Response to Don't Ask, Don't Tell

There are a multitude of further questions brought about when discussing the future of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.  My contention is - who cares?

People keep bringing up issues surrounding housing, education, benefits - and these are all valid issues that will arise with the repeal of DADT.  I do firmly believe, however, that the individuals bringing these issues to the table are doing so as a deterrent or to slow the momentum of the repeal efforts.

At the bottom of it all, none of these issues matter.  This law is HATEFUL.  It takes away human rights to talk about their romantic relationships.  If that silence is what the military believes necessary, then we need to make any discussion by any individual regarding sex or romantic relationships a dischargeable offense - straight or gay. 

Discrimination is never acceptable in any capacity.  The conservative individuals who keep discussing the ramifications of repeal aren't able to look at their own prejudice and accept how inhuman this policy is.  The one that angers me the most is the "safety of the gay soldiers" excuse.  If heterosexual soldiers decided to act out violently and harass an individual of ANY minority, they should receive an immediate dishonorable discharge.

Hate and discrimination are the only "dishonorable" offenses I can see in this issue.

Multi-Genre Blog

I will be creating a book of images, quotes, media, toy ads, tv celebrities and common vernacular that our young girls are receiving from various avenues.  I will be playing music while going the pages of the book.

The idea is for the reader to "step into the shoes" of a typical American girl to see the messages our media and culture are sending her.

Social Class & Wealth Disparities

3 Racial Differences in Wealth Accumulation:
- Racialization of State Policy (state policy has hindered progress and wealth accumulation of black Americans)
- Economic Detour (business opportunities at a low)
- Sedimentation of Racial Inequality (many variables are in place that keep blacks on the bottom of the class system)

Interviewee:
- Kevin is a home-owner.  He is an elderly man who is retired from the working world.

Findings/Themes: 
- The theme of this work seems to be that we limit certain families so very much, and without proper opportunities and funding, we will never be able to help these families and the individuals within them to achieve their goals or surpass their situation and move to the next level in society.

Solution:
- The solution presented within the article is legislation with specific aim toward assisting black families and providing them with the assets necessary to move forward.  I believe this is partially true, but perhaps instead of new, racially-specific laws, we should look to the laws we already have to make them all-inclusive.
___________________________________________________________

My Story:
- I began college right after high school with one goal in mind - getting out of my house.  I studied at ISU for two years before realizing I had no drive and no idea why I was really there.  I took 5 years in the professional world sans degree to realize the importance of a degree, as well as my career goals and aspirations.  I had difficulty relating to the article because I am a returning student of 25.  I guess what I take from it is that not matter how old we are when working toward a degree, we each have our own unique set of challenges and hurdles to overcome on the way there.

Social Class Data Analysis

Josefina grew up in an upper middle class family.  One of the underlying themes of her answers was a desire to keep up with the Jones's, as well as keep up appearances socially.  I do not feel these values were the most prominent, as open communication and patriotism are also mentioned.  I do feel, however, that "keeping up" may be the most relevant issue with relation to social classism.  Being a part of the upper middle class community has its own expectations socially.  I believe a great deal of our classist mentalities stem from social pressures.  These pressures did not seem to have a negative impact on Josefina, as she states she is "thankful everyday for the little things and for every opportunity."

Analysis of SAP Article

This article uses children's literature as data.  They looked for gender biases in many contemporary pieces of literature, and conducted examinations as to how children (in preschool through first grade) viewed ceretain occupations and their typical gender.

The use of a pretest and posttest (post indicates after reading certain classroom reading materials) assisted in guaging the children's response to the literature.  They begin the section with a recap of the data and how it was collected, reitterating terminology that would be used throughout.  There is a chart that the section refers to as a vidual aid, and the organization of the analysis follows the flow of the chart, making it easy to understand.  The themes are that these children are impacted by positive gender literature. 

It shows how fast children learn, and how moldable they are.  This reitterates my point that we have to be overly cautious, because they pick up on everything we say and do.

Differences Between 2 Essays

Brian's essay took his interview data and analyzed it in great detail, tying it into his own voice and thesis.  As informal as I thought the interview data was, he did succeed in formulating a fairly well-constructed essay in the end.

Samantha's essay, while it appeals to the emotions, does not seem to fit the profile for an academic research essay.  While it speaks volumes about the experiences of the Columbine tragedy, the majority of the paper is transcripted dialogue from the interviewee, with one short introduction paragraph, and one short conclusion written by the author.  This is a vastly different type of assignment than what we are working on.

My Social Action Project Progress

I have drafted my surveys questions and began editing my interview questions.  I have scheduled interviews with the two administrators I wish to speak to, and will be conducting those in the weeks to come.

My next step is to send out my surveys and begin organizing the responses.

What Can I Do With a Major In...

...Bilingual Elementary Education?

I plan to teach in a general education classroom, utilizing both English and Spanish in my curriculum and tweaching methods.  I plan to immerse my students in culture, arts and history of various cultures while providing a quality, differentiated educational experience.  I also plan to assist in ELL programs within my district and help guide those students to find their most successful path.

Response to Shitty First Drafts

I like Anne's intention with this article.  It seems she wants to ease the fears and anxiety associated with writing for many people, which is a very admirable effort.  She chose to write in very common vernacular to make her young reader feel more comfortable right off the bat.

I like what she says about the "child's draft."  There is no reason we can't just let it all out in writing, then go back and organize our thoughts.  This way, we ensure a more thoughtful final product.  I think this article is excellent in reiterating the point that writing does not have to be a daunting task.  It is a great deal of work, but most of that work is just revision.

Great article.

Discussion 4 Articles

I felt these were solid articles.  Being as topical as this issue as at present, I chose not to spend as much time on the articles as I normally would have.  They dealt with issues that were somewhat "outside the box" and may have been difficult for individuals not well versed in the gay community to understand.  The articles dealt with very specific subcultures and issues within the gay community, and when educating the masses, it's important to start at the beginning.

I felt the articles did lend some good information to start our discussion.  I am personally used to speaking, acting and singing in front of groups, but it was a slightly different ecperience opening up about the personal issues that I did.  The discussion went very well, and I was very appreciative to those individuals who spoke up and asked questions, as well as those who were engaged listeners.  I could see that some individuals were very visibly uncomfortable discussing the topic (body language and eye contact were a big indicator), but it is my hope that they were at least able to hear me and start challenging (or strengthening) their views.

Mock Interview Reflection

I interviewed Frank, inquiring into her future post-college goals.  Frank plans to work as an educator, but also work as a motivational speaker for teens.

I found it easiest (although more time consuming) to conduct the interview conversationally, creating a relaxed and casual atmosphere.  I will conduct my interviews in a similar manner, as I find interviewees are more comfortable opening up.

Response to "Finding Your Own Voice"

Lamott believes writing is personal, and must be fresh and progressive.  In order to be progressive in one's writing, Lamott stresses that we must be courageous by bringing a new perspectrive to the table.  It is emphasized that we have to go to the places we have been told not to.  She uses the phrase "rearranging furniture" to describe what academic writing is without progressive qualities.  Simply put, we are just reitterating what's already been said.

I like the idea of writing as a contribution to the dialogue.  Writing a paper is like pulling teeth if I am not passionate about what I am saying, and I know many students share this sentiment.  Writing is an opportunity for many to voice the strong notions they may not be able to verbalize in their daily lives.  I live my life as an open book, and am very honest and verbal about my values.  For me, writing is another chance to share these perspectives with the world, and to contribute to the dialogue.

Response to Bullying Segment on Anderson Cooper

This is an issue that has really hit home for me on many levels.  I feel so fortunate that brave individuals like Ellen are speaking out on this issue.  I believe this will be a very important topic of discussion for a long time to come, as it should be.

When Anderson had the eight high school students talk about their exeriences, it broke my heart.  One boy said that he was called a "faggot" at least ten times a day.  This is an outrage.  This crisis will not be put to rest until we, as adults reconcile our fears and ignorance, so that we may start practicing love instead of hate.  We must lead by example.  If we don't speak out about homophobia,

I have done outreach with gay teens, and the one thing I always tell them is something Ellen said on last night's show - "It does get better."  Being a teenager is difficult enough.  Being surrounded by hatred makes it all the more frightening.

The dialogue has been started by people like Ellen Degeneres, Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin.  We have to ensure this conversation continues.  The first step to conquering ignorance is to inform.

"Ignorance, the root and the stem of every evil." - Plato

Response to "Asian Lesbian's Struggles"

What does it mean to be a visible or invisible minority?
- Visible minority primarily has to do with skin color.  Invisible minority status are the things that one cannot see by looking at us.
- This issue comes into play in a big way in Hate Crime Legislation.

What is "sticking to your own kind"?  Why do people do this?
- It is simpler to surround oneself with like individuals.  This way, we are free from outside ignorance to our minority status and way of life.  From this practice, many subcultures have formed.

What is the main identity struggle for the author?  How is she overcoming it?
- She has had difficulty identifying with other Asian persons, due to the community in which she was reared.  Her culture was not prevalent in her area, and so she identified much more with Caucasians.
- On top of this issue, she is also gay.  You are a member of so many groups that you you don't really connect with any of them.
- The fact that she is speaking about her struggle in this article tells us she is overcoming this hurdle.  Communicating the issues and learning to accept oneself seems to be the solution for many of her woes.

Do you tone down any aspect of your identity in order to fit in?
Every day.  It is difficult to relate to many individuals in the professional setting if you automatically let them know of your sexuality.  I am always sure to show my professional quality and worth before discussing my sexuality openly.  This is a learned behavior.

Response to "Adopting the Principle of Pro-Feminism"

Perhaps I am slightly affected by the images in the media.  When in a photo shoot, I regularly joke to the photographer that I want him to "Photoshop the hell out of me until I look like an Olsen twin."

My friends and I sawa  video where a group of men mocked the way women talk to one another.  We were at first offended, then realized the actors were spot on and accurate.  As part of my personal identity, I relate more with females.  We communicate openly and analytically.

Response to "The American Dream"

Each person's view on the American Dream is unique to their own upbringing and perspective.  Jennings grew up in poverty, with a family that placed the blame for all their problems on individuals of other races.  This environment taught him that the American Dream is about success and wealth.  The views on masculinity that he was brought up with were of great pressure to him in his journey to find himself.  Pushing ahead in his academic career, he realized that he was becoming someone he was unhappy with. 

It is these moments, where we step away from ourselves and take a hard look at who we are, that permit us to make necessary changes in our lives.  Jennings's view on "real freedom" reflects this sentiment, stating that we must step away from societal views and accept that each individual, as varied as we may be, is a "real American."  Once we become content with who we are or who we are becoming, we hold the power to redefine what our American Dream consists of.

Response to "Moving Beyond White Guilt"

The following are some of opinions on how one might relieve white guilt and put some of their stereotypes to rest.

Get Info: Learn.  If we spent more time immersing ourselves in other cultures we would be guaranteed to end up with a more informed and sympathetic point of view.

Do Something: Look inward.  If we take the time to be introspective and work on our inner ignorances, we would be a great deal more comfortable with the world around us, and our place in the whole.  It's all about taking the time to do it.

Listen: Take a moment to hear others' points of view and their experiences with multiculturalism, prejudice and stereotypes.  Many of our fears are bound to be the same, even if the person we are talking to is different than us.

Talk: Open the dialogue with friends and family about prejudice. This allows us to see where our cultural viewpoints originate, and better permit us to relate with those we love.  We can all help each other do the interior work necessary.

Back to the Past: Look throughout history at all the people who simply accepted that their opinions and beliefs were the correct ones.  Then look at how far this mentality got them, and how far it progressed us as a society.  Wars, genocides, minority segregation - all led by individuals who thought their way was the only way.  What use is this way of life?

Finding Heroes and Sheroes: Keeping on the subject of history, we can also look at the most dynamic changes made throughout our nation's progression.  Each one was stimulated by at least one person questioning the status quo, and stating that it, and we, can be better.

Paraphrase Activity

According Writing Research Papers, a common error for student writers is to utilize quotations from their sources superfluously.  90% of a research paper should be original thoughts and assertions, leaving a small percentage for quotations.  Learning to paraphrase well is a useful way to assert one's points without using excessive quotations. (Lester, 1976)

Reflections on "Breaking the Code" Activity

This activity was valuable for a few reasons.  Through analyzing the structure of the article our group discussed, I was able to see a very organized, well-done skeletal structure for a research article.  I plan to utilize a similar framework in my own academic writing.

Also, reading and analyzing scholarly articles is a learned skill that takes practice, such as these in-class activities, to master.  Once we began analyzing, the task didn't seem so daunting, which I believe will assist in my own future research.

Summary Practice (Exercise 3.4)

Frith's piece on the sociological worth of popular music creates an opposite to the musical genre, calling it "serious music," and discusses the differences in their analytical values.  Frith argues that popular music is reflective of the societal environment of it's time, but that the worth of serious music is "transcendent" of this condition.  The article states that the analyses of these two vastly different worlds of music must themselves be vastly different.

Response to "Is Google Making Us Stupid?"

I will discuss the aforementioned article, and it's relevance to contemporary academia.  I believe education is a living entity.  It has to progress with the times, or it is not worth having.  The core question is, "What are the goals of education in America today?"  It is my belief that the main goal is to assist each individual person in their journey towards a well-rounded, self-sufficient, well-informed, successful adulthood.  Google can be highly beneficial in all of these regards.

The speed and efficiency of search engines such as Google is exciting and fresh.  We have never had this much knowledge and life at our fingertips before.  A young person can investigate any interest or whim they may have.  Some of us remember the times before this convenience was created, when failing to remember the name of the actor in a particular film would bother us for an entire day until we would finally "phone a friend" to get the answer.  Now all we do is pull out our Blackberries or iPhones and we have the answer in seconds.

I will agree that our society is becoming more and more "efficient."  But Google is only one symptom of a much broader issue.  If we are to blame Google for making us "stupid," we also must blame the internet as a whole, McDonald's, Chase Bank ATMs, General Motors, American Airlines and 8-Minute Abs.  These are all signs that America is moving faster than ever.  Where are we rushing to?  Our careers? Our next promotion? Or are these all ways to try and have more time to spend with the people we love, doing what we love?  These questions have no concrete answers.  Each person must answer these questions themselves.  Perhaps we can start by "googling it."

Research Sources

The following are some starter sources to begin researching my topic:



Ratings of Self and Peers on Sex Role Attributes and Their Relation to Self-Esteem and Conceptions of Masculinity and Femininity

http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com/sp-3.2.2/ovidweb.cgi?WebLinkFrameset=1&S=IOIKFPBJNODDJHGFNCDLIHJCLBBGAA00&returnUrl=http%3a%2f%2fovidsp.tx.ovid.com%2fsp-3.2.2%2fovidweb.cgi%3fMain%2bSearch%2bPage%3d1%26S%3dIOIKFPBJNODDJHGFNCDLIHJCLBBGAA00&directlink=http%3a%2f%2fgraphics.tx.ovid.com%2fovftpdfs%2fFPDDNCJCIHGFNO00%2ffs046%2fovft%2flive%2fgv023%2f00005205%2f00005205-197507000-00004.pdf&filename=Ratings+of+self+and+peers+on+sex+role+attributes+and+their+relation+to+self-esteem+and+conceptions+of+masculinity+and+femininity.&navigation_links=NavLinks.S.sh.15.1&link_from=S.sh.15%7c1&pdf_key=FPDDNCJCIHGFNO00&pdf_index=/fs046/ovft/live/gv023/00005205/00005205-197507000-00004&link_set=S.sh.15
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sl_10
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Peter J. Burke (Various Articles)

http://burke.socialpsychology.org/



Socialization to Gender Roles: Popularity among Elementary School Boys and Girls

http://www.jstor.org/stable/2112807

Exercise 1.5

QUESTION:
How are gender roles taught by curriculum and teachers in American elementary schools today, and what effect do these societal viewpoints have on self-worth, academic performance and LGBT youth?

SUB-QUESTIONS:
What are the truths to these gender roles, and which does scientific research show us are nature as opposed to nurture?
What gender roles are being taught, purposely or inadvertently, to children in the elementary setting?
How have these views evolved, in a general sense, from the 1980s to today?
How is this affecting subjects of interest among our youth?
Is there a noticeable difference in the views of Americans from rural areas as opposed to those residing in urban locales?
What effect does being a sexual minority have on education and professional success in the US? Why?

IDEA:
I want to explore this issue, and relate it back to the field of education and how we inadvertently teach children our own biases and cultural viewpoints.   I hope to find how this can be both beneficial and detrimental.

Exercise 1.1

INTEREST INVENTORY

PLACES:
-Mexico
-Ireland
TRENDS:
- Fashion
- Teaching Techniques
THINGS:
- iPad
- Droid Phones
TECHNOLOGIES:
- Video Chatting in the Classroom
- Online Learning
PEOPLE:
- David Sedaris
CONTROVERSIES:
- Gay Marriage Equality
- US/Mexico Border Issues
HISTORY:
- Civil Rights Movements in the US
JOBS:
- ELL Teachers
- Lobbyists
HABITS:
- Study Habits
- Smoking Addiction
- Alcoholism
HOBBIES:
- Theatre
- Singing

CHOSEN ITEM:  David Sedaris

QUESTIONS:
How did Sedaris decide being an "essayist" was his dream?
Has David's style of writing and popularity influenced young writers and altered our view of the modern essay?
How has Sedaris's unconventional writing made its way onto National Public Radio, and does this denote a wave of change in the mood of NPR?
How do contemporary literary professionals feel about Sedaris's writing?
Are essays the new novels?
Is there a correlation between the rapidly growing business of Americans and the popularity of short personal essay collections?
What impact, if any, has Sedaris's openness about his sexuality had on the movement towards GLBT equality in the US?

Narrative on Social Diversity and Multiculturalism

     Social diversity is the incorporation of various cultures and subcultures into a specific locale.  Multiculturalism is the purposeful incorporation of same, such as in educational, business or municipal settings.  Social diversity is something that is offensive to some, essential to others and simply unnoticed by many.  At present, our nation is battling with antiquated ideals as to what the American facade should look like.  I am specifically referencing our current struggles with immigration reform and equal rights for the GLBT community.  The decisions we make as a country today regarding these matters are the history lessons future generations will study.  What is it we want to teach them?

     I am a second generation Irish American, having grown up hearing the stories of how and why my grandparents immigrated to America.  There was always a deep-rooted love and a childlike smile accompanying their stories of what they affectionately called "the old country."  The "American Dream" is best defined by the outsiders looking in.  My grandparents came to the US in the 1950s to work, seek happiness and be part of a country that was moving in an exciting, positive direction.  It is this understanding, paired with my passion for Latin American culture, that grant me a very open mind as far as immigration reform is concerned.

     As a gay male I am constantly reminded of and frustrated by my lack of rights as a citizen under the Constitution.  I have experienced harassment, aggression and ignorance by people within my same age group.  I am not one who abides by a victim or "minority" mentality, but these experiences did show me the immense amount of good that multiculturalism and social diversity can do. 

     Incorporating multiple groups into society holds a great deal of power.  By letting Americans see these "threats" to the American aesthetic, we can ease their fears and promote acceptance and understanding.  This is why I believe Social Diversity is essential.  As an educator, I see the impact of our words and actions at this crucial time, and how they will help shape the generations to come.

Exercise 1 & 2

Exercises 1 and 2 are handwritten in my personal notebook.

Class Blog 8-26-10

As an artistic child, I loathed reading.  I graduated from Cliff's Notes High School and never took an interest in reading anything other than play scripts.  It was the interpersonal that interested me in a story, and never the description.  I would have been quoted saying, "I don't care what shade of grayish gray the gray sky was.  Just tell me who the killer is!"  Throughout this period, however, I always found writing to be a therapeutic process.  I wrote poetry, songs, plays, etc., as an outlet for my various adolescent woes.

It wasn't until my adult life that I was able to find pleasure in novels and other forms of reading.  As I grew up I realized that what's happening in the world actually does affect my life, and started keeping abreast on current events.  I also love to read fiction in my spare time, but still love to delve into a new play script whenever possible.  My friends and I regularly joke about our shared love for young adult fiction.  "Why face grown-up problems when I can read Harry Potter instead?" you might hear us say.  I have also developed a great appreciation for the essays of David Sedaris, who regularly keeps me laughing, but still manages to give me something real to relate to throughout his collections.  If I were to choose any type of writing to continue with in my life, it would be more in line with Sedaris and his personal essays.  I feel my views on reading and writing have evolved a great deal, and I have formulated a better understanding of how beneficial both can be for me as an individual.

My anxiety about writing lies in the research.  As I am such a highly introspective and verbal person, I feel I may struggle with a more formal, academic style of writing.  I am confident with my language, grammar and vocabulary skills, but my research and data reporting - less so.  I do believe I will benefit a great deal from my work in this course.

I am unsure at this time what my topic will be for my Social Action Project.  I have many topics about which I am passionate, and need to narrow them down and make a decision.  I can state with certitude that I will use some type of technological media as part of my presentation this fall.  I believe that familiarizing myself with various media options will benefit me as an educator, and ensure that my future classroom is a current, exciting place.

First Blog

I am a returning ISU student, having taken a few years off.  I will be studying Bilingual Education.  During my time away from academia, I worked as a paralegal and translator for a criminal law firm in the suburbs of Chicago.  After that, I switched gears entirely to teach Pre-Kindergarten with Knowledge learning Corporation.  It was there that my passion teaching really came to fruition.  I have since begun teaching and directing children's theatre, and had the opportunity to teach at Northwestern University in the Center for Talent Development.  CTD offers enrichment courses to gifted youth in the Chicagoland area, which provided me with an excellent experience in education.

I am looking forward to furthering my education at ISU!