Section is optional tomorrow...please read.

 Hello all
    In solidarity with the National Day of Action for Public Education, section attendance will not be required tomorrow. I feel it my responsibility to hold section, though I am admittedly torn. To be clear: I will not take attendance tomorrow, i.e., there will be no penalty for missing class. And, if there are some that do decide to show up, we will meet at outside, on Sproul, right in front of the (dried out) water fountain. If you want to join your classmates and me, and cannot find us--please text me: 415.786.8787.

Best,
J

ROOM CHANGE TODAY: we are in 2320 Tolman for today's section...

Hello all,
   We are not in the Valley Life Science building today (only); instead, we are in 2320 Tolman.

Anzaldua writes that the "home" tongues are the languages spoken among family and friends; according to Gee, what type of discourse is this? Please provide an example of the differences between your particular "home" tongue and the tongue you most frequently adopt when not at "home".

“Home” tongues are the languages spoken among family and friends, of which Gee labels as the “primary discourse.” Gee states that the primary discourse is “attained through being a part of something,” that is to say ethical groups with similar cultural values such as language. It is a foundation and they vary from person to person (they also foundations for racism and classism). Beyond the primary discourse are other discourses which crucially involve social institutions beyond the family (or the primary socialization group as defined by the culture), no matter how much they also involve the family. These institutions all require one to communicate with non-intimates (or to treat intimates as if they were not intimates). These “secondary institutions” include schools, workplaces, stores, government offices, businesses, churches, and so on. These “secondary discourses” are learned through these other social institutions. But in general, these discourses, both primary and secondary, define that literacy is not only an understanding of reading and writing but also the comprehension of social practices in daily life.

Presentation groups for this week

Gee:
Alison, Ayon, Tracy, Jolene, Tsedal, and David

Bakhtin:
Rachel, Vivian, Sabrina, Abigail, Jacqueline, Christina

Olsen:
Rebecca S., Shelby, Jessica, Joel, Jordan, Michael

Delpit:
Gloria, Movses, Jasmin, Rebecca P., Anthony, and Kandice


I will cover the Howard chapters.

The presentation group list is forthcoming. Here is what will be covered in section this week,

WEEK 6

Class 11:  February 21, 2012
Guest Speaker:  Dave Malinowski, PhD
Heteroglossia and discourses

Gee, James P. (1991). “What is Literacy?” In C. Mitchell & K. Weiler (Eds.), Rewriting literacy: Culture and the discourse of the other (pp. 3-11). New York: Bergin & Garvey.
A short but valuable piece that adds the term “Discourses” to our literacy vocabulary.

Bakhtin, M.  (1994). Excerpts from The Bakhtin Reader, Pam Morris (Ed.). London: Arnold (pp. 73-80).
This complex theoretical piece introduces the concept of heteroglossia:  language and literacy as multiple voices.

Class 12:  February 23, 2012
Identity & schooling

Howard, G.R. (2006). We can’t teach what we don’t know: white teachers, multiracial schools (13-27; 53-67).Teachers College Press. New York and London.
In the first chapter of this powerful book, veteran educator, Gary Howard, writes of his coming to terms with his whiteness, and all that it entails, while living in a poor, predominately African American neighborhood during both the Civil Rights movement and its reluctant progeny, the Black Power Movement. Later, in the third chapter of this book, he systematically deconstructs what he refers to as the “dominance paradigm” employed by whiteness.

Olsen, L. (1997).  We make each other racial: The Madison High world as perceived by the “American” student.  In Made in America (58-89).  New York: The New Press.
This chapter presents high school students views on how race factors into their social experience.

Delpit, Lisa. (1995). The silenced dialogue: Power and pedagogy in educating other people’s children. In Other people's children: Cultural conflict in the classroom (21-47). New York: The New Press.
Delpit questions both why some children of color don't learn to read when taught by means of "progressive" and "child-centered" methods and why teachers and parents of color are often excluded in conversations about what is good for their children.

Why are there no questions?

Hello all,
   As I am sure you have all noticed, I have not posted any new questions. Why, you ask; well, as you all know there's a midterm quickly approaching. I submitted a list of potential midterm questions to Dr. Gleason for her consideration, at her request. And, precisely for this reason, I suspended our questions until she decides on the ones that she'll use. Once the midterm is over and done, I will resume posting questions.


Best,
Jeremiah