The seminar influenced my thinking about a topic by giving me multiple perspectives about a
certain question. For instance, I started the discussion by asking what the storm in Chapter 30
symbolized. The answers that I got were that it symbolized hope for the Joad family and their journey.
I originally said that it represented all of the hardships that they went through, but I could see how it
represented hope as well. Ryann's question about how the function of man changes also made me
think, because I hadn't thought of it before.
I agreed with Camilla's statement about how even people who are famous today, such as rappers,
had a rough childhood. Not everyone who is well-known and rich had a good upbringing. That
statement is true for a lot of people. I don't remember any statements that I disagreed with. If I could
say something else during the seminar, I would have asked another question. I want to know what
people think the red flower that Ruthie finds in the last chapter symbolizes. That is a symbol that I
think people overlook and I would have loved to hear what the others had to say about it.
The seminar ended up being a very interesting and entertaining discussion. There ended up being
some debate about a certain topic (I don't remember what) and that was interesting for me to hear.
People had some great insight about certain topics, and the discussion moved from the chapters
specifically to connections outside of the text. Listening to Ben and Max go back and forth was
entertaining, even though it lasted a while.
The things that need improvement are that while it made for great entertainment, I thought that the
15 minute debate in the middle didn't allow other people to share their thoughts as much. I had to stop
it and ask other people if they had anything to add or if they wanted to ask a question. It took me a
while to figure out when to cut people off. Next time, people should be careful not to dominate the
discussion.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
Chapters 23-27: Family Discussion Reflection
Summary of Informational Text:
The life of Okies who migrated to California in search of a better life was very difficult. Families had to move around the state depending on which crops were ready to be picked. They were paid very little and were subject to harassment by their supervisors in the field, and children were often picked on in school. Most of the time, workers lived in unsanitary conditions, unless they were in a government camp.
Evaluation:
This article relates to the text because the Joad family had to move around depending on what crops were ready to be picked. The wages they received were very low, and with the exception of the government camp, they lived in unsanitary conditions.
Citation:
"Okie Life in California." Okie Life in California. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
Questions:
Has there been a situation where you didn't get along with people older than you (other than your parents)
If the Joads had stayed in Oklahoma, what would have happened?
What other event has effects where residents despise the newcomers, other than someone relocating to a different place?
Reflection:
The most memorable moment of the discussion was when I asked my sister how the family's struggle was similar to her life. She said that when she became close to a new girl and that girl started to hang out with them, another girl got jealous. According to my sister, the girl who was already in the group was jealous because the new girl fit in better. The most satisfying thing that we talked about was a time when we were counselors at an Indian dance camp that we used to go to. There were other counselors there who were older, but they were not familiar with dance or they way that the camp was run. A big responsibility of being a counselor at the camp is teaching the younger kids that just started out, and those counselors were not able to because they weren't dancers. As a result, my sister and I (as well as several junior counselors) looked down on them because they were new and hand't done this type of dance, therefore they couldn't perform a lot of the tasks required of counselors. It was very satisfying to talk about this because we were able to get some of our feelings off of our chest. My questions were better this time around then the previous three times, but I could have used a question that related a little more to the book.
The life of Okies who migrated to California in search of a better life was very difficult. Families had to move around the state depending on which crops were ready to be picked. They were paid very little and were subject to harassment by their supervisors in the field, and children were often picked on in school. Most of the time, workers lived in unsanitary conditions, unless they were in a government camp.
Evaluation:
This article relates to the text because the Joad family had to move around depending on what crops were ready to be picked. The wages they received were very low, and with the exception of the government camp, they lived in unsanitary conditions.
Citation:
"Okie Life in California." Okie Life in California. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2014.
Questions:
Has there been a situation where you didn't get along with people older than you (other than your parents)
If the Joads had stayed in Oklahoma, what would have happened?
What other event has effects where residents despise the newcomers, other than someone relocating to a different place?
Reflection:
The most memorable moment of the discussion was when I asked my sister how the family's struggle was similar to her life. She said that when she became close to a new girl and that girl started to hang out with them, another girl got jealous. According to my sister, the girl who was already in the group was jealous because the new girl fit in better. The most satisfying thing that we talked about was a time when we were counselors at an Indian dance camp that we used to go to. There were other counselors there who were older, but they were not familiar with dance or they way that the camp was run. A big responsibility of being a counselor at the camp is teaching the younger kids that just started out, and those counselors were not able to because they weren't dancers. As a result, my sister and I (as well as several junior counselors) looked down on them because they were new and hand't done this type of dance, therefore they couldn't perform a lot of the tasks required of counselors. It was very satisfying to talk about this because we were able to get some of our feelings off of our chest. My questions were better this time around then the previous three times, but I could have used a question that related a little more to the book.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Socratic Seminar Reflection: PIA #2
The seminar influenced my thinking about the PIA because I got to hear some other people's
rationale for choosing certain answers. Often, I wasn't sure about a certain answer, and hearing many
different opinions really helped me narrow some of the answers down. It helped me learn which
answers were the distractors and which were the right ones, because I was often in between two
answers. One thing that was said that I hadn't thought of before was during our discussion of the point
of view question to the "Poverty" poem, because I was stuck between two answers. The answer
choices were "People who are in poverty cannot escape it because of people who do not know what it
is like," and "Too many people who talk about poverty have not experienced it." I thought it was the
former at first because the poem mentioned a preacher praising someone else, but everyone who talked
about the latter made me see how that one could fit the question a little bit better.
The discussion about the question which asked for the generalization that FDR made in his
speech produced an opinion that I disagreed with. I think it was Camilla that said that "We face our
common difficulties" was too general. I disagreed with that because it was a generalization that was
supported immediately with specific examples. I thought that the other examples were a little too
specific. I agreed the most with what Ben said during the question about a belief of the poet in
"Poverty." He said that it could not be that there would be no crime if poverty didn't exist in the world
because the poem said "The cause of half the crime on Earth…" If I had the opportunity to say
anything else, I would have asked people to explain what they got for the question about what
"spectre" meant. I said that I had some trouble with that question but I really meant to ask people to
explain their reasoning for that question. I am pretty mad at myself for not explicitly asking that
question. That would be the one thing I could change if I could go back.
In the seminar, everybody helped each other out throughout the discussion, and I know that it
helped a lot of my peers, as well as myself. The questions that were more difficult generated some
great discussion, and I changed my answers on more than one occasion due to those discussions. The
points that several of my peers made are ones that I can use on the next PIA when I am stuck between
two or more answers, because a lot of times I fall for the distractor.
The things that need improvement are that people need to make sure that everyone has a
chance to speak and to not cut people off. Several times, I saw that someone wanted to say something
but they would be cut off by someone who had already spoken a lot. I also wanted to respond to
something someone said, but before I could do so, someone else would beat me to it and say exactly
what I was thinking. That could have been my fault, too, since I should have responded quicker. If
someone who generally doesn't speak as much has something to say, people who speak a lot should
defer to that person.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Chapters 18-22: Family Discussion Reflection
Summary of informational text:
Due to the hardships of the Dust Bowl, Southwesterners moved west in order to find work. However, the people known as "Okies" were not welcomed by the residents of California. Police were stationed at the border to send travelers back home. Eventually, they blended in with the the rest of the population if they stayed.
Evaluation:
This text connects to the reading because in the book, the Joads encountered police, which was mentioned in this article.
Citation:
Mullins, William H. "OKIE MIGRATIONS." OKIE MIGRATIONS. Oklahoma Historical Society, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2013.
Questions:
What does someone sacrificing themselves for something or someone show about them?
What is the formation of armed bands similar to in history, and how are they similar?
Due to the hardships of the Dust Bowl, Southwesterners moved west in order to find work. However, the people known as "Okies" were not welcomed by the residents of California. Police were stationed at the border to send travelers back home. Eventually, they blended in with the the rest of the population if they stayed.
Evaluation:
This text connects to the reading because in the book, the Joads encountered police, which was mentioned in this article.
Citation:
Mullins, William H. "OKIE MIGRATIONS." OKIE MIGRATIONS. Oklahoma Historical Society, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2013.
Questions:
What does someone sacrificing themselves for something or someone show about them?
What is the formation of armed bands similar to in history, and how are they similar?
How How is border patrol similar to an airport?
Reflection:
My 3rd discussion with my sister went pretty well. The most memorable moment of my discussion was when we discussed what sacrificing oneself showed. She said that historically, men are usually sacrificed for the women and children. A prime example of that is that when a boat starts to sink, the women and children evacuate first, then the men. As a result, the men are placed in the most danger. The most satisfying thing was that we started talking about racial segregation when the question about the armed bands was proposed. The alliance between the residents and the migrants was reminiscent of white children forming alliances against black children when schools became integrated. I think I need to improve my questions by asking more "why" questions, as those ones have generated more discussion then the ones I used this time.
Reflection:
My 3rd discussion with my sister went pretty well. The most memorable moment of my discussion was when we discussed what sacrificing oneself showed. She said that historically, men are usually sacrificed for the women and children. A prime example of that is that when a boat starts to sink, the women and children evacuate first, then the men. As a result, the men are placed in the most danger. The most satisfying thing was that we started talking about racial segregation when the question about the armed bands was proposed. The alliance between the residents and the migrants was reminiscent of white children forming alliances against black children when schools became integrated. I think I need to improve my questions by asking more "why" questions, as those ones have generated more discussion then the ones I used this time.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Chapters 10-17: Family Discussion Reflection
Summary of Informational Text:
The state of California grew in population size over the course of the 1930s due to migration from the Dust Bowl. Many workers thought that they would be hired hands, but they were used mostly for specific tasks, not ones that enabled them to become all-around farmers.
Evaluation:
This text connects to the assigned reading because the book chronicles the journey of a family traveling to California in search of work, much like the text.
Citation:
"Dust Bowl Migration - Rural Migration News | Migration Dialogue." Dust Bowl Migration - Rural Migration News | Migration Dialogue. N.p., Oct. 2008. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.
Questions:
Why do you think families traveling west bonded so well?
What experiences do you have that are similar to the bond with the migrant workers?
How is this journey similar to other journeys earlier in history?
Reflection:
The most memorable moment of the conversation was when my sister and I were able to relate to the bonds that formed between the migrant families. We both take a form of Indian dance called Kuchipudi. Our teacher gets stressed easily, and when she acts this way, class can resemble army boot camp. We both bonded with the other dancers in our age group when we all experienced the fear that she could cause. Another example is when our grandparents came to stay with us for a month, my sister and I bonded over trying to stay out of their way, even though we were forced to spend time with them. We both agreed that those who experience hardships have the strongest bonds because they sometimes rely on each other to get through those times, and those types of times are the times that people remember the best. Those events were also the most satisfying parts of the discussion, because we were reminiscing about how we got through those times, which helped us connect the hardships of the migrant families with our personal experiences. Our discussion was mainly centered around the first 2 questions, since we could have a more in-depth discussion. The third question was addressed, but it didn't take off like the responses to the first 2 did. Because of this, I think I can improve my questions by asking more "why" and "what" questions, since those types seem to be the most effective for creating discussion. Also, I can make them a little more related to each other.
The state of California grew in population size over the course of the 1930s due to migration from the Dust Bowl. Many workers thought that they would be hired hands, but they were used mostly for specific tasks, not ones that enabled them to become all-around farmers.
Evaluation:
This text connects to the assigned reading because the book chronicles the journey of a family traveling to California in search of work, much like the text.
Citation:
"Dust Bowl Migration - Rural Migration News | Migration Dialogue." Dust Bowl Migration - Rural Migration News | Migration Dialogue. N.p., Oct. 2008. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.
Questions:
Why do you think families traveling west bonded so well?
What experiences do you have that are similar to the bond with the migrant workers?
How is this journey similar to other journeys earlier in history?
Reflection:
The most memorable moment of the conversation was when my sister and I were able to relate to the bonds that formed between the migrant families. We both take a form of Indian dance called Kuchipudi. Our teacher gets stressed easily, and when she acts this way, class can resemble army boot camp. We both bonded with the other dancers in our age group when we all experienced the fear that she could cause. Another example is when our grandparents came to stay with us for a month, my sister and I bonded over trying to stay out of their way, even though we were forced to spend time with them. We both agreed that those who experience hardships have the strongest bonds because they sometimes rely on each other to get through those times, and those types of times are the times that people remember the best. Those events were also the most satisfying parts of the discussion, because we were reminiscing about how we got through those times, which helped us connect the hardships of the migrant families with our personal experiences. Our discussion was mainly centered around the first 2 questions, since we could have a more in-depth discussion. The third question was addressed, but it didn't take off like the responses to the first 2 did. Because of this, I think I can improve my questions by asking more "why" and "what" questions, since those types seem to be the most effective for creating discussion. Also, I can make them a little more related to each other.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Chapters 1-9: Family Discussion Reflection
Summary of informational text:
A series of dust storms in the Southern Plains, known as the "Dust Bowl," took place during the 1930s. Some of the causes of it were poor agricultural practices, such as soil conservation, and dry weather. Crops would not grow, and the ones that did were blown away. Many people were forced to migrate as a result of the storms.
Source: "About The Dust Bowl." About The Dust Bowl. Modern American Poetry, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.
Evaluation: Because of the Dust Bowl, people moved out west in order to start over in their lives. They would be able to do all of the little things in life, such as breathing or walking, without having to worry about dust. This is the reason why the characters in The Grapes of Wrath fled Oklahoma.
Questions:
How did the Dust Bowl impact lives?
What would you do if you woke up to dust swirling around your house?
What does the Dust Bowl symbolize?
I had my discussion with my 13 year old sister, who is great at debating and can be philosophical sometimes, so she was a natural choice to have the discussion with. The most memorable moment of the discussion was when she said that the Dust Bowl is a metaphor for life. She explained that by saying a house with no wind around was a shelter from troubles that occur throughout life. However, the constant wind and drought show the struggles that occur. I also added that the Dust Bowl affected people emotionally since the farmers had to find new ways of living. They had to wear gas masks wherever they went. She also said that if she woke up to dust swirling around her house, she would attempt to find seeds that might still be in the ground. I mentioned to her that she probably wouldn't be able to find any, because they would have all blown away. The fact that my sister brought the point about the Dust Bowl was satisfying to me because it set the stage for most of the discussion that we had. I was able to build the best off of that point, which improved the quality of the discussion. I need to improve my questions by making them a bit deeper. The last question listed was the one we spent the most time talking about. I should make sure that the questions are connection questions and not questions that have to do with the actual event. I had to explain what the Dust Bowl was a little bit at first.
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