First-Hand Experiences...

In the first part of class this week, Charles & Howard shared their experiences and perspectives growing up as homosexuals. Charles shared his experiences with growing up in a small county town with extremist groups like the KKK. He realized he was different by the time he was 12 but truly believes that individuals are born that way. He shared how he grew up with a childhood just like others; working and playing. This contrasted his partners upbringing of knowing that he was homosexual since he was born. His partner believes that being openly gay so early on made his life much more difficult. His family doesn't speak with him any longer. Charles on the other hand gets along well with his sisters. His father was accepting of his lifestyle and supported it while his mother refused to accept the truth. Charles' medical difficulties brought the truth of his families acceptance of his lifestyle to light. He also feels that media portrays the worst of the homosexual community.

Howard's mantra is 'Fear will control your life if you let it.' He knew he was different by 7 but was afraid to talk to his parents about it. He continued to act like others to please those around him. At the age of 12, he decided to talk to his parents but was stopped by his family's reaction to his cousin coming out. He went through girlfriends and dates but it never lasted more than a month because he was so uncomfortable with the situation. At 27 he was an educated and successful man but could still not come out due to fear. Eventually he met a woman who he fell in love with and married. They had two children together. After about 5 years into the marriage, Howard struggled to maintain a relationship while his heart was not in it.  He focused his attention to work instead of his family. After filing for divorce, Howard came out to his friends and family. His parents were not supportive and didn't speak again for 2 years. His children had differing reactions to his news. His son was very accepting while his daughter had a difficult time. Howard lost a lot of family through his experiences. He has learned that you cannot go against the grain of nature.

The second part of class focused on language diversity. I found the facts and information about American Sign Language to be very interesting. For example, I was not aware that 381 languages are spoken in the United States. The spelling test from different hearing loss situations was very eye opening for me as I have a student with some hearing loss in his left ear. It allowed me to better understand what a student with hearing loss must cope with in the classroom.

Reading Lolita in Tehran

Our group has chosen to read a novel called Reading Lolita in Tehran. The novel is written by Azar Nasifi and is for the most part a non-fiction account of her memories of hosting an all-girls book club during the reign of the Iranian Revolution. I say that it is for the most part because at the beginning of the novel Nasifi explains how she has to alter truths about individuals in order to protect their privacy and freedom (even still) from the government of Iran.

The novel involves themes of personal freedom, social obligations, tyranny, democracy, love and commitment, ethic, and moral courage.




While the trailer listed above depicts all of the themes and topics shown in the novel. I found the book to be not quite as dramatic and involved as I hoped it would be. I was hoping that this would be a more personal memoir that gave accounts of the oppression of women however I was so lost in the multitude of characters and literature references that I found myself disappointed. However....I have not finished the novel at this point....there is always still a chance of redemption.  :)

Refugees and Exceptionality

Refugee Speakers 

Dr. Montgomery spoke to us about refugees and their populations. A refugee is not the same as an immigrant. An immigrant chooses to leave their country for a different life. While a refugee is a person forced to leave their homeland and is unable to return. Most often refugees leave with only the clothes on their back. Most refugees have been through numerous traumatic events such as, conflict and terror, chaos and camps, traumatic life events, unanticipated moves, left family behind, disruptions to daily routine, and great loss. Refugees gather in camps where their shelters can be made from scraps of fabric, boxes, sticks, or other materials depending on the geographic area. Sometimes generations of refugees can exist within an refugee camp. In the United States, the majority of the refugees are from Vietnam. From the 70,000 refugees who entered the US in 2006, only 50,000 were accepted. Refugees face many challenges when they come to the United States. Some of the challenges that they face are mental health issues, such as depression, limited formal education, lack of documentation, and difficulty with parental involvement and education.

Programs are set up for refugee students. Programs like medical and dental services, guidance and counseling, clothing and food, transportation, and specialized instruction are beneficial to those students. Teachers should provide socialization and accommodating activities for the newly-arrived students. Time and discussion of the norms in the classroom help students adjust to their new environments. Teachers can determine a 'welcome' process for your school. Four keys to success with refugee students are engaging students in thematic-based curriculum, draw on students backgrounds, have collaborative activities, and create confidant learners who value themselves and school. The most important thing a teacher can do is understand.


Philip did a great job describing his experiences during his time in the Peace Corps in South Africa. His presentation gave me a better understanding of the roles of the Peace Corps in other countries and the perpective of an outsider coming into an unknown culture. I found his stories very interesting and motivating for myself to experience more cultures in the world. I would love to experience and learn about others first hand, just as he did.

Exceptionality

Disproportionate placement in special education can be due to poverty, lead poisoning, over referrals, racial bias, assessment issues, unexplained issues, and lack of options. Exceptional students vary from learning disabled to gifted students. There are numerous options for those children in the educational setting. Students should be given the opportunities to grow, normalization, and inclusion if deemed necessary. Utilizing Garner's Multiple Intelligence theory in the classroom can help a teacher reach all students with exceptionalities in the classroom.