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Friday, March 11, 2011
Reflection Letter
I am in a season of life that is full of changes. At the age of 40, I have already raised and homeschooled my three sons. The youngest going off to college this fall scared me into the realization that I must pursue a new avenue for my life since my stay-at-home mom days are quickly coming to an end. So..I became a full time student. I wasn't excited about the idea at first, but being in school again is starting to grow on me. My school experience has been surprising so far, as I tend to get better grades in the areas that I previously thought myself weak and vice versa. My identity has been challenged during this season of life as my roles have changed dramatically. There have been many ups and downs in the 'identity department' over the last few years due to a great deal of loss; some through death, some through the spreading of wings. I have rejoiced in the faithfulness of the Lord because for me, my value in Him is where my true identity rests. Life will bring it's changes and tribulations, challenging identity and community (even tradition) but for me there will always be stability in Him.
The themes of this class were both very challenging and enlightening for me considering the difficulty of the last few years . Coming into this class while struggling with a sense of identity and community in the world, I was really forced to consider what these topics meant to me personally during the Identity Unit. I had always seen 'identity' as who I am in terms of the 'roles' that I filled in the world. The identity unit required me to look beyond my previously held roles and consider who I am without those roles. This new, broader perception of identity naturally extends to others as well. After exploring identity, it was very natural and fitting that our next unit explored community. After having a deeper perspective on identity, it was fun to explore the formation and purpose of communities. As with identity, my views of communities were somewhat limited in scope when starting the unit. Rather than seeing a community as a physical group of people, I began to realize the broader scope. I would now describe 'community' as 'common ground', whether that be an activity, a neighborhood, a social group, a similar experience, etc. The Tradition Unit brought it all home with the sense that there are some things that bind us together over time, things that are a part of our identities and help us to form community. The movie, I chose to view the 'The Rabbit Proof Fence' during the Intermission Unit. It was very eye opening for me as it offered a very clear picture of the effects of trying to remove one's identity, change their community and ultimately challenge their traditions. The result being emptiness, fear and a desperate desire to return to what is known and loved. It also really drove home how limited our perspectives can be when we consider the identity of others. For example, in the movie, Mr Neville, the prosecutor who forcibly removed aborigines from their families felt that he was doing them a favor. His statement, “If only these people could understand what we are trying to do for them.”is representative of his ignorance regarding what was really being done to them.
Choosing four titles to include in my portfolio was not as hard has I had expected. They seemed to jump out at me, especially the revision piece...maybe it was all the red on the paper? For this piece I chose my essay from the Community Unit. Although none of my essays received high grades, this one was the lowest and rightly so. I hope it has improved some with the rewrite. For the critical thinking piece, I chose my first DB post from the Intermission Unit, which was based on the movie, The Rabbit-proof Fence. This was undoubtedly my favorite part of the class and I especially enjoyed analyzing and discussing with my peers during this unit...considering questions and pondering super important stuff. My choice for the audience/voice piece was a blog posting about community. I chose homeschooling as my community to write about. Considering how much this community has been a place of value and expression for me, it was a fun assignment. The fact that it was written as a blog obviously required a great deal of consideration for the audience. For the final selection, the Writer's Choice, I selected my timed essay, which was written during the intermission. This was the most comfortable essay for me to write and it received a better grade than all the others. I felt that the prompt for the thesis was less ambiguous (in my perception) than the others and again, I really enjoyed the Unit, which also made it a more natural paper to write.
This English class has been at times frustrating for me, but it has also been valuable. It has stretched me to deeply consider my own identity and that of others. It has also given me a new perspective of gratefulness regarding the communities and traditions that I have been blessed to be a part of. It has humbled me in terms of my writing abilities and in that, has been the end to a perfect gpa. Rats! Oh well, it was bound to happen and there is always Math! I believe that the class overall has better prepared me for the English courses ahead, which I will tackle with an increased confidence. My understanding of analytical writing, editing, proper citation, and selecting an arguable thesis has definitely grown. The selections in the portfolio are a fair representation of my abilities thus far. Enjoy.
Revised Community Paper
Michelle Forrest
Professors Smith and Wells-Edwards
English 101D OL
8 Feb. 2011
The Function of Community
It is an inherent need for humans to relate to one another. We are social creatures who naturally seek relationships in our quest for significance, security, and acceptance in life. Considering that we don't all have the same desires, interests and habits, we tend to form communities with like-minded people. Communities function as a way for people to participate in society and to express their identity, thus giving them a sense of value. This process inherently offers the opportunity to build relationships.
Communities vary from the very large, such as race, religion, and where we live, to the small; our soccer team or office buddies at work. All of these communities, large and small, are places where we express who we are. The fact that communities are a vital part of one's life is often recognized at a fairly young age which is evidenced by 17-year-old college student and rower, Charles Forrest, when he said, “I row because I enjoy it. I like to socialize with those who have a like interest and with whom I can work toward a common goal.” People have always sought out one another, although it has become much easier in our present society. David Brooks, in his essay titled Our Sprawling Super-sized Utopia says, “..in the age of the great dispersal, it becomes much easier to seek out and congregate with people who are like yourself....you don't have to travel very far in America to see radically different sorts of people, most of whom know very little about the communities and subcultures just down the highway. (p. 186).
Being accepted and being a part of something larger than ourselves is a common need and/or desire among people. It is partly that expression of identity that gives us a sense of value. Although communities come in all shapes and sizes, a commonality among them all is the opportunity to express one? identity in some way. We see this premiss in large scale in Our Sprawling, Supersize Utopia, when Brooks talks about the different types of cultures among suburbs. He discusses the differences in people, their values, and their chosen activities. He differentiates among the 'crunchy suburb', the 'up-scale suburban town center' and the 'suburban light industry zones'. Each of these places is somewhere a person can choose to live in expression of his or her identity, and is therefore comfortable within the community.
We see expression of identity in community on a much smaller scale when we consider clubs, activities and even support groups. In her essay, A Secret Society of the Starving, Mim Udovitch quotes 18-year-old Claire, who is referring to her online community when she says, “ .. at the end of the day, it would be really nice if you could share with the whole world how you felt. I can go online and talk to them there, and they know exactly what I'm going through and how I feel.”(p 151.) Claire's need for self-expression is evidenced by her words. We have a need to know people and be known by them, thereby experiencing a form of cohesiveness with others. This may explain our desire to congregate toward (form community with) those who are like-minded in a particular area. We see this in Shari Caudron's essay, Befriending Barbie. Shari observes a large group of Barbie lovers during a Barbie convention. While the members of the Barbie community are somewhat fanatic, Caudron ends her essay with a telling comment about the sense of value relationships which can be formed in communities of common interest. “I envy their enthusiasm, their deep connection with one another. Their ability to shriek with delight over a pair of Patio Party earrings just marked down 20 percent. I want what they have....and am willing to go to extraordinary lengths to get it.”(p. 175).
Even though most of us tend to move toward others and participate in some form of community, this process often comes with certain drawbacks, such as conformity. Conformity can actually be seen as a cost or a benefit, depending on the motive for conforming as well as the nature of the community. In his interview, Charles Forrest states, “While I certainly have to conform to certain rules and social expectations in my community (rowing), I don't have to conform in terms of morals or character.” While we may not have to conform in some areas, often we do, due to the influences in that community and our natural tenancy to seek value and a sense of belonging. We see an example of this tenancy in some college initiations as noted by David Berreby in his essay, It Takes a Tribe. “A subconscious clue for perceiving a tribe as real and valuable, then, may be expending sweat, tears, and embarrassment to get in.” (p.122).
An example of conformity in the negative sense can be seen in a high school environment where young people are often willing to enter a clique in order to belong somewhere, even if that clique requires some social conformity and sacrificing of self to be able to maintain a place in the group. At times, the overwhelming need to belong can override the need to be accepted as we are. There are also situations when conformity can play a healthy role in one's life. Charles Forrest had to conform to certain rules and socially acceptable behaviors in his rowing community, but in his case, he was conforming to positive behaviors that uphold his personal values, rather than detract from them, such as patience and commitment.
It would appear that the need for self-expression and relationship are foundational drivers for the forming of community. While communities vary widely in their makeup, they certainly serve these purposes. It is true, in my experience and observations, that we move toward communities in an effort to be accepted and express our identities in a place where we feel we can be valued and while we are there, we seek out and experience relationship with those who are like-minded. Therefore, the general function of the community is to meet these goals of the persons who created it.
Original Unrevised Community Paper
Michelle Forrest
Professors Smith and Wells-Edwards
English 101D OL
8 Feb. 2011
It is an inherent need for humans to relate to one another. We are social creatures who naturally seek relationships in our quest for significance, security, and acceptance in life. Considering that we don’t all have the same desires, interests and habits, we tend to form communities with like-minded people, which is necessary for a society to exist. The function of communities in our lives is to provide opportunity to participate in society by serving as an outlet for expressing identity, as well as an avenue for building relationships.
The fact that communities are a vital and necessary part of society is often recognized at a fairly young age which is evidenced by 17-year-old college student and rower, Charles Forrest, when he said, “I don’t think society would exist without communities. Society is the collection of them." This is aptly apparent if we try to consider the existence of a society without communities. They vary from the very large, such as race, religion, and where we live, to the small; our soccer team or office buddies at work. All of these communities, large and small, give us an outlet for self-expression and a sense of belonging.
David Brooks, in his essay titled Our Sprawling Super-sized Utopia says, “...in the age of the great dispersal, it becomes much easier to seek out and congregate with people who are like yourself....you don’t have to travel very far in America to see radically different sorts of people, most of whom know very little about the communities and subcultures just down the highway.” (p. 186). Likewise, Forrest, during his interview, speaks to the need for participating in and contributing to society by stating, “ I row because I enjoy it. I like to socialize with those who have a like interest and with whom I can work toward a common goal.”
Being accepted and being a part of something where we can express our identities is a common need and/or desire among people. It is that expression that gives us a sense of value. Although communities come in all shapes and sizes, a commonality among them all is the opportunity to express one’s identity in some way. We see this premiss in large scale in Our Sprawling, Supersize Utopia, by David Brooks, when he discusses the different types of cultures among suburbs. He discusses the differences in people and their chosen activities among the ‘crunchy suburb’, the ‘up-scale suburban town center’, and the 'suburban light industry zones'. Each of these places is somewhere a person can choose to live in expression of his or her identity.
We see expression of identity in community on a much smaller scale when we consider clubs, activities and even support groups. In her essay, A Secret Society of the Starving, Mim Udovitch quotes 18-year-old Claire, who says about her online community “... at the end of the day, it would be really nice if you could share with the whole world how you felt. I can go online and talk to them there, and they know exactly what I’m going through and how I feel.” (p 151.) Claire’s need for self-expression is evidenced by her words.
As much as we desire community in order to express ourselves as a participant in society, thus fulfilling our need for significance and accomplishment, we also seek community for the benefit of building relationships. We have an inherent need to know people and be known by them, thereby experiencing a form of cohesiveness with others. Perhaps this explains our desire to congregate toward (form community with) those who are like-minded in a particular area. We see this in Shari Caudron’s essay, Befriending Barbie. Shari observes a large group of Barbie lovers during a Barbie convention. While the members of the Barbie community are somewhat fanatic, Caudron ends her essay with a telling comment about the relationships which can be formed in communities of common interest. “I envy their enthusiasm, their deep connection with one another. Their ability to shriek with delight over a pair of Patio Party earrings just marked down 20 percent. I want what they have....and am willing to go to extraordinary lengths to get it.” (p. 175). We see relationships in communities in our homes, our churches, our clubs, groups, teams, and online chat groups, just to name a few.
Since we will all be a part of ‘some’ community, whether by choice or not, we must consider that being a part of community comes with a certain amount of conformity, which can be seen as a cost or a benefit, depending on the motive for conforming as well as the nature of the community. In his interview, Charles Forrest states, “While I certainly have to conform to certain rules and social expectations in my community (rowing), I don’t have to conform in terms of morals or character”.
While we may not have to conform in some areas, often we do due to the influences in that community and our natural tenancy to seek happiness and a sense of belonging. We see an example of this tenancy in some college initiations as noted by David Berreby in his essay, It Takes a Tribe. “A subconscious clue for perceiving a tribe as real and valuable, then, may be expending sweat, tears, and embarrassment to get in.” (p.122).
An example of conformity in the negative sense can be seen in a high school environment where young people are often willing to enter a clique in order to belong somewhere, even if that clique requires some social conformity and sacrificing of self to be able to maintain a place in the group. At times, the overwhelming need to belong can override the need to be accepted as we are. There are also situations when conformity can play a healthy role in one’s life. Charles Forrest had to conform to certain rules and socially acceptable behaviors in his rowing community, but in his case, he was conforming to positive behaviors that uphold his personal values, rather than detract from them.
It would appear that the need for self-expression and relationship are foundational drivers for the seeking of community. While communities vary widely in their makeup, they certainly serve these purposes. It is true, in my experience and observations, that we move toward communities in effort to be accepted and express our identities and while we are there, we seek out and experience relationship with those who are like-minded.
Works Cited
Bereby, David. “It Takes a Tribe.” Remix: Reading + Composing Culture. Ed. Catherine G. Latterell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 119-124. Print.
Brooks, David. “Our Sprawling, Supersize Utopia.” Remix: Reading + Composing Culture.
Ed. Catherine G. Latterell. Boston: Beford/St. Martins, 2010. 184-192. Print.
Caudron, Shari. “Befriending Barbie.” Remix: Reading + Composing Culture. Ed. Catherine G. Latterell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 167-177. Print.
Forrest, Charles. Personal Interview. 30 Jan. 2011.
Udovich, Mim. “A Secret Society of the Starving.” Remix: Reading + Composing Culture. Ed. Catherine G. Latterell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 149-157. Print.
Professors Smith and Wells-Edwards
English 101D OL
8 Feb. 2011
The Function of Community
It is an inherent need for humans to relate to one another. We are social creatures who naturally seek relationships in our quest for significance, security, and acceptance in life. Considering that we don’t all have the same desires, interests and habits, we tend to form communities with like-minded people, which is necessary for a society to exist. The function of communities in our lives is to provide opportunity to participate in society by serving as an outlet for expressing identity, as well as an avenue for building relationships.
The fact that communities are a vital and necessary part of society is often recognized at a fairly young age which is evidenced by 17-year-old college student and rower, Charles Forrest, when he said, “I don’t think society would exist without communities. Society is the collection of them." This is aptly apparent if we try to consider the existence of a society without communities. They vary from the very large, such as race, religion, and where we live, to the small; our soccer team or office buddies at work. All of these communities, large and small, give us an outlet for self-expression and a sense of belonging.
David Brooks, in his essay titled Our Sprawling Super-sized Utopia says, “...in the age of the great dispersal, it becomes much easier to seek out and congregate with people who are like yourself....you don’t have to travel very far in America to see radically different sorts of people, most of whom know very little about the communities and subcultures just down the highway.” (p. 186). Likewise, Forrest, during his interview, speaks to the need for participating in and contributing to society by stating, “ I row because I enjoy it. I like to socialize with those who have a like interest and with whom I can work toward a common goal.”
Being accepted and being a part of something where we can express our identities is a common need and/or desire among people. It is that expression that gives us a sense of value. Although communities come in all shapes and sizes, a commonality among them all is the opportunity to express one’s identity in some way. We see this premiss in large scale in Our Sprawling, Supersize Utopia, by David Brooks, when he discusses the different types of cultures among suburbs. He discusses the differences in people and their chosen activities among the ‘crunchy suburb’, the ‘up-scale suburban town center’, and the 'suburban light industry zones'. Each of these places is somewhere a person can choose to live in expression of his or her identity.
We see expression of identity in community on a much smaller scale when we consider clubs, activities and even support groups. In her essay, A Secret Society of the Starving, Mim Udovitch quotes 18-year-old Claire, who says about her online community “... at the end of the day, it would be really nice if you could share with the whole world how you felt. I can go online and talk to them there, and they know exactly what I’m going through and how I feel.” (p 151.) Claire’s need for self-expression is evidenced by her words.
As much as we desire community in order to express ourselves as a participant in society, thus fulfilling our need for significance and accomplishment, we also seek community for the benefit of building relationships. We have an inherent need to know people and be known by them, thereby experiencing a form of cohesiveness with others. Perhaps this explains our desire to congregate toward (form community with) those who are like-minded in a particular area. We see this in Shari Caudron’s essay, Befriending Barbie. Shari observes a large group of Barbie lovers during a Barbie convention. While the members of the Barbie community are somewhat fanatic, Caudron ends her essay with a telling comment about the relationships which can be formed in communities of common interest. “I envy their enthusiasm, their deep connection with one another. Their ability to shriek with delight over a pair of Patio Party earrings just marked down 20 percent. I want what they have....and am willing to go to extraordinary lengths to get it.” (p. 175). We see relationships in communities in our homes, our churches, our clubs, groups, teams, and online chat groups, just to name a few.
Since we will all be a part of ‘some’ community, whether by choice or not, we must consider that being a part of community comes with a certain amount of conformity, which can be seen as a cost or a benefit, depending on the motive for conforming as well as the nature of the community. In his interview, Charles Forrest states, “While I certainly have to conform to certain rules and social expectations in my community (rowing), I don’t have to conform in terms of morals or character”.
While we may not have to conform in some areas, often we do due to the influences in that community and our natural tenancy to seek happiness and a sense of belonging. We see an example of this tenancy in some college initiations as noted by David Berreby in his essay, It Takes a Tribe. “A subconscious clue for perceiving a tribe as real and valuable, then, may be expending sweat, tears, and embarrassment to get in.” (p.122).
An example of conformity in the negative sense can be seen in a high school environment where young people are often willing to enter a clique in order to belong somewhere, even if that clique requires some social conformity and sacrificing of self to be able to maintain a place in the group. At times, the overwhelming need to belong can override the need to be accepted as we are. There are also situations when conformity can play a healthy role in one’s life. Charles Forrest had to conform to certain rules and socially acceptable behaviors in his rowing community, but in his case, he was conforming to positive behaviors that uphold his personal values, rather than detract from them.
It would appear that the need for self-expression and relationship are foundational drivers for the seeking of community. While communities vary widely in their makeup, they certainly serve these purposes. It is true, in my experience and observations, that we move toward communities in effort to be accepted and express our identities and while we are there, we seek out and experience relationship with those who are like-minded.
Works Cited
Bereby, David. “It Takes a Tribe.” Remix: Reading + Composing Culture. Ed. Catherine G. Latterell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 119-124. Print.
Brooks, David. “Our Sprawling, Supersize Utopia.” Remix: Reading + Composing Culture.
Ed. Catherine G. Latterell. Boston: Beford/St. Martins, 2010. 184-192. Print.
Caudron, Shari. “Befriending Barbie.” Remix: Reading + Composing Culture. Ed. Catherine G. Latterell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 167-177. Print.
Forrest, Charles. Personal Interview. 30 Jan. 2011.
Udovich, Mim. “A Secret Society of the Starving.” Remix: Reading + Composing Culture. Ed. Catherine G. Latterell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 149-157. Print.
Revision of Community Paper-Introduction
The idea of approaching a piece of your own finished writing that is in serious need of revision is difficult, not only for the obvious amount of work involved, but also because it can be something that a person might prefer to leave behind them and never revisit...ever. In being required to choose a sample of writing to be revised, the obvious choice for me was my 2nd course essay written during the 'community unit'. The paper prompt: Primary Question: What is the function of communities in our lives? Secondary considerations: What are the costs and benefits? Are they positive influences in our lives? Are they negative influences? Are they both, with one side stronger than the other? Are they about the common good or do they foster conformity? Are there benefits to society as a whole? Is our self-interest connected to the interests of others? Is there a sacrifice of an inner-life or self-identity in the need to belong? Hmmm...not exactly thrilled that I chose this thesis but here it is: The function of communities in our lives is to provide opportunity to participate in society by serving as an outlet for expressing identity, as well as an avenue for building relationships.
When revisiting the paper, I decided not to throw out the entire thesis and start from scratch because that would not have really demonstrated 're-writing', as much as 'new writing'. So, in working with what I had, I felt like many of the problems came from the wording of the thesis so I have made some changes to it. New thesis: Communities function as a way for people to participate in society and to express their identity, thus giving them a sense of value. I struggled a great deal with the intention of the prompt for this assignment and think that I may have missed the boat on the general goal of the paper. I have, however, tried to make changes to the paper that I believe make it a higher quality, more understandable essay. Most of the other changes that I made were in re-wording, combining paragraphs (which were originally too short) and cutting out unnecessary text, such as the following statement which was located in the middle of the first paragraph. “ “I don’t think society would exist without communities. Society is the collection of them." This is aptly apparent if we try to consider the existence of a society without communities. I felt that this was distracting text so I nixed it, along with several other comments. We were instructed to build on the thesis in order to bring home it's argument in a clear and concise way and I believe the re-write of this piece does a much better job of accomplishing this. From this process, I have certainly learned that there is a vast difference between thoughts making sense in my head and the clear expression of those thoughts on paper.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Demonstration of Critical Thinking (Film Discussion-1st Post)
This movie, based on a true story, was an excellent portal through which we are able to get an accurate look at the effects of 'othering' on a race of people. It clearly presented severe difficulties for the aboriginal children being able to hold on to their culture and identity. Apart from being ripped (literally) from their culture and families and being forced to be absorbed into a 'white' way of living, thinking, and speaking (not allowed to "jabber" at the camp), they were then funneled back into mainstream society as 'servants', stifled in the ability to develop and express who they are as an individual or even to have the freedom to pursue equality.
We can see specific comments and situations portrayed in the film that give a look at the 'us' and 'them' mentality that was driving the laws regarding this generation of aboriginal people. The comments made by Mr. Neville, who served as the Chief Prosecutor of the Aborigine people for 25 years are quite telling. "We face an uphill battle with these people.." and "The problem with half-caste won't simply go away, and these children are that problem. If we don't deal with it now, it will just fester." We also see it in Molly's comment before escaping, "These people make me sick."
The film created a great deal of sympathy for the victims of the 'stolen generation'. Molly was the 'hero' of our story. She was bucking a system that offends us due to it's lack of humanity. I don't think any person would desire to be in Molly's situation, nor her mother's. Yet, what happened to this generation of people is not uncommon when we consider the big picture. It has been repeated over and over in the history of man. I can't help but wonder if we, as the human race, are learning and growing from these unfortunate clashes in society or if it will play out again and again..different people, different place, different time, but the same lack of love and dignity toward our fellow man. I also consider that from the white government's point of view, they quite likely believed (in their ignorance, in my opinion) that they were truly doing a 'good' work toward these people. We see this in Neville's comment "...if only they could understand what we are trying to do for them." I see such a strong element of 'control' in his comments.
We can see specific comments and situations portrayed in the film that give a look at the 'us' and 'them' mentality that was driving the laws regarding this generation of aboriginal people. The comments made by Mr. Neville, who served as the Chief Prosecutor of the Aborigine people for 25 years are quite telling. "We face an uphill battle with these people.." and "The problem with half-caste won't simply go away, and these children are that problem. If we don't deal with it now, it will just fester." We also see it in Molly's comment before escaping, "These people make me sick."
The film created a great deal of sympathy for the victims of the 'stolen generation'. Molly was the 'hero' of our story. She was bucking a system that offends us due to it's lack of humanity. I don't think any person would desire to be in Molly's situation, nor her mother's. Yet, what happened to this generation of people is not uncommon when we consider the big picture. It has been repeated over and over in the history of man. I can't help but wonder if we, as the human race, are learning and growing from these unfortunate clashes in society or if it will play out again and again..different people, different place, different time, but the same lack of love and dignity toward our fellow man. I also consider that from the white government's point of view, they quite likely believed (in their ignorance, in my opinion) that they were truly doing a 'good' work toward these people. We see this in Neville's comment "...if only they could understand what we are trying to do for them." I see such a strong element of 'control' in his comments.
Introduction-Demonstration of Critical Thinking
I chose my first post from the 'film discussion' board as the piece which best demonstrates critical thinking in the assignments from this quarter. This was written for group discussion after viewing the film 'The Rabbit-proof Fence', a story of the half-caste aboriginal people, who are now referred to as the 'stolen generation'. I was writing about ways in which the movie gave representation of the 'us and them' mentality and portrayed the concept of 'othering'. An example of analysis and critical thinking can be found in this excerpt, “ Apart from being ripped (literally) from their culture and families and being forced to be absorbed into a 'white' way of living, thinking, and speaking (not allowed to "jabber" at the camp), they were then funneled back into mainstream society as 'servants', stifled in the ability to develop and express who they are as an individual or even to have the freedom to pursue equality. We can see the analysis of 'othering' being demonstrated in this example as it portrays the effect of the goverment's actions on this group of children and their families.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Awareness of Audience and Voice (Community Blog-Homeschooling)
Homeschooling is a community. It is a commonality amongst people (usually parents) who are like minded in a particular pursuit...that of educating one or more children (or teens) to the best of their ability....a heavy investment in another's life. We are held together by the security we offer one another in just knowing that there are others out there that agree with our hearts pursuit. We reinforce eachother in a process that is not mainstream and is often frowned upon by those who don't agree with it. This was even more true in the early days of homeschooling when it was very uncommon to do so. A homeschooling parent met with a great deal of criticism and skepticism from most of society, including loved ones and family members.
A person in the homeschooling community generally finds encouragement and support from others that agree with their values, but I believe the greatest cohesive factor found in this community is the understanding that we offer one another. Unless a person has been a homeschooling parent, it is difficult for one to relate to the particular struggles, sacrifices, and rewards that come with it. We enter the community for a myriad of different reasons but we all share the need for affirmation in our endeavor. One commonality shared amongst the members in the homeschooling community is the belief that for whatever reason (there are many and they vary for each family) an education at home will be more beneficial to their child/ren than traditional schooling. Another commonality is the willingness and ability to be able to provide this educational setting. It is not always a possibility for some who might desire it and most people involved in this community are grateful to be able to offer what they feel is best for a particular child at a particular time. Members also share a great deal with one another; mainly advice, ideas, and resources. It would be a great deal more difficult to homeschool without one another's support in these areas.
One of the greatest tensions that can arise in this community is a difference in ideology resulting in factions. This is common in any community I suppose considering that humans are humans regardless of where and how they commune, but it seems sadly unfortunate to have it happen in such a small, minority community that needs one another so much for success. There are different belief systems within the community. For instance, we have homeschoolers, unschoolers, and public/homeschoolers to name a few.
I fit into this group as a parent who has homeschooled my own children as well as other people's children. I have independently homeschooled, toyed with the idea of unschooling, and ultimately was one of the first parent/teachers involved in the opening of two different public school homeschool programs. I have been active in this community for the last 17 years and would never even have started homeschooling if not for the support and encouragement of existing members. It is a community that I admire deeply and am honored to be a part of. I believe in the endeavors of this community and have seen the positive impacts that it can have on young lives. Even though I am now a student myself, I hope to be involved in this community for years to come.
A person in the homeschooling community generally finds encouragement and support from others that agree with their values, but I believe the greatest cohesive factor found in this community is the understanding that we offer one another. Unless a person has been a homeschooling parent, it is difficult for one to relate to the particular struggles, sacrifices, and rewards that come with it. We enter the community for a myriad of different reasons but we all share the need for affirmation in our endeavor. One commonality shared amongst the members in the homeschooling community is the belief that for whatever reason (there are many and they vary for each family) an education at home will be more beneficial to their child/ren than traditional schooling. Another commonality is the willingness and ability to be able to provide this educational setting. It is not always a possibility for some who might desire it and most people involved in this community are grateful to be able to offer what they feel is best for a particular child at a particular time. Members also share a great deal with one another; mainly advice, ideas, and resources. It would be a great deal more difficult to homeschool without one another's support in these areas.
One of the greatest tensions that can arise in this community is a difference in ideology resulting in factions. This is common in any community I suppose considering that humans are humans regardless of where and how they commune, but it seems sadly unfortunate to have it happen in such a small, minority community that needs one another so much for success. There are different belief systems within the community. For instance, we have homeschoolers, unschoolers, and public/homeschoolers to name a few.
I fit into this group as a parent who has homeschooled my own children as well as other people's children. I have independently homeschooled, toyed with the idea of unschooling, and ultimately was one of the first parent/teachers involved in the opening of two different public school homeschool programs. I have been active in this community for the last 17 years and would never even have started homeschooling if not for the support and encouragement of existing members. It is a community that I admire deeply and am honored to be a part of. I believe in the endeavors of this community and have seen the positive impacts that it can have on young lives. Even though I am now a student myself, I hope to be involved in this community for years to come.
Introduction-Awareness of Audience and Voice
In choosing a piece of writing that reflects awareness of audience and voice, I felt that my 2nd assigned blog article best did the job. We were asked to write a blog about 'community' and I chose the homeschooling community. In writing this piece, I had to choose carefully, for several reasons, how my writing would be received. First, it is a controverial topic for some people so it was important to me not to write from a completely 'narrow' perspective. Second, there are many different mini-communities within the homeschooling community and I certainly didn't wish to isolate or offend, so it was important to be sensitive to that. Lastly, my goal in writing this blog was portray the benefits of homeschooling and the rewards that come with being a part of a community that I admire, while still discussing some of the struggles associated with it, as seen here, "One of the greatest tensions that can arise in this community is a difference in ideology resulting in factions. This is common in any community I suppose considering that humans are humans regardless of where and how they commune, but it seems sadly unfortunate to have it happen in such a small, minority community that needs one another so much for success." Audience awareness, for me, is one of the most fulfilling parts of writing and I find that I am much stronger in this arena than in other forms of writing. I really enjoyed all of the blogging assignments, but I feel like this one represents the one that required the most awareness to the audience.
Writer's Choice (timed writing essay)
TIMED WRITING
Michelle Forrest
The movie, The Rabbit-proof Fence, directed by Philip Noyce, provided us an excellent look at the boundaries created within society. The many struggles of a society's 'outsider' are clearly represented in this true story of aboriginal 'half-caste' children. The film defines an outsider by the shade of his or her skin.
The white people of government in Western Australia during the time of the events depicted in this movie (1931) had given authority to Mr. A.O. Neville, to remove any half-caste child from his or her family from anywhere in the state. The reasoning behind this decision and control of native aborigine people was based on the fear that a third race, neither white or black, would emerge. The white government felt strongly that these children, once the blood was mixed, needed to have the color 'stamped out' with continued white breeding. We see this concern evidenced by Neville's comment, "The problem of half-caste won't simply go away. These children are that problem and if we don't deal with it now, it will just fester."
The lack of dignity and control of their persons shown toward the children who had been torn from their homes and families was evident throughout the film. Then once taken, the children were brought to a camp where they were to be absorbed into into the white way of living, thinking, talking and behaving. There they were trained for service, all for the low, low price of their identity and sense of community. The perspective of the government was that, "In spite of himself, the native must be helped." (Neville).
This film depicted the effects these kidnappings had on the children's sense of identity as they find themselves in a place where they have not only been torn from the the love and foundation they have known their entire lives but are then unable to express their own identity or even have the freedom to pursue who they are. Particularly interesting, was the different responses to this stifling of self. After a short time at the settlement, Molly (our very strong hero), who ultimately escapes, is quoted saying, "These people make me sick". She was angered by how unjust it was to be so treated and oppressed. Her cousin Grace, who seemed to have a much more compliant personality said, "We like it here." Undoubtedly, her fear rose above her need for self.
This movie affirmed my perceptions of what it is to be an outsider in the sense that when there is blatant exclusion and oppression toward a person or group of people, there is damage to identity and the human need for dignity. This can be seen from the events depicted in this movie in that the 'stolen children' of this society still suffer from destruction to identity, family life and culture today. It challenged my perceptions in realizing the level of ego and arrogance that can be involved in this process as seen in Neville's comment "if only these people could understand what we are trying to do for them". I had not considered before that there was anything but the need for control driving such oppression.
Works cited
_Rabbit-proof Fence._ Dir.Phillip Noyce. Perf. Everlyn Sampi.
Rumbalara Films, Australian Film Commission, AFFC, Lotteries
Commission of Western Australia, Olsen Levy, Showtime
Introduction-Writer's Choice
The 'writer's choice' award goes to my timed essay, which was done during the intermission unit of our course. For this assignment we were given 1 hour to respond to a prompt that asked us to analyize the struggle of our progtagonist in the movie we selected. We were specifically dealing with the issues of 'who am I?' and 'where do I belong?', which was a continued theme from our unit on identity. I partly chose this piece because I really enjoyed writing an essay in a timed setting. I felt more freedom in writing a shorter piece and I received a better grade on it than on any of my three main essays. I also felt more prepared to write this piece than the others, as I had been able to view the movie several times and explore it analytically with classmates before approaching the writing. This essay was made meaningful to me because I had strong thoughts and feelings about the topic. As a mother, it was easy to sympathize with the pain and struggles of the families involved in the movie, which made analyzing the topic much more natural, which is evidenced in my writing as seen in the following excerpt, “The lack of dignity and control of their persons shown toward the children who had been torn from their homes and families was evident throughout the film.” I hope you feel a small bit of the plight of the aborigine half-castes when reading it.
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