Chapter 2: Christensen

I think that the most important part of being a teacher is making the students feel comfortable about being themselves. But, Christensen makes a good point on what exactly being yourself really means. Most of the things that we are taught as we grow up are not always good and I think that it is important to point out the stereotypes that are drilled into our heads early on in life through something as simple as Saturday morning cartoons.

The way we look at others can be concluded as being shaped by “secret education” but I think that times have somewhat improved because one thing that does exist more is programs focusing on education, yeah there are still the crime fighting hero’s mostly played my men and woman are usually still playing the pretty damsel in distress roles but nothing will ever be perfect. I think the best thing about Christensen idea about students being conscious about the stereotypes in the media is the fact that she is trying to teach them how to think for themselves and how to be more independent with their world views. Yes, the things that are put on TV or in movies may not give kids the right ideas but what in America does and what makes the things that I believe to be right and wrong, right and wrong to someone who grew up differently then me. So my only question is why not focus on that?

Parents as well can be guilty of brainwashing their children with the wrong ideals. Too many times children grow up in homes where their mother is treated as nothing more than a maid and their father is the bread winner or their father is abusive towards the rest of the family verbally or physically or what about those families where children are taught to hate those who are different than them? What about those kinds of situations? I would have liked to see something to express those kinds of social problems. I do agree with what she was doing but I think there is a broader way of examining the problem. I think that people often blame the media for more than they should be held accountable for. For example after the students realized what they and future generations of children have been exposed to they vowed to not allow their younger family members to watch those programs any longer. I think if more people did that as well as complain about the problems things just might change.

I do believe that the “Praise Poems” were a magnificent idea that I will probably use in the future to help students deal with things that society is wrong with them. I think that people focus on the outside way too much. Praise Poems will allow them to realize that their imperfections aren’t imperfections at all. I think that it helps build self esteem in a world that may constantly attempt to tear it down.