I can honestly say that I am going to miss this class. I got to know some amazing people and learn so much about what is going on around me. This was a very comfortable class and felt more like hanging out with friends than going to class. I think this might be the first time that I have made really good friends and actually hung out with people in my class outside of the classroom setting. After this tough semester for me, not only school but personally, I realized that there are so many people out there that are very genuine and caring. I think we all became such good friends because of the atmosphere Dr. Bogad has given us.
The topics that we covered in class has taught me a lot. Most of what we have learned will stick with me all throughout my college life and even when I hopefully become a teacher. Before this class I didn't have the type of mind that I do today. It has changed the way I think about everyday life happenings. I hope everyone continues to have great college classes and hopefully I'll see most of you around campus! :)
Felicia McGuire
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
talking point #10
Shor
1. “People are naturally curious. They are born listeners. Education can either develop or still their inclination to ask why and to learn. A curriculum that avoids questioning school and society is not as, is commonly supposed, politically neutral."
Questions are the key to learning. We, as humans, were born wondering things. It is how we developed as children into who we are today. If we never asked questions or explored things then we would never be who we are today. I feel like everyone would be basically the same person with the same thoughts. If a curriculum doesn't allow for questions to be asked then everyone will just have to accept what they are taught and move on. If a student doesn't understand something they usually ask a question. If this is not allowed then they will never understand what they are being taught.
2. "Competition encourages people to survey other people’s differences for potential weak spots... We learn to ascribe winner or loser status based on certain perceived overt characteristics…"
Growing up grades were always most important to the class. Whoever got the best grade on a test was automatically the smartest in the class. Some teachers I had would call out the grades from the lowest to the highest. This was kind of embarrassing especially if you didn't do too well on that certain test. Everyone would think you were dumb if you did poorly on a test and everyone knew about it. Grades should be kept privet unless you yourself would like to share your grade with others. Besides grades children are very competitive at sports even in gym or at recess. This was always the case at the schools I attended.
3. "You must arouse children’s curiosity and make them think about school."
If you asked a group of students if they liked school, my guess would be that about half of them would reply no. I feel like it is a teachers responsibility to make school interesting for students. If they have a boring teacher they will not like school and never want to go to school. If a teacher is exciting and engaging in what she is doing with the students, then they will enjoy it a little better. You need to show them how important it is to go to school and that it is important to stay in school. Without an education it is very difficult to go anywhere in life and as teachers we need to show our students that.
Overall I really liked what this article was about. I thought it was very interesting that it seemed to talk about a little bit of everything that we learned this semester. It seems like a great way to end the year. Other than the topic, it was very long and hard to get through because of the length.
1. “People are naturally curious. They are born listeners. Education can either develop or still their inclination to ask why and to learn. A curriculum that avoids questioning school and society is not as, is commonly supposed, politically neutral."
Questions are the key to learning. We, as humans, were born wondering things. It is how we developed as children into who we are today. If we never asked questions or explored things then we would never be who we are today. I feel like everyone would be basically the same person with the same thoughts. If a curriculum doesn't allow for questions to be asked then everyone will just have to accept what they are taught and move on. If a student doesn't understand something they usually ask a question. If this is not allowed then they will never understand what they are being taught.
2. "Competition encourages people to survey other people’s differences for potential weak spots... We learn to ascribe winner or loser status based on certain perceived overt characteristics…"
Growing up grades were always most important to the class. Whoever got the best grade on a test was automatically the smartest in the class. Some teachers I had would call out the grades from the lowest to the highest. This was kind of embarrassing especially if you didn't do too well on that certain test. Everyone would think you were dumb if you did poorly on a test and everyone knew about it. Grades should be kept privet unless you yourself would like to share your grade with others. Besides grades children are very competitive at sports even in gym or at recess. This was always the case at the schools I attended.
3. "You must arouse children’s curiosity and make them think about school."
If you asked a group of students if they liked school, my guess would be that about half of them would reply no. I feel like it is a teachers responsibility to make school interesting for students. If they have a boring teacher they will not like school and never want to go to school. If a teacher is exciting and engaging in what she is doing with the students, then they will enjoy it a little better. You need to show them how important it is to go to school and that it is important to stay in school. Without an education it is very difficult to go anywhere in life and as teachers we need to show our students that.
Overall I really liked what this article was about. I thought it was very interesting that it seemed to talk about a little bit of everything that we learned this semester. It seems like a great way to end the year. Other than the topic, it was very long and hard to get through because of the length.
Girls acting "dumb"
In my VIPS classroom I always seem to get the questions from the same girl. Every time I'm there, she asks me to help her out. At first I really didn't mind because it was the whole reason I was there. I'm there to help the students in their math class if they are having trouble. After the first few classes I was starting to get a little aggravated because she knew what she was doing and it seemed like she just wanted me there for company. A few weeks ago me and the teacher that I am helping out were correcting the tests that the students had just taken. It was the girl who kept asking me questions turn to get her test corrected. She received 100% on her test. This struck me as a little odd because she was always asking me how to do things and to help her out. I then figured out that she is one of the top students in math in this classroom. She was dumbing herself down to get me to pay attention to her. I still don't understand why she would do this. Most of the time if someone wants attention they will do their best to receive praises and gain attention of others that way. I guess it can go both ways. I always hear about girls making themselves less smart because of a man but never because they want attention.
Monday, November 16, 2009
talking point # 9
Kliewer
1. "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 reminds me of when people say, "I understand" and they really don't. When people find out that my mother passed away they always say the same thing, "Oh I'm so sorry! I understand how you feel". Well actually you don't unless your mother has also passed away. The same goes for people with disabilities. People that don't have a disiblity always judge them and say that they "feel so bad". They just want to be listened to and treated the same. They are no different from us apart from a mental or physical disablity. A lot of the time they can do and even think the same way that we can without disabilites. I'm the same person with or without a mother and expected the be treated the same.
2." If you came into the room and were told there was a retarded child in the class, a child with special needs, i don't think you you would pick lee out. The kids really agree that he's as capable as they are. Intellectually the same."
The first thing that stuck out to me in this quote is the use of the word retarded. I hate when people use this word. It is so mean when someone refers to people with disabilites as retarded. Even saying somethings retarded is not ok. It is the same as saying something is gay. I may not be disabled or homosexual but I think it's horrible someone would refer to something that is different or wrong with those words. Also, not everyone who is disabled looks the same. There are those out there who are more severly disabled than others. There are also those who you would never know are in special classes. A girl that I know was in special classes her whole life and I never even knew it. It just goes to show you that you can't judge people by what they look like on the outside.
3.“Vygotsky found that the culture of segregation surround people with disabilities actually teaches underdevelopment of thinking through the isolation of children from socially valued opportunities… altering the culture of disability requires that a child be recognized as an active learner, a thinker, and a problem-solver, but this cannot occur apart from relationships that allow for such engagement.”
Vygotsky is saying that we can not separate students with disablities from those students who do not have disabilites. Giving them a different education than other students is wrong. They will learn better when they are given all the same materials and attention that all students are given. If students with disablities are shoved off into a different room and given different attention and learn techniques, they are going to feel different and not want to learn. We need to give everyone the same learning opportunities.
This article was kind of hard to read at first but got better as i went on. Working with people with disabilities have always been a passion of mine. While in middle school I would help out with colabrative gym class and loved every second of it. I would always talk to them as if they were the same as me and were not disabled. Treating them the same as yourself will make them feel awesome. They want nothing more than to be treated the same as everyone else in the world.
1. "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 reminds me of when people say, "I understand" and they really don't. When people find out that my mother passed away they always say the same thing, "Oh I'm so sorry! I understand how you feel". Well actually you don't unless your mother has also passed away. The same goes for people with disabilities. People that don't have a disiblity always judge them and say that they "feel so bad". They just want to be listened to and treated the same. They are no different from us apart from a mental or physical disablity. A lot of the time they can do and even think the same way that we can without disabilites. I'm the same person with or without a mother and expected the be treated the same.
2." If you came into the room and were told there was a retarded child in the class, a child with special needs, i don't think you you would pick lee out. The kids really agree that he's as capable as they are. Intellectually the same."
The first thing that stuck out to me in this quote is the use of the word retarded. I hate when people use this word. It is so mean when someone refers to people with disabilites as retarded. Even saying somethings retarded is not ok. It is the same as saying something is gay. I may not be disabled or homosexual but I think it's horrible someone would refer to something that is different or wrong with those words. Also, not everyone who is disabled looks the same. There are those out there who are more severly disabled than others. There are also those who you would never know are in special classes. A girl that I know was in special classes her whole life and I never even knew it. It just goes to show you that you can't judge people by what they look like on the outside.
3.“Vygotsky found that the culture of segregation surround people with disabilities actually teaches underdevelopment of thinking through the isolation of children from socially valued opportunities… altering the culture of disability requires that a child be recognized as an active learner, a thinker, and a problem-solver, but this cannot occur apart from relationships that allow for such engagement.”
Vygotsky is saying that we can not separate students with disablities from those students who do not have disabilites. Giving them a different education than other students is wrong. They will learn better when they are given all the same materials and attention that all students are given. If students with disablities are shoved off into a different room and given different attention and learn techniques, they are going to feel different and not want to learn. We need to give everyone the same learning opportunities.
This article was kind of hard to read at first but got better as i went on. Working with people with disabilities have always been a passion of mine. While in middle school I would help out with colabrative gym class and loved every second of it. I would always talk to them as if they were the same as me and were not disabled. Treating them the same as yourself will make them feel awesome. They want nothing more than to be treated the same as everyone else in the world.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Promising Practices
My first thoughts of this conference was very different than what I experienced. I was very tired when I got there and was not excited for the day at all. It also didn't help that I was trying to get over the flu. I walked in a found a group of people from class sitting together so I sat down with them. Knowing people always makes me feel somewhat better. I felt like we sat there for a while and was kind of wondering when things were going to pick up. My first session was The Impact of Racism on Learning: Stories from Undergraduate Women of Color. Our speaker was Annemarie Vaccaro, a graduate professor. I liked listening to her talk because she actually talked to us, not taught us. It was more like having a conversation about an interesting topic. What she had done is interview a variety of colored women at her school and asked them about racism and if they felt like they were being treated differently because of their color. Surprisingly many of them felt like they were treated like less of a person because of the color of their skin. Racism in schools very much still exists unfortunately. She told us about a video on YouTube called "A Girl Like Me".
This video is about colored women and how they feel in their everyday lives. They are expected to act and look a certain way. There is also an experiment with children about choosing different dolls. The white doll is said to be good and the colored doll is said to be bad. Clearly children are being taught from a young age that being white is better. People need to realize that there is no better skin color than another. It's who you are on the inside that matters. I wish everyone could think the way I do, but unfortunately that will never happen.
My second session was From Tango Makes Three to Hard Love. It was about LGBT literature in our schools. This was my favorite part of the day. It taught me so much that I didn't know before that day. I didn't even know that LGBT children's books were written. I never really thought about it before that day. Tango Makes Three is a book about two male penguins who take care of a baby penguin and raise it as their own. They told us not to be afraid to teach LGBT literature in our classrooms and be brave while teaching it. Some people might not agree with your teachings so you should be able to back them up. They gave us a resource list of more LGBT literature selections and reviews, like The Rainbow Project.
After the second session we had lunch and listen to Dr. Tricia Rose speak. Normally I don't like listening to speakers. They usually bore me and can never keep my attention. Dr. Rose was totally different. She was so funny and was talking about things that I was actually interested in. I really liked how she stood up for herself and didn't back down from a difficult question when someone clearly had different views than she did. Overall I liked the conference. It was interesting and taught me a lot of new things to take into consideration when teaching and even in my every day life.
This video is about colored women and how they feel in their everyday lives. They are expected to act and look a certain way. There is also an experiment with children about choosing different dolls. The white doll is said to be good and the colored doll is said to be bad. Clearly children are being taught from a young age that being white is better. People need to realize that there is no better skin color than another. It's who you are on the inside that matters. I wish everyone could think the way I do, but unfortunately that will never happen.
My second session was From Tango Makes Three to Hard Love. It was about LGBT literature in our schools. This was my favorite part of the day. It taught me so much that I didn't know before that day. I didn't even know that LGBT children's books were written. I never really thought about it before that day. Tango Makes Three is a book about two male penguins who take care of a baby penguin and raise it as their own. They told us not to be afraid to teach LGBT literature in our classrooms and be brave while teaching it. Some people might not agree with your teachings so you should be able to back them up. They gave us a resource list of more LGBT literature selections and reviews, like The Rainbow Project.
After the second session we had lunch and listen to Dr. Tricia Rose speak. Normally I don't like listening to speakers. They usually bore me and can never keep my attention. Dr. Rose was totally different. She was so funny and was talking about things that I was actually interested in. I really liked how she stood up for herself and didn't back down from a difficult question when someone clearly had different views than she did. Overall I liked the conference. It was interesting and taught me a lot of new things to take into consideration when teaching and even in my every day life.
Monday, November 9, 2009
talking point #8
Anyon
1."Once or twice a year there are science projects. The project is chosen and assigned by the teacher from a box of 3-by-5-inch cards. On the card the teacher has written the question to he 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." "
This is sad to only have 2 or 3 science projects a year. Most schools will do them once a week. The other sad part is that the teacher feels like they have to do everything for the student. Without the teacher, the student would be useless? Yes to a certain extent but they are not as dumb and helpless as this teacher feels like they are. They have common sense and can figure some things out.
2. "Only three times did the investigator hear a teacher in either working-class school preface a directive with an unsarcastic "please," or "let's" or "would you." Instead, the teachers said, "Shut up," "Shut your mouth," "Open your books," "Throw your gum away-if you want to rot your teeth, do it on your own time." Teachers made every effort to control the movement of the children, and often shouted, "'Why are you out of your seat??!!" "
I would hate to see this in a class room. You get kindness by giving kindness. I would not be surprised if these students give the teacher a hard time everyday. When you respect your students they will respect you. There is a fine line of discipline and kindness that a teacher needs to find. If you are too nice of a teacher then your students might walk all over you. If you are too mean and are always yelling, your students will not like you as much and give you a hard time. It might be hard to find but it needs to be done or even attempted to create a happy classroom.
3. "On an occasion when a child did not maintain control, the teacher said, "When you're up there, you have authority and you have to use it. I'll back you up.""
This is the type of teacher that I want to be. I want my students to know that I will support them when I can. I like teachers that you feel comfortable with and want to ask them questions. With a good relationship comes good learning. If you can talk to a teacher and understand them and they can understand you, then there will be a good atmosphere to learn in in the classroom. Every time I have had a teacher that i have liked, they have respected me and felt like a friend. I was not embarrassed to speak in class or ask them for some extra help.
I liked reading this article because it made me realize how I want to teach and what to do to gain the kind of respect from my students that I would want. I also didn't really like it because it made me upset that teachers would actually talk to their students like that. I never want to be like that or want any of my children having teachers like that. No one should be treated like that when they are trying to learn and better their lives.
1."Once or twice a year there are science projects. The project is chosen and assigned by the teacher from a box of 3-by-5-inch cards. On the card the teacher has written the question to he 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." "
This is sad to only have 2 or 3 science projects a year. Most schools will do them once a week. The other sad part is that the teacher feels like they have to do everything for the student. Without the teacher, the student would be useless? Yes to a certain extent but they are not as dumb and helpless as this teacher feels like they are. They have common sense and can figure some things out.
2. "Only three times did the investigator hear a teacher in either working-class school preface a directive with an unsarcastic "please," or "let's" or "would you." Instead, the teachers said, "Shut up," "Shut your mouth," "Open your books," "Throw your gum away-if you want to rot your teeth, do it on your own time." Teachers made every effort to control the movement of the children, and often shouted, "'Why are you out of your seat??!!" "
I would hate to see this in a class room. You get kindness by giving kindness. I would not be surprised if these students give the teacher a hard time everyday. When you respect your students they will respect you. There is a fine line of discipline and kindness that a teacher needs to find. If you are too nice of a teacher then your students might walk all over you. If you are too mean and are always yelling, your students will not like you as much and give you a hard time. It might be hard to find but it needs to be done or even attempted to create a happy classroom.
3. "On an occasion when a child did not maintain control, the teacher said, "When you're up there, you have authority and you have to use it. I'll back you up.""
This is the type of teacher that I want to be. I want my students to know that I will support them when I can. I like teachers that you feel comfortable with and want to ask them questions. With a good relationship comes good learning. If you can talk to a teacher and understand them and they can understand you, then there will be a good atmosphere to learn in in the classroom. Every time I have had a teacher that i have liked, they have respected me and felt like a friend. I was not embarrassed to speak in class or ask them for some extra help.
I liked reading this article because it made me realize how I want to teach and what to do to gain the kind of respect from my students that I would want. I also didn't really like it because it made me upset that teachers would actually talk to their students like that. I never want to be like that or want any of my children having teachers like that. No one should be treated like that when they are trying to learn and better their lives.
talking point #7
My freshman year of high school I went to an all girls school, so I know first hand the difference in education. The one year at an all girls school, I learned more there than at the 3 other years at a co-ed school. I feel like I learned more because I didn't have the distraction of any boys. I didn't have anyone to impress or to look good for. The same kind of learning goes for an all boys school. They can be who they are and not need to look extra masculine for any girls. Being able to learn in a comfortable environment is the best way to learn. That's why I think that same sex schools work the best for education. For a social aspect of learning, co-ed schools prepare you better for what you are going to experience in the real world.
Monday, October 26, 2009
talking point #6
I think that Time Wise knows exactly what he is talking about. He realizes that racism is still here and alive today even after things like Brown vs. Board of Education. He knows that we can try as hard as we want but racism will still be in our everyday lives. He even says that people do try to change how people feel but there is still a lot more work to do. I really liked listening to him talk and completely agree with him.
He was saying how people liked Bush as president better than Obama because of his color. Obama is an intelligent man and has done more than Bush to change and better the country but is still less liked as a person. Many people wouldn't vote for him just because he was black. This just shows how some people will refuse to get to know people just because of the color of their skin. This happens in our every day lives. Someone will not talk to someone and get to know them because of the color of their skin. Some people might really like what Obama has to say but will refuse to listen because he is black.
Brown vs. Board of Education tried to put a stop to African Americans being treated as second class citizens and giving them the same education that white students were getting. African Americans were going to start being treated equally. Wise was right, even after this law was passed they were still not given equal rights. They were still treated terribly. It was a start but definitely not the end of segregation.
He was saying how people liked Bush as president better than Obama because of his color. Obama is an intelligent man and has done more than Bush to change and better the country but is still less liked as a person. Many people wouldn't vote for him just because he was black. This just shows how some people will refuse to get to know people just because of the color of their skin. This happens in our every day lives. Someone will not talk to someone and get to know them because of the color of their skin. Some people might really like what Obama has to say but will refuse to listen because he is black.
Brown vs. Board of Education tried to put a stop to African Americans being treated as second class citizens and giving them the same education that white students were getting. African Americans were going to start being treated equally. Wise was right, even after this law was passed they were still not given equal rights. They were still treated terribly. It was a start but definitely not the end of segregation.
Monday, October 19, 2009
talking point #5
Kahne and Westheimer
1. "In contrast, much of the current discussion regarding service learning emphasizes charity, not change."
Service learning helps everyone involved. The person doing the work can be changed. Maybe before they started their work their opinions were different than when they finished. The people that are being helped are changing as well. They are receiving services that they don't have to worry about paying for. So saying that it is just charity is wrong. It changes many people that the service learning touches.
2."Service learning can advance other priorities, such as the acquisition of vocational skills."
Doing service learning is doing something that you would normally not do. This gives people the opportunity to explore other areas of learning and activities they never would have thought of taking part in. After starting our service learning project I have learned so much more about teaching and urban setting schools. The students teach me so much. If I had never gone to this school and don't this service learning, I wouldn't have the better teaching skills that I have today.
3. “ ‘In the service of what?’ is a question that inevitably merits the attention of teachers, policy makers, and academicians who take seriously the idea that learning and service reinforce each other and should come together in America’s schools.”
Helping others learn can help you learn yourself. Everyone is benefited by service learning. It shouldn't be for a reward at the end of the service because then you won't get anything educational out of it. Some people do service learning just because they have to and they hate every second of it. If you go into it with a positive attitude then you can really take something from it.
I did not like reading this article at all. It was very hard to get through and I don't think I understood much of it at all. I didn't know what else to say and kind of kept saying the same thing. I did understand that service learning is for the best and need to try to connect it to school as much as possible.
1. "In contrast, much of the current discussion regarding service learning emphasizes charity, not change."
Service learning helps everyone involved. The person doing the work can be changed. Maybe before they started their work their opinions were different than when they finished. The people that are being helped are changing as well. They are receiving services that they don't have to worry about paying for. So saying that it is just charity is wrong. It changes many people that the service learning touches.
2."Service learning can advance other priorities, such as the acquisition of vocational skills."
Doing service learning is doing something that you would normally not do. This gives people the opportunity to explore other areas of learning and activities they never would have thought of taking part in. After starting our service learning project I have learned so much more about teaching and urban setting schools. The students teach me so much. If I had never gone to this school and don't this service learning, I wouldn't have the better teaching skills that I have today.
3. “ ‘In the service of what?’ is a question that inevitably merits the attention of teachers, policy makers, and academicians who take seriously the idea that learning and service reinforce each other and should come together in America’s schools.”
Helping others learn can help you learn yourself. Everyone is benefited by service learning. It shouldn't be for a reward at the end of the service because then you won't get anything educational out of it. Some people do service learning just because they have to and they hate every second of it. If you go into it with a positive attitude then you can really take something from it.
I did not like reading this article at all. It was very hard to get through and I don't think I understood much of it at all. I didn't know what else to say and kind of kept saying the same thing. I did understand that service learning is for the best and need to try to connect it to school as much as possible.
talking point #4
Christensen
1. "There should be more women of color who play the leads in these white-on-white wedding cake tales."
Hardly ever do you see a white person as the main character in any Disney or other children's company that makes movies or anything that has to do with what children see, hear or even interact with. Disney started when people of color were not treated like they are treated today. It is not unbelievable that Walt Disney would have been racist and not make any of his main characters black. The characters that are darker colored are usually the ones who are the villains. Just recently I heard that Disney was going to be coming out with a new princess that is black. I think it's a good idea and it is about time that this children industry shows that it doesn't matter what color you are, everyone is an equal character.
This is the conclusion but it won't let me move it after i posted it!
I loved reading this because it made me realize things that I had never taken time to think about before. I enjoy watching Disney movies but now I will like them even more because I will be able to tell the secret messages they are trying to say. Disney does seem to be turning itself around now with the making of the new movie with the black princess as the main character.
2. "The newer cartoons -like Mulan, Aladdin, and Pocahontas - are subtler and take more sophistication to see through."
Like Christensen was talking about, the older cartoons are very open about how they feel towards women, people of color and even poor people. Now when you watch cartoons you need to really be aware of what you are looking for. When we watched the scene from Beauty and the Beast in class I realized things that I had never seen before. When I use to watch the movie I never thought that Bell was being treated differently just because she was smart and wanted to learn. Someone doesn't think of these things unless they are told about it previously. I asked my 16 year old sister what she thought of that same opening sequence and she said she loved the song and wanted to go watch the movie with me. Unless I told her about the prejudice toward Bell, she never would have thought twice about it.
3. "The Barbie syndrome starts as we begin a lifelong search for the perfect body. Crash diets, fat phobias, and an obsession with the materialistic become commonplace."
Mostly all characters we see on TV or in movies are thin and pretty. Not until recently has bigger people and people who are not as pretty been main characters in shows or movies. I even see this Barbie syndrome in young children today. My cousin looks at Cosmo magazine in the stores and says that she's getting fat. She is 11 years old and should not be doing this. She is beautiful and does not need to change anything about herself. But the image that the media is giving her is that there is something wrong with her. A big thing growing up was that she was tanner than everyone in her class and it really bothered her. Fortunately she has come to realize that it is OK to look a little different than everyone else.
1. "There should be more women of color who play the leads in these white-on-white wedding cake tales."
Hardly ever do you see a white person as the main character in any Disney or other children's company that makes movies or anything that has to do with what children see, hear or even interact with. Disney started when people of color were not treated like they are treated today. It is not unbelievable that Walt Disney would have been racist and not make any of his main characters black. The characters that are darker colored are usually the ones who are the villains. Just recently I heard that Disney was going to be coming out with a new princess that is black. I think it's a good idea and it is about time that this children industry shows that it doesn't matter what color you are, everyone is an equal character.
This is the conclusion but it won't let me move it after i posted it!
I loved reading this because it made me realize things that I had never taken time to think about before. I enjoy watching Disney movies but now I will like them even more because I will be able to tell the secret messages they are trying to say. Disney does seem to be turning itself around now with the making of the new movie with the black princess as the main character.
2. "The newer cartoons -like Mulan, Aladdin, and Pocahontas - are subtler and take more sophistication to see through."
Like Christensen was talking about, the older cartoons are very open about how they feel towards women, people of color and even poor people. Now when you watch cartoons you need to really be aware of what you are looking for. When we watched the scene from Beauty and the Beast in class I realized things that I had never seen before. When I use to watch the movie I never thought that Bell was being treated differently just because she was smart and wanted to learn. Someone doesn't think of these things unless they are told about it previously. I asked my 16 year old sister what she thought of that same opening sequence and she said she loved the song and wanted to go watch the movie with me. Unless I told her about the prejudice toward Bell, she never would have thought twice about it.
3. "The Barbie syndrome starts as we begin a lifelong search for the perfect body. Crash diets, fat phobias, and an obsession with the materialistic become commonplace."
Mostly all characters we see on TV or in movies are thin and pretty. Not until recently has bigger people and people who are not as pretty been main characters in shows or movies. I even see this Barbie syndrome in young children today. My cousin looks at Cosmo magazine in the stores and says that she's getting fat. She is 11 years old and should not be doing this. She is beautiful and does not need to change anything about herself. But the image that the media is giving her is that there is something wrong with her. A big thing growing up was that she was tanner than everyone in her class and it really bothered her. Fortunately she has come to realize that it is OK to look a little different than everyone else.
Monday, October 5, 2009
talking point #3
Carlson
1. "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."
After reading this quote I realized that this is completely true. When you are learning about AIDS and HIV in health class, they tell you it is a homosexual related disease. If I was a homosexual I would be highly offended. Every time someone thinks about the life taking disease, they think about homosexuals and possibly people that they know that are homosexual. I attended a Catholic high school and the topic of homosexuality was never really brought up. But in my own home, I was taught to accept people for who they are and not make judgement if people are different than I am. Someone who was brought up to believe stereotypes and not to accept people that are a little different will listen to the AIDS and HIV comments. It is not just homosexuals that receive this disease, many people can.
2. "We cannot and should not attempt to impose "politically correct" beliefs on students; but we have a responsibility as public educators in a democratic society to engage them in a dialogue in which all voices get heard or represented and in which gay students and teachers feel free to "come out" and find their own voices."
Carlson is saying that we cannot just believe what everyone else believes in regarding homosexuals. As educators, we need to let the children make their own decisions. We cannot tell them what is right and what is wrong to believe in or make them follow the politically correct way of thinking because not all people think the same way. Having intelligent conversations about different people's beliefs would be the right way of going about this debate. Not by threatening or yelling at others who do not think the same way the you do. Children need to make up their own mind about homosexuality and be educated about it.
3. " Throughout much of this century, the dominant idea of community in America was represented by what I will call the normalizing community."
I think "normality" is such a reoccurring topic. To Americans, normal is SCWAAMP. I'm not sure why we as a melting pot of a country still have a normality. Everyone is so different from each other that there is no way we can all fit the norm. I think it's really sad that we cannot all be treated the same. I wish people could be more accepting of people that might be just a litter different from themselves.
I really liked reading this article even thought it was a little difficult to get through. It shows people that we need to accept others like we accept those of our own kind. Homosexuals are in our everyday lives. From TV shows to movies to music, we cannot pretend that it is not there. Everyone can have their own opinion but not in a hateful way. There is no reason to have to make a homosexual feel bad for who and what they are.
1. "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."
After reading this quote I realized that this is completely true. When you are learning about AIDS and HIV in health class, they tell you it is a homosexual related disease. If I was a homosexual I would be highly offended. Every time someone thinks about the life taking disease, they think about homosexuals and possibly people that they know that are homosexual. I attended a Catholic high school and the topic of homosexuality was never really brought up. But in my own home, I was taught to accept people for who they are and not make judgement if people are different than I am. Someone who was brought up to believe stereotypes and not to accept people that are a little different will listen to the AIDS and HIV comments. It is not just homosexuals that receive this disease, many people can.
2. "We cannot and should not attempt to impose "politically correct" beliefs on students; but we have a responsibility as public educators in a democratic society to engage them in a dialogue in which all voices get heard or represented and in which gay students and teachers feel free to "come out" and find their own voices."
Carlson is saying that we cannot just believe what everyone else believes in regarding homosexuals. As educators, we need to let the children make their own decisions. We cannot tell them what is right and what is wrong to believe in or make them follow the politically correct way of thinking because not all people think the same way. Having intelligent conversations about different people's beliefs would be the right way of going about this debate. Not by threatening or yelling at others who do not think the same way the you do. Children need to make up their own mind about homosexuality and be educated about it.
3. " Throughout much of this century, the dominant idea of community in America was represented by what I will call the normalizing community."
I think "normality" is such a reoccurring topic. To Americans, normal is SCWAAMP. I'm not sure why we as a melting pot of a country still have a normality. Everyone is so different from each other that there is no way we can all fit the norm. I think it's really sad that we cannot all be treated the same. I wish people could be more accepting of people that might be just a litter different from themselves.
I really liked reading this article even thought it was a little difficult to get through. It shows people that we need to accept others like we accept those of our own kind. Homosexuals are in our everyday lives. From TV shows to movies to music, we cannot pretend that it is not there. Everyone can have their own opinion but not in a hateful way. There is no reason to have to make a homosexual feel bad for who and what they are.
Monday, September 28, 2009
talking point #2
1. "Without question, it would have pleased me to hear my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom. I would have felt much less afraid." pg. 1
This quote reminds me of our discussion in class about scanning a room before sitting down. Also how we said that in the cafeteria, the same types of people sit together like the black people or the Hispanic people. Rodriguez would have felt much more comfortable speaking his own language. This is just like people being more comfortable being with their same kind of people. I feel like Rodriguez would scan a room before sitting down also. Since our society doesn't really meet the needs of others, we just use English as our language and wait for others to understand us.
2. "Only then did I determine to learn classroom English." pg. 2
Rodriguez was very much against trying to learn English because this is what he knew at home. The day that he saw his parents speaking Spanish then switch to English once he came in the room made him realize that there is no getting around this. Even his brother and sister were talking in English in another part of the house. After he learned how to speak English he became a better student. He even felt like he actually belonged in the society that he lived in for once. This makes me a little upset. For someone to feel like the belong to the society that they live in, they have to change who they are and how they were raised to fit in? People need to be accepted for who they are and not be expected to change if they don't want to.
3. "But the special feeling of closeness at home was diminished by then." pg. 2
After learning the English language better, Rodriguez lost all Spanish connections he had before with his family. Speaking Spanish at home was very sacred and special to him. It was something different that he had that not many other kids in his class did. It is always nice to be able to share something with your family that you cannot share with anyone else. Once everyone started to speak English more often, he did not feel as close with his family anymore. This can be very upsetting because he is losing his family connection. Without them, he is just fitting into society like he has never wanted to do.
Reading "Aria" made me realize that it must be very difficult for people who do not speak English as their first language to live in society. I never learned a second language and only English was ever spoken at home. I now look back and wish that my family had brought some heritage into my life as a child. It would have made me closer with them and have something special to share with them. Non English speaking citizens need to keep their heritage and not change just to please people. They can fit in and still stay true to who they are.
This quote reminds me of our discussion in class about scanning a room before sitting down. Also how we said that in the cafeteria, the same types of people sit together like the black people or the Hispanic people. Rodriguez would have felt much more comfortable speaking his own language. This is just like people being more comfortable being with their same kind of people. I feel like Rodriguez would scan a room before sitting down also. Since our society doesn't really meet the needs of others, we just use English as our language and wait for others to understand us.
2. "Only then did I determine to learn classroom English." pg. 2
Rodriguez was very much against trying to learn English because this is what he knew at home. The day that he saw his parents speaking Spanish then switch to English once he came in the room made him realize that there is no getting around this. Even his brother and sister were talking in English in another part of the house. After he learned how to speak English he became a better student. He even felt like he actually belonged in the society that he lived in for once. This makes me a little upset. For someone to feel like the belong to the society that they live in, they have to change who they are and how they were raised to fit in? People need to be accepted for who they are and not be expected to change if they don't want to.
3. "But the special feeling of closeness at home was diminished by then." pg. 2
After learning the English language better, Rodriguez lost all Spanish connections he had before with his family. Speaking Spanish at home was very sacred and special to him. It was something different that he had that not many other kids in his class did. It is always nice to be able to share something with your family that you cannot share with anyone else. Once everyone started to speak English more often, he did not feel as close with his family anymore. This can be very upsetting because he is losing his family connection. Without them, he is just fitting into society like he has never wanted to do.
Reading "Aria" made me realize that it must be very difficult for people who do not speak English as their first language to live in society. I never learned a second language and only English was ever spoken at home. I now look back and wish that my family had brought some heritage into my life as a child. It would have made me closer with them and have something special to share with them. Non English speaking citizens need to keep their heritage and not change just to please people. They can fit in and still stay true to who they are.
Monday, September 21, 2009
talking point #1
Peggy McIntosh - White Privilege
1. "I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed. " pg. 2
I feel like this quote is completely true for a white person. Sometimes when black people go into a store they are followed and are asked to check their bags. It is very rare that the same situation happens to a white person. The owners of store can be very raciest against black people and have a stereotype that black people steal. I think it is wrong for this to still happen in our society today. Sadly it happens to people that would never think of stealing in their lives. The raciest store owners are so worried about the black people stealing when they could have a white person stealing right in front of them. They wouldn't think twice about watching them while they were in the store because they were white.
2."many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own." pg. 4
Many times white people will get a job offer before a black person will. The white person could quite possibly be less qualified than the black person is. This is how our society runs today unfortunately. The color of your skin decides things for you. Not even in the work field but all over does this happen. White people are usually offered things before anyone else. It's not even black people that are put down, it's everyone who is not white.
3. "they do not see "whiteness" as a racial identity." pg. 5
Usually when people think about race and racial identities they think about every other race other than white. The white people think that they are the normal ones and everyone else is part of a racial identity. Since there is a white majority, people don't think anything of it. This is sad because white is a race also. White people should be included and not be put into their own category like they are more important than everyone else. Everyone is more or less equal no matter what their skin color is.
I really enjoyed reading White Privilege. It was an easy read compared to the other readings we have done so far. I am still not too sure if she supports equality or thinks that it will never happen. Some of her points shows me that she doesn't agree with white people being looked at as superior to the other races. Other times it seems like she just wants to give up and says that this is how it is and that we cannot change it.
1. "I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed. " pg. 2
I feel like this quote is completely true for a white person. Sometimes when black people go into a store they are followed and are asked to check their bags. It is very rare that the same situation happens to a white person. The owners of store can be very raciest against black people and have a stereotype that black people steal. I think it is wrong for this to still happen in our society today. Sadly it happens to people that would never think of stealing in their lives. The raciest store owners are so worried about the black people stealing when they could have a white person stealing right in front of them. They wouldn't think twice about watching them while they were in the store because they were white.
2."many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own." pg. 4
Many times white people will get a job offer before a black person will. The white person could quite possibly be less qualified than the black person is. This is how our society runs today unfortunately. The color of your skin decides things for you. Not even in the work field but all over does this happen. White people are usually offered things before anyone else. It's not even black people that are put down, it's everyone who is not white.
3. "they do not see "whiteness" as a racial identity." pg. 5
Usually when people think about race and racial identities they think about every other race other than white. The white people think that they are the normal ones and everyone else is part of a racial identity. Since there is a white majority, people don't think anything of it. This is sad because white is a race also. White people should be included and not be put into their own category like they are more important than everyone else. Everyone is more or less equal no matter what their skin color is.
I really enjoyed reading White Privilege. It was an easy read compared to the other readings we have done so far. I am still not too sure if she supports equality or thinks that it will never happen. Some of her points shows me that she doesn't agree with white people being looked at as superior to the other races. Other times it seems like she just wants to give up and says that this is how it is and that we cannot change it.
Monday, September 7, 2009
about me
Hi everyone. My name is Felicia McGuire and I am a sophomore at RIC. I live on campus in Weber Hall. I love living on campus because there is always something to do. My semester is going to be pretty busy this fall but well worth it. I'm an elementary education major but I'm not to sure what I want to concentrate in yet. When I'm not in class I like to hang out with my friends. I'm a member on a sorority on campus Zeta Xi Delta. I'm on the executive board so it gives me a lot to do. =]
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