In Exchange of the Promising Practice Conference

       I was not able to make the Promising Practice Conference. I was also not able to find another conference to attend. So, instead of this I decided to write about the movie that we watched in class on different students who are mentally disabled going to California Public Schools. I wanted to write about this movie anyways because it made me open my eyes to see what is really going. It has allowed me to see all of the problems and other thins parents have to do to make sure their child gets the same type of schooling as any other child. In the movie Going to School "Ir a la Escuela". In this movie it talks about five different students that mentall challenged, or mentally disabled, and they all have IEP's.
        All of the students in this movie reminded me of many different articles. The one that kept sticking out to me the most is Kliewer's article on students that are special, or have down syndrome. He states many different resons why they should be in normal classroms, and have the same chances as other students. This is what this movie talked about. It talked about five different students Richard, Sally, Ana, Cynthia, and Aaron. All of them were either mentally challenged and mentally disabled. But, they were able to participate and learn in a normal classorm just like all of the other students. They may have had to do this in a different matter, but in the end they accomplished everything that a normal sutdent was accomplishing and sometimes better. Also, some of these students parents that were in this movie were in a group that helped these students get the right care and the best oppurtunites. For example, there was one student named Richard. He was in a wheelchair, because he was born premature, and had multiple disablites. His mother had to go to his classes with him for 3 years because he was not given an aid. Other students would be in normal classrooms, but they would jsut be placed in the back of the room and not given the right help to learn.
       All of these were problems that the students faced that did have disabilites. The parents formed a group to not only get them individual help, but place them in the correct classes, and allow for them to have certain needs. This was a great movie and it showed how hard it was until all of the laws and programs came to be. It was hard when they did have certain things to help them. I think the country has come a long way in the teaching of students with disabilites. There are many more opportunites now, and it allows for the students to learn in different calssrooms with different students each day. This will eventually help them to pursue their goal in life, and just by doing that I tihnk is a great accomplishment.

End Of Semester

It is almost the end of the semester, and the end of FNED 346 with Dr. Bogad. This calss has taught me so many different things about schooling and teaching. In the beginning I thought when am I ever going to use these techniques. Also, in the beginning with all of the different articles, I was would think why do we need to read these? We will never use them in our classrooms, or relate it to our styles of teaching. Well, now that I am looking back on it I realized how wrong I was and how much I came to appreciate tthis class, and how much I have taken out if it.
        Starting off working and helping out in school, I had no idea what to expect. I did not know what the students were going to be like, or if they would even like me. Now that it is over, I realized that I did helpt the kids out and had a strong relationship with every student in Mrs. Pinksaw's kindergarten class at Robert F. Kennedy. Not only do I hope I taught the students different things, but I know that they had a huge impact on my life and helped me elarn different styles of teaching that I will take with me for the rest of my life. Everyday I was at the school I learned something new. I also tied everything back to an article we read that week or in the past.
        I just feel like wherever I go now, all I think about are all of the different authors, and how much it is actually portrayed in real life. Overall FNED 346 helped me learn a lot of new different styles of teaching. It also gave me a great prospective of what I can expect in life as I start my career of teaching. Dr. Bogad made me realize all of this and I am very appreciative of having this class and learning everything from her and my classmates.

Talking Points #10 "Shor"

Hyperlinks:

      The author raises the fact about education and how it does so much relate to politics. Also, how it is just like the real world and there are different things you need to do to survive in the real world, and to realize the politics that take forth everyday. The first major issue she raises is participation. There are different ways to get students to participate, and it is a major role in the schooling society. For a student to achieve they should be active sometimes participate in either the discussion, or the involvement with the teacher or other students. If there are problems in getting the student to participate, there are many different ways. In this article it gives different sitautions to use in order to get a student to participate. It is a good way to get the students to interact. Participation allows for the students to maybe get a different look and view on things, if he/she doesnt understand. It also allows the teacher to know if the students do understand as well. Here is also a video of whole brain teaching which is a method used to teacher and allows for participation.
        The author expalins many different methods of teaching in this article. She explains different ways to get through to different students. One method that I feel all teacher should use that will work is teachers learning from student learning. This will allow for the students maybe teach the teacher something that he/she does not know. Whehter they do it indivually, or as a class, there is always something the students could teach the teacher. It will maybe improve her teaching habits. Or, by using different methods, this will allow for the teacher to learn by the way the students react to it, if it was a positive or negative style of teaching. A teacher with different methods may be the one that is able to get through to her students. Teaching in a social enviroment allows for the students to interact and learn in different ways that are sutiable for them. If the teachers are unsure there are different website and articles like teacher vision to guide them and get them started. All of this ties back into what the author is trying to say. I beleive that with different styles, and methods it allows for student to learning and get them ready for the real environemnt. Therefore, in class I would like to discuss just how much school is like the real world, and does it compare to the situaitons and daily activites on goes through each and every day?


 
       

Talking Points #9 "Kiewer"

Connections:

         Kliewer does remind me and prtray two different articles that we have read in the past. The first that I feel he portrays is Collier and Finn & Oakes. I  will talk a little about how I feel he portrays Collier. In Kliewer's article he talks about the kids being in certain classes considered as special Education. This is because people may beleive they may not be able to do same things as a normal person. I beleive they are right and wrong. They may not be able to do everythign as a normal person, but they certinly can try. They should be given the ability to try and maybe be placed in some classes that will suit them and help them out in life. They are just like everyone else trying to succeed in their goal. Also, it is separted in and out of the classroom by their diabilites. They are either placed in certain classes, or require certain assistance throughout the schoolday. Just like in Colloer, except of them having certain diabilites, they have language barriers. Which may force them to be placed in a different classroom, or recive special treatment. Am I saying they shouldn't be placed in different classrooms? No, I just beleive that every once in a while they should be placed with normal kids and let them learn off of them and with them. It may give them a jump and help them out in life.
        This was the same with Finn and Oakes, but they talk about tracking in the schools. This is like tracking in a way as they are seperated into different calsses by their abilites or disabilities. I feel that if you want every to have the same chance then they should all be given the same chance and treated equal in different ways. There may not always be an answer in public schools. Some students with disabilites may be given better opputunites in different types of schools. Here is a video that talks about different families that goes to special schools and different school in order to help their diabilites to the fullest and help them trying to fit in and be equal. The video will show different parents talking about their children. What I would like to discuss in class is do all schools offer services for students with disabilites?

Talking Point #8 "Finn and Oakes"

Argument:

             Jeannie Oakes is basically talking about tracking, and why she disagrees with this theory completely. I was never really introduced to tracking, but now after reading this article I am aware what it was, and further more reading Oakes lead me to complelely agree with her on tracking. They are doing it I feel like she said for no reason. As she said "The rich gets richer, and the poor gets poorer". I just feel as if it is not helping out at all. She tries to fight for the fact that tracking is not good in stating different alternatives to tracking. She also says that "Academic ability is not unchangable, but developmental". The only way a student will learn is to be around others that learn like and different from him. He can take the advantages and disadvantages of each. Just to show she is not the only one on this, I found another article that talks about this problem to, and some things to do to take advantage of it. The article shows different techniques or practices in tracking and how it takes place in school.
       Literacy is major for everyone no matter if you are in the upper class, or working class states Finn. There should be a place where it should all meet and come together is her argument. She is basically saying that if people want to be successful everyone needs to help out eachother in school. Whether you are rich, or poor, you need to help out eachother in order to be successful in both literacy and school.
           Both of these authors make their arguments clearly stated. They say what it is like, and what they beleive it should eventually be like. It may and may not change. But, I do agree with what both of these authors are saying. To be able to exceed and survive in the schooling environment everyone needs eachother, and should not be sepearated into different groups. I would like to discuss in class a little more about tracking, and would like to find out just how much tracking takes place in different school settings?

Gender And Education

Hyperlinks:

        I came across many different websites while I was googling gender and education. I dont see why, but still today many people call gender wars a huge problem. I do agree with them, even in our society today we not only still have some racial problems that exist, but gender and education as well. Looking back to when i was in grades K-12 I do notice where the article I stumbled across is coming from. If you think back to when you were in these grades the boys were always trying to beat the girls, or the other way around. This short paragaph I thought was very intersting in the article:
        "Back in 1992, we pointed out that stereotypes have long limited the options of girls and boys. Viewing science and math as things boys did and art and dance as things they did not do influenced the course taking patterns and achievement levels of both sexes. We noted that although girls were getting better grades and going on for post-secondary education in greater numbers than boys, the job segregation that limits women's employment choices and the gender gap in wages continued. This is still the case."
     This was a paragrpah from the article that I found very intersting. I feel that it is not so much in college, but I could be wrong. I feel the gender wars take place more along the grade levels of secondary education. The article The Gender Wars in Education also says how this can be a good thing as long as we are all on the same side. This was just one of the articles that I stumbled upon, and I did research this topic more than others. I also was searching videos and I came across one how it talks about how women our perfrom men and more options in the workforce. The video is Women "Out" Perform Men and it jsut talks a little about different successes at Universities in the UK. In class I wish to discuss where More about this topic and if all of the statistics are true.

Wise and Brown vs. Board of Education

History: Past and Present-

       The Brown v. Board of Education website is a very informational website. It focuses on mainy turning points that we came across throughout our nation's history. It talks about how the civil war promised racial equality, and how African Americans have made a landmark on U.S. History. I feel this focuses so much on the past, but there are still many things today that are still helping use change racial equality. Also, I think it is still not a solved issue, and in Tim Wises's video he talks more about this. They both do talk about the same issue but Tim focuses more on today's society and how it still affects us today and what people are doing to change it.
         The videos are a step up to racism, but the Brown v. Board of Education shows all of the fights that they fought for. They fought hard to get to where they are today which was all for the civil rights and there rights to be treated equally just like everyone else. In the vidoe's Wise talks about Obama and how he is a stepping point. I feel this as well because, back then they would have never elected a black President. It just goes to show that what they all fought for is starting to fall into place. There is still many more steps to go through, but the vidoe's were concerning more about how they are tapping the glass, and starting to push things forward again.
     Both the vidoes, and the website both were very informational, as one focused more on the past, and the other focused more on the present time and the future. But, they were both talking and giving inforamtiona about the same thing which is racial equality. There are still problems with it today and we are just starting to "tap the glass" like Wise said. He also talks about Obama and his role. I tihnk I would like to find out more about Obama and what else he would bring to the table in solving this issue? Here is a video of a speech from Obama and it talks about race :
Obama's Race Speech

Talking Points #5 Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer "In The Service Of What? The Politics of Service Learning"

Extended Comments-Response to Raquel's Blog

      I like the question that Raquel raises at the end. She states "What do you think service learning should be.....like charity or civic duty"? I think that service learning should be considered both. I feel that either way you are going out into society and giving a helping hand either way. You are also learning and giving your full effort to help. Whehter it is charity or covic duty either way your out in the field helping either yourslef or the poeple around you leanr or conquer something.
     I feel as if our service learning project leans more towards both of the ideas. We are out helping for charity in a way because we are doing it to help out the teacher. On the other hand we are also doing it as a requirement in order to pass the class. Either way you look at it, it is giving a helping hand and not only helping out the teacher, but also helping out the students learn.
      I also agree with the part where Raquel states Jess. It is just kind of like community service. There is one way I feel as if it is a little different. Yes, you do need to get a certain amount of hours to pass. But, unlike community service you are learning about a ton of different things. You are learning azbout teaching, race, ethnicity and different ways to approach different setting/styles of teaching. So, in a way they are similiar, but I just feel as if that is a major way that they are different as well. In class I hope to discuss what the difference and similarities are between service learning and community service? Here is an article that touches upon this conflict: http://www.leadershipandservice.ufl.edu/programs/servicelearning/generalinfo/csvsl.php
 
    

 

Talking Points #4 Linda Christensen "Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us"

Arguement-

     This author "Linda Christensen" argues that the "secret education" differs the mind of the society and culutre especailly towards young children. In childrens literature, cartoons, and movies all play a mjore role in differeing the minds of young children. They catch their attention early and this affect and impacts thier views on things such as racism, and sex of a person. Like in cartoons you will never see a blakc person as a cahracter, but more or less it is all white people. Even in  children's books too. I agree with what she is saying. I never really did notice any of this either until reading this article I started to think back and see that it all makes sense. The thing I would like to  discuss/ask in class is: If anyone else has thought about this too before reading this article. As I was reading an article online about children and watching television I came across some interesting facts: http://www.boloji.com/parenting/00208.htm

Talking Points #3 Dennis Carlson "Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community

Quotes-

     "Gay people for the most part been made absent, invisible, and silent within this community"(Carlson 233).

       This is one of Carlson's quotes in the beginning of the text. I chose this because I think it really starts off the articles and gives a good explanation of what the article will be about. It is true that in this article it will talk about being gay and the affect it plays in the community and the education point of view. It will show how it takes toll and just how much of an affect it has in and out of the schools. They want to talk about ways of normalizing school districts in order to make it more open to gayness. This will allow for some to maybe show their true colors and allow them to come out and speak clearly and loudly for who they are and what they beleive in. That is why I felt that this quote was a good way to start off the article and clearly explain what the article was about to talk about.

     "Specific techniques and apparatus's of power that have been employed in the school to keep gayness "in its place" as an invisible presence" (Carlson 236).

        This just show what they will go through to bring normalization of this issue into the schools. They will use three different techniques in order to bring normalization. They are gayness in the curriculum, the "closeting", and the verbal and physical intimidation of gay teachers and students. Just by these three things is what they beleive will bring normalization to school. It doesn't matter their race or ethnicity, or even how they were raised. As I was reading for articles online about this I came upon a different type of blog and in which a catholic girl, going to a catholic school became a lesbian and she was not afraid to show it as she blogged about it : http://open.salon.com/blog/nyctheaterqueen/2010/09/03/with_great_gayness_comes_great_responsibility.
This just shows how normalization is starting to come into play and how they are trying to improve it in the school systems and education sides of things as well.

     "Popular culture may represent identity, but identity also is represented in corporeal form" (Carlson 244).

       This is referring the culture now more than before. The popular culture has much more than just identity. This is what I feel is trying to be said through this quote. Identity plays a major role in normalizing communities. It allows for the people to be viewed by themselves or within the community. Some communities are different than others. Some are for, and some are against normalizing communites. This is where the normal and abnormal comes into play. One is for, and one is against it. Just by identity is show how each culture, or community is represented and through this quote I feel shows it clearly.

Talking Points #2: Richard Rodriguez "Aria"

REFLECTION-

     Being bilingual in our society today can and can not be an advantage. I feel that being bilingual in our society could open hte future for more job options. But, it could also affect the way you are treated in the society I feel. I am not bilingual, but I do wish I was able to speak another language. It could help me out now and in the long run. I just feel as if it opens up more oppurtunities and give a broader horizon to the society that we live in today. More or less that is not exactly what this article is saying. This article talks more about being bilingual in school. How back when the author was reflecting upon it was not a good thing. They considered there to be only one language and that was english considering you were in the United States. I feel as if more and more people that come to our country and send their children off to school now will find a way to have their children learn english just as well as they know their other language if they are bilingual. This way it allows the children to communicate in school and then allows for them if it is necessary communicate in their other language as well. That is why in school they are now offering to children that are not bilingual more of a chance to open up and learn a second language for their career or to help them in the long run.
      What this author is trying to show and say is that it was different. They did not want the kids to learn a second language back then. They actaully went to his home and told his parents to talk in english. This came to the point where the kids did realize that it was more important to conquer the english language and have use their language in secondary. I can relate to this not because I am bilingual, but because I know a lot of kids that are and need to be. Throughout soccer I have meet kids from all different nationalities. But, a large number of them were able to speak both english and their native language. There was still a large amount that could only speak enlgish a little and neither could their parents. I just thought to myslef, how are they supposed to learn and participate in school if they can baily speak enlgish. That is why it is so important to be bilingual in school now a days, as it will open up a better career, and be a lot more helpful as you go through yuor schooling either in or not in a democratic society. The main question that I feel is the biggest problem, is what if you are not that good in enlgish and what are the approaches that the teachers take towards it in our society today?

Talking Points #1 Mcintosh "White Privilege

        As I first started to read this article I thought to myself how could there still be so much white privilege in our society today? Reading more into this article I came to realize that there is still white privilege just like there is still male dominance in our society as well. The way that Mcintosh described the list of white privilege and how much she is right is unbeleivable. I am not even somewhat close to racist, and would have never thought that there is still so much white power like she described until you actually do sit down and read the list and make a list of your own. By being white you do have more of an option one where you choose to live and who your neighbors are as well as the race of your neighbors. Just the little things like this still does play a huge role in society and the way people live today.
       If I did not read this article, or the list in this article, I do not think I would beleive anyone if they came up and tried to tell me that white privilege still plays a major role in our society. Until it is actaully broken down like Mcintosh did with using male violence as a similiar preference I would not beleive it is still such a problem today. The only one that I did not agree with as much was when she pointed out that in newspapers or magazines there is always a white person on the front cover. I feel like now because of the famous people such as athletes, or actors this is not entirely true anymore. However, this was the only one that I did not agree upon. She made a valid point with the rest. She also used the male dominace role as a great similarity. My opinion on all of this after reading is that this is still a problem and I feel as if it is something that needs to be improved upon in our society.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4f9zR5yzY