We Did It! We Did It! Yeah! (The preschool version)

Now on to lesson plans...

Final Draft of Project 4: The letter.

To my peers and professor of English 102,

Throughout this course I have learned a little bit about my writing style and have grown from these changes. Though there weren’t any conferences outside of class with my peers or professor and though I did not discuss my papers or projects with anyone outside of my class, I did a lot of self reflection through this course and the tasks it required of me.

I enjoy writing if it is on my terms and for purposes that I am motivated about. If I am not fully motivated, if I have to write more than once on the topic, or if at any point in time I get bored during the piece, I don't put in as much effort as I should because I am not driven. I found that my writing style did not change much during this course because there was a lot of drafts of the same paper and a lot of editing, which I don’t particularly find motivating. I would have rather worked on a paper, then edited it once, and then worked on something else. Perhaps if there were 5-8 different papers and they were all different topics entirely, not building off of one another, it would have been more fun. Less of a process for each paper would have also been nice.

I have learned to be more patient with my writing process and to look more closely at the grammar and punctuation. I believe that the writing process is more complicated than I thought it was at the beginning. There can be a lot more steps and processes to fulfill in order to accomplish something worth publishing. I think the peer review process can also be more lengthy than I originally thought. I think being given both positive and helpful feedback is more beneficial than just what should be fixed. I I learned a lot about how to take feedback as well as give feedback in this course.Each time I revised a new paper I was able to revise a little more efficiently. I think this came with practice.

I didn't realize that the genres we looked at were really writing genres. I found it interesting that this class had me look at more unconventional writing genres than what I thought we would be exploring. I liked that I saw an increase in my project grades throughout this semester so that I could see that I was improving throughout this course.

I hope that if I ever take another writing class again, it is not online. I felt a huge disconnect with my peers and teacher. I would hope to have a more timely response with my classmates and professors when I needed help or if an assignment was due in less than 48 hours. While the course readings and assignments were helpful for the course needs and requirements, I personally didn’t feel that they were beneficial to where I am headed in my future plans.

Writing only fits into my lesson plans at the preschool now, through lesson plans. I don't see this changing anytime soon. I don't plan on pursuing a higher level of education in the next 5 years, so I believe that my writing essays and such have come to a close for now.

I think in the next five years my writing style will start to become more fluid in simpler, smaller tasks such as my lesson plans. Full sentences, grammatical situations, and longer, more in depth contexts will not be in my lesson plans. In fact, I think the next step for me as far as my writing style goes is to learn the ways of other cultures so I can connect with my families who are of a different culture.

All the best to your futures,

Britt

Reflection on Peer Reviewed draft for project 4

Please see my previous post, Peer review for project 4, for the hyperlinks to the drafts that I edited.

This letter is written to my peers and professor of English 102. My readers will have a similar background as myself because the topic of the letter is the process we have all been going through in this class. Nothing in my letter should come as a surprise. The opinions and ideals of my peers and professor are for grading purposes only, so I shouldn't be disrespecting my peers through this letter in any way. My peers have the expectations that I will follow the guideline given to me to answer the questions my professor wants to know for this project. I have stuck to the outline and so should meet my readers' expectations. The level of information needed to get my point across in this letter is not as much as usual. Because my readers have gone through the process with me, they understand my experiences. I shouldn't need to include strong and minute details because they should be able to understand by reading the text the same concepts that I am talking about. By overindulging in details I would be insulting their expertise. This letter is supposed to be semi-formal, so the language should match the genre. I will need to use a tone that shows that I believe us all to be on the same level as far as respect and intelligence goes.

Peer review for project 4

I did two peer reviews; Selena and Jess' project drafts.

Draft of Open Letter.

I am a little unclear on the project because at first I didn't see a connection between the last assignment and turning it into a letter. I am hoping that I completed this task appropriately. Please let me know if you think I should add anything or if I am unclear on something. Thanks, and cheers to a last peer review!

Reflecting on my writing experiences

I enjoy writing if it is on my terms and for purposes that I am motivated about. If I am not fully motivated, if I have to write more than once on the topic, or if at any point in time I get bored during the piece, I don't put in as much effort as I should because I am not driven. I didn't really enjoy writing when I came into this course, so this process hasn't really changed.
I have learned to be more patient with my writing process and to look more closely at the grammar and punctuation. I believe that the writing process is more complicated than I thought it was at the beginning. There can be a lot more steps and processes to fulfill in order to accomplish something worth publishing. I think the peer review process can also be more lengthy than I originally thought. I think being given both positive and helpful feedback is more beneficial than just what should be fixed. I think I learned a lot of how to take feedback as well as give feedback in this course.
There were not any conferences with my peers or my teachers.
I didn't discuss my paper with anyone outside of class, however, I did tell my roommates when I found out about the apostrophe rules - they were as surprised as I was!
I think each time I revised a new paper I was able to revise a little more efficiently. I think this just came with practice.
I didn't realize that the genres we looked at were really writing genres. I found it interesting that this class had me look at more unconventional writing genres than what I thought we would be exploring.
I hope that if I ever take another writing class again, it is not online. I felt a huge disconnect with my peers and teacher. I would hope to have a timely response with my classmates and professors.
Writing only fits into my lesson plans at the preschool now. I don't see this changing any time soon. I don't plan on pursuing a higher level of education in the next 5 years, so I believe that my writing essays and such have come to a close for now.

Revisiting my Writing Process

I think I was on point with my first blog post about my writing process. I believe I am still a procrastinator writer, and a heavy planner in the sense that I do not want to rewrite after my first draft. I find it tedious and unhelpful. I think that if I have changed at all over the course of this class it is more so procrastinating than anything else. I think the strengths and weaknesses that I wrote about before are the same. I don't believe that these have changed.
In my field, the most I will be writing is lesson plans or speech therapy letters home to parents. I don't think I need this level of writing ever again. If I do, it is because of a research paper or a peer reviewed article, which does take 6-10 revisions over the course of a few years. I really hope that I do not have to do this though. It is not my favorite writing style personally. I don't believe that my process will change, unless I am truly motivated by something that I am writing about.

Reflection on Project 3

From one draft to another, there were a few technical and tiny details I needed to add or edit in order to bring my project to life. I found that the more I looked at the punctuation, which was the focus of this project, the more I wanted to edit and add emphasis where appropriate.
I was driven to edit by my peers' comments. Without them, I wouldn't have known where to edit things.
I think the more edits and changes one applies to a piece of writing the more it is credible. Usually. This is not always the case, because there are always exceptions. But this is usually the case.
This changes, such as the punctuation mark edits, should make the reader want to become more involved.
I reconsidered one or two sentence structures because I tend to use run-on sentences. I just needed to break them up into smaller sentences that flowed better.
By breaking down complex sentences I can assume that my readers will be able to understand me more. This means that my purpose will be more clear to them.
I realized that I couldn't figure out how to upload a video, or make a video for that matter, and could not figure it out in under 24 hours for this project. I think if I had been given more time to figure things out logistically, this could have worked. Due to the lack to time and my lack of technology skills, the written genre I chose to use will have to do.
I don't think I have changed much since the last time I had to answer these questions, so I didn't find this reflection helpful this time.

Final Project 3

Education for DHH Children; a Better Solution

By Brittany Newland

More than 80% of hearing impaired students are educated in varying public schools, depending on location, at least part time because they are deemed a "less restrictive environment" (LRE). However, these public school systems are actually more restrictive because of the lack of resources that put a barrier between the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) student and the other hearing students and staff. According to an article, many of these students do not have access to a Teacher of the Deaf (ToD) while others only get part time or no extra services at all due to the fact that they are unavailable. Similarly, those from smaller school districts may be reliant on an interpreter, causing a boundary between those who hear and the students who need as assistant to communicate with them. Lisa Snell, the author to another article written on the subject, stated that the average cost of attendance to a private boarding school for the deaf in California costs more than 87 thousand dollars per student per year, making this option unreachable for most DHH students. All of these issues could be helped if the government gave more specific funding to these types of programs, allowing the tuition rate of the private schools to decrease and creating scholarships for those , and giving more resource opportunities to those who attend public schools.

DHH students have two major choices for education; private and public school systems. Though Snell emphasizes that public schools have shown to project increased test scores in English Literacy for DHH students, private schools offer the teaching staff and student peers that allow DHH students to feel completely comfortable in their environment. Public schools offer these students the chance to adapt and prepare for the real world scenarios they will face after schooling, and private schools offer these children the ability to learn from those like them and prepare them for success in their culture. Both school systems are very different but neither of them are wrong. Education is such a personal matter and there usually cannot be a right and wrong form if the students are learning and meeting objectives. The problem is that neither of these systems is working due to the same issue, a lack of government funding.

If public schools are given money specifically for more resources for DHH students, if teachers for the deaf were available at each school, and if extracurriculars were available at all times for those in need of extra assistance, then these schools would have less boundaries separating their peers and increased learning. If private schools were given funding to help reduce the tuition of attendance and scholarships provided by the government were given to students who may not be able to afford schooling but still would like to attend, the private schools would be more easily accessible. Furthermore, if government officials need to put their state money into developing a better test to assess the ways in which students are learning in each system instead of English literacy. English literacy may not apply to those who don’t use or need English to communicate, and a new test that focused on a different form of intelligence would be better and the DHH students wouldn’t have “low” scores compared to other hearing students.

But this doesn’t stop with the voice of this article. The voices of those reading and watching my video need to speak up as well. In order to get our government to hear our message, we need to use more than our words. We need to write letters to our officials, we need to share these messages, share our opinions, no matter how small or large. We need to raise our signs, our voices, our written words, and our powerful message until it reaches the most powerful people related to this topic; our government. Let us get our children the help that they need to succeed by gettting more educational funding for DHH students!

Punctuation, Part 2

I looked at Unnecessary Commas, The Apostrophe, Quotation Marks, and End Punctuation.

I always thought that commas were to be used to show the reader pauses, because that is how we read them usually, but by reading this chapter I have found that it is not the case. I was most surprised that numbers and dates did not allow for apostrophes. This was such a shock to me. I always thought they needed them. I also think it is mind-blowing that lowercase letters and A's and I's do need an apostrophe. I liked how the last chapter emphasized not overusing exclamation points.

ADDITION:
After revising my paper, I think I would need to focus on the use of apostrophes and end punctuation. I think I stick to mostly periods, but that I could use an exclamation to spice up and add force to my paper, probably in the conclusion when I am trying to convince the readers to start a movement.

"But this doesn’t stop with the voice of this article. The voices of those reading and watching my video will need to speak up as well. In order to get our government to hear our message, we need to use more than our words. We need to write letters to our officials, we need to share these messages, share our opinions, no matter how small or large. "

Or...

"We need to raise our signs, our voices, our written words, and our powerful message until it reaches the most powerful people related to this topic; our government. Let us get our children the help that they need to succeed in every system, in every way, possible. Let us get more educational funding for DHH students. "

Reflection on Project 3 draft

I did two reviews for my peers. They are here and here, by Adam Karsten and Jess Gonzales, respectively.



As far as my own draft is concerned, I was happy to see less technical errors being seen by my peers, and more analytical details which I can fix later on. I can see the improvement I have started to make through this course.

My original message was to bring the deaf community together through a common political act of asking the government for more money for funding public and private schools for the deaf. I think this was addressed clearly in my written message, but I am not sure how effective it will be until it is posted to the public. I am now revising my article to make it flow better and be more understood for when I translate this into a video presentation for the YouTube world. I am revising this article for DHH students, parents of these students, and school administrators with a similar issue. I may also be revising this for politicians if they see my post. The length of my paper has stayed the same. I think I may try to cut it down in order to fit inside the video timeline. I do not want to lengthen it. The format and appearance will change a great deal. I will hand write my statements on index cards and present them in a video format much different from a google doc. My use of evidence will stay the same, but at the end of my video I will provide the articles I used for my project so my audience can look for more information if they so choose. My introduction and conclusion will probably stay the same. I don't see a whole lot I need to change besides defining DHH. My argument will stay the same as well. I do not plan on changing that.

Punctuation, Part 1

I chose to read about The Comma, The Semicolon, and the Colon. I believe that these three can get confusing and that I use a lot of commas when they aren't necessary and not when they are needed so I would like to focus on these chapters.

I found that I knew more about using the comma than I thought. I think if I work on shortening my sentences and making more concise statements that my usage of commas will improve naturally. I liked that in the semicolon chapter, there was a list of the conjunctive adverbs. I thought this list was helpful when using semicolons in the future. I thought that there would be more usages for colons in an article or piece of writing but there doesn't seem to be many.

ADDITION:

I have learned that I am not the only one who uses commas a lot. I don't think commas are a negative or a positive thing if used properly: they just are. I think they can be overused to a degree if the reader starts to get confused or focuses on them for too long. I found two examples of these in my peers' work:

"Throughout history humanity's thirst for knowledge and natural curiosity has led many technological advancements from the creation of the automobile, to putting a man on the moon.  " - A Case for Stem Cell Research.

This example needs a coma or two to be clearer.

"Many long-standing institutions in the modern world are crumbling. Civic, political, religious, and educational agencies do not hold the degree of respect that they once did. Scandal, corruption, and incompetence within these entities have repelled a great many of the population, who have turned inward toward themselves and their inner circles, narrowing their world-views and losing sight of what is happening elsewhere. This alienation among social groups has divided people, disaffected them and made them wary toward what is not familiar. It is the climate for mistrust, misunderstanding, and endless conflict. " - In Defense of Photojournalism

This introduction paragraph can be really confusing with all the commas, and could use a simple rearranging of items to flow better.

Extended Annotated Bibliography

Snell, L. (2011, December 15). The Price Tag for Schools for the Deaf. Retrieved August 2, 2015.

This article is written by Lisa Snell, the director of Education at the Reason Foundation. She discusses how the cost of attendance only allows for approximately 800 students to be educated per year, with over 1200 deaf students left uneducated there due to poor economic standing. Her main two schools she chooses to discuss are located in California - within close proximity to Arizona, making this article relevant to both my topic and my peers who will be reviewing it. She goes on to explain how low the English Language Arts scores are for those who do attend these private schools in California, stating that they are not well balanced with hearing and non-hearing to be able to be proficient in English Arts the same as the state average requires to meet "expectations". She concludes with the fact that new funding in public schools allow for more advanced attention being given to those students who qualify. She says that there are higher test scores in English Arts proficiency in the public school systems than in the private education choices. This article is very helpful in providing both an opinion on private and public school systems, answering my question about cost (at least in the state of California), and in helping to show who is arguing for each side of the debate.

Public School Classrooms – The Least Restrictive Environment? (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2015.

This article argues against Lisa Snell in the fact that they suggest DHH (Deaf or Hard of Hearing) students should not be taught in public schools because they don't receive the resources they need and the attention with a ToD (Teacher of the Deaf) that they require. Their main issue is that the students only sometimes get one on one time with a ToD, some not at all, and that these students struggle when there is a language barrier between themselves and the teachers and their peers. While the public school system is usually looked at as being less restrictive, it is not given the proper budget or resources to help these students the way they need. This is helpful towards my article because this contradicts some points made in my previous article. It also helps show the public school side of the argument and costs. 

Redeafined: The Benefits of a Mainstream Education for Deaf Students. (2013, March 23). Retrieved August 2, 2015.

This article is aimed at showing the benefits of mainstreamed education for DHH; how public schools provide a "real-world experience" that helps them practice and maintain a life in the real world (the hearing world). The authors at Redeafined Magazine emphasize the benefits of a public education, including more extra curricular resources, a real-world practice, higher reading, writing, and English standardized test scores, and that these students can make friends who live near by instead of far away at private school areas only. This is a great article for my speech protest because while the past two articles have emphasized the negative effects of each type of school, they haven't taken a positive approach like this article does. Instead of listing all the negative aspects, this article emphasizes the benefits of one type over the other, allowing for a persuasive piece to unfold. 

Cohen, D. (n.d.). "'Inclusion' should not include Deaf Students" Retrieved August 2, 2015.

This article is written by Dr. Oscar Cohen, the Superintendent at a deaf school in New York. He speaks out about how public schools cannot supply a child with the proper tools and communicating abilities to feel comfortable and safe in their environment. He states his concern that DHH students in public schools are categorized in the group "disabled" students, which they are not, and that this limits their learning abilities and their self confidence. He also states that there have been an increase in standardized test scores among children who attend deaf schools which cannot be seen growing in public school DHH children. He does not support public schools as a proper education for DHH students. This article is highly important because it is the first article to speak out so strongly for private deaf schools for DHH students. 

Narrowing My Focus

1. What is the cost of each of these types of education options?
2. What education options are available to deaf students both in the rural and suburban living areas?

I think the most important thing in any argument is always about location. If I am in support of deaf students attending private schools strictly exclusively for the deaf, I need to be able to justify that all deaf students have access to this type of resource. I think it is just as important to discuss the cost of these education options because economics is a HUGE factor for most families. If an option is too expensive it automatically deletes itself from the list. Why should I argue for something that could be shut down in one argument over cost? 

Questions about Controversy

WHO:

1. Who is for public schools with hearing children? 
2. Who wants all deaf students to go to a private boarding school?
3. Who are the teachers and politicians involved in this decision?
4. Who is spreading the controversy mostly? Teachers, parents, students, politicians, etc?
5. Who are the parents involved?

WHAT:

1. What are the price ranges for these different schools?
2. What is the rate of acceptance for these different schools?
3. What are the benefits of keeping the deaf community exclusive?
4. What are the emotional or physical ramifications to having deaf students at a hearing school?
5. What education options are available to deaf students both in the rural and suburban living areas?

WHEN:

1. When did this become a controversy?
2. When were these different schools created for the deaf or hard of hearing?
3. When do children need to decide the type of schooling they get?
4. When is it acceptable to allow deaf children their right to speech; in the form they choose (sign or lip reading)?
5. What is the timeline for children at public vs private schools, including the learning curve, the more vulnerable age groups, etc.?

WHERE:

1. Where are these different schools available to students? 
2. Where is there the most resources?
3. Where is there the least amount of resources? 
4. Where are the colleges/higher educations located?
5. Where have we started to see a shift in those who attend each type of school (economically or socially)?

HOW:

1. How are these acts of public speech being spread mostly? 
2. How are the students able to communicate which they prefer and why?
3. How are the studies being conducted helping the debate? 
4. Which education system are these studies supporting?
5. How has this controversy unfolded through the social media, namely Facebook and Twitter?

Reflection on Project 2

1. I revised a lot more for this project than for the other one. I felt that the revision process was more detailed this time because we were asked to do more detailed work. I revised a few wordy sentences, I helped analyse my introduction and conclusion really well, and I helped make the writing flow better with less shifts and the use of commas.
2. My organization and my thesis were only changed slightly. I think Project 1 was the most rearranging I did between the two. I did update my thesis in order to make it less wordy. I chopped it into multiple sentences to help it flow better.
3. I provided these changes because my peers pointed out how wordy and confusing they were. As a writer, sometimes it is hard to understand what the reader may find confusing or wordy because the words fall from your head. A review or two helps make it clear what is unclear. 
4. By being more understandable a writer becomes more credible than a writer who is confusing. Wordy sentences may also come across as ramblings, a result of someone who doesn't know what they are talking about trying to discuss that topic. 
5. These changes help a peer see the rhetorical value of the article. Because I am intelligible, my readers will understand more, take away from the text more, and be able to understand the credibility of the article more. 
6. I needed to update my sentence structure a lot. I am a wordy writer and that led to a lot of confusion for my peer reviewers. 
7. My purpose is easier to understand because of these changes. By being more credible, the resources I suggest become more credible.
8. I don't think I altered the conventions of the genre in which I was writing because the genre was picked for me. 
9. As a writer, it is always helpful to analyze your own work and to have others analyze it as well. This will be helpful in the next project when I need to write again. I will try to be more attentive to the common mistakes I made this time around in the next project piece. 

Reflection on Project 2 Draft:

I reviewed Aaron's and Jess' drafts.

• My audience is specifically students interested in pursuing teaching special education or deaf studies following graduation. 
• My classmates will probably be bias towards integrating deaf and hard of hearing students with hearing students throughout their education experiences without the knowledge that sometimes it is unnecessary or not what that student really needs. This topic has so many points of view as to what is "right" or "wrong" that it can get hard to figure out what is best for the particular child - which is the most important thing. I think I also try to stay as neutral as possible so I shouldn't be disrespectful of their opinions. 
• Their values will be mixed between education with hearing and not hearing students. They will expect this article to take a side, which is tries not to do, so it will be interesting for them when they have to interpret if there is a bias or not on their own. 
• I think I need to give more information in the form of quotes. I have trouble doing this because I have been taught through my profession that quotes should NOT be used AT ALL. I took a class that required research papers every other week and if we used a quote we were negated 20 points because it is not encouraged in my field. I learned to not like using quotes which is why I struggle to put them in my papers. I wonder if there is a better way of using the information without using quotes? 
• I can use a professional yet not entirely scientific approach to my audience. I shouldn't expect them to read a research novel about this article if it isn't expected of us in our field. While my field will be about reading research papers and journals, I don't think I should expect that of my peers right off the bat. I should save that language for when I have my doctoral degree. 
• I usually have trouble staying consistent with my tone. I need to review this. My tone should remain consistent while keeping a positive and open tone. I don't want to get too opinionated. 

Clarity, Part 1

I decided to focus on Wordy Sentences, Needed Words, Variety, and Parallel Ideas.

1) I thought it was interesting that the chapter suggested using simpler words in order to cut down wordy sentences. I always thought using professional word choice trumped shorting sentences. I think I can highly benefit from this chapter as I have a tendency to overuse words.

I thought it was interesting that the chapter suggested using simpler words in order to cut down wordy sentences. I always thought using professional word choice trumped shorting sentences. I think I can highly benefit from this chapter as I have a tendency to overuse words.

2) In the Needed Words section, while I wasn't certain what it would be about, I thought it would help me with wordy sentences. Instead, I just feel more confused about wordy sentences and needed words. The fact that both chapters are telling you to do two opposite things is confusing.

3) The Variety chapter was very similar to the Needed Words and Wordy Sentences chapters and helped me understand my confusion between the other two. I am always surprised at the number of rules there seem to be in English.

4) I chose to look at Parallel Ideas because I was curious about this topic; not necessarily because I thought I needed it. However, I found this chapter just as helpful as the others. For this essay, I think this is useful because we are doing a lot of compare and contrast within the subject we chose.

REFLECTION:

I learned a lot through my peers about the chapters I read. I found a lot of us use wordy sentences (I am not alone!) and that we can all use too many commas. I think I need to review my own paper for similar issues.

Taken from How Misconceptions Killed Kevin Carter, by Jess Gonzalez:
"Even after the devastating loss of his best friend, photojournalist Ken Oosterbroeck, who was killed on the day he’d been away to be interviewed about winning the Pulitzer, Carter did his best to live up to the much sought after prize he’d been awarded, adding weight to the pressure he was already under from the attacks from the public, some even calling him “inhumane” for failing to assist the child in the photo." - here is a great example of wordiness and long run-on sentences I found through my peer.

Taken from NASA Budget Cuts, by Aaron Jatana:
"He then explains himself by saying that the study of other planets is one of the most popular studies for young students in Astronomy today, and those are the people who won’t get projects funded for." - here is a great example of too many words that mean the same thing. "explains himself" and "by saying" are just too similar to be in the same sentence. There should be a better way to say this without such repetition.

Draft of Rhetorical Analysis

Hello again,

Last draft I had trouble with tenseness, wordiness, and I used a lot of unnecessary words instead of getting right to the point. Please help me narrow down and shorten my draft. Please let me know where my "fluff" words are, where I repeat, and if I missed anything important.

So here it is. Thanks again,

Britt

Project 2 outline

The Introduction: 

Start off describing the struggle involved with parents who have a newly diagnosed child, Miller's education background, then finish with the thesis I pick from the previous post.  

The body:

1) The context of the article: grammar, vocab choices, strategies used or not used, unbiased, links used, bold and colored word choices, etc.

2) The culture of the article: The need of these families, the parents, and children. The newly exposed to culture individuals. The things parents may take into consideration or questions they may want to ask. The resources and their availability to the class of households this article is focused on. 

The Conclusion:

In conclusion, 2nd thesis statement would work well with tweaking. This article should be used because it is unbiased and therefor the most reliable piece of rhetorical evidence available to the public in need of assistance. 

Draft thesis statements

Here is my drafting process for the thesis statements. Instead of circling the items I wanted to focus on I decided to highlight.

My thesis statement idea is:

With the help of his educated background in deaf studies and American Sign Language, John Miller shows mixed hearing and non-hearing family members the perfect guide to education focused on each individual child’s needs without interference of personal judgement or bias, allowing for the family to come to their own personal choice in such a personal matter.

John Miller composes a beautiful article for the perfect guide for new families of the HOH or Deaf community on the best education practices available to them. Through an unbaised approach, he helps parents pick the best education for their child focused on that child's level of need.



I think, understanding the full assignment now, I wish I had picked a different article. This article was picked because it fit best with the first analysis assignment given in this deadline, but it doesn't match the end project very well. I would have picked a more suggestive article if I had known this was what we were working towards. Because there isn't much of an argument in this article, the challenge will be allowing it to be used like one without a biased opinion in my final draft.

REFLECTION:

I commented on Selena's post first. I found both of her thesis statements to work well for the essay. I liked how direct and clean the paragraphs were. I would like to use this and apply it to my own statements to make them more clear.

I then commented on Jess' post. I thought she could use more direct language and when I thought about my own thesis I realized that I could use the same advice. I also found that I should use the author and the name of the article in my statement. It may help direct the audience of my analysis.

I agree with Jake that I need to separate my first thesis into multiple statements in order to help the flow and "vibe" of my thesis. I should also look back through the article and look for what isn't in the article, as Ms Wolfe stated. I think this will help.

Analyzing my Audience

1) These readers have recently been told that their son or daughter has been diagnosed with Hard of Hearing (HOH) or deafness. These parents aren't sure of their beliefs yet which is why they are looking into this article and others similar. They want to find the right option for their family but cannot do this without the knowledge to make an educated decision. These parents are in a new and scary place in their lives, also wondering about where to take American Sign Language (ASL), and looking into all kinds of resources. It has just occurred to them that they don't know what to do to get their child through their education. These parents believe in the importance of an education for their family - they just aren't sure what kind that may be yet.

2) The language of this article is perfect for this audience. In their confused and scared emotional state, these parents need answers in a concise, quick, and educated manor. Some may not have as great of a vocabulary as others do which is why it is important to use regular speech talk, not a lot of scientific words that could get more confusing, and not too dull and small that the author is talking down to them. The language used in this article is the perfect example for how you'd want to talk to these parents.

3) These parents are probably in middle and lower class households though some upper class families may also choose to use the internet for their research. The reason I would think most upper class families would not choose to read this article is because the upper class has two main methods of finding information that is personal. The first is that they know a lot of helpful and powerful resources through their connections; neighbors, friends, business partners, etc. The other method they have is that most upper class individuals are highly educated and would resort to scientific academic journals instead of simple articles for just anyone. They also have the money to send their child anywhere or to keep them home for home schooling, something many other families cannot afford.

4) These parents will get the choice to pick what they want for their child for education. Since most will not be upper class they probably will not pick home schooling or boarding schools. They will be limited by the resources in their area, the amount they can afford on special treatment for specific ASL classes, lip reading, etc. They will probably pick a school close by that has a large deaf or HOH population but that is also a regular high school so they get both worlds in their education. But this article lets the parents decide what is best for them.

5) These parents want to know everything about this topic in order to make the best decision they can for their child. They will want to know the different costs for each type of education, the resources in their area, if they need to move to get closer to a better program for their child, how their child will be treated in each environment by both peers and teachers, how they will get these resources, where to sign up, how to sign, and so many more. These questions will plague them at every step of their child's education. Each new academic year, each bullying situation, every step of the way will have them back to this and other resources online and at clinics.

6) The best way to be persuaded in this situation would be financially appealing and more inclusive schooling would be best. These families do not have millions of dollars but still want to do what is best for their child. If they were told their financial stability was safe with one school or that the program at the expensive boarding school was the best in the nation and the only true option to insure a perfect life for their child, they would be more likely to pick that one.

Cluster of "Education options for children...."

I did my cluster in google drawings. I simply took the three main categories and four subcategories to centralize the cluster. I then took the information I gathered in my previous posts to compile a shortened list of each category which I put in the circles and file shapes.

Analyzing Rhetorical Strategies in "Education options for children who are deaf or hard of hearing" by John Miller

The author uses a link to a credible source for more information in his article. He references 3 other websites and places to explore for more detailed information as well as more personal information, such as the schools in particular areas in the United States. This adds credibility to his name by using updated, informative, credible sites to help validate his own statements.

The visual arrangement is also high quality. By bolding the pros and cons, and by making the different types of schools available in a different color from the rest of the text, the reader can visually see the pros and cons of each school type without having to read the full article. They can skim through the material and read up on what they want more information about.

The author also links his personal credibility page to his name next to the title, so there is an easy way of researching his credibility from the article without having to research him. This makes him highly credible as well as trustworthy.

The author tries to avoid emotion about any particular portion of his text. He tries to remain as unbiased as possible in order to be fully informative. I think he sympathizes with those of the deaf community, but he tries to stay as neutral as possible. I think this passive way is best when trying to be informative. He comes off as understanding and approachable to the topic, but I wouldn't expect him to give me a hug. He seems to know a lot about this topic and be well knowledgeable. I think this helps the audience pick the best option for them by not having to feel a slight sense of uncertainty based on another emotions towards the topic.

While he is a credible source himself, the author does not link this article to historical records, statistics, interviews, opinions, or studies. Instead, he links reports of schools in each area of the United States, uses clear and concise sentences. He uses proper grammar and effective paragraph structure best suited for the reader. He uses clear transitions as well to connect different parts of the text together. By not being emotionally connected to another interview or expert opinion, he remains unbiased. This helps in his effort to remain so.

I do not think this author meets any of the standards of logical fallacies listed on these pages because he remains unbiased and tries to steer clear of emotional rampages or opinions. This adds to his credibility. If he used one of these tactics, his readers may have a harder time looking at all the facts he set up as unbiased. They may not trust him as a source or it may only attract one side of the debate to his article.

Analyzing the message in "Education options for children who are deaf or hard of hearing" by John Miller

Of the bullet points in the text, I think the main message of this article is to inform the audience about a topic that is often misunderstood. However, I would say that this topic isn't so much misunderstood but rather unknown entirely. The other points that come close to this author's message include; respond to a text, explore a topic, or analyze a topic.

Some of these bullet points are not relevant to my article including, express an opinion, interpreting, persuade readers of something, reflect on a topic, advocate for change, or to move readers to do something. I think these do not fit because my author does not take a side in the debate.

The important message in this article is to inform the readers of their options and to allow them to make the decisions on this topic because it reflects personally. I think this author is trying to avoid adding layers to the message or persuasion because of how personal this topic is and how confusing so many other sources can be with their own opinion. I think by sticking to a easy to interpret article of all sides to the situation the author becomes a highly reliable and usable source.

Analyzing my own Assumptions:

1) I don't believe I share enough with this culture yet to make a decision on a topic as sensitive and important as this one. Because I have a little education on the culture I do know more than some other people about this subject but I personally do not fully understand this culture yet. My hope is to someday be able to understand more. To say that I know enough about this culture to make an informed decision to this extreme would be to disrespect the culture all together.

2) I grew up in a hearing world and have only recently been introduced to the signing world. I would say that my culture is very different from theirs. I believe culture extends beyond societal norms. Of course, both cultures follow the laws of society, extend the same manners and decent behavior as any person would, but on a deeper level we are completely different. Their experiences are entirely different in that I cannot imagine a world without sound. Every time I reflect on a memory or an experience of my own there is sound.

3) The reason I find this culture to be so fascinating is because of how different it is to my own. I would like to become bilingual in ASL in the hopes of discovering this culture and possibly making it part of my own. I integrate sign language into my classroom every day by using sign to help my students "find their words". If a child with a speech or language delay or disorder can't express themselves when they need to it builds up in the form of anger and frustration within them and eventually they get upset and could upset the classroom. By teaching some simple signs that are used in passing (ie: when reading a book or talking to the class, I casually use signs repeatedly so they learn in passing, indirect ways) a student will usually start using the sign too. When a child is stuck on a sentence or a word, they can use the sign to express themselves through tears, through a stutter, and more. This is where my culture, or the culture I have created in my classroom, may be similar to the Deaf culture.

4) This text is written in our time, so this question is irrelevant.

EDIT: Analyzing others' assumptions

I analyzed Jake's  and found his topic to be really interesting! I think looking at subcultures within the general culture is something both him and I must look at as we continue with our research. My topic on education relates strongly with economic standing of these families, because of resources and financial reasons many families don't get to pick which education their little ones get. This is something for me to keep in mind!

I analyzed Jess' blog next. I found her topic also very interesting. I think the biggest issue my generation has is that we don't usually look at subcultures within our "American" culture even though we all have them. I think this is a common custom of ours that we need to break but will take time to fully get in the habit of being aware of.

Analyzing My Audience

1) What values, ideas, norms, beliefs, even laws of the culture play an important role in the text?

• I think the new ways of the deaf and hard of hearing culture is that they get to decide if they completely mix their culture with that of the hearing, or not. The beauty of this culture is that it depends on the individual, the family, everything, to decide if it is best for them to be in the hearing world or to stay in the deaf community and the deaf world. By choosing to go to an all deaf school, only signing, and not integrating their lives in that of the hearing they are choosing to be exclusive. If they choose to be part of both the hearing and non-hearing worlds then that is also a choice and can be chosen only by those individuals. This culture can be so broad and so narrow all at the same time. It is beautiful in that way. 

2) Does the text address these values, beliefs, etc directly or indirectly?

• The article I chose gives light to all of the aspects of this culture. Whether they are inclusive or exclusive the author provides the pros and cons of each kind of system. In a way, he is not only discussing education, but the foundation of the morals of the parents providing the child with education. By choosing a residential school, they are putting their child in an exclusive environment focused on the deaf community and leaving the hearing world behind. By choosing a day school for their child they are choosing a life of mostly the deaf world with little to no interaction with the hearing. In a hearing school, there are many options, from just the classroom with out help, a little help, or full on help away from hearing students. This could potentially open the children up to an inclusive lifestyle. All these things are balanced precariously on one another and depending on the foundation of the family, the author may get varied responses from the audience. 

3) What is the relationship of the text to these values, beliefs, etc? Is it critical of these aspects of the culture? Is it supportive? Does it seek to modify these aspects of the culture in a certain way?

• This text does not sway to one side of the spectrum or the other but rather stays medially, allowing the audience to make the decision for themselves. This is the best resource for parents who are in need of information because the author gives all the information he finds important about each kind of education, and allows for the audience to gauge it for themselves. The author does not seek to modify anyone's opinions or to support or negate anyone's values or ideas on proper education. 

Cultural Analysis of "Education Options for Children that are Deaf or Hard of Hearing" by John Miller

I think the strongest article I posted was "Education Options for Children that are Deaf or Hard of Hearing" by John Miller. I think this is the strongest because of the solid background that the author has with the field he wrote about. While this may not have been my first choice for this research project, I think starting on a solid foot is better than trying to catch up later.

Previewing the article:

Things have changed drastically for hard of hearing and individuals who are deaf. While it used to be that those with hard of hearing or deafness were thought to be developmentally slow or mentally retarded, individuals that fit this category were hidden away from public eye or else left in their own community of individuals like them, the more adoptions and resources there are today have made it obvious that it is not the case and that they shouldn't be treated this way. Some hearing couples adopt hard of hearing (HoH) children or children who are deaf and do not know the resources available to them. Some others have children born with ear defects, underdevelopment, or other cases that result in HoH or deafness. These parents now have resources that are growing in funding and credibility and are in need of finding the best way to care for their children.
This article is intended for those parents seeking resources and answers to how to raise their children the best. This article is straight forward and informative, and touches on the key aspects any parent would be concerned about. The author specifically states that this article is intended for those seeking advice on resources available to them and also states that these resources vary by area and the extent of the child's hearing. The author explores many options for education, starting with Pre-K and going up through all age groups. He also discusses pros and cons of each type of education he lists, keeping in mind that these children are HoH or deaf. He also provides other credited resources to these familial relations in the hopes that they will explore them. This whole article is designed to help a certain group of individuals establish their culture - of education, that is.

Skimming for cultural references:

This whole article is a cultural reference. This article lists out pros and cons for the HoH and Deaf Communities in education. Using language such as "tailored to your child's needs,", "[each child has] different levels of hearing loss,", and "with a teacher for the deaf," are all great vocabulary for someone or individuals in this culture.

Skim for cultural values:

I think the biggest cultural value in this article is that each child is different and not every one of them fits the same mold. Each child has different levels of hearing loss, have special needs or desires, has different levels of working with other children, and have different ideas of what they need for an education. This is a huge cultural value because being deaf in a hearing world is very hard. Deciding whether or not to have your HoH child in a school tailored specifically to just one culture or both is a tricky situation and needs to be handled with a great deal of care.

Reread and narrow the focus:

I think the most important parts of this article will be the pros and cons of each type of education. I think the definitions of each type of education style will also come in handy.

I also think that this article is a great resource because it's purpose is not to pick sides in this debate but rather to educate the entire population of this group and give all the information he can. By not taking sides in this discussion he opens up the door for parents to make the best decision for themselves and for their child.

Evaluation of Rhetorical Situations

Is American Sign Language a ‘foreign’ language?

Angie Leventis Lourgos is a writer for the Tribune. She has studied journalism in college and has been writing ever since. She has written a lot of breaking news articles for the Tribune. She seems to focus on familial issues like animals, heartbreaking stories, and the like. 

I would say this article is intended for college students and those involved in the deaf community. The reason is that this article is about college credit being given for Foreign Language to those who take ASL. This mostly impacts college students and those who disagree with the "foreign" part of this delegation. Those would be those involved in the deaf community who understand that ASL is not "foreign".

Teaching Your Baby Sign Language Can Benefit Both of You

Jane Collingwood is an author in Psychcentral, an online psychology news program. She has written a lot about pregnancy, mental illnesses, and emotional disorders. She has a degree and holds her profession in Psychotherapy and Therapeutic counselling. 

This article is oriented towards professionals interested in learning the hard facts about baby sign, as well as well educated parents who may be considering baby sign for their child. The language in this article is very scientific which may confuse those who don't already understand the concept of baby sign or it's benefits. 

The publication of this article is from January 2013. This article was delivered through the internet. Baby sign has become increasingly popular since the 90's and is becoming a very interesting topic because it is seen as a higher class thing to do. This article is intended for hearing parents with hearing  children. There wouldn't be a question about sign language usage in a family with hearing impaired individuals as it would be their only method of communication. 

Education Options for Children that are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

This article was written by John Miller. Miller has been trained as an interpreter for ASL when he was 22 years old. He frequently demonstrates ASL videos on this website. He also has a masters in deaf education. 

This article is intended for parents who are interested in learning about the options of their ASL child before they are old enough for school. This means that these parents may be a little confused as to how to handle their child as of yet due to the fact that they aren't used to the hearing impaired or ASL world yet. This is evident by the fact that the article starts by describing preschool options and the fact that the author states the intention of the article.

This article was published in 2012, which may be a little outdated but highly informative all the same. The author has a masters in deaf education so this article is what he studied for at least 2 years intently. This makes this article highly intelligible. This article is intended for a mixed family of hearing and non-hearing family members. 

Developing a Research #2 question:

I have been taking American Sign Language (ASL) classes in the hopes of becoming bilingual. I would love to be able to teach young parents and families sign in order to help them connect with their infants on a more intimate level than those who choose not to learn ASL. This poses a debate in my field of study, Speech and Hearing, as well as to families and every young couple considering having a child.
Some believe, myself included, that teaching an infant sign will help with communication between the infant and the parents or family. An infant who doesn't have control of the fine muscles of the larynx and pharynx does have control over gross motor movements, like making a fist and waving an arm to signal it's wants and needs. Some others believe that before an infant can talk they do not have cognitive function and therefor cannot express what they want or need because they don't know. These individuals may also believe that if you do teach a child sign before they can speak they will not want to talk and will not use speech at all. This is untrue and teaching them sign may help develop social skills before most their age. I would love to discuss in my next research project the controversial ideas of whether or not teaching an infant sign language prevents them from developing speech or not.

Does teaching an infant American Sign Language before they are able to speak limit their speech abilities in the future?

I have also been curious about discussing if ASL is a language or not. Many believe that ASL is not a language because it does not involve speaking; even though it is a form of communication. I think this would also be a fun topic of discussion.

Is American Sign Language a true language?

Which brings up yet another question for families and young couples:

Is it best to have hearing impaired or ASL children go to a public, hearing school or a ASL, hearing-impaired or deaf school?

Reflection on Project #1:

• What challenges did you face during the Quick Reference Card project and how did you deal with them?
•  
• What successes did you experience on the project and how did they happen?
• I think the greatest success I felt was following the analysis of a single source. Through the lengthy process of discovering the source paragraph by paragraph I learned a lot about the source because I had to describe each paragraph with so much detail. I liked how much I learned and how my end paragraph turned out. I wish I had done that with each source. 
• What kinds of arguments, rhetorical strategies, design choices and writing practices did you find the most effective for your project? Why?
• I found that focusing on one side to the argument was narrow-minded. I also found that outlining everything made the final product come together faster and in a more organized manor. 
• What kinds of arguments, rhetorical strategies, design choices and writing practices did you find were not effective for your project? Why?
• I think next project I will choose a topic with more options. There is a debate on play versus educational curriculum for preschoolers but the debate is almost over. There was a lot of information to support play oriented curriculum and not a lot for the other side. I would like to find something with more support for both sides. 
• How was the writing process for this project similar to other school writing experiences you’ve had in the past? How was it different?
• I have had to write multiple essays and research papers in the past. However, I do not usually need to show my work or go this far into detail on each step of the writing process. I found that there are a lot more steps than what I am used to doing for this assignment. 
• Would any of the skills you practiced for this project be useful in your other coursework? Why or why not?
• I would like to keep trying to do the article summary paragraph by paragraph skill set. I think it does take a long time but that I may be able to learn more than a regular reading from it if I do take the time. I think this may come in handy when reading textbooks as well. 

Finished Project 1: Play oriented curriculum in preschools

This is my final project #1!

Identifying Basic Grammar Patterns

In my paragraph I found that I tend to use a lot of compound sentences. I also like to write fewer sentences that still contain the information but in a concise manner. I will need to focus on broadening my sentences, adding more sentences, and creating larger written work within the same context of the piece. This will eventually help me gain length in my final draft but will probably take time to accomplish.

Integrating a Quote

Summary of "How Preschool Fights Poverty"

How Preschool Fights Poverty
By: Cynthia E Lamy

1) Summarize each paragraph:
      A) Lower-income household children are usually behind in development from higher income household children, as shown through scores in early math, literacy, vocabulary, and social skills.
      B) These scores continue to remain lagging throughout higher education, where much of the focus of the media and political debate is, even though the delay shown in preschool can be a huge indicator of such behavior. "Children who enter school lagging far behind don't usually catch up,".
      C) Lower income families tend to be more stressed, less educated, less patient, and less likely to have the resources available to them to help grow the vocabulary, social, literary, and other skills necessary to stay ahead in kindergarten.
      D) Preschool helps to bring all children to the same high level of skills and learning ability.
      E) There are 3 studies that show the growth and development of children from preschool to higher education to prove that preschool is beneficial.
      F) These studies each started 10 years behind the other, so the finished product adults are in their 30's, 40's, and 50's.
      G) Other statewide studies have started to follow children through elementary school; though not completed they still have helpful insight to the growth of young children and have been conducted in many different states and therefore show variety.
      H) These studies showed that those who had preschool education prior to kindergarten had higher developmental and test scores than those who didn't.
      I) These children scored higher than the control group on standardized tests, were more successful as shown through their yearly expected incomes by the age of 40, had lower crime rates than the control group, attended college at a higher rate than the control group, and were less likely to be a teen pregnancy statistic.
      J) High quality programs are: staffed with highly educated, responsive teachers with "strong backgrounds" in child education, knowledge of best practice in the administrative offices of the program, strong classroom supports and lots of knowledge in background information, and classrooms that are full of interesting materials and play activities to engage and entertain learning.
      K) Preschool teaches children that they like to learn.
      L) Preschools also provide families with support systems and resources some cannot find on their own.
      M) Preschools help school systems by delivering highly educated children with a desire to learn who are less likely to need extra help, make poor choices and fall out of schooling, or need to repeat a grade. This gives higher level schools good ratings and less money pulled from the budgets, giving them more money to use for further classroom learning materials.
      N) Preschools give a holistic approach to children at an early age, promoting school in a successful, meaningful way that instills success and learning for years to come.

2) 1-2 complete sentences:
      A) Preschool extends the love of learning to all children, no matter the family household financial status by promoting positive and successful learning experiences in a safe and loving environment. Through preschool programs, these children can grow up to be successful, well oriented adults who have higher standardized test scores, less teen pregnancies and crime rates, higher incomes by the age of 40, and more likelihood of going to college.

3) Write it again:
      A) Preschool extends the love of learning to all children, no matter the income level of the family household by promoting positive and successful learning experiences. Through preschool programs, these children can grow up to be well oriented adults who have higher standardized test scores, less teen pregnancies and crime rates, higher incomes by the age of 40, and a more likelihood of completing college.

4) Comparing my summary to another peer's:
      A) I compared my summary of that of Jake's. I found that I liked how he stated the very basic, general information, and left out the details of the article for the audience to read on their own. I found this helpful in a summary situation. My summary definitely has more writing in it, as I dive into details. I guess this is a prime example of how two different writers can provide the same kind of writing in two very different ways.

Draft of Quick Reference Guide

https://docs.google.com/a/email.arizona.edu/document/d/15b2WZ318buRDF5P4gpVEXv5Gm0cNlSNAtzGULHMPO7Q/edit?usp=sharing

My draft on Preschool curriculum is kind of modge-podge to me currently. I cannot decide what is understandable to the reader and what is understandable to me (being a preschool teacher makes this hard as I already know and understand this topic). I would like the viewers to help me figure out what is clear and what is unclear. I would also like help figuring out what is needed (ie: more information on a topic, a definition, etc) and what is not needed but in there (unnecessary information or ideas). Lastly, I would like to know if I am unclear and where. Thank you for taking the time to review my draft!

QRGs, the Genre

This genre seems to focus on the fast and most important facts, not leaving room for little insignificant details to the topic, and is focused on helping someone learn more about something that they probably already know a little bit about. It seems like this type of writing is for those who want or need more information fast about a certain topic. This is defined by the use of visuals to greatly enhance the writing, and simple topic sentences that help a reader find the answer they are seeking fast. 

Response to three other blog posts:

I looked at Selena's blog first. I found that her use of words to be concise and detailed, but not overly informational was helpful and she was very intelligible. 

I then looked at Aaron's blog. I found that we had similar ideas, but varied in who the audience was. I like that there was a bit of controversy there because it shows how different people can think many different things from the same information. 

Lastly, I looked at Helen's blog post. I thought she went into a lot more details than may have been needed, but that the common ideas she carried were the same. I liked how she exposed the authors, and not just the genre, in her post. 

Cluster of Preschool Curriculum Controversy

https://docs.google.com/a/email.arizona.edu/drawings/d/1HgI5b2Dedh7MnA6kPV4GH7ICp483-WtegTPd0qbl4gc/edit?usp=sharing

In my cluster I categorized each side to the issue on Preschool curriculum. I noticed that I need to do more research for the reasons why play-oriented wouldn't be successful. But I have enough sufficient research to back up play-oriented preschool. I think my next step will be to look more into the political viewpoints of this discussion and to also look more into educational preschool learning.

Annotated Bibliography of APA Style

Annotated Bibliography of APA Style:

International Play School India, Best Preschool Education India, School Franchise | MapleBear (International Play School India, Best Preschool Education India, School Franchise | MapleBear)

The purpose of this article was to show their program was both play-oriented and yielding the highest marks all over the world. The audience for this article was probably to the teachers and parents and the curriculum board in Canada and around the world. This company wants to make play-oriented education available and viable all over the world. They have found their company to be highly successful throughout the world through engaged play-founded learning. This can later be used to help solidify that education-focused programs can be play-oriented as well. 

Membership (Educational Leadership:Faces of Poverty:How Preschool Fights Poverty)

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may13/vol70/num08/How-Preschool-Fights-Poverty.aspx

The purpose of this article was to show that preschool is highly important because it builds the child up so those who are from lower poverty lines still have the same level of social and educational skills as those who are from privileged homes. The audience is probably directed towards teachers and parents to help further promote enrolling children of all backgrounds in preschool classes. If this information were to spread nationwide there would be a lot of newly enrolled lower-income family children. This will help back up how preschool is important in my essay; the reason to write the essay in the first place.

Weisberg, D. S., Kittredge, A. K., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., & Klahr, D. (2015). Making play work for education. Phi Delta Kappan, 96(8), 8-13.

The purpose of the article was to show how play-oriented education works to enforce real educational science and mathematical questions in the preschool setting. The primary audience is for teachers and parents to show that there is a way of making learning fun without detriment to the program or information. This will be helpful when I need examples of play-oriented learning that have been proven effective.  

The National Preschool Debate Intensifies (Edutopia)

http://www.edutopia.org/preschool

The purpose of this article was to tie together the two sides of preschool education through politics. The audience was designed for those interested in the political side to this argument, including government officials, companies responsible for curriculum guidelines, and teachers who are directly involved with the education of these young minds. This article will be great to use with my essay because I can use direct quotes from politicians to show both sides of this argument. 

Academic vs. play-based preschool debate fading in favor of intellectual discovery (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2015/04/01/Academic-vs-play-based-preschool-debate-fading-in-favor-of-intellectual-discovery/stories/201503310025

The purpose of this article was to show how play-oriented education is more engaging and how more people are seeing it that way in today's education system. The audience is directed at teachers and parents responsible for these young minds. This article shows that the growing support for play-oriented preschool curriculum may be coming out the stronger foot. This article uses a wide variety of effective examples which will help in my essay. 

EDIT: The last 4 sources:

High-Quality Preschool: Why We Need It and What It Looks Like. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2015, from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/high-quality-preschool-why-we-need-it-and-what-it-looks via Tumblr

The purpose of this article to share with parents how a greater level of education-based curriculum within a preschool can greatly increase the chances of a successful child in later education. The audience is for parents. This article will be great for supporting education-based preschools. 

Why Preschool Learning is Extremely Important for Your Child? (Education Blog)

https://educationxpozz.wordpress.com/2015/07/14/why-preschool-learning-is-extremely-important-for-your-child/

This purpose of this article is to education parents on the positive aspects of a preschool environment all together. Though this article doesn't delve into which is better, play or education based learning, this article is important to back up the reason to discuss this controversy. I will be using this article to help support my claims that preschool controversy is worth discussing. 

40 Preschools Will TRIAL TEACHING A SECOND LANGUAGE THROUGH PLAY-BASED LEARNING. (2014, November 7). Retrieved July 21, 2015, from https://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/2lmy9j/40_preschools_will_trial_teaching_a_second/

The purpose of this article is to spread the news that play-based play could be shown to help children in preschool learn a second language. This is more for the public media side of things and doesn't have any strong background information or facts behind it, making this simply a supplementary article to my discussion. The targeted audience is simply for those interested. 

Getting Preschool Right (The Huffington Post)

By: Bongiorno, Laurel.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurel-bongiorno/getting-preschool-right_b_2782871.html

The purpose of this article is to showcase to teachers, parents, and politicians, the benefit of play-oriented preschool, and childhood. This is focused for audiences involved with these children or with politics around the funding of such programs. This article will help solidify my claims towards the political aspect of this debate as well as the help prove the point that play-oriented education is better for the children.