Blog Oct. 26, 2015

Prompt: Reflect on first quarter 

            The first quarter went by very quickly. I remember the first day of eighth grade like it was yesterday. I think I have learned and improved a lot this quarter. Coming back from a long summer break can be hard, but I managed to keep everything I learned last year, and bring it to this year. I think the first quarter was a little tough in the beginning, but then as the quarter went on I began to gain back my focus, and started to learn more and more each day. 

            Strategies that have helped me during this first quarter is using my time wisely, and writing down everything I needed done. Last year I struggled to get my work done, because I would always finish it on the last day. This year I did not want to do the same thing again, so I worked a little on different things each day of the week. This has really made a change in my schedule, because instead of staying up late trying to complete my work I have extra time to do other things. Another strategy that has helped me is writing down my homework as a checklist. Having a checklist makes me want to complete everything on it. It also helps me remember what I have to get done. Sometimes I would finish something that I spent a lot of time on, then realizing that I still had to do more things. Writing down things has improved my time management as well, because then I would know how much time I should work on certain things. 

            Reading more has always been something I have wanted to do each year. This quarter I didn't read as much as I would have wanted to do. I still read a good amount of books this quarter, but I would have wanted to read more. Last year I know I read less books in the first quarter than what I have read this year so for, so that is good that I'm reading more. To read more I will have to find the extra time to read, and look for more books I am interested in reading. I think finding more books I am interested in reading will help me read more, because then I will look forward to reading them, and then I will. For the second quarter I would like to read more than I did this quarter. 

            Something's that I have improved from last year is revising my work, and my researching skills. Last year I would only look for spelling errors and other small things. This year I go from sentence to sentence to look for things that don't make sense, or things at can can be improved. I also constantly look for words that can be replaced, so it doesn't sound too boring. This quarter I can tell that my word choice has made a difference in my writing. I think that my researching skills have improved as well. Last year most of the time I would rely on only one website for information. This quarter I have learned to look at multiple websites to see if all the information is right. 

Blog Oct. 14, 2015

Prompt: Describe the theme in your reading

Book: The Boy In the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne 

            There are many themes in the book, but one of them is friendship. Bruno and Shmuel are in two completely different worlds, but share a desire for friendship during the time they are living in. Both of them are living in a difficult and lonely time during the holocaust. Even though they have different circumstances they manage to develop a friendship. The boys both know that if anyone were to find out about their friendship, both of them would be in great trouble. This causes them to keep it a secret throughout the book so far.

            Another theme in the book is human nature. While I was reading the book I was wondering why Bruno's family and so many other Germans can be believers in the Nazi, while Bruno is so compassionate. Both Bruno and Shmuel represent all of the good and kind people in the world. On the other hand the evil in the world are represented by the people like Bruno's father and Lieutenant Kotler.  I noticed that in the book it points out the choice humans have to make regarding how they treat others. On the same note the book also considers people's hesitation to take a stand in the face of difficulties.

            Another one of the many themes in the book is boundaries. The most obvious boundary in the story is the fence that separates Bruno and Shmuel. I think the author made Shmuel seem like a mirror character for Bruno. They were both born on the same day and Bruno even says they are like twins. The main difference between them is that Shmuel is Jewish and Bruno is German and is a member of the oppressing group. In a point of the book Bruno wears the same clothes as Shmuel does everyday. They seem to look very similar even though between the Jews and the Germans they are very different. Showing that even if people are different form others we are all human

Blog Oct. 9, 2015

"Reaching Out"

Diana Almazan 

Too many of us go through life

With the covers over our heads 

We need to 

Reach out

It's funny

What a few words

Of encouragement

Can do 

Sticks and stones can break bones

But words

Can often do worse

They can 

Destroy

The hopeful things

Inside us

We fear

To make ourselves 

Vulnerable  

We need to let the outside air

Beat

On us

But beware

The advice from people

Does not always ward off

Evil