My Promising Practice

I was unable to attend the Promising Practices Conference because of a wrestling tournament our team was attending. I thought that it would only be right if i brought you into this aspect of my life. i say aspect of my life because this is a great part of my life which i dedicated 11 years so far. Wrestling has helped me so much in my life, i would not be the person i am today if it was not for this sport i was introduced to in the 6th grade. Wrestling has taught me a number of things like, hope, believing, hard work, dedication, faith, sacrificing, determination, pride, pain, mental toughness and will power. Many people say their sport is the toughest but once you wrestle you will think other wise. i have played many sport in my time, wrestling is one of the few team sports were you get self gratification. when you compete it is just you on the mat and win or lose it is on you or what time you put into the sport. I have met many people here at RIC who have been on the team in the past and who couldn't make it though a whole season. Its a very demanding sport with a lot of  time on and off the mat, which many of the people i met at RIC either miss or regret  leaving the team. 

Yes wrestling is a sport but this sport holds many lessons off the mat which i have mad some connections to with the articles we read in class.  Kahne and Westheimer show us the difference between charity vs change in our work. With wrestling our coach like to have team bonding exercises a few being on campus events. We help clean up our campus for green up clean up and raised money for athletics with a 5k race. Charity is our 5k race and our charity is our clean up which are both important for the growth of our team bonding, athletics, and respect we have for what our school does for us. Kozol shown us that you need hope because evil exists around us and can effect us tremendously but can also influence us for the better. There are many influences around us that can take us away from our goals like, partying, alcohol, school work, not enough sleep and trying to have a great social life. Wrestling you need great discipline and will to avoid these obstacles or stay on top of your work so you have time to rest and feel good for the next tough workout or competition.

McIntosh tells us we should honor our 1st language in order to be successful in the language we are trying to learn. i compare this to all the kids that come from other states with their own wrestling styles and techniques. Our coach is smart on improving on what we know and introducing what he wants to teach us incorporating both techniques as one. As you can see wrestling is a way of life, which has taught me a lot of different thing in life and making a person who appreciate many valued aspects of life things  

Golf Outing 

                                                        Campus Clean up

                                                         1st day on campus

                                                        Summer Gathering

                                                              1st Practice

Vegas Trip/ Competition 

                                                              Caesars Palace

                                                               Vegas Strip

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wrestler with your destiny

1st Wrestling home match

come support me and my wrestling team in 1 of our 2 home matches for the season =)
This Friday 12/7/12 @ 7pm

Questioning Learning (Quotes)

 "You must arouse children's curiosity and make them think about school"

*key word children, children like to play, be entertained, laugh, question and learn new things. it is possible for teachers to incorporated that all in one and complete a far greater deal of teaching with great techniques  also is this is done correctly as the child grow he will appreciated and look forward to learning and school in future years.

“In spite of the fact that teaching by pouring in, learning by a passive abortion are universally condemned, that they are still entrenched in practice”  

* Most students already dread the fact they have to go to class for a period of time and they rather spend their time else where. Many teachers make it worse but lecturing for a time period where they expect us to just take notes and understand everything. it isn't the best way to teach in my opinion for the fact as human beings our attention span does not reach the lengths that a student can comprehend. where is the learning in that?

“Education is a socializing activity organized, funded and regulated by authority who set a curriculum managed in the classroom by teachers”

* Education should be just as Dr. Bogad Sets up her classes. classroom based on discussion, socializing and arguments all benefiting in learning from her guidance but strongly between each of our classmates. a brilliant technique because it keeps the class attentive, aroused, exciting and different.i believe if classes were designed like this school would be a much better environment..


Question: Arent questions the way we learn? so why is it that some teachers dont not allow their methods of teaching to be questioned and take it personal. 

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https://ceprofs.civil.tamu.edu/llowery/Teaming/Morgan1/sld006.htm

Equal = Fair ? (connection)

    Kliewer, "citizenship in school: Reconciliation down syndrome", in this article he has us thinking about disabilities. Fape which is a free and opportunity public education that guarantees the right to education for all children with disabilities  also offing safeguards for children that ensure the student will be educate in the least restrictive environment along with non disabled student. Separate is not always equal and sometimes you have to readjust to create success.Equality mean that everybody must get the same treatment, equality is important but is not always fair. Kliewer says "community is derived from each individual's recognition of the value of every other individual". Also " no voice is deterministically silenced"; two powerful quotes shaping this article.
   The 1st connection i made was when Johnson said say the word "people first" in conversation towards any and all people. what Johnson means by this is you don't say the kid the crippled kid or my down syndrome student, weather you say Mike the one in the wheel chair or Charlie with down syndrome. it make the individual feel like a regular individual instead of an outsider or kid with a problem.  
   Also Wise came to my head, in 1954 we had laws passed of equality which we in fact know that equality is not always fair, specifically toward races but you can and should tie it towards this situation as well. It like separate schooling for blacks and whites you shouldn't separate a individual because he or she is not mentally or physically stable, yeah some situations are different but never the case should it be designed that way. Our president is black we are moving forwards not back towards segregation of indifference. 

Comment: At the end of the day we have similar lives and similar days to somebody why make their day harder by putting a label on them and trying to separate or discriminate. 

http://www.gallup.com/poll/8992/separate-equal-americans-favor-special-schools-mentally-disabled.aspx

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Literacy a Struggle or Not (connection)

In the article, Finn describes the two kinds of education. One is powerful literacy that builds power and authority and the second is functional literacy that develops productivity. The working class does not get that powerful literacy since Finn described; the ones who have access to it are the rich. We can see a cycle that repeats constantly as access to both types of literacy are still limited to one class. It's hard for change since the working class does not have the literacy that provides power and those with power are too comfortable with the way things are to make changes. This reminded me of "Amazing Grace" by Johnathan Kozol. you have Manhattan and you have Harlem; Manhattan which is wealth full of the necessary tools to grow and become anything you desire and then you have Harlem a place which is in a massive struggle with that needs help with resources to help development and is using few resources it has to build and move day by day. Both in ways are similar that it is a running city like literacy that provides power but different when it comes to resources and development for change which is needed.

I believe that students should be able to question authority in school and that teachers should encourage and emphasize that action. Like the example Dr. Bogad showed us we aren't in high school anymore and should not  made to do work where it is not challenging us intellectually. Finn also supports this when he gave the many examples of the working class school's classrooms. Teachers rarely gave explanations on things that were taught in class. . By questioning their teachers, students can understand why they are learning and why it is important.  Teachers need to provide the tools for students to interpret an understanding of learning and knowledge. It's the same as giving the tools to students to obtain powerful literacy in Finn's argument.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/literacy-education-21st-century

Comment: i related this misinformation to a quote im sure everybody has heard " the rich get richer while the poor stay poor" we all know the basis of the quote. i feel like learning should be the opposite everybody should have the same outlets and resources.

So Much For Equal (Extend.)

     For the center of my argument i chose Brittani's blog, which i defiantly agree with 100%, she started with contextual facts then leading into the very strong connections from Kozol and Johnson which was very articulate.
   Back in the this age of time was very difficult with passing laws of equality which we in fact know that equality is not always fair as Brittani's facts she mentions about separate schooling for blacks and whites. it is difficult on both ends to make school separate because on one hand you have white verbally and physically assaulting blacks but then separating blacks to their own school just makes the situation socially incorrect. Also know that these racism in society has ended, it has not it is very much alive but not as visible as it was back then.
     As stated with the connection to Johnson white privilege is strong in this case, which it is only an mountain high battle with any race opposing them especially blacks.That is why we know and understand this like our President and overcome obstacles. obstacles only make you work harder and appreciate what you have in the end.
      Cleverly noticing a strong quote from Kozol "a band-aid on a broken leg"  how in the south Bronx condoms and needles were passed out for protection and safer uses of the tool, instead of doing the said act in increasing ways with chances of diseases; but also promoting the ideas. Another way we see our President Obama as an example of this is, by being a stepping stone to show America and other countries that time of change and open minds are upcoming and will open doors and promote challenges through diversity.

     Great Job Brittani it was a pleasure to read you blog and relate knowledge and ideas i also agree with.

question: could you really picture living in a time where you were judged souly on your race and out casted to you and just people of you ethnicity

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.html

Legalize the herb of the soul (Argument)

I have a very simple stance on this matter which i think it should be legalized for many obvious reasons. Many people tend to forget that Alcohol is a drug which is legal that is abused and has many recorded negative factors. Rape, liver failure, theft, abuse, fights and Death in many different ways one most common is drunk driving. Now look into the negative occurrences under the influence of Marijuana, that is just one slight stance i have on the issue.

Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States, who is not on a definite pro or con, i believe who would want to hear our president conducts himself in illegal natures, I found some pros about the issue. "When it comes to medical marijuana, I have more of a practical view than anything else. My attitude is that if it's an issue of doctors prescribing medical marijuana as a treatment for glaucoma or as a cancer treatment, I think that should be appropriate because there really is no difference between that and a doctor prescribing morphine or anything else. I think there are legitimate concerns in not wanting to allow people to grow their own or start setting up mom and pop shops because at that point it becomes fairly difficult to regulate." "I would not punish doctors if it's prescribed in a way that is appropriate. That may require some changes in federal law.I will tell you that...the likelihood of that being real high on my list is not likely." From these quotes I see that he believes if it is for real medical reasons then yes hes thumbs up for it. As for actually making it legal is going to take a lot of time and efforts that are very possible but there are other tasks he has to take order to 1st before this act.

Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts, who lands on a clear con on the issue belives strongly on the opposite end. "I believe marijuana should be illegal in our country. It is the pathway to drug usage by our society, which is a great scourge -- which is one of the great causes of crime in our cities. And I believe that we are at a state where, of course, we are very concerned about people who are suffering pain, and there are various means of providing pain management. And those that have had loved ones that have gone through an end of life with cancer know the nature of real pain. I watched my wife's mom and dad, both in our home, both going through cancer treatment, suffering a great deal of pain. But they didn't have marijuana, and they didn't need marijuana because there were other sources of pain management that worked entirely effectively. I'm told there is even a synthetic marijuana as well that is available. But having legalized marijuana, in my view, is an effort by a very committed few to try and get marijuana out into the public and ultimately legalize marijuana. It's a long way to go. We need less drugs in this society, not more drugs, and I would oppose the legalization of marijuana in the country or legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes because pain management is available from other sources." This is what i like to say is the old school dad, who hears the word drugs and see no good outcome in the whole issue for drugs are bad and only bring problems.

Question: why is it that alcohol is legal and marijuana isnt? after all dont people die very often from alcoholism related incidents. 

http://2012election.procon.org/view.answers.election.php?questionID=1712

http://2012election.procon.org/view.answers.election.php?questionID=1711

Service Learning... Which end do you lean? (Reflection)

"In The Service Of What?" Kahn and Westheimer had two different views on service learning the charity view and the change view. There can be many reasons as to why a person or student may take a service learning. 

People that tend to lean towards the charity end normally are focused and happy by just the rewarding experiences by volunteering. Many people tend to like feeling the did a good deed by helping, giving back and putting caring feelings into work they do.  Also it can be classified as civic duties that may project oneself  of responsibilities they feel like they must uphold  for a great acknowledgment deep withing their heart or oneself. This plays a big part in self moral development that you do not get paid doing and usually is a temporary to fixing the problem.  

Other that just change normally want some view points in social, economic,  ideals and inequalities; most in ways of reconstruction. The difference here in change is that people are more involved in discussions gaining connections and insights trying to make a difference with deepening relations. The outcome has more of an impact which is more inspiring and normally effects communities  . understanding another reality, awareness leading to a great reflection with hopes of a better  outcome.

I believe with my service learning that i do with my students a George J West Elementary is on the charity end; hitting all points which stated. Also in strong hopes of changing my students that i get to work on with one on one, gaining strong insight for my future teaching experiences which inspires me. Lets not forget that i am receiving great reflection on my teaching abilities as they grow.         

Comment: doing vips with my elementary school helped me understand this alot easier and im so glad i have the opportunity to get to work at George West Elementary.

http://www.charityforchange.org/

Gay Pride Parade New York 2012 (Misc.)

I am sharing this video connecting it to our lesson we learned with LGBT. I never had any problems with any Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals or transgenders so i had no problem going this past summer with a group of friends, mixed with guys and girls. Me, and 3 of my straight friends went along which we got invited to go with 5 of my lesbian/ bisexual friends. We thought it would be a good gesture to support our very excited friends we met this summer, which we got so close we are like a family. On our adventure to NYC it was such a different mood from all other times spent  there. Not a bad thing at all just a good vibe of support, togetherness, happiness, laughs and pride. along with all that it was parade which is shown but also a celebration along all the area and streets of the parade. Me and all my friends had such a great time we forgot the LGBT community were celebrating for a reason which i came to believe was to show that they are here and proud people who just want to be accepted.

http://www.nycpride.org/

Barbie (argument)

I think one of the most important things that a child should have is to have a great and vast imagination and they should put themselves in their own fantasy. In Cinderella ate my Daughter, Peggy Orenstein states that as boys and girls grown up toys influence who they are. She is also convinced that girls that play with these toys aren’t worried about important things like realistic goals, and doing well in school. They are more interested into appearances like make up, clothing, hair, jewelry; the whole glamorous lifestyle. The “princess phase” another thing Orenstein brings up, which she basically is saying that girls grown up in the super girly girl phase, princess like, I love pink, and just expecting the good life in the palm of their hand.

To wrap up Orenstein her beliefs in toy industries effect young children in making their views on the unrealistic end of the spectrum and there is a perfect life.

            I would say that I was a normal child and as a normal child I mean that I had toy chests of toys and action figures. Me playing with toys definitely did not diminish any morals or put me in a world where I thought life was going to be as fantastic as the play sets for my action figures.  If anything toys that helped me define me as an individual and broadened my personality in making me the man I am today. I like all of my cousins and friends had toys and spent most of their childhood with the same and or similar toys, we all have the perfect mind set about life and all are pursuing careers for ourselves; I do not think that is a coincidence. I fell that toys should be advertised more than ever now that we are starting to be a new generation of children that use more technology at a youthful age. So no I do not agree with Orenstein it is almost comically that people could believe toys have a relationship on a negative growth but hey that’s my opinion.

  
question: do people really believe toys can change a child? if so what would you do to raise your child?

http://www.learningpathways.com/archive/toys

Unlearning the Myths (quotes)

#1
"The secret education as children writers Ariel Dorfman dubs it, delivered by children books and movies instruct people to accepts the world as its portrayed."

What Dorfman is trying to say that "secret education" in media is allowing the youth to be influenced by negativity and will help corrupt minds while growing up but she does not believe in that and says there is a real world and their is entertainment do not confused the two. Entertainment is there to entertain even though it may not be socially correct. 

#2
"Do you agree with Dorfman's position that children receive a 'secret education' in the media? do you remember any incidents from your own childhood that support his allegations?"

Yes i do agree that some children receive a "secret education" but to a certain extent, like some more than others but the others are the average number that do not receive the "secret education". Also that with " secret education" that they see and learn it but it just something they don't take in and will change their growing up behaviors. I grew up watching the most amount of cartoons a kid can from waking up at 8 am and watching cartoons all day and also watching any Disney movie you can name. It didn't do anything at all to negatively influence me not one bit but if it did do anything it opened up my mind, media only can be  a simply little factor tied in with many other factors like parental teachings and our community to say the least.

#3
"Turning it off cant stop it, the sexism and racism, you cant escape,  and now that they've started analyzing, they cant stop analyzing the rest of the world."

This quote is saying that as much as a negative impact you think that media my portray i.e sexism and racism you can get away from it were in a world where no matter where you go its will be there, you cant hide from it or make it go away. Because people especially in media are trying to keep your attention, make you laugh, be wowed, and do the undetectable so in their world their making their money and doing their job. but now that you are having an investigating mind to figure out, solve or try to figure out what the secret message is. You are going to have that mind set when it comes to regular things in real life situations which is may not be the best solution to things. Such as people, places, food, conversations, activities, teachings, school, politics etc. it can be positives but it also can be very negative if you are analyzing simple children movies. 

comment: many people said they didnt want to read this because they didnt want to ruin their childhood movies but i think it just wowed me and just have me more reason to watch it from my grown up angle

http://listverse.com/2009/05/10/top-10-hidden-images-found-in-cartoons/

Respect! (connection)

Surfing the website http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/record/2833.html?state=tools&type=educator; i saw this power title "ready set respect. I had no choice but to read it because i am a strong believer in respect. some of my favorite respect quotes are "you only get some if you give some", "meet me halfway" and "you will receive what you give out".

This article was designed to help elementary educators provide to make an environment that all students feel safe and respected and develop respectful attitudes and behaviors. The GLSEN provides helpful cues to educators prepping themselves for teaching about respect.

Through out the years there has been increases in on bullying in schools.Students at their school are called names, made fun of or bullied more than often then one may think. Most commonly this is because of students' looks, followed by not being good at certain things, how well they do at school or because other people think they're gay and or stupid.

Educators are not to blame but educators are a key to the solution of bullying coming to a halt or slowing down. One obligation is to ensure a safe learning environment for gender nonconforming students. The schooling environment is meant to feel comfortable going to class everyday without thoughts of thinking what one will put down by another student.

Comment: i was on the end of  being bullied once but then i fought back against 2 kids and they left me alone, lesson learned you need to figt for respect sometimes





http://glsen.us/elementarywebinar
Ready, Set, Respect! GLSEN's Elementary School Toolkit,
Playgrounds and Prejudice

Aria (Reflection)

  What this article is talking about is the the hardships of being a student with a language different then others in the classroom. Now since you language is so different now you have to simulate yourself with the rest of the class to learn at this level. Becoming bilingual is your next step learning a second language which learning a second language, that language being English is very difficult. because in all languages is the hardest one to learn because its the one that does not similar to any other language and follows different language rules. Now going back to the home setting you are now the one in your household speaking a different language that you werent taught by your mother and father. this in many cases can bring some type of pleasure  distress or hate towards yourself. many different factor come into effect. now you deal with speaking more of one language like the English you just learned which was not easy at all and since your in school more than home that becomes more dominate.
    Coming from Brentwood Long Island  i dealt with much diversity and had some of the most diverse friends and classmates you would ever meet. Me growing up in Brentwood i have become somewhat bilingual myself just being in classes and having many spanish friends.  would say if i had not had those chances i would have fell behind in my spanish classes and further more i would have not been able to keep up with my community as well as i have going to bodgeds, communicating with many random people helping me out in stores and with directions. i have been friends with some friends who learned a second language being english and also being in their homes more the once. One friend lives with only his mother who only speaks spanish, she is so proud of her son that he learned english and will be the first to graduate high school. i have another friend who lives with both parents that speak spanish and they are happy and love him but you can sense that his parents dont like that he lost much of his spanish and heritage a bit to simulate himself to better himself and try and go further with his life.
  In conclusion i believe its good to learn the langues you must to better yourself and further your education but just stay in tune with your heritage. never lose youself for the better but always better yourself for the greater goal and for your family name. 


Comment: identity is a strong this as a person that carries along with us through life and build character losing our dominate language were losing apart of our self which you should never allow to happen. 

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/Dual%20Language%20Learners/ecd/language_development/HowTeachersand.htm

Kozal (quotes)

Amazing Grace
Kozol

Quote 1: " The day is coming when the world will be destroyed" "everybody is going to burned to crispy cookies"

This is an important quote because this is words coming from the little child who is very knowledge and aware of his surroundings and fearless. But i believe what he is trying to say is that way he is growing up and seeing what he sees its only a matter of time that the goverment and or the culturally powered people will help bring this world to nothing and crumble. Because they are on top and in their eyes will be good no matter what so they dont need to help out anybody which is the start of a downfall. 

Quote 2: "Evil exists" 

Powerful words making a strong bold statement that its almost funny that you can know there is such a pour place that exists in the US just a few blocks away from people who arent struggling and people they live their life with out a care about money. But yet their is nobody that trys to help anybody out here out all but yet they come to the bronx to dumb their trash, hand out condoms and needles and they dont even send out big magazines or new articles to them either leaving the people of the Bronx totally in the dark.

Quote 3: "Heroin's making a comeback in our neighborhood, theres something different in it from before, so its stronger and i guess more lethal" 

In this quote i feel like this drug is made stronger by the government. I believe that because there is nothing good coming out from the Bronx at this time nothing beneficial at all that the government can benefit off of. this is why i believe the government is leaving in this "DOA" because ever other wrench they throw at these people like the hospitals, not reporting to distress calls, and letting crimes run easy as they do; are not enough.    


Comment:  After reading this article I think there was a much deeper meaning and gleam of light that was shinning on our government. Kozol was also telling us the government is the evil character hiding in the back playing dirty tricks.

http://www.agjohnson.us/essays/poverty/

Hi Silas here,

over this past summer i did a lot of finding myself and trying to understand what i really wan to do in life and what i want to purse. As you can see i am attending Rhode Island college which i attended because my younger brother recommended me to check it out. after my first couple visits i was set that i want to attend this college. Also i am pursing my dream and goals through my wrestling career chasing a National title. i am taking this class because i want to become an educator in physical education along being a wrestling coach. Besides school and wrestling i love enjoying my freee time with good company enjoying the finer things in life as intended. LOVE LIVE SMILE LAUGH #LIVEFREE