Linda Christensen: TA Reading Assignment

Talking Points

                There are many things in this reading that I have found very interesting but the most important one to me is when the writer, Linda Christensen discusses how her students felt while realizing the certain roles of colored people, poor, fat, ugly, and the uneducated are depicted. She discusses how a cartoon can portray a certain class and rank someone based on stereotype and what the children see on TV. In one passage, Linda Christensen states, “ I agree with her because there should be more women of color who play the leads in these white-on-white wedding cake tales.”(pg6) I agree with her because only recently have they started making Disney Princess movies that star a Princess of color and showing a whole new view of the spectrum. I believe that what she is trying to get across has been overlooked by many and should be discussed everywhere. Because not only are stereotypes unjust, they are also misleading.

10 Quick Ways to Analyze Children’s Books for racism and Sexism

                After reading this, I had a discussion with my step father and I asked him to read it so we can have a discussion with it and debate. It turned out that we didn’t disagree with one another and we both agree with what the writer had to say. Especially when they discussed tokenism. How one race is depicted to this very limited image.  Not only did we discuss these issues, we also looked through children’s books to see if any of these issues occurred and it has. Asians, blacks, Hispanics, all viewed in a certain way. They all had a certain look that categorized them into their race. And that is why my step father and I both agree with what the writers have to say. Because besides talking about it, we also tested out what they had said. We also didn’t do this with one book, but we did it with several. Just to make sure what the author said was just. But that’s what my stepfather and I had to discuss after reading this 10 quick easy steps to analyze children books for racism and sexism.

Taking Multicultural, Anti-Racist Education Seriously

In the passage it asks the writer, Enid Lee, “Teachers have limited money to buy new

materials. How can they begin to incorporate a multicultural education even if they

don’t have a lot of money?” What I don’t understand is how this question relates to the

topic. If the teacher wanted to make a change in the classroom and make it more cultural,

 money should not be an issue. Changing a class shouldn’t even involve money. It should

include effort and persistence from the teacher and students. Everything else, I have come

to an agreement with but this one particular part, it just boggles my mind. I still haven’t

come to an understanding on how this question remotely relates to a subject such as this.

I believe that a more proper question that they should be asking is how the School

District and the Super Intendent can help raise awareness in a multicultural classroom.