Talking Points # 8

"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work"
By: JEAN ANYON

(From: Journal of Education, Vol. 162, no. 1, Fall 1980.)

In this article, Anyon argues thats schools these days prepare student sfor jobs based on their economic and social backgrounds. The white rural neighborhood prepares its children to be doctors and lawyers while the inner city elementary schools prepares the children to work in the vocational field.

1.) "In the two working-class schools, work is following the steps of a procedure. The procedure is usually mechanical, involving rote behavior and very little decision making or choice. The teachers rarely explain why the work is being assigned, how it might connect to other assignments, or what the idea is that lies behind the procedure or gives it coherence and perhaps meaning or significance. Available textbooks are not always used, and the teachers often prepare their own dittos or put work examples on the board. Most of the rules regarding work are designations of what the children are to do; the rules are steps to follow. These steps are told to the children by the teachers and are often written on the board. The children are usually told to copy the steps as notes. These notes are to be studied. Work is often evaluated not according to whether it is right or wrong but according to whether the children followed the right steps."

This shows that the teachers and faculty are trying to continue the stereotype that gets this country into trouble. We haveto broaden kids' minds, and show them that they can be whatever they want. If they can't make decisions on their own, it will not lead them to success, but following the crowd, and in an inner-city neighborhood there is not always the right crowd. You haveto make them beleive from an early age too.

2.) "In the middle-class school, work is getting the right answer. If one accumulates enough right answers, one gets a good grade. One must follow the directions in order to get the right answers, but the directions often call for some figuring, some choice, some decision making. For example, the children must often figure out by themselves what the directions ask them to do and how to get the answer: what do you do first, second, and perhaps third? Answers are usually found in books or by listening to the teacher. Answers are usually words, sentences, numbers, or facts and dates; one writes them on paper, and one should be neat. Answers must be given in the right order, and one cannot make them up."

In this setting the faculty lets the students make some decisions for themselves which is good, but they also teach the kids just to get the right answer. Life is not just about getting the right answer, but the way you obtain the answer and when and how you learn the process.

3.) "In the affluent professional school, work is creative activity carried out independently. The students are continually asked to express and apply ideas and concepts. Work involves individual thought and expressiveness, expansion and illustration of ideas, and choice of appropriate method and material."

In the more estute setting the children are taught to think for themselves, and are encouraged to have open minds. This is crucial for owning a successful business, or getting into that good college. This is how we should treat all of our students. We need more open minds, because right now, America is running out of ideas.

This article was easy to understand and read. I never realized it but I do see this in schools. I went to a private school when I was a kid, and we learned completely different than the kids do in my inner-city clasroom. It is an eye-opening article that I would recomend to allteachers if not just for the fact that they could make an individual change in their classroom.

I think that relates to Johnson inthe way we must learn to say the words and stand up for what we want and talk about privelege, power, and difference. I also think that this relates to McIntosh in the way that our schools clearly see whiteness as a privelege. But, in this case it is not really whiteness, it is social class.

Does anybody else see this difference from their elementary schools, and their VIPS school?

Talking Points #7

"ANITA HILL IS A BOY"
TALES FROM A
GENDER-FAIR CLASSROOM

By: Peggy Orenstein

In this piece, Peggy Orenstein argues that she does not want gender byism in the classroom. She wants to bring more females into a "male-dominated" curriculum.

1.) "Women are one-half of the world's people; they do two-thirds of the world's work; they earn one-tenth of the world's income; they own one one-hundredth of the world's property."

This quote states that even though the women make up half of us and do most of the work, that they are not respected enough to earn as much as males in this society.

2.) This is a classroom that's gone through the gender looking glass. It is the mirror opposite
of most classrooms that girls will enter, which are adorned with masculine role models; with male heroes, with books by and about men-- classrooms in which the female self is, at best, an afterthought.

This quote tells us that in history, we learn about heroes in history, but they are all about males. We do have our female heroes, but they are all mentioned and then moved on. We need to spend more time.

3.) "I don't see what the big deal is about women," he says, and I prepare to
hear him say that he's tired of Ms. Logan's unfair focus on the female sex.
But I've judged Jeremy too quickly. "I mean, as long as they're interesting,
what's the difference if they're women? Women are people, too, you know?"

This quote came at the end of the year when one of the kids confronted Ms. Logan about the project. Now after all the work with women, you would think that he was complaining, but it was the exact opposite.

Well I don't think that this is out of the question that this was a litlle heavy on the women side. I remember learning about plenty of women in history. Women have alot more to do with recent history, than past history, and this is because women are alot more involved now. I did think it was easier to read, and it did point out the fact that we need to give women more respect.

I think that this relates to christenson in the fact that Ms. Logan is fighting back but in a respectful and correct manner. Not necessarily exactly what christenson is getting at, but I think it is the closest author.

Do you guys really think that we have such a male dominated curriculum in schools?

Talking Points #6

"One More River to Cross"Recognizing the Real Injury in Brown:
A Prerequisite to Shaping New Remedies
By: Charles Lawrence

In this piece, Charles Lawrence does not necessarily argue a point as much as he states facts as to how the Brown vs. the Board of Education court case influenced our nation.

1.) "In short, segregation American-style, like South African apartheid, has only one purpose: to create and maintain a permanent lower class or subcaste defined as race."

So, our early Americans just wanted to feel like they were above somebody. Whether it was because of all the years of tyranny that our forefathers endured back in Europe, or the just the plain fear of an uproar I don't know but what kind of logic is this. Just think how it would feel to be treated barely one step above an animal.

2.) "The small cadre of lawyers who formulated and implemented the BTCYWIl strategy were well aware that the desegregation of schools would not be a panacea. Their ultimate goal was full political and civil equality for Blacks; they knew that this could not be achieved until the entire system of segregation had been destroyed."

This court case did not completely solve the problem of segregation, but it did shock the world and have alot of influence on the overall outcome of segregation. I think that this is what we should do with major problems today. I think that just because we will not get immediate results, that we are afraid to tackle these issues.

3.) "In Washington v. Davis, the fact that blacks did less well on a standardized test was a direct result of the fact that Washington, D.C., and environs had maintained a school system segregated by law until 1954 (Bolling v. Sharp)" and had perpetuated that segregated system by using an only slightly more sophisticated system of classroom segregation through tracking until 1967 (Hobson v. Hansen)."

This does not show that black kids were dumber than white kids, but it did show that our government spent less attention to the school system provided for blacks. If you want equal results, you haveto teach equally.

This was a little hard to read at the because of all the law jargon, but I acquired a basic gist from the meaning of sentences. I have also learned about the Brown vs. The Board of Education case before, so I knew somewhat to expect. This relates to other racial topics that we have talked about in class before, but this is more about the history. This is where it all started. If folks had not made concious decisions to make statements we would not be as comfortable with race as we are today. Granted we are not perfect now, but we have come a very long way.

Again, I think that if we are going to tackle issues like global warming and world hunger, we are going to haveto make a statement. It has worked for what seemed to be an issue that would never be solved, why can it not work for these issues. Just a thought to bring this issue into our world today.

Talking Points #5

"In The Service Of What?
The Politics of Service Learning"
By Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer

In this article Kahne and Westheimer argue that service learning helps all aspects of the idea. It helps the student as well as the person or people or place that they are helping.

1.) "Service learning makes students active participants in service projects that aim to respond to the needs of the community while furthering the academic goals of students."

This quote supports the authors' argument. Service learning doesn't even have a negative to it. It is positive all the way around.

2.) "For Thanksgiving this year my stepmother and I helped serve the seniors their Thanksgiving dinner. This was a very rewarding experience helping others in need. It seemed that the dinner was something special to them; it was a chance for them to get together with their peers. Many don't have fumilies in the area and are all alone for the holidays."

And for most of us, this is why we have chosen this career path. I personally am willing to give up some of the salary just to see the smile on someone's face when I have tagutht them something valuable. It makes you feel good.

3.) "Efforts to integrate service learning activities into the curriculum have great potential and deserve the support they are now receiving. To date. however, little attention has been given to sorting out the goals and motivations that underlie the spectrum of service learning projects emerging in schools throughout the country. Is it beneficial to point out such differences and risk creating some opposition to service learning? We think so. Clarifying different goals provides educators with an opportunity to consider systematically a range of possible priorities (including some they might otherwise not consider) and the relation of these to their practice. "

Service learning is like any other goal in life. You haveto get to your goal the right way. Do not try to take shortcuts, because it will catch up to you in the end. For example if I went to VIPS every Friday and just tried to stay quiet and get through it each day, it would get me through the day, but in the end I would fail. I haveto stay focussed on my goal of teaching the kids I work with something everytime I go there.

This is a different piece, but a good change in pace. It was easy to read, and it gives me some ideas for the next time that I go to VIPS. It does not directly relate to what we have been reading as far as subject matter, but just as teaching strategies go with diversity, this has some teaching strategies to use at your individual student learning.

Question: What specific strategies can we use to succeed in our individual student learning projects, and give Service Learning projects across the country a good reputation?

Talking Points #4

"Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us"

By: Linda Christensen

Christenson argues that we have to live our lives how we want to live them and not how society wants us to live them. Society tries to tell us what is acceptable and what isn't, but that is not how it goes.

1.) "Our students suckle the same pap. Our society's culture industry colonizes their minds and teaches them how to act, live, and dream."

Christensen means to say that children are getting taught the one way that society has accepted as the right way. In this situation there is no "right" way. If you think about it, America was built off of people breaking away from their "norms" in Europe.

2.) "After viewing a number of cartoons, Kenya scolded parents in an essay, 'A Black Cinderella, give me a break." black person, an Asian, a Hispanic in a cartoon! Did they have a lead 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." Kenya's piece brlsrlcd with anger at a society that rarely acknowledges the wit or beauty ofwomen of her race. And she wasn't alone in her feelings. Sabrina wrote."I'm not taking my kids to see any Walt Disney movies until they have a black woman playing the leading role."

Now, think about this for a minute. We have Pocahontas, a Native American Princess; and Aladdin, who has an Indian Princess; if you wanna throw in some more diversity, we have the little mermaid, who is not like any of us, and Snow White and Cinderella who were deprived, and worked hard. I think that we have alot of diversity here. There is no argument here. Walt Disney did not play any favorites, he probably just did not get around to a Black Princess yet.

3.) "For some the lesson doesn't end in the classroom. Many who watched cartoons before we start our study snv they call no longer enjoy them. Nnw instead or seeing ~ bunch or ducks in clothes, they see the racism, sexism, and violence rhat swim under the surface or the stories."

I think that because issues like racism, sexism, and sexual orientation are such big issues in our society today, people tend to look for it in everything. I mean come on, do you really think that author's of children's cartoons are trying to hide secret messages in their cartoons. I think that we are becoming too sensitive.

This was again, not too bad of a read. It dealt alot with the race issues as well. I think it was a good idea of where our society sees these topics. We do not like anything different, but if someone offends our differences, we get defensive about it. We cannot live like this. We need to have equal respect for each others backgrounds, cultures, and situations.

As a white, straight, male people might think that I do not have the right to say anything, but I have my small issues. I have been joked around about being short for my entire life, until the point where I just said, you know what, it's not going to bother me anymore. There are still times when I feel like lashing out, but then I ask myself if it's going to help. I am short, there is nothing I can do about it. People will always find someway to bring you down, and you just haveto find a reason to keep plugging along.

Talking Point #3

"Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community"

By: Dennis Carlson

In this article, Carlson argues that there should be more diversity within schools including sexual orientation, gender, and race. He also states that even though there is some respect for different cultures and genders, there i not so much respect for the gay community.

1.) "Finally, I want to distinguish between a homosexual orientation or preference, and gay identity. The former I take to refer to the more-or-less natural direction of one's sexual desires while the latter refers to the active construction of a gay self identity and visible gay presence within culture-what I am referring to as gayness. "

I do not understand what he is trying to say about gay identity. Is he talking about people acting like a "gay" person. Ex. wearing flamboyant clothes, talking with a lisp, etc.

2.) "In recent years, popular cultural representations of gayness have moved
beyondthe stereotypesembodied in La Cage aux Folies, much as representa
tions of blackness have moved beyond the stereotypes of Amos and Andy. Vet
in both cases we may legitimately question just how much progress has been
made. "

I really do not think that there has been much progress made. As Carlson says shortly after, we still have stereotypes, they are just different stereotypes. We joke about these issues, but they seem to show up in the media, and therefore is the reason why these issues are the blunt of our jokes.

3.) "Let me then identify some of these concerns and their implications for the study of gay identity. First, and at the most basic level, multicultural education is linked to
the protection and extension of certain democratic "virtues," including the
protection of minority rights and individual freedoms, equity, respect for difference, and (in its fullest form) the development of interlocking webs of caring, supportive relations among individuals. This implies at the very least that educators involve young people in a discussion of gay identity within the context of a discussion of human rights in a democratic community, and it may extend to a discussion of caring for others, including the gay Other, in community. Second, democratic multicultural education must challenge "essentialistic" worldviews that take categories such as gender. sexual identity, and race for granted as "natural" categories having fixed meaning, While our race, gender, and sexuality may, at least to a good degree, be fairly fixed or given, what we make of being gay or straight. man or woman, black or white, is very much cultural as well as personal."

We should include talks that are not opinionated in anyway about the gay community just as much as we should talk about race and gender. They are serious topics that young people may not know much about, but haveto be informed about because it is all around them.

This was a long, but fairly simple piece to read. It was a different topic, but a similar area as our other pieces. It talks about diversity in the sense of the gay community. The other pieces talked more about race and gender. I think that Carlson almost indirectly shares his opinion a little too much on this topic. He seems to put it into a point of view that feels bad for the gay community. I think that it is fine to have whatever opinion you want, but I also think that when you are dealing with any diverse subject, that you can not offer an opinion because people get offended.

As Americans, we tend to judge people when they are different. We like to point out what other people are doing wrong, but think that we are doing nothing wrong. EVERYONE has their own issue! In this respect I can see why Carlson seems to feel bad for the gay community, because, to excuse the phrase but, "there is no love" for the gay community. They are different than typical America. People do not like this. These are the facts, but I think that we definitely should inform the young community about this subject, because they do not understand yet.

Why is being "gay" such a big deal? Why is it bigger than being black, or white, or a man, or a woman? I think it is because it is a relatively new subject to us? What do other people think?

Talking Points #2

"Aria"

By: Richard Rodriguez

In this piece, Rodriguez states that all people come from different backgrounds and speak different languages. He argues that all people from different backgrounds should be assimilated in the public.

1.) "Without question, it would have pleased me to hear my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom. I would have felt much less afraid. I would have trusted them and responded with ease."

Rodriguez, like many other children from different cultural backgrounds, feel overpowered when they go into class. Classes are obviously taught in English, but alot of kids speak a native language at home. This can play a roll in how they learn.

2.) "At last, seven years old, I came to believe what had been technically true since my birth: I was an American citizen."

After Richard's family had started talking to him in English at home, he started to feel more comfortable with speaking out in class. He felt confident. As in this quote, he finally felt like an American Citizen.

3.) "Today I hear bilingual educators say that children lose a degree of individuality' by becoming assimilated into public society. But the bilingualists simplistically scorn the value and necessity of assimilation."

This stands out to me because this was a boy from a bilingual, but strong spanish-speaking background, and after he changed to speaking English fluently, he strongly beleives that people should be publicly assimilated. It is for the best interest of the persons life. It opens job opportunities, and social benefits.

This is a very sensible piece for any teachers in inner city schools. It helps you relate to where alot of children are coming from. Sometimes it is hard for us to see where other people come from, and therefore hard to understand why they are the way they are in public. Again this article deals with race and ethnical backgrounds like our other articles. This was an easy read, and very informative to me as a student teacher. Although I come from an inner city school, I kind of live outside of the city part, so it is hard for me to relate to problems such as this. It intrigues me and makes me want to get more involved.

When I read or hear of problems like this, it motivates me to do something about this. If children are going to lear, we haveto try to get them as close to the same level as we can in the early stages like kindergarten. Right now I am student teaching a kindergarten class, and although it is not what I want to be teaching forever, this will allow me the opportunity to change some things in the classroom. I can pay more attention to pronounciation and tone. I can work with different kids at different rates, knowing that they all do not have the same grasp on things.

I would like to know if anybody in the class has had a similar situation growing up? If so did you have as much trouble as Rodriguez had at becoming assimilated?