READ it and COMMENT: how does your work on this specific task compare to this one?
What single aspect or argument got your attention the most?
I was very overwhelmed with
the first assignment that I got from this course. Mostly because I was not
prepared of how emotionally and mentally challenging a literature class could be.
On the first day of class, I was confused when we started exploring other
people’s culture (tribe) and I had to dig deeper and ponder on what it means to
belong into one. I thought I would only be learning about Italian-Americans,
watch italian films and read italian books but it seems that the course is much
broader than that. I was perplexed at first when I was asked to learn about
Black history, Irish immigrants, Chinese workforces, and Jewish pogroms and
their effect in American Society. I thought to myself, “What is the relation of
all these with Italian-Americans?” I wanted to learn about the culture that my
stepfather grew up in and explore further the stories that they talked about
around the dinner table. When we did talk about them in class, they were not
the same stories that I have heard before. I wonder if my stepfather knew and
just chose to not recount it because it was that part of the history when his
people felt vulnerable and oppressed or maybe he too didn’t know about it. I
feel that this course is rigorous mostly because of the extent of
self-reflection I had to do before writing an assignment or participating in
class as opposed to just typing or speaking words out of the surface of my
brain based on what I know instead of what I feel. To me, it is a little
exhausting because it is not something that I often do.
I think my work on this specific task was not nearly as concise nor balanced as the one above. The comment which really grabbed my attention was,
ReplyDelete"I feel that this course is rigorous mostly because of the extent of self-reflection I had to do before writing an assignment or participating in class as opposed to just typing or speaking words out of the surface of my brain based on what I know instead of what I feel."
Perhaps the author is right, that I need to spend more time in thought and self reflection about what I wish to write before doing so.
With regards to my own work on this specific task, I think I'm stuck on trying to look for the answers the professor wants which is the wrong approach. Instead I should be addressing the task from my own perspective including opinions, emotions and any initial reactions.
ReplyDelete"I feel that this course is rigorous mostly because of the extent of self-reflection I had to do before writing an assignment..." stood out to me in particular because this class requires you to look into the way you think and address the task before you write down anything.
My work on this specific task could compare to this story in many different aspect. When I registered for the Italian literature class, I had no idea we where going to touch upon other country. I though I would of been focusing on Italy only. Sadly that's not what I thought it would be, instead we end up focusing about the whole history of other countries and cultures.
ReplyDeleteThe particular part in the reading that stood out to me was when the author stated; "I thought I would only be learning about Italian-Americans, watch Italian films and read Italian books but it seems that the course is much broader than that". This quote shows how the author was surprise and astonish to find out that when he/she took the class, it was a whole different level then he/she thought. I understand where the author is coming from because certain class you choose and get very excited about, thinking that this class is going to be just like you imagine and end up finding out is a whole new level opposite of what you thought it would be.
When I first looked at the syllabus I was really scared of how I'm going to do in this class because I don't have any kind of background information about Italian Americans. The first day of class I was so surprised because this class is not only just a class, most of the information that is given in class plays a big part with your emotion and I guess this is why this class is more about what you think it's more like what you reflect on rather than just stating the facts.
ReplyDeleteMy answer to this assignment was terribly mediocre compared to this one. I don't tend to think too deeply about the work I have to do for a class. I see it as work, not as learning much of the time. Just as I have to make copies for my students at work, readings and assignments are within the same mindset for me: just get it done. The author of this really delved into his/her own mind and how (s)he perceives the class as a whole. (S)he also goes very in detail about how (s)he is personally affected by the class.
ReplyDeleteThere is a similarity between me and the author of the aforementioned "best" answer. I too felt that the workload was a little overwhelming such as is stated in the opening two sentences:
ReplyDelete"I was very overwhelmed with the first assignment that I got from this course. Mostly because I was not prepared of how emotionally and mentally challenging a literature class could be."
Given that on the first week I was here (technically the second week because of my late registration) I had to have had read a passage or reading for a quiz and was later told that I was to read an article, then 60 pages of a book, participate in a blog, and be prepared for another quiz. Overwhelming for anyone. Rather than complain though, I'm attempting to keep up with the work. So far, I actually find the readings on the Italian American experience to be a reflection on the experience of the Latinx experience and that of most immigrant experiences. This is refreshing in a literature course and I personally find it rewarding.
I agree with fact that the author shares that it has been "emotionally and mentally exhausting" because I feel that it is very interesting that we are able to respond in a personal way with these assignments because it makes its it more than a "copy and paste" response. I find it intriguing but i still equally feel overwhelmed (like the author mentions in his statement). It isn't easy to rush out a response for me because I sometimes view things in multiple perspectives. It makes answering the response a little complicated for me sometimes. I find it overall a challenge but I guess it sometimes feels like an exercise for my head in a strange way.
ReplyDeleteOverall, the author did a great job explaining the emotions that this course had, based on the materials that was presented. I felt the same way when the author states "I was confused when we started exploring other people's culture (tribe)".I had the same thought my self because I was thinking about "tribe" has in different Indian tribes. At the end it was referring to our own personal tribe. I find this course overwhelming and different from other literature class. In this class you have to think deep, based it on your emotion towards the information that is given, and be specific on what you want to write about which makes it hard at times to do that.
ReplyDeleteIn my version of this assignment, I think I stayed at surface level thought. I'm use to stating the facts for assignments, and not going deep into how I feel about a subject. It's hard for me to switch from factual reporting, which I have to do in my journalism courses because we're suppose to remain unbiased, to giving a completely emotion-based answer.
ReplyDeleteThe aspect that stood out for me most was the last line, "To me, it is a little exhausting because it is not something that I often do." I agree that because it's not something we do often, it feels like it takes a lot of energy to get through.
I also felt overwhelmed with this assignment. When i did this assignment i wasn't really thinking about the bigger picture that the assignment was asking for. when i write i tend to write about my opinion and explain why i thought the way i thought about that specific part.
ReplyDeleteCompare to the reading above, my answer to this assignment was just so ordinary. I also thought that this class would be about just Italian-American. But I thiught it would be about learning their lieterature and film industry. Therefore, I wasn't quite sure what we were doing during the first class and quite scared that the professor had many regulations on assignment and during the class time.
ReplyDelete