Obama vs Romney

Here are Obama's and Romney's views on abortion (Connections)

OBAMA: http://2012.presidential-candidates.org/Obama/Abortion.php

overview: -supports adoption
                  -disagrees with parental notification
                  -pro choice
                  -supports Roe v Wade



ROMNEY: http://2012.republican-candidates.org/Romney/Abortion.php

overview: -agrees with parental notification
                 - supports adoption
                 -pro life
                 -disagrees with stem cell research

OVERALL: I agree with Obama's views on abortion.  I think the woman should have the choice of whether or not they want to keep the baby. It's her body and no one, especially a man, should ever tell her how to live her own life.

Service Learning (quotes)

 "In the Service of What?" by Kahne and Westheimer

"The ability of a service learning curriculum to foster authentic, experience-based learning opportunities, to motivate students, to help students engage in higher-order thinking in contextually varied environments, and to promote interdisciplinary studies "

           This quote explains how service learning really helps motivate students to work harder and focus. They benefit from having an extra helping hand to explain concepts and encourage students to try their best. When in small groups or one on one, they stay motivated and interested in the topic.

"The experiential and interpersonal components of service learning activities can achieve the first crucial step toward diminishing the sense of "otherness" that often separates students-particularly privileged students-from those in need."

             Service learning can help dissolve that "line" separating well educated students and under privileged students. Both groups can benefit from each other by sharing cultural characteristics and their different ways of learning. This helps them realize that even though they are probably from a different economic or social class, there is still a lot in common.

"Service activities should develop student's learning at public speaking, recruiting other students, organizing meetings, analyzing problems. developing action plans. and conducting evaluations."

             A student can benefit from a lot if they include themselves in service learning. Besides the fact that they help others, they will be able to improve their confidence not only to help others but in their own lives as well.  These skills will be useful in any occupation and service learning is a great experience to have.

Benefits of service learning LINK:                                                                              http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.black/benefits_of_participation_in_service

STATISTICS

- Students who engage in service-learning feel that they can “make a difference”
- Students who engaged in service-learning were more likely to increase their sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy 
- Eighty-three percent of schools with service-learning programs reported that grade point averages of participating service-learning students improved 76 percent of the time

IN CLASS: I really like service learning. I'm excited to see my class every week, and see the kids' faces light up. This will definitely help prepare me for a classroom of my own. In the future, I can incorporate lesson ideas and classroom decoration ideas to make my classroom as beneficial to the kids as possible.

Barbie Girls, Living in a Barbie World

"Cinderella Ate My Daughter" by Orenstein (argument)

          In the article, Orenstien argues that children are automatically placed in a "boy" or "girl" category as soon as they are born and are expected to comply to the gender specific standards.

BOYS: blue, cars, sports, tough, loud, dirty, masculine, tools, video games, in charge, trains

GIRLS: pink, dress up, makeup, glitter, dolls, bows, dresses, princesses, cute, flowers, feminine

http://people.mills.edu/spertus/Gender/pap/node6.html 

           The above categories are what are typically associated with each gender according to the article and in real life.  Little girls are obsessed with Disney princesses, believing that their lives should be like a fairytale. Those movies tell them that if they're pretty and thin then their handsome prince would show up on their doorstep.
          Boys are brought up to be rough and tough, like Tonka toys. They dream of being superman and spiderman at a young age.If a boy wanted to wear a tutu it would be a big "no no" for society for boys to have a liking for girly things. Yet, if a girl wanted to wear a superman costume, it is socially acceptable. It's "cool" if a girl wants to try something thats typical related to boys. Being a tomboy is acceptable, a boy being girly is not in society. What's sad is that boys and girls even as young as 18 months would choose a toy associated with their gender, rather then what they would prefer to play with.

In class: How do you feel about being put into a blue or pink category as soon as you're born? Too bad kids can't choose what they like instead of being given what they should be playing with. How would kids be if there were no stereotypes?

Disney's Negative Influence on Children

"Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us" by Linda Christensen (hyperlinks)

I thought this article was very interesting. Christensen explains how many children’s cartoons and Disney movies have hidden meanings beyond the heartwarming characters in the movies we have all known to love. Behind these seemingly innocent animated cartoons and movies are a “secret education” that showcases racism and stereotypes. Young girls that watch Cinderella or Snow White believe at a young age that they need to be thin and pretty, marry their prince charming and be happily ever after. Young boys believe that violence is the answer to anything, and the tougher you are, the more respected you will be. In these cartoons, men are labeled as superior, women are maids and housewives and blacks are slaves.

We live in a world that is bombarded by messages telling is how to look and act. More and more girls today are developing eating disorders, body dismorphic disorder and low self esteem, just because they don’t look like Cinderella. Boys are called "gay" and weaklings" if they don't live up to the standards as a strong, masculine, tough guy.

Here's a link I found on how Disney princesses negatively affect girls starting at a young age:

 https://sites.google.com/site/disneyprincessproject/home/disney-princesses-and-self-esteem

This is what happens when Disney movies influence young girls:

 Statistics

  81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat (Mellin et al., 1991)

 42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner (Collins, 1991)

There are also many subliminal messages that are in these movies that are inappropriate for young children. 

http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/genres-movies/animation/subliminal-messages-in-disney-movies/

                                             

                                            

   

REFLECT:  This article was really interesting to me. It's crazy how much of an impact the media has on our society, starting as toddlers. It seems to be getting even worse as technology increases. I wonder if these cartoons will ever be appropriate for kids without hiding stereotypes in cartoons.