We all talked about Shaw and what was wrong with it, but none of us including myself said what we would or could do to change things at Shaw. Do we think our voices aren't loud enough? Personally i wouldn't know where to begin, i guess by giving back, but how? Greenfield has planted the teaching seed in my brain, and ultimatly it is my decision, but i see his means to the madness. We have to put more teachers (great teachers) in the class rooms, to produce these successful people we talked about, and make sure they too contribute. I am strongly considering teaching,as well as counseling, why because of a couple of great teachers at shaw.
I just want to take the time to comment on the poem "WINNER vs. LOSERS" author unknown. I am drawn to it because, it's @ me! All of my adult life and much of my youth, i was always out there getting involved, being a part of an issue. My first political stance was for the Wilmington 10! I knew very little about it but felt it was something I needed to be a part of. In doing so, I learned that I was important, I was a winner by visualizing an answer to an issue. You see, as the author writes, "a winner is always apart of the answer." And that's were I like to be, in the center of things, on the winning side. Though, difficult at times,accepting who you are and why you do What You Do, makes you a winner!
As future sociologists, we are suppose to not be judgemental and not say phrases like "nobody, anybody, everybody, or I". I am having a hard time with this. When it comes to society, I am part of it so how do you not make issues personal? It's been part of casual conversations and a way of life for so long so how do you stop saying them? It's like changing mindsets where do you begin when it's you?
I'd like to respond to your post. I am NOT saying that one cannot reference one's own experiences as evidence of some aspect of social phenomena. Indeed, personal accounts offer important information and insight, and I certainly welcome those perspectives. I am simply arguing that our experience ALONE cannot be sufficient for understanding the complexity of social life. (And... just because we believe it does not automatically mean that it's true.) For example, just because one kid from a gang-infested neighborhood and terrible school system manages to become a doctor does not mean that the social problems that affect tons of other kids are not present. We look at patterns of behavior.
It is difficult for many students to adopt what Mills calls the "sociological imagination" (the ability to look beyond the individual and see the impact of larger social forces), as we are trained in American to think mostly about individual factors. Keep working at it.
Also, the "nobody" and "everybody" words are usually pointless, as very few things in life are true for absolutely everybody or nobody. Be more specific -- i.e. "more men than women," or "the majority of teenagers," "etc.
Naziedre it is and was hard for me to stop saying "i" and they, all, i catch myself saying "some" people..... we don't realize we are classifying everyone in one group. I think we all get caught up in our personal issues, our own stories and hardships, that we forget the real issue. I think i have gotten better about saying "i" and "all" i slip up, but i understand what Prof. G is trying to get us to see. Perfect example, one i hate, "all women are golddiggers" or "you know how women are" all women are not golddiggers, and no i don't know how women are, i can only account for what i do. That is just an example.
Crystal yeah we always talk about how bad shaw is and how we want let our children go here to be honest im one to admit i wouldnt let my child go to shaw...why... i havent found many teachers who teach here who i could honestly say they care about the students...i'm a senior now and can only count on one hand the teachers that i actually learned from and thats bad...i would like to see the institution (shaw) become more organized and like someone said in class it starts from the top the head man in charge(president)...ect...(i got to put little one to sleep will be bck)
Yes, I would agree that we do always talk about how bad Shaw is. Someone in the class talked about maybe if we talked about all the good things around Shaw then maybe that would get our voices heard more. Shaw is on a decline and I really feel like HBCU's are needed in America. We read that article talking about how HBCU's aren't needed. I feel like they are because some students want to experience the college life with students just like them. All in all, I think HBCU's are good for society. It's especially for those students who maybe don't have the grades to go to some of the top schools, they can apply to HBCU's and get in and get a college degree.
I think that shaw has given many kids who would of never gotten a degree going to any other college a chance. Shaw is like any other promblem in life instead of talking bout do something about it because talking bout isn't going 2 change much of anyyhing. I appreciate shaw for giving me a chance to prove that anything is possiable. Shaw is what you make and is still know to alot of people as a great instituion of higher learning . Instead of everyone complaining about it ask your self what can I as a indivusaul do to make this a better place
I agree with you Keisha. I think HBCU's are needed also. I've heard some black people say that they don't want to come to HBCU's because black people don't know how to act. I just think that it's vital to be around people that are just like you. You can learn so much from one another although you may not have faced the same struggles. I mean yes Shaw could be more organized but you can't blame all institutions on what the other has done. We just need HBCU's around because that is something that we can call our own.
Totally agree with all of you about Shaw and HBCU's in general. However they need a comeback. I think that Shaw need to upgrade. That'll be one vital area where they can get positive feedback. Shaw is the oldest HBCU around and I am a little embarrassed to bring others on campus when they ask to come and look around. I think they want to see progress however it's not too much to see. what they will see are some dedicated students and a few hardworking teachers along with an old campus. We have to take care of ours and have a sense of pride. That will be one way to gain back repsect for Shaw and other HBCU's.
Some say image is everything,if that is true yes we need to have sense of pride about our school, we chose to go here, so why not support it. I had on my shaw scully and a man in the grocery store said"nice hat" i puffed up a little,because it was a positive recognition. I do have to say Ms. Daniels yes some black folk do not know how to act, i have seen some of the most horrible acts by some of the students at shaw.In the computer lab, there is absolutely no respect,cursing,laughing, music playing, but if someone would inforce the rules that are written all over the walls, they wouldnt be so quick to act negatively. I think the student's should be held accountable, and i wonder did they act like this at home, and do they think it is cute,to loud talk a teacher,curse each other out,and lord knows if their parents knew that they came all the way to college to act like pure fools they would kill them, i know, i am a parent. Anyway good topic.
Dr. Greenfield, to comment on what u said, although our experiences mostly shape what we see and how we see, but the things that we learn also have to do with the way we comprehend things. Just like you said, even though a kid may be in so very compromising situations from the neighborhood to the school he is in, if he's continuously taught he can be anything, like a doctor. But some of the social problems that this kid may have faced and got through, other kids may not be so lucky. Some people can't halp what happens around them, but it's the ones that beleive there is life on the other side of that fence that become something. There's always an except to the "RULE".
We talk about shaw and the changing needed. I feel the student needed to voice their idea more and the affect of shaw. The professor need to be more open minded.I feel that rules are need and the student fall to pay attention to them they treat this school like trash but if the school looks like trash is that how u what to treat it.
We all talked about Shaw and what was wrong with it, but none of us including myself said what we would or could do to change things at Shaw. Do we think our voices aren't loud enough? Personally i wouldn't know where to begin, i guess by giving back, but how? Greenfield has planted the teaching seed in my brain, and ultimatly it is my decision, but i see his means to the madness. We have to put more teachers (great teachers) in the class rooms, to produce these successful people we talked about, and make sure they too contribute. I am strongly considering teaching,as well as counseling, why because of a couple of great teachers at shaw.
ReplyDeleteI just want to take the time to comment on the poem "WINNER vs. LOSERS" author unknown. I am drawn to it because, it's @ me! All of my adult life and much of my youth, i was always out there getting involved, being a part of an issue. My first political stance was for the Wilmington 10! I knew very little about it but felt it was something I needed to be a part of. In doing so, I learned that I was important, I was a winner by visualizing an answer to an issue. You see, as the author writes, "a winner is always apart of the answer." And that's were I like to be, in the center of things, on the winning side. Though, difficult at times,accepting who you are and why you do What You Do, makes you a winner!
ReplyDeleteAs future sociologists, we are suppose to not be judgemental and not say phrases like "nobody, anybody, everybody, or I". I am having a hard time with this. When it comes to society, I am part of it so how do you not make issues personal? It's been part of casual conversations and a way of life for so long so how do you stop saying them? It's like changing mindsets where do you begin when it's you?
ReplyDeleteMs. Khan-Goldsmith (and everyone else) --
ReplyDeleteI'd like to respond to your post. I am NOT saying that one cannot reference one's own experiences as evidence of some aspect of social phenomena. Indeed, personal accounts offer important information and insight, and I certainly welcome those perspectives. I am simply arguing that our experience ALONE cannot be sufficient for understanding the complexity of social life. (And... just because we believe it does not automatically mean that it's true.) For example, just because one kid from a gang-infested neighborhood and terrible school system manages to become a doctor does not mean that the social problems that affect tons of other kids are not present. We look at patterns of behavior.
It is difficult for many students to adopt what Mills calls the "sociological imagination" (the ability to look beyond the individual and see the impact of larger social forces), as we are trained in American to think mostly about individual factors. Keep working at it.
Also, the "nobody" and "everybody" words are usually pointless, as very few things in life are true for absolutely everybody or nobody. Be more specific -- i.e. "more men than women," or "the majority of teenagers," "etc.
Hope this helps.
Naziedre it is and was hard for me to stop saying "i" and they, all, i catch myself saying "some" people..... we don't realize we are classifying everyone in one group. I think we all get caught up in our personal issues, our own stories and hardships, that we forget the real issue. I think i have gotten better about saying "i" and "all" i slip up, but i understand what Prof. G is trying to get us to see. Perfect example, one i hate, "all women are golddiggers" or "you know how women are" all women are not golddiggers, and no i don't know how women are, i can only account for what i do. That is just an example.
ReplyDeleteCrystal yeah we always talk about how bad shaw is and how we want let our children go here to be honest im one to admit i wouldnt let my child go to shaw...why... i havent found many teachers who teach here who i could honestly say they care about the students...i'm a senior now and can only count on one hand the teachers that i actually learned from and thats bad...i would like to see the institution (shaw) become more organized and like someone said in class it starts from the top the head man in charge(president)...ect...(i got to put little one to sleep will be bck)
ReplyDeleteYes, I would agree that we do always talk about how bad Shaw is. Someone in the class talked about maybe if we talked about all the good things around Shaw then maybe that would get our voices heard more. Shaw is on a decline and I really feel like HBCU's are needed in America. We read that article talking about how HBCU's aren't needed. I feel like they are because some students want to experience the college life with students just like them. All in all, I think HBCU's are good for society. It's especially for those students who maybe don't have the grades to go to some of the top schools, they can apply to HBCU's and get in and get a college degree.
ReplyDeleteI think that shaw has given many kids who would of never gotten a degree going to any other college a chance. Shaw is like any other promblem in life instead of talking bout do something about it because talking bout isn't going 2 change much of anyyhing. I appreciate shaw for giving me a chance to prove that anything is possiable. Shaw is what you make and is still know to alot of people as a great instituion of higher learning . Instead of everyone complaining about it ask your self what can I as a indivusaul do to make this a better place
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Keisha. I think HBCU's are needed also. I've heard some black people say that they don't want to come to HBCU's because black people don't know how to act. I just think that it's vital to be around people that are just like you. You can learn so much from one another although you may not have faced the same struggles. I mean yes Shaw could be more organized but you can't blame all institutions on what the other has done. We just need HBCU's around because that is something that we can call our own.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with all of you about Shaw and HBCU's in general. However they need a comeback. I think that Shaw need to upgrade. That'll be one vital area where they can get positive feedback. Shaw is the oldest HBCU around and I am a little embarrassed to bring others on campus when they ask to come and look around. I think they want to see progress however it's not too much to see. what they will see are some dedicated students and a few hardworking teachers along with an old campus. We have to take care of ours and have a sense of pride. That will be one way to gain back repsect for Shaw and other HBCU's.
ReplyDeleteSome say image is everything,if that is true yes we need to have sense of pride about our school, we chose to go here, so why not support it. I had on my shaw scully and a man in the grocery store said"nice hat" i puffed up a little,because it was a positive recognition. I do have to say Ms. Daniels yes some black folk do not know how to act, i have seen some of the most horrible acts by some of the students at shaw.In the computer lab, there is absolutely no respect,cursing,laughing, music playing, but if someone would inforce the rules that are written all over the walls, they wouldnt be so quick to act negatively. I think the student's should be held accountable, and i wonder did they act like this at home, and do they think it is cute,to loud talk a teacher,curse each other out,and lord knows if their parents knew that they came all the way to college to act like pure fools they would kill them, i know, i am a parent. Anyway good topic.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDr. Greenfield, to comment on what u said, although our experiences mostly shape what we see and how we see, but the things that we learn also have to do with the way we comprehend things. Just like you said, even though a kid may be in so very compromising situations from the neighborhood to the school he is in, if he's continuously taught he can be anything, like a doctor. But some of the social problems that this kid may have faced and got through, other kids may not be so lucky. Some people can't halp what happens around them, but it's the ones that beleive there is life on the other side of that fence that become something. There's always an except to the "RULE".
ReplyDeleteWe talk about shaw and the changing needed. I feel the student needed to voice their idea more and the affect of shaw. The professor need to be more open minded.I feel that rules are need and the student fall to pay attention to them they treat this school like trash but if the school looks like trash is that how u what to treat it.
ReplyDelete