Dear COD Community,
My name is Jay Lewenstein, and I try to write something every day. We all have our anxieties about writing essays, but if we really think about it, we all have something to say. My students are unique individuals that come from diverse backgrounds. In classroom workshops, my hope is for students to develop the confidence and skill to freely express themselves.
At the end of the semester, none of us offer any definitive answers to what we have read, but we all see the progress in our writing from where we started. We write about what we know. We lay out our fears and hopes and dreams. If we can write with a compassionate understanding for our subjects and topics, that’s pretty good. Below I’ve arranged and framed excerpts of our most recent writing.
* In English 61, We read a sixties novel, and my students explored the turmoil of the decade. They wrote research papers on Vietnam, Women's Rights, Martin Luther King. In their discussions, they detail how far we have progressed as a nation. In many cases, not so much.
* In English 1A, we developed community profiles. Students reached out to their communities in search of people they knew with interesting stories. They combined personal interviews of their subjects with online research from our college databases.
* To expand the size of the type for easier reading, please CLICK twice.
* To read the complete essays, follow the links provided underneath.
We hope you like what you see. Don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Join in the discussion. You’ll be with COD Friends of the Earth
Paz,
JL
Posted at 03:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Alejandro chose to base his research paper on the incredible story of 33 Chilean miners that were trapped underground for more than two months. The 120-year-old mine they were working had suddenly collapsed, forcing these workers to find refuge in a small, remote area with little food or water. Temperatures in the mine in certain places reached as high as 122 degrees with up to 98% humidity. By all accounts, they didn’t stand a chance. The movie The 33 depicts the spirit of the miners, how they worked together to survive the ordeal. Alejandro’s writing details both the political and technological challenges of the rescue effort. For two weeks, millions across the globe stayed glued to their television sets for any word on the 33. If you didn’t watch it, you can now read about it.
To read Alejandro's complete research paper, please click on the following link: https://www.codborderline.org/2018/06/underground-tragedy-the-33-chilean-miners-miracle-rescue-complete-essay-by-alejandro-acosta-english-.html
To watch the official trailer from the movie The 33, please click on the following video:
Posted at 05:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Early on in my teaching career, I learned Spanish and began teaching bilingual education in San Diego City Schools. Now that I think about it, this has to be around the same time the movie Selena came out. It’s the music form this soundtrack, I remember coming out of the houses, shops, and cars. You couldn’t escape the beat. “Como la Flor” was huge. “El chico de apartamento 512” was funny. Every time I heard “Bidi bidi bom bom,” I just had to smile. I mean everyone else was. In English 002, Karen Deniz recaptures the event of Selena’s murder in her research paper. Karen says she grew up listening to Selena’s music. Her writing reflects her inspiration for a young woman who followed her dreams. Karen believes Selena is, and always will be, a true historical icon – someone we can all learn from in life and death.
To read Karen's complete essay on Selena, please click on the following link: https://www.codborderline.org/2018/06/selena-taken-away-but-we-keep-her-forever-complete-essay-by-karen-deniz-english-002.html
To see a scene from the original film, please click on the following video:
Posted at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
In English 002, students were asked to write research paper based on a historical film of their choice. They were to compare what they saw on screen with what they discovered in the college databases. Paola wrote about the sinking of the Titanic. Not only did she describe the tragedy in detail, she cleared up some of the myths and conspiracies that have endured for over one hundred years. Paola’s history paper reflects a commitment to the facts and key testimony. She left out the “fake news.”
To read Paola's complete research paper on the sinking of the Titanic, please click on the following link: https://www.codborderline.org/2018/06/the-titanic-the-unsinkable-ship-complete-essay-by-paola-bojorquez-english-002.html
To learn more about recent investigation for the sinking of the Titanic - Paola reports that the ship was on fire long before it hit the iceberg - please click on the following video:
Posted at 05:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
For the subject of her community profile paper, Berenice found someone with the courage to speak truth to power. Sexual assault has become a national epidemic on our college campuses. Berenice grew up with a friend who went from becoming a sexual victim to a sexual advocate. Recent statistics show that 35 of every 1000 women on college campuses will be raped, but many of these victims are fearful of reporting an attack. Berenice’s paper is about helping victims of sexual assault, abuse or domestic violence come forward to seek the support they need.
To read Berenice's complete community profile on Sexual Assault, please click on the following link: https://www.codborderline.org/2018/06/survivor-advocate-a-life-dedicated-to-support-victims-of-sexual-assault-complete-essay-by-berenice-r.html
To learn more about rape culture on our college campuses and what we can do to stop it, please click on the following video:
Posted at 05:12 PM in Faces in the Crowd | Permalink | Comments (0)
Although Daniella is only just begun her journey to graduation at College of the Desert, she can already see far enough that the future isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. For many it’s a long and winding road. Will all the hard work, anxiety, and writing these crazy papers in English 1A pay off in the long run? Daniella believes, “Yes!” But, it will require each individual student to make a plan. In her community profile, she shares the sad truth that only 27 percent of college graduates find work in their field. Her research subject is her boyfriend Giovani. She details his career challenges in her paper. She shares hard lessons learned. Whatever he has experienced will make them both stronger.
To read Daneilla's complete community profile, please click on the following link: https://www.codborderline.org/2018/06/college-graduation-when-the-expected-becomes-the-unexpected-complete-essay-by-daniella-cuen-english-.html
To find out more about appropriate planning for post-graduation, please click on the following documentary video, "The Fear of Graduation."
Posted at 10:52 AM in Faces in the Crowd | Permalink | Comments (0)
For her Community Profile Project, Vanessa extended her research to a 816 square-mile space in Coachella Valley. Her writing focuses upon Sunline’s challenges of providing accessible transportation to COD students. She combines important academic research with her own personal experience. Woody Allen once said that 80 percent of success in life is just showing up. I’m probably dating myself here with the mention of Woody Allen, but Vanessa is a dedicated student and an insightful writer. (And, she always shows up to class!) Her Community Profile reflects her ideas of making our public transportation system safe and reliable for everyone who uses it.
To read the complete version of Vanessa's Community Profile, please click on the following link:
To share in Vanessa's varied and extensive research, please watch the following video:
Posted at 04:57 AM in Faces in the Crowd | Permalink | Comments (0)
Fifty years ago, Cesar Chavez came to Coachella Valley to unite poor and exploited farmworkers. He challenged growers to provide a living wage and basic human amenities such as clean water, decent housing, and adequate medical care. Cesar believed in non-violent struggle to achieve social justice, but most of all, he believed in education as the best tool for the poor to defend themselves.
Cynthia is the daughter of a life-long Coachella fieldworker who came here from Mexico in search of the The American Dream. For this project Cynthia discussed the hardships of this journey with her mother. Working the fields can be brutal and dangerous. Cynthia combined personal interview with research from our college databases. Like Cesar, her goal is to seek better ways to protect the rights and dignity of the hardworking people who put food on your table.
To read Cynthia's complete essay, please CLICK on the following link:
To see more background of migrant worker struggle, please click on the video below:
Posted at 03:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Few little girls who dream of becoming mommies know about postpartum depression. Some of them will grow up and have healthy babies, but they won’t know how to control the flood of emotion that follows. According to Estefania, a simple case of the fatigue or depression can grow to a level of psychosis. Nothing in a mother’s life will ever prepare her for these type of feelings. And, there is a stigma involved: Many new mothers afflicted with postpartum depression find themselves having to prove they are not “crazy.” They feel more alone than ever.
Here in her community profile, Estefania, a mother herself of two, writes with great understanding and compassion. She has explored postpartum depression with the help of a friend and coworker who herself suffered after having her first baby. Estefania’s feels strongly that we need to reduce the stigma associated with postpartum depression. Her writing provides information and encouragement for women to get the help they need.
To read Estephania's complete essay, please CLICK on the following link:
To learn more about postpartum depression, please click on the following video of famous author and movie star Brooke Shields discussing her own personal struggles:
Posted at 10:45 AM in Faces in the Crowd | Permalink | Comments (0)
In many of my classes, students choose to write about mental illness. They explore depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts. Yeah, I know, I know, I teach English, but their writing here inspires important discussion in the classroom. We know more and more people out there who are struggling to control their emotions. We also are learning that they are challenged to seek help.
Below, Emily writes about the stigma associated with mental illness. People who need the help are afraid to come forward for fear of letting anyone know. They deny the problem. They isolate themselves. They hide. No one wants to be considered “crazy.” In her community profile, Emily writes with great empathy about a close friend she tried to help and support. She believes we all are in this together. The more understanding we can develop for mental illnesses, the more we can help. No one needs to feel alone.
To read Emily's complete essay, please CLICK on the following link:
To learn to "Break the Stigma" please CLICK on the following video:
Posted at 01:30 PM in Faces in the Crowd | Permalink | Comments (0)
Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it. Ernest Holmes said this, but now its my students turn to reflect. They are writing visual analyses of images associated with their research papers. Did you know the average American woman is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds, but the average American model is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 117 pounds? My students write about pressure and anxiety inflicted on us by the media. Rarely are women completely satisfied with what they see in the mirror. In this environment, hey develop unhealthy obsessions with their bodies that can lead to tragic circumstances. Our posts encourage young women to challenge these constraints, and be able to feel comfortable in their own bodies, no matter what. Others approach bipolar disorder, depression, teenage suicide from a variety of different angles. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Tortured Artists put it all out there for all of us to see, but with great art often comes great misery. The pressure to generate or perform can create inner turmoil and volatile personality. Our discussions in class on this subject began with Judy Garland who played Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz.” After bursting on the Hollywood scene as a child star, she spend the rest of her life on drugs and alcohol trying to come down. At age 27, Kurt Cobain blew his head off with a shotgun. His suicide note implied it was the Ritalin he took as a child for attention-deficit disorder that propelled him to a life-long battle with heroin. Vincent van Gogh characterized his mania as a mixed blessing. His intense emotion spurred him on to produce a painting a day. He also chewed on tubes of oil paint and cut off his own ear. Here, we are inspired by the insanity of creativity. In the following pages our students explore the troubles that lie just beneath surface of our favorite artists.
Tattoos are visual arguments, personal statements. They tell us where a person stands. Here, students have been asked to develop a critical analysis of a tattoo of their choosing. Like in all of their writing, they will consider context. What do they know of the design? How does the tattoo impact the perception of the person wearing it? How does the tattoo connect with the person’s life? Who is the target audience? In answering these questions, writers will pay close attention to shapes, colors, and details. What are the first visual elements to catch the eye? What is the relationship between the image and any text that might accompany it? Most of my students argue tattoos are an important/interesting form of self-expression. OK. What is the wearer of the tattoo trying to say?
You are what you read.The first week of the semester students take the time to introduce themselves through their reading. We call it “Book Out of Your Past.” Instead of the brief mention of their hobbies and pets, they reflect upon a memorable literary experience. They post their fondest memories and greatest discoveries. We don’t really care what the book was about, but we want to know how this reading experience affected them. Often is the case, they find they are not alone in their appreciation of their selection. You might not judge a book by its cover, but here we learn what is often hidden inside of others.
Tortured Artists put it all out there for all of us to see, but with great art often comes great misery. The pressure to generate or perform can create inner turmoil and volatile personality. Our discussions in class on this subject began with Judy Garland who played Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz.” After bursting on the Hollywood scene as a child star, she spend the rest of her life on drugs and alcohol trying to come down. At age 27, Kurt Cobain blew his head off with a shotgun. His suicide note implied it was the Ritalin he took as a child for attention-deficit disorder that propelled him to a life-long battle with heroin. Vincent van Gogh characterized his mania as a mixed blessing. His intense emotion spurred him on to produce a painting a day. He also chewed on tubes of oil paint and cut off his own ear. Here, we are inspired by the insanity of creativity. In the following pages our students explore the troubles that lie just beneath surface of our favorite artists.
”I wish someone knew what I was going through…” Too many of our young people are suffering in the shadows. We hope our classroom research and writing will contribute to a “safe zone” on campus where students, staff and instructors can develop understanding of complicated mental health issues. Our goal is to break the negative stigma associated with mental illness. For starters, we look to create a cross-the curriculum dialogue of anxiety, depression, drug addiction, and suicidal thoughts. Over time, our posts will offer information relative to disorders, diagnosis, and treatment information. Let’s face it. None of us by ourselves is trained or confident to identify or alleviate extreme emotional trauma, but the writing in our Mental Health Encyclopedia may help facilitate important discussion. We believe a knowledgeable community plays an important role in helping students express themselves.
Can you explain sacrifice? I mean how far are you willing to go? Ok, we all know sacrifice is the performance of an unselfish act. But, it’s not just about giving; it’s about giving everything. Did you see what Jack did for Rose at the end of the Titanic? How do people completely lose themselves to the need for revenge? Where does it come from? Where does it lead? It’s worse than an addiction to crack cocaine. Most people bent on revenge can’t stop until they’ve completely destroyed themselves and everyone around them. Have you experienced true love? It’s the craziest thing ever. It’s like getting hit by a truck! Who could possibly explain it, but when you feel it in your heart you know exactly what it is. Think of Allie and Noah in "The Notebook." Here, students have been asked to define an idea on their own terms. Instead of looking to the dictionary, they look to the big screen. They analyze, evaluate, and interpret their favorite characters and scenes. They write about true meaning.
Girl, Interrupted speaks to our hearts and minds. When we read this memoir during the semester I notice more students arriving earlier and leaving later. Everyone seems to have something to say. Author Susanna Kaysen writes of her turbulent teen-age years when she was creative, intelligent, and uncontrollable. We know that. We can see the beauty in her writing and also the anger. The closer people try to get to her, the more distant she becomes. Ultimately her parents commit her to MacLean Mental Hospital. This is the true-to-life story of a young girl who had it all and threw it away. No one knows why. Not even Susanna herself. Do you know anyone like that? My students seem like they do. In the following pages, they write with compassion and insight.
This is not your father’s essay. Not your mother’s, I tell my students. Not your typical English 101, five-paragraph essay. With this “Faces in the Crowd,” assignment, students profile an interesting, important figure in their own community. We use our writing to open up a greater discussion of social and political import. With first-hand research of an uncle’s minimum-wage job experience in the fields, for example, a student can better address the issue of worker rights. An interview with a former teacher can lead nicely into an insightful paper about educational reform. Here is our goal: to provide our own commentary, questions, interpretations, clarifications or even feelings of what we have read and heard. In other words, we take possession of our source and establishing our presence in our papers. The writing here reflects the diversity of student interest and concern regarding important issues in our community.
The Sixties were a time of change. We saw new hope with the election of John. F. Kennedy. The Civil Rights Movement created forward progress in diminishing racial injustice. The Beatles inspired an entire generation with peace and love. However, we also witnessed great tragedy. The assassination of President Kennedy and the escalation of the Vietnam War would forever alter our trust in our own government. The deaths of Marilyn Monroe, Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King are clouded in conspiracy to this day. We look at Woodstock as an iconic event of the decade, but we will never forget Manson family massacre. My students follow the upheaval of the times through characters in the novels they read in class. Their research papers compare a seminal moment, event, person, or idea of the Sixties with a present-day counterpart. On the following pages look for students reflect upon the effect of hippie culture on today’s hip-hop culture. Have we learned anything from our experience in Vietnam? Look for writing that focuses upon our role in the Middle East. Can you see a relationship between JFK and Barack Obama? The Feminist Movement and today’s Gay Rights Movement? Janis Joplin and Taylor Swift? My students are going back to the future.