Steps to Writing a Successful Composition

Steps to Writing a Successful Composition

Writing is a process. If you know the steps, it is easy to write a decent composition. With practice, the quality of the writing will also improve. If you can, choose a writing partner who is qualified to offer suggestions and proof read for you. A student who excels in English classes, a teacher, or a professional who uses writing at work are good choices.

First, organize your thoughts. Choose 3-4 main points to discuss in your composition. If you can’t write a paragraph about the point, then choose another one. Outline the information that you will be covering for each point.

Then, write your opening paragraph. This should be made up of a main idea sentence that covers your topic. Write a sentence for each main point that you will be covering in the order that they will be covered. Then write an ending sentence that restates your main idea or leads into the next paragraph. In education, we call this the hamburger method. The main idea is the top bun and the concluding paragraph is the bottom bun. The major points, or meat of the paper, are sandwiched between the two buns!

Your second paragraph will be about your first major point. The third paragraph will be about the second major point. The last paragraph will be about the third major point. The concluding paragraph is the one that most often is not clearly written. It should summarize the main points and restate your main idea.

A sample composition is below:

My favorite time of the year is summer. One reason for this is the vacation that we take each summer. I also enjoy going to the nearby beach. The best thing, though, is that I do not work during that time since I am a teacher. In my opinion, it is the best season!
Each year, my family goes on a nice vacation. We try to visit a different place each year. We attempt to find interesting places and events. Sometimes, we visit family or friends that we do not normally have a chance to visit. Vacations make summer time really special.
The beach is one of my favorite places. Since we live near the ocean, it is easy to spend the day at the beach. Friends and family members frequently go with me. We bask in the sun, build sandcastles, take long walks on the beach, and play in the water. I am able to take advantage of the beach during the summer.
Best of all, I do not work during the summer because I am a teacher. I catch up on all the things that I do not have time to do during the year. It is an opportunity to spend more time with my children and my parents. Each year, I try to complete a special project during the summer.
Because of the opportunities listed above, I consider summer to be the best season. The vacations, visits to the beach, and time off during the summer make each one special. I look forward to that time of year and try to take advantage of every minute! What is your favorite season?

Notice that I closely follow the major points that I state in my opening paragraph. You should stay focused on your topic. Be sure that you do not include information that is not part of your topic. It is easy to become sidetracked and include extraneous information. For example, if I started writing about my children in the second paragraph, it would detract from my overall topic. If you follow the steps, you will be a successful writer. Remember that the more you practice, the more your writing will improve!

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Fraud on the Internet

I want to write about something that is of great concern. As you all know, my 18 year old son and his girlfriend have been selling their Pomeranian puppies. They advertised on the Internet and had many inquiries. Snowball sold earlier to a woman in California and seems to be settling in well.

Then they received an email from Iowa requesting that a puppy be held for them. Then they received the exact same email from another person wanting 2 puppies. When my son questioned them via email, he was told that it was a married couple and that the husband had decided he wanted a puppy, too. He was also told that they were deaf. Thus began a series of "relay calls" regarding the purchase. My son requested that they send a cashiers check. We have since learned that even these can be forged. You should ask that they use paypal, a US Postal Money order, or a Walmart Money Gram.

My son received a check that LOOKED like a cashiers check, but wasn't. It was written off of a California bank even though these people lived in the midwest. The kicker, though, was that it was written for $2000 more than it should have been. My son was also told that he didn't need to worry about shipping because they owned their own store and had a shipper who would pick up the puppies personally. When questioned via email, he was told that they were buying farm implements for the store and that the extra money was for the shipper. My son was given instructions to wire the money to the shipper at a different address.
My husband took the check to our local bank manager and was told that it was probably fraud. The bank deposited the check with a hold and we found out yesterday that it was indeed fraud. During the period of time while we waited for the check to clear, we were inundated with relay calls instructing my son to go ahead and follow the instructions. The last call before it cleared stated that he could just send 50% while he waited for it to clear. This morning the final call came in. When I told the relay operator to let him know that the check was no good, he disconnected the call.

It is a shame that someone like this can run a scam that makes Internet sites like puppyfind.com look bad. My son and his girlfriend could have lost the original amount of the check PLUS the amount that they would have wired the shipper--$5000! Thank goodness they trusted my husband and I to help them with the situation!

The lesson learned is that everyone should be safe rather than sorry. Use the payment options listed above. If someone sends more money or has a deal that seems too good to be true, then it probably is! I hope that someone else learns from reading this.....

Death and Visiting Pets

This was a really sad and strange weekend. My husband's step-mother died last week. The visitation was Thursday and the graveside funeral was Friday. She was old and sick, but as the minister said, "Another spoke from my memory wheel is gone." What a neat way to put it. You send flowers, visit with family members and friends that you don't normally see, and relive old memories. That's what we did this weekend.

With all the visitors, we also had some pet visitors (see the picture above). A black and white cat named Abe, a cute little peek-a-poo named Cierra Dolce, and a Pomeranian puppy named Bubby graced us with their presence. It is amaizng how person-like some animals can be. Abe sat in that same position for a long time, just like he was part of the conversation flowing around him. The little Peek-a-Poo kept getting her blanket and pacifier (I think she has over 20) to make sure that the others didn't get them. The puppies that came by seemed the most normal, but they too were carried around just like little babies.

People have truly gone pet crazy! We have four dogs, seven cats, and assorted goldfish ourselves. Thankfully, half the dogs and most of the cats are outside or I'd have to call us a zoo! Below is a site that gives you tips to allow you to take your small dog ANYWHERE. Just what is the world coming to?

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Helping Your Child Choose a Book

Children do not always know how to select an appropriate book that they find interesting. Often the cover of the book or the topic of the book attracts their attention. They check out the book from the classroom, school, or community library without ever opening the book to see if it is going to hold their interest.

We can foster a love of reading by helping them choose appropriate books that they find interesting. Begin with a list of possible books or authors. Librarians and teachers are good resources for this. You can also find reading lists online. Do not forget to take their interests into consideration. Find three to five of the books on the list. Then have the child choose one.

Once the book is chosen, open the book to a random page and have the child read it out loud to you. If it is a picture book, have them read a page. If it is a novel, have them read about one hundred words.

Use the five finger rule as the child reads. For each mistake, raise a finger. If the child misses five words (five fingers), then the reading level is probably too difficult. Gently point this out and go back to the other books that were originally selected. Repeat the process until an appropriate selection is made.

You should also check their comprehension. Many children can read the words without understanding their meaning. If the material of the book is too complex or sophisticated, encourage the child to choose a different book.

Reading often increases a child’s knowledge base and vocabulary. By helping the child choose appropriate, interesting books, a parent can help the child develop a life long love or reading that can directly impact their success as a student and even their career choice later in life.

Encourage children to talk about the books that they read. Read the same book as your child and you will find that you can have some really interesting conversation and make more of an impact on their comprehension of the reading material!

Book Giveaway Information

I will be giving away this book to one of the people who comment on one of my educational blogs or articles during the months of January or February. I will announce the winner on March 1, 2008 so be sure to check it out. If you comment, please leave an email address where you can be reached should you win. I will contact the winner by email to obtain mailing information.

The book is very informative and gives tips and suggestions on such topics as learning styles, preparing for tests, collaborating with teachers, and helping children with homework in the different subject areas. If you are having difficulty with your child completing his/her homework assignments, then this is the book for you! Even if you are not, it is still a must have. For other educationalresources, you can go to http://astore.amazon.com/scberrysblog-20.

Crate Training Your Puppy

Missy, our female Pomeranian, plays with one of her puppies.

Some Thoughts and Suggestions about Crate Training Your Pet:

What is the biggest concern about bringing home a pet? You got it—housetraining! My family has dealt with this numerous times and we now have it down to a science. It helps that my son works for a local pet resort which boards and grooms animals. In this job, they have housed cats, dogs, birds, and even a monkey.

The best way to train a dog is to crate train them. Choosing a crate is essential. I like the wire crates with the plastic bottom that slides out. You can see your pet and it can see you. It is also easy to clean. Most of them have exits on the side and the front. Some even fold up for easy storage. The size of the crate is also important. Animals should be able to turn around. However, if the animal can isolate a part of the crate, it will be tempted to use the bathroom in that isolated area.

Some essentials to remember when crate training your dog:
1. Choose the right size crate.
2. You can put a small blanket in the crate, but do not leave food and water in the crate. Many people feed their puppy in the crate, but these should be removed after a short period of time. I prefer not to feed mine in the crate. I do not put toys or chew bones in the crate, either.
3. Puppies should sleep in the crate. When the puppy is small, you might want to put the crate in your room or bathroom. If the puppy wakes up, take it to the bathroom and put it right back in the crate. Do NOT take time to play with it or feed it!
4. When you are not home, the puppy should be in the crate. Also, leave the puppy in the crate if you can not supervise it. Do not allow the puppy to have too much freedom in your home or you will find that it messes up. Close supervision of the animal is essential when it is not in the crate.
5. When you take the puppy out of the crate, walk it immediately. Praise the puppy for using the bathroom outside.
6. Always walk the puppy just prior to putting it in the crate. Start training the puppy to go into the crate on its own. You will find that the puppy will go to the crate when it is tired or feels threatened. My dogs will go to the crate upon command. They do not mind being in the crate.

Once the puppy is completely housebroken, you may choose to let the puppy sleep with you or a child. The puppy needs to know that he does not leave the bed or sleeping area unless you take it. Again, take it out immediately if it wakes you up or when you get up.

We still leave my dogs in the crate when someone is not home. We have two Pomeranians and the crate that we use is large enough for both of them. They do not mind being in the crate together. However, you should make sure that the pets are compatible before doing this.
Pets who are crate trained can travel easily by car or plane, even for long distances.

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Homeschooling--How to Avoid the Pitfalls

I wrote an article with the same title as this blog that can be viewed at the following site: http://users.search-o-rama.com/Article289370.htm. In the article I discuss some pitfalls that occur when parents make this decision. I hope that it will help those parents struggling with the decision or who have already involved in homeschooling. I encourage anyone intersted to read the article.
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Snowball, the Pomeranian puppy featured on the sidebar, made it to California. He flew clear across the United States to go to his new home. We sure do miss him, but his new owner seems pleased with him. All but one of the other 6 puppies has been sold. Two are going to Iowa. The others are being placed in homes located near ours. It is amazing to me how advertising on places like http://puppyfinder.com helps you to find good homes for your puppy. It eliminates a lot of phone calls because the people get to see photos and other details about the puppy and the puppy's parents. If they are still interested at that point, they can email or use a relay service to phone the advertiser. It's quite an interesting process! My son and his girlfriend were so successful at finding homes for their puppies that their boss has asked them to advertise for him. They will receive a percentage of the selling fee. I'm very proud of their hard work!

Don't Be Secretive About Reading

The following is an article that was posted this week at various sites including ezinearticles.com and goarticles.com:

Teachers and parents need to stop being secretive with children about reading. We need to let them know what we expect. We need to let them know what they are doing right as well as what they are doing wrong. We need to stop assuming that children know what we know.

I have always loved to read, even as a child. I never thought much about how to do it—I just did it. Only when I attended graduate school classes to obtain my Masters in Reading, did I really think about the “how” of reading. To my horror, I realized that I had not been using best practices to reach the struggling readers that I encountered. The more classes I took, the more I lamented about my past teaching strategies.

I realized the following:
I did not use valid assessments to determine the reading level, strengths and weaknesses of my students.
I did not really know my students as readers. In other words, I could not tell you what they did right and what they did wrong.
I did not adjust my teaching to the individual needs of my students.
I did not use appropriate reading text with all of my students. I was more concerned about the standard I was teaching than the instructional level of the text.

To rectify my mistakes, I now do the following:
I use a diagnostic reading assessment (running record with comprehension questions) to determine both the independent and instructional reading level of the child as well as reading strengths and weaknesses.
I use flexible grouping (by level, skill, or strategy use) in my classroom. I attempt to meet with the lowest group EVERY day.
I make sure that students are aware of their reading level and set goals for improvement. I conference regularly with each student in my classroom.
In my class, we discuss both word decoding and comprehension strategies on a regular basis.
When I focus on standards, I try to provide a variety of reading text to meet the needs of the individual students.
I provide opportunities for shared reading daily (everyone has access to the reading text and is able to participate as they can).
I read aloud to my students daily, modeling good reading behavior.
I use the phrase, “That is what good readers do” on a regular basis to reinforce what students are doing correctly as readers.

I no longer feel like I am “shooting in the dark” when I work with my students. By knowing their reading level, strengths, and weaknesses, I am able to plan lessons that will allow them to grow as readers. I now realize that it is essential that I make sure the students also know this information so that we can set goals to improve their reading. When we work together and there is parental involvement, it is amazing how much progress ALL students are able to make!

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No Child Left Behind--Are you kidding?

Before I move to the heavy stuff, I wanted to let you know what I thought about the movie, P.S. I Love You. It was the quintessential chick flick (but my husband and son liked it, too). It had all the elements that make you laugh, cry, and feel good. It was packed with relationships (friends, husband, mother, sister), travel (Ireland was BEAUTIFUL and I didn't see one terrorist!), city life, and music. It was well worth the time and money to attend. I haven't read the book, but went with two friends who had. They said that the movie was very different from the book and that the book was better. If that is the case, then I highly recommend that you read the book! I plan to get a copy myself!
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Now onto No Child Left Behind. I am an educator and when I first heard the proposal for No Child Left Behind I admit to being astonished. However, it seemed so ludicrous that neither myself or my fellow educators were really worried. We would say things like, "It will never last," and refuse to worry. Well, it has lasted and it has made huge negative impacts on many school districts.
Now all of the impacts haven't been bad. I admit that it has forced the educational community to take a harder look at certain populations such as special education students, our English as a Second Language students, and even our gifted students.
The premise behind No Child Left Behind is that ALL students can be proficient or advanced. That sounds great, but let's face reality. A student struggling to understand English is not going to score proficient or advanced (especially when data shows that it takes at LEAST 5 years to show language proficiency). A student with a low IQ is not going to score proficient or advanced. It is just not going to happen!
No Child Left Behind is punative. There are lots of unfunded mandates. Supposedly the state and federal government are giving money to struggling schools, but it is so burdened with red tape that you feel like you're swimming upstream if you accept those funds. I know because I work in just such a school district. We are virtually set up to fail. The great state of South Carolina has the hardest assessment which makes showing progress even more difficult. People that come to work here from neighboring states like North Carolina or Georgia are appalled at the test and the consequences. Is it any wonder that South Carolina is experiencing a severe teacher and administrator shortage while many other states have more teachers/administrators than there are jobs?
I am hoping that it is on the way out. I was heartened to hear a presidential candidate say that it needed to go! I am in full agreement. Until there is a national test that is adopted by each state and there are adjustments made for our special ed and ESL students, it needs to go.
Let's not forget, either, that education is supposed to be under the control of STATE government. In my opinion, the Federal government should have NEVER became involved. In fact, the only way that they can become involved is by offering funding that poor states and/or districts need. And of course, these are the districts that don't perform well. If it sounds like a vicious cycle, I can assure you it is!
This legislation is BIG BUSINESS. There are many industries and companies that have made a fortune claiming that they can help improve student achievement, close the gap, etc. As an administrator in a school district, I received an inhuman amount of flyers, emails, and phone cards about this very thing. I will say this: If there was a "quick fix" for these districts, it would have been discovered by now. Being labeled as Unsatisfactory or Failing because you work in high poverty district with a high number of ESL students doesn't help the school ANY. In South Carolina, the state actually took over one of these districts so that they could fix it. ALL of the personnel and resources that were
If you feel like I do, check out the website below and sign their petition to repeal No Child Left Behind! The time has come to act on this issue!
http://nochildleft.com/

This is my eighteen year old son. He is a senior in highschool right now. He is basically a good kid who does well in school. He has a stable girl friend, college goals, and loves nothing more than to cruise around in his mustang.

If he's had any problems, it is with acne. I can't tell you the number of times that we have visited the doctor. I will tell you that there are lots of good products out there that help substantially. There is also a great deal of products and information on the Internet that are available on the subject. Some that might be of help:

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After writing yesterday's blog about reading tips for parents, I wrote an article that was posted on line. Please feel free to look for the article at http://Goarticles.com. You can find it by clicking on the eduction topic. I'd love to hear back from any parents (or teachers) who try some of the tips! These are tried and true strategies that I have used in the classrooms, in afterschool programs, and with tutoring. I try to be supportive with parents and let them know what works in the classroom so that they can continue working with the student at home.

The holidays are almost over. School starts back Monday for my kids. I still have the tree and decorations to take down, but it almost seems like I can hold back time if I don't take them down! Every year, my husband and I get what I call the After Christmas Blues. Does anyone else feel like that? Tonight we are going out to eat and to a movie to try to combat the blues. What do you do to feel better? I'll let you know about the movie tomorrow. We are going to see PS I Love You. Hope its good!

Until tomorrow, stay safe and stay healthy!

Blogging, Puppies, and Reading Tips for Parents

Blogging has led me to do some intense Internet exploring. I found the site below that posts really cool picutures. It also allows people to post their own. Check it out if you're a photo nut or just like looking at good pictures!

http://www.flickr.com/fun/zeitgeist/badge.js.gne

The pomeranians are still for sale. I am posting another cute pup today. They look like little balls of fur and already have so much personality. I keep being asked if they have names, but my philosophy is if you name it, you keep it! Consequently, none of the puppies at my house have any names! It looks like three more will be leaving by the end of this week. When I focus on that, I feel really sad. I guess you just can't help getting attached....

I have been an educator for twenty-two years. For all of that time, I have worked with students from a poor, rural small town. My biggest concern is reading. After all, you can do anything if you can read! I thought that I would include some tips on reading for parents. Alot of parents WANT to help their children, but just don't know HOW.

Reading Tips for Parents:

1. EVERYONE in the house should read. Parents and older siblings should model reading for the younger ones living there.
2. Read aloud to the children in your house and talk about what was read. If the children are older, choose a novel that is of interest to them. Too often the emphasis is on the words and not their meaning. Comprehension is JUST as important as word recall.
3. Read with expression. I try to use different voices for the different characters and to show as much emotion as possible. My 4th graders would gladly let me read to them for hours if I allowed it!
4. Younger kids and poor readers love computer books and books on tape/CD. In fact, this older person loves to listen to books on tape/CD!
5. Don't kill the alphabet and the sounds that go with them. A little known fact is that kids can actually learn to read without knowing all the sounds that go with the letters of the alphabet. Shocking, isn't it?
   

For more information about reading tips for parents, visit the sites below:

http://www.ed.gov/parents/read/resources/readingtips/index.html

http://school.familyeducation.com/reading/parents-and-school/33582.html
http://www.scholastic.com/parentsread/index.htm



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Starting a Blog

I have avoided starting a Blog for a long time now. I can't really remember why I have avoided doing this. However, I am now taking the plunge! I hope that it will lead to making new friends, help with my business, and even help make me a better educator, mom, and wife!

I am at home for a few weeks recovering from a complete hysterectomy. While recuperating, I have decided to work on some internet options such as this blog.

I am also frantically working to help to sell 6 adorable pomeranian puppies. One was born seven weeks ago and the others were born six weeks ago (different mothers, same father). They are all absolutely adorable. Anyone interested in adopting one should let me know! They are registered (CKC) and we own the mothers and father of the puppies.

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Until next time....