Reflection #6 EDF 2085

Facing a mob of white parents and students shouting the “N” word, a whole town trying to prevent me from entering school grounds, pushing and screaming at my every step. I don’t think I would have been able to be brave enough to face this kind of adversity and unfairness. I tend to feel bad when my feelings are not taken in consideration so it is unimaginable to put myself in the shoes of these kids. The enormous courage it took to stand in front of the school is a characteristic I lack. This proves how unacceptable people are, even though government had approved the integration of schools, African Americans were still prohibited from attending. It all seemed taunting from part of the council of Arkansas, telling colored people that they were allowed in the school system but not really welcomed. What scares me is that this incident didn’t occur hundreds of years ago, it is considerably recent. The most ridiculous part is that 1000 personnel from the armed forces were needed to assure the entrance to school of the Little Rock Nine. How embarrassing for a powerful nation to have to succumb to such drastic measures to control the raging population that was so powerfully working to avoid children from seeking an education. Even with the guards I would have been scared. After seeing the reaction of the public I would have reconsidered my need for schooling, but perhaps these kids were motivated by the belief that this was another obstacle between them and the fight for equal rights. The most commendable and maybe scariest for mw is the thought that the Little Rock Nine remained in school, I can be sure that the discomfort was not just present the first few days, my admiration grows because they were able to stand up against the great majority.

I don’t understand how this country dared to treat individuals this way after seeing how the disassociation of a certain type has always had bad consequences. What positive light came from the holocaust? Why is it that only when many have died for a cause is when the rest is willing to listen and feel compassionate?

Reflection #5 EDF 2085

Culture is a very diverse topic that varies in its content according to a person’s belief, rituals and values. Its difficult to capture the essence of culture by just reading articles, its more of an experience. Culture is a very important fact when defining an individual’s perception. Human beings are born neutral but we are taught to associate to a specific value according to what our parents or guardians believe. An example is religion, children most likely will follow the religion their parents practice because it’s what they experience daily. One of the things that mainly happen with immigrants is that they are forced to live outside of their countries and as a result have branched out their families overseas. In Miami we often see children who are born in the United States but who’s parents are, for example, Cuban. They would not be categorized as Americans but as Cuban-American. No matter where one lives culture seems to be inculcated by the individual group we reside with. In this article one is left with the notion that in order to accept others, it is necessary to be tolerant regarding the beliefs and values of others. In order to understand a culture outside of our own it is required to have a broadminded outlook because what is true for someone might not be wrong for someone else.

When I was younger I moved from the warm island of Cuba and I was raised in Chile. For many years I had to adopt their customs and celebrate as one of them, I had to watch what I said because it my words could be offensive to those around me. Chileans speak very softly, almost whispering, while in Cuba if its not loud enough not anyone would hear you. Perhaps since I was younger I didn’t realize how I had to modify myself in order to fit in with what was accepted in their society. I enjoy learning about other cultures and compare them to my own; it makes it easy to understand why people act a certain way. This articles teaches one to be more welcoming of people or students with different cultural values, by first making sure we truly understand and embrace our own culture.

reflection #6 EDF 1005

The curiosity of an individual is great since trying to trace back to where writing came from is a challenge. It is hard to think of a time where no one knew how to even write his or her names. The earliest form of writing came as drawing in caves but it was then preceded by the introduction of the cuneiform created by the Sumerians. The Sumer civilization was a pioneer in agriculture also bringing about great opportunities for trade. The Cuneiform style of writing was first used to keep track of the crops, the cattle and the trading that was taking place. Simple drawings were used to represent the items. Later on this method of tracking became widely popular, resulting in the addition of more characters to the simple style they had. From then on the verbal sounds associated with the pictures then started to be used to represent the item. It is interesting to read how such necessity so commonly used has evolved over the centuries. We are taught how to use writing and how it is important for school but from what I read it gave way to other crucial developments. With the capacity to write societies now possessed the ability to record information that was previously passed down from generation to generation through the use of oral traditions. Individual of this time now had the capability to expand their cognitive abilities. It is funny to associate that the competency of writing came about because of money, since crops and cattle where also important essential for trading. The Sumerians were a civilization that contributed much to the history of human kind, they were not only innovators in agricultural techniques but thanks to trading their style of writing diffused among the existing cultures of the time like the Egyptians, Cretans, Elamites and the Indus Valley. Greatly promoting the act of recording information on clay, rocks and tokens. As said in the articles, what resulted from the incorporation of writing was not insights on knowledge since communication was very effective prior to writing, but allowed people accurately to keep records of their belongings and to put sounds in pictures to create words.

Reflection #5 EDF 1005

Rites of passage are phases people in a society go through in order to advance into the next stage of their lives. They can be experienced gradually and without exuding much excitement, but some cultures patiently step this ratification. This experience varies from culture to culture; Hispanics grandly celebrate girl’s turning fifteen, Baptism among Christians, and Bat Mitzvah at the age of 13 in the Jewish community.

As a Teacher one must stand in a classroom made up of a diverse group of students from different cultures, beliefs and values. The ability to embrace their different views will come in handy so that the teaching environment won’t be affected greatly. It is important to know how to approach the unfamiliar customs of a student because it might affect the acceptance of other kids in the class. Children tend to be judging, I can tell from personal experience that they normally won’t approach a fellow student who doesn’t look or talk the same way they do. Imagine being in a class and receiving a new student who is wearing all white and colorful necklaces. This is part of a religion called Santeria, where the devotee must dress in all white during a period of time; it’s mostly practiced in West Africa and the Caribbean. With no previous knowledge of why the kid is dressed like that, a teacher must overlook the physical appearance and welcome the beliefs of another culture. If the teacher is accepting and shows the class how to embrace the values of other people it will influence students to learn and practice the same principles. Learning about rites of passage provides great understanding for teachers and gives them knowledge about the values of other cultures. No matter how awkward or weird someone’s customs might be embracing all that is different helps someone become tolerant. Children are not born with the notion of discrimination but it is later inculcate by the adults around because they don’t understand that everyone is different. I consider myself to be very understanding of the beliefs and values of other but I couldn’t help to find it weird the kinds of passages some cultures go through, as expressed in the reading of the Sambia. Reading about the ritual of those individuals teaches one to expect the unexpected, we might never encounter someone from their tribes but it is essential to have an open mind and to know that the things described in the article do occur. Just because their practices seem weird to me it doesn’t mean that they are wrong.

Reflection #4 EDF 2085

It is important to understand that diversity not only means to belong to a different culture but it covers more terrain, like human knowledge and behavior. A diversity course is necessary to be able to accept and welcome the inevitable changes we will experience in our profession. It seems it was long ago when teachers taught using a black chalkboard and students had to turn in their homework on paper. As a global society we find people from different ethnicities living together and the same occurs in a classroom. In a small space we find children from all over the world with their distinctive personalities, learning capabilities, and physical/mental setbacks that classifies them as individuals. An open mind is required to assimilate their differences and not be judgmental of their abilities.

I think that even if one is well prepared to deal with diversity, we will always find new situations that will provide more experience and help us become more tolerant. Growing up in different countries provides one with a more culture-based knowledge on how to be more accepting of others. I was born in Cuba, where diversity is not as distinctive, and raised in Chile. The hardest part about moving was that my family and I had to somewhat put aside our style of living and accommodate to the one in Chile. I accepted their lifestyle like celebrating the country’s independence, incorporating part of the Chilean language into mine, and eating their foods. While I attended high school here in the United States, I shared a piano class with two blind students and I became friends with one of them after the teacher asked me to help him go to another class. That day I met Omar, a fun and sometimes-stubborn person, he played the piano very well and received private lessons from a professor of the University of Miami. I alone would have never approached him in class because I felt pity for him but knowing him was truly a refreshing and inspiring experience. To be able to become more diverse I need to know how to approach children with certain disabilities, I believe this is the missing link that I need to become skilled at to fully incorporate diversity into my life.

Reflection #3 EDF 2085

A paradigm is an individual’s informed point of view on a specific event, their perception on a certain thing based on their knowledge. The way we carry ourselves is directly connected to paradigms, which vary from person because it is specific to a person depending on their religion, gender and occupation. It represents who we are and where we come from since it is also influenced by one’s culture. We use it to know what’s wrong or right in our realities. Paradigm shifts are also a change in perspective that occurs when our beliefs are shaken or when we have gathered new information that satisfies our concerns. I think everyone has gone through a few paradigm shifts in the course of their life. In my case the use of the computers has played an important role in my personal life. I remember when I was young I had seen a computer in my father’s office and thought it was an advanced machine only used for work environments, I was not even allowed to touch it. In today’s society the use of computers is a requirement, and there’s one in almost every household. Along with the computer, the Internet has made it easy for people to communicate and share information of any kind. It’s been a long time since emails have taken over letters. If I had to do research for a project I no longer go to the library but instead use my computer to find what I need. From the comfort of my home just by pressing a button I can purchase a plane ticket, rent a hotel, a car and even buy a pizza. When I was 12, I would call all my friends from my house phone and I remember having to memorize their number but now that I own a cell phone it’s hard to even remember my own number. I depend on my personal phone more than anything because I use it like an agenda, organizer, and most importantly a watch.

Teachers must experience paradigm shifts in order to accept their environment. As part of their jobs, educators must learn to perceive thing with a more globalized perspective to be able to interact with children of diverse ethnicities and with different learning levels as well as disabilities. They must also learn to quickly adapt to these changes since they will present throughout their careers.

Reflection #4 EDF 1005

Prior to reading and learning about the origin of men, I had just wrongly assumed humanity had evolved from the stereotypical cavemen who drew pictures in caves and stones. Little did I know that our ancestors have been on the face of the earth for millions of years and through a long and arduous process evolved to become the men known today. The task of tracing humanity seems like a very intricate puzzle, with missing pieces and new ones emerging every now and then. The discoveries of fossil remains related to humans have given scientist and other professionals the knowledge to place these findings into 18 or 19 classification groups, the earliest being Sahelanthropus tchadensis. I remember reading in an article about Lucy when I was younger, I didn’t pay much attention to the reading, perhaps because it was a reading assignment for a class or maybe at the time I didn’t understand the magnitude of her discovery. Her remains were significant because she shared characteristics both of apes and humans alike. Lucy’s hands were long almost reaching her knees and the size of her cranium was small, clearly indicating a relationship to apes. More interesting yet, was that she walked upright like us. This makes the theory of evolution hard to ignore and those who oppose it, blindfolded by their beliefs. It is unbelievable that all humans came from Africa and studies, using chromosomal and mitochondrial cells, have been made to try to prove this theory. With the new and upcoming advances in technology, we will eventually uncover the truth of where we all came from. I had always assumed the theory of evolution was correct because to me it does make sense that we have evolved from apes. Especially after seeing the drawing showing the transitions from apes to humans. These reading have opened a window of questions, I can’t help but to be intrigued since I am left with more questions than answers after reading the articles.

Reflection #3 EDF 1005

Ever since I left my country of Cuba when I turned 7 years old and my parents took me to Chile, where I was exposed to a multicultural setting. I started 2^nd grade in a foreign country and making friends was difficult because my accent was different, even though we spoke the same language. In Chile I attended a private school that was composed of children who had lived abroad since their families had to leave the country after the violent dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. In school we had to learn about other cultures to understand were we all came from and help us get along. The name of the school was “Latino Americano de Integracion” (Integration of Latin America) the concept of exploring and dissecting cultures was the school motto. Every year the entire school would participate in a competition where each class would represent a country and we had to show traditional food and dance from that specific place. In class teachers taught history of the country as well of South America and appointed projects that made us introduce our country of origin. Transformation approach was the method used; it allowed me and the other students to be more involved in class. In the United States education is significantly different, in order for students to receive a multicultural education they must choose it from specific classes. In high school, I experienced Contributions approach, the only exposure to culture, as I recall was in my Latin American and African History class or during specific holidays. It’s a shame not much attention is given to the multicultural concept because it would be a great approach in schools, since the vast majority of students are from diverse places. If I had the chance to return to school, I would encourage the use of the social action approach, even though I was content with the transformation approach. This would allow students not to only recognize different cultures but to embrace and become involved.

• Coyote

The picture does clearly represent a coyote, but I'm trying to llok hard past that. The picture aslmost looks like the face of a creepy clown, the type we see in scary movies.

• Bat

In my opinion only the small images in the background resemble bats. The bigger image looks like a butterfly about to flap its wings. For what I have seen aboout bats, they are indefensive animals that almost seem unable to harm a fly despite the blood-sucking reputation they preceed.

• Two gnomes dance the celebratory hopaky

the image looks like two gnomes indeed, they seem to be sharing hi-fives and celebrating something. this was my impression before reading the poem. It's quite interesting the perspective of the poem, the gnomes dancing and celebraring is a comparison to that of the Cossaks. It's very interesting ,something I would have never come up with.

Reflection #2 EDF 2085

As expressed in the reading the concept of transformation has a wide range of categorical definitions depending on the context. It covers many subtypes that were discussed in the reading such as a makeover (change of physical appearance), revolution (major change), renovation (make something like new again), alteration (change), conversion (the act of converting something) or recovery (return to normal state). A transformation is not only limited to be a physical characteristic, but it could also be perceived as a state of mind. The full cycle a certain object or person makes to become something better or improved, in my opinion, is considered a transformation. In the second article transformation is strictly relevant to human point of view and experience, how our minds allow us to accumulate new perspectives. We can control how to approach a specific thought or how we see ourselves and improve it. I can’t help but to derive my thoughts into what my parents always say that we must have confidence and deal with a conflict with a positive mind in order to achieve the best results. Low self-esteem makes it impossible for someone to accept their flaws hindering their ability to recognize the good qualities of others. You must love yourself to be able to love other people. Preparing our minds to be accepting takes effort, in my personal view I appreciate the different principles of individuals believe in. In this populated world we get the chance to interact with many individuals who may or may not agree or accept our perspectives. One must learn to me tolerant and treat others with respect regardless of gender, race, religion, and sexual preference. According to the article a person can experience transformation by themselves through their own character, experimenting changes of their image, accepting the changes that were produced, not judging others for their appearance but for what they’re truly like. Adopting these concepts can help us interact with society and understand better the changes that may arise within a person.

Reflection #1 EDF 2085

It is unimaginable how humans have evolved to reach the level we know today. In history I have learned that the early populations were species that relied on instinct, but the articles have provided great reading of how the development of things we consider minimal in today’s society took years to perfect. The unintentional or naturally caused realization of the existence of fire to make food drastically shaped humans not only physically but cognitively, from ape-like creatures to the straight standing man known now. Fire was a breakthrough discovery, which unlocked past human’s ability to uncover more knowledge, the use of fire brought light into the dark past. The major change that flames had was that now food could be cooked, changing the diet of the ancient man and providing the body with protein caused changes both in its physique and brain. In between ancient groups the process of gathering around the fire did not only serve as a food source or as a form of protection against wild animals but also contributed to the creation of bonds between humans. The invention of the wheel was a major step for the uncivilized because it underwent drastic transformations to achieve the modern version. At first, the concept of the wheel was a heavy object on top of a roller. This allowed moving greater distances more easily and faster. In the long run this invention facilitated the construction of buildings by being able to mobilize the materials at a greater speed, another point is that it future modifications would make traveling and trading a more conventional commodity. The incorporation of writing developed by a need to maintain track of crops. Writing in is early form was created associating a specific object to a drawing. Like any other new development, it has been perfected throughout the years. Evolving from pictures into modern letters. The early humans had minimal knowledge and survived instinctively, they were blank paper that throughout the course of thousands of years, if not million, came about inventions of fire, the wheel and writing among others. These advances provided Ape-like people an insight and aided them to apply what they knew and to make it evolve into what is known in current times. Humans develop not only physically but also mentally. These readings are important for future educators because they provide knowledge of how humans progresses and learn. We are not born with knowledge; it must be acquired through experience.

Reflection #2 EDF 1005

Learning how humans came about it is always an interesting topic but I must say that understanding how they transpired to what we know today just surpasses my expectations. Things and objects that we tend to overlook during the course of our everyday routine such as using the stove to make dinner or buying food from the super-market, were the result of a prolonged periods of assimilation in order to bring about what is seen in our time today. Men always have had an incentive to better themselves and to create ways to make things more manageable. I find it amusing how the discovery of fire lead the way to noticeable changes in not only the physical characteristics of man but of his learning development. The finding of fire, being unintentional or natural causes, allowed these ancient humans to increase their probabilities of surviving. The incorporation of tools made the task of hunting and preparing the food easier. Meat was introduced as part of their diets, taking charge in most of the physical changes. Their teeth changed in size making the head smaller too, consequently facilitating the birthing of children. The nurturing of babies was extended since their cognitive development was prolonged. Women experienced hormonal transformations that regulated their ovarian cycles and their sexual desires. Since fire was introduced, interactions between these humans were prolonged because they no longer had to rely on daylight, resulting in the creation of bonds with each other and brought about the first concepts of monogamist relationships. The views of early man encountered extended periods of paradigms shift, their knowledge on food, association with others and even physical changes were a result of their new acquired perspectives. I can just imagine how these people carried their minimalistic lives and suddenly learned how use the fire must have been a breakthrough with much compensation and significantly made a difference in their routines. Early humans evolved from primitive creatures to exceptional hunters, settled individuals with a concept of cooperation between a group and began monogamist relationships. The advances they made replaced their preconceived knowledge. Slowly and through trial and error they were able to improve their quality of life.

Reflection #1 EDF 1005

Thinking of teaching always makes me remember the Greek culture. They believed the human body was a temple for the mind; therefore they promoted knowledge and physical beauty. Pioneers of philosophy created universities where man could excel in learning, concentrating in subjects like math, language, and astronomy. It came to a surprise that during the 1800s teaching had such negative praises. In Colonial times teachers were not prepared in the field and the job was mostly performed by unqualified individuals and indentured servants. Since teaching required low qualifications there was not much respect for the profession during those days. The creation of a private institution called “Normal School”, by Samuel Hall in 1823, paved the way to offer educators the knowledge of classroom skills. Later on a man named Horace Mann, opened the first normal school funded by the state. Even though these steps were made to promote the good name of the profession, it was still considered a degrading path. At this time many of the teachers were females since they were also considered in low regard. They were restricted by a contract that did not allow teachers to roam freely around town and had to carry themselves in a poise manner. Even though some of the requirements in the contract seemed to be extremely demanding I believe it help rid people of the preconception that teachers were uneducated and unprofessional. In the 1980s two reforms came about to demand productivity in schools. The Holmes Group presented “Tomorrow’s teachers” and the Carnegie issued “A Nation Prepared” which drove some institutions into changing the undergraduate education degree for a five-year master degree instead. The views of the world towards teaching have been dramatically changed and professionals have the knowledge to manage a class. Alternative routes for teachers might be to gain the education experience while actually performing on the job. This is the goal of programs such as the Teach for America (TFA). This curriculum allows for teachers to gain experience on the field while also learning how to approach different ethnicities. Teachers these days also have the chance to pursue a certification by the school board, which in turn may increase their salaries.

Biography EDF 1005 and EDF 2085

Patricia Gutierrez is a 20 Cuban immigrant that was born in the city of Havana in the year 1989. First daughter her parents, has a sister two years younger, Laura. From a young age she always felt an inclination towards music, specifically the piano. At the age of seven through a job opportunity, her parents decided to leave the tropical island and head south to Chile. Starting a new life was difficult, she was categorized as the new kid in her school and her different accent didn’t exactly help her fit in. The children in her class felt she was different and throughout a period of time they alienated her, that is how Patty was treated, but it didn’t take too long for the other kids to learn to accept her differences. Patricia lived happily not enjoying the cold weather but definitely accompanied by good friends. Parents, Antonia and Rolando, felt that Chile was not the place to raise their daughters and so after six and a half years, the Gutierrez family made the decision of residing permanently in the United States. At 13, Patty began her 8^th grade in Palm Springs Middle School where she met new friends. During the course of her 9^th grade she was placed in ESOL classes because English was a barrier, but surprisingly at the end of the year she was admitted into regular classes. In high school she spent the best moments of her life, her involvement in sports like soccer, water polo, and swimming aided her in becoming a more outgoing person. Since she was a small child she was always interested in other cultures outside her own, Patty would spend her time learning foreign words and reading about specific countries. After studying piano with a private teacher, she graduated from the instrument when she was 18. While attending Miami Dade College for a Nursing major, she could constantly be seen around the music building practicing her hobby, here she was offered the opportunity to teach piano in a small school called “Harmony School of Arts & Music.” With no previous experience in teaching she was surprised at how patient she was and how much she enjoyed working with children. After working for a year, her next step was deciding to change her major to education. So there she is now…. To be continued.