Gender and Education

• ''In fact, upon entering school, girls perform equal to or better than boys on nearly every measure of achievement, but by the time they graduate high school or college, they have fallen behind. (Sadker, 1994)''
• ''The socialization of gender within our schools assures that girls are made aware that they are unequal to boys. Every time students are seated or lined up by gender, teachers are affirming that girls and boys should be treated differently.''
• ''When different behaviors are tolerated for boys than for girls because 'boys will be boys', schools are perpetuating the oppression of females. There is some evidence that girls are becoming more academically successful than boys, however examination of the classroom shows that girls and boys continue to be socialized in ways that work against gender equity.''
• ''Teachers socialize girls towards a feminine ideal. Girls are praised for being neat, quiet, and calm, whereas boys are encouraged to think independently, be active and speak up. Girls are socialized in schools to recognize popularity as being important, and learn that educational performance and ability are not as important. "Girls in grades six and seven rate being popular and well-liked as more important than being perceived as competent or independent. Boys, on the other hand, are more likely to rank independence and competence as more important." (Bailey, 1992)''
• ''Yet gender bias in education reaches beyond socialization patterns, bias is embedded in textbooks, lessons, and teacher interactions with students. This type of gender bias is part of the hidden curriculum of lessons taught implicitly to students through the every day functioning of their classroom.''
• ''"Rather than identifying learning problems, school personnel may be mislabeling behavioral problems. Girls who sit quietly are ignored; boys who act out are placed in special programs that may not meet their needs." (Bailey, 1992)''
• ''Gender bias in education is an insidious problem that causes very few people to stand up and take notice. The victims of this bias have been trained through years of schooling to be silent and passive, and are therefore unwilling to stand up and make noise about the unfair treatment they are receiving. "Over the course of years the uneven distribution of teacher time, energy, attention, and talent, with boys getting the lion's share, takes its toll on girls." (Sadker, 1994) Teachers are generally unaware of their own biased teaching behaviors because they are simply teaching how they were taught and the subtle gender inequities found in teaching materials are often overlooked. Girls and boys today are receiving separate and unequal educations due to the gender socialization that takes place in our schools and due to the sexist hidden curriculum students are faced with every day. Unless teachers are made aware of the gender-role socialization and the biased messages they are unintentionally imparting to students everyday, and until teachers are provided with the methods and resources necessary to eliminate gender-bias in their classrooms, girls will continue to receive an inequitable education.''

Here is a little video I found. It's silly, but I think makes a point.

Between Barack and a Hard Place

Wise's point about their being a day where people of color can be as "mediocre" as white people and still get hired. He uses an example of Bush and I think that helps to prove that color does not matter, despite what society might see. Also the host mentioning how many children of color may have thought before that they must be a hip-hop artist or a basketball star, but with Obama being president opens up a new view and inspiration for them. It depends onwhether you are willing to work hard enough, not on your color. Brown V.S. the Board of Education says that seperate is not equal. I think that these relate, because by desegragating the schools helped to show that anyone can do anything, as does Obama becoming president of the United States. When Wise says we still need to see how much work still needs to be done, he brings in a very strong point. Even after Brown V.S. Board, and other movements, we still had to move forward to make more changes as we do today after progressing to have a person of color as president.
I have included Martin Luther King Jr.'s, "I have a dream" speech because I feel it highly motivational and relates towards the movement of equality for all.

Kahne and Westheimer- ''In The Service Of What?''- Quotes

To begin this post I want to start with my link, because I think it gives a clear message on what service learning is and how it is used for good.

What is service learning?

''Educators and legislators alike maintain that service learning can improve the community and invigorate the classroom, providing rich educational experiences for students at all levels of schooling. Service learning makes students active participants in service projects that aim to respond to the needs of the community while furthering the academic goals of students.''

This quote means that service learning is an important base step in the educational process of a students goals. But not only that, but it helps to show the importance of helping the community when it is in need. It really shows that service learning is helpful to the service we need to provide academiclly and communially.

''These two service learning projects have much in common. Both provide authentic learning experiences. reflection on matters of social concern, and opportunities for interdisciplinary study linked to curricular goals. Moreover, the goals of both projects have broad-based appeal. They stress the importance of compassion for those in need, and they encourage children and young adults to find ways to help.''"32 While such rhetoric might allow this political scientist to be a trusted advisor to members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, it will not resolve the dilemmas facing practitioners who need to think carefully about the many values that we do not share, about what a radically improved world might look like, and about the different ways one might pursue this goal.''

I feel this quote sums up why service learning projects are important. They help to build compassion, helps others, increases ones education, and inspires people to help out. Reading this part of the article showed me what kinds of service learning prohects there were. I got a better understanding from it.

''If we focus on the "numerous values we share as a community," writes Amitai Etzioni, the founder of the cornmunitarian movement and a proponent ofservice learn-ing, "our world would be radically improved. "32 While such rhetoric might allow this political scientist to be a trusted advisor to members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, it will not resolve the dilemmas facing practitioners who need to think carefully about the many values that we do not share, about what a radically improved world might look like, and about the different ways one might pursue this goal.''

This reference means that we need to discover the best way to go about helping out. If everyone going towards a common value is better or worse than working on improving all of the values that are different. Are the values we don't share worse than the ones we do? I connect this to the article by thinking about which values you to work on and by what way would be most effective.

Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community by Dennis Carlson- Reflection

This article made me think of a video(click here) that I saw a few days ago. The video is about bullying which leads to teen suicide, because you are different.

• How can a state prohibit teaching theirs students about homosexuality? I admit I never had a "class" on it, but it had been talked about and mentioned in classes. I feel like this is saying we can't talk about the Holocaust, because it might make  person with Jewish background feel bad.

• I hate how the article says being gay gives you a loss of respect. Maybe to some that is true, but it is something that is so unfair. A person should have every right to love whom they want without being afraid of the repercussions. I also am reminded of SCWAAMP

I wish acceptance was easier to have in the world. I know people will always have their differences, but it kills me to know that some of these differences will lead to horrible things. I know it sounds a little silly, but if only everyone could get along, the world would be a happier place....if only