Argumentation Trio and Web 2.0

Written Communications 

Instructor: Daykin                                         

Christine Bowser

Argumentation 

                                         Argument Trio And  Web 2.0

      When I started reading the Trio on blogging I really started to think about the questions it was wanting me to think about.  Before this class I was not a blogger.  I have enjoyed what we have been doing for the past weeks, but I didn't really see it as blogging or sharing it with the world.  I just viewed what I did was writing.  What I gained from blogging from this class honestly is to enjoy writing again and be reminded why I love doing it so much.  I think the similarities of blogging and being a published author is you don't really know who is reading what you wrote.  I think with blogging you are able to get instantaneous feedback, with the other you might eventually or never get feedback.  I have never really read any blogs and to be honest I still do not have the pull to do that, it would have to be something really interesting to make me want to search out a blog.

     My opinions waver back and forth with the Web 2.0 article.  The writer says it is not a good idea because all we would have is writers and no readers.  I am an avid reader and gain so much knowledge in reading others work.  Sometimes reading another's work gives me an avenue to start from.  I also think and ask myself should everyone think that they can be an author?  Not everyone is going to have the ability to be a noteworthy author.  Again on the other hand there is freedom of speech and everyone should have the chance or opportunity to express themselves through what ever medium they choose.

Draft

Instructor: Daykin

Written Instructor: Daykin

Written Communications                                             Christine Bowser

Process Analysis Final Draft                                 
11/5/13


                                                                                                         






                                   How To Make A Clay Wrapped Vase

When you are doing an art project there are quite a few steps involved in the process.  Making this vase is a perfect example of talent and my clients ability to show how determined they are to present themselves not their disability.  I often try to come up with elaborate looking projects that you think that you might not be able to make.  I pick these kinds of projects because it can be a confidence builder for people who think that they aren't able to do anything complicated.  The materials that you need for this project is a clear glass vase, acrylic paint, sculpey clay, and glaze.  When it is time for class I set a vase in front of every participant in the group.  Today I am working with Ann, Stacey, and Malcolm.  I talk to the group about what we are going to be doing and explain to them step by step the process we will be taking to finish our activity.  My group is full of chatter and excitement, bursting with energy to get started.

           They go over to the shelves where we keep our splattered paint shirts and they put them on.  We walk down the hall to the multi-colored, stained sink and  scrub the vase's down so they are  clean. They pat them gently dry with paper towels to finish-- being careful not to drop the fragile vases.   When  we are done with that we take them back to the art room.  The first step is finished, and now we are ready to move onto the next.

The second step is to paint your vase any certain color that you want.  For this we will paint them black so they add extra contrast against the vibrant colored clay.   Ann, goes over to the paint cupboard and gets out the black and silver paints.  While she is doing that, Malcolm gets out the paint brushes and paint palates.  Stacey and I, in the mean time, are  setting wax paper on the table in front of each persons spot.    Ann and Malcolm are able to paint independently, but Stacey will need hand-over-hand assistance.  I keep an eye on the other two of my group while I get Stacey ready to paint.  I placed a special grip with a Velcro strap on the paintbrush to make it easier for her to hold.  I gently place my hand over hers and guide it to the paint tray to dip it in the paint.  We go back and forth from paint tray to vase until it is fully covered like a black sky.    

After the paint is dry we streak them with a bit of metallic silver paint to give them a little more dimension.  While we are waiting for the black and silver paint to dry, I went and got the clay out of the cupboard.   After the paint is dry, we put on a thin coat of glaze so the paint will set and it won't flake off.  Ann and Malcolm take our three vases over to the drying shelf arguing with good humor over whose vase looks better.   I gently remind them that everyone's project looks great and no one's is better or worse.  

The third step we do while we are waiting for the glaze to dry.  We take out our Sculpey clay that is a rainbow of colors.  We all work the clay in our hands till it is warm and soft.  Ann and Malcolm start working independently cutting out circles, triangles, squares, and swirly shapes.  Stacey and I use the special grip again with a clay tool this time and cut out our shapes together.    Once we have all the shapes ready we are ready for the fourth step of our project.   I let Anne and Malcolm place their shapes of clay anywhere and anyhow they would like all over their vase.  I place Stacey's shapes onto her vase and she helps me pat them on so that they will not fall off.   There is no rhyme or reason to this step the only thing I try to tell them is not to put the same colors next to each other.  After that I just let their intuitive and creative nature take over, I want them to feel in charge of their masterpiece.

      Then we come to the last few steps of our project, Stacey and I place all three projects on a cookie sheet.  Ann carries the cookie sheet and we walk to the cafeteria so that we can bake them. I then showed Malcolm how to turn the oven knob to 275 degrees. He then took the cookie sheet from Ann and placed them in the oven.  I show Ann how to set the time by taking her finger, hitting the timer button and then moving her hand over to the numbers, enter fifteen minutes.  We sit around a cafeteria table talking about our current project and what projects we might like to do in the future after this one is done.

After the vase is baked and cooled it is time for the very final step of our project.  We go back to the art room and sit around the table in the same spots that we were in before.  Ann and Malcolm take their brushes and put a thin coat of glaze over the smooth and bumpy parts of their vase.  Stacey and I again work together for this final step my hand lightly guiding her hand over her patterns of clay.  This glaze takes about fifteen minutes to dry; then the masterpiece is complete.  All three of my participants are beaming and talking about whom they want to show their project to and whom they want to give it to as a gift.  Another project finished, confidences boosted, and lessons learned, this was another great class of any normal day.

What a Working Community Center Can Offer

Instructor: Daykin
Written Communications
Christine Bowser
Compare and Contrast Essay
10/30/13

       A mission for most working community centers is to help people with disabilities live,socialize and work in the community. It is believed that a persons disability should not overshadow a persons many capabilities and talents. Every center provides a wide array of services to help each person become as successful as possible.
       When a person participates in Day Services, they will select from a range of group activities.  Groups can help a person meet their goals. An individual has the opportunity to learn skills that may help them live more independently. They can take a cooking class that will teach them how to shop, prepare, and use the stove. Other types of activities like art, music, exercise, can help them learn to socialize and improve overall health.        
      When an individual works in Production,  they will work with a job coach to help learn; assembly type work, sorting, collating, and packaging. Receiving support from a job coach will help a person prepare to work in a community setting. Participants have the opportunity to earn wages that give them a sense of accomplishment and pride. Working in production provides learning the importance of good attendance and punctuality.
       Both Services in a working community center provide some of the same functions. Each program is set up on the same type of schedule each day. They are carried out by employees that are trained to work with people that have a large array of disabilities. They provide the opportunity to improve the quality of life through teamwork.

How to make a clay wrapped vase

Instructor: Daykin
Written Communications
Christine Bowser

Analysis Essay
10/23/13
                                                    


                                                   How to make a clay wrapped vase
         When you are doing an art project there are quite a few steps involved in the process.    I often try to come up with elaborate looking projects that almost anyone can make and be able to participate in the process.  
     First you have to come up with what you are going to use for the base of your project.  You also have to figure out what everyone you are working with is going to be able to do for this project.  For this project I chose cheap glass vase's that we bought from the dollar store.    W scrub the vase's down so they are nice and clean and then we take them back to the art room.  The first step is finished and now we are ready to move onto the next step.
      The second step is to paint your vase any certain color that you want.  For this project we chose to paint them black so they added extra contrast.  After the paint is dry we put on a thin coat of glaze so it helps to set the paint and then it won't flake off.
      The third step we do while we are waiting for the glaze to dry.  We take out our Sculpey clay of various colors and work it in our hand till it is warm and soft.  Depending in the person's ability we, use clay tools, knives and molds to cut out and make shapes. 
      One we have all the shapes ready we are ready for the fourth step of our project.  I let my participants place their shapes of clay anywhere and anyhow they would like all over their vase.  There is no rhyme or reason to this step.  I just let their instincts and creative nature take over, I want them to feel in charge of their masterpiece.
   Then we come to the last few steps of our project, we place our projects on a cookie sheet and place them in the oven at 275 degrees for fifteen minutes.  After the vase is baked and cooled it is time for the very final step before our project is finished.  We use a glaze that is called triple thick glaze, putting a thin coat over every shaped and area of the vase.  This glaze takes about fifteen minutes to dry and then the master piece is complete.

The Importance Of Living, Learning And Working.

Instructor: Daykin
Written Communications
Cause and Effect
Christine Bowser
10/16/13

   
       What would you do if every day of your life you had to fight for the right to participate in society? There

are so many hoops that you have to jump through to receive the support and programs that will make you

successful.  Most persons with a disability get funding from different sources.  In this area people have a few

choices, like Western Wisconsin Cares(W.W.C), or IRIS.  "W.W.C. is a program that is also called

managed family care.  This program was instituted in "How would you feel if some legislator was the person

that determined whether you fit a criteria to be able to receive services? What would you do if the agency

that is funding your services said we don't have the money to help you so you are just going to have sit at

home.  A person that is disabled has to fight every day of their whole life.  Right now ending or decreasing a

persons services are happening to people every week. People with disabilities, and their families, know what

is being done to them is wrong. The process to file grievances to fight for services is an extremely long and

hard process. Ask yourself why is it so important for a person with disabilities to have support? What

happens when a disabled person has a support network and when they don't?

          A day service rehabilitation program helps a Disabled person identify their needs. Goals are set and

put in a plan so a person can eventually attain that goal. Examples of goals could be to help with behavioral

challenges such as aggression, helping an autistic person connect with other people appropriately, to learn

how to use a walker, how to count money, how to read recipes, cook, and how to work in different

environments. Other very important factors could be supporting the family, giving them respite, teaching

skills, helping with mobility, communication, coping skills, socialization, self care, community integration

through outings. A person that is support through these kind of programs are less depressed, have more

confidence, live meaningful lives. They learn that they have gifts and can make a difference in other peoples

lives.

       If a person does not have any support they might become isolated, and be at risk for being abused. 

They might be placed in other services like institutions that are not appropriate for their needs. A person not

receiving supports might also be denied the good things in life that could and should be available to them just

as they are to most people in a community. Another problem would be not being able to develop skills or

lose skills due to lack of support. If there were no rehabilitation or day service centers for persons with

disabilities they would have to rely on their support networks that may or may not be healthy, their own

coping mechanisms that they might or might not have learned, and rely on other people in the community to

help them. Rehabilitation and Day Service programs are needed, they are a right and should not to be seen

as a privilege. Every person deserves respect and support. Every person should be able to choose their

programs that are going to enhance their lives. Plain and simple people with disabilities deserve to participate

in life.

The Human Spirit

Instructor: Daykin
Written Communications
Illustrative Essay
Christine Bowser
10/9/13     

      Each day I drive to work I wonder what the day will bring? Everyday I pull into the parking lot looking upon the imposing stone building that looks like a fortress. I often wonder what people think when they look at the building. Do they know what goes on, what we do, what obstacles so many people here face every day of their lives? I walk through the winding maze of hallways to get to the program areas. The halls are eeriely silent, no shaking of dice, no Karaoke blaring in the TV, no chattering voices, it won't stay silent for long.
       I see the triumph of the human spirit every single day. It never fails to amaze me and give me hope. When ever I see someone learn something new it fills something inside of me, making me want to give people more opportunities every single day. Each person that I see smile and laugh even though they struggle trying to accomplish any tasks that we might think is not important to succeed at. If they fail they do not give up, they are right back at it trying to attain what they need or want and most times always with a smile.  It often reminds me to keep trying when I get frustrated with things.  I want people to be able to see and understand the strength of the human spirit that is evident inside of this building everyday.
      I have a seasonal crafts class that we made fall wreaths out of yarn, wire hangers, fake berries and flowers, and lot of effort. The people in this group are loud and boisterous and happy, there is never a dull moment. The tables are always overflowing with bright hued fall leaves, glistening of tiny berries, flower, Skeins of reds, oranges, and brown yarn. Everything is fake but you can almost smell the leaves as if they have just fallen from a tree. It looks like a tornado hit the room but it is a happy fun mess. During the middle of all the light hearted chaos, people are learning fine motor skills, and socializing, folowing directions, the learning list is endless. There is bantering, and laughter, someone picks up the frayed fuzzy remnants of the yarn we had been trimming off the wreaths. It is a vividly colored yarn storm flying everywhere. There is laughter, giggles, tears of happiness, you don't see the wheelchairs, the walkers or the disabilities you just see the true human spirit of a real person.

Bead The Difference

Instructor: Daykin
Written Communications
Christine Bowser
10/2/13
                                                               
                                                              Bead the Difference
 
       There are times when I really do wonder if I make a difference. Then I have to look back to times when maybe I have. I do love my work and I think that is a key ingredient in providing experiences for those I work with. There is one young woman that I work with, her name or disability isn't all that necessary, for this I will call her "Ann". Who she is; is very important, she is an intensely focused person, loves art, and absolutely loves to share herself with those she cares about. Her favorite class is making clay beads for jewelry.
      When Ann walks into the art room she is immediately asking what are we going to make today. I can see her taking in everything around her, the smell of fresh paint, the earthy scent of the clay, the bright vibrant colors, the other people that are in class and all the sounds that surround us.Her excitement incites passion into me, to want to be able to give her every opportunity to experience everything that she can. As I watch her work, I notice the intense look of concentration upon her face, the careful precise movements with her hands to shape the fragile flower bead she is trying to make. I watch her connect to those around her and to what she is doing. Connecting with the world is so important to those with a disability.
      With each step of the bead making process, working the clay, making the delicate shapes, Ann works independently and with others. She diligently completes each step until it is time to assemble her project. She sets up her pattern, one flower bead and one spacer bead and strings it on her cord. As Ann ties the finishing knot, she beams a smile at me brighter than the sun. At the end of the day when her mother comes to pick her up, she hands her the delicate flower bracelet. I witness the exchange between mother and daughter, all the unspoken words and emotions are so evident on their faces. You can see the love, the pride, the accomplishment between the both of them. She gives her mother the bracelet, because it is like sharing a part of herself. This is so important because making connections is so important to a person and families with a disability. So often people do not look at them, what they can do, or can't do,but beyond them. Look at them and get a glimpse of what I see every day, "Bead the difference" in their lives