'Freedom Writers' Notes

• Takes students to a museum where they learn about people who have suffered from racism and what their lives were like.
• Meet survivors of the Holocaust and they listen to their stories.
• They realize that they are cared about and that she truly cares about them.
• The new year starts and she has the same class she did the year before.
• They raise money to have the woman who hid Anne Frank come and be a guest speaker.
• The truth comes out about the shooting in the store, and she tells that her "own" killed the man and not the other guy.
• Gets left by husband.
• The class finds out that she can't teach them next year and they want to fight it.
• Their last assignment was to turn their diaries into a book.
• Mrs. G get approved to teach them Junior and Senior year

Notes on "Freedom Writters"

Differences between her classroom and honors, she has broken old desks, a chalk board, and students who don't really care.
She has a different attitude about teaching then her colleagues.
Different groups between the students.
Her father doesn't support her being a teacher and thinks she should do something better.
Students of her class have been involved in a shooting.
Talks to students about their gangs.
She wants to teach her students about bigger and better things, but no one is their to support her.
She is the only teacher that believes that her students are better than everyone thinks they are.
Has students play a game for them to see that even though they come from different places and are of different races but they have some many things in common.
She gets two part time jobs so she can buy books and supplies for her students. Working a total of 3 jobs.


After watching this I saw that dedication is key to be good at teaching. She shows an extreme amount of dedication to her students. Time and time again she has proved that she isn't there just to push them out the door. She wants them to take something from her class and prove to the people who thought her students couldn't do can do it. She is a dedicated teacher that doesn't let anyone get in her way.

"What Makes a Good Teacher?"

I think a lot of things added together makes a good teacher, and this is my list:

1. Having a sense of humor
 This may sound silly but, with humor you can make any subject interesting. You can make a dry subject new and show your students another way to look at things.

2. Enjoy what you do
If you don't enjoy being a teacher, then don't do it. Never once has someones favorite teacher been a teacher who doesn't enjoy what they are doing. It affects your students performance and outcomes.

3. Set goals
Students will only rise to bar you set for them. A good teacher always makes students work for what they want. They set the bar high enough for everyone to succeed, but also where they can take something out of it.

4. Live in the moment
A good teacher would know how to solve a problem or a glitch with something else. Most teachers are always thinking of improvements to their lessons and they adjust them accordingly to their class.

5. Being relatable
Most of my favorite teachers have been relatable. Not only on a personal level, but they have made the subject they are teaching relatable to my life. They answer the question of, "Why is this important?' and "When will I ever use this?"

These in my opinion are important qualities a teacher should have.

Audre Lorde:

At such a young age Lorde encountered a wide range of teachers. Her first positive experience with a teacher was the librarian. She saw potential in Lorde and gave her the fundamentals to go somewhere. She gave her the ability to read. The librarian wasn't rude, she was sweet and soft spoken and gave Lorde a tool that she would have for the rest of her life. Another teacher Lorde had was her mother. Her mother took what the librarian gave Lorde and made it something. Her mother showed her discipline and work ethic. She taught Lorde structure and this is what a student does. With that being said, Lorde learned to read and write. Next comes her experience with her actual teachers. Both of her teachers were very similar. Her teacher at public school thought she wasn't capable of anything. Her teacher didn't challenge her which resulted in Lorde being sent to the Catholic school. At the Catholic school Lorde learned that reading and writing weren't the only things in school. She faced a challenge of numbers and by not knowing her numbers she was punished for them. Her Catholic teacher was very strict and young. Lorde received spankings daily and was seen as naughty, unless she was reading.

TED Talk: "How Schools Kill Creativity"

After watching Robinson's lecture I agree that schools do kill creativity. They may not do it intentionally. But, they do not put in the effort or focus that they should. All subjects should be seen as equal. It gives students the chance to experience all that is offered. It gives them the chance to see themselves doing countless of things. Placing arts on the bottom of the totem pole means you lose a handful of students. You lose students that didn't suit the cookie cutter form of what a student should be in our education system. And with that you lose creativity. To survive you must flourish in the "important" topics, mathematics, science, and language. But what is left over is the arts. All the other subjects are required and take up most the years that you spend in school. That is where we lose our creativity. Creativity that could have taken us somewhere, but now we have lost it because we have been forced into seeing one view. We have been blind sighted and are told that arts don't take anyone anywhere. That to be successful in our world we must focus on math and science. That will lead us to jobs and we will be able to live a sustainable life. But, we miss out on the things we could have been. Like any subject it opens doors for us. It allows us a glimpse into that world. Closing the door on the arts closes all the doors that come from there. It is something we should honor. We should honor our creativity. Creativity allows us to be ourselves. It shows that we are different from the person sitting next to you. Allowing us to be who we want to be without any restrictions. Our education system needs improvement. We need to take another look on what and how we focus on things. We should embrace the individuals that we are meant to be.

Main Point of Narrative:

The main point of my narrative was to let people know that you can find yourself in the strangest places. For me, it was volunteering for an old teacher to fulfill a graduation requirement. I think it says a lot about life. Even though that sounds cliché, it is the truth. We can find things out about ourselves in the oddest of places. But, it is what we do with those experiences that makes them worthwhile. I hope people can see that you can only make yourself happy, so you mind as well follow your dreams and pursue what you want to do.

Who? What? When? Where? Why, and How?

Who?
I learned what I wanted to do.

What?
I learned I wanted to become a elementary teacher.

Where?
It happened volunteering at a local elementary school.

When?
My senior year-2013
From January '13 to Present


Why?
For a senior project I needed to volunteer to a Non-Profit and I decided that I wanted to help out my old elementary school and one of my old teachers. The reason I picked a particular teacher was because I loved her class and I enjoy the grade she teaches.

How?
The process was meeting with the teacher, getting permission, and having her know what I was doing. The outcome was me discovering what I was actually passionate about and something I could see myself doing in the future. I learned how to connect with the kids and see how much they enjoyed me coming in and working with them. Not only did I discover something about myself, but  I also discovered how much time and effort goes into teaching and how you have to be passionate about it to grasp your students attention.

Preference on Blogs or Autobiographies:

After reading both blogs and autobiographies I think it is safe to say that they both helped me better understand the prompt and how to format my paper. With that being said, I personally like the autobiographies better. I liked it because they made me feel like I was a part of the story. I felt connected to what they were saying. Even though I personally didn't relate to either Malcolm X's or Mike Rose's specific story I saw their viewpoint. The imagery used made me understand. For example, when Malcolm X mentioned reading in the dark with just a sliver of light. It instantly put a picture in my head and I could picture what he was saying. Or when Mike Rose described his classmates, it let me think of how I had had a classmate like that at leas in one of my classes. The description in the autobiographies are what made them. That was their hook. Where the blog was about how it was easy going and not as serious. I found the autobiographies gave me more understanding of what education is and how what it means, compared to in blogs where this was their point and that was it. The autobiographies benefited me as a writer to understand the detail and examples I should provide. The blogs showed me how I can be short but to the point and that I don't need to drag one. But both showed me that no matter what it should be entertaining and that is what both the blogs and the autobiographies provided, entertainment.

Differences Between Books and Blogs:

After reading multiple educational narratives there is a clear difference between books and blogs on this topic. I have noticed that books go into more detail and have a more serious tone. They are writing to tell a story and the length doesn't matter. But, for blogs it is another story. Blogs are meant to be short and to the point. The polar opposite of what a book is. They are still as entertaining as a book, but blogs suit large audience rather than some books do. Also, blogs are used to share a story and spread the word. Where a book is used as an example, meaning people read that book and either learn from it and take something away or they gain nothing. The style of blogs and books are also very different. Blogs have more of a laid back style and are casual. They are meant for a wide variety of people to understand and typically are able to take something from it. Where books usually have a more serious style. Their style is more in your face. They want what they are saying to stand out and be important to you. Where a blog is just someone expressing them self over the computer. They are sharing something and they hope it seems worth wild to read by their audience. But, authors rely on their readers to buy their books and support their career. Both blogs and books help writers express themselves and allow the world of writing to grow.

What are swim suits?

A swim suit is an article or articles of clothing that most people wear when the weather becomes warm. When people hear the word "swim suits" most of us think of bikinis, but that's not the case. Swim suits have become very universal and very fashionable. Everyone can find a swimsuit that fits and shows their personality. Swim suits aren't restricted by colors, they come in any color you could imagine and they come and all sorts of styles, from one pieces to speedos. There is uniqueness that can show everyone's  personality making them feeling equally comfortable and confident.

"How I Learned to Love Traveling Solo"

I thought this text was entertaining and was about an interesting topic. Most people would never think of traveling alone, but Huston shows in her blog that there is so much more to discover when you do it by yourself. It shows a self taught educational stand point. Something that she learned for herself by going out and doing something. It is a perfect example an educational narrative because it shows how one thing can change your outcome. Her outcome being seeing things in a different light. I also enjoyed how she set up her blog. Breaking down into tips made it easier for the audience to relate to and read. When writing a paper or a blog it is important to keep an open mind. This blog does a good job of doing that.

How Using Blogs and Sample Papers Help Generate Ideas

After using the blog and the sample educational narratives it has helped me better understand what the topic means to me and others. It also has helped me grasp that no two people with have a similar experience because of how diverse education is. The blog and the narratives have also helped me brainstorm ideas that have had some sort of impact on my life. It is safe to say that education comes in all shapes and sizes and that proves to be the point after reading the narratives of Malcolm X and Mike Rose. We have all had an experience that has changed us in one way or another. Maybe it was positive or maybe it was negative. It has helped me setup ideas in my head and allowed me to think of topics that would work and that wouldn't work. The blog has helped me use a topic that I am tempted to write about. It has helped me organize my ideas and serve as a rough draft in a sense. Allowing me to get my thoughts flowing and generate ways I can take my essay. It also helped me keep in mind how I can setup my essay and how the order should be. By allowing me to brainstorm numerous ideas it has allowed me to decide on a specific topic that I want to discuss.

Most Importatnt Educational Expereience

My most important educational experience would be volunteering at my local elementary school. It was something I started doing to fulfill a requirement for graduation. A friend and I decided to volunteer at the elementary school we went to and to work with a teacher we had many years ago. At the start I never thought I would like it as much as I did. Instead I ended up loving it! That experience taught me so much about myself. It taught me how much power I hold. I'm not talking about the power of bossing the kids around, but the power of where they idolize you. When they see you walk in the classroom they get excited and can't wait to go read a book to you or work on telling time. They were so eager to learn and ready to absorb as much as they can. This is something I admire about elementary school, the kids love to learn and they love school. They haven't gotten to the point where they are ready to give up, because simply giving up isn't in their vocabulary. They are ready to tackle any problem and just happy to have someone there to help. This gave me a new insight on education. It changed my whole frame of mind. It gave me a reason to want to do as much as I can while I have the time. I not only helped the students, but the students helped me. One thing about elementary school is that learning is made fun. It keeps the attention of the students and they want to learn what is being taught. School isn't seen as a chore like it is in high school, it is seen as a place where learning is important, but is also very  fun.  My experience with volunteering didn't end once my ten hours were up. I volunteered every Thursday until the end of the school year. It was something that I knew I would enjoy, but I never thought I'd enjoy it as much as I did. It is funny how one decision can change your whole mindset, and this decision is a perfect example of that. Volunteering at Gordon allowed me to pursue a career I would have never thought myself taking. It changed my plans, but it also helped me grow. Before volunteering I knew I wanted to help people. That led me to want to be a social worker and then led me to wanting to be a nurse. But, after going to Gordon and seeing the kids something clicked with me. Something inside me told me this is what I was meant to do. I guess you could say I had "a moment", where I knew instantly that this was the job for me. Now many people wouldn't think of volunteering as an educational experience. At least that is not the first thing that pops into my head when I hear that. But, for me this explains so much of me. It stands out in my head and it has taught me things that I may have not realized about myself before. It helped me appreciate all the wonderful teachers I was honored to have. They instilled the importance of education. They taught me that learning doesn't just happen in the classroom, but it happens everywhere. That if you pay close enough attention you will notice that education is surrounding us no matter where we are. I think that this shows us that education isn't just one narrow, dry topic. That there is so much in the world and that we have to want to learn or we will never know. This is the most important experience to me, because it has allowed me to see another side of myself. It has provided me with a drive that nothing can get in my way. I want to be the best person I can be. I want to make a difference and this is one of the ways that is possible. Most of us never really know what we want to do, until we do it. That is exactly true for me. Before you can disregard something you must first at least attempt or put in some sort of effort. I went into volunteering not thinking anything of it, but what I got out of it was worth so much more. I never thought that I would want to be a teacher. It was something that I thought about from time to time, but nothing that I had ever put some serious thought into. I have to say one thing though, I am happy I did something that I never expected to love so much. Even though I graduated last year, I still volunteer once a week with the same teacher. That teacher has become a role model to me. Volunteering has allowed me to see what teaching is all about. How interactive it is and all the time and effort that goes beyond the classroom.

Malcolm X VS. Mike Rose

Both Malcolm X and Mike Rose's essays are both completely different, but also very similar. These essays challenge the education system. They show the side of where education has let us down, but has also shined through in unexpected places. These essays are different in the sense that they both deal with completely different circumstances. Malcolm X taught himself how to read. He took that into his own hands and did something with it. He made a mission to to take action for something he wanted. Mike Rose is very similar to that. Rose saw that being average is just fine. That average is what is expected and we was expected to be below average. The bar for him and his education was set low. Meaning the average wasn't expected of him, only the bare minimum. Both these people proved to be more than what they were given credit to be.

Regarding our paper these essays helped give me an understanding to what education is. Education is so much more than sitting in a classroom and listening to someone tell you what to do. Education is where you apply yourself. You make it your goal to go above and beyond and take that to the next level. It's important to realize that we all take education for granted. That we don't truly appreciate until we have to fight for it. Being passionate about something gives you a voice. Everyone is passionate about something and that something relates to education in one way or another. Another piece of information these essays provide me was that detail makes a difference. Their personal stories made me stop and think. They allowed me to see how important detail is when explaining something personal. It is the main ingredient in a paper.

"How I Learned to Program Computers" VS. "How I Learned to Live Google Free"

After reading, "How I Learned to Program Computers" and "How I Learned to Live Google Free" it helped me think of how education doesn't boil down to just one thing. That to learn a skill you don't have to learn it just in school. Both of these essays prove that. I enjoyed reading, "How I Learned to Program Computers" the best because it was a self taught skill. I admire people who can teach themselves how to do things. It also showed me a wider variety of items I can discuss for my paper. That education isn't just one thing. Education is in everything we do. That no matter where we are we are always learning something. It may be something we already knew, but it builds off of the knowledge that we already have established. I also enjoyed how even though his essay was about a specific topic that I  had no interest in it was still entertaining. It suited a wide variety of audience. This is important to keep in mind as a writer. You want your essay to be relatable in some sense to a diverse group of people.

How to be successful Essay # 1

Our first paper is a narrative about an experience we have had with education. To be successful we must think of ways that we can relate to education, for example playing a sport, learning how to cook from your mom, and even from volunteering or working. We have all experienced something that has had some sort of impact on us from an educational stand point. When picking a topic you should be able to relate to it, as should your audience. That their is no wrong choice, but you have to make your audience feel the same things that you felt. You have to add emotion and imagery, provide your audience with a similar experience that you had. Even though this is a formal paper don't think it has to be dry. This paper should have detail throughout the entire thing, from the introduction to the closing sentence. To be successful in writing you must be able to connect to your audience. Keep that in mind while writing this essay.

I'm sure I'm not the only one in class that is new to blogging world! It is definitely different, but I'm pumped to try something new.