On Communicating and Collaborating
The social issues that the four of us choose to write about, I feel share a connection in the sense that they all have the potential to affect, influence and be caused by one another. Each of our issues have to do with different experiences we ourselves have either been through or have been affected by through people close to us.
I choose this issue because child abuse has and will always be something that I feel strongly about and one that brings up emotions that are at times hard to control. My first experience with child abuse was when I was in elementary and I found out my best friend was being physically abused. That memory has stayed with me for all these years and it is something I think about quite often. When we were told to pick a social issue to write about this semester I knew that child abuse was what I needed to write about.
My perspective did not change over the semester if anything it grew into something larger. I did not realize how many children were affected by abuse and how often it was related to a repeat occurrence.
The first paper I selected to revise for the magazine was my flash memoir; he hit me, because it was that memory that started my expedition this semester. The memory is one I will never forget and one that has left a lasting impression on my feelings towards child abuse and its perpetrators. I also selected to revise my proposal for repeat offenders. It was the first writing assignment that I began to feel the change and growth in my writing. It felt as though I was finally starting to get a better grasp on making my words come together. Lastly, I choose to use my report, a child's cry for help, for my translation/adaptation piece. When I first heard Scott's story I was moved in a way that was indescribable to me. I had never been so affected by a news report before. I could not imagine how anyone let alone a mother could cause such harm to a child. I had hoped that if I shared more of Scott's story with others it would ignite a passion for change in every person who will read it.
Through my research, I discovered better ways in which to incorporate it into my writing. I especially found that by creating hyperlinks to the actual source offered my readers more than just my perspective on the subject and left them with the ability to further their knowledge. Through each revision, I have tried to further my research and let some pieces such as my translation/adaptation take on a completely new life from its original.
When writing in different genres I began to see that there is a special need for attention in every piece we write. I have learned to think more about my intended audience and to attempt to write in the genre that is most fitting for the purpose.
The advice I would offer to someone in this stage of the writing assignment is to trust in yourself and your knowledge to get you the rest of the way. Throughout this semester, we have learned to express or thoughts and feelings in many different outlets, with the help from many different sources and through the guidance of our instructor who has stood by our sides the entire time. It is now time to show what you have learned.
I am extremely proud of the final project that the four of us have managed to put together. Our editor in chief has kept us task orientated and focused throughout the entire process. She has offered strong and valuable advice throughout the project and has always been available for assistance when needed. Our lead writer has stayed on task with editing each of our pieces and making sure that our writing flowed well with each assignment. As the visual editor, I feel that the overall look of the magazine has been designed to be not only visually appealing but also well structured and easy to navigate. Finally our research manager has combed through each piece ensuring that everything has been properly cited and that each of our works cited is in proper MLA format providing a strong background for each of the projects presented.
English 2010
Notebook Activities
Write an introduction to an essay, titled "On_________." Fill in the
blank with a one or two word description of your issue, or something
related to your issue. Use the title as a way to explore the
points/ideas/questions that you would like to write about in one of your
pieces for the semester. Examples: why is ________ and issue ? What
does it mean to be a part of _______? Assumptions people make about
___________ are ______________?
"On the no child left behind act" I would like to
explore more about why it was created. How did they see it benefiting the
education of elementary students? How much research did they put into the long-term
effects of pushing children through one grade and onto the next?
I
believe it is an issue because I have a child who has struggled throughout his
four years in school. Where he sits now is in the 4th grade and he is about two
years behind his classmates in every subject. He works so hard to keep up with
the class and materials covered however, his struggle seems never-ending and I
see the frustration when the work becomes overwhelming. I also get to be a part
of the heart breaking moments when other children his age tease and make fun of
him because he is not "as smart as they are".
I know I cannot be the only mother out there with this issue and I would like to find out more about it and ways to be more involved in ensuring the proper education rights of my children.
Notebook #2
Tell someone about your writing project. Or: imagine telling someone about your writing project. What are the most important parts of it? What order would you tell it in? What parts of your writing project would you leave out in this telling? Why?
I have this writing project due in English. I have to write a flash memoir about a social issue preferably something close to home. When I was first presented with the assignment, I had no idea what I was going to write about. Then I was doing an online lab session with my instructor, he was helping me come up with ideas, and he mentioned child abuse. As soon as he said it I had this flashback to elementary, when I found out my best friend's father was physically abusing him. It was a day that has stuck with me ever since. I think about my friend often and hope that life turned out well for him. I then started doing some research on the subject and looked into some local communities that advocate for children in abuse situations. I also found some good statistics on the Utah Department of Child and Family Services website that I think is a good start.
The parts I would leave out would be my difficulties in
trying to contain my memoir to 500 words or less. I had a hard time with this.
When I first sat down and started to write I did not look at the word count
until I felt I was about down with what I wanted to say. I had far exceeded the
500-word limit and had to delete and reword many parts of my story. I would
leave this information out due to I do not think it is pertinent information in
telling the main points of the writing assignment.
Notebook #3
Tell the story of your research. What turns did it take? What were your missed opportunities and what were your unexpected scores?
I did not include much research in my memoir related to I was trying to keep it under 500 words. The research I did was mostly looking for statistics on how many child abuse cases are reported each year. The numbers I found and the lack of recent year's information upset me. My missed opportunities would be that I did not find a way to include more research. After reading the flash memoirs that I was required to peer review, I realized that I should have included more research and that I should have used better formatting in an effort to make my memoir flow better. I did not come across any unexpected scores. I will continue research to better my revised draft.
Select a source you found while conducting research on your topic. What strategies does the writer use that you appreciate? What of those strategies can you model and incorporate in your own current project? Practice modeling on or more strategy.
While conducting research on my topic in the online library resources I find information on different types of child abuse. In one of my readings the writer listed all the different types of abuse and what each one entailed. I plan on showing that child abuse does not always mean that the child in being physically or sexually abused. The person I used for my profile had been emotionally abused, neglected and physically abused as a child. All of which either together or separate are forms of child abuse.
Write or create a PSA on for your issue in which you explain the causes and effects of a problem associated with your issue. Explain what should be done to address the problem
Child abuse continues to be a problem throughout society. It comes in many forms and can have lasting effects on the survivors. Child abuse can change the way a child feels about their self and the people in which they have relationships with later in life. It can cause problems with the way a child functions in day-to-day activities at home, school and eventually work. (Melinda Smith)
It seems like monthly we are hearing of a new case of child abuse in the news, with abusers becoming more and more violent. Last month a Miami Florida woman was arrested for beating her 8-year-old son with a rope and then "slamming" his puppy on the floor causing the puppy to die in front of the child. (Ovalle) Just last November a Pennsylvania couple was charged with murder after hanging their 3-year old son by his feet and beating him to death with a frying pan. (Maryclaire) Unfortunately, there are numerous stories like these in the news and often steps could have been made to prevent it.
Some of the warning signs of abuse include: (Melinda Smith)
∙ Children showing signs of excessive withdrawal, fear, or anxiety about doing something wrong
∙ Extreme behaviors (aggressive, passive, demanding, compliant)
∙ No obvious attachment to parents/care givers
∙ Acts inappropriately for age
∙ Frequent unexplained injuries
∙ Injuries that have an obvious shape or pattern (belt, iron, hand)
∙ Wears clothes that are ill fitting, filthy, or inappropriate for the weather
∙ Frequently absent or late for school
∙ Trouble walking or sitting
Often when a case of child abuse arises, there are bystanders that either were aware of or suspected that abuse was taking place and did nothing about it. Our society has a habit of not wanting to become involved in other people's business especially when it comes to things that make us uncomfortable such as abuse cases. However, the fact of the matter is that if more people would speak up in such instances many serious injuries and deaths could be prevented. People also need to be aware that suspected abuse can also be reported anonymously to protect them from repercussions for speaking up. This can be done by calling your local police or DCSF department.
Bibliography
Maryclaire, Dale. "2 charged in death of boy hung by fee, beaten ." News article . 2014.
Melinda Smith, M.A. and Jeanne Segal, Ph. D. Child Abuse and Neglect: Recognizing, Preventing, and Reporting Child Abuse . February 2015. http://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect.htm. 2015.
Ovalle, David. Miami mothre accused of beating son, killing his puppy. News article . Miami : Miami Helald , 2015.
Notebook #6
Write two lists entitled "What I Know" and "What I Don't Know” about my issue. Develop a list of possible resources that you could help you explore what you “know” and find answers to what you “don’t know” about your issue
What I know
- Risk factors
- Signs of abuse
- Types of abuse
- Who to contact in suspected cases of abuse
- Long lasting effects of abuse
- State law on reporting abuse
What I do not know
- Local communities that treat abuse victims
- Process after an report has been made of suspected abuse
- Frequency of abuse cases that result in prosecutions
- Consequences if someone is found out to have known about an abuse situation and did not report it.
Resources that I could use to help explore these topics
- Internet (Google)
- Library database
- Community members/businesses
Notebook #7
Translate your argument, or the key facts of your piece, into an infographic
Write a two-page flash fiction story about at least two characters affected by your real world social justice issue. While the characters should be fictional, the conditions that they face/experiences that they have should be based on the facts surrounding the issue.
It was getting closer to 4:00pm and I knew what that meant. It meant that he would be home from work soon and if I did not have everything done it was going to be a long night. I do one more sweep through the house making sure the house is spotless, my school work is done, my sisters school work is done, the laundry is done, I even make sure their room is clean. If anything is out of place, he freaks out. I hate this time of day because I know no matter how hard I try he will find something I missed or did not do to his liking.
I hear the truck pull in the drive way and I know what is coming but maybe tonight will be different, maybe tonight will be a good night. He walks through the door, I am standing in the kitchen to greet him after what he calls his long day at work, and I call his eight hour drunk fest. "Hi dad, how was work?" I say. He always replies the same, "It was work" and walks to his bedroom. It is the same routine every night; he goes into his room, gets undressed, takes a shower, slugs another bottle of whisky and then starts looking around the house. I do not understand how someone can drink so much. I do not understand how he gets home every night without causing an accident.
The first thing he says to me when he resurfaces after his shower is "What did you get done today". I reply with my list of daily chores, "I got the girls home from school, did their homework, did my homework, cleaned the house, did the laundry, I even made your bed". He looks around and says, "You couldn't load the dish washer?" I look in the sink, see one glass sitting in it, and realize that he just found my mistake. I walk over to the sink, rinse the glass, and load it into the dishwasher.
He yells across the room "Do not roll you eyes at me!" I look up to see him coming at me, I put my hands up in defense and say, "I didn't roll my eyes". "Are you calling me a liar?" he says. Right when I look up he cracks me across the face so hard my ears start to ring. He then grabs me by my hair and drags me into the living room where he removes his belt, puts me over his knee and begins to hit me repeatedly with the belt.
If I have learned anything in my 15 years, it is that I do not fight him and do not try to block the hits or he will not stop. I just lay there crying and gripping onto the chair legs so tight I feel like I am going to break them in half. After what seems like 10-15 hits with his belt he shoves me off his lap and on to the floor. I do all that I can to push myself up of the ground and wipe the tears from my eyes. "Sorry daddy, I won't do it again," I say. I walk into the kitchen and get started on dinner.
When my mom gets home we all sit down and eat dinner together
the whole time him complaining about his long day at work, the messy house that
I did not keep clean, the dinner I cooked not being up to his standards and
anything else he can think of. My mom just sits there and does not say a word.
She would not defend me to him for anything because she knows if she does then
he will start in on her. After dinner, I clean up, head to my room and get
ready for bed but I know it is not over. He comes down stairs multiple times to
yell at me and tell me everything I do wrong. This is after all our nightly
routine. I just sit on the edge of my bed trying to hold a blank expression on
my face so that I am not accused of having attitude. He yells for a minute,
smacks me across the face and walks upstairs. Then about 20 minutes later, he
is back again. This repeats until he passes out. The next morning I get up get
ready for school and my day starts all over again.
Notebook #9
Write the outline of your argument for a position or proposal paper using the scientific method as the template for the argument
· Ask a Question
o What more can be said on my issue? What angle are we not looking at when trying to come up with a way to prevent child abuse?
· Do Background Research
o CDSS. Child Protective Services. 2007. Webpage. 11 March 2015.
o Diaz, Pamela. Repeat Maltreatment . New York City : National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning , 2006. Information Packet .
o Duggan, A.K, McFarlane, E.C., Widham, A.M., Rohde, C.A., Salkever, D.S. "Evaluation of Hawaii's Healthy Start Program. Future of Children." 1999.
o Hwa-ok Bae, Solomon, Phyllis, Gelles, Richard J., White, Tammy. "Effect of Child Protective Services System Factors On Child Maltreatment Rereporting" Child Welfare 89.3 . 2010. Academic Search Premier . 11 March 2015.
o Lwasinski, Adrianna. OKC Man Facing Allegations of Choking, Biting, and Duct-Taping Diaper to Child. 10 March 2015. Website . 11 March 2015.
o Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human. Administration on Children, Youth and Families. Child Maltreatment 2004. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2006.
o Services, Utah Department of Child and Family. Child and Family Services Quick Facts. 2012. <http://dcfs.utah.gov/pdf/facts/ChildandFamilyServicesFactSheetFY12.pdf>.
· Construct a Hypothesis (come up with a working thesis)
o Preventing not only child abuse but also repeated occurrences of child abuse should be a concern to us all
· Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment (research your issue through a variety of sources/lenses/perspectives/audiences)
o Parents Anonymous . n.d. Website. 2015 March 2015.
o America, Healthy Families. Healty Families America . 2003-2015. Website . 11 March 2015.
· Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion (data=evidence=sources)
o Child abuse continues to be a concern with new cases arising almost daily. Without a strong emphasis on identification of at risk families, especially those at risk for repeat offenses, and the implementation of proven prevention programs it will continue to be a preventable problem our youth face.
· Communicate Your Results (your position stated in a thesis statement)
o Without a strong emphasis on identification of at risk families, especially those at risk for repeat offenses, and the implementation of proven prevention programs it will continue to be a preventable problem our youth face.
Notebook #10
Return to an essay you have written. Revise the essay, making some kind of major adjustment—reworking your thesis, starting with the conclusion, changing the narration (in the memoir or profile), cutting it by a third, etc. Or translate it into a PSA, audio essay, video essay, graphic/hypertext.
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Notebook 10 He Hit me.pdf Size : 431.039 Kb Type : pdf |
Notebook #11
Collect several images that interest you, related in some way to your issue (the relevance can be tangential, as long as you feel it). Then write something that connects the images, one to another. You can think of your connections as a story (one thing connected to the next), or as a web (everything cross-connected), or as a square, with two sets of opposites, or as a circle (ideas leading back to the place you started).
I wrote my News Report about Scott McMillan, a three-year-old boy who had been repeatedly and systematically beaten over a three-day period by his mother and her new boyfriend before being left to die. The above photos include a picture of Scott, the weapons the two used to beat him, a photo of the broken wall where they slammed his head, and the bed in which he was left to die. Scott's story is one that brings tears to my eyes every time I read it. There is no rational explanation that could explain why anyone could perform the acts of violence inflicted on Scott.
Works Cited
Mail, Daily. "Third person arrested in toddler's killing as 'house of horror' photos reveal dents left in wall by couple who smashed the three-year-old's head against it - before 'hanging him upside down and torturing him to death." 8 November 2014. Dailymail.com. Picture. April 2015.
Notebook #12
For the last notebook activity, review all your previous notebook work. (This should be easy, since they'll all be posted on the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio...right?)
For this activity, think about the following:
- What were the activities that made you think differently about a project, or about your writing (or research or revisions)?
I honestly never considered the use of images in my writing. I always thought of writing as being just words. I always looked at it as the more facts and statistics the better and the more effort that someone would be able to see I put into it. I never really considered who had to read it and how boring it must have been to try to get through. Having to use the use of images and multiple forms of media in our writing projects have defiantly opened my eyes up to how much more appealing my writing can be.
- What activities were the most interesting or fun?
The activities I found most fun was making the infographic and cartoon. I never considered them as projects that would come up in a writing class. I also found that by linking my research to the actual research that it made everything that much more powerful. It showed my reader not only where I found my information but gave them more detail if they so desired it.
- Which ones do you like the best now?
I really liked making the infographic and hope that an opportunity comes up to create another one day.
- Which activities might you try again, in other writing circumstances?
Moving forward I will put more thought into my audience and try to incorporate more of what I feel my writing needs to consider who has to read it. I will include a more visual aspect in my writing if possible and add more detail as far as who my sources are.
Respond to these questions, and answer one more:
- Name three new tools or strategies you now have, ones that you can use with some confidence going forward.
The three new tools I have would include learning how to incorporate images into my writing, learning how to link my sources to the actual source, and how to better use the school library to find stronger sources and detailed information.
