Final Service Learning Reflection #3

The first book that comes to mind in reference to the Easley center is Savage Inequalities.  The focus on inner city kids and their schooling environments are rather similar to those of these kids.  Kozol notes them to have over-crowded and dilapidated school buildings and a shortage of supplies.  While the Easley center isn’t dilapidated by any means, it is very much over-crowded at times and almost always is lacking the necessary supplies.  What I did notice positively at Easley that matches up with Kozol’s findings is that children do want to learn but they are sometimes deprived of that opportunity based on where they live.   I get the vibe that the teachers aren’t doing so much teaching as they are barking orders and giving out busywork that they don’t explain in the first place.  Like Kozol said, these kids aren’t on drugs and they are aware that what the white kids get in their schools is not the same as what they get in their own.  They know better.  They are not stupid.  One little girl asked me where I go to school and when I told her I go to Belmont she said, “I will never be able to go to college.”  I asked her why and all she could say was, “because no one I know goes to college.”  No one has told her that didn’t matter.  She was also the same girl that said I had nice clothes because I was white.  I was in shock.  I didn’t know that people still thought that way.  I guess I was a little naïve.  She didn’t say it with a bias or any disdain for myself or any other white people, but she said it like a fact.  I didn’t know what to say.  Perhaps it is the city’s job to provide them with equal stuff as the other more fortunate kids, but the reality of someone picking up that ball or giving the extra money needed to make that happen is highly unrealistic and sad.

Final Service Learning Reflection #2

I noticed almost every time that I was there that there were never any extra pencils.  They would flood in to do their homework and I would hear about six kids say “I need a pencil” repeatedly until someone pulled an extra out of their backpack in order to make them stop talking.  Their books are all classis textbooks and I had plenty like them.  I don’t think they are fortunate enough to have the double copies my schools gave me so we could take one home and leave it at home while the other stayed at school.  I personally think that was a waste of money for the schools I went to because what the Easley kids learn is responsibility and are less forgetful.  I, on the other hand, am extremely forgetful and just cannot get it together sometimes.  I’m not saying that having two books made me that way, but I’m sure it didn’t help.  Since the supplies at the center are limited (extra pencils and paper), a lot of kids can’t do their homework when they want to and I bet they go home and forget all about it.  I started to bring a pencil and a little pad of paper just in case.  They always got used.  The homework room is so small in comparison to the game room, the gym or the lounge room.  For some reason I don’t see that to be right.  I think some kids forgo the homework room when they get there because they see it is already full.  There are not enough seats for all the kids who need to do work.  Those that try to do it in the lounge room quickly get distracted by the kids not doing homework and playing.  Then all hope is lost and they are off to play land.  They looooove to socialize just like any other kid.  They can’t wait to gossip and some of the mean girls can’t wait to pick on shyer girls and unsuspecting boys.  There are a lot of students for one space and it is much easier when it isn’t cold outside because they can at least go play outside when the center gets crowded.

Final Service Learning Reflection #1

I never really went to any after school center with a lot of other kids to do my homework.  I didn’t even go to a daycare or anything.  My mother was a teacher at the elementary and middle schools that I went to so my little brother and I would always just go to her classroom after school and do our homework.  When we got done with our homework we could go play with the other teachers’ kids on campus but we had to be totally finished with homework.  So in that way my elementary and middle school days were similar to the Easley kids who can’t play until they are done with their homework.  I also never really asked for help.  I think I was too independent for help and my mother always made me do stuff on my own until I just absolutely couldn’t figure it out or anything on my own.  Then she would help me.  I came from a part of town where, in my school, I was almost a minority.  There were equal number of Hispanics, African Americans and Caucasians in my school.  In my neighborhood though, it was all Caucasian.  I was fortunate enough to be in advanced programs or gifted programs all the way through grade school.  I was pushed to do better than my best and never even had the option to not do my homework or say I don’t want to or can’t.  I think at home, for some of these kids, they are allowed to get away with not doing their homework just by telling their parents they did it or they don’t have any.  The parents are then at fault for not checking to see if their grade school child is lying or not.  Once you start to get a child under control in the sense that they know they just can’t lie to you to get out of something, they’ll learn to just do it.  But it starts with the parents.

Easley visit #7 (there are only 7 because i did 1.5 hrs on two other days)

December 5th- my last visit to the center was a bittersweet one from 3-4.  I was a little happy to be done to be honest because I get so frustrated with the process sometimes but then little Kamaya walked in the door.  She was ecstatic to see me and immediately pulled out her work and said, "if we hurry, will you stay and play with me?"  I did stay.  we got done with her homework in 20 minutes and I only had about 10 minutes until I should have been done but I stayed for about 30 until she got busy with a bunch of the other girls who had finally finished their homework.  I had a wonderful time with her these past few times and I would consider going back to volunteer on my own accord just so I can spend more time with her.  I really enjoyed helping her and getting know her.

Easley visit #6

December 1st- I only stayed for an hour today from 3-4.  Kamaya came in late and I had already been working with one boy on his math homework (again with the math).  She sat down with another tutor but wouldn't do her work until I went over to her, took her play-doh from her and told her she wasn't getting it back until she finished her homework.  She pretended to be upset and stuck her tongue out at me and I reciprocated the childish behavior.  A little grin began to appear on her face and she got to work.  She started to protest the other tutor's help so I took over.  For some reason she will only work with me and get her stuff done with me.  She pretends she doesn't know anything or that she can't read with the other tutors but she will do it all for me.  I had to leave before she could finish her homework and she cried and hugged me so tight to try and get me not to leave.  It almost made me cry. 

Easley visit #5

november 28- I stayed for 1.5 hours today from 3-4:30.  I got to work with a little girl named Kamaya.  She is in the 2nd grade and she became instantly attached to my hip.  She put on a fake attitude problem with me at first to try and resist doing her home work but I wasn't putting up with it.  I know I complain a bit about the tutoring stuff when I get frustrated with myself but today was different.  I knew exactly how to communicate with Kamaya in order to explain her homework to her and get her to work efficiently on it.  We were done within an hour and she was able to go play.  But she wanted to stay in the homework room and show me her step routines instead.  So I stayed with her and let her teach me some until I had to leave.  I was so very pleased to make a connection with one of them.

Easley visit #4

November 21- I spent 1.5 hrs at the Easley Center today from 3:15-4:45.  I did more math with the kids- same boys as last time but with the addition of another girl in their class or grade or something.  I don't know what their teachers are telling them, but I am awful at math and they always come to me!  Not that I'm much better at grammar or anything, but I guess I just don't feel comfortable tutoring these kids.  I know how to do all of their homework, obviously.  But sometimes I just don't know how to explain something like 4x8= ?....  It's something I memorized so besides having them add 8 four times of 4 eight times, I don't know how to explain it.  I'm not a teacher for a reason.  Neither is math my forte.  So I can help them but I'm probably making things harder for them and I take way too much time explaining.  I get a little frustrated with the tutoring after I leave.

Easley visit #3

I spent an hour at the Easley center from 3-4.  I like to go that hour because it is more homework based than play based like the 4-5 hour is.  They want to play with you but only for a second and then they're off on their own and you're left to do nothing until your time is up.  So I try to make my times during the homework hour in order to do the most good.  I was bombarded with math today.  Not anything difficult but there was multiplication and division coming from like 4 or 5 students.  I wasn't the only one there today so I only had to work with two boys who were in 3rd grade.  Their ability to focus was limited and the amount of time that it took to get all of that done was way in-proportionate from how long it should have taken.  It literally took up my whole time there.

Online forum/ blog/ etc research

I have found a blog of a an african american girl who was adopted by a white family and is really connected to that story.  I found her on facebook and twitter and have tried to contact her for a possible interview via email or skype.  She is older and seems like a very reliable source if I can get ahold of her.  Secondly, I found a transracial adoption website that has forums and different tools for families in that situation.  I am very eager to continue to search for different conversations and threads on this topic.  I am also going to possible start one of my own on one of these host sites to see who will respond and what kind of responses i will get. This venue of research is proving to be very successful and helpful.

Adoption Glossary

Referral-

Custody-The care, control, and maintenance of a child which can be legally awarded by the court to an agency (in abuse and neglect cases) or to parents (in divorce, separation, or adoption proceedings). Child welfare departments retain legal custody and control of major decisions for a child in foster care; foster parents do not have legal custody of the children they care for.

Birth Parent- natural parent, first parent, parent who lost a child to adoption, parent

Closed Adoption- An adoption that involves total confidentiality and sealed records.

Open Adoption- An adoption that involves ongoing contact between birth and adoptive families, including visits.

Multi Ethnic Placement Act (MPEA)- A federal law enacted in 1994 and implemented through State policy. The Multi-Ethnic Placement Act of 1994, amended in 1996 to include the Removal of Barriers to InterEthnic Adoption (IEP), Section 1808 of P.L. 104-188 [42 USC 1996b], prohibits the delay or denial of any adoption or placement in foster care due to the race, color, or national origin of the child or the foster or adoptive parents by any agency or individual receiving federal funding, and requires States to provide for diligent recruitment of potential foster and adoptive families who reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of children for whom homes are needed. MEPA-IEP (as the full Act is known) does not apply to children covered under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).

Legal Guardian- A person who has legal responsibility for the care and management of a person who is incapable of administering his own affairs. In the case of a minor child, the guardian is charged with the legal responsibility for the care and management of the child and of the minor child's estate.

Interethnic Placement Provisions- Refers to Section 1808 of P.L. 104-188, Removal of Barriers to Interethnic Adoption Provisions. Added to the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act in 1996, the IEP underscores the prohibition against delaying or denying the placement of a child for adoption or foster care on the basis of race, color or national origin of the foster or adoptive parents or of the child involved [42 USC 1996b]. MEPA-IEP (full acronym of the law) applies to those receiving federal funding, and (to the best of this writer's knowledge) does not apply to those covered under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).


Intercountry/ International Adoption- The adoption of a child who is a citizen of one country by adoptive parents who are citizens of a different country.

Dossier- A set of legal documents which are used in an international adoption to process a child's adoption or assignment of guardianship in the foreign court.

Consent To Adopt- Legal permission for the adoption to proceed.

Blended Families- families with biological and adopted children and or families with children of different races.

Intro to Research Paper

First Research Interview

1. Where were you adopted from and at what age were you adopted?
I was born in Taegu, South Korea and I was adopted when I was about 3 months old.

2. Did your adoptive parents tell you growing up that you were adopted?  How was it explained to you (i.e. how and why did they adopt you)?
My parents were always very open with the fact that I was adopted, although I don't think I could tell you exactly how it was explained to me. All I know is that for as long as I can remember, my parents told me I was adopted and never really asked about it.

3. Do you have any connection to your biological parents?  If yes, how would you describe that relationship?  If no, why not?
I don't have any connection to my biological mother now, and when I was adopted I had no connection to my biological father at all. I personally, don't feel any desire to try and reconnect with my biological mother if for no other reason than the fact that I wouldn't even know how to start that conversation.

4. Do you have any siblings (also adopted or biological to your adoptive parents)?
Nope, I'm an only child.

5. How did growing up with parents of a different race effect you socially, mentally and emotionally? (I know that may be a loaded question but feel free to interpret that however you wish)
I would say that being adopted has not really had any emotional or mental effect on me. I don't have severe abandonment issues or other psychological problems like some adopted children have. My parents are pretty well established so I would say socially I grew up in a fairly standard middle class home.

6. If I were to tell you that adopting children from other countries and other races was considered to be a "fad" what would you say in response?
Considering I just gave an informative speech about this very topic... haha I would have to disagree with that. Adoptions are almost 75% international rather than domestic. I don't think that it is a "fad" at all.

7. Would you ever adopt?  From another race?  Why or why not?
I would like to adopt one child eventually, I would definitely do it from another country, but I don't know which. It has had such a positive impact on my life, I would love to give another child the same opportunity. 

8. How many people have asked you what it was like growing up with parents of another race?  Why did they want to know?

Well I actually get asked what it's like having Asian parents more often because a lot of people don't know I'm adopted. People never really have specifics in mind when they ask me that qustion.

Dennis Vorreyer is a student here at Belmont who was adopted by a Caucasian family.  While he has no emotional, social or mental issues with adoption, being adopted and so forth, he is older, had a wonderful set of parents, grew up matched with parents of which the racial matchings aren't cliche and was always aware of his adopted status.  Not all cases are like this but it is necessary to hear all sides of one thought.  I wonder if his answers would have been any different if he had been younger or if others when he was growing up actively knew his parents were of a different race and he was adopted.  (He insinuated that it wasn't common knowledge in his answer to number eight).  I want to look at this culture from absolutely every perspective so his answers were greatly helpful.  Especially his take on foreign adoption being a "fad."  I was a little thrown off by his response because I tend to side with the notion of it being a "fad" but I have to rethink my standing as I hear that response coming from someone who experienced that "fad."

Easley visit #2

I helped a variety of different aged students this time.  I helped a few 3rd graders with their math homework and helped on of those same girls with a sheet asking cultural questions about her and her family.  That was a little awkward to try to explain to her as she was African American and I'm not.  I had to make sure the connotation I gave her in my explanation was not a negative one as that could frame how she sees different cultures and races.  She didn't seem phased by anything I was telling her though.  She was literally an open book and just went with the flow.  Maybe she didn't realize the importance of different cultures and races in this world.  Probably not...

One thing that threw me off was when a seventh grade boy asked me for help with his algebra homework.  I felt a wee bit incompetent when I had to tell him to give me a few seconds to look back through the book to figure out how to help him.  He was working on finding the slope of a line... something I haven't done in at least five years.  Of course, once I read up really quickly it all came back to me and I was fine.  I was certainly humbled by that incident.  You're never as smart as you think you are.  You better believe that.

Easley visit #1

I spent the majority of my time with two second grade girls who were basically copying words off of a page to learn spelling I assume.  They only have to write the word one time and I was pretty surprised when they told me they didn't know the meanings of them.  When I asked if they did, they said, "the teacher will tell us tomorrow."  To be honest, I don't believe that the teacher will.  I don't understand how to learn that way.  in order to remember how to spell a word, I would have to be able to read it and associate it with a definition and then I would associate that with the spelling I learned.  So, I taught them the definitions and gave them clues on how to remember them.  They could already read the words but just lacked their denotations.  They wanted to just play after, but we really spent a decent 30 minutes discussing the words.  I'm sure that wasn't their favorite thing to do, but I kind of made them do it anyways.  I would have felt awful if I didn't encourage that learning.

Response to Maya Angelou

It was a personal dream of mine to see Maya because I read her poetry as a younger girl all the time.  Oddly enough, I also used to read Edger Allen Poe, or EAP as she so fondly called him.  I was ecstatic to know we had similar preferences in poetry.  I took what she had to say to heart as if she were any of my other idolized persons in my life that I saw or spoke to everyday.  She had wisdom that can only come from her experiences but at the same time can be applied to many other circumstances.  That is what I believe constitutes a virtuous and sagacious human being.  Her sense of humor was an absolute blessing because it showed how humor really does carry you through even the worst of times.  She has the history to prove it. 


Two things that will never leave me are her references to being a rainbow and her mentality on self worth.  My most favorite quote of hers was "you're not alright, you're just right."  It was unbelievably simple but so profound as it came through my ears.  Sometimes all you need to hear are simple words that define such a complex issue.  Also, while I can list forever the names of those who were rainbows in my life, I am purposefully striving to become a rainbow in someone else's life.  Anywhere where I can shed some light, I want to make a conscious effort to do so. 

Artifact from my "culture"

Now.  If that isn't the most "hip" way to put adoption, then I don't know what is.  This is a highly unrealistic situation for most families, as it would cost a fortune to adopt that many out of country children.  While it is a blessing to those children that they are being raised in a better situation than their previous ones, I believe that this is giving off a "it's the cool thing to do" vibe.  That is not how, in my opinion, overseas adoption should be looked at.  What reasons did Angie and Brad have for adopting?  Was it because they were in the public eye and wanted to do a "good deed" or do they really have a heart for these children in some other special way?  I am not one to make that judgement call, but it must be questioned before following this "trend."

Beaman Creepin'

I think what interested me the most was having to look into the subconscious happenings in the beaman that people do on a day to day basis.  There is some meaning to what they do, but I bet they don't even realize it by this point.  It's such a common ground and repetitive section of campus that is makes it hard to dig any deeper than face value on my observations.


What disturbed me was how watched I actually felt while I was essentially watching everyone else.  The tables somewhat turned and it often times made me more uncomfortable than they were and I was unable to focus.


What surprises me the most was the fact that I actually thought interesting things would happen in such a general location and in fact the happenings were very mundane and completely in the norm.  It also surprised me how one place can be used for so many different things and yet it still has the common themes of being a general location, easy, convenient, personal to an extent and comfortable.

Possible Research Topics

My very first choice in research topics would be to investigate the discourse of families who adopt children of a different race.  It is an interest of mine because one day I hope to adopt a child from Uganda after I have a few of my own.  My reasons may be different than others and I want to know how a situation like that fully plays out.  How does it affect the parents?  How does it affect the child of another race?  How does it affect the other children (if any)?  Why did they choose to go that route?  What are the benefits and what are the downfalls?  I know a few people who have done this and I also know a few people who look at this idea and do not approve.  I want to know why it is looked at negatively and why others are highly drawn to the idea.  After all, I will hopefully be following in some of these people's footsteps one day.

My Second choice would be to investigate the "why" and "how" of the idea to run marathons or do triathlons.  It amazes me how long it takes to prepare for something like that and what these people do to train for it.  Because i have no interest in running a marathon ever, this would simply be a little investigation into their motivation and training habits just so I know.  Like, how long does it take to train?  What methods are there?  How does it differ between a man and a woman?  How does it affect the rest of your everyday life?  Why would you want to run a marathon or triathlon- beyond "just to check something off a bucket list"?  There are so many angles to play off of in this investigation as well.  However, I would still stick to the first one because I have such a passion an actual interest in the Discourse.

Competing Discourses

This scene is from the movie Mr. Deeds with Adam Sandler.  To set this scene up, Deeds (Sandler) is a small town guy with a small town life who finds out he has a very rich uncle that left him everything when he suddenly dies.  He is brought to New York under the notion that he will sign away his uncle's company in return for a large settlement.  In this restaurant, he becomes involved with the high society folk that are typical social friends of people with his now high fortune and success.  Obviously a conflict will occur...

The two competing Discourses are extremely evident.  According to the book Literacy: A Critical Sourcebook, the two Discourses are competing in the realm of their Secondary Dominant Discourses because the obvious differences between the two types are status, wealth, class and education. 

Deeds has the Primary Discourse of a middle-lower class man.  He grew up in a small town, but in his town he owns a business and is relatively successful.  He is greatly loved by the townspeople and lives a fulfilled and happy life.  However, as he travels to New York he finds that he is now simply lower class, not loved by everyone, less educated and inferior to the upper part that he is introduced to.  The table of "elitists" with whom Deeds and his date join for dinner have a very dominant and superior ere to their speech, actions and behaviors.  They most likely grew up in a high society with avid culture experiences, higher education, lots of money and very few hardships.  They don't understand or respect Deeds, his background or his future because they have already perceived him as being a lesser person than they.  In a way the Discourses are aligned because they are dealing with similar issues in opposing directions, but at the same time they are not aligned because one is trying to fit in (Deeds) while the others keep him out as he is not a bred member of their particular Discourse.  The effect is Deeds' anger and protective instincts that arise because of his ultimate denial.  That often happens as a defense mechanism when someone from an outer Discourse tries to learn and become a member of another Discourse.  The insiders always know an outsider and often point them out to the point of humiliation.

Writing No-Nos...

• In middle school, I was taught that when using ellipses, only use three!  In fact, overusing any kind of punctuation is a terribly wrong thing to do when writing.  No one wants to read through a dozen things in parenthesis, a sentence with a million question marks and exclamation points or a sentence with colons and semi colons out the wazoo.  
• When asking "where are you?" or "what time is it?", there is no use for the word "at" added at the end. Ex. "Where are you at?"... my mother used to answer me with "behind the A-T."
• I was taught in high school to avoid sentences that begin with "the" as well as "but."  I frequently replaced "but" with "however" though.
• Generally, I am a very wordy person when I speak as well as when I write.  I was corrected by my AP language teacher very early on in high school.  She told me to say what I needed to say in the least amount of words possible.  No one wants you to get to the point in a roundabout way. This awful habit includes my tendency to be redundant.  Repeating things is often unnecessary, even if I think I haven't explained it well the first time.  I just need to fix the first go around instead of adding a second.
• When I was very young, I was taught that all ending punctuations go INSIDE the parenthesis if there are any.  I had a lot of trouble with that one when I was young.
• Subject and verb agreement! This needs no explanation.  But I unfortunately did not learn this until high school. I had poor middle school grammar education.
• The above bullet point is an example of a bad habit I still run into- thinking fragments can be sentences.  They cannot be sentences, ever.  
• Spelling hasn't really ever been an issue for me, but I have run into times when I thought I knew what a word meant and was corrected because I was entirely wrong and it made my sentence and idea incorrect, as well as confusing. 

I'm sure there are many more rules that I have been taught over the years, but I suppose they are so far burnt into my brain that they are second nature and therefore not at the surface of my mind.  Nevertheless, these are plenty to go off of...