Topical Service Learning Reflection #3

My experiences at the Cohn Adult Learning Center have demonstrated that discourses are apprenticeships that produce meta-knowledge for one's primary discourse.

In the "Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction and What is Literacy?", Gee asserts that discourses are the enculturation into social practices via apprenticeships with members of dominant groups. My sessions at the learning center support this notion because my interactions with my students would symbolize a type of literacy training. I, a member of the American dominant group, taught my students how to interact with American culture. Similarly, my students, members of foreign dominant groups, tutored me in their respective cultures. As such, the learning center incorporates social practices into its literacy development program to actively immerse its students into American society. This immersion ameliorates the students' lives because said students learn to function as natives.

Additionally, Gee proposes that learning another discourse produces insights into one's primary discourse. He states that this meta-knowledge clarifies one's previously acquired knowledge. My experiences at the training session for the Cohn center affirm Gee's idea. While tutoring at the Cohn center, I learned multiple techniques that taught me meta-knowledge about the English language. Accordingly, I gained insights into my primary discourse because I acquired knowledge about my primary discourse's fundamental aspects, syllabification and pronunciation. As a result, I discovered the importance of the human tongue in linguistics and developed a rudimentary method for elocution. My meta-knowledge enabled me to instruct my students appropriately and elucidate American discourse during our sessions.

From my experiences at the Cohn center, I have witnessed that discourses are apprenticeships that produce meta-knowledge for one's primary discourse.

Topical Service Learning Reflection #2

While tutoring at the learning center, I observed how space influences one's attention and schedule.

The limited space at the learning center requires individuals to look beyond their daily lives. As such, students and tutors have to book appointments to participate at the learning center. Said students and tutors learn how to plan around rush hour traffic, work schedules, and unexpected obstacles.

In America, many situations require scheduling to optimize the conditions of social meetings (i.e. job interviews, restaurant dining, equipment repair, et cetera) due to time and spatial restrictions. As individuals perform this folkway at the learning center, they practice time management and improve their social interaction with others in American society. Thus, I witnessed how spatial limitations socially affect one agenda.

Additionally, the learning center arranges its desks in a manner that prevents students and tutors from distractions. Tall barriers deter wandering eyes and thwart forecast predictions.

The learning center's arrangement of space forces its students to concentrate and accomplish each lesson's objectives. To me, the Cohn center's spatial positioning demonstrated said center's attempts to create an advantageous learning environment rid of distractions. Therefore, I realized how spatial arrangement can prevent distractions to the learning process.

My experiences at the learning center taught me how space influences one's attention and schedule. From my observations, I have learned how spatial arrangements try to incorporate optimization techniques.

Transcription of "Epic Etude in G-Minor"

Screenshot of My Digital Storyboard

Topical Service Learning Reflection #1

After conducting research and tutoring, I found that my formative literacy experiences and my sessions at the Cohn Adult Learning Center were enlightening and satisfying.

From my interviews with Belmont songwriters, I learned techniques to write songs. Belmont songwriters tend to isolate themselves from others while they write songs. They prefer to write in insulate spaces because there are fewer distractions and their thoughts are not influenced by others' judgements. The correspondence between their insular predispositions and my preliminary attempts at songwriting gave me immense satisfaction. It was pleasing to know that my initial spatial reaction to the songwriting process was the technique that Belmont songwriters employed. Additionally, Belmont songwriters have multiple ways to overcome writer's block. While some choose to use a stream of consciousness, others like to take a break and revisit their work later. I could not find an universal tactic that Belmont songwriters employed because each songwriter had his/her preferred method of tackling his/her writer's block. Although there was no unifying theme in respect to writer's block, I was satisfied by the songwriters' answers because their divergence demonstrated the individuality of songwriting.

My students at the Cohn Adult Learning Center taught me how to help others. While I tried to formulate a teaching approach, I learned that I needed to adapt said approach to each student because a generic method would not account for my students' unique circumstances. Thus, my experiences at the learning center demonstrated the necessity of paying attention to the particular aspects of my students and incorporating said aspects into my teaching approach. I felt satisfaction when my students proficiency improved after I refined my method based on each student's particulars.

While my formative literacy experiences and my sessions at the Cohn Adult Learning Center taught me different lessons, I experienced satisfaction throughout my learning process.

Dear Friend Post Re: Ethnographic Paper

Dear Dad,

I'm writing an ethnographic paper about Belmont Songwriters for my Third-Year Writing class. In my paper, I will try to concentrate on the songwriting process, writer's block, and the ways in which songwriters connect with their audiences. I have already interviewed several songwriters at Belmont and have made several attempts at songwriting to gain further insight into the songwriting culture.

I think I have finally found something that challenges me mentally and yields tremendous satisfaction. I hope you can support my endeavors while I tread in uncertain waters.

I love you and I always will.

Your Son,
McLean

Service Learning Visit #4 (Hour 7)

On Thursday, I arrived at the Cohn Adult Learning Center for my last appointment. As I walked up the stairs of the school, I reflected on the different sessions and experiences with my students. I realized that while I could try to formulate a teaching approach, said approach would not apply to all students. One's system must adapt to the unique circumstances of one's students.

As I reviewed the lesson plan, my new student arrived and we began our session (his name will be Fred). Initially, Fred and I conversed about education. Fred told me about his elementary and secondary education in Mexico. After high school, he studied photography and became a professional photographer for ceremonial occasions (i.e. weddings, funerals, quinceanearas, et cetera).

The beginning of our lesson started with vocabulary terms regarding classroom objects (i.e. map, flag, pledge, et cetera). Fred was a brilliant individual; he could create elaborate examples using the provided terms. The only aspect of Fred's literacy that need improvement was his pronunciation, but he quickly corrected his verbal errors after some guidance. We finished the lesson plan early, and I asked Fred about his profession as a photographer. He told me about traveling to stunning locations for his clients' events. As he told me his stories, we chuckled over the priceless shenanigans of his experiences.

After Fred left, I filled out the paper work for the Cohn Center and walked down the stairs of the school. I opened the front door and sat on the curb. As I waited for my ride, I thought of my students who taught me how to help others. They taught me how to be a better person.

I will never forget their stories.