Social Media in the Classroom

When I started this blog for my students in fall 2011, it was an experiment to see how well I could integrate social media into my classroom. I dabbled in blogging for a few years before discovering a niche, which meant I had learned a lot about different platforms and the way blogging affects a person’s writing. English teachers always talk about writing for an audience, but the audience is so often dwindled down to one or two: the teacher and maybe another peer. By creating this blog, I wanted to give my students an audience that extended beyond the classroom, so that they could share their writing easily with family, friends, coworkers or amazingly, someone they’ve never met who lives on the other side of the world.

Since I am an English teacher, I treat my class blog as an online literary magazine, but I’ve also used it to  establish a feeling of community in and out of our classroom. When a piece of student writing is polished and strong, I encourage them to read my comments for revision and resubmit it so that it may be published. The blog you’re looking at, A Home of One’s Own, was open to anyone who was willing to do the hard work of writing, editing, and revising.  Some students submitted a few times, others once, some not at all. Not only did submission to the blog help students gain confidence in their writing, but the blog became an opportunity to show students models of error-free, thoughtful prose.

Since my Developmental English course theme was about finding a home, this blog became a virtual home, one that students could turn to whether they were at work, school, or sitting at their kitchen tables.

So pull up a chair. Look around, see what you like, leave a thought, question or idea in the comments section. I hope you enjoy your stay.

—Jana Llewellyn, blog moderator and English adjunct, Community College of Philadelphia

Find the link to the presentation on January 11, 2012 here.

*Click on the links below to read articles about integrating social media in the classroom.

“Less is More: Using Social Media to Inspire Concise Writing” By Shannon Doyne and Holly Epstein Ojalvo, March 28, 2011

“Speaking Up in Class Silently, Using Social Media” by Trip Gabriel, May 13, 2011

“Three Teachers Answer Questions on Classroom Microblogging” by By Katherin Schulten, May 19, 2011

“Using Social Media to Teach: Keep it Transparent, Open and Safe” by Charol Shakeshaft, Dec. 19 2011

“28 Creative Ways Teachers Are Using Twitter” (Best Colleges Online)

“Ways Twitter Can Improve Our Writing” By Madeline Sanders (Best Colleges Online)

If you have any questions, you can contact me via email at jllewellyn@ccp.edu or on Twitter, @ccpwriting

My Pastor

Profile by Yasiris Martinez

Whenever I think about a great man, Alberto Balio comes to mind. I was first introduced to Alberto Balio in 2004 when he started working in my church as my pastor.  No matter what time you need him, Pastor Balio is always willing to help. He is a man with a lot of responsibilities. He was leading three churches and also had a lot of his own personal issues. No matter what the situation was, he always had a smile on his face. He is what you can truly consider a man of God.

Pr. Balio gave his life to Christ in September of 1990. In the mid 90’s he decided to go to college to become a 7th Day Adventist Pastor. He then moved from Lawrence, Massachusetts to Puerto Rico with his wife. At the time they did not have any kids. In college, he graduated with high honors. Shortly after, he was offered a job as a pastor and worked in Puerto Rico for a year. Then he decided to come back to the US; once here, he was offed a job in Pennsylvania. He has been in the Philadelphia area since 2004.

Pastor Balio is one of the kindest people I know. He is a great spiritual leader. Recently he went through very tough personal situation. His wife left him and even then he showed what a man of God he is. Pr. Balio received a lot of personal attacks from other leaders in church, because of what happened with his family, but he never took any action other than praying and blessing these people. Due to this issue, we have become very close friends. I admire him. Unfortunately, he does not lead my church anymore, but he is one of the few people that I can say is a true Christian.

 

Image: “Church hill Episcopal Church” by jimmywayne via Flickr using a Creative Commons license.

The NERC Book Club Finds a Home

Today was the first ever meeting for the NERC book club, and we were so happy to have Elizabeth Mosier, author of The Playgroup, talk about the making of her novella.

 

The Playgroup offers a different take on the idea of “home” than the other texts we read this semester. The protagonist, Sarah, finds herself in the wilderness of motherhood, with only her moms’ playgroup for comfort. Like many mothers, she wants to be perfect in her new job caring for her daughter, but she is haunted by her past, by her own childhood, by the flawless woman whose house she has bought and redecorated.

Throughout The Playgroup, Mosier shows us that no matter where we live or where we’ve come from, we can find home by looking to the family and friends who are there for us.

 

Elizabeth Mosier speaks about her new book, The Playgroup.

 

 

Community Room, Northeast Regional Center Campus (Community College of Philadelphia)

 

 

Thank you, Elizabeth Mosier, for coming to speak, and thank you to the participants of the NERC book club for reading, listening, and asking questions!

 

 

That House

Freewrites by Jaclyn Petrowski

“That House”

That house on the corner is my house. That house with the big red bricks, white shutters, open glass windows, big back yard and the little garden on the side. It has the basketball net out front and two parked cars in the driveway. That house has three floors of loving, caring, generous people who are different in every way.  In that house I live with six other amazing people who help me grow, teach me right from wrong and support me in everything I do.

“Do words have meaning?”

            Yes, words have power; never underestimate the power of your words. One small word can change a person’s life, for better or for worse. Gossip is usually destructive; it is a careless use of our words. Some words have stronger meanings than people think; using a word you don’t know can cause conflict with you and the other person. Thinking before you speak is always a way to watch your words. It is also better to know what the words mean before you use them in a sentence.

Image: “Nothing but net…and shadow” by Lorianne DiSabato via Flickr using a Creative Commons license.

Words

Freewrites by Sharolynn Lopez

“I Am You”

Remember the day I walked in front of the class and choked on my words? As you tried to stand up for me you choked on yours as well, remember that? I remember all the games we played together when we were little. Don’t you remember about imagination? And how in the long run it would all disappear. I remember. We cried so much together, and it showed me that you were my best friend. When everyone walked away from me, you were always there for a helping hand and to wipe my tears. I love you, and I know you love me too. You made me strong. You were my own hero. You know how to build me up and how to tear me down, and I’m glad you don’t take advantage of me. I know you get claustrophobic as I stand in front of the mirror, but you see I speak for you, Sharolynn Lopez. Remember I am you.

 

“Silence”

Silence can actually be a weapon. It can kill both a person inside and out, and no one would have the slightest clue. Speaking always lets out emotions, and the more you tame them, the more destruction they will make as you continue to keep them in. It is always nice to have someone special to tell everything too, such as, a best friend, favorite cousin, or even a boyfriend or girlfriend. People have to be more outgoing because the less you are, the more your mind becomes haunted and terrorized. Stop gasping for air like a fish out of water, SPEAK!

 

Image: “lip suga” by Chrissy Long via Flickr using a Creative Commons license.

My Grandma

By Valeriya Orlova

There is always something in life which a person has to cherish and respect. One of the biggest and most beautiful things that I admire and love – is my family, small but very friendly. My grandmother is the person who has been with me since the day I was born. She is a gentle, caring, and supporting person, who raised me and took the best care of me. She is the one who is always by my side, who does everything for me, not asking anything back in return. Everything she does always comes from her heart. I am the oldest grandchild in the family, but the only one who my grandmother basically raised along with my grandfather and my Mom.

Every day the gentle voice of my grandma wakes me up in the morning. She never screams, and never lets her temper out of control. The only time that I hear grandma raising her voice is only at my dog Ceazar. (He always gives her trouble with food and going for outside walk.) As for me, I never have to worry about making food in the house. My grandmother loves to be in the kitchen, preparing different kinds of food. Sometimes she gets upset with me if I do not eat after coming back from college or work. She worries a lot about me eating healthy and staying strong.

Sometimes, I see my grandmother sitting by the window in deep thoughts. I always wonder  what she is thinking about. One day I asked her of her thoughts, and she replied to me: “I just want to have one day to myself, and not to be bothered by anybody, just me and my thoughts.” I want to be able to get her a ticket to Europe, where she will travel and will be left alone for a while. As the oldest grandchild I owe a lot to my grandmother. That is another reason for me to proceed with my education and get successful in life. This way she can see that I worry for my future. I also worry for my grandmother in a way to be able to support her in the future. I know she does not need much from me, but simple respect and care.

Since I am still a teenager with a huge ego for my age, I continue making mistakes that I regret at the end. I like to go out with my friends. Very often I come back home late. I know that my grandma will not close her eyes for a second to go to sleep, until she knows that I am home and safe. I appreciate that she worries about me, but sometimes I get mad with listening to the moral teaching. Objectively speaking, she tells me only the right things of what I should do, such as: “You have to get up early in the morning to go to school or work. You need to stop going out every night.” I try to argue with her, which makes her upset. Then, when things cool off a bit, I always begin to understand that she is right and I should listen to her. Grandmother has more experience in life than I do, and all she wants from me is simply to listen to her and respect. It is all for the best.

Overall, my grandma is like my second mother. I love her a lot. I cannot wish for anything better in life but having her by my side and inside my heart. I like when she smiles and when her grey eyes sparkle from being happy. She is only 60 years old, still young and good looking woman. She has been the best mother, wife and grandmother for all these years. A person like her is very hard to find in this world, such a veracious and comely human being.

 

Image: Margy’s Grandmother by drewleavy via Flickr using a Creative Commons license.

Mother

By Eddie Gallego

Daisy Vidal, a very an important person in my life, is my mother. This 40 year old, light skinned woman with black hair, was born on October 16, 1971, in Ponce, Puerto Rico. In her career as a sales representative for a company called Home Gallery Furniture, she managed to receive several promotions leading up to managing her own store. She loves going to the gym as a stress reliever, and spends lots of time with my son, her grandson, who she loves dearly.

At the age of 7, my mother lost her parents and youngest brother. Because of this incident, her oldest sister had to take charge and raise eight of her siblings including my mother. My mother started working at a young age to help herself financially. Knowing the meaning of hard work is like music to her ears. The result of my grandmother’s death is something that travels with my mother everywhere, which makes her so attached to my son. She wants my son to know that his grandmother will always be there for him.

She also spoils my son with whatever he wants. For example, she took him to the park one day and bought him toys, like Toy Story figurines, and cars, just because he asked her.

She is important to me because, as I was growing up, I saw and heard the things she has done and gone through, and she still manages to keep a smile on her face and support her own family, which to me is the meaning of hard work. She showed me that if you work hard, that everything will work out. For example, the time I was about to complete high school and receive my diploma, I worked hard till the end and received a good grade point average.

 This person is the world to me; she is my mom and always will be. My mother stands out in many ways; she was there when I needed her. When she enters the room, everybody greets her. She is my mother and no one else can replace her and that is what makes her special.

 

Image: “Mother” by racineur via Flickr.

My Sister the Chef

By Sabrina Dazdja

There are many types of sisters. Sisters come from different parts of the world, in many different sizes, shapes, and colors. A sister is someone who will always have your back and will cherish every memory being shared: ups and downs, tears or laughter, and love and hate. My sister is a twenty-four year old who has blonde hair and blue eyes and is five feet and seven inches. My sister, the one I call “Blondie,” is a very determined, creative, and passionate person. She is the first generation of the Dazdja family to graduate from a four year college. My sister graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York with a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts management at the age of twenty-one.

My sister always loved being in the kitchen and experimenting with different ingredients. She knew that opening her own restaurant and being called “chef” was her career choice. However, when things seemed simple, it only got harder for her because my parents never agreed with the life choices my sister had arranged for herself. My parents always told her, “A career as a chef will never make enough money to support yourself, or even be able to open your own restaurant.” Blondie always told me, “Follow your heart no matter what anyone tells you,” because at the end of your journey the only thing that counts is your happiness. My sister was willing to lose the family’s support in order to maintain her desires. She started working as a dishwasher at DEL FRISCO in center city Philadelphia. She was so talented and creative towards her career as a chef that even as a dishwasher she managed to impress the manager. After a couple of months prior she was given an opportunity to run the kitchen. She was so euphoric that she finally got the chance to express her love for food, which she considers a form of art that can be brought to life. My sister knew deep inside her heart, though, that her dream was not quite accomplished. In order for her to prove my parents wrong, she moved to Manhattan to open her first restaurant.

I am beyond proud to call Blondie my sister. I came to admire her as an individual because she has opened my eyes and showed me that if you desire something in life,  it is up to you to determine if you want to sacrifice.

Image: “Sunday Cooking” by lamazone via Flickr using a Creative Commons license.

A Phenomenal Woman

By Marlana Wilson

On March 27, 1951, Sylvia Lee Powlis was born in Brooklyn, New York and at that moment, her parents knew she was unique. Sylvia was very ambitious growing up. She would finish reading novels while taking a road trip, had a passion for mentoring and encouraging people, and was the queen of fashion. Sylvia was a jack of all trades. Even though she didn’t physically get her hands dirty, she knew how to fix all problems.

Aunt Syl was what I called her, and I was every sweet name she could think of calling me. Baby Doll, Darling, and Sweetie just to name of few. Aunt Syl would examine all my outfits and would ask me questions like, “Why your pants so tight? What’s wrong with your shirt? How can you walk in those shoes?” This was an everyday situation until 2010 when I turn 29 years old and finally got it right. Then the table had turned; Aunt Syl would say “I like that suit. How come you didn’t buy me one?” This made me feel good because her approval of fashion was rare.

Although Aunt Syl was a smart and savvy woman with a strong work ethic, she believed that anyone can do anything if one works hard at it. Aunt Syl would encourage me to go to college because I was a great care giver and had plenty of patience for the sick. She saw something in me that I couldn’t see. As a spiritual guide, a teacher, and a mentor, Aunt Syl made everything fun. She had a smile that would brighten up any room and a hearty laugh that would make the saddest moment turn into joy. Because of her positive progression that she instilled in me, I’m now in college working hard with a smile on my face.

My Aunt Syl was an eloquent speaker and a well-rounded reader. She would make junk mail sound like a fairy tale and would order books and magazines on a weekly bias. I don’t know how she read every book that came through her door while working three jobs. After all, being a graduat from Boston University and the vice president of Prudential Insurance Company of America, it was a piece of cake to her.  Seeing all that my Aunt Syl had accomplished in life made me want to read more.

The lovely, bright, and inquisitive young lady who taught me so many lessons that life has to offer passed away on June 19, 2011. Up until her final hour here on earth, she believed “I could do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phillippians 4:13). I honor her life by working hard to become successful in life and being an astonishing woman.

 Click here to read Maya Angelou’s famous poem, “Phenomenal Woman.”

Image: Phenomenal Woman by QRChae via Flickr using a Creative commons license

Comparison of The House on Mango Street and A Raisin in the Sun

By Valeriya Orlova

I have read two incredible books called The House on Mango Street and A Raisin in the Sun. Both books are about lower class families that are trying to make their dreams come true. Esperanza, the main character of The House on Mango Street, thought about moving out of her neighborhood and living in her own house. She constantly moved from one place to another with her family. Her mother tells her that one day, they will stop moving and they will live in a big house. The house will be big enough for everyone to have their own bathroom. Deep inside, Esperanza knows that her family would never move into a nice big house.  She would have to be the one to make her dreams come true. That is where The House on Mango Street and A Raisin in the Sun are similar. Walter from A Raisin in the Sun was thinking how to make his family happy by investing his father’s money into the liquor store. He thinks that money is life, and nothing could be more important. At the end, though, he understands that happiness is when you are surrounded by your family, which supports you all the steps of the way.

On the other hand, the book A Raisin in the Sun is quite different from The House on Mango Street. A Raisin in the Sun deals more with family issues and the struggles to fulfill people’s dreams. The poor family fights almost every day to get money and move into a different neighborhood all together as a family. In contrast, Esperanza, from The House on Mango Street, dreams about owning her own home with nobody living there with her. She wants to be on her own, where Mama from A Raisin in the Sun wants her whole family to live happily under the same roof.

At the end, in A Raisin in the Sun, the whole family lives happily ever after. Walter understands that money does not necessarily bring happiness, but family does. The Younger family moves into a new house to start a new life. The House on Mango Street lets the reader decide on his own what will happen to Esperanza when she grows up.  I believe that Esperanza will make her dream come true. If you wish something very much and work hard for it, it will absolutely come your way.

I enjoyed reading both books. They make a reader think of what is truly important in life: the money to fulfill your dreams, or a one big happy family under the warm roof.

Image: “Chicago” by smik67 via Flickr using a Creative Commons license.