So many obstacles, so little time

I guess that most of my obstacles are technical ones. I have been able to make sketches of what I want to do and they seem to look decent enough. What I have not been able to do is have some time to actually go and just play around with Dreamweaver to see how the thing works. During the time we have had in class I have been able to figure out some things like tables and setting back ground color. But I still need to see how to post pictures and create links, just to name a few. I am sure that these are not too terribly difficult, but given the limited time that I have access to the program, it could be problematic.

Overcoming Obstacles

There are many things that I wish I could accomplish with my portfolio. However, my limited knowledge of the program we are using has hindered me in several ways. Therefore, I have resolved to think of more simplistic designs that use color to make the page look more interesting. However, I'm having problems with my color pallet. What colors look good together on the screen and how much is too much of one color? I also want my site to look professional but not boring. Help!

Strengths and Weaknesses

I feel that my greatest strength as a tutor is my ability to think on my feet. This really comes in handy when I need to find alternate ways of explaining ideas to students. People learn in a variety of different ways, so I need to be able to find the way that works for that particular student.
I feel that my greatest weakness as a tutor is that I have no had very much formal training in grammar. This comes back to haunt me as students seem to find a way to ask some very difficult questions. I try to remedy this by keeping the MLA handbook and a quick reference guide handy. Also, as I tutor more people I will learn more of these things and improve my knowledge base.

My Strengths and How I Share Them.

As a tutor, I believe that I am strong in my assessment of stylistic issues and coherency in papers. I am a visual person so the best way that I share will students what my ideas are is by drawing outline or making webs. This fact has made things different for me this semester because we are not allowed to write on students papers. However, this has proved to be a benefit as well. Now, I tell students to draw what we have collaborated on in as an online or whatever type of visual medium they feel comfortable with. Although I met the rule about not writing on students paper with some apprehension, I realize now that it is more beneficial to the students to have their own understanding of our sessions manifested in their own handwriting.

Strong Penguins

My strengths are varied, and I can't even really describe them. It's easy for me to say that I'm very personable, and had to get mad, which means if you do get me really mad, watch out. In all honesty, I've had several people tell me that I'm going to be a good teacher, and I think it's because of my attitude and mentality. I do enjoy helping people out, and that's why I enjoy being in the writing center. I try not to preach how to do things specifically, but instead help students to reach their own writing goals. I get a kick out of seeing them accomplish things for themselves. I'm also a decent writer I think, and I'm slightly humorous in an almost dumb way that makes people laugh and stay interested in what I'm saying or writing. Case in point: Penguins.

Penguins make a splash when they slide in the water...

Currently, I'm working on the complete idea for the splash pages, but I have a few images I know I want to include. I want it to have easy navigation tools for people to access the rest of the site as well, instead of being a jumbled mess. The stumbling block really at this point is getting the ideas I want to come to fruition. That means finding the right program to work with that I can understand as well as accomplish what I want, at least in some aspect. So that's where I stand in making a splash.

Splash Page

My portfolio is going well. I have some basic ideas for what I want my splash page to look like. The question is whether my knowledge of the technology allow me to execute those ideas. Since my metaphor is the mirror, the focal point of the page will be a very unique looking mirror. Everything else will play off of that.

Making a splash ... or merely a ripple?

My splash page is going to be very simple. It is going to be this way because I do not really know how to do anything to Dreamweaver yet. At one time I had some grand ideas for this part of the portfolio; but now that I have actually seen what it's like putting a page together, my goals are much lower. I still want to make it look as good as I can, but I am really just going to focus on the functionality of the page. I can always go back later and make it look nicer as I learn more about Dreamweaver.

The Penguins told me too...

There are several reasons that I would come to the Writing Center. Like it's been said, to bounce ideas off others, especially those who may not be bogged down in the subject like you, really helps to get the juices flowing again. Also, no matter how many drafts you do, it's unlikely you'll be able to find all your own mistakes, while somebody else may be able to take a step back and say what you could work on or what you need to fix. Being a Writing Center tutor for a couple years now, I know that I can come to the Writing Center with the expectation that I'll be getting help on a paper that's not just a quick skim over it, but instead an opportunity to discuss the points of my paper. When I'm allowed to do that, I can better see the own strengths and weaknesses in my paper, and therefore I can work to better address them both in my writing.

What in the world am I doing here?!?!

I feel that I would come to the writing center for a couple of different reasons. First, I would look for help in setting up an on-line assignment like our portfolio. I am getting better with keeping up with technology, but there always seems to be something that I need help on. Second, I would come to the writing center if I was having some sort of writer's block. I have found that being able to talk to somebody about a paper or project can help me think of new ideas and get the ball rolling again.

Why I Would Come to the Writing Center?

There are several reaons why I would come to a place like the writing center. The more experience you have as a writer, the more a second or even third reader becomes crucial to writing process. The reason is as you become a better writer, it becomes harder to recognize flaws in your own writing. As a writer, some of my strengths include fresh ideas, thoughtfulness, and coherency. However, I find that lately I have made simple punctuation errors and have had problems with pronoun references. I suppose it's a given that when you start focusing more on style, argument, and cohesiveness, other things aren't looked at as closely. Overall, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I need to go to the writing center to remember that I need to go to the writing center. Does that make sense?

My Metaphor and Intended Audience

I believe that my metaphor (the mirror) is commonplace enough to receive immediate recognition and conjecture about the material that I am going to present. However, the metaphor is also endless in its applications not to leave the viewer of my portfolio jaded. I believe the mirror will help me establish the groundwork for more complicated associations, as demonstrated by the text included.

Metaphor and the Penguins

As the Penguins tell me, my metaphor will be helpfully enough when considering I want something that reflects me and what I enjoy and specialize in. If I use this in a job or school search at some point, which I foresee myself possibly doing, then to show the employer of admissions group my specialty through the content of my digital portfolio as well as through visual ideas will be a great asset. I also think that it is easily recognizable for anyone who has had some background, and it's also flexible enough to where I can use images from history, or even images from Disney movies to draw a relation to my audience. Also, for my presenting my work, this helps because a lot of it has been done on some aspect of mythology. That's what the Penguins said.

My metaphor to the rescue!!

My metaphor will help me explain my materials in the following ways. First, I can use the images of spring to show the development of a national literature (the topic of one of my seminars). I can also use the images of fall to show a character's maturation (a recurring theme in the books for my other seminar). The images of spring and fall will also come in handy when I post my electronic journal. These images will be able to help me illustrate my inexperience and growth as a tutor as well as those same traits for the students that I work with. Also, due to the wide range of images available with the seasons, I will have the flexibility to find other ways to illustrate my message.

Response to Geoff's response to my governing metaphor.

Thanks for your input. I was kind worried about whether or not it would work out. The comment you made about opposites reflecting each was really helpful. I like the idea that something opposite is inherently the same as the opposition. I'd like to play with that philosophy in my cover letter or website home page.

Thanks a bunch,

Cocoa

Response to Dan's metaphor.

I also think this metaphor will give you great flexibility. I very interested in what works and/or research paper topics will end up coming out of this metaphor. I know that your interested in 19th century American literature. It may be interesting to chronologically map out through your paper topics the change from spring as a prevalent metaphor in American literature( the birth of a new nation) to winter (the decay caused by industrial revolution and/or the decline of the American dream in the early 20th century).

Oh! The Metaphor!

I'll be using Mythology as my visual metaphor for the semester. I have a background in Greek, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance mythologies, and since I enjoy the topics, I figure I'll enjoying using it as a governing metaphor. The images and templates related to this are quite plentiful, so I think it'll turn out quite nice.

Governing Metaphor

My governing metaphor for the portfolio will be the mirror. In writing papers, I enjoy comparing and contrasting the ideas and works of two authors. I hope to use mirrors to demonstrated those differences( the reflection not being the real thing) and similarities (the image looking much like the original).

My Metaphor for the Semester

The metaphor that I am going to use for the semester is "The Seasons". Literature is rich in imagery of the seasons (or the changing of them) and I think that this choice will give me great flexibility in setting up my portfolio.