Where are all the Retreat from the Global people?! (2 Viewers)

[CHUDYMASTER]

Did everyone finally realise RFTG is one of the shittiest electives ever made?!

Well to be fair, it wasn't that bad - I studied a lot towards the end and it apparently paid off - but it wasn't easy.

You really had to read things that weren't stated in the syllabus, such as reading up on philosophers, reading critic's analyses of the texts, etc. In fact you were better off doing those things rather than reading the texts themselves - that's just how crappy it was.

But anyways, I know you RFTG kids are lurking out there, come and show yourselves and bask in my wisdom and curry.

 

[ashwin]

Its better if u bask in my knowledge, seeing as i helped chuddydude with the subject heaps! (And got higher marks). I also offer tuition for any RFTG kids who want to excel in the subject. My hsc mark was 48/50.

 

[CHUDYMASTER]

LOL - bastard. I helped you heaps too!

 

[ashwin]

Yeh u also helped a bit, but not much, hehe. Nah u helped ur share too. See, for all those reading this thread and who r doin RFTG, or any ext eng for that matter, it is important that u and ur friends help each other as much as possible. This is the ONLY way to get good marks.

 

[CHUDYMASTER]

Either that or a really really good teacher (which we did not have...)

 

[Josie]

The damn elective statement for RFTG is so not english... its like philosophy or something.

*Doing it now*

 

[Rahul]

i agree with the idea that working collectively is the way to go!

 

[beverly]

i'm doing RFTG and although it is very time consuming, im enjoying it. im in the process of doing a semi-assessment task to write a creative piece based primarily on the ideas of globalisation..im mighty stuck!

 

[Grey Council]

I'm doing RFTG.
Whenever I need help, I'll be sure to ask you guys. Read: Just before every exam I have I will panic and bombard you with quesrtions.

hehehe, seriously though, my school goes really bad in english. We have never done RFTG before, AND my class doesn't have an english genius or some such who I can work with. Most of them will be happy to get band E3. not dissing anyone, just that I'm hoping for a band E4.

So what is the key to success in RFTG? Practise essays that you memorise? <--- *hopes*

And what was in your half-yearlies? what type of exam, I mean.

lol, i'd ask both of you (ashwin and chudy) for sample exams, but both of you tutor so I very much doubt i'd get anything. I think I'll just keep on good terms, and ask you for help when I need it.

 

[CHUDYMASTER]

Hehe nah I don't tutor and neither of us tutor in english.

But we did a project as our half yearly - it was a massive interview. My suggestion is NOT to memorise, as this will not work. You'll find yourself with plenty of time in the exam to think about the question and write confidently. The thoughts will come if you fully verse yourself with the course requirements.

I.e. read up heaps on critics, get a few philosophers' quotes if you like (on globalisation that is) and MAKE SURE your texts have *some* link to globalisation. I know a lot of people interpretted global to be any dominating force, but this is not really advisable or correct. As for colonialism, it is KIND of like globalisation but rather...it lead to globalisation. Remember also that all the text composers MUST be from the globalisation era. i.e. 1960 onwards or thereabouts.

Memorising QUOTES is definitely advisable, along with memorising a few key techniques for each text. (and thus, linking them with quotes too) - make sure it has something to do with retreating from the global but...

Also, it is very advisable to write a few essays AND creative pieces on the subject. You can find them all over the net and if you can't, make one up, like "How do composers show the complexities of globalisation?" (i.e. global as both a good and bad thing, discuss with techniques)

Me and ashwin only studied intensly in the last week towards the exam so if we could pull it off, so can you. Become one with the RFTG young grasshopper and win success.

ALSO: GuardiaN, i won't give you my essays because that is just laziness on your part. I might take a look over one of your essays if you like though.

 

[ashwin]

I DO tutor ext eng if ur interetsed guardian. But like chudy said, dont stress too much yet. The key to RFTG is to understand the phenomenon of globalisation and the concept of 'retreating' from it.

At the start of the yr, i was at the same position ur in now, in fact, our whole class was. I suggest u watch some movies that may relate to rftg, read books, and really connect with a local community, and try understand what it is like for a global force to overtake local traditions that have been intact for sooooo long.

Then, do it the other way around. Try understand the 'global' perspective. Dont look at it in simplistic terms (global bad, local good). Keep digging and try to understand every facet of the course. Realistically, u will never fully understand the course. I found that after the hsc, i came across so many materials that further developed my understanding of the course (even when it was too late).

I suggest u only worry about the philiosophers stuff closer to the hsc. For now, read ur texts, understand ur texts, and understand the concept.

In terms of practice exams, like chuddy said, we only worried about them JUST prior to our exam, where we would churn out 2-3 creatives/essays a week.

So when u have time, take time out from your texts, and really just sit and think about the concept, what the characters in ur texts may be going thru, and what retreating from the global means to them, and why they may think its important.

 

[ashwin]

Oh yeh, and dont memorise essays. Markers look for the skill where a student can adapt his/her knowledge to the essay question, and notthe skill that a student can adapt a prepared essay to the question

 

[Grey Council]

oo k. Some very good advice there.

Who are some critics? I know of Fukuyama (however you spell that), i've read an interview he did. He speaks mostly in economic terms, but heaps of what he said in that interview I already know because I do economics. hmm, he spoke in quite simple economic terms, thats prolly why I understood, esp as the first economic topic is globalisation. Ashwin'll know what I'm talking about.

 

[CHUDYMASTER]

Michael Featherstone is another good one. But you also need critics of the texts themselves to get a better perspective on how these texts are viewed in relation to globalisation.

 

[ashwin]

Dont worry bout critics at the moment, concentrate on ur texts first, otherwise u may go off the track a bit. yeh fukuyama and featherstone r some good ones to use. If ur gona search for critics, find a range of them which deal with economics, philosophy, science, and religion. if u get one for each, u have more than enough

 

[Grey Council]

oo k. Fair enough.

I was trying to find the link that I had to do. The interview thing.
http://www.ml.com/woml/forum/global.htm
thats it. I've read that about fukuyama. I'm sure he talks about other stuff, i'll have to research it.

I guess i'm a bit of a book worm. I've already read "The Bone People" twice. Let me tell you something, that book is absolutely stupendous. I haven't analysed it yet, but from a readers point of view, i'm telling you I love it.

So I should re-read the book heaps of times? Our teacher wants us to make a journal, and to answer certain questions for each chapter.

All the questions are oriented to helping you to do postcolonial/neocolonial/multicultural deconstrcutions which are, I belive, the key to exploring the texts for this topic

Thats the type of questions. You reckon my teacher knows what she is talking about? This is her first time doing this topic, and i don't wanna blindly accept what she tells me if she is wrong etc.

 

[ashwin]

Our teacher was teaching it for the first time too. Well if u enjoy reading the book, then by all means read it again and again (i read The shipping news 3 times all up)

 

[= Jennifer =]

i am doing RTFG and i have done nothing with philosophers

 

[Rahul]

leotard was another philosopher...

 

[Grey Council]

i've read it twice, but I still have to start the jounal. heheh