Talking Points (#5)

In the Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning
By: Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer

Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer argue that service learning should be in our schools today. They believe that service learning can be a great experience if it is done in the right way. if goals are set and we reflect on how SL should be and how it would help our community, it would make the experience more helpful and fulfilling.


"He argued for the creation of ‘miniature communities' in which students would work together to identify and respond to problems they confronted"
I think this quote explains a lot. I feel like Hahne and Westheimer have the right idea by saying that we all need to work together. If we all work together to identify the problems in the community, then we would have to do it all alone. I think that we are all confronted with many problems in our lives and if we just work together to get through them then it would make it easier on all of us.

“Maybe this community service is what citizenship is about, acting in a decent way toward people who live where we live”
I think that community service is a great way to help out everyone around us. Its a good way to get involved and to respect the world we live in. Community service a sign of maturity and strength. It shows that we care, and we are willing to help others around us. I feel like this quote meant a lot because its so true. We should all be helping others in any way that we can.

"Service learning makes students active participants in service projects that aim to respond to the needs of the community while furthering the academic goals of students."
I would agree with this quote because it states a good point. Service Learning teaches students how to help out in the community. It is helping the community and also teaching the students what it means to help out. Its a good way for the students to learn how to set goals. Its a good way to teach responsibility.

Talking Points (#4)

Unlearning the Myths that bind us
by: Linda Christensen


Christensen argues that children get all there information about what they see in the media. Even if that means cartoons. What she argues is that this information the children are getting may not be whats right. We need to teach our children the correct information and let them know that what they see on TV may not always portray the right information.



The impact of racism begins early. Even in our preschool years, we are exposed to misinformation about people different from ourselves.
I agree with Christensen when she says that racism begins early. I would also say that stereotypes also begin early. I feel that children get their information from the media, and they don't really understand why this information may not be all true. When we learn about people different than what we are used to being around around, certain views or opinions that are taught to our children may also we a reason why racism start so young. The people our kids are around influence our children as well. If the parents are racist than the chances of the child having the same views are pretty high.


Children's cartoons, movies, and literature are perhaps the most Influential
genre "read."
I understand where Christensen is coming from when she says this. This quote is so true because what they see in cartoons, movies, and in the book is really all they know. All the general information these kids are learning come from these sources. We as adults cannot depend on these forms of media to teach our children because they may be getting the wrong idea!




Turning off the cartoons doesn’t stop the sexism and racism. They can’t escape...
So, this quote kinda freaked me out. They cant escape, even though this quote doesn't sound true. I would agree with what Christenson is saying, she has a good point. Its not just in the cartoons, its everywhere and I think thats what she means by saying they cant escape.


I really thought this article was interesting to read. I realize that what is on our TV shows and in our mediea has gotten worse over the years but I didnt realize how much of a problem it is. Its causing children to stereotype and have a racist attitude at such a young. This is not good! we need children to be open about "different" people and ideas. Before I read this article, I never realized that the media played such a big role in the way children think and where they get their ideas from. We really need to stop these negative messages that are in the media because if we don't, no change will happen. The only way were every going to see change is if we do it ourselves and I think better communication between children and adults is what needs to happen in order for us to see any kinda of change.

Talking Points (#3)

Gayness, Multicultural Educational and Community
By: Dennis Carlson

Carlson argues that as teachers we need to accept everyone as individuals and also teach that to our students. Public school needs to be more open and accepting of people who are gay, bisexual trans gender, or whatever they might be. He also says that public schools need to make it OK by talking about it and making it a more comfortable topic to talk about.

"Throughout much of this century, the dominant idea of community in America was represented by what I will call the normalizing community." We are so used to our ideas being normal that when a different idea comes along we don't accept it like we should. This is how we think of people who are gay or lesbian, we know what it is know however were are not completely accepting of that lifestyle. I agree with this quote that "normalizing community" is what we are used to and when things change it is not ok because it is not whats "normal."


"gay people have for the most part been made absent, invisible, and silent ..."
I decided to pick this quote because I really agree with what he is saying. I agree with what he says about gay people being absent, invisible, and silent. This is true however, day by day this issue not not accepting people is getting better. Many years ago gay people could not come out because it was not acceptable to anyone, today it is more acceptable for a gay person to come out and live their life the way they want to. I feel like we need to be OK with the fact that someone we know or a family member is gay. It has been such a sensitive topic for so long, its time we get over this. Gay, Lesbian, Trans Gender people are human beings too and we need to treat them the way we would want to be treated.


"Within normalizing communities, some individuals and subject positions (i.c., white, middle class, male, heterosexual, etc.) get privileged and represented as 'normal' while other individuals and subjects positions (i.e. black, working class, female, homosexual, etc.) are dis-empowered and represented as deviant, sick, neurotic, criminal, lazy, lacking, in intelligence, and in other ways 'abnormal'."


I this this is a very strong quote. I would agree with him when he says that white, middle class, heterosexual, men is what is privileged in the world today. I feel like he has a really good point when he says this. I agree with with what he is saying although I don't feel it is right. I agree when he says that blacking working class, homosexual, females are the kinds of people that do not get privileged like they should, they are all people to and its not right for them to be treated differently! thats not right! and its not fair!!




I'm gonna be honest, I didn't like reading this article. It was interesting information and I learned a lot by reading it, But it was long, and I really couldn't get into it. I had to go back and re-read some paragraphs because some of them were just to confusing! Some of the vocab was though too! But anyway- i agreed with a lot of what he was saying and i understand his points. Even though it was not the most interesting article, it had tons of information and opinions in it!