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Post by aholcomb on May 13, 2016 1:09:43 GMT
Background of Culver’s as a company is required before I move into the actual cultures that thrive in the restaurant. It is a quick food restaurant where everything is made fresh. Specializing in ButterBurgers (the bun is lightly buttered and toasted) and fresh frozen custard (the yummiest thing the Midwest has ever produced), nothing hits the grill or the fryer until after it has been ordered. So while our goal time is under 4 minutes in the drive-thru, we have to have a speaker in the kitchen because a crispy chicken sandwich takes 5 minutes to cook in the fryer.
There are three main areas in the restaurant that need to be addressed, because each brings its own type of culture to the restaurant: the kitchen or back-of-house, the front-of-house, and the office. The kitchen includes a grill, a sandwich or “buns” building station, the fryer and Middle. The Middle position is in charge of communicating with the entire kitchen and the front-of-house as a middleman and it is considered a leadership position. The front-of-house offers a much larger range of a culture because it includes the custard area, the drive-thru, the registers, the dining room, and Set. Set is much like the Middle position, as it is responsible for communicating with all of the front-of-house employees, and the person on Middle, as food is sent out of the kitchen and placed into bags or onto trays. Front-of-house also includes all of the customers and each of the many things that they have to contribute to the culture. The office is the smallest area in the restaurant, both figuratively and literally, as it includes all of management and the store owner. Management is always crossing into the different areas of the restaurant as they deal with angry or happy customers, employee problems, the health department, the Franchise, or jumping into one of the previously discussed positions to ensure quality or to replace an employee that is missing for one of many reasons. Marked by a button down shirt and a tie, much of management will quite often get their hands dirty.
There is slang for everything in the restaurant. Training somebody usually comes with quizzical looks as you try to remember that Culver’s has its own language. The drive-thru is “drive”, which is simple enough, but if you were to refer to it as “the drive-thru” you would stick out like a sore thumb. The place the jargon most comes into play is in the kitchen. Middle cannot yell over the sounds of the kitchen constantly, so keeping it as short as possible is useful. The microwave is “the mic (mike)”, onion rings become “o-rings”, not to mention “mash”, “slaw”, “hoagie”, “curd”, “deluxe”, “works”. Some of those are included in training and then some of them are just shortened for the display screen and become actual jargon. I could write a dictionary and it would be at least 10 pages long. All of this is not to mention the slang that comes along with working on a Saturday among 16-year-olds that always seem to come up with new words that make no sense, as well as the slew of curse words and innuendos that usually pass through a kitchen. The kitchen is personally my favorite place in the restaurant, especially in the moments when it feels like I am a general about to lead my troops into war (this is only a joke until Fridays during Lent when we serve both cod and wall-eye).
The customers bring their own culture and life into the restaurant. People with accents bring an extra challenge to whoever is on drive, as do people who think it is acceptable to whisper into a speaker. There was a Latina lady one time that tried to tell me she had wanted a waffle cone instead of a cake cone, only she refused to speak in either English or Spanish and instead tried to communicate by pointing at the picture. I was incredibly frustrated because I could not understand her and because I thought I had taken three years of Spanish for some reason. Communication is a huge part of making sure that the customers, or “guests”, get what they want, but sometimes the guests are unwilling or unable to vocalize what it is that they want.
Alternatively, communication also has to exist between the front and the back. If the order is not put into the POS (point of sale) system correctly, it can easily result in a remake ticket for the kitchen. Because the restaurant focuses on quality and the mission statement is “Every Guest that chooses Culver’s leaves happy” (I have that memorized, another example of jargon), remake tickets are issued for every order that does not meet the standards of the guest. These are supposed to be written down so that clarifications do not have to be yelled across the restaurant, but every once in a while a remake will get lost among the telephone game. When I am on Middle I have started telling Set to “write it down”, that way I have a record of what needs to be done.
Mostly we act as a team. The restaurant labels us “True Blue Crew” and I know there are at least a few of us that take it to heart. The culture of the restaurant is always disturbed when someone leaves or someone new enters, and because it is a relatively new restaurant it has been happening frequently. We recently lost a manager and gained a new manager and the culture is still trying to figure itself out, as well as trying to figure out the new person and what they bring to the table. Not only is Culver’s its own culture, it is almost an ecosystem. As things shift around, both small and big things start to change. It is easy to get lost into the mayhem of the restaurant unless there is someone to guide you through all of the nuances of the culture.
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Post by Sarah Navarro on May 17, 2016 2:36:50 GMT
I worked as an attractions attendant for Universal Studios and it was quite the experience. Universal Studios had a pretty strong culture among the employees who worked there, especially among those who worked in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and even more so among the different rides and attractions.
I was a Dragon Trainer for Dragon Challenge, a dual-track roller coaster in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It also just so happens to be one of the rides with the highest turn-over rates among employees in both theme parks, so quite a few people come and go and are required to learn the culture of the venue.
Universal attracts and employs workers in droves of dozens, if not hundreds, holding mass training seminars for the newly dubbed “Team Members” (not to be confused with “Cast Members,” that’s Disney World, and they’ll be quick to let you know it.). After a general introduction, groups are divided by specialty (Attractions, Merchandise, Custodial), and then again, after more training, for specific venue. Working in the Wizarding World gets you an extra full day of training (about 8 hours) in which you are taught everything there is to know about Harry Potter, including a summary of each book, important clips from the movies, spells, and the names of magical beasts. Then they quiz you on it, and if you don’t pass, you have to re-take the full 8 hours. During training, basic literacy practices such as reading and comprehending are required in order to understand the content of the lecture. Knowing specific names of fantastical beasts and where to find them could also be considered a literacy practice.
You are also trained on what you can and cannot say or be seen doing specifically in the Wizarding World, as per JK Rowling’s requests. For example, you are not allowed to make up “original content,” such as telling a park guest that you have met Harry, Ron, or any other character, or even say that you were in a certain House (Ravenclaw, Slytherin, etc) in Hogwarts (unless you work on the ride within the castle itself.) When “nerdy” guests point out anachronisms or other things that do not quite match the books within the park, the only permitted response is a roundabout “The Hosgmeade made visible to muggles is within its own timeline.” I think that having to apply this "script" that you are given to certain guest interactions would exemplify literacy practices, as you would have to understand what you are allowed to say while remaining in character. Another One of Rowling’s Rules that I found to be the most absurd, however, was the prohibition of all name-brand beverages from not only the “stage” (the part of the park that guests have access to) but also the back-of-house. All employees were required to remove labels from their plastic bottles or else feel the wrath of an angry author. In fact, employees within Hogwarts castle were the only group in the park without a Coke machine in their break room. It was all water, tea, and pumpkin juice for them. These rules set the stage for the literacy practices of the guests, as they would not be reading the brand-name labels within the Wizarding World, which would enhance the immersiveness of the experience.
As for Dragon Challenge, shifts included constantly rotating between positions, including “safety” and “non-safety” roles. Non-safety roles include greeter, express pass checker (Not to be confused with Disney's "Fast Pass," or they'll flag you as a newbie), merge (the person who merges the regular and express lanes), and grouper 1 and 2 (they’re the people who ask you “How many?” and then tell you which row to go to. They also get very mad when you don't listen). The safety roles take place beside the ride-tracks (or “platform”). They include the three individuals who load guests on to the train and the 2 who unload guests. Because it is a dual-track coaster, there are two platforms, one for the Hungarian Horntail and the other for the Chinese Fireball, which means 3 Loaders and 2 Unloaders on each platform. Two control booth operators (CBO’s) watch each train as they launch, and stop it if they notice any potential safety violations. In total, that is about 17 attendants for just one ride. Communication was absolutely vital to ensure that guests were being taken care of properly and no potential safety violations were going unnoticed. All attendants were required to learn radio codes in order to report any potential situations via walkie-talkie, as well as hand gestures to communicate without radios. Knowing the naming conventions of each role is a literacy practice that would come in handy before every shift, as workers would have to read their placement in the rotation on the break-room dry-erase board in order to know what their jobs would be for the day.
That being said, practically everything is considered a safety violation on Dragon Challenge. It was probably what ended up causing the high-turn-over rate, as many employees would often miss small objects such as phones, sunglasses, and purses, as well as less common items such as prosthetic legs and casts. A lot of the time, guests would even try to hide safety issues so that they would not have to walk to the front of the line to store their loose objects in a locker, which would ultimately result in either an argument with the ride attendant or a missed violation that would earn the attendant a talk from his/her supervisor or some negative consequence. This definitely cultivated a sense of "Us vs Them" culture among employees when faced with oppositional guests. Being able to identify a guest with a potential safety violation, communicate to them what the problem is while sticking to the script, and still keep them happy is one of the major driving literacy practices of Universal Studios.
One of the biggest over-arching aspects that lent to the culture of Dragon Challenge, however, is the ride’s repurposing from its previous version known as Dueling Dragons. Many guests still refer to it by its predecessor’s name, but are oftentimes met with a roll of the eyes and a quick correction from employees. I was often asked by guests why the ride had been rebranded, and how come the dragons no longer “duel” but Universal did not allow me to divulge the information, which began to brew as a bit of an urban legend among Dragon Challenge employees. We would normally tell guests anyway, because the story was pretty gory but often met with good humor from guests who thought they were getting the special treatment. This passing along of a legend orally could be considered a literary practice as well.
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Post by george on May 17, 2016 17:13:05 GMT
Share interesting findings or impressions from the settings you observed. You can talk about the literacy practices you saw, how those practices were laminated together with other actions or behavior, how rules are communicated/followed, and so forth. You'll find that there is much left unsaid in specialized settings. See if you can identify some of the important shared understandings that people need to function in the environment you select. Your posts don't have to be lengthy.
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linda
New Member
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Post by linda on May 17, 2016 19:33:56 GMT
I would like to share how to get on a military base. There are many moving parts and if you mistakenly omit one, you are turned around and sent back. First you drive up to the entrance where a military police officer will stare you down as you slowly come to a stop before him/her. You are greeted with a 'hello' or 'good morning' but they are waiting for you to do something and they don't ask, you are expected to hand over your military ID card-the first test. If you have forgotten it or it is expired or...you are sent around and away. This is done in a serious manner or you can be sent away, and being sent away is a problem as many people trying to get on base not only work there, but also could live on them or go to schools located on bases. If you are bringing a guest on base that doesn't have a military ID, they will need a picture ID. If they are driving, you will be sent to a Visitor's Center, where they will need to produce their driver's license, car registration and proof of insurance as well as information on their sponsor, the military member taking responsibility for them on the base. If they don't have any of these items (you'd be surprised how many relatives visiting us forgot one of these items and couldn't get on base with their car) they are not permitted on base. You agree to a search for any reason and any time while you are on a US military installation and there are big signs saying so as you drive up. They mean it. I have been 'asked' numerous times if I would mind participating in a military dog drug training exercise. It is not a question, if you decline you are turned around and denied entry. You then pull over to the side of the road, are asked to open all doors, the trunk and the hood and another officer hides a sock of something that smells like drugs (?) in your car and then produces the dog in training. If you arrive at 6 am or 5pm, you need to know that the base 'voice' will begin playing the star spangled banner and you must get out of your car and stand at attention. Not aware of a training manual for all of this, it is picked up by observing and living the military life.
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Post by Jennifer Todd on May 17, 2016 23:54:29 GMT
So tonight, I get home from a long day of classes, work, taking my dog to the vet, etc. I fix myself dinner and turn the TV on to the Food Network. I've decided I'm done with school stuff for the day and I'm just going to relax for the evening. Ten minutes into Chopped, I start thinking about the literacy practices in the kitchen. Welp, I guess my brain wasn't done with school after all. I think you can find many obvious literacy practices, such as reading a recipe or following directions on a box, and some less obvious, like knowing the symbols of measurement. I'm sure there are many more and I think that is something I might explore on Tuesday. I'm thinking I might make a meal or "teach" someone how to make a meal, and write all of the literacy practices I use (or can think of). As a side note, I think cooking is a really neat tool to engage in literacy because, in my opinion, everyone needs to learn how to feed themselves and everyone love to eat.  |
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Post by tom56omara on May 18, 2016 18:22:53 GMT
I think observing a kitchen of a restaurant is really beneficial to learning literacy practices. I just wanted to point out that the movie "Chef" starring Jon Favreau is a great movie that portrays many hilarious examples of literacy and communication within a kitchen. Another area that has its own literacy practice that I am familiar with is the backroom of a grocery store. Obviously their are many terms for things such as, "Float" or "Bird". a float is what you put products on and put them on the shelves. a Bird is a huge shelf that is on wheels. Other than words and communication, you also need to know the norms of working in the backroom of a grocery store. For example, never leave a wet spill unattended. this could cause someone to get hurt. also always keep areas clean and organized. to the naked eye some grocery clerks might seem tough or hard working, but they are actually very efficient individuals who work in a clean and professional area. Although the cursing and joking might get out of hand sometimes.
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Post by ericalharris on May 18, 2016 23:51:16 GMT
I'd like to share about literacy practices when checking in for a professional conference (at least in School Psychology). Once you enter the hotel lobby, you will need to look for signs that point you in the direction of the conference check-in. You are expected to see these signs on your own and only ask for help if you truly cannot find them. Once you have followed the signs and found the check in room/ desk/ area, there will be signs in front of people sitting at tables that say things like A-F, G-P, S-Z. You are supposed to realize that these correspond to the first letter of your last name, and go to the appropriate table. You are to wait in line behind other people whose last names start with the same letter as yours. When you reach the front of the line, you are supposed to tell the person sitting on the other side of the table your last name almost immediately. You may say hello or some other pleasantry, but you must quickly identify yourself by your last name, and then say your first name. Once the person finds your name, they will print out a little piece of paper with your first name in big letters and your full name and city of residence in smaller letters underneath, as well as the association logo. The check-in person will put the little printed card in a card holder on a lanyard and you are expected to put it around your neck. They will then hand you a bag with a conference program, hotel map, and an assortment of free promotional items in it. It is acceptable to ask simple questions at this point, such as the location of certain things in the hotel or the starting times of certain events. If you ask a question that is too complicated or would take too long to answer, the employee will give you directions to an information booth where you are supposed to ask those types of questions. Once all your simple questions have been answered you are expected to say thank you and walk away. You are expected to be polite at all times and respect the people in line behind you by making the interaction as short as possible. Once you have said thank you and walked away from the table, you are to leave the room. You have successfully checked in.
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Post by bdelisi on May 19, 2016 1:13:27 GMT
The first time I worked on a cash register was a completely new literacy practice for me. I remember when I first looked at the screen there were way too many different buttons, all with words that I understood, but when I pushed on one it lead to a screen with a different set of options and it was so overwhelming. It took a lot of guidance from my manager and practice with her telling me which button to select and me following along with her before I was able to pick up on the cash register lingo and process. I still to this day sometimes have trouble figuring out what to do on the cash register when customers present with a new problem or out system or policies are updated and I have been with the same company working on the cash wrap for three years! It just goes to show you that even though you may have had a lot of practice and experience in one area, it is always a learning process.
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Post by delilah on May 19, 2016 18:14:57 GMT
Working in the restaurant industry as a hostess, the literacy practices are very specific and have little lee ways to our behaviors. As I greet a guest, it is obvious that if I fail to make eye contact immediately, they tend to not come forward and attempt to be placed on the wait as they aren't certain of what to do without my eyes signaling them to come forward. Once they have walked up i have to start the conversing with asking them how they are and how many people are in their group. It is not norm to start random conversations at that point but to tell them their wait time and hand them a pager. It is a very monotonous procedure. It is of course expected to keep a smile on your face and regularly apologize for any possible inconveniences. When it is time to page the costumer and seat them at their table it is again customary to say hi again and often start conversation about anything possible on the way to the table, maybe ask on hat occasion they are going out to eat. The literacy practices regularly observed would be the discourse between the customary and employees, each other, and them reading the menus. It is expected that the customary understand that they are there to eat food and are obviously meant to be hungry. we expect that they know how to read a menu and of course are not vegetarian at a steakhouse. It is also understood that they are expected to exchange words with several employees throughout their visit and should respond respectfully as the employees must also behave the same. Generally the conversation is expected to be short and the customers go out to eat to talk to their friends and family, not the employees so the discourse is meant to be kept short. The employees also are expected to come off very respectful and no matter the age use ma'am and sir for the guests, while we are also expected to use a very formal form of discourse as another gesture of respect and maturity in the environment. Upon the customers exiting the building, it is common to hold doors open for the elderly ot disabled, and we must say goodbye, thank you, and have a great day/night, as again we must be kind and engaging.
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Post by carolinebyrnes on May 20, 2016 15:19:45 GMT
All throughout undergrad I worked at a lesser known fast food restaurant called Salad Creations ( it is like subway but for salads). Many of our guests had never been to our restaurant before but many of them activated prior knowledge ( of similar restaurants) when ordering their food. When making the customers food you have to be able to multitask ( talk to them and make their food). Engaging in discussion allows our guests to feel welcomed and part of our Salad Creations home. The ordering process employees a lot of discussion as well because the guests tell the chef every ingredient they want to include in their salad. There is also a particular lingo used in the fast food industry ( one at the end of four years I spoke fluently). It was interesting to see new coworkers try to pick up on the lingo; they all struggled at first but eventually they picked it up. Also learning about the menu and what goes into each salad takes both time and practice. Eventually with practice you are able to do all things fluently. When a guest comes in you are able to greet them, have conversation with them and make their food ( all of which includes literacy practices).
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Post by Sarah Navarro on May 20, 2016 18:05:01 GMT
I really like all this emphasis on the food industry. It's not something that you would normally think of when you first think of literacy practices, but it still relies heavily on it. Jennifer made some great points when talking about the literacy required of the cooks in Chopped. I love watching cooking shows (Chopped and Cutthroat Kitchen are too good) but never fully noticed how specific their vocabularies can get. I always found it pretty funny when they would turn their junk-food ingredients into something fancy, like a "leftover pizza crostini with a gummy bear and white wine au jus." It's like you don't really realize how in-depth they get with naming conventions until you step back and watch it objectively.
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Post by ariellegetz on May 21, 2016 1:08:52 GMT
I have spent a lot of time on military bases so I thought I would add to Linda's observations a little. On base there are a lot of shared understandings, for example pay day is the 1st and the 15th so it's pretty much guaranteed that the Commissary will be packed. It's always easy to tell who is newer to the military base life because the people who have more experience know to avoid grocery shopping on those days while the less experienced people are "outsiders" when it comes to that piece of wisdom. Another thing that families have to be aware of are the base-specific rules. Bases have their own speed limits and police officers (Military Police, or MP's) and if a dependent breaks a rule on base the consequences can have a more detrimental effect on the service member. In order to be a responsible member of the community one has to be aware of the rules and respect them. A rule that I was always aware of growing up was the curfew for younger kids. When I lived in Fort Polk, Louisiana we were on a base that was in the middle of nowhere. The base was surrounded by a fence that went pretty deep into the woods, but as long as we stayed within bounds we were free to roam the base until 8pm. Posted at the parks and around the woods there would be signs stating the curfew and rules concerning the fence we might see if we wandered far enough. If someone was not used to life on a base they may feel stifled or confused by all the postings and regulations. However, those literacy practices guaranteed that the rules were understood and followed, and it definitely helped to know the rules when there were on-base emergencies.
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Post by jessicadiazr on May 22, 2016 4:14:57 GMT
I work as an after-school care counselor. At the beginning of the week our boss always puts out a colored sheet describing what we are doing with the children that week, a chart of who is in and out for each day of the week, and a reminder of the basic rules of the job. It is understood that the sheet of paper is the first thing that we pick up every Monday afternoon so we are all informed of everything important for the week without having to ask him. With that sheet we know if we have to plan special activities with our group (eg. for Earth Day we had to plan an activity for our groups). That way we can have an organized work day and organized activities. By following the attendance chart we know if we have to attend to pick up a different group other than the one we usually pick up when the bell rings. That way the group of the counselor that is absent is not left unattended. Even re-reading the same basic rules in their entirety is important because we are reminded each week of them. For example, if we don't read them, there is a chance that we might forget to write in our discipline logs in the hustle and bustle of a normal day. If we don't appropriately document (with detail on every aspect) a disciplinary incident and a parent decides to talk to us about it, we have no documentation to further explain the issue to them. This could cause problems, especially with really confrontational parents. Even something that might seem small such as writing in a discipline log is extremely important. Having the rules to re-read every week helps us help ourselves later on. Reading the sheet in it's entirety is crucial for our team of counselors to work together more seamlessly as it allows all of us to be on the same page. In this way we are not preoccupied with basic concerns and can focus our attention on the children we are taking care of and what can be done to benefit them while they are in the after-school care program.
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Post by Tiffani on May 22, 2016 13:50:05 GMT
I can relate to Jessica's post quite a bit! When working within a business it is very important to learn the "culture" of that business, or in other words the "ins and outs" of the business in order to make a meaningful and effective contribution to the team. I've worked within a number of very different jobs that have allowed me to become an "insider" to that business. Some individuals may think that because they are the customer or consumer of a business they are considered an insider, but that couldn't be more wrong! I will expand on this later. Another interesting tidbit of knowledge I've gained from working at varying businesses is understanding that certain duties and job protocols are what make some businesses successful, no matter how minimal and unimportant the task ay seem to an "outsider." A few examples of this come from my experience working at a tanning salon. From what we've discussed in class so far, many of you may be able to guess that a tanning salon has an entire culture and way of operating that an outsider may never have considered. At the tanning salon, we too are expected to look over a list of tasks that need to be taken care of at the beginning of the day, as well as throughout the day, and at closing of business. It is important to read this list every morning, because otherwise there is a chance that something vital to a smoothly running tanning salon can be forgotten. Things many people would never even know existed if they weren't apart of the business! Super insider/ outsider stuff going on right there. Let me give you some examples of this! Each morning at the tanning salon, before even opening the business, it is a must that we go through each tanning room and turn on all of the "amenities" in that room (e.g. lights, the radio, fans, etc.). You may think that forgetting to turn a fan on in a tanning room isn't that big of a deal, but it is a huge deal. It's the difference between a customer comfortably tanning and a customer struggling to make it through the session because they are so uncomfortable and hot. This also plays a huge role in the customer's health. It is dangerous it forget to turn these fans on because a customer can overheat, etc. and this has the potential of causing some pretty dangerous health related issues for clients. We must also place a cold towel in the room, and remember to change this towel out after each customer. Silly enough as it sounds, this amenity is very important to the client and their comfort, and if you forget to put a cold towel in their room, there is a chance of them actually getting mad! And that means no tip for you! We also have a certain way of speaking to the clients. Simple statements are carefully thought out in order for the client to have the best experience that we can provide. For example, it is literally the law for customers to bring their tanning "eyewear" to the salon. If we don't check to see if the customer has their eyewear before they tan, we as a business can get in trouble with the law. Also, we can't just ask the client if they have their eyewear. What if the client says yes, but they are lying? We need to actually see the eyewear, so we ask "May I see your eyewear?" We don't ask "Do you have your eyewear?" Because in that instance, there is no way to check and see if the customer is telling the truth and it is a definite no to reply to a customers "yes I have my eyewear" with a "Okay, well can I see it?" Because you are then possibly accusing the customer of lying. Just the simple way that we ask certain questions need to be worded in a particular way for things to run smoothly, as well as to keep the experience a good one for the client.
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Post by ataylor617 on May 23, 2016 5:40:30 GMT
I've noticed that there are a lot unspoken literacies that occur when playing pick-up sports at FSU. I play a lot of soccer in my free time at the Old IM fields and this past week I tried to observe what literacy practices were taking place there. The first practice that I have noticed was that no one arrived to the field before 6. Players usually arrive just after 6 and begin to start games. The students who come to play are consistent and usually understand how things work. There are very few outsiders. Most people who come to play know each other or recognize each other's faces at the least. When games start, picking teams is usually a simple matter of teaming up with the people next to you. There are some unspoken rules that most insiders understand. There are no out of bounds on the side of the field, but there are when the ball goes behind the goal. Players typically avoid calling fouls so the games get pretty rough. If players show up late they typically jump in with a team that has less players or with the team that is losing. One of the more obvious literacy practices is the way the game is actually played. Since pick-up soccer is usually spontaneous there is no opportunity to practice so it's much easier for an insider to play pick-up soccer. Players play with certain assumptions about how other players pass, move, and shoot.
The biggest misunderstandings between insiders and outsiders occur over rules and assigning teams. Novice players and those who are new to the IM fields are often frustrated with the lack of bounds and the lack of called fouls. Fouls are usually only called if a player is knocked down. New players tend to grasp this pretty quickly however and adjust to the nature of the game. New players experience some discomfort when trying to assign themselves to teams. There tends to be a feeling of awkwardness as they try to jump into a game or find a team. The literacy practices of the skills involved are really what separate insiders and outsiders. It's easy to spot when someone is not quite sure about how to play soccer, but only due to the reactions of those who do. Typically those who are on the outside have no idea that they are violating insider knowledge.
One literacy practice I still do not understand is deciding when the game ends. People usually get tired, but sometimes the game just ends. Students usually play for about two hours and then go home. I do not know why two hours has become the norm, but games usually just end all at once. Like Linda, I really think that you can only learn about this context by observing and experiencing it firsthand.
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