Pages: 156-164

Mena explains to the group, Casey, Josh, and K, that when Denny tried to kill himself she was still apart of the church group gang. In other words, she was one of the kids who bullyed Denny, which made him try to commetie sucided. She explained that after she heard that Denny was in the hospital she sent him a heartfull message saying how sorry she was. In result, in the mail her parents recived a law suit. This was not good because Mena’s parents owend  a law ferm, and all their clients were going to leave them, which ment that her parents were not going to make money, and then eventually it means that they are going to have to sell their house. The part that upseted Mena the most, was that her parents were going to have to leave the church. She was fine with having to leave the church herself, but that church that they belong to is her parents life, they love it there and she felt very bad for taking it away from them. 

Essay 13

Respect, Thoughtfulness, and Being Careful

Three ways I have grown to become an eighth grade scholar

Pine Point School

8th Grade

May 17, 2012

Elizabeth Griffin

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Throughout this year as an eighth grader, I have fully developed as a student. I have transformed in many ways, but the changes I notice the most are that I have become increasingly respectful, thoughtful, and careful. By blossoming in these areas, my eighth grade year  has been rewarding.

I have changed this year through learning the full meaning of respect. In English class, we have been taught the kind way, the proper way, and the polite way  to act in class. In the beginning of each class, each student must hold the chair for the person on their left, then be seated, and remind one another to be  good scholars. From completing  this simple act of respect every day this year, I have learned that a little effort  can go a long way. I have also developed admiration for the literature that we have read. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch, an older brave man, accepted a challenging court case and commanded respect throughout this difficult situation. By taking our time to read this exciting and thrilling book, I have gained a higher respect for books in general. Lastly, I have developed more appreciation for my fellow scholars. When in class, I have learned that if you look at the speakers while they are talking, it gives them a boost of confidence. All these acts have helped me become a more serious English scholar.

By growing as an eighth grader, I have become a more thoughtful person. One way that I have become progressively  mindful is by listening more attentively. In English class we use SLANTS, which is an acronym for sitting up straight, lean forward, nodding, tracking the speaker, and say back. By performing these behaviors every day in class, my brain naturally activates  my listening skills. Being a watchful listener, has helped me develop greater awareness for  my surroundings . This new skill, resulting in my understanding of literature and writing essays, has increased my achievements in Mr. Salsich’s class. I am also more alert to the points and ideas that my fellow scholars contribute. In addition, this year I have gained more confidence in and out of school, which helps me be more observant of other people’s feelings. From working with determination to complete perfect essays, I have realized if you try your hardest, and work on each assessment a little everyday,  you can achieve success.  In addition, I have had some support this year from my talented tutors, two very special women.  These women, Mrs. Fritzsche and Mrs. Champagne, boost my confidence because they keep telling me that I can do it, if I put my mind to it. From becoming a more thoughtful person, I have become a more conscientious learner.

Along with becoming a respectful and thoughtful person, I have also become extraordinarily careful. Studying the book we are reading, I have learned the right way to read a classic novel.  One way that I have become a cautious reader is by annotating each and every single page we read. This reading technique has forced me to understand everything I am reading.  Learning how to write picture perfect essays, can be challenging as well, but from this I have noticed that you have to take your time writing. To receive an A in English class, you need to  write an essay with absolutely no mistakes. In order to receive this grade, I have to take my time and look over my work very carefully to make sure I have done the very best that I can do. In addition to being careful in my writing , I am also extremely cautious in the words I choose. I try my best to make sure I do not repeat words, that I do not over use words, and that I do not place anything in my essay that is not needed.  This can be challenging sometimes, but I always find a way to make it happen, even if it is extremely hard to complete. Becoming a more careful person this year, I feel that I have done the best that I can do.

Being  respectful, thoughtful, and careful are all actions that have helped me tremendously throughout my eighth grade year. Applying these words each day in school, I feel that I have not only become a better scholar and a more appreciative learner, but also a better classmate. From learning the true meaning of these words throughout the year I feel as if I did the best I could do this year.

Self Assessment:
1. One writing issue I am continuing to work on is that I think I could use more participles in my writing, to make my sentences longer.
2. A strong point I see in my writing, is that I believe that I am using very good FAST words, as well as alliteration, to enhance my writing.
3. One possible weak spot I see is that  some sentences are a bit awkward to say.

Essay 12

      Love All Around

A Connection From a Touching Song To The World Today

April 23,2012

Pine Point School

8th Grade

Eliza Griffin

     People don’t often take the time to look carefully and think about a song’s lyrics. However, song lyrics usually have great meaning and often relate to the world around you. In the Black Eyed Peas popular song “ Where Is The Love”, I see the lyrics connect to two historic events and to my life.

    (TS) The lyrics  “People killin’, people dyin’ children hurt and you hear them cryin’ can you practice what you preach and would you turn the other cheek” from the Black Eyed Peas song “ Where Is The Love” relate to some of the worst maritime disasters of this century. (S.D) When the Titanic sunk, the captain, Edward Smith, went down with the ocean liner. (C.M) Edward Smith, a strong brave man, believed that because he was the captain and in charge of the vessel, he needed to be sure that as many passengers  as possible would be saved, even if that meant that he had to go down with the ship, making the safety of his passengers his priority. In a way, he “practiced what he preached”. (C.M) Captain Smith could have gotten off the ship with many of the other passengers, but he chose to stay behind with the steamship.(S.D) Recently, there was a Carnival cruise ship,the Costa Concordia, that hit a rock and ran aground off the coast of  Italy. (C.M) The captain, Francesco Schettino, was one of the first people off the ship, because he claims, “ I only left because I fell in lifeboat.” (C.M) Captain  Schettino could have been more honorable like Captain Smith by staying with the Costa Concordia and ensuring that all his passengers were safely off the boat before he was. (C.M) Captain Schettino did not make the right decision, instead he turned his cheek. (C.S) These two real world tragedies are great examples of the Black Eyed Peas upbeat lyrics.

     (T.S) The lyrics, “ Most of us only care about money makin’ selfishness got us followin’ our wrong direction” relates to my own life. (S.D)  I see many people making wrong decisions with money, spending it place that don’t require it was much as others. (C.M) Whether spending their money carelessly, or spending their earnings selfishly, people could be donating their well earned money to a charitable organization that helps the less fortunate. (C.M) This type of selfless act often brings more satisfaction to the donor than just spending money on a new outfit.  (S.D) However, there are some people in the world that only care about working and making as much money as possible . (C.M) Although they may not spend their earnings on themselves or frivolous items, they are missing out on something in life that is very important and that is helping others. (C.M) People who do work excessively, do not know how to take the time to enjoy life, a beautiful and mysterious phenomenon.(C.S) This  lyric shows that money cannot buy everything.

The lyrics of a song can sometimes signify several meanings. The Black Eyed Peas  song “Where Is The Love” represents many beliefs. The ship disasters, the Titanic and the Costa Concordia, and the behavior of the captains relate to the songs lyrics. I have witnessed examples of these lyrics meaning in my life as well through my observations of the ways that people spend money.

Self Assessment:

1. One writing issue that I am continuing to work on is making my sentences longer, and having my sentences make better music.

2.  One strong point I see in my writing, is in my first body paragraph. I think that this is a strong  point because  I am using different words to say ship.

3. One possible weak part I see in my writing is in the conclusion paragraph. This is because I feel as if the sentences are a bit awkward.

Essay 11

Two Different Men Acting With Kind Hearts

A Shared Pattern Between My Life and To Kill A Mockingbird

April 5,2012

8th Grade

Pine Point School

Eliza Griffin

A definition of patterns is an example for others to follow: he set the pattern for subsequent study. Atticus Finch and my grandfather both strongly represent a pattern of kindness in their day to day lives. Whether it is a character in a novel or a living person, thoughtfulness makes a large impact on others’ lives.

(T.S.) Throughout the entire novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, there is a pattern of kindness. (S.D.) Atticus Finch, a caring man, a kind man, demonstrates this pattern several times. (C.M.) When Mr. Ewell spits on him, Atticus takes the high road, becoming the bigger person by simply wiping the spit away. (C.M.) Even when someone treats Atticus unfairly, he remains calm, responding respectfully and with kindness. (S.D.) Atticus also approaches everyone with  an  equal and favorable manner, no matter what their actions are. (C.M) If a man was poor, Atticus would not look at him any differently than how he would look at a rich man. (C.M.) The motto that   Atticus lives by, from the Declaration of Independence states, “ All men are created equal.” (S.D.) Lastly, Atticus does not judge anyone, no matter who they are. (C.M.) He agrees to represent Tom Robinson because Atticus believes that Tom deserves a fair trial. (C.M.) Atticus  believes that the color of someone's skin should not determine how they are judged in a crime.(C.S) Atticus’s consistent fair and kind behavior  quickly makes the citizens of Maycomb respect him.

(T.S.) I also see a pattern of kindness in my life. (S.D.) My grandfather, a compassionate man, is one of the friendliest people I have ever known. (C.M.) Whenever my grandfather sees someone walking or biking by him, he greets them, by saying hello, even if he does not know them. (S.D.) My grandfather, like Atticus, treats everyone the same, always respecting them and caring and listening carefully to what they say. (C.M.) If you have done something wrong, my grandfather won’t look at you differently, he will look at you like he always has. (S.D.) He takes the time to discuss your misbehavior with you,  acting in a compassionate way, his tone is continually kind even if there is a punishment involved. (C.M.) This is because my grandfather does not judge people, but consistently looks for the best in them. (S.D.) Lastly, my grandfather is a great listener. (.C.M) If the topic you are talking about  does not  interest him, he will still sit and pretend it does (C.M). He will ask you questions and will always try to give you some positive feedback .(C.S) All of these acts represent my grandfather’s generosity and patience.

Although these simple acts of kindness may not be recognized everyday as an obvious pattern, they do make a grand impact on the lives of many. By realizing  that I witness considerate people every day in my life, I recognize that kindness is a huge pattern in my life. This existing pattern has helped me find more examples of similar patterns in my life. Atticus and my grandfather are two great  examples of patterns of commendable behavior.

Self Assessment:

1. One writing issue I am continuing to work on is making my sentences longer by adding more description to them.

2. A strong point see in my writing is when I use FAST words. This is because I think they make my writing better.

3. One possible weak point I see is in my closing paragraph, this is because I feel

Essay 7

Acting Like a Bird:

A Connection From To Kill a Mockingbird, to a Bird

January 10, 2012

8th Grade

Pine Point School

Eliza Griffin

Chapter 15 in To Kill a Mockingbird may seem odd, but it connects to a bird. From the chirping of a bird to the behavior of a bird, it all relates to what happens in Chapter 15. A bird chirps for many reasons two of which are happiness and  fear. Jem and Scout display behavior similar to that of a bird through their actions in this chapter.

(T.S) In Chapter 15 in To Kill A Mockingbird, men come, and gather around Atticus’s house trying to talk him out a defending Tom Robinson in the trial. (S.D) When Jem, Scout, and Dill saw the men outside their house confronting Atticus , they were scared. (C.M.) When Jem saw men outside his door, he thought that they were the Ku Klux Klan coming after his father. (C.M.)“ They were after you, weren’t they?” Jem said to Atticus. “They wanted to get you, didn’t they?”(Cm) Jem’s words to his father are like a bird chirping his fear.  (SD) When the  three children were scared, they start to chirp, first to one to one another and then Jem to his father. (C.M.) Although, Jem and his sister were not actually chirping, you could tell by the description of the look on their faces that they were quite scared about what might happen to their loving father. (C.M.) Also, they were asking Atticus questions about who the men were at the door, and what they wanted from him. (S.D) Another way that the bird related to the book is because, birds are very adventurous. (C.M.) For example, if you were eating in the large, green Central Park, birds would fly directly to you to see what you were doing. (C.M.) In the chapter, Jem, Dill, and Scout sneak out to follow Atticus. (C.S.) In a way, they are acting like risky and curious birds, always wanting to know what is happening around them

From chirping to acting, I found that the bird relates strongly to what happens in chapter 15. Atticus has taken on an important trial which has brought some danger into their family’s life. Jem, Scout, and Dill display the characteristics of a bird showing concern for their father. Before I read this chapter,  I did not think of Jem, Scout, and Dill acting like birds, but from now, on when I read, I will forever think of them as acting like birds.

Essay 8

Mildness All Around

Connection Mildness To My Life

January 27, 2012

Pine Point School

8th Grade

Eliza Griffin

Mildness. What does this word mean? The dictionary defines mildness as a noun that means gentle, not easily provoked. It comes from the adjective mild which means sensitivity and calmness. My definition of mildness is smart, warm, and welcoming. I believe that these definitions describe Atticus Finch, a character in a novel and  also Mr. Hamilton Salsich, an English teacher at The Pine Point School. Atticus Finch, and Mr. Salsich.

        (T.S) In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, the father, Atticus, is a very mild person, he is calm, sensitivity  and gentle. (S.D) During the last few days, Atticus, working very hard defending his client,  has been in the courtroom all day, he is the lawyer defending an African American man who is on trial for the rape of a young white girl. (C.M) Whenever Atticus is in the trial; he keeps calm, and does not provoke the Ewell family when they are on the witness stand. (C.M) In addition, he does get unruly, or dramatic in the courtroom, also, he tries to treat each witness with the same respect. (S.D) When Atticus is with his children, he tries to be mild. (C.M) As a single father, Atticus never raises his voice  at Jem and Scout, instead, he tries to talk to them in a reasonable tone. (C.M) He also carefully explains things to them. (C.S) This calm non-provocative man really does his best everyday.
(T.S) In my life, I see mildness everyday when I go to school. (S.D) My English teacher, Mr. Salsich, is a great example of mildness.(C.M) In class, he always has a polite, calm,comforting voice when speaking to us. (C.M) When he presents us with our essay comments, his voice and tone is always calm . When he tells you that you did your best, you really do feel proud of your work, (S.D) Also, Mr. Salsich, calming soft voice, is very polite. (C.M) Mr. Salsich likes us to be very serious scholars, so in the beginning of English class the teacher assistant says, “ Welcome to English class, please hold the chair for the person on your left be seated and be good scholars”. (C.M) His politeness seems to be contagious because all the scholars do not  need to think about this saying because it is  memorized. (C.S) As well as his students, this teacher is a special scholar.
Mildness, I have realized  is a big impact on my life. From a classic novel to an amazing teacher, without mildness in my life, my world would be completely different. From benign calm with your family, or being so polite that your politeness rubs off on you students, theses are the things in life, that we should live for.

Assessment Essay

Making A Difference:

My Experience of Volunteering at The Boys and Girls Club of America

February 27, 2012

8th Grade

Pine Point School

Eliza Griffin

For my assessment project, I volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club of America. By volunteering there I have realized how lucky I am to be able to go to a great school. Also, I have realized how important it is to help children so that they can succeed in life.

T.S When it came time for me to choose what site I was going to work at for my assessment project, I knew right away that The Boys and Girls Club of America is where I wanted to volunteer at. I knew this because I wanted to help children, especially those that need learning and writing strategies help to succeed in school. S.D One thing that I made sure that I looked for in choosing my site was if I wanted to work with children, adults, or animals. From the start, I knew right away that I wanted to work with children. C.M I wanted to work with kids because I wanted to help my generation. This is because the generation before me has helped me to succeed in my schooling and I wanted to give back. C.M. Also, I find that children are more fun to work with opposed to working with adults because children laugh easier. S.D By working at the club, I was able to pass on strategies that I was given to help the boys and girls improve for a better school year. C.M One strategy that I showed them, was how to focus on reading one line at a time.  C.M. I showed them this, by using a white piece of paper and gliding it down the page of a book after each line was finished. C.M Another strategy, was when the children had to read, and answer questions, we would read the questions before reading, so we knew what we would later have to answer. S.D Lastly, I chose to volunteer at The Boys and Girls Club of America because I realized that the children did not have the support that I was given, and I wanted to fill this gap. C.M.  I realized, that the children needed the support because there is no one for them to go home to help them. C.M When I left the club, I felt that I made a difference were it is needed the most. C.S. From choosing to work at the Boys and Girls Club, it has not only impacted the students’ lives, but my life as well. I have learned to appreciate how fortunate I am t be able to go to Pine Point School and to have all the help I need.

        T.S. Through out my visits to The Boys and Girls Club, I had to face some challenges while working with the children. S.D. For example, when I was working with Tadeka, a fourth grader, she signed homework packet, instead of having her parents sign it. C.M. When we were working on her homework, I saw this scribble that she drew on the front page. When I asked her who had signed this, she said, “ I did, but I was pretending to be my parents.” This really shocked me. C.M To solve this problem, I had to tell her that it is not okay for her to do this, and that her parents needed to sign the packet tonight. S.D Another problem that I had with the club, was scheduling visits on days that I was going to volunteer on. C.M This situation was caused, because there are many Mondays in January and February that are holidays. From Christmas break, to Martin Luther King Jr. Day I missed about five visits in total. C.M This situation was solved, because for two weeks, I went to the club twice a week on Mondays and Wednesday. S.D Having the children not feel shy around me was also a challenge that I faced while working at my the club. C.M I attempted to solve this problem, by telling the children my name, and asking them if they had any siblings. C.M Also, I asked the children about their families. C.S Having these troubles while I was working with the children, made my assessment project a harder assignment. If each kid had behaved and listened to me, I would not have to be strict with them. These struggles that I had made the project a challenge.
        T.S There, was not a single day that I volunteered, at the Boys and Girls Club feelings that I had not helped the children with their school life. S.D Each time I visited, my goal was to try to make the children laugh. C.M I would do this, by telling them jokes, that they had not heard before. One of these jokes that Tadeka really liked, was what is a fish with two knees? A Two knee fish. When I told her this joke she would not stop laughing. C.M Also, Tadeka and I share a passion for the same TV show, which is Glee. Each visit, we would discus the episode from the week before and laugh about funny things that the main character, Rachel, would do. S.D I also felt good because I taught the children strategies that their school did not teach them. C.M. The strategies that I taught them would help it so that they could reading fluently. C.M These techniques also would help the children in their school years to come. S.D. Tadeka also trusted me, and she was not afraid to talk to me or tell me things. C.M After a while, she was not shy around me, and she would ask me many questions. C.M On my last visit to The Boys and Girls Club, the children would give me hugs every time I came in and would leave. C.S By working at the club, I believe that I children have given me a good feeling, but I believe that I have given them a good feeling too.
        T.S Researching Childhood Education, this made me appreciate The Boys and Girls Club even more. S.D While I was researching, I learned that parents try to be the main teacher in their child’s life. C.M If there is only one parent, and they work, there is not that opportunity for them to teach their child because they are working to support their family. C.M. By them working, they have handed over the job of teaching their children to afterschool programs, for instance like The Boys and Girls Club. S.D. Also, I learned that afterschool programs help children so that they are ready for life. C.M. For example, the kids develop good social skills, by making friends with all the kids in the club. C.M In addition, in the beginning of each day, the club has the children be active for 30 minutes, by having P.E. S.D. Lastly, the children are not afraid of speaking out at The Boys and Girls Club. C.M. The Boys and Girls Club teaches the children to be their own person, and don’t be who your friends want you to be. C.M. There is a quote in Mr. Mitchell’s room that says “ If you don’t shape your world someone else will” .This message is what the club tells you exactly not to do. C.S. By researching Childhood Education, I understand why it is so important to have a club like The Boys and Girls Club around.
       T.S.  When I was volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club, I was working with children, and in the book To Kill A Mockingbird; the plot is mainly about children too. S.D While I was working with the children, I realized that children were a main point in To Kill A Mockingbird. C.M. I learned that you have to trust the children in order to let them to work with you. C.M. Atticus trusts the children, by letting them stay for the entire trial, because he thinks that it is important for them to listen to it. S.D Children, with their short attention span, can also be hard to work with. C.M. Atticus finds this through out the story, when his children do not always listen to him about what to do, and what not to do. C.M I also realized this, because sometimes the children just did not what to do their homework. S.D Finally, you might not be aware of it, but children really do care when you do something for them, even if it is a very small thing. C.M. For example, Jem and Scout were extremely grateful that Atticus let Dill stay with them, even though he had run away from his home. C.M. I believe, through out my visits to The Boys and Girls Club that they children appreciated me coming to work with them even if they did not say it.  C.S. Even though To Kill A Mockingbird was written in the 1960’s, the plot still relates to life in 2012.
        T.S Looking back on my seven visits, there are something that I would have done differently. S.D. First, I would of like to have changed the relationship that I had with the students. C.M. When I first walked through the doors of the Boys and Girls Club, I was shy, and I did not talk to the children, compared to how much I talked to them on my seventh, final, visit. C.M. I could have solved this problem on the first visit by trying to talk to the children more. S.D. Second, while I was volunteering there, I mostly worked with one girl, Tadkea. I would have like to have changed this, and worked with other children, instead of just her. C.M If I had done this, I would have probably felt more comfortable with the all the children instead of just Tadeka. C.M Also, I could have learned more about Childhood Education, if I had worked with more then one student. S.D. Lastly, I would have picked different days to visit the Boys and Girls Club. C.M. This is because, by visiting on Mondays after school, I would miss about 20 minutes of basketball practice. C.M. Also, there are so many holidays that fall on a Monday, that this interfered with my visits because we would not have school. C.S. Although I loved my time at the Boys and Girls Club, there are still somethings that I would have liked to have changed that would had made my time there more enjoyable.
        T.S. From working at the club, I have changed. S.D I am now aware of people’s situations at home. C.M. Kids who go to the club, do not have anyone at home with them, who actually cares about their homework. C.M This shows me how lucky I am to have a loving family, and to be able to attendPine Point School where everyone cares about you. S.D. I also feel good about what I have done, because I have made a difference in a child’s life. C.M When I leave the club, I feel good each time.  C.M. If I had a teenager helping me with my homework, like what I did with the children, I would want to do the best I could do on my homework every night. S.D I have been changed so much by working at the club that I would like to keep volunteering there. C.M. Unfortunately, you have to be 16 and over to be eligible to volunteer full time at The Boys and Girls Club. C.M. When I turn 16,in a couple of years, I might end up volunteering at the club again. C.S. Being aware of peoples situations at home have made me want to help people through out my life.
        This life changing experience of being able to volunteering at The Boys and Girls Club of has helped me understand what some children have to go through in order to succeed in school. This made me realize how lucky I am to be able to attend Pine Point School, where the teachers really want you to succeed in school. By helping at the club I understand more about how children learn, and how it is important to help them.

Essay 9

Being Different:

How My Life Relates To A Quote From To Kill A Mockingbird

January 6, 2012

8th Grade

Pine Point School

Eliza Griffin

On page 234 in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus is speaking to the jury when he says “ We know all men are not created equal in the sense some people have us believe—some people are smarter than others, some people have more opportunity because they’re born with it, some men make more money than others, some ladies make better cakes than others—some people are born gifted beyond the normal scope of men.” This quote tells us that everyone is different, and there are no two people in the world that are the same.
(S.D.)  By using this quote in her plot, Harper Lee emphasizes  the differences between human beings. (C.M) We already know that Mr. Raymond enjoys living  in the life style of how blacks live in Maycomb. (C.M) This makes him different from the other whites in his town as well as most of the white population in the South at this time in history. (C.M) Atticus, always acting so politely and trying to be the best that he can be, is different from everyone in Maycomb too. He is defending Tom Robinson, a black man, which no other white person in  Maycomb was willing to do. (C.M) He is not defending Tom just to be different. He is defending Tom because he knows it is the right thing to do. (S.D) Furthermore, I know I am different from others, in the obvious ways such as height, hair color, and eye color, but the way I feel the most different is because I have a learning disability . (C.M.) This separates me from many others because I cannot read or write as quickly as the average person. (C.M.) It takes me longer to read a page, and decipher new words. (C.S)  Mr. Raymond and Atticus  are different because they want to be. However, I just want to be able to  read and write as easily as everyone  else can. Nelson  Rockefeller  once said, “I was one of the 'puzzle children' myself -- a dyslexic . . . And I still have a hard time reading today. Accept the fact that you have a problem. Refuse to feel sorry for yourself. You have a challenge; never quit!”
Nelson Rockefeller is just one of the many successful people who have had the same disability as I do. His words stay with me and help me accept  that I am different from my classmates. Mr. Raymond’s black lifestyle made me respect his choice to not be like others. Atticus’s  defending of  Tom Robinson inspired me because Atticus accepted the challenge which made him different. Just like the quote, we know that no two men are equal; however, these three men through their differences teach us an honorable lesson. It’s okay to be your own person in life, and there is a lot to learn from those who are not like us.

Self Assessment:
1. One writing problem I am continuing to work on is cutting down on the number of words in each sentence. I am trying to be sure that each word in each sentence is necessary.
2.  A strong point I see in my writing is that I really searched to try and find words that best described what I was trying to say.
3. One weak point I see in my essay is in the introduction sentence in my body paragraph. I feel the sentence could hook the reader more.

Visit 7

Today when I went to the Boys and Girls Club, it was my final visit and because today was my last visit, I was the teacher. This meant I chose what we did for the sport in the beginning, and I selected the snack. For the sport, I decided to play Dodge Ball because it was all the children’s favorite. While playing this game, I realized how much the kids enjoyed having volunteers there because they all wanted to be on my team. After a 45-minute game of Dodge Ball, (instead of 30 minute usual one) it was snack time. I had made decorated sugar cookies for the kids as a special surprise. I could tell that the children appreciated them, because they all kept asking for more and more. While I was getting ready to leave the club, Tadeka asked me, for the last time, if she could play the viola for me. I was touched and answered of course. Tadeka non- stop for 10 minutes and then it was time to take pictures. For the remainder of the time, I took pictures with all the children at the club. I will definitely miss going to the Boys and Girls Club every Monday, and I will definitely miss working with Tadeka. I have already asked if I can continue as a volunteer, however, you have to be 16 or older to work there. 

Visit #6

Today when I visited the Boys and Girls Club, many exciting things happened. First, when I arrived ,we played outside on the giant big toy. Until this visit, we had always remained indoors .  After a while, everyone started to get cold so when went back inside for Power Hour. For the first 20 minutes of Power Hour, Tadeka wanted to play , her instrument, the viola to me. Although she this was her first year playing, she is already very good and most importantly, she seems to really enjoy it. When Tadeka was tired of playing the viola, she asked me if I could help her with her homework. Her first assignment was to match a group of words with their definitions . For this, I had to explain to her what many of the words meant so that she could then match the word correctly . After doing her English homework, she worked on her math homework. By the time Tadeka was on the second page of her math homework, everyone else was finished with all their homework. All the kids were asking Tadeka to hurry up, so that they could play hide and go seek in the dark. At one point when we were working on her homework, Tadeka told me that she was done and that she would finish the rest at home, but I told her, that because we started her math we were going to finish it. 10 minutes later, all her homework was completed and she was able to play with all her friends.  When I had to tell Tadeka that we were going to do her homework now vs. later, I felt like an adult. I have learned that the saying “ Do not put off  until  tomorrow what you can do today “ is very important to remember ,not only for doing your homework , but also for doing many things.

Boys and Girls Club visit # 5

Assessment

Today when I went to The Boys and Girls Club, Tadeka was waiting for me. Tadeka’s homework for Monday night was to read a story and answer questions about the story. This reminded me of how with Mrs. F I used to work on some of the same types of assignments. When Tadeka showed me the packet that she had to do for homework, there was an awkward looking signature on the packet, so I asked her if it was her one of her parent’s signatures. Her response was not a clear yes or no   She explained to me that her friend Faith taught her how to write her parent’s signature. When I heard this, I immediately thought this is illegal and  I have to tell her not to do it. When I told her that she should not forge her parent’s signature, she told me that I should not worry about it. This was a side of Tadeka  that I had never seen before and it really  surprised me. Over the past few weeks , she had acted as if  she really cared about school and the quality of the work we were doing together.  Discovering that she was forging her parent’s signature , made me wonder why she would do this and it made me think about what other choices she was making in her life that perhaps were not good ones. After our conversation about the signature and doing the right thing, our time together was different than it had been before this.

Boys and Girls Club visit # 4

Assessment

Today when I went to visit the Boys and Girls Club of America the girl that I was helping on Monday, Tadeka, came up to me and asked if I could help her again with her homework. This immediately made me feel that I had made a difference by helping someone who is less fortunate then I am. This gave me the confidence to help her with her vocabulary homework.  One of the words that Tadeka was working on was ancient; we had to make up sentence with the word in it. She deiced to write about ancient mummies in a pyramid. When we were writing this sentence, I kept thinking about Mr. Brown, and how he taught us about ancient Egypt. When we were reading, Tadeka asked me how old I was, and I responded saying that I was 13. She told me that her sister was also 13, but did not care about helping her like I did. By Tadeka feeling comfortable to tell me something so very personal I knew that she cared about her schoolwork, and probably wanted to be a good student. I realized that what I have learned so far in school is something that I can also teach to others. 

Visit #3

Eliza Griffin

Monday, January 23,2012

Assessment 

Today on my visit to the Boys and Girls club we played a long, tiring, game of dodge ball. The team I was on sadly ended up losing, but I did not mind. When it came time for power hour, I helped, Samantha, the same girl I worked with two weeks ago. She worked on reading out loud to me again. When we were finished reading, I helped a 9-year-old girl named Tadeka. Tadeka was working on spelling, which is a section in school that I still struggle with. All the words were scrambled up, and Tadeka had to unscramble them. I taught her a trick. By counting how many letters were each word, she could then decode the word faster. After, finishing that part of her homework, we began another assignment which was only due on Wednesday. She was a little hesitant about doing this because all her friends were playing games, but she ended up deciding to get a jump-start. I find that working ahead helps me, so I was trying to teach her a good study strategy. When Tadeka was finished with her homework, she asked me if she could read to me. I was so excited and honored that she asked me because she is a shy and quiet girl. We ended up reading, the book Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary, for about a half an hour. Tadeka had some trouble with reading so I taught her the strategy that Mrs. F taught me, which was to take a piece of paper, line it up under the sentence you are trying to read, and then move it down so that you can only read one line at a time. All these techniques that I have been taught, and today shared with Tadeka,  have not only helped me with my reading, but also have helped another young reader. This made me feel like to quote Mr. Salsich, “ A serious English scholar.”

Boys and Girls Club

Eliza Griffin 

Monday, January 9, 2012

Second Visit 

Today, when I went to visit the Boys and Girls Club, I brought jump ropes to teach the boys and girls how to jump. When I first entered the room with the jump ropes in my hand, the boys in the club did not want to try it at all. Once I showed them what you could do, and how much fun you can have jumping, they really enjoyed it. Sometimes when we were jumping, there would be an argument about who was going to jump next. To solve this dispute, I asked, “Who is the oldest here?” and that was the order they jumped in. After the half an hour of exercise, it was time for Power Hour.  For this week’s study hall, I was helping a girl named Samantha with her math homework. She had a hard time understanding what the problem was asking for. To make it easier for her, I would ask her to try to find the key words. For example, if it was a subtraction problem, she would look for the word less to help her realize that it was a subtraction problem.  After helping her with math, Samantha read out loud to me. When I was her age I always struggled with reading and reading out loud was the hardest for me. By helping her today, I realized how much all my tutors have helped me with my reading fluency by having me read out loud to them. When I left the club today, I had a feeling that I had accomplished something that had a positive impact someone’s life. I hope Samantha felt a little more confident about her schoolwork today, and I am looking forward to helping her next week. 

The Boys and Girls Club

Eliza Griffin
Monday, December 12, 2011
First Visit

 Today was my first visit to the Boys and Girls Club of America in New London. From the initial meeting about our assessment projects where I selected this organization, I envisioned The Boys and Girls Club to be a large building, similar to a community center, filled with boys and girls of all ages from the areas surrounding New London. What I entered instead, this afternoon, was a public school cafeteria which also served as a gym with only 12 boys and girls inside . During our first half hour, we set up an obstacle course and divided the girls and the boys into 2 teams. Each team raced one another through the course and in the end the boys team won twice while the girls team only won once. Then second half hour was called “ Power Hour”. During this time, the children are expected to do their homework and then read for half an hour. One of the girls was reading the book No Talking, by Andrew Clements, which was a book that I had read and enjoyed when I was her age. Once this is achieved, they are permitted to have free time to play silent games such as Uno. I had expected the kids to be all ages and today the youngest was in Kindergarten and the oldest was a fourth grader. This age range made it very easy and comfortable for me to play with the children because I have a younger sister who is in fourth grade. All the kids, had a lot of energy for participating in the obstacle course, but also listened and obeyed well when it was time for the Power Hour. Their discipline impressed me and they also seemed to appreciate that I was there which I had not expected. They all thanked me when I left which surprised me very much.   

Essay #6

Inspiring  Words Spanning The Globe: From South Africa to Alabama

Connecting the Lyrics in Wavin Flag to Miss Maudie’s Words

December 11, 2011

Pine Point School

8th Grade

Eliza Griffin

When a modern day song is played and a classic book is read, you might not think that they connect to one another. An example of this is how the song Wavin Flag correlates to a powerful quote in To Kill a Mockingbird.   

(T.S.) The lyrics in the song Wavin Flag by K’naan say “And then it goes back and then it goes back”.These lyrics remind me of how in every generation one life can end, while a new one is just beginning. (S.D.) This continuous cycle is almost like a wheel rotating a full circle of life. (C.M.) When the cycle has completed one full rotation, it comes back to the place where it began, “And then it goes back”. (C.M.) Like a wheel that continuously turns, and always replenishes it’s dying lives with new ones, these lyrics are not telling us to go back in life, but are telling us to go back to a beginning of a new life which will carry us forward. (S.D) The new generations hopefully build on progress that the old generations made during their lives. (C.M.) This new generation will hopefully  learn from the  previous generations’ mistakes.(C.S.) The wheel will keep on turning for the future generations.

(T.S.) In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Miss Maudie says  “ Don’t you worry about me, Jean Louise Finch. There are ways of doing things that you don’t know about.” (S.D.) These words  explain  that there are other ways to do things; this means that in life you don’t need to follow the same path as everyone else, don’t follow the crowd. (C.M.) I think she means be original, trust your own thoughts, and don’t be like everyone else. (C.M.) This quote relates to the lyrics in the song Wavin Flag because the quote and the song tell the listener to  be unique. (S.D) K’naan’s lyrics and Miss Maudie’s words give hope to people to become successful. (C.M.) The song tells us that you can rise to be a champion this  inspires tremendous hope in the listener’s lives.(C.S) Miss Maudie’s words encourage you to. Think for yourself and be extraordinary .Choose your own winding road.

This quote and these lyrics may not seem to be related, but at the end of the day everything comes together “ and then it goes back”. At first I did not think that the popular, catchy song and the classic book connected. After taking some time to reflect on these lyrics, and listening to the song repeatedly, while thinking about Miss Maudie’s words , I realized that all people, places and experiences  somehow join up with one another always completing a new wheel of life.  

Self Assessment:
1. One part in my essay that I continue to work on is trying not to use the word things in my writing.
2. One strong point I see in my writing ,is in my first body paragraph because I feel that you can clearly understand what I am trying to say.
3. One possible  weak spot I see in my writing is in the second body paragraph where I think some of my sentences could be better.