August 2020

1. I would say one thing I have always been strong in when it comes to writing is making my paper flow. I have always tried to avoid random sentences or run on sentences in order to make it easier for the reader to understand. One thing I want to improve on in writing is my thesis and conclusion statements. Sometimes they sound too forced or non-applicable to the theme of the paper so that is one thing I would say I can work on this year.
2. Out of a peer group, I would say I want constructive criticism. Sometimes, when I think a paper I write is really good, it can be hard for me to switch it up last minute if someone says they think I need to change something, but if it is for the better, I always love for someone to tell me where I can improve my essay.
3. I don’t know what Hogwarts House I would be in, I have never seen the movies.
4. ashurst@go.olemiss.edu
5. YES

Reading Journal

Title of Article + Proper MLA Citation for Works Cited page	Sponsors of Literacy Brandt, Deborah. “Sponsors of Literacy.” College Composition and Communication, vol. 49, no. 2, May 1998, p. 165., doi:10.2307/358929.
Summarize the article — include your reaction, thoughts, anything to help you remember its claims. 100 to 150 words	Brandt starts off by discussing how she believes Literacy is the foundation and beginning for many things. She even goes on to introduce “sponsors.” Sponsors are people or even things that motivated or played a role in someone’s reading or writing. She conducted interviews around the world asking people who or what their sponsors were and how they influenced their reading or writing. Later in the article she discusses how not one sponsor story is alike. Many literacy sponsors and stories differ from one another and that is perfectly okay. I really liked this article because I think it gave more credit to those behind the scene of reading and writing and how for many people, there were other people who strongly influenced their writing.
Define new terms and concepts by quoting or paraphrasing the original author.	Sponsors: “The figures who turned up most typically in people’s memories of literacy learning.” “The Competition”: To harness, manage, measure, teach, and exploit literacy.
How does this reading connect to other articles from class and/or your own research?	I connected this article to the Anne Lamott article. I really liked reading that article and I think it did a great job at explaining and almost bringing a sense of comfort to writing because it discussed how the first time writing is never perfect, however if you were to combine these two articles to show how your first time writing, its okay to ask for help and have a “sponsor”, I think that would make for a great article to explain both sides of writing; the one where you write it and the one where it shows who is behind the scenes helping and influencing your writing.
Based on the reading, craft one question to act as a springboard for class discussion.	I think my question would be, what makes a great sponsor and is there a way to cross the line as a sponsor. For example, is there such a thing as “too much” influence? At what point should a sponsor step back or do they even help with the writing?

 

I would say the way I grew up definitely had an impact on who I am now. I think everything anyone goes through will have a huge impact on the way they write and what they write about. For previous assignments in high school that I would have to complete for my writing classes, the topics whether it was about my family or about my interests, all of what I wrote about was purely based on my identity and what I have experienced in my life. I would say growing up I always thought of reading as a punishment or even in school in writing classes when we would be assigned a book about something that I had absolutely no interest in, it would place a negative connotation on my outlook on reading. I enjoy reading and writing when it is something I am interested in or passionate about but sometimes when I am forced to read something that does not interest me at all, it can make my view on books seem more like a chore rather than something to enjoy. In the video, #1000 Black Girl Books, I could strongly relate to what she was saying in the sense that if kids and young adults speak up about their interests and parents or people in position would try to accept that and encourage reading rather than giving it out like a task, I think a lot of people would enjoy reading a lot more, at least I know I would!

After listening to the podcast, the first piece of advice that I feel like is really important is that “the professors don’t hate you.” I never thought that a professor would actually hate me but in high school all the teachers would always say, the professors have such big classes so you are pretty much on your own. However, after hearing what she had to say about the professors and how they want you to succeed and even my first two days of in person classes, all the professors I have seem very interested in their students lives and want to help you the most that they can. The second piece of advice from the podcast that I found very comforting is that change is okay. They discuss how their plans first semester of freshman year have changed drastically to where they are now. It makes me feel better that if I for some reason would want to change my major and my career path, I have that option and that it is perfectly normal. I would say for this year, I am most looking forward to getting to meet all new people whether they are in my class or in my dorm. I am least looking forward to events possibly being cancelled or the chance of having to quarantine or be stuck in the room! I would say my advice to rising seniors in high school is to enjoy it. Everyone always told me to take it in because senior year will fly by but I don’t think I ever really understood that until it was over. My senior year definitely did not go as anticipated but nonetheless, it flew by and before I knew it I was packing up to leave for college. So I would say to take every chance you can to hang out with your friends and family and take in everything that senior year has to offer.

Reading Journal

 

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Title of Article + Proper MLA Citation for Works Cited page	Inviting the Mother Tongue: Beyond “Mistakes”, “Bad English,” and “Wrong Language”  Elbow, Peter. “The War Between Reading and Writing-and How to End It.” Rhetoric Review 12.1 (Fall 1993): 5-24.
Summarize the article — include your reaction, thoughts, anything to help you remember its claims. 100 to 150 words	This article was about getting a better understanding of the English language. Many people this English and writing classes is about learning how to read and write in the perfect and formal English way, however it is not. Elbow discusses ways teachers and students can begin to learn and teach English in a new and safer way. Students don’t want to feel judged by their background in English speaking and teachers don’t want to overwhelm those students with having to talk and write in an almost impossibly perfect way. I thought the article was great and very accurate. Students should never feel judged or scared to come to class just because their English might not be up to date or they use “mainstream” language.
Define new terms and concepts by quoting or paraphrasing the original author.	Mother Tongue: “Most people cannot really feel comfortable and cannot use writing as naturally as unless they are taught to write in their home voice.” Mainstream Language: A type of dialect spoken, not necessarily “correct” english, typically based off your culture
How does this reading connect to other articles from class and/or your own research?	This article almost connects to the other article I read for this class by Anne Lamott. In her article she discusses how many first drafts are not the best, but that’s what makes it a draft and that’s what helps lead to the end product. These two articles connect because it shows that nobody has perfected the English language and it is common and perfectly okay to make mistakes in your writing and speaking.
Based on the reading, craft one question to act as a springboard for class discussion.	Is there a good way to correct someone’s grammar and dialect while also accepting and making them feel safe in the way they talk in the classroom?