American Life, Hebert, Brown vs. Board of Education

Alyssa Giammarco
Dr. McKamey
FNED:346
30 October 2018

The Problem We All Live With- Part One 

"Maria usually brought home A's but when she got a C Neshia asked the teacher why she had not been notified, the teacher told her that she had to many kids in her class to call all of their parents. Neshia said teachers did not seem to care. Classes were dumbed down, and often unorganized, and everything that seemed to be good news turned into bad news."

This quote is revealing that in the Missouri school district teachers are not caring if their students succeed or not. This is very frown upon because a teachers job is to educate these children and provide extra help for them to be successful. Many of these students were not graduating because the school was losing their records or other important things. The school was very unorganized and lazy which resulted in students suffering for what they couldn't control. This quote relevant to the pod cast because the speaker is talking about the Normandy school district and the problems that parents were finding out. 

Link to the Pod Cast:

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/562/the-problem-we-all-live-with-part-one

Separate and Unequal 

“Ninety-five percent of education reform is about trying to make separate schools for rich and poor work, but there is very little evidence that you can have success when you pack all the low-income students into one particular school,” 

This quote is relevant to the article because the author is talking about the schools in which black and hispanic children are enrolled in. These children are exposed to high levels of poverty. This results in exceptions, and parental involvement being very low. This quote is revealing that there is a good percentage of education changes that is happing, however all of the students that come from high poverty are put into the same school. How does this make any sense? People want education to change but they are basically segregating low income students into one school and high income families into another. 

Link to the Reading:

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/opinion/22herbert.html

Separate Is Not Equal: Brown vs. Board Of Education 

"Through personal stories and broad historical themes, the exhibition traced the fight to bring the injustice of segregated schools before the United States Supreme Court. Their victory in Brown v. Board of Education transformed the nation."

This quote is saying that the Brown vs. Board of Education changed American history by eliminating segregated schools. This was one of the turning points that transformed our nation. This quote is relevant to the Brown vs. Board website because it talks about the events that took place, public programs, and resources. 

Link to the Website:

http://americanhistory.si.edu/brown/index.html 

Joseph Kahne & Joel Westheimer

Alyssa Giammarco
Dr. Corinne McKamey
FNED:346
27 October 2018

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

Summary of the Article:
In the beginning of the article the author explained the importance of service learning, and how it can improve the classroom, community, and the experience for students in every grade level. With serve learning students become more active and engaged in projects. This is because serve learning projects   "aim to respond to the needs of the community while furthering the academic goals of students." According to the author examples of service projects include working with the homeless, analyzing and monitoring swamplands, and oral history of the community. "Such service learning activities seek to promote students' self-esteem, to develop higher-order thinking skills, to make use of multiple abilities, and to provide authentic learning experiences-all goals of current curriculum reform efforts." This quote reveals that students who are involved in a serve learning project will adapt these importance skills more easily then people who are not involved in one.

Furthermore, the author discusses two examples of service learning projects in a classroom. The first serve learning project dealt with Mr. Johnson's project for his 12th grade U.S. government course. Mr. Johnson's strategy involved letting his students choose their serve learning project. For example one of his students chose to work in a center for babies whose mothers were addicted to high levels of cocaine during their pregnancy. Another student chose to work in a hospital running errands for doctors and locating sites for patients. A third student chose to prepare and distribute survival kits for the homeless.  Mr. Johnson explained that if his children worked with people who were less fortune than them, then they would "experience the excitement and joy of learning while using the community as a classroom." The second service learning project that the author addressed is Ms. Adams a seventh grade teacher who took a different approach on what her children could choose as a topic. Ms. Adams and her class talked about issues of common concerns and then voted on the issue of homelessness as their topic. Ms Adams had her students listen to speakers from the homeless, create files of newspaper articles on homelessness and read other items. To get involved in the community she had her students select two homeless advocacy groups and helped them raise money. She then had them reflect as a class or in small groups on the readings they read, what they learned throughout the project, and on their overall experience. The author godson to explain the similarities and differences the Mr. Johnson and Ms. Adams share. For their similarities they both provide learning experiences that reflect toward areas of concern. They also address the importance of those in need and they encourage their students to make a difference. As for differences, Mr. Johnson's class focused on civic duty, whereas Ms Adams class focused on critical analysis of the concerns on homelessness and strategies to help those in need.

Hyperlink:
http://www.cpsed.net/chsw/
This is a link to the school website of Cranston High School West. Cranston High School West provides service learning projects in all of their Career and Technical programs. When I transferred there as a sophomore from Johnston High School I enrolled into the Child Development Program. This program gave me the opportunity to be involved in the community while still learning. As a sophomore you get to work in the preschool that is attached to the classroom. This is the year that the students get to create relationships and bonds with the preschoolers while also becoming familiar with their environment. As a junior the students get to go out into the community and intern at a facility called The Trudeau Center. This is an inclusive school where you get to develop skills in helping children who have a difficult time with learning. I loved going to the Trudeau Center because I was able to make a difference in the children's lives. Cranston West sends their students to schools that need more guidance to help them learning. As a senior in the program you have the choice on what school you would like to student teach in. This is where you develop lessons plans for every domain. Towards the end of your senior year you will take these lesson plans from your field sites and construct a binder filled with pictures, stories, etc from your experience. Cranston West gives their students the oppurtunity to help the community and people in need. They provide one of the best programs that will help their students become more responsible in the future.

Points To Share In Class:
I believe that every student in every school should be assigned a serve learning project because it helps them get involved in the community while still learning. There are many people out in the community who are less fortunate and who are struggling. With schools going out and helping, they can make a great difference in their lives.

Link to the Reading:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-JcBFAuLc-0Uk96Z2g3NDI2bkU/view

August

Alyssa Giammarco
Dr. McKamey
FNED:346
9 October 2018

Safe Spaces: Making Schools and Communities Welcoming to LGBT Youth: By Annemarie Vaccaro, Gerri August and Megan Kennedy

"Classrooms lay the foundations for an inclusive and safe society; a just community where common interests and individual differences coexist. To the extent that teachers, school administrators, and college professors create an atmosphere in which difference is not only tolerated but expected, explored, and embraced, students will be more likely to develop perspectives that result in respectful behaviors. Without the deliberate creation of an inclusive atmosphere however, what happens inside classroom walls reproduces the prejudices that exist outside these walls; straightness and gender conformity are assumed; LGBT identity is deviant."

This quote is revealing that every classroom in a school should be accepting to all kinds of students. Acceptance should start in preschool classrooms. This is because usually preschool classrooms start their development in learning. Due to this these classrooms should be welcoming to everyone no matter if they are different. If a classroom is not welcoming then these children grow up with a mindset that its not normal to be different which is horrific. In my opinion one of the teachers responsibility is to create a learning environment that makes the children feel safe and welcoming. Teachers can incorporate this in their teaching style. This quote is relevant to the text because the author is talking about how classrooms play an important role and the impact it has on their students.

"In an episode entitled "Sugar time!" Busters adventures take him to Vermont, where he meets David, Emma, James, and their two moms, a blended family that teaches Buster the art of maple sugaring. The lesbian moms are featured incidentally, with Emma simply stating that she loves both of them very much. Sexual orientation is never explored; the words "gay" or "lesbians" are never used."

This quote is saying that the words gay or lesbian are not commonly used in conversation. Its sad that even a tv show does not show consideration towards people who are different. They are not being accepting to every single person. Instead of making this a common thing to hear or watch cartoon tv shows are eliminating what is important for children to understand at a young age. Due to this many children are growing up with questions and no answers. This quote is relevant to the text because the author is talking about being accepting to all students in the classroom, however if producers of tv shows can't be welcoming then this is most likely going to happen in the classroom.

“Justin a promising musician, was bullied because of his sexual orientation. He took his life after finishing his freshman year of high school. After Justin’s death, his mother campaigned to change district policies that required teachers to remain neutral regarding issues of sexual orientation. Tammy Aaberg named the problem: ‘most of the teachers and principals… mean well-they want to intervene. But the teachers still don’t know what they can and can’t do.’ LGBT students need advocacy and protection, not neutrality.”

This quote is relevant to the text because the author is talking about how classrooms and teachers play a significant role on students. This quote is saying that children are committing suicide because they are getting bullied so bad. These children rather harm their bodies than live through the pain they are in. In the case, Justin took his life because he was bullied due to his sexual orientation. This makes me very upset because school should be a safe place for many children but for Justin it was not. After his death Justin's mother campaigned to change district policies in regards of teachers standing up for children who are being bullied. Many children are being bullied because of their sexual orientation. Teachers should get involved instead of sitting back and thinking of what they can or cannot do. They should at least do something! For example teachers should provide a judgement free classroom so these individuals know they are not alone.

Talking Points to Share in Class:
In my opinion I think that all classrooms in every grade, and school should be welcoming to all students . A classroom should be a safe place for all children and not a place where they are scared or feel threatened. Today bullying is a major problem that needs to be fixed. Many children are being bullied and the result is them harming their bodies. We as teachers should be creating a positive atmosphere where children are happy to come to class and be with their peers.

Link to the Reading:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-JcBFAuLc-0SVJiRmNrcllrRlU/view

Linda Christensen Responce

Alyssa Giammarco
Dr. Corrine McKamey
FNED: 346
1 October 2018

Unlearning the Myths That Blind Us By: Linda Christensen 

"The "secret education," as Chilean writer Ariel Dorfman dubs it, delivered by children's books and movies, instructs young people to accept the world as it is portrayed in these social blueprints. Ami often that world depicts the domination of one sex, one race, one class, or one country over a weaker counterpart."
This quote is revealing the impact that children's books and movies have on young children. I would have never thought that children would be impacted negatively when reading or watching children's books or movies. Young children read and watch these movies and think that their lives will be the same as they see it in these "blueprints." Our world is created by domination. This is because in sex, males are dominant, in race white people are dominant, and in class rich people are perceived to be the dominant side. The Untied States is a dominating country, we use power over one another. This is relevant to the text because the author's of children's books are dominating our children because they are small and impressionable, and books are how they learn. Everywhere around us there is power. 

"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."
This quote is relevant to the text because authors of children's books are dominating young children in such a negative way. Children are so small and dependable on other people for assistance. Everywhere there is power and in this specific quote the authors of children's books are the people who have the power. These authors are displaying real world stories as something cute so it will be relatable for children. These authors include cute characters, fun fonts, pictures, and color to make it appealing for young children. They understand the world through books and not the real world around them.

"Children's cartoons, movies, and literature are perhaps the most Influential genre "read." Young people, unprotected by any intellectual armor, hear or watch these stories again and again. from the warmth of their mother's or father's lap. The messages. or "secret education," linked with the security of their homes, underscore the power these texts deliver. As Tatum's research suggests, the stereotypes and world view embedded in the stories become accepted knowledge."
This quote is revealing that children are hugely influenced by books and movies. They are so young and impressionable. They learn from adults and in this quote from their parents. Children also learn from books, movies, colors, characters, and writing styles which gets children involved and interested in learning. This quote is relevant to the text because authors of books take power and use it over children. These books and movies are dominating young children while they are so young. It's impacting them in a negative way.

Point to share in class:
Before reading this article I always thought that reading to children was one of the most important things to do. After reading the article I am  now conflicted about reading to children because of the major power it has on what we read to them, and the affects it has on their learning. In my classroom I try and read books that are children friendly and don't have a significant amount of power in them so the children can actually learn from reading the book. 

Link to the Reading:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-JcBFAuLc-0NEFOT1BJZXVnZnM/view