Gender & Education- Hyperlinks

              While researching gender and education issue I came across a lot of the similar information. Research has shown that girls perform more highly then boys do.  Boys need to both visually and verbally while girls can perform just as well or better with one of the two.  This has only been the cast for about the past 50 years because prior to that boys were consider smarter than girls. Don’t get me wrong not all girls are smarter than boy’s; it all just depends on the student and person you are. Studies just so these statics. This link is an article that raises the question why boys under perform to girls and the gender gap.

                 "Sitting in the same classroom, reading the same textbook, listening to the same teacher, boys and girls receive very different educations." This was the opening sentence to another article I read. At first I didn’t thought how could this be true but as I continued to read it all made sense to me. It said that across the country that boys have never been in more trouble, 70% of D’s and F’s are given out to boys and 80% of high school dropouts are also boys.  But it was said in the “American Association of University Women published a report in 1992 indicating that females receive less attention from teachers and the attention that female students do receive is often more negative than attention received by boys.”  I found this statement interesting because I found this both true and untrue. I feel like boys may get more attention at times because they are acting in a negative way, but girls may get more praise for answering the question correctly but not get praised for their good behavior. However boys may get away with this because ‘boys will be boys’. Is this a true or not?

For me personally in my high school the boys got in more trouble than the girls did.  Don’t get me wrong the girls did too but we got away with more things than the boys could. Something like talking or acting up in class we would be told to stop but the boys would get kicked out of class.  But I do feel in different social setting the term ‘boys will be boys’ is very true. Certain things boys do like make a racy joke they can get away with but as girls we would be looked at as how dare she say that. But many things have changed in the education world and I’m sure that things will keep on changing.

*Do you think gender is still an issue in education?

Brown VS The Board of Education & Tim Wise Interview- Reflection

After reading the Brown VS The Board of Education website and listening to the Tim Wise interview I never realized the how much racism is still around today. Brown VS The Board of Education was a very big court case about segregation between white and black students. It was said that they were ‘separate but equal’. That case was over 50 years and we are still dealing with those issues. I like how Tim Wise mention how if George Bush was black he would have never became president. But because Barack Obama was a well educated black man is why he became president. Also he talked about colleges and a black man could get passed up because he didn’t go to the best school, but if a white man went to one of those schools he would still have a shot. I thought this was interesting because I never really thought of that but the more I think about it the more I realize it is true.

Another thing I like about the Tim Wise interview was when he mention how when asking whites about segregation and if it is still around in present day most people say no. But was Wise said is that they might say no because they are not black and don’t know how their everyday life is. I believe this is very true because you never what someone is going through until you walk a day in their shoes. I enjoyed this assignment this week because it gave me a different look on something that I haven’t realized before.

Do you think Tim Wise was right on the points he made?

Tim Wise: White Privilege

In The Service Of What? The Politics of Service Learning: By Joseph Kahne & Joel Westheimer (Argument)

After reading In The Service Of What? The Politics of Service Learning by Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer both authors argue that service learning is very important in American schools. However each author has a different idea of how service learning should be done. The two ideas are 1) a charity like approach VS 2) civic duty.  Both have much in common like provide authentic learning experiences, reflection on matters of social concern and opportunities for interdisciplinary study linked to curricular goals.  Also they stress the importance of compassion and they encourage children and adults to find ways to help.

                Personally I think that both ideas are great and will help the community no matter what because helping and any shape or form is better than not helping at all. But when I think of service learning I think of what we do in our FNED class. Actually going out in our field and helping out in different schools and working with the kids is service learning to me. Like Jess says in her post “But service learning for charity is basically just another way of saying "community service."”  I couldn’t agree with her more. To graduate high school we all had to do a certain amount of hours of community service, whether it would be helping at a soup kitchen, library or a church. Those are all great things to do but it doesn’t say service learning to me. After every week of service learning I am so happy and excited to go again. I love the kids I help and it makes me want to become a teacher even more. I feel that that’s what service learning should be about. Getting you excited for what you’re learning to become. Yes community service can also do that but I have never gotten excited like I do for service learning project when I have done community service. But helping out anyway you can make a difference no matter big or small. If everyone could help out a little the world would be a different and better place. There is no way to service learning a wrong or right way, as long as you are doing something every little bit helps.

What do you think service learning should be….like charity or civic duty?

Grant Money for Service Learning!

Unlearning the Myths That Blind Us- Chirstensen (Hyperlinks)

After reading Unlearning the Myths That Blind Us by Linda Christensen I never really realized how much the cartoons and movies really affected young children. I really enjoyed all her thoughts and I thought she made a lot of valid points. I also like how she wanted her students to write down what they thought and felt about the issue. The questions she asks about what stereotypes each have and how each movie somehow they all connect and we never give it a second thought. As I was growing up much like everyone else I watched all these movies, Aladdin, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Drafts and etc. But I never thought of them in this stereotypical way. Of course I thought all the princesses were so pretty and I wanted to be like them but I never bought the negative stereotypes as I grew up. (Disney Hidden Messages) Maybe it was the way my parents brought me up that also played a part. However I don’t think that these movies are bad. I would rather have my children watch fairy tales like the ones I mentioned then watch movies that has people with guns and killing. Yes I know that is one extreme to the next but there are things that could be worse. But now looking at all the movies I see the negative affects it can have on young children. For example all the ‘pretty’ girls are skinny and have handsome boyfriends while the ugly or fat step sister stays home and is alone. This tells young girls that beauty is a big part of society and if you’re prettier it makes you better than someone else. Also in TV shows like Leave it to Beaver it shows the stay at home mom that looks perfect, cooks, cleans and has dinner ready for her husband as he walks in the door. Yes that is not a bad image but it makes young girls feel that that is what they have to do or look like. (Effects of Media on Girls)
Like I mentioned before yes these movies have bad stereotypes and make children think certain things I think there are worse things. I think that parents just need to instill in the children the right images and morals. If they do this I believe they won’t have to worry about their children picking up the wrong stereotypes for others or themselves.

What do you think are better movies for young children to watch?

Dennis Carlson- Gayness, Multicultural Education and Community ( Extended Comment)

After reading Dennis Carlson’s Gayness, Multicultural Education and Community it open my eyes to how the school systems treats Gayness in the educational system.  I agree with what Carlson’s has to say and how it shouldn’t be such an issue if teachers are gay or lesbian. Also after reading Alicia’s post I agreed with her and her thoughts about the piece. I like how she said that Carlson “is not totally blaming this problem on just the school, but he feels that they play a huge role in the turbulence that surrounds us as early as our youth, and continues on through our lives.”  I think that is very true that the school should not keep Gayness hidden. If people were open more and this wasn’t such a hidden issue children wouldn’t be so afraid to come out and be there true self’s. What I think teachers should teach in school is that everyone should be themselves. And by not being open with Gayness in the schools it goes against what they are trying to teach children.

                Another thing I like in Alicia’s post was what the school does to hide the issue of Gayness “Carlson argues that there are three main ways that our schools contribute to the 'invisible presence' of homosexuality. 1-the erasure of gayness in the curriculum, 2-the "closeting" and "witch hunting" of gay teachers, 3-verbal and physical intimidation of gay teachers and students.” This to me is surprising especially in today’s day and age. Why are people trying to hide this, what is the big deal? Some of the most amazing teachers are gay so why does their relationship status matter. If we keep hiding this issue it will not be a good outcome for ourselves or the children we teach.

                I think that teachers should incorporate teaching about different people who are gay in their classroom. Yes some children might go home and ask their parents but another child may have two daddies at home and wonder why no one else does. By bringing it up in the class room he or she might not be afraid anymore to talk about he/she’s two daddies and know that it’s OK.

I am a straight female and have gay family members and friends and I do not look at them any differently than before and love just the same. I think the world needs diversity and would be boring without it.  Also I believe in school we learn about all different things and I believe Gayness should also be one and not be a hidden issue any longer.

  Do you think we should teach more about Gayness in schools?


Link-Gayness bullying leading to someone losing their life