Blog
“The true alchemists do not change lead into gold;
they change the world into words.” – William H. Gass
Final blog! Blog 15 will be my reflection about my experience in the English Composition I with Sabatino Mangini. Before the starting of the writing blog, I went through two texts: Reflective Writing and Genres in Academic Writing: Reflection. During one of the last classes, we were introduced to HIIT – high-intensity internal training. We had to compose four types of writing: Empathy letter to a character in my memoir, Counter-factual to my Narrative Project, Sympathy letter to the character in films/audience/women/girls/men/boys, and Counter-argument dialog to my Research project. Some of my classmates did it like blog posts.
First of all, I want to say a huge thanks to our teacher, Sabatino Mangini, for such an unforgettable and unusual experience in English Composition I class. What he has taught us and what we did in this class can be compared only to crazy lab tests when you really do not know the final result but you are certainly excited about the process. This class for sure has shaped my author identity and opened new horizons of writing as a blog and a memoir. I have stopped scarring of writing, English grammar, and a strict structure of writing. I have realized how it is important to use language that will be understandable for your audience. In other words, I totally comprehend the concept of discourse community awareness. When I am writing, I often use words such as “it”, “some” but after a couple of classes, I realize the pernicious meaning of these words. I have started to use specific words as much as possible during writing. Now, I can freely say that the theory of writing is to make meaning. Words must be put on the paper to be heard. Choosing a proper genre is important if you really want your message has been reached your reader. And, it is a normal thing to do the first draft badly. Professor in one of the classes though into the air such abbreviations as PIE, TPS, and DAT. We were sitting and looking at him like he is alien. Last week, we operated these terms as we have known them all our life. As for me, the most essential part of writing is the purpose of it – PIE: pursued, inform, or entertain. Do I grow as a writer? I can say, for sure and I will repeat myself, I have stopped scarring of writing. I made a step from official academic writing to a more informal type as blogging. I have caught how it is significant to do a revision of drafts because each new day brings new ideas and views. I opened for myself a new genre, OP-ED and used it in my Research Project. It seems that in my future tries of writing, I will step aside and think, “What if Sabatino would read this piece of my writing, what he would say?” I think that multi-genre and multimodal writing can and will help me in future during studying. From now I would not stop on the second draft because it is enough for a good grade. I will do revising as much as I need until I will feel total satisfaction from my paper.
4 Comments
The first draft of my Research Project is done. It was hard to organize and fit all that I want to say it into Op-Ed format. What I saw in my head before the starting of the research project and what is on paper is a little bit different. As I chose parents as my auditory, it was challenging to connect documentaries to the research project. Films are talking about either women or men image on social media and it impacts children’s and adult’s brains bur no single word of addiction to the cell phones or social media itself.
The pre-first draft, that only I can see, is more free writing. How Sabatino has taught us, free writing is actually everything that is in your mind about the topic. As soon as I have started reading and organized my pre-first draft, I feel that my thoughts about the topic become structured and everything that I need is just to find proper quotation and reliable sources. The more I googled, the more convinced I was of my research question. Some psychologist not only admitted a problem with social media in children but even gave a name to it, the social-media addiction. I am glad that Sabatino gave us a choice of medium. Op-Ed is new for me, honestly it was the first time when I heard about it. I like this genre because I can put my thoughts to the writing unlike with MLA format. I have stuck with behavior comparison of the drug addicted people who is adult and children whose behavior is still pretty childish. I did my best and will do revision and editing after my first draft will come back from professor. I knew before starting that a topic “Children and Internet or electronic devices” is so battered theme that it is hard to say something new or inspirational. Do not judge strictly. I hope that my writing would find at least one already existed or future parent and change the view of social-media time spending by his or her child. I come to research project as close as I have to start do it. It is good that Sabatino gave us a list of research questions. So, we can use then and even modify just to narrow it.
My research project will be about similarities of social media addiction and drug addiction. I want to compare some aspects of behaviour of people and withdrawal effects. With my op-ed paper, I want to show already existing parents or future parents how from simple online cartoon or so-called developmental game, your loved child could become addicted to social media and how such kind addiction could impact health of your child. I plan to use films that we watched, “Platon’s Cave, and some other resources. Here is my blog #12 about our class activity based on the two films that we watched last week. Our teacher gave us random pages from the movies’ script and we had to find phrases from these small parts of the whole movie and at the same time, these phrases must represent the movies in general. At the end of the activity, a poster to both movies had to been produced.
At first glance, it is so easy to find a phrase, but I have to switch off my knowledge about whole films and concentrate only on these two pages. It is like, I have to choose a couple of words to encourage someone to go and see these movies. One deal is o find phrases, another to draw them especially when your drawing skills at the level of middle school. Sabatino called this activity “regenre”. It was a very interesting and useful activity in terms of ability to interpret movies as an own physical picture. I think, “regenre” would help me in the research project by way of looking, evaluating, and interpreting my possible sources for the research project. A new blog and a new film this time is about boys as future men. For blog #11 I have to watch the film “The Mask You Live In” by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. our teacher also provides us with The Mask You Live In Discussion Guide. The movie is talking about the determination of being a man, what it means in the modern world, and the harsh way for each boy in reaching the name “Man.”
There are countless thousands of movies and articles about being a woman that I have read but this movie forces me to think about what it costs to be a man. The author gives the argument that parents in early childhood forbid boys from showing emotions and especially crying. The film makes me sorry for the same behavior to my son. I was one of those mothers who were not happy with the child’s crying in public places. I feel sorry for my friends-parents who now are doing the same with their sons. The term “masculinity” is used through all film. This picture of a man who exhibits the top of masculinity is drawn by books, media, and society in general. Unfortunately, I could not remember any single book or story from my childhood or my son where boy/man was shown as a sensitive and emotional character. It always brave, hot and physically strong guy who can solve all problems and never feeling. And later, wives and mothers would complain about how heartless and impassive their husbands and sons. But wait… they are what we created earlier. The movie and arguments in it do not force me for radical changes. Maybe I will try to be more discreet to my son in some situations. And for sure I will share my experience with this film and will advise to watch it especially to moms of sons. We are coming closer to the research project. Blog #10 will be about my feeling and emotional response to the movie “Miss Representation” by Jennifer Siebel Newson. Our professor also provides us with Miss Representation Discussion Guide and Miss Representation Script. I watched this film in one breath and for sure would recommend it to my friend. This film is about a modern type of women’s inequality on political and media arenas.
As for me, the best description of this movie is a quote from the Miss representation Discussion Guide, “The media, a lack of roles models, and women themselves are some of the factors keeping progress at bay.” The director of the film through the words of different famous women in politic and entertainment as well as via own analysis of the statistic data gives us arguments why inequality still exists. Her arguments and facts make me take thought about the world we live in. While I was watching the film, I felt like one of those high-school girls who are under pressure of being not perfect physically and depended on the opinion of others. Only not lazy does not speak about bullying in schools and media’s propaganda of slim and super beautiful girls, but in practice, almost nothing has been changed. I feel like bullying becomes more sophisticated because of “help” of media. The movie makes me think about my school years - how I survived and did not become an introverted nut. I always knew that human being deeply depends on the opinion of other, but the movie makes me think how deep this dependence is reaching. I totally agreed with the author of the movie that modern public image of a woman does not show intellectual ability, rather women’s image is sexualized via different forms of media. I have repeatedly explained to my son what we indeed see on TV. I have always repeated to him and my friends, who have kids, that child’s mind and worldview are not developed enough to understand media and especially to be able to separate fiction from truth. This film encourages me to look at all what the media shows even more critical and evaluative. For my family, spend time outdoor walking or camping during summer and visiting other indoor attractions during winter is almost an axiom for all of us. Although a desire to join any club or foundation that promote women’s rights did not come to my mind after watching the movie. Hello again with my blog #9. We are in the middle of the English Composition I, and a lot of things have been done. It was not easy always, but possible. I think when a person goes beyond own comfort zone, he/she would succeed. That what happening with me right now in this class. Blog #9 will be about my English class as discourse community; about my identity as a member of this discourse community; and about identity of whole class in term of one united discourse community. I will explore and value our discourse community through the prism of three texts: Our Discourse Community Values; “What is Literacy?” by James Paul Gee; “We Are Many” by Pablo Neruda. Plus, our professor gave a choice of genres of interpretation for this blog, and I decided to go out of standard essay boundaries and try quote collage. Just for better view my quotes collage
blog9.pdf Hello. This is my blog #8 and probably the most boring one. Why, you would ask me… This blog is about the well-being of my digital portfolio… Plus, this blog will serve as a promise for my English instructor to review and make improvement according to our instructor’s requirements: DIGITAL PORTFOLIO WEB PAGE DESIGN.
Home Page Well-Being Assessment: functioning. Why Assessment Summary: I miss a sentence as introduction to my primary instinct English Composition I goals. How and When Assessment Summary: I will add missing sentence by the 11:59 March 16, 2019. About Page Well-Being Assessment: functioning. Why Assessment Summary: the text is more informative and missing some part of emotions and thoughts. How and When Assessment Summary: I will add some extra information by the 11:59 March 16, 2019. Contact page Well-Being Assessment: flourishing. Blog Well-Being Assessment: functioning. Why Assessment Summary: blog #7 is missing. How and When Assessment Summary: The blog #7 is the Vblog that is not my genre of writing and communication activity. Unfortunately, I cannot overcome myself and to do video. Probably, to the end of semester, I will try to post a blog not related to the course outline. Narrative Project Page Well-Being Assessment: functioning. Why Assessment Summary: In the introduction part, the link to the blog #5 is missing as well as I have to put titles and short summary to the all linked blogs. The first graft has to be corrected in organization part. Also, I have to review the first draft and add more emotions and thoughts, and correct some dialogs. How and When Assessment Summary: I will review and add missing parts by the 11:59 March 16, 2019. Research Project Page Well-Being Assessment: functioning. Why Assessment Summary: I have to add more information about my past project in Canadian college in the introduction part. How and When Assessment Summary: I will add missing information by the 11:59 March 16, 2019. My fifth blog will be about my first draft of the narrative project. Our instructor asks before writing this blog to watch three episodes from “Wizard of Oz”: Wizard of Oz: If I Only Had The Brain, Heart, Nerve; Wizard of Oz: Meeting the Wizard; Wizard of Oz: You've Always Had the Power. In this blog, I have to give a response from present to the past situation that I described in my narrative project through the prism of the brain (mind), heart (emotions), and nerve (high-stake).
BRAIN. What was I thinking at that point??? I knew that guy a little bit more than one year and nevertheless, I easily agreed not only to marry him but also move with him who-knows-where. I trusted him in past and trust him now even more. I know I did not make a mistake in the past. HEART. In the past, my emotions were responsible for that decision. I was deeply in love with my fiancé. Of cause, some warning about parents and how they would accept this all was in my mind. Now, I am totally happy that my decision. NERVE. My friends always tell me that I strong and brave, crazy brave. Marry with a guy, let him adopt a son and go with him beyond the ocean… And to do all these in six months, anybody needs a brave. Today, I know that I would do the same if time to reverse. I was in a couple of years after a hard divorce, living with a little son in my parents’ house. What kind of future could I have? I think, at that moment decided to marry and move to Canada were exactly what I needed. RE-EXAMINE. In the past, my power was only in consent or disagreement to the propositions. I knew my fiancé would go anyway to Canada. I have never dreamed about immigration, but I have dreamed about a man like him. Today, if beliefs to my husband, I had power in that situation. He confessed he would wait for my positive answer. WHAT SHAPES OUR SENSE OF IDENTITY: LIFE EVENTS OR THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES ABOUT LIFE EVENTS? I think that life events shape our sense of identity. What happened to us or our loved one make us human being. Life events change emotions, feelings, and even point of life-view in a particular situation or people. Stories what we can tell to ourselves or s are not always true and can be different depending to whom we are telling them. Fourth blog and everything become intricate… For this blog we have to read Hills Like White Elephants (Ernest Hemingway) , find and discuss symbolism. This story is about bringing a new life in the world and family, about a hard decision that a person is faced, and possible future changes. Everyday we have to make a choice or decision. Sometimes it likes what kind of yogurt I will eat, but another time it is more complicated and weightier one that could switch routine life on 180 degrees. It was already two years how my family and i have settled in Toronto. In Ukraine, we had a cat, but we gave him to another family because of the relocation and we did not know anything about a process of cat “immigration.” After two years, finally, I was able to visit my parents in Ukraine. I had one long shot in my mind and even my dear husband did not believe in it. As you, I hope, understand, I decided to bring a cat from Ukraine. Why??? We want a particular breed and color. Such kind of kittens are too expensive in Canada, but we can afford such kitten in Ukraine. When I came to Ukraine, I did all research about breeder company and necessary documents and payments. It was a long sleepless trip with a delay in Amsterdam and a long line for check out in Pearson International Airport in Toronto. And, here are totally tired me with a screaming cat in a bag, always hungry teenager’s son and a border security officer. The officer asked me,” Madam, do you a cat with you?” “Really?” I thought, and said,” Yes, I bought it back home and bring her, and of course I have all the necessary documents for a cat.” “But you did not mention it in your declaration! It is mandatory to do!” In my best polite manner, I said,” Yes, I know that animal must be indicated in the declaration, but I could not find a proper line for my kitten.” “Okaaaay… you must go to the Red corridor where another officer will explain and check you and your cat.” We resignedly went in the pointed direction with hazy thoughts about our future. “Why are you here?” asked next border security officer. I again started my explanations, and he patiently, like all Canadians, listened to me. “Ok, but in the declaration, there is a line for cross-border with an animal? Why do skip it?” “I saw that line, and as I understand it is for the product made from animals, but my cat is alive.” “This line is also for live animals, and you should know about it if you travel with a cat. It is stated in bla-bla-bla law act.” “Good for you that you know it,” I thought, but said, “I am so sorry for my mistake. What must I do now? Can we correct my mistake?” At this point, I was enough scared and did not wait for anything good. But, to my big surprise, officer-veterinarian was absent on the workplace and no one check or cat’s papers either her. They just imitated some action. “You are free to go. Good luck, madam,” said the officer. “Wait, I must pay a fee for a cat, my husband told me to not forget to pay!!!” “Fee??What fee??” “You ask me what fee?” I almost told them. “Madam, it seems to us that your husband is waiting for you and your cat. Go to him and good luck.” How I could argue with border security officers, so I went to exit. For a couple of mouth, I was waiting for a penalty, but everything went well. Our cat with us, she underwent the second “immigration” to the USA. |
AuthorI will use this page to post blogs throughout my English Composition I class. Archives
May 2019
Categories
All
|