"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. "
Martin Luther King Jr.US black civil rights leader & clergyman (1929 - 1968)
Final Post: Meta Cognitive Reflection
Question: Now that you have experienced the unit on Creating Borderlands what knowledge, questions, concerns, uncertainties, emotions do you walk away with. Please limit your response to 150 words. You may select any form of writing you wish: paragraphs, letter, journal, chart, graph, bullets, numerical list, or any other form.
I was affected by this unit in the sense that it provided me with information, on top of everything else I already knew, so that I might form my own opinions about the topic of borderlands. This evidence was supplied by ted talks, night and fog, Rose Blanche, and various news articles. I learned about the single story, the evil of men, the innocence of children in the face of horror, and that there is always someone on the other side.
ReplyDeleteMy perceptions about cultures, to be truthful, remain largely the same, even after the unit. With my new knowledge, the ideas became more developed. We’ve been lead to believe we should not focus on what makes us different from one another. Lately, I’ve thought, why not? In my opinion, we, as a people, can only learn to live with each other if we recognise that other people are different. We are not a single population, but rather a complex society, with millions of different views and cultures, each with something new and exciting to contribute. Rather than slowly submerge these differences in indifference, or melt them down into our own societies, it is my personal belief that, to succeed, we must embrace all the uniqueness in our world. it is imperative to see that others are different, understand them better, and thus accept them for who they are, and appreciate them.
Your comment about recognizing the complexity of a diverse society is very profound. I appreciate your insights about how we can all be continuous learners as we discover new aspects of different cultures. The key, as you also notice, is to build understanding and that can only happen with opportunities to communicate across differences and build compassion...that's where you get to your last statement: acceptance and appreciation. Awesome entry!!!
DeleteAfter the multi-media unit of Border Land Crossing, I walk away with many different emotions. This unit served mostly as a revelation for me. I never knew how much I did not know about not only the Holocaust but also many other cultures because of the single story glasses I was wearing. Now I have realized that living my life by believing only single stories about different groups of people, I have been sheltered from a world of possibilities. As if, a fence was blocking me from exploring the different worlds of new cultures.
ReplyDeleteWith the puzzle piece collage, it was evident that all of us learned a lot from this unit and it was a great way to share what we did learn. During one of the group presentations, they used the quote “you can’t shake hands with a clenched fist”. This quote shows that both parties have to agree to make peace. As Mr. Racco said in class earlier, in the school that was built, there are problems and it is not perfect, but people are trying to make a difference. This shows that when we ourselves begin to border cross and try to make a difference we are going to experience problems but we must continue trying.
Hi,
DeleteIt's clear that your experiences in the Borderlands unit helped you question information sources. You mentioned that you now understand that seeing an issue through a single lens can never render the full story. That alone, is huge! You learned that to make a difference, you have to embrace difference (cross that border!)Amazing insight! Thanks!
Now that the unit of border crossing is coming to a close, I reflect on the things I’ve learned over the past weeks. Before starting the unit, I did not even know what a borderland was. Now, my knowledge on this topic has grown a great deal. We learned through various sources of media about erasing the single story and how not all Germans were horrible people during the time of the holocaust. I know understand that seeing people with a single story in your head about their culture, ethnicity or sexuality is like watching a 3D movie without the glasses, you can see, but everything is blurry. Technically, if we think about it, the Germans and the Jews had the same amount of freedom because although the Jews were being held in concentration camps and couldn’t escape, the Germans were forced to follow commands. Although I have learned a great amount of new information on border passing, there is always more to be learned on the topic.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher who is about to retire, I can't tell you how refreshing it is to hear your excitement about being a learner your entire life. Yes, you learn within a course but it's clear to me that you have an open mind to continuous learning. Bravo!
DeleteBefore we started this unit, I did not know what a borderland was, or that they happen every day. I had very close minded thoughts. I had believed the single stories about different cultures, races and groups. Like how all Germans were Nazis and all Africans are poor and hungry. After completing this unit, I feel that I am more welcoming of other cultures and I think before I accept a story I hear. I learned that there are not different types of people, we may look different, act different, sound different or like different things but we are all part of one race, the human race. Without one of us, the world would not be complete. We all bring our own unique knowledge and abilities to the world and no one is inferior to another.
ReplyDeleteWhat I also learned is that stereotypes make no sense. We have all heard that all dark skinned people are criminals, but where does this come from. We just accept this without knowing anything about the story. We don’t know or care about where stereotypes come from; we just accept them and don’t think twice.
Your comment about everyone being part of the human race made me think of the term we use for that: homo sapiens (Latin for man/woman knowing). Your post demonstrates how much you have learned about the fact that we are all, all of us, always learning about each other. This unit gave you an incredible opportunity to do this as a class community. That is so cool.
DeleteDear Journal,
ReplyDeleteAfter months of creating borderlands and researching different types of pre-historcial time periods which involved borderlands, I am here to finally say that I walk away from this unit with mixed emotions. We discussed everything in class, as well amongst ourselves through a variety of multi media approaches. We first read 'Boy in the striped Pajamas' which left me to believe that all German's were bad. But then, we watched 'Schindler's list' which left another taste in my mouth. It proved to me that infact, not all German's were as bad as we thought. I feel that the purpose of the unit that we just finished had to do somewhat with our society today. "You can't judge a book by it's cover." That is entirely true. Or The Crayon box that talked for example. No one liked the white crayon, but no one knew why. In life, we have to realize that everyone deserves chances and there are a million things that we need to think in our heads before judging. So on which side is the grass really greener?
How lucky are you to have learned this lesson in such a real way and at such a young age. "Everyone deserves chances" is a powerful statement that you made. It's so true. If we jump to judgment, there can never be understanding or acceptance. That you learned this by experiencing various texts from different perspectives is a credit to you, as a student, and to your teacher for opening up this opportunity to your class.
DeleteI'd like to start by saying that I feel honoured to have had the opportunity to experience border-crossing throughout the past couple of months. Not many people can truly say that they opened their minds and hearts to new information about different cultures. Not only did my class learn about breaking down the single story we had about other people, we learned to finish that story. Every person is unique and has their own story and by learning their individual story, we are able to make friends we never thought we could have. They learned the hard way throughout the holocaust that you don't really know a person, or a group of people until you try to get to know them. But, hopefully now, people don't make the same mistakes. That's what I've learned throughout this unit and I am glad that I was given the opportunity to become a border crosser, it is something that I will carry with me for a long time.
ReplyDeleteYour post is very inspiring. I imagine that you have encouraged this attitude of openess already with people in your life.
DeleteHow do I walk away from this unit? Really, I don’t walk away. I’ve been climbing a hill, and what I couldn’t see from the valleys I now see from the peaks. I now see not only cultural diversity, beauty and power, but also cultural unity, similarity and peace. The people I used to think were so different than I, and the life I used to see as a different universe from mine has now transformed into people who I try to understand and lives that I strive to empathize. It isn’t about looking away from misunderstanding, rather, it is about walking into fog and then finding sunshine because I will never understand if I do not try. So if you asked me how I walk away from this unit, I would tell you that I do not walk away, I only keep climbing to understanding this world and its people. Life is a journey and borderlands are the pathway.
ReplyDeleteLife, indeed, is a journey. I love how you say that borderlands are the pathway. Your post describes your transformation and the potential for this type of transformation for other. Awesome!!
DeleteAfter borderland crossing and expanding my horizons my mind and heart are left unsatisfied. At first I thought I knew everything there was to know; hence was satisfied with the full knowledge I thought I had grasped. When we read The Boy in The Striped Pajamas and watched the horrors of Night and Fog these solidified my known facts on the Holocaust. I felt even better, more satisfied. I was supposed to hate Germans: they were bad and feel sorry for the Jews: they were the victims. But when we viewed Schindler’s List and the TedTalk, it was like a slap across the face. Wait…there is another side to the truth, to the story? I was confused on what to feel and how to respond. This is how I feel walking away from this unit. I crave to always know the answer but in this scenario the correct answer is that there is no answer, the question is left open-ended. Unfortunately having this as an answer was not good enough to satisfy my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThere's a saying: There more you know, the more you realize what you don't know." Living with uncertainty makes us uneasy. But that is a good thing because it helps us seek understanding and what better way to live? Your response shows great depth of thought...you share the questions of many great philosophers.
DeleteThe borderland crossing to me is like reading a book for the second time. I already knew what basically happened, but I skipped over some details. This unit helped open my eyes to the details in life, things that I would have never learned otherwise. One major thing that stuck out to me was to not judge a person based on what I see. They have their own lives that I know nothing about. Looking around to my own classmates I realized that I may have judged them without even getting to know them. In fact I know I did. This unit made me realise that the details of every side of every story is what makes the truth, not the things we hear from someone else.
ReplyDeleteHow lucky you are to learn this important life lesson so early!And what impresses me is that you see the application from the readings to your own relationships.
DeleteI walk away from the unit on Borderlands with a desire to make a change in the world and work for equality and justice. The film on Oskar Schindler inspired me the most because he was a man who had everything and was willing to risk it all for the good of complete strangers. After watching the film, I realized that I too could work so that all people could be treated with equality and respect.
ReplyDeleteI hope that I will never have to be involved in an issue as horrific as the Holocaust. However, I do know that there will always be one person or group of people facing discrimination who I can help through a small action like a smile or word of support. As an adult, I plan to be a Crown Attorney; a job where I will be able to practically apply this newfound empowerment.
It's inspiring to read how inspired you are to carry forth the spirit of good people like Oskar Schindler. I like how you see your impact happening through small actions and a life career. Good luck in your career goals, Robert!
DeleteAfter experiencing the unit on border crossing, I feel that my journey has only just begun. I feel that now, it is my responsibility to share with others what I had the privilege to learn about. For me, this unit of study was like reaching a fence and opening the gate to get to the other side. I know that I have crossed the fence and made it to the other side, but I also know that now it is my job to explore what lies far beyond this fence. Each form of literature that we studied opened my eyes to new possibilities and ideas, and although I feel very enlightened, I know there is still so much more to learn, and there always will be. Beyond this first fence lie meadows and valleys of other cultures, stories, and stereotypes, and along with them lay more fences that need to be crossed to achieve peace and understanding. Through this unit we may have only crossed one border, one fence, but you always have to start somewhere.
ReplyDeleteYour comment about privilege and responsibility reflects the big learning that happened for you. You were certainly privileged to have had this learning experience together with your classmates. It is good to hear that you feel inspired to bring justice and peace to others to those in your "backyard" and beyond as a result. Congratulations!
DeleteHelplessness, such is the feeling that grates upon me most insistently. There is too much I do not know, why did it the Holocaust start? Why are there still genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia and Sudan? If I go up to Kony or a gang member or whoever it is on which we choose to lay the blame, and show them “Night and Fog” will they cringe? Laugh? Cry? Will they even care? Are there not enough humane humans out there? Whatever happened to sympathy, empathy, even some selfish, condescending pity?! Perhaps I am so vehement because I am ashamed. Who am I to judge, when I have just as much power as I accuse others of misusing? Hatred and racism and genocide and border-blocking are still happening, and I could crawl through this pessimistic rut eternally, dig myself a grave, but I cannot. What is the point? As an individual I cannot bring world peace, and I doubt I’m expected to, but I can help it along, everyone can help it along, and maybe one day all our little ‘peaces’ will make “one big peace”. If there is one thing that can stand against anything, it is hope; sure it’s hard to get, and even harder to keep, but when you have it, you’re unstoppable. I understand it isn’t so much about legacy but about being the best person you can be, and to stop thinking about everything as if you were a superhero on a quest to save the world. I walk away understanding that multiculturalism and border-crossing are really just buzzwords, definitions for those who need to find a way to describe an unexplainable bond. The bond of the human race, living together in one home, Earth, and our dazzling potential unity that would make us invincible. I may wear myself down with helplessness, but how can I bear to do anything else but hope?
ReplyDeleteI hear such passion and energy in your words that it does give me hope. Whenever I feel overwhelmed with the bigness of the situation, I think of Jean Vanier, who also felt that way when seeing the overwhelming poverty in Calcutta. He knew he couldn't help the tens of thousands of people he saw suffering before him so he just took two out of that misery. That's how L'Arche began (two by two) and now there are over 130 L'Arche communities all over the world. Small loving actions do make a huge impact. You can read more about Jean Vanier and L'Arche in his book, Becoming Human.
DeleteIn the back of my head there was always that one question. Why do we separate ourselves from others and define ourselves as different? The answer is because we are. We are unique, incomparable and unlike anybody else. We will always react differently than others. Our tone of voice, laughter, and the way our feelings are directed are all different... Yet we are all the same. The amount of feelings is the same; our body features, our world, our needs and wants are all the same. The main message that I have learned from this unit is to always embrace that; we should embrace how we are all so similar but it is our given situations that makes us different. Instead of pushing away our differences, we should be aware of them. Instead of rudely pointing them out, we should include them. And think, before we judge.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree -- physically, you cannot avoid seeing the differences and our unique appearance. What I am noticing that the world is beginning to embrace a variety of ideas of "beautiful." Beyond the exterior, however, are we really that different? Do we not all have the same basic needs for safety, belonging, food, shelter, and love? That is what unites us...as Catholics we see ourselves as all members of one body, the body of Christ, which is love itself. You said it perfectly when you said we should include, not judge -- when we open up our community to encircle "others" what might happen to those borderlands? eventually, disappear.
DeleteIt's hard to explain my feelings about this border crossing unit. I am extremely content to recieve, or more so, realize the ability to look past the single stories, and I know how much that ability can change someone's life. I became a much more open minded person not only to what causes fences between people, races and cultures (being single stories and stereotypes) but how I should gain different perspectives of one story so I gain a full picture. The journey had its ups and downs through learning the brutalities of the Holocaust and the small hopes I received from it, like Oskar Schindler but I'm glad I took it, in some ways it has enriched me. This unit was primarily based on the messages we received by different media sources on the Holocaust and single stories and with these messages I HAVE more border crossing to do. This unit was the key to unlock more border crossing into the world of endless possibilities. I am happy with what I am able to do now but find myself stricken with the idea that we still face racism, discrimination and brutal hatred across the world, and replay our ugly pasts. My only hope is that if people slowly start to eradicate the single stories in their heads at a young age that we can slowly gain our way to a slightly more peaceful world and learn from human kinds mistakes.
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DeleteI like your comment about endless possibilites that exist now that you have adopted an open mind to continually learning. I agree that this creates hope and peace. You have an excellent reflection and analysis of the core concepts of this unit,Chiara.
DeleteWhen we began our Creating Borderlands unit, I already thought I knew all there was to know about being “culturally aware” (Erica’s words from class today). But now I can clearly see that there is no point of knowing all there is to know about eradicating the single story. We are constantly growing and maturing in and outside the classroom. For example, when we focused on the Holocaust, I thought we’d simply be recounting the events and learning about how it affected the lives of only Germans and Jews. However, after all we analyzed the various genres in our unit; it amazed me to see how the understanding of that specific example of the effects of the single story can be applied to almost any situation in my daily life. I feel that throughout our unit we really learned to open up about issues that matter, and I feel that we have succeeded in creating a borderland not only between the four walls of our classroom, but also in each of our personal lives.
ReplyDeleteYour comment about issues that matter, not just in school but in your personal lives is so relevant. You embody the ideal learner if you can make these connections. It seems that you have learned the transformative power of learning about an issue from various perspectives and a variety of genres.
DeleteIf before this unit you were to ask me what border crossing was, I would honestly respond saying it is crossing a literal border. Six weeks and 15 posts later, I learned the true meaning. I think this affected me, and all of my classmates, in the same way.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were first introduced to the idea of the Holocaust, we were taught Germans were evil people and all they wanted was to kill Jews. Now, when we look back we see that the stereotype is not untrue, but it is incomplete. Not every single person living in Germany in the 1940s hated Jews; it was a select few, and those who didn't couldn't say anything to stop in, because they were afraid that it would cost them their lives.
Some people actually did do something about it, but I don't remember ever hearing the name "Oskar Schindler" come up in my textbook. That movie was a real eye opener, and in a way, inspiring to me. Schindler did whatever means possible to save the Jews. It made men realize I can do whatever I out my mind to.
Overall, the main messages I took away from this was to look behind what a person looks like, because they might not be who they appear to be; to break down the unjust fences that are separating you from embracing someone else's culture; and to grab you 3D glasses an look at life though a proper lense.
You have had some amazing insights as a result of this unit, Kayla. Sounds like you are wearing the correct lens :)
DeleteWas I affected by this unit? I would like to think so. This unit did one thing for me, gave me something to think about. New thoughts that allow me to broaden my view and reconsider my actions. I walk away with life lessons. The major thing I walk away with is a better understanding of how the single story works. To see things with open minds and never only analyze just a single story. We need to learn to accept others and be open to the idea of differences. We may all look or act differently but that does not mean we cannot do more than anyone else, we all have the same potential. We will never know unless we interact with one another and, as Caroline and Michelle said, the outcome depends on us.
ReplyDeleteI walk away with a caution for myself, reminding myself to never assume or take a stand unless I know the entire story. Talking specifically about the Holocaust incident it answers many questions but also brings to life many more. I learn what happened during the Holocaust, to the Jewish and the German, I also learned that not all Germans were Nazi. But it left me with questions like: why did this happen, what was the reasoning, could this have happened to anyone on this world?
An important thing I learned was that it does not matter what you look like, what matters is what you do to contribute to our society. When I look back in history it does not matter the information on a person, what I care about are their actions. No information justifies what they did, but whatever they did was so incredible or so disgusting that we still learn it centuries after it happened. That is the only thing that matters.
Kyle, when I visited Auschwitz 4 years ago, the students and I were overcome with grief at the atrocities that occured. However, when we returned to Toronto, we met with several survivors of the Holocaust and their love and hope shone brightly in them. They have hope because of young people like you who have learned a huge life lesson and wish to live differently as a result. As the survivors age, they urge us to carry on this message for them, after they are gone. "You are the witnesses, now" they say. Kyle, you are a witness to the horrors that can happen when only differences are seen and used to justify injustice. You are also a witness of hope that comes from seeing that the human thirst for justice can never be quenched. Thank you for being a witness!
DeleteAll your comments are extremely interesting and thought-provoking. I am glad that you will all be taking something with you from this unit of study.
ReplyDeleteOver the last week I have been analyzing your meta-cognitive comments and have compiled a chart that lists the contributor to this post, what each has learned accompanied by a significant quote, and how they have learned it.
I will distribute this chart entitled: Here`s What You Said You`ve Learned in class on Monday morning.
Thank you for all your comments. I too walk away from this unit learning more than I had ever imagined this social interactive medium could offer.
The last step will be to complete a final survey on the classroom blog. Stay tuned!
Mr. Racco, you must be incredibly proud of your students. The depth of their thinking and emotion is remarkable. It's clear that they met the learning goals that various texts and genres provide multiple viewpoints and engage the reader differently. The students learned to be critical readers and analyzers and that's a skill that is crucial in a world where information comes flying at us from so many sources. More importantly, the activites were transformative...your students were changed forever to see that they have the power to make a difference.
DeleteThis unit had a great impact on me, not only physically but mentally too. It has changed the way I view other people, how I perceive the world and more importantly the way I approach new situations. The single story, I recognized that I too had succumbed to stereotyping, however through the insightful lecture we viewed I was able to gather my preconceived notions and wipe the slate full of them in my head clean. It was through this blog that I was able to learn more about my own classmates. How they thought, what their feelings on the topic were and if any of us though alike.
ReplyDeleteThrough the cpt I was able to see the importance of living unified without any borders. Respecting the other culture is the most important step after acknowledging that it is there. These are mere building blocks to a unified society that we all strive for. The stepping stones across a river of differences, and we are the ones jumping from stone to stone; only we can make something happen.
Isabelle, I appreciate your comment that blogging allowed you to learn more about your classmates. I wonder how that helped your own learning. I know that it helps me to bounce ideas off of other people before I can come to an idea of what makes sense to me. I hope you get more of these opportunities in the future. Good luck in Gr. 10!
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