[Scott Craig]

This past week has been very interesting and enlightening. I have truly learned a lot about Gender and Generation in East Asia which will help me teach my AP World History course. There were so many topics discussed that I want to incorporate into my class that my head is swirling with ideas.

One of the most fascinating topics was the ideal Confucian woman. I knew that women held a subservient role in Asian culture, as they have in almost all cultures throughout the world, but this week I learned how much of this came about through the teachings of Confucius. It was interesting to learn how the five relationships really led to women seeming to be less important than men. As I read the writings of Ban Zhao there were many times where I was in complete shock by the concepts being presented. What made it even more shocking was that it was a woman who was saying those things. The thought of beginning to train a baby girl at just three days old that she was lower than others is really beyond belief to me. While China has certainly made some amazing contributions to technology, science, medicine, and many other fields, I can’t help but wonder how much more they could have done had women been allowed to choose their own path and use their skills and talents to make even greater contributions.

One of the lectures that still has me really thinking though, was when the idea was proposed that even though I saw the treatment of women as oppressive and stifling, many Chinese women don’t see it that way and actually view it as a way to gain power. By teaching their children they influence future generations, as a wife they support and assist their husbands, and in those ways the make great contributions. Ama, in Crazy Rich Asians, was used as an example of how women can work their way up through being a daughter-in-law, to a mother-in-law, to finally the matriarch of the family, and as such wield great power. This reiterated the importance of perspective when analyzing history.

I actually really learned so much I can’t really write about all of it in a short essay, but over the next several weeks, months, and even years will continue to think about them, try to learn more, and incorporate them in my classes in order to help my students understand much more about East Asian culture.

 

[Scott Craig]

I too try to connect history with current events in my class. In the past, I've always connected the Japanese internment with the treatment many Middle Eastern people/Islamic people face in America today. I like how you connected it with the ICE raids, etc. Most of my students are Hispanic and several of them have had their families ripped apart because of deportation. The connection to the immigration problem would have a much great meaning to my students. Thank you!

[Scott Craig]

I too was very intrigued by Mas's story. I personally believe everyone should be proud of their heritage and celebrate it, so I was saddened to hear that because of his experience, Mas distanced himself from his heritage. The entire Japanese interment situation is a complete and total tragedy.

[Scott Craig]

I took a week-long class on Korea from the KCCLA in June and learned so much. Before going on the field trip I was curious if I would learn anything new going back. I actually did learn more and saw new things I hadn't seen just a couple months ago. I was intrigued to find out about the men's hats and how they were designed to cover up the man's top knot. My daughter got really jealous seeing me with the cutouts of the BTS members.

[Scott Craig]

I agree with all the points you made. One of the things that struck me about the beauty/plastic surgery push in Korea is that it is not just women, men are doing it too. While personal appearance is definitely important here, it seems there is so much more emphasis on it there.

[Scott Craig]

I love the points you make and the questions you pose...I think the comparison between what Zhen He is stating and then what happens in Animal Farm (or even what actually happened in China after the communist revolution) would be very enlightening. In "theory" all these ideas sound great, the problem is we don't live in a theoretical world. No matter what type of economic or political society we live in, human nature is human nature. There are always going to be those who are good and trying to make the world better, and there are always going to be those who are self-centered and looking out only for their own interests. This is a great activity to point that out.

[Scott Craig]

I agree that the primary source readings would be great to share in social studies. I am rereading these sources to find excerpts that I can use in my class to help my students. 

[Scott Craig]

I found the argument that women are not "victims of patriarchy" but have arather important and prestigious role interesting and definitely a different perspective than I've thought about before. It does point out that no matter what role we have in society, we make a valuable contribution to society. I still feel though, that each person should be able to determine for themselves what that role would be. I'd also argue that "virtue, talent, and beauty" are qualities ALL humans should have, male and female.

[Scott Craig]

I have five daughters and seven sisters and I would not want to impose (or have anyone else impose) those rules on them. A woman should be able to chose what her role should be. For some women, the traditional role may be what they want, and so for them, that's what they should do. Others may want something completely different. By "forcing" women into certain roles, not only do we limit their personal growth, but we deprive society as a whole of the contributions they could make. 

[Scott Craig]

I agree completely with your comments and You JIn. Even the students who are "willing" to learn, will do a better job and learn more if they make some kind of connection with the teacher. Students can't learn in an environment where they don't feel comfortable. Your comment about "they might not be getting that at home", is true in too many cases. As a male teacher, I've found a lot of my students look to me as a father-figure since many of them do not have a father in their lives. Teachers do wear many hats and that's why a computer can never replace us and the work we do.

[Scott Craig]

I too chose this story and found the story very moving. I think it's a story every teacher should read at least once a year. I had a similar experience to yours with a student of mine who was always sleeping. This is embarrassing to admit, and one I still feel horrible about, but about 20 years ago, I got tired of my student always sleeping. So one day I let him sleep. His friends wanted to wake him up when the bell rang to go to the next class. I told them to let him sleep, because obviously he was exhausted. It was half-way through the next class before he woke up. He was all confused at seeing different students and ran out of the room all flustered. At first I thought, "that will teach you not to sleep in class." Later I found out that he and his father were homeless and they were living out of his father's car. I still feel horrible and every time I start to judge a student harshly I think about that experience. We really don't know what our students are going through and the Boy with Golden Hair reminds us of that.

[Scott Craig]

I agree that students retain so much more from film than from a lecture or reading. In history it helps them visualize and understand different eras. I too was really impressed with the technique of looking at clips and then examining not just the content, but the perspective and what was missing from the scene. I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture's content, but was even more impressed by the teaching technique that was used.

[Scott Craig]

I was really fascinated by the film's perspective/portrayal of the US occupation post-WWII. This is a part of history that we so often overlook. I've been guilty of covering Japan when talking about WWII, but after the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and then not really covering anything about Japan until we get to the global economy. After this lecture, I'm planning on showing a couple of clips from the movie to begin a discussion on US occupation of Japan. This really sparked some great ideas that I have to work on to create a full lesson.

[Scott Craig]

I too loved the articles and how they showed changes are slowly starting to take place. I'm grateful social media and the internet have allowed these victims to get the oppressive situation out in the open so that school administrators and others are forced to take action. 

[Scott Craig]

I agree that it is much better for high school or middle school. It is a great article to show our students just how extreme some people go to "fit in", and contrasts it with the people who are going against that trend. Hopefully it will help some of our students realize that it's a good thing to be true to who they are. Many of my students feel so much pressure to fit in that it leads to a lot of other issues. It would be great for them to see others who are defying the "norm".

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