Friday, December 17, 2010

Reflective Blog Entry

I came into the DLC with almost never using a Mac in my life. Now I mostly know how to successfully use Keynote, iMovie, etc. Also for the first month, I had to ask Ms. Bailin about everything, is this okay, how does that look, etc. It was not knowing how to use the programs, but it was also because I was insecure about what I was doing. After that project was done with, over the next few projects I started asking less and less questions. And now I’m pretty confident in my own work, most of the time, and make the decisions based on what I think, usually. I also used to take criticism very badly, now I have finally realized it is just to help me, they’re just giving advice, and sometimes very useful advice. 

I’m most proud about the Stephen Crane project. It was a group project but I had to do a lot at the end. I had to sit with my father for hours while we narrated it, fix all the timing, add things in, cut things, etc. As well as working on the rest of the project with my group. But in the end, the pictures, the movies, and the narration were great. And all together, the project turned out wonderful.

The most challenging project was probably the Thematic Causes of the Civil War project, only because I time managed horribly. I only did about half of it, then waited until the last night before the project was due to do the other half. Luckily it turned out pretty good still, but it was literally a last minute project. 

My hopes for 2nd semester is that we get to do Survivor, because I’ve heard a lot about it from the 8th graders. I heard that is was really fun, and exciting. I also hope that I do not lose the game. Not the game that you're thinking of, the game of DLC, second semester. 

My favorite moment in the DLC was when I was an evaluator and we were hanging out going through the groups scripts. There was one script I was grading that had a quote that was the size of half the page, and I didn’t want to highlight it perfectly line by line. So, I scribbled through it with a highlighter. Ms. Bailin picked up my paper, walked into the other room where everyone was, held up the paper and said, “This is what happens what when you give a gifted kid a highlighter!” 

6 comments:

  1. Ha ha ha i really like that moment when she said This is what happens when you give a gifted kid a highlighter. :) That was a great moment. It seemed to spread along fast. Its good i read this because i thought she told that to cody. Ha ha ha now i know it was you. And an AMAZING improvement in using a mac.

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  2. Wow! I thought that you made your entry very heartfelt, true, and real. You put yourself in your writing (Unlike some of the others). I also had and well I sometimes still do, have trouble taking advise. That is great that you overcame that. And the highlighter moment, well that is just hilarious. Great post! ☺

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  3. Now I know about the highlighter! Finally! That's a hilarious story. I think you have had major improvement since the beginning of the year using Macs. I had problems with criticism too.

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  4. I'm pretty sure that everyone had to get used to using macs. I know I had to get used to the mouse and use command not control. I also have trouble taking criticism at that moment but later on I get over it and move on with the advice from the criticism. I loved your Stephen Crane Project and I'm pretty sure everyone else loved it as well. It was really made with a lot of effort and your time. I loved the part with the highlighter. Do you think that the Stephen Crane Project will be your best project for all of the DLC for your self.

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  5. I know that I also asked a lot of questions too. Just like you, I am asking less and less questions. I had heard about survivor too! It does sound like a lot of fun, and I really hope it happens. I'm sure that your next project will have better time management. What mac program do you think that you excel in most?

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  6. @Philip I'm glad that we're done with the transition stage to Macs! Most of the time criticism is meant to be helpful. Most of the time. The Stephen Crane Project turned out really good, and I think everyone enjoyed it, but it was a group project. So even though I did do a lot of the work, the whole group gets the same credit in a lot of people's eyes. This is the reason why I don't think that the Stephen Crane Project will be my best project, because its not "my" project, it has 2 other names on it. So, its not my project, and I think I still have some more tricks up my sleeve.

    @Kira I've learned too that questions every now and then isn't bad, but there is a point of too many questions at once. Learned that the hard way! It's so fun to talk to the Alphas about survivor because they will give away almost nothing, and just laugh with each other. Like it's some kind of joke! I think Imovie is probably my best. It has so much to offer, and it can really make a project look nice. What Mac program do you excel in most?

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