Reflection of Rubric Revision

I got alot of the ideas i used in the Revision from our discussion in class. It sounded like we were in agreement that there was just too much information on the rubric we were given. It was confusing and seemed like all the words were taking away from the main point of the project. So, I numbered the general outline of everything that should be included almost to be used as a checklist. After that, I went into detail of what each step should entail. At the bottom I put some of the information that was important, but not crucial to the main point of the assignment.

Portfolio Rubric Revision

Final Portfolio Project

This final project will be a cumulative portfolio of the work you have done this year in English 250. You will use past assignments, and revise some of them. Your audience is me, your teacher.  Below is a list of what you will turn in, in the order you turn it in. Below that is a more detailed description for you to refer to, which explains what each step entails. You may use two, two pocket folders or any other method that that looks professional and put together. Use the WOVE method for this assignment. Written Oral Visual Electronic.

1.     Table of contents

2.     Introductory Reflection

3.     Revision of a piece (1-4) that is written

4.     Oral example with reflection

5.     Visual example with reflection

6.     Electronic example with reflection

Break it down…

1 and 2. The purpose of this opening reflection is to think back over the semester and re-examine with new eyes the communication work you’ve done in English 150 in order to assess your growth as a communicator using the WOVE modes.  Write your overall reflection in the form of either a letter (addressed to your instructor), using the following questions as a guide to help you generate ideas.  (You don’t have to address all the questions and may add information not included in the questions.)

3. For this part of the portfolio, you will revise one of your earlier assignments (1-4).  As you think about which piece to revise, choose one that 1) allows you to focus on writing and 2) you can easily see ways of improving. 

4-6. Include in this section of your portfolio, one or more examples of your work that highlight your best efforts in oral (e.g. small-group work, interviewing, individual presentations, group presentations), visual (e.g. brochure or other piece with image included), and electronic (e.g. e-mail correspondence, brochure, or other piece that relies heavily on the electronic) communication.

In your reflection for this section, discuss the following:

Why you chose this/these piece(s) as evidence of your best work in the oral, visual, and electronic modes

What, if any, changes you made to the original versions, why, and to what benefit

What you believe the piece/s demonstrate about you as an oral, visual, and electronic communicator

Helpful tips

W—writing  (context, substance, organization, style, delivery)

O—oral (interviews, large group discussions, small group discussions, presentations, etc.)

V—visual (Place or Artifact analysis, brochure, etc.)

E—electronic (word processing, e-mail content, ethical use of the Internet and electronic images, etc.)

As you begin, look over earlier drafts of your chosen piece (and any accompanying process materials) as well as feedback you received (both from peers and instructor), asking yourself the following questions:

·           Which areas need the most improvement?

·           Where have I changed my mind about anything I wrote earlier, and how can I incorporate that changed thinking?

·           Where can I offer additional development or clarification?

·           What doesn’t seem to belong?

·           Can I see a better way to arrange the ideas in my new version?

·           What other issues do I need to address to make this piece more effective?

Refer to Chapters 10 and 11, The Everyday Writer (EW) for advice on revision, focus, and development.

Friday Class Assignment

2014 Graduate And Professional Student Research Conference

 
There were a couple of cool presentations that i saw on Friday, but most interesting, had to be a student from Human Sciences. Her project was about having health nutrition labels on the food in ISU dining centers. She talked about the difference it made for students and how it helped them to choose healthier options and be more aware of what they are putting in their bodies. This was cool in that nutrition is a large part of my future career as a Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher.

Final Research Paper-Communication

Ashley Meyn

A.R. Mallory

English 250

Research Paper

March 31, 2014

    
Tools of Communication in the Classroom

            There are many different skills needed when teaching in a classroom. From the soft skills to the subject knowledge, educators need a variety of abilities in order to successfully complete their job. Perhaps at the base of all these areas, they need to know how to communicate with their students. Seeing as each student has a different way of absorbing knowledge, there are different ways to appeal to each individual student. These areas include, written, oral, visual, and electronic methods of communication. With the use of these methods you will be able to minimize the barriers of communication that can often be a problem in the classroom (Communication.) A balance of each will ensure that each student gets the chance to learn in a way that best suits him or her.

            Communication is used countless times throughout our daily lives. Once our communication skills are fully developed we can communicate with any type or size audience. Teacher’s communication with their students is the key to the student’s failure or success in their education. “Clarity of oral communication and well-developed interpersonal skills, when interacting in a group or one on one, are attributes that make us more successful students, professionals and all around communicators” (Oral Communication Homepage). Seeing as every student is different, each student learns and absorbs information differently. With this in mind, teacher’s lessons must appeal to every kind of learner. If you gear your lessons only towards visual learners, students that better obtain written knowledge will be left behind and will only drift further and further behind. With the proper integration of the four methods, any teacher can create a lesson plan that will benefit every student in the class.

            The first and most familiar form of communication is oral communication. This form is person to person communication which requires verbal communication between the teacher and their students. Students should be able to listen to their teachers and find the meaning in the texts and in the lessons (Integrating Oral Communication Skills into Everyday Learning). Because this form of communication can often be unsuccessful when used alone due to the short attention spans of students, it should be paired with one of the other three forms of communication. With the use of visual aids, handouts, or videos, every student, no matter the learning style, will understand the lesson that you are presenting to them orally. Not only will the student better understand the information but using more than one form of communication will allow you to have their attention for a longer amount of time. A growing issue in the United States with teacher and student communication is a language barrier. However, a teacher that is equipped with great oral communication skills can help to overcome this barrier. “As a teacher, you need to understand that it might take the student a longer amount of time to finish a task or to understand the concepts that are being taught” (Integrating Oral Communication Skills into Everyday Learning). With patience and thought out lesson plans, a language barrier can overtime diminish with good oral communication skills. Oral communication, although basic, is a powerful tool that can be used to communicate with every kind of student.

            One way to better enhance your oral communication is to support it with written communication. Written communication can be presented in various forms, such as handouts or written feedback. A written form of communication is “not a photocopy of a journal article... rather, it is a document which the teacher writes him/herself” (Communication.). According to Detlaf R Prozesky’s article Communication, written forms of communication should emphasize important information from the lesson, be presented in a logical sequence, and be accurate and up to date (Communication.). Written forms of communication have many different uses in classrooms. Students can use handouts to follow along with a lesson. One benefit of a lesson handout is it can later be used to help the student refer back to the information and prepare for tests. An additional form of written communication could be written feedback given to the student. Written feedback allows the student to see what they did incorrectly and gives them a chance to correct their own mistakes. The many different types of written communication give the students a chance to have what they are learning about right in front of them.

            The third category of communication is visual communication. This category would include visuals such as photographs, videos, charts, and diagrams that will help visual learners understand the lesson. For visual learners, having a visual aid in front of them while being taught a lesson in school helps them to remember the information later. Charts and graphs will allow the students to visualize the statistics that are being presented to them in class, while diagrams can make confusing situations easier to see when they are presented in front of them. Students can often grow tired of learning from the same type of teaching styles. By showing a video that is relevant to the lesson plans, students can better enjoy the information they are being taught with a more pleasurable form of presentation. Lastly, any presentation can be made more interesting with a few pictures added in to keep the students attentive and focused. Visual strategies in the classroom help students manage the learning objectives and lessons and allows them to achieve their true potential and academic success (What Is Visual Thinking and Visual Learning?).

            Technology is always evolving and becoming more efficient. “The term “technology” refers to advancements in the methods and tools we use to solve problems or achieve a goal” (Teaching with Technology). As teachers, we can use electronic technology as a powerful tool to our advantage to help better communicate with our students. Technology can keep teachers in contact with their students and faculty inside and outside of the classroom. “Teaching with technology can deepen student learning by supporting instructional objectives” (Teaching with Technology). Keeping up to date with technology means keeping up with the latest and most beneficial ways to present your information to your students. For example, a teacher that continues to only use an overhead projector or a chalkboard will have a more difficult time teaching and engaging with their students than a teacher that uses a Smart Board. As technology continues to become more advanced so will the tools that are available to teachers. Although electronics can be complex and confusing, when used properly they can make things a lot easier on both the teachers and the students when it comes to presenting and following along with information.

            Using all of these methods of communication will not only enhance your teaching style but will also give each and every student a chance to better understand your lessons. Oral communication is a quick and simple way to present the lesson you have planned for your class. Written communication allows you to have your students follow along with the lesson of discussion during class, and also go back and refer to the information they were given. Visual communication helps you to keep the attention and focus of your students by enhancing your lesson plan. Lastly, electronic communication allows you to constantly remain in contact with your students and faculty. Every single form of communication is necessary and beneficial for the classroom environment. Whether they are used individually or simultaneously, these forms of communication benefit for the teacher’s and student’s learning experience.

Course Conducted in 2 Classrooms on 2 Continents Wins ACE National Award. Digital image. Http://wagner.edu/newsroom/node-1359/. Wagner College, 3 Feb. 2010. Web. 4 Apr. 2014. <http://wagner.edu/newsroom/node-1359/>.

This image shows a variety of communication types and thought it would be good at the beginning of the essay as a peek of what types of communication I will be talking about.

Henderson, Sarah Jane. "Integrating Oral Communication Skills into Everyday Learning."Language and Literacy Theory and Practice. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 14. <http://languageandliteracytheoryandpractice.wikispaces.com/Integrating+Oral+Communication+Skills+into+Everyday+Learning>.

            Integrating Oral Communication Skills into Everyday Learning outlines the basics when it comes to oral communication. The website breaks oral communication down to listening, speaking, and reflecting and the importance of each. It also expands on learning and communication barriers and how to break them down.

"Oral Communication Homepage." LearnHigher. Brunel University, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2014. <http://www.brunel.ac.uk/learnhigher/oral-com-index.shtml>.

            Brunel uses this database to inform us on oral communication. It explains how to speak in front of audiences, which is an area of stress for many people. It insures success for both students and professionals.

Prozesky, Detlef R. "Communication." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Dec. -0001. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1705977/>.

Detlef R Prozesky outlines how written and oral to oral communication is effective. It expands on why it is important and how to use it. He takes aim at teachers with the attempt to better their skills in the classroom.

"Teaching with Technology." Center for Teaching and Learning. University of Washington, n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 14. <• http://www.washington.edu/teaching/teaching-with-technology-2/>.

            The University of Washington outlines some ways that technology is used in the classroom. It is helpful because it expands on what each type is and how I can use it.

"What Is Visual Thinking and Visual Learning?" Visual Learning and Outlining in the Classroom. Information Software, Inc., n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2014. <http://www.inspiration.com/visual-learning>.

            Inspiration software covers all sorts of visual learning and why it is useful. They explain how to organize it and integrate it into presentations. The way that a visual is used can offer extra clarity to the subject.

3.26.14

1.       Why is your research paper important to you, and to the world?

My research paper covers a large spectrum of information. It is aimed towards the written, oral, visual, and electronic parts of teaching a FCS curriculam in high school. It is important to me because these are very practical areas that I will use when I do my practicum teaching, student teaching, and when I land my job as a teacher. I believe that this can give me an extra edge in the teaching world because most other people do not take time to focus on these things.

This topic is important to the world and to those that come into the education path at ISU for a number of reasons. I feel that if I could share my findings with my peers, it would help them in making the decision to go into teaching. If they decide to do so, there could have a better background into ways to be an effective teacher.

2.       My biggest struggle thus far is finding good resources that focus on exactly what my paper is about. I have used most of the scholorarly articles that I could find and I am in need of yet more information. Now I am faced with the question of whether I should do some interviews, or just more library resources. 

Research Proposal and Annotated Bib

Research Proposal

Annotated Bibliography

Ashley Meyn

English 250

Research Question:

How are different types of communication; written, oral, visual, and electronic, used in a classroom?

Goal:

As a teacher, I will need to aquire skills in a variety of different areas of communication. This will help my students to be able to maximize their amount of learning. Each type, written, oral, visual, and electronic are very important and a balance of each will insure a successful classroom. There are many different types of learners. In order to appeal to all the different types of students, I will need to successfully use the different types. This is why I want to collect research and make sense of how I can use this information to my benefit.

Process:

 First, I will find 12 accurate online sources that will create a solid foundation for what my paper will be focused one. Once I have the 12 sources, I will try to find some library text sources and possibly a first hand source from a teacher. After the paper is finished I will need to go back and make sure I have included all sources and take out any sources not used in the text.

Next I will outline a paper and figure out how to have sections of the four communication styles and connect them so that they flow together. Opening and conclusion paragraphs should connect and set the tone for the paper and bring the paper together at the end.

Finally I will write the paper, making it 1,250 words and answer the greatest question; how is communication used in your discipline?

Annotated Bibliography

Lokken, Sheri L. "Preliminary Impacts of an Innovative FCS Curriculum." Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences 93.4 (2001): 58-62. Iowa State University. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. <http://mars.lib.iastate.edu:1701/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=viewOnlineTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=TN_ericEJ634101&indx=1&recIds=TN_ericEJ634101&recIdxs=0&elementId=0&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=&dscnt=0&fctN=facet_frbrgroupid&vl(192264181UI1)=all_items&frbrVersion=2&scp.scps=scope%3A%28ISU%29%2Cprimo_central_multiple_fe&fctV=6411965212512181597&tab=default_tab&dstmp=1391195690572&srt=rank&mode=Basic&tb=t&vl(freeText0)=Preliminary%20Impacts%20of%20an%20Innovative%20FCS%20Curriculum&vid=ISU0&frbg=6411965212512181597&vl(203425888UI0)=any&dum=true&vl(1UIStartWith0)=contains&gathStatIcon=true >.

Sherri Lokken, a professor talks about a new FCS program in Mississippi. It is a new approach creating better success for it’s students. Her audience is FCS professionals and teachers. She explains new technologies for teaching and it’s effectiveness. She talks about how they train teachers to use the differet types of media.

Prozesky, Detlef R. "Communication." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Dec. -0001. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1705977/>.

            Detlef R Prozesky outlines how written and oral to oral communication is effective. It expands on why it is important and how to use it. He takes aim at teachers with the attempt to better their skills in the classroom.

"Exploring Learning Through Visual, Actional and Linguistic Communication: The Multimodal Environment of a Science Classroom." Taylor and Francis. Taylor Francis Online, 2 July 2010. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00131910123753#.Ux_n1_ldXCs>.

            The ESRC funded research that suggests that learning is best with a variety of visual, linguistic, and actional communication. They analyse how a good mix of all types is important in success. It expands on the different types.

"Using Video to Investigate Preschool Classroom Interaction: Education Research Assumptions and Methodological Practices." Using Video to Investigate Preschool Classroom Interaction: Education Research Assumptions and Methodological Practices. Sage Journals, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://vcj.sagepub.com/content/5/1/25.short>.

            Flewitt uses a research case-study to determine what effect visual communication of videos has on the development of preschoolers. It draws on basic methodological approaches to dive deeper into video effects on young people.

Bailey, Elaine K., and Morton Cotlar. "Teaching via the Internet." Taylor and Francis. Taylor and Francis Online, 18 May 2009. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03634529409378975#.Ux_vXfldXCs>.

Bailey and Cotlar talk about how electronic communication has changed so much in just the last years. It has become a large part of the communication medium. This article uniquely focuses on teaching through the internet which has become popular recently.

"Teaching with Technology." Center for Teaching and Learning. University of Washington, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. <http://www.washington.edu/teaching/teaching-with-technology-2/>.

            The University of Washington outlines some ways that technology is used in the classroom. It is helpful because it expands on what each type is and how I can use it.

**** This is all for online resources. Will interview Loa Christensen to a teachers point of view in the FCS field. And will interview a former teacher for what they use for communication in

             Classroom****

Question for research paper

What different kinds of writing and communication are used in an FCS classroom?

What is the most-used type of communication within the FCS program?

How can written communication be effective in an FCS classroom?

Rhetorical Analysis-final

Ashley Meyn  

English 250

Rhetorical Analysis

Preliminary Impacts of an Innovative FCS Curriculum was written by Professor Sherri Lokken, a Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher employed by Mississippi State University, in order to educate fellow Family and Consumer Sciences teachers. This essay’s purpose is to give current and future teachers an adequate background as to why their field of study is so important and how their efforts can impact the community in a variety of different ways.

Rhetorically speaking, Sheri Lokken uses a straight forward, precise, and factual approach to tell the story of an evolving Family and Consumer Sciences program in the state of Mississippi. The vocabulary and word choice she decided to use in this research article assumes the fact that the audience is familiar with the field and has a general understanding of the terms used. She does not take deliberate action to explain what different concepts are. Instead, she creates a solid foundation to base her argument off of by using concrete terms in order to create an effective and understandable message. Lokken decides to convey her message in a case study style report. She begins the article by stating the issues that she has noticed from her observations during her research period. In her opening paragraph, the author uses verbs such as will and need in order to solidify her view on the matter. Using verbs such as these can have a very effective outcome and can resonate with the readers in more powerful manner than other more passive verbs.  In the middle of the essay, it explains what the state of Mississippi was struggling with in terms of teen issues. Lokken deliberately states each issue and outlines all of the matters that caused the problem and how each problem has in turn effected those involved. The article then explains the house bill that was passed and how the bills measures took effect and changed the way FCS classes are taught in the state of Mississippi. The outcome reflected the success of the new bill and proved that via correct training and hard work, change is possible. This validates the idea that it is aimed at Family and Consumer Sciences teachers because it explains why we need these classes and teachers in the U.S. curriculum. On page three, the essay thoroughly describes the course development and new policies regarding facilities, equipment, teacher training, and program evaluation. This is information that would not normally be included if it were not aimed at teachers.

The publisher of the piece is the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). This is an association that supports Family and Consumer Sciences professionals and that students are encouraged to get involved with. This piece, written by them may be used to explain the importance to future teachers and to give a history of the classes taught. Because it is written by this association, it certainly has biases working towards it. As it is published by AAFCS, since it is an association for teachers, we can safely assume that it is for teachers. It appeals to the audience the association normally caters to.

Another strategy that Lokken implements in the article is the use of concrete examples showing that she has written this piece for fellow teachers. She explains the causes and effects as evidence for her argument. “The number of pregnancies has dropped. They seem to be more aware of what is involved in parenting a child.” Then, “I use the infant simulator doll, and my school’s pregnancy rate has gone from 15% to 7% since we began using the doll.” This instance shows how Lokkens uses examples of the bill’s success to give credibility to herself and the new program’s methods.

Lokken overall does an effective job of appealing to her chosen audience. She uses context, organization, and word choice to appeal to the audience while also giving credibility to herself. She has made it clear what her motives are and the intentions she has for the piece using rhetorical strategies and approaches.

Bibliography

Lokken, Sheri L. "Preliminary Impacts of an Innovative FCS Curriculum." Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences 93.4 (2001): 58-62. Iowa State University. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. <http://mars.lib.iastate.edu:1701/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=viewOnlineTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=TN_ericEJ634101&indx=1&recIds=TN_ericEJ634101&recIdxs=0&elementId=0&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=&dscnt=0&fctN=facet_frbrgroupid&vl(192264181UI1)=all_items&frbrVersion=2&scp.scps=scope%3A%28ISU%29%2Cprimo_central_multiple_fe&fctV=6411965212512181597&tab=default_tab&dstmp=1391195690572&srt=rank&mode=Basic&tb=t&vl(freeText0)=Preliminary%20Impacts%20of%20an%20Innovative%20FCS%20Curriculum&vid=ISU0&frbg=6411965212512181597&vl(203425888UI0)=any&dum=true&vl(1UIStartWith0)=contains&gathStatIcon=true >.

"About Us - American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS)." About Us - American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 2014. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. <http://www.aafcs.org/AboutUs/index.asp>.

Visual Rhetorical Analysis-Final

Ashley Meyn

A.R. Mallory

Visual Rhetorical Analysis

Thinking back to a few of our favorite childhood super hero movies and comics, the actors were always fit, healthy, and ready to save the world. These heroes are extremely popular for children and teens. From birthday party themes, to Halloween costumes, children idolize these characters. Looking at the photos, these are not the usual images of the superheroes we love. Just like these superheroes, being overweight will keep you from doing what you want and love to do.

In the movie Spiderman, most of the scenes take place in the inner city; skyscrapers, alleys, and subways. Here, Spiderman is bracing the rail of a subway (or bus) looking exasperated. His feet are turned in, right hand is on his knee, and head laying low. His usually fit physique is now overweight. His body is bulging from his suit.  In the movie, he lives a double life of going out to save people, then returning home to pretend that nothing had happened. You simply would not see Spiderman fatigued in his suit like this, in the movie. The colors used in the image are the traditional red and blue. The colors of the bus accurately represent what it would normally look like. Traditionally, images and advertisements associated with Spiderman show him swinging with agility from building to building or swooping down to save a helpless pedestrian. The image shown here symbolizes America’s shift from active lifestyles to one of convenience. For example, young people take the easy route like an elevator instead of the stairs. Instead of walking to school, children take the bus.

The Batman photo is dark and mystical, similar to what many scenes of the movie look like. There are large, concrete buildings, a rusty green water tower, and the only light is from the full moon blaring down on him. This is where traditionally, much of the action would happen. However, he is sitting on the ledge looking down with his head rested on his hand. The back half of his body even seems to not fit on the ledge he is sitting on. His belt is lying next to him which usually means that it was not comfortable or did not properly fit. This image of Batman shows that with the rise of obesity comes the fall in ability to perform certain tasks. Similar to how Batman can no longer scale a wall when overweight, children miss out on many activities they love to do when obese.

Superman has a more brightly colored background. He looks as if he is in a park. There is green grass and autumn red trees. There are birds flying in the blue sky above him. He looks as if he is walking in strides, hands in a fist, and on a mission. However the main focus of the image is his large, overweight butt. I believe the artist is trying to contradict him and his background, depicting that he wants to go out and save the world, but his overweight backside is not going to allow that. Obesity brings up the issue of not physically being able to fit in your normal clothes. Superman’s cape usually billows around his body but in this image, it barely reaches the span of his shoulders.

All of these images shown above show the downsides of obesity and can encourage the audience to avoid obesity. Seeing childhood favorites like this really makes people look at obesity in a new perspective. Obesity is at an all-time high and it affects everyone, including superheroes. Statistics show that nearly 18% of United States children and adolescents are overweight in 2010. This percent has nearly doubled since the 1980’s. I believe that the target audience for these visuals is for children. Children mimic those that they admire and look up to. These images look odd and undesirable, and children will not want to look like that. The label at the bottom right of each picture is “Powerhouse Healthclub”. One could infer that it is a health advocacy group promoting healthy eating and living among children.

The images in these photos symbolize the growing rate of obesity in America. It is becoming a real problem. Seeing the superheroes from our childhood painted in such a light is an enlightening perspective and a reality check. Symbolism of obesity problem is prevalent in all three photos.

Bibliography

"Childhood Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and       Prevention, 10 July 2013. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. <http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm>.

"Only for Ads.” Power House Health Club. N.p., 2010. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. <http://onlyforads.blogspot.com/2012/01/power-house-health-club-advertising-for.html>.

V.R. rough

                                                                         

Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies are the classes in high school that are usually not required and sometimes are thought of as the blow off or chill classes. They are the life skill or common sense classes that are not necessarily necessary. Or so people think. This is sometimes thought of as a “housewife degree” or a “mom” degree. People often ask me, “wait, you gave to get a degree to teach that?” These thoughts are solidified through this example of rhetorical analysis. The textbook is titled Home Economics for Homeschoolers. But just by the cover, I can tell that this has a more specific audience. It is for young women. The girl in the picture is looking into the mirror and the image of herself is a mother with a baby in her arms. This certainly is a small portion of home economics but does not encompass the whole degree. From the colors the illustrator chose to use to the wallpaper on the walls, it has a very old fashioned approach to FCS and certainly has a certain opinion that women are supposed to be mothers first, more than men.

Visual analysis

This is a textbook cover for a home schooler's Family and Consumer
Sciences class. I believe that this photo on the cover is aimed towards young women. FCS classes are more popularly and traditionally though of as a girl's class. This cover certainly affirms that stereotype. The picture shows a girl looking into a mirror in which the reflected image is her as a mother with a baby. It also says it is the "Quiet Arts Series". Even the decor of the window and wall in the background dipicts that is well decorated and fememine. The publisher takes into no account that a guy may be wanting to take the class as well. They do a good job appealing to the fememine audience. http://www.aplusbookscanada.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=382

Thoughtpiece Rhetoric

Ashley Meyn

Thought Piece Rhetoric

2/4/2014

High school was a very busy time for me. Between cheer and work, there just wasn’t excess time for my schoolwork. So when it came time to leave something out, it wasn’t going to be the time working on tumbling at the gym, and certainly not making money.

It was a Thursday night and I was exhausted. Cheer had been rough, preparing for our Saturday competition. Sleeping would be just about the best thing I could do right now, right? Ill wake up a little early in the morning to study for my statistics test.

As I am not a morning person, I naturally overslept and missed the thirty minute window I had set aside to study for that day’s test. As expected I got to the test and was completely clueless. I would be lucky to get a fifty percent on this one.

My parents would absolutely notice if my stat grade suddenly took a turn for the worse.  “I’ve got to ease them into this one” I thought.

I got home from school and cheer that day with a plan. I could not come right out and say that I flunked my test. I could just imagine their response to that and it wouldn’t be good. Using rhetoric, here is how I went about the conversation:

Mom: how was school today?

Me: ugh, wanna know what I learned today? Apparently I go to the number three high school in Iowa. That’s the third hardest school in the state! Could you imagine how much easier school would be for me if I went to any other school? I would have a 4.0 for sure!

Mom: yeah, where I went to school certainly didn’t have the acedemics that your’s does!

Me: yeah you guys went to a class 1A school, you should come to my school for a day, you wouldn’t last.

Mom: you are probably right about that.

Me: AND to have cheer for like six hours per day there just isn’t too much time for studying! I had a Stat test today and it was soooo hard.

Mom: Well I never took high level math in high school so you are already better than I was! Just do your best and we will be proud of you.

 

:)  

And this is how I eased her into the fact that I did terrible on my test using rhetoric without coming right out and telling her I failed.

summary refection

Ashley Meyn

Summary Reflection

2/2/14

Upon hearing that our first graded English assignment was going to be a summary of another paper, I just about jumped for joy. As you know, I am not a strong writer. The fact that I just had to paraphrase what someone else had to say was the best news ever. I wouldn't have to come up with any of my own thoughts!

Step one: Find an article. Apparently it had to be a scholarly article. That adds a bit of a twist. For one, most scholarly articles are like nine pages long, and all seem to include words that are not in my vocabulary. This made things a little more difficult than I expected. But once I find an article I like, I will be good to go, right?

Wrong.

What I thought would be the easiest paper of all, was actually rather tricky. Condensing a long article into just the bare, necessary facts is difficult. What does the reader really need to know? Will leaving out this fact deter or misguide the reader? This took a lot more analyzing than I expected.

I do not consider myself to be a strongly opinionated or expressive person. So why is it when we had to “leave yourself out” of this paper, I became so dramatic? I am so used to writing opinion and persuasive essays, that I found myself wanting to help out the articles author, and put my own understandings into it. I still am not sure if I completely left myself out of my paper, but I did my best to stick to the authors words alone.

Summary

Ashley Meyn

Engl 250

A.R. Mallory

January 27, 2014

Since our society is constantly changing and adding many new aspects each year, it is important to make sure that our youth are provided with the skills and education necessary to thrive in this new fast paced environment. The state of Mississippi was struggling, like many states, with issues concerning violence, child poverty, teen pregnancy and a massive increase in the technological advances. Youth was in dire need of instruction on how to cope and combat these issues in the most appropriate ways possible.

Although many states face the issues described above, Mississippi is particularly unique in the sense that it ranks 49^th.

Child poverty and teen pregnancy rates are higher than the national average and continue to rise. Many of the decisions that lead to such issues are made by teens that currently lack the education that would provide them with knowledge and how to better understand the decisions they are making. As a nation it is our duty to take on these issues and contribute to the well being of these children; after all, today’s youth will be tomorrow’s leaders.

According to Sheri Lokken, a professor at Mississippi State University, family and consumer sciences professionals took the initiative and developed a curriculum that was based on meeting these newfound issues head on with support from technology based classrooms. It was decided that the first three years of the program would be considered a beta in order to gather more information so as to analyze and enhance the way in which we go about teaching this new information.

In 1994, the Mississippi state government passed and funded Mississippi house bill 1467. The bill stated that, “Before 1997 all local school districts shall provide programs of education in family and consumer sciences in grades 10-12, which include coursework in responsible parenting and family living skills”. (Lokken, Preliminary impacts of an innovative FCS curriculum, Iowa State University E-Library). In addition, the committee formed to produce these new programs recommended adding courses that pertain to: nutrition and wellness, family and individual health, personal development, child development, and resource management. Along with the subject of the course, professionals from secondary schools, college faculty, and the MDE outlined several other aspects of the course including: credits, length of the course, competency levels, suggested objectives, and teaching and assessment strategies. Along with the education based features, the course creators factored in such details as requirement for the classrooms, software and materials needed for each course, and an array of other facets that detailed how these courses would be taught in newly improved classrooms.

In order to more easily incorporate the new framework for the courses, teachers are to be trained for two weeks in the summer, prior to the beginning of the school year. The training included the foundation of understanding concerning the six new courses, how to use and teach with the new technology acquired, and also a proficiency test that required each teacher to create and present a 20 minute PowerPoint lesson on one of the various topics relating to one of the six courses. Each presentation was also copied and distributed to participants in order to build an arsenal of teaching resources that will be useful in the classrooms.

As in this case study, the course content of Family and Consumer Sciences does have a significant role in the overall education children are sent out of high school with. Though the program has not been around very long, it has already shown positive impacts on pregnancy statistics.  It has worked in this state, and can be affective in other states as well.

Bibliography

Lokken, Sheri L. "Preliminary Impacts of an Innovative FCS Curriculum." Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences 93.4 (2001): 58-62. Iowa State University. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. <http://mars.lib.iastate.edu:1701/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=viewOnlineTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=TN_ericEJ634101&indx=1&recIds=TN_ericEJ634101&recIdxs=0&elementId=0&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=&dscnt=0&fctN=facet_frbrgroupid&vl(192264181UI1)=all_items&frbrVersion=2&scp.scps=scope%3A%28ISU%29%2Cprimo_central_multiple_fe&fctV=6411965212512181597&tab=default_tab&dstmp=1391195690572&srt=rank&mode=Basic&tb=t&vl(freeText0)=Preliminary%20Impacts%20of%20an%20Innovative%20FCS%20Curriculum&vid=ISU0&frbg=6411965212512181597&vl(203425888UI0)=any&dum=true&vl(1UIStartWith0)=contains&gathStatIcon=true >.