Alyssa Petrarca Fall 2016 Blog

Service Learning In the article of In The Service Of What? The Politics Of Service Learning, by Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer two approaches of service learning are mentioned. The two different approaches were to show that their is multiple ways to service learning not just one. One example was Mr. Johnson's approach were he had his students go out in the community to help others in need. For example, one student prepared and distributed survival kits for the homeless, another student ran errands for doctors and helped patients locate there sites for appointments. This approach had students work one on one with people. Ms. Adams took a different approach, she had a seventh grade classroom who focused more on helping the community without going into the community. She had the classroom vote on what topic concerned students the most.  The class picked homelessness. "Their service learning unit "Homelessness Here and Elsewhere"--examined the social,  economic...

Gender & The 2018 Election In Soloway's and Stacey Abrams article they both talk about what it's like to be a women in twenty eighteen. Soloway's article talks more about men and how they talk about women in a vulgar way. They use the words, "that" instead of saying lady or women. I believe in today's society men are so used to talking about women in a vulgar way they don't even think what they are doing is wrong. When I go out with my guy friends they all do it. They will stand in a circle and talk about a women's body and stare at her. They will refer to her as "that" and say what they like just from looking at her. Being a girl myself,  I feel many women are used to men talking about women and discriminating them. As a whole men and women both need to stop discrimination and realize what they say before they say it. This relates to Zelle's article "Eleven and Gender Fluid," on how the mothers daughter was a transgend...

11 & Gender Fluid After reading Erin Zelle's article I feel for her daughter and everything she has to go through in today's society. When your in elementary school and going into middle school your hormones are all over the place and your trying to figure out who you are. I feel that anyone should be able to express themselves in whatever way they want too. Its awful to think that someone has to goes places and get made fun of because of who they are trying to be. I think another problem is parents don't make their children aware of transgenders so when they see it they don't know how to act, especially in elementary school.When I was a kid I wouldn't leave the house unless I was in a pink tutu and wearing Cinderella heels. It didn't matter if my parents were going to Target or the grocery store I had to wear that exact outfit. I used to play t-ball as a kid and would run around the bases in jelly sandals with princesses on them. My mom would say ...

Christensen Reflection After reading this text it brought me back to my childhood and the cartoons  I used to watched. When I was a child I never saw the way media portrayed others, I thought I was just watching a cartoon or a show. The roles characters play and what there role based off is really prejudiced. Back when a lot of these show were created it was a different time period where blacks weren't fully accepted , women strictly were to take care of the household, and the men worked. In a lot of shows on television that is what's portrayed. Looking back on my favorite shows or movies, Cinderella was one of them. From watching the movie it made me believe all step parents and step siblings were evil. The roles were the Step mother made the daughter cook, clean, and work while the step children didn't have to do anything. Never would I of believed that if I didn't watch the movie. After reading Christensen it also reminded me how there were never black princesses...

Blog 3 Aria Richard Rodriguez After reading Aria it was apparent to me that many students who speak another language must feel detached or lost. Coming into a classroom that is full of English language speakers when you speak Spanish or another language is very intimidating. This connects to a situation that is occurring in the classroom I'm currently volunteering in. Theirs two students in the class who only speak Spanish and know a tiny bit of English. When I first observed them it was obvious to me they didn't know what the teacher was saying. They would wait for everyone in the class to do something first so they could see what they were doing then proceed to do the same. I thought about myself and being put in that position and how hard it must be to sit in a classroom all day having no idea what the teacher is saying. Rodriguez's family was asked to transform there household into speaking English so they could practice understanding the language better. His f...

Jonathan Kozol Amazing Grace "The pastor tells me that the place is known as "Children's Park." Volunteers arrive here twice a week to give out condoms and clean needles to addicted men and women, some of whom bring their children with them. The children play near the bears or on a jungle gym while their mothers wait for needles."   This quote caught my eye when reading Kozol's story. In the text Cliffie takes him for a walk throughout the city. They come upon a park that has teddy bears hanging from the tree. The park that is known as the "Childrens Park" isn't your typical park. Children go there to play while there parents are getting clean needles to do drugs and drink alcohol. To children who grew up in these poor neighborhoods it was normal for them to see. "In this building? Including the children, maybe 27 people. That's just in this section. In the other building over there, there's maybe 20 more....