Assignment 5c
1. What difference did you notice in your choice of topics in the first part of the class versus the topics found in the texts My California and Train Go Sorry?
The difference between My California and Train Go Sorry was that My California was focused on many different people’s thoughts and feelings about why they loved California so much. My California allowed you to see California through the eyes of the reader and see how they perceive California and their experiences. It is a group of different authors sharing their California with you. In Train Go Sorry it is a more somber story of a girl who grows up in the shoes of a hearing person but wants so badly to be part of the deaf community. Train Go Sorry brings you into the deaf community and tries to explain what it is like to be a deaf person in a hearing world and also what it is like to be a hearing person who wants to be included in the deaf community. Both of the stories were actual events as portrayed by their authors yet they are two very different subjects one of a beautiful state and one of a beautiful community.
2. What difference did you notice when you read your classmates work regarding the same topics versus your own opinions? Did their works make you think of something different?
I noticed that sometimes they interpreted things differently than I did. It is interesting when two people read the same book and get two different opinions out of it. I like to know what my classmates are thinking. I think it helps to shape my own opinions when I have other people’s interpretations and I can combine and compare and contrast them with my own. I think that reading my classmates opinions helped me to enrich my own thoughts about our assignments this semester.
3. How would Freire and the idea of dialogue and scaffolding play into your answers?
Dialogue is what we were doing when we shared our blogs with each other and read what each others’ work stated. Scaffolding was our own evolution of thoughts when we learned from our classmates and were able to see other people’s opinions. When we read each others’ blogs and learned something that we never knew before we were scaffolding their interpretations with ours and coming up with new conclusions. I think that this is what Paulo Freire was meaning by dialogue and scaffolding.
4. What was your overall experience with these topics?
I learned that California means many things to many different people. I learned that everyone should have their California any way that they want. I think it signifies our hopes and dreams and reminds us that life is short and we should dream as long as we live. From Train Go Sorry my eyes were forever opened to the world of the deaf. I did not realize how much the deaf community was struggling to define its own culture and how the hearing world was sometimes an impediment to that culture. It seems sad but also I was happy when in the end James Taylor made it to college and was able to avoid a life of crime with his brother and Leah Cohen became a part of the deaf community as an ASL translator even though she was a hearing person.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Assignment 5b-Human7
Assignment 5b
Sierra Baxter –
I learned to think about the hospital situation where Sam dies of cardiac arrest differently. Seirra brings up a good point that maybe the hospital was trying to help the family any extra grief by not allowing them to use family as ASL interpreters. I did not think about that I mostly thought of the fact that they lost his father and then seemed uncooperative with the family and the family did not get to say goodbye to Sam. I think that I would be very sad if I was unable to have closure with my dying family members. I know that this was not done on purpose but it is sad to imagine what that must have felt like for Oscar.
Anthony Frye-
What I learned from Anthony was that Leah Cohen the author did not really have a chance to get really close to her grandfather because of the stigma behind ASL. How sad is that? I did not think about her writing about not being able to read any of his writings and mentioning his false teeth in a container as all she had left of her grandfather. I think that ASL has come a long way but definitely this book has made me aware of the struggles it has gone through to get here. Not being able to be close to someone because of a language barrier is difficult especially since you have wanted to learn your whole life as Leah had.
Elisabeth Laxton-
Liz wrote a great intro to her essay of a deaf student who goes to a convenience store and tries to buy some gum only to have the clerk get angry for not understanding what they were saying and then leaving embarrassed because they were kicked out of the store. I also learned to reconsider the fact that James had to take the Regents Competency Test. It is like taking a test in a different language than you use every day. Why is the test not in ASL? I wonder what changes will take place with the placement of college students if they do not have enough people pass this test. I think they would have to restructure it or schools will have to add more classes in English reading and composition for this test to work. It seems that until the deaf community and the hearing community start to work together more many of these students will get left behind and miss out on opportunities that hearing people take for granted.
Sierra Baxter –
I learned to think about the hospital situation where Sam dies of cardiac arrest differently. Seirra brings up a good point that maybe the hospital was trying to help the family any extra grief by not allowing them to use family as ASL interpreters. I did not think about that I mostly thought of the fact that they lost his father and then seemed uncooperative with the family and the family did not get to say goodbye to Sam. I think that I would be very sad if I was unable to have closure with my dying family members. I know that this was not done on purpose but it is sad to imagine what that must have felt like for Oscar.
Anthony Frye-
What I learned from Anthony was that Leah Cohen the author did not really have a chance to get really close to her grandfather because of the stigma behind ASL. How sad is that? I did not think about her writing about not being able to read any of his writings and mentioning his false teeth in a container as all she had left of her grandfather. I think that ASL has come a long way but definitely this book has made me aware of the struggles it has gone through to get here. Not being able to be close to someone because of a language barrier is difficult especially since you have wanted to learn your whole life as Leah had.
Elisabeth Laxton-
Liz wrote a great intro to her essay of a deaf student who goes to a convenience store and tries to buy some gum only to have the clerk get angry for not understanding what they were saying and then leaving embarrassed because they were kicked out of the store. I also learned to reconsider the fact that James had to take the Regents Competency Test. It is like taking a test in a different language than you use every day. Why is the test not in ASL? I wonder what changes will take place with the placement of college students if they do not have enough people pass this test. I think they would have to restructure it or schools will have to add more classes in English reading and composition for this test to work. It seems that until the deaf community and the hearing community start to work together more many of these students will get left behind and miss out on opportunities that hearing people take for granted.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Assignment 5A- Train Go Sorry
"I am a hearing student (or deaf student) assigned the book Train Go Sorry in my Introduction to Humanities Class. Other readings assigned in this class include several essays from the book My California. In both books, we examined the cultures of California that form a microcosm of the U.S. In this essay, I will incorporate 4 required questions."
In the book Train Go Sorry there is a school for the deaf named Lexington School in Queens, New York. There is a student there named James Taylor who is deaf and has come to live there in the dorms. He comes from a poor family in a bad neighborhood and has learned to overcome obstacles that he may have not been able to avoid had he not moved to the dorms when he did. His younger brother Joseph was not so lucky and did not have the support and encouragement that James had in the deaf community. Eventually, Joseph ended up in jail and James had tried to visit him once and missed him due to the fact that Joseph had a court date. In the deaf community the saying “train go sorry” means to “miss the boat” or “miss communications.” James made reference to this saying because he spent the whole day trying to visit his brother in jail only to be told that he had a last minute court date and he would not be back in time to have a visitor that day. On another occasion James succeeds in visiting his brother for the first time since he had been in jail and his Joseph tells him that he misses being at home or that home is better than being in jail. On that day James realizes that Joseph was the one who was “train go sorry.”
The main person in the story is the author Leah Hager Cohen. She is walking in the shoes of a deaf person even though she can hear. She grew up in the school where her father Oscar was at first the day care director and later the superintendant of Lexington. She always wanted to be a part of the deaf community even though she could hear. She grew up around deaf people at the school and her father’s parents were both deaf. She was always trying to learn to sign even though her parents wanted her to speak and not sign. She was hearing after all and they believed that she should not be in the classes with the deaf students since she was not deaf. When she started to go to school it was in the local public school. She secretly practiced signing whenever she could. As an adult Leah longed to be an ASL interpreter in the deaf community hoping that this would allow her into the culture she longed to be a part of since she was a young child. She realized that being an interpreter would be a difficult job and through the eyes of the deaf people she talks about in the book she realizes that she will never really be a part of deaf community because she can hear and even if they allow her to interpret for them that might be the closest she will get.
One image that I will never forget is in chapter 11 when Sofia and Irena are at home with their mother and the mother signs “thank you” to Irena for the first sign that she has ever attempted since the girls started at Lexington. Sofia and her family were immigrants from Russia. Their parents never tried to learn sign language and when they first heard that their daughter Sofia was deaf they were instructed to leave her at a deaf school. Her mother was devastated and left her at their doctor’s advice. After that, she had her sister Irena and she also turned out to be deaf as well. She left Irena at the deaf school with Sofia and vowed to never have any more children lest they also be born deaf. She felt bad and so this is the reason I believe that she refused to learn how to sign. Sofia who was very good at translating for Irena and could speak a little would interpret for Irena and her parents. When Sofia was headed for college she asked her mother how she would communicate with Irena now that she would be gone. Sophia’s mother responded by asking Sofia if she could teach Irena to have better speech and learn to speak Russian. Sofia told her that she could not do that because it would be too difficult. Later, her mother who this whole time refused to learn sign language used sign language with Irena to say “thank you” for helping her out. It was a breakthrough for their mother and both girls were elated and celebrated with their mother for taking this step. They asked her where she had learned that sign and she said from Sofia.
ASL stands for American Sign Language. It is the language of the deaf in this country. Deaf people think of ASL as part of their culture and many believe that it is the only way to communicate with each other. Deaf culture is the same as being in a minority culture. It cannot be cured nor should you want to cure it. The deaf believe that trying to cure it is like saying that Mexicans should bleach their skin because it would be easier to be white in a predominantly white society. Cochlear implants are controversial because once the implants have been placed in the ear there is no turning back and traditional hearing aids will no longer be an option. Also, the deaf community wants the implants to be offered after the child is an adult so that they can choose for themselves if they want to have the implants or not. Doctors disagree because they say that the implants work better when they are implanted at a young age. This is still a controversy and is difficult to understand if you are not deaf. To the deaf it is like trying to cure deafness.
Leah Cohen wrote this book through the eyes of a deaf person. One of the stories she tells is the story of James Taylor who grew up in a bad neighborhood to a mother who meant well but lacked the resources to provide a good home especially to her deaf son. It seemed that James’ deafness had saved him from a terrible fate that would have been inevitable had he stayed in the home with his family. The school and staff at Lexington were so supportive of James and he took advantage of his newly formed support group and worked hard to leave behind the days of yesterday when he would look to cause trouble with his younger brother. The deaf community kept a close eye on him and one time when he was not coming to school they came to see him at home and find out what was going on. This is dedication from the staff and the deaf community. They would not allow James to fall through the cracks.
I thought this was a great story and one that I would not have looked to find out about since in my own life there have not been many deaf people. I see that I would be one of the first to hand a deaf person a piece of paper and not try to first attempt to listen to their words. This was not in an attempt to be disrespectful but on the contrary in an attempt to be very attentive and make sure that I had everything that they wanted to communicate written down. I did not want to be rude and not answer anything that they wanted to ask me. I never realized that cochlear implants were so controversial in the deaf community. I as a hearing person would think that they would want to be able to hear. I realize that this would take them out of their culture and could make their culture seem negative. I understand how learning ASL is so important and being proud of being deaf is as important and being proud to be of Latin descent is for me.
In the book Train Go Sorry there is a school for the deaf named Lexington School in Queens, New York. There is a student there named James Taylor who is deaf and has come to live there in the dorms. He comes from a poor family in a bad neighborhood and has learned to overcome obstacles that he may have not been able to avoid had he not moved to the dorms when he did. His younger brother Joseph was not so lucky and did not have the support and encouragement that James had in the deaf community. Eventually, Joseph ended up in jail and James had tried to visit him once and missed him due to the fact that Joseph had a court date. In the deaf community the saying “train go sorry” means to “miss the boat” or “miss communications.” James made reference to this saying because he spent the whole day trying to visit his brother in jail only to be told that he had a last minute court date and he would not be back in time to have a visitor that day. On another occasion James succeeds in visiting his brother for the first time since he had been in jail and his Joseph tells him that he misses being at home or that home is better than being in jail. On that day James realizes that Joseph was the one who was “train go sorry.”
The main person in the story is the author Leah Hager Cohen. She is walking in the shoes of a deaf person even though she can hear. She grew up in the school where her father Oscar was at first the day care director and later the superintendant of Lexington. She always wanted to be a part of the deaf community even though she could hear. She grew up around deaf people at the school and her father’s parents were both deaf. She was always trying to learn to sign even though her parents wanted her to speak and not sign. She was hearing after all and they believed that she should not be in the classes with the deaf students since she was not deaf. When she started to go to school it was in the local public school. She secretly practiced signing whenever she could. As an adult Leah longed to be an ASL interpreter in the deaf community hoping that this would allow her into the culture she longed to be a part of since she was a young child. She realized that being an interpreter would be a difficult job and through the eyes of the deaf people she talks about in the book she realizes that she will never really be a part of deaf community because she can hear and even if they allow her to interpret for them that might be the closest she will get.
One image that I will never forget is in chapter 11 when Sofia and Irena are at home with their mother and the mother signs “thank you” to Irena for the first sign that she has ever attempted since the girls started at Lexington. Sofia and her family were immigrants from Russia. Their parents never tried to learn sign language and when they first heard that their daughter Sofia was deaf they were instructed to leave her at a deaf school. Her mother was devastated and left her at their doctor’s advice. After that, she had her sister Irena and she also turned out to be deaf as well. She left Irena at the deaf school with Sofia and vowed to never have any more children lest they also be born deaf. She felt bad and so this is the reason I believe that she refused to learn how to sign. Sofia who was very good at translating for Irena and could speak a little would interpret for Irena and her parents. When Sofia was headed for college she asked her mother how she would communicate with Irena now that she would be gone. Sophia’s mother responded by asking Sofia if she could teach Irena to have better speech and learn to speak Russian. Sofia told her that she could not do that because it would be too difficult. Later, her mother who this whole time refused to learn sign language used sign language with Irena to say “thank you” for helping her out. It was a breakthrough for their mother and both girls were elated and celebrated with their mother for taking this step. They asked her where she had learned that sign and she said from Sofia.
ASL stands for American Sign Language. It is the language of the deaf in this country. Deaf people think of ASL as part of their culture and many believe that it is the only way to communicate with each other. Deaf culture is the same as being in a minority culture. It cannot be cured nor should you want to cure it. The deaf believe that trying to cure it is like saying that Mexicans should bleach their skin because it would be easier to be white in a predominantly white society. Cochlear implants are controversial because once the implants have been placed in the ear there is no turning back and traditional hearing aids will no longer be an option. Also, the deaf community wants the implants to be offered after the child is an adult so that they can choose for themselves if they want to have the implants or not. Doctors disagree because they say that the implants work better when they are implanted at a young age. This is still a controversy and is difficult to understand if you are not deaf. To the deaf it is like trying to cure deafness.
Leah Cohen wrote this book through the eyes of a deaf person. One of the stories she tells is the story of James Taylor who grew up in a bad neighborhood to a mother who meant well but lacked the resources to provide a good home especially to her deaf son. It seemed that James’ deafness had saved him from a terrible fate that would have been inevitable had he stayed in the home with his family. The school and staff at Lexington were so supportive of James and he took advantage of his newly formed support group and worked hard to leave behind the days of yesterday when he would look to cause trouble with his younger brother. The deaf community kept a close eye on him and one time when he was not coming to school they came to see him at home and find out what was going on. This is dedication from the staff and the deaf community. They would not allow James to fall through the cracks.
I thought this was a great story and one that I would not have looked to find out about since in my own life there have not been many deaf people. I see that I would be one of the first to hand a deaf person a piece of paper and not try to first attempt to listen to their words. This was not in an attempt to be disrespectful but on the contrary in an attempt to be very attentive and make sure that I had everything that they wanted to communicate written down. I did not want to be rude and not answer anything that they wanted to ask me. I never realized that cochlear implants were so controversial in the deaf community. I as a hearing person would think that they would want to be able to hear. I realize that this would take them out of their culture and could make their culture seem negative. I understand how learning ASL is so important and being proud of being deaf is as important and being proud to be of Latin descent is for me.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Assignment 4b- Human 7
Assignment 4b
Classmate: Megan Mullen (Group#2)
Author: Hector Tobar
When I read about the same authors as Megan, I noticed that we both wrote about the freeways being the central them in Tobar’s writing. Megan wrote about the necessities of the highway like cell phones, radar detectors, and CD players that Tobar explained as the reason people in L.A. have not fallen out of extinction. I thought that the entire paragraph was my favorite part of the story.
Megan compared the traffic thinning in the story to the stereotype people have about Californians always being in a hurry and never stopping but when the freeway thins it is like when we are calm and not in a hurry anymore. I did not really see this when I was reading the story but it makes sense now that I read it from her point of view.
Author: Thomas Steinbeck
When I was reading Megan’s interpretation of Steinbeck’s story she described the story about the myths of California. I thought that the story was more about the history of California and its history as a paradise and what that means to different people who visit or live here. It was interesting to see how two people view the same story but in a different way.
The story reminded Megan of how California’s society is diverse and ever changing. I on the other hand was reminded of my visit to Yosemite and how it was my version of paradise in California.
Author: Edward Humes
Megan wrote about how this story describes her experiences visiting Seal Beach. I was reminded of Rohnert Park and my first move to the North Bay. I think of how small the town seemed nestled next to Santa Rosa which is much larger in comparison.
Author: Matt Warshaw
Megan wrote about how she felt like learning how to surf after reading this story. I also felt the same way and thought that this story makes surfing seem fun and exciting even though the story was about Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay. I think that this story gives a lot of history on both California cities and Moriarity’s adventure that made the front page of a surfing magazine and put Half Moon Bay on the map as a surfing destination.
2.
Goup#1 Sierra Baxter
Author: Mark Arax
I learned through Sierra’s writings that Arax wrote about his grandfather and the farm they owned in Fresno. He was very proud of his farm culture and loved the farm life.
Author: Aimee Liu
From Sierra’s writings I learned that Aimee Liu’s story was about how she hates Beverly Hills and the people that live there. I did not know that there were no garbage dumps, hospitals, junkyards, or cemeteries. It makes sense if you think about it; the elite do not want any of these things in their backyard. Of course, all of this should be elsewhere where they do not have to worry much less think about it. I thought this was very enlightening. I think I am a little mad that this happens but am definitely not angry at the people. I think that a lot of cities send their garbage elsewhere and do not have hospitals. It is not entirely unheard of.
Author: T. Jefferson Parker
I learned that fisherman can hire someone to catch a shark for them and have it mounted so that they can display it. Isn’t that cheating? If someone else catches the shark then why would someone else claim is as their own? That makes no sense to me.
Author: Mary Mackey
From Sierra’s writings I learned that Mary Mackey wrote about her adventures trying to ignore the background traffic noise while studying the animals in American River. She tried to enjoy the animals with her husband while they studied the wildlife together.
3. Group #3: Lori Sargiotto
Author: Firoozah Dumas
I learned through Lori’s writings that Dumas wrote about as 11 year old boy who has moved multiple times and his latest move is from Whittier CA to Newport Beach, CA. His new move has many new rules with the Homeowners association but despite all of the rules his family thinks its heaven compared to where they have lived before.
Author: Devorah Major
I learned that Major wrote about her experiences at Playland at the beach. I think she was trying to describe the lessons learned there as a child during the summer.
Author: Michael Chabon
I learned that Chabon wrote his story about Berkley, CA and how different it was compared to the many different cities he had lived in before. Chabon also noted the distinct culture of the city and how people there are not afraid to tell you their opinions and give them freely without you asking for them.
Author: Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Through Lori’s interpretations I learned that Goldmark used to be a folksinger thirty years ago. She did not really have a band together but had a gig and decided to go ahead and perform that night. It seemed as though she narrowly escaped a man trying to take advantage of her and survived the night despite their unpreparedness for it.
Classmate: Megan Mullen (Group#2)
Author: Hector Tobar
When I read about the same authors as Megan, I noticed that we both wrote about the freeways being the central them in Tobar’s writing. Megan wrote about the necessities of the highway like cell phones, radar detectors, and CD players that Tobar explained as the reason people in L.A. have not fallen out of extinction. I thought that the entire paragraph was my favorite part of the story.
Megan compared the traffic thinning in the story to the stereotype people have about Californians always being in a hurry and never stopping but when the freeway thins it is like when we are calm and not in a hurry anymore. I did not really see this when I was reading the story but it makes sense now that I read it from her point of view.
Author: Thomas Steinbeck
When I was reading Megan’s interpretation of Steinbeck’s story she described the story about the myths of California. I thought that the story was more about the history of California and its history as a paradise and what that means to different people who visit or live here. It was interesting to see how two people view the same story but in a different way.
The story reminded Megan of how California’s society is diverse and ever changing. I on the other hand was reminded of my visit to Yosemite and how it was my version of paradise in California.
Author: Edward Humes
Megan wrote about how this story describes her experiences visiting Seal Beach. I was reminded of Rohnert Park and my first move to the North Bay. I think of how small the town seemed nestled next to Santa Rosa which is much larger in comparison.
Author: Matt Warshaw
Megan wrote about how she felt like learning how to surf after reading this story. I also felt the same way and thought that this story makes surfing seem fun and exciting even though the story was about Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay. I think that this story gives a lot of history on both California cities and Moriarity’s adventure that made the front page of a surfing magazine and put Half Moon Bay on the map as a surfing destination.
2.
Goup#1 Sierra Baxter
Author: Mark Arax
I learned through Sierra’s writings that Arax wrote about his grandfather and the farm they owned in Fresno. He was very proud of his farm culture and loved the farm life.
Author: Aimee Liu
From Sierra’s writings I learned that Aimee Liu’s story was about how she hates Beverly Hills and the people that live there. I did not know that there were no garbage dumps, hospitals, junkyards, or cemeteries. It makes sense if you think about it; the elite do not want any of these things in their backyard. Of course, all of this should be elsewhere where they do not have to worry much less think about it. I thought this was very enlightening. I think I am a little mad that this happens but am definitely not angry at the people. I think that a lot of cities send their garbage elsewhere and do not have hospitals. It is not entirely unheard of.
Author: T. Jefferson Parker
I learned that fisherman can hire someone to catch a shark for them and have it mounted so that they can display it. Isn’t that cheating? If someone else catches the shark then why would someone else claim is as their own? That makes no sense to me.
Author: Mary Mackey
From Sierra’s writings I learned that Mary Mackey wrote about her adventures trying to ignore the background traffic noise while studying the animals in American River. She tried to enjoy the animals with her husband while they studied the wildlife together.
3. Group #3: Lori Sargiotto
Author: Firoozah Dumas
I learned through Lori’s writings that Dumas wrote about as 11 year old boy who has moved multiple times and his latest move is from Whittier CA to Newport Beach, CA. His new move has many new rules with the Homeowners association but despite all of the rules his family thinks its heaven compared to where they have lived before.
Author: Devorah Major
I learned that Major wrote about her experiences at Playland at the beach. I think she was trying to describe the lessons learned there as a child during the summer.
Author: Michael Chabon
I learned that Chabon wrote his story about Berkley, CA and how different it was compared to the many different cities he had lived in before. Chabon also noted the distinct culture of the city and how people there are not afraid to tell you their opinions and give them freely without you asking for them.
Author: Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Through Lori’s interpretations I learned that Goldmark used to be a folksinger thirty years ago. She did not really have a band together but had a gig and decided to go ahead and perform that night. It seemed as though she narrowly escaped a man trying to take advantage of her and survived the night despite their unpreparedness for it.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Assignment 4a-Human7
1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point
Ode to Caltrans by Hector Tobar
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent
Hector wrote about his childhood growing up in the LA area watching Caltrans build the freeway and looking through maps of plans for the freeway. He commented how dangerous the freeways are and how when he was bringing home his wife and first born child he decided to take alternate routes off of the freeway because the back roads were so much safer. He pointed out that people in LA drive very fast and they do not put up with drivers that do not know what they are doing sometimes that means even road rage. It was interesting how he talks about his parents being immigrants from Guatemala and how they had no independence in LA at first because they had no car. If you have no car it is hard to get around and until you do have a car you really do not have much freedom in LA because of its vastness.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent
On page 53 Hector Wrote:
“In California we drive too fast, but at least there are enforceable rules; there is a logic and highway etiquette respected by eighty five percent of the driving public and enforced by a relatively incorruptible Highway Patrol. If the Buenos Aires commuters who make a habit of straddling the dotted lines on the Highway of the Sun tried the same thing on the Santa Monica, they would either be pulled over for a roadside sobriety test or find themselves targets of road-rage justice. In Los Angeles, we don’t suffer traffic fools well, because we drive almost as much as we breathe; we understand that the hours we spend outside the shell of our vehicles are mere episodes between the daily freeway slog. The Law of Evolution has dictated our adaptation into homo californius mobiles, and clever tool making---- the hands-free cellular phone, the multi-CD player, and the radar detection device----has saved our breed from extinction.”
4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent
This reading made me think of my childhood. I grew up in Southern California and when I first remember seeing the major freeways I was amazed. I thought” I am sure glad I do not have to drive and I hope my mom can remember how to get home.” It was such a maze that I was sure that we would get lost somehow. My mom was self confident and since my dad was not around she learned to be very independent and had no problems going to the city on the weekends to shop or go to a function.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent
I did not know that Caltrans created maps of where they were going to put the freeways. I thought the maps were available to the public after the freeway was built not as they were building it.
1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point
Montalvo Myths and Dreams of Home by Thomas Steinbeck
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent
Thomas Steinbeck writes about the early 1500’s in Spain when articles were first written by the church. Then French and Dutch novels were smuggled into Spain for their racier content. Later, local Spanish printers began translating the novels to Spanish. Finally, one of the translators was Garcia Rodriguez de Montalvo started writing his own novels. He wrote “Las Serges De Esplandian”. It was a hit with the people. In this novel he named his paradise “California”, after that for many years to come many people including Cortes began looking for their “California” or their paradise. Steinbeck writes that California is everyone’s version of their own personal paradise. Steinbeck’s paradise in California is the Big Sur. He enjoyed hiking, camping, horseback riding and even mule riding over its passes. Even strange sightings of the great Sasquatch and The Dark Watchers were part of the myth of the Big Sur.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent
On page 64 Steinbeck wrote:
“ This mythological distillation of numerous classical fantasies charmed the public’s need for distraction to such an extent, that even as late as 1533, Cortez and his motley gang of metal-clad head-bashers knew the story well enough to name the longest western peninsula yet discovered after Montalvo’s whimsical creation California.”
4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent
This reading reminded me of the first time I visited Yosemite National Park. I was so amazed and elated and would describe this as my paradise in my California. The trees and the wildlife and the sounds of the night were so amazing and beautiful. It was my favorite place to visit by far.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent
I did not know anything about the Big Sur and I learned that Steinbeck has camped there before. I have never actually been there but it sounds like my kind of place to visit. I love to see nature and camp in the woods with my family. I know that there are many areas in California that I have yet to discover and someday I know that I will get the chance to do so in the future.
1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point
The Last Little Beach Town by Edward Humes
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent
Edward Humes writes about his discovery of a small little beach town named Seal Beach that was able to save itself from commercialization and stay small without huge Condos, major big box corporations and cement parking structures. It is a small town that was able to keep its charm despite its neighboring cities growth. Now the need for money seems to put this city in a bind. It wants to stay small but it needs funds to keep it going.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent
On page 78:
“I can’t help but remember Crystal Cove and its vanishing paradise, and just how fragile our dreams and myths truly are, at least the ones that count.”
4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent
This reading made me think of Rohnert Park when I first moved to the North Bay in 1996. It was such a small town it seemed to me. It now seems to have grown by leaps and bounds. I remember how they used to have a baseball team, minor league I think, and how everyone in town it seemed was a big fan. It felt like a small town near a large city that was able to stay small even though Santa Rosa was so much larger.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent
I did not know that Seal Beach was so small. I just grouped it with all the nearby beach cities like Long Beach or Newport Beach. When I was younger my favorite beach was Newport Beach because I enjoyed walking down the large pier and fishing with my brother. I guess I never visited Seal Beach and wonder how it looks today and if it is the way that Humes describes it in his story.
1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point
Surfacing by: Matt Warshaw
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent
This story is about surfers who call themselves the Vermin and who leave in the Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay Area. They are just in time for a major storm that is expected to have very large waves larger than they had ever encountered in that area before. One of the newer surfers 16 year old, Jay Moriarity faced the danger of almost drowning in that storm trying to surf those large waves. He survived thankfully and made his way into history with that large wipeout. Warshaw writes a little about the history of Half Moon Bay and how it was not really known for its surfing history but was instead known for its small town feel and its locally grown crops. Santa Cruz was known as the world’s greatest surf city. Three Hawaiian teenagers were going to a local military school, handmade their boards out of redwoods, and became the first surfers in America. Soon many famous surfers would follow and help create Santa Cruz’s rich surfer history.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent
Page88:
“Either way, there was nothing banal about what Moriarity did for an encore that morning. After tossing the pieces of his broken board onto the deck of Lizzie-Lynn, he took a short breather, grabbed his reserve board, ran a bar of sticky wax across the top for traction, and paddled back into the lineup. Forty-five minutes later he caught another wave, nearly as big as the first one, and made it. In the next five hours he caught eight more waves and made them all.”
4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75percent
It made me think of watching the surfers when I was younger and thinking that one day I would learn how to surf. I never learned but I still can if the opportunity does present itself. I used to sit on the beach and watch them and wonder why they were not afraid of the sharks. My mother instilled fear in me about the sharks so that we would not wander too far in the water. It worked and I would not go in farther than my waist. I wanted to make sure that I could swim back quickly just in case. I always admired the surfers and thought they were really brave.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent
I did not know that Santa Cruz was the home of the first American Surfers. I was amazed. I thought for sure Hawaii or Southern California would have taken that title easily. That is what happens when you assume that you know something when in fact you don’t. I am sure we all make assumptions about many things. I am glad that I now know this information and next time I visit the area I will have some trivia to talk about.
Ode to Caltrans by Hector Tobar
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent
Hector wrote about his childhood growing up in the LA area watching Caltrans build the freeway and looking through maps of plans for the freeway. He commented how dangerous the freeways are and how when he was bringing home his wife and first born child he decided to take alternate routes off of the freeway because the back roads were so much safer. He pointed out that people in LA drive very fast and they do not put up with drivers that do not know what they are doing sometimes that means even road rage. It was interesting how he talks about his parents being immigrants from Guatemala and how they had no independence in LA at first because they had no car. If you have no car it is hard to get around and until you do have a car you really do not have much freedom in LA because of its vastness.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent
On page 53 Hector Wrote:
“In California we drive too fast, but at least there are enforceable rules; there is a logic and highway etiquette respected by eighty five percent of the driving public and enforced by a relatively incorruptible Highway Patrol. If the Buenos Aires commuters who make a habit of straddling the dotted lines on the Highway of the Sun tried the same thing on the Santa Monica, they would either be pulled over for a roadside sobriety test or find themselves targets of road-rage justice. In Los Angeles, we don’t suffer traffic fools well, because we drive almost as much as we breathe; we understand that the hours we spend outside the shell of our vehicles are mere episodes between the daily freeway slog. The Law of Evolution has dictated our adaptation into homo californius mobiles, and clever tool making---- the hands-free cellular phone, the multi-CD player, and the radar detection device----has saved our breed from extinction.”
4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent
This reading made me think of my childhood. I grew up in Southern California and when I first remember seeing the major freeways I was amazed. I thought” I am sure glad I do not have to drive and I hope my mom can remember how to get home.” It was such a maze that I was sure that we would get lost somehow. My mom was self confident and since my dad was not around she learned to be very independent and had no problems going to the city on the weekends to shop or go to a function.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent
I did not know that Caltrans created maps of where they were going to put the freeways. I thought the maps were available to the public after the freeway was built not as they were building it.
1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point
Montalvo Myths and Dreams of Home by Thomas Steinbeck
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent
Thomas Steinbeck writes about the early 1500’s in Spain when articles were first written by the church. Then French and Dutch novels were smuggled into Spain for their racier content. Later, local Spanish printers began translating the novels to Spanish. Finally, one of the translators was Garcia Rodriguez de Montalvo started writing his own novels. He wrote “Las Serges De Esplandian”. It was a hit with the people. In this novel he named his paradise “California”, after that for many years to come many people including Cortes began looking for their “California” or their paradise. Steinbeck writes that California is everyone’s version of their own personal paradise. Steinbeck’s paradise in California is the Big Sur. He enjoyed hiking, camping, horseback riding and even mule riding over its passes. Even strange sightings of the great Sasquatch and The Dark Watchers were part of the myth of the Big Sur.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent
On page 64 Steinbeck wrote:
“ This mythological distillation of numerous classical fantasies charmed the public’s need for distraction to such an extent, that even as late as 1533, Cortez and his motley gang of metal-clad head-bashers knew the story well enough to name the longest western peninsula yet discovered after Montalvo’s whimsical creation California.”
4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent
This reading reminded me of the first time I visited Yosemite National Park. I was so amazed and elated and would describe this as my paradise in my California. The trees and the wildlife and the sounds of the night were so amazing and beautiful. It was my favorite place to visit by far.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent
I did not know anything about the Big Sur and I learned that Steinbeck has camped there before. I have never actually been there but it sounds like my kind of place to visit. I love to see nature and camp in the woods with my family. I know that there are many areas in California that I have yet to discover and someday I know that I will get the chance to do so in the future.
1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point
The Last Little Beach Town by Edward Humes
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent
Edward Humes writes about his discovery of a small little beach town named Seal Beach that was able to save itself from commercialization and stay small without huge Condos, major big box corporations and cement parking structures. It is a small town that was able to keep its charm despite its neighboring cities growth. Now the need for money seems to put this city in a bind. It wants to stay small but it needs funds to keep it going.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent
On page 78:
“I can’t help but remember Crystal Cove and its vanishing paradise, and just how fragile our dreams and myths truly are, at least the ones that count.”
4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent
This reading made me think of Rohnert Park when I first moved to the North Bay in 1996. It was such a small town it seemed to me. It now seems to have grown by leaps and bounds. I remember how they used to have a baseball team, minor league I think, and how everyone in town it seemed was a big fan. It felt like a small town near a large city that was able to stay small even though Santa Rosa was so much larger.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent
I did not know that Seal Beach was so small. I just grouped it with all the nearby beach cities like Long Beach or Newport Beach. When I was younger my favorite beach was Newport Beach because I enjoyed walking down the large pier and fishing with my brother. I guess I never visited Seal Beach and wonder how it looks today and if it is the way that Humes describes it in his story.
1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point
Surfacing by: Matt Warshaw
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent
This story is about surfers who call themselves the Vermin and who leave in the Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay Area. They are just in time for a major storm that is expected to have very large waves larger than they had ever encountered in that area before. One of the newer surfers 16 year old, Jay Moriarity faced the danger of almost drowning in that storm trying to surf those large waves. He survived thankfully and made his way into history with that large wipeout. Warshaw writes a little about the history of Half Moon Bay and how it was not really known for its surfing history but was instead known for its small town feel and its locally grown crops. Santa Cruz was known as the world’s greatest surf city. Three Hawaiian teenagers were going to a local military school, handmade their boards out of redwoods, and became the first surfers in America. Soon many famous surfers would follow and help create Santa Cruz’s rich surfer history.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent
Page88:
“Either way, there was nothing banal about what Moriarity did for an encore that morning. After tossing the pieces of his broken board onto the deck of Lizzie-Lynn, he took a short breather, grabbed his reserve board, ran a bar of sticky wax across the top for traction, and paddled back into the lineup. Forty-five minutes later he caught another wave, nearly as big as the first one, and made it. In the next five hours he caught eight more waves and made them all.”
4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75percent
It made me think of watching the surfers when I was younger and thinking that one day I would learn how to surf. I never learned but I still can if the opportunity does present itself. I used to sit on the beach and watch them and wonder why they were not afraid of the sharks. My mother instilled fear in me about the sharks so that we would not wander too far in the water. It worked and I would not go in farther than my waist. I wanted to make sure that I could swim back quickly just in case. I always admired the surfers and thought they were really brave.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent
I did not know that Santa Cruz was the home of the first American Surfers. I was amazed. I thought for sure Hawaii or Southern California would have taken that title easily. That is what happens when you assume that you know something when in fact you don’t. I am sure we all make assumptions about many things. I am glad that I now know this information and next time I visit the area I will have some trivia to talk about.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Assignment 4C
1. Who is your classmate, what is the component category, what is the name of the choice?
• Classmate Anthony Musetti and I both chose to write about San Francisco and Los Angeles.(World Cities)
2. What is something similar this classmate said about the choice?
• Anthony and I both focused on the diversity of both of these major cities. We both mentioned that LA is known for its Hollywood image and Anthony mentioned San Francisco as liberal I used tree hugger but for me it is very similar.
3. What is something different this classmate said about the choice?
• Anthony has a different opinion about LA stereotypes than I did. He mentioned gangs in LA and although I am very much aware of this part of LA it did not seem to be my first thought when I think of LA. I have talked to others who agree with Anthony and living in Texas gives me a different point of view from others that seem to agree with both his and mine interpretations of LA stereotypes.
4. How would you relate this to Freire's ideas regarding dialogue? For example, you went in thinking one idea, your classmate had a different idea. What new idea emerged from this process?
Well, about the stereotypes that people give to California I learned from Anthony that these are compliments and even though LA has a bad area, all major cities have a bad area and a good area. I have learned that living in an area that is so progressive is not a bad thing as my neighbors in Texas might think. I have run into some people who think it is bad to have your own opinions and stand up for your right to protest or disagree with what you feel is wrong. I realize that not everyone thinks the same way as people in California do and I hope that because California has always led the way for the rest of the country in many areas of our culture that it will eventually make its progressive ways down to areas like Texas. I have faith that it will someday.
• Classmate Anthony Musetti and I both chose to write about San Francisco and Los Angeles.(World Cities)
2. What is something similar this classmate said about the choice?
• Anthony and I both focused on the diversity of both of these major cities. We both mentioned that LA is known for its Hollywood image and Anthony mentioned San Francisco as liberal I used tree hugger but for me it is very similar.
3. What is something different this classmate said about the choice?
• Anthony has a different opinion about LA stereotypes than I did. He mentioned gangs in LA and although I am very much aware of this part of LA it did not seem to be my first thought when I think of LA. I have talked to others who agree with Anthony and living in Texas gives me a different point of view from others that seem to agree with both his and mine interpretations of LA stereotypes.
4. How would you relate this to Freire's ideas regarding dialogue? For example, you went in thinking one idea, your classmate had a different idea. What new idea emerged from this process?
Well, about the stereotypes that people give to California I learned from Anthony that these are compliments and even though LA has a bad area, all major cities have a bad area and a good area. I have learned that living in an area that is so progressive is not a bad thing as my neighbors in Texas might think. I have run into some people who think it is bad to have your own opinions and stand up for your right to protest or disagree with what you feel is wrong. I realize that not everyone thinks the same way as people in California do and I hope that because California has always led the way for the rest of the country in many areas of our culture that it will eventually make its progressive ways down to areas like Texas. I have faith that it will someday.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Assignment 3C-Human7 Inland Areas
Assignment 3C
1. Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
Sacramento News and Bakersfield News
2. Contains a web link to your locations. (eg you can use the tools in your blog where you paste your work; there is a little icon that looks like a link) .25 points
http://www.sacramentocvb.org/visitors/thingstodo.cfm
http://www.discovergold.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento,_California
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakersfield,_California
http://www.bakersfieldcity.us/Baklife_as/index.htm
3. Contains an explanation regarding how this component (any aspect of it; eg content of videos, content of websites) connects to your study of humanities. .25 point
This connects to my study of humanities because it compares two California inland areas that are close in size but seem very different in lifestyle. It is interesting to see what different views of the same state but different cities are. Bakersfield is a down to earth family centered city with very conservative political views. Sacramento is an extremely diverse town with very liberal views that seem to encompass the majority of the state at least politically. To learn from these two different viewpoints helps me to see others points of view and helps me to expand my views on the culture of California.
4. Contains the following elements that will be used in upcoming projects for analytical purposes:
a. What are some assumptions/stereotypes you think people have of each location: 1 point
When I first think of Bakersfield I think of the town that I stop for gas on my way to L.A. I think about the farms and the heat that is common for that area. Other than that I never really gave Bakersfield much thought. When I think about Sacramento I think about the Capital, the oo, Fairy Tale Town and visiting my friends.
b. List 3 things that make each location similar: 1 point
1.They both have very large populations that have seen extensive growth.
2. They both have many activities for families to enjoy, (Like camping nearby, museums, and a water park).
3. They both have CSU in their cities,(CSUS and CSUB).
c. List 3 things that make each location so different: 1 point
1. Bakersfield is not very culturally diverse 61% White population that is predominantly conservative in their political views. Sacramento has been called one of the most diverse cities in the US with a predominantly liberal political viewpoint.
2. Bakersfield has a small town charm even though it is a very large city. It also has a very large population of off road enthusiasts that the city has made a space for them to ride their recreational vehicles. Sacramento is a bustling city that seems to be very busy and has countless events scheduled at their many venues.
3. Bakersfield is the 4 largest producer of domestic oil in the US.
d. Questioning: What else would you like to know about these places? When completing the question section, lead your audience into the question by stating a fact you do know, yet you still have the related question. This way, both your audience and you will have an educational experience. .5 point
I would love to visit Bakersfield and find out what the locals do fun. I am not into off- roading but maybe that would be fun to try once. It seems like a really nice town that I overlooked and I would like to visit someday and see for myself.
5. Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that persons blog to this entry (eg cut paste that blog entry here) . .5 point
1. Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
Sacramento News and Bakersfield News
2. Contains a web link to your locations. (eg you can use the tools in your blog where you paste your work; there is a little icon that looks like a link) .25 points
http://www.sacramentocvb.org/visitors/thingstodo.cfm
http://www.discovergold.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento,_California
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakersfield,_California
http://www.bakersfieldcity.us/Baklife_as/index.htm
3. Contains an explanation regarding how this component (any aspect of it; eg content of videos, content of websites) connects to your study of humanities. .25 point
This connects to my study of humanities because it compares two California inland areas that are close in size but seem very different in lifestyle. It is interesting to see what different views of the same state but different cities are. Bakersfield is a down to earth family centered city with very conservative political views. Sacramento is an extremely diverse town with very liberal views that seem to encompass the majority of the state at least politically. To learn from these two different viewpoints helps me to see others points of view and helps me to expand my views on the culture of California.
4. Contains the following elements that will be used in upcoming projects for analytical purposes:
a. What are some assumptions/stereotypes you think people have of each location: 1 point
When I first think of Bakersfield I think of the town that I stop for gas on my way to L.A. I think about the farms and the heat that is common for that area. Other than that I never really gave Bakersfield much thought. When I think about Sacramento I think about the Capital, the oo, Fairy Tale Town and visiting my friends.
b. List 3 things that make each location similar: 1 point
1.They both have very large populations that have seen extensive growth.
2. They both have many activities for families to enjoy, (Like camping nearby, museums, and a water park).
3. They both have CSU in their cities,(CSUS and CSUB).
c. List 3 things that make each location so different: 1 point
1. Bakersfield is not very culturally diverse 61% White population that is predominantly conservative in their political views. Sacramento has been called one of the most diverse cities in the US with a predominantly liberal political viewpoint.
2. Bakersfield has a small town charm even though it is a very large city. It also has a very large population of off road enthusiasts that the city has made a space for them to ride their recreational vehicles. Sacramento is a bustling city that seems to be very busy and has countless events scheduled at their many venues.
3. Bakersfield is the 4 largest producer of domestic oil in the US.
d. Questioning: What else would you like to know about these places? When completing the question section, lead your audience into the question by stating a fact you do know, yet you still have the related question. This way, both your audience and you will have an educational experience. .5 point
I would love to visit Bakersfield and find out what the locals do fun. I am not into off- roading but maybe that would be fun to try once. It seems like a really nice town that I overlooked and I would like to visit someday and see for myself.
5. Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that persons blog to this entry (eg cut paste that blog entry here) . .5 point
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