Ambrosio
Discourses of truth interact with domains of practice to make objects of knowledge pertinent, valid, and socially accepted. (252)
Question: If students don't understand how to question the discourses of truth how till they know when things are moving or have moved in a direction they must and can change?
For Foucault, morality is not about conformity to prescriptive rules of conduct, but about our real behavior in relation to rules imposed on us, that is, the manner in which we obey or resist, respect or disregard, moral codes and values.(256)
I find this a little confusing. What if the rules imposed on us force us to behave in ways that harm others? Nazi soldiers who were working within the rules and moral codes of their time would now be considered amoral. Would Foucault consider morality our interpretation of the rules? How does the establishment of moral exist within a vacuum of prescribed beliefs and reasonings?
For Foucault, ethics is not concerned with abstract rules and universal principles, the discovery of virtues that enable a purposeful life, fostering certain self-conscious and habitual dispositions of character, or with relations of caring, but with the relation of the self to itself, with how we are constituted, and constitute ourselves, as ethical subjects in relation to systems of truth.(262)
Ironically I find that people who were raised in a moral bound religious home (mostly Jewish or Christians I know) decide that they don't want to "force" religion on their children. I understand the sentiment but I see so many of them lost in child raising because they cannot explain their reasoning and sometimes let their children act like unsocialized heathens and then lament why they aren't behaving! I can respect choices to do this but I wish they would think it through further than they do. Frankly I think that form of neglect is damaging as well as anger induced pankings.
BRE
Being labelled criminals, deviants, even "thugs" and "pests" as homeless people too often are, erases my humanity. (224)
I noted the use of pests here from the book I just read. Baker explained in many fashions that by calling something animalistic the implicit purpose is to erase the humanity.
Governments don't invite us to take part in discussion on issues that affect our lives (225)
This statement reminded me of British nobleman trying to understand the reason for the American Revolution. Their confused response was that most English citizens didn't have representation for their taxation either!
"criminalizing homeless people, rather than addressing root social and economic causes of homelessness, such as lack of affordable housing, availability of social service, and access to jobs with a living wage." (232)
Again I find it so interesting that facts of life we criminalize. Unfortunately I see the class warfare as well but I see that lately it's the actions and means and people who are wealthy that are being criminalized. If I hear again that the rich are complaining about tax increases I will scream. The poor can't complain about how much they pay in federal income taxes AS THEY DO NOT PAY A DIME. The discourse is so slanted to hate the wealthy and middle class who pay ALL THE TAXES that I think meaningful discourse will be shut down in this country.
"She suggests that "poor-bashing is when people who are poor are humiliated, stereotyped, discriminated against, shunned, despised, pitied, patronized, ignored, blamed and falsely accused of being lazy, drunk, stupid, uneducated, having large families, and not looking for work" (Swanson 200T: 2). (233)
This is horrible and should never be done. And can I say that my family would be appalled that having a large familky is a negative? LOL! We have rich and poor in my family and I have myself been both rich and poor and frankly I saw no shame and have no fear of having nothing again. I strongly attribute my 17 year marriage to the fact that my husband started with nothing. When you start with nothing and family is everything, stuff is just stuff.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Film Journal 11
Frontrunners
One of my initial realizations while watching the movie was not only the need to concern one's self with race in a political race such as shown but the cognizance of these students that it is in fact an issue to be dealt with.
I was also struck with the intense desire to compete. Especially on the part of the boy who lost the first round but seemed to want to "win" even when he wasn't that interested in the prize. It was when he started to notice the competition that he really took charge to compete. His partner however seemed more driven from the start. This boy seemed to take the process of one from a typical high school that turns into a popularity contest. These students however seemed very interested in what the candidate could actually achieve. It made me realize that the identification and understanding of one's audience is a skill better learned early in life.
The last think I was very interested in was the representation of space in the film. Public transportation and distances and time seem so very different in that urban setting than in the suburban setting I live in. I would never dream of letting my son travel alone for hours on public transporation at odd hours of the day! Additionally, I noticed that space was "claimed" in the movie by the candidates when they were campaigning. Even though the entrance right into the school was an obvious best choice no other candidate was willing to encroach upon that space.
One of my initial realizations while watching the movie was not only the need to concern one's self with race in a political race such as shown but the cognizance of these students that it is in fact an issue to be dealt with.
I was also struck with the intense desire to compete. Especially on the part of the boy who lost the first round but seemed to want to "win" even when he wasn't that interested in the prize. It was when he started to notice the competition that he really took charge to compete. His partner however seemed more driven from the start. This boy seemed to take the process of one from a typical high school that turns into a popularity contest. These students however seemed very interested in what the candidate could actually achieve. It made me realize that the identification and understanding of one's audience is a skill better learned early in life.
The last think I was very interested in was the representation of space in the film. Public transportation and distances and time seem so very different in that urban setting than in the suburban setting I live in. I would never dream of letting my son travel alone for hours on public transporation at odd hours of the day! Additionally, I noticed that space was "claimed" in the movie by the candidates when they were campaigning. Even though the entrance right into the school was an obvious best choice no other candidate was willing to encroach upon that space.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Reading 10
Morgan
Schooling always involves power relationships and the privileging of certain forms of knowledge. (274)
Critical pedagogy involves recognising how existing curriculum, resources, and approaches to teaching offer students a perspective on the world that serves to marginalise certain voices and ways of life. (274)
The point here is that there is a whole set of social relationships (linked to capital, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and nationality) that structure people's experience of involvement in the production of space. (279)
One of the lessons that children learn from an early age is that space is both enabling and constraining. (281)
I love the concept of critical pedagogy. Not only for questioning that which are social constructs for today but ALSO to analyze the changes that occurred based on past shifting social constructs. While I fully agree with the concept of questioning and analyzing situations from a variety of perspectives I don't think that people fully explore the ramifications of changes in social constructs. "Children have learned that space is both enabling and constraining," but they do so without really evaluating how and why places are enabling and constraining.
How do the implications of space with genders formulated early in life affect a student's interests in specific disciplines?
Inside is often the domain of boys while inside is the domain of girls. Similarly boys spend a lot of time hanging upside down and climbing and experiencing natural phenomenon that make math and science intuitive by the time they enter the classroom. I spent most of my childhood outside with a male cousin near my age and I often wonder if those experiencesw fostered understanding and interest in math and science for me.
How can students interpret space as a social text at different ages?
I remember at a young aget that this same cousin I played with was allowed to do things I was not because I was a girl. One of these was playing baseball. Baseball was the domain of boys even though I was better than Fred at most of the skills required. I believe that this is why I hate baseball even to this day :)
How do the experiences of youth in social situations affect them later in life?
Schooling always involves power relationships and the privileging of certain forms of knowledge. (274)
Critical pedagogy involves recognising how existing curriculum, resources, and approaches to teaching offer students a perspective on the world that serves to marginalise certain voices and ways of life. (274)
The point here is that there is a whole set of social relationships (linked to capital, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and nationality) that structure people's experience of involvement in the production of space. (279)
One of the lessons that children learn from an early age is that space is both enabling and constraining. (281)
I love the concept of critical pedagogy. Not only for questioning that which are social constructs for today but ALSO to analyze the changes that occurred based on past shifting social constructs. While I fully agree with the concept of questioning and analyzing situations from a variety of perspectives I don't think that people fully explore the ramifications of changes in social constructs. "Children have learned that space is both enabling and constraining," but they do so without really evaluating how and why places are enabling and constraining.
How do the implications of space with genders formulated early in life affect a student's interests in specific disciplines?
Inside is often the domain of boys while inside is the domain of girls. Similarly boys spend a lot of time hanging upside down and climbing and experiencing natural phenomenon that make math and science intuitive by the time they enter the classroom. I spent most of my childhood outside with a male cousin near my age and I often wonder if those experiencesw fostered understanding and interest in math and science for me.
How can students interpret space as a social text at different ages?
I remember at a young aget that this same cousin I played with was allowed to do things I was not because I was a girl. One of these was playing baseball. Baseball was the domain of boys even though I was better than Fred at most of the skills required. I believe that this is why I hate baseball even to this day :)
How do the experiences of youth in social situations affect them later in life?
Friday, March 26, 2010
Reading 9
Brewer & Heitzeg
In this era of color-blind racism, there has been a corresponding shift from de jure racism codified explicitly into the law and legal systems to a de facto racism where people of color, especially African Americans, are subject to unequal protection of the laws, excessive surveillance, extreme segregation, and neo–slave labor via incarceration, all in the name of crime control.(626)
There is also no dispute that the poor and people of color, particularly African Americans, are dramatically overrepresented in these statistics at every phase of the criminal justice system. (628)
The legal entrenchment of color-blind racism allowed White supremacist political and economic advantage to be pursued—unchecked by either law or public discourse— under the guise of criminal justice. (635)
This is definitely one aspect of this course where I feel I have learned and grown the most. This article alone caused many dinner conversations among myself, my husband and my son. We had lively discussions about why certain laws carried certain stigmas and punishments while others were badges of honor. Why was Martha Stweart's actions for monetary gain (which were worth far more mind you than the minimum for a felony robbery) considered socially more acceptable than a young male who robs a convenience story? The punishment comparison is too laughable to even attempt.
Now the difference between the two is obvious, however what is different is NOT that I consider one better or worse nor do I advocate leniency based on perpetrator history. What I do feel is that systematic understanding of what we believe are crimes should be deeply considered. Additionally I think that punishments for most white collar crimes are far too lenient. So instead of letting minor crimes off easier I think the other crimes should face harsher punishments. Additionally I still do not fully agree with the concept of the individual and I personally find the concept as an excuse to behave in manners that are dangerous or aren't considered at this time socially acceptable.
Question: What crimes are really important to society? Should the victims and perpetrators color of crimes be taken into account when defining what is and isn't a crime?
My concern is that in the interest of social justice those that are most likely to be victimized by crimes will be MORE victimized in the aftermath of a social revolution. Much like the advocacy of abortion as a birth control for white middle and upper class women that trickled down to be used by black American women who are themselves victimized by the criminal system and the attack on the young black male (leaving many women to raise children alone).
Villenas
For example, women teachers of working-class backgrounds are expected to consume a body of literature that emanates from elite universities from which they are excluded, and that thus excludes them from the production of material used for the teaching profession and their own training. (714)
I also brought politics and subversion to the meetings at which I spoke for the community leaders. I did not say what they wanted to hear, stirring controversy at one meeting and causing some Whites to reacy defensively at another. (725)
I think that Villenas piece should be read by all teachers. First, it touches upon the academic hegemony that has a stranglehold on education. I was so pleased with the brilliant way Villenas described this issue. Secondly, Villenas's piece was a fantastic example of how to subvert the dominating class in peaceful, yet meaningful ways. Something as simple as choosing a new place to sit, or ensuring that the meetings were fully translated seem like simple common-sense approaches to rejecting practices of current education.
Questions: What methods and experiences can teachers take from Villenas to apply in their own schools?
How does the simple naming of classes show the racism and superiority of the dominating class? What other implied ways do these show in education?
In this era of color-blind racism, there has been a corresponding shift from de jure racism codified explicitly into the law and legal systems to a de facto racism where people of color, especially African Americans, are subject to unequal protection of the laws, excessive surveillance, extreme segregation, and neo–slave labor via incarceration, all in the name of crime control.(626)
There is also no dispute that the poor and people of color, particularly African Americans, are dramatically overrepresented in these statistics at every phase of the criminal justice system. (628)
The legal entrenchment of color-blind racism allowed White supremacist political and economic advantage to be pursued—unchecked by either law or public discourse— under the guise of criminal justice. (635)
This is definitely one aspect of this course where I feel I have learned and grown the most. This article alone caused many dinner conversations among myself, my husband and my son. We had lively discussions about why certain laws carried certain stigmas and punishments while others were badges of honor. Why was Martha Stweart's actions for monetary gain (which were worth far more mind you than the minimum for a felony robbery) considered socially more acceptable than a young male who robs a convenience story? The punishment comparison is too laughable to even attempt.
Now the difference between the two is obvious, however what is different is NOT that I consider one better or worse nor do I advocate leniency based on perpetrator history. What I do feel is that systematic understanding of what we believe are crimes should be deeply considered. Additionally I think that punishments for most white collar crimes are far too lenient. So instead of letting minor crimes off easier I think the other crimes should face harsher punishments. Additionally I still do not fully agree with the concept of the individual and I personally find the concept as an excuse to behave in manners that are dangerous or aren't considered at this time socially acceptable.
Question: What crimes are really important to society? Should the victims and perpetrators color of crimes be taken into account when defining what is and isn't a crime?
My concern is that in the interest of social justice those that are most likely to be victimized by crimes will be MORE victimized in the aftermath of a social revolution. Much like the advocacy of abortion as a birth control for white middle and upper class women that trickled down to be used by black American women who are themselves victimized by the criminal system and the attack on the young black male (leaving many women to raise children alone).
Villenas
For example, women teachers of working-class backgrounds are expected to consume a body of literature that emanates from elite universities from which they are excluded, and that thus excludes them from the production of material used for the teaching profession and their own training. (714)
I also brought politics and subversion to the meetings at which I spoke for the community leaders. I did not say what they wanted to hear, stirring controversy at one meeting and causing some Whites to reacy defensively at another. (725)
I think that Villenas piece should be read by all teachers. First, it touches upon the academic hegemony that has a stranglehold on education. I was so pleased with the brilliant way Villenas described this issue. Secondly, Villenas's piece was a fantastic example of how to subvert the dominating class in peaceful, yet meaningful ways. Something as simple as choosing a new place to sit, or ensuring that the meetings were fully translated seem like simple common-sense approaches to rejecting practices of current education.
Questions: What methods and experiences can teachers take from Villenas to apply in their own schools?
How does the simple naming of classes show the racism and superiority of the dominating class? What other implied ways do these show in education?
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Reading Journal 8
Barker Chapter 5
Consequently workers' identifications and identities shift from location in the sphere of production to that of consumption (152)
Consumer culture in which the creation of lifestyles is centered on consumption of aesthetic signs (153)
Cultural imperialisms stresses growth of "sameness" and a presumed loss of cultural autonomy (159)
I took these quotes from the text because I think they clearly define Barker's attempt of capitalistic construction. After reading this chapter I see that Barker is clearly concerned with the globalization of consumerism. I often see people using the terms consumerism as synonomous with capitalism when I don't find those the same at all. It's like saying that cars are defined by gasoline engines because MOSE cars are run by that. Or in fact the most noteworthy are run by that. Capitalism should not be defined by consumerism.
As a Christian, I have intense problems with the consumer culture as described above. It is wasteful and materialistic and counter to most of the teachings of the Bible. Unfortunately most of Western societies have chosen consumerism as their vehicle of capitalism and as greed and the love of money (which again from the Bible) is a problem THOUSANDS of YEARS old, the shift toward things creates problems in society. The method of recognizing and rewarding those who work harder to incentivize others to work hard (for a common purpose and the good of most...for all is impossible) is how I see capitalism.
Coca-cola representing global homogenization: I noticed while travelling that while the basic logo is the same the ingredients vary in each country. Primarily in the form of sweetener used. Because America has chosen to embrace the cheaper alternative of corn syrup the taste and texture of the sode is different than that of other countries. I hope that the other countries will hold on to their beliefs and maintain the use of the more expensive sweetener as the corn syrup alternative is showing signs of causing health issues. I was curious how much of this is pure economic decision for making the drink versus what the people of the other country would be willing to drink. Which in itself is an economic decision i suppose.
Question: How do cultures still maintain their identity while taking part in global consumerism?
Spring Chapter 9
Texas and California's textbook hearings are extremely important for publishers (229)
This chapter of the book most struck my attention with respect to the Society-School Nexus we discussed in class. Even more specifically the idea that two states listed here (when in my experience it is more like 11 states) determine through alteration of their standards what information, knowledge and skills are considered appropriate for the entire nation by default.
Question: How can teachers, parents and students themselves force their voices to be heard in the textbook selection process? Many of the people on the state board are eleceted officials who may have NO EDUCATION experience! Why are we accepting this???
Texas textbook selection is governed by state laws that require the promotion of democracy, patriotismm and free enterprise. (230)
In addition, knowledge is not politically neutral or agreed upon by all scholars (232)
Again this falls under the umbrella of the School-Society Nexus. Politics is used to guide standards, curriculum, and textbooks taught by teachers who are embedded in this nexus and perhaps afraid to push boundaries to create students who are not willing to or even able to question the use of and ideas presented by these politics.
Question: How much of the process are parents willing to be engaged in? And would the engagement of parents not misrepresent the many children with parent who cannot participate because of economic or language reasons?
Consequently workers' identifications and identities shift from location in the sphere of production to that of consumption (152)
Consumer culture in which the creation of lifestyles is centered on consumption of aesthetic signs (153)
Cultural imperialisms stresses growth of "sameness" and a presumed loss of cultural autonomy (159)
I took these quotes from the text because I think they clearly define Barker's attempt of capitalistic construction. After reading this chapter I see that Barker is clearly concerned with the globalization of consumerism. I often see people using the terms consumerism as synonomous with capitalism when I don't find those the same at all. It's like saying that cars are defined by gasoline engines because MOSE cars are run by that. Or in fact the most noteworthy are run by that. Capitalism should not be defined by consumerism.
As a Christian, I have intense problems with the consumer culture as described above. It is wasteful and materialistic and counter to most of the teachings of the Bible. Unfortunately most of Western societies have chosen consumerism as their vehicle of capitalism and as greed and the love of money (which again from the Bible) is a problem THOUSANDS of YEARS old, the shift toward things creates problems in society. The method of recognizing and rewarding those who work harder to incentivize others to work hard (for a common purpose and the good of most...for all is impossible) is how I see capitalism.
Coca-cola representing global homogenization: I noticed while travelling that while the basic logo is the same the ingredients vary in each country. Primarily in the form of sweetener used. Because America has chosen to embrace the cheaper alternative of corn syrup the taste and texture of the sode is different than that of other countries. I hope that the other countries will hold on to their beliefs and maintain the use of the more expensive sweetener as the corn syrup alternative is showing signs of causing health issues. I was curious how much of this is pure economic decision for making the drink versus what the people of the other country would be willing to drink. Which in itself is an economic decision i suppose.
Question: How do cultures still maintain their identity while taking part in global consumerism?
Spring Chapter 9
Texas and California's textbook hearings are extremely important for publishers (229)
This chapter of the book most struck my attention with respect to the Society-School Nexus we discussed in class. Even more specifically the idea that two states listed here (when in my experience it is more like 11 states) determine through alteration of their standards what information, knowledge and skills are considered appropriate for the entire nation by default.
Question: How can teachers, parents and students themselves force their voices to be heard in the textbook selection process? Many of the people on the state board are eleceted officials who may have NO EDUCATION experience! Why are we accepting this???
Texas textbook selection is governed by state laws that require the promotion of democracy, patriotismm and free enterprise. (230)
In addition, knowledge is not politically neutral or agreed upon by all scholars (232)
Again this falls under the umbrella of the School-Society Nexus. Politics is used to guide standards, curriculum, and textbooks taught by teachers who are embedded in this nexus and perhaps afraid to push boundaries to create students who are not willing to or even able to question the use of and ideas presented by these politics.
Question: How much of the process are parents willing to be engaged in? And would the engagement of parents not misrepresent the many children with parent who cannot participate because of economic or language reasons?
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Reading 7
American Education by Joel Spring
Chapter 7 Power and Control at State and National Levels
There seems to be this large disconnect in my mind about the need for federal money. Considering the small percantage that schools get from federal money I can't understand why they are then willing to turn over so much of their control over education decisions to a distant federal government. Class discussion: what would schools be willing to give up to deny federal aid? Are people willing to accept the money for fear of the perceived beliefs of them if they would not? So if a state doesn't take money for Title IX would the schools and state be labelled misogynist? Regardless of reality? Has society created a false conciousness about the need for federal money and more importantly about the ACCEPTANCE of federal money??
I understand the reluctance to tie school and teacher income to student performance, HOWEVER our current economy is set to incentives and frankly there are few incentives for a teacher to move beyond what is required. Pay is based on experience alone and someone who comes in exactly on time and leaves and soon as the bell rings but worked 5 years longer can make $10,000 more per year than a teacher who puts in far more hours and dedication. This lack of incentive and lack of pay is one of the main reasons teachers have for job dissatisfaction and intent to quit. (This is what I wrote my paper on).
I woul dbe curious to find out what broad scope of education choices DOESN'T negatively affect minority students and low SES dispproportionately. There isn't a SINGLE thing listed in this book that covers what HELPS minority students and LOW SES. I think that Spring needs to spend more time giving alternatives than tearing down what is available. I don't find it productive and frankly possibly even more damaging. This is like tearing down a house with no plans for where to live next. After reading this book I find that Spring is constructing these students as beyond hope. The discourse he uses does more damage toward hope for these students than I believe he intends.
American Education by Joel Spring
Chapter 8 The Profession of Teaching
I'm not really sure how to respond to this chapter. Teachers are the most needy, narcissistic, boisterous occupation I know. What other job gives away Teacher of the Year awards (in every community in the nation), continually fighting suggestions to preofessionalize (continuing education like accountant...who don't make terribly more than teachers mind you) and refusing to fire and reprimand professionals who are not behaving appropriately (and this includes even teachers who have been foung with child pornography on their computers).
One wonders why I'm in the field of education I am sure. It is because I love learning. I love sharing that thirst for knowledge with others. I unfortunately find that TEACHERS are what holds the school-prison identity together and TEACHERS are the ones who are most likely to let go of that. I think many teachers want little docile prisoners and they create a social construct of the obedient citizen as their reasoning for they treatment of students.
What are teachers really willing to do to earn the salary they think they deserve? Matched hour for hour, tenure for tenure, benefit by benefit teachers are some of the best paid professionals in the nation.
I think one of the best things schools could do is be more transparent with applicants. (This is also based on the paper i just wrote). School Administrative pressures are the most sizeable predictor in our study for job dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, teachers do not know about how the adminsitrators deal with expectations until it is too late. I think a social network where teachers could rate administrators and their own schools would be invaluable.
Chapter 7 Power and Control at State and National Levels
There seems to be this large disconnect in my mind about the need for federal money. Considering the small percantage that schools get from federal money I can't understand why they are then willing to turn over so much of their control over education decisions to a distant federal government. Class discussion: what would schools be willing to give up to deny federal aid? Are people willing to accept the money for fear of the perceived beliefs of them if they would not? So if a state doesn't take money for Title IX would the schools and state be labelled misogynist? Regardless of reality? Has society created a false conciousness about the need for federal money and more importantly about the ACCEPTANCE of federal money??
I understand the reluctance to tie school and teacher income to student performance, HOWEVER our current economy is set to incentives and frankly there are few incentives for a teacher to move beyond what is required. Pay is based on experience alone and someone who comes in exactly on time and leaves and soon as the bell rings but worked 5 years longer can make $10,000 more per year than a teacher who puts in far more hours and dedication. This lack of incentive and lack of pay is one of the main reasons teachers have for job dissatisfaction and intent to quit. (This is what I wrote my paper on).
I woul dbe curious to find out what broad scope of education choices DOESN'T negatively affect minority students and low SES dispproportionately. There isn't a SINGLE thing listed in this book that covers what HELPS minority students and LOW SES. I think that Spring needs to spend more time giving alternatives than tearing down what is available. I don't find it productive and frankly possibly even more damaging. This is like tearing down a house with no plans for where to live next. After reading this book I find that Spring is constructing these students as beyond hope. The discourse he uses does more damage toward hope for these students than I believe he intends.
American Education by Joel Spring
Chapter 8 The Profession of Teaching
I'm not really sure how to respond to this chapter. Teachers are the most needy, narcissistic, boisterous occupation I know. What other job gives away Teacher of the Year awards (in every community in the nation), continually fighting suggestions to preofessionalize (continuing education like accountant...who don't make terribly more than teachers mind you) and refusing to fire and reprimand professionals who are not behaving appropriately (and this includes even teachers who have been foung with child pornography on their computers).
One wonders why I'm in the field of education I am sure. It is because I love learning. I love sharing that thirst for knowledge with others. I unfortunately find that TEACHERS are what holds the school-prison identity together and TEACHERS are the ones who are most likely to let go of that. I think many teachers want little docile prisoners and they create a social construct of the obedient citizen as their reasoning for they treatment of students.
What are teachers really willing to do to earn the salary they think they deserve? Matched hour for hour, tenure for tenure, benefit by benefit teachers are some of the best paid professionals in the nation.
I think one of the best things schools could do is be more transparent with applicants. (This is also based on the paper i just wrote). School Administrative pressures are the most sizeable predictor in our study for job dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, teachers do not know about how the adminsitrators deal with expectations until it is too late. I think a social network where teachers could rate administrators and their own schools would be invaluable.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Reading 6
Chapter 6: Enter Postmodernism
Barker
Wow. How interesting to see the nation-state and military power as a social construction. I had listed Germany in the first exam as also a form of hegemony. The whole idea of nation-state was forced on the people such that denial of the state became a crime. Even today the idea of country and nation is so entrenched in the beliefs of all people that I find it amusing that American citizens with Mexican ancestry cannot see the irony in the the celebration of supplanting one nation with another in the La Raza Unida and LULAC rallies.
I have some problems with the facts of modernism in individualization and urbanization. I find that in many ways these are at opposite ends of the spectrum. To me the rural ideology is more entrenched in individualism than the urban ideology. The ability to self-sustain is far more applicable in a rural environment than urban where the person is more required to depend on others for needs and goods. I think of an electoral map of the United States that shows the rural maps invariably vote for individual rights over beauracratic services and redistribution of wealth in a community based manner. How does Barker explain this seemingly disjointed belief?
Chapter 7: Issues of Subjectivity and Identity
Barker
The thing that is most at the forefront of my mind during this chapter is the identity of women in immigrant cultures. At what point in the interactions with new societies do women become willing to address themselves as individuals in a new permissive culture? Do women's rights apply to women who willingly choose to not partake in them? Does the willingness of a woman to exist as a subjugated culture mean they are choosing as their identity this role or is this something the new culture should enforce on immigrant women?
Disrupting decifit notions of difference: Counter-narratives of teachers and community in urban education
Milner
When I taught over a decade ago it was in a rural school in East Texas that was 45% black, 45% white, and 10% Mexican (and by this I mean Mexican nationals who were working fields of agriculture or oil). Most of the Mexican students had limited English proficiency. While the number of students in each class varied from an urban environment the diversity, cultural beliefs, and transience were similar to those mentioned in the article. What I noted as I taught was that students LOVED hearing about my life (both past and present). It was interesting for me to read the article to find the applicability to rural schools as well. To this day I have relationships with past students and really appreciated the power of story to effective teaching.
I think I identified most with "Mr. Hall." Every day I taught I tried to find a similarity to my life so that students could see that I was not "other." That I could empathiize with their lives in some way.
It was interesting to watch Milner deconstruct the idea of "urban student." For so many situations I wondered what made each of these teachers good teachers versus what made them good for an "urban" environment. Milner presented the situations in ways that tore down the walls about socio-economic standards and made the reader identify the students as just that "students" and children at that.
What is the implication of consistency with students across demographics? Is this more important to students who perhaps lack it in their lives, or is this a need that all students need in that age group? Or is this a need all children have, period?
Barker
Wow. How interesting to see the nation-state and military power as a social construction. I had listed Germany in the first exam as also a form of hegemony. The whole idea of nation-state was forced on the people such that denial of the state became a crime. Even today the idea of country and nation is so entrenched in the beliefs of all people that I find it amusing that American citizens with Mexican ancestry cannot see the irony in the the celebration of supplanting one nation with another in the La Raza Unida and LULAC rallies.
I have some problems with the facts of modernism in individualization and urbanization. I find that in many ways these are at opposite ends of the spectrum. To me the rural ideology is more entrenched in individualism than the urban ideology. The ability to self-sustain is far more applicable in a rural environment than urban where the person is more required to depend on others for needs and goods. I think of an electoral map of the United States that shows the rural maps invariably vote for individual rights over beauracratic services and redistribution of wealth in a community based manner. How does Barker explain this seemingly disjointed belief?
Chapter 7: Issues of Subjectivity and Identity
Barker
The thing that is most at the forefront of my mind during this chapter is the identity of women in immigrant cultures. At what point in the interactions with new societies do women become willing to address themselves as individuals in a new permissive culture? Do women's rights apply to women who willingly choose to not partake in them? Does the willingness of a woman to exist as a subjugated culture mean they are choosing as their identity this role or is this something the new culture should enforce on immigrant women?
Disrupting decifit notions of difference: Counter-narratives of teachers and community in urban education
Milner
When I taught over a decade ago it was in a rural school in East Texas that was 45% black, 45% white, and 10% Mexican (and by this I mean Mexican nationals who were working fields of agriculture or oil). Most of the Mexican students had limited English proficiency. While the number of students in each class varied from an urban environment the diversity, cultural beliefs, and transience were similar to those mentioned in the article. What I noted as I taught was that students LOVED hearing about my life (both past and present). It was interesting for me to read the article to find the applicability to rural schools as well. To this day I have relationships with past students and really appreciated the power of story to effective teaching.
I think I identified most with "Mr. Hall." Every day I taught I tried to find a similarity to my life so that students could see that I was not "other." That I could empathiize with their lives in some way.
It was interesting to watch Milner deconstruct the idea of "urban student." For so many situations I wondered what made each of these teachers good teachers versus what made them good for an "urban" environment. Milner presented the situations in ways that tore down the walls about socio-economic standards and made the reader identify the students as just that "students" and children at that.
What is the implication of consistency with students across demographics? Is this more important to students who perhaps lack it in their lives, or is this a need that all students need in that age group? Or is this a need all children have, period?
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Reading 5
The Surveillance Economy of Post-Columbine Schools
Tyson Lewis
"To control the populous, disciplinary regimes do not rely on ostentatious displays of power through violence. Rather, disciplinary power is effective because it “differentiates, hierarchizes, homogenizes, excludes. In short, it normalizes.”
Power will always need to exert itself to control a population. This is done through a variety of laws that need to be adhered to for the safety of the populace. What differentiates this from a totalitarian regime would be the quiet, less physically abusive method. A citizen must ask him or herself if this normalization is acceptable for the safety of the populace. I would be interested to see an example of a society that does not use normalization techniques or physical pressure. Can a society exist without pressures of some sort to ensure the "safety" of the people.
Always suspecting they are under surveillance, the prisoners will become self-regulating, docile bodies, internalizing disciplined behaviors. This system “enables the disciplinary power to be both absolutely indiscreet, since it is everywhere and always alert, and absolutely discrete, for it functions permanently and largely in silence.”
So the answer is to give more power to this government? How strange that on the one hand people recognize this surveillance, especially the overt Patriot Act which is in the news, and yet are willing to give even MORE power to this same government (regardless of political affiliation) with respect to the banking, education and health care industries.
The newest terms that are bandied about is safety and fairness. Safety can be applied to all avenues of life: safety from hunger, unemployment, disease. In exchange people give upa lot and those who disagree are labelled through normalizing techniques "inconsiderate" or "angry" or "greedy". Ironically through discourse within each group the same terms have different meaning. What is "fair" to one group is grossly exclusive to another group.
Teachers are taught to police student work for signs of potential violence, extracting feelings and motives from creative expressions and comparing these motives against a battery of normalized prescriptions. Some teachers have protested
that such extremism only leads to hysteria and paranoia, but, at the same time, many teachers feel that the stakes are simply too high to ignore what might be warning signs.
In reality teachers were already doing this. The change was in the labelling of subsets according to criteria that was based on things that teachers didn't ordinaarily consider (ie. student-student interaction)
While such emotional hysteria might benefit the extension of disciplinary power, it certainly does not encourage the construction of democratic coalitions or critical intellectualism that is willing to challenge forms of domination and oppression.
I personally find critical intellectualism to be just as problematic. It enters the field as an outsider looking into a situation without little to no experience in practical application. Education is rife with experimental beliefs that are based in unpracticed theory and students become experiments to prove their validity. How is the construction of critical intellectualism necessarily appropriate for this purpose? Isn't the intellectual basis for educational principles in fact a hegemony that teachers are forced to follow?
American Education- Chapter 6
Joel Spring
I found this chapter to be purposefully vague and contradictory.
I was really disappointed that Spring chose to support the side againt vouchers using a TEACHERS UNION who would of COURSE be against school vouchers. And the book stated only " there is no credible evidence to prove it actually works." Is there proof it is a negative factor? The point of school vouchers is more than an academic need. If a parent wants the student to attend a new school for social or safety reasons what is to work? Who determines what works? While I am sure the evidence exists against school vouchers, Spring didn't offer any research or aticles to prove this point. This dissapointed me because I would like to have read an informed reasoning against vouchers.
What would not be reflected in the school vouchers would be the cultural frame of reference the student holds even in a new environment. The student may deal with situations with new people in the same way because they expect to have a situation play out in a particular way. This reminds me of D'Angelo's take on the Great Gatsby. The decision to create a new persona relies on the ability to let go of the past AND the willingness to be someone new. If you buy new books but never read them, you aren't any different than when you didn't own books to start with.
I would think that to be effective school vouchers would need a large measure of social and psychological intervention for students choosing to change schools for safety reasons. A new environment doesn't mean the student is necessarily safer.
Homeschooling is a controversial subject in many states. I find it highly amusing that the same teacher unions that fight accreditation for teachers then disaparage parents who homeschool for not having this same accreditaion. Many of these parents are college educated in fields more applicable to homeschooling that some certified teachers.
I think that what ties all homeschoolers together is the interest in being affective educators. The control over the child's education (regardless of political leanings) is central to the decision to homeschool. Again the parents who choose to homeschool buck againt the elite hegemony who limits what is important and what it not.
Tyson Lewis
"To control the populous, disciplinary regimes do not rely on ostentatious displays of power through violence. Rather, disciplinary power is effective because it “differentiates, hierarchizes, homogenizes, excludes. In short, it normalizes.”
Power will always need to exert itself to control a population. This is done through a variety of laws that need to be adhered to for the safety of the populace. What differentiates this from a totalitarian regime would be the quiet, less physically abusive method. A citizen must ask him or herself if this normalization is acceptable for the safety of the populace. I would be interested to see an example of a society that does not use normalization techniques or physical pressure. Can a society exist without pressures of some sort to ensure the "safety" of the people.
Always suspecting they are under surveillance, the prisoners will become self-regulating, docile bodies, internalizing disciplined behaviors. This system “enables the disciplinary power to be both absolutely indiscreet, since it is everywhere and always alert, and absolutely discrete, for it functions permanently and largely in silence.”
So the answer is to give more power to this government? How strange that on the one hand people recognize this surveillance, especially the overt Patriot Act which is in the news, and yet are willing to give even MORE power to this same government (regardless of political affiliation) with respect to the banking, education and health care industries.
The newest terms that are bandied about is safety and fairness. Safety can be applied to all avenues of life: safety from hunger, unemployment, disease. In exchange people give upa lot and those who disagree are labelled through normalizing techniques "inconsiderate" or "angry" or "greedy". Ironically through discourse within each group the same terms have different meaning. What is "fair" to one group is grossly exclusive to another group.
Teachers are taught to police student work for signs of potential violence, extracting feelings and motives from creative expressions and comparing these motives against a battery of normalized prescriptions. Some teachers have protested
that such extremism only leads to hysteria and paranoia, but, at the same time, many teachers feel that the stakes are simply too high to ignore what might be warning signs.
In reality teachers were already doing this. The change was in the labelling of subsets according to criteria that was based on things that teachers didn't ordinaarily consider (ie. student-student interaction)
While such emotional hysteria might benefit the extension of disciplinary power, it certainly does not encourage the construction of democratic coalitions or critical intellectualism that is willing to challenge forms of domination and oppression.
I personally find critical intellectualism to be just as problematic. It enters the field as an outsider looking into a situation without little to no experience in practical application. Education is rife with experimental beliefs that are based in unpracticed theory and students become experiments to prove their validity. How is the construction of critical intellectualism necessarily appropriate for this purpose? Isn't the intellectual basis for educational principles in fact a hegemony that teachers are forced to follow?
American Education- Chapter 6
Joel Spring
I found this chapter to be purposefully vague and contradictory.
I was really disappointed that Spring chose to support the side againt vouchers using a TEACHERS UNION who would of COURSE be against school vouchers. And the book stated only " there is no credible evidence to prove it actually works." Is there proof it is a negative factor? The point of school vouchers is more than an academic need. If a parent wants the student to attend a new school for social or safety reasons what is to work? Who determines what works? While I am sure the evidence exists against school vouchers, Spring didn't offer any research or aticles to prove this point. This dissapointed me because I would like to have read an informed reasoning against vouchers.
What would not be reflected in the school vouchers would be the cultural frame of reference the student holds even in a new environment. The student may deal with situations with new people in the same way because they expect to have a situation play out in a particular way. This reminds me of D'Angelo's take on the Great Gatsby. The decision to create a new persona relies on the ability to let go of the past AND the willingness to be someone new. If you buy new books but never read them, you aren't any different than when you didn't own books to start with.
I would think that to be effective school vouchers would need a large measure of social and psychological intervention for students choosing to change schools for safety reasons. A new environment doesn't mean the student is necessarily safer.
Homeschooling is a controversial subject in many states. I find it highly amusing that the same teacher unions that fight accreditation for teachers then disaparage parents who homeschool for not having this same accreditaion. Many of these parents are college educated in fields more applicable to homeschooling that some certified teachers.
I think that what ties all homeschoolers together is the interest in being affective educators. The control over the child's education (regardless of political leanings) is central to the decision to homeschool. Again the parents who choose to homeschool buck againt the elite hegemony who limits what is important and what it not.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Reading 4
Barker- Cultural Studies Chapter 4
Biology and Culture
I respect Barker's viewpoint to assess gender and the body with respect to cultural as well as physiological implications. In choosing to dismiss completely biological explanations as reductionist, the practitioners in effect present a form of their own reductionism. A viewpoint that is encompassing of a variety of alternative explanations would be by definition more open-minded and critical.
Reductionism makes me think of the scientific method. It is impossible to have a true scientific experiment without some measure of control and variable so that a scientist can truly track that which is part of the causal chain. Additionally, a trained scientist should acknowledge that even when a causal chain appears to exist one must account and accept that forces not controlled could be the cause of any events.
Even more interesting to me is viewing the science culture through a Foucault lens. Science expects and demands answers in varying levels. In fact it can be argued that the scientific community forms its own social grouping that consists of it own normalizing techniques especially with respect to who can speak and who cannot. Even more disturbing is that through peer-reviewed journals, scientists determine which ideas are "important" and which are not. Strangely through surveillance and discursive practices scientists allow themselves to be restrained with respect to the very ideas they should be attempting to unravel.
I'd like to dissect this comment by Dennett "The fundamental core of contemporary Darwinism, the theory of DNA-based reproduction and evolution is now beyond dispute among scientists." First is the irony of stating a theory in "beyond dispute." ( Barker, 124) Theories (while at any given point in time may seem "truth") should always be subject to new viewpoints and varying tests. This statement directly exemplifies the problem I noted in the preceding paragraph. As scientists are at the mercy of journals in who can say what, when, information that may be in disagreement with a current theory may be suppressed for political and personal reasons thus altering the known and public set of scientific principles.
What Barker does not note (and I think it is important here) is that Dawkins is a devout atheist (and I reconize the oxymoron here!) who uses his evolutionary theory in a political way to disprove the belief in God. I note this because in Dawkins's attempt to break the ideology of God, he creates a new ideology based on the theory of evolution.
Barker- Cultural Studies Chapter 8
Ethnicity, Race and Nation
Not only is race a social construction but it became embedded in a political agenda. This correlation made me question how many of our political beliefs are embedded in social constructions and how many social constructions are embedded in our political beliefs. Does the connection work both ways in equilibrium (constantly shifting due to outlying factors) or is one direction more prevalent?
The idea of the nation-state and "imagined communities" (Barker 253) are especially important when taking into consideration Ogbu's social theory of voluntary and involuntary minorities. One would assume that in the application of a voluntary immigration a person is giving a level of acceptance to the nation-state ideal with which respect to their own identities. As a contrast, involuntary immigrants would see acceptance of the new nation-state as a denial of self and futhermore a consent to the treatment to which they would be subjected.
This is most obvious in contrasting a black citizen of America to an African immigrant who comes to America. I remember in college finding it very interesting that foreign students from Africa were more likely to cross race lines (not only in normalizing techniques of whites but also black Americans). I especially remember thinking it was odd because the African immigrant was more likely to have language as a cultural barrier. Perhaps African immigrants were more willing to lump together Americans despite color than Americans are willing to lump themselves together. This feeds my assertion that cultural studies should spend more time on emphasizing what draws us together and less on what separates us.
Wih respect to savage and slaves (Barker 264), I'd like to take it one step further. In Shakespeare's time through the use of current popular culture, the playwrights took the savage to a new level by naming a character in a play Caliban. This is a clear play on the word cannibal. Caliban's character also extends the stereotypical belief that native, wild people can't keep their hands off pale white women (menace to society). It is this belief that causes the protagonist Prospero to treat him poorly and through a series of typically Shakerspearean farce, eventually leads Caliban to CHOOSE to obey his enslaver.
Based on the notion of race, ethnicity and culture, how long (how many generations) occur before the hybridization occurs such that the dominant culture starts to replace facets of the immigrants culture?
Spring- American Education Chapter 5
Multicultural and Multilingual Education
I am leery of accepting the binary of Western/Confucianism. I think that alternate realities encapsulate a measure of both the whole and the parts to view different portions of the world at any time. Confucianism is limited with respect to orientation and travel. By this I mean that an object or person is seldom removed from its original environment and moved to a new environment. The Chinese society of past (in Confucious time) was very isolated. The ideas about the object on its own apart from environment was not as required as in Western world when objects had to serve similar purposes in a new environment. For example, will this plant, animal, person thrive in this new environment? Western thought would be concerned with the plant and not necessarily the new environment as a whole. It is obvious how these viewpoints led to Individualist and Collectivist societies.
How does the concept of freedom differ in Individualist and Collectivist societies?
Cultural frames of reference can act as negative factors on a person's experience. It could create a false concsiousness of discrimination in a changing culture that does not actually discriminate according to the expectations created in the dominated culture.
My experience is completely contrary to the sexism experience. I was always supported by my teachers and parents for my abilities in skills in math and science.
I hit the SAT out of the park, was involved in sports, and pursued a bachelor's degree in a male-dominated science discipline (Chemistry) Even in those courses I never felt like I was less of a student or treated different in any way. However, I will say that I find myself grouping "women" into a less than acceptable group based on my experiences with them. I would never choose an all-woman's university or school, simply because that would mean it was all women LOL!
Language and Cultural Rights in a time of Diaspora:
Jews are a unique culture (race and/or ethnicity) because their being revolves around their religion. Because Jews were forced to travel the world to find a place to live they always found themselves as outsiders in part of a foreign culture. However they held onto their primary culture and beliefs in two main ways:
a) educating for economic power (via lisa delpit's theories)
b) ethnocentric education (held at synagogue through Hebrew School)
I would propose that althought for most intents Jews would be considered "white" (especially Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern European ancestry) they have only recently been accepted by the dominant culture as "white." This in fact coincides with the decrease in ethnocentric education (while educating for economic power was held constant).
Biology and Culture
I respect Barker's viewpoint to assess gender and the body with respect to cultural as well as physiological implications. In choosing to dismiss completely biological explanations as reductionist, the practitioners in effect present a form of their own reductionism. A viewpoint that is encompassing of a variety of alternative explanations would be by definition more open-minded and critical.
Reductionism makes me think of the scientific method. It is impossible to have a true scientific experiment without some measure of control and variable so that a scientist can truly track that which is part of the causal chain. Additionally, a trained scientist should acknowledge that even when a causal chain appears to exist one must account and accept that forces not controlled could be the cause of any events.
Even more interesting to me is viewing the science culture through a Foucault lens. Science expects and demands answers in varying levels. In fact it can be argued that the scientific community forms its own social grouping that consists of it own normalizing techniques especially with respect to who can speak and who cannot. Even more disturbing is that through peer-reviewed journals, scientists determine which ideas are "important" and which are not. Strangely through surveillance and discursive practices scientists allow themselves to be restrained with respect to the very ideas they should be attempting to unravel.
I'd like to dissect this comment by Dennett "The fundamental core of contemporary Darwinism, the theory of DNA-based reproduction and evolution is now beyond dispute among scientists." First is the irony of stating a theory in "beyond dispute." ( Barker, 124) Theories (while at any given point in time may seem "truth") should always be subject to new viewpoints and varying tests. This statement directly exemplifies the problem I noted in the preceding paragraph. As scientists are at the mercy of journals in who can say what, when, information that may be in disagreement with a current theory may be suppressed for political and personal reasons thus altering the known and public set of scientific principles.
What Barker does not note (and I think it is important here) is that Dawkins is a devout atheist (and I reconize the oxymoron here!) who uses his evolutionary theory in a political way to disprove the belief in God. I note this because in Dawkins's attempt to break the ideology of God, he creates a new ideology based on the theory of evolution.
Barker- Cultural Studies Chapter 8
Ethnicity, Race and Nation
Not only is race a social construction but it became embedded in a political agenda. This correlation made me question how many of our political beliefs are embedded in social constructions and how many social constructions are embedded in our political beliefs. Does the connection work both ways in equilibrium (constantly shifting due to outlying factors) or is one direction more prevalent?
The idea of the nation-state and "imagined communities" (Barker 253) are especially important when taking into consideration Ogbu's social theory of voluntary and involuntary minorities. One would assume that in the application of a voluntary immigration a person is giving a level of acceptance to the nation-state ideal with which respect to their own identities. As a contrast, involuntary immigrants would see acceptance of the new nation-state as a denial of self and futhermore a consent to the treatment to which they would be subjected.
This is most obvious in contrasting a black citizen of America to an African immigrant who comes to America. I remember in college finding it very interesting that foreign students from Africa were more likely to cross race lines (not only in normalizing techniques of whites but also black Americans). I especially remember thinking it was odd because the African immigrant was more likely to have language as a cultural barrier. Perhaps African immigrants were more willing to lump together Americans despite color than Americans are willing to lump themselves together. This feeds my assertion that cultural studies should spend more time on emphasizing what draws us together and less on what separates us.
Wih respect to savage and slaves (Barker 264), I'd like to take it one step further. In Shakespeare's time through the use of current popular culture, the playwrights took the savage to a new level by naming a character in a play Caliban. This is a clear play on the word cannibal. Caliban's character also extends the stereotypical belief that native, wild people can't keep their hands off pale white women (menace to society). It is this belief that causes the protagonist Prospero to treat him poorly and through a series of typically Shakerspearean farce, eventually leads Caliban to CHOOSE to obey his enslaver.
Based on the notion of race, ethnicity and culture, how long (how many generations) occur before the hybridization occurs such that the dominant culture starts to replace facets of the immigrants culture?
Spring- American Education Chapter 5
Multicultural and Multilingual Education
I am leery of accepting the binary of Western/Confucianism. I think that alternate realities encapsulate a measure of both the whole and the parts to view different portions of the world at any time. Confucianism is limited with respect to orientation and travel. By this I mean that an object or person is seldom removed from its original environment and moved to a new environment. The Chinese society of past (in Confucious time) was very isolated. The ideas about the object on its own apart from environment was not as required as in Western world when objects had to serve similar purposes in a new environment. For example, will this plant, animal, person thrive in this new environment? Western thought would be concerned with the plant and not necessarily the new environment as a whole. It is obvious how these viewpoints led to Individualist and Collectivist societies.
How does the concept of freedom differ in Individualist and Collectivist societies?
Cultural frames of reference can act as negative factors on a person's experience. It could create a false concsiousness of discrimination in a changing culture that does not actually discriminate according to the expectations created in the dominated culture.
My experience is completely contrary to the sexism experience. I was always supported by my teachers and parents for my abilities in skills in math and science.
I hit the SAT out of the park, was involved in sports, and pursued a bachelor's degree in a male-dominated science discipline (Chemistry) Even in those courses I never felt like I was less of a student or treated different in any way. However, I will say that I find myself grouping "women" into a less than acceptable group based on my experiences with them. I would never choose an all-woman's university or school, simply because that would mean it was all women LOL!
Language and Cultural Rights in a time of Diaspora:
Jews are a unique culture (race and/or ethnicity) because their being revolves around their religion. Because Jews were forced to travel the world to find a place to live they always found themselves as outsiders in part of a foreign culture. However they held onto their primary culture and beliefs in two main ways:
a) educating for economic power (via lisa delpit's theories)
b) ethnocentric education (held at synagogue through Hebrew School)
I would propose that althought for most intents Jews would be considered "white" (especially Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern European ancestry) they have only recently been accepted by the dominant culture as "white." This in fact coincides with the decrease in ethnocentric education (while educating for economic power was held constant).
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Reading 3
Spring American Education Chapter 4
Student Diversity
"...emphasis was on deculturalizaton or replacing what were considered non-American cultures with an American culture." (Spring, p.87) I am curious if this is past projection of reasons or if this truly was the reasoning. It is incontrovertible fact that to succeed and become a part of the diverse culture that you MUST learn English. Allowing citizens to keep within their communities would increase likelihood of strife between cultures that see themselves as having nothing in common as they are not able to communicated with each other. Because the requirement of learning English (and please note that their own languages were never outlawed like the use of Scots in the late 1700s) has been tagged with negative connotation then people fall in line to see the negatives instead of realizing the positives of such cultural beliefs. Knowledge is power and knowledge of the language of the vast majority of the people in the country is power and the decision to not learn is foolhardy. The eradication of primary language is alluded to many times but not a single excerpt has shown this. This may even have been the intent but I see no where the outlaw of the speech within the homes or everyday behavior. It doesn't even seem to be outlawed with respect to economic structure.
Teaching another language as seen as eradication of the language is a anachronistic leap. It is rational to follow that as California was conquered by the United States who language was English that the laws would be expected to be passed in English. How could they establish state's rights in a federalist system otherwise?
Similarly the requirement that school children learn the language should be seen as a stepping stone of empowerment. Children who speak dozens of languages (my grandparents are examples, both didn't have English as a second language) come into public schools every year and one language that the economy and society uses would be the intuitive language to teach to the children. Allowing bilingual education in Spanish only is ludicrous as well.
The people in power see that education is empowerment so they make laws to suppress it. Yet today it is free for everyone and who are the ones suppressing their own people and devaluing it? How does one increase the number of Latino students going to college id their families and parents do not understand the value of it?
Interesting that Spring does not mention coolie labor with respect to immigration numbers and makes it sound like the Chinese just didn't save enough money to get home. He does mention it later with respect to cultural stereotypes however. What the heck is yellow peril? Is it a disease?
The situation with Chinese students as well as Mexican students gives credence to my assertion that a single language is more conducive to learning as a group without de facto segregation within schools as well.
I have to note here the silliness in advocating Anglo-Saxon Christianity when Jesus was a Middle Eastern Jew. Also, do the Native Americans consider it their land? Or are we placing capitalistic mentality on a different culture in expressing their concerns for them? It became "their land" because the government called it "their land"
Table 4-7 Increase in percentage of school children who speak ESL but DECREASE in the number of students who speak English with difficulty.
As the census starts this year the note that classification of race is done by self-determination really struck me. At what point will people classify themselves as separate from what others would classify them. How do people who come from disparate cultures decide to classify themselves (Chinese and black for example).
My question is Why is the teaching of school in English necessarily considered eradication of a primary language?
Barker Cultural Studies Chapter 3
Linguistic Turn in Cultural Studies
Dress codes as speech. I'm reminded of a trip to Italy and France where we couldn't find any shorts. We were told that shorts were ONLY worn to the beach and walking the streets of Paris in them is equivalent to wearing a bathing suit. It also screams AMERICAN. So people are speaking and telling people who they are without saying a word.
Question: Are polysemic signs based on intent or on the receiver. All communication is made of three parts: Sender, Receiver and Message. Any part in the process which is not what was intended and/or expected creates a process in discord with intent.
"difference and deferral" Perhaps the reasoning behind this is the use of synonyms. Words all have shades of meaning and in taking the steps to share shades of meaning I am reminded of geographic speciation. As animals move further away and isolated from each other, a new species is developed through natural selection that can no longer successfully reproduce with the original species. In this the deferral process is a kind of word speciation.
Discursive practices: (Barker, 90)
Discourse constructs, defines, and produces the objects of knowledge in an intelligible way while excluding other forms of reasoning as unintelligible.
Discourse gives meaning to actions, beliefs, objects that ordinarily would serve other purposes.
Chapter 13 Youth Style and Resistance
Youth is not a scientific definition? I find this unclear. Adolescence and growth markers are used on ALL species. Life cycles are a form of biology study and youth (a time period of continued growth and physical maturity) is certainly a scientific part of that cycle. I think that youth waas constructed for legal purposes. Physically and mentally (and maybe even emotionally) the persons may be mature but the law is based on numbers (18 to vote and 21 to drink) so those who are in a time period where they seem "lost" to the law are labelled youth.
Style constitutes a group identity And by creating a new identity they find themselves a part of a greater whole just as they would be otherwise.
Self-damnation. This is something I would like to study more of as it is so incredibly irrational to me. Can I say again how insulting I find the term "working-class" I am working even if I am at my desk thank you very much. The problem I can't understand is why physical labor and education are exclusionary. My husband was raised in a farming family and his brother and father still farm while Craig works at a desk. But if given a choice Craig would farm as well but his value education places him in a different occupation until his children are through with their educations.
I appreciate that youth subculture is not just about resistance. I think that in labelling it only resistance or speaking out the control center of the culture was attempting to define youth through a tag off the center instead of acknowleding the cutlure in its own right.
Question for this chapter: If the youth or subgroups descend into the same beliefs that originally caused the culture then did the predominant culture win or was there ever a chance that the subculture would last and therefore it just ran its course through a process of maturity?
Student Diversity
"...emphasis was on deculturalizaton or replacing what were considered non-American cultures with an American culture." (Spring, p.87) I am curious if this is past projection of reasons or if this truly was the reasoning. It is incontrovertible fact that to succeed and become a part of the diverse culture that you MUST learn English. Allowing citizens to keep within their communities would increase likelihood of strife between cultures that see themselves as having nothing in common as they are not able to communicated with each other. Because the requirement of learning English (and please note that their own languages were never outlawed like the use of Scots in the late 1700s) has been tagged with negative connotation then people fall in line to see the negatives instead of realizing the positives of such cultural beliefs. Knowledge is power and knowledge of the language of the vast majority of the people in the country is power and the decision to not learn is foolhardy. The eradication of primary language is alluded to many times but not a single excerpt has shown this. This may even have been the intent but I see no where the outlaw of the speech within the homes or everyday behavior. It doesn't even seem to be outlawed with respect to economic structure.
Teaching another language as seen as eradication of the language is a anachronistic leap. It is rational to follow that as California was conquered by the United States who language was English that the laws would be expected to be passed in English. How could they establish state's rights in a federalist system otherwise?
Similarly the requirement that school children learn the language should be seen as a stepping stone of empowerment. Children who speak dozens of languages (my grandparents are examples, both didn't have English as a second language) come into public schools every year and one language that the economy and society uses would be the intuitive language to teach to the children. Allowing bilingual education in Spanish only is ludicrous as well.
The people in power see that education is empowerment so they make laws to suppress it. Yet today it is free for everyone and who are the ones suppressing their own people and devaluing it? How does one increase the number of Latino students going to college id their families and parents do not understand the value of it?
Interesting that Spring does not mention coolie labor with respect to immigration numbers and makes it sound like the Chinese just didn't save enough money to get home. He does mention it later with respect to cultural stereotypes however. What the heck is yellow peril? Is it a disease?
The situation with Chinese students as well as Mexican students gives credence to my assertion that a single language is more conducive to learning as a group without de facto segregation within schools as well.
I have to note here the silliness in advocating Anglo-Saxon Christianity when Jesus was a Middle Eastern Jew. Also, do the Native Americans consider it their land? Or are we placing capitalistic mentality on a different culture in expressing their concerns for them? It became "their land" because the government called it "their land"
Table 4-7 Increase in percentage of school children who speak ESL but DECREASE in the number of students who speak English with difficulty.
As the census starts this year the note that classification of race is done by self-determination really struck me. At what point will people classify themselves as separate from what others would classify them. How do people who come from disparate cultures decide to classify themselves (Chinese and black for example).
My question is Why is the teaching of school in English necessarily considered eradication of a primary language?
Barker Cultural Studies Chapter 3
Linguistic Turn in Cultural Studies
Dress codes as speech. I'm reminded of a trip to Italy and France where we couldn't find any shorts. We were told that shorts were ONLY worn to the beach and walking the streets of Paris in them is equivalent to wearing a bathing suit. It also screams AMERICAN. So people are speaking and telling people who they are without saying a word.
Question: Are polysemic signs based on intent or on the receiver. All communication is made of three parts: Sender, Receiver and Message. Any part in the process which is not what was intended and/or expected creates a process in discord with intent.
"difference and deferral" Perhaps the reasoning behind this is the use of synonyms. Words all have shades of meaning and in taking the steps to share shades of meaning I am reminded of geographic speciation. As animals move further away and isolated from each other, a new species is developed through natural selection that can no longer successfully reproduce with the original species. In this the deferral process is a kind of word speciation.
Discursive practices: (Barker, 90)
Discourse constructs, defines, and produces the objects of knowledge in an intelligible way while excluding other forms of reasoning as unintelligible.
Discourse gives meaning to actions, beliefs, objects that ordinarily would serve other purposes.
Chapter 13 Youth Style and Resistance
Youth is not a scientific definition? I find this unclear. Adolescence and growth markers are used on ALL species. Life cycles are a form of biology study and youth (a time period of continued growth and physical maturity) is certainly a scientific part of that cycle. I think that youth waas constructed for legal purposes. Physically and mentally (and maybe even emotionally) the persons may be mature but the law is based on numbers (18 to vote and 21 to drink) so those who are in a time period where they seem "lost" to the law are labelled youth.
Style constitutes a group identity And by creating a new identity they find themselves a part of a greater whole just as they would be otherwise.
Self-damnation. This is something I would like to study more of as it is so incredibly irrational to me. Can I say again how insulting I find the term "working-class" I am working even if I am at my desk thank you very much. The problem I can't understand is why physical labor and education are exclusionary. My husband was raised in a farming family and his brother and father still farm while Craig works at a desk. But if given a choice Craig would farm as well but his value education places him in a different occupation until his children are through with their educations.
I appreciate that youth subculture is not just about resistance. I think that in labelling it only resistance or speaking out the control center of the culture was attempting to define youth through a tag off the center instead of acknowleding the cutlure in its own right.
Question for this chapter: If the youth or subgroups descend into the same beliefs that originally caused the culture then did the predominant culture win or was there ever a chance that the subculture would last and therefore it just ran its course through a process of maturity?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Reading 2
American Education - Spring
Chapters 2 & 3
My mind keeps going back to a conversation I had with a Canadian who was born very poor and through scholarships in the Canadian education system has become a very affluent actuary in San Francisco. When I explained to him that some cultures do not understand the importance of education he told me this was a foreign concept to him. As I agreed with him (having also grown up poor and through scholarship and educataion have far outsurpassed my parents income) I understood his bafflement. It is ironic that what the we have experience with as a tool for success others consider a waste of time. I fully agree that home and cultural beliefs will shape the feelings about school creating a perpetual system of hating school, doing poorly, making little, then raising kids with the same beliefs.
Some come to realize later in life that they should have paid attention when the school was free (as my husband's high school friend who is up for promotion in the Army has)
I found the statistics on Gender inequality highly biased. First a true measurement of comparison would be to compare men with women without children. Even more specifically with job choices mothers make for availability and flexibility in exchange for monetary gains. Similarly the professional degree is too broad in that a man or woman entering the teaching field would make less than anyone entering the management or marketing field. Instead of such biased statistics I think a better representation should be made to prove the point. Oh and please stop using up as a verb.
What I found interesting was the jump in the Asian earnings that made it equivalent to White workers. The obvious answer is the fields chosen. These statistics are so pathetical misleading I can't take them seriously.
As an aside I'd like to note that I just read that USA is the ONLY country in the world to differentiate race and ethnicity as two separate things.
I'd also like to take the time to note that I consider it offensive that the term working class which implies that those of use who earn more do not "work"
Oh and advantage isn't a verb either.
from my experience the lower class that I knew didn't remotely display powerlessness at school. In fact I have found that the poorest of the students had the most vocal of parents. This excludes those who do not speak English well.
Is the data used to suggest that the basis of entering the school is a limiting factor? Or is the home (which feasibly is continued through the school years) culture the limiting factor?
The poor are not getting poorer. the discrepancy in the income may be greater but they increase every year just as the highest level did.
Robin Hood failed. Friends who were bussed succeeded no matter what school they were sent to. The colossal failure in Kansas City supports this. Which leads me to chapter 3 where the (not even implied but explicitly stated)
I find it interesting that much of the resistance to inclusion comes from the parents of the special needs children with respect to the perceived needs of their child. I wonder how a person so concerned with the educational opportunity cannot favor a school voucher system.
How would the author explain the available funds, opportunity and ability of poorer San Antonio school districts on par with others and still with lower graduation rates, etc.?
Cultural Studies - Barker
Chapter 2
Wow how incredibly leading these questions are. Not that the Marxist views failed because they didn't account for true human nature or failed reasoning but on the inability of the people to understand their ideas.
I'll tell you what speak louder and slower and maybe I'll agree.
I disagree with the assertion that culture is not produced by the people if capitalism seeks to expand the audience. It may be the case that the culture is not utilized to the fullest by all portions of the society but that doesn't mean it wasn't initially created by a subgroup that many members of the society would appreciate.
I choose not to partake in the mass popular culture not because of the capitalist nature but because I think it infringes on my free choice of what *I* find entertaining. i also think there is intense pressure to like or dislike a topic based on popular consent and less on personal opinion. It removes the critical thinking of the society. I don't think of it as "left over" at all. I think it falls more in the domain of spoon-feeding. In fact I am likely to choose never to read a book or watch a movie based on the many people who read it (yet cannot critically discuss it).
I think popular culture is the new opiate of the masses. In addition all this is relative. While a man may make all the money, this does not mean that the man is dominating the woman. And I find a major dominating class to be those of educational elite who are pushing their ideas on those of us who disagree because they have a string of letters after their name even though they may not be as well read or hold a depth of knowledge any deeper than the rest of us.
How has popular culture incorrectly identified with the beliefs and behavior of the masses and how has that affected the society?
Chapters 2 & 3
My mind keeps going back to a conversation I had with a Canadian who was born very poor and through scholarships in the Canadian education system has become a very affluent actuary in San Francisco. When I explained to him that some cultures do not understand the importance of education he told me this was a foreign concept to him. As I agreed with him (having also grown up poor and through scholarship and educataion have far outsurpassed my parents income) I understood his bafflement. It is ironic that what the we have experience with as a tool for success others consider a waste of time. I fully agree that home and cultural beliefs will shape the feelings about school creating a perpetual system of hating school, doing poorly, making little, then raising kids with the same beliefs.
Some come to realize later in life that they should have paid attention when the school was free (as my husband's high school friend who is up for promotion in the Army has)
I found the statistics on Gender inequality highly biased. First a true measurement of comparison would be to compare men with women without children. Even more specifically with job choices mothers make for availability and flexibility in exchange for monetary gains. Similarly the professional degree is too broad in that a man or woman entering the teaching field would make less than anyone entering the management or marketing field. Instead of such biased statistics I think a better representation should be made to prove the point. Oh and please stop using up as a verb.
What I found interesting was the jump in the Asian earnings that made it equivalent to White workers. The obvious answer is the fields chosen. These statistics are so pathetical misleading I can't take them seriously.
As an aside I'd like to note that I just read that USA is the ONLY country in the world to differentiate race and ethnicity as two separate things.
I'd also like to take the time to note that I consider it offensive that the term working class which implies that those of use who earn more do not "work"
Oh and advantage isn't a verb either.
from my experience the lower class that I knew didn't remotely display powerlessness at school. In fact I have found that the poorest of the students had the most vocal of parents. This excludes those who do not speak English well.
Is the data used to suggest that the basis of entering the school is a limiting factor? Or is the home (which feasibly is continued through the school years) culture the limiting factor?
The poor are not getting poorer. the discrepancy in the income may be greater but they increase every year just as the highest level did.
Robin Hood failed. Friends who were bussed succeeded no matter what school they were sent to. The colossal failure in Kansas City supports this. Which leads me to chapter 3 where the (not even implied but explicitly stated)
I find it interesting that much of the resistance to inclusion comes from the parents of the special needs children with respect to the perceived needs of their child. I wonder how a person so concerned with the educational opportunity cannot favor a school voucher system.
How would the author explain the available funds, opportunity and ability of poorer San Antonio school districts on par with others and still with lower graduation rates, etc.?
Cultural Studies - Barker
Chapter 2
Wow how incredibly leading these questions are. Not that the Marxist views failed because they didn't account for true human nature or failed reasoning but on the inability of the people to understand their ideas.
I'll tell you what speak louder and slower and maybe I'll agree.
I disagree with the assertion that culture is not produced by the people if capitalism seeks to expand the audience. It may be the case that the culture is not utilized to the fullest by all portions of the society but that doesn't mean it wasn't initially created by a subgroup that many members of the society would appreciate.
I choose not to partake in the mass popular culture not because of the capitalist nature but because I think it infringes on my free choice of what *I* find entertaining. i also think there is intense pressure to like or dislike a topic based on popular consent and less on personal opinion. It removes the critical thinking of the society. I don't think of it as "left over" at all. I think it falls more in the domain of spoon-feeding. In fact I am likely to choose never to read a book or watch a movie based on the many people who read it (yet cannot critically discuss it).
I think popular culture is the new opiate of the masses. In addition all this is relative. While a man may make all the money, this does not mean that the man is dominating the woman. And I find a major dominating class to be those of educational elite who are pushing their ideas on those of us who disagree because they have a string of letters after their name even though they may not be as well read or hold a depth of knowledge any deeper than the rest of us.
How has popular culture incorrectly identified with the beliefs and behavior of the masses and how has that affected the society?
Friday, January 15, 2010
Reading 1
American Education by Spring Chapter 1
"...some people argue that the goal of public schooling should be to reduce teen-age pregnancy..." (American Education, Spring, p.3)
I am not quite sure how to wrap my mind around this response. For the most part the education system historically reflected the moral beliefs at the time thoughout US history. As the moral beliefs changed then the education system changed due to the breakdown of families and support groups for children. If society accepts more options as viable then isn't education working at a cross purpose in attempting to educate and push for one option?
One main goal of the education system is crime reduction. This is a perfect example of my question. In the 1960s a liberal (in the sense of punsihment not necessarily political leanings) judicial system began a campaign to reform the system. In doing so many crimes that had previously held higher penalties were lightened. This in turn created a more levelled understanding of crimes in America and one became more or less worse than another (adultery not becoming a crime at all). An effect of this is a lightened viewpoint of the consequences of adultery.
Can and should schools work against human nature and the subsequent implications for historical problems (poverty)? In context, American poverty is very different from world poverty. What classifies as poverty here is upper middle class in Caribbean nations.
The fact that Jefferson wrote for public consumption that he wanted to rake from the rubbish (rubbish meaning all other school age children) some how amuses me (American Education, Spring, p.8). It is so very interesting to read something that is over 200 years old with a 2010 lens. I strongly agree with Jefferson that a main goal of the education system is to teach children to read. For me Reading = Power. Learning to read is more than a goal for society, it is a goal with the self-interest of the student in mind. Literal dangers await the illiterate at every turn and while there are many functionally illiterate people in the world, I believe the best and mostfair option is to teach everyone to read.
Slaveholders in the Antebellum South enacted laws to prevent salves from learning to read for a reason and it hurts my heart today to see many students choose to be ignorant by refusing to learn to read (or learn basic math).
I am not in agreement with Mann's philosophy on education with a common political creed. Mann's beliefs are contrary to key human tendencies. That is that when confronted with conflicting opinions, humans tend to seek out people who are in agreement with them. Wayne Wanta a Professor of Journalism and Executive Director of The Center for the Digital Globe has done research to determine reasons why people become more polarized when discussing ideas instead of more central. Mann's attempt to "bring everyone together" was a failed Utopian ideal that we still cling to today.
"Both show pictures of gay couples, including a drawing of two men in bed." (American Education, Spring, p.17)
When boundaries are pushed sometimes people miss the forest for the trees. Were my 7 year old son to bring home a book with two men in bed my immediate response would not be to the fact that it is two men but that NO BED ativities should even be suggested to a 7 year old. Children are forced to grow up too fast in this society as it is. The picture is not age appropriate for a school to require as reading!
This question was disingenuous at best: "Why was there no mention of unions or churches?" (American Education, Spring, pg. 25) The obvious answer for the churches part is that the media consistently demands separation of church and state. How could that be included without immediate hue and cry in opposition?
Cultural Studies by Chris Barker
Right from the start I have respect for the author for admitting to selectivity and a form of bias (though not in a negative sense so much as an expected consequence of writing that which we are interested in and passionate about).
I'm having trouble understanding the question and picture of the world. I would consider a picture of the planet earth culturally irrelevant. In fact I consider it more objective than the creation of a globe (which occurred hundreds of years prior to space travel) which would contain political and geographically created boundaries.
I find the book lacking and biased in relying on a definition of capitalism through the use of Marxism and it's core beliefs on why capitalism is "bad."
I would be intereted to find how a country like the Czech Republic has changed as it has 3 main economic ruling ideas governing the countries in the past 100 years. This would be an fascinating study on how the culture has evolved or changed based on these changes and how the Marxist view of cultural studies can or may be affected by economics.
How does the language of Cultural Studies change with respect to written and oral text? Oral responses give more meaning and depth than written texts because they contain more than words; they contain nuance and phrasea and tone lost in texts.
"...some people argue that the goal of public schooling should be to reduce teen-age pregnancy..." (American Education, Spring, p.3)
I am not quite sure how to wrap my mind around this response. For the most part the education system historically reflected the moral beliefs at the time thoughout US history. As the moral beliefs changed then the education system changed due to the breakdown of families and support groups for children. If society accepts more options as viable then isn't education working at a cross purpose in attempting to educate and push for one option?
One main goal of the education system is crime reduction. This is a perfect example of my question. In the 1960s a liberal (in the sense of punsihment not necessarily political leanings) judicial system began a campaign to reform the system. In doing so many crimes that had previously held higher penalties were lightened. This in turn created a more levelled understanding of crimes in America and one became more or less worse than another (adultery not becoming a crime at all). An effect of this is a lightened viewpoint of the consequences of adultery.
Can and should schools work against human nature and the subsequent implications for historical problems (poverty)? In context, American poverty is very different from world poverty. What classifies as poverty here is upper middle class in Caribbean nations.
The fact that Jefferson wrote for public consumption that he wanted to rake from the rubbish (rubbish meaning all other school age children) some how amuses me (American Education, Spring, p.8). It is so very interesting to read something that is over 200 years old with a 2010 lens. I strongly agree with Jefferson that a main goal of the education system is to teach children to read. For me Reading = Power. Learning to read is more than a goal for society, it is a goal with the self-interest of the student in mind. Literal dangers await the illiterate at every turn and while there are many functionally illiterate people in the world, I believe the best and mostfair option is to teach everyone to read.
Slaveholders in the Antebellum South enacted laws to prevent salves from learning to read for a reason and it hurts my heart today to see many students choose to be ignorant by refusing to learn to read (or learn basic math).
I am not in agreement with Mann's philosophy on education with a common political creed. Mann's beliefs are contrary to key human tendencies. That is that when confronted with conflicting opinions, humans tend to seek out people who are in agreement with them. Wayne Wanta a Professor of Journalism and Executive Director of The Center for the Digital Globe has done research to determine reasons why people become more polarized when discussing ideas instead of more central. Mann's attempt to "bring everyone together" was a failed Utopian ideal that we still cling to today.
"Both show pictures of gay couples, including a drawing of two men in bed." (American Education, Spring, p.17)
When boundaries are pushed sometimes people miss the forest for the trees. Were my 7 year old son to bring home a book with two men in bed my immediate response would not be to the fact that it is two men but that NO BED ativities should even be suggested to a 7 year old. Children are forced to grow up too fast in this society as it is. The picture is not age appropriate for a school to require as reading!
This question was disingenuous at best: "Why was there no mention of unions or churches?" (American Education, Spring, pg. 25) The obvious answer for the churches part is that the media consistently demands separation of church and state. How could that be included without immediate hue and cry in opposition?
Cultural Studies by Chris Barker
Right from the start I have respect for the author for admitting to selectivity and a form of bias (though not in a negative sense so much as an expected consequence of writing that which we are interested in and passionate about).
I'm having trouble understanding the question and picture of the world. I would consider a picture of the planet earth culturally irrelevant. In fact I consider it more objective than the creation of a globe (which occurred hundreds of years prior to space travel) which would contain political and geographically created boundaries.
I find the book lacking and biased in relying on a definition of capitalism through the use of Marxism and it's core beliefs on why capitalism is "bad."
I would be intereted to find how a country like the Czech Republic has changed as it has 3 main economic ruling ideas governing the countries in the past 100 years. This would be an fascinating study on how the culture has evolved or changed based on these changes and how the Marxist view of cultural studies can or may be affected by economics.
How does the language of Cultural Studies change with respect to written and oral text? Oral responses give more meaning and depth than written texts because they contain more than words; they contain nuance and phrasea and tone lost in texts.
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