.sunburn.showbiz.dead star.butterflies and hurricanes.stockholm syndrome.

          To compare all of the three quarters I have to admit that Poetry Unit was the best unit of all. At first, I thought poetry was dull and boring because for me, it sounds you had to think really hard and reading other poems is tedious, I couldn’t understand a thing. However, poetry is not just rhyme things, having to know exact meter or sonnets. It’s not as writing in perfect sentences. They are free thought and expresses meaning in different ways. As in simile, metaphor, etc. Although I am very bad at writing essays, poetry doesn’t need perfect grammar or sentence. That’s why poetry is really fun. You can write anything and it doesn’t need full writing. In class, after we have written poetry in class, we have to stand in front of class read our poems. Also, Mr. R would read out loud on the students that have done very well. After we have finished writing poetry; we had poetry night at the end of the quarter with our poetry books. During the poetry night, some students performed their poems in front of friends and family. After we have finished this unit, we have to reflect the poetry unit in form of ESLR’s.

          I felt I was a Self-Directed Learner when I wrote poems. I have accepted responsibility in my own learning. To explain this meaning in my own words, I am doing my own responsibility with my own knowledge. By proving I did this, I wrote different kinds of poems, for example sight, smell, haikus, etc. I wrote for instance, sight, you see an apple. If you are a novice for poetry, for example, you wrote on how is an apple like. You would write ?its shiny red outer layer and white inner layer’. However, poetry is asking you, how can you describe it? How does the apple remind of? How does the apple feel? Like that, it’s not if what you see is what you write. It’s what you see and try to be in an apple’s shoes. In addition, if you write an apple is shiny and red. I know it sounds lame but that’s how detailed it can be and sounds very unique. If you start an apple is shiny, does it sound boring? Because everyone’s knows that and it’s like a clich鮠To demonstrate this, I would show my poem for smell:-

Trapped

A smell of soft baby flesh,

Trapped in a breathless mirror,

Hair cold rush with jasmine flower,

Eyes clear as salt falling down his cheeks,

Shoes shine fresh water,

Clothes flashing in aroma perfume,

Powder filled his young face,

Mutters meaningful words.

My poem is not that perfect, but you could understand how it’s written. This poem is from a picture that Mr. R gives out and we had to write using the five sensors. As I wrote more and more poems, I realized I have a similarity between each poem and I was getting better at writing. Every time we wrote poems in class. Our teacher, Mr. R would check and ask us to rewrite/redo/revise/edit our poems. Also, for Self-Directed Learner, I have done a book by myself and design it in my own way. I have also illustrated pictures for each poem. If I had more time doing the book, I would have a better grade. In addition, I shouldn’t have done last minute for the book. I should have time management so I don’t need to write 10 poems in one day. Overall, for my writing of poems and creating book, I thought I was okay. If I grade myself I think I have 85%, B. However, I think I should do better at writing because I haven’t had enough time.

          Most of time, we had class discussion. As in, reading in front of the class. When I was reading, I felt I was an Involved Citizen. I demonstrated responsibility in active decision-making. This means that I choose what is best for me. To show I did this, I chose a poem I should read in front of the class. Also, when we first had the introduction to poetry, we had to write a short sentence on what is poetry. Firstly, each student wrote down a sentence and they pass their paper clockwise to the next student and the next student has to create a new sentence related to the sentence. At that time, I felt I chose my best sentence and wrote it down. I have realized since I first started to write my first poetry few months ago and now. I could see big changes. I realized that my poetry is better than last time because last time, my poems were mostly clich頡nd now, not that many. I have also realized that poetry is not very straight forward. The meaning is hidden between each word. I also did draw some pictures to describe the emotions. If I haven’t done poetry before, mostly my poems would be clich鮠I am glad I knew poetry before. I thought I did Good overall. I would grade myself 90%, A. However, I need to work on certain areas, more of explaining things in an understanding way.

          I thought I was an Effective Communicator by showing creative talents to convey ideas. In my own words, I showed original ability to show ideas from my view of point. For example, I drew pictures of a boy that is trapped in a mirror as I have shown the poem above in second paragraph. I also thought I was an Effective Communicator because in Teen Life I communicate in the internet and we worked on ?how drugs are related to terrorism’ and we communicated with several different countries and collaborate with the groups we are working on. In Poetry Night, I read to all the audience and I have communicated my poem to them. Without writing, there is no communication and understanding of the poem. In order to have a very strong poem, I did different kinds of things explaining poems. I realized the poems I did here and in my previous school is different. I felt that the poems in my previous school were not as thorough as now. I could see the difference between two poems from last time to now. I also need to work on my explanation is not as well though and it’s kind of hard because English is my second language. I should work on the teen life poem because I didn’t reach my explanation clearly. If I had time to rewrite, I would use that poem for my group. In general, for Effective Communicator, I thought I did Okay. I would grade myself 87.5%, B+. I need to work more on my writing poetry.

          While I was writing and brainstorming poems, I felt I was a Critical Thinker. I have built meaning and understanding using prior knowledge and new information. This means that I am learning new things and discovered different things. To prove I did this, I have learned different kinds of writings and expressions. For example, rather than comparing things to animals I compare with the surroundings. I was thinking how am I going to make this poem interesting? A lot of questions came to my head and these questions made me feel I was a Critical Thinker. I did this by knowledge of doing different things in poetry. For instance, I haven’t written a poem using sonnets. If I haven’t done poetry in class, then I would think poetry is boring and hard. On the whole, I thought I did a Good. I would grade myself 93%, A-. I didn’t think I did Very Good because I feel it is little information that I have seek.

          Demonstrating ability to work both independently and collaboratively is an Academic Achiever that I thought I did well while writing by myself and reading my poems out loud in the class. Demonstrating ability to work independently and collaboratively in my own words means, you can work alone and work in a group. I showed you this by working on the teen life collaboratively and writing my poems independently. Also, answering questions and vice versa. To show I did this, I worked by myself alone at home and write my own poetry at home and at school, I shared with my classmate and read out loud my poem. As I did more and more of writing and reading out loud, I felt comfortable and better than unaccustomed at first. If I have worked on not being really shy in front of class, I would do better. Overall, I thought I did not bad. By grading myself, I thought I would have 95%, A-. I would have to improve next time.

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During the first quarter, 8th grade had reached most of the ESLR’s. When we had the very first meeting about the introduction of the book, Lord of the Flies, we had to take our shoes off. When I came in the class, it was very weird; the sound of the sea was there and the television screen had a picture of an island. Mr. R assigned instructions on each table. We did what we were supposed to do by using the paper in our table as our guide. Mr. R was like a ghost floating around the room. He was observing what we did. I had no idea about the book that time until at the end of the class, he told us about it. When I read the beginning of the few chapters, I thought it was dull. However, when I got to know more about the theme, characters and symbols, it was thrilling. Until now I still make connections about this book and life. I understood about civilization and savage better. I also make connections between the book and world. For this task, I had to use the ESLR’s with use of the Bloom’s Taxonomy.

            When we had the class discussions, I felt I was an Effective Communicator by incorporating/utilizing technology as a tool of communication. In my own words, this means that I’m using technology to make use of communication. I did this by calling friends and emailing friends to ask regarding to homework or assignments about Lord of the Flies. I assume Effective Communicator is similar to Academic Achiever. In both ESLR’s, they have demonstrating ability to work collaboratively. As an Effective Communicator, I didn’t ask questions to myself. If I had done that, I would improve doing my project about the book. I would understand much better about the book and I could discuss with class discussions with questions. I also didn’t talk much with others about the book. I didn’t talk regarding my opinions or predictions about the book during class discussions. It would be benefit of learning if I had talked about my opinions or predictions. I would struggle to do these things I’m supposed and should have done. I think I did okay being an Effective Communicator. I would give myself a C as an average overall.

            At the end of first quarter, we had to do a Lord of the Flies project. We had 20 different choices which were hard to pick because all of them seemed interesting. However, I came to my last result and chose the before/after project. The character I chose was Ralph. I wrote a brief summary about him and how he changed while he was in that island and drew picture of how he changed.

            By gathering, analyzing and processing information from variety of strategies, I felt I was a Critical Thinker while doing Lord of The Flies project. This would mean that I gathered and evaluated information through selection of methods. To prove that I had done this, I searched the internet and re-read the book to find more information about the character for the project. For the project, being a Critical Thinker, I used extra effort doing the project. For the project, I didn’t do it last minute. One day before the project was due; I just checked some things to add. I think Critical Thinker is opposite of Involved Citizen. Critical Thinker in general means you work independently while Involved Citizen is working dependently. As a Critical Thinker, I didn’t use problem-solving skills to do my work. If I had done that, I would gain more knowledge of doing the Lord of The Flies project. I would understand better on what I’m expected to do. I would give myself a grade of B+ for being a Critical Thinker, because I only didn’t only one thing being a Critical Thinker but I would try to do better to have an A next time.

            While I was reading the book, I believe I was a Self-Directed Learner by identifying learning strategies. In my own words, this means discovering needs and found ways doing learning strategies. I did this by searching a word I didn’t know for example, malevolently means wishing harm to others, evil influence and it’s on page seventy-one in Lord of The Flies. I tried something new for doing the book, like using post it’s if I think that page was essential or using it to find words I didn’t know. Self-Directed Learner is similar to Critical Thinker. They both have monitor and adjusting work. As a Self-Directed Learner, I didn’t do that much of untried ideas. If I had done more untried ideas, I can find more new things and get new information such as, going to the internet and find more information about the book. I think I would give myself an A because I almost accomplish everything for Self-Directed Learner.   

            When we had the last meeting, all of us were separated into five groups. I think last meeting is better than the first because the first meeting. People weren’t paying attention and much and didn’t take that task seriously but at least we finished the task. The last meeting was much better because we paid attention and took seriously in the task. Each group was doing different symbols and themes.

            I felt I was an Involved Citizen while we had the last meeting. I did this by interacting respectfully with people of diverse cultures. In my own words, this means you don’t talk over them and you talk with other people with different cultures and religions. This also means that we respect them by not talking bad about their culture but appreciate it. I did this by talking with other cultures and help give ideas. I think the last meeting I did better than the first one because during the first meeting, I was talking to my friend but I tried to help the class. However, I failed my duty. In the last meeting, I was giving several ideas and helped out the group. They too, helped me back. I did almost everything but I would try to do that more to get involved better. I think I would have an A- because I did everything but just need extra work.

            While I was doing the project, I felt I was an Academic Achiever by demonstrating technological literacy and use of technology as a tool for efficient and creative completion of a project. This means, using creative project by using technology and other varieties. I did this by decorating my project using the computer to have a background on the paper and words typed in it. I showed my theme of the story of how Ralph changed while he was in the island. Academic Achiever is similar to Self-Directed Learner. They both have the same thing by having both their needs and maintaining the high standards. As an Academic Achiever, I didn’t really work on collaborating; I should focus on working with the whole class so I can share my ideas and opinions often rather than just being quiet and not helping the situation. I would grade myself a B+ overall because I did everything but just didn’t collaborate with others.

            For the whole thing, I would grade myself an average B+ because most of the time I did the ESLR’s but I just need additional effort to be better at writing and being better in Blooms Taxonomy.

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