EVENT #2

Event #2

For my second event I chose to do something that I have observed at my internship. My internship is at Central Falls High School, and I work with children who have behavioral issues. This schools disciplinary actions are not like any school I have ever been to or intern shipped at before. When a student gets into trouble they are not just sent to have detention or just easily getting suspend. They are placed in a room where are to calm themselves down and fill out a paper of what they have done wrong. They are then asked to sit in a circle to discuss the issues that they were having that day. This is like a mini counseling session. When they are calm they are allowed to go back to class and continue their education calmly.

The event I discussed above I believe to be connected to Resilient Kids video. These students are counseled to calm themselves down. This way they do not cause more trouble than they already have.

Websites:  http://www.resilientkids.org/

http://www.raisingresilientkids.com/ (I found this site interesting)

http://www.embracethefuture.org.au/kids/

 

EVENT #1

Event #1

I went to an event on Diversity that was by the social work department. The event was about diversity within their curriculum as well as diversity within the department as a whole. There were two professors that held the event. They were there to gather ideas on how they can improve their social work department. The students brought up good points about how the program is excelling but, also how it also needs some improvement. A positive point that was made was in the social work class 324 and how it talks about topics on diversity. It was missing how to talk about gender and politics topics. They were talking about how the females outnumber the males in the social work, and they found it strange. I did not really find it as strange because people still think that females are the helpers and men are supposed to be the constructed “manly” jobs. Even though all topics of diversity were talked about, many of the students stated a deeper discussion on all topics. Finally, we discussed how the social work is considered liberal democratic and never really opened to republicans. Therefore it can make those that are republicans feel awkward in sharing their true feelings in the classroom.

For this event I believe it relates to the Ullucci article. This was about how people stereotype and believe the myths about certain people or cultures. The event discussed above connected to this article because it went over how people should be aware of diversity around and to learn how to take it in.  

Websites: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/international-migration/glossary/cultural-diversity/

http://www.teenink.com/opinion/environment/article/465407/The-Importance-and-Benefits-of-Diversity/

http://www.kaplanuniversity.edu/public-service/articles/cultural-diversity.aspx

BLOG #9

Blog #9

I have never heard of Resilient Kids. I believe that the practice could be for all ages and will help the person in a positive way. It would be awesome if all schools could have this. Everyone has their own issues when it comes to getting themselves upset. When students get worked up over something and they get out of hand and do not understand how to calm themselves down, could lead to a bad situation. Not only students, but adults also have trouble calming themselves down, I would know I am one of them. When I student is not being rational, they could get themselves into a lot of trouble. If they learn to calm themselves there is a greater chance that they will be able to calmly get out of the situation without causing an issue.  

BLOG #8

Blog #8

It was interesting to learn how to work across different cultural boundaries in many different ways. It is important to have people care about you and be involved with schooling. Parents and teachers having constant communication and showing the youth that they care is very significant. I believe that students will do better in school when they have a positive influence and support system in their lives. There is still minorities in the United States and in the article, African Americans have suffered and are still suffering to the present day. In the article one of the things was how there was abuse being done and “there is nothing they can do about it”. With everything going on today there may have been a protest about this shooting going on. I do not think that in these days people would stand around and do nothing.

When people work in diverse cultures, it should be essential to know where the individual comes from and try to learn about their own experiences because chances are they will be different from your own. In my situation I am a white female and I am from a middle class family. There were never many expectations besides to finish high school. I am the first in my family to receive a college degree. Other cultures may have different situation and what is expected for each member to do to each different family and culture. Getting to know the surroundings can help by getting to understand the person you may be working with.

 

 

 

BLOG #7

Blog#7

-Context mapping is when teens are having issues and trying to figure out their identity vs. role confusion.

-Mitch asked Julian to list the various spaces and relationships that he must negotiate each day.

-He had him write down what he thinks people expect of him in the places and relationships.

-He asks him to pay attention to how he feels and notes when he feels safe, anxious or uneasy.

 

My context map:

 RIC: classes, professors, class mates, internship, friends

 Home: family, friends, boyfriend, animals

 Stop and Shop: coworkers, customers

 

The four different identities are:

Foreclosed Identity: when an individual has committed to a way of life before exploring it carefully and without exploration/experimenting with alternatives. (particular identity selected by parents or peers)

Diffuse Identity: a state in which there has been little exploration or active consideration of a particular identity and no psychological commitment to one.(easily influenced by others often changing their minds)

Moratorium: which one actively explores roles and beliefs, behaviors and relationships, but refrains from making  commitment (great deal of anxiety)

Achieved Identity: when identity crisis is resolved and the commitment to the selected identity is high (successful ego-identity)

BLOG #6

The Nakkula reading goes over the behavior students have with teachers. I have worked with many different grades and I have seen diverse students of different ages acting the same. For example, I had a fourth grader that I would help during class because she was so far behind for missing school. The teacher would stick her in the corner to work on her own but she was so far behind she did not understand. As I sat with her I got to know her better and understood what she was going though. Her mother was dying in the hospital at the time and did not have anyone to bring her to school or work with her at home. This young girl clearly needed a little extra help and I ended up staying until the end of her year and glad to say she went on to the next grade. Some teachers are quick to judge these students because of how they behave but they need to go deeper into understanding why they are acting the way they do. It could be something as simple as being board and therefore giving them extra work to do so they do not act out.

Since these young minds are still growing and developing, they look up to adults, these teaches for some guidance. If teachers would take the time in getting to know their students, it would be less stressful in the classroom I believe. Also, if everyone can be involved in some way and keep everyone active and ongoing with academics I feel as though these students will succeed more.

BLOG #5

The egg drop that we did in class was fun but I did not like how we were graded on them. It was interesting how we all got boxes filled with different items. My group was the group that had the least amount of items and a budget cut. It was for our egg not to break because I feel like we did not get enough material. I found it motivating how the Youth group compared them to the cities and real life. The discussion we had about people ability and what they have was eye opening, because I did not think an egg drop (fun activity) would be so informational. They kept stressing that we would be graded on this assignment and my group did not believe that. Another thing that was not fair was some groups got multiple eggs. This all relates back to the article we read and how people that have the access to the material can accomplish more than people who have just the ability to do so. When we looked at different places that offer more for different people, it makes sense. In my opinion, people need the access to accomplish what their ability can create. I believe that if someone wants to go to school that is high in cost an wants that educational system, then they need the money to access that particular subject. I think in rare cases someone’s ability can outweigh the access and people can achieve greatness with little access or money to back them up. But then again society is society and everyone is being judged by class.

BLOG #4

            Poverty is a social problem and will continue until everyone is helped, which I believe would never happen in this society. When it comes to poverty, sometimes education suffers. It could be that the child does not have to resources to receive an education or how the teacher perceives the students. I have student taught in poverty area schools and non-poverty area schools. I have seen many differences. I have noticed that students who are in poverty seem to not have an interest in school and act out. The people who are usually in poverty areas are the non-Caucasians. “Data from the US Census Bureau (see Children’s Defense Fund, 2012), reveal that approximately 38% of Black children and 34% of Latino students live in poverty.” Sadly the statement of this data does not shock me in this society. Most people are in poverty because of low education and therefore they have low paying jobs because they did not receive the education to do something more.

I worked in three different Providence schools in poverty areas and two schools in non-poverty areas, one in Warwick and one in Cranston. Getting to know the kids I have worked with, I learned that the children suffering poverty have told me about their home lives. Most of these students’ parents did not have the chance to make it past high school and I believe that is why education does not seem to be a priority with some kids. With these students not having education as a priority, I have seen teachers not really caring to go that extra mile in helping these students. When I was there for my short 15 weeks at each school I would work one on one with these students because I believe they just need an extra push. I believe with the right help, these students will succeed and overachieve. Students who are in poverty tend to be stereotyped as “not smart”, when in reality they just do not have the support at home and some teachers are non-supports as well. I believe that after school programs and summer programs that are free could help these students catch up, instead of going home to someone who is unable to understand some of their homework or readings given. “The primary causes of poverty lie not in individual behavior at all, but in specific social and historical structures, in forces outside of any single person’s control . . .” I completely agree with this statement that was in the article because this would be considered ”blaming the victim”. People do not choose to be in poverty, I believe that it just happens and some people cannot get out of it.

Reference to the article:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/itl09h72xjw1q18/Urban%20Education-2014-Ullucci-0042085914543117%20(1).pdf?dl=0

BLOG #3

In the reading it states that “The school system is the primary normative institution for children and youth in the United States and holds vast potential for supporting young people in becoming productive, healthy adults.” In most cases I have not seen this. My major before youth development was elementary education and I have intershipped in five different schools. I feel as though they do not keep these students productive, but just go along with their curriculum and do busy work. Other schools might be a different case, but I have yet to see this happen. When this article talks about the history, I feel as though those students appreciated school more and got more out of learning then students do today. This statement “if children were in school, they were not out on the streets causing mischief and social disorder.” I feel as though this is a true statement because these kids are busy with other actions rather than causing trouble. I also believe in the youth programs for later in the day to help keep kids out of trouble. They talk about the size and diversity in the public schools. I think that the more diverse people that are in one school the more likely people are to be nice to each other because everyone is different. When I was in high school I started off at one school which was mainly high class whites. I was an outcast and got into a lot of trouble. I than went to a more diverse school that I liked a lot better, made more friends and did better in school without causing trouble. As far as faculty goes for the first school I felt they did not help me at all they just turned their backs. The lower class schools faculty was much more helpful in guidance and extra help as well.

“Teachers whose actions are determined more by rules and regulations than by their own creativity and judgment as professionals have limited latitude in allowing adolescents to make judgments about the course of their studies or the ways in which they will participate in or contribute to the school and the community.’ This statement bothers me because the student should have the right to choose what classes or what they need to do with their own life.  I understand that schools have rules, but there is a line to let these teachers have their own judgment on these students that they work with because not all students are the same.

BLOG #2

My relationship with technology is advanced than some, I would say I am digital native because I do use technology in my everyday life. When I leave the house in the morning I always have my phone on me for communication or even directions. When I am at home or at school I have my laptop that I am always using. I feel that adapting to technology can be hard for some people. For example, I grew up with technology growing and I was able to learn and grow. While others have to learn when they already know different ways to look at things than using technology.

The video opened my eyes and how people have created this amazing technology. Google will have to be my favorite tool to use on the internet. People always have to remember that not everything on the internet is true because anyone can contribute a “fact” in the internet for everyone to read. People in this day in age growing up will never know what an overhead projector is and the “struggle” people had without technology. Everything today is fast pace and still growing. I feel as though in a few years people will be all technology and no one will know how to hand write or even add math in their head. In a way this is sad because we are so technology dependent.

BLOG #1

This article was about Youth, and how they are able to have a voice inside an adult world. The youth and adults are working together to advance their community. YIA is an organization that helps youth create a voice. There are so many adults, whether there teachers or parents who look down upon some youth. To me this is not fair to be stereotyped because of where you came from or who your parents are. The YIA gives these youth a chance to be heard and they must feel like they have a purpose.

When I was in school I was not the best student. I felt as though I did not have to talk because I was not asked about or cared about. With the YIA I feel as though they care about these kids and want to make a different in their lives. When I was student teaching at a few Providence schools I had witnessed some teachers not caring as much for some students. The “bad” students would always be left out and left to do what they wanted, while the “good” students would always be getting the help when if they did not need it. The YIA should be in every community to help better students with their education and life decisions.

Talking points # 10

Extended comments to Elyssa

"Education is Politics"

Ira Shor

Shor has some great points in his article, but you also have great points in your blog. To your first paragraph, I completely agree with Shor and how teachers should examine the matter of the subject and not just the facts. When students are learning a classroom subject I believe it is easier for the student to remember if he or she can relate to it outside of the classroom. If teachers just stand in front of a classroom and just blab out facts, students are bound to get bored because I know I do.

To your second paragraph, teachers do need to get students involved to get their attention and not just throw facts at them. I do agree with you that students need involvement because we do have first hand experience in the FNED 346 class. I also feel more comfortable talking with people I got to know and this is class that is not like any other class I have ever taken before. I also enjoy coming to FNED and learn more then any other. Getting to know experiences and what our classmates think or have experience is powerful and knowledgeable. Learning this way makes me what to be this kind of teacher and not one of those who just throw facts at students and bore them to death. The quote you have that Shor says is a powerful saying that stuck out to me as well. Its all about the students learning for their education and helping students see themselves of who they are.

To your third paragraph, it is true about just learning the basic facts for an exam, just memorizing them and forgetting all the information when the exam is over. When in our FNED class we go over things and talk about them throughout the semester, not just for a week then forget about it. For example, we are still going over Delpit and that was at the beginning of class. Another example for a “bad” approach, my political science class, he just blabs out facts and some stuff that doesn’t make sense. Then he will give us a study guide to memorize and by the time the exam is over I have no clue what I learned. Yes! We need to learn the real world and that does not involve memorization.

I found this video of how interaction teaching method is good:

Talking points # 9

"Citizenship in School: Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome"

By: Kliewer

QUOTES

Page 71

“I started to notice that I didn’t like the classes I was taking called special education. I had to go through special ed. Almost my whole life. I wanted to take other classes that interested me. I had never felt so mad, I wanted to cry”

For this quote I can relate to very much. Through out elementary and middle school I was in classes that was called special education, this was not because I had a disability. This was because I had scored low in all my test scores. I was mad that I could not be with my other friends. Being in this class in middle school with others who had low test scores I found that they were troubled students and getting into trouble a lot. I became friends with most of these students and started to get in trouble as well. By the time high school hit I just did not care enough for my grades that I still continued to score low and be in what my high school called “resource” which was the same thing as special education class. Just because it was extra help, did not mean it actually helped me. I think that all students should be in classes they feel comfortable in because I know I did not so I made the wrong friends. Finally my senor year hit and I brought my scores way up.

Page 87

“We will not recognize the diverse contributions of those who wear obscuring labels until we move out focus from the disability and look for the complexity and individuality we take for granted in ourselves. Only getting to know a person in all his or her multifaceted individuality can cause the “huge” disability (spread) to magically shrink and assume its real proportion only one small facet of a person. Only then we will find ourselves able to see and receive the variety and richness of possible gifts”

People do need to learn how to look past someone who has a disability and should not treat someone differently because of it. Everyone should be treated equally and it helps to getting to know someone. I work at a market and we have people with disabilities who work there. For me I do not treat them different I have normal conversations with them just like anyone else. I enjoy talking to my co-workers and getting to people. There is this one kid in my work who has Down syndrome and he is so interesting to talk to. He tells me about baseball and how he loves hockey. He tells me about his family and friends, and I love talking to this kid. The only thing that bothers me about my work is that he is always outside taking in carts and he never says no to anything he is asked. I personally think my managers take advantage of him and it bothers me. I have said stuff but no one listens, I even called my union on them.

Page 89

“Rather, the townspeople assumed John’s humanness, which led to community connections that further established his thoughtfulness, individuality, and community value.”

Just because someone has a disability should not mean you assume they are uneducated or not worth getting to know. This proves that just getting to know someone and not just assuming who they are, can lead to having friends and being a part of the community. Accepting is the main key to having a better society.

There are many disabilities, but everyone is capable of learning. See video below.

Blog # 8

Extended Comment to Kathryn Elizabeth Carr

"Tracking: Why Schools Need to Take Another Route"

By: Jeannie Oakes

With the first quote you chose I have to agree with you that it was interesting how teachers tend to praise students with higher ability. I also think that it is wrong and in my opinion it should not matter whether your high or low ability students should be praised for how well students do. Students should be praised on what they accomplished not how high the ability is or how fast they can do it.

The other quote it is true that some students do not get the opportunity to learn what they need to learn. It is also not fair but true that students who need more help do get less. I think this is because students who show how well they can do, teachers get side track to appraise them instead of concentrating on helping a students who really needs it. Some students also work faster then others too.

This leads me to the last quote about students learning in a faster pace then other students. It must be very frustrating and humiliating for those students who take longer with test or quizzes. I do not think its right when I teacher times a test and tells the students to hurry up because I know when I was in school I hated it. Not only that is it gets the students nervous to hurry and then they forget what they want to say or keep getting distracted which can also be from test anxiety.

Teachers do need to try different learning techniques to help all types of students in their classroom learn. Schools could also do for example, break students up into different classroom on the pace that they learn, this is what was done in my middle school. The video below is an instructional video that helps describe how to help children and understand them in your classroom. i found this helpful and further understanding the situation.

Promising Practices

Promising Practices

1.)    Describe: Coming into the Promising Practices, I did not realize how many people would be attending this event. When got there I found our class and during that time I stuck with them. When it was time to leave and go to our workshops, I was sad I had to leave our class and go off alone. When I got into the workshop I was surprised to see that I had a class of about fifteen people compared to all those people I saw when I first came to Promising Practices. My workshop was “Anti-Bulling- What Do Middle Schoolers Have to Say?” and “Empowering Youth and Adults to Become Proactive in Preventing Bullying and Hate Crimes in Schools and Communities. It began with two middle school teachers and how they have a project in there classroom to help stop bullying. The first video they showed us was disturbing, it had a bunch of children from when they were born to when they committed suicide due to bullying and pictures of these children, they looked so happy. I personally do not understand why bullying still goes on with all the deaths. These teachers make the students aware of what bullying can lead too such as suicide. They talk to their students and let them know they can stand up for themselves and others. At the end they ended up making a video and a song about bullying in their middle school with the children as there stars. They also talked about how the media makes an impression on students. Then towards the end of the presentation they had two of their students who where seventh graders talk about bullying and what they hear and see in there own classroom and it is sad especially coming from someone so young. This was powerful to me and I did enjoy the knowledge and awareness these people gave to me. The next part of my workshop was a woman who was from Nigeria and she came from a “hate crime” community. Her first story to the class was her niece was just recently murdered with her throat slit in Nigeria because she wanted to help someone out. Just hearing that I could not imagine what this woman had seen in her life living in Nigeria. She went on about how hate crime in our community. Teachers must instill norms for children. There is also a lot of diversity in our school system. Bullying can be from stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, hatred, not understanding, no respect, no tolerance, and no accommodation. For these things I named the women went into how teachers should try and prevent this from happening. The first workshop was more interesting to me and I understood it a lot better. After workshop all the people met in the Gaige auditorium for a presentation from Teen Empowerment. They through bean bags in a circle and played musical chairs, not to be mean but I did not understand the point of it. I guess it was to learn names but I did not find that part very interesting. Then there was lunch and during lunch there was the youth panel was a few people spoke. Once again I found our class to sit with so I did not feel lonely. I was distracted with eating and did not pay much attention to the youth panel I must be honest.  But they were talking about success and people helping to achieve your goals.

2.)    Make Connections: To the first part of my workshop where the teachers took control over the students and was in charge to help them with bullying situation, that would resemble Delpit. This is because the teachers took over the situation to help the students succeed. The first part of my workshop also goes along with Chritensen because they did compare media to the bullying at schools. They students were also asked to do a project to look up media and bullying. When the two girls talked about there project to us they said they were shocked at the information they came across. They also learned from media and other sources that they don’t have to stand back they can help by standing up and staying something like “stop” to a bully. This also goes along with Johnson and how power and privilege and cause or prevent bullying. Kozol went also with the second part of my workshop because this woman talked about Nigeria and how it was a poverty and high hate crime place. Also there were not much individualized choices because I mean her niece was murdered just to try and help.

3.)    Pictures and links: www.trworkbench.com/jpirraglia/antibully - for first part workshop

www.census.gov/compedia/statab/2011/tables/1150318.pdf - for second part of workshop

The video below goes well with the first part of the workshop and how stadning up can prevent bullying.

Related to clas discussion today

This video shows a man going through what a women does.

Internet (gender and media) and Unlearning the Myths That bind Us (by: Christensen)

Blog #7

Connection (Media)

Media is all around from the television to magazines and even in children’s toys.  Gender plays a large role in this because male and females each have “priorities”. For males they have to appear brave and courageous, while women are gentle and weak. The media has made an image of what gender is “supposed” to look like. For little children there are dolls that are white, skinny, and pretty, this makes children feel the need to become what the media displays a “women”. This can lead to anorexia or bulimia or maybe just not liking themselves. The media must not realize how making people look a certain way affects everybody. For men they can not show sadness because that is a “sign” of weakness. Women are also the cook and cleaner, while the man waits around to be served. Another example is that mostly guy’s play video games and the girl are portrayed at big boobs, big butt, and little waist. Even color is a big deal, pink is for a girl and blur is for a boy and people still do it today.I could go on for a long time about what the media says. The video below gives a visual about gender stereotypes in the media.

Related to class discussion

This person has his own opinion on "his own world"

"Separate and Unequal" ( Bob Herbert )

Talking points #6

Extended Comments to Phil Kenny III

I agree with Phil when he talks about the article “Separate and Unequal”, and how poverty badly affects the good results in schools. They don’t have “good teachers” to help, because they avoid it. That said it is terrible because those are the ones who need the help. With lower levels of parental involvement, the students are more unlikely to succeed. Unfortunately there are many Hispanic and African Americans that are deal with this because of poverty.

            Even though schools are not legally segregated, they still are separated by where they live. This is why we have mostly Hispanic and African Americans in poverty schools due to their location of homes. There is law made for equal opportunities in education also known as the law of the land. With this law in effect there are still people being separated by poverty.

The video below is a helpful visual

In The Service Of What? The Polotics of Service Learning (By: Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer)

Talking points #5

HYPERLINKS:

The Article “In the Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning” was about servicing learning and how this can improve and help the community. All students can participate and it provides educational experiences. Also this can further educational goals for students. Service learning programs are supported statewide. There were two stories in the article one that they physically helped outside their classroom to those in need. The other one was students who helped inside their classroom. Either way is a good experience for students to work together and identity and responds to their issues. By doing the service learning program it was said in the article that the student values and beliefs would be transformed by these experiences. I think that service learning is a good experience and a good feeling in helping others. Everyone should be more involved in the community and schools to help others who don’t have the capability to even help themselves. Service learning programs can open childrens eyes and see that for example the neighborhood is not bad just because someone told you it was.  The video below shows how people can get involved and how people feeling. The example in the video is this like the seventh grade classroom talked about in the article. These children are also doing a food drive to help the homeless through their classroom. This also talks about how children learn through service learning programs.