Rodriguez

Blog Post 3
Argument


In the article Aria by Richard Rodriguez the argument is that in order to be acquired into public society there are disadvantages to your private identity. People shouldn’t have to lose their private part of their life and how they connect with their family just because of the dominant culture. This is an understandable argument because it isn’t fair to those people who are defined by their identities because they shouldn’t have to lose them to be accepted into a culture. Rodriguez was born into a Spanish speaking family but was surrounded by an English culture. He explained how he thought Spanish was a “private language” and English was a “public language”. He was allowed to speak Spanish freely at his home but in public he had to speak what everyone else spoke. His language gave him a sense of security and made him close with his family because not many people spoke it. Unfortunately, it was mandatory that Rodriguez and his family only speak English so that the children could be successful in school. This was a challenge and transition for Rodriquez and his family because they were so used to their language. Although it is important for the parents to set the example and speak English to their children it can be tough because they feel like their language has been taken away from them. Rodriquez had a tough time because he felt lost as his language defined him. This is like not being allowed into a society because you are different. This tore Rodriguez's identity away from him and he didn't feel the same. He wasn't as close with his family because the bond he held so close with them was speaking Spanish together. His main point is that you shouldn't have to have your identities taken away just because the type of culture you are in. There should be other alternatives and accommodations for things like this when your in different cultures. In order to include everyone we need to accept all the languages and cultures instead of one being on top of all the others. At least it is working to get better and schools are accommodating children of all cultures and given them an opportunity.

This cartoon shows that the main language spoken is English and they only think about that language and aren't open to allowing another language into theirs to be spoken.


Link:
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/05/13/bilingual-students-need-support-in-their-native.html

This article explains how one student was also forced to learn English when his main language was Spanish and how he was pulled out of his other classes to go to reading Classes to learn English. In order for him to go to school he had to speak English, This relates to Rodriquez's experience as well. But for another student he was offered both English and Spanish. His school accepted bilingual students and incorporated both English and Spanish into the teaching process. This is important because now the students will have two languages and won't feel like their language is being left out.

McIntosh; All Lives Matter

Blog Post 2
Reflection

The text "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" by Peggy McIntosh makes me think about how the whites are so privileged compared to others. Many people don't even realize the amount of advantages we have. When you really think about it and read about white privilege it is all true and makes sense. Males and whites are blind to the privileges they have and don't want to admit they have them. Reading the list of everyday privileges that us whites have it really is true whether we realize it or not. Even by the littlest things we are privileged. We have access to everything based on our race. People take things for granted but you really shouldn't because we are privileged to many things everyday of our life. Some people don't have that privilege because of their race and it takes them a lot of hard work to even try and compare to what we have. Many people don't realize this and what we really have given to us in this world because we were just born to know we are free and open to everything. We don't realize all the opportunities we really have and criticize other cultures and think nothing of it. Our race feels power and dominance over all the others but that is not how it should be. Everyone should be given the same privileges and be equal. It is not fair to someone of another race to have to work twice as hard as us to get what we have. Then the question that comes to mind is that, is this really a free country? This text relates to me because I realized how privileged we actually are compared to others and in my family I have an adopted little cousin who is of another race so compared to him we have many more advantages. The whites deny the fact that there is a sense of power and dominance of them and I relate to that because you never really think of it this way unless you read about it or hear a story about it. We think everything is just here for us and only us and forget about equality for everyone else because we think we are all that matter. The social powers have to change in order for everyone to have equality and opportunities.

The text "The next time someone says 'all lives matter', show them these five paragraphs" by Kevin Roose made me think about how when something happens people act like they addressed the problem and tried to correct it or do something so that it doesn't happen the same way but it just gets put off. Just like all the school shootings, when they happen everyone is chaotic about it but nothing is set in stone and they don't  take action until another tragedy happens. The problems happen and then get put to the side. Just like the black lives. They try and do better and get better for themselves but someone always has a say and it just gets put off. When people are faced with a problem like the "Black Lives Matter", they make a saying to include everyone so then it defeats the purpose of the blacks trying to get help, have their voices heard and move up in this world. Life isn't the same for everybody as it should be but we don't see it that way. This article explained how many more blacks are shot or even killed by police but we don't often hear news about that. But if a white person is shot or killed by police it is all over the news. This is such a true example because whenever I look at the news you see blacks either committing crimes or doing something wrong so it puts a label on their race where the whites are very rarely on the news for doing the same thing. This is just one example of how whites have privilege and power over another race. There needs to be change, we can't be in denial forever.

Link:

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really
This is an article that is based off of Peggy McIntosh's article that I read about. It goes more in depth about what she is explaining and explains about the understanding of white privilege and how it has occurred through the years. I found this article interesting as it relates to these topics very well.


Discussion:
How we are so oblivious to white privilege and power and how it has been going on for many years and these articles still relate to the world today.

Blog Post 1

USA Land of Limitations
By: Nicholas Kristof

Quotes:

1. "..Too often the best predictor of where we end up is where we start".

This quote is interesting because a lot of people who were brought up in a family that struggled don't want to follow in the same path. But as this quote says, it is hard to overcome the struggles your family went through because it matters where you started. Many people succeed when they try but it does take a lot of work to go above and beyond to not be where you started. Kristof explains about his friend Rick Goff and the struggles he had growing up. His mother died when he was 5 and his father was an alcoholic so that left Rick to care for himself and his siblings. He later dropped out of high school his sophomore year and was married and divorced and raised his children. This is a perfect example that where you started affects where you are going to end up. His adult life was a reflect of his childhood. If there is family dysfunction at an early age it is going to follow with the children even when they grow up because it is hard to escape that and become better. Many people are successful in going above and beyond to get what they want however it just takes hard work and time. There may be bumpy road at first but they want to do better than what they had to go through in their family.

2. "They grow up not in a 'land of opportunity,' but in the kind of socially rigid hierarchies that our ancestors fled, the kind of society in which your outcome is largely determined by your beginning".

Being compared to one another based on classes isn't fair because of the advantages and disadvantages.  We are all human and here to learn, succeed and achieve our goals but some people have a disadvantage of where they started. Kristof explains how people who are middle class succeed more than those who are in poverty. That is because it is harder for the people in poverty to rise above and be greater than where they came from because they find themselves in the same hole. Some do succeed but not as much as those people with the advantage and background of it.

3. “Rich kids make a lot of bad choices,” Professor Reardon notes. “They just don’t come with the same sort of consequences.”

This quote is putting a name to rich kids because that is what they have been known as. A lot of people would say rich kids get everything handed to them and don't have to work to earn things.  Since there is a background associated with the rich then that is what we follow and think of. Rich kids get treated differently than average and lower class kids. This quote is important to the text because it shows you lower class kids struggle when it comes time for adult life because of what they went through and are used to but the rich kids always were given things so they know what is expected of them and have a greater chance of being as successful as their family.

Link:

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/how-poverty-can-follow-children-into-adulthood/

I found this article interesting because it explains how more children who grew up in poverty continue to live that way through their adult life. It is so hard to escape and get out of that hole to become better so they just end up right where they started. It is sad because those children didn't ask to be brought up that way and they should have a chance to change their way of living when they are an adult but this society is so hard equal everyone and have the same opportunities and advantages. 

This picture represents how the wealthy have the money they need, the rich have money handed to them but some also work for their money and earn it but the poor are begging for money because they don't have the same opportunities.


Comment:

I personally think that it isn't fair for the adults who grew up in a poor household and are just trying to become better and achieve their goals but it is harder for them because of their background. They should have the chance just as much as everyone else to be seen as equal in this world and we shouldn't be able to put limitations on people just because of where they started. However, some people who grew up poor do overcome all the obstacles and are successful and worked hard to make it where they are. But that doesn't happen with everyone.

Introduction

I am Rachel Mello. I'm nineteen years old and a sophomore here at Rhode Island College studying Elementary Education. I would like to work with second or third graders as that is what I have always dreamed of. I have a brother that is five years older than me.

Over the summer I worked, hung out with friends and tried to go to the beach a lot. My favorite time in the summer is the Fourth Of July. There is just so much to do in Bristol and you get to see a lot of the people you went to high school with. That time of the year just brings everyone together to have a good time. There is weeks of events going on prior to the parade and it is just the greatest celebration. I also went to Block Island for a day and that was a lot of fun. 








When I am not in class I am usually working, doing homework, spending time with family and friends or shopping. I know its my job but I love to babysit. I am a babysitter to three young boys. It is a challenge watching three boy siblings but that is all part of the job and helping the kids to grow and learn. 







I also love spending time with my nephew and I have a niece on the way! He is three years old and smart, adorable and so cute. He always makes me laugh and I enjoy being with him almost everyday.