February 13, 2009
The Vagina Monologues
This event was very interesting. It also was a little bit weird, since this would be the first time I went to the event, and it was with my mother. I believe the purpose that the author is trying to make, would be to have women stop living in the silence. Johnson would of liked this play, because the women in it just said the words, even if it was about their vaginas. Women live in silence probably because of the male’s dominance in society. Women out of everyone, is a main target in abusive relationships. I also believe this event is intending to raise awareness for domestic abuse. Overall, this event had its sad stories, and also very funny stories, and I enjoyed this performance very much.
My favorite event was when the girl was talking about the all the different orgasms. It was very funny, and amusing. It really made my mother and I laugh really loud as well as the rest of the audience. I thought that this chapter, and the actress who portrayed it, was a good example of Johnson. As funny as that may sound, she just said the words, and said her feelings, making the story clear to the point, and very entertaining. The girl who acted the part was very good at expressing all the different orgasms, in ways that they all were hilarious.
There was a girl, who was a lesbian telling her story. To me, this was a good display of Carlson, because they made a spot in the book for a homophobic. They were not left out in any way, they were just telling the story. It would be a good example of gay people wanting a place in the community as well as well as feeling normalized.
My least favorite was they act about ‘the flood’. It was about an old woman, telling a story when she was younger, and how she flooded her underwear and dress when kissing a very handsome young man. I kind of was getting nauseous, when the girl Sarah was telling the story. Overall it was gross all the details she put into it, how it went through her dress onto the seat of his car. I know I wouldn’t want that on the seat of my car, and it disgusted me. I know because of the story that she couldn’t help it, but still it made me feel a little sick.
Another story that made me feel very sad was the story about how the women did not feel comfortable shaving her vagina, and her husband would mess around with other women. If it made her itchy, puffy, and irritated, her husband should have understood that it was hurting her, and not made her always shave it. If she didn’t shave it, he would mess around with other women because he liked baby skinned vaginas. I felt very bad for the women, since they tried to go to marriage consuling, and it made her think that she had a problem with pleasuring her husband. I believe if Delpit were watching this, she would have been very upset. She believes in the codes of power, but when power is put into the wrong hands, its ruined. Her husband didnt have power over her body, and she could of done anything she wanted with herself. If he truely loved his wife, it would not be about whether she shaves her vagina or not.
I really liked this event; it was a very different event from what I usually go to. I learned that women are starting to speak out about things that are forbidden to ever be said, and Johnson would of enjoyed it. Women should be able to speak out and talk about anything they want, since it is a free country. Some stories also were talking about girls who were abused in their vaginas, and got guns shoved up them by men in the army. Listening to these stories also made me uncomfortable, and hurt that they actually had to go through that kind of pain and horror. There was depressing points in this event, but I’m glad they ended it with a hilarious one, which made me enjoy the event a lot more.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Talking Points #6
"One More River to Cross"- Recognizing the Real Injury in Brown: A Prerequiste to Sharping New Remedies. By: Charles Lawrence
This reading way about America's struggle for equality. With the broad focus on the Brown vs. Board of Education case, and how blacks are kept seperate from whites, and being treated as inferior. It effects many black students in trying to get their education, and becoming successful in todays society. The placement of both white and black children in one school, does not remove the imprints of years of segregation in the past. "If you're black, get back."
Quotes
1) "Segregation American-stlye, like South African apartheid, has only one purpose: to create and maintain a permenant lower class or subcaste defined as race."
I liked this quote, because it was like Johnson, and just said it. Its true, the only reason segregation exists is to keep blacks as an inferior. The injury students may have in these schools where its still there is very unfair and against the law of the fourteenth amendment. The equal protection clause was violated in the brown case, and it shouldnt have been.
2) "Once blacks are labeled as inferior, they are denied access to equal societal opportunities. The resulting inadequate educational preparation, poverty of cultural backgrounds, and lack of expierience constitute real limitations on their ability to contribute to society, and the prophecy of their inferiority is fufilled."
This quote reminded me of Mott Haven, where no one would help and there were many blacks and they suffered from poverty. Once they are labeled as inferior, no one helps or even cares anymore. Schools shouldnt be like this. A black student shouldnt feel any different than a white student. There should be no superior or inferior. and if they get raised like that in a school, then their injuries are carried on for the rest of their lives."segregated schools, prepare children for a segregated socitey which regulates them to marginal roles"
3) "The ultimate goal was full political and civil equality for blacks; they knew that this could not be acheived until the entire system of segregation had been destroyed.Equality of education is not enough, there can be no equality under a segregated system. The American negro is not a dominate minority; therefore he must fight for complete elimination of segregation as his ultimate goal."
Everyone needs to work together to fight segregation. it just wouldnt go away on its own. It has to be completely distroyed so blacks dont feel as if they are inferior to whites.
This reading was kind of confusing to me. It was too many different things at once. I think the point that its trying to prove would be that black students get injured being in these segregated schools, that shouldn't be segregated in the first place. But whose to blame? Is it the state for segregating the houseing, so that the blacks all end up together anyways? Seperate from the whites because they are at a different end of town. I don't really know, it wasn't that clear to me.. but it was interesting in some parts.
This reading way about America's struggle for equality. With the broad focus on the Brown vs. Board of Education case, and how blacks are kept seperate from whites, and being treated as inferior. It effects many black students in trying to get their education, and becoming successful in todays society. The placement of both white and black children in one school, does not remove the imprints of years of segregation in the past. "If you're black, get back."
Quotes
1) "Segregation American-stlye, like South African apartheid, has only one purpose: to create and maintain a permenant lower class or subcaste defined as race."
I liked this quote, because it was like Johnson, and just said it. Its true, the only reason segregation exists is to keep blacks as an inferior. The injury students may have in these schools where its still there is very unfair and against the law of the fourteenth amendment. The equal protection clause was violated in the brown case, and it shouldnt have been.
2) "Once blacks are labeled as inferior, they are denied access to equal societal opportunities. The resulting inadequate educational preparation, poverty of cultural backgrounds, and lack of expierience constitute real limitations on their ability to contribute to society, and the prophecy of their inferiority is fufilled."
This quote reminded me of Mott Haven, where no one would help and there were many blacks and they suffered from poverty. Once they are labeled as inferior, no one helps or even cares anymore. Schools shouldnt be like this. A black student shouldnt feel any different than a white student. There should be no superior or inferior. and if they get raised like that in a school, then their injuries are carried on for the rest of their lives."segregated schools, prepare children for a segregated socitey which regulates them to marginal roles"
3) "The ultimate goal was full political and civil equality for blacks; they knew that this could not be acheived until the entire system of segregation had been destroyed.Equality of education is not enough, there can be no equality under a segregated system. The American negro is not a dominate minority; therefore he must fight for complete elimination of segregation as his ultimate goal."
Everyone needs to work together to fight segregation. it just wouldnt go away on its own. It has to be completely distroyed so blacks dont feel as if they are inferior to whites.
This reading was kind of confusing to me. It was too many different things at once. I think the point that its trying to prove would be that black students get injured being in these segregated schools, that shouldn't be segregated in the first place. But whose to blame? Is it the state for segregating the houseing, so that the blacks all end up together anyways? Seperate from the whites because they are at a different end of town. I don't really know, it wasn't that clear to me.. but it was interesting in some parts.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Talking Points #5
In The Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning. by: Kahne and Westheimer
In this reading, the authors talk about how service learning projects are very important in all different ways for kids in learning about something new, and at a different perspective. It also improves the community and invigorate the classroom, providing educational expiereinces for not only the students doing the service learning, but the students in the schools that are participating. i learned that Service Learning aims to respond to the community, while furthering the academic goals of the students which is interesting.
Quotes:
1.) "These service learning projects both stress the importance of compassion for those in need, and they encourage children and young adults to find ways to help."
I liked this quote because i believe that this is true. from my expierience i'm helping a little girl who has trouble counting money such as coins. She had trouble counting and knowing what certain coins are and how much they are. Since i've been helping her, the teacher already noticed progress in her work, which made me feel very good. and It also encourages students to help others in need of help. Being good role models for the younger students is a key in service learning, and it provides all sorts of learning expieriences.
2.)" The approach to service learning taken by Mr. Johnson stresses charity in ways in which participating in service and reflection can develope students sense of altruism."
I liked this approach by Mr. Johnson, he wants charity, no exactly change. he wants his students to act on their civic duty as a citizen to know that people are different and accept it. I also had to look up altruism because i didnt really know what that word ment. It means the principal or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion for the welfare of others. It really cleared my thought when i looked up this deffinition, because in service learning, students do develope a sense of altusim, in order to help them and make the project successful.
3.)"The expierimental and interpersonal components of service learning activities can achieve the first crucial step toward diminishing the sense of "otherness" that often separates students--particularly priviledged students--from those in need."
I believe this statement is true also. I feel i am one of those priviledged students, and this service learning has helped me feel more, i want to say feel comfortable, in my community as well as in the classrooms. The otherness often is shown when in the classroom, but with this class i don't see anything.
This reading was an okay one. Kind of got a little boring towards the end. The others really just broaden the importance of service learning in the community. It ends up helping a lot of people in the longrun. What I found extremely interesting, was that in some states, high schoolers neec 75 hours to graduate. I was very surprised at this, becuase my high school was never like that, and those are a lot of hours. I just thought that was very interesting.
In this reading, the authors talk about how service learning projects are very important in all different ways for kids in learning about something new, and at a different perspective. It also improves the community and invigorate the classroom, providing educational expiereinces for not only the students doing the service learning, but the students in the schools that are participating. i learned that Service Learning aims to respond to the community, while furthering the academic goals of the students which is interesting.
Quotes:
1.) "These service learning projects both stress the importance of compassion for those in need, and they encourage children and young adults to find ways to help."
I liked this quote because i believe that this is true. from my expierience i'm helping a little girl who has trouble counting money such as coins. She had trouble counting and knowing what certain coins are and how much they are. Since i've been helping her, the teacher already noticed progress in her work, which made me feel very good. and It also encourages students to help others in need of help. Being good role models for the younger students is a key in service learning, and it provides all sorts of learning expieriences.
2.)" The approach to service learning taken by Mr. Johnson stresses charity in ways in which participating in service and reflection can develope students sense of altruism."
I liked this approach by Mr. Johnson, he wants charity, no exactly change. he wants his students to act on their civic duty as a citizen to know that people are different and accept it. I also had to look up altruism because i didnt really know what that word ment. It means the principal or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion for the welfare of others. It really cleared my thought when i looked up this deffinition, because in service learning, students do develope a sense of altusim, in order to help them and make the project successful.
3.)"The expierimental and interpersonal components of service learning activities can achieve the first crucial step toward diminishing the sense of "otherness" that often separates students--particularly priviledged students--from those in need."
I believe this statement is true also. I feel i am one of those priviledged students, and this service learning has helped me feel more, i want to say feel comfortable, in my community as well as in the classrooms. The otherness often is shown when in the classroom, but with this class i don't see anything.
This reading was an okay one. Kind of got a little boring towards the end. The others really just broaden the importance of service learning in the community. It ends up helping a lot of people in the longrun. What I found extremely interesting, was that in some states, high schoolers neec 75 hours to graduate. I was very surprised at this, becuase my high school was never like that, and those are a lot of hours. I just thought that was very interesting.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Talking Points #4
Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us by Linda Christensen
Firstly, I really enjoyed this reading better than the last ones. It was very refreshing reading something I was interested in. Children' cartoons, movies, and literature are the most influencial genre for learning the messages through the"secret education" even if they are made just to entertain us. We can discover the tools which manipulates the young society through analizing different types of cartoons and movies. For example in certain cartoons the roles of women, people of color, and poor people are sometimes stereotyped in the wrong ways. Overall I really enjoyed this easy reading, and I could relate it to some movies just by reading this.
1.) "Many students dont want to believe that they have been manipulated by children's media or advertising. No one wants to admit that they've been 'handled' by the media. They assure me they make their own choices and the media had no problem over them."
I found this quote interesting, and very true. People don' realize how mesmerized they can get just by watching a cartoon or movie. Many people who watch cartoons before they start their study on them can no longer enjoy them. but however if we dont dissect them we would still be influenced by them. A student of hers said she now gets depressed in dealing with dissecting things into a reality, and i can see how she would get depressed. Its just to be a form of entertainment but now it has to have stereotypes involved.
2.)"Then the students start to notice patterns, like the absence of female characters in older cartoons. When women do appear, they look like Jessica Rabbit or Playboy centerfolds, even in the new and improved childrens movies."
This is an interesting quote. Many women do portray a beautiful aspect in movies and cartoons, because thats what the culture of society prefers. All these women have no flaws and make it for children something to look up to and become when they're older. The barbie syndrome starts I also noticed that black women play no lead roles in these movies. Ursula the sea witch is kinda dark looking and shes the villian in the movie The Little Mermaid.
3.)" Both of these tales leave young women with two myths: Happiness means getting a man, and transforming from wretched conditions can be acheieved through consumption, in their case, through new clothes and a new hairstyle."
This quote was talking about how Cinderella and Cindy Ellie, have both the same type of story, but in Cindie Ellie, shes a black women and she wants the man running for the mayor. Many students loved this story because it expressed beauty, culture, and language of the African Americans. It also makes it possible for cross-race alliances in social changes. Thats what her students wanted. I liked the story as well, its just a shame that in todays society all the forms of children entertainment have to be the dominant race, and about the secret education of the power of culture messages.
All the good ideas the students had were very enjoyable to read. The students were to do a project which focused on critiquing a cartoon. For example one group graded different cartoons based on their stereotypes. Like Duck Tales recieved a C because of the whole show being based on money. TMNT got a D because of how it teaches children a false sense of violence. and Popeye got an F for portraying ethnic groups as stupid and Americans are the best at everything. This would have been a project i would have enjoyed if i ever had it. The students in the end saw themselves as actors in the world and were fueled by the opportunity to convince parents of long-lasting effects cartoons impose on children. It provided them with the opportunity to make a difference and which i would have grasped if i ever had the opportunity to do something like this. I enjoyed this reading very much, and wouldn't mind doing something like what these students did in their class.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Talking Points #3
Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community by Dennis Carlson
This reading was a little too long, and it seemed like it kept draging. I did like some of the points he made, how gayness should be taught in schools, and should exist in the community. He wants everyone to be treated the same as people, and shouldnt be stereotyped as being contagious, gross, and all the other stereotypes gay people are called.He also states that it is the job of teachers and leaders to use the words "gay", "lesbian", "homosexual", etc. in their language, because it isn't something to be ashamed of just another aspect of life different from the "normals".
1.) "Much as communist teachers were to be drummed out of the teaching corps because communism was 'contagious', so gay teachers were to be fired because they too were understood as contagious" I found this quote very disturbing, i dont think that anyone should have to be treated different just because of their sexuality. Carlson got this from Waller, and he also said that "homosexual teachers were presumed to be lecherous and develop "rediculous crushes" on students." when Waller said this i got very upset. Just because a teacher is gay, does not mean that he's going to have crushes on students. Gay does not mean pediphile. i just didnt agree with any one these quotes at all, teachers should be able to teach without being catorgorized as contagious, thats truely awful id people think that.
2.) "The problem with the message, "be yourself", is that it fails to account for the fact that the 'self'' is at least partially historical, cultural, and discursive production, which set limits apon even if they do not determine, one's "possibilities of existence"." this quote was interesting, one cannot be themselve if they are gay because of the way they'd be constructing and disempowering identities. being gay was to be known as flamboyant, emotionally unstable, and a feminized male. If you weren't this things you weren't out of the closet.
3.) "The objective of classroom discourse is thus not so much to achieve consensus on "truth" or "objective" depiction of reality, but rather to clarify differences and agreements, work toward coalition-building across difference when possible, and build relationships based on caring and equity." I thought this quote was a good one, its really what teachers have to do in order to make the classroom a comfortable learning environment. they need to also teach about these differences so they can bulid relationship with each other about subject of gayness and multiculturalism.
This reading was not as interesting to me as some of the others. Carlson made some good points in it and interesting ones as well. but it just didnt keep my attention, i had to re read a lot of things, because it was so long and draged on. :(
This reading was a little too long, and it seemed like it kept draging. I did like some of the points he made, how gayness should be taught in schools, and should exist in the community. He wants everyone to be treated the same as people, and shouldnt be stereotyped as being contagious, gross, and all the other stereotypes gay people are called.He also states that it is the job of teachers and leaders to use the words "gay", "lesbian", "homosexual", etc. in their language, because it isn't something to be ashamed of just another aspect of life different from the "normals".
1.) "Much as communist teachers were to be drummed out of the teaching corps because communism was 'contagious', so gay teachers were to be fired because they too were understood as contagious" I found this quote very disturbing, i dont think that anyone should have to be treated different just because of their sexuality. Carlson got this from Waller, and he also said that "homosexual teachers were presumed to be lecherous and develop "rediculous crushes" on students." when Waller said this i got very upset. Just because a teacher is gay, does not mean that he's going to have crushes on students. Gay does not mean pediphile. i just didnt agree with any one these quotes at all, teachers should be able to teach without being catorgorized as contagious, thats truely awful id people think that.
2.) "The problem with the message, "be yourself", is that it fails to account for the fact that the 'self'' is at least partially historical, cultural, and discursive production, which set limits apon even if they do not determine, one's "possibilities of existence"." this quote was interesting, one cannot be themselve if they are gay because of the way they'd be constructing and disempowering identities. being gay was to be known as flamboyant, emotionally unstable, and a feminized male. If you weren't this things you weren't out of the closet.
3.) "The objective of classroom discourse is thus not so much to achieve consensus on "truth" or "objective" depiction of reality, but rather to clarify differences and agreements, work toward coalition-building across difference when possible, and build relationships based on caring and equity." I thought this quote was a good one, its really what teachers have to do in order to make the classroom a comfortable learning environment. they need to also teach about these differences so they can bulid relationship with each other about subject of gayness and multiculturalism.
This reading was not as interesting to me as some of the others. Carlson made some good points in it and interesting ones as well. but it just didnt keep my attention, i had to re read a lot of things, because it was so long and draged on. :(
Monday, February 16, 2009
Talking Points #2
Aria by Richard Rodriguez.
Rodriguez is trying to argue that peoples identities can be changed from there culture in routines in daily society. When he was talking about how family traditons were practically ruined because of how the new routines are for the family. When trying to fit in with the culture of power, the family started to talk less and less because they didnt all speak the same language.Overall Rodrigues believes that a person should have pride in who they are as an individual, and believes the culture of power should change them over time in todays society.
Quotes.
1.- “We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed- No longer so close, no longer bound tight by the pleasing and troubling knowledge of our public separateness.” This quote said how they were a big happy family, until their son had to learn english, and be apart of the culure of power. In doing this he had less and less in common with his parents. It made him notice the importance of the english language and culture, that he was never taught to appreciate his own culture. Over time, he wouldnt talk to his parents, they lost communication. His father would not talk at all because of how he didn't speak good english so, he just stayed silent. "Though his english somewhat improved, he retired into silence." Talking about the father, and how he was told its important to speak english in the household. So when the parents were talking around his they'd have to switch from spanish to english. this made the father no longer to pass on his spanish culture to his kids, because they no longer talked.
2. "At first it was a game... each night the family gathered to practice our english... and we filled small gaps of our sentences with spanish words." This quote i thought was very interesting. To believe that the teachers actually told the family to start speaking more english in their home is to me like invading their privacy. The parents listened to them because they just want whats best for their childs well-being. at the same time, the parents are loosing out on quality family time, because now their children learned english, and doesnt speak spanish anymore around them, and they are the silent family.
3.- "But the special feelings of closeness at home was diminished by then. Gone was the desperate, urgent, intense feeling of being home; rare was the experience feeling myself individualized by family intimates. We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed. No longer so close; no longer bound tight by the pleasing and troubling knowledge of our public separateness."
Rodriguez expressed how tradition and family meant to him, and by loosing all of it, he felt that he also lost his family. Families should do whats best for themselves. If they want to learn english and help their kids, it doesnt mean that they have to in order to help their children. they should do what they want to do, regaurdless of the others peoples opinions. If they didnt learn english they would still be a minority, and wouldnt fit in with the culture of power. but however if they are breaking up a family in trying to do so, than it obviously shouldnt work.They shouldn't worry about just speaking english inside the home, while leave their other culture in the dust.
This article wasnt my favorite, it was kind of boring and i couldnt concentrate. The author tells how trying to fit in with the culture of power can make people succeed in life, yet it can also break up families in the process. For the father, he had to give up passsing down his culture to his kids, just because of how he didnt speak to them anymore because he wasnt that great at english. Rodrigues shows both sides to how it can help, yet hurt. He shows how people work hard and practice to accomplish these speaking skills and how people look at them and notice them differently and more respectively. I probably would be very nervous if a child was in my class that didnt speak english. i would be scared that they would fall behind and be classified as slow learners, just because they wouldnt understand what i would be saying. i'd most likely pull the student aside a couple times a week to work on the improvement in language skills. i would not want them to just drop their first language entirely, but i would want them to become a good bilingual student.
Rodriguez is trying to argue that peoples identities can be changed from there culture in routines in daily society. When he was talking about how family traditons were practically ruined because of how the new routines are for the family. When trying to fit in with the culture of power, the family started to talk less and less because they didnt all speak the same language.Overall Rodrigues believes that a person should have pride in who they are as an individual, and believes the culture of power should change them over time in todays society.
Quotes.
1.- “We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed- No longer so close, no longer bound tight by the pleasing and troubling knowledge of our public separateness.” This quote said how they were a big happy family, until their son had to learn english, and be apart of the culure of power. In doing this he had less and less in common with his parents. It made him notice the importance of the english language and culture, that he was never taught to appreciate his own culture. Over time, he wouldnt talk to his parents, they lost communication. His father would not talk at all because of how he didn't speak good english so, he just stayed silent. "Though his english somewhat improved, he retired into silence." Talking about the father, and how he was told its important to speak english in the household. So when the parents were talking around his they'd have to switch from spanish to english. this made the father no longer to pass on his spanish culture to his kids, because they no longer talked.
2. "At first it was a game... each night the family gathered to practice our english... and we filled small gaps of our sentences with spanish words." This quote i thought was very interesting. To believe that the teachers actually told the family to start speaking more english in their home is to me like invading their privacy. The parents listened to them because they just want whats best for their childs well-being. at the same time, the parents are loosing out on quality family time, because now their children learned english, and doesnt speak spanish anymore around them, and they are the silent family.
3.- "But the special feelings of closeness at home was diminished by then. Gone was the desperate, urgent, intense feeling of being home; rare was the experience feeling myself individualized by family intimates. We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed. No longer so close; no longer bound tight by the pleasing and troubling knowledge of our public separateness."
Rodriguez expressed how tradition and family meant to him, and by loosing all of it, he felt that he also lost his family. Families should do whats best for themselves. If they want to learn english and help their kids, it doesnt mean that they have to in order to help their children. they should do what they want to do, regaurdless of the others peoples opinions. If they didnt learn english they would still be a minority, and wouldnt fit in with the culture of power. but however if they are breaking up a family in trying to do so, than it obviously shouldnt work.They shouldn't worry about just speaking english inside the home, while leave their other culture in the dust.
This article wasnt my favorite, it was kind of boring and i couldnt concentrate. The author tells how trying to fit in with the culture of power can make people succeed in life, yet it can also break up families in the process. For the father, he had to give up passsing down his culture to his kids, just because of how he didnt speak to them anymore because he wasnt that great at english. Rodrigues shows both sides to how it can help, yet hurt. He shows how people work hard and practice to accomplish these speaking skills and how people look at them and notice them differently and more respectively. I probably would be very nervous if a child was in my class that didnt speak english. i would be scared that they would fall behind and be classified as slow learners, just because they wouldnt understand what i would be saying. i'd most likely pull the student aside a couple times a week to work on the improvement in language skills. i would not want them to just drop their first language entirely, but i would want them to become a good bilingual student.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Talking Points #1
Johnathan Kozol, Amazing Grace & Bernard Goldberg, 110 People who are screwing up America.
These reading were very interesting, and caught my attention from the moment Ibegan reading them. I think the author's point is to help educate poor/ minority children with a different kind of learning, beyond their influences at home, which could be really hard. When i was reading Amazing Grace by Kozol, I couldn't help but think how hard it would be for these children to sit in learning environment, trying to learn, with all this stuff going on in their lives at home. Teachers need to take all this under consideration when teaching children.
I read in Goldbergs writing how students don't like the country they live in. Teachers also seem to trash America as well when teaching these students."They take care not to offend America's past enemies, but don't seem to worry about offending Americans." I thing Goldberg is trying to say, in todays society, not many teachers have a passion for teaching, which leads to them always teaching how americans are offended(like in the quote). Which leaves the students with no positive influence on their country and heritage, so why should they love it and defend it if no one else is? Goldberg also talked about Johnathan Kozol, and how he is a fierce opponent of traditional learning, which he says deadens childrens souls. My favorite quote of Goldberg was at the very end, and I agree with it very much. "What will become of a country whose youngest citizens have been taught so little affection for it?"
In comparing the two readings, the younger children from the Bronx and harlem, are more of the children who probably dont like their counrty. They see it as their country isnt doing anything to help them. They have to live their lives always being afraid. I found it so interesting that "7,600 is the average household income, and only seven of 800 children do not qualify for free school lunches" that just amazes me that people really have to live like this. "More than 95% are poor" these statistics made me very depressed and surprised. With people being shot, drug addicts, prostitution, and fatal illnesses always surounding you in your community, I don't think i would like this country very much either. Thats where teachers have to come in and provide positive learning in to childrens lives.
Teachers need to know the background of childrens lives when teaching them to make it a positive learning expierience. Since the only other learning expieriences they have would be at home, and probably are negative and certainly aren't positive in learning how the world is. When reading Amazing Grace, I wanted to cry at times, really! When Kozol talked about how children cry and cannot explain why they're crying, and Asthma is the greatest illness amoung children, and how the houses are soo freezing in the winter, they have to sleep with winter jackets on and hope they wake up alive. Its just so sad. "When roaches crawl on virtually every surface of the houses in which many children live. Rats emerge from holes in bedroom walls, terrorizing infants in thier cribs" its just the most horrible way to live. And I still cannot get over that its reallly this bad in this part of NY.
I really liked how Kozol put so much detail in his writing, but at the same time its made me cringe reading it. It was such an easy read, and it caught my attention right from the begining with all those statistics. Goldberg however, was okay, but it was kind of confusing with liberal/conservative teaching and I dont know, I think I got the point of it, however I had to read it a couple of times. I dont think these readings were like other texts we've read so far. It connects with how white privilege is blinded, with what i read in Amazing Grace i could see connections between races. I also liked the little poem by Parker, I never thought of it the way he put it which was different and enlightening. Overall, all these readings were a great read.
These reading were very interesting, and caught my attention from the moment Ibegan reading them. I think the author's point is to help educate poor/ minority children with a different kind of learning, beyond their influences at home, which could be really hard. When i was reading Amazing Grace by Kozol, I couldn't help but think how hard it would be for these children to sit in learning environment, trying to learn, with all this stuff going on in their lives at home. Teachers need to take all this under consideration when teaching children.
I read in Goldbergs writing how students don't like the country they live in. Teachers also seem to trash America as well when teaching these students."They take care not to offend America's past enemies, but don't seem to worry about offending Americans." I thing Goldberg is trying to say, in todays society, not many teachers have a passion for teaching, which leads to them always teaching how americans are offended(like in the quote). Which leaves the students with no positive influence on their country and heritage, so why should they love it and defend it if no one else is? Goldberg also talked about Johnathan Kozol, and how he is a fierce opponent of traditional learning, which he says deadens childrens souls. My favorite quote of Goldberg was at the very end, and I agree with it very much. "What will become of a country whose youngest citizens have been taught so little affection for it?"
In comparing the two readings, the younger children from the Bronx and harlem, are more of the children who probably dont like their counrty. They see it as their country isnt doing anything to help them. They have to live their lives always being afraid. I found it so interesting that "7,600 is the average household income, and only seven of 800 children do not qualify for free school lunches" that just amazes me that people really have to live like this. "More than 95% are poor" these statistics made me very depressed and surprised. With people being shot, drug addicts, prostitution, and fatal illnesses always surounding you in your community, I don't think i would like this country very much either. Thats where teachers have to come in and provide positive learning in to childrens lives.
Teachers need to know the background of childrens lives when teaching them to make it a positive learning expierience. Since the only other learning expieriences they have would be at home, and probably are negative and certainly aren't positive in learning how the world is. When reading Amazing Grace, I wanted to cry at times, really! When Kozol talked about how children cry and cannot explain why they're crying, and Asthma is the greatest illness amoung children, and how the houses are soo freezing in the winter, they have to sleep with winter jackets on and hope they wake up alive. Its just so sad. "When roaches crawl on virtually every surface of the houses in which many children live. Rats emerge from holes in bedroom walls, terrorizing infants in thier cribs" its just the most horrible way to live. And I still cannot get over that its reallly this bad in this part of NY.
I really liked how Kozol put so much detail in his writing, but at the same time its made me cringe reading it. It was such an easy read, and it caught my attention right from the begining with all those statistics. Goldberg however, was okay, but it was kind of confusing with liberal/conservative teaching and I dont know, I think I got the point of it, however I had to read it a couple of times. I dont think these readings were like other texts we've read so far. It connects with how white privilege is blinded, with what i read in Amazing Grace i could see connections between races. I also liked the little poem by Parker, I never thought of it the way he put it which was different and enlightening. Overall, all these readings were a great read.
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