Closing Comments

Personally, I am extremely happy that I was a part of this course. Learning and experiencing how to properly write has helped me greatly. I've wanted to experience what writing means and how good writing can be achieved and I have. Writers craft has helped me to reach deeper into my creative side and I have learned a great deal about my abilities and passions that can hugely benefit me in my future.

     I haven't experienced anything wrong with the way this course was taught. It was the perfect amount of work load that kept me as a student intrigued and eager to write. Each unit was a new experience writing which kept me (sort of) focused the whole way through. The presence of technology kept everything well organized and helped me to work outside of school easily because of Google Docs

   I've suggested this course to lots of my friends and hope to see more of your students become inspired and experienced like you have done for me.

THANK YOU                                   

What is Christmas about?

   Christmas came and went. We're all sitting here taking in the aftermath of endless snow and slowly losing Christmas spirit the colder and whiter it gets. What is Christmas spirit about anyway? If I was in grade two I would say it's about the birth of Jesus Christ, but I've dismissed such fairy tales from my conscience. Growing up, Christmas for me was all about pleasing Santa and picturing what's hidden beneath the wrapping paper while creating cavities from sucking on candy-canes. The presents were great I admit, but there was also something magical about every morning rushing down with your family and taking turns opening presents. Christmas Eve was always fantastic for me as well. Some of my best memories are watching my family tease each other and getting way too drunk. 

   When I reflect on my childhood Christmas' there was always something floating in the air. A happiness that everyone shares in those moments. Something that radiates an energy out of everyone. It isn't hard for me to understand why I was so happy during Christmas. Christmas spirit in my opinion can be defined as spending time with each other. Bonding with each and every person you're spending time with. Presents, tree's, and carols I would only give half credit for, but the beauty of Christmas should be known as being with each other. Whether it's with family, friends, or strangers, Christmas is a magical kinship bonded by spirit and not blood.

Journalistic Ethics

  It's hard for me to understand the drama behind the whole situation with this journalist. I understand that he completely warped and destroyed the idea of true journalism, but everyone lies. I understand the shock behind some of the stories he wrote, but doesn't every media outlet have at least a little lying done within? If you look at Fox News, it's a completely bias news station convincing people that being a republican is the answer to life's questions and to consider evolution as blasphemy.

  Giving this man praise obviously shouldn't be done, but how do we know one of his made up stories didn't change the life of someone? How do we know he didn't inspire someone for the better or changed perspectives? When we were younger, Mom and Dad would read us fairy-tales because of the moral at the end of the story and the life lessons they taught us. Is this not the same idea? He could have wrote some terrible things but I don't have time to read all of his articles, it's just a general idea that he could've wrote some good stuff even though it was all bull.

  Personally, I find Stephen Glass' story pretty interesting. The fact that he went through so much trouble to back up his stories and all the risk he faced publishing them. I think a documentation of his life and his experiences would be interesting and I would personally invest time into learning about him. 

If he's got an interesting story to tell and an intriguing life then hell yes write a book! If he makes money off of it then boo hoo to the people who are just jealous that they can't make money off their life story. 

  I'm justifying anything this man did, I personally think its a pretty cool life to live.

Poem analysis

    The poem I chose is called "what they are fighting for." This poem is a hopeful yet depressing poem about the oppression of slavery. The author puts great detail in the constant battle for the blacks during slavery. The idea of fighting is constantly brought up, but the concept of what they are fighting for is deeply misunderstood.

    The author describes the peril faced and how the constant struggle is undetermined. Describing the generations of pain and suffering adds to the power of the poem by letting the reader know how the battle seems like it will never end. He also describes how hollowed out the spirit is of these slaves by describing emotions on their faces as "without fear and without hope."

    The description of the victims facial expression shows the hardened life and hardships these men and women have gone through. The concept of adding facial expression allows the reader to picture how even it might have been fearful before, but now they're used to the pain.

    This poem truly shows us how hollow oppression can make an entire culture.
 

   

The Right to Vote

    The responsibility of choosing a new Prime Minister is huge for the people of this country. The idea of possibly changing the course of our country's history can give an intense feeling of duty that scares some people and drives others. During election time, there are an equal amount of die-hard Liberals or Conservatives as well as people who don't really no what do, say, or think about politics. This is a problem because of the need for votes. If people aren't educated on past and future problems and solutions that are related to parties and Prime Ministers they want to run our country, this can cause serious damage to our society. This problem can be related exactly to the idea of younger voters.

     Our younger generations have much differences from our older. Teens usually have very few things they worry about. This usually includes school work, or their friends Tweet's. Anything outside school and friends, most teens probably aren't that interested unless they're directly affected by government problems, or they actually have an interest. Putting that information with the idea of teens voting for government and possibly changing the course of history and how our country is run doesn't really sound like a good plan. Teens just wouldn't have the general interest or time to contribute to our country's problems and giving them the chance to vote would just be a bad idea and could result in some serious problems.

Adaptable Mind

    The human mind in my opinion should constantly be using those five points in everyday life no matter what to feel accomplishment. On the other hand, its generally hard for someone to continue in one of those mind states because of mental disabilities or just from lack of work ethic. For me, I constantly am curious and can be super creative if I try, I listen carefully to everyone's point of view and make sure I keep open-minded. I seriously lack in initiative and multi-tasking.

    I've always loved to hear stories and experiences from friends and peers and I always try to give an input. My friends and family always know I'm listening and respect my opinions as well.

    Creativity has never truly been a hard task for me. When I was in grade seven, I was one of those kids who would run around at recess pretending to shoot trees. Everyone thought I was weird for doing this, but I have just always had the ability to create a world in my head without any effort.


 
    Curiosity has always been relevant in my life. Sometimes I'll find myself having intimate conversations with people I never would have expected to talk to. I've never really had a struggle making conversation with people and meeting new people as well as learning new things. This is because I've always had a general wonder and awe about our world and how it ticks.

    Grade 12 is an important year for me and even though I have three amazing qualities to aid in my development and possible future, I still need to focus and get on topic by taking initiative and multi-tasking because without it, it'll extremely hard for me to be successful.

Education is the Key?

     Labeling yourself based on background is something that should never define you or be used to define you by anyone else, yet it happens everyday. Someone who could have been playing guitar since they were two, and then apply for a guitar teaching job at twenty-one could be rejected right on the spot no questions asked because they "weren't qualified." You never know what background someone could come from. A person can test 130 on the IQ test and still get denied access to secondary school because they had to take care of their sick mother throughout grade ten.

    Everyone judges. Someone could be walking down the street with crocs on, and someone who saw them would call them a dirtbag because of their appearance. Education systems are perfect examples of this. Just because someone doesn't have an eighty average or pays attention in class doesn't mean they're delinquents. Learning isn't easy for some people, and teaching should be adapted to different learning skills and personalities. Entire careers are based on educational background. Whenever someone is in construction or working at tim hortons at age 50 bystanders will say "that's what you get for partying too hard in high school." In my opinion, everyone should be given many chances to prove themselves and education should adapted to learning skills and home situations rather than being so cutthroat.