In the Service of What?

The Politics of Service Learning

by: Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer

Authors Argument:  

The authors are arguing that service learning is very important to be done, but that the focus should be more represented in the democratic way rather than the individuals feelings on service learning.

Quotes:

1) "almost all discussions of service learning practices emphasizes the importance of reflection."

I agree completely with this quote because even with our service learning, when we discuss our VIPS in class I feel I gain more from my experiences than others peoples experiences.  I really think when you look back on the things you accomplish because the more you look back at the good times, the more you learn and take from it.

2) "Similarly many contemporary scholars focus on change over charity and argue that the lack of connection between individual rights and communal obligations within our culture has left us with a bankrupt sense of citizenship."

I think that service learning should be really for oneself and not to change the world.  It is wonderful that people are getting together to save each other and help other people out, but its  great for a personally experience to get you use to a field, or to make you feel better.  Service learning should not be just because people are forcing you to do good deeds.  It should be self motivated because you need to do it for yourself.

3) "The importance of a meaningful reflective component becomes clearer when one considers the kind of deliberation and student empowerment that such a curriculum can foster"

This basically means learn from your experiences.  This is completely true.  The fact of what your learning comes through more, the more you reflect upon it.

Questions/Comments:

I think this is important because I reflect on my service learning all the time and I know that it helps me to realize what I am doing when I think about it.  It think it is more important to realize how you are serving others and why you are doing it because it makes it that much more fuller and meaningful personally.

Talking Points #4

Unlearning the Myths That Bind Is

Linda Christensen

Authors Argument:

Christensen is arguing that the media we have as younger children imbeds into our brain early stereotypes, racism's, and superficial motifs.  She reveals that as adults, and parents that it is our responsibility to stop these actions and not let them continue.  It is not right to have these images, being displayed to young children who develops into adults, to have these ideas in their heads as being "ok".

Quotes:

1)  "Women who aren't white begin to feel left out and ugly because they never get to play the princess."

This must be the worst feeling as a non-white women.  What little girl doesn't want to be a princess, or pretend to be one, or be treated like one.  When every single princess is white, every single queen and royalty is white, doesn't that give the image that a non-white women could never amount to a princess.  This doesn't only make a women feel bad, but it is also racist.  Why can't an African American woman be a princess?  There isn't a good reason why there shouldn't be one.

2)  "Happiness means getting a man, and transformation from wretched conditions can be achieved through consumption-in their case, through new clothes and a new hairstyle."

A woman does not need a man.  A woman shouldn't have to change who she is to be who she is not, just to impress a man.  It is like those movies where the ugly, trouble maker suddenly becomes this beautiful queen, and everyone wants to be her friend.  Every guy wants her, she win homecoming, and lives happily ever after, just because she changed her hair style, put on makeup, and took her glasses off.  Girls shouldn't feel like they have to be dressed up and beautiful all the time.

3)  "We don't call it deception; we call it good taste.  And soon it feels awkward going to the mailbox without makeup."

Lol.  Makeup isn't beauty, its a mask to pretend to be pretty.  I always tell girls not to wear makeup.  I feel it is unattractive sometimes.  I'd rather see the true beauty in her than the expensive stuff she bought to mask herself.  I think this quote is hilarious because it is true.  There are some people I have never seen without makeup.  I always tell my close girl friends not to wear it because its pointless.  Girls shouldn't feel the need to put it on if they are just running out of the house if anything.

Questions/Comments:

I really enjoyed reading this article because it was easy and fairly laid back reading.  I enjoyed how it showed all the different ways that people are influenced as a child.  It's pretty hard to look at all these Disney films that I loved growing up and realize how crazy the stereotypes are, and how much they really did put images into your head, without you realizing, that we have keep for all of these years.  I think this article will be fun to talk about in class, because it takes us back to our childhoods.