What you find valuable about our use of blogs?
This class is not the first time I have used blogs to post about my response to readings or activites done in my classes. I think that overall using blogs is a good tool for professors and students to get their reactions down and further their understanding by thinking through what they want to say. It's easy to have ideas in your mind but to write something about it takes reflection and the need to demonstrate a deeper understanding.
I really like using blogs in TE448 because sometimes there's not enough time in class and it's nice to read through others' thoughts. Other than being useful in tracking my own understanding, it is an easy way to share what I'm thinking with the rest of the class. While sometimes it is frustrating to remember to post by a certain date, I do find it beneficial.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Discussion on Habibi
The discussion question that we focused on in our small group in class dealt mainly with the contrasting cultural expectations that Liyana's father explained to her. It wasn't okay for her to wear shorts but things like marrying her uncle were to "archaic." We discussed many reasons why a father might enforce these expectations with his daughter: protection and acceptance would probably play a big role. The character of Liyana never lingered on the different expectations for men and women, but making a text-to-text connection to the first poem we read discussed the narrator's feeling of extreme inequality when compared to her brother.
It was not my week to write a paper; however, while reading I felt that the Jewish people weren't portrayed very fairly. I'm not Jewish myself and, shamefully, know very little about what is going on in Israel, but I still felt like the story was one-sided. Dr. Waltzer (I think that was his name) did a very good job of informing me of some of the history behind this "hundred year war," as he put it. I think that Naomi Shihab Nye wrote a wonderful book that depicts a young, independent girl trying to make sense of her world, finding belonging in a family and location that makes up her history, and trying to bridge a gap that is somewhat hard to define. These qualities make this book worth reading and discussing with young adults. I also think that there were more sides to this story that should have been told to make this book an honest, well-rounded representation of Israel.
It was not my week to write a paper; however, while reading I felt that the Jewish people weren't portrayed very fairly. I'm not Jewish myself and, shamefully, know very little about what is going on in Israel, but I still felt like the story was one-sided. Dr. Waltzer (I think that was his name) did a very good job of informing me of some of the history behind this "hundred year war," as he put it. I think that Naomi Shihab Nye wrote a wonderful book that depicts a young, independent girl trying to make sense of her world, finding belonging in a family and location that makes up her history, and trying to bridge a gap that is somewhat hard to define. These qualities make this book worth reading and discussing with young adults. I also think that there were more sides to this story that should have been told to make this book an honest, well-rounded representation of Israel.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Insiders/Outsiders Debate
When thinking about the debate over who should write multicultural or diverse literature, I think that it ultimately comes down to credibility, accuracy, and authenticity. While many people can see outside qualities from a diverse group or a certain culture and then write about it, only those who are insiders to that group can write a piece of literature that is sensitive and portrays that group in a way that they approve of. I would define an insider as a person who is origionally from a particular group or someone who later becomes a member of this group by gaining a sufficent amount of information about them.
For a piece of literature to be credible, accurate, and authentic, I believe it is important for it to be written by an insider of that group. However, they are some exceptions to this. For example, the book that my group read during class about Native Americans was written and illustrated by people who supposedly had insider information having lived on a reservation later in their life. This piece of literature had rabbits on each page wearing blankets from different tribes. In the back of the book each blanket was identified and information was given about this tribe. After reading the review of this book, we realized that some of the information was inacurate. Also, the book was not authentic by having rabbits dressed up as Native Americans. As the article from last Tuesday's reading stated, this gives people the impression that all that has to be done to become Native American is to dress up like they think they dress. When an insider writes a piece of literature it is usually credible, accurate, and authentic.
For a piece of literature to be credible, accurate, and authentic, I believe it is important for it to be written by an insider of that group. However, they are some exceptions to this. For example, the book that my group read during class about Native Americans was written and illustrated by people who supposedly had insider information having lived on a reservation later in their life. This piece of literature had rabbits on each page wearing blankets from different tribes. In the back of the book each blanket was identified and information was given about this tribe. After reading the review of this book, we realized that some of the information was inacurate. Also, the book was not authentic by having rabbits dressed up as Native Americans. As the article from last Tuesday's reading stated, this gives people the impression that all that has to be done to become Native American is to dress up like they think they dress. When an insider writes a piece of literature it is usually credible, accurate, and authentic.
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