Annotated Bib.

*I had an issue with the hyper links, I will work on fixing them*

1.)Pianta, Robert C. “Preschool is school, sometimes: making early childhood education matter.” Education Next. Wntr 2007. Truxal Library , Anne Arundel CC, Arnold MD, 13 Apr. 2008
- This article gives great insight on what is known about preschools (good things) and what they provide educationally for children. Thus helping with part of my argument, where I talk about how it isn't just baby-sitting, it's a school.

2.)Grams, Nellie. “Daycare Smarts.” Herizons. Spring 2007. Truxal Library , Anne Arundel CC, Arnold MD, 13 Apr. 2008
- This is research findings on a study done of preschools in 2007. It discusses programs that help enrich children.

3.)Kuchment, Anna. “Who Needs Preschool?” Newsweek. 12 Nov. 2007. Truxal Library , Anne Arundel CC, Arnold MD, 13 Apr. 2008.
- It addresses the fact that more and more children are attending daycare in the US. It talks about that parents should look for when school hunting and how to observe the environments in which they are looking. I like this one.

4.)Taylor, Peter, Shawn. “Daycare dilema: private operators and under attack, despite the shortage of spaces.” Maclean. 13 Mar. 2008. http://find.galegroup.com.ezyproxy.aacc.edu/itx/printdoc.do?docTyp...

- This article talks about parents who use and do not use daycares/preschools. It also looks at the fact that some private schools are having a hard time staying open, yet there is a lack of space in centers...(this one I still need to look into more).

5.)Browning, Lynnley. All Play and No Work Make for a Bright Preschooler.” The New York Times. 2 May 2004. Truxal Library , Anne Arundel CC, Arnold MD, 13 Apr. 2008.
- This article talks about schools and parents that reinforce education only. It looks at how play and not just work is great for kids, and at that it makes preschoolers "brighter." Preschool can be both, and this is good for my argument.

6.)Depalma, Anthony. “The Culture Question.” The New York Times. 4 Nov. 1990. Truxal Library , Anne Arundel CC, Arnold MD, 13 Apr. 2008.
- This talks about culture in the classroom...(I'm not sure if this works, I'll rad more and post more about it if I feel it is acceptable.

7.)How to Choose the Best Daycare Center for your Child : Contacting Potential Daycare Centers. 2007. Youtube.com 13 Apr. 2008
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- This video was very informative and talks about what a parent should look for in a preschool/daycare. It was a little boring, but hopefully it will support what I am arguing.

*More sources coming!!!*

Landscape Proposal...

Pre-Tot Classroom

1.) Description

For the past 3 years I have worked in the same pre-toddler classroom, and thus figured it would be the perfect landscape for me to discuss.

The classroom is very small despite the amount of 1 1/2 to 2 years olds it is supposed to hold; it is licensed to hold 9 kids and 3 teachers. The room is rectangular in shape and tends to get smaller as the kids in my class get bigger. At the very back of the room there is one window, set low to the ground so the kids can reach the sill, and a door that leads out to our play ground.

At the the entrance of the room, to the left there is a bathroom (for teachers) and to the right is a sink and a mini frig with is used to store whatever is in the kid's lunches that needs to stay cold. Passing the frig you move into the main part of the room where there are two tables, one red and one blue, each as enough chairs for 6 kids at each table, and on the back of the chairs there is a name that corresponds to each child. Next to the tables is the diaper changing table which is bright yellow; above that is a shelf with 9 baskets that hold the diapers for each child. To the left of the diaper table is yet another sink, in total there are three sinks in the room.

Moving further into the room you get to the cubbies, and again there are enough for each child and each child is assigned to a cubby. Each cubby has the child's name and picture on it. past the cubbies is the main play area, which is carpeted. On the carpet to the right is a "climber" which has a stairs, a tunnel and a slide for the children to play on, and for what it's worth, it causes more trouble then is necessary.Across the room to the left is the "book nook" complete with pillows and board books.

Moving back to the back of the room, under the window is a toy shelf that holds the cars, blocks, the weebles, and whatever other toys we have. All of the walls are white, but are covered in art projects and pictures of the kids having fun.

I think that's about all there is for the room itself. The school on the other hand has been around for about 7 years now. The ages of children that attend range from 8 weeks old (the infant rooms) to school age kids that are in before and after care. The entire school has Infant rooms, toddler rooms, a 2/3 year old class, Pre-K 3 to 5, then kindergarten, but this upcoming fall we will not have a kindergarten program.
This school has a reputation for cleanliness and superb care.

This school is very important culturally because it isn't like typical daycares, it is a school, learning always takes place, and the teachers are not considered baby-sitters. (That's about as much as I have for that, I need to work on it).

2.) My Argument

I don't think I really have one yet. I'm not exactly sure what I want to argue. At first I was going to argue that the room is too small to house the 9 toddlers and the 3 teachers that run the room.

I feel that this is a pretty lame argument, I need to expend it, but I'm not sure how to do that. Suggestions would be awesome since I'm really not feeling it.

Thanks!

Paper 1 Proposal

The Dooney and Burke Barrel Satchel

I.) Description

The Dooney and Burke Barrel Satchel is a one of a kind handbag that many have tried to duplicate, most times unsuccessfully. The appeal of the bag comes from it's unique shape and eye catching designs. This particular bag over the years has come in many colors, black, white, pink, and powder blue; with an array of designs, the most popular being the intertwining D and B. At first glance, it looks as though it has limited space and wouldn't be able to hold much, but looks can be deceiving, for this medium sized bag can hold a lot more then seems possible. Like all Dooney and Burke bags it has the signature heart pendent on the zipper, of which the teeth are multicolored. Inside the bag there is a cell phone pocket and a zipper compartment, which provides organization for the world in which the bag contains.

Style and function are what most girls look for in a bag and this one seems to incorporate both. The type of bag a girl picks to make her own to carry around will communicate parts of her personality to all who see the bag. It's not big enough to carry school books, but just right to carry the day-to-day necessities. An interesting link between these designer bags compared to others is that they're addicting, and we tend to not just buy one, but two or three or four. And yes, they are pretty, nice to look at, and fun to put on display, but is a bag like this really worth the money?

II.) Central Questions

1.Are these bags so vital (in the “I need it!” realm of things) that we need so many of them?
2.Why is the hand bag so important?
3.When and why did the handbag become so popular?
4. If it's just a bag to carry things such as makeup, why have so many, in some many different colors, and why spend so much money on them?
5.As a culture that thrives on material goods, what does the handbag say about girls and women today?

III.) Research

-Reinach, Simona Segre."Fendi." Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Vol. 2. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons,2005.76-78. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. Anne Arundel Community College. 28 Feb. 2008.


This article gives good insight into the world of the designer handbag. Though it's not the brand of bag I want to focus on, it still works for some aspects in the history of the handbag/the designer handbag.

-Yaeger, Lynn. “Carried away: when it comes to high-end handbags, you are what you tote.” The Atlantic Monthly Apr. 2007. P 102(4).


This article has exactly what I'm looking for as to why we chose the purse we chose, and how it shows parts of our personalities. It also discusses what purses say about the women who carry them.

-Barbiere, Annalisa. “Like a Pocket on a String.” New Statesmen. 11 Feb. 2008: 52.

This article came out of nowhere and had some great information on the purse as a practical thing rather than a fashion statement. It's short, sweet, and very down to earth. It took away some of the over hyped glam that other sources were giving me.

-“Perusing Purses.” Brandweek 48.9 (7 May 2007): 23(1). Academic OneFile. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. Anne Arundel Community College. 28 Feb. 2008.

This article is good for my argument, because though I am for the purse being an important part of the female culture etc, I also want to touch on some of the more annoying aspects of purse culture. This article has a list of all the typical annoying and silly things a purse becomes and how gross they can get when we “abuse” them.

-Wikpedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 21 Feb. 2008. The Wikipedia Foundation. 22 Feb. 2008.

I know this is a website, but it gave me more of the history of the satchel then anything else I found. It has great factoids that dates the purse back to the time of the Egyptians. It's good exciting stuff!

-Rottman, Fred. “Handbags and Purses.” The Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. 2004
(I cannot remember where I found this article, so once I find the URL I will post it. I'm such a slacker.)

This also had great information on handbags and Purses (obliviously), but what I really liked about it was all purse positives. It has lots of interviews and history, thus I think it will be of good use to my argument.

*2 more sources to come. I know, I know, I'm totally not on top of things this week.*

IV.) Argument

As much as I hated purses when I was younger, I feel that now as an adult, they are more important in my day to day living then ever before. My purse is my life line. It carries everything I could possibly need, ever. Handbags also define who we are (as girls), they show what we like and give those around us insights into our personalities. But that is only half of my point. I also feel that purses, though they are pretty and fun, are way over priced and way over coveted. Why do we need so many and why is it so important that we have the latest styles?

Therefore, I am arguing that the handbag is an important object that has many positives, two of which are function and style. But I also want to touch on the fact that the obsession with designer purses and having a million of them is unnecessary, especially when purses that are just as cute/ functional etc can be purchased at places like Target for around $20.00 instead of $200.00 and up at designer stores.

*It's sort of rough, hopefully your coments will help me tweak it to make it better!

The video for "are you talking to me?"

Here is the video for my blog 2, for some reason the link that said "attitude" isn't working.

Enjoy!

"Are you talking to me?"

"You're not? Then why are you walking towards me talking? OH! I see, you have a bluetooth and you're talking to someone else. Gotcha. I didn't see it till just now when you pushed your hair behind your ears. Hey! What's with the attitude?"

I would have no problem with the bluetooth if situations like this didn't happen as often as they do.

The bluetooth wireless headset was created to make talking on our cell phones hands free when hands need to be free. The technology of the bluetooth is pretty incredible, for it let's our entire social network be as close to us as our ears. The history of the bluetooth, as exciting as that seems can be found here. Not to mention a list of a zillion other things about the bluetooth that anyone would ever want to know, that is IF they even care.

The bluetooth headset was created for people who had jobs that required them to be on the phone while driving and/or using their hands; a brilliant idea. It also made driving a tad safer because both hands could now be on the wheel, whether it be a business call or a chat. Now-a-days though, instead of using the bluetooth for it's intended purpose, people are keeping the things in their ears at all times, walking around places like school, the supermarket, or wherever, seemingly talking to themselves. Are we as a culture so lazy that when both, got that, both of our hands are free we still can't hold our phones? It's craziness!

Bluetooth headsets come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. There's cheap, expensive, big, small, plain and/or flashy. In my research I found a list of the top and they're fancy-smancy. Also, if you don't like the color of your bluetooth you can get a customized cover to make it your own, and that's the funny thing. Even a bluetooth headset helps to define who we are and our personalities by how we customize it. For instance, about two weeks ago I was walking to class and I saw a girl wearing her bluetooth in her ear and it was pink with black and white zebra stripes. Again, crazy!

The number one thing I can't stand about the bluetooth is the fact that if you can't see it in the person's ear, you then make the mistake that they're talking to you. This happened to me once shopping at Old Navy. There was a girl shopping in the same area as myself and she kept snapping at me, or so I thought. I turned around after a minute and kind of looked at her like "are you talking to me?" and she replied with the rolling of her eyes. Confused I shook it off and kept looking through the clothing rack when she started talking to me again. I finally turned around and asked her if she was talking to me, she responded with an "uhg!" then pushed her hair behind her ears and pointed to her bluetooth. Her attitude about the misunderstanding was most unnecessary.

I didn't realize until now how much I hate these things; the over use of them really gets to me. Therefore, I have one question: Does it really have to be in your ear even when you're not talking on the phone? I mean seriously people!

Blog Assignment 1: Take 2

What is the one thing you see the most of besides students in a classroom? No, I'm not talking about cell phones or iPods. I'm talking about notebooks. Think about it. When the professor is lecturing, what are we doing? We're taking notes in our notebooks. Looking around my classes, I see that every single person has a notebook. You see an occasional laptop here or there, but for the most part, we live in a ocean of notebooks. Some people have one or two for their classes but if you're like me, I have one for every class, each a different color, and I know, NERD ALERT!

The history of the notebook dates back to accent Rome, where leaves were sewn together and used as a ledger. The first real mainstream notebook with spiral binding was invented in the 1930's and since then the notebook as been unstoppable. There are tons of different brands of notebooks, some that coast more then a notebook should and some that go for about .99 cents. They come in lots of sizes, are wide ruled or college ruled, and can have plain covers or interesting covers. For example, I saw a Jack Sparrow notebook at Target, which I really wanted to get for my friend because she loves him, but that's off topic, moving on! The average notebook consists of cardboard, paper and other such materials that are described here.

The notebook is representative of the college culture. As students we go from class to class schlepping around our books and most importantly our notebooks so we won't miss anything our professors says in lecture. Notebooks play a key role, for when the time comes to study for an exam or test, those notes come in handy. Then again, the notebook isn't just for students. People use notebooks for all sorts of reasons. Some use it as a journal, filling it with their innermost thoughts, when others use it as a sketch pad, letting their drawings fill the pages. Notebooks also can define our personalties if we so wish. We doodle on the cover or decorate it to show who we are and what we like. Sometimes we even covet these books because we pour our heart and souls into them, whether it be taking notes or writing poems.

In high school my friend Leah and I had a “secret” notebook that we used to write notes back and forth in. Therefore, when we saw each other in the hall we'd pass it on so the other could read it and write back. We did it this way so we wouldn't get caught passing folded notes in class. Sure we should have been actually taking notes for class, but this was way more fun!

Blog Assignment 1

I hope this isn't too weird, but the object I chose to represent an aspect of my identity is my antique hand. I have this exact one shown in this picture. As I said in class when I presented my artifact (which was an antique pill box), I love antiquing! Whenever I travel to a new town or somewhere old-timey I am the first person to spot an antique shop and instantly be inside exploring. I love to find weird and/or odd things, I'm fascinated by them.

I have a small collection of interesting pieces that I have picked up along the way, for example a phrenology head and another hand, this one for displaying jewelry. The hand is displayed on a shelf in my room that it is clearly visible to all, and whenever anyone comes into my room, they immediately go straight for the hand. Some of my friends think it's creepy; a large while hand chilling on my shelf, but I love how it adds to the personality of the room, my personality that is.

I began antiquing with my dad when I was younger. It was a cool way for he and I to bond, for we both like to learn about the history of objects we find in old shops. My hand doesn't look as white and new as the hand in this picture which makes me wonder, who had the hand before me, and why did that person have it? I found this hand at a shop in Glen Burnie Maryland:
The Neatest Little Shop

This hand is also interesting to me because it has to do with palmistry or Palm Reading. That sort of thing has always been fascinating to me and to have an object that represents it is pretty cool. Well, I think so anyway.

My object isn't the most practical of things I suppose. I can't use it, or play with it. I can only display it. It's a piece of art that's meant to be seen. The hand is a very cool thing, we use our hands all the time for everything! It's no wonder artists create things like my hand, because hands are such an important part of human existence and symbolizing it's greatness makes sense.

This antique is one of my favorite things, and I chose to write about for that fact. I had a hard time figuring out what to write about because I wasn't sure what object I identified with. This hand isn't just something that gathers dust on my self, it's something that evokes curiosity in the observer and makes for great conversation. Therefore, though it may be a weird thing to talk about, it's a very neat thing to inquire about.