Beyond the Bake Sale

I have always heard that working with parents is one of the hardest parts of being a teacher. I always imagined that these people were talking about handling parents who are fighting for a better grade for their child or working with the parents of a student who is bullied or not doing well enough. They were always rather negative scenarios. However, after reading Beyond the Bake Sale by Warren, Hong, Rubin, and Uy, I realized that even positive situations with parents can be challenging. I've learned that encouraging parents to be more active in their child's education and the school community is also a daunting task.

The first step is to create a relationship with the parents of your students from which you can build off of. The first time you meet a child's parent should be dedicated to creating some sort of connection that is memorable and positive; something that will make them want to help out and be a part of the class. The article states that "too often, model programs have disappointing results when imposed on school communities rather than when they emerge from a deeply rooted process of engagement" (2248). Model programs are too generic. Sure, they are great starting points but school communities are most influenced by a program that is designed for that specific school, for those specific students and parents, working towards a specific goal or set of objectives.

These programs are also most effective when they are a little more in depth than "helping with homework, attending Back to School Night, chaperoning field trips" and other traditional means of parent involvement as described in Auerbach's From Moral Supporters to Struggling Advocates" (252). Beyond the Bake Sale actually builds upon this idea: "Rather than having the school set the agenda or the activities, we have highlighted the value of providing parents with opportunities to take leadership in setting a joint agenda" (2245). Rather than adhering to the guidelines of an administration or teacher-created program, they are given freedom to work on things that they believe are important and necessary - which I can imagine often line up what students and teachers believe are important as well. The difference is that a strong belief in it is created within these parents that make them want to become more involved.

I think that parent led and organized programs are a great idea! It allows them to be advocates rather than followers and the power they gain within these programs create much more enthusiasm.

Lesbian and Gay Adolescents: Social and Developmental Considerations

This week I have chosen to focus on Anderson's article, Lesbian and Gay Adolescents: Social and Developmental Considerations. The first part of the article that really stood out to me was the fact that "most gay and lesbian adolescents can vividly recall a period of intense anxiety when they first realized that they suddenly belonged to a group of people that is often vehemently despised". This really put things in perspective for me. Before this, I was somewhat aware of the difficulties that homosexual teens encounter as they go through even normal, everyday situations. However, this sentence alone helped me to better understand how much of a struggle it can be for them to accept themselves, let alone for others to accept them. I cannot imagine feeling as if who I am is inadequate or flat out wrong.

Unfortunately, the article states that this is how many of them do feel. The fact that they have so few resources and role models only makes it worse. I think it is so unfair that heterosexuals are given so many examples and so much support while others are so often ostracized, especially as teens and adolescents but even into adulthood.  During a time when all students are already feeling vulnerable and self-conscious, adding loneliness and even the feeling that you are foreign to yourself and others would be so overwhelming. I think that as teachers it is so, so important for us to realize how difficult that can be. Many of us will be working with students who go through exactly this and I think that curbing behavior such as bullying and even what appears to be simple teasing could be significant for some of them. We probably will not know the effect it has, but being aware of how your students are interacting with each other could change how one views themselves or their experiences at school.

Masculinity as Homophobia

The first article that I read for this week was Kimmel's "Masculinity as Homophobia", which I actually found really interesting. Kimmel makes several points in particular that caught my attention:

• manhood is a social construct
• maculinity must be proven to other men
• being a man means not being a woman
• being a man means success with the traditional male identity
• masculinity is a defense against potential humiliation

The way I see it, Kimmel brings all of this together in one statement: "we learn that our peers are a kind of gender police" (132). Not being a man, I cannot fully relate to these statements nor most of the others. However, my close group of friends is largely boys and most times that we get together I am the only girl. So, while reading Kimmel's article I found myself realizing that not only could many of my friends exemplify exactly what he was saying, but so could I. I realized that unintentionally, I am one way when with my girlfriends and another when with the boyfriends. Perhaps I am only biased but I think this has way more to do with the dynamics of each group than my own personality.

When I am with the girls I have no problem being girly. And by that I mean I enjoy being girly. This changes when I'm with the guys. Sure, I am still the same girl and I don't completely switch roles but I certainly limit my talk of "girly topics" such as chick flicks, my nails, clothes, the Hunger Games, etc. One reason is because I'd rather not alienate myself since they would have almost no input whatsoever but another is because they might not hang out with me if I could no longer keep up with their guy talk. I, much like them according to Kimmel, am constantly trying to prove that I'm not as feminine as they might think. 

Since becoming "one of the guys" I've gained more freedom in terms of how girly I am in their presence and the funny thing is, so have they. Having been friends for 5, 8, even 10 years they're all so comfortable with each other that they aren't afraid of anything. As an insider, I can say with certainty that no topic, no matter how "feminine", is off the table. Of course, this changes once an outsider enters the picture. Someone not as close is seen as someone "capable of humiliating him in front of his peers" and certain topics become more taboo. In this sense, manhood is most certainly a social construct. These social expectations of masculinity only hold in situations where people outside the group of us are involved. I would bet that most groups of friends are the same way.

Children of Immigration

While reading Children of Immigration, the fourth chapter Remaking Identities stood out most for several reasons. I took a Multicultural Education course last semester at UMass Amherst and we read many similar articles to the ones that we have already read for this class. Of course, we ended up talking a lot about identity - our own identity as students, our identity as future teachers, and the identity of others from different case studies, movies, or articles.

We watched a movie on the Arizona school system and the state's desire to (and ultimately, success in) cutting all cultural studies courses in the schools. As many of you probably know, Arizona has a very multicultural population and more specifically, a very large Latino population. The main focus of the movie was on a group of Latino students who were currently enrolled in those courses and their fight, along with their teachers, to maintain these classes in the school system. Many of these students were heartbroken that they were being cut and admitted that if it were not for those classes, they would have dropped out of school long ago and ended up in a very different place. The reason was simple: they had finally learned about who they were and where they came from rather than just looking at purely "American" (European...) influences and events. They finally discovered their identity through these classes.

That was a tough situation for kids who had grown up in the United States, as US Citizens who spoke English and were familiar with American customs. The Remaking Identities chapter opened my eyes to how much more difficult life would be for immigrant students who can claim none of this to be true. The Suarez-Orozco's mention that "the children of immigrants desperately want to be accepted, as most people do, and what is new for them is often what is most desirable. They understand that in order to survive, they must develop competencies in the ways of the new world" (91). At the same time, these children are juggling multiple roles in different parts of their lives: "immigrant children today may have their breakfast in Farsi, listen to African American rap with their peers on the way to school, and learn about the New Deal from their social studies teacher in mainstream English" (92). How could it ever be possible for a child to feel comfortable with all of that while going through all the normal social things of a middle or high schooler at the same time? How is it possible to handle both of those and gain a good education, which you are told you absolutely need in this day and age to have a meaningful future?

It seems so impossible. So many of us take for granted how easy it is, thanks to having been born in this country to parents who were just as lucky or maybe to those who survived it already so you did not have to. It is so disappointing to think that immigrants come to America, their eyes "sparkling with hope" (5), only for it last until the next generation, where it is often broken by countless obstacles and defeats.

White Privilege and Racial Formation

The readings for this week focused on a huge issue that most people like to tip-toe around, if not completely avoid altogether: race. Yes, it is a touchy subject no matter what the topic of discussion but it is so important nonetheless because it affects each and every person that populates this planet (we forget race issues exist beyond our own country too). The first article, White Privilege: Unpacking the invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh is actually one that I read in my Multicultural Education class last semester. Reading it for a second time made it no less daunting, however.

McIntosh names twenty-six different ways in which White people (or those who appear to be so...) have an advantage over those who are not. Twenty-six. I can't even recall twenty six decisions I made today let alone twenty-six ways that I had an advantage over someone else, yet it is totally and undeniably true. I have never had to worry about any of the things on that list and I cannot imagine living a life of constant disadvantage because of the way I appear to someone else. It's actually quite intimidating to imagine, especially considering it's all based on assumptions, opinions and beliefs of other people that you cannot control. It would be so ideal to rid the world of this kind of inequality that can damage the qualities of life of entire groups of people.

I thought that Omi and Winant's Racial Formation was equally as thought provoking. I completely agree that race is an "element of social structure" and a "dimension of human representation" that does not biologically exist. My problem came just a bit later on when I started to agree with contrasting ideas. Charles Murray is quoted as saying that "race is not a morally admissible reason for treating one person differently from another". I read that and I agreed without even questioning it - it seems logical after all. But then almost immediately after, Thurgood Marshall is quoted as saying: "A profound difference separates governmental actions that themselves are racist, and governmental actions that seek to remedy the effects of prior racism or to prevent neutral government activity from perpetuating the effects of such racism". Whoops, I agree with that too. So where does it end? When can racism become a non-issue? Can it ever? So far, at this moment (and this might change), I think that the government needs to do what it needs to do in order to ensure that our history of racism does not continue to negatively affect the lives of its people. Finish what it started, if you will. But like I said, when can that end?

Introduction

Hello!

I am Kelly Zeoli and I just graduated from UMass Amherst with a Bachelors in History and a minor in Education. I started my undergrad as a Business major but switched at the beginning of my junior year when I realized that it wasn't at all what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I have always, always loved anything history and I'm so glad I made the change!

I grew up right near UML in Westford so I would love to be able to work in this area as a High School History teacher once I finish this program next May. I do like working with kids though, so teaching Middle School is definitely an option too! I have had several great teachers in the past that definitely influenced my decision to teach. It's very cheesy but I love the idea of sharing something I love and making my tiny but positive contribution to the world.

I currently substitute teach in Westford but in my free time I love movies, reading, shopping and of course being with family and friends! The usual.

See you all soon!