During our English class last week, we watched a movie called Step Brothers. The movie stars Will Ferrell as Brennan Huff, John Reilly as Dale Doback, Mary Steenburgen as Nancy Huff (Brennan's mother) and Richard Jenkins as Robert Doback (Dale's father.) The summary of the story is about two men named Brennan and Dale, who are 40 years old still living under their parents roof. When both parents (Robert and Nancy) meet at a convention they "hit it off" right from the start. They got married and moved in with each-other and their son's. Brennan and Dale had a pretty rough start. Let's just say, there was no brotherly love. Dale and Brennan were not happy with the situation at all. "I'm not gonna call him Dad!"- Brennan. They fought so much, outside on the front lawn and in the house. After many torturous nights with constant sleep walking, fighting and stress, Nancy and Robert decide that it is time to "push them out of the nest." They were angry and often blamed each-other, until they met Derek (Brennan's brother.) He was cruel and loved to make life hard for Brennan. After a rough night of name calling and embarrassment from Derek, Brennan and Dale find out they have a lot in common and become best friends. Eventually, they were forced to go to Job interview's and grow up! They decide they want to make a business called Prestigious Worldwide, but it all went down hill after they destroyed their dad's boat. Nancy and Robert were so fed up with everything that they decided to separate and get a divorce. Brennan and Dale were forced to move out and get a job. "I'm so fucking miserable, I had to get up at 10 o'clock this morning. -Dale. When Brennan got a promotion at his job, he got to run the "Cantilena wine mixer" where his whole family was attending. Everything was going great for Brennan until the band for the party quit. He did not know what to do. Robert told them to go up there and sing and play the drums, but they gave up childish things. Robert told them that his dad once told him "Bobby, you are 17, it's time to throw childish things aside." His point was that even though I was forced to grow up, I always have that child deep down inside. Brennan and Dale go up on stage and "save the day!" It all ends with re-marriage and to 40 year old men who finally grew up but never let their inner child die. This movie, although very funny, had some real life lesson's and left me with questions such as, when is to old for childish adventures? What age should you stop relying on your parents? These are serious topics to think about.
During this assignment, I worked independently. I feel more involved and focused when working in a quiet, independent working environment. I believe it was a very good approach because I really dived deep into my writing. I think the most difficult part of the writing process was having to give ideas about parenting when I do not have kids myself. I based my writing off of how I was raised and what I think society says about how kids should be raised or taught. This week, I wrote my assignment last minute and I do not recommend it. I do not think it was a good approach because then I feel rushed to get it done. Next time I will start ahead and really think about what I am writing (full-on.) When I write, I like to go into a quiet place with no distractions. If the tv is on or the radio, I rather jam out or watch then write and that is when I start to procrastinate. Same thing goes for my phone. If my phone is next to me, I am more tempted to play on it then finish my assignment. When I am in a quiet working environment, I work hard and really focus on what needs to be done and how to make it my best work. I chose to write about everyone's "inner child" and when it is appropriate to use it. I mentioned that everyone, whether they admit it or not, has an inner child deep inside of them. For some, they act like a child to often and are often called irresponsible or childish. For other's they could be so responsible that they stored their inner child so deep, it barely see's the light off day. In the future, I will get a head start on my writing and really get involved and detailed as to what I write.
. When writing my Academic mindset assignment, I found it interesting at the fact that I struggled to choose who I agreed with more. Both Dweck and Kohn had very valid points when it came to student success. I agree with Dweck on the fact that intelligence always has room to grow. Overall I chose Kohn because he really explains in great detail how the system is failing! Kids tend to struggle and get cramed with school work and expected to immediately know what to do. For some students, it could be very easy to learn that way, but unfortunately for others it is not so easy. I chose to write this assignment by myself. I feel that I accomplish more and work better when I'm focused and on my own. I am proud of my assignment and I feel like I made a pretty good argument. Being a former child who struggled with tests and homework, I really felt a personal connection to what Kohn had to
say. He made it very clear that he was not choosing a mindset but he was telling readers that effort needs to be a major role in how students will succeed. When choosing my argument, one thought in mind was how and why did I struggle in school and how was I raised? My parents always taught me right and wrong and always had time to teach me new things. When I would play sports and I made a play, my mom and dad would always tell me great job or way to go, but my dad would always tell me ways I could do better. Now, as I am an adult in college, I have realized that by reading these articles that I have grown up in a growth mindset. If you put effort into what you do and you have determination for what you believe in, you will succeed. Whether you win or lose, you will succeed by putting effort into what you do. One of my all time favorite movies is Ferris Bueller's Day Off. This movie is about a teenage boy who fake's a sick day and has an adventure with his girlfriend Sloane and best friend Cameron. His principal Ed Rooney is determined to prove that he is faking it and get him busted by his parents. They decide to have one fun filled day by taking Cameron's dad's 1961 gorgeous red Ferrari and go to Chicago. They do many random extravagant things such as go to the top of the sears tower, visit a stock market, see a cubs game, and have lunch at a very expensive fancy restaurant called Chez Quiz. They even went to a parade where Ferris Bueller a.k.a Matthew Broderick performed in a real live parade. Nobody including the governor knew what was going on. They put their float in the parade and joined in. When the day was coming to an end, he had to race his parents home, meanwhile a petition is going around for a "get well soon Ferris" donation/ fundraiser. He races to the finish line and finally gets home. Does he make it before his parents get there? That would be a spoiler alert, you'll have to watch it to find out!
Growth and fixed mindsets; two different ways of thinking. A growth mindset is the belief that with hard work and dedication, basic abilities can grow and develop. A fixed mindset is a belief that qualities like intelligence and talent are simply fixed traits. The difference between them is growth mindsets are trying to develop their everyday abilities and intelligence instead of documenting what they already have. A fixed mindset is someone who simply does not think their intelligence can grow and expand with hard work. In the article "Parents often misuse growth mindset research" Carol Dweck says, Praising effort is useless when the child is not making progress. What she means is that when kids are constantly told that they are doing great when they are not, it will affect them in the future. When they think they were great at something for so long and then they were hit with reality that they are not, they will never see appraisal the same way. In the article, "The perils of Growth Mindset," they say that kids do better when their intelligence and abilities are not fixed traits. When kids use different strategies to find a solution to their problem, there will be a better outcome and they will put more effort into their work. Instead of telling kids to try harder, we can have them look at what their doing and see how we can make it better. Personally I believe in a growth mindset. I believe with the ability to work hard and the determination to succeed, they can do anything they put their minds too.
When writing my Hiraeth, I did it on my own with the memories I have of my aunt Carol. Even though I was at a young age, I still have the best memories of her. I think the hardest part of the writing process was having to bring back all the memories of her and wanting to relive that time over again. While sitting In my bedroom looking through old photos and reminiscing the good times, I felt it was the best time to write my Hiraeth. I wrote it when it was quiet and night time and I could hear the late night crickets out of my window. I chose to write about my aunt carol because I always enjoyed her company and always loved to see that smile on her face. When writing about her, it makes me cry with tears of joy/ sadness because we all loved her and miss her dearly. Writing about her makes me feel like I will never forget. When writing I like to follow the six step plan of who, what, when, where, why. how. It keeps my writing organized and it feels a lot more planned out.
My mommom's house, my aunt Carol standing at the counter with my mommom making tomato jelly. The smell of sweet jersey tomatoes and the laughter of two woman with the weight lifted off their shoulders, even if it's just a few minutes. My uncle Rob is sitting in the living room watching television and mesmerizing my little brother with simple YouTube tricks. She had the biggest grin on her face, "you could see it from a mile away." When the tomato jelly was done we would get to taste it, on a great piece of sarcone roll. We even got to take home a jar of our own. She was the absolute sweetest person you would ever meet, she loved you even if she didn't know you. She had the best hugs and funniest stories and she made my mommom so happy and filled with joy. Just seeing my mommom that happy was the best feeling in the world. She never wanted to leave my mommom's house because she never wanted to stop having fun. In the summer, late afternoon she would come over our house and take a dip in the pool. She loved that the best. She was a women you could share anything with and she will always support you no matter what. I loved her, we all did.
Hiraeth; longing for one's homeland. Going back to a place you, maybe once knew, or something you wish you once had. For some, it could be a memory that you wish, didn't end, or a window, where your looking at something you never had. Everything eventually ends, and what you once had, will never come back. It's unfortunate, and it hurts but it's the truth and the truth hurts. Everyone wants what they don't have, no matter what it is. It could be money, love, attention, popularity, fame. People (usually) are never happy with what they have, we always need more. I think the problem with people today is that they focus on what they need more than what they have, until what they have Is gone. When what we had is gone, we then wish we had it back and we dwell on that, when all along we had it right in our face. I wish for my aunt Carol to be here again, collecting all her antiques and crocheting sweaters for her cats and her dolls. I want her back making my mommom laugh again.
There are so many distractions when you are trying to get anything done. When I am assigned a homework assignment that I don't want to do, I can be distracted so easily. I could be sitting at my desk telling myself, "you need to write this paper... Oh look a paper clip!" I have two little brothers and pets that can be a handful. When I'm trying to write, I like to write in quiet, but with a household of five people it's hard to get quiet time. Many people face similar distractions like a single mom in college or parents trying to get something done for work when kids are hungry and the dog wants to go out. Even kids in college who, will admit they are just lazy, and their distraction is the television or food. Sometimes, they are just too busy, with sports or jobs, or maybe even other homework assignments. I know one of my distractions is music. Whenever I am listening to music and a really good song comes on, I don't want to be doing anything else but jamming out. Another big distraction for me is social media. If I am writing a paper or I have to read a book and my phone is next to me, all I want to do is look at Facebook or Instagram or of course Twitter, and see if there is anything more exciting then this paper I have to write or book I have to read. I believe that in order to become a better writer, I have to get in a writer mindset and really concentrate on what's important. Six distractions I find most common are kids, phones, pets, electronics, work, and other college assignments. Things I could do to avoid these distractions, I to keep my bedroom door closed when writing and to keep my phone away from me for awhile. Maybe I can try to balance my work schedule with my school schedule and see when and where I can get the most use out of my time.
"We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect." -Anais Nin. Writing is a form of expression, things people might not be able to speak but perhaps explain it through words, on paper. I think of writing as a way to get my thoughts out, and maybe tell myself things I do or don't want to hear. I write in a journal, about my day, my feelings, my mood, what went wrong, what went right. Maybe I even write to talk to myself, perhaps I'm having a bad day, I write to tell myself that it's going to get better. I write down things that I don't say aloud. Writing for some people can be an escape from reality, or "your own private world" - George Orwell
(http://www.sabatinomangini.com/course-page1.html) Of course, we eventually will come back, but sometimes that break just for you and your thoughts could be relieving or satisfying. I like to write, because if you are making a fiction novel or writing anything that comes to your mind, it gives you a chance to be someone else for a while. Whether it's a character that you made up or someone you might want to become later on in life, maybe even have a character you wish you were sometimes. Again, writing is a form of expression. You express your feelings. Writing could be to inform someone else about your opinion, or simply to tell someone about "why you write." For people who don't talk much, writing gives them a way to inform, express, and experience connections with others. I write simply to speak my mind. Never to forget certain memories, or to look back on who I used to be and how I used to feel. I don't always choose to write. Sometimes I am assigned to write, for homework or work, or because I just have to. |