Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with class

Yoga teacher training ashram in India?

hasna — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:15:58 -0800

Looking for a reputable, non-commercial Yoga teacher training ashram in India. Any suggestions? Posting for a friend:

I am looking for any suggestion for a good yoga teacher training ashram in India that is more traditional and authentic. I am a 25 year old female, so I would like it to be safe. But anywhere I look online has been commercialized and I want to be away from that.

I would prefer to be up north but somewhere off the beaten path, hidden away but still reputable training. I prefer a yoga training in traditional hatha or even some astranga is OK. I have not been through any training for teaching before but I have been practicing yoga for 4 years of all different lineages. If anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate the direction.

I would like to go anytime between February to April, so the course can last from a few weeks to 3 months. My price is a little thrifty but $1500 (excluding flight) is the most I can pay. I understand that it might be a stretch to ask if any of these places are certified by Yoga Alliance, maybe even an oxymoron but it would be a bonus since I will be going back to the States eventually.

Thanks in advance, Mefites!

Help her tell her story

shothotbot — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:11:34 -0800

What is a good screenwriting class in NYC? Mrs. HotBot has extensive storytelling experience (edited major comic books, done TV production work) and wants to write some screenplays. I think the thing she most wants is the structure of having to write on a weekly deadline. What are some good screenwriting classes in NYC? If I can sign her up as a Christmas present, all the better.

Who will educate the educators [Writing Class Ideas]?

eytanb — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:22:18 -0800

I have 2 hours to lecture to a bunch of 18 year-olds how to write well. The bulk of their work-load will be somewhere along the lines of position papers, research papers and summaries of conferences. How do I keep them glued to their chairs? More info in explanation. I have a pretty senior research and writing position where I work, with my work ranging from position papers to industry updates and as far as speech-writing. Due to my experience and the fact that I, unlike many of the other researchers in the company, am not reduced to a quivering blob of terror when exposed to larger social settings, I have been asked to give a two hour intro lecture on writing to the fresh-blood - a bunch of post-high school kids joining our ranks.

I would like to focus less on how to throw together a bibliography or how to research a topic and more on the conceptual idea of structuring a paper and other techniques which could prove valuable. I don't want to be boring though. The hive mind clearly has experience in writing and so I turn to you educated folk - what is the most important thing you know about writing non-fiction? What could I throw into a class on writing in order to save me from the fate of being relegated to the boring, monotonic teacher (Bueler? Bueler?)?

Short passages of particularly strong or weak nonfiction prose?

cymru_j — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:04:34 -0800

In search of short passages of especially strong or weak nonfiction prose! I’m hoping to build a composition class around short examples of effective and in effective writing. I'm thinking of passages of about 1-6 sentences.

We'll look at excerpted passages as a class and analyze what makes them more or less effective. Maybe we'll even try rewriting them in various ways to note the effect.

Passages from well-loved (or well-hated) prose stylists are very welcome, but bonus points for writing whose quality seems surprising or out of context, i.e. poor writing where one might expect strong (from a respected magazine, author, columnist) or good prose that pops up in off-beat venues (blogs, advertising copy, tabloids, etc.).

Any comments on why said prose is effective or ineffective are also welcome.

Thanks very much, guys!

How do you cook Japanese?

johanze — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:23:56 -0800

Cooking classes in Tokyo in October. I'm off to Tokyo (and Kyoto) for a break from the 16th of October for a week. I don't mind me a bit of cooking, and would love to attend a cooking class while I'm there. What I'd love even more is a class that took in a trip to a local market to get produce, and then back to the kitchen to cook up a feast. Does anyone know of a Gaijin friendly class at all?

You've got to be carefully taught

pseudostrabismus — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:55:36 -0800

A friend is teaching a "Multicultural Education and Identity" class in a high-school setting, and asked me for advice, so I'm asking you, hive. I would like a broad spectrum of anti-discrimination educational resources and materials, for ages 12-adult. Interested particularly in racism, classism, able-ism, and privilege. My friend wants to spice up lectures with visuals, videos, articles, and other supplementary materials. He's looking for a variety of stuff, including, but not limited to, the following:

Some sample topics:
- respectful discussions of privilege
- helpful ideas for privileged people to navigate the world fairly
- ideas for PoC and whites to address racism in real life
- internalized racism, beauty standards, etc.
- reverse racism and whether or not it exists
- racist tropes in pop culture, media bias, etc.
- clear & engaging definitions of key terms and supporting statistics

Ideal Materials could include anything, really: blog posts, articles, essays, YouTube videos, songs, short films, art, visuals, quizzes, interactive activities, stand-up comedy, whatever.

Tone:

- Would really prefer to avoid snark and condescension. Sites like Derailing for Dummies, for instance, have fantastic information, and are fun for PoC to read, but tend to alienate the very people they intend to educate. I absolutely understand how frustrating these issues can be (first hand... believe me) but ideally we'd want these materials to be inclusive, not accusatory.

- On the other hand, we would love stuff like The Deal With Disability, which was recently featured on the blue. Eva's a tiny bit snarky, yes, but her humour and her very unusual vantage point more than make up for it. So I guess SOME snark is okay, if it's thought-provoking rather than abrasive.

Other resources I think would be great, to give more examples:
Chris Rock's "Good Hair"
Kiri Davis' "A Girl Like Me"
"A Class Divided"
Peggy MacIntosh's "Invisible Knapsack"
the Harvard Implicit Association quizzes
Heidi the Sugarmonster's article about why she chose to have weight-loss surgery
Even small doses of pop culture phenoms like Borat and Russell Peters, who sometimes cross the line but could still provide good seeds for discussion.

... More, like those would be really helpful. Thanks in advance!

Help me stay awake!

Anonymous — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:54:58 -0800

I'm starting college tomorrow, and I have a problem. If I have to sit through a long talk (class, lecture, church, doesn't matter what) I'll start falling asleep. It usually happens around ten minutes into it, regardless of how much sleep I've had the night before. I've tried going to bed earlier, sleeping longer, pinching myself and drinking water through classes. I don't drink caffeine in the morning, so I know it's not a crash. This tiredness only lasts as long as the class does; as soon as it's over, I regain full alertness and it's as if I was never tired at all. I had this problem my last two years in Highschool and did very poorly because of it. My notes would end up a scribbled mess because I would be desperately trying to stay awake the entire class (note: this isn't just limited to things I find boring.) It damaged my relationship with the teachers because they thought I was just staying up all night, when in reality I would sleep anywhere from 8-12 (I know sleeping too long is just as bad, but at the time I assumed it would help) hours and was trying everything in the book to fix things.

I took a year off, and I thought that it had fixed itself, but I went to a few orientation sessions and low and behold, the problem is still here.

I'd really, really like to know how to get over this so I don't end up failing and having a poor relationship with my professors because I can't stay awake.

I should add that it isn't just instant falling asleep; it's a constant struggle with halfway falling asleep while trying to take notes, feeling my eyes closing, looking sharply in one direction to try to jolt myself awake, trying to stay awake but thinking random thoughts/attempting to say/experiencing things that indicate I'm falling asleep and having a dream. (I don't say anything out loud.) It never feels like full-on sleep to me, but when the class is over and I look down at my notes and the teacher comments I can tell it's at least akin to it.

Hopefully I've been descriptive enough here.

Anonymous because I don't want anyone to know I've been falling asleep during the mock-classes, and it's a sensitive issue regardless.

Attending a Seminar 101

Mach5 — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:38:22 -0800

I need to pick a seminar/conference/class/training/whatever for work to attend within the next 6 months or so, I have until 10PM to choose, and I have no idea where or what the cool stuff is. It should be at least tangentially related to my job as a Unix Systems Engineer/Python Guy, and preferably within the Northeast (NYC is where I'm located), although feel free to recommend anywhere in the US. I'm a django/python coder, but mainly a linux engineer. I'd like anything that is cool and interesting, a la DEFCON/HOPE/etc. It can be anything related to python, linux, AIX (ugh), solaris, high performance computing, clusters, networking, security, etc.

So, metafilter, what do ya got for me? Be forewarned that I fall asleep easily when I am bored, so I need something at least halfway interesting, that will also improve my skills.

Canadian Mutual Fund Filter: Funds Ending in Class

jules1651 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:42:35 -0800

When a Canadian mutual fund ends in the word class, eg the AGF Canadian Stock Class, how is that fund different to ones that end in fund, such as the AGF Canadian Stock Fund? Are they different funds? Acuity Short Term Income Class is an example of a "class" fund where there isn't also a "fund" fund offered.

I Would Be a Member of Any Club...

drjimmy11 — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:34:57 -0800

What group/club/organization can I join on L.A.'s eastside? Film-related is a plus. I'm looking for something, but I don't know exactly what. I'm trying to solve two problems:

1) I feel kind of adrift in my film career. I have made a few short films at an almost-professional level but am yet to make any money at it and still have a dayjob. I've always had issues finding collaborators and am frustrated by the fact that I didn't really meet many people I'd want to work with again on my last project. I want to meet like-minded people to collaborate with, but I really haven't. For the sake of this question let's assume I am not a total clown and have enough ability as a writer and director that i wouldn't be laughed out of a room of professionals or talented amateurs. I'm just not sure exactly what I should be doing next.

2) I moved to the eastside (Silver Lake) two years ago and I really haven't made many friends over here. I have an existing, westside-based group of friends, but I spend a lot of time alone because they often aren't interested in the same things as me. Also, getting back and forth across town is a hassle.

So in an ideal world I would find some kind of film collective- people who were interested in working together to make cool, low-budget indie film type things. In addition, it would provide a peer group who I could talk about film-nerd stuff with. The closest thing I'm aware of is the Echo Park Film center, but they only offer one class longer than one day, and it's in documentary filmmaking, which I am not especially interested in.

I definitely have a lot to learn, but I'm not interested in beginner classes like those offered at a community college at this point. And in an ideal world I would find more like an ongoing club or society than a class.

Even if it doesn't have to do with film, I would love to find any kind of likeminded group of people on the eastside with whom i could share some or all of the following:

1) literature
2) hiking/outdoor stuff
3) good music
4) Even if they're not filmmakers, people who are interested in good movies- more like the Agnes Varda double feature I saw Sat. and less like, say, Transformers II
5) writing, screen or prose
6) still photography
7) Anything else I haven't thought of where I might interact with creative, open-minded people

Just a few more notes:
1) I have tried and failed to start something on my own before, a writer's group. I found it exhausting to maintain on my own and I really wasn't able to grow it how I wanted, and eventually it fell apart.

2) I am mainly looking for specific things I can join on L.A.'s eastside. General suggestions like "join a club" or "volunteer for something" aren't that helpful because I have tried and I am struggling to find the right thing for me.

3) i work a dayjob and am gone from home 7am - 6pm every weekday. this rules out things that take place on weekdays, like tutoring at 826LA in Echo Park, which i would love to do otherwise.

thanks!!

A "top" school district-- how important?

Bardolph — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:11:26 -0800

Public education filter: if you went to school in a good district, a not-so-great district, or an in-between district, how did it affect the quality of your education and your success later in life? The husband and I have been having a debate (not entirely academic, since we're in the process of moving) about the importance of school quality in producing a well-educated and successful child.

He was educated in one of the top-rated districts in the state, with lots of money and mostly professional families; I went to school in a middling-to-slightly-subpar semi-rural district, with mostly blue-collar families. We both excelled in school and got into the same Ivy League university, both did well there, and I consider us approximately equally well-equipped by our respective educations. Naturally, he places a lot of stock in the importance of "good" schools, while I'm more skeptical, assuming we're not talking about absolutely abysmal schools (violence, rampant crime, etc).

He feels that since good school districts are better funded, can afford better teachers, more enrichment activities, more varied coursework, and better facilities, that must make a difference in kids' education.

I contend that a bright kid with involved parents will do most of his/her learning outside the classroom anyway-- if you're reading interesting books and having intelligent family discussions and taking the odd university class, then why does it matter whether your classroom has a SmartBoard or your school sponsors field trips to Europe? In addition, I worry about the small-fish/big-pond effect of attending a district where all the students are super-successful and motivated; I knew a professor, for instance, whose daughter got into no top colleges despite having an awesome GPA and activities at one of the most prestigious private schools in the nation, simply because all her classmates were equally successful and there wasn't any way to distinguish herself from the pack.

Finally, maybe I've just watched too many showings of Traffic and My Super-sweet 16, but I wonder about the character issues associated with wealthier, high-achieving communities. Poor communities have their problems too, but it seems as though it'd be easier for a nice middle-class kid to get sucked into materialism/cliquishness/shallow hypersexuality/whitecollar drugs than meth use or cow-tipping, or whatever.

By way of broadening our knowledge-base, I'd love some additional perspectives on this (some useful answers here, but that question focused on private v. public school). Did you love or hate your good (or bad) public-school experience? What factors really do make a difference in the quality of education a public school district provides?

You can go to school, but you can't buy class

paperlanterns — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:56:43 -0800

I am interested in who/what/where of people with money that act with class. I saw posts for classy behavior, but I am curious about examples of people or groups that have a lot of money, but act with class. I guess it depends on how you define class. I can tell you what I don't think is classy, in my opinion. People who have a lot of money but are dripping head to toe with obvious name brands screaming at you (Chanel bag, Ed Hardy shirt).

I am also interested in stereotypes of groups considered classy or non-classy. For instance (and I could be wrong), the NY Times had this article on the Real Housewives of New Jersey yesterday. I've heard a lot of Italian-American groups who do not like the portrayal of "Italians with money" on TV (RHoNJ, Sopranos) b/c the general ppublic does not consider them to be classy.

For instance, is the stereotype of the Persians of Los Angeles considered classy? Or are they known to be only people who throw up the Persian palaces? How about rich Jewish people in New York? Chaldeans in California and Michigan?

Any examples of people in those groups with classy or non-classy behavior would be greatly appreciated. Apologies if this is chat-filter. I am just trying to get a sense of what gives certain groups that have money certain stereotypes.

What topics should be covered in a "new media" class for journalists?

Lownotes — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:22:12 -0800

What topics should be covered in a "new media" class for journalists? I am putting together a class on "new media" for journalism students at the university level.

I am a journalist with lots of experience in the field of convergent/Web 2.0/new media - and that's why I'm asking the hive mind to help.

This class will be a companion to The History of Journalism, and will probably be listed as The Future of Journalism.

It will be for journalism students who have already covered all the basics - AP stylebook, ledes, nut grafs, interviewing, writing and so on.

If you were to teach or take a class like this, what do you think should be the topics covered?

Feel free to go into great detail and include links - also, if this turns out well, I'll showcase to students how I used AskMeFi to help create the class.

Where can Mrs. Jones find a good pattern making class in the greatern NYCity metro area?

IndigoJones — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:06:27 -0800

Where can Mrs. Jones find a good pattern making class in the greatern NYCity metro area? She can sew, and well at that, and wishes to make her own clothing, despairs of most of what is out there either in patterns or on the wrack. The ideal course would be under a semester and not seriously expensive. But of course life is never ideal. Anyway, thoughts and anecdotes, recommendations and warnings of any kind would be most gratefully appreciated.

She would do the same for you.

How to inform college about high school class change?

alitorbati — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:37:12 -0800

As a high school senior, how should I inform the colleges that I applied to (UCs and CSUs) that I changed a class in my second semester? When I applied I was required to list the courses I've taken throughout high school and the courses I planned to take in my final semester. I listed the classes that I thought I would be taking, but when second semester began I changed one of my classes. How should I inform the schools of this change? How should I explain the change? Should I email each school individually? Is there any specific info I should include in the email?

Those who can't do... teach online.

grumblebee — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:23:30 -0800

I would like to teach one-on-one computer classes from home (over the Internet). What's the state-of-the-art re: live screen casting? Yes, I know nothing beats being in a room with a real teacher, but I'd like to give this a try. I have 20 years of teaching experience. I teach design and programming topics. I've been waiting for the time when I can say, "You live in California and I live in NYC, but I can still teach you Actionscript programming..."

Years ago, when I first wanted to do this, the tech wasn't ready. I have a feeling it is now. Am I right? Is it finally achievable for me to share my screen in close-to-real time with another Broadband user?

How much would this cost? How could I make it easy for the other person to set up, etc.?

I own a Mac, but I'd like to teach both Mac and PC people.

PS. I know I could make video tutorials, but that space is glutted. I'd prefer to offer live training in which my student could ask questions, etc.

J'ai ce yoga à faire, Montréal

asuprenant — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:31:59 -0800

What are some great yoga classes in Montreal? I'm visiting Montreal for about ten days (again) and am looking for recommendations of great yoga classes. Have any?

Some details about what I might be looking for:

- I have no strong stylistic preferences, though I gravitate to slower, deeper classes like hatha rather than quicker/hotter vinayasa/Bikram classes.

- With that, my usual approach is "take the instructor, not the class." I tend to connect with solid, stable, kind teachers who are well-grounded in the physical, spiritual, psychological, and social practices. Intelligence, wisdom, and humor are always good.

- I've been practicing regularly for five years but occasionally enjoy reviewing basics.

- Instruction in either English and French is fine.

- Available props - especially good mats - are definitely a plus. Ditto community.

- Studios in or around the Plateau or close to public transportation will be most convenient.

Thanks!!

How to deal with an intimidating professor?

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:03:29 -0800

My professor’s intimidating, confrontational style makes the classroom atmosphere difficult to tolerate. I can't drop the class or switch sections. What should I do? I’m in an advanced-level business class. The students are all seniors, post-bacs and graduate students, but the professor treats us as if we were a bunch of insubordinate kids in need of discipline. He doesn’t do this all the time, but it’s frequent enough that I’ve started to dread the class.

The class runs for two hours, and we are not given any breaks. If someone leaves their seat to go to the restroom, he will occasionally pause the lecture to interrogate them, ask where they’re going, or insist that they’re going to miss the best part of the lecture in the five minutes that they’re gone. Sometimes he laughs and tries to pass this sort of thing off as a joke, but very few (if any) of us find it funny.

When students ask questions, he often interrupts them or cuts them off before they’ve even finished articulating their questions. If they give an incorrect answer to a question he poses, he often chews them out for it, even if they can demonstrate verbally that they’ve read the assigned material and understood the concepts. At this point the only students who speak up voluntarily anymore seem to be the most thick-skinned ones. I’m not very thick-skinned, so I remain silent in class unless he calls on me directly. Sooner or later, though, he’ll probably put me on the spot and challenge me to explain why I’m so damn quiet all the time. (He’s already done that to another student).

He picks on people mercilessly. This week, for example, he loudly berated a student for not being able to answer the professor’s question:

Professor (pointing at student, after describing a long scenario): What’s the answer?

Student: Uh, I’m not sure. I was a bit distracted. I missed some of the details.

Professor (aggressively): WHY? Why aren’t you paying attention? What were you doing? What’s the matter? Don’t you take this class seriously?

Student (meekly): I’m sorry. I was reading something for a moment.

Professor: If you’re not going to pay attention and take this class seriously, then get the hell out of my class! Either you get on the ball, or you get your ass out of here!

Student (embarrassed): I’m sorry, Professor. I got it. I’m taking it seriously from now on.

At that point a couple of the students gave each other quizzical looks of disbelief, as if to say “What IS this, anyway? Reform school? The military?”

I felt sorry for the student he confronted, and wanted to stand up for him, but I feared that the professor would turn his wrath on me. If the professor ever does try to humiliate me like that, I doubt I’ll be able to endure it. I’ll probably just get up and walk out. I almost walked out today in protest of his treatment of a fellow student, but I knew I’d pay a high price if I did so, and I need this class to graduate.

Two weeks into the term, and already I dread going to class (which is very unusual for me; I love school, and my other classes are great). It’s a required class, and my class schedule is set in stone through my graduation date this summer, so I can’t drop it. There are no other sections available, so I can’t switch to a different instructor. I’m stuck with him until the end of the term.

What should I do? Is there anything that can be done, short of confronting him directly, to get him to ease up or treat the students more respectfully? I don’t want to confront him, because I fear he might hold it against me at grading time, or even try to humiliate me in front of the class and then claim it was “all in fun”.

Would this sort of behavior be considered harassment? He's never threatened or sexually harassed anyone, to the best of my knowledge. Should I document all the individual incidents in the classroom, and take my complaint to the university ombuds office? He's a visiting professor from another university; would this make a difference? Should I complain to the department head, and suggest that they confront him?

Advice, encouragement, suggestions, coping strategies, personal experiences – all are welcome. Thank you!

Throwaway e-mail: merciless.professor at gmail.

Does anyone have a bobbin I can borrow?

ginagina — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:22:27 -0800

What tools should I bring to my first sewing class? I'm enrolled in an adult learning "Sewing 101" class at a community college. The description says to bring your sewing machine on the first day of class and that no materials are included.

I'd hate to be that kid in class who always had to borrow a pen. What are the essentials that I bring on a first class? I've got the machine, but what else should I bring? Scissors, thread...what else?

Thanks for your help!

I'm looking to take a screenprinting class in NYC.

Optimus Chyme — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:57:07 -0800

I'm looking to take a screenprinting class in NYC. Weekends any time or weekdays after 6:00. Manhattan is preferred, B/Q/Bx okay. Most of my Googling turns up screen printing companies, not classes/institutions. I've looked at places like BMCC and NYAA, with no results. Any suggestions?

Where is class gonna be?

soelo — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:21:00 -0800

Who decides when and where (and which) classes will be held in a typical public, American University? I am frustrated with many aspects of my University's class schedule and have been for years. I want to know more about the typical process for assembling this schedule, specifically when multiple campuses are involved. It's a state school, but not the Big One.

There are whole departments that never hold a single class on my campus (we have 3 different ones). I have been asking around and emailing various people but I have not had any luck in getting answers as to why, and how I can get this changed.

I have been working with the Student Senate, who put me in touch with a Campus Rep. She has not been very forthcoming, and told me I must go to the other campuses. I have told my teachers that I appreciate them holding class on my campus.

Is my adviser the person to ask? Each department head? The Office of the President?

Thanks

Activities to enliven a graduate level class discussion on disability issues?

chr1sb0y — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:22:23 -0800

What are some interesting "activities" I could use to enliven a graduate level class discussion about disability issues? Or general suggestions to enliven a graduate level class where a partner and I have to lead the discussion on this topic... I am not looking for "tie a blindfold on one person, have another person wear earplugs, and then have them try to do certain tasks" - i would consider those more appropriate for grade school, high school or college. This is a graduate level class (school of ed, generally rigorous) about "race, class, gender, and disability" issues, so we're past the basics.

Help me write right in NYC.

defreckled — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:06:09 -0800

I'm not a very good writer, but I would like to change that. Can anyone recommend a writing course in NYC? A course in fiction or non-fiction creative writing or a general composition course would fit the bill. I'm definitely a beginner. Thanks!

ink query

rhoticity — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 01:31:03 -0800

Screenprinting class in Chicago? Anyone in Chicago know of a place I can go and take a class on the basics of screenprinting? I've googled and not come up with much... problem is it should be known to be running in the near-future (saw a couple that have offered classes in the past but don't list any future dates) and shouldn't be prohibitively expensive (the Hyde Park Art Center has one, and would be very convenient for me, but it is upwards of $200). I'm more than happy to bring in my own supplies if that lowers the price, and I'm more interested in printmaking than textile applications if that's relevant.

One foot on the "right" side of the track, one foot on the "wrong" side of the track.

sixcolors — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:09:37 -0800

Socializing “across the tracks”. My father grew up poor, and is now working a blue-collar job. My mother grew up upper-middle class (except the first 8-9 years), went to college, and is working in a decent profession. Because of their backgrounds, they’re really different people. Being their daughter, I take on the characteristics of both. As a result, I cannot fully identify with neither middle-class or working-class (or even poor) people. Nor, am I fully accepted by either group. This is kind of “part-two” of last week’s question, I was not comfortable bringing this up. There were many many replies telling me to cool it on trying to find similarities when it came to dating prospects. There were also some questions asking me why I was so desperate to find things in common with people. The answer is, a few reasons, one of them being that I am trying to compensate for what I believe is a fundamental difference (and insecurity!) in the way I was raised and things I experienced in life. I come across some people who are like myself, they are “bi-class”. But, the majority of people I come across, fit way more neatly in one category or another. In other words, no matter which way I go, I will be “dating up” or “dating down”, or befriending up or down.

I read a book last summer called “Crossing the Tracks for Love”. It was a great book. It was very informative, and gave a lot of advice how to get along with a partner (and their family/friends) from another class. There was one problem I had with the book, a lot of the advice was kind of on the superficial side. It only offered “band-aid” solutions, like imitating your partner’s habits which were influenced by their upbringing. Well, that’s fine in short-term, but if that’s your only strategy, you will lose your own identity.

For those who have grown up like me, what did you do to put people with different economic backgrounds at ease, without completely changing yourself? This question also includes those who have came from only one “class”, but is dating someone of a different background. How did you guys wind up together?