By Dennis Carlson
Erika
QUOTES:
1. “Within normalizing communities, some individuals and subject positions (i.e., white, middle class, male, heterosexual, etc.) get privileged and represented as “normal” while other individuals and subject positions (i.e., black, working class, female, homosexual, etc.) are disempowered and represented as deviant, sick, neurotic, criminal, lazy, lacking in intelligence, and in other ways “abnormal.””
What does this quote not say?! It sums up the whole class! It goes along with SCAWMP, Johnson, and Deplit perfectly summing them up. Within this article it is telling us how “normalizing” is working in our society.
2. “…normalizing texts systematically exclude and neglect the culture of those outside the norm for the purpose of ratifying or legitimating the dominate culture as the only significant culture worth studying. …we do not get very far if we look for what is said about gayness in educational texts. We get much further if we pay attention to … the “silent spaces” or the “not said” of the text.”
Schools are systematic in what can be taught and backhanded about what won’t be taught. Important things in educational texts have been left out because they did not fit the norm or support the dominate culture. This has been done to every marginalized group not just gay people. Without the whole picture students only “see” what the schools want them to see.
3. “…gay people have found more acceptances within the middle class and among the college-educated than within the working class. Similarly, gay culture has been overwhelmingly “white” and this makes it difficult for many young black gay people to affirm both their gayness and their blackness.”
What a double edged sword. While reading I was pondering this exact statement. A page before this quote I wrote, “White vs. Black and gayness. Which is easier? Whites more accepting and open about gayness? Blacks less tolerant/ less open about gayness?” So, when I read this quote it was like words taken out of my mouth. It is true that on college campus students are more open and accepting of gayness, so why is there intolerance in high schools?
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/POINTS TO SHARE;
This was a GREAT article. I enjoyed reading it. It seems a shame that schools are oppressing yet another group of people. This article screamed the key points in some of our other discussions, culture of power, silenced dialogue, SCWAMP, and Johnson. I was shocking on how the way gays are portrayed effect young gay people. I was shocked at the point brought up about engaging in dangerous behavior and them feeling like getting AIDS is part of being gay. ALSO this point may be a bit outdated. One point that seems right is the acceptance of the over feminization of gays and how that is just a way to keep gays in their place. I can’t say enough about how powerful this was but I’ll save some for class. :)
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Terry Miller “Why can’t she remember that?”The importance of reading in multilingual, multicultural classrooms.
Erika W.
QUOTES:
1. "Children who don’t have many early book reading experiences learn their cultural lessons through interactions with family and other community members, from oral stories, and observations of other people’s behaviors."
This points out that there are many cultural traditions in which books are not the main way of providing children with lessons and stories of morality. Not all cultures uphold book reading like the dominate white middle-class does. In lower class families life lessons are learned through experience and stories from family members.
2. "Many children who are unused to books and being read to find it difficult to sit still for the time it takes the teacher to read even a fairly short picture book. Unfamiliar with book reading routines many teachers assume as common knowledge, children who have not been read to at home find these routines aversive, puzzling, or simply boring."
Children whom are not used to being read to don’t know “the rules” of reading. It’s not common knowledge for them that they must sit and listen carefully. The loaded word in this quote is assume. Teachers (who are likely white and middle-class) need to understand the needs of a multicultural classroom.
3. "Teach book reading behaviors explicitly."
So simple and so important. This point ties in to our Silenced Dialogue reading. We need to provide the students with the behaviors expected of them explicitly, so they will have these attributes in the future. It will provide them with success in the classroom setting. When the students know the rules for book reading they will feel more comfortable and confident when book reading takes place.
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/POINTS TO SHARE;
What a great article. I loved how Meier listed explicitly how to remedy the problem. She took her own advice and using it on the audience. This article really ties in to other things we have read about cultural differences. It explains how schools/teachers need to “see” these differences and how to draw on them to mend the deficits. Books are a powerful tool in schools and children who are engaged in books do well. So, by teaching the students what is expected of them and making the books more relevant to their lives will greatly increase their odds of doing well in school. Children have active imaginations and more creativity during book reading should be encouraged. I believe that the students would get more out of the books.
It was really interesting that the children go so into the book series. They integrated it into their daily lives. I see this a lot with television shows. In fact a lot of children watch more television than they read books. I know mine does. That is another place they learn lesson and morals. They can relate to the characters struggles and achievements. I think television can be more appealing to children because it’s alive, it’s there, and it’s in your face. If we can take some of these attributes and put them to use with book students will be more engaged.
Erika W.
QUOTES:
1. "Children who don’t have many early book reading experiences learn their cultural lessons through interactions with family and other community members, from oral stories, and observations of other people’s behaviors."
This points out that there are many cultural traditions in which books are not the main way of providing children with lessons and stories of morality. Not all cultures uphold book reading like the dominate white middle-class does. In lower class families life lessons are learned through experience and stories from family members.
2. "Many children who are unused to books and being read to find it difficult to sit still for the time it takes the teacher to read even a fairly short picture book. Unfamiliar with book reading routines many teachers assume as common knowledge, children who have not been read to at home find these routines aversive, puzzling, or simply boring."
Children whom are not used to being read to don’t know “the rules” of reading. It’s not common knowledge for them that they must sit and listen carefully. The loaded word in this quote is assume. Teachers (who are likely white and middle-class) need to understand the needs of a multicultural classroom.
3. "Teach book reading behaviors explicitly."
So simple and so important. This point ties in to our Silenced Dialogue reading. We need to provide the students with the behaviors expected of them explicitly, so they will have these attributes in the future. It will provide them with success in the classroom setting. When the students know the rules for book reading they will feel more comfortable and confident when book reading takes place.
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/POINTS TO SHARE;
What a great article. I loved how Meier listed explicitly how to remedy the problem. She took her own advice and using it on the audience. This article really ties in to other things we have read about cultural differences. It explains how schools/teachers need to “see” these differences and how to draw on them to mend the deficits. Books are a powerful tool in schools and children who are engaged in books do well. So, by teaching the students what is expected of them and making the books more relevant to their lives will greatly increase their odds of doing well in school. Children have active imaginations and more creativity during book reading should be encouraged. I believe that the students would get more out of the books.
It was really interesting that the children go so into the book series. They integrated it into their daily lives. I see this a lot with television shows. In fact a lot of children watch more television than they read books. I know mine does. That is another place they learn lesson and morals. They can relate to the characters struggles and achievements. I think television can be more appealing to children because it’s alive, it’s there, and it’s in your face. If we can take some of these attributes and put them to use with book students will be more engaged.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Suspended teacher defends critical blog
Just thought this was interesting. It makes the point you shouldn't use your full name because you never know whos reading. Also once its on the net theres no take backs!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110217/od_nm/us_teacher_blog_odd
Thu Feb 17, 11:50 am ET
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – A high school English teacher who was suspended from her job after she blogged that her students were "rude, disengaged, lazy whiners," said on Wednesday that she did nothing wrong.
"Some of the students, parents and administrators don't want to hear the truth," said Natalie Munroe, 30, a teacher at Central Bucks East High School north of Philadelphia.
In a blog that she said was intended to be seen only by a handful of her friends but was shared on Facebook by a student who discovered it, Munroe was highly critical of some students and school administrators.
"My students are out of control," she wrote. "They are rude, disengaged, lazy whiners. They curse, discuss drugs, talk back, argue for grades, complain about everything, fancy themselves entitled to whatever they desire and are just generally annoying."
Munroe, who is nearly nine months pregnant, was suspended with pay pending an investigation into her blog, said Carol Counihan, spokeswoman for the school district.
Steven Rovner, Munroe's lawyer, described her as a "working class hero for teachers" and said if she is fired he may file a lawsuit charging violation of her First Amendment right to free speech.
Munroe said she still wants to be a teacher.
(Reporting by Dave Warner; Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Jerry Norton)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110217/od_nm/us_teacher_blog_odd
Thu Feb 17, 11:50 am ET
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – A high school English teacher who was suspended from her job after she blogged that her students were "rude, disengaged, lazy whiners," said on Wednesday that she did nothing wrong.
"Some of the students, parents and administrators don't want to hear the truth," said Natalie Munroe, 30, a teacher at Central Bucks East High School north of Philadelphia.
In a blog that she said was intended to be seen only by a handful of her friends but was shared on Facebook by a student who discovered it, Munroe was highly critical of some students and school administrators.
"My students are out of control," she wrote. "They are rude, disengaged, lazy whiners. They curse, discuss drugs, talk back, argue for grades, complain about everything, fancy themselves entitled to whatever they desire and are just generally annoying."
Munroe, who is nearly nine months pregnant, was suspended with pay pending an investigation into her blog, said Carol Counihan, spokeswoman for the school district.
Steven Rovner, Munroe's lawyer, described her as a "working class hero for teachers" and said if she is fired he may file a lawsuit charging violation of her First Amendment right to free speech.
Munroe said she still wants to be a teacher.
(Reporting by Dave Warner; Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Jerry Norton)
So today in class the clip from MSNBC was shown. I'm sure we could have debated and discussed this all class long. Was it racist?? In class I said I thought it was and I stand by that fact. Some thought that just seein one frame of the cartoon was missleading and the whole truth could not be told. BUT if you looked closer with the "historical eye" Dr. Stevos was taking about you could see in this one clip had blantant racism.
hmmmmm Are they not thought of as heavyset and overbearing, even mean. Some may say no that is not that case. But come on! That is the sterotype! It was there just look.... just think back to how we've seen black woman potrayed.
Just a little something to think about.
- The woman was dark in color.
- The had a forrowed brow.
- She was heavy set.
- She was making demands.
hmmmmm Are they not thought of as heavyset and overbearing, even mean. Some may say no that is not that case. But come on! That is the sterotype! It was there just look.... just think back to how we've seen black woman potrayed.
Just a little something to think about.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Kozol Piece
Jonathan Kozol Amazing Grace Erika
Quotes:
- The 600,000 people who live here and the 450,000 people who live in Washington Heights and Harlem . . . make up one of the largest racially segregated concentrations of poor people in our nation. This quote sets up the article the author was illustrating the grave and unfair nature of the situation.
- . . . waste incinerator that was put in operation recently over the objections of the parents in the neighborhood. . . . initially 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. This quote shows how people of power wield it over the poor and destitute. The will make others unsafe and uncomfortable for them to feel safe. This points out the injustice the rich are coming upon the poor, which is what the article is about.
- I believe that what the rich have done to the poor people in this city is something that a preacher could call evil. Somebody has power. Pretending that they don't so they don't need to use it to help people - that is my idea of evil. This sums up what is seen in this article. This boy said it so perfectly it needs no explanation.
Questions/Comments/Points to Share:
This was an extremely interesting read. The testimonials of Mrs. Washington were striking and the little boy was quite haunting. I thought i knew what poor was and what it was like, but this kind of poor is beyond my grasp. I cannot imagine living life in this way, being forced to live like this. How some people can say that it is the fault of the poor, that they are irrational and make bad choices is boggling. I cannot fathom anyone choosing that life. It is up to those with power and money to help these situations and advocate for people no one will listen to. Why hasn't the government done more?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Hi, I'm Erika! Outside of being a college student, which by the way is WAY better the second time around, I am a mother of a cute/energetic six year old. I recently have gotten married!! I got married in Oct and will be getting married again in Aug. No, not divorced already just family on both coasts! I have done many things in my life and have some good experinces and opinins I will bring to the class. This semester seems like it will be pretty smooth.
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