Cyber-Journal

How does this class seem different from other English classes you've had in the past?

Other English classes I have had in the past are very boring. I think since everything in cyber-comp is on a computer, I pay more attention and learn more. In past English classes there are many things you have to bring to class, but with cyber-comp all you have to remember is your login name and password, and maybe a book. Along with that, cyber-comp helps in making class discussions easier. The whole class could discuss any topic on the computer. Our assignments are easier to keep record of also. Everything is organized on our own websites, and with every student having all their work on a website, I bet it makes the teachers job simpler also. Making the class on the computer is not only more convenient, but more educational than other English classes.

It is hard to decide what my favorite thing from my web page is, because my web page is just so cool, but I think it has to be my mandala. I say my mandala, because I drew it, and made it all by hand. Just because I made it, means that it's cool. Besides for my mandala, I like my "Where I'm From" poem a lot too. I like that poem because I wrote it, and it lets you know some of my background. Both the mandala and the "Where I'm From" poem explain a lot about me. I worked on these two projects for a long period of time, and a great amount of effort was put into them. The quality of these two projects reflect that. I have a lot of neat stuff on my cyber comp web page, but out of everything, my mandala is my favorite.

If you had more time to work on your web page, what would you change or improve about it and why?

If I had more time to work on my web page, I would personalize everything a little bit more. I would find a cooler background, and make a cool page banner for every page, individually. Also, I would find some cooler buttons on the front page. I would just basically add more color and pictures, because I have everything I need on here, but the layout and colors could use some work. Besides for improving the layout, I would go over and double check all my work, because I haven't checked for typo's yet. I'm sure I have a mistake somewhere, but I haven't had much time to go look through all my writing. Those are some things I would like to change or improve on my web page, if I had more time.

Even though you are too young to vote, it won’t be long. You should be aware of what is going on in the world and in our country. So, I want you to write a five paragraph journal entry explaining who you would vote for for president if you were able to, and give three good reasons why. In case you don’t know, the people still in the race are Republicans John McCain and Mike Huckabee and Democrats Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama.

I am only 16, but in two years I will have the right to vote. I have to say, there is no doubt in my mind I would vote for Barrack Obama in this upcoming election for many reasons. First off, many people have lost their lives over Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Barrack wants to pull out of Iraq. Obama also blames the economic downfall on Bush, and says he will improve our national debt. As well as those reasons, he wants to increase renewable fuel standards, is is very concerned with our environment.

Since the war has began in 2003, close to 4000 U.S. soldiers have been killed. The official count of injured soldiers soars over a count of 30,000. Does anybody even remember why we are at war with Iraq? Weapons of mass destruction supposedly, although by now we have learned different. Barrack has opposed the war since the beginning, and have been totally honest about it. If Obama was elected, we would pull out of Iraq, and save many innocent peoples lives.

The United States is in a very large debt, due to the war, and other economic factors. A lot of this debt was built up during Bush's presidency. Barrack Obama would improve the Unites States economy greatly, by pulling out of Iraq, and making many other changes, that Bush did not.

Barrack Obama supports the idea of increasing renewable fuel standards, and plans to reduce carbon emissions 80%. He wants to invest in a clean energy future, and he supports next generation bio-fuels. He also wants to improve energy efficiency by at least 50% and recognizes the global warming problem, and the current threat of future climate change. Obama plans to work on these problems, if elected president.

Barrack Obama would be my choice for president if I could vote. He wants to pull out of Iraq. He will improve the nations debt, and also cares about the environment and energy sources. If I were 18, I would probably vote for Obama, because of those reasons.

03.06.08

What steps have you taken to revise the work you have published on your web? Why did you decide to make these revisions?

I have had the work on my website revised by the grammar and spell check on the computer, and I sent it to P.Schulze for her to revise it also. I decided to make these revisions because we were told to. After my paper was corrected, I made the necessary changes, and now there is the finished product on my website. I have also had neighbors around me read my work, and tell me ways I could improve my writing. All in all, the work on my website is usually revised by the computer and P.Schulze, and sometimes students around me.

Which new technologies that you have learned could you see using in other classes? Explain.

I think that all work in every class should be done on a computer. It would help keep all students more organized. Also, work could get done faster. Teachers could grade students work quicker and more efficiently. Students would not have to carry any books with them. Also, if all the work was done on computers, it would have resolved our past backpack conflict. I could see us using computers in every class, not only because it would help students be more systematized and catalogued, but because work could be done more abruptly.

Writing collaboratively can be challenging and rewarding. Write about your experience writing with another person.

I had a relatively good experience of writing with another person. It was fun, to put all of our ideas together. I like writing by myself usually, just because I can work at my own pace, but we all seemed to be at the same pace. It seems like when we were writing with other people, it opened a new window of creativity. The choose your own adventure assignment was very fun as well. My partner and I have similar writing styles and techniques so the writing assignments went pretty smooth. Besides for a little argument over the topic, all the writing went pretty well. I enjoyed writing with another person, also because I didn't have to do all the work. Working with a partner was a fun experience and I hope I get another chance in future classes.

During cybercomp, I have learned numerous things. I could sit here all day and name them. I have also enjoyed many projects in this class. I liked writing the research paper, which I was suppose to have a partner for but I just wrote it by myself. I also enjoyed the adventure story. My poem writing skills have also been greatly improved in this class. Throughout the duration of this class I have always been ahead, because I really enjoyed this class, and enjoyed to work hard at it. This class will definitely help me with my future composition classes that will come later down the road in my high school career. I think this class has also made me a better writer because it opened new windows of creativity for me and I had some good times. I have been extremely lucky to be in this class.

I think over the course of this semester, my writing skills have improved immensely. A lot of it has to do because I did a lot of writing. Also, the some of the students in this class inspired me to write the things I did. Mrs. Schulze also helped me a great deal in improving my writing. When I did not understand a topic, she helped me figure it out and got my started. Also, I think since I finished my work ahead of time, and I got to help other students with their writing that it helped me become a better writer.

In cybercomp, when were told to write poetry, I always tried to think of a rhyming poem. Whenever I am told to write a poem that is what I think of, something that ryhmes. Mrs. Schulze's showed me that a poem does not always need to rhyme. I have wrote many poems now, some that rhyme, the majority just for fun, and some that don't. I tried during this class to show that to my peers as well. Whenever they were writing poems and had a hard time with a rhyme, I showed them that poems don't always have to rhyme.

As I mentioned before, I think that later down the road this class will help me when I am writing. I will always be able to look back on this website. I have many english classes left in high school, and they will probably just get harder every single year. This class has definitely given me some writing experience.

All in all, my time in this class has been a positive experience. I have improved my writing skills greatly. I have learned things not only about poems, but many other types of writing, and I have gained experience for future classes. I am very glad I got to spend my sophomore composition class with Mrs. Schulze.