Understanding The Power of Human Action

"WHAT I WANT TO DO TOMORROW IS MAKE POSSIBLE WHAT APPEARS IMPOSSIBLE TODAY"

"TOMORROW HAS BEGUN TODAY"

The Power of Human Work

Today was a unique class for all of us. We had a 30-yr old student share his story of battling stage 4 testicular cancer and choosing to continue his goal of competing in an Iron Man Triathlon. Later we discussed his story and how impactful it was... my students said... you hear stories like this but when you discover that person is sitting next to you in your class and is part of your community, it changes everything. I understand what they mean, but asked them, why do we have to KNOW the person in order for their story to mean something to us. Why is it only powerful when we have some familiarity with that individual?

I think the answer is, most of us don't have a sense of The Human Community that we are all a part of. Everyone not in our daily lives is considered a stranger with no connection or ties to us. Their suffering or joy does not reach us through empathy. We are separated, disassociated and they are other.

We need to find ways to make this not so. As educators we need to build community in our classrooms, so that our students have at least one place they can be human and have a feeling of connection, compassion and empathy. If this is the only thing we are able to teach our students, then we have done our job.

Linking biography with history...

I was doing a review in class today and I realized how we can always continuously connect things that are going on in our lives to Sociology 101. We were in class and I was thinking about the best way to distinguish between "problem-posing" and "problem-solving." I was thinking and thinking...then it came to me an example I had just experienced a couple days ago.

I was walking to my car with friends and we saw a homeless man nearby. My friend gave him 5 dollars for food the next morning. We then drove down the street and I saw another homeless man, and then down the next street and another homeless man. I thought to myself, that if I gave this one man 5 dollars, why isn't it that I dont give this next man 5 dollars, and so on. Evenmoreso, then I would have to come back the next day to give 5 dollars to them all over again because they would need money for the next meal. Then Dr. Choi talked about the idea of charity. Then it clicked...if I give this homeless person 5 dollars I would be doing something good, but I would have to take it even further or else it would merely be problem solving.

In order to participate in problem-posing, I would have to not only help them but ask why they have been made poor in the first place. Then I can begin to combat the real enemy. So I used the example of Nike donating thousands and thousands of dollars to 3rd world countries, but then we are not able to link the fact that Nike also employs slave laborers. Hmm...problem-posing indeed.

I used this example in class and alot of students said that the example of poverty clicked for them. It became something concrete and real. It became something urgent and demanding of attention. It became reality.

"The mind of the child...

is where the revolution begins." Immortal Technique

As I have been fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to be a TA in an environment conducive to critical thought and creativity, I am constantly reminded the potential of students and human beings in general to think of amazing ideas and use their "sociological imagination."

For one assignment, a student brought in a song by Immortal Technique and talked about how his music inspires him to fight against oppression and speak his mind without fear. I then thought of this quote because if someone who is barely taking sociology 101 could begin to critically think about the complexities of the world we live in, why is it that they are not given the opportunity to hash out these ideas and develop them. In essence, why have they not been able to exert their sociological imagination?

Dr. Choi always talks about how we must be child-like in our ability to be creative and think, but not be childish. So I consistenly ask myself, how can we be "child-like," because the mind of a child is truly where the revolution begins.

My Journey

I am new to this “blog” thing. I have to admit that it is fun! I agree with what Jessica said, being able to write with “freedom”—not worried about who is judging you or what basis they are judging you on… it is empowering to see what I am capable of all on my own… how “nice and intelligent” I can sound speaking from my heart and speaking without fear…

This is a concept that I have had to overcome, slowly but surely. I am on my own journey of finding my inner intellect, confidence, what have you… all my years of education I had “educators” telling me what to say and how to say it, concluding with remarks that it was not good enough, not “smart” enough, not applicable, not important, not this, not that…. And for the first time I am finding that I AM capable, that I am intelligent…

I am not only learning this from my professors or from my friends in my department, but mostly from my students… they educate me as I educate them. They inspire me as I try and inspire them.

This is a powerful concept.

Words Put Together To Bring Together

Michael Franti & Spearhead

"Hey World (Don't Give Up Version)"

Tell me why the grass was greener,
Years ago, I swear, it used to grow here,
But no more here.

Tell me why on this hill,
All the birds they used to come to fly here,
Come to die here.

Tell me why I need to know,
Sometimes I wish I didn't have to know
All you've shown me.

Hey world, what you say,
Should I stick around for another day or two?
Don't give up on me, I won't give up on you.
Just believe in me like I believe in you.

Tell me why, on the corner,
All the kids that used to come to run here,
Load their guns here.

And tell me why it's okay to kill in the name of the Gods we pray,
Tell me who said it's okay to die in the name of the lies we say,
Tell me why there's child soldiers,
Tell me why they close the borders,
Tell me how to fight disease, and
Tell me now, won't you please

The only thing I want to do
Is to be in the arms of someone who
Believes in me, like I believe in you

And I say
Hey world what you say,
Should I stick for around for another day
Hey world what you say,
Should I stick for around for another day
Hey world what you say,
Should I stick for around for another day or two?

Don't give up on me, I won't give up
And I try, try, try, try,
I try, try, try, try,
On you
Don't give up on me
And I cry, cry, cry, cry,
I cry, cry, cry, cry,
You
Just believe in me like I believe

Hey world, what you say
Hey world, what you say
Hey world, what you say
Should I stick around for another day
Hey world, what you say
Should I stick around for another day or two?

Don't give up on me, I won't give up on you
Just believe in me like I believe in you

Don't give up on me

Hey world, what you say
Hey world, what you say
Hey world, what you say
Hey world, what you say?

I Witnessed a Miracle Today

One of my more vocal students today asked me for an EXTRA class. That's right, he wanted more learning, more lecture, more information. Rather than the excitement most students express when we tell them they get one class off, he was disappointed. He asked, do you think our professor will still hold class the day before Thanksgiving if I asked him to? It took me a moment to realize that he was actually serious. I replied, sure, well, you can always ask. Truthfully, I forgot about this conversation after I dismissed my discussion group.

A few hours later my professor came into my office and said, Jessica, do you know this student, as he thrusted a printed out email toward me. I slowly admitted that yes, in fact, he was one of my students. He had sent our professor an email telling him that our class was the highlight of his week. And he did not want to miss a single minute of it. Unbelievable! Our student was asking for more school!!

My professor looked at me and said, this never happens. I agreed. Then we both decided we would be there, the day before Thanksgiving, to hold our class for any student who wanted to attend.