God Save the College!

College is this magical place in my head that everything seems to depend on; it has all the excitement and fulfillment. "That's where you'll meet your best friends." "It'll be the best time of your life." "You'll meet the one there." AHH! What else could I think of but the anticipation and especially fear. 

In Lawrence B. Schlack's article "Not Going to College is a Viable Option", the college dream is flipped inside out and realities are laid on the table. There are different ways to live your life after high school other than college, and that college isn't as important as it seems. Studies indicate that college has actually tainted the perception of students, denying those that are not the particular kind that is needed. People vary in interests and skills, and because of the ever changing world (greatly affected by technology), many are no longer fit to survive, benefit from or, most importantly, afford the college route. This struck me as heartbreaking and unfair. 

I believe that all people are naturally students, but are unique in their own way of learning and applying knowledge and skills. And, I also believe that the current education system has robbed many of the chance to understand that. School is essential for the molding of minds to be set free as strong producers of solutions. Without the disciplinary guidance of college, students may not be able to acquire such values and our future may end up being run by mindlessness and passivity, or worse machines.   

I do not want to watch college become inadequate or reserved for the elite or the "accepted". I do not want people to depend on machines and not discover their full potential. College is for the students, all of them, no matter what kinda of student they may be. 

There are different ways to go and live, but truly, knowledge is human power. 

What is college to you?

Nonstop Free Writing

By now every ERW student knows what nonstop free writing is, if you don't well I have no clue what you have been doing in class for the past couple weeks. To the point at hand, in almost every Peter Elbow presentation we have heard this idea of nonstop free writing that helps to help create your masterpiece of a writing. Not only have we heard the method in many presentations but we have also experienced it first hand when writing in our notebooks to the beautiful music Ms.Fletcher plays. What is the point of this method though? Why does Ms.Fletcher want us to write nonstop for ten minutes straight while listening to Watermelon Man? It's actually very simple and that's to get use to writing all your thoughts and ideas on a piece of paper without stopping to think. To allow all those ideas and thoughts just flow out of your head onto a piece of paper. Being the brilliant teacher Ms. Fletcher is she helps the process of allowing your ideas to flow out. For example Ms. Fletcher always makes sure the room is completely silent so nothing can get in the way of your ideas such as sound, you might think well the music she is playing is sound and can get in the way, well I'm sorry but your wrong. Scientifically music like the one Ms.Fletcher plays, Jazz and Classical, helps people to write better and more. You can imagine how this idea of nonstop free writing is important because it is, Peter Elbow stresses the importance in it and so does Ms. Fletcher the reason is because of the results the method brings.

Not Going to College is a Viable Option

To everyone who is reading that title you maybe thinking its late and, Nathan has lost his mind tonight. Let me assure you I do plan on attending college and achieving a bachelors degree in Psychology, but that's not the point. The reality of it all was brought to light in a article that Ms.Fletcher has bought to all of ERW's attention. Lawrence Schlack discusses how in the world today college has almost become mandatory, and it seems he is almost encouraging us to rethink that whole idea. Now he doesn't say, "Dont got college your wasting your time", but simply states find something that you know you can do. Only about twelve percent of colleges in the United States require a Bachelors Degree. If you know that what you realistically want to do in life you don't have to take the college route. By the end of high school even the seniors that already have their mindsets do not know what they want to major in or pursue a career in. Schlack talks about this "gap year" which is very common in Europe, and it's a year to just think about whats best for you away from school. All throughout high school we've been rushed to hurry up and get things done, so this doesn't seem like a bad idea in theory. If you ever thought about not going to college think about what your good at, and choose something that you love. You don't have to follow the trend, but it also doesn't hurt to have a degree to fall back on.

Keepin' It C14ssy

We are seniors now! Hard to believe right? It seems as if it were only yesterday we thought this Mayfair place was so big because we just entered from elementary school. What we need to do to memorize this year forever and make the most of it is just to stay stress free. I admit that some of us are challenged academically and are under a lot of pressure. It is a difficult and stressful time for us, and often we tend to forget how to really make our senior year the best. Well, LETS JUST TAKE CONTROL OF OUR LIFE NOW! It is us who have the responsibility to give our best and do all of our work this year. Besides that, join a club or a sport! STAY OCCUPIED. Sports are great for taking our minds off of any kind ofwork, But if you are too tired, playing music or listening to your mp3 player can give you stress relief as well. 
STAY STRONG CLASS OF 2014! Try to avoid Senior1t4s!

"What a waste, we think, that one who is so intelligent about so many things in life seems unable to apply that intelligence to academic work."

Gerald Graff suggests that a potential reason some students do poorly in school is a result of the type of work schools are assigning to their students. He feels that many students have "street smarts"that are overlooked in our education system because school's are focusing too heavily on classic "weighty and academic" subjects instead of subjects that interest the student. I agree that this could contribute to a student's performance in school and that students can be intelligent in other subjects not related to academics. However, I feel the type of work given to students is only a minimal contribution to their ability to perform well in school. I think the biggest reason student's don't perform well in school is a result of their own self-motivation. It is the student's job to motivate and push themselves to complete assignments to the best of their ability no matter how hard or boring it seems. If the work seems boring, uninteresting, or even challenging the student should be responsible enough to find ways to make the assignment more understandable for them rather than toss out the thought of trying to understand and complete the assignment. A person's intelligence is still a great measure of their academic performance, but, ultimately, the result lies in how much effort a student puts in to their academic work.

Other People Presentaion

First off I want to say well done to Thomas and Brandon on their presentation today.  It was well detailed and I was able to take lots of information from it.  I feel like the main topics, about a safe and dangerous audience, was spot on.  When I have to write knowing people I don’t know are going to read it I get nervous.  I feel like they are going to critique me harshly.  For example, when I took my AP U.S. History test last year, I was scared about what the graders might think.  They didn’t know me and the way I write so they might feel like my writing was dumb.  Especially because everyone has a different grading scale, I was worried about how each person might interpret my essays.  It’s so different writing for friends or family.  They won’t judge you to harshly, nor will they make fun of you.  Instead if you mess up at some part they might just laugh but try to help you afterwards.  They actually care in trying to make you a better writing.  When you write to a stranger, that’s it.  Your first paper is your final.  After reading your first, they’ll make an assumption about you right away.  They’ll assume you’re a good sought out writer or perhaps a poor writer who needs to improve promptly.  It sucks that we cant always avoid those “dangerous audiences” but at least we can try to get rid of our fear.  Once we overcome such fear, we may become better writers.

"You are already that person, now put yourself in that place."

As application season has finally arrived, we are all being forced to look into ourselves and ask what do we really want from ourselves? Something so basic that we all do constantly, but when time comes to answer to someone else, there seems to be no certain answer.
In "The 10 Most Common Excuses for Not Going to College" the author talks about how many student feel really lost about the whole application when in fact there is a lot of good advice available and all you have to do do is ask for it. I feel this is applicable to a lot of the struggles we face when it comes to making choices about our future and how to reach our goals. We are overcome with this feeling of competition and needing to do everything right that we end up not doing anything.
I've heard the phrase "I want to apply but I'm not smart enough!"and that is where the problem starts. Once we doubt ourselves, we direct ourselves downward. For years I didn't join the Art Academy because I simply thought I wasn't good enough. It wasn't until my junior year when I was having a conversation with my art teacher and told him how I'd wanted to be in the academy, when he stopped me in my sentence and said, "I always thought you should be in the academy, I just thought you weren't interested!". A goal I had that could have been achieved long ago had I only believed in myself enough to go after it.
A lot of times, the only thing that is stopping us is ourselves. Don't be scared to be motivated about your goals. How do you know you're not good enough unless you apply? You may surprise yourself.

The First Quarter is Coming to an End

Well, the first quarter is going to pass us by in a few days....And I know that some of us are going to regret not fulfilling our full potential. I honestly feel that I could have done way better. Not saying that I didn't try hard, it is just the fact that I didn't try my hardEST. Maybe it is because of the fact that we had a slow start, or maybe because we are the third period guinea pigs. I really don't know. Maybe it is just me. But I feel that I could have done way better! I know most of everyone in third period probably have A's or B's. (Unless you guys are tricking me with your smartness) I would probably be the one bringing the class average down. I do all my work, but honestly, sometimes when Ms. Fletcher teaches, I sometimes do not understand. (Sorry Ms. Fletcher, it isn't you, it is me). I honestly just don't like to ask questions because I feel as if I would be the only one who asks questions and I would feel dumb. So I tend to blank out and talk to my peeps on my table (SHOUT OUT TO ESMERELDA, MARSHAY, FRANCISCO, FELIZ, VANESSA, and VAI-TAI!). Maybe I should ask them for help next time.:) This is a class about discussion and sharing ideas with your peers, but I take it to the next level by chatting about things not relating to class. I am going to try harder next quarter. Because the transcripts are going to be coming out soon. SORRY Ms. FLETCHER!
Do any of you guys believe that you could have done better this quarter, or do you feel as if you fulfilled all that you have wanted and reached your goal?

I just want to know how...

How does anyone know what they want to do with their lives?
How does anyone decide whether or not to pursue a college education?
How does anyone choose the right college and what to study?
I just want to know...
I'm sorry to use such a poor analogy, but I'm just going for it.
Although it ended in 2007, Gilmore Girls is still one of my favorite T.V. shows. Rory Gilmore is truly one of my role models in life. Rory was not priviledged, raised by a single mother, yet she was always so sure of herself. She knew she wanted to go to college. She knew she wanted to go to Harvard. From a small town called Stars Hollow then transferring to the presitgious Chilton High, being despised by snobby teens, she didn't surrender her ambition to succeed. She did everything right to get into her dream school. But when the acceptance letters from Harvard, Princeton, and Yale arrived in her mailbox, her decision to attend her dream school was put on hold. After a series of pro and con lists, Rory attended Yale in the fall, certain that it was the best school for her. At Yale, she majored in journalism to become a foreign correspondent.
I want to know what I want to do. I'm applying for colleges, and I still don't know what I want to study, what I want to do with my life. To be honest, I don't know if I even want to go to college. The thing is, I don't care whether or not I want to attend a university; I know that it will be better for me. The four years I spend at college will give me time to figure everything out. I just wish it would be automatic just like it was for Rory.
I know that there are more options for me. I can take a year off or go directly into my desired career, but I just want to be certain of my decision. I want to want to do what I end up doing. I want to be Rory Gilmore.

If you didn't watch this show, I don't think we can be friends anymore. 

Excuses people use

            Grades. Grades. Grades. That’s what college is all about isn’t it? We all think that if we don’t have all A’s we will not get accepted into any of the good colleges because it’s not good enough. Well actually no, colleges look for more than just your grades.

                This excuse has been used a lot to try to somehow refuse college without even giving yourself a chance. Besides your grades colleges also look at all the activities that you’ve been in throughout your high school years, the clubs that you were a part of, sports that you played, and what you’re involved in outside of school.

                I just realized for myself that colleges do want you to having passing grades. But they also want to see that you took that extra step in trying an AP class or two.  They want to see that you tried your best and did all you could do in your classes, they want to see you as a whole not as a part of yourself. They want to know that with you joining their college campus that you are going to do your best, make a difference out there, and that you will be involved and participate in what they have to offer such as clubs, sports, or extracurricular activities that they have on their campus to offer you.

                All you really have to do is give yourself a chance. You need to stop judging yourself and your grades and apply. Apply for the colleges you want because truth is colleges are not stopping you from getting you where you want to be, you are by not applying.

I'm Blank

            With millions of career choices out in the world to follow, I have no idea what I want to major in. There are some professions that interest me, but I admit I’m too lazy to follow them. For example, I would like being a veterinarian but going to college for another 8 years, I really don’t think I’m up for that.  When I was younger I always wanted to be a fashion designer but now I know I’m not creative enough to come up with some clothing concepts. As of right now, I’m blank.

Many freshmen don’t know what they want to major in during their first year in college.  They use their first year to experiment. They take a wide variety of classes to figure out what they want to do. However, according to the article “Excuses for NOT Going to College,” having no major in mind isn’t a problem. Reason number 7, luckily comforts me.  I still can use my freshmen year to discover my passion. Yes not having a major planned out might be a waste time but at least I won’t go on study something and then regretting it in the future. So lesson here is, if you don’t know what you want to do don’t freak out. Don’t think because you haven’t made up your mind about your career choice you shouldn’t go to college.  Going to college would be the best decision you can possibly make. So let’s all go to college kids, yeah!

EXCUESES for not going to college

           There are lots of people in the world that use the excuse that they can't go to college because it’s too expensive, schools are asking for too much money, or that they just simply cannot afford it. EXCUSES, EXCUSES, EXCUSES!!!

            There are so many ways out there to get money to be able to afford college. Whether it’s doing well in a certain sports and getting an athletic scholarship, or doing excellent in school and getting an academic scholarship.  You can even try to get a job, school grants, financial aid, or student loans. 

There are many ways to find out how to get financial aid, school grants, or student loans.  As students getting ready to go off to college we should have already started looking up ways to get money for college. If you haven’t then start looking up school websites, or ask your counselors to help you out.

            I suggest that you guys start looking into it.  It’s not like you’re the only one needing money to go to college.  I myself am going to go off to college and have no way of paying for it.  So I am going to apply for financial aid, because I am too lazy to find a job (and it is not easy to get a job anyways).  Like it says in the article The 10 Most Common Excuses for NOT going to College and Why They’re All Wrong!, There is about 28 billion dollars waiting for students who need money for college. So start your research, check out the FAFSA website because I guarantee that if you show that you truly need money to go to college, there are ways that you can get it.

College Transition from High School! YIKES.

It’s all a transition. No more high school. No more teachers who are going to push you to do your work. It's all up to you now. You take your whole entire life, pack up, and walk away from it. It’s starting over in a new town, at a new school, with new surroundings, and it is your time to make a name for yourself. Now, unless you are going to Cal State Long Beach, you will not have to make new friends. (Majority of my peers are attending Cal State Long Beach)

Sounds Scary?

Not for me, It seems as if it is going to be an exciting! It is a chance to work my butt off and to make a name for myself, to make a reputation of whom I want to be known as over the next four years. Away from all these negative vibes in high school. It's a new beginning for me. With that said, it’s all up to you to become whoever you want to be. I don't know about you, but I know that I want to be known as the hardest worker in my future college. Both on the basketball court, and off. With that said, good luck on your transition. Do not worry about it so much. It will only give you gray hairs by causing you stress. I believe that my third period would do perfectly fine, because we are some smart student-athletes! STAY STRONG. 

Not Going to College is a Viable Option

      I remember two weeks ago when I told my friend's mother my uncertainty about going to college right away. I admitted that I had no clue about what I should do with my life, and that maybe the military was a better option for now. She proceeded to tell me how wrong I was, and that I couldn't be successful without college. That reminded me about the eight grader in this article who said, "College is like your life. If you don't go to college...you can't live a successful life." I feel like so many students are being pressured into attending college, that they don't even consider their alternatives. They don't understand that success can be achieved without a college degree.
      Many times I've asked my friends, "What are you going to do after high school?" Almost all of them answered that they will be going to college. Then I'd ask what they want to major in or do long term; almost all of them are uncertain. Maybe they'll chose a major, but then end up switching it for another one because they're unhappy with what they've chosen. Some students will end up dropping or failing classes, and then eventually dropout. Then, they end up finding a job that does not require a college degree, only now they're in debt. If there wasn't so much pressure to attend college in the first place, perhaps all this time and money would not have been wasted.
      I feel that if you have a plan of where you want to go, how you'll pay the tuition, and what kind of career you want to make for yourself long term, then go to college. Someone without a plan should at least consider their other options, and not listen to the lies that say only a college degree can equal success.   

Why Go to College

      Why go to college? Why not go to college? With so many benefits leading in to make a prosperous future, this is an option one should consider. A college education will more likely guarantee that you will make twice as much money than someone who only holds a high school diploma. Maybe working full time right after graduation sounds more appealing because money will be coming in right away. Looking at the big picture, college is a lifetime investment, and you be making a greater income with a career requiring a higher education. People with only a high school education may see their income decline over the years.
      College is a chance to discover your interests and find your hidden talents. Many will even go in as an undecided major, so not having a well thought-out plan right away should not be a fret. In fact, if you do feel the common anxieties and stress over planning and preparing for college, a counselor is usually available. Someone will be able to help with the nerves getting ready for this new environment. No one has to feel overwhelmed.
      Money does not have to be an excuse if one can't afford college. Anyone can still receive a great education from non-Ivy League schools, which would save several thousand dollars. Financial aid is available to everyone, and also consider scholarships, loans, grants, and prepaid tuition programs. Maybe a part-time job would be more beneficial. There should be no excuse for not going to college. Anyone with a desire for learning and a higher education can go, and there will always be someone there to help you get through.

AF: Fletcher says "Hey"

So here we are in the last week before the quarter, and this assignment is just hanging there, undone. (You kids are scaring me; I know I'm about to get clobbered with a mountain of last minute work; last minute work is often rushed and careless work.  Prove me wrong.  Do a good job!)

A shout out to the TWO writers, Aissha and Bianca, and the TWO commenters Ashlay and Bianca. Thanks for leading the way and demonstrating to the rest of us how to get this done!

This class is surprisingly slow to get started.  We're so small -- I would think we'd be all over this, but I guess not.  

Please make sure you make a visit to essayhell.com and see what kind of help you might find.  I am starting to read essays.  If you are finished, if you have a draft that you feel pretty solid about, give it to me.  Just turn it in early.  You can hang on to all your drafts and all the background work until we have the official collection time on Thursday...but if you have something you want me to read on Tuesday or Wednesday, bring it on.  I'm climbing into the essay reading saddle, and I'll be there for a few weeks.

I have a Peter Elbow presentation that I am getting ready to give about writing with teachers.  It is hard to get real with a teacher.  I do my best to take off that teacher persona, but ultimately you know I'm reading to judge you — but that is NOT why we write.  We don't write to be judged.  We write to communicate with another person.  That's why the blog is really a better place for you to develop your writer's muscles.  Write TO EACH OTHER.  Talk to each other.  I like what I see started out here, and I'd like to see it bloom and flourish.

I'm out!
Peace and love,
AFletcher

Jerry's Fame

This morning I spent about 20 minutes aimlessly looking through Netflix while I ate my breakfast of Honey Bunches and boysenberries (never again). Scrolling through the documentary section, I found a movie on J.D. Salinger, the writer of the famous novel, Catcher in the Rye. 

The documentary elaborated much on J.D., Jerry David, Salinger's earlier life and especially his experiences as a soldier in World War II. It was repeated several times in the film that Salinger's hardships gained him the ability to write such impeccable literature, especially Catcher in the Rye. Driven by trauma from his experiences Salinger also developed intense mistrust and hatred towards the media and publishers. He never wrote for anyone else but himself. 

This immediately directed me to my Peter Elbow's Writing with Power lesson, called "Audience as a Focusing Force." Elbow explains the importance of two audiences: yourself and your readers. He states that it is best to write for both in a balance. The most difficult part of this concept may be in writing for others, because the more you start to consider other's ideas, the more influenced and less authentic your ideas become. As for Salinger, he had a strong grasp on what he stood for and what he stood against. The hurtful experiences he had with the media made him inconsiderate of other’s thoughts on his work. Perfection was based on his own judgment.

It is truly amazing how greatly people received his work although it was the least considerate of their interests and standards. 65 billion copies of Catcher in the Rye have been sold, with 250,000 each year. Salinger has affected so many people’s lives with only the third novel he has written.

Can we eventually write well enough to be insensitive about the perception of others and still succeed or are only incredible people like Jerry Salinger able to do so? Do you think that you should write more for yourself and just a little bit for your audience? Which is more important to you?

Salinger in Germany writing Catcher in the Rye.

My Input on Which is Do You Like the Most--Reading or Writing?

This is an extremely hard question. I personally always love to lose myself in a book, whether it's one that I'm reading or one that I'm writing. The great thing about reading is the element of the unknown because you have ABSOLUTELY no idea what's going to happen or how the story will end. It just hits you with the thrilling feeling. No other explanation. You can lose yourself in someone else's world and have a lot of fun trying to guess what will happen next or simply 'enjoying the ride'. However, one of the reasons I love to write is because I can create something where there was nothing and hopefully give other people a great reading experience at the same time. Also, I can control exactly what happens in my characters' world -- it gives me a sense of power and importance that I don't have in day-to-day life. That's what I love about writing and reading. I don't think I could choose between the two. 

Peter Elbow Writing With Power

In case anyone has been absent on a day that someone gave their presentation on Peter Elbow, I have written down all of the presentations I have heard so far. Feel free to take some of the notes you forgot. I believe that we will be having a test/quiz on this soon after the presentations are over.

Freewriting 

• get ideas down on paper
• process not the product
• get the bad ideas out, find the good ones
• single most powerful practice
• wrestle your ideas
• it is like putting the snake in a bottle, wrestling a steer to the floor, getting the demon off your 

Sharing

• opens the door to new ideas
• sharing is rare because they may sound dumb
• it takes courage to perform because you may get rude comments
• when you are writing sometimes you hold back
• reading out loud is risky but it is different from giving someone your paper because it is your tone and you accept the fact that this is your writing

Direct Writing Process

• writing memos
• use when you do not know what to write and eliminate bad stuff
• do not worry about what you are writing
• don't be repetitive
• when brainstorming, keep writing, do not stop
• keep identifying the main facts
1. divide time in half
2. fast writing
3. revise it at the end

The Dangerous Method

• Get meaning clear in head before idea
• outline
• converse/discussion
• take a break
• no pressure
• strategy when time is short

Priming the Pump

• helps you fuel your ideas
• you can write about someones life
• metaphors help you think about things more creative
• mostly metaphorically questions

Open Ended Wriing

• non stop freewriting
• find your main focus
• when you feel like you're done enough, collect your main ideas
• freewriting is like a ship, and you want to get on land because you are los at sea

Loop Writing Process

• very fun and easy
• for boring essays/topics
• voyage out
1. helps you get started 
2. write your thoughts down
3. after research, do your 2nd draft
4. dialogues scenes, portraits
5. read everything over again
• on your way home
1. organize and revise
2. bringing you back into your topic

Writing Without Thinking

• speeches and notes help out a lot

1. write about your feelings
2. produce random thoughts on the go
3. comparisons of your day (how it went, what you did, etc...)
4. keep your thoughts on a paper

• don't give up, keep growing
• avoid confusion
• JUST BE A TREE

Revising with Feedback

• feedback helps with the focus of writing
• 4 types of feedback

1. lots of feedback- when you get feedback from the audience, just listen to them and understand their opinion
2. reading feedback- the definition is basically in the name....
3. little feedback- you know what your idea is, so you don't really take in consideration of what the audience thinks
4. minimal feedback- just spell checking, and grammar errors.

• Peter Elbow uses and empty room analogy- all these pieces you want to convey to an audience, but you can't do it on your own. Ask for other peoples opinions, such as your parents.
• TRANSFORMATION not TRANSACTION

Other People

• shows the dangerous and safe audience

1. dangerous audience- you are afraid to write for them because of what they might say, so you don'r really write to your full potential
• AVOID THE DANGEROUS AUDIENCE
1. safe audience- you write to your family and your friends you trust with much confidence because you are comfortable around them

• the non-audience is just in your head. 
• No matter who you write for or talk to, keep your mind positive and focused
• Ask yourself these three questions in your head:

1. Is the audience safe or dangerous?
2. Is the effect quantity or quality?
3. Is the audience real or just in my head?

Audience Focusing Force

• An audience is like a magnetic field- when you are far away, you have no connection; but as you come closer, you start to focus more towards them.
• Two types of writing:

1. Get it Right Writing- You write for yourself (YANG)
• Audience has no influence on your writing.
• Writing you actually care about
• You express honesty and ORIGINALITY
1. Get the Result- portray on the audience right from the start (YIN)
• Be on their point of view, not on your point of view
• Really, all you want to do is GET IT DOWN, TURN IT IN, AND you'll never see it AGAIN!
• Audience Orientated

• This is really all about Balance - Yang is free and relaxed, while Yin is more mysterious and dorky.; but together, they make the perfect working couple!

The Last Step

• Steps for the end of your revising:

1. Pick someone who can revise your whole paper
2. put all the attentions towards grammar until the end of the paper
3. LEARN GRAMMAR
4. Learn from your mistakes if you frequently do the same mistakes.
5. GRAMMAR IS IMPORTANT
6. GRAMMAR=GLAMOUR

That is all of the notes. Yay!

10 Rules for Going to College When Nobody Really Expected You To ---- My Point of View

10 Rules for Going to College When Nobody Really Expected You To by Joe Rodriguez is something I can relate to right now, and I'm not even in college! He basically is giving us rules to become a successful colleague (the title says it all). My favorite rule was actually #6- Study harder in college. I know that some of us are struggling in school, either for family problems, financial problems, or social problems. It still remains to be our job to stay focused and to put effort in everything we do. If you think you are doing your hardest right now, then you need to think again because college is two times harder than high school. It may be funner because you get to choose the time of day you want to attend, but it is also more stressful. We have the smartest kids in college stressing out the most. So unless your name is Ryan Farquahr, you will need to study like you have never studied before and work so hard you start to sweat. (Maybe I am over exaggerating). Thank you for reading my blog.

Mayfair ERWC 2013-14 Class Blogs

You will become a blogger this year. Writing for an authentic audience who has expectations of you is excellent practice for writers and thinkers.  You must be clear; you must discuss things that merit discussion; you must make sense. If you cannot write clearly, no one will really be able to respond to you.  When you cannot make yourself understood, you are effectively silenced, no longer a part of the ongoing conversation and exchange in the world of ideas.

“If thought corrupts language, then language can also corrupt thought.”  —George Orwell

The basic ground rules:

1. If you have not already, you will need to create a Google account.  It’s easy and free.  I suggest that you create an email address that is simple and professional; standard on most college campuses and in corporate settings is your first initial, followed by your last name: You must sign each post with your real name.  I cannot grade or respond to crzysrferchick88, flatworlder3876 or any such moniker.
2. Absolutely, positively no flaming.  You may question one another, ask for clarification, admit that you don’t understand what somebody is talking about, add a point that you believe somebody has missed, but you must NOT attack people.  Challenge ideas, ask for clarity, but do not bash one another.  If I have to censor you for this, expect one warning; the second time, your access to the blog will be blocked and I’ll simply enter a zero for this part of the assignment.
3. Please do not waste our time or bandwidth with “Me too!” and “I agree with you!” responses.  Such posts are ANNOYING.  If you agree or disagree, EXPLAIN yourself.

Round 1: What’s Next?, Peter Elbow and the Personal Statement

You’ve received the texts for this unit.  Read and annotate them with thought and careful consideration.  You’ve also read your chapter of Peter Elbow’s Writing With Power.  These will be the primary sources for your discussion starters.

Start Two Threads

You must start two threads — that is, you have to originate two conversations. When you start a thread, refer directly to which of the texts you are reading and the question you want to raise.  Give us enough information so we can orient ourselves and figure out what you are talking about.  Use your questions generated from the handout of texts and even make connections to outside sources (if you’re ambitious, use any part of Peter Elbow’s Writing With Power, too!) to start a conversation for the rest of the class to consider.

These conversation starters should be between 250-300 words long.  Anything shorter will not be effective.  For example to offer some perspective, the word count for the three basic ground rules listed above (1, 2, and 3) is 179 words long.

Respond to Four Threads

You must respond to someone else’s conversation at least four times.  You may also respond to a response.  I expect some threads will become quite lengthy.  Your responses should also be complete thoughts, fully explained.  I don’t want to get all nit-picky on word counts; just don’t go overboard (rambling is never a good idea), and make sure you say enough to make a point.

I’d like to see you involved over a course of several days; all four responses posted in one day subverts the spirit of open discussion, so will receive half credit.  We have approximately three weeks left for this unit; don’t jam the work into one or two days. Good writing comes from a thoughtful place; poor writing is almost always superficial.

Let’s see a lively exchange of ideas!  If you are confused, go to your classmates for help.  If you see something on television, online or in the newspaper that relates to what we are working on, share it.  And watch for my posts — when I see something that I want to share with you, I go to the blog with it.

If you’re curious to see how a class blog looks, you can read an example from Ms. Fletcher’s AP English 11 summer homework blog from last year: http://apbloggers13-14.blogspot.com.  Familiarize yourself with how a blog works: Explore; orient yourself with the format and how to post; understand how the posts are catalogued; browse a few entries and the responses to those threads.  Keep in mind that not all student posts and responses met Ms. Fletcher’s expectations.

Feel free to email me with questions or problems; that’s what I’m here for.  I honestly don’t mind; however, I may redirect many of your questions back to the blog.