This post should be at least one significant paragraph in length. It should include, at the very least, the following information:
1. A brief description of the subculture.
2. A brief rationale for why you are choosing this subculture. Why is it interesting to you?
3. Details regarding when, where, how often, and for how long this subculture meets. You also need to state exactly when (dates and times) you plan on observing this group.
4. Reassurance that you have received your parents' permission to observe this group. If your observation of the subculture will be conspicuous, you also need permission from at least one member of the subculture.
5. Questions you have about the subculture that you will attempt to answer. You should aim to have at least 7 insightful, thoughtful questions.
This assignment will be due Monday. It will be worth 20 points. 10 points will be awarded if all of the above information is provided thoroughly and thoughtfully. 10 points will be awarded for how well it is written (accurate diction, clear and concise writing, correct grammar, attention to top ten items, etc.).
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ReplyDeleteThe subculture I have chosen is the workers in the school cafeteria. I am choosing this subculture because although they are always hard at work serving food, they interact, have fun, and they even seem to have a secret code that they all follow. I like this subculture because I see them every day at lunch, but I rarely stop to pay attention to them when I am taking my food. They meet every school day around lunch time in the cafeteria. I plan to find out if they meet anywhere else. I will observe them every day during lunch and every Tuesday during middle school lunch. I might add on to this time if I discover that they meet during other times, too. I have permission from my parents to observe this group since I am observing them at school. I have several questions about this group. Can they communicate without words? Do they have unspoken rules that they all go by? Are some cafeteria workers excluded from this group and why? Who is the leader of this group and how did he/she become the leader? Do they talk differently amongst themselves than they do to people outside of their group? How do they keep order in their group? Do they all have different personalities or the same personalities? Do they disagree often or do they usually get along?
ReplyDeleteMy Grandmother and her friends walk their dogs every morning at eight in the morning all around Renaissance Park. The humans and dogs in the group consist of my grandmother, Midge Goodhue, with Fenway, Karen Dimond with Skipper, Sue Ann Brown with Lucy, Julie Seals with Taz, Ellen with Bo, and Virginia and Beth with Molly. The group walks every morning rain or shine, snow or sweltering heat, for thirty minutes to an hour and a half. Why do they walk every morning and always in this same group? I was interested by this subculture because all the women in it consider their dogs to be their children and their prized possessions, and I would like to find out why this is. They all became friends and now are a subculture with their own jokes, mannerisms, and sayings. I would like to know how these seven women met and became a subculture, what keeps them together, whether or not they talk outside of the walking time, if some of the women are closer than the others, whether or not the age differences in some of the women create any problems, if there is one woman who seems to be the leader of the group, and if there is one woman who seems to connect everyone. I plan on observing them the next two Saturdays, the 25th of September and the 2nd of October, for their entire walk starting at eight in the morning. I have received permission from my parents as well as my grandmother to go on these walks and observe the subculture.
ReplyDeleteThe last few times I have dropped into Starbucks by Hamilton Place Mall, I have seen the same exact group of baristas. There is one group especially. They are all men, about 30 years old and the five of them work together, along with two other baristas, a younger girl and boy that don't seem to share the same "clique". The way they work together so fluidly and lightly is so interesting to me. It's like they have an unknown set of rules and codes that they all follow but no one else can decipher. They spout off little inside jokes and shout out song lyrics, and their environment is so unique. How do they all know each other, since they act like they've been friends for years? Are they only work buddies, or is there more to this "group"? I'm so curious to find out how they interact with each other, since they all seem to have the same manner of interacting with customers. Is there a certain reason they do this, a rule? Or is it just a learned habit? How long have they worked there, and do they all plan on keeping this job or moving on? Hopefully I can find these and more answers when I observe them. I plan on going on September 25th and October 2nd to observe them at 4:00 since they will be on the same shift, and that is the time I've seen them in the past.
ReplyDeleteI have decided to write on a very stereotyped subculture, a freshman Howard School class. My dad works at the Howard School, and a lot of the times my dad or I have said that he works there we get things like, “Oh the ghetto school.” Or “Oh, they’re definitely going to need someone like you to ‘straighten them out’”. I’m really interested in seeing firsthand how the students interact and how they respond to each other. My dad’s classes range from 4-30 students in each class. The total being about 41 students in all, I’ve decided to focus on all of his students. I’ve decided to spend two Friday afternoons at Howard School. That gives me from 11:30 to 4:00 to observe the students. I would’ve observed them both in class and in the hallway because they wouldn’t act the same in front of my dad as they would with less supervision.
ReplyDeleteI’m excited to see how much promise these students have, and how wrong everyone is about intercity students. I’ve heard tons of things about how intercity kids act, and since Howard is predominantly black I want to see how white students react to being a minority. Never being an 'intercity statistic', I’m really excited to see the outcome of my research.
Tiana Mills:
ReplyDeleteEvery Sunday on the far right of the church sits the Mother Board. The oldest and wisest women in the church make up the Mother Board. Their job is to teach women to be strong wives and mothers, leaders, and helpers in the community. I thought it would be intresting studying the Mother Board because, I would like to know the truth about them and what they do. Like most groups and people they are stereotyped. Little kids see them as women with big hats, teenagers assume when mothers look at them they are criticizing their clothes, while adults assume they just gossip. Some of this may be true, but not all the mothers can be put in this category. The mothers come to church every Sunday, which is when I plan to observe them. Also, they come to Tuesday and Wednesday night service. Since my my mother knows and respects these women, she does not have a problem with me observing them. I have several questiong about the Mother Board. How did these women become part of the Mother Board? Were they choosen, or elected? Do they get along with each other? Is there conflict with some of the mothers? Who is the main mother, and how was this decided? Is it a toll on some of the mothers being apart of this group? Hopefully I will be able to answer these questions very soon, and have a whole new outlook on the Mother Board.
Ever since we moved to Signal Mountain, I have always been fascinated by the employees at the popular sandwich shop, 517 Subs. As a regular costumer, I have often unintentionally found myself analyzing the relationships between the employees and the personalities of each. A friendly older couple has owned the shop ever since I've known it and their staff has remained, for the most part, unceasingly loyal over the years. While naturally the shop has lost its share of employees, it is the ones that have remained that promote my curiosity. There are three main employees, all female, all unrelated to the two co-owners and all as much part of the shop as the owners themselves. Is the job appeal for them in the sandwiching making or in something else? What are their relationships like with one another? Is it their co-workers that create the loyalty of the employees to the shop? What is their routine to keep the shop running as smoothly as it does? Do they socialize with one another outside of work? What are their traditions, habits, or inside jokes that are unique to the shop? What is special or particular about each employee that causes the store to flow so smoothly from day to day? Given, they see each other six days a week, how well do these people know each other? Is it strictly business or do they have personal relationships? On September 22 and 29, and October 1, I will be silently observing the subculture of 517 Subs for around an hour each time. The shop is open Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. After discussing it with my mom and Sarah and Gus (517 Owners), they have both given me permission to study this subculture.
ReplyDeleteThe subculture that I want to study is group of people that my grandmother plays bingo with, ritually, every Friday night at 6:30. They go to play every Friday of the year- no matter the season or weather. Almost everyone arrives thirty minutes early to buy multiple bingo game cards and then mingle with fellow players before the games begin. I have also heard that the final game pays $900 to the winner. I have always wondered why she continues to go every week and how they interact with each other during the course of playing bingo and also before and after the game is over. They play at the VFW which is located about one minute from my house in Ringgold. My grandmother has given me permission to sit in on their bingo outings on any Friday and I’m going to go with her on September 24th and maybe October 1st. I went last Friday, the seventeenth to observe. I think it will be interesting to study their interactions with the workers that sale the bingo cards to them. I also am wondering if only elderly people attend the games or if there are a variety of ages. I haven’t really heard of any other people to going to play bingo so this seems like a pretty unique experience.
ReplyDeleteI have chosen to write about my neighbors’ ballet point class. I’m really curious about what they do when they go down to the studio in Tiftonia every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. They seem to love it and they all talk about it constantly, so I’ve always wondered what their studio looks like and what goes on while they are there. I am going to study the Friday class, because it’s on the weekend and would be easier to get there to observe them. The class is every Friday from around 5 to 6:45. I’m going to study the way they interact with each other, how close they are. Are they all friends? Or are some of them excluded from the others? Also, I’m going to observe their attitudes while they dance, their exchanges with the teacher, and how they talk about the dance class. I have already observed the class, and took notes addressing my questions.
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ReplyDeleteEvery time I go in to volunteer at the Aquarium over the weekend, a group of older volunteers are always there too. They’ve become close friends over the years that they’ve volunteered, and will probably continue to be friends after they stop. They unknowingly became their own subculture, complete with sayings and routines. I find this subculture interesting because they all know each other so well and became such close friends through a similar interest that they share. I would like to know what brought them together in the beginning? When and why did they start their routine of coming to the Aquarium every Saturday? Do they find time to be around each other outside of their job, or is their friendship solely within the Aquarium? What are the reasons that they each have for volunteering: do they share the same reasons? What connects this subculture: do they have similar or different interests? Why is it just these four people and no one else who have joined this subculture? Who seems to be the leader of it and why are they in charge? I’ll be able to answer these questions by observing them every Saturday, when they all volunteer a 5 hour shift in the afternoon. Because I am also a volunteer, my parents approve of me going because it won't be hard for me to go and observe them while I'm working my shift.
ReplyDeleteThe site of my subculture is my old elementary school, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School. I chose to observe the After School Care students who not only spend time with each other during school hours, but also after school, as each tries to complete their homework while hyper, playful toddlers run in circles around the cafeteria. I wanted to observe this subculture because even when I attended O.L.P.H., I was never part of this. Some days, when my mother would get caught in traffic or lost track of time, I would be corralled into the boisterous cafeteria. I would not know where to sit or who to approach because everyone already had their own After School "group."
ReplyDeleteHow did children of all different ages form a group? What is the link that made these groups? Did these children rituals as they walked into the cafeteria every afternoon? Are the students able to complete their homework, or is it actually a social gathering? When the younger ones are released into the playground, do specific groups play a certain game each day? As an outsider, would I be able to distinguish "regular" from a "non-regular?” Are the After School Care groups mostly distinguished by age group or what time they are regularly picked up?
I have asked permission from my mom to drive me to O.L.P.H. and we have contacted the school’s office for permission. After School Care meets every day after school from 3:30 PM. until 5:00 PM.I plan to observe After School Care for three days, one hour per day. I intend to try to observe After School Care during all times of operation to see how the children’s actions differ from the beginning until the end. I plan to do my observations Tuesday, September 21, Thursday, September 23, and Friday, September 24.
The word goon means a stupid, foolish, or awkward person and this is exactly what the Goon Squad is. The Goon Squad is a group of friends that, when together, goof off, act stupid, cause trouble, and have fun. This group of friends has only been a ‘squad’ for a year, but they have all grown up together and consider each other brothers. The group is interesting to me because I have also grown up with each of these boys, but I want to know what they do when they are not around girls, what they do when they let their guards down. The Good Squad is together most every weekend and on school nights and meets for varying amounts of time, from 30 minutes to until the next day. Both my parents and 3 members of the Good Squad have signed off on my observing them. I plan to observe the Goon Squad Sunday, September 26rd, around 6:00, the following Sunday, October 3rd, around 6:00, and any other time that I can. Questions that I hope to answer throughout this project are: do they get together to relax and forget about the outside world? Or do they come because they feel they have too? Do they depend on each other for support and advice? Are they open with each other or are they reserved? Are there any competitions in the Good Squad, one fighting for the power over the others? Are there any traditions that they do each time they meet? Do they stick together no matter what? Or if something big enough came between them, would they fall apart? Through this project, I want to get to know what makes the Goon Squad the Goon Squad. I want to know each individual and their role in the group. I want to get to know the group as a whole.
ReplyDeleteThere are no auditions necessary to be a part of this subculture. The only requirement is a passionate heart for worshiping the Lord God and leading others to His throne of grace each week through singing. The Adult Choir of First Presbyterian Church is open to those ages 14 and above regardless of a person's musical ability or experience. I am curious to know if there are generational gaps or gender barriers among the choir. The reasons for choosing this subculture though lie in my interests in not only their capability to hit high note after high note but to uncover the reasons why everyone in this group rises early to show up at 554 McCallie Avenue each Sunday morning without fail. This subculture meets every Wednesday night from 6:30 to 7:30 in the church choir room. I will observe them on Wednesday September 22nd and Wednesday September 29th from 6:30-7:30. My parents have given me permission to observe the choir and so has Kelly Stultz, the director of this group. What is the general attitude towards Kelly? In observing this subculture I hope to capture the general 'vibe' or personality of the group, along with finding the answers to other questions such as how are the songs selected for each week and what are the relationships between the instrumentalists and the choir, and do the choir members interact with each other outside of the choir room?
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ReplyDeleteThe Tuesday night rummikub girls. Rummikub is a game similar to scrabble and the card game rummy. This subculture consists of my grandmother, Joann, and her four friends. They meet at one of their houses every Tuesday to play the game, talk, and generally food is prepared and brought to snack on. These meetings usually last between one and a half to two hours. I am interested in this subculture because my grandmother always seems to enjoy herself at these gatherings. She has participated in this routine since I was a toddler but I have never been to one of their gatherings and seen how her and her friends interact. I will go with my grandmother to the meeting on Tuesday, September 21 and Tuesday, September 28 at 6:30 in the evening to observe the subculture. I have been given permission to travel their with my grandmother and return two hours later by my parents. I’m curious to know how long the members of this subculture have known each other? Has it always been the same five people or did it start with maybe three women and the other two joined later? How did the subculture start? Why are there only women in the subculture? Why do they play rummikub instead of another game? Why Tuesdays instead of on the weekend? Are there any other activities that these five women are apart of as a group besides their rummikub club?
ReplyDeleteOf all the students at Covenant College, the students from Chattanooga and its surrounding area are most severely stereotyped. Generally either homeschoolers , recent Chattanooga Christian School graduates, or preachers’ kids, Chattanoogan Covenant students are all assumed to either be self-righteous, overly-moral prudes or being forced to Covenant by controlling, Christian parents hoping to edify their child through some good ole’ brainwashin’ via strictly Christian education. However, when my amazing older sister, a National Merit Scholar finalist, announced she was going to Covenant, my mind finally broke free of the grasp of judgmentalism. For years she had sworn never to consider this college. It’s a tiny Christian school and I can see it from my bedroom window. But she loved it, and so she joined the community of CCS grads and previously homeschooled “long-skirts.” Not many understand why she made this choice, but that is why I have chosen this subculture. Catherine and her Chattanooga friends are the exact opposite of who you all think them to be, and I’ll prove it to you. Yes, they are all CCS graduates except for Cat. Yes, they are some of the strongest Christians you will ever meet. But they have way too much fun exploring Greenlife Grocery and raving to Kenyan rap in their dorm rooms.
ReplyDeleteGraham, Cat, Kendi, Erika (aka “Moneybags”), Ben, and Matthias are typically decked out in flannel, Carhartts, and Chacos, displaying a fairly accurate picture of their personalities. But Elisa and Aften tend to wear skirts and t-shirts, which happens to fit them well also. They are different, but they love each others’ company. I plan to observe this strange group while at Family Camp with my church from September 17th to the 19th. Kendi and Moneybags have also invited me to hang out in their dorm room some time. Their room is the largest two-man freshman dorm room, so “the gang” tends to spend plenty of time there. I also get to have their company every Sunday night at 6 for dinner. I want to answer several questions including: Who is “grandma”? Why is “grandma” a he? Does he know he is being referred to as “grandma?” How was he thus named? Where did the college nickname, “Marriage Mill on a Hill,” come from? Why do they all get along so well in spite of having totally different views and interests? How do they all cope with their new dorm life, it being so different from their home life? How does their honesty thrive through the insults? Adding to that, why does Cat’s face “look like Muzzy?” How do they keep such great community when their lives are so busy? How do they know each other so well after only actually talking since Covenant began three weeks ago? How can they eat salad every day and not go crazy all out of support for Kendi, who has to be vegan because of muscle death in her knee from a soccer injury? What exactly do they do on their trips to Greenlife Grocery? How in the world did they all come together in the first place? Where do they find all their Kenyan rap?
The varsity volleyball players are a very tight-knit group and love to joke with each other. Despite being in different groups during the day, they get along extremely well once practice starts. I am friends with some of the members of the team and have never said a word to many of the others; I rarely see them talking in the halls and I have never seen the whole group together outside of practice or games. I’d like to see what they’re like outside of practice, but together as a team: Do the seniors lead the conversation? Do they pull seniority on the rest of the team? Does their usual position in a game affect the social structure? Do the grades separate or mesh? Do they have a special vocabulary and if so, are they volleyball terms? Is the social structure changed when the coach is there? Are freshman treated differently? How do they act towards the JV volleyball team? Does age or time spent on the team matter more (in terms of rank)? I would be observing them every H period – usually they spend most of the first half changing and talking – and after practice from around 5:45/5:50-6:00. I have received permission from my parents to observe the volleyball team and a senior on the team.
ReplyDeleteFor my subculture, I have chosen to observe both the employees and residents at Alexian Village in assisted living. The residents and employees are consistently there and therefore are encompassed into one subculture. Alexian Village is a housing for elderly who need assistance from a medical and social support team. While living there, there are organized activities, scheduled meal times, and opportunities for casual interaction with one another. I chose this subculture because I have visited this venue on various occasions such as field trips, but I am curious on whether this is similar to a family environment. Is it more like a hospital or a family living together? They don't necessarily meet at certain times because they all live together 24-7. I am just going to observe random segments of their daily interactions. I will observing on Saturday,September 25th from 9-10:30 AM, and Sunday, September 16th from 4-5:30 PM. I do have permission from both my parents and one representative from Alexian Village. Questions that I hope to answer are: Do the residents have meaningful communication with one another? How does the staff interact with the residents? Are they understanding and compassionate or do they get aggravated? How much time do the nurses and residents spend together? What are the varying ages among the residents? Are the residents involved in structured activities or do they pursue individual activities? Are the staff members aware of the patients needs, and do they take care of them in a timely manner? If there are other people around (family members or friends) do the staff treat the residents differently?
ReplyDeleteWhat do obsessive hunters do in their spare time when they are together? I have always wondered this; therefore, for my subculture project I will be observing my dad and his group of hunting buddies. The men in this group consist of my dad, Jeff McKamey, Steve Harden, Aubbie Smith, Marc Pratt, and Greg Chambers. During turkey season, they all hunt together on Aubbie's luxurious land filled with all kinds of wild life including their favorite, turkey. All five of these men share the love for hunting and because of this it has brought them together as friends. Before turkey season, they all meet at my house on Saturdays, and they begin to prepare for the upcoming season. They meet at least for three hours and sometimes all day. Because I do not see my dad come out of the garage all day long, I began to wonder what really goes on in that mystery garage filled with every kind of camouflage imaginable. I am interested in this subculture because my dad spends so much of his time with this group of men doing things related to hunting. Also, I would like to see what they do exactly and why he loves it so much. Hunting has been my dad's main hobby for many years and I have even shared the experience of going hunting with him. I want to see how all the men that share this love interact with each other. I have many questions that I want to find the answers to regarding this subculture. Do they have nicknames for each other? What all do they do while they are in the garage? Do they talk about different things other than hunting? Do they have inside jokes? Does one of the men lead more than the others? Based on observations does hunting mean the same to all of them or more to some than others? How long have they all hunted? Did they meet through hunting? Are some of the men better friends than others? Do they mess with each other? I will observe these buddies on Saturday, September 25th and the next Saturday, October 2nd from eleven a.m. until one p.m. I have received both of my parent's permission and the permission of the men to sit in the garage and observe their gathering.
ReplyDeleteIntimidating women, faces coated in heavy eye makeup, fly around a flat, circular track, knocking aside their every obstacle in order to catch the star-helmeted player in the lead. They race against other teams clad in varying punk inspired uniforms and fight for dibs over this so called jammer.
ReplyDeleteAfter first spotting the cleverly designed posters featuring pin-up-esque women in roller-skates on Northshore's storefronts, I was in love. The Chattanooga Roller Girls have captured my interest for some while now as I am a fan of the sport and find the dynamics of a roller derby team unlike any other. The sport of roller derby: complete with gaudy uniforms, fantastical nicknames, and a brutally violent nature has entranced me for almost three years now. From skating laps around my family's kitchen countertop in clunky, button adorned, roller-skates to skating on the streets of Montreal in a pawn-shop purchased pair of Saucony skates, I dream of one day belonging to a sport as worthy as this. My decision to write about the roller derby-ers was finalized just last night when I met someone with a daughter on the team. Now that I have this connection, hopefully it will be slightly easier for me to get in touch with the "Roller Girls" and for me to observe their practices. My parents, also, have agreed to help in transporting me to and from any practices that I might need to attend. The Chattanooga Roller Girls practice on Tuesday nights at Cleveland Skate Place. This is the only time that I can observe them as I have missed any bouts within the time frame of this assignment. I do not know the exact hours that they meet (only a return phone call away) but my mom says that she is willing to take me to the rink whenever need be. From my observations, I would like to draw conclusions regarding several itching questions that I have. Do their personalities match the brutality that they exert on the rink? Do they really call each other by their unusual nicknames such as Shove Missile, Llama Trauma, and Honey Guns? I am extremely curious… Also, I wish to discover who the leader of their pack is. From photographs, I assume that their ages range from mid 20s to mid 30s and I would like to know if they regard members as "leaders" based on age or on years of membership. Have smaller social groups formed within the team? If so, what do members of the smaller groups have in common that may have caused the formation of subgroups. Are their interactions affected by the presence of an audience? Do they share a bond outside of roller derby and is that what made them want to participate in the first place? And of course, are the "fresh meat" treated like, well, fresh meat?
It is not the work they do, or the cars they do the work on, but it is the wide variety of Maaco employees who make the shop and interesting place to be. For this assignment, I have chosen the subculture of the Maaco shop workers to observe. Maaco is an auto painting and collision repair shop on Dodds Avenue that my dad owns. The shop employees there are all so very interesting in their own way. They each have specific identities based on their jobs, actions, quotes, and overall personalities. For example, one is known as the cook because every day for lunch, he brings in an incredible meal that must have taken hours to prepare. Most say that he should quit his job and start a restaurant of his own, but he prefers to work on cars and cook to his leisure. Sometimes, entertainment television is boring compared to the occurrences of Maaco’s staff and customers. They hide nothing from their coworkers, as if they are brothers, and for this reason, their personal lives affect the workplace.
ReplyDeleteI plan to observe Maaco this Thursday and next Thursday after school and on Saturday this weekend. I have permission to observe them for all of these times. I have spent much time around these people, and have always wanted to know certain things about them. What are their attitudes towards each other? Who are the closest friends as coworkers and who are the enemies, if there are any? Do they act different towards each other when the boss is not around? Are there employees who try to have power over others, without the actual authority of job description? For example, does someone who is not the shop manager try to control what happens in the shop? How do the shop workers feel towards the employees who get to be inside at a desk all day in air conditioning? Also, how do they feel towards the ones who interact with customers, while they just work on the cars? I am excited to find out more about the professional lives of the shop coworkers.
Do we really change all that much from high school to college and, if we do, is it really that much of a mental and social gag? My wish is to observe a subculture which, in theory, is more advanced than the ones I belong to and evaluate them from an unbiased point of view. My interest lies in, as I’m observing, to mentally be able to sum up if a college class does actually posses a more advanced level of thinking and interaction than a high school class. The class I will be observing this Monday afternoon and next is a two and a half hour, predominantly female class at UTC called Assessment of the Young Child. The sixteen students range in age from twenty to twenty-five and a regular part of the class is group discussion. Some of questions I hope to answer after the two classes I observe will be if the class, being older, is still fully respectful of the instructor; if the students’ ages affect their participation in the class; is there an established social order amongst the students at all in the class and if they have any specific language they use to communicate while they’re together. One element that particularly interests me is how the two males play into the makeup of the class. Do they respond to it being a predominantly female class by not talking or do they participate much more in the class than the female students? Finally, I want to check and see if there are any establishing or ongoing conflicts amongst the students due to sex or age and, if so, do they seem meaningful. I have gotten reassurance from the instructor that she will let me observe the class on both days and will not inform the students that they are being observed.
ReplyDeleteI've chosen the group of church wives at my church. It's a group of my mom's friends at church and they are some really funny people. It's the pastor's wife, a main deacon’s wife and my mom and they do some of the most childish things when they're together. The reason I chose this subculture is because I would have very easy access to this group and they directly interact with each other. I really want to know more about their past with each other because they've known each other since before I was born. They always talk to each other every Sunday at church and the exact amount of time they are together varies, but I plan to observe them September 19, 26 and October 3rd. I'm usually around this subculture so my appearance won't be very conspicuous. Usually while they talk I just stand by my mother and listen anyway. Some questions I would have for this subculture would be how long have they been friends? Why are they such good friends? How well do they trust each other? Do they understand each other? Do they know a lot of each other’s secrets? Do they have special get-togethers? What do they talk about when they’re seriously alone?
ReplyDeleteOn the first Saturday of every month and for special occasions, the Laymen’s Ministry of Orchard Knob Baptist Church comes together for a meeting and fellowship. The mission of the organization is to support the programs of the church through study, worship, fellowship, and service. My father is a member of this ministry and attends regularly. Both of my parents have given me permission to observe this group. I have always wondered what occurs in their meetings and how the men interact with each other. I have also wondered: If their meetings are well attended? Is the gathering formal or informal? Is there an agenda for the meeting? Who runs the meeting? Are there officers for the Laymen’s Ministry? The meetings begin at 9:30 a.m. and last for an hour and a half to two hours. I plan to observe this group on September 25 from noon until three o’clock, during to a special event, and again October 2 from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was waiting afterschool one day, I noticed there was a group of seventh graders sitting wreaking a somewhat controlled chaos in the Ben. This is the subculture I want to observe. They all sit on the couches by the windows where the athletic bags are thrown daily. Although this is a subculture, there is an acute awareness that this group is very exclusive. Other seventh graders and even other students tend to avoid them and sit in other places in the Ben trying to mind their own business. I hope to find out what makes this group so avoidable. Why do people sit so far away from them? Although I have wittnesses some major examples, I want to shine a different light on their actions from an observational, non-intrusive stand point. Is there a reason to the way they act? What are their reactions to the other people around them? Is one of the girls a leader and the others followers or is there another dynamic to the group? Do they all contribute to the separation of the others in the Ben? Why do they all gather in the Ben? I want to answer these questions and possibly more that come up during my observation of the group. I have received permission from my parent to observe them, but it I am not sure whether I want the subculture to know that I am observing them due to changes in their behavior. I plan to observe them on Friday’s afterschool and any other time they might be in the Ben.
ReplyDeleteChildren see things for how they are and they can be some of the most observant, abstract, and brilliant thinkers. One of the most developmental stages socially, mentally, and physically is during the stage of childhood. Children are just developing their place in this world and they interact with their peers in different way than adults or teenagers. They problem-solve, show love, and think differently than adults or even teenagers. Their way of deciding between two choices is "eeny-meeny", and if they like someone, they give them a pencil or their favorite eraser. They think rationally, neither planning for the future or living completely in the present. They represent thinking in the subconscious mind, doing what you want when you want it. How do kids think? How to they perceive the world around them? By observing the way children interact and behave in their natural environment, I can also discover more about myself and the way the subconscious mind works.
ReplyDeleteThe world of second grade is a tough one, with bullies who steal pencil erasers, boys who are just discovering they are strangely attracted to girls, and the drama and tears of skinning your knee on the playground. How could such simple things cause so much turmoil in a seven year olds life? They are becoming the girls and boys they will grow into as the years progress, and second grade is just another step forward to the rest of their lives.
When my sister came home one day complaining about how Keegan "stole her gripper and ate her cookie" and that's "the reason they weren't friends anymore" I became interested in how the average seven year-old thinks and rationalizes. Can a simple gripper make or break a friendship? These kids have cliques, clubs, and groups similar to a high school and by further observation I can see how they interact with one another. Is it different or similar to a normal high school? Another reason I chose this subculture was because I have easy access to the children in my little sister's second grade class at Nolan Elementary and I decided the playground is the best place to observe them. My sister has the same teacher I had when I attended Nolan, so she is comfortable with me visiting their class. They have recess every day Monday through Friday, after GPS gets out from 3:00-4:00 and it would be easy to choose a day I can visit. I think that children are some of the most fascinating human beings and by comparing their own "culture" on the playground to the real world, I can find out more about how they think.
Men together are creatures unknown to the world of women. They meet in secret almost, hidden up in groups talking about things unknown, never repeating what is said. The guy code that they live by is interesting and unique and I am curious as to what and why they live and act as one. My subculture is going to be the Tenor and Bass (Men's Chorus) sections of Candlelight. I am choosing this subculture because after last year I know how well the guys interact with each other and there is more about their interactions that I would love to discover. These guys act very brother like and I want to know how they became so close and what all of there little "codes" are. I also want to see how they became so close and how they relate outside of singing. My subculture meets ever Thursday night for an hour and half and I will be able to observe them every time they practice. I am allowed to observe this subculture because I have to be at the practices on those nights anyway. I would like to know if they have inside jokes? And if so, what? Why do they act barbaric yet gentlemen like? How is their relationship with each other? Is there cliques amongst them? Do they have a different level of respect for the director than the girls do? What are their obsessions and jokes about?
ReplyDeleteAs my subculture I have chosen The Street Girls; a group of girls that live on the same street a few houses apart. These girls are more like sisters than just friends or neighbors. Like sisters, they have their fights and spats, but the love and friendship they share always shines through. Numerous inside jokes and stories fill their conversations, making them laugh at seemingly random points and no one understands why. The families of these girls are close as well and each family is intertwined. These girls are fascinating to me. With their tight friendship and a history woven like tight cloth, they seem to have endless stories to tell. If they weren’t already interesting enough, they have their own T-shirts designed with a logo and printed with “The Street Girls”. The Street Girls meet whenever they plan to, but I plan to observe once each weekend, when the girls are together. I have requested permission from Olivia Nickel, Laura Voges, and Sarah Long about my observation of them over the next couple of weeks and have received it. My mom has also given me permission to go over to these girls’ houses to observe and had gotten her permission as well. Question I plan to ask and answer include: Has their ever been a fight that they have had that has lasted more than a week, where they have stopped talking to each other? What are some of their first memory of each other? Do they call themselves friends or sisters? Their families are incredibly close, so how often do they have neighborhood get-togethers? What are these get-togethers like? What kinds of things happen during them, anything that is traditional? What are some similarities that they share (favorite books, movies, quotes, activities, places to go)? They participate in different activities and sports, do they usually go to each other’s games, matches, or recitals?
ReplyDelete1. A brief description of the subculture.
ReplyDeleteMy dad's work, The Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation, consists of 5 people, with my dad being the president. It's a non-profit organization that recieves money from donors and in return sends it out to people in need.
2. A brief rationale for why you are choosing this subculture. Why is it interesting to you?
I've always wanted to know what they do in the office, how they choose the people they send money to, and how the donors choose the CCCFDN.
3. Details regarding when, where, how often, and for how long this subculture meets. You also need to state exactly when (dates and times) you plan on observing this group.
The work days are Monday through Friday, 8-5. I plan on going after school.
4. Reassurance that you have received your parents' permission to observe this group. If your observation of the subculture will be conspicuous, you also need permission from at least one member of the subculture.
My dad has agreed to let me watch them
5. Questions you have about the subculture that you will attempt to answer. You should aim to have at least 7 insightful, thoughtful questions.
1. How do they work together?
2. Are there any workers who don't like each other?
3. what is the atmosphere in the working enviroment?
4. does my dad bend rules for specific people?
5. do the donors have specific people in mind when they send the check?
6. Do the workers get along?
7. Are there specific rules that they have to follow?
Last year, I had the privilege of running cross country at Cookeville High school. Upon attending a new school this year, I unfortunately had to quit the team. The CHS cross country team is a co-ed group of elite runners who spend countless hours together training. As a veteran runner, I am excited to see how the team acts without me being there. I'm interested to see how the team has grown and change since I’ve been gone. The cross country team practices every day after school from 3 to 5, and occasionally has races on Saturdays. I will be observing a practice on Friday, September 24th and a race on Saturday, September 25th. I have received permission to observe the team from both my parents and Coach Wrasman. Does everyone on the team enjoy running? Do they express themselves the same during practice that they do during a race? Do they communicate with each other while they are running? Are the different teams (boys and girls) segregates, or do they interact? Do they support each other during races? Do they treat each teammate with respect? Are there leaders among the team? Do they act the same before and after practice?
ReplyDeleteThe subculture I will be observing is the novice portion of the CJR crew team. These are the rowers that have been rowing for less than one year. I was once a novice myself, two years ago. Now I am interested in how novices appear to the rest of the team. Coming from several different schools, the novices are a diverse and interesting group. I see the novices every day at crew practice at the boat house. Though we separate for the actual rowing portion of the practice, I see them all as a group in the locker rooms and before and after practice. As I would be in the same vicinity as the novices anyway, my observation won’t be in any way intrusive or obvious. I would like to observe not only how the novices interact with each other, but also with the varsity rowers and coaches. Rowing being a strenuous and sometimes painful sport, I am also interested in seeing how the novices adapt to the sport, this being the first season for many of them. A rower must get past mental and physical limitations if they are to be successful in the sport. Some varsity are encouraging and supportive of the novices, others are more likely to haze them. How the novices react to various influences from the varsity will also be a major point of observation. Being from all different schools and backgrounds, the novices are like a new class of students at a school, only a few of them knowing each other previously. The process of them meeting each other, discovering friends and boat mates and working out their hierarchy in the team has much potential to be fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThe subculture that I chose to observe includes the children at the Signal Canters daycare at which my mother works. The children in her room are three or four years old and they all have been diagnosed with varying types of autism. I was always intrigued by the stories she told about the kids she worked with every day and how difficult it was to watch those children. Those stories made me wonder what the kids exactly do to make taking care of them so hard. My mom leaves her job at 3:45, Monday through Friday, so I would have my father take me to her job at 2:30 on Fridays and stay in her room until she gets off. Possible questions that I would try to answer will be what type of autism each child has and how severe are their cases? Do they like being around the other children that also have autism or even the teachers, like my mom, and if they do, how do they play with each other? Do they get upset easily? Are any of them ever excited about going home or always start crying when it’s time to go?
ReplyDeleteAt every McCallie football game my friend and I always spend a few minutes checking up on our “ninth grade buddies.” For me, that consists of the freshmen who also acted in the middle school plays. For my friend, it consists of the freshman members of her JV volleyball team. Every time I watch she and her team interact, I always notice a close bond between them; despite their age differences. The JV volleyball team is a sports team made up of all ages from 14 to 18. They practice almost every day during H-period and after school. They also have volleyball tournaments almost every Monday. After spending all this time with one another it is no surprise that athletes of the same team are so close. However, I wonder, is it true what they say about sports teams? Are they really always communicating well with each other? Are the teammates always so close? I can’t help wondering if the older and younger teammates have certain restrictions about their interaction with one another? Do the younger and older teammates form separate cliques amongst the team? How does the team rely on one another? How do the teammates interact towards each other after practices and games? How does the team interact with their coach? How is the team able to communicate without words? Are there often disagreements throughout each practice? I have gained permission to observe the JV volleyball team for this project by my mother and a member of the team. For the next three weeks I will observe them from 3:30pm to about 5:00pm during their practices after school, and during their Monday tournaments. I will also spend a few days a week with the team before and after practices. Therefore, I may also gain knowledge of how the team interacts when they are not on the gym floor. I am excited about what I may discover about the JV volleyball team, and I am ready to observe and report about this subculture in my paper.
ReplyDelete