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Quiz 1

How I was Raised Survey Reflection

The first survey I chose to complete was How I was raised which allow one to think about their own personal values and morals that was taught by our parents. When taking this survey, I began to think on how my parents raised me and the different things they taught me about life. One thing that my parents always taught their children was to be different and be our own individual. They taught on the importance of being independent so when a person decides to walk out and leave we will still have some sort of stability of our own. Parents are the breaking ground for their children and how we raise them factors out what kind of adults they would be.
Some of the questions that were asked in the survey were when speaking to an adult, is it polite to give them eye contact? Or In my culture (the way that I was raised) bowing to each other is the appropriate form of greeting. The person lowest in rank must bow first and bow deepest. Which in my culture to bow down to someone would be considered humorous because that is not the way we were raised. We spoke to adults by addressing them hello madam or sir and always gave eye contact to show others we are speaking the truth and we respect who they are.

In closing, the surveys do allow you to think about your childhood and how your parents raised you. Whether, we turned out to be college graduates or the complete opposites, parents teach us things based on what they know. Everything my parents taught me may have not been correct, but evidently it has made me into a strong adult who chose to be successful and independent and things that are influential to me I am passing those lessons down to my daughter.

Extra Credit-EDF 2085 Asili Night

Professor McNair invited our class to attend what he calls Asili Night. When the invitation was first given, I thought it was going to be some taboo ritual ceremony where I would have to sacrifice my sight (Charles Mingus). I decided to bring along my sister, cousin, and daughter Amarria. Upon our arrival we saw some dressed in African attire, musicians setting up, and a young boy in a funny looking outfit. Strange thoughts began flooding and ramping through my head until the program started. As the night was beginning to start, a man was introduce to do an opening prayer and usually in my culture or Christian life, the prayer is spoken in English with a message to God asking for peace, prosperity and strength and even though this man was praying in a different language it was the same message... may God send down peace, prosperity and blessings among the people that were there that night. As the audience began to fill up with people, I did notice one of my classmates Frank who was video taping the program. After the prayer was said, a band that consisted of men from all different races and colors began to play and the crowd got excited. I seen people moving their hips and tapping their feet to the music that was playing. The band in my words was LIVE!!! The drums were beating, the saxophone was groovy, and the singer was rejoicing. Then they got down to business. A female poet with a very intricate and articulate Jamaican accent was introduced by Professor McNair, and if I could recall she is an English Professor at Florida International University and achieved many things. The poem that stuck out to me was the one she dedicated to her brother that was obviously incarcerated. She spoke of his time in prison and how she longs to see him free, how she remembers the untimely time they spent together by the water in their beautiful island, and how she misses him every waking day. When one of the other speakers was introduced, he was a man that I know o so very well...Professor Preston, one of Miami Dade's finest English instructors and in my opinion the best. If I may say, he is in the process of writing a book and he read a little insert of the book at Asili Night. It was about a young virgin boy who apparently lost his virginity to an older woman and had a grandmother that was a little ill. The grandmother had what I would call an aid to help her get around from place to place. One night they decided to go to a revival to hear a prophet who could HEARD the voice of the Lord and was gifted through God for healing and at the end of the service he open-booked the lives of the people. I did not go into or discuss everything that went on that night, but my daughter enjoyed it because every time the band played she would move and laugh. A couple of times she even screamed out loud...I guess to let the others know she was having a good ole time. There was a band there with just about all Hispanic males who performed EXCELLENT!!! It was a great night and I enjoyed it!

Extra Credit-EDF 2085 Emmett Til

On Monday, March 15 Professor McNair shared an awesome poem that he wrote in remembrance of Emmett Til, the young boy who unfortunately lost his life for whistling at a white woman in the 1950's. Emmett Til was born in Chicago in 1941 to a beautiful woman by the name Mamie Til and when he was about two or three years old his father died. The only memorable thing he had of his father was a ring that was later given to him by his mother. In my opinion she raised Emmett to be a bright young man and taught him what kind of world they were living in during the times of racial segregation and discrimination. She sent young Til to his uncle's in Money, Mississippi where he was later murdered brutally by two white men that that was acquitted for the hate crime, later admitted to the crime, then sold the story for $4,000. This act was the cause of the Civil Rights Movement in America where black Americans begin to stand up for their rights such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. According to many reporters in attendance, the judicial process had failed Emmett Till, and the real question to come out of the whole trial was whether, without federal intervention, blacks could get justice in Mississippi. For many others the trial raised a different set of questions, many of them concerned with the truths of the case. Despite the best efforts of the prosecuting attorneys, the trial seemed to hide more truths than it answered as many competing testimonies were never fully explored or cross-examined. For instance, what really had happened that afternoon in the Bryant grocery? Moreover, how did Milam and Bryant find out about the alleged transgression? Who else besides Milam and Bryant drove out to Mose Wright’s cabin that night, and who were the other men spotted with Milam at the barn the next morning? Were there really black men in Milam’s pickup that evening? If so, who were they and what had happened to them? Finally, how long did Emmett Till remain alive that night, and exactly when, where, why and how did his murder take place? A handful of investigative reporters understood that the trial did not answer these questions fully and that the truth, more likely than not, had been obscured by the proceedings. In the poem I believed McNairs point was to show all races to never forget your past no matter how devastating it may be. Not for hatred to be in our hearts, but remember the pain the ones before us endured for us to be free and show how many before us died and experienced things in order for us to have a better future. We as future educators must inform and teach our students what formed our history and why history is so important.

Reflection 20-Transsexuality

Trans sexuality and inter sexuality is a very intense subject matter that many believe that is caused during the development of the fetal during the pregnancy term of the mother. I watched a television talk show host who did a show on transsexuals and much information was given. Many transsexuals believe that their true gender was mixed at birth and pretty much in other words God made a mistake when he created them. Now, I do believe their are instances where the genitals did not develop properly, but to define yourself as the other sex is absurd. Usually many believe trans-sexuality occurs after they go through the stage of puberty and through out my reading this can happen even in animals. Transsexuals and transgenders all believe they have been rubbed of their rightful identity therefore they begin to dress as if they were the gender they are suppose to be. As I was watching the television show, one of the women in my opinion was not even sure in her sexuality because one minute she was into dating women, then the next she started to date men. I do think that transsexuals and transgenders know who they are and try to define themselves in either the opposite sex or try to find out who they are as an individual. In my personal life I have seen so many men and women confused on who they are. If you have a male who has been dressing and acting as a male all his life, then all of a sudden feels as though he is a female there has to be an identify issue that occurred somewhere in his lifetime. So many of these people even have the part of the opposite sex down to the tee. I may sound critical or against this, but in reality God can not make a mistake. There is no such thing as being born a female but mistakenly is a male. I respect them for who they are but do not agree with the choices they've made. They have an ultimate desire to be or fit in with members of the opposite sex so that is when cross-dressing begin. As I was reading along about transsexuals, I have learned their are people who do not believe they are male or female and is called ambigender. I do not to get into this subject matter because as mentioned earlier it is a very intense topic to discuss. Gays, lesbians, homosexuals, transsexuals and all the other people who do not know who they are it is a reason why they choose to make these decisions and live that kind of lifestyle. In closing, we all make choices and the choices we make there are consequences behind them whether good or bad.

Reflection 20-Transsexuality

Trans sexuality and inter sexuality is a very intense subject matter that many believe that is caused during the development of the fetal during the pregnancy term of the mother. I watched a television talk show host who did a show on transsexuals and much information was given. Many transsexuals believe that their true gender was mixed at birth and pretty much in other words God made a mistake when he created them. Now, I do believe their are instances where the genitals did not develop properly, but to define yourself as the other sex is absurd. Usually many believe trans-sexuality occurs after they go through the stage of puberty and through out my reading this can happen even in animals. Transsexuals and transgenders all believe they have been rubbed of their rightful identity therefore they begin to dress as if they were the gender they are suppose to be. As I was watching the television show, one of the women in my opinion was not even sure in her sexuality because one minute she was into dating women, then the next she started to date men. I do think that transsexuals and transgenders know who they are and try to define themselves in either the opposite sex or try to find out who they are as an individual. In my personal life I have seen so many men and women confused on who they are. If you have a male who has been dressing and acting as a male all his life, then all of a sudden feels as though he is a female there has to be an identify issue that occurred somewhere in his lifetime. So many of these people even have the part of the opposite sex down to the tee. I may sound critical or against this, but in reality God can not make a mistake. There is no such thing as being born a female but mistakenly is a male. I respect them for who they are but do not agree with the choices they've made. They have an ultimate desire to be or fit in with members of the opposite sex so that is when cross-dressing begin. As I was reading along about transsexuals, I have learned their are people who do not believe they are male or female and is called ambigender. I do not to get into this subject matter because as mentioned earlier it is a very intense topic to discuss. Gays, lesbians, homosexuals, transsexuals and all the other people who do not know who they are it is a reason why they choose to make these decisions and live that kind of lifestyle. In closing, we all make choices and the choices we make there are consequences behind them whether good or bad.

Reflection 21-The Spirit Of Romance

The Spirit of Love...attraction, infatuation, courtship, and intimacy. We all can relate to these of so touching subject matters. When I ponder on the subject a few things come to mind from experience and learning about love such as when I first feel in love and when I thought I was in love. I do believe that love begins and was created by God. He showed us many examples throughout the Bible on the importance and basis of love. Not going into detail on the different types of love, but most focus on the agape love...brotherly love. In order to love another person we must first love ourselves then that love will out pour onto others. When one feels love for another person its becomes an attraction which is basically two people who are able to reproduce form a intimacy for each other. Love is a component that can be taught meaning that we could be taught to love through situations, experiences and circumstances. Then, on the other hand, love is something that is embedded in the heart and nurtured through life. We all express love differently in all the relationships we encounter and we also share it in a variety of ways. Whether it be in a homosexual or heterosexual relationship, we all go through the steps of love. Based on Freud's perception of love he believes that love is regression and sometimes believed to be true, but when you think about the cycle of life and love everything always tend to return to the original foundation. When reading the article a lot of the information was not quit clear, but when love is in power, when love is the ultimate source of a person it over powers whatever issues that a person entangles them self with. I do believe in the different steps of love, attractions, infatuation, courtship, and intimacy. Infatuation more so deals with the lust of the eye. When we see an individual, male or female we try and base our love on their looks and outer appearance, but I have seen so many relationships fail based on infatuation. This happens in many cases because its the beginning stage of a relationship and there has not been a true test of love; its merely puppy love In the courtship stage, that is when you have the heart of the other person. During this stage it is solely on sharing and giving yourself to that person and getting past being alone period.In closing, the intimacy is shared when the individuals know that they share a common bond and attraction for each other and decide to make that conscience decision to share those feelings for each other.

Reflection 22-The Final Goodbye

Even though this is not the ending of class, I felt I should do the last reflection at this time. I came into Professor McNair's class with an understanding and knowledge of learning about culture in the classroom. As time went on, he began to clearly explain more than what I was intentionally bargaining for. I must say that I have learned and is still learning many things and this class have taught me a lot about being diverse and accepting the opinions and differences of other people. During one of our class discussions and lectures, a student made a comment that was intended for Professor McNair and she was suddenly attacked by another student. Our opinions and thoughts are not the same as another individual, but it is up to one to accept how a person feels and learn how to deal with them. I went home and really thought about what had engaged in class and was very distraught. In the opening of the next class it was an issue I had to address. Professor McNair has taught me a lot during the times that we have had our open floor discussion and allowed me to see myself as an individual. I began to really look within myself to see and know why I am the way that I am. Honestly, I am a stronger person in my thoughts and personal life because of things that Professor has taught. He taught to be an individual and stand up for what I believe in and to be accepted of how I am as a young woman. I am the mother of a very beautiful little girl and everyday when I look at her as she is growing it motivates me even more to succeed and accomplish the impossible. My overall experience in Introduction to Diverse Population was awesome. I met some wonderful enthusiastic people who is truly headed towards the right direction in life. I ultimately learned the importance of being diverse and accepting a person for simply who they are. Yes, Professor McNair gives a lot of work but through all those readings and quizzes it is well worth learning and the knowledge you receive. He is an excellent professor and this is an explicit course to take especially when becoming a future educator. Through out life and its challenges it is up to an individual become all that he or she can be. Negative thinking results in negative outcomes, but when you take a negative situation and turn it into a positive things began to change.

Reflection 19-Homosexuality

Homosexuality is such a broad and wide discussion to speak on. I do believe that God intended for man and woman to be together and produce. Personally, I do not think two people of the same gender can complete the cycle of life. Same sex gender is not a natural cause by God. I have talked in come in contact with many homosexuals and one thing they believe they have in common is that being gay was something they were born with. I honestly disagree because being sexually attracted to someone of the same sex is an emotional struggle that engaged itself at some point in life. This issue is not something that just washed upon the surfaces of rights and legal unions, but since the ending of the 1800's homosexuality has been increased and recognized through the legal movements including adoption and parenting. A little history of the word homosexuality steams from the Greek and Latin word homo which mean same and sexual from Medieval Latin sexualis and when you combine the two it's same sex, but many people tend to use the word gay or lesbian. Homosexual to me is an issue that has been something going on even during ancient times. I remember seeing an ancient art piece of two men Zephyrus and Hyacinthus in an explicit sexual position and if I am not mistaking this art piece was around 480 BC. During the biblical days of the Old Testament, homosexual was rejected. In the story of Sodom two angels visits the city and stays with Abraham's nephew Lot later two men approaches them wanting to have sexual intercourse. Later Lot escapes from the city and it burns. The spiritual aspects that if a male and a male lay with each other the same as woman to woman it is an abomination towards God. All people have their views and choices on what they believe and what they believe in, but we all must respect peoples decisions and not disrespect homosexuals in any way or form. Regardless of ones sexual choice it is not up to us to judge or criticize. I have seen many of times gay and lesbians couples who are happy and content with each other. No, I do not agree with homosexuality but its part of life and learning how to deal with people and their differences.

Reflection 16-Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing

Ethnic cleansing and Genocide in my opinion has a minor similarity and major differences in some areas. Let's began with genocide. Genocide is the purposeful intention of destroying and/or eliminating a particular race or group of people all together such as the Jews during the Holocaust and the Rwanda Genocide. The word genocide is a word that was founded by an attorney Raphael Lemkin who combined geno from the Greek and cide from the Latin. I feel as though the cruelty acts of genocide is the intent to cause harm emotionally and physically and destroying people so none is left existing to tell the story and two major events in history. The first is the Rwanda attack on the Hutu and Tutsi which began in March of 1994. In the first couple of days, assailants went house to house killing and murdering individuals who opposed Habyarimana. Then there was the Holocaust. This event was the destruction of Jews, homosexuals and other groups is also a major event that was an elaborate cause to destroy a nation of people. People were stripped of their land and property and had to give up businesses and assets. These two events were the sole deliberation of taking out a wide range of people. As I was reading and studying genocide and ethnic cleansing, I do believe their is quite a difference. For example, slavery was not really intended on destroying a society of people, but to bind and attack black Americans. Yes, there were killings and beatings, but not solely the destruction to rid out a nation of people. Clarifying more on my opinion, black Americans were in bondage and was forced to hard labor and discriminated against. Unlike the two events mentioned earlier these people were massively killed by the thousands. Focusing on ethnic cleansing is a forced deportation or removal of people from a area. A prime example would be the Cherokee people and Bosnia. As this reflection is of my own thoughts and feeling, politics and government plays a major role in genocide and ethnic cleansing. Politics and government has more power and control over society more than we could imagine. These events caused suffering to a population of people whether through ethnic cleansing, genocide, or slavery. People suffered emotional wounds and bruises all because of their race and at the ending of the day lives were destroyed.

Reflection 17-Racism

Racism and is believing or thinking another race or cultures is less superior or equal to your own particular race. Being racist is simply a group of people or members of a particular society who acts out discriminatory acts toward others whether its through killings or brutal deaths. Racism is something that is taught from either our parents or social peers. A prime example of this is the tragic events of the Holocaust and Slavery of Black-Americans. In class we watched two movies that highly defines what racism is. First, we look at the Cherokees. The estimating number of Cherokees killed was well over two thousand which is more than half of their population. How much did they suffer? No one really knows. Even when we think about the tragic events of the Holocaust and Slavery I am pretty sure their were a large amounts of epidemics and diseases these people encountered all because of people acting out a series of hate. The horrible beatings and starvation these people had to suffer was unremarkable. I think and reflect on the story of Emmett Til and how white Americans in those times simply hated blacks. The brutal killing of Til was the braking point and black Americans began to stand up for their rights and what they believed in. One point that I found to be so true is that slavery for instance, has been going on since the 1800's, but it took the death a fourteen year old boy in 1955 for us to finally take a stand. I can reflect more on the story because I am black American and feel even today the emotional pain we they suffered. As a new parent, I made a civil promise to myself to train and teach my daughter on diversity and how we should unite with others no matter what culture or religion they believe in. Most important as a future educator its important to understand the role of diversity and what it really means. We are the ones that set into motion the atmosphere in our classrooms and it is our job to ensure every student needs are met. Every culture has experienced types of racism and disgrace in through out time, but it's up to an individual to take stand and stand for what they believe in and will not tolerate.

Reflection 17-Racism

Racism and is believing or thinking another race or cultures is less superior or equal to your own particular race. Being racist is simply a group of people or members of a particular society who acts out discriminatory acts toward others whether its through killings or brutal deaths. Racism is something that is taught from either our parents or social peers. A prime example of this is the tragic events of the Holocaust and Slavery of Black-Americans. In class we watched two movies that highly defines what racism is. First, we look at the Cherokees. The estimating number of Cherokees killed was well over two thousand which is more than half of their population. How much did they suffer? No one really knows. Even when we think about the tragic events of the Holocaust and Slavery I am pretty sure their were a large amounts of epidemics and diseases these people encountered all because of people acting out a series of hate. The horrible beatings and starvation these people had to suffer was unremarkable. I think and reflect on the story of Emmett Til and how white Americans in those times simply hated blacks. The brutal killing of Til was the braking point and black Americans began to stand up for their rights and what they believed in. One point that I found to be so true is that slavery for instance, has been going on since the 1800's, but it took the death a fourteen year old boy in 1955 for us to finally take a stand. I can reflect more on the story because I am black American and feel even today the emotional pain we they suffered. As a new parent, I made a civil promise to myself to train and teach my daughter on diversity and how we should unite with others no matter what culture or religion they believe in. Most important as a future educator its important to understand the role of diversity and what it really means. We are the ones that set into motion the atmosphere in our classrooms and it is our job to ensure every student needs are met. Every culture has experienced types of racism and disgrace in through out time, but it's up to an individual to take stand and stand for what they believe in and will not tolerate.

Reflection 15-The Holocaust

The question of did the Holocaust even exist is the thought that ponders in the minds of many. Like many other major events that has happened to other cultures such as the African American race, I do believe the Holocaust is a tragic event that happened to the Jewish people. These people experienced starvation, lethal injection, and gas chamber killings. It all began from one man’s superiority of power and hate towards a nation of people. There were well over six million Jews that went through a tragic period of total destruction during World War II. That is well over two out of three people killed because of their race or ethnic group and many others such as Jehovah’s Witness and communists were ill-treated for what they simply believed in. Numerous Jewish businesses and properties were put out of business and forced to sell at low dirt prices. I cannot imagine someone working for many of years to build a business all to lose it for a small amount of nothing. Highly trained college professors and people of civil social work were forced to quit their jobs because the Nazi’s felt they were second-rated and mediocre to them, so they had to get rid of them. Other people such as homosexuals were also persecuted and imprisoned. The section where it explains how the Germans took over the Polish people because they considered them of lower class began with the Polish leaders. Then they moved on to kidnapping the innocent children which was well over 50,000 to be adopted by German families which later was sent to concentration camps and later died. What is the saddest and most disturbing of all is when handicapped people were labeled as not being able to function and was terminated because of the burden they bared on the amounts of money it took to care for them. Innocent people died and were driven into starvation. This event does seem unrealistic because some may think of how one man in his own power can destroy a whole nation of people. As I was reading the article I do believe the Holocaust happened because it reminds me of current events such as the earthquake in Haiti. Even before this occurred, how their political leaders killed people all for what reason? It may not be to the full extent of the Jewish people, but is very similar. Many people in Haiti died of starvation and infectious diseases eating throughout their bodies. The Jews throughout time was compensated for their tragedy and loss, but in my personal opinion money cannot make up for the memories of what those people had to go through. No, we do not understand why things happen to us a people, but I do believe we should take these events and grow and learn from them.

Reflection 14

Reading the article about understanding prejudice is important in knowing how prejudice can be developed known and unknown. As humans, we don’t focus on ourselves and ways we display discrimination towards another culture or race. I’m not saying that it’s done intentionally in most cases, but we could be doing it unaware by our actions and/or words. You know, I think to myself because one day on my way to class it was a group of students in the elevator. The elevator apparently had some minor dysfunctions and all of a sudden one of the African American student blurred out with such a racist comment that offended some of the other students that were in the elevator. I was not only embarrassed for the other students, but for the lack of knowledge the student had displayed on cultural awareness and prejudice. In my opinion being prejudice is thinking that you or your culture is superior over another. I have actually heard people from other cultures refer to their people as being better than others. In all reality we are all human beings and the only difference is how we view things and live our daily lives. I believe that prejudice is something that is seen and taught either by our parents or someone who has a major influence on our lives. Most of the people that show discrimination usually have experienced some sort of childhood hurt, neglect, or anger. When injustice or unfairness is being played out it shows a lack of respect from one person to another especially if it’s done intentionally. Intentional prejudice is when someone purposefully in their hearts and mind do things to offend and hate another person. Honestly, I believe that intentional bias is just an outward behavior of some sort of pain that was never dealt with from within. For example, if I dislike people who does not speak fluent English, I can easily post judgment on them and assume certain problems of comprehension and ignorance. Prejudice is just another way that one can conclude is narrow-minded and plain out immoral. We all have been post judgmental in some sort of way and I should believe it was unintentional. We all must live and learn on a daily basis to expect people for who they are and learn how to deal with their way of living.

The most important concepts I received from the article is how an individual grows from birth to adulthood. Even before birth takes place, I believe an individual is perceived and certain developmental characteristics are formed. For example, the eye color, how wide or narrow the nose may be, and even the looks of the embryo. Then after which the child is born personality and personal development is put into place even more. The article was very appealing and informative because it helped me understand stages of my own child’s life. Even throughout my pregnancy, people would always tell me to rub my belly and talk to the baby because it understands through auditory cues. At the current age of eleven months, my daughter properly recognizes her name, words and signs. When someone calls her cute or adorable she understands that because that is what she is told day in and day out. What a child hears daily is very significant throughout their early years of learning. If I constantly use profane language in front of my child, she will go on to repeat what she heard. A child also develops by physical awareness (touch, smell, taste, hear). Some physical developmental stages may include but not limited to sitting up on their own, crawling, and walking. In the article it further addresses how a child is held and interacted with. As mentioned earlier, my daughter even at her young age can pick up on a person mood and vibe. She knows when a person is not so nice because when they hold her she tends to get very fussy and cries for no reason. Babies to toddlers have a keen sense of the physical which also includes touching. What really struck my attention about this particular article is when it was discussing the self as the object which is the known and self as doer which consists of the knower. Self as object in my opinion is what is learned and taught by an individual’s parent or caregiver and whatever is learned it is up to the individual to do. When I look at self the doer it basically reminds me of how one makes rational judgments based on what is known. The doer plays an important role in our lives because what we accomplish is based on our knowledge and perception of life. Self grows not only at birth but until childhood, and is a lifelong process that never ends and once we feel as though we have stopped growing we have truly stopped learning.

Reflection 12-Sigmund Freud's Theory

Freud’s theory on personality is important due to many reasons and thoughts. My conclusive opinion about his theory is pretty much based on or influenced by how we make decisions. Our personality is based on our foundational bring up from our parents. Then proceeds into whether we could make good decisions that are not powered by impulse. Now, Sigmund Freud’s theory is kind of bogus in my opinion. I truly do believe that our intellectual being is driven by sex and aggression (being able to produce and reproduce), but is also based on Eros and Thanatos which means life and death. Now, Freud’s Theory is thought out and very simple. He simplifies the way we decide on things which is based on our id, ego, and superego. Our id is sought out in the infant/newborn stages of life. A child is born and has needs that are not based on how others feel. When the child is hungry, uncomfortable, or not feeling well it cries unaware of how the parent is feeling at the time. Its wants are pretty selfish and self-centered, but a newborn cannot identify this at this stage of life. Now, as the child gets older its actions are based on the ego stage of life or doing things from a realistic point of view. Both ego and id stages of life are co-parts. One feed two, two proceeds to grow, and then three is developed which is called the superego stage of personality and can be defined as our beliefs, morals, and attitudes. This stage in my opinion is developed by our parents and what they install in us. It can also include our cultural background and knowledge. This stage of personality teaches us how to maintain ourselves in the world and how to make rational decisions in life. Yes, Sigmund’s Freud theory does not work for all people, but when you really sit down and read it, it gives you a better understanding.

Reflection -Beliefs, Values, and Attitude

Beliefs, Attitudes, and Values strike me to be very important especially as a future educator. Beliefs reflect a level of commitment and obligation that we build our values on which is formed either by our culture or society. I believe beliefs are what make you into a civil human being who’s able to function in the world. It’s how we live our everyday life. When we believe in something or someone we stand and affirm what is before us is the truth and therefore we will stand for it. Regardless, if the belief is true or false it’s what we deem to be right and we act upon it. When we focus on attitudes, it’s basically how we look at life and how we view ourselves and the things around us. For instance, if I have a negative outlook towards a person how I feel about them will result in negative things occurring. What I’m trying to say is our attitudes will make or break us. It’s always better to have a positive attitude because when we start to focus on the negative we start to get negative results. This brings me to our values. Our values are what we are taught and things we learn that builds our beliefs and attitudes. If we don’t value certain things or people we tend to take advantage them. Values give us the reassurance of what we believe in and how we perform on an everyday basis. Our attitude is the foundational stone on how we see ourselves in our cultural surroundings. It doesn’t not necessarily mean that’s the way people view us, but we become what we think about ourselves. Dealing with our cultural beliefs, attitudes, and values indicates our overall well-being. In the reading pertaining to the man who in anger and wrath curses his gods and change the structure of his cultural beliefs is an ideal example of our beliefs can change. Even though our parents and family values are important honestly it is up to us to make informed decisions for ourselves based upon actual facts. Now from personal experience I do believe some beliefs and values can be formed through others, but shouldn’t be our overall base on how we make decisions. What we believe can be changed by life experiences or merely what we heard someone say and believed it to be true. Our sole purpose as an educator is too educate and inform students on certain issues and allow them to make rational decisions on their own and based on their experience and knowledge they will come to know what’s important to them. It is also up to us to guide them to know what is truth.

Teaching in Inclusion

Being a future educator this article was very informative and educational. It has widened my thinking in many areas and has allowed me to see how I can become influential and effective in my classroom. I would like to start this reflection off with one personal experience I encountered. As a student I was one that always made good grades and tried to over excel in all my endeavors. My teacher was discussing an issue in class and it was a very sensitive issue to me. I then asked can I be excused to the office so the class would not see go through an emotional breakdown. Well, the teacher went on and on about the subject and I suddenly found myself crying an endless river of tears. The least to say the teacher never let me go to the office and ever since then I felt as if she had a sense of rejection towards me. Making a long story short, on the day all the students received their awards for perfect attendance, honor roll, or best behavior I received not one. This issue was bought to the principals attention and was later reconciled. I was never comfortable speaking in class or expressing myself because of this personal experience, but I had to come to the realization that I am a person and my voice should be heard whether anyone loves it or hate it. Past, present, and future educators must realize and understand we deal with a wide variety of races, cultures, and backgrounds and it should be our number one priority to make all students feel welcomed and enforce that their opinion and feelings are important. Now, I am not saying that we allow students to say WHATEVER comes to mind, but set guidelines and orders in doing so. We must also teach students to be open to what others say regardless if they agree or disagree. In my opinion, teaching with inclusion is a role that both teachers and students must take on. I have been in many classroom settings such where there are students with disabilities, students who are gay and/or lesbians, and come from a whole other part of the world. It is up to the educator to gain the respect of these students and keep in mind that they are humans too. Being able to teach a specific topic or organize a classroom well is not what it all takes to be a good teacher. In my opinion, an educator is one who is dedicated, able to accept differences, and have the rigorous agility to listen and influence the lives of students. When a student leaves out of our classroom they must feel enlightened and confident in the lesson they learned, but not only that they are able to take the view points of others and begin to transform themselves.

Awareness and Consciousness-Reflection 9

Awareness and consciousness in my opinion are both similar and different in many ways. Being conscious is an inward state of being, an inner feeling or spirit that tells you what’s right and wrong and once your conscious makes you aware of that your state of being and environment can change. You can fully understand and accept things around you and when change can take place. For example, if I am in an abusive relationship, my conscious will alert me on what I need to do to get out of the situation or let me know this is not a healthy situation. After which I must make a conclusive decision on what needs to be done. The greater your chances are of becoming conscious of what is going on (what you hear and see) you become more aware of what needs to change. I also believe your consciousness or being conscious of something is an inner spirit or notion that allows our brains to function and make rational decisions. As I was reading the article, I thought about dreams and visions. From my own understanding dreams occur through our subconscious and give us insight and direction on what roads we need to cross or steps we need to take. I can take some personal experiences of my own. I was dealing with a major situation in my life and was very depressed within. I was not aware of what I needed to do for my future to make a better life for me. One night I went into a deep sleep and that’s when my life was played out before me. I actually felt as if I was awaken and living out my dream. When I woke up, I then knew what to do. This has occurred on numerous occasions and has helped me understand many things in my life. As mentioned early, I stated awareness and consciousness is both similar and different. Being aware of something doesn’t make you consciousness of what’s going on. Your consciousness is a deeper feeling that actually guides your thoughts. Awareness is just being able to see and hear things around you. Just being aware doesn’t mean that transformation can take place, but your consciousness will not only make you aware of something, but help you. Throughout my life I have learned that mediation and concentration helps develop your inner being. It helps you think on a higher level and help you understand facts from faith. This is a very good article when people wants to development more in thinking and have a deeper meaning of cultural awareness. In closing everything has to begin within a person and once it is empowered we will be able to be effective and influential not only in our own lives, but in the lives of the students we teach, and the everyday people we meet. Our conscious will allow us to be aware of things and it should be our sole purpose in life to make the right decisions.

Reflection 8

They way my parents socialized me to understand my social class is very different from how the media has portrayed it to be. For example, media has taught women to be more physically attractive then to have the knowledge and the skills to become independent. Meaning if you don’t have the coca-cola shape or cut in all the right places you were not the catch of the day. Media has defined people and society into making one believe they can live in a “perfect” world, but in all reality when we look closely at society and places around us we see the day by day struggles. My parents have taught me in order to be strong and significant, I must identify who I am and know my own self-worth which is a value that is not based on my outer appearance. Media has put such a high impact on outer appearance and the only way to happiness is by material possessions. I have been taught that life doesn’t come easy; one must work at all levels to achieve a certain level of success. Good looks don’t pay the bills or mortgage! You know, I look back on some of the things my parents have taught me and the main value they have instilled in me is being independent. When it comes to gender and sexism is such a broad category and can refer to many things such as stereotyping, racism, and discrimination. When we see a Police Officer or Firefighter one conclude it’s a man and women are not as equally qualified in such a career field. Just as if we were to call on repair service or a Plummer we automatically stereotype it’s a male. I also thought how we use the word he when describing people in a whole. Gender and sexism has been into play from many years ago and in most parts of the world still take place. Some men look at women as being uneven or not the same when it comes to certain things in life. In modern day, sexism is also something women can display as well when it comes to domestic violence and even in certain careers as doing hair or nails. If we see a man doing hair, we conclude he is gay which is stereotyping a person based on a job. We all in some sort judge or put people in certain categories based on looks and career choices. In closing, as far as sexual relationships I personally have not much to say pertaining to this area because I feel when two people are together there are needs and desires they have which sex is one. Sex is a natural need that both men and women have no matter how saved or holy you deem yourself to be. Personally, it’s not a bad thing, but when a person abuse it , that’s when it’s something more to than a feeling.

Reflection 7

How do we view the way our culture performs? Is it right for parents to allow their children to go through a series of pain and suffering to teach them how to be civilized adults? Is how we see their rites of passage wrong? Reading these articles has really opened my eyes to see cultures and their differences and learning how to accept them. Rites of passage in my opinion, deal with transforming or the process from one stage in life to the next. In the article Mt. Kenya it clearly discusses how that particular tribe would allow their children to go through a rigorous process of purification and cleansing. The processes consist of many ceremonial performances of dancing, singing and drawing out evil spirit. I personally think this process is something that is well thought out and is not a fly by night deal. There are many things these children must go through in order to be accepted within their community and do we disagree because we do not understand why they do this. Then there is the actual performance of the purification. I would not allow my daughter at that age to actually go through such a process as that. For one, it is very unsafe to have a vital part of the vagina cut without any real medical attention. What parent in their right mind would want their child especially their daughter to go through something like that.
Then there is the article discussing the mythological aspect of how a certain culture allow their child to live in a forest or attend a school that teaches them certain rules and if they were not obedient to what was being taught they all of a sudden died. As a parent I really look at how we value our children and what we really believe what’s best for them as a whole. Certain cultures believe in raising their children in different ways which is something we cannot judge because we have not been accepted into that particular society. Is our way of raising a child the right way? Or allowing them to go through a painful process is the best way to adulthood? In closing rites of passages has a lot to do with teaching and being able to be effective in a student’s life. Rites of passage to me, is something that must start with an individual. An educator must be able to step out of the old mindset and began to change their thinking and ways of performance. Meaning going through the process of understanding differences and accepting people for who they are regardless of how strange we think they are.

Little Rock Nine-Reflection 6

The Little Rock Nine were strong individuals who overcame the fears and injustice during a period of discrimination and unfairness. Those nine students set into motion the willpower to achieve what others never dreamt of accomplishing which was facing the malicious injustice of segregation and discrimination. Things many feared of not ever doing in their life span. They were a legacy that we as a black people should imitate daily to overcome obstacles that try to block us from succeeding in life. I look back on the injustice they had to face on a daily basis in order to receive an education. Every day they encountered numerous of racial slurs and comments, getting into brawls with white students all because of the color of their skin. Even today, we still face differences and battles of diversity in culture, race, and statue. The Little Rock Nine allowed me to see how we must take a stand for what we believe in and let our ever sounding voice be heard to the highest mountain top. Day by day they dealt with the feeling of not being wanted, not fitting in, and accessible mistreatment from others. I personally couldn’t even phantom of walking a mile in their shoes. Having to be escorted to and from in order not to be in the way of harm. Could I ever imagine wanting to be them? Never! In actuality, we really don’t know the full truth of what they had to face on a daily basis. From many life experiences, I have learned when hatred is present the best thing to do is humble yourself and focus on what’s the ultimate purpose is. Being the outspoken person that I am, they would have kicked me out the first day of school because I would not have been able to bear the things that was said and done to them. I look at this moment in history where you have nine black Americans, who some said could never amount to nothing have changed the life of history. This story of bravery and honor proves that no matter what a person may face in life, you can overcome it. No matter what people may say or do, one must be determined to fight the fight and prevail over the negative things people throw against us. I have not experienced the things that the Little Rock Nine did, but one thing I do know is they reach their goal, become college graduates, and living successfully. Can we not do the same when we are faced with obstacles that are too hard? Can we not say to self I am determined and well able to trample over this high mountain? One can learn from the courageous nine that life is what we all make it to be whether we succeed or fail is all in the faint of our destiny.

Wet Foot, Dry Foot Reflection

What do we stand for as a people? Is the question I asked myself? Do we stand for nothing and fall for everything we hear and see through media and television? Do we allow politics to brainwash us with their under-handed skims that allow us to think they are for the people, trying to be a better nation under God? Do we live our daily lives in deceit and plain out ignorance because we believe and feel to be free and librated from man? After reading the article, I was enlighten, well-informed and set FREE from the bondages of the lack of knowledge that goes on in this world. We, as a people in whole no matter from what part of the world must come into the knowledge and sovereignty of our culture and history. I cannot began to fathom on what our government has portrayed to acts of innocence but clearly deceiving the American people. As I continued to read this article, my thoughts reflected on the Haitian population. It is time to stop blaming and pointing the fingers, but replicate back on the history and disturbing acts that was committed years and years ago from the country’s politics and government. Destruction has been into play even before all the issues of migration took place. When are we going to stand up for our rights and began to free ourselves from irrational bondages of hear- say? We base our beliefs and hatred towards people and yet to know why we came to those conclusions. In order for one to be librated, one must first liberate themselves. This battle of the wet foot, dry foot issue is unjust, unmerited, and plain out UNFAIR! I honestly, do not like to go into one culture vs. the other but let us begin to think on what’s right and start putting those thoughts into motions. Let’s begin to doing the right thing for ALL PEOPLE. A lot of these major events took place, during times of discrimination and segregation and the during those time “white man” did not believe in giving black Americans the opportunity to advance in life or to make a better living for our legacy. Black Americans have been in bondage and slavery for many and many of years even to this day. We see our fellow brother or sister down and over look them because we are AFRAID they may over step us or become better than we are, but people it is time for us to make a change! This is a time for all people black and white to make a difference for the sanctity of all God’s creatures. Are we really living our Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream just because we have a black president in office? Or are we still in-slaved by the snares of our ancestors. People we must take a stand for something or we will fall for anything.

Reflection Paper 5

Culture is and has been defined by many meanings and definitions, but the meaning of culture must come from ones interpersonal experiences and revelations of life. Culture in my opinion, is a wide variety of people with different backgrounds, traditions, viewpoints, and common ways of life. I believe a set of people who are equal in value, opportunity, and freedom. The way we live our lives on a daily basis and the things that influence our core values and beliefs. How we behave and interact with others make up the recipe of culture, the morals and principles that allows us to conduct ourselves like civilized human beings. It instructs and trains us how to see the world, understand how others feel, and view them as a whole. Sometimes we cannot look beyond a person outward appearance based on our own irrelevant stereotypes and assumptions. Stereotyping enforces what to know and except before interacting with others that are different from us.
Then when we get into intercultural communication, it brings on a whole other way of how we judge. I deem intercultural communication deals with how we converse with one another in our own society and others. When words are verbalized through speech, that’s how we effectively communicate with others and a process of understanding should take place. If we are communicating with another culture, a dialogue is in effect and. If we are speaking to someone from Haiti for instance, our way of speaking may mean something completely opposite of what they perceive it to be. In my personal view point culture and intercultural does not float on the same boat for many reasons. For one, cultures put in picture of how we perform, what and how to do things. On the other hand, intercultural communication goes past that. Communication deals with unknown signals and how we filter information. In certain countries some communication spoken is not direct or straight forwarded meaning to get to a conclusive point words high context communication is used. Overall, I have gained reasonable insight on how to display kindness and care towards others who are not like me. A person who is aware of cultural differences display a good attitude towards others, treat them as they would want to be treated, and pursue gratitude of compassion. A well rounded cultural person acts and behaves accordingly towards people and language they do not understand. In closing, we live in a diverse world and we will never come to the fullness of how to be a multicultural person, but we must take steps in learning how to accept and tolerate.

Embracing Differences-Reflection 4

Being in a world of different cultures, races, and beliefs we are surrounded by diversity on a daily basis. My personal meaning of diversity is accepting one regardless of sexuality or gender providing them with a safe learning environment for success and achievement. As educators, we must embrace the differences in the lives of students no matter how they look or where they come from. We speak to people of different languages and viewpoints that change our mental thinking on how we see life. In order to be an effective teacher in this modern world, we must learn how to except people for who they are regardless of how we may seem them differently. As a future educator, we are going to have many diverse students in our class and we must know how to except them for who they are and put our personal feelings to the side. We are also going to hear different viewpoints on what we should do has educators and how we can be effective in our classrooms. If truth be told we have to gain our perspective and begin from there. Diversity is such a common word that has been used throughout my studies and is a characteristic we must pursue on a daily basis in the classroom setting. I have had many experiences that have prepared me for diversity and helped me become a better person. About five years ago, I met a friend and he was bi-sexual. In my personal beliefs, I do not believe that God intended for man and man or woman and woman to be joined in marriage, but I cannot allow what I believe to stop me from having a healthy relationship with this person. To be quite honest, it’s one of the best friendships I have encountered. Personally, I do not feel a person can be well-prepared for diversity, but one must be open-minded to things in life and the viewpoint of others. Even though being open-minded is something we must all be able to portray, we must also remember that our own values and beliefs is what influences our world and at the ending of the day we must have a sense of who we are as educators and what we personally believe. I have been in many classroom setting and have seen a wide variety of student’s whether Spanish or Creole, an effective teacher treats them all the same. In closing, we are going to experience many different things in our lives and we have to embrace diversity. Diversity is a wide community of things and people, race and gender and differences.

My Life

Well to begin with, my name is Tameka Dishawn Johnson and I was born and raised in the beautiful and sunny Miami, Florida. I am an Education major who believes in the core and spiritual values of life. I am a first time parent of a beautiful ten month old little girl by the name of Amarria Di`Nay Bellamy. God is the only giver of life and she has been a special blessing to me since the day she was born. Recently, she was diagnosed with a Bronchial Cleft, which is a small opening in the neck that causes liquids to leak on occasions. She had to get a CAT Scan with contrast done and had to be sedated for about an hour. To see my child go through this, I wouldn’t even wish it on my worst enemy, but by the grace of God all is well. She is a well developed child and is very healthy and happy. I live for my daughter and she inspires me to live life to the fullest and accomplish all my hopes and dreams. I have experienced many things in life from heart brakes, failures, and challenges. But, you know when life hands you the negative side, pick yourself up, pick up all the pieces and move forwards because when you look back it can hold you down from experiencing a bright future. Life has taught me many of lessons and to this day I am a stronger and brighter person. Just a little about my life when I was six months pregnant, my grandmother lost her life to the illness of life. She was like a piece of me, of whom I was, and when she passed it felt as if blood stopped pumping to my heart. I have not yet come to the realization that she is gone but, day by day acknowledge that she is no longer here. I have a beautiful and supportive family who is not all so perfect, but we stick together no matter what. I plan on becoming a teacher that educate and inspire. When I look at the world around me, it helps me gain a better understanding of why we need teachers who have the passion and commitment to change lives. I’m heading towards a brighter and better future to make a better life for my child and me and if I press towards the goal of life I will succeed. I never to deem myself perfect or better than others, I live my life at a level of excellence and strive for the best things in life.

Reflection Paper 3

I know this is just the beginning of class, but this out of all articles read; in my opinion has been the most complicated one to comprehend. It began with explaining the meaning of frames, framing and framework, then concluded to speaking on paradigms. My personal interpretation of paradigms is ones view point or real life observation of things experienced. For example, if I was a woman who consistently maneuvered from one relationship to the next without taking time out to heal and find out the value within myself, outwardly people will assume that I struggle with low self-esteem or deal with inward issues. This moves me to the meaning of a paradigm shift, a (mental) renewal or change of one’s life through the changing of life or an experience in life. Using the example from above, a paradigm shift can take place when an event occurs in life that will cause her to awaken from the old state of mind. She will begin to make rational decisions that will change her life for the best.
Yes, I have had many paradigm shifts in my life. One that comes to thought is when I was in a depression stage where things were just not going as planned. At that point I thought I had to lower my standards and do what others wanted me to do to be happy. Until one day, a shift of the mental thinking changed. I began to see my own self value and worth as a woman trying to have a better life. It is important for current and future educators to have a paradigm shift because in order to be an effective teacher that inspire, the mind must go through daily transformations. Being stuck in one set frame of mind will never leave a legacy for students. Through life experiences, it pushed me to make major changes in my life to become a better person. Transformations have been in existence since the beginning of time, something happens, and then a change takes place. God created the earth, man lived happily on earth, and woman eats forbidden fruits, sin then comes. Things never remain the same no matter how we want them to. In my opinion, diversity is what transformed think is all about. Especially in our world today, we must encounter paradigm shifts to effectively teach. About three years ago, I was an office secretary at a middle school and we had quit a few students with behavioral problems and I wondered why. I finally came up with my own conclusions that there are some inward issues that these students are dealing with and we must be able to aid them.

Reflection Paper 2

As a person that has experienced many challenges and things in my life, this reading passage has broadened my thoughts, viewpoints and outlook on life. Lately, we have been discussing the changes of life and how time can change our society for the good and even in some opinion the bad. A natural well minded person will look at themselves, evaluate where they are and begin to make changes that will transform their state of being. One will look at their current situation; their current state of accomplishment and begin to evaluate and examine how they can transform within and the things around them. In my opinion, life is lived in a cycle. For example, a child is born, raised, taught the core values of life, grow up, and then reproduce and the same cycle is repeated again. But then, that’s when one must stop and think how my life can be at a place where I affect the people around me. The article described the different levels of change. Renovation, restore, recover, alteration, and revolution all deals with the same thing and have the same meaning…CHANGE! Like when change came about when President Obama came into office, change when black and whites are able to work together, and change when a single parent succeeds above measure. Whether it’s in our personal, spiritual, or social life all our parts and beings can use work, but it all begins in the mind. Once a change has been renewed in the mind it shows in the physical being. For my own personal life, I had to accept the fact that I am a single parent and can succeed in life, but a change of mind had to take place in order for me to think that way. I could have a negative mind set and always think negative things, but I choose to accomplish the impossible. That’s why it’s vitally important the mind is regenerated and our acts must follow. Such as a drug user or prostitute, they have to make up in their minds that a renewal has to occur and their physical outlook must be restored. Every step in life is a process and not something that happens over night. Time determines change and change determines the outcomes in life. If I am consistently doing negative things, negative things will consistently happen in my life. Now you may have a person that’s on a tract to good things and just needs simple alterations to their life such as the way they think or do things. For example, smoking or not completing a required assignment. Every day as I live my life, I think about how I can change my personal outlook on things and how I could become a better person. Whether if it’s changing my hair style or how I see another person. Once again, change and transformation goes hand and hand; without transformation change cannot manifest.

Reflection Paper 1

After reading the three articles really opened my thinking and broaden my speculations on the fundamental development of the simplest things in life. As I was continued to read, I also came up with my own personal theory, that as time passes and people change so does the world we live in changes too. For example, the use of typewriter to computers, gas stoves to electric and walk-mans to compact disc players. How the world changes can cause tremendous changes in our society as well just like it did with the homo erectus.
In the reading passage about fire it was an important essential creatures used to survive the times they were living in. My first impressions were when we think we have an evidential conclusion to a theory or problem; there could be unseen facts that can prove different. When a person thinks the world was created one way with facts, dates, and evidence it can be proven differently. Many people have their own opinion on what fire was used for and who even created it, but most of all fire was used to help a species survive predictors, provide food and keep warm. All animals whether they flew high above land or migrated on ground below benefited from fire.
All three articles in one whole summary taught the basis of foundation and creating and how the world can change from one simple aspect to the other such. An ingenious creation that helped lighted the heavy loads of objects from one place to another. The history of writing was established so we as people could have a better and clearer understanding of language from past and present. In closing as a pre-teaching intern, I believed these articles helped me gain a better understanding of why teaching with a foundation is important, how we must grasp the changes of our world and how our brain changes with the world. Let’s evaluate the consequences of our lives, whether good or bad and examine why it is important for us to transform our daily thinking. Negative people attract negative; therefore we must allow a sense of change and transformation must occur set a positive atmosphere in our classrooms. A teacher who does not think that daily alterations are not important as an educator will never be effective.