I meant to post something about this a while ago, but I never really had to the chance to do so...I think that tracking is not the best way to test students' abilities, but for the people who think that is disappearing are definitely wrong. This article shows how even as short as a decade ago tracking was endemic and remains so to this day. I just thought it would an interesting follow-up to our discussion regarding Jeannie Oakes's piece.
http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/hill/papers/tracking.html
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Talking Point 10
Talking Point 10: “What Can We Do?” by Allan Johnson
Premise:
• Taking action
• Privilege and oppression
• Beating limitations
• Reaching out to others
• Making a network of people to combat oppression
• Historical developments
• People need to learn to listen
• Be a leader
• Set the standard
• Tell other people that you do not agree with dominant popular views
• Read and gather wide support to fight racism, sexism, ableism and others
Author’s Argument:
Johnson argues that in order to quell the privilege that leads to oppressive treatment towards different groups of people, society at large needs to speak out against privilege and stop the oppression against these various groups. He also discusses that by setting up a network of people in support groups will also help to limit such oppressive treatment of others.
Evidence:
1. “No social system last forever, and this fact holds especially fro oppressive systems of privilege. We can’t know what will replace existing social systems, but we can be confident that they will go, that they are gong at every moment.”
2. “…Rather than trying to change people, the most important thing we can do is contribute to shifting entire cultures so that forms and values that support privilege begin to lose their “obvious” legitimacy and normalcy, and new forms emerge to challenge their privileged place in social life.”
3. “In many ways, the biggest challenge for members of privileged groups is to work with one another on issues of privilege rather than trying to help members of subordinate groups.”
Questions/Comments/Point to Share:
I thought Johnson’s article to be truly inspirational and empowering and called for action to be taken against the oppression of inferior social groups to the ‘culture of power.’ Johnson engaged me and showed me that by changing little aspects of my life such as not laughing at a homosexual joke can be a good step in the right direction as to squelching privilege. The article was a smooth read and highly enjoyable because of the writing style and the messages that he delineates throughout. It relates to the first Johnson reading that we read that stated how a society in general needed to take action if privilege and prejudice against other groups was to be stopped. This reading in my opinion is the best of the semester and I enjoyed the message that he gave that by taking steps in my own life to fight privilege and the ‘culture of power’ this can help to elicit change in society at large.
Premise:
• Taking action
• Privilege and oppression
• Beating limitations
• Reaching out to others
• Making a network of people to combat oppression
• Historical developments
• People need to learn to listen
• Be a leader
• Set the standard
• Tell other people that you do not agree with dominant popular views
• Read and gather wide support to fight racism, sexism, ableism and others
Author’s Argument:
Johnson argues that in order to quell the privilege that leads to oppressive treatment towards different groups of people, society at large needs to speak out against privilege and stop the oppression against these various groups. He also discusses that by setting up a network of people in support groups will also help to limit such oppressive treatment of others.
Evidence:
1. “No social system last forever, and this fact holds especially fro oppressive systems of privilege. We can’t know what will replace existing social systems, but we can be confident that they will go, that they are gong at every moment.”
2. “…Rather than trying to change people, the most important thing we can do is contribute to shifting entire cultures so that forms and values that support privilege begin to lose their “obvious” legitimacy and normalcy, and new forms emerge to challenge their privileged place in social life.”
3. “In many ways, the biggest challenge for members of privileged groups is to work with one another on issues of privilege rather than trying to help members of subordinate groups.”
Questions/Comments/Point to Share:
I thought Johnson’s article to be truly inspirational and empowering and called for action to be taken against the oppression of inferior social groups to the ‘culture of power.’ Johnson engaged me and showed me that by changing little aspects of my life such as not laughing at a homosexual joke can be a good step in the right direction as to squelching privilege. The article was a smooth read and highly enjoyable because of the writing style and the messages that he delineates throughout. It relates to the first Johnson reading that we read that stated how a society in general needed to take action if privilege and prejudice against other groups was to be stopped. This reading in my opinion is the best of the semester and I enjoyed the message that he gave that by taking steps in my own life to fight privilege and the ‘culture of power’ this can help to elicit change in society at large.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
How Things Went
Durin Thursday's class, the members of my group all showed up and we made great strides in making headway on the final project. The fact that we had the whole class to talk out and work through the theories of the authors proved vitally useful. Overall, I think that this a much better way of testing our knowledge of the readings, rather than sitting down for two hours and taking a final exam.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Talking Point 9
Talking Point 9: Bernard Lefkowitz, Our Guys
Premise:
• White culture of power
• Male dominance
• Privilege of athletes in high school
• Social nihilism by “perfect” kids
• Premeditated rape
• Taking advantage of mental lapses
• Perfect neighborhood turned imperfect
• Differences in people
• Striving to fit in and be liked
• Susceptibility to enticement
• Morally heinous acts
• Bringing down the image of the “golden children”
• Realization of what people are capable of
• Explicit chauvinistic practices
Author’s Argument:
Lefkowitz argues that social nihilism can happen in any town regardless of prestige and that so-called “golden children” raised in a good neighborhood can truly possess the ability to have evil tendencies. He basically shows that even white male children of privilege in Glen Hills are not perfect and not impervious to engaging in actions that would get them in trouble with the law, such as taking advantage of a mentally challenged girl, Leslie Faber.
Evidence:
1. “The stories conveyed a sense of shock that these atrocious acts could have happened in such a prosperous and tranquil town. If the charges were true, this was certainly an appalling crime.” In this quote, Lefkowitz expresses utter surprise at the “rumors” or rape had spread throughout the news coming from such a “perfect” town.
2. “The papers reported that on March 1, 1989, thirteen males were present in the basement where the alleged rape occurred…Glen Ridge is a small place, and there were only a hundred or so students in the senior class. What we were talking about here—20 or 30 percent of the senior males?” Lefkowitz points to how many of the boys had been involved in such a heinous act. It proved to be truly eye-opening as to how many ostensibly well-raised kids from a good town could have had the audacity to commit this terrible crime.
3. “Whoa. Wait a minute. She knew these names. She knew these kids. Archer, Scherzer, Grober, Quigley. They were popular, they came from good families, they were the best athletes in the high school. Some of them had been in a few scrapes with the law. Noisy parties, underage drinking—nothing major.” Sheila Byron, a graduate of Glen Hills High School and member of the town’s police force, was shocked by the report she read that outlined the names of the suspects involved. It goes to show that even though some people have a good reputation; acts leading to the rape charge like that the boys brought upon themselves can change that in a heartbeat.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
Lefkowitz’s article truly illustrates just how capricious certain people can be and that it does not matter where someone grows up or their background; anyone can make bad, malicious decisions. I thought Lefkowitz did a good job of detailing his perspective and at the same time told the story in as neutral a stance possible. Our Guys turned out to be a good reading and I thought that since it was presented in a story format it flowed smoothly. It relates to other texts that we have read such as McIntosh with the idea of whiteness as an invisible privilege because these kids since they were white and from a nice neighborhood, at first, were not believed to have been capable of such a despicable act. This article could also be related to Johnson because Leslie took action and spoke out against the guys that raped her and Johnson I believe would have been proud to see her take that step. Overall, I think that this article provided good insight as to shattering the image of perfect white neighborhoods and that white, privileged children do not always make the right decisions in some circumstances.
Premise:
• White culture of power
• Male dominance
• Privilege of athletes in high school
• Social nihilism by “perfect” kids
• Premeditated rape
• Taking advantage of mental lapses
• Perfect neighborhood turned imperfect
• Differences in people
• Striving to fit in and be liked
• Susceptibility to enticement
• Morally heinous acts
• Bringing down the image of the “golden children”
• Realization of what people are capable of
• Explicit chauvinistic practices
Author’s Argument:
Lefkowitz argues that social nihilism can happen in any town regardless of prestige and that so-called “golden children” raised in a good neighborhood can truly possess the ability to have evil tendencies. He basically shows that even white male children of privilege in Glen Hills are not perfect and not impervious to engaging in actions that would get them in trouble with the law, such as taking advantage of a mentally challenged girl, Leslie Faber.
Evidence:
1. “The stories conveyed a sense of shock that these atrocious acts could have happened in such a prosperous and tranquil town. If the charges were true, this was certainly an appalling crime.” In this quote, Lefkowitz expresses utter surprise at the “rumors” or rape had spread throughout the news coming from such a “perfect” town.
2. “The papers reported that on March 1, 1989, thirteen males were present in the basement where the alleged rape occurred…Glen Ridge is a small place, and there were only a hundred or so students in the senior class. What we were talking about here—20 or 30 percent of the senior males?” Lefkowitz points to how many of the boys had been involved in such a heinous act. It proved to be truly eye-opening as to how many ostensibly well-raised kids from a good town could have had the audacity to commit this terrible crime.
3. “Whoa. Wait a minute. She knew these names. She knew these kids. Archer, Scherzer, Grober, Quigley. They were popular, they came from good families, they were the best athletes in the high school. Some of them had been in a few scrapes with the law. Noisy parties, underage drinking—nothing major.” Sheila Byron, a graduate of Glen Hills High School and member of the town’s police force, was shocked by the report she read that outlined the names of the suspects involved. It goes to show that even though some people have a good reputation; acts leading to the rape charge like that the boys brought upon themselves can change that in a heartbeat.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
Lefkowitz’s article truly illustrates just how capricious certain people can be and that it does not matter where someone grows up or their background; anyone can make bad, malicious decisions. I thought Lefkowitz did a good job of detailing his perspective and at the same time told the story in as neutral a stance possible. Our Guys turned out to be a good reading and I thought that since it was presented in a story format it flowed smoothly. It relates to other texts that we have read such as McIntosh with the idea of whiteness as an invisible privilege because these kids since they were white and from a nice neighborhood, at first, were not believed to have been capable of such a despicable act. This article could also be related to Johnson because Leslie took action and spoke out against the guys that raped her and Johnson I believe would have been proud to see her take that step. Overall, I think that this article provided good insight as to shattering the image of perfect white neighborhoods and that white, privileged children do not always make the right decisions in some circumstances.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Talking Point 8
Talking Point 8: Tim Wise: Whites Swim in Racial Preference
Premise:
• White supremacy
• Racial preference
• Discrimination
• White privilege
• Discreet powers
• Ignorance
• Affirmative action
• Complaining by whites of minority having more opportunity
• No egalitarian treatment
• Duplicity by whites
• Unfair schooling systems
• Preferential treatment
• Invisible power
Author’s Argument:
Wise argues that whites are ignorant of their own inherent power given to them by their skin color and that black and other minority groups are by no means given the same opportunity as whites. He also states even though affirmative action is in place there still needs to be discussions to help curtail the effects of unfair white advantages.
Evidence:
1. “White families, on average, have a net worth that is 11 times the net worth of black families, according to a recent study; and this gap remains substantial even when only comparing families of like size, composition, education and income status.
2. “We (whites) ignore the fact that at almost every turn, our hard work has been met with access to an opportunity structure denied to millions of others. Privilege, to us, is like water to the fish: invisible precisely because we cannot imagine life without it.”
3. “So the U of M offers 20 ‘extra’ points to the typical black, Latino or indigenous applicant, while offering various combinations worth up to 58 extra points for students who will almost all be white.”
Questions/Comments/Point to Share:
Whites Swim in Racial Preference has proven to be a good indication of just how serendipitous white people are to have their specified privileges and are completely ignorant of that fact. The article proved to be an easy read that both enlightened and gave me new ideas as to how I should look at my own life and stop to think of what my heritage has done for me. It relates to Johnson in a sense that it says that racial preference is something that needs to be explicitly talked about. I also feel that it has a correlation to the Lawrence article we read because of the fact that both are calling for reforms that will help squelch segregation in both schools and society at large. How would I and other normal people go about accomplishing some of these goals? While they seem progressive and innovative I view them as somewhat unrealistic due to their somewhat inherently radical nature.
Premise:
• White supremacy
• Racial preference
• Discrimination
• White privilege
• Discreet powers
• Ignorance
• Affirmative action
• Complaining by whites of minority having more opportunity
• No egalitarian treatment
• Duplicity by whites
• Unfair schooling systems
• Preferential treatment
• Invisible power
Author’s Argument:
Wise argues that whites are ignorant of their own inherent power given to them by their skin color and that black and other minority groups are by no means given the same opportunity as whites. He also states even though affirmative action is in place there still needs to be discussions to help curtail the effects of unfair white advantages.
Evidence:
1. “White families, on average, have a net worth that is 11 times the net worth of black families, according to a recent study; and this gap remains substantial even when only comparing families of like size, composition, education and income status.
2. “We (whites) ignore the fact that at almost every turn, our hard work has been met with access to an opportunity structure denied to millions of others. Privilege, to us, is like water to the fish: invisible precisely because we cannot imagine life without it.”
3. “So the U of M offers 20 ‘extra’ points to the typical black, Latino or indigenous applicant, while offering various combinations worth up to 58 extra points for students who will almost all be white.”
Questions/Comments/Point to Share:
Whites Swim in Racial Preference has proven to be a good indication of just how serendipitous white people are to have their specified privileges and are completely ignorant of that fact. The article proved to be an easy read that both enlightened and gave me new ideas as to how I should look at my own life and stop to think of what my heritage has done for me. It relates to Johnson in a sense that it says that racial preference is something that needs to be explicitly talked about. I also feel that it has a correlation to the Lawrence article we read because of the fact that both are calling for reforms that will help squelch segregation in both schools and society at large. How would I and other normal people go about accomplishing some of these goals? While they seem progressive and innovative I view them as somewhat unrealistic due to their somewhat inherently radical nature.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Scottsboro Boys
Here is an interesting link regarding what we talked about in class on Tuesday:
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/scottsb.htm
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/scottsb.htm
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Talking Point 7
Talking Point 7: One More River to Cross” by Charles Lawrence
Premise:
• Segregation
• Brown vs. Board of Education
• Meritocracy
• Going beyond racial discrimination
• Inferiority
• Stigmatization and Subordination of Blacks
• Apartheid of blacks
• Injuries due to segregation
• Self-perpetuating segregation
• Panacea-universal remedy
• Improve situations of blacks in getting jobs
• Parents fighting for kids’ rights
• Jobs controlled by people who ran schools
• Affirmative disestablishment of institutions
• Income disparity
• Segregation as a figment of the imagination
• Stopping the oppression
Author’s Argument:
Lawrence argues that the Brown decision fostered a way of thinking about segregation that has allowed both the judiciary and society at large to deny the reality of race in America, that the recognition of that reality is critical to the framing of any meaningful remedy—judicial or political—and that Brown may ultimately be labeled a success only insofar as we are able to make it stand for what it should have stood for in 1954.
Evidence:
1. Segregation once it is created it is self perpetuating. Gunnar Myrdal best describes it in his book, An American Dilemma, when we wrote, “Only blacks are labeled as inferior, they are denied access to equal societal opportunities. The resulting inadequate education preparation, poverty of cultural backgrounds, and lack of experience constitute real limitations on their ability to contribute to society, and the prophecy of their inferiority is fulfilled.”
2. Something also needs to be done not just in schools but also in society as a whole shown by this quote, “Our school was full of bright and capable children who would one day make fine artists, technicians, teacher, mechanics, lawyers, musicians, and businessmen. But few of them would get the chance. There will be little access to these jobs because increasingly there are fewer jobs than people, and because blacks have no power or control over the institutions that provide access to what few jobs there are.” Segregation will not only hurt minorities in school, but later on in life when they want to find a job.
3. In both the Plessy and Bakke cases the messages were the same, “in both cases blacks are told we have no right to an end to the institution of segregation, and in both cases we are told that this is so because the injury we claim is a figment of our imagination.” Again society at large is denying any harm done to people through the decisions of those court cases, which also fostered new thoughts regarding segregation at the same time.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This article proved to be indicative of much of the latter part of the twentieth century, as well as, into this new century. Blacks were very much segregated from many jobs just due to their skin color and discriminated against because of that. I think that it is safe to say that this article shows who the courts were actually working in the favor of. The article I thought aside from a few vocabulary words was a rather easy read; it was both enlightening and engaging. It relates to Johnson in a sense that segregation is something that needs to be addressed and it can be correlated to Johnson’s argument of racism still needing to be talked about. Overall, I think that Lawrence has a very good argument here, but he does not need to confound readers with his extensive use of legal jargon. How does using all of the court cases make a relevant argument considering just using the Plessy v. Ferguson case would have been substantial evidence?
Premise:
• Segregation
• Brown vs. Board of Education
• Meritocracy
• Going beyond racial discrimination
• Inferiority
• Stigmatization and Subordination of Blacks
• Apartheid of blacks
• Injuries due to segregation
• Self-perpetuating segregation
• Panacea-universal remedy
• Improve situations of blacks in getting jobs
• Parents fighting for kids’ rights
• Jobs controlled by people who ran schools
• Affirmative disestablishment of institutions
• Income disparity
• Segregation as a figment of the imagination
• Stopping the oppression
Author’s Argument:
Lawrence argues that the Brown decision fostered a way of thinking about segregation that has allowed both the judiciary and society at large to deny the reality of race in America, that the recognition of that reality is critical to the framing of any meaningful remedy—judicial or political—and that Brown may ultimately be labeled a success only insofar as we are able to make it stand for what it should have stood for in 1954.
Evidence:
1. Segregation once it is created it is self perpetuating. Gunnar Myrdal best describes it in his book, An American Dilemma, when we wrote, “Only blacks are labeled as inferior, they are denied access to equal societal opportunities. The resulting inadequate education preparation, poverty of cultural backgrounds, and lack of experience constitute real limitations on their ability to contribute to society, and the prophecy of their inferiority is fulfilled.”
2. Something also needs to be done not just in schools but also in society as a whole shown by this quote, “Our school was full of bright and capable children who would one day make fine artists, technicians, teacher, mechanics, lawyers, musicians, and businessmen. But few of them would get the chance. There will be little access to these jobs because increasingly there are fewer jobs than people, and because blacks have no power or control over the institutions that provide access to what few jobs there are.” Segregation will not only hurt minorities in school, but later on in life when they want to find a job.
3. In both the Plessy and Bakke cases the messages were the same, “in both cases blacks are told we have no right to an end to the institution of segregation, and in both cases we are told that this is so because the injury we claim is a figment of our imagination.” Again society at large is denying any harm done to people through the decisions of those court cases, which also fostered new thoughts regarding segregation at the same time.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This article proved to be indicative of much of the latter part of the twentieth century, as well as, into this new century. Blacks were very much segregated from many jobs just due to their skin color and discriminated against because of that. I think that it is safe to say that this article shows who the courts were actually working in the favor of. The article I thought aside from a few vocabulary words was a rather easy read; it was both enlightening and engaging. It relates to Johnson in a sense that segregation is something that needs to be addressed and it can be correlated to Johnson’s argument of racism still needing to be talked about. Overall, I think that Lawrence has a very good argument here, but he does not need to confound readers with his extensive use of legal jargon. How does using all of the court cases make a relevant argument considering just using the Plessy v. Ferguson case would have been substantial evidence?
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Talking Point 6
Talking Point 6: Tracking: Why Schools Need to Take Another Route by Jeannie Oakes
Premise:
• Ability of students
• Marginalizing students
• Grouping of children
• Accomplishment
• Uneven Opportunities
• Unfair Advantages
• Uncomfortable in class
• Average students left out
• Cognitive tests showing learning over time
• Tracking students in unnecessary
• Mastering of skills speedily
• Active learning
• Complications in Work
• ‘Real World’ Problem Solving
• Changes to the School Systems
• Test scores unreliable
Author’s Argument:
Oakes argues that by just judging students’ abilities based on test scores is an inefficient way of measuring a student’s learning ability and new methods need to be employed in the classroom to assure that all students are given equal learning opportunities by allowing for all students to be challenged.
Evidence:
1. “One fact about tracking is unequivocal: tracking leads to substantial differences in the day-to-day learning experiences students have at school.”
2. “For example, in average classes, many teachers expected relatively little of students. They established set routines of lecturing and doing worksheets, held time and workload demands (both in class and for homework) to a minimum, accepted and sometimes even encouraged distractions and rarely asked students to think deeply or critically.”
3. “Recent work of cognitive psychologists suggests, for example that academic ability is not unchangeable but developmental and grows throughout childhood.”
Questions/Comments/ Point to Share:
Oakes’ article brought forth an argument that many students are not all given the same opportunities to succeed in life. Some of the more precocious children are given the advantage over others when it comes to teachers and resources giving them a chance to be much more successful. The article, overall, was an easy read and made a direct point that something needs to be done in order to eliminate the unfair academic treatment taking place in many public schools throughout the country. It relates to other texts that we have read because it talks of a progressive movement for action and awareness regarding the unfair advantages that some students gain. It is something that Johnson would wholeheartedly agree with the problem needs to be brought out into the open and needs to be discussed.
Premise:
• Ability of students
• Marginalizing students
• Grouping of children
• Accomplishment
• Uneven Opportunities
• Unfair Advantages
• Uncomfortable in class
• Average students left out
• Cognitive tests showing learning over time
• Tracking students in unnecessary
• Mastering of skills speedily
• Active learning
• Complications in Work
• ‘Real World’ Problem Solving
• Changes to the School Systems
• Test scores unreliable
Author’s Argument:
Oakes argues that by just judging students’ abilities based on test scores is an inefficient way of measuring a student’s learning ability and new methods need to be employed in the classroom to assure that all students are given equal learning opportunities by allowing for all students to be challenged.
Evidence:
1. “One fact about tracking is unequivocal: tracking leads to substantial differences in the day-to-day learning experiences students have at school.”
2. “For example, in average classes, many teachers expected relatively little of students. They established set routines of lecturing and doing worksheets, held time and workload demands (both in class and for homework) to a minimum, accepted and sometimes even encouraged distractions and rarely asked students to think deeply or critically.”
3. “Recent work of cognitive psychologists suggests, for example that academic ability is not unchangeable but developmental and grows throughout childhood.”
Questions/Comments/ Point to Share:
Oakes’ article brought forth an argument that many students are not all given the same opportunities to succeed in life. Some of the more precocious children are given the advantage over others when it comes to teachers and resources giving them a chance to be much more successful. The article, overall, was an easy read and made a direct point that something needs to be done in order to eliminate the unfair academic treatment taking place in many public schools throughout the country. It relates to other texts that we have read because it talks of a progressive movement for action and awareness regarding the unfair advantages that some students gain. It is something that Johnson would wholeheartedly agree with the problem needs to be brought out into the open and needs to be discussed.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Talking Point 5
Talking Point #5 In the Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning by Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer
Premise:
• Community Service
• Improving society
• Lending a Hand
• Culture-bearers
• Stereotypes
• Politics
• Democracy
• Experiences
• Citizenship
• Homelessness
• Community Curricula
• Moral emphasis
• Giving Back to Society
• Intellectual transformation
• Empathy
• Bringing people together
Author’s Argument:
Kahne and Westheimer argue that service learning is great for the community as a whole seeing as it provides students with a chance to grow morally, become more active politically as democratic citizens, and become intellectually enlightened by erasing the stereotypes that are in place regarding many different social groups. This type of service will lead not only for improvements to individual students, but also the communities in which they live.
Evidence:
1. “Educators and legislators alike maintain that service learning can improve the community and invigorate the classroom, providing rich educational experiences for students at all levels of schooling.”
2. The example of the student who went to a senior home to serve them their Thanksgiving dinners and the experience was structured to promote giving rather than to provide the kind of understanding need for the development of caring relationships.
3. Citizenship in a democratic community requires more than kindness and decency; it requires engagement in complex social and institutional endeavors.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This article views the idea of community service and service learning as salient to help provide a better atmosphere in the overall society. It teaches students to become active and better citizens by donating some of their time to a good cause. This article overall was a very easy read and had a clear message that service learning is a good way of showing altruism and becoming active in the surrounding community. It relates to other texts that we have read such as the Johnson article that notes action is necessary if we are to change stereotypes and to have a reshuffling of the ideals in society. I think that overall the reading is an empowering piece that needs to be implemented in order for society in general to be bettered.
Premise:
• Community Service
• Improving society
• Lending a Hand
• Culture-bearers
• Stereotypes
• Politics
• Democracy
• Experiences
• Citizenship
• Homelessness
• Community Curricula
• Moral emphasis
• Giving Back to Society
• Intellectual transformation
• Empathy
• Bringing people together
Author’s Argument:
Kahne and Westheimer argue that service learning is great for the community as a whole seeing as it provides students with a chance to grow morally, become more active politically as democratic citizens, and become intellectually enlightened by erasing the stereotypes that are in place regarding many different social groups. This type of service will lead not only for improvements to individual students, but also the communities in which they live.
Evidence:
1. “Educators and legislators alike maintain that service learning can improve the community and invigorate the classroom, providing rich educational experiences for students at all levels of schooling.”
2. The example of the student who went to a senior home to serve them their Thanksgiving dinners and the experience was structured to promote giving rather than to provide the kind of understanding need for the development of caring relationships.
3. Citizenship in a democratic community requires more than kindness and decency; it requires engagement in complex social and institutional endeavors.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This article views the idea of community service and service learning as salient to help provide a better atmosphere in the overall society. It teaches students to become active and better citizens by donating some of their time to a good cause. This article overall was a very easy read and had a clear message that service learning is a good way of showing altruism and becoming active in the surrounding community. It relates to other texts that we have read such as the Johnson article that notes action is necessary if we are to change stereotypes and to have a reshuffling of the ideals in society. I think that overall the reading is an empowering piece that needs to be implemented in order for society in general to be bettered.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Talking Point 4
Talking Point #4: Christensen “Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us”
Premise:
• False advertisement
• Rethinking the meaning of cartoons
• Misinformation/Propaganda
• Changing Views
• White supremacy
• Racism
• Sexism
• Students speaking out
• Raising Awareness
• Stereotypes
• Taking action
• Calling for more diversity
• Favoring groups over another
• Having some cartoons reworked
• Trying to stimulate change of society’s views
Authors Argument:
Christensen argues that by fighting images portraying hierarchy and inequality in cartoons and mass media, progress can be made by students and society in general that will allow for respect and equality to be gained by more groups of people.
Evidence:
1. There is a “secret education” that is contained in movies and mass media that tell people how they should act, treat people, dress and essentially run their lives
2. By trying to advocate for a “Black Cinderella” and creating a story based around Cinderella as a black woman would allow for another group of people to be idolized and thought of as the “princess of society.”
3. By having the students write essays of discontent concerning the images portrayed in cartoons and media as to what is important in life and looking for them to be published in newspapers or magazines is an activist approach to changing what is idyllic in society.
Questions/Comments/Point to Share:
This article by Christensen was aimed at trying to make a change in society by changing the way that media portrays perfection and happiness to people in America. Change needs to be made so that students and people do not get the wrong idea about what is important in life. The article was a smooth read and did not require too much effort on my part to look up words or anything of that nature. It did a good job of showing how society is negligent in favoring some groups of people and types of people over others. It relates to other texts that we have read in class because it is showing how the “culture of power” is truly at work here as Delpit would note. The ‘culture of power’ is at work in a sense that it is dictating how people should act, dress and organize their lifestyles based upon false images and propaganda. Also, I see a little bit of Johnson in this article because Christensen is calling for her students to take action and speak out against the cartoonists and other people in media who are the ones disseminating this false image of perfection to the public.
Premise:
• False advertisement
• Rethinking the meaning of cartoons
• Misinformation/Propaganda
• Changing Views
• White supremacy
• Racism
• Sexism
• Students speaking out
• Raising Awareness
• Stereotypes
• Taking action
• Calling for more diversity
• Favoring groups over another
• Having some cartoons reworked
• Trying to stimulate change of society’s views
Authors Argument:
Christensen argues that by fighting images portraying hierarchy and inequality in cartoons and mass media, progress can be made by students and society in general that will allow for respect and equality to be gained by more groups of people.
Evidence:
1. There is a “secret education” that is contained in movies and mass media that tell people how they should act, treat people, dress and essentially run their lives
2. By trying to advocate for a “Black Cinderella” and creating a story based around Cinderella as a black woman would allow for another group of people to be idolized and thought of as the “princess of society.”
3. By having the students write essays of discontent concerning the images portrayed in cartoons and media as to what is important in life and looking for them to be published in newspapers or magazines is an activist approach to changing what is idyllic in society.
Questions/Comments/Point to Share:
This article by Christensen was aimed at trying to make a change in society by changing the way that media portrays perfection and happiness to people in America. Change needs to be made so that students and people do not get the wrong idea about what is important in life. The article was a smooth read and did not require too much effort on my part to look up words or anything of that nature. It did a good job of showing how society is negligent in favoring some groups of people and types of people over others. It relates to other texts that we have read in class because it is showing how the “culture of power” is truly at work here as Delpit would note. The ‘culture of power’ is at work in a sense that it is dictating how people should act, dress and organize their lifestyles based upon false images and propaganda. Also, I see a little bit of Johnson in this article because Christensen is calling for her students to take action and speak out against the cartoonists and other people in media who are the ones disseminating this false image of perfection to the public.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Talking Point 3
Talking Point #3
Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community by Dennis Carlson
Premise:
• Homosexuality
• Categorization
• Discrimination
• “Normalizing Community”
• Stereotypes
• “culture of power”
• False norms in a society
• New ideas on what community should be
• Marginalization
• Hiding of gay features in schools
• Stopping of latent homosexualism
• Alienation of gays in schools
• Conversations of homosexuality avoided in schools
• Ridiculous myths about homosexuals
Author’s Argument:
Carlson argues that there needs to be a new outlook as to how society should be normalized, in a sense that people have to come to the conclusion that today’s society is vastly different than a generation ago, so it is pertinent to make changes that will not lead to malicious marginalization and degradation of homosexuals.
Evidence:
1. “In what follows, I not only want to point to some of the ways gay people and “gayness” have been “kept in their place” in the school community; more importantly I want to argue that these practices are increasingly hard to sustain.”
2. Carlson discusses a second discourse on community in America as being associated with new right and neo-conservatism. This essentially states that during a romanticized lost American community authority was respected and everyone knew their places and society was homogenous. It also holds that there will be a use of oppressive tactics to keep “Others” in their places
3. Employing of homosexual teachers who were thought to be lecherous and present a danger to students is also an art that will die soon because homosexuals who want to become teachers will fight for their rights now and increasingly making practices of old hard to sustain.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This article by Dennis Carlson is an eye-opening piece that shows how horrible practices of marginalizing different sexes is something that should and will eventually disappear; unfortunately it still exists. The article overall for me was an easy read I did not have any trouble understanding the message that Carlson was trying to convey and I feel that he is completely right in his assertions. It relates to other texts we have read such as Delpit and the culture of power dictating how certain marginalized groups are viewed and treated. Overall, Carlson takes a controversial topic and points to the importance of respecting all people and by normalizing society it should in no way include discrimination of homosexuals; however, this is still the case, but it will be as he says tougher to sustain in the future.
Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community by Dennis Carlson
Premise:
• Homosexuality
• Categorization
• Discrimination
• “Normalizing Community”
• Stereotypes
• “culture of power”
• False norms in a society
• New ideas on what community should be
• Marginalization
• Hiding of gay features in schools
• Stopping of latent homosexualism
• Alienation of gays in schools
• Conversations of homosexuality avoided in schools
• Ridiculous myths about homosexuals
Author’s Argument:
Carlson argues that there needs to be a new outlook as to how society should be normalized, in a sense that people have to come to the conclusion that today’s society is vastly different than a generation ago, so it is pertinent to make changes that will not lead to malicious marginalization and degradation of homosexuals.
Evidence:
1. “In what follows, I not only want to point to some of the ways gay people and “gayness” have been “kept in their place” in the school community; more importantly I want to argue that these practices are increasingly hard to sustain.”
2. Carlson discusses a second discourse on community in America as being associated with new right and neo-conservatism. This essentially states that during a romanticized lost American community authority was respected and everyone knew their places and society was homogenous. It also holds that there will be a use of oppressive tactics to keep “Others” in their places
3. Employing of homosexual teachers who were thought to be lecherous and present a danger to students is also an art that will die soon because homosexuals who want to become teachers will fight for their rights now and increasingly making practices of old hard to sustain.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This article by Dennis Carlson is an eye-opening piece that shows how horrible practices of marginalizing different sexes is something that should and will eventually disappear; unfortunately it still exists. The article overall for me was an easy read I did not have any trouble understanding the message that Carlson was trying to convey and I feel that he is completely right in his assertions. It relates to other texts we have read such as Delpit and the culture of power dictating how certain marginalized groups are viewed and treated. Overall, Carlson takes a controversial topic and points to the importance of respecting all people and by normalizing society it should in no way include discrimination of homosexuals; however, this is still the case, but it will be as he says tougher to sustain in the future.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Talking Point 2
“Aria” by Richard Rodriguez
Premise:
• Bilingualism
• Disadvantaged Children
• Feelings of Being an Outsider
• Changing of culture
• Familial pressures
• Dominant white culture
• Teachers pronouncing students as “deficient learners”
• Breaking of families
• Public vs. Private Individuality
• Hearing sounds in language
• Intimacy ruined by culture of power
Author’s Argument:
Richard Rodriguez argues that educators are oblivious to the fact that by forcing bilingual students to obtain and master the language of ‘the culture of power’ ultimately leads to a diminishing of private individuality (family lives and speech) by trying to assimilate them into the dominant culture.
Evidence:
1. When the nun asked Richard to speak in front of the entire class, and not to just address her, showed that he needed to obtain a better grasp of English, and this put pressure on him to practice English in his Spanish speaking home.
2. His parents then assumed the role of teachers outside of school advocating the use of English to help their children have a chance of being part of the dominant majority; ultimately this caused the family to not speak as much and reduced conversation between family members.
3. As the children became more confident with English they talked to more people outside of their own family driving a wedge between themselves and their parents, and indeed the teachers’ insistence that Rodriguez’s parents teach them English led to an intrusion in his family’s private individuality, but it was given up to achieve public individuality: a fair tradeoff?
Questions/Comments/Point to Share:
I believe this article showed a great perspective of how trying to assimilate into a dominant culture can have both benefits and downfalls. The insistence of Richard’s teachers that he practice English in his home caused this perpetual tension between he and his parents causing them to not converse as lucidly, or as much as before. The article was an easy read for me and showed a great example of how knowing the dominant language is more important than knowing any other language. I feel that it relates to other texts we have read such as Johnson saying how this type of situation needs to be explicitly dealt with in society. This could also relate to Delpit as well because it is sort of silencing the dialogue of a family and Delpit would agree that this type of action is completely wrong.
Premise:
• Bilingualism
• Disadvantaged Children
• Feelings of Being an Outsider
• Changing of culture
• Familial pressures
• Dominant white culture
• Teachers pronouncing students as “deficient learners”
• Breaking of families
• Public vs. Private Individuality
• Hearing sounds in language
• Intimacy ruined by culture of power
Author’s Argument:
Richard Rodriguez argues that educators are oblivious to the fact that by forcing bilingual students to obtain and master the language of ‘the culture of power’ ultimately leads to a diminishing of private individuality (family lives and speech) by trying to assimilate them into the dominant culture.
Evidence:
1. When the nun asked Richard to speak in front of the entire class, and not to just address her, showed that he needed to obtain a better grasp of English, and this put pressure on him to practice English in his Spanish speaking home.
2. His parents then assumed the role of teachers outside of school advocating the use of English to help their children have a chance of being part of the dominant majority; ultimately this caused the family to not speak as much and reduced conversation between family members.
3. As the children became more confident with English they talked to more people outside of their own family driving a wedge between themselves and their parents, and indeed the teachers’ insistence that Rodriguez’s parents teach them English led to an intrusion in his family’s private individuality, but it was given up to achieve public individuality: a fair tradeoff?
Questions/Comments/Point to Share:
I believe this article showed a great perspective of how trying to assimilate into a dominant culture can have both benefits and downfalls. The insistence of Richard’s teachers that he practice English in his home caused this perpetual tension between he and his parents causing them to not converse as lucidly, or as much as before. The article was an easy read for me and showed a great example of how knowing the dominant language is more important than knowing any other language. I feel that it relates to other texts we have read such as Johnson saying how this type of situation needs to be explicitly dealt with in society. This could also relate to Delpit as well because it is sort of silencing the dialogue of a family and Delpit would agree that this type of action is completely wrong.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Talking Point 1
White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
Premise:
• Women’s Status
• White supremacy
• People of color as inferior
• Invisible power of whites
• Privilege of being male
• Skin-color privilege
• Elusive nature of whiteness
• Fugitive nature of whiteness
• Obliviousness of Whites
• Unearned power due to being white/male
• Earned strength due to sex/whiteness/male
• Sexual orientation of straight gives unearned power
• “Myth of meritocracy”
• Perquisites of being white in America
• Will any action be taken with white power to change the system?
Author’s Argument:
Peggy McIntosh argues that white males in America are oblivious to the fact that their skin color and gender gives them both privilege and dominance in American society.
Evidence:
1. “I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as male are taught not to recognize male privilege.”
2. “I have met very few men who truly distressed about systemic, unearned male advantage and conferred dominance.”
3. “It seems to me that obliviousness about white advantage, like obliviousness about male advantage, is kept strongly inculturated in the United States so as to maintain the myth of meritocracy, the myth that democratic choice is equally available to all.”
Questions/Comments/Point To Share:
I felt this article to be a statement made to white males instructing them to take action and realize that they have so much power in society due to the fact that they are white and male. McIntosh did a good job talking about unearned advantage and dominance in society due to these factors and I felt that she was quite explicit in conveying her ideas to the reader. I felt that the article could be read easily and smoothly and gets the point across to the reader in an explicit manner. It relates to other texts such as Johnson because he said that people need to talk explicitly about racism and sexism so that progress can be made to eliminating the persistent problem that is engrained in American society.
Data Show Racial Bias Persists in America
Premise:
• Racism is still present
• Whites still ignorant of effects of race and opportunity
• Prejudiced social policies engrained in American society
• Discrimination of jobs due to race
• Drugs and people of color
• More people of color in prison systems
• Analysis shows racial bias
Author’ Argument:
Salim Muwakkil argues that by using analysis it can lucidly be seen that racial bias is largely persistent in the United States hindering people of color’s chances of attaining certain job opportunities and causing stereotypical views of people of color as drug dealers and users in America.
Evidence:
1. Using a job application as a means of analysis and putting white names and people of color’s names on the application the study found that “applicants with white sounding names were 50 percent more likely to get called for an initial interview than applicants with black-sounding ones.” Most notably the people of color had better credentials than the whites.
2. White males who had prison records were more likely to be hired than black men without them.
3. “Blacks constitute about 13 percent of America’s drug users, but make up to 58 percent of those sent to prison for drug possession.”
Questions/Comments/Point to Share:
This article was quite eye-opening in revealing some of the statistics of white and people of color having opportunities when applying for jobs. Muwakkil did a good job noting that people feel that racism is disappearing when in actuality it still persists to this day. The article was an easy read, yet it was highly informative regarding white and people of color’s statistics for imprisonment. It also relates Johnson’s reading because I feel that Muwakkil is trying to overtly show that racism is a topic that needs to be discussed correlating to the argument presented by Johnson.
Premise:
• Women’s Status
• White supremacy
• People of color as inferior
• Invisible power of whites
• Privilege of being male
• Skin-color privilege
• Elusive nature of whiteness
• Fugitive nature of whiteness
• Obliviousness of Whites
• Unearned power due to being white/male
• Earned strength due to sex/whiteness/male
• Sexual orientation of straight gives unearned power
• “Myth of meritocracy”
• Perquisites of being white in America
• Will any action be taken with white power to change the system?
Author’s Argument:
Peggy McIntosh argues that white males in America are oblivious to the fact that their skin color and gender gives them both privilege and dominance in American society.
Evidence:
1. “I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as male are taught not to recognize male privilege.”
2. “I have met very few men who truly distressed about systemic, unearned male advantage and conferred dominance.”
3. “It seems to me that obliviousness about white advantage, like obliviousness about male advantage, is kept strongly inculturated in the United States so as to maintain the myth of meritocracy, the myth that democratic choice is equally available to all.”
Questions/Comments/Point To Share:
I felt this article to be a statement made to white males instructing them to take action and realize that they have so much power in society due to the fact that they are white and male. McIntosh did a good job talking about unearned advantage and dominance in society due to these factors and I felt that she was quite explicit in conveying her ideas to the reader. I felt that the article could be read easily and smoothly and gets the point across to the reader in an explicit manner. It relates to other texts such as Johnson because he said that people need to talk explicitly about racism and sexism so that progress can be made to eliminating the persistent problem that is engrained in American society.
Data Show Racial Bias Persists in America
Premise:
• Racism is still present
• Whites still ignorant of effects of race and opportunity
• Prejudiced social policies engrained in American society
• Discrimination of jobs due to race
• Drugs and people of color
• More people of color in prison systems
• Analysis shows racial bias
Author’ Argument:
Salim Muwakkil argues that by using analysis it can lucidly be seen that racial bias is largely persistent in the United States hindering people of color’s chances of attaining certain job opportunities and causing stereotypical views of people of color as drug dealers and users in America.
Evidence:
1. Using a job application as a means of analysis and putting white names and people of color’s names on the application the study found that “applicants with white sounding names were 50 percent more likely to get called for an initial interview than applicants with black-sounding ones.” Most notably the people of color had better credentials than the whites.
2. White males who had prison records were more likely to be hired than black men without them.
3. “Blacks constitute about 13 percent of America’s drug users, but make up to 58 percent of those sent to prison for drug possession.”
Questions/Comments/Point to Share:
This article was quite eye-opening in revealing some of the statistics of white and people of color having opportunities when applying for jobs. Muwakkil did a good job noting that people feel that racism is disappearing when in actuality it still persists to this day. The article was an easy read, yet it was highly informative regarding white and people of color’s statistics for imprisonment. It also relates Johnson’s reading because I feel that Muwakkil is trying to overtly show that racism is a topic that needs to be discussed correlating to the argument presented by Johnson.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Matt: Who I am
Hello There,
I am Matt Rodrigues. I am a sophomore at Rhode Island College and I am currently a Secondary Education History major. My semester so far has been rather strenuous and nerve-racking. I hope that the semester will ease down a bit as time progresses. I tend to be a very punctual person and like doing well in school. Outside of school, I work and I hang out with my friends in my spare time. Some activities I enjoy are basketball, weight lifting, swimming, ultimate frisbee, and meeting new people.
http://mrodrigues1.blogspot.com
I am Matt Rodrigues. I am a sophomore at Rhode Island College and I am currently a Secondary Education History major. My semester so far has been rather strenuous and nerve-racking. I hope that the semester will ease down a bit as time progresses. I tend to be a very punctual person and like doing well in school. Outside of school, I work and I hang out with my friends in my spare time. Some activities I enjoy are basketball, weight lifting, swimming, ultimate frisbee, and meeting new people.
http://mrodrigues1.blogspot.com
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