Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us - Christensen & Karp

Right off the bat of reading this document, I was turned off. Christensen uses examples of popular stories and fairy tales that young children often love when they are younger; she tries to state that these stories try and teach kids how to "act, live, and dream". I completely disagree with this statement. Children find these stories amusing and interesting, because that's exactly what they are supposed to do. Stories and reading in general has always been pushed on kids because it expands the mind, and allows children to use their imagination. I highly doubt that when the authors of these fairy tales were thinking of all the way they could possibly "manipulate" young society. I just don't believe it.

I also do not believe in a "secret education". For Christensen to make a comment stating that racial thoughts and stereotypes are embedded in the minds of young children at an early age is just wrong. I look back on my childhood, and I enjoyed many of the films and storybooks that Disney and Pixar had to offer. Not once, ever in my memory, do I ever recall thinking, "oh, geeze...that seems a little racist to me". Never, not once. And I hate to sound like I'm on the defense right now, but I guess I sort of am. This disheartens me to hear that stories and movies that I as a child loved to read and watched, just as many other young children did at my age, are now being belittled and over analyzed. I did not read enough as a kid, but I do know that the books that I did read were ones that were interesting to me, and ones that I found and my parents found good for my mind and for the developing child.

Now, being 19 years old, I'm pretty sure about myself. I know what I believe in, I know the difference between right and wrong, and I am most importantly comfortable in my own skin. The books that I read as a child had an impact on me, a good impact. I have not grown up to be a racist biggit, and I have not grown into a person who is closed minded. So, once again, I apologize for being defensive right now. But I do not agree with this author and their views. I plan on becoming an educator and an English teacher at that, and I want my students and children of my own to read whatever they like, and whatever will stimulate their imaginations and minds.

Kels!

This was a very interesting article. The majority of our class discussions have to do with S.C.W.A.A.M.P, and this subject ties in very much so with that topic. We always focus on what is considered to be the "norm", and what "normal" lifestyles and such are. There's a very good quote on the first page of the article that states "Throughout much of this century, the dominant idea of community in America was represented by what i will call the normalizing community...white, middle class, male, heterosexual, etc.". That is basically all that we discuss in class most of the time. And often we wonder what is politically correct to say in regards to certain subjects, such as homosexuality. Carlson states that the "p.c." labels are "gay" and "lesbian". He also distinguishes between a homosexual orientation and a gay identity. Orientation, is a direction that a person might take involving sexual desires. Whereas gay identity has to do with visible appearance and how they present themselves out in the world.

One of Carlson's bullet points was The Normalizing School Community and Gayness. He stated that there were three techniques involved with normalization; 1) being that there is no real presence of gayness in any school curriculum. 2) the "closeting" and so called "witch hunting" of teachers, and 3) any form of verbal and/or physical abuse towards gay teachers AND students. These were three things that i hadn't ever really realized until brought to my attention. Carlson also states that there are many state throughout the U.S. that strongly prohibit the teaching of homosexuality. "Early in this century, the dismissal of gay teachers was legitimated as a way of keeping young people from being exposed to improper role models, lechery, and child molestation." This is a quote from Willard Walter, which Carlson added to his article. Walter also is quoted saying that, "nothing seems more certain than that homosexuality is contagious." In my opinion this is complete ignorance. How dare somebody every say that.

Another one of Carlson's bullet points was The Representation of Gayness in Popular Culture. Carlson speaks about a French film, La Cage aux Folles. Now as I'm reading what the plot of the movie is it is becoming extremely clear that i actually have seen this movie, but in an updated form. I have seen the film The Birdcage, which is the 90's remake of this early 80's film. I found that film to be hilarious. However, Carlson states that when he was first watching this film he was appalled and couldn't believe that Gay men were being viewed as some sort of comical diversion from what the film was really about. However, once he started taking the film for what it really was, he found the humor in it afterall.

Kels.

Aria - Richard Rodriguez

Well, when i first started reading this article i was a little confused. However, as i continued it was a little bit clearer the point that Rodriguez was trying to get at. The article starts out by explaining Rodriguez's history, his past. He speaks of how it was difficult for him to speak up in the classroom, that he did not feel comfortable or at ease to speak. That's a little disheartening, because i'm sure that all teachers ever want is for their students to be at ease in their classrooms. So that made me a little bummed out by reading that. He mentions how one day the nuns came to his house to talk to his parents about him and his siblings and how they act in school, meaning that they seem quiet and shy. The nuns asked if his parents could begin trying to speak more English in their household. His parents abliged.
Rodriguez's argument is that once he and his siblings began speaking English more frequently and correctly, they lost their identity. Which is difficult for me to understand, because i was raised on only one language and that language is the dominant language in my country and therefore household. Rodriguez states how as the years went by, his house became a little bit quieter. And it appears that this saddens him a great deal. He states how his father and mother no longer have that connection that they once had with their children. Which is extremely sad.
However, a nice thing that came out of this article is that Rodriguez believes that it was at the age of seven when he realized he had become a full fledged American citizen. It's inspiring that he feels that once he learned how to speak English fluently, that is what made him feel as though he was a true blue American citizen. That is something that many of us take for granted, and that is absolutley wonderful that he felt that sincere proudness of himself. But, you can hear throughout the article a sense of sadness. He states that his family used to have a certain closeness, however it was lost once he and his siblings began to stray away from their Spainish language.
I found this article very interesting, and it was quite enjoyable to read; an easy read. It was remarkable how much he went through personally to get to where he ended up. I comment people like that. : )

Kels!