Unlearning the myths that bind us - Linda Christensen

Unlearning the myths that bind us - Linda Christensen

    



Before reading this article, I saw Disney movies and cartoons as the innocent movies and shows I grew up watching. I remember having many movie nights where I would get my popcorn and get lost in the stories of the Disney princesses I loved to look up to. I use to look up to all of the princesses and the stories their movies told.
     After reading this article, Christensen has got me thinking. She's got me critiquing the "innocent" movies I once loved. Whether intentional or not there were stereotypes throughout all of the movies I can think of. Whether it be a man/prince as the hero, a damsel in distress, or the appearance of one's figure, they were there. With this being said, do I personally believe watching these movies influenced me? Yes, I do. But I also believe that my parents did a great job at showing me that these were just stories, they were just fairy tales. I'm not saying that the stereotypes weren't in them, but I feel it is important for the parents to be aware of what their child is watching and take affirmative action and teach their child what is the right thing to focus on. Or use one of the stereotypes as a lesson and teach them why something is or isn't right. There are stereotypes in everything we watch no matter what age so it's important to teach the right materials when faced with this.

Speaking the unspeakable in forbidden places

Speaking the unspeakable in forbidden places: addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in the primary school

This article really opened my eyes to a culture I was aware that existed but never fully understood. I think it’s important to accept every person for who they are no matter what one’s skin color, sexual orientation, or gender is. I believe someone is defined as a person for what is on the inside, for all the good people can do.

In reading this article, it made me aware of some of the hardships people of LGBT go through that I didn’t realize. No one should have to hide their sexual orientation because they fear they would lose a job or be judged. I feel in our society today there are so many differences people have that there shouldn’t be any judgments being passed.

                                        
“The researchers within the project have spent considerable time exploring how it might be possible to make safe spaces in which children can talk about sexualities and difference, including the sexualities of their parents, their parents’ friends, or indeed themselves.” – Allan raises a valid point here, it is important for children as well as anyone who needs support to have “safe spaces” in which they can go and talk. I think it’s very  important for there to be
open communication.    Whether it be for support or helping others learn about  LGBT . Children should be taught about what  LGBT  is so they can form their own opinions and understandings. Children see it in their everyday lives so why not be open with them about what they are seeing instead of trying to hide it from them? If children are more educated about what is around them they will understand more and ask the right questions. They will grow up with open minds, and hopefully they wont live in a society where people are, "denied or forced out of a job because of sexual orientation."

The link below is an article I found on, “Legacy Walk honors  LGBT  “guardian angels”. It describes a walk as "the world's only outdoor museum walk and youth education program dedicated to combating anti-gay bullying by celebrating LGBT contributions to history." I think this article is a good read and relates to Allan's article.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-gay-plaque-wrigleyville-20141012-story.html

"Why can't she remember that?"

The Importance of storybook reading in multilingual, multicultural classrooms

By: Terry Meier

“Despite their diverse backgrounds, all children bring to school rich linguistic abilities acquired through social interaction in their homes and communities” – This is very true. Meier gives you a great insight into this as well with explaining Marisa, Lem, and Gabriela’s upbringing and home lives.

Children learn all different ways, and it is important as the teacher to be aware of this and take the initiative to bring in different ways of teaching into the classroom. With focusing on: The importance on connecting children to text, the 3 main points really do a great job explaining and making the reader understand the importance.

1.      Choose books that relate to children’s lives: I feel like if a child can relate to a book, it is easier for them to learn and understand.

2.      Teach book reading behaviors explicitly: “it is especially important in multilingual, multicultural classrooms for children to feel (a) that their teachers’ comments and responses “make sense” and (b) that these either fit with, or differ from in understandable ways, the assumptions about language that they bring from home.” This quote is very true. It is important for the child to understand what the teacher is saying and understand why something is different from the way they know it.

3.      Make books come alive: When Meier discusses the use of “dolls and puppets to help read books in lively and engaging ways, children can use them to dramatize the story in the book or to create new dialogues and stories of their own.” I never really thought about how using something like a puppet could have such a learning difference to a child. It makes complete sense. 

There were many new and positive things I learned. This article was extremely informative and I took a lot away from reading this.

 

The Silenced Dialogue by Lisa Delpit

The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children

By: Lisa Delpit

 

When first reading this article I didn’t really like it. I don’t think it’s right that people don’t speak their minds or go silent because they don’t feel like others will listen no matter what the color of their skin is. I believe that that everyone has an equal voice and everyone deserves to be listened to. This article really focuses on the five aspects of power, however I’d like to focus on the first two. First, Issues of power are enacted in classrooms. With the issues of power in the classroom, power is everywhere. It’s not only with teacher and student, but with the structure of the school, academics that teachers need to follow, or social hierarchy. Second, there are codes or rules for participating in power; that is, there is a “culture or power.” “The codes or rules I’m speaking of relate to linguistic forms, communicative strategies, and presentation of self; that is, way of talking, ways of writing, ways of dressing, and ways of interacting.” I believe that every child learns differently and it’s important for the teachers to realize that and try to accommodate every student. But I also feel it’s very important for teachers to maintain control of the classroom as well. That doesn’t necessarily have to be in the way they structure their sentences either. I don’t think you have to command something to get a positive reaction.

 

Overall I found this article to be very informative.  

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhGsy3QUSow


http://gtm.s3.amazonaws.com/t/1074782/m/m7e8354cc719c4ead762655a6b516edb205dd57a0.jpg

 

White Privilege: Peggy McIntosh

     In McIntosh’s article I think she does a great job making you aware that white privilege is out there and it does exist in today’s society.

     She firsts introduced us to white privilege saying that she had been taught, “about racism as something which puts others at a disadvantage, but had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege which puts me at an advantage.” I agree with her, if we were never taught or shown that white people were at an advantage why would they recognize it? If they weren’t aware that something exists how could they recognize it?  I think that it is a very blind way to teach youths about issues in our society.

     Growing up in a middle class, mostly all white rural community, at first it was hard for me to relate my own experiences to this article. I could read and understand what McIntosh was saying, I agreed with the things she brought up, but I could not personally relate. Other than seeing things on television shows, movies or the news I never saw white privilege or had to learn how understand that it does exist. Which got me thinking that white people are unconscious about white privilege just like how McIntosh said that males are unconscious of male privilege.

      I really like this quote she used, “I was taught to see myself as an individual whose moral state depended on her individual moral will.” I believe everyone should be taught this no matter what skin color you have. It is extremely important for any person at any age to learn that.

      “Since race and sex are not the only advantaging systems at work, we need similarly to examine the daily experience of having age advantage, or ethnic advantage, or physical ability, or advantage related to nationality, religion or sexual orientation.” There is always going to be some form of privilege over another.  I believe that with time and conscious efforts and people using their voices these privileges could be something of the past. But we need to be conscious that it’s out there and act together to better them.