Jackie Velasquez-ACAD 103

      Last week was quite busy for me. It was nice to have Monday off from work and get a lot of stuff done around the house. I was very busy at work and going to the library working on my paper. I spent some good time researching in the library looking for research on my topic. I had a hard time coming up with a specific topic for my paper. I knew I wanted to write my paper on Autism  but I wanted a specific topic with solid research. I was pleasantly surprised with the books the library offered on Autism. I had a lot of anxiety coming up to writing the paper. What do you do to help you start writing papers? I began by creating an outline to try and organize my thoughts.        I was inspired to write this paper by the students that I have worked with as a paraprofessional. I have worked as a paraprofessional in classrooms with primarily children with Autism. I have learned a lot from all the teachers I have worked with about Autism, but feel li...

Happy Week 5 everyone! It is hard to believe that we are already more than half way through this course. I look back and realize how much I have improved not only in my writing skills, but also in my proofreading skills. Since the first class I attended I have now carried over what I know in my everyday life. I read bulletins and correct them. I read books and look for errors. I have come to appreciate a less wordy essay. The biggest improvement I have made is writing a clear and concise paper. I can tell that I have made improvements not only by the work that I write, but by the proofreading this week. I was able to point out so many mistakes and omit many words within the essay. We have been critiqued hard on our work, but in doing do Professor Aggen has taught me more than any english teacher has. She has taken the time to explain and show examples which helps me tremendously. I am retaking the TAP test this month and I feel more confident than I have in a while. I have been enr...

     I enjoy taking time out of my day to read for fun. I do spend most of my days commuting to work as well as school. It is hard to find time in my day to sit down and read just for fun. I am trying to get into the habit of reading or listening to my audio book or bible on my phone while I am driving. It is easy for me to come up with excuses of being too tired or busy to find time to read. When I do find some time to read at the end of the night I am so tired that I fall asleep and fail to have any time to read.       Personally my mind is so consumed with other areas of my life that when I do sit down to read it is hard to focus on what I am reading. I will read an entire page and have no recollection of what I read. If I am reading for fun, then it has to be a book that I am interested in. I recently bought a book at the store titled A Whole New World. It is a twist on the story of Aladdin. I am excited to read it because the topic interests me. ...

     This week was a rough one for me. It started well and I thoroughly enjoyed class, and learning more about everyone in the class. When it came time to go back to work I became overwhelmed and found myself struggling to balance what was on my plate. I had a funeral to attend and prior commitments for church all week long. It has always been my downfall to spread myself thin and something I am working on. It is a process to learn to say no in order to prioritize. The end of the week brought rest, and allowed me to rejouvenate myself.      Grammar has always been something I tend to avoid. My biggest fault is second guessing myself. When I took the TAP test the biggest mistake I made was going back after my time was up and looking over and asking myself if it was really correct. It has become so easy to find the easy way out of learning grammar. It is so easy to now open our phones and have spell check on, or just looking up a word. It has been years sinc...

     These last couple of weeks have been very trying for me. I am trying to get into the swing of being back in school after having a few months off and I am also trying to adjust to a new school yes at my job with mostly new staff. It’s been an adjustment for me as well as for our students. Last year I got along well with the teacher I worked with and when I found out she wouldn’t be returning I was very upset. I have learned a lot from her and she has inspired me to be a great teacher one day. She is one of those people that change your life when you meet them. We began the school year will a first year teacher and she was clueless on what to do. I immediately became frustrated, upset, and filled with anxiety. I began looking for new jobs and found myself not enjoying work as much anymore.      With this being said I was stuck in this attitude of complaint and feeling sorry for myself. I noticed how well our students adjusted to a new teacher and saw t...

Hello, My name is Jacqueline Velasquez and I am 26 years old. I wasn't able to be there with you for the first class and get the chance to meet anyone, but I am happy to be apart of this class and learn more about how to improve my writing. I have always struggled with the grammar aspect of writing and hope that this class can help me become a better writer and educator. I am apart of asped 11 and am finishing up classed in order to complete my degree. I am near the end and am excited for what is to come!