Talking Point 9: Seeing Color (pg 158-160)

I found this totally wrong, "We must only look at behavior, and since a black child will be more prominent in a white classroom, we must bend over backward to see no color, hear no color, speak no color," and, "We showed respect be completely ignoring black people as black people. Color blindness was the essence of the creed." That was so wrong! Especially the first quote, it's like ignoring them and still basing them on their skin color. Who would think like that? If you wanted to think of them as an equal, then treat them as an equal and don't worry about the color of their skin. Don't act blind and pretend they are not there and try to mix them in. It bothers me to think that someone would think of someone that way. I'm glad the teacher, Paley, did not ignore them and try. Unlike other teachers who thinks that they are doing the right things, but are only blinded to help themselves than the students that needs them the most. I'm glad that in the present time, minds have changed and mostly all races are thought as equal, because if not, I don't think I'd sit by helpless, I'd want to get up and give a hand. Everyone deserves a life where they can be happy and understood and not looked down upon by everyone because of someone who has the power to convince them that what happens is because of a certain race and appearance. That is not the righteousness of life.

Talking Point 8: Teaching Standard English (pg 154-157)

"Cash money," that's what stuck out to me. It was something Jesse Jackson had said. If your English is good, then you'll also get a great career and life. If you used the English language that you normally use at home, like slang, you won't get anywhere with your life. Your essays won't be as good, resumes, petitions, etc. That is why they teach English in your school, to help you improve your English. They also teach you other English dialects, which could help you when you talk to someone with an accent and talks differently than you do. Sometimes what you call slang is how they truly talk. Though when trying to help someone with their English you must also keep their feelings in your mind. "Students must be taught to hold their own voices sacred, to ignore the teachers who have made them feel wrong or bad or stupid." Which means, despite the teacher making them feel like they sound wrong or dumb, they should still love the way they speak. Though a teacher should help their students with respect and not make them feel down. It is a teacher's job to teach, but it is also their job to consider and know how their students are feeling.

Talking Point 7: What Do We Say... (pg 95-96)

The passage I found most important is when she said boys were most likely to be called names than girls and I feel that that is true. "Boys are far more likely to be the object of homophobic name-calling than girls, perhaps sex roles for boys remain, to some extent, more rigidly defined." When a guy acts differently than the usually boy groups in his school, and does girly-type things, they will automatically make fun of him. Since he doesn't do things that they do, he would most likely be a victim to bullies and name-calling. As for girls, it's usually not that bad. Like in the present time, some girls dresses like a guy and/or play sports like a guy. Of course, no one really suspects anything, but when it's a boy doing things girls do, it's automatically suspected. That's just wrong though, because people have their own interests and no one can exactly be the same. He may be gay, but it'd be nice if people can accept him for who he is than what they expect him to be. Causing them to look down on him. If they do want to be equal then they should start by treating gays/lesbians/bisexuals the same way as anyone else. They would be able to understand him/her more and who knows, they may end up always having a great time with him/her.

Talking point 6: Playing with Gender (pg 36-40)

Here in this story, it discusses how boys try to imitate a pregnant woman, while as boys cannot be pregnant. Basically they just act different than how they usually do because of what they experience in reality, like how the boy's mother was pregnant, therefore making him want to play the leading role as a pregnant lady. The author didn't think that this was right, but I don't think she should make a big deal of it. I mean, it was a play and I'm sure the boy knows that even he cannot be pregnant. I do not think it is weird for a boy to think about pregnancy, but if he thinks he can get pregnant, then that is another case. I thought this quote was funny, " Instead, they let go of being human and became sea horses, which allowed them to stay male and keep doing the maternal work that's associated with being female." Meaning, since they cannot be pregnant as a male, they'll be sea horses because male sea horses can get pregnant. Though she also mentioned they knew they cannot get pregnant, but it bothers her so much that she has to explain about being a man and woman. Which I find amusing. Another event is when a boy and a neighboring friend was playing family. He was the mom who fed her, changed her, etc and she was the baby. Of course all the adults stopped this from happening because it's wrong and I suppose I can agree. It may lead to wrong things to happen in the future. It's best to stop thoughts like these while they are developing then when they grow older and it's too late.