...ViDeO GaMeS...

In our class discussion about Gee's book, there were two claims that I felt really strong about. One claim was that classrooms are not challenging enough where children enjoy going and learning and the other claim was that video games are changeable-similiar to culture we live in.

I agree with the first claim...teachers in classrooms tend to always take the easy route and teach out of the book and expect their students to be excited and intrigued by the information. WRONG! Students love to be engaged and have hands-on activities. They love to see visuals and see how things work and don't work. This is why video games are so fascinating to a child's mind. Graphics, music, mazes, and "cool" moves and secret places makes a child think, imagine, and create a world of their own. If classrooms were just more creative, I strongle believe that students will love to learn and go to school. Teaching is more than just textbook material, especially with all the kinds of technolgy that has emerged over the years. We must learn how to use that technology and "textbook" material and combine it, so that our passion for teaching shines through and our students see that learning can be fun and challenging just like their video games.

On the other hand, I disagree with the second claim. In Gee's book, it mentions that video games are changeable similiar to the culture we live in. Although it is true that we can change our character's appearance on a game by changing their clothes, hair, gender, and race; we can't do that in real life. Wait...we can change our clothes and they style of our hair...but we can't choose what racial background we are. If I were to move and "start my life all over" again, I couldn't imagine changing everything about me. My true character will tend to come out through me emotions, my feelings, me concerns, my fears, and etc. We can't change ourselves. We are who we are and I don't think that can change similiar to what we can do in video games.

... something new ... on a serious note ...

For quite some time now, I have learned how to accept the fact that my aunt has cancer. Early summer of last year, my aunt was diagnosed with cancer. It was a surprise not only to us, (her family) but, to her as well. The reason is because she was only going for a general check-up after being in a car accident approximately a week before. The clinic's doctor saw something peculiar in her x-rays and suggested that she should go to the hospital for a closer look and a professional diagnosis. It came out to be a case of cancer located in her lungs and chest. When my mom first told me the news, I really was not in a sad or upset mood that people may assume you would get in after hearing such news. I feel that I did not feel the pain or sadness because I was not as close to this particular aunt than my other three. My aunt and some other members of my family, including my mother, had not gotten along sometimes and I think that that relationship may have affected on how I looked at my aunt.

I didn't get to accept the fact or accept that this was actually real, until Thankgsgiving Break. After 2-3 months of being diagnosed, my aunt moved into my home in San Francisco with my family and since then my mom has been helping her get to her appointments and etc. Everyday of my break I had spent with her. I watched t.v. with her, ate with her, talked to her, laughed with her, all that and more. When it was time for me to pack up and leave back to Chico, it hit me...I didnt have to be close to her to realize that this is real. It took me seven whole days to understand that life can really be gone with a matter of seconds. Sure, we see it movies, learn it in class, or in the "real world" but when we finally experience in our own lives, it becomes real.

... my first ...

well here i go! this is my first official blog for my english 333 class. this semester should be very interesting, not only with this blog thing, but, everything else that is going on with the semester. i have never used anything like this so bare with me everyone. not sure of what else to mention, but, when i do i will defintely "blog" it!