Mutnick/Amos Blog #12

I love the idea of "translanguaging pedagogies" because I have fallen in love with teaching young adults from all over the world & have grown accustomed to "translanguaging" in my own classroom. It's extremely fun to work with such willing (to learn) and acceptable (of other cultures) who honestly care about everyone's different beliefs. Doing this for the past 4 years has given me insight into more than the differences in student learning styles. It has opened my eyes to the "whys" of drastically different belief systems and hope for others (in politics) to be more open-minded.

Blog #9 Students Feedback

As the semester is coming to an end, so are my SIL workshops. I have had the privilege of being an SIL for a composition stretch course. I decided to end my last workshop with a reflective paper that allows students to think back to our semester workshops and answer four questions. One questioned asked them to describe what they learned in my workshops. The second asked them to reflect on a workshop that best stood out to them, and that I should keep for my future students. The third allowed them to criticize me, by suggesting what I can do to enhance my workshops. Lastly, I asked them to provide a piece of advice to my future summer bridge students (something they will want them to know, or be aware of). I was super amazed to see how much writing they turned in. Some students literally wrote two pages. I was very happy to hear from them the fact that they liked the lesson that involved Instagram, and the postcard project that let them use both text and image. The students wrote that they would love to have more lessons like those, for they feel comfortable working with social media. Another student mentioned that through these projects she was able to make friends in the class. I truly believe that bringing social media into the classroom creates a more motivated learning environment and a collaborative learning classroom, for students socialize more with peers and have a stronger communication with their instructor.

What happened to Cinco de Mayo?

Last year, prior to Trump's election as president, there was always an aura of celebration in the Latino community during Cinco de Mayo.  During Trump's campaign, he made it a point to alienate immigrants by calling them "rapists" and other outrageous terms that were totally unfounded.  However, this year Cinco de Mayo fell on a Friday making it quite easy for the Mexican community to be in a festive mood considering the end of the work week should culminate in celebration.  But nothing happened.  No flags, no food, no togetherness, no racial identity, no pride, no nothing.  In fact, the community I live in embraced Cinco de Mayo so much that I conditioned myself not to cook because my neighbors were happy to give away their food in recognition of their moment to honor their independence.  Again, nothing happened.  Why?  I was forced to realize that Trump's campaign of "Making America Great Again" means different things for different people.  Does it sound like I'm complaining?  In fact I am.  I am not sure if I am reading to far into this mysterious absence of celebration on behalf of the Latino community, but after pondering the situation, I felt, at least to a small degree, the aftershock of Jim Crow Laws.  And here's why.  The immediate suppression of expression, the scenery of silence, the suffocation of celebration appeared to be a momentary trip down memory lane of legal attitudes to quarantine people, much like Jim Crow did for blacks years ago.  By no means am I suggesting that the lack of the Latino community to celebrate Cinco de Mayo is anywhere near the grotesque, systematic repression of Jim Crow.  I just think these developments have a didactic assignment written all over it.  It just smells of something that may proliferate into something mildly resembling Jim Crow or El Novo Jim Crow.  However,  I think I could have students write a paper about what exactly does "Make America Great" actually mean.  Is it for everybody?  Who is left out?  Why are they left out?  What do you think?

Lindemann chapter 13 blog #11

Lindemann's chapter, "Developing Writing Assignments"  lists 6 criteria teachers must account for if we give students complete freedom developing elements of an assignment, which are, 1. Student interest/understanding; 2. Purpose/claim; 3. Audience; 4. Role for students with audience/subject (I have no idea how to even begin to explain this to NNS. In fact, I'm not sure I really know what Lindemann is getting at. Help? 5. Form of discourse; 6. Criteria for success
I definitely do not use all of this criteria! My students are aware of all but # 4. Besides we don't write long enough papers to be too worried about everything, but definitely 1 and 6.

Lindquist blog #10

Lindemann ch. 12 blog #9

Lindemann's suggestion about peer review workshopping is what I already do, to a certain extent. I put student's in pairs based on gender, race/nationality, age and level of writing, but what I use these pairs for is not "typical" workshopping in a composition classroom because I have to teach multiple skills in addition to writing. Because of this, I have student's read their partner's written work, ask questions and/or take notes to "report"  (tell the rest of us) about their partner's paper. These are NOT essays, but this type of exercise provides students with the opportunity to work on all skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing). I love my students and my job, but I am excited to teach composition as I read about so many good strategies/suggestions. Oh this week I'm using about 2 classes (3hours) for pairs to write e similarities and differences of an event in their prospective countries (table manners, weddings, etc).

Hello.