English # 15

I think this semester I have changed in some ways, but there are definitely changes I still need to make. In my opinion, my writing was strong to begin with, but this semester I have learned a new way of writings, so my writing has become stronger. Before this semester most of my writing was either factual or entertainment, and a lot of times I was told to keep them separate (not always but sometimes). With the writing of my mini-ethnography I learned that it is good to show the facts but keep your story interesting and entertaining also. One thing that I know I still struggle with and need to work on is my time management skills. I am the worlds worst procrastinator, but this semester I learned that it is easier to write a head of time and go back and read it and then make changes. I'm still working on it, but I think I am getting better. I enjoyed this semester of English, it was something new and opened my mind in many different ways. I think the conferences were great, the one on one time is good, but the amount was good too. I don't think its necessary to have conferences for each paper. All in all I think my semester went very smoothly.

English # 14

My favorite piece of data that i collected during this semester during my fieldwork is my interview with a close friend and fellow HOBY alumni Scott Walker. Scott and I worked on the HOBY newspaper last year together and have had a great friendship since I met him at HOBY. if you ask anyone that has attended HOBY who they remember the most, Scott is in the top 3. He is a very funny person yet he always has great answers for everything. He is very devoted to what he does, and has a lot of compassion and love for helping people when they are in need. Much like me, volunteering is a lifestyle to Scott, and he did a great job at answering my interview questions. He made sure the answers were thorough yet most of them had some humor and life to them. Scott is a great friend and a great volunteer. I very much enjoyed interviewing him and getting his insights about volunteering.

English # 13

Every Tuesday afternoon, the little buddies and big buddies of College Mentors meet in TC112, and begin their activity for the week. As I sit with Jack, I notice that he is a very observant child. He always looks around and is watching what everyone else is doing. This week is the first week that I started coming to CMFK as not only a mentor but also as an observer for my mini ethnography project. I notice the other kids talking to their big buddies, all with a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. Jack is always talkative, but he is also always observant. This is important in the setting we're in at College Mentors, because Jack is here to learn about College, in hopes that one day he will choose to attend. Although this experience isn't one in which I've interviewed someone or necessarily researched something, it is very important to me, because it reminds me why I am writing my ethnography and why it is important. My research and writing for this ethnography is important because volunteering is rewarding not only for the person receiving the volunteer work, but also for the person volunteering. Jack in this case is learning about college, and will hopefully remember his experience when he's deciding weather he wants to attend college or not. The experience is very rewarding and important to me because as a future educator, I enjoy seeing children like Jack engaged in thinking and curious about his surroundings.

Short Story

Friends and Family are my air.


The best reward without being paid.

English # 12

My definition of Rhetoric is the effective use of language. I understand it or interpret it as the way we or a person uses a language and how effective their use actually is. I believe each and every individual person has their own rhetoric and they get it by being taught and by the way they grow up, the things they say, and possibly the way they act. When i hear the word rhetoric i automatically think of english class. I dont hear the word very often, really only in an academic setting, or around very high scholarly and high educated people. I feel like not many people know what it means, or use the word in every day speech. I dont think there is a specific rhetoric that is associated with my subculture, therefore i wont be able to use rhetoric by talking about a specific rhetoric that surrounds my speech.

Writing quotes

"Writing is all I can remember."

- I remember writing ever since elementary school. It is one thing that we have used since the very beginning of our educational career, and will continue to use for the rest of our lives. We didn't use computers every day in kindergarden and first grade like we did in high school and college. We have always depended on Writing, and thats what I know, and will always remember.

English # 11

I think that my writing process is pretty much the same as it was in week one. I have a way of writing that i pretty much have always had, and i think i will have the same process throughout my life. I dont think i've had any specific assignment that was especially easy or especially hard. Writing has always came easy to me, i wrote for my school newspaper, and i was always in advanced english/reading/writing classes. I am not trying to say i'm the greatest writer, but i wouldn't say it is a hard thing for me to do. I think that writing is very important. We complain about it when we have writing assignments and have to write papers, but in all reality, i wouldn't be where i am today without writing. Writing is a great way to express yourself, your beliefs, and a great way of thinking. When you write something you are able to say it in a way that maybe you couldn't say it if you were being verbal. Writing is more private, and most people are more comfortable writing stuff down than they are saying it out loud. I believe writing is a very important form of communication, and in some ways can define a person as much as their speech does. Writing gives us our media, our education, our entertainment, and many things else in this world. Writing is a huge role in my life. The time i spent writing for my school newspaper was a time that i will never forget. Writing is intriguing, especially when you are able to choose your topic and write about anything you want. I want to be an elementary school teacher when i finish school, therefore writing will always be a large part of my life. I always say there is one part of high school that i miss and will always miss, and that part is my Newspaper staff experience. Writing is huge in my life and i believe it always will be.