I entered the Bat Cave for a third time. After parking, I was faced with a little annoyance, all the doors to the school were locked, and the doorbell was not working, or rather, no one was answering it. It took me five to ten minutes to finally get into the school. When I got into the school, Mrs. Qwerty was not in her classroom. It was another ten minute wait until she finally got to her room, and then another few minutes until the class began.
The third quarter is winding down, and grades close in the beginning of April. Both classes were assigned some book work, and then had the opportunity to do makeup work, and then some extra-credit work in order to boost their grade.
I worked with two students in the first class. One of the students was ‘Domino,’ who I had worked with before, and the other, I will call ‘Blue.’ The students were all given a Chapter Review sheet, and had to answer several questions about colonialism. I would read the question with the student, and then look through the text book to help them find the answer. I would find the answer, and point out the page number, and section that the answer could be found on.
The second class was much like the first one, where I helped two students complete the same assignment that the other class had to do. In this second class, I worked with ‘Red’ and ‘Pony Tail.’ ‘Red’ was very quiet, and once he finished working with me went back to his desk, and talked with a few friends. ‘Pony Tail’ on the other hand was very talkative. He told me about the sports that he plays, and his aspirations of playing professional basketball, and, failing that, a career in architecture. We talked about different aspects of school while completing the assignment.
The most interesting part of this visit came in the second class. One of the students, ‘Warlord’ was causing nothing but problems. He was failing to conform to Delpit’s culture of power. He was ignoring the rules, and asserting his own principles in the classroom, namely, he could talk to whomever he wanted, and do whatever he wanted in the class, while ignoring his work. Just as that second class, which was the last for the day, was wrapping up, his mother came into the classroom, and he, his mother, the Mrs. Qwerty and an assistant principle had a discipline meeting with the student, where they stressed the importance of following the rules of the classroom. The adults were reinforcing, and making known, clearly defined rules for the classroom. Hopefully the student will understand these rules, and start behaving better in the classroom. However, I got the feeling that this was not the first meeting of this sort to be had, and this makes me think that there are time constraints on the rules of power. If the rules of the culture of power are not clearly defined early to the child, then they may not ever be able to follow them, or it will be more difficult for them to conform to those rules.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
School Visit 2
This was my second visit to the Bat Cave, and my first time meeting the classroom teacher, Mrs. Qwerty. The assignment for the classes, both 7th grade and 8th grade, was test corrections. The students were allowed to use their text books, to find the answers that they either skipped on the test, or answered incorrectly. The students were allowed full credit for all of the questions that they were able to answer using the text book.
I sat at a table in the front of the classroom, adjacent to the teacher’s desk. I worked with one of the seventh graders in the first period that I was there for. I worked with “Domino,” who answered almost no questions at all on his first attempt at the test. We would read the question together, and then each look through a text book. I would find the answer, and then tell “Domino” which paragraph he would need to read in order to find the answer.
I did this same thing with the same test and the same textbook, for the 8th grade class, which had the same assignment. I worked with two students in this group, doing the same thing. I would find the answer, and lead them to the paragraph that contained the answer.
All three of the students that I worked with were all very polite, contrary to the rest of the class. The classes were just as loud and obnoxious as they were last week. There were times that day, where Mrs. Qwerty was begging and pleading and threatening the students in order to make them quiet, and doing their work. The eighth graders were more rambunctious then the seventh graders were. Students were constantly getting up out of their seats, yelling across the room, and playfully shoving each other. Mrs. Qwerty also carries a whistle on her keys, in order to get the attention of the class when yelling is not enough.
It was nice working with small groups of the students, who, when I was working with them, were able to stay quiet, and work for the entire period. I believe that if a teacher was able to work with a smaller group of these students, it would be easier to keep them under control, and keep them on track more often then not.
I sat at a table in the front of the classroom, adjacent to the teacher’s desk. I worked with one of the seventh graders in the first period that I was there for. I worked with “Domino,” who answered almost no questions at all on his first attempt at the test. We would read the question together, and then each look through a text book. I would find the answer, and then tell “Domino” which paragraph he would need to read in order to find the answer.
I did this same thing with the same test and the same textbook, for the 8th grade class, which had the same assignment. I worked with two students in this group, doing the same thing. I would find the answer, and lead them to the paragraph that contained the answer.
All three of the students that I worked with were all very polite, contrary to the rest of the class. The classes were just as loud and obnoxious as they were last week. There were times that day, where Mrs. Qwerty was begging and pleading and threatening the students in order to make them quiet, and doing their work. The eighth graders were more rambunctious then the seventh graders were. Students were constantly getting up out of their seats, yelling across the room, and playfully shoving each other. Mrs. Qwerty also carries a whistle on her keys, in order to get the attention of the class when yelling is not enough.
It was nice working with small groups of the students, who, when I was working with them, were able to stay quiet, and work for the entire period. I believe that if a teacher was able to work with a smaller group of these students, it would be easier to keep them under control, and keep them on track more often then not.
Talking Points #5
1. “In addition to helping those they serve, such service learning activities seek to promote students’ self-esteem, to develop higher order thinking skills, to make use of multiple abilities, and to provide authentic learning experiences – all goals of current curriculum reform efforts.” The theory of a service learning project is not simply to give a service to a community, but to develop new societal skills. Service learning projects, such as those we are doing in class, provide a gateway that gives us insight to educator experiences. We not only help the students that we are working with, but we develop the most rudimentary skills that we will need when teacher, i.e. interacting with children.
2. “By finding and engaging in community service activities, Mr. Johnson explained, students would interact with those less fortunate than themselves and would experience the excitement and joy of learning while using the community as a classroom.” When students enter the community, and work with those less fortunate, then the veil draped over white privilege may be lifted, and those students may realized how unequal many of our current societal norms are.
3. “[Ernest Boyer] endeavored to create ‘a new Carnegie unit,’ the requirement that all students take part in volunteer activities in either their school or community as a condition for graduation from high school.” I agree with this school requirement. I believe that students need to have experience in the ‘real world’ before they leave school. Have students work with other people, who are not privileged, like the students may be. Students need to be able to work with people (i.e. the homeless, the poor, and the disenfranchised) to advance society in the world that we live in.
It seems as if our class is comprised of a mix of the two methodologies that are discussed in the reading. We are all working in the same field, working with students, but we all work individually, within our own schools. I’ll take the time now to reflect on how we have progressed in class. We have discussed white power, and privilege, and the differences among different races, and social structure. Now, after reading this, it seems as if it is our responsibility to go into our own classrooms, as part of our own service learning projects, and project what we have learned to our students. We need to observe white privilege, and silenced dialogues, and then work to correct it.
2. “By finding and engaging in community service activities, Mr. Johnson explained, students would interact with those less fortunate than themselves and would experience the excitement and joy of learning while using the community as a classroom.” When students enter the community, and work with those less fortunate, then the veil draped over white privilege may be lifted, and those students may realized how unequal many of our current societal norms are.
3. “[Ernest Boyer] endeavored to create ‘a new Carnegie unit,’ the requirement that all students take part in volunteer activities in either their school or community as a condition for graduation from high school.” I agree with this school requirement. I believe that students need to have experience in the ‘real world’ before they leave school. Have students work with other people, who are not privileged, like the students may be. Students need to be able to work with people (i.e. the homeless, the poor, and the disenfranchised) to advance society in the world that we live in.
It seems as if our class is comprised of a mix of the two methodologies that are discussed in the reading. We are all working in the same field, working with students, but we all work individually, within our own schools. I’ll take the time now to reflect on how we have progressed in class. We have discussed white power, and privilege, and the differences among different races, and social structure. Now, after reading this, it seems as if it is our responsibility to go into our own classrooms, as part of our own service learning projects, and project what we have learned to our students. We need to observe white privilege, and silenced dialogues, and then work to correct it.
Talking Points 4
1. “Young people, unprotected by any intellectual armor, hear or watch these stories again and again, often from the warmth of their mother’s or father’s lap.” Young children are often predisposed to the images on television, which are not meant for them to see. Children do not realize the racial undercurrents that are present in modern media, and will believe it as truth. If a child, who does not know any better, see’s a black man acting like a buffoon on television, he or she may believe that is how all black people behave all the time.
2. “When women do appear, they look like Jessica Rabbit or Playboy centerfolds – even in many of the new and ‘improved’ children’s movies.” One of the most popular stereotypes in our society. The classic “Barbie” look is what all young girls aspire to attain. The problem with this is that it is almost unattainable, and it is often unhealthy for women to maintain this figure.
3. “After viewing a number of cartoons, Kenya scolded parents in an essay, “A Black Cinderella? Give Me a Break.” She wrote: “Have you ever seen a black person, an Asian, a Hispanic in a cartoon? Did they have a leading role or were they a servant? What do you think this is doing to your child’s mind?” She ended her piece: “Women who aren’t white begin to feel left out and ugly because they never get to play the princess.” As the student said, there are no black princesses. This is an extension of white privilege. If you are not white, then you are not allowed to be a princess. There are very few examples of black people, Hispanics, or Asians being represented as anything other than a side character.
As I am reading this, I am thinking of Delpit’s reading. Delpit outlines how the culture of power works, but Christensen shows, through the media, who utilizes the culture of power, and what the culture of power looks like. In the culture of power, the princesses are white, and skinny, while the powerful men are white and attractive. The side characters, who are made up of people of color, work to foster racial stereotypes among minorities.
2. “When women do appear, they look like Jessica Rabbit or Playboy centerfolds – even in many of the new and ‘improved’ children’s movies.” One of the most popular stereotypes in our society. The classic “Barbie” look is what all young girls aspire to attain. The problem with this is that it is almost unattainable, and it is often unhealthy for women to maintain this figure.
3. “After viewing a number of cartoons, Kenya scolded parents in an essay, “A Black Cinderella? Give Me a Break.” She wrote: “Have you ever seen a black person, an Asian, a Hispanic in a cartoon? Did they have a leading role or were they a servant? What do you think this is doing to your child’s mind?” She ended her piece: “Women who aren’t white begin to feel left out and ugly because they never get to play the princess.” As the student said, there are no black princesses. This is an extension of white privilege. If you are not white, then you are not allowed to be a princess. There are very few examples of black people, Hispanics, or Asians being represented as anything other than a side character.
As I am reading this, I am thinking of Delpit’s reading. Delpit outlines how the culture of power works, but Christensen shows, through the media, who utilizes the culture of power, and what the culture of power looks like. In the culture of power, the princesses are white, and skinny, while the powerful men are white and attractive. The side characters, who are made up of people of color, work to foster racial stereotypes among minorities.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
First School Visit : Opposites
On Wednesday I went to my school for the first time. It is a middle school in Providence that I will refer to as The Bat Cave. The teacher, Mrs. Qwerty, was not in class, so there were two teachers, on covered the first period that I was there, and another to cover the second period that I was there for. I was amazed at that the two teachers that covered the classes were polar opposites of one another. The first one, Mrs. Absolutesilence demanded that the class be silent, and no-one made a sound. You could hear a pin drop. The students all worked hard on their assignments. I helped two students, Chevy and Honda, and they were both well behaved, respectful, and worked hard the entire class. Whenever they were having trouble, I would point them in the right direction in their reading, and they were able to find their answer. The classes lasted for about 45 minutes, and then another class came in, and another teacher to cover. This teacher, Mrs. Pleasewalkalloverme, was an embarrassment to the school. There were only 16 students in the class, and I was counting the minutes until the class was over. For 45 minutes, there was constant talking, yelling, and literally no work got done. The assignments for the two classes were exactly the same, but the effort was completely different. At one point, a student, Godzilla, picked up a globe, tried to throw it at someone, and it hit the floor and broke. Another student, Tyrannosaurus Rex started pushing another kid, and it looked like they were going to get into a fight. Mrs. Pleasewalkalloverme had no control over the class. To call that class a zoo is an insult to zoo’s. As bad as it was, one student did approach me and ask me for help on his work, which I was more than happy to provide. I did appreciate this visit, even though I did not get to meet the teacher, because I got to see two different teaching styles. Mrs. Absolutesilence ascribed to Delpit’s rules of the culture of power, asserting herself and the rules of the classroom immediately, and keeping order throughout the class, while Mrs. Pleasewalkalloverme, never did anything to assert authority, or to make clear the rules of the culture of power.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Calson Talking Points
Beyond Black and White by Dennis Carlson
1. “Three techniques of normalization and (hence) marginalization have been of primary importance in this regard: (1) the erasure of gayness in the curriculum, (2) the ‘closeting’ and ‘witch hunting’ of gay teachers, and (3) verbal and physical intimidation of gay teachers and students.” These three points of normalization are all forced onto gay people within contemporary community. This is an example of silencing an entire group of people. The dominant, straight, culture silences the dialogue (Delpit) of homosexual people.
2. “Straight teachers often participate in silencing practices because they are fearful of raising a controversial issue that might provoke conflict in the classroom.” This quote, again, exemplifies the silenced dialogue that Delpit writes about. The powerful culture, straight culture, has control over society, and do not let the other (homosexuals) advance in society.
3. “‘Being yourself’ celebrates individualism and the autonomy of individuals to construct their own lives according to their own values and achieve goals they set for themselves – a deep foundational value in American culture.” The problem with being yourself is that if you do not conform to traditional social norms (i.e. straight, catholic, white, able bodied, male, property-owning) then you will be ostracized as an outsider, or an other, rejected and suppressed for your way of life, or beliefs. This is an example of privilege, not just for white people, but for straight people.
Being straight, catholic, white, able bodied and male, it is impossible for me to know what it would be like to be discriminated against as a homosexual, or any other group that is not part of the culture of power. I am not surprised however, that many people have worked to conceal who they really are, in an effort to act like members of the dominant group. People always preach to “be who you are,” but it is difficult to do so, because anyone regarded as an other by the culture of power has been historically shunned and degraded. In a perfect world, everyone should be able to be themselves without worry about persecution, not having to hide your identity in order to continue living your life. Unfortunately we live in a culture of power, one in which being an other is a crime.
1. “Three techniques of normalization and (hence) marginalization have been of primary importance in this regard: (1) the erasure of gayness in the curriculum, (2) the ‘closeting’ and ‘witch hunting’ of gay teachers, and (3) verbal and physical intimidation of gay teachers and students.” These three points of normalization are all forced onto gay people within contemporary community. This is an example of silencing an entire group of people. The dominant, straight, culture silences the dialogue (Delpit) of homosexual people.
2. “Straight teachers often participate in silencing practices because they are fearful of raising a controversial issue that might provoke conflict in the classroom.” This quote, again, exemplifies the silenced dialogue that Delpit writes about. The powerful culture, straight culture, has control over society, and do not let the other (homosexuals) advance in society.
3. “‘Being yourself’ celebrates individualism and the autonomy of individuals to construct their own lives according to their own values and achieve goals they set for themselves – a deep foundational value in American culture.” The problem with being yourself is that if you do not conform to traditional social norms (i.e. straight, catholic, white, able bodied, male, property-owning) then you will be ostracized as an outsider, or an other, rejected and suppressed for your way of life, or beliefs. This is an example of privilege, not just for white people, but for straight people.
Being straight, catholic, white, able bodied and male, it is impossible for me to know what it would be like to be discriminated against as a homosexual, or any other group that is not part of the culture of power. I am not surprised however, that many people have worked to conceal who they really are, in an effort to act like members of the dominant group. People always preach to “be who you are,” but it is difficult to do so, because anyone regarded as an other by the culture of power has been historically shunned and degraded. In a perfect world, everyone should be able to be themselves without worry about persecution, not having to hide your identity in order to continue living your life. Unfortunately we live in a culture of power, one in which being an other is a crime.
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