Reflection of Emmett Till

In retrospect of the event that started the civil rights movement, Emmett Till’s story allows one to gain understanding of how racial tension was represented in the 1940-1960’s. An adolescent male’s behavior was the source behind a brutal murder that awoke the nation that would forever change the course of African-Americans in America. Emmett Till’s story signified how far hatred can rise by the simplest measures of a common gesture used among men when they find women attractive. Emmett Till’s case and story opened the doors to the civil rights movement, but unfortunately he paid a heavy price that is incomprehensible that would allow others their freedom of racism in America. As Emmett’s mother described the graphic torture of her son’s body of mutilation and indescribable treatment towards her son like his body set on fire and thrown into a river, all due to racial segregation and laws that were not constitutional at that time. In the Video, Emmett Till: the untold story, there was a candid approach to how he was a typical teenager to a racial targeted victim. It represented in many ways that segregation was very present at that time, and that not even a teenager was secure to be themselves in front of others who were against African-americans.In the fury of a child’s death, and the concern within the black community, adult white men were praised and cheered on as they were acquitted for a hate crime to remind many that it was prejudicial issue that plagued the nation, yet it was Emmett Till case, that allowed african-americans to stand-up for the hatred to cease. The case allowed these white men to be heroes instead of murderers, in which after the case voices of cries for a change led the nation to Rosa Parks, 100 days later, and Dr. King in the 1960s’. African-American Ultimately, giving a long-awaited voice to those who were degraded, and dehumanized because of their skin color. Emmett Till’s life was shortened by racism and opened doors for a culture, although his untimely death was to make a statement, no human on earth should have suffered at the hands of what this fifteen-year-old teenager was subjected to, and his killers exonerated because of their race in the end, a life was taken, and race was a role inthe murder.

Reflection #16

The Genocide and ethnic cleansing of Darfur, yugslavia, and other countries; this crime has become historical situation that remains present in existing countries today. It started in 1915 with of the Armenians by the Turks, and the current genocide of Darfur. In the center of the ethnocentrism is a direct correlation between these countries. There are children as young as seven years old being murdered over their position of being involved in the genocide of their own culture. Europeans do not treat African descent as equals, as they tend to separate themselves from the Africans, same as the Egyptians’ do not consider themselves Africans either. Europeans degrades against other groups, such as native, Hispanic, and Asian Americans.
Kofi Annan, believes that Rwanda is a prime example of genocide, and in most recent years Darfur has plagued the world with its numerous killings against Kosovo, serbs, and Bosnians. In the ethnic cleansing people lost their homes and belongings because they were forced out by their enemies. “Tens of thousands of women were raped, some of them more than a hundred times, while their sons and husbands were tortured in concentration camps like Omarska and Manjaca”. The current situations of these countries are being compared to the holocaust against the Jewish people, and how the Nazi’s tortured and killed many Jewish people, including the mentally challenged.
The insights that has helped me understand the history and current situations of genocide and ethnic cleansing is,in the history of other countries war has contributed to the genocide and ethnic cleansing of many countries, and it continues to exist in today’s poorest countries; even in the smallest manner there is even ethnocentrism in the American society, which is apart of the prejudice of ethnic groups, one culture thinks that their group is “superior to other cultures”. As it is known the American culture is Macro culture simply because America is diverse by culture allowing many to understand others, or form perceptions of others, but ethnic cleansing and genocide allows Americans appreciate what is in America.

Reflection #15

In one of the most devasting attacks on a culture, the holocaust has remained a cultural tragedy in the history of the world against the human race. However, as the photographs, stories, and numerical markings on the victims presented throughout the decades that they lived to tell their stories; there are those who speculate the holocaust did not occur. As the millions of people suffered at the hands of one man’s cruel idea to wipe out anyone that did not fit-in the blues eyes, blonde hair category; consequently, Adolf Hitler influenced high law enforcement officers, including the Nazi party, and formed an alliance against those who were Jewish, gypsies, and anyone else that were not in his category to callously murder them under various outrageous circumstances. Although the torture of the Jewish culture was in the most staggering numbers of an estimated six million, there were others that were murdered. Ironically, Adolf Hitler did not fit into the category of the blue eyed, blonde hair; which so many wonder why did he posses an enormous amount of hatred towards a certain group of humans? “The Nazis began to put into practice their racial ideology” by 1933 and by 1945 Hitler began to dominate and initialize the order of his prejudices’.
In the understanding behind the holocaust, many people were subjected to prejudice of one man’s hatred, and eagerness to dominate a country; Hitler used his power of government to belittle a culture that he disliked. In those who were apart of this horrific part of history, it was a surreal experience; believing that one man can dominate and destroy a human race, yet for those who believed that this event did not occur allows one to only realizes if it did not occur because it was fabricated their accusations are absurd. The photos and people’s lives, including family members that survived are actual evidence to rationale the holocaust. In the evidence proven to those who do not believe are in denial stage due to their experiences, and their generation of the stories of survival, or the deaths of relatives and friends; in retrospect the history behind the holocaust it is how the story is passed down, and the generation gap in between the times it occurred, it is based on experiences of situation whether one will believe, or deny.

Hispanic Heritage Event

Mexican Mariachi Band
In honor of Hispanic heritage month, Miami Dade College hosted an event that celebrated the enrichment of a culture that is becoming prevalent in America’s melting pot of all the diversities that graces Americans. The Hispanic heritage celebration focused on music, dance, and poetry that invite everyone to enjoy even if you did not speak the native language of Spanish. In the diversity of their own culture, which includes afro-Cuban, Puerto Rican- Mexican, and others, they celebrate their own sub-cultural influences merging them with influences that are brought to America. The event highlighted poetry from Adrian Castro and Miami Dade’s own faculty member Geoffrey philp, some of his works included poetries called Bachata and Miami; he said “most of my poetry is inspired by the diversity in Miami”. In true, Latin style nothing is finalized without music, and the beautiful sound of the Latin Jazz band of Kiki Sanchez Project; the instruments of the piano, guitar, and bongo drums fill the stage with rhythmic eagerness to dance at a fiesta. The Miami Mexican Mariachi band played traditional regional Mexican music; their voices powerful and rigid with the songs they gravitated throughout the room. The dances of the New World School of the Arts students introduced Afro-Cuban, flamenco and salsa added spice to the event. The inspirational event shines a light on the diversity within the Hispanic culture; like every culture music, food and poetry is an element in the pieces that molds the culture to make its own unique creation. As the event showed diversity in different elements, and allowed others to become aware of what the growing number of minority groups formed representing who they are and where they come from.

Reflection #14

The word Prejudice has been around since the 19th century, it relates to a person being dehumanized against because of certain attributes that is in correlation to a person, such as gender, ethnicity, race, religion, and disability. There are two types of prejudice that focus on the learning aspect: unintentional and intentional prejudice. The unintentional prejudice,” These types of actions do not allow the observer to really know the intentions of a person”. They are unconsciously aware of the magnitude that offends the person, or child, for instance, A child would appears of a different culture is represented as an outsider, and unintentially is mocked because of the heavy accent they carry from their home country. The unintentional prejudice is commonly witnessed at a young age; primarily in children in elementary school; prejudice is not tangible, it is developed through a person’s surroundings that begins in the home, and the unfamiliar people that their environment consists of altogether. Children within elementary school are prone to their feelings being deeply hurt by bulling. Sometimes, words can have a powerful meaning; therefore, without prior knowledge of their prejudice, they are able become prejudicial.
On the other hand, in the intentional prejudice, people are consciously aware of the discouraging discrimination that one is burdened with, which includes certain racial slurs that many demonstrate; In today’s society, particularly in Florida there are a growing number of Hispanic and Haitian immigrants coming to Miami, and their native language is not English, the students who barely know English are often a target for native English speakers, some racial slurs include, “Go back on the boat to Cuba” ,or you’re in America now, go learn English”. These types of prejudice among a diverse group of ethnicities are common within the community that includes cities filled with immigrants. In the cruelest manner of the prejudice is the discrimination against the Gay, Lesbian, and trans-gender community; these individuals are singled-out because of their choice to live a different lifestyle than the average family consisting of the “American family”, of the man and woman living with their children. In recent years, there is an enormous amount of prejudice about their public display of affection in front of children. This prejudice against this diverse group has caused controversy within the American society.

Reflections #13

In the understanding of ourselves, people identify this as ‘self-awareness’; in self-awareness there are components of self, which includes “self-As-object” and “Self –As-Doer”. As we learn about ‘the self’ aspect there sections of how the mind works during this process perceiving, performing, thinking, and remembering belongs with self-awareness; In self awarness,It is how one looks, feels, and thinks; it begins with the influence of the parent, or guardian, then continues into society. As a person who is developing and gathering thought of their ‘self’ as person questions arise from the ego and super-ego of the human. Self is questioned by personal Identity, personal goals, and life-style preferences. “The self has ebbed and flowed with the currents of philosophical and psychological pondering since the seventeenth century when the French mathematician and philosopher Rene Descartes first discussed the "cognito," or self, as a thinking substance”. He developed the common phrase within philosophy as “I think Therefore, I am”, which is part of developing self; meaning how one thinks of him, or herself, reality allows the thought process to react in reality. In a case such as, a student who does not score well on the FCAT test believes because he has poor reading skills, he will fail, and once he has taken the FCAT, his score reveals he failed the reading portion; that student’s thought process allowed the reality to occur. One’s self-esteem significantly identifies with the social interaction with others (external forces). Another attribute to self, is the reinventing process of self-concept and self-esteem. Self concept, “it is a social product and the self of experience made up of what really happened”, and self-esteem, is the how one feels about their selves internally, while the external force contributes to self. The idea behind self is ultimately discovering one’s true identity, and then accommodating the person’s personality to adapt to society. In finding self, we become better individuals that contribute to society and to our environments’

Reflection # 12

Freud’s theories of the components of our personality are of three stages as the human: ID, Ego, and Super – Ego. In these components there are stages of which as we mature develops throughout our lives. Freud’s theories are important to all because it starts as an infant with ID by the factor of “I want” stage, and carries into the toddler age. ID is described as the factor of urgency in the child, and our conscious minds control this portion. Through the age of four and five we start to develop the ego which is developed by the nature of our environment; therefore, we are developing our own personality as an individual; it is controlled in the conscious of who we become as indidvuals. The super-go is the conscious within; the super- ego tells us of our rights and wrongs in pondering for the decision-making process; moreover, this process elaborates further with a statement, such as “Honor Thy mother”, as the center of the decisions to be eventually initiated. There are three areas of psychosexual stages of development, the oral, anal, and phallic stage, but it is the phallic stage is the setting for the greatest, most crucial sexual conflict in Freud's model of development. On one hand, the ego is the reaction in which takes place from the external force; the results of the ID and Super-Ego relies on the ego formation to act into a reality; In the ego it is dominated by the reality of actual events, but it has to control the Id from the immediate desire of the person. There are various stages in the development of the child, which includes: oral phase, Oedipus complex, cathexis, latency period and genital period; finally, the fixation and regression periods. These are Freud’s stages of age and personality to the human.

Reflection #11

In every classroom a teachers’ non-verbal communications allows the students to understand their body language, whereas, verbal communication can show the students how the teachers’ reaction can influence the students’ performance in the academic setting. The teacher’s beliefs, values, and attitude signify a role within the classroom. The most essential element that enforces is the teacher’s attitude, espically in the classroom and during instructional time. As the teacher, attitude allows the students’ to witness what type of environment the student will be in during their time with the teacher. The attitude domain is a strong influence within the classroom, for example the students’ are disruptive to the learning environment, and classroom management is under control to a minimum ;the teacher becomes irritable, and starts to scream at his, or her students to control themselves, or face consequences. So, the teacher enforces extra assignments to their assignments tomorrow. Attitudes may convey an aggressive or enforced on positive behavior; attitude “This image might evoke feelings of anxiety, stress and nervous tension, predisposing her to study compulsively even when her efforts yield diminishing returns”. Students are positive once the teacher, remarks that the student has done well; “We like to believe that hard work always merits reward and recognition”. The teacher’s attitude impacts the students both directly and indirectly. In the case of the teacher beliefs and values are important; however, it can conflict with personal versus the career, thus it is inappropriate to combine both. Overall, attitude is an essential element in the academic setting, thus it’s important on the teacher’s part as well, and the attitude of the teacher can progress the student in the formation of their attitudes, sometimes beliefs and values also contribute to the teacher. In changing attitudes’ the teacher must have the paradigm shift mind-frame; they are to have appositive enforcement for their students, as well as, their actions on the attitudes that one carries within the learning environment. In order to change attitudes the teacher must posse the quality of positive attitude towards his or her student even when the students are at their worst, the teacher’s attitudes reflect on the teacher in the classroom.

Reflection #10

In the role of the teacher inclusion in the classroom has evolved, from a classroom of students’ that were “regular students” to regular and special education students; however, during the earlier 90’s, this was apparent in the classrooms across America. The atmosphere of diversity involved in the classroom, which included races, gender, and religion as a major aspect of the common classroom involved in the inclusion. In the 2oth century the teacher was exposed to diversity as an entity of the students’ in his or her classroom, but shortly after the inclusion process raised questions for many parents. Therefore, inclusion ceased in the classroom, and many teachers had to shift their teaching into the regular students in their classrooms. In the 21st century the process of inclusion in the classroom has resurfaced; placing students with language barriers, learning and physical disabilities returning to the classroom. As the teacher we are faced with diversity by religion, gender, and race. In most recent years, sexual orientation has also become apart of the diversity pool. In the teacher’s role it is best to be student-centured, and inclusion focuses on the aspect of the students; moreover, in the inclusion environment teacher consciously be sensitive to different discrepancies within the classroom of inclusion, such as some students have lack of confidence, or personal issues at home. In the classroom the lessons being taught through the students learning styles, and accommodate the students who are in special education. Although there are ways the teacher can direct the lesson back into a divers teaching mode; visual aids, cultural experiences, and role playing can better the lesson for the students. For the teacher who is a first-year teacher is can be something getting used to; however, it is the teacher’s job to set ground roles, and what is tolerated in the classroom related to the teachers’ expectations for their students.