Voting in a Democratic Society

For this assignment, I focused on President Obama's view on higher education. I believe he has a better view on what it is like for college students to struggle with loans and having to be in debt after we graduate. He understands because he actually experienced it. I believe Obama just has a better grip on what we should to move forward with helping students with higher education. He strongly feels that education is important and that we as Americans, should receive a good education. He believes in rewarding teachers, which I think is outstanding because we are teachers in the making! I remember in the first Presidential Election, Mitt Romney said if college students do not have money to go to college to ask our parents. In my opinion, I felt like that was a rude comment. Most college students can not pay for college out of pocket, for this reason why we as college students take out loans and depend on grants and work hard for scholarships. Barack Obama on the other hand, said he does not want college students to suffer in debt as we are in college. He says when college students graduate from college are in debt of $25,000, which is more than credit card debt. He is actually trying to help college students avoid debt because he was one of those who knows what it felt like to be sunk in loans. In closing this I believe Obama is for the people where Romney is so full of himself. 

                                               Obama for President again!!!

Besides my outlook on higher education, I found this great website looking on both candidates sides on different issues we are facing in America. Check it out! 
 http://2012-presidential-candidates.findthedata.org/compare/1-5/Barack-Obama-vs-Mitt-Romney

Kahne and Westheimer

Quotes 

1. A trans formative  educational experience, on the other hand. requires that students engage in critical thinking in the "strong" rather than  "weak"sense. To be critical thinkers, students must be able to  consider arguments that justify conclusions that conflict with their own predispositions and self-interest. 

In this quote, both authors go on & explain how an educational experience can help benefit their education and give them a stronger sense when it comes to their arguments they are able to justify conclusions easier and even find out their own interests. 

2. Efforts to  integrate service learning activities into the curriculum have great potential and deserve the  support they are now receiving. To date however,  little attention has been given to sorting out the goals and motivations that underlie the spectrum of service learning projects emerging in schools throughout the country. Is it beneficial to point out such differences and risk creating some opposition to service learning? 

Here, we see how service learning is beneficial for the students in communities. But I like how it is said where there is no effort given for goals and motivations which is a good point because with service learning there should be something that comes out of this because the children can gain something through these projects. 

3. Rather than  assume, erroneously, that all educators share the same vision, we think it is better to be explicit  about the numerous and different visions that  drive the  creation and  implementation of service learning activities in schools. 

This last quotes shows the side of how educators feel and how educators all share the same vision, which is true. Every teacher always wants to achieve his or her best. It is true that through the numerous of different visions show how creation is driven and how service learning is inspiring for the students. 

 I found this great link about service learning: 

http://servicelearning.childreninc.org/ 

Cinderellllyyyy!

Arguement:

In Cinderella Ate My Daughter, Peggy Orienstien argues that growing up girls and boys are very much influenced based on the toys that surround them. She goes into detail arguing that girls always have to feel a certain way now more than ever. Young girls worry more about their looks rather than achieving to get good grades in school. Peggy goes on and states how Disney, Nickeloden and different toy industries influence young girls and boys . It actually makes them look at to everything in the world the wrong way. For example, she described Barbie being a very popular toy for young girls, where her body is unrealistic, where naturally no one looks like that and it makes young girls believe that it is easy for a woman to look like that. Peggy goes on and states that Barbie is a young girl, who by the way has no age, I remember growing up, I always wondered how old she was and wondered why she never aged or why she was so perfect. Continuing her arguement, Barbie has all of these careers and has the perfect life that she has never really worked hard for. Growing up, I thought that was it would take to live how Barbie did. Unfortunately, that is not how adulthood really works. As I see my younger sister growing up, almost getting ready for high school, I see how different our generations are. I believe looks in her generation define more of who they are as indivduals rather than their personalities. It is sad to say, but Barbie and all these girly toys are destroying our younger generations rather than entertaining. I'm glad to say that my sister is not easily influenced because I always remind her, people will like you for who you are, not for your looks, hopefully I can continue this message to her no matter how older she gets.

        Here's a great video I found where young children are asked to pick the best Barbie!

 

Talking Points #4

Arguement

This author Linda Christensen argues that children's media affects based on Disney movies, cartoons and books. Based on the article, she pointed out tips that really shocked me because as a young girl growing up where Disney and Barbies were a part of my childhood. It is hard to shake off that I grew up in such a manuiplative generation. Linda shows us as readers what we did not know existed. " When we read children's books, we are'nt reading cute little stories, we are discovering the tools with which a young society is manipulated." In this quote, Christensen gives you a sense about what her arguement in her article is that we were and younger generations still are being manuiplated. She continues in her aritcle stating that because of Disney and all children's movies, books, television shows, magazines and celebrities makes young girls feel as though they have to  look a certain way or achieve certain things to have a "Happily Ever After." Linda states "I start by showing students old cartoons because the stereotypes are so blantan. We look at the roles women, men, people of color and poor people play in cartoons. I ask students to watch for who plays the lead, Who plays the buffoon? Who plays the servant? I encourage them to look at race, station in life, body type of each character, what motivates the character? What do they want out of life? What's their mission? If there are people of color in cartoon? What do they look like? How are they portrayed? What would children learn about this particular group from  this cartoon?"  I really like how she argued that only white women are portrayed as the lead roles. Sadly but this is true, you never see women of color, Latin, Black, Asian, Indian really playing the lead. There has never been a black princess to play the lead. Connecting that with her arguement, as a young girl who grew up as a Disney fanatic, I realized it took long after I was already grown up, they finally created a black princess, Tiana. It took me a while to realize the secrets hidden in children's movies and books. In her closing arguement, she states that we taking action should not stop in the classrooms but take it outside and expand it. She states that with this lesson that she had taught, that the students should realize how bad the world is and with that, stand up and make a difference.

http://www.helpfreetheearth.com/news103_Disney.html