Reflection

Types of Words and Texts

I was wary of this assignment at first, to be honest.  I thought that I used context clues too much to really struggle to understand any new word.  I was surprised to see that it was fairly easy to find words that I could look up for this assignment.  

I never realized that I read so many magazines.  I never have considered myself as someone who reads magazines - but two of my fourteen words came from magazines (dunridge and ossified).  This blog made me think about where I was getting information and what I was reading.  Without looking closely at my reading, I thought that I mostly read texts for grad classes and searched on the internet for lessons.  I felt like I hadn't been reading a lot lately - and certain nothing that would produce new words.  But, in reality, I found new words all over the place.

I tried to stay away from science heavy vocabulary - it was tempting, but I wanted this blog to be about words that I could use and that the others in my class might also be able to use.  I seemed to find a lot of words that were content specific or rarely used.  I think that only a few of these words I will incorporate into my everyday language.  However, many of these words are those that I had confused with another - so these I can use and be confident that I am now correct in using them.


Vocabulary Tests

I think I gained a better understanding of what it means to master a word.  I think that it makes sense that to truly know a word, a person has to be able to spell the word, define the word, use the word in context, and even connect the word to others.  Vocabulary should be more than being able to spit out a definition from a dictionary or textbook.

The spelling part was still terrifying, though.


Learning Impacts and Implications 
  I have a greater understanding of the texts that I looked up a word from.  I think that this is because I was interacting with the text for longer than just to absorb the information.  As I wrote about in my ameliorate post, often I just use the context clues and move on.  I don't spend time thinking about what a word might mean.  This blog made me stop and notice when a word was new or something I couldn't quite define.  Then, once I had looked up the word, I went back and thought about the word in context and how the meaning would have changed if a different word was used. 

I think this is a good example of writing to learn.  I had to stop and think, organize, and express my thoughts on the word, which made me gain a better understanding of the word and of the text that the word was in.

I think that this looking for new words and thinking about their meaning and purpose within the text has become somewhat of a habit.  I can't say that I will spend any more time writing to learn these new words or helping me understand the text a little better.  But I will continue to consider new words and notice when I need to look up a word and actually look it up!

Last Vocabulary! - Consortium

When and where: I participated in STANYS at the beginning of last week.  It was a wealth of information and I met some really wonderful and helpful people.  However, all of my sessions on Monday were not very helpful.  Some were even downright boring.  For example, I attended one called "The Future of Earth Science in NYS" which I imagined to be about the effects of CCSS or best practices.  But no, it was a couple of textbook representatives who didn't explain who they were or even what their textbook was - just "so, we wrote this textbook" - and told us that Next Gen standards were going to be difficult for everyone else in the country but not NYS.  Thanks.  That was helpful.  Anyhow, they were talking about STANYS role in helping with the Next Gen standards and said that a consortium had come together, but it was mostly STANYS executives.

Level of familiarity: I had heard of a consortium agreement, but I didn't know that a group of people could be a consortium.  I thought that a consortium agreement was an agreement that people had compromised over and no one really liked, but it was the only thing they could agree on.

What it means: Merriam Webster online dictionary defines consortium  as a group of people that decide to work together. 

Reflective commentary: Considering what consortium actually means, what I thought a consortium agreement was is hilarious.  Mainly because I feel like nothing gets accomplished when people work together.  Ideally, people are bringing their best ideas and having others refine and add to those ideas.  But in reality, just as textbook lady was telling us, the results are not up to anyone's standards and everyone has compromised and isn't truly happy with the product.

Week 9 - Post 1: Ameliorate

When and where: My friend was showing me a game on her iPad that you can create your own Jurassic Park.  I adore the movie so I couldn't resist checking it out.  In order to advance to different levels, different characters give you tasks to accomplish in the park.  In this particular task, Hammond says that he doesn't have the money to buy this dinosaur he wants, so to ameliorate the problem... blah blah blah do this and earn coins.

Level of familiarity: I could guess from the context clues that ameliorate means to fix or make better, but I couldn't define the word.  It seemed like a word I must have heard somewhere before.

What it means: Merriam Webster online dictionary defines ameliorate as a verb that means to make better.  But not "better".  They use the word "tolerable".  To me, this means that ameliorate means to make only marginally better, not perfect or the best it could be.

Reflective commentary: This word makes me think about directions and the words we use in them.  I totally could have moved on and not cared what this word meant.  Honestly, if I wasn't working on this blog, I doubt I would have bothered to look it up.  I could easily accomplish the task without needing to know the word.  In fact, I could have easily understood the underlying purpose of the task without knowing the word.  It was unnecessary for the task completion.