10/26

Today Rab provided this time to write and fix our essays. I finished writing my essay, but I could fix some points thanks to his comments on my last essay. One big thing i fixed was Citation and Bibliography. I used a lot of PDF files, but I stored these as PDF files on my zotero.. so I had to type these again :-( By all means, I could fix in time and I relieved. 

Anyways, Rab is going to leave Japan tomorrow. I know it is not just a trip, but have a nice trip and enjoy London ! I want to go there together!!! But I am going to go to Hachijo island tonight :-) I will enjoy it!!! 

10/24

We had a computer class. In this class, we made sure comments from our friends on our own essay at first. Then we learned about a picture. I knew for the first time that using a picture in my essay is OK. So I wanted to use a picture, but I could not find  a proper picture.. I could not use it. But I am going to use a picture in my essay at least once in my life :-( I want to wait the opportunity. Anyway I knew a lot in this class. I like "awesome screenshot". It is very useful and maybe fun :-) I will download it on my computer.

10/19

Today Rab told us some bad points of our essays. Maybe I made some mistakes in my essay, so I have to learn from it. He said to us that he points out bad points of our writing and we can learn from it. It is quite natural, but I tend to think my writing is terrible when my teacher point out bad points. I will stop thinking like this because I can improve my writing by it. I really want to develop my writing skills, so I want to write more and more without being afraid of mistakes.

10/17

We had a computer class on wednesday, and we learned how to use evernote on desktop and how to use webclipper. It was fantastic. So I am using it to organize information for my essay now. After that, Rab showed us the website of documentary film. In this site, we can watch these documentary movies for free. But I think it is difficult to use documentary films as resources of essay. How can we use it? I have no idea.

10/15

We learned more about writing essay in this class. It was very useful because i did not know how to use negative opinions for my thesis in my essay. I used negative opinion in my spring term essay, but the way of using that was different from rab's one. So I will try to use rab's one in my essay. Then we all presented our essay topic in front of everyone. I was a little bit nervous, but I could do well i think.. By the way, the due of our essays is too early.. we have to write in a hurry. Using technology, I want to write my essay as soon as possible and use more time to fix it. So PLEASE help me, Mio and Chihiro, my essay partner!!!

10/5

In this class, we learned how to make slanting expression. Rab explained us about his backpack, and we were separated in four groups. Two groups made a very positive sentences about his backpack, and others made a negative ones. After making sentences, we exchanged the paper and identified what was new for our group. We were a strange group, and we had no new things from other group's idea. Oh, before that, Rab showed us the slide show. It was about the demonstration in London, and the shocking fact was hidden behind it. I thought it is important not to accept whatever we read on newspapers or magazines. We have to be critical thinkers. I want to be able to think more critically..

10/3

It was the worst class after entering ICU. We all forgot to check each partner's essays and some of them even did not write their essay on Google Doc. Before taking this class, I thought that it is difficult to use Google Doc and I was reluctant to use it because I did not get used to it. However after taking this class I noticed that I can never get used to using it unless I use it. Technology seems very useful at first and actually it is very useful but there are many useful technology so I tend to forget or confuse what to use. So I will start to use Google Doc and Zotero. After getting used to using these enough, I want to add another technology. I want to learn technology like this. Otherwise I must forget.. What I want to say is that I will study technology little by little.

10/1

In this class, we practiced for next CWT. I could write the essay in time, but the quality was not enough because it was not well-organized. In addition, when I write something not spending plenty of time, I tend to confuse, so I feel preparation is VERY important for me. By the way, the text used in this class was interesting for me because I took part in SEA program too and I had no problem with my host family. The cultural difference or environmental difference can sometimes cause conflict, but I think it can be the most interesting point as well. Anyways, I could not understand the feeling of both of them. However, my friend living in my dorm said she could understand Sonoko's feelings and she thought that Rebecca is not a good host mother. We discussed, but we could not reach agreement. So maybe the environment I grew up differ from hers I think. I want to know more how the environment can affect a person.

9/28

In last class, we learned about perception. Rab showed us two different magic. First one was the magic that used hands quickly, and second one was the magic that used mathematical knowledge. I am not good at mathematics, so I even thought that he could read people's minds (but I know it is not critical!). I learned our perception was affected by context. Then we watched the movie about Japanese culture, sushi. I knew that it was made for fun, but I could not help laughing and denying the contents of the movie. Sometimes perception can be different between insider and outsider. Finally we watched two movies, which showed the perception of danger was different from us. I definitely do not want to walk that path and climb that cliff. They must be crazy. However I should know it is only one perception even if I cannot agree.

9/26

We had a class in Mac room yesterday.  And Rab taught us how to use zotero more deeply. I found a lot of useful sources and added them to zotero. Then we moved to the another topic, which was about perception. Firstly we all watched the video on YouTube and tried to find whether I use left brain or right brain. I do not think the result is true because I used left brain according to this movie but I am totally poor at art or music.. So I do not believe it. After that, we discussed for short time and we looked at the picture of stereogram. It was so interesting!!! After going back to my dorm, I tried lots of stereograms. I love it. But I do not know how stereogram is related to perception. Anyway it was very exciting class for me.

9/24

In last class, Rab told us the bad points of our essay. There are a lot of new things that I have to be careful. And I noticed that I made lots of mistakes in my book review. For example, I could not put the good title, and maybe I used phrasal verbs. I did not know that phrasal verbs are not appropriate for academic writing. I tend to use phrasal verbs many times, so I should be careful of it. In addition, I learned that I cannot start two sentences with same words, for instance, "He went to school. He sat on his chair." Rab said it is like sentences made by a child. And we should make a longer sentence. I want to improve my writing using his advice.

9/21

In this class, we learned how to write an academic essay. I knew "rule of 3" for the first time and I think this idea is very interesting. Actually I agree with this idea because I feel comfortable when I get or think of 3 reasons or 3 examples of something. I feel that 2 is too few but 4 is too many. I do not know why 3 is the best, but I think this idea is true. And I learned that I should get attention at the very first of an essay and I should suggest to research more for someone at the very end of the essay. It is reasonable but I could not when I wrote essays in spring term, so I want to use these things in autumn term. Finally, I learned that the title of essay is very important. Actually I did not put the title in spring term so I did not know the importance of the title. As a whole, I could not do well without these explanations so this class is very helpful!!! I will do my best.

9/19

Today, we had a class in computer room. We learned how to use Google Reader. I added my section mates' blog, BBC news and Behind The News. I want to use this function more in the future. For example, I hardly watch news on TV because I live in dorm and TV is far from my room, so I want to add the website of newspaper company, and check the news every day. Then, we learned about zotero. I did not know how to write references from zotero, but Rab showed us that, so I want to use this in my next essay. It is useful not only ELA essays but also essays or reports of other classes, so I am happy to know about zotero :-) I found that we can finish our assignment easily by using technology (or useful websites).

9/17

In this class, first of all, I was shocked by my teacher's words. Actually he was joking but I could not find that. He winked me, but I did not know mean of wink at that time, and I overlooked his wink. So we all misunderstood his joke and evaluated him badly. I may not be able to forget what happened in this class. It was not funny at all, I was very scared. However, I learned that it is very important to know the means of behavior in each culture. I could really understand what Barna said in this text. We misunderstand easily even when we overlook something little. I should be careful in order not to overlook something when I talk with people who came from different culture.

9/14

The class was so fun because we could discuss a lot. I like discussion because I can listen to opinions or examples of others and it helps me understand about the topic in detail. And Rab explained us about the topic of the text and provided us with another examples. In fact, I could not understand about some of the topic when I read the text for the first time. However after listening to his explanation and examples, I could understand much more than before listening to it. He explained us using a lot of examples, and it was good for me because I could have the image of the topic. Last class was the first actual class of ARW but I like this class and this class style already. I am looking forward to next classes =)