Advice? Help? Criticism?...Here's What I Think...

My post on Melinda Cox's blog.


Melinda--
We have very similar feelings as far as blogging goes. I felt that my first quarter grade could have been better just like you. We also need to improve in the same areas. I had trouble with the length of my response just like you. I think the main important thing in achieving the appropriate length is to really take the time to think about what your going to say. I sit there with you while blogging and I know we are both guilty of opening a new post and starting to write without even thinking it through. Sometimes this can be good and sometimes this can cause you to run out of things to say rather quickly. I know that if you really take the time to think responses out you will have a better outcome. We are also reading the same book this quarter. I'm excited that Mrs. Hayes has given us the option to do a couple group blogs. I think it would be interesting if we could put our thoughts together in a vlog and describe both of our feelings for the book. This way the reader could get two different opinions and views of the same book. I think if we put the right amount of time into the thought process we could get a good outcome. I look forward to working with you and seeing your advancements. Good luck!
--Simone

Here is a post that I posted on the ning. It was on the blog post about the book Stotan posted by Connor Helsdingen.

Hey i'm Simone Corpora from Carbondale Community High School.  I saw your blog post and the book cover caught my attention. I've been swimming since I was six and just recently quit due to a shoulder injury. Swimming books have always been my favorite because they its easy to find a way to relate to the characters, but I've never read this book. I know that you can share such strong bonds with the people that are on your team. You go through gruesome workouts and you don't think your going to be able to make it, but your friend next to you in the lane is there to push you on. It's an incredible bond and I can't imagine what kind of connection you would share after going through what the boys in the book went through. I really enjoyed reading your blog, it has encouraged me to go and read this book. I'm really curious as to how they learned about life and swimming through a week of military style training. I can't even begin to imagine 4 hours of practice every day for a week. Once again, great blog!
-Simone

Here is a post I made on Arielle's blog.

  Dear Arielle,
I agree with your thoughts towards sparknotes. I feel that only reading a summary of a classic book takes away from the reason to why it is a classic. But where I disagree with you is that sometimes with classic books the writing can be a little tricky to understand. I think sparknotes can be helpful to read along with the book. For example, while reading Othello I found I had a difficult time understanding what the characters were trying to say. I would read the assigned reading, and then after go onto sparknotes to read more about the parts I didn't understand. So no I don't think sparknotes is completely off limits, but just needs to be used in the correct way. That way you understand the book and are ready to write the research paper. I am enjoying your blog very much, keep it up!
--Simone