Friday, November 30, 2012
~ ~ Conclusion ~ ~
To sum it all up, this blog really helped research in depth the issue I was interested in. Looking at the world from a sociological perspective really gives a new perception towards things we may see, think, and imagine. What is also cool is that most of the issues in our world start small and get bigger, which means that a change can also start small and get bigger. I really enjoyed this project and sharing my thoughts because it really helped me to be more involved in my own world. I feel like I am not just a bystander on the sidelines anymore. We should care to be knowledgeable about our surrounding environment and the things going on because most likely there is a chance for us to influence someone or something!
Saturday, November 10, 2012
~~ Emerging Issues ~~
I like the following quote by Eleanor Roosevelt:
We also need to teach them the power of their words, and that even if they are bullied, they shouldn't continue the cycle to someone else but ask for help instead. It's not just kids in a school environment either but at home, in the workplace. Everyone needs to watch the things we say to one another.
I also found some verses in the Bible regarding words:
"Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit - you choose." Proverbs 18:21 MSG
"Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." Ephesians 4:29 NLT
Here are some images that I found that go along with the quotes and also bullying in general.
I did a search for recent news articles and here is what I found:
The first is from the NY Times : Campaign Tries to Help Diffuse Bullying
It discusses being more than a bystander and what kids can do to help if they see bullying happening. We won't know what will happen if more people stand up to bullying until it happens.
I also found this blog post on the New York Times: School Bullies Prey on Children with Autism
I think I researched this more than I intended. Here's some last info before I finished. There was a movie out in 2011 titled "Cyberbully" and after watching it I wanted to research what Idaho's laws were regarding CyberBullying and if they had one in place.
Check it out at : http://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/idaho.html
I think I researched this more than I intended. Here's some last info before I finished. There was a movie out in 2011 titled "Cyberbully" and after watching it I wanted to research what Idaho's laws were regarding CyberBullying and if they had one in place.
Check it out at : http://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/idaho.html
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Topic #2 ~ Modern Day Slavery ~
I have chosen Modern Day Slavery as my second topic to discuss. My reason is simple: there's injustice and knowledge and awareness is the place to start. A few years ago, I learned to a deeper extent that there is still slavery in the world. It didn't end with the Civil War. In fact, forms of slavery are even more prevalent today it just goes unnoticed. There's human trafficking, children soldiers, sweatshop workers, bonded laborers and more... It's been something of interest to me to want to research more and what we can do help stop it so I decided to share what I find with those reading this blog. :)
To start out here is a quote exemplified in the following image. It is by Helen Keller and I believe that it is so important to believe that we can make a difference. Change can start with one person doing something for the better of mankind.
Here is another illustration. It's what this topic really boils down to. What is the value of life? Is it seen as important? Or something to be sold, used, and abused.
Scholarly Article: This article titled Hidden in Plain Sight discussed human trafficking and the different issues and complexities that occur for each country. There are similarities and it just goes to show that it can happen anywhere at anytime to anyone. Hidden in Plain Sight: Human Trafficking in the United States
Here is the PDF link: http://ida.lib.uidaho.edu:3304/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4488b4cd-4659-4c12-8396-1093e32c88e3%40sessionmgr111&vid=4&hid=110
Video Clip: This video is taken from the A21 Campaign, an organization committed to saving victims...even if numbers are huge and it is only one life at a time.
"A million is just a statistic until you meet the one." -Christine Caine
There are two organizations that I found that are starting a movement to really end slavery for good. The first was mentioned in the video: The A21 Campaign. Founded in 2007 by Christine Caine, the A21 Campaign works to shelter and help victims of human trafficking. End Slavery Now. is another organization worth mentioning, this organization is in Washington DC and involves college students starting anti human trafficking movements around the world!
-thea21campaign.org
-endslaverynow.org
Recent News Item: President Obama announced in a meeting that the human trafficking is a problem in the U.S. and will work to stop it. Here is the article: President Obama Unveils Landmark Actions to Fight Human Trafficking
To start out here is a quote exemplified in the following image. It is by Helen Keller and I believe that it is so important to believe that we can make a difference. Change can start with one person doing something for the better of mankind.
Here is another illustration. It's what this topic really boils down to. What is the value of life? Is it seen as important? Or something to be sold, used, and abused.
Scholarly Article: This article titled Hidden in Plain Sight discussed human trafficking and the different issues and complexities that occur for each country. There are similarities and it just goes to show that it can happen anywhere at anytime to anyone. Hidden in Plain Sight: Human Trafficking in the United States
Here is the PDF link: http://ida.lib.uidaho.edu:3304/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4488b4cd-4659-4c12-8396-1093e32c88e3%40sessionmgr111&vid=4&hid=110
Video Clip: This video is taken from the A21 Campaign, an organization committed to saving victims...even if numbers are huge and it is only one life at a time.
"A million is just a statistic until you meet the one." -Christine Caine
There are two organizations that I found that are starting a movement to really end slavery for good. The first was mentioned in the video: The A21 Campaign. Founded in 2007 by Christine Caine, the A21 Campaign works to shelter and help victims of human trafficking. End Slavery Now. is another organization worth mentioning, this organization is in Washington DC and involves college students starting anti human trafficking movements around the world!
-thea21campaign.org
-endslaverynow.org
Recent News Item: President Obama announced in a meeting that the human trafficking is a problem in the U.S. and will work to stop it. Here is the article: President Obama Unveils Landmark Actions to Fight Human Trafficking
Friday, September 28, 2012
Topic #1 ~~ Education
Education has always been an interest for me whether it's in the arena of teaching, politics, reform laws, or developmental therapy. It's something that I'm passionate about and something that I love learning more and more about. It's always changing and has something new to share. I really wanted to focus on the topic of Early Childhood Education, the younger kids because I believe that's where intervention needs to start to keep children on the right track throughout their entire education.
A quote that I think summarizes this topic would be by Albert Einstein:
A quote that I think summarizes this topic would be by Albert Einstein:
We need to allow kids room to fail, if that makes sense; we need to be able to educate them in such a way that there are not afraid to try new things and figure out what it is they want to do with their life. Let all the options be open and let them experiment!
I love the following photo because I feel that it accurately describes my job in child care as an early learning professional. I get to teach preschool and the kids learn through play and exploring their environment!!
Here is an article that I found regarding the topic of play within early childhood.
Supporting the Scientific Thinking and Inquiry of Toddlers and Preschoolers through Play
The following link below is to the website for the National Association for the Education of Young Children. This is a good resource for books, articles, recent news, trainings in your area and so much more. They make an effort to put quality into the Early Childhood Education Programs.
http://www.naeyc.org/
Another great one and more local is the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children.
http://idahoaeyc.org/
Video!!! The Importance of Play in Early Childhood
I have also been exploring around ideas in early childhood and found this recent news item. A school in Sweden doesn't have traditional looking classrooms. I think it's awesome and really supports creative learning environments. http://edudemic.com/2012/09/swedens-newest-school-system-has-no-classrooms/
Saturday, September 8, 2012
~~Introduction~~
Hello Everyone!!!! :)
This is my newest blog that I will be using to share my thoughts on society: problems, solutions, various researched topics. I hope you will enjoy reading some of this as much as I hope I will writing it. Just a bit about me is that I'm 24 and a junior in college. I'm at Boise State and doing online courses at the University of Idaho until I am able to transfer to the Moscow campus. I'm working towards a double major in Child Development/Family Relations and Sociology. I signed up for Sociology because I am fascinated by the different cultures and how people relate to one another. I know that Sociology can take interest much further!
To start off, since this blog will mostly focus on my Critical Insights regarding social problems it would be beneficial to tell you why a sociological perspective? I believe that when we start looking at the big picture, and at cultures as whole in addition to the individuals it helps us define causes and disruptions in the fabric of our society. There is not solely one cause, we all influence something in our own way. It is my belief that when a society is in lack of certain things it can cause tension and situations outside of the "norm" begin to arise. I love the photo to the left because what better way to represent life than by a tree. Life is made up of people!! We do life together, we weren't created to go at this alone. Working together and understanding each others differences is how we will be able to institute change.
I have a quote from Sociologist George Ritzer that I have saved from my Sociology 101 course. He states that, "As individuals, we are limited to our ability to make the societal changes we would like. There are massive social forces that make change difficult; these forces include the government, large and powerful organizations, and the prevailing values, norms, and attitudes. As individuals going to a voting booth, we have minimal power. As individuals protesting to officials, we have minimal power. As individuals standing against the tide of public opinion, we have little hope of exerting influence. As individuals confronting a corporate structure, we are doomed to frustration and failure. But if we combine with others who share our convictions, organize ourselves, and map out a course of action, we may be able to bring about numerous and significant changes in the social order. Through participation in a social movement, we can break through the social constraints that overwhelm us as individuals."
How easy is it to point fingers or cast blame, "this is wrong with society" or "the government should be doing this" etc... We have powers as individuals to make changes both good and bad. I don't think we realize the influence we have on the environment around us.
This is my newest blog that I will be using to share my thoughts on society: problems, solutions, various researched topics. I hope you will enjoy reading some of this as much as I hope I will writing it. Just a bit about me is that I'm 24 and a junior in college. I'm at Boise State and doing online courses at the University of Idaho until I am able to transfer to the Moscow campus. I'm working towards a double major in Child Development/Family Relations and Sociology. I signed up for Sociology because I am fascinated by the different cultures and how people relate to one another. I know that Sociology can take interest much further!
I have a quote from Sociologist George Ritzer that I have saved from my Sociology 101 course. He states that, "As individuals, we are limited to our ability to make the societal changes we would like. There are massive social forces that make change difficult; these forces include the government, large and powerful organizations, and the prevailing values, norms, and attitudes. As individuals going to a voting booth, we have minimal power. As individuals protesting to officials, we have minimal power. As individuals standing against the tide of public opinion, we have little hope of exerting influence. As individuals confronting a corporate structure, we are doomed to frustration and failure. But if we combine with others who share our convictions, organize ourselves, and map out a course of action, we may be able to bring about numerous and significant changes in the social order. Through participation in a social movement, we can break through the social constraints that overwhelm us as individuals."
How easy is it to point fingers or cast blame, "this is wrong with society" or "the government should be doing this" etc... We have powers as individuals to make changes both good and bad. I don't think we realize the influence we have on the environment around us.
~~Reflective Journal~~
9-8-12
Unit One Reflection Including Chapters 1-3
Chapter One: Thinking About Social Problems
I seem to have stumbled into the field of Sociology and I'm loving it. I've always been someone to ponder "problems" society and wondered if it's just the way things are or if it's possible to change. Who doesn't dream of being a hero or saving the world! ;) I found myself a little confused during this intro chapter but I think it'll get easier as this class goes on. Concepts and big words will take getting adjusted to. I did like how the chapter went into some of the different sociological perspectives: Structuralist-Functionalist, Conflict, and Symbolic Interaction. There are so many different ways to look at our world! I love how unique people are and even how unique problems are for each person with society as a whole. The quote in the beginning was a good one that I've heard before and made an effort to remember. It is by none other than Dr. Seuss and says "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." It just makes you think that as an individual there is purpose and influence. We all have a role to play. We need to stop pointing fingers or placing blame and instead educate ourselves and others on what we can do to make a difference. This is a good start to the semester I think!!!!
Chapter Two: Physical and Mental Health and Health Care
Overall, I found this chapter to have a profound affect on how I think about my food choices. It just so happens that at the same time I'm reading this my work has started a Wellness Challenge. For the challenge, we each had to come up with a personal goal to accomplish every week for the next 3 months. Mine was nutrition. I wanted to give up eating junk food and soda for 4 out of the 7 day week. It was interesting to read a health chapter during this time. I am finding that so often convenience outweighs health. It's so easy to just swing through a drive-thru on the way home from work instead of going to a grocery store to get ingredients for a home cooked meal.
Chapter Three: Alcohol and Other Drugs
Strangely enough I really enjoyed this chapter, though I'm not sure if enjoyed is the right word. I was intrigued, I was able to continue reading it until I was finished. The topic of alcohol and drugs has always been a bit fuzzy to me. There are a bunch of different opinions, worldviews, etc... I grew up with a negative view of alcohol, I went to a church that encouraged it's members to abstain from any type of drinking in order to promote a good example which I totally understand. However, I am realizing that for me personally, I have only recently started to allow myself to drink occasionally. It's interesting the stigmas that different people have on certain topics and it really gives credence to the every person is different in their susceptibility to drugs. It comes down to what our own convictions are. What is right for me is right for me but may not be for someone else and it's not fair to impose mine on theirs if they believe something different. If that makes any sense at all? On a more serious note when it comes to illicit drugs, I want to go into addiction counseling. I have seen the affect that drugs have on people and it breaks my heart. I want to help. I want to heal. I want to encourage.
9-29-12
Unit Two Reflections: Including Chapters 4 & 8
Chapter Four: Crime and Social Control
This chapter really opened my eyes to the costs of crime. I already knew that it was bigger than I imagined but to see it broken down into physical costs, emotional costs, etc... was really interesting to think about and I don't think people realize it. I'm sure people commit crimes everyday...big and little: lying, trespassing, etc... I think what I enjoyed most about this chapter were the different perspectives on crime. I liked reading how each theory related crime to society. Whether it was functional, inevitable, or labeled. I drew more towards the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective because it dealt a lot with words and their effect. We don't realize how much life or death comes out in our words that we speak. Especially with children, the younger they are the more like sponges they are and will listen to things adults tell them. If it's negative like "trouble maker", "stupid", "screw up"...actions are going to start following. Our thoughts determine our actions and our actions produce habits. What we think is essentially what we become in a way so we need to watch what we are thinking and saying to others. We can effect our destiny without intentionally doing so. Maybe we will have less criminals or less people in jail cells if we could be more positive with one another and encouraging.
Chapter Eight: Education
What peaked my interest in this chapter was school vouchers. It's so hard to watch families have to choose or not choose where their students get an education. Money plays too high of a factor and families who can't afford a good school are stuck.
Another thing that I am not sure I even agree with is online learning for younger ages. I think college is a good environment for it but not elementary schools and not even high schools. I think that teachers still need to be present to keep on track. It's hard enough to stay motivated as a college student let alone a high school student. I think it's too much pressure on them or not enough...it's easier to "skip" when it's online because it would feel less structured. Just some thoughts.
The video Waiting for Superman was interesting. I have seen it before and rewatching it a second made me realize a different perspective. I really enjoyed it the first time and thought it was great and filled with hope. However it was quite the opposite this time around. It was more discouraging, portraying education as a system destined to fail no matter our attempts to fix it. It has made me think even more about the Luna Laws coming up to vote on and I find myself unsure of what to chose. I get both sides, there are pros to both but what to do. What else is going to be said and not happen. We've had so many promises of bettering education and what fruit has come of it. Anything? It makes me sad because I wanted to go into teaching and now I'm considering a different field. Yes teachers make a difference but I want to be outside of the classroom making a change. I don't want to be stuck in the confines of the four walls and a government telling me to teach to the test. I want to be an advocate or someone who can go into classrooms and help teachers.
10-21-12
Unit Three Reflections: Including Chapters 5-7
Chapter Five: Family Problems
This chapter about family was hard, and eye opening. I know I’ve mentioned it before but families are really the cornerstone of society. Holding them together means holding society together I think. It was interesting to me that the rate of cohabiting is rising. It makes sense. I know a lot of my friends view living together as a way to test the waters before marriage. But what I wonder is, is marriage losing it’s value? I read also that divorce is on the rise as well and with more blended families things get complicated. It was sad to me the rights of stepparents. “In case of divorce, stepparents have little or no right to their stepchildren”. (pg 141). I honestly dislike divorce, I wish people would more often that not try to work things out because I think the vibe society gives off now is if it’s not working than move on to something better. With that perspective marriages are doomed for failure because what you have isn’t being viewed as good if you think there is still something better out there. As shattered as my own family background is, I still want to get married and have the American Dream so to speak….because family is important and they should stick together no matter what form the family is in. J
Chapter Six: Poverty and Economic Inequality
It’s so easy to take what we have for granted or to forget how good we have it. I know that poverty exists but I also think it’s a perspective or state of mind. I do not consider myself poor or on the brink of poverty but if were to look at the graph in our text I fall into that threshold. The poverty threshold for one adult was stated to be $11,344 and the economic security table registered 1 worker needing $34,728. That is a huge difference and I know for me I am just below the $11,000 mark. I don’t make $16 dollars an hour but I’m still content. I have enough and I know that I am taken care of honestly because God provides for me. But through reading this chapter , you really start considering the costs of everything and I was a little surprised that the United States “has the highest rate of poverty of any industrialized nation” (Mooney, 172) and the CEOs make in one year what I would make in roughly 260 years. That is really insane and I know a structural-functionalist perspective inequality as beneficial. But in this respect I disagree that inequality is a motivator. I don’t view getting paid more as an incentive for the job I choose. I want to do what I love which just happens to be teaching young children and I probably will never make a lot of money but that’s ok. I don’t think we should view higher paying jobs as more important because I think we need a system where all occupations are seen as important because they are. Everything works together in some way otherwise it wouldn’t exists. We can’t flourish by ourselves we need other people to do life with.
Chapter Seven: Work and Unemployment
I have always been confused by “economy” talk. It was my least favorite class in high school and I’ve never really been able to grasp the concepts too far beyond which ones are good and bad. What I want to focus on is unemployment. I found it really interesting the study on mental health and job security in our text that “ poor-quality jobs - those with high demands, low control over decision making, high job insecurity, and low pay had more negative effects on mental health than having no job at all” (pg 7). From personal experience, unemployment is hard and when you apply just for any job just to get something it feels demeaning because it’s not what you really want to do. Many people go to college to get a degree in a field of interest right? But now, there’s not a guarantee of a job after college if the economy is struggling. You might not get a job of interest right away and will just have to work towards it eventually when some opportunities open up. I also found the slavery issues interesting. I’m not surprised we still have slavery, I am surprised that the amount of slaves is on the rise and isn’t going down. It should be the other way around, human life is too valuable to be bought and sold… Child labor and human trafficking are the ones that I feel compelled to do something about. I don’t know what, mostly because it feels like such a huge undertaking but society should do something otherwise we aren’t going to like where things end up. I know big corporations like Wal-Mart and Nike have sweatshop workers but their consumer market is so big what can you do? Start small with awareness and just keep pushing through. In the right time, change will happen with the right people and the right leaders.
11-11-12
Unit 4 Reflections: Including Chapters 9-11
Chapter 9: Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration
First off, I really liked the apple example in the very beginning of the chapter. They asked what color were apples, and one child responded with "white" because of the inside. I wouldn't have thought about that, and it really is all about perspective and just how easy it is for us to base thoughts and ideas solely on the outside of something. I think the whole categorizing concept is pretty interesting. There are a lot of things different: eye color, hair color, height, etc... it can get pretty crazy when dividing people up. I hadn't really thought of race in this way. I think people do need to look more on the inside of the person instead of the outside, I mean history shows us all the horrible things that were done. Seriously though in reality we are all humans and our race, ethnicity, culture...whatever....that makes us unique!! The second point from this chapter is about illegal immigration. To be honest, I really knew nothing about how it worked, or what exactly was involved. I didn't understand why some people got so fired up about it. Now, I think that I am totally fine with people coming over to our country if they do it along the proper channels and become a citizen. I think that way, they will prove loyal to our country and not just using it. however, it was interesting to read about the myths and how permanent visas are so limited and hard to get that now it makes sense to me why people come over without them. It's also interesting to see that immigrants actually stimulate the economy because they also buy and consume things too.
Chapter 10: Gender Inequality
I first thought about gender roles, and what toys the children get to play with. I work at a preschool and it's interesting to see the parents' reaction when their little boy is playing in a dress up skirt or their little girl is crashing cars. I don't divide toys up by gender because I think it's acceptable for them to explore what they want without regard to "I can't because I'm a girl/boy". I think if we do that it makes it more of a bigger deal, and puts gender differences in the spotlight. I also thought the section of the Feminization of Poverty was interesting. There's a higher percentage of women living in poverty or being unemployed then men. I wonder if this has to do with children, and that most of the time, women also have to figure out what to do with their children so they can work or and get things done. Whereas it's less common (i think) for men.
Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and the Struggle for Equality
The statistics for work inequality really shocked me. That is still legal in states to fire an employee based on their sexual orientation. I honestly thought that this wasn't the case anymore. We see movements in the news and during elections that Same-Sex Marriage is legal now in I think 3 states, so things are moving forward for them I just didn't realize that it's still so small. I don't think it's fair to fire someone unless they aren't doing their job: that should be the only qualification I would think or use of drugs, harassment, etc... My second point would be about same -sex marriage. I still don't know how I feel about this argument because both sides are convincing. I want everyone to be equal, but I wonder if we keep redefining family what is it going to be in 20 years, 30 years, etc...if that makes sense. I'm not saying I'm against gay or lesbian families. Not at all!! It's just a thought I had about changing definitions.
11-30-12
Unit 5 Reflections: Including Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Environmental Problems
The issues regarding the environment have peaked my interest before but have almost seemed too big to really comprehend. Even still, after reading this chapter, there are simple parts of each issue but as a whole it feels too big to combat against. The first point I want to mention is about the use of natural resources. Our text explained that we have used more resources since 1950 that the years preceding it. Forests are dwindling, land is becoming unusable for agriculture, and water is running out. I was really unnerved when the statistics were saying that two planets would be needed in order to be able to sustain how much we are consuming. That is crazy to me!! It really starts to make you think about how much is being used and how we need to be more careful.
Also, the actual topic of global warming has been a confusion. You can see though, how much of an effect warmer temperatures create! Some places are in drought, some places have too much rain, the artic is losing ice, etc...Forest fires, hurricanes, and droughts are also more common. It is a sad fact that it's all the little things that slowly have a bigger effect on the environment. Plastic bags have chemicals that seep into the ground when end up in dumps and landfills instead of being thrown away. We could all do so much more to help the environment. We are such a convenience based society though that I feel it would hard to rally people together to get them motivated. I think that by reading this chapter has spurred more interest to want to get more information and know what's happening in the environment...because I realized how much I don't know. I think that it is so easy to think that "it's too big, I can't make a difference", and yes with that mindset we aren't going to get very far if we think we are going to fail. Without vision we aren't getting anywhere so hopefully we can as a whole start working together and inspiring a change in lifestyle to help the planet...or we should all move to a new planet ;)...but that's not likely.
Unit One Reflection Including Chapters 1-3
Chapter One: Thinking About Social Problems
I seem to have stumbled into the field of Sociology and I'm loving it. I've always been someone to ponder "problems" society and wondered if it's just the way things are or if it's possible to change. Who doesn't dream of being a hero or saving the world! ;) I found myself a little confused during this intro chapter but I think it'll get easier as this class goes on. Concepts and big words will take getting adjusted to. I did like how the chapter went into some of the different sociological perspectives: Structuralist-Functionalist, Conflict, and Symbolic Interaction. There are so many different ways to look at our world! I love how unique people are and even how unique problems are for each person with society as a whole. The quote in the beginning was a good one that I've heard before and made an effort to remember. It is by none other than Dr. Seuss and says "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." It just makes you think that as an individual there is purpose and influence. We all have a role to play. We need to stop pointing fingers or placing blame and instead educate ourselves and others on what we can do to make a difference. This is a good start to the semester I think!!!!
Chapter Two: Physical and Mental Health and Health Care
Overall, I found this chapter to have a profound affect on how I think about my food choices. It just so happens that at the same time I'm reading this my work has started a Wellness Challenge. For the challenge, we each had to come up with a personal goal to accomplish every week for the next 3 months. Mine was nutrition. I wanted to give up eating junk food and soda for 4 out of the 7 day week. It was interesting to read a health chapter during this time. I am finding that so often convenience outweighs health. It's so easy to just swing through a drive-thru on the way home from work instead of going to a grocery store to get ingredients for a home cooked meal.
Chapter Three: Alcohol and Other Drugs
Strangely enough I really enjoyed this chapter, though I'm not sure if enjoyed is the right word. I was intrigued, I was able to continue reading it until I was finished. The topic of alcohol and drugs has always been a bit fuzzy to me. There are a bunch of different opinions, worldviews, etc... I grew up with a negative view of alcohol, I went to a church that encouraged it's members to abstain from any type of drinking in order to promote a good example which I totally understand. However, I am realizing that for me personally, I have only recently started to allow myself to drink occasionally. It's interesting the stigmas that different people have on certain topics and it really gives credence to the every person is different in their susceptibility to drugs. It comes down to what our own convictions are. What is right for me is right for me but may not be for someone else and it's not fair to impose mine on theirs if they believe something different. If that makes any sense at all? On a more serious note when it comes to illicit drugs, I want to go into addiction counseling. I have seen the affect that drugs have on people and it breaks my heart. I want to help. I want to heal. I want to encourage.
9-29-12
Unit Two Reflections: Including Chapters 4 & 8
Chapter Four: Crime and Social Control
This chapter really opened my eyes to the costs of crime. I already knew that it was bigger than I imagined but to see it broken down into physical costs, emotional costs, etc... was really interesting to think about and I don't think people realize it. I'm sure people commit crimes everyday...big and little: lying, trespassing, etc... I think what I enjoyed most about this chapter were the different perspectives on crime. I liked reading how each theory related crime to society. Whether it was functional, inevitable, or labeled. I drew more towards the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective because it dealt a lot with words and their effect. We don't realize how much life or death comes out in our words that we speak. Especially with children, the younger they are the more like sponges they are and will listen to things adults tell them. If it's negative like "trouble maker", "stupid", "screw up"...actions are going to start following. Our thoughts determine our actions and our actions produce habits. What we think is essentially what we become in a way so we need to watch what we are thinking and saying to others. We can effect our destiny without intentionally doing so. Maybe we will have less criminals or less people in jail cells if we could be more positive with one another and encouraging.
Chapter Eight: Education
What peaked my interest in this chapter was school vouchers. It's so hard to watch families have to choose or not choose where their students get an education. Money plays too high of a factor and families who can't afford a good school are stuck.
Another thing that I am not sure I even agree with is online learning for younger ages. I think college is a good environment for it but not elementary schools and not even high schools. I think that teachers still need to be present to keep on track. It's hard enough to stay motivated as a college student let alone a high school student. I think it's too much pressure on them or not enough...it's easier to "skip" when it's online because it would feel less structured. Just some thoughts.
The video Waiting for Superman was interesting. I have seen it before and rewatching it a second made me realize a different perspective. I really enjoyed it the first time and thought it was great and filled with hope. However it was quite the opposite this time around. It was more discouraging, portraying education as a system destined to fail no matter our attempts to fix it. It has made me think even more about the Luna Laws coming up to vote on and I find myself unsure of what to chose. I get both sides, there are pros to both but what to do. What else is going to be said and not happen. We've had so many promises of bettering education and what fruit has come of it. Anything? It makes me sad because I wanted to go into teaching and now I'm considering a different field. Yes teachers make a difference but I want to be outside of the classroom making a change. I don't want to be stuck in the confines of the four walls and a government telling me to teach to the test. I want to be an advocate or someone who can go into classrooms and help teachers.
10-21-12
Unit Three Reflections: Including Chapters 5-7
Chapter Five: Family Problems
This chapter about family was hard, and eye opening. I know I’ve mentioned it before but families are really the cornerstone of society. Holding them together means holding society together I think. It was interesting to me that the rate of cohabiting is rising. It makes sense. I know a lot of my friends view living together as a way to test the waters before marriage. But what I wonder is, is marriage losing it’s value? I read also that divorce is on the rise as well and with more blended families things get complicated. It was sad to me the rights of stepparents. “In case of divorce, stepparents have little or no right to their stepchildren”. (pg 141). I honestly dislike divorce, I wish people would more often that not try to work things out because I think the vibe society gives off now is if it’s not working than move on to something better. With that perspective marriages are doomed for failure because what you have isn’t being viewed as good if you think there is still something better out there. As shattered as my own family background is, I still want to get married and have the American Dream so to speak….because family is important and they should stick together no matter what form the family is in. J
Chapter Six: Poverty and Economic Inequality
It’s so easy to take what we have for granted or to forget how good we have it. I know that poverty exists but I also think it’s a perspective or state of mind. I do not consider myself poor or on the brink of poverty but if were to look at the graph in our text I fall into that threshold. The poverty threshold for one adult was stated to be $11,344 and the economic security table registered 1 worker needing $34,728. That is a huge difference and I know for me I am just below the $11,000 mark. I don’t make $16 dollars an hour but I’m still content. I have enough and I know that I am taken care of honestly because God provides for me. But through reading this chapter , you really start considering the costs of everything and I was a little surprised that the United States “has the highest rate of poverty of any industrialized nation” (Mooney, 172) and the CEOs make in one year what I would make in roughly 260 years. That is really insane and I know a structural-functionalist perspective inequality as beneficial. But in this respect I disagree that inequality is a motivator. I don’t view getting paid more as an incentive for the job I choose. I want to do what I love which just happens to be teaching young children and I probably will never make a lot of money but that’s ok. I don’t think we should view higher paying jobs as more important because I think we need a system where all occupations are seen as important because they are. Everything works together in some way otherwise it wouldn’t exists. We can’t flourish by ourselves we need other people to do life with.
Chapter Seven: Work and Unemployment
I have always been confused by “economy” talk. It was my least favorite class in high school and I’ve never really been able to grasp the concepts too far beyond which ones are good and bad. What I want to focus on is unemployment. I found it really interesting the study on mental health and job security in our text that “ poor-quality jobs - those with high demands, low control over decision making, high job insecurity, and low pay had more negative effects on mental health than having no job at all” (pg 7). From personal experience, unemployment is hard and when you apply just for any job just to get something it feels demeaning because it’s not what you really want to do. Many people go to college to get a degree in a field of interest right? But now, there’s not a guarantee of a job after college if the economy is struggling. You might not get a job of interest right away and will just have to work towards it eventually when some opportunities open up. I also found the slavery issues interesting. I’m not surprised we still have slavery, I am surprised that the amount of slaves is on the rise and isn’t going down. It should be the other way around, human life is too valuable to be bought and sold… Child labor and human trafficking are the ones that I feel compelled to do something about. I don’t know what, mostly because it feels like such a huge undertaking but society should do something otherwise we aren’t going to like where things end up. I know big corporations like Wal-Mart and Nike have sweatshop workers but their consumer market is so big what can you do? Start small with awareness and just keep pushing through. In the right time, change will happen with the right people and the right leaders.
11-11-12
Unit 4 Reflections: Including Chapters 9-11
Chapter 9: Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration
First off, I really liked the apple example in the very beginning of the chapter. They asked what color were apples, and one child responded with "white" because of the inside. I wouldn't have thought about that, and it really is all about perspective and just how easy it is for us to base thoughts and ideas solely on the outside of something. I think the whole categorizing concept is pretty interesting. There are a lot of things different: eye color, hair color, height, etc... it can get pretty crazy when dividing people up. I hadn't really thought of race in this way. I think people do need to look more on the inside of the person instead of the outside, I mean history shows us all the horrible things that were done. Seriously though in reality we are all humans and our race, ethnicity, culture...whatever....that makes us unique!! The second point from this chapter is about illegal immigration. To be honest, I really knew nothing about how it worked, or what exactly was involved. I didn't understand why some people got so fired up about it. Now, I think that I am totally fine with people coming over to our country if they do it along the proper channels and become a citizen. I think that way, they will prove loyal to our country and not just using it. however, it was interesting to read about the myths and how permanent visas are so limited and hard to get that now it makes sense to me why people come over without them. It's also interesting to see that immigrants actually stimulate the economy because they also buy and consume things too.
Chapter 10: Gender Inequality
I first thought about gender roles, and what toys the children get to play with. I work at a preschool and it's interesting to see the parents' reaction when their little boy is playing in a dress up skirt or their little girl is crashing cars. I don't divide toys up by gender because I think it's acceptable for them to explore what they want without regard to "I can't because I'm a girl/boy". I think if we do that it makes it more of a bigger deal, and puts gender differences in the spotlight. I also thought the section of the Feminization of Poverty was interesting. There's a higher percentage of women living in poverty or being unemployed then men. I wonder if this has to do with children, and that most of the time, women also have to figure out what to do with their children so they can work or and get things done. Whereas it's less common (i think) for men.
Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and the Struggle for Equality
The statistics for work inequality really shocked me. That is still legal in states to fire an employee based on their sexual orientation. I honestly thought that this wasn't the case anymore. We see movements in the news and during elections that Same-Sex Marriage is legal now in I think 3 states, so things are moving forward for them I just didn't realize that it's still so small. I don't think it's fair to fire someone unless they aren't doing their job: that should be the only qualification I would think or use of drugs, harassment, etc... My second point would be about same -sex marriage. I still don't know how I feel about this argument because both sides are convincing. I want everyone to be equal, but I wonder if we keep redefining family what is it going to be in 20 years, 30 years, etc...if that makes sense. I'm not saying I'm against gay or lesbian families. Not at all!! It's just a thought I had about changing definitions.
11-30-12
Unit 5 Reflections: Including Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Environmental Problems
The issues regarding the environment have peaked my interest before but have almost seemed too big to really comprehend. Even still, after reading this chapter, there are simple parts of each issue but as a whole it feels too big to combat against. The first point I want to mention is about the use of natural resources. Our text explained that we have used more resources since 1950 that the years preceding it. Forests are dwindling, land is becoming unusable for agriculture, and water is running out. I was really unnerved when the statistics were saying that two planets would be needed in order to be able to sustain how much we are consuming. That is crazy to me!! It really starts to make you think about how much is being used and how we need to be more careful.
Also, the actual topic of global warming has been a confusion. You can see though, how much of an effect warmer temperatures create! Some places are in drought, some places have too much rain, the artic is losing ice, etc...Forest fires, hurricanes, and droughts are also more common. It is a sad fact that it's all the little things that slowly have a bigger effect on the environment. Plastic bags have chemicals that seep into the ground when end up in dumps and landfills instead of being thrown away. We could all do so much more to help the environment. We are such a convenience based society though that I feel it would hard to rally people together to get them motivated. I think that by reading this chapter has spurred more interest to want to get more information and know what's happening in the environment...because I realized how much I don't know. I think that it is so easy to think that "it's too big, I can't make a difference", and yes with that mindset we aren't going to get very far if we think we are going to fail. Without vision we aren't getting anywhere so hopefully we can as a whole start working together and inspiring a change in lifestyle to help the planet...or we should all move to a new planet ;)...but that's not likely.
~~References~~
References - Introduction
Sociology Tree [vector illustration]. 2003-2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012. From: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-76395931/stock-vector-sociology-tree-people-pictogram.html?src=csl_recent_image-1
Ritzer, George. Introduction to Sociology. Singapore: Sage Publications. 2012. Print.
Guggenheim, D., Kimball, B., Chilcott, L., Strickland, B., Canada, G., Rhee, M., Weingarten, R., ... Paramount Home Entertainment (Firm). (2011). Waiting for "Superman". Hollywood, Calif: Paramount Home Entertainment.
Mooney, Linda A., and David Knox. Understanding social problems. 8th ed. Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.
References - Topic #1
Guggenheim, D., Kimball, B., Chilcott, L., Strickland, B., Canada, G., Rhee, M., Weingarten, R., ... Paramount Home Entertainment (Firm). (2011). Waiting for "Superman". Hollywood, Calif: Paramount Home Entertainment.
Mooney, Linda A., and David Knox. Understanding social problems. 8th ed. Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.
Hamlin, M., & Wisneski, D. B. (2012). Supporting the Scientific Thinking and Inquiry of Toddlers and Preschoolers through Play. YC: Young Children, 67(3), 82-88. Retrieved September 28 From: http://www.naeyc.org/yc/article/supporting-scientific-thinking-and-inquiry
I am 3. [image] Retrieved September 20, 2012. From: http://explorationsearlylearning.com/shop5/images/source/I_am_3_Web.jpg
Jensiemat81 ( 2011, April 21). The Crucial Role of Play in Early Childhood Retrieved: September 27, 2012 From: http://youtu.be/8KtUhKVFjJI
References - Topic #2
Helen Keller Quote. [image] Retrieved October 11, 2012. From: http://www.prescriptionwealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/i-am-one-prescription-wealth1.jpg
The A21 Campaign (2010, March 7). The A21 Campaign - Be Her Freedom Retireved: October 18, 2012 From: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roxUbCV9x_c&feature=relmfu
Value of Life. [image] Retrieved October 19, 2012. From: http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/is-human-life-valuable-or-expendable/question-2845321/?link=ibaf&q=&imgurl=http://images.sodahead.com/polls/002845321/4333643479_value_of_human_life_xlarge.jpeg
References - Emerging Issues
Bullying [image]. Retrieved November 10,2012. From: http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/styles/large/public/bullying%20cloud.jpg
Eleanor Roosevelt Quote. [image]. Retrieved November 10, 2012. From: http://inspirably.com/uploads/user/4260-the-future-belongs-to-those-who-believe-in-the-beauty-of-their_380x280_width.png
Power of Words. [image]. Retrieved November 10,2012. From: http://positivemed.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Your-words-have-power.-Use-them-wisely..jpg
Stop Bullying. [image]. Retrieved November 10, 2012. From: http://www.mitchell.lib.in.us/images/uploaded/stop%20bullying.jpg
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