Tim Wise – Brown v. Board of Education
I found the website regarding Brown v. Board of Education interesting. I even took some time to watch the educational videos for Middle and High School Students and they were interesting. The teaching materials were interesting and looked very useful. Looking at the timeline in the history area you couldn’t help but think how much time passed to fight and struggle for something that is a basic right. To have equal opportunities in education should have been a promise kept at the end of the civil war with the promise of racial equality around the beginning of the 1900’s but it wasn’t passed for another 54 years until 1954. Today we have Tim Wise discussing racism and “whiteness” another 56 years after that. I liked the final post to the history page stating “most Americans believe that a racially integrated, ethnically diverse society and educational system is a worthy goal, though they may disagree deeply about how to achieve it. “
The videos were ok to listen to. I had watched his video before professor Bogad posted on Saturday so I had a good idea of the content. Tim Wise is a lot like Johnson and Christensen. White people are in denial and it is a big problem. His whole point about 1962 and 1963, if you ask people now if African Americans back then had equal opportunities they would say no. If you asked people back then in the years 1962, 1963 if people had equal opportunities in their neighborhood they would say yes. This is denial.
This is not “white people” it is “whiteness” It is not “who we are” it is “who we’ve been made into”. If you are white you don’t have to know black/brown reality - because nothing happens to you. If you are black/brown you have to know white – it is important - it is the test.
Tim Wise Doesn’t view Obama as bringing us to a post racial place. White people see Obama as transcending race, he is different from the Black/brown norm and this will not get us to racial equity. Obama has just resulted in moving us from a 1.0 to a 2.0 on the racism scale. He went on to say there are many black people that are just as bright as Obama but they don’t have his style. It is fine to aspire to be like Obama but they don’t have to “bring it on like Obama” I don’t know if Delpit would agree with this. We can respect culture but if you want to become President of the United States it come with a certain image.
Tim Wise is dramatic but his points are good. People need to be agents for their own liberation. And the White people need to lead the road and be the allies and the role models. I believe these are his points. We can’t look for Obama or anyone one leader. Obama is the community Organizer. We are the agents.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Kahne & Westheimer
In The Service Of What? The Politics of Service Learning
1. “By engaging in meaningful service – whether tutoring children for whom English is a second language, helping patients in a hospital, doing difficult chores for the elderly, or supervising younger children’s recreational activities – students will have opportunities to experience what David Hornbeck, former Maryland state superintendent, referred to as “the joy of reaching out to others.”
In the reading they are discussing High School students and mandatory volunteer/charity work in their school or community as part of their graduation requirement referencing Mr. Johnson’s project and students who participated and were aware of their contributions toward helping others and eager to continue their work. I agree that service learning can be a rewarding requirement for students but it does need to be in combination with the reflection or analysis discussed later in the reading to develop to the “change” level goals they are looking for. To find the caring, social reconstruction, and transformative experience they are looking for.
2. “The experiential 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 reading is discussing the importance of service learning in decreasing “otherness” by creating interpersonal interactions and experiences which will encourage the development of altruism and caring. In the development of these caring relationships the “otherness” can diminish. The example given in the reading with the parents concern for the students going into a “bad neighborhood and …be careful” to students returning stating “Everyone at the school had good manners, and I think more highly of (the neighborhood) now” was a great example.
3. “it is the combination of service and critical analysis, not either by itself, that seems most likely to promote interest in and insight into these complex social issues.”
Again, the reading is clearly making the valid point; service learning alone can be a learning experience for students on a wide spectrum. Service learning can range from “I was charitable and participated in a civic duty and was giving” to “I care about these people and their rights and I’m going to do something about it” and act more politically than locally.
This was an interesting reading to me and relevant to our class. I was thinking of our service learning projects and the work we are doing with the students. I certainly see the benefits for myself in the service learning aspect of this class and in reflecting and writing the journal. Because we are working with young children we can’t have a conversation with them about their lives but, you certainly develop a caring relationship about them quickly. You want to see them develop and improve; you hope that you have contributed to that development.
In The Service Of What? The Politics of Service Learning
1. “By engaging in meaningful service – whether tutoring children for whom English is a second language, helping patients in a hospital, doing difficult chores for the elderly, or supervising younger children’s recreational activities – students will have opportunities to experience what David Hornbeck, former Maryland state superintendent, referred to as “the joy of reaching out to others.”
In the reading they are discussing High School students and mandatory volunteer/charity work in their school or community as part of their graduation requirement referencing Mr. Johnson’s project and students who participated and were aware of their contributions toward helping others and eager to continue their work. I agree that service learning can be a rewarding requirement for students but it does need to be in combination with the reflection or analysis discussed later in the reading to develop to the “change” level goals they are looking for. To find the caring, social reconstruction, and transformative experience they are looking for.
2. “The experiential 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 reading is discussing the importance of service learning in decreasing “otherness” by creating interpersonal interactions and experiences which will encourage the development of altruism and caring. In the development of these caring relationships the “otherness” can diminish. The example given in the reading with the parents concern for the students going into a “bad neighborhood and …be careful” to students returning stating “Everyone at the school had good manners, and I think more highly of (the neighborhood) now” was a great example.
3. “it is the combination of service and critical analysis, not either by itself, that seems most likely to promote interest in and insight into these complex social issues.”
Again, the reading is clearly making the valid point; service learning alone can be a learning experience for students on a wide spectrum. Service learning can range from “I was charitable and participated in a civic duty and was giving” to “I care about these people and their rights and I’m going to do something about it” and act more politically than locally.
This was an interesting reading to me and relevant to our class. I was thinking of our service learning projects and the work we are doing with the students. I certainly see the benefits for myself in the service learning aspect of this class and in reflecting and writing the journal. Because we are working with young children we can’t have a conversation with them about their lives but, you certainly develop a caring relationship about them quickly. You want to see them develop and improve; you hope that you have contributed to that development.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Christensen & Karp
Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us
1. “delivered by children's books and movies, instructs young people to accept the world as it is portrayed in these social blueprints. And often that world depicts the domination of one sex, one race, one class, or one country over a weaker counterpart.” (p. 126)
Christensen, Karp and others in this article are making the point that if children have distorted views of people that are different from themselves, one area of factors contributing to this are the books that are read to them and T.V. shows and movies they watch which include “the messages or ‘secret education” creating these views. They claim there are values (not good ones) being gained as accepted knowledge as they watch their fairly tales. While they are read to sleep at night by their parents thinking the world is a safe, happy place they are being manipulated.
2. “I want students to critique portrayals of hierarchy and inequality in children’s movies and cartoons. Then I want to enlist them to imagine a better world, characterized by relationships of respect and equality.” (p.127)
The teacher is asking the High School students to now critique these movies and cartoons and learn more about respect and equality. This is a great lesson and project to give to students, very interesting and creative; I would thoroughly enjoy this class. It is important to teach respect and equality in school even beginning at the elementary level with age appropriate material. I appreciate the idea and the whole approach with the class on how the teacher goes about it.
3. “They were fueled by the opportunity to convince some parents of the long-lasting effects cartoons impose on their children, or to enlighten their peers about the roots of some of their insecurities. Instead of leaving students full of bile, standing around with their hands on their hips, shaking their heads about how bad the world is, I provided them the opportunity to make a difference.” (p.137)
The teacher realized the need to evolve the class. The students went from “ignorant and happy” to “factories of cynicism” and needed an outlet. Taking the knowledge they now gained from the “Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us” unit in their class and being able to apply it in real life gave them the outlet they needed to feel productive with their feelings.
I enjoyed this reading but I would be interested in reading more than the 12 pages to see more of what the authors advise people to do with regard to young children. Are there read and do not read lists of books? Are there the same for movies and Television shows? Is the information provided based on theories only or was there research and studies that found correlations between these claims. The books in my link I believe Dorfman, Christensen and others would approve of and also apply to many of the topics we have discussed in class to date.
Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us
1. “delivered by children's books and movies, instructs young people to accept the world as it is portrayed in these social blueprints. And often that world depicts the domination of one sex, one race, one class, or one country over a weaker counterpart.” (p. 126)
Christensen, Karp and others in this article are making the point that if children have distorted views of people that are different from themselves, one area of factors contributing to this are the books that are read to them and T.V. shows and movies they watch which include “the messages or ‘secret education” creating these views. They claim there are values (not good ones) being gained as accepted knowledge as they watch their fairly tales. While they are read to sleep at night by their parents thinking the world is a safe, happy place they are being manipulated.
2. “I want students to critique portrayals of hierarchy and inequality in children’s movies and cartoons. Then I want to enlist them to imagine a better world, characterized by relationships of respect and equality.” (p.127)
The teacher is asking the High School students to now critique these movies and cartoons and learn more about respect and equality. This is a great lesson and project to give to students, very interesting and creative; I would thoroughly enjoy this class. It is important to teach respect and equality in school even beginning at the elementary level with age appropriate material. I appreciate the idea and the whole approach with the class on how the teacher goes about it.
3. “They were fueled by the opportunity to convince some parents of the long-lasting effects cartoons impose on their children, or to enlighten their peers about the roots of some of their insecurities. Instead of leaving students full of bile, standing around with their hands on their hips, shaking their heads about how bad the world is, I provided them the opportunity to make a difference.” (p.137)
The teacher realized the need to evolve the class. The students went from “ignorant and happy” to “factories of cynicism” and needed an outlet. Taking the knowledge they now gained from the “Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us” unit in their class and being able to apply it in real life gave them the outlet they needed to feel productive with their feelings.
I enjoyed this reading but I would be interested in reading more than the 12 pages to see more of what the authors advise people to do with regard to young children. Are there read and do not read lists of books? Are there the same for movies and Television shows? Is the information provided based on theories only or was there research and studies that found correlations between these claims. The books in my link I believe Dorfman, Christensen and others would approve of and also apply to many of the topics we have discussed in class to date.
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