Allan G. Johnson; "What Can We Do?"
Author's Argument:
Johnson argues that if people do not do anything then nothing can get done because people do not want to do anything.
Quotes:
1. "Privilege is a feature of social systems, not individuals."
People become privileged because of the social system that they may be in and not because of their parents. If someone is rich then they are going to have everything on demand and when they ask for something they will receive it. If someone is middle class then they might see struggle in order to get what they want because the funds are not there in order for the item to be bought. Due to the struggle appreciation for the object will be there once the item is received. For a person that is poor, privileges are far and few in between. There are many things that are not given to them because there are no funds to support the item that is wanted. If the item is ever received then the people of that class know what they need to do next time in order to receive that item again.
2. "Racism, for example, shapes both the experience of being white and the experience of being a person of color."
Whether you are white or black you will experience some kind of racism in your life. Somethings whites target blacks and sometimes blacks target whites. Racism is always going to be around no matter what and it will be experienced by all types of people. Even though black people are more targeted more often than white people, racism is still in exsistence. Even though people may say that there is less and less racism in the world, it is still around because past generations have intergrated it into the heads of other generations. With it being in the heads of other generations, those generations just keep passing it to future generations so that it remains in existence.
3. "Systems shape the choices people make primarily by providing paths of least resistance."
There are some people that do as little as possible just to get by. When it comes to doing any kind of work, there are people that do not put the extra effort or go the extra mile just to imporve their work. The people that do not give that extra push are unable to get the best out of themselves because they do not put more effort into their work. If more effort was put into their work, then more things would be done and they would be even more successful and greater at what they do. When people try harder in certain areas they are able to get the best out of themselves. When people are able to get the best out of themselves, then they might even be able to bring the best out of others because then there may be a competition to as to who can be more successful.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
Johnson argued in this piece and in the other peiece that if people do not do anything or say anything then the realization of things cannot be seen or heard. In this piece though, Johnson touches on privileged societies and how they use society to express themselves. He also talks about racism and how it will continue to be around for years to come. Johnson has the most direct article that I believe that we read during this semester. During the pieces though, it felt as if it was dragging and I didn't end up reading the whole article because after a few pages I felt as if I knew what his point was and how he wanted to express it.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Talking Point #9
Christopher Kliewer; "Schooling Children with Down Syndrome"
Author's Argument:
Kliewer argues that all children no matter what the disability or what their health may be still have the ability to learn and be successful in some way.
Quotes:
1. "He set the bottle on a shelf, waved his arms wildly, punched his fist into the air, shouted out a long series of sounds, and plopped a baseball cap sideways on his head."
Even though some people may have a handicap, does not mean that they are unable to express themselves. This student for instance, has a disability and with him putting his fist in the air, and shouting out long series of sounds he was able to express himself. Some people may see him has a person that is disablied but then there will be others that see him as a very expressive person because of what he did. Everyone should be able to express themselves and it shows here that you do not have to be a "healthy" person in order to express yourself. You can have disablities and be a great person. When a person is able to show who they really are and others can look through the disability and see the good inside someone then that is when acceptance is generated.
2. "Instead, Vygotsky understood children to be active constructors of knowledge who constantly enter into new relationships of understanding with adults, peers, and materials."
Children as also people of knowledge. Many people mainly adults do not understand or are able to see that. When a child is young and interupt an "adult conversation" to make a point they are brushed off as being "too young" or "not knowing what they are talknig about." Even though they may be young, they may still have a point to be made that may impact the way people view things. When children are young, that it when they will being to develop who and what they are going to become. The people that surround them daily are the people that are going to have the biggest impact on the children because they are around so often. Children are the future of the world and every generation from now until the end of time will be saying that. With their thoughts and their knowledge is how the world will improve or decline. Without the minds of people before us and the minds of the people now, we would not have the technology and resources that we have in today's society.
3. "As such, education is considered a dual process of group and individual transformation through which children (1) establish together a unique community in thoughtfully planned activites, projects, experiences, and problems; and (2) support one another's membership in that community."
When children are able to communicate with each other and form groups that help them educate themselves that is when they are able to learn at their best. When students are brought into the world of a disabled kid with lets say, down syndrome, then when they grow older, they will have some experience on how to manage and work with child with disabilities. There are some children that are in the classroom with the child that has down syndrome and they may become teachers. When they become teachers, they will have some experience of how to handle a child that may have that disease or any other disease that can be considered a "learning disability." Then when students are able to accept the students with the disease then the child with the disease will feel accepted by the other students in the classroom. When there is acceptance in the classroom then the classroom will be a great place to learn in.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
I believe, as a future teacher, that all students should be able to learn. No matter what disease, handicap, or diability they should be able to learn. They will be able to learn if people are willing to put in time and effort to help educate them.
Author's Argument:
Kliewer argues that all children no matter what the disability or what their health may be still have the ability to learn and be successful in some way.
Quotes:
1. "He set the bottle on a shelf, waved his arms wildly, punched his fist into the air, shouted out a long series of sounds, and plopped a baseball cap sideways on his head."
Even though some people may have a handicap, does not mean that they are unable to express themselves. This student for instance, has a disability and with him putting his fist in the air, and shouting out long series of sounds he was able to express himself. Some people may see him has a person that is disablied but then there will be others that see him as a very expressive person because of what he did. Everyone should be able to express themselves and it shows here that you do not have to be a "healthy" person in order to express yourself. You can have disablities and be a great person. When a person is able to show who they really are and others can look through the disability and see the good inside someone then that is when acceptance is generated.
2. "Instead, Vygotsky understood children to be active constructors of knowledge who constantly enter into new relationships of understanding with adults, peers, and materials."
Children as also people of knowledge. Many people mainly adults do not understand or are able to see that. When a child is young and interupt an "adult conversation" to make a point they are brushed off as being "too young" or "not knowing what they are talknig about." Even though they may be young, they may still have a point to be made that may impact the way people view things. When children are young, that it when they will being to develop who and what they are going to become. The people that surround them daily are the people that are going to have the biggest impact on the children because they are around so often. Children are the future of the world and every generation from now until the end of time will be saying that. With their thoughts and their knowledge is how the world will improve or decline. Without the minds of people before us and the minds of the people now, we would not have the technology and resources that we have in today's society.
3. "As such, education is considered a dual process of group and individual transformation through which children (1) establish together a unique community in thoughtfully planned activites, projects, experiences, and problems; and (2) support one another's membership in that community."
When children are able to communicate with each other and form groups that help them educate themselves that is when they are able to learn at their best. When students are brought into the world of a disabled kid with lets say, down syndrome, then when they grow older, they will have some experience on how to manage and work with child with disabilities. There are some children that are in the classroom with the child that has down syndrome and they may become teachers. When they become teachers, they will have some experience of how to handle a child that may have that disease or any other disease that can be considered a "learning disability." Then when students are able to accept the students with the disease then the child with the disease will feel accepted by the other students in the classroom. When there is acceptance in the classroom then the classroom will be a great place to learn in.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
I believe, as a future teacher, that all students should be able to learn. No matter what disease, handicap, or diability they should be able to learn. They will be able to learn if people are willing to put in time and effort to help educate them.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Talking Point #8
Jean Anyon; "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work"
Author's Argument:
Anyon argues that there are many things about schooling that are still a mystery to some. She also argues that there are some things that teachers are hiding so that all of the details of how to perform a certain task are not told to the students, which enables them not to perform or even learn correctly.Quotes:
1. "The teachers rarely explain why the work is being assigned, how it might connect to other assignments, or what the idea is that lies behind the procedure or gives it coherence and perhaps meaning or significance."When teachers do not connect a lesson to students, the students are unable to focus and connect ideas and thoughts that they might have on a certain topic. After a teacher teaches a lesson, the students do not remember the skill that they were taught so then they cannot link it to previous lessons that were taught to them. With them not being able to link the lessons, they cannot learn a skill of being able to link multiples things at once.
2. "The project is chosen and assigned by the teacher from a box of 3-by-5 index cards. On the card the teacher has written the question to be answered, the books to use, and how much to write. Explaining the cards to the observer, the teacher said, "It tells them exactly what to do, or they couldn't do it."
3. "The products of work should not be like anybody else's and should show individuality."
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
Anyon is showing not only the people that read this article but the world that there is more for the students to learn. Also there is a lot of information that the teachers are not facilitating out to the students. With the teachers not getting this information out to the students, the students are unable to set themselves apart individually from the rest of the students that are in their class and that will be in their future classes. With the teachers giving instruction to the students on how they should do the project, the students are unable to learn how the project should be setup. When the students begin future projects, the skill of being able to figure and decode the project is not there because the students have always been given how they should exactly do the project out.
Anyon is showing not only the people that read this article but the world that there is more for the students to learn. Also there is a lot of information that the teachers are not facilitating out to the students. With the teachers not getting this information out to the students, the students are unable to set themselves apart individually from the rest of the students that are in their class and that will be in their future classes. With the teachers giving instruction to the students on how they should do the project, the students are unable to learn how the project should be setup. When the students begin future projects, the skill of being able to figure and decode the project is not there because the students have always been given how they should exactly do the project out.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Talking Post #7
Peggy Orenstein; "Anita Hill is a Boy"
Author's Argument:
Orenstein argues that each sex is seen as one way. She also shows and explains what would happen if the sexes switches rolls, so that each sex could view how they act.
Quotes:
1. "It disturbed me that although girls were willing to see men as heroes, none of the boys would see women that way."
In movies and in shows, the heroes of the stories is nine times out of ten a man. When you ask someone about a super hero they will most likely say, "Batman, Superman, or Spiderman." Then there are a rare few that will say "Wonder Woman or Catwoman." Many people see heroes as being men. Women can accept the fact that men are many times the hero, but men cannot accept the fact that women can also be heroes as well. It is tough for people to change the way that they view things because these boys for so long have viewed men as one way, heroes. For them to now have to think that women can be heroes too is going to expand their views on things because they will now see that men and women can be heroes. When you ask a boy who his hero is many times they will tell you their father or some kind of figure that is a male. Then when you ask a girl who their hero is they might say their mother or someone that is a female. It works so many different ways and now change is needs for these children to broaden their minds and how they view things.
2. "When I'm shopping, I think,'Would people think I'm a ho' if I wear this?' Girls, too. Would Shannon think I was a ho'? Would Alissa? I think about that."
Girls in today's society care very much about the way that they present themselves out in public. I do not care the way that I am presented out in public because I am who I am and if people do not like me for who I am then they are at a lose. When it comes to my girlfriend I see it all the time with her. She cares so much about the way that people view her. When I tell her that she is going to be meeting someone she asks me "what should I wear" and I tell her it does not matter how you are presented because as long as you are polite and courteous then that is all that matters. This is also seen with other ways people present themselves. If someone dresses in all black then many people would say that they are part of the Gothic community. If someone has a bandanna in their back pocket people would say that they are part of a gang. If people wear polos then they are considered preppy. All these are factors and shows how quick people are to stereotype other people.
3. "Although they try to comply with the boys' request, the girls simply have too much to say to be patient, and, once again, they begin blurting out their thoughts. The boys, meanwhile, continue to raise their hands whenever they'd like to speak."
The roles here of the boys and girls are switched. In my school experiences growing up and even when I go to tutor, the boys are always blurting out answers, laughing, and talking and the girls are quiet, polite, and raising their hands. When boys are blurting out the answers they can be seen as troublemakers because they can never keep quiet so therefore the boys are always seen as the ones that cause trouble. When I was in elementary school, the boys were always the ones that would be getting in trouble. We would talk to each other, laugh, and disrupt the class but it was not very often and when we did everyone was blamed for it. Then if a girl did something then the boys were the ones that would get blamed for it because it was typically the boys that would be the ones disrupting. The girls that were in my classes barely spoke a word. They would answer a question only if they really needed to, mainly because they were called on by the teacher. As Orenstein stated the tables were flipped so now the boys could see how they acted in class and the girls could see how they acted in class.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
Today women have more rights than they did back about 40 years ago. Men then and men now are seen the same way. The men then were seen as role models, important figures, and heroes. Then women then were seen as the keeper of the children and of the household. Men now are seen the same as they were back then, but the role of a woman has changed. Yes, women still maintain the children and the household, but they are also seen as role models, important figures, and heroes. Times have changed and so has the way that people look at each other. Just because people are of a certain gender does not mean that they cannot be heroes to all. To some people that I know, that are men, their hero is their mother. Their mother is their hero because she raised them all by herself with no ones help and they saw her struggle to send her children to a good school to help them stay off of the streets. Just because you are a boy or girl does not mean that your hero has to be of the same sex, it can be of the opposite sex.
Author's Argument:
Orenstein argues that each sex is seen as one way. She also shows and explains what would happen if the sexes switches rolls, so that each sex could view how they act.
Quotes:
1. "It disturbed me that although girls were willing to see men as heroes, none of the boys would see women that way."
In movies and in shows, the heroes of the stories is nine times out of ten a man. When you ask someone about a super hero they will most likely say, "Batman, Superman, or Spiderman." Then there are a rare few that will say "Wonder Woman or Catwoman." Many people see heroes as being men. Women can accept the fact that men are many times the hero, but men cannot accept the fact that women can also be heroes as well. It is tough for people to change the way that they view things because these boys for so long have viewed men as one way, heroes. For them to now have to think that women can be heroes too is going to expand their views on things because they will now see that men and women can be heroes. When you ask a boy who his hero is many times they will tell you their father or some kind of figure that is a male. Then when you ask a girl who their hero is they might say their mother or someone that is a female. It works so many different ways and now change is needs for these children to broaden their minds and how they view things.
2. "When I'm shopping, I think,'Would people think I'm a ho' if I wear this?' Girls, too. Would Shannon think I was a ho'? Would Alissa? I think about that."
Girls in today's society care very much about the way that they present themselves out in public. I do not care the way that I am presented out in public because I am who I am and if people do not like me for who I am then they are at a lose. When it comes to my girlfriend I see it all the time with her. She cares so much about the way that people view her. When I tell her that she is going to be meeting someone she asks me "what should I wear" and I tell her it does not matter how you are presented because as long as you are polite and courteous then that is all that matters. This is also seen with other ways people present themselves. If someone dresses in all black then many people would say that they are part of the Gothic community. If someone has a bandanna in their back pocket people would say that they are part of a gang. If people wear polos then they are considered preppy. All these are factors and shows how quick people are to stereotype other people.
3. "Although they try to comply with the boys' request, the girls simply have too much to say to be patient, and, once again, they begin blurting out their thoughts. The boys, meanwhile, continue to raise their hands whenever they'd like to speak."
The roles here of the boys and girls are switched. In my school experiences growing up and even when I go to tutor, the boys are always blurting out answers, laughing, and talking and the girls are quiet, polite, and raising their hands. When boys are blurting out the answers they can be seen as troublemakers because they can never keep quiet so therefore the boys are always seen as the ones that cause trouble. When I was in elementary school, the boys were always the ones that would be getting in trouble. We would talk to each other, laugh, and disrupt the class but it was not very often and when we did everyone was blamed for it. Then if a girl did something then the boys were the ones that would get blamed for it because it was typically the boys that would be the ones disrupting. The girls that were in my classes barely spoke a word. They would answer a question only if they really needed to, mainly because they were called on by the teacher. As Orenstein stated the tables were flipped so now the boys could see how they acted in class and the girls could see how they acted in class.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
Today women have more rights than they did back about 40 years ago. Men then and men now are seen the same way. The men then were seen as role models, important figures, and heroes. Then women then were seen as the keeper of the children and of the household. Men now are seen the same as they were back then, but the role of a woman has changed. Yes, women still maintain the children and the household, but they are also seen as role models, important figures, and heroes. Times have changed and so has the way that people look at each other. Just because people are of a certain gender does not mean that they cannot be heroes to all. To some people that I know, that are men, their hero is their mother. Their mother is their hero because she raised them all by herself with no ones help and they saw her struggle to send her children to a good school to help them stay off of the streets. Just because you are a boy or girl does not mean that your hero has to be of the same sex, it can be of the opposite sex.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Jena 6
This quote right here, "Once it is understood that segregation functions as a systematic labeling device, it should be clear that any state action that results in the maintenance of the segregated system is a direct and proximate cause of the injuries suffered by black children in segregated schools and is in violation of the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment," made me think about this immediately when I read it.
You all may remember this from some time ago about the Jena 6.
You all may remember this from some time ago about the Jena 6.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Talking Point #6
Charles Lawrence; "One More River to Cross"
Author's Argument:
Lawrence argues that due to the controversy that arose after the Brown vs. Board of Education trial that segregated areas became somewhat more calm and peaceful due to the laws that were passed.
Quotes:
1. "That the purpose of the institution of segregation has always been to stigmatize and subordinate rather than to simply separate is perhaps best demonstrated by the fact that whites in the antebellum South had no aversion to commingling with blacks as long as the institution of slavery made their superior status clear."
Back in the early 1900s before the civil rights movement superior status was needed among the whites. The whites that lived in the South were the minority due to how many slaves there were that lived and worked on the farms and in the fields. With the whites feeling the minority power needed to be made because all the whites have known up to this point is that they are the superior to the blacks and there is nothing the blacks can do to make themselves surpass the whites in status. This happens all the times whether it is with different races or sexes. If a man walks into a room full of women and all this man has known his whole life is that men are more superior to women then if something is occurring the man then may try to take over and handle the situation and have the women listen to him. These examples are still seen way after the civil rights movements have occurred due to the generations that still exist that know white is still superior to black today.
2. "Once it is understood that segregation functions as a systematic labeling device, it should be clear that any state action that results in the maintenance of the segregated system is a direct and proximate cause of the injuries suffered by black children in segregated schools and is in violation of the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment."
After the law was passed to united black and white schools the whites that were in the schools did not want anything to do with the blacks so therefore the whites would attack the blacks. The only reason why the whites attacked the blacks was because all they knew up to that point in their lives was that blacks are "the scum of the earth" or "they are dirty" and because of that hate was built because the whites did not want the blacks around. Now in present day when we hear about fights between whites and blacks it is a big deal and it is on the news for days. Back then if you heard about whites fighting with blacks it was not as big of a deal only because it was common for the whites to beat of the blacks. The reason why the whites would beat on the blacks is because the blacks had always been slaves to the whites and when the blacks did something wrong he whites would beat them until they did the task correctly or until they decided to stop.
3. "The school was successful in engendering strong positive self-images among both children and parents, in creating an atmosphere in which children enjoyed learning, in expanding the school's role into a concern for the whole child and that child's family, and even in increasing scores on standardized tests."
When school is an enjoyable place that is when the students I believe are able to learn at their best. Many students can learn in a classroom that is full of discussion and slow, but not all the students will be paying attention. Some of them might start doing other things in class to make the time go by faster. I believe that if the classroom is enjoyable and a fun atmosphere then the students are capable of learning way more than they can and are going to be interested in the subject. My experiences with slow classes are it feels like it is never going to end, every minute feels like an hour, and I just want to leave. Then with more energetic classes I don't look at the time, it feels like the class was ten minutes long, and I want to learn more about the subject. If the teacher can keep the student interested in the subject that is how grades and testing will be on the rise because the teacher kept the students interested in wanting to learn more than they thought that they could.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
The South will always be known for being the slavery area of the United States. It will also be known to why the civil rights movement occurred. The South still has some very racist towns because in these towns lives about no more than 400 people and they all know each other and everyone's families have grown up together and all that they have known is hate against blacks. As generations pass the hate against blacks will become less and less but until then there will continue to be a decent amount of hate against blacks and most of the hates lives and comes from the South. In schools today there is little to no hate or discrimination between blacks and whites. You see whites talking to blacks and blacks talking to whites and because of this we see Dr. Martin Luther King's dream coming true because he just wanted everyone to be treated fairly. When there is peace is the school there can also be a good education being taught. With students focused on class and not attacking each other students can learn as best as they can. With the students learning as best as they can then scores on tests will be higher, grades will be higher, and hopefully the graduation rate will rise. There is always hope and the hope that MLK saw is being seen today.
Author's Argument:
Lawrence argues that due to the controversy that arose after the Brown vs. Board of Education trial that segregated areas became somewhat more calm and peaceful due to the laws that were passed.
Quotes:
1. "That the purpose of the institution of segregation has always been to stigmatize and subordinate rather than to simply separate is perhaps best demonstrated by the fact that whites in the antebellum South had no aversion to commingling with blacks as long as the institution of slavery made their superior status clear."
Back in the early 1900s before the civil rights movement superior status was needed among the whites. The whites that lived in the South were the minority due to how many slaves there were that lived and worked on the farms and in the fields. With the whites feeling the minority power needed to be made because all the whites have known up to this point is that they are the superior to the blacks and there is nothing the blacks can do to make themselves surpass the whites in status. This happens all the times whether it is with different races or sexes. If a man walks into a room full of women and all this man has known his whole life is that men are more superior to women then if something is occurring the man then may try to take over and handle the situation and have the women listen to him. These examples are still seen way after the civil rights movements have occurred due to the generations that still exist that know white is still superior to black today.
2. "Once it is understood that segregation functions as a systematic labeling device, it should be clear that any state action that results in the maintenance of the segregated system is a direct and proximate cause of the injuries suffered by black children in segregated schools and is in violation of the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment."
After the law was passed to united black and white schools the whites that were in the schools did not want anything to do with the blacks so therefore the whites would attack the blacks. The only reason why the whites attacked the blacks was because all they knew up to that point in their lives was that blacks are "the scum of the earth" or "they are dirty" and because of that hate was built because the whites did not want the blacks around. Now in present day when we hear about fights between whites and blacks it is a big deal and it is on the news for days. Back then if you heard about whites fighting with blacks it was not as big of a deal only because it was common for the whites to beat of the blacks. The reason why the whites would beat on the blacks is because the blacks had always been slaves to the whites and when the blacks did something wrong he whites would beat them until they did the task correctly or until they decided to stop.
3. "The school was successful in engendering strong positive self-images among both children and parents, in creating an atmosphere in which children enjoyed learning, in expanding the school's role into a concern for the whole child and that child's family, and even in increasing scores on standardized tests."
When school is an enjoyable place that is when the students I believe are able to learn at their best. Many students can learn in a classroom that is full of discussion and slow, but not all the students will be paying attention. Some of them might start doing other things in class to make the time go by faster. I believe that if the classroom is enjoyable and a fun atmosphere then the students are capable of learning way more than they can and are going to be interested in the subject. My experiences with slow classes are it feels like it is never going to end, every minute feels like an hour, and I just want to leave. Then with more energetic classes I don't look at the time, it feels like the class was ten minutes long, and I want to learn more about the subject. If the teacher can keep the student interested in the subject that is how grades and testing will be on the rise because the teacher kept the students interested in wanting to learn more than they thought that they could.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
The South will always be known for being the slavery area of the United States. It will also be known to why the civil rights movement occurred. The South still has some very racist towns because in these towns lives about no more than 400 people and they all know each other and everyone's families have grown up together and all that they have known is hate against blacks. As generations pass the hate against blacks will become less and less but until then there will continue to be a decent amount of hate against blacks and most of the hates lives and comes from the South. In schools today there is little to no hate or discrimination between blacks and whites. You see whites talking to blacks and blacks talking to whites and because of this we see Dr. Martin Luther King's dream coming true because he just wanted everyone to be treated fairly. When there is peace is the school there can also be a good education being taught. With students focused on class and not attacking each other students can learn as best as they can. With the students learning as best as they can then scores on tests will be higher, grades will be higher, and hopefully the graduation rate will rise. There is always hope and the hope that MLK saw is being seen today.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Talking Point #5
Joesph Kahne and Joel Westheimer; "In The Service of What?"
Author's Argument:
Kahne and Westheimer argue that through service learning projects students are able to learn more than they would in a classroom. The experiences that the students learn outside the classroom is information that they might be able to use in the classroom and also in life.
Quotes:
1. "Service learning makes students active participants in service projects that aim to respond to the needs of the community while furthering the academic goals of students." With service learning being part of the academic requirements of a classroom students are able to succeed in the classroom by completing their project and also learn from the people that they are encountering. Even though many people can learn in a classroom I believe that a lot of the knowledge that people need in life is learned outside of the classroom. If a student is interested in going into a certain field then if they are doing their service learning project on the field that they want then the students will have knowledge on the field.
2. "The class discussed the growing economic disparity between rich and poor, the impact of homelessness on the children, and the difficult balance between individual rights and collective responsibility." It is good that Ms. Adams' class is learning about the economy at such a young age because then as the students grow older they can be even more aware of the situation that the economy is facing. Also with the differences of how the rich and poor effect the economy being thought it helps the students appreciate things more if they become rich or if they come poor. When you teach the students individual rights and collective responsibilities they can learn how difficult it is to be a person with money and a person with no money. This knowledge is great to have in today's economy where everything is valued.
3. "We attempt to 'apprehend the reality of the other' and then to 'struggle [for progress] together.' In so doing, we create opportunities for changing our understanding of the other and the context within which he or she lives." Everyone makes mistakes in life and through these mistakes comes knowledge. With this knowledge comes wisdom that can be passed down from generation to generation and even friend to friend. If someone does something right or something wrong next time they go to do something they can do the same thing right again or they will correct their mistake and do the right thing next time. If they continue to do it wrong then their knowledge will only grow stronger until they finally do it right.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
Learning can be done so many ways. When people do not think that they are learning, they are actually learning. People may say that they hate to learn, but there is something that they are interested in and when it is talked about they listen and learn more about it. With people going out and helping people in the community they can learn how they got to where they are and with that the person helping will have the knowledge of how not to be in the situation of the person less fortunate. Then if a friend, parent, or even the person themselves experiences something different they will have knowledge to pass on so that they can help other people be better off than they were. Then on the opposite side if someone does something successful they have the knowledge to help people be as successful as they were. Knowledge is key to life and without knowledge there would be nothing in the world. Being able to share knowledge is even better than experiencing because you know what to do or what not to do when it comes your time to go through that experience.
Author's Argument:
Kahne and Westheimer argue that through service learning projects students are able to learn more than they would in a classroom. The experiences that the students learn outside the classroom is information that they might be able to use in the classroom and also in life.
Quotes:
1. "Service learning makes students active participants in service projects that aim to respond to the needs of the community while furthering the academic goals of students." With service learning being part of the academic requirements of a classroom students are able to succeed in the classroom by completing their project and also learn from the people that they are encountering. Even though many people can learn in a classroom I believe that a lot of the knowledge that people need in life is learned outside of the classroom. If a student is interested in going into a certain field then if they are doing their service learning project on the field that they want then the students will have knowledge on the field.
2. "The class discussed the growing economic disparity between rich and poor, the impact of homelessness on the children, and the difficult balance between individual rights and collective responsibility." It is good that Ms. Adams' class is learning about the economy at such a young age because then as the students grow older they can be even more aware of the situation that the economy is facing. Also with the differences of how the rich and poor effect the economy being thought it helps the students appreciate things more if they become rich or if they come poor. When you teach the students individual rights and collective responsibilities they can learn how difficult it is to be a person with money and a person with no money. This knowledge is great to have in today's economy where everything is valued.
3. "We attempt to 'apprehend the reality of the other' and then to 'struggle [for progress] together.' In so doing, we create opportunities for changing our understanding of the other and the context within which he or she lives." Everyone makes mistakes in life and through these mistakes comes knowledge. With this knowledge comes wisdom that can be passed down from generation to generation and even friend to friend. If someone does something right or something wrong next time they go to do something they can do the same thing right again or they will correct their mistake and do the right thing next time. If they continue to do it wrong then their knowledge will only grow stronger until they finally do it right.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
Learning can be done so many ways. When people do not think that they are learning, they are actually learning. People may say that they hate to learn, but there is something that they are interested in and when it is talked about they listen and learn more about it. With people going out and helping people in the community they can learn how they got to where they are and with that the person helping will have the knowledge of how not to be in the situation of the person less fortunate. Then if a friend, parent, or even the person themselves experiences something different they will have knowledge to pass on so that they can help other people be better off than they were. Then on the opposite side if someone does something successful they have the knowledge to help people be as successful as they were. Knowledge is key to life and without knowledge there would be nothing in the world. Being able to share knowledge is even better than experiencing because you know what to do or what not to do when it comes your time to go through that experience.
Monday, March 2, 2009
G Rated Disney Films...or so they say
After reading Christensen's article I thought about the messages that are being sent through cartoons and also movies. Disney is a big part of this issue of racism and sexism that is being sent through cartoons. I know that we are suppose to wait until after the class discussion, but this is one thing that I needed to get out right away. Here is a video that I found on Youtube that shows different points that Christensen was talking about in her article. Enjoy :)
Talking Point #4
Linda Christensen; "Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us"
Author's Argument:
Christensen argues that the media is a big reason as to why there are many unknowns and myths that are yet to be solved. They show and hide what they want the world to see and learn.
Quotes:
1. "If I want my students to wrestle with the social text of novels, news, or history books, they need the tools to critique media that encourages or legitimate social inequality."
In order for Christensen's students to take on the "garbage" as she would call it put out by the media they need to be taught the knowledge so that they can take them on. As we said in class that we need to have more than one tool in our toolbox and cannot only have a hammer. In order for someone to take on any kind of task they need to be taught the ways on how to "battle" in a sense. As a student goes through school they will learn certain skills and abilities that they can use for the rest of their lives. As soon as the student finds something that they love and enjoy they will going into it. In this case, the students need to learn how to bash the media before they can actually bash the media.
2. "No one wants to admit that they've been 'handled' by the media."
Christensen states that the media can handle people. This also makes me think about how the media is also a "puppet master" in a way because they show the latest trends and show the last outbreaks that might of occurred in the United States and even the world. When someone sees the actions or styles that the "stars" are wearing or doing other people will want to act or dress in the same way as the stars. This goes back to Carlson when he stated that people act the same way as other people act and they are not able to branch out and be their own person. The media is a way of life and without the media the people of the world would not be able to know the information that they know without them. Even though the media will be the death of us it is still a great way of communication.
3. "Many who watched cartoons before we start our study say they can no longer enjoy them. Now instead of seeing a bunch of ducks in clothes, they see the racism, sexism, and violence that swim under the surface of the stories."
Many of us if not all of us have at one point in our lives sat down on a Saturday morning and watched cartoons. As we grow older we think that we are "getting to old to watch cartoons." The thing that many of us do not see the true meaning of some of these cartoons. The creators put these cartoons out with an intention of pleasing the children and making television enjoyable for them. As these grow up and begin to learn more and more, if they return to the cartoons of their youth they are able to see some of the messages that are being displayed in these episodes of "our favorite cartoons."
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
After reading this I can now see some of the secret messages that are hidden in cartoons and how the creators of these shows try to hide them, but if an adult views this show they are able to see the "hidden message." When I was younger I use to watch cartoons almost every Saturday morning and never really thought that it was anything more than just "enjoyable television." After reading Christensen's article my attitude towards cartoons has shifted. I knew that there were cartoons that depicted issues of racism or sexism, but I did not know after researching that there was as much as there was. Cartoons are to be enjoyable for everyone from children to adults, but if the children see the message that is being sent then they might think that the message is acceptable. When the message is racism or sexism, that is one message that is not appropriate for children to be learning.
Author's Argument:
Christensen argues that the media is a big reason as to why there are many unknowns and myths that are yet to be solved. They show and hide what they want the world to see and learn.
Quotes:
1. "If I want my students to wrestle with the social text of novels, news, or history books, they need the tools to critique media that encourages or legitimate social inequality."
In order for Christensen's students to take on the "garbage" as she would call it put out by the media they need to be taught the knowledge so that they can take them on. As we said in class that we need to have more than one tool in our toolbox and cannot only have a hammer. In order for someone to take on any kind of task they need to be taught the ways on how to "battle" in a sense. As a student goes through school they will learn certain skills and abilities that they can use for the rest of their lives. As soon as the student finds something that they love and enjoy they will going into it. In this case, the students need to learn how to bash the media before they can actually bash the media.
2. "No one wants to admit that they've been 'handled' by the media."
Christensen states that the media can handle people. This also makes me think about how the media is also a "puppet master" in a way because they show the latest trends and show the last outbreaks that might of occurred in the United States and even the world. When someone sees the actions or styles that the "stars" are wearing or doing other people will want to act or dress in the same way as the stars. This goes back to Carlson when he stated that people act the same way as other people act and they are not able to branch out and be their own person. The media is a way of life and without the media the people of the world would not be able to know the information that they know without them. Even though the media will be the death of us it is still a great way of communication.
3. "Many who watched cartoons before we start our study say they can no longer enjoy them. Now instead of seeing a bunch of ducks in clothes, they see the racism, sexism, and violence that swim under the surface of the stories."
Many of us if not all of us have at one point in our lives sat down on a Saturday morning and watched cartoons. As we grow older we think that we are "getting to old to watch cartoons." The thing that many of us do not see the true meaning of some of these cartoons. The creators put these cartoons out with an intention of pleasing the children and making television enjoyable for them. As these grow up and begin to learn more and more, if they return to the cartoons of their youth they are able to see some of the messages that are being displayed in these episodes of "our favorite cartoons."
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
After reading this I can now see some of the secret messages that are hidden in cartoons and how the creators of these shows try to hide them, but if an adult views this show they are able to see the "hidden message." When I was younger I use to watch cartoons almost every Saturday morning and never really thought that it was anything more than just "enjoyable television." After reading Christensen's article my attitude towards cartoons has shifted. I knew that there were cartoons that depicted issues of racism or sexism, but I did not know after researching that there was as much as there was. Cartoons are to be enjoyable for everyone from children to adults, but if the children see the message that is being sent then they might think that the message is acceptable. When the message is racism or sexism, that is one message that is not appropriate for children to be learning.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Talking Point #3
Dennis Carlson; "Gayness, Multiculturalism and Community"
Author's Argument:
Carlson argues that the gay community does not do enough to be shown and revealed. Since they do not speak up they are invisible or even "the child sitting in the back of the class not talking."
Quotes:
1. "Nevertheless, normalizing texts systematically exclude and neglect the culture of those outside the norm for the purpose of ratifying or legitimating the dominant culture as the only significant culture worth studying."
Carlson is explaining that with textbooks in schools showing what the ideal life is in a community it is hard for someone that is gay to come out because this is dug into their head for so long. The dominant sexual community in the world is straight and with the gay community not being as big as the straight community it is hard to feel accepted. The generation of people that is alive now is the generation that I believe fully-accepts the gay community. Previous generations before us have struggled to accept them and will in many cases never accept them because they saw in school that being gay was wrong and that a man and a woman is the lifestyle that everyone has to live out. The older generations were raised to know man and woman were only suppose to be in a relationship, but since some teachers talk about gays from the past it is in a way easier for a person that is gay to come out.
2. "To the extent that gayness is recognized in the curriculum, it is likely to be in the health curriculum, where it is associated with disease."
Carlson points out that even though being gay has been seen as a lifestyle some still consider it a disease. When a person that is gay finally comes out to their family in some cases the family will believe that it is a lie, they also think what did we do wrong as parents, or even if it is a disease. Older generations of people will in fact believe that being gay is a disease. When they were growing up it was man and woman, now with man and man and woman and woman it is not acceptable. It is as if someone gets a disease that is considered "one in a million" and being gay is considered part of that "one in a million" epidemic. In a health class this may just be one of the diseases that a teacher speaks about, but to those that are gay they do not see it as a disease they see it as a lifestyle that is full of pain and joy.
3. "Popular culture may represent identity, but identity also is represented in corporeal form, as individuals actively 'live' their identities and make these identities visible i their everyday relations with others."
Carlson points out that in today's society there is a lot of "monkey see, monkey do." What I mean by that statement is that people of today live out their lives as they see famous people living. If something is the latest trend then they follow the trend that was made instead of branching out and starting their own trend. This is stopping people from becoming what Carlson would say is "visible" because he says that if you are gay and do not come out then you are going to stay invisible forever, until you finally do come out. With people not coming out and expressing themselves I believe that Carlson would say that they are never going to be seen and will forever stay in the shadows. If you do come out then you will be live, vibrant, and full of color.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
Carlson touched on many different sections on how it is to be gay living in a society as there is today. Being gay in today's society I believe is easier for those people that are gay than it was ten years ago. Carlson also touches on how being gay is not shown as an acceptable lifestyle through education and especially in textbooks. Teachers have spoken about homosexual lifestyles in class that I have been in, but in all my years of reading a textbook I have never encountered a section where is says that being gay is acceptable. People live out their lives the way that they want to. Whether it is being gay, straight or bi-sexual. The generation of today as grown to accept the gay community because there are so many that are apart of our generation. It is the earlier generations that have the issues with people being gay. I believe that later generations will have no problems or concerns at all when it comes to being gay. Even though i say that now that does not mean that all people are going to accept the gay community because there will always be a select few or group that discriminates against gays even though it is wrong.
Author's Argument:
Carlson argues that the gay community does not do enough to be shown and revealed. Since they do not speak up they are invisible or even "the child sitting in the back of the class not talking."
Quotes:
1. "Nevertheless, normalizing texts systematically exclude and neglect the culture of those outside the norm for the purpose of ratifying or legitimating the dominant culture as the only significant culture worth studying."
Carlson is explaining that with textbooks in schools showing what the ideal life is in a community it is hard for someone that is gay to come out because this is dug into their head for so long. The dominant sexual community in the world is straight and with the gay community not being as big as the straight community it is hard to feel accepted. The generation of people that is alive now is the generation that I believe fully-accepts the gay community. Previous generations before us have struggled to accept them and will in many cases never accept them because they saw in school that being gay was wrong and that a man and a woman is the lifestyle that everyone has to live out. The older generations were raised to know man and woman were only suppose to be in a relationship, but since some teachers talk about gays from the past it is in a way easier for a person that is gay to come out.
2. "To the extent that gayness is recognized in the curriculum, it is likely to be in the health curriculum, where it is associated with disease."
Carlson points out that even though being gay has been seen as a lifestyle some still consider it a disease. When a person that is gay finally comes out to their family in some cases the family will believe that it is a lie, they also think what did we do wrong as parents, or even if it is a disease. Older generations of people will in fact believe that being gay is a disease. When they were growing up it was man and woman, now with man and man and woman and woman it is not acceptable. It is as if someone gets a disease that is considered "one in a million" and being gay is considered part of that "one in a million" epidemic. In a health class this may just be one of the diseases that a teacher speaks about, but to those that are gay they do not see it as a disease they see it as a lifestyle that is full of pain and joy.
3. "Popular culture may represent identity, but identity also is represented in corporeal form, as individuals actively 'live' their identities and make these identities visible i their everyday relations with others."
Carlson points out that in today's society there is a lot of "monkey see, monkey do." What I mean by that statement is that people of today live out their lives as they see famous people living. If something is the latest trend then they follow the trend that was made instead of branching out and starting their own trend. This is stopping people from becoming what Carlson would say is "visible" because he says that if you are gay and do not come out then you are going to stay invisible forever, until you finally do come out. With people not coming out and expressing themselves I believe that Carlson would say that they are never going to be seen and will forever stay in the shadows. If you do come out then you will be live, vibrant, and full of color.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
Carlson touched on many different sections on how it is to be gay living in a society as there is today. Being gay in today's society I believe is easier for those people that are gay than it was ten years ago. Carlson also touches on how being gay is not shown as an acceptable lifestyle through education and especially in textbooks. Teachers have spoken about homosexual lifestyles in class that I have been in, but in all my years of reading a textbook I have never encountered a section where is says that being gay is acceptable. People live out their lives the way that they want to. Whether it is being gay, straight or bi-sexual. The generation of today as grown to accept the gay community because there are so many that are apart of our generation. It is the earlier generations that have the issues with people being gay. I believe that later generations will have no problems or concerns at all when it comes to being gay. Even though i say that now that does not mean that all people are going to accept the gay community because there will always be a select few or group that discriminates against gays even though it is wrong.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Talking Point #2
Richard Rodriguez; "Aria"
Author's Argument:
Rodriguez argues that there are some children in the world and also people that don't like change, but changes need to be made whether it is for the better of the person or worse of the person.
Quotes:
1. "I would have evaded-and for how long could I have afforded to delay?-learning the great lesson of school, that I had a public identity."
People in this world try to avoid doing some tasks for as long as they can. In this case the narrator was trying to avoid talking in class for as long as possible. The narrator also didn't want to learn a different language because they were so comfortable to speaking their primary language that if they spoke another language it would only interfere with their primary language and maybe forget it. Change is hard and changes needed to be made in this case because without change the narrator wouldn't be able to succeed in the United States and in other places in the world because English is important in this world. Change is hard, but in many cases change needs to be made and here a change needed to be made for the better of the narrator.
2. "What they understood was that I needed to speak a public language. So their voices would search me out, asking me questions."
When a child has a problem in a classroom it is in many ways the teacher's responsibility to help that child get the help that they need so that they are able to get the help that they need. The narrator was struggling to speak English and was afraid to answer questions or even speak in the classroom. The teachers knew that and in order for the narrator's English to improve the teachers pushed him to the point where he/she decided to talk. The teachers then saw that the problem was bigger than they thought and in that case they brought the problem to the attention of the parents. The parents then decided that it was time to do something about it. Many children and also people need examples to do things. With the narrators parents now pushing it for their children to speak English they will see their family speaking English so it might push them to also speak it.
3. "After dinner each night, the family gathered to practice 'our' English."
Many times children are able to take things that they use at home and use them in the world. In this case the parents were teaching their children the English language. With the parents taking it upon themselves to teach their children the language and forcing them to use it in the household it will help them communicate in this country where English is the primary language and it is also the "language of the world." Children and also adults get worried and embarrassed when they mess something up but especially when they don't say something correctly. If the children see that not only are they struggling to speak but also the parents then they won't feel as bad about talking and will use the language more offend. Once the child can get pass using it in the household they can then take on the task of using it outside of the household.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This article touches on a lot of points that are still in effect today. There are children in many places that have been taught one language and one language only. Even though that they might have been born in the United States doesn't mean that their first language is going to be English. If a person that comes from a Spanish family who speaks Spanish primary they will speak Spanish until English is brought into their life. You can see this is schools today in the United States. With more and more Spanish people immigrating to the United States there are more Spanish speaking people and even though the child is going to school where English is spoken once they leave the school Spanish is spoken all the way up to when they need to return to school. It is hard to breaks habits that a person might get into and breaking the language barrier to speak another language is a tough one.
Author's Argument:
Rodriguez argues that there are some children in the world and also people that don't like change, but changes need to be made whether it is for the better of the person or worse of the person.
Quotes:
1. "I would have evaded-and for how long could I have afforded to delay?-learning the great lesson of school, that I had a public identity."
People in this world try to avoid doing some tasks for as long as they can. In this case the narrator was trying to avoid talking in class for as long as possible. The narrator also didn't want to learn a different language because they were so comfortable to speaking their primary language that if they spoke another language it would only interfere with their primary language and maybe forget it. Change is hard and changes needed to be made in this case because without change the narrator wouldn't be able to succeed in the United States and in other places in the world because English is important in this world. Change is hard, but in many cases change needs to be made and here a change needed to be made for the better of the narrator.
2. "What they understood was that I needed to speak a public language. So their voices would search me out, asking me questions."
When a child has a problem in a classroom it is in many ways the teacher's responsibility to help that child get the help that they need so that they are able to get the help that they need. The narrator was struggling to speak English and was afraid to answer questions or even speak in the classroom. The teachers knew that and in order for the narrator's English to improve the teachers pushed him to the point where he/she decided to talk. The teachers then saw that the problem was bigger than they thought and in that case they brought the problem to the attention of the parents. The parents then decided that it was time to do something about it. Many children and also people need examples to do things. With the narrators parents now pushing it for their children to speak English they will see their family speaking English so it might push them to also speak it.
3. "After dinner each night, the family gathered to practice 'our' English."
Many times children are able to take things that they use at home and use them in the world. In this case the parents were teaching their children the English language. With the parents taking it upon themselves to teach their children the language and forcing them to use it in the household it will help them communicate in this country where English is the primary language and it is also the "language of the world." Children and also adults get worried and embarrassed when they mess something up but especially when they don't say something correctly. If the children see that not only are they struggling to speak but also the parents then they won't feel as bad about talking and will use the language more offend. Once the child can get pass using it in the household they can then take on the task of using it outside of the household.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This article touches on a lot of points that are still in effect today. There are children in many places that have been taught one language and one language only. Even though that they might have been born in the United States doesn't mean that their first language is going to be English. If a person that comes from a Spanish family who speaks Spanish primary they will speak Spanish until English is brought into their life. You can see this is schools today in the United States. With more and more Spanish people immigrating to the United States there are more Spanish speaking people and even though the child is going to school where English is spoken once they leave the school Spanish is spoken all the way up to when they need to return to school. It is hard to breaks habits that a person might get into and breaking the language barrier to speak another language is a tough one.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Talking Point #1
Jonathan Kozol; "Amzing Grace"
Author's Argument:
Kozol argues that the government, the middle class, and the upper class are at fault because they don't do enough to help the poor in the United States.
Quotes:
1. "He has a package of cookies and removes one. He breaks it in half, returns half to the package, and munches on the other half as we are walking."
When people are as poor as the people that are talked about in "Amazing Grace" nothing is taken for granted. This quote is an example of how things aren't taken for granted. A man has a full cookie in his pocket. He is hungry so he takes the cookie out breaks it in half, puts one half away, and eats the other half. I believe that the reason that he did this was because he might not eat again after he finishes this cookie. Once the cookie is gone the man might not eat again for who knows how long. Even though it is only a cookie and it isn't a full meal it is still something in your stomach and even just a half a cookie can ease the stomach when it is hungry.
2. "The point is that they put a lot of things into our neighborhood that no one wants,' she says. 'The waste incinerator is just one more lovely way of showing their affection.'"
Every now and then the government asks permission to place things in neighborhoods. In this case the government wanted to place a waste incinerator in the suburbs on New York City and the middle and upper class people didn't want it in their neighborhood so the government placed in in the South Bronx. With the waste incinerator it brought many illnesses and disease into the area and many men, women, and children got sick from it. The middle and upper class people would then ask questions such as "why are the children so sick?" "Why doesn't the government do anything about it?" That is all because the more "privileged" people put this terrorizing machine in an area that was somewhat healthy until the waste incinerator was put in. Sometimes people don't realize what they are going until it is actually done.
3. "Evil exists. he says, not flinching at the word. 'I believe that what the rich have done to the poor people in this city is something that a preacher could call evil. Somebody has power. Pretending that they don't so they don't need to use it to help people-that is my idea of evil.'"
There is always going to be evil that exists in the world. In this case, Kozol believes that the rich people are doing evil onto the poor people. I can see where he is coming from with this because the ric people were the ones that decided that the waste incinerator was going to go into the South Bronx. With them placing that there of course the poor is going to view them as evil. When people are poor or even down and out they turn to religion for answers. When a poor person hears things from a preacher of course they are going to believe it because they believe that they speak the truth and only the truth.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This read for me was easy because it was more of a story and it wasn't an opinion so it was repetitive. This text compared to the other texts I think was the easiest out of them all to read. Out of this story I learned that the South Bronx isn't an easy place to live. It is just like any other area in Rhode Island that has areas like this. Even though many of those areas are in Providence many of us are able to grasp and understand this because we either live it or see it everyday. People being poor and sick is common now and there are people out there that feel bad for them, but then there are people that don't care at all that people are out there dying. All those people say is they put themselves in this situation, but it shouldn't matter. They are people too and they needed to be cared for just like anyone else.
Bernard Goldberg; "Jonathan Kozol"
Author Argument:
Goldberg argues that there are many young people in the country today that don't feel proud to be American anymore. He also states that teachers in schools are to blame because how they are teaching the material from the text book.
Quotes:
1. "One boy says he'd just as soon live in Canada."
This goes to show that many people just to escaping as a solution to living in a country like they do. When a country is as bad as it is many people have turned to running away or escaping because if they leave the country that will solve all of their problems. What many of these people don't realize is that even thought you might be going to another country that country might just have the same problems as we do, so in the end they might end up with the same problems there as they have here.
2. "...They take care not to offend America's past enemies, but don't seem to worry about offending Americans..."
Teacher's nowadays have to be very care with the things that they say. There are many different ways that people says things now that many people take offense of. In the classroom when a teacher is discussing a certain topic and it has to do with either race or gender they have to be ready for a student at anytime to come at them with a defensive statement But when it comes times to talk about their own people in this case, Americans, teachers feel free to bash them as much as they want without thinking if it would offend someone. Just because someone is a certain race, religion, gender, or ethnicity doesn't give you the right to bash that group of people.
3. "that one is working for a purpose and that that purpose is a great deal more profound and more important than the selfish pleasure of an individual reward."
Some people live out their lives doing things that will please them and don't think or even react to what other people have to say. Then you have other people that do very little for themselves and do many other things for the people that they are surrounded by, such as family and friends. When you ask a father or mother what they are working for 9 times out of 10 they will say that they are working for their family or that they are working for their significant other. It all has an effect on how people live out their lives. There is always a reason as to why people do things and hopefully it isn't for the wrong reasons of self-satisfaction.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This was an easy read and I was able to grasp the concepts that were given to us. One reason why I find that it was easy to read was because a lot of the issues that were brought up I can relate to because I heard them in previous conversations. This reading occurring to the other reading was the easiest reading so far because once again I was able to relate to it. When I am able to relate things to one another that is when I am at my best learning. Out of this article i feel that there are people in society that are cautious to what they say about other groups of people, but when it relates to their own group of people they don't even think twice sometimes about putting them down or bashing them. I just find it hard to believe that people don't think about some of the things that they say. That is why some people aren't afraid to say things about a certain group of people because they hear other people saying things so they think that they can do it too, but that is the way life is so we just grow from it.
Author's Argument:
Kozol argues that the government, the middle class, and the upper class are at fault because they don't do enough to help the poor in the United States.
Quotes:
1. "He has a package of cookies and removes one. He breaks it in half, returns half to the package, and munches on the other half as we are walking."
When people are as poor as the people that are talked about in "Amazing Grace" nothing is taken for granted. This quote is an example of how things aren't taken for granted. A man has a full cookie in his pocket. He is hungry so he takes the cookie out breaks it in half, puts one half away, and eats the other half. I believe that the reason that he did this was because he might not eat again after he finishes this cookie. Once the cookie is gone the man might not eat again for who knows how long. Even though it is only a cookie and it isn't a full meal it is still something in your stomach and even just a half a cookie can ease the stomach when it is hungry.
2. "The point is that they put a lot of things into our neighborhood that no one wants,' she says. 'The waste incinerator is just one more lovely way of showing their affection.'"
Every now and then the government asks permission to place things in neighborhoods. In this case the government wanted to place a waste incinerator in the suburbs on New York City and the middle and upper class people didn't want it in their neighborhood so the government placed in in the South Bronx. With the waste incinerator it brought many illnesses and disease into the area and many men, women, and children got sick from it. The middle and upper class people would then ask questions such as "why are the children so sick?" "Why doesn't the government do anything about it?" That is all because the more "privileged" people put this terrorizing machine in an area that was somewhat healthy until the waste incinerator was put in. Sometimes people don't realize what they are going until it is actually done.
3. "Evil exists. he says, not flinching at the word. 'I believe that what the rich have done to the poor people in this city is something that a preacher could call evil. Somebody has power. Pretending that they don't so they don't need to use it to help people-that is my idea of evil.'"
There is always going to be evil that exists in the world. In this case, Kozol believes that the rich people are doing evil onto the poor people. I can see where he is coming from with this because the ric people were the ones that decided that the waste incinerator was going to go into the South Bronx. With them placing that there of course the poor is going to view them as evil. When people are poor or even down and out they turn to religion for answers. When a poor person hears things from a preacher of course they are going to believe it because they believe that they speak the truth and only the truth.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This read for me was easy because it was more of a story and it wasn't an opinion so it was repetitive. This text compared to the other texts I think was the easiest out of them all to read. Out of this story I learned that the South Bronx isn't an easy place to live. It is just like any other area in Rhode Island that has areas like this. Even though many of those areas are in Providence many of us are able to grasp and understand this because we either live it or see it everyday. People being poor and sick is common now and there are people out there that feel bad for them, but then there are people that don't care at all that people are out there dying. All those people say is they put themselves in this situation, but it shouldn't matter. They are people too and they needed to be cared for just like anyone else.
Bernard Goldberg; "Jonathan Kozol"
Author Argument:
Goldberg argues that there are many young people in the country today that don't feel proud to be American anymore. He also states that teachers in schools are to blame because how they are teaching the material from the text book.
Quotes:
1. "One boy says he'd just as soon live in Canada."
This goes to show that many people just to escaping as a solution to living in a country like they do. When a country is as bad as it is many people have turned to running away or escaping because if they leave the country that will solve all of their problems. What many of these people don't realize is that even thought you might be going to another country that country might just have the same problems as we do, so in the end they might end up with the same problems there as they have here.
2. "...They take care not to offend America's past enemies, but don't seem to worry about offending Americans..."
Teacher's nowadays have to be very care with the things that they say. There are many different ways that people says things now that many people take offense of. In the classroom when a teacher is discussing a certain topic and it has to do with either race or gender they have to be ready for a student at anytime to come at them with a defensive statement But when it comes times to talk about their own people in this case, Americans, teachers feel free to bash them as much as they want without thinking if it would offend someone. Just because someone is a certain race, religion, gender, or ethnicity doesn't give you the right to bash that group of people.
3. "that one is working for a purpose and that that purpose is a great deal more profound and more important than the selfish pleasure of an individual reward."
Some people live out their lives doing things that will please them and don't think or even react to what other people have to say. Then you have other people that do very little for themselves and do many other things for the people that they are surrounded by, such as family and friends. When you ask a father or mother what they are working for 9 times out of 10 they will say that they are working for their family or that they are working for their significant other. It all has an effect on how people live out their lives. There is always a reason as to why people do things and hopefully it isn't for the wrong reasons of self-satisfaction.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This was an easy read and I was able to grasp the concepts that were given to us. One reason why I find that it was easy to read was because a lot of the issues that were brought up I can relate to because I heard them in previous conversations. This reading occurring to the other reading was the easiest reading so far because once again I was able to relate to it. When I am able to relate things to one another that is when I am at my best learning. Out of this article i feel that there are people in society that are cautious to what they say about other groups of people, but when it relates to their own group of people they don't even think twice sometimes about putting them down or bashing them. I just find it hard to believe that people don't think about some of the things that they say. That is why some people aren't afraid to say things about a certain group of people because they hear other people saying things so they think that they can do it too, but that is the way life is so we just grow from it.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Hey you...
Hi everyone! My name is Mike, I'm from Pawtucket but was raised in Providence. I am starting my second semester at RIC. I am a PE and Health major. I look forward to teaching PE and Health in the future. Teaching is something that I have wanted to do since the day that I walked into high school and met my PE and Health teachers. They were great people. I work at Pawtucket Park & Recreation Summer Camp in the summer with another person in our class, Kelly Gil. Working at this camp helped me also realize that I wanted to be a teacher because seeing how happy the kids get when we play games and do activities just brings a smile to my face. When I am not focused on school and I have free time I like to go to the gym, play basketball, and work on my car. My car is a big part of my life. You can judge a person by how they handle things in life and my car reflects how I handle things in life. It stays clean and gets a lot of complements from many different people. I try to make it look the best that I can because that shows that I try to live life the best that I can. I look forward to this class because it is going to be part of my foundation to help me realize who I am as a teacher and what my teaching style is going to be. Good luck everyone!
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