Thursday, September 30, 2010

Second day!

S.L. Project

My second day at Asa Messer Annex was much better. The only problem was that one of the teachers was snot even expecting me so it took her time to get materials ready. This extra time it took put me behind because we are on a very tight schedule in reading buddies at this school.

9:00-9:20 gather materials
9:25-9:55 observe in kindergarten class
10:00-10:25 bring students in room 4, go over sight words, do activity
10:30-10:55 bring 1st grade students to room 4, go over sight words, do activity

The teacher's schedules revolve around when I take these students from class. If something pushes me behind, the students have less time with me. Some of the students really need the help and to cut their time is unfair to them. I think that from now on the teachers will have a better idea of what I'm there to do and will have more materials for me and will be on time.

I feel better now about this school because I know I am directly helping students because I am working individually with them. I can tell that this one session helped them with some of their sight words and I feel they will only get better with time. I feel as though it will be a much better rest of the year now because the teachers have a better understanding of what I am there to do and how to help me to help the students.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Gayness, Multiculural Education, and Community by Dennis Carlson

HYPERLINKS

Reading this article I was not sure what to write about, so I did some research. I found several different links that help describe this article and other related topics.

I as surprised to find that there were many blogs. All of which I saw where from students from Dr. Bogad's classes from a previous years.
The first student's work that I read was simplified and understandable. She did not give much information, but what she did give was very simply and helped me clarify the defining points.

http://h2thec.blogspot.com/2008/02/gayness-multicultural-education-and.html

She said that Carlson argues that sexual orientation is not taught enough in school. I realised that I was never taught this in any of my schooling. This is very true.

One quote that really seemed true to me was "Gay people for the most part have been made absent, and silent within this community." Gays are not able to openly tell people their sexual orientation. There are many fears of telling people this sort of things becuase some take it in a very negative way.

Another website gave a description of this article, but gave me a thought I hadn't thought of.

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ504184&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_

It said that public schools may play an important role ina multiculutural life.
I found another blog, also from Dr. Bogad's class, in which she says that Carlson says keeping "gayness in its place" is becoming a problem these days.

http://kendra4.blogspot.com/2008/02/gayness-multicultural-education-and.html

Overall, I feel that there is less focus on sexual orientation than there should be and that it will eventually will be a problem. I would like to ask in class people's opinions on this because I think there would be many different view points. I feel that there should be more talk about this sort of thing in the class room. It needs to be recognized. Ifit is not, it will face even more discrimination in the long run.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Aria by Richard Rodriguez

REFLECTION

Reading Rodriguez's story made me question my own life. He talks about how speaking Spanish at home made him feel like he had a close relationship with his family. He was very protective about his languages, even saying this when his parents wanted their children to learn English. "In an instant, they agreed to give up the language (the sounds) that had revealed and accentuated our family's closeness." I instant felt pity for this poor boy who felt as though he was losing a part of his family. But then I remembered, there is a difference between pity and awareness, like we learned in class.

This article made me aware of the harshness people need to deal with if they do not speak English. I never knew that it could make someone feel this way. I suppose that I would also feel as though I was losing my family and a sense of who I am, but I was never taught the ramifications of telling people "You're in America. Speak English." I tried to make this a youtube post, but as I searched through the videos, all of the titles seemed extremely crude and disrespectful. I did not agree with what they say so I did not want to post them.

But that made me realise that if I looked at over 20 videos and each horrific as the next, all the videos would be like this. That would mean that a majority of people would believe that those who are in this country that don't speak English need to learn it or they will be discriminated against. This makes me upset because our country is suppose to welcome all kinds of people. But by doing this, they are discriminating against many.

In my own life, I grew up never having to deal with discrimination of this kind. so reading this article really made me think about what Americans are doing. They are forcing people to lose their culture. This boy lost his connection with his family, especially his parents. "I no longer knew what words to use in addressing my parents." He said that he felt like an American citizen, but then had a negative comment. "But the special feeling of closeness at home was diminished by then. Gone was the desperate, urgent, intense feeling of being at home; rare was the experience of feelings myself individualized by family intimates." I was touched and upset by what he had said. That American's make other people feel as though they need to change their life and lose their closeness to family.

Although I never have head to deal with these problems directly, I still am greatly upset by what American's are doing. I am puzzled by these actions and am ashamed to be grouped with the people that do this. I really wish that one day there will be a time that people are more widely accepted.

First day

S.L. Project
Yesterday I had my first day at the elementary school. I am at Asa Messer Elementary. I am making a list of things I wish someone had told me before going to this school. I have worked in elementary schools before but I have not had to deal with this before.

-find an alternate route to the school, most of Providence is under construction and bridges are closed
-you may get to the school early, that does not mean the teacher will
-you may be assigned to a room, but it does not mean the teacher will have anything for you to do, even though you were expected.
-expect to have the children not talk to you and to feel awkward asking them for help because they are so shy
-beware of the teacher's teaching technique. (she uses yelling)
-students tend to run out of the school when they are upset
-expect no training for reading buddies even though you were told you would have it, you will be thrown into the classroom taking groups on your second day
-be prepared to be asked to sit down for most of the time you are in the classroom, you will not get a chance to help out much.

Overall, I was quite disappointed with my first day at the school. I was told we would be taking groups out by ourselves the next day we were there. We are receiving no training for reading buddies and I am afraid I will teach the students the wrong information. I do not really remember phonics and all that so I am nervous. I wish there would be at least one day of training for reading buddies so I have a general idea of what I should do.
In high school, I went through three years of child development. We had a play school in our room and I also went to intern at an elementary school where I rarely was able to do much for the teacher. But that was high school. I thought since I was in college, working towards my degree in elementary education, they would give me a little more responsibility so I can learn to be a teacher. This is supposed to be a learning experience so I hope that soon enough I am able to learn how to be a good teacher. I hope everyone else had a great first day and is at least learning something new.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Post #1 White Privilege by Peggy McIntosh

QUOTES

As I read "White Privilege" by Peggy Mcintosh, I picked out a few quotes that seemed either powerful or meaningful.


"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. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, code books, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks."
This quote explains what McIntosh believes is white privilege. In my opinion, she is saying that we do not deserve to be privileged because she said "unearned assets". McIntosh says that we have all of these privileges everyday and can always count on them. But we are not supposed to know about this privilege though. But with this privilege comes money and the possibility of travel.
Everything that she had listed is a means of wealth and ability to do almost everything. She has listed money, documents to travel anywhere, clothing that some people do not have much of, and other items that would help those people who are so privileged to have.


"For me white privilege has turned out to be an elusive and fugitive subject. The pressure to avoid it is great, for in facing it I must give up the myth of meritocracy. If these things are true, this is not such a free country; one's life is not what one makes it; many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own."
This quote shows the difficulty in opposing and ignoring the white privilege. She also says that "many doors are open for certain people." This means that some people still are not allowed or expected to do certain things in this country. McIntosh also says that if there is a pressure is great, then this country is not as free as one would think.
There is still discriminations against different people when there should be none. There is supposed to be no discrimation against anyone in this country but yet if there is against blacks and white are vauled higher then we need to rethink what this country's foundation is based off of.


"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."
McIntosh was discussing how her race can have privileges in this society. She can usually safely walk down the street during the day without being harassed. She is able to go the the work place without being degraded by all. McIntosh realised that although she is able to do all of this, she was taught that this is not how all people "should" be treated.
I see all of this in our society. We had a talk in class during one of our first weeks about how there is the typical scene where a young white child and a young black child are playing together and the white child's mother tugs him away saying he cannot be friends with the black child. I've always seen these instances where the black or the female is discriminated against, even if it is not in a direct, harsh way.
McIntosh also feels that she can discriminate against whites as much as she wants because she is white. She goes on to say that whites are not exactly better than blacks, we just over empower them. In this country, there are many more whites overall than any other races. It would be odd if others didn't feel out of place at some point in their life.

In the reading, there was a list of 26 things people should be able to do without fear of harassment or any other issues. On this site, there is the full list, a list of 50. http://www.mdcbowen.org/p2/rm/mcintosh1.html

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAjja0vi2M This is a video that helps show there is white privilege in our society.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Introduction

My name is Darlene Stearns and I am a sophmore at Rhode Island College. I currently live in Westerly, RI and I commute an hour to RIC 3 days a week. I am at this school to become an elementary teacher.

When I am not at school, I am either catching up on my work or I am working at my job. I am there over 25 hours a week and do not have much free time. I am a cashier at Walmart and have been for almost three years, although I am looking for a new job. I live with my parents and my sister, with a plan to move closer to school for my junior year.

My semester has had a slow start, but I feel that soon enough the work is going to get more intense. I think that all of my hard work is going to start in the next few weeks and will be unending until after exams. I am taking a "Perspectives on Africa" class which has surprisingly helped me with my other classes. In this class, my teacher doesn't only discuss Africa, but other world problems as well. I am also taking an Art History course which is very interesting. I'm learning more and more about ancient artifacts and history everyday in that class and it is very interesting. I highly suggest it to anyone. One class that I've found helpful was my introduction to computers class. I have been stressing about the technology test that we have to take and this class is going over almost everything that is going to be on the test and the teacher is always there for questions.

So overall, I am a very busy person who is extremly excited and nervous for this semester to begin!