The Rights to Write Week 13

1. Please offer your suggestions as how we can grade your performance better?

First, I think “attitude” matters. This is an after class activity, and how we do the tasks through weekly blogging shows the motivation in learning this English course. Second, content is important. Since it is a blog writing, of course we can write in a less formal manner, but that doesn’t mean we can beat around the bush and at the end show no point at all. We still have to stick to the point and write something that really expresses ourselves. Here I think grammar is an inferior consideration. Although as English majors, the accuracy of grammar is important, but I personally think in this activity, minor grammar errors are tolerable. We should put more emphasis on communication efficiency. How we communicate with our key pals decides whether this two-way writing is successful.

2. Based on the criteria you suggested in Q1, please give a score to yourself and explain how you’ve earned it.

From 0 to 10, I choose to give myself 7. I can not say that I have done a very good job in writing my blogger, but I do take it seriously. Each time I get the new task, I will try as hard as I can to write down what I really want to share with my key pal, Wendy, and try not to make mistakes. I will review my tasks again and again after each task, and if I find errors, I will correct them immediately; or if I want to share more about my opinion, I will add some sentences to make the tasks more complete. However, although I take this activity seriously, there are in deed some parts that I do not achieve my goal and I think I am able to perform better if I try harder. There are three reasons why I choose to score myself 7. First, I do not reply to key pal’s comments on time every time, and I think I can make it if I can pay more attention to this part every week. Second, there is one task that I turned in late. I think that no matter how busy I am, it should always be my priority to finish this weekly work and in fact, this job will not take me too much time to finish. Third, I think I can write more in tasks, try to tell my opinion in a more organized way, and use some new words to enhance my writing. After these three reasons, I think 7 will be a proper score for my performance.

3. Based on the criteria you suggested in Q1, please give a score to your partner and explain how s/he has earned it.

I really enjoy doing this work with my key pal, Wendy. Wendy is really a nice girl. She is always willing to talk with me through MSN, and she has a positive attitude towards this project. If she is busy and is not able to reply my task on time, she will try her best to finish them as quickly as possible. Therefore, I choose to give her 9.

The Rights to Write Week 11

1. Based on your preference, what kind of classroom activity do you like most and which one do you like the least?

The classroom activity I like most is watching and the one I like the least is reading. I think the reason why I like reading the least is perhaps because my reading speed is slow, and it always takes me a lot of time to read through materials and to understand the text. I often get impatient when I can not finish reading quickly. So it is obvious why I like watching. Watching provides sound and images, and therefore I can understand the meaning right away, or at least more quickly than by reading.

2. Can you recall some very fun activity you experienced recently in class? Please describe it.

I still vividly remember the time we spent in the computer room 216 to have our composition class. In the class, Dr. Chen, the lecturer of our English composition classes, taught us how to make a short video with Move Maker. And our group chose to modify a penguin video to a funny one. We learned how to cut and edit the film, key in new lines, make special effects, combine sound, images, and words together and at last uploaded the output. We did a good job and the video came out really funny. This was the first time I learned English through hands-on activity and I love it very much!

3. When encountering some kind of difficult knowledge, do you have any strategies to process it?

Actually, I don’t have any strategy to overcome difficult knowledge. When I encounter difficult knowledge, I will search some information on the Internet and try to combine them or I will choose to ask teachers. I am looking forward to find my own strategies to overcome difficulties in learning.

4. Based on your responses to Q1, Q2, and Q3, can you tell the type of learner you are? Why?

I think I am a learner who prefers to learn new things through watching and hands-on activities. Learning by watching enables me to understand what the lecturer wants to convey easily and by hands-on activities enables me to take part in the process of production and therefore, I will not easily forget what I learn.

The Rights to Write Week 10

Question 1: From 1~10 (with 10 as the highest score), how well are you two doing? Please grade yourselves and give a suggestive score.
Question 2: How and why did you two decide the score?
Question 3: What kind of improvement are you two making in the remaining weeks of the semester?

Basically, up to now, I think we have done this cooperative activity well. We both work hard and make attempts to express accurately. Besides, we talk to each other through MSN; we share the experiences as a college student and inform each other of latest situation in college. If we have question, we ask each other. We keep in contact so we won’t be perplexed about how to do the task. After the discussion, we decide to score ourselves 7. There are three reasons why we decide to give ourselves the score. First is about punctuality. We fail to give replies on time and this happen almost every week. Second is about mutual correction. Even though Wendy and I posted our comments, we didn't discuss about the mistakes in the tasks. This is something we may work on more. Third is about full discussion. I think we can have more discussion on each task and share more opinions. In the remaining weeks, we will try to give replies on time and correct errors in our writing.

The Rights to Write Week 9

What do you think about this stigma?
Does the description match your self-identity or -realization? If not, offer a counter claim.

I think it is not true and unfair to consider all the youngsters who were born after 1981 as the strawberry generations. Of course it is true that there are people who are low in compressive strength and easy to get frustrated, but that can not cover all the young generations. There are youngsters who work hard to make an improvement and who have been very successful in their professional fields.

As far as I know, there are several things that can show we young generations are really working hard and making improvement. First, in recent years, students in high schools have performed better and won more prizes in several academic fields than before, as we can see on the TV reports and newspapers that students won several invention awards or other contests. The research they were doing or the process they went through to complete the tasks were not easy to succeed. But they have still done good jobs. That means students in young generations are not as commonly said to be easily defeated by difficulties. Second, the ministry of education has set up many activities to cultivate new age leaders. Students joining these activities learn to be more independent, creative, and considerate. They listen to lectures, play games, do presentations, and reflect on what they have learned during the activities. Therefore, they cultivate the abilities to think independently, have critical mind and know how to express their thoughts clearly and constructive, which means the young generations are not bookworms; instead, they combine their studies with different activities and therefore, what they learn, they are resolved to practice. Also, teamwork is one of the most important factors in the many activities. This shows that the young generations are not care only for themselves but actually, they learn how to build good interpersonal relationships and to be tolerate and considerate.

To be brief, the young generations do not really deserve to the stigma.

The Rights to Write Week 6

How do you usually look at your mistakes?

People make mistakes, and I am no exception. I am a person who takes things seriously. So when I make a mistake, of course I will feel upset and think about the mistake I just made all day long. And I will probably keep blaming myself and regretting doing the wrong thing. But I know that it is no use crying over spilt milk. So after the terrible feeling, I always tell myself that this is a lesson to learn, and I gain an experience.

How do you define mistakes?

When I do something wrong, I always ask myself if there is anything I can learn from it. If the answer is “yes”, then I know I can be better next time, and I will try hard not to let the same thing happen again; however, if the answer is “no”, then the mistake must be a stupid one which I should not make. Thus, I will blame myself and remember the wrong thing I done for a very long time.

After listening to Prof. Pausch, do you still see mistakes in the same way?

After watching the video, I still see mistakes in the same way. I agree with Prof. Pausch on the sentence: “Experience is what you get when you did not get what you wanted.” For example, when I was in senior high, I joined a Chinese speech contest. I was so confident then, and was sure I would win. However, when that very day came, I had a cold, and the worst was that I draw a topic which was the only one I had not prepared. Therefore, I lost the contest. I was so upset because I could not believe I would lose. After several weeks, I finally released myself from the sad mood. If everything is just so easy to do and achieve, then people make no progress. And of course those things will not become the so called experiences since there will be nothing new to be discovered nor will there be things deserve remembering. I learned the lesson in a hard way, and the memory of losing the contest became the most unforgettable experience I ever had.

The Rights to Write Week 5

1.Can you explain what this picture is showing about collaborative learning (or group learning)?

The picture is showing the effects upon collaborative learning. For example, several students are working on a common problem; they form a group and share their viewpoints together. After brainstorming, they come up with several ways towards the problem, and they start to deliberate upon what is the best approach. At the end they reach a consensus among answers. Through collaborative learning, students learn to share opinions and to welcome different viewpoints. Also, during their discussion, they learn through reflection. They rethink their viewpoint and come up with a better idea.

2.What is your favorite part of this type of learning?

I once joined a camp called “The New Century Leaders.” During the days in the camp, I learn how to generate multiple perspectives, how to do collaborative deliberation, and how to deliver the result on stage. Among those parts, my favorite one is Generating Multiple Perspectives part. I like this part because it is a good chance to learn new ideas and various viewpoints from others. I am often worried about being stubborn and I do not like to be limited to my own thoughts. So I think that being able to look at things from a different aspect may be one of the good ways to broaden my horizon.

3.What would be the part that usually bothers you when working with others?
Give an example from your personal experience and elaborate on it.

I often feel uneasy when facing the Collaborative Deliberation part because it is not easy for me to accept others’ opinions and change my own thought at once. So that would be the part usually bothers me when working with others. For example, in the camp I mentioned above, teamwork was considered the most important part. Each group had to present their final works on the stage. I remember having a hard time persuading them to perform in the way I preferred because ten people have ten different ideas of presenting the work. I got frustrated when ten voices were running in my head. I do think that learning to think in others’ shoes will be one of the things I need to improve.

The Rights to Write Week 4

Question 1.
This is how American college students learn. Are you learning in a similar way?

Though I’m not learning in a totally same way as the video said, I do learn English through some ways that are similar to what the video mentioned. For example, I learn English through my MP4. I love to buy books which include compact discs and I also like to find English related websites which provide mp3 file download function, like ICRT EZ news, BBC learning English and VOA News. I will put all of the mp3 files into my Mp4 when I finish my homework. I also set up different categories so I can find the file I want to listen easier. By this way, I can hear English everywhere, everyday, and don not have to worry about wasting times.

Question 2.
What does it mean by “Networked Students”? Is it a good or a bad change, and why?

I think “Networked Students” means students who get and learn from the Internet information they need and they also have their own ways of sharing their feedback and learning reflections with people who are also interesting in topics networked students posted.

I agree that the Internet brings convenience to students, for I am also a person who likes to search things I need through the Internet. But actually, I do not think of “Networked Students” as a good change in study. From my point of view, even though it is quite convenient to use the Internet as an approach to find information on website, it is easy to get internet addicted. Once a person is accustomed to accomplish his or her works through network, he or she may probably eager for quicker work efficiency. A person will try to do several things at a same time, and gradually he or she loses the ability to think and remember something clearly and in an organized way. One day when the computer breaks down, he or she will just feel like losing the most important part of life, feeling anxious and uncomfortable.

The Rights to Write Week 3

What do you think of her change?
What do you believe or not believe?
What is your judgment based on?
Would you change your view if she was your best friend or family?

I once read news about Britney Spear’s rehabilitation. Though there were people who stand by her side, many people were still taking shot at her, demanding their pound of flesh. I also saw video on website using harsh words and funny conversations to sneer at her change. However, from my point of view, she is pitiful. Though Britney Spear had two short marriages, and after that she behaved strangely, these were not our businesses. But because she is a celebrity, who was once a much sought-after singer, she has to endure even more pressure from mass media and the public when she faces difficulty. I am not sure whether the purpose of Britney’s behavior is to gain popularity or merely to release her pressure. But if it had been me who had received a television interview to say something about Britney Spear, I would not make any comment on her, nor would I choose to believe anything others said. Form my point of view, the purpose of the news was to entertain people, and it was not informative at all. Most important of all, all the words on Britney did not have any practical help to her. If Britney Spear was my best friend or family, I would give her my support. I would tell her that if she knows what she is doing and is sure they are right, and then just keep her own faith. If she has problem identifying what is right, just ask her herself what she really wants. After all, we have no right to interfere in Britney Spear’s life.

The Rights to Write Week 2

Many times, we are mad at people for the things they have done. However, we also hear people say: “I am doing this for YOU!” or “I meant well. You will understand when you grow up”. When hearing responses like this, have you ever tried to calm down and rethink the whole thing? rethink about things from a new angel? or rethink about things with a different logic? Why or why not? Give a real example and elaborate on it.

About a month ago, I had a hard time discussing with my parents about whether to go to Kaohsiung to see a performance by a famous dance company alone. From my point of view, it was a precious opportunity to admire my favorite dance company, and the program was once and for all. From my parents’, in contrast, my decision was based on emotion rather than rational thought. So they didn’t permit my request. They said they meant well, but I was so dejected that I turned away to refuse their explanation. I just couldn’t understand why they refused me to go.

At that night, I contemplated the reason why my parents didn’t allow me to see the play. I knew I was impetuous and I should have listened to what they wanted to tell me. At last, I calmed myself down and decided to listen to their analysis. So one day later, I went to have a talk with them.My parents felt glad and were willing to explain the reasons. They said that first, since I am just a freshman in college, I am not familiar with Chiayi, not to mention about the route from Chiayi to Kaohsiung. Second, it is dangerous for an eighteen-year-old girl to go to see a performance, which will be over later than ten at night, alone without company. Third, the show will be held on October thirty-first, what if I happened to have an important thing to do on that very day? How can I make sure that I will not waste the money spending on the ticket? After hearing these considerations, I realized how childish I was, and apologized to my tolerant parents.

Indeed, my parents have experienced more than I have and what they think must have their reasons. Next time I will think twice before making a decision.

The Rights to Write Week 1

1. Do you hear yourself telling people: " I have my own values and principles. They should be respected under all kinds of circumstances.", or something similar?
If so, what would you say when someone laughs at you for never skipping classes?
If not, why could be the reasons?

It’s always not easy to keep one’s own principles, for there are too many voices around which force one to adjust to the community. For me, however, I often tell my friends that I have my own standards in doing things, even though they always think of me as a person who was as obstinate as a mule and it is just too hard to change what I have set myself to do. For instance, I always get a tight schedule, and I always say no when my friends ask me to go out. So one day they tell me, “You are a perfect girl except your insisting on following your own timetable.” I prefer to do things in my own way because that makes me feel more comfortable, but that is not to say I cannot accept others suggestions. I will adopt others’ opinions when I think the suggestions are good and will not waste time. Therefore, when someone laughs at me for never skipping classes, perhaps I will simply reply to the question that I prefer doing this way. I’m not going to say anything to try to describe my decision as if I am eager for understanding. I think I have to be responsible to the courses I choose. As a college student, I should decide for myself instead of blindly following others. Thus I can pursue what I really desire in life.

2. Do you believe everything people tell you? Why or why not?
For instance, when your friend tells you that working as a part-time waiter in a fancy restaurant will get you a lot of money, how would you respond?

I do not believe everything people tell me because the information is only for reference. It is I myself who should distinguish the truth from false in the words people say. For me, it is important to cultivate the ability to analyze the truth of things by one’s self since no one will always intend to be helpful after stepping into the society. Therefore, if my friend tells me that working as a part-time waiter in a fancy restaurant will get me a lot of money, I will ask why it is so profitable and how the working environment is. I will be deliberating upon the details and then decide whether I should believe it or not.