1. On those days the students were obliged to stay indoors and sit in rows and maintain silence on the floor of a small room that had been designated "the gymnasium."
What does this type of authority teach the students. As educators we want students to have some voice in the education and in the classroom. Sitting quietly in a gym does not influence their learning at all, it actually even makes their education experience awful. We want students to enjoy school and want to wake up in the morning and actually go, but doing this is going to make the students hate school and actually give them reasons to not learn and skip the school day. What does this type of treatment do for the students future? I will tell you this, it is definitely not going to help their future as human beings and as students.
2. The teacher, moreover, did not merely name and govern every inellectual event with practiced specificity, he also issued his directions slowly, pacing words with a meticulous delivery that brought to my mind the way the staff attendants spoke to the Alzheimers patients at my fathers nursing home.
Students do not want to be treated like babies and talking to them slowly like an Alzheimers patients is not going t help them. If you do not give the students the respect they want and treat them like the age they are, than you as an educator will not get the respect you want from them. This quote tells me that these educators are not giving the students a voice, and it seems very authoritative. When I think of this quote, it makes me think the educators do not care what the kids want in their education and reading this quote makes me think that these educators think the kids are stupid. Its the teachers job to give the students enjoyment, but this type of education is not helpful to the kids. Honestly, what are they really learning by getting treated like babies trying to learn their first words.
3. Thats a level four suggestion.
What? Since when do schools refer to everything as levels. What kind of curriculum is that? A student makes a great point in class, and the teacher give him/her feedback by saying, "that was a level four response." Since when did education and students become arcade game, like pacman. And by using levels for the students shows the students that there are higher levels and starts unneeded competition between students. A kid should not have worry about if he is saying something wrong and wait for the teacher to respond back with, "well that was a level one response." Our society has come to the point, where students and children have no voice and are actually looked down upon. No one should be an educator if this is the approach they want to take with students because it is much more harmful than helpful.
4. The uniform activities and teachers words controlled my own experience perhaps as much as they controlled and muted the expressiveness of children.
In this school students do not have the right to be creative and express their feelings. The educators have no right to tell the students who and who they cant be. If someone likes music or art or even english, a teacher has no right to control that student and tell he/she not to enjoy those subjects. Since when did our school systems become the Army or Marines? If we wanted this much control in our schools everyone would go to a military school. I'm not saying a military school is bad, just sayin it is not for everyone. Every student learns different and teachers cannot mold all students into their perfect learner. It is our roles as educators to adapt to the students learning styles and mold ourselves into an all around teacher that encourages diversity and individuality. This schools curriculum was so structured and harsh, the author even felt controlled at the school. I can only imagine how these students felt day after day, knowing they had no voice.
5. If we were not a segregated school, if there were middle class white children here, the parents would rebel at this curriculum and they would stop it cold-like that.
I find this quote very interesting, because it seems to be the students that attend this school are in touch with society and know big of a role race plays in certain things. It also says something about the community they are in the type of upbringing they have. It sounds to me like their own parents have not stepped forward and attempt to fight for a change in the curriculum. I think this shows in a lower class community there is more to worry about than a childs education. I feel their attitude is "as long as they are getting an education, right?" This quote may also state that no one cares because there are no white people involved in the school, so why bother with a change. It boggles me that no one has looked at the success rate in this school, because this type of educating cannot have high graduation rates or success rates. These teachers obviously do not want success, they want authority and nothing else. A school system like this should be looked at and should not be unheard of because I believe they are runing lives.
6. Public schools prepared students for the workplace by teaching them to come to the same place everyday, stay there for a prescribed number of hours, and follow the teachers (boss) instructions.
This is how the school was in the olden days, but has this education approach even changed? From reading chapter 3 and 4, it seems some public schools have not changed there educational approach. And I do not understand why the olden days would want that type of education. This type of approach does not teach kids to express their interest and it definitely does not teach them to be creative. Children need open ended questions, they need diversity, and they need voice in the classroom because that is how students become better human being and worokers. To be honest after reading this quote, have public schools really changed? I do not believe teachers at public schools get to know the children and really bond with the students enough in order to really help them in the way educators need to. I myself went to prep school, and to this day I am still connected with at least 10 of my teachers because they actually cared about me and impacted my life in the positive way that teachers are supposed to. This quote really got me thinking, we might need better professionals in our public school.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Class 2 Readings
Time Wise- The N word
"I am from the South, and frankly, have never much appreciated the word "redneck," which is so often used against white Southerners, largely because I know it as a slur against working class whites, especially rural folks, whose labor in the sun would cause their necks to become "red." "
I believe this quote shows that society, no matter where someone is from, does not enjoy words pinpointed at their cultures, race, or upbringing. But the word redneck does not even compare to the N word, or does it? I actually know a lot of people from the south that take pride in people calling them rednecks or hicks. They explain to me that it's their heritage so why should they be ashamed of it. I agree, but is the word red neck really as hateful as the N word? The white southerners have something to proud of when it comes to their upbringing, but the N word does not come from black people, nor is it something to be proud of because the word comes from a situation they were made to deal with, they didnt have freedom, like the white southerners. The N word was given to them in pure hate and that is much worse than making a slur out of comedy.
Time Wise- The N word
"As Biddle put it, while Cochell's choice of words to describe one of his players (ostensibly in a light-hearted manner), was clearly unacceptable and deserving of censure, it was no more offensive than the casual use of the same term by blacks themselves, on the playground or from a stage, as with the comedy of Chris Rock or Richard Pryor (the latter of which has actually stopped using the n-word for more than two decades, unbeknownst, apparently, to Biddle)."
When a white person uses the n-word in their vocabulary, it is always considered hateful, but what is it when people of the same race use the hateful words? I believe society today has gotten real strict with racism because the past history. There are plenty of racist terms for white people today, but when a person of a different race calls me one I really do not react. This makes an interesting conversation because I react the same way as a black person would to the N word being said by another black person. Why is this? First, I think the black community is trying to take the N word back and turn it into something positive. They are proving that the past is the past and look where our race is at now, so it is as if they are throwing the word around as a joke. I also believe that white america does not have the traumatic past like the black community, so when a white person says it, even if its a joke, it will always be frowned upon because of the history. I think a black person calling a white person a racist name does not affect the white person because there is no history behind the words. The names they are saying are just words trying to diffuse the past and in some cases to expsose some hatred that may be built up in their race.
Tim Wise- Blinded by the White: Race, Crime, and Columbine High
"Imagine a quiet, suburban community; the kind commonly referred to as a "nice place to live and raise kids." It's a community known for civic pride, affluent families, and schools where the students score well above average on aptitude tests. It's also 93 percent white."
I took a liking to this quote because it lays out the "perfect" scenario or place for people. It makes me laugh to think that people actually think there are communities like this. Yes, there are great places to live and raise kids, but this quote describes a fantasy world. The last line really caught my eye. 93% white? Everything has to come back to race, and I do not understand why. I live in a town that might fall under the category of this quote, but i will be the first one to tell, my town is not perfect. Yes affluent home and families, but having money can lead to different things, like highly expensive drugs. So just because my town looks good, people are going to ignore the drug problem? There is not one place or person that is perfect. Granted being a great town to live in, every place has its flaws. So when you think of it, nothing has to do with race. It does not matter if it is 93% white or black, there will always be problems and I think society today can ignore this just because of the nice landmarks and small community with a great high school. I will tell you this though, people stuck in these type of towns lack knowledge of diversity and can be blind to what is going on around them.
Tim Wise- Blinded by the White: Race, Crime, and Columbine High
"We moved from the city to get away from things like this."
Yes, people move just to get away from crime, but what are they really getting away from? Cities do have higher murder rates, but they can still be great places to live. People are so scared about something bad happening to them, they are oblivious to some other crimes that can occur in different areas. Moving from an area of murder to an area of drugs and bullying may not be considered a better move. Hear me out when I say this, drugs and bullying can and will lead to murder and I know this for a fact. So I go back to my original question, what are people really getting away from? Well hear is a thought for you, statistics show that more ethnicities live in the cities, so people may be getting away from the other races, therefore these people are racists and what a fresh start in a more white community. I think people living in the city see it as a pool of crime, but remember there is crime everywhere and if its not murder, other things can influence it to be.
Tim Wise- Blinded by the White: Race, Crime, and Columbine High
"Once again, the racialization of deviance has allowed us to let down our guard to the greatest threats to our safety: not people of color (if we're white), but our own white children, white parents, white neighbors, white husbands, white lovers and white friends."
I chose this specific quote because people can be blind to their surroundings. It does not matter if the community is rural with white picket fences and everyone knows everyone. People have secrets and just because you have coffee with a person that morning, does not mean that person is not hiding anything. We tend to let our guard down to people that mirror us, but the main problems can stem from our white society. It just proves that racism is still a problem in our society today, because it has fooled the white society to think that crime only comes from different races. No one would ever think that two white kids from columbine high would go on a killing spree at their school on their own community. Eventhough those two kids gave everyone warning signs, people were blinded by their skin color and to the fact that the community was so tight knit. They did not think anybody who grew up in that community could commit such a devasting crime. Thats when the question of race comes into play, if the two kids were black would have the authorities gotten involved earlier and prevented a shooting? All I know is that town will never be the same, not because of two black kids, but the two white kids who grew up in that beautiful town.
Tim Wise- Blinded by the White: Race, Crime, and Columbine High
"Maybe that's why all those shows like Leave it To Beaver, Father Knows Best, and the Brady Bunch were so popular: not because many people actually lived like that, but because they didn't, and could escape into this unreal fantasy life via the television. After all, why watch a program that looks just like your daily routine? That would be boring."
This is an interesting quote because it brings up a point that not many people would think of. I believe that people watched these shows not to escape into a fantasy world, but white people actually believed they could live like them. Everyone wanted that perfect family, perfect jobs, perfect house, and watching these shows actually boosted the confidence of the white societies in thinking they can actually have that perfect life. Once again I believe this quote signifies the blindess of the white society, they were blind to the real world. Everyone wanted to be that affluent family with a great name in the town, but lacked the realization of the likelihood of it happening. I believe it does not matter how you are brought up and where you live, but it truly lies in who brought you up. This quote has a lot to do with image and materialistic things, but I believe it all comes down to family. It does not matter how you live, as long as you have the family to live it with. Family, the backbone to life.
"I am from the South, and frankly, have never much appreciated the word "redneck," which is so often used against white Southerners, largely because I know it as a slur against working class whites, especially rural folks, whose labor in the sun would cause their necks to become "red." "
I believe this quote shows that society, no matter where someone is from, does not enjoy words pinpointed at their cultures, race, or upbringing. But the word redneck does not even compare to the N word, or does it? I actually know a lot of people from the south that take pride in people calling them rednecks or hicks. They explain to me that it's their heritage so why should they be ashamed of it. I agree, but is the word red neck really as hateful as the N word? The white southerners have something to proud of when it comes to their upbringing, but the N word does not come from black people, nor is it something to be proud of because the word comes from a situation they were made to deal with, they didnt have freedom, like the white southerners. The N word was given to them in pure hate and that is much worse than making a slur out of comedy.
Time Wise- The N word
"As Biddle put it, while Cochell's choice of words to describe one of his players (ostensibly in a light-hearted manner), was clearly unacceptable and deserving of censure, it was no more offensive than the casual use of the same term by blacks themselves, on the playground or from a stage, as with the comedy of Chris Rock or Richard Pryor (the latter of which has actually stopped using the n-word for more than two decades, unbeknownst, apparently, to Biddle)."
When a white person uses the n-word in their vocabulary, it is always considered hateful, but what is it when people of the same race use the hateful words? I believe society today has gotten real strict with racism because the past history. There are plenty of racist terms for white people today, but when a person of a different race calls me one I really do not react. This makes an interesting conversation because I react the same way as a black person would to the N word being said by another black person. Why is this? First, I think the black community is trying to take the N word back and turn it into something positive. They are proving that the past is the past and look where our race is at now, so it is as if they are throwing the word around as a joke. I also believe that white america does not have the traumatic past like the black community, so when a white person says it, even if its a joke, it will always be frowned upon because of the history. I think a black person calling a white person a racist name does not affect the white person because there is no history behind the words. The names they are saying are just words trying to diffuse the past and in some cases to expsose some hatred that may be built up in their race.
Tim Wise- Blinded by the White: Race, Crime, and Columbine High
"Imagine a quiet, suburban community; the kind commonly referred to as a "nice place to live and raise kids." It's a community known for civic pride, affluent families, and schools where the students score well above average on aptitude tests. It's also 93 percent white."
I took a liking to this quote because it lays out the "perfect" scenario or place for people. It makes me laugh to think that people actually think there are communities like this. Yes, there are great places to live and raise kids, but this quote describes a fantasy world. The last line really caught my eye. 93% white? Everything has to come back to race, and I do not understand why. I live in a town that might fall under the category of this quote, but i will be the first one to tell, my town is not perfect. Yes affluent home and families, but having money can lead to different things, like highly expensive drugs. So just because my town looks good, people are going to ignore the drug problem? There is not one place or person that is perfect. Granted being a great town to live in, every place has its flaws. So when you think of it, nothing has to do with race. It does not matter if it is 93% white or black, there will always be problems and I think society today can ignore this just because of the nice landmarks and small community with a great high school. I will tell you this though, people stuck in these type of towns lack knowledge of diversity and can be blind to what is going on around them.
Tim Wise- Blinded by the White: Race, Crime, and Columbine High
"We moved from the city to get away from things like this."
Yes, people move just to get away from crime, but what are they really getting away from? Cities do have higher murder rates, but they can still be great places to live. People are so scared about something bad happening to them, they are oblivious to some other crimes that can occur in different areas. Moving from an area of murder to an area of drugs and bullying may not be considered a better move. Hear me out when I say this, drugs and bullying can and will lead to murder and I know this for a fact. So I go back to my original question, what are people really getting away from? Well hear is a thought for you, statistics show that more ethnicities live in the cities, so people may be getting away from the other races, therefore these people are racists and what a fresh start in a more white community. I think people living in the city see it as a pool of crime, but remember there is crime everywhere and if its not murder, other things can influence it to be.
Tim Wise- Blinded by the White: Race, Crime, and Columbine High
"Once again, the racialization of deviance has allowed us to let down our guard to the greatest threats to our safety: not people of color (if we're white), but our own white children, white parents, white neighbors, white husbands, white lovers and white friends."
I chose this specific quote because people can be blind to their surroundings. It does not matter if the community is rural with white picket fences and everyone knows everyone. People have secrets and just because you have coffee with a person that morning, does not mean that person is not hiding anything. We tend to let our guard down to people that mirror us, but the main problems can stem from our white society. It just proves that racism is still a problem in our society today, because it has fooled the white society to think that crime only comes from different races. No one would ever think that two white kids from columbine high would go on a killing spree at their school on their own community. Eventhough those two kids gave everyone warning signs, people were blinded by their skin color and to the fact that the community was so tight knit. They did not think anybody who grew up in that community could commit such a devasting crime. Thats when the question of race comes into play, if the two kids were black would have the authorities gotten involved earlier and prevented a shooting? All I know is that town will never be the same, not because of two black kids, but the two white kids who grew up in that beautiful town.
Tim Wise- Blinded by the White: Race, Crime, and Columbine High
"Maybe that's why all those shows like Leave it To Beaver, Father Knows Best, and the Brady Bunch were so popular: not because many people actually lived like that, but because they didn't, and could escape into this unreal fantasy life via the television. After all, why watch a program that looks just like your daily routine? That would be boring."
This is an interesting quote because it brings up a point that not many people would think of. I believe that people watched these shows not to escape into a fantasy world, but white people actually believed they could live like them. Everyone wanted that perfect family, perfect jobs, perfect house, and watching these shows actually boosted the confidence of the white societies in thinking they can actually have that perfect life. Once again I believe this quote signifies the blindess of the white society, they were blind to the real world. Everyone wanted to be that affluent family with a great name in the town, but lacked the realization of the likelihood of it happening. I believe it does not matter how you are brought up and where you live, but it truly lies in who brought you up. This quote has a lot to do with image and materialistic things, but I believe it all comes down to family. It does not matter how you live, as long as you have the family to live it with. Family, the backbone to life.
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