Sources 5-6

These two sources explain the concept of an Associates degree and why it is beneficial.  I used these sources to explain how general education should be optional, because this type of degree has fewer general education requirements but offers the same two years of education as the first two years of bachelor’s program.  I used them to prove that the general education requirement can be cut back some to allow for more career based courses. I also used these sources to find the average costs of both types of colleges so I could explain further my reasoning.Why Associates Degree

Source 4

http://www.uca.edu/parents/firstyear/ 

This website presents information to parents and families of first year students at the University of Arkansas.  According to this information, thirty to forty percent of freshmen students lose their scholarships within their first year at college.  It also gives possible reasons as to why.

-difficulty of classes
-inadequate study skills
-not enough study time
-working
-not being prepared for classes
-not being able to keep up

Sources 2-3

These two sources explain the German Education System.  One source also compares it to the American System.  The German school system is very similar to American school system, but it has a very different curriculum.  They believe in starting their general education courses at a younger age.  Their school is based on their individual abilities at a young age.  This way they don’t take unnecessary classes.  Their regular schooling is much like that of American Universities.germanyvsUS

Source 1

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/05/15/aacu

Universities are looking into the general education and requirement and are beginning to make several changes.  They have realized that students no longer see the general education requirement as beneficial to themselves.  Students think of it as <insert quote>  The university systems are trying to make a more nontraditional approach to general education so that students can incorporate it into their entire undergraduate education rather than cramming it all into the first two years.  They don’t want to students to merely memorize, they want them to actually get something out of the experience that they can use later in life.

Carol Geary Schneider, president of  AAC&U: She said distribution requirements at many colleges are seen as something to get through, not as significant intellectual experiences. “It’s as though the front door for general education is blocked by a confusing passageway,” she said.

The readers’ comments were also helpful in that they voice their opinions on general education and its changes to come.

Argument Topic

November 17,2009

Argument Topic

            I would like to write about how general education should be optional at the college level.  Upon graduating from high school, the average student has taken four math, English, and history courses, three years of science, and at least two years of foreign language.  Most students go to college to get a degree in a field they wish to enter into.  Each degree has a certain itinerary in which the student must take a certain number of classes that count towards that major.  There are certain amounts of hours in each category a student must obtain before obtaining that degree.  Students, however, are not able to take most of these classes until their sophomore or junior year due to the general education requirement.  Most of those classes are prerequisites to the upper level classes.  This general education requirement is faulty in that it deters many students from continuing their education.  A student who is a dance major shouldn’t have to take science, history, or even math.  This student may not have a grasp on these subjects and it may cause them to hate school.  It may also bring their GPA down.  Many students lose their scholarships within their first year at college because they just don’t understand a certain subject.  It also makes some kids turn the other cheek because they think it is high school all over again.  Technically, the first year or so is.  Though the classes may be a little more difficult, these classes are never the less similar if not the same as a high school class.  I think more students would attend college and be more successful if they were able to focus on their major and only take the classes that apply to their major.  Students shouldn’t have to give up, lose scholarships, or be discouraged because of this general education requirement.

Argument Essays

“Working At McDonalds” By : Amitai Etzioni p. 154

The essay argues that jobs affect the schooling of high school students.  She argues that students with jobs are less likely to focus on school and are more likely to drop out before graduating.  She sees the work force as a deterrent from school.  Kids like getting money.  They like the immediate satisfaction.  Many students think that if they are already making money, they should have to get and education to make money.  She also says that supervision is lacking in the work force so students don’t really have as much responsibility as they should or maybe they have too much. They have no one to look up to or learn from.  She also argue that the jobs these student work dont really require any type of skills and they offer no way for these kids to move up.  Many of these students who drop out for these jobs are stuck with them for the rest of their lives.  They take the easy road out.

“Boys Here, Girls There: Sure, If Equality’s the Goal” By: Karen Stabiner p. 159

This essay argues that single-sex schools matter.  This school are very beneficial to students who need them.  It allows smarts to over rule good looks.  The students can focus on their studies rather than the social aspects.  These schools focus on equality. American school were originally intended for men.  Women used to not be able to attend school.  So why shouldnt women finally have the chance to have a school for themselves.  One that benefits them.  These schools are few in number at the moment but they are still growing across the U.S.. They are focusing on the poor students who need them the most and then as they grow, they will begin to admit other upper classes as well.  These lower class people need something to look forward to.  They need to know they matter and can make a difference.  This type of schooling is meant to keep them off the streets and out of trouble.  It is meant to teach them they can be whom ever they wish/choose to be.

Movie Paper Rewrite 2

December 2, 2009

Well I thought I did better one the second draft, but I was still way off.  I had to find a way to make it still flow faster.  Its kind of difficult to explain plot and my point with out making it a little lengthy but I tried.  I changed several sentences around and deleted quite a few.  I also had to emphasize on a couples of things as well.  I fixed some transistions and made some additions to my conclusion.  I also had to add several illistrations.

Movie paper Rewrite 1

November 9, 2009

I had a lot to change on this paper.  Nothing really flowed well so I have to change a lot of my paper to make it sound better.  I also had to delete several sentences where things werent really made clear.  I ended up switching several of my paragraphs around.  There were very few gramatical errors so I was very pleased about that.  There were some questionable sentences and paragraphs that I had to clearify, but other than that I thought I made it much better than it was.

Movie Paper Part 2

October 20,2009

I went to this movie with my boyfriend.  He wasn’t too thrilled because he thought it was going to be a chick flick.  We went late on a Sunday evening, so I wasn’t really expecting many people to be there, and there really weren’t.  There weren’t really any teenagers at all.  It was mostly older adults.  We were the first ones to show up so I was able to see everyone else who walked in.  The theatre was large and dark, but the previews were already on.  There really were not that many people, but those who did come came as couples.  The only single person was a little old lady.  I thought that was somewhat interesting, because they were all in their late twenty’s to thirty’s.  My boyfriend and I were the only younger couple there.  Because the movie was rated PG13, most of the previews and trailers were either rated PG or PG 13.  Some examples of the trailers were A Christmas Carol, Astro Boy, Where the Wild Things Are, and Twilight.  I would have thought that there would have been more romantic comedies advertised, because the movie we were about to see was a romantic comedy, but there really weren’t many.  There were maybe two, and they were…..

            This movie was about four couples who go on a couples retreat to a place called Eden.  One of the couples is going through a rough time because the wife is unable to get pregnant and it is having a major affect on their relationship.  They are thinking about getting a divorce, but they really want to consider all of their options.  They want to give their marriage a chance and figure out if they still have that spark left.  They want to go on this trip together, but they cannot afford it by themselves.  They find a great deal on a package for four couples to go and so they convince their friends to go with them.  All three other couples are excited about everything except the counseling part because they don’t think they have anything wrong in their marriage even though it is clear to the viewers that they all have problems.  They get there and find out that they have to do certain things to remain in the program or they will get sent home.  This includes couples counseling.  They aren’t thrilled but they stay and do it anyway.  Throughout this movie, each couple grows further and further apart as they discover more and more about each other. Each couple also has a significantly different problem as well.  At the end, it seems like three out of the four relationships are going to end, but after visiting the singles part of the island, they soon discover through jealousy and forgiveness that they are each meant to be.  One guy even ends up with his ex wife after leaving his twenty year old childish girlfriend.  After discovering that they do indeed still love each other, even though they broke the rules, they are able to finally have fun because they have successfully completed the program.  They can finally participate in the activities that they actually came to do.

Movie Paper Part 1

October 18, 2009

I chose the movie Couples Retreat because it looked extremely funny, and because I really enjoy watching Vince Vaughn in his movies.  He seems like such a realist in many if not all of his movies.  He depicts a typical guy who loves sports, playing football, and watching TV.  While he is a funny guy he also has a heart, and in each of his movie you will see that he has great heart even after his many cruel and comical jokes.  I really enjoyed Dodge Ball and The Break up and I figure this movie will be just as great.  I expect this movie to be extremely funny, yet heartwarming at the same time.  I’m really interested to find what the couples discover about themselves and each other and how their utopian turns out.  From what it looks like, they seem like they are in for quite a surprise.