Reading 25 Reflections

Thinking back when the class first began I took this class to refresh my memory on skills of reading.  I read a great deal, but to read and write about what I read was difficult.  I really couldn't articulate about it except "it was a good book" and I repeated the things that happened in the story.  Fast forward to present I think this class has really taught be a lot and has prepared to move forward to English 101.  It has taught me how to take a book, article or chapter apart.  The "talk to the text" exercise has really enhanced my skills to really step back and ask myself what was the author trying to tell me, what was the author talking about?  Reading is not only about reading it is about the comprehension of what your reading to articulate it back to other people to let them know what your talking about.  This class has showed me how to do that.  It showed me to take a step back to slow down and understand what your reading.  I believe this is a class that everyone entering college should take even if it is just a refresher course to remind you what college English is all about.  I am really glad I chose to take this class.

Argument "Aha" Moment

School curriculum is removing curside writing from schools.  Cursive handwriting is being removed from schools.  The district feels that the keyboard and cursors have taken away the writing in classrooms.  Common Core State Standards for english is removing menmanship as not being mandatory in schools.  

I disagree with that fact because you will always have to go back to basics in any field when technology fails us.  Its like building a home.  If the foundation is not there the structure will not stand or a relationship will not last without the foundation being solid.  Our foundation is the basic of cursive writing.  When you take away the cursive you are taking the "personal away" from human interaction.  There is very little human interaction because of the technology these days such as texting, blogging, email, and social websites.  Our general is forgetting how to interact with one another.  We can't write a simple note to pass back and forth because we don't know how to write cursive.  A couple can not write a simple love note to put in a partners lunch to remind them that they are important.  A person will not have the ability to take their driver license and sign their name on the application because they will not know how to write their signature.  In a daily log of the events of the day how will you write that note without taking all day writing because you don't know how to write cursive.  What happens when your doing a report and your computer system crashes.  You won't be able to write a quick note and put it in your professors box.  What happens with the simple thing of your phone or computer running out of charge and you have no way to charge it, but you can't write cursive for a quick little note.  Also what about the educationally challenged students who don't know how to use computer systems.  How will they communicate effectively if their not taught cursive writing.  Our society will become robots with only the use of technology.  It is also not fair that grammer school students are punished or penalized for writing cursive.  We always to to have the basics to fall back on.  Technology is moving so rapid and surpassed a whole lot of expections that one day it is bound to crash.  In the event of an emergency and technology is completely shut down.  How will we communicate if not in writing.  This is my "Aha" moment.  Lets keep a solid foundation.

Self Regulatory Behavior

A self regulatory behavior that has always and still challenges me is time management.  I don't like to wait on people or an event so I always pile on the things that needs to be done and I end up being late.  I end up being late or behind because I always try to fit a square peg in a circle.  In other words, I always add too many things on my to do list when I know that it would never fit in the timing that I have to get it done.  For instance, I have tried to cram too many classes in this spring semester knowing that I have to work my full time job and have a young child that refuses to complete his homework without me sitting infront assisting him.  I believe I am finally getting it that the "Lord didn't do it all in one day and neither can I".  I've dropped a class or two and I am trying my best to stick to a time schedule, use a planner, and cut down the overtime at work.  I am also being more strict with my child to say "sit down and get it done now."  This allows him to finish his work in a timely manner which allows me more time to keep up with my schoolwork.  I have also drafted the chart about the hours of the day that my time is spent on and I am revamping it.  It has been a challenge.  My family always says the Slusher sisters don't know timing.  If timing is heritary I have a good excuse.  The bottom line is time management is extremely important and I am working diligently to fix my problem and to stay on the task I've given myself in a set timeframe.   I confuse myself because all my paperwork is always in order, but I can't get order on my time management.   

The Bystander Effect

On October 31, 1993 my brother (27years old) was carjacked and killed on Manchester and Crenshaw.  It started as joyous night in which it was about 30-40 people that owned Mustangs were hanging out in the parking lot enjoying their evening showing off their sounds and their cars.  My brother got out his vehicle to flirt with some young ladies.  He left his vehicle running because he had a good friend of his as a passenger in the vehicle.  He left the driver door open because he was only a few feet away and it was a friendly crowded atmosphere.  Well my brother's killer jumped in my brother's car and pulled out some type of gun (maybe rifle I don't know the differences about guns) pointing it at his passenger telling him to get out of the car.  My brother was alerted of the situation and immediately proceeded  back to his car and ask the that person "what the f... you doing in my car" not realizing that the guy had a gun.  When he realized he had a gun brother threw his hands up and back away.  As he backed away he turned to leave (maybe he had other plans, but in the report their were no weapons found on my brother) as he was walking away the gunman opened fire on my brother shooting him numerous times in the back, front (apparently he turned back around and his first reaction was to shied himself), and while he was on the ground the gunman kept shooting him until he killed him.  Everyone in the parking lot including all my brothers friend saw it happen, but no one  including my brother's good friend that was his passenger did anything to stop this madman from killing my brother.  Everyone watched the incident happen.  That may have been about 100 people watching and no one did anything.  The passenger had the best advantage because he was in the car with my brother's killer.  Had someone hit or grap the gun from the gunman I would have had my brother to grow old with and share my dreams and aspirations.  All his friends I spoke to after the fact said it happened so fast and they were so stunned that it was happening they didn't know how to react.  They all said (after the fact) that I would have...............  I am happy to say that 13 years later I received a call from the detective 13 years later saying that they found my brothers killer because an innocent bystander that was sitting at the bus stop waiting for his son to arrive on the bus saw the whole thing occur and it has such an impact on him that he never erased that killer out his memory identified the killer in addition to DNA that is available today and other circumstances.  It took 2 years in trial, but we were able to put that killer away for a 25 years to life sentence.  It doesn't bring back my brother, but it does give a tiny tiny tiny tiny sense of satisfaction. 

Reading History

Growing up my life was pretty boring because my mother was very strict.  That meant I couldn't go anywhere or do anything.  My past time after doing chores was reading.  Whenever you miss me I was reading.  I've always enjoyed novels that had a story line.  One of the favorite books was "The Coldest Winter Ever" by Sista Soldier.  It had a story line that you did not want to leave.  It is my understanding that Will Smith bought the rights to the book.  It will be interesting to see it evolve into a movie.  I now enjoy reading elementary books with the youngest child.  Those books always has a story line and a solution to whatever the problem may be.  If a book is boring I will fall asleep.  That means I will skim through it, not really reading it.  My reading class with Mrs. Burris have kept my ears and eyes open.  I hope to enrich my weakness with reading.