Thinking Piece #7: Lawrence Reading

Charles Lawrence: “One more River to Cross”—Recognizing the Real Injury in Brown: A Prerequisite to shaping New Remedies

Premise:

• Supreme Court
• Recognize
• Segregation
• Race
• Blacks
• Struggle
• Difference
• Life Expectancy
• Mistaken
• Misunderstood
• Law

Authors Argument:

Charles Lawrence argues that, “Supreme Court’s reasoning in striking down an interdistrict desegregation order in Detroit was flawed in that it misunderstood the true nature of the institution of segregation” (0053). Meaning that the Supreme Court’s order completely missed the real meaning of segregation acts that are still taking place in today’s society.

Evidence:

1.“Segregated housing and zoning practices are equally effective means of labeling blacks as inferior” (0056). This quote proves that Lawrence was using how just by separating the blacks from the other people of color is still labeling blacks. It does not matter if they are being separated due to the house they live in or the region they grew up in, they are still segregated.

2.“…The Supreme Court’s distinction between Northern and Southern cases of desegregation is not really a matter of state action at all: it is simply a matter of timing” (0057).Lawrence is proving that no mater how the court’s explain themselves on their segregated actions they seem to always blame it on the cases desegregation (unification) when all it has to do with the states timing.

3.“This means that it is not only appropriate but necessary for courts to look beyond the school system both to determine whether black school children’s constitutional right to equal education has been violated and in formulating remedies to address those violations” (0059). Lawrence once again brings up an important method that will be very useful for the court’s to grasp the full understanding of the way blacks are segregated. This method in particular proves that if a child is talked to outside of his/her school surrounding then the court’s will truly observe that black children’s constitutional rights and equal education is not equal at all.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

As you all probably realized this article was VERY hard to read. I am not sure I fully understood all of his points but I did however keep reading a rereading all of his material and got what ever I could out of it. It involved many different cases and lawyer terms that I am not familiar with, therefore, I felt as though I really did not connect with Lawrence’s article as much as I wanted.

Thinking Piece #6: Oakes Reading

Jeanine Oakes: Tracking: Why Schools Need to Take another Route

Premise:

• Parents
• Teachers
• Students
• Tracking
• Grouping
• Strategies
• Different
• Normal
• Knowledge
• Consequences
• Ability
• Mission
• Accomplish

Authors Argument:

Jeanine Oakes argues that educators and parents need to come together, compromise, and take action when it comes to being able to help make every child, no matter what their ability range is, understand and be provided with all of the material that is needed to succeed in their future classrooms.

Evidence:

1.“Alternate strategies, while not simple to implement, promise to help schools reach their goal of providing high-quality, relevant education to all students” (178). According to Oakes quote she is stating that students that have strategies and appropriate materials are gaining a “relevant education”. However, she also states that all of these strategies and materials are only going to those students who are at a higher advantage than other, what about the rest?

2.“First, lessons will probably be most successful if they require active learning tasks rather than passive ones, have students working together rather than alone.” (180). Oakes is proving that although many teachers might be scared to teach in a different way, there are many techniques they can use to help ALL of their students understand. And this is only the first technique!

3.“Second, learning tasks are probably most helpful when they are full of complications and when they require multiple abilities…” (180). Oakes also suggests that using some lessons that pull together more than one skill gives the students a better grasp of not only the required material but when the appropriate time to use it will be.

4.“Third, learning tasks will suit most students if they are modeled on complex and challenging “real world” problem solving” (180). The last technique Oakes points out is a very important one. She explains to teachers that whenever teaching a lesson do not be afraid to go big, introduce and prepare children to the real world. It’s never too early!

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

This week the reading was definitely easier that last weeks. This article really affected me when I realized that some teachers and parents actually have a problem with new material. If something is thrown at me (especially something that will help my students) I will not be afraid to try it. I, personally would want to be able to pass all of my knowledge down to my students and if there is ever a way to make that more successful then I probably will be the first one to use it. Wouldn’t you?

Thinking Piece #5: Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer Reading

Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer: In the Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning

Premise:

• Community
• Learning experience
• Educators
• Legislators
• Politics
• Community service
• Controversial issues
• Engage
• Help
• Opportunities
• Encourage
• Teachers
• Students
• Volunteerism
• Compassion
• Participation
• Support
• Choices

Author’s Argument:

Kahne and Westheimer argues that today in America there are various ways in which children can actually gain satisfaction by wanting to take part in their community service requirements.

Evidence:

1. “In addition to helping those they serve, 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” (2). Kahne and Westheimer explain that while students are helping those in need they are also helping themselves. The students might be required to complete their community service but it is something that will open their eyes and realize how good they may have it.

2. “Service learning can advance other priorities, such as the acquisition of vocational skills” (6). Again, as the students realize how fortunate they are they begin to care more about what surrounds them, which then causes them to gain and act upon more professional/mature skills.

3. “They [school administrators] were ’surprised at the children’s responsiveness and their attentiveness,’ they found the children to be ‘extremely polite and surprisingly friendly,’ and they discovered that they ‘listened well and had excellent behavior’” (9). This just proves my assumption on what Kahne and Westheimer were trying to prove. Teachers and administrators are actually becoming shocked with the outcome of their student’s actions and new changes.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

While reading Kahne and Westheimer’s article I found my mind continuously wonder. However, I do feel that this article had some very good examples and criteria to help back up their arguments but I still felt like it was repetitive. I was very astounded by the student’s overall improvement in each teachers challenge. I also felt that the teachers and administrators in the article were strong by consistently encouraging these students to help out that in need, but I still feel as though Kahne and Westheimer were weak when it came to not repeating the same facts over and over. Am I alone in this opinion?

Thinking Piece #4: Linda Christensen Reading

Linda Christensen: Unlearning the Myths That Blind Us

Premise:

• "Secret Education"
• Dreams
• Respect
• Stereotype
• Different vs. Normal
• Literacy
• Styles
• Injustice
• Discovery

Authors Argument:

Christensen argues that there is "Secret Education" that is hiding in our everyday movies, magazines, texts, etc. that teach us how to act, live, and dream in our everyday lives.

Evidence:

1. "When we read children books, we aren't just reading cute little stories; we are discovering the tools with which a young society is manipulated" (126). Christensen is basically stating the truth by "Speaking the words" (as Delpit would say). Christensen is not denying that today our bedtime stories, movies, or magazines all encounter happy ending and roles that every race, sex, and society should be living up to.
2. Christensen supports this very idea by stating the example of the movie Popeye. "'Ali Baba and the forty thieves,’ that depicts all Arabs with the same face, same turban, and same body... Later, the forty thieves come riding through town stealing everything -- food, an old man's teeth, and numbers of the clock..." (130). this quote proves the point in which Christensen was trying to stress by her "secret education". Since Popeye was a white male he had to be the heroin, Olive Oyl had to be the damsel in distress, and the Arabs had to be all thieves. This is how we are now quick to judge a person that simply passes us in the street.
3. "Happiness means getting a man and transformation from wretched conditions can be achieved through consumption -- in their cases, through new clothes and new hairstyle" (133). Christensen again makes her point by pointing out the role that every girl/women has for her lifestyle and the idea comes none other than what was read or watched.

Quotes/Comments/Questions:

I felt that this article was very descriptive and got its points across. Although, I personally felt that Christensen used far too many examples each example she gave I never realized before. There were definitely a lot of uh huh moments that stroke me as surprising. I loved her strong points of views that were very similar to Delpit’s, because in many ways she just spoke her true words and true feelings and in the end they are all right. I can definitely say I want to live that American dream of a great husband that will support me and provide for me, but now I can take a stand and say I can honestly live my "Happily Ever After" ending without my prince.