#wrd110

[fall17wrd110-063-blog]

Post # 2: Your Writing Process

What are your experiences with writing? Do you love it? Hate it?

Tell us a bit about your usual writing process. When you are given an essay assignment, what do you do first? How does everything usually turn out? What changes, if any, do you plan to make to this process as you begin your college career? 

Your post should be approximately 150-250 words and is due by class time on Tuesday, 9/6. 

[chloececil-blog]

WRD 110-063

The area of Lexington is a much faster pace with people walking and driving everywhere then in my hometown. The buildings in Lexington are a lot nicer and closer together, which is nice for walking to class. I love the brick buildings and walkways on each side of campus because it gives each wing a little personality. I chose to come to UK simply to branch out and to become more independent with myself since this is the first time living on my own. UK is a great campus for you to feel at home and comfortable with. I love how small campus feels once you get comfortable and find out where everything is. In my hometown everything is very spread out, but in Lexington the brick buildings and open restaurants are very close and convenient for you to walk anywhere. The tall maps and signs on campus are really convenient for getting to know campus or wondering where you are. Since i grew up in Kentucky, UK has been my dream school since grade school. No one in my family has ever graduated from UK and I hope to be the first to say that I have! My first impressions as a student was very overwhelming since i came up a week early for rush, but was also very beneficial because I learned my surroundings a lot faster and met so many great people to help me prepare for the upcoming school year. 

[fall17wrd110-063-blog]

Post # 1: Welcome!

Photo from youvisit.com/tour/uky.edu

Hi, all! I am excited to be your WRD instructor this fall and know that we will have a great time and learn a lot together. As we begin, reflect on our class discussion of space and place, and relate it specifically to UK. What are your thoughts on space/place and community here? Why did you choose to come to UK? What does it mean to you as a space or place at this juncture? Do you have any history with UK? What are your first impressions as a student here?

Remember that your post should be approximately 150-250 words and is due before class time on 8/29.

[nataliehahs-blog]

I found this while looking at some of my volunteer options. This was one of upcoming events on the Lexington Humane Society’s website. Device Pitstop is donating 10% of 2 days of sales to the humane society and offering free puppuccinos (as read in the above image). Events like this offer a way to get people interested in visiting the humane society, as well as possibly adopting. Donations and events to organizations that help animals is always a plus. I wouldn’t mind doing research on organizations around Lexington that involve/protect/help animals. Just an idea post. 

Image is linked to the humane society website :)

[nataliehahs-blog]

A question I have had is what kind of jobs are available to people with disabilities. My first response is that any one can really do any job, it’s more about which jobs do these individuals prefer doing. I have met a lot of people who won’t do a job if they don’t want to - disability or not. My research on this topic has lead me to the story of Ryan. This is an example to my question of jobs that students can get once they are out of high school, so a 2-in-1 answer. Ryan is very interested in nature, math, and science. Jim Callendar, his job instructor said that “[Ryan] is really knowledgeable... because he wants to learn”. That is really the case with anyone, if you are interested in something that can be a future career why will you not learn more? Some skills Ryan will have to develope are followings directions and taking good care of the plants. Taking care of the plants is definitely what Ryan is interested in doing, but job coaches provide the resources for Ryan and other individuals like him to learn the necessary communication and life skills to manage their work. 

I found Ryan’s story on https://www.realworkstories.org/

[nataliehahs-blog]

I know these posts aren’t specifically about the Lexington Special Olympics, but the r-word and any stereotypes definitely affect everyone in the SO community all over the world, including Lexington. This post is the same topic as the post before this one called “Spread the word to end the word”. But this is an open letter to a Ann Coulter, a political commentator who used the word “retard” IN A TWEET when referencing one of the politicians after a foreign policy debate debates (story about this found on CNN as reference). However, Mr. Stephens doesn’t attempt to question her use of the word too much. He does ask about why she doesn’t use another word, but continues by saying, “well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor”. There is honestly no better way to say that. Imagine if your name was used to insult other people. That’s not right, you are proud of your name and anyone who is compared to you must be pretty great, that’s exactly his idea. The individuals with disabilities are some of the most passionate, motivated, and kindhearted people you will ever meet. I have met so many athletes who are unapologetically them selves, who wouldn’t want to be so much as appreciated for a quality like that? People who seem to fall under the category of “retarded” are actually far from what societies understanding of that word it, why is it used to compare someones intelligence or ability?  

This is a follow up post of the “spread the word to end the word post”.

I have known about this story for a couple years, but looked at CNN to make sure I had a little understanding to the reason for the letter :) I know it’s not the best source, but for and overview it works.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/23/living/ann-coulter-obama-tweet/index.html

Image is linked to the website to find the full letter

[nataliehahs-blog]

Spread the word to end the Word

In 2009 there was a campaign started to end the “r-word” which happens the be the word “retard” or other things such “mentally retarded”. This campaign has people all across the world pledge to not use the r-word and to discourage its use from others. I have taken the pledge for many years now, and I will keep taking it and encouraging everyone to do the same until there is no need for the campaign any more. Something I learned while researching is that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act website says that the phrase “mental retardation” has actually been replaced with “intellectual disability” which is a major break through, since they have been campaigning the end of the word for the past 8 years. The website says that the IDEA is a law offering services to children with disabilities. Such things as early intervention of education in toddlers and special education for children with disabilities, I know many of the students stay in high school until they are 21, and take classes such as culinary to build some life skills before having to try and find a job. Although these are early education opportunities, what programs, post-high school, are out there for students who graduate and have a disability? What are some of the job opportunities these students have?

R-word campaign: http://www.r-word.org/

IDEA website: http://idea.ed.gov/

[nataliehahs-blog]

Presentation Reflection

Looking at it now, this presentation went a lot smoother than my first one. I was more prepared and comfortable with what I was talking about. I could have spent a little more time just making sure my thoughts were a little more organized, but practice time was fine. What I found most satisfying was not during the presentation itself, but the 15 minutes before class started when I did a little quick run through of my presentation with a few of my classmates and they continued to talk about the topic for the rest of the time before we actually went into the class room. I got to see how people organized their thoughts and it influenced how I changed my PowerPoint so that way it would flow a little better. My presentation was unique since my research so far was based one what I have learned through my time spent with SOKY (my topic). I think the class learned a little more about my passion/interest in making the city of Lexington a little better for these Special Olympics athletes who have to face so many struggles. For the next presentation, I can definitely have a more solid understanding of what I will do with my topic. If I could do this presentation again I may add a better story at the beginning that would really connect with my audience, even though with that discussion before class I knew it did connect with some of them.