Blog Reflection

Reflection Questions:

• What did you learn about yourself as a writer?
  I don't know that I learned anything about myself as a writer that I didn't already know. To sum up myself as a writer in one word, I would have to say that word would be complacent. I like writing, and usually have grand ideas when it comes to writing, but I never write. Either I lack the patience or I never make time to write. I should write more. 

• What did you learn about digital writing?
  I learned that creating a blog is pretty easy. While I am not a fan of digital writing, I see how it is an easy way to get a class talking, sharing. 

• What lessons can you take to classroom or share with future teachers about integrating blogging into instruction?
  Echoing the last answer, I think I can share with a future teacher that making blogs are easy and effective. I don't think I'll use it in my classrooms, but you never know. It would be an easy way to share information with my students.

• Challenges?
  The biggest challenge for me was writing before the deadline. This semester has been really hectic, and often I would write my blog post in bits in pieces, during weird hours of the night. Outside of that, I did not face any other challenges.

• Successes?
  I really liked doing the free writes. That is when I felt my most creative. 

Professional Text: Part 3

Memoir: the final part of the book.

The final portion of the text is about memoir. Gornick contemplates how the memoir rose to prominence. Novels have been all about voice; a voice that compelled us and reached our emotional core. As time passes by, the voice grew less and less compelling. Soon, people began to focus inward because they believe their voices could be compelling. This, Gornick believes, led to the rise of memoir. Gornick talks about the idea of the self, and how that idea "is almost always served through a single piece of awareness that clarifies only slowly in the writer, gaining strength and definition as the narrative progresses." In bad memoir, the line of clarification is muddy, uncertain and indistinct. In good memoir, it becomes the organizing principal, and drives the narrative forward. 

What I learned: I learned the difference between good memoir and bad memoir, and how memoir differs from personal essays.

Golden lines: "Memoir is neither testament nor fable nor analytic transcription." 

Questions: Gornick begins the chapter on memoir by pointing out: "Thirty years ago people who thought they had a story to tell sat down to write a novel. Today they sit down to write a memoir" (pg 89). How does she explain this shift? Do you agree? What other reasons might account for the recent popularity of memoir and other forms of autobiographical writing?

Strategies: Have students write a snip it of their memoir.  

Professional Text: Part 2

The Next 41 Pages: The Southerner and the Turtle.

Over the course of the next 41 pages, Gornick talks about the personal essay. Rather than talk at length about her opinions of what makes a good personal essay, or share her pieces, Gornick selects an eclectic groups of essays, that to her exemplify what a great personal essay is. Among the many examples Gornick uses, I found two of her examples to be most intriguing. 

The first example of an exemplary personal essay is Harry Crews "Why I Live Where I Live." Gornick reinforces the idea of the unsurrogated narrator, declaring that Crews shows no shame in his piece. In his opening paragraph, Crews displays an aggressive swagger, basically declaring "here I am, take it or leave it." Gornick praises his aggressive nature, noting that the reader will want to understand why this man is the way he is. As important as he aggressive intro, Gornick notes, is his insecure second half of the essay. Gornick notes, if Crews wrote with an aggressive tone throughout, and offered up nothing more, the essay would fall flat. People are complex. No man is one hundred percent of something. Gornick applauds Crews ability to balance machismo and insecurity.

The second essay that caught my eye was Edward Hogan's "the Courage of Turtles." In this lesson, Gornick uses Hogan's essay to show how a personal essay can be veiled in another style. Hogan's essay is a self-investigating, introspective piece disguised as nature writing. Hogan's voice in the essay is so calmly detached, that the reader is lulled into thinking he is indifferent to the subject. Only after a couple reads can the reader see that the piece is not about turtles at all. The end of the essay really strikes Gornick. She admits reading the end three time, finding three possible endings. A personal essay, especially one as introspective as this one, can inspire different interpretations. Below is a link to the essay (page 1-6 is Hogan)

http://www.cwu.edu/~garrisop/makeup_quiz_essays.pdf

What I learned: I learned that the personal essay can, like poetry, be open to interpretation. Just because it's non-fiction, doesn't mean it is straight forward.

Golden Lines: "That's it. There is no more. The piece has arrived."

Questions: What is the difference between confession and self-investigation?

Strategies: Think of your deepest, darkest secrets. Try to write a paragraph about each one. Pick the strongest, and investigate that secret.     

Professional Text: Part 1

The professional text I have chosen for the upcoming blog posts is The Situation and the Story by Vivian Gornick. The book is not organized into chapters, but rather, four uneven sections. Instead of reading the four sections, I divided the total pages by four and will go off of that.

THE FIRST 41 PAGES

Early on, Gornick talks about a funeral she went to for doctor. While many of the doctor's colleges, and patients spoke about the deceased in a positive manner, only one speaker moved Gornick. The question of why this woman's eulogy touched Gornick haunted her for many nights until she realized the reason. This woman had composed her eulogy. Her memories were structured, and the structure imposed order, and the order had made the sentences more shapely, and the shapeliness increased the expressiveness of the words, and the expressiveness deepened the association. All of this build up created texture, and it was the texture that moved Gornick. In building such a well composed eulogy, the eulogist captured the spirit of the deceased, and the connection they shared.

Later, Gornick explains how personal writing is more challenging than fiction or poetry. In order to write personally, the writer must "fashion a persona out of one's own undisguised self." The writer of fiction uses a surrogate to convey their inappropriate longings or embarrassing ideas; the writers of personal narrative are unsurrogated. In Gornick's opinion, creating this unsurrogated persona is the hardest thing for writers of personal narratives to accomplish.

What I learned: Writing personal narrative requires the author to bare themselves completely. Being 75% honest is not enough. The reader can tell when the author is being true.

Golden Lines: "Every work of Literature has both a situation and a story. The situation is the context or circumstance, sometimes the plot; the story is the emotional experience that preoccupies the writer..."

Questions: Why is detachment especially important in personal narrative? What limitations arise when the writer is too close to her material?

Strategies: Practice writing about a time you were embarrassed. Be honest and dig deep.

FREE WRITE

MY WEEK IN REVIEW

I have spent the last week (and then some) dealing with an obnoxious chest virus. The remedy, as prescribed by a Dr. at the UCF clinic, was lots of rest, an inhaler, and some pills that smell like oak. I missed two days of internship, two days of work and one UCF class (this one). So what did I do with all of this sickly down time? 

I watched a Fish Called Wanda twice. For those who are unfamiliar, A Fish Called Wanda is comedy starring Jamie Lee Curtis, John Cleese, and, to borrow a phrase from Mr. Travolta, the wickedly talented Kaleab Kleen (Kevin Kline). Curtis, Kline, Michael Palin, and some other dude steal 20 million dollars worth of jewels. Curtis and Kline turn the other dude into the police, placing the entire crime on him. Unbeknowst to them, the other dude (I probably should have just looked up his name by now) hides the jewels, leaving Curtis and Kline in a bind. Curtis decides to seduce the other dude's barrister to find out where he hid the jewels. That is when hilarity ensues. While everyone gives great performances, it is Kline (who won an Oscar for his performance) really steals the movie. Here is a clip (WARNING - the following clip contains a heap of curse words). If this scene tickles you, then be sure to check out the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaiUqapF9Y4    

Dark Souls 2 came out while I was sick...rejoice nerds! So far I've only logged 11 hours...only 64 more to go.

 

Yes, I am fully aware that Woody Allen is a creepy creepster. While I do not condone any of Woody's actions (from Soon-Yi to Dylan Farrow), I cannot help but enjoy his movies. Manhattan, Allen's least favorite movie, is by far one of his best. The movie is about love lost, and how past relationships seem great once we're no longer in them. Shot in gorgeous black and white, Allen captures the romantic side of New York City. The opening of the film is one of the most awe-inspiring sequences in cinema history! Don't believe me, see for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyaj2P-dSi8

I wish I wasn't sick.   

Tech Post 2

I never used a Prezi before so I thought why not give it a whirl. Here it is!

http://prezi.com/trgr5dg9bcz9/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

tech post: part 1 (and the mysterious case of the Mondays)

Check out this video Building Airplanes  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2zqTYgcpfg  

How does this relate to integrating technology into your classroom?

I have the sneaking suspicion that this airplane video is suppose to be some kind of a metaphor. Technology in the classroom is a great resource and can allow students to do things that were not thought to be possible...like building an airplane in the air!  Computer resources, smart-boards and even social media sites can turn a boring classroom into an exciting one. Not only does technology make classrooms more exciting, but the technological resources actually strengthens the material.

Are you a native, visitor, or resident?  How do you live your tech life?

Out of the 27 tech things, I was only familiar with 12 of them. So I guess I would consider myself a visitor. While I can easily navigate through most tech-sites, I don’t really pursue them. I use Facebook, gmail, texting and Google docs regularly. I’m sure all the other tech things are great, but if I haven’t used them at this point I don’t see myself doing so any time soon. My goal throughout the day is to use technology when I have to, but not abuse it. If I spend more than an hour on Facebook during the day, I force myself to go outside or watch a movie. Technology can be addicting, so it is important to use it in moderation, or at least for the great good.

Tech Tools to Enhance Student Learning: Visit each site. These are all tools that I have actually used with my students. Think about how you might use each one to reach out to students, parents, or the community.  Write about your favorite three you checked out and how you might use them.  

Of all the wonderful resources available to use, my three favorite are Skype, schooltube and ustream. The running theme between my three favorite is the use of streaming video, either live or recorded. With Skype, the classroom can be anywhere, including the students’ own home. This is especially great if a student misses an extended period of time (illness, death in the family...etc.). While at home, the student could stream live footage of classroom lectures or could have a one on one session with the teacher. Ustream works about the same way. Create lesson plans from home that students can watch anywhere. The fact that Ustream can be linked with Facebook and twitter make it a perfect tool for students to use. Finally, I really like schooltube because it can be used for more than education. My high school hosts annual talent shows and because of schooltube, footage from this years performance can be viewed by all. Schooltube could be used to showcase sports events or academic competitions as well. The possibilities are truly endless.

My Favorite Sites for Your Professional Development :  How do you keep learning about teaching after you leave school?  What is your insight about virtual professional learning? What do you notice about virtual professional development?

The end of college does not signify the end of knowledge. We are always learning and should always be active in the pursuit of knowledge. With the sheer number of books written about education, any student can continue to strengthen their skills long after the diploma enters their hand. As for virtual professional training, I have very little, to no insight in that matter. I’m sure after graduation, I will tap into this new medium for education. I do like the concept like virtual professional learning. It allows experts from all across the planet to share strategies and tips with millions. In a sense, this tool could greatly improve the quality of teaching. I can see this being equally helpful for young, up and coming teachers, and experienced teachers looking to change things up.

Authentic Tasks for Students:  Here are a list of tools that you can use with students to write virtually.  Why is this important?  What are the benefits? The risks?  Tell me about your favorite discoveries.

Virtual writing, essentially, is a lot easier than writing by hand. Ideas flow from your brain down to the fingertips faster and with more ease than when written by hand. Part of this, I believe, is because it is much easier to edit virtual writing than handwritten work. A push of the backspace and no soul will ever know what was written before the font vanishes. Virtual writing is also easier for students because they are doing it constantly in their post school lives. Whether it’s Facebook, instagram or other, virtual writing overlaps with the students interests. As teachers, we should capitalize on that and try to merge the students interest with education. If successful, the benefits will be a more actively engage writing group. Students may be eager to get on the computer and blog about their favorite book. The potential risk of virtual writing is the ease of access to other, distracting sites. With a click, the students can go from being on task to goofing around YouTube. Perhaps my favorite site for virtual writing is Goodreads. I like it for two reasons. The first reason is that students get to share books with their peers. This opens up a whole literary world for students, who may not be aware of the vast number of books out there. Secondly, I enjoy this site because it allows students to articulate and review literature. Without a teacher present, a student can be honest about how they feel. Often in classrooms, students are not allowed to say “Kurt Vonnegut isn't funny” or “Moby Dick is boring.” On Goodreads, students can truly express their opinions.

What Lies Ahead?  Check out what is going on in the teacher-tech world.  Review Jane Hart’s Slideshare Top Tech Tools for Educators 2013 and see what teachers are using around the world.  What do you notice about the tools that educators are using?  Here is the link http://c4lpt.co.uk/top100tools/.

To me, Google docs is one of the greatest tools. Unlike Microsoft word, you can access any paper or document on any computer. I, like most, have forgotten a paper on the day it’s due. If every student used Google docs, that would never happen. The teacher can access the paper from his personal computer. The fact that Google docs is also free makes it all the better. Did I mention Google docs can also be used on smart phones? Need I say more? As previously mentioned, YouTube is more than just a site for watching people fall off trampolines. The educational applications available on YouTube are infinite. Whether it’s a clip from Discovery’s Planet Earth series or a Shakespeare play in its entirety, Shakespeare, YouTube's got your back.

Check out this digital tool version of Bloom’s Taxonomy.  Based on what you have done today and what you understand about Bloom’s Taxonomy, how does graphic help teacher’s make instructional decisions when integrating technology.

Like Bloom’s Taxonomy, technology should be taken in steps and no student should go forward without having basic needs met. While all teachers would love to start at the top of the pyramid (creativity), not all students are at that level. Teachers need to expose their students to the most basic levels of technology before they are able to advance.

Reflect: What tools do you already use?  What do you think you will try next?

Right now, what I use is pretty basic. As previously stated, I use Facebook, Google docs (and it’s powerpoint supplement), YouTube and gmail. When I have a classroom of my own, I think I’m going to try and use Goodreads. One of my college classes had us using Goodreads. While I was opposed to it initially, I ended up enjoying the critiquing process. Even when it was books I didn't like, it felt good to express why I thought Book A was awful. So that’s one thing I would like to try to implement in a classroom.

Free Write

I thought about posting a short story or poem, but most of my work is erotic in nature. One of my favorite short stories is about how Prince seduces some poor fan (the story is called the Purple Man and it is very PG). I would love to post my favorite erotic poem, aptly titled Erotic City, but the last copy was on my old computer which now resides in computer heaven (or hell...there's really no way of knowing). 

So instead of sharing erotic masterpieces, I've decided to share two great movies everyone should see.

Crimes and Misdemeanors

Woody Allen's best movie and perhaps the best movie I've ever seen, Crimes and Misdemeanors masterfully blends two disparate story lines. One narrative focuses on ophthalmologist Judah Rosenthal, who seeks a violent way out of an affair and the other narrative follows disgruntled biographer Clifford Stern, whose attempt to make a meaningful documentary is squandered by his egocentric boss. In less experienced hands, a movie attempting to balance existential drama with quippy comedy would surely collapse under its own ambition and pretension. However, in the hands of Woody Allen, the result is nothing short of spectacular. 

The Descendants 

Alexander Payne first won me over with his 2004 film Sideways. After watching the Descendants, I can confidently say that if Alexander Payne made a movie about dirt, I would be there for the midnight release (but why would a movie about dirt have a midnight release? It's not like there's a built audience for dirt). The Descendants is about Matt King, a lawyer living in Honolulu, who finds out that his comatose wife is going to die. With his two daughters, Matt prepares to tour the islands and tell the families of his wife's fate. Then his oldest daughter Alex reveals to him that his wife had been having an affair. You will laugh and damn it, you will cry over what should have been the best picture of 2012 (the Artist was very good but come on, you can't beat Clooney). 

If you would like any other movie suggestions...feel free to ask. I got lots of suggestions. 

FREE WRITE OVER.

Intro and other thoughts

Greetings everyone.

My name is John. I was born in Fresno California, where I spent the first ten years of my life. I really cannot recall much from those early years other than a few places and even fewer faces. My father hated his job in California, so much so that he moved the family all way across the country to work somewhere else. We moved to Wellington, Florida near the end of 1999. At first, I absolutely resented the move and refused to enjoy my new home. Ten year old me should have lightened up. Looking back, I am grateful that my father moved us.

In my free time I enjoy watching Netflix (like everyone). My favorite television shows are The Office, 30 Rock, and Mad Men. To this day, I am bitter that shows like 30 Rock are off the air but The Big Bang Theory is thriving (no offense to anyone who likes TBBT, just not my cup o' tea). Attempts have been made to watch new shows (Psych currently) but at the end of the day I always end up re-watching the same shows.

Along with television shows, I really enjoy movies. Some of my favorite movies include Drive (obviously), Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Pan's Labyrinth and The Descendants. My goal is to see all the Oscar movies before the award ceremony but I've currently only seen three of the nominees; Her, American Hustle and Gravity. Among those three, Her was the best. If anyone has any movie recommendations, please feel free to share.

Another passion of mine is playing video games. I really enjoy narrative heavy games, especially ones where violence is not the primary playing mechanic (sadly, most mainstream games are first person shooters). I actually didn't play a lot of video games when I was younger, so it's odd that I am an avid gamer now. Some of the best games I've ever played include; Portal 2, Catherine, Bioshock Infinite (and the other two ), Dark Souls and Littlebigplanet. It is exciting to see games being pushed from mindless nonsense to meaningful artistic expressions.

I could go on for days about what I'm into but for now, that is a brief snippet. If anyone wants to dish about music, movies, games and more, feel free to start a conversation. I am always interested in people's likes and why they like them.  

"The man who said 'I'd rather be lucky than good' saw deeply into life"

Last night I watched the movie Match Point for the third time in my life and like certain things in life, it just gets better with age. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416320/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Match Point is arguably Woody Allen's best movie since Crimes and Misdemeanor, and easily his best work of the new millennium (Scoop was such an embarrassment). Fair warning: the film's pace is slower than most, so those out there with quickly fading attention need not see this movie. Now, I am not here to spoil anything, but the film's climax and resolution are quite shocking and thought provoking. Give it a chance. Who knows, it may end up being your favorite movie.