EDU3234 Final Entries

Well to tell you the truth this course was stressful mentally, because I have to produce two academic writing and it really squeeze dry the creative, analytical skills in me. But hey, it was worth it because I have produce two-piece of written paper that I am very satisfy with. I have gone through drafts and drafts and the whole process of trial and error for my assignments, but even though it was “stressful” I think it is a “good stress” because it motivated me to try to do the best that I possibly can, on these two papers. Yes believe it or not, there is such a thing as “good stress”. In fact, good stress even has a name – “eustress” (something every student should learn about =)

Well you have to take what life throws at you and make the best out of it

Well the part of this course I like was during lecture classes and during our presentations of our position paper. I got a lot of input on how to use different kind of material like fables, autobiography, letters and diary as reading materials for students and how to use and adapt these reading texts.

I especially remember how to adapt a Diary as a teaching recourse, because I was the first in class to actually presented an adapted diary as a reading text for students, what I presented was not that good actually the text was ok but my instruction was a bit off and after some correction from Dr. Edwin, I feel I could actually use it when I am teaching. He pointed out how I could get students feedback by way of asking student’s to write a diary, so it was a priceless experience for me. I was the lucky few that got the opportunity to present our work in from of the class.

I actually collected a few of my friends position paper because I think they are interesting to read, they pointed out some interesting points in the text that they are working on. So during our presentation of our position paper, those who are working on interesting topics or texts that of an interest to me, I would ask for a copy from them, so beside my own position paper I have actually a compilations of my friends position paper (on print and in a Floppy disk), but unfortunately not all of them gave me a copy.

To conclude I did a lot of reading in this course that have enrich my mind? Well it definitely opened my mind to use and adapt a variety of text in class. A lot of practical skills was obtain in this course, skills and knowledge that I eventually will need and use, during my teaching. A priceless experience that enriched me as a teacher to be.

To top it all, there is no test for this course at the end of the semester, and I actually score the highest score for the position paper, now that is priceless.

I did some analytical assignments with Dr. Edwin before in my previous few semesters, and I always manage to do well, but to score the highest in the class for the last paper with Dr. Edwin that is priceless. To me I prove that I improve a lot and getting the highest score from Dr. Edwin made it all that wonderful.

Approval

My supervisor couldn’t make it for our meeting yesterday, and out of the six of us only me and two other show up for the meeting , probably because yesterday was the start of the fasting month.

Today however Dr.fauziah had a meeting with all of us and well I was late for class because of this meeting but the good news was that she APPROVE my out-line with some minor clarifications on the points I have work on, but other than that It was all Good.

This Monday I need to past up my research paper on the topic I was doing, so with just some fine tuning to my otherwise completed research paper I am ready to go. Now I just need to work on the cover of the page this weekend shouldn’t be to hard.

The Sample Paper a Life Saver

To be honest, I have the points for my research paper but I really don’t know how to put it in a systematic, presentable way. Luckily for me there was a sample paper given for us to refer to.

When writing my research paper I don’t know how to “kick-start” the paper. I type out my topic and have my out line in my hand, but for some weird reason I was blank on how to go about it? What should I start first? How do I start?
The sample paper helps me get a rough idea on how to go about writing it and I fine it very useful to have when writing my research paper. It helps me focus on what to write first and whenever I got stuck on the way I would refer to it.

The implication for my research paper took me some time to construct it, and if it was not for the sample paper I would probably still be scratching my head thinking, how to do it.

The research paper Feedback?

I have decided not to wait for my supervisor’s feedback on the new out-line of my research paper and start writing out my research paper.

The reason is very simple; I am not going to sit around on a Sunday morning doing noting but wait for her approval first

This research paper is a 3000 words paper, I feel restless just waiting without doing any thing. At first when working on the point for my research paper, I was a bit sceptical about coming up with enough points to do a 3000 words write-up but as I analyse the text more and more point was discovered, what luck for once I feel driven to write a lot maybe it’s because I did so well on my position paper that I hope to do the same with this research paper as well.

Anyway they say the mind is a muscle, the more you work out on it the better it gets. I hope mine is still in optimum state after days of working until the wee late hour of the night.

Do the “feminist” thing

I decided to do the “feminist” reading thing; well I did a Freudian reading for my position paper might as well do some feminist reading. Since she like to stress on how write uses masculine term “man” to represent both gender and all that stuff in class, she would probably enjoy reading how the literary text in the secondary schools actually have these generic term and how women are stereotype in these literary text and how sexist language, sexual bias and all that is found in the secondary school literary text.

This would be my second new out line. She ask me to work on my existing out-line, but I am going to give her a new one that is totally different from the first one I hope she is ok with this. It is quite near to the due date of this research paper better don’t do so much changes and work on more progress.

My first outline

My first outline was rejected. I did something on how teacher should use setting in the two form 5 novel “the Jungle of Hope” and “the Return” and use the cultural setting in the novel and relate it with the students cultural knowledge of the setting to read the novel but, My supervisor said my outline was more like the implication for teaching that we all have to do at the end of the research paper.

She suggested I do material selection of reading text and how setting is to be considered in choosing these texts or some thing similar to that. She even shows me a research paper she did on “ principles of Material Selection in the Teaching of Reading” and asks me to make a copy of it for my reference in doing my research paper. I was very grateful that she was so willing to help me but unfortunately the literary text in secondary schools are “prescribe” by the ministry of education so, I can’t really comment on how they should be choosing the text for the students in secondary schools. It is by the way an academic paper that I am writing and don’t want to sound as if I am anti establishment or anti government.

26 the Date the Score

Today my result on my position paper was out and was I happy with my results. Finally some good news from my position paper. This paper was suppose to be an argumentative paper and I guess my position paper match the description because I argue that the snake is actually a male intruder in the short story the drover’s wife by Henry Lawson. I think my position paper is argumentative because I am not simply describing things in the story but presenting my view that the snake is a male intruder. I was very skeptic about my position paper at first because I needed to write on something very abstract with no hard evidence to support it not to mention that the snake was basically absent most of the time, but with very useful help from my dear Lecturer, I manage to produce a great paper.

I have a friend who was celebrating his friends’ convocation so he bought a bottle of bubbly fruit drink with a fancy bottle, what luck a celebration for all I care I could be drinking Champagne celebrating my result, a two in one celebration. Haha

The presentation

All dress up for my presentation minus the tie but when I got to the class everyone was wearing pretty much the same as they do on a normal day. So hopefully wearing formal will help me look more presentable and increase my credibility as a speaker trying to present a position paper.

Some of my course mates have some very interesting position paper and I really wish I could get a copy of their position paper. While some have some contradicting points and even spelling mistake.

It was the first times that I heard some of my course mates present their points in front. Albert was one of them his presentation seems very confusing to me, don’t really understand what he is trying to say; the text that he has chosen to do his research on was totally unfamiliar to me. Most of my course mate did their research on text that Dr. Edwin has taught us before so it will be easier for me to follow their arguments.
This presentation has been an interesting one beside getting a round of applaud for speaking in front of the class I got some interesting input from my course mates, not really a full presentation of their paper but a sample of what they have to say. This presentation also mark the end of the position paper assessment and hopefully this Monday I will have some good news on my position paper result which consist 30% of my total grade for this course.

See-saw

“There are many ways to describe life, one way I can describe it it’s a see-saw, going up and down.” This is what someone in her online diary wrote and I share her view in some respect.
Today the 19th of September, my Lecture gave our class a sample copy of a research paper by our senior. I just past up my position paper last week and this week I have to start worrying about my Research paper again, just when you start having some fun going up the see-saw you are on your way down again.
This Research paper may prove to be a bigger challenge than my position paper, for my position paper my lecture was kind enough to help me through with my thesis statement and all, but for my supervisor, well not much meeting was conducted and I really don’t know if every thing will go smoothly.
My lecture gave me good advices today, do what your target audience like, or was it write what your target audience like? Don’t quite recall his exact words, but basically I need to put into consideration the target audience “my Supervisor” because I will be writing for them so might as well imagine my self to be a salesmen trying to convince my costumer to bye what I have to sale. In my case my thesis statement and my supporting points.
My supervisor Dr. Fauziah taught me about reading and I learn from her a lot of useful knowledge and terms like prior knowledge and top-down, bottom-up reading skills so it would be the basis for what I will probably be focusing on.
The form five novels is an interesting topic than I wanted to do my small research on. the novels like “the Return” is fill with Indian cultural references, the novel “Jungle Of Hope” rich with Malay culture but the novella “the Pearl” has no Chinese cultural references, strange? And the way in which different state would do different novels I suppose is because places with dense population of a particular ethnicity was put under consideration of distribution of navels so the students prior knowledge, background knowledge must have play a part.
There must be a final section entitle “Implications for Education or Teaching” in my research paper, so if I am doing text already in the syllabus it would be easier to relate to this requirement stated. Hopefully everything go as plan. Than up see-saw I go again haha.

16 September

Tomorrow is the due date for my Reading and Project work, assignment 1. This paper consist of 30% well with some mark allocated for a 5-minute oral presentation which will commence the following Saturday.

I feel liberated; ironically today is also the independent day of my state Sarawak as well. So it’s kind of a double celebration

This assignment has done me good. I learn a lot, from studying on the text I am doing and gaining and learning even more from others who work on different text as well. I plan to compile as much as possible the assignment that my dear course mate is working on. I hope they are kind enough to give me a copy for free.

These assignments may not be from an avid analysis of literary work but they are the end product of hour of hard work, that I feel are worth reading and collecting.

To risk appearing a fool?

The assignment was meant for us to analyse text and produce a decent position paper with a little help from our lecturer, but most of all we were to do some research on the topic we would like to do on, but that is not the case for some of us obviously

Most risk appearing a fool, when they present their ideas on a topic they work on as expected most did badly because this is the first time we are ask to do such academic writing. One can’t really blame us or expect too much, we were unfamiliar with some of the requirements even though we were given sample paper.

The sample paper was a guideline on how we should organize our writing, but it does little in helping us identify if what we have written is suitable or not with our thesis statement. That is why we have a trial presentation of our points orally in class. This helps me identify what topic are they doing on this assignment and their progress beside knowing from my lecturer whether I’m going about my position paper correctly.

It is not a question of how much point you can come up but how suitable and relevant they are with the topic. Some times your point may seem suitable to you but not to the lecturer or simply because your points are repeated or related some how to the previous point you mention earlier.

It’s strange how so many are risking “appearing a fool” and some few never took that risk. There are a few that do the “calculated risk” they are the one that seek lecture for help and guidance. I know someone who literary let lecturer see his/her assignment progress from start to finish, so determine was he/she to “proof-safe” the assignment, to suit the requirement needed that every thing was check out and recheck by their respected lecturer.

How could this students fail or do a wrong, if lecture already look through this “guided” assignment over and over again (no creativity) most ideas would have been from the many meeting they have, can lecturer say the assignment was weak and give a low mark? No, how could they.

These are not week student who seek help but are actually good student that is looking for a sure safe “A” assignment. The calculate risk the smart way

Ironic how the good would look for help
They see lecture at the beginning of the semester for upgrade from –A to A. they see lecture to proof safe assignments, yet they are the strong one the top scorer in class, that to many would believe that they did well because they are smart creative expressive hard working individuals. Are they? Yes they are the smart one.

Not to sound as if I am bitter, it’s ok if you feel that you are not sure and seek guidance but it is another ball game if you “proof safe” your assignment.

I’m on the right tract

After days of sleep less night finally I know I’m headed at the right tract with some help from my lecturer of courses. But I still see some room for improvements to be done and hopefully when I hand up my paper it would be perfect if not approve of. It has been a bumpy sleep less journey with a lot of “hiccups” but I’m glad it turn out good. You get that feeling of satisfaction that is just so hard to describe. My other course mate have some pretty interesting thesis statement as well and I feel like getting a copy from them I ask most of them most of them are shy to give me their paper but most agree as long as I give them a copy of my paper as well, which I think is just fair,
Any way the mid-semester holiday is here and since my position paper is on the right tract I should be concentrating on my research paper from now. Another sleep less night of idea hunting for me.

Late at night

Late at night and I am still working on my thesis statements burning the midnight oil. I heard before that artist took stimulating substance like drugs and alcohol so in the state of half conscious and half unconscious great creative work was produce. A lot of artist also died because of it as well, as for me coffee is my stimulus for ideas the lack of sleep is not really giving me any inspiration (even though I may just be in the state of half conscious and half unconscious) and the lack of time made me even restless
The truth is laying down don’t help me get ideas, standing doesn’t give my big ideas sitting down is not giving me any ideas even jumping up and down will still not going to help get any great ideas on how to do this thesis paper, but hey no way am I giving up without a fight, its just my thesis paper I know everyone else is just as restless as I am I just need to work out how to put my ideas into paper which is easier said than done.

all the things or topic to avoid in a conversation

My position paper has a hint of sexual content a sprinkle of religions issue but luckily no political issue was involve or it would have made up all the things or topic to avoid in a conversation
Last semester when I study the Freudian reading about how anything that's longer than it is wide can be a symbolisation of a male. So the moon and the lake is representation of female, the pillars of the room are male and the walls female. Never did I imagine I would have to use it to support my argument in my position paper. Go to show how you never know what you have learn can be useful and can be applied.
I all come down however in convincing myself that the snake really is a male intrusion in to female space, because if I myself doubt it how am I to fine points for my thesis statement?

Freudian reading phallic symbol and The Garden of Eden

Ah ~!!! My position paper is far from complete “ miles to go before I sleep”
I seems there is more to my position paper then just what I get from the text. More research need to be done on my paper and the title of my blog is among the things I need to look in to
Freudian reading of the text, the snake is a phallic symbol of a male symbol and what the snake or serpent in the famous biblical garden The garden of Eden more or less I need to prove that there is a present of a male in the house represented by the snake who is most of the time not present.
Well I might be able to put these points it into paper but when it’s time for me to present it in front of the class soon, it is going to be…well with all those girls heh it is going to be nerve racking to put my argumentative point across to them Not to sound glum but you got to do what ye gat to do “ there’s not a reason why but to do and die” better start looking for those points quick

The 4 wives and a husband method

What
Where
Who
Why
How
That is how I generate ideas for my thesis points; so far it has not fall me yet. I like this method it kind of guide you to focus on one point at a time so you don’t stress yourself to much on the whole topic but break it into parts and eventually add up as a whole, and hopefully coherent thesis. If you tackle the problem one at a time it some how seems easier for me anyway. Hopefully this can also help me in justifying my point if my lecturer asks me the W-H questions.

The allusive snake

Need those five points for my thesis statement. It’s hard to write about something that you don’t get much textual evident to support. The snake in the Drover’s wife appears and disappears under the house how do you write about something that is absent most of the time in the story? To top it all up I need to some how convince reader that the snake is a male intrusion in to female space (the Drover’s wife)
I thought it would be quicker and easier to look for textual evidence if I choose a short text compare to a novel but unfortunately now it seems that it backfire in a sense that I can’t find any point from the text to actually aid me in my quest for those five points.
Well like what my lecturer said the snake appear and disappear like the absent husband there should be some point I could dig up and I will see what happen this coming Monday, hopefully most of my point are relevant and can be accepted by my lecturer.

finalize

Today we are all supposed to finalize our thesis statement. My previous thesis statement well let’s just say it need some improvement so my first draft of the position paper need to be redo again because the new and improve thesis statement is kind of different from the previous one so now I need to come up with new 5 points to support my new thesis statement hope I can make the ideas coherent and flow smoothly from one paragraph to the next.
Well I consider myself lucky because some of my course mates are still in the dark and hopefully the sample thesis statement which cost $0.30 will help them.
In my opinion they really should stick to text that has been taught by our lecturer and not choose a text that is new simply because if you choose something new our lecturer may not have read or unfamiliar with the story and therefore may not be able to assist us in-depth.

my fan broke down

I finish my position paper, well my first draft anyway. The reason why I did it so quickly is because I was not very comfortable with the text and my thesis statement so if I could let my lecturer go through it I would know whether my thesis is a thumb up or thumb down paper. Well it turn out that my lecturer was unable to attend lecture that day. Well never mind I still have my Research paper to worried about but ironically my fan broke down last night. Now my room is the smallest in the flat apartment (cheapest as well) so you can imagine how hot it would be without a fan and last night of all night to broke down. There was fire problem some where in Putrajaya and it was quite hazy that evening and at night it’s extremely hot and my fan broke down. I couldn’t do anything don’t feel like doing anything and today my fan is still not fix hoping to get it fix as soon as possible or I don’t think I can really concentrate.

The meeting

The meeting with my supervisor went quite well today. The six of us was given a short briefing after our lecture at four o’clock in the afternoon. Roughly we arrange suitable and convenient time to meet with my supervisor, how often do we need to meet her and how I would be nice if we could hand in our work (draft) before our meeting so she can have a look at our progress and give us feed back.
Now my supervisor ask us to look for any literary elements (like irony and metaphor) on any literary text and do a small research on it and basically that is it, with an additional section on our research paper stating how or what is the implications for Education or teaching.
I now have two weeks time to come out with something before I meet my supervisor again and with course mate like Tan and Daya I really need to be prepared. I don’t want to appear lazy and unmotivated to do my research paper now do I?

Meeting with my supervisor next week

It would be nice if we have some example of thesis statement that has been done by our senior as some sort of guidance for us. Not that I want to copy every thing they did, just to get a feel of what is expected of this paper and what are the format of requirements that is require of us.
This course is different from the other courses that I have taken before in a sense that EDU3234 is a Reading and project work, a two in one course. I’m suppose to do my proposal paper and at the same time attend Reading course, so there is a lot of work that need to be done in this paper but if there is any lecturers class that I like to attend it would be Assoc.Prof.Dr.Malachi Edwin’s lecture. He is one of the few lecturers that you walk out of the lecturer hall learning something.
I guess I’m still lucky because this semester I only have 15 credit hours, compare to my other course mate who is taking other extra credit this semester. They will feel the heat of pressure this semester I’m sure of it. Well I’m supposedly to meet with my supervisor next week and I hope everything will go smoothly.

Thesis topic

I need to come up with a thesis statement for my thesis and it’s driving me nut, I don’t know how to actually come up with my own one sentence statement topic.
I don’t actually know what will “work” as a thesis statement. I don’t even know which book or poem to choose from much less come up with a suitable thesis statement. I’m sure there’s a few that share my view. This course for me has a very rocky start and I know this paper is not going to be easy (there are never any easy one) I really need to some how “sprout” out some good potential thesis statement fast so I will at least have some thing to show my supervisor when I meet her on week 3.
The semester holiday have dull and daze my thinking skills really need to boost up my noggin and put on my thinking cap for this Reading and project work paper.