Grace WD’s Education Blog

A quote in this article that stuck out to me was "Everyone wants to be happy, not just have less misery." My goal in life is to lead with love and to be happy. A quote like this resonates with me because isn't it what we all want? To have a life where at the end of the day we are happy we get to live it? The article is so important when speaking about mental health and creating discussions on how to be a part of the future of healing. One thing I know is that everyone experiences hardships and everyone struggles with infinite amount of obstacles throughout their lifetime. However, it is how we move forward and how we heal that will make all the difference in the world. It won't be easy, it never is but giving our future generations and youth the ability to live life and experience it with open hearts and leading with love is what will make the world a better place. I believe in it and I have hope.  With that lead with the 5 C's of Healing Centered Engagement: Comp...

When you look at everything we have done this semester, what stands out to you as meaningful? Pick 3 things that you think will stick with you (article, quote, video, podcast, activity, etc) and write 2-3 sentences about each of those three things on your blog. This class has been extremely eye opening and above all else I really truly appreciate each and every one of you in this class. Not only have I learned from you and got to hear from and look through different lenses and apply different perspectives, I was able to make some great friends because of it. Dr.Bogad- You deserve all the praise in the world. Your outlook on teaching and your energy for learning is refreshing. I truly believe I will be a better teacher because I got to take this course with you. What a great experience and thank you for being the hopeful and helpful person we all need. The first thing I want to pick that will stick with me is the card game. It was a way to connect with my peers and have fun but offered ...

 Reading about the RI Laws and Policies and watching the video allows me to reflect and think of my friends and family who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I think of the ways that the world is so cruel and sometimes so full of hate and it's  hard to even bare at times. I do not know what it like to be someone in the queer community and with that said I will never experience the discrammation and outright hate bestowed upon them just for being in this world. But here is what I do know, that I have many friends and family who are unfortunately plagued with having to deal with the hate of others. What I do know is that there should be no discussion on who gets equal rights and who does not, how to be a worthy human and how to not. It should be a basic human right to love who you love and be who we want to be and experience life how you want to live it. To  be human is to be at the center of our own universe, to experience life in all its colors and its full potential ....

 I am extending comments off of both Megan and Annas post! Both of your posts were so interesting and really well put together. I was able to connect with you and it was as if I was there in person with you, while I was reading along. Not only that, both of your posts clearly explain where you stand and it was easy to comprehend. So well done! 😊 Megan, Just like Anna said, Hehir was a lengthy read and so I found it extremely helpful that you put so much detail and included a clear overall view on its content (while including your own thoughts). I have a hard time being able to break down articles like this, especially when I know that they are important, so having your piece as a buffer allowed me to fully understand and connect with the reading.  Anna,  You always know how to say what I am thinking when I cant put it into words. It was refreshing to hear that you too value the importance of integration and that it is essential for the growth of youths. The idea that peo...

After reading Aria by Richard Rodriguez and watching the videos Teaching Bilinguals, both describe the reality, success, and experiences of people who speak different languages. Rodriguez explains that during his educational journey, the difficulties and hardships he was faced in school due to the language barrier affected his ability to always be successful. Rodriguez struggled with learning every aspect of a new language in an educational sense and a social sense. Suddenly the way people (like his teacher for example) addressed him was only by his name in English, and not his Spanish name. While learning the English language in his school life, he was still at home speaking in his native language with his family. This created confusion and often feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious, which for someone new and still learning must feel awful. Reading about his experience left me feeling like our education system failed him and as a future educator I will take steps to making sure ...

In this article Finn depicts the idea that there two types of education that have been developed in the United States. First type, is empowering education, which leads to powerful literacy, and the kind of literacy that leads to positions of power and authority. The second type, is domesticating education, which leads to functional literacy, literacy that makes a person productive and dependable, but not troublesome. With that, Finn shares his personal experience as an educator and through his insightful words he highlights the imbalance within a working class school to those in middle class or above. I was able to understand his main argument, and in my own words is, if the "best" education and the cost of an education are mutually exclusive (meaning the more expensive, the better the education) then, the cycle of inequalities relating directly to social class and education will remain to be a major issue in all forms of education, including higher education. How would every...

  Still Separate, Still Unequal: Teaching about School Segregation and Educational Inequality In this New York Times article, I was able to really dive in and read about the different aspects and contributors to segregation and inequality in schools. The article allowed me to explore and learn about education inequality through 6 different activities. " Six Activities for Students to Investigate School Segregation and Educational Inequality" is what is was titled.  Each activity offered a new perspective and a different approach on tackling this information efficiently. This allowed me to really learn and begin to form ways this affects our education system, why it affects our education system, data behind it, and steps to tackle the issue. The activity that pulled it all together  for me was activity 4, this activity talked about how we get better schools for children and the legal remedies to segregation  and educational inequality. It offered me some insight ...

In the article Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol, he writes about his experience visiting the South Bronx in New York City. He talks about the disparities and the horrifying state this area is in, while then giving statistics on its devastating conditions and the contributors as to why the environment and area is the way it is. Kozol writes about the area, specifically around St. Ann's Church and his adventure and tour where he was joined by a seven year old boy named Cliffe. Kozol uses this experience to depict his opinions and own personal insights about the area and uses Cliffe's stories and own experiences to back it up. While reading this article it allowed me to see what Kozol was arguing and the point of his overall purpose in writing this article in the first place.  St. Ann's Church area is just one of the many places in New York City that have been pushed aside and essentially become the city dumping ground. Due to the actions of the city and its decision to overrid...

When first starting to read this piece I had a hard time understanding some of the context. Taking a step back and re-reading the article offered a little more insight for me. I was able to reflect on what Delpit was really saying and even was able to look at some of my own experiences in my own education. As I have gotten older I have realized that the approach and the codes of power that she talks about make all the sense in the world. I first must reflect and say that as a white woman who grew up in a small town with a predominantly white population, Delpit's depiction and explanation about some of the strategies used by white fellow teachers and their ideologies are in fact true. I grew up in a household that always gave clear and concise directions, so when looking back at my education, especially at a younger age, the teachers I learned and responded more positively to upheld those same type of rules and codes of power like the ones at home. Ultimately, this way of teaching i...