Class Decision Making

From the readings as well as the class decision making process, we can learn a lot on how to improve this entire process as well as learn how to make this project work in the future. First, the readings were very interesting and they all tie together and give us some insight on what we are doing in class. The readings have to do a lot with groups and how they are organized and where they are doing their work. Chapter 49 and 50 deal a lot with social roles and what is acceptable. 49 deals with the Mothers of East Los Angeles who are nurturing their communities and this is seen as a social role women have had in our society. 50 deals with another social role because the white separatist know it is no longer acceptable in the public eye to practice what they believe in so they have taken their views "underground" and used the Internet as well as private quarters to spread their message and according to them keep the white race alive. The other two readings have to do with racism and how these people have acted toward what society tells them they should do. There is a reoccurring theme between all of these readings, they are following the social construction of society in one way or another. I think all of these readings show how individuals have acted toward what society has given them. We too as a class, must go through people in society to do this social change project and work together to get something constructive done. We must not put down other people while doing the project and support each other for the ideas they give.

The class activity was extremely hectic and we can learn a lot from the experience and try to improve. First, I feel that we were all over the place with ideas on the social change project and that made it difficult to agree which started a fight. The most important change we need is some type of lead figure who can dictate who speaks so we are all not yelling. I was someone in the class who spoke and got her opinion across in midst of many other people talking. In a heated debate, many find it hard to keep quiet and I think that having someone who can attempt to keep it more organized will help everyone talk and get their opinions across. Once we have established a more organized way of getting our opinions across, we should have elaborated more on the next steps before just voting. I liked the idea that we eliminated a few ideas so we could focus more on a few projects and could really ask questions about their plans on the project. I felt it was very important to ask questions and attempt to understand what the group intentions were. Overall I think it would of been better if we would of had some type of system that eliminated the conversation or sometimes yelling between groups. This obviously caused hostility in the classroom and although I feel it was no intentional everyone felt attacked. If we can eliminate that feeling of being attacked I think there will be a better chance of the class talking in a civilized manner. I think people with opinions should speak up because it is useless to keep them to themselves if we are all trying to do something that will in the end affect our community as well as our grades. For the future we all need to attempt to leave the hostility behind and not judge others for their ideas or critiques because it will only end in a negative way.