White Privilege and Racial Identity

I find this topic incredibly interesting to discuss. It is true that the topic of race and white privilege is a taboo in today’s society. For some reason it is just something people do not talk about.  I had never talked about it before, but when my professor talked about someone describing what she looked like, and the completely left out her ethnicity, it hit her that people avoid it by all costs, even though someone’s ethnicity is a huge describer and is a large part of their identity. Although people like to say that race doesn’t matter, it does. I don’t like that at all. In my mind, I would like everyone to be identified as humans, but your race does make a difference in who you are, and who you will become later in life. Unfortunately, whites do get a leg up on other races. That’s just how it is. I don’t think that white people should be offended by people saying that because it is true no matter how you look at it. In class on Tuesday, one of my classmates made a good point. She said that there are so many clubs for every race, but if there was a white club people would be offended by that, which is so true. But, the only reason there are clubs for every race but white is because white is the majority. If white was not the majority, I’m sure there would be white clubs because people like to be around people that are like them, and there is nothing wrong with that. Growing up in Minneapolis, I’ve always been surrounded by people who look like me. It is basically the biracial capital of the US. I never felt out of place because there were always people around me that were similar to me. In Milwaukee I don’t feel out of place, but attending school at Marquette I feel a little out of place. I’m not used to being outnumbered by a lot. It’s not that I feel as if I’m going to be attacked; I’ve just always felt that I’m not accepted by either race, which is weird. I feel comfortable with my mixed friends the most, because they know EXACTLY how I feel. I feel like white people have a bad first impression with me, and that black girls especially don’t even give me the time of day because they think I think I’m better than them. It’s unfortunate, so I’m working on changing my frame of mind. I really am excited to discuss more about this with the class. I love hearing people’s thoughts and opinions that I know grew up different from how I grew up.

Service Learning Reflection

So far I have loved service learning. I'm not a judgmental, closed minded type person, so going into this I was ready for whatever. My family and I try to take part in community service often, so this is not the first thing I’ve ever done. Whenever I left a site we just got done assisting, I felt so incredible. I just absolutely love helping, you just feel amazing. Even though I have had experience with community service, I’m always a little reserved with kids. It's not that I don't like them, it's more that I’m just not around them enough to know what to expect with them. I'm the youngest in my immediate family, and I’m also the youngest cousin of my close extended family, so I don't spend much time around people younger than me. I was a little apprehensive, nervous, and didn't know what to expect. Luckily, my first week I did not have to go alone. I went with someone who had already been there before and he reassured me that I would be fine, and that it's fun. After talking with him I felt much better. When I entered the 2nd grade classroom for the first time, it was so crazy, because it was like the spitting image of my 1st grade classroom. It automatically made me feel better. The room I’m placed in is also the Marquette room, so that also put me at ease. The teacher is a very no nonsense person, as well as the school. Although she runs the classroom, she does it perfectly. It's not that she is an evil woman, it's just that she demands respect from the children, and if she doesn't get respect they will get the set consequences. I love watching her teach. She knows exactly what to do and say, and when to say it. Like the movie Waiting for Superman mentions, it really is like watching a professional athlete, or a rock star. If someone is really good and what they do, it's amazing to observe. While I’m in the classroom, I’m assisting the children with their readings. I walk around and pick the kids who are showing me they are ready to read to me. They show that they're ready by quietly reading to themselves. If they do not show they are ready, I am not to read with them. It's as simple as that. I'm most definitely pleased with my placement, and I get excited to attend every week. Although I’ve never wanted to be a teacher, this placement, and this education course as well is making me rethink that option.

Reflection on Goals of Education,Power and Control of Schools

In class this past week we talked about the goals of schooling, and I learned a lot of new points that I’ve never thought about.  When you go to school for so long, you never really sit back and think about WHY you are actually doing something, why you wake up every morning and spend so many hours of your life in one location. It was interesting looking back in time and seeing how schools came about.

Picking a curriculum seems like it would be the hardest thing to decide for schools. It’s almost impossible to choose what children should be learning in school because there are so many contrasting ideas and thoughts. There is no way that you could please everyone with the curriculum, who is teaching it, and how they are teaching it. Another point that we went over in class was the topic of school boards, which is controversial for a number of reasons. School boards should consist of people of all types, not just elite. If school boards consisted of a variety of people there is a better chance that schools would please more people. Schools' definitely have a hard time being fair, and catering to all types of children. If they started with school boards, it would eventually trickle down to schools.

Another topic which is controversial in American schools is teaching patriotism in class. It is definitely a touchy subject. Schools should be patriotic, but give children the choice at the same time, because at the end of the day America is supposed to be about choice. Sometimes I think it is hard for kids who feel they are different from the average kid to act patriotic, almost like they feel they don't belong. If schools made people feel more accepted, it will be easier for children to be patriotic. At the same time, the American classroom needs to be mindful of kids who are patriotic for the country they came from. There is nothing wrong with kids being loyal to their home because that's all that they know. Teachers need to make sure that they are fair to children even if they aren't being patriotic towards America.

Introduction and Education Experience

I'm very nervous about my first day in my service learning program. I have not chosen one yet, but I know I will be nervous, because I almost always get nervous about new things in my life. Although I am nervous, I am much more excited. I LOVE doing community service projects. I enjoy myself so much when I do them. They also make me so much more appreciative of what I have, and what I don't have to deal with. I like to think of where I’m from (Minneapolis) as a pretty diverse place, but I believe the surrounding areas are full of ignorant and uninformed people. Growing up in a suburb south of Minneapolis, I’ve always felt accepted, but people are very stereotypical, and shallow. People will say things that are completely offensive, but don't notice because they are uninformed and they don't know anything different. I like the fact that I am biracial because it gives me an opportunity to see two sides of everything, which I really appreciate. I have a better chance of understanding more perspectives. I feel as if everyone should have an experience in a diverse place so people stop acting so ignorant. If everyone was able to do a community service project in a place with a variety of people, I feel like everyone would be so much more open-minded, and willing to learn about people unlike ourselves, and different cultures. That was a really long tangent, but that's how I feel about community work. I'm very excited to get the chance to do work in Milwaukee. This city definitely has many different cultures, and every kind of person under the rainbow. It's the perfect place to meet, and work with all types of humans, and that is just awesome. This experience will be incredibly beneficial to me. I can’t wait to make connections and bonds with people that have amazing stories, and have so many new things to share with me. You can learn something from anyone or anything if you are willing to listen.