Name Of Author And Text
Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer - In Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning

Author's Arguement:
The authors argue that along with an experiment there has to be background information as well as a follow up. Service Learning is and should be supported, but there should be more to just going out and doing something for the community and calling it a day. There are standards and goals that should be met.

Quotes:
1) "The ability of a service learning curriculum to foster authentic, experience-based learning opportunities, to motivate students, to help students engage in higher order thinking in contextually varied environments, and to promote interdisciplinary studies has led some, such as John Brisco, a leader in the field,to label service learning 'the Trojan horse of school reform.'"
-When I think of the term Trojan Horse 2 things come to mind. One being bad- destruction, and the other being good- team work and togetherness. I believe service learning is a way to allow students to test the waters. Going into a career without having tried it first could be surprising or devistating, but when getting to work with others in your community and being able to not only help yourself, but others as well is a great thing. Service learning allows you to teach yourself while helping/teaching someone else. It is a nice feeling to know that you were the one who taught someone their ABC's or numbers.


2) "Our participation in acts of national service, he [Benjamin Barber] believes, is a 'prerequisite of citizenship' and essentional for democratic institutions.'"
- As much as I believe that service learning is an amazing program that people should take advantage of, I do not believe that a person should be forced to do so. I believe that people should have the choice of what they want to do with their time, and if SL is it then great, but if not than there is nothing really to do. I do not believe that acts of national service should be a prerequisite of citizenship because it is an unfair deal. What if you have children and a full time job, where is there time for SL? Whether the person wants to be a part of it or not there are things in life some people have to do for themselves and their families before they can reach out to others.

3) "Students tutor, coach softball, paint playgrounds, and read to the elderly because they are interested in people,or because they want to learn a little about poverty and racism before they head out into the waiting corporate world....We do not volunteer 'to make a statement,' or to use the people we work with to protest something. We try to se the homeless man, the hungry child, and the dying woman as the people they are, not the means to some political end."
- I really liked this quote because it is true. Some people volunteer to say they volunteered and did some community service, but others who are really passionate do not like others to look at them and think that they feel the same as those people. There are people who really do want to help and who devote all of there spare time to different organizations and such. Not just for how good it looks on a resume or college application, but they care...they actually care.

Comments:
I believe service learning is a great thing and everyone should WANT to do it. I love where I'm at. It is right across the street from my house and I can see the kids whenever they are out for recess when I am home. I love watching these children progress, sing, dance, count, and interact with one another all of which they hadn't done before. This article was long and boring most of the time, but there was plenty of quotes in this article that could fire up a well-planned conversation! :)


Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us - Christensen
Arguement:
Christensen argues that the media has corrupted the minds of children sending them false messages about life, people, and themselves. The media shows children the "right" way of life, but not reality.

Quotes:
1) "When we read children's books, we aren't just reading cute little stories, we are discovering the tools with which a young society is manipulated."
- When I was little (and still to this day) my favorite princess was Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I remember not caring about the words so much, but the pictures drilled themelves into my head. I loved how pretty she was, how well she could sing, her hair and makeup perfect. Not an ounce of fat on her perfect little body. She was white with brown hair and I used to think I was her....(that was until I fell inlove with Pocahontas). Then there was the beast, dark fur, ugly face, lived alone.....up until he found love did he turn into a handsome white man. Belle meaning beauty was a white female kidnapped by this beast, who was very dark (reminding me of African American) locked in a dungeon until she found the good in him. This portrays a lot of things that maybe children can not put together, but will learn to see. And it is not only in princess stories or cartoons, but chapter books as well. As a child I read the story Oliver Twist which portrayed all homeless people to be theives. Although this is not true it was what was instilled in my mind until my Uncle Jack became homeless. He did not steal a dime off of anyone, but I was afraid of him because I was afraid of the characters in the book. I had it in my head that my own uncle would steal from me.

2) "Brazilian educator Paulo Freire wrote that instead of wrestling with words and ideas, too often students 'walk on the words.'"
- People don't take the time to "dissect" what they allow their children to watch. Some parents let they're kids watch whatever they want just to keep them quiet and out of their hair. What they don't know is that their children are thinking ok if mommy lets me watch this then it must be ok, so they mimmic what they see. My nephew Jason watches horrible cartoons that are given on cartoon network, and he loves hitting people because that is what he sees. One night I was kneeling down outside killing a slug with salt...haha....and he came and punched my right in the middle of my back screaming somethinghe heard on a cartoon. This was no light punch it left a bruise on my back! Parents don't pay close enough attention to certain things that should matter to them because their child is slowly, but surely being affected by it.

3) "No one wants to admit they've been 'handled' by the media."
- Speaks for itself.

4) "Happiness means getting a man, and transformation from wretched conditions can be achieved though consumption - in their case, through new clothes and new hairstyle."
- Every fairytale ends with the girl getting the guy. Is that the only source of happiness in ones life? This means every girl needs a man to be happy....which is not true. And for those girls who are bisexual, or lesbian this is a slap in the face. Are they wrong for not wanting that PRINCE charming as their happy ending? Just like that book King and King they took it out of schools for the last page of them kissing.....for a boy who is gay,that shows that it is frowned upon to show affection to the one you love. Not everyone's happy ending is going to be the same. These stories also show that you need to be pretty in order to be loved. You must change your clothes and put on an act to get someone to fall inlove with you. These are things being thrown at children secretly. These subliminal messages that make our kids self concious and insane about looking good to take a walk down the street.

Comments:
- Reading this article made me think back to the essay I wrote on subliminal messages in Disney movies. All of the inappropriate drawings that flash too quickly through a film for you to see. You can actually You Tube the words "Subliminal Messages" and a bunch of results will come up. I believe that the media has a tremendous influence on the way children grow up to act, but it is everywhere and it's not going to stop. As much as I would like to put on a cartoon and not see a race being made fun of just to boost ratings or practically anorexic pricesses hobbling around acting helpless and in need of a man to save them, it's not going to happen. Disney Princess are classics and no matter what messages are in them who doesn't love to sit and watch a disney classic? You can stop your child from watching cartoons, but its not like they won't be influenced by the outside world. You can't keep your child in a shell. They are going to make decisions on their own and find out about life whether it be superficial or something else. You can teach your child what you see and what you know, but ultimately they will decide what they want for themselves. Whether they want to spend all of their money on designer clothes, shoes, and makeup. Whether they want to wear something that will most likely get them the guy they want. No matter what we think, children have a mind of their own and their isn't much we can do to change them.
My little sister Marrina is COMPLETELY not what I expected her to be, and in a way I'm glad. I mean she gets on my nerves a lot and I can't stand talking to her at times, but she's her own person. She was born prematurely at 1lb 4oz and had plenty of complications but as she got older she was so cute! We dressed her in doll clothes and pink bows. Well we knew she was different the day she started playing with watches. She never liked Barbies. She would only play with watches and duck tape. She would run around on all fours like a wacko (she thought she was a Pokemon). She grew out of watches and resulted in paper. Now she makes "paper friends" and draws all day long. She comes up with the weirdest stories....but she's herself. She doesn't wear pink, she likes rock music, she could care less about what people think of her, she's bisexual and happy and would like to grow up to be an Animator. People at school make fun of her for not wearing Abercrombie and Hollister (the brands I like), but she brushes it off because she likes who she is.





Name of Author and Text:
Dennis Carlson- Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community

Arguement:
Carlson argues that, no matter what your sexual orientation may be, you should be accepted. You should be able to speak out amoung your peers without judgement or ridicule. You should not have to live in fear of being proud of who you are. Also that schools need to be more open minded about such topics because faculty and students are not going to hide in a box to make it easier to brush off the topic. You should not see someone on the basis of who they like, but for what they bring, intellectually, to your school.

Quotes:
* Getting rid of teachers who were homosexuals was said to,"keep young people from being exposed to improper role models, lechery, and child molestation."

Ok, so, when I read this I said "ARE YOU SERIOUS?" outloud and scared my dog Caramel half to death. First off, it should not matter whether a person is gay, straight, bisexual, or lesbian. They all went to college and all have a degree to be a teacher, and I'm pretty sure if their professors found them inadequate, they would not have passed them. Second, I don't see how not being straight makes you an improper role model. When I was in the 10th grade I took a computer course and my teacher was straight, and he was the worst role model of all. He would sit at his desk and watch Asian porn flicks all class period long. He was eventually fired, but after years and years of teaching it took them that long to believe what his students were saying. And third, how are all non straight teachers child molesters!!!! What a horrible thing to say about anyone if it is not true! Have you ever heard of Mary Kay Letourneau? Sure they both agreed on what was going on, but it was along the lines of that and she was straight! Any teacher of any sexual orientation can molest a student. I just don't see it as fair to stereotype at all nevermind so over dramatically as this.

* "Three techniques of normalization and (hence) marginalization have been of primary importance in this regard: 1) the erasure of gayness in the curriculum, 2) the "closeting" and "witch hunting" of gay teachers, and 3) verbal and physical intimidation of gay teachers and students."
I feel like students should be educated about gayness and not forced from the subject at every ounce of exposure. Not all people are the same. Some are going to want to talk about the subject and some are going to wonder why it is never talked about. It is up to the educators to accept comments and neutralize themselves on the subject whether you agree with what is said or not. It is something that should not be pushed aside. Why should people have to live in fear? Why is it okay to talk about being straight, and have an open discussion about it, but not for someone who is gay? Being gay is just as normal as being straight. And I understand that a teacher's personal life is none of anyone's business, but there are ways in which teachers can help students feel more comfortable in their skin assuring them that they are not alone. Why must they be "witch hunted"? That expression makes them sound as if they are these evil creatures when they are just the same as you and I.

* "gayness often has been positioned as a "white problem.""
Well from what I have seen and known there are gay people in every race not only whites, and since when is it a problem? I don't see how loving someone, no matter what gender they are, is a problem. There are so many gays, lesbians, and bisexuals in my family that it has never been an issue. One of my ex best friends was a hispanic, gay male and it never occured to me that his gayness was a problem. Being white and gay is just as much a problem as someone being white and straight because if it is ok to say that gayness is an issue then you are talking about a large portion of my family and I have a right to protect what my family believes. I just don't understand why it is ok to critisize someone else's life? Are you that bored with your own life that making someone else afraid to be themselves has become a hobby?

Questions/Comments?
I am glad that I was able to spill my thoughts here because as I was reading this they were just building up inside me. I am greatful that this topic is becoming more accepted and the means of a class discussion. I said so much that I needed to say in the last paragraphs that I really have nothing left....I am cleansed :)