2 Annotated Bibliographies

Ferraioli, S. J., & Harris , S. L. (2010). Effective educational inclusion of students on the autism spectrum. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 41(1), 19-28. doi: 10.1007/s10879-010-9156-y

The Journal article presents supporting and challenging evidence in respect to autistic children in general schools.  Discussed in the article are obstacles to an inclusive setting such as aggressive behavior, difficulty in language communication, and a lack of school staff training. However, the author presents cognitive, social skills, and peer relationships that support inclusion. The article is a reliable source because it presents information in favor of inclusion but also takes into consideration the lack of further research on autistic inclusion. This article can be used with other articles to show the growing evidence of the benefits of inclusion.

Dybvik K, A. C. (2004, winter). Autism and the inclusion mandate education next issue cover: Daniel experiences the regular classroom. Retrieved from http://educationnext.org/autismandtheinclusionmandate/

The article presents an introductory to autism, the fastest growing challenge affecting children. Dybvik, an autistic resource consultant, gives an example of Daniel, an autistic child, and his experiences in an inclusive classroom. She mainly focuses on the child’s struggles in the classroom such as being able to communicate with others.  Furthermore she discredits the ability of the teachers to teach in inclusive classrooms. She argues that only implementing inclusion properly can produce positive results. I can use this article to argue that programs like University of Florida‘s ProTeach prepare teachers to work in inclusive classrooms.

Questions and statements.

1)          Is the inclusion of special education students in classes beneficial to the children?

                Although inclusion would allow students to interact in the mainstream, inclusion would hinder the education of special needs children.

2)  

How can schools approach the problem of bullying?

                Opponents of zero tolerance polices argue that innocent children sometimes are punished; however research shows that bullying leads to a decrease in academic performance and an increase in suicides. The recent portrayal of bullying in media in shows like Glee and the recent suicides show that a nationwide zero tolerance on bullying is necessary.

3)   

   Are standardized tests necessary?

                Standardized tests have become the central point of school academics and subjects that are not reading or math have become not important. Standardize testing has produce children who lack the cultural information such as history and other liberal studies.

4)    

 In an age of diversity in the United States is Multiculturalism teaching important?

                Many schools believe that importance of teaching is being able to prepare students for benchmark tests such as the FCAT, but lessons on Multiculturalism teaches children life lesson that allow them to learn and accept peoples differences.

5)     

 What is a legislation act that would benefit the United States?

The Dream Act would allow permanent residency to non-citizen student who finished high school and are pursuing college or the military. Rather than allowing any one residency, this legislation would allow people who contribute to the United States society in a beneficial way, residency.

Pre-writing Thinking Process

It has been along thinking process as I think about how to write a synthesis essay on The Ways of Seeing, the Panopticism, and Kanye’s West Power video. I read the readings for a third time trying to see how I can connect all to Kanye’s Wests song. Through my thinking process I came up with a three bubble diagram so that it could help me come up with a thesis. I know the essay is going to center on the concept of power and how the three see power. Berger see power as the power of images and how people can take an image and take it out of their historical context thereby mystifying it.  A question I ask myself is it important to take into account that the concept of art means different things to the rich and the poor. In Foucault’s Panopticism power is intensified by using the Panopticon concept. This is where  I can somehow connect the both readings. While both of them deal with observing/seeing and both use adaptation, in Foucault everyone can be the observer and the society as a whole is responsible for power. The society shares the power to create a more efficient society. The question that arises is if everyone in able to use images as a form of power in Bergers and if they convey the same type of power. There is one line that I trying to figure out what it says, “They surround us in the same way as a language surrounds us. They have entered the mainstream of life over which they no longer, in themselves, have power,” I think this line will help me figure out what to write. THE PROBLEM IS trying to connect these two writings with Kanye’s video. Kanye’s video shows the composition unity that Berger said described to emit power and it looks like a painting that would be in the Sistine chapel. Could this be what Berger was referring when he said that images could be taken out of context to be used for other purposes (the heavenly skies)? Kanyes’ images can also display that he is the system in power only to be defeated by power itself. Is he saying that power is a responsibility??

One point in Panopticism

One point that Michel Foucault presents in “Panopticism” is the concept of the Pantipcon building which allowed observance to be a powerful tool. The design of the Pantipcon allowed everything to be observable from the watchtower. Those who were being observed could not contact others. With no contact between them, there is no chance for disorder. The power is distributed evenly within the society, anybody can become the observer. This concept was different from the popular norm of the king having all the power. Just knowing that you were being observed functioned better than using violence. The idea of the Pantipcon allowed for the emergence of using reform rather than making prisoners a spectacle. The Pantipcon concept creates efficiency; it is this efficiency that makes the Pantipcon concept easy to be applied to many disciplines. This is supported by Foucault’s statement, “Is it surprising that prisons resemble factories, schools, barracks, hospitals which all resemble prisons?”