The Importance of Scholarships

      Scholarships are useful on many levels. It is obviously a huge help when paying for college, but it also boosts your image. Having an academic scholarship shows others that you hold yourself to a high level of standard. Also, the amount of scholarships that you may have will also show your perseverance, as finding scholarships takes some works.

Reflection Blog

Left to do:

• Second SAT
• Apply to colleges

Timeline:

•  SAT in two weeks
• Applications after SAT

     I believe that I am where I need to be academically. I am in the top 25% percent of my class, which is the requirement for where I want to go, and my GPA is acceptable.

     I think that the college I chose, specifically UT Arlington, are the best suited for me. UT Arlington is close to home, and specializes in the field that I wish to go into. For that reason, I do not need to revise my college choices.

College worth the Cost / US Schools v. Other Schools

        1.)   From all of the research that we have conducted, a college degree is not always worth the cost. In some cases it may, but it is also a slippery slope downhill. The effectiveness of the degree can depend on a few factors, the job market, location, and the competition. Getting a degree in a job market that is really booming may make the degree worth the cost. A degree in something like mechanics may not be worth the cost.For starters, you can learn almost all that you need on the job, and wouldn't need to go to college. There is also a large amount of competition for jobs like being a mechanic. All in all, A college degree is worth it, in some cases.

        2.)   According to the research that has been conducted, the U.S. school system in severely lacking compared to other world powers. America has some of the most prestigious colleges in the world, but not the primary or secondary educational system to prepare it's own students for these colleges. Many students are forced to settle for a high school diploma, and not to got to college. In other countries, the primary and secondary curriculum is much more vigorous, meaning that freshmen in Europe are learning some of the things that Seniors are learning here.

My Spring Break

My Spring Break started the Friday before the weekend, My family and I drove down to Lake Jackson to attend my cousin's wedding. We stayed on the beach, but sadly, it was too cold and we could only walk on the beach. After this event, the rest of my break was extremely unproductive, consisting of gaming, watching shows with my family, and delivering 8 puppies.

1.) The most influential person in my life has always been my mother. She has always been there for me and to give me advice when I need it. This may be because she lives with me, but that is beside the point.

2.) I think Mr. Keating says this because he believes that there is some higher purpose to reading and writing poetry. I do not agree, I do, and always think, that poetry is a waste of time.

3.) I agree with Keating in this scenario, that there is always a different point of view, two sides to a story. One must always remember that your view is not always the only one. I do not have a personal story to share at this time.

4.) As of this point in time, I do not really know what my "verse" will be. I only hope that it will be a good one in the coming years.

Dead Poet's Society - More Questions

1.) I believe that Neil would not have killed himself if Mr. Keating had never arrived. If Keating never came, Neil would never have thought for himself and decide to pursue something that he wanted to do, which ultimately led to his death.

2.) I think that the bravest of the boys would have had to been Charlie. It may have been a kind of foolish bravery, but it was definitely there. He stood up for the other boys when all of them were afraid. The boy that displayed the most cowardice would have been Todd, or at least in the beginning. He was really shy and did not want to leave his comfort zone, or participate in activities.

3.) I think that Mr. Keating did, in fact, put the poetry book into Neil's room, as a way to show that he, personally, encouraged them to go and enjoy poetry amongst themselves. I think that he made the comment about how the current staff to off-put and blame that may come onto him if they were caught.

Theme of Dead Poet's Society

 The central theme that is apparent throughout the entire movie is that you need to be an original person and think for yourself. This is first represented by Mr. Keating, when he asks his students to get out their textbooks and read about the poem scale, he tells them to simply tear the pages out. He tells them that they do not need someone, or something telling them how to view a situation, he encourages them be an original person, think for themselves. Keating eventually has them stand on his desk and tells them that everything has a different view to it, there is not just one way to look at something. All of these things, presented by Mr. Keating, are the traits of a free thinker. An individual who has original thoughts, and is not told how to think, as they are free to think for themselves. An example of a student implementing this mindset is Neil. Neil decides to not become the doctor that his father wants him to be, instead, he wishes to pursue a career in acting. There are now confines for the human mind, but only the ones that you put on them.

Dead Poet's Society - Follow Up Character Questions

1.) In my opinion, Todd changed the most throughout the movie. He went from being a shy kid, that had a closed mind to new situations, to being a outspoken, participating individual.

2.) In the movie, a static character would have been the Dean. He was always disapproving of Mr. Keating's new teaching methods, and he did not change his opinion throughout the movie.

3.)Mr. Keating is kind of a static character, as he is the one that changes the students, he doesn't provoke change in himself.

4.) Todd Anderson is extremely shy. He closes himself to the other students by studying almost all the time. Mr. Keating and Neil help him break out of this shell, getting him to partake in things such as the Dead Poet's Society. Neil Perry was afraid of his father. he felt that he always had to do what his father told him, not to think for himself, but Mr. Keating told him that he needs to think for himself, which lead Neil to participate in a school play. Knox Overstreet was afraid of rejection. He eventually overcame this with the help of his friends by calling the girl he liked, and not being rejected. Charlie Dalton did not appear to show any fears, he was always the most daring of the kids. Therefore, he had no fears to over come.

Mona Lisa Smile Questions

Question 1.) In the movie, Mona Lisa Smile, and throughout all of American society at the time, women are looked down upon. Women of the time period were expected to do nothing more than become a housewife. They were expected to behave lady-like, and have proper schooling, but when they married, they were expected to drop everything and become a mother and good wife. One of the girls in the movie got married, and did that exact thing, she began missing a lot of class to be with her husband and to set up their new house.

Question  5.) Betty did, as most other girls at the time, as she was expected to do. She married a well-off man, and missed a lot of class to adjust to her new lifestyle. She son found out that her husband would never have time for her, having to be the man of the house, he was always flying to New York for "big meetings". She quickly realized how unhappy she was and wanted to move in with her mother, who refused to let her stay because it was uncommon at the time to leave and/or divorce your husband. The mother was simply encouraging her to go home, and get over it.

Progressive VS. Strict Teaching

                  There are two major forms of teaching, the first is progressive. Progressive teaching is not defined by any textbook, it is a "free-style" of teaching, so to speak. The second main form of teaching is Strict, or by the book. This style of teaching is extremely well defined, usually following a text book, or syllabus. Progressive teaching allows more rooms for students to think for themselves, ask questions, and learn things in a different way. Whereas Strict teaching is not open for discussion, there are facts, and they are there for you to learn for yourself. This method allows no room for interpretation, as someone has already done that for you. Progressive teaching allows students to draw their own conclusions, and ask questions about areas that they are fuzzy on. Overall, Progressive teaching seems to be the best way to teach for the sake of the children, and Strict teaching seems more geared toward being easier on the teacher.

Mona Lisa Smile V2

                I thought the movie "Mona Lisa Smile" was an acceptable movie to view. My favorite part was when Ms. Watson (Julia Roberts) took all of the students to the warehouse looking place to see an original Jackson Pollock painting. She said that they could leave when they were done, and that the only assignment was that they had to consider the painting. This helped the viewers understand that the girls were starting to open their mind to new ideas, outside of the normal views. I noticed that the "Be like Van Gogh" was a symbol of Ms. Watson. She noted that they were taking a person that thought differently than everybody else, and trying to make them conform the social "norm".

Mona Lisa Smile Predictions

        Obviously having not seen this movie before, I think that this movie will take place in some time where women still did not quite have the social standing that they do today. I think that the main character (Julia Roberts) will help all of the girls at the school realize that they can do anything that they want to do. The movie will start with the main character being the new teacher, and having to become accustom to the learning environment of the school where she is teaching. She will get into a few confrontations with the students that are used to being taught a certain way. She will have to open their minds to new ways of teaching, and new idealologies.

College Exams

I am in dual credit, and therefore have taken a few college level exams. They are much harder than the exams that we are used to in High School. High School test usually are taken right after you cover the material, College tests are not. They are taken after you have covered a lot of material, and they cover all of the material. I find them more difficult, and harder to study for.