Author: Odeica (Page 10 of 13)

1. “In this model, there is no room for doubt or ambiguity. We assume we need to know the answers to our problems or questions before the process gets underway, before we consult and evaluate what others have said.” I find this statement to be very true, as humans we feel the need to know every little thing about everything. So, when problems emerge in our lives, instinctively we want to solve those problems right away and find the answers. We hope to find the answer before fully experiencing the life lessons that we must endure before finding those answers. This defeats the whole purpose of life lessons.
2. “A Writing Process, author Vinetta Bell suggests that the thesis-writing process begins during the “preliminary research” stage. This strategy is endorsed by multiple research library websites, such as the University of Minnesota. And yet, genuine inquiry—the kind of research that often leads to new ideas and important choices—tends to begin with unsettled problems and questions, rather than with thesis statements and predetermined answers.” A thesis should not be a statement with a predetermined answer but an open-ended question that asks difficult questions that challenge your perspective as much as others. Having a thesis with predetermined answers defeats the point of research. Research is not to prove one’s ideas or perspectives right or wrong but rather to expose you to different perspectives that make you reevaluate your position on the specific topic you are researching.
3. “They write that research often begins with open-ended questions that are “based on information gaps or reexamination of existing, possibly conflicting, information.” In other words, research isn’t just for backing up our hunches. It can, and should, also be used as a method of investigating areas of uncertainty, curiosity, conflict, and multiple perspectives.” This quote proves what I was saying in my previous annotation. As I said before research is supposed to be about exposing yourself to different perspectives that make you reexamine your perspective. Investigating your curiosity without any bias is the ideal way to go about conducting research.
4. “Clark College’s library website describes the research process as a daisy, rather than a line. Like a daisy’s petals, research is described as cyclical and fluid. As we research, we may find ourselves returning to and changing our question, or we may near the end of a project and think we’re done but discover we need to go back to find more or better sources. The messiness of research requires us to be flexible, often modifying our approaches along the way. When we enter the research process with a narrow and rigid focus on our thesis, we can become discouraged and inclined to abandon our ideas when the research process does not unfold neatly.” Successful research should start with an open-ended question that doesn’t have a predetermined answer. This creates room for the researcher to change their thesis so their research progresses. Research is not a question-and-answer game but rather a series of changes that unravels a new and inclusive perspective. When researching one might find themselves continuously changing their thesis to fit their new perspective. However, having to constantly change one’s thesis and starting over can be very discouraging and one might be eager to quit and abandon their idea.
5. “Although our culture would tell us that we have to know everything, and that we should even begin a research project by knowing the answer to our question, there is obvious value in using research as a tool to engage our curiosity and sense of wonder as human beings—perhaps even to improve our lives or the lives of others. If all researchers started the process with preconceived answers, no new findings would ever come to be. In order to truly learn about a topic or issue, especially when it involves important decision making, we need to learn to embrace uncertainty and feel comfortable knowing we might not always have an answer when we begin a research project.” Embracing the fact that we don’t know everything there is to know about the world is the only way to truly learn about a topic or issue. As we begin to accept uncertainty, the more room there is for questions and curiosity to be explored without any bias.

Annotation

• “The paradox of education is precisely this – that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated. The purpose of education, finally, is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say to himself this is black or this is white, to decide for himself whether there is a God in heaven or not. To ask questions of the universe, and then learn to live with those questions, is the way he achieves his own identity. But no society is really anxious to have that kind of person around.” Through education one finds their identity outside of societal norms. Education gives people the ability to look at the world through their own eyes without influence deciding what is right and wrong.

• “That any Negro who is born in this country and undergoes the American educational system runs the risk of becoming schizophrenic. On the one hand he is born in the shadow of the stars and stripes and he is assured it represents a nation which has never lost a war. He pledges allegiance to that flag which guarantees “liberty and justice for all.” He is part of a country in which anyone can become president, and so forth. But on the other hand he is also assured by his country and his countrymen that he has never contributed anything to civilization – that his past is nothing more than a record of humiliations gladly endured. He is assumed by the republic that he, his father, his mother, and his ancestors were happy, shiftless, watermelon-eating darkies who loved Mr. Charlie and Miss Ann, that the value he has as a black man is proven by one thing only – his devotion to white people.” Baldwin’s idea that any African American who undergoes the American educational system runs the risk of becoming schizophrenic is very interesting. He is saying that without knowing one’s true history makes you out of touch with reality since you don’t know who you are, just who you were told you are. I found his analogy about the life of an African American very interesting but true. How can one fight for a country that does not see you much less appreciate you?

• “He can more or less accept it with an absolutely inarticulate and dangerous rage inside – all the more dangerous because it is never expressed. It is precisely those silent people whom white people see every day of their lives – I mean your porter and your maid, who never say anything more than “Yes Sir” and “No, Ma’am.” They will tell you it’s raining if that is what you want to hear, and they will tell you the sun is shining if that is what you want to hear. They really hate you – really hate you because in their eyes (and they’re right) you stand between them and life. I want to come back to that in a moment. It is the most sinister of the facts, I think, which we now face.” I have seen this depicted in lots of movies where African Americans are maids or house helps. They would always tell their employer what they wanted to hear no matter how false it might be. This bubble feeling leads to a very deep resentment towards their employer. Maybe it is our way of fighting the power structure on a somewhat even battlefield.

• “Therefor it is almost impossible for any Negro child to discover anything about his actual history. The reason is that this “animal,” once he suspects his own worth, once he starts believing that he is a man, has begun to attack the entire power structure.” To attack the power structure, African Americans must first know their worth and know that they are more than what they are depicted to be. This might be difficult since in school we are only taught about slavery as if we did not have a life per slavery. As if before slavery we did not exist.

• In order for me to live, I decided very early that some mistake had been made somewhere. I was not a “nigger” even though you called me one. But if I was a “nigger” in your eyes, there was something about you – there was something you needed. I had to realize when I was very young that I was none of those things I was told I was. I was not, for example, happy. I never touched a watermelon for all kinds of reasons that had been invented by white people, and I knew enough about life by this time to understand that whatever you invent, whatever you project, is you! So where we are no is that a whole country of people believe I’m a “nigger,” and I don’t , and the battle’s on! Because if I am not what I’ve been told I am, then it means that you’re not what you thought you were either! And that is the crisis. Baldwin’s article addresses some important questions about the history of African Americans. He talks about self-awareness and the effects it has on one’s self-perception. He then when on to question the White American history that portrays African Americans as “niggers” when in fact that’s the opposite of who we are, that just what they fooled themselves into thinking we are. He then went on to challenge the credibility of American history by stating “Because if I am not what I’ve been told I am, then it means that you’re not what you thought you were either! And that is the crisis.”

Overall, Baldwin’s article was highly informative and eye-opening. When he states that “the world is larger” he is talking about one’s perspective. It is no secret that one’s perspective is shaped by their environment, parents/family, and society. There will always be differing perspectives, it all depends on what side of history you are standing on. The opinions of those oppressed will always differ from their oppressors. Your perspective of the world is not the only one there is, someone in a different part of the world that was subjected to different life experiences might have a distinct perspective than you. We must examine all the different perspectives in the world and decide for ourselves what is right or true in our eyes. Moreover, Baldwin states “The purpose of education, finally, is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say to himself this is black or this is white, to decide for himself whether there is a God in heaven or not. To ask questions of the universe, and then learn to live with those questions, is the way he achieves his own identity. But no society is really anxious to have that kind of person around.” Asking questions of the universe for yourself is the only way to discover one’s identity. Understanding that the world has different perspectives is key to seeing the world for what it truly is hence “the world is larger.” However, some of the obligations I wished I learned about in school are African American history per slavery and outside of American history and basic adulting tools. When I say basic adulting tools I mean how to do taxes, budget, learn about the housing process, and the loan process, etcetera. Also, how to deal with our emotions and mental health. Just how to be a functional person in society. The other thing I wish I learned was true African American history. In school, the focus of learning African American history is slavery as if we did not exist before slavery. I have always wanted to what our life was like before slavery. “What we did for a living” and “What was our world view.” These were all questions I had but never got the answer to.

School was not for me until I was finally heard.  

Dating back to my earliest memory of education, I have always felt that school was never for me. I have always felt a disconnect between me and school. Don’t get me wrong I liked learning, it was the teachers, rules, and hierarchy I disliked. Much like Oliveraz most of my teachers taught via the banking method. We, the students were just expected to take in as much information as we could and never question authority. Most days, a debate or misunderstanding would erupt between me and my teachers. Which started because I would calmly voice my opinions, as I would put it, that were viewed as disrespect. Shutting up and being a human educational sponge was something I could never do. Learning was very different but it was something I had to do, especially since education was an exaggeratedly important part of my household. 

School was a battlefield. Every day going into school I had this mindset that it was either going to be me or the teachers. And of course, I chose myself. However, this always resulted in a conflict since I was not going to betray my morals and up bring just to make some teacher happy. Constantly bickering with the teacher made my school life very stressful and hard which in return harmed my grade. Like my grades were terrible, I knew that I could have done better but when situations are designed for you to fail there is a slim chance of success. One time while in my home economics class, I remember my teacher was grading the work she gave us during class, it was near the end of class and I was the last person in the line. So it is my turn I walk up to her desk in the front of the class, place my book on the table then proceed to put my hands on my hips and talk to my friends. She then told me to move my hands which I did. A few minutes later my hands were on my hips again and I was doing it subconsciously. She then started to raise her voice and I did the same in return. Soon after a screaming match erupted between us that was loud enough for the whole class to hear, but not to disturb the other classes on the floor. The whole thing turned into a big situation to the point where she stopped calling my name when taking attendance and refuse to acknowledge my existence. This did not bother me cause we did not get along before the incident and her leaving me alone was a plus. As for my attendance, I didn’t mind that either because I knew I was going to school and I knew that she was the one that was not doing her job. This was soon resolved after a long and honest conversation. This conversation evoked something in me, it had me thinking as it was the first time I had witnessed a teacher apologize for their wrongdoing. It was a beacon of hope as it was around the time my perspective on school started to change and that one conversation was the main reason. 

However, this drastically changed while in an American high school. Life in the Caribbean was an extremely different experience than the life I have now in the U.S in every aspect ranging from school to home. Within a few days, I was ready for my first day of High School in the U.S. There are no words to express the lack of hope, enthusiasm, and motivation I felt about having to go to school again. As I thought it was going to be a repetition of what I have always experienced. On my first day of high school, I remember being pretty nervous and just saddened at the fact that I would finish high school without being allowed the chance to truly express myself. With all that I was facing in school, the weather made it worse. Having to leave the comfort of one’s warm and cozy house to battle the freezing cold weather outside was something I was not prepared for. One would think that when leaving the comfort of their home to travel in the cold to get to school. The polite thing the school could do is make sure the heaters are working but no. The classrooms were as cold as outside and still some students were asking the teacher to open the windows. The weather and school took a while to get used to. My English class was the only class that truly excited me. On a regular Friday afternoon, I vividly remember being very excited for my 7th period English class( not because it was my last class of the day or week.) I was genuinely excited to be in the class since we were assigned an essay where we had to write about our views on a specific historical event of our choice that we connected with. The most efficient way I  express myself is through writing, so having to write about something that I am passionate about somewhat restored my faith in school. To top it off, my English teacher, Ms. Juarez was very nice, understanding, and motivating. She treated every student as if they were her child. She changed my perspective on school and how one should learn. The classwork she assigned and the conversations we had challenged me to think outside my norms which broadened my perspective as a whole. 

It is not a secret the American school system differs from those in other countries. While in a Caribbean high school education and learning were solely based on retaining as much information as you possibly could. The Caribbean educational environment is a place the teachers taught and the students learned no in between. The chance to voice one’s opinion or question the abuse of authority was never allowed. However, American high school eluded a safe space where everyone was a student no matter the title they held. Teachers often asked the students their opinion on occurring or past events that may have affected them in some way. Teachers were aware of the fact that they do not know everything there is in the world. To them, this is an advantage, coming into the classroom they know students had different experiences and knowledge. Creating a place where every student felt heard was more important than retaining information since everyone has their unique style of learning.