TO: Amy Chastain
FROM: Paige Foster
SUBJECT: English 108
DATE: May 7, 2010
Writer’s Memo
This semester in English 108 I found the work to be fairly easy, but it definitely required me to put in more effort than the English 104 class last semester. I enjoyed a lot of the topics we covered this semester, but I think the basis of English 108 was my problem. It is a research based class, and research papers are the toughest things for me to write. I have trouble usually finding sources that relate to my topic, and then all the MLA rules that I have to follow, really gets my mind off the topic and more on the format.
Using a blog as a tool was pretty neat. It definitely was nice to always go to the classroom blog and see the criteria for the assignments that were due. That was a very big help to me. I like to have something online that I can reference anytime I need, rather than a paper source I am likely to lose. As for blogging myself, I thought it was pretty easy and a nice way to get points. It saves paper, and gives a chance for other students to give you immediate feedback. Overall, the blog was a great idea and a very resourceful tool.
The readings were all very interesting in topics, but some things were hard to relate to like Hip-Hop Revolution or the super rich kids that are discussed in parts of Branded. I definitely learned a lot during this semester. I learned that we live in a “raunch culture” and more and more woman are degrading themselves, I learned that brands affect our everyday lives more than we realize, and marketers will do almost anything to get money, and I learned where hip-hop got its origins and the importance of authenticity.
The papers were, of course, the most difficult part for me. It is mostly my fault because I procrastinate too long and get myself mentally upset over writing the paper. I dread research papers, and honestly I think it is because it requires me to do some research. I can write all day about my personal opinion, but when I have to quote someone else’s, in a certain format, I cringe. I think if I put more effort into my papers this semester they would have turn out 10 times better than they did, but I got down on myself and let them get the best of me. I know I did ok in this class, but I know I could have had an A.
Student led classes were a completely new idea to me, and to be honest, I was really nervous about how I would get up in front of everyone, alone, and teach a subject. However, it was a wonderful experience, and I feel like I did a great job, as well as all the other students in the class. I really enjoyed when they would present. I felt like the student led classes helped me learn more about the readings.
Some things I liked were that you asked us a class how we wanted our papers graded, you were open for conferences at any time, you were flexible and understanding, and you used lots of relevant examples from today to help us understand the readings. I especially enjoyed little video clips and readings that accompanied our discussions.
Overall, I am glad I was required to take this class. It really does teach a lot of skills that people will use in the future. To write, and to write with sources that back up your opinion is a very valuable skill, and I am glad to have learned it. Also, the MLA formatting, while frustrating, is a very valuable thing to have in my knowledge. It gives a research paper structure, and credibility.
Friday, May 7, 2010
TO: Amy Chastain
FROM: Paige Foster
SUBJECT: English 108
DATE: May 7, 2010
Reader’s Response:
Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers
This book, in my opinion, provides a lot of valid information, very relevant to an English 108 class. For the most part, students in English 108 are fresh out of high school, or at least still fairly young. Branded focuses solely on teenagers and how marketing affects them. I think that the facts provided are eye opening and can be useful to a group of young people, such as a 108 class and I would recommend it to them.
Quart explores a lot of issues in this book, but one of the most important for young people to know is that brands literally fill our lives. Before I read this book, I really had no clue how much branding affects my day to day life. For example, branding even affects what college we decide to attend. As discussed in chapter 10 Logo U, kids will go to extreme lengths to be accepted to a “brand name” school. A sixteen year-old named Rick states “The name is important- you need brand recognition, if you want people to know that you are smart, and that’s a serious way of letting them know that” (Quart 152). I honestly can somewhat relate to that, because the fact that Missouri Western is a University, makes me feel like when I get my degree, people will think I am smarter than if I had just attended a state college.
Branding doesn’t just affect our choice of school, but our choice of clothing, make-up, movies, video games, food, and the list is endless. Reading this book will open a young person’s eyes to how the marketers are playing on this “need” to be branded, and cashing in all the way home! It is something that usually just flies under the radar and no one really talks about it, but it was very interesting to see how much brands really do affect me.
I was an English 108 student this semester and I feel that I know what people around my age are interested in. Branded will encourage students to write about the deep emotional issues involved in branding such as body branding (plastic surgery) or schools for sale (companies contracting schools), and also some of their personal experiences. I think that there is a lot to discuss with this book, and 108 students could definitely explore other sources that discuss the same issues.
FROM: Paige Foster
SUBJECT: English 108
DATE: May 7, 2010
Reader’s Response:
Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers
This book, in my opinion, provides a lot of valid information, very relevant to an English 108 class. For the most part, students in English 108 are fresh out of high school, or at least still fairly young. Branded focuses solely on teenagers and how marketing affects them. I think that the facts provided are eye opening and can be useful to a group of young people, such as a 108 class and I would recommend it to them.
Quart explores a lot of issues in this book, but one of the most important for young people to know is that brands literally fill our lives. Before I read this book, I really had no clue how much branding affects my day to day life. For example, branding even affects what college we decide to attend. As discussed in chapter 10 Logo U, kids will go to extreme lengths to be accepted to a “brand name” school. A sixteen year-old named Rick states “The name is important- you need brand recognition, if you want people to know that you are smart, and that’s a serious way of letting them know that” (Quart 152). I honestly can somewhat relate to that, because the fact that Missouri Western is a University, makes me feel like when I get my degree, people will think I am smarter than if I had just attended a state college.
Branding doesn’t just affect our choice of school, but our choice of clothing, make-up, movies, video games, food, and the list is endless. Reading this book will open a young person’s eyes to how the marketers are playing on this “need” to be branded, and cashing in all the way home! It is something that usually just flies under the radar and no one really talks about it, but it was very interesting to see how much brands really do affect me.
I was an English 108 student this semester and I feel that I know what people around my age are interested in. Branded will encourage students to write about the deep emotional issues involved in branding such as body branding (plastic surgery) or schools for sale (companies contracting schools), and also some of their personal experiences. I think that there is a lot to discuss with this book, and 108 students could definitely explore other sources that discuss the same issues.
TO: Amy Chastain
FROM: Paige Foster
SUBJECT: English 108
DATE: May 7, 2010
Reader’s Response:
Hip-Hop Revolution: The Culture and Politics of Rap
This book, to me, was a very difficult read. While it provides a great historical timeline of how hip-hop has developed and all the controversy surrounding it, I just don’t feel it is appropriate for an English 108 class to study. I guess my justification of this is only because of the language used to write the book. The author, Jeffery O. G. Ogbar uses too many words to make a statement and the words are often beyond a 108 level. For example, a sentence that I randomly pulled out of chapter two reads “The era of the art’s birth bears great responsibility to the oppositional culture that remains the cornerstone of hip-hop, which was largely an extension of the Black Power movement that waned as hip-hop crystallized among urban youth” (Ogabr 38). Honestly, I don’t understand the message that sentence is trying to convey. I definitely got lost in all the words and had trouble finding meaning. I don’t feel like I am below average for a 108 student, so I would guess that many other students in the same class would feel the same way as I did. Even as a professor you acknowledged this because you posted a word bank on the classroom blog, that could help us along with our reading.
The content itself is valuable. While I can’t really relate a lot of it to myself, I can see why a research class would find this information useful. If the message was communicated in a simpler way, then I would probably recommend this book, but I just think that 108 students will feel alienated with this book, as I did, and struggle a bit.
Basically, if a 108 student can get through reading Hip-Hop Revolution, I doubt they will have the want or ability to write about and explore the issues in this book. I know I found paper two the hardest to write, because I was so frustrated with the book, that I sort of gave up on reading it. The only reason I picked a topic for my paper was because you gave us ideas on the blog. Without your help, I would have been lost. I just do not feel 108 students are ready for this book.
FROM: Paige Foster
SUBJECT: English 108
DATE: May 7, 2010
Reader’s Response:
Hip-Hop Revolution: The Culture and Politics of Rap
This book, to me, was a very difficult read. While it provides a great historical timeline of how hip-hop has developed and all the controversy surrounding it, I just don’t feel it is appropriate for an English 108 class to study. I guess my justification of this is only because of the language used to write the book. The author, Jeffery O. G. Ogbar uses too many words to make a statement and the words are often beyond a 108 level. For example, a sentence that I randomly pulled out of chapter two reads “The era of the art’s birth bears great responsibility to the oppositional culture that remains the cornerstone of hip-hop, which was largely an extension of the Black Power movement that waned as hip-hop crystallized among urban youth” (Ogabr 38). Honestly, I don’t understand the message that sentence is trying to convey. I definitely got lost in all the words and had trouble finding meaning. I don’t feel like I am below average for a 108 student, so I would guess that many other students in the same class would feel the same way as I did. Even as a professor you acknowledged this because you posted a word bank on the classroom blog, that could help us along with our reading.
The content itself is valuable. While I can’t really relate a lot of it to myself, I can see why a research class would find this information useful. If the message was communicated in a simpler way, then I would probably recommend this book, but I just think that 108 students will feel alienated with this book, as I did, and struggle a bit.
Basically, if a 108 student can get through reading Hip-Hop Revolution, I doubt they will have the want or ability to write about and explore the issues in this book. I know I found paper two the hardest to write, because I was so frustrated with the book, that I sort of gave up on reading it. The only reason I picked a topic for my paper was because you gave us ideas on the blog. Without your help, I would have been lost. I just do not feel 108 students are ready for this book.
TO: Amy Chastain
FROM: Paige Foster
SUBJECT: English 108
DATE: May 7, 2010
Reader’s Response:
Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture
In my opinion, this was the best book of the entire semester. It was very easy to read, and brought up so many issues with our society today. I would definitely recommend this book to another 108 class because I feel that there are so many things that a 108 student could explore, and write a research paper about.
Being an English 108 student this semester, I know how difficult it is to have to read a book that is confusing or that doesn’t relate to you, and then on top of that, write a paper over it. Female Chauvinist Pigs has a wide array of topics to choose from. An English 108 student could choose to write about the “raunch culture” we have come to live in, or how feminism has changed over the years. How about focusing on chapter five “Pigs in Training”? That chapter brings up very important facts about how the young girls in this society are being shaped. Many papers could be written on chapter four “From Womyn to Bois” and the controversies with the transgender and gay communities. The list could go on and on about topics to explore and write about in this book. That is why it is so valuable to a research based class.
This book is also an eye-opener as Branded was. It pointed out things that go on in front of our faces everyday, which seem to go unnoticed. It showed me that feminism is important, and that women are still being degraded, or more so, degrading themselves. It taught me all the different types of feminists (radical, sex-positive, ect.) and how graphic our culture has become. Basically, and English 108 student can learn a lot from this book, and could explore many of the topics discussed.
FROM: Paige Foster
SUBJECT: English 108
DATE: May 7, 2010
Reader’s Response:
Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture
In my opinion, this was the best book of the entire semester. It was very easy to read, and brought up so many issues with our society today. I would definitely recommend this book to another 108 class because I feel that there are so many things that a 108 student could explore, and write a research paper about.
Being an English 108 student this semester, I know how difficult it is to have to read a book that is confusing or that doesn’t relate to you, and then on top of that, write a paper over it. Female Chauvinist Pigs has a wide array of topics to choose from. An English 108 student could choose to write about the “raunch culture” we have come to live in, or how feminism has changed over the years. How about focusing on chapter five “Pigs in Training”? That chapter brings up very important facts about how the young girls in this society are being shaped. Many papers could be written on chapter four “From Womyn to Bois” and the controversies with the transgender and gay communities. The list could go on and on about topics to explore and write about in this book. That is why it is so valuable to a research based class.
This book is also an eye-opener as Branded was. It pointed out things that go on in front of our faces everyday, which seem to go unnoticed. It showed me that feminism is important, and that women are still being degraded, or more so, degrading themselves. It taught me all the different types of feminists (radical, sex-positive, ect.) and how graphic our culture has become. Basically, and English 108 student can learn a lot from this book, and could explore many of the topics discussed.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Project Proposal 4
For paper 4 I am going to revisit paper 1. In paper 1 I discussed young girls getting plastic surgery and how it is a bad decision and often done for the wrong reasons. The text I plan to create is a biography of Heidi Montag. I plan to target young women ages 12-25 in America. I want to stress the importance of self-esteem and loving yourself for who you are. Heidi Montag is a perfect example because she was once a naturally beautiful girl, who became a reality TV star. She started with getting breast implants and once she became more and more successful, the surgeries multiplied. She was reported on having 10 surgeries in one day, and this is something she is proud of. The reasons behind these surgeries are all body image related. She does not view herself as the world sees her and I feel that is a significant problem for a lot of young women in this country. I want to use her as an example for young girls of what not to do. I am going to reveal some psychological issues as well as body image issues. I plan to also include before and after pictures and discuss her emotions as she has gone through this process as well her friends and families reactions.
Feminism Interview
For the interview I asked three of my co-workers. A girl named Ashlee who is 21. She is a college student and a mother. A guy named Trevor who is 19 and also a college student. And a woman named Gail who is in her 50’s and she is also a mother of 3. I found that they had very different answers, but there was some common ignorance between all of them.
Interview Questions
1. What is feminism?
2. Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why of why not?
3. What are women’s issues and interests that feminists would be considered with?
4. What stereotypes do others categorize feminists?
5. Is there a need for feminism today? Why of why not?
Ashlee
1. Women that fight for the rights of other women
2. No, because she doesn’t get involved with feminism and honestly doesn’t really care.
3. Equal rights in sports or work
4. Cocky, over-confident
5. No, because things are pretty much equal between men and women
Trevor
1. Women being defensive about their place in society
2. No, because he doesn’t look at women as any less equal to men
3. Workman’s rights, job roles, political positions, voice in politics, and overall equality with males
4. Lesbians, female talk show hosts, women who work in the same field as males (ex: factories), women politicians
5. No, due to the fact that women are capable for applying for and getting any job a man can. Feminism should be a thing of the past because of the great strides women have made.
Gail
1. Women’s rights
2. Yes, because when she was younger she “burned her bra”- her mother was actually going into the workforce when it was very uncommon
3. Equal treatment issues, freewill
4. Menopause makes women crazy
5. Yes, so we can be treated more equally, because we still aren’t.
Overall, none of them seemed to be overly confident on the subject and depending on what type of demographic they fell under pretty much determined their beliefs and assumptions.
Interview Questions
1. What is feminism?
2. Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why of why not?
3. What are women’s issues and interests that feminists would be considered with?
4. What stereotypes do others categorize feminists?
5. Is there a need for feminism today? Why of why not?
Ashlee
1. Women that fight for the rights of other women
2. No, because she doesn’t get involved with feminism and honestly doesn’t really care.
3. Equal rights in sports or work
4. Cocky, over-confident
5. No, because things are pretty much equal between men and women
Trevor
1. Women being defensive about their place in society
2. No, because he doesn’t look at women as any less equal to men
3. Workman’s rights, job roles, political positions, voice in politics, and overall equality with males
4. Lesbians, female talk show hosts, women who work in the same field as males (ex: factories), women politicians
5. No, due to the fact that women are capable for applying for and getting any job a man can. Feminism should be a thing of the past because of the great strides women have made.
Gail
1. Women’s rights
2. Yes, because when she was younger she “burned her bra”- her mother was actually going into the workforce when it was very uncommon
3. Equal treatment issues, freewill
4. Menopause makes women crazy
5. Yes, so we can be treated more equally, because we still aren’t.
Overall, none of them seemed to be overly confident on the subject and depending on what type of demographic they fell under pretty much determined their beliefs and assumptions.
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