My Proposition

Concurrent enrollment partnerships provide many benefits not only to high school students but also state finacial aid funds and the job market. Advanced students have the opportunity for rigorous postsecondary academic challenges in their own supportive high school environment and are evaluated with multiple and varied assessments, as opposed to one high-stakes test such as the ACT. Students may complete college earlier, saving the state both financial aid for funds for the student and support for the college. Studies have shown that concurrent enrollment increases the rigor of secondary education, strengthens the links between the secondary and post secondary education systems and can motivate students by making them familiar with college settings and courses. Students enrolled in concurrent enrollment programs are more likely than their peers to earn a high school diploma, and more likely to enroll full time in a four year institution, which generally leads to better outcomes in college. Once enrolled in college these students are more likely to stay enrolled and to have significantly higher grade point averages. A student who takes career-technical course work may also fulfill college certificate requirements. With these opportunities high school students have the ability to graduate with an Associates Degree or certificate, or at the very least complete their college degree sooner, and thus be able to move into the job market earlier with better skills.

Likewise partner schools reap the benefits of concurrent enrollment and Advanced Placement courses. High school instructors are provided with ongoing professional development led by college and university faculty. A.P. courses create spill over effects that raise the bar throughout partner schools, even in non A.P. courses. These partnerships also foster networks among secondary and post secondary educators that help provide a seamless transition for students as they move from high school to college. The advantages these programs offer to partnership schools are significant. These improvements are a benefit not only to A.P. and concurrent enrollment students but to the entire student bodies of the high schools and colleges that they attend.

Students from a broad spectrum of backgrounds benefit from enrolling in college courses while still in high school. According to the National Center for Education statistics all 50 states now offer concurrent enrollment programs. Over 680,000 high school students in 72% of America’s public high schools took concurrent enrollment courses in 2002-03. Concurrent enrollment opportunities increase student access to alternative venues for learning, which are lacking in many rural areas. Students who function better in the less structured environment of colleges often find appropriate courses in colleges. Access is available to a broad range of students when college courses are placed within high schools. Dixie State College, in conjunction with local area high schools, currently offers several options for the student who wishes to take advantages of accelerated learning opportunities. One of these options is concurrent enrollment. Concurrent enrollment allows high school students to be released from one or more class periods to attend college courses which provide credit for high school and college. The advantages of accelerated learning are obvious. High school students are able to earn high school and college credit simultaneously, allowing them to complete a college degree far quicker than can be done other wise.

Grammar post #10 Irregular verbs

No wonder the English language is so hard for people to learn!
Do you even know the difference between a regular and irregular verb?
The difference between a regular and an irregular verb is the formation of the simple past and past participle. Regular verbs are dependably consistent—the simple past ends in ed as does the past participle.

Infinitive	Simple Present	Simple Past	Past Participle	Present Participle
to laugh	laugh(s)	laughed	laughed	laughing
to start	start(s)	started	started	starting
to wash	wash(es)	washed	washed	washing
to wink	wink(s)	winked	winked	winking

Irregular verbs, on the other hand, can end in a variety of ways, with absolutely no consistent pattern.

Infinitive	Simple Present	Simple Past	Past Participle	Present Participle
to drive	drive(s)	drove	driven	driving
to feel	feel(s)	felt	felt	feeling
to put	put(s)	put	put	putting
to swim	swim(s)	swam	swum	swimming

The two most common errors made when using irregular verbs are to add and incorrect ed to then end of a word or, interchange the simple past and past participle.

Angie feeled like shopping yesterday, so she putted on her favorite shoes and drived to the mall where she buyed so much clothes that they wouldn't fit in her car.

This sentence gives examples that most of us know are obviously wrong but to someone trying to learn the English language how would they know?

This site lists many irregular verbs and how to use them.

Grammar post #9

For my post this week I chose to discuss run-on sentences.
This is a problem I constantly struggle with because I want to cram as much information in as possible into my sentence.
A run-on sentence consists of two or more main clauses that are run together without proper punctuation.
This may be ok when speaking because pauses in speech and changes in tone can give emphasis and keep things clear. When writing though it is much harder for a reader to understand what we are trying to say. Even a technically correct sentence can be much easier to understand if it is broken into shorter, more concise sentences.
I have learned to reread my writing specifically looking for run on sentences or sentences that need clarification.
This is a fun game to help learn to recognize run on sentences.

Complications

First I have to say, "Thank you, Chelsi for giving us something interesting to read!" This is the first time this semester that I've actually enjoyed the assigned reading from any of my classes. I had to make myself put it down and read my History text.
I have been on the patient end of the medical profession more times than I care to count. It was interesting to things from a doctor's view point, and refreshing that he spoke so candidly about things that the medical profession as a whole tries to keep quiet. If all doctors (and patients) were that honest the health care system in this country would be a lot better off.
When I first started reading the book I was impressed with how well Atul Gawande switched from one writing style to another. I would be reading a page and think, "Wait a minute, he just switched from narrative to ethnographic there." and he did it so well, it didn't lose flow or cause confusion.
After a while I just read it because it was interesting and quit watching for all of the different writing styles. I have less than 30 pages left to go and will probably read it again before the semester is over.
So once again, Thank you Chelsi.

Survival Grammar with Jo Ann Secrist

When I attended the Survival Grammar lecture last Thursday I was struggling with my review essay and was hoping for some great revealing insight to help me with my writing. I was sorely disappointed.
I quick glance through her hand out showed me that the "secret" to writing that she made such a big deal about was the same things we've gone over in class.
By the time I had sat through half of the lecture I had determined that my time would have been better spent at home working on my essay.
Jo Ann seemed to be very full of herself and was constantly going off topic to brag about her accomplishments. When the forum host, Dave Zundell, gave her the "five minute warning" she had only covered about half of the material in the hand out.
Over all I'd have to say what a complete waste of my time.
Hopefully the "How to Write Essays" forum next week will be more helpful.

Please respond here.

Please feel free to post your responses to my crappy essay here.

Art review

The wood carving, Cherished Memories of Grandma, by Darwin Dower is impressive because of it's realistic appearance, great detail and it's accurate portrayal of what we remember of our grandmothers.

As you walk by the glass case enclosing this exhibit you see what appears to be an old telephone, a small stack of books, a pocket watch, and a pair of glasses all resting on a beautiful white doily. I assumed that it was a nice little display of things that reminded the artist of his grandmother. When someone pointed out to me that it was actually a wood carving I was quite surprised.

It is easy to see that the artist spent a lot of time on this carving. There is an intricate lace doily with yellow sunflowers where you can see the individual crochet stitches. The edges of the books are worn and frayed with the fibers of the binding exposed. "Grandma's" glasses have the tiny scroll work on the ear pieces, typical of the old tortoise shell glasses of the forties and fifties. Even the old telephone has the manufacturer and phone company name carved into the base so perfectly that it looks as though it was machine stamped.

I can just picture the display table sitting in the corner next to my own grandmother's rocking chair, her cherished book and glasses carefully set aside when she got up to answer the door or check on the bread baking in the oven.