Three Things You Can Do Right Now to Improve Your Final Paper

In the spirit of the "listicles" that comprise a frightening bulk of online "news" these days, here is a list of three things I want you to do on the blog this week:

1) Respond to the person who commented right before (above) you, by providing a "text" (video, website, poem, scholarly article, editorial, advertisement, song, test, WHATEVER) that has something to do with his/her topic.

2) Provide a brief explanation of the topic you are thinking about for the spring.

3) List one "text" you are thinking of using to teach your topic and briefly say why.


So we will create a kind of feedback chain for one another.  And since I am going first, I don't have to respond to anyone.  I will jump in with #2:

2)  I will teach a class next semester on the importance of metaphor in our popular/political discourse, such as the use of the "war" metaphor in phrases such as "war on drugs" or "war on terror."  I want students to leave thinking about how the language we choose can actually shape our sense of reality.

3) One text I might use is an excerpt from Susan Sontag's Illness as Metaphor in which she talks about how the use of particular metaphors (such as talking about things that aren't diseases as being diseases) shape our thinking.

So the next person should give me a suggestion about something I might consider in relation to "metaphors" and then go on to describe his/her topic.

Let's see if we can get this loop working!

Mentors Coffee

Hello All,

First off I wanted to thank you all for sharing what you do at your agencies and for being honest and open with your mentor. I learned a lot and I am glad some of us were able to connect the work we do to the other agencies that our peers are doing their internship at. While we have had a lot of discussion on structural changes, nonprofits, theory, etc., Professor Reitz suggested I make this blog a bit more specific.

Personally, I loved the mentor coffee because I was able to see the different resources provided by your agencies and how I can use you as a connection to help even more people. We saw with Fred that I asked him about undocumented students and that Lauren used two agencies and their resources to come up with her idea for her project.

My questions to you all are: what was what you enjoyed the most about the mentor coffee/breakfast? What did you find shocking, surprising, unusual? Do you suggest any changes for the upcoming mentor coffees?

Finally, what has been your overall experience at your internship? Do you feel like you have learned or changed since the beginning of the semester? Any epiphanies, personally impacting experiences?

You can use these to self-evaluate the work you have done and how you have changed or stayed the same. 

Fieldtrip to the Vera Institute of Justice

Welcome to the Mother Ship!

    It was wonderful to have to opportunity to see the "flagship" of all of our agencies. I had been at the Vera Institute prior to this visit to listen to David Kennedy speak. One thing I noticed was the drastic change of environment compared to my placement. At FedCap its a 3 story building in South Bronx with empty halls, computer labs, and blue and beige walls. I was wondering whether work environment made an impact on my supervisors or even myself. Anyways, it was a warm welcome on behalf of Karen Goldstein, Margaret diZerega, Shameeka Mattis, Nick Turner and Fred Patrick.

     According to the Vera Institute Spin-off Took kit the spin-off process should deliver two fundamental returns (1)" allows the demonstration project to grow to scale and continue innovating according to its particular mandate and vision" and  (2) "allows Vera to remain focused on its own mandate and vision: exploring and developing new avenues for innovation in justice". In your own true opinion, do you believe that your particular agency is maximizing its development in order to improve the persons lives it serves? I know that many of us are placed in agencies that address similar issues such as reintegration into society by providing job readiness skills and educational opportunities, but what makes our agencies "a unique and distinct identity from Vera's"?
    Referring to the Demo's and Spin-off Over time, particularly with the subject and focus area nearly half is criminal justice with juvenile justice, employment, and SUMH being the most dominant topics. It amazes me how little immigration makes up on this rough breakdown. I am glad to hear that Danyeli and Bekah's placement have acknowledged this growing issue. Maybe in the future there will be a spin-off of Safe Horizon with an emphasis on immigration.
   All four speaker were passionate of what they spoke of. What resonated with me from the session was what Ms. Mattis said, "everyone has a role". She was referring to those working at Common Justice. Everyone has a role and none of the roles are pointless. Towards the beginning of my placement I wondered and was unsure of what my role would be at FedCap. I spent the first two weeks observing but it was not until recently that I felt like I had a meaningful role in helping student prepare for the TABE test and assisting those customers who speak primarily in spanish. All the spanish speakers have found jobs and are no longer in the program, and a young man who I helped pass the TABE test has just got hired as a security guard. I've accepted being Ms. Barbara at my placement but at least I know that I have made an impact with those individuals. So I ask you all, have you found your role at your agency? If so describe how your role makes an impact on the individuals, your supervisors? If not, how can you create a role within your agency (no one wants to be a fly on the wall)?