Author: kbillyboy

Hist 2480

Tracy Penny Light

November 20, 2017

Reading Analysis- Week 12

In film there has always been this continuous problem that seems to never stop. This is how women are portrayed in films. The issue has changed over time, but not matter what it has been an issue. Why is this?

The issue started with how the women could only be a wife at home who does the cooking or cleaning etc. Then it changed to how women were portrayed sexually. And it change again and many more times. With each change, something was brought up to the public’s attention that people felt the way these women were portrayed was wrong and it was giving off a negative message for all women watching it. Even when people made films to embrace women’s power there was some sort of negative context with it. For instance the main character may embrace her power and show that she is equal to man, but there could be a second character who still shows the stereotypes that were seen as negative in the first place still sending out this message that isn’t good. It’s wrong there are several movies that do this and in all of them there is a woman that is looked up to and then there is the woman that isn’t as liked. Now usually the message put out there in these is that the women who like to go beyond her boundaries is wrong for doing so and should therefore not be liked. This means that the woman character should not change as the way society feels women of that time should have the right to do. Why is this? It’s wrong and sets a wrong image for all people who are viewing this.

There is also the problem, when women do the same wrong that a man does the woman is hated for it and the man that did it is overlooked because the focus is on the woman that made him to do it. For instance cheating, in one film the man cheats but isn’t hated for it because the focus changes to the crazy mistress who tries to wreck his family. Whereas in another movie the woman cheats and she is hated because it ruins the family. So why is it that the man and woman don’t receive the same punishment from the audience? Could it be because the film industry is most ran by men and they are constantly trying to make men look better than women? Possibly, but it seems wrong. And if it is seen as a problem when will more people speak up to make it so this stops? Hopefully it’s soon so women all the time can be seen as equal to men.

Bibliography

Thomas, E., “Punishing Unfaithful Wives and Working Mothers: Messages of Postfeminism in
Contemporary Film,” in Ruggiero, A., Media Depictions of Brides, Wives and Mothers, New York: Lexington Books, 2012: 77-90.

Fairclough-Isaacs, K.,”Mature Meryl and Hot Helen: Hollywood, Gossip and the ‘Appropriately’ Ageing Actress,” in Whelelan and Gwynne (Eds.), Ageing, Popular Culture, and Contemporary Feminism, 2014: 140-155.

Hist 3510

Tracy Penny Light

Nov 19th, 2017

Reading Analysis- Week 11

As school and the education system have changed drastically but why is that? Who realized that what people are teaching, had its faults and needed to change to be more acceptable. Well it’s never really been said, but it is believed a group of people decide what the kids at school should retain. These people relay this information in a pamphlet that explains what needs to be taught, but they weren’t all the same at first.

It seemed as the way of creating a curriculum wasn’t always for all the schools to teach. For instance, in the private schools of the Kootenays in BC, they felt that the curriculum wasn’t suitable for their children. This was because the people there felt that their children needed to explore their learning by being themselves, and being more connected with the land. This was done by teaching them how to garden and other things that involved outside activities. In some way this could be good as some students may not have the access to things like these, but it can also be negative as the time for learning things that the government feels are important is lessened. Although one should feel that sometimes change of scenery is good for the brain, but is it always good. This could be why many were opposed to this way of learning, as to why people choose not to send their children to the school. On the other hand those who sent their children to these schools that expressed this way of learning were in great favour of it. So does this seem the right way of learning, and who has the right to say it’s not.

Next way of learning that was observed was when the schools accepted the curriculum. They used this pamphlet like it was a guide to life. Many teacher followed it to every point. Now why was this, and was this the correct way of learning? Possibly.  But there was also the teacher that didn’t follow this way of teaching exactly. They felt children should explore the way of learning in the way they want to. This helps creativity and expands each child’s mind in their own way. Now many may think that teacher who taught this way were ahead of their time and knew way too much, but really should have been listened to as they are part of the reason education is the way it is today.

It seems as time after time there has always been this curriculum placed in the schools that teaches should follow. Eventually it became mandatory for everyone to teach and learn this way. This was because the government wanted the schools to all be at the same level, making it easy for children if they had to move schools. This is much like the way the education system is today. But is this always the right way. It has been stated that the curriculum is a very strict way of learning. Where children must do certain things within a time period. This doesn’t always seem right as not everyone is the same. So should the curriculum stay? Is everyone in agreement of it, or could there be a better way of learning?

Years after year there is a curriculum put in the schools, but is this the way of learning? Who’s to say that a certain group of people that make the curriculum have the right way of thinking? As it was shown in the articles there are many diverse schools out there that are suitable for their way of living and learning. So is one way of learning for the whole country suitable? Personally I don’t think so, each community is different and should be able to learn differently to their accommodation. Yes maybe some things should be the same throughout the country’s schools but not everything. Diversity is a big part of Canada and should be expressed in the schools as well. Therefore curriculum can be necessary but not in all ways that are very strict. Everyone is different and should be able to learn differently as well. Diversity should be embraced by all especially those learning in school.

Bibliography

Wien, Carol Anne and Curt Dudley-Marling. “Limited Vision: The Ontario Curriculum and Outcomes-Based Learning.” in Sara Burke and Patrice Milewski (Eds.), Schooling in Transition: Readings in the Canadian History of Education, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2012: 400-412.

Gorham, Deborah. “The Ottawa New School and Educational Dissent in Ontario in the Hall- Dennis Era.”Historical Studies in Education 21, no.2 (Fall 2009): 104-122.

Janovicek, Nancy, “‘The community school literally takes place in the community’: Alternative Education in the Historical Studies in Education, 24, 1 (Spring 2012): 150-169.

Marker, Michael. “‘It Was Two Different Times of the Day, But in the Same Place’: Coast Salish High School Experience in the 1970s.” BC Studies 144 (Winter 2004/05): 91-113.

Hist 2480

Tracy Penny Light

November 14, 2017

Reading Analysis Week 11

Many years ago it used to be people were born and labeled a sex and that is what they had to be. But many people weren’t happy with who they were, therefore making it so they wanted to change the sex they were as technology and knowledge grew it made it so people could be whatever sex they wanted to be. But just because the option was there didn’t make it as easy as it seems for those who wanted to change. This was because the judgement of this change was there and it had a major negative impact on those who wanted to change making it so these people were still unhappy. But as time passed people were taught that people shouldn’t judge difference and they should be more accepting of change because change can be good.

With change over time, and the more acceptance it made it so those who were famous felt comfortable enough, like Caitlyn Jenner to make the transgender change. Although there was still some judgement out there, but most of it was positive feedback. This was proof that this world has progressed in acceptance of difference, but was it only because she was famous? There has been more and more people that are famous feel the need to express themselves differently by becoming transgender and announcing publicly. But has this done any good for those who are not famous.

Has there only been this change in acceptance because of the famous people that came out? What has this done for those transgender people who aren’t famous? With this announcement it may have made more people realize they shouldn’t judge those who announce they are different, no one is born feeling that way it’s just who they are. But does it really need to be announced why can’t society just accept people for who they want to be why do they have to be ladled as male or female or transgender. Also does it matter if people announce what sexuality they are. Why does all this have to be ladled. When will this stop mattering? Labels should be eliminated and those people should embrace who they are by living a happy life with no explanation. Yes, famous people may have made progress for those who want to identify as someone they are not born as, but there will always be that judgement. This is because each generation is raised differently, but with each one there is more and more acceptance. Hopefully in time no one will need to feel that they are different, whether this be with the help of famous people or just with people changing the way they think. But those who feel different should embrace who they are and this will eventually be seen as normal if it starts with the people seeing themselves as normal.

Bibliography

Roen, K., “‘Either/Or’ and ‘Both/Neither’: Discursive Tensions in Transgender Politics,” Signs, 27, 2 (2001): 501-522

Lovelock, M., “Call me Caitlyn: Making and Making Over the ‘Authentic’ Transgender Body in Anglo- American Popular Culture,” Journal of Gender Studies, 2016: 1-13.

Hist3510

Tracy Penny Light

November 12, 2017

Reading Analysis Week 10

It seems that through time the education system stays the same in some way. It almost as if the system has kept the same idea but change it only slightly year after year. This idea is that some topics are seen as important and others less important. Those subjects that as more important are studied more frequently, whereas the others are only studied every so often. Which makes senses , but one can question who decides these topics are needed to be know? Students and parents think that the subjects are important but is that because they are taught to think that, possibly!

The system seems to follow the structure that when kids start school it is easy as they are just starting to grow their brains and it eventually gets harder. This makes sense but is this the right structure for every child as everyone is different in their own way. In addition to this everyone retains different information so doesn’t this make all schools different in a way being as teacher can’t all teach the same way. This can easily impact the way students think, from what they are being told to what they are seeing, with words being just as big as an impact as actions are. It is interesting to see that people view the education system as similar.

With looking at different stories of people’s education, one can draw many similar themes. Things like how kids study English, math and social studies as those are important. But things like art and music and others that require using the other side of your brain become optional. This is what it seems to be like in most schools. But there are also the difference from generation to generation. Things like the punishment for being bad, also the support that is given when going into higher grades, as well as what is seen as important. These things not only vary from each generation, but also each school and surrounding in the time.

So with there being so many similarities it shows how that way of thinking is tradition. It shows how this has always been vital in success as school systems see it. But it can also show progress as students may be learning the same but racial and gender issues change and also teaching techniques change influencing the way students think. From this people can lean tradition is good to some point but change and progression is also good. As some things can stay the same but some things need to be different every once in awhile.

 

Bibliography

Axelrod, Paul. “Beyond the Progressive Education Debate: A Profile of Toronto Schooling in the 1950s,” Historical Studies in Education 17, no.2 (Spring 2005): 227-241.

Heyking, Amy von. “Selling Progressive Education to Albertans, 1935-1953,” in Sara Burke and Patrice Milewski (Eds.), Schooling in Transition: Readings in the Canadian History of Education, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2012: 340- 354.

Stamp, Robert M. “Growing Up Progressive? Part I: Going to Elementary School in 1940s Ontario.” Historical Studies in Education vol. 17, no. 1 (Spring 2005): 187-98.

Stamp, Robert M. “Growing Up Progressive? Part II : Going to High School in 1950s Ontario.” Historical Studies in Education vol. 17, no. 2 (Fall 2005): 321-31.

Sutherland, Neil. “The Triumph of ‘Formalism’: Elementary Schooling in Vancouver from the 1920s to the 1960s,” in Sara Burke and Patrice Milewski (Eds.), Schooling in Transition: Readings in the Canadian History of Education, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2012: 375-397.