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Amy ChenI also agree that I didn't realize many aspects of the movie such as the lack of male leaders in the family. The main focus was on the matriarchs of the wealthy family.
Amy ChenDuring the lecture, Professor Jung-Kim gave us details about military comfort women. Women, who already are considered inferior, have a even lower status during war. Military comfort women from other Asian countries such as China, Vietnam, and the Phillipines were victims of rape. However, rape was not considered a war crime during World War II. Peace monuments have been built around the world to commemorate them, including one in Glendale. This topic might be too mature for middle school but I found it to be important to be aware of.
Amy ChenSimilar to China, the role of women in Japan are significantly inferior to men. They are required to kneel in traditional Japanese homes. In theater, men play women in plays by dressing in masks. Women are considered to unclean with menstruation and childbirth to partake in acting.
We looked at many poems that do not clearly list the authors. Based on the writing and content, we have to guess if the writer is male or female. I would use the poems as an activity for my English class. They use similar patterns and nature is often a theme. The poetry would be great for my students to look at.
Amy ChenThe new marriage laws that ban child marriage and polygamy during Communist China is very progressive for its time. Communist China has been viewed as controviersial and detriment toward China but these laws bring gender equality into the equation. The new laws allow divorce and for the woman to keep property that was hers before marriage. There are a total of 37 articles that detail the new laws. The difficult task of enforcing these laws unfolded by strict banning og child brothels, concubines, and so on. I found this article enlightening and a big eye opener in terms of women's rights in China.
Amy ChenI was genuinely surprised that a female author proposed the inferiorty of women in Chinese culture. The extent to which women were degraded was even more shocking. I never knew female babies were kept underground. The notion that women weren't considered a person until they gave birth to a son is one I know of. Professor Yan also opened my eyes to the fact that Mao called for gender equality during the Culture Revolution which was turned down by men.
Amy ChenHi Everyone,
My name is Amy. I teach 6th grade English and History at Thomas Starr King Middle School. This is the second seminar I've taken at the USC US- China Institute. Looking forward to the great lectures and information this week!
Amy ChenI have experience this with my 6th graders too! While studying hominids, they were confused how a stone tool was considered technology. To them, technology is Airpods and the next video game console. I like Barbara's idea of making a list of modern technologies that are being taken for granted. Then, students will see how big of an invention paper or electicity was when they were first discovered.
Amy ChenThank you for sharing your ideas. Next year, I will be getting Ipads for each student and I plan to use VR to view the Great Wall. Bringing in the Mongols and how they impacted the wall would make the lesson even more intricate. Also, I would discuss how the Mongols are portrayed in movies and how realistic those portrayals are.
Amy ChenI would also like to practice more mindfulness in my daily life. I use Calm Classroom with my 6th graders when they come in from break and from lunch. It is a book with different breathing and stretch exercise designed for the classroom. I find it really useful for helping students transition for a stimulating time such as lunch to a quiet space in the classroom.
Amy ChenThank you for sharing the stats on Buddhism. I missed this lecture so it was helpful reading everyone's comments. I think that Buddhism is starting to decrease in followers because as a religion it is not as regimented as other world religions. Many followers view Buddhism as more of a spiritual philosophy and often practice the teachings privately.
Amy ChenVice just released an article on how most of the "recyclable" materials are low grade scrap. Countries such as the Phillipines, Malaysia, China are returning tons of plastic to the United States. Overall, only about 9 percent of the world's plastic is getting recycled. China's market for recycling boomed in the 90s but their giant facilities were mostly unregulated. Most of the recycable materials sent there were being brought to landfills. As a result, China began to refuse buying plastic from the U.S. Now plastic are being burned in Southeast Asia which is laeding to other environmental impacts. I would challenge my students to come up with ideas to solve the plastic problem by taking accountability of what we are using in the United States so that we don't keep sending our scrap overseas.
Amy ChenDennis, the questions you ask would make an interesting lesson for high school students or maybe even 8th graders. I know my 6th graders might not be able to understand the moral issues that rise when drug trade becomes extreme. I would, however, ask them about how tea trade affected the relationship between China and the UK.
Amy ChenI also found the lawyer's attitude toward the Machu language unsettling. MInority ethnic groups are so often disregarded when looking at history. Like you stated, language is such an integral part of culture. Some type of research paper to find how many dying languages and what is being done to preserve them would be a good assignment to give my students.
Amy ChenI agree that a debate between students would be an effective lesson on Chinese philosophy. I enjoyed the way Clay had our class divided into different schools of thought and then argue which one is the best. I had my students participate ina similar activity, instead of a debate they taught a lesson as one of the schools of though.
Amy ChenWhen I read about bride schools, I struggled to find a way to bring the topic into a classroom. Your reponse helped give me some ideas. This would make a good discussion for economics and social class. I could even have my students debate about bride schools and then write a persuasive essay about whether or not they find the exchange to be fair.
