Talking Points #9

Citizenship in School: Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome

By: Christopher Kliewer

Quote #1: "Society itself is hurt when schools act as cultural sorting machines - locations that 'justify a competitive ethic that marginalizes certain students or groups of students... [that] legitimizes discrimination and devaluation on the basis of the dominant society's preferences in matters of ability, gender, ethnicity, and race... and [that] endorse an elaborate process of sorting by perceived ability and behavior'..."

Schools just like the United States of America should be melting pots of all different children... including teachers.  but it is hard to fit into a society that your discriminated against...

Quote #2: "It's not like they come here to be labeled, or to believe the label. We're all here - kids, teachers, parents, whoever - it's about all of us working together, playing together, being together, and that's what learning is.  Don't tell me any of these kids are being set up to fail."

I choose this quote because it kind of popped out at me.  Volunteering in the VIPS program I have experienced a whole different world of schooling... And honestly I feel as if some of the students are set up to fail.  The classroom that I am in is the lowest 2nd class and over half the class has behavior issues.  Now I understand that behavioral issues are not necessarily learning disabilities but what the school is saying is here take all these kids that struggle and just teach them whatever you can... If it sticks, it sticks... If not they may make it to middle school.  But these kids are intelligent! They just need to be pushed enough to realize their own potential... Even the genius kids didn't realize they were a genius on their own.  As much as we want to get rid of labeling I don't foresee that in our near future and its a shame.  

Quote #3: "Along with recognizing an individual's ability to think, Bogdan and Taylor (1989) suggest that respect and citizenship require a realization of the person's individuality. This is as true as in school relationships as it is in our wider community relationships.

"I don't tend to see Down syndrome as something. If you look at those three kids running around the room, they're incredibly different from each other. They're different in terms of what their bodies are like, how they best communicate, what they're like socially, their interests. And with those three kids in the room it would be hard to say, 'This is how you should teach kids with Down syndrome.' They are not all alike."  

Everyone is unique in their own special way and uniqueness should be embraced especially in the classroom.  You will never have two kids that are alike. Schools need to intermingle all children on race, ethnicity, and/or disabilities.  This is an opportunity for students to embrace their individuality and learn from others that are too learning about themselves.

Conclusion: Overall I really enjoyed this article and feel really strongly about what Kliewer was trying to portray.  Just because you have a disability it doesn't make you a bad person nor should it make you a social outcast. Everyone should be given the same opportunities regardless.... Yes I understand special privileges... but they should only be given to those who are in desperate need.  No one is perfect regardless what they think of themselves and disabilities should be a topic that it easily discussed in class.

Promising Practices

I woke up, my alarm set for 6:30 am. This is the earliest I have been up all school year and it wasn’t even for class. As you can tell I was not excited.  Not only did I have to take the whole day off of work, when I have bills to pay, pay for the conference, wake up early but I also now have to write this paper or supposedly blog it.  The day couldn’t get any better.  

It takes me about forty-five minutes or so to get to RIC from home so I realized at 7:10 that I should probably head out the door.  Stopping a Dunkin on my way to school I got my regular: a medium ice coffee and a ham, egg and cheese on a croissant.  Breakfast had already made my day seem not so bad.  I arrived at school about ten of eight and waited around in the parking lot for Kristyn cause she had asked me to wait for her.  Finally she arrived and we headed to Don.  As we walked in I felt a sudden rush of chaos and honestly had no clue where to go. Great, this just proved my point of why I didn’t want to be here.

After finding the sign in table the individual working it told me that I wasn’t signed up, when clearly I was cause I had printed proof that I was registrant number fourteen.  Turns out my name was spelt wrong on my folder and that’s why she couldn’t find me.  Kristyn and I then compared what workshops we were in and realized that we would have to split for the second one.  Now we just had to wait around for a half an hour.

                                         

On the way to workshop number one, “yoga in the classroom,” we were located in the last room in Alger.  This was actually my favorite activity all day! When everyone first sat down they played some calming music and read a five minute relaxing piece telling us to close our eyes and to breathe.  After the five minutes were up I didn't want to stop. They explained how they have  implemented yoga in a third grade classroom at HBS and have been tracking the progress of the students. At first they explained how this was difficult to accomplish because almost all parents were skeptical. I then thought of a quote from Johnson, "People can't help fearing the unfamiliar, " and it occurred to me.  The parents didn't understand what yoga was or how their children could benefit from it.  Now many parents have told the third grade teacher that they have even seen improvement in their child at home.  Yoga helps to relieve stress and helps the students to focus.  There are about 13% of children diagnosed with a clinical form of anxiety and most of this anxiety might not even be from school. So you can only image how hard it can be for a child.

Before my second workshop began, "disability in the classroom," we had about a fifty minute break to roam around Don collecting pamphlets and all sorts. I didn't really find this helpful because I'm not a teacher yet and by the time I am a teacher and needing this material I honestly will have no clue where I placed it several years ago.  Plus most of the materials were books with book ideas in them.  Like a list of great books teachers should use when teaching that subject.  So we walked around and grabbed a few things including a drink and just chilled at a table waiting to move on to the next workshop. 

Sitting through disability in the classroom made me come to more of a realization that you can't always tell if a child has a learning disability.  Also that most kids that are called lazy really aren't lazy and usually have a hard time comprehending something that they have learned. It was interesting. We were given a block with nine different shapes and several colors and then we were also given those nine shapes cut out and we had to listen to a clip where the woman told us to put certain shapes on other shapes and she was allowed to repeat so we really had to listen. Well one thing led to another and everyone else on the classroom clip started talking and the rest of the class couldn't comprehend anything the teacher was saying. That is what it is like to have a learning disability we were told. My favorite line from this class was, "Imagine going to work and not being able to do your job. Now imagine that you can't leave your job. Now imagine having to do that everyday. This is what it is like to be a child with disabilities." It's like this quote put things into perspective.  I can't imagine going through all of that especially if know one knew I had the disorder and had to do it all on my own.

Finally, Lunch! Although it really wasn't that tasty.

I absolutely loved Tricia Rose besides the fact that we had to sit in uncomfortable Don to listen to her, she was amazing.  She basically summed up all the articles that we have been reading on gender and race inequality throughout the semester.  One line that she said really stuck with me and it was the only line I had written down through her whole speech. "Being colorblind we sometimes see more." This made me think. What does she mean? Then I thought about all the pictures I have taken and edited and printed. When I love a photo I turn it into black and white. I feel as if when in black and white you are able to see more details and emotions that were not visable when in color and even if they were visible they were masked. She had so much to say and it was so insightful.

My overall experience of the conference was good but most definitely my favorite and most meaningful part was our keynote speaker Tricia Rose.

Talking Points #8

Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Schooling

By: Jean Anyon

Quote #1: "I'm more - just interested in how you set up the problem as in what answer you find.  If you set up a problem in a good way, the answer is easy to find."

Why can't all teachers be this accepting? And yes i understand that you can really only hold true to this statement in certain class like math and maybe some sciences but this makes the student feel better and may help to relieve some stress.  Having the right answer proves to the teacher that they have taught their class well but letting the students get partial work tells the teacher that they are on the right track and may just need a little more practice... Are more middle class and elite schools like this have more time to spend on education where as less privileged schools the teacher constantly finds herself repeating the same thing over and over again?

Quote #2: "One teacher said in some exasperation to a boy who was fooling around in class, 'if you don't know the answers to the questions I ask, then you can't stay in this class! [pause] You never know the answers to the questions I ask, and it's not fair to me and certainly not to you!"

I believe that no matter how frustrated you are with a student you should never exclude them or basically tell them that their stupid in front of the class... In all actuality he may be one of the smarter students in the class and may just have a fear of being called on or maybe a disability that the teacher has not taken enough time to notice... And if it's not fair to this teacher than maybe she isn't doing her job very well.  Asking a student to leave just puts them farther behind which than in return puts more pressure on the teacher...

Quote #3: The teacher's attempt to control the class involves constant negotiation. She does not give direct orders unless she is angry because the children have been too noisy. Normally, she tries to get them to foresee the consequences of their actions and to decide accordingly. For example, lining them up to go see a play written by the sixth graders, she says, "I presume you're lined up by someone with whom you want to sit. I hope you're lined up by someone you won't get in trouble with."

Children don't always know what consequences will be brought when they have done something that they shouldn't have... being direct would have gotten the point across a lot quicker, to the point and the teacher most likely could have moved on already. Tell the students to line up with someone who won't cause them to get into trouble...

Conclusion: I really didn't enjoy this reading... For the most part I feel like the readings repeat each other.  And this was by no doubt a short article... I think it would be easier and much more enjoyable to pick on article throughout the whole semester and write a paper on it then to have to blog about a different one every week...  

Talking Points #7 (Fixer Up)

Gender and Education

This video is really interesting to watch... Not only is the music selection awesome but this was some students sociology project. It makes you realize that more pressure is put on girls in school and they have higher expectations where boys are able to slack off.  Because more pressure is being put on girls their order of priorities have changed and many are getting higher educations.

I think all high-schools when learning about segregation should go through this activity. Students became frustrated but what about the people that live like this and have to go through these problems everyday.... There still are second class citizens.

Talking Points #7

Gender and Education 

Check this out!! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGpGCQ6Mx9k

“Too many of the world’s children are out of school or receive spotty, sub-par educations. Each one of 

these children has dreams that may never be fulfilled, potential that may never be realized. By ensuring that

every child has access to quality learning, we lay the foundation for growth, transformation, innovation, 

opportunity and equality.” www.unicef.org/girlseducation 

"Educated girls are likely to marry later and have fewer children, who in turn will be more likely to survive and 

be better nourished and educated. Educated girls are more productive at home and better paid in the 

workplace, and more able to participate in social, economic and political decision making.” www.unicef.org 

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL

“Promote gender equality and empower women. Target: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and 

secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015.” www.unicef.org 

Talking Points #6

After watching the interview with Tim Wise, author of Rings of Fire, and doing some research on the Brown vs Board of Education I’ve realized that there is still a great deal of work that needs to be done to break the glass.  We have come so far as to have an African American president but as Tim Wise states, “Obama is the exception,” because racism is a reason, not an excuse and race will always be a problem among Americans.  

So many people are closed minded, in denial, and oblivious to racism. When was it ever ok? White people have a double standard... We can have a white president that graduated college in the lower half of his class or a president that has crashed several planes but we can’t have a Black president that has graduated top of his class and has become very successful.  

Brown vs Board of Education shows that there will always be issues. President day or in the past.  Everyone should have equal rights but that is not the case.  This case tapped the class... it allowed minorities to take a step forward but it is only a step when what they need is a leap.  Would today be the same if no one ever spoke up back then? If Rosa Parks never sat where she wasn’t supposed to? What are people doing today to push the process of equality into play?

Talking Points #5

In The Service Of What? 

The Politics Of Service Learning

Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer

Quote #1: “The experimental and interpersonal components of service learning activities can achieve the first crucial step toward diminishing the sense of “otherness” that often separates students- particularly privileged students- from those in need.  In so doing, the potential to develop caring relationships is created.”

The only way to create a relationship is to repeatedly return to that act of kindness.  If schools are able to help students establish this bond at a young age then those students learn first hand how great it feels to help others in need.  If we can encourage the youth then our future will be greater... It may not be the biggest change but it is a step farther than any other generation.

Quote #2: “We attempt to “apprehend the reality of the other” and then to “struggle [for progress] together.” In doing so, we create opportunities for changing our understanding of the other and the context within which he or she lives.” 

“You never know someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes.” Trying to make their reality yours is borderline impossible. You will never know the horrors or joys that someone feels but you may be able to understand why they are in the situation and what they need to overcome the battle.  This is when the struggle to become more is not just on their shoulders... By accomplishing such tasks, you yourself become a better person.  

Quote #3: “When I care, Noddings explains, a relationship develops in which ‘the others reality becomes a real possibility for me’.” 

Caring for something or someone changes the way you seem them or it.  You never really know a person until you enter into a special bond where they know that they can trust you.  I believe this quote means that the closer you get to someone the more you feel what they are feeling. If they hurt, you hurt for them. If they are happy, you feel joy for them.  And the closer you get to them the harder it is to let them fall because if you let them fall then it feels like a failure on your part.

Conclusion: I believe that all high schools should require a service learning project as a graduation requirement.  It enables adolescents to interact with the society that they live in.  It is an amazing experience which I have been able to witness first hand.  Many young adults and even adults are sheltered from what happens in the world on a daily basis: starvation, homelessness, abuse, murder.  The world really can be a cruel place and everyone needs a shoulder to lean on. It is really hard to go it alone in a world that judges you on sex, gender, race, ethnicity, weight, age and a countless amount of other aspects of human life.  No one is perfect and service learning allows the children to lend a helping hand.  Hopefully they will realize how good it feels to help and will want to continue their work in the community.  Like it states in the article, “Relationship” is the key word.  Building bonds makes the world stronger.

Talking Points #4

Unlearning The Myths That Bind Us

Linda Christensen

Quote #1: "Many students don't want to believe that they have been manipulated by children's medias or advertising. No one wants to admit that they've been "handled" by the media." 

Nobody wants to be "controlled" by the media. But if you think about it when you think of professional athletes and their commercials, the children always want what they have. Or often times in movies the bad kid is always the black kid. When children see that, often times every time they see a black person they associate bad with that person. Or the old ladies and old men are always grumpy, they are never nice, and all the girls always want to be like the princesses and not the normal, more realistic characters. Media sets the basis of what we see or think we see in society.  Its true that media had influenced all of us in some way... even car commercial... Buy this car and you can look as sexy as this woman driving it.

Quote #2: "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this cartoon teaches a false sense of violence to kids: fight and you don't get hurt, or solve problems through fists and swords instead of words." 

When children see this they think that it is okay to fight with fists, they think that nothing can happen to them. They think that fighting is the solution to everything. I remember being five and watching this show my self. I loved it and my brother and I used to dress up as the turtles and pretend fight each other. Children should not be allowed to watch violence on tv.

Quote #3: "We look at the roles women, men, people of color, and poor people play in cartoons." 

In older cartoons you notice that there are not many women as characters. But when the women started appearing in cartoons they looked perfect. They looked like barbies, and all the girls wanted to look like them. They set an unreachable goal... To be perfect.  In cartoons the poor people always look dirty and have on ripped and torn clothes, and get treated awful. So people have in their minds that this is reality, the real world is based on stereotypes! It is so sad that this is true.  If your black your bound to end up in jail... If your gay we all know you have aids and if your women you are weak.  Why do we set such unreachable goals for ourselves and believe that because one person did it it most be true for the rest? 

In this reading Christensen explains how in cartoons, books, and even movies show a great emphasis on sexism, racism and are often very stereotypical. Ever since we have been children we have experienced sexism and racism and haven't even known it. Just by watching children's cartoons we witnessed cases of sexism and racism. We often refuse to see the fact that certain cartoons and children's movies have these issues. 

Talking Points #3

Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community

By: Dennis Carlson

Quote #1: “While public schools have been viewed by progressive educators as embryonic communities that should engage young people in building a democratic community of mutual support and respect, gay people have for the most part been made absent, invisible, and silent within this community and at the same time represented as the deviant and pathological “Other”.”

How society hides all those that are not SCWAMMP is becoming even more clearer to me with all the articles we have been reading.  Growing up I feel so sheltered. Why am I only learning about this now that I’m in college... It makes no sense to me. Wouldn’t, shouldn’t we be teaching our children that it is okay to have different families at a young age... that two mommies and two daddies are not wrong.  Being gay is just who you are. It doesn’t effect your personality, its just your sexual orientation so why are so many people against that fact that gay people are apart of our community. Rather then trying to hide the fact that they exist we should embrace the fact that they are different.

Quote #2: “Early in this century, the dismissal of gay teachers was legitimated as a way of keeping young people from being exposed to improper role models, lechery, and child molestation.”

This is wrong. They are teachers just like the rest of us.... Honestly I bet that there  are more straight child molester teachers out there then gay teachers.  They are normal human beings and just because they choose to have relationships with the same sex it is none of our business and it is not our right to judge.  They aren’t contagious.  By society hiding the fact that there are gay people out there it gives the impression that being gay is wrong.

Quote #3: Straight teachers often participate in silencing practices because they are fearful of raising a controversial issue that might provoke conflict in the classroom.”

Why? Shouldn’t children be taught that there are different people out there? That not everyone is like them? Or for that one little kid that knows he is gay, shouldn’t he feel accepted and know that its okay to be gay? 

Reading this article has just made me more aware of the fact that children need learn at a young age that it is okay to be gay.  It should be taught in classes that it is okay to have two moms or two dads... Children shouldn’t be sheltered from a fact of life that is perfectly normal. It doesn’t change their personality and maybe if taught at a young age then people will be more accepting of other that are different from them.  Why does society try and protect us from gayness? It is not a disease... you can’t die from it.

Talking Points #2

Aria

By: Richard Rodriguez

Quote #1: “Without question, it would have pleased me to hear my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom.  I would have felt much less afraid. I would have trusted them and responded with ease.”  

Being a minority that doesn’t know any English he would have felt more welcome in the class room.  Just like anyone else you fear what is unknown to you.  Being in a classroom where you don’t know any one and can barely interact with your classmates must have been terrifying.  I believe that Rodriguez is trying to say that as a teacher you need to address a cultural difference.  It’s your responsibility to make everyone feel wanted and comfortable. 

Quote #2: “One day in school I raised my hand to volunteer an answer. I spoke out in a loud voice. And I did not think it remarkable when the entire class understood. That day, I moved very far from the disadvantaged child I had been only days earlier. The belief, the calming assurance that I belonged in public, had at last taken hold.

It can be heart wrenching to raise your hand in class especially when everyone knows that you don’t know english.  This was a huge step for Richard.  It finally made him realize that he was an American.  That even if he attempted something in the classroom and was wrong that his classmates weren’t has judgmental has he thought they might have been.  He was finally accepted.

Quote #3: “The family’s quiet was partly due to the fact that, as we children learned more and more english, we shared fewer and fewer words with our parents. Sentences needed to be spoken slowly when a child addressed his mother or father. (Often the parent wouldn’t understand.) The child would need to repeat himself. (Still the parent misunderstood.) The young voice, frustrated, would end up saying, ‘Never mind,’ - the subject was closed.”

Learning English and practicing it at home caused the family to push out their old culture and bring in a new.  The children were learning so much, they were now fluent and an accepted American among children their own age.  They tried to converse with their parents but it would always end in frustration and one not understanding the other.  Therefore cause silence at home.

I think that Rodriguez believes that it is important to fit into society but it is not always easy to be accepted.  Especially growing up as a minority it is a requirement to learn English in order to converse with a community.  But as a young minority learning English if you don’t continue to speak your native language at home your family will slowly fall out that strong bond that holds you together.  As Richard got older he said that he found it hard to even talk to his parents and they no longer felt like a solid family because silence usually filled the house.  So although it is important for an American to know english it is also important for them to remain a part of their culture.

My First VIPS Visit!

So since I absolutely hate talking in class and you will hardly ever hear my voice I decided that I would post how my first VIPS visit went.  I am at George West Elementary which is literally less than five minutes from RIC!  When I first arrived I parked along the street as I was told to do and headed towards the front entrance... This school is huge! You would never guess that this is an elementary schools but it is and it consists of 800 students grades K through 6.  So as I approached the four doors that consisted of the entrance every single one of them were locked so I curiously looked around for some sort of call button?!?! After I had finally made it into the building and up to my classroom my teacher Ms. Gagnon introduced me as Ms. Eastwood... Which I thought was just way too professional and kind of made me feel old...  

She then proceeded to tell me that they would be done with reading in a few seconds and handed me a stack of math papers.  She told me to look over them and that I will be calling a few students aside and working in groups with them.

My first group of students were so excited that they didn't have to do what the rest of the class was doing... but I honestly had no idea what I should have been doing with them so I asked them about the paper. And apparently they have already been over it like three times so I decided that we would do they same exercise (math sentences) and I'll just change the numbers.  They told me that they liked to use blocks when they did math so I thought that that was a great idea and we ventured across the room to get a small container of blocks. Maybe not the best idea... Once they had the blocks in their hands all they wanted to do was build towers!!!

So I decided to let them... When I told them, "Go ahead, build a tower," they looked shocked but were so excited! To see there little faces light up made me feel so good... but little did they know I had a plan.  After they were finished building their tower I made up a story...

Story- One day it was so windy that this huge tornado came and knocked some blocks off your tower... (I then let them take however many blocks off the top that they wanted to) Now how many blocks do you have left... They would give me the answer and I then I would have them give me the math sentence that they just made... Some kids could give me the sentence right off the bat while others needed a little help so I would simply ask them

- How many blocks was your tower build out of?

- How many blocks fell off when the tornado hit?

- Now how many do you have left?

Honestly I think I had more fun then the kids did!!! O yeah and we had a fire drill!!!

Let’s Try This Again...

So I royally messed up on my first blog so here is my second attempt to do things right...

Quote 1:

 “I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was “meant” to remain oblivious.”

What I believe McIntosh is trying to say is that we are taught to not notice all the privileges that we have.  That package is an opportunity, an opportunity that is not given to all.  Only few are able to experience the true top of the line privilege but even if, and when they screw up there will always be that package that will eventually help them out.  Being a white person I have realized now that I do have this privilege. 

Quote 2:

“Whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal, so that when we work to benefit others, this is seen as work that will allow “them” to be more like “us”.”

I don’t think whites see helping others as helping them to be more like us rather than they are just helping someone who is less fortunate.  Like McIntosh says I do think of my life as average so does that mean others think of their lives as less fortunate?    

Quote 3:

“In proportion as my racial group was being made confident, comfortable, and oblivious, other groups were likely being made unconfident, uncomfortable, and alienated.  Whiteness protected me from many kinds of hostility, distress, and violence, which I was being subtly trained to visit, in turn, upon people of color.” 

This all relates to the culture of power, white.  While we are gaining and enjoying life we are causing others to fall behind and dislike life.  I can’t imagine being a minority and all the day to day privileges that they are not able to receive.  As a child school, family and friends protected or obscured my view from what is really going on... And I as one person can not change society but I can motivate others and inform them of reality. 

Conclusion: I enjoyed reading McIntosh more than the other articles we have read in class. It was an easy read and although it summarizes the same points and arguments as the other articles it was different to hear it from a white woman’s perspective.  As I read her points that she listed I realized how right she was.  Even when she mentioned the fact about the band aids... I don’t think I have ever seen a dark colored band aid. They are all nude colored.  Reading these articles have made me realize that I have much more privileges over others. And like McIntosh states, “disapproving of the system won’t be enough to change them,” we must as a society be the change we wish to see in the future. 

Talking Points #1

White Privilege 

By: Peggy McIntosh

McIntosh, just like all the other articles that we have been reading in class is about privilege.  Someone will always have the upper hand.  Originally she argued the disadvantages of women over men but now she took an in depth look at race and color.  White people are taught that the privilege is oblivious but the only reason that they can’t see it is because they are the ones that have something to gain.  “White privilege [is] an invisible package of unearned assets that [they] can count on cashing in each day, but about which [they were] “meant” to remain oblivious.” (p 1) She believes that if you can realize that being a white person gives you more advantage then she asks what will you do to lesson or end this advantage?  McIntosh lists multiple ways on how she believes that white people have the upper hand and I believe that she is true in saying that we do but I do believe that we have come a long way in the past couple of decades... I also want to bring up this quote that basically wraps of the meaning of this article. 

“In proportion as my racial group was being made confident, comfortable, and oblivious, other groups were likely being made unconfident, uncomfortable, and alienated.  Whiteness protected me from many kinds of hostility, distress, and violence, which I was being subtly trained to visit, in turn, upon people of color.”

You as yourself can’t change what society needs to fix as a whole.

Sarah Eastwood

This is my sophomore year at RIC, I'm nineteen years old and I live in New Hall.  New Hall is an extreme upgrade from any freshman dorm and I absolutely love it! This semester I've taken on an 18 credit course load plus I work 20 hours a week.  I'm really looking forward to this year and am hoping to gain many new experiences.