Comments for Ashley's Education Blog

Comment on Ms. Vera’s Class by nana101466

nana101466 — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:02:09 +0000

I agree. Remember the big picture can be hard when all the little details try to get you down.

Comment on Censorship by kscott23

kscott23 — Tue, 27 May 2008 12:12:13 +0000

I agree. If they don’t find it on the internet, they will get it from their friends or somewhere else. That’s why the parents should establish an open relationship with their children, so the children will not be afraid to ask questions. But it should be the parents’ choice, not the teacher.

Comment on Censorship by Shonda

Shonda — Fri, 23 May 2008 22:42:54 +0000

I agree that if a child wants to find any information about something this day and age they have so many different ways to get it. So, parents may as well just face it. At some point, their precious little children will be exposed to something that they may not want them to be exposed to. Therefore, I think parents should allow their children the freedom to read what they choose and to also allow them the opportunity to come directly to them for any clarification and/or questions.

Comment on Censorship by Sylvia

Sylvia — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:34:36 +0000

That makes sense, but what happens when a parent believes that magic is real? What happens when the parents’ views are discriminatory and go against being inclusive and accepting of different people?

Comment on Tracking & Grouping Students by nana101466

nana101466 — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:31:37 +0000

I agree with you, that tracking is not nessary and that children should have more of a choice as to which groups s/he would like to be a part.

Comment on Who are we really trying to protect? by Shonda

Shonda — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:46:38 +0000

Hey Ashley,

I absolutely agree that it is the parents who take this to another level. The average parent just automatically assumes that a boy playing with dolls or playing dress up will be gay and that a girl who likes to play “boy” sports will be lesbian. I have a brother who is 4 years my senior and we played together a lot. He never played with my dolls but I played sports with my male cousins and him all the time, especially football. I played football with them until I graduated high school but I am not a lesbian. My parents were in no way against me playing sports with my brother and cousins and they even encouraged it. So I definitely think that it is the parents who hinders a child’s understanding of gender roles.

Comment on What if there was an Incentive Program for Teachers? by Shonda

Shonda — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:38:09 +0000

Hey Ashley,

I do agree that there should be some kind of incentive program for teachers. Speaking from experience, several senior level administrators who had been with my former department for 7-20+ years ALL left within 5 months of each other because the new person in charge did not implement an effective incentive program. Her idea of an incentive was wearing jeans to work. Who in their right mind cares about that? These administrators had served the department for 7-20+ years and they had to fight for raises and vacations. That’s just sad and it explains why they ALL left to pursue new jobs.

Comment on Thoughts about Ebonics by Kayla Murphy

Kayla Murphy — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:05:00 +0000

Hey Ashley,
I agree, I do not think that Ebonics is limited to just Blacks. Also, we refer to Ebonics as “Black English,” but we do not have a name for the non-Standard English that Southerners speak. I wondering if not naming the Southern talk causes it to be more accepted by the mainstream, leading the “Black English” to become negatively stereotyped …

Comment on Thoughts about Ebonics by jgreer

jgreer — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:37:22 +0000

Hi Ash, this Jessica G.

I think that it’s so hard for me to swallow because one I was raised by a mother that stressed proper English from the time I could speak “baby-talk”. but the second reason is becasue I look at Ebonics as another set back for the Black race. I know Ebonics is not just spoken by Black people but most people relate Ebonics to Black people. I feel like Ebonics just feeds into the stereotype of black people not being able to talk. But after today’s activity and being on the Beta team I can look at Ebonics at its own language and i can respect that my future students may really value it and I need to make them feel comfortable by not dispelling their language as if it is not one. because when the Alpha team called our language primitiive and gutteral, it kind of hurt my feelings because iliked our little language and I felt like we actually worked pretty hard to master it.

Comment on Gentrification by kelmart26

kelmart26 — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:24:04 +0000

I agree with you about collective agency being the most powerful way to make change. I believe that we as educators may need to join with the local civic organizations or community organizations to correct and prevent further inequalities from occuring in the lower-economic neighborhoods. Also, to be aware if the area is being targeted for gentrification and join with some community groups to get awareness and to help them make their concerns known to the powers-that-be. – Kelley