Some addresses for Shakespeare information:

http://www.museangel.net/insult.html
http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/Shaker/

Plain talk explanation....

I had been really turned off by a comment about white boys and diversity. I have only just now come partway in the ability to explain why it bothered me so. I finished my plan talk with a ironic attempt to explain why that comment bothered me.

I feel like diversity classes should be a positive experience like mending a troubled friendship. I don't think by one person insulting the other by pointing out their faults true or not is the best way to solve an argument. That seems to be what diversity classes do though. They blame "white people" for whatever problems perceived or real in the "minority" races and then further reinforce the oppression of "minorities" (in my mind) by calling them oppressed and stating that they will never rise above that. What a depressing and unhelpful suggestion.

So is it true? Can black/minority people ever achieve any great success? Can white people ever been nice accepting people? Are people who have overcome the "system" laid out by this so-called socially progressive movement simply outliers?

Is this thought or philosophy truly progressive? What solutions or assistance or empowerment does it give to anyone? Is it fair, considerate to every racial representation in the classroom?

NO. A big, fat NO. I guess I'm an advocate of children but more an advocate for children's well-being and natural innocence. Argue what you will, but I think the racial profiling, slavery, lynchings, gangs etc. were all created by adults. Children were brought up in environments that presented these ideas to them and often influenced their decisions. I'm a big proponent of an individual's autonomy of thought and I acknowledge that the personalities of human beings are varied. However, I don't believe that its the fault of young white boys that racial profiling occurs or that slavery happened. I don't think it's the fault of young black boys uninvolved in gangs that violence occurs in their streets. I'm tired of people placing heavy burdens of blame, guilt and hatred on kids. Stop. We really should be providing them with solutions, tools and assistance. That's our job as teachers.

Unit plans part 2

I'm finished with my methods unit and feeling that it wasn't enough. Although the other classes we took felt as if the time allotted was equal to the information presented, or not presented as the case might be, I think we were really disadvantaged with only one semester of it.