Blog posts must be 200-400 words, proofread, and void of common grammatical errors.
Your blog posts are due before the start of class next week.
Please email albreaks@ku.edu if you have any questions!
Your blog posts are due before the start of class next week.
Please email albreaks@ku.edu if you have any questions!
I thought the IQ activity was very interesting and revealing. Questions that may have obvious answers in certain cultures may be very unclear to populations of other societies. When my partner and I completed the IQ test, there were some questions that we were very confident that we answered correctly that ended up being completely incorrect. Our intuitions were not always on point because we did not have all of the background knowledge of that culture, and we were not familiar with the ways of thinking in that society. I think that activity related very well to Alternative Breaks because we will be meeting people with different life experiences than us. Therefore, we need to understand that some of the people we encounter may have different viewpoints or outlooks on life based on these experiences. Acting as guests in these communities, we should keep an open mind and not be quick to judge others by comparing them to our own standards of what is “right”. The case studies discussions also emphasized in my mind that even people who are in the same age range and who attend the same university can have very different notions of right and wrong. Within the smaller group discussions, it was apparent that there was a variety of opinions and stereotypes that may have been offensive to others simply based on differences in life experiences and moral beliefs. I think this is applicable to our Alternative Break trips because we definitely do not want to alienate the people we meet in any way, even though we may encounter people who think differently than we do.
ReplyDeleteWhen my partner and I first read over the questions on the IQ test there were only a few that we were answers for, the others were completely foreign to us. Feeling a little distraught we reminded ourselves that probably the people in Australia would know these questions, but obviously we wouldn’t. Then once we looked at the answers to the ones we were confident with, they were not the correct answers, and by luck we had a few of the other questions correct. In all I think that this test was part of the class to show us how different we may think and understand questions than people in different cultures. Therefore, when meeting people from different places, especially places known to have a different type of culture we must step back and try to see their viewpoints. This ties into the point that has been made in each of our classes that we must present ourselves as humble and also willing to learn when entering into different communities during our alternative breaks.
ReplyDeleteWith each case study the idea of exclusion or inclusion was present. I read the article about the Boy Scouts and their struggle to allow gay members or not. Like in many situations they were in a “Catch 22”, not wanting to upset those who believe these members should not be allowed to participate and also not offending those who will be excluded or the people opposed to the exclusion. When talking in groups, many believed that all should be included, but some brought up that Boy Scouts is a private organization and should be allowed to do as they please. For me, I believe that this activity was not about whether people believed that Boy Scouts should allow homosexuals or not. I believe it is more about realizing there are many different beliefs and opinions and when going on these breaks it’s important to realize this, and set aside personal beliefs in hope of not offending others who do not have the same set of beliefs.
I found the IQ activity very interesting. Taking a look at our “Chitling IQ Test,” my partner and I realized we had no idea what the majority of the questions were asking. With questions such as a “What is a handkerchief head?” and “How much does a short dog cost?” we were happy to guess 3 out of the 15. Looking up the test online, I found that this test was designed in 1968 to highlight the cultural differences between African Americans and Whites. The test brought into perspective the cultural differences that exist in the US and how different the knowledge and viewpoints of other people may be.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the case studies emphasized the sorts of issues currently going on in this world and the different viewpoints of my peers on these subjects. While the majority of students agreed in their opinions on the Boy Scouts article, there was a lot more controversy about the KU professor’s Twit, which illustrated how different the beliefs of others, even of those participating in a group with similar objectives, could be.
Both of these activities helped me to be better prepared to go to our Alternative Break site. Working with seniors, who have grown up in a different generation in which equality was a much bigger struggle, it is important to understand that I might have very different notions of right and wrong and have contrasting beliefs to those I am serving. Despite this, it is important to be aware and respectful of these differences.
-Alexandra Akhunova
The IQ test was something I had done before. My group went through the Australian IQ test, which proved to be extremely difficult for us. Majority of the questions didn't make sense to us, and neither did the answers. When we went through the correct answers we tried to make sense of why they were correct, but couldn't. I believe the activity highlighted how different societies and cultures view and value intelligence. An IQ test in the United States today would be very different, emphasizing reading, writing, comprehensive, and analytical skills. How different cultures and peoples value intelligence will be important to keep in mind while on our alternative breaks. The kids that I’ll be working with will have a different level of intelligence, but that’s not to say that they’re unintelligent. I have to realize that the intelligence that they have is what’s most practical and useful in their society, but also that they will have much to teach me. With different skills and knowledge, we’ll both be able to teach and learn from each other.
ReplyDeleteThe case study that I had was about the KU professor and his tweet. In my group, we discussed how he was exercising his freedom of speech, but he failed to see how his speech would affect his coworkers, students, and the university that he works for. When I go on my break, I’ll have to be cautious and aware of everything that I say and do. I don’t want to offend anyone or cause grief to those I’ll be working with or with my group members. I’ll be representing myself, the alternative breaks program, as well as KU.
The IQ activity just reiterated that we cannot use our way of thinking to help others. We must use their way of thinking. Some of those questions on the IQ tests our culture had no idea how to answer just like other cultures would not be able to answer all the questions if we put out an IQ test. When we are going on our alternative breaks we need to take this into consideration that we are all different. We must try to understand whom we are helping and actually listen to them. We must ask them how they would like us to help, During my alternative break, all the kids I will work with will not have had the same upbringing that I did. Just like I think differently because I was brought up in a certain way, they will think differently too. I need to try and understand their way of thinking in order to help them.
ReplyDeleteThe case studies also made me think about how judgmental people are when they are not used to a culture. When I read my article about ability for the disabled, I got very angry. Since non-disabled people do not try and understand the way of life of the disabled they are not treated properly. They are trying to care for these disabled people with how they think they should be cared for. Since they do not understand they want to just push them out into the community with no guidance. They are not thriving in the community because we have not given them the resources too. On my alternative breaks, I need to remember I am working with children not adults. I need to stay patient and try to understand their way of life and how they like to do things.
By the time my group got around to the IQ test a good chuck of us were gone. There were 5 out of the 7 of us still there and one was just getting up to leave. We really didn’t get to go through and really think about the IQ test, but it did show me something rather interesting about my group. As a site leader I am always looking at the group dynamics, making sure everyone is participating and happy. What I noticed though from the group task was that my group was working together rather well. I thought it was interesting that as the weeks progress the attitudes of some of the participants haven’t necessarily changed, but opened up. I bring this up because the IQ Activity brought out a competitive side for one of my group members. Watching her motivate the group and having everyone trying to focus on what we thought were the right answers was once again bringing the group together, laughing and joking, but at the same time solely focused on trying to find the answers to these test that we have no idea. It also was funny as a group because we were all sure that we had somehow cracked this international barrier but we were nowhere close, most of us knew it, but it was fun trying and watching one of our group members get so competitive. I don’t know how it necessarily relates to our break yet, but getting to know my group better and breaking down barriers between us will only help each other prepare for our break. The Case Studies discussions we had were really interesting. I think the main thing they were teaching us, as a whole was to really be careful and to be aware of the world, especially the people you are interacting with. I saw a group of college students who obviously have their own opinions speak on controversial topics and trying not to offend anyone. I think in both activities really got me, personally, thinking about the people I interact with on a daily basis, and a non-daily basis, and how I need to be aware of how I am presenting myself. These activities made me critically think, and I think that’s the most important thing that they can help me, by aiding me in learning and thinking critically all of the time.
ReplyDeleteThe IQ activity was different. I liked how it showed how different cultures relate things and how they could answer certain questions differently depending on how they were raised. However, I did not think it was quite accurate to call it an IQ test. Despite this, I understand the purpose of the activity. After my partner and I answered the questions knowing we were right 100%, it was shocking and very opening to us. I realized that even in a simple test, depending on your culture, your answer could be different. Applying it to our break is very similar. We need to realize if the people we come into contact with disagree, they are not wrong; they simply have a different perspective on things, and we need to acknowledge and accept that.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Case Studies, I read the article over David Guth and his controversial tweet. Because I am a journalism student, I knew this story from both sides already. So, discussing it with other students allowed me to bring in outside information that was not discussed in the article. Despite this, the point of talking about the article is realizing who we represent while we are on our breaks. Also, we need to realize because this story was published and shown nationwide, it portrayed an image of the University that was not a positive one. Therefore, if people have that same image of us, we need to either avoid the topic and/or try our best to change that person’s view of us and other KU students. At all times, we have to be aware of what we say, what we post on social media, and who we are representing while we are on our breaks.
The case study I chose dealt with the concern of a newer term, “ableism”, which our group took to mean the same as racism, but against those with disabilities. The piece of the article that stood out most to me was the fact that those most commonly accused of being “ableists” were those individuals that probably had the children’s best interest at heart. The parents of children with disabilities and the school paras who worked with these children could be the most debilitating to the children. This was due, claimed the article, to the efforts of these parents and teachers to mold the child and their disabilities to fit into an able bodied world. The article mentioned how the programs and activities geared toward correcting the disability could interfere with the child’s capacity to learn along with the other children in the classroom. Examples included trying to teach a child with vision disabilities braille and a deaf child sign language. For me, the purpose of the article was to try and challenge the idea of able-bodied as the being the normal standard. This will be an important idea to keep in mind as our group travels to Huntsville to volunteer with CASA. We will be spending a small amount of time with some of the residents of the CASA facility. During that time, it will be important to ALWAYS look at the individual, not the disability. It’s easy to look at someone and only see the exterior in the present time; but these people lived full, exciting, adventurous lives and are continuing to live them. Their experiences made them who they are, not the disabilities they now face.
ReplyDeleteThe IQ test was a great exercise to consider the type of cultures we have even within the US. My partner and I took the American/Australian IQ test and only missed one of the thirteen questions. When we were able to compare with the rest of our group, we realized that we definitely had the easy way out. Another pair had a lot of difficulty with a test that we assumed to be a southern slang and culture test, but we were still very unsure of even that. Someone familiar with the lingo used in that test would have flown through the questions without fail, while we were only taking stabs in the dark. We will definitely encounter foreign experiences during our breaks, and it will be important to keep an open mind when those experiences are presented to us.
-Morgan Klug
The reading of case studies at the beginning of class was an activity that I greatly appreciated. The sensitive issues we discussed were about the boundaries between an individual’s (or organization’s) values and the rights of an individual. The article I discussed in-depth was about the Boy Scouts of America’s exclusion policy of homosexual members and troop leaders. My group widely agreed that sexual identity is not a reason to exclude anyone from such an organization, but the reasons for the belief varied. Some wanted the Boy Scouts to change the values they preach to LGBTQ-friendly ones, while others wanted the Boy Scouts to become more secular in their decisions. The other articles sparked more controversy, especially regarding the extremist tweet of the KU journalism professor in regards to gun rights. The majority of my group members decided that he had a right to tweet the message and to retain his job after it, but the message could have been shared in a much more professional manner. These articles made me consider what the best approach is to speaking out for a value or a population, and how I can advocate for the children I meet on my Alternative Break like others speak out for the LGBTQ, disabled, and other disadvantaged populations.
ReplyDeleteMy partner and I took the Chitling IQ test. The questions were impossible to understand, and without knowledge of the vocabulary I barely answered any of the questions correctly. I noticed that my partner and I finished several minutes after my group members who had taken different tests. Although the tests were designed to exploit cultural differences, I got an understanding of how cultural differences affect abilities we assume to be a result of intelligence but are actually of upbringing. At Epworth Child and Family Services, where I will be attending my Alternative Break, I will have to be conscious of the differences that a very average college student has from an inner city St. Louis child. There may not be a language barrier, but a dialect barrier could significantly impair communications, and when providing tutoring it is of the utmost importance to speak in an understandable manner. One way that I could avoid this difference is by relying on pictures and examples to explain myself rather than a manner of language that the people we will be serving may not have much exposure to. The IQ test helped me to gain a valuable perspective on the gaps our group needs to bridge to provide the best service at Epworth this winter.
-Abby Schletzbaum
I really enjoyed the discussions we had over the three case studies; I thought they provoked meaningful discussion through providing us with cases that were in no way black and white. Even among our group of six whom I perceived to have similar stances on many of the issues as a whole, had varying outlooks on different elements of each case. The case I studied was the one about the Boy Scouts and their exclusion policy of those in the LGBTQ community. The article, being outdated by about a year, failed to recognize that the organization narrowed their policy to apply only to leaders rather than members. Although the general consensus of the group was that this policy was unjustly discriminatory, there were people who brought up points that may be reasons for the Boy Scouts to not eliminate the ban altogether. One point was that the Boy Scouts is a Christian-founded organization and, from a conservative standpoint, the idea of non-traditional sexuality is immoral. Another person brought up the point that parents may also have a large impact on the decisions of the organization. In the end, though, we came to an agreement that the Boy Scouts were changing with societal pressure and would continue to do so.
ReplyDeleteBy the time we got to the IQ test, there was not much time left in the class and so my partner and I did not get all the way through it; however, from the small amount that we did get done, we were reminded once again of how different culture thought vastly different from one another.
The activities from the last class were reminiscent, in a way, of Ivan Illich’s, “To Hell With Good Intentions.” Both the case studies and the IQ test served as reminders that without cultural sensitivity and knowledge, good intentions were useless. I think it’s very important to go into our sites with open minds, ready to learn about the culture and understanding that it may be vastly different despite being in the United States.
Sam Eastes
The IQ activity was very interesting and provided more insight on norms in other cultures. When we were presented with the IQ test we did not know a lot of the background information that was well known in that culture. We had great difficulty completing the test and realized that people's viewpoints can be very different based on their location and experiences. The new understanding I have on other cultures and backgrounds will help me be more open and understanding towards others during my alternative break.
ReplyDeleteFor the case study discussion, I received the article about the Boy Scouts and the controversy as to allowing homosexuals to be involved in that organization. This was very eye opening to me because I did not realize how many people were unaware about the realities of homosexuals, such as how they are just like other people and many times more interesting and impacting. I feel by reading this study and discussing it made me realize that people who understand the truth of an issue should become an advocate for that issue and help spread awareness. I will attempt to learn all sides to the problem and become an advocate for the issue presented in my Humane Borders Alternative Break.
Lizzie Cox