Presentation Rubric for Book Reviews

Part 1: Professional Reading Assignment

● Select/read a book from the list in the syllabus or one of your choice (with approval of professor) that
meets the criteria of a professional level book related to teaching and learning.
● One book can be selected for a small group to read or different books can be selected. The
responses will still be made by individual group members.
● The key is to ​synthesize the information​ and provide compelling reasons for others to read the
book. Link the information to the course content in an appropriate manner.
● Do​ ​not​ ​recreate or try to ​teach the entire book​. Others can read the book if they are interested.
● Your job is to ​synthesize the information​ and present it in a compelling and professional manner.

After reading the book do the following:

The Joy Luck Club

Amy Tan
Published 1989
Amy Tan is an american writer born in Oakland, California in 1952. She is the second of three
children born to Chinese immigrants. When Amy was 15 years old, her father and older brother
passed away. Her mother moved the rest of the family to Switzerland where Amy finished high
school. During her high school years, Amy found out that her mother had four children prior to
meeting and marrying Amy’s father. This incident was the basis for The “​Joy Luck Club​”. Amy Tan
has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English and linguistics from San Jose State University.

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Task Response
Select 2-3 key Point 1
areas or points the book depicts the complicated relationship between mother and daughter. The relationship is
made by the author further complicated by their inability to communicate with one another. The mother speaks some
that add to your
English and the daughter speaks some Chinese. Each speaking but not understanding the
professional learning
and synthesize the cultural background of each other.
ideas by making
connections to other Point 2
relevant research The daughters and the mothers express anxiety over their cultural identities. The daughters who
and current are Chinese, but yet, raised in America and ​feel​ American. The mothers who were raised in
information to China yet have assimilated to the American life style. The feeling of not belonging and trying to
support the validity
hold on to who they are.
of the book content.

Point 3
The art of storytelling in the Chinese culture. In the Chinese culture, story tellings are often
educational. The intent is to teach a lesson and to ensure that the children remember the past
generations.
Elaborate on these Idea 1:
key ideas (in The daughters look down on their mothers for speaking broken English. They do not understand
previous task) by why they were raised as they were. In one section, Jing-mei told her mother that parents should
evaluating the ideas
encourage their kids, not criticize them. Her mom says that if she encouraged Jing-mei, the girl
and applying the
ideas to your would be lazy and wouldn’t rise to the occasion. Jing-mei did not understand the cultural
understanding of background that influenced her mother’s child rearing methods. In the Chinese culture, family
intercultural comes before individual identity. A child’s laziness or failure is a direct reflection on the family as
competence. a whole. In America, success is an individual accomplishment. Here in America, the child does
not “owe” their family nothing. In the Chinese culture, the child “owes” everything to the family.

Idea 2:
Waverly, Rose, and Lena all have white boyfriends or husbands, they regard many of their
mothers’ customers and tastes as old-fashioned or even ridiculous. They have spent most of
their childhoods trying to escape their Chinese identities. ---Lena would walk around the house
with her eyes opened as far as possible so as to make them look European. Jing-mei denied any
internal Chinese aspects as an adolescence. Waverly would have clapped her hands for joy
during her teen years if her mother had told her she did not look Chinese. The mothers play
mahjong and tell stories and share their cultural background. One of the mothers, Lindo-was
described as a tourist during her recent trip to China. She developed anxiety over her cultural
identity. She thought she was able to straddle both cultures and switch back and forth. The
incident brought to question what is her “true” self.

Idea 3:
Ying-Ying’s decision to tell Lena about her past was motivated by her desire to warn Lena against
the passivity and fatalism that Ying-ying suffered. Storytelling is used to communicate specific
lessons and illumine one’s inner self for others to see. the mothers try to instill in their children
respect for their Chinese ancestors and their Chinese pasts. In turn, Jing-mei tells her half-sister
Suyuan’s story to let the twins know who their mother was and what she was like.
Evaluate the content There was not much that I would differ with the book. Being raised by a Japanese woman, I
in relationship to experienced similar experiences. Before I turned 5, I had a fish bone stuck in my throat. I was up
your belief all night with my grandmother hacking and choking. I became afraid to eat fish. In Okinawa, the
system/worldview.
traditional way to eat fish is with all the bones attached. My grandmother told me, If I do not eat
Describe and
explain areas of fish, I would turn into a monkey. There were no racial connotation to this statement. It was just a
compatibility and cultural statement. If you were not raised in the culture, you may not have understood why my
areas of differences. grandmother would say such a thing.

Link the book I thought the book did a great job demonstrating cultural patterns. Chapter 4 of Lustig…
content to
one/several of the

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theories we are Cultural patterns are the shared beliefs, values, norms and social practices that are stable
studying in this over time and that lead to roughly similar behaviors across similar situations are known as
course. Provide a
comprehensive cultural patterns. Cultural patterns are inside people's minds. They are shared mental
overview of how the programs that govern specific behavior choices. Cultural patterns are unconsciously
content of this book experienced as a by-product of day-to-day activities.
supports the
development of
intercultural Beliefs​-are ideas that people assume to be true about the world. They are a set of learned
competence. interpretations that form the basis for cultural members to decide what is and what is not
correct. The author provide contrasts between the mother’s (born in China) and the
daughters who are born in America.

Values​-What a culture regards as good or bad, right or wrong. Values are the desired
characteristics or goals of a culture so it does not always describe actual behaviors and
characteristics. Shalom Schwartz suggests-Value serve as a guiding principles in people’s
lives
Valence​-whether the value is seen as positive or negative
Intensity​ is the strength or importance of the value

The success and failure of the daughters were based on the cultural values of their
mothers.
Norms​-the socially shared expectations of appropriate behaviors. Like values, norms can
vary within a culture in terms of their importance and intensity. However, Norms may
change offer a period of time and beliefs and values tend to be more enduring.

Social Practices​- Are the predictable behavior patterns that members of a culture typically
follow. They are the outward manifestations of beliefs, values and norms. Ex.. gifts in
America is opened in front of the guest, in Malaysia, gifts are not opened in front of the
guests.

Activity Orientation​-Defines how people view human actions and the expression of self
through activities--
Being-values inaction and an acceptance of the status quo.-all events are
determined by fate and are therefore inevitable-
Becoming-sees humans as evolving and changing. Predisposed to think of ways
to change themselves as a means of changing the world.
Doing-European Americans-Do not questions the assumption that it is important
to get things done. They seek to change and control what is happening to them.
Measuring Success- the Doing Culture values the purpose or a goal. The
being and becoming value the process of striving towards a goal

Social relations Orientation​-describes how people in a culture organize themselves and

relate to one another. EX.
Social Standing- the degree of importance a culture places on formality. In some
countries is it very important to use formal titles and in US it is not
Obtaining Social Standing-some culture each person decides their standing, in
some, it’s something you are born with. (rags to riches)
Interpersonal Communication styles-Emphasize indirectness, obliqueness, and
ambiguity. Americans are more direct and open. The Asian culture prefer being subtle.

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 Self-Orientation​- how people’s identities are formed. -what motivates individuals actions
and the kinds of people who are valued and respected. What is my obligation to others?

How is cultural identity formed? -Process involving three stages-

Unexamined cultural identity-​Taken for granted and consequently there is little interest
in exploring cultural issues
Cultural identity search​ -looking into one’s culture, to appreciate and understand
Cultural identity achievement-​my culture is important and I appreciate my culture
List elements or characteristics of cultural identity

Towards the end, each daughter went through the process of cultural identity.
How has this This was a good example of the conflict between parents who immigrate and their children. The
reading helped you difference between they way they think and they way they relate to each other. The importance of
personally develop a communication and understanding was emphasised in this book. Although oversimplified at
deeper conceptual
times, the book provided strong examples of conflicted emotions a TCK may experience. As an
knowledge for
understanding educator, I understand, I must pay close attention to cultural biases that present in everyday
yourself and others communication. This would be a simple assumption that all students watched Sesame Street
in a culturally growing up. Making references to the Cookie Monster during math lesson may push some
competent manner? students out of the conversation. It is appropriate to mention the Cookie Monster, but also to
describe and explain the reference.
How has this study A key concept is to not assume that the way “I” think is always the way, others may perceive
helped move you differently what is important and what is not. The goal is to understand the perspective of other
from novice to the cultures. To understand what would motivate my students to grow from an academic and
expert /professional
personal perspective. The first thing I would do is to learn about the culture of the country I am
level as a sojourner?
staying in.
Based on Hull;s High and Low context taxonomy, which communication style should be used
(Non-Verbal, Written, Oral) during class? Understand the priorities of cultural values and the
expectation on how a teacher and a visiting national is expected to act. Utilize this information to
create a strong lesson plan that incorporates my students’ background knowledge and motive
higher learning. I hope to become a teacher who does not judge based on cultural differences but
on the merit of each student.

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Attach any additional
pictures, video clips,
web links or
resources that you
found that would
support the content
of this book.

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