Evaluation of blogging

Chayse Adams

Eng 100-20

December 10, 2010

Evaluation of blogging

Because of English 100 my reading skills have improved due to all of the short stories from the Introduction to College Writing book that you have assigned this the semester. My reading comprehension skills have also improved as well. I believe it is because of how you made us analyze each story and look for deeper meanings and other interpretations of each story. My actual typing abilities have improved due to the fact that we do almost all if not all of our assignments on computers in this class. Which typing is a skill that I will need to be building up for every college class I will have, so it is a very good plus that just came without having to actually try. My writing abilities such as being able to put my thoughts down on paper, or computer, have drastically changed for the better as well. Everything we have done forces you to do critical thinking and being able to write the words in an understandable way to express my thoughts more clearly.

                I think of the blogs as a kind of journal that we are forced to keep. I don’t necessarily enjoy writing them but I don’t really mind it either. Also, there are benefits in keeping the blogs in the since that they are a reference if you want to go back and remind yourself of the main points and focus of a story it you choose to write about it later. You can use parts of your actual blogs in some of your papers so you can save time if you’ve already expressed thoughts or ideas about it once already. The blogs are a hassle sometimes, but I would rather do them and make use of them every now and then than not  blogging and end up running around in the dark about a paper, so I think they are very useful.

Questions for Reflection and Writing, Question #1 (pg. 232-236)

Chayse Adams

English 100-20

11-30-2010

Questions for Reflection and Writing, Question #1

Richard Rodriguez, The Lonely, Good Company of Books (pg. 232-236)

            My relationship with books is not very strong. For the longest dime I actually despised books. I did not enjoy reading and I was very slow at it, so it took me forever to read anything, which did not help. I couldn’t figure out why in the world anyone would ever want to waste their time reading when they could be outside playing or hanging out with friends or chasing girls. The point is there is so many things for a person to do, so why would they, like Richard Rodriguez says, feel alone to their thoughts like you are talking to yourself all alone in a completely empty room. At least that is how I felt about reading throughout elementary and high school.

            Although my idea and perception of books has changed a little, I still do not have much to do with books or any reading for that matter, unless it is specifically for school or something else of importance to me. My favorite books to read, if I had to, would be war stories and old westerns, like cowboys and stuff. Although I was forced to pick a book from a list in one of my classes to read for an assignment, my all time favorite book would have to be With the Old Breed, E.B. Sledge. I have never enjoyed a book so much as that one. It really just drew my attention in and kept me interested for what was about to happen next. That was a rare and mysterious feeling for me, I did enjoy it, but I don’t think I’ll be reading a bunch of more books to find one that gives me the same feeling. I might buy it sometime though, I saw it at Target about two weeks ago and just about bought it because I wouldn’t mind reading it again sometime.

Homework for Nov. 19th Please accept late

Chayse Adams

Eng: 100-20

My Experiences with Reading and Writing

Before this course I thought I was a decent writer, and that I could manage college English classes, I soon realized that it might be that I had the right founding blocks for becoming a decent writer. I am defiantly not a decent writer, yet. It became abundantly clear that my writing skills would be pushed. They continue to be pushed harder and harder every week, but at a manageable pace, if you stick to what you are supposed to be doing and staying focused.

I started to be unsure that I would be able to cope with the ever increasing work load that my professors continued to pile on. Then I dug my way through it until I could see some light again and began to relax a bit. I have just now returned back to school from Fall Break, It was very pleasant and not shockingly, went by too fast. I took it pretty easy over the break, enjoying myself as much as possible. I just recently realized that was a huge mistake! I have fallen behind, procrastinated long enough that I have a few weeks to achieve what I need to get done, however, I feel I waited too long and now it’s going to be hell digging myself out of this hole. In case you were wandering, it was not worth all that free time because now I’m really regretting every second of it I spent doing anything else other than school work.

My Struggle

When I first made the transformation from high school to college English I noticed i was going to be in for a ride. We were expected to write a blog every day of class that was atleast 250 words long and that was the easyest part! It was tough and I did struggle for awhile, but over time my writing skills and abillity to push out 250 words increased and it became easyer every time. Then things got harder; the task papers were longer and the blogs more and more difficult but so far i have met what my instructor has demanded of me, pushing me to do more and better. It has been a struggle but I have rose to the challenge and will continue to push my self.

ENG 100-20 Task 3-Response to Blog, Mary Sherry’s, “In Praise of the F Word” (pg .215-216)

Chayse J. Adams

ENG: 100-20

10-28-2010

Response to Blog, Mary Sherry’s, “In Praise of the F Word” (pg .215-216)

Like in Mary Sherry’s, “In Praise of the F Word”, I too agree that the fear of flunking can be very motivational in school, and should be actually enforced in our public schools. Mary says that threatening to flunk students used to be a very effective was to motivate students to try harder and put out some effort because they knew that their teachers would actually do it if need be. Anymore the threat of flunking a student doesn’t hold much authority in a classroom because the students believe that their teachers wouldn’t do that to them and for the most part, they’re rite. No matter the case or circumstances, teachers not flunking students who do not deserve to pass aren’t doing those students any favors, they are actually crippling them. When they advance they will not have the needed knowledge to succeed, forcing the next teacher to make a decision of flunking or passing the student.

I always had enough motivation in my classes to complete all my work and learn the necessary information, but when my senior year rolled around and I had to take personal finance first semester and government second semester and that was the only way I could fit them in my schedule and if I failed one or the other I didn’t get to graduate, I was on them books like glue! The real threat of not graduating with all my friends and walking across the stage with my buddies a proud young man was terrifying! I probably would have done fine even if it didn’t matter, but the fact that it did, drove me to be the best student I possibly could have in those classes. I took it so much more seriously. We had a really fun teacher, who really cared and was just an inspiring and motivational teacher. He was so funny and we all loved him. He somehow managed to get everyone involved every class period, no matter how boring the topic, but he was one of those guys that when it came down to it, he would, and then like magic, it would rub on to us, and we got down to business! If all my classes and teachers could do that I would probably be able to become the president of the U.S. but being realistic, if all my teachers would enforce the Fail policy if a student didn’t deserve to proceed to the next level, would suck, but really be an effective tool to motivate students to get their heads in the game and really take classes seriously. This policy, just as a side note, would probably help solve a lot of other problems in classrooms such as tardiness, truancy, horseplay, and the list would probably go on and on due to the fact that students would have to focus on their work and school much harder and they would lack the time and want to do drugs and form gangs and fight and other things that cripple the development of many young students in our schools these days.

Analysis on “Save Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools” by Jonathan Kozol (57-67).

Kozol states that children from the poorer schools will never be able to get into the “magnet” schools. The biggest problem the children face is themselves, they are not dumb and see the statistics and know that they will never get in because of who they are and where they come from. I can’t imagine how discouraging it must be to those students who feel they don’t have a chance. The parents also play a role in getting their children admitted to the magnet schools. My parents are well educated people and if I had the opportunity to get into one of the magnet schools if I lived in the areas Kozol discusses, my parents could be educated enough to help teach and prepare me to get into those magnet schools, which is exactly what is happening while the less educated parents of children from the lower income areas were likely dropouts and cannot even read well enough to help their children do better to get better opportunities than they, the parents, had. It seems to me that the quality of the education received in these areas is like a never ending vicious circle, the upper class parents help their children, and their children receive opportunities and become the upper class, then they do as their parents did for them and the circle continues to leave the lower class behind and the students continue to dropout, and when they become parents, they are not well enough educated to help their children, and so the circle continues for them as well.

Response to Blog, Analysis of One Aspect discussed in Kozol’s “Savage Inequalities” (pg. 40-53)

Chayse Adams

ENG: 100-20

10-26-2010

Response to Blog, Analysis of One Aspect discussed in

Kozol’s “Savage Inequalities” (pg. 40-53)

            One aspect that particularly caught my attention and interest was where Kozol talked about the kinder garden classrooms. 3,000 infants from the Chicago neighborhoods are delivered with brain damage or other neurological impairments; however upon walking into one of the kinder garden classrooms, one wouldn’t have noticed a thing wrong with any of the children. They acted like normal kids when their teacher was trying to settle them down for nap time.

            Their classroom was not filled with any books, art work, and works of their writing or anything the students had done. The walls were blank except for a few posters of the seasons and zoo animals donated by some a few companies. The small bookcases and cubbies were painted brightly and colorful as you might expect of any kindergarten classroom but was still rather cheerless.

            The statistics about what will happen to this seemingly normal class is very depressing. The high school they will attend has an 18% graduation rate. If the neighborhood statistics of this class hold true, 14 of the 23 will have dropped out of school by their junior year. 14 years after kindergarten, 4 of the students will be going to college, and 18 years from now 1 of them will graduate from college, but 3 of the 12 boys in that class will already have spent time in prison. As Kozol believes, I agree that it is very depressing and sad to see kids in our own country suffer all over our country like this in our public schools and we as citizens of the U.S. donate loads of money to Africa and other places around the world. It would be so much more beneficial for our society if that money was devoted to solving our crisis of public schools here in the States. The return in such investments would be very great as well.

Response to One of the Questions Asked to Us about Task 3, after reading (pg. ix-7) in Kozol’s- “Savage Inequalities”.

Chayse Adams

ENG: 100-20

10-24-2010

Response to One of the Questions Asked to Us about Task 3, after reading (pg. ix-7) in Kozol’s- “Savage Inequalities”.

            A teacher’s role in a classroom is to teach the students, not only just from the curriculum they are required to teach from, but also as the particular students in each class needs. In my opinion, if a teacher only reads from a book and does nothing else to help their students in a way they feel they can contribute to their education and life, they are simply there to make a paycheck. Every class, every individual student in those classes, learn best in different ways and at different paces. A teacher should be someone who is devoted to help their children learn however their individual circumstances may vary. If a teacher is not willing to bend to help their children succeed, why are they teachers.

In my experiences as a student, I have thankfully had the privilege of having most of my teachers possessing qualities that are powered by the motivation of helping their students succeed, however, on a few occasions I have had teachers that frankly, just don’t give a hoot! At those particular times I liked those kinds of teachers who did not go the extra mile, and if we completed our busy work we were done for the day, and those who were pushovers and the ones we considered an easy class, an easy A. I have come to realize that those teachers weren’t doing us students any favors by doing that, it was more than likely for their personal gain that they would not have to do any extra work simply because they were just plane lazy. As we proceeded to the next level and had a teacher who did care, he or she would find that we did not know the necessary information and I cannot begin to imagine how frustrating that must have been for those teachers who did take their job, or role as our educator, seriously and to heart.

I believe there is no such thing as a bad student, only bad teachers. If it’s not the teachers fault in a classroom that their students do not have the motivation to learn and succeed, then it comes back to their parents who are their teachers in installing the importance of education, motivation, and the work ethic needed to become a successful student, employee, and a productive member of our society. The role of a student is only to take in the knowledge that our teachers, whoever and wherever they may be, are willing to give to us.

“Let Teen-Agers Try Adulthood” (pg. 205-207) For You To Analyze

Chayse Adams

ENG: 100-20

10-20-2010

“Let Teen-Agers Try Adulthood” (pg. 205-207)

For You To Analyze

            The author of “Let Teen-Agers Try Adulthood”, Leon Botstein, discusses some problems with the United States’ high schools that he assumes the audience will understand and agree with. Well, I do. I believe that high schools these days do not offer much to their students or the economy. At my high school, our football team flat out sucked, we were the laughingstock of the entire conference and we had no support from our students or our community. People were generally not proud of where they went to school. It had been this way for around ten years and the school had built up a stinky reputation.

My sophomore year our school hired an entire new coaching staff. It got people excited and finally some kids started coming out for the team and other students wanted to come watch to see what all the hype was about. We won a few games that year, not much to brag about, but we only won one game in the previous two years. Next season rolled around and more kids tried out and we got better. Then my senior year we finished our season with a .500 record, we won half our games and homecoming two years in a row. Three years before that, it would have been completely insane to talk about achieving something of that sort. This year, the year after I graduated, my old school has a record of either 6 or 7 wins and only like 2 losses! We have a great since of pride back in our side of town and say we go there with no shame in our voices. However, this is exactly what Botstein was talking about schools getting their stature and all on how well their varsity sports perform.

I think at every high school there are clicks and different groups ranging from jocks, nerds, and whatever other ethnical groups may be attending the school. I agree completely with Botstein that the “real world” functions nothing like that. Since ive been in college, which is not very long, however I have really not saw too much of that kind of grouping. I have saw a group of football players hanging out in the student union but just like that they were all splitting up and talking to people of other ethnicities, social groups, clubs, and classes. I believe there will always be grouping of some sort but in the “real world” people don’t limit themselves to one group, you just can’t get along doing that like you could in high school.

I also agree that we should get rid of middle schools because there was too much time wasted, if we could cut what you learn in six years counting middle and high school down two only four years, I believe that one the time would be better spent because the students are focusing on school and knowing people that can help them pass and complete school rather than which groups make them look the coolest because they have nothing better to do with their time. Cutting two years out of pointless schooling for ever student would also help the economy in tax paying as well. There would no longer be a need for an entirely different school to be operated other than the high school for its particular area and any of the expenses that come with the middle school. It would take less of the tax payer’s dollars to put a child through schooling in addition to the buildings costs. A list of benefits could go on and on, however, a list of reasons of why not to remove middle schools could probable go on as well. I am agreeing that there would be great benefits to Botstein’s plan but I am ruling my decision indecisive due to the fact I would like to hear all the downfalls to the plan first.

“Where College Fails Us” Questions for Reflecting and Writing

Chayse Adams

Eng: 100-20

10-20-2010

Questions for Reflecting and Writing

“Where College Fails Us”

            My experiences in college have been very beneficial to me so far. I have learned a lot in my English class. It has made me a tremendously better writer in helping me gather my own thoughts and putting them down on paper, or computer. It has made me a better typer while doing so. I am much more proficient on reading a text, comprehending and analyzing it, and writing my thoughts about a passage as well as being able to state what the writers intensions were on writing for the readers.

            I have learned a lot about time management and its importance on my success both in the classroom and with my daily life. Not that I did not manage my time well before but I tended to procrastinate some and now when I think of what tasks I need to do I do them by priority to be sure to get the most out of the time I spend doing my daily tasks. I have gotten better with this because of my UNV class which is my freshmen study hall class which is actually not a study hall at all it turns out.  

            My art class is not really beneficial to me. I do know more about art and analyzing why and how it was created and by whom but I really don’t think there is much I will take from that class that will benefit me in the years to come other than personal satisfaction of understanding a piece of art when I see one, which is virtually everywhere you have and ever will look, I still feel that there is not much point in that class.

            I have decided to go to college and further my education because it has been told to me that by doing so I will be able to find something that interests me and I will make a good paycheck and be able to better provide for myself and my future family in doing so. From what I’ve been told, college seems like it is worth it but it is a big investment in time and money and I hope the payoff is good but to be truly honest, after reading this last passage, it is a little discouraging and heartbreaking if I must say that the investment of a college diploma may be worthless and I really hope I did not make a mistake in this investment. If I come out of college with nothing to show for it job and opportunity wise, not only will I be disappointed myself and in a debt I strongly regret of have taking the risk of perusing this dream to be able to live more comfortably but the fear of disappointing my family is overwhelming in its self. I guess I will have to finish what I’ve started to find out.

Task Two-The Importance of Education

Chayse J. Adams

English 100-20 Task Two

10-5-2010

Task Two-The Importance of Education

Education has always been important in my family. My father only has a high school diploma for an education and still has a great paying job with great benefits as a Forman working Union Construction for Collins Plastering but he works his butt off for what he has in the hottest summer days and the dead cold of winter. That’s why he believes that getting an education is so important for me, so that I too can live like my mother who went to college, makes virtually the same pay, has even better benefits, and does not have to work outside all day in the elements, has payed vacation, and her job is not physically demanding on her body. My mother was advised by her mother, my grandmother. I wanted to know why my grandmother decided to attend college and further her education which is ultimately the reason I am attending Missouri Western State University now following my graduation of high school this previous year, class of 2010.

My Grandmother decided to attend college and further her education because her father was a college graduate in the study of law, she guesses that she mostly was trying to live up to her father’s shadow. Her parents, Grate Grandpa John and Great Grandma Joy, allowed or believed that is was acceptable that if she was trying to better herself and way of life for her future that is was not necessary for her to pick up on the household chores and would support her financially through that time. She knew if she did not attend college she was going to have to “enter the real world” finding a job, start supporting herself, and grow up taking on the responsibilities of becoming an adult. She also knew that when that day came when she had to fend for herself that she would be able to get a good job or start a career which she would receive a decent pay for doing with benefits and insurance included as compared to working at a market sacking peoples groceries for a living. She was a very good student in high school, one could say, the perfect student. Straight A’s, graduated at the top ten percent of her class, kept out of drugs, alcohol, sex, and was voted most likely to succeed in her class. She enjoyed school and prided herself in being a good student. Her father always reminded her to, “work smarter, not harder”.

My grandma finished high school at Benton High School in the top ten percent of her class. The following fall she attended St. Joseph Community College that was only a two year school to get her General Education Classes done and was cheaper than attending a big college for those classes. She then moved to Maryville and attended North West Missouri Teachers College which is now the North West Missouri State where she got her major in Teaching Sciences and minored in Medical Technology in 1969.

My grandma started her career as a student teacher in the Saint Joseph School District the fall following her graduation in 1969. The next year she began Substitute Teaching for the SJSD. After a few years of being a Substitute she landed a full time job at Lafayette High school for the SJSD where she taught Several Biology and Chemistry classes. She worked there for five years before a friend told her that he could get her a job working in the lab at a local animal pharmaceuticals company named New Farm making around $60,000.0 a year. She worked at New Farm for ten years before quitting that job because she felt she was being used unfairly. My mother in the meantime had taken a similar career path of animal pharmaceuticals at Phermenta which was later bought out by Boringer Inglehiem. My mother helped my grandma land a job there with her and she has worked with that company for 7 years now, however she suffered a major pay reduction, only making around 35,000.0 a year. She likes it much better where she is now even though the pay cut.

My grandma only has a few regrets about her educations contribute to her life that consist of; not have getting into the field of Medical Technology sooner, however she does note that things may not have worked out as was as they did if she had not gone through the whole process she did. She loved the pay working for her previous employer, but wishes she would have gotten out of that company sooner than she did because of what she had to put up with for so long. She has no regrets about furthering her education and loved college and the opportunities it has presented her through her life and would do it all over again if she had the chance. As words of advice she wishes to pass down to me from her father following my interview of her is to, “work smarter, not harder” and when it come to education, finish what you’ve started, referring to college, because even if you go into a completely different line of work down the road, furthering your education is extremely more beneficial in the work force than not.”

English 100-20 A Writer’s Response pg. 212-214 “Becoming Educated”

Chayse J. Adams

English 100-20

10-4-2010

English 100-20 A Writer’s Response pg. 212-214 “Becoming Educated”

                             My early expectations for college classes were that it was going to be extremely hard, the work would be very hard and take forever, I would have to study for a long time every night, and the teachers would be mean and very uncaring. The reality of my college experience, so far at least, is somewhat close to what I predicted but not near as bad as I thought. College is tough, but it’s more just putting in the time that would cause any problems for me. I feel I have no problem learning the materials yet; it’s just taking the time to do the studying. I do study every night, and I’m up until around twelve every night but my classes usually don’t start until late morning so it’s not that bad for me. Teachers at Missouri Western State University actually are very caring, at least to my experiences. The do not care if you don’t bother doing your work but if you need help, if you show you’re trying and just need some assistance, they will do what they can for you most of the time. I really thought that they would not bother helping you and that they were just there to make a paycheck, but it’s not that different from high school as long as you make it clear that you really are putting the time in and trying.

                             Similarities would be that I too put in long hours but I get a lot more sleep than three or four hours. I too pretty much have one chance to get this college thing right. If I fail I won’t really get another chance at it, at least not very easily, it would be so much more of a struggle that I don’t want to have to think about it; right now I have it made. My experiences are different in that my teachers do not call upon any one group of students more than any other. I have to study but I am not, behind anyone in my classes, where I have to study more to compensate for a lack of anything like Barbra Jordan did.

English 100-20 Task 2, Response to Interview Process

Chayse J. Adams

English 100-20 Task 2, Response to Interview Process

9-30-2010

English 100-20 Task 2, Response to Interview Process

My interview process went pretty well for the most part. My grandmother still managed to find a way to keep talking and talking even though I asked closed ended questions sometimes. After a few minutes of rambling she would catch herself and say sorry, I didn’t want to hurt her feelings so I just smiled and laughed, saying, “it’s okay, it gives me more information I can recall on if I need to, to spice something up a bit. But my next question is…” and it all seemed to work out good, she stayed enthusiastic which was my main concern, that I could discourage her from sharing information if I said anything about her rambling.

I went to my grandma’s house tonight after my last class got out at 8pm, 9-30-2010, to conduct the interview. I called her a few nights before to make sure it would be okay because it was about the only time that was convenient for me and she confirmed it was. I told her okay we’ll make it a date then. When I arrived she had been expecting me and had cookies and milk ready when I walked into the door. So we chatted, conducted the interview and chatted some more while eating our cookies, it was a great night.

I learned that my grandma went to several colleges and earned a major in Teaching Sciences and minored in Science Technologies. Obviously I confirmed my theory that science was her strong point in academics, which I already thought I knew. She attended St. Joseph Junior College, which no-longer exists, it was pre-MWSU, and also attended North West Missouri Teachers College, which was before became what it is known as today, and many more facts, which I will talk about in my paper.

I constructed a question sheet numbered numerically so I could refer to a likewise answer/response sheet also numbered numerically for easy reference to the questions. This will allow me to organize questions into related topics that I will base the paragraphs off of, and insert my information I obtained through the interview. A concern I have is that my grandma is going out of town all next week and I hope that I have enough information to support my entire essay. I hope that I have taken well enough notes of her ramble and responses to questions I asked to thour-o-ly support my essay. Extremely sorry, absolutely could not figure out how to spell that word! (To not miss anything, get everything, like a health inspector at a restaurant).  

5 Questions to Ask My Grandma during Interview Paper and Reasoning for Asking

Chayse J. Adams

ENG 100-20: 5 Questions to Ask

9-28-2010

5 Questions to Ask My Grandma during Interview Paper and Reasoning for Asking

1.      What is your highest level of education achieved?

·         I will ask this to because it will set up the questions to be asked throughout my essay.

2.      What schools did you receive those degrees of education from?

·         To find out where she received her education.

3.      Why did you peruse further education?

·         To find out why she was driven to further her education. Was it for better paying job opportunities or personal gain of knowledge?

4.      Did you achieve your educational goal you wished to reach?

·         To find out if she completed as far as she wished to study or if there was a reason to end her studies early.

5.      Does your job or jobs reflect your education or area of study?

·         To find out if her education has been an essential part of her career success.

*I know my Grandma has gone to college to further her education, however, I don’t know what level of education she has achieved, where she achieved it, why, if she went as far as she would have wished to, or if her job reflects what she studied in college. This is most of the main information I would like to obtain through Task 2. The only thing I worry about with this task is being overloaded with too much useless, irrelevant information. When you get my grandma talking, bless her heart, you can’t get her to stop! One area I struggle with in writing is ridding out information that is not needed, so that is the last thing I need from my Grandma. One way I believe I can avoid this is by following my open-ended questions up with lots of closed-ended questions being sure to only obtain needed, relevant information for my essay.

ENG 100-20 Questions for Reflection and Writing (pg. 132-136)

Chayse J. Adams

9-26-2010

ENG 100-20

Questions for Reflection and Writing (pg. 132-136)

            I can’t think of any cautionary tales that my own family told me at this point in time but there is one that I have remembered since I was a little boy. It is a song by “Lynard Skynard” called Simple Man.

Momma told me when I was young “Come sit beside me, my only son, and listen closely to what I say and if you do this it will help you some sunny day. Oh, take your time, don’t live too fast. Troubles will come and they will pass. You’ll find a woman and you’ll find love, and don’t forget, son, there is someone up above! And be a simple kind of man. Oh, be something you love and understand. Baby, be a simple kind of man! Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can. You’ll get your lust from the rich man’s gold. All that you need is in your soul. And you can do this, oh baby, if you try. All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied! And be a simple kind of man. Oh, be something you love and understand. Baby, be a simple kind of man! Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can.” ”Oh yes, I will.” “Boy, don’t you worry, you’ll find yourself. Follow your heart and nothing else. And you can do this, oh baby, if you try. All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied! And be a simple kind of man! Oh, be something you love and understand! Baby, be a simple kind of man! Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can. Baby, be a simple, really simple man. Oh, be something you love and understand! Baby, be a simple, be a simple man.”

In order to embellish the emphasis of the warning, it was put into a song. It helps you memorize the message. The message is to not live to fast and enjoy life, to find love, if you ever need help don’t forget god is watching from above, you don’t need money to be happy, to follow you heart, be someone you can love and understand, and be a simple kind of man. If you do this you will be satisfied. This lesson is from a mother to her son to remember throughout his life but can be from anyone, to anyone.

English 100 Writing Topics pg. 92-98

Chayse J. Adams
9-23-2010
English 100 Writing Topics pg. 92-98

A Time When Someone made me Feel Important

When I started wrestling for the first time ever, my dad brought me to Metro Wrestling’s, the youth wrestling group in St. Joseph Mo., first practice of the year where anyone who wanted to wrestle could come for a meeting and join in on practice if they wished to try it out. I sat through the meeting with my dad and decided wrestling sounded interesting enough to try it out for a week and see what I thought. Towards the end of practice for all the other kids who were already in the sport, when the meeting was over, the coach encouraged us to get on the mat and try it out.

We found a partner to wrestle against that was similar to our weight and age and he let us have at it. I went a few minutes with one partner and then another and one more. The coach, Rick Burns, pulled me to the side to talk for a few minutes. He asked me my name, age, approximately what I thought I weighed, and if I played any other sports. He asked what I thought about wrestling so far and if it interested me. I said that it was kind of cool and that I was a little interested to learn the sport more. He said that he noticed I was doing pretty well for someone who had never seen the sport before. He and I went to a far corner of the mat and he gave me a little instruction on the general purpose of the goal of wrestling and showed me a few things to do against an opponent.

He then put me in a group of wrestlers who started the year before and let me practice a few of the moves he had shown me. I did decently enough for him to notice that I was a quick learner and had a mentality for being aggressive when taking my shots, take downs to score points, and working my stand ups, or escapes from bottom which is another way to score points. Practice was soon over and we broke out as a team. I went back to my dad when we were, for lack of a better word, dismissed.

Coach Burns approached my dad and I to ask what I thought about practice. I responded that it was a little different but I liked it however, I didn’t quite understand the whole concept of who to score points yet, it was unlike any other sport I had ever seen before. He laughed and replied that, yes it but it’s not hard to get the hang of. He said to my dad that the first tournament was the next week but he thought I should get two weeks of practice in first, since practice was only twice a week, but that if I was interested I should consider competing in a few weeks in the novice tournament, which are tournaments for beginners that have two years or less of experience in the sport. This is so the kids who just started can wrestle with kids at a similar competition level. I agreed that I would like to give it a try and so began my wrestling career. I especially like the feeling that Coach Burns singled me out amongst the mass of new wrestlers that day, noticing that I was not a wrestler yet but I had the potential of becoming a good wrestler. I felt important that Coach Burns sensed a possible source of talent in me that day.

Chayse J. Adams
9-20-10
Homework for Sept. 22

*Prompt
Respond to your blog, subjects that you are interested in interviewing and writing about for Task Two.
• Why are you interested in these subjects?
• What makes him/her interesting and unique?
• What sort of questions would you ask and why?
• What sort of problems do you think may arise for Task Two?
• What do you anticipate? Why?
• What questions do you have for Task Two?

My Grandma Adams: Because she is older and may have a lot of interesting experiences to write about. I know she finished high school but didn’t go on to college, maybe there was a reason why she didn’t or maybe it just wasn’t necessary for her. She has been successful in raising 3 kids and always supporting her family, always having a house over their head and food in the refrigerator. In other words, no schooling other than high school diploma and still successful, I could ask why or how.

My Grandpa Renalds: Because he has gone back to school and started his own business. He is older as well and might have something interesting enough to base my paper on. I could ask why he went back to school. Why he started his business and if his college education was necessary for his businesses success.

My Grandma Renalds: Because she graduated high school, got a I don’t know what in college and became a high school chemistry teacher and is now working for Beringer Inglehiem, something to do with chemicals there but I don’t know what. She has been a successful woman. I could ask why she got a college degree. Why she became a teacher and why she quit it to work for the company she presently works for. She is going to retire next year, I could ask how her college degree may have affected the quality of the jobs he has been given the opportunity of was effected by her education.

ENG: 100- Task 1 Self Evaluation

                                                                                                                                         Chayse J. Adams

Self Evaluation

·         What is the thesis for your paper?

·         List the main points you make in your paper.

The thesis for my paper is how wrestling has inspired me to be who I am today. The main points for my thesis are: #1: how losing can be a learning experience and what there is to gain from losing and how a loss can better prepare you to win. I also explain that what works for me in wrestling also works for other aspects of life, such as taking test or study habits. #2: Winning plays an important role on continued success as well. When you win or achive a goal, note what it took to get there and what steps or procedures you followed. #3: Different quotes or phrases that have impacted me in wrestling and other parts of life. I give a few examples and explain how they have impacted me. #4: I conclude me paper explaining that wrestling has impacted me greatly and forever set the way I handle life and its loses, victories, and my thought process to achieving my goals.

·         What was the most helpful advice you received from your peer evaluation?

·         What was the most helpful information you received in class for your paper?

            The most helpful advice I received from my peer evaluation of my paper was probably letting me know that my quotes were good but I listed too many and they got a little broad for my subject. I was also told that my explanation of emotions were very good, so when I narrowed the topic of my paper, it seemed important enough to not get rid of some important details I elaborated on the most important information I received in class for my paper would have to be Ms. Chastain’s advice on getting rid of some of my quotes and keeping ones that were more relevant to my paper. Also to elaborate or explain on how the quotes I used had affected me at some point in time compared to as just listing the quote and moving on.

·         How many drafts of this paper do you think you wrote and how/when did you write them? For example, did you compose at the keyboard, did you write lots of notes to yourself, did you pre-write or outline, did you write in small chunks of time or sit down and produce an entire draft at one sitting?

            When the assignment was first given out I wrote a list of possible ideas or topics I could write about. Shortly after, within the next day or two I decide on writing about wrestling and I used the cluster technique and list all possible ideas I had on the paper. I revised, added, and narrowed my ideas while making a cleaner, more on the path I wanted to write about, new cluster draft. In a couple days I wrote my first draft. I did this first draft in one setting. I revised it myself and again with my class and Professor, Ms. Chastain, when at class two days later. About three days later I rewrote my draft with my peer reviews and advice from Ms. Chastain making it my second draft plus the two clusters I had made prior to draft one. Finally I had a close friend of mine who is majoring in writing look over it and he had just a few pointers for me and the next night I wrote my final draft which I will be turning in on Monday, September 20, 2010 tomorrow during class.

·         What would you do differently with this paper to make it more effectively, or what did you try to do that you just don’t think you got a good handle on?

·         What are you most pleased with about this paper?

            I tried to make sure the information I incorporated in my paper was all relevant to the subject but I tended to drift off every now and then, I believe I fixed this problem for the most part when revising my drafts over the last weeks but my next paper I feel I need to try harder to not let that become an issue from the start. I feel that What pleases me the most about this paper is the fact that I got to write about what I love, wrestling, and that I got to explain how it is important to me and share my experience with the class and my professor.

ENG 100-20 Questions for Refelecting and Writing # 1 (175)

Chayse J. Adams

ENG 100-20

9-9-10

“On Becoming a Chicano”

Questions for Reflecting and Writing

    My name is Chayse Adams, if you could not tell from my name I am a White/Caucasian Male. I am mostly English, where I inherit my last name, and Irish, from my mother’s side of the family hinting why my last name dose not sound Irish. My mother’s sides name is Sherrard which was altered from O’Shared to hide the identity of my family’s heritage when they moved to the United State long ago as Irish were not given so good a name. Irish were viewed as less intelligent, cheap labor that stole the jobs of hard working Americans much as Mexican immigrants are viewed by the American public today. Racial or ethnic remarks against Irish people have ceased to persist; over time people have come to realize they are no different than any of the other ethnicities. White people in general have been viewed by some as the superior race, to have more mental capacity. Obviously that is not true but as a white person you may be expected to succeed more than other races such as Blacks or Mexicans. I don’t necessarily agree with the stereotype but you still want to fulfill what is expected out of a White man.

    Just as Richard Rodriguez’s ethnical stereotypes are working against him telling him subconsciously that he is not good enough, my ethnical stereotypes are telling me that I am supposed to be smarter and more intelligent. I pays on my conscious that I and scares me that I might not be smart or as intelligent, and of failure. That I might not be as smart as a White man is supposed to be. If you are White and pay any attention to ethnical stereotypes you could fear that you are not as smart as a Black or Mexican person when they are “supposed to be inferior to you”. Obviously stereotypes are not true for any ethnical group but the fact they are out there and everyone has heard them, they fan play an effect on any individual no matter their ethnicity or race.

ENG 100-20: Questions for Reflecting and Writing #1 (145-148)

Chayse J. Adams

ENG 100-20
9-7-10

“How it Feels to Be Colored Me” By Zora Neale Hutson

Questions for Reflection and Writing

    I label myself a strong nail that will be pounded as time goes and eventually I will be given the final blow that drives me home. What has happened in my life thus far has put me where I am and what will happen as time goes will make me into the person I am to finally become. I will stay strong and stick upright, and when something happens that bends me over I will straighten myself back out and continue with my journey.

    In Zora Neale Huston’s essay she defines herself as being a colored girl amongst a sea of white. She is not ashamed of herself or her ethnicity. She goes about her business in life and attempts to interact with people, no matter their ethnicity. She is often reminded that she is the granddaughter of slaves but it fails to register depression in her. Slavery was of the past and that if she were a patient of the conflict from that past she would tell the doctor that she was making a swell recovery.

    I feel I can relate to Zora’s response not that I am a patient of a past conflict but when something is to cross my path, it will not discourage me. I will not pity myself and ask why it is that I was delt such an offal hand in life for this to happen to me, I will simply straighten myself up and move on. You cannot change what has happen or why, I will just have to work around my difficulties the best I can to try and succeed in the life I have been given.

ENG 100-20: Questions for Reflecting and Writing #1 (129-130)

Chayse Adams

ENG 100-20

9-6-10

“Rite of Passage” by Anthony Brandt (124)

Questions for Reflection and Writing, number 1 (129-130)

    I can relate to this passage in a way. My family went through a similar scenario with my Great Grandpa John who died about a year ago. After my Great Grandma Joy died he lived on his own for around eight years until he could no longer drive and do errands such as get groceries and go to the bank. It became hard to for him to get around in his own home and cook for himself.

    That’s when my grandparents decided to move him into their home. They drove him to do his errands, helped dress and feed him, and all his other necessities. He lived with them for around a year and a half to two years. Grandpa John loved baseball; he watched the Royals game every night. He went with my grandparents to all of my brother and I’s baseball games. He was very sharp and understood the game and the way it was played.

    Towards the end of his time spent at my grandparent’s home, Grandpa John started becoming forgetful. He understood baseball less and less as time passed. He forgot and mixed up names of family members and friends. I feel his comprehension of life and the world going on around him became more incoherent and overall foggy as time went on. He started walking around with his pants at his ankles and began to fall more frequently. My grandparents were at work through the day and it became too dangerous to leave him home alone at that point so they decided to move him into a nursing home.

    The nursing home was located approximately 20 minutes North from their home so it was not too far away to visit every few days, at least on the weekends. The whole rest of the family went to visit him on occasions when they found time. Great Grandpa John lived in that nursing home for around half a year until he passed away. Family and friends came from all around to attend his visitation and funeral. Grandpa John was a great man and I will always love and remember him. I am grateful for the time I got to spend with him in his final years.

Eng:100-20 Task 1, Writing Ideas list.

Chayse Adams

ENG 100-20

9-6-10

*Cosumel Colorado*My list of writing ideas for ENG 100-20: Task One

• Wrestling
• My Aunt Dianna
• My mother
• My father
• My Grandma
• Bon-air
• Cozumel
• Colorado
• Florida

    Of all of my ideas in the list above, I am pretty sure I want to write about wrestling and why or how it inspires me and encourages me. I want to write about wrestling because it means a lot to me and has helped shape me into the person I am today. Wrestling has taught me a lot about myself and life.

    The biggest problem that I will encountering during task one is probably the revision process. Revision has not been my area of expertise in my past writing experiences. I have trouble spotting the grammatical and punctuation errors. The error I am likely to see most tends to be the overuse of commas. I anticipate that this assignment will be fun and relatively easy to come up with the words to say. I love to write about wrestling and I tend to use it in any assignment that I can relate it to. I know a lot about wrestling and when you’re writing about a subject you know a lot about, it tends to be easier to write about, it makes more sense, and in most cases is more convincing that you know what you are talking about.

    At this point in time I do not have any questions concerning Task One, however, I am sure I will need some help on revising and have some questions on punctuation and grammatical errors with my piece of writing.

Chayse J. Adams


Aug. 30, 2010



Introduction to Me, Chayse Adams

My name is Chayse Jacobus Adams. I’m from St. Joseph, MO and I’ve lived here all my life. I graduated from Lafayette High School in 2010. I like to play sports but wrestling is my favorite sport of all. I wrestled for seven years and made it all the way to State my Senior year. Other than sports I like to hunt, fish, hang out with friends, family, and my girlfriend. I am what they call a people person. I like to talk, meet new people, and help in any way I can. I like to laugh and have fun anywhere I am. I’m going to get into the Physical Therapy Assistant program here at Missouri Western.

I haven’t been reading much this summer but towards the end of this last school year I was reading a series of fiction books called “A Rangers Apprentice”. It’s based on a medieval kind of secret agent slash expert warrior theme. I never really enjoyed reading that much but I did find myself reading on my own spare time with that series, which I have not finished by the way if it’s of any concern. I actually found last year that I do enjoy reading old western kind of books and war story books as well. Until my junior year my favorite book was “hatchet” by Garry Paulson but for an assignment I had to choose from a large list which from I chose a book that at this point in time I cannot remember the author of but the name of the book is “With the Old Breed” and I absolutely loved it! It is about a young man that joins the United States Marine Corps. And his experiences he encountered in World War Two fighting on the Islands of Japan in the Pacific. I have read several war books before and since that book but none top its style and imagery you experience while reading, at least for me, so far.

As far as writing goes, I love to write about sports, especially wrestling! I like to relate wrestling to experiences you face in life and the obstacles one must overcome. As a wrestler you are broken down mentally and physically. It really puts your mind and body to the ultimate test. I know it may sound repetitive but I just want to emphasize on how much I have learned about myself and how much you can take before the breaking point and how life lessons learned in that sport have given me encouragement and the confidence to peruse anything I put my mind to! I really hope that I will have the opportunity to write about that this year. I feel that some of my best work comes from my perspective I have on the many ways wrestling relates to so many topics. I look forward to showing you what I mean.