In our lecture we looked at the importance of communication in making connections with others. We know what we want to say and shape it to fit our listener, and then there is what Habermas calls a "negotiation of meaning", until both sides are satisfied that the other understands the same meaning. This also happens on the level of society, but we must also be aware different information can be communicated in different ways for different purposes. By reflecting on what we hear and discussing ideas in a critical manner with other thinking people, we are more likely to fight off oppressive ideas. Teaching students to think for themselves is vital. We also discussed what communication looks like in the workplace, which involves imagining your audience, preparing, organizing information, including visual aids and allowing for follow up questions. A good lesson plan will involve the teacher first knowing the learning styles of the students, what they have already studied, how prior knowledge should be activated, covering any new vocabulary before launching into the new material. Other considerations might be to maked an effort to engage the students' interest, make the material relevant and important to their lives, allowing them to work with the material in small or large groups and apply what they know. At the end of the lesson the teacher will assess learning and evaluate the effectiveness of the lesson.
Our short story today was Wayson Choy's "The Jade Peony" (image) and we discussed the many sides of the connections between generations in a family.
If you have not done so already, please send me a brief descriptions of the topic you plan to write on for your paper. Just a reminder, our next class will be March 3rd. Hope you get a chance to take in some of the Olympics! Go Canada!
This class was a tough one for me. The narratives that were read created a very strong emotional reaction on the bus ride home and continued into the wee hours as I was trying to fall asleep. I personally connected to many of the ‘stories’, and it brought up some issues that I hadn’t thought about in awhile. Remembering the loneliness of that first apt at 17, wondering if I’d made the right decision to move to the big city alone, not knowing anybody. Office politics and not knowing what to do when someone in a power position made unwanted advances. Losing friends and family both physically and mentally. Broken trust between friends. Not being the girly girl my mother wanted. I’ve pondered what narrative of my own to read, as they seem overly personal. But clearly, those are the ones that have the biggest impact, and I should be as brave as those that have read before me.
ReplyDeleteAs for “The Jade Peony”, I was quite touched by the relationship between the grandmother and grandson. The bond they had was enviable. Sek-Lung was at that tender age to either not realize his grandmamma wasn’t conforming to societal expectations, or was young enough not to care. Either way, he had an invaluable experience that will go on forever. Having that connection to someone so much older who can either create another world or bring such familial history is extraordinary. It certainly reminds me of that missing history I have with my maternal grandparents. I would love to know what their lives were like before and after they immigrated to Canada. I only hope I have grandchildren to pass on my stories to.
I really enjoyed Wayson Choy’s, “The Jade Peony”. I just came from a weekend visit with my grandmother, and this story connects well with my experience and relationship with her. Many times, the relationships we have with our grandparents are special; they aren’t like the ones we have with our parents, and have a certain magic and quality to them. The moments we share with them are treasured, and often that is because we likely spend the most time with them when we are children, lucky if they live longer. Although my grandmother isn’t as “old world” as Choy’s, she still seems like she is stuck in the stubborn ways of someone stuck in the depression era. She has trouble letting anything go, or throwing anything out; always saving the tiniest thing “just in case”. I love my grandmother dearly, but for people like my brother and I, I know she doesn’t understand a lot of the new technology that is happening in our lives. Last night I taught her how to properly use the TV guide on the remote control, instead of saving the guide in the newspaper. It took me a lot of time to convince her and properly communicate with her that I was not messing up her TV, but rather teaching her something new. It was like pulling teeth, but I was successful in the end in teaching an 85 year old woman something new. After we were done discussing all the “fancy gadgets” on the TV remote we began to discuss me becoming a teacher. She was happy with the patient way I spoke to her, and this had me thinking also about all the challenges in communication I will face in the classroom. With such a rich, multicultural society, the barriers in language and culture that will arise are endless. I need to remind myself that I will constantly be challenged with parents and students who cannot speak the same language, or children with learning disabilities, or best of all, parents who might not approve of what I teach because of cultural values and beliefs. Simply having an open mind is not enough; a teacher needs to actively pursue what it is her students need in an effort to make sure they are understanding and learning. And that might be one of the biggest challenges of all.
ReplyDeleteThe narratives that were read this week were really good; I found that I could relate too many of them. I was deeply touched by the last narrative that was read this past week. I really admire someone who can talk about something so personal. I have been in a similar situation so this one really stuck out for me. In my youth I had horrible stomach pains to the point where I couldn’t move. I had to go to the hospital for a couple of days and had to go through numerous tests. The doctors that had come in were talking to my parents explaining to them what was going on but I was young I didn’t really understand some of the medical terms that were being used so I didn’t really think much of it. Although I was in physical pain, I also thought that as a kid I was resilient and nothing was going to come of this. I left the hospital and was scheduled for an appointment at St. Paul’s to get a CT scan questioning my parents as to why I was here? All they had said to me was that the doctors just wanted to check up on me and use equipment that the prior hospital did not have they told me I had nothing to worry about. A week went by and I was competing in a volleyball match at my school when all of a sudden my mom comes running in straight for me and gives me a huge hug and repeatedly kept saying “you’re alright”, “you’re alright”. I remember asking her “what was wrong with me?” as I had already forgotten that I had gone to the hospital. After she had told me that the doctors thought that I had some form of cancer. I am glad that my parents did not tell me what was going on at the time as it stopped me from worrying about it. Your health is the most valuable part in your life and I don’t think most people realize it until something happens to either a friend or a family member or even yourself.
ReplyDeleteThe grandma in the story this week “The Jade Peony” really reminded me of my nana for some reason. I think that it was her physical features that were being described. Her hands especially, my nana had the most delicate hands, like the grandma in the story, “Long, elegant fingers, with impeccable nails, a skein of fine, barley seen veins, and wrinkled skin like pine” the perfect description. Haven’t really thought much about my nana lately, she passed away many years ago so it was nice to read this story, it brought back fond memories of us hanging out.
Near the end of last class, we discussed how children should learn about death. I think some cartoons- (other than works like Lion King/Bambi)- are misleading children about concepts of death. Think of Road Runner and the Wild Coyote, or Anamaniacs, for example; the characters always come back to life after they explode or fall off a cliff. Then, kids laugh at dying characters because such cartoons make jokes out of death, which I think is problematic and worth concerning. TV can hit children so hard and directly. Most kids may believe whatever they see, so if cartoons tell them that death is funny and is not the end to life, they will misunderstand what death is in reality, and will not take it seriously.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy, because the relationship between the grandson and the grandmama is very meaningful which touched me greatly and have brought back many great memories of my own grandmama who left this world when I was 12. After reading this story, I began to recollect my memories of all the things we have done together between only the two of us. I did not have to think really hard to remember, because I love my grandmama and I have a special place in my heart especially for her. Back to the short story, I really admire the character grandmama because of her strong personality. She understands and faces reality and at the same time reflects back to the memories that have been most memorable for her. She has a life of her own and is confident about her own culture and identity even though she was physically far away from her home town and far away from her childhood. It seems like a very horrifying thing to face aging/death in our society, but the grandmama in the story was not affected at all. She should have most likely felt the age discrimination (gender gap) and even some cultural separation from her family members (except her grandson Sek Lung), yet she is unaffected by them and does not complain, feel depressed nor left out. So, I think she is very independent and confident and has a very strong sense of identity.
After reading the “The Jade Peony” and discussing relationships and how important they are in children’s lives, I began to think about student teacher relationships and family relationships. In family relationships, each member of the family will take on a unique role with individual family members. The role that you play depends on many things including personality. It can also change depending on the circumstances of your family, such as wealth or social class. If you’re the first-born child you may have a greater sense of responsibility for younger siblings. Younger siblings will often look to their older brothers or sisters as role models. The role that you take on within your family can also change depending on whether you're male or female. Boys often act as the protector, especially for their younger sisters. This is one dynamic of the family relationship which can be both comforting and a source of tension.
ReplyDeleteThe importance of family relationships is unaviodable, especially with parents and their children. Parents try to be a combination of things such as friends, role models, mom or dad and even teacher. It is hard to have a multi relationship with children and in most cases an alternative adult most children spend time with is their teachers, starting at the early age of three with preschool or five in kindergarten and its hard to ignore the amount of time children spend at school with there teachers which, often is great chunk of their life. Therefore, it is important that the parents help their children realize the importance of student teacher relationships. Others may disagree with this, but through my eyes teachers are very powerful role modals and often form strong bonds with their student and unlike family roles that are changing depending on circumstances, a teachers role stays the same giving children someone whom most generally will hold the same beliefs and morals as most families and can support them without that “parental” pressure.
A student teacher relationship like family relationships can have a significant influence on a child’s development, in family relationships children might learn culture values, beliefs how to treat people they love, their wives, husbands, girlfriends or boyfriends and by watching their parents they also learn how to be parents. However, the teacher takes on a unique role to the child. They’re often the first adults, other than a parent who the child trusts and can open up to. Teachers often are role models to their students and children will look to them for support or guidance for many things including issues they might not be able to go to their parents about.
The student teacher relationship can also have a great impact on a child’s life because of the encouragement that the teacher provides. Teachers can help children explore special talents that maybe the parents are unable to pick up on at home this can have a great impact on children’s future developments. Teachers hold a great responsibility when it comes to their students because of the trust that children give them. A teacher who's very strict will have a much more negative impact on the child than a teacher who is encouraging and understanding. The positive qualities that a teacher demonstrates through can affect a child later in life. It’s not only a teacher’s actions that can influence a child, but also the way that they communicate and express themselves. The student teacher relationship is primarily one of trust, guidance, and encouragement. Once a healthy student teacher relationship is formed, it can continue to influence the child in positive ways for years to come. It can change the way that you see the world and how you interact with others. For this reason, not only family but teacher relationships can be one of the most important influences in your life.
Reading “The Jade Peony” made me think about the very close relationship I have with my grandfather. I found it easy to relate to Sek-Lung in the sense that he felt protective of his grandmother when his siblings were berating her, even though he knew that maybe her actions seemed a bit strange to other people. I don’t have any siblings, but being the youngest of the grandchildren in my family I have often experienced the same feelings with my grandfather who has lived with me for most of my life. I remember once when I was about 12 years old and my grandpa was about 84, we had some of my family over for dinner and a few of my older cousins came (my cousins are all 10+ years older than I am). My cousins went into my grandfather’s room and started moving his things around just a little bit so he would think that he was losing his mind when the things weren’t where he had remembered leaving them. This made me absolutely livid, I ran around behind them putting everything back and yelling at them. I was so upset about it that I was close to tears and when I told my mom about it she didn’t believe me. My grandpa is going to be 97 years old next month and I worry all the time that I am going to lose him. He is very healthy for his age but my mom has stopped letting him go out for walks and go to the mall by himself because he has fallen down a few times when no one was with him. Unfortunately there is no one to stay home with him or take him out during the week and I feel like by keeping him at home we have killed his spirit. Since he has stopped going out alone his mental and physical health seem to have deteriorated a little bit, and I wonder if by taking away his independence we have taken the life out of him. Perhaps Sek-Lung’s grandmother would have passed away much earlier if she wasn’t able to make her wind-chimes anymore. This also reminds me a little bit of Mrs. Croft in “The Third and Final Continent” who needed all the independence she could get. Her daughter said that even keeping the soup ready in the pot for Mrs. Croft bothered her. I know that we need to keep my grandpa at home for his own good but how much good does it do if he doesn’t have anything left to look forward to or live for?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe last narrative that was presented struck me hard, it stuck with me for days. The last narrative was descriptive and dramatic and felt like a plot from a movie. The friendship, the illness and the death of beloved childhood friend was all very moving. I could not stop thinking about it and the importance of friendship and the importance of explaining death because death can occur in anyway and anytime during life. Death can claim pets, family, friends, and fictional characters which makes it a very important topic to discuss with children. I remember when my baby cousin first watched the lion king and when the father died she bawled her eyes out. My aunt had to explain to her all about death and what happens after death. Being religious she would explain that people go to heaven and in my mind I wonder why they do not elaborate on the actual processes of what happens after death such as the burial, choosing the coffin, what was appropriate to wear, the gathering, the mourning and other traditions that occur. I remember attending my grandmothers funeral and my mother had specific rules and chose colours we could wear and how our hair must be. We must not wear our hair in any fancy way, women can not wear make up, no colours should be worn except black, no running around at the graves, no talking at the graveyard, we must stand perfectly still and not step on other graves and if we do accidentally step on graves we need to apologize immediately. I never knew why all these customs are important or where they came from...I just abide by them because of my mother and I believe I will instill these rules with my future children.
ReplyDeleteThe short story "The Jade Peony” was an excellent read and I do recommend people read the full book. I felt that it is very amusing to read the book because as the story is situated in Vancouver you can visualize where these streets are and see the story unravel in your mind. The grandmother in the story reminded me of a grandmother I used to see in highs school that came around during lunch time to rummage through our school trash cans for empty juice boxes or soda cans. After school I see her in alleys dragging a trolly full of cans and juice boxes and rummaging through the alleys. I have asked my friends about the grandmother and many have said that she was a rich lady that is doing it out of a hobby. It was quite amusing and cute of her and we frequently would just leave our cans and juice boxes out to hand it to her so she would not have to go through trash until the school banned her from coming in to collect her treasures. She was harmless but the rules were the rules and she would only wander around the neighborhood from then on. I do not think that the grandmother at my high school was collecting cans and juice boxes for the same reasons as the story but the situation is similar as they are doing it to feel like they are doing something and this something is important to them. I believe that the elderly are wise and there are much to learn from them. We must not dismiss their traditions or opinions because they are old, we need to understand and share the commonalities for people to get along.
Both “The Jade Peony” and along with the narrative about losing the trust of friends hit close to home. I related to the narrative about trusting your friends because I have experienced situations where it had become difficult to trust certain friends. Recently, I faced a similar situation where I stopped trusting a close friend of mine so the narrative evoked sadness and anger within me. I think that the narrator chose a topic which many people could relate to and that it must have brought about similar memories to much of the class.
ReplyDeleteThe story of “The Jade Peony” hit close to home because the relationship between the grandmother and grandson reminded me of my relationship with my grandfather. Although, many of the aspects within the story were different, I think that many people will instantly think about their relationship with their grandparents and perhaps if they are can relate to both characters. I wondered if the boy within the story was able to connect with his grandmother due to his age or whether it was a hobby that something that could be shared throughout the years. I think that the knowledge of elders is overlooked by many other than the young. While middle aged people and teenagers tend to overlook what they consider to be “outdated” ideas of the elderly, younger individuals are enthusiastic to learn from their elders and appreciate the simple things in life. Also, I feel that eventually, the child will be left at a crossroad, whether to follow their grandparent’s values or turn to what their parents believe is right.
During the last class before the break, I read my narrative aloud to the class. The experience was a lot less nerve racking than I thought it would be. Although my apprehensions about how my story would compare to the quality of other students in the class were unnecessary, I still felt relieved when I finished reading mine. Whenever an oral assignment is given in class, I instantly start to mull over the most fitting information for the task. However, after reading my narrative today and hearing how others responded to it, I think that I learned that everyone will find some connection and value in anything you put forth. As seen with the great variety of narrative topics presented, almost every one brought up similar experiences in my own life. I think that these discussions are critical for all of us to help continue the reflection process in our own lives. So far, I am finding the narrative process very rewarding.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I found the lecture this week to follow closely to the problems I discussed in my narrative. The importance of communication in both the educational and professional realms to create a common understanding between two sides was a key part to the solution I presented in my narrative. I agree that a multi step process needs to be established in order for a teacher or employers key objectives to become fully understood by those who are learning. Also, the recognition that not everyone absorbs information in the same way has become increasingly prominent in my own training at work. I feel that my duties as a manager are in a small way helping to educate me on the learning styles of individuals. The multi step process of a lesson plan is not only an educational tool, but as I have learned can be helpful in a work environment as well.
In “The Jade Peony”, the relationship between grandmama and grandson and the parting gift which would allow her memory to survive her death, brought to mind the relationship I shared with my paternal grandfather. I would visit him on his cattle ranch in Lake Francis, Manitoba. He passed away due to a sudden, acute heart attack - his health did not decline gradually. Yet like the child in the story, I maintained a magical relationship with him from my childhood to adulthood. With his passing, I was given an item that brings him back to life as I hold it.
ReplyDeleteI recall riding the tractor, as a child, with my grandfather. He brought everything to life on the flat and barren farmland. He would point out bogs and tell me stories of my uncle getting stuck on the ATV; he would talk about how the weather affected the farm’s operations and suddenly, while speaking, pull out his .22. With bulls eye accuracy, he would nail a gopher in the hole it poked its head from. I remember how he frequently consulted a gold, pocket watch he kept in his pocket. He always drew the watch out as if he had an important meeting to attend. Then he would put the watch back into his pocket and continue expounding, for example, on gophers. He told me the gopher population was out of control on the farm and that gopher holes led to broken limbs for cattle. He gave me an air rifle, which I regarded as one of my most treasured possessions in childhood.
Years passed, however my relationship with Grandpa Oliver remained the same. I sat in wonderment as he related stories about WWII; he had survived Normandy. Everything he said to me was contextually rich; it changed my thinking about things and made me ask questions. In my mind he could do not wrong and was proud he was my grandfather. Other family members, including his children held a different view of him. They had experienced his rages – the post war trauma he demonstrated. I can understand for them he was not the same magical person I had come to know.
After his passing a few weeks ago, I visited the farm. My grandmother gave me the cufflinks he wore on their wedding day, a veteran’s hat from WWII and the most prized of his possessions, his gold pocket watch. I keep the watch close at hand in my room. When I hold it, I feel that he is with me. It is the oddest experience - all of the magical memories and his wonderful, caring nature seem to be represented in this watch. Sharing this story with children as a teacher may help them to find deeply meaningful relationships with their relatives.
This week I was sick so I could not make it to class. The story Jade Peony portrays another immigrants' perspective and feelings toward the new country. Through the narrator and grandmother's point of view, we see the many difficulties that early Chinese immigrants had to face when they came to Canada. I was very interested on the term Chinese-Canadian and the hyphenated reality that the family could never accept. In my own experience as an immigrant the hyphen often snaps in two, obliging me to choose to act as either a Chinese or a Canadian, depending on where I am and who I am with. Throughout the story I also saw how difficult it is for people to let go of their old memories and habits. It is very difficult to be both Chinese and Canadian at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI really like the character of the grandmother. She is a loving woman who mentions to her grandson (the narrator) that she will never leave him, even when the time comes and she passes away, they will always be together in spirit. This connection made me think of our new unit of "connecting with others"; the bond grandma shared with Sek Lung will last for eternity, even withstasnding death itself. This is why I cherish my own family so much and hope to share the same bond with my family members just as the story portrayed. I also think grandma showed us two different ways of connecting with people in the story. One is directly through speaking and saying how much she cared for her family, and another one is through indrectly, by creating the wind chime to last forever after she passed away. The story further strengthens my idea about having meaningful connections in life. Life is amazing! We should all live well!
I really enjoyed “The Jade Peony” as the relationship between the grandmother and grandson was beautiful to read. It reminded me of when I was a child and spent a lot of time with my grandmother watching her knit and asking her questions about her own youth. Having that kind of connection with a member of an older generation gives children a tangible connection to history and the past. They see life through their grandparent’s eyes and they develop a sense of where they come from that gives them a pride in their heritage.
ReplyDeleteI also read my narrative this week and I found it to be rather difficult. This was partially because I chose such an emotional subject to write about, but also because I dislike reading aloud. I used to have to read my own poetry aloud and I found that the attacks of nerves never got any easier to deal with. Still, it was a great relief to have it over with and it is deeply encouraging to see the comments people have made about it and know that I made people think or that people were relating to my story. Honestly, the most difficult aspect of this assignment was receiving a grade on it as it felt strange to subject such a personal experience to the evaluative process.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteJust a note: I am not grading the narratives right now. I am providing some feedback on how well you are doing as reflective practitioners and offering some suggestions for improvement. Hopefully, this will give you some guidance if you want to include the narrative you read in class in your portfolio at the end of the semester. I am, however, giving you the grade that you would have received if I were grading the narrative -- if that makes sense. It is meant to give you an idea of where you stand. And, I will definitely never grade the content of your work. I'm most interested in how well you explore your experience and discuss what meaning it has for you personally.
Eleven Eleven by Dylan Lee
ReplyDeleteI was unable to make it to our last class. That’s because my good friend, Dave, had just lost his mother. I think it was ironic that the story “The Jade Peony,” dealt with a theme of death. This has been an important theme of my life in the past several weeks. Dave had a very close relationship with his mother. In the story the grandmother and the grandson had a similar bond. My friend had a very close connection to his mother - they hung out together and had a lot in common. During the last 2 years of her life, Dave spent most of his time with her. Her time was short and he knew it.
My friend is the bass player in my band. Four of my closest friends belong as well.. Being in a band is a like have five extra girlfriends, it’s a lot of work but we share a special bond.
We could never understand why our friend was always hanging out with his mother. We thought the cancer was under control and she appeared to be in good health. Dave would often miss practices. He would miss our birthdays. We didn’t understand why he was hanging out with his mom. We were frustrated when he missed practices. We didn’t know her cancer had returned. Dave didn’t like to talk about it.
Life is precious. It can be snuffed out like a candle flame faster than you can blink. I never really understood what was going on with my friend. Suddenly three months ago she became very delusional. The cancer had spread from her lungs to her brain. They tried chemo, it failed. They attempted some experimental treatments but they all failed.
I tried to talk to my friend about it. He would say he’s not sure how much longer she’ll be here. He didn’t have much hope. I would always say to him, she’ll get better, she’s so young. Cancer can be beaten. I didn’t want to believe him. That his mother would die soon. I guess because I couldn’t imagine myself in his shoes.
His father lives in Calgary. The rest of his family lives in Peru and Miami. He is alone here -- all he has are his friends and his mother.
Finally my friend and I went to visit his mom in the hospital. It really shocked when I saw her lying in the hospital bed. How could have I been some ignorant? As I stood over her bed I understood why he didn’t have much hope in her survival.
Two months before this I saw her with her son. Her beautiful long black curly hair, tanned skin and nice figure. Now she had no hair. Her once dark complexion now was so very pale. Her eyes rolled back in her head from all the drugs she was on. Her pretty face was all swollen from the treatments. It looked as though she was clinging to life by her fingernails. It made me feel very uneasy, and I had trouble looking at Dave in the eye. I just felt so terrible for his situation. I wished there was something I could say but all that came out was “I’m sorry man”. He thanked us for coming. We made some small talk before we left and we told him we were here for him.
The next morning she died. The funeral was a hard thing for me. I think I cried more than my friend who had just lost his mother. I cried for many reasons. The main one was that Dave was motherless. Dave had lost his best friend, his mom. At the time, my band had been recording an album in the studio. He took off some time for the funeral and for grieving. The sythn player in our band had also just lost his grandfather who had raised him up until he was ten. It was a hard time for us.
Eleven Eleven continued...............
ReplyDeleteWe’d been recording this one song and were trying to write some meaningful lyrics for it. We already had some good lyrics that were finished. We wanted to dedicate a song in memory of Dave’s mother. While Dave was dealing with some paperwork to do with the will, we wrote new lyrics and recorded them all. When Dave arrived to the studio we asked him what he thought of this new idea we had. I hit play. We all just listened in silence and then looked at our friend. Dave began to cry. He said that she would have been honored to have this song written about her and that it meant a lot to him.
Maria was Dave’s mother. She was 48. She’s gone now but is still in our hearts. I think in many ways she died in peace. She was surrounded by her son, ex husband, five brothers and sisters, and friends at the hospital. Out of something tragic we tried to create something beautiful. We wanted to Maria’s beautiful spirit onwards.
Maria believed that the key to a person’s happiness was love, hope and compassion. I only met her a few times, and I understood that she was so full of these virtues. She raised a good son. He may drive us a little crazy sometimes but we love him. We’ll look after him Maria. Rest in peace.
You can hear this song we wrote for her at www.myspace.com/wearesupercassette
The Narratives present in class were all so fascinating. I can relate some of them to my own experience. For example, the gender difference narrative really connects with my experience. I have two older brothers and they had influenced me to play with cars and action figures when I was younger. I believe there shouldn't be stereotypes for difference in gender, an example of that would be, "girls can't play soccer" but nowadays, there are many females that are incredibly good at playing soccer. Another one that got me really thinking was the narrative about moving out and just living life on your own. I can't imagine what my life would be without my family around. I guess my life wouldn't be as carefree and there would be lots more to do on my own! I think the narratives presented so far in class are all so awesome. They brought back many memories and thoughts to me.
ReplyDeleteWe discussed "The Jade Peony" by Wayson Choy, this short story connected to my life as well. My grandparents are pretty superstitious, just like the grandmother in this story. The grandmother's relationship with her grandson is somewhat like the relationship with my grandmother and I. In my family, we have a tradition to pass down meaningful items from the next generation to the next. For example, I still have a painting that my great-grandfather had drawn back in the days. This reminded me of how the grandmother passed down the jade Peony to her grandson. I think the Jade Peony was the center of relationship for both the grandmother and the grandson and it symbolizes their love between one another
When reading the “Jade Peony” I envied the young boy’s relationship with his grandmother. I never got to meet my dad’s mother. My mom’s mother lives in the Philippines and I’ve only seen her four times. I wish I could hang out with my grandmother on weekly bases. Sek-Lung was at an age where conforming to new social behaviors was not his priority. Children around ages five and six tend to have a role model and want to be just like their idol. For Sek-Lung his grandmother was his idol and best friend. Just by reading this story I could see that he had a special connection to her. He didn’t question her actions nor was he embarrassed of her like the rest of his family. Because of this the grandmother was able to share her stories and her passion of chime making with Sek-Lung.
ReplyDeleteThe grandmother reminded me of many elderly ladies I have met who have immigrated to Canada at an older age. She did not care what others thought of her and kept her superstitions (the white cat being a sign) and passions (wind chime making) with her until death. She did not want to change into a Chinese-Canadian. She was happy with who she was. Again, this brings us back to the question with the “Heifer” story. Does your environment affect your own personality? The new environment sure did not affect the grandmother in this story. Even f she lived longer; I still see no sign of her changing her ways and beliefs. I also think searching for chime pieces gave her an excuse to get out of the house and bond with her grandson.:)
To me this story contrasts how a new environment can have an impact on some people. For example, the teenagers are struggling to successfully learn mandarin and English in order to fit in their new society. It just goes to show it really depends on who you are and how you let the environment impact you.
As I read the “Jade Peony”, I connected with the storyline and the bond between the grandmother and grandson. I was extremely close to my grandma, who passed away a year and a half ago very suddenly from a stroke. I too acquired a keepsake that was my grandmas, just as the grandson did it the story. I always considered my grandma to be my ‘other mother’ because my mom worked a lot when I was younger. I would spend the entire two months of summer with my grandparents, either camping or travelling. I was extremely close to both of them. One of my fondest memories is when the three of us, my grandparents and I, travelled across Canada in their motor home when I was in grade 6. It was one of the best summers of my life. We saw many sights and became more and more close. The travelling and ability to see all these beautiful places was great, but I loved that I was able to spend the whole summer with my grandparents – just me! Other wonderful memories of my grandparents occur when we go back east to Quebec where they grew up, built their first house together, got married and had children; they showed me where they got married and we stayed in the house my grandpa built and where my great aunt lives now. It is extremely special going to Montreal with them because I feel as though I see more of who they are because I am able to see where they lived before Vancouver. When my grandma unexpectedly passed away she left me her beautiful 25th wedding anniversary ring. My grandpa told me it looked beautiful on me and that my grandma would be so happy to see me wearing it; that made me feel like she is still with me and that I will always have a piece of my grandparents extraordinary love with me all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is very important for students to think for themselves. It allows the student to learn more around the environment around them. It also helps develop the student as an individual because they are free to think of their own ideas and not being influenced by others. In addition, students who think for themselves may also learn from their mistakes in life or at school. Furthermore, I strongly believe that thinking for oneself expands a student’s imagination and perception around the world. This sense of imagination can also contribute to a student’s mindset in being a free thinker, and expand the outlook for them.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading “The Jade Peony”; it reminded me of the connection between generations. It reminded me of how I connect with my grandparents. Personally, I really enjoy the stories that my grandparents have shared with me since childhood. I always feel that what they say are like words of wisdom to me. There life was much different from the one I live in today, and they have told me that it was more of a struggle in the past just to try and get by. As I have heard there stories, I feel very thankful that I am living in a great country and have everything I want in life.
I also liked the fact that the jade peony in the story symbolized the grandma and her life. This really reminded me of how symbols are very important in our society, because it can help an individual relive memories and emotions from the past.
From the reading “The Jade Peony”, I have realized that relationships are a key to development within an individual. To me, one of the most important types of relationships is between a mother and daughter; I believe that it is even more important than a father and son relationship. A mother needs to the fill the roles of a friend, caregiver, teacher and lifelong companion all in one and that may be difficult to do sometimes. When I look at my own life, sometimes I wish I had a stronger relationship with my mother because it really makes a positive difference. I have looked at other girls and envy how they are able to talk to their mother about anything, and one day I realized that I seriously lacked this. If something were to happen or if I just needed to talk to someone in general I would feel that I could never tell my mother and that I would have to resort to a friend. Of course, we feel more comfortable talking to friends, but the one person we can always trust and will always think in your best interest is your mother. About two years ago, both my sisters were unmarried and they lived at home with our family; at this point we had a large family with five kids in total. The main point is that there were three girls, and I barely got any attention. It isn’t that I’d like to be the center of everything, but rather that my mother be able to spend some time with just me and get to know me individually rather than within a group. Now that they have been married off, I see a major difference in our relationship. I am beginning to open up to my mother more and am starting to tell her things I never would have imagined two years ago. It truly gives me a sense of comfort and removes stress off my shoulders knowing that I have someone to rely on and would never turn their back on me.
ReplyDeleteJust as the mother-daughter relationship is important, so is the one between a teacher and a student. This can greatly impact the student’s learning and their ability to develop. I know from my own experience that I had a teacher in grade 6 that I was not comfortable with and the entire school year she said my name wrong. The sad part was that I did not have the confidence to correct her because I felt embarrassed, so this continued for the entire year. Looking back at this experience I wish I had told her the very first day, and talked to her about it. The main reason why I didn’t confront her was because she was intimidating. It is quite evident that this sort of relationship can also impact a student’s learning; we may not feel comfortable asking questions and that is a disadvantage in the learning process. A student may feel that they might get made fun of for asking something or just that there is no point. Our teenage years are the most important of our lives as they create a base for our future.
The story we read this week, “The Jade Peony”, was a beautiful story and made me think about how much I miss not having grandparents and that special bond. Before the age of ten I had lost all my grandparents and was always jealous of my friends and the bonds they were able to share with their grandparents. This jealousy resurfaced as I read about Sek-Lung’s relationship with his grandma. This surprised me as now, at the age of twenty-three, I thought I had gotten past not having them in my life. You never realize how much you miss someone until they are gone. I have reflected on the times that I have spent, especially with my grandpa. The relationship with a grandparent is so different than the relationships you have with a parent. My grandpa never saw spending time, money, or energy on me as a burden. His greatest gift to me was time. He always had enough time to come over for Sunday dinners, enough time to attend my sports events, and always had enough time to push me up and down the block a hundred times on my Big Wheel. He reveled in the time he was able to spend with his grandchildren and we intern knew what it meant to be cherished and loved.
ReplyDeleteThe discussion we had today about what a teacher must do to prepare for a lesson really opened my eyes to how much effort and thought must go into everyday teaching. A lesson on math or social studies involves so much more than the textbook. Creating relevant lessons must consider what the child brings to the classroom and recognize the diversity in every classroom. As a beginning teacher this task seems daunting or overwhelming to me. I wonder if university courses can prepare me for this challenge. I won’t just be teaching one lesson a day I will be teaching numerous. The idea of relevance really hits home for me. In school when I learned about money for example I learned it in the context of a classroom store. Measurement and fractions were often illustrated through food examples. Having the ability to remember these lessons, now at the age of twenty-three, demonstrates to me that these were really effective, thoughtful lesson plans by my teachers rather than just boring paper and pencil exercises based on memorizing facts. I have realized that as a teacher I will have to be cognizant of not taking the easy way out and simply teaching curriculum, rather I need to connect the curriculum to my students and my students to the curriculum.