Burned out!

I know my level of participation has dropped but it is due to outside factor such as work and personal issues.  I find the class to be very engaging and interesting.  But as most other students have stated I'm burned out and know I'm coming to class very exhausted.  So when we're engaging in talk about different cultures and races I find myself shying away from making a comment.  Because I know I'm not thinking clearly and don't want to offend someone because I can't articulate my thought.  

I also find myself interested in what the other students have to say.  I don't have much experience with languages because I have always had a very difficult time picking them up.  I only spoke english in my house so I don't have much to contribute and find it more interesting to listen to people with first hand experience.  

I think the class is just as interesting as it was in the beginning of the semester.  I also find the visual aides to be a help, being able to listen to different dialects adds a whole new level to the reading.  I really just believe its the material we're going over right now.  It has become a bit more selective because not everyone has grown up in a bilingual household, and don't have much to add to that part of the lecture.  

I also think the topic of immigration is a sensitive one and most people tend to shy away from it.  Because it can become very heated.  I know I have some strong feelings about it and when I'm tired I don't feel like defending them or trying to articulate them.

Post 6

As far as my level of participation in the class is concerned, well, I have never been the type that voluntarily participates in class discussions, no matter how interested I am in the subject being taught, so my personal level of participation hasn't changed much. I find this class very interesting, and I think that what we are learning about now is just as interesting as what we discussed in the first half of the semester. Though I cannot speak for the rest of the class, it seems to me that perhaps the reason participation has dropped off, besides it being so close to spring break and everyone being worn out, is because of the content we are learning about. Before, we were learning concepts about speech which required us to find examples and do analysis. However, now we are learning content, which is more fact based, and therefore requires less involvement and discussion from us.

Post 6--Class Discourse Analysis

well i have to admit that my participation in class has dropped a little bit, the reason for that beaning is that i am tried most of the time from other classes and life styles. i think that most of my class mates would have to agree with me. but i think that once we get back from spring break most of us will be a lot better and will be more engaged more. and i don't think you have to do with any of this changes because the topics that your are bringing are very interesting. oh and one more thing the media you are bringing in is great i am a visual learner and it works well with me.

My thought on our class

Yes, I have noticed the level of engagement change in our class, but overall I think people are still very interested. It’s difficult for me to discern the different reasons for why this might be, but I can only really speak for myself.

As far as the content of the class goes, we started out learning about more general principles of language. It was a bit challenging for me personally, to look at language in a way I never had before, but I loved it. As the course has went on, the level of difficulty has started to decline, which I think might be a reason why the level of participation has gone down as well. As we’ve started learning about more specific examples of language (as it pertains to different cultures) I find myself still very interested, but less challenged, which is an important part of learning in general. The structure of this class is interesting that way. We started out with much harder principles, now it’s less difficult. For that reason I can understand why a typical class course is structured the way it is: start out with general principles, and as time passes, things get more difficult. It forces students to not only stay on track, but makes them anticipate “FINALS”- the most difficult part of an entire semester. However this class is not that way. I am in no way implying that we should have a final, for it may not work in this class, but I think it is a good idea to have more challenging work saved for last.

Personally, the reason for my decline in interest is much different. There’s a certain cycle I go through every semester, REGARDLESS of the class. Right about this time in the semester, I loose my stream. I start to become a little drained with all my classes, and want a break. Especially during this time of the year, the weather is nice and I just want to go out and play! This causes me to become lazier with class work and less interested in school in general.

But overall, what is more important is that I really enjoy this class. This is my most favorite class this semester. I have talked to many students who enjoy both the class and Tiffany very much. Hope is not lost…Let’s all make more of an effort to be involved!!

Response to teacher request

I would like to begin by saying very emphatically that this course has always been fascinating to me - I love the study of languages. I would also say that my participation in the class has remained constant, with few exceptions as a result of serious changes in my life (new job placement and workplace, new apartment). In essence, I've been a willing member of the class since its inception - despite being discouraged from speaking at times.

The reticence of many of my classmates seems strange to me. With the kind of controversial materials that we've been studying one would assume that they would have generated some sort of opinion on the material. Have you all been interested or are you unwilling to fabricate any response to what has been said? It would seem to me that because of the serious importance of what we've been discussing I would hope that you would be considering all of what has been presented - do you care about these subjects?

I suppose that it may be appropriate to enact students to respond, by calling on them - though I am certain you'd have difficulties with this. I think, as a Professor, you do what you feel is most appropriate with our class. Or, perhaps, sparking more controversy might cause a reaction.....

Participation Pattern

I have found a drop in class participation in not only this class, but most of my others as well. I have also noticed a drop in participation in previous semesters around midterm and finals. I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, or if it has just been a coincidence. However, it seems to me, a lot of people just get burnt out around this time. I think students are often more overloaded juggling schoolwork and their lives outside of school around these times. Many students get excited about school at the start of the semester - then reality kicks in and they start doing just the bare minimum to get by.

As a class, I think we could all make more of an effort to respond during class discussion, come to class often and prepared and participate on the blog. I don't think the participation drop has anything to do with this particular class. I expect, since we are getting to an easier point in our schedule, participation to go up soon.

Class Discourse Analysis-Reply

Of course I notice a difference in the level of engagement. Then again when it comes to what I perceive my other classmates' level of engagement is or is not all depends on how I perceive the world and my environment around me. But so as not to get too deep in psychological psyco-babble I believe that there is a lower level of engagement from the class. I believe that is typical I mean we have a lot of reading (not that I am complaining) but, I do have to admit I love not taking tests (not speaking for everyone here).
My personal engagement has stayed the same since the beginning of the class, I am usually quiet and I like to listen to the discussions and think about them later as the dominantly social people spray their opinions at one another. I like to observe when other people are engaging in deep conversations it is fascinating, especially this class, I love it when we get into conversations. They are always so interesting.
I think some of the issues affecting the classroom probably span variously among the different individuals in our class. Other students might be busy with a job or swamped with other classes or who knows what else. The other issue I believe is that this class is a requirement so I believe that most students want to perhaps (just my opinion remember, I am not saying this is how it is) do as little as possible, maybe skip most of the readings or skim through them, and just come as little as possible, and do the bear minimum. Not all students are like this, maybe no students are like this, it is just my observation of myself when it has come to occasional classes as well as observing other students' as well as my friends. So I don't think the issue is the class content or the teacher, maybe she has a factor in the drop of engagement, but I believe that it is mostly what I stated above as well as some other factors I believe.
Well every student learns differently, and I think the way you are teaching so far is pertinent to my learning style. I mean you don't have any tests, you let us turn in our assignments as much as we want until the desired grade is made, and your lectures are thought provoking and bring up many good discussion points.
Honestly, I think I could do the readings a little more, some of them I skimmed over, and others that I read all the way through didn't make total sense to me, so I think reading them maybe more than once could help, and trying to show up to class as much as possible.
In conclusion, I think the class is taught and set up in a perfect way to accommodate most if not all students no matter how hectic their lives are or have become. Again, I think not having tests is great, and your discussions are interesting, you let us turn in our essays over and over till desired results are met as well, and finally, you give us ample time to finish things. If a student is lagging behind I have seen the our teacher work with them. She gave us a day off, and well, I don't want to keep ranting and raving, I will finish with that. Keep doing things the same way, and I am fine, I don't know what the other students thoughts are but I would like to read what they have to say.