Talking points # 5 Kahne and Westheimer

Talking points # 5 Kahne and Westheimer

Argument- I believe Kahne and Westheimer argue that in order to have a good service learning experience one should be dedicate time connecting & reflecting their SL experience with her own life.

Quotes

#1 Clearly having students share their thoughts and experiences with one another can be valuable, but reflective activities (commonly in the form of journal entries and discussions) may simply reinforce previously held beliefs and simplistic, if generous conclusions.

This quote depicts how they believe that one should use the journal entries in order to be able to connect by writing down any thoughts you had before hand and were either changed or not or something you may have learned that you can connect to our personal life.

#2 "The rumors I have heard are a big bunch of hogwash ... .I'm glad I went on that trip because it was a wonderful experience to meet new people and find out about their lives." These statements testify to the transformative power of service learning experiences. The effect could become even greater if students discussed the possible causes of these rumors and their impact.
This quote from my understanding is stating that if one discusses what they have learned or what thoughts may have been changed threw their experience the impact of the experience will be better. I don’t know kind of worded funny but what I mean is that by discussing things you have learned this will have a much greater impact upon you as a SL.


About the reading… Honestly I really didn’t enjoy this one I’m sure it’s a great piece, but I felt as if they were trying to get too much across in this one article. The reading it’s self wasn’t difficult but seemed as if a couple of things were being repeated constantly idk I’m going to go read a few blogs to see what others thought.

TALKiNG P0iNTS #4 Christensen

ARGUMENT:Christensen argues that we the people are being manipulated by the media so we live our lives accordingly to what we learn from the TV. Magazines etc. and that this shouldn’t be how we expand our lifestyle.

Quotes:
#1“Our students suckle the same pap. Our society's culture industry colonizes their minds and teaches them how to act, live, and dream.” I agree 100 percent…
#2 “We are not only taught certain styles of violence, the latest fashions, and sex roles by TV, movies, magazines, and comic strips: we are also taught how to succeed, how to love, how to buy, how to conquer, how to forget the past and suppress the future. We are taught, more than anything else, how not to rebel.”

Is this completely true? Are we actually taught certain styles of violence? If so what are some of the styles we are not taught? I agree that we are taught the latest fashion trends, sex roles, how to succeed, love, buy and conquer. But once again I’m blinded when it comes to how they teach us how to “forget” the past, suppress the future or how not to fight back? Can anybody give me examples?

#3 “Many students don't want to believe that they have been manipulated by children's media or advertising. No one wants to admit that they've been "handled" by the media. They assure me that they make their own choices and the media has no power over them.”

I find it funny that this “many” students don’t want to believe that they have been manipulated. Why not? I personally would admit and do admit that as a child I always wanted to be like the people in the TV I wanted my parents to get me the brand name sneakers that all the “cool” kids wore and I really didn’t care if they told me that I just want to copy everything I see. Honestly I knew it was true and didn’t care. But now I really don’t care so I say I still am kind of being manipulated but not completely because I don’t mind wearing things that aren’t “cool” or isn’t in style just because of what others might say. If I can’t afford something that is “in” I won’t go out and do the impossible to get like some people would.

#4 “Because we can never look like Cinderella, we begin to hate ourselves. The Barbie syndrome starts as we begin a lifelong search for the perfect body. Crash diets, fat phobias, and the obsession with the materialistic become commonplace. The belief that a product will make us rise above our competition, our friends, turns us Into addicts.
Hate I believe is such a strong word to describe this, but I do believe it makes us think about how we can perfect our bodies to make them similar to the ideal bodies they are talking about. And once again I have to agree 100 % with this quotation beside that we begin to “hate our selves” .

TALKIN POINTS #3 CARLSON

TALKING POINTS #3 CARLSON

ARGUMENT: Carlson argues that the public school system is in denial about homosexuality, and that they should reform the curriculum in order to include it and make existence of it.


Quotes

# 1 “Throughout this century, one of the primary means of ensuring that gayness was an invisible presence in the school was through the dismissal of teachers who were found out to be homosexuals.”
When I read this I was honestly shocked, never had it crossed my mind that this would be possible just because of someone’s sexual orientation. I than wondered if there is any written documents that states that “non straight” people can’t be teachers and if not how are these teachers taken away from there positions? I then laughed when I got to the part of the “ridiculous crushes” is it not possible for straight women to fall in love with one of her male students? Is this impossible? No therefore that shouldn’t be a reason why homosexual teachers be dismissed from their jobs.


#2 “In 1993, for example, the gay rights movement claimed a major victory in the signing into law of a Minnesota bill that makes it illegal to discriminate against lesbians and gay men in employment and housing. Yet what got ignored in all the celebrating was a provision in the bill that prohibits teaching about homosexuality in the public schools.”
Honestly this I believe is childish why would they celebrate about a bill that prohibits teachings about homosexuality? Why would they even pass this? If I was a parent I would want my child to learn about this simply because it’s an issue many people face. Well idk if it’s an issue but that’s the only word that comes to mind. I would like my child to know about the different types of sexualities there is just like the different races there are its not all about being pink, straight, wealthy, or incapable. There are different “combinations” and someone shouldn’t be treated unfairly if there “combination” isn’t the ideal one. Lol I know I really worded this funny comment if you need any clarifications.


#3 "To the extent that gayness is recognized in the curriculum, it is likely to be in the health curriculum, where it is associated with disease.”
WHY???? I do kind of understand how it fits into the health curriculum, but why is it that it’s only being associated with disease?

#4 “We cannot and should not attempt to impose "politically correct" beliefs 0n students; but we have a responsibility as public educators in a democratic society to engage them in a dialogue in which all voices get heard or represented and in which gay students and teachers feel free to "come out" and find their own voices.”
I totally agree with that because not everyone agrees to what is “politically correct” anyways so why not teach them about the “politically incorrect” as well?


About the reading…. Reading Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community by DENNIS CARLSON, was not a difficult reading what so ever. I was really into throughout the entire reading; I “loved” the examples that were given on how public schools try to incorporate homosexuality into the curriculum by not doing so at all. It’s like there faking the students about its existence . I could just imagine how hard it would be for these students (GLBT) to even bother waking up in the morning to go to school knowing that they have to live in fear. Another thing I was thinking about through the reading was about private schools? If its this bad in public schools I can’t even begin to imagine how much worst it is in a private school?