Conference Growing Seasons

Thursday, February, 26th , 2008.

Migrant workers do not stop their work when the weather turns harsh—like them, we are still on for this evening!

The Gerald H. Read Distinguished lecture Series will feature Growing Season: The Life of a Migrant Community and its Educational Implications, tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the KIVA.

David Hassler and Gary Harwood, and the panel of educators will be there to inform and to inspire you with the story of the Hartville migrant community ... warm your heart with stories of family, coming together, hope for the future, and photos that will tell a story beyond the words that you will hear. ...

Linda Robertson

This book is really inspiring. It is an attribute to human change. It is a life culturing. It is an outreach activity. It is voices of a village. It documents knowledge, inspiration, award, inspiration... it is a story telling to celebrate.

It took the David Hassler seven years to collect the data needed, including a series of photos and a long journey to take to have the actual book. The journey was more than five stages to get to self-satisfaction and more inspiration. He struggle hard to get a place in the Mexican community. Though this physical existence, he tried to get personal integration in the community by making different acquaintances. It is so hard to the community to accept a stranger to take photos. They are afraid of being arrested by the police as coming illegally to the land. He got to have permission to the farm to a witness of the community daily life. He consider 6:30 to 7 a.m. as the most hectic and lively time. They are getting ready to go to the farm, getting the kids ready for school. They excel to decorate their hats with flowers and ribbons. Their hands reveal their endeavour to achieve well in the farm. The author took tough decision to look for self-integration. He tried to learn their language, shop in the same area. There was too much pressure on him to leave their vicinity.

However, here came the opportunity for him when he was invited to a wedding party. It was a good step to move from personal access to the family household. This stage led him to get more involved in their in their life. He was asked to take picture during the ceremony. There were seven camps to explore to dig out the cultural components of the community.

After the wedding party, he was introduced in the medical facilities, school, church and their birthday parties. What is surprising enough is the great number of people attending each ceremony of birthday. Everybody has to wash up and gets dressed up. They have a great fun and women, men, and children have their gathering to concentrate on their own affairs.

Indeed, there was a lot of patience, endeavour, tolerance and sacrifice to bring this story the front pages. It is extremely rich and enriching of acculturation. Gary Harwood interviewed member of the community to give more life and enrichment to the photos depicted by Divid Hassler. I was able to write down some of their conversation during the conference:

Father to his daugther who was intending to get married: ' Are you sure you want to that? if not, just turn down and way away'

Lovely quote and meaningful cultural implications can be deduced?

Have your own car!

Sure, one should have his personal vehicle to be on time and invest that time in more useful things.

Less people in the Ohio are walking in the streets. It is noticeable that only the international students do so. I would go along a street without seeing any human being walking. It must be me who is a special case, then.
I would say that a lot American suffer a lot for being so obese. They care carrying extra weight, eating all the time, driving all the time. There is less time for exercising.
Even the bus is most often empty. None is there. Sometimes, I would take the alone for more than six stops, None show up, except the bus driver and me.
Buses' schedules is different from what is written on the bus flayers. You have to wait either ten minutes after or before the bus would come.
Strange enough in Kent, no cabs, less buses, trolleys.
Let's walk should be the motto for everyone to be less overweight!!!

Speech Testing

I have been in the speech testing in Nixon Hall on Thursday, 21st February, 2008. I was there on time. The room is a sort of small classes or laboratories. They are probably teaching languages, especially American. The focus is how to Americanize your communication English. It seems that they are driving everyone to be American in everything. Could it be, even we sneeze, whistle or walk in an American way?

White Hall, room 215.

There were nice, educated and beautiful female teachers in the lab. They warmly welcomed me to the room. I hung my coat and scarf and stepped to a room where I had to face the wall while sitting on a chair. The aim was to test my auditory skill s by raising my hands when I heard any sound from the headphone I was asked to put on. The test was great by the encouragement of the ladies. Then, they have to test my tongue and all part of articulation inside my mouth. It was really amazing and entertaining to utter some sounds after taking a deep breath. I had to hold on uttering the same sound as far as I can. It sounds that you are in a music chorus.

Later, I had to read a small text and different vowels and consonants. Throughout the test I was engaged in an educational discussion by reflecting on my previous teaching and learning strategies and about the courses i am taking in Kent State University as a vi ting scholar.

I discovered and explored some good aspects of my speech. I tried to act out and converse as if I were an expert actor. I learnt about the way I teach my students. I tried and tried to show I articulate well, understand, listen, rargue... with those who are my teachers assessing my performance and how much I have achieved in my educational journey. I took things from different aspect. I was one the learners who have to exhibit their skills and expertise in the field. I have learnt about my fossilization of pronunciation, especially when you just you want to finish what you are reading. I have recognize that I speak so quickly which makes it difficult for my interlocutor difficult to get my message. I have to practice more and interact with people, basically engaging or delivering a presentation. Sure , there is stress at the beginning, but you feel so strong and more lively to voice your ideas fluently.