"Empowering Education"
Ira Shor


In this reading the Shor argues that education is politics and that curriculums should promote the students questioning their education. That instead of the you listen an take notes while i tell you approach it should be engaging and peak their curiosity.
I am so happy that i chose to do my service learning at The Met school because here i get to witness this first hand. First of all the Students are not seated in the standard institutionalized setting. They are seated in a circular formation that way they can all see the teacher without difficulty and can have meaningful discussions about what is being taught. As i observe the advisor/ teacher do a lesson i see how interesting the students are and how eager they are to participate. I wondered what the secret to her method was but as time went on i noticed that this came from respect. Respect given to and from each other. she taught but at the same time acknowledging their questions and concerns. if they have a problem withe way something is being taught or if they have suggestions about their lesson plan they have a discussion about it and if it is reasonable enough she will find ways of implementing it in future plans. That is why The Met school is a so one of a kind, because the students are able to question their education it has lead to a whole different way of teaching and learning there. Definitely what i'm hoping to encounter when i enter my classroom as a teacher.

“Citizenship in School: Re-conceptualizing Down Syndrome,” 

Kliewer

In this article Kliewer argues that disabled students are segregated from their non disabled peers and, as a consequence, miss out on many educational opportunities. The movement to merge the education of children with and without disabilities is based on the belief that communication is built on one's ability to listen deeply to others. Success in life requires an ability to develop relationships and form a “community” and, because we don't have complete control over our interactions, we must “work with others.” John Dewey believed that schools must serve as a site where children develop commitment to each other as well as a sense of self-direction. Some schools have a goal of placing children with down syndrome in the same classrooms as their peers and accepting all students as citizens. It tells the story of Shane Robbins who puts “citizenship” into practice. For example, she listens deeply to each student and maintains a focus on the individual needs of each student in her classroom. She did not, however, interpret a child's nonconformity to developmental theory as a manifestation of defect. Previously, schools took a narrow position when defining and judging student intellect but, today, there is a push towards broadening that approach. Schools must recognize themselves as places where the three R's are posed as “problems, challenges, problems and opportunities.” School personal must also expand their vision of what constitutes valued patterns of learning. Citizenship and respect, according to Borgan and Taylor, also require recognizing an individual's ability to think and a realization of each student's individuality. Classrooms that have accepted all children as citizens who are thoughtful, creative and interested learners with personal identities have removed the image of community burden attached to down syndrome. All students receiving equal opportunity and school citizenship rejects the idea of a gap between normality and down syndrome. While this article specifically focuses of accepting students with down syndrome as citizens in the classroom, other oppressed groups face similar challenges in the classroom as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFQpqigIcOY

http://www.ndss.org/Resources/Education/Implementing-Inclusion/

Social Justice Event
"From belly dancing to burqas"

On November 12, 2014 I attended a seminar held by Dr. Afshan Jafar. The topic of the seminar was "from belly dancing to burqas". The whole point of this seminar was to clear up any misconception, and to eliminate the stereotype of Muslim women. One of the neat things Dr. Jafar did was to have us write four things we think we know about Muslim women. It was astounding to hear the similarities in everyone's answer. Some of the more common words used were oppressed, shy, beautiful, covered, submissive, traditional and shy. What was even more surprising was to know that we all had incorrect preconception. The message she tried to get across was that Muslim women are not as timid and oppressed as they are portrayed to be. That just like any other group there are different degrees and levels to their belief. From the conformist to the nontraditional. 

The Muslim religion is considered to be a very patriarchal one. So it was interesting to find out that a lot of these women were not force or expected to dress and behave in a certain manner. Instead, they choose to do this out of pride and respect for what they believe in. She thinks that the fallacy we have of Muslim women is based on ignorance and media coverage of their way of life. Media such as magazines, TV, Internet etc. and her purpose was to try to set the record straight. 

This seminar was very informative. I learned a lot about the muslim religion and I also learned that unfortunately I was guilty of doing the same things such as generalizing and stereotyping a certain group of people just as others do when they look at me based of my ethnicity. Thanks to this seminar this is not the case anymore and I will try my best to do that with everyone and everything going forward. 

Three course readings I'm reminded of by this seminar are: 

1. The Wise video where he said at some point in our lives we are all guilty of judging a person based on what they look like. 

2. Christensen's "Unleashing the myth that binds us" where she spoke on the role of the media and how it brainwash us to think and react a certain way and 

3. McIntosh's "White Privilege" that touched on women's rights in society.







https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqMi5iWpTQs

http://submission.org/Misconceptions_about_Women.html

"Tracking: Why schools need to take a new route"
Jeannie Oakes

In this article, the author Jeannie Oakes argues that the education system need to take measures in order to have successful heterogeneous classroom instead  of the controversial homogeneous ones. a heterogeneous classroom  is where children of approximately the same age are placed in different classrooms in order to create a relatively even distribution of students of different abilities as well as different educational and emotional needs. They think that in order for this to happen it needs to be implemented in the school curriculum at an early stage because by the time the students get to middle and high school it will be too late. They believe this is the case because at the high school level sorting, standardizing and competition is already grounded.



Since research have shown that "academic ability is not unchangeable but developmental and grows throughout childhood." it is unfair to place those considered to be academically inclined in the same classroom. with better resources, teachers, curriculum and smaller classes than the ones considered to be less talented. This promotes inequality because the less talented students are not truly given a chance to show what they are truly capable of. this holds them to a certain standard. A stigma that will follow them throughout the rest of their education life, Which will dictate their attitude towards school and in the long run, their level of success.
I'm reminded of the movie "Freedom Writers" which we watched in class this week. one particular scene i remembered was when the staff in charge of the distribution of the books didn't want to give them to the students she considered to be less than. She didn't think that they would make good use of the books. That the students would only rip and lose them. however, when this same group of students were given new books paid for by the teacher. they were excited about it, they took pride in it, they actually read the books and showed the school and community what they were capable of if they were shown interest and not being stereotyped or held to a certain standard.

"Becoming Something Different"

COLLEEN M. FAIRBANKS
PENNY MASON CROOKS
In this article the authors Coleen and Penny did a study on girl named Esme from the sixth to eleventh grade. the purpose of this study was done to see how the education system is helping or failing students who are of a different culture and if/when/how these students are conformed over time by the interactions that school entails. they believe that school practices decides a students' path and at time limits their potential.



 Esme who was a Latina student went through several changes. both academically and socially. Esme was a english language learner and instead of putting her in the appropriate class for this she was placed in a remedial reading class from the sixth grade through some parts of high school. this can be seen as the school limiting her. Just because she wasn't able to read and write the english language fluently  it doesn't mean that she was incapable of performing at the level of the other students. there was just a communication barrier. Esme considered this to be helpful at the time because it helped her to read and communicate the english language better. which in returned helped her to come out of her shell because she was always intimidated when it comes to taking part in class due to the fear of embarrassment. However, after becoming more fluent she began to find her tasks monotonous and tedious. she also found this type of class in high school to be more disruptive. she would get distracted by the commotion caused by her classmates when she was trying to concentrate on her work. this  depletes the quality of her education because she didn't belong there to begin with. some students might be deterred by this and may not want to return to school. luckily, Esme knew the value of education and continued with her studies.

Tim Wise
"Between Barack and a hard place"

This presenter Tim Wise, argues that we are predisposed to certain beliefs and ideologies which causes us to subconsciously discriminate against others. These discriminations include but are not limited to: racism, gender inequality, sexual orientation etc. However, his presentation mainly focused on the problem on racism. He thinks we have been exposed to racism from childhood onwards. That this is not something we were born with rather it is something learned. We learn this because it has been institutionalized. this institutionalization stems from stereotypical beliefs that have been instilled in us. He spoke about being treated differently from his black schoolmates. that because of privilege they were graded and punished differently. They had different expectations of him and others of his race over those who are black or of a minority group. This differential treatment caused a strain on the relationship between him and his black friends. Not because they grew weary of each other but because of the structure of society.

Unfortunately, these types of behaviors don't stop there. It can be seen in so many different place in our society and on so many different levels. Places this can be seen are: the police forces, healthcare center, banks, investment firms, money markets etc.
He thinks the only way we can start taking steps to fixing this problem is by acknowledging that racism exist. That at some point or another we discriminate. knowingly or unknowing. This he thinks will lead to an open and honest conversation that is needed to truly address this troubling issue.
As i listen to wise i am reminded of Mcintosh "white privilege and  Jane Elliot's "Brown eye-blue eye experiment" which also speaks about racism and the privilege of one at the disadvantage of another.

Here is the link to a funny video that i think relates to racism and privilege.

https://screen.yahoo.com/white-000000112.html

In the Service of What?

By Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer


In this document the authors Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer  argues that service learning is important in our schools and the community. They believe that the selfless concern for the well-being of others while doing service learning, will help students develop social sensitivity, with the hope that their values and beliefs will be transformed while doing so. This they believe will  build character and help to prepare students for the world ahead. However, though these are great attributes for one to posses they think that it should go much deeper than just that.
Kahne and Westheimer thinks that when service learning is done it should cover moral, political and intellectual domains. From the moral domains the students will give charity and while giving this charity they learn to care about what it is they are doing . They're not just doing just because it is the right thing to do but over time will care about the individual/ individuals they are working with and their circumstances. From the political domain those providing the service should look at it as their civil duty. That "volunteerism and compassion" is a way of giving back to the community and that this demonstrates citizenship.For the political domain students need to also look at the cause of the depravity for the less fortunate and the ways in which society on a whole can address and improve said conditions. Finally, the intellectual domain should bring forth experience based-learning. it promotes interdisciplinary learning and it encourages students to do more critical thinking.

Linda Christensen
"Unlearning The Myth That Binds Us"

In this document the author Christensen argues that the media is a distortion and that they way we are conditioned to act and think is based on the what we are fed by the media. Her belief  is that it is  not one targeted media source that contributes to this. We are influence by multiple media outlet and majority of the times we don't realize this. Methods used by the media to instill it's messages in us are: TV shows, commercials/ advertising, billboard, music, the books we read etc.
Her belief is that it starts as early as watching cartoons as children, that there are undertones of several different messages going on when we view these programs. At first glance it might seem as if we are watching a silly little cartoon or a wonderfully enchanted fairytale with the most beautiful ending ever. However, after taking a closer look one can observe discrimination on so many levels. from racism, gender inequality to the perception of what body type is right and accepted.
Take for instance the disney fairytales. These princesses sit around and wait for a prince charming to come around and sweep them off their feet. This i think teaches young women what to think of themselves and give an unrealistic expectation of what a relationship should be like. It also teaches boys to objectify women. They carry this image and way of thinking into their adult lives which leads to an array of problems.
Another thing that bothers me is the fact that the leading characters in these children cartoon are always muscular and tone or have an hourglass figure and are well endowed. Young girls and boy see this and thinks "this must be what i should look like." Again, this gives an impractical expectation to who's watching it. We can't all look like that and for the most part don't look like that. This image is also carried into adulthood if the proper guidance is not there to sway them to a more realistic point of view. Sadly, these misconception leads to one not accepting who they are as an individual. Some may have low self esteem,  body dysmorphia, eating disorders and i think it definitely contributes to the steady rise in cosmetic procedure.
Like Christensen's students i haven't been the same since reading this document. I started looking into things deeper, i've become more aware of the programs my daughter watches and i ve never been one to follow fads but i am able to identify the ways in which the media pulls people in to do so.
I really like this piece and would love to do this with my students one day






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xAbAeZ-Gog

"Speaking the unspeakable in forbidden places: addressing lesbian, gay,

Bisexual and transgender equality in the primary school"

Alexandra

In this article the author Alexandra argue that “the primary school is often thought of as a place of safety and innocence; a place where childhood is both nurtured and sheltered, and attempts to address what are seen as ‘adult’ issues are sometimes seen as intrusions into or threats to this safety zone."

I completely agree with the writer that this is the case in most primary schools. I think this is a mean of not over exposing children and maintaining their innocence for as long as they possibly can. What I agree with even more is the fact that they chose to introduce the "No Outsider" project at this stage. The fact of the matter is that this is our reality. This is the society we live in and it is becoming more and more acceptable for lesbians, gays, bisexual, and transgender to express themselves freely without being reprimanded. When our children learn about this at this stage in their lives. It allows room for tolerance. It prevents them from being or seeming ignorant and won't be so taboo to them when they come in contact with it such a situation.

"Sexuality is seen as a ‘special area of life’ and one that should be reserved for adulthood." This I believe to be true but with the programs children watch today there is way more exposure to sexuality due to the undertones in these programs. They are even more intrigued by sexuality because of this. So why not each them consciously and appropriately in schools instead of them learning it through subliminal methods.

Terry Meier

"Why can't she remember that?"

This author Terry Meier argues that educators should try to get students involved, interested and connected in the literary experience. To do this they should shift the focus from the meaning of  the text to the experience of the reader. That this should begin at the kindergarten and preschool level because it is gravely important to their development and will impact their level of education as adults. Her belief is that children who don’t have early book reading experience learn through interactions with their family, community and culture. They are unused to the reading patterns that’s mainly used in the classroom and at times consider it to be monotonous and may become perplexed by it. She thinks that because of this it is important for the teacher to use materials the students can relate to. for example reading books colored characters for colored children and books with both spanish and english for bilingual children. By doing this they will be able to identify familiarity between the characters and their lives. Teaching the readings in a clear and detailed manner and making the books come alive through using props such as dolls, puppets, recordings etc. will make the book reading experience pleasurable and intellectually engaging.

One quote in this article that stood out to me is “I turn the pages, book after book, and ask where are we?” this resignated with me because i can completely relate to this persons concern. I had a similar experience when I took my daughter book shopping. I wanted to get her a book that she could relate. I went through rows after rows of books. Most were fairy tale depicting the perfect life with characters not of her race. After a while of searching I was pleasantly surprise to find a counting book with a black family doing day to day activities while they counted. I was happy to get my daughter this book because she can relate to the characters and what they were doing. She won’t have to look at the other books and think that she’s not valued because her people is not represented in them. On the positive side I can see this problem being addressed in today’s society. One example of this is the Disney animated musical production “The Princess and the Frog.” This is Disney’s first production featuring a black princess. The plot told a more realistic story that I think people of color can relate. I also think in shows children of color that they too can grow to be great because they are just as good.

http://www.philnel.com/2014/03/17/boundaries/

This author Lisa Delpit argues that within the education system there is thing she calls “the culture of Power” and within this power are biases towards a certain group. Due to this bias, some students have an advantage in the way they learn over others. Specifically those of the upper and middle class have a better chance than those of the non-middle class. Because there are codes and rules that those who have the power instill in the classroom and  the students who are coming from the upper/ middle class society are already familiar with these codes. Based on what I have gathered from the readings her belief is that the liberal white teacher possess the power and in return teaches all the student no matter their, race, ethnicity or background the same material using their codes and rule. While the black and colored teachers thinks that this is unfair because if the students are not familiar with these codes and rule it make it hard for them to understand what is being taught to them and why. Hence, they are proposing a diverse approach to teaching in the classroom where they incorporate strategies appropriate for all the children in a classroom. By doing this students will learn to understand and appreciate the code they already have instead of having all the students submissively adopting another.

Again I can always go back to the Johnson reading where he states “the trouble we’re in privileges some groups at the expense of another.” This seems to be what Delpit is writing about. The upper and middle class is definitely more privileged than the non-middle class group and because of this privilege they have the power to know the code she speaks of. This attributes to the acceleration in their academic performance and the failure of the non-middle class.

Another reading I can relate this article to is the number seven point from white privilege by Peggy McIntosh where she wrote “I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.” This can be linked to the white liberal teachers and how they teach targeting only a certain group.

I had an experience with a supervisor I worked with that i am reminded of when i read this article. I asked him a question and he just kept saying what? What? What? Each time he said what I repeated what I said. Until it finally dawned on me that maybe he didn’t like way I phrased the question. So I switched it around and then he said “now isn't that better.” Then he gave me an answer to my question. I then had to ask him. Did you understand what I was asking before? He replied “yes but I could have said it better.” I don’t know if it was because of my accent or if it was because my code of English differed from his why he thought it wasn’t being said right, but when I pressed him to find out what the issue was he told me not to argue with him. I think he wanted me to speak in the code he was taught not because he wasn't understanding what was being said but because he thought his was the right way.

 

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107003/chapters/Diverse-Teaching-Strategies-for-Diverse-Learners.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeBscQfjqiw

JONATHON KOZOL

“AMAZING GRACE”

This author Johnathon Kozol argues that with a train ride of only 18 minutes 9 stops there is a drastic change in the concentration of race, ethnicity and way of life for the individuals living on East 59 St. (which is considered to be one of the richest congressional district in the nation). To Brook Avenue (one of the poorest district). This he says is due to racial segregation. In this piece the Author mainly focuses on the hardship and deplorable conditions of those living in Washington Heights and Harlem community.

 “The deadliest block, in the deadliest precinct in the city”. He also said “if there is a deadlier place in the United States, I don’t know it.” I was completely taken back by this because it spoke volumes about the crime rate in this community. Crimes that not only affected adults but children alike. They are killing because of drugs, poverty and because children live what they learn. They grow up seeing this and if some really hard work is not put in this violent cycle is sure continue with them.

“Virtually every child at St. Ann’s knows someone, a relative or neighbor who has died of AIDS”

 This is an extremely sad realization. The prostitution, crack-cocaine and the use of intravenous heroin heightens the HIV/AIDS epidemic in this community and no one is protected from the diseases and addictions because they eat breathe and live this toxic type of lifestyle. What’s even more disheartening is that if they try to live above it they are hated. It tells how hard it is to strive in a setting like this.

 “Clumping so many people, all with the same symptoms and the same problems, in one crowded place with nothin’ they can grow on.” This is so telling of the way they try to oppress and segregate people considered to be minority of the minority. How can one better the other when they are all facing the same dilemma?

Connections:

I was reminded of my readings from Privilege, Power and difference when I read this excerpt “The waste products of some of these hospitals, she says, were initially going to be burned at an incinerator scheduled to be built along the east side of Manhattan, but the siting of a burner there had been successfully resisted by the parents of the area because of fear for cancer.” Johnson stated that one’s privilege is another’s detriment.

Extended comment:

Vicky wrote that she was surprised by the nonchalant attitude in which the nurse spoke to Kozol about the AIDS victim in the community. I must say I agree with her. It I was also baffled to know that the prostitutes don’t hesitate to pass on the disease. That’s showing absolutely no regards for another person’s life and that’s no way to live at all. It’s sad that they look at this as the norm.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/apr/03/21st-century-segregation-divided-race 

Me in a nutshell

Hi there, my name is Shay. I am a full time student at RIC. Mother to a beautiful 21 month old daughter and wife to a most times wonderful husband. I was born and raised in Jamaica and have been in the US for 7 years. My semester so far has been hectic, overwhelming and exciting all at the same time. It's a lot of work but I have great Professors and I am eager to learn. When I am not in school I take every opportunity to unwind and spend quality time with my family. I enjoy taking my daughter to the park, going for walks, out to eat, catching a movie, going bowling and going  to the gym. I also enjoy watching the food network because I love to cook. I find it to be a great de-stresser.