Lisa Delpit Precis & Critical Response

Delpit, Lisa. “The Politics of Teaching Literate Discourse”
and Literate Traditions.” Literacy: A Critical Sourcebook.
Cushman, Ellen. et al. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 545-554.

In this piece, Lisa Delpit agrees as well as disagrees with James Paul Gee’s views on literacy in communities of color. She agrees with Gee’s point that literacy is more than reading and writing and his reasoning that “all discourse are not equal in status, that some are socially dominant – carrying with them social power and access to economic success – and some nondominant” (546). Delpit disagrees with Gee’s argument that people born into homes that are not socially dominant do not have the ability to learn the “rules” of the dominant society and can never escape their low-class status. She feels that this stance leaves teachers with a “why bother’ feeling towards teaching minorities. Another point of concern with Gee is his opinion that “women and minorities… may be faced with adopting values that deny their primary identities” (547) thereby giving up who they are to become what is “acceptable” in society in order to be successful.
Delpit gives an example of a minority student who when tested was deemed an “at risk” student because of the test results yet upon being taught how to write, read and talk academic became the “most sought after research assistant in the college” (548). This example shows minority students can be taught and are not doomed to the status-quo of their birth. Delpit explains, students “who appear to be unable to learn are in many instances choosing to ‘not-learn’” (553). The fact that minorities, when taught by teachers who expect them to be successful, are successful proves that everyone regardless of ethnicity or gender can learn how to be successful through academics.
I, like Delpit, agree with parts of Gee’s reasoning. But after reading this piece I realize that she writes about what I have always believed, that is that any person, regardless of race, if taught by a teacher who has their best interest at heart and places a sense of expectation in the minds of their students can and will be successful in whatever they chose to do with their lives. EVERY student should be treated as equal and those with the desire to be successful and maybe some, who previously felt otherwise, will set goals in their lives which they can certainly attain. Teachers can make a difference in an individual’s life. In most cases an educator will never know the impact they have had on a student’s life therefore, each student should be taught with the unbiased opinion that they will be academically successful.

Precis Weekly Response

I agree that students need a "hands on" experience that is not necessarly provided in the classroom. Students go out into the world sometimes severly unprepared for certain situations. For example, a basic job interview. If a student does not have the appropriate skills or apply them during the interview they may not get the job, even if they are qualified. Most applicants are judged on how literate they speak, not on how literate they write. It is imperative that students be able to shift the style of speech to what is considered appropriate in order to be successful in society.

Weekly response post

In looking at potential theories to examine in my paper, I am finding that there are multiple lenses through which we can view our observations in the classrooms. While I found the Gee reading to be difficult to understand and very tedious, what I am taking from this reading is what acquisition is taking place in classrooms - versus straight learning. I am going to look at my field notes to see if students apply what they learn in ways that will benefit them in their daily lives, or if they are learning in a way where they will "sound" more educated about specific discources as opposed to their application within those discourses.

I found that Gee's theory about literacy being tied to social networks mirrors the other readings about the importance of ethnographic work. These authors stress the importance of determining the individual needs of students as they relate to their day-to-day-lives within their community and society as a whole. As Szwed points out when discussing "functional literacy," it is necessary to know what language and literacy "means to its users and how it is used by them" (422).

Precis - James Paul Gee "Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics"

Gee, James Paul. "Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics." Literacy: A Critical
Sourcebook. Eds. Ellen Cushman, Eugene Kintgen, Barry Kroll, and Mike Rose.
Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 525-544.

In "Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics," Gee discusses aspects of literacy related to performance in social settings. Breaking from a traditional concept of literacy that measures one’s competency with the spoken and written word, Gee posits that literacy is a matter of one’s ability to attain membership within a social discourse. According to Gee, a discourse is a "social network" or association that has specific criteria including particular "ways of using language, of thinking, and of acting" (537). These unwritten guidelines of membership are what separate the members of a particular discourse and those who are "pretenders" in a discourse (529).

We all have a primary discourse we acquired from our personal relationships within our immediate families and peer groups. Gee considers this initial discourse to be the social network in which we feel most comfortable. Within this discourse, we would likely feel free to communicate without monitoring ourselves for content or accuracy of language. This initial discourse is unlike secondary discourses we acquire that have "gates" through which members who follow the rules of the discourse are granted access within our society (531). According to Gee, secondary discourses are necessary if we are to successfully participate in "institutions in the public sphere, beyond the family and immediate kin and peer group" (527). This means that to be a member in social networks such as schools, universities, clubs, work places, churches, athletic organizations and other affiliations, that we must acquire secondary discourses.

As for acquisition, Gee differentiates between "learning" and "acquisition" stating that "true acquisition" is "full fluency" (532). Classroom instruction is a discourse where learning occurs. Students obtain (or learn) conscious knowledge in classrooms. However, without application to discourses that require this knowledge, students will not utilize this knowledge in a way that results in the acquisition of that knowledge. With true acquisition comes the ability to control knowledge. Although acquisition seems the most beneficial, Gee points out that while "acquisition is good for performance," that it is the "learners" whom usually "beat acquirers" when it comes to talking about their knowledge.

According to Gee, if acquisition is the goal for students, then a traditional classroom setting is not going to work. For true acquisition to occur (e.g. a discourse where acquiring a second language is the goal), students must be immersed in a setting or placed in an environment that allows them to apply the knowledge they are learning (543). In clasrooms, while students appear to be "learning" various types of literacy within a classroom setting, according to Gee they are not "acquiring" these literacies in school, but rather when they practice what they are learning in their daily experiences that occur outside the classroom (542-3).

I found it helpful to look at the classroom experience as a stepping stone where knowledge is imparted. Learning strategies that will help students to take this knowledge and apply it in a useful and meaningful way appears to be the key to true acquisition of secondary discourses – or true acquisition – or literacy (as defined by Gee). With this acquisition comes the power to excel in secondary discourses and, therefore, in society. In addition to teaching students basic knowledge, it seems more important that we teach them ways in which to apply this knowledge in meaningful ways. Classrooms must find a way to incorporate "hands on" applications where students can realize their ability to navigate different secondary discourses in society. Once students learn, and then have the opportunity to acquire particular skills and abilities by application, then they should be able to successfully navigate multiple discourses. According to Gee, this access and membership to secondary discourses is the key to successful partipitation in society.

weekly response

The reading from Dos Idiomas showed me how useful ethnography research can be. I really liked how the author compared the two towns. Both of the towns were literate, even though one of the towns didnt have formal education. Once again, this reading reminded me of my parents. I believe that motivation is a huge factor when becoming literate.

Shifting Gears - Autobio #5

When we learn to drive a car, we are given explicit instruction. In school, we receive explicit instruction in a variety of discourses. However, when we are going about our daily lives, we don’t think much before we dive into the discourses of the spoken and written word – or do we?
Asked to put together this autobiographical essay, I started to think more consciously about the choices I make about my verbal and written communication. I noticed how my language shifts depending upon the social environment in which it is used. Examples of when this shift of gears occurs include the commuter community to which I belong, my home environment, college classes, and my place of employment.
During my Metrolink commute, I am exposed to many people with very different backgrounds, education levels, and varying levels of economic status. I find myself adapting my speech to the speech around me. At times this means that I speak with more slang and clip my words. At other times it means I attempt to sound “educated,” using more academic terms than I would in a casual setting. There are even times when the friends I’ve made on the train ask me to help them write something because they don’t feel confident with their own abilities to address a particular issue.
At home, my husband often refers to me as his “anal English student” because he hears me talking back to the television reports. He also jokes with me when he hears me talk to myself, questioning the meaning and origin of words and literature. At the times when I am reminded of my “analytical” speech, I usually shift back to language that tends to be more surface leveled. I believe this is because I am still not comfortable with this new academic language. I still feel as the scholarship boy does, that I am an imitator of the language of academia, not a welcome member of the community.
My employer expects accuracy with language and she often comments on written work where grammatical errors appear. This makes me very sensitive to the quality of my written and spoken word. I find myself double and triple-checking drafts before I present them to her for her approval. Since she knows that English is my major, I feel there is even more pressure to exhibit exceptional written and oral capabilities. While this does place additional stress on me as I perform my daily duties, it also serves to push me to apply the knowledge I am gaining in my classes.
While the pressure to perform at work takes my conscious efforts to exhibit a particular level of written and oral communication, the other shifts occur seamlessly. This “shifting” takes negotiation and I believe it applies to what we are reading about literacy not being just knowing how to read and write per se, but it is the ability to participate in a discourse on a social level, adapting as necessary to meet the unwritten rules of the particular community.

auto week6

I was surprised to how many times I shift my oral and written language when trying to communicate with others. I think that my language shifts have to do with how comfortable I am around people. When I’m around my friends, I use many abbreviation and slang words. I also tend to curse and make a lot of facial expressions. When speaking to the kids that I tutor, I try to monitor everything that is coming out of my mouth. I also noticed that I shift my oral language around different customers. I’m a server at a small Italian restaurant. I noticed that I shift my oral language depending on how the customer talks to me. It a simple “I’m good, thanks” to an “I’m well, thank you”. My oral language also shifts when I’m at home; I speak to my parents in Spanish. When writing essay’s for classes I’m very instinctive about what I write. I always think about the words I’m using, this is why it takes me so long to write my papers. When I write e-mails, and comments on websites I use a lot of abbreviations. When speaking to friends and people that I’m comfortable around, I do it intuitively.

Sponsers of Literacy

Brandt, Deborah. "Sponsors of Literacy." Literacy: A Critical Sourcebook. Cushman, Ellen. et al.
New York: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2001.

"Sponsors of Literacy by Brandt is a summary of an investigation she did "tracing sponsors of literacy across the twentieth century as they appeared in the accounts of ordinary Americans recalling how they learned to write and read" (557). She did about 100 interviews on people who were born between 1900 and 1980. When she uses the word "sponsors," she means people who are "any agents, local or distant, concrete or abstract, who enable, support, teach, model, as well as recruit, regulate, suppress, or withhold literacy- and again gain advantage by it in some way" (556).
In these interviews, people explored their memories of how they learned to read and write, why they learned to read and write, and who was involved in "helping" them (for example, parents, teachers, employers, etc...).
I found this quote in her article to be most interesting to me: "Literacy, like land, is a valued commodity in this economy, a key resource in gaining profit and edge" (558). This is so true. For instance, All we ever hear is "get an education; you'll make more money." And it seems that for some reason educated people are more respected, (whether you think this statement is right or wrong, it can be true) which gives them an "edge." This statement also supports the reason why slave owners strongly opposed their slaves learning to read and write. If they kept them "dumb," they'd always have that "edge."
To sum it up, Brandt says "the ideological pressure of sponsors affects many private aspects of writing processes as well as public aspects of finished texts. Where ones sponsors are multiple or even at odds, they can make writing maddening. Where they are absent, they make writing unlikely" (571).

Alicia's Auto #4

Feb. 10, 2009
This assignment had me stumped for several days. I cannot truly remember a verbal/language event that scared me early on in life. Not that anything bad had never happened to me or was said to me, but nothing that scared me enough to remember.
So I guess the most frightening verbal exchange I can remember having would have to be the day I called by doctor’s office to get test results. “Yes Miss Vargas, your pregnancy test was positive.” I was 20 years young at home from college for winter recess. It was a “fearful” language event because I was a single college student, still living at home part time. My boyfriend of 5 years was the person I planned on marrying and having children with, but not until I was done with college!
Anyways, this shocking news made my stomach drop. I was scared to death to tell our parents, yet strangely excited about being a mom. I had it all worked out. I would move back home from SDSU permanently, have the baby, and then finish school at CSUSB. That was MUCH easier said than done! I DID attend CSUSB, but after a couple of less than stellar years, I quit going to school altogether. It just became too overwhelming and my heart was no longer in it. During that time, my boyfriend and I split up, and I let my schooling suffer.
In summary, I guess to you my story doesn’t sound too much like a scary verbal experience, but it was to me. Those words are words that I’ll never forget hearing, “…your pregnancy test was positive!”

Alicia's Auto #5

I noticed during my observations of my own language negotiations, that I shift discourse gears a lot! Over the past few days, I’ve written casual emails, text messages, facebook responses, essays and journal entries. I‘ve also used “a different language” for work, home, school, phone calls, and talking with my friends. It’s amazing how many “shifts” I went through rather instinctively, as well as intentionally.
For instance, I know when I’m expected to speak and write intelligibly-at work and at school. Not that I speak and write like an idiot everywhere else, but I do tend to use a lot of slang, abbreviations, and curse words when I’m in a comfortable environment and/or I’m writing in a casual manner. It’s actually quite impressive how most people are able to make these kinds of “language shifts” so effortlessly! The only time I have to truly “try” and “watch my mouth” in language switching is around my kids. I tend to have a “potty” mouth, (especially, in the car) so I have to consciously try not to curse around them. I know, it’s sad, but it’s true!

Liz's Autobiographical Essay #5

I was surprised to see the different kinds of shifts I make on a daily basis with my oral and written language. As I paid attention to my habits I noticed the various “shifts” I make in the course of a few days. There are several switches which occur orally based on my surrounds and my writing “shifts” depend on the document to be written.
When I am in a classroom with my friends I address them with different words and script than I do when I contribute to a class discussion. When speaking with my friends I do not stop to consider what I am saying, I just let it fly with regards to the topic. If speaking “to” the class in a discussion I pause to consider what I will say and then when I speak it is a more formal and direct tone than the one I use with my friends. The way I speak at home with my family is even more relaxed because I do not have to be careful of what I say, they accept me for who I am no matter what I say, my speech is much less restrictive at home than with friends or in class.
When I write an e-mail or post on “facebook” my writing may contain abbreviations for words and slang used in everyday language. If I write a grocery list it is in words that sometimes only I am capable of reading and understanding the meaning, it is a code known only to me. This is an unacceptable way of writing when writing an essay for a class. The words written must be universally understood and acceptable style for the professors to understanding the meaning I wish to convey.
So, without be aware I feel all of us make many “shifts” everyday unconsciously adapting to what the situation requires.

Weekly Response to En Los Dios Idiomas Reading

I feel like the work of ethnography is important, yet hard to do. It allows researchers to present the public with an understanding that while literacy is measured in public situations it can also be measured in diverse communities. Patterns of learned literacy can be identified outside of a teacher student process. The studies of the ethnographer show the "how" and "why" an individual acquires literacy. The process of literacy can be observed through the valuable research that cannot be viewed in a traditional learning environment. It gives insight to a variety of ways and reasons literacy is sought after.

Weekly Discussions - Literacy and Ethnography

I have found the discussions and postings interesting. Clearly literacy as a term means different things to different people. A person may become literate through various means - school, home, their community, their job, and life experiences - to name a few options. What is hard is to reconcile then what we require of students in an academic setting. Since literacy doesn't come in one standard shape or size and neither do our students, how is it possible that we teach to one standard? I understand that it is unlikely to teach to an indidivual because of class constraints such as - time, class size, and curriculum guidelines. But, it seems that our students are better served when we know what their literacy goals are and what it is they hope to achieve in school. Ethnographic work appears to be an area where we may find this insight.

Dos Idiomas

Farr, Marcia. “En Los Dos Idiomas: Literacy Practices Among Chicago Mexicanos.” Literacy: A Critical Sourcebook. Cushman, Ellen. et al. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 467-487
Farr opens her article by introducing her ethnography research about the communication among Mexican immigrants. She states that her “long-term participant-observation is deemed necessary for a valid understanding of cultural and linguistic patterns” (Farr P 467). The observation included five years in Chicago and six weeks in Mexico. The study consisted of forty five Mexican immigrants with zero to eight grade of formal educational schooling. Farr introduces the term compadrazgo which “refers to the Mexican system of godparentlike relationships that function as a reciprocal exchange network to facilitate economic survival and provide emotional and social support (Farr P 468). These social networks are very important to U.S. immigrant groups because they provide support within their group. There were two ranchos that were completely opposite of each other that were observed. Both of these ranchos adapted literacy whether through schooling or lirico (on their own outside of formal schooling). Farr states that “the differences between the two ranchos account for the fact of informal education in literacy in the one case and school learned literacy in the other” (Farr P 470). The rancho near the town, Michoacan, acquired school learned literacy. The rancho that was located in the middle of nowhere, Guanajuato, acquired informal education in literacy. The people from Guanajuato learned through lirico.
Moreover, motivation is a factor that plays into learning how to read and write. The men were motivated to learn to write because they wanted to communicate with their family members. They also were motivated to learn because they were willing to “share their knowledge of this cultural tool.” Because of these close bonds it is crucial for this group of people to communicate and keep an emphasis on literacy.
The importance of this observation is to point out that literacy can be learned in a formal and informal school setting. Literacy plays a key role in many different cultures. The main factor for learning how to read and write is for communication. Close ties between different groups of people motivate them to read to write in order to keep their close bonds. In addition, I feel like I can relate to this work because of my cultural background. Both of my parents emigrated from Mexico when they were young. My father lived in an isolated ranch, which is why he did not attend any type of schooling. He also could not attend school because he had to start working when he was about five. My mother grew up near a town, which is why she attended school for about three years. Both of my parents learned how to read and write in order to keep their close relationships with their family members in Mexico.

weekly response

the reading from Moss really helped me understand how an ethnography works. During summer i took a course where we only did one huge ethnography project. i felt lost through the whole thing. The reading helped me come up with questions for my field experience project.

I also agree with susan about the observations. Its hard to tell if what we are observing is the real thing. Even if we are sitting in the back of the class we are still a distraction.

auto4

When I think back to a verbal or language event that scared me I can only think of the time when I stepped into my fourth grade classroom. Through out half of my elementary years I always had bilingual teachers. But in forth grade my teacher was white and only spoke English. I don’t have anything against any ethnicities, I was just scared. I was used to speaking Spanish and English to my teachers. If I ever got stuck I would just communicate in Spanish. But everything changed in fourth grade. I remember sitting in my desk the first day of class wondering what I was going to do if I didn’t know certain words in English. What if she didn’t understand me? What if she was mean because I didn’t know certain words?
That first day of school Mrs. V stood in front of the class and told us her goals and what she expected from us. To be honest, some of the words that were coming out of her mouth I had never heard before. She made sure to make us feel really comfortable and tried her best to be patient. Now that I look back I feel like I learned a lot in her classroom. She made a huge difference in my life. After her I started to feel a lot more comfortable around people that didn’t speak Spanish.

Precis: Heath, "Protean Shapes in Literacy Events"

Heath, Shirley Brice. “Protean Shapes in Literacy Events: Ever-Shifting
Oral and Literate Traditions.” Literacy: A Critical Sourcebook.
Cushman, Ellen. et al. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 443-466.

In this piece, Shirley Brice Heath discusses what she learned about literacy as an ethnographer. She begins with the skills measured in the school systems and how it appears that students are failing to achieve specific levels of literacy. Furthermore, she notes the lack of attention for literacy retention as well as the actual use of literacy in the daily lives of individuals. The use of literacy in social situations is overlooked because there is little data that exist which compares the types and functions of oral language against the written language used in today’s society.
Heath, in her observation of the community of Trackton, discovered that there was very little writing available for the individual. However, the community’s social activities frequently pertained to a piece of writing and it was unacceptable for an individual to read alone and not explain the reading orally. The manner in which a reading is presented does not follow specific rules and changes based on the situation. The people of Trackton do not distinguish between the oral and literate mode. Instead they show their understanding of written materials only through oral means. Written messages are used as a means for oral discussions. They do not have to “read” to be literate and understand what the media presents on a daily basis and because of what the community is presented with the roles of oral and written language are ever-changing.
I feel that Heath is right in her view that the people can be literate without reading written material. It appears that there are no flaws in the logic of her piece. By reading this piece I gained an understanding that people can understand what is written without actually reading it and responding appropriately orally. When you stop to think about this everyone does this in their everyday life. I found the piece to be very informative and it caused me to pause and think about what “literacy” really means.

Liz's Autobiographical Essay #4

The first time I can remember being scared by language was when I was four years old. The place the event happened was at my church. I had an incurable kidney disease when I was younger and was getting sicker all the time. I remember the shots, drawing of blood and endless trials of medication that never worked. I had even begun to turn yellow and bloated. It is really strange how this prompt brings it all back to me.
I can vividly recall my dad carrying me down to the front of the church with my mother close behind. The elders of the church came and laid hands on my head and begin to pray out loud for me to be healed. The Pastor, Brother Plunkett, was the loudest screaming and bouncing as he asked God to remove the disease which had invaded my body. The loudness and urgency in these men’s voice scared me so much that I didn’t want my dad to take me down to the alter again for prayer, he honored this request. I can remember every time prayer request were taken my heart beating faster because I was so afraid they would call attention to me and start shouting out their prayers and calling my name out. The words which should have brought comfort instead brought fear to me because of the manner they were spoken
The impact it had on me has made me never want to go forward in a church service, even if it is a group request and everyone else goes forward, I always hang back or go outside. I can feel my heart beating faster the more uncomfortable I become at the thought of being “called out” and prayed for. If I happen upon a preacher on television and he is screaming at the top of his lungs I quickly change the channel. I appreciate being preached to in a more gentle tone. Obviously, the prayers were answered and I was healed so maybe I shouldn’t be upset, but I feel God knows our hearts and a quite verbal prayer can be answered just as often as a loud verbal prayer.

Response to Precis of Moss by Susan

I agree with Susan that it is completely impossible to avoid disruption in the community that you observe. The minute you sit down in a classroom, even without speaking, you become a difference in the natural flow of the classroom. I feel this holds true when observing the teacher. The teacher without realizing it will teach the classroom differently which the observer can NEVER note a difference because the observer would be present which again is not the normal classroom experience.
I realized from reading Susan's post that it is especially important to not interpret as you take your field notes but to keep separate what is being observed and the question "why" it is occurring.

Finding My Voice - Autobiography 4

Until the year 1998, I was a fairly docile and submissive person – what you might consider a doormat. Flying under the radar was an easier path for me than taking any course that might have lead to confrontation and conflict. However, my life changed drastically when issues surfaced with my youngest child.

The son I love deeply, my baby boy, at age eleven was what teachers (and others) would classify as a "nightmare student." He was disruptive, argumentative, easily distracted, unpredictable, and unmotivated. What nobody knew at the time was that this nightmare student, this blonde hair, blue-eyed, handsome boy who was such a pain in the ass in so many ways was suffering emotional pain from an undiagnosed mental illness and an unidentified learning disability.
The words, "I want to be in heaven" are words a mother does not expect to hear from their child unless they are contemplating life after death. It is these six words, spoken to me by my son as he was contemplating taking his life, which propelled me to change my comfortable existence to one where I challenged the status quo. My son needed someone to go to bat for him with the school system. His academic setting was not appropriate for him or for the other students in the classroom. Asking nicely for support services proved futile. Attending meetings teachers, principals, school psychologists, and resources specialists resulted in minimal changes. These meetings left me feeling inadequate as a parent and inferior to the intellectuals with whom I’d just met. I often left the meetings in tears.

Frustrated by the red tape and lack of any real action on the part of the school district, I became proactive. I educated myself about special education laws, my son’s diagnoses, available academic placements for students with special needs similar to those of my son, and joined a support group for parents facing similar challenges. Armed with new knowledge and a good dose of anger, I requested another meeting with the school professionals.

I remember the details of this meeting like it occurred yesterday. I sat myself at the head of the table in the chair normally occupied by the principal or the school psychologist. Instead of waiting for someone to start the meeting, I announced that I would start the meeting. I began by letting those in attendance know that while I appreciated their input and their many years of experience, that I was really the ultimate authority when it came to the needs of my son. In a compelling and eloquent manner, I announced that I would have the final say regarding my son’s educational placement. I then proceeded to detail exactly what accommodations and services I expected the school district to provide. I produced documentation to support my position and to let them know that I had done "my homework." I ended the meeting by letting the principal, school psychologist, teacher, and administrator know that I would settle for nothing less than a new placement for my son; an academic environment that would support him emotionally and academically. I also informed them that I knew the next steps to take should my request be denied; and that I planned to do whatever was necessary to ensure the academic success of my son – even if that meant taking them to court.

I’d like to say that change occurred immediately, but it didn’t. It took another school year to win this battle with the District. During this year I had many opportunities to use speech in a powerful way. I became active in special education advocacy. I took an active role in helping other parents navigate the difficult system of special education. Ironically, the very administrators who fought so hard to reject my requests for accommodations actually welcomed my participation on their Special Education Advisory Board. My voice was no longer viewed as an annoyance, but rather as a respected and valued voice that could provide insight into the difficulties that face parents of children with special needs.

It is this verbal language event, the meeting where I found my voice, which I remember as a turning point in my life. My days as a doormat were over.

Response to Susan's post

When I read what Susan said about the teacher she observed, I was appalled! "Good"teacher or not, the impression she left on her students when discussing college was different for each of her student's, depending on what "type" of student they may be. For instance, if a child was receiving "poor" grades, they probably left her class discussion feeling "unworthy;" unworthy of a college education. What does this do to a child's esteem? It kills it!!! How dare the people who are supposed to be encouraging, treat their students SO differently and degrading! I know there are plenty of students out there that JUST NEED SOMEONE TO CARE!! Many times, a teacher can be that person. So telling certain students they are not college bound, or that they are only good enough for Community college, (which is NOT bad) is inexcusable to me. Sorry to rant... I just really took this personally because these are the EXACT students I hope to teach/encourage someday!

Auto. #3

I had a great English teacher my senior year in high school. She was always thinking of creative ways for us to learn. Her unique teaching style got all of the students very interested and enthused in the classroom. The whole semester was a positive experience for me.
One particular assignment is still memorable to me today. She was teaching us ways to write descriptively, by having us draw a picture of a "monster." It could be as simple or as complex as we wanted, but it had to be in "color." After drawing our pictures, we were to describe it in great detail (by writing a paragraph). The idea was then to read another person's description and try to pick out their monster based on what we read. The more detailed the writing, the easier it was to find the picture that went with it.
I felt this was a fun way to teach descriptive writing to us. Some of us were hardly artists, but it didn't matter. We all had a blast doing the assignment and someday I hope to do the same thing in my class!

Precis # 4

Wiley, Mark, Barbara Gleason, & Louise Wetherbee Phelps, eds. "Composition In Four Keys: Inquiring into the Field." Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1996

Moss, Beverly J. "Ethnography and Composition: Studying Language at Home."

In this piece by Moss, we learn about ethnography in general, as well as the issues surrounding the studying of one's own community. "Ethnography is the qualitative research method that allows the researcher to gain a comprehensive view of the social interactions, behaviors, and beliefs of a community or social group" (389). The goal is to study basic daily routines, interfering as little as possible, even though the researcher may interact with the participants of the study. Moss explains that there are three modes of ethnography: comprehensive-oriented, topic-oriented, and hypothesis-oriented ethnography (389). Comprehensive-oriented is rarely done due to the fact that it is too hard to follow and describe everything about a community. Topic-oriented ethnography deals with more precise "topics" in regards to the community being studied, which leads to hypothesis-oriented ethnography. This last "mode" can only be done when "[o]ne has a great deal of general ethnographic knowledge about a community" (389).
Moss decides to study a community she's familiar with (or, "part" of) and that was three African American churches in Chicago (one of which she was a member of). Her goal was to "make the familiar strange." "[i]f we don't want to be denied by our own communities, then we must be aware of and be prepared to deal with the baggage that membership brings" (396).
Basically, in order to get a true understanding of a community you're observing, you MUST be willing, "whether insider or outsider, to guard against blindness, to drive instead toward increased insight into the ways in which language communities work" (396).
This really brought me back to the time that I did my classroom observations for another class. I did my observations in a school I was very familiar with, (I have worked there before, and my son goes to school there) and in a community I had grown up in. I twas very hard to make the familiar "strange," and not to leave out details that I felt were common and unimportant. It was a very interesting as well as insightful reading, and I admired Moss' honesty of her situation.

auto #4

A time when schooled literacy activities did not seem like a friend to me was when i was in tenth grade. I had taken pre-honor classes in ninth grade but i was not ready for honor classes. I ended up dropping honor and switching to advanced placement classes because of the english class i had in tenth grade. All we did in the honor english class was read a book, take quiz's, and write a long paper after we were done with the book. I was not ready for this type of course. I feared being in classes with the "smart kids". I hated reading outloud because i knew that everyone could notice my accent. Our teacher was a bit rude. He was old and had a grinch look. He didn't really care what students had to say. I think i probably failed all of his quiz's. I managed to get a "c" in the class. It really bothered me because before this class i was a straight "a" student. I think we ended up writing about fifteen papers the whole semester. It was my first time actually writing "essay's". Most of the papers that i wrote i had no idea what i was talking about. For some reason i found the assigned readings very challenging.
This event has a great significance in my life because it was something that i decided to give up at the moment. This class made me fear reading and writing essays. I decided to give up on English. This is what lead me to having an english major. I decided to do the english major as a way to face my fear.

Response post-angelica

since i was a bit confused on how to post the responses last week im going to do both on this post.


well so far im finding the class really interesting. The reading and discussion that we had last week on the Douglass reading really made me think about a few things. The reading made me think about my parents. Actually most of the topics that are brought up in class make me think about my parents. I agree that the motivation is something that is lacking with the kids in schools. It feels like the more access we have the less motivated we are. My parents were never able to receive any type of education. This is why education is so important in my family. My father always mentions that we are really lucky for having an opportunity to go to school. So whenever i start feeling like i want to give up i think about my parents. This brings me to the article that we read last week. The "literary myth" is something that my parents strongly believe in. My father believes that with education we get succees in life. But sometimes this isnt true. Once someone has achieved education there are other obstacles that may keep us from succees.

The autobiographies that my blog members are writing are really interesting. They offer me different perspective towards education through their experiences.
After reading your auto-response for this week susan i must say that i look up to you! : )

Autobiographical Essay 3

High school curriculum thirty years ago was vastly different than the curriculum being taught in the high schools of our 21st Century. Perhaps we can attribute this disparity to the flexible meaning of literacy that is dependent in large part on a society’s understanding of literacy. As we learned in the Graff text, literacy means different things to different groups of people. For one culture, literacy may correlate to competency in daily life skills; for another it may be tied to the skill level necessary for specific employment; while still for others it may be linked exclusively to academic performance.

Looking back at my high school days on the East coast I see that literacy for my community was driven in large part by the goal of self sufficiency. While I had what I refer to as the “normal” academic classes (Science, Math, and English), my high school also offered Gregg Shorthand, Typing, Accounting, Home Economics, and Word Processing as part of the curriculum. One period I was dissecting an animal, while the next period I might be learning how to cook, sew, or type.

Since college was never a discussion at my home, I knew that my priorities in high school were: a) to maintain good grades so I didn’t get in trouble at home; and b) to learn skills that would enable me to secure a husband and/or a job. It was clear that I wouldn’t be living at home for my last two years of high school, and I knew that my emancipation was contingent in large part on my ability to support myself financially. It was the curriculum at my high school thirty years ago that allowed me to become independent at sixteen years of age. I would define my understanding of literacy at this stage in my life as the successful learning of skills necessary to function independently in society.

I remember my feeling of great achievement when I took first place in the state’s typing competition. Thanks to Miss Tucker, my typing teacher, I was typing on a manual typewriter at the rate of seventy words per minute as a freshman. I could also take dictation, balance accounts and prepare tax returns. I had found my niche in life through these literacy activities. More importantly, through these activities and training I gained independence. With just the skills I learned in high school, I was able to secure secretarial jobs and positions within the banking industry. Winning an essay contest in Social Studies was rewarding but it didn’t open doors for me. Training in the Army provided me with structure and discipline, but it didn’t open doors for me. But with typing, shorthand, and good business sense, I excelled in the “real” world.

Today, my hourly rate is higher than most of the middle managers with college degrees at my place of employment. It is ironic that I am struggling financially so I am able to attend college with the goal of earning a degree that will not increase my income but will in actuality reduce it by nearly forty percent. This should dispel my belief in the “literacy myth,” but it does not. This leads me to believe that no matter how much we learn or how much we achieve, we will still strive to achieve the ever-moving target of “literacy.”

Response Post from Susan

I found last week's reading to be eye-opening. I believed in the "literacy myth." It wasn't that my parents promoted it, but it was an ideal I embraced. Although I was able to secure a job right out of high school and have since worked my way up in a corporation, I always thought (and still do) that individuals with a college degree had an advantage. Even though I make quite a bit more than people I know with college degrees, I actually still tend to rank myself below those I consider to be my educational superiors.

This "literacy myth" is powerful and it is still alive today. I conducted my observation in the classroom last Friday. I followed the same teacher in the same classroom but with five different groups of students. It was refreshing that this teacher took time out of her lesson plan to discuss college with her 7th grade students. But there was a definite difference as to the potential of each group. Community college ranked low, the University a big higher, and then Ivy League on top. And there was discussion as to the potential of each group of students based upon their percentage in the classroom. This teacher is a great teacher - don't get me wrong. She is inspirational and motivational. But when I heard the emphasis or lack thereof (based upon the group of students) it struck me as to what Dr. Boland has been mentioning about the stories we tell and the scripts we circulate based upon perceptions of literacy. It seems to me that some students walked out of class on a cloud while others continued to walk with a cloud over them. I think it illustrates just how much power teachers have and how careful we need to be with the messages we communicate.

Precis of Moss Article by Susan

Moss, Beverly. "Ethnography and Composition: Studying Language at Home."
Composition In Four Keys: Inquiring into the Field. Wiley, Mark, Gleason, Barbara, and Phelps, Louise Weatherbee, Eds. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1996. (388-397).

In her text, "Ethnography and Composition: Studying Language at Home," Beverly Moss explores the methodologies, goals, and difficulties of ethnography. By defining ehtnography, the three methods of ethnographic work, and the procedures to follow when conducting this type of work, Moss introduces the work and standards that lead to successful cultural narratives. The issues of access to, and acceptance from the community an ethnographer wishes to study are key to successful ethnographic studies. Moss weighs the challenges and benefits of conducting ethnographic work in a community in which the ethnographer has membership. Through the examples Moss provides, the reader gains insight into the field of ethnography, its inherent ethical implications, and the important role it plays in the area of cultural and literary studies.

This article is valuable for the novice ethnographer. Of particular importance is the understanding that successful ethnographers must be able to discern whether the information that appears in their narrative (based on their field work) is from their direct observations, or if it is based on their own interpretations. While the ethnographer typically has a focus in mind before they venture out into the community, I found it helpful to understand that this initial focus or perspective is ultimately shaped by the data that is collected.

Another point I took from this article is the importance of avoiding disruption to the community in order to gain an accurate perspective of the community. However, I see this as one possible flaw to Moss’s article. On the one hand Moss tells us that we should "interfere as little as possible with the daily routines in the community" (390). But in the same paragraph she quotes Holy who posits that it is the active partipation of a researcher that allows said researcher to experience a community; and that observation alone should not serve as the only method of collecting data (390).

As a student observer conducting fieldwork in the communities of school classrooms, we observe and interact with students and teachers. Our mere presence in the classroom is a disruption. If we choose to observe different classrooms for our 4-5 hours of observation, we are disrupting the students and teachers in 5 different classes. Since our appearance in the classroom is disruptive, how much more disruptive is our interaction with students?

To adequately reflect the culture of a community in relation to issues of literacy, we must be able to spend an adequate amount of time studying the community. Unless an ethnographer spends a significant amount of time emersed in a community, it is not possible to achieve the ultimate goal of ethnographers. Putting into words an honest and accurate description of a community so that someone who doesn’t belong to the community would be able to understand it in the same terms as a native would, means that the ethnographer must become a part of the community. I am going to take this insight with me as I compose my paper that will be based upon my time-limited observation of the community I chose for my literacy study for this class. I will also employ the method of triangulation that Moss refers to in her article. With demographic information, school report cards, and follow-up interviews with the teacher, I hope to provide an accurate and sensitive interpretation of the data I collect as it applies to literacy in the community of Ms. G’s 7th grade Language Arts class.

Response to "Our View of Literacy " Precis

After our class discussing I gained a deeper insight to the view of Literacy. Everyone seems to think of it as a positive when in fact it can be just the opposite. In the article "The Nineteenth Century Origins of Our Times" validates this view. The North was far more literate than the South and many slaves felt with literacy things would change for the better in their lives, this was not the case. They were still slaves, just slaves that could read, the condition of their lives did not change. The awareness of their situation only made them more miserable than they were before.
In today's society being educated is seen as a way to advance but again it is not always the case. Students today, including myself, have been told to wait on their Master's degree because they will not be hired if put up against a candidate with a Bachelor's degree. Sure this is mainly due to finances in the school districts and the state's budget but what kind of a message are we sending to the youth of America? Work hard but not too hard or you will be looked over for the job. Being literate is becoming a burden to bear that could possible mean financial hardships for the educated in society because they are deemed to be over qualified for the job.

Autobiographica Essay #3

Autobiographical Essay #3
Thinking back I can remember clearly when a schooled literacy activity did not seem like a friend to me. I was in the ninth grade and my English teacher, Mrs. Duvall, was the meanest, uncaring, most horrible teacher I ever had. She had a way of making a person feel stupid and she was unapproachable in regards to questions about the grades she gave on assignments.
The experience I had with her was a sense of dread every day I entered the classroom, she wasn’t violent but she might as well have been. I’d get knots in my stomach because I was so afraid of her. Back then we had to use typewriters and mine at home was the old fashioned kind, no correcting tape so it was either re-type or use liquid paper. I remember being so very careful as I typed my essay and I had done tons of research. I’d never had a C in English until this class. It’s all she ever gave me. So, you can imagine how I felt when I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into this paper and again another C. I felt like a failure and I wanted to cry. The marks on the paper did not validate the grade I received. After that I stopped trying so hard and all the papers were the same one after another C. It was the first time I received a C in one of my classes.
The experience left me feeling unsure of myself and my intelligence. The repercussions for me were that my writing would never be good enough, no matter how hard I tried, so why bother? Later that year a friend of mine who was highly intelligent with a photographic memory got tired of receiving a grade of C when he knew he had done A work and he stood up in class and let her have it, he actually made her cry, but she didn’t change the grade and my friend was disciplined.
I realize that one teacher had an impact on me and made me feel as if my thoughts were worthless and merely average. I am still very unsure of my writing ability and struggle with confidence in my college work, I feel as if it is never “good enough” even though I have been successful in my classes. But the treatment I received has made me realize that I will NEVER be that kind of a teacher and ALWAYS find something positive to say about each paper my students write.