lateral research

I chose the book "Managing International Students." It describes the processes of recruiting students and up till their graduation part. This is more of a factual base on them. It has no emotion in it whatsoever.

A choice choosing of words from English Educators

Kathaleen White (Katie) February 26, 2009
English 102-0048 (PoWeR) Glossary of English Educators
Inst: Melissa Keith

1. Linguistics: Linguistics is NOT the ability to speak several languages. Rather it is the study of languages. How they are put together, dialects, hierarchical structure of words and their uses. You can speak 14 languages and still not be a linguist. However, if you can break down language and explain it scientifically—you are a linguist.
2. Technical Writer: Do not write computer lingo. They are geared toward helping employers explain, describe, and enhance their products. They are the writers that work on those directions that came with the new digital converter box you bought last week. They write new employee hand books, dockets deciphering job duties, and vast other options.
3. Pedagogy: Is the art of sharing knowledge through instructional training.
4. Person: This is the “voice” a writer uses when writing. When a writer uses, “I” statements they are said to be writing in “First Person.”
5. Voice: Writers do not have a film crew to paint the back drop for the script. Everything has to flow from the ink to the eye sockets. The “voice” is the personality a writer gives to characters.
6. Revise: Reworking a piece of writing beyond editing for grammatical or technical errors. It is delving deeply into a written work and pulling out the gems to make it shine.
7. DWA: This is a test the State of Idaho uses to assess where students are as writers. It is administered in specific years throughout the K-12 education. The scores are used much like the ISAT’s or SAT’s.
8. Critical: Generally this term is used when a writer reads another author’s work and comments upon it. It is not a negative word in this profession. It indicates that time, thought, and care went into the analysis of the work.
9. Dimension: When a written work has “dimension” it is full of rich adjectives and engages the reader beautifully.
10. Composition: Any form of writing; essay, poem, story...

English Artifact

I'm sorry that I'm absent! I caught a nasty virus from my little girl. I know that this won't quite look right in Blogger--I hope that its okay! KT


Kathaleen White (Katie) February 20, 2009
English 102-0048 (PoWeR) Artifact of English Educators
Inst: Melissa Keith

The clinging, sneezy, dust of chalk hangs heavily in the air of my high school English classes. Chalk, dry erase markers, and what not are artifacts of the profession. They are in no way unique to English departments. The past few weeks have opened my eyes to many twists and turns down teaching English.
Every university requires that its English staff is published. What shocked me was the pressure on our instructors. Some universities/colleges require less publication and burden the professors with more classes. In short, the amount of writing is directly proportioned to the amount of time in a classroom. Boise State has a policy that appears quite algebraic; "teaching: 6 + x; scholarship: 2 +...” (Chronicle of Higher Education) Broken down it means that every tenured professor teaches 6 classes per week. Then they are required to be published X (what is required for the year).
There are benefits and draw backs to policies such as these for everyone involved. Students are able to read their instructors’ writing. It can be helpful for students to understand the basic, “how and why,” of writing. These are phenomenal models for students. It also helps professors keep in touch with their art. Since professors are still honing their craft; they don’t lose touch with what they are asking of their students. The drawback is that many students don’t know that their teacher is published or how to find a copy. It seems a terrible waste of resources to me. It’s also important to weigh the burden of publication. Very few writings are deemed worthy of a publisher’s stamp. Literally thousands of aspiring writers send manuscripts, essays, poems into editors. A handful will actually be read thoroughly. Out of that handful, two will eventually land on book stands. That is a heavy burden, it’s not any wonder that some instructors are so critical of students’ writing. Perhaps its jealousy. More likely, they understand what it will take their students to be published. They are attempting to push them into submission ready work. They are doing their job without students’ understanding the why.
The artifact that is of utmost importance then—the faculty’s published works. Digging through the English Department’s site you will be able to find a few of the publications that are put out. It is fascinating the breadth and scope the department reaches. They don’t just publish stuffy, technical texts. They are poets, playwrights, critics, and so much more!
In 1971, the Boise State faculty began publishing; “The Western Writer’s Series.” They are booklets that high light a particular artist of the previously mentioned genre. They give readers insight to the life and skill of the writer. (June, A) They are written for every day readers and scholars alike. They provide knowledge and insight to an author that you may not have had before. The majority of them also have a critical essay by the professor writing the booklet.
There are many venues that the English department has written for and in. This is one of the many samples of their talent. It is true that English educators teach English. What is even more significant is that they are lifelong learners and strive for excellence throughout their careers.

Works Cited

Boise State University. The Western Writers Series. About Us Tab.
<http://westernwriters.boisestate.edu/>

June, Audrey Williams. “Teaching, Research, and Service by the Numbers at Boise State.” The Chronicle of Higher Education. 2009
<http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i45/45b02401.htm>

Mini Unit 2 Exploring English Eductors

Exploration One:

I had not realized how many variations there were to English Education. There are five emphases that the English Department at BSU focuses on. I understand that they are just a way to break it into bite sized chunks really. They each have their own twists and turns, but they still meet in the middle. It’s like taking a road trip on a tour bus. Each of the passengers traveled the same road but gained different insight. It matters where they sat, which window they looked out of, pamphlets read—every aspect changes the experience.
I am becoming more and more curious as to the “Why teach?” I had uncovered early on that many students become English educators because they bombed Pre-med and Pre-law. I want to know why they continue along the journey. Is it the easiest discipline to jump to? Are there no checks and balances to ensure that BSU puts out the best of the best?
I’ve also been following the English Educator’s Blog site. It seems that many teachers despise correcting essays. That leads me to wonder; why assign them? Why not give out exercises that they want to read or give specifics so that they don’t have to read the same crap over and over again? Are there regulations that say that every student must write x number of essays, x number of reports, and x number of fiction pieces? Are these assignments strictly guided by the districts or could the instructors be more creative?
I’ve also noticed that out of all the disciplines at the University—English varies the most. Not only on a personal level but on an academic level. There are the strict, uptight, legalitarians. They wear neutral colored suits and ties, carry their name brand (a bit battered so as not to appear too well off) attaché cases, and have rigid syllabus for their students. Then you have the gypsies of the department—they are flamboyant and tend to recall that the students pay their wages. They are the ones that thrive on the written works and thoughts of the world around them. They are the ones that laugh and not get tenured.
I am still avidly seeking answers to what qualities an engaging teacher has. I don’t think that just studying the teachers will answer it though. I think that it lies more in watching the students of these teachers. Honestly, for every question I find an answer—three more questions rise up to the surface. Argh. Not enough time, not enough time.

Exploration 1-observations
I had the opportunity to observe ROTC in their Thursday lab class for two hours. I went with my roommate to the office early so they could pack up for the trip to table rock. The first thing I noticed were all the curious eyes on me. I could tell they were all wondering who I was and what I was doing there. I was completely intimidated by being in the presence of all these military men and women, however everybody was welcoming and friendly. The lab class I observed is like a role play of scenarios that might occur in war such as ambushes, shootings and it teaches them to practice all the tactics they have learned. I honestly did not think that this was going to be very interesting at first because I wasn’t quite sure beforehand what was going to be going on that day. I was really shocked when I enjoyed the entire time I spent with the group. I loved the energy and excitement that surrounded the atmosphere and how fast-paced it was. They are divided into three different groups and each group is watched by an evaluator. They were kind enough to allow me to follow an evaluator and get really close-up observations for my fieldnotes. The evaluator I followed was very good at giving me information and answering any questions I had. This was a great experience for me to get to know some people in the community and I made some friends in the process. I also find it interesting the type of social relationship people have with one another. I had some expectations that they might not be very interactive with each other but it was the exact opposite. They have a well balanced community from what I have seen with a mix of seriousness and respect to higher authority to jokes and sarcasm as well. I have found myself even more intrigued by the things I know now about ROTC.

exploration 1

Due to complications I was unable to attend actual classes for international students. The professors of Engl 121 and 123 refused to respond to my emails. Hence I was forced to do random observations.
What was ironic about my first observation was that I completely spaced in senate that Eliot was an international student. The entire time I was there, and hour, I didn’t take one note on him until the very end. Then I only took notes for 38 minutes. What I discovered of him was that he is very accepting of friendly amendments to bills he proposes. Senator Bingham made multiple grammatical changes and he agreed to change them.
Eliot is also a very kind individual, as according to my notes. When an acquaintance of his entered the room he immediately smiled at her. A little later he exited the senate forum to speak to her, which was against the rules.
A little later he showed extensive curiosity. All of his companions sitting behind me had left because the topic on everyone’s lips at senate was not their own. He motioned at me and another to inform him where everyone had gone.
It is very curious how Eliot acts at the Thursday meeting. He nods his head continuously throughout the meeting, attempting to show interest. Or rather he’s attempting to understand what is going on. It’s difficult for international students to enter this country, learn the language fully, and then resort to senate. Senate itself has its own vocabulary.
It was most rude that Joel Henretty, Pro Tempore, told him, like a child, to put his bookbag under the table. The senators have a habit of treating him as a subordinate or child.
Eliot tries to conform to senate as much as possible. When its his turn in roll call to say “here” he attempts to say “here” in as perfect an accent as possible.
Then he finally speaks after Brett Berning goes up and says that international students have no right to vote. Henretty claims its because they don’t pay student fees. Eliot speaks beside the point and mentions that its “very difficult for us to make friends.”
Later he speaks again during open business. He told them he had an announcement. They told him to wait until announcements to speak. He nods his head like a petulant child. Again they treat him like a child.
Throughout his announcements I have severe difficulty understanding what he is saying. Early this year I was learning Korean from him. He told me not to worry about my accent as Americans didn’t care about his accent. He is wrong. I saw everyone’s looks at him. They were annoyed at his accent.
The next person I observed was Abdus. Unfortunately I forgot to take observation notes during the book club meeting. I was forced to recall what he said and how he said it.
What I noticed was that he answered questions in a perfect English fashion. The words that poured out his mouth were proper and accurate to richer people. Though he speaks he does make many errors in words.
Before the meeting even begins his phone rang. He told us he might have to speak in Arabic. It might be a friend. We said it was all right. I was actually very interested in hearing him speak it. But when he picked up the phone and found out he had to speak Arabic he left the room. He must have thought it impolite to speak a foreign language in front of us.
When asked a question he has a nasty habit of not answering the question. He always answers another question or goes completely off topic. To make matters worse I don’t understand half of what he says.


Following are new questions I got from observations:
Eliot:
1.In the country you’re from, how would people react if you corrected a mistake they made?
2.How kind were people to others in your country?
3.Is it difficult for you to understand your fellow senators in senate? How so?
4.How do you find the other senators are treating you?
5.How difficult was it for you to make friends when you first came to America?
6.Do you find yourself conforming well to American society?How about the senate?
7.How do people react to your accent?

Abdus:
Similar questions+
1.Did you first learn English from Americans or the British? How did you feel their teaching was?
2.How do you feel about speaking Arabic in front of Americans?

It’s very interesting how people react to their accents. In senate eliot was given stares of confusion and frustration. To Abdus some of us were hesitant to respond, for fear we didn’t understand what he said correctly.
I need to learn more about how international students act with each other. I already know how they act with natives. They try to conform and assimilate. Sometimes its very difficult for them, especially when they first come here.
It’s very surprising how some people are rude to international students. The senate treats Eliot likes he’s low grade dog food. One time after a senate meeting he told me he had been ill treated and given glares for disagreeing with them during the senate meeting.

Pleasant's artifact

What immediately caught my eye on page 137 of Pleasant's ethography was the use of the words animal bones. An artifact is defined as something that belongs to a culture. It will probably be so used by the community that they forget they exist. In this punk literacy culture animal bones are used as a symbol of this band.

A significant artifact that could've been used from Pleasant's writing is a flyer, as mentioned on page 137. These are unique to the underground punk scene and I remember them well from when I was playing in bands at seedy little clubs in Boise and Sacramento. This little flyer really speaks volumes about the community of people that would attend such an event. Not too specifically, mind you but in a sort of code. One million dead cops does not mean that they want to kill cops but that it is not taboo intheir circle to mention such a thing. It's also about shock value, a way to maybe keep outsiders out. The thing that I liked about this article is that it reminded me of the uprising amongst my group of friends when Nirvana broke. It changed the way we thought about everything. Some people gravitated towards punk, others industrial or gangsta rap but it really told all of us coherent at that time that anything is possible and it doesn't matter who you are.

I think a good artifact for pleasant to use would have been a leather jacket with spikes on it because when I think of "punk" kids a leather jacket with spikes on it would definitely be an accessory I would think of them to be wearing. He talked about some of the guys wearing them on the first page 137.

Punky Artifacts

Knox Gelatin (pg 144, paragraph 1) would be my artifact. I think that its very significant to the community because it was part of how we were "heard". Uh-oh, just dated myself! The knox is significant because it shows where this group originated. They got the gelatin out of their mom's cabinets, used a little chemistry 101, and became some one know one recognized. I think that its a great way to see where they were coming from.

Tracy Kidder's writing seemed to lean towards the left. The essay was engaging and really made me feel like I came to know a part of North Hampton. It actually provoked some curiosity in me. However, as the pages turned, there were many more words dedicated to the gay accepting community and although there was no discussion of right and wrong, the absence of perspective provided to the more right wing, traditional values folks, made the reader lean towards those that were hurt by the way in which the ordinance was voted. I think that I could very easily fall prey, as a writer, to the same types of critical errors when trying to provide a full perspective to my readers. The reader will only know what they are told and I am learning that one way to eliminate bias is to thoroughly research your subject and then provide elements of all the different standpoints. Omit nothing just because it goes against what I believe and let the reader make up his/her own mind.

The insiders I already know for my topic are my roomate and another friend that lives on my dorm floor. They are both in ROTC

Being led by Kidder

A Moral Place is written by Tracy Kidder. I'm unsure of the author's gender so I will refer to Kidder as "him".

The piece is colored significantly by Kidder's disposition. On page 101, "In spite of the nightly masquerades and all the luxuries for sale. Northampton was a moral place." The hint of sarcasm sets the reader up for the rest of the reading. Kidder does do a good job entwining history, quotes, and town lore. He does a great job of describing the appearance of the town. The use of the story of the salesman finding the Colonel in a leather apron with an anvil and Major Hawley in an old ratty chair is picturesque. He colors the town further with Timothy Dwight's observation that the "rich hadn't settled into exclusive neighborhoods." The town is painted as one that is bordering middle/high class, parading as an average town. Appearances and uniformity are vivid tones in Kidder's narrative thus far.

When we get to the underlying theme of this piece we are already set somewhat negatively toward the traditionalist members of town. Kidder's opinion gets louder and louder toward the end. We know that the writer has a lot of apathy for the gay/lesbian residents of Northampton. He glosses over the traditionalist's service in a few sentences. The others are described in great detail. He portrays their strength, beauty, and forgiving natures.

The piece loses all credibility because of the author's inability to separate his own feelings from his topic.

I see both the good and the bad in my town. I live here because its where my family is. I don't think that I could do a fair job of writing about it. My opinions would be hard to with hold and I am very opinionated regarding some stuff. In that respect I'm very glad that Melissa has us exploring communities that we aren't a part of.

Kidder question 3

His perspective is that there need to be new traditions. Old ways must bring in new ways.

It seems that Kidder is leaning more towards the homosexuals than heterosexual traditional values. He speaks more about them in writing.

I personally love my home community and because of that I say great things about it.

Inside Connections

I am reasearching the English Department/Professors/Educators; Melissa Keith, Michelle Payne, and every professor/instuctor that I've had is a contact. I am also in English 198; there is a guest speaker from the English Department each week. They discuss their particular emphasis, their job, and affect/effects community wide.

I would also like to spend some time in the field just observing High school teachers to see how they do their jobs. I've been a volunteer in the Nampa School District and think that they will permit observation.

connections

My wife's grandafther is a baptist minister. My children have attend a public elementary school so I should have access to some of the teachers there. I also had my children in a private school for a while so I have a small handful of contacts there that I can use as resources.

second blog

The insiders I know for my project are Abdus, a Muslim Libyan; and Eliot, a Korean. I have connections to International Club, Cultural Center, and various other organizations.

Trial Run on Blogging

HI. I have posted my first Blog! Gosh, these must be exciting to go through Miss Melissa! :)

first post

Random Factors rock!

first blog

we are in business!