REFLECTIONS

Ramon Gonzalez

Engl 242a

10/02/14

Reflection No 1.

I decided to go back to college on June of this year. I was making good money working at a company for a little over 13 years. Then on my b-day, which is July 3rd, I was called into the owner’s office and got laid off; he was claiming we were not busy now and that it was too many of us working now so he let me go.

I went to apply for unemployment and I’m still waiting for a response as of today.

I also apply for financial aid but still haven’t heard from them. I was thinking that since I put my taxes of this year down might be the reason of the delay. From their point of view looks like I’m doing good economically; truth is I’m not. I’ve been selling stuff that I collected over the years and borrowing money here and there.

I also find it difficult to really understand the assignments and I only notice this when I turn them in or when we talk about it in class. A solution is to ask for help, either the teacher or a support group. I don’t find it difficult at all to read and understand the glass castle but when I’m reading “they say/I say” I find it difficult to stay focus. I get distracted easily and have to start over again that eventually I lose interest. Still don’t know what to do in this situation. I hope to find the tools in this class to help me overcome this problem. Its one of the reasons I took this class. I notice that there are books that I just don’t have any interest in reading after a chapter of reading it and some other books keep me fascinated by the authors story and writing.

Ramon Gonzalez

Engl 242A
10/09/14

Reflection #3

I experience both, fixed & growth mind set growing up in Mexico as kid. For example; I was never into soccer and every time we play soccer, nobody wanted me in their team because I really suck at it. I had no intention or desire in getting better at it. I told many of the other players that I was not as good as them because I did not invest all that time practicing like them. For them soccer was a passion, for me music was my passion. They insisted that I was dumb for not being good at soccer as them.
One time we went camping and some kid decided we had a swimming race. So we started to make teams. Nobody wanted me in their team because I was bad at playing soccer. They just assume I was bad at swimming too. But for their surprise it was just the opposite. My team was really happy because thanks to me we won and they keep asking me how did I do it.

I told them its quite simple, I’ve been swimming since I was a baby.

Later on in my life I develop a huge desire on becoming a Dj.  I didn’t know anything about Dj’s. I had no clue what to do or where to start. So I started asking around in stores where they sell mixtapes. Back in 1990 there were not so many dj’s back in Mexico where I grew up so the research was somewhat hard.
Once I had the equipment necessary to start djing I would get so anxious to go get home and practice. hen I became frustrated after a few days because I couldn’t mix at all. I started to think that you born like that. A fixed mind set, either you have it in you or you don’t. But I didn’t give up. I would hear mixtapes and I would imagine myself doing some mixes of my own and I would get really excited. That excitement made me invest more time each day into mixing. There was a time on vacation that I didn’t do anything else but sleep and mix. I was the happiest man alive when I was able to put a continous mix together. I realized that you can be good at anything, you just need to invest time practicing, that was my growth mindset experience.

Ramon Gonzalez

Engl 242a

10/23/14

Reflection #5

On my focus walk with Luis Calderon we talk about our difficulties that don’t let us accomplish what we wish in class. I haven’t encountered any reading difficulties so far in “The glass castle” and “The absolute true diary of a part-time indian.” But I do find many writing difficulties. I find it hard to express myself through writing in an easy, accurate, in order and understandable way.

    I believe I’m up with the class although I have fall behind with homework a couple of times.
I have an unpredictable work schedule, I live far away, my job is further away and I’m always busy most of the time that I end up running out of time to finish my homework. When you add college, work, commute time, lunch and dinner time, bathroom needs, sleep and homework you find out that 24hrs a day is really not enough time. Besides, I find it extremely difficult to do homework. I’m learning how to walk again.

    To improve my academic skills in college I will work less for now to be able to find some time to get help. I will go to the TLC center and work on the problems that I’m having. Such as annotations, paragraph construction, order, thesis and how to write a good essay in general. I’ll find time to stay in college after class to clarify any doubts or work on my homework while my mind is fresh from class. If I need any help with homework I can show up to college early the next day and go to the TLC for help.  

    For my artifact I will bring pictures of me at the TLC center I’m also going to voice record my TLC sessions if possible and bring my annotated book to class for the teacher to see my improvements.

Ramon Gonzalez

Engl 242 a

11/06/14

Reflection #7

STRENGTHS:    

                        Good intro,

                        Good body
                        Good key points

IMPROVEMENTS:

                            Need thesis

                            Merge paragraphs

                            Argumentation strategies

                            Quotes from other sources besides “The diary …….

                            Persuade the reader to validate my claim

I messed up in my rough draft. I thought that the persuasive argument was for the debate only. I end up doing my essay as a summary of the book.I messed up and did a single space 7 page essay. It’s crazy long, too many hrs invested there. After reading my classmates draft I realized what I’ve done. Big mistake but looking at it on the bright side, I did work more than anybody in the class room. My reviewers told me it was a great summary but was out of the assignment requirements. I will combine my debate and my summary to come up with my Persuasive argument rough draft. I have good quotes and argumentation strategies.
I will have have it reviewed by two classmates over the weekend and I will fill out this questions the correct way. There is no excuse but my sickness really hit me hard. I apologize. It won’t happen again.

                                                  

INNER CONVERSATION

I GOT A “C” ON MY FIRST ESSAY

Because I’m dumb

Im not great at writing but i will get better

Because I’m not college material

I will make study time a priority for next essay to get a better grade

Because I’ve always been a failure

I’ve been busy with important last minute life events that I was not counting on. Being confused about thesis,  introductions, summarizing and using quotes from a book. I went and did my essay with not enough preparation. There’s plenty of help in college but I didn’t get any. Went once to the TLC but I came out with the same doubts as I walked in. You can see on the results.I got a C

    I dropped out of college on my twenties because I’m not college material, I’m not as good as other people.  People looked at me wrong. Nobody wanted to be my friend. Probably because I’m so dumb. I find it hard understanding the assignments. Not like the rest of the classroom. I must be incapable of learning. Life is so unfair with me. I wonder what the hell am I doing here. I should’ve stay out of college

    Teachers in general, never liked me. Probably because of my accent and for being Mexican. I bet they make fun of me when they are in their coffee break. I bet they are saying “that mexican kid with the funny accent, who rides the low rider is soooo dumb. OMG he should go and pick up lettuce instead, hahahahahahahahahahaha”

    My English instructor keeps telling us that she’s there if we need help. Before and after class. I have to admit that it was my fault. I need to reach out for help if I need to.
I know I got a C on this essay but  with some help and effort I will make that grade a better grade next time. I need to make next essay a priority in order to get a better grade. Even some classmates are willing to give me a hand if I need too. They are not so selfish as I thought. They’re actually nice

Ramon Gonzalez

11/20/14

Engl 242 a

Reflection #9

He had some good points about technology and water pollution. Water pollution by technology is a fact but also we need technology to keep moving forward. We can’t just go back to prehistoric times. Technology has been around for many years. And yes, it’s killing our world while helping humans improve their lifestyles. I don’t think he had his facts right. He is also contributing to it by owning a piece of technology then.

We all need to take consciousness on this matter of polluting our world. We as consumers are creating irreversible damage to the environment. We buy shit we don’t really need sometimes. Technology is not the only factor affecting our world. Meat consumption is a great factor in water contamination and global warming. Eliminating meat from our diet at least one day a week, will help improve this problem as well. Also cows are very intelligent living creatures and that is a fact. Like I said, that Dr. Theron Weighill, after all his studies and his phd, he does not has his facts together. He seem to me not very open minded.

Part 2. Stakeholders

Whereas Turkle provides ample evidence that technology is affecting the way we interact as humans, there are other researchers such as the green field industry and other medical groups using technology to become closer. For example, I recently read an article about this hearing device inserted into the ear of a deaf 3 year old and for the first time he was able to hear. Im not saying that deaf people will not have a joy full life, what I’m saying is that going through life with all your senses is a better way to enjoy life. And if technology is doing so, let it be.

The green field industry is working in technology to clean our oceans and have a better non toxic use for plastic. Technology is tearing us apart as humans but making improvements for a better life. We as humans are using all of our resources the world provide us for living. That is a fact. It is also a fact that technology is going to help us survive once we ran out of those precious sources. Ones the last tree is cut and the sea life is gone and all the air is polluted were going to relate in technology to survive this cruel world.