Final Service Learning Reflection #3

I think that the reading that connects to my experiences as a tutor is the book Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol. I think that this book connects to my experiences as a tutor because both the book and my experience both encompasses inequality in some way. For example, there is inequality in the public school system as expressed by Kozol, and in my experiences while tutoring I was able to see inequality in the sense that the students that came there were hindered to to their inability to speak english well. Thus, because of their deficiency, this affected communicating in their every day life. For example, communicating in the workplace, and this would effect applying for a job. Therefore, if they have a difficult time applying for a job then they are not able to provide for their family. Furthermore, I think that it is great that I was given the opportunity to tutor these students because learning the english language will help them to improve there language skills and will intern help them to get a job to provide for their family. Also, I think that it is important to be immersed into this culture because a person is able to see that their is a need and will then try and do what they can to change this.

Final Service Learning Reflection #1

A literary experience that I have had previous to this semester was working last year at a literacy program called Book'em run by a woman named Melissa Spradlin. Book'em is a literacy program that collects used books and gives them voluntarily to kids in Nashville. There is also a tutoring program within this organization, but I did not help out with this. Instead, I helped out with stamping books in the Book'em office alongside Melissa Spradlin. It was an enjoyable experience in the sense that I knew I was making a difference in the kids lives that would be receiving the books. Although, I wish that I had the opportunity to get out of the office and tutor the kids in the program. It is hard to see that I am making a big difference if I am not experiencing it first hand. I think that actually being in the culture makes a difference.

On the other hand, the experience that I had at Nashville Adult Literacy Council was somewhat of a different experience. I loved being able to actually be immersed in the culture, as opposed to not being immersed when I was at Book'em. It was rewarding to be able to see how much of a difference I was making while I was there. The smile on their faces after I applauded them on getting an answer correct, or the sense of drive and determination I saw in them to learn the language was truly fulfilling. One of the best moments I experienced at Nashville Adult Literacy Council was the overwhelming joy that a woman I tutored experienced after I told her that one of her essays that she wrote was going to be published in a book by Nashville Adult Literacy Council. It made me think about how much I take for granted the great teachers and classes I have had that have helped me to learn English. I think that tutoring at Nashville Adult Literacy Council was an impactful experience that has helped me to see many things in a different way.

Final Service Learning Reflection #2

As I entered the room, at Nashville Adult Literacy Council, I surveyed the room and I noticed that I would be tutoring in a room filled with other tutors and students. I would not be in a room with only the student and myself. I thought this to be odd at first, but after I began to tutor there I noticed that the environment actually enhanced the learning of the students. I think that the environment of desks step up all around the room, near each other, helped students to actually focus more on what the tutor was saying. I think that students overhearing another student having an engaging conversation with their tutor, helps to stimulate the students' willingness to learn. Also, the desks are step up to where both the student and the tutor sit right next to one another, as opposed to the tutor sitting across from the student. I think that this helps to make the student feel more comfortable, and therefore will help him or her ask more questions when he or she is conflicted about something in the lesson. Lastly, I think that having all the students in the same room helps the, mostly immigrants, feel more comfortable in knowing that they are not alone. I think that having other students in the same room as them, struggling with them in understanding the material, helps the students to not get as disheartened. I think that it is true that strength in numbers really does make a difference. In conclusion, reflecting on the time I spent there helped me to see how a setting in the classroom makes more of a difference than you think. The setting can help or hinder a person's ability to excel to their full potential relating to their educational needs.

storyboard draft

Last 3 hours at NALC

In the last three hours at NALC I helped out with banquet that they were putting on for the tutors and the students that came to NALC. It was a neat experience seeing how passionate and selfless the people helping set up the banquet were. It showed a lot about their character and desire to help the world around them. At the banquet they were going to serve dinner and give out a selection of awards for the students and tutors. It was a refreshing experience to see people coming together to serve a greater purpose than themselves.

video project

I will be videoing my interviewee's this week and then will start incorporating that into my project. I will probably use only 1 or 2 of the video interviews. My video will be based off of the the question of "What message do you want to send to the world with your music?" My video will be centered around how we are made with a voice and an ear to hear so we need to use it to the best of our ability to help change the world. Music can change people's lives.

NALC tutoring session #4

Today I went to NALC and tutored a woman by the name of Jinaa, who was from Egypt. She moved here 25 years ago and loves it. She has four kids and she is a Christian. Her first language is arabic and she has been coming to NALC to learn english for a year. In our lesson today she practiced reading and writing. She had trouble with this, but did not have trouble carrying on a conversation with me, which I thought was interesting.

NACL session #3

For my third visit to NACL i tutored a woman named Hanaa. Hanaa was from Lebanon, which is a country close to Syria. She was told that day to write a story and then I had to check her writing for errors. She did a great job, and at the end of the sessions she was asked if she wanted her writing to be published in a book by NACL. She was thrilled and accepted. The book contained stories from NACL students who wrote about different things relating to coming to America, learning the culture and the language.

NACL tutoring session 1 and 2

The first time I went to tutor at NACL, the person I was going to tutor cancelled. Instead, the secretary Jill had me help her do some office work for an hour.

The second time I went to tutor at NACL, I tutored a woman named Hanaa from Iraq. Her first language was Arabic and she was trying to improve her skills in English. I walked her through a story and went over vocabulary words in the story. She was very smart and did well with reading English. She had more difficulty with speaking English than reading it. I had her practice talking to me without looking at her book, and I think it helped her a lot! I told her that I am a Spanish major and have struggled with the same thing she has with learning to listen to another language without looking at a book for reference. I told her to try and not get overwhelmed when listening to me speak. I told her that if she got the general idea of what I was saying then she was making process!

Musicians glossary

beat
duet
rhythm
sharp
solo
tempo
chord
concert
measure
transpose
acoustic

How are you connected to the culture of your project?

For my project I am doing a research study on rising musicians in Nashville in contrast with already established musicians in Nashville. I have many connections with those of rising musicians because so many attend Belmont. I have many friends and friends of friends that are in bands or are singer/songwriters. Although, on the other hand, researching already established musicians is a little bit more difficult. I have to make more of an effort to get in touch with them because they are so hard to reach. I have been doing my best though by way of e-mailing them or talking to people who know people that know already established musicians. It is going to be difficult, but if I am able to get in contact with at least one musician, then that is all I will need.

Interview #1 Kevin Terry

For my first interviewee, I chose to interview Kevin Terry. For my project I have chosen to compare and contrast rising musicians with those of established musicians. Kevin is in the category, as of the moment, with those of rising musicians in nashville. I asked Kevin a series of questions, but focused on my main question that I will ask to each of the musicians that I interview. My main questioned that I asked him was "What drives you to do music?" He said that what drives him to do music is his passion for wanting to get a message out to the world. He explained that his lyrics in his music are very socially conscious, which helps to relate with the people. He went on to say that he did not want to be in any way above the people that listen to his music. He wants to keep a humble attitude so he can relate more with the people who listen to his music.

Micro-ethnographic study

In class one day we were told to observe/do a study someone on belmont's campus, in order to help prepare us for our projects. I observed the interactions that took place in the area right outside of the beaman. I observed many things. I felt like I should have observed there because I feel like it is the central meeting spot on campus. Thus, it would make sence for me to do my observations there. Much of what I observed were people walking in groups to and fro to class. I didn't witness anything incessantly disturbing, other than some males trying to pull off a sleeveless t-shirt. There were not many people walking by themselves. Many people always had one other person with them, which is interesting. I think that many people, especially freshman, do not like walking by themselves because of the fear what people will think of them.

Practice Field Notes

What surprised me and intrigued me?

It surprised me the most was that their were more guys walking in groups, than girls. I always thought that girls traveled in groups the most?

What disturbed me?

There wasn't anything that disturbed me greatly.

Topic Ideas

I have an idea but I am still not so sure if I want to use it or not. I was thinking about comparing and contrasting rising artists with musicians that have already made it and are well known to the area. Specifically, I would focus on musicians in Nashville. I would first focus on artists who have already made it and would ask them questions such as how have they gotten where they are today? Was it connections, passion, persistence that got them to where they are today? On the flip side, I would intern ask the rising artists what pushes them or drives them to becoming a musician? Is what drives them fame, fortune, sharing their music with the world, using their gift to glorify the Lord? I would lead in with why does the artist do what they do? What is the artists mission for singing? I'm thinking that it would be neat to interview people from all different genres. I think that country is a must, since i live in tennessee, and i think that blues/jazz, christian, and singer/songwriter would be neat.

Discourse

I think that these two discourses are a lot alike, but also different. They are different in the sense that the little boy grew up on the streets and the man did not. They are alike because they both share a love for music.

What was I taught never to do as a writer

First, I was taught, with some of my previous teachers, to always make an outline before I start my paper. I always thought that this was necessary until I had one professor that said otherwise. For example, before I had to write a paper for his class, he pronounced by saying that writing an outline was optional and that if we did not want to write one then we did not have to write one. Therefore, I didn't write the outline and went about writing the paper without planning ahead what I was going to write about. Later, when I received the paper back, the teacher gave me an A and said that it was the best paper I had written all year. Furthermore, with that experience I gained knowledge about myself that I do a better job on papers if I do not prepare ahead of time and rather write the paper out of spontaneity. Although, I do feel as though this method does not work for everyone. I think this because everyone is different and some people do better with a plan going into the paper.

Second, I was taught, not necessarily on purpose, to write what the teacher wants to read. Although, I think that all the blame can not be put upon the teacher. I think that the student has to receive some of the blame too. I think this because the student, when in his/her younger years has to write a paper, they more so focus upon what grade they will be receiving, and not as much on how creative they can make the paper. Thus, the student will be wanting a good grade so bad that they will write more so to what they know the teacher wants to read, and not as much their own thoughts. Now, I am not saying that every child is like this, but I think that the majority of young students are. Now, on the other hand, I think that when teachers give students their opinion of a topic, which would be on the specific paper he or she would be writing, I think that sometimes they fail to realize that this might inhibit a student from using their own thoughts and opinions. Again, I don't think that a lot of times teachers mean to do this, but I think that it might be best to exclude the teachers opinion so that the students have no choice but to use their ideas and opinions on the paper. I think that many times the teacher wants to try and help out people that are stuggling with ideas and so that is why the teacher voices their opinion, in order to help the student get started.