Task Three Reflection.

I plan to use "In Praise of the F Word" by Mary Sherry.  I can relate to this story, because in a way, my history teacher used the F word on me.  In my Junior year of high school, I failed my history class because I did not apply myself.  As a senior, I applied myself because I knew what the consequences would be.  Even though I past the class, barely, I was called in the day before graduation and was told that I had to take the final to graduate.  I remember at the beginning of the year, he told us, "history repeats its self".  At that time, I really didn't understand what he meant by that.  On my final he wanted me to write a one page essay about what I learned.  I started the essay with, You told us at the beginning of the year that history repeats its self, well here I am back in history class.  A class that I have already taken.  I continued for a whole page explaining what I had learned.  After the final was over Mr. Freiling told me that the only thing in my essay in his opinion that made me pass was my first line, history repeats its self.  I think that because he used the F word with on me and actually did it, made me realize that you have to be accountable for your actions or in my case accountable for the things I did not do my junior year.

Why I decided to come to college

After high school, I moved to Aurora, CO to begin a life on my own.  Yes, I have family there, but thought if I moved away from the comfort and security of my parents I could learn more, be more independent.  I worked at two different jobs while living there that only paid enough to pay my bills due to the higher cost of living there.  One year later, I moved back to St. Joseph.  In the past nine years, I have worked as a nanny, customer service representative at different department stores, worked in factories, and finally working for the state as a counselor for college students.  During the three and a half years of being a counselor, I began to envy them, began to wish that I could somehow afford to go to college myself and pursue my dream of getting a higher education and a job with security.  Once the budget cuts came in this past June, I knew it was a sign to go for it.  I will probably struggle throughout school as I seen most of my clients that I helped, but in the end, I will know that it will be well worth it and I will have the satisfaction of completing my dream.

Self evaluation of task two

• What is the thesis for your paper? How Jay did not graduate and his views on me going to school.
• List the main points you make in your paper. How education can improve your life.
• What was the most helpful advice you received from your peer evaluation? Repeating things.
• What was the most helpful information you received in class for your paper? Capitalization of things that arent suppose to be.
• How many drafts of this paper do you think you wrote and how/when did you write them? For example, did you compose at the keyboard, did you write lots of notes to yourself, did you pre-write or outline, did you write in small chunks of time or sit down and produce an entire draft at one sitting? I had three drafts.  I had notes first, then I wrote on the computer, then made addtional notes on the paper draft, then re-typed.
• What would you do differently with this paper to make it more effectively, or what did you try to do that you just don’t think you got a good handle on? Get more supporting details
• What are most pleased with about this paper? I'm pleased with the fact that I got a chance to talk to my father about his life without education and how beneficial it is to me that I will have one.

Interview Process

I do not have any additional questions to ask him right now.  He really didn't understand why I was interviewing him, once I explained why I was asking these questions he said, "Oh so you want to interview a drop out."  He was just joking though.  I interviewed my dad at his house.   I actually learned a lot from him about his decisions, I've always  wanted to ask but never knew how to.  I plan to explain who my father is and lead into his decisions to drop out and how he provided for his family, then ending with his thoughts on education and how they compare to mine.  The only concerns I have is trying to keep it less than six pages! :)  I will probably leave some of the less important things out, like the stuff he said jokingly.

Becoming Educated

An education to me, means being self sufficient.  In the past 14 years of working, I have always been asked what my school background was at every job I've ever had.  I've only  been able to say that I completed High School.  In my past job it was required to have a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, I was fortunate enough to get the job without it, due to my previous work history.  Now that I am no longer employed there, I find it crucial to continue my education to receive the job I desire.  The job that will make me happy and become self sufficient.  I do not want to be someone who has a family down the road and can't afford to provide for them.  I do not want to live on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).  I want to get everything I get by working for it because I continued my education.  Now days you can not get the job that pays you well without a degree.