Kahne and Westheimer, "In Service of What?"

My Reflection:

"In Service of What?"

By: Joseph Kahen and  Joel Westheimer

       Paragraph 4 makes a really strong point on the importance of service learning.

It states that, "recognizing the potential of service learning, policy makers, legislators, and educators have promoted initiatives at the local, state, and national levels. The National and Community Service Act of 1990 and President Clinton's examples of this trend. Millions of dollars have been targeted for educators around the country, and many service learning programs are supported by city and statewide initiatives.1"

     According to this article, the service learning advocates have to find common ground to accommodate multiple agendas such as, Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, business leaders and community activists.

Strong leaders such as, Bill Clinton, Ralph Nader, George Bush, William F. Buckley have all gone on record as strong advocates of service learning in American schools. Yet controversial issues surrounding the means and ends of service learning have been pushed to the background. (2)

     The way I'm understanding this article, is that Service Learning is highly regarded with strong advocates for it from community leaders and even presidents but somehow all the everyone's agenda need to be accommodated

There's even a chart that has to break down Service Learning Goal

        MORAL                                POLITICAL                                  INTELLECTUAL

Charity =giving                             Civic duty                                       Additive Experience

Change  = caring                           Social Reconstruction                    Transformative Experience

                                                        

Personally, I have had really great experiences with service learning I have done in the past.

I think both examples of the approaches used in this article by the two teachers can work hand-in-hand if implemented in a way that ultimately answer the question "In the Service of What?"

I'm not quite sure I fully understand the point of this article. I found some parts of it a bit had to comprehend. Perhaps with some class discussions, I'll have a better understanding.

Here is a great website that's geared toward helping teacher, student, parent, administrator, community partner and service learning research, find the tools and project ideas to START A SL PROGRAM

http://servicelearning.childreninc.org/

    2 Min Youtube SL presentation 

Extended Comments on Yer's Blog on Christensen, "Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us"

     I really enjoyed reading your blog on the issue of how the media has so much control over its viewers. Media is a very powerful tool. It can be good and it can be evil. Many people can be easily swayed into believing what they see and hear without taking the time to learn the facts.


     I love the link you posted of the Disney Stereotypes. I have two young girls and of course we've seen the princess movies, we have the books and the Barbie dolls. I don't think I have ever really thought of these cartoons as being stereotypes-but are they ever! As your article states, prior to the Disney's Mulan, all the princesses were white, beautiful, long haired, very thin and from prominent families. And of course, they all needed to find the prince of their dreams and live happily ever after.


     This class and these types of articles we read and share with each other are so important. For me personally, I will be much more observant, open-minded and really ask myself, what is the point the movie or book is getting across? What is the media saying? Are they trying to sway our thinking and opinions? Especially as a parent, WE need to be our children's fist source of truth! We have to pay attention, we have to be informed and we have to closely monitor what our kids are watching and reading, we have to have open conversations with them and ask them to give us their feedback on what they are thinking and feeling when reading a book, watching a movie or even a 30 second commercial.


     Thanks again, Yer. I loved reading your blog. A great perspective for me.








This is a great article relating to this topic..


http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/04/01/disney-princes-princesses-slaves-stereotypes/

SPEAKING THE UNSPEAKBLE IN FORBIDDEN PLACES: addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in the primary school

        First, I would like to point out two statements that really captured my attention while reading this article.

The opening paragraph itself is one of them:

It describes how our schools are thought of as a place of safety and innocence; a place where childhood is both nurtured and sheltered, so in context, 'adult' situations such as, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender identities are made absent because they are sometimes seen as intrusions into or threats to this safety zone. The use of the phrases 'intrusions into' and 'threats' made me have to reread the paragraph. I underlined the entire sentence because I found it to be very provocative and unsettling. But, I get the author's point. It's a truth that goes unspoken.

The second statement is on page 10:

"Teachers shouldn't 'abdicate their teaching authority' by neglecting to assist children in understanding that certain authorial voices are more worthwhile than others. Rather, as 'directors of conversation' it can be argued that teachers should take responsibility for helping pupils to recognize sexuality and thereby work towards greater social justice."

As a parent of two children in elementary school, I have to be very active in understanding and knowing their surroundings in and out of school. I have to admit, in most cases it is very difficult sitting my kids down and having open and honest discussions regarding whatever issues or questions they may have.
Children are very smart and perceptive. They understand and accept a whole more than we give them credit for. It is the prejudices and ignorance of the adults are then passed down to the children.
Of course it depends on the child's age and maturity level as to how much detailed information they should be given. My children know that some families have two moms and others may have two dads. My eleven year old daughter has had a best friend since the 2nd grade who has to moms. My daughter had come home from school one day with a birthday party invitation from her friend, and she said to me in one breath, "Sara invited me to her birthday party, can I go, and she has to mommies, that's cool."

In my opinion, it is imperative to have open and honest discussions with children at an early age. They must not be made ashamed of theirs or others' sexual orientation. I feel schools and families have to come together on this issue. I know many families will oppose the idea of schools teaching their kids about sex and sexual orientation, but I think if everyone gets involved in this conversation, we can figure out ways that best help our children-the next generation- to be respectful, caring, compassionate and loving to all human beings.

PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO READ BELOW ARTICLE. Thank you.

Anti-Gay Bullying Tied to Teen Depression, Suicide

Suicidal thoughts more likely for kids victimized over sexual orientation, research finds

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/05/16/anti-gay-bullying-tied-to-teen-depression-suicide



EXTENDED COMMENTS...Follow up to Adam's blog, AMAZING GRACE

Hello everyone,
Upon reading Adam Dutra's perspective on JONATHAN KOZOL: AMAZING GRACE,
I wanted to add my own perspective and point of view, my Extended Comments on Adams'.


Adam made a great point about being raised in a nice, quiet, trouble-free affluent suburbia of Bristol, RI, or so he thought, until he was old enough to see and realize that no such place really exist. He realized that there too, was ongoing drug abuse, harsh drugs, which recently took the lives of three teenagers. He also talks about alcohol abuse, homelessness and even a shooting at Colt State Park, where it is seen a one of the nicest, safest family friendly parks in RI.

The main point I want to add to Adam's discussion is that 'just because you don't see the problem, doesn't mean it isn't there.' In other words, a city, town or community that possess some power and privilege are much more capable of hiding their truths. Upper class families in these communities have the financial means and perhaps some political power to be able to handle and perhaps 'be rid' of the negative attention/situations that may arise that would blemish their family name and community. They are also in a position to get medical, psychological and the best educational assistance for their children.


Now, when it comes to The Bronx, NY, for assistance, it is not a community of power and prestige.
They do not have the means to get the medical care, for assistance, drug rehab, detox centers and commitment to education. I don't think there is anyone fighting for them. When people are in a state of such despair, I think it is extremely difficult for them to come out of it without strong outside intervention.


 Their lives and dire situations are not being protected and hidden from the outside the world.

Then end.

Adam, thank you for the great article you wrote. It made me realize I too had perspectives I wanted to add on to yours.

              An Autobiography

HUNGER OF MEMORY

The Education of Richard Rodriguez

My REFLECTION on this article:

When I read this autobiography by Richard Rodriguez, it made me recall when I first came to America as a nine year old kid not knowing one single word of English. Within a month or so of being in this new WORLD, my sister and I were enrolled in a bilingual classroom at James Otis Elementary School in East Boston, MA., where we lived for several years.

A picture of James Otis Elementary School in East Boston, MA (107 years old). First school I attended in the U.S.

As Richard Rodriguez recalls his childhood experience as a new student in an American Catholic School classroom setting, it wasn't at all pleasant to him. As I understand it, he remembers the experience as unfriendly, belittling, sad and very painful.
Richard was of Latino descent with an extremely minimal English language vocabulary, and now is in a classroom with white classmates, many of whom were the children of doctors, lawyers and business executives.

Richard goes on to recall how the nuns at his school came to his home to meet with his parents in an effort to enforce that the whole family speak only English at home. His parents obliged and from then on  spoke only English, although they themselves spoke very little of it, but felt it was extremely imperative to follow the teachers' advise. Richard, however, felt otherwise, he did want to abandon his traditional familial language of Spanish. It was a language of comfort and warmth to him. One that he took pride in and did not want to forget or neglect. He felt his culture was somehow being dismissed or was less important than that of the American culture.

I, on the other hand, as someone who experienced being introduced into a bilingual classroom at the age of nine, loved it! I, unlike Richard, couldn't wait to learn English. I wanted desperately to be able to communicate with the other children; to learn about their culture; to speak and play freely with no language barrier. I didn't see it as abandoning my heritage, language and culture, but more, as embracing my new one.

Is there such a thing as embracing your new adaptations, such as, culture; language; educational system; and perhaps even religion, without forgoing your own traditional culture, beliefs and
heritage? Can 'balance' ever be achieved to make for a happy and satisfied life?

To learn more about Richard Rodriguez, visit this website

WHITE PRIVILEGE: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsak...By Peggy McIntosh

Upon reading White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack By Peggy McIntosh, I came across several quotes I found to be very profound and immensely captured my attention.


3 QUOTES I chose:

•  "I have often noticed men's unwillingness to grant that they are over privileged, even though they may grant that women are disadvantaged.

This is such a great point she makes. She says men will work to improve women's status, in society, in schools, at the work place, but they can't or won't support the idea of lessening men's. She uses the word "denials", that men's denial of their advantages, which they gain from women's disadvantages, protect male privilege from being fully acknowledged, lessened or ended.

• "I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was 'meant' to remain oblivious."

In my opinion, the above statement is so powerful! I think she these phrases, such as, 'unearned assets'; 'cashing in'; and "meant" to remain oblivious'; to provocatively get her point across. And for me it did.

• "Whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal, so that we work to benefit others, this is seen as work which will allow "them" to be more like "us."

McIntosh writes that she decided to try to work on herself at least by identifying some of the daily effects of white privilege on her life. She compiles a list of 26 realizations of simple things she goes through on a daily basis-simple because she is white, but may be very difficult or impossible for a non-white person.


To learn more about Dr. Peggy McIntosh, read her Biography.