This project takes a look at diversity in the SLA community. The project takes the form of a podcast/radio show which allows for different individuals to talk about how diversity effects them on a personal level.

Here is my fourth quarter benchmark about Globalization in the Philadelphia and Greater Philadelphia area community.

http://www.slideshare.net/j.thomm/globalization-a-look-through-the-community

NO PICTURE....

Unfortunately I was told at the polling place that I was not allowed to take pictures. I deciced to go to a new polling place this year out in suburbia and the energy was completely different than that of 2008. During the presidential election people were excited. People were laughing and people were so excited to have their vote count. During this year's election day people seemed very unenthusiatic about what their vote meant. I suppose I could assume the differences I experienced were due to not only the different environments but also because I think the people in the suburbs were not too happy about how las election day turned out. I think many people are still in shock and some what disheartened by the fact that their is such a "liberal democratic" influence in Washington these days. 

Jasmine Thomas
Modern Educational Theory
10/6/09

I want and need to preface this “position paper” with a few thoughts.
Thought 1: The ideas and opinions that are found in these pages should lie within all classrooms.
Thought 2: The fact that I am a seventeen year old enrolled in a class called Modern Educational theory and have been asked to write about my vision of school should not be my reality.
My reality and the reality of my peers should lie in the realm of organic expression of the self. This idea of school that I have been asked to write about should not only welcome but also expect for young minds to express themselves in ways that are rational, irrational, traditional, and progressive.

I suppose as I write this paper I will convey ideas that seem ultra liberal and progressive but in reality they are ideas and ideals that support teaching the whole student. The idea of caring for a student as an individual first and student second allows for a student to feel as though they are valued not for their academic ability but their true existence in a community. In order for a community to cater to the individual being of both student and teacher both parties must understand that a relationship that embodies reciprocity in terms of trust, responsibility, collaboration, and encouragement is needed. The purpose of these ideals that I speak of allows for an individual to interact in a community and in a larger sense teaches a person how to communicate in the “world”.

As far as I can tell I have not mentioned how this school I speak of would look like. It has not been mentioned because when it truly comes down to it students don’t need to walk the halls of buildings. Students need to walk through these ideas and be able to empower themselves with them in order to understand that life and the real purpose of school should be to teach one that the individual is a student of life.  
This idea of school that I speak about teaches to the student. This idea empowers and challenges the ideas of the individuals of a community. What purpose would such a school serve? This idea of school is not producing doctors, policemen, or nutritionist but something more. This idea of school, that I have really only scratched the surface of, serves to shape and enlighten individuals. Discovering a passion and parts of the self both are an essential aspects of “my vision”.

If these ideals and ideas that I so strongly believe found their way into the pedagogical practices of every educator then maybe, just maybe school would be regarded as a safe place to revel in the struggles and successes of life. Maybe, just maybe students would walk away feeling deeply connected and empowered by a community that viewed them as essential.

U.S Congress House Bill

H.R 1024 Uniting American Families Act of 2009 

This bill discusses how to help emliminate discrimination with immigration laws. 

The most recent action that pretains to this bill happened during the middle of March. The bill was referred to the subcommittee. 

I think this bill will die because of what it adressses. It is a bill that hopes to eliminate discrimination with the immigration processs and right now in our country immigration seems to be a hot and heavy issue. I think the reason the bill has not gone anywhere since March. 

PA Bill 

H.B. 1540 

This bill discusses how students who are home schooled can participate in clubs/organizations/ and sports that their loca schools provide. Schools seems to be on the spectrum of either allowing students to participate or turning them down. 

When I first read this bill I thought that the bill could possibly go somewhere and then I realized that it did not seem that important. I think one of the most important things right now in terms of education is budget and if it is not dealing with that it is being overlooked. I could be wrong but I do believe that there is some importance in this bill. I believe the importance is the social growth of the students. 

City Bill 090326

This bill goes into detail about making the city of Philadelphia green, if not the greenest city in America. 

Although this is a hot topic right now the city of Philadelphia seems to be in a financial turmoil and in my opinion other bills will trump this one.

9/28 Progress 

There has been no progress with my bills. I believe my bills are moving at the rate they are due to how trivial they seem in comparison to other aspects of the country, state, and city. Although I do not agree with how elected officials choose to address each bill I believe some guidelines or rules should be set in place for the movement of a bill. In my opinion if there was a guideline or rule that said "All bills must be reviewed, and moved or vetoed in a 3 month period" I feel as though citizens would not be on the edge of their seats waiting. There also may be a system such as this already set in place and if there is do people actually know about it? 

10/6 

There has been no progress on any of the three bills. 

The content area of these bills are all very different. One deals with education, one deals with environmentalism, and the last one deals with immigration. I think one similarity is that these aspects of our society don't seem to be as important as other ones due to the economic crisis our country is in. Maybe if these bills were proposed a few years ago or a few years from now my bill tracking process would look a lot different. 

10/12

There is no recent action on any of my bills. 

I choose to focus on local lesgislation. A simple statement is that the city of Philadelphia is simply trying to get their budget in order. Without the budget being intact it will be hard for any things to happen in the city of Philadelphia. 

10/19 

There is no recent action on any of my bills. If I could choose any bill to pick that would get passed I think I would choose my bill that is at the national level which is in regards to education. I believe immigration is such an important aspect of our country. It is an aspect that is also very, very postive but it seems to be seen as something that usurps the American people of fullinf being able to experience being American. 

10/26 

There is no recent action on any of my bills. 

11/23

There is no action on my national bill that addresses immigration

There is no action on the city bill. 

There is no action on the state bill. 

Reflection: 

The senate voted on Saturday to begin a full blown debate about the health care issue. The health care plan has a projected 31 billion citizens who would be covered under this plan. From the looks of things it seems as though this bill is progresses and could possibly be fully passed. Seeing as health care is such a hot topic right now in the White house. 

Jasmine Thomas
Water Stream
5/15/09
Sources

Hurston , Zora N. The Complete Stories . New York : Harper Perennial Modern Classics , 2008. 73-86.

"Policy 102 ." The School District of Philadelphia . Aug. 2004. 15 Jan. 2009 <http://webgui.phila.k12.pa.us/offices/e/educationalequity/programs--services/policy-102>.

Perrotti , Jeff , and Kim Westheimer . When the Drama Club Is Not Enough: Lessons from the safe schools programs for gay and lesbian students . Boston : Beacon Press , 2001. 106 -8.

The chapter in this book lays out a strategic plan of how LGBTQ awareness and inclusion is being done in schools around the country. The school environments starts to address the issues of diversity in lifestyles at an early age and explains the progress that many students had made. Allowing for students to talk openly about the issues of sexual and gender diversity allows for the kids thinking to be pushed to levels that are rarely acknowledged.

Campos , David . Understanding Gay and Lesbian Youth: Lessons for straight school teacers, counselors, and administrators . Lanham , MD: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers Inc, 2005. 28 -31.

This book gives lessons and overviews on how to better understand LGBTQ students in the educational setting. The book touches on a wide range of topics such developing support to refuting the myths of LGBTQ people. Campos is able to convey the messages that not only affect LBGTQ students but heterosexual students as well.
The research and statistics on LGBTQ youth are accompanied with explanations as to how those statistics came to be statistics.

Jasmine Thomas
Water Steam
11/ 5/2008

Dear President Elect Barack Obama, I want to first start out by saying congratulations on your winning the American presidency as the first African America.  Your win as proven that America as moved passed the idea of race. Sadly, I'm not one to shout out "Yes We Can" due to my belief in the power the Republican Party. As a young Republican I need to know what direction you plan to take this country in and that includes the Republicans. I'm writing this letter in response to Ralph Nader's open letter that was addressed to you. I want to get to the point of why I'm so intrigued by what you plan to do for the Republican people. This is why.

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