A Writer's Joy

Well, just like that, it's over. These past few weeks were filled with adventure, wonder, anxiety, prayers, and finally, JOY!!! When I was told I was required to take this course, ACAD 103, I was not happy. For me, this has been a long journey. I am at the end now and it is starting to feel bittersweet. I came into this class with hesitation because I like to write, but I knew that it would be more than just freewriting. Formal writing is intimidating and challenging to me. There are so many "dos" and "don'ts" involved that frustration is a familiar feeling. However, I can honestly say that this time was a little different. Professor Aggen, Kim, Dan, Edith, and Jackie, you all made this one of the most special classes I have ever been a part of. Listening to your life stories gave me the inspiration to do better and to be thankful and grateful for everything in my life. I felt a strong bond of connection as we gathered and shared our stories each week. I recall how each one of you patiently waited as I poured my heart out about my son, Garon. You listened and offered advice and I will never forget how Professor Aggen took time to pray for our loved ones after the inspiring devotionals she read. These are the things we should never forget. 

As we move on to the next chapters in our lives, I hope that we will use the wealth of information that Professor Aggen taught us to the best of our abilities. I now know where the comma should be placed and why we use semicolons. I learned new words and their meanings. It's funny how we go through life and don't realize the importance of grammar and punctuation until we need to use it in a class or in a formal setting. I urge everyone to continue to use the lessons that were taught and your writing will improve. I enjoyed this class because Language Arts has always been a subject I was interested in. I like to read too, so that helps to improve vocabulary skills as well. I must admit I struggled to complete my work on time. Between home, work, and school, I felt so stressed out sometimes that concentrating and focusing was almost impossible. I cried and felt hopeless on many nights when I could not figure anything out. The prayers of Professor Aggen and my classmates helped me to push through and complete my assignments. God is able to help us see light when it seems so dark. I look forward to becoming an elementary education teacher. My future is promising and I hope to make a difference in the lives of my students. 

I wish the best for everyone as we move on to our next adventure. I enjoyed these last eight weeks very much. Thank you from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet for a beautiful experience. I will continue to pray for you and your families. 

With love, Pam M. 

A Writer's Fears

So here I go again--writer's block. I suffer from it when I am assigned a paper of length. I am tired and I doubt my abilities to create a paper worthy of submitting to the professor. I suppose it is a combination of feelings such as: fatigue, inadequacy, home, family, and work. Juggling all these obligations has an affect on my creativity, or is this a poor excuse? I want to be able to write and not have issues. I wonder if this is what professional writers go through. I pray for wisdom and substance, not only for myself, but for my classmates. I enjoy this class; Professor Aggen makes it a good experience for me. I have learned something useful every week I have sat in for a lesson. I appreciate her patience and guidance. I will use the books that were recommended for this class to help me produce a well-thought out and sensible paper.

I am an advocate of promoting literacy. Although my subject is about immigration and education in America, literacy will always be something that I will refer to when I become an educator. I chose to write about these subjects because these are issues that I will encounter in my classroom. I want to explore and learn more about them; I also want to know what others think about these topics. Overcrowded classrooms, language barriers, bullying, and other problems will arise. How will I handle these issues? It remains to be seen, but I will continue to pray and seek guidance from those who are experienced.

A Writer's Ability

It is now Week 5 and I am feeling a mixture of emotions about ACAD 103. I really enjoy the class, content, my fellow classmates, and Professor Aggen-- the Grammar Nazi. I appreciate the amount of assignments; she hasn't required us to drown in the sea of writing and grammar. If I have any misgivings about this class, they are solely based on my lack of effective time management. In other words, I blame only myself for not utilizing my time better. Most days I am tired because of a long schedule at work and at home; I won't make excuses for my shortcomings. I want to be my best in everything I do.
I have learned a wealth of information during my time in this class. I now know how to use commas more effectively; I place them in the part of the sentence where they belong. I am also honing my writing skills so that my essays and blogs are fully developed and understood. I still struggle to find the right words to say because written expression is different from spoken words. Reading the lessons in OnCourse have been helpful. Motivation is discussed in length, as are time management and responsibility. It doesn't matter if a person is a first time college student or, like myself, a returning student, writing is a necessity and this class is a good exercise in practicing those skills. Using A Writer's Reference has been helpful with planning the reference page for the upcoming essay. APA is a very tedious application in completing a term paper, so knowing how to create an accurate reference page is important. I have been referring to the information for extra help.
I will become a teacher one day soon and I will use what I have learned to the best of my ability so my students will learn to write well.

Reading Is All That

Anyone who really knows me is aware that I am an avid reader. It didn't just happen overnight. I have always loved the feel and sight of a good book. When I was a young girl, I would visit the Chicago Public Library every week on Saturday. I walked almost a mile from my home to the Whitney Young Library. For me, it was the best place to be. I always chose a special section to sit and read all the books I could get my hands on. I was in book heaven! That's how I satisfied my love for reading as a young girl and it has followed me into adulthood. It's not just books that I read; I am also interested in reading the daily newspaper, magazines, text messages, mail, etc. I learned quite a bit from reading. I once read an owner's manual cover to cover and was successful at assembling a television stand. It felt good to know I comprehended something just from reading it and I was able to put it into an action.

 I read for fun because it is an escape from the drudgery of life. To read about adventures, love, mystery and historical events (whether fact or fiction) is an enjoyable part of my life. There's something to be said about living vicariously through a character in a book you're reading. When I read for educational reasons, it's a different feeling. I focus on the content more intently because there are usually questions to answer pertaining to a lesson. However, reading for fun is more relaxed; I have laughed at some of the stories so hard, I felt like I knew the characters personally.

My home is full of books and magazines. My family keeps suggesting that I invest in a Kindle because all the book shelves are full. I like books and will probably always read for enjoyment.

Now that class is in the 4th week, I can really feel the pressure to complete assignments on time. Reading is not the issue; time is. When I read a passage in OnCourse, time and culture were discussed. I don't want to be a victim of time, but it seems like I am having trouble keeping up because the time passes by so quickly. I want to stay within Quadrant I or II because the other two are a problem that I do not want to struggle out from. Towards the end of the chapter, there is a suggestion for developing self-confidence. After I read it, I was ready to think differently about what I need to do to stay within a sensible time frame for myself. Stay tuned.

Priorities, My Dear

If you ever want to put fire under your feet, find your motivation. After reading Chapter 3 in OnCourse, I am convinced that no matter what you do in life, you need to stay motivated in order to complete what you start. It is hard and sometimes frustrating, but it  is attainable. I had a really hard week. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. During one of our discussions in class last week, I shared my motivation technique. I repeat the same thing over and over and I talk to myself about the things I need to accomplish in a day, week, month, year and so on. It's not easy to stay on top of everything on a daily basis. School is important to me but it is also difficult to stay on task. I read about how students took control of their own situations in school by applying various techniques and after reading the information on the DAPPS rule, I can see where it can make a difference in setting and retaining goals. The Life Plan idea was also a good way to stay motivated because there is a checklist you create that lists personal goals. As time goes on, the list starts to get smaller and smaller as the achievements become accomplished. I don't know if I would create a list but it is a good idea for those who need to see a plan front and center. While reading I came to the section on personal affirmation. It caught my attention because, once again, I constantly talk to myself and affirm who I am, what my purpose for the day is, and if I did what I needed to do. I do not find it necessary to always write out my thoughts but occasionally I do. It was a difficult week but I am affirming that next week will be better.

As We Proceed

While I was reading the assigned chapter this week, it struck me as all too familiar. Like Kim, I, too, have had to contend with jealousy, lack of understanding and no support from one of my loved ones while pursuing my degree. At the time, it was easier to curl up and have a pity party than to block out negativity. I nursed my wounds by crying and complaining to anyone who would listen. I learned the hard way that this behavior is detrimental to my mind and spirit. The example shown in the textbook was so sad. I would want to ask Kim why she would risk her academic success on one moment of fun. In that split decision she destroyed her grade point average. Keeping priorities lined up is so important. As a student, you can have the best intentions to finish your assignments on time but once your priorities shift to a different angle, it is hard to keep up and honor your obligations. One article in the OnCourse textbook discusses responsibility and choice. The illustration showed how we can fall into either one of two categories: victim mindset or creator mindset. It is safe to say that most of us have experienced both types of thinking. Acknowledging our mistakes and taking responsibility is a sensible decision. As a mother, I stress honesty, hard work and making wise decisions to my children. As a teacher, I believe it is important to discuss this topic with my students. This subject is ideal to use as an icebreaker with students to see what they think about wise decisions vs. foolish ones.

This Mom's Life

Now that our first week is complete, I am feeling more at ease with the curriculum for this class.Although the work may seem overwhelming, there is some really good information in the textbooks that will help me to be a better writer. My schedule is not the same weekly, so I do not have a set time to concentrate on my writing like I would prefer. I feel that to be a really good writer you need to have a place where you can create well written assignments. A good routine is important too because your mind may be more acclimated to a regular  schedule.

 I like playing music when I work on my writing. My rationale for playing while writing is that it helps me to be creative. I'm sure that's up for debate if you ask my children. The irony behind that is that they don't seem to understand that 'I need peace and quiet out of them as I attempt to complete my work. The constant interruptions are annoying but I have to remind myself that I am a mother and a student rolled into one. It has become a normal occurrence to accept the inevitable. It's more than likely that the telephone will ring, the doorbell will blare, our neighbors will argue, etc. You name it, things happen. I just have to find a way to block it out and produce interesting work that is worthy of  a good grade. I will try to the best of my ability to succeed because I really like writing and grammar. I am glad that we are under the watchful eye of the "Grammar Nazi". It will keep us on our toes. Good luck to everyone!