Sunday, November 13, 2011

evaluation

Things I will discuss...

The need to have a tool for the student to use in the readings. I would create a few 'thought questions' which will give the students an idea of what ideas, issues, facts the professor sees as the most important aspect of the reading. I feel this will not only help the students get more out of the readings, but also encourage discussion of the texts.

The blogging should be done after each class, not before. I think it will be a more useful tool if students are commenting on (A) the readings of that class session (B) the discussions from that class session or video conference and (C) their own personal reflection from the session.

I also like the idea of commenting blog 'buddies', but I think you should have the students draw names of two students to follow throughout the semester so they can follow to different perspectives.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

i dont know how to feel...

These two links to the Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement website informed me of what is currently going on in Jerusalem. I am saddened and discouraged by the news. I wonder how the people fighting for peace are still willingly to go out and protest this Friday. I believe it is very brave of them. It is very hard for me to fully conceptualize this situation fully. I am hoping that meeting Eitan Grossman tomorrow will give me a better understanding of how the people involved are feeling at this point and what they hope the outcome of Friday will be.

http://www.en.justjlm.org/617

http://www.en.justjlm.org/631

from a few weeks ago, will post more tonight

I posted this information a few weeks ago on the class blog. I will not be able to post more current things until later tonight.

The following article, "Genuine solidarity vs. stale promises" was written by Eitan Grossman in July of this year. Grossman is the Isreali Sheikh Solidarity Movement organizer. The follwing statement by Grossman contains an important criteral of the negotations for peace and futher explanations is given in the following article. Enjoy!

"Solidarity is not making a theoretical argument for a two-state solution or for a unilateral declaration of independence. Rather, the struggle is for the recognition and support of the basic right of Palestinians to national self-determination, out of recognition that political independence is not the goal of negotiations, but rather a prerequisite for it. As Nelson Mandela put it, only a free man can negotiate: only when Palestinians and Israelis are free from the occupation will they be able to begin negotiating for peace."
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=229265

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

music

Music has a very important role in my life. I am an avid music lover. In the past I have been apart of choirs, though I have never been able to play a musical instrument.

The way I feel I most contribute to music is being a listener and lover of what is being created. At least once a week, if not three times a week, I am watching music being played live. Most of my friends are artists and I support them as much as possible. I love being involved in every part of the music process. From being in my friends basement, listening to the practice a new song they just wrote, to being in the studio while they lay one down, to being at their shows and dancing along with every beat.

Music is the one thing that can always give me a sense of hope. Anytime I am down, I put on music or go to a show, and I feel a spark of encouragement. I feel that music is the easiest way for people to communicate. Everyone can feel a beat, hear a melody. Music is a medium that all people can understand, it may have different arrangements and tempos, but the core is the same. I believe because music is such a universal language it has an important role in conflict resolution. Music naturally brings people together. Countless amounts of times, I have seen someone strumming a guitar and throughout the night people are drawn to the sweet sound. If we can use music as a tool to gather different types of people together, we can take it one step further, and begin having dialogue among the conflicted.