Blog #20: TEWWG Fishbowl Discussion Feedback

To Yash Patel:
http://patelyashapenglish2016.blogspot.com/

Congrats on completing your food memoir and Socratic seminar! I thought your voice really came through in the video and through your writing. It was neat how you made the "mama's boy" comment at the end of the video to have the relationship be the last thing the audience remembers after watching. Later in the fishbowl discussion, I found it interesting that you made the connection between TEWWG and Rapunzel. Your question about outside powers diminishing voice and power of Janie sparked a good conversation about the role of society in regards to your prompt. As a member of your Rapunzel powerpoint group, I completely agree with your analysis there. Great work!

To Abbey Marshall:
http://marshallabbey2016.blogspot.com/

Congrats on completing your food memoir and Socratic seminar! I thought you did a great job telling us the background of your story and how the oranges/orange juice connected to it. The editing of the video made it really fluid to watch as well. It was a nice touch seeing family pictures while you were speaking, as I think that helped everyone envision your story. I also noticed the orange color scheme on the digital poster which is a small, but cool addition. During the fishbowl discussion you raised a lot of good questions to the group, and interpreted questions from others very well. Overall, nice job on this project.

To James Zhu:
http://zhujamesapenglish2016.blogspot.com/

Congrats on completing your food memoir and Socratic seminar! I liked how you talked about being stuck in between two cultures, so it was interesting how you combined that idea into your thanksgiving food. Your subtitles were also very humorous! I think you did a great job asking questions of the other people in the Socratic seminar that helped the group delve deeper into many issues regarding your group prompt. The most interesting part of the discussion to me was when you mentioned how she did not like to work in the fields with Logan, but did not mind working in the muck with Tea Cake. That really shows her progression and a deeper level of complexity on your part.

To Charlie:

http://yucharlieapenglish2016.blogspot.com/

Congrats on completing your food memoir and Socratic seminar! I thought your memoir was well written and the voice in the writing was very apparent. It was also cool how you related that to your upbringing and your family heritage, specifically this quote "o some, fish stew is just a food. But to me, it became more: it became a reminder of sacrifice and hard work..." That really summarized your overall attitude toward the fish stew. In your fishbowl discussion, you mentioned many hypothetical scenarios about the novel that showed a deeper level of understanding with the text. 

Blog #19: Food Memoir, Poster & Video

Blog #18: Food Memoir Rough Draft

Rough Draft

“College? He’s going to… where?” Confused and alarmed, my 5 year old brain did not fully understand what that meant. It’s probably like school, I reassured myself. He’ll ride the school bus, take really hard classes, go to recess, take some more really hard classes, and then be home in time for dinner.

Of course, college is not like kindergarten. The impact of my brother graduating high school to live three hours from home did not sink in. Until it did. Bags packed and hugs graciously given, the car motored away. Minutes turned into hours, hours turned into days.

Lonely isn’t the right word. I still had my mom, my dad, my other brother, and our two dogs. Sadness was not a complete way to describe my feelings either, not with the important topics of elementary school to keep myself preoccupied. That paper isn’t going to cut itself. Still, something was missing.

Then one day my mom had an idea, “Noah, why don’t we make those brownies you and your brother like? You know, the peppermint patty ones?” Josh was known, is known, for his sweet tooth. I glanced out the window imagining him walking through the door, surprised by tasty sweets and a cool aroma in the kitchen. I nodded my head.

With winter break approaching, my parents let me (me!) help bake. This huge honor was not to be taken lightly. [go through procedure of making the brownies, incorporate the senses]. Finally I could fill the empty void nagging at me. As we ate at the dinner table, everything felt complete again.

Throughout my childhood these brownies served as a lifeline between me and my siblings. Saying goodbye is tough no matter the age, but it made the return home that much sweeter. No matter where we were in our different phases of life, on a small level we still shared that simple brownie recipe.

I realized this may be the last time I eat these brownies, until I myself am coming home from college for the first time. It’s an unnerving thought imagining a complete role reversal that requires a different kind of maturity.

But it’s not a truly scary proposition. In fact, it will be comforting to know family is waiting back home. Maybe it’s true family never really left.

Ingredients:
Pillsbury Fudge Brownies Mix (9x13 Family size)
2 eggs (amount listed on box)
oil (amount listed on box)
water (amount listed on box)
1-2 bags of York peppermint patties

Directions:
1. Make and bake brownies according to directions on box
2. While the brownies are baking, unwrap the peppermint patties and squish them
3. Take the brownies out of the oven 5 minutes before they are done baking
4. Place the squished peppermint patties evenly all over the top of the brownies
5. Put the brownies back into the oven for the remaining 5 minutes
6. When the brownies are done take them out of the oven and spread the melted peppermint patties with a metal icing spreader or butter knife
7. Let the brownies cool. Eat and enjoy

Blog #17: Their Eyes Were Watching God Fishbowl Discussion Notes