Boston Ballet Dance Program for children with Down Syndrome

I was watching a program last night and this caught my attention. I thought it was very interesting and I felt like sharing with you. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkWlpYK77SA

Talking Point # 10 - Johnson

What Can We Do?
Becoming Part of the Solution
Allan G. Johnson

Author's Argument: Johnson argues that we must be aware of the problem in order to include ourselves in the solution. He also suggests that we should all think about trouble as everyone's responsability and nobody's fault.

Quotes:
1. "Very often those who have privilege don't know it, for example, which is a key aspect of privilege."

This quote reminds me of McIntosh. Now I understand that sometime people with privilege don't know it, or like McIntosh will say it's unearned. However, I think that there are people who are aware of their power and they use it for their own benefit.

2. " But privileged doesn't equate with being happy. It involves having what others don't have and the struggle to hang on to it at their expense, neither of which is a recipe for joy, personal fulfillment, or spiritual contentment."

I never thought of privileged as something negative or unhappiness. But now I see what Johnson means in this quote and I agree with him. Privilege can't affect not only those people who don't have it, but also those who are more privileged by our society.

3. "In thinking about change and our relation to it, we need to develop a similar ability in relation to time that enables us to carry within us the knowledge, the faith, that significant change happens even though we aren't around to see it."

I agree with this quote. I believe that change does happen even when we are not around. Sometimes we don't bother to change things because we think that we won't be around to see it. I believe that beside been aware of the problem we also have to change the way we think in order to become part of the solution.

Comments/Point to share: This article was a bit long, but it was easy to read. In my opinion, it was somewhat similar to his first article that we read. However, I thought it was a very interesting article and I really enjoyed reading it. I also think that it was a great article to end this class and I really like the title, "What Can We Do?" I think that we can do a lot especially as teachers. The SL was a great opportunity for us to be aware of the problem in our schools and by been aware of those problem hopefully we will be able to become part of the solution. I just want to end with this quote.

"To Better one Life Is

To Better the World."

Alan Shawn Feinstein

Talking Point #9 - Service Learning Project

Posted on Dr. Bogad's blog.

Talking Point #8 - Kliewer

Citizenship in School:
Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome
Christopher Kliewer

Author's Argument: Kliewer argues that students with Down Syndrome should not be separated in such as strict schools, instead they should be recognized as creative individuals who added uniqueness and values to our community.

Quotes:
1."As Freire (1993) emphasized democracy can only occur when no person's voice deterministically silenced."

I agree with this quote. How can we know other people needs if we don't give them a chance to speak up. When I read this quote I thought about Lawrence's article. How do we know that "low-ability" class will be able to demonstrate their intelligence if they don't have a chance to prove it.

2."Success in life requires an ability to form relationship with others who make up the web of community."

I think that this quote is very important because I believe that two heads think better than one. It is important to get to know other people and at the same time respect their culture and beliefs. I also believe that each of us need one another either if we like it or not. Like this quote says in order to be successful in life we must get along with others. "United We Stand."

3."Community acceptance requires opportunity for individual participation in the group, but opportunity cannot exist outside of community acceptance."

I agree with this quote. I think that everyone should be accept the way they are regardless of their conditions. Each individual should be recognized for his/her own ability. I think that once the community accept an individual the door of opportunity opens up. But I think that this is hard to accomplish because of all the taboos that exist.

Comments/Point to Share: I really enjoyed reading this article. It was easy to read and very interesting. When I finished reading this article I thought about an interview that I saw few weeks ago. The interview was about a young business girl with Down Syndrome. When she was born her mom was told that she was not going to be able to walk and talk and she would never be undependable. Her mom answer to the doctors was "We'll see." Her mom dedicated herself entirely to her daughter. The little girl started to walk when she was 2 years old and was able to talk. Her parents sent her to a regular school and she graduated from college with a bachelor in business. I am sure there are more stories like this one. It is so interesting to see how successful these people become once the community accept them.

Talking Point #7 - Lawrence

"One More River to Cross" - Recognizing the Real Injury in Brown:

A Prerequisite to Shaping New Remedies

Charles Lawrence

Author's Argument: Lawrence argues that Brown v. Board of Education case was a failure. There will always be something else to be done. "One more River to Cross." Lawrence also argues that the Supreme Court failed to recognized the real meaning of racial segregation.


Quotes:
1. "There would be no final victory in their lifetimes. Each step forward was just that, a step. There would always be one more river to cross."

I can see how this could be true. Regardless of the decisions made, there would always be something else to be done. There would always be some problems and issues to be resolve. At the end of the article Lawrence is also stating that we need to be clear about the nature of racial segregation, otherwise we will never be able to reach the other side of the river.

2. " Blacks are kept separate from whites not because it promotes efficiency in records keeping, or because their proximity produces toxic fumes that are harmful to the environment. They are kept separate because the separation labels or classifies blacks as inferior beings."

I don't really like this quote just the fact that there might be people who think that blacks could be harmful to the environment make me feel sick. It is ridiculous to think that they need to be separate just because their skin color, but I guess that it how the "the culture of power" works.

3. "Once blacks are labeled as inferior, they are denied to access to equal societal opportunities."

I agree with this quote and I think that it not fair. I can connect this quote with Delpit's and McIntosh's article. It's all about "the culture of power" and "white privilege."

Comments/Point to Share: This article was long to read and I think that the author repeats himself a lot, maybe that was his way of emphasized and proved his points. However, I think that the article was very interesting and informational. Sometimes we think that once a law is implemented it will take effect right away. In the Brown case I could see that it takes years and years to see the results.

Talking Point #6 - Oakes

Tracking: Why Schools Need to Take Another Route
Jeannie Oakes

Author's Argument: Oakes argues that tracking separates the "high-ability" students from the "less-able" students; therefore those students placed in a high ability group received better opportunities to learn.


Quotes:

1. "For example, in John Goodlad's national study of schools, reported in the book A Place Called School, students in high-ability English classes were more likely to be taught classic and modern literature, provided instruction in expository writing and library research, and expected to learn vocabulary that would eventually boost their score on college entrance exams."

This quote reminds me of Delpit. Delpit's says: "Some children come to school with more accoutrement's of the culture of power already in place - some with less." This is so true, in this case students who are placed in a high-ability classes is because they already belong to the "the culture of power."

2. "In low-ability classes, for example, teachers seem to be less encouraging and more punitive, placing more emphasis on discipline and behavior and less on academic learning."

I can see how this could be true. Sometimes students with learning disabilities are placed in regular classes and they don't receive the attention that they deserve; therefore teachers spend more time on discipline. Schools sometimes don't have enough teachers or the programs for those students with special needs. I don't think that teachers want to spend less time teaching their students. The problem is that sometimes they don't have a choice.

3."It's ironic that when other, less able students are offered similar advantages, they also seem to benefit."
I think that every students deserve a chance to prove their learning abilities. I also believe that everyone should receive a better education regardless of their class status.


Comments/Point to Share: This article reminds of Delpit and Kozol. I like this article because it was easy to read. I agree and disagree with some of Oakes's points. I think that the environment has an important role when it comes to children's education. Sometimes those students that are placed in low-ability groups don't have a nice classroom where they can feel comfortable and excited to learn.

Mullato tells mother he is passing as white

I thought this was interesting. A clip from the movie The Human Stain. Enjoy it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KOjPvCPNbE