SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENT



From Belly Dancers to Burqas: Media Representations of Muslim Women.”  Presented by Afshan Jafar. 

In this 45 minute lecture I learned a lot about the culture of Muslim women. We started out by each writing 3 concepts we believed to be true about Muslim women. After reading the answers out loud, it was noticed that the most common words used included; controlled, religious, opressed, and covered. 
Next, the group was asked how we would describe a Christian woman. No one knew the answer to this because everyone was questioning the vague category of Christianity. Afshan Jafar, then made the point that the muslim religion was just as widely ranged as the religion of Christianity. This made me and i'm sure others in the lecture realize that we judge based upon only the few simple things we think are true about other cultures. When in reality we have only a simple, small idea about another culture. 

Another topic discussed was Jasmine From the Disney movie Aladidin. It was stated that Jasmine is based on a muslim character, however she is wearing a belly dancers costume. This gave americans the idea that ALL muslim women wore these outfits, which is very untrue. We learned that typical things that are worn by women are Barquas and Vails. When talking about this topic this image was presented to us. 



*From this image I got that different cultures have different beliefs. Neither are right or wrong. 


CONNECTIONS: 

1.) I would connect this presentation to the article  "Unlearning The Myths That Bind Us" . Linda Christensen states that we as people are manipulated by Media and advertising. Princess Jasmine would be a symbol that connects the article to this presentation. Just because Jasmine is dressed in a belly dancer costume we just assume that all Muslim women wear this kind of clothing. When in reality muslim women dress completely different. This makes me question, Why couldn't disney have dressed Princess Jasmine in a typical muslim outfit such as a burqua. 

2.) "Aria" was a good article that connected to this event. Aria Richard Rodriguez talks about coming to the United States speaking no english. He said how much of a challenge it was and how he was not accepted in society until he spoke the language of our country. The reason I am connecting this is because I feel like muslims may feel sterotyped just like Rodriguez was. Muslim women probably feel like the way they dress makes them unacceptable to society. This pressures them into changing their believes all to fit in.

3.) "Between Barack and a Hard Place" is a good connection article. Tim Wise discusses how we catagorize black people, and others who are not like "us." Wise was on a plane and got nervous that the pilot was black. In the middle of his worries he realized how dumb this observation was. This makes me notice how we automatically fear the unknown. In terms to the social justice presentation, we think muslim women are opressed just becuase of what we wear. In reality, we have no cultural background information to back up our thoughts. It is not right we judge what we do not actually know. 

In Empowering Education, Ira Shor states that child are called upon to receive from outside the already perfected products of adult knowledge and morality; the educational relationship consists of pressure on one side and receptiveness on the other. 

The meaning behind this is that when we attend school we learn certain concepts because we are forced to learn them. 

What this means to say is that when we attend school we are forced to learn certain concepts because we simply can learn things and because its there.  Ira Shor thinks that what children perform in school is memorizing and note taking based, cut and dry. Teaching the idea of "you have to learn this because i said so." Shor  attempts to show the beauty of teaching with more autonomy or independence. To teach in a more fun and creative way will cause children to be interested to learn. We are human so come into the world as learners and we are naturally curious from day one. Why should education be taught in a way that we just learn but not ask why. The reason we learn is because we ask the questions how and why. 

I can connect this to the the three R’s article, because they both state that good methods for students are that they should be able to learn, think and question for themselves instead of being told how to learn and what to think. 

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/lang/en//id/233

IMPORTANT QUOTES TO THINK ABOUT;

"People are naturally curious. They are born learners. Education can either develop or stifle their inclination to ask why and to learn"

"Empowered students make meaning and act from refelction, instead of memorizing facts and values handed to them"

"Empowered education, as I define it here, is a critical-democratic pedagogy for self and social change. It is a student-centered program for multicultural democracy in school and society. It approaches individual growth as an active, cooperative, and social process, because the self and society create each other"

"Citizenship in School: Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome"
Christoper Kliewer




QUOTES:
1.) "So I guess what I'm arguing is that if you did pick Lee out, you won't be seeing Lee. It's not Lee you're picking out, it's your stereotype; your mind set"
          *Many people tend to categorize special needs people. They are characterized by their disability rather than their actions. It is difficult for people to look beyond the disability and get to know the person. I think it is important that we treat special needs people the same way we treat every other "normal" person. Just like us, they are people too who should not be streo-typed.

2.) "And with those three kids in the room it would be hard to say, This is how you should treat kids with down syndrome; They're not all alike."
       * This links to the first quote I picked out. Just because a person is special needs does not mean he/she is like the other special needs kids in the class. Like "normal" people, they each have their own personalities, likes, dislikes, and qualities. This being said, rather than seeing that person as special needs, we should be able to dig deeper and get to know each child.

3.) It's not like they come here to be labeled. Were all here- kids teachers, parents, whoever- it's about all of us working together, playing together, being together, and thats what learning is.
       *This is my favorite quote from all of the readings so far. I feel as though this sums up the main point of this whole FNED course. Everyone is just trying to be themselves in a learning enviornment. If that could be accepted by peers, we wouldn't have all of these problems that are dealt with in todays classrooms. If everything was done together, we could all create a better learning enviornment.

http://youtu.be/z0RT5eBKOOM

Literacy with an Attitude

Educallng Worklng-Cllss Chlldran In Thalr Own Salt-inlarl.1

Patrick J. Finn

QUOTES;

"You can't teach these kids anything. Their parents don't care about them, and they're not interested."

** I chose this quote to talk about because I feel as though I can compare it to my service learning experience. By being in the Providence school system, I work with many kids who seem not to have very good home lives. By talking with some of the students it seems at though their parents don't encourage why going to school is so important. I had a talk with one of my students and told him what the whole point of school was. I explained to him education was almost everything that you needed to be a successful person. I also told him how I was in college and what the reason I was going to school was. The reason I am sharing this story with my blog is because I feel as though if parents don't care, we as teachers or future educators should. It is important for a child to be guided in the right direction, and know they have someone to talk to. This will make them more interested.

"Children should feel that the teacher and other students care about them and find them significant,  the greatest extent possible, the classroom should prefigure the kind of democratic and just society we envision."

** I think it is important for students to feel cared about on a level more than just school work. Teachers should be showing their students how they are cared for by incorperating society into their classrooms. Rather than just sticking to the curriculum, it is important for students to learn about the "outside world"

"Do it my way or it's wrong"

** This is a statement I think should NEVER be used by educators. Every person/ student should be free to express their answers or opinions in the way they choose. This can help other students to learn in different ways. In order to grow as individuals, it is important for people to express their own creative thoughts. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_LbZ3XcfK4

http://youtu.be/S_LbZ3XcfK4

Becoming Something Different: Learning from Esmé

COLLEEN M. FAIRBANKS PENNY MASON CROOKS University of North Carolina at Greensboro

http://imgarcade.com/1/standardized-testing-stress/

"We asked if she liked to help others. Yeah. I help my neighbor because he has trouble reading and writing in English so I help him. Esmé and seemed to change how she saw herself as a student and her perceptions of the school’s resources designed to support her."

              I picked this quote because I feel as though as a student I can relate. Helping out others with their work makes you feel as though you are doing yours correctly. Esmé had always questioned how good of a student she actually was. Now being able to help others makes her feel more confident in the work she is doing.
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"As an artifact of contemporary schooling, the TAKS redirected the focus of instruction from literature to isolated skill development, thereby interrupting instruction in literacy that might have built on Esmé’s skills and interest in reading books."

            Teachers stress on how important it is to do well on these tests. When it comes to be that time of the year before standardized testing, that becomes the main focus of accademics. Most school work is revolved around practice examples of questions that will be on tests. This takes away from the regular accademic work that should be getting taught. Also, I do not believe that standardize tests are a reflection of what kind of student you are. Sometimes people can just be bad test takers, or have an off day the day of their test causing them not to do well. 
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"Esmé’s participation in the social life of the school did not come easily because she had to negotiate conflicts that arose between home and school."

         
           I picked this quote to share because I feel as though it is very difficult to carry a social, academic, and home life. Sometimes it seems as though their just isn't enough hours in the day to get everything done. As a collage student I can relate to how difficult it is to balance out a busy schedule 

Between Barack and a Hard Place; TIM WISE

Between Barack and a Hard Place; TIM WISE

The article mentions school segregation on the level of poverty. Connecting to what I learned in Political Science, this goes with Brown vs Education.We can all agree that segregation in schools is considered to be both separate and unequal. 

I would like to connect this reading to Delpits reading about power and privilege. Even though some people don't believe in theirselves, everyone has the right to both power and privilege.Rather than trying to separate children based on their financial status, it is the job of the educators to teach "the rules and codes of power." 

By acknowledging racial and financial differences you display a sense of cultural competency. By separating children with those particular differences you are not teaching them how to get ahead in life, you are showing them that they do not possess the means of success. When children of different ethnicities, backgrounds, and fiscal situations are integrated, they are provided with a more beneficial and well rounded education.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2ghdirLe7w

In the Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning

By Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer

I feel as though this was a very powerful article. Service learning is something that is very important especally to young students. I think it is something very different than charity work. Service learning gives students the oppertunity to have a hand on learning experience.

In my FNED class. I learned a lot from my service learning requirement. I can compare the things i've learned out in my classroom to many of the readings. 

QUOTES:

" . . . ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

"I'm glad I went on that trip because it was a wonderful experience to meet new people and find out about their lives."

" but its real impact is seen in its ability to promote powerful learning environment"

Watch this video about the importance on Service Learning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4PdapFAbmA

Blog 5: Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us -Linda Christensen



After reading this article I can say that I think children's movies and cartoons has a negative impact upon children. Without realizing, many of these movies have manipulated people. Some examples I can think of are disney princess movies. In many of them it shows that woman need to be dependent on a man to make them happy. Another example is gender identity roles. It is portrayed that men need to be strong and muscular while woman are supposed to do house work, dress, walk, and talk properly. 

Young woman and men grow up to think this is how they have to act. Woman mostly care about their looks along with being smart where as on the other hand men care about working out and being able to provide.

"When we read children's books, we aren't just reading cute little stories, we are discovering the tools with which a young society is manipulated."




"Because we can never look like Cinderella we begin to hate ourselves" 

This quote really had me thinking. It reminded me of when the victoria secret fashion show comes on. Most girls obsess over the fact they can not be as thin or have the same bodies as most of the models. Some people take this to an extreme and may starve themselves or develop an eating disorder. It is a shame that society the only way to look good is to have the same body types as models. If you are not as thin it is assumed that you are "fat." 


"I want them to imagine a better world, characterized by relationships of respect and equality"

No one should be judged based upon what they wear, by their weight, by their believes, by their color or by their sexuality. I think this reading goes along with most of the others we read in class. This is that everyone should be treating each other equally rather than judging them for things that really don't matter.
Being different might be a good thing after all. 

The following are youtube videos that give examples on gender stereotypes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZIpifzykIg
http://youtu.be/5oyGGwjPbLw

I would connect this to Peggy McIntosh's awareness of privilege because both authors want their students to develop critical consciousness and have them act upon their conversations and thoughts.