Author: econnelly3 (Page 3 of 5)
I think that overall my writing style has stayed pretty consistent. The way I read and digest writing I would say has also stayed the same. I think when it comes to grammar, I would like to think that I have improved. I would say that I did learn a lot this semester. Organizing my writing has probably been my biggest growth and making strong connections.
I think that since I am going to interview the same person again it would be helpful to recall some of the things we talked about when looking at empathy and its limitations. Both I and my interviewee have spent a lot of time learning about people with disabilities and how inclusion and the culture we create affect them but all people as well. How has seeing all sides of disability been helpful in building her empathy and point of view? Why does she think there is so much hatred towards these people and how can see the full range of experiences make a difference in our world? Even moving away from disability how does seeing the full picture affect perspective and biases? Roper-Phelps has an interesting story that not everyone knows and I think we can all learn from it. How can people forgive someone even if they have done or said all of these awful things? How does seeing the “full-bodied experience” change our capacity to forgive? Do you believe exposure and contact are good tools for personal growth?
In ways, I have a love-hate relationship with writing and composing my thoughts. I think that I have a lot of thoughts and it’s hard to organize them into something that is composed. I do a lot of writing and speaking in my classes and will forever be doing this after college. I think that teaching and composing lessons are fueled by the same creative energy. The idea that words and the way we portray information and thoughts can truly have an immense impact on people inspires me. I may not be the best writer or composer but I think that I have things I want to say and it is definitely a skill I want to keep growing. I danced for 16 years of my life and I think that’s where I felt the strongest in my composition. I began to find more joy in other activities related to fitness, but I haven’t really found anything that gives me that same feeling.
I think that my most significant strength is the way I am able to write some things. I think at times my word choice can be very smooth. I also believe that it can be my biggest weakness. I can overcomplicate what I am trying to say. I think I did better at including more of my own thoughts and anecdotes to make the writing more personable on paper 2. I think my caveat allowed me to do this and it also strengthened my writing.
In my short podcast, I think it was hard for me to feel comfortable and confident in what I was saying. I agree with the comments about making it more conversational and it is definitely something I will work on for the next one.
Overall, I need to work on explaining my thoughts and not assuming that my statements will be understood without further explanation. I tend to write to myself rather than to an outside audience. Comments like “unclear” and “more on this” reflect this. I can overcome some of this if I fully develop my thoughts and ideas. I took time to look at my sentence structure and ensure that all of my sentences were complete and there weren’t just random commas.
I was always placed in honors and AP English classes in high school. I have always considered myself a good reader and thinker, but sometimes not always a good writer. I have practiced a lot of annotating and analyzing text. The habits that Gilroy discusses are things that have been ingrained in my brain while reading. As an active reader, I am always prepared to talk about my thinking but it is important to be aware that not everyone will interpret things the same way. In discussions, it is very important to stay open-minded. Other people’s ideas or even just sharing my own aloud can spark more thoughts that will later bleed into my writing. I have worked hard on developing all of my thoughts completely in my writing but it is more the structure I struggle with. I am a strong believer that good writing comes from a lot of thinking and processing whatever it may be. Once I have sat with my thoughts and discussed them with others and my brain I can write quite fast.
I know that it can be extremely difficult to see beyond the things your parents raised you to believe. Whether that’s religion or just a perspective or bias about people. Phelps-Roger was sp trapped in this way of thinking it felt like there was no escape. I don’t know if she really used one of the strategies e have talked about to change her mind, but I do know that she had goodness in her heart. This goodness was like a whisper in her ear telling her what she was doing could possibly be wrong. She was so curious to see the other side and how other people viewed what she and the church were doing. It’s hard for me to understand how someone can love God the way these people said they did, yet treat others in this way. To me, the Bible preaches nothing but love and forgiveness so to turn its word into a weapon of hate just seems like an atrocity. Megan I think saw this too. Maybe this was her demonstrating intellectual humility and beginning to grow this skill. She doesn’t seem like a bad person but rather someone who was just born into a family that taught her the wrong things. I can’t imagine what leaving must have been like. This was all she knew and she still had to figure out what she truly believed. She does not seem to hate her family for what they did or are doing, but rather wants to help them see the same light she did. This really is an insight into the person she really is. I think forgiveness is a huge message to take from this. As people we have to understand that people can change and forgiveness is a powerful force. Soceity needs to support and help people explore different ideas rather than shunning them and pushing them away.
My goal in life is to make all people feel like they have a special place on this Earth. I would say that I am a human rights activist, and these issues hold a special place in my heart. My Aunt adopted 7 children with disabilities. To me, this is normal but to other people, it isn’t. I spent my childhood in inclusive classrooms, and not everyone gets to experience that. As somebody who is passionate about education and human rights, I want to be able to create a space where every student feels safe regardless of any other factors. The idea of eugenics and the horrifying perspectives people had and still do have about people with disabilities. It is sad to know that human life may be valued less than another. I think the biggest takeaway is that people with disabilities often do not find that their disability takes away from the joy in life. The world has to understand that they are people aside from their disabilities. I really enjoyed this quote: “How we frame disability determines how we live it, and if it is defined as calamitous from the start, the job of finding meaning is steeper than it need be. The fact that you wouldn’t have chosen something doesn’t mean that you can’t find joyful meaning in it”. The needs of those who are disabled are different from those of us who are not disabled. They are only different, not bad or an inconvenience, just different. The impact people can make in the world is so much more than this small aspect of them. As a society, we need to do better at making sure there is access and equity for all. If it was normal that all people experienced this I think that there would be a different perspectives on these “differences”.
For me, writing takes a lot of thinking and time in order for me to find the words I want to use. When I have trouble making myself clear and understood it tends to be when I am making connections between sources. Connecting a source and my thoughts is easier for me. I think that it’s hard to know where there is a good connection and if it is strong enough to support the argument. Jamison and Price told very different stories through their writing. Jamison writes about an experience where she had to use empathy and Price tries to convince us that empathy is not as important as it may seem. I think that Jamison comes to the conclusion that her empathy has limits and is unsure if her disbelief means she is not demonstrating it. But she never says that she doesn’t view empathy the same at the end of her reflection. Price, however, has very strong feelings about empathy and his ability to use it. They seem to both be compassionate caring people but their writing is very different. I honestly am unsure how to make this easier on myself. I felt like every connection I tried to make seemed weak and like a stretch. I found that both articles played an important role in my writing, but maybe together they weren’t the best match. I think I tried to challenge myself by using them, but I guess it’s subjective whether it was powerful enough.
