Annotating a Scholarly Journal Second Draft

Cobb, Aries. “To differentiate or not to differentiate? Using internet-based technology in the classroom.” Quarterly Review of Distance Education 11.1 (2010): 37+. Academic OneFile. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.


In the report Cobb looks at whether educators should differentiate instruction, or should use direct instruction when using Internet-based software in the K-12 classroom. According to Cobb direct instruction and differentiated instruction are two different teaching strategies. In direct instruction students work in whole group. The teacher explains the task to the students based on targeted learning outcomes. Students work in a large group on the required task in a timely manner. On the other hand, students who work in a flexible and/or cooperative group are guided with the strategy of differentiated instruction. The students in the group work together to master a set of skills depicted and explained in detail by the teacher. The teacher provides instruction based on the uniqueness of each student and his or her specific learning style. In differentiated instruction, students and teachers collaborate with one another to meet the targeted goals (Tomlinson, 2001). The Cleveland Metropolitan School District was targeted school for a study. They used a program called Compass Learning which “is an Internet-based software program that differentiates instruction, prescribes learning paths, allows students to work cooperatively, and increases overall student achievement in reading skills for the targeted students.” (1) Cobb says differentiated instruction is the chosen teaching strategy over direct instruction because students and teachers alike prefer to work in cooperative groups while using technology in the classroom.

In my review of the article, this is recent. It was published in the Quarterly Review of Distance Learning in the Spring of 2010. The article seems to be from a credible source. I found the article using the Academic OneFile database. The article is also from a credible author. She is the director of Edu-Tech Consulting Firm and an assistant professor of Educational Technology at Baldwin-Wallace College in Cleveland/Akron, Ohio area. According to the Association for Educational Communicationsn and Technology “The Quarterly Review of Distance Education is a rigorously refereed journal publishing articles, research briefs, reviews, and editorials dealing with the theories, research, and practices of distance education. The Quarterly Review publishes articles that utilize various methodologies that permit generalizable results which help guide the practice of the field of distance education in the public and private sectors. The Quarterly Review publishes full-length manuscripts as well as research briefs, editorials, reviews of programs and scholarly works, and columns. The Quarterly Review defines distance education as institutionally based, formal education, where the learning group is separated and where interactive technologies are used to unite the learning group.” The targeted audience is for educators, and I think the article does a good job at appealing to that audience.

Reflective Cover Letter First Draft

For my portfolio I have chosen three pieces of writing along with my “Trend Analysis.” The three pieces I chose are: the “Diagnostic Essay” assignment, the “This I Believe” assignment, and the “Annotating a Scholarly Article” assignment.

            The “Diagnostic Essay” assignment was to write an essay reflecting on how or indeed whether schools and colleges should adapt technology. I had three sources to use for this. I had to synthesize them into the paper and cite and document them properly. I included this piece in my portfolio because it was the first assignment of the semester and I want to show where my writing started. In my first draft I used two of the three sources and I synthesized them well. But, I put a lot of information in my first paragraph, and I need reorganize some of the information to make the essay flow better and make it easier to follow for readers. I also should incorporate the third source into the paper.

            The second piece I have chosen to include is the “This I Believe” essay. This assignment is asking me to write an essay on one of my core beliefs. It should tell a story on how this belief was formed, tested, or changed. It should be something personal that only I know. It should be written in a way that is comfortable to read out loud, and it should be between 350 and 500 words. I chose this piece because I wrote about someone that is very important to me, my grandmother.

            The Third piece I chose is the “Annotating a Scholarly Article” assignment. This assignment asks to write an annotation of a scholarly article that is at least two paragraphs long and contains both a summary and evaluation of that article. The first line or two should have the full bibliographical information in the correct MLA format. The first paragraph should contain a summary of the article highlighting the main points. The second paragraph should evaluate the credibility, timeliness, and usefulness of the article. I chose to include this piece because it was preparing us for the “Trend Analysis” paper. It showed us to really do research, to be able to determine if a piece of research will be able to help us. It shows us how to also properly cite an article, and how to use databases for information.

            The fourth piece included in my portfolio is the “Trend Analysis” paper. This assignment asks to clearly state a thesis that identifies a trend. The causes and effects of this trend must be clearly defined through the use of sources. These sources must be documented and cited properly throughout the paper. There has to be at least two scholarly sources used, and there needs to be a works cited page.

            As a writer I feel that my work has changed over the course of the semester. Starting with the “Diagnostic Essay” I was not exactly sure of what was expected of me as a writer, but as the semester went on I learned what was expected. Ending with the “Trend Analysis” as a compilation of everything I have learned throughout the semester is a good way to end.  Input from you and from my partner has helped me figure out what my strengths are and what needs work. Everything has been a work in progress and I hope to take with me everything that I learned this semester and apply it to all of my other writing in college.

Post Write Analyzing a Trend Second Draft

1. How do you feel about the paper so far? Please explain and offer evidence from the work.

So far I feel the paper is ok. I know it can definitely use more work. He sources need to be used better. I need to put more of myself in it. I need to use more examples and explain myself more.

2. What remains to be done? Please be precise.

I need to organize things better and explain the causes and effects more. I need to put myself in the paper, and make my voice heard.

3. What questions do you have for readers about the piece?

How do I make this easier for the reader to understand without losing what I am trying to say?

Analyzing a Trend Second Draft

Teen’s use of alcohol has a lot of different effects on them, mostly negative. Cristol says the proportion of American children who start drinking alcohol in or before eighth grade has increased by nearly one-third since 1975, according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University in New York. Also, that girl’s are now just as likely to drink as boys.

Adolescents with alcohol use disorders reported symptoms of health problems in many areas, including sleep difficulties, chest discomfort, breathing symptoms, abdominal complaints, muscle and joint pain, and headaches. The study, however, also found some negative health signs in teens with alcohol use disorders. Blood samples showed that young people with alcohol use disorders had elevated liver enzyme levels and had more abnormalities uncovered in physical exams. Physical exam abnormalities showed up mainly in oral exams. Clark said that adolescents with alcohol problems have inadequate health maintenance behaviors, including less-than-regular tooth brushing, which causes dental cavities and gingivitis. (Cristol)

Alcohol is linked to the top three causes of teen deaths: suicide, homicide, and accidents, including traffic fatalities and drowning. Alcohol can also play a role in irresponsible and potentially dangerous sexual behavior. Compared with teens who don't drink, teenage drinkers are seven times likelier to have sex and twice as likely to have sex with four or more partners. Alcohol-influenced sexual behavior can result in unprotected sex, increasing the risk of AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy, Califano says. n part, the alcohol and entertainment industries are to blame, the report finds. Children and teens are bombarded with TV ads glorifying beer during sports programs, and images like Budweiser's talking lizards have tremendous youth appeal. The alcohol industry also lures minors with sweet-tasting, colorfully packaged drinks. More than 40% of teens have tried beverages like Tequiza and Smirnoff Ice. Meanwhile, the entertainment industry has glamorized and sexualized alcohol in many children's movies. An analysis of 81 G-rated animated films revealed that nearly 50% showed characters using alcohol, often without consequence. In addition, 34% of the movies equated alcohol with wealth, 19% with sexual activity. While the alcohol and entertainment industries may be influencing minors to drink, "we have to point the finger at ourselves," Califano says. Children cite other people's houses as the most common setting for drinking. And one-third of sixth- and ninth-graders get alcohol from their own homes. "Parents tend to see drinking and occasional bingeing as a rite of passage, rather than a deadly round of Russian roulette." (“Researchers…”)

Teenagers who use alcohol are more likely to cause harm to themselves than those that do not drink. They are more likely to have sex, get an STD, and it is one of the top causes for deaths among teens.

Works Cited

Cristol, Hope. "Teen Drinking Is on the Rise." Futurist 36.4 (2002): 14. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

"Researchers find health problems among teen drinkers." DATA: The Brown University Digest of Addiction Theory & Application 20.10 (2001): 7. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

Analyzing a Trend First Draft Post Write

1. How do you feel about the paper so far? Please explain and offer evidence from the work.

So far I feel the paper is ok. I know it can definitely use more work. I need to use more examples and explain myself more.

2. What remains to be done? Please be precise.

I need to organize things better and explain the causes and effects more.

3. What questions do you have for readers about the piece?

How do I make this easier for the reader to understand without losing what I am trying to say?

Analyzing a Trend First Draft

Teen’s use of alcohol has a lot of different effects on them, mostly negative. Cristol says the proportion of American children who start drinking alcohol in or before eighth grade has increased by nearly one-third since 1975, according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University in New York. Also, that girl’s are now just as likely to drink as boys.

Adolescents with alcohol use disorders reported symptoms of health problems in many areas, including sleep difficulties, chest discomfort, breathing symptoms, abdominal complaints, muscle and joint pain, and headaches. The study, however, also found some negative health signs in teens with alcohol use disorders. Blood samples showed that young people with alcohol use disorders had elevated liver enzyme levels and had more abnormalities uncovered in physical exams. Physical exam abnormalities showed up mainly in oral exams. Clark said that adolescents with alcohol problems have inadequate health maintenance behaviors, including less-than-regular tooth brushing, which causes dental cavities and gingivitis. (Cristol)

Alcohol is linked to the top three causes of teen deaths: suicide, homicide, and accidents, including traffic fatalities and drowning. Alcohol can also play a role in irresponsible and potentially dangerous sexual behavior. Compared with teens who don't drink, teenage drinkers are seven times likelier to have sex and twice as likely to have sex with four or more partners. Alcohol-influenced sexual behavior can result in unprotected sex, increasing the risk of AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy, Califano says. n part, the alcohol and entertainment industries are to blame, the report finds. Children and teens are bombarded with TV ads glorifying beer during sports programs, and images like Budweiser's talking lizards have tremendous youth appeal. The alcohol industry also lures minors with sweet-tasting, colorfully packaged drinks. More than 40% of teens have tried beverages like Tequiza and Smirnoff Ice. Meanwhile, the entertainment industry has glamorized and sexualized alcohol in many children's movies. An analysis of 81 G-rated animated films revealed that nearly 50% showed characters using alcohol, often without consequence. In addition, 34% of the movies equated alcohol with wealth, 19% with sexual activity. While the alcohol and entertainment industries may be influencing minors to drink, "we have to point the finger at ourselves," Califano says. Children cite other people's houses as the most common setting for drinking. And one-third of sixth- and ninth-graders get alcohol from their own homes. "Parents tend to see drinking and occasional bingeing as a rite of passage, rather than a deadly round of Russian roulette." (“Researchers…”)

Works Cited

Cristol, Hope. "Teen Drinking Is on the Rise." Futurist 36.4 (2002): 14. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

"Researchers find health problems among teen drinkers." DATA: The Brown University Digest of Addiction Theory & Application 20.10 (2001): 7. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

Annotating a Scholarly Article First Draft Post Write

1. How do you feel about the paper so far? Please explain and offer evidence from the work.

So far I have my full citation at the top. I have started my first paragraph, but it still needs to be completed. I have used parenthesis when I have used something from the article. I have stated who wrote this, and I am trying to summarize what the author has said.

2. What remains to be done? Please be precise.

I need to finish my first paragraph and I need to do my second paragraph. In the first paragraph I need to explain more about what each kind of approach is and why teachers prefer direct instruction.

3. What questions do you have for readers about the piece?

Does it make sense so far? I know it isn’t much but is what I have there understandable?

Annotating a Scholrly Article First Draft

Cobb, Aries. “To differentiate or not to differentiate? Using internet-based technology in the classroom.” Quarterly Review of Distance Education 11.1 (2010): 37+. Academic OneFile. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

In the report Cobb looks at whether educators differentiate instruction, or should they use direct instruction when using Internet-based software in the K-12 classroom. The Cleveland Metropolitan School District was targeted school. They used a program called Compass Learning which “is an Internet-based software program that differentiates instruction, prescribes learning paths, allows students to work cooperatively, and increases overall student achievement in reading skills for the targeted students.” (1) Cobb says “abundant research indicates that direct instruction is the preferred style of teaching in urban schools.”

Post Write for Proposal Second Draft

1. How do you feel about the paper so far? Please explain and offer evidence from the work.

So far I feel that the paper is coming along alright. I feel like I have stated the problem. I have started to state how to fix the problem, but I feel like I could add more. I have also used a quote from someone who this has actually happened to provide support as to why this needs to be addressed. I think I need to elaborate more on how to solve the problem, and I think I can do that by adding some more information.

2. What remains to be done? Please be precise.

I should use information from a news source to prove my point, and not just a quote from someone this has happened to. I also need to add more information to the paper, especially about how to solve the problem.

3. What questions do you have for readers about the piece?

Do my solutions to the problem seem reasonable? Is everything organized in the right place?

Proposal Second Draft

Two of your classes were cancelled before the first week of the semester. You are going to address your proposal to the college administrator in charge, making clear to document the problem carefully and offering realistic solutions.

            I work full time and go to school full time, and I live on my own. My work schedule is planned around my school schedule. When one week before classes begin two of my classes are cancelled it really throws off my schedule. The chances of me being able to fill those two spots with other classes I needed or would be able to take are very slim being that close to the start of the semester. If I had to take classes at a different time I would have to change my work schedule and that is not easy for me to do. If I’m not able to work as many hours then I will not be able to afford to live on my own.  We have to do something about this.

            We have to change this some how. The college should take a look at non-required classes and see which ones are popular and which ones are not. The classes that are not popular should not be offered.  If enough people do not sign up for a class being offered, then that should be decided earlier than a week before the semester starts. Other people are also going to need to know earlier if classes are going to be cancelled. Cassie, 18, a college student, also runs a tight schedule. She is a mother and a full time college student. She has a babysitter watch her daughter while she is in school. She has had two classes cancelled the week before the semester starts and she could not get two more classes to fill those spots. She had to changer her whole schedule for the semester because she could not change her babysitter on such a short notice. “It is such an inconvenience for me. I wish the school would have given me more notice if a class was going to be cancelled or not.” There has to be a better way for the college to decide on keeping a class or not, and there has to be a better way to let students know about their classes being cancelled.

            It is a major inconvenience for us students with very busy schedules to have classes cancelled a week before the semester was to begin. Most students have very busy lives and they plan everything around their school schedules, and if something suddenly changed on short notice they would have to completely rearrange all of their other schedules. A way to solve this problem is for the school to only offer the required classes students need, and the popular electives students want to take.

Post Write for Proposal First Draft

1. How do you feel about the paper so far? Please explain and offer evidence from the work.

So far I feel that the paper is coming along alright. I feel like I have stated the problem. I have started to state how to fix the problem, but I feel like I could add more. I have also used a quote from someone who this has actually happened to provide support as to why this needs to be addressed.

2. What remains to be done? Please be precise.

I need to add some more evidence to how to fix this problem, and I need to put in a conclusion.

3. What questions do you have for readers about the piece?

Do my solutions to the problem seem reasonable? Is everything seem to organized in the right place?

Proposal First Draft

Two of your classes were cancelled before the first week of the semester. You are going to address your proposal to the college administrator in charge, making clear to document the problem carefully and offering realistic solutions.

            I work full time and go to school full time, and I live on my own. My work schedule is planned around my school schedule. When one week before classes begin two of my classes are cancelled it really throws off my schedule. The chances of me being able to fill those two spots with other classes I needed or would be able to take are very slim being that close to the start of the semester. If I had to take classes at a different time I would have to change my work schedule and that is not easy for me to do. If I’m not able to work as many hours then I will not be able to afford to live on my own.  We have to do something about this.

            We have to change this some how. The college should take a look at non-required classes and see which ones are popular and which ones are not. The classes that are not popular should not be offered.  If enough people do not sign up for a class being offered, then that should be decided earlier than a week before the semester starts. Other people are also going to need to know earlier if classes are going to be cancelled. Cassie, 18, a college student, also runs a tight schedule. She is a mother and a full time college student. She has a babysitter watch her daughter while she is in school. She has had two classes cancelled the week before the semester starts and she could not get two more classes to fill those spots. She had to changer her whole schedule for the semester because she could not change her babysitter on such a short notice. “It is such an inconvenience for me. I wish the school would have given me more notice if a class was going to be cancelled or not.”

           

News Story First Draft Post Write

1. How do you feel about the paper so far? Please explain and offer evidence from the work.

So far I feel the paper is coming along well. I feel like this is a newsworthy topic. It is something that is going on now and that is affection me locally. I tried to keep in non-biased and my opinions to myself. I looked up the topic and I used information that I found. “Since this is a zoning change, the article must be approved by a two-thirds majority. A positive vote would move the project ahead to site plan approval review, an open process at which neighbors would again have the opportunity to have restrictions placed on the project. Residents opposing it claim to have 300 negative votes, which would require supporters to have at least 601 votes.” I think this is a topic that people do care about and want to hear about.

2. What remains to be done? Please be precise.

I need to make my paper longer. It is only 233 words, and it is required to be 350 to 500.  I still need to interview people. I would like to interview someone who supports this and someone who opposes it. I would also like to find out some more information about Sysco.

3. What questions do you have for readers about the piece?

            Does my title fit? How can I make this more interesting for the reader and make people want to read it?

News Story First Draft

Yes or No, How Will You Vote?

Monday October 18, 2010 is a very important day in Lakeville, MA. Everyone is encouraged to attend the town meeting at Apponequet Regional High School to vote on whether the old Lakeville Hospital should be rezoned for Sysco Boston to build a $110 million food distribution center.  It is expected to be the biggest town meeting in Lakeville’s history.

This is a major decision that will affect the town for years to come.  Residents oppose the project because of traffic issues, noise issues, and environmental issues. They are concerned about the fact that the trucks will be going in and out of the facility at all hours of the day and night. To help with the noise issue, Sysco has offered to put up two sound barriers to help keep the noise down. Supporters of the project say it will bring more jobs to the area and that it will help entice other businesses to the area. Also, there would be much needed revenue coming into the town.

Since this is a zoning change, the article must be approved by a two-thirds majority. A positive vote would move the project ahead to site plan approval review, an open process at which neighbors would again have the opportunity to have restrictions placed on the project. Residents opposing it claim to have 300 negative votes, which would require supporters to have at least 601 votes.

Application Essay Second Post Write

1. How do you feel about the paper so far? Please explain and offer evidence from the work.

I feel that the paper is coming along very well. I have tried to add more details to my paper to explain myself better. I added more about where I wanted to go to school and why, “Now that I am at Bristol Community College I am majoring in Elementary Education. After I finish my two years here I would like to continue on at Bridgewater State College so I can become an elementary school teacher. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was a little kid. I would play school with my brother, he would be the student and I would be the teacher. Everyone always comments how I would make such a wonderful teacher, that I have the patience to be able to teach and that I always want to help people.” I made my paper longer by adding these details. I tried to explain things clearly because the person who would be reading this essay does not know who I am, so I wanted to describe me the best way I could.

2. What remains to be done? Please be precise.

I think that I could add some more about my outside activities. I just added some stuff about my boyfriend and friends and about my work experience. There is some more stuff I could add about other things I do.

3. What questions do you have for readers about the piece?

Questions I have are: did I keep the tense the same throughout, and does everything make sense in the paper.

Application Essay Second Draft

Write a narrative about your life. This should include information about your accomplishments, family, education experience, and outside activities. Be creative rather than philosophic. Remember that you are writing for a reader who knows nothing about your background.

                                             - Boston University, graduate application

            My name is Ashley, I am twenty years old, about to be twenty one on October twenty ninth.  I currently live in Assonet, Massachusetts. I live with my family which includes my mom, dad, three brothers, and two sisters. There is a big age difference between us; we range from twenty-one to seven. Most of my mom’s family also lives in Assonet. My mom was also one of six, so I have a lot of aunts and uncles and cousins and we are all very close. My dads family lives all over the place, Syracuse, New York, Manchester, Maryland, and Enterprise, Alabama just to name a few. Every Christmas my dad’s side all comes together for the holiday at my grandpas in Syracuse. It’s really nice being able to get everyone together. And since my grandmother passed away three years ago, getting together means a lot more to everyone. I have a boyfriend, Nicholas, who I have been with for over two years. We are always doing stuff together and with our friends. We love to get together with my friends or his friends and go out to dinner or stay in and watch a movie, but no matter what it is we do always have fun.

            I have gone to public schools all the way from kindergarten to high school. The town I live in is not very big so everyone knows everyone. I always had classes with the same people so everyone was friends. I always did well in school. I got mostly A’s and B’s. History and math were and still are my favorite subjects. It is just something about them that has always just come easy to me. I made honor role a few times when I was in high school. Now that I am at Bristol Community College I am majoring in Elementary Education. After I finish my two years here I would like to continue on at Bridgewater State College so I can become an elementary school teacher. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was a little kid. I would play school with my brother, he would be the student and I would be the teacher. Everyone always comments how I would make such a wonderful teacher, that I have the patience to be able to teach and that I always want to help people.

I got my first job when I was 16 at Subway. I worked with my best friend and that made the job really fun. It was a very easy job and I really liked everyone I worked with. I worked there for two and half years and then I got a job at Papa Gino’s as a Shift Leader. I made a lot of really good friends here. I had the best boss I have ever had here. She cared about everyone and she treated everyone equally.  I worked there for a year, and now I work at Fall River Pawn Brokers in Fall River. This is a really fun job, I get to work with and meet a lot of very different people. My boyfriend also works there, but we work at different locations.

Essay of Application First Draft Post Write

1.  How do you feel about the paper so far? Please explain and offer evidence from the work.

So far I feel my paper is coming along very well, I feel like I have addressed the topic very well and that I have been descriptive enough especially in my first paragraph. “My name is Ashley, I am twenty years old, about to be twenty one on October twenty ninth.  I currently live in Assonet, Massachusetts with my family, but I am moving to Fall River, Massachusetts with my boyfriend within the next two months.  I live with my family which includes my mom, dad, three brothers, and two sisters. Most of my mom’s family also lives in Assonet so we all spend a lot of time together. My dads family lives all over the place, Syracuse, New York, Manchester, Maryland, and Enterprise, Alabama just to name a few. Every Christmas my dad’s side all comes together for the holiday at my grandpas in Syracuse. I have a boyfriend, Nicholas, who I have been with for over two years. He also lives in Assonet just down the street from me.” I think that so far this paper is a good first draft.

2. What remains to be done? Please be precise.

I think I still need to add more, the paper is a little short. The paragraph about my work experience could be a little longer. “I got my first job when I was 16 at Subway. I worked with my best friend Kat and that made the job really fun. I worked there for two and half years and then I got a job at Papa Gino’s as a Shift Leader. I worked there for a year, and now I work At Fall River Pawn Brokers in Fall River. This is a really fun job, I get to work with and meet a lot of very different people.” I can add some more to this paragraph, and I can also add another paragraph to the paper to make it longer.

3. What questions do you have for readers about the piece?

The only questions I have is do my paragraphs seem descriptive enough and am I repeating myself? Also, I want my paper to stand out, but I also want it to make sense so how do I do that without getting lost and getting away from what it is supposed to be about.

Essay of Application First Draft

Write a narrative about your life. This should include information about your accomplishments, family, education experience, and outside activities. Be creative rather than philosophic. Remember that you are writing for a reader who knows nothing about your background.

                                             - Boston University, graduate application

            My name is Ashley, I am twenty years old, about to be twenty one on October twenty ninth.  I currently live in Assonet, Massachusetts with my family, but I am moving to Fall River, Massachusetts with my boyfriend within the next two months.  I live with my family which includes my mom, dad, three brothers, and two sisters. Most of my mom’s family also lives in Assonet so we all spend a lot of time together. My dads family lives all over the place, Syracuse, New York, Manchester, Maryland, and Enterprise, Alabama just to name a few. Every Christmas my dad’s side all comes together for the holiday at my grandpas in Syracuse. I have a boyfriend, Nicholas, who I have been with for over two years. He also lives in Assonet just down the street from me.

            I have gone to public school from kindergarten to high school. We are not a big town so everyone knew everyone and it was really fun having the same friends all the way through school. I did well in school. I got mostly A’s and B’s. History and math were always my favorite subjects. It is just something about them that has always just come easy to me. I made honor role a few times when I was in high school. Now that I am at Bristol Community College I am majoring in Elementary Education and I would like to become a first grade teacher.

I got my first job when I was 16 at Subway. I worked with my best friend Kat and that made the job really fun. I worked there for two and half years and then I got a job at Papa Gino’s as a Shift Leader. I worked there for a year, and now I work At Fall River Pawn Brokers in Fall River. This is a really fun job, I get to work with and meet a lot of very different people.

"This I Believe" Second Draft

            I believe that you should say “I love you” as much as possible. You will never regret saying it, but you will always regret not saying it. I know I regret not saying it enough. My grandmother was my best friend, I told her everything. We would talk on the phone every Sunday night for hours about how our weeks had gone. She knew everything about me, she knew me better than anyone else. I loved her so much, and I know she loved me too. We talked about my future all the time, graduating high school, starting college, getting married; we had my whole life planned out.  She wanted to be there for it all, and I always thought she would be.

As I got older, I stopped talking to my grandma as much, I thought calling my friends or the boy I liked was “cooler” and more important than calling my grandma. That was one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made. My grandma was a smoker and she was getting worse and I didn’t realize it because I was too busy to talk to her. I had no idea how sick she really was. When I had finally gone to see her for Christmas I was in shock at how frail she had become. She could no longer do anything for herself. I had to go home early that year because she couldn’t take care of me. That was the last time I saw her or talked to her. She passed away a couple days after I got home. I was too scared to call, and now I wish more than anything that I had called her so I could say “I love you” one more time.

            Having my grandma pass away is the hardest thing that I have ever had to deal with, and every day I regret that I stopped talking to her, and that I never really got the chance to say goodbye to her and that I did not get the chance to tell her that I love her one last time. Now I say it all the time to everyone. I want to make sure that everyone I love knows it because you never know when the last time you’ll get the chance to say it will be.  

This I Believe First Draft

I believe that you should say “I love you” as much as possible. You will never regret saying it, but you will always regret not saying it. I know I regret not saying it enough.

            My grandmother was my best friend, I told her everything. We would talk on the phone every Sunday night for hours about how our weeks had gone. She knew everything about me, she knew me better than anyone else. I loved her so much, and I know she loved me too. We talked about my future all the time, graduating high school, starting college, getting married; we had my whole life planned out.  She wanted to be there for it all, and I always thought she would be. But, my grandma was a smoker, and she just would not quit, no matter how much I begged her. She just kept on smoking, and the more she did the sicker she got. She acted like she didn’t care, so I did the same.

            As I got older I started hanging out with my friends more and our weekly phone conversations became fewer. At the time I did not see it as a big deal. Now, looking back, it is one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made in my life.  I wish so much that I could go back and change things. I wish that I did not stop talking to her. I wish so much that I could just tell her that I love her and that I always will. Just after Christmas in 2006 she became very, very sick. I was there that year visiting, and I had to go back home early that year because she did not want me to be there when she passed away.

            Having my grandma pass away is the hardest thing that I have ever had to deal with, and every day I regret that I stopped talking to her, and that I never really got the chance to say goodbye to her and that I did not get the chance to tell her that I love her one last time.

Diagnostic Essay

Technology is an important part of everyday life. We have our cell phones, iPods, and laptops. We constantly check our email and update our facebook status and follow our friends and favorite celebrities on twitter. With technology being so present its time for schools to start incorporating it into all classrooms to help students study and learn. But, it should not be the only way to study and learn. Students still need to interact with their teachers and other students. They also need to still use real books; an electronic kindle cannot replace the feeling of a real book. It’s just not the same thing. They still need to know where the library is and how to use books for studying, and research papers. They need to know who the great authors are and what their writings are like. “With an Internet connection, you can gather the latest stuff from all over, but too many American high school students have never read one Mark Twain novel or Shakespeare play or Wordsworth poem, or a serious history of the U.S.”


The Cushing School in Ashburnham, MA has gotten rid of their entire library to replace it with a digital “learning center.” Instead of a library, the academy is spending nearly $500,000 to create a “learning center,’’ though that is only one of the names in contention for the new space. In place of the stacks, they are spending $42,000 on three large flat-screen TVs that will project data from the Internet and $20,000 on special laptop-friendly study carrels. Where the reference desk was, they are building a $50,000 coffee shop that will include a $12,000 cappuccino machine.” It’s great that they want to help students, but they should have combined this “learning center” with the library. Very few students will read a book on their own for fun, and now those few probably will not because they do not a have a library to check books out of. Electronics are not the most reliable things either. They do break and malfunction, and if you spill a liquid on them they usually do not work after that. But a book will never malfunction and if you spill your drink on it it’s going to be ok. Books will also last a lot longer than an electronic. Things become outdated so fast because they are always coming out with a newer, better version. It’s a great idea to have books available on-line, but that should not be the only place that books are available.

Technology should be a tool to help us; it should not be replacing what we have. A lot of my college classes uses technology to help us, but they do not use technology to replace what they are teaching us. My college history professor records his lectures and puts them on iTunes for us to download. This does not mean we can skip the class and just download it. What if we have a question, what if we do not understand something, we would not be able to contact the teacher. It’s a tool to help us study and understand things better. Technology is a great thing, it should just not be used to replace what we have in schools, it should be used to make schools better and to help the students excel.