CELEBRATING STUDENT WRITING AT TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE

English 102 instructors (from left to right): Elise Flanagan, Daniel Ragusa, Andi Miller, Jeremy Hurley, and Charles White

Dr. Bill Bolin, Associate Professor of English, visits with ethnographer Chireen Bradshaw about her project, a ethnographic account of her daughter's experiences in/with community theater.

Instructor: Maryann Whitaker

From left to right: Dr. Hal Langford, Dean of Business and Technology, Dr. Shannon Carter, Associate Professor of English and Director of First-Year Writing, and Maryann Whitaker, Instructor of English.

Dr. Jim Klein, Dean of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Donna Dunbar-Odom, Director of Graduate English Studies

Dr. Hal Langford, Dean of Business and Technology

Dr. Shannon Carter, Director of First-Year Writing (left) with Jane Holcomb, Instructor of English

Instructors Jonne Akens (left) and LeAnn Nash (right) rest after setting up and before the event begins.

This year, the ethnographers set up their displays in the Founder's Lounge, the Main Hall, and the American Ballroom. The Founder's Lounge (above) included the smallest number of displays, though they certainly received a large number of visitors as well. Next year we will attempt to bring all the ethnographers together in one space. We have to admit  we did enjoy hearing from Dean Klein (College of Arts and Sciences) that in the Memorial Student Center this year "there were researchers everywhere!"

For her project, ethnographer Tiffany Thompson traveled to Ernest's Orleans Restaurant in Shreveport, Louisiana (four different times!) to eat dinner at her parent's favorite restaurant, interview the staff and the owner, collect artifacts and take extensive fieldnotes of her field observations (parents interacting with wait staff, wait staff interacting with one another and her own dining experience). Inspired by ethnographer Toni Mirabella's own study of the texts mediating behavior in a family diner ("Learning to Serve: The Language and Literacy
of Food Service Workers” in Literacies in Context), Thompson focused much of her attention on the ways in which the menus, signage, and "specials" were negotiated by all the participants involved in this space. (instructor: Maryann Whitaker)

"Cajun Spice: Waiting Tables at Razzoo's Cajun Cafe" (Starla Vasquez)

Likewise inspired by Mirabella's "Learning to Serve," ethnographer Starla Vasquez explored the literacies associated with the restaurant where she works as a trainer. Given her experience as a server and a server trainer, Vasquez focused particular attention on the texts that guide and support server behavior and protocol. Also interesting in comparison with Thompson's project (left) is that this restaurant is corporately owned so server choices and menu options are, to some extent, branded.  (Instructor: Jane Holcomb)

Rosa Martin, "All the World is a Stage" This project explores the conformity of high school students, concentrating on the interactions involved in a high school’s One Act Play. It examines the literacies involved in integrating into this subculture, the further breaking-down of this small culture into even smaller groups, and the interactions involved between teachers, actors, audience members, and others involved in the production of a One Act Play. (Instructor: Lauren Glenn)

For his ethnographic project, Jerrod Hudson made use of the bar he co-owns (Spot Brewery, here in Commerce, Texas). Interestingly enough, this is the local establishment where faculty in the Department of Literature and Languages regularly gather to celebrate major events (books published, retirements, etc) or just enjoy one another's company. (Instructor: Maryann Whitaker)

For his project, Chris McCormack--shown above demonstrating his own "bow hunting literacy--analyzed the literacies required to hunt animals with a bow and arrow. As part of his research process, McCormack interviewed customers and employees (with highly varied literacy levels in this area) at the relevant hunting section of Bass Pro Shops and took extensive fieldnotes at this same site.

McCormack again, smiling with classmate and fellow ethnographer Cayla Colby. For her project, Colby explored the literacies required to "Cattle Showman" to make sense of and prepare to compete in a major Cattle Show (Research Site: the Houston Cattleshow, the "Superbowl of Cattle Showing)

Instructors Lauren Glenn (left) and Maryann Whitaker (right)

Instructor Jonne Akens with Interim Department Head Paul Zelhart (Department of Literature and Languages

Instructor Lauren Glenn again, with students Stephen Williams (left) and Bryan Whitaker.

For his project, Whitaker explored the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children." From his abstract: "I am researching the ways that the staff, patients, and volunteers work together to make this hospital such a great place for children.  I will explore the spatial design of the environment, the cooperation between staff and medical staff, the texts and literacies involved, and the methods for making a charitable hospital successful."

Instructor Sean George with his two kids.

Instructor Terry Peterman

Instructor Brandi Davis Westermoreland, with her son