Course Meet and Greet - Let's Own Our Space in this Class! by Brandi So https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij It's time to claim some space. Fill this board up with a little bit about who you are, your major, share links or videos to your inspirations, hobbies, or interests. Let's take a minute also to reflect on what our ancestors would say to us in this moment - we are able to share in an online space in pursuit of an education, and, more poignantly, we are reflecting on the ways a sense of "home" can heal and hurt, how being in a new place can feel violent or safe, how the cognitive dissonance of being removed from a culture can leave one deeply affected, and what can come from those experiences in action, in literature, in history, and life. Make a few posts if you want, or one long one, but please start this class by claiming some space, making it human, and starting our class off with a sincere and intentional gesture toward connecting our small class to one another. Don't worry, I will participate also. en-us 2020-05-21 12:49:44 UTC 2025-09-25 14:39:15 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f3d6.png Hello from Me (Brandi So) brandi_so https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238376254 Hi everyone, I'm Brandi So, the teacher here. I like the prompt about our ancestors because in a virtual space it's easy to forget to claim our identity and become a faceless student or teacher, and especially wanting to invite a space for people to identify with a culture, ethnicity, religion, nationality, or other aspects of our background so I am always proactive about that. I am a first-generation high school graduate. I don't know a lot about my ancestors, although my sister really does a lot with that kind of stuff. 

I've always had a complicated relationship with the idea of "home." - I'm from the south, and I have a lot of southern culture - about kinds of food I like, ideas about manners, etc., but I also kind of departed from my family norm by pursuing education throughout my life, and getting "fancy" degrees. My mom was always so proud of me though, so I didn't care about what other people thought. But they definitely had opinions - some of them probably pretty valid! :) I guess I really identify with first generation identity, because it shaped so many of my mistakes and is such an important part of my success story. I put a lot of effort into mentoring my students and other types of volunteering to make a difference for populations I care a lot about.

I know for sure moving to Long Island has been one of the most homesick types of experiences ever - but not homesick for the south, but for Colorado, where I lived for over ten years. Colorado is still my favorite place to be.

My hobbies include kayaking, watching really dumb TV, and trying to keep my 8 year old son from watching the most ridiculous youtube videos. Anyway, that's some stuff about me. I love cooking, dinosaurs, singing, and writing!]]> 2022-07-06 22:06:57 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238376254 Hello (from Lynn Cianfarani) lynnc300 https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238481823 Hi, everyone!  I’m Lynn and am a non-matriculated graduate student. I am a mentor for SUNY Empire State, where I advise adult students and teach a 2-credit online course in academic planning/goal setting.  I’m taking graduate English and writing courses at Stony Brook for professional/personal development. It’s possible I may eventually apply for admittance to the MFA or MA programs – I guess it depends on how much I like being back in school!
 
Outside of school and work, I like hiking, rowing, and spending time with my adult children who are spread across the country in college/grad school. Yes, I’m an empty-nester – an odd time to be diving into studies, but I always find value in stepping outside my comfort zone.  I look forward to working with all of you this summer!
 
In thinking about our ancestors, I wonder how access to today’s technological advances would have altered their experiences.  I do feel quite connected to my adult kids, thanks to tools like Facetime and texts.  But, in the not-so-distant past, those who moved far from their homes/countries could communicate only via letters…and visits to their homelands (if they occurred at all) were rare. Today, immigrants can listen to radio/tv from their homelands, can FT/text their family and friends on a daily basis, and can make return visits to their homes with as much frequency as their finances allow. Still, a sense of longing surely exists. And, in cases of war/displacement, an immigrant’s original culture may have been destroyed; no amount of technology can erase the fact that the society they once knew is gone.
 
I’ve attached a picture from my porch this morning. I’m mid-way through a beach vacation⛱
]]> 2022-07-07 01:15:24 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238481823 Hola y bienvenidos! (Emelda Bonilla) emeldabonilla1 https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238496882 Hello everyone, I'm Emelda Bonilla. I am a High school English, ENL, and Humanities 9 teacher. I just finished up my first year teaching and I am so thankful for all that I learned from colleagues, admin, and my kiddos. I survived and thrived! I like to channel my creativity in my lesson design, crafting, and writing. 

When I actually make the time for it, I really enjoy writing. I actually started a blog my senior year at Cortland where I started writing about my life and what I've learned from the many hurtful and challenging experiences.  I fell in love with writing when I realized it liberated me and allowed me to love myself in so many ways. I've had writer's block for a few months now, but I am making a promise to sit down and write a little bit each week this summer. 

I am a daughter of immigrant parents and the first to graduate and work towards a career in education--I'm kind of a big deal at home. :) My mother is from Honduras and my father is from El Salvador so I grew up speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish. I have family in Honduras who live in really poor pueblos, but are probably the most humble and kindhearted people I know. I don't know much else about my ancestors. Most of my uncles and aunts also immigrated to the US and it has been a blessing seeing them transition to this new life while always embracing our culture and values. 

Although taking a class and working at a literacy camp, I'm hoping to see beach days, kayaking, and hikes in the near future! Happy to be here! :)]]> 2022-07-07 01:30:26 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238496882 Greetings, from Santi Pinto Santi_Pinto https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238535795 Hello, all--

I finally figured out how this thing is supposed to work... I think.

Anyway, I'm Santi (he/them), and I'm wrapping up my last semester here at Stony Brook. I work four jobs -- two of which are in education -- while attending these classes, and I sometimes try to get classwork done while on the clock or during what little is left of my waking day, so please understand any irregularities.

My academic interest in studying diaspora identities and histories comes from a materialist approach, relating migrations, deportations, colonization, and decolonization to broader historical and political developments. In this way, I look to thinkers and scholars like Franz Fanon, Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz, and Angela Davis to inform this approach, among many others.

While I am in the English program so that I can qualify to teach at the college level, my real passion is music, listening or playing. I love just about all genres, though post-punk (Joy Division, The Cure, etc.) is probably my favorite, and I can play guitar, bass, and drums, at varying degrees of proficiency. I also enjoy writing fiction, specifically horror, and for tabletop games.

In terms of my own ancestors, I don't or can't attribute much of their legacy to my own identity, even as a second-generation citizen: as far as the eldest members of my family had ever told to me, I come from very poor Sicilian peasants, on both sides of my family, but I see it as a good thing. What they might say to me, I haven't the slightest idea, but I might have a few things to say to them.

Glad to be here!
-- Santi]]> 2022-07-07 02:10:57 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238535795 Hi all! (Sam Corr) samanthacorr https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238582151 Hi all! I’m Sam, an MAT student and future secondary English Teacher! I currently work at the public library, and I am gearing up for my student teaching in the Fall. I am also a writer and currently participating in Camp NaNoWriMo (which is part of the NaNoWriMo nonprofit organization that encourages you to write an entire novel in November) but Camp NaNo is when you set your own writing goal for the month of July. (If anyone is interested in joining you can sign up on nanowrimo.org )

I also really love to travel. I’ve been backpacking multiple times now, most recently over the winter break, and I also lived abroad in Scotland for a short period of time. I am not Scottish (although my great-grandparents came from Ireland), but after living there, I realize no where else has ever felt as much like home to me. Hopefully I can get back to visit soon!

My ancestors would definitely be proud of my sense of adventure, but they probably would not be thrilled that I am going to be an English teacher honestly. My Irish relatives do not like the English and even cut off the crown from their claddagh ring wedding band, and my German relatives would think it is funny that I am taking up studying my native language or that I should have taken up the family baking business (my German great-grandparents opened a bakery when they immigrated to the US), but I think all of them would be impressed with my writing. My grandpa has even shown me biographies of distant relatives, like a fiddler in Ireland, and thinks I can continue documenting other members of our family…or that I can help my sister write greeting cards because she is a paper engineer and can make the cards. LOL.

I look forward to working with you all this short semester!


]]> 2022-07-07 03:00:59 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238582151 Oh, hello! (from Dorothy) dorothytomasini https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238612083 Hi everyone! I’m Dorothy and I’m a student in the English MAT program here at Stony Brook. I’m in my final semester of my master’s program before I student teach this Fall. Before my master’s program at Stony Brook, I graduated from Emerson College in Boston (if you’ve never heard of it, the college had a recent shout out in this past season of Stranger Things, as Nancy Wheeler is planning to attend the school the show). Though I am a New Yorker at heart, there are times when I do feel myself missing Boston and the ease I felt during that time in my life. I think part of the sentimental feelings I have for Boston are definitely the found family kind of friendships I developed with my classmates. Though I love New York overall, I definitely have found myself feeling more like an outsider these past few years that I’ve been living back home on Long Island. I think anyone who moves away from home for school, or any other reason, and then returns after years can feel a disconnect with their home. It’s difficult to bridge the gap between the person you were before leaving home and the person you are when you return home after a long time, especially during such formative years in life. 
 
Aside from my academic background, I am a big fan of manga and graphic novels and one day I would like to write my own graphic novel (though my inability to draw is a major setback). Some of my favorite manga series are One Piece, Akira, and Fullmetal Alchemist. I also really enjoy watching TV—for the last two weeks I’ve been recovering from COVID and have been burning through a lot of shows. Some of the better shows I’ve watched in my recovery have been Our Flag Means Death, The Dropout, and The Americans. When I’m not watching TV or reading, I can be found cuddling with my dog, Leo (seen in the attached photo).
 
I am very fortunate that my family has been able to retain our family’s history. For nearly all of my ancestors who immigrated to the U.S., I have a lot of knowledge of their backgrounds and their struggles and triumphs during their early days here. My parents and grandparents have treasured these stories and because they had pride in them, I carry pride for them too. In terms of what they would think of my education and life so far, I feel like they would all be pretty amazed and proud that I’m able to get an advanced degree. My Scandinavian ancestors would probably be the most amazed and proud especially since they had zero education when they left the Nordic region. The Scandinavian side of my family has always valued education the most, probably as a result of the yearning for education that they never had in their home country. 
 
I look forward to learning with you all this semester! :)
]]> 2022-07-07 03:32:54 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238612083 Hello, Everyone! rkani99 https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238636811 Hello, everyone! Before I introduce myself, I just want to note that I have never heard of Padlet before, so I do apologize if I make any mistake while either initiating a post or replying to another.

My name is Ryan, and I am a student in the English MAT program at Stony Brook. Because I decided to take my time in the program, I will not be graduating until Spring of 2023, but as of now I have not yet had any qualms regarding not rushing through the curriculum. While my ultimate goal is to become an English teacher, I would be content in any field that serves to teach and inspire others. So if I do not happen to begin teaching right away after graduating, then I need not worry myself as I am confident I could find something else tremendously fulfilling to engage myself in.

The philosophy I live by is this: everyone is unique, and it is vital that the individual finds ways to extract that uniqueness and subsequent potential. Essentially, I want to help those with whom I work to become better versions of themselves by way of reflecting on their own unique qualities and figuring out ways to use such qualities to achieve their goals and reach what they gauge as their potential.

I like to call myself a "jack of all trades, master of none" because I like to pursue several different hobbies without ever becoming particularly exceptional in any of them. First and foremost, I enjoy reading and writing--not only literature, but also music. I am also an avid cook (in fact, I was interviewed to be on Chopped twice when I was younger) and enjoy playing sports and video games. I also love animals as prefaced by both the header above and the fact that I share my home with seven animals: five dogs and two cats. (My mom works at a veterinary office, so I have never had a shortage of animals in my home). I am always open to learning new things and discovering new hobbies, but there are a few things I would not dare touch: open bodies of water and boats, anything involving planes or heights, and anything that utilizes small, confined spaces.

When I reflect on my ancestry, I am proud that I am of a diverse family. My heritage spans all across Europe, and while I am primarily Italian and English, my ancestors have walked through tens of countries on the continent. However, I lack the knowledge of anything more than a superficial understanding of where I come from: I am unaware of what my ancestors faced and the consequences that came with living during their time. What I do know is that society has advanced dramatically, and it is infinitely fascinating to compare how groups of people lived years ago to today. Experiences are unique, and I am excited to learn of the trials and tribulations--and successes--that may help to define some historical migrations and movements. Perhaps, by learning about such topics, I can gain a better understanding of my own ancestry and what it means to truly embrace individuality and uniqueness. 

I have worked with some of you before in previous classes, so I am excited to hear from all of you. To those whom I do not know: it is a pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to getting to know you during this short semester!]]> 2022-07-07 04:09:46 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2238636811 Padlet Link if The Window is Too Small brandi_so https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2239754543 I don't know why Ryan's cat showed up here but that's Ellie LOL. HAPPY FRIDAYYYYYY you guys!!! If the padlet feels crowded in Blackboard you can visit it on the world of webs here :) https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij

]]> 2022-07-08 12:59:17 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2239754543 Hi From Nicky & Thor nicolettepetnuch https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2240271062 Hi All- My name is Nicolette (Nicky) and I a high school English Teacher in Yonkers, NY. I did my undergrad at Hunter College, double majoring in English Lit/Creative Writing and Women and Gender Studies. I completed my MST in Adolescent English Edu from Iona College last May. I chose to enroll in a few summer courses so that I had the appropriate number of graduate English courses required to teach College Link 12th grade English in the fall. I love reading thrillers, true crime, and a good cheesy cozy murder mystery. (A favorite guilty pleasure would be The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, a series by Joanna Fluke). I intend to create a senior course that is full of multicultural authors, mostly with female authors as that is where my passion lives. I adore literary theory and race/gender theories and I am excited to incorporate those theories into my teaching.
When I am not reading or teaching, I am baking. Ever since I was a little girl, I was on a step stool in the kitchen learning to make Risotto with my mother or a bowl of pasta fagioli. I was one of those people who taught themselves to make sourdough and traditional panettone over Covid... Whenever I am happy, or more likely anxious and stressed... I bake. It is my love language. It is what feels like home to me. 

I recently moved into my first house with my boyfriend and the place that feels the most like home is where I've spent most of my life, the kitchen. I feel an aching though for the house I've lived in my whole live up until this point..
The kitchen is so important to me because it reminds me of my grandmother. Both of my mother's parents were born here but had immigrant parents from Italy. Both of my grandparents spoke Italian growing up and my great-grandparents spoke zero English. While my own grandparents had chosen to speak English in their homes and not Italian, my mother did not grow up speaking and so some of the culture was lost. However, the most important part of our culture has remained intact (aside from an extra pinch of this or that), which is recipes. The Sunday Sauce, the MEATBALL, ricotta balls, ingatendare cookies and easter bread.. Every one of my aunts and my mother have hand written recipes that go back to my great-grandmothers cooking. It is how our traditions have be able to survive. It is how we speak to each other and how we all feel at "home" whether we're together or 100 miles apart. 
I am really excited for the content of this class and look forward to a tight-knit conversation with you all. :)]]> 2022-07-09 22:50:28 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2240271062 Research Padlet - Shifra Zakon https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2645678848 I am conducting an experiment to test if music increases an individual's productivity and stamina during a workout. I have 10 subjects who will each do one workout with music and one workout without music (different days) for 20 minutes followed by a minute of jumping jacks where the number of jacks they can do will be counted to see whether they were able to do more jumping jacks after the workout where they were listening to music.]]> 2023-07-16 05:52:25 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2645678848 The Effect of Color on Marketing- Daniella Mercer https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2746498302 I am conducting an experiment to test wether color can make a significant impact in marketing. In order to do so, I will have two pictures of the same exact gas station, the only difference being the color of the station. I will be approaching 20 people and askign them to make a split second decision regarding which gas station they would be more likely to attend, assuming all other factors are the same. Using the data I am going to see wether there was a significant difference between the amount of times each color was chosen.

]]> 2023-10-15 05:13:42 UTC https://padlet.com/brandi_so/h72yzztcns3blnij/wish/2746498302