teaches. Oggie is the science teacher of Renaissance high school and when you step into his classroom it screams science, literally... He has one of those motion sensing stuffed animal dinosaurs that says science when it detects motion Oggie’s biology class was an adventure of its own.  The course as he would explain was a college course and that it would not be easy. Although the assignments themselves were difficult and a lot of work, Oggie made learning the material really fun. The most memorable moment of biology class everyone in that class would have to agree on was the final. In the week leading up to the finals, Oggie was making his students dread the test because he said it was going to be really hard. His students studied in class, they studied for homework, and even studied on the weekends and on lunch breaks. When the dreaded day finally came, Oggie's students were terrified of the test, but so packed with information there was no way any of them would fail. They walked into the classroom and instead of hearing the usual SCIENCE, they heard SURPRISE!!! The biology final consisted of watching what Oggie labeled as an environmental movie perfect for biology class. It was The Simpson’s Movie!! The students watched the movie and Oggie ordered pizza for them since they had worked so hard studying. He later explained that he wanted them to realize that hard work really does pay off, and that everything is not always as it seems. Also by tricking them, his students all gained the knowledge they needed and a cool way to remember it.

 Oggie pushes his students to do better. In addition to being a Biology teacher, Oggie was also the senior advisor. Going into the school year, I faced a few hurdles. I only had 12 credits going into the year and we needed 23 to graduate, so I had to make up 11 credits which are almost double what you get in a normal school year. Also I was about 8 months pregnant with my daughter, I was huge! I hadn’t been going to school at that time for almost 4 years. And to top it off, I was turning 21 the following summer. This meant that I had to graduate that year or settle for my GED, which was unacceptable for my personal goals. I had a lot of work to do. I shared this with Oggie at our first meeting. He surprised me with a response I will never forget. He flat out told me to quit whining; to stop making excuses because all of the things I listed were personal choices that I had made and that I had to deal with the consequences. At first, I wanted to get angry, but as I sat there and thought about it, I realized that he was exactly right.

          The school year started and I had my daughter. I had to take a month off of school as a maternity leave to be home with Naraiya, which made Oggie push me even harder. I got through the month and returned to school. I buckled down and worked harder than I ever had before, except maybe during childbirth, and got it done. I had worked hard and Oggie gave me the perseverance and earned the credits I needed to graduate! 

          At graduation, my whole family was there to watch. As Oggie called my name, he did something I would never forget. He told the whole gym that he was very proud of me and that I had walked into that school with so many hurdles to jump and that he pushed me harder than he’s ever pushed anyone before. With tears I gave my speech, letting everyone know that even if you have obstacles in front of you, anything’s possible if you work hard at it. I thanked Oggie for making me strive for better and accepted my diploma. I graduated proudly with the rest of my class as the highest graduating class in Renaissance high school history.  Oggie definitely touched the lives of many, and proved that a good teacher can change your life!

3rd paper: rough draft>>>>

Victoria Baker

English 99- Begert

8/10/11

“Not Everything That Can Be Counted Counts & Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted” – Albert Einstein

Education is important for shaping the lives of students. In public school, grades kindergarten through twelfth grade only foster three out of the seven learning styles. For students that don’t learn the “traditional” way that schools teach , they miss out and are sometimes looked at as less than average, even though most students are very bright. There are many things that put a damper on children’s education as well as confidence. Standardized testing is unfair because it is potentially biased, inaccurate, boring, it concludes invalid test results, discourages children when they get low test scores, and penalizes schools with low scores by cutting federal funding.

            There are so many potential biases in standardized testing. The typical standardized test consists of a long, boring multiple choice- fill in the bubble answers. Children learn in all different types of ways and styles. Standardized tests are ‘black and white’ so to speak. They do not consider any other subjects or areas of study such as science, art or creativity within the child. The government mandates this test to try to pinpoint where the child is academically. In Michael Moore’s Idiot Nation, he states that ‘inside one in every four schools the children are learning from textbooks published before the 1980’s’. How do they expect children to perform well on these tests when they are being taught a curriculum that doesn’t teach them specifically what they need to be prepared for the tests that they are given? When the students are subjected to standardized testing, they are pressured to perform well in an environment that they are far from comfortable in.

            Most standard tests are very boring in the eyes of the students taking it as well as the teachers administrating them. A multiple choice test that you fill a bubble in for every answer you choose is very monotamous and can lead students to become disinterested. The atmosphere surrounding standardized tests are that students are given a timeframe to complete the particular section of the test they are on. Normally the students will receive 2 pencils and a piece of scratch paper. There is no talking allowed during the test, so students attention can easily waver performing the same task over and over again. Bored students tend to have lower test scores.

Standardized testing can be inaccurate and conclude invalid test scores. In an article I read on www.Fairtest.org , it talks about low income students and minorities suffering the most from invalid test scores. These inaccuracies can be anything from an entry level college exam test, or a test for a learning disability. The inaccuracies lead to children getting held back and being taught a watered down curriculum’. This is unfair for the students involved because they aren’t getting the same education as the ‘white or rich’ kids. The students should get the best education regardless of their background, culture, or test scores.

Students who receive low test scores on the standardized tests get very discouraged and begin to lose confidence.  These children aren’t held up to their full potential and it hurts the children tremendously in the long run. They see these scores and may decide not to perform to the best of their abilities because of it. It could even lead to children dropping out of school because some states require a standardized test to graduate high school and could potentially not graduate if they receive low scores, despite their good grades. Confidence is very important in students because when they feel good about something they will achieve better grades and will be more willing to learn.

Not only do low test scores impact the students, but they also impact the schools and the district themselves. The schools that submit low test scores get their federal and government funding cut. These budget cuts have a huge impact on everyone involved, including the students, teachers, and even the parents. It is completely unfair for the government to take funds from the schools and students based on a produced test score. Michael Moore’s Idiot Nation refers to this when he says “too many politicians and education bureaucrats have created a national obsession with testing, as if everything that’s wrong with the educational system in this country would be magically fixed if we could just raise those test scores”.  He goes on to say “I wonder what would happen f we tested our US Congressman to see how much they know?” All students should have an equal education and chance for advancement regardless of their test scores. The test scores should never be used as a factor to decide who gets educational funding and who does not.

Education should pave the roadway to a successful life. Submitting children to unfair standardized testing makes schools focus more on teaching a curriculum based on the material in the test, not what they need to know going into the rest of their lives in the real world. Mathematics and reading ARE essentials that all students need to know, however they should be taught in a fun learning environment that ties in all subjects of study, not just ones that will produce higher test scores from the students.

There are many alternatives to just the boring standard test. For example, the schools can administer a test based on the curriculum they were taught and studied throughout the school year.  It is important to include all subjects of study in school and in testing. This will make it more flexible for the teachers to teach the materials. And they can broaden their teaching methods and keep students interested in learning the material. When students are interested in the material they are learning, and do not have the pressures that standard tests put on them, they will have better attendance and confidence in their learning. This will reflect in their attitudes; with more confidence and less pressure to pass the test, students will show improved schoolwork and receive an overall better education.

Favorite Reading Excerpt:7/12/11

After reading all three stories, I think I enjoyed reading about Malcolm X. I want to get his autobiography because I'm interested in the whole picture, and reading his whole journey. I really didn't like reading the Mike Rose because it was really sad. I mean for a regular student to get stuck in a voc. ed classroom/ environment as a mistake is absurd, and for them to keep him there for 2 years is unheard of. It really weighs down his confidence within himself. Malcolm X had a hatred for white people, and knew nothing else for a long time. Then he went to prison and began to read.. he read everything which gave him a vast knowledge base. He left prison a well educated man. He still did not like "the white man", but it wasnt hatred for all white people. It turned into a hate for the way some white men treated their slaves. How horrible they were to people that were equal to them in every way, except for the fact that at that time people were very ignorant and racist. people who helped the slaves and fought for their freedom were looked at as outcasts and traitors.  Nowadays racism still goes on, but those people are the ones that look stupid, not the other way around.

I Just Wanna Be Average: Questions 7/12/11

!. Rose's experience in vocational education was a little sad. The teacher seems as though he doesnt care about his job and treats the kids poorly. The education system in which he is a part of is very sad. He feels as though he cannot succeed or do better because they keep doing the same work over and over, so they arent improving..

Education Should....

           Education should bring out the best in people. The reason is say this is more along the college level. In college people choose there degree path along what they want to do for their careers the rest of their lives. This makes them eager to learn, because it is what they choose to do. I'm learning early childhood education at Olympic college. I have learned that children do better when they get choices, instead of being told what to do because they are in control. Funny thing is, this is also true for adults! They do better in college because not only do they get to choose what they are learning, but they also are shaping their career pathways, which says what?? They are learning the skills needed to  make MONEY and MONEY is what motivates most people to do what they do. People should remember that money is not everything, and they should choose a career that they LIKE to do, becasue they will be doing it almost everyday for ALOT of years.

CLASS NOTES 8/8/11: IN CASE U MISSED IT ;)

thesis should be a considered  opinion on education. Not: school is good/ teachers are bad ETC.
NOTES/ Ideas about last paper:
Social economic class
tracking- Vocational ed. college prep
classroom discipline: kids have discipline given the right scenario
financial
EXAMPLE OF QUOTING AN AUTHOR IN YOUR PAPER
effects of teachers unions and teachers tenure on k-12 education.// Jonh Gatto a former k-12 new york schoolteacher is concerned about the effects of teachers unions and tenure. In his Article "Against School" he notes that __________

INSTRUCTIONS LAST PAPER:
quote and paraphrase from handouts given in class. take an idea about

EXAMPLE THESIS:
parent-teacher interaction is crucial because parents need information from teachers to improve their childrens education.

1st. paragraph for 3rd paper! PLEASE COMMENT WITH SUGGESTIONS :)

Education is important for shaping the lives of students. In public school, grades kindergarten through twelfth grade only foster three out of the seven learning styles. For students that don’t learn the “traditional” way that schools teach , they miss out and are sometimes looked at as less than average, even though most students are very bright. There are many things that put a damper on children’s education as well as confidence. Standardized testing is unfair to students because it demoralizes students, concludes invalid test results, and discourages children when they get low test scores. 

I Just Wanna Be Average Part 2

Mike went on to go to College Prep, he would be doing alright in most of his classes, but still doing horribly in math classes. He even worked out with a friend a sort of code that allows them to share answers during the test. He was covered in his math and chemistry class because the teacher that taught both classes was the athletic director, and since Mike was on the track team he had sort of a get out of it-squeak by in the class. Mike was frustrated that he kept seeing the same material in his textbooks that he just couldnt understand. It angers him because it is something that he COULD do, if he had ever learned it! So as he tries to work the problem, he will start daydreaming and eventually just give up altogether.
In the story, Mike talks about a significant event in his life of when his father got sick with an ulcer. Eventually it spread and his leg got amputated. He goes on to say that his father started to get better with rehab, but ended up falling and breaking his hip, which in turn refined him to a wheelchair, and he died after that.
Mike begins talking about his teacher Mr. Macfarland. This teacher did not have any degree, so could not teach in a public school system. He was an amazing teacher that gave his students tons of work, forcing them to develope their language skills.
Mike Rose is critiquing a bunch of things here. he talks about voc ed and also about the college prep school he attended. He also talks about the different types of teachers and their different physical style as well as teaching style.
Mike Rose's whole learning experience is changed when he meets Mr. Macfarland. He learns to love reading and becomes a great writer. Macfarland even goes as far as to teach personal classes out of his home and also pulling strings to get mike into college.
Great story overall. A big eye opener on the different views and learing styles as well as teaching styles.

NOTES NOTES NOTES

 ENVIRONMENT:
1. physical environment
2. economic
3. cultural/social
history/ethnicity/belief/friends and other influences. social-economic diverstiy

MERITOCRACY:
1. social ranking.
2. the best and brightest get the glory and rewards


PROCESSES IN EDUCATION SYSTEM:
vocational ed.- not for college
College Prep- elite group.
  Gifted and talented program.
   Honors program.

REWARDS/PUNISHMENTS- hand in hand with- ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1. Heirarchies-
   levels and achievements/ learning styles/ socio economic

Mr. Macfarland: Good Teaching:
motivational, dedicated, inspirational, individualized teaching



REWARDS

UNIT 3 Questions

1. Mr. Escalante thought that education should be the beginning of your whole life. You can do anything you work hard for and he proved that through his students.

2. Mr. Escalante's colleagues thought that education should be getting the kids out of school as fast as they could. They didnt give too much value in education.

3.Mr. Keating thought education should give the kids a free-will to do on their own. He wanted them to understand that they may not have someone there to guide them at all times so they need to be able to stand up for themselves.

4. Mr. Keating's colleagues thought that education should prepare them for their future in the society and they should be taught to "fit in" with their own people.

5.My favorite teacher thought education should stimulate the mind. It should bring knowledge and empowerment within, as well as confidence.

6. I think my worst teacher thought education was just a way for her to earn money because she was HORRIBLE! She was very disengaged and didnt really care at all. She was my highschool algebra teacher. I blame her for hating math LOL jp/

2nd Paper Final

 Victoria Baker

Sonia Begert

7/27/11

2^nd paper:  REVISED

Life Changing Science

 

There are some teachers you will never forget, and there are some teachers that change your life. Depending on who you ask, you may hear mixed statements about Oggie. Who is Oggie, you ask? Well for some, Oggie was a science teacher. For some he was a confidante. Still for others he was the one who kicked them out of school when they didn't meet the requirements, or failed to show up to school. But for me, Oggie was my senior advisor, and the reason I graduated high school and got my diploma at twenty years old. Oggie was an unforgettable teacher because he believed that education was important and that anyone who worked for it would succeed, he believed in his students, and pushed them to do better.

Oggie's real name is James Ogden and like most teachers, he believed that education was important, but unlike other high school teachers, he did not allow us to call him Mr. Ogden. Instead, he insisted that his friends call him Oggie, and that everyone should do so as well. Oggie, as you may come to understand, is not like your typical, ordinary teacher. Oggie is around 5'7 and a bit on the round side. On his face there is an extremely long, shabby beard; speckled with grey. On his head there is long hair with a bald spot smack dab in the middle. In which he normally covers with his favorite black cowboy hat, but occasionally with an erratic hat of his choice. Oggie's choice of clothes is irregular to say the least. This is because Oggie wears skirts. :) Now skirts aren’t the technical name for them, but everyone likes teasing him about it. (It's all in good fun).

Oggie really believed in his students, so you can't really define Oggie's teaching style, because it’s different with every class he teaches. Oggie is the science teacher of Renaissance high school and when you step into his classroom it screams science, literally... He has one of those motion sensing stuffed animal dinosaurs that says science when it detects motion Oggie’s biology class was an adventure of its own.  The course as he would explain was a college course and that it would not be easy. Although the assignments themselves were difficult and a lot of work, Oggie made learning the material really fun. The most memorable moment of biology class everyone in that class would have to agree on was the final. In the week leading up to the finals, Oggie was making his students dread the test because he said it was going to be really hard. His students studied in class, they studied for homework, and even studied on the weekends and on lunch breaks. When the dreaded day finally came, Oggie's students were terrified of the test, but so packed with information there was no way any of them would fail. They walked into the classroom and instead of hearing the usual SCIENCE, they heard SURPRISE!!! The biology final consisted of watching what Oggie labeled as an environmental movie perfect for biology class. It was The Simpson’s Movie!! The students watched the movie and Oggie ordered pizza for them since they had worked so hard studying. He later explained that he wanted them to realize that hard work really does pay off, and that everything is not always as it seems. Also by tricking them, his students all gained the knowledge they needed and a cool way to remember it.

 Oggie pushes his students to do better. In addition to being a Biology teacher, Oggie was also the senior advisor. Going into the school year, I faced a few hurdles. I only had 12 credits going into the year and we needed 23 to graduate, so I had to make up 11 credits which are almost double what you get in a normal school year. Also I was about 8 months pregnant with my daughter, I was huge! I hadn’t been going to school at that time for almost 4 years. And to top it off, I was turning 21 the following summer. This meant that I had to graduate that year or settle for my GED, which was unacceptable for my personal goals. I had a lot of work to do. I shared this with Oggie at our first meeting. He surprised me with a response I will never forget. He flat out told me to quit whining; to stop making excuses because all of the things I listed were personal choices that I had made and that I had to deal with the consequences. At first, I wanted to get angry, but as I sat there and thought about it, I realized that he was exactly right.

          The school year started and I had my daughter. I had to take a month off of school as a maternity leave to be home with Naraiya, which made Oggie push me even harder. I got through the month and returned to school. I buckled down and worked harder than I ever had before, except maybe during childbirth, and got it done. I had worked hard and Oggie gave me the perseverance and earned the credits I needed to graduate! 

          At graduation, my whole family was there to watch. As Oggie called my name, he did something I would never forget. He told the whole gym that he was very proud of me and that I had walked into that school with so many hurdles to jump and that he pushed me harder than he’s ever pushed anyone before. With tears I gave my speech, letting everyone know that even if you have obstacles in front of you, anything’s possible if you work hard at it. I thanked Oggie for making me strive for better and accepted my diploma. I graduated proudly with the rest of my class as the highest graduating class in Renaissance high school history.  Oggie definitely touched the lives of many, and proved that a good teacher can change your life!

Just some thoughts

…Moderate drinking…

            This is an opinion paper about moderate drinking. I’ve done countless hours of research on this topic and I have come to the conclusion that drinking in moderation can be, in fact, good for your health! There are a lot of misconceptions about moderate drinking.  A big influence on why society looks down on moderate drinking  is that people tend to confuse moderate drinking with social drinking, which refers to casual drinking in a social setting without an intent to get drunk.  Social drinking has a reputation of causing problems. People get out in the club setting and start having a few drinks then before they know it they are drunk. Drunk people who cannot handle their alcohol tend to cause a lot of problems.  Moderate drinking is the opposite. Moderate drinking refers to drinking that does not generally cause problems. One to two drinks a day would be considered moderate drinking. Now that we have defined moderate drinking, let’s look at the benefits.

            There are many benefits of moderate drinking. Research shows that consuming low levels of alcohol can reduce stress, decrease tension, self- consciousness and anxiety. It even proves that in elderly people, moderate drinking helps improve mood, stimulate appetite and even regulates bowel movements.  Studies show that drinking alcohol in moderation can help prevent coronary heart disease. Also that people who indulge in moderate drinking are 30-40 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who abstain from drinking.

            The key word in this situation is MODERATE. Consuming alcohol to the point of becoming intoxicated is NOT moderate drinking. People who normally drink a twelve pack and are now only drinking a six pack are NOT moderate drinking. As with all things in life, there are other factors to be considered, for example; age, medical history, and family history. That being said, I still come to the same conclusion which is, for the majority of society moderate drinking is safe and can be both healthy and relaxing.

           

           

           

2nd Paper Rough Draft PLEASE COMMENT with any suggestions...

There are some teachers you will never forget, and there are some teachers that change your life. Depending on who you ask, you may hear mixed statements about Oggie. Who is Oggie, you ask? Well for some, Oggie was a science teacher. For some he was a confidante. Still for others he was the one who kicked them out of school when they didn't meet the requirements, or failed to show up to school. But for me, Oggie was my senior advisor, and the reason I graduated high school and got my diploma at twenty years old. Oggie was an unforgettable teacher who believed that education was important and that anyone who worked for it would succeed.

   Oggie's real name is James Ogden, and unlike other high school teachers, he did not allow us to call him Mr. Ogden. Instead, he insisted that his friends call him Oggie, and that everyone should do so as well. Oggie, as you may come to understand, is not like your typical, ordinary teacher. First I should start by sort of painting you a mental picture of him. Oggie is around 5'7 and a bit on the round side. On his face there is an extremely long, shabby beard; speckled with grey. On his head there is long hair with a bald spot smack dab in the middle. In which he normally covers with his favorite black cowboy hat, but occasionally with an erratic hat of his choice. Oggie's choice of clothes is irregular to say the least. This is because Oggie wears skirts. :) Now skirts aren’t the technical name for them, but everyone likes teasing him about it. (It's all in good fun).

  Now that you have an idea of what to picture when you're thinking of Oggie, I will tell you about his teaching style. You can't really define Oggie's teaching style, because it’s different with every class he teaches. Oggie is the science teacher of Renaissance high school and when you step into his classroom it screams science. I mean literally... He has one of those motion sensing stuffed animal dinosaur that says science when it detects motion! I was in Oggie’s biology class. The course as he would explain was a college course and that it would not be easy. Although the assignments themselves were difficult and a lot of work, Oggie made learning the material really fun. The most memorable moment of biology class I think everyone in that class would have to agree on this was the final. In the week leading up to the finals, Oggie was making us dread the test because he said it was going to be really hard. We studied in class, we studied for homework, and we even studied on the weekends and on lunch breaks. When the dreaded day finally came, we were terrified of the test, but so packed with information there was no way any of us would fail. We walked into the classroom and instead of hearing the usual SCIENCE! we heard SURPRISE!!! Our final consisted of watching what Oggie labeled as an environmental movie perfect for biology class. It was The Simpson’s Movie!! We watched the movie and Oggie ordered pizza for us since we worked so hard studying. He later explained that he wanted us to realize that hard work really does pay off, and that everything is not always as it seems. Also by tricking us, we all gained the knowledge we needed and a cool way to remember it.

        Now as I said before, in addition to being my Biology teacher, Oggie was also my senior advisor. Now going into the school year, I faced a few hurdles. I only had 12 credits going into the year and we needed 23 to graduate, so I had to make up 11 credits which are almost double what you get in a normal school year. Also I was about 8 months pregnant with my daughter, I was huge! I hadn’t been going to school at that time for almost 4 years. And to top it off, I was turning 21 the following summer. This meant that I had to graduate that year or settle for my GED, which was unacceptable for my personal goals. I had a lot of work to do. I shared this with Oggie at our first meeting. He surprised me with a response I will never forget. He flat out told me to quit whining. And to stop making excuses because all of the things I listed were personal choices that I had made and that I had to deal with the consequences. At first, I wanted to get angry, but as I sat there and thought about it, I realized that he was exactly right.

        The school year started and I had my daughter. I had to take a month off of school as a maternity leave to be home with Naraiya, which made Oggie push me even harder. I got through the month and returned to school. I buckled down and worked harder than I ever had before, except maybe during childbirth, and got it done. I had worked hard and Oggie gave me the perseverance and earned the credits I needed to graduate!  

        At graduation, my whole family was there to watch... As Oggie called my name, he did something I would never forget. He told the whole gym that he was very proud of me and that I had walked into that school with so many hurdles to jump and that he pushed me harder than he’s ever pushed me before. With tears I gave my speech, letting everyone know that even if you have obstacles in front of you, anything’s possible if you work hard at it. I thanked Oggie for making me strive for better and accepted my diploma. I graduated proudly with the rest of my class as the highest graduating class in Renaissance high school history. Thanks Oggie, I couldn’t have done it without you!

7/27/11 Words for the Soul

“The shortest and surest way of arriving at real knowledge is to unlearn the lessons we have been taught, to mount the first principles, and take nobody’s word about them”.

                                                                                                -Henry Bolingbroke

            If this quote isn’t the true, I don’t know what is! As children, we are taught what to believe through our guardians. Whether it is Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt and Uncle, Sister and Brother, or whoever, they teach us their principles, which may or may not be right. When you are that young, you rely on what the authority figure in your life tells you are right and go from there.

            What this quote says to me is to think for yourself. Throw out what you have been conditioned to think and use your own mind. “Mount your first principles” says to go with your first instinct. Let your intuition guide you. “Don’t take nobody’s word about them”. Every day, people judge by what others have experienced. By doing this you cheat yourself out of having your own opinion. For example, it could be a certain type of food like sushi. Most people hear sushi and they automatically go ‘yuck’! Have they ever tried it? No, but they hear what everyone else says and go with it. Maybe sushi is the best taste ever, but they wouldn’t know because they never try it. Real knowledge is finding out for yourself. Go out and don’t be afraid to experience life as your own. I can’t stress the importance of seeing life through your own eyes, not through someone else’s.

            I am an authentic person, so this quote really stood out for me. It speaks about what I believe in, that’s why I chose to write about it.

2nd paper: paragraph and thesis statement

 Though not a desirable trait, people judge others all the time. This is definitly the case when it comes to the person I will be talking about. Depending on who you ask, you may hear mixed statements about Oggie. Who's Oggie you ask? Well for some, Oggie was a science teacher. For some he was a confidante. Still for others he was the one who kicked them out of school when they didn't meet the requirements, or failed to show up to school. But for me, Oggie was my senior advisor, and the reason I graduated high school and got my diploma at twenty years old. There are some teachers you will never forget, and there are some teachers that change your life: Oggie was one of them.

Dead Poet's Society Day 1.

I was really excited for this movie because ive never seen this movie before.
NOTES:
I do see that the whole class is white, and there is no diversity in their class.
Carpe Diem means Seize the day. the teacher talks about it during class. He plays on this statement during the class.
They use the textbooks alot more in this maovie than they did with the Stand and Deliver movie.
The teacher tells the kids to rip the pages out of their textbook. They rip out the whole introduction, which of course, goes well with the students, they are happy to rip their textbooks. uh oh the dean came in and thought the kids were running wild, but when he saw the teacher, he quickly withdrew his statement and withdrew hisself from interrupting the class.


The teaching styles are VERY different than those of stand and deliver. well maybe not the teaching styles so much as the teaching environment. like i said in my notes, this is a predominately white school and they are much more disciplined than the students were in stand and deliver. Also they are much more willing to learn. The teachers in both movies have a passion for doing what they do, so they both found ways o get their students excited about what they are learning about, and in this movie's case it is about poetry.

Stand and Deliver: day 1

This movie is a very powerful movie that sheds light on the very real problems that alot of schools, students, and teachers face. Mr. Escalante started out thinking he was going to teach a computer class, but seeing as how there are no computers, he is stuck teaching math. Well during the course of teaching, he also teaches little things along the way like some kids he teaches English, He teaches the kids by visual and hands on learning. These types of traits get the kids interested in what he is teaching, even if they don't admit it at first. He is a great teacher because no matter what the kids put him through, he still gets up and tries and never gives up on them. These kids aren't used to teachers that actually care. They are used to being bad and scaring off all the teachers just so they could do what they want. Try as they may though, Mr. Escalante was not willing to engage in their bullying. I'm looking forward to watching tomorrow!

Day 2:
During this part of the movie,  Mr. Escalante took the kids on a fieldtrip. He is making it more fun for the kids to learn. They are going to be starting to learn calculus. He keeps the kids enjoyment and attention by cracking jokes about the other kids and things in general. He is challenging one particular student even more because he needs a little more help to understand calculus. When angel arrives late all the time he tells him to o home, that there is no excuse for being late to class.
Mr. Escalante teaches them that it is as easy as "tic-tac-toe".  He also teaches night school for free which I believe is amazing.
Out of nowhere when he is teaching his night class he has a heart attack! The class gets a substitute that doesnt even really know calculus, he was supposed to be teaching music. Against doctors orders, Mr. Escalante returns back to work and takes over the class once more, just in time for the big test.
To prepare the class, Mr. Escalante goes over the rules he drilled into their heads and the kids remembered them. He gave them the confidence they needed to go into the test!
Every single student passed the test, all eighteen of them. They presented a plaque to the teacher to honor him for helping them and pushing them through.
The kids get accused of cheating because they all passed the test. Mr. Escalante accuses the Board of racism and discrimination,. He defends the class against not only the principal but the board members as well.
The kids all go in to take the test again...
This makes me look at the teacher with even more respect today after watching this segment. He had a heart attack and still was there for them to take their test. I mean if that doesnt show genuine caring, I dont know what does!!

DAY 3:
The kids got their test resuts back and they all passed. each year the number of students passing got higher and higher. in 1987, 87 students passed the exam.

Audre Lorde 7/18/11

The teacher in this writing is very mean to say the least! There are alot of ways that she is mean, but to point out three ways, i could give these to you just based on the first couple paragraphs. Audre paints a picture of the teacher, Sister MPH that lets us know that she is young and hated her job and the kids that came with teaching. She divided the class up by color and by who was a 'good kid' and who was a 'bad kid'. So she was very racist. Another way that she was terrible to the kids was that she would beat them. The beauty of now a days, is if our child's teacher did any one of these things, they would not only not have a job, but they would also very likely face a lawsuit as well.

First Formal Paper: Final Draft 7/18/11

Victoria Baker

English 99

Ms. Begert

Education Narrative

As a child you look at the world with bright, hopeful, innocent eyes. The world is at your fingertips and the possibilities are endless!

            My second grade year was most definitely my favorite school year and one of my most memorable. We did a lot of fun things that year and learned a tremendous amount. My favorite thing about my second grade year was my teacher Mrs. Barthell. She was an amazing woman with an outstanding talent for teaching young kids. She loved her job and all the children loved her back.

            I remember like it was yesterday, the night before my first day of second grade. I was worried about going into the class my older sister, Denee just left before summer began. In my mind I had the unspoken duty to uphold or rise above the success and mannerism of my sister who was always known for having straight A’s and being the teachers pet. She was very intelligent.  I confided this to my Mom and she surprised me by telling me that Mrs. Barthell personally asked my Mom to put me in her class. She had seen the type of student I was and wanted me in her class. Hearing that, I went to bed at ease, eager to start school again.

            On the first day of school I had many different emotions running through me. I felt excited, nervous, and anxious all at the same time. We boarded the school bus in the morning and arrived at school. As we walked toward our designated line up area my sister Denee told me it was going to be awesome and I was going to love it. Little did I know at the time that she was absolutely right!

            We spent the first day getting to know our teacher and each other as classmates. We had a bunch of fun playing the name game and also the telephone game. By the end of the day, I was looking forward to the rest of my second grade year.

            There were many things that Mrs. Barthell did with us that were fun and educational at the same time. One of my fondest memories of her was when she read James and the Giant Peach to us. She made that book come to life with different voices for all the various characters in the book. I looked forward to reading time everyday because we read a chapter a day. The end of the book came and Mrs. Barthell surprised us with a pizza party and she brought in the animated Disney movie adaptation of the book James and the Giant Peach. It was just the sort of thing that won 7 year olds’ hearts and she really did.

            I remember so many things we did that year in Mrs. Barthell’s class, but my fondest most memorable experience in her class was our camping trip. Every year the second graders in Mrs. Barthell’s class took a three-day, two night camping trip to Camp Joshua Taylor.  I will never forget that experience, because it was the first time in my life I was going to be on my own for that long period of time. I felt independent and mature and extremely excited. I remember packing my favorite clothes and pajamas and my Mom was stressing out, checking my list rechecking my bags asking me if I remembered this and that. Finally, when my Mom was satisfied enough to let me leave, we drove to my school and she dropped me off. We took role in the lunchroom and boarded the bus. After what seemed like forever on an endless bus ride, we finally pulled into the campgrounds. We got out and entered the dormitory style building where we walked into a huge open space on the inside. There were beds everywhere and we were told to pick one with boys on one side and girls on the other.  We all scrambled to our spots and as I was unpacking my sleeping bag to make my bed I overheard some girls talking about one of the girls in our class named Jessica. They didn’t want her by them and they were being really facetious. She went off to a bed by herself with no one around. I thought about it for a second and then packed my stuff back up and headed over there. I set my bed up next to hers and told her not to worry about them they were just ignorant.

            After setting our beds up and unloading our stuff, we went outside to barbeque some hotdogs for lunch. Let the fun begin! After eating, we chose buddies and walked down to the beach. I asked Jessica to be my partner and we set off for the beach. The beach was beautiful and we explored and turned over rocks to find crabs and poked washed up jellyfish with sticks. We were allowed to bring two things back from the beach to take home and I decided on a sand dollar and a pretty hermit crab shell. I still have both of them, although the sand dollar is glued together from being broken a couple times.

            That night was amazing. It was the first time I had seen fireflies before. I was amazed. We had a huge campfire that night and it was so fun singing camp songs and telling stories. We got to top the night off by roasting marshmallows and making huge, gooey smores. I can’t lie and say that night it was kind of scary sleeping in that huge room, but we had snuck candy and we stayed awake as long as we could with the tiny flashlights hidden in our sleeping bags so we wouldn’t get in trouble.

            That fieldtrip was one of the best ones of my life, and I was sad to see it come to an end. We were all moping as we packed up our stuff and cleaned up the camp. We were quiet on the way home due partly of being sad and also of exhaustion. All in all it was a phenomenal experience.

            Time went by and the school year came to an end. I cried along with the rest of my friends at the end of year celebration. Second grade had been a year I would never forget. I wish I could say that I still talk to Mrs. Barthell, but we lost touch over the years. The last time I spoke with her she was planning on retiring. She touched many lives over the years including my little sister, who had her as a teacher 5 years after I did. If you ever had a chance to talk with Mrs. Barthell, she would be happy to tell you about “the Baker Babes” as she nicknamed my sisters and me. She has deeply touched my life and she is what inspired my career choice to be a second grade teacher. I can only hope that I am as good as she was!

Draft: First Paper: My Favorite School Year

   As a child you look at the world with bright, hopeful, innocent eyes. The world is at your fingertips and the possibilities are endless! 

            My second grade year was most definitely my favorite school year and one of my most memorable. We did a lot of fun things that year and learned a tremendous amount. My favorite thing about my second grade year was my teacher Mrs. Barthell. She was an amazing woman with an outstanding talent for teaching young kids. She loved her job and all the children loved her back.

            I remember like it was yesterday, the night before my first day of second grade. I was worried about going into the class my older sister, Denee just left before summer began. In my mind I had the unspoken duty to uphold or rise above the success and mannerism of my sister who was always known for having straight A’s and being the teachers pet. She was very intelligent.  I confided this to my Mom and she surprised me by telling me that Mrs. Barthell personally asked my Mom to put me in her class. She had seen the type of student I was and wanted me in her class. Hearing that, I went to bed at ease, eager to start school again.

            On the first day of school I had many different emotions running through me. I felt excited, nervous, and anxious all at the same time. We boarded the school bus in the morning and arrived at school. As we walked toward our designated line up area my sister Denee told me it was going to be awesome and I was going to love it. Little did I know at the time that she was absolutely right!

            We spent the first day getting to know our teacher and each other as classmates. We had a bunch of fun playing the name game and also the telephone game. By the end of the day, I was looking forward to the rest of my second grade year.

            There were many things that Mrs. Barthell did with us that were fun and educational at the same time. One of my fondest memories of her was when she read James and the Giant Peach to us. She made that book come to life with different voices for all the various characters in the book. I looked forward to reading time everyday because we read a chapter a day. The end of the book came and Mrs. Barthell surprised us with a pizza party and she brought in the animated Disney movie adaptation of the book James and the Giant Peach. It was just the sort of thing that won 7 year olds’ hearts and she really did.

            I remember so many things we did that year in Mrs. Barthell’s class, but my fondest most memorable experience in her class was our camping trip. Every year the second graders in Mrs. Barthell’s class took a three-day, two night camping trip to Camp Joshua Taylor.  I will never forget that experience, because it was the first time in my life I was going to be on my own for that long period of time. I felt independent and mature and extremely excited. I remember packing my favorite clothes and pajamas and my Mom was stressing out, checking my list rechecking my bags asking me if I remembered this and that. Finally, when my Mom was satisfied enough to let me leave, we drove to my school and she dropped me off. We took role in the lunchroom and boarded the bus. After what seemed like forever on an endless bus ride, we finally pulled into the campgrounds. We got out and entered the dormitory style building where we walked into a huge open space on the inside. There were beds everywhere and we were told to pick one with boys on one side and girls on the other.  We all scrambled to our spots and as I was unpacking my sleeping bag to make my bed I overheard some girls talking about one of the girls in our class named Jessica. They didn’t want her by them and they were being really mean. She went off to a bed by herself with no one around. I thought about it for a second and then packed my stuff back up and headed over there. I set my bed up next to hers and told her not to worry about them they were just ignorant.

            After setting our beds up and unloading our stuff, we went outside to barbeque some hotdogs for lunch. Let the fun begin! After eating, we chose buddies and walked down to the beach. I asked Jessica to be my partner and we set off for the beach. The beach was beautiful and we explored and turned over rocks to find crabs and poked washed up jellyfish with sticks. We were allowed to bring two things back from the beach to take home and I decided on a sand dollar and a pretty hermit crab shell. I still have both of them, although the sand dollar is glued together from being broken a couple times.

            That night was amazing. It was the first time I had seen fireflies before. I was amazed. We had a huge campfire that night and it was so fun singing camp songs and telling stories. We got to top the night off by roasting marshmallows and making huge, gooey smores. I can’t lie and say that night it was kind of scary sleeping in that huge room, but we had snuck candy and we stayed awake as long as we could with the tiny flashlights hidden in our sleeping bags so we wouldn’t get in trouble.

            That fieldtrip was one of the best ones of my life, and I was sad to see it come to an end. We were all moping as we packed up our stuff and cleaned up the camp. We were quiet on the way home due partly of being sad and also of exhaustion. All in all it was a phenomenal experience.

            Time went by and the school year came to an end. I cried along with the rest of my friends at the end of year celebration. Second grade had been a year I would never forget. I wish I could say that I still talk to Mrs. Barthell, but we lost touch over the years. The last time I spoke with her she was planning on retiring. She touched many lives over the years including my little sister, who had her as a teacher 5 years after I did. If you ever had a chance to talk with Mrs. Barthell, she would be happy to tell you about “the Baker Babes” as she nicknamed my sisters and me. She has deeply touched my life and she is what inspired my career choice to be a second grade teacher. I can only hope that I am as good as she was!

           

In Class Writing Paragraph: 07/12/11: Excerpt from my Education Narrative

        As a child, you look at the world with bright, hopeful, innocent eyes. The world is at your fingertips, and the possibilities are endless.
       My second grade year was definately my favorite school year and most memorable. We did alot of fun things and I absolutely loved my teacher. What alot of people don't know is that the year before, my second grade teacher had my older sister, Denee as a student. She was always a straight A student and a teacher's pet. Going into the class she just left before summer began, I had an unspoken duty to uphold or rise above the success and mannerism of my older and in the eyes of many; perfect sister.

I Just Wanna Be Average: Questions: 07/11/11

!. Rose's experience in vocational education was a little sad. The teachers seems as though they dont care about their jobs and treat the kids poorly. For example in his English class, they read Julius Caeser over and over, never striving for better or more challenging.
2. Vocational ed. was supposed to help with economics, however it pretty much sucked the life outta the kids. They were thrown into a place where no one really cared. I think Vocational Ed. took their educational growth and stunted it. It's hard for him to catch up because he was finding faulty ways of doing the equations.
3.For kids like Ken Harvey, they are "outsiders" who in order to fit in amongst others, refer to themselves as normal, average just to be left alone.
4.College is pretty much all self motivating. The classes are hard and the syllabus tells you what is due when, not the teacher. you are expected to hold your own weight and stand on your own feet. Basically I would suggest keeping a planner and writing down the days homework assignments in one defined place and just taking it one step at a time. You will start to feel accomplished as you check off things that are due, and before you know it you may find yourself ahead of the class because you have everything organized and know what is due. Also ASK QUESTIONS.. never be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to in order to understand what is expected of you.
5. I believe we are the same in the sense of I am HORRIBLE at math. I've been in normal classes, but alot of times I have trouble with the workload. I am managing my family and school and for many that is really easy, for me it isnt so easy. I love spending time with my kids and can get carried away doing my' kids homework with them and then cooking and cleaning. My first quarter of college, I did poorly and when I physically saw my grades I was appalled. I knew I could do better, and was very disappointed in myself. This semester I am determined to get at least a 3.0 GPA if not better, I also want to do well so I can start my work study job!

WS: 9-12 & pg 28-29Developing strategies I've used before:

 The main developing strategy I use is an outline. An outline helps me keep my paper organized and not running off rambling like I do all the time.  An outline pretty much is a template for your paper, and you just fill in the blanks with the details, making it extremely easier when you go to write your rough draft. Narratives are alot easier to write than other types of papers, because you are writing a paper about yourself and your memories. It is a story about you told by you, so making an outline should be pretty easy, you just put your main points that you will talk about into order.