Christensen, " Unpacking the Myths that Bind Us." Post 3

Argument

The article, " Unpacking the Myths that Bind us," by Linda Christensen is an article where Christensen is expressing her feelings towards relatively recent children's television, and movies. She talks about common films that we all are familiar with such as Disney movies like Mullan and Aladdin. Some children's television she refers to is shows like Looney Tunes and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Christensen argument seems to be that these movies, and shows that children familiar themselves so much with these movies and shows that they ultimately influence the children, the way they act and how they represent the world around them. Some where along the line the hidden racism, sexism within these clips is imbedded in the minds of these young children.

I like when Christensen says, " Our society's culture industry colo­

nizes their minds and teaches them how to act, live, and dream." I believe in this same idea as well because everyday I work with 5 yr olds and they get so into a character form a show or movie that they look up to. For example I have one student who is constantly talking, acting and thinking about ironman. He gets so into character that he seems to forget that he is in school. More than once a day I have to remind him that he is, ( and I tell him his name) right now and not iron man. He makes sound effects and body motions as if he was ironman himself. More over I also can relate to Christensen when she mentions in her article about Beverly Tatum, who wrote the book, " Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" And that particular part caught my eye because I always seem to notice, and or pay attention to things like that, and I have actually noticed that before. And I am sure it must be true for all ethnicities.

After reading this article, I couldn't help but to go to youtube and watch some Disney movie clips that represent these so called sexual oriented hidden secrets within the Disney movies, I don't know how to take the whole thing. I think it is weird, but at times it could be believable. More over the always popular Disney princesses, all my little 5 yr old girl students LOVE the Disney princesses, they all wear the clothes have the dolls, blankets, bedding sheets, the dance around and think its the best thing ever, but little do these little innocent girls realize is that they're being set up to think that they have to look a certain way. The princesses are always skinny, usually white and have curvy body frames. I also read somewhere that the newer of the Disney Princesses from the movie, " The princess and the Frog," she is a black princess, where that brought up plenty of talk, then the issue that her prince was white, and how a black prince wasn't good enough.

Grinner Hip Hop Sees no Color Talking Points #2

When reading Grinner’s article “ Hip Hop Has no Color,” Grinner uses the SCWAMP model Straight, Christian, White, Able-bodied, Male and Property Holding . It’s as if I almost knew where the article was going without even getting through the first couple of pages. As soon as she mentioned Save the Last Dance, I figured that Grinner was going to pick apart each and every detail of the film. Grinner is able to open your eyes and allow the reader to realize things that maybe they hadn’t noticed while watching the movie previously.

After reading the article I know if I was to re-watch the movie and pay attention to Grinners specific ideals of ideology in this movie it would be as if I was watching the movie for the first time, not just watching the movie for the entertainment aspect of it but more so for the true meaning behind it. I feel as though all movies based upon teenage, high school students all for the most part have the same plot, with a few twists along the way that make it different from the last one. It is as if you can tell what is going to happen in the movie without even watching it, or the whole thing. I found that Grinner’s observations were legitimate , but I feel like the person watching the film, depending of their cultural back-rounds will all have a different affect on them. I feel like what it comes down to is that everything through media is so stereotypical and self explanatory,you already know what to expect. Its all for money, and ratings.

I personally am not into movies that much I don’t ever go out of my way to watch a movie, so that is why is it hard for me to come up with movies that represent these ideal ideologies of Grinner, but I am mostly familiar with reality television. I am very familiar with MTV, I know from watching Teen Mom that the majority of the girls on that show are indeed white, and for the most part they are representing a stereotype that white people are typically not represented in through media. I don’t think media will ever change.

Media & Ideology - Talking Points #1

Perhaps there is more than one meaning to the word reality, and I believe that media does have a direct influence on society. Although this particular text seemed to use examples that were a bit out dated, I was still able to pull the main ideas from it. President Clinton's impeachment,rapper Emenims angry and violent lyrics, as well as the way religion is portrayed in the media through movies. Whether we like it or not, our generation more so then before has been hit with this wave of media and I am not sure we can get away from it. It is a very powerful issue. I work as an assistant pre-school teacher, and everyday I see 3-5 year olds begging and crying, giving their parents a hard time so that they can use their parents Iphones and Ipads. It makes me realize that fortunately enough when I was that age such distractions were not available. It makes me sick to watch these parents giving into their children and allowing them the access to these devices. What did children do before these services were invented? I am a strong believer that people are products of their environments, and you become, what you are essentially surrounded by.

T.V stations like disney I even feel like are representing the wrong topics for their shows. On Friday evening its all shows, and within each episode there is always some kind of girlfriend, boy friend delima and boys interested in girls and vise versa, but why does that even have to be a subject matter? I feel like the only message with that is teaching children that they have to be involved in dating and relationships early on? I am a HUGE fan of Jersey Shore and I'm ok with admitting that, I find it very comical and entertaining. But I 100% agree that it is without a doubt sending out bad messages to young teens and perhaps maybe even young adults. What I do not like about it is that fact that my 12 year old niece knows all of the characters names and what happens in some of the episodes. I know for a fact she is not exposed to the show at home so it must be a conversation topic at her middle school, and I am almost positive that parents allow their middle schoolers to stay up until 11 on Thursday nights to watch the new Jersey Shore episodes.

Media is a very powerful contributer to the way in which society is based upon. I think from this point on it will only get worse. I think the availability to the internet is also a problem. There are 3 year olds who can work a computer and search better than my immigrant parents can. It just goes to show you where this is going.

Introduction 1/27/11 WMST-354

Hello everyone! My name is Taylor, this is my 3rd semester at RIC. Before transferring to RIC I went to CCRI for two years, with a scholarship to play soccer. So far the semester is going well, but I know I've got my hands full until May. When I am not in class I am usually at work or spending time with my friends and family. I am an assistant preschool teacher, and I am currently working towards a degree in early childhood education. There is a quote I came across that has stuck with me ever since I started to work with young children, "You can learn many things from children, how much patience you have, for instance." - author unknown. Moreover I think this course will be a good learning experience and good time.

Conclusion

I just wanted to take the time to conclude my overall experience as a volunteer , tutor in the providence public school system. It was without a doubt an eye opener for me. It is true that you do learn something new every day. I realized that I take a lot for granted within my life now at 21 years of age and when I was a grade student. And that there are some very unfortunate kids out there who are so grateful for the little they do have. I also realized that things have defiantly changed a lot from when I was an elementary student. I feel as though the children now know a lot more of the stuff they shouldn’t know yet and they are so advanced,and its not so much academic wise. I had some good times with the children as we taught one another, I helped them learn and they helped me be thankful for what I have and the life I live. I met some good people who helped me realize a little more each day the kind of teacher I want to be. I am thankful for the opportunity and I hope to change some of the lives of young children in the future.

Prompt 6 & Dewey

Communication is without a doubt one of the more important aspects I feel in education. I think without proper communication that there are always a lot of confusions, misconceptions, and more obviously miscommunications. A culturally competent teacher I strongly believe must use a variety of verbal, as well as non verbal communication techniques that encourage their students with positive social interactions, in which are supportive learning experiences within a classroom

Personally, while tutoring my kindergarten aged children I have found a few ways of communicating non verbally that have been a positive learning experience for my children. When going over their vocabulary words I use hand or face motions/expressions that help that remember/recognize the words. For example for the number word TWO I would put two fingers up for the word up I would use a thumbs up etc. Moreover, I also had the children write words that that couldn’t remember 3x each, and have them repeat the word each time they wrote it down. I noticed that the teacher in my classroom did similar things. She would say words aloud and have a picture to correspond with it. She made sure that all of her students were focused and paying attention whenever she spoke and did an activity. To make sure they were paying attention should would ask specific questions about the lessons. I feel it is especially important for educators to be aware of the fact that learning at a young age is essential for proper development. My teacher also likes to do 90% of her class activates in groups, incorporating social activity. And according to John Dewey he also believes that education is a social function. The more group involved activities, the more learning occurs.

Having social group oriented activities allows children to get to know one another, as well as learn how to work with others. Dewey also talks about how a child’s communication also has to do with their social life outside of school. People are attracted to other people with similar interests. For example in my classroom I tutor in there is only two white students, and they are always together. The troublemakers in the classroom are two African American boys and the most talkative, outspoken children are all of Spanish descent. So following Dewey’s belief, I would have my students sit in different groups, with different groups of children every couple of weeks to change things up and give them the opportunities to get to know one another on a different level, other than what they already know. On a personal level with my students the do not really talk about their personal lives because I don’t think that most of them realizes the certain situations they are in because of their age. I think if I were to see some of these children again in a few years they would have more to say aside from their school work.

Prompt 5 & Delpit

I think as an aspiring teacher that involving works with the students and their families, as well as some of the community, and its resources would be a great idea because that way it keeps everyone on the same page. Also the parents could be involved in what their child is learning in school and the children would like to have their parents see what they have learned. I remember as a grade school student whenever we had after school activities where our parents got to come and interact with their children in a school setting that I always had a great time as well as a great learning experience. I remember in the 3^rd grade we got to invite our parents to a science fair night with a bunch of experiments that had to do with our curriculum, games, and activities, the children got to learn as well as win educational orientated prizes. I think schools now should do more of these. It’s a fun, yet good way to learn.

I think depending on what kind of neighborhood in which I am teaching, would depend on the family/parent interaction with the school and community. I think that in an upper class to middle class neighborhood parents would be more involved and as you would get into the poorer, less fortunate neighborhoods and families, parents would be less involved. I don’t think its necessarily because they do not want to be involved, but because most of the time these families have work commitments, and communication issues that conflict with their involvement with their children’s school.

For example, while volunteering at my elementary school, one day a parent of a student who attends the school came in to speak with her child’s teacher. The only problem was it wasn’t the parent physically speaking to the teacher but her child who was translating for his Spanish speaking mother. I was looking at the teacher and it seemed as though she felt awkward with the situation only because what the student was translation from the teachers English to the mothers Spanish was about himself. So nothing that was said was at all private.

Lisa Delpit had a lot to do with my understanding of teacher, student communications and relationships as well as student, parent teacher relationships.. I think it is very important to have a good relationship as a student with your teacher and as a teacher with your student and their parents. Delpit seemed to focus a lot on the communication of poorer, African American students and their families. But she did mention how regardless of background some way of communication was essential in the learning process. And for children who are less fortunate than others that communication is absolutely necessary. Not only from an education standpoint but in all aspects of life I strongly believe that commuication is key no matter what it has to do with.

I would try to communicate with parents as much as possible. I would like to communicate with them through a school based e-mail system. If parents were not able to communicate through email I would communicate through letters that would be available in their native languages. I would generously give my spare after school personal time to parents who wanted to speak with me personally as well, and possibly have an appointment book to be organized.