Man this was so far the craziest story I have read. I really want to see this ladies (Mary Pipher) proof of everything she has said, because to me it sounds like she talked to a couple girls and made generalizations for the whole female race. WOW.
Okay so some points that drove me berserk were on the first page, the last sentence, "I know one teacher who, when she reads to her class, routinely changes the sex of the character so the girls will have stronger role models."
Well my dilemma is not the fact that it might be true that story characters are more likely to be male than female, I really have no idea what my elementary school teachers read to me, or what they read now, but in my opinion girls do not usually have short story characters as role models. It's possible for a chapter book to have a character that the students might really look up to, because I really used to like reading Amber Brown because she was a girl who was in the same grade as me, and her parents had just recently divorced and mine had also so I guess in a way I was able to see her reactions and it helped with mine but when I read that comment it made me think of like a colorful fish "who could"or something like that and i was just like who cares about the stupid fish and if its a boy or a girl.... okay.. wow....that was so stream of consciousness!!!
Anyways, for that comment, If she meant it in a way like my Amber brown experience i can see her point.
Alright so the next thing i really didn't care for...
"Boys are more likely to be praised for academics and intellectual work, while girls are more likely to be praised for their clothing, behaving properly and obeying rules."
What I do not like about this, is that in my life, and my experiences, this is not true. Girls, boys, me as a girl, we were both treated the same, praised the same, encouraged the same, the only difference was that we (girls) got to go to the bathroom a whole heck of lot more! And I'm sure girls boo-hoo their way out of assignments more than guys, because that's just how it was at my school and for me.
And the last thing that pushed my button was the section on page 280, in the 1st paragraph where the message to boys was that they are smart if they fail, its just that they need to focus more, and the message to girls when they failed was well, maybe sure just not good at this, you've already given it you're best shot maybe give up and go have babies.. well i added the last part but.. man, that is not true for everyone. I know some guys that have low self esteems and when they fail they feel like it's the end of the world, and I know some cocky girls who when they mess up, they blame it on other things because they think in their heads there is no way that their perfect self could have messed up. It is totally a self esteem thing, and is dependant of how you were raised and what examples you have had in your life.
I didn't even want to write this much.. but i did so ehh.
This lady... Mary Pipher... is a generalizationister!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
English 99: Literacy Among the Ruins by Frank Gannon
Wow.. this Essay was depressing; not only were the facts about the students very sad, but the whole ordeal with the "professor" being fake, and not even helping them in the long run was ridiculous.
Answering the questions before reading the text, the one where it asks if there are different groups of people in my classes; well yeah there are, of course. In our English class we have some very outspoken people, and some very reserved people, some are more open to ideas, while some are very closed off to only their point of view. We also have classification by appearance, but its very diverse, more diverse than just jocks, foreigners and dumb popular girls.
It was difficult to come up with something they had all done. The three groups- the bored-looking girls, the jocks, and the refugees- were like three separate countries. They were all trying to get to the same general place. But they were starting from places a million miles apart.
(217 4th para). This reminds me of my high school English classes, I remember my teachers saying how difficult it was for them to teach because everyone is at different places and for some its to slow and for others it was a definite struggle. This story also made me think of how shallow many Americans are, based on the "bored-looking girls" and thew "Jocks", compared to the refugees, their worries made them look retarded.
Answering the questions before reading the text, the one where it asks if there are different groups of people in my classes; well yeah there are, of course. In our English class we have some very outspoken people, and some very reserved people, some are more open to ideas, while some are very closed off to only their point of view. We also have classification by appearance, but its very diverse, more diverse than just jocks, foreigners and dumb popular girls.
It was difficult to come up with something they had all done. The three groups- the bored-looking girls, the jocks, and the refugees- were like three separate countries. They were all trying to get to the same general place. But they were starting from places a million miles apart.
(217 4th para). This reminds me of my high school English classes, I remember my teachers saying how difficult it was for them to teach because everyone is at different places and for some its to slow and for others it was a definite struggle. This story also made me think of how shallow many Americans are, based on the "bored-looking girls" and thew "Jocks", compared to the refugees, their worries made them look retarded.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Ok.. first things first... Thank you Mr. Davis for assigning us a 3 page article.... That was awesome!!
So what does it mean to be educated? And what should it mean....? There is not one answer to these questions, unless they're very vague, which Jon Spayde's answers are. It's kind of a dumb question to ask if you are expecting one answer.
Spayde for one thinks it is unnecessary to assign a list of books to a group of students, and say to them, "Once you have read these, you will be considered smart, until then, you are pretty much dumb" or to teach student that getting the highest grade on an exam makes you the most educated. While getting good grades does indicate that you have knowledge in that area, it doesn't make you wise in all areas.
An overall education of many things, from reading books of different subjects, learning about people and how to communicate with them, learning how to cook, and just learning a skill that you are interested in is what being educated is all about in the opinion of Jon Spayde.
I myself agree that an overall knowledge is what "being educated" should be about.
to be continued...
So what does it mean to be educated? And what should it mean....? There is not one answer to these questions, unless they're very vague, which Jon Spayde's answers are. It's kind of a dumb question to ask if you are expecting one answer.
Spayde for one thinks it is unnecessary to assign a list of books to a group of students, and say to them, "Once you have read these, you will be considered smart, until then, you are pretty much dumb" or to teach student that getting the highest grade on an exam makes you the most educated. While getting good grades does indicate that you have knowledge in that area, it doesn't make you wise in all areas.
An overall education of many things, from reading books of different subjects, learning about people and how to communicate with them, learning how to cook, and just learning a skill that you are interested in is what being educated is all about in the opinion of Jon Spayde.
I myself agree that an overall knowledge is what "being educated" should be about.
to be continued...
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Politics in te Schoolroom, by Lynne V. Ceyne
This article sucked... haha just kidding!!
Honestly though, I really did not care for her opinion. Not only did I think she was wrong on many of her points, but the subject was of no interest to me and she somewhat jumped from one subject to another.
In the opening pages of Cheney's insight on education over the past couple decades, she focuses mainly on the fact that today's students are taught about history with a negative slant rather than one that would make someone proud to be a citizen of the U.S. Even if that is true according to some texts, and to some research projects, it is mainly up to the teacher how they choose to teach the curriculum, what tone they themselves add to the text. And it can be argued that in college courses, sometimes the teacher is not teaching the text, it is the student student who is reading it themselves and being quized on it, so it is mainly up to the slant of the book, but the teacher is still going to give lectures and add their opinion. My teachers in High school were very un biased in their teaching , and even when they did teach according to their own opinion they let it be known that it was there "own opinion", so if my high school was the only school that taught that way then let me be wrong, because that is an overstatement that all students are getting a negative view of our history based on text books.
I also think that elementary school kids should be able to hear the truth in a very subtle way, not to be lied to and find out later in life that their education a child was "sugar-coated", then they have to learn the different perspective along with the false one.
Cheney then goes into discussing how certain important issues are eighter left out of textbooks, or overlooked, which is something i agree with her about. I have a horrible memory and don't even know some common knowledge becasue we go over so many things that sometimes I don't think are even that important, but that plays into society also, not only textbooks and teaching methods. Our society today is more concerned with possesions and looks than our future as a contry or our past.
Cheyne then once again switches gears and focuses on female roles in education, well more of how our society depicts them and how they are doing compared to males in school.
to be continued.....
Honestly though, I really did not care for her opinion. Not only did I think she was wrong on many of her points, but the subject was of no interest to me and she somewhat jumped from one subject to another.
In the opening pages of Cheney's insight on education over the past couple decades, she focuses mainly on the fact that today's students are taught about history with a negative slant rather than one that would make someone proud to be a citizen of the U.S. Even if that is true according to some texts, and to some research projects, it is mainly up to the teacher how they choose to teach the curriculum, what tone they themselves add to the text. And it can be argued that in college courses, sometimes the teacher is not teaching the text, it is the student student who is reading it themselves and being quized on it, so it is mainly up to the slant of the book, but the teacher is still going to give lectures and add their opinion. My teachers in High school were very un biased in their teaching , and even when they did teach according to their own opinion they let it be known that it was there "own opinion", so if my high school was the only school that taught that way then let me be wrong, because that is an overstatement that all students are getting a negative view of our history based on text books.
I also think that elementary school kids should be able to hear the truth in a very subtle way, not to be lied to and find out later in life that their education a child was "sugar-coated", then they have to learn the different perspective along with the false one.
Cheney then goes into discussing how certain important issues are eighter left out of textbooks, or overlooked, which is something i agree with her about. I have a horrible memory and don't even know some common knowledge becasue we go over so many things that sometimes I don't think are even that important, but that plays into society also, not only textbooks and teaching methods. Our society today is more concerned with possesions and looks than our future as a contry or our past.
Cheyne then once again switches gears and focuses on female roles in education, well more of how our society depicts them and how they are doing compared to males in school.
to be continued.....
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Deborah Tannen's essay is really good, but some parts of it are kind of hard for me to imagine, like where she states that in somebody's observation of a class, that NO girls EVER challenged the author, that they mainly asked questions or talked about an issue in the paper. I do not think that is true for all classes.
It seem's to me that girls speak out more than boys these days, just from evidence from our first period. Sometimes I think boys are embarrassed to or think tht if they share there feeling about something, that other guys might think they are lame. But literally that is not the case at all, and that is not all boys of course.
Also, even though I do not fully agree with Tannen about how Boy's are the only one's to speak up and defend their personal views, in a sence I see her point. I do think that girls talk more, but when boys state their opinions it seems like they are more controversial. And also that plays into what I said about the guys feeling that if they state their feelings they may be made fun of, maybe they go for the more argumentive statement about the author rather than what they feel about the article becasue they think like they have to be manly. And maybe some girls feel the same way, that they have to play the part and go more with their own feelings than be "adversarial".
I personally was not raised by a family who confronts others when they totally dissagree, and I really do not like getting critisism from people I do not respect, so when I read about the lady that dropped out of her Graduate program after a year, it made me think of me. But honestly I think that my lack of confidence when it comes to confronting people is just an imaturity, so unlike the lady who left becaue she hated it so much I at least see me growing and getting used to it, or well getting better at it, and getting over my defense when it comes to critisism I don't want to hear. Because that is how you gain wisdom is by seeing others points of view and by learning to judge what you agree with ad what you don't without getting offended.
Tannen jumps from the differences of boys and girls, to the way the human race thinks that opposing others opinions is more important than making you own point. I really gained insight about arguments, and am going to put into practice how you should not only cosider what is wrong with a point, but what is right with it also. But i think that plays a part only in some circumstances. And I know I am switching back and forth from side to side, becasue i just sai i mself will start to try to see others views adn ask myself about the pros and cons, but I do not see the point to over thinking subjects that you are morally against, like abortion for me, or same sex couples.. there is nothing anybody can say that will make me view those things as ok, or as the right of the person.
All in all I loved this reading.
It seem's to me that girls speak out more than boys these days, just from evidence from our first period. Sometimes I think boys are embarrassed to or think tht if they share there feeling about something, that other guys might think they are lame. But literally that is not the case at all, and that is not all boys of course.
Also, even though I do not fully agree with Tannen about how Boy's are the only one's to speak up and defend their personal views, in a sence I see her point. I do think that girls talk more, but when boys state their opinions it seems like they are more controversial. And also that plays into what I said about the guys feeling that if they state their feelings they may be made fun of, maybe they go for the more argumentive statement about the author rather than what they feel about the article becasue they think like they have to be manly. And maybe some girls feel the same way, that they have to play the part and go more with their own feelings than be "adversarial".
I personally was not raised by a family who confronts others when they totally dissagree, and I really do not like getting critisism from people I do not respect, so when I read about the lady that dropped out of her Graduate program after a year, it made me think of me. But honestly I think that my lack of confidence when it comes to confronting people is just an imaturity, so unlike the lady who left becaue she hated it so much I at least see me growing and getting used to it, or well getting better at it, and getting over my defense when it comes to critisism I don't want to hear. Because that is how you gain wisdom is by seeing others points of view and by learning to judge what you agree with ad what you don't without getting offended.
Tannen jumps from the differences of boys and girls, to the way the human race thinks that opposing others opinions is more important than making you own point. I really gained insight about arguments, and am going to put into practice how you should not only cosider what is wrong with a point, but what is right with it also. But i think that plays a part only in some circumstances. And I know I am switching back and forth from side to side, becasue i just sai i mself will start to try to see others views adn ask myself about the pros and cons, but I do not see the point to over thinking subjects that you are morally against, like abortion for me, or same sex couples.. there is nothing anybody can say that will make me view those things as ok, or as the right of the person.
All in all I loved this reading.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
"The Case Against College" by Linda Lee
Subject and Purpose
1. Lee is not against College, but she does not think it is for every person.
3. (skipped 2) Her purpose was to really get it in the heads of parents and students that there is no pressure to go to College becasue everyone else is, it is a personal thing, everyone is different and if you do not embrace your individuality you may end up spending money and not truly getting anythign out of it.
Stradegy and audience
2. (skipped one) Her thesis is in para. 3, last sentence, "Not everyone needs a higher education."
Questions on Vocab. and Style
1. Opening with "You" is just a good attention grabber. Appealing to reader makes them feel like they're being directly talked to.
2. I would say Lee's essay was informal becasue normally "you" is not formal in a writing. And it was definately conversational.
3.Definitions: Incumbent:current holder of position.
Savy: understanding
1. Lee is not against College, but she does not think it is for every person.
3. (skipped 2) Her purpose was to really get it in the heads of parents and students that there is no pressure to go to College becasue everyone else is, it is a personal thing, everyone is different and if you do not embrace your individuality you may end up spending money and not truly getting anythign out of it.
Stradegy and audience
2. (skipped one) Her thesis is in para. 3, last sentence, "Not everyone needs a higher education."
Questions on Vocab. and Style
1. Opening with "You" is just a good attention grabber. Appealing to reader makes them feel like they're being directly talked to.
2. I would say Lee's essay was informal becasue normally "you" is not formal in a writing. And it was definately conversational.
3.Definitions: Incumbent:current holder of position.
Savy: understanding
My thoughts on John Henry Newman's, "the Idea of a University"...
1. The goals Newman intends for the University... (he's saying for a Catholic University right?)
a1. To educate in many ares so student is a well rounded individual, who is respectful and worth respecting, who can decide for him self what he thinks is true; who has manners; who focuses on the more serious events in our world and attributes to the whole to make the world more intelligent.
2. Newman's style was definately more solemn than stuffy. I agreed with him for the most part, well I'm Christian, so i would go for a Christian University, but I agree that an education in many different subjects help to make someone who they are, and if they are gaining knowledge they're more likely to be "better people," to focus on the important issues our world faces rather than be more capable of dealing drugs, stripping, or just living in poverty trying to make ends meet and dealing with different kind of problems that necessarily only effect them.
September 8, 2007 12:29 PM
1. The goals Newman intends for the University... (he's saying for a Catholic University right?)
a1. To educate in many ares so student is a well rounded individual, who is respectful and worth respecting, who can decide for him self what he thinks is true; who has manners; who focuses on the more serious events in our world and attributes to the whole to make the world more intelligent.
2. Newman's style was definately more solemn than stuffy. I agreed with him for the most part, well I'm Christian, so i would go for a Christian University, but I agree that an education in many different subjects help to make someone who they are, and if they are gaining knowledge they're more likely to be "better people," to focus on the important issues our world faces rather than be more capable of dealing drugs, stripping, or just living in poverty trying to make ends meet and dealing with different kind of problems that necessarily only effect them.
September 8, 2007 12:29 PM
Friday, September 7, 2007
SooOOo...
ok i understand this now!
I accidentially posted my other blogs as comments to my own first blog..
I accidentially posted my other blogs as comments to my own first blog..
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