Week 11

Over the course of English 104, I feel that the way I write has changed significantly. Before beginning this course, I would write research without considering the sources. I now feel that I am a more critical writer of my sources. I view each source as objectively as possible. I investigate the writer of the source and try to imagine how their biases may influence their writing. I also no longer disregard information because it does not agree with my research. I found the first assignment to be the most enjoyable, but perhaps the most difficult. It was difficult for me to look at myself objectively and find my biases. I believe and I am reluctant to admit to my biases and prejudices. I do not like thinking that I have had opportunities that others have not, which may lead me to be less understanding or educated than others. That assignment was interesting because I was able to evaluate myself in a new way, and discover how my writing has been effected in the past. The most difficult assignment I  have had was the Literature Review and Research Proposal. This type of assignment was one I had never done before. I found it extremely difficult to answer questions about my future research. I have never knowingly considered what form my writing was going to take place before it has been done. It was hard for me to plan ahead because that is the opposite of how I like to do my writing. I typically like to develop my writing and see where it goes. I found this assignment to be the most difficult. Writing in my life has always played a significant role. Being part of a military family, we moved a lot and one way to remember all my new experiences and sights was to keep them in a journal. Keeping a journal allowed me to always have a confidant and something that would always listen to my thoughts, despite the changes that were occurring in my life. I write to record my memories, experiences and feelings. I also enjoy writing for an educational stand point. As a future teacher, I think that it is fascinating to see how children grow and develop over the twelve years they are in school. I write so that I am able to reflect over my growth and development and see all of my improvements. I also hope to be able to share my journals with my children in the future, so that they can see me as an adolescent instead of an adult all the time. In the future, I understand that writing will play a large role in my career. I will constantly be writing lesson plans, evaluations, IEP's, and reports. Writing plays a large impact on all people's lives. 

Family stories

Stories have been handed down about my great-grandmother Meritt. She was a little Italian woman who fit the classic stereotype of Italian women. Growing up in New York made it difficult for her to fit in with all the "Jan Cleaver" types. My great-grandmother was a loud woman who cooked heavy meals laden with rich sauces and flavor. I have heard numerous stories about her from both my parents. They describe her as being a walking faux pau. Everywhere she went she was unintentionally insulting someone, frightening people, talking loudly, and breaking the "American" rules. Anytime my grandmother would say something blunt or rude, everyone in my family would always tease her and call her by her mother's name. She became a long-standing joke among my family. Now anytime that I do something that would fit my great-grandmother's behavior, my family calls me Meritt. 

Week 10

I would like to begin my mini-ethnography by giving a little background of what the setting is like. I would like to step back and give through descriptions of what I see, hear, smell, and feel. Another way I could give introductory information is explaining why I chose this organization as my field site and what attracted me to volunteering. In my mini-ethnography, I will not specifically identify or interview insiders to this subculture. Because I feel that would be unethical, I will instead focus on perhaps another volunteer or family member of one of the athletes.For the structure of my mini-ethnography, I would like to make it flow in chronological order as much as possible. However, I feel that keeping similar themes and observations among the subculture is a vital way to pass along information. I hope to include several pictures to give readers who have never volunteered at the Special Olympics a visual of what the environment is really like. By including pictures, when they are reading my mini-ethnography, there minds-eye a more accurate representation of what my fieldwork was like. To conclude my mini-ethnography I will probably end with the feelings of another volunteer. At this point, I am a little unclear on how I want to end my research. To make a powerful end to my mini-ethnography, I may attempt to find an athlete that I feel will be able to understand the questions and their use. Through providing an insiders point of view at the end, I may be able to drive my final point home hard. 

This structure will be the most helpful when presenting my information because it presents the information logically and concisely. It will be helpful because it details how my knowledge has grown. Therefore, the readers understanding can grow in a parallel way as mine. Also through chronological order, the information is presented in a more natural way, as if the reader were there with me everyday as my understanding grew. 

Glossary of Terms

IDEA- The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (the legislation covering the most advances for people with disabilities)

IEP- Individualized Educational Program (a written document detailing what approaches to education and socialization are most efficient for the given person

FAPE- free appropriate public education (a mandate from IDEA, what all children are entitled to now, but not in the past)

LRE- least restrictive environment (where all children have the right to be educated, an advancement from the past)

RTI- response to intervention 

Transition services- typically refers to the transition between high school to adulthood and acquiring appropriate skills for the person's placement after schooling

American Tongues writing

1. The researcher may choose to interview a more diverse age population. The interviewer should also try to interview more women to better understand the differences among gender as well. All of the people that the movie showcased were older gentlemen. The neat part of the documentary was comparing the similarities and differences in the word choices and asking others what the words mean to different people. I enjoyed that and felt that it reinforced the point the interviewer was trying to make.

2. There were several flaws with the study. Women were underrepresented in the documentary. Also, middle-aged people (in their teens and 20's) didn't seem to be present in the film. I felt that elderly, white males were over-represented in the movie. These people were shown in the film the most. Also, Hispanic and Asian cultures that are prevelent today were grossly underrepresented in the film. There were no mentions of the Hispanic population and I do not believe there were any Asian dialects. I would make the study more appealing to people by interviewing more people from the west or east. I felt as though the southerners and midwestern accents were talked about the most, and therefore most of the scenery takes place in "outdoorsy" settings. I think I would find the documentary more interesting if it took place in a more professional setting. However, the natural scenery also helps explain the differences in culture and language. 

3. I believe that language is the most important factor to being expressed. Language can determine whether a person is viewed as intelligent, less educated, worldly, sheltered, hospitable, cold, irritating or otherwise. Although how one views a certain dialect may not be a correct assumption for all who speak that way, it does color the way people interact and understand each other. In the section of the film where the people were discussing what different words meant to them, the viewer could tell that the differences could cause difficulties with someone who does not speak the same dialect. 

Book writing 3/19

1. In this scene, the setting is a gymnasium. The gym is old, dated maybe to the 1950's and it doesn't look like it has changed much since then. The gym is covered in people: people in the bleachers, people on the floor, people watching from the sidelines. I am among the people on the floor, participating in the basketball game, the same as the athletes. The informants and I are friends, but blocked by barriers such as wealth, ability, and communication. 

2. The words that I remember don't give a lot of meaning up front. If you look at the literal words, they are broken, joined to make few complete thoughts. However, if you observe the meaning behind what you are being told, there is more. The informants share their lives with me, the good experiences in their days, the bad ones, what they are excited about, what they like. In the relationship, I socially have the power. My fixed positions, such as not having a disability, prevents me from fully understanding what they are saying and how they are feeling. Their positions also keep them from understanding what I sometime may say, and it also may keep me from understanding what they are saying. Although the Special Olympics is about maintaining equality, my positions still give me a slight advantage. I am more physically able to play the sports, at least I should be. I can communicate my thoughts better and I feel as thought that is the greatest reason I hold more social power than they do. 

3. The informants speak with their own thoughts and rhythms. They tend to care little for what is "supposed" to be talked about and often skip the pleasantries with me. Instead, they will tell me about all the good things, the bad things, what they are excited about and make fun of me for how awful I am at basketball. Because of their own communication patterns, there are large holes in their speech, and their rhythm doesn't flow, but it doesn't seem to bother them. They put an emphasis on their feelings and how certain situations appear to them, and so I do the same. I try to share their feelings for their experiences to build them up. 

Week 9

The most difficult part of my research has been to find opinions other than my own. Many of my sources agree with my point of view that the Special Olympics is a beneficial organization for those with disabilities. In my research process, I have found many sources that feel that this type of interaction encourages social, physical and emotional development. The easiest part of my research has been visiting my field site. I have enjoyed my observations at the meetings and have found it quite easy to go back every other week. As previously stated, I have also found it easy to obtain sources that agree and back up my point of view. If I could start all over again, I would take notes more diligently at my field site. When participating as a volunteer at the Special Olympics, I tend to become involved in my surroundings. This allows me little time to sit back, observe, and take notes. I would perhaps sit down for a little bit at each meeting and take notes so that I don't have to rely on my memory as much when writing about my field site. Keeping a blog has helped me in my research in an organizational sense. It is easier to have all my information in one place. It also helps me see how my research has not been individual, but ties together to help me create my final mini-ethnography. It also helps me pull from my previous writings to work on my current writings. Preparing for my mini-ethnography should be relatively easy because of maintaining my blog. My blog contains my feelings and past research. This makes it easier to record the whole duration of my experience at my field site. It also helps me make my mini-ethnography more accurate. Rather than relying on my memory for information, I have recorded it on my blog for reference.  

In class writing 3/17

1. My readers will care about my issue because of the impact it has on daily life. Whether it is obvious or not, it is likely that everyone will encounter at least one person daily who has a disability of some sort. By informing my audience of the truth, they will be better at interacting with those with disabilities. I would like to believe that all people will want to help and encourage these vulnerable members of society, although that may not be the case. However, this issue is easy for most people to care about because they genuinely want to help.

2. My readers will need to know that people with disabilities deserve to be treated just like everyone else. They will also have to understand the positive benefits of the Special Olympics. Understanding that this opportunity is a wonderful resource for the athletes will help them understand why the organization exists and the benefits it provides.

3. My readers may already know a lot about the Special Olympics. Most people probably understand that it is an organization for those with special needs. They understand that the athletes get together to play sports on a weekly basis. However, the truth of what they know may end there. My audience may begin to fill in the blanks with biases, such as the sports are watered down for the athletes or that these people are less capable because of their disability. Some may believe the athletes are stupid or weird, when this is not the case. Because of personal experience, it is difficult to tell what a general population may already know about my subculture.  

4. I want my readers to learn to stop judging the Special Olympics negatively. I want the people who read my mini-ethnography to understand all the positive outcomes for the athletes and volunteers at the organization. I would also like my readers to better understand how to treat and interact with people with disabilities. Learning how to include diverse people is a big part in creating peace among our society, and even this small stride may make a big difference.

5. My readers may be persuaded, however, it depends how on much they allow their heart to seek and understand the information provided. I feel that those who are emotionally invested in their search for information will be more easily swayed than others. If my readers analyze my information with indifference, it may color the way they view the information, and therefore, determines whether or not they understand the point I am trying to make.

6. It is my intention that my readers will use my writing for the good of their own community. I hope that my writing will encourage others to become active in their community by making it a more accepting place for those with disabilities. At the very least, I want my readers to at least learn to treat people with disabilities with respect the next time they encounter them.

Week 8

There is a current theme that I see not only in my field site, but in my research as well. The theme seems to be that organized activities, such as the Special Olympics, are positive community activities for those with special needs to be involved with. Through spending their time at these organizations, participants seem to have a higher self esteem, better health, and a more positive outlook on their personal situation. Talking this idea through with some of the athletes at the Special Olympics has not been easy. Many of the athletes are unable to understand the questions, and I feel as though interviewing them and using their answers as part of my research could be ethically immoral. However, the parents and families of the athletes have agreed with the idea that the Special Olympics has been a positive way to keep their family member physically active, involved within the community and interacting with their peers, both disabled and non-disabled. My place in my subculture has not changed in many ways. However, in some ways, it has. When I first began my fieldwork, I was an insider in the subculture of the Special Olympics. I volunteered regularly and had fostered some relationships with the athletes. Because I now volunteer also as part of this assignment, I have become more observant and gained insight into the community. Before I viewed the Special Olympics as something to enhance my resumé  and a good way for me to gain hands-on knowledge of my major. Now I realize that the Special Olympics has given me much more than I could ever give back to it. The Special Olympics has taught me to look in each person and seek their strengths, instead of their weaknesses. It has also helped me to view those with disabilities as people just like me. Their disabilities stop them from doing nothing; instead it only alters the way in which they do certain activities. I have grown in my relationships with the athletes and been able to access their emotions more than I had in the past. By talking with them, I have come to realize what they value, how they think and what they believe in. Eight weeks ago I was a volunteer at the Special Olympics. Now, I am a friend, a mentor, an athlete, and an advocate for people with disabilities.