TWU, Denton
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Ohio USA. 23-24 October, 2008
You always say the most beautiful picture is the picture which my heart felt. Yeah...you are right. Thank you for such a great instruction.
my herohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h02uEOWxGI8
Monday, September 29, 2008
Little artists: Diary No.3
I especially thank you to all preschool children in 2-3 years old classroom. All of you are my little teachers and your innocuousness is my first reward of the day. I greatly appreciate Mu-Chia Chen for your friendship and educational support, Jerry and his wife, Merrilyn, for their generosity, and for introducing me to the real world of toddlers.
Purpose
Purposes of the third academic diary are to record experiences I had during the course of the semester which providing me with real-life contact with a group of preschool children in a multicultural setting, and to understand early childhood development. I spent two occasions each time hours for three hours of unobtrusive observation in the classroom at Children Learning Center at Denton Bible Church.
Describing of participants and Children Learning Center
On the Sunday morning, the 8th, and the 15th June in summer 2008, I went to the Denton Bible Church and filled out the volunteer application form, and I was interviewed about my purpose to be a volunteer at the Children Learning Center. I started working as a day care volunteer in the same day. I had an opportunity to work and observe the two to three years old preschool classroom. The main purpose of Children Learning Center is to provide a service for parents while they were attending Denton Bible Church activities meanwhile children spent time in classrooms to focus on preparing for the preschool. Parents can bring children to school classrooms at 8 am. and can pick them up at 10 am. for the first round, or second round at noon. There were five boys and six girls. Most of the boys are taller than girls but girls are more social than boys. Some of them still felt asleep and did not want to talk or interact with peers in class. There are four volunteers including me. The ratios of staff and toddlers is 2:1. All equipments were appropriately provided for fitting children’s size; rounded table, chairs, toys, stationeries
and children’s book collection. Diverse class activities were separated into two parts, classroom activities and outside classroom which would support gross motor skill being developed through everyday such as jumping, tip toeing and fine motor skills such as drawing, painting.
Discussion
Primarily, what I have found from this observation is that children development is a universal process which means children in the same age have the same growth patterns even though they were born in different geographic areas, and cultural settings. The analysis of this observation showed the toddler’s artistic expression. As Berger (2008) stated that during this play year, physically children grow bigger and stronger. Cognitively, children are imaginative and creative and all forms of artistic expression blossom during childhood. During the observation period, drawing was prompted for children to draw for their “daddy” in occasion of the father day on the 21st of June 2008. Children’s artworks were drawn as the following pictures; They used solid colors such as black, red, green, yellow, and blue. Children’s drawings were in the scribbling stage which expressed the simple records of enjoyable and kinesthetic activity, not attempts at portraying the visual world (Lowenfeld, 2008) Children’s artwork connected to their unique perception and cognition. Also I found that toddlers in my classroom were able to follow two- or three phrase commands, helped to organized toys, sort objects by shape and color, and imitate the actions of volunteers. Based upon this observation, I realized that safety is the most important issue for children in this age. Teachers, parents and caregivers should closely pay attention to children’s safety for example, by encouraging toddlers not to put pencils or crayons in his mouths when coloring or drawing, and checking toys often for loose or broken parts.
In sum, children in 2-3 years old or play years developed physically and cognitively. They grew up bigger and stronger. They can run for pleasure, feed themselves draw line and spiral, can follow short-three phrase commands, and they had a short attention. Parents, caregivers, and people surrounded them should provide a safe environment and creative activities that support their growth.
References
Berger, K.,S.(2008). The Developing Person Through he Life Span. 7th ed. New York :
Worth Publisher.
Lowenfeld, V, & Edward,B. (2008). Drawing Development in Children. Retreived
June 25, 2008, from http://www.learningdesign.com/Portfolio/
Purposes of the third academic diary are to record experiences I had during the course of the semester which providing me with real-life contact with a group of preschool children in a multicultural setting, and to understand early childhood development. I spent two occasions each time hours for three hours of unobtrusive observation in the classroom at Children Learning Center at Denton Bible Church.
Describing of participants and Children Learning Center
On the Sunday morning, the 8th, and the 15th June in summer 2008, I went to the Denton Bible Church and filled out the volunteer application form, and I was interviewed about my purpose to be a volunteer at the Children Learning Center. I started working as a day care volunteer in the same day. I had an opportunity to work and observe the two to three years old preschool classroom. The main purpose of Children Learning Center is to provide a service for parents while they were attending Denton Bible Church activities meanwhile children spent time in classrooms to focus on preparing for the preschool. Parents can bring children to school classrooms at 8 am. and can pick them up at 10 am. for the first round, or second round at noon. There were five boys and six girls. Most of the boys are taller than girls but girls are more social than boys. Some of them still felt asleep and did not want to talk or interact with peers in class. There are four volunteers including me. The ratios of staff and toddlers is 2:1. All equipments were appropriately provided for fitting children’s size; rounded table, chairs, toys, stationeries
and children’s book collection. Diverse class activities were separated into two parts, classroom activities and outside classroom which would support gross motor skill being developed through everyday such as jumping, tip toeing and fine motor skills such as drawing, painting.
Discussion
Primarily, what I have found from this observation is that children development is a universal process which means children in the same age have the same growth patterns even though they were born in different geographic areas, and cultural settings. The analysis of this observation showed the toddler’s artistic expression. As Berger (2008) stated that during this play year, physically children grow bigger and stronger. Cognitively, children are imaginative and creative and all forms of artistic expression blossom during childhood. During the observation period, drawing was prompted for children to draw for their “daddy” in occasion of the father day on the 21st of June 2008. Children’s artworks were drawn as the following pictures; They used solid colors such as black, red, green, yellow, and blue. Children’s drawings were in the scribbling stage which expressed the simple records of enjoyable and kinesthetic activity, not attempts at portraying the visual world (Lowenfeld, 2008) Children’s artwork connected to their unique perception and cognition. Also I found that toddlers in my classroom were able to follow two- or three phrase commands, helped to organized toys, sort objects by shape and color, and imitate the actions of volunteers. Based upon this observation, I realized that safety is the most important issue for children in this age. Teachers, parents and caregivers should closely pay attention to children’s safety for example, by encouraging toddlers not to put pencils or crayons in his mouths when coloring or drawing, and checking toys often for loose or broken parts.
In sum, children in 2-3 years old or play years developed physically and cognitively. They grew up bigger and stronger. They can run for pleasure, feed themselves draw line and spiral, can follow short-three phrase commands, and they had a short attention. Parents, caregivers, and people surrounded them should provide a safe environment and creative activities that support their growth.
References
Berger, K.,S.(2008). The Developing Person Through he Life Span. 7th ed. New York :
Worth Publisher.
Lowenfeld, V, & Edward,B. (2008). Drawing Development in Children. Retreived
June 25, 2008, from http://www.learningdesign.com/Portfolio/
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
A Green Thumb Man: Diary No.2
Acknowledgement
I gratefully express special appreciation for Marty who has contributed to this academic diary through his time, his benevolence, his frank conversation, and his faith of spirituality.Specifically, his practical examples for practicing to pronounce “V” VS “W”, “R” VS “L”, and “Ch” VS “Sh” sounds.
Purposes of the second academic diary are to record experiences I had during the course of the semester provides me with real-life contact in the human and to gain insight into the
development of a man during adulthood life span. It was almost three year for unobtrusive observation and six hours for formal interviews was used to collect data. I spent two hours, each time, with the participant for the formal interview.
Describing of the participant
I met Marty while I was walking pass his backyard to school in the morning of the fall 2005. Two impressive pictures of this early fifty man with glasses, seventy one inches tall, slim figure, white vest, short pants, and sport shoes who always plants, waters, prunes, and works in the garden, also his well decorated and peaceful garden vividly appears in my memory when I think about Marty. I may magnify that Marty’s garden is a symbolization of his spiritual practice and discovery. On 25 February 1955, Marty was born into a simple and a small community surrounded by farmland, in Minnesota. Most of his neighbors were blue-collar workers. His father was a factory worker, and his mother was a service worker. He has eight siblings; six brothers and two sisters. Marty is the middle child. He recognized that his parents worked very hard, they led by example, they seldom argued to each other. He impressively narrated a play about his childhood, playing baseball, football, sledding and toboggan with his siblings. He loved walking in the woods and exploring the environment around him. “War” was his favorite game to play with his high school friends. They had to divided into two teams, and had to try and catch people from the opposite side. They ran, and they enjoyed playing that game all day long. He received his BA. in Business. He started his career in commercial construction which he worked for five years, before becoming a fire man until now. He has been married to a very sweet young lady who he met her in the Church for twenty three years; they had no child. Throughout their marriage, they havedemonstrated great affection for each other after year of familiarity. When love traveled to the end of the road, they made a decision to divorce in 2005. Currently, he is a celibacy man, with no linking relationship, and no intimacy. Spiritual life is his final destination which is over physical needs. In a religious context, he defines himself as a believer, Christian’s faith is his spiritual introduction. He has questioned whether or not there is more than one way to get spiritual life. In Marty’s view, people have to experience in the real sense to understand spirituality. Since he is a hardworking person, his phobia is an immobilization.
Discussion
Marty’s observation analysis illustrates a wide perspective of a man’s life span from middle childhood through adulthood. As social-cognition theorists proposed that the most of a child’s learning comes from his actively imitating or modeling what he sees and hears other people say and do (Thomas, 2005, p. 150). Based upon this theory, I respectfully would like to say that Marty became a good human being because his parents were good models, and he has observed and learned reciprocal actions from people that surrounded him. On other words, Marty’s childhood memory reflected how children’s environment affected traits in their adulthood. Aging is an important sign to show how a person’s growth stops. Marty still looks strong and healthy because he is a vegetarian which implies that he eats more nutritious food. He gets regular physical and mental exercise by gardening. There are visible age-related changes seen from Marty’s physical appearance such as his skin has become thinner and drier, he is less flexible,
wrinkles around the eyes, his hair has turned grayer and is thinning (Berger, 2008, p.528)
Following Atchley’s phase of retirement, Marty is in a remote phase because he has very little awareness, and he has prepared a plan and activity for his retirement already. I can predict Marty will be classified as the “happy well” elder because he has already followed Vaillant’s suggestions such as get regular exercise, avoid being overweight, be future-oriented, get an education, empathize with others, and being active with other people.
In conclusion, I gain a realistic experience about the human life span by using research methodology and applying human developmental theories to analyze and understand individual’s development.
References
Berger, K. (2007). The Developing Person through the Life Span. 7th ed. New York: Worth Pub.
Thomas, R, M. (2005). Comparing Theories of Child Development. 6th ed. CA: Wadsworth.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Reflection of Life: Diary no.1
This academic diary is to keep a record of experiences I had during the course of the semester provides me with real-life contact in the human developmental process. Unobtrusive observation and semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. These
observations were analyzed based on the nature and nurture, psychoanalytic theory, and theory
of love.
Describing of the participants
Jousef and Oscar are Arabic siblings in a religious and conservative family with six boys and seven girls. Their parents ran a business before they migrated to United States from their country of origin in the Middle East. Jousef is twenty seven years old, sixty nine inches tall, male, and single. After receiving his BS in Applied Science. He worked as a scientist in a government sector. Now he is working on his Master degree in Chemistry, then he will continue his study to obtain a Ph.D. in the same area. “Learning from the mistakes of others” is his life philosophy. For recreation, he loves hiking, music and outdoor activities. He wants to become a politician.
Describing of the participants
Jousef and Oscar are Arabic siblings in a religious and conservative family with six boys and seven girls. Their parents ran a business before they migrated to United States from their country of origin in the Middle East. Jousef is twenty seven years old, sixty nine inches tall, male, and single. After receiving his BS in Applied Science. He worked as a scientist in a government sector. Now he is working on his Master degree in Chemistry, then he will continue his study to obtain a Ph.D. in the same area. “Learning from the mistakes of others” is his life philosophy. For recreation, he loves hiking, music and outdoor activities. He wants to become a politician.
Oscar is twenty eight years old, seventy three inches tall, male and in a relationship. He is the fifth out of fourteen. He finished two BAs in French and Arabic from France. Currently he is
working on Master degree in French. He plans to graduate next year. Recently, he has been teaching French classes for undergraduate students which definitely supports his ambition to become a linguistic teacher. His faith tells him to be a hard working person.
Discussion
I had known my participants for a while because one is my marathon running trainer and other is my good friend; therefore, I have more than four hours to observe how they behave and plus four intensive hours as a process of my diary. These observations enhance my analysis become trustworthy. Even though this analysis might not represent the pattern of human development and behavior for all men who are in the same age. It presents rough picture of young adults in some aspects such as nature and nurture, personality development, and their love relationships. For the similarity, these two young men have almost the same physical appearance, such as eye color, skin color, height, body type, and weight. I was also surprised when I found that they had many things in common in their personality such as their laugh seem to echo each others, the beverage they like and how they spend their money. No doubt all of those common characteristics result from mutually share genes.
working on Master degree in French. He plans to graduate next year. Recently, he has been teaching French classes for undergraduate students which definitely supports his ambition to become a linguistic teacher. His faith tells him to be a hard working person.
Discussion
I had known my participants for a while because one is my marathon running trainer and other is my good friend; therefore, I have more than four hours to observe how they behave and plus four intensive hours as a process of my diary. These observations enhance my analysis become trustworthy. Even though this analysis might not represent the pattern of human development and behavior for all men who are in the same age. It presents rough picture of young adults in some aspects such as nature and nurture, personality development, and their love relationships. For the similarity, these two young men have almost the same physical appearance, such as eye color, skin color, height, body type, and weight. I was also surprised when I found that they had many things in common in their personality such as their laugh seem to echo each others, the beverage they like and how they spend their money. No doubt all of those common characteristics result from mutually share genes.
As we discussed in class, nurture influences people behavior and can be observed precisely from their behaviors are totally different. Jousef has developed a sense of protection and responsibility. He learned how to deal with other people in various strata of society such as coworkers, friends, and family members. He love to take care of others and it reflects how his environment shapes his behavior. I referred to the psychoanalytic theory to explain Oscar’s behavior. He rejects food, people, has headaches, seems depressed, is suspicious of people, has self-isolating behavior, and prefers linking love-relationship. Based on Freud’s proposal of the unconscious, this young man acted this way to dealt with a distressing or unsolved problem early in his life. He must have experienced significant pain. He tried to escape from unresolved issues by attempting to push distressing thoughts out of consciousness.
Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement
I send a heartfelt thank you to “Oscar” who is rigid but supportive, especially “Jousef” for always being there for me, your generous spirit, and your warm heart.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
For My Brother's Wedding
16 years ago, you took your girlfriend to have dinner with our family.
Brother: Alek... do you like her?
Me: ask your heart..To me, if you like her, I feel the same.
Brother: Alek...I love her.
Me: Let her know how much you love her....
6 months ago
Brother: Alek.. I will marry.
Me: When?
Brother: 13 July 2008
Me: Love her for the rest of your life.
Congratulation my brother.....
Friday, July 11, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
It's not only dancing
Love destination is not only wedding dancing. You would practice dancing for your wedding party but you would not practice marrying someone until you really feel.
Here is your "freedoom", "faith", "ambition", and your world, please accept this special gift that I intentionally return it to you. Somedays you will definitely understand what I try to tell you.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Love My Rifle More Than You
Woman in Army....
"Sometimes, even now, I wake up before dawn and forget I am not a slut...I lie absolutely still, trying to will myself to rememebr that that is not what I am......What's the difference between a bicth and slut? A slut will fuck anyone, a bitch will fuck anyone but one." So if she's nice or friendly, outgoing or chatty--she is slut. If she's distant or reserved or profession--she 's a bitch."
and more...
"Their eyes on you all the time, your breasts, your ass--like there is nothing else to watch, no sun, no river, no desert, no mortars at night.....If you're woman in the army, it doesn't matter so much about your looks. What counts is that you are female"
Williams, Kayla. Love my Rifle More than You: Young and Female in the U.S. Army. 2005
My viewpoint:
Aside from unforgotten memories, a nightmare about battle, blood, wrong killing, death, bomb, humiliation, torture, and sexual abuse what women soldier deserve to be rewarded for their honor.
At least all gentle men, would you please bow to your woman and love her as you love yourself?
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Where I belong
Someone asked me why did I walk among the heat on Sunday afternoon? I just smiled without saying even one word. I don't want to explain as long as I have a good answer for my own question. Myself, everything I have done because of my heart requested. It was really stupid but it is still OKAY if I didn't make people get hurt or take ugly advantages from them.
This afternoon my heart led my feet to find a place where I belong. For the other people, they might look for a luxurious place. Only a small, simple, and peace corner nearby the window somewhere is more than enough for me. I spent sometimes, sat and looked at the sky. It has a different blue this moment. I love you "Sky" since you are my true friend, we never will break up, and we never say good bye. You are always there for me, your warm lap can stop my tear drops and my weaknesses, also you never limited my imagination and my passion to paint a million piece of artworks on this splendid canvas.
Somehow I found my own spot to fulfill my spiritual life in everywhere I have been. This is how I connect "Peacefulness and Happiness"
"Honey", how do you define "Happiness"? and Where is your place and your ultimate destination? Only yourself who would know what is the shape of your heart.
Friday, July 4, 2008
In a silent mode
During these days I compare myself as a loyal slave to time, wave, and the endless desire. Time is my powerful Boss who always give a me a sharp command. He always say "right now", "immidately", "on time", "do it faster, you are too slow", and "it is too late, man!!!". Wave is my second boss, trainner, and my superb assistant. She perfectly controlled me, she is rigid, heartless but she is very supportive. She give me an effective communication electronic devices, real time entertainment channels, and an adult's playground in the cyberspace. Finally, I can say that the endless desire is my loathsome boss, at the same time you are an infleuntial leader to push me to do the right thing, the great thing, make differences, and change the world. To be honest, I hate you sometimes because you always demand a high standard, a productive results, countless efforts, dedication and committment. Moreover every single days, you give a lesson to be a tough, rude, selfish, indifferent, competitive, tricky, arrogant, and greedy person.
Since today is an independence day, I don't want to negotiate and compromise. I declare that I must reconstruct my broken life. If you don't allow me to quit, I will escape. Don't investigate where I am, let me to be myself and spend my own time in a silent mode.
Since today is an independence day, I don't want to negotiate and compromise. I declare that I must reconstruct my broken life. If you don't allow me to quit, I will escape. Don't investigate where I am, let me to be myself and spend my own time in a silent mode.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Route no. 5, Peach Street
As a student, taking bus to school is my choice. It did not matter if I had to take a long time to wait for the bus. To me, Route no. 5 represents a fragile relationship of people in this society. As someone said "thing comes and goes." I met different people day by day and season by season. Young men, young ladies and elders waited for the bus. We are a stranger for each other. Short chatting reflects diverse perspectives of life because of their experiences, beliefs, destination, and philosophy of life. For young people, the bus would take them to earn expected degree for the better life, on the other hand the bus would take elders to find the spiritual destination. It is a realistic of life illustration.
I salute all of brave travelers because "you are my first reward of the day"
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Impressive dedication
This dedication from the dissertation entitled "Edulogging: Instruction for the Digital Age Learner" by Jeffrey P. Felix, University of California (2007)
He wrote to his wife "To Debbie--you have been my friend, lover, soul mate, and wife for the past 31 years...........Without you I have no dreams, no reason to wake from sleep, no desire to start the day. You are the beat of my heart, the breath of my being. Thank you for making this dream come true and holding me up every step of the way"
Even though I never met you in person, I just would like to let you know that I enjoy reading your dissertation and I admire your endeavor.
He wrote to his wife "To Debbie--you have been my friend, lover, soul mate, and wife for the past 31 years...........Without you I have no dreams, no reason to wake from sleep, no desire to start the day. You are the beat of my heart, the breath of my being. Thank you for making this dream come true and holding me up every step of the way"
Even though I never met you in person, I just would like to let you know that I enjoy reading your dissertation and I admire your endeavor.
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