Jackie Velasquez-ACAD 103

      It is hard to believe that 8 weeks have gone by so quickly. I came into the class with doubts that my writing would improve. I have always done well organizing my thoughts except when it came to grammar. It has been over 10 years since I have had an in depth explanation of the rules of grammar. Not many teachers take the time to explain what a student is doing wrong and help them fix it. This class has not only taught me how to become a better writer, it has taught me how to become a better teacher. Professor Aggen has showed me what it means to truly care about students in the classroom and be a support system. As future teachers we are all going to have many different roles in the classroom. Students come to class each time with different personal issues that arise. It not only affects them mentally, but educationally as well. Educators need to make sure that students are able to feel safe in the classroom and confide in them.          ...

      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...