Blog Post 9

In our writing circles this week, we had an intriguing conversation about our papers and how they were so very intermixed. The underlying thread of Mike’s paper and the main idea of my paper were very much aligned. We talked about how you have to connect with the students in order to motivate them, as well as build a rapport. Somehow, we got into a conversation about how these papers and research experiences will shape and fit into our future. We discussed how these experiences have altered our view of “research” and that we feel more capable in our future endeavors because of the wide variety that we now understand to be “research.” The next changes in my paper will be based on Mike and Emily’s suggestions. They reiterated the fact that I need to bring everything back to my main idea and state my experiences, while incorporating research that either agrees with my ethnographic writing, or expands upon it to validate it on a greater level. I am looking for my paper to really make people contemplate and reflect upon their own experiences with rapport. I want to impact the readers who are in the field of education, as well as those who are not. Mike and Emily both expressed their interest and excitement to read my final essay. They feel that my research is pertinent to the field of education and will be encouraging and inspirational. Their interest and profound support has motivated me to continue editing and reworking my paper.

Blogpost8

Today, Dr. Shutkin, Emily and I met to discuss the first draft of my paper. It was very beneficial for me to present ideas and let our conversation dictate some future changes I need to make so that my paper is on topic and relaying the message that I would like it to focus upon. I feel that the nature of our conversation and communicating through experience, while letting literature and research guide our discussions has been very effective.
One thing I realized yesterday was my past and now present definition of a "research" paper and how my whole paradigm has changed. I also found many movie parallels that I will incorporate into my paper as well. They both discussed how my ideas and thoughts need to be presented in my paper in such a way that it starts from the outside and always come back to the middle. I have many "branches" that need to be incorporated, but need to always come back to and focus upon the branch.
Through our discussion and meeting, I will be researching and incorporating some John Dewey into my paper because of his philosophy and influence on my grandmother, who in turn, inspired me. I also realized that the main reason for this paper is for others to gain a greater value of rapport through my thoughtful ethnographic work, that it brings them to question and reflect upon their own relationships in and outside of the education world.
Our discussion yesterday sparked an deeper interest in my topic and helped me to narrow down the purpose behind my thoughts, words and dedicated research.