Dogs, a man's best friend...

Focused Free-writing: 

If you were to choose the breed you would be if you were a dog, which type would best suit you?  Explain.  

Interesting how I came up with this topic, when I first started teaching, and one of my students whom was quiet and seemed as though he never talked, or showed emotion was absent from class.  Then one of his classmates, when I asked where he was, said "He's absent."  Then she went on to describe how he reminds her of a pitbull.  Because of his stern look and behavior.  This is a fun topic to read about, my students hopefully, will match their personality to the dog they've chosen.

Today Paper # 2 is due.  Many but not all my students have been conferencing with me, and I have seen great improvement in their writing.  It is very nice to see their progression as writers.  







Image taken from: http://visual.merriam-webster.com/animal-kingdom/carnivorous-mammals/dog-breeds_1.php 

Get up and do something...

Focused Free-writing: 

If you could make anyone in the world do something each day, who would it be, and what would you have them do?  Explain. 

Similar to my hypnotizing topic, but very different.  If you could make someone do something each day, not necessarily for a moment, who would it be and what would you have them do?  When I was teaching with the Adult High School Program, many of my students would choose their spouse or their children, they would have them do all the house chores, and do what a particular busy spouse would do.  They would often describe how lazy their children or spouse would be, after having a long day at work or school.

Today I conferenced with a few students, not all, just a few.  Hopefully, they come up to me with their writing at least once, so they can improve as writers.

 

Magic...

Focused Free-writing: 

If you had the gift of magic for one day, what would you do?  Explain. 
Tonight's topic, it feels like magic.  In Micronesia, magic takes on a different meaning, different from the modern western idea of magic.  The modern western belief or view of magic is considered as making objects suddenly appear from no where.  Magic is almost considered to be some what of a miracle, or some major life-changing event happening for no apparent reason, an intervention just coming out of no where.  But in Micronesia, magic takes on a more traditional means and is interpreted as making someone do something they may not necessarily want, the outcome of events--result is the desire of the person whom places the magic spell.  Having control over someone, is the aim.  We consider magic to be powers people possess, as an ability to have someone under our control.    


I wonder what my students' responses will be towards this topic.  I know some may consider magic to be something taboo, but I hope their imaginations soar with this topic.  It seems like a fun topic to have to read. 








Image Taken From: http://www.dinodigusa.com/magic.html

Making a Decision...

Focused Free-writing: 

If you had to pick one experience or situation when you were the most decisive, which would it be? 

Many times, the response would be, the decision to come to school.  The students have the choice after high school whether or not to attend college.  Many students, of course the ones whom are older, regret not going to school immediately after they have graduated from high school.  They often talk about how their career could have been a more stable one, and how they will have been making so much money at this point.  At times, I struggle with being able to make a decision, some times it may come down to flipping a coin or saying eenie-meenie-minee-mooe.  Making a decision now, is crucial, decision making is something that should be given great thought, because there may be adverse or favorable effects.

Later, we went over Description how it is important in writing.  I think of all the genres of writing, description is the most important.  Descriptive writing brings things to life.  A good description allows readers to visualize a scene, a person, a room, or even an object.  In essay writing, a good description can add depth and understanding to the work.

All writers use descriptive writing at one time or another.  Fiction writers depend heavily upon descriptive writing when describing characters or places in a story.  Descriptive writing is also necessary when defining a term or giving instructions.    
























Images taken from: http://militaryrealestatevoice.com/2008/08/

Valentine's Day...

Focused Free-writing: 

Describe your perfect date.  

Okay, so I gave in, and decided to have my students write about a perfect date. This type of topic is what I usually give at the beginning of the semester, for my students to write/describe.  I gave in since today is Valentine's Day, to let my students write about their perfect date.  Many responses I get when the topic is on the board, initially, is "What if I've never been on a date?"  Then make it up!  Use your imagination, what would you perceive in your mind to be a perfect date.  What would you do on your date for it to be perfect.

Other times I explain to my students there are two angles you can consider.  One, could be a perfect, specific date you have experience already.  For example, February 10, 2007 was the date I proposed to my wife, being the perfect date etched in my mind.  Second, could be a romantic date, where you would go, to the beach side, to a fancy restaurant, having a wonderful meal.

I like to encourage my students to soar with this topic, and be as descriptive as possible.






Image taken from: http://entregaesubmissao.blogspot.com/2013/01/valentine-day-2013-wallpaper.html
  

Good Company...

Focused Free-writing: 

If you had to spend the rest of your life in the company of a single type of animal, which would you choose?  Explain.  

Many responses to this topic have been a parrot, dog, or cat.  Many choose these types of animals because they want company.  If for the rest of their lives they are in the company of this type of animal, then they would want some company.  I found it interesting, that some chose the parrot to have someone to talk to, a dog so they have an obedient companion.  Many times they have chosen their favorite animals, animals they completely adore, so it would be interesting to see what is the favorite of my students.  

Editing Marks

Tonight's lesson was on Editing Marks also known as Proof Reader's Marks, the marks I use to correct students' papers.  I explained how I mark where a capital letter should be, an insert, delete and so on.  I handed out a sheet to follow, and I also went over some editing marks not found on the sheet that I use, for example to put a word in italics, bold, and so on.  

Before our editing marks lesson, I went over a couple of things to avoid in formal essay writing.  Try not to use contractions, slang, vague words.  Hopefully, my students will start to avoid using those things when writing.  

Here are some editing marks I use 

Punctuation: The Traffic Signs of Writing

We also went over how punctuation marks are used in writing.  When I introduced punctuation marks I told the students imagine if the roads that we drive our cars on had no traffic signs or traffic lights.  People would be driving their cars everywhere, not knowing when to stop or where to go.  It would be very confusing.  Periods, commas, colons, and other punctuation marks operate like traffic signs and lights for readers.  They tell us when to stop, when to slow down, and when to keep going.  When writers use the correct punctuation, they are helping readers travel through their writing.

The period is like a stop sign.  It is placed at the end of a sentence, a complete thought.  The question a writer should ask is, "When do I need to stop?" To figure out where one sentence ends and another begins, look for the place where one idea or thought ends and a new one begins.  Often writers will have trouble with periods when they want to join more than one idea together.  One of the best ways to know when to put in a period is to reread the writing out loud.  If you need to stop and take a deep breath, then you know a period is needed.

The comma is thought of as a yield sign, telling the reader to slow down.  We can use a comma to join two complete ideas together, or several commas and a conjunction following the last when we are listing a series of items.  Like a period, the best way to find out where to put a comma is to reread the writing out loud.  Usually, when you have to gasp for a short breath, insert a comma.  But remember, don't over do it, sometimes a comma will occur only once in a sentences or not at all.  Conjunction words, like and, or, but do not need the comma, but it depends how we use the words in our writing.

The most common misused punctuation is the semi-colon.  If a student is unsure about a semi-colon, they should not be using it.  Many times when students use the semi-colon they are misusing this punctuation.  A semi-colon is a period and comma put together, so it is telling us, stop, but not completely, just enough to take a breath but not a deep long breath--move on, because there is a greater/complementing/shorter idea coming.  When a semi-colon is used in a sentence usually there are two ideas in the sentence, the first being the longest (largest) and the second just complementing it (shorter) so we would find the semi-colon right between the two ideas.  But I constantly reminded my students, when in doubt, leave it OUT!

We also went over other punctuation marks in English writing, opening up a whole new world for some, and others just a review of what they have already learned.  If used properly punctuation marks enhance the writing, making it easy to understand.







Images taken from: http://www.teacherweb.com/FL/ManateeElementary/CynthiaMiller/6-1-Editing-Marks.png, http://www.123rf.com/photo_9465383_chalkboard-showing-punctuation-marks-with-clipping-path-at-this-size.html, http://www3.canisius.edu/~grandem/animalshabitats/SOFTCHALKGOOD_print.html

Growing Old

Focused Free-writing: 

     If you had to name the one thing that frightens you about growing old, what would it be? 

The question of the evening, many responses would probably include, I don't know.  I haven't read students' responses yet.  But in the past, I know that when I have discussed this topic, it would mostly revolve around having a mind that is all-together.  When I get older, I wouldn't want to lose my mind, because I would have lost all my memories, my whole life, contained, just gone.  That is the only thing I worry about, when I get older.  I want my mind to be sharp, so that I may communicate with others. 

Essay/Paper # 1 is due today...Students have submitted their papers.  And it is looking promising.  Although, I will still have some comments and edits for the students.  Writing is a never ending process. 














Images Taken From: http://it.pinellas.k12.fl.us/teachers3/wheatleyb/let.html, http://randumbuzz.com/category/quotes/growing-old-quotes/

Ambition

Focused Free-writing:

If you could be more ambitious in only one aspect of your life, what would it be?  Explain.  

Well, I definitely know my students will choose to be more ambitious towards their education.  Many of them mention how they would have taken high school more seriously, or how they would just go to school right when they graduated from high school and not look for a career.  But it depends, some people find that school is not for them.  However, I always encourage my students to pursue higher education, because in today's society, and education is the key to a successful career, and everyone wants a successful career. 
Now I'm really wondering if all my students have chosen that topic.  I've glanced over past topics students have written in this class, predicting, proposing what my students' responses would be and to my surprise, one of my students chose a response I've never heard of before.  His perspective caught me off guard, and I found it to be very interesting.  I've never thought of it that way.

Images taken from: http://blog.javier-carrete.com/2010/10/intelligence-without-ambition-is-bird.html, http://joshuatwe.blogspot.com/2012/12/what-is-your-ambition.html