My research topic / draft is APPROVED!

I worked on my research paper over one of the weekend and I passed it to my supervisor on a Tuesday and she said that the next meeting would be on a Friday. However it was canceled due to her busy schedule. We met on the following Friday and the good news is –my topic for the position paper is accepted. She said that I am on the right track after reading my draft for the proposed topic –the portrayal of the theme growing up in “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne and “Boys and Girls” by Alice Munro. My supervisor said that she wants to hand in our full/final draft by / on the 14th Mac 2008. Thus it would be easy for both parties as- she can go through our work thoroughly and if there is any mistakes to work on then there will be two weeks gap for us before the due date. I will start working on it soon because there isn’t much time leftJ

New project- Celebrations in Malaysia.

We are now engaged with another big project I would say. It is about creating a website / CD compilation on all the festivals/celebrations that are celebrated in Malaysia. It is basically divided to 3 parts whereby the first one is culture-base, the second one is religion-base and the third one is on other celebrations such as Valentine’s Day and many more. We are also to come up with the ways on teaching / exposing students to all the celebration. I personally think that it is terrifically a good idea on working this kind of project. This is simply because it helps us, the future teacher trainee to be knowledgeable about almost all the celebrations that are celebrated in our own country Malaysia. I am working on the Indian New Year celebration. The best part is I discovered many things that I do not know about the celebration even though I am an Indian origin. Well it happens. Now, I am quite happy that I at least have learned something new. I am really looking forward for the final product of this project as it will be really fun to know more about celebrations!!

Now I know the importance of presenting one’s own position paper.

I am one the early person to present my position paper and even at that moment I did not know the importance of the activity of presenting one’s position paper. But later, as my friends are presenting and as my lecturer was asking the same pattern of question to my friends who were quite out of track, I could see the rationale of the presentation and thus I could see the importance of the presentation. When, one is presenting a position paper, it is in a way trying to convince the audience on their stand or what we call as thesis statement. Presenters are expected to come up with some sort discussion on their stand. This not only makes us, the presenter bold, but more confident in way. Apart from that through the questions of my lecturer, we the presenters get a more appropriate idea on how to tackle the points and the discussion of the points in order for it to strongly hold up the thesis statement. Being an audience for this kind of presentation makes one to be more critical in their thinking. When my friends are presenting, sometimes I agree with what they say and sometimes I don’t. When I do not agree with them, I will justify myself why I say so and this helps me to be more critical!

My research topic

After much consideration, I have made up my mind to work on the portrayal of theme of growing up in “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne and “Boys and Girls” by Alice Munro. I have decided to work on this topic because I think these stories could be very much relevant for my students who are in the process of growing up. In both stories, the main character faces problem internally as well as externally in their process of initiation to adulthood. It applies to school students who are on the same boat as the main characters. Apart from that, I have also chosen these stories because I understand the stories well and I think I am comfortable working with it. Over the weekend I am going to start to do my write up because my supervisor is going to meet us somewhere next week. I think I can do it because I already have the flow of how I am going to do my writing in my mind.

reading an autobiography

“Reading an autobiography would be boring!” This was me quite sometime ago. But thing has changed now. Now I can read anything. Anything at all! Thus autobiography is no exception. How do you categorize autobiography? Entertainment? Educational? Well, I personal think that an autobiography comes under both entertainment and educational. You read it for pleasure thus it can be entertainment but as you read you learn a lot of things hence it becomes educational. I have read the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi, Tun Dr. Mahathir and a few more. The most recent one would be an autobiography of Nelson Mandela. Well, reading an autobiography is actually quite interesting I would say. Sometimes it can be very motivational too! It exposes us on how well-known people went through their life. The hardship, the sacrifices, the achievements and everything is just there, written nicely and compiled. But how trustworthy is the written version? Well they can always exaggerate things right? It has been always a question mark for me.

Research paper.

Well, now moving I am moving to the next stage I suppose. From position paper to research paper. I am cracking my head thinking about the research paper that I am going to come up with. Meeting with my supervisor for the first time did help me to get some ideas on what can and cannot be done. I am very much keen in working with local literary text. I always think that priority should be given to local writers but…. I am having a hard time looking for the resource for local text, authors and etc. OR is it me looking for the materials in the wrong side of the world? By hook or crook I have to at least have something to show my supervisor by the next meeting if no it will be too late then. I just hope I can make my mind fast.

Done with my position paper –Clinging to the past fails Blanche-

Wow, I have done it! I am done with my position paper. The next step is to present it. The main points with the textual evidence are to be presented through a power point slide presentation. The presentation will some sort decide whether I have done the paper in the way it suppose to be! I just hope (sincerely hope) that I have worked on the paper in correct way. Well, I learned many things throughout the process of coming up with a position paper. Even though it does not differ much from the writings that I have done all this while, but now I think I have learned the proper way to tackle it. I am able to organize my writing better now I suppose. Coming up with a thesis statement and the main points are the foundation. If the foundation is strong and reliable then there are no worries!