Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us

As children, we are always watching television, movies or reading books that depicted how society should be, what roles each gender should play and who was portrayed as “high class” in our culture. Since children are watching this and seeing the way these books and movies describe how society should be, they believe what they see. “The secret-education, as Chilean writer Ariel Dorfman dubs it, delivered by children’s books and movies, instructs young people to accept the world as it is portrayed in these social blueprints”. It teaches the children that the things shown in the movies is how it should be in real life. For example, in most fairytales the point is to find a prince charming and live happily ever after. “These tales leave young woman with two myths: Happiness means getting a man, and transformation from a wretched conditions can be achieved through consumption- in their case, through new clothes and a new hairstyle”.  This quote is talking about Cinderella; she goes out searching for her prince charming, and her fairy god mother helps her become beautiful by dressing her up in new clothes, hair and makeup. This shows little girls that they should strive to find a boy in their lives, because that is when they will be happiest.

 

 Not only do the shows portray this, but media has a large impact on people in our society today. A teacher was talking to his class about this topic and realized that “no one wants to admit that they’ve been ‘handled’ by the media. They assure me that they make their own choices and the media has no power over them – as they sit with Fubu, Nike, Timberlands or whatever the latest fashion rage might be.” Many people do not even realize that the media entices them to buy the next best thing, whether it be the newest iPhone, or the latest clothing trend.

I found the article "Speaking the Unspeakable in Forbidden Places" by Alexandra Allen very interesting. Talking about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender is a subject that could be an uncomfortable subject to bring up in an elementary school classroom. An elementary school and the children inside it seem to portray a sense of innocence, and these subjects have been known to cause controversy. The "attempts to address what are seen as 'adult' issues are sometimes seen as intrusions into or threats to this safety zone." When I was in elementary school, I did not have any form of a health class where we could have an opportunity to address any of these issues. I think it is important to learn about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender at a young age, making it something that children are aware of, and could possibly be more accepting of. Also I think it is important because if a child is gay, lesbian etc, they may feel more comfortable coming out knowing they have learned about it and are aware that it is accepted in society. If it is a subject that is avoided, it makes it seem that it is looked down upon in our culture and should not be something that is accepted. The article states that "teachers should take responsibility for helping pupils to recognize sexuality and thereby work towards greater social justice." One of the teachers in the article did this, she rein acted Cinderella, making her a lesbian. Most of the children in her classroom viewed lesbians as manly, so she wanted them to have a knowledge that this is not always true so she made Cinderella not overly girly, but not manly in any sense. I liked that she was able to portray it in a way the kids may have not thought of before. At the end of this role play, the teacher came out as a lesbian, and all of the children in the classroom were very accepting of this. None of the kids looked at her in a different way and they were actually interested and had questions regarding her sexuality. This teacher took a huge step in the classroom by addressing sexuality not only as a wholes, but her own sexuality as well. I think it is very important for schools to have a place, club, or counselor that they are able to talk to about sensitive subjects, such as sexuality. "The researchers within the project have spent considerable time exploring how it might be possible to make safe spaces in which children can talk about sexualities and difference." If there is a place they can feel comfortable talking about such subjects they will be more apt to ask questions and have comments rather than holding it in or going on with unanswered questions. This subject can be difficult to talk about with children, but I think it is something that is very important and should be addressed. This video is a trailer for a documentary that was made talking to elementary school children about being gay, lesbian, and bisexual. It is interesting to see what the kids have to say and their view point on the topic.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWyj_OfQpnU

Why Can't She Remember That?

       "Why Can't She Remember That" by Terry Meier talks about the importance of beginning to read to a child at a young age. As the child gets older it is important for the child to not only continue to read, but to be able to comprehend what they read and explain it in their own words and make real world connections. Meier states that "children lean to use language in culturally specific ways". She preformed a study that compared low income African American children and middle class European American children and found out that depending on a child's cultural beliefs and background the story they tell will differ from what their culture views as an effective story. The African American child was involved in four times as many interactions that required extensive story telling and talked more than the European American child. This could be due to where the child grew up, its possible that the parents could not afford to buy numerous children's books, so instead they made up extravagant stories, and since this is all that the child knows, they follow by telling made up stories. The European American child's parents are able to afford books, so that child knows the stories that are being read to them every night. I don't think that either of these ways is wrong, it just depends on who you are and how your culture does things.
       Once a child get's to preschool or kindergarten story time is something that happens very often in the classroom. "Many youngsters develop the impression that books are not about them, their families, or communities, but rather about 'the other'"; it is important for teachers to choose books that the children can relate to. For example, if the class is mostly filled with children who speak Spanish, the teacher should incorporate books that have some Spanish vocabulary in it so they realize that it is directly relating to them. It is also very important if a child wants a book to be re-read to them because "each time children return to a text they listen to it with deepened awareness, perhaps noticing new elements in the story, putting together pieces of a pattern that eluded them the first or second time they listened". If a child hears a story more than once they are able to catch new aspects of the story that they may not have before and make more connections. A child will also be more engaged in the book if they are able to make real world connections. This can be something so very simple, but if they have seen or heard of it in a real world situation, they will be more likely to be interested in it. Reading books is something very important to do at any age, but with small children in particular because they start to learn vocabulary, how to make connections and sound out words. Many children who were read to at home are more likely to succeed in school, here are some statistics that support that: http://www.nea.org/grants/facts-about-childrens-literacy.html

An Indian Father's Plea

       I think the article “An Indian Father’s Plea” by Robert Lake, is very interesting. My elementary school was not diverse at all; it was a Catholic school where we had to wear uniforms. Therefore everyone looked and dressed the same, allowing no room to express yourself, your background, or your culture. This article in a way reminds me of that, in this elementary school it seems as if there is no room for the little boy, Wind-Wolf, to express himself and his culture. He is classified as a “slow learner” when in reality he is very knowledgeable, but not about the type of things that are taught in our school systems today. He knows many different Indian languages, has experienced many different types of healing ceremonies and has been taught different types of religion. These are things that are important for people of the Indian culture to be aware of, while it is necessary to learn the standard math, reading, writing, and science that is taught is school, it is also important to allow students to stay true to their culture. It is eye-opening that the little boy, Wind-Wolf, wants to cut his hair to fit in with the other children, and no longer wants to be a part of the ceremonies because he doesn’t want the other children at school to “judge him”.

        The way the teacher views Wind-Wolf is upsetting; the teacher tries to find a different way to say his name because he doesn’t find Wind-Wolf appropriate. Every child is different and has different interests regardless of where they come from. Instead of the teacher making Wind-Wolf feel bad about himself that he does not know all the basic things the other children know, he should try and incorporate the things Wind-Wolf does know, to make him feel like he does fit in and is smart. For example in the article it stated that he knows a lot about birds, the teacher could take this into consideration during a science class and have Wind-Wolf help explain the different kinds of birds. I feel that a teacher should be aware of this and know that diversity is such a large aspect of our society. It is very common that a child will have a different background or different beliefs and it is the teacher’s responsibility to make sure the child is comfortable in a classroom environment because they may have never experienced anything like it before. There are many resources and tips online that can help teachers if they feel like they are having trouble creating an equal learning opportunity for the students. Here is an example of an online resource, it gives eight examples of how a teacher can create a lesson plan that allows for diversity: http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/activities/choosing.html

Amazing Grace

        The reading Amazing Grace by Jonothan Kozol, was very eye-opening to me, I never usually think about how others go about their daily lives. I don’t think of the struggles other people are faced with or horrors that they may see in their neighborhoods. The area of Mott Haven, where St. Ann’s elementary school and church are located, is a very dangerous area in New York. This website gives the crime rates in Mott Haven today, which are still very high; murder, robbery and assault risks are above average in this area. http://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/NY/Bronx/Mott-Haven-Demographics.html.

        There were three quotes in particular that stuck out to me. The first one was on page three of the text, it stated “at the elementary school that serves the neighborhood across the avenue, only seven of 800 children do not qualify for free school lunches. Five of those seven, says the principal, get reduce-price lunches, because they are classified as only ‘poor’ not ‘destitute’”. I went to a Catholic Elementary school, and I do not think that anyone qualified for free or reduced school lunches, so the fact that only two out of 800 children have to fully pay for their lunch is extremely surprising. The next quote that I found unsettling was that “nearly 4,000 heroin injectors, many of whom are HIV-infected live here. Virtually every child at St. Ann’s knows someone, a relative or a neighbor, who had died of AIDS.” It is awful for not only a child, but for anyone to be surrounded by so much drug usage, and to see many people in their community contract and die from AIDS due to unclean needles and injectors. The children in this neighborhood have to deal with a vast amount of death, which is something that no child should have to experience at such a young age. A mother states to Kozol “the truth is, you get used to the offense. There’s trashy things all over. Then there’s all the trucks that come though stinking up the air, heading for the Hunts Point Market. Drivers get their drugs and their prostitutes”. Many of the parents and community members of the St. Ann’s region are used to the horrifying things that occur in their neighborhood. I’m sure they wish for better lives for their families as well as themselves, but at the moment they have to make the best of the situation they are faced with. It amazes me that these children have to live in such an area where they are not always safe with running water, and food on the table; the little boy that shows Kozol around the city seems so friendly, knowing mostly everyone that he comes into contact with. The horrifying things that the children in this area have to experience and see, don't seem to lessen their spirits.

About Me

Hi, my name is Tory Kavanagh and I'm a freshmen at RIC. I'm studying to be an Elementary Education major with a concentration in Special Ed. I work at a dance studio and I am also a camp counselor, these two jobs have influenced me to want to become a teacher. In my free time I like to watch Netflix, hang out with my friends and dance. I'm from South Kingstown which is right by the water, I love going to the beach which is where I spend most of my time in the summer. I'm excited to be part of the Education Program here at RIC, so I gain the proper experience and understanding of what is needed to become an educator.