Can Girls Wear Tuxedos?

Reflection:

This week's assignment reminded me of a girl in my high school. Every year we had a Mr. Saugus High pageant. Shannon Fitzpatrick just wanted to have fun, like the boys, in this pageant. There was so much controversy when she decided to do this. The principal didn't seem to have a stand on either side, but students didn't see why she felt the need to be a part of the pageant. In the article one student asked why she was even involved in something that was tradition. Shannon was also the president of the Gay Straight Alliance that we had in the school. Due to all the controversy, Shannon pulled the Title XI information out and said that she had every right to participate because there was not another activity for girls like this one. This article also points out that the girls just look pretty for this while the boys have to act "manly". The girls dressed in ball gowns and the guys had to wear tuxedos.

There is another article in the New York Times news paper about cross dressing. Students just want to experiment and see where they can push their limits. This one school had a "Mix 'N Match" day where the teachers assumed the kids would dress with polka dots and stripes, but there were about 50 students who went to school in the opposite sex's clothing. Some teachers just couldn't handle this. I am not sure why, though. I remember a boy who came into school with a dress on one day and he was sent to the principal's office and told to change.

Why does it matter what people wear? Can't people just accept that others want to dress in what they think is comfortable? There is no right or wrong way to dress. Is there anything wrong in either of these cases?

Education in Politics

Extended Comments:


I chose to work off of Conor's blog because he picked such great quotes. The first one is about the teacher being the head figure in the classroom, but the student participation is critical. This relates directly to Dr. Bogad's classroom. We have to participate all the time! It is important to to make sure that all the students understand what they are learning, and what better way to do it than by having everyone participate. The last quote that Conor used was relevant to the first one in the way that participation is key.

Conor's next quote was about how if there are many students in one classroom, then students are less motivated. How true is this? Really! Who thinks that lectures in big lecture halls are fun? You sit there and the professor is most likely not going to know your name. Therefore you do what you have to do to pass the class and not put any extra effort in to go above and beyond.

I love the idea of sitting in a circle and discussing different ideas, where we all learn, but how do you put that into a math classroom? I'm not sure if it would work out right. Groupwork is easier. That would get all of the students to work together. Something to think about.

"Effective Teaching is Responsive Teaching"

Social Justice Event:

On Tuesday April 26th, I got an e-mail from My Calculus 3 professor saying that if I went to a math related lecture I would get 2 points added to my average. I just wanted the extra points so I decided to go. Once I was there I saw familiar faces, both professors and classmates. It was a relief that I was not alone. I was expecting this lecture to be extremely boring but I was able to take a lot out of it.

Dr. Anne Collins, from Lesley University, came to speak about teaching and the different ways to get a point across. She made several important points that I will take with me when I get into teaching. Dr. Collins believes in the reward system, but it is also a way to learn several things in mathematics. Each student would get a check register and if the students completed their homework assignments then they would add 1 point to the register, but if they did not, then they would have 1 point taken away. At the end of each week the students would have to 'reconcile their checkbook'. They are learning about balancing checkbooks, and positives and negatives. It also teaches responsibility. I believe that this type of reward system is productive, and I would consider using it in my classroom. Because it is a reward system, Alfie Kohn would highly disagree with this. Although there is a reward system, Dr. Collins believed that groupwork is a very important part of learning, which Alfie Kohn would be happy to see.

If Patrick Finn was sitting in on this lecture he would see that  Dr. Collins taught students to ask questions. This relates to the "affluent professional schools". Finn specifically states in his article, "What mattered was that they discussed their ideas." Dr. Collins would write every possibility to an answer on the board and until it was proven wrong, it would remain there. Students then had the ability to work hard to figure out if the claim was right or wrong. (In math there are always wrong answers. Sometimes, problems have to be done a million times before we can come to the correct conclusion.)

Finally, even though Dr. Collins didn't talk about tracking in schools, she talked about where she should start teaching, and what material to go over. She would listen to what the students had to say and then she would base her lesson plans off of that. She would work to make sure that each student was caught up with the previous material and then move forward. Dr. Collins had a great outlook on teaching. She never once said "I taught it, they just didn't learn it." Instead, Dr. Collins would say "I taught it and the students understood it. I know they did."

Down Syndrome

Connections:

The quote about Mia Peterson not being able to take classes she wanted because she could only take special education classes reminded me, right off the bat, about tracking. She could only go to certain classes because she was a certain kind of student. The last article, Literacy with an Attitude by Patrick Finn, showed us that the "smart kids" could be in "smart classrooms", while the "dumb kids" had to be separated. There needs to be some way to put everyone together and be able to teach effectively to all students no matter how they learn. I'm still unsure of a way to do this. (Maybe we can talk more about how we cater to every students' needs in class. I am lacking the understanding on this topic.)

I also see a little bit of Allan Johnson in this piece. Jason Kingsley says that "The challenge is to erase negative attitudes . . . [and] get rid of stereotypes . . .." We, meaning all people, need to talk about this issue and make it clear that people with down syndrome are human beings, too. They are capable of doing anything they set their minds to just like people without it. Like Johnson says, we need to talk about it! It seems like lately, that's all I can think of. Just talking about it. It may be difficult, but it is necessary and it helps everyone broaden their horizons, have less tunnel vision, understand the world through someone else's eyes.

Going on a small tangent, I hated the first day of class when Dr. Bogad said that we have to SEE race, gender, and the other major issues. I figured I was going to treat each child in my classroom alike. Well now I see that you cannot avoid these issues and treat everyone the same. This class has blown my mind and made me think of topics I would never in my life talk about. I realize now that I was afraid of opening a can of worms, where now I am excited to open this can and see all different sides to it. I am so intrigued that I am not afraid to ask questions that I would never think to ask before, in fear of insulting someone.

But back to this post. I can pick out authors from many things that I am involved in now, and for this I am happy. It is extremely interesting to see that this down syndrome article, and what the students said, relate so easily with other articles that we have read. I was looking around to see what I could find about children with down syndrome and going to a "mainstream" school and I stumbled on this website. In the summary it says that "Like all children, those with Down syndrome display a wide range of abilities." There you have it, in a nutshell. I know it doesn't have much to say but I liked that the author of the website chose that wording for this article.

Prep

So it only took me all semester but I finally finished reading the book Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld. It was a really great book about a small town girl from Indiana who goes to a boarding school. We read about her experiences with the school and the relationships she makes with her peers and teachers. The last chapter stood out the most and was most comparable to what we learn in class. I caught myself reading and comparing theories that we have learned in class to the book. There are comments about race and there are so many references to money.

Curtis Sittenfeld has also written a couple other books. On her website there is a biography and more information about her and her novels. I always like to read and it is even better when I can relate the book to my own experiences. Dr. Bogad has also read this and agrees that it is a very good book. When the summer comes, I cannot wait to pick another one of her books and read it! I hope some of you try it out and enjoy the novel as much as I did!

An Attitude Can Change Everything!

Connections:


Patrick J. Finn's "Literacy with an Attitude" is a powerful article that relates to many of the pieces we have read this semester. Within the first few pages, Patrick Finn had a Delpit moment about three times! Way to go Mr. Finn! I was definitely not expecting to like this article too much but it kept getting better as I read. There was also a reference to Jonathan Kozol's Savage Inequalities. As I looked up this book, I first put the title into Google. I found a very interesting presentation. (I know it has little to do with "Literacy with an Attitude", but I was hooked. I also do not know how much credit this project should be given but it is from the Fordham University website. It can't be that bad.)

So anyways, Finn starts by showing us the different types of schools. In the working class schools, teachers would frequently tell the students to stop fooling around and do their work. Middle class school children were given a little bit more leeway and the affluent professional school children were given space to "negotiate" what they would do. The students would probably be asked if what they were doing was acceptable instead of being told that what the student was doing was unacceptable. This brings in the culture of power because the working class students were explicitly told, whereas the affluent professional students were not. Interesting. I wonder if Finn does shows this correlation on purpose. He must have been doing his research!

I also think that this article relates to Alan Johnson. 'Just say it' is how Johnson feels we should deal with controversial issues. With Finn's article, I feel that this is the same thing. We should 'JUST SAY IT!' There should be less separation between the social classes and more talking about it. If we just keep doing what we are doing we will never be able to fill the gap. Finn says "The idea is that if we could raise their level of literacy they would join the haves." Ok. So let's start by making sure that everyone understands the issue and THEN we can make sure everyone has the same amount of literacy.

In class we should discuss how we can tell what types of classrooms we are in now or how do we make sure that where ever we go, we, as teachers, can teach to the fullest.

Color Preference

Extended Comments:

Black, white, rich, poor. What's the difference? I would like to use Amanda C.'s blog this week as my extended comments. I know she used Billy's, but Her first paragraph was extremely strong. Amanda talks about how she has seen her neighbor go through tough times to keep their house. I know that this week is about the separation of black and white people, but this also ties into how much money a person or family has.

My family has been through hell and back, financially. I was always taught that I had to work my butt of to get what I wanted. I never could just splurge on something because I had the money or just because I wanted it. In my house, I learned the value of money, without a choice. Now I am not saying that I am dirt poor, but my family has come close to losing our house several times. I will never forget the week when both of my parents lost their jobs. The jobs that they had was just enough to pay for the house. Forget about food. They went grocery shopping maybe every 3 weeks. It was tough living paycheck to paycheck. This only made me work harder for what I wanted.

My town is not the richest town, nor the poorest, but it's school system is NOT good. There aren't many books in the school library, people have to pay an arm and a leg for sports, and there are NO buses to get to and from school. No, sorry, that's a lie. You had to pay $400 dollars each half of the year to take a bus. It's a public school. REALLY?!?! It was a white dominated school, but you knew that many of the kids had tough financial problems at home. I go into my service learning school and the kids are getting the same education I am. Yes, they are under privileged, but I would have to say, that would make me the same way. Just because you are in a white school doesn't mean that you have a better education.

I think that teachers become teachers to help their students to learn and make something of their lives. A school with all colored students can be in the same boat as a school with all white students. I feel, because most of the poorer schools are dominated with colored students, that that is where the attention is going. I am not looking for attention, but I am saying that there are more than just problems with predominantly black schools.

The New York TImes article is a really good one. It does seem that there are black schools and white schools. The segregation has never really ended. We just took that one more step towards equality in our nation with the Brown vs. Board of Education desegregation laws. It all goes back to being in a poorer school doesn't give the best education. "The current obsession with firing teachers, attacking unions and creating ever more charter schools has done very little to improve the academic outcomes of poor black and Latino students." This quote is perfect. I have little to say after this. I have run out of words to say. Grades and money, unfortunately, go hand in hand. It's almost like that commercial you didn't go to college, so you didn't get a good job, so you work that much harder, and the cycle continues.

Response to Service Learning Post

I am so excited that my blog this week caused so much commotion! Dr. Bogad told me to elaborate so I want to do this here. I also want to talk about Nick's comment about just talking to the congregation not being a change type of service learning.

The students who are actually participating in this event do not get the WHOLE effect of what it is like to be homeless, but they learn what it is like to not have running water, or food, and potentially little sleep. I don't think there are blankets either, because it is very rare to see a homeless person with pillows and blankets, etc. After going through this semi-difficult experience, the students go to the soup kitchens and help to serve the homeless. Now, at this point, they are seeing others and being able to try to compare their experience, and eventually make a change in homelessness. I would think that, with all this said, Kahne and Westheimer would agree that this type of service learning is considered change.

Telling the congregation about their experiences, is not the change type of service learning for the congregation, but the fact that these students are sharing their experience shows that they have learned something. Since they felt what it was like to be homeless they do not want to face it themselves and they want to help the current homeless people. I agree that the congregation is only hearing the stories, so it is only spreading the word. Like Mary said, the church has many resources and continues to do this every year, and every year there are more and more people who volunteer their time to support this activity.

Thanks Luke and Sarah for pointing out my favorite line, too. "Service learning, no matter what type, is beneficial for everyone." It is the point of the student to take something from their experiences. Whether they take action to change the problem or not, is their prerogative. But in the end, someone's life has been changed.

Service Learning

Reflection


Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer's "In The Service Of What? The Politics of Service Learning"describes two different types of service learning projects. The first one is more about charity and the other focuses on change. What the authors are trying to tell us is that there are two ways to help the people in need. The first service learning project got students working with those in need. The students directly helped the less fortunate, but never discussed or focused on the problems that got those people to where they are. In the second case, the students did talk about the issues and then work with the people who needed help. They also worked, throughout the year, in the classroom writing papers and relating topics to their service learning.

My church has a youth ministry group where students who are very involved in the church can go and be active in the church and the community. During Holy Week, these students, every year, fast for twenty-four hours and sleep on the church floor. They are trying to recognize what it is like for those on the streets without the full severity of it. At the same time, they are respecting the religion. The next day, these students go into Boston and work in the soup kitchen to help the people who cannot afford to support themselves. During the Easter Vigil, the students come into the mass and tell the congregation about their experiences.

I believe that this type of service learning is similar to the second case that Kahne and Westheimer describe in their article. The students get to feel a little what it is like to have almost nothing and then they go into the city to see what it actually is like. They take a lot out of their experiences and share them with the rest of the congregation, hoping that they will help those in need in their lifetime. This article explains the benefits of service learning amongst youth. It also gives information to those who are looking for service learning opportunities for more than just the young people. They have opportunities for parents and teachers, also.

Service learning, no matter what type, is beneficial for everyone. Some may take more out of it than others, but they still have the opportunity to help those in need. I am not sure what the authors' take is on this subject. Is one option better than another? How do YOU look at it?

Cartoons Promote Stereotypes

Argument


Linda Christensen argues, in 'Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us', that the media stereotypes different genders, ethnicities, and physical features. She explains that cartoons, movies, and even sports commercials show certain people in their stereotypical lifestyles. For example, Popeye the Sailor Man was a cartoon that explicitly discriminated against any other ethnicity. The Arabs were all shown as thieves and they all looked the same. And some of the things that the leader sings about is very inappropriate. About 2 minutes he sings about when things are quiet he starts a riot.

Stereotypes are always going to be known. This website explains many different types of stereotypes and it explains how stereotyping is such a terrible problem. Linda Christensen explains that in order to see how the media affects people in their everyday lives, the people need to acknowledge that it is a problem starting from childhood. The way to overcome this issue is to have students recognize this pattern and to make projects based on what they learned. They even had to say who they could explain to that there is a problem. 

Like Linda Christensen expresses, there are so many stereotypes and the only way to overcome them is by understanding that they are real and in the media. I find it interesting that the shows, movies, commercials, etc. all have underlying political and stereotypical messages. As a child, I never realized that the princesses were all beautiful for the one fact that a prince could only fall in love with a beautiful woman. I just enjoyed the movie. But now things are starting to change. And just like Dr. Bogad says, there was a pebble thrown at a window and there was a crack. Now the crack is getting bigger because more and more people are realizing the issues with the media.

Bullying Doesn't Help Anyone

Hyperlink

I want to start with this clip that I found about a young boy who was made fun of for his hair color. It definitely sends a strong message to younger kids or teenagers that they need to stand up for one another. A child who is bullied needs someone to stand behind him or her for the confidence. The child who stood up for the bullied child really knew that he needed to interfere and the only way for children to learn this is by teaching them. It is our jobs, as potential teachers to show kids that they need to help each other out, despite their differences.

As for the GLSEN website, I wish more people knew about this website. I know many people must know about it, but there are plenty who need to take a look. This website, or components of it, could be taught in a classroom. It will give children an opportunity to see that there are ways to connect with people if they need the support. (If they fall into one of these categories. Or even if they don't then they can at least have hope that there is some one out there who is feeling the same way that they are.) 

I was reading this article and it is disgusting how many secondary school kids are being made fun of because of their differences. The statistics are absolutely horrifying! And it is really upsetting that the kids do not have enough confidence in their teachers to help them overcome their issue. Teachers should be there for the kids so it is the teacher's job to make sure each individual child knows that they can seek guidance from any teacher.

Once again, I feel a little naive. I do not remember too much bullying in high school. I must have been in my own world, or didn't even care if someone made a rude comment. I know that there is bullying because I watch my brother go through this in middle school and it is always tough to get past. Bullying is all about making fun of the kid who isn't the same, but I always liked to be different. Kids should embrace their individuality and the earlier they learn this in life the better.

The Public Language

Quotes:


"But I couldn't believe that the English was mine to use. (In part, I did not want to believe it.)"


     Richard felt that, because English was not his primary language, he could not use it. He felt uncomfortable using it. For example, I can understand little Italian and maybe say a couple of things, but I would never be able to just speak it because that is what everyone is speaking. Within the article, this quote signifies how Richard was in a school where he had to speak English, but he didn't seem to know it well enough to speak it. He tells the reader that he often mumbled when asked a question because he was unsure of himself. A person should not have to go through school feeling uncomfortable with his culture.


"In and instant, they agreed to give up the language (the sounds) that had revealed and accentuated our family's closeness."


     It is terrible that a family would have to start speaking English all the time just because that is the 'public' language. This quote is an example of the culture of power. It seems like there is a right way and a wrong way when it comes to speaking in the United States when there really is no correct way at all. Richard explains to us that there is so much emotion and meaning behind his primary language, Spanish. The whole article is based on how Richard's family had to give up a piece of their culture to fit in. Not only was this just a change in languages, but it was a change in how the family communicated. The children did not feel as comfortable talking to their parents once they knew that had to speak English all the time.


"Though his English improved somewhat, he retired into silence."


     Richard tell the reader how his father could speak some English, he felt that it was better to just remain quite most of the time. This goes back to the way Richard felt in class, when he would rather mumble answers than speak aloud. His father's accent was still strong enough that even at the dinner table with his own family, he would take the 'backseat' so to speak and let his wife take control of grace. This is not a way of life. It is a shame that a family member decides to keep quite than to speak. The word gringos is brought up many times. Richard's father would say it derivatively with such intense meaning, but it lost it's intensity once he had to speak English frequently. A family should not lack communication because of the languages. 


Is there a reason why parents can't teach their children their primary language? It seems like children with more than one language can learn better because of the diversity. People should be able to keep their culture, as long as they can actively participate in the culture around them.

Men and Women Vs. Black and White

Reflection:

Peggy McIntosh's White Privilege was a great article! It is all about how black people are less privileged than white and she compares the races to men being more privileged than women. McIntosh explains to us that privileged doesn't necessarily mean being "favored", but it means that some things are better than others. I do not look at myself or my family as privileged, until after I read this article, that is. I am not wealthy and I do not have many expensive possessions. After reading this article, I learned that there are more things that can make a person privileged, such as being able to walk into a hair salon and knowing someone can take care of my hair.

My roommate last year was black. She came from Jamaica and she had many cultural differences; more differences than I thought two people could have. Sometimes, when we were going to bed (if we happened to go to bed at the same time, which was rare) I would ask her about her culture, her hair routines, even why she was always late. We would joke about our conversations but I learned so much about how she did things. For example, her hair was a whole day procedure! Who knew. I wash my hair every day but she could only do it certain days and with certain shampoos. Unbelievable!

There is more to just shampooing in life, though. On a more serious note, McIntosh really caught my eye  when she described being able to criticize her own culture because it was the dominant one. I think about when two black people sometimes address each other with the N-word. Only black people can say it to each other and they are fine with it but once a white person says it then all hell breaks loose. I was walking to class one afternoon and I walked by three black guys. I know one of them and he is very nice. But as I walked by, I heard one of them say that word. I felt rather uncomfortable and I'm not sure why. I was always told never to use horrid language such as that, but it's ok for them to say it? Double standards I think.

This article was so engaging with all the points that McIntosh made that when she brought up Combahee River Collective's "Black Feminist Statement of 1977", I decided to do a little research. I found this very interesting about how this group is trying to defeat all of the less privileged groups of people, such as racism and sexuality. It is quite a tough world, and I am only starting to see a small part of it. I never realized how privileged I actually am, when I always thought otherwise! This is a hot topic to discuss because I wonder if I am the only one who feels this way. Am I really that naive?

The Start of a New Semester

Hi, I'm Amanda Picardi. I am a Secondary Ed Math major at RIC. I know, what am I thinking?! What can I say, I love math. Anyways, I live on campus and I have a great roommate! I am from Saugus, MA which is north of Boston. No big deal. On the weekends, I work at Jo-Ann's fabrics in Attleboro. This semester is going to be a fun one, I can feel it already!