Studies @ MindSay 
school
Don't say I didn't warn you when some of you and friends of mine said they wanted to see more.....
I'll add more as requested on certain topics or by general inquiry. Don't be afraid to ask!
As you can probably tell my focus is on multicultural education, Latino education, and pop culture in education. I'm currently working on the pedagogy of humanity, issues of privlege as a manifestation of power, rap to reggaeton: representations of identity.
Please remember it is not enough to read if you're not willing to bleed. Thoughts without action are the fantasies we comfort ourselves with in a world taking advantage of our sedated will to be a voice for change and revolution.
This is officially my very first blog. I'll have to be honest, I was a little nervous about putting my thoughts out there for everyone to view. I am looking for anyone who would like to comment on becoming a middle school teacher. My plans are to teach 7th or 8th grade Social Studies. Do you think there is still a need to teach Social Studies? My thought...more than ever! I believe it's very important for students' to understand the world around them because we are becoming more of "one" world. The United States does more now than ever with other countries.
I am currently a second year college student working towards my Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education. I'd love to hear from anyone who has any advice for me. What do you wish someone had told you before becoming a teacher? What is the best part about being a teacher? What is the worst part?
For one of my assignment’s I was asked to create a blog about my class and if I would use “blogging” in my classroom. I’ve heard that student’s tend to be a little more honest when asked to write something online. This could be a bad thing, but I think I would actually enjoy reading comments by my students. This would be perfect for those who don’t like to speak up in class, but at the same time I could get them to share their feelings about a subject.
For example, if we are learning about China I would ask them to blog each other on what they’ve learned about China and their thoughts. I think I could get a real sense of how the students feel about the subject matter. I could treat it like a discussion board students complete for online courses.
Erika ****
WST 3015
March 15, 2005
Media Representations of Women: Substance Versus Image
Since the early 1980's, a growing number of the population has become disgusted with the portrayal of women as sex objects for the male scope. While there exist a great number of feminists groups as well as non-profit organizations actively pursuing equality in the media, a look at the five United States-based, transnational corporations now dominating the media realm on a global scale is needed in order to establish where the heart of our media problem lies. Unfortunately, these five corporations are in charge of producing images which are absorbed around the world, leading to a homogenization of thoughts, images and desires of people. According to FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting), these five corporations are listed as AOL Time-Warner, whose 1997 sales alone grossed over $24 billion, Disney who grossed $22 billion, Bertelsmann, which is worth $15 billion, Viacom, worth $13 billion, and finally Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, which came in last with a net worth of $11 billion (McChesney). In 2004, Forbes magazine presented information explaining that "over one-third of the forty richest Americans generated the bulk of their income through media or media-related industries" (Data on media ownership). With billions of dollars and global domination of the media sphere at stake, these corporations fervently pursue endeavors that will put them ahead of the game so to speak, specifically though their programs, movies and media that will grab the most viewers and make them want to "veg out" on their couch, in front of the television for that particular show of which they cannot seem to get enough. With out overusing a cliché, it is public knowledge that sex sells (Katz). Using this information to their advantage, television executives have successfully manipulated the evolution of television sitcoms and commercials to suit their overwhelming desire to make money.
A closer look at the corporations will show that the Chief Executive Officers and most of the other top-executives guiding the various trends global citizens receive are white males. Having men with the character of Michael Eisner, Thomas Middelhoff, or Jerry Levin and Robert Pittman as the Chief Executive Officers of the major media corporation pulls everything produced under these men into question (Gross). Not only is this true for the behind-the-scenes operations, but for their productions as well. There are varying representations of women throughout the spectrum of vast media. For example, while Americans of color make up 21% of the population under age 18, only 14% are represented on television. With a 1999 poll of children ages 8 to 18 showing that television and non-interactive media make up the largest portion of media usage in the life of an average boy or girl, these discrepancies between representations of races become amplified and noticeable (www.girlsinc.com/ic/).
In advertising and anything remotely related to the global marketplace, women are beginning to dominate in astonishing numbers. A “2002 survey reported that while 60% of agency-account services executives are female, the creative staff averages only 35% female” (Barletta). This is a surprisingly positive amount when compared to the fact that only two companies in the Fortune 500 have women as their Chief-Executive-Officers and the fact that the report for 2004 showed “that the presence of women varied from as high as 50 percent at the Scholastic Corporation to nonexistent at seven--or 12 percent--of the 57 companies.” The article went to present information which indicated that corporations such as McGraw-Hill, Fox Entertainment and the advertising giants Omnicom and Grey Global Group had no women in any executive positions (Gibbons). More at the forefront of the advertising realm are the advertisements themselves which present a similar case. For example, only 25% of voice-overs that can be heard for commercials are from women. At the same time, 28% of female models in television commercials had comments made about their looks which compared to a substantially lower percentage of males with only 7% having comments made about their looks (Gibbons). This directly contributes to the notion of looks being more important and concentrated on for females than for males in an aspect of overall attractiveness to potential significant others. It also suggests that the number of females in advertisements does not accurately represent the growing number of women as advertisement executives, proving that the media representation of women in this case is skewed by perspective of the importance of substance (hard-working, money-making executives) versus the desire for image (to be an attractive object on a billboard for all eyes to see).
Obvious misrepresentations of women in the media are often seen in the music and television industries. Those female musicians and entertainers which frequently “sell their sex” through exploitation of their body and lyrics - or on television through their lines, presenting an affirmative sexual desire are welcomed into the public sphere more than those with irregular body types or those who have a positive message to convey. With television shows like “Americas Top Model” and “The O.C.” dominating the ratings scales, and the average American model being "5'11" tall and weighing 117 pounds,” statistics have shown that an astonishing 42% of elementary school students between the 1st and 3rd grades want to be thinner and that 80% of children who are ten years old are afraid of being fat (Katz). Rather than accepting the detrimental affects their sexual exploits and lyrics have on youth, artists such as Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears deny responsibility for any effect they may have had (Maxim). In a more positive light, there are artists which write from a distinct standpoint of independence and feminist values, using their work to make points and help worthy causes. For example, musicians Ani Difranco and Paula Cole are both known for their feminist views and are known the world over for their contribution to domestic violence programs and women’s shelters around the United States through the organization of Lillith Fair, a music affair touring in over 40 cities co-founded by fellow musician Sarah McLachlan (Biography). Overall, the vast number of females represented on television and in music is a narrow scope obsessed with the female models’ body type and the sex they are advertising rather than the benevolent acts of humanity they bestow upon those less fortunate.
In conclusion, the major media conglomerates, with their billions of dollars at stake, are competing for control of the media realm through the use of misrepresentation of women in advertising, music, and television, using sex and beauty as their tools and the fact that sex sells as their only constant. The benevolent statistics on raising numbers of advertising executives, and actions completed by musicians and artists attempting to make a difference are by far outweighed by malevolent advertisements, and the bodies of beautiful women looking to make money without taking responsibility or admitting the detrimental affect their careers are having towards the overall representation of our gender.
1,150 words
Cited Works:
McChesney, Robert. The Global Media Giants: We Are The world. FAIR, November/December, 1997. (http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1406)Katz, Nikki. Sex Sells - Using Sex in Advertising. 2005.
(http://www.womensissues.about.com/cs/bodyimage/a/aasexsells.htm)
Gross, Daniel. The Louse in the Mouse House: Why Disney's Michael Eisner should be fired.
(http://www.slate.msn.com/id/2069052)
Barletta, Marty. Womens Marketplace Is Clear In Every Area. Road & Travel Magazine, 2003.
(http://www.roadandtravel.com/newsworthy/newsandviews04/womeninmarketplace.htm)
Gibbons, Sheila. Inequities Persist For Women In Media. Womens ENews, Inc. 2004.
Other Sources for Further Reading:
Leonie Connellan. Women In Advertising. Ovature Magazine. 2000. (www.ovature.cafeprogressive.com/opinion.htm)
Industry Statistics on Women In The Media. (
What is The GW & M project? 2002-2004 Girls, Women + Media Project http://www.mediaandwomen.org)
Data on media ownership (http://www1.medialiteracy.com/stats_democracy.jsp)
(http://www.girlsinc.com/ic/page.php?id=1) - Inspiring All Girls to Be Strong, Smart, Bold - Girlsinc.Org Katz, Nikki. Body Image Statistics. 2005.(http://womensissues.about.com/cs/bodyimage/a/bodyimagestats.htm)
Biography. Ani Difranco. (http://www.righteousbabe.com/ani/bio.asp)
Maxim Magazine. Interview with Christina Aguilera. Issue #61.
(http://www.maximonline.com/girls_of_maxim/html/girl_959.html)
I did a search for it on the internet and posted the link here.
You know I have probably heard that song.......but didn't remember it till a friend of mine from chat started singing it to me this morning when she asked me what I had planned today. Driving two hours to Amarillo, after the kids where packaged on to the bus for school.
So anyway I went to my orthodontist apt. for my TMJ ........finally.........just took me 2-3 years to finally have decent insurance. Thankfully the orthodonist in office gives all first apts free of charge and evaluated my jaw........yaya.........it isn't that bad. Yes, my right side of my jaw hurts constantly because it is taking the burden from the left joint. All caused from to tight of jaw muscles and the continual stress of clenching and grinding my teeth while sleeping. Got the lecture of destress your life..........and how dentist understands that life is stressful........promptly informed him my main stress factor as of last week is finally gone from life as soon as I pay the final portion of the medical bill associated with the "Bitch" and the spawn of the "Bitch". He said good........informed me that I am not a canadate for braces to help releive TMJ.........yaya cause I didn't want braces.....besides a bit of yellowish stains from smoking for the last 16 years and drinking coffee the last 5 years my teethers are really straight and nice looking. Also informed me that I could get away with what is called splint therapy. It is like a sleeping mouth gaurd which didn't work for me the first go around.....but instead of being on the top teeth it would be on the bottom.........clear and I would wear it all the time......eventually weaning off of it after my jaw relaxed to only having to sleep with it.
To get the promper fit unlike the top sleeping mouth gaurd my old dentist tried............I would need a xrays of my mouth to obtain proper fit.........plus he wants to see how bad the disc is on my left side to see if we would have to consider a more proactive treatement on top of the splint therapy. I said great! How much does it cost? My insurance only pays 50%. It is def cheaper then what the TMJ specialtist in Omaha wanted. He wanted 15 hundred up front just for xrays and the cast and evaluation! This evaluation cost me nothing and the xrays and records and such will cost me 375 up front not covered under insurnace. Down side is the casting, making, and fitting of the splint will cost 2025 bucks, which they require either one payment of 1095 up front or two payments of 547.50 .....one up front and one in two weeks time at the fitting of the splint. Informed them yes lots cheaper but still not going to be able to pay for it............until tax return. they said no problem.......here is some exersies, a slush ice pack receipe, and pick up a cheap dental mouth gaurd you see on the comercials and fit it to your mouth for sleeping in the mean time. Luckly my insurance will pick up the other thou!
After basically getting told it isn't that bad and splint therapy isn't that bad and after about 3-6 months of check ins down to Amarillo once I get that going at tax time.........when they start weaning me off I can stay in my town's sat office for the rest of the check ups.........Randy and I hit Barnes and Nobles.....
I think I had an orgasm as soon as I walked in the store! I was tingly the whole time I swear! You see the only book store in my area is in Liberal .....a Hastings........I have NEVER liked Hastings........either their music sections suck or their book sections sucks........the one in Liberal the book section sucks.........well the kiddie section and the Bible thumper sections rock.......but everything else sucks.
Randy had to force me to the check out because he knows I can blow his entire paycheck on books and actually READ them! So what did I get?:D
I added to my Spiritual Studies.........I won't read it right away still making my way through the Catholic Study Bible with my mother: I did this already with her once when she was my dayum CCD teacher but my sister as my mom says is no fun arguing with on points of reference and such.........she is one of these wannabe devout catholic that believes in everything that is said in the bible if her priest says it........where my mom is a devout catholic who knows the bible is fictional and has good and bad parts and written by man!
Anyway I got The Holy Qur'an: Arabic Text with English Translation and Commentary by Maulana Muhammad Ali. It is the 2002 edition. Very pretty book to boot! Green hardcover with silvery gold lettering on front. The pages are like the bible pages......very thin and fragil with gold edges:D
This will be promptly added to my bible section............I think I will put it next to the King James Bible:D See some eyes pop open and jaws drop with some of the folks around here when they walk in my house:D
And then I got:
Volume I of A History of Women: From Ancient Goddesses to Christian Saints by Historians: Georges Duby, Michelle Perrot as General Editors Pauline Schmitt Pantel editor...Arhur Goldhammer Translator
Off The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press Cambridge MASS London ENgland:D
This is a series of 5 books about the Hisotry of Women:D
And then I got :D Since I was all orgasmic and all:D
The Complete Kama Sutra: The First Unabridged Modern Translation of the Classic Indian Text Translated by Alain DAnie'lou
AND
The Kama Sutra deck: 50 ways to Love your Lover
I have never read any Kama Sutra book and I made sure to get one with out the illistrations. I want to read it like it was meant to be read first.......then I will go get me one suggested in the book and the deck that shows illistrations:D
The deck is cause by GODS I am NOT going to let MY marriage get stale. It gives ya ideas out of the second book of the Kama Sutra......no illistrations just advice from the book for you and your partner to start out with and go from there with:D
I also got some light Smut Reading: Hey if the hubby gets to "read" play boy and exotic stories why can't I?:P
Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
AND
The Witch and the Warrior by Karyn Monk
Oh and Hubby got:
Diesel Power Mag and Black Belt Mag. The Black Belt Mag is actually for the whole family but shhhhh I think it was hubby's way of hinting at wanting some training and sparring equipment at the house:D
Then we went to one of the most advertised porn shops in Amarillo (hey no kids for the day........your dayum straight we are going to take advantage of that!) I came out with some new pleasure balls, a new porn dvd for the both of us, a couple of mags for my truck...........the first one Says Hey I Lost my Dayum Support Mag! and the other one says Support BadGirls and we are going to try the nipple nibbler cream:D
Came home, checked on the kids at the Y, did a lil something something back at the house while waiting for the kids to be done swimming at the Y........went and took the kids and hubby for ice cream......came home and started watching Lara Craft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life
Yes Amarillo By Morning was a good song and day for that matter:D
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