I have two story that i felt relate to Kozol's article about poor getting poorer and rich get richer. The first one was just the other day i heard a song that basically says what Kozol is saying. The song is called ABCs by K'naan and the chorus lyrics go like this
"They don't teach us the ABCs
We play on the hard concrete
All we got is life on the streets
All we got is life on the streets"
This song points out Kozol's argument that we need to do something or the vicious cycle will continue.
The other story was on my last day going to tutoring when i got to the school i found a homeless looking man passed out drunk on the school front steps and i had to step over him to get into the building. This just pointed out how poor the area was i was tutoring in. I felt like it could be dangerous because the students were playing outside only a couple of feet from the passed out man. A teacher told me that that was the second time the man passed out on the steps in the last two weeks. This was surprising to me because i come from an area that is probably more middle class and never saw something like that before.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Diversity Event
The event that I went to for my diversity event was "Relay for Life." At the event there was a great turn out and a lot of students were involved. Sign ups cost fifteen dollar and all the money was going to cancer charity. This rate off the bat reminded me of Kahne & Westheimer's article called "In the Service of What?" By paying the sign up charge, my money was going to charity and charity is one of the two broad ways of framing a service learning experience. Charity is more of a donation and giving to to the community or a certain group, in this case cancer research. The other service learning is by change. I felt that I also experience change at this event because we listened to speakers at the event, who told there stories and after wards we had some silent walks around the track to reflect on everything. They turned of the lights and lined up bags around the track and everyone walked around and placed a glow stick in the bags. On the bags were names of people who died from cancer and as we walked around the track silently we reflected and these experience had a deep impact on me.
This event i feel also related to Dennis Carlson because the event was diverse with people from different cultures and races involved, males and females, etc. It seemed to me that a lot of people were represented and included marginalized students to make them feel "normalized." For example, there was a live band playing and they were playing all different types of music including rock, some Bob Marley, dance music, ect. so everyone had enjoyment. Overall the diversity event i went to, "relay for life" had a deep impact on me and seemed like everyone had a lot of fun.
This event i feel also related to Dennis Carlson because the event was diverse with people from different cultures and races involved, males and females, etc. It seemed to me that a lot of people were represented and included marginalized students to make them feel "normalized." For example, there was a live band playing and they were playing all different types of music including rock, some Bob Marley, dance music, ect. so everyone had enjoyment. Overall the diversity event i went to, "relay for life" had a deep impact on me and seemed like everyone had a lot of fun.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Clip from sandlot that shows sexism
I the clip Hamilton says an insult "You play ball like a girl" and it is made to be the worst insult given.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Talking Point #10 (Johnson)
In this last chapter of Johnson's article or book he is arguing and talking about ways that we can change the patterns of exclusion, rejection, privilege, harassment, discrimination, and violence that exist everywhere in our society. We have to break the silences and talk out about privilege, oppression, and inequalities. If we want change we need to acknowledge that the trouble exists, pay attention, and do something (it only has to be something of little risk).
1. "Very often those with privilege do not know it, which is a key aspect of privilege."
This quote is saying that most people who have privilege not even realize it. If we stop being silent and talk more about the privileges than most likely people of privilege will start seeing their privilege and this is like the first step to changing this problem in our society.
2. "But there is less attention to the millions of people who know inequities exist and want to be part of the solution. Their silence and invisibility allow the trouble to continue."
This quote is saying their are many people that know privilege and oppression exist but they do not do anything about it. Instead they just stay silent and fail to talk about the problem we have in the society and this allows the troubles to continue.
3. "It isn't just a collection of wounds inflicted long ago that now need to be healed. The wounding goes on as I write these words and as you read them, and unless people work to change the system that promotes it, personal healing itself cannot be the answer. Healing wounds is no more a solution to the oppression that causes the wounding than military hospitals are a solution to war. Healing is a necessary process, but it is not enough."
In this quote Johnson is talking about how privilege and oppression is not a thing of the past but is still happening to day and needs to be dealt with. Also it says that this can not be done only on a personal and individual level, but it also need to be done with the society and community level also. The individual level is a step but not the solution. The analogy reminds me of Kozol's analogy about small bandages over a big wound or broken bone.
1. "Very often those with privilege do not know it, which is a key aspect of privilege."
This quote is saying that most people who have privilege not even realize it. If we stop being silent and talk more about the privileges than most likely people of privilege will start seeing their privilege and this is like the first step to changing this problem in our society.
2. "But there is less attention to the millions of people who know inequities exist and want to be part of the solution. Their silence and invisibility allow the trouble to continue."
This quote is saying their are many people that know privilege and oppression exist but they do not do anything about it. Instead they just stay silent and fail to talk about the problem we have in the society and this allows the troubles to continue.
3. "It isn't just a collection of wounds inflicted long ago that now need to be healed. The wounding goes on as I write these words and as you read them, and unless people work to change the system that promotes it, personal healing itself cannot be the answer. Healing wounds is no more a solution to the oppression that causes the wounding than military hospitals are a solution to war. Healing is a necessary process, but it is not enough."
In this quote Johnson is talking about how privilege and oppression is not a thing of the past but is still happening to day and needs to be dealt with. Also it says that this can not be done only on a personal and individual level, but it also need to be done with the society and community level also. The individual level is a step but not the solution. The analogy reminds me of Kozol's analogy about small bandages over a big wound or broken bone.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Talking Point #9 (Kliewer)
I believe that Kliewer is arguing that students with disabilities or students who are said to need "special education" should not be separated from the other students who do not have disabilities. By separating these students people are taught that students with disability are of lesser value to the society compared to the rest of the student body. Instead we need to teach that all students are of equal value to the society and their words should be heard and respected, this includes the disabled students. This can be done by intergarating all students, and this will also create a sense of community and will prepare students to form relationships with a varity of people.
1. "Community requires a willingness to see people as they are -- different perhaps in their minds and bodies, but not different in their spirits or in their willingness and ability to contribute to the mosiac of society. It requires the 'helper' to have the humility to listen for what the person says he or she needs. Also, the 'helper' mus see that the interaction helps both ways."
This quote is saying that people might look different and learn different but everyone is trying, willing, and can contribute to the society in many ways. That is why Kliewer is argueing that everyone needs to be respected and everyone is equally important to our society in a varity of ways. With classrooms that have both students with disabilities and students that do not have disabilities, it will create a community where every student has a special part and contribute and this will only prepare students for their future.
2. "How absurd to be judged by others at all, especially by those who have never experienced a disability or who are unwillingly providing us with support or who don't listen to the voices we have."
This quote is by Judith A. Snow and I liked this quote because it is saying that no one has the right to judge someone with a disability, especially if them themselves never expericenced being disabiled in any way. It is also saying that we need to listen and respect people with disabilities views and words.
3. "democracy can only occur when no person's voice is deterministically silenced."
This quote is short and sweet and it is saying that everyone, no matter your gender, race, sexual preferance, or ability, needs to be heard. This quote reminds me of Johnson who talks about talking about issues and not be silent. We need to talk about issues of priviledge and listen and do something about it.
1. "Community requires a willingness to see people as they are -- different perhaps in their minds and bodies, but not different in their spirits or in their willingness and ability to contribute to the mosiac of society. It requires the 'helper' to have the humility to listen for what the person says he or she needs. Also, the 'helper' mus see that the interaction helps both ways."
This quote is saying that people might look different and learn different but everyone is trying, willing, and can contribute to the society in many ways. That is why Kliewer is argueing that everyone needs to be respected and everyone is equally important to our society in a varity of ways. With classrooms that have both students with disabilities and students that do not have disabilities, it will create a community where every student has a special part and contribute and this will only prepare students for their future.
2. "How absurd to be judged by others at all, especially by those who have never experienced a disability or who are unwillingly providing us with support or who don't listen to the voices we have."
This quote is by Judith A. Snow and I liked this quote because it is saying that no one has the right to judge someone with a disability, especially if them themselves never expericenced being disabiled in any way. It is also saying that we need to listen and respect people with disabilities views and words.
3. "democracy can only occur when no person's voice is deterministically silenced."
This quote is short and sweet and it is saying that everyone, no matter your gender, race, sexual preferance, or ability, needs to be heard. This quote reminds me of Johnson who talks about talking about issues and not be silent. We need to talk about issues of priviledge and listen and do something about it.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Talking Point #8 (Anyon)
In this article by Jean Anyon, he argues that schools prepare students based on their social class. Through a study see did of fifth grade classes of different economic background or social class, Anyon concluded that these schools were preparing their students for a certain step on the social ladder. The working class students were being prepared to grow up to also have blue collar jobs and the executive elite school students were being prepared to have white collar jobs like lawyers and doctors.
1. "knowledge and skills leading to social power and regard are made available to the advantaged social groups but are withheld from the working classes to whom a more "practical" curriculum is offered."
This quote is pretty much stating what Jean Anyon is argueing in this article. Their is a hidden curriculum in schools which teaches lower class student to have lower expectations and only preparing them to have blue collar jobs by focusing on mainly following directions. While the higher class schools are teaching the kids to have more critical thinking to solve problems and this will help them to get a better education and a white collar job.
2. "One teacher explained to me, "Simple punctuation is all they'll ever use.""
This short quote from the text points out that the teachers at the lower or working class schools do not expect that their student will be anything special or get a good paying job, so she is only going to teach them the basics of language arts, while higher class schools are emphasizing the importance of know the complex language of English.
3. Talking about the teacher in the Affluent Professional School "She does not give direct orders unless she is angry because the children have been too noisy."
This quote reminds me of another article we read early this year by Delpit going over the "rules and codes of power". Delpit says that student that are black and lower class need to be taught using direct orders because they do not know the codes of power. This teacher does not teach using direct orders because she teaches in a upper class school where probably all the students already know the codes of power, but this teaching style would at the lower or working class school because the students would not understand.
1. "knowledge and skills leading to social power and regard are made available to the advantaged social groups but are withheld from the working classes to whom a more "practical" curriculum is offered."
This quote is pretty much stating what Jean Anyon is argueing in this article. Their is a hidden curriculum in schools which teaches lower class student to have lower expectations and only preparing them to have blue collar jobs by focusing on mainly following directions. While the higher class schools are teaching the kids to have more critical thinking to solve problems and this will help them to get a better education and a white collar job.
2. "One teacher explained to me, "Simple punctuation is all they'll ever use.""
This short quote from the text points out that the teachers at the lower or working class schools do not expect that their student will be anything special or get a good paying job, so she is only going to teach them the basics of language arts, while higher class schools are emphasizing the importance of know the complex language of English.
3. Talking about the teacher in the Affluent Professional School "She does not give direct orders unless she is angry because the children have been too noisy."
This quote reminds me of another article we read early this year by Delpit going over the "rules and codes of power". Delpit says that student that are black and lower class need to be taught using direct orders because they do not know the codes of power. This teacher does not teach using direct orders because she teaches in a upper class school where probably all the students already know the codes of power, but this teaching style would at the lower or working class school because the students would not understand.
Talking Point #7 (Orienstein)
In this article Peggy Orienstein argues that there is a hidden curriculum that is being taught by schools. Schools have been teaching not only math and science, but also about social roles and norms. Most classrooms that you go into mostly have pictures and posters of male figures and very rarely do you see females represented. In this article Orientstein talks about a teacher, Mrs. Logan's class, were see does the opposite in her classroom. In Judy Logan's classroom there are all posters and pictures of great female figures. This gives the girls in the class someone to look up to and also points out to the students how other classes focus many on male gender and that is not fair.
1. "This is a classroom that's gone through the gender looking glass. It is the mirror opposite
of most classrooms that girls will enter, which are adorned with masculine role models; with male heroes, with books by and about men-- classrooms in which the female self is, at best, an afterthought."
I liked this quote because I myself have never thought about the classroom as having a hidden curriculum, but after reading this article I relieve that most of the classrooms that I have been in growing up all have pretty much decorated the class with male role models, with posters, picuters, book authors and books about men. By doing this they are teaching about social roles and norms and they are forgetting to talk and teach about female works. This quote make a good analogy saying that boys are looking at mirrors in the classroom and females are looking through windows. Judy Logan does the opposite in her class allowing women to look at mirrors and men to look through the window probably first their first time.
2. "Women are one-half of the world's people; they do two-thirds of the world's work; they earn one-tenth of the world's income; they own one one-hundredth of the world's property."
This quote which was early on in the article states that women do most of the work in the world but they still recieve very litttle income and dont own that much property. This is becuase of how people are thought to look at women. Males and females are taught through a hidden curriculum that men are better or superior than women.
3. "When boys feel like they're being forced to admire a women they try to pick one that they think behaves sort of like a man. Thats what they can best relate too."
This quote I feel relates a lot to my first quote about mirrors and windows. The boys are use to looking at a mirror and admiring a masculine man but when they are forced to admire a women they are not use to looking through a window so they find a window that is most a mirror by admiring a female who behaves more like a man.
This article reminds me of the Carlson article we have read earlier in the year. In carlson, classrooms are ignoring the gay population and in Orienstein's article, females are being ignored and Orienstein says we need to make the school curriculum include women and be male bias.
1. "This is a classroom that's gone through the gender looking glass. It is the mirror opposite
of most classrooms that girls will enter, which are adorned with masculine role models; with male heroes, with books by and about men-- classrooms in which the female self is, at best, an afterthought."
I liked this quote because I myself have never thought about the classroom as having a hidden curriculum, but after reading this article I relieve that most of the classrooms that I have been in growing up all have pretty much decorated the class with male role models, with posters, picuters, book authors and books about men. By doing this they are teaching about social roles and norms and they are forgetting to talk and teach about female works. This quote make a good analogy saying that boys are looking at mirrors in the classroom and females are looking through windows. Judy Logan does the opposite in her class allowing women to look at mirrors and men to look through the window probably first their first time.
2. "Women are one-half of the world's people; they do two-thirds of the world's work; they earn one-tenth of the world's income; they own one one-hundredth of the world's property."
This quote which was early on in the article states that women do most of the work in the world but they still recieve very litttle income and dont own that much property. This is becuase of how people are thought to look at women. Males and females are taught through a hidden curriculum that men are better or superior than women.
3. "When boys feel like they're being forced to admire a women they try to pick one that they think behaves sort of like a man. Thats what they can best relate too."
This quote I feel relates a lot to my first quote about mirrors and windows. The boys are use to looking at a mirror and admiring a masculine man but when they are forced to admire a women they are not use to looking through a window so they find a window that is most a mirror by admiring a female who behaves more like a man.
This article reminds me of the Carlson article we have read earlier in the year. In carlson, classrooms are ignoring the gay population and in Orienstein's article, females are being ignored and Orienstein says we need to make the school curriculum include women and be male bias.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)