I found the section of chapter five that mentioned religious diversity and multiculturalism to be interesting. Just as the text mentions a lot of teachers may face difficulties teaching about religious because each person has his own beliefs. Some religions may claim that their beliefs are the only “truths.” The book argues that truth is not the point to get across; understanding is. I completely agree with this idea. I have my own beliefs and so do my friends and each person is entitled to choose what he wants to believe. So, when discussing religion in schools it is important to respect others’ religion. It really bothers me when others try to impose their beliefs on me. My mother feels this way as well. I remember when I was little and people would come door to door to talk about their church or religion, my mother would rather not talk to them because a lot of them would be persistent about wanting us to believe their religion. I’m not saying that I don’t want to hear about other people’s religion, I just do not want them to focus on convincing me or converting me to their beliefs. I find religion very interesting especially its origins. I think that this would be a good way of discussing it in schools—to talk about how the religion or culture came about. Teachers could look at multiple religions and compare them with one another. Children could even do projects to learn more about them. Before introducing the projects, the teachers could stress that each religion is unique in its own way and that it’s important to respect other’s beliefs. One issue that may come up with talking about religion in schools could be parents’ concerns, or the school’s concerns about upsetting the community. If a parent decides that it is inappropriate to teach such topics to the class, then how does the teacher handle this situation? In my opinion, I would try to communicate why it is important for children to learn about different religions. America is composed of so many different cultural groups that children should learn about at least some of them. People can ultimately choose their own beliefs, so the teacher would just be exposing children to culture.
I too found the discussion on religion and multiculturalism quite interesting. I strongly agree with Erica on this topic. Growing up, I was forced to attend Catholic classes until I reached confirmation because it was my father's religion. My family is not very religious and my mother isn't even Catholic. As an outcome, I became disinterested in religion and the Catholic church. This was supposed to be “my” religion and, yet, I hated it. During my junior year of high school, I took an honors History class that was based on ancient civilizations. I became very invested in this class. We eventually arrived at the topic of religion. We were assigned a 20 page paper that required us to research three different religions: Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity. My teacher wasn't forcing us to believe in anything. He simply wanted us to research the origins of each religion so that we could begin to understand how each of them compared. I gained respect for religion and other people's cultures through this paper. I would rather learn about religions and cultures in an educational setting where no one is telling me that I “have” to think a certain way. This paper was about educating myself and learning that everyone has their own views on life. Mr. Muth did not try to tell us that any religion was right or that they had the “truth”, he simply wanted us to get a better understanding of how different people view the world. As a result of this class, I became very interested in culture and I went onto college in search of other multicultural classes. I truly feel that it is better to learn about diversity so that I can respect others beliefs and cultures. As long as teachers don't tell their students that they have to think a certain way or believe in a specific culture/religion, then students shouldn't have a problem with learning about them. How can one ever say that their religion has the “truth”? There are so many different religions/cultures and beliefs that it is impossible to know what the truth is. Students should learn to respect others beliefs no matter what theirs' are.
Off the bat, Solidarity presented itself as somewhat bias – the statement “Danes and Italians showed a sense of human solidarity which many Belgians lacked” seemed fairly opinionated to me; after all, it is an extremely broad and blanketed statement.
However, as the author continued, I found myself drawing parallels to the majority of what he writes. For example, with regard to the guards at Auschwitz (etc.), he comments that they were perhaps “inhuman”, that they lacked “some component which is essential to a full-fledged human being.” If I analyze this statement too much, it begins to sound ridiculous … to think that there’s some part of our innate being that could be present or missing … but then, I think about all the times I have watched the news or heard of a trial, and thought “What is wrong with that person? Who raised them?”
Oftentimes the evil committed in this world makes me second guess if the perpetrator is actually human – I mean, I am human and I could not fathom doing some of the things I hear of. This is by no means categorizing me a saint, but like the author mentions with the “Belgians who watched the Gestapo drag their Jewish neighbors away”, I find it hard to believe our that souls/core self/beings (whatever you want to label it) are comprised of the same ‘components’ as some of these vile humans.
While doing my readings for the week, one line spoke to me in particular: “Our moral intuitions are rooted in our ability to feel and empathize as well as in our ability to think”. Being a person who is a moral agent requires you to be on top of your game especially if you’re a teacher. You must treat each of your students equally and respectfully. But it doesn’t stop there. As teachers and as individuals we have the ability to think, to have feelings, and to empathize with people. I believe that this comes in hand on an everyday basis because as humans we have feelings so that we can “put ourselves in the place of others” and “feelings provide motivation for right conduct”. Our feelings guide our lives more than we know it. Feelings lead the way no matter how hard you try and fight them off. Feelings play an important factor in how you choose to think and react to a situation. Most importantly feelings allow individuals to have empathy for one another because as human beings we all have the same basic needs and people can relate to each other in more ways than one. This part of chapter 6 reminded me that in everyday life, regardless of your circumstances, feelings will always be there. It is up to you, as a moral agent and individual, to choose how your feelings will guide you. As a teacher, you need to have a clear definition of what you consider to be moral and you must be willing to stand firm when someone tries to make you do something that you deem immoral. You must also be aware of what parents find moral and immoral and you must be willing to work with the parents so that no one is in a position to have to choose between what they believe is right and wrong. It is of utmost importance to always remember what is best for the students. As a teacher, you will be able to empathize with the parents who want nothing more than for their children to have the best education without their personal morals being sacrificed because of the feelings that you possess. The conclusion that I have come to is that feelings, whether we like them or not, play a major role in the life of a teacher and there is little that one can do to stop them. -Emily Mink
I found the beginning examples to be incredibly interesting, particularly the one regarding diversity. I feel that both of those situations will be ones that I will have to deal with as a teacher in the public school system. With diversity, I would never expect a child, or anyone for that matter, to give up everything from their own or their parents culture to become a "true" American, just as I would never expect someone to force me to forget about my culture. However, I also feel that when we make everyone who is from another culture to feel "special" and welcome, that we run the risk of making the children whose culture is purely American to feel like they are not as important because of this. Part of me feels that if we stop pointing out differences and just treat everyone equally with everything, then everyone will actually become equal in everyones eyes. The other side of me, however, says that if we stop pointing out cultural differences in order to embrace them, that children will not understand and will look down upon the differences. This issue is one that does not have a simple solution, if it has a solution at all. How do we fully accept cultural and religious differences without causing any type of lowered self worth or racism? If we can answer that then our schools will be much better off.
I found both chapters five and six from the book extremely interesting. The issue of diversity brought up in chapter five really made me think. I honestly feel that diversity is something that should be acknowledged and encouraged in the classroom. It is not the job of a teacher or school to make all students the same, school is meant to teach students concepts they need to be successful, not stifle individuality. All students come from a different home and background and I think that teachers need to realize that in order to be able to teach their students. The first case presented in this chapter about evolution is a perfect example. It was important for the teacher, Mr. Huxley, to be aware of the fact that he had students who found it hard to believe in evolution because of their religious views. The teacher in this case realized that he needed to change his strategy of teaching this particular topic in order to keep his students from feeling like they were being forced to agree with something that they did not believe in. I think it is very important for teachers to know about their students religious and cultural backgrounds, in order to teach them successfully. I had an experience where it was important for me to know about a student’s culture in my First Education Experience Program (FEEP). There was a student in the class that I was observing who, because of his culture, found it extremely difficult to look me or any adult females in the eyes. It was important for me to know about this student’s particular culture so that I knew he was still listening to me even though he would not always make eye contact with me.
What really interested me about chapter six was the idea of professionalism. Teachers should have the right to control what happens in their classroom. In my opinion, teachers know their students’ needs best. In the case presented at the beginning of this chapter, I definitely feel that the teacher, Ms. Canebrake, was making the right decision. She knew that the new curriculum was too difficult for her students and by deciding not to teach it, she was doing what she thought was best for her students. I think that teachers should always have the power to do what they think is best for their students. Teachers are professionals in their field, just like doctors are professionals in their field. In my opinion, teachers should have the right to control what is being taught in their classroom, as long as their students are learning.
I thought chapter 5 of the textbook was really interesting to read. There was a short paragraph, talking about diversity, that stuck out to me: "Then one reason that can be given for respecting diversity is that to fail to do so is to fail to affirm-or even reject-who people are. It is to deny their worth. Thus, it does an especially insidious kind of violence to them." I never really thought about diversity in this way, but after reading this it makes sense. There are many things that make us the people we are, including our race, ethnicity, religion, etc, things that make us a diverse people. A lot of times, if don't know these things about a person it's easy to discriminate against them, many times demoralizing them, alienating them, and making them feel bad for the culture they come from. However, this is who they are, where they come from, and what makes them the person they are. To take these things away from them is like taking everything they know away from them, and not letting them be who they are.
I found the chapter about diversity interesting, especially the case studies. As a Christian, I have had to deal with evolution being taught in school. I never really had an issue with it however. I grew up believing that God created everything and I was also taught that not everyone believes the same things and that there are multiple points of view. When I was taught evolution, I just took it as a differing point of view from mine. However, I can see how some people might feel uncomfortable being taught evolution and that is understandable. I know that evolution is something that is supposed to be taught, however I don’t see why students shouldn’t have an opportunity to learn about others points of view. As a Christian, I was forced to learn about evolution. However, those who believed in evolution weren’t forced to learn about creationism. I am not saying that students should be forced to learn creationism because of the separation of church and state, but they should have the opportunity to learn about other points of view if they wish. I was never really given that opportunity in school. If students were given the opportunity to learn about others they might possibly be more tolerant and understanding of others who are different. Being tolerant is something we try to teach students in school, but are we really doing them justice in how we are going about it? Shouldn’t we give students more opportunities to see all sides of an issue? This applies to the other case study about Christmas as well. Christmas is such a large part of our society that it would be almost impossible to remove it completely from schools, however, can’t students be given the opportunity to learn about the other cultures and religions that celebrate differently? Wouldn’t that help build tolerance?
I found Chapter 5 from the Strike & Soltis book to be very interesting. One statement in particular stuck with me throughout all of the readings thus week. In considering the issue of "truth" the argument is made that perhaps there is no Truth; there is only the experience of women and men. It's interesting to ponder this argument when considering the idea of tolerance and multiculturalism in schools. It is clear that the experience of a black student attending an affluent high school will be much different from his or her white counter part. Thus how they interpret the lessons taught will impact them in monumentally different ways. I believe that it is our duty as educators to present all sides of the story and allow the students themselves to form their own opinion of what truth is.
Students today have an opportunity to mix with a wide variety of cultures. I went to a high school in which diversity consisted of whites and blacks. Schools today are as diverse as ever. Interactions with blacks, whites, latinos, somalis, gay, lesbian and transgendered students allow all students to build tolerance and respect for those who differ from them. Given the diversity of our schools is it not our duty to change our way of thinking when it comes MCE?
Folklorization I found this article to be interesting because I was not very familiar with the term “folklorization”, but after Decoo talked about it I could see how it occurs today and has a negative connotation to it. The part that is hard for me to grasp is that the presenters feel obligated to present their culture in a certain way. Usually what is presented generalizes their culture so much that it does not really represent who they are, but why don’t they present in a different way? This article kind of makes me angry at what we are doing to these people through folklorization, but at the same time I feel like I have been lied to. However, it is because of the pressure that they have experienced. I like when cultures are presented with music and food and other exotic appeal, but this article makes it seem like those are lies and says they don’t appropriately represent the culture. One of the suggestions for avoiding the drawbacks of folklorization is to have one or more of the presenters tell the audience what they ‘really’ do in life. But why do we have to tell the presenters to say this stuff, shouldn’t it be something they want to present or do they feel so alienated that they don’t feel comfortable? So is telling them to talk about what they ‘really’ do suppose to make them more comfortable with presenting those topics?
I really enjoyed reading and pondering the cases that were introduced at the beginning of chapter 5. Both topics are highly controversial. I feel the one that dealt with religion would be the hardest to address. I personally feel that both sides of the argument should be presented to the students. Otherwise they are going to be receiving views that are slanted and biased one way. I really liked the idea of having a seminar after school where both the minister and the teacher could attend and speak with the students. The second case was also very interesting. I feel that it is important hold onto and learn about our past and heritage, but I also feel that it is important that we all view ourselves as Americans "one country united". Chapter 6 was also very interesting. The teacher totally did the right thing in changing the curriculum. It was too difficult for the students. The teachers job is to educate the students and if something is clearly not going to work it is their job to make adjustment. I coach high school softball and I feel that the two jobs (teaching/coaching) have a lot in common. In softball if a line up or alignment is not working you have to make adjustments, if you don't change anything than you will keep getting the same results. The same is true here, if a curriculum is not working you have to change it or you are just going to keep getting the same results.
In response to the Rorty article, I can definitely see the authors main point he is trying to make. That we, as humans, should find solidarity with one another because we are all fundamentally human, and our solidarity is built around our shared humanity. I do not think his example using the Jews in Belgium is as effective as he likes to believe it is. In fact, I think it contradicts the very foundation of the point he is trying to make.
His Modernist views of of humanity and that we all share the same fundamental qualities is the basis of his article. But, his example Jews in Belgium makes a very good argument for the Post-Modernistic view. The Belgians are a prime example of how circumstances create rifts between humans. Not everybody identifies with one another. In fact, it's a rare thing to identify with somebody. What people do with their humanity is what people identify with. The livelihoods of those Belgians were threatened. Circumstances dictated their course of action. Were they less human for wanting to protect the lives of their own family members as opposed to the Jews who were in search of a place to hide? Are the Italians and Danes more human for being so willing to hide the Jews? Who is to decide? But it is a prime example of Post-Modernist action. People today do not look at the fundamental principals in one another, they look at actions and allow circumstance to dictate their course of action.
Diversity is an interesting issue. It seems that everyone tries to talk about diversity as if it is automatically something that should be a goal in any setting. But what is really the best policy? And do we really understand what diversity means? Does it mean the same thing to everyone? I tend to think that it does not.
It was interesting to examine diversity from both the consequentialist and the nononsequentialist point of view. On one hand, I agree with the nonconsequentialists because while it maintains that people have a right to their own views, it does not mean that everything must be tolerated in a school setting. It provides a line that teachers and administrators can walk. But how do we decide what to tolerate and what is unacceptable? On the other hand, the consequentialist view seems more open, stating that “diversity contributes to the greatest good for the greatest number.” However, it does seem to put forth the idea that there is no “truth,” no real moral absolutes, which conflicts with my Catholic background and general upbringing. Everything can be challenged and questioned, which has the potential to be harmful in a school setting. Is there some way to strike a balance between these two ideas, to be tolerant but not overly so?
After reading the Decoo article I began thinking about my experience with the Taste of OSU. If you're not familiar with this, it is an annual event that displays different countries native foods, dress, and performance art. Depending on the group representing each country, there would be a traditional or modern dance presented. With Decoo's suggestions, I think the event could be improved. I would much rather learn about the current culture and recent accomplishments than a dance from a couple centuries ago. I think striking the counterbalance between folklorization and modernity is appropriate. I also like his point of having representative talk about what they actually do for a living. I disagree with Decoo's point of separating entertainment with sacred aspects of a living culture. I think both can be done so long as each part is emphasized appropriately for what it represents to the modern day society.
I thought the reading on folklorization was very interesting. My immediate reaction was denial, but I couldn't think up any real arguments against what the author was saying. So, last night I looked over it again and I found that I actually agreed with the author. I actually feel like there is a tendency to over simplify and then stereotype any minority. My sister-in-law is from China, and it always annoys me when my family assumes that 1. she must be an expert on all things from/about China, and 2. She must love rice. I always wonder why she must love rice. I hate apple pie and baseball!
But aside from all of the problems the author listed, he also mentioned some alternatives or solutions. However, they mostly seemed geared toward changing that image to one that is more realistic. I was more concerned about the abuses and exploitation that he mentioned. So my question is, what can be done so that indigenous populations are exploited for ecotourism?
Modernist or Postmodernist? Sameness or Diversity? Where should a teacher stand? I appreciate the modernist perspective that sameness is the most important thing about our collective identity. There is something to be said about solidarity and a unified collective. It is comforting in its inclusiveness and oneness. Moreover, from a nationalistic and patriotic viewpoint it is a very powerful mechanism. Yet, as much as I appreciate the modernist perspective, I think that teachers should more or less adopt a postmodernist approach in the classroom. Strike and Soltis suggest that perhaps there is no truth, and that all that exists are subjective interpretations of the world, interpretations that can only be seen through the lens of experience and culture. If this is the case, then subjective truths should be recognized and tailored to in the classroom, and not pigeon holed into a neat uniformed box. Diversity is the spice of life, right? Have fun with it. Promote it. Celebrate it. We live in a postmodern individualistic culture, so why not explore differences. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter, the hegemony of the economic ruling class is going to do what they want regardless. Sorry for the cynicism.
The case involving Irene Canebrake, the second grade teacher who refused to teach a curriculum she felt was beyond her students is something to be respected. She is willing to accept the consequences for her actions in protesting something she feels to be wrong. Despite the fact that she could lose her job she still shows the courage to stand up for what she belives is right and not just ignoring it to along to get along. Also, how I'm unsure how a sixth grader has the knowledge or expertise to determine curriculm for sixth grade much less second grade, I thought that was why people went to college. The important question is how many people would be willing to stand up as Ms. Canebrake did and face the consequences for something they believed in?
After reading chapter 5 the case about incorporating a lesson on the Iroquois Indians stood out. This case discussed the incorporation of multicultural education into school. I feel that teaching about other cultures is a very important aspect of a school system. It teaches the students about other cultures, which allows them to view the world from other point of views. Multicultural education also will benefit the students from other cultures. By having lesson about their culture they are more likely to feel less alienated in the school, because the other students will know important things about their culture. They will also feel like their culture is important in school which can make them feel like they belong in school
In this case there were many people that felt multicultural education was not important. They thought that people from the Iroquois decent should learn to be americans and not embrace their history. This made me think why is being an american so important? Why aren't different cultures embraced in a school system? Our culture was founded by people from many different cultures and their histories should be just as important as "american" history.
In Chapter 5 of the Strike and Soltis book, the issue of diversity is discussed. I personally believe that diversity should be acknowledged and encouraged in classroom. Every student comes from a different background and has a different set of life experiences. Sharing these perspectives and experiences is something that students can learn from their peers and definitely benefit from.
I agree with the chapter in the idea that diversity should not be ignored. By doing this it is to disregard a huge part of who a person is, and this is not something that would be helpful for students who are still developing a sense of self and a self image. It is extremely important for students to feel comfortable and secure with whom they are, and if a large part of what makes them who they are is ignored it would not be beneficial for this development.
I also found the section about religious diversity to be extremely interesting. This is not really a type of diversity that I think of first, although it definitely is one that is extremely relevant and prevalent in schools and in society at large. The case study gives an extremely interesting insight into the issue of religion in schools. I think that it is extremely hard to say what is right or wrong in this situation, but in my personal opinion I think that it is essential for students to understand both sides of an issue, no matter what the issue is.
I found Chapter 5 in The Ethics of Teaching, and the Folklorization article very interesting and important. Schools today are more diverse than they have ever been, and this makes multiculturalism a vital part of education. I think teachers need to introduce various cultures to their students; not to alienate an "ethnic" group, but instead to apprectiate the group and their differences and to inform other students. It is extremely important that teachers go about this in the correct way. I think that Decoo offered a lot of helpful suggestions for teachers to go about this while avoiding the drawbacks of folklorization. I believe that Marie Clark started in the correct way with her attempt at including the Iroquois history in her class; she began with thorough research on the native group. To add to her research I think she should either speak with a few of the Iroquois students to gain more insight, or have a few of the students talk to the class about the Iroquois history as well as their current traditions. The only question and problem that I have with this is; With our increasingly diverse educational system, how are teachers supposed to find the time in their curriculum to add accurate and efficient lessons and demonstrations on all cultures without alienating a particular group?
I found myself very intrigued and inspired by the Decoo article. I've always considered myself attentive to different cultures and I strongly advocate equal respect. Growing up, my parents took my sister and I out to eat once a month to a restaurant of a different culture. January was Mediterranean cuisine, February was Indian, so on and so forth. However after I read the article, I realized that I have participated in the folklorization of many cultures without realizing it.
I completely see where he is coming from. My father is Jewish and felt it important to raise my sister and I with the same religion. We were bat mitzvahed at 13 to become official adult members of the Jewish community. I went to public school in a primarily Christian town and can remember being so frustrated that nobody knew anything about the Jewish culture. Everyone thought it was all dreidels, sandles, and yamaka's. Nobody knew the great advances of Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
I think it is essential to teach all aspects of a culture, both past and present. Can we say we successfully teach about cultures when we only discuss a pin point in their history? How are we supposed to develop responsible moral agents when we are creating people too egotistical to know about anything other than our tiny piece of the world?
When reading chapter 5, it seemed to somewhat be complicating a subject that seems very simple to me. Perhaps it is because I am a minority, that the topic of multiculturalism and diversity are very near and dear to me. Coming from that background, in school, it was my quest to learn about not only the general "American" history or civics, but also about other cultures here and abroad. As a teacher, to me, it is imperative that diversity be exposed and emphasized. While nonconsequentialists would argue that respect and tolerance should be granted because each person is a moral agent, I also agree with the consequentialist idea that learning about other cultures and having an open dialogue provides information with the potential for maximizing the happiness of the greatest group of people.
When reading the portion about radical pluralism, one particular line struck me. "Few minorities or immigrant populations have found America respectful of their culture, religion, or ethnicity. Some have found it viciously repressive and exploitative." As teachers, we have to keep this statement in mind. When we teach our students, are we solely molding them into good, docile Americans, or into questioning, problem posing global citizens? Our would is globalized. To me it is now irresponsible to only emphasize the dominant history, culture, because they got there through domination and oppression. Today we should expose students to the diversity of the world and teach tolerance, respect, and appreciation.
I thought chapter 5 on diversity, multiculturalism, and religion was interesting to read. I liked when the author said, “in teaching tolerance, schools would need to be careful to help students to understand that they need to tolerate views and lifestyles even if they disapprove of them.” I have seen it become very easy for people to shy away from tolerance and lean more towards disapproval of people who are different. It is a very fine line to walk. I think there is something to be said for backing what you believe and sticking to it, but there is also a level of tolerance and acceptance of other people’s views and opinions that must be met as well. Intolerance and arrogance are very unattractive qualities. It is something that can be very challenging for people, believing that their ideas and values are truth while also knowing that tolerance of others is necessary.
The author also said, “a society without diversity would require everyone to find their happiness in the same things.” I enjoyed reading that, because I have often thought similar things. If everyone were the same, the world would be extremely boring. Also, like the author mentioned, everyone would find their happiness in the same things. I like seeing that what makes my friends and I different from one another is the fact that we all enjoy and find happiness in different things. Whether it be different kinds of music, food, or movies, we all have different tastes and it proves to be a great experience for everyone when we share and become more diverse as individuals.
My question this week would be: Although there is a separation of church and state, how can we promote religious tolerance in schools? Should we even touch on it? Also, what other ways can we incorporate diversity and tolerance into the classroom?
When it comes to the issue of religion, I feel that each student should be able hold his or her beliefs and discuss them with others if they wish to do so. These discussion should not, however, serve as a means to try and pass beliefs onto others, rather, to inform others of how you look at things. I think Mr. Huxley's idea of an organized seminar to discuss both sides of the lesson he is teaching is a great idea. I think that it is very important to show students all the sides there are to an issue so that they can make their own opinion about it. Being able to explore each aspect of an issue will allow the student gain a perspective and decide from that what he or she believes.
I enjoyed reading chapter 6 of our textbook, in which Strike and Soltis talked about teachers being professionals vs. respecting the hierarchical nature of the institution in which they are employed. I enjoyed their proposition with regard to the case that involved Irene Canebrake. Instead of blatantly disregarding the curriculum set by the school system without any further actions, it would have been good for Irene to seek what they called, "open, undominated dialogue." They claimed that such a dialogue could serve four important purposes: it "helps build community, it facilitates reasoning, it helps initiate people into the concepts and processes required for sophisticated ethical deliberation," and, an ethical decision can be made. And I agree that if Irene is going to disagree that it should be done in a way that respects the authority under which she is working. This was a tough case, especially considering the experience and legitimate professionalism she brings to the table. I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that they mentioned (with complete veracity) that teachers have less and less autonomy with the passing of time. This will be difficult to deal with as someone who has different styles and methods in which to communicate information to students. I'm just wondering, how much autonomy should teachers have? Surely they must have some flexibility in teaching, without subscribing to the madness that is teaching to the test. But what is appropriate?
In Wilfried Decoo's Folklorization article I was very fascinated how I could relate to his idea that we need to treat everyone as equals and as citizens of the world. His article described how we tend to look at Native Americans and the Aboriginals of Australia as "savages" but also we use them to look good for tourism and the Olympics. Americans showed Native Americans in the Salt Lake CIty opening ceremony to show our heritage. Decoo informs the reader in this article that by showing Native Americans like that in public settings, we are really ridiculing them. It's the debate of westernized vs. non westernized. Americans says "oh look at our country we are so culturalized...we are westernized but we also have natives!". Decoo says this is wrong and that we need to treat everyone equal as citizens of the world. Who is to say what is civilized and what is not? This article made me think of a recent movie I watched, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I think this movie is a prime example of Folklorization in Decoo's article. In Temple of Doom, the Indians (of India) are portrayed as savages that only eat bugs and sacrifice human beings. While I was watching this movie, I kept thinking this is ridiculous. THis movie is overexaggerating and exploiting an entire race of people just for the entertainment of a movie. I wonder how many other movies made in Hollywood have exploited other cultures and shaped America's beliefs about different cultures of the world? Are Americans ignorant of other cultures because they believe what they see on TV? Do Americans ever actually check the facts of a movie?
I found the chapter 5 reading to be interesting and it really made me think about how diversity in every sense of the word relates to ethics and effects the culture we live in. I thought it was interesting to look at the aspect of diversity through the different ethical perspectives we have been looking at. For instance, the nonconsequentialist would not care about the ethical identity as it talks about in the chapter but rather who they are as a person. This perspective would want you to look at others the way that you want others to look at you, for who you are rather than the obvious or visible identity you exhibit. I also really thought the part about having the right to make choices is something we should be free and notice that differences will occur. We should respect others even if the choices they make (including religion and moral aspects) may happen to differ from ours. Again we would want them to respect our decisions. Mills argues that diversity in society brings the greatest good to the greatest number. I thought this was a very neat way to look at diversity and realize it can benefit everyone. This is also bringing greatest good to greatest number because of the ability to pursue whatever brings you happiness. Overall, this chapter posed many thoughtful questions in my mind and I think it opened my eyes to ways of looking at diversity that I have not looked at it in the past.
I really enjoyed the article “Folklorization.” I have been an Irish dancer since I was 4 years old so I really connected with this article. I thought I knew a lot about the Irish culture because I have been exposed to the dance, music, and the food of Ireland since I was little so I assumed that I was fairly educated about the culture. But, I did not get a true sense of what Ireland and its people were all about until I went to Ireland. I did not really know too much about their government and what the daily life was like for an Irish person. I also did not really know about famous Irishmen or women besides those that were either saints or drinkers. When I went to Ireland I realized that Irish people are not too different from Americans in the way they dress, act in public and social situations, and almost in language. I guess this is just me comparing everything to America and forcing everyone to subscribe to the typical American life in my head. Or another option was that I was trying to create “solidarity” in my mind with them. I want to feel included in their culture since it is the culture of my ancestors. I wanted to feel connected to the people and simply connecting with them on a human level was not enough, I wanted more.. I think my desire to form solidarity with a different culture other than my own is rare compared to many cultures that are in America and want to keep themselves separate and embrace their own culture instead of assimilating into the American culture. An example of this assimilation is in schools. Schools require students to have social interactions according to the American way of interacting like looking people in the eye and standing an arm’s length away. I do not think people being forced into an American mold when they attend school here is a problem, especially if they are a younger child. If one is going to school in America, they are likely planning on getting a job in America or at least working with Americans. Schools and teachers are therefore just preparing the child for a career in America. In order to succeed in America one needs to be able to interact with Americans properly and be able to understand and respect the culture here. As citizens of the world, people cannot simply look at people as other humans, people must acknowledge the differences along with the similarities because that is the only way true connections are formed. Katie O’Connell
Chapter 5, in the Strike and Soltis boob was very intresting in discussing a topic I feel very strongly about, diversity. America is a country with many different religions, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds, and because of this I belive that classroom teachers should encourage and educate students about culture diversity. Students each come from a very different culture background, and students should be aware that their are many different people in the United States, and that we have be tolerate of their beliefs values, etc. I agree with Caroline that the argument presented by Mills is that diversity brings the greatest good to the greatest number. The book goes on to talk about one reason that can be given for respecting diversity is that ti fail to do so is to fail to affrim - or even to reject- who people are. I believe that in order to be more tolerate of other cultures we have to be more aware of the beliefs systems of other cultures and diversities. I believe that this is the job the school to educate its students in better understanding the many cultures that are presented in our society, and that their culture may be somewhat different from what they believe but that does not mean its any better or worse from their own. So my question I pose, is why a country based on allowing religious freedom, cultural freedom, not teach our students to be more understanding and tolerate of the religions, etc of other people.
Many of the classes in the M.Ed program focus on diversity and multiculturalism. It has become a main focus for teachers to integrate those ideas into their curriculum to help get the best results out of their students. If students do not see how topics are related to their life, they will lose interest and the teacher will not maximize their potential. Teachers need to help students learn about other cultures, beliefs, and perspectives. This helps when there are students in a classroom from multiple backgrounds. Students must be aware of the other people around them. Students often find that they have a lot in common with people from other backgrounds than they had originially. Ultimately, promoting diversity and multiculturalism in lesson planning will help teachers maximize their students' potentials and will help improve the classroom climate.
The article on solidarity made me reflect on how confined we are by our vocabularies and by historical precedents. While it is human nature to categorize our world, even the people around us, it is important to remember that many of these divisions are man-made, and the fact that they are widely accepted does not necessarily make them valid. It is the decision of each individual which categories they will choose to recognize, and with how much emphasis they will treat each boundary. Just because many people will tend to have more empathy towards those most similar to themselves does not make human solidarity an invalid concept. The human form is merely a canvas colored by our individual genetic makeup and experiences. I believe that there is an innate connection between all people that defies any boundaries that society may create. Ironically, selfishness is also a common human trait that can often outweigh feelings of solidarity - as evidenced by may major events in human history - and by acts on a much smaller scale that we experience every day. This does not make the actors inhuman, it simply calls into question their ability to balance multiple internal drives. If there was no innate bond between humans, I doubt that we as a species would have ever come this far, and wonder how we could ever proceed forward.
For this blog, I decided to write about chapter 5 in the book. I would like to start my blog by discussing the 2 stories at the beginning of the chapter and give my opinion. The first story, about evolution in Mr. Huxley’s class, there are parts of me that feel I should agree with students being able to get taught outside of school and then there is a part of me that disagrees with this thinking. I agree because it is teaching children different ideas about evolution and they can they use their minds to create what evolution is really. I think it allows them to speculate on issues and bring questions up kids normally wouldn’t. Overall, I think it is giving them an advancement before they attend college because I feel almost every class I have been in has always opened my mind up to different ideas other than my own and I think it can be beneficial. I do not agree this idea of children getting taught by their church as well. I think public schools were made to keep church and stat eout of the classroom and I think this could potentially cross a line. I do not agree with the students telling other children their teacher is a liar and trying to get them to disagree with him. This would mean they aren’t giving them a chance to speculate for themselves. I personally would agree with keeping that knowledge out of the overall classroom. If a child would like to discuss it in one on one time or small group discussion I would agree to that but to try to convince other students their teacher is lying crosses a line. Story 2 really crossed a line with me though. I believe everyone should have a great understanding of diversity and multiculturalism, especially children. To allow minorities not to have a chance to learn something about where they come from almost seems to me like we are trying to change them. In this chapter, they ask if Americans are one. I believe that we are not one and we should ever strive to be the same. The different cultures make up this world and who are we to tell them that their culture does not matter and others should not know about their culture. It’s ridiculous. I think making a unit out of a different tribe could be very informative and fun for the students to take part in. This world is made up of different sexualities, races, cultures, etc.. and it is time we start to embrace every difference we find.
All the readings of this week were very interesting but the most enjoyable one to me was reading chapter five about multiculturalism and diversity. This chapter presents a really important and interesting topic that exists in schools nowadays. I do believe that culture diversity and different beliefs or religions should be respected in school settings and also outside of schools. I also believe that diverse backgrounds and cultures is what makes us who we are right now, it shapes our lives and our beliefs and how we think and interact with the outside world.
Presenting different cultural values and religious beliefs in school is good, because it gives us a good idea about the people live among us and the ones we interact with on a daily basis. As far as the cases presented in chapter five, in my opinion, science and religion are two different topics. Good evidence on that view is that students who actually do not believe in evolution still do well in the class and earn good grades. So if I was the teacher of that class, I would set religion aside and talk science only. Not because evolution is taught in schools, that means students have to believe in it. I can explain in a scientific way to make sure that my students understand it and know how it works without imposing on them that they have to believe in it.
About presenting different cultural beliefs in class, I think it is a very good idea. Diversity is a very broad topic, and students should learn how to accommodate different values of others, and they should be taught how to do that at an early age. Students might have friends from different cultures, to be able to interact actively with them, and work and study in a safe academic environment, they have to understand how the person in front of them acts and what they believe in and also they should show respect to different values. Diverse cultures do not mean that one culture is superior or inferior to another, they are basically different. Students and people, in general, from different cultures with different beliefs and values, are after all, persons or moral agents (as the book mentions) and should be treated equally as anybody from the American culture, which is supported by the nonconsequentialist theory. I also believe that the American cultural values should also be taught in schools along with other foreign ones.
Respecting and recognizing other beliefs and values, gives all the students and staff, a safe academic environment to help everyone achieve better, on the other hand, inferiority and minority lower the self-esteem of students and lowers their academic achievement as well.
I found these readings very thought provoking. I am a Christian but I do not believe in teaching religion in schools. I believe that we should stick to what we are currently doing, teach about different religions but do not preference one. Don't teach one over another. I feel that if we do this we will not discriminate and it will still be professional. This also goes for diversity and multiculturalism. We should teach about all different backgrounds, languages, heritage's, and cultures, but do not favor one over another. I don't believe that we should point out students of different cultures and ask them to tell us about it. At the beginning of the lesson I would make a disclaimer that if any child knew about another culture they are more than welcome to share what they know, but do not point them out and put them on the spot.
I think that church and state should remain separate. That is just a personal belief but I feel that this would keep children from feeling discriminated against and it we as teachers would be able to more easily stay professional. Doing this will more or less keep every child and professional on the same level and would discourage any harassment. This would also give every child a way to feel included and if they choose, they can share with the class.
After reading all of the similar subjects and ideas being presented in the reading I drew several ideas and thoughts from each. There is much to ponder, question, justify and rationalize when it comes to diversity, multiculturalism, and how that should fit into the education system. In the idea of folklorization, “We need to educate our children to perceive all humans as equal world-citizens”, rang in my mind as a professional way to educate students in folklore and culture because in my Catholic upbringing I saw one side of the story and nothing more so I had no concept of different ways to express and view varying cultures. In my youth I knew of different races, ethnic groups, differences, but I only know those differences and really had no concept of these ideas until high school, maturation, etc. My concept of “me” and “us” was of myself and my family, Caucasian, middle-class, Catholic people. This leads into the Rorty chapter where it states that solidarity is, “ ---the ability to think of people wildly different from ourselves as included in the range of ‘us’”. Now I look back and I’m rather disappointed that I learned the tenants of equality, caring, and to embrace diversity later in life rather than early in my development. As I was reading further and these ideas are coming to the forefront, as a teacher I realize I need to be cognizant of presenting cultural information not as cultural information but as a humanistic view of equal world-citizenship. This thought process leads to my question; as a musician I’m asked to perform in various venues, be it clubs, concerts, recitals, services, churches, etc. The repertoire selection on my part is based on which venue and where it is being performed. For example, at a jazz club I would choose from an entirely diverse sort of repertoire than I would when performing at an evening Vesper service at a Catholic church. As a choral music educator, what sort of music should be performed at school-based choral concerts? Do I support my choice of performing a litany of sacred, secular, folk, and jazz pieces at concerts based on historical integrity or will I offend certain people in just performing particular pieces? -Matt Zabiegala
I thought that chapter five about Diversity: Multiculturalism and Religion was very interesting. The most interesting part was when it talked about a bout the nonconsequentialist view about diversity. “The fact that is most important about people is not their ethnic identity or their religion, but their personhood. It is their status as persons, as moral agents, that is the basis of equal rights and of the respect we must show them” (Strike & Soltis, pg. 93). I completely agree with this quote. We should respect people’s beliefs and choices, and also respect them for who they are and not for what they believe. As teachers, it is our responsibility to teach based on the facts that we are supposed to teach, and to not teach based on our opinions. We cannot be bias in our educational lessons because that would mean that we are pushing the students to believe in a certain belief, and we do not have the right to do this. It is not our responsibility to change our students’ views on religion, culture, etc. We as teachers will have many children with different backgrounds, cultures, and religions. We cannot judge them or discriminate against them because of who they are or where they are from. Instead, we should encourage the students to get to know more about different cultures and religions just to be aware of their society and what is around them, but we cannot encourage or push them into believing in a specific religion or culture. If a teacher wants to promote his/her religion, they can teach at a private school that teaches about that specific religion. Public schools now are extremely careful about everything they do when it comes to personal things, such as religion and culture. For example, in the Pledge of Allegiance, the part that states “one nation under God indivisible” was taken out in many schools. Now it is just “one nation indivisible….” Also, at the end of the Pledge of Allegiance, the part where it said “in God we trust” was taken out because many people have different beliefs about God. Teachers and people in general should not force their opinions on anyone, unless a person personally asks for that opinion. Another interesting point that was made was the talk about Christmas not being celebrated in schools. Soltis and Strike were saying that it is not fair to Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc because their religions are not being recognized like Christmas. “Christmas had always been celebrated wit nativity plays, Christmas caroling, decorated trees, exchanges of presents, and of course, the Christmas vacation. But the Board began to wonder about how this civic celebration of major Christian event would feel to those were Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Confucianists, or atheists” (Soltis & Strike, pg. 104). The board also considered changing the name “Christmas Break” to “Winter Recess.” I agree with this, but I also disagree. Although America is supposed to be known as the land of diversity, it is mostly known as the “land of Americans,” which is mostly those who believe in Christmas. It has been like this for so long, and the minorities that are in America know that most Americans believe in Christmas. Now, since other traditions by Muslims, Jews, etc are not celebrated as much as Christmas, that is because these groups are known to be minorities. This does not mean that the traditions should not be talked about, but there are too many traditions to teach, and Christmas is one of the main ones that people celebrate and know more about, especially in America. That may seem unfair that Christianity was the “chosen religion” to focus on in America, but that is the reality.
Multiculturalism and diversity is important in the educational setting. Students of a variety of cultures walk the same halls everyday without having any understanding or concern about the other. I think religion should be taught in schools as a format to facilitate discussion within the classroom. I think it can help students relate current world issues and encourage them to decide for themselves how they feel about the issues they hear outside of the school setting. The articles seem to all blend together and made me think of what kind of classroom structure I would like to work in. Students are bright and molding and if they can have some kind of understanding it could help the school succeed as a whole. Norma
In the beginning of Chapter 5 it discusses the issue that Paul Huxley was dealing with while teaching his AP Biology class with the issue of creationism vs evolution. Huxley found out that a clergyman was providing a seminar against Huxley’s arguments of evolution and actually was giving the students arguments to rebut his ‘theory’ of evolution. Huxley brought up to the principal what he had found out and wanted to provide somewhat of a debate between Huxley and the clergyman. Since nothing had ever been attempted before the school district’s attorney said he did not believe that it would be illegal. This scenario really made me think because as teachers we will be given a specific curriculum that we are meant to follow, we will be able to adjust it slightly but usually leaves little room for alterations. When an issue like this is brought up in your classroom, what are you supposed to do? You want and need to teach the students what they are supposed to be learning but another source is telling them what you are teaching them is wrong which takes away your creditability and the creditability of the school in the student’s eyes. On the other hand the students had not been struggling with the lessons and they had been actually been quite successful so what should be looked at as more important, the student’s success or that there is someone who is discrediting you and telling the students what they are learning is wrong?
When considering the discussion of evolution in chapter five, I had mixed feelings. I feel as though sometimes the discussion of evolution is too mature for even high school age children. I think that students should be introduced to the topic and should be aware of the scientific evidence that suggests natural selection and evolution are possible, but to have a debate among students is always going to be risky. It is like having a debate over abortion. I believe in evolution. But I was also raised as a Christian. Sometimes the discussion of evolution among peers gets too emotional and intense with all of the different beliefs involved. It would even be hard as a teacher to not impose my own beliefs and ideas in the same ways that Mr. Huxley struggled.
Regarding the case of Ms. Canebrake's refusal to teach fractions to her second grade class: I find fault with both Ms. Canebrake and the principal, Ms. Dormer. Assuming that what is presented is the full story, Ms. Canebrake seems to me to have acted hastily. While I respect her desire to do right by her students first and foremost, I think she could have taken more measured steps to make the situation better. Has she tried more creative ways to help her students understand fractions - ways that are not part of the curriculum? Has she asked other teachers for their advice/opinions? Has she consulted with the school board to possibly amend/change the curriculum in any way? Has she considered the opinions of her students' parents? I think before refusing outright to teach a part of the curriculum, a teacher ought to make sure there is no way to make it work, that no changes can be made, and that her students' parents understand her position. I can't imagine that many parents would be happy to find their children are in the only class in the district not learning a certain subject. And, ultimately, would this not put the children in her class behind others and therefor set them up for more stress in the next grade when they don't know what their peers do? ....on the other hand: I think Ms. Dormer seems rather univolved. If I were in her position, I would expect Ms. Canebrake to try the above mentioned ideas. I would also want to get into the second grade classrooms to see how fractions are received by the students. Are there teachers who are successful in teaching fractions to second graders? Furthermore, I think Ms. Dormer does not seem as concerned about the students as she ought to. As principal, she should take seriously Ms. Canebrake's concerns about teaching fractions to second graders and should asist her in finding a solution that doesn't jeopardize her career. It is also very short-sighted to assume that just because the school board made up the curriculum it is sound teaching. Administrators, parents, and a sixth-grader are hardly the most qualified to decide what is developmentally appropriate for second graders. In the end, both Ms. Dormer and Ms. Canebrake seem too rigid and not sufficiently thoughtful in their quick judgements, and ultimately the children are the ones who will suffer the consequences.
In chapter 5 it discusses Evolution and Creationism. It discusses the class that was provided on Creationism and completely refuted the idea of Evolution. As much as I feel the topic should not be discussed within a classroom setting due to the harsh differences in opinions, if it is going to be discussed both sides need to be shown. There are going to be students who are different ends of the spectrum however if the facts and ideas are given behind the two ideas. I do not feel it is acceptable to share personal ideas to influence other students because I feel school is a place to develop their own ideas and beliefs.
After reading the article on solidarity, this really made me ask the question: do we as humans every really think of anyone other than ourselves when given the chance to aid others. This can be seen in almost any situation for we inherently care for our own emotional needs above anyone or anything else. We help others because, yes, it is good and the right thing to do, but this justification only satisfies our own personal agendas so in turn we are only helping ourselves. There is nothing wrong with this concept as both parties involved will benefit, but confining who we aid to only those who we can readily affiliate with is an issue in our modern western society. We as humans ARE human and therefore can (or at least should be able to) relate to anyone else in our species. We each were created from a mother and father, breath the same air, drink the same water, etc. and based on these facts one would think this would be enough to consider every human as part of any "we" statement. This, however, is not the case as we have drawn lines and boundaries based upon arbitrary distinctions imagined that carry social, political, and religious affiliations. By breaking down these barriers, we are then able to see that people are people and morality does not apply to a certain class or group, but the entire species as a whole.
I believe that diversity is extremely important in schools, not only to have a diverse group of people but to teach about different cultures and religions. Chapter 5 discusses the battle between creationism and evolution in the first case study. I think that public schools cannot pick a certain side to call truth but rather all sides should be taught. Yes, this is difficult because religions and cultures are not able to be taught quickly but it is important to get the basic ideas out there so that the students can decide for themselves. We should be creating an atmosphere where students can learn about different things and then decide their beliefs without passing judgement or forcing a certain belief on a student. I think that this goes along with both a non-consequentialist as well as a consequentialist view point. A consequentialist because it does the most good for the most people, if teaching is done in this way all sides are taught, people are not offended, and the students benefit in a well rounded education rather than a one sided education. Non- consequentialists might say that teaching all cultures and religions is a good thing because of their belief in the golden rule. This difficult thing with this is there are always people that will disagree. Parents that wont appreciate their children learning about Christianity or hinduism or evolution. So will there ever be a solution for something like this that is so close to many people's hearts? -Megan Conway
In chapter 5 the book speaks about diversity, and respecting someone's beliefs. In the case of Evolution teaching in school, I feel that it is a necessary part of someone's education. One needs to be taught all of the major theories of science, and evolution is one of them. The reason, I believe, why the teacher was not teaching Creationism is because that would break the law that is based on not being preferential to a certain religion to another. Every religion has a different belief when it comes to how the Earth was made, and scientifically speaking, Evolution is something that is proven, can be fit into these religious beliefs, and is necessary to be taught in schools.
After reading Folklorization, it didnt really make me realize things i already knew, but it just made me more aware. Everyone judges cultures they do not know. I honestly dont know much about any culture other than my own. I currently have been a waitress for the last two years working throughout college, and every server i have ever met says they judge so much being in that job, and its true. I know nothing about the culture of some "foreign" people i serve, but the moment i dont get tipped by them i judge them. In reality though, maybe where they are from its different, and they just dont know. Going to a University with such a strong outlook on Diversity, i am suprised i dont know alot more about different cultures, and the same with my peers. Probably the best way to learn another culture is to actually go there and see what its like without judging. We have a complete different lifestyle than so many cultures out there that its quick for them to judge us just like its quick for us to judge them. My question would be though when teaching about different cultures, i feel like there are so many and so many aspects to all of them that how would you teach all of them? There would be so many left out.
Diversity is something that I have always found to be an interesting topic and one that is very sensitive. In the case of teaching evolution, I believe that evolution is what needs to be taught because this is a scientific theory that is being proven and the course is science. Science does not believe in creationism. I think that the teacher should not even have to bring up creationism because this theory is centered around one particular religion and still singles people out. If parents want their students to learn about creationism, they should have that done in their parish, not in the public school setting.
I found the article Solidarity by Rorty to be very interesting. The author brings up at the beginning of the article that certain nationalities might possess more solidarity than others, something that I find to be very biased. Although different people have become more known for their charitable acts than others, that doesn’t mean that only such groups are capable of such actions. The author brings up examples of the lack of caring by camp guards as well as the seemingly unhumanitarian actions of many people turning over their own friends and neighbors. It would be a discredit to the numerous factors that make each person different if we just clumped everyone together and classified them as being more or less likely to do something. There are different influences why people act the way they do, such as culture, time, society, and peers. Not only these, but there personal reasons that may cause someone to act a way that they normally wouldn’t do. Judging our fellow people based on criteria such as listed above is inaccurate due to the numerous confounding variables that help to shape our daily actions and judgments, leaving the question what can we due to enforce a consistent good behavior? Ratings based on solidarity and good deeds should be based on an individual basis, helping to show people that good acts do exist in the world thereby helping to encourage others to do the same.
I thought that Chapter 5 had the key statement on how a professional should handle diversity in the classroom. It statest, "We must respect other people's culture even if we are convinced that ours is superior. What we are respecting is the right to choose, not the adequacy of the choice." Putting this hand in hand with the topics in "Folklorization" it is easy to see the different levels of disrespect that are around people everyday. The act of stereotyping is bred into the "us" and "them" mentality of the human psyche that we have taken culture and made it entertainment rather than accept and nurture it. When dealing with a classroom, a teacher must recognize that the ideal Walgreens Perfect doesn't exist for these students but you have to at least recognize the opportunity given to you with the classroom as a space. Be aware of yourself. Some humans will not take the task to show you your ignorance lightly. Self awareness can cause awareness of those around you and cause that mutual respect mentioned in chapter 5.
Discussing Religion in Schools
ReplyDeleteI found the section of chapter five that mentioned religious diversity and multiculturalism to be interesting. Just as the text mentions a lot of teachers may face difficulties teaching about religious because each person has his own beliefs. Some religions may claim that their beliefs are the only “truths.” The book argues that truth is not the point to get across; understanding is. I completely agree with this idea. I have my own beliefs and so do my friends and each person is entitled to choose what he wants to believe. So, when discussing religion in schools it is important to respect others’ religion.
It really bothers me when others try to impose their beliefs on me. My mother feels this way as well. I remember when I was little and people would come door to door to talk about their church or religion, my mother would rather not talk to them because a lot of them would be persistent about wanting us to believe their religion. I’m not saying that I don’t want to hear about other people’s religion, I just do not want them to focus on convincing me or converting me to their beliefs. I find religion very interesting especially its origins. I think that this would be a good way of discussing it in schools—to talk about how the religion or culture came about. Teachers could look at multiple religions and compare them with one another. Children could even do projects to learn more about them. Before introducing the projects, the teachers could stress that each religion is unique in its own way and that it’s important to respect other’s beliefs.
One issue that may come up with talking about religion in schools could be parents’ concerns, or the school’s concerns about upsetting the community. If a parent decides that it is inappropriate to teach such topics to the class, then how does the teacher handle this situation? In my opinion, I would try to communicate why it is important for children to learn about different religions. America is composed of so many different cultural groups that children should learn about at least some of them. People can ultimately choose their own beliefs, so the teacher would just be exposing children to culture.
I too found the discussion on religion and multiculturalism quite interesting. I strongly agree with Erica on this topic. Growing up, I was forced to attend Catholic classes until I reached confirmation because it was my father's religion. My family is not very religious and my mother isn't even Catholic. As an outcome, I became disinterested in religion and the Catholic church. This was supposed to be “my” religion and, yet, I hated it. During my junior year of high school, I took an honors History class that was based on ancient civilizations. I became very invested in this class. We eventually arrived at the topic of religion. We were assigned a 20 page paper that required us to research three different religions: Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity. My teacher wasn't forcing us to believe in anything. He simply wanted us to research the origins of each religion so that we could begin to understand how each of them compared. I gained respect for religion and other people's cultures through this paper. I would rather learn about religions and cultures in an educational setting where no one is telling me that I “have” to think a certain way. This paper was about educating myself and learning that everyone has their own views on life. Mr. Muth did not try to tell us that any religion was right or that they had the “truth”, he simply wanted us to get a better understanding of how different people view the world. As a result of this class, I became very interested in culture and I went onto college in search of other multicultural classes. I truly feel that it is better to learn about diversity so that I can respect others beliefs and cultures. As long as teachers don't tell their students that they have to think a certain way or believe in a specific culture/religion, then students shouldn't have a problem with learning about them. How can one ever say that their religion has the “truth”? There are so many different religions/cultures and beliefs that it is impossible to know what the truth is. Students should learn to respect others beliefs no matter what theirs' are.
ReplyDeleteOff the bat, Solidarity presented itself as somewhat bias – the statement “Danes and Italians showed a sense of human solidarity which many Belgians lacked” seemed fairly opinionated to me; after all, it is an extremely broad and blanketed statement.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as the author continued, I found myself drawing parallels to the majority of what he writes. For example, with regard to the guards at Auschwitz (etc.), he comments that they were perhaps “inhuman”, that they lacked “some component which is essential to a full-fledged human being.” If I analyze this statement too much, it begins to sound ridiculous … to think that there’s some part of our innate being that could be present or missing … but then, I think about all the times I have watched the news or heard of a trial, and thought “What is wrong with that person? Who raised them?”
Oftentimes the evil committed in this world makes me second guess if the perpetrator is actually human – I mean, I am human and I could not fathom doing some of the things I hear of. This is by no means categorizing me a saint, but like the author mentions with the “Belgians who watched the Gestapo drag their Jewish neighbors away”, I find it hard to believe our that souls/core self/beings (whatever you want to label it) are comprised of the same ‘components’ as some of these vile humans.
While doing my readings for the week, one line spoke to me in particular: “Our moral intuitions are rooted in our ability to feel and empathize as well as in our ability to think”. Being a person who is a moral agent requires you to be on top of your game especially if you’re a teacher. You must treat each of your students equally and respectfully. But it doesn’t stop there. As teachers and as individuals we have the ability to think, to have feelings, and to empathize with people. I believe that this comes in hand on an everyday basis because as humans we have feelings so that we can “put ourselves in the place of others” and “feelings provide motivation for right conduct”. Our feelings guide our lives more than we know it. Feelings lead the way no matter how hard you try and fight them off. Feelings play an important factor in how you choose to think and react to a situation. Most importantly feelings allow individuals to have empathy for one another because as human beings we all have the same basic needs and people can relate to each other in more ways than one. This part of chapter 6 reminded me that in everyday life, regardless of your circumstances, feelings will always be there. It is up to you, as a moral agent and individual, to choose how your feelings will guide you. As a teacher, you need to have a clear definition of what you consider to be moral and you must be willing to stand firm when someone tries to make you do something that you deem immoral. You must also be aware of what parents find moral and immoral and you must be willing to work with the parents so that no one is in a position to have to choose between what they believe is right and wrong. It is of utmost importance to always remember what is best for the students. As a teacher, you will be able to empathize with the parents who want nothing more than for their children to have the best education without their personal morals being sacrificed because of the feelings that you possess. The conclusion that I have come to is that feelings, whether we like them or not, play a major role in the life of a teacher and there is little that one can do to stop them.
ReplyDelete-Emily Mink
I found the beginning examples to be incredibly interesting, particularly the one regarding diversity. I feel that both of those situations will be ones that I will have to deal with as a teacher in the public school system. With diversity, I would never expect a child, or anyone for that matter, to give up everything from their own or their parents culture to become a "true" American, just as I would never expect someone to force me to forget about my culture. However, I also feel that when we make everyone who is from another culture to feel "special" and welcome, that we run the risk of making the children whose culture is purely American to feel like they are not as important because of this. Part of me feels that if we stop pointing out differences and just treat everyone equally with everything, then everyone will actually become equal in everyones eyes. The other side of me, however, says that if we stop pointing out cultural differences in order to embrace them, that children will not understand and will look down upon the differences. This issue is one that does not have a simple solution, if it has a solution at all. How do we fully accept cultural and religious differences without causing any type of lowered self worth or racism? If we can answer that then our schools will be much better off.
ReplyDeleteI found both chapters five and six from the book extremely interesting. The issue of diversity brought up in chapter five really made me think. I honestly feel that diversity is something that should be acknowledged and encouraged in the classroom. It is not the job of a teacher or school to make all students the same, school is meant to teach students concepts they need to be successful, not stifle individuality. All students come from a different home and background and I think that teachers need to realize that in order to be able to teach their students. The first case presented in this chapter about evolution is a perfect example. It was important for the teacher, Mr. Huxley, to be aware of the fact that he had students who found it hard to believe in evolution because of their religious views. The teacher in this case realized that he needed to change his strategy of teaching this particular topic in order to keep his students from feeling like they were being forced to agree with something that they did not believe in. I think it is very important for teachers to know about their students religious and cultural backgrounds, in order to teach them successfully. I had an experience where it was important for me to know about a student’s culture in my First Education Experience Program (FEEP). There was a student in the class that I was observing who, because of his culture, found it extremely difficult to look me or any adult females in the eyes. It was important for me to know about this student’s particular culture so that I knew he was still listening to me even though he would not always make eye contact with me.
ReplyDeleteWhat really interested me about chapter six was the idea of professionalism. Teachers should have the right to control what happens in their classroom. In my opinion, teachers know their students’ needs best. In the case presented at the beginning of this chapter, I definitely feel that the teacher, Ms. Canebrake, was making the right decision. She knew that the new curriculum was too difficult for her students and by deciding not to teach it, she was doing what she thought was best for her students. I think that teachers should always have the power to do what they think is best for their students. Teachers are professionals in their field, just like doctors are professionals in their field. In my opinion, teachers should have the right to control what is being taught in their classroom, as long as their students are learning.
- Kristen Calaway
I thought chapter 5 of the textbook was really interesting to read. There was a short paragraph, talking about diversity, that stuck out to me: "Then one reason that can be given for respecting diversity is that to fail to do so is to fail to affirm-or even reject-who people are. It is to deny their worth. Thus, it does an especially insidious kind of violence to them."
ReplyDeleteI never really thought about diversity in this way, but after reading this it makes sense. There are many things that make us the people we are, including our race, ethnicity, religion, etc, things that make us a diverse people. A lot of times, if don't know these things about a person it's easy to discriminate against them, many times demoralizing them, alienating them, and making them feel bad for the culture they come from. However, this is who they are, where they come from, and what makes them the person they are. To take these things away from them is like taking everything they know away from them, and not letting them be who they are.
I found the chapter about diversity interesting, especially the case studies. As a Christian, I have had to deal with evolution being taught in school. I never really had an issue with it however. I grew up believing that God created everything and I was also taught that not everyone believes the same things and that there are multiple points of view. When I was taught evolution, I just took it as a differing point of view from mine. However, I can see how some people might feel uncomfortable being taught evolution and that is understandable. I know that evolution is something that is supposed to be taught, however I don’t see why students shouldn’t have an opportunity to learn about others points of view. As a Christian, I was forced to learn about evolution. However, those who believed in evolution weren’t forced to learn about creationism. I am not saying that students should be forced to learn creationism because of the separation of church and state, but they should have the opportunity to learn about other points of view if they wish. I was never really given that opportunity in school. If students were given the opportunity to learn about others they might possibly be more tolerant and understanding of others who are different. Being tolerant is something we try to teach students in school, but are we really doing them justice in how we are going about it? Shouldn’t we give students more opportunities to see all sides of an issue? This applies to the other case study about Christmas as well. Christmas is such a large part of our society that it would be almost impossible to remove it completely from schools, however, can’t students be given the opportunity to learn about the other cultures and religions that celebrate differently? Wouldn’t that help build tolerance?
ReplyDeleteI found Chapter 5 from the Strike & Soltis book to be very interesting. One statement in particular stuck with me throughout all of the readings thus week. In considering the issue of "truth" the argument is made that perhaps there is no Truth; there is only the experience of women and men. It's interesting to ponder this argument when considering the idea of tolerance and multiculturalism in schools. It is clear that the experience of a black student attending an affluent high school will be much different from his or her white counter part. Thus how they interpret the lessons taught will impact them in monumentally different ways. I believe that it is our duty as educators to present all sides of the story and allow the students themselves to form their own opinion of what truth is.
ReplyDeleteStudents today have an opportunity to mix with a wide variety of cultures. I went to a high school in which diversity consisted of whites and blacks. Schools today are as diverse as ever. Interactions with blacks, whites, latinos, somalis, gay, lesbian and transgendered students allow all students to build tolerance and respect for those who differ from them. Given the diversity of our schools is it not our duty to change our way of thinking when it comes MCE?
Folklorization
ReplyDeleteI found this article to be interesting because I was not very familiar with the term “folklorization”, but after Decoo talked about it I could see how it occurs today and has a negative connotation to it. The part that is hard for me to grasp is that the presenters feel obligated to present their culture in a certain way. Usually what is presented generalizes their culture so much that it does not really represent who they are, but why don’t they present in a different way? This article kind of makes me angry at what we are doing to these people through folklorization, but at the same time I feel like I have been lied to. However, it is because of the pressure that they have experienced. I like when cultures are presented with music and food and other exotic appeal, but this article makes it seem like those are lies and says they don’t appropriately represent the culture. One of the suggestions for avoiding the drawbacks of folklorization is to have one or more of the presenters tell the audience what they ‘really’ do in life. But why do we have to tell the presenters to say this stuff, shouldn’t it be something they want to present or do they feel so alienated that they don’t feel comfortable? So is telling them to talk about what they ‘really’ do suppose to make them more comfortable with presenting those topics?
I really enjoyed reading and pondering the cases that were introduced at the beginning of chapter 5. Both topics are highly controversial. I feel the one that dealt with religion would be the hardest to address. I personally feel that both sides of the argument should be presented to the students. Otherwise they are going to be receiving views that are slanted and biased one way. I really liked the idea of having a seminar after school where both the minister and the teacher could attend and speak with the students. The second case was also very interesting. I feel that it is important hold onto and learn about our past and heritage, but I also feel that it is important that we all view ourselves as Americans "one country united".
ReplyDeleteChapter 6 was also very interesting. The teacher totally did the right thing in changing the curriculum. It was too difficult for the students. The teachers job is to educate the students and if something is clearly not going to work it is their job to make adjustment. I coach high school softball and I feel that the two jobs (teaching/coaching) have a lot in common. In softball if a line up or alignment is not working you have to make adjustments, if you don't change anything than you will keep getting the same results. The same is true here, if a curriculum is not working you have to change it or you are just going to keep getting the same results.
In response to the Rorty article, I can definitely see the authors main point he is trying to make. That we, as humans, should find solidarity with one another because we are all fundamentally human, and our solidarity is built around our shared humanity. I do not think his example using the Jews in Belgium is as effective as he likes to believe it is. In fact, I think it contradicts the very foundation of the point he is trying to make.
ReplyDeleteHis Modernist views of of humanity and that we all share the same fundamental qualities is the basis of his article. But, his example Jews in Belgium makes a very good argument for the Post-Modernistic view. The Belgians are a prime example of how circumstances create rifts between humans. Not everybody identifies with one another. In fact, it's a rare thing to identify with somebody. What people do with their humanity is what people identify with. The livelihoods of those Belgians were threatened. Circumstances dictated their course of action. Were they less human for wanting to protect the lives of their own family members as opposed to the Jews who were in search of a place to hide? Are the Italians and Danes more human for being so willing to hide the Jews? Who is to decide? But it is a prime example of Post-Modernist action. People today do not look at the fundamental principals in one another, they look at actions and allow circumstance to dictate their course of action.
Diversity is an interesting issue. It seems that everyone tries to talk about diversity as if it is automatically something that should be a goal in any setting. But what is really the best policy? And do we really understand what diversity means? Does it mean the same thing to everyone? I tend to think that it does not.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to examine diversity from both the consequentialist and the nononsequentialist point of view. On one hand, I agree with the nonconsequentialists because while it maintains that people have a right to their own views, it does not mean that everything must be tolerated in a school setting. It provides a line that teachers and administrators can walk. But how do we decide what to tolerate and what is unacceptable? On the other hand, the consequentialist view seems more open, stating that “diversity contributes to the greatest good for the greatest number.” However, it does seem to put forth the idea that there is no “truth,” no real moral absolutes, which conflicts with my Catholic background and general upbringing. Everything can be challenged and questioned, which has the potential to be harmful in a school setting. Is there some way to strike a balance between these two ideas, to be tolerant but not overly so?
-Katie Kuvin
After reading the Decoo article I began thinking about my experience with the Taste of OSU. If you're not familiar with this, it is an annual event that displays different countries native foods, dress, and performance art. Depending on the group representing each country, there would be a traditional or modern dance presented. With Decoo's suggestions, I think the event could be improved. I would much rather learn about the current culture and recent accomplishments than a dance from a couple centuries ago. I think striking the counterbalance between folklorization and modernity is appropriate. I also like his point of having representative talk about what they actually do for a living. I disagree with Decoo's point of separating entertainment with sacred aspects of a living culture. I think both can be done so long as each part is emphasized appropriately for what it represents to the modern day society.
ReplyDeleteI thought the reading on folklorization was very interesting. My immediate reaction was denial, but I couldn't think up any real arguments against what the author was saying. So, last night I looked over it again and I found that I actually agreed with the author. I actually feel like there is a tendency to over simplify and then stereotype any minority. My sister-in-law is from China, and it always annoys me when my family assumes that 1. she must be an expert on all things from/about China, and 2. She must love rice. I always wonder why she must love rice. I hate apple pie and baseball!
ReplyDeleteBut aside from all of the problems the author listed, he also mentioned some alternatives or solutions. However, they mostly seemed geared toward changing that image to one that is more realistic. I was more concerned about the abuses and exploitation that he mentioned. So my question is, what can be done so that indigenous populations are exploited for ecotourism?
Justin Beattie
ReplyDeleteModernist or Postmodernist? Sameness or Diversity? Where should a teacher stand?
I appreciate the modernist perspective that sameness is the most important thing about our collective identity. There is something to be said about solidarity and a unified collective. It is comforting in its inclusiveness and oneness. Moreover, from a nationalistic and patriotic viewpoint it is a very powerful mechanism. Yet, as much as I appreciate the modernist perspective, I think that teachers should more or less adopt a postmodernist approach in the classroom. Strike and Soltis suggest that perhaps there is no truth, and that all that exists are subjective interpretations of the world, interpretations that can only be seen through the lens of experience and culture. If this is the case, then subjective truths should be recognized and tailored to in the classroom, and not pigeon holed into a neat uniformed box. Diversity is the spice of life, right? Have fun with it. Promote it. Celebrate it. We live in a postmodern individualistic culture, so why not explore differences. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter, the hegemony of the economic ruling class is going to do what they want regardless. Sorry for the cynicism.
The case involving Irene Canebrake, the second grade teacher who refused to teach a curriculum she felt was beyond her students is something to be respected. She is willing to accept the consequences for her actions in protesting something she feels to be wrong. Despite the fact that she could lose her job she still shows the courage to stand up for what she belives is right and not just ignoring it to along to get along. Also, how I'm unsure how a sixth grader has the knowledge or expertise to determine curriculm for sixth grade much less second grade, I thought that was why people went to college. The important question is how many people would be willing to stand up as Ms. Canebrake did and face the consequences for something they believed in?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading chapter 5 the case about incorporating a lesson on the Iroquois Indians stood out. This case discussed the incorporation of multicultural education into school. I feel that teaching about other cultures is a very important aspect of a school system. It teaches the students about other cultures, which allows them to view the world from other point of views. Multicultural education also will benefit the students from other cultures. By having lesson about their culture they are more likely to feel less alienated in the school, because the other students will know important things about their culture. They will also feel like their culture is important in school which can make them feel like they belong in school
ReplyDeleteIn this case there were many people that felt multicultural education was not important. They thought that people from the Iroquois decent should learn to be americans and not embrace their history. This made me think why is being an american so important? Why aren't different cultures embraced in a school system? Our culture was founded by people from many different cultures and their histories should be just as important as "american" history.
-John Searfoss
In Chapter 5 of the Strike and Soltis book, the issue of diversity is discussed. I personally believe that diversity should be acknowledged and encouraged in classroom. Every student comes from a different background and has a different set of life experiences. Sharing these perspectives and experiences is something that students can learn from their peers and definitely benefit from.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the chapter in the idea that diversity should not be ignored. By doing this it is to disregard a huge part of who a person is, and this is not something that would be helpful for students who are still developing a sense of self and a self image. It is extremely important for students to feel comfortable and secure with whom they are, and if a large part of what makes them who they are is ignored it would not be beneficial for this development.
I also found the section about religious diversity to be extremely interesting. This is not really a type of diversity that I think of first, although it definitely is one that is extremely relevant and prevalent in schools and in society at large. The case study gives an extremely interesting insight into the issue of religion in schools. I think that it is extremely hard to say what is right or wrong in this situation, but in my personal opinion I think that it is essential for students to understand both sides of an issue, no matter what the issue is.
I found Chapter 5 in The Ethics of Teaching, and the Folklorization article very interesting and important. Schools today are more diverse than they have ever been, and this makes multiculturalism a vital part of education. I think teachers need to introduce various cultures to their students; not to alienate an "ethnic" group, but instead to apprectiate the group and their differences and to inform other students. It is extremely important that teachers go about this in the correct way. I think that Decoo offered a lot of helpful suggestions for teachers to go about this while avoiding the drawbacks of folklorization.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Marie Clark started in the correct way with her attempt at including the Iroquois history in her class; she began with thorough research on the native group. To add to her research I think she should either speak with a few of the Iroquois students to gain more insight, or have a few of the students talk to the class about the Iroquois history as well as their current traditions.
The only question and problem that I have with this is; With our increasingly diverse educational system, how are teachers supposed to find the time in their curriculum to add accurate and efficient lessons and demonstrations on all cultures without alienating a particular group?
I found myself very intrigued and inspired by the Decoo article. I've always considered myself attentive to different cultures and I strongly advocate equal respect. Growing up, my parents took my sister and I out to eat once a month to a restaurant of a different culture. January was Mediterranean cuisine, February was Indian, so on and so forth. However after I read the article, I realized that I have participated in the folklorization of many cultures without realizing it.
ReplyDeleteI completely see where he is coming from. My father is Jewish and felt it important to raise my sister and I with the same religion. We were bat mitzvahed at 13 to become official adult members of the Jewish community. I went to public school in a primarily Christian town and can remember being so frustrated that nobody knew anything about the Jewish culture. Everyone thought it was all dreidels, sandles, and yamaka's. Nobody knew the great advances of Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
I think it is essential to teach all aspects of a culture, both past and present. Can we say we successfully teach about cultures when we only discuss a pin point in their history? How are we supposed to develop responsible moral agents when we are creating people too egotistical to know about anything other than our tiny piece of the world?
When reading chapter 5, it seemed to somewhat be complicating a subject that seems very simple to me. Perhaps it is because I am a minority, that the topic of multiculturalism and diversity are very near and dear to me. Coming from that background, in school, it was my quest to learn about not only the general "American" history or civics, but also about other cultures here and abroad. As a teacher, to me, it is imperative that diversity be exposed and emphasized. While nonconsequentialists would argue that respect and tolerance should be granted because each person is a moral agent, I also agree with the consequentialist idea that learning about other cultures and having an open dialogue provides information with the potential for maximizing the happiness of the greatest group of people.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the portion about radical pluralism, one particular line struck me. "Few minorities or immigrant populations have found America respectful of their culture, religion, or ethnicity. Some have found it viciously repressive and exploitative." As teachers, we have to keep this statement in mind. When we teach our students, are we solely molding them into good, docile Americans, or into questioning, problem posing global citizens? Our would is globalized. To me it is now irresponsible to only emphasize the dominant history, culture, because they got there through domination and oppression. Today we should expose students to the diversity of the world and teach tolerance, respect, and appreciation.
I thought chapter 5 on diversity, multiculturalism, and religion was interesting to read. I liked when the author said, “in teaching tolerance, schools would need to be careful to help students to understand that they need to tolerate views and lifestyles even if they disapprove of them.” I have seen it become very easy for people to shy away from tolerance and lean more towards disapproval of people who are different. It is a very fine line to walk. I think there is something to be said for backing what you believe and sticking to it, but there is also a level of tolerance and acceptance of other people’s views and opinions that must be met as well. Intolerance and arrogance are very unattractive qualities. It is something that can be very challenging for people, believing that their ideas and values are truth while also knowing that tolerance of others is necessary.
ReplyDeleteThe author also said, “a society without diversity would require everyone to find their happiness in the same things.” I enjoyed reading that, because I have often thought similar things. If everyone were the same, the world would be extremely boring. Also, like the author mentioned, everyone would find their happiness in the same things. I like seeing that what makes my friends and I different from one another is the fact that we all enjoy and find happiness in different things. Whether it be different kinds of music, food, or movies, we all have different tastes and it proves to be a great experience for everyone when we share and become more diverse as individuals.
My question this week would be: Although there is a separation of church and state, how can we promote religious tolerance in schools? Should we even touch on it? Also, what other ways can we incorporate diversity and tolerance into the classroom?
-Sarah Tidwell
When it comes to the issue of religion, I feel that each student should be able hold his or her beliefs and discuss them with others if they wish to do so. These discussion should not, however, serve as a means to try and pass beliefs onto others, rather, to inform others of how you look at things. I think Mr. Huxley's idea of an organized seminar to discuss both sides of the lesson he is teaching is a great idea. I think that it is very important to show students all the sides there are to an issue so that they can make their own opinion about it. Being able to explore each aspect of an issue will allow the student gain a perspective and decide from that what he or she believes.
ReplyDelete--Eric Border
I enjoyed reading chapter 6 of our textbook, in which Strike and Soltis talked about teachers being professionals vs. respecting the hierarchical nature of the institution in which they are employed. I enjoyed their proposition with regard to the case that involved Irene Canebrake. Instead of blatantly disregarding the curriculum set by the school system without any further actions, it would have been good for Irene to seek what they called, "open, undominated dialogue." They claimed that such a dialogue could serve four important purposes: it "helps build community, it facilitates reasoning, it helps initiate people into the concepts and processes required for sophisticated ethical deliberation," and, an ethical decision can be made. And I agree that if Irene is going to disagree that it should be done in a way that respects the authority under which she is working. This was a tough case, especially considering the experience and legitimate professionalism she brings to the table. I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that they mentioned (with complete veracity) that teachers have less and less autonomy with the passing of time. This will be difficult to deal with as someone who has different styles and methods in which to communicate information to students. I'm just wondering, how much autonomy should teachers have? Surely they must have some flexibility in teaching, without subscribing to the madness that is teaching to the test. But what is appropriate?
ReplyDeleteIn Wilfried Decoo's Folklorization article I was very fascinated how I could relate to his idea that we need to treat everyone as equals and as citizens of the world. His article described how we tend to look at Native Americans and the Aboriginals of Australia as "savages" but also we use them to look good for tourism and the Olympics. Americans showed Native Americans in the Salt Lake CIty opening ceremony to show our heritage. Decoo informs the reader in this article that by showing Native Americans like that in public settings, we are really ridiculing them. It's the debate of westernized vs. non westernized. Americans says "oh look at our country we are so culturalized...we are westernized but we also have natives!". Decoo says this is wrong and that we need to treat everyone equal as citizens of the world. Who is to say what is civilized and what is not?
ReplyDeleteThis article made me think of a recent movie I watched, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I think this movie is a prime example of Folklorization in Decoo's article. In Temple of Doom, the Indians (of India) are portrayed as savages that only eat bugs and sacrifice human beings. While I was watching this movie, I kept thinking this is ridiculous. THis movie is overexaggerating and exploiting an entire race of people just for the entertainment of a movie. I wonder how many other movies made in Hollywood have exploited other cultures and shaped America's beliefs about different cultures of the world? Are Americans ignorant of other cultures because they believe what they see on TV? Do Americans ever actually check the facts of a movie?
I found the chapter 5 reading to be interesting and it really made me think about how diversity in every sense of the word relates to ethics and effects the culture we live in. I thought it was interesting to look at the aspect of diversity through the different ethical perspectives we have been looking at. For instance, the nonconsequentialist would not care about the ethical identity as it talks about in the chapter but rather who they are as a person. This perspective would want you to look at others the way that you want others to look at you, for who you are rather than the obvious or visible identity you exhibit.
ReplyDeleteI also really thought the part about having the right to make choices is something we should be free and notice that differences will occur. We should respect others even if the choices they make (including religion and moral aspects) may happen to differ from ours. Again we would want them to respect our decisions.
Mills argues that diversity in society brings the greatest good to the greatest number. I thought this was a very neat way to look at diversity and realize it can benefit everyone. This is also bringing greatest good to greatest number because of the ability to pursue whatever brings you happiness.
Overall, this chapter posed many thoughtful questions in my mind and I think it opened my eyes to ways of looking at diversity that I have not looked at it in the past.
I really enjoyed the article “Folklorization.” I have been an Irish dancer since I was 4 years old so I really connected with this article. I thought I knew a lot about the Irish culture because I have been exposed to the dance, music, and the food of Ireland since I was little so I assumed that I was fairly educated about the culture. But, I did not get a true sense of what Ireland and its people were all about until I went to Ireland. I did not really know too much about their government and what the daily life was like for an Irish person. I also did not really know about famous Irishmen or women besides those that were either saints or drinkers. When I went to Ireland I realized that Irish people are not too different from Americans in the way they dress, act in public and social situations, and almost in language. I guess this is just me comparing everything to America and forcing everyone to subscribe to the typical American life in my head. Or another option was that I was trying to create “solidarity” in my mind with them. I want to feel included in their culture since it is the culture of my ancestors. I wanted to feel connected to the people and simply connecting with them on a human level was not enough, I wanted more.. I think my desire to form solidarity with a different culture other than my own is rare compared to many cultures that are in America and want to keep themselves separate and embrace their own culture instead of assimilating into the American culture. An example of this assimilation is in schools. Schools require students to have social interactions according to the American way of interacting like looking people in the eye and standing an arm’s length away. I do not think people being forced into an American mold when they attend school here is a problem, especially if they are a younger child. If one is going to school in America, they are likely planning on getting a job in America or at least working with Americans. Schools and teachers are therefore just preparing the child for a career in America. In order to succeed in America one needs to be able to interact with Americans properly and be able to understand and respect the culture here. As citizens of the world, people cannot simply look at people as other humans, people must acknowledge the differences along with the similarities because that is the only way true connections are formed.
ReplyDeleteKatie O’Connell
Chapter 5, in the Strike and Soltis boob was very intresting in discussing a topic I feel very strongly about, diversity. America is a country with many different religions, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds, and because of this I belive that classroom teachers should encourage and educate students about culture diversity. Students each come from a very different culture background, and students should be aware that their are many different people in the United States, and that we have be tolerate of their beliefs values, etc.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Caroline that the argument presented by Mills is that diversity brings the greatest good to the greatest number. The book goes on to talk about one reason that can be given for respecting diversity is that ti fail to do so is to fail to affrim - or even to reject- who people are.
I believe that in order to be more tolerate of other cultures we have to be more aware of the beliefs systems of other cultures and diversities. I believe that this is the job the school to educate its students in better understanding the many cultures that are presented in our society, and that their culture may be somewhat different from what they believe but that does not mean its any better or worse from their own.
So my question I pose, is why a country based on allowing religious freedom, cultural freedom, not teach our students to be more understanding and tolerate of the religions, etc of other people.
Larry Taylor...
ReplyDeleteMany of the classes in the M.Ed program focus on diversity and multiculturalism. It has become a main focus for teachers to integrate those ideas into their curriculum to help get the best results out of their students. If students do not see how topics are related to their life, they will lose interest and the teacher will not maximize their potential. Teachers need to help students learn about other cultures, beliefs, and perspectives. This helps when there are students in a classroom from multiple backgrounds. Students must be aware of the other people around them. Students often find that they have a lot in common with people from other backgrounds than they had originially. Ultimately, promoting diversity and multiculturalism in lesson planning will help teachers maximize their students' potentials and will help improve the classroom climate.
The article on solidarity made me reflect on how confined we are by our vocabularies and by historical precedents. While it is human nature to categorize our world, even the people around us, it is important to remember that many of these divisions are man-made, and the fact that they are widely accepted does not necessarily make them valid. It is the decision of each individual which categories they will choose to recognize, and with how much emphasis they will treat each boundary. Just because many people will tend to have more empathy towards those most similar to themselves does not make human solidarity an invalid concept. The human form is merely a canvas colored by our individual genetic makeup and experiences. I believe that there is an innate connection between all people that defies any boundaries that society may create. Ironically, selfishness is also a common human trait that can often outweigh feelings of solidarity - as evidenced by may major events in human history - and by acts on a much smaller scale that we experience every day. This does not make the actors inhuman, it simply calls into question their ability to balance multiple internal drives. If there was no innate bond between humans, I doubt that we as a species would have ever come this far, and wonder how we could ever proceed forward.
ReplyDeleteFor this blog, I decided to write about chapter 5 in the book. I would like to start my blog by discussing the 2 stories at the beginning of the chapter and give my opinion. The first story, about evolution in Mr. Huxley’s class, there are parts of me that feel I should agree with students being able to get taught outside of school and then there is a part of me that disagrees with this thinking. I agree because it is teaching children different ideas about evolution and they can they use their minds to create what evolution is really. I think it allows them to speculate on issues and bring questions up kids normally wouldn’t. Overall, I think it is giving them an advancement before they attend college because I feel almost every class I have been in has always opened my mind up to different ideas other than my own and I think it can be beneficial. I do not agree this idea of children getting taught by their church as well. I think public schools were made to keep church and stat eout of the classroom and I think this could potentially cross a line. I do not agree with the students telling other children their teacher is a liar and trying to get them to disagree with him. This would mean they aren’t giving them a chance to speculate for themselves. I personally would agree with keeping that knowledge out of the overall classroom. If a child would like to discuss it in one on one time or small group discussion I would agree to that but to try to convince other students their teacher is lying crosses a line.
ReplyDeleteStory 2 really crossed a line with me though. I believe everyone should have a great understanding of diversity and multiculturalism, especially children. To allow minorities not to have a chance to learn something about where they come from almost seems to me like we are trying to change them. In this chapter, they ask if Americans are one. I believe that we are not one and we should ever strive to be the same. The different cultures make up this world and who are we to tell them that their culture does not matter and others should not know about their culture. It’s ridiculous. I think making a unit out of a different tribe could be very informative and fun for the students to take part in. This world is made up of different sexualities, races, cultures, etc.. and it is time we start to embrace every difference we find.
All the readings of this week were very interesting but the most enjoyable one to me was reading chapter five about multiculturalism and diversity. This chapter presents a really important and interesting topic that exists in schools nowadays. I do believe that culture diversity and different beliefs or religions should be respected in school settings and also outside of schools. I also believe that diverse backgrounds and cultures is what makes us who we are right now, it shapes our lives and our beliefs and how we think and interact with the outside world.
ReplyDeletePresenting different cultural values and religious beliefs in school is good, because it gives us a good idea about the people live among us and the ones we interact with on a daily basis. As far as the cases presented in chapter five, in my opinion, science and religion are two different topics. Good evidence on that view is that students who actually do not believe in evolution still do well in the class and earn good grades. So if I was the teacher of that class, I would set religion aside and talk science only. Not because evolution is taught in schools, that means students have to believe in it. I can explain in a scientific way to make sure that my students understand it and know how it works without imposing on them that they have to believe in it.
About presenting different cultural beliefs in class, I think it is a very good idea. Diversity is a very broad topic, and students should learn how to accommodate different values of others, and they should be taught how to do that at an early age. Students might have friends from different cultures, to be able to interact actively with them, and work and study in a safe academic environment, they have to understand how the person in front of them acts and what they believe in and also they should show respect to different values. Diverse cultures do not mean that one culture is superior or inferior to another, they are basically different. Students and people, in general, from different cultures with different beliefs and values, are after all, persons or moral agents (as the book mentions) and should be treated equally as anybody from the American culture, which is supported by the nonconsequentialist theory. I also believe that the American cultural values should also be taught in schools along with other foreign ones.
Respecting and recognizing other beliefs and values, gives all the students and staff, a safe academic environment to help everyone achieve better, on the other hand, inferiority and minority lower the self-esteem of students and lowers their academic achievement as well.
I found these readings very thought provoking. I am a Christian but I do not believe in teaching religion in schools. I believe that we should stick to what we are currently doing, teach about different religions but do not preference one. Don't teach one over another. I feel that if we do this we will not discriminate and it will still be professional. This also goes for diversity and multiculturalism. We should teach about all different backgrounds, languages, heritage's, and cultures, but do not favor one over another. I don't believe that we should point out students of different cultures and ask them to tell us about it. At the beginning of the lesson I would make a disclaimer that if any child knew about another culture they are more than welcome to share what they know, but do not point them out and put them on the spot.
ReplyDeleteI think that church and state should remain separate. That is just a personal belief but I feel that this would keep children from feeling discriminated against and it we as teachers would be able to more easily stay professional. Doing this will more or less keep every child and professional on the same level and would discourage any harassment. This would also give every child a way to feel included and if they choose, they can share with the class.
After reading all of the similar subjects and ideas being presented in the reading I drew several ideas and thoughts from each. There is much to ponder, question, justify and rationalize when it comes to diversity, multiculturalism, and how that should fit into the education system. In the idea of folklorization, “We need to educate our children to perceive all humans as equal world-citizens”, rang in my mind as a professional way to educate students in folklore and culture because in my Catholic upbringing I saw one side of the story and nothing more so I had no concept of different ways to express and view varying cultures. In my youth I knew of different races, ethnic groups, differences, but I only know those differences and really had no concept of these ideas until high school, maturation, etc. My concept of “me” and “us” was of myself and my family, Caucasian, middle-class, Catholic people. This leads into the Rorty chapter where it states that solidarity is, “ ---the ability to think of people wildly different from ourselves as included in the range of ‘us’”. Now I look back and I’m rather disappointed that I learned the tenants of equality, caring, and to embrace diversity later in life rather than early in my development. As I was reading further and these ideas are coming to the forefront, as a teacher I realize I need to be cognizant of presenting cultural information not as cultural information but as a humanistic view of equal world-citizenship.
ReplyDeleteThis thought process leads to my question; as a musician I’m asked to perform in various venues, be it clubs, concerts, recitals, services, churches, etc. The repertoire selection on my part is based on which venue and where it is being performed. For example, at a jazz club I would choose from an entirely diverse sort of repertoire than I would when performing at an evening Vesper service at a Catholic church. As a choral music educator, what sort of music should be performed at school-based choral concerts? Do I support my choice of performing a litany of sacred, secular, folk, and jazz pieces at concerts based on historical integrity or will I offend certain people in just performing particular pieces?
-Matt Zabiegala
I thought that chapter five about Diversity: Multiculturalism and Religion was very interesting. The most interesting part was when it talked about a bout the nonconsequentialist view about diversity. “The fact that is most important about people is not their ethnic identity or their religion, but their personhood. It is their status as persons, as moral agents, that is the basis of equal rights and of the respect we must show them” (Strike & Soltis, pg. 93). I completely agree with this quote. We should respect people’s beliefs and choices, and also respect them for who they are and not for what they believe. As teachers, it is our responsibility to teach based on the facts that we are supposed to teach, and to not teach based on our opinions. We cannot be bias in our educational lessons because that would mean that we are pushing the students to believe in a certain belief, and we do not have the right to do this. It is not our responsibility to change our students’ views on religion, culture, etc. We as teachers will have many children with different backgrounds, cultures, and religions. We cannot judge them or discriminate against them because of who they are or where they are from. Instead, we should encourage the students to get to know more about different cultures and religions just to be aware of their society and what is around them, but we cannot encourage or push them into believing in a specific religion or culture. If a teacher wants to promote his/her religion, they can teach at a private school that teaches about that specific religion. Public schools now are extremely careful about everything they do when it comes to personal things, such as religion and culture. For example, in the Pledge of Allegiance, the part that states “one nation under God indivisible” was taken out in many schools. Now it is just “one nation indivisible….” Also, at the end of the Pledge of Allegiance, the part where it said “in God we trust” was taken out because many people have different beliefs about God. Teachers and people in general should not force their opinions on anyone, unless a person personally asks for that opinion. Another interesting point that was made was the talk about Christmas not being celebrated in schools. Soltis and Strike were saying that it is not fair to Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc because their religions are not being recognized like Christmas. “Christmas had always been celebrated wit nativity plays, Christmas caroling, decorated trees, exchanges of presents, and of course, the Christmas vacation. But the Board began to wonder about how this civic celebration of major Christian event would feel to those were Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Confucianists, or atheists” (Soltis & Strike, pg. 104). The board also considered changing the name “Christmas Break” to “Winter Recess.” I agree with this, but I also disagree. Although America is supposed to be known as the land of diversity, it is mostly known as the “land of Americans,” which is mostly those who believe in Christmas. It has been like this for so long, and the minorities that are in America know that most Americans believe in Christmas. Now, since other traditions by Muslims, Jews, etc are not celebrated as much as Christmas, that is because these groups are known to be minorities. This does not mean that the traditions should not be talked about, but there are too many traditions to teach, and Christmas is one of the main ones that people celebrate and know more about, especially in America. That may seem unfair that Christianity was the “chosen religion” to focus on in America, but that is the reality.
ReplyDeleteMulticulturalism and diversity is important in the educational setting. Students of a variety of cultures walk the same halls everyday without having any understanding or concern about the other. I think religion should be taught in schools as a format to facilitate discussion within the classroom. I think it can help students relate current world issues and encourage them to decide for themselves how they feel about the issues they hear outside of the school setting.
ReplyDeleteThe articles seem to all blend together and made me think of what kind of classroom structure I would like to work in. Students are bright and molding and if they can have some kind of understanding it could help the school succeed as a whole.
Norma
In the beginning of Chapter 5 it discusses the issue that Paul Huxley was dealing with while teaching his AP Biology class with the issue of creationism vs evolution. Huxley found out that a clergyman was providing a seminar against Huxley’s arguments of evolution and actually was giving the students arguments to rebut his ‘theory’ of evolution. Huxley brought up to the principal what he had found out and wanted to provide somewhat of a debate between Huxley and the clergyman. Since nothing had ever been attempted before the school district’s attorney said he did not believe that it would be illegal. This scenario really made me think because as teachers we will be given a specific curriculum that we are meant to follow, we will be able to adjust it slightly but usually leaves little room for alterations. When an issue like this is brought up in your classroom, what are you supposed to do? You want and need to teach the students what they are supposed to be learning but another source is telling them what you are teaching them is wrong which takes away your creditability and the creditability of the school in the student’s eyes. On the other hand the students had not been struggling with the lessons and they had been actually been quite successful so what should be looked at as more important, the student’s success or that there is someone who is discrediting you and telling the students what they are learning is wrong?
ReplyDelete-Tina
When considering the discussion of evolution in chapter five, I had mixed feelings. I feel as though sometimes the discussion of evolution is too mature for even high school age children. I think that students should be introduced to the topic and should be aware of the scientific evidence that suggests natural selection and evolution are possible, but to have a debate among students is always going to be risky. It is like having a debate over abortion. I believe in evolution. But I was also raised as a Christian. Sometimes the discussion of evolution among peers gets too emotional and intense with all of the different beliefs involved. It would even be hard as a teacher to not impose my own beliefs and ideas in the same ways that Mr. Huxley struggled.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the case of Ms. Canebrake's refusal to teach fractions to her second grade class: I find fault with both Ms. Canebrake and the principal, Ms. Dormer. Assuming that what is presented is the full story, Ms. Canebrake seems to me to have acted hastily. While I respect her desire to do right by her students first and foremost, I think she could have taken more measured steps to make the situation better. Has she tried more creative ways to help her students understand fractions - ways that are not part of the curriculum? Has she asked other teachers for their advice/opinions? Has she consulted with the school board to possibly amend/change the curriculum in any way? Has she considered the opinions of her students' parents? I think before refusing outright to teach a part of the curriculum, a teacher ought to make sure there is no way to make it work, that no changes can be made, and that her students' parents understand her position. I can't imagine that many parents would be happy to find their children are in the only class in the district not learning a certain subject. And, ultimately, would this not put the children in her class behind others and therefor set them up for more stress in the next grade when they don't know what their peers do? ....on the other hand: I think Ms. Dormer seems rather univolved. If I were in her position, I would expect Ms. Canebrake to try the above mentioned ideas. I would also want to get into the second grade classrooms to see how fractions are received by the students. Are there teachers who are successful in teaching fractions to second graders? Furthermore, I think Ms. Dormer does not seem as concerned about the students as she ought to. As principal, she should take seriously Ms. Canebrake's concerns about teaching fractions to second graders and should asist her in finding a solution that doesn't jeopardize her career. It is also very short-sighted to assume that just because the school board made up the curriculum it is sound teaching. Administrators, parents, and a sixth-grader are hardly the most qualified to decide what is developmentally appropriate for second graders. In the end, both Ms. Dormer and Ms. Canebrake seem too rigid and not sufficiently thoughtful in their quick judgements, and ultimately the children are the ones who will suffer the consequences.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 5 it discusses Evolution and Creationism. It discusses the class that was provided on Creationism and completely refuted the idea of Evolution. As much as I feel the topic should not be discussed within a classroom setting due to the harsh differences in opinions, if it is going to be discussed both sides need to be shown. There are going to be students who are different ends of the spectrum however if the facts and ideas are given behind the two ideas. I do not feel it is acceptable to share personal ideas to influence other students because I feel school is a place to develop their own ideas and beliefs.
ReplyDeleteCortney Hall
After reading the article on solidarity, this really made me ask the question: do we as humans every really think of anyone other than ourselves when given the chance to aid others. This can be seen in almost any situation for we inherently care for our own emotional needs above anyone or anything else. We help others because, yes, it is good and the right thing to do, but this justification only satisfies our own personal agendas so in turn we are only helping ourselves. There is nothing wrong with this concept as both parties involved will benefit, but confining who we aid to only those who we can readily affiliate with is an issue in our modern western society. We as humans ARE human and therefore can (or at least should be able to) relate to anyone else in our species. We each were created from a mother and father, breath the same air, drink the same water, etc. and based on these facts one would think this would be enough to consider every human as part of any "we" statement. This, however, is not the case as we have drawn lines and boundaries based upon arbitrary distinctions imagined that carry social, political, and religious affiliations. By breaking down these barriers, we are then able to see that people are people and morality does not apply to a certain class or group, but the entire species as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI believe that diversity is extremely important in schools, not only to have a diverse group of people but to teach about different cultures and religions. Chapter 5 discusses the battle between creationism and evolution in the first case study. I think that public schools cannot pick a certain side to call truth but rather all sides should be taught. Yes, this is difficult because religions and cultures are not able to be taught quickly but it is important to get the basic ideas out there so that the students can decide for themselves. We should be creating an atmosphere where students can learn about different things and then decide their beliefs without passing judgement or forcing a certain belief on a student. I think that this goes along with both a non-consequentialist as well as a consequentialist view point. A consequentialist because it does the most good for the most people, if teaching is done in this way all sides are taught, people are not offended, and the students benefit in a well rounded education rather than a one sided education. Non- consequentialists might say that teaching all cultures and religions is a good thing because of their belief in the golden rule.
ReplyDeleteThis difficult thing with this is there are always people that will disagree. Parents that wont appreciate their children learning about Christianity or hinduism or evolution. So will there ever be a solution for something like this that is so close to many people's hearts?
-Megan Conway
In chapter 5 the book speaks about diversity, and respecting someone's beliefs. In the case of Evolution teaching in school, I feel that it is a necessary part of someone's education. One needs to be taught all of the major theories of science, and evolution is one of them. The reason, I believe, why the teacher was not teaching Creationism is because that would break the law that is based on not being preferential to a certain religion to another. Every religion has a different belief when it comes to how the Earth was made, and scientifically speaking, Evolution is something that is proven, can be fit into these religious beliefs, and is necessary to be taught in schools.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Folklorization, it didnt really make me realize things i already knew, but it just made me more aware. Everyone judges cultures they do not know. I honestly dont know much about any culture other than my own. I currently have been a waitress for the last two years working throughout college, and every server i have ever met says they judge so much being in that job, and its true. I know nothing about the culture of some "foreign" people i serve, but the moment i dont get tipped by them i judge them. In reality though, maybe where they are from its different, and they just dont know. Going to a University with such a strong outlook on Diversity, i am suprised i dont know alot more about different cultures, and the same with my peers. Probably the best way to learn another culture is to actually go there and see what its like without judging. We have a complete different lifestyle than so many cultures out there that its quick for them to judge us just like its quick for us to judge them. My question would be though when teaching about different cultures, i feel like there are so many and so many aspects to all of them that how would you teach all of them? There would be so many left out.
ReplyDeleteDiversity is something that I have always found to be an interesting topic and one that is very sensitive. In the case of teaching evolution, I believe that evolution is what needs to be taught because this is a scientific theory that is being proven and the course is science. Science does not believe in creationism. I think that the teacher should not even have to bring up creationism because this theory is centered around one particular religion and still singles people out. If parents want their students to learn about creationism, they should have that done in their parish, not in the public school setting.
ReplyDeleteI found the article Solidarity by Rorty to be very interesting. The author brings up at the beginning of the article that certain nationalities might possess more solidarity than others, something that I find to be very biased. Although different people have become more known for their charitable acts than others, that doesn’t mean that only such groups are capable of such actions. The author brings up examples of the lack of caring by camp guards as well as the seemingly unhumanitarian actions of many people turning over their own friends and neighbors. It would be a discredit to the numerous factors that make each person different if we just clumped everyone together and classified them as being more or less likely to do something. There are different influences why people act the way they do, such as culture, time, society, and peers. Not only these, but there personal reasons that may cause someone to act a way that they normally wouldn’t do. Judging our fellow people based on criteria such as listed above is inaccurate due to the numerous confounding variables that help to shape our daily actions and judgments, leaving the question what can we due to enforce a consistent good behavior? Ratings based on solidarity and good deeds should be based on an individual basis, helping to show people that good acts do exist in the world thereby helping to encourage others to do the same.
ReplyDeleteI thought that Chapter 5 had the key statement on how a professional should handle diversity in the classroom. It statest, "We must respect other people's culture even if we are convinced that ours is superior. What we are respecting is the right to choose, not the adequacy of the choice."
ReplyDeletePutting this hand in hand with the topics in "Folklorization" it is easy to see the different levels of disrespect that are around people everyday. The act of stereotyping is bred into the "us" and "them" mentality of the human psyche that we have taken culture and made it entertainment rather than accept and nurture it.
When dealing with a classroom, a teacher must recognize that the ideal Walgreens Perfect doesn't exist for these students but you have to at least recognize the opportunity given to you with the classroom as a space.
Be aware of yourself. Some humans will not take the task to show you your ignorance lightly. Self awareness can cause awareness of those around you and cause that mutual respect mentioned in chapter 5.