tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post5874872870818345063..comments2024-02-17T06:06:58.131-05:00Comments on AP Literature 2010 - 2011: Ghetto Nation & Savage Inequalities Period 6 Group 2R. Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01320082679219510745noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-46387464229494412992007-12-30T20:51:00.000-05:002007-12-30T20:51:00.000-05:00My two cents (since you got me interested in the c...My two cents (since you got me interested in the conversation, and thank you for acknowledging my class sizes—I’ve been grading all break (I know, poor me!))—I think one of the worst decisions teachers have made is to accept the hero / vocation role for this job. I think if we demanded to be treated like professionals, instead of “heroes”, we would be paid better (which is the best way to attract talent: money) and it would benefit students. The idea that teachers need to be motivated by altruism is so wrong: I think teachers are mostly to blame for lining up like cattle and demanding to all be paid the same amount of money, regardless of skill and expertise. Just because I think I am underpaid, doesn’t mean that every teacher is—some make what they deserve and some make more than they deserve. Can you imagine asking any other professional for a service for free “because the children need your help”—?<BR/><BR/>After reading what I just wrote (it is two days later—I sound bitter, but do not mean to). There has to be some humanity / empathy in teachers too—we can’t just be money hungry fools. Tho I stick to what I wrote!R. Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01320082679219510745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-51197636595733194962007-12-24T22:17:00.000-05:002007-12-24T22:17:00.000-05:00We are quickly approaching the end of our blogging...We are quickly approaching the end of our blogging sessions. Get any last minute posting done when you still can (if not, enjoy yourselves I suppose).<BR/><BR/>When I read the beginning of chapter 5, I was surprised to read about the 75 percent equality funds for schooling. To think, that last 25 percent is the difference between an advanced school and a poor school and that 75 percent is the bare minimum necessary to run a school. Despite this, “it is a matter of national pride that every child’s ship be kept afloat” (176) in order to compete with the rest of the world. This brings up a new issue in my mind. Is it better to have more insufficient schools just for the sake of national pride or is it better suck up our pride and have higher quality schools? <BR/><BR/>It is important to provide every child the opportunity to obtain an education, no matter how poor. Otherwise, we are taking away the child’s opportunities in life completely. Even the best students can rise from these poor public schools. On a worldwide scale, America’s image would be tarnished if it were not able to provide schooling for all students. <BR/><BR/>On the other hand, if we were to focus our funds, there may be more students overall that do better. There would be no longer problems such as lack of supplies and staff or overcrowded classes. Students would be less likely to drop out and they would be getting a higher level education. However, doing so would pigeonhole the poor, leaving them with no way of getting out of poverty.<BR/><BR/>I recall watching a documentary last year called “Stupid in America” about America’s education standards in comparison to other nations. We are lowering on a worldwide level. The economic gap caused by World War II is quickly closing in in recent years. If we were to ignore our standing, would that be more beneficial in the long run for students? After all, even students from the “best” schools are receiving mediocre educations in comparison to students from other countries. At the very least, our education can be on par with the other nations’ (although we really shouldn’t boast in the first place since America has so many enemies).<BR/><BR/>It is also interesting to note that, in the documentary, there are some poor schools that outperform modern, well funded schools despite the obvious disadvantages they face. Typically, this is not the case but it just goes to prove that money is not necessarily the factor the divides good and bad schools (though it is true that money provides necessities that poorer schools desperately need). <BR/><BR/>Stupid in America:<BR/>http://youtube.com/watch?v=Bx4pN-aiofwbaoxerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529809784088641204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-54068829793980855732007-12-24T16:07:00.000-05:002007-12-24T16:07:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.baoxerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529809784088641204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-44197789599175503262007-12-24T16:03:00.000-05:002007-12-24T16:03:00.000-05:00I’d like for us to bring up a couple more topics ...I’d like for us to bring up a couple more topics (maybe two or three) before we (hopefully) wrap up this section tonight. <BR/><BR/>I’d like a little discussion about Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream in the context of this book. In the interviews that Kozol has gone though, it seems as though Dr. King has died in vain. For example, one student in East St. Louis goes to a school named after Dr. King. Yet, “’every student in that school is black. It’s like a terrible joke on history’” (35). We have not yet fulfilled Dr. King’s dream. In the larger cities, at no point would “little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers,” at least in the public education system. Judging by Kozol’s analysis, poor black students are being isolated from the world of higher education. In order to obtain higher, they must take action on their own. It is not so much a matter of distrust but it is as Dr. King states, that “we cannot walk alone.” It takes more than the effort of the poor community to help their schools but the efforts of all people. Sadly, the current is as one student states in her poem about Dr. King states:<BR/><BR/>“<I>He tried to help the white and black.</I><BR/><I>Now that he’s dead he can’t do jack.</I>” (112)<BR/><BR/>I encourage you to use your own thoughts, experiences, the book, and Dr. King’s speech for reference. None of us here are black but we are all human beings and that’s what truly matters.<BR/><BR/>http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htmbaoxerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529809784088641204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-20494602973619595172007-12-24T14:04:00.000-05:002007-12-24T14:04:00.000-05:00Sadly, there are not many viable alternatives to l...Sadly, there are not many viable alternatives to larger classrooms. For the low income schools that Kozol mentions, hiring more staff is unlikely. Most teachers already have their hands full with the students they already have. It would not help giving students to uncaring teachers either. The lack of school supplies does not help the situation either. It is not as if the student is not dropping out because he wants to. As Kozol states, “the odds of finding a few moments of delight, or maybe even happiness, outside these dreary schools are better still” (59). The student figures that the chance he can learn the same material he is learning in school elsewhere is better than in an overcrowded classroom. For the student on the verge of dropping out, “it is hard to know if a decision to drop out of school, no matter how much we discourage it, is not, in fact, a logical decision” (59). After all, providing for his family or for himself is a higher priority than going to school to learn nothing. When the student does graduate from high school, the amount of material he actually knows may not be sufficient for a college education or for the career he desires. In all this hopelessness, who can blame him? It is no longer a matter of motivation. If anything, he just wants to make the most of his time. As the years pass, the significance of a high school diploma quickly degenerates. There is no easy solution to drop out rates.baoxerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529809784088641204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-12708517040860805872007-12-24T13:09:00.000-05:002007-12-24T13:09:00.000-05:00Although I cannot speak for the differences betwee...Although I cannot speak for the differences between Melrose High and Malden High, I do appreciate the diversity that Malden has. Sometimes, I wonder what would happen if I went to a different school. It’s true that I might be able to have more supplies. However, like the students mentioned in the beginning of the book, I’d rather prefer racial diversity than more school funding. Even when the students are in dire need of school supplies, they still remain idealistic and believe in Dr. Martin Luther King’s words. Malden’s diversity teaches its students to, at the very least, tolerate each other so that race is no longer an issue. Students are thrust into a more realistic environment than in the real world where not everyone is going to be white. <BR/><BR/>However, when I walk outside of Malden, there is a constant reminder that I am part of the minority. Still, I feel that, having come from Malden, I’d rather have had the chance to deal with people of different races than to have had little experience. My experiences in the Malden school system has made me realize that it the diversity in school has allowed me to approach matters of race in a positive manner. I understand now why so many people are surprised when walking into our classrooms now. Never, in any of my classes, have there ever been a situation where the class is all one race. Like Michael, I believe that Malden High is blessed and I am very grateful for it.baoxerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529809784088641204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-30342145065622045952007-12-24T10:48:00.000-05:002007-12-24T10:48:00.000-05:00One of the main problems that Kozol addresses, in ...One of the main problems that Kozol addresses, in addition to racial barriers and lack of funds for schools, is classroom sizes. A first-time English teacher at the South Bronx school complains that she has “five classes—42 in each” (111). It is evident that class sizes become an issue when the teacher can’t give the students the needed individual attention. It’s hard to maintain the orderliness of a classroom when a teacher isn’t fully aware all the activities going on in different parts of the classroom. Some students may be sleeping on the desks or falling behind, but the teacher is too busy to help them. Therefore, students who do show up to class everyday may not be learning yet they might still be able to obtain a high school diploma, which sums up to nothing, because the students may lack basic math, reading, and writing skills. We know first-hand that Mr. G has English classes like ours that have up to 30 students. Thirty students is much less than 40 students, but the same problems occur. It takes longer for large classes to quiet down, which takes away from class time needed to introduce the daily lessons. Teacher-student conferences to go over essay drafts are hard to schedule, and the teacher may be forced to limit his time for each student. The fact that some of the teachers, who’ve been in the school for a while, expect that “half the students will be gone by Christmas” (111) is appalling. Yes, this will solve the problem with class sizes, but it does not resolve the impending problem of students dropping out of school. The teachers know that the students will resort to dropping out, but they take no action to prevent this. Obviously, the teacher should not be held responsible to the education of city’s student body, but the Board of Education should be. Also, note that Christmas time isn’t even the halfway point of an entire school year, and students would have dropped out by then. A student enters the classroom and sees that it’s full—no desks or chairs are empty—and that there are 5 other students already standing I the back of the classroom. She senses the hopelessness of the situation and leaves before even attempting to apply herself, because she knows she will not be able to learn under the poor conditions and lack of guidance.Chrizzy Teenyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03779253140166072382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-15788502074014588992007-12-23T17:30:00.000-05:002007-12-23T17:30:00.000-05:00I think I am going to switch up the subject a litt...I think I am going to switch up the subject a little bit to something more towards the ends of the book. Jonathan Kozol speaks of schools in New Jersey where the children are still segregated and the rich acquire more riches and the poor become poorer. <BR/>Kozol introduces us to the cities of Camden, New Jersey and Cherry Hills, New Jersey. Both have schools that are less than five minutes away from each other but there are striking differences between the two schools. There is a shortage of faculty, supplies and classroom space in Camden’s High School while on the other hand there are AP classes and a greenhouse for students interested in Horticulture at Cherry Hills High School.<BR/>Many have proposed that the predominantly black and latino population that attends Camden’s High School should be bussed out to the neighboring city in order to receive a better education. It would not be that much of a hassle because the school is only five to ten minutes away, just over the bridge. But, parents refuse over reasons that many believe to be racial. <BR/>I have always noticed that there are physical boundaries found in place that allow for two different entities to go there separate paths. Islands in the Pacific are surrounded by water and so the species found on the island evolve isolated from the animal species found on the mainland. They go their separate evolutionary ways because of the water that does not allow them to mingle. I feel that the same idea can be applied to our school systems. <BR/>For example, Melrose and Malden are neighboring cities though the tangible differences between the two cities are astounding. They are divided by large forested conservation areas and the Pine Banks Park that Malden and Melrose happily share. Melrose is a predominantly white school while Malden is only about half white. Melrose busses in some of its students from the inner city though Malden does not. I actually spent a day at Melrose High and discovered a classroom that wasn’t a classroom; it was a Spanish class surrounded by moving boards arranged so that the other classes had some privacy. Malden High, I feel, has enough classrooms for all its students and so does not have to go to those measures.<BR/>I think that the difference between the schools is very evident in that Malden High is actually blessed. Many may complain and argue but I feel that because I have been to three different high schools, that we here in Malden, are pretty well off.Michael R. 6https://www.blogger.com/profile/11365612107306255055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-60095048138773556472007-12-23T11:07:00.000-05:002007-12-23T11:07:00.000-05:00First off, Mike, you have guts for placing hyperli...First off, Mike, you have guts for placing hyperlinks to those pictures. Even though the pictures do back up your words with evidence, I do not think it is right to make hasty generalizations on the mayor’s motives. After all, a picture can be interpreted in more than one way, and you chose to interpret it in a more negative way. I think the schools in Malden have improved tremendously in the past decade. The city renovated 5 new K-8 elementary/middle schools—Beebe, Salemwood, Ferryway, Linden, and Forestale. In the book, Kozol describe P.S. 79, an elementary school in New York. The school had “no science room. The science teachers carry their equipment with them” (88) I remember that when I was in elementary school, back at the Emerson School in Malden, my art teacher and music teacher both had to carry around their supplies in boxes to each class. My art teacher and music teacher didn’t even have their own classrooms. They had closet space to store construction paper and little cymbals, but not any space for a personal desk or even a chair. Now that I think of it, I don’t know where they could’ve possibly stayed between classes besides the teacher’s lounge. My cafeteria was also my auditorium, my gym, and my computer loft, which had computers so old that CD-rom drives weren’t even installed in the hard drives. Also, I would not classify Malden as a city with segregated schools, because each public school consists of a diverse body of students. While volunteering at Malden’s 150th anniversary, I noticed the class pictures in the hallway (I think some are still downstairs in the hallways of the main entrance.). If you compare the students in each graduating class the year before, it is clear that the school has become more diverse since the days when the school was predominantly white.Chrizzy Teenyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03779253140166072382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-4753295587226491742007-12-21T06:34:00.000-05:002007-12-21T06:34:00.000-05:00Okay, I know some of you may be peeved and I under...Okay, I know some of you may be peeved and I understand, but I have just been swamped with other stuff recently.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, to respond to Benwit’s comment about I completely agree with you, that people do put a lot of emphasis on “rebuilding” these poor communities. The issue has raised itself, albeit briefly, in the current political races and how it is genuinely just talk. Ever since things like the No Child Left Behind Act people have been criticizing the distributing the wealth amongst these schools and it has raised outrage in areas of the country who suffer from supposedly useful legislation. “It is a tragedy that these good things are not more widely shared.” (233) Also, Kozol talks of the great injustice done by the justice system when the question of financial ethics is brought up. “the natural fear of the conservative is that the levelers are at work here sapping the foundations of free enterprise.” And to me it is just sad that the act of school funding could be considered some kind of business proposition amongst corporations.Alexander A.6https://www.blogger.com/profile/14733739001317707726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-81813876074503295042007-12-21T02:07:00.000-05:002007-12-21T02:07:00.000-05:00Sadly, it is not a matter of whether we trust the ...Sadly, it is not a matter of whether we trust the motives of these relationships or not. Most people I’m assuming would try to take a neutral stance on such a controversial issue. Although it is true that these leaders <I>can</I> do more, people will argue that the leaders are <I>at least</I> doing something about the poverty stricken neighborhoods. People are under the idea that putting money toward poorer communities is not an obligation partially due to the lack of proper representation by the communities (sadly due to the lack of funds and importance in voice). As in any politics, people will turn the other direction and believe it’s no concern of theirs. After all, how would the graduation of redlining neighborhoods affect the life of a typical businessman? Additionally, there are those who feel strongly about their views on the matter, yet they feel as if they lack voice so they simply yield to the system, stand to the side, and dolefully criticize.<BR/><BR/>It seems as if the efforts toward helping these communities are responsibilities tied with promoting business. People are willing to do anything for positive public relations, even to support a cause that <I>they may not necessarily believe in</I> (hence why most people consider the actions of the powerful members of society as mere fluff). Even knowing that they do not care, people will still defend them <I>because</I> they don’t believe in the cause.<BR/><BR/>“Do the leaders have to donate to poor schools? They could put that money into their own businesses on move on. What good would it do them?”<BR/><BR/>Sadly, it does plenty of good, more good than if they were to put money into their own businesses. Public relations has grown to such a large scale that simply boosting one’s reputation is more profitable than doing the business itself. The gratification that one receives is nothing more than business in the eyes of the owners (not necessarily all of them but a good deal).baoxerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529809784088641204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-45374373413393085902007-12-20T20:03:00.000-05:002007-12-20T20:03:00.000-05:00Well, in answer to your question Christina, I thin...Well, in answer to your question Christina, I think that the phrase “private sector partners” is very misleading because it seems as though when someone is partnered up with another person, they are supposed to work together and get along. This partnership is one that is carried on behind closed doors, over the phone and through e-mail. Jonathan Kozol quoted a Chicago woman asking “Why should we trust their motives?” She spoke of the people behind the private sectors as being those that initiated the segregation of the cities schools and voted against the allocation of funds to the struggling inner city schools that they give gifts to. This parent from Chicago has obviously noticed something about the behavior of the private sector bosses and intends to fix it. <BR/><BR/>I think that the problem that was evident in Chicago back then is evident in all of the major cities of the U.S. It is found everywhere; prominent businessmen trying to make themselves look better by “donating” money to inner city schools. But at the same time, these people own most of the property in town and happen to run the city. They are members of the school committees and they are powerful members of society because of the people that they employ and the size of their bank accounts. <BR/><BR/>It is kind of funny because all of the examples and points that I have just mentioned above are found in the city of Malden. There are always the same people in power positions and they are always from the same family. I think that it is ridiculous because on the outside, these people seem to be friendly and caring when in reality many may turn out to be rude and thieving and dirty and bogus. I think Christina that someone needs to step in and shake things up in the wonderful world of Malden politics because it is turning into a chess game for power and prominence more than a profession meant for bettering the community. <BR/><BR/>Of course I can’t really step in to do something till I am eighteen (which is actually very soon). But, I think that along as we have money and greed, there will always be “private sector partnerships” because they are the front page makers. The partnerships and the deals that happen, like the new schools and the new school gyms and the new track stadiums are all <A HREF="http://www.wickedlocal.com/content/sites/malden/bread_3/0/g258258b0e940061879935cc84fb131ae6b0bf902b54625.jpg" REL="nofollow">front page</A> grabbers that help to get publicity for the upcoming elections and people fall for these things. Anyone who sees the mayor of a major city shaking the hand of a gang leader who just received a new park for the children of his neighborhood is going to think, “Gee, that Mayor So-and-so is really nice and he cares a lot for the community,” when in reality he may have done those things for other reasons. Sometimes it is a picture of the <A HREF="http://www.wickedlocal.com/content/sites/malden/bread_1/0/g258258d480e04e7f1fa1674914baf2799e2ff6ff8e241e.jpg" REL="nofollow"> mayor holding an enormously large check </A><BR/> for a small amount of money with a cute child coming from a low-income household that makes the front page. Why do you think the actual check is so big? Because the mayor and his associates want the world to see what they have done so they can look good in the community’s eye. But the reality is that they might never even set foot in that ghetto ever again. <BR/><BR/>But maybe what I am talking about is just a horrible stereotype and one that should be argued against. Does anyone have an opinion on this “private sector partnership”?Michael R. 6https://www.blogger.com/profile/11365612107306255055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-45198372759858656692007-12-19T22:06:00.000-05:002007-12-19T22:06:00.000-05:00As citizens of the United States, all students are...As citizens of the United States, all students are entitles to equal education. Each state has its own tax system where some of the parents’ taxes go to the public schools. It is unfair for a child to “have to choose between a teacher or a playground or sufficient toilet paper” (79). It’s understandable that private schools have better teachers and resources for the students, because parents pay for their kid’s tuition out of their own pockets. However, public education should be equal across the state, because it is provided by the parent’s taxes. One community should not be favored over another because of the parent’s occupation and status. All students should be provided with equal opportunities to succeed. Kozol’s statement may seem exaggerated, but it does reflect the crisis—limitations on improvement—in many inner-city schools. Kozol’s choice of examples is powerful as well. A qualified teacher is needed in order to provide the students with a proper education and motivation to learn. A playground represents the children’s right to have fun and enjoy their youth. Sufficient toilet paper is necessary for obvious sanitary reasons. Each of the factors plays an important role in the schools. Therefore, forcing the children to choose only one option for improvement leaves them at a disadvantage in the other areas. <BR/><BR/>On another note, what do you guys think about the phrase “’private-sector partners’” (81)? Some Americans agree that black children do deserve to receive a quality education. However, the upper-class white folks often refer to education as training for the black students to become “good employees” (81). As a result, the black students aren’t expected to become bosses. They are expected to produce good works so that the business of another man, who is probably white, can prosper.Chrizzy Teenyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03779253140166072382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-52268320329570077752007-12-17T20:07:00.000-05:002007-12-17T20:07:00.000-05:00Yes, Mike, it would be great if we could clone all...Yes, Mike, it would be great if we could clone all those exceptional teachers, so that children everywhere will receive an equal education. Then, the students wouldn’t be wasting away their lives. Mrs. Hawkins is a wonderful example of the type of hard-working teacher that schools need. Unlike other classrooms, her classroom walls are filled with the students’ works and posters, which create an enthusiastic and positive atmosphere. Students who enter the classroom feel an urge to learn and explore. She challenges the students in all areas like math, science, art and reading. Instead of lecturing the students, she puts the students in groups, “departments”, (48) where they teach and learn from each other. The groups help develop teamwork and leadership, which could be applied to their lives outside the classroom. Mrs. Hawkins tells her students to use a dictionary if they come across an unfamiliar word. In order for the students to succeed, they must work to gain the reward, in this case, of knowledge. They shouldn’t set low-expectations by seeking only the answer. The students need to understand the reasoning behind the answers, and not just accept the information others feed them. In Ghettonation, Cora Daniels warns the people to not give in to the media’s images and advertisements. If the people are quick to eat up all that the media feeds them, they can’t make their own decisions; The viewers will make decisions based on the media’s influence. <BR/><BR/>Jonathan Konzol interviews Charles Mingo, principal of a school in Chicago’s second-poorest neighborhood, after school one day. The principal notes that as important as it is to “get these kids to pass their tests,” (71) it’s important to have flowers as well. I’m disappointed that many of the teachers, who do teach, teach to earn a living. They do not feel passionate about their occupation, and it affects their performance and attitude inside the classroom. A teacher who feels miserable about their job is likely to have a negative impact on the students. The teachers show up for the paycheck, not the students. The teachers should push their students to aim high, and not settle for a passing grade—the minimum. Konzol believes that flowers play an important role in the schools as well. Flowers beautify landscapes by adding color. Bright colors evoke feelings of happiness and life. Therefore, school should be a place where young minds are free to learn to their heart’s content. The students should not be limited. Let there be life in the classrooms! <BR/><BR/>If you guys haven’t watched the movie, Freedom Writers, I highly recommend it. The movie focuses on the lives of the students of Wilson High School and their daily struggles. A new teacher, Erin Gruwell, comes to the school with high hopes and zeal. She is shocked by the behavior and attitude of her students. At one point, she almost gives up on them, but she doesn’t. Mrs. Gruwell convinces her students to write in journals. From these journals, Mrs. Gruwell delves into the students’ lives within their tough community. With these eye-opening entries in mind, Mrs. Gruwell attempts to break down her student’s barriers and help them realize their potentials. The movie is simply inspirational. It’s now available on DVD, so rent it over vacation.Chrizzy Teenyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03779253140166072382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-50942311431344347292007-12-16T19:21:00.000-05:002007-12-16T19:21:00.000-05:00Christina to answer your question, I don’t think t...Christina to answer your question, I don’t think that there is much that kids our age can do except try to get our voices heard. There may not be that much worth fighting over here at Malden High but I think that the problems being faced by the kids in New York and Chicago put them at a level where they think that fighting is futile. <BR/><BR/>In the question, Christina, that you had pertaining to teachers and where more can come from; I think that there is little that we can do as high school kids because people go to colleges and universities to get degrees so that they can teach. Hopefully, they go to learn to teach things that they love. I feel that some teachers teach only to teach. In other words, they teach just to get by or as a side job. In some of the worst cases, they choose to teach only to find that it was a bad choice already made and it is too late to find another job. I think that I have dealt with many teachers like that in my lifetime. Many of these “half teachers” like the Chicago substitute on page 52 use their job hours as nap time. And it is ironic that the class that teacher was supposed to be teaching was not even academic but a more hands-on technology class. I think that if you have an engaging curriculum where the students do not come into class everyday only to do another class’s homework, then maybe an interest in the subject may grow. <BR/><BR/>However, I don’t think that this teaching quality is taught in the college or university giving out the degree. I think that the quality of a teacher is molded by their life’s experience and the morals and values that they are taught by their parents. If anyone hasn’t noticed, all teachers get the same kind of degree. I am not saying that any teacher is smarter or less smart than another but the education and basic requirement of a degree for teaching is the same. But, for some reason, all teachers teach differently and are appreciated by more students than others. <BR/><BR/>I think their teaching appeal has to do with how the class is run or how rigorous the class is. It is common sense that if someone is being taught something that they do not have particular interest in, there may be a great deal of struggle throughout their work. <BR/><BR/>In the problem of attracting teachers, nothing can be done because it is free will by which the teachers choose to teach. That is why most of the teachers in this book, like Mrs. Hawkins of Chicago, are declared heroes because she takes money out of her own pocket to provide an education to the children of her class. She may put in more effort in teaching than other teachers who sit back and take the fact that there is little that can be done. I just don’t think that unless teachers were assigned to schools all over the nation, problems like a growing demand for teachers cannot be resolved.<BR/><BR/>On the brighter side, there are teachers around me and you, Christina who do devote long hours for which they do not get paid (wink,wink) and then come to school to involve their students in education and provide help for when there is misunderstanding. If only we could clone these teachers and then every school in America would be better off!Michael R. 6https://www.blogger.com/profile/11365612107306255055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-85086002571933590832007-12-16T16:39:00.000-05:002007-12-16T16:39:00.000-05:00Sorry Mike, I don�t know anything about Chernobyl,...Sorry Mike, I don�t know anything about Chernobyl, Ukraine. However, your description of the incident does relate to East St. Louis. When you mentioned the four-headed fish, I remembered Kozol�s bull rats. I wonder if cases like East St. Louis still exist. If we have time, it�d be cool to do some research on inner-city communities. Like Mike, I was also wondering if the conditions of East St. Louis have improved. I tried Googling for some information, but I didn�t find as much as I wanted to know about. I browsed at the website for the East St. Louis School District #189, and clearly there are people who have been working for educational improvements. The only setback was that, the sites didn�t provide a list of improvements, so I could compare the results to the prior conditions in East St. Louis. <BR/><BR/>When the Illinois Board of Education cut �one quarter of the system�s teachers� (25) and �75 teacher aides,� but not any of the sports or music programs, I felt that the state was promoting racial stereotypes. By cutting the students access to academic resources, the students became even more disadvantages than they already were. The students were limited to the areas of sports and music, because the state felt confident that the black students have a chance of excelling in these two areas. The black students were assumed to athletes and singers and dancers, but not intellectuals of math, science, and english. The lack of enthusiasm from the state, affected the students attitude and self-esteem about academic classes. Because they were discouraged from advancing in academics, they resorted to their physical abilities. It was hard for the students to remain focuses and motivated. Many teachers weren�t helpful either. Some hardly even taught the students and let them sleep in class. The teachers believe it�s pointless to teach the students, because ��it makes no difference. Kids like these aren�t going anywhere� (52). The teachers have given up before giving the student�s a chance to learn, to grow, and succeed. The students who do stay in school and get a high school diploma aren�t that different from the students who dropped out. Those who received a high school diploma may not be able to read or write at a sixth grade level. The four years of high school amount to nothing. The students wasted their time�a huge chunk of their lives. <BR/><BR/>One of the main problems is that there are not enough teachers to educate students in the inner-city communities. What do you think could be done to attract more teachers to these positions? Obviously, this question cannot be answered from reading the book, but I was curious as to what you guys would propose to advocate change for better school systems.Chrizzy Teenyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03779253140166072382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-71554272972628770032007-12-16T15:44:00.000-05:002007-12-16T15:44:00.000-05:00My initial reaction to Savage Inequalities was sim...My initial reaction to Savage Inequalities was similar to Mike’s. As I read the first chapter, I was shocked and disturbed by the poor and dangerous conditions that the families in East St. Louis are forced to live under. Even though the statistics and events are based from 1970s to the 1990s, it wasn’t that long time ago. It’s scary to think that communities like East St. Louis existed right next to wealthy and comfortably adjusted communities. <BR/><BR/>The fact that rest of the world tries to isolate these inner-city communities angers me. Governor James Thompson refuses to provide “state loans to pay for garbage collection and to keep police and fire departments in continued operation” (9). He blames the mayor and administrators of East St. Louis, who happen to be mostly black. It’s frustrating because the governor is aware of the impending crisis and allows conditions to worsen, but does not take any responsibility. Without proper garbage pick-ups, the residents live in their own trash. The physical appearance and the atmosphere of the neighborhoods are unpleasant. It’s difficult for students and families to maintain a positive attitude, let alone, set high expectations. Their lives are thrown into garbage dumps whether this is an exaggeration or not. <BR/><BR/>Another unjust point that the governor argues is that “’there is money in the community…it’s just not being spent for what it should be spent for” (24). I strongly disagree with Thompson, because if there were money in these communities, then there would be better schools that would produce better students who will receive a better education to prepare them for better job opportunities, which will ultimately output better lives. It’s unfair that gambling such as lottery is advertised primarily in the poor, black communities. As a result, the “people who have nothing to start with waste their money on a place that sells them dreams” (16). Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the state have power to pass laws that regulate gambling? If the state is aware of the economic problems that the people in the inner-city face, then why do they allow the gambling to continue in these places when they know that it will only deepen the inner-city families’ debt?Chrizzy Teenyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03779253140166072382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-84971340840365544482007-12-13T19:27:00.000-05:002007-12-13T19:27:00.000-05:00Oh and I noticed something about my links. To make...Oh and I noticed something about my links. To make things easier, make sure you RIGHT click on the link and scroll in the options and click OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW so that you guys can see the pictures I have chosen better.Michael R. 6https://www.blogger.com/profile/11365612107306255055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-85296783044907102542007-12-13T19:22:00.000-05:002007-12-13T19:22:00.000-05:00Hey everyone! I hope that we are all safe and warm...Hey everyone! I hope that we are all safe and warm in our houses. I asked Mr. G today if I could put some pictures in our little discussion and he told me to read up on how to do it in Kevin T’s posting. I learned and wanted to show you guys the pictures of an abandoned store in <A SVITLYACHOK HREF="http://pripyat.com/cgi-bin/preview.cgi?url=/sm/site/photogallery/uploads/304/1475_3.jpg&image_name=" REL="nofollow">Pripyat, Ukraine</A> (a ghost city on the outskirts of Chernobyl with a former population of 50,000) and a store in <A HREF="http://www.archinect.com/images/uploads/stls03.jpg" REL="nofollow">East St. Louis</A> . Hopefully you guys can see the resemblance and be just as shocked as I was.Michael R. 6https://www.blogger.com/profile/11365612107306255055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-78045233602945618972007-12-12T18:42:00.000-05:002007-12-12T18:42:00.000-05:00I think we are halfway through guys!!! So I hope t...I think we are halfway through guys!!! So I hope that everyone likes the book because I actually kind of like it. I have another book to post-it up. I love the fresh smell of a new post-it notepad freshly unwrapped from its plastic wrapping. No really I do…. <BR/><BR/>Savage Inequalities is very addicting book and so far I think that I’ve been more than shocked than I was when reading Ghetto Nation. Jonathan Kozol warns us in the beginning that all of the issues discussed in this book were evident during the time period of 1970 – 1990. I keep trying to remind myself that it was almost fifteen years ago and hopefully things have changed for the all the people that Jonathan Kozol mentions in Savage Inequalities. I don’t know where you guys are in your reading but I am going to comment on something that happened in the first chapter because the author started of with some crazy disturbing facts. <BR/><BR/>He begins with a short introduction to East St. Louis, Illinois which is on the border of St. Louis, Missouri and Illinois, separated by the Mississippi. Kozol describes the city and its surroundings. East St. Louis was once a boomtown because of all it natural resources surrounding the area. There was once an aluminum factory and this attracted much of the early population. I actually wanted to do a little more research because I wanted to see some pictures of the city and found out that the historic Route 66 runs through the city but it is described by one Route 66 enthusiast as “a depressed area of Route 66 that might not be appropriate for the casual Route 66er - especially at night.” * Many factories were closed during the Great Depression but were revived during WWII and used in the production of weapons and war machines. Since then, the city has gone down hill. Children don’t have adequate education or dental care, homes are not homes - they are shacks and children play in human runoff. There are high levels of lead contamination in the soil and many infant deaths occur. The smokestacks of the two chemical plants and a toxic incineration compound fill the air that people breathe with harmful pollutants. One student at East St. Louis High School describes it like this, “So the trash is [coming] at us in this direction. The chemicals is [coming] from the other. We right in the middle,” (31). Considered suburban, the city is nothing like its affluent (predominantly white) neighbors situated on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi and Downtown St. Louis. There is one bridge going into St Louis from the city.<BR/><BR/>When reading about East St. Louis, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Chernobyl, Ukraine in the former USSR (Soviet Russia) and the horrible side effects that the failure of a nuclear reactor left behind. I keep scaring myself because Chernobyl is in Russia and that is a world away from America. Chernobyl has fishes in its water with four heads, almost like El Pond in Melrose (but I won’t start with that). There is an uninhabited buffer zone in the city of Chernobyl that surrounds the remains of the melted-down nuclear reactor where there are still areas teaming with nuclear radiation harmful to humans. It almost sounds like the lead in the soil of East St. Louis. Chernobyl made headlines around the world and Russia’s government poured money into the incident after it was all over so as to cover things up. Literally. During the process of containing the nuclear fuel rods in the power plant, scientists came up with the simple-stupid idea of pouring concrete on the molten fuel rods so that it could slow down the escape of nuclear radiation leaking into a cavern full of reactive compounds that may have resulted in a nuclear explosion sending gamma rays into the air and spreading them around the GLOBE…This solution was very fragile as authorities did not know if the radiation would just melt threw but it somehow held. The cover-up worked. <BR/><BR/>I don’t think that East St. Louis is a cover-up but the problem is that it hasn’t been uncovered yet, like Chernobyl was. I have never seen the city on the six o-clock news. I couldn’t even find very much info on it except police reports and funny mug shots and blogs with people warning about all of its organized crime. <BR/><BR/>I just wanted to know if anyone has been to a place like this. I know that my hometown in Puerto Rico has a ghetto area where gunshots are the norm. It is at the bottom of hill and my town is half the size of Malden. Has anyone been to the Bronx or heard of Chernobyl, Ukraine??? Maybe someone can tell how they felt when they read about East St. Louis and what it would be like to live there….<BR/><BR/>*http://www.theroadwanderer.net/66Illinois/city66.htmMichael R. 6https://www.blogger.com/profile/11365612107306255055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-87102364053533255412007-12-12T06:39:00.000-05:002007-12-12T06:39:00.000-05:00Good morning everyone. I’ve been a little busy bu...Good morning everyone. I’ve been a little busy but I’ve finally found some time.<BR/><BR/>The highlight of this book for me has to be chapter 6. Daniels’ writing style is dramatically different in this one chapter in relation to the rest of the book. Daniels makes no narration and the entire chapter is written in dialogue. Filled with excessive music references and ghetto behavior, this chapter reminds us how largely influenced we are by the media and vice versa. I’m not much of a music enthusiast but even I recognized some of the songs she was pulling lyrics out of. We hear the music so much that we can easily incorporate them in our everyday speech and it would go unnoticed. From “Gold Digger” to “Oops… I Did It Again,” Daniels utilizes the lyrics within the ghetto speech in such a manner that the entire conversation is believable and makes her point entirely. All the songs she refers to how this one ghetto image in common. Excessive partying. The financial aspect of a relationship. The fleeting ghetto aspect of a relationship driven by the thrill of the moment. Not only does this chapter instill humor in us, it also opens our eyes to how routine ghetto has become and the ghetto mindset. In words of 50 Cent, “America got a thing for this gangsta s***.”<BR/><BR/>Would I recommend other people to read this book? Definitely. It’s an eye opener for sure and makes you say, “Damn. I am pretty ghetto,” even if you never considered it before. This book can be read by those who detest ghetto culture and those who consider themselves a part of it. After all, it is social criticism. Ghetto is a part of our culture whether we like it or not so we might as well fully understand what it is and how it is affecting us. “I am ghetto. I am not ghetto. I am you” (196). A quick, enjoyable read that leave you laughing out loud and confused (but liking it).baoxerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529809784088641204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-8066428910594936562007-12-09T12:52:00.000-05:002007-12-09T12:52:00.000-05:00To elaborate on a point Benwit and Michael brought...To elaborate on a point Benwit and Michael brought up about the stranger who believes he “could have a baby but [he doesn’t] think [he] could ever get married” (123), I think that the stranger is afraid of commitment. Marriage would limit him to one woman, who would restrict his freedom to explore. I agree with Benwit that marriage does call for higher demands and expectations. He is expected to be there for her physically, mentally, and emotionally. He would need to share his life with her. He must compromise with a wife before making decisions. On the other hand, commitment to a baby requires less compromise and allows more freedom. Because he is not married to the baby’s mother, he is not obligated to support her needs, but only the baby’s. It is easier for the parent to compromise with the child, because children are easily influenced. The stranger is aiming low by exercising as little effort as possible and avoiding responsibility. <BR/><BR/>Daniels refers to John Ogbu’s term “‘acting white’ to explain why some black students seemed to shun doing well in school” (152). The black students believe that black students, who take the high level classes, talk properly, and are focused on academics mean that they are “acting white.” Peer pressure discourages the other black students from doing well in school. They are convinced that there is a glass ceiling that prevents them from being equal to white students. With these assumptions in mind, it’s impossible for the black students to set high goals. There friends and classmates, and sometimes even parents may advise the black student to stop trying and return to his acceptable social status. They are telling him to just give up before he even had a chance to try to make an accomplishment. In A Hope in the Unseen, the main character, Cedric Jennings, attends an inner city school where the majority of students are black. Within his black community, Cedric is discouraged from thinking about college, let alone an Ivy League college. Despite his extraordinary grades and intelligence, his friends and teachers tell him to aim low—apply to the community colleges around the neighborhood. These “Dreambusters,” as Cedric refers to them, remind him constantly that he will never become successful in life and that he will end up just like the rest of them. His peers often mock him for reading, talking funny, and focusing on school—“acting white”. However, Cedric was able to turn this criticism and discouragement into motivation. In the end, he is able to overcome their words and reach his goal. <BR/><BR/>Cedric sets a great example for all students. Becoming an intellectual is not restricted to a certain race. Anyone can become an intellectual as along as they are willing to accept challenges and allow their horizons to extend despite the obstacles. In order to succeed, people need to learn to love themselves and rid of this self-hate.Chrizzy Teenyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03779253140166072382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-33655394906262514592007-12-08T16:03:00.000-05:002007-12-08T16:03:00.000-05:00Sorry about the lagging, but it’s kind of hard to ...Sorry about the lagging, but it’s kind of hard to explain.<BR/>Anyway, after reading Ghetto Nation, I do realize a lot of these ghetto attributes in people. Just the other day I had seen a young black father and mother with their child and they were busy buying alcohol from the store and the baby looked as if it was freezing, but I resisted from saying anything since I knew I wouldn’t be able to change there perspective. Another thing that made me wonder was when she talked about Cosby’s speech at an NAACP award ceremony. For many a years, Cosby had been looked at as a hero to several in impoverished regions and after he ridiculed the poor, low-economic black community (a rather large community as well). And it made me think about what I had said before about celebrities, like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton who have adapted a ghetto style while still inexplicably being heroes. Though I understand Cosby may not strike anybody as “ghetto,” but one of the lessons I believe Daniels wanted us to see in her book was that, we don’t see the real ghetto in people and much like celebrities and people alike we all choose our lifestyle, however it is other people who exploit these unique qualities of people.Alexander A.6https://www.blogger.com/profile/14733739001317707726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-21393952898724991512007-12-08T15:11:00.000-05:002007-12-08T15:11:00.000-05:00Hey guys. I lost my book at Sullivan Square today...Hey guys. I lost my book at Sullivan Square today when I was getting on the shuttle bus. I'll try to make a post tomorrow so don't end the session until then.baoxerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529809784088641204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411145127857089342.post-15015949266286108832007-12-07T21:35:00.000-05:002007-12-07T21:35:00.000-05:00As we are all wrapping up Ghetto Nation, it was fu...As we are all wrapping up Ghetto Nation, it was fun to see how far we have come in our understanding of the ghetto and its ghetto ways. I have laughed and I have cried and I have read and I have learned. Cora finishes her book with a message. It is a cry for help but there is ultimately nothing that we can do because ghetto is all around us and here to stay. She tells us of the Bill Cosby blow up and how he spoke for all of the people that weren’t opening there mouths. I think that I am one of those people who doesn’t open there mouth about ghetto and the eroding effects it has on society. I have tried before to say something but I think that sometimes it made me come off as racist because I definitely associated ghetto with Black people only (I am the first to admit). Reading Ghetto Nation took off my blinders to the world around me and I was able to see that Ghetto is everywhere. Ghetto can be funny and harmless but sometimes it is ridiculously dumb and makes one say, “Why would you do that?” Before I finish blogging about Ghetto Nation though, I want talk about one of the funniest ghetto ideas found in Ghetto Nation. <BR/>Cora Daniels decided to take us back to her days growing up in Bed-Stuy. Cora attended Brooklyn Tech High School and back then, it was the pride of Bed-Stuy. The cream of the crop of Bed-Stuy attended the school because you needed to take an entrance exam to get in. Her school was for the geeks and the kids from Boys and Girls high School always beat the geeks up. <BR/>One day, while Cora was in school, there was a great excitement when her classmates noticed that word DECEPTICONS was tagged on the sidewalk. (Tag means spray paint!) DECEPTICONS comes from a cartoon of huge robots battling for supremacy in the galaxy. The decepticons were the evil robots. The school was evacuated because the officials thought that there was going to be a big brawl. <BR/>I think the biggest surprise for me was that most members of the gang are from the school and they only caused mischief on the weekdays. They lived their double lives on the weekends. This “gang” of ghetto nerds is the weirdest thing I’ve ever read about. Cora Daniels wrote about them with some humor almost making fun of them. I hope that you guys can agree by saying that the DECEPTICONS are very similar to MAPLEWOOD gang. Both gangs are manned by unlikely kids. They are the kids that have silver spoons in their mouths and roofs over their heads. But, at night when there is nothing to do at home they would rather walk around with their pants hanging below their butts and terrorize the neighborhood than be with their friends and do normal things. These suburban gangs are very comical to me and it’s funny because MAPLEWOOD is feared around Malden but I think anyone who is a part of it is the laughing stock of the city. Come on, DECEPTICONS? M DUBS?!!! YE YEAA!!! ………….<BR/><BR/>GHETTO NATION = GOOD BOOKMichael R. 6https://www.blogger.com/profile/11365612107306255055noreply@blogger.com