Citizenship in School by Kliewer

1. "Community acceptance requires opportunity for individual participation in the group, but opportunity cannot exist outside community acceptance."

I chose this quote because I think it applies to every difference that people see. The quote is saying that without being accepted by the community a person who is seen as different has no chance to participate in a group. This quote really spoke out to me. I had to read it a few times but it really does make sence even beyond the context of the article.

2. "I started to notice that I didn't like the classes I was taking called special education."

This quote was taken from a girl who started to realize what these "special education" classes were all about. I chose the quote because I have always wondered if "special education" students hated being in different classes. I think I would hate it because I would just want to be in a regular classroom with all of my classmates.

3. "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 one another... 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 at all alike."

I chose this quote because I found it interesting that a person would say "This is how you shouls teach kids with Down syndrome." Not all kids without a disability learn alike so what makes this person think Down syndrome kids learn alike. Just because they share a disability does not mean they are totally alike.

This article was difficult for me to read. The beginning was hard to get through and I found myself skipping whole sections. Reading about the children's experiences was the only part I enjoyed. Kliewer is trying to say that students with Down syndrome should be treated just like any other student. They are thinking, creative individuals who have a lot to offer. These children should be welcomed into communities and groups just like kids without the disabilty. School citizenship only includes "normal kids" as part of their definition of diversity. This reminds me of SCWAAMP. It all goes back to this model and the different opportunities people get depending of what they are like. Able-bodied is one thing that is valued in life. What makes this the person's fault? I do not understand what people think the problem is with people who have a disability. I read some laws about disabilities in the school system.

Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work by Anyon

1. "While the teachers spend a lot of time explaining and expanding on what they textbooks say, there is little attempt to analyze how or why things happen, or to give thought to how pieces of a culture, or, say, a system of numbers or elements of language fit together or can be analyzed."

I chose this quote about the middle class schools because it is something that creates problems for kids. Kids are taught the basics and how to get the right answer without understanding why. Critical thinking is vital to school and it is not always easy but that is what makes kids learn.

2. "The teachers rarely explain why the work is being assigned, how it might be connected to other assignments, or what the idea is that lies behind the procedure or gives it coherence and perhaps meaning or signigicance."

I chose this quote because of the last few words in the sentance. How can teachers expect to get through to their students without the work being meaningful or significant. That shocked me because I know for a fact that in middle school, if work was not meaningful to me I would not do it.

3. "If one accumulates enough right answers, one gets a good grade."

I feel like this is how many teachers teach. It seems to me like it is the easy way out for them and it requires little effort. Difficult for students though because it does not allow for much error. Learning is the same thing over and over again for these kids.

I enjoyed reading this article but was not surprised by the information. I knew there were differences in teaching in different social classes. Higher social class schools prepare the kids for life and success. Meanwhile the lower social class schools prepare the kids for order and disapline. Some of the vocabulary used in the article was shocking however and the language the teachers used with the students was also surprising. Telling them to "Shut up" I know some people have experienced that but I do not think in fifth grade. I would have liked to read futher into this topic and seen some of the results of the students later in life.

Gender and Education

I struggled to find information regarding gender and education issues that involved the United States and present day. A lot of the information was for other countries and from awhile back in time. There was also information about higher education and gender differences that pertained to that. On common theme I noticed was a difference in technology between boys and girls. The ratio of boys and girls using computers was 4 to 1. The website also explained that girls were less likely to be successful in math and science than boys. Many different websites also agreed with this information. I have heard this information repeated many times in the past. Boys excel in math and science. Girls excel in writing, English, and history. There are statistics that support these theories but I can not say that I agree with them. I have had more male history teachers and more female math teachers throughout my schooling.

"Title IX mandates that schools not deny any students participation in any educational program or activity on the basis of sex." The introduction of this website gives great information about how schools follow the legal rules of Title IX but not offer the same educational opportunities to girls. Also, it goes through gender issues in education like:

• Girls at risk of dropping out of school.
• Gender bias in teacher/student interactions.
• Gender bias in standardized testing.
• Gender difference in learning styles.
• Teen pregnancy and parenting.
• Self-esteem of girls in adolescence.

I found some of these to be interesting and read further into them within the website. I always wondered about college issues pertaining to gender differences. I know RIC is something like 60 percent women to only 40 percent men. I wondered if that was true with other institutions and if women were going to college more than men.

This chart shows that the gap is increasing between females and males over the years in college enrollment. I was not at all shocked to see this for many reasons. In the end I was not surprised by the information that I found during my search. There is most definitely a gender bias throughout education but not many people notice.

Tim Wise and Brown v. Board of Education

Tim Wise explains that racism in America has not improved much since the decision of Brown v. Board of Education. He says that the United States took a large step towards equality when we voted Barack Obama as the president but there is a double standard when it comes to the views of whites towards people of color. People of color are compared to Obama and have to be as great as he is in order to accepted by the whites. Wise says that racism will be less significant when whites allow people of color to be as mediocre as other whites.
Denial is one of the points that Wise speaks of being a huge problem for whites in the US. Wise also talks about asking whites if they think racism is a problem in the United States today. He said this is not a credible question because even back in the 60's whites said that they thought blacks were treated equally as well as whites. It is not a question to ask whites because it is not affecting them. They are 0blivious to the racism like Johnson said. The real person to talk to is the people of color who are receiving the opression. Lastly, Wise talks of all the events in the history of race and opression. He says that each moment in time was important to history but there is still so much more to do.
I did not mind the video but I am more of a visul learner so I always like to have the piece in front of me to look at. The video was interesting and engaging but I just found it difficult to listen and take notes then get back into the conversation. Wise was making so many great points all in one sentance or in a few sentances so it was just difficult to remember it all. But in the end it was something different and I did enjoy that. I am really considering the picking up his book. He also has a blog which is pretty cool to read.

Class Discussion Post

The past two classes have been really interesting with everyone's input on their SL project and charity vs. change. The first point I want to comment on is the story that Beth told the class about. She said that her teacher used the words "It's Obama's rule not mine." when explaining the rules to the class. At first I saw this as offensive and wrong for her to do but as the class kept discussing it, it became less and less offensive to me. She could have been using President Obama as a scapegoat blaming all of the rules on him. But this just does not seem rational to me when Beth told us that all of the students were of African American decent. The teacher was white so I just do not see her blaming the president but actually using him as a role model for the kids. She takes the presidential situation as a plus for the students and the bond they have together makes the "blame" she is putting on him okay in the eyes of the students. I just cannot see this teacher trying to be offensive right in front of her students.

The second point I want to comment on is the reason why my service learning project is more "change" rather than charity. I am not saying that I am doing this project solely to change these children. Of course I am doing this project because I have to and without it I would not pass the class. And as others said, most likely I will never see these kids again for even go back to the school after the project is over. But the reason my project is more change than charity is because I am not teaching these kids to read at all. What I am teaching them is to have fun with reading and the WANT to read and the WANT to learn as much as possible in school. If a child is not willing to learn something new it is almost impossible to teach them. A child can learn anything if they want and are eager to learn no matter how difficult the material. So, I am not entirely focused on if the kids are becoming better readers as much as I am trying to show them that learning is fun and they should want to learn. It is difficult to do and I do not even know if I am doing a good job because, as Dr. Bogad said, "There is no measurement of it." But even so I still think my service learning project is more change than charity.

"In the Service of What?" by Kahne and Westheimer

1. "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." (p.8 Kahne)

Working with and creating bonds is the first step in making students think they everyone is very similar. "Otherness" is the crucial word in this quote and the diminishing of the word is key. Service learning is important in creating experiences for students of all races and classes in creating interpersonal interactions with other races and classes.

2. "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." (p.11 Kahne)

I chose this quote thinking about our FNED class. We are participating in a service learning project and as well doing critical analysis with the article reading to coincide with out tutoring and future education careers. We learn and analyze student's behaviors, differences, privileges, as well as other components to create our own image of education.


3. "Students tutor, coach softball, paint playgrounds, and read to the elderly because they are interested in people, or because they want to learn a little about poverty and racism before they head out into the waiting corporate world..." (Kahne)

There is more to service learning than just tutoring and coaching. Doing these services just for your own experience seems selfish to me. People should do these things to make a difference and create bonds. Service learning is not just charity work.

I was not particularly engaged by this article due to the language and overall writing of the article. I did like some of the points made in the article because I am currently doing my service learning project. The point about service learning being just charity work to some people is a little disturbing to me. They think they are doing a good service without knowing who the people the are helping really are. I think FNED has helped me understand who the people I am helping really are and what they experience day to day. Along with being aware of the children's daily difficulties, FNED has taught me how to make myself a better educator towards all students no matter their background.

Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us, Linda Christensen

1. "Our society's culture industry colonizes their minds and teaches them how to act, live, and dream." (Christensen p. 126)

I chose this quote because it gives a topic to what the author is talking about. She tells it how it is to her. Christensen says that the movies, cartoons, and books show kids how perfect life is or how life can become perfect. These media items teach children unrealistic things that they see and hear and then think is true. Once they see these films and cartoons they live their lives and compare them to their favorite cartoons and films.

2. "First, 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." (Cristensen p. 127)

This quote shows the author's purpose for her writing. She tells her students to write about the cartoons and then think about the world differently then the cartoon's world. Christensen wants the children to see the flaws of the cartoons and then understand what the reality of the situation is. She calls this "unlearning the myths." Personally, I like her approach but her constant analysis a little too much for me.

3. "But what am I teaching them if the lesson ends there? That it's enough to be critical without taking action? ... I want to develop their critical consciousness, but I also hope to move them to action." (Christensen p. 134)

This quote is the "now what" of the article. It explains that it is not enough to say something is wrong with these cartoons and that action must be taken in order to make a difference. Christensen has her students take action and make others aware of these cartoons and media items.

This article was very interesting to me and I found it very easy to read. It was engaging because it had to do with cartoons and movies that I grew up watching. But to listen to the criticism of the films and cartoons was difficult. As a child I never really thought of the prejudices in these films. But also I can see how they can affect a child negatively for the future and giving them wrong outlooks on life. Looking back on some of the films and cartoons, I do see some of the negatives of them and how offensive some of them are. People in the article take their opinions to the extreme a little assuming that all children are going to be negatively affected. In the end, this piece made me think of where children are getting their information and influence. Parents influence is becoming less and less and the media is becoming more and more powerful.