Talking Points # 10 Last One!

Privilege, Power, and Difference; Allan Johnson

Premise

• Privilege
• Power
• Difference
• Society
• Discrimination
• Change
• Harassment

Author's Argument

Johnson argues that we have to make a change in, power, privilege and difference through our actions. There is a problem how we approach things. We should be heard, just to get involved and make a movement.

Evidence

1. The problem of privilege and oppression is deep and wide, and to work with it we have to be able to see it clearly so that we can talk about it in useful ways.
2. We have to reclaim some difficult language that names what's going on, language that has been so miss used and maligned that it generates more heat than light.
3. To understand privilege and oppression we have to look at what we're participating in and how we participate in relation to paths of least resistance.

Comments

Reading Johnson is always a joy, because he expresses his feelings so well, and puts his opinions out there for the audience to relate too. As an author Johnson speaks the truth.

Thursaday Class

Class was great everyone in my group came and worked on our PowerPoint.

Talking Point # 9

School Girls, Peggy Orenstein

Premise

Girls
Gender
Curriculum
Teachers
Differences
Equality
Boys
Sexism
School
Authors Argument

Orenstein argues that there is a hidden curriculum in a co-ed class. Classes are usually male dominated, needs to show more diversity in the classroom. Girls are looked at by boys in a different way.
Evidence

1. Scores of educators around the country are working to develop gender-fair curricula in all subjects and reexamining traditional assumptions about how children best learn.
2. Women are one-half of the world's peoples; they do two-thirds of the world's work; they earn one-tenth of the world's income; they own one-hundredth of the world's property.
3. "It's like how boys learn how to see girls" I mean you turn on MTV Spring Break and there's these stupid girls with tiny bathing suits dancing around. It makes me feel degraded.

Comments

I liked this reading, because it touched on an important subject in classrooms. I do think that girls and women are overlooked in all aspect's. I liked the comment about MTV spring Break, which is true now a days women are eye candy for men in videos made. I think it is degrading to all women.

Talking Points # 8

Tim Wise, "Whites Swim in Racial Preference

Premise

• White
• Privelege
• Rights
• Power
• Laws
• Value
• Families
• Race

Argument

Wise argues that whites have privilege in this country, and are un aware that they do. They are living with it everyday.

Evidence

1. Affirmative action for whites was the guiding principle of segregation.
2. White America is the biggest collective recipient of racial preference in the history of the cosmos
3. White families, on average, have a net worth that is 11 times the net worth of black families.

Comments

This was an easy article to read, I liked the beginning; how the author opened up with the fish comment. I do agree that whites do take privilege for granted, but it is not their faults, it is what they are used to. I'm sure some do recognize it. I think it was sad that a black man in 2003 is still making less than white men were earning in 1967.

Talking Point # 7

"One More River to Cross", Charles Lawrence

Premise

• Race
• School
• Segregation
• Black
• White
• Brown vs Board of Education
• Supreme Court
• Justice

Author's Argument

Lawrence argues that Brown vs Board of Education is a law fosted a way of thinking about segregation that has allowed both the judicary and society at large to deny the result of race in America.

Evidence

1. Black Children are injured by the existence of a system of Segregation
2. Segregation's only purpose is to label or define blacks as inferior and exclude them from full and equal participation in society
3. Segregation is organic and self-perpetuating.

Comments

This was a very long piece and also hard to read. Other than that the article focus's on the issue of segregation. I can not imagine living in a segregated state; there is still segregation going on in the south, which is sad but not hard to believe since it started there. My first view of segregation was when I watched the Little Rock Nine movie, based on a true story.

Talking # 6

Jeannie Oakes, Tracking: Why Schools Need to Take Another Route

Premise

• education
• classroom
• privilege
• tracking
• high ability
• low ability
• stereotype
• opportunities

Argument

Oakes argues that "Children who are placed in lower level classrooms; do not have equal opportunity to children that are in a higher level classroom"

Evidence

1. Students who are placed in high-ability groups have access to far richer schooling experiences than other students.
2. No wonder we find "rich get richer and poor get poorer" patterns of outcomes from tracking.
3. The fact that students are tracked seems less important than that they have the other instructional advantages that seem to come along with classes that are highly able.

Comments

I really liked this article; it was easy for me to read. The author did a good job putting her ideas together and clear. I do not agree on labeling kids at all, but I believe if a child needs the help then it should be from someone that knows what they are doing.

Talking Points # 5

Kahne and Westheimer, "In The ServiceOf What"? The Politics of Service Learning



Premise

• Service Learning


• Education


• Teachers


• Students


• Community


• Support


• Carring


• Helping


• Politics
• opportunity
• Giving Back

Authors Argument

Khane and Westhem argue that Service Learning is an importnt aspect for children. It should be done in all schools, kids will benefit from it. It can help children less fortunate, and that have low self esteem about their learning abilities.

Evidence

1. The ability of a service learning curriculum to foster aythentic, experience-based learning opportunities , to motivate students, to help students engage in higher-order thinking in contextually varied enviorments, and promote interdisciplinary studies.
2. By finding and engaging in community service activities, Mr Johnson explained, students would interact with those less fortunate than themselves and woud experience the excitement and joy of learning while using the community as a classroom
3. Efforts to intergrate service learning activities into curriculum have great potential, it has political dimensions

Comments

It was a bit hard for me to read this handout, because it was alot of information to take. Though it was alot I liked the points, that children should have the opportunity to experience service learning. I love my service learning eexperiene; I feel that i am helping a child in need and helping them gain knowledge.

Talking Points # 4

Linda Christensen, Unlearning The Myths That Blind Us.

Premise

• Society
• Stereotype
• Cartoons
• Images
• Racism
• Sexist
• Myths

Authors Argument

Christensen argues society needs to pay attention to what we watch on TV, especially children it manipulates children by putting stereotypical characters on TV

Evidence

• Our society's culture industry colonizes their minds and taeches them how to act, live and dream
• Children's cartoons, movies and literature are perhaps the most influential genre

Comments

This article was very eye opening. Now that I look back at the cartoons I've watched as a child, it's true there was never a black cinderella or any people of color as the leading character. Christensen did a god job pointing everything out . I liked the way she experimented with her students watching cartoons, It was a good idea. She just wanted us as society to pay attention to what we watch.

Talking Points # 3

Dennis Carlson, Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community

Premise

• Normalizing Community


• Education


• Multicultural
  
• Gay


• Lesbian


• Curriculum


• Sterotypes
  

Author's Argument

"Carlson Argues that there maybe a democratic, multicultural community represented in schools (sexual identity) for homosexuals", America is dominated in a normalizing community, where there is privilege for (white, middle class, male, heterosexuals)"

Evidence

• "Public schools in particular have often promoted "normalizing"in a community that are based on definig a cultural or "norm" and postioming class, gender, race, and sexual othersat the margins".
• "Normalizing texts systematically exclude and neglect the culture of those outside the norm for the purpose of ratifying or legitimizing the dominant culture as the only significant culture worth studying".
• "Community gets redefined in a noninclusive manner so that we are unable to articulate a comon or "public" interest"

Comments

To be honest the text was very hard for me to follow, because it was so much information to put in; if that makes sense. I really have a big issue on the statement that was made" homosexuality is contagious", I do not agree with it at all.; This is only a way for the school department to decline homsexual teachers to teach in schools. Other then that Carlson declared his point in giving examples to support his ideas.

Talking points #2

Richard Rodriguez, Aria

Premise

• Family
• Language
• Change
• Diversity
• Individuality
• Culture
• Embarassment

Author's Argument

'Rodriguez argues that when your family is from a foregin country, you automatically loose your own individuality; because "one is obliged to adapt to an unfamiliar language" it is hard to change what one is used too.

Evidence

• The nun would persist, 'Richard stand up. Don't look at the floor. Speak up, speak to the entire class, not just to me; But I couldn't believe that the english language was mine to use.
• I neede a full yaer of special attention
• I couldn't use Mama and Papa. They would have been too painful reminders of how much had changed in my life.

Comments

'Rodriguez expresses his feelings about change through his family and education. It is hard for him to adjust to speaking english in the beginning, but he noticed that him and his family learning english seems to pull them apart. Learning english and to speak properly is a struggle; especially if it is not your first language. I really can not realte to this situation, but my parents are from Nigeria, and I know it was hard for them to adjust. I wish I could speak Nigerian to my parents. I only can understand I kmow some words, but can not speak fluently, which is sad! I really liked when Richard finally spoke up in class, and felt equal instead of being looked at as the kid that couldn't speak english.

Talking Points

Peggy Mclntosh, "White Privilege"

• White Privilege
• Ignorance
• Dominance
• Overpower

Mclntosh argues that white people have a better privilege in the world; than people of color do. Being white puts her in advantage.

Mclntosh points out the privileges

• I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
• I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
• I can chose blemish or badages in" flesh" color that more or less matches my skin.

In reading the text I liked the way Mclntosh points out her ideas, she makes a statement that I truly agree on. "This is not such a free country; ones life is not what one makes of it; many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own". I agree with this staement, because If all the things she has pointed out in the text are true; we are NOT living in a free country. I can see some similarties in this textand Johnson's piece "Privilege, Power, and Difference, They bothe discuss almost the same thing. Both authors state some of the privilegesof the white race; going out shopping, and not being followed, not being looked at in a different way. Mclntosh stated her facts and mind very well, all she wants is freedom and equality for all.

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Hello my name is Felicia Asiana, this is my second year attending RIC. I transfered from CCRI, which I am glad I did. When I am not in Class I am usually worknig At MLK as an YMCA after school Counselor.