Sunday, May 3, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Paper Topic #3
I decided to change my paper topic for the final paper from what I initially posted (See Below).
Now, the focus of my final paper is how classrooms turn kids off to reading. The way in which reading is presented in school makes kids to lose their motivation to read because their attitude towards it becomes a chore. It also doesn't help when required reading doesn't relate to the students because then they don't see the point in reading at all, and are turned off to reading all together. Teachers' influence is vital to the development of a positive attitude and motivation towards reading.
Original Post:
Claim: Popular culture has caused the decline in reading among teenagers.
Because of…technology, and our need to communicate and connect…
I. Technology:
a. Has provided outlets for distraction, now in our downtime we find ourselves on Facebook and surfing the web instead of entertaining ourselves by reading…
a. It takes away time from reading because before you know it you’ve spent the past 2 hours at your computer on Facebook for no reason, it consumes the bulk of our spare time…
b.We may gravitate towards technology for entertainment because it is more leisurely, we can surf the web etc. at our own pace, and it sustains our focus more because there is more to capture our attention (auditory/ visual stimulations associated with computers and tv etc.) rather than just plain text, and it takes less effort to enjoy: with books, you have to create the stories in your head and conjure up the whole world of the book etc, but with tv, everything is already given to you and you just need to follow along
II. Communication and Connection:
a.Our modern society demands communication and connection because with the rise of technology, this is what’s expected and needed to keep up with our fast paced lifestyles
a. Classics vs. Modern novels reflect the times in which they were written:
i. Classic books like those of Mark Twain may be more heavily emphasized because back then, they didn’t have technology, so reading was the skill they needed to focus on to get ahead, whereas today communication and face to face interaction (like in the board room) is more vital than ever because with technology, communication is made easier, and happens more frequently because it is more efficient, therefore instead of focusing on reading, people may be more focused on interacting because this is what helps you get ahead today
b. Technology allows us to stay connected: cell phones, email, text, facebook, etc.: we all know what’s going on in each others lives (ex. Twitter, status updates, etc.) and therefore we’re accustomed to human connection, and I think now more than ever, we are people persons… therefore sitting alone in our own world reading a book isn’t as appealing because we want to be with each other, and we want to be up to date on what’s happening now with our generation, and be caught up on the trends so we can fit in, etc.
i. It’s a place just for us that we can go to (i.e. facebook isn’t really for adults: source→ “The Myths of Teenage Readers”
ii. And being the most connected we’ve ever been, means that our peer’s opinions of us have never meant so much, therefore it’s most crucial that we keep up with the trends and by reading and taking ourselves to another world, especially worlds that don’t necessarily apply to ours (like classic books) seems unnecessary because we can’t really relate (reading skills vs. communication skills)
source:
Aronson, Marc. "The Myths of Teenage Readers." Publishing Research Quarterly 16.3
(Fall2000 2000): 4. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. [Library name], [City],
[State abbreviation]. 17 Apr. 2009
loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site>.
Now, the focus of my final paper is how classrooms turn kids off to reading. The way in which reading is presented in school makes kids to lose their motivation to read because their attitude towards it becomes a chore. It also doesn't help when required reading doesn't relate to the students because then they don't see the point in reading at all, and are turned off to reading all together. Teachers' influence is vital to the development of a positive attitude and motivation towards reading.
Original Post:
Claim: Popular culture has caused the decline in reading among teenagers.
Because of…technology, and our need to communicate and connect…
I. Technology:
a. Has provided outlets for distraction, now in our downtime we find ourselves on Facebook and surfing the web instead of entertaining ourselves by reading…
a. It takes away time from reading because before you know it you’ve spent the past 2 hours at your computer on Facebook for no reason, it consumes the bulk of our spare time…
b.We may gravitate towards technology for entertainment because it is more leisurely, we can surf the web etc. at our own pace, and it sustains our focus more because there is more to capture our attention (auditory/ visual stimulations associated with computers and tv etc.) rather than just plain text, and it takes less effort to enjoy: with books, you have to create the stories in your head and conjure up the whole world of the book etc, but with tv, everything is already given to you and you just need to follow along
II. Communication and Connection:
a.Our modern society demands communication and connection because with the rise of technology, this is what’s expected and needed to keep up with our fast paced lifestyles
a. Classics vs. Modern novels reflect the times in which they were written:
i. Classic books like those of Mark Twain may be more heavily emphasized because back then, they didn’t have technology, so reading was the skill they needed to focus on to get ahead, whereas today communication and face to face interaction (like in the board room) is more vital than ever because with technology, communication is made easier, and happens more frequently because it is more efficient, therefore instead of focusing on reading, people may be more focused on interacting because this is what helps you get ahead today
b. Technology allows us to stay connected: cell phones, email, text, facebook, etc.: we all know what’s going on in each others lives (ex. Twitter, status updates, etc.) and therefore we’re accustomed to human connection, and I think now more than ever, we are people persons… therefore sitting alone in our own world reading a book isn’t as appealing because we want to be with each other, and we want to be up to date on what’s happening now with our generation, and be caught up on the trends so we can fit in, etc.
i. It’s a place just for us that we can go to (i.e. facebook isn’t really for adults: source→ “The Myths of Teenage Readers”
ii. And being the most connected we’ve ever been, means that our peer’s opinions of us have never meant so much, therefore it’s most crucial that we keep up with the trends and by reading and taking ourselves to another world, especially worlds that don’t necessarily apply to ours (like classic books) seems unnecessary because we can’t really relate (reading skills vs. communication skills)
source:
Aronson, Marc. "The Myths of Teenage Readers." Publishing Research Quarterly 16.3
(Fall2000 2000): 4. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. [Library name], [City],
[State abbreviation]. 17 Apr. 2009
loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site>.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Posts from round one blogging:
I commented on:
Paris Hilton
On or off campus? Which is better?
http://littlemisssunshine82390.blogspot.com/2009/02/on-or-off-campus-which-is-better.html
kylevb1
Spring Break 09'
http://kylevb1.blogspot.com/2009/02/spring-break-09.html#comments
Paris Hilton
On or off campus? Which is better?
http://littlemisssunshine82390.blogspot.com/2009/02/on-or-off-campus-which-is-better.html
kylevb1
Spring Break 09'
http://kylevb1.blogspot.com/2009/02/spring-break-09.html#comments
I Commented On:
Britney Spears' blog about the overdose of a 15 year old girl:
http://friendsqorq.blogspot.com/2009/03/15-year-old-overdoses.html
Beyondbelief's post about the decline in airline's safety and pilot's salary wages:
http://beyondbelief024.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-safe-are-we.html?showComment=1239326280000#c7537541891722992917
Chris' blog about losing his phone:
http://crhamm.blogspot.com/
That'snotmyname's blog about child pornography in advertisements:
http://darkblue12.blogspot.com/2009/03/during-my-media-ethics-class-my-teacher.html?showComment=1239333900000#c213733343757246629
http://friendsqorq.blogspot.com/2009/03/15-year-old-overdoses.html
Beyondbelief's post about the decline in airline's safety and pilot's salary wages:
http://beyondbelief024.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-safe-are-we.html?showComment=1239326280000#c7537541891722992917
Chris' blog about losing his phone:
http://crhamm.blogspot.com/
That'snotmyname's blog about child pornography in advertisements:
http://darkblue12.blogspot.com/2009/03/during-my-media-ethics-class-my-teacher.html?showComment=1239333900000#c213733343757246629
"i miss you"
After reading Britney Spears' blog about the 15 year old girl who overdosed on "cheese" (heroine + Tylenol PM) I started reading the blog that was recommended by Chris Hamm in a reply to this post. It is a blog from a mother who lost her daughter to this same combination of drugs. Britney's recount was very powerful because she was writing about something that directly affected her and from a mother's perspective, it was even more intense. After reading through almost all of her posts, I found it impossible not to cry. Her grief is overwhelming and unimaginable. She blogs often about the pain she deals with daily, and claims writing is a way for her to try and get those thoughts out of her head. This is one of her more recent posts,
"A Poem for Lauren from Mom and Kristen" :
"God saw you were getting tired, and a cure was not meant to be.So he put his arms around you and whispered, "come with me."With tearful eyes, we watched as you passed away;Even with all our love, we could notmake you stay.Your precious heart stopped beating,You looked so beautiful, so peaceful at rest.God broke our hearts to prove to us –He only takes the best.Right now you’re in a different place,And though we seem apart,you’re closer than everYou’re here inside my heart.You’re with me when I greet each dayYou are here to share the sunsets, too…You are with me every nightAnd in my dreams, I’m there with you.You’re with me when the times are goodTo share a laugh or two,and if a tear should start to fall…I will go on ‘cause I have you.When that day arrives,we no longer are apart,I’ll smile and hold you close to me…We’ll be together forever,heart to heart."
Reading about her memories with her daughter made think about my own relationship with my parents. So many times I got frustrated with them when they wouldn't let me do what I wanted in order to protect me. Her posts have made me feel guilty because I realize that every time I do something stupid I am not only jeopardizing my own life, but my family's because their worlds would crumble if I died. As kids, we don't think about what we're doing and before we know it, the damage has already been done. We always try to act mature and think we can handle everything on our own. But then something like this happens and we're humbled again because we realize we aren't so indestructible nor are we always right.
On another one of her posts, she titled it "Heroin/Cheese Overdose???" because she hoped that if a "teen or someone [was] googling for help [he] will stumble across it... If they read the entirety of it, maybe just maybe it will save a life." I hope that more kids start to realize that this stuff is real and there are consequences.
I went back in the archives of her blog to what she wrote after the first few days following her daughter's death. Initially, she said she had a strained relationship with her daughter Lauren and that after Lauren got pregnant, she went to live with her father. But in retro-spect, her pregnancy was probably the best thing that could have happened to her mother and family because now a part of her will live on. Her daughter is a gift to that family and her life has a very special and unique meaning.
Here is the link to her blog:
click
"A Poem for Lauren from Mom and Kristen" :
"God saw you were getting tired, and a cure was not meant to be.So he put his arms around you and whispered, "come with me."With tearful eyes, we watched as you passed away;Even with all our love, we could notmake you stay.Your precious heart stopped beating,You looked so beautiful, so peaceful at rest.God broke our hearts to prove to us –He only takes the best.Right now you’re in a different place,And though we seem apart,you’re closer than everYou’re here inside my heart.You’re with me when I greet each dayYou are here to share the sunsets, too…You are with me every nightAnd in my dreams, I’m there with you.You’re with me when the times are goodTo share a laugh or two,and if a tear should start to fall…I will go on ‘cause I have you.When that day arrives,we no longer are apart,I’ll smile and hold you close to me…We’ll be together forever,heart to heart."
Reading about her memories with her daughter made think about my own relationship with my parents. So many times I got frustrated with them when they wouldn't let me do what I wanted in order to protect me. Her posts have made me feel guilty because I realize that every time I do something stupid I am not only jeopardizing my own life, but my family's because their worlds would crumble if I died. As kids, we don't think about what we're doing and before we know it, the damage has already been done. We always try to act mature and think we can handle everything on our own. But then something like this happens and we're humbled again because we realize we aren't so indestructible nor are we always right.
On another one of her posts, she titled it "Heroin/Cheese Overdose???" because she hoped that if a "teen or someone [was] googling for help [he] will stumble across it... If they read the entirety of it, maybe just maybe it will save a life." I hope that more kids start to realize that this stuff is real and there are consequences.
I went back in the archives of her blog to what she wrote after the first few days following her daughter's death. Initially, she said she had a strained relationship with her daughter Lauren and that after Lauren got pregnant, she went to live with her father. But in retro-spect, her pregnancy was probably the best thing that could have happened to her mother and family because now a part of her will live on. Her daughter is a gift to that family and her life has a very special and unique meaning.
Here is the link to her blog:
click
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