Writing - Rachel

Immediately in the introduction, Lewis positions the lens into a personal perspective through first person vignettes using the terms “I”, “we”, and “Black” and “Chinese” (p. 1, explaining herself immediately in footnotes for her choice of words and capital lettering for group, but not another). Use of vignettes makes the dissertation immediately personal and highly energized, as the reader can identify with the voice that carries the dissertation through to the end and the reasoning behind the words and organization. The technique offers perspective into Lewis’ history, and therefore also her voice and direction from which she is representing those observed – indication that she must defend her ability to talk about race, since it is something that she experienced and observed since childhood.

“Understanding what race was and how it worked became a more prolonged quest – a job, a responsibility, something that I needed to do if I really was going to try to make an impact on the world and be a good teacher.” (p. 3) – indicates her seriousness about the subject and her profound interest in knowing.

Begins with research and analysis, telling us about her role in the different school systems, setting up a picture for us: “They said things like, “You’re different from the other teachers;” or “You could never be a real teacher, you’re too nice.” (p. 44) or “At Foresthills I was more likely to receive a request to “just talk during lunchtime.” (p. 47), then transfers to a mix of telling and showing (p. 52)
Sometimes the long footnotes lead us away from the dissertation, as the “short story” was so interesting, examples on pp. 49, 59, 64, 93, 106, 193, etc. – this broke the monotony of the elongated explanations, especially in Chapter 2. Makes the author more accessible, but a bit too long…..

Transitions into “showing of informal interviews and conversations” to create perspective into classroom and race as a “school process”, then discussion to develop perspectives from different sides of a particular setting. (pp. 68, 72) – these discussions are consistently backed up with theoretical positions or continued interview snippets that re-assert the point. (p. 75)

Many of the people were identified and background information was given based on observation, often giving insight into her role with different participants at the different schools:
Ms Keyser – identified in relationship to the school that she worked in, others just listed as “teachers”.
Pat, Mr. Martinez, etc.
A mother of a “Latina” daughter (p. 72)
Jan Marquis: “A white 3rd grade teacher” (p. 138)
Marina: in relation to her classroom (pp. 164-166)