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Blog # 9 Gender Pronouns - Woke Read Alouds: They, She, He Easy as ABC

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  Woke Read Alouds:  They, She, He Easy as ABC The video was interesting in the fact that the storyteller was animated and very skilled in making sure that the lesson included other aspects besides gender pronouns, like book parts or text features.  Also, after watching the video I honestly had mixed feelings, because I do not agree with instructing kids on choosing their pronouns at an early age; and the positive side of the video is related to the understanding that today, in this diverse society there is a need to acknowledge gender diversity as well as race diversity, cultural diversity, religious diversity and all types of diversity. On the other hand I think that choosing your gender is directly, or at least mostly related to sexual orientation and a person could choose their sexual orientation when they are young adults or later, not as children, therefore I don’t feel it is appropriate to introduce it at an early age. On the other hand the school where I helped tr...
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Blog # 6 Patrick Finn - Literacy with an attitude - Different education for different people

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Blog # 6 Patrick Finn - Literacy with an attitude - Different education for different people Patrick Finn looked at a 1970s study by Jean Anyon where she explained the differences between what she called Working Class schools, Middle Class schools, Affluent Professional schools, and Executive Elite schools.  Working Class schools: Follow directions and do mechanical , low paying work. Middle Class schools: Follow orders and do the mental work that keeps society producing and running smoothly.   Affluent Professional schools:Learn to create products and art “Symbolic capital” and at the same time find rewards in work itself and negotiate from powerful position Executive Elite schools: Learning to be the masters of the universe.  My SL site would fall into the category of providing a Middle Class Education because it strives to provide cultural relevant pedagogies, multilingual approach, community approach, inclusiveness, anti-racist education and abolitionist teaching to ...
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Blog # 1 Johnson - Intro to privilege, power and difference

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Blog # 1 Johnson - Intro to privilege , power and difference Allan Johnson argues that it is important to talk explicitly about issues of privilege, power and difference so that we can work towards a more just and respectful world.  Therefore I want to talk about the struggles of being on the other side of the spectrum, being an unprivileged or disadvantaged student due to the lack of dominant language. Aria, by Rodriguez was an article that portraits the sacrifices that ELL students make when giving up their home language in order to become successful in English speaking classrooms. The sacrifices are usually related to loss of home language, loss of family connections and loss of identity and therefore culture. Rodriguez argues that this loss is worth it, in order to gain a public identity by attaining a competent English language so that the person can flow and thrive in this society.   On the other hand, reading Aria, I infer that Rodriguez also portrays the pain that...
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  Blog #9 - What stands out (Reflection) "The value in diversity and multilingualism" There are a number of ideas and arguments that were impactful during this class, which unleashed a position, desires, hopes and inspiration as an educator of mostly multilingual learners.   Aria, by Rodriguez was an article that portraits the sacrifices that ELL students make when giving up their home language in order to become successful in English speaking classrooms. I feel that, luckily, today people can find more support in order to maintain their home language, therefore, I believe that this reading is a juxtaposition to the reality of my service school "International Charter School" in which one of the priorities is to empower students with their bilingualism while the reading portrayed how just some decades ago, the education system pushed to eliminate the native language as an attempt to provide more opportunities in an English speaking educational system.  On the other h...
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Blog#3 Jonathan Kozol’s “Amazing Grace, The lives of children and the conscience of a nation” (Reflection - connection) This reading was a real call to the conscience of a nation, as it makes you ponder on the struggles of many and the indifference of most.  This reminded me of the “luxury of obliviousness” of white privilege and I compare this reality to the luxury of obliviousness’ attitude that all the social economic classes above the poorest have in relation to the circumstances of the least fortunate.  “The poorest of the poor, poor by any standard I can think of.” While some people might argue that immigrants should not be granted the same privileges as American citizens, author Kozol’s idea of grace and compassion towards the poor shows us that we really need to think about the importance of empowering the least fortunate in order to be able to break chains and vicious cycles, for we are all human.   The social and economic situation of the students who were inter...
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Blog #10 Abolitionist Teaching  (Connections)  “We need confidence in the knowledge of who we are” I find this quote very powerful as it reflects the importance of cultural identity, which is so relevant in this diverse country. Being a minority myself, I feel privileged enough to have been able to experience my culture to the fullest in order to achieve confidence in who I am, and to learned how to value it and let it shape who I am today. I strongly believe that cultural identity nurtures confidence in self, it provides a sense of belonging, sense of security, sense of self realization, sense of direction and allows you (in the right healthy and inclusive environment) to make significant contributions personally and professionally.  “Abolitionist Teaching is to fight injustice within their schools and communities. To be an abolitionist teacher is the idea that we are going to dismantle together, injustices. Abolitionist teaching is not just for black children. Anti- ra...
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Blog # 8 Thomas Hehir - “Eliminating Ableism in Education” & “Examined Life” (Extended Comments)

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Gabrielle Toscano-Parente's Argument   For this blog I would like to focus my attention on Gabrielle Toscano-Parente’s argument about this reading.  Gabrielle does an excellent job summarizing and highlighting the key aspects of Hehi’s point of view related to ableism assumptions (ableism: Discrimination in favor of able-bodied people) and thoroughly explains the current support systems available for people with disabilities. In addition, Gabrielle asked a question that spoke directly to me, and therefore, I would like to respond to it.  “One question I would like to address in class is, does anyone have a disabled family member who has benefitted from their government services provided? If not, why?” (Gabrielle T-P) Yes, my own dear brother Juanqui is not able to use his right hand, presents speech and some cognitive difficulties.  After 12 years from an accident that changed his life and the life of my family, up to this day I can recognize that he would be consid...
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