Today we began our discussion groups on Half the Sky. Students who'd read up to chapter 4 or 3 pages 79 or 60. Read the next two-three chapters, 5, 6, 7 for Thursday, Feb. 18. We will blog about concepts and themes discussed there. Bring notes to post for response. Bring questions, disputes and agreements.
A couple of students like Phil and Edith had extensive notes which provided good models. It also helped them lead and provide input in the discussions they were a part of. Siddique was a great faciliator in his group. I heard him asking other members questions as he jotted down notes. There are students among you who know this material intimately.
If you are blessed with such a person, encourage them to provide feedback. In one of my other classes, a student told me she was Malay, and knew the areas where the prostitution take place, but she was unaware of the trafikking.
In one group the question was: "Is marriage another form of bondage, and if so, why do the authors subjects look at it as a good thing (e.g. Meena)?"
The assignment read:
1. Half the Sky Discussion Groups
Identify key stakeholders, themes abd evidence which proves or supports the authors' premise stated on page xxi.
Feel free to discuss other ideas connected to the themes such as current events or personal stories or releated experiences (no this is not a therapy session).
2. Homework for discussion groups: Post a short reflection on the dialectic process.
3. We meet in the library tomorrow for an orientation.
4. Check the blog for a link to Martin King's speech: Love Thy Enemy. This is your freewrite for 2/18.
Announcements:
Martin King III speaks tonight at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center. Thursday, Feb. 18, Eve Ensler speaks at King Middle School in Berkeley (KPFA fundraiseer). I think they both start at 7 PM.
A couple of students like Phil and Edith had extensive notes which provided good models. It also helped them lead and provide input in the discussions they were a part of. Siddique was a great faciliator in his group. I heard him asking other members questions as he jotted down notes. There are students among you who know this material intimately.
If you are blessed with such a person, encourage them to provide feedback. In one of my other classes, a student told me she was Malay, and knew the areas where the prostitution take place, but she was unaware of the trafikking.
In one group the question was: "Is marriage another form of bondage, and if so, why do the authors subjects look at it as a good thing (e.g. Meena)?"
The assignment read:
1. Half the Sky Discussion Groups
Identify key stakeholders, themes abd evidence which proves or supports the authors' premise stated on page xxi.
Feel free to discuss other ideas connected to the themes such as current events or personal stories or releated experiences (no this is not a therapy session).
2. Homework for discussion groups: Post a short reflection on the dialectic process.
3. We meet in the library tomorrow for an orientation.
4. Check the blog for a link to Martin King's speech: Love Thy Enemy. This is your freewrite for 2/18.
Announcements:
Martin King III speaks tonight at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center. Thursday, Feb. 18, Eve Ensler speaks at King Middle School in Berkeley (KPFA fundraiseer). I think they both start at 7 PM.
posted by Professor Wanda's Posse at 9:29 AM
23 Comments:
Taiisha Davis
English 1A 9-9:50
2/16/10
This morning's group discussion really interested me. Half the Sky is already a very interesting book, but my group mate Kim Thuy spoke of similar hardships in her country of Vietnam. She told us how the brothels are called "rest homes" and how people rent out their rooms to tourists for hours at a time. Kim also said that Americans and Europeans travel to these rest homes to engage in sex with these young girls. It saddens me to know that these people are not helping the girls in these third world countries, and instead are pushing these girls' freedom farther back. I always knew sex trafficking and prostitution was a prominent issue in certain parts of the world, but this really opened up my eyes.
Juan Li
English 1A
16/02/2010
Today we were talking about, "Half the sky" during the class. Accoding to the book, the main thesis was that we focus on three particular abuses:sex trafficking, forced prostitugion and maternal mortality, we can see that this kind of appression feels transcendent and does the opportunity in which we have seen that outsiders can truly make a significant difference. In three chapters wich we have read so far, we can see there were so many women who neaned help and also there were so many people who were trying hard to help. For example, in chapter one the Meena finally got married with a good man and her life started to become better and in chapter two the Knun Sokkea got help and she finished her elementry school education in overlake school. However, the problem didn't seem to be soft. Their lives still were not stable and freedom for them sometims is just a good marriage. Therefore, we would like to ask these questions,"will a woman really can be free if she has to underprotection? will a woman really can be independent if the society and education teach them how to belong."
Great reflections. I especially like how both students used concrete examples to illustrate their points. One suggestion: compose in Word and spell check your reaponses.
This is a public document, you want to present your best work.
Great reflections. I especially like how both students used concrete examples to illustrate their points. One suggestion: compose in Word and spell check your reaponses.
This is a public document, you want to present your best work.
Crystal Cortez
English 1A
8:00-8:50AM
Professor Wanda
Discussion for Ch. 1-4 of Half the Sky
Today discussion of Half the Sky was interested, because what people found interesting. A couple of people in my group brought up a couple of the same points the caught my attention from the chapters that I read. But one of a group members read ahead a lot of the chapter and began to explain a little of what the next chapters are about. The only bad thing about that is I didn’t really want to know what was next, because it kind of spoils the excitement, even though it is not exiting because what happens to these girls is a little depressing. Over all our group was good but after a while we didn’t have much to say but after professor Wanda came over and explain that we should not only talk about the book but similar situations in the present in our communities or the communities in the Bay Area that are faced with similar situations. We had come up with the terrible situation a young girl was put in, at Richmond High school, which related a little of what these girls go through in these third world countries everyday. Over all for the next discussion I believe my group will have more to say since we know how to go about and what to discus in the discussion, so we will be better prepared. And everyone will have a part, point and opinion.
Summera Farooq
Wadna Sabir
Eng 1A
2/16/2010
Discussion Half the Sky (Ch. 1-4)
Today in class we discussed the first four chapters of Half the sky. It is a really good book and I like it so far. We had a great discussion. My group had a question like, “Is a women really free when she is married?” like in the first chapter Meena escaped from the brothel and got married, but the marriage also limited her freedom. One good thing is that she is safe with her husband, and she does not have to work like she did in the brothel. In every chapter a woman has to end up marrying someone to be free or safe. Is this the only choice the women have? One of group member said that “why doesn’t the police do anything?” I said that the police are involved in the brothels and they get money so they won’t do anything about the brothels. Meena went to a police station to complain, but instead of helping her police sent her back to the brothel. I think the government need to open their eyes and solve this problem.
Ahu Yildirim
English 1A 9-9:50
2/16/2010
“Half the Sky” is a great book but also I find it too disturbing. It has a real stuff in it. All the chapters I have been reading not only make me think deeply but also make me realize how education is so important. If those girls have chance to get good education, they would have power to protect themselves from those evil people and make their own decisions. Lack of opportunity for education, poverty and their ritual believes make them even more trapped in their hell world. What would I do, if I would be one of them? May be I would kill myself or become a serial killer there. I don’t even want to think about it but feeling all those intense and dark emotions in their experiences in book makes me feel very sad. I believe education is the best way to gain and to make people gain consciousness. If people know and understand things better, they would be able to feel each other and this would help to decrease the rates of violence and oppression.
Peter Kortmann
English 1A
Professor Sabir
M-TH 9-10
Half the Sky Discussion Group
I found all of the opinions and reflections very beneficial. I think every member brought good insight to the discussion and contributed in the conversation. We started the exercise with introductions to familiarize ourselves. We each then discussed our overall initial reactions towards the book thus far. The overall consensus was that the book can be disturbing and a bit depressing, but it does inspire you, the reader, because of women’s determination. The book can be graphic at times, but at the end of each chapter I feel inspired at how much each woman goes through and has the will power to not only keep them from committing suicide, but start new thriving lives. The will power of a human is a terrific thing; it can overcome any obstacle if desired. A question was brought up, “do you think forced prostitution and rape will end in the next 20 years.” My response is that it was started thousands of years ago and has expanded and evolved since then, so it will take some time to abolish the world of it. Each student expressed to the group which story or chapter was their favorite; the most interesting story to me was the tyrant gangster Yakku who was brought down by one educated woman. The stories of Yakku were very graphic and disturbing and for a young woman to have the courage to stand up to him is very inspiring.
Veronica Flores
Professor Sabir
English 1A
M-TH 9-9:50
2-16-10
Half the Sky Discussion:
In class today, we discussed our thoughts on “Half the Sky” so far. As I continue read more of the book, I am more aware of how fortunate I am. It is indeed a rude awakening to be informed of all the gruesome things that go on in other parts of the world. Most of these women don’t have a voice, or don’t use it in fear that they might be punished or killed. Sex trafficking has become an exception. Why is this? Why isn’t anyone taking a stand? In chapter three, the authors told a story about young women named Usha. A neighbor of Usha’s was being robbed by the local thug Akku. Her neighbor was afraid to report the robbery and assault to authorities, so Usha went for her. Akku threatened to kill her if she didn’t tell the police it wasn’t true, but she refused. She scared him off by threatening to kill them all, including herself, if he didn’t leave them alone. All it took was one woman to stand up for herself. Because of Usha, others found courage to speak up. When I first started reading the book, I was a little skeptical on whether or not I’d enjoy it. I suppose I didn’t want to face the reality of these stories. I don’t want to believe that things like this actually happen. Aside from my thoughts, I love the authors’ attitude towards making change. Most people don’t have the right attitude about trying to help solve these issues. They figure they can’t save all of these women from sexual slavery, so why bother. What we need to realize is that there are girls as young as nine being trafficked. There MUST be something done about underage trafficking. It is completely unethical. We might not be able to help all, but we can help some. That should be more than enough reason for us to take action. Overall, the book is very inspiring and I enjoy it
Kimthuy Tran
English 1A (9-9:50)
"Half of Sky" discussion
Today, the class has a discussion about the theme of “Half of Sky” book. My group has three people that are Faiishar, Sideeq, and me, and we all finish reading 3 chapters. During the discussion, we ask each other about our thoughts of women’s fate in Thailan and India. Sideeq said that it was unbelievable, he never did like with women, and he wanted to do something for women in third countries. With Faiishar, she was sorry for those women; she also said many prostitutes in the U.S have opportunities to call police if they are being beat or rape, and prostitutes are people who use drug. There is one point we don’t understand why government did not solve this problem. Furthermore, I hope that more and more people know about “ Half of Sky’’ book, so women in poor country can have a happy life.
Phil Redd
English 1A (8-9am)
My group was pretty fun. We joked around, but mostly kept it on topic. Everyone agrees the book is a downer and a bit repeative. Some seemed to enjoy the book more then me. But overall I win for most pages read.
Here is how each chapter of the book goes:
Three ambious storys. They all start with a girl getting raped and/or abused in some 3d world hellhole. Two stories end bad, and one ends ok. Some people always start a group who want your money to change the 3rd world. And a good deal of celeberty name droping, and political bashing. The end
This formula can be applyied to the whole lame book. Change the names, where it happends, and make it sound like a cultural misunderstanding and you have any chapter from Women Hold Up Half The Sky.
In our group we discussed roughly 3 chapters and the introduction. The introduction gave us a good idea of how the book was written. From it we understood that we'd read in detail about the tragedy suffered by women all over the world. Through the chapters we learned of women such as Srey Rath, Meena Hasina and their children who indured brutal beatings and continuous sex abuse while forced to live a life of prostitution. Within the first few chapters i was touched by the stories of these women and deeply frustrated by the humor one of my classmates made of them. I guess when your ancestors didnt suffer tragedies like others you can not or chose not to recognize trauma. Im sorry i let this affect my class discussion but i honestly stopped paying attention and read ahead on my own. I think the discussion was a good way of sharing our ideas about the reading and i look forward to doing it again just with other classmates.
sorry i always forget this part...Constance Brown Eng 1A 8:00-8:50 mon-thurs
Victor Ani
English 1A
9-9:50
Mon.-Thurs.
Hello Ms. Sabir,
Today at our discussion table, we talked about very interesting topics relative to the book “Half the Sky.” Siddique asked very good questions that lead our group into a great discussion. Kim reflected on how life goes down in her homeland of Vietnam. She spoke about sex trafficking and how tourists flew in to engage in the foul crimes. Besides what we talked about in Vietnam, we also spoke on how we act in Oakland and how they acted in the book. How could someone let someone else borrow their bike and the person just goes out and sells it? How does bribery work in other countries and how does bribery work here in the United States?
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sideeq Islam
Wanda Sabir
9:00 - 9:50
The discussion group included me Taiisha, Kimthuy, Vick and Nikko. Today’s group conversation was somewhat therapeutic. As I read “Half the Sky” I find myself becoming very angry and wanting to lash out at the abusers of these women. One extremely puzzling question haunts me and I presented it to the group—why do the men allow their women to be treated this way? To explain what I was getting at I used myself and Vick as an example. I don’t know Vick other than being in this classroom with him however in our culture if our women are being abused this way we would act. If we didn’t have the courage someone would. To make it plain, the women would not have to get fed up to the point of retaliation. A man would step forward and eliminate the problem. Vick and Nikko agreed that we just don’t understand because we are not in their situation.
More insight was given by Kimthuy who happens to be from Vietnam. I sensed that her struggle with explaining had more to do with a battle of an uncomfortable topic than a relatively new language. She has been in the US for three years and has a lot to offer on the subject the abuse of women in Vietnam. As she talked I thought about “Momm” and how she may have held the same sense of innocence. I listened and wondered how could someone take a young girl and misuse her that way. Kimthuy also shed some light on the acceptance in the culture. She told how rooms are rented out by the hour in family homes. It is my understanding that prostitutes use these rentals for business.
Before the other Students came Taiisha and I were talking about the girls here who are prostitutes and how they have a choice but don’t take advantage of it. We agreed that there may be a replacement of poor family bonding or lack of love from a father that keeps the girls connected to their pimps. As the others arrived we talked about the inclusion of drugs which are part of a worldwide formula, according to the authors of our book.
Overall this discussion went good; I mean went well (smile). One suggestion that I would like to make is that we exercise more passion on this particular subject. We will probably never have a college course like this again where we have the opportunity to share our free voices in a relaxed structure. I look forward to more of the “Half the Sky” conversations and encourage my classmates to really get involved. We may spark the next great freedom fighter(s) to be noted in history.
To my classmates, thanks for the input.
Emmily Manown
English 1A 8-9 am
Our group was fun, and we had one person phill who read all the way to chapter 11 and had great notes. So we all used his notes to lead our discussion group.
We pretty much stayed ontopic. But the whole group can definantly agree how sad and depressing this book is. Most of the group besides phill was pretty quiet because we had all not read that far.
Edith Gonzalez
English 1A-9am
Professor Sabir
February 17, 2010
Group Discussions on Half the Sky
I really enjoyed the group discussions because it gave me a chance to hear other people's opinion on the book and also to interact with my classmates. We all agreed that in the beginning not all of us enjoyed the book but we all beleived that it was a great way to bring awareness about the hardships that women go through.
I beleive that so far the other is doing a significant job in getting their message across. Most of the stories we've read about so far bring out the issue of sex traficking and it emphasizes on the importance of having an education.
In my group, one of the things that we discussed is how long will it take for things to change for woman in those places in the world. We all agreed that if it ever will, it will probably not be in our life time, but hopefully soon.
Jeff Cornelius
English 1A
0800-0850
I know this post is late, but better late than never. I think the discussion group could have gone better. I think it just needed a little more guidance. Just a suggestion for future discussions is to have a clearer format for the discussion. Also for the students, there is no right or wrong when having a guided discussion it is to voice your opinion. The best way I have found to learn new ideas and perspectives is from my fellow students. I may not agree with some or all of their ideas and perspectives but it gives you an insight into the lives of other people how they live and think. So for next time don’t be afraid and share your opinion. I would almost guarantee you that nobody will make fun of you, or bite your head off. We are all in school for the same reason to learn.
Joshua Duong
Febuary 18, 2010
Professor Sabir
English 1A 8-8:50 am
"Love Your Enemy" Response
I like this speech from Martin Luther King Jr. This speech reminds us, as a people, that a wrong doing shouldn't be shunned upon, but rather embraced to created a better society, one where there the people act as one unit. I like how he shows how the act of forgiveness directly correlates to the act of love and kindness. If one cannot forgive another for his wrong doing, then the person has no capacity for love.
Martin shows us that if we cannot forgive, then the hatred will never be lifted, thus continuing the cycle of hate.Because of that, the war and things like discrimination will never be abolished from our world.
Carmella Montes
Professor Sabir
English 1A
8:00-8:50AM
In the bible, it says we should love our neighbor and hate your enemy. King brings the idea that we should love our enemies instead because we all share the same father in heaven. King says, “Ye have heard that it has been said, ‘Thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.’ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven." We should love our enemies as ourselves despite our differences.
He says in the past he has found it hard to like certain individuals. King says, “There are a lot of people that I find it difficult to like. I don’t like what they do to me. I don’t like what they say about me and other people. I don’t like their attitudes. I don’t like some of the things they’re doing. I don’t like them. But Jesus says love them. And love is greater than like. Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody, because God loves them.” I think everyone has not like someone at some point, but he has made
a great argument in saying we should love our enemies.
He proposes that we analyze ourselves first. Some people might not like us for various reasons, some that we’re not sure of. If we analyze ourselves we can discover the reason that someone may not like us. Whether it be something we have done in the past, or an attribute about us. King says, “In order to love your enemies, you must begin by analyzing self… It seems to me that that is the first and foremost way to come to an adequate discovery to the how of this situation… There might be something within you that arouses the tragic hate response in the other individual.” Another reason is says is to look for the good attributes in your enemy. There could be good in them and look at the good features that outweigh the bad features. He says, “A second thing that an individual must do in seeking to love his enemy is to discover the element of good in his enemy.
Arely Razo
Professor Sabir
English 1A
16 February
Half The Sky Discussion
I really liked my group and I liked what we had to say. I felt that it was easy for us to talk and on a lot of things we were able to relate on what we thought. I think that this discussion was a good way to talk about the book and review. We ended up coming up with a different thesis from the introduction and Ms. Sabir said that it was wrong. Overall I think that the discussion went well and I liked the people that were in my group. I think that I maybe in the same group next time because I liked what they had to say. I liked that they had read as far as I had in the book. I do have to be more prepared with notes next time. I just usually remember what I read and that’s what I go based on since i like to read. My group thought that being married was also a way of bondage because now the women have to do things for their family and men.
Jennie Lo
Prof. Wanda
English 1A 9:00-9:50am
Feb 20, 2010
Half the Sky discussion
I like the group discussion very much. I don’t like the book at the very beginning because I don’t like to read the sad stories. The group discussion changed my feeling. We started to get to know each others before we stepped in discussion. I feel it is very good with someone know the stories and share the views. Even though it is a book with lot of unhappy stories, a group discussion can share the feeling and able to widen and light up the perspective. We all agreed this book gave us a very sad feeling but we have positively looking at the book with the encouraging panorama. We brought up the stories randomly and talked about the characters in details. We checked the book when we all could not recall the part we wanted to know. We also picked up a couple of fun part from the book about the invention of the “tampex.” I enjoy the group discussion and it is giving me a chance to share and get a more positive thinking of the book.
Post a Comment
<< Home