EDF2085-Reflection #20

Intersexuality for me is believed to be part of both genders at the same time, having male and female characteristics. You don’t choose to belong to both you are just born like that. It is something you cannot control from happening. There are also sex tests taken to prove to which gender you belong to. It is rare when intersexuality occurs and if it does it may be caused by different hormones during the pregnancy, or may be genetically. Everyone has a different view on this subject. Doctors believe if genital surgery is done it would prevent the child trauma, but this also goes both ways. The child may feel outside of its shell if the parents choose something for it and it isn’t agreed with their feelings. They may change the child’s gender, and the child ends up being the contrast of it. Our culture is what puts together the views of how each gender should dress and look like. There is no fixed difference between a male and a female. Transexuality is when a person feels that their gender is different from their sex characteristics. For example, let’s say they look like a woman, but inside it is a male, and they like women. To others it may look like it is a homosexual, but to them it isn’t considered this because they believe they are males. What also determines this is to go through the sex reassignment surgery. If they want to do this then it is obvious that they are not in the right body gender according to their characteristics and feelings. It is important to know this difference because you will never know when you will be crossed with a situation like this. You may not know the person is different from others, and you might say something foolish and hurt their feelings. I learned a lot from this because I never really knew what it was. Especially the difference between these two, I always thought transvestites were the same thing. Knowing these differences helps us to try to understand them and know where they are coming from. We need to sympathize with them, and understand what it is like being in a situation like that coming from their shoes. You never know where life takes us and maybe one day we will be friends with someone like this and we would not be able to know much about the situation because they won’t say. Now, I can say I know a little bit about it and know what a hard time they have with it. It is good to know we are all different individuals in this world.

EDF1005-Reflection #20

Education in Europe was different and was influenced by many people. Jan Amos Comenius believed that the educational system should have teachers treating their children kinder and that they will learn better through visual things such as pictures. He wanted colleges to have labs in their school and for knowledge to be available to everyone. He actually believed in women when no one else did. Freidrich Wilhelm Froebel was a person who believed that religion was the center of all things. God knew the plan for everyone and everything was surrounded around him. This is how much of the schools were in the colonial times. The Puritans believed in God and would go to church almost all the time. Froebel was the one to invent kindergarten. He wanted to foster the care for children that were four through six years old. Most of his ideas are still being used today in U.S. public schools which is playing in groups, goal oriented activities, play time outside, etc. Herbert Spencer brought about the quote “survival of the fittest”. He believed in individualism, hence he didn’t agree in public schools, but private schools. U.S. public high schools gave students entrance exams to get into the schools. They gave students goals in order to graduate. Democracy in public schools has helped diversity to be able to live happily in one society. Since public schools are for everyone, regardless race, skin, economic status, or disabilities they have to remain democratic and serve an education for all types of people including the service we give. Instead, they are putting a monopoly of different powers in a couple of hands, different from the democratic beliefs. The European high schools have four levels of education and they are way harder than ours here in the United States. The European democracy helps students explore the different principles of a society that is all about this. It gives them the rights and responsibilities they need to experience. They are both pretty similar to each other but of course have their differences. Most of our customs came from them. The acceptance of public schools did confirm the system of democracy. But, many things have also changed since the mid nineteenth century. The school system has changed and has its democratic and undemocratic traits just like everything else. Everything just seems to improve as time goes by but we always carry something from the past, and where it came from.

EDF2085-Reflection #19

I believe the cause of homosexuality is hereditary and partially based on experience in the way in which you were brought up. I think most people are just born like that with those interests different than the rest of us. Also, if you are a girl and still young and all you want to do is play sports and play with the boys outside I would begin to worry and put my daughter in a ballet class. These are things parents try to do to avoid that situation to occur. Religion can also play a major role in the decision of sexuality. But, unfortunately I think it is uncontrollable and something that is born in you. No, my views on homosexuality have not changed. I am not against any of them because they are exactly like we are human beings. They just have different views and customs towards some things. I have learned that it has not yet been fully proven that it is something genetic. It most solely based upon your decision and what you choose to do base on how you feel. It is something they themselves cannot control. Sometimes they are afraid to show their orientation because of what the outside world may think. They see how they are made fun of and don’t want to be one of those victims. I learned that just because an individual has a same sex encounter or experience does not make them a homosexual. If you are a female who seeks the same sex as their own you are called a lesbian. If you are a male seeking another male you are therefore called gay. I also learned that there are four different types of sexual attraction a person can have toward someone else. They can either be homosexuals, heterosexuals, bisexuals, or not have a sexual desire or attraction for neither of the sexes. It is said that if the root cause of sexuality is genetic, and the person most likely won’t be able to change their attraction once they are older. On the other hand, if it is something that is within the environment, then there is a chance it can be changed through some help and therapy. I also took from these readings that it is still not known on how homosexuality starts or what forms it. Everyone is still in question, and it is a delicate topic. Some religions have different views on homosexuality, and it is against their beliefs. Everyone is their own unique person, and has to follow the beliefs of their religion as well.

EDF2085-Assignment 2-Diversity Survey

The first survey I took was called “Core Beliefs about Mind, Body, Spirit, and Reality Survey”. This survey had to do with our bodies and how we work and it works separately. I believe that our mind and soul are connected. It consisted of what is reality? What makes up the human body? Etc. I believe there is life after death once we die and that is with God in heaven. It is a completely different world there, where we should rest in peace. This is what I was taught since I was younger also; hence it’s what I believe. I believe the mind makes up the body, and it also makes the soul. I believe the mind and spirit are the same and they go together. The spirit wouldn’t be anything without the mind, although once we die it is said that our spirit is still alive. The world as we see it is what is called reality. Having to suffer is part of life and reality, and part of being human is also dying, aging, etc. as well. No one can escape time; we cannot make it stop, although I wish we could sometimes. I believe the mind is the most important thing of the body on top of all other material things. I believe that the mind, body, and spirit are one and cannot function without the other.
The next survey was called “Core Beliefs: What I Learned From My Parents”. My parents taught me to always think well of myself and to believe in myself. To always respect authority and NEVER question them just obey. Challenging authority in my family was seen as disrespectful and you would most likely get punished for it. I was taught that God forgives and he loves us no matter what. By serving others and being good to them I am also serving God. God will always forgive, and try to help us in life. He will never do us wrong. Women were just as important as men. Lately I’ve been taught that there is rarely any good people in this world, most of them have bad intentions. I am special to my parents and have reached their expectations or higher. I was always important in my family and listened to by them. My opinions were important and my dislikes were too. When I was younger I was always rewarded when behaved well. Every time I got good grades or behaved well in school I received an award at the end of the week of some sort. Also, I was taught to always respect another’s things, which are their privacy and property, and not your stuff. It is okay to be wrong sometimes because none of us our perfect. We are all human beings and we all have flaws. I have also been taught that others needs and feelings are always important, and if we can help someone else out to do so. It is important to know that every person is different and we have to accept each other’s differences.
Another survey was called “Core Beliefs: How I Was Raised”. I was raised that profanity should never be used. Bad words and explicit language was definitely not part of the normal day, we would get punished if we were to use them. Respect is earned to the family always and to elders. Elderly people are always treated with the same amount of respect as everyone else. Men are of equal importance to women no matter what. Not one gender has more power than the other. The whole family is important, this meaning the grandmothers, cousins, parents, etc. The way you shake someone’s hands tells a lot about you. You shake it firmly it shows you are confident in yourself. You dress for success; if you want to be treated with importance and respect one must dress nice, decent and respectful. The way I was raised it is normal to greet someone with a kiss on the cheek or a hug. You look at someone in the eye when they are talking to you to show you are listening, confident, and paying attention to what they are saying as if it was of importance. Always call someone by their name, unless you are speaking with a teacher then you call him/her by their last name with due respect. When it is time to pray

you stop what you are doing just for a few seconds. There is always time for prayer; it only lasts about less than five minutes anyways. Time is not money, although time is important and it is important to always get to places on time. I am responsible for my own actions. If I choose to do something whether it is right or wrong, they were my choices, actions, and decisions. More than one marriage is not permissible, we always try hard to keep one and work out the one you have. I was taught to never question or challenge authority, instead you obey them. Destiny is something you have to accept and cannot change. It is something that is uncontrollable.
The next survey I took was called “Beliefs About Men”. I do not believe a man’s humor is seen to be aggressive or gross. Although, some may make it seem like it sometimes but it isn’t always like this. I don’t think they think women enjoy suffering. Sometimes men do like to make women suffer but I hope they don’t enjoy it. They definitely don’t like to be told what to do at all. When you tell a man what to do they get offended, as if it were their job to tell us what to do. They don’t really like to let out their problems with people unless you are very close to them. It is difficult for a man to tell you his problems, most of them like to keep things to themselves. They aren’t more superior to women. Men and women are both of equal importance. I believe men can maintain a serious close relationship; they just have to be mature enough. Some men are completely opposite because they aren’t mature to handle just one women in their lives. I do believe they are more conceited than women, and appear to be cockier. When a woman says yes a man usually interprets that as a no, and vice versa. Men do get threatened when you sound very intelligent, they begin to feel intimidated. Men get easily intimidated by women. Men always want to feel superior so they date a girl that is younger, less knowledgeable, or even less attractive than they are. Women are more logical than men and seek to think things through more than men do. Men don’t think about anything, they just go for it with no thinking.
Next, is the survey called “Beliefs About Women”. I believe women are more nurturing than men are. They are the ones that nurture their young babies, take care of them, and even breast feed them. They care about others feelings more than men do. When a women is telling someone their problems they aren’t really looking for a solution but just someone to let out their frustration with and someone that’ll listen to them. We all need someone that’s just a good listener sometimes. The most important thing to women is her mother. Her mother is the one that brought her to this world, her best friend, and the one that knows it all and is always right. Women are interested in raising a family as soon as they get married. The most important thing to them is raising their kids and to start a family. They are more stable and able to maintain a close relationship. Women are said to mature faster than men. Women were made for men. If it wasn’t for the women, reproduction wouldn’t be possible. I believe sexual interests between men and women are completely different. I disagree that women ALWAYS mean the opposite of what they say; this may be true sometimes, but not always. Women are always available to give emotional support to others. Women are very motherly. They are better than men in seeing the needs of others and providing them with what they need.
Another survey I took is called “Beliefs About Race”. I believe that just because you are white does not mean you can attract any type of girl. If you are black doesn’t mean everyone of them is good at sports or athletic. If you are brown it doesn’t mean that you are good with music. I do believe people should try to marry within their culture, but if it doesn’t happen then no big deal. If you are yellow skin Asian it doesn’t mean you are smart at all. These are all very general phrases that have nothing to do nor are determined by your race. I do agree though that by the way someone looks you can tell where they may be from or what culture they may belong to. You may not be completely correct but it does give you an idea. If you are white doesn’t mean you are bankrupt, and if you are black it doesn’t mean you are a criminal either. Every person is their own individual. You can look super rich and white and be super poor and a criminal. Every person is different, it all depends. It has nothing to do with the outward appearance of a person to determine this. This is also where racism comes into play. People start to believe and make predictions and judgments about things just because the way someone looks and it has nothing to do with that. The person may look awful through the outside but may live in a beautiful house, be a millionaire, and not even have to work a day in his life. It has nothing to do with traits of a person.
Finally, the last survey taken was called “Beliefs About Sex and Gender”. I believe this is against my religion. I was taught we should produce and get married to the opposite sex. I believe that homosexual and lesbians should have the same rights under the law that we do. They are people just like us. The only difference is they believe in a different sexual orientation than we do.I believe our gender is determined by our organs within our body. If we have male organs inside and we look like a female through the outside you should choose what you want to do and which gender you want to stay with. What makes a woman a woman is her vagina, and a man a man is his penis. I do believe they have the right to become teachers if they want to because this would be complete prejudism. Sexual orientation has and shouldn’t have anything to do with your occupation or what career you choose. You are still a regular person just like everyone else is. You will perform the same tasks, as any other person will. I don’t think that just because you are a male teacher you are gay. I had many male teachers that were happily married and had a family. I agree that men are usually more aggressive and violent, and women are usually sweet and nurturing to their family.
At the end of the day diversity plays a huge role in our lives. It is what our day to day world consists of. The reason is because everyone is different. We are all different whether it is our gender, religion, beliefs, the way we were brought up, etc. we all have to see beyond that and try not to differentiate ourselves because of it. We must learn to accept everyone’s differences and just learn from them. Diversity is all around us. We must try not to be racist about anything because we are all unique and different individuals and we must see past our differences. They shouldn’t determine whether we are a good person, suitable for a job, or brought up right because of it.

EDF1005-Educational Philosophy

Many theorists have influenced my thoughts and more specifically helped me realize why things happen the way they do. There is a reason for every teachers “madness” or the way he/she composes the lesson in a peculiar way sometimes. It has made me realize the most effective methods of teaching, from my own experience and also observations. Beginning with Christian Wolff which coined the term mental discipline. Mental discipline is used among many teachers now days to teach the lesson so students may learn and memorize the material in an easier way. Another theorist that’s method has helped me a lot has been Jean-Jacques Rousseau which has expressed that your feelings and emotions are more important rather than learning straight from a book. Finally, Johann Friedrich Herbart introduced the way in which we associate new things with old things. Every time we learn something new it is linked to an old experience we had which also helps to learn it quicker.
First, an important theorist was Johann H. Pestalozzi. He made schooling for the poor possible and gave lessons that were relevant in value. “He made popular the idea of teaching by getting students actively involved in learning through using all of their senses. His particular method for doing this was called the object lesson” ("Rousseau and pestalozzi," ) . He believed that in a classroom it should all be about love and care.
Someone else who has influenced educational philosophy has been Christian Wolff which influenced mental discipline. Mental discipline is when let’s say for example gives you a list of words you need to know, each and every day you recite them, read them, and then get tested on it. It is exercising our minds. This is another important way in which students learn. In the classroom I am getting my service learning hours in the teacher uses this method and it seems to work effectively. The teacher recites the words with her student’s everyday and the students grasp and begin to learn the words and how to pronounce and spell them. It is all about habit; forming good one and behaviors. Throughout all my years in grade school this is how I learned.
Another theorist I will always have in account is Jean-Jacques Rousseau. “His theory has a big impact on today’s modern education. Rousseau's ideas about education have profoundly influenced modern educational theory. He minimizes the importance of book learning, and recommends that a child's emotions should be educated before his reason. He placed a special emphasis on learning by experience” (Chew, 1996). In my perspective this is important in a classroom and is something I will always take with me. Most of the time teachers like to make the students just read from the book and the students begin to concentrate more on finishing the reading than rather comprehending it. It also bores the students because they need a more “hands on” explanation. I am more of a visual learner so I learned best this way when my teachers taught like this. It is also important to have a little bit of both, since every student is a different learner.
A philosopher that has a great point to his theory is Johann Friedrich Herbart. He came up with the idea that when we are presented with something new, that new thing is linked together with something that already existed in our mind. This is what some teacher’s do, which is why it works so well and some things just stick. “Herbart saw the teacher's essential task as identifying the existing interests of the student and relating them to the great store of human experience and culture in order to help the student become part of civilized life”(McNair). Many teachers have done this to me, and make the new subject pertinent to the old stuff we already knew and caught my attention, therefore the new subject was easier to understand and will be easily remember because of the somewhat “analogy” that was given.

EDF2085-Reflection #18

This article is very important because I have always heard different stories about immigration from Cuba to Florida and how Castro is such a bad person and this article says all the facts. It is well known that almost the whole population of people that live in Miami know all the terrible stories Castro has done to Cubans. I can’t believe Castro would be so rude as to not let everyone who wanted to leave Cuba leave; also not following through his promises for all those people. For example, the “Peter Pan” acts when all the children were able to come to Florida but then Castro decided to stop that. Another example was the Camarioca boat lift, in which he allowed Cubans to come pick up their relatives but the price would be to lose all they have and it would belong to the government. Thirty five days later he decided to abolish this boat lift, and he left thousands hanging thinking they were going to be able to go. I can just imagine how awful it must be when someone with so much authority, whom you must believe because he runs your country, tells you something and doesn’t make it happen and just makes you lose hope. Yes, I do believe that a case can be made for charges of institutional racism. Institutional racism is when a group, government, or institution excludes a certain ethnic group from something without making notice. The reason why it is so hard to stand up for is because it is a group that it is being done by and not one specific person. The government or group is acting racist in not allowing a certain group of people into their country. They were blocking them out and weren’t being allowed to have their own freedom or go where they wanted to. They definitely should have put a charge for this when they had the chance. There were so many incidents that this occurred in from refusing to let individuals cross the borders, to immigrants coming and transferring the HIV virus. There was also dispute with how the Cubans and Haitians were being treated differently in the process of immigration. I was also shocked that during the time of the 9/11 attacks, that Haitians were a threat to national security. At least America has been able to somewhat balance and be flexible with the immigrants and emigrants. I believe we should help those immigrants as long as we can. We aren’t hurting anyone by doing so.

EDF1005-Assignment #1

Progressive education is different from the education we receive in a regular classroom. It is a method in which you actually experience something and learn from it. The experiences can also affect our future actions and decisions. Progressivists believe it is better to learn through experience and real life everyday obstacles. “At least two models of progressive education have emerged within the historical literature to date: the child-centred form and the social-reconstructionist form (Martin & Goodman, p. 410)”. These are two different things that came about since the historical date. But, the editors wanted more discussion about this so they began to research on the different examples and perspectives of the participants. What also played a major part in this was the difference in gender. It has showed that males performed a different progressive action than women did.
Education is seen as the primary key to the future. It will change our children’s lives as well as our society. Education helps achieve our views and knowledge in a politically and social manner. Just like the quote says from one of Joseph McNair’s readings: “In America, education has always been viewed as a vehicle for improving society at large.” I agree with this one hundred percent because the more we learn the more opportunities we open for ourselves and our society. The more doors we will open for ourselves and the more knowledge we will have on different subjects in life. It’s also important to have a form of reference historically as well as a point of view because it can provide a solution for the future lives of children. Researchers compared the behavior and change of practice in the first half of the twentieth century, and then the second half of the twentieth century. “They also wished to continue the re-visioning of progressivism in the light of the gender-sensitive and postcolonial analyses informing current scholarship in the history of education (Martin & Goodman, p. 410)”. “There is a special edition that helps us view an account of progressive education with different approaches to the method that can help historians, teachers, policy makers, and provide potential for our future (Martin & Goodman, p. 410).” It compares progressive education in the past with the present, and notes on how some things have changed or remained the same maybe because they need to or may be positive to our future and everyone in it. Although progressive education has been able to spread internationally with different discussions in institutes and different networks it has tried to open vastly among others. “The networks and relationships of progressive educationists, as well as accounts of progressive practice, the interplay between activism and agency, and the attempt to extend notions of democracy and citizenship in light of progressive education’s ideals” (Martin & Goodman, p.410). It is noted that women educationists were able to endure the common activities of the day to associate themselves with the different works of philosophy, experimentation, and political and institutional leadership. On the other hand, the results of the men were completely different from the women during the same time period. This article shows that this has become an important category in the history of education.
“Kevin Brehony’s view on progressivism is described in three factors which are the descriptive historical accounts of the experienced kind, evaluates the effectiveness of progressive suggestions in education, regulating writing for the support of an idea or cause, and finally unconvincing accounts that challenge assumptions on progressive education (p.410).”
Education is constantly changing, each and every day there is something new being invented or taught. An important factor also is in the ways in which we may teach something. Every single thing in our lives takes significant importance in the way we earn our education and what we take from it. Sometimes we may not be grasping the true meaning of what we are being taught. One of them being our own experiences with our day to day lives that challenges us each and every day and helps us learn new things. According to Cunningham, “Cunningham uses prosopography as a tool to analyze the contribution of life histories, personal ideologies, roles and relationships to the dissemination of educational change” (Martin & Goodman, p.411).” It’s all about the characteristics that make up a person that act as a tool for different changes needed in education. He uses narrated personal experience also with small group activities in order to complement individual creators. Then, concluding with the results that Cunningham received he used prosopography to learn more about certain individuals that made themselves not really known to everyone else. She pointed out ways in which the female gender made a contribution in progressivism through their participation, money, religion, and building up on different institutions. Many important people such as Eisenmann believed we shouldn’t continue with the practices that neither educators nor anyone else believed would be accomplished. They thought we should learn from the past and our mistakes and make what was unsuccessful even better for the present and future. The practices that weren’t successful shouldn’t be repeated, the same way when something goes wrong you don’t want to do it again because you don’t want it happening again to you. It is the same pattern.
Education has changed over time including progressive education. Things are a little different than what they were before. We have learned more politically and socially which has helped progressive education as well as for the future. We have learned from the past history practices and try not to repeat them, but come up with new ones for our future, so it can become a successful one. Progressive education makes schools more productive as a democratic society.

EDF2085-Reflection #17

Racism is something we are always hearing in our society in today’s world. It is something in which we must go beyond in what we see in that person, but see what’s inside, their capabilities, personality, and who they are. This tells so much more about a person, rather than seeing the outside cover and judging them from there. I have seen institutions act in a racist manner and have their own favorites which is not fair for the rest. I have also attended people at stores which get offended if you speak to them in Spanish because they say that they are “American”. For example, there was once a customer in whom an associate approached in Spanish and the lady told her, that wasn’t it obvious that she was English/American that she had blonde hair and blue eyes and she wasn’t like the rest. I believed to interpret that as super rude because what does it matter the color of your hair or eyes; you’re still a person just like the rest of us. I have also learned by reading this that race issues are very abundant here in the American society that it has almost become a stable component. Race is a term that could be used for biological purposes if you are talking about let’s say Asians, Americans, African Americans, etc. All races have different traits and genetics. Let’s say just because they are white doesn’t mean they will have blue eyes or be good at running. It all varies and changes and has nothing to do with race according to scientists. Ones race isn’t determined by all of this. Race has nothing to do with your physical attributes. Racism is never a good thing, because following it comes prejudism, discrimination, and a whole bunch of negative things. We shouldn’t judge others or give more importance to, those that are different from us. Every person is born the same, the only difference in exceeding the highest level of education is where they come from geographically, economic, and historical status and factors. Racism is any action in which we do that could be done intentional or unintentionally that excludes someone from something due to the color of their skin or their race.