Writing is not such a difficult task for me. I write alot of letters throughout the week to family and friends. It is easy to write about my thoughts and feelings. My kids are professional texters and seem to feel the need to text on a regular basis to me. So, I am becoming as professional as my children in the world of texting. Although it hardly counts as actual writing. Many times I leave a note on the table addressed to each of the teenagers when I know I will be at work late. It is mostly a list of tasks and a happy thought for the day or a compliment for each.
The art of writing an argument I am not yet comfortable with completely. I am good at research but tend to put things in the wrong order due to not making a rough draft before the final draft. I tend to jump to the essay with great excitement and not enough planning. All the research is done yet I rush to finish the final product rather than take my time and sort out the information.My goal is to put my essay together on paper, sort out the information, and then write my rough draft. The key is to remember to show both sides of an argument in the order that makes the most sense. Also, I need to think of the reader as I am writing.
For me, the writing of an argument will be a true challenge. I have the heart and mind of a crusader defending the topics I believe in, now I must remember to research the other side of the topic. This will be a true test of my writing abilities but I believe I am ready for this challenge.I am looking forward to this challenge.
My other challenge will be to critique other writers on their writings. It will be interesting to work within a group and read other essays. I have not yet experienced this facet of writing.I will not only read the writings of others but share my writing also. It will be worthwhile to have others read my arguments to see if I actually reach the reader. To be honest I do not normally have anyone else read what I have written, besides the instructor.Here is to the challenge of it all and may we all do well with wrestling it and come out on top!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Busy Mom
What do my children learn from me? I am a single mother of four, a student, and an employee of a young company. Our time together as a family tends to be limited due to our current lifestyle. It is important to me I raise my children the right way, I only get one try and I want to get it right. My children and I have a method that seems to work, to balance home, school, and work.
As I mentioned I am a single mother of four. Some would say that is a disadvantage for my children, but I disagree. My children have learned that we must stick together as a family and work for what we need and want. Recently we decided to change our eating lifestyle and have gone all homemade. Why with our busy schedule would we want to take the time? It is simple, it is time together, it is healthy, it is learning to read a recipe. Plus, it is learning what each of us did with our day, how we communicate. We sit at the table to do our homework, while we smell the dinner, we prepared as one unit, cooking behind us. I have taught them to believe in themselves and that anything is possible. My children have learned a person does what they have to do to make a difference, they have learned inner strength. We work together as a family to make our home function and to create a balance. The balance is the hardest part being a single parent with school and work.
Three days a week my oldest son and I take my daughter to her grandmother's so she can take the bus to school. The school she attends is only a few blocks from our home, but we have to be at school by 8a.m. My younger son sees himself off to school each morning. I call before I head in to class to see he is safely where he needs to be that day.Presently, I am taking four classes and am at school six hours per day.It is alarming to me that only 20% of single parents are in college, seems like a low percentage to me. We are lucky to have a support system so that we can have the gift of college and knowledge. My youngest is only nine, so some days are easier than others for her. She understands why I attend college, but not all the time it takes for homework. Her brothers are 19 and 17, her sister 15, they understand a little better why things take so long. It is more balance, taking time to sit with them and play, listen to what they have to say. We learn together.
Each month I have two to three days off from work. Two days a month my youngest goes to work with me at the office. Other days and some nights I do staffing at a nursing home for the agency I am employed. My ex-husband cares for the children when I work at night. I am blessed in that I do not work many nights, those are reserved for the weekends my children spend with their dad. According to statistics, children being raised my single mothers number in the 21 million range and 27.7% of these children live in poverty, whereas 11.1% of single fathers raising children live in poverty.(about.com)Those simple statistics are not a positive for the children. My children have learned to save for what they want and to know needs must be taken care of first.
I guess when it comes down to it I have taught my children quite a bit. The days seems to hurry by with school, work, sports, after school activities, and life. But as a single parent I feel strong anad know I will continue to guide my children and show them unconditional love. I will remain the parent with the open household, where my children know they can speak openly and bring their friends to hang out. Although I am a busy mom, I am still mom, home each night, growing with my children, and keeping that balance.
Sources:
"According to Single Parent Statistics, Who is the "Average" Single Parent?:" about.com, a part of The New York Times Company,2010
"The Statistics on Single Parents in College"
http://www.singleparentcenter.net/single-parenting/single-parents-enrolled-in-college.html, 2010
As I mentioned I am a single mother of four. Some would say that is a disadvantage for my children, but I disagree. My children have learned that we must stick together as a family and work for what we need and want. Recently we decided to change our eating lifestyle and have gone all homemade. Why with our busy schedule would we want to take the time? It is simple, it is time together, it is healthy, it is learning to read a recipe. Plus, it is learning what each of us did with our day, how we communicate. We sit at the table to do our homework, while we smell the dinner, we prepared as one unit, cooking behind us. I have taught them to believe in themselves and that anything is possible. My children have learned a person does what they have to do to make a difference, they have learned inner strength. We work together as a family to make our home function and to create a balance. The balance is the hardest part being a single parent with school and work.
Three days a week my oldest son and I take my daughter to her grandmother's so she can take the bus to school. The school she attends is only a few blocks from our home, but we have to be at school by 8a.m. My younger son sees himself off to school each morning. I call before I head in to class to see he is safely where he needs to be that day.Presently, I am taking four classes and am at school six hours per day.It is alarming to me that only 20% of single parents are in college, seems like a low percentage to me. We are lucky to have a support system so that we can have the gift of college and knowledge. My youngest is only nine, so some days are easier than others for her. She understands why I attend college, but not all the time it takes for homework. Her brothers are 19 and 17, her sister 15, they understand a little better why things take so long. It is more balance, taking time to sit with them and play, listen to what they have to say. We learn together.
Each month I have two to three days off from work. Two days a month my youngest goes to work with me at the office. Other days and some nights I do staffing at a nursing home for the agency I am employed. My ex-husband cares for the children when I work at night. I am blessed in that I do not work many nights, those are reserved for the weekends my children spend with their dad. According to statistics, children being raised my single mothers number in the 21 million range and 27.7% of these children live in poverty, whereas 11.1% of single fathers raising children live in poverty.(about.com)Those simple statistics are not a positive for the children. My children have learned to save for what they want and to know needs must be taken care of first.
I guess when it comes down to it I have taught my children quite a bit. The days seems to hurry by with school, work, sports, after school activities, and life. But as a single parent I feel strong anad know I will continue to guide my children and show them unconditional love. I will remain the parent with the open household, where my children know they can speak openly and bring their friends to hang out. Although I am a busy mom, I am still mom, home each night, growing with my children, and keeping that balance.
Sources:
"According to Single Parent Statistics, Who is the "Average" Single Parent?:" about.com, a part of The New York Times Company,2010
"The Statistics on Single Parents in College"
http://www.singleparentcenter.net/single-parenting/single-parents-enrolled-in-college.html, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Myself as a Writer Part 2
When I view myself as a writer I think back to all the years being surrounded my my mom and her sisters. All the aunts and my mom are excellent writers. Each has written and told stories for as long as I can remember. As a child I would sit quietly and listen to the stories, they seemed so real I felt like I was a participant.
Growing up in a family of writers makes it a touch rough at times. As a school age child stories and essays I wrote would be checked five times, by mom and the aunts. At times my paper would be covered in red from comments and corrections. I grew a thicker skin and learned to take my time on the writing process and began to see less red.
I believe I still need to work on putting items in the correct order when writing. I tend to write how I speak which is said to be middle to end, then beginning to middle. That is a tough habit to break but I am working on it. I find I spend some time just writing for fun, I concentrate and relax a little more on papers for grades.
All in all I enjoy stories and writing, so I do not mind writing essays and doing research. Research is actually one of my favorite things to do because of all the new things I learn along the way. My hope is through research and learning to proofread my own writings I will learn to put items in the correct order. I owe alot to my mom and her sisters, their great stories both told and written, which has given me the inspiration to move forward and write.
Growing up in a family of writers makes it a touch rough at times. As a school age child stories and essays I wrote would be checked five times, by mom and the aunts. At times my paper would be covered in red from comments and corrections. I grew a thicker skin and learned to take my time on the writing process and began to see less red.
I believe I still need to work on putting items in the correct order when writing. I tend to write how I speak which is said to be middle to end, then beginning to middle. That is a tough habit to break but I am working on it. I find I spend some time just writing for fun, I concentrate and relax a little more on papers for grades.
All in all I enjoy stories and writing, so I do not mind writing essays and doing research. Research is actually one of my favorite things to do because of all the new things I learn along the way. My hope is through research and learning to proofread my own writings I will learn to put items in the correct order. I owe alot to my mom and her sisters, their great stories both told and written, which has given me the inspiration to move forward and write.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Myself as a Writer
Myself as a Writer
I realize while sitting here thinking of myself as a write that I write all the time. I am an author of the monthly menu in my home, and maker of the great list that accomplishes this task each month. I write down all the things the kids and I need to do in the course of the day, which makes me master of the calendar. Also, when I want the kids to do something in particular, let us just say a little creative writing does not hurt a thing.
At work I am the secretary of the office and staffing at nursing homes. In the office I put together paperwork and files. Right now I am working on policies and procedures; they must be updated and upgraded. Also, literature must be researched then written for our educational seminars. I write minutes for our boards, committees, and governing bodies, each has a certain system and must be done in order. The template I use is similar to keeping Church Meeting minutes in that everything must be in the minutes, who said it, why they said it, and what the reaction was from the rest of the group present. I find most of it interesting and look forward to new projects.
School writing, I am confident I can write a strong essay and cover all the necessary items. On occasion I have to admit I rush and do not always give myself enough time to make the essay better. I normally have a thought in my head on what I would like to write about and let it form before I begin typing. I rarely make a rough draft with pen and paper; I normally type the draft then build to the final draft. I like to work in surroundings with background noise, I believe it is due to the fact I have four children. All parents know with children if the house is quiet, there is trouble. I enjoy researching topics before I write about them and look forward to new ideas in areas of interest.
I realize while sitting here thinking of myself as a write that I write all the time. I am an author of the monthly menu in my home, and maker of the great list that accomplishes this task each month. I write down all the things the kids and I need to do in the course of the day, which makes me master of the calendar. Also, when I want the kids to do something in particular, let us just say a little creative writing does not hurt a thing.
At work I am the secretary of the office and staffing at nursing homes. In the office I put together paperwork and files. Right now I am working on policies and procedures; they must be updated and upgraded. Also, literature must be researched then written for our educational seminars. I write minutes for our boards, committees, and governing bodies, each has a certain system and must be done in order. The template I use is similar to keeping Church Meeting minutes in that everything must be in the minutes, who said it, why they said it, and what the reaction was from the rest of the group present. I find most of it interesting and look forward to new projects.
School writing, I am confident I can write a strong essay and cover all the necessary items. On occasion I have to admit I rush and do not always give myself enough time to make the essay better. I normally have a thought in my head on what I would like to write about and let it form before I begin typing. I rarely make a rough draft with pen and paper; I normally type the draft then build to the final draft. I like to work in surroundings with background noise, I believe it is due to the fact I have four children. All parents know with children if the house is quiet, there is trouble. I enjoy researching topics before I write about them and look forward to new ideas in areas of interest.
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