Thursday, October 8, 2009

Week 8

Conquest Era

The Conquest Era is the time period of Latin America which began around 1492 and ended 1572-1580 (depending on your sources).  It was a time period of exploration and the conquest of lands in the Caribbean, Central and South America and Mexico with the primary purpose of increasing wealth and power for the European backers of these explorations.

While researching general information of this time period, I was drawn to the articles and videos of this ancient and often mislabeled people, the Moors.


The Moors, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
The Turning Point in World Power
  
In 711 AD, Islamic forces invaded Spain and began a new era of Spanish power, where for more than 700 years, most of Spain was ruled by Muslims.



Although modern Spanish history books have stereotyped Spanish Muslims, or Moors, as treacherous and blood thirsty, archeological evidence suggests that although there was fierce battles which occurred during the Arab invasion, most of the Spanish Visigoths welcomed the Arabs for their intellectual curiosity and for their ability to provide protection. This vibrant Arab culture valued education for all and stressed that "with knowledge, you can become what you want to be in the future" (video.google).  People converted to the Muslim faith because the culture offered wealth, social structure and intellectual power.  The Arabs brought with them expert artisans and woodcarvers along with a great sense of aesthetic beauty to their new homeland.  During the next 700 years, the Moors built impressive cities, developed a legal system, built up massive libraries, advanced science, mathematics and medicine and created universities.  Through trade and agriculture, they developed a wealthy, prosperous, and advanced civilization.  The Moors embraced scientific and mathematical learning and knowledge from other countries including the ancient Greeks.  During this period, the Moors were performing medical operations that wouldn't be seen in western civilization for another 400 years.  Archeologists have uncovered Arabic translations of ancient texts including the Bible and works from Aristotle.


The Moors development and use of the 9th century astrolabe, allowed precise navigational calculations through measurements taken of the sun, moon and stars.  This development allowed for accurate navigation from the night sky and furthered the push for exploration and also advanced sea travel, which set the stage for worldwide sea exploration and discoveries.

Muslim Spain had a great influence on the surrounding countries and cultures.  The language of chemistry and alchemy was developed from the Arabic languages along with the development of scientific and mathematical concepts such as algorithms and algebra.  Up until this time period, written representation of numbers was with the use of Roman Numerals and the Moors introduced the use of Arabic numbers (which are considerably similar to our current number system).  Oxford University in England was founded upon knowledge gained from Islamic Spain's city of Toledo, which served as the capital city of Visigothic Spain and was considered to be the intellectual hub of the country.

The turning point in this time period began in 1492 when world power shifted from the influence of the Muslim Moors to the Catholic monarchs.  King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella captured the Muslim city of Granada and drove out Islamic Spain.  The monarchs created regulations preventing Jews and Muslims from obtaining positions of power within the government.  The Inquisition was reinstated which was a state-controlled tribunal that enforced Catholicism throughout Spain.  The monarchs were obsessed with religious and cultural uniformity throughout the land and exiled those Jews and Muslims who refused to convert to Catholicism as a form of ethnic cleansing.  Many aristocratic Spanish families altered their family trees to intentionally remove any trace of Muslim heritage from their written past.  The stereotypical image of the brutal and barbaric Moor was more likely Catholic propaganda than truth as an attempt by the new Spanish monarchs to eradicate the influence of the Moors from Spain.

Modern Spanish history books continue to present this obsession with religious and cultural uniformity through negative stereotypes, which minimize or exclude Muslim influence and rule during this time period to create an illusion toward Catholic ideologies.

Around the same time King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella take control over Granada, Christopher Columbus unsuccessfully attempts to gain financial backing from Portugal for his expedition to explore eastern Asia by sailing west.  In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella agree to finance Columbus' expedition in an effort to challenge trade and exploration away from Portugal.


Resources
All of the on-line resources provided references for the information provided in their articles or I was able to confirm the information with an additional source.
Beck, Sanderson. Spnish Conquest 1492-1580.  http://www.san.beck.org/11-2-SpanishConquest.html


Christopher Columbus - Explorers, Pioneers, and Frontiersmen, 1451-1506.
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1033.html


King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella Spain. Kwintessential.

Muslim Spain;  The Reconquest;  The Catholic Monarchs;  The Discovery of America. "Si Spain".  http://www.sispain.org/english/history/index.html

Solsten, Eric and Sandra W. Meditz, editors. The Golden Age:  Ferdinand and Isabella. Spain: A country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress. 1988.  http://countrystudies.us/spain/7.htm

Video.google.com. When the Moors Ruled in Europe.



Part 2 - Classmates Review of Week 6

Beatriz researched the Aztecs who were wanderers and lived during the 14th through the 16th centuries.  They were conquered by Hernandez Cortez.


Brandon researched the Mayan civilization.  He learned that they used a slash and burn type of preparation for farming to clear the rainforest for farming. The soil is quite infertile and all nutrients were depleted within a few years.


Candace studied the Aztec civilization and that the translation for the Aztec city of Teotihuacan means "city where men become gods".


Jamison also studied the Aztec civilization and wrote how the Valley of Mexico was the center of the Aztec civilization.  He indicated that  Teotihuacan was the capital of the Aztec Triple Alliance.


Kathy researched the Guarani and wrote how they are related culturally to the Tupi but distinguished from them by their use of the Guarani language. She wrote how there are two official languages of Paraguay; Spanish and Guarani and that children in Paraguay are required to speak, read and write in both languages.


Michael researched the Mayan and wrote how they are known for having the only fully developed written language of Pre-Colombian Americas.


Nancy researched the Olmec civilization and indicated it was the oldest Pre-Colombian civilization and was a precursor to other Pre-Colombian civilizations.


Robert also researched the Aztec civilization and found that the original language of the Aztecs was Nahuatl (pronounced Nahua) and the influence of their culture and language spread as far north as the Yellowstone River and as far south as Panama.  


Shannon wrote about the Inca civilization.  The Inca's did not have a written language but still managed to create a huge empire.  They were able to achieve this through the use of quipus which were strings with knots tied in them in a certain pattern to denote something. However, after the Spanish conquered the Inca the knowledge of how to read/interpret these quipus disappeared and to this day the meaning behind the knots still remain a mystery.


Stacy wrote about the sophistication of the Mayan civilization and that in spite of their intellect and advancement, they had rituals and practices of human sacrifice.  They practiced human sacrifice in the belief this would sustain the sun and would also offer a human sacrifice in a hideous ritual where the person's heart would be cut out of the living sacrifice and offered to the priest who would anoint the faces of the Mayan idols with the blood of the sacrificed person. (Reminds me of the 2nd Indian Jones movie.)
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Saturday, September 26, 2009

Week 6

Pre-Colombian Summary

The Pre-Colombian era is the time period in the Americas before the indigenous cultures were conquered or influenced by European settlers or explorers.  This time period is divided into three major time frames.  The age of experimentation from 15500 BC to 300 Ad is called the Pre-Classic period, followed by the Classic period from 300 AD to 900 AD, and finally, the Post Classical period from 900 to 1492 AD.  The Post Classical period showed an increase in population and technological developments along with frequent wars.

 
Sources
Wikipedia


Olmec Civilization of Ancient Mexico


I have always been fascinated with many of the indigenous tribes of Latin America and I enjoyed viewing all of the youtube videos.  While I was viewing some of the various groups, I noticed on the side bar, a video titled "The Truth:  The Olmec Civilization" and with curiosity, I clicked on the link.  Apparently, there are many Mesoamerican historians who believe the Olmec people were NOT originally from Africa and disregard much of the physical evidence suggesting that this group of people were descendants from West Africa who sailed and immigrated to the Americas.  Based upon my readings, there is fierce controversy regarding the orgins of the Olmec civilization.  My curiosity led me to explore other video clips and print articles on the Olmecs.


There are many interesting aspects of this indigenous civilization.  Beginning in 1862, large stone heads, some weighing as much as 30 tons and measuring over 7' tall, and other artifacts were being discovered in Mexico.  These artifacts indicated there was an ancient civilization with culture, art, writing, pyramids, technology and a complex social structure that existed long before the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas.  These Olmec settlements were located on the Western edge of the Gulf of Mexico.  There were five major settlements:  San Lorenzo, Laguna de los Cerros, Tres Zapotes, Portrero Nuevo and the capital of the Olmec civilization in LaVenta.  These settlements were major ceremonial and administrative centers placed strategically for trade and conquest. San Lorenzo and LaVenta were located near controlled flood planes, rich estuaries and near sources of cacao, rubber and salt.  Little is known about the Olmec, but scientists believe this civilization developed before 1200 BC and declined around 400 BC and many historians call the Olmecs one of the earliest and greatest civilizations in Mesoamerica (Aztec-History).



This indigenous civilization is known for its carved gigantic stone heads.  Only 17 heads have ever been found and may speculate that the heads may be portraits of ancient rulers or athletes.  The most interesting and mysterious fact about these heads is that the stone used in the sculptures is not indigenous to the region of the settlements.  Many of the stones used in the carvings were collected from far away places and brought back to their cities and ceremonial sights.  The Olmecs used basalt or volcanic rock for the carving of thes colossal pieces and the closest source was from volcanic mountains over 100 miles away through dense jungles and across rivers.  In the video series from the BBC Prime - "Secrets of the Ancients - Olmec Heads", the scientific team was unsuccessful in their attempt to move a 12 ton stone from its mountain source over land and water using ancient Olmec technology.  To date, it is unknown how the Olmecs transported these massive stones to their cities.



The Olmecs adopted an ancient form of Mande script, which was first used by the Mande speaking tribes in North Africa.  Additionally, they developed two calendars that ran side by side in a 52-year cycle (Weber).  They had a 260-day ritual calendar and a 360-day secular calendar, called the long calendar, which was later "improved" by the Mayan civilization.  This calendar required the use of a zero as a placeholder and the Olmecs are considered one of the first civilizations to use the number zero.

I believe that one of the most important things to know about the Olmec civilization is that they had a tremendous influence on the surrounding populations and future civilizations.  They carved wood, stone, jade and volcanic rock.  Similar types of sculptures have been found in the central Mexico-Aztec region.   The layout of their cities would be copied by future societies.  Scientists found an Olmec rubber ball and uncovered a ball court that was believed to be for the purpose of the ritual ball game that was adopted by future civilizations.  The Olmecs traded with far away people and ate a variety of foods.  They practiced a complex religious system with temple mounds, symbolic animals (the jaguar), had many gods and performed human sacrifice.  The Mayans and the Aztecs adopted these religious, spiritual and ritualistic practices into their culture.  In spite of the controversy regarding the origins of this civilization, the Olmecs continued to have a huge influence on civilizations and cultures long after their decline.

Video Sources
BBC Prime - Secrets of the Ancients. "Olmec Heads"

Boyle, Joshua; Drori, Alon; Valenzuela, Jackie.   "The Olmec Civilization"

"The Olmec-Ancient Mexico - America's First Civilization"


"Olmec Writing"


"The Truth:  The Olmec Civilization"

On-Line Print Sources
Aztec-History.com "The Ancient Olmec Civilization"
http://www.aztec-history.com/olmec-civilization.html 


Weber, George. "Olmec Civilization (Vera Cruz & Tobasco, Mexico)" February 2007.
http://www.andaman.org/BOOK/chapter54/text-Olmec/text-Olmec.htm 

Photo Sources - On-Line

Olmec City and Pyramid 
http://floydsancientwonders.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html



Olmec Civilization Map
Olmec Writing
Olmec Calendar

Weber, George. "Olmec Civilization (Vera Cruz & Tobasco, Mexico)" February 2007
http://www.andaman.org/BOOK/chapter54/text-Olmec/text-Olmec.htm

Olmec Stone Head
Aztec-History.com "The Ancient Olmec Civilization"
http://www.aztec-history.com/olmec-civilization.html






Review of Class Work from Week 5

Alyssa's favorite artist was the sculpture by Fernando Botero (La Mano).  She especially liked the way the hand was sculpted.

Julisa was attracted to Laura Hernandez's work, specifically a sculpture called "Man Element Water 1997".  Hernancez paints with oils, Cochinilla - Papelmat on canvas and watercolors.


Kathy saw one sculpture from the Sculpture Garden that caught her interest that displayed the moon and stars.  In spite of her searching, she was unable to locate the artist.  (I also enjoyed this piece and could not find the artist.)


Kelsey believes that Latin American art is very imaginative and religious.


Logan wrote about the sculpture titled "War-Giro" which represents the visual struggle of duality, which is a common theme in Cuban art.


Michael wrote that "Cuban art was used by the Castro regime as a political tool to spread socialism.  When Russia cut off funding, local art turned into an enterprising for-profit adventure."  -Thanks!  I didn't know that!


Nancy enjoyed the painting "Exodo" by painter Arnold Belkin.  She felt that "the darkness of the lines as well as the expression on the couple's faces seem to depict worry or concern.  It all works together to create a very emotional scene."


Robert found Guillermo Bert's work visually appealing.


Shannon also enjoyed viewing "Exodo" by Arnold Belkin.  It reminded her of the murals she saw as a child growing up in the Mission District of San Francisco.


Stacy wrote that the value placed on art in Latin America countries is "opposite" that of America's culture.
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Saturday, September 19, 2009

Week 5

Part 1

MoLAA stands for Museum of Latin American Art. MoLAA is the only museum in the Western US that features contemporary Latin American art. Opened in November 1996, in Long Beach, California, MoLAA’s purpose is to educate the public on contemporary Latin American art through a rotation of a permanent collection featuring well known artists in Latin American countries who have little or no recognition in the US.

The YouTube video provided a virtual tour of the museum and showed clips from their collection of various artists and their work. The works included folk art, metal works, oils, canvas, sculptures, photography and contemporary use of other materials such as glass and electronics. Some of the paintings were traditional in style while others were more contemporary. I enjoyed viewing the sculptures displayed in their sculpture garden. Additionally, MoLAA’s gift shop sells work from Latin American artists and I especially enjoyed viewing and the Peruvian Nativity scenes. (I own one and I find the craftsmanship endearing.)

MoLAA also produces “Night’s In” events that provide a context for the art that they show. The purpose of these events is to give the people an idea of the countries from where the art comes from. These events provide music, dance and culture of the country because “art is not produced in a vacuum.” (Night in Brazil)

References
Clip 1
A virtual tour of MoLAA

Clip 2
MoLAA tour

Clip 3
Night in Brazil @ MoLAA


Spotlight on Jose M. Fors

I was attracted to Fors work, “Gelatin Silver print “Letters VI 2005”, when viewing the MoLAA virtual tour. I enjoy photography and a few years ago, I took a group of students to SF MOMA to view a photography exhibit. I especially enjoy photos utilizing gelatin silver printing techniques. Fors work displayed at MoLAA uses this processing technique.

Fors shot his first photograph in 1982 & 1983 and his first photos predominantly capture broken and old things in his artistic expression for waste. Fors doesn’t seem to have a large following which might be due to his 15 years of using a consistent themes threaded throughout his work which would explain the lack of information and examples of Fors’ work. This consistency is rare in contemporary Cuban visual art.


Fors photographic mosaics have nature as the fundamental theme. His photographs “revitalize the theme of nature in contemporary Cuban photography but also renews the place and significance of nature as an object of representation in Cuban visual art.” (Molina) Fors selects “places and relocates objects he’s going to photograph” and manipulates the image through “inversion of color and the effects of the repetition of images.” (Molina) Fors is a well known master visual artist from Cuba who specializes in contemporary mixed media and rediscovered photography as a means of artistic expression during a time when photography was beginning to be incorporated into Cuban art.

References: 
BOYCOTT Art Gallery; ©2000-2009 ARTMAJEUR.COM
http://static.scribd.com/docs/ggo6h87aufxl9.pdf
Molina, Juan Antonio. José Manuel Fors: Dry Leaves.  La Habana, 1996. Translation by Carlos Lopez Cruz and Esther Tato Borja   Part 2 - Review of Classmates Work from Week 4
Kathy wrote how it was important to know about Freire's upbringing as a child and that he fought for those oppressed in the world.  In her summary she says that Freire spent his life attempting to level the "playing field between the poor and under privileged".
Maria learned that Freire believed that everyone had a right to an education and that he did not allow anything or anyone to force him to change his beliefs.  She also learned that Freire used his experiences and his research to help educate those around him regarding social issues.
Michael thought that Freire's upbringing "shaped his concerns for poor people and became the foundation of his educational viewpoint."  Michael wrote that Freire's educational theory is based upon a philosophy that a student-teacher's role should be interactive and more democratic.  He also indicated that Freire's work "promotes and inspires liberation, dignity, and the ability to change".
Michele thought that the quote, "To speak a true word is to transform the world" spoke how Freire could "commuicate effectively to all backgrounds" as a result of his upbringing and concerns for the underprivileged and create a new way of thinking about education.
Nancy believes that we should understand that Freire's theory of education "grew out of his desire to see the oppressed under-class liberated from the oppressors in society."  She also noted that "Freire is best known for his attack on the 'banking method' of education and promotion of the 'problem-posing' method in its place" and that education needs to have an "emphasis on dialogue between the teacher and student in the learning process".
Robert - Freire embraces a non-orthodox form of teaching with the emphasis to bring justice to both the poor and oppressed through political activism.  Robert also feels that Freire was a "progressive thinking educator and humanitarian, and spent his life trying to enrich other's lives with education, consciousness, culture and freedom."  Robert has discovered another hero through his education process.
Sara wrote that Freire "knows what it means to not have resources or a strong income, and this makes getting a good education a very big challenge" and she believes "this experience is what helps Freire connect with the people he is teaching because he can relate to them."
Shannon believes Paulo Freire was a "scholar, an intellectual, a philosopher and a revolutionary".  She also noted that "praxis seems to be the core of what Paulo Freire believes - that all teaching and understanding, all words and beliefs are ultimately here for efficient action to achieve a harmonious yet diverse world."
Stacy wrote about Freire's life long work and how he demonstrates his "self made humanitarian life.  His life is a living demonstration of his own philosophies.  His diversion from the standard hierarchy and pecking order of conventional learning and teaching is both refreshing and true to human spirit.  His methods have a focus on depth, understanding, interactive learning, exploration, intelligence, challenge."  Great Sumamry!
Susan wrote that "Freire is a Brazilian philosopher who developed theories that has been used to bring literacy to poor people" and his "methods for developing literacy caused people to want to change society".











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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Week 4



Part 1

It’s quite difficult to summarize in three short paragraphs what I think are the most important things to know about Paulo Freire and his ideas.  His thoughts and writings transcended any progressive cognitive understanding for his time.  As an educator of young children, I find many of his theories and practices applicable today in the teaching of children.  I recently began reading “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” and have been blown away with the thoughts and ideas presented in this book written in 1921!!  Once I was able to wrap my humble brain around his thought process, I realized that he was able to write down reasons and developmental concepts about oppression that I instinctively felt to be true, but was unable to verbalize.  Freire’s concept of a “culture of silence” is that oppressed individuals in society loose the means to objectively and critically respond to the culture that is forced on them by the dominant culture.  Freire discusses how the oppressed and the oppressor enable the continuance of oppression and discusses, in depth, how these two sides dance together to the music of oppression.  I’ve only begun reading this book, but each page provides me with insightful moments of awareness.
Freire’s experiences deeply influenced his life’s work.  At a very early age in life, Freire had an intuitive awareness of the world around him, especially those in great need.  He experienced hunger and poverty at a young age and through this connectivity with those around him and his personal experiences, he developed an understanding of the relationship between social class and knowledge.  Freire also lived among the poor, rural families and laborers, which deepened his understanding of the effects of socio-economics on education.   This understanding led Paulo Freire to dedicate his life to pedagogy – the art of teaching and the way people learn.
With his commitment, experience and knowledge, Freire developed a contemporary educational theory consisting of eight sections:  Theory of Value, Knowledge, Human Nature, Learning, Transmission, Society, Opportunity and Consensus.  His educational theory revolves around the concept that one must value the learner as an active participant in the acquisition of knowledge.  Additionally, knowledge is a social construct, which involves all of the learner’s experiences, memories, emotions, and feelings along with the relationships with other learners.  Learning is not stagnate – it is changing and on-going.  Additionally, acquired knowledge affects one’s beliefs through discussions with other learners and critical reflection.  In this process, teachers also become the learners as they explore how their students understand the world around them with the purpose of understanding what affects the student’s learning process and how they learn.  Working with young children, I understand how important it is to learn about a child’s culture, background, socio-economic status, family structure and any other information that might provide clues to how a child interprets and understands the world around him/her.  With this information, a teacher can develop a means to allow a child the opportunity to explore, manipulate, communicate and question new concepts and ideas. 
While Freire was attempting to make socio-educational changes in his country as a progressive educator, he had an opportunity to try out his method of education in the village of Angicos, Brazil in 1963.  His experiment proved successful with 300 sugarcane sharecroppers learning to read and write in 45 days.  As a result, the government approved thousands of schools to be set up all over Brazil.  Freire’s literacy education process involves the formation of critical consciousness that allows people to question the nature of their historic and social situation whereby allowing the people to create a democratic society.  After a military coup in 1964, Freire was arrested twice and imprisoned for 70 days being a “traitor”.  Freire received political asylum and lived in Santiago, Massachusetts, and Geneva during his 16 years of political exile.  During this time, he continued to work and travel worldwide to improve education practices and create literacy reforms.   I believe the importance of this time of his life demonstrates his inability to allow authoritarian governments to dictate what he can think and what he can learn.  He challenged the assumption that schools can become tools used by “parents, businesses and the community to impose their values and beliefs” (Lyons), which leads to the oppression of the less privileged.  Freire’s entire career was based upon his “desire to provide greater opportunity for the poor and oppressed people of the world, but particularly in Brazil” (Lyons).  Freire would not allow anything, including political exile, to deter him from his objective and the world is enlightened as a result of his efforts in educational reform.


References
Bentley, Leslie. A Brief Biography of Paulo Freire. Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed. December 1999. .

Contemporary Educational Thought. Paulo Freire. Department of Teaching and Learning, School of Education, University of Miami. .

Lyons, John. Paulo Freire's Educational Theory. New Foundations. ©2001. 4 January 2008.  .

Lownd, Peter. Freire's Life and Work.



Part 2 – Review of Classmate’s Work
Beatriz – She believes that the video with President Obama relates to our class because “Many of the things that Obama addresses can also be put into use with current events that are taking place with Latin Countries. We need to find a common ground with all countries, not just Muslim countries.”

Brandon learned a lot about President Obama’s policies and aspirations from watching this video.

Candace believes that Oprah is one of the most influential people of our time.

Isabell believes that “knowledge of other cultures builds us in better people through understanding. Successful people like Oprah are always learning.”

Jamison believes that Obama’s speech relates to our class because, the United States has some sort of problem with every country in this world and the problems discussed in the video are the same with Latin American cultures.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Kathy’s blog.  I especially enjoyed reading her ending summary:   In summary, the passionate speeches given by both speakers remind us to be selfless, humble, open-minded, compassionate and to look inside ourselves to do our part to make the world a better place. One of my favorite quotes from Oprah's speech, "success is helping someone else move forward to higher ground."  Well said Kathy!!

Kim summarized Oprah’s speech to the graduates with these words:  “To share this world means what happens in one place affects the entire world.”

Paul felt energized by Oprah’s motivational speech.

Robert felt that Obama “eloquently addressed the fears of various nations and religions with viable solutions, the need for a peaceful resolution” and believes Obama “did this with wisdom and the foresight of a true leader. Most importantly, he spoke of how all nations need to work together, respect one another, and learn from each other to resolve the issues our world is now experiencing.” – Great Summary!

Shannon felt that Obama’s speech paid attention to the nuances and had great depth and spoke of his “dedication to the cause of equality for all.”
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Saturday, August 29, 2009

Week 2


 Part 1
“Out of Many, One”
          President Obama’s spoke to the Muslim World from Cairo, Egypt, in June 2009.  In his address, he spoke of the similarities between the American and Muslim people and the importance of harmony between traditions and culture.  Obama stated that “Islam is a part of America” and that we share common aspirations of helping our neighbors abroad with partnerships and through peaceful but patient perseverance.  Muslims have been a part of America’s story and have enriched the US.  The Islamic culture has contributed greatly and enriched the world with a wide variety of developments including:  the development of the order of algebra, the compass and the tools of navigation, majestic arches, poetry and music. I was unaware that the Islamic culture developed the order of algebra and navigational tools.  Additionally, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds religious tolerance and racial equality.  Obama also pointed out that Islam “carried the light of learning through many cultures by paving the way for Europe’s Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment”.  The philosophies of many of America’s founding fathers were directly influenced by the philosophers of these times and thereby incorporated into the principles of our country.

          Obama pointed out that throughout history our two cultures and nations have co-existed and cooperated in the midst of conflict from religious wars, colonialism, cold war and globalization, and as a result many Muslims tend to view the West as hostile toward the traditions of Islam.  Extremists exploit this tension.  However, President Obama said that the relationship between the two cultures can be defined by our differences, through dialogue, and by openly saying to each other “the things we hold in our hearts”.  Through listening, learning and respecting each other, we can seek common ground to form an understanding and positive relationship.  The President also endorsed human rights by stating that these rights must be supported everywhere and that governments that support these rights are generally stable, successful and secure.
          There were many uplifting and encouraging remarks made by the President.  Most centered on the theme that “we are shaped by every culture”.  I believe that this comment in the speech relates to Latin America because there are so many different Latin American cultures and traditions and they tend to overlap in many countries and societies, especially in the US, the melting pot of the world.  Just as Obama defined dialogue between America and the Muslim world, we too must define the relationships between all cultures by our differences and seek common ground through listening, learning and respect.  I believe that the importance of this type of dialogue and the relationship between all cultures is why this speech relates to interdisciplinary studies.  In spite of our differences, we must strive for peace.  As President Obama said, “The people of the world can live in peace – That must be our work here on Earth.” 


Part 2
“A Huge Success”
          Ophra Winfrey, actress, activist, TV talk show host, superstar, philanthropist, self-improvement motivational speaker and cable network producer, gave the Commencement Speech at Duke University on May 10, 2009.  In her address, she states the reason for her success is from the lessons she learned in her life.  She treats every day as a learning experience and looks at these lessons as an opportunity to grow and become a better person.  She spoke about having the ability to give back in order to contribute to someone else’s success as a road to success.  Additionally, she indicated that humility and compassion, saying kind and affirming words to those who long to hear it, and the belief in the possibility of change – in one’s self and in others will also contribute to success.  I found her statement that each person is responsible for their own happiness and for the energy they bring to everything they do in life to be profound and thought provoking.  Her television show and the decisions she makes to air a particular show based upon the energy it puts out into the world reflects this philosophy.
            In Ophra’s show, she introduces to the TV audience, individuals from all over the world who have overcome many challenging and difficult hardships.  These people share with the world how they were able to become a better person as a result of their experiences.  Oprah spoke about how she enjoys doing makeovers with people because it changes the way people feel about themselves and that they feel alive again.  This simple outward and physical change allows people to see the possibility of change in their life.
            There were many parts of the speech that stuck with me.  Upon reflection, I realized that I am impressed with how certain individuals in our world can be in positions to make a huge impact in the lives of so many people.  Ophra is one of those people.  These past few days, I’ve been following the passing of Ted Kennedy and I’ve read and watched videos and articles of some of his many contributions to bettering the lives of others.  I’ve been contemplating how some individuals have the ability to positively impact so many people and how can I better serve or give back to my own community?  Sometimes it seems to be such an overwhelming task with so many people in need of help.  Ophra’s antidote on the women who complemented her when she was a young child reminded me that we never truly know the impact we make on the lives of others.  It is in our daily lives when we meet people, and really “see” them as a person while being humble and generous with kind and affirming words, that we can make a change.  You never really know how your actions impact another so we just need to live our lives and treat all people with kindness, compassion, and sincerity, regardless of their difficulties, hardships, cultures and languages.  I believe this is how and why this video relates to an interdisciplinary approach in our studies.


Part 3
It has been fun getting to know the other people in the class.  Here’s what I’ve found out…
  1. Alyssa, Logan, Michael (Mike) are Mac Users   :-)
  2. Michael lives close to me… near the Petaluma campus
  3. Jennifer (Jenn) uses a PC at work and a Mac at home (I do too! – Which one do you prefer?  I prefer the Mac)
  4. Nancy will be moving 10,000 miles away as of November 1st.  She works part of the year in the Middle East.
  5. Michele has traveled to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.  Love her comment, “If you take the money away, you may enrich your life with the rest of what that country has to offer.  She also wants to buy a Mac.
  6. Kelsey thinks of the Caribbean as a place to get away and a relief from stress (me too!)
  7. Stacy is a dancer who wants to visit Brazil and Peru, especially the Inca Trails and Macchu Picchu.  She’s not fond of texting.
  8. Sarah is working on her college pre-requisite to get into the nursing program!
  9. Julisa lives .9 miles from the SRJC campus
  10. Most people in the class can text but only a few don’t like to or only text if it serves a purpose.
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Saturday, August 22, 2009

Week 1

Hi,

My given name and the name I use for enrollment at SRJC is Theresa, but I answer to the name of Teri.

I am taking this class for a variety of reason. One is to fulfill my humanities graduation requirement. When viewing the class options, I choose this class because in my profession, I work closely with Latino families. I have found that understanding the culture of a population helps improve communication. I'm hoping this class will provide insight into the cultures and practices of the community I serve.

I live 16.2 miles from the Santa Rosa Junior College Campus. However, I live about 1/8th of a mile from the Petaluma Campus - Only a brisk 5-10 minute walk.

When I think of North America, I think of the USA and how we are a melting pot filled with diverse cultures, beliefs and ethnicity struggling to get along - often times succeeding. When I think of Central and South America, I think of rich cultures and traditions; friendly people, outstanding cuisine; political upheaval; drug cartels, and a strong desire to improve a way of life for families. However, it is the rich culture and deep traditions that stick with me.

When I think of the Caribbean, I remember the wonderful times I spent in Central America - Belize - and the scuba diving trips I took out to the pristine reefs. So, naturally, I think of warm clear waters, laid back settings, wonderful food and friendly people for the entire Caribbean region.

The world is composed of a wide array of populations, cultures and traditions. I view the world as a large extended family who should be getting along, but often times ends up fighting with other family members over stupid, ridiculous and often times mean-spirited and horrid reasons. However, it is our world and we all live here and I'm glad that I am part of this diverse home called, Earth.


I have and use a FaceBook blog. I love it. I find this to be an easy and fun way to stay in touch with my friends and family regardless of where they live. I have also created some web pages for a school and a community garden. I really enjoy this creative and technical use of the computers. I also used to teach computers/technology to 1st thru Adults students so I am proficient on both Macs and PC's.

I find texting one of the most useful and efficient ways to communicate with people who are also computer savvy. I use texting to communicate with my family, some of my friends (not all are up-to-date with technology) and in my profession. I text daily with my boss and a colleague I work closely with. I find it hard to imagine life without texting. All the colored lettering on my phone is worn off and I'm looking forward to when I can purchase a new phone when my contract is up with my carrier.
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