Discussion Lead by Student |
This is an example of a discussion thread begun by a student from themes read in lecture, and found in the reading assignments, and highlighted in the lesson learning objectives. This is also a theme that the students knew would be part of one of the essay questions in this part of the course. Students can read the essay questions that they will eventually choose from when they begin a new part of the class.
Note that the instructor has given "acknowledgement feedback" and demonstrates she is "listening in" by making a brief, supportive comment, but otherwise allows the students to conduct the discussion.
Fall 2004 Soc 101 Compiled Messages:
Message no. 641
Posted by Scotty Jewell (SJewell214009) on Friday, November 19, 2004 8:17pm
Subject: The Changing Family
Families have changed over the years. Life expectancy is longer so there is a larger number of extended family members. That is great! On the other hand, I believe that the immidate family member are declining. More and more families are deciding to limited the number of childrent that they have. I think that the average number od children now is two. We all know that in the early and mid 1900's the number of children were well over two children. -Scotty-
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Message no. 644[Branch from no. 641]
Posted by Kasey Cooper (KCooper210167) on Saturday, November 20, 2004 8:16pm
Subject: Re: The Changing Family
I agree! On my mothers' side of the family, she has one brother and three sisters. That is a total of five children! But my aunts and uncle have, at the most, three children. And, my grandmother has five brothers and three sisters. Thru each of these generations, the children factor has decreased dramatically.
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Message no. 647[Branch from no. 641]
Posted by Sue Greer-Pitt* (SECC_4044_SOC_101_C8Z3) on Sunday, November 21, 2004 4:43pm
Subject: Re: The Changing Family
Scotty's absolutely right, families are smaller today than ever before, even though people are living longer and there ARE more three generational households than ever before. But the combination of people waiting longer to get married and to have children, and having fewer children (and more than ever having no children at all) has reduced the size of the American family.
Sue
In message 641 on Friday, November 19, 2004 8:17pm, Scotty Jewell writes:
>Families have changed over the years. Life expectancy is longer so there is a larger number of extended family members. That is great! On the other hand, I believe that the immidate family member are declining. More and more families are deciding to limited the number of children that they have. I think that the average number of children now is two. We all know that in the early and mid 1900's the number of children were well over two children. -Scotty-
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Message no. 655[Branch from no. 647]
Posted by Beth Dotson (BDotson185636) on Monday, November 22, 2004 12:03pm
Subject: Re: The Changing Family
I will agree that families are smaller today than in the past. My father was one of 13 kids and my mother one of 5. My parents had 7 children and I have the most children of us with 4. It is not a normal occurance today to have four children and I think that this is due to economics and the lessening need for children who are needed to help work as they were in past times.
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Message no. 658[Branch from no. 655]
Posted by Vicki Renn (VRenn207016) on Tuesday, November 23, 2004 11:38pm
Subject: Re: The Changing Family
Beth made a great point when she said that there is less of a need for children to be helpers around the home. My dad came from a family of nine; my mom a family of four. Her family didn't work a farm like my dad's family and her mother died when she was only a child, so who knows what would have happened if she had lived longer. Economically, our family does well but find it a challenge to pay for college, etc. and raise the two little ones. I don't see how large families manage it. I'm watching a documentary about the Duggar family that has fourteen children, with another on the way. She home schools the children; each are learning to play the violin; they even take field trips as their own school. They are currently building a 7000 sq. ft home THEMSELVES. They are pretty amazing; they have my admiration.
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Message no. 710[Branch from no. 658]
Posted by Scotty Jewell (SJewell214009) on Friday, December 3, 2004 9:47pm
Subject: Re: The Changing Family
I ALSO WATCHED THAT DOCUMENTARY AND I FOUND IT AMAZING. I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY MANAGE FROM DAY TO DAY. DID YOU SEE THE PART WHERE THEY WENT THE GROCERY STORE? THEY SPENT BETWEEN $800 AND $900 DOLLARS IN GROCERY'S. THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY JUST FOR FOOD. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE WATER AND ELECTRIC BILLS? THE DUGGER'S HAD A VERY ORGANIZED DAILY PLAN AND THAT IS WONDERFULAND PROBABLY THE ONLY WAY TO MANAGE. SCOTTY
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Message no. 711[Branch from no. 710]
Posted by Vicki Renn (VRenn207016) on Saturday, December 4, 2004 12:04am
Subject: Re: The Changing Family
I think I was most amazed that such a large family is able to live on one salary. I guess when you don't have to have all the toys and brand-name clothes that everyone at school has, then it is bound to be easier to dress and entertain them. They seemed to all get along very well also; I have a feeling that the mom really has a tight grip on the kids and any misbehavior must be dealt with immediately and consistantly. I envy the closeness that the family seemed to share. All of the girls want to have large families when they grow up, so they must feel like it is a pretty good way to live. I didn't stop to
do the math until later in the evening following the program, but fourteen children with the oldest being 16 years old, she must be pregnant within weeks of delivering the last one!
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Message no. 717[Branch from no. 711]
Posted by William Camenisch-Felts (WCamenischFelts200350) on Sunday, December 5, 2004 5:30am
Subject: Re: The Changing Family
My mom is from a large family (10 children- 9 went to college) and all my grandparents did was farm. One of the 10 chose to have 5 children and 2 chose none with the rest having 2. But I understand from our family gatherings the younger children were expected to ask for nothing so the older one could attend college and in return the older ones would help out the younger ones when it came their time for college. My mom's favorite remarks are "I didn't know we were poor until I got to college." (she was the7th). To this very day if her twin brother( he the only one not to go) needs help on the farm our parents expect us to come in on the weekends and vacations to help out. That just what large families do help each one out and don't expect anything in return expect love and acceptance.
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Message no. 753[Branch from no. 717]
Posted by Daniel Wells III (DWellsIII181577) on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 11:28am
Subject: Re: The Changing Family
I couldnt agree with you more. Our famlies sound alot alike and I wish more people had the same experiences as we have had in looking out for a family member. Looking at my family on both sides is huge. My mom is one of 5 and my grandmother is one of 9 my grandfather was one of 6. Defanitely time and priorties have become the factor in smaller families. All of my grandparents were farmers and i can imagine all the work it took to raise 9 kids off a backwoods farmers income and still put them thorough college.
Back in the days parents put there whole lives and joy into raising their kids. now parents say they dont have time so they let the tv and school bring up their famlies.
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Message no. 721[Branch from no. 641]
Posted by Danika Batchelor (DBatchelor186222) on Sunday, December 5, 2004 10:47am
Subject: Re: The Changing Family
My husband's family is a great example of this. When his grandfather passed away a little over 10 years ago, people "stopped coming over." This was a huge surprise to me, because my first holiday over at Granny's, the house was so crowded! There were little kids running all over and at least 20 adults standing around waiting for a spot to open up to sit down in. The noise and confusion was so overwhelming to me, because I am so used to small family gatherings. Later, I found out that a holiday meant around a hundred people visiting in the same day when his grandfather was alive. They didn't all come at once, but all of the children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. You name it, they were there for some part of the day. This past Thanksgiving not even all of granny's children came home. This was especially difficult, because Granny is 89 years old and in poor health. You would think that they could stop out for a short visit, if nothing else. While I thought there was a lot of people there, Granny and those who came were disappointed that so few people thought of her on the holiday.
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Message no. 741[Branch from no. 641]
Posted by Brandy Miller (BMiller182180) on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 6:58pm
Subject: Re: The Changing Family
I think it is a good thing that people are choosing to have less children then before. This will help with the over populated problem that we are starting to have. I'm not saying you shouldn't have children because of this reason but I think it is a possitive thing for the world.
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