Assignment 1

During my hours of working for Mr. Gonzalez at Hialeah Senior High, I realized that I wanted to teach high school students rather than elementary or middle school students. I also got to see how it is working with a much older crowd and a wider demographic. I volunteered my hours to the chorus teacher. During this time, I assisted in choreographing a dance they did for a competition in which they received first place. It was such a great honor and experience to be a part of that. At first I was nervous because I have never worked with children whose ages were not that far apart from mine. I did not think they would respect me or see me as an authority figure but I was wrong. From the moment that Mr. Gonzalez announced me to the class and explained to them why I was there, they treated me with the up most respect. Not once when I was in charge did they raise their voices to me or disrespected me. This teacher is the kind of teacher I want to be like when I become a teacher and have my very own classroom. I also want to have the same relationship he has with his students. Every single student adored him. They listened to his every word, paid attention to his every movement. It was amazing to see all these kids really wanting to learn and take such an interest in something without it seeming as if it was forced. This was not a very easy class to teach. In the course of seeing them three times at most, the students needed to learn choreography as well as learn the lyrics, harmonies, and melodies to the song, as well as do their daily current events and also learn the proper vocabulary for the class. The class room was very well equipped with the instruments the students needed and the seating arrangement made it very comfortable for every single student to see without being blocked seeing as how they were sitting on levels. I observed that every student learned differently. Some learned much faster than others and Mr. Gonzalez had all the patience in the world to stop and teach whichever student was feeling left behind. Every day that I walked into that classroom I never saw not one student who was not looking forward to learning with Mr. Gonzalez. Every student was helpful with one another and many came to me for my help and I couldn’t help but feel overjoyed because I knew I was playing a small but rewarding role for these students.

Extra Credit

Being a Hispanic and taking pride in this I enjoyed reading the different poems. I am a dance instructor for the City of Hialeah. I work in a park and teach various dance styles. My two favorite classes to teach however are flamenco and salsa. One of the poems is about flamenco and the poem is dead on. Flamenco is such a passionate style of dance that you can clearly see in the eyes of the dancer. It is something that moves them from head to toe. This style of dance is not the easiest. Everything is either one way or the either there is no in between. Whenever I see the outcome of my dances and I see my little girls trying their best to keep up with the technique I have given them, I am filled with pride. The style of flamenco comes from Spain. It is extremely popular for the man to play the Spanish guitar and the woman carries on the beat with her feet as well as the castanets. Like flamenco, salsa is a very passionate dance as well but can be taken in many different ways. Salsa can be a fun happy type of style, or a praising to their god or a sultry heated dance between a man and a woman. A woman dancing salsa always looks very sexy no matter what. Women are meant to move those hips and shake it while the man tries to win her over and then leads her as it is said in the poem. There are many styles of salsa. There is basic, casino, rueda, and much more. Each having their own flavor and their own sense of style to bring out to the dance floor. I absolutely love dancing salsa and I find it very sexy when a man knows how to dance salsa. A person seems more confident when they dance salsa because this is not an easy rhythm to keep up with. Currently at my job I am working on a salsa piece that is combining many of the styles together. I don’t know if anyone would object to that since some styles can be offensive to others but I see it as a form of expressing oneself and just having a fun time dancing. I take much pride in being Hispanic and being able to enjoy the Latin flavor that in instilled in me. I think salsa music has so much life to it that it can get anyone to get up and dance even if they don’t know all the fancy turns just hearing the different beats and the loudness of it all can bring a smile to someone’s face and let themselves go and get carried off into the music.

Reflection on Surveys

After having done the required surveys, I realized that there were many things I had never really given much thought to until now. Also, I didn’t know where I stood on political views or certain moral standards but now I have a clearer understanding. While taking the surveys there were many questions that I really did not know how to respond to. I live in a household where my mother is very Christian and my father is an atheist. One can imagine the different lessons I have learned about morality and God and living in sin and what is good in the eyes of God. I have always believed in God however when one has a father who is telling you more liberal and scientific things on the other side, it is quite difficult to determine what I really follow. I believe in God but do not consider myself to be of any religion. However, when I was younger I was raised as a catholic and was baptized and had my communion. I would like to keep that with my children but I would let them discover their own religious believes without trying to feed them too much information. The surveys on men and women were relatively easy for me. My opinion on men and women is simple. Men and women are equal and should have the same equal rights. From the people around me and seeing their personality I can say that some women tend to be more emotional than men but that doesn’t place women in a certain category. One of the questions was about women and the way they feel about love and relationships. Speaking for myself, I do not think being in a relationship is the most important thing and after being in one I tend to want to end it because I feel that in a way you lose a sense of independency when you are with someone. The survey about sex and gender was a little difficult for me because I still am unsure about if someone that has both male and female genitalia is considered which sex. I try to have an open mind about it and I have nothing against it I just don’t feel as if I know enough to start passing judgment on that topic. However, I feel very strongly about homosexuality. I do not see it as an abnormality and I consider myself and advocate for the homosexuals. Many of my friends are homosexuals and I have never felt the least bit uncomfortable being near them or when they showed public display of affection toward their significant other. The last survey I took was to find out what my type was. I already knew that I was going to come out as a liberal. I’m very much like my father in that way. My mother quite the conservative although being in a house with liberal and a very strong liberal has softened her up a bit. I feel that I am open minded to almost anything and do not pass judgment as much as others and I am very content with the way I am.

Reflection 20

Having read the articles on intersexuality and transsexuality has given me more insight and a better understanding of what there meanings are. Intersexuality as we discussed in class is when a person has one sex’s genitalia on the outside and on the inside they have the organs of the opposite sex. When I first read this I had to go back and re read it because I was just so confused with the explanation that was given. To further understand I read an article on a person who is an intersexual. When this person was born the parents were given the choice to what sex they wanted to raise their child. They chose to raise their baby as a girl and named her Judy. In the article Judy explained how throughout her adolescent stage she was a tom boy and was not comfortable with herself. She went on living not knowing why she felt this was because she had not been informed until later of what her condition was. While in college Judy slept with a woman and considered herself to be a lesbian, until years later she changed her named to Max and is now living as a man who is married and has a daughter. I can’t even imagine how Judy felt growing up thinking she was abnormal and having possibly much insecurity about herself. I believe that something like this could have a traumatizing effect on someone. I didn’t really know until now the true meaning when someone said something about being a transsexual. To my knowledge now, a transsexual is someone who is born a gender and physically looks this gender and has the genitalia of this gender but emotionally and mentally they feel as if they are supposed to be of the other gender. They feel as if they are trapped inside the wrong body. I recall watching a talk show one day and saw the most beautiful girl as a guest so I start watching to later find out that the show was based on transsexuality and how this beautiful young lady was born a boy. She was only 15 and had already had a sex change. She said that from early on in her life she knew that she was not supposed to be a boy and that God had made a mistake with her. She told her parents what she felt and much to my surprised they supported her and stood by her and watched their little boy have the surgery to become a girl. I was just shocked because I don’t know how the parents could support something like that at such a young age. I am not against someone feeling that way and doing the surgery but this person was merely a child when she had the sex change. What if she were to regret it later in life? I commend anyone who has ever gone through anything like this because it takes a lot of guts to be able to stand up to the snide remarks people will probably make and it also takes a strong person to realize that there is nothing wrong with them for being the way they are.

Reflection 19

Homosexuality is something that I learned at a very young age. I had never even heard of the word gay until one day in elementary school, a friend of mine told me in secrecy that he was gay. I had no idea what that meant so he proceeded to explain to me. I didn’t go home and tell my parents because I didn’t know how they would react hearing what I told them I heard in school and I promised my friend I wouldn’t say anything. A couple years later I joined a dance team and there was a male in the team. He later told his friends that he was gay. I didn’t even give it a second thought. It seemed to me like being gay was not a big deal because I had so many male friends who were gay. It wasn’t until later when I was at work one day and one of the older students who is gay came to my job with a band aid on his forehead. When I had asked him what happened he told me that he was gay bashed in school. He was walking down the hall way and students started throwing rocks at him and one of them cut him in the forehead. I felt terrible. I hadn’t really realized that until then how differently homosexuals are treated by some people. There have been opinions on how a person turns gay. Some say that it is a choice they make when they start to realize their sexual desires. Some say that they are born that way and that they are gay from the minute they are born. I have asked many of my gay friends when did they realize they were gay. I had one friend who told me he knew ever since he was a little boy. He always played with his sisters barbies and he would wear makeup. However, I had another friend who told me he didn’t know until after he had been in a relationship with a woman. Whatever the case may be, we need to respect them and their choices. They are just like us, average people who shouldn’t be shunned just because of their sexual preference. There are laws against homosexual marriage and giving their partner rights. I don’t find that fair and I believe that should be changed. My closest male friends are gay and I wouldn’t change that at all. I respect those people who have certain opinions about homosexuality however, those people shouldn’t act upon their opinions or feel uncomfortable if they are near a gay person. Gays are just like us and should have every single right that we have.

Reflection 18

I believe that any act of racism should be charged as a case. I find it disgusting to see how we treat others just because they were not born in the United States. Every single person deserves the right to want to make a better life for themselves and their families. Immigration has been going on for quite some time now. I don’t know how many times I heard on the news about Cubans who were found in the ocean, detained and then sent back home. The most famous story of this was the story of Elian Gonzalez. This was a little boy whose mother died trying to get him to America from Cuba. The boy had family here and there was a huge fiasco for the boy to stay. I remember seeing a picture of him on the newspaper where he was being torn away from his aunt and the police were taking him away. The face on that child was heart breaking. It really bothers me that it doesn’t seem to be a big deal about how these immigrants get treated and no one cares about the families that are kept away from each other or the children who lose their parents and are traumatized from such events. Recently, a man retired from the CNN news crew, I couldn’t be happier when I heard the news. That man was against anyone trying to come here that was not a U.S. citizen. So many immigrants are turned away everyday and what not many people notice is that these people risk their lives and give up everything they have in the hopes that they can come here the “land of the free” the “land of opportunity” to have the life that so many of us take for granted. The Haitians are turned away, mistreated, humiliated, and it’s sickening to think that we just don’t care enough about others. How is this supposed to be the land of opportunity if we only give the opportunity to a few fortunate people? My parents were immigrants and if they would not have risked their lives to come here they would not have met. This generation is basically the first generation of the United States because most of our parents were not from here and immigrated when they were younger. I strongly believe that something should be done in order to give everyone a chance to live the American dream.

Reflection 17

Racism is an issue that surrounds our world every day. It is something that can be visible but at times people will not show it even though they feel very strongly about it. Although some people choose to be blindsided about the fact that we are surrounded by racism every day, it is something that can become very dangerous. People need to get over whatever issues they may have against a certain race because no one is better than anyone else. I remember one time when I was about sixteen years old my family and I vacationed in Sarasota Fl. The demographic there was older white people. I didn’t think anything of it because I didn’t realize there was racism toward us. We walked into a restaurant to have some lunch and there is when it was very obvious that we were being stared at. From the moment we walked in I felt extremely uncomfortable. No one wanted to serve us and the looks we were getting were very ugly. I had never felt so out of place and a little bit scared. It was after that incident that I realized the true ugly face of racism. At that moment I knew what many people probably feel on a daily basis. This wasn’t even a fraction of what the African Americans went through and I felt terrible. I was a bit ashamed also because I felt embarrassed of being who I was because of all the negative attention. Racism is not a pretty picture and people need to start realizing that when they act upon their racist feelings, it can be very hurtful and at times live threatening to people. There is a very popular documentary on how they blacks were treated and it could bring people to tears. You see the police hosing them down with high pressured hoses and letting the dogs attack them and it is just brutal and disgusting to think that we did that to our brothers and sisters just because of their skin color. We need to stop acting so barbaric toward one another and grow up. Racism is uncalled for and all it does is segregate people and make them feel badly about themselves. We as a society have come a long way from the beginning of time. With our technology and how we are evolving I think it is embarrassing that we act like such stupid little kids continuing to be racist toward each other. You would think that we would grow up by now. I hope that one day people can finally be amongst each other without having any negativity toward anyone.

Reflection 16

The articles having to deal with ethnic cleansing and genocide although factual were very disturbing. Genocide is mass killing of a race. Any race it doesn’t matter. Ethnic cleansing is when a certain group of people are killed intentionally in order to be erased. A perfect example of ethnic cleansing was during the holocaust. The Germans tried to completely wipe out the Jews homosexuals and gypsies. This was probably one of the most horrific events in the history of the world. I do not understand how people can come about with these atrocities toward one another. If racism wasn’t enough we have to go and wipe out thousands of ethnic groups and races for no reason that cannot be justified. I recall the first time I ever learned about genocide. I was browsing the web and for some reason genocide popped up. I clicked on images and I saw a very disturbing picture that has stayed with me since I saw it. The picture was that of a little boy who was extremely skinny. He was alone crying holding his head which was all bloody and there were bodies all around him. That broke my heart. There were many pictures of dead people all over the place. It was disastrous. I cannot believe how inhumane people can be toward one another. Thousands of people were murdered men and children and women were raped repeatedly. Genocide and ethnic cleansing are examples of what is wrong in the world. People exterminating each other thinking they are doing something for the better getting rid of certain races to “better human kind”. Ethnic cleansing and genocide were considered against the law but nothing was ever done to those who caused all those murders. Because of ethnic cleansing millions of people lost their families, their homes, and their lives. Dating back to early history people were trying to kill each other off. The early settlers came to different countries taking over killing the natives, the Germans tried wiping away the Jews along with the minorities, even the Catholics would have mass murderings if the people did not following along with the religion that was being stuffed down their throats. We need to be careful and make sure these things never happen. It is said history repeats itself and we should hope these atrocities never happen again for this can destroy mankind.

Reflection 15

The Holocaust was a very dark time in history. However, it is crucial to remember the past in order for it to never repeat itself. I also believe it is important to never forget the past because if we do it is a form of denial and I believe that is to be ignorant. Some people even say that the holocaust never happened. I find this infuriating. How can people say that the holocaust never happened? I think people say it never happened because they may either not want to think something so terrible happened or they may be embarrassed. Some people may have had family members who were a part of the holocaust; and they do not want their family members to suffer the repercussions of their actions. Some people probably say the holocaust never happened because they have friends who were victims or family members who were victims and just want to erase their past from their memories. Whatever the case may be I find it to be distasteful. I know this may sound harsh but given the circumstances no one should ever pretend that the holocaust never happened. People that think like this go through life with no knowledge of what is right or wrong or ever learn about important historic moments. The holocaust did very well happen. It is very offensive to the victims, the victims’ families, and survivors to say it never happened. Those people need to be told something and have them open their eyes in order to make them stop being so close minded. It is very sad to see how some people react toward certain news or any kind of crisis. I think it undermines us as a society and makes us look as if we are ignorant and could care less about what has happened in our history. We should keep on talking about the past and pass it on to our children in order to educate them and to make sure that ignorance does not become something common in society. For future education purposes, it is important to talk about the holocaust because being in denial can change our way of life. It can cause segregation between the Jewish students. Most children of Jewish heritage attend their own schools because they feel most comfortable there. In Miami beach, there is even a museum pertaining to the holocaust and a memorial to pay respects to those who perished during the holocaust. What do people that say it never happened have to say about that? How can one be so blind to something so obvious? It is important to pay our respects the victims deserve and to continue talking about our history.

Relfection 14

Prejudice is around us every single day though we may no notice it. It is something so common it feels like second nature. Prejudice comes from the upbringing the children have from their parents. A child has the tendency to mirror what the parents do and think thus begins the pattern of beliefs whether positive or negative. As children, we learn many stereotypes and do not even question them until we get older and begin to form our own opinions, values, and beliefs. Upon forming our own beliefs and learning from new stereotypes, we begin to form barriers against people that we do not feel are up to par with our standards. Prejudice is just as bad as racism. We segregate and put down people just because of our beliefs that are close-minded. When one is prejudice they are against certain ethnicities, religions, sexual preference and gender etc. Prejudice is something that has been around for a very long time. The first big form of prejudice can date back as early as the holocaust. The Germans were against the Jews as well as anyone who was not fair skinned with light eyes. Following that came during the civil rights movement. People we prejudice against blacks and then women had to fight for their rights. I am not trying to speak badly against cops but you hear it on the news when a cop does something in the wrong against a person. They may beat a person because of their color or ethnicity. Also, they may be prejudice during an investigation which can taint the evidence or outcome or the investigation. In the work place a boss can be prejudice toward their staff. They may give a raise to the male worker instead of the female worker because of their gender. They may treat the female/male lesser than the others and may look for ways to get them in trouble. A teacher can be prejudice against students. The teacher may give a student a wrongful grade based on their personality, sexual preference etc. We need to break from the stereotypes that are poisonous toward society. m Prejudice is something we as a society must strive to get rid of in order to prevent the horrors that have come along with that. It is important that we be careful with prejudice because we never know how far someone can take it. As individuals we should let go of our pride and stop being close minded about certain things in order to benefit ourselves as well as one another.

Reflection 13

After having read both articles Hamachek and self concept and self esteem, I would say that that they are both correct and give a deeper look to a person’s self being. In Hamachek, the article talks about how as we get older, the way we look at ourselves have more depth. If you ask a child of seven years to describe himself/herself, that child will only give you a response that one can see with their eyes. They may talk about their physical appearance, their friends and family. Now ask an older person the same question. They will go more into depth with their answer talking about their beliefs, values, goals etc. The reason being is because as a person gets older they learn more about themselves and their surroundings. You hear it almost every day when a student in high school is asked what their future plans are. Some reply without a minutes haste but the majority are still indecisive. This is what I gathered from this reading. I am twenty three years old and it was not until recently that I finally stuck with a major and sometimes I still feel that I should continue to search for my “true calling.” This is a normal part of being. As we continue to define ourselves and expand our interests, our personality begins to develop. We begin to perceive ourselves and others based on what have grown to like and dislike. In the section of self concept and self esteem, it explains how we feel about ourselves based on our own insight as well as our interaction with others. Self concept comes from our interactions since birth ranging from both physical and environmental surroundings. An example of self concept would be when a child calls themselves lazy. An experience had to have occurred in order for this child to think that way. The child may also have heard it been said by the people they know. I believe that self concept can change by making new positive experiences. Self esteem is a product of self concept. It is the way a person feels about themselves because of our self concepts. A woman who is being abused in her relationship may at first refuse to admit that she is involved with an abusive man. She may not see herself as a battered woman until she is finally freed of the violence. The outcome of this can be that the woman will have low self esteem and it may take some time for that woman to ever trust a man or even want to get into a relationship. Self concept and self esteem are very similar. In order to have a healthy self esteem level, one should surround themselves around positive experiences and perceive themselves in a positive outlook.

Reflection 12

According to the article pertaining to Freud, everything people go through in life from the beginning of birth to the very end, deals with sex and aggression. It all comes down to our instincts and how we have a drive to find someone of the opposite sex in order to procreate. According to Freud, there are many stages we go through. In the beginning we go through a stage called the id stage. This stage would be considered a selfish stage because during this stage the needs of someone (being the baby) are more important than others and does not care nor has any consideration for anyone else. As the child continues to grow they gain the level of the ego. In the stage the child becomes more aware of their surrounding and of other people and their needs. The child becomes more adaptable and considerate of others needs. The child begins to learn patience and understanding. Following this stage is the superego. When a child develops the superego they begin to learn about morals and the difference between right and wrong. I do not know whether or not I agree with Freud’s theory. I do not think that it all leads to sex but I do believe that people do go through different stages. I think some people although do not agree with Freud still consider his theory important because in way he does make sense of things. Freud also talks about how the majority of what we feel all takes part of our subconscious. We are unaware of the majority of things we feel and do. Freud may have been controversial because of what he connected learning with. He connected sex with a part of life and even though sex is a part of life and it is human nature, many people would disagree and find it to be a little disturbing. I believe that people do grow within certain levels and stages through their life and I do believe that we do things acting upon our subconscious. Sometimes what we feel reflects on certain actions we may do. Sometimes a person may not even know they are feeling a certain way and wonder why they are feeling and acting this way. Because of this, I believe that Freud is correct with his theory on having a subconscious level and this level holds the majority of our actions and what we are feeling. This part of our conscious takes a bigger hold than that of what we are fully aware of.

Reflection 11

I think beliefs, values, and attitudes are all important because they all are connected in a way. When someone holds values it is a belief that they hold dearly to them. Attitudes are the actual actions a person does in dealing with their belief. In the article there is a story of a girl who did not attend high school and therefore feels as if the other college students have an advantage over her. This girls however studies six hours every day including weekends and works extremely hard. Her dedication pays off because she is an excellent student. Although this seems like a good thing I feel this is more an obsessed attitude and belief. This young lady will always feel inadequate and feels as if she will fail if she does not continue to study as hard as she does. Sometimes the beliefs we hold can be negative and can affect others. There are some people who will just not accept certain people because of their color or religion. They hold strong beliefs against these people. It is important how to deal with people like this because what happens if there is a student in the classroom who cannot be in the same classroom as a black kid, or a Hispanic kid? This can be detrimental to the entire class because it will cause a negative surrounding and make the students feel uncomfortable. Some attitudes can be triggered by certain emotions they may feel based on their beliefs. This can lead to ganging up on a certain student name calling and physical abuse. I don’t want to say it is the parents fault but most of the time the parents play a huge role with their children having such values. If a parent teaches their children from an early age certain beliefs and with these beliefs and values come fear, the chances of those children turning out to be just like them are very likely. As a child I was always told if I disrespected my parents I would go straight to hell. I know it sounds funny but even now that I am an adult whenever I raise my voice at my parents I suddenly stop because I remember what I was told as a child. However negative, this can have positive outcome. Some parents teach their children positive values which can sometimes rub off onto other people. If a person is willing to change their attitude for the better, this will result in the beginning of multicultural awareness. As a teacher it is important to try and guide the students down the better road in order to have a successful classroom.

Reflection 10

I believe that to become a teacher who leaves an impact on students, once must have talent. I do not think it is just knowing the facts and having lesson plans. You need to keep the interest of students and the younger they are the harder that is. A student must also feel safe in the classroom. The classroom is where they spend a lot of time and many students can feel vulnerable and it is our job as teachers to make them feel comfortable. I agree with the article in all aspects. A teacher should create a safe zone for the students to feel welcome. Also, the way a teacher arranges the student’s desks and her/his desk can have positive results. In choosing a student to speak vs. letting a student volunteer, I think I would ask any students if they had any opinion or wanted to speak out and if I saw that no one was responding I would then call out a student and try to go back and forth during the discussion. Class discussions are always a good way to have the students feel more involved and I believe more students actually understand better and pay more attention because it is an active way of being informed rather than just going to class and having the teacher tell them to open their books to a page and for the entire class do work. A teacher should welcome diversity and not be intimidated by not knowing what to say because he/she does not want to offend anyone. Some teachers may point out a student with a question pertaining to their ethnicity just because they are of that race and it is important not to do so because that will make the student feel uncomfortable and feel offended. Such a question should be left for anyone to answer and give their opinion. Assigning students to do group work is a good way to have students break the ice between on another and it gives them a sense of taking charge and learning how to deal with different ideas and opinions. In my writing class the majority of the work is always done in a group. This group was chosen by the teacher. At first I did not want to be part of the group because I felt like I was being forced into working with people I didn’t know and felt that if someone started to slack I would have to pick up the extra weight. However this did not happen and one of the other students has helped me out tremendously in my work. Sometimes things do not work out so easily but it is important to at least try so that the students can get a sense of working with people just like how it is in the job market. I agreed with this article and I found it to be very helpful and informative for when I have a classroom of my own.

Reflection 9

To have multicultural awareness is not something one can acquire over night. In order to have multicultural awareness, one must be in tune with themselves such as their senses and also in tune with the surroundings around them. Meditation can take affect with multicultural awareness. When a person meditates it is a form of concentration as well as relaxation. In doing so a person focuses all the energy on a positive force and they find inner peace. This can have something to do with multicultural awareness because when a person is aware, it is not just something they say they know because they consider themselves a good person. What I mean by this is a person can say they are no racist or prejudice and they can say they welcome diversity. However, in order for this to be completely true a person should put themselves in another’s shoes. I don’t mean they have to completely change but more like educate themselves in other cultures and have an open mind about the diversity that surrounds them every day. To be conscious does not mean to be awake and see the obvious. It is a form of being aware in depth. According to the passage there are eight levels of consciousness. I find this to be very interesting. The levels vary from different states. The levels vary from right before you go to sleep, to being dull, to being fully aware of your surroundings. I found this article to be very informative. It dipped into the scientific views dealing with the brain and the atoms and physics. Everyone is born with ideals values and beliefs. Every day we are subjected to different experiences meeting new people and learning from one another. We do not necessarily have to agree on everything but as we continue to grow we become more aware of new things and expand our mind. This can benefit people because this can help to become a well rounded human being which is something everyone should strive to become. Some people believe in astronomy. By this I mean some people believe things happen to them when certain stars line up or when there is a change in something dealing with our galaxy. I would not say I agree with this to the extreme but I do believe there are certain energies and auras that surround us making us feel different things. I believe in negative and positive energy and whatever you surround yourself with will be the outcome of what you exude.

Reflection 8

I believe that our parents are the people that influence us the most growing up. Whether or not we agree with them, in the end there is always that one lesson or that one saying that we take from them. Our parents are the ones who give us the foundation to teach us values; the difference between what is right and what is wrong. I come from a very interesting household. Growing up I really did not notice the difference between the way my mother and father viewed things because as a child, parents tend to teach their children about manners and how to be respectful toward the elders. Once in my adolescent stage, I began to notice. My father is a very liberal man and my mother is quite the conservative. My father is an atheist while my mother is extremely Christian who attends church every Sunday. Religion and Political discussions tend to get very heated in my house. My mother always told me that she came from a very old fashion home. When a man is trying to date you there are certain things that should be waited until marriage whereas my father would just tell my sisters and I to be careful. A child can grow up to be very confused in such a house because since their parents cannot see eye to eye they don’t know which one is right. I for one am thankful to my parents. I feel lucky because I learned a lot more this way and I was taught to believe what I thought was best for me. Nowadays, children often refer to the media to learn about things that parents should be teaching them. Because of this, children are growing up too fast. I see it every day when I go into work and I hear children who only eight years old are talking about sex and things they are completely oblivious to. Children need to have guidance and need to have things explain to them otherwise they grow up un-educated and misinformed. However, there is only so much a parent can do for their children and the rest is up to them. Parents can buy their daughters dolls and their sons toy trucks but that won’t ensure the sexual preference of a child. I have a friend who as a young boy would always take his younger sisters dolls and when the mother began to notice at first tried to convince him to play with his toys but in the end she let him play with the dolls. She just wanted him to be happy which at the end of the day I believe is what the parent should want for their children.

Reflection 7

Rites of passage are important because it is used as a sign that we are leaving our state of childhood and entering the adult world. The rite of passage can be different depending on one’s culture. In the Hispanic culture, a young girl has her quincenera which signifies her becoming a young woman. In the Jewish religion a child has his/her bar mitzvah/ bat mitzvah. This ceremony takes place when the child turns thirteen. Although this ceremony is not to introduce the child to the adult world, the bar mitzvah/ bat mitzvah is for the child to realize the coming of their new age and with that the new responsibilities that come along with it. After having read the readings based on the rites of passage, I realized there are so many different customs that to one person may seem a bit too much and for others it may well seem normal. In Africa, the girls have an operation where a piece of their genital organ is trimmed. While this operation is occurring, the girl is not allowed to yell in pain or cry. This is not only seen as an operation but as a ritual. In my opinion, I do not see how something so painful could be a rite of passage. I am not trying to be close minded but I do not think it is necessary to cut a woman’s genital organ. This could cause infections that if not treated properly can lead to serious problems. When I read about the Sambia I was in shock. I had no idea that there were some cultures that permitted homosexuality even though according to them it is not homosexuality. I found it odd that the younger boys had to perform the fellatio to older boys in order to prepare themselves to have sex with a woman once they were married. I saw this is an act of molestation and found it disturbing. I cannot speak ill of these customs because it is their beliefs and that is what needs to be done to ensure the rights of passage in their culture but I did find it to be a bit much. Education has rites of passage as well. When you reach another grade you are growing up and passing on to a higher level. Once in college most have entered a world of independency which in its own is a rite of passage to the adult world and new responsibilities come along with it. All these customs trickle down from our ancestors from generation to generation. It is a way of life and the way we see our children and our children’s children move into their own rite of passage.

Relfection 6

I think to be part of the “Little Rock Nine” would have been a bittersweet experience. To begin with, the way those students were treated was horrific. Not being allowed to enter the school just because of the color of their skin was inhumane. To be honest I do not know how I would have reacted to the shouts and derogative words. I could only imagine what those students were feeling at that exact moment when they were walking to the steps of the school only to be turned away. I probably would have had self esteem issues. I don’t think I would have wanted to go to a school where it was very clear that I was not wanted there. I may have felt a little protected with the armed guards walking me inside but I would have also felt embarrassed because I would not like attention brought to me in such a sensitive matter. It is hard to believe that we could be that cruel to each other. I think it is terrible that these students had to be escorted to school by the armed guards for protection and had to walk in through the side. That did not make things any better because once inside those students were open to torture and taunting that no one not even the teachers would stop. One of the girls was suspended because she could not take the taunting anymore and defended herself. This was probably not the only case in which a student of color was punished for taking a stand. Knowing that I was not wanted to enter that building would have made me just turn around and go home. It wouldn’t be about surrendering but just about not wanting to be in an environment that is hostile. I find it very upsetting to know that it took fifteen years from the first attempt of the “Little Rock Nine” to enter the school to finally having integration in public schools. I commend those nine students for not giving up and not backing down. Everyone deserves a chance to better themselves and get a great education. The color of their skin should not limit someone’s abilities. As I said earlier, I believe being a part of the “Little Rock Nine” would have been a bittersweet experience. I say this because although the students had to endure so much just to be treated as equals, because of them we are now where we are today. These students are a part of history. You can find their story in history books and in documentaries. It is because of these students and standing up for what they believed in that everyone is seen as equals.

Relfection 5

When one thinks of the word culture they probably think the meaning is used to describe where someone is from. Culture has a much deeper meaning that that. Culture is about tradition, beliefs, values, customs, and the way of life. To fully understand someone’s culture, one must acquire some knowledge of it and experience it to a certain extent. To begin with there is no culture greater than another. It is that kind of ignorance that led terrible heartless tragedies in the world like the holocaust and the segregation of blacks and whites. Hitler believed that the perfect race was that of fair skin, blonde hair and light eyes. Everything else was considered to be dirty and un-deserving of life. How many people died because of how this one man saw the world? Why was everyone afraid of this one man? Who said it was ok to treat those of color so low? When was it considered that to be white was to be superior? No one can answer these questions but we can make sure that history does not repeat itself. In the past those who were able to afford high quality fashion were considered to be superior to others. This caused passing judgment to those who could not afford the rich lifestyle and made those who could not afford it feel inadequate. To this day there is still judgment passed, you see it on a daily basis. When someone walks by you tend to pass even the slightest judgment. You see what brand of clothing they are wearing what kind of car they drive. The beauty of culture is that it is so rich with diversity and different customs and traditions. Some cultures view the act of burping to be good manners whereas here in America it is considered a sign of rudeness. It is for everyone’s own well being that we take a deeper look into diversity and learn from the different cultures that are out there. Knowing the true meaning of culture and learning about others traditions, customs and beliefs is a way to step away from the mind frame that there is a culture that is superior than others and that we are no one to judge anyone who may seem different to our standards. Times have been changing and continue to do so and we must change with it. How else are we supposed to move forward and better ourselves? I believe to become a well rounded person; one must experience different things and learn from others. Who knows maybe once you learn about a different culture it intrigues you so that you find yourself learning more about it!

Reflection 4

Diversity is something we must accept and embrace. It is what makes society a melting pot of differences. I am not only speaking about our cultures. Diversity is much more than the color of our skin. As a teacher one will encounter many different students in their classroom. It can vary from children of different races to children with special needs, children from low-income households to children raised in single parent homes. It is important to be aware of every child’s situation and find a way to make the child feel comfortable and safe in the classroom environment. I work for a cultural arts program for the City of Hialeah. The majority of the children that register for our classes come from low income family households and many of the children have special needs. I have been working for the city for five years. My teaching style fit every child. I recall one semester I had a little student who had a learning disability. This little girl would not speak and I had to tell her the instructions numerous of times for her to be able to understand what I was saying. When I first met her I was doubtful of myself because I had never had to work with a child who needed special attention. I had to think of many ways to get her attention and I changed my learning style in order for her to keep up and to also keep the more advanced girls entertained. During my class I noticed a change in her personality. Although she never spoke a word, she would smile more and seem more interesting. At the end of the semester we put on a show for the parents. It was so rewarding to watch this little girl dance on stage with a smile on her face. It was not as difficult as I thought to teach this little girl but it was hard work. Although I know I have some learning to do in dealing with different situations, I feel like I have a certain level of experience in some areas. I know there will be some situations where it will be more difficult but working at my job has really opened my eyes to different experiences. There was one situation where there was a parent who started raucous because her child could not be in one of our classes. This parent began ranting on about how we were being racist to her child. As calm as we possibly could we tried explaining to the parent that was not the case and she would not listen. We went to our director and told him the situation and he deal with the problem. I know I handled that situation to the best of my ability along with my co workers but it was unfortunate to have that parent so upset. It is people like that parent who are close minded and hold negativity towards others. Working in such a diverse setting has prepared me to work in any educational environment.

Relfection 3

A paradigm is an example of how something should be, based on the person’s point of view. Describing the perfect woman/man, explaining what a role model should be like, living your life based on your religious beliefs these are all examples of where a person’s point of view comes into play. As a child I grew up in a catholic environment. From kindergarten to third grade I went to a catholic nun school. Every Friday was confession and in the afternoon we had mass followed by rosary prayer. Every Sunday I attended church and received the body of Christ. As a baby I was baptized and by the age of nine I had done my communion. To me this was the right way to live by and I had never given it a second thought. In the summer of my ninth year, we moved to Florida and I was enrolled in public school. The environment was so different. The school did not revolve around God or prayer. As I continued to grow, I began to follow the Christian religion rather than the Catholics. There were some similarities however different. Now I do not consider myself a certain religion. I do believe in a higher power called God but I am open minded to learning other religions. This change is considered a paradigm shift. Paradigm shifts allows people to develop and to open their eyes to different ideas, beliefs and facts. I believe it is important teachers experience paradigm shifts. This is helpful for teachers to respond without being biased in different situations. In order to educate, one should be open minded to all situations and to change. As a society it is imperative that we continue to move forward in all aspects and become well rounded. Without tolerance and an open mind nature nations would regress, wither, and die. New grander empires take their place but the cycle will continue to repeat itself unless we allow paradigm shifts, for times are always changing and we must change with them. Imagine if science would not have evolved. Our lives would have remained primitive. Without innovative open minds we would not be where we are today. Without a sense of curiosity paradigm shifts would never occur in the medical field and we would have been stuck to myths or home remedies to try and cure people. Paradigm shifts are detrimental to our well being. It would be advisable to allow ourselves and our ideals to shift.

Reflection 2

“One day the world will flash before your eyes. Make sure the world is watching.” –Anonymous Life is as they say is full of choices, situations we must overcome, and things we must accept. In living we begin to grow and each moment in our lives is another opportunity. As an individual, we find ourselves constantly changing. The two articles are full of values we all know we should have. However, upon reading this I realized how much I really do need these values. A blinding flash of insight, the article made me look into myself and my past experiences. In my life, there have been many eye opening experiences which have led me to grow up much faster than usual. I do not regret any of these experiences because it has made me who I am today and I now have a deeper appreciation for what I have. On a daily basis, many people go through changes. Whether it varies from hairstyles, to fashion trends, to having an epiphany, people are constantly moving forward because there should be no regression only progression. The articles make me want to take a stand against biases because it opens your eyes to the tragedies these unfortunates go through and helps me empathize with them. The subject of homosexuality touches me specifically because so many of those I care about are homosexuals. It angers me to know they have been given fewer rights than any other human merely because of their sexuality. My best friend is a homosexual. It sickens me to know that he and his significant other will not have the same rights as married couples do even though they consider themselves a married couple. We as a society need to stop holding on to values that no longer make sense. Every era we have always found a select group of people to use as our “whipping boy.” The blacks, the Jews, the Muslims, the Christians all have been subjected to our taunts and tortures. Now we have come to the realization that racism is wrong and tolerance is needed. However we have still managed to find another outlet for our hate. It is important to be adaptable for times are constantly changing and we must change with it in order to reach our full potential as humans. There are those who live with regrets and never come to term with who they are and what they can accomplish, they live their lives in the dark approaching dead ends and boxing themselves into their ignorance. This is how they live and this is how they will die, I wish to go beyond that. When I am within my last moments and taking my last breaths I wish to have that peace of mind that comes with the knowledge that I may not have been perfect but I have tried and lived with open eyes.

Relfection 1

Every present must have a past and every creation must have a master. We as a society would not be where we are today if it wasn’t for the progressive thoughts of man and the inventions they have birthed. Among the many inventions man has perfected some include the invention of the wheel, the control of fire, and evolution of the written word. According to Greek mythology, Prometheus defied the Olympians and faced their wrath in order to give mankind the gift of fire which would be used for cooking and for protection. While we know that fire is no gift, that does not diminish its importance and uses. While we may not know how fire was created, we have come to learn interesting facts of our own physical development and interactions amongst one another. For example, the jaws of prehistoric man became smaller and the teeth became less animalistic due to the lack of raw meat in their diets. They learned more civilized “house hold” skills such as cooking. Even our prehistoric mothers have had the luck of slaving over a “hot stove”. The female was more vulnerable to the theft of the meals which led to finding a mate who would dominate and was physically capable of giving protection. It’s hard to imagine life without all the inventions the wheel has led to. From automobiles to computer disk drives, the wheel has been a necessary gadget to the evolution of mankind. Transportation is vital to our current lifestyle. It is absurd how we have taken for granted how simple our everyday tasks have been made due to the development of the automobile. Life has been made easier by certain inventions such as the wheel. The history of writing can be traced back to the Sumerian civilization. The primitive style of cuneiform led to the more finesse style of the Egyptians pictured hieroglyphics which was the first step to creation of the alphabet. These were the humble beginnings of the world wide phenomenon that is writing. The fascinating thing about writing is that every culture has its own form. However in essence it is all the same. I believe as a future educator it is important to learn the history of these pivotal inventions to have a better understanding of our world today. With this understanding we as educators can inspire the future generations to further develop our world’s technologies for it is impossible to move forward if you do not know and understand the past.

Ariella Perez Introduction

My name is Ariella Perez. I was born in New Jersey on April 13, 1986. My family and I moved to Florida when I was nine years old. I have been dancing since the age of three and now I am currently a dance teacher for the City of Hialeah Parks and Recreation. Ever since I started teaching dance I knew education was the career for me. I know that education and giving dance lessons are completely different but I love working with children. For my first education class I had to complete fifteen hours minimum at any school. Being that I work with children ages varying from six to twelve I decided to complete my hours at an elementary school. The experience was wonderful and it took away any doubt that I wanted to become a teacher. However, working with children in a class room was a rude awakening for me. It was much different than just giving dance lessons. I realized teaching in an elementary school was not for me. Since last year I have been volunteering hours at Hialeah High School with the chorus teacher. I am one of the choreographers for their singing troupe. Working with high school students gave me my final decision. I wanted to become a high school teacher. I love the feel of the environment in high school classrooms. I am currently working on getting my degree to become an english teacher with a minor in dance. I am also taking dance lessons at a studio to help perfect my technique in the hopes of one day being able to educate aspiring dancers. I plan to earn my masters in education and hopefully one day I will be able to open my own dance studio. Even though some say education is a thankless job, to be able to do what I love most would in my eyes be enough of a payment.