Welcome to the blog for English 2593-1. Here is where you will post your reading responses; consider this an out-of-class space for discussion. I encourage you in your responses to read what your classmates have already said, both so that you don't repeat one another, and also so that you have ideas to work off of -- feel free to agree, disagree, revise, respond to anything anyone else says, so long as you are respectful.
Which brings me to your first response assignment: on one of our first days of class, we talked about compiling a statement of respect, by which we will all agree to abide. What follows is a draft of the statement, based on your suggestions from that day in class. What I'd like for you to do in your response is to reflect on the statement as it is worded, making any suggestions for revision, additions, or deletions, and explain why you think such changes would help make our class a safe space for discussion. Additionally, based on our reading and discussion so far, I'd like for you to explain why establishing such guidelines might be important in a class like this one. Or, if you don't think guidelines are necessary, explain why not. As you're responding, you might think about the following questions: Why is it risky to talk about gender? What about images of women in popular culture might make people uncomfortable? What issues can you imagine coming up that might pose particular difficulties? This response is due by class time on Friday; bring a hard copy to turn in to me.
Here's the statement draft:
"A safe space is an environment where everyone can feel comfortable to express his or her opinions, to be able to be herself or himself without the fear of judgment. In order to achieve such an environment, we all agree to conduct our discussions respectfully by: listening carefully to others before responding; committing ourselves to learn from others who see things differently than we do, including the authors we read; being mindful that we all come from different backgrounds and experiences; thinking about how what we say might affect someone from a different background or experience; remaining open-minded by carefully considering all sides of an issue; pushing ourselves to think outside of what's familiar or safe; deeply and critically thinking about what we read and what we discuss; accepting others and supporting their opinions without compromising our own identities; letting everyone who wants to have a chance to speak (regardless of gender); being comfortable with disagreement; speaking openly and honestly; refraining from interrupting, insulting others' positions, or insisting that we're right; showing respect for others at all times, regardless of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or politics."
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41 comments:
The first draft has all of the elements needed to create a “safe space” to discuss the topics that are not normally addressed in a classroom. Listed below are a few points made in the first draft I think should be underlined and put in bold print:
- “thinking about how what we say might affect someone from a different background or experience”
This point is very important. Many people are very opinionated and are also aware of stereotypes and preconceived notions for different types of people (i.e. females, minorities, persons in from various economic classes, etc.). It is very important to not offend people while trying to make a point by stating any stereotypes despite the fact that it is thought to be a harmful statement or not.
- “being comfortable with disagreement”
There are people who hold there ideals very close to them. Sometimes they have opinions and ideals that are so embedded they cannot imagine any other viewpoint. Even in the absence of stating any preconceived notions there can be those that will be offended by comments made due to this fact. When this occurs the response can range from being slightly upset to anger that may cause the person to verbally lash out. It is important for everyone to keep in mind that all people have there own ideals and they may oppose your own.
- “refraining from interrupting, insulting others' positions, or insisting that we're right”
If there is a statement made that goes against your own personal ideals and you cannot resolve the matter internally it is vital that the situation does not make the entire class uncomfortable. Having open arguments is the opposite of having open discussion.
I definitely agree when you describe a "safe place" as, " An environment where everyone can feel comfortable to express his or her opinions, to be able to be herself or himself without the fear of judgment." There are a lot of people in this class so I definitely think it is appropriate to have guidelines so that everyone will feel like they are in a safe place. One thing that I like is when you state that everyone should remain, "open-minded by carefully considering all sides of an issue". If everyone does this I think that less people will feel uncomfortable when discussing certain things in class. The most important thing in this statement draft is when you say that we should show respect, "for others at all times, regardless of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or politics." During class discussions we should definitely keep that in mind. If everyone is respectful, I am almost positive that the class will be a safe environment where a lot will be learned.
I definitely agree with everything included in this statement draft. I believe that the most important part of it is, “remaining open-minded by carefully considering all sides of an issue.” If a class this size is going to have open discussions about images or issues that are very controversial to most people, then we all must listen to what others have to say, and try to see their point of view. If we fail to do this, we are missing out on the benefits of taking a discussion course. When one considers another’s point of view, it is a great possibility to learn from that person, and I think one of the main goals of this class should be to learn from one another.
I absolutely think that establishing guidelines is necessary. If we had none, things could get out of hand, especially when talking about gender stereotypes, or sexually explicit images that some may consider ethical to display in the media, and others not. The bottom line is whatever the opinion of others, you must remain respectful. If we all do this, we all will benefit from this class.
Because everyone comes from a different background, I think that this class will be a great learning experience. It was very important for all of us to be involved in the making of the guidelines so that we can all feel safe. My favorite ‘rule’ is the one that says to push yourself to think outside of the box, because whether or not you want to think so, everyone of us has our own little box of thoughts. Sometimes it may be hard to appreciate the thoughts of others, but that’s when you have to push yourself and really take in what they are saying and then decide to agree or disagree while remaining respectful.
I agree with the statement that was drafted by the entire class because it shows that everyone is on the same page with how the class should be conducted and what is considered a “safe space.” This means that there should not be any confusion in the classroom and everyone will remain respectful about other students’ opinions. I like that we, the students, were able to decide on the rules of the classroom and not the teacher because everyone in the class got a chance to participate and some input. One of the rules I think is most important is “showing respect for others at all times, regardless of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or politics." I think this is one of the most important rules because some people do not show other people respect when the other person’s views are different from their own and that is wrong which leads to me the next rule that I think is important. The next rule I like is “being mindful that we all come from different backgrounds and experiences.” Everyone has not had the same experiences as others; we should not be judgmental when talking about certain topics because we do not know what the other students have been through. Just be mindful like the rule says and the discussions will run smoothly. This statement draft should help the learning environment be a safe space and I hope we will have a great semester in this class!
I agree with the definition of a “safe space” being, “an environment where everyone can feel comfortable to express his or her opinions, to be able to be herself or himself without the fear of judgment”. I think that is it is important that we try not to take other peoples opinions as a personal attack if it disagrees with our own opinion. Being open minded to other peoples opinion is what I think is one of the most difficult things about a discussion class like this, especially when people truly believe in what they are saying. The thing that I think is more important is to always be respectful don’t interrupt each other and remember that we all come from different back grounds and have different experiences.
This draft of the class statement contains all of the important points that we talked about in our groups as to what we considered beneficial to the proceedings of the class. Part of the statement that struck me as very important is “refraining from interrupting, insulting other’s positions”. In order for one to feel safe, they must be able to express their thoughts without being shot down right away by another student in the class. If there are rules preventing this, I believe that more people who usually shy away from class discussions because they feel scared of how other's will perceive their opinion will be willing to open up and let us know what they think. This also goes back to what other classmates have already said about not knowing other people’s backgrounds.
A possible idea as to how it could be reworded would be to move or combine the statements “accepting others and supporting their opinions without compromising our own” and “refraining from interrupting, insulting other’s positions, or insisting we’re right” because I don’t think you can have one without the other.
Having a statement like this allows for standards to be set that everyone in the class has agreed on and respects and I believe it will allow discussions to occur smoothly.
One of the mains reasons I chose to take ENGL 2593 is because I knew learning about women in today’s culture would stir up a lot of discussion in the classroom. I feel that many of my colleagues felt the same way when scheduling this class and are eager to discuss the topics in the classroom. For this reason, I was more than willing to give my opinions when it came to creating guidelines for classroom discussion. The first sentence of our statement draft creates a great environment in the classroom just by including it in our guidelines. Students should be aware that not only is the teacher interested in their opinions, but their fellow colleagues are as well.
I am very excited to see that a handful of males have decided to take ENGL 2593. I feel that during class discussions the opinions of the males will be very important. The males’ views will allow the female students to think in a different way and maybe even cause them to re-evaluate some of their own views. I feel males can add a lot to a discussion because they tend to be blunter than females in their opinions. Being straight-forward can have positive and negative sides, but I feel if everyone abides by the statement draft the males will have a positive effect on the class.
The only statement I disagree with is as follows: “…pushing ourselves to think outside of what's familiar or safe.” I feel this statement is very contradicting to the statement draft. Although it can be interpreted in many different ways, I feel that sometimes thinking outside of what is safe and familiar can in turn insult someone. Since the guidelines clearly state that we must be very careful when forming opinions so we do not insult the views or beliefs of others, I feel that thinking ‘outside the box’ is completely appropriate but actually voicing these opinions may offend others. This statement should be clearer in the draft.
The code of conduct that we have created, in my opinion, has successfully underlined what our class ideally should look like. They are the same guidelines that ought to govern us and everybody outside of our class during all interactions in society. However, nothing can ever be perfect and it is not necessarily a bad thing to stray slightly from the rules. I am positive that throughout the course of the semester the majority of people in our classroom will break at least one of these guidelines. Sometimes people get lost in the heat of their enthusiasm, and it is the responsibility of the others to maintain the balance of respect in the discussion without passing judgment themselves. Disagreements are inevitable.
Our statement for how we will create a “safe space” in our class addresses every issue that if followed, will prevent a discussion from turning into an argument. While I agree with every idea included in this draft, I feel that many of the guidelines are repetitive and therefore could be more succinct while still addressing each important issue. For instance, “…being mindful that we all come from different backgrounds and experiences…”, and “…showing respect for others at all time, regardless of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or politics.” seem to address the same issue and could possibly be combined. I would not however delete any parts of this statement because I believe that each point made here is important to the sanctity of our “safe space”.
There are infinite reasons why a “safe space” is an important guideline for any situation that involves discussion, especially a situation such as in this class where there are such a variety of people that most likely have many conflicting beliefs and ideas. The parts of our statement which strike me as the most important are “…accepting others and supporting their opinions without compromising our own identities…” and “…being comfortable with disagreement…”, which is because discussions should not be debates where one side wins and or is absolutely right and all members of the discussion should be okay with different opinions, respecting that they are not there to convince anyone of their opinions.
For this class in particular I see conflict of opinions arising from discussion of gender because it is something that every person deals with everyday, and depending on these experiences, they likely have strong opinions about these issues which are central to everyday life. A couple specific areas that I feel may create tension among classmates are issues concerning women’s reproductive rights and stay at home mothers vs. working mothers. This is because we obviously have both male and female students and I’m certain the majority of classmates are from different areas, social and economical classes, religions, etc. Even though some topics are controversial, I do believe it is possible to have a productive discussion without conflict as long as we maintain our “safe space”.
I really like the idea of having guidelines for open conversation in class and making it safe for everyone to feel appreciated as students, that way they're not just sitting in the back of class feeling left out. They can feel like if they have something to say they can speak openly. The draft say something about "pushing ourselves to think outside of whats familiar or safe" and I think in order to be open to learning and taking in knowledge, as students we should be pushed to think about different view points to help us to grow our own opinions.
However, I disagree with one line in the draft where it says "accepting others and supporting their own opinions without compromising our self identity" I don't necessarily believe that just because someone says something I just automatically accept it. I really think if it's something I oppose agreeing to disagree is a much better vantage point that simple just accepting it. The draft confirms that by saying "being comfortable with disagreement" But I don't really feel I should have to accept it for the sake of accepting or believing in something I'm not comfortable with. I do think its very good to keep to your own identity though, it confirms that even though we are one big class we all have differences and it's okay to disagree.
I really appreciated the idea of creating a safe space within the classroom as a group. In a class that concentrates on images of women in popular culture, things can get very controversial because cultures can collide in representations of women. The classroom description of the guidelines for a classroom safe space promises to allow constructive, intellectual discussions of women. I was very nervous before the first class meeting and not so ecstatic about such a potentially controversial class. My opinion has quickly changed. The necessity for creating guidelines for a safe space was made obvious after the first assignment when many differing opinions about celebrities were brought to light. I look forward to open and respectful discussions. I enjoyed the discussion on feminism, its historical contexts and modern interpretations; it provided me with a much less intimidating definition of the word. Now that my mind is a little bit more open, I’m excited to listen and discuss interpretations of women in today’s society and how they have evolved.
I think something else that is important is to make sure to not generalize groups of people, whether it be groups of people of a certain gender, sex, race, etc. Never use stereotypes, because most of the time stereotypes are not true. And while it is important to be respectful of other people and other people's background when you are talking, it is also important to be respectful of other people's backgrounds when you are listening. Someone may say something that you think is just ridiculous, but it's necessary to think about the speaker's background as much as the speaker needs to think about every listener's background.
The class may encounter topics that some people may be uncomfortable with, such as sexuality, politics, and the different social classes. I would hope that all prejudices are left at the door so that the classroom stays a learning, non-judgmental environment.
Nancy G.
Based on our class readings and discussions so far I think that we will be covering a wide variety of hot button issues that might stir up strong feelings in people and surely some of these views could be in opposition, which can create tension in a class discussion. I think this statement is a perfectly fine guideline. I think it covers all the basics; reminds everyone to be polite, will help keep the class discussion on track, and lets people feel comfortable to express their ideas freely. That being said it is a little common sense, I think most everyone would follow these guidelines without them being written out. I guess that it is a nice reminder though… I hate that it is one big running sentence. I think it would be better in a bulleted list. Maybe that is just me though, I like lists!
Some of these hot topics I could imagine coming up in class are; the role of mothers (i.e. Should they work, how they dress, can they be sexual, can they smoke, etc.) and issues of reproduction (i.e. Birth control, abortion, age of mothers, etc.) I think the images themselves that we view will be controversial as well. There is an assortment of pop-culture figures that represent themselves in a spectrum of different ways. I think most will be judged on the “Madonna-whore” sliding scale, with everyone having their own opinion of what is appropriate.
I liked everything that our statement says. I hope that everyone will stand by the statement and really give others the respect that they deserve, whenever they give their opinion to the class.
There was one thing I think should be in the statement that was not. I think that yelling should be prohibited. Raising your voice when in a debate only sparks negative emotion. I know that everyone will have a bad day and sometimes this may show in one of our discussions. It is often very hard to leave emotions from outside the classroom, outside the classroom, but we need to try to. If someone comes in who is having a bad day and raises their voice to someone who is speaking, the whole class will become uncomfortable. The person who was yelled at may yell back only to spark argument. The person being yelled at may be the one having the bad day, and it could only upset them more. I know this may sound negative but I am just being honest. It will not hurt my feelings if someone does not agree with my opinion, but I would never want to be yelled at for my opinions while in this class. Yelling or raising your voice does not make a safe space; it makes for a very uneasy and uncomfortable space. There is a difference between talking loud so everyone in the room can hear you, and yelling your opinion at someone else.
I like who we agree to respect the boys’ opinions to. I would actually like to know what the guys think about certain things. We think we understand how the opposite gender thinks but we truly have no idea. I think that it is going to be difficult for them to get into discussion since us as women have a first hand account of most of the things we will talk about. I hope that the men in our class take something important away from the class. I am looking forward to seeing how the men think versus how the women think about things.
I agree with the statement about a safe place being one that people can feel comfortable expressing his or her opinions. I think it is very important for our whole class to feel comfortable in group discussions and just class talk. It is also very important to not judge people for what they say and to be able to hear other opinions on different topics. We can all share our opinions and if someone disagrees they should be able to say how they feel about a certain topic, but it should be in a way that is respectful and that does not hurt anyone else feelings.
“Listening carefully to others before responding; committing ourselves to learn from others who see things differently than we do”
We as humans have to learn how to listen to what other people have to say. There is in fact a time in which we can speak and a time when we need to listen. Sometime we have a tendency to shut out or judge people that don’t have the same opinion as us. The article describes a “safe place” as an area in which we cast no negative judgment toward the speaking person. It is important that we watch what we say in response to that person because the wrong words could really hurt someone.
This class is the perfect example and the perfect test of the definition “safe place”. It is teaching us how to give an opinion without biting the other persons head off for not agreeing with our own answer. We need to take in consideration that everyone has a background story and not all stories are filled with flowers and daisies. So far this year I find the class to be very understanding and respectful of other people’s opinions. We just have to listen.
I agree with the classroom guidelines. I especially like the fact that the class as a whole participated in the process of deciding what should and should not be included. This can sometimes be a sensitive subject and can cause many disagreements during discussions but by allowing everyone to voice their difference of views on the topic, even the guys, can help you see the issue from different sides. I agree that the class should be a safe space so that everyone can feel comfortable enough to speak out if they agree or disagree without feeling judge or shot down by others.
I am comfortable with the discussion guidelines, but I think it's important to tie them together. The reason that we should be mindful of others' experiences, that we should not shout each other down, but rather give everyone a chance to speak and learn to disagree respectfully, is that we are here to learn. If we approach an argument feeling that we are unequivocally right, the result, at best, will be lots of arguing and absolutely no persuasion of either side. At worst there will be a lot of anger and offense taken (and here I should state that one of the most offensive things you can do is doubt the validity of other people's experiences, just because you disagree with them and/or their experiences are very different from your own). In both scenarios the discussion reaches a deadlock, and little insight is gained.
Each of us has our very own “safe space,” my safe space is a place where I am completely comfortable; mentally, physically, and socially. My safe space is an area where I am not judged on my outlook on life or the clothes I am wearing on my back. To bring this aspect of a safe space to our classroom, is a thoughtful idea that will aid in each person feeling comfortable enough to bring his or her opinion to the discussion, if it can be accomplished.
For my own self “committing ourselves to learn from others who see things differently than we do,” may be a hard task to complete. All of us have our own opinions and can learn from others and see things in different perspectives, but I do not feel the need to commit myself. I think this line should be revised to “should be open to learn from others who see things differently than we do.” Another guideline that goes along this same principle is “accepting others and supporting their opinions without compromising our own identities,” again I feel the need to express that we can accept others ideas and beliefs but that still does not mean that we have to support them.
With these revisions made to the statement, blood rising topics like politics, homosexuality, and women in the workforce will not be as uncomfortable to discuss in the classroom. Even though most women, especially myself have problems with “refraining themselves from interrupting, insulting other’s positions, and insisting that we’re right,” this is an attribute of each one of us that we will all have to learn to control to accomplish a “safe space.”
lindsey p
I agree with the statement that “a safe place is an environment where everyone can feel comfortable to express his or her opinions, to be herself or himself without the fear of judgment". I feel that our statement has exceptional guidelines to produce an environment where this can take place. Although I agree with most of this statement, there is one phrase I believe could be stated better or even just rephrased.
The statement “accepting others and supporting their opinions without compromising our own identities”, is hard for me to except. I feel that I can accept someone’s point of view and be open-minded to it, but I should not have to support their opinion. If I felt like I had to support an opinion that I don’t agree with, that would be compromising my own identity. I think there is a difference between accepting and supporting and that those two should be kept separate.
I also agree with Zoe when she talked about the statement “…being comfortable with disagreement”. She said “because discussions should not be debates where one side wins or is absolutely right”. I completely agree with this. I think that is always important to be able to agree to disagree. I think that if we follow the guidelines that we have set up, then our class will be an environment where everyone feels safe expressing their opinions.
The terminology “safe space” used in the class statement perfectly represents what this class is or should be about. In selecting women studies, I had expectations of discussion and opportunities for personal opinion and _expression. Many times people are afraid of the unknown and remain ignorant of various subjects simply because nothing is talked about. This class, however, allows one to feel free and respected regardless of background or opinion. In the statement, there is one particular part that stands out to me, and it is directly quoted “thinking about how what we say might affect someone of a different background or experience.” This statement is very personal to me because it speaks a lot about my stance on personal opinions and respect. Growing up in what was not a traditional family household and succeeding in high school as well as college, sets me apart. I usually have problems in discussion because people are usually judgmental and speak regardless of realizing that everyone has difference experiences, circumstances, and life lessons. In society, one of the main forms of survival is communication. Without communication, we would not get along as a human race. There are some factors; however, that may inhibit successful communication: age, gender, and dialect. Therefore, letting others speak regardless of gender makes everyone feel comfortable and lend itself to diverse set of opinions. One thing I’ve learned and always live by is the quote “we can agree to disagree”. I think it should be included in the statement because it is a standard law/ rule that explains the ground rules for any types of debates or discussions. When dealing with touchy subjects, it is hard to say that one drafted statement can lay out all of the rules when holding a discussion about that particular topic. Therefore, I think the simple rule is to learn what “respect” means and apply it in all classroom situations.
I am confident in the draft of this statement. I feel that it covers all of the necessary bases to provide a “safe” environment. I also think this statement describes what most learning spaces should provide. It is my hope that every time we meet as a class, we will all abide by these guidelines with the understanding that they are not rules; they are an agreement. If everyone puts forth effort to follow these principles we will have an enjoyable and fulfilling semester.
Certain topics and discussions that may come up include “proper” parenting, ideas of appropriate behavior, or specific rights of individuals, especially women, in today’s pop culture. These are some topics which can cover actions and opinions of people of different genders, races, religions, ages, sexual orientations, or political views. Often, people have different and sometimes firm, opposing beliefs, therefore it is important that as a class we remember that we are not trying to force our opinions on anyone, but only learn from the experiences we share and most importantly, the experiences that we do not have in common.
I think that this statement covers any scenario that we could encounter in this class. I definitely think that guidelines are needed in a class such as this since it is filled with discussions. Often times when a discussion starts getting deep, the people involved start heating up and thus what was once a structured discussion/debate is now nothing more than a huge argument. Making the class rules was quite easy for everyone and the entire class was in agreement with the boundaries that we set up; however, I think getting people to follow these guidelines will be a much harder task.
I find it extremely frustrating to enter into a debate with someone and realize that it’s a pointless discussion because he or she is so narrow minded. I am very glad that we have added the clause “committing ourselves to learn from others who see things differently than we do…” I hope that the class will really take this to heart and do so. I also agree that we should be mindful of the different backgrounds and experiences that our class contains and that we should think of how we say things might affect certain individuals, yet I hope this doesn’t prevent people from fully speaking their opinions. Our guidelines speak of accepting others opinions and “being comfortable with disagreement.” I think that is absolutely the most important part of a discussion, being comfortable with disagreement.
When talking about gender, the media, and women and their rights, one particular topic comes to mind…the topic of abortion. I am positive that we will touch on, if not discuss in depth, the pro-life and pro-choice sides of abortion. Through experiences, I have learned that it is better to keep my opinion to myself, unless I wanted to be screamed at and belittled for the duration of the debate. I truly hope that this is not the case in this class. I want everyone to be able to speak freely and honestly without fear that he or she will be attacked by fellow members of the class, because then no one would want to share their opinion.
I believe that if we can manage to follow our rules and guidelines, that we ourselves established, this classroom will really be a safe place for sharing different views and opinions. What we’re hoping for is an ideal course in which the members of the class are accepting and respectful, and although every class should be this way, the truth of the matter is that they aren’t. I look forward to the debates in which our class holds true to our established rules.
An English class with so much subjectivity requires a great deal of discussion and input. The best part of a discussion-based class is how much one can learn from not only their professor, but also from their fellow peers. This is why – to me – a “safe environment” is critical. Every person needs to feel comfortable expressing themselves in any way. When we can express ourselves freely without judgment, we are more confident speaking up which advances the discussion. There are a few points of our definition of a “safe environment” that stood out to me.
“Committing ourselves to learning from others” is a responsibility we have as students in a discussion-based class. The reason we discuss is to have a more complete understanding of the topic at hand. If everyone is willing to learn from others we will be able to disagree while getting along. That is not to say we cannot uphold our own ideas and beliefs. We can, but we must be willing to fully understand others’ points of view in order to be confident with our own opinions.
Another point in our definition that struck me was “thinking about how what we say might affect someone from a different background or experience.” Coming from different backgrounds brings in different perspectives, so we can discuss things more in depth; however, we need to be sure that when we make comments in class that we are respectful to everyone. Knowing no one will be offended will help everyone feel more comfortable speaking up.
Finally, the phrase “speaking openly and honestly” is important when we are having class discussions. I feel like this is what college is about. In college, there are many opportunities to speak our minds, and this course, hopefully, will be one of them. When we express our opinions, we are showing our own beliefs. If everyone speaks openly and honestly, we’ll have a more complete view of any concept.
Overall, I think our definition of a “safe environment” is excellent. I don’t feel like it needs any changes or additions. As a class, it is important to abide by this definition so we can have an open environment where everyone can feel comfortable being himself or herself.
I like the way our statement was put together. I think everything we included is crucial for a successful discussion on touchy subjects. I think creating a safe place is the most important aspect. Without a safe place, many students would not feel comfortable contributing to the conversation. I’ve had several classes in which I was too embarrassed/afraid to speak up- I think students get more out of a class if everyone offers their opinion. Although I think you should question your convictions, I also think you should stand up for what you believe in. I’m usually very open-minded, but I have to admit, there are some things I won’t compromise on. I do, however, understand that my belief is just that- my belief… and you have yours. I strongly agree with our statement; it is very important to accept differences and to not impose our individual ideas on anyone else. I think it will be interesting to hear different perspectives on subjects. Just by talking about the celebrity pictures we brought to class, I noticed how differently students saw each photo. I looked at a picture and saw one thing but as the student began explaining why they chose the picture, I began to see it their way, too. I look forward to more discussions in this class.
I agree with our draft of the statement of respect that we compiled in class. I believe it touches on some important rules that people need to keep in mind when discussing openly in class about issues that can be controversial. I agree with keeping the environment a safe place, so that everyone can speak freely and openly about how they feel. Although people may not agree all the time, this could be a good time for people to take a chance and maybe find a new outlook on certain subjects. I am happy that our class is not just females because I believe that we can get a better discussion going when we have both males and females discussing about gender issues. I believe guidelines are important so that people know their boundaries and so that people do not get their feelings hurt. Not everyone will agree on everything, but I think that everyone should agree that respect is important because we are all free to feel the way we do. I think it is risky to talk about gender because some people may feel very strongly about certain subjects and when they hear others disagreeing with them, it can be difficult to deal with, but if people remember to keep an open mind I think the discussion could go well. I think issues about religion, sexuality, race, and politics could be some issues that might pose difficulty.
I feel the draft gets the point across on how it is possible to have a safe place in the classroom. It is important that everyone is able to learn to the highest quality. In this class a safe place is needed to be able to have discussions and to widen our own outlook on certain issues. One strong point made that I feel is really important is “where everyone can feel comfortable to express his or her opinions, to be able to be herself or himself without the fear of judgment.” I also felt that “being comfortable with disagreement” was another strong point. Personally I get very nervous talking in front of people. Knowing that no one is judging me will help me be able to open up. Being comfortable with disagreement also helps me talk in class because I know no one can attack me or argue with me in front of the entire class. The safe place helps me personally not feel targeted and gives me the feeling of not standing out alone in the classroom. This draft is important in the classroom because it makes students like me feel more comfortable about speaking out loud. It allows students to open up. When students open up they tend to become more involved and interested in the conversation. Also when student open up the discussion opens up more with more insight on the issue. The draft is significant in this class to help us all learn from one another.
I agree with the statement composed in class regarding "safe space". Everyone in this class was raised differently therefore everyone has their own opinion about everything. People cannot hold back their own opinions and they should not feel the need to hold them back due to others in the class. We should be able to speak freely without being judged or looked at differently. I feel that the only way that we will truly benefit from this class is from our open discussions. Also, I feel like gender is a topic that will always cause controversy and make people feel like they are walking on egg shells. Because of this, I feel like everything said in class should be taken with a grain of salt. I am interested to see where our discussions will go after our "safe space" statement.
After reading the draft, I believe it accurately states what is necessary to create a safe space for discussing. The topic of gender is a risky one to discuss because it stirs up different emotions with different people, and some people take issues more seriously than others. Everyone will have different opinions, and it’s possible for our discussions to turn into arguments. However, if we stick to these rules, I think we’ll be successful at creating our safe space.
While I think the rules about pushing ourselves and learning from others are very important, I don’t think they are as important as the way we conduct ourselves in the classroom. The rules about “refraining from interrupting, insulting others’ positions, or insisting that we’re right” and “respecting others at all times” are concrete and should be the primary rules that we follow. If people in the class continually break these two rules, our “safe space” could be damaged permanently. People may not want to voice their opinions if they know others in the class will respond with rudeness and anger. Even if we totally disagree with what a classmate is saying, we must force ourselves to at least give them the proper respect and not be rude. I believe everyone has the capability to repress his or her anger; though some may be better at it than others.
With that said, I think it would be a shame if we left this class without having followed any of the other rules. The other rules do not really govern our conduct in the classroom; they are geared toward our approaches to discussions in general. Since this class is large, we will probably spend more time listening than we will expressing our opinions. When we are listening, we can try to fulfill the rest of the rules such as pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zones while thinking deeply about the discussion and keeping our minds open to unfamiliar opinions.
Also, I agree with Nancy G. I like all of the rules, but maybe they would look better in a list format.
As students, it is vital for our success in the classroom to be given the opportunity to establish a statement of respect. A statement of respect is essential in our class environment because it allows us to create a “safe space.” As previously stated, "A safe space is an environment where everyone can feel comfortable to express his or her opinions, to be able to be himself or herself without the fear of judgment.” Without a safe space, there could be a chilling effect in which discussions would be more inhibited.
After reading the first draft of our statement, I was very enlightened. However, there were parts of the statement of respect that I agree with and disagree with. The first point that I agreed with “refraining from insulting others' positions or insisting that we're right.” The second was, “being comfortable with disagreement.” The success of our classroom discussions depend on us being able to follow these two simple guidelines. We all need to realize that we are all going to have different opinions on different subjects. What will make the class discussion interesting is that we all have different backgrounds and experiences that will influence our opinions. Nevertheless, as young adults, we should know better than to offend others because they do not agree with our opinions. The first and second points are related because we should not insist that we are right because someone does not agree with us. We need to learn how to agree to disagree. In our class discussions no one is going to be right or wrong. Everyone’s opinion will have validity and should be respected.
However, as Julie mentioned earlier, I also do not agree with our statement, “accepting others and supporting their own opinions without compromising our self identity.” I feel like if I do not agree with what someone says I should not have to accept their opinions. As Julie touched on earlier, everyone has their own identity. Our identity separates us from everyone else and makes us unique. We should not be influenced to support other people’s opinions if we do not agree with them.
From the first day of class, I reckoned that this unique course will be an experience capable of molding and reinforcing each individual’s outlook on an understated but significant subject. Our study on how half of our population is imaged in popular culture and what implications do those images have on society will no doubt involve some controversial issues. Because our class will openly discuss these issues, a guideline for class etiquette and respect is a great medium to establish the value of everyone’s opinion and demand respect towards each other. My favorite aspect of this classroom code is that it was cohesively created from the whole class. By each member participating in its makeup, everyone should feel more ownership and responsibility for the guidelines than if rules were just forced upon us. We can’t complain; we made the rules, agreed to them, and even wrote a response!
I believe that the last statement of the guideline sums up the whole purpose of its creation: “showing respect for others at all times, regardless of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or politics.” This part demands respect for the diversity in our classroom. Our diversity will spark interesting discussion, allow us to consider things from a different perspective, and help us form a well thought-out opinion if we challenge “ourselves to learn from others who see things differently than we do”. When looking across the classroom, one might not find that our class is incredibly diverse, but diversity is not always evident. In respect of gender, there are only a few students who are not female; however, as we have been discussing, gender is not to be confused with sex. I believe that the students in the class have different and maybe even opposing opinions about what it is to be masculine and feminine. Possibly more influential than just our race, ethnicity and cultural upbringing have in some way molded our opinions. We all grew up in different house holds emphasizing different values and the expectation of a female’s role in our culture. Personal and unique to every individual are religious beliefs and politics which are often controversial but important to that person.
Like the statement declares, we will be challenged, push ourselves, think deeply and critically, and have to accept other’s opinions with ought compromising our own. Our class time will be exciting and fun, possibly frustrating and uncomfortable at times, but rewarding in the end.
I think the draft did a great job explaining a safe space. Everyone’s opinions should be heard and valued even if they are different from the ones you yourself hold. Listening to others views can help us learn more about the opinions we hold and might even lead us to change our minds on certain subject matters. I’ve already changed some of my views just from the first few days of class.
I think any of the topics listed in the draft could potentially be risky to talk about, but if everyone can keep in mind the points in this draft I don’t think any should be a problem. Everyone has to remember that for every opinion you hold there is someone somewhere who thinks the absolute opposite. As every child knows don’t treat others any other way than you would want to be treated. So in stating your own opinions in response to others you shouldn’t do or say anything you wouldn’t want done or said to you. I don’t think there has been any problem with any of this thus far and I don’t think that there will be if everyone keeps in mind the topics we drafted.
I believe our draft sounds wonderful. I would like to add that people try not to make their assumption a fact. We have many minds in which all things in totally different manners. It is important to know how to state you feelings and know there will be someone with an opposing view. In a way learning of others beliefs can humble us to a degree to recognize that our opinions are not the only ones who matter in this class, much less the world. But, working together there are great ways to agree to disagree and also reach some point of compromise.
The initial statement definitely hits on many important elements need to conduct class in a harmonious way. I do agree with others that some more important statements within the full body should be put in bold print. Often when reading and analyzing rules and regulations for a workplace it is important to make note of the especially vital phrases. Being aware of the identity of others while maintaining your own is critical for self identity. Often times when hearing someone else's opinion numerous amounts of times we can get lost in their thoughts and forget our own. Because this class encourages us to have different view points and bring various perspectives to discussion, we must be mindful that those arguments are neither right nor wrong and should not be taken for each personal experience. I also think that though we are free to express our opinion we should really think about the context and words we use to explain it. Being offensive to others in sometimes very easy to do without being aware of it.We should refrain from generalizing our opinions and experiences to the entire population.
The guidelines that were presented in order to make the classroom a safe place seemed to be a list of rules that if followed can be very effective. The list of guidelines included many different ways that just represent having respect for someone else’s opinions. I believe that everyone is coming from different stations in there life and will all have different views of different subject matters. Especially matters of gender because we have all been conditioned to believe one way or another. Images of women with different sexual expereinces, beauty standards, ect. could make people uncomfortable in a media drenched world where there is only one right way to be a good woman. I have been all over this country because my dad is in the military, so I have experienced all kinds of people. I believe that everyone should listen, interpret, and dec ide whether they agree or not. Then, I believe that they should figure out why they feel that way and if it is a valid reason. If they find that their reason is valid then they should respond. Others should be open to people’s opinions that are different from their own. So, I believe that the guidelines go along with this theory.
While having a basis or foundation to measure our actions against is a good way to set a tone I lack confidence in the ability of these guidelines to be followed in their entirety. The opening line states “A safe space is an environment where everyone can feel comfortable to express his or her opinions, to be able to be herself or himself without the fear of judgment”. While the statement conjures forth a certain pleasurable albeit unrealistic ideal, upon its dissection or deconstruction the problems contained merely in this one line are most troublesome.
Firstly, it is important to notice that in this first sentence not only has classroom metamorphosed into a safe space, but in this metamorphosis it has gained an entirely new signification. A designated space for learning has become a refuge from the harsh world that resides outside of academia. Is this however what a classroom is or should be?
Secondly, Can we realistically hope to impart impartiality unto our peers? When someone walks into the room do you not immediately make assumptions or inferences about that person even if those inferences are benign? For example if I walk into a room wearing a LSU football jersey, would you not in turn make the assumption/inference that I like LSU football? However, logically this is not the case. I could merely have been out of clean shirts and taken the jersey from my roommate. The point however remains that the ability of totally neutrality in all things is impossible, well let us for the sake of argumentation agree that it is improbable.
Lastly, the first sentence in an attempt to promote equality only serves to highlight difference. The use of the words “herself or himself” propagates this difference by making one choose between sexes. Should we not if striving for a safe environment where all people are equal use “oneself”. The problem here is that in forcing one to align with one side or the other, in this case either male or female, it requires that one acknowledge their separation from each other. How does one know they are male? Is it because they are not female? Does a female know she is female merely because she is not male? If we truly want to be “equal” and safe would not it be better to acknowledge that we are all the same, all human, not attempt to codify oneself based on difference? “Equal rights for all, special privileges for none” ~T. Jefferson
Douglas Rodrigue, 892157526
I, personally, feel that a guideline for respectful discussions in our classroom is necessary—especially in a course as personal ours. Without these guidelines, someone may intentionally, or unintentionally, make offensive comments. So far this semester—in the few times we have met—isolated incidents have already taken place where certain students may have taken slight offense to some statements or discussions that were made. The “Statement of Respect” serves as a great guide to reflect back on during these circumstances.
Many teachers chose to simply post a “Code of Conduct” for the classroom without any feedback from students about what it should consist of. This leads to it rarely being read or taken into account during discussions. The decision to allow students to take part in formation of this “code” is praiseworthy. When evaluating classroom discussions, I think it’s obvious that students are determined to have respectable, good discussions. I would even venture to say that most students would want to be told if a comment they make is inappropriate, because students often don’t realize when they are making disrespectful comments. Throughout the course of the semester, for example, I would imagine that some females could possibly make comments negatively bias towards males; just as some males may do the same towards females. When this happens, students should have the ability to correct and understand why some comments are out of line. Disagreements may happen—they are inevitable; however, with this code of conduct students should have the knowledge to handle them respectfully.
Most importantly, I feel that the last line of the “code” is worthy of emphasis: “showing respect for others at all times, regardless of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or politics.” We are a class of many different backgrounds, beliefs, and lifestyles. When handled respectfully, these differences have the potential to come together to assist in great discussions and debates throughout the semester.
I definietly agree with the statement that was comprised by the class. First it is nice being in a classroom and be able to discuss freely and openly about topics and still have guidelines that the entire class all agrees with and obides by it very nice. I have been in a couple of classes before where we have had open discussion but I have felt a lack of respect before with some of the comments that were made. It is great to be able to discuss and state your opinion, but you should always be aware of your auidence and respect the people that are in it.
Also I think being able to have an open mind is something extermely important. I think often there are cases in which people might be more judgemental to certain topics just because they have either experienced it or was poss. brought up or raised that way. I always was brought up being taught that nobody is the same and everyone is different. You never no what some people have gone through and it should be the same, vise versa for them. You can learn so much from people if you just open your mind and listen and I think having an open mind is and respect in a classroom are essential to having a great experience in the classroom.
I think that it is always most important to be aware. Aware of what you are saying, verbally and nonverbally, and in what context it exist and how it fits into each part of our lives. Being aware in all aspects of your life makes for better understanding of other people and their ideas. I would just like to see something about awareness of ourselves in relation to our world. I love the input so far and I think this will be a strong foundation for a great semester, in this class as well as each of our experiences.
It is important to establish guidelines when such controversial topics are being covered and discussed. Each conversation and connection can be deeper and more helpful if every participant can be respectful. When everyone knows what is expected of themselves and their peers, we can all grow from each other.
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