Much to my surprise, the group project assignment is going better than I thought it would. I was very skeptical as to how we would function as a group when we never saw one another. We have managed quite nicely. We have had some communication problems, but we have been able to work through them and handle the assignments well.
My role within the group has included writing, proofreading, and researching. I wrote the memorandum and those in my group read it and offered suggestions. Kimberly wrote the proposal and then e-mailed it to the group and we added suggestions and comments. The same was true for the website. I am sure we drove Mitch crazy with all of our changes and suggestions. Kaitlin and I have handled the writing of the final report, meeting at the community college in Perkinston, so that neither of us had to drive a significant distance from home. The only problems we have had have been caused mainly by miscommunication and waiting to hear back from outside sources. For instance, Kaitlin and I are in a holding pattern with finishing the final report because we have yet to hear back from the director of our organization. She is supposed to look at the website and give us her opinions and ideas so that we can incorporate those into the final report and possibly change up the website, if need be. I have had the most contact with Kaitlin regarding the project and she has been a terrific leader. I feel I have contributed significantly to my group and I have tried to remain available and open to anything that they wanted me to do.
This has really been a group project in most senses of the word. We have tried to remain open to each other’s ideas and opinions. This has called for diplomacy and flexibility. We have held several online discussions and, with one or two exceptions, we have all been in attendance.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Blog Assignment 7
To the Editor,
I recently received a request on Facebook to join a cause that would prohibit convicted sex offenders from joining the social networking site. As a mother of two, I think this is a wonderful idea! Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are extremely popular with adults, but they are even more popular with teenagers and younger children. I did some checking around and found a document published by the Office of the Attorney General for the state of Idaho. In the document it states that “according to NetSmartz.org, 61% of 13-to-17-year-olds have posted a personal profile on a social networking website.” That is an astonishing number and it is unrealistic to attempt to stop teens from accessing these sites. Most of the sites do have filtering software that keeps young children’s profiles from being visible, but there are ways around these filters, and teens, as well as pedophiles, are using them. Even if all parents had the best of all possible precautions in place, it does not guarantee that a predator will not find their children. Most of us parents do our very best to protect our children, but these social networking websites bring the pedophiles right into our own living rooms. There is nothing and nobody there to stop them. Looking to the sites themselves to stop this from occurring is also impractical. Yes, they have security in place, but teens can, and do, lie about how old they are, and, adults can, and do, lie about how old they are, making themselves younger in order to lure children into “friending” them. Even those adults who do not lie about their ages are still gaining access to kids by simply striking up a friendly conversation and gaining their trust. What would appear to be the best possible solution would be to prohibit convicted sex offenders from obtaining access to all social networking sites. I know many will say that these people have rights just like all of us. I counter that with this thought: do we explain to a young girl, raped, brutalized, and forever changed because an adult that she met online, who had been convicted before, was allowed on the site simply because HE HAD RIGHTS!? By restricting access of those adults whom we know have preyed on children in the past, we are avoiding serving our children up on silver platters to the exact people who seek to harm them. I would ask that anybody on Facebook who receives a request to join this cause, support it, and pass on the information to everyone they know. For my family, we will be supporting this cause wholeheartedly!
Description of Rhetorical Situation
Timing: With social networking sites being as popular as they are right now, the issue of keeping our children safe on these sites is very socially relevant.
Context: The context of this request is as is stated above; I received a request to join a cause that would ban convicted sex offenders from being on Facebook. I was especially motivated to take an interest in it due to my son wanting to be on Facebook.
Target: My target audience is primarily families with children, but absolutely includes anybody who has any kind of interest in protecting our youngest citizens from harm. This issue is not restricted just to those without children, but includes many people who have no children. Every teenager I have met in the recent past has a profile on at least one of these social networking sites. My own nine-year-old son wants a profile. We have an obligation as a society to protect our children from those who wish to do them harm.
Intention: It is my intention that many others will take an interest in this problem and support the cause of eliminating this threat from a public forum. I am hoping that with luck and enough support, those who are responsible for making and enforcing our laws will step up and take whatever actions are necessary to make this happen. Kids cannot always be expected to do what makes the most sense; therefore, as adults, it is up to us to do what we can to protect them.
I recently received a request on Facebook to join a cause that would prohibit convicted sex offenders from joining the social networking site. As a mother of two, I think this is a wonderful idea! Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are extremely popular with adults, but they are even more popular with teenagers and younger children. I did some checking around and found a document published by the Office of the Attorney General for the state of Idaho. In the document it states that “according to NetSmartz.org, 61% of 13-to-17-year-olds have posted a personal profile on a social networking website.” That is an astonishing number and it is unrealistic to attempt to stop teens from accessing these sites. Most of the sites do have filtering software that keeps young children’s profiles from being visible, but there are ways around these filters, and teens, as well as pedophiles, are using them. Even if all parents had the best of all possible precautions in place, it does not guarantee that a predator will not find their children. Most of us parents do our very best to protect our children, but these social networking websites bring the pedophiles right into our own living rooms. There is nothing and nobody there to stop them. Looking to the sites themselves to stop this from occurring is also impractical. Yes, they have security in place, but teens can, and do, lie about how old they are, and, adults can, and do, lie about how old they are, making themselves younger in order to lure children into “friending” them. Even those adults who do not lie about their ages are still gaining access to kids by simply striking up a friendly conversation and gaining their trust. What would appear to be the best possible solution would be to prohibit convicted sex offenders from obtaining access to all social networking sites. I know many will say that these people have rights just like all of us. I counter that with this thought: do we explain to a young girl, raped, brutalized, and forever changed because an adult that she met online, who had been convicted before, was allowed on the site simply because HE HAD RIGHTS!? By restricting access of those adults whom we know have preyed on children in the past, we are avoiding serving our children up on silver platters to the exact people who seek to harm them. I would ask that anybody on Facebook who receives a request to join this cause, support it, and pass on the information to everyone they know. For my family, we will be supporting this cause wholeheartedly!
Description of Rhetorical Situation
Timing: With social networking sites being as popular as they are right now, the issue of keeping our children safe on these sites is very socially relevant.
Context: The context of this request is as is stated above; I received a request to join a cause that would ban convicted sex offenders from being on Facebook. I was especially motivated to take an interest in it due to my son wanting to be on Facebook.
Target: My target audience is primarily families with children, but absolutely includes anybody who has any kind of interest in protecting our youngest citizens from harm. This issue is not restricted just to those without children, but includes many people who have no children. Every teenager I have met in the recent past has a profile on at least one of these social networking sites. My own nine-year-old son wants a profile. We have an obligation as a society to protect our children from those who wish to do them harm.
Intention: It is my intention that many others will take an interest in this problem and support the cause of eliminating this threat from a public forum. I am hoping that with luck and enough support, those who are responsible for making and enforcing our laws will step up and take whatever actions are necessary to make this happen. Kids cannot always be expected to do what makes the most sense; therefore, as adults, it is up to us to do what we can to protect them.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Blog Assignment 6
Valley View - 1st Grade Teacher, Weber School District, Ogden, UT
http://www.teachers-teachers.com/candidates/candidates.cfm?go=jobpostings&action=newpostings&jobload=14DF002360-103401-36546-31148-103401&xPos=1
Forks Elementary School- 2nd Grade Teacher, Quillayute Valley School District, Forks, Wa.
http://www.teachers-teachers.com/candidates/candidates.cfm?go=jobpostings&action=newpostings&jobload=B628382C97-102546-33605-31149-102546&xPos=126
Primary (Kinder or first grade) Teacher, Mabton School District #120, Mabton, Wa.
http://www.teachers-teachers.com/candidates/candidates.cfm?go=jobpostings&action=newpostings&jobload=A2AEF9C14A-100653-36039-31148-100653&xPos=101
Elementary teacher, Martinsville City Public Schools, Martinsville, Va.
http://www.teachers-teachers.com/candidates/candidates.cfm?go=jobpostings&action=newpostings&jobload=8A71DFDEC9-102428-35351-31151-102428&xPos=101
While the qualifications for teaching in any school district can be as diverse as they are similar, most seem to be looking for the following characteristics:
Highly Qualified or ability to obtain HQT status
Teaching license in that state
Maintain classroom organization and discipline
Good interpersonal skills
Ability to work in a collaborative/shared leadership environment
Knowledge of research based instructional strategies
Effective assessment practices
Communicates effectively
Utilize computers and technology effectively
Due to the nature of the program that I am in at USM, I will be Highly Qualified when I graduate. I will have obtained endorsements in English and Social Studies and will have a concentration in Reading. I will have a license in the state of Mississippi, but for out of state applications, I will need to apply for a license in that particular state. I have taken courses in classroom management, as well as having written an extensive classroom management plan. I also have, in writing, policies and procedures for my classroom to aide me with organization and discipline. Throughout my college career, and prior to that, in my professional career, I have been able to develop my interpersonal, communication, and group leadership skills by taking part in numerous group projects. I have also learned, and been able to utilize in a classroom setting, many different assessment techniques and instructional strategies that were research-based. I am computer literate and am able to use technology in the classroom in order to enhance my students’ learning.
The position that I am most interested in is that of 2nd grade teacher in Forks, Washington. I am particularly fond of this position for two main reasons. The first reason being it is a grade that I have always wanted to teach. I did one of my practicums in a second grade classroom and absolutely fell in love with the children. I have many activities that I have created that are research-based and geared specifically for the second grade so I would not be going into the classroom empty-handed. I loved the interaction with the students because most were old enough to read, but still young enough to have the wonder that seems to come so naturally to young learners. My second reason for choosing this position is its location. I have always loved the Pacific Northwest and would not mind relocating to the area.
In order to increase my chances of obtaining the position, I would mention in my cover letter that I am Highly Qualified and I have endorsements in two areas, English and Social Studies, as well as a concentration in Reading. I would also mention that I have taken courses in Classroom Management, Literacy, and Curriculum Methods. These and other classes, along with my experiences obtained while student teaching, have given me the adequate preparations needed to be a successful and positive addition to the school district in which I am applying. I would also mention that I would be coming into the classroom prepared since I have learning activities and assessments in place that are grade appropriate and would only need minor adjustments in order to be usable in my classroom. Another factor that I would mention would be my grade point average while attending USM, as well as my affiliation with Phi Kappa Phi. Of particular importance to the Quillayute Valley School District is the issue of diversity in the classroom. I would mention in my cover letter that the subject of diversity in the classroom was highly stressed in the teaching program at USM and I feel I am fully qualified to meet the challenges that a diverse student population would present.
http://www.teachers-teachers.com/candidates/candidates.cfm?go=jobpostings&action=newpostings&jobload=14DF002360-103401-36546-31148-103401&xPos=1
Forks Elementary School- 2nd Grade Teacher, Quillayute Valley School District, Forks, Wa.
http://www.teachers-teachers.com/candidates/candidates.cfm?go=jobpostings&action=newpostings&jobload=B628382C97-102546-33605-31149-102546&xPos=126
Primary (Kinder or first grade) Teacher, Mabton School District #120, Mabton, Wa.
http://www.teachers-teachers.com/candidates/candidates.cfm?go=jobpostings&action=newpostings&jobload=A2AEF9C14A-100653-36039-31148-100653&xPos=101
Elementary teacher, Martinsville City Public Schools, Martinsville, Va.
http://www.teachers-teachers.com/candidates/candidates.cfm?go=jobpostings&action=newpostings&jobload=8A71DFDEC9-102428-35351-31151-102428&xPos=101
While the qualifications for teaching in any school district can be as diverse as they are similar, most seem to be looking for the following characteristics:
Highly Qualified or ability to obtain HQT status
Teaching license in that state
Maintain classroom organization and discipline
Good interpersonal skills
Ability to work in a collaborative/shared leadership environment
Knowledge of research based instructional strategies
Effective assessment practices
Communicates effectively
Utilize computers and technology effectively
Due to the nature of the program that I am in at USM, I will be Highly Qualified when I graduate. I will have obtained endorsements in English and Social Studies and will have a concentration in Reading. I will have a license in the state of Mississippi, but for out of state applications, I will need to apply for a license in that particular state. I have taken courses in classroom management, as well as having written an extensive classroom management plan. I also have, in writing, policies and procedures for my classroom to aide me with organization and discipline. Throughout my college career, and prior to that, in my professional career, I have been able to develop my interpersonal, communication, and group leadership skills by taking part in numerous group projects. I have also learned, and been able to utilize in a classroom setting, many different assessment techniques and instructional strategies that were research-based. I am computer literate and am able to use technology in the classroom in order to enhance my students’ learning.
The position that I am most interested in is that of 2nd grade teacher in Forks, Washington. I am particularly fond of this position for two main reasons. The first reason being it is a grade that I have always wanted to teach. I did one of my practicums in a second grade classroom and absolutely fell in love with the children. I have many activities that I have created that are research-based and geared specifically for the second grade so I would not be going into the classroom empty-handed. I loved the interaction with the students because most were old enough to read, but still young enough to have the wonder that seems to come so naturally to young learners. My second reason for choosing this position is its location. I have always loved the Pacific Northwest and would not mind relocating to the area.
In order to increase my chances of obtaining the position, I would mention in my cover letter that I am Highly Qualified and I have endorsements in two areas, English and Social Studies, as well as a concentration in Reading. I would also mention that I have taken courses in Classroom Management, Literacy, and Curriculum Methods. These and other classes, along with my experiences obtained while student teaching, have given me the adequate preparations needed to be a successful and positive addition to the school district in which I am applying. I would also mention that I would be coming into the classroom prepared since I have learning activities and assessments in place that are grade appropriate and would only need minor adjustments in order to be usable in my classroom. Another factor that I would mention would be my grade point average while attending USM, as well as my affiliation with Phi Kappa Phi. Of particular importance to the Quillayute Valley School District is the issue of diversity in the classroom. I would mention in my cover letter that the subject of diversity in the classroom was highly stressed in the teaching program at USM and I feel I am fully qualified to meet the challenges that a diverse student population would present.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Blog Assignment 5
With regards to our group project, my primary role is that of a researcher and a writer. So far, my main responsibility has been to write the memorandum and to collaborate with the group in coordinating our individual jobs. The description of a researcher states that I am supposed to look into the usability of the website. I am still trying to figure out exactly what that means and what it entails. The organization that we have partnered with for the group project is called FACESS and they are a brand new organization that is working with the Disabilities Studies Department at USM.
Two potential directions that I have considered for our group involve the website and the family resources center that will be opening soon. Both of these have the potential to be the biggest draws for the general public and I believe that we should focus a lot of our efforts on the website, using it to make the public aware of the opening of the new site. In addition, a Facebook page might be an intriguing idea until the website is completely up and fully functional. Because this organization is so new, there is no information about it whatsoever on the Internet. As a mother of a child with a disability, I have often wished that there were a place that I could go to that would help me find resources in my community. FACESS is just that! It is a place for children and their families, who have disabilities. They assist the family with finding resources for their children. It is geared towards those families who have financial need and assistance is available up to the age of 23.
After we resolved our initial communication difficulties, our group began to communicate very well. Kaitlin acts as our main point of contact and we work through her to distribute needed information. We organized a group chat that all members attended and it turned out to be a very productive meeting. We have planned another meeting for the 7th of July.
Our group dynamic is pretty cooperative and very congenial. So far, it seems as though we function well as a group, but at times, it feels as though we are not moving very quickly. In addition, because there is no information on the web regarding this group, sometimes it feels as though we are working blind. We have been able to glean some information from the director of the organization, and I am hoping that Kaitlin and Mitch’s meeting with the director will get us even more information that we can use to make this a great project.
I am extremely excited to be working with this organization and with my group members, as well. I believe that we can help this organization a great deal. This project is going to end up being, not just an assignment, but also a real resource that this organization is going to utilize to reach out and help an entire community!
Two potential directions that I have considered for our group involve the website and the family resources center that will be opening soon. Both of these have the potential to be the biggest draws for the general public and I believe that we should focus a lot of our efforts on the website, using it to make the public aware of the opening of the new site. In addition, a Facebook page might be an intriguing idea until the website is completely up and fully functional. Because this organization is so new, there is no information about it whatsoever on the Internet. As a mother of a child with a disability, I have often wished that there were a place that I could go to that would help me find resources in my community. FACESS is just that! It is a place for children and their families, who have disabilities. They assist the family with finding resources for their children. It is geared towards those families who have financial need and assistance is available up to the age of 23.
After we resolved our initial communication difficulties, our group began to communicate very well. Kaitlin acts as our main point of contact and we work through her to distribute needed information. We organized a group chat that all members attended and it turned out to be a very productive meeting. We have planned another meeting for the 7th of July.
Our group dynamic is pretty cooperative and very congenial. So far, it seems as though we function well as a group, but at times, it feels as though we are not moving very quickly. In addition, because there is no information on the web regarding this group, sometimes it feels as though we are working blind. We have been able to glean some information from the director of the organization, and I am hoping that Kaitlin and Mitch’s meeting with the director will get us even more information that we can use to make this a great project.
I am extremely excited to be working with this organization and with my group members, as well. I believe that we can help this organization a great deal. This project is going to end up being, not just an assignment, but also a real resource that this organization is going to utilize to reach out and help an entire community!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Blog Assignment 4
I looked at two Department of Curriculum and Instruction websites from different schools, the University of Nevada Las Vegas and the University of Southern Mississippi. The UNLV site was plainer and easier to read, but the USM site seemed more sophisticated and more attractive. I found the USM website to have significantly more visual appeal than the UNLV site with the use of non-conventional fonts and graphics. In addition, the information provided on the USM website seemed to be geared more towards getting students to take an interest in the program than the other site. Included in the USM site was a letter from the Chair welcoming prospective students and explaining what makes the USM teaching department so special and what they can offer the student. The UNLV site stated simply that they were amongst the best. They gave no information to back up their claim or to entice the prospective student. Both sites included links to their required courses and to other links on the page, but the USM site turned the entire header into a link back to the C & I homepage. I found the USM site to be far more enticing than the UNLV site, and therefore, more effective.
I am writing in order to create a website that will make the field of education an attractive choice to those who have not decided on a major yet. The tremendous need for good teachers is what is prompting me to write and the desired outcome for this project would be to help increase interest in the field of Elementary Education. My reader desires a career with stability and a good future.
My primary reader will be Dr. Nichols, my ENG 333 instructor. It is her responsibility to make sure she teaches me what I need to know in order to make this class a successful one.
Other readers will likely be those students who have not yet chosen a major or are not happy with the major in which they are currently pursuing. My relationship to my primary reader will be that of student and teacher. It is my responsibility to take the tools I have been given and put them to good use.
My primary reader, being Dr. Nichols is probably very familiar with the specialty, so I will focus on the students that I hope to assist in reaching a decision regarding their major. The students probably only have a passing familiarity with my major, unless it is one that they had thought of pursuing previously. Taking into account my reader’s lack of experience with expressions exclusive to the field of education, I will probably keep the language user-friendly and simple.
I also need to make the website as interesting as possible while answering questions that my reader may have such as, what kinds of classes can they be expected to encounter? Other questions they may have are, what opportunities are there for me after I receive my degree and what does teaching have to offer that is of interest to me?
Most of the questions my reader has will be presented on the home page of the site. Other questions can be easily answered by exploring the links that are on the site. My reader will use the information I provide to make a decision on their future major. By compiling usable information, they will be able to make an informed decision regarding their choice of major.
My reader’s attitude toward my subject will more than likely be one of curiosity. This will be advantageous to me as I can play on that curiosity to introduce them to the positive things that teaching has to offer. My reader will be looking to me to show them what they do not know. I have already decided on my career and therefore can tell them about it and show them what they need to know in order to make a decision.
Other stakeholders affected by my communication will be the websites that I link to mine, such as Teachers-teachers.com, which will have a link on my website for prospective students to explore. By providing students with an outlet to do more research, the owners of the websites I include could see more interest in their sites. Limitations I may encounter will include my own lack of experience where teaching is concerned. I have not even begun my teaching career yet and therefore cannot tell them what to expect AFTER they graduate.
http://ci.unlv.edu/about
http://www.usm.edu/cise/
I am writing in order to create a website that will make the field of education an attractive choice to those who have not decided on a major yet. The tremendous need for good teachers is what is prompting me to write and the desired outcome for this project would be to help increase interest in the field of Elementary Education. My reader desires a career with stability and a good future.
My primary reader will be Dr. Nichols, my ENG 333 instructor. It is her responsibility to make sure she teaches me what I need to know in order to make this class a successful one.
Other readers will likely be those students who have not yet chosen a major or are not happy with the major in which they are currently pursuing. My relationship to my primary reader will be that of student and teacher. It is my responsibility to take the tools I have been given and put them to good use.
My primary reader, being Dr. Nichols is probably very familiar with the specialty, so I will focus on the students that I hope to assist in reaching a decision regarding their major. The students probably only have a passing familiarity with my major, unless it is one that they had thought of pursuing previously. Taking into account my reader’s lack of experience with expressions exclusive to the field of education, I will probably keep the language user-friendly and simple.
I also need to make the website as interesting as possible while answering questions that my reader may have such as, what kinds of classes can they be expected to encounter? Other questions they may have are, what opportunities are there for me after I receive my degree and what does teaching have to offer that is of interest to me?
Most of the questions my reader has will be presented on the home page of the site. Other questions can be easily answered by exploring the links that are on the site. My reader will use the information I provide to make a decision on their future major. By compiling usable information, they will be able to make an informed decision regarding their choice of major.
My reader’s attitude toward my subject will more than likely be one of curiosity. This will be advantageous to me as I can play on that curiosity to introduce them to the positive things that teaching has to offer. My reader will be looking to me to show them what they do not know. I have already decided on my career and therefore can tell them about it and show them what they need to know in order to make a decision.
Other stakeholders affected by my communication will be the websites that I link to mine, such as Teachers-teachers.com, which will have a link on my website for prospective students to explore. By providing students with an outlet to do more research, the owners of the websites I include could see more interest in their sites. Limitations I may encounter will include my own lack of experience where teaching is concerned. I have not even begun my teaching career yet and therefore cannot tell them what to expect AFTER they graduate.
http://ci.unlv.edu/about
http://www.usm.edu/cise/
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Blog Assignment 3
Dear Webmaster,
My name is Tracy Barron and I am an Elementary Education major at the University of Southern Mississippi. While doing research for a course project regarding No Child Left Behind, I had the pleasure of visiting your website, Wrightslaw.com. I cannot tell you how truly impressed I was with the vast amounts of information that were available to me through your site. I had no trouble obtaining all the information I needed in order to complete my project. However, I did have some difficulties when navigating your site and actually locating information. Therefore, I would like to offer a few suggestions that could possibly help future visitors navigate your site without encountering the difficulties that I did.
Upon initially viewing your site, I was overwhelmed with the sheer volume of information that was available to me. As a first time visitor to your site, I found it rather confusing trying to identify and isolate the information that I needed for my specific topic. The organization of the site itself could use a few modifications in order to make it a bit more user friendly. First, the text that appears throughout the center of the page distracted and confused me when I first encountered the site. I found the heading that I was looking for in the small print at the top, right of the page, but found myself sidetracked for quite a while, after reading through the all this other information. Second, you might consider enlarging the font size of the individual headings along the top of the page and down the left side. This would help in locating information quickly as the small type makes reading the topics a little difficult. So difficult, in fact, that for the first few minutes I was on the site I thought it was simply a website advertising books and other resources for which one would pay. The advertisements, while an understandable necessity, distract the reader from the information for which they are looking. Lastly, the visual appeal of your website could use a little improvement. Upon initial inspection, the site is not as visually attractive as it could be. This could be alleviated with the addition of a more eye-catching banner at the top of the page. This would act as an attention-getter to draw in the reader. For example, when clicking on the link to register for an out of town conference, the reader is taken to another page that has a very attractive banner that immediately grabs the attention of the person reading. This could be a useful addition to the homepage.
On a positive note, the information that I was looking for was contained in one of the headings located at the top of the page. It was nice to have all the information that I needed so centrally located. In addition, it was extremely helpful that the information I was looking for was from resources that were trustworthy and researched. I would also like to mention, your FAQ’s were extensive and easy to follow. This made looking for specific items relatively easy and hassle-free. Also, all of the pages on your website loaded quickly and without errors. While looking through your site, I found no dead links or pages that went nowhere.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate how helpful your site was while I was researching my project. The amount of information that is available on your site is extensive and thorough and a big help to anybody trying to navigate their way through the legalese of programs like No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. My suggestions are meant, not to offend, but to help in making the site more navigable to others like myself who do not have a legal background and may otherwise find the information overwhelming.
With sincere best wishes,
Tracy Barron
Website address: www.wrightslaw.com
My name is Tracy Barron and I am an Elementary Education major at the University of Southern Mississippi. While doing research for a course project regarding No Child Left Behind, I had the pleasure of visiting your website, Wrightslaw.com. I cannot tell you how truly impressed I was with the vast amounts of information that were available to me through your site. I had no trouble obtaining all the information I needed in order to complete my project. However, I did have some difficulties when navigating your site and actually locating information. Therefore, I would like to offer a few suggestions that could possibly help future visitors navigate your site without encountering the difficulties that I did.
Upon initially viewing your site, I was overwhelmed with the sheer volume of information that was available to me. As a first time visitor to your site, I found it rather confusing trying to identify and isolate the information that I needed for my specific topic. The organization of the site itself could use a few modifications in order to make it a bit more user friendly. First, the text that appears throughout the center of the page distracted and confused me when I first encountered the site. I found the heading that I was looking for in the small print at the top, right of the page, but found myself sidetracked for quite a while, after reading through the all this other information. Second, you might consider enlarging the font size of the individual headings along the top of the page and down the left side. This would help in locating information quickly as the small type makes reading the topics a little difficult. So difficult, in fact, that for the first few minutes I was on the site I thought it was simply a website advertising books and other resources for which one would pay. The advertisements, while an understandable necessity, distract the reader from the information for which they are looking. Lastly, the visual appeal of your website could use a little improvement. Upon initial inspection, the site is not as visually attractive as it could be. This could be alleviated with the addition of a more eye-catching banner at the top of the page. This would act as an attention-getter to draw in the reader. For example, when clicking on the link to register for an out of town conference, the reader is taken to another page that has a very attractive banner that immediately grabs the attention of the person reading. This could be a useful addition to the homepage.
On a positive note, the information that I was looking for was contained in one of the headings located at the top of the page. It was nice to have all the information that I needed so centrally located. In addition, it was extremely helpful that the information I was looking for was from resources that were trustworthy and researched. I would also like to mention, your FAQ’s were extensive and easy to follow. This made looking for specific items relatively easy and hassle-free. Also, all of the pages on your website loaded quickly and without errors. While looking through your site, I found no dead links or pages that went nowhere.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate how helpful your site was while I was researching my project. The amount of information that is available on your site is extensive and thorough and a big help to anybody trying to navigate their way through the legalese of programs like No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. My suggestions are meant, not to offend, but to help in making the site more navigable to others like myself who do not have a legal background and may otherwise find the information overwhelming.
With sincere best wishes,
Tracy Barron
Website address: www.wrightslaw.com
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Blog Assignment 2
In one of my literacy classes we were required to summarize several articles. The article I chose for this assignment was written by Sharon Kletzien and was published in a magazine called, The Reading Teacher. The article entitled, Paraphrasing: An Effective Comprehension Strategy, explains how teaching students to effectively paraphrase what they are reading will help with their comprehension skills. Kletzien discusses the differences between paraphrasing and summarizing, and mentions how paraphrasing is effective in measuring how much of what is being read is being understood. Also mentioned in the article is the fact that simply because one can recite the text of a particular selection, does not mean it was understood or that full comprehension was achieved.
The magazine that this article appeared in is a reputable, professional publication read mainly by teachers. The author of the article was a general education classroom teacher for many years and, at the time of the article's publication,was teaching at West Chester University, in Pennsylvania. The intended audience is the educator in general. The author does not single out any particular grade level or subject because this strategy would be effective across the curriculum and for all grade levels. The article is written in the academic language of teaching. The author uses many phrases that a majority of teachers should be familiar with such as, metacognition, textbase, modeling, and scaffolding. Since the author does not explain many of these terms in the context of the article, it would appear that the writer assumes that the reader is an educator of some sort and is familiar with the terms she is utilizing.
The writer did a good job in convincing the reader of the benefits of teaching students to paraphrase what they are reading in order to build comprehension. The author used multiple strategies to achieve her goal. Kletzien begins the article with a vignette about a student named Heather. This was an effective strategy to gain the reader’s interest and keep him or her reading. The author also employed case studies of two other students in order to make her point. Collectively, this showed three students with three separate situations learning to paraphrase in different ways, but all for the purpose of improving the students’ comprehension. The author also used results of research based studies in order to further convince the reader of the effectiveness of paraphrasing. The author appears to understand the need to approach the reader from multiple angles and utilizing many different strategies in order to show the effectiveness of paraphrasing.
Overall, the writer succeeded in what she set out to do, which was to convince the reader of the benefits of paraphrasing as a strategy for reading. The only that I can think of that the writer could have done differently would have been to explain some of the academic language she utilized in her article. This would have made the piece more easily understood by parents, beginning teachers, or the public in general and therefore, could have ended up benefitting more readers than the author may have previously intended.
The magazine that this article appeared in is a reputable, professional publication read mainly by teachers. The author of the article was a general education classroom teacher for many years and, at the time of the article's publication,was teaching at West Chester University, in Pennsylvania. The intended audience is the educator in general. The author does not single out any particular grade level or subject because this strategy would be effective across the curriculum and for all grade levels. The article is written in the academic language of teaching. The author uses many phrases that a majority of teachers should be familiar with such as, metacognition, textbase, modeling, and scaffolding. Since the author does not explain many of these terms in the context of the article, it would appear that the writer assumes that the reader is an educator of some sort and is familiar with the terms she is utilizing.
The writer did a good job in convincing the reader of the benefits of teaching students to paraphrase what they are reading in order to build comprehension. The author used multiple strategies to achieve her goal. Kletzien begins the article with a vignette about a student named Heather. This was an effective strategy to gain the reader’s interest and keep him or her reading. The author also employed case studies of two other students in order to make her point. Collectively, this showed three students with three separate situations learning to paraphrase in different ways, but all for the purpose of improving the students’ comprehension. The author also used results of research based studies in order to further convince the reader of the effectiveness of paraphrasing. The author appears to understand the need to approach the reader from multiple angles and utilizing many different strategies in order to show the effectiveness of paraphrasing.
Overall, the writer succeeded in what she set out to do, which was to convince the reader of the benefits of paraphrasing as a strategy for reading. The only that I can think of that the writer could have done differently would have been to explain some of the academic language she utilized in her article. This would have made the piece more easily understood by parents, beginning teachers, or the public in general and therefore, could have ended up benefitting more readers than the author may have previously intended.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Blog Assignment 1
My name is Tracy Barron and I am 36 years old, married, with two great kids. My son, Connor, is 9 and my daughter, Allie is 7. I have been with my husband for almost 13 years. I am an Elementary Education major and I graduate in the fall. After graduation, I plan to move wherever I can find a job. As part of my work-study grant, I was the student worker for three semesters at the Jackson County teaching site until its recent closure.
I have always loved to write and, depending on the subject, I think I am pretty good at it. I do best with writings that allow me to use my sense of humor a bit. I have a knack for finding the funny side of a subject. This gets me into trouble at times because sometimes funny is not necessarily appropriate.
This brings me to the question asked in our assignment regarding writing "breaking down" or failing. This happens to me most often when writing e-mails or text messages. Because I have a dry, somewhat odd sense of humor, I tend to employ a lot of sarcasm. This gets me into trouble because tone of voice, while imperative to convey meaning, does not transfer well through the written word.
Over the last two years that I have been at USM, I have written a lot of summaries and reflections. I particularly enjoyed writing the reflections because they allowed me to write about what I know best, my own opinion. It was mentioned in one of the literacy classes that I have taken, that reflections were harder to write than summaries. I do not agree with this. For me, it is always easier to write about my own feelings, opinions, or beliefs regarding a topic than it is to try to figure out someone else’s motivations or intent. I am hoping that this class will help me in that area.
I have always loved to write and, depending on the subject, I think I am pretty good at it. I do best with writings that allow me to use my sense of humor a bit. I have a knack for finding the funny side of a subject. This gets me into trouble at times because sometimes funny is not necessarily appropriate.
This brings me to the question asked in our assignment regarding writing "breaking down" or failing. This happens to me most often when writing e-mails or text messages. Because I have a dry, somewhat odd sense of humor, I tend to employ a lot of sarcasm. This gets me into trouble because tone of voice, while imperative to convey meaning, does not transfer well through the written word.
Over the last two years that I have been at USM, I have written a lot of summaries and reflections. I particularly enjoyed writing the reflections because they allowed me to write about what I know best, my own opinion. It was mentioned in one of the literacy classes that I have taken, that reflections were harder to write than summaries. I do not agree with this. For me, it is always easier to write about my own feelings, opinions, or beliefs regarding a topic than it is to try to figure out someone else’s motivations or intent. I am hoping that this class will help me in that area.
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