Talking Point #6- Jeannie Oakes

Premise:

• tracking
• consequences
• "less able"
• strategies
• high ability
• low ability
• classroom
• curriculum
• cognitive abilities
• learning
• student education
• learning strategies
• group work

Arguement:

Oakes argues that "students who are placed in high ability groups have access to far richer schooling experiences than other students." Because tracking does in large part seclude students, stereotype them as less able, schools need to find an alternative to tracking.

Evidence:

"...school professionals and parents oppose tracking because the believe it locks most students into classes where they have fewer opportunities to learn. Many express particular concern about tracking's effects on poor and minority students, who are placed in low-ability groups more often than other students and are less likely to be found in programs for gifted students or in college preparatory tracks."

"tracking leads to substantial differences in the day-to-day learning experiences students have at school... students who are placed in high-ability groups have access to far richer schooling experiences than other students. This finding helps explain why it is that tracking sometimes seems to "work" for high-ability students and not for others."

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

Comments:

Besides maybe Kozul, I found this reading most enjoyable. Although it was one of the shorter readings, I feel it was filled with as much, if not more, useful information as any of the readings. Tracking is a very common and important issue that teachers and students deal with everyday. Throughout my education, and even as young as Kindegarten, I can remember students being secluded from the class to get "extra help". I found this reading very interesting because it taught me about tracking consequences and the uneven opportunities that are related to tracking. It also taught me about tracking alternatives and how important a curriculum rich with meaning is. "When curriculum is organized around the central themes of a subject area rather than around disconnected topics and skills, all students stand the greatest chance of enhancing their intellectual development." This reading truly impressed and engaged me, while teaching me a ton of useful information.

Talking Point #5 - Kahne & Westheimer

Premise:

• stereotypes
• homelessness
• community service
• learning experience
• charity
• change
• service learning
• community
• relationships
• politics
• moral
• altruism

Arguement:

Kahne and Westheimer argue that "learning and service reinforce each other and should come together in America's schools, yet there is a difference between charity and change in relation to service learning.

Evidence:

"In the moral domain, service learning activities tend toward two types of relationships. Relationships that emphasize charity we will call "giving." Those that aim primarily to deepen relationships and to forge new connections we will call "caring." In caring relationships, Nel Noddings asserts, we try to consider the life and disposition of those for whom we are caring."

"..is a fundamental critique of those market the importance of service learning by referencing both the motivation and joy that come from giving and the importance of altruism."

"Citizenship in a democratic community requires more that kindness and decency; it requires engagement in complex social and institutional endeavors."

Comments:

I thought this piece was a slightly tedious read but rather interesting. I had never thought about the difference between charity and change in service learning, and found the difference between Mr. Johnson's project and Ms. Adams project to be very interesting.

Talking Points # 4 - Linda Christensen

Premise

• stereotypes
• racism
• sexism
• literacy
• society
• individuality
• cartoons
• media
• influence

Arguement

Christensen argues that the media, most specifically in cartoons, movies and books influences how children act and think in a negative manner, and therefore, we need to become more critical about what is portrayed in the media.

Evidence

"Children's cartoons, movies, and literature are perhaps the most influential genre "read." Young people, unprotected by any intellectual armor, hear or watch these stories again and again... the stereotypes and worldview embedded in the stories become accepted knowledge."

"Although these stories are supposed to meerely entertain us, they constantly give us a secret education. We are not only taught certain styles of violence, the latest fashions, and sex roles by TV, movies, magazines, and comic strips; we are also taught how to succeed, how to love, how to buy, how to conquer, how to forget the past and surpress the future. We are tauht, more than anythin else, how not to rebel."

Comments:

I thought this piece was extremely interesting and a very engaging and enjoyable read. It was interesting to read about the "secret education" in cartoons because I had never thought of this and it brings a new light and different understanding to the fairytales we all loved as children.