Final Blog: Assessing the Summer....and yourself!

Okay--so here is our final blog. Please answer all questions. If you miss a question, it's an incomplete assignment....

So...now it's almost over--our last day is tomorrow. Think carefully--and honestly!!--about the semester and answer the following questions:

Do you think you have the right attitude to succeed in college? Is the attitude you have now, the same attitude you started with?

Which of your classmates or teachers inspired you? Who in our class do you think will be very successful and why?

Did you explore any majors this summer? Do you have a better idea or any idea of what you want to study and why?

Some of you expressed that you'd like to become a doctor or a lawyer...how might your study habits have to change in order to achieve such a huge goal?

Which class did you have the most trouble with? Which course the least trouble?

What do you predict will cause you the most stress or trouble this coming year?

What specifically did you learn in our class? Did you like the book? Did it change your attitude or perceptions about anything? If so, what?

Good luck to everyone!! I can only hope that all of you will step up to the plate and succeed in college, but you have to want it for yourselves...some of you improved so much, and this was great to see. I hope that you continue with your drive and effort in college!!

Tenth Blog Prompt

Okay folks...we're in the stretch now...just one more week to go!

We're going to be focusing on page 289-- with the paragraph starting "A widow, whose...." all the way until the line "Not through this or that hole in a piece of cloth." (Total of 5 paragraphs).

In these five paragraphs, discuss the following: What does "nunnish simplicity" mean? What does "worldly possessions" mean? What does Uzra mean when she says that "We women of Afghanistan see the light through education, Uzra replied, Not through this or that hole in a piece of cloth."
How is the burkha represented in American culture? What do Americans think when they see a woman wearing a burkha? Do NOT use the statement that Bergman makes....draw your own conclusions. "Infer" from reading this book, and "infer" from your own experience.

Happy Blogging!

Blog Post # 9....

Only 5 classes left before the final!!

On page 255--the paragraph that starts with "The intricate obstinacies..." Translate this paragraph into your own words.
What is Mortenson feeling? What does "excuse of education" refer to? Lastly, in this chapter there is a lot of discussion about Madrassas. Compare Madrassas to American schools.

Happy Blogging!

Blog Post #8

Wow--can't believe we are going to be entering week #5 this coming Monday...man has it gone by fast! I hope you guys are learning and soaking in everything we are telling you. We have already gone through college and know what we are talking about. Our job is to help you succeed in September.

So...
Blog #8:

On page 236, "After his own struggles to raise funds for the children of Pakistan, he (Mortenson) felt he understood what had driven her (Mother Theresa) to famously dismiss her critics by saying, "I don't care where the money comes from. It's all washed clean in the service of God."

While Greg says he understands Mother Theresa, does he agree with her statement? Do you agree with her statement? And what does "washed clean in the service of God" mean?

Your response should be at least 10 sentences long.


Happy Blogging!

Blog Prompt #6

From "Three Cups of Tea," page 153.

"Here was this illiterate man, who'd hardly ever left his little village in the Karakoram...he was the wisest man I've ever met."
{Mortenson saying this about Haji Ali}

Be sure to answer EACH question!! Remember that prompts should be at least 5 sentences minimum but in this case, it should be a minimum of 5 sentences per each part: TOTAL of 15 sentences at least.

PART I:
How can someone be wise without being educated?
Do you know someone like this--someone who is wise but not educated? (You may not choose yourself!)

PART II:
What type of wise are you?
Think of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences if you are unsure how to respond.

PART III:
How might Haji Ali be viewed if he were in America? Would he still be viewed as wise?

Fifth Blog Prompt

Hello:
Here is the 5th blog prompt:

PART I:
In the beginning of the semester, we asked you what you felt your strengths and weaknesses are both as a student and a reader. Now that we are 3 weeks in to the precollege semester, reevaluate your strengths and weaknesses. How could you become a better student? How have you improved? How do you plan on using these changes to your advantages in the Fall semester?

PART II:
What pre-reading strategies are you using during your reading? What steps do you take during your study time? How are you applying what you have learned in this class into your studies?

RESPOND 10 SENTENCES MINIMUM; 5 SENTENCES PER PART.

Thanks, and happy blogging!

Blog Prompt #4

Hello everyone!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful day. I am exhausted; between house hunting, teaching, taking a class, and private tutoring, I have decided I need a vacation! Now, to afford that vacation....hmm.
: )

Okay, so this is a 2 part prompt, ( I love to make you think!) and I think you guys will enjoy responding to this prompt....

PART I:
In chapter 5, Greg finds one man, Jean Hoerni, to help fund his mission of building schools in Pakistan. After 580 letters, just one person steps up to bat for Mortenson. Sometimes all we need is just one person to believe in us. In five sentences or more, tell me about one person who has helped you out during a difficult time in your life. Who is this person? What did they do for you? Why did they help you? Did this person change you in an unexpected way?


PART II:
Using what you have learned about context clues, (sometimes a word will have its definition in the text; sometimes there will be an opposite word or a synonym; sometimes there will be an example of the word) turn to page 68, and read the third paragraph that starts with the sentence, "Two blocks before the intimidating minaret..." and ends with the sentence, "No. Only for me. I am unclean."

In the paragraph there is this word "ablutions." Using context clues, can you define in your own words what "ablutions" means?

Do NOT use a dictionary!! We will be able to tell if you have cut and pasted or used a dictionary definition. This exercise is to help you use the context clues we taught you in class.


Happy Blogging!

Third Blog Prompt

Hello all:
Here is the 3rd blog prompt. Remember to write at least 5 sentences, and to read your response aloud before posting in order to make sure the response makes sense! And most importantly, have fun posting!
Hope everyone is enjoying this gorgeous day!

This is also a 2 part-prompt so be sure to answer both parts!

Part I:
In Chapter 4 we learn quite a bit about Greg Mortenson and his family background. What does this information do for the story and for our understanding of Mortenson as a character?

Part II:
At the same time, consider how we get this information about Mortenson's background four chapters into the book. Why do you think the author chose to give us this information later, rather than earlier in the book? How effective was the author's strategy? Was it confusing? Did you like the way the author started chapter 4 by going back in time, only to end chapter 4 where we had left off earlier?

Happy Blogging!
PS--See my blog post on some of my favorite books... I'd love to give suggestions or even hear what your favorite books are.

Laura

Kick Ass Books to Read: Check them out!

Here are some awesome books that I love:

"Go tell it on the Mountain," by James Baldwin, an amazing African-American writer
"Down these Mean streets," by Piri Thomas
"Things Fall Apart," by Chinua Achebe, African writer
"The Kiss" by Kathryn Harrison, memoirist/fiction writer
"Middlesex," by Jeffrey Eugenides
"Columbine," by Dave Cullen
"Song of Solomon," by Toni Morrison, a favorite of President Obama's
"The namesake," by Jhumpa Lahiri
"Breath, Eyes, Memory," by Edwidge Danticat
"Pere Goriot," by Balzac


I will add more as the semester goes on, but here are just a few of my favorite books....

Second Blog Prompt

Hey EOF class! I hope you are all well. Here is your second blog prompt. Keep in mind a few things:
#1- you must write a minimum of 5-6 sentences.
#2--you must post your response to the prompt on your own blog page!
#3--think for a few minutes before you respond. After writing your response, re-read it before you post it just to be sure it makes sense.


Here is the Prompt. It is a two-part question; answer both parts of the prompt:


Part I:
On page 7, the first chapter starts out with a quote.
"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars"-- Persian Proverb.
What do you think this proverb means?
Consider how it might relate to the content in the chapter.


Part II:
Consider the title of the chapter, "Failure."
On the final page of the chapter, page 16, it says: "It was his body that had failed, he decided, not his spirit, and every body had its limits. He for the first time in his life, had found the absolute limit of his."

What does failure mean to you in your life? How does failure come into play in this chapter?

Attention Students

Thank you for the 2 comments I have received for the first blog assignment, however, I need students to form their own blog and respond to my question on their own blog page.
I will be sure to respond Nour and Vivian once a few other students have posted their comments.

First Blog Prompt for EOF Reading class

Hello Class:
Here is your first blog prompt. Please remember to write at least one paragraph using respectful language. Don't worry so much about grammar; instead, simply share your thoughts. Thanks, and happy blogging!

From page 5 in "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin:

"In a part of the world where Americans are, at best, misunderstood, and more often feared and loathed, this soft spoken, six-foot-four former mountaineer from Montana has put together a string of improbable successes."

What do you think about this statement? Are Americans truly "misunderstood" and "loathed"? Why or why not? How do you think people from what we call "Third World" countires, view the United States?

Reading once, reading twice....

One of the things my professors told me during undergrad was to always re-read, to go back to texts and to really let material digest.
In my head I was thinking,
"Re-read? I barely had time to finish this 400 page book! I still have three or four other classes to read for...man."
But they were all right. And most of the times, I went back and re-read. Each time I employed that strategy it helped me. Sometimes a text is so dense or so rich with new vocabulary that it's really nice to go back, to see if the conclusions or thoughts that I had made were accurate. Ultimately after the second read through I wanted to ask myself these questions:
#1--Were my original thoughts on track? Can I use the text to prove my argument or opinions?
#2--What did I miss? What were some points, themes, or threads that I had missed the first time?
#3--Am I still a little confused with the material? If so, see a Professor...
#4--How can I take this new information along with the old, and incorporate it into what I already know?

So while reading a text the second time around is time consuming, remember that it's time well-spent. The second time around is when you will probably see the lightbulb go off in your brain, and that's certainly not wasted time...

Holy Mackarel! Navigating the Big Words of College Texts

So when I started college I thought I had a good vocabulary. And I did, but apparently not good enough!
It seems intimdating at first--I know I listened to all the other students in class, speaking like mini-baby geniuses right out of some designer kid factory, and I started to doubt myself.
Maybe I wasn't smart enough to do this?
Nonsense!
Do you remember the first time you heard these words ( WARNING:I'm older, so maybe I'm dating myself here).
"Metrosexual?"
"Fresh"
"Dope"
(In my mind I'm hearing Special Ed, Public Enemy and Old School Tribe called Quest)
"Muffintop"
You see what I mean...even slang has origins, and when we first hear a silly slang phrase, we don't know what it means unless we ask, right?
Well that's the take-home message folks. Ask. When you don't know a word, ask.
Who cares if the guy next to you thinks you're an idiot for asking! He's not giving you your grade, he's not the one who has to do your work.
Be outspoken when you don't understand something.
This is your education, how you want it.
I also highly recommend using a dictionary when you are reading a text...I still do it! I tutor the SAT's and sometimes I don't know the word so guess what? I get out the good old dictionary, or I go to:
the Oxford-English Dictionary or Freedictionary.com

--Laura

PS-- If you have any questions at any point time, don't be afraid to email me at lauracolumbia09@gmail.com

Hot time Summer in Montclair: Why I'm here

So it's hot and nasty out in New Jersey, and all of us are inside this classroom, reading some book we may or may have never heard of. Why?

I can't answer why you might be here, but I can tell you why I'm here.

Starting college the world seems open wide, cracked open like an oyster shell, ready to taste the adult world.

However, college brings demands and responsibilities that can be overwhelming for many students, especially during the first year.

Why am I here?

What do the professors expect of me?

What do the words discourse, framework,  and all these other fancy, schmancy academic words mean? Does everyone speak this way?

What am I going to major in? 

Then there's the feeling that everyone else around you must know everything, must be little academic geniuses. Well the fact is, most students all feel the same way! 

Me? I love college, love reading, and love writing. (Can't you tell from this little spiel?)

So what better class to teach than a class that introduces incoming freshmen to thinking about reading, and reading in general?

I know it's disgustingly humid and you'd rather be hanging out at the beach or logging onto Facebook, but to me, this class is about opening your minds to what reading can be for you, especially as a college student.

Hang in there, ask questions, don't be afraid to ask dumb questions because there's no such thing as a dumb question (if there is such a thing, I've already asked them all), and enjoy the ride! College is a great experience.