When I tell people that I go to school through the Internet, faces instantly bright up and I am told, "They have so many options these days, you are living in such an advanced era." I cannot help but smile because in all reality, we are.
Digital literacy will play a huge role in my future because the Internet is everywhere and contains everything. Whenever a question needs to be answered, or something requires research, we turn to Google or other search engines in order to aid us. All the technical terms and names for the Internet and what it consists of have been added to our vocabulary. We have more words in the English language now then we did before Shakespeare. Education wise, digital literacy enabled us to raise the bar for ourselves and our classmates. When we utilized blogging, we not only got to take a look at other people's writing and understanding but others were able to take a look at we could do. We strived to sound smarter, to see what other people had to say, and more importantly, to gain from them different techniques and ideas.
What I think we could do to contribute to society with reading, writing, and speaking is introducing those who are unfamiliar with the net. Everyone can learn, it just takes practice. I think another option we have is to continue discussing what we know with others and make an effort to learn more. Just because we won't be receiving a grade anymore for what we acquire within knowledge, does not mean it has to cease.
When the future comes into play, it is hard to try and realize what you need to know because it is always changing. Something that will remain the same though, is that technology will increase along with it's use. we need to be ready to come up against bigger and better things. The whole world is a competition, and we as the United States are not in first. This is not necessarily a bad thing but for us as upcoming adults who will soon enough be competing for careers, it is. There are other people out there wanting the same things. In reality, there are less Americans graduating from college than in China and India. They literally blow us off the charts with their numbers.
When you are trying to get a job, reading is something that you need. You cannot fill out an application without knowing what they are asking, what they want, and what kind of job it is for. You have to have some form of writing skills otherwise the blanks would never be filled. With communication, it is huge. First impressions are everything and if you walk into an interview and make a fool of yourself because you came off as an idiot, then you are left unemployed. These three things play a role in everything though. In order to buy things, learn how to do things, and make decisions on what to do, you have to be able to read, write, and communicate. They are almost like the key to success.
The Internet is something that will always be around and that we as a society, the whole world in general, rely on. How can we advance ourselves and put forth the time to become more educated without it? The answer to that is, we can't.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Art Critique
After doing some research about the different creative outlets in the Denver Art Museum, I found one piece that especially stuck out to me. It was called Soliloquy: Life’s Fragile Fictions, by Moyo Ogundipe. He was from the Yoruba culture in Nigeria. This can be found in the African Art section in the Hamilton Building level four. When you first lay eyes upon the vibrant work you only see three figures, because they are in different colors. The three characters are of a woman and a man on a donkey. With just the way he combined all the colors and created them so that they blended together, is fascinating and unique. It brings abstract art to a whole new level. When you pay close attention to the back ground though, you can spot other characters and birds. It is said that birds represent freedom, which is why Ogundipe applied them into the piece so much. It also includes a series of patterns through colors and shapes. Different shades of blues, pinks, reds, oranges, greens, and even black decorate the entire canvas. What is really cool about each figure created is that it has different patterns to make their shape and bring to life the detail of what is on them.
It is meant to try to understand the meanings through human extinct and what you feel after viewing it. I personally felt peace and happiness because the color choice and symbols represented that. I would love to see more by Moyo Ogundipe and what other pieces of art he has been able to create.
It is meant to try to understand the meanings through human extinct and what you feel after viewing it. I personally felt peace and happiness because the color choice and symbols represented that. I would love to see more by Moyo Ogundipe and what other pieces of art he has been able to create.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Reaper's Image Assignment
It has been a week and three days since dad left us. At least, according to mom he left us. “He loves you baby, never forget that. He loves you,” she muttered in between vodka soaked sobs. I could not handle listening to her anymore, so I excused myself from the couch and made the trek up to my room. Peace could be found there. That was just like her too, turning to the bottle rather than bucking up and moving on; or even considering the fact that he did not leave us, at least not intentionally.
Dad had always taken on every opportunity to obtain the best art. He even went as far to own his own gallery. So when the rare chance to take in the DeIver mirror from the Samuel Claggert Memorial came, he jumped on that quicker than a dog to a steak.
The day that thing arrived Dad insisted it should become apart of our decor, this would soon be something to regret.
I personally questioned why the private museum would not want to keep such a priceless antique. It was apparently worth a pretty good chunk of change, so why give it up?
“Mister Carlin, the owner, felt it was inappropriate to keep. He claims it is a haven for hell.”
”Are you serious?”
”Very, he claimed it has stolen too many lives and wants nothing to do with it any longer.”
“Wonderful, so let’s bring it home because that is what everyone does these days. Forget the dog or hot tub let’s sport the killer mirror!”
“You are such a comedian love, how would we get through the days without your brilliant sense of humor?”
The gaper itself was immaculate; there was no doubt about that. Hand crafted and bordered with wood, the reflection it gave off was three dimensional like. It was quite the mirror. However, something wasn’t right. It gave off this eerie feeling, some sort of deranged perception. Even the movers seemed out of ease while handling it. I almost wished they would drop it. Dad was equivalent to a little kid on Christmas day, his eyes beaming with joy.
“Oh! Be careful; watch your step, here come some stairs! If we could bring this to the living room that would be great!” The moment it entered though our front door, the whole atmosphere of the house morphed from welcoming to hellish
“What do you think babe?”
“You know how I feel about it.”
“Lila please, it is just a looking glass, imager, speculum, a mirror.”Stop getting yourself worked up over nothing honey; I promise there is nothing evil about this piece of glass.”
A smile had slipped from his lips that day; I could not help but feel the warmth and take comfort in it. Little did I know that his promise would be left broken and that smile would be lost forever.
Just as quickly as the men had come, they left and we three were left to gaze upon the “masterpiece”. Mom did not say much, she gave it a glimpse, complimented it, and went on about her day. I refused to actually look into it so I looked at what was by it. Dad though, he just stood there, in awe. Then his face turned from bright to disturbed.
“What is this? It’s damaged! Oh for Christ’s sweet sake, really?” His voice boomed with irritation and blood drew to his face making him turn slightly pink.”What is wrong with it?”
“Don’t you see that black splotch in the corner? God I thought there was only a small crack no one said anything about there being some sort of substance on it.””I don’t see anything dad…” I was only lying a little but in all reality there did not appear to be anything on the mirror, besides everything it reflected.”I am going to give Mister Carlin a call, this is ridiculous.”He made a quick stride to the kitchen hand already out to take grasp of the phone. With him out of the room it left me with the new wall accessory. Comfort evaporated away almost immediately and so I took my exit through the front door. Fresh air sounded like a god send and I really needed to be away from that thing. A few minutes went by and dad stormed out of the house, his black leather jacket at his side.”He didn’t answer so I am just going to go see him myself. I’ll be back in a little while love.”
“Bye daddy.”
An hour went by, and dad still wasn’t home. One hour turned into two and before we knew it, the clock struck midnight. This was not like him, to just leave and not give out any word as to where he was or when he would be home if he was running late. My stomach was in a knot and I could read the worry in mom’s eyes. Where was he? I snuck outside to steal a cigarette. Nothing else would bring calm to my world except the nicotine. The air had grown crisp and the sun was starting to peak from behind the Rocky Mountains. Mom had fallen asleep on the sofa, the lamp beside her left on. It was almost like it too was waiting for him to turn the lock on the door and walk in. But it never came.
The next day I made a phone call to Mister Carlin; perhaps he had seen or at least heard from dad. The phone rang for what seemed like an eternity until finally a raspy voice answered.”Hello?””Mister Carlin! Hi this Lila, Travis Kellick’s daughter.””Oh Lila! Hello dear how are you doing?””Ahh, I will be a little better if you could just answer a few questions for me.””Oh… what is on your mind?”
“My father, he never came home last night. He wanted to speak with about the DeIver mirror. It apparently had a splotch on it… He tried calling but there was no answer. So he came down to see you at the museum. Have you heard from him or seen him?Silence was all that came from the other end of the line. ”Mister Carlin?”There was still no word and a sense of aggravation lit up inside me. I wanted to know where my father was and this guy was possibly the last person he talked to. Why the hell was I not getting any answers?”Mister Carlin please, it is very important.””Lila… oh god.
“I don’t even know how to say this.””Spitting it out works.””The DeIver mirror, did he look into the DeIver mirror?””Of course he did, why would he not? He was practically in love with it.””Do you know the history of the monstrosity?””Somewhat… why?””It kills people Lila; it chooses people like picking names out of a hat. When they look in the mirror they see a flaw. Whether it be a crack or tape on it they see this and in some bizarre way it is like a symbol for the… the grim reaper. I think your father… he…”The phone fell to the floor and my body went into shock. There was no possible way that the stories were true. They were only superstitions, scare tactics. How in God’s name could some sort of demonic presence take over a mirror and target people like a sniper? This was nonsense, out of the norm. I hung up the phone and made more phone calls. I called every hospital in the Evergreen, Golden, and Conifer areas. He was not at any of them. I went as far to call every jail that was nearby, but no one had them. He had just disappeared. Poof, gone, out of sight, like a magic trick gone wrong. I could not bring myself to believe what Mister Carlin told me.
A few more days passed, but dad still never came home. Mom was sprawled out in the living room, draped over the couch like a fleece blanket. An empty glass lay tipped on its side by her open hand along with a bottle of McCormick’s that had a dash left in it. I gagged thinking about her throat tolerated it. Surprisingly she was still conscious. Her head jolted up and all I could hear was her breathing, heavy and slow. She cocked her head and had this dumbfounded expression across her face.”What the- Who the hell are you?”Alarm could be heard in her voice.”Lila! Where are you baby? Oh my god!” She fell from the sofa landing on the glass, I could hear it shatter beneath her and feel the fragments drive into her flesh. For the first time in my life, I saw my mother straight scared. ”Mom I’m right here it’s alright I’m here.” I took her in my arms and tears fell from here eyes, leaving a streak down her cheek.
“Didn’t you see that… please tell me I haven’t lost my mind I saw someone…? In the mirror I saw it!”I felt like a ton of bricks had just fell on me, and all the air to give me the capability to speak had left my lungs.”What did you see mom…?””A… A figure… In a black cloak…”
Oh Jesus… Not her too. ”I am going to look around the house baby. You stay right here, take the phone. If you see him… it whatever the hell that was.””NO! Please do not leave me mom please!””Lila please I will be right back I just want to check.”Stupidly, I did as she said. I listened intently to her footsteps as they trailed away. I sat there on the couch, waiting for her to come back. But she never did. My heart was broken. Everything I knew, had, and loved was gone. I was standing upon a pile of ruble that had once been my life and now I had nothing. The DeIver looking glass stole it from me. Whatever it was, whatever it wanted, had to be stopped. I retired to the garage and began to rummage through all of its components. There, I found a sledge hammer. Grasping onto its dirty, wooden handle, I lifted the 12 pound tool and made my way to the living room. I traced my eyes along the ground, studying the lines and marks on the floor, doing anything possible to not peer into the devil’s mirror. Slowly I raised the hammer, taking it at a curve like a baseball bat, and with one full swing I slammed the metal into it. Hundreds upon thousands of shards of glass flew through the air, breaking the quiescence of the room. I gathered up the broken pieces, frame and all and threw every last bit into the fire place. Dousing it in paint thinner. I was not going to let a centimeter of this survive. I watched it erupt into flames and the yellow and orange glows danced upon my face. It felt like peace and harmony had fallen all around. The looking glass was of no more, it did not bring back my beloved parents but it brought back a sense of humanity to me. I will never know how or why the mirror did what it did. What I do know though, is that evil does exist.
Dad had always taken on every opportunity to obtain the best art. He even went as far to own his own gallery. So when the rare chance to take in the DeIver mirror from the Samuel Claggert Memorial came, he jumped on that quicker than a dog to a steak.
The day that thing arrived Dad insisted it should become apart of our decor, this would soon be something to regret.
I personally questioned why the private museum would not want to keep such a priceless antique. It was apparently worth a pretty good chunk of change, so why give it up?
“Mister Carlin, the owner, felt it was inappropriate to keep. He claims it is a haven for hell.”
”Are you serious?”
”Very, he claimed it has stolen too many lives and wants nothing to do with it any longer.”
“Wonderful, so let’s bring it home because that is what everyone does these days. Forget the dog or hot tub let’s sport the killer mirror!”
“You are such a comedian love, how would we get through the days without your brilliant sense of humor?”
The gaper itself was immaculate; there was no doubt about that. Hand crafted and bordered with wood, the reflection it gave off was three dimensional like. It was quite the mirror. However, something wasn’t right. It gave off this eerie feeling, some sort of deranged perception. Even the movers seemed out of ease while handling it. I almost wished they would drop it. Dad was equivalent to a little kid on Christmas day, his eyes beaming with joy.
“Oh! Be careful; watch your step, here come some stairs! If we could bring this to the living room that would be great!” The moment it entered though our front door, the whole atmosphere of the house morphed from welcoming to hellish
“What do you think babe?”
“You know how I feel about it.”
“Lila please, it is just a looking glass, imager, speculum, a mirror.”Stop getting yourself worked up over nothing honey; I promise there is nothing evil about this piece of glass.”
A smile had slipped from his lips that day; I could not help but feel the warmth and take comfort in it. Little did I know that his promise would be left broken and that smile would be lost forever.
Just as quickly as the men had come, they left and we three were left to gaze upon the “masterpiece”. Mom did not say much, she gave it a glimpse, complimented it, and went on about her day. I refused to actually look into it so I looked at what was by it. Dad though, he just stood there, in awe. Then his face turned from bright to disturbed.
“What is this? It’s damaged! Oh for Christ’s sweet sake, really?” His voice boomed with irritation and blood drew to his face making him turn slightly pink.”What is wrong with it?”
“Don’t you see that black splotch in the corner? God I thought there was only a small crack no one said anything about there being some sort of substance on it.””I don’t see anything dad…” I was only lying a little but in all reality there did not appear to be anything on the mirror, besides everything it reflected.”I am going to give Mister Carlin a call, this is ridiculous.”He made a quick stride to the kitchen hand already out to take grasp of the phone. With him out of the room it left me with the new wall accessory. Comfort evaporated away almost immediately and so I took my exit through the front door. Fresh air sounded like a god send and I really needed to be away from that thing. A few minutes went by and dad stormed out of the house, his black leather jacket at his side.”He didn’t answer so I am just going to go see him myself. I’ll be back in a little while love.”
“Bye daddy.”
An hour went by, and dad still wasn’t home. One hour turned into two and before we knew it, the clock struck midnight. This was not like him, to just leave and not give out any word as to where he was or when he would be home if he was running late. My stomach was in a knot and I could read the worry in mom’s eyes. Where was he? I snuck outside to steal a cigarette. Nothing else would bring calm to my world except the nicotine. The air had grown crisp and the sun was starting to peak from behind the Rocky Mountains. Mom had fallen asleep on the sofa, the lamp beside her left on. It was almost like it too was waiting for him to turn the lock on the door and walk in. But it never came.
The next day I made a phone call to Mister Carlin; perhaps he had seen or at least heard from dad. The phone rang for what seemed like an eternity until finally a raspy voice answered.”Hello?””Mister Carlin! Hi this Lila, Travis Kellick’s daughter.””Oh Lila! Hello dear how are you doing?””Ahh, I will be a little better if you could just answer a few questions for me.””Oh… what is on your mind?”
“My father, he never came home last night. He wanted to speak with about the DeIver mirror. It apparently had a splotch on it… He tried calling but there was no answer. So he came down to see you at the museum. Have you heard from him or seen him?Silence was all that came from the other end of the line. ”Mister Carlin?”There was still no word and a sense of aggravation lit up inside me. I wanted to know where my father was and this guy was possibly the last person he talked to. Why the hell was I not getting any answers?”Mister Carlin please, it is very important.””Lila… oh god.
“I don’t even know how to say this.””Spitting it out works.””The DeIver mirror, did he look into the DeIver mirror?””Of course he did, why would he not? He was practically in love with it.””Do you know the history of the monstrosity?””Somewhat… why?””It kills people Lila; it chooses people like picking names out of a hat. When they look in the mirror they see a flaw. Whether it be a crack or tape on it they see this and in some bizarre way it is like a symbol for the… the grim reaper. I think your father… he…”The phone fell to the floor and my body went into shock. There was no possible way that the stories were true. They were only superstitions, scare tactics. How in God’s name could some sort of demonic presence take over a mirror and target people like a sniper? This was nonsense, out of the norm. I hung up the phone and made more phone calls. I called every hospital in the Evergreen, Golden, and Conifer areas. He was not at any of them. I went as far to call every jail that was nearby, but no one had them. He had just disappeared. Poof, gone, out of sight, like a magic trick gone wrong. I could not bring myself to believe what Mister Carlin told me.
A few more days passed, but dad still never came home. Mom was sprawled out in the living room, draped over the couch like a fleece blanket. An empty glass lay tipped on its side by her open hand along with a bottle of McCormick’s that had a dash left in it. I gagged thinking about her throat tolerated it. Surprisingly she was still conscious. Her head jolted up and all I could hear was her breathing, heavy and slow. She cocked her head and had this dumbfounded expression across her face.”What the- Who the hell are you?”Alarm could be heard in her voice.”Lila! Where are you baby? Oh my god!” She fell from the sofa landing on the glass, I could hear it shatter beneath her and feel the fragments drive into her flesh. For the first time in my life, I saw my mother straight scared. ”Mom I’m right here it’s alright I’m here.” I took her in my arms and tears fell from here eyes, leaving a streak down her cheek.
“Didn’t you see that… please tell me I haven’t lost my mind I saw someone…? In the mirror I saw it!”I felt like a ton of bricks had just fell on me, and all the air to give me the capability to speak had left my lungs.”What did you see mom…?””A… A figure… In a black cloak…”
Oh Jesus… Not her too. ”I am going to look around the house baby. You stay right here, take the phone. If you see him… it whatever the hell that was.””NO! Please do not leave me mom please!””Lila please I will be right back I just want to check.”Stupidly, I did as she said. I listened intently to her footsteps as they trailed away. I sat there on the couch, waiting for her to come back. But she never did. My heart was broken. Everything I knew, had, and loved was gone. I was standing upon a pile of ruble that had once been my life and now I had nothing. The DeIver looking glass stole it from me. Whatever it was, whatever it wanted, had to be stopped. I retired to the garage and began to rummage through all of its components. There, I found a sledge hammer. Grasping onto its dirty, wooden handle, I lifted the 12 pound tool and made my way to the living room. I traced my eyes along the ground, studying the lines and marks on the floor, doing anything possible to not peer into the devil’s mirror. Slowly I raised the hammer, taking it at a curve like a baseball bat, and with one full swing I slammed the metal into it. Hundreds upon thousands of shards of glass flew through the air, breaking the quiescence of the room. I gathered up the broken pieces, frame and all and threw every last bit into the fire place. Dousing it in paint thinner. I was not going to let a centimeter of this survive. I watched it erupt into flames and the yellow and orange glows danced upon my face. It felt like peace and harmony had fallen all around. The looking glass was of no more, it did not bring back my beloved parents but it brought back a sense of humanity to me. I will never know how or why the mirror did what it did. What I do know though, is that evil does exist.
Friday, February 27, 2009
State of the Union Address
"and dropping out of high school is no longer an option... it is not just quitting on yourself, it is quitting on your country."
Obama is and always will have a way with words. When he speaks it is not just reciting a few sentences, he booms with emotion and ignites this spell on you. Everyone in the room grows silent and for once listens. Honestly though, I do not know what to think. I do not know what to expect. He said himself, that such high standards like this usually end in broken promises. How am I to know that this will not be another let down? Yes it will take a grip of responsibility to avoid this, but how much of that rests in America's hands and how far are we willing to go?
He called upon us, this generation, and told us that higher education will happen just through volunteering or helping our country. Does this apply now though? Or will those after me be able to take on these great opportunities? How can it be assured that we ourselves will not be the ones placing acceptance letters back in envelopes?
I am told to talk about how this makes me feel. I am scared. I am scared that we will make the payments for college, and after years of tyring I will go into a competition where there is no game because jobs will be scarce. I am scared that I will never be able to afford my own house, buy a new car, or even be able to afford insurance of my own.
Obama mentioned that when we become the next generation fo parents, we need to introduce education into their lives as early as possible. When that time comes though, will we even be able to afford babies? After they come, they come with a few prices and diapers are not free. I guess a way to help though maybe would be to just not pro create. Yes, babies are beautiful and bring joy and so on but come on. Can we really afford them? We are going to ahve student loans on our hands, plus bills, plus maybe bank loans. We can sit down and read a book all we want but that is not going to put dinner on the table and clothes on their backs.
I know this all sounds cynical and angry, but I just do not want to get my hopes up and have them crash down before me. I would rather expect the worse and be impressed later on when the worse does not come, than look for the rainbow that will never show through.
Obama is and always will have a way with words. When he speaks it is not just reciting a few sentences, he booms with emotion and ignites this spell on you. Everyone in the room grows silent and for once listens. Honestly though, I do not know what to think. I do not know what to expect. He said himself, that such high standards like this usually end in broken promises. How am I to know that this will not be another let down? Yes it will take a grip of responsibility to avoid this, but how much of that rests in America's hands and how far are we willing to go?
He called upon us, this generation, and told us that higher education will happen just through volunteering or helping our country. Does this apply now though? Or will those after me be able to take on these great opportunities? How can it be assured that we ourselves will not be the ones placing acceptance letters back in envelopes?
I am told to talk about how this makes me feel. I am scared. I am scared that we will make the payments for college, and after years of tyring I will go into a competition where there is no game because jobs will be scarce. I am scared that I will never be able to afford my own house, buy a new car, or even be able to afford insurance of my own.
Obama mentioned that when we become the next generation fo parents, we need to introduce education into their lives as early as possible. When that time comes though, will we even be able to afford babies? After they come, they come with a few prices and diapers are not free. I guess a way to help though maybe would be to just not pro create. Yes, babies are beautiful and bring joy and so on but come on. Can we really afford them? We are going to ahve student loans on our hands, plus bills, plus maybe bank loans. We can sit down and read a book all we want but that is not going to put dinner on the table and clothes on their backs.
I know this all sounds cynical and angry, but I just do not want to get my hopes up and have them crash down before me. I would rather expect the worse and be impressed later on when the worse does not come, than look for the rainbow that will never show through.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Media Bias/Spin
When it comes down to it, I honestly think that the media constantly pumps out negative subjects in order to keep our country living in fear. It is easier to run a Nation who is scared than one who is confident. I think at any time a Republican makes a mistake, it's becomes a frenzy and they are targeted for it. However, if a Democrat does something of the same, it is almost excused. Even among people, Republicans are generally shunned. I myself have frowned upon them.
I have also noticed that the different articles you read about the same subjects, contain different facts. Like with the attack in Pakistan, they had three different death tolls in each article and totally different titles. In the first it was negative, and made you angry. The second mentioned how it was the Taliban getting bombed, and honestly Taliban is incredibly negative in the American vocabulary. Then in the third it mentioned how we had a U.S. representative there to "find facts". No one really knows what really happened though because it is all so different.
My memory was refreshed today, on how writing can contain opinions that can curve your views. We read two articles about Sam Hughes. One was about how he was a war monger and people were happy to be rid of him and then the other mentioned how he should be respected and thanked for all he has done. Which is which though? It almost feels like you cannot rely on the media because it is constantly going in both directions of opinion. Yes, they offer some facts but certainly not enough to get the story straight. With the little facts they do give, it feels like a maneuver used on the audience to persuade them into agreeing.
It is ridiculous.
I have also noticed that the different articles you read about the same subjects, contain different facts. Like with the attack in Pakistan, they had three different death tolls in each article and totally different titles. In the first it was negative, and made you angry. The second mentioned how it was the Taliban getting bombed, and honestly Taliban is incredibly negative in the American vocabulary. Then in the third it mentioned how we had a U.S. representative there to "find facts". No one really knows what really happened though because it is all so different.
My memory was refreshed today, on how writing can contain opinions that can curve your views. We read two articles about Sam Hughes. One was about how he was a war monger and people were happy to be rid of him and then the other mentioned how he should be respected and thanked for all he has done. Which is which though? It almost feels like you cannot rely on the media because it is constantly going in both directions of opinion. Yes, they offer some facts but certainly not enough to get the story straight. With the little facts they do give, it feels like a maneuver used on the audience to persuade them into agreeing.
It is ridiculous.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Graduation Speech
My mother once said to me, that her dream was too see me in a cap and gown. Well mom, I made it.
As we stand here before you today, we have proved to not only our family, friends, and peers but to ourselves that we can conquer anything. Today marks the end of our 12 year quest to obtain the title of high school graduate and take grasp of the paper that determines the rest of our lives. Today, the system we had grown so accustomed too comes to a close. We, as a class, represent the Phoenix. We dueled out all the ridiculous hardships, survived the "best" years of our life, and it is finally combusting into flames. As we rise out of the fire though, we embark on a new journey through life, as full fledge adults.
It was not always like this though. Before we walked through the doors of McLain I think we all had the fear that this school, like any other high school, would be the same. We would be overlooked for not being captain of the football team, forgotten for not taking part in any sort of club, and only passed because we could not be dealt with. That was far from the case though. When we came teachers actually remembered our names. They were truly interested in getting to know us as people and help us to achieve. The counselors made it a mission to do anything possible to help us gain credits. And we did. Even the administrators of JeffcoNet took the effort of learning about us. This include those who were not always in trouble either. For the first time in ages, the desire to go to school was revived. No longer was it a burden to wake up and sit in a class. It became enjoyable, which is something that is generally unheard of. This is all thanks to the people of McLain, and to personally the staff of JeffcoNet. I truly believe that this school is Jefferson County's best kept secret. And none of us, class of 2009, would be here today, ready for the next step, without them.
So here is to them, for not leaving us behind. And here is to us for not giving up. I wish you all the best of luck in everything you do.
Congratulations class of 2009, we really did it.
As we stand here before you today, we have proved to not only our family, friends, and peers but to ourselves that we can conquer anything. Today marks the end of our 12 year quest to obtain the title of high school graduate and take grasp of the paper that determines the rest of our lives. Today, the system we had grown so accustomed too comes to a close. We, as a class, represent the Phoenix. We dueled out all the ridiculous hardships, survived the "best" years of our life, and it is finally combusting into flames. As we rise out of the fire though, we embark on a new journey through life, as full fledge adults.
It was not always like this though. Before we walked through the doors of McLain I think we all had the fear that this school, like any other high school, would be the same. We would be overlooked for not being captain of the football team, forgotten for not taking part in any sort of club, and only passed because we could not be dealt with. That was far from the case though. When we came teachers actually remembered our names. They were truly interested in getting to know us as people and help us to achieve. The counselors made it a mission to do anything possible to help us gain credits. And we did. Even the administrators of JeffcoNet took the effort of learning about us. This include those who were not always in trouble either. For the first time in ages, the desire to go to school was revived. No longer was it a burden to wake up and sit in a class. It became enjoyable, which is something that is generally unheard of. This is all thanks to the people of McLain, and to personally the staff of JeffcoNet. I truly believe that this school is Jefferson County's best kept secret. And none of us, class of 2009, would be here today, ready for the next step, without them.
So here is to them, for not leaving us behind. And here is to us for not giving up. I wish you all the best of luck in everything you do.
Congratulations class of 2009, we really did it.
Friday, January 30, 2009
"The Lady or The Tiger"
The curriculum for "The Lady or The Tiger" would include 1.a (RED) where you basically "think about thinking" or at least are aware of your thoughts. This is known as metacognition and it also involves knowing where, when, and why you should use strategies like: making a connection, asking questions, clarifying, visualizing, inferring, summarizing, finding the importance in text, and synthesising.
1.b (YELLOW) in this section you find and use context clues to gain a better understanding of what it is you are reading.
2.1 (YELLOW) it mentioned how it is best to discuss, investigate, and take notes on different pieces of writing to help not only understand it better but enhance your on writing skills.
2.g (YELLOW) was to demonstrate different uses in vocabulary. Throughout the entire reading of "The Lady of The Tiger", there were dozens of words that to me personally were completely foreign. However, based on the time of the story it fit with the tone and voice that the writer let out. It also gave us the opportunity to use our brains to solve the different meanings of different words.
With 3.a (RED), it basically summed up how a writer can use formal and informal writing in their pieces. With whatever they choose though, grammar is very important because that is how an audience interprets their words. Punctuation is what controls the flow, pattern, and portion of sentences. What I get from this, is to use organization with your writing at all times. It is okay to branch out, however do so in a manner where people are going to comprehend what you are saying.
In 4.b (RED) it said it is sometimes best to build connections off of the text so you can draw a better conclusion of what the piece is about.
With 4.c (RED) it mentioned that being able to summarize is very important. When you can read a story, gain all the key points of it, and give that information to someone else allows you to explore your comprehension of the text.
On 6.a (BLUE) you are taking what you already know about literature terms and applying it to the author's work. By doing so you are demonstrating your knowledge and gaining a better idea of what the piece is about.
Then, last but not least we have 6.c (blue) which gives you the opportunity to compare and contrast different stories from any sort of genre, time, and place. There are many themes and structures that are used among writings across the world and as we encounter this, we learn more from it.
1.b (YELLOW) in this section you find and use context clues to gain a better understanding of what it is you are reading.
2.1 (YELLOW) it mentioned how it is best to discuss, investigate, and take notes on different pieces of writing to help not only understand it better but enhance your on writing skills.
2.g (YELLOW) was to demonstrate different uses in vocabulary. Throughout the entire reading of "The Lady of The Tiger", there were dozens of words that to me personally were completely foreign. However, based on the time of the story it fit with the tone and voice that the writer let out. It also gave us the opportunity to use our brains to solve the different meanings of different words.
With 3.a (RED), it basically summed up how a writer can use formal and informal writing in their pieces. With whatever they choose though, grammar is very important because that is how an audience interprets their words. Punctuation is what controls the flow, pattern, and portion of sentences. What I get from this, is to use organization with your writing at all times. It is okay to branch out, however do so in a manner where people are going to comprehend what you are saying.
In 4.b (RED) it said it is sometimes best to build connections off of the text so you can draw a better conclusion of what the piece is about.
With 4.c (RED) it mentioned that being able to summarize is very important. When you can read a story, gain all the key points of it, and give that information to someone else allows you to explore your comprehension of the text.
On 6.a (BLUE) you are taking what you already know about literature terms and applying it to the author's work. By doing so you are demonstrating your knowledge and gaining a better idea of what the piece is about.
Then, last but not least we have 6.c (blue) which gives you the opportunity to compare and contrast different stories from any sort of genre, time, and place. There are many themes and structures that are used among writings across the world and as we encounter this, we learn more from it.
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