[Tara Corral]

I thoroughly enjoy the material that I learn during these courses because I believe that the most of the curriculum taught in the classroom is Euro-centric and we lose the view of other countries and cultures. For me it's key that I continue to learn about other regions outside of Europe so I can provide the most diverse and multicultural lesson for my students. I am a Itinerant teacher and travel to 5 schools during each school semester, my classrooms are so different as I travel from one side of the valley to another that I would love to have lessons that reflect my students population. Thinking about students looking into past artworks, it would also be really interesting for students to look into contemporary working artists and make connections from previous works of the Past and current trends and whether that has had an effect on the new art coming out of Asia or Asian Artist. 

 

I would like to incorporate a mix of historical importance as well as some of the Folk Art of the regions we have learned about to provide students with more diversity. I think some of the things I am interested in finding ways to adapt to my curriculum are Cultural Heroes and taking that one step further and having students look at Modern Heroes. It would be an interesting experience to see who the students look up too and what kind of people are striking a cord with our younger populations and why?

 

Another aspect I would like to look more into is the women's role in art. I think there is a lot of information that isn't discussed about how women are creators and have been creating since we can remember. As a class we spent some time talking about specific figures as well as how Christianity provided multiple opportunities for women to experience a bit more of freedom or personal choice. As a Visual Art teacher I would like to learn more about women in art and maybe even have students compare European women artists to Asian Artists for a better sense of time and what was currently taking place. 

I hope to encourage my students to learn about other cultures and see art differently. We are so accustom to looking at European art and taking it as the general rule of thumb for what should be created and I want the students to see and be influenced by other people. 

[Tara Corral]

I actually took some time to look up some artists who are Korean and though their is a lot of male artists dominating, i did find one artist now whose work is very interesting, Jew Young Lee. 

I think it would be great to see how Korean Women are creating art now and whether they are influenced by the past traditions of men or are they finding their own unique voice that stands apart from Minwha and traditional painting styles. I would be also curious to see what styles are used more by Female Korean Artists. 

[Tara Corral]

I was looking at your response Taylor as well as Johnny Walkers response in the post prior and it did make me think about how China may not have been completely focused on its own Chinese Lifestyle the entire time. 
you mentioned how the Qing dynasty accomadated multiple cultures and people such as the Tibetan Buddhist Monks, but then we also have China being ruled by the Mongols and how they incorporated their own practices as well as kept some Chinese practices as they moved into their capital. So it makes me wonder if the reason that China was able to be so succsseful and a dominant power in the East was due to its acceptance of other people and their traditions. We already know that Buddhism was accepted quite easily as well as Christianity by women so therefore was China just smart in accepting what they knew they couldnt change or stop. 

[Tara Corral]

I was reading your response Sean, and I was thinking how important it must be to teach the connections that separate cultures have with one another. You mentioned how in Massachusetts their is little mention of the connection that China, Japan and Korea had on one another, and it made me think that if we choose to ignore these connections we may be creating more division. As you stated that the other two countries look down upon the Korean Writing System I can only imagine that if we and other teachers around the world took more effort to show how everyone is connected there would be less division between people. I know this is reaching a bit but just thinking out loud that maybe if students knew somehow that they were connected to other students or people from different parts of the world their may be less hostility to people who are different from ourselves. 

[Tara Corral]

I think during the discussion it was mentioned how Buddhism ended up being inter mingled with Shinto beliefs and the Kami's of the region or spirits. I thought that was interesting probably played an important role in of Buddhism being adopted because the Kami was in things that the Japanese were already familiar with. I imagine that plays a huge part in the integration of new ideas and beliefs into any culture, to see if it mixes with what is in place before the new ideas arrived. 

I agree how it is quite interesting to see that Buddhism was accepted peacefully into the country despite what we may have seen from other religions throughout the world and the prosecution that comes with new beliefs.

[Tara Corral]

I was thinking about your statement how we don't see the positives beside the fact that it civilized a country. I am wondering if this isn't emphasized as much in history or in the classroom so that it doesn't make this action ok. In terms of other cultures and their lost of infomration as well as beliefs through the use of Christanity leads to problems. I think it would be good to talk with the class about potential draw backs from accepting Christanity and how that affects a culture. Or should cultures continuously be changing and adapting? 

[Tara Corral]

I completely agree with you that it was very interesting to see how Chrisitanity served as a cataclysm for women to gain more of a consciousness. With my understanding of religion and Christianity I have always seen the role that is placed on woman as generally submissive. It was interesting to see how this dynamic was changed in China with women using it as opportunity to break from traditional roles and gain a form of independence. Especially in the manner that women began to learn so much and if I am correct created their own missions. It is however a disappointment that this does not get acknowledged especially as many women were the founders or back bone to specific Religion Icons in China. Without their help they would not have paved the way. It is though not surprising as this can be seen in plenty of parts of the world where there is sensoring of information. 

[Tara Corral]

I was really interested in looking more at Sin Saimdang because I had taken a Korean Art Course in my final year of getting my Bachelors, the thing is I do not remember once learning about her and her work. Especially because she is so important and her work is one the currency in Korea. But I was intrigued by her life story and her ability to be so well educated. I wonder if that created problems for her in life as a painter and being a well educated female. Or did it balance out becuase she ended up being a good wife and mother to her children. I forget which country we reviewed but the continuation of not taking a name unless its the husbands name is interesting for women as in the article I believe it mentioned she didnt have her name written so we don't know what it was previou to marriage. 

[Tara Corral]

Its interesting to see the many varieties of Confucianism that emerged during the Choson Period. I am had a couple thoughts that connected to our first video about the Bone Ranking System and now the Hereditary Social Status in Choson. It seems like the two systems are related if not built upon the previous and helped create more separated class system. Especially with Neo-Confucianism's response to Seconday Sons being treated almost as inequals and Low Borns. Did the feeling towards secondary sons born of Concubines emerge from Neo-Confucianism's focus on hereditary or was that a feeling that developed because of a women's importance in Choson Socitey. I'm curious to know how common a concubine was as Confucianism developed and evolved to fit the changing Korean Lifestyle. 

[Tara Corral]

I was thinking the same thing about the myth of creation and the similarities between this version and the myths of Anciet Greek Mythology. I recently read a Fictional story based on Greek mythology about a couple being transformed into lions to forever wander the earth for angering Zeus and Athena. Its interesting to see how some cultures continue to have similar concepts despite not having contact or really knowing about that specific tale. I think it would be interesting to ask students to compare ultiple creation myths I think they would come up with some interesting thoughts and opinions about each religion.

[Tara Corral]

Just a general reflection based on the second video. What I found caught my attention the most was the retelling of the "Three Unifers." It was interesting to see how each individual learned from the past and seemed to make the necessary changes so as not to allow Japan to fall into a state of disarray.  Oda Nobunaga was the first individual of the three unifiers, but he also seemed to be the most ruthless just based on the video. He was betrayed by one of his own men which I imagine is due to some of his ruthlessness but it's toyotami hideyoshi who avenges his death but dies of old age leaving his younger son unable to rule. The last individual Tokugawa Ieyasu who learns from the previous two and retires at a young age so he can manage from behind the scenes with his son already positioned as a leader. Now whatever you might say I think thats really smart to begin thinking not just about your glory at that moment but how to continue ruling or peace in the future. 

I do have a thought though about Japan's later rules to not allow its own people outside of the country. I am not sure if I missed it but what was the purpose of locking down the culture, was it to keep their country safe and their culture. But what was the problem with sending its own people out, would that not broaden Japans reaches around the world? 

[Tara Corral]

It's so interesting to learn that China and BRI are attempting to be more environmentally friendly in whatever term that may mean to them. In the articles its points out how the term is used loosely or not enforced properly and business decisions that bring in more revenue seem to take more of BRI's focus. I had wondered if the China's decision to no longer take in the U.S.'s recycling was apart of BRI decision to go green. Where does this place china who is a huge exporter of afforadable goods to other countries. 

My mother currently works as a Warehouse Manager for a job that currently exports cheap goods out of China. They make dollar items or so and sell it in your local drug stores like CVS and Rite-Aid. She's in charge of keeping track of the imports coming in at the port and sometimes containers of items will be flagged because of specific chemicals found on the product or in the packaging. That means that China is currently still exporting things that are not FDA approved into the United States and we are flagging it as hazaradous. So my question really is are they going to implement this decision through out all of Companies from top corporations to small businesses. There are times whole containers need to be sent straight ot the landfill despite the product being perfectly intact and thats due to chemicals or other things that are harmful to us or the environment. 

I love the idea that China has made this decision for green mercantilism but I still think of it more as a cash grab at the moment for the country rather then a thoughtful decision. And I get it, if your at the top especially at the point the article was written the US was not apart of group, China had a chance to become number one world power in a sense. I personally would like to see more follow through. Sure they stopped taking in our recycling but what more will they do? 

[Tara Corral]

I have always wanted to learn Japanese, I plan on visiting one day and felt it was only right to know a little of the language to help get by as well as not be rude. I even had duolingo on my phone and was practicing with the first couple levels of Japanese Hiragana, but then it began introducing Katakana and it did get really confusing. It is interesting though to learn that it comes from Chinese Characters and slowly took on its own form as it began to be used by the women of court. 

I am really intrigued by the Tales of Genji and am eager to look it up and see if there are some translations in English to read. The stories from the court seem like a lot of fun, but it is a bit interesting to imagine that these were allowed. I know it was mentioned that they were purely fictional but I can't help imagining they have some root in truth. I believe it was Taylor who mentioned that it might be possible to pinpoint who was who in the story especially if these were being handed out on a weekly basis like a comic. 

There was a word that Morgan mentioned in the discussion about how the Japanese are kind focused on the fleeting moment of life and whether it was a continued thought into the mordern era to be depressed. And I feel like I see parts of that in stories of Anime's or even Japanese Shows. I feel like there is a lot of focus on life or what is life. So I'm curious to look up that word once I remember or someone else does and kinda see how it plays into current culture. 

[Tara Corral]

I was just thinking of this assignment for elementary students and challenging them to come up with materials from home. I think one of the biggest issues I might have is students just cutting big circles for their eyes and then looking up at the sun and being blinded. But it would be a great lesson to have students brainstorm and come up with a new design, one that can solve their problem and maybe then show the images of ancient sunglasses so that they can learn from them. 

[Tara Corral]

Personally, I would like to know more about the earlier time periods of Japan. Morgan mentioned that Japan has been Japan for the longest time so I feel like it has helped build this idea of what has taken place in Japan or some of it wider known history. In the last section of this course we were looking at how Chinese Pottery indicated when and where civilizations began to develop and the transition from a nomadic lifestyle transitioned into more of a stabilized society. It's interesting to think that Japan was creating such unique and well crafted ceramic pots like the one in the Jomon Period. In the discussion someone mentioned that maybe it was due to the people traveling less frequently that they were able to develop such complex designs. My other thought was how did this travel or what was the process when it was time to move. I got stuck on the earlier parts of this video where Morgan mentions that the doll may be wearing sunglasses or a form of sunglasses. I think it would be a great experiment to show my younger students on how to make useful items such as sunglasses out of materials we have at home. I could show images of the Artic Snow Goggles that Morgan suggested to look up and show how other groups of people found ways to get around blinding sunlight such as using bones and carving eye slits. I think my lower grades would love an art lesson where they discover new ways to make everyday materials of clothing. 

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