School Visit

I went to the Cosgrove school this week and again it was a very nice visit, but some interesting topics came out of the topic this week. We were working on a syllable activity and I was incorporating some of the spelling words the children had been using in class. By doing this this I would have the kids come up with sentences with the words and some of the sentences they said were quite sad. For example one girl said that her grandmother had a disorder thats why she couldn't get off the couch or another boy said my mom said never to be disrespectful or I'd get a slap. Like some of the sentences that were saying were so heart-breaking, but at the same time time some of the other ones made you think about how smart these kids really are. But anyways, as I walked thru the hallways before I got my children I walked slowly and could hear some of the teachers yelling at their students which is typical at the Cosgrove school. I guess they use it as a way of spreading some type of order throughout the school. Then I entered my classroom where the class had just gotten back from lunch and they were preparing to take some type of test, so the kids put up their folders or books to protect their answers. Ms. Alice was extremely nice to me as usual, she told me about how her son was choosing a school and how stressed he was so I gave a couple words of advice, I don't know much it helped but I tried.

After all this I met up with the three 3 students I always teach and they begged for me to start coming three days a week, but I tried to explain why I couldn't so they moved on to the next topic, which was if I was ever going to bring them a treat. They are too funny :). After our discussion about how their weekend was, we got to work . The kids were extremely well behaved this time and tried there best to practice there reading skills. It was a complete turnaround from the last time, but I was definitely glad to see it. After we worked we talked a little more about college and they were asking me funny questions like if I was a good student and stuff like that. When we were done chit chatting I left and told them I'd have a surprise for them next time. Well, that was all for this week see ay in a week....:)

Between Barack and a Hard Place

This short video was absolutely moving and an inspirational sensation that actually makes you think. I liked this video better than any other reading that we have done this year. The speaker made many valid points including the part where he discussed the various shootings by white people and how we kind of brushed them off unlike killers with a different descent. For example, the D.C snipers from a few years ago made news all around America. People seemed to never let that go and definitely just didn't brush it off. On top of this, the Virginia Tech shooting from a couple years ago was a huge incident that occurred that many people to this day haven't forgotten. However, the speaker in this piece addresses numerous shootings that have been committed by white people yet the only one I was even familiar with was the Martin Luther King shooting. Even to this day I don't think white people realize the effect the shooting of Martin Luther King had on the community. He was beyond a racist movement leader he was a national figure that affected the life of so many people yet his death is just looked at as a fond memory. It's amazing that when you look back at these facts how true it is that white privilege exists. All the minorities are looked at as the criminal ones yet white people are the ones that commit more crimes. Not only does crime play a role in white privilege play a role, but the job application piece was proof too. When he said that white applicants or people with white sounding names were 50% more likely to get the job than others. I didn't want to believe it at first, but to be honest I wouldn't be surprised. I DONT want to believe this, however if he has proof of this fact than the facts are facts.

Another piece from this video that I truly enjoyed was the quote that he stated that people of color will not commit cultural suicide. This an extremely good point because why should people change who they are to please other people? That is so morally wrong and if you think about this, it's what we was ask minorities to do everyday which makes it even wronger. It's not like when we go to Mexico or Europe that people make us change who we are in some ways we adapt to their lifestyle, but we never commit culture suicide. White privilege needs to be stopped in this country, but it never will be.

Overall, again this short video was truly jaw-dropping. They way he spoke and what he spoke of truly makes you think about what goes on around you. It's amazing how cruel people can be, which relates back to the Johnson reading of WHY CAN'T WE ALL GET ALONG? A true embarrassment for everyone, yet there is no change in sight. I mean look how long slavery has been abolished yet still no change within society. It's so sad.

Talking Points 5

"Nel Noddings asserts, we try to consider the life and disposition of those for whom we are caring. We

attempt to "apprehend the reality of the other" and then to "struggle [for progress] together."

I chose this excerpt because the author makes a great point with this quote. We as humans tend to put ourselves in other peoples positions to try to understand what they go through. Sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes it's not because we tend to live in a fantasy world. We get jealous of others and what they have instead of being satisfied with our lives. However, it can be a good thing in the sense that we if we have a grasp of how much other's struggle we want to help them out. If every human could do this then we'd have a better world because we'd understand what others were struggling with and as a result would want to help one another out.

"Many agree with Sen. Kennedy, who writes that democracy "means . . . the responsibility to give something back to

America in return for all it has given us."

I don't know how I feel about this quote because yes America has given us a lot, but sometimes it screws us over as well. In any relationship there should be a give and take situation and we as Americans pay taxes and do other things that directly helps out the government. This is exact reason makes feel a little iffy because what does he exactly mean by giving back? A required military service? I mean, I bet some of the things that are assumed in this quote are unfair assessments of what we indeed have to give back. By working or even in teaching we help out others that live in America isn't that good enough? The last thing that I wondered when I read this was shouldn't we as humans want to give back? America shouldn't have to ask for it so it must go both ways I guess, but I definitely feel this quote could be worded differently.

"The thousand points of light through which the lucky serve the needy may help illuminate our humanity, but they cannot warm or nurture our common soul, nor create a sense of common responsibility connected to our liberty, nor provide integral solutions to structural problems. The model is compassion or charity; [service is optional, a personal choice,] and thus can never be the subject of political duties"

I was slightly confused when I read this from the piece of writing, but what from I think I understand this quote is saying that the government can't control whether or not e do the right thing or the caring thing. We as humans need to make the decisions ourselves out of the kindness of our hearts because thats the only way we are truly fulfilled. I totally agree with this too because not just the government, but no one can force you to do something nice, it has to be human nature to help one another out. Any normal human would get a fulfillment feeling by helping some one else out. Everyone knows it's the right thing to help someone out, it makes them happy and feel like they mean something in someone's life.

Overall this article made a lot of valid points, throughout relating to the themes or service and helping others out. I do agree with it making the argument that service can't be forced upon us especially be governing bodies, we as humans need to make the choice ourselves. Kennedy's quote that they used as an example, definitely raises some questions on what exactly we need to give back to America. The overall moral of everything is to want to do things because we want too and not others. We need to want to help others it can't be forced.

My second week

My Second Week

This week I was really excited to start working with my children at Cosgrove School because I already met them and they seemed really eager to learn. On top of this all of the kids I am a reading buddy for have the coolest personalities so it was shaping up to be a good situation. So when Tuesday came around I was all excited to go and at about 12 noon I received a phone call saying that Ms. Alice would be about because her father was extremely sick and to come in on Thursday. So unfortunately my excitement had to wait until Thursday, but when I got there I made up for it with the kids. First I walked into the school and talked to the secretary for a little bit then I walked upstairs into the teacher’s classroom to find out that it was the wrong one. Talk about embarrassing! Eventually I found the children I was supposed to be tutoring even though they were split up into the various classrooms due to the teacher being absent. Once I sat down with the children individually for about 20 minutes or so each going over syllables. During this time of the girls sounded out the syllable dy as the word die and she said thats what my grandmother did last year. It’s amazing how they relate a simple syllable to their everyday life along with how in tune they are with what goes on around them. It made me pause for a second to process what they just had told me, while doing this a rush of sadness fell over me because even though I had only interacted with these children twice I felt a special connection with every single one of them. So the first day pretty much consisted of the syllable activity and some students produced the words or syllables better than the other, but overall they did a nice job.

On the second day that I went to the school I walked into the office again and chit chatted with the secretaries along with another teacher. I guess from what I gathered today the school is expecting a new principal by Thursday. Eventually, I made it up my classroom and took out my children as a group this time and we worked as a group playing a variety of games that helped their recognition of words and syllables. I think the children preferred working in groups because they felt comfortable with their peers and enjoyed having fun with them instead of just one on one time with me going over the same things. We enjoyed a couple of laughs today over some silly words plus I promised them I’d bring them gummy worms on Wednesday since they performed so well today. It was truly a lot of fun to make them laugh and see the smiles on their faces as they got a word correct. One thing that did occur today was a teacher from another classroom was being extremely loud with her class. I couldn’t tell where it was coming from, but the shrieks of her voice were frighting. In addition to this she was being extremely sarcastic with her children and I don’t know why but I though who does she think she is to talk to them like that? But hey what do I know maybe I misunderstood something along the way. Overall it was a very nice experience, everyone is so nice in that school from the faculty to the staff and I love at the end of each session how the kids don’t want me to go. I truly feel like I’m apart of something important in someone else’s life and it’s a nice feeling. See ya next time!! :)

Carlson Thinking Points

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 individual 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"."

Okay, throughout this whole FNED class we have read a variety of pieces including, some intense information that I can believe and agree with. However, this segment from Carlson's piece in my opinion is extremely wrong. First off in my experiences no-one has called any of the above groups lazy, lacking intelligence, or sick. Especially, homosexuals which is the main point of the article. I mean come on now lazy? These are some bold words for one person to say in a writing piece. For once I can truly say that I fully disagree with a statement written by an author that I have read in this class. If anything people look at homosexuals as more motivated than others and definitely don't view them as sick or unintelligent people. I disagree that this how Americans generally think.

2. " To some degree, all traditions of culture and knowledge must be selective, even multicultural traditions, for the productions of text always involves a selection process in which something must be left out."

When I first read this excerpt it didn't make any sense to me that school systems didn't allow some texts to be read. However, I then remember that when I was in public schools there was a list of books that children weren't allowed to read for various reasons including violence, content, language, sexuality, etc. I agree with the school systems for banishing some pieces due to intense language or sexuality to a certain age. On the other hand though, I don't believe that the school systems should banish any book due to culture views. If the book makes a good point or is a worthy book of reading than it should be allowed especially in an older educational setting like high school. Culture's or ways of life should not be discriminated against especially in an educational setting. It's amazing how our society tries to hide certain things especially culturally.

3. "A male substitute teacher was greeted by (one of the students) as she shouted across her English classroom: That man's a faggot, right? Look at how he talks! Arriving at her seat she yelled, Hey Mr. Faggot, I mean sir you got a pencil?"

Okay when I read this out of writing I was in shock that a student had the audacity to say that to another human being never mind a teacher. Like who do you think you are? After reading this I guess it makes my first argument untrue where I said discrimination that was listed in the text didn't exist. It blows my mind that a student would disrespect another human being to this extent, it's truly as low as you can go. Do they have any manners? What does this show about their parents as guidance in their lives? This is probably the saddest piece that I have read out of all the readings. I find it preposterous that our society can degrade one on another to this point. If it's occur between a student and teacher than where to next the work place, the government? We as people need to stop this non-sense because no one deserves to be made fun of especially someone of a different culture back round or gender preference.

Overall the piece by Carlson was truly another eye-opening piece, it amazes me on how much I learn from writing to writing about our society. I don't know why, but I always go back to that Johnson piece where he says why can't we all get along? We are suppose to be so capable as a species yet we call our teacher's faggots? Like am I missing something here? Who do we think we are as people never mind students to degrade a person because of their culture back round or gender preference or anyone of that matter? More research needs to presented to authorities or someone that can go in and speak to certain people. Every student should be made to read pieces just like this one by Carlson. Our minds and eyes need to be opened. I guess the big question I have after reading this piece is, how bad is it out there? How pathetic is our society?