Friday, December 13, 2013

Because who is perfect?

I found this while browsing my Facebook and I think this goes great along with the dove beauty commercial we viewed in class. However the people featured in the video take it one step further and they "do" something with the information they learned and I think that Christenson would be quite proud of the outcome.

http://www.upworthy.com/i-bet-these-people-never-expected-to-be-models-but-the-results-are-so-gorgeous-2?g=2&c=upw1

I hope everyone gets the chance to see it!

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Between Barack and a Hard Place: Repost

Photograph shows a line of African American and white school girls standing in a classroom while boys sit behind them.
It is know to most Americans that the schools of the United States have been racially desegregated since May 17, 1954. This is due to the court case of Brown vs. The Board of Education and a team of dedicated lawyers and concerned citizens and parents. Although it is official that the schools within  the United States are desegregated the reality is, that it is simply untrue. Based on what Bob Herbert states in his article Separate and Unequal, he would agree with the above statement. In truth, "Schools are no longer legally segregated, but because of residential patterns, housing discrimination, economic disparities and long-held custom, they most emphatically are in reality. " So in other words, despite the fact that there was a law passed desegregating schools, the segregation still continues. This is due to the income of families and the concentrations of poverty within one area, where all the children attend the same school. If there is a break on the concentration it is proven that the impoverished children do far better in a school with a higher income of residents in the surrounding community. By integrating some of the poorer students into a wealthier school it allows the children to achieve greater. It is my belief that Tim Wise would agree with this method.

What leads me to this conclusion is his idea that although Barack O'Bama is a inspiration for people of color to look up to, but should not be a limiting inspiration. He believes that people of color should not conform to the standards set by O'Bama, but instead lead their own unique path to success. By following their own way, in an environment that promotes a positive learning experience, children can have their own type of success.


What the election of Barack O'Bama has done for the people of color in the United States, as well as for our history, is substantial, but as Americans there needs to be a recognition that there is still more to do. It is easier to deny that racism still exists or put it on the colored people of the nation, saying that they use it as an excuse (a view seen by Mayor Angel Taveras of Rhode Island), but the reality is the stereotypes white people still carry is holding our nation back. As soon as we can let go of our past history and realize there is more work to be done, we will still be in a nation where racism and prejudice still exist. And this of course can be tied to Delpit's fifth rule and code of power that, "Those with power are frequently least aware of- or least willing to acknowledge- its existence. Those with less power are often most aware of its existence."

In the Service of What?: Repost

In Kahne and Westheimer's article they explored the effectiveness of Service Learning and whether or not students actually develop a higher self esteem, improved thinking skills and perfection of multiple skills, like the program has set out for them to achieve. They then talked about the two different approaches and reflected on and compared their effectiveness.

The first method stressed was, the charity and community service method.  For this the students picked a topic and went out into the "real world" and volunteered somewhere that was related to their topic chosen.  The question surrounding this way of teaching service learning was, did the students actually see the human being behind the charity that they were giving? Although there was no argument in regards to the development of the student's sense of civic duty. The second method, the change method, involved students reading stories, doing research and community service. In this situation students felt more connected with the people they were helping and were able to work together, respond to problems and feel good about helping people.

When reflecting on these two methods there isn't much difference, however the students involved with "change" were able to connect with the people they were helping on a much deeper level and for me that is most important. As I am sure many of my fellow students have, I participated in a community service project as a requirement to graduate high school and it felt more like school work rather than what it was suppose to be; life changing. Most students half a**** their project and at the very most handed out pamphlets concerning their problem or issue. Due to the lack of effort, most of my fellow classmates failed to consider the life and disposition of who they were caring for and went about their daily lives as if nothing could change it. Which is why, based on my own experiences, I believe that allowing the students to make deeper connections with their fellow neighbors is the only way that the service learning program will affect students lives in the long run.

It is my belief that the following chart shows the delicate balance needed in order for student to get the most out of their service learning experience.
 
With that being said, the reason why this "change" method and delicate balance, would work is due to the combination of critical inquiry and action. Which I believe Christenson would agree with. I can make this connection because of her conclusion that having her students act upon what they were learning in class, allowed the lesson to truly change their disposition on a subject. Or in her creative tongue, " Instead of leaving students full of bile, standing with their hands on their hips, shaking their heads on how bad the world is, I provided them with the opportunity to make a difference." This of course being the hope of the service learning program.

"Five reasons to stop saying good job!":Repost

"Is it possible that telling kids they've done a good job may have less to do with their emotional need than with our convenience?"


After I finished reading this article I can confidently answer the above question. Kohn clearly proves that it is more about the adult's need to say "Good job", rather than the actual benefit of the child. When thinking on the matter, saying "Good job" after a student accomplishes something is a force of habit, your not aware of the phrase, until your made aware. The two words are said SO often in a child's school environment and home life, that the meaning behind them is lost. The convenience of it takes away from the actual accomplishment the student makes and has no long term benefit. Children are less likely to persist with difficult tasks and focus more on receiving praise, rather than actually doing well on the project set forth in front of them. Kohn even goes on to say that when these children become adults they will still seek approval, a pat on the back so to speak. Not only does it crush a child's confidence, but lessens interest on the activity. Which of course is the complete opposite of what a teacher's intentions are. With all these examples on how this simple phrase is a detriment to a child's learning, it begs the question, how do you praise a child for a "job well done", without out actually saying the words.

1. Say nothing
The praise might not be necessary.

2. Say what you saw.
State what you see the child doing, "You put your shoes on by yourself!", allowing their good behavior to be recognized. If the child shows a picture they drew, comment on an item in the picture with out any passing of judgment.

3. Talk less, ask more.
Ask questions on the process in which the student used to do their activity, teaching the children to become more excited about what they are doing.

And in conclusion, "The good news is you don't have to evaluate in order to encourage."

I have come to learn this as I have continued to observe in my ESL classroom at Charlotte Woods Elementary. While working with alphabet flashcards with the students at low reading levels, they look to me for the answers and it is so hard not to answer for them. However, I know if I do, then they will not actually be getting the learning experience because I will be telling them instead of them learning. Instead I use Collier's approach of using their first language (Spanish) in order to enhance their understanding of the English language. Once they are starting to grasp the concept it takes everything in my being not to have word vomit and say "good job", but I can control myself most times and say, "you did it." This not only shows my progress, but it recognizes the students progress as well.

With that being said no truer words, on the matter of "Good job!" political correctness, has been said. As a potential teacher and having read this article (and many others) it has shown me that what you say in your class can be everything to the children you are teaching. It is up to us to help shape and encourage the types of people that the children will be in the future and the importance of your words becomes so imperative.

"Death Should Never Be An Option": Repost

Before I get into my interpretation and analysis of Safe Spaces I would like to start off by including my own experience with a close friend of mine who has "come out of the closet" and told me he was gay.

Zak has been my neighbor for all of my life and I have grown up with him in every school since kindergarten. My family and I were fairly close and I can always remember going over to his house during the summer and spending hours and hours baking under the sun; jumping in and out of the pool. So when my sister, friend, Zak and I were sitting at Gregg's Restaurant one evening and were having a meaningful conversation about life and everything the future had to offer us, it soon became a moment I will never forget. In one sudden outburst Zak said, "guys I have something to tell you.... I'm gay." I distinctly remember this moment in great detail because it affected Zak's life more than he had ever expected. I looked at him and said, "yeah and?". With those two words being uttered from my mouth he broke down in tears. He explained how nervous he was to tell us because he didn't want us to see him any differently. The insecurity that he had not to tell us who he really was did not come from the relationship we had, but with the judgment that came from society.

For someone to feel that insecure about showing who they really are to the people that mean the most to them is not something that teenagers, or anyone for that matter, should feel. And for some it becomes too much and they feel as though they have end their life, to end their misery. For a person to feel that helpless is something that no one should have to go through and in order for that to change, we as a society need to change our mindset. An just like August says in Safe Spaces, it starts within the classroom walls. If teachers learn to include LGBT into the everyday vernacular of the classroom the exposure to it will allow for it to become less foreign to students. Once they are more familiar with the concept they are more accepting of the idea outside of the classroom. Just by including a story about a happy family with two mommies can show the positivity of a different household and affect the way a child views a family different from theirs. As teachers can include this positivity and LGBT vocabulary, then the acceptance of people that are seen as different from us will be increasing.

This concept of making the recognition that there is injustice towards other people occurring in society, but it is not something that is talked about is a concept that Delpit acknowledges in her article, Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom. Instead of tying it to LGBT issues she ties it to multicultural and power issues, however the concept is the same. It is as such, that there is problem within our society where there is a culture of power, who are not aware of the power they have, or the fact that because they have this power, it mean others do not. When a culture has this power their ideals about other cultures, languages, groups etc., are considered to be the normal thought of society's people, without even acknowledging the fact that there are more variables to consider.

As a connection to the modern world, there is a man who is considering the other variables and recognizing and celebrating the increasing acceptance of the LGBT community, this one singer that is paving the way for the idea that talking about the issue is the first step toward actual acceptance is Macklemore. Upon hearing this song over a month ago I remember being in awe because everything what he says in his song is inspiring and true, but most of all he was saying it (Johnson). He was saying it and that is everything.

"For those that like the same sex had the characteristics
The right-wing conservatives think it's a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made, rewiring of a pre-disposition, playing God
Ahh, nah, here we go
American the brave still fears what we don't know
And "God loves all his children" is somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase book written thirty-five hundred years ago
I don't know."

And here is the man who is "saying it".

Aria, By: Richard "Ricardo" Rodriguez: Repost

 For my response to Aria by Richard Rodriguez I would like to focus on the following quote, "today I hear bilingual educators say that children lose a degree if "individuality" by becoming assimilated into public society."
I have seemed to gravitate toward the idea that, while learning to live within another culture you lose your sense of self and own cultures, from the text because without my own heritage it would be difficult to be the person that I am today. * I am of course not saying that I would fall apart without my connection to my culture, but I can not imagine living without  the connection. This is due to the feeling of community that one feels when they are connected with the people that share the same morals and ideals with. This sense of security that one feels when a community stands behind you is not something that can easily be replaced, which is why the author's acceptance of his new culture was surprising to me.
Throughout the beginning of the text as Richard is growing up he slowly accepts the "gringo" culture, but all the while he describes the things that he looses by doing so. For example he finds it harder and harder for him to communicate with his parents, thus creating a strained relationship. By being so accepting of this I feel as though one looses their connection to their past, which is a huge part of making up who we are today. However in the end Richard makes this final point, "that while one suffers a diminished sense of private individuality by becoming assimilated into public society, such assimilation makes possible the achievement of public individuality." With his final point made I question the idea that maybe there is a happy medium, where you do not loose your cultural past, but still learn to become an individual within the public community.

This of course can be answered in Collier's article, Teaching Multilingual Children, where she stress the rules in which to follow when teaching multilingual children. She describes a delicate balance between respecting the child's first language, while teaching them their second language. She states that, "One must teach in two languages, affirm the cultural values of both home and school, teach standardized forms of the two languages but respect the multiple varieties and dialects represented among students in class..." The method described here is easy to bring into the classroom and can change the way English is taught within the classroom for the better.

*Here is a little bit about my heritage. On my mother's side my family is dated back to be upon the original trip made by the Mayflower and founded a small farming town in Maine ( then of course it was Massachusetts ). With my ancestors being such an important part of the United State's history, it is hard not to feel a strong connection. On my father's side the story is much less valiant. They were poor potato farmers from Ireland that sought a better life in America. This of course is much similar to other's stories.
**This is not my ancestor's house, but it is another farmhouse within the town of Turner.

A Compassionate Response to Amazing Grace: Repost

As an average white American it is hard to face the idea that by being white it puts me at an advantage over other citizens. However, despite what I might like to protest, it is true. This idea of course can also be tied to Allan Johnson's article Privilege, Power and Difference, where he reveals that no one is willing to talk about the subject of injustice, racism, feminism, etc.. A man who is doing this however and telling the stories of the people that face injustice in the South Bronx is Jonathan Kozol. While reading Jonathan Kozol's Amazing Grace the reality of what he was describing about the citizens in the South Bronx and the lives that they lead every day, hit me extremely hard. I am not by any means ignorant to the reality that people have it much worse than I do, but the impact did not go unnoticed. The life that Kozol described made me think about everything I had and realize the great opportunities that I have set before me. Basic amenities that I take for granted every day, other citizens struggle to hold onto. This is where we found Alice Washington who is suffering from AIDS, all the while trying to support her teenage son as he goes through high school and prepares for college.

What Kozol described was not some desperate junkie living off the government, just like stereotypes have Americans believing, but a strong independent woman doing everything she can to give her child what he needs, all the while having crippling medical problems. However despite all of what she goes through she reveals to Kozol what is going on around her and the suffering that others are facing. In spite of what she faces every day she still had the compassion to understand that she is not the only one suffering. This compassion is not something you can find in an average white citizen because it seems as though we feel that if it is not seen, it doesn’t exist. This concept can be tied into Peggy McIntosh’s article where she states, “I was taught to see racism in individual acts of meanness, not in invisible systems conferring dominance on my group.” If we as white Americans choose not to see what is right in front of us, there is no hope of getting our citizens out of the desperation they face every day.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Liberation Praxis: Participation & Inquiry; "Revisited"


I would like to start off by acknowledging that I am using Jocelyn's blog for my (late) post on Ira Shor's article, "Empowering Education: Critical Teaching for Social Change". I was fascinated by everything that she wrote on her blog and the quotes chosen were absolutely fabulous. I will be using some of the quotes she posted and adding quotes from the original piece and then writing about the connection between the two. So here it goes!


1. August’s “Creating Safe Spaces: “Our role as teachers is to create a safe environment in which students can express opinions and most importantly, generate their own language materials for learning and peer-teaching” (Shor, 43).
      -"...teachers, school administrators, and college professors create an atmosphere in which
      difference is not only tolerated but expected, explored and embraced, students will be more
      likely to develop perspectives that result in respectful behaviors."
What both Shor and August is saying is that if there is a safe environment for a student; that in any other circumstance feels foreign to it, where they are embraced and made to feel like they are just as special as anyone else, they can be more successful and respected in life. When a safe space is created the individual(s) can be comfortable to be themselves and know that they will be accepted for who they are. I believe that this can not only be tied to August, but to Kliewer as well.
      -"Its not like they come here to be labeled, or to believe the label. We are all here-kids, teachers,
       parents, whoever- it's about all of us working together, playing together, being together, and
       that's what learning is."
In Kliewer's piece he tells of a teacher that had a boy with down syndrome in her class that loved to dance along to his books and she let him. She did not shut him down and tell him, "that's not what we in school", instead she let the other students in the class learn another way to interpret books through this child. She created a safe space for this student and his classmates enjoyed what he had taught them and stated that they would have never thought about interpreting books in that way. Not only did the boy feel safe within the classroom walls, but other students learned to be respectful and understanding of his different learning style.
 

 
2. Collier’s “Code-Switching”: “As writing teachers to Afro-Caribbean students, they taught the community idiom, Creole and standard English simultaneously. They did not install white English as the preferred idiom in the classroom. Instead they developed bilingual literacy and a political awareness of the relationship between the dominant and the community languages” (Shor, 48).
      -"Be aware that children use first language acquisition strategies for learning or acquiring a
      second language"
 

What Collier is suggesting is that when a child is learning English as their second language they use their first language in order to better understand what they are learning. I have witnessed this first and can say that by using a child's first language to learn English, they children are better able to comprehend and remember new concepts. Shor also includes the fact that when a teacher uses these valuable learning tools, students feel respected and develop a better respect and relationship with the teacher and the environment they are in. This concept can of course be tied to Kohl.
      -"Not-learning tends to take place when someone has to deal with unavoidable challenges to her
      or his personal and family loyalties, integrity and identity."
 What Kohl is acknowledging is the idea that if a child feels as though something about themselves has been threated, disrespected or taken away from them, they will refuse to learn based this outside attack on their being. When this happens you have the "I won't learn from you moment" and in the end it is the child that suffers the most from this.
 
 
3. Delpit’s “Rules and Codes of Power”: “Most kids like the sound of their home language better…we talk about why it might be necessary to learn standard English…asking my students to memorize the rules without asking who makes the rules, who enforces the rues, who benefits from the rules, who loses from the rules…legitimates a social system that devalues my students’ knowledge and language” (Shor, 53).

      -"If you are not already a participant in the cultures of power, being told explicitly the rules and

       code of that culture makes it acquiring power easier."

What Delpit is saying is that there is that there are rules and codes of power embedded into our society, in order for anyone to be successful in this world they must adhere to the rules and codes. However if you were not born into the culture that has the power to make these rules then you must learn them. Then it becomes the teachers job to teach these rules and codes of power to their students in order for them to be successful beings in the world that they live in.


In conclusion: After trying to digest the piece that is Shor because it is a lot to process, this being due to the fact that there are so many connections to the articles that we have read throughout the entire semester. This of course making it the best one to end our wonderful class off with. :)
 

Monday, November 18, 2013

Monday Night Football!

In the spirit of Monday night football here is a picture of a high school football team that allowed a boy with Down syndrome to play with them for a bit during a football game. Now this is a school that recognized this child's passion and didn't hold him back from it because of his "handicap".
 
Oh and... GO PATS!
 

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Schooling Children with Down Syndrome


When people in our society think of Down Syndrome they have this preconceived idea in their head and looks a little something like this:
 
People see the stereotypical look of people with Down Syndrome, but fail to see the unique individual behind the "flattened nose and face, upward slanting eyes and widely separated toes."
 
In Christopher Kliewer's article Citizenship in School: Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome, he challenges the preconception of what its like to be a child with Down Syndrome and the linear teaching model that goes along with it. No matter the level of academia of a child our education system promotes this linear approach, however it is extremely unsuccessful in the life of a child with Down Syndrome. The system does not celebrate a child's uniqueness and the different teaching opportunities that they can bring to the classroom and the students and teachers within it. This idea can be attributed to the inclusion of the community within the lives of a child with Down Syndrome. So in other words, "We have got to learn to get along as individuals and as citizens." This concept can easily be brought into the classroom by including children with special needs in to a "normal" classroom, which has proven to increase intellect.
 
In the example that was given within the text, a teacher named Shayne Robbins used a passion of Isaac's (a child with Down Syndrome) to use as a lesson and activity in class. Isaac loved the book Where the Wild Things Are, and they re-enacted the book with using their own script, back drops and costuming. (Not to mention they addressed gender roles when female students wanted to play the main character Max) With one simple activity Isaac could feel included with his school community and they learned important lessons too!
 
This sense of community can be established in four ways according to Christopher Kliewer:
      1. A belief in one's ability to think= rejecting the idea of "narrow interpretation of mathematical and linguistic characteristics when defining school citizenship [and] multiplicity of knowledge"
            *this can be done in the following ways*
                  a. logical mathematical thinking
                  b. linguistic capacities
                  c. spatial-representation intelligence
                  d. musical intelligence
                  e. kinesthetic intelligence
                  f. interpersonal intelligence
                  g. intrapersonal intelligence
 
      2. A belief in one's individuality= students not being grouped and categorized based in ability
 
      3. A belief in the reciprocity of the relationship="acknowledging students with Down syndrome as thoughtful, creative learners with personal identities that distinguish them from all the other people"
 
      4. Defining social place: a shared location=giving children the sense of community and family that the can have a connection too.
 
Essentially what this entire post/summarization of what Kliewer has to say is as such. In order for students with Down syndrome to do well, they need to feel included within the classroom as an individual, not the "mentally challenged" one of the class. This can easily be done by looking past the "symptoms" and looking at the individual, after all it is just an extra chromosome.


 
 


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Promising Practices: An Interesting Experience

When I was thinking and mulling over my experience at the Promising Practices conference it occurred to me that it wasn't at all what I had expected it to be. In my mind we would be sitting in on the sections about how to teach in multicultural environments, quite like our classes and lessons in FNED 346. I had an expectation that I would be able to learn how to teach art and photography (based on the sections I chose) and I would have the great epiphany, much like the one I had during my first week of class. However, this was not the case. In fact I was thoroughly disappointed by the entire day.

My disappointment started at the morning panel, or debate/political campaign, as I would like to call it. The panel consisted of white, higher status group leaders or university presidents and the Mayor of Providence, Angel Taveras. The topic of discussion was about the opportunities that lower income, impoverished students have at their disposal. Of course the topic of poverty doesn't go without the inclusion of race. It was pretty clear early on that the majority of the panel stuck together on the one singular idea brought up by Angel Taveras, that "your skin color isn't an excuse, that you can overcome anything if you put your mind to it." This concept was backed by Angel's story of triumph and perseverance to get where he is now (told multiple times I might add). What went through my head immediately was, "it may not be an excuse, but it is a reality and you had opportunities most do not, so what are you going to do about it?"

What are you going to do about it? A pretty straight forward and simple question I think and yet it was never answered. No matter the format or who the question was being directed toward, it was still danced around and never answered. Much like what happens during political campaigns. This can be tied to what Mr. Bogad said in class today. That it all comes down to the "vote for me" aspect of being in office, rather than actually doing something to make a difference. It is a way in which politicians talk as though they answered the question, and not indicating a solution, that way they don't have to take action. As Nick would say....

"What the hell does that mean?" It means that so many Americans are getting tricked into thinking that progress will be made, but in actuality nothing gets done. So in other words, the entire panel was pointless except for the face that I was provided with breakfast and coffee.

In regards to my sessions all three were yet again, a disappointment. Being someone who is extremely interested in art I took every "artsy" session available. The first two involved programs where the orators had been involved in or conducted their very own volunteer service. The first was s project to brighten up a school cafeteria by having students paint a mural about the town's history on the walls. Great. Awesome. I love it. There was community involvement and learning all rolled into one, nothing could be better. Well except one thing. The project only occurred one time and there was no program that continued from it and I don't know how to do something like this by myself. My second session left with the same  feeling of "wow great program, but how can I accomplish this myself?" And my last section was an exhibit of photography. How it was helping the community I have no idea. So that begs the question, why did I drag my lazy behind out of bed at seven o'clock in the morning?

Well, although it seems as though I have just b****** for about three paragraphs (which I guess I have), I did get something useful out of it. I realized that not everyone has been privileged to the education I have received in FNED 346. They don't know that saying "race shouldn't be used as an excuse", is just their power and privilege talking or that Collier says "stop talking and start doing". Although people may not know these things, it is up to me an everyone else in the class to educate them. Which is why I believe it to be beneficial for us, as a class, to write a letter voicing our opinions about what was said in the conference. Overall, the entire day was not at all what I expected and yet there was still something to say about it and that seems pretty good to me.

Monday, November 4, 2013

When did I become considered old?



I had a child in my service learning ask me if I had any kids because I was probably a really great mom. My first though "awwww....but when did I become old enough to be considered a mom?"
Just wondering if anyone had any similar experiences?

Class Theme

 
I feel like this is something that can be connected to everything we have learned thus far!

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Between Barack and a Hard Place.



Photograph shows a line of African American and white school girls standing in a classroom while boys sit behind them.
It is know to most Americans that the schools of the United States have been racially desegregated since May 17, 1954. This is due to the court case of Brown vs. The Board of Education and a team of dedicated lawyers and concerned citizens and parents. Although it is official that the schools within  the United States are desegregated the reality is, that it is simply untrue. Based on what Bob Herbert states in his article Separate and Unequal, he would agree with the above statement. In truth, "Schools are no longer legally segregated, but because of residential patterns, housing discrimination, economic disparities and long-held custom, they most emphatically are in reality. " So in other words, despite the fact that there was a law passed desegregating schools, the segregation still continues. This is due to the income of families and the concentrations of poverty within one area, where all the children attend the same school. If there is a break on the concentration it is proven that the impoverished children do far better in a school with a higher income of residents in the surrounding community. By integrating some of the poorer students into a wealthier school it allows the children to achieve greater. It is my belief that Tim Wise would agree with this method.

What leads me to this conclusion is his idea that although Barack O'Bama is a inspiration for people of color to look up to, but should not be a limiting inspiration. He believes that people of color should not conform to the standards set by O'Bama, but instead lead their own unique path to success. By following their own way, in an environment that promotes a positive learning experience, children can have their own type of success.





What the election of Barack O'Bama has done for the people of color in the United States, as well as for our history, is substantial, but as Americans there needs to be a recognition that there is still more to do. It is easier to deny that racism still exists or put it on the colored people of the nation, saying that they use it as an excuse (a view seen by Mayor Angel Taveras of Rhode Island), but the reality is the stereotypes white people still carry is holding our nation back. As soon as we can let go of our past history and realize there is more work to be done, we will still be in a nation where racism and prejudice still exist.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

In the Service of What?

In Kahne and Westheimer's article they explored the effectiveness of Service Learning and whether or not students actually develop a higher self esteem, improved thinking skills and perfection of multiple skills, like the program has set out for them to achieve. They then talked about the two different approaches and reflected on and compared their effectiveness.

The first method stressed was, the charity and community service method.  For this the students picked a topic and went out into the "real world" and volunteered somewhere that was related to their topic chosen.  The question surrounding this way of teaching service learning was, did the students actually see the human being behind the charity that they were giving? Although there was no argument in regards to the development of the student's sense of civic duty. The second method, the change method, involved students reading stories, doing research and community service. In this situation students felt more connected with the people they were helping and were able to work together, respond to problems and feel good about helping people.

When reflecting on these two methods there isn't much difference, however the students involved with "change" were able to connect with the people they were helping on a much deeper level and for me that is most important. As I am sure many of my fellow students have, I participated in a community service project as a requirement to graduate high school and it felt more like school work rather than what it was suppose to be; life changing. Most students half a**** their project and at the very most handed out pamphlets concerning their problem or issue. Due to the lack of effort, most of my fellow classmates failed to consider the life and disposition of who they were caring for and went about their daily lives as if nothing could change it. Which is why, based on my own experiences, I believe that allowing the students to make deeper connections with their fellow neighbors is the only way that the service learning program will affect students lives in the long run.

The reason why this "change" method would work is due to the combination of critical inquiry and action. Which I believe Christenson would agree with. I can make this connection because of her conclusion that having her students act upon what they were learning in class, allowed the lesson to truly change their disposition on  a subject. This of course being the hope of the service learning program.


Monday, October 21, 2013

"Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us."

I would first like to start off by saying, I agree with everything that Linda Christenson mentioned in her text. The media has too much influence on the lives of our children in regards to how they view themselves, others and the world. With that being said not everyone's childhood cartoons and movies has shaped them into how into who they become as a person. I for one never dreamed about my wedding gown, of marrying the most handsome man in town and having children and living the cookie cutter life. (Of course I am not, by any means, saying that I didn't watch Cinderella, Snow White or the Little Mermaid.) The person that I can lay blame to absence of the aspiration to become the good natured house wife, is my mother. She is the most independent strong minded person I know and because of her strong opinions and ideals, I can attribute my own strong personality.

When growing up my mother was never afraid of exposing me to things that were "not appropriate for our age", if the story that she had involved a lesson or a ideal she found poignant, we heard it. A great example of this is as follows. When my mother was in her mid-teens she attended a church every Sunday that believed that the women get married and live the rest of their life making their husband and family happy, never working, just staying home and being the good house wife. Teaching this to someone who worked forty-hours a week and went to school and only being fifteen, you can imagine, did not go over well. After voicing out about how she didn't want to stay home, but instead become an accountant, the church made her sit one day a week with an older woman from the church. Their goal was to for my mother to see the error in her ways and accept the role of house wife. Much to the church's dismay it did not work. My mother ended up leaving the church and kept on working and saving and now works hard and is a mother and wife.

What my mother instilled in my was the power to be independent and be my own person, no matter what my dreams are. She doesn't care if she has grandchildren to spoil, but instead focuses on what I want for my future. For me that is becoming a teacher, and everything else is trivial. If I do decide to get married and have children then I would hope that I can teach my children the same ideals and stop the outside influences from make an impact on their lives. I can achieve this by using the tools learned in my classes and my own mother as a guide.

P.S. My favorite Disney movie when I was a child was the Cinderella with Brandi as the main character. If anyone has seen this they would know that they filled roles based on talent, not matching race. *It is not perfect, however it does defy most racial prejudices seen in most Disney movies*
 (I posted the link for the full movie by the way! Enjoy :))

P.P.S. I apologize for not posting sooner. I hope you guys get to see this before class tomorrow.

P.P.P.S. As a side note I would like to talk about my service learning experience today, as it of course relates to the text we read last week, "I Won't Learn from You." This week my teacher was not present and instead there was a younger substitute teacher. While on the rug during their reading lesson the students were getting extremely wild  and in an attempt to control the chaos the teacher lashed out discipline to only one child, but did not reprimand any of the students he was sitting around. Right before my eyes I saw him shut down and do what I imagine to be the classic "I wont learn from you" pose: crossed arms, head down and rolling eyes. For that she told him to go from green to yellow on the behavior board and then he sat at his seat and refused to participate in the lesson. In my head of course I was having a minor freak out being able to notice this and I just really wanted to share. Hope everyone has a great night!

Sunday, October 13, 2013

"Five Reasons to Stop Saying 'Good job!'"

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"Is it possible that telling kids they've done a good job may have less to do with their emotional need than with our convenience?"


After I finished reading this article I can confidently answer the above question. Kohn clearly proves that it is more about the adult's need to say "Good job", rather than the actual benefit of the child. When thinking on the matter, saying "Good job" after a student accomplishes something is a force of habit, your not aware of the phrase, until your made aware. The two words are said SO often in a child's school environment and home life, that the meaning behind them is lost. The convenience of it takes away from the actual accomplishment the student makes and has no long term benefit. Children are less likely to persist with difficult tasks and focus more on receiving praise, rather than actually doing well on the project set forth in front of them. Kohn even goes on to say that when these children become adults they will still seek approval, a pat on the back so to speak. Not only does it crush a child's confidence, but lessens interest on the activity. Which of course is the complete opposite of what a teacher's intentions are. With all these examples on how this simple phrase is a detriment to a child's learning, it begs the question, how do you praise a child for a "job well done", without out actually saying the words.

1. Say nothing
The praise might not be necessary.

2. Say what you saw.
State what you see the child doing, "You put your shoes on by yourself!", allowing their good behavior to be recognized. If the child shows a picture they drew, comment on an item in the picture with out any passing of judgment.

3. Talk less, ask more.
Ask questions on the process in which the student used to do their activity, teaching the children to become more excited about what they are doing.

And in conclusion, "The good news is you don't have to evaluate in order to encourage."

With that being said no truer words, on the matter of "Good job!" political correctness, has been said. As a potential teacher and having read this article (and many others) it has shown me that what you say in your class can be everything to the children you are teaching. It is up to us to help shape and encourage the types of people that the children will be in the future and the importance of your words becomes so imperative.


Sunday, October 6, 2013

"Death should never be an option."

Before I get into my interpretation and analysis of Safe Spaces I would like to start off by including my own experience with a close friend of mine who has "come out of the closet" and told me he was gay.

Zak has been my neighbor for all of my life and I have grown up with him in every school since kindergarten. My family and I were fairly close and I can always remember going over to his house during the summer and spending hours and hours baking under the sun; jumping in and out of the pool. So when my sister, friend, Zak and I were sitting at Gregg's Restaurant one evening and were having a meaningful conversation about life and everything the future had to offer us, it soon became a moment I will never forget. In one sudden outburst Zak said, "guys I have something to tell you.... I'm gay." I distinctly remember this moment in great detail because it affected Zak's life more than he had ever expected. I looked at him and said, "yeah and?". With those two words being uttered from my mouth he broke down in tears. He explained how nervous he was to tell us because he didn't want us to see him any differently. The insecurity that he had not to tell us who he really was did not come from the relationship we had, but with the judgment that came from society.

For someone to feel that insecure about showing who they really are to the people that mean the most to them is not something that teenagers, or anyone for that matter, should feel. And for some it becomes too much and they feel as though they have end their life, to end their misery. For a person to feel that helpless is something that no one should have to go through and in order for that to change, we as a society need to change our mindset. An just like August says in Safe Spaces, it starts within the classroom walls. If teachers learn to include LGBT into the everyday vernacular of the classroom the exposure to it will allow for it to become less foreign to students. Once they are more familiar with the concept they are more accepting of the idea outside of the classroom. Just by including a story about a happy family with two mommies can show the positivity of a different household and affect the way a child views a family different from theirs. As teachers can include this positivity and LGBT vocabulary, then the acceptance of people that are seen as different from us will be increasing.

As a connection to the modern world, who is revealing the increasing acceptance of the LGBT community, this one singer that is paving the way for the idea that talking about the issue is the first step toward actual acceptance is Macklemore. Upon hearing this song over a month ago I remember being in awe because everything what he says in his song is inspiring and true, but most of all he was saying it. He was saying it and that is everything.

"For those that like the same sex had the characteristics
The right-wing conservatives think it's a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made, rewiring of a pre-disposition, playing God
Ahh, nah, here we go
American the brave still fears what we don't know
And "God loves all his children" is somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase book written thirty-five hundred years ago
I don't know."

And here is the man who is "saying it".

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Aria, By: Richard "Ricardo" Rodriguez

 For my response to Aria by Richard Rodriguez I would like to focus on the following quote, "today I hear bilingual educators say that children lose a degree if "individuality" by becoming assimilated into public society."
I have seemed to gravitate toward the idea that, while learning to live within another culture you lose your sense of self and own cultures, from the text because without my own heritage it would be difficult to be the person that I am today. * I am of course not saying that I would fall apart without my connection to my culture, but I can not imagine living without  the connection. This is due to the feeling of community that one feels when they are connected with the people that share the same morals and ideals with. This sense of security that one feels when a community stands behind you is not something that can easily be replaced, which is why the author's acceptance of his new culture was surprising to me.
Throughout the beginning of the text as Richard is growing up he slowly accepts the "gringo" culture, but all the while he describes the things that he looses by doing so. For example he finds it harder and harder for him to communicate with his parents, thus creating a strained relationship. By being so accepting of this I feel as though one looses their connection to their past, which is a huge part of making up who we are today. However in the end Richard makes this final point, "that while one suffers a diminished sense of private individuality by becoming assimilated into public society, such assimilation makes possible the achievement of public individuality." With his final point made I question the idea that maybe there is a happy medium, where you do not loose your cultural past, but still learn to become an individual within the public community.

*Here is a little bit about my heritage. On my mother's side my family is dated back to be upon the original trip made by the Mayflower and founded a small farming town in Maine ( then of course it was Massachusetts ). With my ancestors being such an important part of the United State's history, it is hard not to feel a strong connection. On my father's side the story is much less valiant. They were poor potato farmers from Ireland that sought a better life in America. This of course is much similar to other's stories.
**This is not my ancestor's house, but it is another farmhouse within the town of Turner.
 

Sunday, September 22, 2013

A Compassionate Response to Amazing Grace


As an average white American it is hard to face the idea that by being white it puts me at an advantage over other citizens. However, despite what I might like to protest, it is true. While reading Jonathan Kozol's Amazing Grace the reality of what he was describing about the citizens in the South Bronx and the lives that they lead every day, hit me extremely hard. I am not by any means ignorant to the reality that people have it much worse than I do, but the impact did not go unnoticed. The life that Kozol described made me think about everything I had and realize the great opportunities that I have set before me. Basic amenities that I take for granted every day, other citizens struggle to hold onto. This is where we found Alice Washington who is suffering from AIDS, all the while trying to support her teenage son as he goes through high school and prepares for college.



What Kozol described was not some desperate junkie living off the government, just like stereotypes have Americans believing, but a strong independent woman doing everything she can to give her child what he needs, all the while having crippling medical problems. However despite all of what she goes through she reveals to Kozol what is going on around her and the suffering that others are facing. In spite of what she faces every day she still had the compassion to understand that she is not the only one suffering. This compassion is not something you can find in an average white citizen because it seems as though we feel that if it is not seen, it doesn’t exist. This concept can be tied into Peggy McIntosh’s article where she states, “I was taught to see racism in individual acts of meanness, not in invisible systems conferring dominance on my group.” If we as white Americans choose not to see what is right in front of us, there is no hope of getting our citizens out of the desperation they face every day.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

About Me!

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog! Here is a little about my self. My name is Rebekah Mainor and I am currently a sophomore at Rhode Island College and my major is Special Education. I intend on having a concentration in math (yikes!) for Elementary Education. I have two jobs in which I work almost forty hours a week; the Home Depot in Johnston and Pagoda Inn in North Kingstown. At Home Depot I work as a cashier and at Pagoda Inn I am in the background packing take-out orders and again cashing customers out. I am extremely busy all the time, and the only thing that seems to keep me centered is dance. I have been dancing for seventeen years at the Dance Connection and I do not plan on stopping anytime soon (considering it is one of the only things that keeps me sane). Photography and art is also another way in which I keep my peace. I have two little twin boys, my cats, Snap and Marshmallow and they are the best at snuggles!  I am a little weird and quirky, but that is just the way I, and to quote my favorite little man, my cousin, "the best part of me is, that I am me." And for your enjoyment here is some photography and art work by me of course!
 Marshmallow
 Snap