Isabel's Lecture

I thought Isabel's lecture was really interesting today. I've never looked at the Disney Corporation and the Disney movies in that perspective. As a kid (and even now) you think of Disney as being a wholesome company, however upon really looking at the movies, one can see that they too, fall prey to the common stereotypes of other cultures. Even the quote by Michael Eisner stating that their only objective is to make money, is disturbing. It shows that even if that the company somehow absent-mindedly made these stereotypes in their movies, that will do nothing to improve them, because they don't have a child's interest at heart.

I also found it interesting that when the one student tried to find the book from lecture, that none of the bookstores sold it. What does this say in terms of censorship? Who really controls what books we are allowed to read? Also, does this say that gay and lesbian relations haven't been integrated or accepted by society yet?

Good Job Isabel.

Response to Nov 17 Lecture

I enjoyed Professor Gutierrez's in-class activity on Monday. I feel like methods of participation aren't often discussed. Young people, especially students, are continually encouraged to join organizations, and stand up for what they believe in; however, there are many ways in which they can put forth their beliefs into society, and the "best" options are not always presented to them.

The questions the professor asked us sparked strong sentiment from my part. When she asked which method did we consider the best way to integrate our values (education, donating to organizations, protesting, or electing an official who shared the same values), the class had many different responses. I truly believe education is the best method: none of the other options would even exist without education. Even when those who answered differently were explaining their point of view, all of them at one point or another mentioned education. I feel as though it is useless to donate to an organization if you don't know anything about what you are donating to. Sure, the organizations may be better qualified to help the cause and have more impact - but only if they are educated on the topic. Protests are initiated through strong sentiments of the people - and how is one to feel strongly on a topic if they are not properly educated in it? Politics are the same; without education, voters would not know which officials share their values, and therefore might not vote for the candidate with the same beliefs.

Of all the above options, education is the one which spreads the easiest and fastest. It affects billions of people, and allows everyone - from the rich to the poor, one side of the world to another - to participate in a movement. This world strives on education, and without it, we would be nowhere.

Otherness

"When people focus on others' needs and deficiencies, it can de-emphasize their assets and strengths, weaken their ability to help themselves, and empower the professionals who serve them" (pg. 299-300 of Young People as Competent Citizens) .

This quote really stood out to me. While I think careers in public and community service are very noble, they can often contribute to the problems they are trying to solve. When outsiders enter a community to try and provide what the community "lacks," a dependency relationship is created, rather than the strengthening of the community from within to solve whatever the problem was. While I do think providing services is important for short term progress, they are just a band-aids to the change that must take place within a community. For example, a tutoring program that brings well educated students into inner cities to tutor helps the students succeed in school, but it does not address the issue of failing inner city schools.

Maybe I'm being too critical, but I don't think that community service, without community and political activism, can result in real change.

Discussion Questions for 11/21

Discussion Questions for "Latino leadership development: beginning on campus":

1. What is the National Council of La Raza (NCLR)? What does this organization do?
2. How does Josh Gardner define leadership?
3. "Leadership is more a role than a position." Do you agree with this? Why?
4. What three elements or components exist in leadership development at the community level? Define these.
5. Why can't the Latino community look to its own churches or colleges?
   
6. What objectives do Latino student organizations generally have?
7. Have you seen or been active in a Latino student organization on campus? If so, what have been your experiences?

Discussion Questions for "Young people as competent citizens":

1. Do you agree that youth are generally viewed negatively? Why or why not? How do you view youth?
2. What does the organization Lifting New Voices do?
3. What are the three results of youth participation? Explain.
4. What obstacles are faced in youth participation?
5. What are some of the issues addressed by the youth organizations in this case study? Is there a group that interested you? Explain.
   

Lecture Reflectin Post on Social Change

I really enjoyed today's lecture and felt that I could really relate to the topic. As a tutor for elementary school kids in Southwest Detroit, I get to see firsthand the difficulties these students face in terms of getting an education and not falling behind as well as receiving adequate funding for their school. As hard as these teachers try, the schools lack the funding the really offer these kids the help they need. My three tutees are in 5th grade, but their classroom had both 4th and 5th graders in it because the school cannot afford two separate classrooms for the grades. Though these girls are in 5th grade, they are still unable to read, write, or comprehend things that the average 3rd grader is able to. They receive no extra attention in their class even with their poor marks because the school does not have the resources to provide them. Two of them have already told me that they plan to drop out when in high school to work in factories with their parents. I feel like this sentiment reflects the negative attitudes and experiences they have with the educational system. During today's activity I chose education of issues as the most important and the most effective, because I feel like if people were more aware of issues like educational funding there would be more support for fixing the system for all students.

Fishbowl!

Hi everyone!
I wanted to thank you, again for participating in Friday’s fishbowl discussion. As promised, I will sum up some of the points I made at the end of class. Please use this space to provide additional feedback, reflections, and observations on your experience with this activity.

In answering the question, What type of space did we create/participate in on Friday’s discussion section?, I proposed the following observations based on Elizabeth Moje’s article, “Powerful Spaces: Tracing the Out-of-School Literacy Spaces of Latina/o Youth:”

A space influenced by institutions: we are at the University of Michigan, which implies a relationship between UM and education/learning

A space influenced by time/temporality: our discussion section length (50 mins); but also, how did your observations/comments in class differ from what you may have thought at the beginning of the semester? Or, how have you changed based on your experience in this class?

A space influenced by things material/physical: your level of comfort varied (depending on whether you were in the inner circle or outer circle); differences between being an “observer” vs. being the “observed.”

A space influenced by identities: how was our space complicated by identity? Which identities did you prioritize? What assumptions were you making about other people’s identities? Which identities were less obvious or not really addressed?

A space influenced by power: your relationship to each other and to me (GSI vs. student); what other power dynamics did you observe? How do these power dynamics affect your participation in class?

Also keep in mind that these categories often overlap.

I look forward to reading your responses!
-Isabel

Reaction to Professor Moje's Lecture

I found Professor Mojes lecture, “Reading the Adolescent Reader” to be a very important testament to the dangers of stereotyping. I think that the stereotype evident in Professor Moje’s lecture is that adolescent Latinos living in urban areas are uneducated and illiterate. Stereotypes like these simplify the out-group’s condition and tend to homogenize, when in fact they are a heterogeneous group with complex conditions. I think the danger of stereotypes in this situation is the perpetuation of ineffective teaching methods. If teachers engage with this stereotype, they simplify the experience of their students assuming that because they can’t read or understand their selected texts, they can’t read or understand any text, when in fact, Moje’s research disproves this.

I think that generalizations in the education system are not only limited to situations like these, but manifest themselves in many forms and can greatly affect the success or failure of the student. In this way, I believe that stereotyping students is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If a teacher expects a child to under-perform, it is very possible that they won’t challenge the student, while if they assume the student has great potential they will engage the student in more demanding tasks. I think this is the problem facing schools in many impoverished urban areas. Perhaps if teachers were more sensitive to the students’ interests, they could develop a more effective way to engage students rather than discouraging them.

Discussion Section 11/14 - "Powerful Spaces" Part 2

1)At the mall, how did people react to the author's group of 1 white woman and 4 “dark skinned people?” pg15

2)How do public spaces, like the mall, alter the Mexican youth's actions and and behavior? Pg16.

3)What attracts the youth to spend much of their time in certain public places, like Virnot? pg17

4)What is the term used by the author that expresses the versatile nature of the Mexican youth's identities? Pg20

5)How do the young people use the internet as space to interact with fellow chicanos and learn more about their culture? Pg 21

6)What was the primary conclusion according to the author on page 22, describing the seamlessness of ethnic identity?

7)Ultimately, what does the author feel should be done by educators and schools to help the youth be more mobile when they grow older? pg23

Discussion Questions 11/14 - "Latinos and Child Well-Being..."

Latinos and Child Well-Being: Implications from Child Welfare
Robert M. Ortega

What are some factors that lead to such an urgent need to evaluate the welfare of Latino children? p1

What is ironic about there being so little data on Latino children? (Do they represent a large or small proportion of the child population in the US?) Why do you think this is? p5

Why is the use of the term “Latinos” in these welfare studies so problematic? (What does it imply?)
Why is it an even bigger problem to place Latinos in the “other” category? p4-5 How does this lack of data affect the improvement of child welfare services? p12

Ortega states the two supposed primary referral sources of Latinos to child protective services – what are they? p6

One of the factors that define the Latino culture is the strong sense of family. What are some of the cultural values or themes tied to Latino families?

What are a few of the issues, named in the article, that pose challenges to traditional Latino families in society? Which of these significant risk factors are considered a serious threat to the health and well being of Latino children? p7,11

Lastly, what are the 4 A’s that Ortega says should define our system of care? (He mentioned them in lecture as well.) p13

Identity and Space

I found the "Powerful Spaces" article and how it relates identity to the space in which it is expressed very interesting. In the article, Professor Moje describes how several of the Latino/a youth identify themselves depending on the space (geographic, cultural, social, etc) that they are in.

I remember realizing at an early age that my own identity varied depending on the social context and space that I occupied. For my 5th grade birthday party, I invited friends from school, my neighborhood, and from church. I realized that my relationships with my friends in each of those groups were different, and that my identity within the group depended on the space in which the groups of friends were formed.

I think people have multiple layers to their identities (like Shrek- an onion lol) and that having slightly different personalities depending on the social context is actually a good thing- it helps people adapt to different situations and be successful in each.

Discussion questions:11/14. 1st part of "Powerful Spaces" questions

Questions:

1. How do people move within and across physical spaces?

2. 2. What are the four categories of identity that were mentioned in the article (excluding the one proposed by Moje)?

3. 3. Define the term, “spatial and temporal identity.”

4. 4. What were some of the spaces that were looked at during the study?

5. 5. As mentioned in the article, what is space?

6. 6. Describe the participants in the study?

7. 7. How are people recognized in different spaces?

8. 8. Where were some the interviews that took place outside of school, held?

Reflection post

As Latinos integrate into mainstream United States society, they must often give up a piece of their own culture. Whether this piece is language or their vision of sexuality, Latinos in the United States are frequently fighting between their past and their present. In terms of language, Latinos are often required to learn English and stop speaking Spanish. However, over the years, the two have greatly influenced each other and have even formed a new appearance as Spanglish. While there are many different attitudes towards Spanglish, the effect on society is apparent. On the other hand, the effect of Latino’s views on sexuality is often invisible. Latinos view sexuality, especially homosexuals, in a different manner than Americans. However, most Americans would disagree with their definitions and categorization. Therefore, Latinos must adhere to the norms of American culture. Whether it is in regards to language or views on sexuality, Latinos must assimilate and forgive a part of their home culture.
I found the readings and lectures on Spanish linguistics very interesting. Latinos living in the United States has made an important influence on American culture in my life. They helped make Spanish the top foreign language to learn in schools, which is why I began taking Spanish in the fifth grade. I now love the language and am majoring in it at this university. Spanglish is also an important influence in my life and in the lives of American people. Spanish has influenced many words in our everyday speech, such as “no problemo.” I hope that I have not offended anyone in using this either, and I am now more conscious of mock Spanish. Spanish linguistics is a young academia and it is important to continue research in this field.
I find the Latino idea of sexuality very interesting and different than the one I am accustomed to. I, like the guest lecturer, disagree with the categories that the United States places on sex, gender, and sexuality. More importantly, I disagree with the stigmas placed on each category in that normative sexual expression is tolerated while non-normative sexualities are not. I feel that all choices should be tolerated. I therefore think the United States needs to progress.

Bilingual Education

In Zentella's article "'Jose, can you see?'" she says that "Monolingual English-speaking teachers who fear erosion of their job security have helped place bilingual education at the center of heated national debates" (54). This part of the article really surprised me. It makes sense that monolingual teachers, especially in the south, would form a block against bilingual education, fearing that teachers would be required to be bilingual. I just never thought about it I guess.

Teachers form strong voting blocks when it comes to education boards and changes in education. In order for bilingual education to be embraced, these teachers need to be assured that they will not become unemployed as a result. Perhaps there could be a rule that teachers that have already begun teaching are not held to the same bilingual standards of newly hired teachers. That doesn't exactly seem fair... but I'm not sure how else the problem could be solved.

This part of the article reminded me of the movie we watched on Prop 187 and the white teacher with huge glasses that didn't speak Spanish, who was told that she didn't belong at the school. In a way I felt sorry for her because I don't think she saw how biased she was and how that could effect the students. At the same time, I don't think that all monolingual, English-speaking teachers are inherently biased as she was and in fact can be good teachers that are sensitive to latin@ and immigration issues. Also, just because a teacher is bilingual, doesn't guarantee that they don't hold personal biases either against Latino or Anglo students. I think finding a good teacher for multiracial and multiethnic classrooms goes beyond what can be put on a resume.

Discussion Questions for Friday 11/7/08