Reflections on Gender in the Classroom

After observing classrooms, sharing information with your peers, drawing initial conclusions, and further discussion with Mrs. Parisi and Mr. Bishop, what do you think? What do you still question? What reflections will you share with us? (Please do not mention names of any teacher or student!) Let's continue to be professional and respectful.

Reflections on discussion with Parisi and Bishop

Thought I would make it easier for us to discuss without having to scroll down previous posts/comments. I'm eager for us to continue the dialogue on gender roles, social constructionism, and patriarchy. So . . . after our discussion on Friday, what questions do you still have? What thoughts are still lingering in your mind? Were your thoughts about gender reinforced or altered? Was your perspective broadened in any way?

And for those sitting next to Mr. Bishop and Mrs. Parisi during the discussion--what was that like? I only ask because I was keeping track of those asking questions, and I noticed that some of you who are often outspoken were quiet (was there a blending of the Marxist and Gender lenses?)

Can I have a pair of Gender lenses?

Let's see what we can discover about gender roles--how they are shaped, how they influence what we say and do, how they can determine how we interact and who we become.

Has anyone stopped to count the number of ads in your favorite magazine or sitcom?
What type of ads/commericals are present? How do they portray each gender?
Have you stopped to watch a sitcom through the gender lens?
Is there any truth to what Tyson says about "good girls" and "bad girls" in the shows we watch? How is our society patriarchal?
What are some ways that women and men buy into the patriarchy? What are some ways that they rebel?
How is our language patriarchal?

And what about our schools and classrooms. I thought I'd share a study by the University of New Hampshire to get us started. And I also found sites exploring gender and math and gender roles in the workplace.

How deeply embedded are "traditional" gender roles?

Marxism in Art?

From paintings, to music, to protests, to health care--Marxist theory abounds. Let's try applying the Marxist lens to the following paintings.

"Hollywood" by Thomas Hart Benton
"Power Games" by Roland Rafael Repczuk

"Pigstown Council Annual Meeting" by Jalaini Abu Hassan

"Liberation of Baghdad" by Sandow Birk

"America"

"In Smog and Thunder" by Sandow Birk

"Pyramid of Capitalist System"

"The Garden of Eden"

"A Painting for a Government Poster" by John Falter

Is this Russia?

On September 12, 2009, ten of thousands of protesters marched to the U.S. Capitol to express their disdain for the President's health care plan and government spending. Carrying slogans that read "Obamacare makes me sick" and "I'm not your ATM," protestors chanted "Enough, Enough!" Some protesters even carried pictures of Obama with the signature mustache of Adolf Hitler and referred to him as a socialist and communist. The idea of a government-run health care system has many concerned and worried about the future--their future and their children's future. And that concern has awakened the nation--encouraging citizens to seek the truth. What is the truth behind Obama's health care plan? Check out the below links.

Fact Check: Decoding Obama's Health Care Plan
The Truth--Lott's Numbers, Part II
The Obama Plan



After what we've read in Chapter 3 and what you've learned about Obama's Health Care Plan, what are your thoughts?

Guilt: It's all your fault.

“Guilt is the regret or painful experience when we choose to act in conflict with our conscience and beliefs.”

Innocence is said to be the complete opposite of guilt; innocence is freedom from corruptness and guilt is the result of its presence.

There are three types of guilt: real guilt, neurotic guilt, and false guilt. Real guilt comes from feeling bad about choosing the “wrong thing” in accordance with one’s beliefs in a controllable situation. Neurotic guilt is when an individual blames themselves for every wrong happening in their life. False guilt is when one feels responsible for everything, including situations he/she is not involved in.

Some things that guilt causes include anxiety, depression, fainting (this may be connected to Dante!), insomnia, eating disorders, other self-destructive behaviors, and hallucinations.

Guilt is also seen in a positive light as it teaches society lessons, help individuals overcome conflicts (like core issues), works as a great motivator (guilt trips), and also regulates social behavior.

Take this quiz to see how guilty you are.

When we feel guilty, we feel as though we’ve fallen short of our moral standards, but who REALLY sets these standards? What relieves the burden of guilt? And who is able to be deemed innocent?

Who Art Thou Thy True Lady MacBeth?

In Shakespeare plays 'MacBeth' there is a notorious, fictional character named Lady Macbeth. Who really was Lady MacBeth, though? The real Lady MacBeth was connected weakly to a queen of Scotland figure, Queen Gruoch.

Queen Gruoch was the granddaughter of a former King of Scotland, Kenneth III. With her first husband, Gillecomgain or Gille Coemgáin (it was spelled both ways),they fathered one child, Lulach; he became king later in life for less than a year and was nicknamed “The Fool”. Gillecomgain, however, was killed in a fire accident in 1032. After Gillecomgain died, Queen Gruoch remarried his cousin, MacBeth.

Unlike her cruel character in Shakespeare’s play, Queen Grouch was thought to have been a nice and understanding person. It is even thought that she donated some lands near Loch Leven to the Church.

The imposing questions left are: Why did Shakespeare base his character off Queen Gruoch? Why are the two (Lady MacBeth and Queen Gruoch) so loosely connected?