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** Sorry about the lack of posting to whoever reads this, now I'll be able to get back to posting regularly and feedback is welcomed ^.^
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classSadly I was unable to make it to class on Thursday Oct. 25 because of a conflicting work schedule. But from what I gathered by fellow students and through Mr. Mangini, we finished up presenting the AMA projects, talked about blog assignments, as well as how our midterm portfolios should be and how we should outline our elevator pitches. Sabatino also emailed our outlives for how our midterm portfolios should be by the deadline. homeMy bosses finally hired someone new, so I don't have to be stuck there for most of my week, leaving time to get some work done on my AMA project, as well as being able to focus more on my blog posts. Enough about my job through, this week was the long awaited Nest Fest, which is a four day long concert/party thing where you drink alotta beer and listen to a buncha bands. I took the L train down into the city, transferring onto the Broad Street Line to Girard and walked a few blocks up to the house. I walked in with my friends and saw some other people I know and met plenty more people that I didn't know. The whole place was filled with music coming from the basement where there was a huge crowd, almost 400 people, cramped into this tiny house. I drank plenty o' beers and talked to strangers and ended up sleeping on the floor, waking up the next day for a whole 'nother round of it.
** Sorry about the lack of posting to whoever reads this, now I'll be able to get back to posting regularly and feedback is welcomed ^.^
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classThis week in class was pretty enlightening. The main focus was our AMA projects and the delivery of them. The teacher wanted us to read our projects out loud to the rest of the class and admittedly i was nervous, but then I realized I was the second person on the list, so I bucked up and got over it pretty easily. My AMA is on a subject that hits pretty close to home, and it brought up some memories while I was delivering it, making me get a bit emotional during my presentation lol. After I read it I got some nice feedback from the class that hopefully will be put to use in my second draft of the assignment. We got through about half of the class' presentations, and were told to add our opinions on how to improve it, if the author felt it necessary. I spoke up a few times, but honestly I have a hard time blurting something out without being called upon, I guess I'm just used to high school or whatever. Watching other classmates present has given me new ideas in which ill apply towards my future blog posts and how I can wrap up my AMA project. homeAt home this week, the main thing that happened was a good friend of mine named Sam got out of foster care and is living back in the neighborhood. It was good to see him after about 2 years of him being away and I know it was important to him that he saw us. We caught up over some trees and some good memories resurfaced. Later in the week I went to a concert in Philly with two friends of mine. The concert was at The Coda, a nightclub in center city, and the artist Robb Bank$ was performing. The place wasn't to packed so I was able to get up to the front and shake his hand, which was cool as shit, because it's always enlightening to see a famous person up close like that.
classI walked up to class early this week because Art had e-mailed me, asking if I wanted to discuss the assignments we had and about the previous class. As I walked down the hall I saw Art and several other classmates and we all gave our opinions on how we felt about Manginis non-talking spiel, some of us liked it and some of us had dissenting opinions on the matter. As class began, Mr. M played a video made by our very own Courtney Huff as a part of her blog. Next, we were asked by the teacher to comment on some blog posts in one of his other classes. The way we did this was by finding where we were on our class list, and finding that number on the opposite classes, and giving feedback on one of their posts. This week we also were introduced to our AMA projects. Sabatino outlined how the project should be structured, in the way of a prologue, body, and and epilogue. It was to be about one of our blog posts such as transitioning to college or the banking concept of education. On a few of our options, like the This I Believe post, we were asked to provide a 3-5 minute video reading our essays. homeOver the weekend, my brother and niece spent the weekend with us so I was pretty occupied with them. I went out to Smedley Park and spent the day with them, playing on the swings and hiking around the woods. I also treated them to Perkins, which was nice and we caught up on things. Other than that things have been hectic at work the past few weeks, we've been having issues with missing money on certain days, so thankfully I'm not under suspicion, however it's been causing me to have to take over my co-workers shifts getting in the way of most of my time at home.
classThis week in class, Mr. M tried out something new. He wanted to try a technique where for the first part of the class he didn't, for the most part, say a word. The expected outcome was that we would all come together and work as a unit, critically thinking and problem-posing our way into learning. From what I got out of it, we just restated what we learned in our homework, and only a few people in the class really vocalized. I tried to but I'm way too jaded I think for all of that. Instead of everyone coming together, the people who were already the most likely to participate in class took charge of the situation. Not to say that that's bad, it helped them get some things down that they really might not have understood, however it didn't offer a lot of room for people who aren't as comfortable expressing themselves like that. HomeDuring my week at home, I spent a good amount of the time working due to various problems with other employees, putting me in the position of taking over their shifts. Over the weekend though, I had some free time, which I spent doing stupid math homework and finishing up some work for my Eng comp class. On Sunday I got a break when me and a few friends rode up to a town called Jim Thorpe in Lehigh County. It's very nice up there and was a welcome change from looking at Upper Darby all day, with people smiling and a lot of color, opposed to a seemingly constant gray. I went to coffee shops and a bookstore where I picked up a few books on various philosophical propositions.
We were asked to provide a response on the process of transitioning into college using the context in the materials given to us and based off of this prompt:
" The results of the Junior/Senior Survey suggest that, during freshman year students often worry about whether or not professors and other students at [school name] accept them. However, the survey results also suggest that most students eventually become comfortable at [school name] and find a family of people at [school name] with whom they are close and feel they belong. In an effort to further understand how the transition to college takes place, we would like to ask you to describe why you think this would be so—that is, why students might feel initially unsure about their acceptance but ultimately overcome these fears. Please be sure to illustrate your essay with examples from your own experiences in classes, seminars, lectures, study groups, and labs." Entering a new setting such as school or a new job can be uneasy and will often give rise to morose feelings for a number of reasons. I identify with this personally because up until 8th grade I attended a Catholic school, which was very small and allowed me to form a close-nit group of friends, many of which I have to this day. When I got out of middle school I began attending Upper Darby High School, where my graduating class was around 1,000 students. I knew almost nobody and the academic setting was very different leading me into a bit of a culture shock. I wasn’t used to having a locker, switching classes from room to room and meeting new people seemed almost alien to me. After the first week or so I began acclimating a bit better because I figured out my routine, but my other classmates knew each other better because they went to the same middle school and had prior experience to the public school way of doing things. A few more weeks into my attendance, I began to calm a bit more as I met new people in my classes and began to grow and be more social. Me and some friends started doing work together, sat at the same lunch table and after school we would hang out and smoke weed together. A month or so in, after being so distraught with finding friends and acclimating to life at a new school, I was being readily accepted by people and that eased my way throughout my high school career. Going through this growth experience has taught me valuable lessons, which I’ve applied it my experience thus far in college. My teachers have been welcoming and I’ve been able to make friends so far and learn from them in ways I didn’t see coming, like reviewing their Weebly sites and reviewing matters in class. Reading the studies and materials provided for us, I’ve come to realize that plenty of other people feel the same way towards entering a new chapter in your life. Applying a growth mindset to the situation, I’ve learned that once you're able to settle into a routine and make acquaintances, whether it be in school or any other big part of your life, you will realize how silly your initial fears were. Already at DCCC I’ve met new friends and I am excited to see how my relationship with them will develop. This is a big step into furthering my goals, and I appreciate the opportunity of interpersonal growth and development that writing these blog posts has to offer. This week in class, Mr. M tried out something new. He wanted to try a technique where for the first part of the class he didn't, for the most part, say a word. The expected outcome was that we would all come together and work as a unit, critically thinking and problem-posing our way into learning. From what I got out of it, we just restated what we learned in our homework, and only a few people in the class really vocalized. I tried to but I'm way too jaded I think for all of that. Instead of everyone coming together, the people who were already the most likely to participate in class took charge of the situation. Not to say that that's bad, it helped them get some things down that they really might not have understood, however it didn't offer a lot of room for people who aren't as comfortable expressing themselves like that. This style for teaching didn't really suit me or my way of learning, but I think Mr. M was smart for trying something he believes in and putting the problem-posing theory into effect. So far in this course, we’ve been challenged and have been given plenty of opportunities to further ourselves as writers. Towards the beginning of the class we were asked to list several steps that we follow when we write a paper or blog post. The steps I listed are just things I’d do unconsciously anyway, so I’d like to think that I’ve been sticking to them pretty well. My writing process just flows and I see where it takes me, making revisions as I go. My brother Parker was staying at my house for a few days this week and he's very interested in my weebly and likes the idea. He is a writer himself and has been published a few times in journals and magazines. He read my posts after I explained the concept of the assignments to him and liked my style of writing but also gave me some tips and we had a discussion about what happened in class so far. "Do you like the class so far?" Parker asked. I nodded and said, "Yeah it's cool so far, it's really social and the teacher likes to challenge and individualize us all." Parker responded, "I noticed on your Weebly thing your class learned about Paulo Freire, I've read some of his works." "Yeah my teacher likes him alot and puts his theories to use in the classroom pretty effectively for the most part, like the problem posing thing." I said back to him. "Cool man, yeah Paulos a really smart guy, his work really helped mold modern education. He went through a time where oppression was rampant and through it all he came up with great ideas like this." He explained. "I kind of feel uneasy about the whole problem-posing part though. I think it's great on paper but can't it just be like a mask for the banking concept?" I asked back at him," Because despite the attempts to make the learners function as a unit, it is still the teacher guiding them along." He rubbed his chin in thought and responded, "Yeah there's debates on the pro's and cons of them, some people think it was good for the time or certain subjects of study, and it couldn't be applied to every learning situation. We continued discussing and going over things weve done, and he seems interested. I'm going to keep in touch with him and discuss how my class goes. I Believe in Smoking Blunts…
Split. Empty. Fill. Roll. Four simple steps that have brought me so far in life. Before I get deeper into this, I could care less about them legalizing trees, because if they do it’ll just be regulated and smoking weed will be shitty. I love smoking and I’m going to keep smoking regardless of whatever social stigma is put on it. Not to say that it’s for everyone but it has helped me in life and can be right for a lot of people. Smoking has helped me grow socially and opened up doors for me that I wouldn't look on. It’s given me opportunities to develop my personality and it gave me some of the best friends I’ve ever had. In highschool I didn’t know many people at first but when I found that others shared similar hobbies I was able to acclimate better. Smoking has given me courage to try new things and to go meet new people, as well as motivating me to work harder for my goals by helping me realize what I really want to do in life. When I feel down I can chill with my friends and smoke some Swishers and really unwind, all while growing closer to the people I love. It’s been an important part in my life and I hope that in the future it can looked upon with less disdain. I understand weed is not right for everybody, but I’ve seen too many friends and family members make wrong choices and begin drinking heavily and doing drugs that hinder them to a point where I barely know them anymore as people. Smoking a blunt for me is more than just getting fried, it is a door into new ideas and good times, bringing people closer as group and as friends on this journey through life. classIn class this week we continued to revise our Weebly's and went over and article detailing "The Banking Concept of Education". It is a critique of practices of education in which the student is merely a receptacle of knowledge, and not learning how to apply said knowledge into their lives. We discussed it in class, some of us had dissenting opinions on the matter in as much that the concept can be used in conjunction with other more open ways of learning. The homework for the week dealt with personal growth. We were asked to watch several videos on a growth vs. fixed mindset and summarize it, using personal accounts and experiences. It culminated in writing a "This I Believe", which will help others understand various points of inspiration in our lives. HomeThis week at home my six year old niece stayed over and most of my time was dedicated to her. My brother, Her dad, as well as my parents had to work a lot so in the meantime I was at home with her. I took her to the park and out to eat, and decided to spoil her with a new barbie house, and those things are expensive as shit. but it was all worth it to see her smile. Other than that I was swamped with homework that I hate but I'm sure all of it will pay off in the long run.
Often as people it can be difficult to learn something new right away or to break habits. We might overthink it and give up because something new is difficult or because we are too stuck in our ways. However, with enough willpower and drive you can achieve almost anything. Practicing and dedicating yourself to learn something new or to replace a habit can lead to the growth in your brain both physically and mentally. This is called the growth mindset. People who believe that it is possible to grow through learning and are not inherently unable to accomplish a certain goal tend to fall into this category. On the opposite side of the spectrum, there are those who do not believe in the potential growth of your skill and will falter, giving up on it as a whole instead of allowing your brain to grasp new ideas. Those in the growth mindset category tend to score better on tests and are willing to participate more in a learning environment as opposed to fixed mindset people. To learn about the subject i recommend some videos by Carissa Romero.
In My personal life, I like to look at myself as being in the growth mindset. I am outgoing and strive for the thing I'd like to accomplish. Using the things I've learned and growing from the things I’ve accomplished will help me realize my goals and how to achieve them. Since going into college and having to pay all thi$ money, concentrating on my growth as a person has gotten more important. In highschool I would skip a lot because I didn’t want to believe i should try. I was stuck up in my social life without trying to mediate it with school and other things. Now though I am more motivated to try harder because I’m being pushed harder and I’ve realized it’s time to grow up. DCCC will be a pivotal point in my life because here I will make the decision on where I want to go in life. Here I’ll practice what I want to do and explore my options thoroughly. Hopefully I’ll be able to learn skills more akin to the growth mindset that can move me along on my journey. The lights are dim at Tipsy McStagger’s bar on a Tuesday night. The usual drunken rabble abounds throughout the small hole in the wall bar. An amalgamation of writers sits at a dusty round table in a desolate back corner of the small town watering hole, discussing principles of their authorizations. Shooting back and forth in half-slurred arguments somewhat pertaining to the issues at hand. Each of their own unique esteem, these people of letters have appraised writings on various subjects, which will come to play in upcoming events. Maria Popova discourses various authors routines, often quoting them to some extent (http://www.brainpickings.org/2012/11/20/daily-routines-writers/). Anne Lamott composed Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life which goes into detail various writing processes, and finally Ray Bradburry who wrote Zen in the Art of Writing , which helps stressed out when it comes to writing. That’s when I walked up.
Ben: Do you three mind if I join you, I’m in the middle of writing a series of papers centered on the writing process and I could use some advice. Maria: The desk in the room, near the bed, with a good light, midnight till dawn, a drink when you get tired, preferably at home, but if you have no home, make a home out of your hotel room or motel room or pad: peace.(Jack Kerouac) Ben: Excuse me? Maria laughs, stands up, and heads off to grab another drink. Ray: You stumble into it, mostly. You don't know what you're doing, and suddenly, it's done. Ben: Uhm, well I think there’s more to it than that, that’s rather ambiguous. Ray: It evolves out of your own life and night scares. Ben: Well what is it!? Anne raises her head from her glass, smirking. Anne: The first useful concept is the idea of short assignments. She sips on the drink. Anne: Often when you sit down to write, *hic*, what you have in mind is an autobiographical about your childhood, or a play about the immigrant experience, or a history of -oh,shay- say women. Maria comes back to her seat holding four glasses of Jameson and plops one in front of me. Maria: To quote Shusan Shontang, “I write in spurts. I write when I have to because the pressure builds up and I feel enough confidence that something has matured in my head and I can write it down”. Ben gulps down his the rest of his glass. Ben: Okay, so what I’m gathering from this is that, you guys are saying I should start small, and to find a place that's comfortable to me? So far I’ve been thinking about whole storylines, I think starting smaller might help me be able to concentrate more. Ray: I wrote at least a thousand words a day every day from the age of twelve on, but hey man. Maria, now with her head down, raises an arm with her finger pointing up. Maria: Maya Angelou once said, “I write in the morning and then go home about midday and take a shower, because writing, as you know, is very hard work, so you have to do a double ablution…*hic...But the editing, one’s own editing, before the editor sees it, is the most important.” Ben: Like proofreading? Anne: Now, practically even better news than that of the short assignments is the idea of shitty first drafts. All good writers write them. The table shares a collective, drunkenly laugh. Anne: Now, I’ve been wrong before, but I’d bet you anything that this guy never shows his work to other writers before trying to get someone to buy it. I bet he thinks he’s above that. Ben flares up red, but quickly laughs it off. Ben: Yeah well, maybe you’re right. I’ve never been someone to rely on others like that, I like to think that I’m a good judge of my own work. Ray: I leave you now at the bottom of your own stair, at half after midnight, with a pad, a pen, and a list to be made. Conjure the nouns, alert the secret self, taste the darkness. Ben shakes his head, laughs, looks at the time, and stands up. Ben: Well this has certainly been an enlightening experience. You’ve all given me tidbits of tips. But There was something deeper to what you all had said. I’ll take that to heart as i continue my writing processes. Ben leaves the bar, the authors go back to their rabble, the drunks keep drinking. It was like he’d never been inside that bar. Such a small mark left on the world, but in him inspiration began to grow, guiding him on this journey, for better , or worse. |
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