Sunday, June 6, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Parenting 101
What were the best parts of how you were parented (since the worst parts don't really belong in a public class blog)?
Based on my life, the best part about how my parents parented was having a sit down dinner everyday. Many families do not have sit downs dinner but I still do. I feel that sitting down with your family for dinner plays a vital role in connecting with your family members. When the family sits down to have dinner together, they are able to talk to each other about their day and their problems. It's a sort of bonding for the family. When I go over to a friend's place most of the time they do not sit down with the family for dinnertime. When I observe those families, they seem more disconnected. They do not seem to know how to interact with each other comfortably. I'm not saying that my family is all lovey dovey and happy but at least we are able to talk to each other about our issues. Many children lack an adult in their lives that care about them enough for them to be sit with them and chat about life. Every person is the same, without an outlet for their emotions, they become secluded and tend to have more emotional problems than someone with a release. If people don't have family members to turn to, they often confide in a friend but how often do secrets within friends stay secret? It's hard to find a friend good enough that deserves your emotions, many would turn around and end up hurting you. I personally have had too many bad experiences to not know how it feels to not have anyone around and I know first hand how it is to seclude yourself from the world. I went through a stage, well many stages rather, where I confided in people who I thought were my friends and lets just say that none of those situations ended well on my side of the relationship. I stated earlier that people have grown up with sit down dinners should not have to experience a lack of emotional release but I can account for this easily. Yes, the best part about my parents' parenting was the sit down dinners but that was when I was younger. As I grew older, my dad was out of the table because he took an overnight job that resulted in him only coming home once a week. Next to leave the table was my mom. Unlike my dad, she is very capable to eating dinner together with the rest of the family but instead, she chose to go either swimming or to her friend's place after work. My parents "leaving" the dinner table resulted in a distant relationship between them and I. But even with them gone, I always had dinner with my brother and sister in law because they took up cooking the meals and setting the table. Even with my parents not present or there for me, I always have my brother and sister in law by my side. They've been together for 11 years this past Friday, do the math and they've been playing an active role in my life since I was 7 years old. They have been providing the parenting that I had missed out on since then.
Do you think parenting will "come naturally" or do you think you'll have to research multiple perspectives and come up with a (possibly evolving) model in collaboration with other family members? Did your family read books about how to parent you or do informal research such as talking to other family members?
Personally, I think parenting will come naturally. Parenting is not a role that can really be taught through books and research and such, people will normally go back to analyze how they were parented and use that as a model to curve how they will parent their children. Parenting is also based a lot on morals. Many people use their morals or "human nature" to make decisions on how to raise their children. I think one major way of parenting is using common sense. Without common sense, the world would be lost. I feel that morals and common sense can go hand in hand. Morals are just a person's "right" judgment and common sense is just what's normal. Sometimes I wonder where common sense came from. Why the hell do we all think alike? I really don't get it sometimes. How did people come to realize that the decisions they make and how they do things is considered "common" "sense". Where did it start?? Anywho let's leave that for a whole nother conversation. Parenting should come naturally to humans. We are just another species of animals, why should we need to learn from books where as wild animals don't? Maybe it's because our minds are corrupted by all the propaganda and negative things in the world that causes us to worry about and doubt our natural skills.
As I mentioned earlier, my brother and sister in law are more or less another set of parent figures for me and have always been there since I was 7 years old. They did not need any research or learning in order to make me feel like they cared. They were fresh out of their teenage years, how could anyone have expected them to do what they have done for me? My parents were well in their 40s and they weren't capable of doing that for me. Everybody provided a different form of comfort and care but in the end I think parenting is jsut a natural skill that should not need to be taught.
Based on my life, the best part about how my parents parented was having a sit down dinner everyday. Many families do not have sit downs dinner but I still do. I feel that sitting down with your family for dinner plays a vital role in connecting with your family members. When the family sits down to have dinner together, they are able to talk to each other about their day and their problems. It's a sort of bonding for the family. When I go over to a friend's place most of the time they do not sit down with the family for dinnertime. When I observe those families, they seem more disconnected. They do not seem to know how to interact with each other comfortably. I'm not saying that my family is all lovey dovey and happy but at least we are able to talk to each other about our issues. Many children lack an adult in their lives that care about them enough for them to be sit with them and chat about life. Every person is the same, without an outlet for their emotions, they become secluded and tend to have more emotional problems than someone with a release. If people don't have family members to turn to, they often confide in a friend but how often do secrets within friends stay secret? It's hard to find a friend good enough that deserves your emotions, many would turn around and end up hurting you. I personally have had too many bad experiences to not know how it feels to not have anyone around and I know first hand how it is to seclude yourself from the world. I went through a stage, well many stages rather, where I confided in people who I thought were my friends and lets just say that none of those situations ended well on my side of the relationship. I stated earlier that people have grown up with sit down dinners should not have to experience a lack of emotional release but I can account for this easily. Yes, the best part about my parents' parenting was the sit down dinners but that was when I was younger. As I grew older, my dad was out of the table because he took an overnight job that resulted in him only coming home once a week. Next to leave the table was my mom. Unlike my dad, she is very capable to eating dinner together with the rest of the family but instead, she chose to go either swimming or to her friend's place after work. My parents "leaving" the dinner table resulted in a distant relationship between them and I. But even with them gone, I always had dinner with my brother and sister in law because they took up cooking the meals and setting the table. Even with my parents not present or there for me, I always have my brother and sister in law by my side. They've been together for 11 years this past Friday, do the math and they've been playing an active role in my life since I was 7 years old. They have been providing the parenting that I had missed out on since then.
Do you think parenting will "come naturally" or do you think you'll have to research multiple perspectives and come up with a (possibly evolving) model in collaboration with other family members? Did your family read books about how to parent you or do informal research such as talking to other family members?
Personally, I think parenting will come naturally. Parenting is not a role that can really be taught through books and research and such, people will normally go back to analyze how they were parented and use that as a model to curve how they will parent their children. Parenting is also based a lot on morals. Many people use their morals or "human nature" to make decisions on how to raise their children. I think one major way of parenting is using common sense. Without common sense, the world would be lost. I feel that morals and common sense can go hand in hand. Morals are just a person's "right" judgment and common sense is just what's normal. Sometimes I wonder where common sense came from. Why the hell do we all think alike? I really don't get it sometimes. How did people come to realize that the decisions they make and how they do things is considered "common" "sense". Where did it start?? Anywho let's leave that for a whole nother conversation. Parenting should come naturally to humans. We are just another species of animals, why should we need to learn from books where as wild animals don't? Maybe it's because our minds are corrupted by all the propaganda and negative things in the world that causes us to worry about and doubt our natural skills.
As I mentioned earlier, my brother and sister in law are more or less another set of parent figures for me and have always been there since I was 7 years old. They did not need any research or learning in order to make me feel like they cared. They were fresh out of their teenage years, how could anyone have expected them to do what they have done for me? My parents were well in their 40s and they weren't capable of doing that for me. Everybody provided a different form of comfort and care but in the end I think parenting is jsut a natural skill that should not need to be taught.
My Research Question
Does a mother's support directly correlate with the respect they receive from their children?
Monday, May 10, 2010
| ESTP - "Promotor". Action! When present, things begin to happen. Fiercely competitive. Entrepreneur. Often uses shock effect to get attention. Negotiator par excellence. 4.3% of total population. |
I sort of agree with the results of my test. Usually I don't start projects when people are not doing their work, rather I keep to myself and do my own work. I may not start projects directly but my actions sometimes affect the actions of others so this result is fairly correct.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Comparing Films
Ok I've tried over 10 times to watch Esther's Film in her class but it stops at 54 seconds everytime I've tried so I'm going to do this hypotheticallly. For my class, we had planned on filming about a group of delinquents who normally did not work hard in school, study for an exam that they will pass to show up their ignorrant teacher. With what we had filmed, I did not play a major role. I was merely an extra student who seemed uninterested in the teacher's tactics to ostracize the less motivated students in his class nor what he was actually trying to teach. In the beginning I had thought I wanted to play a bigger role in creating the film but for some reason the idea did not really catch my attention. I was not very interested in what our film was based off of. It might be because I had sat in on another class and helped with their "initial directing and scene-making" that I felt was more interesting and matter of fact more fun to be in. In that class I had my word of say and people to bounce ideas off of about their video and it seemed really interesting. Don't get me wrong I enjoy my own classmates but its just that their "idea" seemed so much more fun to bring to life. In the end I guess all I'm trying to say it that I felt that I played more of an active role in another class than I did my own based on my interest.
The message of the film for my class was basically just about a small group of underachievers who are thought less of what they really are that want to show up their teacher. They want to show their bias teacher that they are not the dumb quiet kids at the back of the classroom. They wanted to show him that if they really wanted to succeed in school they could, and they do this by passing all on their own that they were not expected to pass. When they were accused of cheating they passed the test yet again and that really just shows that the teacher needed a little knock on the head. It's not always the students that need to be "saved" it is sometimes the teacher that has a wall up in his/her mind that gives them a false point of view of school stereotypes. The film was meant to show teachers to not think less of certain students because of what they may lack but to see every student as an equal with equal potential and opportunities.
From personal opinion, not matter how much we will try to teach each other new perspectives of life and other people, one cannot change whats set in stone and that's human nature. All humans are the same. We may look different, wear different clothes or act different but we all think alike. Everyone shares the same bias and every is judgmental. Sure people can be judgmental in different ways but in the end we are all judging each other. We are no better than the people sitting next to us on the train. My mind is not better than yours and your mind is no better than mine. We all travel on the same train of thought.
Unlike the teacher/ savior films we watched, our film-to-be was like the flipside. It was the opposite. Instead of a teacher trying to prove him or herself worthy of the students attention, our film focused on a teacher whose drive was to pick on the less successful students in his class. The savior films focused on molding the roudy students into well behaved civilians in a calm and quiet environment. Whereas our film was to focus on rebellious students showing the teacher that he was a jerk but proving to him that they were intellectuals who did not blatantly flaunt their smarts.
The message of the film for my class was basically just about a small group of underachievers who are thought less of what they really are that want to show up their teacher. They want to show their bias teacher that they are not the dumb quiet kids at the back of the classroom. They wanted to show him that if they really wanted to succeed in school they could, and they do this by passing all on their own that they were not expected to pass. When they were accused of cheating they passed the test yet again and that really just shows that the teacher needed a little knock on the head. It's not always the students that need to be "saved" it is sometimes the teacher that has a wall up in his/her mind that gives them a false point of view of school stereotypes. The film was meant to show teachers to not think less of certain students because of what they may lack but to see every student as an equal with equal potential and opportunities.
From personal opinion, not matter how much we will try to teach each other new perspectives of life and other people, one cannot change whats set in stone and that's human nature. All humans are the same. We may look different, wear different clothes or act different but we all think alike. Everyone shares the same bias and every is judgmental. Sure people can be judgmental in different ways but in the end we are all judging each other. We are no better than the people sitting next to us on the train. My mind is not better than yours and your mind is no better than mine. We all travel on the same train of thought.
Unlike the teacher/ savior films we watched, our film-to-be was like the flipside. It was the opposite. Instead of a teacher trying to prove him or herself worthy of the students attention, our film focused on a teacher whose drive was to pick on the less successful students in his class. The savior films focused on molding the roudy students into well behaved civilians in a calm and quiet environment. Whereas our film was to focus on rebellious students showing the teacher that he was a jerk but proving to him that they were intellectuals who did not blatantly flaunt their smarts.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Taking the Survey
It didn't take very long for me to complete the survey and it wasn't too "hard". Some questions I went through pretty quickly while others I really had to think about. The easier questions for me were mostly the friendship questions that asked about how I act around others and how my relationships were friends were like. I found the family questions a little harder. Some of them were easy but most of them I had to really think about if my family felt a specific way about me. As for the ones that questioned my goals for the future, they were easy for me to answer. They were only easy for me to answer because the larger part of me feels so definite about my plans for the future but there will always be that little part of doubt. The little part of me that wonders if I am really capable of achieving my goals. Not only do I doubt my handiwork, I also wonder about all the things that can go wrong. There can be so many incidents that might trigger something negative in my future. "The future" is a hard concept to really wrap my head around. It is so broad. There's so much to think about. So many possibilities. This is a pretty cliche answer that many other people will give you if asked to think about their futures. It's hard to think about things in "your own way" sometimes since your own way is just the same as anybody elses ways. This really goes to show how together and alike many people are. So alike that someone may be having the same "insight" into the survey as I am right now. I feel like no matter how different we are, we are one species, we are all together as one. It's almost like we all share a mind.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Initial Theories of Human Relationships
Humans can be so smart yet dumb at the same time.
What we have in intelligence, we sometimes lack in common sense or rather, "social skills".
In terms of technology, we may have the most amazing brains working on it but put those minds in social situations and they go blank. Humans can only focus on something for so long before that something is ALL that we can focus on.
Common sense is a more of a talent rather than something one is born with. Life is pretty much based on common sense. Without common sense, people may often be thought of as dumb or just can't seem to be able to think right.
Many people in this culture conform and those people will immediately separate themselves from those who had not conformed. There are borderlines between the different personalities of this society and they will most often disagree with each other. In the different "sections" there are dominant personalities and styles that will show and all others will be looked down on.
What we have in intelligence, we sometimes lack in common sense or rather, "social skills".
In terms of technology, we may have the most amazing brains working on it but put those minds in social situations and they go blank. Humans can only focus on something for so long before that something is ALL that we can focus on.
Common sense is a more of a talent rather than something one is born with. Life is pretty much based on common sense. Without common sense, people may often be thought of as dumb or just can't seem to be able to think right.
Many people in this culture conform and those people will immediately separate themselves from those who had not conformed. There are borderlines between the different personalities of this society and they will most often disagree with each other. In the different "sections" there are dominant personalities and styles that will show and all others will be looked down on.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Homework 50 - Analyzing Texts
6 Lessons- Gatto
1. "Stay in class where you belong." Make the kids like the class. "Rigged competition of school." "Fear and envy better classes and have contempt for the dumber classes." Come to know your place in school.
Tell students they will succeed future with higher grades when in reality, employers could care less. "Truth and school are incompatible."
2. Be totally focused in the class you're in but drop everything from that class when moving to the next. "no work is worth finishing."
3. There is no individuality in schools. The class is one group, one being that the teacher controls. There are no rights, there are only privileges granted by the teacher. Ex. bathroom/ hallway passes.
4. "Curiosity has no important place in my work, only conformity." Teachers enforce decisions transmitted by the people who pay them.
We wait on others who are better trained to tell us what to do.
5. Ones self respect is based on other people's views on you. Students are constantly judged and evaluated in school and are given marks and numbers that provide them their self-evaluation. People need to be told what they are worth. Students cannot rely on parents or themselves to evaluate themselves, they have to rely on the word of a certified official(teacher).
6. Students are under constant surveillance. Not a moment goes by where they are not being watched. In school they are watched by all teachers not only just their own and at home they are being watched by their parents. There are always disciplinary standards. Children must be watched to prevent anything going out of order in the society.
Originality was once popular like currency but now its not, now that everything has been thought of and done.
When students are taught "basic skills" it is just a coverup for the governments plan to keep children in school for twelve years. Twelve years of control.
If you are a sponge rather than an interactive individual, you have no role to play in society. "you are not a complete human being, underdeveloped."
"This curriculum produces moral and intellectual paralysis" The curriculum set forth by the board of education is one that will stop intellectuals from BEING intellectuals. There is no way where we can be happy and satisfied with this form of education. The government is in constant control and we are the subordinates who absorb their teaching without much say in what we learn.
"Rich or poor, schoolchildren cannot concentrate on anything for very long. They have a poor sense of time past and to come; they are mistrustful of intimacy (like the children of divorce they really are); they hate solitude, are cruel, materialistic, dependent, passive, violent, timid in the face of the unexpected, addicted to distraction."
I agree strongly with the last statement I copied and pasted. This reading opened up my eyes a little bit more to what I was already "taught" by Andy. School creates, provokes and positively reenforces our bad habits. Many children "learn" their personalities in school. What happens in school provides us with a way of life. How we act in and out of school is because of school. From having to go everyday to having the work in school extend to home life. Gatto is right to say that most people start life off with a twelve year life sentence because we are all kept in an institution to pick up habits that are created by what we have to do in school. All this is kind of confusing sometimes because I can always argue that what I learn is because I want to learn it and when I ask questions and have debates I am stimulating my own mind therefore I am being an intellectual by understanding things my own way. On the other hand though, I am stimulating my own mind with information that was already laid out by the Board of Education. I may think and feel like I am providing my own learning experience but my questions and my analysis are based on the original lesson that the TEACHER provided.
Fanning
What is the main educational goal at SOF? - Jakob
As a former punk rocker how do you use that experience to manage rowdy teenagers? - Kaplan
The best thing someone can give to another is an education.
Took everything for granted as a rock star.
Want to give back by teaching.
Trying to turn kids into intellectuals. (Critical Thinking)
Preparing for Success
LIFE LONG LEARNERS
Knows how and what kids with "problems" go through.
What do you think are the primary goals of students are? teachers? contradict? - Andy S.
Everyone should have their own goals. Own opinions. Not everyone is going to be aligned with everyone else.
Should be able to help each other and student goals should be acknowledged but should also keep selves in mind.
Help each other but also help yourself.
Help have nots
Access to help for haves
Critical Thinkers
Life Long Learners
Schools teach obedience?
Some schools but not SOF.
How much responsibility do you feel for students outside of school?
"Feel responsible but can only have control of what's within my power to control."
(I sat in on the next period class)
SOF = institution?
No, not really
SOF tactics arguable against critics
Cooperative learning. Teaches kids to be analytical and question things. Don't just absorb it.
"Cutting Edge"
Perfect education?
Life Long Learner
No motivation, why?
Fanning's point of view on school is the opposite to that of Gatto's. Fanning believes that he can potentially break the school code that Gatto speaks of and make intellectuals of the students in the public school system. Fanning is basically trying to overturn what Gatto teaches and create a new form of schooling in School of the Future. In a way I feel that both Fanning and Gatto are wrong and right about the school system. I say this because it seems like one big cycle. Like I said before, I can argue that I am being and intellectual in school but on the other hand there is also that undertone that everything is controlled by one unit and there is no "learning" involved, only instructing. But there is also that part of me that feels Gatto is right all the way. Right now I just keep arguing with myself the same point over and over again and it always ends with Gatto's point of view that everything is controlled.
Andy Snyder's class is kind of breaking Gatto's form of teaching. Andy is telling us how things are and what "reality" is. I highly doubt that the public school system wants Andy to tell us all its dirty secrets...or could they? This could all be planned and not Andy's work after all. This is all too confusing. I'm confusing myself, next.
Lisa Delpit on Power and Pedagogy
I've read it three times already! I just haven't analyzed it yet it'll get there it's coming together slowly but surely.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Treatment for inclass Film
Scene 1:
Main student walks out of house in an angered hurry onto the awaiting school bus full of kids waiting to tease her. She enters the school bus with her wire-framed glasses and shiny new braces to start of her sophomore year of high school. When on the bus, all eyes are immediately on her, smirks and sneers are already forming on the perfect flawless faces of the other high school students ready to start their school year at Oakly High. She carefully picks her way through the crowded bus to seat herself next to a fairly overweight student eating a donut. She can feel all eyes on her and is very uneasy.
Scene 2:
The girl walks through the hall ways of Oakly High expecting to feel good that she is able to start a brand new year but she has more of a feeling of despair. Longing for the positive attention of anyone.
Scene 3:
Girl enters physics class with a confident smile but is immediately saddened and intimidated by her classmates. They were all so good looking! She sat in the only seat left, front and center. The teacher starts class and things are set into motion in the girl's mind. Through the entire class, Emma is able to understand every term mentioned, every equation introduced, answer every question asked of the class.
She sees herself as a star, but in the eyes of her class, she is the nerd. She has been labled.
Scene 4:
The physics teacher begins to notice that Emma is constantly being picked on. She explained to the class how she is going to enforce repercussions for the entire class if Emma is picked on anymore. Emma is petrified, she is now a nerd AND the teachers pet.
The teasing continues and gets worse.
Scene 5:
Emma's physics teacher started to give the class quizzes and tests everyday.
Blahblahblah (filler stuff)
Emma's sophomore year is hell
Junior year comes around Emma losses the braces and gets contacts. She is one of the "beauties"
School bus picks up an unfortunate girl who is in the same position at Emma was in when she was a sophomore.
Enter physics, new girl is just like Emma except this time the teacher is also picking in the new girl just like the other kids.
Emma knows how it feels has a talk with the teacher to help the new girl.
Teacher just laughs her off and tells Emma to just enjoy life as it is and not worry about the new girl, she'll get over it.
Emma knows she wont get over it, her heart is permanently scarred. Blahblah the usual cliche.
Emma fights hard for the new girl stands up for her all the time teacher begins to realize he's being an asshole.
Blahblah the usual storyline teacher changes things
not very creative, sorry.
Was going to go in another direction but this is sort of what i was trying to do with teacher saves student. student teaches teacher. student saves student.
Main student walks out of house in an angered hurry onto the awaiting school bus full of kids waiting to tease her. She enters the school bus with her wire-framed glasses and shiny new braces to start of her sophomore year of high school. When on the bus, all eyes are immediately on her, smirks and sneers are already forming on the perfect flawless faces of the other high school students ready to start their school year at Oakly High. She carefully picks her way through the crowded bus to seat herself next to a fairly overweight student eating a donut. She can feel all eyes on her and is very uneasy.
Scene 2:
The girl walks through the hall ways of Oakly High expecting to feel good that she is able to start a brand new year but she has more of a feeling of despair. Longing for the positive attention of anyone.
Scene 3:
Girl enters physics class with a confident smile but is immediately saddened and intimidated by her classmates. They were all so good looking! She sat in the only seat left, front and center. The teacher starts class and things are set into motion in the girl's mind. Through the entire class, Emma is able to understand every term mentioned, every equation introduced, answer every question asked of the class.
She sees herself as a star, but in the eyes of her class, she is the nerd. She has been labled.
Scene 4:
The physics teacher begins to notice that Emma is constantly being picked on. She explained to the class how she is going to enforce repercussions for the entire class if Emma is picked on anymore. Emma is petrified, she is now a nerd AND the teachers pet.
The teasing continues and gets worse.
Scene 5:
Emma's physics teacher started to give the class quizzes and tests everyday.
Blahblahblah (filler stuff)
Emma's sophomore year is hell
Junior year comes around Emma losses the braces and gets contacts. She is one of the "beauties"
School bus picks up an unfortunate girl who is in the same position at Emma was in when she was a sophomore.
Enter physics, new girl is just like Emma except this time the teacher is also picking in the new girl just like the other kids.
Emma knows how it feels has a talk with the teacher to help the new girl.
Teacher just laughs her off and tells Emma to just enjoy life as it is and not worry about the new girl, she'll get over it.
Emma knows she wont get over it, her heart is permanently scarred. Blahblah the usual cliche.
Emma fights hard for the new girl stands up for her all the time teacher begins to realize he's being an asshole.
Blahblah the usual storyline teacher changes things
not very creative, sorry.
Was going to go in another direction but this is sort of what i was trying to do with teacher saves student. student teaches teacher. student saves student.
Monday, April 12, 2010
E.D. Hirsch & Ted Sizer.
THIS ENTIRE POST IS WRONG I WILL POST A REDO HOPEFULLY SOON.
E.D. Hirsch
Hirsch argues that students should be able to develop by themselves. They should be able to learn the essentials to succeed at a young age. If students learned the basics when they are young rather than learn what the standards were set to be, they are able to experience more life by themselves. When standards are set, every child in the classroom is learning the same things. It is almost as if they were being brainwashed so that they can learn more standards when they get into the higher grades. When the child is able to learn, experience and develop social and academic skills for themselves, they will succeed better in life because they will be individuals competing against each other instead of against clones formed by the academic standard that Ted Sizer preferred. Hirsch argues that Sizer's method of learning "holds kids back" they are unable to broaden their thinking and expand on things they want to. They can only understand the structure they are taught.
Personally, I agree with Hirsch because without broadening our thoughts so we are able to explore our interests, we are unable to enjoy school. Speaking as a representative of a school that supports Ted Sizer's view of schooling, I am not happy in school because I am unable to learn what I want. I am put into classes where I learn the standard. What I know, whatever knowledge I gain from school, another student at a school that also supports Sizer also knows. In the future when I apply for job openings, it will be harder for me to make myself stand out against other competitors because there are so many out there that have the same academic skills as I do. Of course I am going to attend college and branch off into my own academic interests but even there I will not be able to excel because my interest in Medicine was not fulfilled in high school. When in college, I may sit next to a student who was able to at least learn a little bit about the field of medicine because s/he attended a high school where the curriculum was focused on student interests rather than the set standard we have at SOF. Further into the future, that student will excel whereas I will be left behind.
Ted Sizer
1. Do these theories contradict each other? Intellectually, emotionally, practically? In what ways do they? Could they be adapted to work together?
The theories definitely contradict each other in my opinion. One requires core classes and the other allows students to choose what their interests are. While these two ideas contradict each other and SOF is a school that Ted Sizer supported, we are also a school that holds both ideas. Though Sizer's may be more
E.D. Hirsch
Hirsch argues that students should be able to develop by themselves. They should be able to learn the essentials to succeed at a young age. If students learned the basics when they are young rather than learn what the standards were set to be, they are able to experience more life by themselves. When standards are set, every child in the classroom is learning the same things. It is almost as if they were being brainwashed so that they can learn more standards when they get into the higher grades. When the child is able to learn, experience and develop social and academic skills for themselves, they will succeed better in life because they will be individuals competing against each other instead of against clones formed by the academic standard that Ted Sizer preferred. Hirsch argues that Sizer's method of learning "holds kids back" they are unable to broaden their thinking and expand on things they want to. They can only understand the structure they are taught.
Personally, I agree with Hirsch because without broadening our thoughts so we are able to explore our interests, we are unable to enjoy school. Speaking as a representative of a school that supports Ted Sizer's view of schooling, I am not happy in school because I am unable to learn what I want. I am put into classes where I learn the standard. What I know, whatever knowledge I gain from school, another student at a school that also supports Sizer also knows. In the future when I apply for job openings, it will be harder for me to make myself stand out against other competitors because there are so many out there that have the same academic skills as I do. Of course I am going to attend college and branch off into my own academic interests but even there I will not be able to excel because my interest in Medicine was not fulfilled in high school. When in college, I may sit next to a student who was able to at least learn a little bit about the field of medicine because s/he attended a high school where the curriculum was focused on student interests rather than the set standard we have at SOF. Further into the future, that student will excel whereas I will be left behind.
Ted Sizer
1. Do these theories contradict each other? Intellectually, emotionally, practically? In what ways do they? Could they be adapted to work together?
The theories definitely contradict each other in my opinion. One requires core classes and the other allows students to choose what their interests are. While these two ideas contradict each other and SOF is a school that Ted Sizer supported, we are also a school that holds both ideas. Though Sizer's may be more
Some Research and Writing
Essential Question: How does having your best friend in the same class affect your academic capabilities?
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Numero 47 Film Ideas
- stereotypical teacher
- teaches the real thing
- opening traffic scene (on our block)
- more than one class (4)
- field trip
- no administration
- teacher tries to save but kids don't need help
- reverse roles
- funny
- zombies as humans
- student vs. teacher fight
- students give teacher a nickname
- music in background
- reverse delinquent as alpha
- parody of drama
- army teacher
- I really like the idea of the reverse roles sort of style. I feel like maybe we should have the kids be very "delightful children" who enjoy learning but they attend a school where the administrative is not very authoritative so the student's minds are left to starve. I would like it if maybe the students were to be the ones who go around the school to personal train and show the adults how they really should be running the classes. We can use the same tropes as the ones in all the movies we have watched in class but the students will be the teachers trying to connect with their not so authoritative administrative staff who will be the students.
- teaches the real thing
- opening traffic scene (on our block)
- more than one class (4)
- field trip
- no administration
- teacher tries to save but kids don't need help
- reverse roles
- funny
- zombies as humans
- student vs. teacher fight
- students give teacher a nickname
- music in background
- reverse delinquent as alpha
- parody of drama
- army teacher
- I really like the idea of the reverse roles sort of style. I feel like maybe we should have the kids be very "delightful children" who enjoy learning but they attend a school where the administrative is not very authoritative so the student's minds are left to starve. I would like it if maybe the students were to be the ones who go around the school to personal train and show the adults how they really should be running the classes. We can use the same tropes as the ones in all the movies we have watched in class but the students will be the teachers trying to connect with their not so authoritative administrative staff who will be the students.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Cultural Code
Before I went to sleep one night, this was what I thought about:
Initial Thoughts:
Life is a big waste sometimes
I really don't like people
Humans can be so ignorant
We go through so much schooling and some people don't even grow up to enjoy what they have done with their lives.
Ok, a memory:
I just tried to think of the earliest memory that somewhat pertained to school and I immediately had a flash back to my day care center but there really wasn't much schooling going on over there so I moved on to first grade.
There were caterpillars growing in a box at the back of the room next to the sink. There were what seemed like an infinite amount of picture books lining the windows. There were so many interactive posters and drawings and pictures stabled to the walls and closet doors. Boy were there a lot of closets. The room was quite large (larger than the one where we attend our history classes now) with about 20 tables placed into separate groups on the side of the room opposite the windows and next to the row of closets. There was a colorful rug next the the books placed at the base of a rocking chair. There was a large chalkboard covered with letters from the alphabet. And then there was me standing in a corner by the books facing the wall, sneaking glances at my accomplice, Sam, standing at the corner to the right of mine. He too was sneaking peeks at me. Both of us were trying to hold in our high giggles. Our respective corners were the results of our misbehavior during story time. Why weren't we allowed to act out the story together while Mr. Guo (first grade teacher) read us a picture book? Life was fun back then. I enjoyed getting in trouble because at the end of the day it didn't matter when there weren't really any consequences yet. I guess I hadn't changed much except now I'm a little more successful in getting away with my mischievous acts. Man, thinking about my past brought back a large variety of memories but this one just kind of popped out to me at the moment.
Initial Thoughts:
Life is a big waste sometimes
I really don't like people
Humans can be so ignorant
We go through so much schooling and some people don't even grow up to enjoy what they have done with their lives.
Ok, a memory:
I just tried to think of the earliest memory that somewhat pertained to school and I immediately had a flash back to my day care center but there really wasn't much schooling going on over there so I moved on to first grade.
There were caterpillars growing in a box at the back of the room next to the sink. There were what seemed like an infinite amount of picture books lining the windows. There were so many interactive posters and drawings and pictures stabled to the walls and closet doors. Boy were there a lot of closets. The room was quite large (larger than the one where we attend our history classes now) with about 20 tables placed into separate groups on the side of the room opposite the windows and next to the row of closets. There was a colorful rug next the the books placed at the base of a rocking chair. There was a large chalkboard covered with letters from the alphabet. And then there was me standing in a corner by the books facing the wall, sneaking glances at my accomplice, Sam, standing at the corner to the right of mine. He too was sneaking peeks at me. Both of us were trying to hold in our high giggles. Our respective corners were the results of our misbehavior during story time. Why weren't we allowed to act out the story together while Mr. Guo (first grade teacher) read us a picture book? Life was fun back then. I enjoyed getting in trouble because at the end of the day it didn't matter when there weren't really any consequences yet. I guess I hadn't changed much except now I'm a little more successful in getting away with my mischievous acts. Man, thinking about my past brought back a large variety of memories but this one just kind of popped out to me at the moment.
Interviews
Interview Questions:
1. How do the colors of a school affect how students apply themselves academically?
2. What colors have what affect? (which do you feel are the most prominent?)
3. Do you think the vibrant colors of my school are used to distract students from the fact that school is an institution such as a prison?
4. Do you think the colors of a school also have an affect on student's personalities and how they act towards their peers? If so, how?
5. Do you think the colors of a school set the mood? If so, how?
Answers:
My own:
1. I feel that when the colors of a school are bright and vibrant, students are more willing to learn because they enter an environment with a more positive feeling. Our society often associates light colors with happiness and peace whereas darker colors are identified with anger, evil and sadness so if the wrong colors were used to color a school, they could have negative affects on the student's quality of work.
2. Yellow is a very positive color. It is the color of the sun which brings life to everything we know. When thought of, yellow usually brings happiness with it directly related to light. Black is a very negative color it brings sadness to many people because it generally accompanies death and with death comes a lot of unhappiness. But in terms of a school appropriate color that I feel gives off a negative feeling is maybe brown or beige or other bland colors such like my history classroom. It is not unusually common when students get bored, sleepy or lazy when surrounded by such plain base colors. If my history classroom were to have tables and less interactive/ interesting discussions, I would almost guarantee that at least three people would be asleep for the duration of the class.
3. No, I do not think the vibrant colors of my school are used to distract us from anything. School may seem like a jail at times because of the way it is structure with a higher authoritative figure that controls everything with two lower branches of commanding officers that control classrooms and patrol hallways and the students' feeling of obligation to attend school to be able to be successful in the future but in the end, it is a safe environment for children's brains to develop and learn new skills in order to succeed. The vibrant colors may be the school's attempt to provoke creativity and productivity within the school, bright colors will always be better than plain or dark colors. It also helps when students can enjoy multiple different environment throughout the day by having the classrooms painted different colors.
4. Yes, I do think the colors of a school can affect ones personality and action towards peers because just like how it can affect our productivity, the sight of colors can also bring color to people's eyes and can directly change how they act.
5. Yes, colors can affect people's moods just like they can affect our work ethics and personalities. When we see colors we immediately associate them with how our society portrayed them to us therefore our brains create that emotion within us.
Danielle (sister in law):
1. Brighter the more awake, more alert. Dark the kids tend to get sleepy.
2. Positive Colors - Light Green, Yellow, Orange. Negative Colors- Black, Brown, Dark Blue
3. NO!!! I don't believe schools are like prisons. School is a great place where children can learn and express themselves, kids can be creative and are able to explore their ideas. I don't think vibrant colors distracts students, colors bring life to schools.
4. No I don't think colors of schools influence students personalities or there relationships with there peers. I feel the colors can affect the mood of a student.
5. Yes, I believe colors of the school affect the mood of students. Dark colors bring a very sad mood. Bright colors bring a very happy, exciting environment for students.
Wei (brother):
1. The color of the school does not matter.
2. The color black is dark. Yellow - life and refreshing. Red reminds me of fire and speed. White is very plain and boring but on the other hand relaxing. Blue - reminds of the coral reef.
3. It might because color will sell a product. Color covers a lot of what people don't want to see. Like the colors of a car.
4. Color can affect the mood of people. Like I described in question two, it can bring out positive or negative personalities depending on the color.
5. Yes it can. Colors have a huge impact on people's mood.
Stranger #1:
Stranger #2:
1. How do the colors of a school affect how students apply themselves academically?
2. What colors have what affect? (which do you feel are the most prominent?)
3. Do you think the vibrant colors of my school are used to distract students from the fact that school is an institution such as a prison?
4. Do you think the colors of a school also have an affect on student's personalities and how they act towards their peers? If so, how?
5. Do you think the colors of a school set the mood? If so, how?
Answers:
My own:
1. I feel that when the colors of a school are bright and vibrant, students are more willing to learn because they enter an environment with a more positive feeling. Our society often associates light colors with happiness and peace whereas darker colors are identified with anger, evil and sadness so if the wrong colors were used to color a school, they could have negative affects on the student's quality of work.
2. Yellow is a very positive color. It is the color of the sun which brings life to everything we know. When thought of, yellow usually brings happiness with it directly related to light. Black is a very negative color it brings sadness to many people because it generally accompanies death and with death comes a lot of unhappiness. But in terms of a school appropriate color that I feel gives off a negative feeling is maybe brown or beige or other bland colors such like my history classroom. It is not unusually common when students get bored, sleepy or lazy when surrounded by such plain base colors. If my history classroom were to have tables and less interactive/ interesting discussions, I would almost guarantee that at least three people would be asleep for the duration of the class.
3. No, I do not think the vibrant colors of my school are used to distract us from anything. School may seem like a jail at times because of the way it is structure with a higher authoritative figure that controls everything with two lower branches of commanding officers that control classrooms and patrol hallways and the students' feeling of obligation to attend school to be able to be successful in the future but in the end, it is a safe environment for children's brains to develop and learn new skills in order to succeed. The vibrant colors may be the school's attempt to provoke creativity and productivity within the school, bright colors will always be better than plain or dark colors. It also helps when students can enjoy multiple different environment throughout the day by having the classrooms painted different colors.
4. Yes, I do think the colors of a school can affect ones personality and action towards peers because just like how it can affect our productivity, the sight of colors can also bring color to people's eyes and can directly change how they act.
5. Yes, colors can affect people's moods just like they can affect our work ethics and personalities. When we see colors we immediately associate them with how our society portrayed them to us therefore our brains create that emotion within us.
Danielle (sister in law):
1. Brighter the more awake, more alert. Dark the kids tend to get sleepy.
2. Positive Colors - Light Green, Yellow, Orange. Negative Colors- Black, Brown, Dark Blue
3. NO!!! I don't believe schools are like prisons. School is a great place where children can learn and express themselves, kids can be creative and are able to explore their ideas. I don't think vibrant colors distracts students, colors bring life to schools.
4. No I don't think colors of schools influence students personalities or there relationships with there peers. I feel the colors can affect the mood of a student.
5. Yes, I believe colors of the school affect the mood of students. Dark colors bring a very sad mood. Bright colors bring a very happy, exciting environment for students.
Wei (brother):
1. The color of the school does not matter.
2. The color black is dark. Yellow - life and refreshing. Red reminds me of fire and speed. White is very plain and boring but on the other hand relaxing. Blue - reminds of the coral reef.
3. It might because color will sell a product. Color covers a lot of what people don't want to see. Like the colors of a car.
4. Color can affect the mood of people. Like I described in question two, it can bring out positive or negative personalities depending on the color.
5. Yes it can. Colors have a huge impact on people's mood.
Stranger #1:
Stranger #2:
Monday, February 8, 2010
First School Assignment
Relationships
Teachers
Other students
Gossip
Music
Elevators
Lunch
Attention spans
Respect
Conduct
Grading
Favorites
Digitization
Fashion
Popularity
Friendships
Personalities/Roles/Characters
Socializing
Academics
What amazes me the most about attending school at SOF is the elevators. Why is everyone always in a rush to get on the elevators? Where are they going that they need to be at so urgently? Its definitely not class. I always wonder why people are in such a need to get to class early or on time when they don't even pay attention in the class. Many people fall asleep or are arguing with other students or the teacher because they think its cool. But there is also the socializing that I hadn't taken into account. Many people usually go upstairs early just so they could socialize in the crowded hallways and then enter class late purposely. That's so STUPID.
Speaking of being stupid, students that actually go to class, don't even keep a long enough attention span to fully understand the work being taught. I'm not saying that I am a perfect student myself I'm just saying that this is what happens to the vast majority of high school students. When students are unable to focus in class, they begin distracting others who do try to learn. They start to make noises and just acting stupid for their own entertainment because they need to over compensate for their lack of attention. Many humans enjoy watching other people in frustration. It is often humorous to others when someone is getting bullied or had an accident or any other misfortune that overcomes them.
Don't even get me started on people thinking that being dumb is cool. It bothers me a lot when people put on a dumb personality because they think its cool to seem illiterate. Many people are afraid to look smart because they are scared of being labeled as "nerd" or "geek" or any other demeaning terms that suggests that a person is smart. Personally I enjoy being smart whenever I can. I like stating my views and if it's going to be something smart that comes out of my mouth then guess what people can call me a nerd or a loser or whatever they like all they want. If that is how I am viewed in people's eyes then it's nice to know I am smart.
Whats worse than acting dumb is boasting when you receive a low grade on any schoolwork. Students that make their failures public are pathetic. Do not be proud of a low or failing score. Keep it to yourself and just work hard to get a better grade the next time around. Sure, people mess up all the time but when you mess up, don't complain and whine about it while not doing anything to fix it. I'm not going to lie here, I was definitely one of those people who didn't really give a rat's ass when I wasn't doing well in school and all I did was complain and whine to Felix and my friends. I would say something along the lines of "omg I have so much work to do" and just sit my ass on the couch and not do anything about it. This wasn't too long ago but when reality actually sets in and I see how badly I messed up, the games are over, playtime is to resume when I get on top of my school work and have a better handle on my time management.
Teachers
Other students
Gossip
Music
Elevators
Lunch
Attention spans
Respect
Conduct
Grading
Favorites
Digitization
Fashion
Popularity
Friendships
Personalities/Roles/Characters
Socializing
Academics
What amazes me the most about attending school at SOF is the elevators. Why is everyone always in a rush to get on the elevators? Where are they going that they need to be at so urgently? Its definitely not class. I always wonder why people are in such a need to get to class early or on time when they don't even pay attention in the class. Many people fall asleep or are arguing with other students or the teacher because they think its cool. But there is also the socializing that I hadn't taken into account. Many people usually go upstairs early just so they could socialize in the crowded hallways and then enter class late purposely. That's so STUPID.
Speaking of being stupid, students that actually go to class, don't even keep a long enough attention span to fully understand the work being taught. I'm not saying that I am a perfect student myself I'm just saying that this is what happens to the vast majority of high school students. When students are unable to focus in class, they begin distracting others who do try to learn. They start to make noises and just acting stupid for their own entertainment because they need to over compensate for their lack of attention. Many humans enjoy watching other people in frustration. It is often humorous to others when someone is getting bullied or had an accident or any other misfortune that overcomes them.
Don't even get me started on people thinking that being dumb is cool. It bothers me a lot when people put on a dumb personality because they think its cool to seem illiterate. Many people are afraid to look smart because they are scared of being labeled as "nerd" or "geek" or any other demeaning terms that suggests that a person is smart. Personally I enjoy being smart whenever I can. I like stating my views and if it's going to be something smart that comes out of my mouth then guess what people can call me a nerd or a loser or whatever they like all they want. If that is how I am viewed in people's eyes then it's nice to know I am smart.
Whats worse than acting dumb is boasting when you receive a low grade on any schoolwork. Students that make their failures public are pathetic. Do not be proud of a low or failing score. Keep it to yourself and just work hard to get a better grade the next time around. Sure, people mess up all the time but when you mess up, don't complain and whine about it while not doing anything to fix it. I'm not going to lie here, I was definitely one of those people who didn't really give a rat's ass when I wasn't doing well in school and all I did was complain and whine to Felix and my friends. I would say something along the lines of "omg I have so much work to do" and just sit my ass on the couch and not do anything about it. This wasn't too long ago but when reality actually sets in and I see how badly I messed up, the games are over, playtime is to resume when I get on top of my school work and have a better handle on my time management.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Cool Art Project
My art project started out as a group project that involved many people. With many people come many ideas so I was not too sure if it was going to work out so I started on my own project. My work of art is actually an unfinished painting that I had started about a year ago. It actually holds the same concept as I had in mind when I first started. The idea that I chose to single out of the many cool poses was keeping your composure when things get tough. The re-start of my painting was actually triggered by my good friend, Dylan. I was having a lot of trouble figuring out what I wanted to do for the project since there were so many ideas going through my mind so I asked him to help me organize my thoughts. In the end he helped me come up with the final idea of my art project. When I thought about things getting tough I immediately thought about New York City and the chaos that circulates every second of every day of every year, etc. When thinking of NYC, the bombing of the twin towers was by far the most tragic event I could think of where a major part of the city’s heart was destroyed.
When people look at my art, I want them to see the picture as a whole and analyze it for themselves. I would like to see how my views are looked upon and seen differently. My ideas are definitely not the views of others and the inner networks of my mind obviously are no equal to that of someone else’s. When people see this I want them to feel it. I want there to be emotion. Some may hate it and some may like it but I really don’t care, I just want people to see it as it is. This was my portrayal of how what the twin towers where no able to see. I wanted to give the towers emotions or eyes of their own; I’m not sure how to explain myself. The towers are so cool and sleek and calm when there is such a mess revolving around them. The phrase “the city comes to life” takes a somewhat literal meaning here.
While illustrating the events of September 11th, 2001 there where moments where I just closed my eyes and tried to picture the day and how sad it was. Call me crazy but when I did so I felt like one of those people who enjoyed chaos. I was looking for the happy among all the terror. There were many people unaware of the attack outside of New York, some of them had to be happy. Ignorance is bliss. Everything led back to being calm and collected. I’m sure this strays a long, long way from what we spoke about in class about cool but I took one idea of cool and transformed it into something unexpected. This most definitely relates back to humans being composed when there are fights that break out. Not freaking out and making matters worse for yourself and everyone around you is positively awesome.
I feel that art is extremely cool. It is an outlet for people to express their feelings freely in whichever way they want without any judgment. Art is opinion. You cannot question ones opinion because it’s a thought, there is no need for evidence to back it up. You can argue a fact but never an opinion. Don’t question art as you wouldn’t question opinions. Get off the artists’ backs.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Untitled
Jakob told me I was "odddddd smart" for being able to understand the reading today because he found it really confusing and it made me feel cool/good. How do you interpret/categorize this kind of cool? All the cool that we have been talking about only involved criticizing people for trying to be cool. Cool has only been people presenting themselves as what they interpret cool as but this was a feeling of cool. It was a sense of cool that was not purposely displayed because "it was me" because it was "what I liked" or because "I felt like it, it's me and it's what I want to do." Would this be closer to a genuine cool or would it just be categorized as another supervised action?
I realized when I was explaining it that just my thought and the process that I explained it was all set up for me to do like you gave me the reading for me to think about and all but did you set up my unintended feeling? Did you think to yourself, she's going to feel cool after this. Shes going to feel a sense of accomplishment?
Do you think cool isn't a presentation at all but just a feeling? like a small burst of confidence?
Cool in our school could be mostly seen as the "popular" kids because they are fashionable and make themselves known by portraying their image in their "own ways" (they may think they portray themselves their own ways but the style is still all the same.) Maybe cool is that one quiet person who just stands out once in awhile because they feel that little small spark of confidence that it seems the cool kids have but I think all they might have sometimes is arrogance.
This was just a random burst of thought but I hope you do answer my questions because I am really interested in the other views that we can have on this topic.
I realized when I was explaining it that just my thought and the process that I explained it was all set up for me to do like you gave me the reading for me to think about and all but did you set up my unintended feeling? Did you think to yourself, she's going to feel cool after this. Shes going to feel a sense of accomplishment?
Do you think cool isn't a presentation at all but just a feeling? like a small burst of confidence?
Cool in our school could be mostly seen as the "popular" kids because they are fashionable and make themselves known by portraying their image in their "own ways" (they may think they portray themselves their own ways but the style is still all the same.) Maybe cool is that one quiet person who just stands out once in awhile because they feel that little small spark of confidence that it seems the cool kids have but I think all they might have sometimes is arrogance.
This was just a random burst of thought but I hope you do answer my questions because I am really interested in the other views that we can have on this topic.
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