I have chosen the Assiniboine People to write my paper on for two main reasons; one, is my close family ties with them (my uncle), and two, being my experiences with them in and around Ft. Peck. My first experiences were as a child in the early 1970s. My uncle, who is of Assiniboine blood, is a third generation farmer north of Poplar Mt. I would spend weeks at a time during summer breaks, on the farm on Fort Peak Reservation.
My most recent experiences have involved a learning of traditional culture of the Assiniboine People. This has happened through a relationship I made with Mike Todd, my brother. Mike adopted me in ceremony about five years ago, and I have been involved in many cultural happenings ever since. Mike is Assiniboine, born in Wolf Point Mt. He is a pipe carrier and is involved daily in traditional Assiniboine culture in one way or another. I have had the privilege to participate with him in numerous cultural events and ceremonies over the years, from sweat lodge to the building of Big Lodge every spring north of Oswego, MT.
I have a strong desire to learn more about the Assiniboine People. My brother Mike says I am Assiniboine now. The name Assiniboine was derived from the Chippewa words u’sin and u’pwawn, which literally means, “stone boilers”. Our name for ourselves is Nakona, or Nakonabi, meaning the friendly people (from History of the Assiniboine People from the Oral Tradition. By Robert P. Four Star).
The new Fort Peck Indian Agency was established in 1871 to serve the Assiniboine and Sioux Indians. The Agency was located within the old stockade of Fort Peck, purchased from traders Durfee and Peck.
In 1878, the Fort Peck Agency was relocated to its present day location in Poplar because the original agency was located on a flood plain, suffering floods each spring.
Attempts by the U.S. government to take the Black Hills and bind the Sioux to agencies along the Missouri in the 1860s resulted in warfare, reopening the issues that had been central to the Great Sioux War (1866-68). As part of the Sioux agreed to come in to agencies, part chose to resist. Army efforts to bring in the other Sioux (characterized as "hostiles") led to battles in the Rosebud country, and culminated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876.
As the victors dispersed, Sitting Bull led followers north into the Red Water country, where contact with the Sioux of Fort Peck Agency kept the Hunkpapas and assorted Tetons supplied. When military pressure increased, Sitting Bull led most of his followers into Canada in 1877. The military presence increased in an effort to induce Sitting Bull to surrender.
Camp Poplar (located at Fort Peck Agency) was established in 1880. Finally, without supplies and barely tolerated by Indians in the area of present day southern Saskatchewan, Sitting Bull came in to surrender at Fort Buford on July 19, 1881. Some of his Hunkpapas stragglers intermarried with others at Fort Peck and resided in the Chelsea community. (Fort Peck Tribes web site, Tribal History).
The Assiniboine once were one of the biggest tribes in North America, at one time numbering 30,000 people or more. They were a force to be reckoned with, made up of great warriors, hunters and traders. I believe the greatest downfall to the Assiniboine People was the coming of Europeans and the spreading of infectious diseases to the native people. The Assiniboine were one of the hardest hit. Small pox came to the Assiniboine people 3 times. The first epidemic killed approximately half the people. Being brought almost to extinction by small pox, attests to the resilient nature of these people.
To see what the Assiniboine have endured, and where they stand as a people today is proof of their diverse abilities. To go from a buffalo hunting and trading society, to having a government like they do today, and actively participating in the corporate world is proof of their diversity. Some of their successful business ventures include A&S Industries, based out of Poplar Mt. Large farms owned by tribal members such as my uncle’s place and the new water treatment plant in the works outside of Wolf Point, MT. This plant will likely supply good drinking water to a portion of that corner of the state.
Through my relationships with Mike and my uncle in the last 8 years I have gotten firsthand knowledge of how the Assiniboine people are looking to their future more and more. They seem to be trying to move past the huge injustices served up to them in the past. Through holding on to a teaching the old ways plus learning new ways of today’s world, the Assiniboine people will be here tomorrow.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tomlinson
Questions
1. She believes interview to be more descriptive to a authors narratives. Authors through language tend to be or can sometimes be more metaphorical.
2. I think an author can get away from facts about their topic. Using metaphors sparingly would be a way around this.
Ideas
1. I think she is talking about a writers experience they from formal education. Cultural knowledge is a big share of what I have learned in writing 101. Examples are discourse, rhetor, audience,exigence.
1. She believes interview to be more descriptive to a authors narratives. Authors through language tend to be or can sometimes be more metaphorical.
2. I think an author can get away from facts about their topic. Using metaphors sparingly would be a way around this.
Ideas
1. I think she is talking about a writers experience they from formal education. Cultural knowledge is a big share of what I have learned in writing 101. Examples are discourse, rhetor, audience,exigence.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Article comparisions
What I see as different in these three articles compared with all the academic reading we have done this year is really clear for me. First of all, each one of these articles is about something real life. From buried treasures to farming droids, the authors wrote on a real/tangible topic. So unlike an article on discourse or rhetorical situations. The difference in topic is like having a piece of cheesecake on a plate in front of you and a picture of the same next to it. I am going to eat the cheesecake, not look at it.
Also the way the academic articles are written with lots of uninteresting lengthy words versus these articles told a story in a interesting way that kept me reading to the end of the article.
Also the way the academic articles are written with lots of uninteresting lengthy words versus these articles told a story in a interesting way that kept me reading to the end of the article.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Reading and Writing without Authority
I have been asked to consider a research paper I have written. That does not take long as there are not to many. And the writings I have done were mostly opinion articles. I am looking forward to more research writing experience.
The differences between Janet and Roger were hard to pick out. One difference is that I think Janets rights and wrongs are more factually supported. Where as Roger supports his morally.
The differences between Janet and Roger were hard to pick out. One difference is that I think Janets rights and wrongs are more factually supported. Where as Roger supports his morally.
Rose Ideas
Question 2 asks me if I encounter rules that flatly contradict my writing experience. This has happened constantly since the beginning of my college career began 13 weeks ago. A couple of these rules for me are grabbing your audience. I usually start with the facts on my topic, which my or may not grab my audience. another rule is starting sentences with and or I, I tend to do it alot. Another is writing on my experience vs. someone elses out of a book. Basically rewriting someone elses material. I dislike doing this immensally.
Question 3 asks me if I had permission to set aside certain rules or substitute one for another, would I and what would be the risks. The risk as I see it is once again I can choose to write what I believe in or I can copy what has already been written. And I do agree that a rule is very seldom black or white. Any rule that is functional is flexible.
Question 3 asks me if I had permission to set aside certain rules or substitute one for another, would I and what would be the risks. The risk as I see it is once again I can choose to write what I believe in or I can copy what has already been written. And I do agree that a rule is very seldom black or white. Any rule that is functional is flexible.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Final Community Pre- Release Center
I choose this community because of some of my past and present ties to it. I have both opinions and experience concerning my research question about the center. On almost a weekly basis I have contact with inmates there and frequently go in for meetings or to speak with some of the staff.
The Pre-Release Center has multiple goals on both sides of the fence, staff and inmates. Some are personal and some are community related. I think and hope that most of the goals are orientated toward the successful assimilation of inmates back into society. Sometimes the staff can seem unconnected and uncaring, only there to collect a paycheck. But mostly what I have seen is staff who are passionate and dedicated to success. Goals seem pretty similar when it comes to the inmate. Sometimes he seems that all he wants from life at the center is “three hots and a cot” which is jail slang for a place to shack up. But to meet one of these guys and watch them grow and change before your eyes in a 18 month period is a life changing experience in itself.
My research question is this, how effective is a pre-release center in the rehabilitation of a felony offender. This is a broad topic on which I could hardly cover in this paper effectively, but I will try to hit some key points which I believe to be crucial. These points are supported through observation, interview and experience. Also, I will use two specific inmates as examples, Mark and Joe. Their names have been changed for obvious reasons and I might add some of my own past experience also.
Conflict in this community is an issue that is almost impossible to avoid. Remember who we are talking about, the Department of Corrections of the State of Montana, and a group of men who have taken their criminal histories to a felony level. These men did not get where they are today because they are good at following rules. And it is the job of D.O.C. to see that they do. Right there that can be the making of conflict. But Pre-Release is not the first stop for most of these men, and if D.O.C. is doing their job properly, these inmates are already well on the road to rehabilitation.
I will start with Mark. He has been in the system for 3 years now. He was transferred from prison to pre-release about 16 months ago and had adapted to pre-release well. He has maintained a positive attitude throughout his stay there. He actively participates in this rehabilitation both in the center and in the community. Mark has on a daily basis made a choice to do something different, not to fall back into his old patterns. Mark has a release date pending and will most likely be a positive member in any community.
Joe, on the other hand, has been in this center more than once. Although, Joe and Mark’s total time in the system differs by about one and half years, Joe has had a more difficult time with it. Therefore, he has been at it longer. Both of their backgrounds are similar, and their felony charges are identical, Felony DUI. When I met Joe about three years ago he was on his first trip through pre-release. He reminded me a lot of how Mark is today, willing to change, positive and active in his rehab. Then a few months into the program he started complaining about this or that. His outlook became bleak rapidly. Less than eight months into his program he broke the law and was sent back to prison.
I am not really clear on all the circumstances surrounding Joe’s story. I know that he has been back at the center for a few months now. He seems positive and seems to be active in his rehab. He is actually spending a lot of time around Mark. What is the difference between Mark and Joe?
When it comes to the pre-release center staff and authority, Joe always had a negative comment. Someone there was always doing something wrong. On the subject of the other inmates, he just couldn’t get along with them. Mark, on the other hand, navigated both the staff and the other inmates practically incident free. So in the case of Mark, he has been successful in his rehab and is about to reap the benefits, Freedom. Joe is starting over on a 12 to 18 month program. Hopefully with different results this time.
It is extremely difficult to be in a position under close scrutiny and authority. I know from talking with these men and lots of other men and women in this situation. Jail, prisons, and pre-release centers are some of the toughest places I know. The majority of the men and women in these institutions are addicted to alcohol and or drugs; have been victimized horribly as children and have gotten caught up in a cycle that is incredibly hard to change on their own. In that situation, I think, these institutions are an excellent tool in rehabilitation.
A large percentage of the inmates struggle with some of the most basic skills needed to get along in society. Lack of literacy, job seeking skills and even personal hygiene and cooking for themselves are all addressed in the programs available to them and treatment for addiction is a priority. Sometimes I think society itself is one of a inmates biggest hurdles. Instead of viewing most of these inmates as individuals who made some poor choices on the road of life, we citizens tend to be quite judgemental. We tend to clump all felony offenders together instead of looking at them each as an individual, case by case. This is one of the primary objectives at the Pre-Release Center.
So in conclusion, what does this all mean? I think we need to work harder at rehabilitation of these men and women. In Mark’s case the system is 100% effective but put Mark and Joe together and it most likely drops to 50%. But if we just lock them up and pitch the key, Joe and Mark wouldn’t be in recovery together today. If a man or woman wants to participate in their own rehab, we need a place for them to do so and be successful at it
Many may say lock’em up, but be cautious where you throw that rock. The fact is that you may very well hit someone close to you. Someone you care about, a brother or a sister, uncle, grandmother or maybe your unborn. Another reason to rehabilitate is one way or another you and I will pay for this, through medical costs, insurances premiums and law enforcement, the list is ongoing. The right choice is compassion for each other.
The Pre-Release Center has multiple goals on both sides of the fence, staff and inmates. Some are personal and some are community related. I think and hope that most of the goals are orientated toward the successful assimilation of inmates back into society. Sometimes the staff can seem unconnected and uncaring, only there to collect a paycheck. But mostly what I have seen is staff who are passionate and dedicated to success. Goals seem pretty similar when it comes to the inmate. Sometimes he seems that all he wants from life at the center is “three hots and a cot” which is jail slang for a place to shack up. But to meet one of these guys and watch them grow and change before your eyes in a 18 month period is a life changing experience in itself.
My research question is this, how effective is a pre-release center in the rehabilitation of a felony offender. This is a broad topic on which I could hardly cover in this paper effectively, but I will try to hit some key points which I believe to be crucial. These points are supported through observation, interview and experience. Also, I will use two specific inmates as examples, Mark and Joe. Their names have been changed for obvious reasons and I might add some of my own past experience also.
Conflict in this community is an issue that is almost impossible to avoid. Remember who we are talking about, the Department of Corrections of the State of Montana, and a group of men who have taken their criminal histories to a felony level. These men did not get where they are today because they are good at following rules. And it is the job of D.O.C. to see that they do. Right there that can be the making of conflict. But Pre-Release is not the first stop for most of these men, and if D.O.C. is doing their job properly, these inmates are already well on the road to rehabilitation.
I will start with Mark. He has been in the system for 3 years now. He was transferred from prison to pre-release about 16 months ago and had adapted to pre-release well. He has maintained a positive attitude throughout his stay there. He actively participates in this rehabilitation both in the center and in the community. Mark has on a daily basis made a choice to do something different, not to fall back into his old patterns. Mark has a release date pending and will most likely be a positive member in any community.
Joe, on the other hand, has been in this center more than once. Although, Joe and Mark’s total time in the system differs by about one and half years, Joe has had a more difficult time with it. Therefore, he has been at it longer. Both of their backgrounds are similar, and their felony charges are identical, Felony DUI. When I met Joe about three years ago he was on his first trip through pre-release. He reminded me a lot of how Mark is today, willing to change, positive and active in his rehab. Then a few months into the program he started complaining about this or that. His outlook became bleak rapidly. Less than eight months into his program he broke the law and was sent back to prison.
I am not really clear on all the circumstances surrounding Joe’s story. I know that he has been back at the center for a few months now. He seems positive and seems to be active in his rehab. He is actually spending a lot of time around Mark. What is the difference between Mark and Joe?
When it comes to the pre-release center staff and authority, Joe always had a negative comment. Someone there was always doing something wrong. On the subject of the other inmates, he just couldn’t get along with them. Mark, on the other hand, navigated both the staff and the other inmates practically incident free. So in the case of Mark, he has been successful in his rehab and is about to reap the benefits, Freedom. Joe is starting over on a 12 to 18 month program. Hopefully with different results this time.
It is extremely difficult to be in a position under close scrutiny and authority. I know from talking with these men and lots of other men and women in this situation. Jail, prisons, and pre-release centers are some of the toughest places I know. The majority of the men and women in these institutions are addicted to alcohol and or drugs; have been victimized horribly as children and have gotten caught up in a cycle that is incredibly hard to change on their own. In that situation, I think, these institutions are an excellent tool in rehabilitation.
A large percentage of the inmates struggle with some of the most basic skills needed to get along in society. Lack of literacy, job seeking skills and even personal hygiene and cooking for themselves are all addressed in the programs available to them and treatment for addiction is a priority. Sometimes I think society itself is one of a inmates biggest hurdles. Instead of viewing most of these inmates as individuals who made some poor choices on the road of life, we citizens tend to be quite judgemental. We tend to clump all felony offenders together instead of looking at them each as an individual, case by case. This is one of the primary objectives at the Pre-Release Center.
So in conclusion, what does this all mean? I think we need to work harder at rehabilitation of these men and women. In Mark’s case the system is 100% effective but put Mark and Joe together and it most likely drops to 50%. But if we just lock them up and pitch the key, Joe and Mark wouldn’t be in recovery together today. If a man or woman wants to participate in their own rehab, we need a place for them to do so and be successful at it
Many may say lock’em up, but be cautious where you throw that rock. The fact is that you may very well hit someone close to you. Someone you care about, a brother or a sister, uncle, grandmother or maybe your unborn. Another reason to rehabilitate is one way or another you and I will pay for this, through medical costs, insurances premiums and law enforcement, the list is ongoing. The right choice is compassion for each other.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Community Pre-Release Center Draft
I choose this community because of some of my past and present ties to it. I have both opinions and experience concerning my research question about the center. On almost a weekly basis I have contact with inmates there and frequently go in for meetings or to speak with some of the staff.
My research question is this, how effective is a pre-release center in the rehabilitation of a felony offender. This is a broad topic on which I could hardly cover in this paper effectively. But I will try to hit some key points which I believe to be crucial. These points are supported through observation, interview and experience. Also, I will use two specific inmates as examples, Mark and Joe. Their names have been changed for obvious reasons and I might add some of my own past experience also.
I will start with Mark he has been in the system for 3 years now. He was transferred from prison to pre-release about 16 months ago and had adapted to pre-release well. He had maintained a positive attitude throughout his stay there. He actively participates in this rehabilitation both in the center and in the community. Mark has on a daily basis made a choice to do something different, not to fall back into his old patterns. Mark has a release date pending and will most likely be a positive member in any community.
Joe, on the other hand, has been in this center more than once. Although, Joe and Mark’s total time in the system differs by about one and half years, Joe has had a more difficult time with it. Therefore, he has been at it longer. Both of their backgrounds are similar, and their felony charges are identical, Felony DUI. When I met Joe about three years ago he was on his first trip through pre-release. He reminded me a lot of how Mark is today, willing to change, positive and active in his rehab. Then a few months into the program he started complaining about this or that. His outlook became bleak rapidly. Less than eight months into his program he broke the law and was sent back to prison.
I am not really clear on all the circumstances surrounding Joe’s story. I know that he has been back at the center for a few months now. He seems positive and seems to be active in his rehab. He is actually spending a lot of time around Mark. What is the difference between Mark and Joe?
When it comes to the pre-release center staff and authority, Joe always had a negative comment. Someone there was always doing something wrong. On the subject of the other inmates, he just couldn’t get along with them. Mark, on the other hand, navigated both the staff and the other inmates practically incident free. So in the case of Mark, he has been successful in his rehab and is about to reap the benefits, Freedom. Joe is starting over on a 12 to 18 month program. Hopefully with different results this time.
It is extremely difficult to be in a position under close scrutiny and authority. I know from talking with these men and lots of other men and women in this situation. Jail, prisons, and pre-release centers are some of the toughest places I know. The majority of the men and women in these institutions are addicted to alcohol and or drugs; have been victimized horribly as children and have gotten caught up in a cycle that is incredibly hard to change on their own. In that situation, I think, these institutions are an excellent tool in rehabilitation.
A large percentage of the inmates struggle with some of the most basic skills needed to get along in society. Lack of literacy, job seeking skills and even personal hygiene and cooking for themselves are all addressed in the programs available to them and treatment for addiction is a priority.
So in conclusion, what does this all mean? I think we need to work harder at rehabilitation of these men and women. In Mark’s case the system is 100% effective but put Mark and Joe together and it most likely drops to 50%. But if we just lock them up and pitch the key, Joe and Mark wouldn’t be in recovery together today. If a man or woman wants to participate in their own rehab, we need a place for them to do so and be successful at it
Many may say lock’em up but be cautious where you throw that rock. The fact is that you may very well hit someone close to you. Someone you care about a brother or a sister, uncle, grandmother or maybe your unborn. Another reason to rehabilitate is one way or another you and I will pay for this, through medical costs, insurances premiums and law enforcement, the list is ongoing. The right choice is compassion for each other.
My research question is this, how effective is a pre-release center in the rehabilitation of a felony offender. This is a broad topic on which I could hardly cover in this paper effectively. But I will try to hit some key points which I believe to be crucial. These points are supported through observation, interview and experience. Also, I will use two specific inmates as examples, Mark and Joe. Their names have been changed for obvious reasons and I might add some of my own past experience also.
I will start with Mark he has been in the system for 3 years now. He was transferred from prison to pre-release about 16 months ago and had adapted to pre-release well. He had maintained a positive attitude throughout his stay there. He actively participates in this rehabilitation both in the center and in the community. Mark has on a daily basis made a choice to do something different, not to fall back into his old patterns. Mark has a release date pending and will most likely be a positive member in any community.
Joe, on the other hand, has been in this center more than once. Although, Joe and Mark’s total time in the system differs by about one and half years, Joe has had a more difficult time with it. Therefore, he has been at it longer. Both of their backgrounds are similar, and their felony charges are identical, Felony DUI. When I met Joe about three years ago he was on his first trip through pre-release. He reminded me a lot of how Mark is today, willing to change, positive and active in his rehab. Then a few months into the program he started complaining about this or that. His outlook became bleak rapidly. Less than eight months into his program he broke the law and was sent back to prison.
I am not really clear on all the circumstances surrounding Joe’s story. I know that he has been back at the center for a few months now. He seems positive and seems to be active in his rehab. He is actually spending a lot of time around Mark. What is the difference between Mark and Joe?
When it comes to the pre-release center staff and authority, Joe always had a negative comment. Someone there was always doing something wrong. On the subject of the other inmates, he just couldn’t get along with them. Mark, on the other hand, navigated both the staff and the other inmates practically incident free. So in the case of Mark, he has been successful in his rehab and is about to reap the benefits, Freedom. Joe is starting over on a 12 to 18 month program. Hopefully with different results this time.
It is extremely difficult to be in a position under close scrutiny and authority. I know from talking with these men and lots of other men and women in this situation. Jail, prisons, and pre-release centers are some of the toughest places I know. The majority of the men and women in these institutions are addicted to alcohol and or drugs; have been victimized horribly as children and have gotten caught up in a cycle that is incredibly hard to change on their own. In that situation, I think, these institutions are an excellent tool in rehabilitation.
A large percentage of the inmates struggle with some of the most basic skills needed to get along in society. Lack of literacy, job seeking skills and even personal hygiene and cooking for themselves are all addressed in the programs available to them and treatment for addiction is a priority.
So in conclusion, what does this all mean? I think we need to work harder at rehabilitation of these men and women. In Mark’s case the system is 100% effective but put Mark and Joe together and it most likely drops to 50%. But if we just lock them up and pitch the key, Joe and Mark wouldn’t be in recovery together today. If a man or woman wants to participate in their own rehab, we need a place for them to do so and be successful at it
Many may say lock’em up but be cautious where you throw that rock. The fact is that you may very well hit someone close to you. Someone you care about a brother or a sister, uncle, grandmother or maybe your unborn. Another reason to rehabilitate is one way or another you and I will pay for this, through medical costs, insurances premiums and law enforcement, the list is ongoing. The right choice is compassion for each other.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Summary on Discourse Community Writers
After reading the three writers articles, I have a better understanding of discourse community. Each writer gave me something to walk away with on the topic.
Gee was by far the easiest for me to relate with. At the beginning of his article he suggests the need for using the proper discourse in the correct community. He went so far as to suggest using slang as being acceptable in the right situations. I liked Swales reference to discourse community extremes. On one end of the scale a person can have a sense of community deprivation. Example being cooped up in the house with the kids all day. On the other end he used a journalist as a example, constantly assuming membership in multiple communities.
Although I liked his real life example of working class people, I found Mirabelli hardest to comprehend. One thing I think all the readers agree upon is multiple discourse communities exist, and that everyone is involved in them, like it or not.The understanding of discourse community helps me to be more objective when gathering writing material.
Gee was by far the easiest for me to relate with. At the beginning of his article he suggests the need for using the proper discourse in the correct community. He went so far as to suggest using slang as being acceptable in the right situations. I liked Swales reference to discourse community extremes. On one end of the scale a person can have a sense of community deprivation. Example being cooped up in the house with the kids all day. On the other end he used a journalist as a example, constantly assuming membership in multiple communities.
Although I liked his real life example of working class people, I found Mirabelli hardest to comprehend. One thing I think all the readers agree upon is multiple discourse communities exist, and that everyone is involved in them, like it or not.The understanding of discourse community helps me to be more objective when gathering writing material.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Final Draft of Kantz's Article
In the article, "Helping Students Use Textual Sources Persuasively" (published in the College English Journal, Volume 52, #1, January 1990, page74-91), Margaret Kantz’s argument states that any two writers can take one piece of factual information and present it in such different ways that it may not seem like the same topic. In fact she claims that non-fiction text is just one writers argument of the facts. A writer can take a topic and either argue for or against it yet it still being factual. This way the writer can convince or sway the audience to one opinion or another on basically the same piece of information.
One example that Kantz used was the statement, “the Earth is round". The status of this fact depends on agreement that "round” is an adequate description of the earth’s actual, imperfectly spherical shape (Writing About Writing Pg.67). Meaning what is factual to an audience or group depends on how specific one chooses to be about “facts”. When saying the earth is round most of us agree that this is true because the earlier option was the earth was flat. If we were to get precise about the exact shape of the earth perhaps we all wouldn’t agree that it is perfectly round. This proves that one can use a fact to prove that the earth is round rather than flat but one could also argue this “fact” of the earth being round as more imperfectly roundish. One person can use the same fact for different purposes.
Kantz also used a, “typical college sophomore,” as another example to prove her point. The student’s writings up to this point had been basically a rewriting of "facts" taken from a variety of texts on any given topic. The paper noted was on some battle waged long ago, over in Europe. In this example the student received a poor grade on the paper and Kantz suggests that that the poor grade was maybe not entirely the fault of the student. She suggests that possibly the student was never taught any other way to consider text and it’s supporting information. She goes one to suggest that possibly the student had never been exposed to such a thing as rhetorical reading. One could say that the student learned to read everything as true and not to question its validity. Therefore the student could regurgitate the facts into a paper without really questioning what she read. Regarding the student’s paper Kantz talks about the student’s failure to actually discuss original ideas about the text.
Unlike the example of the student who regurgitated information into a paper I hope to bring my own personal beliefs into this paper, which brings about my situation on this writing task. As a freshmen, at 46 years old, I feel my reading skills are fair but I’m still working on my writing skills. The last time I was in school was 1981 and this is probably my first true exposure to rhetorical reading. But actually, I am coming to realize that unknowingly I have been a rhetorical reader most of my life I just didn’t have the right language or words to describe it. I have often questioned what I was reading and whether it was “true” (fact) or whether it was just “true” for the author. So, if I were to become practiced in rhetorical reading, through guidance, trial and error, and reading at least, “some" text that interested me, I would like to think I and any other student could become successful.
Although, Kantz is arguing that perhaps rhetorical reading wasn’t taught to the “sophomore student” this article was published in 1990 which is roughly 20 years ago. I believe a lot has changed in the past 20 years specifically what was taught to students about rhetorical reading. Although, I have no “facts” to back up my previous statement I know everything changes, (the only constant is change) so I can only assume (and hope) that what was once taught has been improved upon. So perhaps in 2011 students have been taught the importance of rhetorical readings and teachers no longer see papers where students just regurgitates facts. Also, this being published in the National Council of Teachers of English the audience for this article was specifically for teachers. So in claiming that the student’s poor paper wasn’t the student’s fault but a lack of proper or good education by teachers could have made many teachers upset for Kantz pointing the finger at them. But this also could have been the starting point for change so I could also argue that this article helped change what is now being taught 20 years later.
One example that Kantz used was the statement, “the Earth is round". The status of this fact depends on agreement that "round” is an adequate description of the earth’s actual, imperfectly spherical shape (Writing About Writing Pg.67). Meaning what is factual to an audience or group depends on how specific one chooses to be about “facts”. When saying the earth is round most of us agree that this is true because the earlier option was the earth was flat. If we were to get precise about the exact shape of the earth perhaps we all wouldn’t agree that it is perfectly round. This proves that one can use a fact to prove that the earth is round rather than flat but one could also argue this “fact” of the earth being round as more imperfectly roundish. One person can use the same fact for different purposes.
Kantz also used a, “typical college sophomore,” as another example to prove her point. The student’s writings up to this point had been basically a rewriting of "facts" taken from a variety of texts on any given topic. The paper noted was on some battle waged long ago, over in Europe. In this example the student received a poor grade on the paper and Kantz suggests that that the poor grade was maybe not entirely the fault of the student. She suggests that possibly the student was never taught any other way to consider text and it’s supporting information. She goes one to suggest that possibly the student had never been exposed to such a thing as rhetorical reading. One could say that the student learned to read everything as true and not to question its validity. Therefore the student could regurgitate the facts into a paper without really questioning what she read. Regarding the student’s paper Kantz talks about the student’s failure to actually discuss original ideas about the text.
Unlike the example of the student who regurgitated information into a paper I hope to bring my own personal beliefs into this paper, which brings about my situation on this writing task. As a freshmen, at 46 years old, I feel my reading skills are fair but I’m still working on my writing skills. The last time I was in school was 1981 and this is probably my first true exposure to rhetorical reading. But actually, I am coming to realize that unknowingly I have been a rhetorical reader most of my life I just didn’t have the right language or words to describe it. I have often questioned what I was reading and whether it was “true” (fact) or whether it was just “true” for the author. So, if I were to become practiced in rhetorical reading, through guidance, trial and error, and reading at least, “some" text that interested me, I would like to think I and any other student could become successful.
Although, Kantz is arguing that perhaps rhetorical reading wasn’t taught to the “sophomore student” this article was published in 1990 which is roughly 20 years ago. I believe a lot has changed in the past 20 years specifically what was taught to students about rhetorical reading. Although, I have no “facts” to back up my previous statement I know everything changes, (the only constant is change) so I can only assume (and hope) that what was once taught has been improved upon. So perhaps in 2011 students have been taught the importance of rhetorical readings and teachers no longer see papers where students just regurgitates facts. Also, this being published in the National Council of Teachers of English the audience for this article was specifically for teachers. So in claiming that the student’s poor paper wasn’t the student’s fault but a lack of proper or good education by teachers could have made many teachers upset for Kantz pointing the finger at them. But this also could have been the starting point for change so I could also argue that this article helped change what is now being taught 20 years later.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Ruff Rhetor on Kantz
In the article, "Helping Students Use Textual Sources Persuasively", Margret Kantz claims the nonfiction text is just one writers argument of the facts. She claims that any two writers can take 1 piece of factual information and present it in such different ways that it may not seem like the same topic. In doing so, the writer can convince or sway the audience to one opinion or another on basically the same piece of information.
One example that Kantz used was the statement,"the Earth is round". The status of this fact depends on agreement that "round"is a adequate description of the earths actual,imperfectly spherical shape.(Writing About Writing Pg.67)
Kantz used a ,"typical college sophmore,"as an example in her article. This students writings to this point had been basically a rewriting of"facts"taken from a variety of texts on any given topic. The paper noted was on some battle waged long ago, over in Europe.
Kantz's example student recieved a poor grade on the paper. Kantz suggests that that the poor grade was maybe not entirely the fault of the students. Kantz suggests that possibly the student was never taught any other way to consider text, and its supporting information. Kantz suggests that possibly the student had never been exposed to such a thing as rhetorical reading. Kantz talks about the failure to disscuss original ideas on the text.
This brings about my situation on this writing task. I feel my reading skills are fair, and that I am getting a sense of the importance of rhetorical reading. Actually, I am coming to realize that unknowing I have been a rhetorical reader most of my life.
But, taking one of the limited topics and reading it rhetorically still seems to be out of my grasp. Sure, I get some information out of such dry articles, but its like taking a pair of pliers and extracting my own teeth. Painstaking!!!!
If a student were to become practiced in rhetorical reading, through guidance, trial and error, and reading at least,"some" text that interested them, I would like to think they could become successful. And hopefully somewhere at the end of it all would be a product worth the time to read it.
One example that Kantz used was the statement,"the Earth is round". The status of this fact depends on agreement that "round"is a adequate description of the earths actual,imperfectly spherical shape.(Writing About Writing Pg.67)
Kantz used a ,"typical college sophmore,"as an example in her article. This students writings to this point had been basically a rewriting of"facts"taken from a variety of texts on any given topic. The paper noted was on some battle waged long ago, over in Europe.
Kantz's example student recieved a poor grade on the paper. Kantz suggests that that the poor grade was maybe not entirely the fault of the students. Kantz suggests that possibly the student was never taught any other way to consider text, and its supporting information. Kantz suggests that possibly the student had never been exposed to such a thing as rhetorical reading. Kantz talks about the failure to disscuss original ideas on the text.
This brings about my situation on this writing task. I feel my reading skills are fair, and that I am getting a sense of the importance of rhetorical reading. Actually, I am coming to realize that unknowing I have been a rhetorical reader most of my life.
But, taking one of the limited topics and reading it rhetorically still seems to be out of my grasp. Sure, I get some information out of such dry articles, but its like taking a pair of pliers and extracting my own teeth. Painstaking!!!!
If a student were to become practiced in rhetorical reading, through guidance, trial and error, and reading at least,"some" text that interested them, I would like to think they could become successful. And hopefully somewhere at the end of it all would be a product worth the time to read it.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Kantz Post
At the beginning of this article, it seemed to be going in the same direction as most of the other material in this textbook. 15 to 20 pages of paragraphs with words I do not understand. Basically meaningless to me since there is nothing in the text that interests me.
Although early in the reading Kantz did spark my interest talking about facts, claims, and opinions. That challenging what is stated in a text can be done without changing facts, just maybe changing how you state them or to whom you state them to. She also makes me feel a better about my comprehensive writing skills through mention in some of her text. She seems to say that these skills require a fair amount of learning and practice.
She also talked of a student who was quite tired of the long, boring college level reading such as myself. But they told of a time when they finally read something that was of interest to them. At that point, things began to come around for them. I can only hope this for myself.
Although early in the reading Kantz did spark my interest talking about facts, claims, and opinions. That challenging what is stated in a text can be done without changing facts, just maybe changing how you state them or to whom you state them to. She also makes me feel a better about my comprehensive writing skills through mention in some of her text. She seems to say that these skills require a fair amount of learning and practice.
She also talked of a student who was quite tired of the long, boring college level reading such as myself. But they told of a time when they finally read something that was of interest to them. At that point, things began to come around for them. I can only hope this for myself.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Murrays Q&A And Meta Moment
1. Somewhere along the way I guess that someone said it is not good or objective writing to put down your own experience. Murray is saying that a good piece of writing has some of the writers life experience in it. Otherwise it is just opinion or fiction.
5. Being almost 47 years old, I tend to agree with Murrays ideas on writing. Once again, I believe that unless I write based on my own experience, I am just copying someone elses research or opinion. Most all the writing I do today has pieces of my life connected to it.
Meta Moment
One way Murrays claims influence my writing is that he confirms my style of communicating on paper. I write based on life experience. That gives me some confidence that the way I write can not be entirely off track. His ideas also lead me to believe that there are many different, acceptable styles of writing.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Keith Grant Davie Article
Rhetorical situations, discourse, exigence, constraints, what does it all mean?!
First of all, I guess this blog post is going to be a rhetorical situation. I will be trying to convince all of you, my vast blog followers, that I consumed Grant Davies article with uncontrollable passion! I am going to fill my page with rhetorical discourse that will keep you riveted to my blog! Not!
I am also hoping that my blog post will fall into the constraints and expectations of this class. I was asked to write a little on what I did and did not like about Grant Davies article. to be honest, there was very little I liked about it.
I did like where he wrote in bold lettering when he was about to make a point. And I did like when he finally made his point with an example, the incident in Sherwood Hills. Finally, most of what he wrote on those 2 pages tied into something I could make sense of! I guess thats how Grant Davies ties up 14 pages of painful reading.
Anyway, the last few pages gave me a little better insight on a rhetorical situation.
First of all, I guess this blog post is going to be a rhetorical situation. I will be trying to convince all of you, my vast blog followers, that I consumed Grant Davies article with uncontrollable passion! I am going to fill my page with rhetorical discourse that will keep you riveted to my blog! Not!
I am also hoping that my blog post will fall into the constraints and expectations of this class. I was asked to write a little on what I did and did not like about Grant Davies article. to be honest, there was very little I liked about it.
I did like where he wrote in bold lettering when he was about to make a point. And I did like when he finally made his point with an example, the incident in Sherwood Hills. Finally, most of what he wrote on those 2 pages tied into something I could make sense of! I guess thats how Grant Davies ties up 14 pages of painful reading.
Anyway, the last few pages gave me a little better insight on a rhetorical situation.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Brandt's Literacy Sponsor
I think Brandt is a master of writing, who can take a topic and discuss it nine ways from sunday. When writing on literacy sponsorship,she indicates that she believes our influences in literacy are strongly influenced from our past. Such as what we read when we were young, comics, text books,etc.She also suggests that we were influenced by things such as t.v,radio, anything in our past.
In the biography of Malcom X and on Sherman Alexie, I think Brandt's theories are quite valid. In both these articles the people in them are describing these as influences in their own lives. Malcom X described how he used the dictionary, the prison library. He told how Mr.Muhammad greatly influenced his life. Sherman Alexie talked about how his father so loved books, so he decided he would love them to. He spoke about how he loved reading comic books and how he would read anything with paragraphs or words.
I think Brandt's point on literacy access in relation to economic, social and ethinic background has validity but by no means is the rule. She leans toward the more you have, the better you will be. I think Branch and Lopez were equally successful despite that they came from entirely different backgrounds. I can cite 3 examples in my immediate family who started at the bottom of the pile, including literacy, and ended up toward the top in what they decided to do. I will just cite my father, 1 of 11 kids. 8th grade education. In his mid 20's, working as a carpenter, he started studing old blueprints at night after working all day. Long story short, he went on to being the top man on many multi-million dollar buildings in his lifetime. He retired in the mid ninties after his last project, the Bio-Science Building on MSU campus.
I think wealth and success is in the dreams of the individual.
In the biography of Malcom X and on Sherman Alexie, I think Brandt's theories are quite valid. In both these articles the people in them are describing these as influences in their own lives. Malcom X described how he used the dictionary, the prison library. He told how Mr.Muhammad greatly influenced his life. Sherman Alexie talked about how his father so loved books, so he decided he would love them to. He spoke about how he loved reading comic books and how he would read anything with paragraphs or words.
I think Brandt's point on literacy access in relation to economic, social and ethinic background has validity but by no means is the rule. She leans toward the more you have, the better you will be. I think Branch and Lopez were equally successful despite that they came from entirely different backgrounds. I can cite 3 examples in my immediate family who started at the bottom of the pile, including literacy, and ended up toward the top in what they decided to do. I will just cite my father, 1 of 11 kids. 8th grade education. In his mid 20's, working as a carpenter, he started studing old blueprints at night after working all day. Long story short, he went on to being the top man on many multi-million dollar buildings in his lifetime. He retired in the mid ninties after his last project, the Bio-Science Building on MSU campus.
I think wealth and success is in the dreams of the individual.
Something about me....
So I guess,better late than never? Something about me. My name is Doug Schumacher,my friends call me Schuey. It has been 30 years since I have gone to school. Talk about a slight shock to the system! I am 46 years old and was born in Bozeman. Lived most all my life here,working as a carpenter. I have a son named Joseph and a daughter named Nichole. I have 3 grandchildren,Zoey,Jordan and Olivia.
I enrolled in MSU to try and find a different trade to make a living. 30 years as a carpenter can take a toll on a persons body. I hope to get a sociology degree and work for Dept. of Corrections on some level. I think that would be a rewarding profession.
I spent my first 2 weeks of school getting ahold of this computer and trying to make the damn thing work. Now that I have gotten that accomplished I will try to participate in this class in a much more timely manner.
I enrolled in MSU to try and find a different trade to make a living. 30 years as a carpenter can take a toll on a persons body. I hope to get a sociology degree and work for Dept. of Corrections on some level. I think that would be a rewarding profession.
I spent my first 2 weeks of school getting ahold of this computer and trying to make the damn thing work. Now that I have gotten that accomplished I will try to participate in this class in a much more timely manner.
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