Free-write: I write to... (22/04/13)

I write to let my feelings out and be creative. Sometimes it's easier to put a pen to paper or finger to key than to put words to my lips. Sometimes there's no one to talk about your feelings or to find the right person suited to talk about these things to. It provides an escape where you can write up a character that can be the kind of person that you wish you could be, but cannot. Writing allows me to use my dreams as inspiration for stories, just as I could with paintings. It allows me to create a world that is more interesting than the one I live, more perfect or more flawed. It allows me to tell stories that never happened but I wished happened. In writing I can be whoever I want, or can take myself out of the picture for once. Writing allows for reflection, and allows for me to get my emotions out. I have the opportunity to write whatever I want and not be criticized, because no one but me will ever know if it's based off of fact or fiction. Writing allows for an absence of judgement of your own true character; a character could just be a character or he or she could be an outlet for allowing your deepest feelings out.

Blogs, On Blogs, On Blogs

For another writing exercise we (the students in my class) were responsible for commenting on each of each other's blogs.

There were many posts I went through, however none were put together as beautifully as Carla's post about the treasured books she has read throughout her time in school:
http://mottylcat.blogspot.ca/2013/04/my-treasure.html

This blog post (linked below) shares what the author feels about fiction being taken of the course curriculum. He mention how much he enjoyed the course readings throughout school, and how it provided as a outlet into another world away from reality for him:
http://fightforfiction.blogspot.ca/2013/04/dont-take-away-books.html#comment-form

Here is another link to a blog post made by a classmate of mine, C Harps. He writes a farewell letter to Atticus Finch. He incorporates what he's learned from the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, which I think is a great to mention about literature. Literature not purely about entertainment, you're also able to learn so many things from it, and it can help you grow as a person, which it has for C Harps:
http://bloggerman321.blogspot.ca/2013/04/farewell-atticus-finch.html


TO BE CONTINUED WITH LINKS TO INTERESTING BLOG POSTS THROUGHOUT THE FUTURE

Lightbulb Moments: A Reflection On My Education

          Over my years in high school I have learned quite a few things. One thing that came to me rather recently, and I do not know exactly how to explain it, is that something made me feel connected and as though I have grown since I entered high school.

           At the beginning of high school I was worried that I would never "connect" to many people, however at my house dinner (an event my residence holds at least once a year) I asked a friend of mine what were his plans for the upcoming break and after he answered my question he said that although the break was going to be short he would miss me and some of the other guys from our residence. This hit me hard because at the beginning of high school I would have never in a million years thought I would affect someone that was younger than me's/ someone that wasn't in my initial close friend group's life. It showed that my efforts to be outgoing have worked, as well as that I have learned many social skills in high school. It also made me feel like I was apart of family. This, however, is what many people say about my school but only now do I know it's true.

          Another thing I learned was that the teachers at my school actually care for us and they're at our school for more than just a job. This was proven multiple times over through my high school career. Life at my school has made me a better/well-rounded person. It has educated me in a way that has allowed for growth as well as to feel connected to the outside world. It's helped me socially, not only with people my age but as well as with adults. Overall my education has taught me more things than I ever initially thought possible.

Viral Video Response: 2nd Grade Teacher Resignation

Here is a link to the video being responded to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBSgchJe2Z0&feature=player_embedded

             I agree a lot with what the teacher has has to say, not all children can be put into a cookie-cutter style day at school and come out successful. In fact, his description of a typical day at the school he taught at was very similar to what days used to be like at my old elementary school. As for his other points, such as school should be enjoyable for these children, I agree with him whole-heartedly. Even his idea of an alternate way of going about handling his students seems much more beneficial for everyone compared to the current one at hand. 

            One thing I'm very confused about is why he was prohibited to tutor a student. To me it makes no sense that a school board would have a policy like that, since the primary role of an educator is to educate. 

           Overall, I think this video deserved to go viral because even though it came off as slightly abrasive that is how it should/needed of come off, and clearly his methods of acting this way to get attention worked, since the video itself has gone viral.

Personal Definition of Education

Education: The teaching of interactions with the outside world as well as social skills. It should allow for the 'educated' to be formed into a well-rounded person therefore including teaching in social, academic, and health informations.

Response To Classic Literature Being Replaced By 'Informational Texts' On The US Curriculum In The Future

Here is the article from The Telegraph that I am responding to:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/9729383/Catcher-in-the-Rye-dropped-from-US-school-curriculum.html

Dearest Editor of The Telegraph,

I cannot express my discontent after reading this article.  I think if I was to miss out on reading all that great literature that I was exposed to as a child, and now as an adolescent, I wouldn’t be as creative and overall intelligent as I am today. Without the literature I read in class I feel my over creativity will be hindered. I feel like this could be one of the stupidest decisions on the government’s part to make a change in school. I cannot imagine knowing people in my age group that don’t know who Boo Radley is, or knowing anything about classic literature. It would make this world a very dull one to live in.

I understand that they are preparing us for the outside world, but what about the market for the books! Authors will be out of jobs because people will not be used to reading from a young age. It will make school that more uninteresting to those that already dislike it. While a book can capture an entire class’ attention a manual comparing types of insulation definitely will not. 

                                                                                  A Concerned Canadian,

                                                                                                               A V A B

Literature of Years Past (Details Remembered)

At times it's hard for me to remember specifics... but there are always certain things that get ingrained in my brain.

To Kill a Mockingbirdà hot and sweaty courtroom, where everyone was jam packed

àJem was the brother’s name

àBoo Radley (everyone was scared of him, but he was actually just a nice guy misinterpreted)

à Atticus Finch stood up for what was right, even though it wasn't the most popular opinion to have.

The Catcher in the Ryeà main character (Holden) never wanted to grow up

à Had a professor that acted weird the night he slept over (touched him)

à Loved his sister Pheobe, she had a roller skater’s body

Death of a Salesmanà Main character’s name was Willy Loman

à Mr. Leach did a great impersonation of him

à Willy killed himself to get his son, Biff, "back on top"

à Biff had been in jail

à "A man is not a piece of fruit!"

Inherit the Wind à had to do with the “monkey trials”

The Road à father died for his son

à Once opened a trap door and there were limbless people in the basement

à Made me feel uncomfortable when the above scene occurred

Romeo and Julietà didn’t get the full “feeling” from the play because of the language it was written in

The Giver à young boy was entrusted to keep all the thoughts and history of the world

à Lived in a black and white world

à loved his little brother

à his mentor had a beautiful beard

à they killed all the older people

à the sled ride at the end of the novel

The Five People You Meet in Heaven à there was a blue man

The Lotteryà lottery decided who would die

à They stoned “the winner” to death

Shape of a Girlà a girl was forced to commit suicide

Lost in the Barrensà boy met a native and they had to survive in the

A Mid Summer Night’s Dreamà there was a donkey-headed man