Friday, June 8, 2007
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Dear Reader
To start things off, let me give you a brief introduction of myself. Well I consider myself to be a well seasoned, older student attending Everett Community College, in a cozy lil town nestled between two beautiful mountain ranges, in the wonderful state of Washington. I am a proud mother of five children, four boys and one girl. My oldest is 26, my youngest 14 and the only one living at home. This is my 3rd quarter here at the college. I began my endeavor not really knowing for sure what direction I wanted to go, or what degree I wanted to pursue. However I did know that I needed to acquire some updated office skills as it was quite clear that flipping burgers was just not going to cut it.
After my first quarter it became much clearer the direction I wanted to go. It all began with high school, taking all the office type classes I could fit into my schedule. And with my intense organizational skills, and my love for math, accounting just made sense. With that said, I am currently working toward a degree to become a CPA. Little did I know that I would be taking an English class as part of my degree. Since classes in humanities and social sciences are required, this brought me to English 98.
It is amazing that I ended up in English 98, because for me, one of my all time favorite things to do has always been writing. Becoming an effective writer is just one of the many things I have been learning in this class. One of my most favorite projects has been putting together a class blog titled ‘Journal Entries’. My intent for the blog was to share my thoughts and writings with others and encourage others to do the same. Next is the ‘birth’ of my newest project, an E-Portfolio. This will include some of my favorite pieces from the class blog, along with many other pieces I have had the pleasure to work on this quarter.
The most rewarding yet challenging assignments would have to be the Major Writing Assignments. I am not certain I have it down to a science after three different attempts, but with practice I am certain this will come easier to me. MWA’s are 3-4 page essays. The biggest challenge for me was putting together the first paragraph, the introduction. I had to be certain that my introduction had a strong thesis and good lead in, necessary to help the reader follow and understand my paper. Although I understand this process, I feel that more practice is needed to perfect this writing skill. The most rewarding part of completing a MWA would be getting my paper back with a better grade than anticipated!! The best out of my three attempts at a MWA's will be included in this portfolio, which will reflect the challenges I faced in writing these papers. Along with some other pieces of work I have done this quarter, I will end with the finale, my master piece. It is called: ‘Inventory of Being’, the piece I am most proud of.
English 98 has been an awesome experience and wonderful journey in learning to master and improve my once rusty writing skills. I own more confidence in my skills as a writer and would like to some day write a book. I have even expanded my goals to also work on a degree in Journalism. Amazingly the requirements for both degrees are very similar, so it is like “killing two birds with one stone”. Finally I would like to add that not only did I learn a lot of different writing skills, I had the opportunity to read a couple of great books, ones that I would have never picked up to read had it not been for this class. Reading these books also helped in my development of adding more meaning to the words I chose to use in my writings. Regardless of the challenges I faced, the rewards out numbered any challenge that came my way.
I hope you enjoy reading my portfolio as much as I have enjoyed putting it together for you!! Happy reading!!
After my first quarter it became much clearer the direction I wanted to go. It all began with high school, taking all the office type classes I could fit into my schedule. And with my intense organizational skills, and my love for math, accounting just made sense. With that said, I am currently working toward a degree to become a CPA. Little did I know that I would be taking an English class as part of my degree. Since classes in humanities and social sciences are required, this brought me to English 98.
It is amazing that I ended up in English 98, because for me, one of my all time favorite things to do has always been writing. Becoming an effective writer is just one of the many things I have been learning in this class. One of my most favorite projects has been putting together a class blog titled ‘Journal Entries’. My intent for the blog was to share my thoughts and writings with others and encourage others to do the same. Next is the ‘birth’ of my newest project, an E-Portfolio. This will include some of my favorite pieces from the class blog, along with many other pieces I have had the pleasure to work on this quarter.
The most rewarding yet challenging assignments would have to be the Major Writing Assignments. I am not certain I have it down to a science after three different attempts, but with practice I am certain this will come easier to me. MWA’s are 3-4 page essays. The biggest challenge for me was putting together the first paragraph, the introduction. I had to be certain that my introduction had a strong thesis and good lead in, necessary to help the reader follow and understand my paper. Although I understand this process, I feel that more practice is needed to perfect this writing skill. The most rewarding part of completing a MWA would be getting my paper back with a better grade than anticipated!! The best out of my three attempts at a MWA's will be included in this portfolio, which will reflect the challenges I faced in writing these papers. Along with some other pieces of work I have done this quarter, I will end with the finale, my master piece. It is called: ‘Inventory of Being’, the piece I am most proud of.
English 98 has been an awesome experience and wonderful journey in learning to master and improve my once rusty writing skills. I own more confidence in my skills as a writer and would like to some day write a book. I have even expanded my goals to also work on a degree in Journalism. Amazingly the requirements for both degrees are very similar, so it is like “killing two birds with one stone”. Finally I would like to add that not only did I learn a lot of different writing skills, I had the opportunity to read a couple of great books, ones that I would have never picked up to read had it not been for this class. Reading these books also helped in my development of adding more meaning to the words I chose to use in my writings. Regardless of the challenges I faced, the rewards out numbered any challenge that came my way.
I hope you enjoy reading my portfolio as much as I have enjoyed putting it together for you!! Happy reading!!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Intro to 'Kittens and Babies'
This was my very first Major Writing Assignment, a paper I really enjoyed writing. This essay was to be a contrast/comparison essay. Deciding what my topic would be proved difficult. Some chose simple topics such as the differences between coffee and tea as I struggled with my own topic, with nothing coming to mind. It was suggested to pick a topic of something familiar, something that I knew alot about. Bingo!! That was it!!! Since I have raised kittens, and five children, I figured it was a topic that should be easy enough!! Definitely something I knew everything about!! Well, at least I thought I did, till it came time to writing it all down!! It was then I knew I was in trouble, and I could feel the sweat starting to run down my face, or wait, was that tears?? What made it worse is that by this time, I had very little time left to put it all together! Yikes!! The good news is, the impossible became the possible with a successful final draft of my first MWA!!!
Major Writing Assignment #1 "How Kittens and Babies are Similar"
Clearly there are differences between kittens and babies that we all recognize. For example, babies don’t have fur they have skin. Kittens are pets babies are not. Even though there are obvious differences, some may not realize that kittens and babies share similarities in many different areas such as their nutritional needs, rate of growth and unique languages.
We all know that both kittens and babies are totally dependent upon their mothers at birth, and how important proper nutrition is at the beginning of their life. Milk is extremely important and essential to the growing needs of kittens and babies. It doesn't matter whether babies and kittens get their milk from their mother or from formula, what matters are the benefits they get from milk. Milk is needed for the proper development of healthy kittens and babies. It also helps to prepare their tummy for solid food later. Mother’s milk is nature’s complete source of nutrition. It is loaded with all the important nutrients required for a healthy start. Mother’s milk also aids in the proper growth and development of young kittens and babies.
The rate at which kittens and babies grow is quite similar as they both grow at such rapid rates. By the age of 6 weeks, kittens do not need their mother and can pretty much make it on their own. Before they are a year old, they have gone through their teenage period and are considered adults by the time they reach a year old. Babies, on the other hand, also grow rapidly during the first year, but there is a longer period of time before they reach the teenage years and then adolescence.
One of the major skills most babies master around the age of one year is that of walking. But in order to learn to walk, they must also learn to sit on their own, crawl, pull themselves up into a standing position and master the art of balance. Kittens also are learning to walk, wobbling to and fro, and always falling down. They think they can run, and try to do so long before they have completely mastered walking without falling down. Kittens are pretty clumsy. It takes them a little while to learn how to apply the ‘brakes’ in order to keep from running into things, or even each other. Learning to jump is another skill they eventually learn to master when they are young. Usually they can jump off of a couch, much easier than jumping up on one. It takes some time before they can actually land on their feet, without falling, or rolling across the floor. Kittens also mimic behaviors of their siblings but for different reasons than babies mimic their parents and siblings.
One other milestone in the rapid growth process of kittens and babies is that of language.Babies start out by crying as their only way to let us know that they need something. From birth babies are working hard to communicate their needs to their parents. Even at a tender young age they begin to learn to mimic the sounds they hear, and become quite good at finding other effective ways to communicate with those around them. First are the smiles, opening their little mouths ever so wide, sometimes accompanied with cooing sounds. Some of the sounds babies make resemble that of talking through their little noses, in their desperate effort to try and communicate with us. It is a language understood only by those closest to the baby, a unique language that mom can usually understand, but often has to interpret. The kittens mother also has a language that is only known to her and her kittens. The kitten’s recognize the sound of their mother’s voice and can distinguish it from every other cat. Kittens instinctively understand what message their mother is sending, whether she is calling for them, or informing them of danger.
One other form of language that kittens and babies share is an unspoken language, that of using their sense of smell to guide them. Not only do kittens and babies recognize the distinct voice of their own mothers, they also recognize the scent of their mother and can distinctly recognize it from others, soon after birth. Babies can also recognize the smell of mother’s milk, which can trigger their hunger pangs. Kittens too have a keen sense of smell, and they rely on it as a means of survival. Because their eyes are not fully developed at birth, they rely on their sense of smell to help them find their source of food. Kittens not only recognize the sounds of their mother, but they also depend on their keen sense of smell to locate her.
It is amazing that both animals and humans share many of the same similarities in many areas of their lives. Even though we can see clearly the differences between kittens and babies, it is not always obvious to recognize that they also share many similarities.
We all know that both kittens and babies are totally dependent upon their mothers at birth, and how important proper nutrition is at the beginning of their life. Milk is extremely important and essential to the growing needs of kittens and babies. It doesn't matter whether babies and kittens get their milk from their mother or from formula, what matters are the benefits they get from milk. Milk is needed for the proper development of healthy kittens and babies. It also helps to prepare their tummy for solid food later. Mother’s milk is nature’s complete source of nutrition. It is loaded with all the important nutrients required for a healthy start. Mother’s milk also aids in the proper growth and development of young kittens and babies.
The rate at which kittens and babies grow is quite similar as they both grow at such rapid rates. By the age of 6 weeks, kittens do not need their mother and can pretty much make it on their own. Before they are a year old, they have gone through their teenage period and are considered adults by the time they reach a year old. Babies, on the other hand, also grow rapidly during the first year, but there is a longer period of time before they reach the teenage years and then adolescence.
One of the major skills most babies master around the age of one year is that of walking. But in order to learn to walk, they must also learn to sit on their own, crawl, pull themselves up into a standing position and master the art of balance. Kittens also are learning to walk, wobbling to and fro, and always falling down. They think they can run, and try to do so long before they have completely mastered walking without falling down. Kittens are pretty clumsy. It takes them a little while to learn how to apply the ‘brakes’ in order to keep from running into things, or even each other. Learning to jump is another skill they eventually learn to master when they are young. Usually they can jump off of a couch, much easier than jumping up on one. It takes some time before they can actually land on their feet, without falling, or rolling across the floor. Kittens also mimic behaviors of their siblings but for different reasons than babies mimic their parents and siblings.
One other milestone in the rapid growth process of kittens and babies is that of language.Babies start out by crying as their only way to let us know that they need something. From birth babies are working hard to communicate their needs to their parents. Even at a tender young age they begin to learn to mimic the sounds they hear, and become quite good at finding other effective ways to communicate with those around them. First are the smiles, opening their little mouths ever so wide, sometimes accompanied with cooing sounds. Some of the sounds babies make resemble that of talking through their little noses, in their desperate effort to try and communicate with us. It is a language understood only by those closest to the baby, a unique language that mom can usually understand, but often has to interpret. The kittens mother also has a language that is only known to her and her kittens. The kitten’s recognize the sound of their mother’s voice and can distinguish it from every other cat. Kittens instinctively understand what message their mother is sending, whether she is calling for them, or informing them of danger.
One other form of language that kittens and babies share is an unspoken language, that of using their sense of smell to guide them. Not only do kittens and babies recognize the distinct voice of their own mothers, they also recognize the scent of their mother and can distinctly recognize it from others, soon after birth. Babies can also recognize the smell of mother’s milk, which can trigger their hunger pangs. Kittens too have a keen sense of smell, and they rely on it as a means of survival. Because their eyes are not fully developed at birth, they rely on their sense of smell to help them find their source of food. Kittens not only recognize the sounds of their mother, but they also depend on their keen sense of smell to locate her.
It is amazing that both animals and humans share many of the same similarities in many areas of their lives. Even though we can see clearly the differences between kittens and babies, it is not always obvious to recognize that they also share many similarities.
Inventory of Being
My name is Tigerlilly
I am 48yrs old
I may be older, but am young at heart
My eye’s are brown, or are they green?
Today my hair is brown and down, swept to the side
I am a student, in my prime
I am a lady, with a girl trapped inside
We laugh together, we cry together,
We are best friends.
I am older than Richard,
But younger than Barbara
My father is my hero,
But I would like to dance with Patrick
I love roses and raspberries
I like lace, sugar and spice,
But life is not always nice.
I like sun tea and big shady trees
I love pizza, but pizza does not love me
I love the sound of ocean waves crashing
Against the shore, as I sleep near by.
I love Amethysts more than Diamonds,
Gold more than Silver
I love big cozy blankets surrounded by lots of pillows
And refreshing sounds of nature playing in the background
I hate being cold, but I love the snow
I love walking in the rain, but hate to get wet
I hate sardines and sticky candy
I don’t like close minded and complex people or
Drama King’s and Queen’s
I love my children; they keep me in my youth
I can’t live without my family, but it's hard to live with them
I can't live without water and a place to rest my head.
I love my cats, they love me unconditionally
They bring me comfort when no one else can
Strangely they seem to understand.
I spend too much money on jewelry, seafood, and fuel
I admire the strength and courage of those around me
I would put it in a bottle and sell it for millions
What you don’t say scares me more than what you do say
Life is like a box of chocolates, just don’t leave them in the sun
I am driven, determined and independent,
Yet long to be under the protection of my mothers wings
Life is a journey down many winding roads, sometimes there
is so much to see, sometimes it gets very dark
My name is Tigerlilly and this is 2007
I am 48yrs old
I may be older, but am young at heart
My eye’s are brown, or are they green?
Today my hair is brown and down, swept to the side
I am a student, in my prime
I am a lady, with a girl trapped inside
We laugh together, we cry together,
We are best friends.
I am older than Richard,
But younger than Barbara
My father is my hero,
But I would like to dance with Patrick
I love roses and raspberries
I like lace, sugar and spice,
But life is not always nice.
I like sun tea and big shady trees
I love pizza, but pizza does not love me
I love the sound of ocean waves crashing
Against the shore, as I sleep near by.
I love Amethysts more than Diamonds,
Gold more than Silver
I love big cozy blankets surrounded by lots of pillows
And refreshing sounds of nature playing in the background
I hate being cold, but I love the snow
I love walking in the rain, but hate to get wet
I hate sardines and sticky candy
I don’t like close minded and complex people or
Drama King’s and Queen’s
I love my children; they keep me in my youth
I can’t live without my family, but it's hard to live with them
I can't live without water and a place to rest my head.
I love my cats, they love me unconditionally
They bring me comfort when no one else can
Strangely they seem to understand.
I spend too much money on jewelry, seafood, and fuel
I admire the strength and courage of those around me
I would put it in a bottle and sell it for millions
What you don’t say scares me more than what you do say
Life is like a box of chocolates, just don’t leave them in the sun
I am driven, determined and independent,
Yet long to be under the protection of my mothers wings
Life is a journey down many winding roads, sometimes there
is so much to see, sometimes it gets very dark
My name is Tigerlilly and this is 2007
Writers Choice Intro to: 'Invetory of Being'
For my writers choice I chose my ‘Inventory of Being’ assignment. This is a descriptive piece that gives the reader an idea, of who I am, what my likes and dislikes are, in a poetic kind of way. I chose this piece because it gave me a real sense of accomplishment. I had never written anything like this before and really didn’t feel up to the challenge of producing anything as good as the example we were given as a model. I considered this piece to be the first major writing assignment of the quarter, as I felt that same overwhelming feeling I felt prior to my task of writing the assigned essays. Even though a little overwhelmed, it was an extremely rewarding experience. As I began to write, there were what seemed to be a million thoughts racing through my mind that I wanted to incorporate into this paper. I felt like a rusty old nail in regards to my current writing skills, and was not certain I was up for the challenge. Up until this point I had only written for my own pleasure. I knew there was no time to be afraid, it was swim or drown as it became clear what I needed to do. I tried hard to relax and write freely, letting what ever came to mind become a part of this creative piece.
Then alas, the day arrived all too soon, it was time to post it for all to see!!! It felt as though I was standing in front of crowd of millions of people, and was about to give a controversial speech!! My stomach felt as though it was full of fluttering butterflies, moments before my piece was to be posted. Then with each new comment I received, I began to feel more and more at ease as my confidence as a ‘new’ writer took form. Along with that was a new sense of pride, thus dubbing my inventory of being my newest Master Piece!!! It was at that moment I knew I was going to make it through English 98 just fine.
Then alas, the day arrived all too soon, it was time to post it for all to see!!! It felt as though I was standing in front of crowd of millions of people, and was about to give a controversial speech!! My stomach felt as though it was full of fluttering butterflies, moments before my piece was to be posted. Then with each new comment I received, I began to feel more and more at ease as my confidence as a ‘new’ writer took form. Along with that was a new sense of pride, thus dubbing my inventory of being my newest Master Piece!!! It was at that moment I knew I was going to make it through English 98 just fine.
The Concept of Blogging
Had it not been for taking a College Writing class at EVCC, I often wonder if I ever would have taken the time to learn about this new concept called blogging. I had seen it, but never took the time to find out more. So, when we were required to start our own blog, I was so lost. Not to mention, trying to decide what to focus my blog on since the concept of blogging was so new to me, made it a bit of a challenge. I wasn't even quite sure I knew what I was doing, or if there is a wrong way or right way to go about this. After lots of thought, and since I have always loved to write, I thought focusing on journeling could be a start.
For years I have written many journal entries that have been for my own personal use. I also would write letters to people, ones I never intended to send. It was almost like it was some sort of rehearsal before the big conversation. Usually I would just write letters to help get things off my chest, and clear my head of the many thoughts racing thru it. The thought never occurred to me to incorporate this into a blog.
In my opinion, blogging can be a creative outlet for writing and sharing with others, who also enjoy writing. It is my belief that feedback in the way of comments is an excellent tool to help improve my writing skills. It is my hope that through blogging and my writing class, I can learn to keep my entries reader friendly, and maybe even attempt to write a book someday.Overall, blogging has been a positive experience. I don't know if I will continue with this blog, or continue with blogging in general after I complete this class, that is yet to be decided.
For years I have written many journal entries that have been for my own personal use. I also would write letters to people, ones I never intended to send. It was almost like it was some sort of rehearsal before the big conversation. Usually I would just write letters to help get things off my chest, and clear my head of the many thoughts racing thru it. The thought never occurred to me to incorporate this into a blog.
In my opinion, blogging can be a creative outlet for writing and sharing with others, who also enjoy writing. It is my belief that feedback in the way of comments is an excellent tool to help improve my writing skills. It is my hope that through blogging and my writing class, I can learn to keep my entries reader friendly, and maybe even attempt to write a book someday.Overall, blogging has been a positive experience. I don't know if I will continue with this blog, or continue with blogging in general after I complete this class, that is yet to be decided.
Intro to 'The Concept of Blogging' a Blog Entry (effective piece)
When I wrote this blog entry, more attention was directed towards what I wanted to say and how I was going to say it. It was my desire to be sure it flowed smoothly; making certain it would be easy for the reader follow and understand. By writing this piece I was putting into practice my newly learned skill of transitioning. The following quote from my blog entry called, “Concept of Blogging” effectively shows how I made this transition from the first paragraph to the next paragraph by introducing the topic for the next paragraph. Here is an example of this transition;
“since I have always loved to write, I thought focusing on journeling could be a start.
For years I have written many journal entries that have been for my own personal use"
There are other examples of transitioning throughout my blog. I would like to challenge you to see if you are able to point them out. Were they effective transitions? Did it help you as a reader to follow what you were reading? Please feel free to leave your comments, as this helps in my learning process to become an effective writer. Thank-you!
“since I have always loved to write, I thought focusing on journeling could be a start.
For years I have written many journal entries that have been for my own personal use"
There are other examples of transitioning throughout my blog. I would like to challenge you to see if you are able to point them out. Were they effective transitions? Did it help you as a reader to follow what you were reading? Please feel free to leave your comments, as this helps in my learning process to become an effective writer. Thank-you!
Poverty and the Effects on Children
As far back as 1960, Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson had concerns regarding poverty. They realized that this problem would ultimately affect the nation either directly or indirectly. It was then that they began to push for initiatives to help the poor. In 1964 congress approved the Economic Opportunity Act, the beginning of establishing anti-poverty programs. Reform programs have since been put into place in the effort to eliminate the increasing number of poor in this country. Even with the implementation of reform programs, America has an alarming child-poverty rate for any industrialized country, with 13.5 million American children living in poverty.
One such program has been the Welfare Reform program. This program was put into place in 1996 and was said to be “one of the most successful pieces of social legislation in American history”(Koch, 2007). This program was referred to as an anti-poverty program. The welfare reform program required recipients to work in exchange for benefits with a limit of 5years of assistance, rather than paying recipients cash benefits. Since this program has been in effect, there has been an increase in the numbers of poor families in food bank lines and in homeless shelters.
The government officials argue in their defense and claim there has been a significant decline in the child poverty rate and that it has been inching downward since 1993. In 1998 it was reported by the Census Bureau that the poverty level had dropped to 12.7 percent nation wide, and child poverty to 18.9 percent, the lowest level since 1989. The government firmly believes the decline in the child poverty rate is due to the implemented overhaul of the welfare programs among several states.
According to child advocates for the Children Defense Fund, cuts to the social service programs in the way of welfare reform has only assisted the rich in getting richer and the poorest Americans getting poorer with the children suffering the most. Startling statistics show that one in five American children still live in poverty, “twice the adult-poverty rate and four times the child-poverty rate of Western European nations,” according to the article written by Kathy Koch on Child Poverty (2007).
Those who built the welfare reform program also argue that reducing child poverty was not the primary goal. It is stated that “the measure was primarily designed to reduce illegitimacy and welfare dependence” (Koch, 2007). This is clearly a contradiction to the earlier claim crediting the decline in the child poverty level to the successful implementation of the welfare reform program.
“Amid the good news of economic growth, it is troubling that those children who remain poor have slipped somewhat deeper into poverty”(2007), said Kathryn Porter, co-author of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report. “While the robust economy is helping many families, others are being affected adversely by the contraction in some parts of the safety net” (Koch, 2007). We see daily the prosperity in our nation whether it is on the Internet, television, or radio. It is shameful as a country to have a child poverty problem given all the countless resources of wealth we have. Jason Walsh of the Affirmative Options Coalition in St. Paul says of critics, “States have been sitting on unprecedented amounts of unspent federal welfare funds... money originally intended for poor kids [got] transferred into tax cuts for upper-income folks. In my mind, that’s not just bad policy, it’s immoral” (Koch, 2007).
It just makes sense to use the money that is being saved through the implemented programs and the surplus in our nation’s economy for those in need, and help put an end to child poverty in our nation. No more cuts to the state programs that assist the working poor, enough cuts have been made, with little improvement at all. What message does this send to other countries, what does it say about our future as a nation? Children are our future; they will be running this nation one day. This needs to be considered, before it is too late.
Bibliography
Koch, K. (2000, April 7). Child poverty. CQ Researcher, 10, 281-304. Retrieved May 29, 2007, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2000040700.
One such program has been the Welfare Reform program. This program was put into place in 1996 and was said to be “one of the most successful pieces of social legislation in American history”(Koch, 2007). This program was referred to as an anti-poverty program. The welfare reform program required recipients to work in exchange for benefits with a limit of 5years of assistance, rather than paying recipients cash benefits. Since this program has been in effect, there has been an increase in the numbers of poor families in food bank lines and in homeless shelters.
The government officials argue in their defense and claim there has been a significant decline in the child poverty rate and that it has been inching downward since 1993. In 1998 it was reported by the Census Bureau that the poverty level had dropped to 12.7 percent nation wide, and child poverty to 18.9 percent, the lowest level since 1989. The government firmly believes the decline in the child poverty rate is due to the implemented overhaul of the welfare programs among several states.
According to child advocates for the Children Defense Fund, cuts to the social service programs in the way of welfare reform has only assisted the rich in getting richer and the poorest Americans getting poorer with the children suffering the most. Startling statistics show that one in five American children still live in poverty, “twice the adult-poverty rate and four times the child-poverty rate of Western European nations,” according to the article written by Kathy Koch on Child Poverty (2007).
Those who built the welfare reform program also argue that reducing child poverty was not the primary goal. It is stated that “the measure was primarily designed to reduce illegitimacy and welfare dependence” (Koch, 2007). This is clearly a contradiction to the earlier claim crediting the decline in the child poverty level to the successful implementation of the welfare reform program.
“Amid the good news of economic growth, it is troubling that those children who remain poor have slipped somewhat deeper into poverty”(2007), said Kathryn Porter, co-author of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report. “While the robust economy is helping many families, others are being affected adversely by the contraction in some parts of the safety net” (Koch, 2007). We see daily the prosperity in our nation whether it is on the Internet, television, or radio. It is shameful as a country to have a child poverty problem given all the countless resources of wealth we have. Jason Walsh of the Affirmative Options Coalition in St. Paul says of critics, “States have been sitting on unprecedented amounts of unspent federal welfare funds... money originally intended for poor kids [got] transferred into tax cuts for upper-income folks. In my mind, that’s not just bad policy, it’s immoral” (Koch, 2007).
It just makes sense to use the money that is being saved through the implemented programs and the surplus in our nation’s economy for those in need, and help put an end to child poverty in our nation. No more cuts to the state programs that assist the working poor, enough cuts have been made, with little improvement at all. What message does this send to other countries, what does it say about our future as a nation? Children are our future; they will be running this nation one day. This needs to be considered, before it is too late.
Bibliography
Koch, K. (2000, April 7). Child poverty. CQ Researcher, 10, 281-304. Retrieved May 29, 2007, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2000040700.
Intro to 'Poverty and the Effects on Children'
This piece was my third Major Writing Assignment of the quarter. This was to be a persuasive/argumentative essay. I knew that this essay would have to reflect all the writing skills I had learned up to this point. I felt overwhelmed with this challenge, not quite feeling confident that I had these skills mastered. It was clear that this paper was going to take a lot of hard work, and good use of time management skills to complete. Unfortunately time management is not one of the skills taught in English 98. Panic was not an option. My grade depended on my ability to incorporate the writing skills I had learned along with getting all my facts and arguments together in proper order, on TIME!!! My biggest challenge in these MWA’s was coming up with a strong thesis and lead in. I think by the time I got to the third and final MWA, I had it down to a science. Here is an example of my best efforts on my thesis and lead in for this essay, out of three agonizing tries!!
Thesis: “Even with the implementation of reform programs, America has an alarming child-poverty rate for any industrialized country, with 13.5 million American children living in poverty”.
Thesis: “Even with the implementation of reform programs, America has an alarming child-poverty rate for any industrialized country, with 13.5 million American children living in poverty”.
Conclusion
In conclusion I would like to say that overall, English 98 has been a wonderful experience. I have had the opportunity to learn many new skills, and have learned how to properly incorporate them effectively in my writing assignments. I have experienced a lot of growth in my ability as an effective writer and thinker, yet I know I still have a long way to go in mastering these newly learned skills. Another important skill I learned from my peer response groups is just how valuable feedback is! It is my feeling that my ability as a writer has greatly improved within the past 10 weeks. This experience has had a tremendous impact on my confidence level as a new and accomplished writer. Please feel free to leave comments, your opinions are valuable!
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