This term, I was able to hone and develop my compentency in writing. Through the years, I found it somewhat difficult to put my thoughts into words. However, through the guidance and help of our Reading and Writing class, I had a better understanding of how to gather my thoughts and fully express them through my writing (the brainstorming and pre-writing lesson particularly helped me in this). Also, through our classes, I have better developed my reading and analyzing skills. Now, I have an easier time to comprehend certain texts and also, better understanding of the topic and thesis statements. So these were how I honed and improved my competencies.
Moreover, I have also improved on my weaknesses with regards to reading and writing. As I've mentioned above, I've had a difficulty in putting my thoughts into writing. Through my reading and writing class, I was able to improve on this thus making it easier for me to write. Also, I've had a difficulty in pinpointing the exact thesis sentence in a paragraph. Though now, I have an easier time in understanding and identifying the thesis sentence within the paragraph. So through all my classes, I was able to improve on these weaknesses.
Finally, I am very happy to have achieved my goal at the start of the term, which is to improve my reading and writing skills. I was able to see this improvement through my grades in the various essays and also, based on my personal observation. With this, I am very grateful and happy for having gone through my RWC class and thankful for my teacher for helping and guiding me through the whole process.
Martes, Abril 3, 2012
Lunes, Abril 2, 2012
Song Review - Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars
Being a Taylor Swift fan, I was happy to hear that she (Taylor Swift) was chosen to sing the song for the official soundtrack of The Hunger Games. However, I was concerned if she could really translate the story of the movie through the song, since her songs are mostly upbeat. To my surprise, she did quite well in the song, "Safe and Sound", and though, it has a sort of dark, mysterious tune to it, she was able to deliver it well. Furthermore, the harmonies done in this song with - her (Swift) and the Civil Wars - were just beautiful. The voices really blended well together thereby adding more depth and emphasis to the lyrics of the song. So, over-all, I was very much happy with the song and so much more proud of my favorite female artist, Taylor Swift.
Source of photo: http://www.jennysunblog.com/images/content/Taylor-Swift-450x321.jpg
Song Review - Give Your Heart a Break by Demi Lovato
I came across this song when Demi Lovato first sang it on an elimination episode of American Idol. Instantly, I fell in love with the song; because not only does it have a nice, upbeat tune but it also tells the nice story (through the lyrics) of a boy, who is scared of falling in love again, but when he finally meets the right girl, he keeps his guard up. It was very creative, though, that this story was told in the girl's perspective, where she expresses her thoughts on their situation saying that he should "give his heart a break" and take a chance on her. Moreover, this was a nice break from hearing break-up songs, since majority of the female artists, nowadays, sing only about having their heart broken unlike in this song, where it talks about opening one's heart to loving again. Finally, I loved how Demi sang it. I could not think of any better female artist that can sing this song with such emotion as she did.
That is why it is for these are the reasons that I loved this song and encourage all of you to listen to it.
Song Review - Better than I know Myself by Adam Lambert
Just a few minutes ago, I listened to Adam Lambert's song - "Better Than I Know Myself." Upon hearing it, I very much loved the song and cannot stop listening to it. First of all, it has a great, catchy tune and is sung very well by Adam Lambert. Though more than that, it sends a hidden message - that we should take care of the ones we love, because sometimes we take advantage of them but in the end, we wouldn't really know what to do if they were gone (as seen through the lyrics of the song). This message is very meaningful and effective in reminding us to know what we have and who we have so we could fully appreciate life. It is for these reasons that I really love the song and encourage all of you to go and listen to it!David Archuleta, not only a Beautiful Voice but a Great Heart
David Archuleta became known when he placed as a runner-up to American Idol winner, David Cook. However, nowadays, he is known by many Filipinos as Josh Bradley in the TV5 mini series "Nandito Ako." Here, he is not only recognized as a celebrity but a good-hearted person as well.
This can be seen in how David countlessly expresses his love for this country and its people, as seen through his various video blogs, his interviews, and even in his book "Chords of Strength". It is very nice to see someone, particularly a foreigner, to show so much appreciation and love for our country. More than that, David exemplifies a genuine friendly attitude and hospitability to his fans. He would really take time to show his appreciation to all those that root for him. Finally, David exemplifies strong conviction and love for his church and his religion. Since his mini series has ended, he is returning to the United States in order to help out in his church. This, in my opinion, shows so much great love because he is willing to put God above all else, which is really what we should all do as believers of God.
Truly, David will be missed, though he has earned a special place in the hearts of his Filipino fans and has earned the love of the Filipino community.
Linggo, Abril 1, 2012
Life = Flute
Just today, I visited my friend's Facebook page. On her wall was this picture:
At first, I found it quite funny that you would compare life to a flute, but upon further reflection, it does make sense. We do have "holes and emptiness" (imperfections, problems, etc.) in our life but it is what we make of them that counts. We can either make "magical melodies" (work with solving our problems for the better) or create horrid sounds (effect of just doing nothing with the "holes and emptiness" of our lives). In other words, this picture tells us that we are, basically, the makers of our own destiny, and that the outcome of it will be solely based on what we did or didn't do in our everyday actions. Therefore, it boils down to one question: do you want a beautiful melody or a disastrous song?
Bullying
Bullying
A poem by the author
Mommy, Daddy!
Look at me now,
Getting all ready
for school without a frown.
Mommy, Daddy!
I'm entering the school,
some kids seem bratty,
looking at me like I'm a fool.
Mommy, Daddy!
help me, I'm hurt
some kids call me "fatty"
and treat me like dirt.
Mommy, Daddy!
they won't stop teasing me.
They're all so nasty.
You'll know when you see.
Mommy, Daddy!
It's too much, I can't take it!
I want to die already,
and sink into a dark pit.
Mommy, Daddy!
goodbye for now.
I can't take any more of these bullies,
though we'll meet again someday, somehow.
The reason why I wrote this poem is 1) to advocate bullying and its effect on people, and 2) to also ask parents to make themselves truly part of their children's lives and now their situation; this will really help their child's situation and help them cope better. So that hopefully one day, we will put an end to bullying.
Teaching, a Vocation and Choice
There is this common saying that "Those who can't, teach." Although, in my opinion, it should be "Those who CAN teach." As I learned from my CWTS teaching experience with the Grade 2 children of the 1K1 Housing Project, in Kasiglahan Village, teaching is a LOT of hard work. First of all, it's very difficult to get the attention of your students. You always have to think of different ways or techniques that will allow you to get their full attention. This, in turn, is very exhausting and somewhat furstrating. Second, I find it very difficult to explain a topic to your students and make them fully understand it. At times, I would think of an explanation in my head but once I open my mouth, the kids would not understand a single word that I just said. In other words, sometimes what you say won't translate to what you originally thought of saying. Lastly, teaching requires an immense amount of patience. After my teaching experience, I truly admire teachers now, who are able to control and understand unruly and rowdy children. So, in my opinion, I find it absolutely wrong for people to say that "Those who can't, teach," which would imply that teaching is just a "back-up plan." Instead, I view choosing a career in the academe, a vocation and a choice, and more importantly, something that should be looked up at and not downgraded. Source of photo: http://www.cksinfo.com/clipart/education/teachers/classroom.png
Remembering my favorite childhood movie - Matilda
When I was around 4 or 5 years old, my parents bought me a VHS copy of the movie, Matilda. From the first time I watched it, I knew it was a movie that I would love to watch again and again. Soon, it became my favorite movie as a child.
One of the reasons why I loved the movie, Matilda, so much was the fact that it was about a little girl, who had special powers. I enjoyed how someone so small could possess such great abilities, and how she used it for good reasons. This sent me the message that even though you're just a small, young girl, you can make a difference in some way. Another reason is that I liked how the movie advocated the importance and benefits of reading. It was seen on how at a young age, she (Matilda) learned to love reading. Growing up, I've never really understood why people loved to read but as the years went by, I started to love reading. In a way, that movie helped me realize my passion for reading books and the importance of it. Finally, the movie showed me hope for the better. At such a young age, Matilda was subjected to a family that doesn't love her and a principal that hurts her. Despite this, life changes for the better when Matilda meets the caring and loving Ms. Honey (her teacher), who loves her and understands her. Through Matilda's experiences, I saw that no matter how bad things get, life will turn around for the better, so don't lose all hope.
It is for all those reasons that the movie, Matilda, became my favorite movie as a child. One day, I hope that younger generations will watch this movie and see the value in it. Who knows? It might end up also being their favorite childhood movie.
Source of photo: http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BNTYxNDEyMDQ1MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODcxMDYyMQ@@._V1._SY317_CR6,0,214,317_.jpg
American Idol contestant - Colton Dixon
For the past few years, I've been watching American Idol. As always, I have a favorite contestant to win the competition. This year, I am rooting for contestant, Colton Dixon, to win.
In addition to his unique and semi-rocker voice, he seems to have a firm and outspoken grasp on his faith. Being a Christian, he is unafraid to show and express what he believes in through his choice of songs and actions. This, in my opinion, is a very redeeming quality for an American Idol, since a real idol should know what he believes in and should not be afraid in expressing it. In other words, they should be fearless, which I think Colton exemplifies. Also, Colton is very expressive when he sings. It seems that he immerses himself in the music he sings, which is a another reason how he could be a good American Idol. Lastly, he sings very well, which is the most important thing in a music centered competition. In short, I believe he would be the perfect American Idol this year and I will continue to root for him throughout the whole season.
Conquering the Dance Floor
Last March 24, the culminating activity was held at the Enrique Razon Sports Center, where Fwdance students gather to perform for their Finals. Being part of Ms. Fernandez's class, I was required to perform the Tango with my partner. Seeing that I have two left feet (figuratively), it sort of freaked me out to know that I will have to perform the Tango with my partner in front of all the Fwdance classes. Though despite my fears, I was able to dance in front of everybody, but it honestly didn't go so well. Even though I practiced many times for this dance, once I performed, I forgot majority of the steps. Due to that, I caused me and my partner to be delayed in dancing. Finally, to top it off, I was positioned near the front of the audience so almost everybody saw my difficulties in dancing. At the time, it was quite mortifying however, I realized something in the end. I realized that even though I messed my dance up, I was still able to conquer my fear of dancing onstage, and I think that matters to me the most, in the long run. Anyways, its the journey that matters more and not the destination. So despite my dance, I was proud of myself and I can definitely say that I have become a better person because of it. Wrath of the Titans Movie Review
Today, I was able to watch the sequel to the film, "Clash of the Titans", entitled "Wrath of the Titans." Having watched the first film and as fan of Greek Mythology , I was very curious to see the turn in events as Perseus (played by actor, Sam Worthington) is called again to save the world. To my surprise, the movie was better than I anticipated it to be. The action scenes were very realistic considering that most of the creatures were created by computer graphics. Also, the story was well-developed. The movie gradually unfolded the story, and it even gave a short recap on what has happened to the characters since the first film thereby showing continuity and consistency. Moreover, I cannot get over the great acting of stars such as Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Sam Worthington, who truly embodied their mythological characters to a deliver believable and very realistic performance. So, over-all, I can definitely say that it was a great film to watch and hope that you will enjoy it as much as I do.
Source of Photo: http://www.comingsoon.net/gallery/65558/Wrath_of_the_Titans_9.jpg
Hunger Games Movie Review
Being a Hunger Games fan myself, I was excited to watch the movie last Saturday with my best friend. I have read all the three books and I was eager to see how this was translated into a movie. To my surprise, the book and the movie were very similar with really little differences. This, in turn, allowed me to enjoy the movie to a greater extent. However, my only concern for the movie would be the wobbly filming. I am not sure if this was an effect on the part of the director but it made it quite difficult for me, as a viewer, to concentrate on the scene and the characters. Though despite that, the movie was quite entertaining to watch and the story of the book was unfolded well. So, I do encourage everyone to watch the movie and see how Katniss' story unfolds!
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