Friday, March 16, 2007
Reflection Letter
For me the time has flown like the wind, so has this quarter studying English 101. And I have one of my prerequisites for the Nursing program done; however there are still seven more to do. But, it is okay, I am strong and motivated and I will achieve my goal. Currently, I am a medical assistant. I love my job, in the medical field, however, I decided to become a Registered Nurse.
I am glad, that in this class we studied cultures, this is one of my favorite subjects. We learned about identity, community, and traditions, by using the book “Remix” by Catherine G. Latterell. The readings in this book present many examples of identity, community, and traditions which stretch my thinking about living in a diverse society. For example, I learned more about communities, their role in modern life, and how they function. Providing us with a sense of stability, serve our needs, and accept us for who we are. The chapter about identity gave me more knowledge about what makes us who we are. It challenged me to reflect on a cultural attitudes and assumptions built into how I think about identity. And I gained some more knowledge about traditions, that traditions are long standing and static practices, they preserve an authentic version of the past, and they promote unity. This knowledge will help me examine how traditions impact modern American life.
This class was a little difficult for me because English is my second language, but I think I did okay. For my E-Portfolio I picked four assignments:
“Masks” (critical thinking skills)
“Communities Accept Us For Who We Are“ (Demonstrating Skills at Revision and Reseeing my work)
“Church Goers Are A Community” assignment (Awareness of Audience and Voice Skills)
“My Wallet“ assignment (Writer’s choice)
In the following postings you will be able to read introductions for each piece and the work itself. I hope you would like them.
Sincerely, Olga
I am glad, that in this class we studied cultures, this is one of my favorite subjects. We learned about identity, community, and traditions, by using the book “Remix” by Catherine G. Latterell. The readings in this book present many examples of identity, community, and traditions which stretch my thinking about living in a diverse society. For example, I learned more about communities, their role in modern life, and how they function. Providing us with a sense of stability, serve our needs, and accept us for who we are. The chapter about identity gave me more knowledge about what makes us who we are. It challenged me to reflect on a cultural attitudes and assumptions built into how I think about identity. And I gained some more knowledge about traditions, that traditions are long standing and static practices, they preserve an authentic version of the past, and they promote unity. This knowledge will help me examine how traditions impact modern American life.
This class was a little difficult for me because English is my second language, but I think I did okay. For my E-Portfolio I picked four assignments:
“Masks” (critical thinking skills)
“Communities Accept Us For Who We Are“ (Demonstrating Skills at Revision and Reseeing my work)
“Church Goers Are A Community” assignment (Awareness of Audience and Voice Skills)
“My Wallet“ assignment (Writer’s choice)
In the following postings you will be able to read introductions for each piece and the work itself. I hope you would like them.
Sincerely, Olga
Intro to Critical Thinking
I choose the essay “Masks” for my critical thinking skills. The reason for choosing this essay was because I did a really good job writing it. I got the full points that I needed on this essay. I like the essay itself and I think it was easy to analyze it, although critical thinking is a difficult to do. Also, at the end of chapter questions and the discussions in the Discussion Board helped me accomplish the task of critical thinking.
In this Unit we were learning about Identity. We were given tree assumptions: identity we’re born with, identity is shaped by culture, and identity is shaped by personal choices. Using one of these assumptions we were asked to analyze and write about it thinking critically. And here it is.
In this Unit we were learning about Identity. We were given tree assumptions: identity we’re born with, identity is shaped by culture, and identity is shaped by personal choices. Using one of these assumptions we were asked to analyze and write about it thinking critically. And here it is.
Masks (Critical Thinking)
In the essay: ”Masks” by Lucy Grealy, the main massage, which the author is trying to tell us, is a commentary on the cultural markers of beauty in our society and on what it means to be “normal”. The author feels like she does not fit in this society, experiencing teasing, disrespect and luck of love towards her. The one day of the year on Halloween, she felt free and wonderful because the mask hid her deformity thus she becomes her true self when her face is hidden.. The author is saying that people do not appreciate life, unless they experienced pain on their own, only then they would have some sympathy to her. “I viewed other people both critically and sympathetically. Why couldn’t they just stop complaining so much, just let go and see how good they actually had it?” (47) This passage explains how the author feels about life. She is wondering why people are waiting for something to happen, so they would appreciate life. ”Turtlenecks are very hard to find in short sleeves, so I bought you several .” ”If you wear something that comes around your neck, it makes the scar less visible.”(44) The turtlenecks, which hide the scar on her neck, represent the same escape as a mask did. Lucy wore them all the time despite the changes in the weather. This passage is important because this is another symbol of the “mask.” ”Later, alone in my room, I opened the book at random. The verse I read was about love, about how to accept the love of another with dignity. I shut the book after only a page. I wanted nothing to do with the world of love; I thought wanting love was a weakness to be overcome. And besides, I thought to myself, the world of love wanted nothing to do with me.”(45) This passage is showing luck of love in the Lucy’s life from her friends.
Intro to Demonstrating Skills at Revision and Reseeing my work
For Demonstrating Skills at Revision and Reseeing my work I choose to revise my paper #2 “Communities Accept Us For Who We Are”. I choose this because I did not do very well on this assignment at all. After I checked my grade I looked over the paper to see all the mistakes I made and I realized that I could have done much better. I learned from my mistakes that I have to put more details explaining my statements. I also learned that I have to stick to one subject and not include any new information in the conclusion. Also I learned that I needed to have a stronger thesis that supports my essay. Now that I have seen my mistakes I know that I will do better in the future.
Communities Accept Us For Who We Are (Original)
Let’s consider one of the assumption “Communities accept us for who we are” in a few essays. In the essay “Blaxicans” Richard Rodriguez is focusing on the ethnicity and cultural identity assumptions, and the way immigrant groups shape a community. In this essay he argues that the United States is reinventing its sense of national identity by not relying on racial categories. Almost in every country in the world there are different forms of communities. These communities are also known as nationalities or in a more specific term ethnic groups. These communities live in one country but their roots came from another country. As immigrants came to America to live in this community, as they brought their different roots of history of their communities, and blended together to American culture. So, now American community includes many cultures that are ever adapting. This community gave them freedom and accepted them for who they are. Here are some phrases the author is using to support the assumption “communities accept us for who we are”:” I can remain Mexican, whatever that means in the United States of America” pd. 121, and “I come to you as a man of many cultures. I come to you as Chinese. Unless you understand that I am Chinese, then you have not understood anything I have said.” pd. 124
In the essay “A Secret Society of the Starving” the author Mim Udovitch focusing on how communities care and support of its members. He is talking about a group of teenagers with compulsive eating disorder, engaging in high-risk behavior, and function as a community. They get on line, talk to each other, and support their behavior. “…Angry girls and women come together to support each other in sickness rather than in health…”pd. 114 The author is focusing on assumptions of communities such as care and support. “The members of a few sites send each other bracelets, like friendship bracelets, as symbols of solidarity and support.” pd.112 If we would ask the author to agree with the assumption that community “serves our needs,” I think he would agree. Because the assumptions “care” and “support” are the part of the assumption “serve our needs.”
Another assumption “communities accept us for who we are” clearly shows in this essay from this phrase: ”I can go online and talk to them there, and they know exactly what I’m going through and how I feel. And I don’t have to worry about them judging me for how I feel.” This is when Claire goes online and spends between one and three hours a day there, talking to her friends. In this this essay Mim Udovitsh reminds us that not all kinds of community spirit are good. Sometimes people join the community which can have bad influence on them.
In conclusion, I agree with both authors of the both essays about community functions. Communities care, support, serve our needs, and accept us for who we are. I did experience all of these assumptions of the community in my life. My communities are: my family, job, neighborhood, and my church. I help out in my communities and I get the same in return. This is how it works; we are all here for each other. To better the place we live, work, and play is our goal that is what makes us a community.
In the essay “A Secret Society of the Starving” the author Mim Udovitch focusing on how communities care and support of its members. He is talking about a group of teenagers with compulsive eating disorder, engaging in high-risk behavior, and function as a community. They get on line, talk to each other, and support their behavior. “…Angry girls and women come together to support each other in sickness rather than in health…”pd. 114 The author is focusing on assumptions of communities such as care and support. “The members of a few sites send each other bracelets, like friendship bracelets, as symbols of solidarity and support.” pd.112 If we would ask the author to agree with the assumption that community “serves our needs,” I think he would agree. Because the assumptions “care” and “support” are the part of the assumption “serve our needs.”
Another assumption “communities accept us for who we are” clearly shows in this essay from this phrase: ”I can go online and talk to them there, and they know exactly what I’m going through and how I feel. And I don’t have to worry about them judging me for how I feel.” This is when Claire goes online and spends between one and three hours a day there, talking to her friends. In this this essay Mim Udovitsh reminds us that not all kinds of community spirit are good. Sometimes people join the community which can have bad influence on them.
In conclusion, I agree with both authors of the both essays about community functions. Communities care, support, serve our needs, and accept us for who we are. I did experience all of these assumptions of the community in my life. My communities are: my family, job, neighborhood, and my church. I help out in my communities and I get the same in return. This is how it works; we are all here for each other. To better the place we live, work, and play is our goal that is what makes us a community.
Communities Accept Us For Who We Are (Revised)
Everybody lives in a community which accepts us for who we are. We can get help from others in our communities and give help as well. Without a community we would be an anarchy.
In the essay “Blaxicans” Richard Rodriguez is focusing on the ethnicity and cultural identity assumptions, and the way immigrant groups shape a community. In this essay he argues that the United States is reinventing its sense of national identity by not relying on racial categories. Almost in every country in the world there are different forms of communities. These communities are also known as nationalities or in a more specific term ethnic groups. These communities live in one country but their roots came from another country. As immigrants came to America to live in this community, as they brought their different roots of history of their communities, and blended together to American culture. Now American community include many cultures that are ever adapting. The American community has given them freedom and accepted them for who they are. For example, the author is proving that “communities accept us for who we are“ in these quotes: ” I can remain Mexican, whatever that means in the United States of America” pg. 121, and “I come to you as a man of many cultures. I come to you as Chinese. Unless you understand that I am Chinese, then you have not understood anything I have said.” pg. 124
In the essay “A Secret Society of the Starving” the author Mim Udovitch focuses on how communities care and support its members. He is talking about a group of teenagers with compulsive eating disorder, engaging in high-risk behavior, and function as a community. They get on line, talk to each other, and support their behavior. “…Angry girls and women come together to support each other in sickness rather than in health…”pg. 114 The author is focusing on assumptions of communities such as care and support. “The members of a few sites send each other bracelets, like friendship bracelets, as symbols of solidarity and support.” pg. 112 If we would ask the author to agree with the assumption that community “serves our needs,” I think he would agree. Because the assumptions “care” and “support” are the part of the assumption “serve our needs.”
Another assumption “communities accept us for who we are” clearly shows in this essay from this phrase: ”I can go online and talk to them there, and they know exactly what I’m going through and how I feel. And I don’t have to worry about them judging me for how I feel.” This is when Claire goes online and spends between one and three hours a day there, talking to her friends. In this this essay Mim Udovitsh reminds us that not all kinds of community spirit are good. Sometimes people join the community which can have a bad influence on them. For example, young people create a gangster community which teaches their members to hate other communities, fight with them, and sometimes even kill them.
In conclusion, I agree with both authors from both essays about community functions. Communities care, support, serve our needs, and accept us for who we are.
In the essay “Blaxicans” Richard Rodriguez is focusing on the ethnicity and cultural identity assumptions, and the way immigrant groups shape a community. In this essay he argues that the United States is reinventing its sense of national identity by not relying on racial categories. Almost in every country in the world there are different forms of communities. These communities are also known as nationalities or in a more specific term ethnic groups. These communities live in one country but their roots came from another country. As immigrants came to America to live in this community, as they brought their different roots of history of their communities, and blended together to American culture. Now American community include many cultures that are ever adapting. The American community has given them freedom and accepted them for who they are. For example, the author is proving that “communities accept us for who we are“ in these quotes: ” I can remain Mexican, whatever that means in the United States of America” pg. 121, and “I come to you as a man of many cultures. I come to you as Chinese. Unless you understand that I am Chinese, then you have not understood anything I have said.” pg. 124
In the essay “A Secret Society of the Starving” the author Mim Udovitch focuses on how communities care and support its members. He is talking about a group of teenagers with compulsive eating disorder, engaging in high-risk behavior, and function as a community. They get on line, talk to each other, and support their behavior. “…Angry girls and women come together to support each other in sickness rather than in health…”pg. 114 The author is focusing on assumptions of communities such as care and support. “The members of a few sites send each other bracelets, like friendship bracelets, as symbols of solidarity and support.” pg. 112 If we would ask the author to agree with the assumption that community “serves our needs,” I think he would agree. Because the assumptions “care” and “support” are the part of the assumption “serve our needs.”
Another assumption “communities accept us for who we are” clearly shows in this essay from this phrase: ”I can go online and talk to them there, and they know exactly what I’m going through and how I feel. And I don’t have to worry about them judging me for how I feel.” This is when Claire goes online and spends between one and three hours a day there, talking to her friends. In this this essay Mim Udovitsh reminds us that not all kinds of community spirit are good. Sometimes people join the community which can have a bad influence on them. For example, young people create a gangster community which teaches their members to hate other communities, fight with them, and sometimes even kill them.
In conclusion, I agree with both authors from both essays about community functions. Communities care, support, serve our needs, and accept us for who we are.
Intro to Awareness of Audience and Voice Skills
For my Awareness of Audience and Voice Skills essay I choose “Church Goers Are A Community”. The reason I choose this essay was because it clearly shows the meaning of a community in our society even for someone who did not learn about community assumptions. This essay was a blog assignment. Most of my work in this class was written for the classroom audience, however, some peaces went on blog and everybody else can read them. I am glad that the assignments for the blog were easy and I think I did a good job writing them. So now, everybody can read them and enjoy.
Church Goers Are A Community (Awareness of Audience and Voice Skills)
Church goers are a community. Church is a community. The belief in God makes this group a community. We share the same interests such as: going to church almost everyday of the week, communicating with each other, reading the same bible, and praying with faith together. Everybody in the church has the same needs and values, which are to be holy and to stay away from sin. When we gather together, we study the bible singing together and teaching each other how to protect ourselves from sin and negative energy. People in the church will help each other, especially in the time of need. Everyone dresses nicely, they get together, associate with each other, celebrate holidays, and share food and drink. As with all groups of people in our church there are different opinions, however we all listen to each other, despite our different opinions, in order to have harmony and peace.My community is my church. I love my church because I am a part of it. My parents were members of this church even before I was born, and then, later they brought me there as a baby. Now I am an adult, and still belong to this church. This community is part of my life because I feel comfortable, stable, free, supportive, valuable, and respected there. People understand and accept me for what I am.
Intro to Writer's Choice
For the identity unit, my writers choice is “My Wallet”. I chose this essay because after learning the Unit “Identity” I learned how personal items can reveal a person’s identity to the world. Besides revealing personal identity, items can reveal a person’s professional life as well. From the beginning I knew that identity is what we are born with, but after learning more about this chapter I learned that identity is shaped by culture and personal choices which I never knew about. The social and cultural forces that help shape our sense of identity are not collected, instead, they function like a powerful lens through which we make judgments about ourselves and others. After learning all about this chapter, my judgment towards others changed the way I look at identity.
My Wallet (Writer's Choice)
Let’s pretend, I lost my wallet and someone else found it. As soon as they opened it, they would see how organized it is. My wallet contains a lot of things: my driver’s license, ATM cards, my old driver’s license with my picture, library card, credit cards, some change, my realtor’s cards, my health care assistant card which is a CPR card, my doctor’s business cards, prescription card, my family’s pictures and some old receipts.By the amount of the ATM and credit cards I have, whomever who found my wallet might say that I shop at a lot of different stores. They would see my American Express card gold and Platinum Visa card, which shows I have good credit and I am a very responsible person. According to my wallet some assumptions someone might make about my personality would be that I am organized because my wallet has everything in it is place.Also, since I do not carry cash in my wallet it shows that I am responsible and safe, just in case I would lose it. On account of the many pictures I have of my family, people would say I am a family oriented person. By looking at my driver’s license, people could easily find me because all my information is on it.However, they would not be able to tell that I am Ukrainian, shy or outgoing, single or married, my interests, occupation and sexual orientation. My wallet tells a lot about me, and asks a lot of questions.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
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