In the article “Building a Better Teacher” by Elizabeth Green, she emphasizes the fact that education and certification are not the only ingredients needed to make a good teacher. There are many statistics proving that students are failing despite the fact that teachers have master degrees and passed all required testing. There have been different models tried over the years. But most have failed to change the basis caliber of the teacher. Even giving merit raises and recruiting more elite teaching corps like Teach for America has not seemed to reliably improve student learning.
One of the most intriguing studies seems to be the Mathematical Knowledge for teaching test (M.K.T test) brought to light by researcher Deborah Loewenberg Ball who concluded that “teaching even third-grade math requires intricate skills and complex knowledge about math.” Ball felt that you have to understand not only how to teach the right way to do math problems but also to understand how the students might understand or misunderstand it.
Another great mind in helping to better our teacher is Doug Lemov. His book version of Lemov’s Taxonomy “teach like a champion: the 49 techniques that much students on the path to college” is loaded with new ideas to help teachers succeed in getting all students to learn better. While both Mathematical knowledge for teaching and Lemov’s Taxonomy are proving to have much merit, more time is needed to get enough teachers to the level where they can effectively make a difference.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
"Building a Better Teacher"
The article I had read was called “Building a Better Teacher” by Elizabeth Green. This article tells us that we need to make sure that teachers are strengthen there ways of teacher to achieve the students goals. In school systems there is a saying that says “No Child Left Behide” which they use standardized testing as the solution. Doug Lemov would go from school to school and see each child’s weaknesses, and strengths. Some students are very well at taking tests and doing homework, but when it comes to listening in actual class many kids seem to wonder.
Within time people had believed that if you improve the quality of the teaching crops by firing the bad teachers and hiring better ones and they called this “Creating a New Teaching Profession”. Within this article there were many different methods that could improve children’s ability in learning. Traditionally many educational schools had divided there curriculums into three certain parts which were, regular academic subjects which was used to make sure that the teachers had known the basics of what they had been assigned to teach; The nest one is Foundations that had given them a sense of history and philosophy of education; and the last one is Methods course which are really supposed to offer ideas on how to teach particular subjects.
It had been showed in a study that a 2006 report had found that 12 percent of educational school faculty members never had taught in elementary schools or even secondary school themselves. It is also known that only nearly 80 percent of teachers earn there bachelor’s degree in education according to “U.S Department of Education”.
Another question that had been raised in the air was is a good classroom management enough ensures a good instruction? Well to find this out they had spoken to a women by the name of Heather Hill who had showed them a video of a certain teacher that was called by pseudonym Wilma. She was a great teacher and had great charisma but things had seemed to fall apart when it had come to math time. Hill had been a member of group educators who like “Lemov” are also studying great teachers. Rather than focusing on universal teachings techniques that can be applied across subjects and grade levels, Hill and her colleagues had asked what good teachers should know about the specific subjects that they teach.
Another researcher was by the name of Deborah Liebenberg Ball, she had been an assistant professor who also taught math part-time at an East Lansing elementary school and her classroom had been a model for teachers in training. In 1990 Ball had filmed her third-grade math class at the Spartan Village Elementary School, and those videos had become the foundation for a great deal of teaching training research.
These days Lemov had been single-mindedly focused on the mechanics of teaching and the secret steps behide getting and holding the floor weather you’re teaching fractions or the American Revolution. Lemov for his part finds hope in what he has already accomplished.
"Building a Better Teacher"
In “Building a Better Teacher,” Elizabeth Green argues that focus should be made on strengthening the quality of teachers currently teaching rather than firing the ones that do not measure up. In this article, Green expresses the need for change within the teacher-education curriculum and calls for opening the barriers between academic and clinical instruction. Even if a teacher has a graduate-school degree, a high scoring SAT, and a great personality this does not mean they possess the skills to connect with their students. Through her research, Green expresses the different techniques that could help improve the quality of teachers currently teaching, as well as, provide the tools to first-year teachers to become successful from the first moment they step into their classrooms.
Green explains how the testing mandates in No Child Left Behind has brought to light a great deal of data, and researches are now able to measure the “value added” to a student’s performance through various factors. Researches came to realize that teachers of the same school and grade level prove very different student outcomes. According to Green, this brought on a belief to many people that teaching was “purely instinctive” and “you either have it or you don’t.” It was this belief that brought on the theory that in order to improve the quality of teaching they must fire the bad teachers and hire better ones. Along with this theory came incentives, such as the federal Teacher Incentive Fund, which finances experimental merit-pay programs across the country in an effort to bring in a new range of talent to the teaching profession. Although Green agrees that it is important to expand the quantity of teachers, she however questions if these financial incentives alone could actually improve the quality of the teachers.
The Arthur introduces us to Doug Lemov who through video research put together a 357-page thesis, also known by some as Lemov’s Taxonomy, which introduces 49 techniques to improve student test-scores. The central idea of Lemov’s taxonomy is that students will not learn unless a teacher is able to connect with their students and are able to get them to follow directions. Many educators refer to this as, “class management” which Green points out often only, emphasizes the importance of creating rules, rather than the rules themselves. The techniques in the taxonomy are meant to be simple to learn and can be used by anyone in the teaching profession. Lemov’s video footage supports his theory and proves how other teachers were able to use his techniques and raise their student test-scores. Green also introduces, Deborah Loewenberg Ball, whom video research also became the basis for a large part of the teacher-training research. Ball believed that knowledge alone does not make a teacher good and proved this through a test known as Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching, or M.K.T. However, Ball has yet to figure out the best way to teach her theory, while Lemov lacks scientific proof.
I think Green was able to open my mind and see the different factors that affect student test-scores. By observing the teachers who are surpassing the system and continuing teacher education could ultimately help in improve failing schools. As Green points out that, a teacher is only as good as they are made to be.
Green explains how the testing mandates in No Child Left Behind has brought to light a great deal of data, and researches are now able to measure the “value added” to a student’s performance through various factors. Researches came to realize that teachers of the same school and grade level prove very different student outcomes. According to Green, this brought on a belief to many people that teaching was “purely instinctive” and “you either have it or you don’t.” It was this belief that brought on the theory that in order to improve the quality of teaching they must fire the bad teachers and hire better ones. Along with this theory came incentives, such as the federal Teacher Incentive Fund, which finances experimental merit-pay programs across the country in an effort to bring in a new range of talent to the teaching profession. Although Green agrees that it is important to expand the quantity of teachers, she however questions if these financial incentives alone could actually improve the quality of the teachers.
The Arthur introduces us to Doug Lemov who through video research put together a 357-page thesis, also known by some as Lemov’s Taxonomy, which introduces 49 techniques to improve student test-scores. The central idea of Lemov’s taxonomy is that students will not learn unless a teacher is able to connect with their students and are able to get them to follow directions. Many educators refer to this as, “class management” which Green points out often only, emphasizes the importance of creating rules, rather than the rules themselves. The techniques in the taxonomy are meant to be simple to learn and can be used by anyone in the teaching profession. Lemov’s video footage supports his theory and proves how other teachers were able to use his techniques and raise their student test-scores. Green also introduces, Deborah Loewenberg Ball, whom video research also became the basis for a large part of the teacher-training research. Ball believed that knowledge alone does not make a teacher good and proved this through a test known as Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching, or M.K.T. However, Ball has yet to figure out the best way to teach her theory, while Lemov lacks scientific proof.
I think Green was able to open my mind and see the different factors that affect student test-scores. By observing the teachers who are surpassing the system and continuing teacher education could ultimately help in improve failing schools. As Green points out that, a teacher is only as good as they are made to be.
The Cost Conundrum
In The Cost Conundrum, Atul Gawande, attempts to show that there is no correlation between higher costs for healthcare and the quality of care that a patient receives. Gawande focuses his article on McAllen, Texas, a small town in which most residents earn an average income of $12,000 per year, yet the Medicare program spends $15,000 per enrollee, which is almost twice the national average. The focus of the article is attempts to breakdown who or what is response for this level of spending. It is the health care system, physicians, or insurance companies?
Not all is lost though. Gawande gives light to the Mayo Clinic and how their idea of “the needs of the patience come first” could be what the health care system needs as part of its reform. At the Mayo Clinic it is more of a team effort with the entire staff, including the janitors, sitting in on weekly meetings to discuss the level and quality of care that their patients receive. The first step in setting the Mayo Clinic apart was by changing the way health care was being financed through their facility. By pooling all of the money the hospital and its doctors received, setting all in practice on a salary, it eliminated the financial driven doctors like those in McAllen. The outcome has been positive, higher quality and lower costs. This model has even been adapted by other health systems and hospitals throughout the country.
The concern though is that our financial driven economy will be the downfall of systems like those in place at the Mayo Clinic and that more facilities will follow the path of McAllen, sacrificing quality for income. Gawande hopes that the future holds a “generations of Mayos” and not one of McAllen’s.
Building a Better Teacher
In the article “Building a better teacher”, by Elizabeth Green she gives a call to action that we need to strengthen our teachers to be able to better educate our children. By the 1930’s teachers started to be mass produced. But what is being produced by these teachers is the question at hand. Though the teachers have the correct degree and the technical training to be in their field of work the students may still suffer. As the evidence in this article suggest that there is more to teaching then what is solely learned in the college classrooms.
There are many different methods and styles that are being tested to find the best way to move children forward. Deborah Lowewenberg Ball introduced a test called the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching; this test has given us a small window to look into the results of the quality of teachers on the quality of students. There has been studies that show that how a teacher fairs on the M.K.T. test, his or her students will follow suit. The children have of a likelihood of scoring lower on standard tests if their teacher also scored low. Ball believes that to teach you must not only know the material but be able to know how your students might also come to the wrong answers.
There are also many different opinions on whether teachers need continuing education or if it should be considered just throwing money away. It is stated that another educational expert Jonah Rockoff, feels as though there is no evidence that having teachers take continuing education classes would increase the knowledge of the student’s under their care. Some schools have tried to introduce a compensation package or merit pay to be able to stay competitive with other professions.
Doug Lemov has been one of the leaders in the field of training teachers. He has videotaped teachers in their classroom which has helped him to become an expert in this field. He has used what he has discovered to introduce 49 techniques called taxonomy soon to be released in a book. He travels to provide training workshops and lectures to teachers. The many different ideas that Lemov has come up with are simple and easy to be used and implemented. “Central to Lemov’s argument is a belief that students can’t learn unless the teacher succeeds in capturing their attention and getting them to follow instructions.” Lemov has seen his taxonomy put into practice and the results have been raised scores.
“Lemov and Ball focus on different problems, yet in another way they are compatriots in the same vanguard, arguing that great teachers are not born but made.”
There are many different methods and styles that are being tested to find the best way to move children forward. Deborah Lowewenberg Ball introduced a test called the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching; this test has given us a small window to look into the results of the quality of teachers on the quality of students. There has been studies that show that how a teacher fairs on the M.K.T. test, his or her students will follow suit. The children have of a likelihood of scoring lower on standard tests if their teacher also scored low. Ball believes that to teach you must not only know the material but be able to know how your students might also come to the wrong answers.
There are also many different opinions on whether teachers need continuing education or if it should be considered just throwing money away. It is stated that another educational expert Jonah Rockoff, feels as though there is no evidence that having teachers take continuing education classes would increase the knowledge of the student’s under their care. Some schools have tried to introduce a compensation package or merit pay to be able to stay competitive with other professions.
Doug Lemov has been one of the leaders in the field of training teachers. He has videotaped teachers in their classroom which has helped him to become an expert in this field. He has used what he has discovered to introduce 49 techniques called taxonomy soon to be released in a book. He travels to provide training workshops and lectures to teachers. The many different ideas that Lemov has come up with are simple and easy to be used and implemented. “Central to Lemov’s argument is a belief that students can’t learn unless the teacher succeeds in capturing their attention and getting them to follow instructions.” Lemov has seen his taxonomy put into practice and the results have been raised scores.
“Lemov and Ball focus on different problems, yet in another way they are compatriots in the same vanguard, arguing that great teachers are not born but made.”
Mary Eberstadt
In the article “Is food the new sex” Mary Eberstadt talks about the changes in life over the years. “What happens when, for the first time in history, adult human beings are free to have all the sex and food they want?" Sex and food are believed to be two things humans can not live without. It is also believed that there is somehow a link between the two. If they are pursued without consequences, they can be proven to be ruinous to all.
In the article they compare a woman from 1958 named Betty to her granddaughter of today Jennifer. They are not real people but only used as an example of the many changes over the last fifty years. Betty’s makes much of her food from jars and cans were as Jennifer prefers fresh fruits and vegetables. The difference in moral attitude is what separates the two. Betty believes that food is only a matter of taste where as sex is governed by universal moral law, where as Jennifer believes the exact opposite.
Today we now know more about the food we eat and the things that go into them. Our way of eating has changed over the years, we now have growing groups of people who are becoming vegetarians due to the morals they believe in. The reversal between sex and food appears firmer the more passionately one clings to either pole.
In the article they compare a woman from 1958 named Betty to her granddaughter of today Jennifer. They are not real people but only used as an example of the many changes over the last fifty years. Betty’s makes much of her food from jars and cans were as Jennifer prefers fresh fruits and vegetables. The difference in moral attitude is what separates the two. Betty believes that food is only a matter of taste where as sex is governed by universal moral law, where as Jennifer believes the exact opposite.
Today we now know more about the food we eat and the things that go into them. Our way of eating has changed over the years, we now have growing groups of people who are becoming vegetarians due to the morals they believe in. The reversal between sex and food appears firmer the more passionately one clings to either pole.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
dental office
I’m at the last stop light, six buildings down from hell. Yes 12:30 in the afternoon I’m on my way to the dentist. As I pull up to the blue and brick building I enter the parking lot waiting for someone to exist so I can park my car. Thiers never any room in this small parking lot. My appointment was made during lunch hour, worse time to come so busy! Ugh, I hate coming to the dentist. I sit in my car after finally finding a parking spot, I see a dad dragging his daughter into the dental office kicking and screaming. You can hear her saying “please daddy no, please.” At twenty two years old I feel the same way this little girl does wishing I had my mom so I could make a scene and hope she’d bring me home. Finally after thinking of all the possible procedures that could go wrong when I go inside for my appointment, I open the door.
The worse smells come from inside a dental office. Ew. Standing in line to check my name in I cover my nose with my jacket. Why does it always smells like bleach and a sour substance? It’s the dentist office; it should smell like crest mint tooth paste and scope mouthwash! I’m next in line, I check my name in with a receptionist named Mandy she’s probably twenty five and seems very smily.She asked me to sign an encounter form. I asked her what the form was for and she said something for my insurance. I have no clue what she means by that. I see three other receptionist next to her, probably all the same age as Mandy except for one that’s looks like she’s in her sixties. They all seem like Mandy, happy, and all in pale blue button up’s with a smiling tooth on the left corner. Mandy, said take a sit in the waiting room. I cringe when I hear the word waiting room. Why does it have to be called that? It should be called the panic room because when you go in there you see lots of people sitting around and you can tell their scared just by the looks on their faces. I take a sharp left in to the “panic room” and take my sit until my name is called.
If you think about it sitting in the waiting room at a dental office is scaring but the again it’s kind of interesting. You sit in this little room with maybe fifteen single chairs with a table in the center filled with magazines. Thiers a TV on the wall that usually plays the news but since I came during the rush hour of the day it’s playing days of our life. Posters on the wells display pictures of teeth, some kind of removable teeth, teeth whitening advertisements, and a bunch of people with beautiful white smiles. Thiers all kinds of pamphlets on ways to brush and floss your teeth and there’s always something that you’ve never seen and makes you want to ask your dentist. Ugh. It always takes so long till your name is called. I don’t understand why if they say my appointments at 12:45 I’m still waiting at 1:15. What are they doing back their? Whats is going on? What's going to happen when they call my name and I enter that scary room I call hell? An older lady enters the waiting room with a big smile and says “chelsie”; I look up at her then walk towards her. “Thank you for waiting we are real busy round this time, all set to see you.” My nightmare begins.
As I take the long walk down in the hall with the dental assistant I ask her, “ what are we doing today?” She giggles and says “today we will take something called an fmx, then the doctor will come in take a look at the x-rays, then from their a treatment plan and fillings.” Excuse me I ask, what’s an fmw. It’s a full mouth serious of x-rays which consist of about eighteen x-rays she states. What about a treatment plan and fillings? I inquire. She replies with a comforting don’t worry about a thing we will take care of you. She never answers my question. Just makes me think awful thoughts about what this dentist is going to do to me today. We finally enter the room, and she tells me I can sit in the dental chair. The room is small, sort of like two bathrooms put together. Their a grayish dental chair for the patient which I’m sitting in. From there on my right head side is a small computer desk like dentist chair and on my left a weird looking round chair which I guessing is the assistant chair. There is a small metal like table which holds tools the dentist will put in my mouth. They look sharp, I get scared again. Above me on my chair is an over head light I guess so the dentist can look in the back of my throat, and a sink, and a lot of cabinets. These cabinets are locked. What are they hiding in them? Knifes, blades, I start to shake a little inside. Once again just like in the waiting room are pictures on the walls of nice white teeth and also nasty yellow teeth. I think to myself, “If they want people to come to the dentist, why can’t they put pictures of rainbows and care bears up? Why these pictures. The assistant comes from behind me put a bib around my neck. “Did I scare you,” she ask. I just shake my head. “We will start X-rays, then the Dr. will come in and we do one filling today,” ok? I shrug, whatever. She puts a heavy blanket on my chest. What is this? Shouldn’t you tell me what your putting on me, I say to myself. She tells me it’s a lead apron and it will protect me from radiation. Then she starts putting some kind of yellow object in my mouth. I think again to myself …what is this. I just stay quiet and let her do her work. After the x-ray she left the room for about five minutes then came back in and hung my picture on a bright lighted box.
The doctor walks in the room. Hello Chelsie, I’m Dr. Lee today we will do a filling. I still stay quiet and shrug. The doctor put my sit back and the assistant sit on the opposite side of him. That’s when all the crazy talk begin. I hear the assistant start by saying “DR. will we be doing amalgam and composite? “ “What is that I ask?” She lets me know that amalgam is a silver filling and composite is a white. I let her know I prefer white. She proceeds on by asking the Dr. what tooth. I think in my head the front one. The Dr. says number six. Again I ask, “what tooth is that?” She kindly points it out. That’s when I look over at the Dr. and he has the needle in his hand. I cringe a little then he ask if I’m ok. I shrug. He moves my lips aside and gives me the injection. Then the assistant puts suctions in my mouth and all the water exist my mouth. I can see them passing silver shinning tools over my head while their talking about what their having for lunch. It’s so noisy from the suctions, drills, and them talking. I can’t wait for it to be over. As soon as I think that to myself, she lets me know that we are done as the Dr. puts my chair up
They ask if I have any questions and I ask if I can eat now or wait till later. Dr says after the numbness wears off. I just say thank you as I ran out the door. Now walking back down the hall way that I entered from I’m so happy to leave this place I called hell.
The worse smells come from inside a dental office. Ew. Standing in line to check my name in I cover my nose with my jacket. Why does it always smells like bleach and a sour substance? It’s the dentist office; it should smell like crest mint tooth paste and scope mouthwash! I’m next in line, I check my name in with a receptionist named Mandy she’s probably twenty five and seems very smily.She asked me to sign an encounter form. I asked her what the form was for and she said something for my insurance. I have no clue what she means by that. I see three other receptionist next to her, probably all the same age as Mandy except for one that’s looks like she’s in her sixties. They all seem like Mandy, happy, and all in pale blue button up’s with a smiling tooth on the left corner. Mandy, said take a sit in the waiting room. I cringe when I hear the word waiting room. Why does it have to be called that? It should be called the panic room because when you go in there you see lots of people sitting around and you can tell their scared just by the looks on their faces. I take a sharp left in to the “panic room” and take my sit until my name is called.
If you think about it sitting in the waiting room at a dental office is scaring but the again it’s kind of interesting. You sit in this little room with maybe fifteen single chairs with a table in the center filled with magazines. Thiers a TV on the wall that usually plays the news but since I came during the rush hour of the day it’s playing days of our life. Posters on the wells display pictures of teeth, some kind of removable teeth, teeth whitening advertisements, and a bunch of people with beautiful white smiles. Thiers all kinds of pamphlets on ways to brush and floss your teeth and there’s always something that you’ve never seen and makes you want to ask your dentist. Ugh. It always takes so long till your name is called. I don’t understand why if they say my appointments at 12:45 I’m still waiting at 1:15. What are they doing back their? Whats is going on? What's going to happen when they call my name and I enter that scary room I call hell? An older lady enters the waiting room with a big smile and says “chelsie”; I look up at her then walk towards her. “Thank you for waiting we are real busy round this time, all set to see you.” My nightmare begins.
As I take the long walk down in the hall with the dental assistant I ask her, “ what are we doing today?” She giggles and says “today we will take something called an fmx, then the doctor will come in take a look at the x-rays, then from their a treatment plan and fillings.” Excuse me I ask, what’s an fmw. It’s a full mouth serious of x-rays which consist of about eighteen x-rays she states. What about a treatment plan and fillings? I inquire. She replies with a comforting don’t worry about a thing we will take care of you. She never answers my question. Just makes me think awful thoughts about what this dentist is going to do to me today. We finally enter the room, and she tells me I can sit in the dental chair. The room is small, sort of like two bathrooms put together. Their a grayish dental chair for the patient which I’m sitting in. From there on my right head side is a small computer desk like dentist chair and on my left a weird looking round chair which I guessing is the assistant chair. There is a small metal like table which holds tools the dentist will put in my mouth. They look sharp, I get scared again. Above me on my chair is an over head light I guess so the dentist can look in the back of my throat, and a sink, and a lot of cabinets. These cabinets are locked. What are they hiding in them? Knifes, blades, I start to shake a little inside. Once again just like in the waiting room are pictures on the walls of nice white teeth and also nasty yellow teeth. I think to myself, “If they want people to come to the dentist, why can’t they put pictures of rainbows and care bears up? Why these pictures. The assistant comes from behind me put a bib around my neck. “Did I scare you,” she ask. I just shake my head. “We will start X-rays, then the Dr. will come in and we do one filling today,” ok? I shrug, whatever. She puts a heavy blanket on my chest. What is this? Shouldn’t you tell me what your putting on me, I say to myself. She tells me it’s a lead apron and it will protect me from radiation. Then she starts putting some kind of yellow object in my mouth. I think again to myself …what is this. I just stay quiet and let her do her work. After the x-ray she left the room for about five minutes then came back in and hung my picture on a bright lighted box.
The doctor walks in the room. Hello Chelsie, I’m Dr. Lee today we will do a filling. I still stay quiet and shrug. The doctor put my sit back and the assistant sit on the opposite side of him. That’s when all the crazy talk begin. I hear the assistant start by saying “DR. will we be doing amalgam and composite? “ “What is that I ask?” She lets me know that amalgam is a silver filling and composite is a white. I let her know I prefer white. She proceeds on by asking the Dr. what tooth. I think in my head the front one. The Dr. says number six. Again I ask, “what tooth is that?” She kindly points it out. That’s when I look over at the Dr. and he has the needle in his hand. I cringe a little then he ask if I’m ok. I shrug. He moves my lips aside and gives me the injection. Then the assistant puts suctions in my mouth and all the water exist my mouth. I can see them passing silver shinning tools over my head while their talking about what their having for lunch. It’s so noisy from the suctions, drills, and them talking. I can’t wait for it to be over. As soon as I think that to myself, she lets me know that we are done as the Dr. puts my chair up
They ask if I have any questions and I ask if I can eat now or wait till later. Dr says after the numbness wears off. I just say thank you as I ran out the door. Now walking back down the hall way that I entered from I’m so happy to leave this place I called hell.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
BINGO
Bingo! I still can not believe, that finally gave into my co-worker, and had gone to play bingo. The funny thing is that, I really enjoyed myself. My co-worker has been hounding me, ever since I started working with her nine years ago, to go with her to bingo. I was hesitant to go along with her for the certain fact in that, I believed that we were going to be surrounded by a bunch of white haired old women. That was a totally misconception on my part, because the total opposite was at attendance.
The night had that I gave in to my fairs of being trapped in a room with a bunch of old biddies, happen on February, 1 2010. She had come to pick me up at 5:20. I had asked her why she was so early. She replied by saying;”That if we don’t get their by a certain time, we would lose our places. Now, she had told me prior to me giving in that this place, which is actually a hall, expects at least one hundred people, so it is best to get there a little early.
When we had reached the place where bingo was, there were a lot cars all ready there. I read the sign outside of this medium size building and it read The Knights of Columbus. I expected to walk in and see a bunch of little Italian or Portuguese women huddling around, but no I was shocked by the many different ethnic backgrounds that were represented in one area in one night.
When we got there we had some time to wander around a little, so we walked around so I could become familiar with my surroundings. When you enter to hall it is on the ground level, there also is another level on top, but it is smaller and would not hold all of the people. The first thing that I had noticed was the little old men taking the money for admittance. While I was scanning the room I had notice that there were some plaques on the walls all over, I had asked what they were for and I was told they were members of the club past and present. On further exploring of the hall, I had noticed that in both of them, they had a stage, a small kitchen, and both contained bars. Even though they had bars there was no drinking of alcohol that night, but there was a lot of consuming of coffee. I noticed the huge coffee pots brewing; the hall had that stale coffee smell.
I had asked my co-worker how long she had been coming to bingo and what attraction did have to this game. Don’t get me wrong but, I know that people do not like to lose there money, But I really do not like giving my money toward something, and not getting change back or anything in return.
She told me that;”It all began when she was eight years old”. Back in 1982, mothers were allowed to bring their kids to the bingo hall. The kids could not play; they would have to do their homework or something else. In 1986 when she turned twelve, the rules had changed no one was able to be in the bingo hall under the age of eighteen. So, when she turned that age, she became regular on Monday nights.
True bingo players know when an armature steps into there house. The regulars could smell the blood in the water so to speak when I strolled in. The regulars are those who have been going to play bingo for many years. They really do not like it when new one comes in to lessen their chances of winning the jackpot. If you happen to win or if you happen to be a male you will hear some one some where make a comment about you being there.
They really can’t stand to see a man come into the hall. They believe that the men should be home watching some sort of sports show or working not being there. A gentleman had won the first night I was there, and a women yelled out;”GO HOME DON’T YOU Have BETTER THINGS TO DO THEN WITH BUNCH OF WOMEN”. I was afraid to win, I wanted to win but I was afraid to win anything, I probably would of gotten stoned or something.
Everyone there was either dressed in sweat pants, jeans, and some were wearing pajamas. Yes I said PJ’s. I found out that blind people are able to play also. They have these special cards that have brail on them so they can feel the numbers on the card. Their cards did not have as many numbers as the original cards, but they still could play. Did you know that not until about twenty years or so they used card board game pieces, along with plastic clear chips, with thin metal strips on them. They would place all chips on the board and when there number was called; they would use a metal magnetic dobber to remove the chips.
Things have change since then, now they have either a small stack or a larger stack of rip away papers. Instead of using the dopper, now they use a dabber. These dabbers come in all sorts of colors. There is no special reasoning why people have so many of them, because I did notice that they did have a lot and I had only one. They just like to change up the color here and there.
There are a few rules at this hall, no swearing, spitting, fighting, or stealing. You must show proof of payment of cards. If you win and you do not have your receipt they will not give you your winnings. The bingo hall in Middletown is really laid back. When certain numbers are called you will here some type of animal, or train whistle sound. Number forty-four was called someone yelled out “quack”, “quack”. The number twenty-two was called I heard; “toot”, “toot”. My co-workers mother would ring her bell when O69 was called.
I really did enjoy myself at bingo. I did not think I would be able to keep up with all of the regulars, but I did. I haven’t worked my way up to as many cards as them yet, but I am trying to get there, so I can be called a regular too.
The night had that I gave in to my fairs of being trapped in a room with a bunch of old biddies, happen on February, 1 2010. She had come to pick me up at 5:20. I had asked her why she was so early. She replied by saying;”That if we don’t get their by a certain time, we would lose our places. Now, she had told me prior to me giving in that this place, which is actually a hall, expects at least one hundred people, so it is best to get there a little early.
When we had reached the place where bingo was, there were a lot cars all ready there. I read the sign outside of this medium size building and it read The Knights of Columbus. I expected to walk in and see a bunch of little Italian or Portuguese women huddling around, but no I was shocked by the many different ethnic backgrounds that were represented in one area in one night.
When we got there we had some time to wander around a little, so we walked around so I could become familiar with my surroundings. When you enter to hall it is on the ground level, there also is another level on top, but it is smaller and would not hold all of the people. The first thing that I had noticed was the little old men taking the money for admittance. While I was scanning the room I had notice that there were some plaques on the walls all over, I had asked what they were for and I was told they were members of the club past and present. On further exploring of the hall, I had noticed that in both of them, they had a stage, a small kitchen, and both contained bars. Even though they had bars there was no drinking of alcohol that night, but there was a lot of consuming of coffee. I noticed the huge coffee pots brewing; the hall had that stale coffee smell.
I had asked my co-worker how long she had been coming to bingo and what attraction did have to this game. Don’t get me wrong but, I know that people do not like to lose there money, But I really do not like giving my money toward something, and not getting change back or anything in return.
She told me that;”It all began when she was eight years old”. Back in 1982, mothers were allowed to bring their kids to the bingo hall. The kids could not play; they would have to do their homework or something else. In 1986 when she turned twelve, the rules had changed no one was able to be in the bingo hall under the age of eighteen. So, when she turned that age, she became regular on Monday nights.
True bingo players know when an armature steps into there house. The regulars could smell the blood in the water so to speak when I strolled in. The regulars are those who have been going to play bingo for many years. They really do not like it when new one comes in to lessen their chances of winning the jackpot. If you happen to win or if you happen to be a male you will hear some one some where make a comment about you being there.
They really can’t stand to see a man come into the hall. They believe that the men should be home watching some sort of sports show or working not being there. A gentleman had won the first night I was there, and a women yelled out;”GO HOME DON’T YOU Have BETTER THINGS TO DO THEN WITH BUNCH OF WOMEN”. I was afraid to win, I wanted to win but I was afraid to win anything, I probably would of gotten stoned or something.
Everyone there was either dressed in sweat pants, jeans, and some were wearing pajamas. Yes I said PJ’s. I found out that blind people are able to play also. They have these special cards that have brail on them so they can feel the numbers on the card. Their cards did not have as many numbers as the original cards, but they still could play. Did you know that not until about twenty years or so they used card board game pieces, along with plastic clear chips, with thin metal strips on them. They would place all chips on the board and when there number was called; they would use a metal magnetic dobber to remove the chips.
Things have change since then, now they have either a small stack or a larger stack of rip away papers. Instead of using the dopper, now they use a dabber. These dabbers come in all sorts of colors. There is no special reasoning why people have so many of them, because I did notice that they did have a lot and I had only one. They just like to change up the color here and there.
There are a few rules at this hall, no swearing, spitting, fighting, or stealing. You must show proof of payment of cards. If you win and you do not have your receipt they will not give you your winnings. The bingo hall in Middletown is really laid back. When certain numbers are called you will here some type of animal, or train whistle sound. Number forty-four was called someone yelled out “quack”, “quack”. The number twenty-two was called I heard; “toot”, “toot”. My co-workers mother would ring her bell when O69 was called.
I really did enjoy myself at bingo. I did not think I would be able to keep up with all of the regulars, but I did. I haven’t worked my way up to as many cards as them yet, but I am trying to get there, so I can be called a regular too.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Ethnography
Walking into the home care agency, are lines of cubicles similar to what a library looks like. There are lines of computers, waiting to be used by office personnel and clinical staff. Clinical staff here consists of nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, speech therapists, home health aides, occupational therapy aides, and physical therapy aides. The office personnel consist of nursing supervisors, administrative assistants, receptionists, and home health aide schedulers. As you walk into the front entrance you are welcomed by the receptionist to the right. She is a pleasant lady, but you can definitely see the stress on her face. She eases herself by listening to her favorite Portuguese radio station at a minimal volume. She turns up the volume just loud enough for her to hear, but low enough making sure not to bother others in the office. As you walk in, the radio station sets the tone for the office. You can tell that the office staff and management are laid back. They’re only there to bother when you don’t do your job. On the right hand sight, there is a rather quite large conference area. This room consist is two large picture windows and a large table in the center of the room with approximately twenty chairs lined around. This area is often used for education purposes, team meetings, rehabilitation meetings, office interviews, and very rarely for Christmas parties. When used for a meeting, there is often a laptop set up to a projector. This laptop is used for patient case and chart reviews for clinical staff. As you walk further into the office, you are able to see more of the offices and closet spaces. The biggest closet they have is set aside for medical supplies. The supplies they stock range from normal saline and two by two’s to theraban for rehab staff. In the back of the office is the copy room. There is a large copying machine along with two fax machines and a universal printer. These machines are used by everyone in the office.
After sitting down with one of the nurses, I got a good look at her. She has her hair pulled back in bun, is wearing clean clothing, and her fingernails are cut at a perfect length. It is protocol to have hair tied back and nails to be cut to a reasonable length. This allows patients to see the cleanliness of their nurses and provides less of a chance for disease to be transmitted from one to another. She wore bright red reading glasses, the same color as her working scrubs. Considering the cold weather, she did also wear a tight white knit turtleneck underneath to ensure her warmth throughout the day. I began to think that I should have dressed warmer for the day. Her earrings were shiny and silver. She also wore around her work badge around her neck. This badge is used to enter the office and most importantly to ensure to the patients the credibility of our nursing staff. It is very important for patients to feel comfortable with the level of service these nurses and therapist provide them. Usually if the nurse comes into the office around 8:30 a.m. most of the other nurses are already there. They begin their day by calling their patients in the morning to let them know when to expect them. These nurses can travel up to 140 miles in one day. Their days can begin in Fall River and end in Norwood. Scheduling and timing is extremely important to them because it can save them an incredible amount of time.
On this particular day, the first phone call was a success. The visiting nurses first appointment would be at 9:30. The second patient didn’t answer their phone. A call was made to them twice. They are now at the bottom of the list. If they don’t call back before 12 o clock then the nurse will take another patient for the day. The third patient was called and their response was, “Well, I’m not feeling up to it today, can we reschedule for tomorrow?” The nurse agreed and then rescheduled the patient for the next day. The last 5 phone calls were a “go”. They all agreed to the time the nurse would visit. Today is Tuesday, and their team meeting is held at 12:30. It lasts about an hour long and is usually a drag. She has arranged her visits around this meeting. She then began to replenish her clinical bag with medical supplies she will need for the day. After all the talk and chit chat in the office, we were on our way. But before we could even think about leaving, the Intermec computer needs to be downloaded. These computers that the nurses carry look like the personal computers that the Fed Ex and UPS employees carry around with them. They are about 2.5 pounds in weight and are very durable. The nurse enters patient information into a secured program that wirelessly downloads into a database. This database then downloads and transmits the information to the office computers. Home care has a lot of paperwork requirements that these nurses must complete, more so than any other nursing facility. They are required to input Daily Activity reports, Oasis C documentation, admissions, resumption of cares, clinical notes discharge clinical notes, medication reconciliations and all calls made to doctors offices, supply companies and or home lab draw companies. Everything they do through out their day needs to be documented and accounted for. Finally, after the Intermec had downloaded we are on our way and I mean it this time. We hop into her light green Honda CRV- Hybrid. It seems only reasonable with this profession to invest in a Hybrid considering all the mileage she puts on it on a daily basis. As we head to the first patient house, the phone calls on her cell phone begin. First there was one from a doctor’s office regarding orders on a patient and then there was one from a patient. They somehow figured out her cell phone number. They try not to give the patients their personal numbers because they tend to call at all hours of the night. Needless to say, by the end of the seventh patient and the hundredth mile I was exhausted. As she dropped me off around 4:30, I knew that I would sleep like a baby tonight. The scary thought was that the nurse wasn’t done for the day. Although she would be home, she would still continue to document throughout the night. It’s a job that requires dedication and patience. I know for sure, that I would not be able to be as patient as some of these nurses.
After sitting down with one of the nurses, I got a good look at her. She has her hair pulled back in bun, is wearing clean clothing, and her fingernails are cut at a perfect length. It is protocol to have hair tied back and nails to be cut to a reasonable length. This allows patients to see the cleanliness of their nurses and provides less of a chance for disease to be transmitted from one to another. She wore bright red reading glasses, the same color as her working scrubs. Considering the cold weather, she did also wear a tight white knit turtleneck underneath to ensure her warmth throughout the day. I began to think that I should have dressed warmer for the day. Her earrings were shiny and silver. She also wore around her work badge around her neck. This badge is used to enter the office and most importantly to ensure to the patients the credibility of our nursing staff. It is very important for patients to feel comfortable with the level of service these nurses and therapist provide them. Usually if the nurse comes into the office around 8:30 a.m. most of the other nurses are already there. They begin their day by calling their patients in the morning to let them know when to expect them. These nurses can travel up to 140 miles in one day. Their days can begin in Fall River and end in Norwood. Scheduling and timing is extremely important to them because it can save them an incredible amount of time.
On this particular day, the first phone call was a success. The visiting nurses first appointment would be at 9:30. The second patient didn’t answer their phone. A call was made to them twice. They are now at the bottom of the list. If they don’t call back before 12 o clock then the nurse will take another patient for the day. The third patient was called and their response was, “Well, I’m not feeling up to it today, can we reschedule for tomorrow?” The nurse agreed and then rescheduled the patient for the next day. The last 5 phone calls were a “go”. They all agreed to the time the nurse would visit. Today is Tuesday, and their team meeting is held at 12:30. It lasts about an hour long and is usually a drag. She has arranged her visits around this meeting. She then began to replenish her clinical bag with medical supplies she will need for the day. After all the talk and chit chat in the office, we were on our way. But before we could even think about leaving, the Intermec computer needs to be downloaded. These computers that the nurses carry look like the personal computers that the Fed Ex and UPS employees carry around with them. They are about 2.5 pounds in weight and are very durable. The nurse enters patient information into a secured program that wirelessly downloads into a database. This database then downloads and transmits the information to the office computers. Home care has a lot of paperwork requirements that these nurses must complete, more so than any other nursing facility. They are required to input Daily Activity reports, Oasis C documentation, admissions, resumption of cares, clinical notes discharge clinical notes, medication reconciliations and all calls made to doctors offices, supply companies and or home lab draw companies. Everything they do through out their day needs to be documented and accounted for. Finally, after the Intermec had downloaded we are on our way and I mean it this time. We hop into her light green Honda CRV- Hybrid. It seems only reasonable with this profession to invest in a Hybrid considering all the mileage she puts on it on a daily basis. As we head to the first patient house, the phone calls on her cell phone begin. First there was one from a doctor’s office regarding orders on a patient and then there was one from a patient. They somehow figured out her cell phone number. They try not to give the patients their personal numbers because they tend to call at all hours of the night. Needless to say, by the end of the seventh patient and the hundredth mile I was exhausted. As she dropped me off around 4:30, I knew that I would sleep like a baby tonight. The scary thought was that the nurse wasn’t done for the day. Although she would be home, she would still continue to document throughout the night. It’s a job that requires dedication and patience. I know for sure, that I would not be able to be as patient as some of these nurses.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Poker
Although there are many different ways to play poker, Texas Hold em has become very popular over the years and has created quite a following. Now a day you cannot turn on the TV without seeing the World Poker Tournament or the World Series of Poker playing out on a sport channel or an advertisement for online poker site. I personally had no idea how to play Texas Hold em until I met my boyfriend, who plays regularly in tournaments and hosts weekly games for him and his friends. I have played a few times with them and found it to be fun, but it was especially fun when I won the pot at the end of the night.
Texas Hold em is not limited to one gender or race, however, it appears to be a male dominate sport. The players ages range from college student to retiree’s and the clothing style appears to be casual mostly t-shirts and jeans. Some players like to wear hats, others like to wear sunglasses, while some may even wear both a hat and sunglasses in an attempt to hide their “poker face.” Poker face, which means for a player to have a blank expression on their face as to avoid revealing what they are holding for a hand, this is just one of many terms that has evolved into poker terminology over the years. With each player comes a different playing style, some play their hands tight while others like to play fast and loose, but no matter what style the player prefers the goal is to be the last player standing in the end.
At least once a week I can expect to come home to see the poker table out and the chips stacked ever so precisely at each players spot. The clock hits 6:45pm and there is a knock on the door, and in comes his friends one by one. I have played with them before and they definitely did not like getting beat by a girl. Once everyone has arrived each player “buys in” and then finds their seat, some may opt to sit in the same seat they won in the week before, as if it is a lucky seat. House rules are set and can vary depending on who is hosting the game. Once everyone settles each player roles the dice and the highest roller in turn receives the dealer chip.
Before the dealer deals out cards, the player directly to the left of the dealer is required to put in the small blind and to the left of them is the player with the big blind. Once the blinds, or forced bets are in the pot the dealer deals out two cards to each player, being careful not to flip them when tossing them across the table. Each player slightly lifts up the very edge of the card, just enough to get a glimpse of their hand and then the betting starts. The hand begins with a "pre-flop" betting round, which begins with the player to the left of the big blind and continuing clockwise. Through my experience, anyone who bets big in this round must be holding a pocket pair or suit of some kind, but typically, players play a tight in the beginning. Sitting to the left of the player with the big blind, I was considered “under the gun” or the first person to start the betting.
Holding a jack and nine suited, I decided to call, or as they would say, “limp in.” It was not until the betting reached my boyfriend, Manny who decided to raise the bet. Knowing that he is an aggressive player, me and two other players, Paul and Mike went along and called his bets, while everyone else folded. The dealer than burns a card and deals out the flop of three community cards, ten of spades, eight of hearts, and ace of spades. Just as before, I begin the round of betting, by throwing five dollars into the pot. Paul and Mike called, while Manny raised the bet by two dollars. Hoping for that straight, I ran with it and called. Paul takes his time thinking about the move, shuffling his chips in between his fingers and trying to find a “tell” on one of us. He eventually calls, but appears reluctant. The betting than turns goes to Mike, who folds right away.
The dealer burns another card and then deals the turns over one more card into the community cards, a two of clubs. I checked and so did Paul, but Manny raise the bet again, this time by ten dollars. Although I was considered to be chasing a dream, I raised him ten more dollars in hopes to back him down. Paul ultimately folded, while Manny raised five more dollars and I called, capping the bets. The dealer burns one last card before dealing the final river card, the queen of hearts. As excited, as I was to have gotten that straight I could not show any reaction or I could ruin my chances of winning big. I decided to bet small, two dollars at first. Manny decides raise the bet another ten dollars, so I raised him back another ten before Manny decided to go “all in,” which I called with little hesitation and flipped over my jack, nine suited. Manny flips over a pair of aces and everyone began to yell, “Wow, guy!” and “Dude, she just punked you out!” At that moment, I felt on top of the world. I did not end up winning the pot at the end of the night, but as they say, “you cannot win them all!”
Texas Hold em is not limited to one gender or race, however, it appears to be a male dominate sport. The players ages range from college student to retiree’s and the clothing style appears to be casual mostly t-shirts and jeans. Some players like to wear hats, others like to wear sunglasses, while some may even wear both a hat and sunglasses in an attempt to hide their “poker face.” Poker face, which means for a player to have a blank expression on their face as to avoid revealing what they are holding for a hand, this is just one of many terms that has evolved into poker terminology over the years. With each player comes a different playing style, some play their hands tight while others like to play fast and loose, but no matter what style the player prefers the goal is to be the last player standing in the end.
At least once a week I can expect to come home to see the poker table out and the chips stacked ever so precisely at each players spot. The clock hits 6:45pm and there is a knock on the door, and in comes his friends one by one. I have played with them before and they definitely did not like getting beat by a girl. Once everyone has arrived each player “buys in” and then finds their seat, some may opt to sit in the same seat they won in the week before, as if it is a lucky seat. House rules are set and can vary depending on who is hosting the game. Once everyone settles each player roles the dice and the highest roller in turn receives the dealer chip.
Before the dealer deals out cards, the player directly to the left of the dealer is required to put in the small blind and to the left of them is the player with the big blind. Once the blinds, or forced bets are in the pot the dealer deals out two cards to each player, being careful not to flip them when tossing them across the table. Each player slightly lifts up the very edge of the card, just enough to get a glimpse of their hand and then the betting starts. The hand begins with a "pre-flop" betting round, which begins with the player to the left of the big blind and continuing clockwise. Through my experience, anyone who bets big in this round must be holding a pocket pair or suit of some kind, but typically, players play a tight in the beginning. Sitting to the left of the player with the big blind, I was considered “under the gun” or the first person to start the betting.
Holding a jack and nine suited, I decided to call, or as they would say, “limp in.” It was not until the betting reached my boyfriend, Manny who decided to raise the bet. Knowing that he is an aggressive player, me and two other players, Paul and Mike went along and called his bets, while everyone else folded. The dealer than burns a card and deals out the flop of three community cards, ten of spades, eight of hearts, and ace of spades. Just as before, I begin the round of betting, by throwing five dollars into the pot. Paul and Mike called, while Manny raised the bet by two dollars. Hoping for that straight, I ran with it and called. Paul takes his time thinking about the move, shuffling his chips in between his fingers and trying to find a “tell” on one of us. He eventually calls, but appears reluctant. The betting than turns goes to Mike, who folds right away.
The dealer burns another card and then deals the turns over one more card into the community cards, a two of clubs. I checked and so did Paul, but Manny raise the bet again, this time by ten dollars. Although I was considered to be chasing a dream, I raised him ten more dollars in hopes to back him down. Paul ultimately folded, while Manny raised five more dollars and I called, capping the bets. The dealer burns one last card before dealing the final river card, the queen of hearts. As excited, as I was to have gotten that straight I could not show any reaction or I could ruin my chances of winning big. I decided to bet small, two dollars at first. Manny decides raise the bet another ten dollars, so I raised him back another ten before Manny decided to go “all in,” which I called with little hesitation and flipped over my jack, nine suited. Manny flips over a pair of aces and everyone began to yell, “Wow, guy!” and “Dude, she just punked you out!” At that moment, I felt on top of the world. I did not end up winning the pot at the end of the night, but as they say, “you cannot win them all!”
Bingo Players
B-9, I-24, G-56 – “BINGO”!! In today’s society, a game of Bingo is just about anywhere you turn. From senior centers to church halls and Casinos to campgrounds, you can easily join in for a fun game of Bingo. But is it fun? Is it stressful? Can you become addicted to this game or lose a lot of money? Do fights break out over some silly fun? The answer to all these questions is; anything is possible with Bingo, and I sure learned that while recently observing a game. Many people consider Bingo a game for seniors; however, with my experience in the adventurous game of Bingo, it is for all ages, even young kids play versions of Bingo in school.
Doors opened at 4:30 to allow for the set up of food and Bingo tables. People arrive at the St Mary’s Parish center on Main St in Norton, Ma every Friday evening starting as early as 4:15 to obtain a seat and mark out their spot. From miles away and as far as 2 hours, the contestants drive the distance to get their chance of winning at Bingo for the known high stakes at this facility. They scour the parking lot for the closest spot to the door. One at a time they lined up in the entrance like soldiers waiting for orders. Once the doors opened into the lobby, they hurried in like horses out from the gate on race day. First, they must purchase a “ticket sheet” which costs anywhere from $10.50-$30, depending on how many cards you want to play each game. Once you buy your ticket receipt, you then enter another line to obtain the actual ticket sheets. If you forgot your dabber, no problem, they sell them there as well! Your choices in color range from hot pink to lime green. Some had fancy decorations on the covers. One woman, stood there deciding on a color, and it came down to the color of her month of birth. She said she was superstitious, and the other colors were bad luck. People were eager to get into the building. By 6pm, the line to enter was out the door of the facility. One police officer was hired for crowd control. I couldn’t imagine needing one for a simple game of Bingo, but the night was soon to start, and quickly showed me a different side.
Once I bought some Bingo sheets, I quickly made my way into the hall. To my amazement, I came to the conclusion that there is a huge plus to coming in early. I also soon learned that arriving after 5:3o puts you at a disadvantage for finding a seat. A woman I saw waiting in line behind me was carrying 4 hot coffees. While walking past me I asked her if she was worried she wouldn’t find a seat. Her answer to me was “no, people save them for me, and I do the coffee run to get here late, I hate waiting for two hours like they do”. She then said, “Good luck finding a seat, they are cut throat in there”. A table was just setup in the corner of the building as I walked in, almost as if a sign hanging over it stated “newbies sit here”. I looked around, and felt so out of place. I was the youngest, besides my sister who came for support, and fulfills her crazy side of bingo. I certainly don’t call her an addict, but when we attend a campground bingo, she is eager for the game to start. The aisles were set up with tables end to end. There were tall trash receptacles at each end and the people playing the games made an assembly line with the trash from the tear off Bingo cards, handing it to the next until the last one deposited it in the container. It was like Santa’s helpers preparing toys in a story. They started at left, ended at last person to the right. The room was loud; you could barely hear the person next to you talk while waiting for the game to begin. The majority of the gamers were seniors, and I am assuming this is the case since it is a church atmosphere. Other games I have been to have had a mix of ages with the crowd.
The numbers quickly rang out-B-4, I-19, G-56, I-63, N-32. It was like rapid fire on a machine gun. BOOM BOOM BOOM. You couldn’t even understand what she just said, or at least I couldn’t follow the announcer. Next thing you know, someone rang out BINGO!! It wasn’t even 6:30 yet, and the games were set to start at 6:45. I read over my “Bingo Itinerary” list that I was handed upon purchasing the tickets. Overwhelmed, I asked the person next in the row next to mine if the games had begun, or did I miss something? She stated the games hadn’t started, but they were running some sort of quick game. To this day, I still cant figure out what that quick game was, except for complete confusion for a non-bingo player.
Above my seat, one at the other end of the hall and on stage were tv’s that had shown the ball drawn from the machine. Each time a ball was sucked up in the tube, they had this little camera set up that would show the exact number on these screens. I felt as if my idea of Bingo, had gone completely high tech. The stage was about 4 feet high and well lit. You could see what was going on from every angle og the building. You missed nothing, and heard everything. Once the games started, it became so quiet, I think it was possible to hear a phone on vibrate receive a call from three rows away. As they called out the numbers, they had this very large board that would light up the number and letter for all to see. I felt like I was at Fenway Park, with the results of a game on the scoreboard. You could tell when someone was about to yell BINGO! The hall would be super quiet, then they would read a ball that came out of the tube. While the next ball was coming out of the tube and on screen, you could hear people chatting and getting louder. They saw the ball on tv, and had to wait for someone to call the number before yelling BINGO. I was quick to learn that calling the game before the number is read was not tolerated.
The people were dressed casually. Some were in Sunday best, with their hair freshly curled wearing enough rouge to give make-up a new meaning. Others were dressed in sweat pants and t-shirts. We saw one gentleman, that was in a white Hanes style t-shirt, with an odd hat, an over coat, sweat pants and suspenders. He gave us a good chuckle. There were these cute buckets, about the size of a gallon of milk that had holders all the way around containing various dabbers of so many colors. I asked one lady why she had so many colors. Her response was “each game I play, I have a different color for that game, and it is a color I have used for 15 years on that style Bingo game”. Wow, some serious thought goes into these games. A few rows over from this woman was another gamer who had Trolls lined up around her cards. I wanted to go and ask her about her Trolls, however on my way another woman suggested I don’t bother her, as she can get very irritated and actually tell the police officer you are harassing her. I really didn’t need to know that bad the story behind the trolls.
There were 32 games in all. They started very easy, a regular Bingo, double Bingo and then a cover all. These were all games that I had played before. When they got to the hairpin, picnic table and butterfly, it was very reassuring when they put an example of what a winning game should look like on their lit up board on stage. Without this, I certainly would not know what these games meant, and how to play them. About 3 games in, the woman to my right, asked me if I knew the lucky number for the night, and that it meant all night, each game, it was a free space. I thanked her for this info, as once again, being new to this game, I didn’t know about their lucky number. The stakes were very high this night. About 320 people attended and they took in over 2300 for their high stales games. Many were $300 winner games, and most were $100 winners. I was told by one gamer that these Friday night Bingo games actually paid for the church’s new facility build next to the old one. About every three games, an employee from the Massachusetts Lottery commission went around and clicked his counter to get an idea of how many were playing. He sure put a lot of miles on his legs that night, this facility was enormous.
Towards the end of the night, I finally got a glimpse of how Bingo almost became a contact sport. It was about 10pm, and the room became quiet again after the prior winnings of 6 pack then 9 pack Bingo. This, as simple as it sounds, was to aim at lining up 3 numbers on top and 3 below, or 3 to the side of three others. The goal is to represent a 6 or 9 pack of drinks. Once over, the final game began. This was another coverall. A coverall is when you must cover every number on that card. You use the same card as the last two, therefore, by the time you start the coverall, you have about ¼ to ½ of the card already filled. Only problem was, the announcer lit a number up that she never called, and then accidently threw the called balls back in the machine. This created uproar amongst the gamers. The room became loud and many were showing their angry side by booing and cursing. I wasn’t sure if I should start running for cover, or leave before a fight broke out. These members were angry, and not backing down. The lottery attendant then climbed up on stage and got everyone’s attention, he explained that we all need to calm down, and remember accidents happen. He asked everyone to grin and bear it, and they would straighten out this mess in just a few seconds of running through the numbers and checking for the ones previously called. The game resumed about as quickly as it started to foil, and within about 5 minutes, I heard a BINGO, and that was my cue to head out the door. On my way out, I couldn’t believe that some of these seniors were just as rude and pushy leaving the building, as they were playing the game. I felt as though had I tripped and fell, they would have just walked over me with their walkers and scooters. The parking lot was just as bad, no one waited for the next person to cross the driveway, and they all were in such a rush. It was as if there was another Bingo game about to start, across town and they had to get there. I could hear them all saying goodbye, and reminding each other that next week the stakes are going to be about $3000. If the stakes were $10, 000, you still wouldn’t see me attend another Bingo game. It was a long night, warm, loud and yet at times too quiet. I felt overwhelmed, confused and at times lost. I will take a lousy campground bingo game any day of the week, to a high stakes, popular Friday night event like this.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Dance Mom's
Ethnography: Dance Moms
Ever since the age of two to the age eighteen my mother has always been considered a dance mom. I loved to dance and she loved to be a part of that. We called it our special bonding. Throughout the years of my mother being a dance mom I never realized what goes on other than just watching me dance and being there to help change from costume to costume.
So now that my mother is no longer a dance mom I went to see my cousin and my aunt at her dance studio which is located in down the street from where she lives. I chose to follow her around to experience a day as a dance mom. I have to say it is a very stressful job believe it or not. So for a couple of days the manager/head teacher the dance school allowed me to watch, sit in on the meetings, and experience in debt what really goes on.
The first day that I went to the dancing school with my aunt and little cousin I made sure that I had brought my journal to write down anything I thought was an important detail that I could incorporate in my essay. So my first couple of days was very interesting at the dancing school because they were practicing for what they call competition. Competition is very important to these students so they practice 24/7 to make sure their routines are perfect and they feel comfortable with it. While these girls are practicing their mothers are in the back talking sitting and waiting till as long as the girls need. There are some parents that are right there buying drinks and food for their girls so when they come out from practicing.
So while I was sitting there at the dancing school with the parents they were getting ready to have a meeting and asked if I had wanted to listen in. So I decided to listen to what happens when you’re actually in the meeting and you’re not on the other side dancing and not knowing what’s going on. So the mothers sat there discussing several different topics that would benefit the girls. One thing I did not know was these mothers all had a specific job that they knew they had to be in charge of. While they sat in their meetings one of the things they discussed was fundraisers. While they were coming up with ideas many people had great ideas but I did not realize that when you do a fundraiser it still cost you money for being on someone else’s property so the mothers and dance manager all would go halves to make it even.
Also the dance mom’s take the time to go with their children to do fundraisers and stay with them until there hours/shift is up. One of the most important and expensive parts of being a dance mom is a costume. Now I danced for a very long time, but I didn’t know that my mother and other dance mom’s pay about $80 bucks just for one costume. These dance mom’s meet at least once a week to discuss progress that has been going on and any concerns that anyone has. Usually if it is close to having competitions they will meet twice to three times a day.
Another responsibility that dance mom’s have is they are backstage 24/7. They are always backing there waiting for you to come off stage and helping you get into your next costumer because sometimes you have to change within minutes. When I went to experience one of the compititions with my aunt and cousin I saw all the dance mom’s right back stage waiting with the next costume in their hand. Some mom’s even kept a close rack right in the back of the stage so there children wouldn’t have to walk too far. Another thing that the dance mom’s would do is everyone would get together and buy beautiful flowers for their children so everyone gets one for all their hard work and then they all go out to eat as a group.
I think a dance mom has many responsibilities that she takes on. Everyone thinks it is easy I know I did but after actually being in the life as one and watching many of the parents be dance mom’s I honestly don’t know how my mother put up with that all those years. My mother knew I loved to dance and she loved to watch me. I think a dance mom’s main responsibility is to be a supportive parent because if your child does not have a supportive dance mom weather they did good or bad then the poor child will have very low self esteem and dancing to me is supposed to be fun, spending time with your mom, hanging with friends and meeting new people from different places. Dance Mom’s are great supporters and that’s what you need to be a great dancer.
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