Maria J. Garcia
Class Log for English 5870: 3/24/09
6:10 pm-
Faye distributed log notes regarding our 3/l7/09 class meeting; she goes into a review and summary of said notes
From class of 3/17/09: can we be aware of our own biases? And example was offered: why have a research blog?
Various comments re: could not download the essay by Percy.
END OF FAYE’S PARTICIPATION RE: LOG FOR LAST WEEK’S SESSION
***
6:15 PM
Shall the reading be discussed first, or shall we do Maria’s activity first? The reading
DISCUSSION RE: “World is a stage”
MS: different article impressions?
Joel: relevance? Yes, behavior changes; example: students in classroom, good to be aware of expressions we can’t control.
MS acting-idea of “world is a stage” example: Credential program: cover letter, teacher act vs. connection with students.
Adam shares his opinion that the education program has a “hidden agenda” in which body language and voice; on-verbal aspects truly gets message across
MS discussed class management.
Ned: we are performers/who are we? When are we truly ourselves?
Ambel: I have many selves: wife/sister
KD: Initiates discussion regarding Sustein and Bruggerman.
James “frame” bridging exp: break social norms=observe reaction (deviant behavior).
Faye: Shared an experience in her classroom observation: “students ignored me, talked, no person would say a word; teacher had to interfere “break the ice” reinforce the grame; then kids did open up.
Adam shares his experience in a classroom observation: students ignored me, one student asked Mr. Russell, what does ‘visceraeal’ mean?, It did not change the dynamics of the classroom.
KD: other things re: Goffman offers a vocabulary to use; shows how to analyze what you observed; what different persons were dong on 3 levels; personal, social, and cultural; connected to interpreting what we observed vs. not interpreting.
KD: have we observed any disagreement between what we are doing and what we are supposed to be doing?
Adam: this kid said “shut up” to a disruptive kid; agreed with the teacher re: how class should be working; did not want to talk=student “controlled” the other student.
KD: re:Goffman. Every interaction carries potential “risk” of being embarrassed. An example was offered: a fear of public speaking, explicitly performative***
James: teaching is this role, a performative role.
6:45 PM
Discussion initiated by KD regarding “high stakes in the classroom” and classroom authority. James and Kari Joined the discussion, offering that teacher authority is best because students could “terrorize the teacher.”
Amble offered her experience with a disruptive class and her being disrespected and called “baby” by a male student.
Adam posed the question of gender: do young female teachers feel intimidated by high school boys?
Discussion regarding “what is good class management” followed. Adam, Kari, and James joined the discussion and offered suggestions: students should both love and fear you; if they don’t love you, its better if they fear you.
KD: should teachers take on a “parental” role?
Kari offered information regarding Merced College “Puente” program.
8:00 PM
Maria Shreve proceeds with her activity which will demonstrate Goffman’s “Presentation of Self in Everyday Life.”: the class is split into two groups; Faye takes the lead of one group in which will consist of a creative writing exercise for college students; Maria Shreve takes the lead of the 2nd group that will work on idioms, the group will assume it is a class of 7th graders. Dr. DeVries will be the observer observing the observed.
Time to stop the activity; Maria Shreve asks for volunteers to share their projects.
KD reports on her observation of both groups, using words such as: “the tone suggested to me,” and offering that one student had taken on the role of classroom clown, slipping into the role of a younger student or a problem child. Additionally, KD reported that her own role as observer seemed to change the dynamics of the group and appeared to be disrupting it.
End of Class