Final Project

   Reflect on using blogs instead of journals for informal writing. What are the benefits of using blogger, as you have experienced it? What are the drawbacks? Discuss how you have seen your blogs this semester and also whether you have benefited from this medium and the availability of other people's blogs. Has the knowledge that everything you post is public writing changed the way you view yourself as a writer and what you write? If so, in what ways? You can also include other thoughts on the use of blogs that you consider as you reflect on their use.

Technology and computers have influenced in the majority topics of education. As a student who has been absent from school for more than ten years, my recent return to the classrooms has represented a big challenge in my life and academic goals. Using bloggers for my writing is one of them, although I feel amazed with the only thought that they could be possible, however, as it is asked in this project I know it has its advantages and disadvantages. In my personal opinion the positive things are more than the negative ones,  since blogs save time and increase the number of people who can give a look to your writing instantly and also you can get feedback in a shortly time, then you can correct your self for further postings. Therefore, blogs are supposed and expected to acelarate the process of writing learning by read the others opinions and knowledge regarding your writing.
One of the most notable advantages of the blogs from the paper journals is that the firts one are more accesible any time, anywhere, they are pretty durable while journals are made of material that can be easyly destroy or damaged, therefore the power remaining in blogs is incalculable.
In the other hand as everything at the beggining is difficult and difficult to acostume blogs might imply a different process of adaptation, for example, I had a really hard time signing in and keeping information during my first posting, in spite of the clear explanation and instructions of our professor Mr. Basileou, in a couple of times I lost all my writing trying to save it, but those mistakes are all naturally of  inexperienced people in all areas of the life. But in the future classes that I will have to take like ENG-101 and 102  I will already have the expertise on blogs. This fact is something I really appreciate during this class and lab practice, although some circunstances in my life which did not allow me to write as often as I would like but the good thing is that every time I write something I did it by my self and with the extra effort of a person who just knew a language which is my case regarding English. I just want to encourage people not to take the easy way that online resources offers since this can be a big disadvantages of blogs as you have the entire online net just under your hands, try always to learn and do it your self, that  is the unique way for really learnng.

Discuss yourself as a writer. What are your strength and weaknesses? What did you learn and how did your writing change this semester? What do you think you still need to work on as you move to ENG 101.
I personally feel that my writing has improved a lot since I start taking this class, although I don't still know whether I pass this class or not due to my lack, sometimes, of planification and missing words to express my ideas. I know that I have to work a lot on my English Grammar Skills and in the elaboration of sentences. I also need to eliminate some anxiety of writing and testing besides I will need take my time for brainstorming and planning better my essays. Either I pass or not I feel now that I know the estructure of a good essay and from where I should start an introduction. I know that I must edificate my self to acumulate correct experience in every thing I do in life because now I am sure that every moment in life can be a go resource for a good and exited piece of writing which work also into my soul and can change life at all.
Thanks for this opportunity and for join with me this blog.

Blog 7 Revision of CATW practice test 2 "The Woman Who Died in the Waiting Room"

he Hospitals in the United States

     Many hospitals in the United States have been found negligent with their patients. This is happening in general, but  mostly in psychiatric institutions. In the article  "A Woman Who Died in the Waiting Room" by Jeneen Interlandy, he stated a particular case of a elderly lady who was left by her self in the waiting room of a Brooklyn psychiatric hospital while several members of the staff ignored her, in spite of her delicate situation, which brought her to dead. I agree with this asseveration and I know from a personal experience that this is happening every days in almost all the public hospitals in New York City and all over the United States. Unfortunately the poor and undocumented only can go to these kind of public services because of the lack  of economic resources what makes them the more affected population as this passage affirms.

    I almost died when I was delivering my baby in the Elmhurst Hospital of Queens, NY, where I had been checked for the last 5 months before my due date, therefore they knew that I was a high risk pregnant woman and that I needed to get a proper treatment and care. But instead they left me by myself in a room for the whole night while I was bleeding and suffering of big pain without the proper care of a nurse or doctor who could give the order that a C-section was needed. They kept me in that room until the next day until a friend of mine came to the hospital and alarmed them after she saw my situation. She told them that I was not an illegal person, that my husband was in the USA Army and that this issue could finish in the close of the hospital, if I die or my baby. This warning made them act immediately. So they took me to the surgery room and did the C-Section to me.

            In the article I read says that the illegals and poor are the most affected and it is true. I went to the Elmhurst Hospital because many people there speak Spanish and, then I was unable to speak English. At the beginner of my pregnancy I went to the Manhattan Physician Center where I was supposed to go with my insurance and the difference was enormous. It was so clean and no too crowded, obviously due to the fact that not many people can have access to this services, therefore, the majority have to go where is “free” or accessible for them. But it this fear or equal?

            On February 2^nd, 2009 I could have died if my friend wouldn’t come and claimed the proper care for me. That is how I learned that in this country you must fight for being professional and learn English because if   I was been well informed and able to speak English, I would be treated in a good health institution where I luckily would have the possibility of going, and I still wonder what is the danger and risk of the people who never could go to a good health service institution, what will be their destiny?

            The services of health in the United States must be improved to the level that everybody can have equality in the services and care even the undocumented, poor and mentally ill because the first two work very hard every days to keep this country economic, and the third one are disable members of this community.  Without a good health care no one  could be hardworking and be productive and at the end the country will lose its wealthy and power.   

Blog 6 "Personal Directions for the CATW"

     First, write in extreme detail what you must do the day of the test (what to do with the text, how you will go about writing, what paragraphs must have etc)
   I am very anxious about taking the CATW in December 1rst, so I will be writing my own directions which will help me to do really well that day.

     First thing I going to do is be on time I going to be there fifteen or twenty minutes before the test start. So I can be ready and relax before the test start. Once they give me the order to start it  I will read the prompt carefully trying to get the main points regarding the essays is about, after that I, will read it one more time, but this time I will be underlining the main ideas that I have already figure out, then I can have material for my summary because I must include all of them on it.

      Once I have the main points underlined, I will write them down in my own words and I will do some brainstorming while  reading  again the prompt to get some key words and ideas which I feel more confident with (yes, for me is necessary to read the prompt three times, I admit it because of many unknown words).  I will write for ten minutes free writing, then I am going to start my summary making sure include all the main points that I have already figured out. I will choose a nice introductory sentence to make my essay more attractive and I also will include all the main points in my summary, before I leave the paragraph I will agree or disagree with the author ideas and in my mind I will pick one to develop my essay on it. However I will be writing down this idea to keep it in mind all the time during the test time.

      Examples and evidences are very important, therefore I will start the second paragraph with a nice example from something that I have experienced before in my life. It could be a learning experience in my country or here in the United States or something that I have lived or read. I am sure I going to find something interesting to write about in my examples, I will give at least two examples, one in the second paragraph and one in the third paragraph. After I plenty write and enjoy writing my examples, in the next paragraph I will conclude through give and overview all over the previous part of my essay and I will be giving an overall conclusion regarding the subject I am talking about.

    Then write also is extreme detail what are the things you have to look out for, based on previous practice tests. Spelling? Which words? Grammar? What mistakes? Problems with development? What kinds of problems? Timing yourself? Test anxiety?  

    I have failed in my two previous practice tests. I am sure that if I had better grammar and spelling I will have more chance to pass a least the second one, so this time I will make sure to check my grammar and look out for the words I am using in the dictionary. That will help me a lot with my grade. In other side I will be writing a good planned essay then I will develop it in better way than before. Planning is a very good tool that will be very helpful for a well develop essay.

Finally, write how you plan to help yourself with the problems in item 2.
 

      I will bring a proper dictionary to correct all my mistakes in words. I will rest well the night before and eat properly so I won't feel struggling with these necessities while taking the test. I will distribute the time in a way that I will be using my ninety minutes in the best way. Reading: 10 minutes, brainstorm: 10 minutes; writing a summary: 10 minutes, develop my examples: 20 minutes each; conclusion: 10 minutes and the remaining time I will use it for review my beautiful and well developed essay. Next time I take a test I will relax and think that it is only a test and that I won't die if I do not pass because for me stress before and during the test make me very confuse and out of the track. I will memorize these instructions because I can not go through all of them if I do not remember them, for me is good to memorize things at the time to take a test. I hope all these steps will help me to pass the CATW test on December first because I really want to get into ENG-101 next spring, but if for any reason I have to come back to this class at least I'll know I will have the knowledge about the points and what is an assays and its components which I did not have an idea before I start this class.

Thank you,

Zoila Victoria

Blog 6 "The Woman who died in the Waiting Room" CATW Practice 2

The Health System in the United States

            It is well known that the health system in the United States has many failures and is in decadence. A woman died in the waiting room of a Brooklyn hospital. According to the passage taken from “The Woman who Died in the waiting Room”, where Jeneen Interlandi stated how this unfortunate case happened and how she agonies sitting in a chair for twenty minutes being watched for few members of the staff of the institution who did nothing to help the poor woman. I do not feel any surprise in front of this case, I am sure this is happening every day in many clinics and hospital of this big Country.

            I almost died when I was delivering my baby in the Elmhurst Hospital of Queens, NY, where I had been checked for the last 5 months before my due date, therefore they knew that I was a high risk pregnant woman and that I needed to get a proper treatment and care. But instead they left me by myself in a room for the whole night while I was bleeding and painful without a nurse or doctor who could give the order that a C-section was needed. They kept me in that room until the next day. A friend of mine came to the hospital and alarmed them after she saw my situation. She told them that I was not an illegal person, that my husband was in the USA Army and that this issue could finish in the close of the hospital, if I die or my baby. So they immediately took me to the surgery room and did the C-Section to me.

            In the article I read says that the illegals and poor are the most affected and it is true. I went to the Elmhurst Hospital because many people there speak Spanish and, then I was not able to speak English. At the beginner of my pregnancy I went to the Manhattan Physician Center where I was supposed to go with my insurance and the difference was enormous. It was so clean and no too crowded, obviously due to the fact that not many people can have access to this services, therefore, the majority have to go where is “free” or accessible for them. But it this fear or equal?

            On February 2^nd, 2009 I could have died if my friend wouldn’t come and claimed the proper care for me. That is how I learned that in this country you must fight for be professional and learn English because if we were informed and able to speak English, I would be treated in a good health institution where I luckily would have the possibility of going, and I still wonder what is the danger and risk of the people who never could go to a good health service institution, what will be their destiny?

            The services of health in the United States needs to be fixed to the point that everybody can have equality in the service, because without a good health no one  could be hardworking and productive and at the end the country will lost its wealthy and power.   

Post 5 "An Education in Citizenship" (Edited)

Lately in the United States higher education tuition cost has been the subject of many debates and issues in the Senate and the Camera of representatives. Recently a bill was passed by vote in the state of Illinois which would reduce this cost for students who live into this state, according to an article published in the "New York Post" titled "An Education in Citizenship".  This bill leaves out all the students who do not live there. The other side thinks that this vote is unreasonable and shouldn't be. I think the right of education must be fear and equal for all the students who live into this nation, regardless their immigration status.

          In my opinion, this bill encourages the division in the right of education mostly when students have gotten an elementary and high school education without questioning regarding their immigration status. It is like to give the initialization and later leave them by themselves. A friend of mine from my country the Dominican Republic who came here at the age of 6 years old, learned English as a first language and also she adopted American culture while she was joining an English high school where she got a very good grades, enough to get an scholarship to go to any high standard colleges in the United States, but her legal status stuck her.

 Politicians all the times, are looking for keep their seats, they do not really care about what is good for  people, they just want be seen like they are doing right, trying to segment their jurisdiction where live people who are able to vote for them in the future, so they can keep their positions and power.   

         It is urgent to do laws all over the United States, which allowed all the rights to all the people who want to do the right thing by getting an education and make this country bigger and powerful.

       As Anais (my friend) there are many good students and hardworking people who get unfairly stuck by their immigration status. They are excluded of their rights therefore they could not develop their potential at all.

       Lastly I want to say that people must keep fighting for the equality of rights for students all over the world, because, I think, this is a worldwide issue. An education is the only way people can live a better and constructive life and this world can improve.

Blog 4 "An Education in Citizenship"

           Lately in the United States highter education rate has been the subject of many debates and issues in the Senate and the Camera of representatives. Recently a bill was passed by vote in the state of Illinois wich would reduce the rate of tuition for students who live into this state, according to an article published in the "New York Post" titled "An Education in Citizenship".  This bill leave out all the students who do not live there. The other side thinks that this vote is unreasonable and shouldn't be. I think the right of education must be fear and equal for all the students who live into this nation, regarless their immigration status.

          I think that the objetive of the bill of benefit students in Illinois have different objetive because only include this state. Politicians all the time are looking for being favorated by  people who will be able to vote for them in the future, then they can keep their position and power.

          The representive want the students learn about citizenship, but they mostly have been raise here in the United States and must know more than any other american citizen who work in a factory because the students passed already their hight school here and must know the complete history of the United States.

         In my oppinion, laws urge to be done all over the United States, which give all the rights and privilege to all the people who want to do the right thing by getting an education and make this country bigger and powerful.

        I know the case of a friend from my country who was living illegally in this country since she was 6 years old. She learned english as a first language because she used to live in Vineland, New Jersey, where the population is mostly white - american, therefore she learned american culture and  went to an English hight school where she got a very good grades enough to get an scholarship to go to any college in the United States, but her legal status stuck her, after a while she went to the labor market, which was also prevented by law, for this reason she got deported to the Dominican Republic, her native country. Her crime: try to succeed in this country where she did not decide to come.

       As Anais case, the name of my friend, there are many good students and hardworking people who get unfairly stock by their immigration status. They are prevent to develop all their protential by law.

       In conclusion, I encourage people keep fighting for the equality of rights for students all over the world, because, I think, this is a world wide Issue. An education is the only way people can live a better and construtive life and this world can become different.

       

       

Blog 2 "The Allegory of The Cave" Summary

          "The Allegory of the Cave" is a conversation between Socrates and Glaucon. In this dialog Socrates is using a metaphor to point to a group of people that they are pretending to look at, who live into a cave. He uses this literary figure to compare and explain to Glaucon how the humanity lives mostly covered with the darkness just like in a cave. Socrates is also explaining to him how the change between the darkness to the brilliant sun outside of the cave can be horrible at the first moment when they, as human being, experiment the lightness, but after a while and with to much effort they would get their eyes used to the clarity of the sun and then, they will be comfortable looking every detail in the real world that is only in the exterior of the cave where they used to live and are coming out now for the first time.