Burenstein

= = = Reflection on the Portfolio =

I think that my portfolio shows many things about me as a 9th grade student. It shows my personality in the vignette, and journals. It also shows some of my opinions in the other projects. I feel that my portfolio shows that I try my best on my first time around, because I didn’t have to edit each project much for the final portfolio. My portfolio shows about how strongly I feel about some things by all of the emphasis I use. The viewers of my portfolio are supposed to understand what goes on in my life from my journals and vignette. The viewers are supposed to understand how I was raised from my journals, and why I believe so strongly about things in my journals and essays. I think that my strengths in English class are my ability with words, and how much I try. Another strength that I have is that I can write well, and analyze quotes very well because of former education. Some weaknesses that I have are that I don’t like to look over my work very much. After I finish a project I will go through it once or twice to check for errors, but I usually don’t find all of them. The most common errors that I miss are spelling errors, which cost me points on several projects. I still want to work on seeing my spelling errors, and having better grammar at some points. To make this portfolio I had to gather all of the projects that were needed to complete it. I had to get all of benchmarks, a benchmark project, and four journal entries. I then had to edit all of the previous benchmarks so that they would be good enough to be read by the public. An issue that I encountered was that I don’t like to edit work that I have already done. I don’t like editing normally, and work that I have already edited many times is very unappealing to me. I resolved this by realizing that I needed to revise them so that they would be better, and would portray a better image of my writing. I am most proud of the odyssey essay. I am most proud of it because it was my first English benchmark, and I did quite well on it. I was worried about my grades in English because I had gotten B’s in my other school. I didn’t know what the grading would be like, and therefore I thought that I wouldn’t get a very good grade, but it turns out that I did.

= 1st Quarter Odyssey Benchmark = For this project we were given several topics to talk about in a 5 paragraph essay on The Odyssey. We had to have quotes in the body paragraphs, and analyze the quotes to verify that our thesis was correct.

Everything comes to a point in time where it must change. Caterpillars change into butterflies, girls change into women, and boys change into men. Being told that growing up is necessary is a big sign that should motivate someone to try to grow up. In __the Odyssey__ written by Homer, Athena shows Telemachus that he is still a child and needs to become a man by saying “You must not cling to your boyhood any longer—it iss time you were a man”; Telemachus follows this advice by showing that he is responsible, taking charge, and shedding his childish ways.

Telemachus shows that he is responsible, and will take care of the palace while his father is gone, because no one else will. Telemachus shows the suitors that even though Odysseus is not there he is responsible enough to take charge by saying “ You must leave my palace! See to your feasting elsewhere, devour your own possessions, house to house by turns.” (Lines 430-431 page 89). The suitors had not seen Telemachus be so forceful before, and sense that he is growing up. This is one of the first times that Telemachus talks forcefully and angrily; he used to be a 20-year-old child, who was not a man yet. Athena’s words inspired him to become a man, which is exactly what he is doing. Telemachus has shown that he is responsible for bigger things, but he still has no real power; he needs to take control and show people his strengths.

Telemachus finally starts to become a man by finally taking charge, saying that he runs the palace, not anyone else. Finally Telemachus starts to grow up when he says “ So, mother, go back to your quarters. Tend to your own tasks, the distaff and the loom, and keep the women working hard as well. As for giving orders, men will see to that, but I most of all; I hold the reins of power in this house.” (Lines 409-414 page 89). This shows that Telemachus decided to listen to Athena and try to become a man. All of the suitors and Penelope are thoroughly surprised by this quote because Telemachus has never showed that he controlled the palace. By showing that he is responsible and in charge, Telemachus is almost fully grown into a man, lastly he must get rid of his childish behaviors.

Telemachus fully sheds his childish ways when he sets sail in search of his father without telling his mother about his plans. Telemachus shows his full transition to man when, while talking to his crew members exclaims “ Come, friends, get the rations aboard! They’re piled in the palace now. My mother knows nothing of this. No servants either. Only one has heard out plan.” (Lines 451-454 Page 106). This is Telemachus’ final step into manhood, he knows exactly what he needs to do; and does it without anyone stopping hi, and delegates responsibility to his crew who see him as a leader. Telemachus goes on a journey, which symbolizes the start of him being a man. If Telemachus had not given up his childish ways he would have never gone searching for his father.

By showing that he is responsible, able to take charge and has grown out of his childish ways, Telemachus has made the transformation from child to man after being encouraged by Athena’s guidance. Taking charge of something is one of the main ways to show that something is growing up, and ready to move on. Showing responsibility is one of the main ways to show growing up, it shows the willingness to accept the change, and grow with it. Shedding childish ways is the most important part of growing up, because it is impossible to become a man, while still acting like a child; it defeats the whole purpose of growing up. All of these steps are needed to advance in life, and change for the better.

= 2nd Quarter Memoir Vignette = For this essay project we had to write a vignette about something that was very important in our lives. In the essay we had to use stylistic devices, and have the story come to a full circle at the end. media type="file" key="RBurenstein English podcast.mp3" width="240" height="20"

= 3rd Quarter Kindred Essay =

For this project we had to come up with our own thesis about anything in the book Kindred, and try to prove that thesis right. We had to have 5 paragraphs; each with at least 2 quotes except for the introduction and conclusion paragraphs.

It is not always beneficial for a child to grow up to be a replica of their parent. Children often tend to carry on the aspects of their parents lifestyle, and habits. In the antebellum south many slaveholders had white children who grew up to also become slaveholders. Sometimes slaveholders would treat there children so badly that the children would be on terms with the slaves and treat them differently than their parents. In __Kindred__, Dana decides early on to attempt to change Rufus so he is not like his father.

In Kindred Dana decides to change Rufus early on so he does not become a replica of his father, like many slave-masters’ sons did. The first example of when Dana decides to change Rufus is when she tells Kevin that they have to change him. Dana questions Kevin “Let me help you with Rufus as much as I can. Let’s see what we can do to keep him from growing up into a red-haired version of his father.” (page 81.) This quote shows how Dana and Kevin decide early on to attempt to change Rufus as much as possible throughout their trips there. This quote leads up to almost everything that Dana tries to do, because she is thinking of how she needs to change Rufus in order for her to be born. Although Dana decides to change Rufus, Kevin explains to her that many slave-masters’ children grow up to emulate their parents. After telling Kevin that they need to stop him from becoming his parent, and to also stop him from being on the same level as the slaves. “After all, his environment will be influencing him every day you’re gone. And from what I’ve heard, it’s common in this time for the master’s children to be on nearly equal terms with the slaves. But maturity is supposed to put both in their places.” “Sometimes it doesn’t. Even here, not all children let themselves be molded into what their parents want them to be.” (Page 83.) In this quote Kevin explains how sometimes slave master’s children will become friends with the slaves. Kevin also states that sometimes the children do not become friends or on the same terms as the slaves, and can be like their parents, this is what Rufus’ path was looking like until Dana made some significant impact. Kevin says that not all children even in this time become exactly what their parents want them to be like and act like when they grow up. Dana tries to make sure that Rufus changes from his father by teaching Rufus’ children to read.

Dana makes the right decision early on in the book to help Rufus change, Alice also makes the right decision and use of her power by asking Rufus to let her children be educated. In an attempt to get Rufus let her children be educated, Alice said, “He asked me what I wanted, and I told him I wanted my son not to be ignorant. You know, I had to fight with him all week to get him to say yes!” “But he had finally said it, finally and they boy came to me every day to learn to draw big clumsy letters on the slate Rufus bought him and read simple words and rhymes from the books Rufus himself had used.” (Page 230) This shows how Alice asks Rufus to let her son Joe have an education, and Rufus finally gives in and lets him be educated. This quote starts showing a part of Rufus that is not similar to his father. Rufus had never thought of having his kids read, or even caring about them until Alice asked if Joe would be allowed to read. Rufus finally realizes that he could be a better father than his own when Dana tells him ““ You’ve got a damn bright little kid there,” I told Rufus. “You ought to be proud.” Rufus looked surprised- as thought it had never occurred to him that there might be anything special about the undersized runny-nosed child. He had spent his life watching his father ignore, even sell the children he had with black women. Apparently, it had never occurred to Rufus to break that tradition. Until now.”(Page 231) This shows how Dana influenced Rufus to change. This explains how Tom Weylin had always disrespected his children that he had with a slave, and Rufus had also. In this quote Dana breaks through to Rufus and shows him that he could treat his children better than his father did. Through this connection with Joe, Rufus starts to become closer to his son, and break away from the habits of his father.

Rufus makes the full on switch from being like his father with children when he starts to care for Joe, and take interest in him. Dana should finally feel accomplished when she gets to say, “Now, he began to take an interest in his son. Perhaps he was only curious at first, but the boy captured him. I caught them together once in the library, the boy sitting on one of Rufus’s knees and studying a map that Rufus had just brought home. The map was spread on Rufus’s desk. “Is that our river?” the boy was asking.” This quote shows how Rufus is completely different than his father in terms of his children. It shows how Rufus cares about his children, and spends time with them. One of the most important parts in this quote is when Joe says, “Is that our river?” (Page 231) This is extremely important because Joe thinks of it as his property, because Rufus has spent time with him and nurtures him. This was one of the two quotes that show Rufus has changed completely and accepted his son as his son, and not as some slave. Another quote is when Dana gets transported back to the past and finds Joe, only to hear him say, “”Aunt Dana, Aunt Dana!” And a hug later, “ I can read better now. Daddy’s been teaching me. Wanna hear” “Sure I do.” I looked up at Rufus. //Daddy//?” (Page 253) This is one of the most groundbreaking quotes for this thesis because it shows that Rufus has changed a considerable amount, and cares about his children. Tom Weylin would have never spent enough time with his kids, or cared enough to have them call him daddy, but Rufus changed because of Dana’s influences. Rufus changed in terms that he respected and cared for his kids, grew apart from the influences from his father, and that he let his children be educated even more than he was. By this point Dana has tried as much as she could to keep Rufus from becoming what his father is.

In __Kindred__, Dana decides early on to attempt to change Rufus so he is not like Tom Weylin. Dana does a great job at this by influencing him throughout the book, and altering his decisions for the better. Rufus becomes one of the few children who does not become an extremely harsh slave master. Dana has influenced him to let his children become educated, and have a much better relationship with his children than Tom Weylin had on him. Many people become what there parents would like them to be or similar to them, although it can be avoided in some ways. =** Macbeth Creative Project **= For this project we had to pick 5 quotes form Macbeth, analyze them and then make a creative project about it. I chose to do a keynote with pictures that represented what was going on in the quotes.

= 4 Journals throughout the year =

After reading freedom writers we were told to choose the journal that spoke to us the most, and write about why it meant that to us. I chose the journal shyness because I can relate to the person writing this story.

The Journal entry that speaks to me the most is “shyness.” It speaks to me because I am very shy. I can’t really talk to an adult that is basically a stranger, or even that I have met a few times. I am also somewhat shy towards other kids, but I can get over that. I don’t talk as much as other people until I get to know my environment very well. I have been shy for as long as I can remember and it actually irritates me when people talk to adults they don’t know, for long periods of time. This journal seems powerful to me because I do the same thing, and I can relate a lot to this person.

For this journal we were told to write a lengthy story on anything. I chose to write about when I was younger and went on a glass-bottom boat.

Alone, scared, in the middle of the ocean, without anyone in sight. Those were what I felt after non-stop arguing that I wanted to go on a glass-bottom boat. This wanting to go on a glass-bottom boat started when I first learned what they were. Around the age of 6-7 I constantly badgered my parents about needing to go on a glass-bottom boat. When I was 7-8 my family went to Belize. I was having a great time, and during the middle of the trip my parents told me that we would get to go on a glass-bottom boat. I was ecstatic; I couldn’t believe that I would finally get to go on one. The days passed, we met a very nice family from Tennessee; in which there was a girl my age. Her and me got along very well and became good friends. Finally the day came, my parents told me they were going to snorkel while we were in the boat. They told me that if I wanted to snorkel with them I would be allowed to. I didn’t want to go snorkel because I was only 7, and I didn’t want to swim in the ocean. They said fine, but they were not going to pass up this opportunity. This scared me somewhat because I thought they could get hurt. Eventually we got in the rental car and drove to the place where the glass-bottom boat was. As we were driving the clouds started to form in the sky, and the wind was picking up. I got kind of scared, and thought that going on a glass-bottom boat would be bad in this weather. We got there, and I was told that someone else would be steering the boat ( I was 7, so I didn’t realize this at first.) There were supposed to be several other families on the boat as well, even though it was very small, they all canceled because of the weather. We met the captain and his son, the captain was in his 50’s and the son was about 17 or 18. They introduced themselves and told us that we would go out, and find a place with many nurse sharks. We found a spot, and the captain asked if anyone would like to go in the water with them. My dad accepted, and got into the water; my mom declined because the water looked to rough. I was scared for my dad but he ended up being fine. We then went to another spot where my parents and the captain would go snorkeling. I started crying because I didn’t want my parents to leave, even though the captain’s son would watch me. They eventually left, and the captain’s son watched over me. In no longer than 5 minutes, another boat came and picked up the captain’s son. That left me, a 7-year-old kid alone in the ocean, counting fish for about 45 minutes. This scared me so much because I could see no one except for the fish under the boat. Eventually the son came back, and shortly afterwards my parents and the captain came back. I didn’t have the guts to tell my parents then, because the son was right there. When we got back to land I told my parents non-stop “I was alone.” They finally figured out what I meant on the plane ride home. That was my first, and hopefully last time ever on a glass-bottom boat.

For this journal we were asked to voice our opinions on how family relationships can shape us, and how they shape you as a person.

Family relationships can shape us in many different ways; they can shape us for the better, or worse. My family relationships shape me for the better and worse, because my cousins influence me so much. My cousins influence how I talk, what I do in my free time, and much more. My cousins and I also give each other funny, or sad stories to tell about each other. My cousins and I talk every day no matter what, and it has become a daily routine. I usually see my cousins about 2 times a month, and we always have a blast. I am going to see my cousins Eli and Simon on Sunday, because I haven’t seen them in a while even though I have talked to them frequently. I think that my relationship with my parents has made me who I am. My dad always tells annoying jokes, which is why I say funny things. My mom always makes me do all my work, and encourages me or even helps me when I need it.

For this journal we were asked about the one thing that we would like to change about ourselves, and how we would go about changing that thing. I chose my shyness because I think it is one of my biggest weaknesses.

The thing that I would most like to change about myself is my shyness. I have no idea what it is like to not be worried or completely nervous, or shy to someone that I am meeting for the first time. For the 12 years of my life I probably said less than 100 words to my uncle, for the one reason that I didn’t see him very often. To get less shy I think that I need to be more adventurous. I need to prepare for job interviews, college, and many other things. I have gotten a bit less shy over time, but I still need to improve. The only reason I am shy at Sla is because everything is new. I need to stop being so quiet, even though sometimes I am loud. I need to do more things around the city with my friends, because I will not be as shy to strangers when I’m around my good friends. Another reason that I’m shy at SLA is that it is the biggest school that I have been in by about 100 people. It is also the biggest grade that I have ever been in by about 80 people.

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= 1st Quarter Me Magazine = For the me magazine we had to choose 2-3 things that we thought were very important to us, and write about them. This project was to see who we are, and what makes us who we are today. I chose to write about my cousins and my pets, and how they influence me.