Posted on by mtompkins

Introduction

Hi everyone! My name is Madison Tompkins, but I prefer to be called Madi. This is my second semester as a fully online transfer student at UMassD majoring in Women’s and Gender Studies, and I am set to graduate in Spring 2021. I live in upstate New York where I work full time for a facility called Transitions through my county’s ARC chapter. What I do as a peer mentor is support young adults with learning differences to foster their independence in their professional, educational, and personal lives. Part of my job that is pretty different from most is my schedule, as I sleep overnights from Tuesday until Thursday every week at a supportive apartment to help further the learning experience outside of a classroom setting. I love my job despite its challenges, it is extremely rewarding and having four days off allows me to pursue my education.

When looking through the collection of feminist blogs, one that was familiar to me was Everyday Feminism. I have personally been on EF’s site before because I have followed it on social media for some time, but I also had experience in classes from my previous semester where some sources provided from my professor was from EF. This blog has a wide variety of feminist topics that is discussed by different feminist authors to provide more diverse standpoints into issues that one may not have an inside perspective on. I also feel that this site is also very informative, last semester I recall reading an article about the strategy “calling in” rather than calling out people for their wrongdoings. I feel as though I can take away from EF’s blog styling by researching multiple standpoints so that I can potentially provide more informative postings about different topics. One aspect of this blog that I hope to differ from is making the posts more personal. EF’s authors make their articles personal, but the blog as a whole has more community contributors, so I hope to make my blog more in depth into my personal experiences.

One environmental issue I believe is very relevant to where I live is water pollution. Where I live in New York, the Mohawk River runs through many of my neighboring towns and cities. According to a local news source The Daily Gazette, starting in 2016 to 2018 it is estimated that nearly 500,000 gallons of sewage was flowing into the Mohawk River due to overwhelmed sewage collection systems during storms or periods of increased runoff. During this time, the Department of Environmental Conservation urged people to avoid fishing and swimming in the river. Since then, New York State government has provided funding toward the Mohawk Valley watershed and to other cities impacted by the sewage flow. Growing up in towns along the Mohawk, I remember it always being littered with garbage and just a generally dirty body of water. Water pollution is a growing issue across the world with the prevalence of discussions surrounding cleaning up our oceans, but other smaller bodies of water are also suffering from the impacts of water pollution.

 

Coming into this class, I do admit that the concept of Ecofeminism is still foreign to me. I am intrigued to learn what this class has to offer on another standpoint of feminism, and I look forward to learning with everybody this semester!

 

513 Replies to “Introduction”

  2. Wow that was odd. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show
    up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to
    say excellent blog!

    Reply

  7. What seems more challenging: TKA Saintek or Soshum?

    This question truthfully often arises so often ,
    mainly from 12th graders setting themselves up for TKA.
    Some say STEM track is scary because of those Physics and Chemistry
    subjects , while some students find it tough that Social
    Studies track is confusing because it involves lots of memorization .

    So in reality , which path feels more difficult ?

    For me , the answer is: the difficulty varies on your natural strengths.
    To give more context , let’s discuss it one by one.

    What’s the Difference Between TKA Saintek and Soshum?

    TKA STEM usually contains tasks on Math plus Physics, Biology, Chemistry .
    It matches best with students from the STEM track who are experienced in playing with numbers and experiments and lab work .

    Meanwhile, TKA Soshum usually revolves around subjects such as
    Sociology, History, Economics, and Geography .
    students from the social studies stream generally feel more prepared here because they are already familiar
    with analyzing societies and economic concepts .

    According to an academic survey from Universitas Negeri
    Jakarta , (Sutanto, 2022), the difficulty level of TKA tests is technically almost equal .
    But , the most important element that makes it feel harder or easier is how well-prepared the student is and
    learning style .

    Why Do Many Students Struggle with TKA Math?

    Be real , Math always feels like a nightmare . This isn’t limited to in TKA Saintek
    , and surprisingly in TKA Hybrid, many examinees
    report this part makes their brain freeze .

    I used to assist a younger student whose math performance
    stagnated at 30 points. Once he joined a private tutoring session at NgajarPrivat.com, he came to understand the main obstacle wasn’t that he couldn’t solve it , but tiny mistakes
    that consistently showed up . A private tutor can pinpoint the
    exact mistakes and offer time-saving tips.

    And guess what , after a couple of months , his score shot up to the around 70 .

    So sometimes, it’s not about genius, but about having someone making
    sure the details aren’t missed so they don’t happen again .

    TKA Soshum Is Not Just Memorization

    Quite a few kids make the mistake of thinking that
    Soshum is simple because you just cram data .
    That’s not the case, it’s not purely rote memory .
    For example, in Economic problems , there are mathematical elements that require
    logic .

    According to academic analysis from Gadjah Mada
    University (Handayani, 2021), students who learn Soshum through collaborative dialogue
    absorb concepts faster than those who just rely on rote learning
    . That’s why a dedicated mentor who applies story-like methods
    or guided dialogue can make the subject matter last in memory.

    At KoncoSinau.id, I once experienced a tutor who delivered history lessons not
    by saying “this year, that person,” but by narrating it
    like a tale . Interestingly, it was much easier to remember .

    Intensive Study for TKA Mixed

    So , if you go for TKA Mixed , you must prepare both worlds at once.

    From the stories of my friend who went for the mixed version, the secret
    is time management .

    Commonly , they prepare a special schedule, for example Monday–Wednesday for Saintek and Thursday–Friday for Soshum .
    A mentor usually also guides in creating this kind of
    roadmap so students don’t collapse from fatigue.

    At LapakGuruPrivat.com, there’s an option for module-based
    tutoring . This means you can focus first on the subjects you struggle with .
    For example, if you’re already comfortable with Biology, you can skip it and focus more to the Econ test.

    Online or Offline: Which Is More Effective?

    I personally tested both methods . In-person lessons
    works well for extended explanation , but digital lessons have the advantage of flexibility .

    You can learn late at night without leaving home .

    According to a Harvard survey (Miller, 2020), online learning can be equally powerful with face-to-face if the
    participation is lively . So the real factor is
    not the platform , but how the instructor maintains interaction .

    So, Is Private Tutoring for TKA Important?

    If you’re aiming for top results , my conclusion is: definitely yes .
    Private tutoring makes the exam readiness
    more concentrated , gives constant check-ins, and makes
    improvement checks straightforward.

    Especially for TKA, which will be a countrywide academic gauge.
    It’s no surprise more and more students are looking for
    support through platforms like NgajarPrivat.com,
    KoncoSinau.id, and LapakGuruPrivat.com .

    Reply

  11. Which seems more challenging: TKA Saintek or Social Science Track ?

    This question frankly speaking often arises so often , mainly from final-year students
    who are preparing for TKA. Many argue Saintek
    is overwhelming because of Physics and Chemistry , while some students
    find it tough that Social Studies track is complicated because it involves lots of memorization .

    So actually , which one is harder ?

    From my perspective , the answer is: it’s relative
    on which side you’re comfortable with .
    But to make it clearer , let’s analyze one by
    one.

    What’s the Difference Between TKA Saintek and Soshum?

    TKA Saintek typically covers exam items
    on Mathematics, Physics, Biology, and Chemistry .

    It suits students from the STEM track who are already used to
    playing with numbers and experiments and practical experiments.

    Meanwhile, TKA Soshum is more focused on subjects such as Sociology, History,
    Economics, and Geography . IPS students are usually more confident
    here because they are already familiar with
    analyzing societies and economic theories .

    According to an academic survey from Jakarta State University , (Sutanto, 2022),
    the level of hardness of TKA tests is essentially
    relatively the same . But , the main factor that determines the
    difficulty experience is the level of preparation and way of processing information.

    Why Do Many Students Struggle with TKA Math?

    Let’s face it, the math section always feels like a nightmare .
    It’s not just in TKA STEM, and surprisingly in TKA Hybrid, countless kids report this section makes their
    thoughts stuck.

    I personally guided a underclassman whose math performance stagnated at 30 points.
    After enrolling in a one-on-one class at NgajarPrivat.com, he came to understand the
    main obstacle wasn’t that he couldn’t solve it , but small slips that happened again and again .

    A personal teacher can pinpoint the exact mistakes and give
    shortcuts .

    And surprisingly, after eight weeks, his grades jumped
    to the more than 70. So sometimes, it’s less about intelligence , but about
    having supervision for the tiny parts so they don’t keep coming
    back.

    TKA Soshum Is Not Just Memorization

    Plenty of learners wrongly assume that
    this part of the exam is simple because you just
    remember dates and names . In reality , it’s way deeper than that.
    For example, in the Economics subject, there are plenty
    of computations that demand reasoning .

    According to findings from Gadjah Mada University (Handayani, 2021), students who approach Soshum through
    discussion-based learning understand better than those who stick to memorization .
    That’s why a private tutor who teaches via storytelling or interactive talk can make the lessons easier
    to recall .

    At KoncoSinau.id, I once saw a tutor who taught history not by saying
    “this year, that person,” but by framing it as a fun story.
    As it turned out , it was way more memorable .

    Intensive Study for TKA Mixed

    Now , if you register for TKA Combined , you’ll face both worlds at once.
    From the testimony of my friend who went for the mixed version, the main point is
    scheduling .

    Typically, they prepare a special schedule, for example dedicating some
    days to STEM, others to Social Studies .
    A personal teacher usually also supports in planning this kind of strategy so students don’t collapse from fatigue.

    At LapakGuruPrivat.com, there’s an option for modular lessons .

    This means you can spend more effort on the subjects you struggle with .

    For example, if you’re already confident in Biology , you can set it
    aside and give more attention to the economic subject .

    Online or Offline: Which Is More Effective?

    I personally had lessons in both ways. Offline tutoring works well for extended explanation , but online classes have the advantage of
    time freedom. You can study at night without stepping out.

    According to Harvard University research (Miller, 2020), digital education can be on par with face-to-face if the interaction is active .

    So the real factor is not the channel, but how the instructor maintains interaction .

    So, Is Private Tutoring for TKA Important?

    If you’re aiming for top results , my opinion is: without a doubt
    . Private tutoring makes the study process clearer,
    gives guidance , and makes evaluation easier .

    Especially for TKA, which will be a countrywide academic gauge.
    It’s no surprise more and more students are seeking help through platforms like KoncoSinau.id,
    NgajarPrivat.com, and LapakGuruPrivat.com .

    Reply

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