Writing Across Cultures

EQ's: What is popular culture & the theory of progressive evolution? How might I, as a writer, use popular culture in my writing? How do you create a Prezi? How do you conduct effective research? Thug Notes: Great Gatsby What is  Popular Culture ? Popular culture studies popular culture from a critical theory perspective. It is generally considered a combination of communication studies and cultural studies. Barriers between so-called high and low culture have broken down, which encompasses such diverse media as comic books, television, mass media, and the Internet. The theory of progressive evolution : Capitalist economies create opportunities for every individual to participate in a culture which is fully democratized through mass education, expansion of leisure time and cheap entertainment, media and paperbacks. In this liberal view, popular culture (low culture) does not threaten high culture, but is an authentic expression of the needs of the people. ...

EQ: What is Popular Culture & Why is it taking up our lives? This morning please gather in groups of 2-4 and brainstorm to create a list of popular culture topics. You may wish to add: movies that are popular, music, dance moves, internet memes, sports, video games, technology, fashion, retro styles and topics, food trends, and so on. After coming up with a list of about 20 or more, discuss how broad reaching and influential these topics are on our society. Do these topics change the way we see the world?  Which ones are more important or influential?  Do these topics affect only a certain hegemonic group, or are they more invasive than that?  After discussing, go to the lab, and find pictures or words/phrases or graphics that are examples of popular culture from the internet and place them on our class padlet. Click   here  and add visual pictures of pop culture, counter culture, trash culture, sub culture, progressive evolution, high/low culture...

Some Vocabulary: Popular Culture :  Popular culture is the accumulated store of cultural products such as music, art, literature, fashion, dance, film, television, and radio that are consumed primarily by non-elite groups such as the working, lower, and middle class.   Counter Culture :  a way of life, a set of attitudes or a group of people whose ideas and values are different than the mainstream accepted beliefs. Fads :  a thing that becomes very popular in a  s hort  amount of time, and then  is forgotten at about the  s ame  speed. Progressive Evolution : the process of a gradual change or development in a culture's institutions or social/economic structures. Take a look at this website (Popmatters, see below). Browse the site and choose 1 article to read and summarize it by taking notes on the article and what it says. Follow up your notes by what YOU think about what was covered in the article. Turn this response in as credit...

After reading and responding to an article, we will take a quiz on cultural terms and Sedaris' essay(s). When you get a chance take a look at this website. We will be using it in the near future. You can read articles here to inspire you with ideas about what to write about. Popmatters In the lab, please complete the assigned exam. When you have completed your exam, please continue to read or write. During period 2, once all tests are completed, we will take a look at another essay or two. HOMEWORK: Please complete David Sedaris' Me Talk Pretty One Day by the end of the week. You should write a draft of a non-fiction essay for your portfolio influenced by Sedaris' writing and style (see previous assignment in the posts below).

Period 1: Please continue writing your non-fiction pieces. Leave some time to view a few of these videos below before period 2. I will announce in class when you should move toward checking out the videos. Either way, if you don't get to them today, please watch them for homework, respond to them in some sort of writing, and reflect on the material as it applies to David Sedaris and our class content. As you watch these videos, consider the following concepts/terms we have covered in class and begin learning these terms. You should be able to find evidence in the texts you read or the videos you watch of these things: Culture Cultural Relativism Stereotype Language & semiotics (symbols) Taboos Hegemonic group Dealing With Conflicts in a Culture Outside of Our Own: Travel with Kate: Local Knowledge Paris Stereotypes Paris: French-African vs. African-American French vs. American Stereotypes (teens) WWYD? Testing the French French Lessons for Americans Eddie ...

This morning, please listen and read "The Learning Curve" from the collection (pg. 83) Salman Rushdie's interview "On Writing Non-Fiction" David Sedaris: On His Life As a Writer Struggles of Writing Non Fiction Advanced Creative Non Fiction presentation (lecture with graphic notes/charts) Please review the notes below about writing non-fiction and watch some of the video material above. In the lab, use your time to write pieces for your portfolio. If you get stuck or would like to take a break, please read an essay or two in your David Sedaris books (or watch the videos). You should complete Part One by next class. We'll take a look at Part Deux . 

Cultural Notes, first. I've put them off too long. This morning, after our brief response writing time, we will listen to the following essays: "The Youth in Asia" and "The Learning Curve." After listening and considering the essays, their style, and how Sedaris manages to entertain us with the truth...we will spend a moment or two with some advice about non-fiction. EQ: How do I make my narrative or creative essays creative? How can I improve my expository writing skills and demonstrate my understanding of the non-fiction form? Some general advice about your creative essays. Creative non-fiction should be interesting. It is often called expository writing in that it exposes an idea or position about its subject matter. This requires subjectivity on the part of the author. In other words it should reveal the author's attitude toward its subject. It exposes an aspect of our culture, history, background, or the author's personality that reminds u...

What Generation Are You? Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z? How much do you think you've been influenced by: technology? education? history? science? economics? Culture: What is it? Culture Scientists and Anthropologists define  culture  as learned behavior acquired by individuals as members of a social group. According to Edward Tyler in 1871: culture includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and other capabilities or habits acquired by a group. Culture is a learned behavior. Culture is also used to refer to a highly cultivated person versed in art, philosophy, etc. Culture includes insignificant behavior such as behavior traits, etiquette, food habits, as well as refined arts of a society. Culture can also be considered as the sum total of human knowledge and acquired behavior of humankind. Habits or behavior is generally transmitted from members to the young or outsiders until the outsider is also an insider, part of the group. ...

Last class I asked you to write a creative response to the articles we read in class for homework. If you have written those and printed them out, please place them in your portfolio. If you did not complete this work, please do so on your own time and put your drafts in your writing portfolio. This morning, after our short reading, please be prepared to take notes on some key course vocabulary. Last class we ended with the term: Hegemony . When discussing these power structures, it is helpful to know what groups to which we belong or to which we identify. We may have cultural groups that we share with others: for instance we are all living in Rochester, NY. We all attend the RCSD. We all go to SOTA. More than half of us are female. Only a few of us are Buddhist or Catholic or Muslim. There are many social, political, and philosophical roles we participate in through our lives. Some groups we only share a tenuous connection with, others define who we are or how we see the world. I...

I will be using the following rubric when assessing your portfolios. A portfolio is due each quarter and comprises the major part of your quarter grade (along with attendance, participation/homework, reading, quizzes/tests, presentations and class activities). 4 = Exemplary 3= Accomplished 2= Promising 1=Beginning 0=Failing Exemplary : Thoroughly and artistically developed characters, plot, structure, conflict, theme, and setting. Uses vivid description, effective diction and word choice, tone or voice, POV, imagery, and compelling dialogue throughout portfolio. Uses a variety of effective literary devices. Writing can be considered “art,” effectively communicating issues central to the human condition in a compelling way. Has few errors in spelling punctuation, syntax, and usage. Sentence structure and overall effect of the work is artistic. Format is carefully and correctly followed. Work includes evidence of several revised drafts that improve on earlier drafts. Work included ...

Let's define  culture . What is culture? In your own words, describe this term. Share your response with a partner. Now, let's read. What sticks out for you as important or interesting in this article? Much of our class will use this technique to brainstorm ideas for stories, poems, plays, films, non-fiction and other writing projects. The fundamental idea of this course is to use our research and responses to a variety of topics to inspire our artistic impulses. Secondly, it is a course that urges the artist to depict him or herself in relation to or as the other. We will be examining power structures and hegemonic cultural groups in relation to each other, using this topic to reach a more universal and engaged POV about our own selves, our own cultures, and the world audience itself. This course is a literature course, a course in ideas, as well as a practice from which to write and capture authentic voices. You will be allowed in many cases to make your own path as yo...

Welcome back, class of 2015! You have stumbled upon our classroom blog. Check here each class period for agendas, deadlines, educational information, advice, and a whole lot of links to enhance your education. All you have to do is read and click. Any material and links or articles posted here are fair game when it comes to unit tests. You will be using this blog throughout this course. If you're absent or missed something in class, please check the blog to get caught up. As stated above, each new class period includes a new post. If you have a question about an assignment and are too embarrassed to speak to me in public (or you have a question that you think you will forget to ask), feel free to use the comment section. I look forward to seeing all of your writing and thoughtful work this year as you climb the metaphorical mountain toward graduation! Please note and follow our school policies, as is expected. Our class BEGINS at 8:05. Excessive tardies will affect your...