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Monday, April 21, 2008

Thinking Piece #10: Johnson Reading




Allan G. Johnson, Ph. D.: Privilege, Power, and Difference

Premise:

• Trouble
• Change
• PRIVILEGE
• Power
• Difference
• Challenges
• Race
• Class
• Sex
• Limits
• Solutions
• Individuality
• Oppression
• Being Heard
• Change
• Opportunities

Argument:

Johnson argues that we as Americans need to realize that with our powers and privileges we can finally create the many changes that our society needs. We need to also be aware that if we believe in a particular change/event we need to stick by it and support it, because one voice can still make the difference.

Evidence:

1. “Their silence and invisibility allow privilege and oppression to continue. Removing what silences them and stands in their way can tap an enormous potential of energy for change” (125). This is Johnson proving that if just one person “taps on the glass” it is just the start of something that many others will begin to see. Just one voice, one tap, can make the biggest change.

2. “A society isn’t some hulking thing that sits there forever as it is” (129). Johnson is stating that we sometimes forget that we can create change. When earth was first created it was not said that it had to stay that way forever. We need to continue changing our society; we need to make the changes!

3. “People often like to think of themselves as individuals—especially in the United States. But it is amazing how much of the time we compare ourselves to other people as a way to see how well we fit in” (144). This is an example where Johnson is stating, that we (Americans) are so afraid of enforcing changes but when we look around and see that everyone is different we begin to compare ourselves. We begin to wonder, what is the correct way of looking? And the answer is, there is no correct way, everyone is different, everyone brings differences to our society, just as we should look at the future changes.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

This article was by far my favorite article. I believe in everything that Johnson is trying to say, we need to “tap the glass”, accept change, and realize that one person can make a difference. He used many great examples and really summed up everything we have learned during this semester in FNED. As I looked at Tiffany’s profile before I wrote this I really liked her comic strip. I really felt it had to do with exactly what Johnson was saying. So just as I went looking for one I saw this one (above) and I liked it because it reminded me of the activity we did (I cannot remember what reading it was for) where we couldn’t talk and each wrote our ideas about that one topic that was on the top of the page.

As I read this, however, I was unsure of what the “tin cup” approach and the “business case” arguments were. From the text it seemed like it was written about in the previous chapters of his book but I was just unsure. Does anyone know?

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Today's Class

Today's class deffinitley helped out my group with our presentation. We used our time wisely and got most of it done :)

Monday, April 14, 2008

Thinking Piece #9:Orenstein Reading

Peggy Orenstein: School Girls

Premise:

• Silence
• Gender
• Schooling
• Equality
• School
• Teachers
• Society
• Communities
• Inequalities
• Racism
• Sexist
• Differences
• Fairness
• Disadvantages
• Adolescence
• Data
• Struggles

Argument:

Orenstein argues that there are silent and hidden curriculums when it comes to teaching a co ed classroom. Girls are hidden and rarely mentioned in any type of text books, media, etc. and the men always seem to be imaged as superior. This causes our women of our society to grow up with a lower self-esteem that is always presented silently.

Evidence:

1. "I usually find that boys only resist studying women when they're presented as 'lesser,’ She says.’and if they're presented 'lesser' girls don't want to study women either"(16). People (especially teachers) do not know how important it is to teach ALL of their children/students that both men and women have equal opportunities and strengths. Orenstein states that in today's society women are always given the 'lesser' roles, therefore, causing student’s to never want to exemplify them, rather than being able to play a big, macho, lead role that of course belongs to the males.

2. "Sexual harassment is part of the hidden curriculum for girls, and for boys, too, because they learn whether it has anything to do with them or not"(25). While most teachers today are still hiding the ides that in their everyday lessons and text books there are many sexual harassment examples for both males and females. Orenstein proves that if all teachers not only read and point out the different ways each curriculum involves a certain type of sexual harassment then each student (male or female) will be able to recognize if it is similar to something they have experienced or not. This way children are able to understand the truth behind all types of sexual harassment because they are finally able to compare it to everyday life experiences.

3. "They're trying not to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, trying not to dress a certain way. They learn to become silent, careful, not active or assertive in life. That's what the hidden curriculum teaches girls'"(25) Orenstein proves her argument by stating that even though Ms. Logan taught her students that every student, male or female, might have experienced some form of sexual harassment. But all of the girls stayed quiet, they acted like society has intended, they were conservative and of course silent.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

This article was a great read, it kept me interested all the way through. As I read I realized that every point the Orenstein presented about how girls are always portrayed as a 'lesser' role, I realized it is 100% true. I never once thought of how our important texts books, media, est. are always exemplifying men and their masculine achievements, but there always has been many women who have also made many great life changing achievements such as, Susanne B. Anthony, Alice Paul, and even Amelia Earhart, but no one really talks about them because in today's society because women are supposed to remain silent.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Thinking Piece #8: Wise Reading

Tim Wise:Whites Swim in Racial Preference

Premise:

• Color
• Action
• Pride
• Advantages
• Whites
• Blacks
• Differences
• Privilege
• Treatment

Authors Argument:

Tim Wise argues that because of “racial preference” whites never truly realize/realized how privileged they are in our society. It is up to the whites to finally realize that they are privileged and finally act upon it so that everyone is finally truly treated equal.

Evidence:

1. “While many whites seem to think the notion originated with affirmative action programs, intended to expand opportunities for historically marginalized people of color, racial preference how actually had a long and very white history” (1) Wise is stating that whites always seem to believe that they are among many other colors whom are privileged, when in fact it is proven that through out history those whom live privileged lives are whites.

2. “White families , on average, have a net worth that is 11 times the net worth of black families, according to a recent study; and this gap remains substantial even when only comparing families of like size, composition, education, and income status” (1) This is one of many ways Wise proves that statistics prove that whites are privileged. Even though two families are similar when it comes to their income, education, and family size, the white family is still making more net worth just because of their skin color.

3. “So long as those privileges remain firmly in place and the preferential treatment that flows from those privileges continues to work to the benefit of whites, all talk of ending affirmative action is not only premature but a slap in the face to those who have fought, and died , for equal opportunity” (3). Wise strongly states that since whites still do not see how they are living a privileged life it is slapping all the faces of all of our great historians that were of color that have fought for equal rights. It needs to be recognized and prevented!

Questions/ Comment/Points to Share:

This article was very eye opening and an easy read. I really enjoyed how Wise included a lot of true data to help get his point across without including too much of it. It just made me think of our discussion in last Thursdays class when Matt pointed out that we are privileged as whites but when it comes to colleges and SAT type of materials minorities seem to benefit. This article was a great read!