Article Response 7- Dave Barry, College

This article written by Dave Barry is quite comical. The article provided some relief from the stress in preparing for college. All seniors ever hear about is how difficult and different college is going to be. We are told that we won’t have a social life, sleep is optional, and we will be lucky if we make it through. Dave Barry made college seem like it is important, but at the same time it is a fluke. 

He explains that classes like mathematics and science are not what you should major in because there is always one, specified answer. If you don’t calculate that answer, then you’re wrong. This is why Dave Barry says you should major in English, sociology, and psychology because they are “subjects in which nobody really understands what anybody else is talking about, and which involve virtually no actual facts.” I think this definitely has some truth to it, but there comes a time when that will no longer work.  Although, this article was just silly and eased the pain of thinking about college. 

Dave Barry is also spot on when he talks about how much memorizing we do to complete an assignment or pass a test. This happens quite a bit in high school and it can be very sad. The fact that we just learn information to pass a single test and then forget it within a matter of days. It is amazing how we never actually want to learn our material, just memorize it and you can pass. I am guilty of this as well, especially being a senior, but I am trying to quit because it is important for us to care about what we are learning. Just because you pass a test, does not mean that you have succeeded. Success comes when the knowledge is learned, not just memorized, and then applied. 

         

Cheating

   

 This article entitled "Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age" is quite interesting.I never even thought about how cheating is much different in school now, then it has been in the past. This is mainly because of the increase and advancement in technology. Typically, high schoolers are not going to grab a book for there first look at research for a paper. In fact, I can almost guarantee that they will go straight to the Internet. It requires much little effort and is fairly efficient. I am guilty of this as well. I tend to lean more towards the Internet when I am doing research, but I try my hardest to read some print too. Receiving information from the online can most definitely be more tricky then getting it from a book. When it's online, we tend to think we have already heard it before which makes us think that the citation is directly from our own minds. We use the Internet as reassurance or a more detailed description of what we might already know.

 A senior attending Indiana University stated that, "You’re not coming up with new ideas if you’re grabbing and mixing and matching." This is very common in students. It is easy to just pull stuff from different cites and end up only citing one of the sources or just claiming that it was all knowledge from yourself.

 In all honesty, everyone cheats at some point in their life. The majority of people realize that it is not the right thing to do, but sometimes we forget or just simply don't care. Whether it may be copying someone's homework, cheating on a test, or not citing your sources correctly, it's cheating. The best way to not cheat is to avoid it and give credit where credit is due.

Article Response #3

I found these two articles to be very interesting to read because they are common mistakes I make when I am writing. The first article entitled, 7 Grammar Rules you Should pay Attention to, was very funny to read. There was definitely a sense of humor brought out in this text. I related to the first section which was, The Subjunctive. It seems odd to use, but now it makes more sense to me because it is a lot like Spanish subjunctive. A specific tense is to be used with words such as if or wish. The other section I focused on was the dreaded semicolon. I definitely try to avoid it at all cost because it is just strange. I would much rather form two sentences instead.

 The second article was 7 Bogus Grammar 'Errors' you Don't Need to Worry About. I enjoyed the section about not ending a sentence with a preposition. The reason why I was focused on this part of the article is because my dad likes to call me out on this every time. I find it extremely frustrating and difficult to master because not many people actually use it correctly. A common example that I use a lot is, "What are we here for?". It sounds and looks much different when it's written out on paper than when it is actually said out loud.

Proposal- St. Jude Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Hospital has a mission to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.  St. Jude provides an amazing experience for the patients, doctors, and families involved. The hospital has also created a hopeful experience for me. Although St. Jude offers they’re employees competitive salaries, many benefits, and opportunities for education, the most important is that they offer a unique sense of purpose. This can be very different than how our society and culture operate.

Article Response #2

What Americans Keep Ignoring About Finland's School Success

This article describes the big differences between Finland's schools and schools in the U.S today. Lately, there has been stunning success in Finland's education compared to the U.S. It was ranked number one in "The Quality of Life" in Newsweek last year. These students have been achieving some of the highest test scores in the world. 

Some of the main differences at the Finland schools are that there are no standardized tests except for one called the National Matriculation Exam. Instead of the typical standardized testing, the teachers assess the children independently in classrooms which is what becomes their report card. 

Finland schools offer all students free school meals, easy access to health care, psychological counseling and individualized guidance.

Many Americans questioned their idea of teaching. They had questions like, "How can you keep track of students' performance if you don't test them constantly?" I can understand exactly why they are questioning the teaching because Americans are very use to the "norm" which is standardized testing in American education. Although, I find it very interesting and enjoy the idea of teachers assessing the children instead of testing them. 

The author of this article ended it with this;

      "The problem facing education in America isn't the ethnic diversity of the population but the economic inequality of society, and this is precisely the problem that Finnish education reform addressed. More equity at home might just be what America needs to be more competitive abroad."

This statement  is somewhat contradicting because earlier in the article the author believes that, "Real winners do not compete." Yet the author describes America competing abroad with other education systems. 

In my opinion, this article was interesting to read. it had some very strong points and examples supporting the thesis and title given. I think that it also gave me a glimpse into a different culture just based on their education system. 

           

Article Response #1

This picture perfectly describes how I felt when I was reading the article "Is Google Making us Stupid?" The article did not catch my eye in any sort of way because it was quite a long piece and it was not an interesting topic. People more involved in media and tech would probably find this article much more enjoyable. I found my mind wandering off to other things. I read the same paragraphs multiple times to finally realize what was being said. However, I did make mental notes of the main points in the article as I read. 

 This article focused on the difference between people reading on the Internet and people who read books. The authors of the study report stated this:

 "It is clear that users are not reading online in the traditional sense; indeed there are signs that new forms of 'reading' are emerging as users “power browse” horizontally through titles, contents pages and abstracts going for quick wins. It almost seems that they go online to avoid reading in the traditional sense."

 I think it is true in some cases, but not for everyone. Some people read online the exact same way that they read a book. For example, some people skim over almost everything they read while others may read in depth almost every time.

 The author of this article believes that the Internet (Google specified) may be making people stupid.

 "Now my concentration often starts to drift after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin looking for something else to do. I feel as if I’m always dragging my wayward brain back to the text. The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle."

 I agree that people may not be as in depth with their reading online. Although, I don't believe it affects how they read outside of the Internet. Or at least it shouldn't. People should still be able to go in depth in their reading and focus for more than a few pages. There may be some other lurking variables in this situation other than the Internet and a book. That would be my question after reading this article. Are there lurking variables causing a struggle to read in depth?

Reading Response #4

Father Tim has produced a character very similar to Emma. Her name is Puny Bradshaw. Now, he has one woman at the office and a very similar one at his house. Puny was given her name when she was born because she “was sickly and puny-like.” Puny helps Father Tim around the house. She cooks, cleans, and helps take care of the garden. 

When Father Tim arrives at the office, Uncle Billy is there to greet him. Father Tim discovers that Uncle Billy is an amazing artist. Even if he is struggling with health issues, never was educated, and only has three teeth. He showed a detailed pencil sketching of a “bird dog in a cornfield, a sky alive with quail, and, in the distance, a hunter with upraised shotgun against a background of late autumn trees.”

Father Tim and Barnabas went to see Miss Sadie who is doing well, but needs some help around her house with yard work and such. Father Tim suggest Dooley for the job and Miss Sadie agrees. They bought Dooley some new clothes, bathed him, and  decided to put him in school. Now, Dooley was earning a little money and getting an education. The money he was earning, was to be saved for a fire engine red bike. Father tim held on to Dooley’s money for him. 

At the beginning of this book, Father Tim was a very independent quiet man. Now, he is very involved with the people around him in the town of Mitford. He gets out more often and is quite social. This book has shown a progression in Father Tim’s life as he runs into unexpected things each and every day. 

Reading Response #3

   

     This chapter opens with Father Tim’s secretary, Emma, explaining to him that she has fallen in love with Harold Newland. This has Emma very upset because it reminds her of how she lost Charlie ten years ago. She now feels guilty for falling in love with another man. Harold is good company to her and he is a great handy man, but there is something else that worries her other than Charlie. She is embarrassed about Harold’s age. 

“‘Because he’s only forty-five!’ Emma Wailed. He was quiet for a moment. ‘Pardon my asking so directly, but how old are you?’ He thought he remembered that she was two years his junior. ‘Fifty-eight, she said, exhausted by the ordeal of confession’.”

Uncle Billy comes into the church office bright and early to visit with Father Tim. They begin talking about Miss Rose who is Uncle Billy's wife of forty-three years. Uncle Billy describes her as “Mean as all get out, don’t you know. But that’s ‘er illness.” Miss Rose was diagnosed with schizophrenia and is on daily medication. Billy worries about her a lot and says her health is not getting any better. Father Tim leaves Billy with this encouragement;

“...God asks us not to worry about tomorrow. Just stick with today, is what he recommends. Of course, it helps to stick with him, while we’re at it.”

After Uncle Billy leaves the church office, Russell Jacks walks in. Russell tells Father Tim that he has brought his grandson. “... a barefoot, freckle-faced, red-haired boy in overalls.” Father Tim’s first encounter with Dooley had just begun with “You got any place in here where I can take a dump?” 

I predict that Dooley is about to become a bigger part in Father Tim’s life than he is ready for.

Preparing for the Movie Crash

      In preparation for watching the movie Crash, I first watched some of the videos from Face to Face. The video that stuck out the most to me was Anjum Mir. A Muslim woman who "..didn't want to be the target." After 9/11 she didn't go out for a week. This was because she feared the reaction of others. Mir also didn't want her child to have to deal with all of it.
I can't imagine how she would have felt. The thought that people were going to judge you by your appearance in such intensity that it could lead you to harm.

    Also, I have previously seen A Class Divided. I thought this video was absolutely amazing.
 Third graders were given a lesson on discrimination by dividing the class into blue-eyed people and brown-eyed people. These students latched onto the idea so quickly. Within fifteen minutes the students were calling each bad names and judging one another.
This just shows how quick people can latch on to certain ideas, even when they are absurd.

   I believe that these videos are very good for students to watch. And it will prepare us well for the movie Crash. 

Reading Response #2: At Home in Mitford

As I have continued on reading in this book, I have started to become more familiar with the author’s writing style. Jan Karon uses very descriptive language throughout the book. An example of her descriptive writing is,"The stew was on and simmering, and the fragrance in the rectory was intoxicating. The old walnut dining table gleamed under the chandelier and cast a soft glow over a silver bowl of yellow roses tinged with crimson. The cabernet sparkled in cut-glass decanters, the strains of a Mozart sonata filled the rooms with an air of expectancy and in the fading afternoon light, the gardens looked fresh and inviting from every window.” I love how you can picture this imagery in your head without being given an actual visualization. You can taste, smell, and see what Karon wrote here.
 She also uses many similes to compare different things in a more vivid style. “Hoppy Harper, who was sitting in Father Tim’s wing chair, was as relaxed ‘as a dishrag.’” And, “There was one girl from home, from Virginia, and I stuck to her like bark on a tree.”

 This section of the reading began with Father Tim preparing for the dinner party he was going to host. He wanted everything to be perfect since he hadn’t had company over to his house in quite sometime. He first began with his guest list which included Emma, Miss Sadie, Hal, Marge, and Hoppy Harper. Then he had to begin looking through cookbooks to decide what he was going to cook. He ended up picking Company Stew, one of his classics. After this he decided to clean every single space in his home. Once he finished with all this, he began to wonder why he had even bothered to have the dinner party in the first place. It was a lot of work to get everything prepared, but he was still excited to have company.

 The day of the party, Father Tim thought it would be a good idea to bathe Barnabas. He normally did this in the guest shower, but he didm’t want to clean it again. So, he went and bought a tin tub for $22.95 to bathe him outside in. It ended up being a catastrophe!

“Barnabas hurled himself into the tub with a mighty leap. Just as quickly as he went in, he came out, diving between the rector’s legs. He circled the right leg and plunged back into the water, soaking his master from head to foot.”


Father Tim’s party was not ruined due to this interruption. He was still ready on time and the guests had a delightful time.

 In the next chapter, the appraiser informed Father Tim that the painting was not a Vermeer, but it was still worth about seven to eight thousand dollars. This was a great relief to Father Tim and Emma.

Emma and other friends of Father Tim threw him a surprise party for “The Big Six-O”. He was given a red Vespa motor scooter. At first he was a bit pale and nervous about the scooter. He always walked wherever he went. But after he took it for a ride, he had a huge grin on his face.

Inspiration

In my writing, I usually find my inspiration from past experiences. It is all the things that have gone in on in my life that make me who I am today. Whenever I become stressed or worried and just need peace in my life I usually listen to music.
 My favorite type is Christian music because I love the encouraging lyrics. I think that encouraging words can be an inspiration to your writing. I especially love Natalie Grant. She is a very inspirational woman with an amazing voice. Natalie Grant’s music is always about the things of the spirit, not the things of this world. In an interview Grant said, “So much pop music today is disposable—the attitudes, the posturing, the styles—but it seems to be less about music than it is about appearance, about fashion. Now, there’s nothing wrong with fashion—I love that stuff as much or more than the next girl—I just don’t want it to define me. But the deeper things in life—values, relationships, family, and my faith in Christ—they are what’s most attractive about a person. And they’re why I sing.” I love that she doesn’t want fashion and appearance to define her life because that is not typical in our culture today. One of my favorite songs by Natalie Grant is “In Better Hands”.
Here are some lyrics from the song:

 "It's hard to stand
On shifting sand
It's hard to shine
In the shadows of the night
You can't be free
 If you don't reach for help
 And you can't love
 If you don't love yourself
But there is hope when my faith runs out...

It's like the sun is shining
When the rain is pourin' down
 It's like my soul is flying
Though my feet are on the ground
So take this heart of mine
There's no doubt
 I'm in better hands now

 I am strong
 All because of you
I stand in awe of
Every mountain that you move
I am changed
Yesterday is gone
I am safe
From this moment on..
 And there's no fear when the night comes 'round
 I'm in better hands now"

Reading Response #1: At Home in Mitford

Reading Response #1: At Home in Mitford

The first of Jan Karon’s Mitford series opens up with an interruption to Father Tim’s life as he is walking to the Lord’s Chapel. He finds himself looking eye to eye with a dog the size of a Buick. Little does he know, this is just the beginning of the interruptions in his life.

Father Tim lives in the small, quiet town of Mitford where everyone knows each other. Mitford is described as:

“..a village delightfully out of step with contemporary America. Here, where streets are named for flowers, and villagers can seek the shade of a dozen fragrant rose arbors, spring finds most of the citizenry, including merchants, making gardens.”

Father Tim decides he is going to keep the dog and he names him Barnabas. He is a very hyper and active dog until one day Father Tim discovers that the dog is controlled by Scripture. 

“Baranbas, however, couldn't contain his excitement over something new in the air. He leaped up and put his forepaws on his master’s chest and cocked his head to one side. ‘Jesus said to the disciples, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."' The rector looked at Barnabas squarely in the eye. Barnabas sighed heavily and lay down at his master’s feet.”

After this, Father Tim is given a painting donated to the Lord’s Chapel by Miss Sadie, a lifetime member of the church. This painting causes a stir because it may be a "Vermeer" and it has to be appraised by an expert for it could be quite valuable.

Tim is also diagnosed with diabetes and the doctor has told him to cut out his favorite snack, Little Debbies, and to begin running. Father Tim and I have the same thought process about running:

“He knew he didn’t want to be seen doing this. First, he wanted to try it out, in a place where there was no traffic. And while he had seen countless others running heedlessly along Main Street, he felt, somehow, that jogging was an intimate activity, accompanied by snorts, sweating, hawking, and spitting, and an inordinate amount of huffing and puffing. Why in the world would anyone want to do that up and down the center of town was beyond him.” 

Father Tim has been saying the same prayer, everyday, for 12 years. His prayer is, “Father, make me a blessing to someone today, through Christ our Lord. Amen.” I believe this is foreshadowing for what comes ahead in this book and I am anticipating his prayer to be answered very soon. 

When I began reading this book, I made a connection with  The Andy Griffith Show, a program from the 1960's. The settings of both, are a small Southern town with a population where everyone is familiar with one another. The dialects are similar as both are set in the Carolinas (Mitford in North Carolina). The sense of hospitality and the importance family and neighbors is prominent in both stories. 



I Am

I Am. . .

            big brown eyes and one dimple

            a reflection of my mother.

           

            the baby of the family,

            the half sister to three siblings,

            under the protection of an older brother,

            and two mentoring sisters who are never just my half.

           

I Am. . .

            a preacher’s daughter, not perfect, unexpected, and different.

            full of memory verses, bible stories, and worship songs.

            always known as the “PK” and always busy on Sundays,

            a part of yearly mission trips to work with amazing children.

I Am. . .

            a nail biter when stressed out,     

            an ice muncher ever since ninth grade, and

            a daily elbow popper.

I Am. . .

            Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and lots of chocolate,

             T-shirts, athletic shorts, Chacos, and oversized sweatshirts,

            an organizer and list maker.

I Am. . .

            a Sherwood Superstar, Carver Cougar, and Parkview Viking,

            involved in clubs sports and choir.

           

            a grass fairy with braided hair, tan lines,

            bruised legs, and a ball at my feet.

           

            an Algebra girl, who loves numbers and equations,

            but isn’t much into reading.

            a piano player of seven years.

I Am. . .

            strong. From one ambulance trip, medical testing, blood work, medications, and   IVs,

            yet I still wait for an answer and continue to be strong.

I Am. . .

            waiting for graduation day, to be proud and satisfied, to

            move on to college, find a career, start a family, and

            continue on in my journey.

I Am. . .

            growing and changing, but I am ready.