Advice for Students

You are so lucky to be in this class because Angie is an incredible teacher. You will find how meaningful English 304 is as you positively affect the local community. Be prepared to work hard throughout the Spring semester. English 304 is enjoyable and challenging. You will be working with real clients in real situations.

The group project is the main focus of the class. The project proposal may seem overwhelming at first. However, since it is a group project, the work is distributed between 4-6 people. Get to know your classmates and choose wisely when deciding who you would like to work with on the project. Remember to pull your weight throughout the group project because although there are many assignments during the semester, the end result is very rewarding.

You will be writing a blog each week basically about your thoughts and opinions on different things. It is important to remember to write each week. They are due every Sunday night.

During the semester you will write a resume and cover letter. You will also have a mock interview with Angie. This interview is highly effective in providing practice for any future interviews that you may have. Work hard on your resume and cover letter because these two documents will be very valuable for you.

Enjoy the semester in Business Writing!! You will learn so much about the business world!!

Decorating for the Holidays

I am enjoying getting into the Christmas spirit this season. I love listening to Christmas music very early. I listened to my favorite Christmas carols on the way back to Clemson after Thanksgiving break. Last Wednesday, two of my goods friends and I bought a Christmas tree and decorations. Mary Frances, Krystal, and I are on the Leadership team at Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM). We thought the BCM building needed to be festive for the holidays. We were given a three hundred dollar budget for our decorating and went straight to Hobby Lobby. Our first challenge was to pick out the most perfect Christmas tree. It was a fun but a difficult decision. We finally chose a beautiful artificial tree that already had white lights on it. We were excited to find out that all of the Christmas decorations and trees were all 50% off! Next we decided to pick out a bunch of ornaments. We went for a classic theme of red, green, silver, and gold balls. The top of the tree is adorned with a beautiful gold star. We also bought five stockings for the mantle piece and a wreath for the front door. Mary Frances thought it would be a fun idea to wrap boxes to place under the tree. We bought large boxes, wrapping paper, and bows from The Dollar Store. The three of us had such a wonderful time buying festive Christmas decorations for BCM. On Thursday evening, we all got together again to begin the decorating. It turned out beautiful!

"Employers Study Applicants’ Personalities"

I enjoyed reading the article titled “Employers Study Applicants’ Personalities” because it made me think about and anticipate future job interviews. I like that companies are trying to decipher individuals that are genuinely interested in a job offer from the rest. I feel that it is important to hire people who will have a strong commitment to a company or firm. This is easy to say but definitely harder to do because people can try to hide their true personalities at times. I enjoyed reading about the interview process at Rackspace. I agree that having an all day interview would brush away one’s superficial persona and allow one’s true personality to be revealed. Nine or ten hours would have to be draining for both parties. At KaBoom, the manager is not afraid to turn applicants away even before the interview. I like the manger’s statements revealing that he is looking for future employees who “are constantly looking at themselves to excel, not just cross the finish line, but blow through the finish line.” It is vital for companies to raise their expectations of employees because the companies are delivering a product to the public; and therefore, they desire for their service and product to be almost flawless. Several job interviews are now very challenging but what an accomplishment to be obtain the desired job.

Dual Coding Theory

Being an elementary education major, I am familiar with the Information Processing Theory that we discussed in class on Monday. However, I did not know anything about the Dual Coding Theory. I think it is interesting how these two theories work can together in the marketing world. Excellent marketing is an art that is most effective when script and visuals are combined together to portray an idea. At first glance, words are just words, but when accompanied by a picture, words can rapidly activate an emotional response in people.

After flipping through a few magazines, “Everyday with Rachel Ray,” “All You,” “Glamour,” and “L.L. Bean,” I discovered how images when accompanied with words are extremely persuasive in advertising. Marketers market perfume adds perfectly because they include words, images, and smells. The Estee Lauder advertisement for Pleasures Delight has a large image of Gwyneth Paltrow smiling with her long blond hair flowing in the wind. People are initially interested in this image because of her beauty and fame. As the viewers look more closely at the advertisement, they will see that Gwyneth is offering luscious deserts of red strawberries, vanilla cookies, and strawberry iced cupcakes to the viewers. She looks very kind and welcoming. Marketers are targeting viewers’ sense of taste through the food images. As the viewers flip the page, marketers grasped the viewers again by targeting their sense of smell through the sweet aroma of Pleasures Delight. I love how the advertiser writes on the fold out for the sample perfume, “Experience Estee Lauder Pleasures Delight”. What a captivating and inviting line. The marketers of Estee Lauder are evidently well-versed in using the Dual Coding Theory. Now I even want to go out an buy this perfume.

Reflection on Group

Working on the Habitat for Humanity Web site Proposal has been a learning experience. I have enjoyed working with the other group members within Team Fix-it to create a new Web site for Anderson’s ReStore. I have learned that it is important for all members of the group to pull their own weight evenly because it allows the group’s goals to be successfully achieved. Having a group leader that is organized, prepared, and enthusiastic about the work is wonderful. Rochelle did a superb job as group leader! The group did not have many miscommunications except for meeting times. We tried to send out e-mails reminding group members of the time and place. Perhaps calling members a day before the meeting as a reminder may be beneficial in the future.

Our group was successful in brainstorming ideas throughout the proposal process. Members listened to the ideas of others with respect. It is important to acknowledge that not all members will have the same views, thoughts, and opinions; however, valuing others comments is vital. I enjoyed the personalities of the group members. Each individual brought a different yet positive aspect to the group meetings. A few examples include promptness, caring, respecting, and praising.

To improve in Phase 2, I think it will be beneficial to look at the proposal again to insure that appropriate formal business communication is present and uniform throughout our work.

Memories of Thanksgiving

Two of my favorite holidays of all time are right around the corner! I love Thanksgiving and Christmas. For the past two years, my mom has cooked an enormous Thanksgiving feast for my dad’s side of the family. Last year was incredible! My sister and I helped my mom prepare the Thanksgiving supper. When I was a lot younger, my family had the tradition every other year of driving all the way to New Jersey to visit my mom’s family. I always enjoyed going to New Jersey for Thanksgiving because I loved spending time with my grandmother. I have always called her “Nana.” Today, Nana is 93 years old and is still going strong. Nana usually would cook the Thanksgiving meal. I remember helping make the mashed potatoes and cumber salad. It is not customary for my mom’s side of the family to eat casseroles like green bean, sweet potato, broccoli, or macaroni and cheese. Everything prepared is made fresh that day.

Customs like this one are different from how my dad’s side of the family prepares their Thanksgiving meals. My grandmother (Dad’s mom) is crazy about casseroles. I could not believe it when she told me that she begins preparing them a few days in advance. My Grandma’s two specialties are her sweet potato casserole and macaroni casserole. The sweet potato casserole has brown sugar and pecans on the top of it. It is so delicious!

Over the years, my mom, my dad, my sister, and I would alternate attending Nana’s Thanksgiving dinner in Trenton, New Jersey, Grandma’s Thanksgiving dinner in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and my mom’s Thanksgiving dinner in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. My favorite Thanksgiving meal is of course the one prepared by my mom because she takes a little bit of both flavors and prepares a meal with Northern and Southern flare!

Interview Reflection

My interview was conducted on October 10, 2007. Prior to the interview, I researched Clemson University’s Graduate School of Elementary Education. This simple research allowed me to become familiar with the curriculum. My favorite sentence in the program’s description states that the master’s program supports teachers facilitating “lively class discussions and active student involvement.” I was excited to read that Dr. Dee Stegelin was the Program Coordinator.

I am thankful to have been given the opportunity for a mock interview because the interview was excellent practice for admission into graduate school. Prior to this interview, I consistently had a fear of interrogation by the interviewer. After this mock interview, however, I developed a new confidence in my ability to speak during an interview. In the past, my pattern for preparing for an interview consisted of rehearsing elaborate answers to potential questions. The mock interview was the first experience that I have had in which none of the questions that I rehearsed were asked. However, I answered all of Angie’s questions with ease and confidence. I walked out of the interview feeling proud about my communication skills. I learned that excessive rehearsing is not always needed because the interviewee can not predict the exact questions to be asked. I know this revelation may seem obvious to many, but it took several years for me to realize that the ideal preparation for an interview is to relax and feel confident in your academic successes and communication skills.

I am pleased with the interview experience. There is one aspect relating to my non-verbal communication skills that I will change for the next interview. While talking with Angie, I realized that my eyes would look upwards towards the ceiling at times. Although this is a habit that most people do when they are pondering a question, I think it can hinder interpersonal communication. Therefore, during the graduate school admission interview, I will be conscious of maintaining continual eye contact.

Class Presentations

The PowerPoint assignment went really well! I thought everyone in the 12:20 MWF class did a wonderful job. The topics for the assignment varied greatly. The presentations were informative, interesting, and exciting. Certain aspects about some of the presentations really stood out in my mind. I liked Krystal’s technique of having only one factual point on each slide. It made the audience focus on that one sentence. Krystal did an exceptional job revealing the myths and truths about breast cancer. I liked that the presentation began with the myths instead of a traditional approach of stating the definition of breast cancer first. Her technique highly captivated the audience from the very beginning. I also liked Mark’s technique of having a slideshow full of pictures rather than full of words. The pictures of his hometown in France were breathtaking and more informative than words could ever be. I have never been to France and after seeing the pictures of typical life in France, I am so excited about traveling to Europe soon!!

I also liked the video clip that Hilary incorporated into her PowerPoint slideshow because it reinforced the hard work and dedication that the rowing team must possess in order to be successful. Hilary was very enthusiastic throughout her presentation which captivated the audience. Prior to the presentation, I had little knowledge about the rowing team here at Clemson. Now, however, I understand the extreme dedication that is required. I liked the choice of background that Katie chose for her PowerPoint presentation on “Gilmore Girls.” The fall leaves where so beautiful and reminded me of the show. The background fit perfectly with the setting of Stars Hollow. After seeing and hearing about the show, the presentation made me want to go watch a re-run of it! These are just a few of the aspects of certain PowerPoints that I thought made the presentations great!!

Baking With Mom

One of my favorite childhood memories is helping my mom in the kitchen. My mom and I both really enjoy baking! She is a wonderful cook, and I am so thankful to have learned some great tricks from her. My first memories in the kitchen are from when I was five years old. My granddaddy made a special stool that I could stand on so that I was at the proper height to work on the kitchen counter. My grandmother gave my mom an apron that my mom used to wear as a child. I always felt special when I helped out in the kitchen because I was allowed to wear this beautiful blue and white flowered apron. As a young baker, my mom would help me locate all of the ingredients in the pantry and refrigerator. My favorite dessert to bake was peanut butter cookies made from scratch. I always enjoyed adding the vanilla and the peanut butter to the mixture. My mom and I were a great team and still are!

As I got older, my love for baking continued. When my sister was old enough to bake, she would help me bake cakes for our parents. We also used to make incredible homemade chocolate chip cookies. This recipe is so great that I have the entire thing memorized. If you would like to bake these delicious cookies, here is the recipe:

2 eggs
2 sticks of butter
1 cup of granulated sugar
½ cup of brown sugar
1 tsp. of vanilla
2 cups of flour
1 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of baking power
2 cups of chocolate chips

Mix the first 5 ingredients into 1 bowl. In another bowl, mix the next 3 ingredients. Add the mixture of 3 ingredients to the mixture of 5 ingredients. Add in the chocolate chips and bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes for some incredible sweets!!

Resume and Cover Letter Advice

For this week’s blog, I read three more articles. The first one, “Pretty in Ink: Making a Resume Look as Appealing as the Content” by Sarah E. Needleman, reminded me of the movie, “Legally Blonde”. I love when Elle Woods presents her resume on pink scented paper to stand out from the other internship applicants. Sarah Needleman makes many great pointers in her article about ways to make your resume stand out among the rest. She describes several success stories for various applicants whose resumes are not conventional. I agree with Jay Hargis’ advice to make the resume eye appealing while still focusing on sound content. He stresses the needs of “identifying your skills, work history, and education.” After reading this article, I have thought about how I can add a special touch to my own resume for grad school.

I have never given much thought to a video resume. After reading “Video Resumes are Taking Off” by Diana Ransom, I discovered how this creative interpretation of a resume could be highly effective within the right context. However, I think that I will stick to the conventional approach to writing a resume when applying to grad school or a future job. I want the hiring managers to read and value my individual skills and qualifications without having a metal picture of me. Physically seeing my enthusiasm could be positive; however, I think my written qualifications are substantial. This article is a great source of advice stating the suitable attire for a video resume as well as the appropriate length. I am glad to now have a more in depth understanding of the ways in which video resumes are contributing to several job positions.

I have been thinking about what I would like to include inside of my cover letter. This article titled, “Six Tips for Writing a Winning Cover Letter” by Marshall Loeb, was extremely helpful. I now feel more prepared to write a persuasive cover letter. Marshall Loeb gives the great advice to personalize the letter’s opening by sending it to a specific person instead of the generic statement: To whom it may concern. I think it is key to end the letter with “a call to action”. Marshall Loeb states that it is important to request that the employer call or e-mail once a decision has been made as well as you following up a week later. I like that Marshall Loeb makes the point to advise checking the letter before it is sent. Proofreading is so important, making sure the company’s name and address are correctly displayed.

These three articles presented me with great information that I am using and will use in the future for writing cover letters and resumes! It is exciting to think about having a “real job” soon, but the process of obtaining a job must be completed well! It is wonderful to have the opportunity to learn the step by step process for entering into the work force early on!!

Great Interview Advice

I really enjoyed reading the Career Journal articles because they affirmed as well as revealed new job interview advice to me. “How to Keep Your Cool in the Hot Seat” was the first article that I read. I thought this article was well written and informative. I agree with Kayleen Schaefer, the author, when she advises interviewees to not focus on the reason why a company may not hire you. Instead, Kayleen reveals that it is important to think positively about your prior accomplishments and your abilities by making a mental list of your skills and accomplishments. I learned that this technique is called “positive self talk”. Kayleen offers good advice when saying that it is also important to practice answering interview questions prior to the interview because this allows the interviewee to become greater prepared through rehearsing. I also liked Kayleen’s perspective on the person conducting the interview. She said to remember that he/she is probably somewhat anxious too as they are attempting to sell their company to the interviewee. I agree with Kayleen as she advises interviewees to have a mindset of thinking that they will be valuable towards the company.

The second article that caught my attention was titled “When an Interviewer Says, ‘Tell Me about a Time When You…’”. I enjoyed reading this article because it offered very practical advice. The author, Arlene Hirsh, introduced me to the term, “behavior based interviews”, which means that your manner in handling specific past situations is the best indicator for future success. I liked the way Arlene organizes the article as a step by step process in preparing for behavior based interviews. I had not previously considered the manner in which to answer this type of question. After reading the article, I now understand the necessity in describing the problem, the actions taken, and the results. Arlene reminds the interviewer when describing the problem to talk about how the situation was extremely challenging making for a more impressive result. I also agreed with Arlene’s advice to keep the tone of the interview positive by putting a “positive spin” on the answers. There was no advice given by Arlene that I did not agree with. I feel that I have learned helpful information!

The third article that I read was my favorite article out these three. This article, written by Eugene Raudsepp, titled “Body Language Tactics that Sway Interviewers” was valuable. I did not know prior to reading that body language or nonverbal communication represents 55% of a response whereas verbal communication only represents 7%. The other 38% is represented by paralanguage, a person’s sighs and pauses. I think Eugene made an important point by saying that actions reveal the inner confidence of a person. He provides excellent advice on the first few minutes of an interview as well as the necessity to maintain proper eye contact with the interviewer. In my past experiences, I have been so occupied with my own performance during the interview that I never truly thought about reading the interviewer’s gestures. Eugene makes an excellent point to be aware of the nonverbal behaviors of the interviewer. However, it is important to not think that every gesture has a hidden meaning connected with it. I appreciate the closing advice to use the appropriate nonverbal behaviors to portray a sense of confidence and interest!

My Life in Ten Years!

What will my life be like in ten years? What a question! As a young girl, I remember having to answer this question at school sometimes. My answers were full of imagination but they consistently portrayed me as a teacher. I first dreamed of becoming a teacher in Kindergarten because I thought it would be exciting to grade worksheets and put “Good Job” stickers on them just like my teacher, Mrs. Worley, always did. Now, as a twenty year old, I still plan on becoming an elementary school teacher. Looking back on the past twenty years, I am thankful to my parents for providing me with a safe, loving, and nurturing family.

The thought of being thirty in 2017 astounds me. I remember thinking as a child that thirty seemed so old, but now I have a completely different view of the age as I have gotten to be older myself. In 2009, I plan to graduate from Clemson with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I understand that many college students begin teaching right after college; however, I would like to attend graduate school first. In 2011, I will graduate from the graduate school program at Clemson. After obtaining my Master’s degree in Elementary Education, I plan on beginning to teach at one of the elementary schools in Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville is such a beautiful and serene town which is the main reason why I hope to live there soon! I am excited about having the opportunity to help 2nd or 3rd graders develop into very successful thinkers.

Shortly after I begin teaching, I plan on getting married. I am not sure the exact plan the Lord has for my life regarding my choice of husband, but I am excited about the prospect of marrying my boyfriend of two years. Hopefully, I will still continue teaching in Greenville unless my husband’s job compels us to relocate. While teaching, I will work towards my goal of becoming an elementary school principal in Greenville. As a young child, my elementary school principal, Mrs. Miller, inspired me to be a respectful individual, possess creativity, and enjoy the process of learning. Because of the excitement I saw in Mrs. Miller, I want to become an encouraging principal for my students!

While obtaining the role of principal, I will begin work on my doctorate in Educational Psychology as well as start a family with my husband. I have always wanted to have a little girl first so that I could dress her in adorable dresses with matching little shoes and bows! By the time that I am thirty, my life will be completely different than it is right now. However, through memories of the past, experiences of everyday college life, and dreams of the future, I am excited about living a life encompassing love, joy, and delight in the Lord, my family, and my students!

The Digital World

The Web 2.0 video made me stop and think about the internet on a deeper level than ever before. I watched the video about three times in order to totally understand the main idea being portrayed. When thinking about the video’s title, the word “unilinear,” which I don’t think is a real word, stuck out in my mind. I believe the importance of the title stems from the phrase, “Digital text is different, more flexible, and movable” demonstrating that this form of text is never permanent. I have always thought of the internet as a helpful source of endless knowledge; however, I have never truly thought about the web in terms of people imparting their knowledge onto the internet for me and others to use. I thought the video made an interesting point that we, as web viewers, rely on the internet to a heightened degree causing us to use the machine. However, this machine, which at one point we created, is actually using us because we constantly are dependent on it. I believe that Web 2.0 can positively affect a person entering the workforce because it initially provides information about various job organizations. In this regard, people are sharing job applications, resumes, and personal information with one another. In a sense, the web is helping to link strangers together. People already in the workforce are collaborating with one another to communicate in order to accomplish their personal tasks and goals to promote their businesses or organizations. Although this heightened degree of communication is beneficial in many aspects, it is important to be aware of dangers involved with the internet. We must be aware that since the information typed onto the internet is not permanent, individuals who may not even be experts in the specific field can alter it. We should possess discernment while viewing and reading sites. Likewise, we can not loose our sense of privacy and identity. One’s privacy should not be invaded through the internet. The web has spurred a digital mentality; however, it is vital to not expose all personal aspects of one’s life onto the web.

Introduction

Hey everyone!! My name is Jessica. I am a junior at Clemson majoring in Elementary Education. This is the first semester where almost all of my classes are education classes. I spend most of my days in Tillman except for Business Writing 304. I love being in Tillman!!! Whenever I think of Clemson, Tillman always comes to mind. I am excited about becoming a teacher very soon!! Ideally, I would love to teach 2nd or 3rd grade. I love all of the creativity that goes along with this major. I enjoy spending time making arts and crafts.

Originally, I was born in Pennsylvania. Two months after I was born, my parents and I moved to Summerville, SC. My family and I live in Mount Pleasant, SC about five minutes from downtown Charleston. While growing up, I have really enjoyed living near the ocean and the city!!! Whenever I am at home, you can find me in the kitchen because I love to bake. My favorite things to bake are homemade chocolate chip cookies and blueberry muffins. I also love to dance, especially ballet. I have been dancing ever since I was five years old. I have a little sister, named Christina. She is a sophomore in high school right now. I miss her when I am away at school. I love being a student at Clemson. I am involved in Baptist Collegiate Ministries, or BCM. Being on the Leadership team keeps me busy, but it is wonderful. I plan on becoming involved with Clemson Dancers this semester. I have missed not doing ballet for the past year, and I am ready to start back.

Clemson is such a wonderful place, and I am excited about this semester as well as English 304. I am glad that we have the opportunity to work in groups towards helping Habitat for Humanity. I believe this organization is a blessing. I have a lot of experience working in groups because group work is consistently an aspect of education classes. I am extremely organized and do not like to procrastinate. I love being creative!!

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