Assignment: Please read the provided article, answer the following questions, and have a discussion on the following topics/questions.Thanks.
Before researching this question, describe in your mind what the difference between an Arab and a Muslim is.Describe each using your own opinions.Write down your thoughts.Then research the question.Write down you’re a second answer to that question after doing your research.Don’t change your first response.Then, answer the following questions: What did you learn from examining your answers?Where did your conception of Arabs and Muslims come from?
Do you agree that, in your experience freshmen year, American textbooks on world history are Eurocentric (mostly concerned with a European point of view or representation)?If this is true, what is an appropriate response for a school system to address this issue?Should content inclusion match other ethnicities under-represented as well, or just ones triggered by international and national focus?
What statements do you agree with and/or disagree with under the section, Classroom Solutions?Why?
Evaluation: You will receive 60 points for answering all three questions [20 points each].You will receive 10 points for every comment, question, suggestion and response to another student’s post.
I look forward to another of your fascinating discussions.This class is great!
There is a very apparent difference between a Muslim and an Arab. Muslims are part of a religion called Islam while Arabs are an ethnicity. I have known many Arab Chrisitians, Druze, and Jews however many assume being Muslim and Arab is one and the same. Arabs usually tend to speak Arabic while the majority of Muslims don't.
Having lived among Muslims and Arabs, after researching, my predictions and train of thought was correct about the differences between the two. My conceptions from Arabs and Muslims come from the decade or so that I lived among them; of course being and Arab and a Muslim also helps when it comes to perception.
Yes, I do not agree that in my freshman year history class, of World History, that the books were Eurocentric. The book highlighted Muslim contributions to geometry, algebra and different sciences and poetry however; the teacher didn’t spend much time talking about them. The book wasn’t very Eurocentric, the teacher was. I read sections about Muslims in the book that the teacher briefly mentioned. He concentrated more on the fighting, the Muslim Empire, and the nomads.
Content inclusion should match the issues of the time. I recognize that there is only so much you can teach within an hour or so, and therefore, the most pressing issues for understanding of the time should be highlighted first. Issues and stereotypes of Arabs, Hispanics, and the Chinese should be highlighted before issues of Europe. That is not to say that European history shouldn’t be covered or explored, but to say that European culture can be pushed back so that more relevant issues can be discussed that seem to have a huge affect on our world and country (“War on Terrorism”, and Hispanic immigration, Chinese influence in the world…etc).
I agree that bilingual programs will help such as the one in Dearborn Michigan because it helps make the students more comfortable and aware of other cultures and their people. However, these programs aren't enough because they can't be implemented across the country. Greater awareness needs to be created by awareness events,etc to hep make people more aware of Arabs and who they are. Knowledge will create peace and understanding. I also agree that stressing the importance of Arab discoveries and innovations will help many students understand and relate to them. If education and knowledge help destroy stereotypes, then we need to bring greater awareness about Arabs and who they are to combat discrimination just as the article states.
-- Edited by Moussa on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:50:09 AM
__________________
Hop outa my beeeed! Turn ma swag on! Take a look in the mirror say wazzup? YEAAAA! GET MONEY!!! OOOOH!!!
The different between Arabs and Muslims are that Arab is a race that comes from a region in the Middle East. While being Muslim is a type of religion that people of all races can practices. Arabs is a generic term for all Middle Eastern people, Muslims or not. A Muslim is a person who lives their life in accordance with laws and traditions of the Islamic faith. What I have learned is that there is truly a big difference between the two. My conception came form either books or for the television.
Yes I do believe that. I think that nothing really should be changed due to the fact that we should learn from all aspects or view of others. But there also should be other views from other cultures as well.
The thing that I agree with would be the first in which there was a program in the school that made students more comfortable to use there Arab language and literature. Because all culture should be accept no matter the problem that are being face in America. but i dont agree with the fact that arab languages are only taught in some school around the U.S. ithnk that every student should have the chance if wanted to to learn about the culture and learn to speak it also.
-- Edited by Nay on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:48:07 AM
The different between Arabs and Muslims are that Arab is a race that comes from a region in the Middle East. While being Muslim is a type of religion that people of all races can practices. Arabs is a generic term for all Middle Eastern people, Muslims or not. A Muslim is a person who lives their life in accordance with laws and traditions of the Islamic faith. What I have learned is that there is truly a big difference between the two. My conception came form either books or for the television.
Yes I do believe that. I think that nothing really should be changed due to the fact that we should learn from all aspects or view of others. But there also should be other views from other cultures as well.
The thing that I agree with would be the first in which there was a program in the school that made students more comfortable to use there Arab language and literature. Because all culture should be accept no matter the problem that are being face in America. but i dont agree with the fact that arab languages are only taught in some school around the U.S. ithnk that every student should have the chance if wanted to to learn about the culture and learn to speak it also.
-- Edited by Nay on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:48:07 AM
You seem to have a very good understanding of the topic and understand what people like Arabs are going through.
__________________
Hop outa my beeeed! Turn ma swag on! Take a look in the mirror say wazzup? YEAAAA! GET MONEY!!! OOOOH!!!
There is a very apparent difference between a Muslim and an Arab. Muslims are part of a religion called Islam while Arabs are an ethnicity. I have known many Arab Chrisitians, Druze, and Jews however many assume being Muslim and Arab is one and the same. Arabs usually tend to speak Arabic while the majority of Muslims don't.
Having lived among Muslims and Arabs, after researching, my predictions and train of thought was correct about the differences between the two. My conceptions from Arabs and Muslims come from the decade or so that I lived among them; of course being and Arab and a Muslim also helps when it comes to perception.
Yes, I do not agree that in my freshman year history class, of World History, that the books were Eurocentric. The book highlighted Muslim contributions to geometry, algebra and different sciences and poetry however; the teacher didn’t spend much time talking about them. The book wasn’t very Eurocentric, the teacher was. I read sections about Muslims in the book that the teacher briefly mentioned. He concentrated more on the fighting, the Muslim Empire, and the nomads.
Content inclusion should match the issues of the time. I recognize that there is only so much you can teach within an hour or so, and therefore, the most pressing issues for understanding of the time should be highlighted first. Issues and stereotypes of Arabs, Hispanics, and the Chinese should be highlighted before issues of Europe. That is not to say that European history shouldn’t be covered or explored, but to say that European culture can be pushed back so that more relevant issues can be discussed that seem to have a huge affect on our world and country (“War on Terrorism”, and Hispanic immigration, Chinese influence in the world…etc).
I agree that bilingual programs will help such as the one in Dearborn Michigan because it helps make the students more comfortable and aware of other cultures and their people. However, these programs aren't enough because they can't be implemented across the country. Greater awareness needs to be created by awareness events,etc to hep make people more aware of Arabs and who they are. Knowledge will create peace and understanding. I also agree that stressing the importance of Arab discoveries and innovations will help many students understand and relate to them. If education and knowledge help destroy stereotypes, then we need to bring greater awareness about Arabs and who they are to combat discrimination just as the article states.
-- Edited by Moussa on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:50:09 AM
i thoink that its great that you have alot of knowledges on this topic
1. Being an Arab is describing someone's ethnicity while being a Muslim is describing someone's religion.
Being Arab is generally characterized by speaking Arabic. Being Muslim is characterized by following Islam.
My classification was mostly right. I learned what I know from my World History class.
2. World History books are not focused solely on Europe. The first chapter we went over was the birth of Islam and Muslim culture. However, if it were true, schools should focous more on under-represented cultures.
3. I think that teachers should not be obligated to teach about any one history, but should incorporate many different cultures or history as it pertains to the subject because focusing on one culture leads to others being put under the spotlight in their stead.
1.I believe Arabs and Muslims are two distinctly different yet quite similar types of people. I think Arabs to be people who are usually of Middle-Eastern decent who come from countries like Afghanistan and Iran. I usually picture them to be olive skinned and sometimes wearing turbans riding on camels, like in Aladdin! Muslims I view as a group of people united under the religion of Islam. I see them wearing veils and cleaning furiously as it seems they like things to be clean. Often times I do see them as Arabs, however. Through research I’ve leaned that a lot of the ideas that came to my mind about Arabs and Muslims were stereotyped. It’s difficult to look at a blonde hair blue eyed person and realize that they are Muslim. The media and other sources have usually denoted Muslims as Arabs and vice versa. My concept has largely been influenced by the media as well as the comments other people make on the matter.
2.I do agree that American history courses are usually Eurocentric (although they always fail to mention dear Russia). I believe that the school system should expand the curriculum to address this situation. I think chapters covering ancient civilizations should expand beyond Mesopotamia to what was happening in the far east and Australia. Also, I believe it is a necessity to cover events that have taken place in the orient and the middle east as well as the occident. However, I do not think an unbiased approach can be taken due to the subconscious prejudice we all have. I believe it would simply confuse the children. I believe content should match both the underrepresented as well as the current focus. This will provide a background for the current events being taught.
3.I agree that the negative Arab stereotypes should be abolished from school systems as proposed. However, I do not believe that such length should be made to promote the Arab culture. I think it should be taught as a big section all together instead of daily reminders. This is because it would prove unfair to other cultures, and there is no time to incorporate every single culture on a daily basis in learning with finesse.
The different between Arabs and Muslims are that Arab is a race that comes from a region in the Middle East. While being Muslim is a type of religion that people of all races can practices. Arabs is a generic term for all Middle Eastern people, Muslims or not. A Muslim is a person who lives their life in accordance with laws and traditions of the Islamic faith. What I have learned is that there is truly a big difference between the two. My conception came form either books or for the television.
Yes I do believe that. I think that nothing really should be changed due to the fact that we should learn from all aspects or view of others. But there also should be other views from other cultures as well.
The thing that I agree with would be the first in which there was a program in the school that made students more comfortable to use there Arab language and literature. Because all culture should be accept no matter the problem that are being face in America. but i dont agree with the fact that arab languages are only taught in some school around the U.S. ithnk that every student should have the chance if wanted to to learn about the culture and learn to speak it also.
-- Edited by Nay on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:48:07 AM
People should be given the right to do that with any culture not just one.
Muslims are part of the Islam religion while Arabs are more of an ethnicity. People who are Arabs can be Muslims, Jewish, Christian, Buddhists, etc. People generally tend to confuse the two because they're all associated with the Middle East.
From research from previous classes, I've learned about the difference of the two.
No, I don't agree that the textbooks are Eurocentric. I remember going into deep detail about every culture and religion. And even so in my Algebra 1 class; we had to do a project concerning Middle Eastern contributions to mathematics.
I believe some of these can help solve the issues. Such as the acknowledgments of Middle Eastern contributions to different subjects. I also think that learning the languages spoken could be effective because it shows differences between the cultures and people in the Middle East. It would also be a good idea to learn about the cultures and religions themselves because it helps educate people and I believe that the more people are educated the less the problematic the issue will be.
The difference between a Muslim and an Arab is that an Arab is an ethnicity and Muslims are people who practice the religion of Islam. Not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims speak Arabic.
Yes, I do agree that American history textbooks are Eurocentric because they never go into complete detail on how other cultures/ethnicities view the world or the situation they’re in. I think that it’s important to teach students about the Middle East because it will give them background information to what’s happening today.
In the section, Classroom Solutions, I do agree that the Arab language should be a language course in American High schools. Students who learn about the Arab culture should be able to have the opportunity to learn the language if they wanted to. Unfortunately, it is only taught at a handful of high schools; I think that this isn’t right and unfair to those students who are interested in learning the language.
-- Edited by BiancaDee925 on Monday 1st of March 2010 05:22:11 PM
"I think chapters covering ancient civilizations should expand beyond Mesopotamia to what was happening in the far east and Australia. Also, I believe it is a necessity to cover events that have taken place in the orient and the middle east as well as the occident. However, I do not think an unbiased approach can be taken due to the subconscious prejudice we all have. I believe it would simply confuse the children. I believe content should match both the underrepresented as well as the current focus. This will provide a background for the current events being taught."
^ I agree on what you said here. It seems like we are taught about the same things over and over (i.e. the civilization of Mesopotamia). Students should be taught about events that took place in the Middle East so that we have a better understanding on what's happening today. You made a lot of good points! :D
There is a very apparent difference between a Muslim and an Arab. Muslims are part of a religion called Islam while Arabs are an ethnicity. I have known many Arab Chrisitians, Druze, and Jews however many assume being Muslim and Arab is one and the same. Arabs usually tend to speak Arabic while the majority of Muslims don't.
Having lived among Muslims and Arabs, after researching, my predictions and train of thought was correct about the differences between the two. My conceptions from Arabs and Muslims come from the decade or so that I lived among them; of course being and Arab and a Muslim also helps when it comes to perception.
Yes, I do not agree that in my freshman year history class, of World History, that the books were Eurocentric. The book highlighted Muslim contributions to geometry, algebra and different sciences and poetry however; the teacher didn’t spend much time talking about them. The book wasn’t very Eurocentric, the teacher was. I read sections about Muslims in the book that the teacher briefly mentioned. He concentrated more on the fighting, the Muslim Empire, and the nomads.
Content inclusion should match the issues of the time. I recognize that there is only so much you can teach within an hour or so, and therefore, the most pressing issues for understanding of the time should be highlighted first. Issues and stereotypes of Arabs, Hispanics, and the Chinese should be highlighted before issues of Europe. That is not to say that European history shouldn’t be covered or explored, but to say that European culture can be pushed back so that more relevant issues can be discussed that seem to have a huge affect on our world and country (“War on Terrorism”, and Hispanic immigration, Chinese influence in the world…etc).
I agree that bilingual programs will help such as the one in Dearborn Michigan because it helps make the students more comfortable and aware of other cultures and their people. However, these programs aren't enough because they can't be implemented across the country. Greater awareness needs to be created by awareness events,etc to hep make people more aware of Arabs and who they are. Knowledge will create peace and understanding. I also agree that stressing the importance of Arab discoveries and innovations will help many students understand and relate to them. If education and knowledge help destroy stereotypes, then we need to bring greater awareness about Arabs and who they are to combat discrimination just as the article states.
-- Edited by Moussa on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:50:09 AM
You know, now that you mention it, I do agree that it was the teacher who was eurocentric, not the book. :)
1. Being an Arab is describing someone's ethnicity while being a Muslim is describing someone's religion.
Being Arab is generally characterized by speaking Arabic. Being Muslim is characterized by following Islam.
My classification was mostly right. I learned what I know from my World History class.
2. World History books are not focused solely on Europe. The first chapter we went over was the birth of Islam and Muslim culture. However, if it were true, schools should focous more on under-represented cultures.
3. I think that teachers should not be obligated to teach about any one history, but should incorporate many different cultures or history as it pertains to the subject because focusing on one culture leads to others being put under the spotlight in their stead.
What chapter was it you read that focused on Islam? I find it interesting because I only seem to recall learning about Mesopotamia for the 3rd time.
Muslims are part of the Islam religion while Arabs are more of an ethnicity. People who are Arabs can be Muslims, Jewish, Christian, Buddhists, etc. People generally tend to confuse the two because they're all associated with the Middle East.
From research from previous classes, I've learned about the difference of the two.
No, I don't agree that the textbooks are Eurocentric. I remember going into deep detail about every culture and religion. And even so in my Algebra 1 class; we had to do a project concerning Middle Eastern contributions to mathematics.
I believe some of these can help solve the issues. Such as the acknowledgments of Middle Eastern contributions to different subjects. I also think that learning the languages spoken could be effective because it shows differences between the cultures and people in the Middle East. It would also be a good idea to learn about the cultures and religions themselves because it helps educate people and I believe that the more people are educated the less the problematic the issue will be.
I agree with your point about how acknowlegment of the Middle Eastern contributions can help educate people and promote less bias.
The difference between a Muslim and an Arab is that an Arab is an ethnicity and Muslims are people who practice the religion of Islam. Not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims speak Arabic.
Yes, I do agree that American history textbooks are Eurocentric because they never go into complete detail on how other cultures/ethnicities view the world or the situation they’re in. I think that it’s important to teach students about the Middle East because it will give them background information to what’s happening today.
In the section, Classroom Solutions, I do agree that the Arab language should be a language course in American High schools. Students who learn about the Arab culture should be able to have the opportunity to learn the language if they wanted to. Unfortunately, it is only taught at a handful of high schools; I think that this isn’t right and unfair to those students who are interested in learning the language.
-- Edited by BiancaDee925 on Monday 1st of March 2010 05:22:11 PM
I really liked your comment about how not all Muslims speak ARabic. It really gave me a wider scope of how to perceive the religion. :)
I think being Muslim is a religion and Arabs are a race or ethnicity. Muslim people live there life strictly by the laws they are required to, while the Arabs don’t. The two are very different from one another.
Yes, I do believe that in my experience freshmen year, American textbooks on world history are Eurocentric. They never really get into detail and to the point that shows how other cultures view the world. Everyone should know what is happening and if something is changing in the world.
I think having the language taught at our school would be interesting, we would learn so much more about the culture and actually know more or less what is going on. Although it isn’t taught here the thought would be nice
The different between Arabs and Muslims are that Arab is a race that comes from a region in the Middle East. While being Muslim is a type of religion that people of all races can practices. Arabs is a generic term for all Middle Eastern people, Muslims or not. A Muslim is a person who lives their life in accordance with laws and traditions of the Islamic faith. What I have learned is that there is truly a big difference between the two. My conception came form either books or for the television.
Yes I do believe that. I think that nothing really should be changed due to the fact that we should learn from all aspects or view of others. But there also should be other views from other cultures as well.
The thing that I agree with would be the first in which there was a program in the school that made students more comfortable to use there Arab language and literature. Because all culture should be accept no matter the problems that are being face in America. But I don’t agree with the fact that Arab languages are only taught in some school around the U.S. I think that every student should have the chance if wanted to learn about the culture and learn to speak it also.
- Muslims and Arabs have been stereotyped into the same group of people. Which is false. Muslims believe in the religion Islam, where Arabs are not based on religion but nationality or ethnicity. Arabs speak Arabic, and Muslims can speak any language because they are based on their religion so they pick up the language in which they are from.
My answer didn’t really change because in my 7Th grade class we had a Muslim girl come to speak to us during Religion week. She told us all her experiences of being a Muslim and explained to us very carefully the difference between Arabs and Muslims because she said people labeling her drives her crazy. What I did learn from some research is that the Muslim population has grown to 1.5 billion worldwide in 2009.
Because I met Zara and I heard her stories Muslims and Arab difference really made an impact on me because before her I was one of the people that thought it was the same group. And I think a lot of people my age, older, younger regardless of age think that a Muslim is an Arab, and an Arab is a Muslim because no one really teaches us the difference. I think the media portrays both as negative people so people being naïve take their opinions as fact instead of really going into the religion and the ethnicity.
- I believe that the textbooks are very Eurocentric, but I also believe that it is the teacher’s responsibility to go over the book but to shy away from it to include things outside of the text. If teachers took it upon themselves to research a little more that just what the textbook says I think there would be less discrimination. I think the school system should have workshops for the teachers to have a better understanding of other things to teach to the kids because what you are told will probably stick to you. Which is sad because if we didn’t have multicultural studies and have articles like this I bet more than half of the students would have the same perception of Arabs and Muslims, because of what they were taught.
-I agree that the Arabic language should be offered in more schools and especially in a HS that has 40% of Arab-American.
-I agree that teachers should reject political biases and should have an open mind for the sake of the students
-I agree with the idea of having the world of Arab being introduced in science, and music, and home economics and astronomy. Because Arab-Americans are just like every other American and should be able to share their world with others, as Americans do to them not even noticing it.
-- Edited by Bianca Vieira on Tuesday 2nd of March 2010 08:49:46 PM
In my opinion, the difference between being an Arab and a Muslim is that being an Arab is your ethnicity or nationality. Being Muslim is a religious decision, anyone can be Muslim if they really wanted to; it’s a way of life one you can choose. You can’t choose to be an Arab.
After researching, I found that those who are Muslim are not necessarily Arabs, and not all Arabs are Muslim. A Muslim is a person whose religion is Islam, while the term Arab refers toethnicity. After examining my answers I learned that a lot of people especially Americans don’t really know the difference and tend to confuse the two groups and start to stereotype. Also that categorization and similar generalizations about Arabs and Muslim groups is referred to as Orientalism.
From my experience during freshmen year I do believe that American textbooks are Eurocentric. I don’t recall learning about Arabic history and their culture. The appropriate way the school system should resolve this issue is to update their textbooks and curriculum so teachers can teach their students more about Arabic history so we can break away from the stereotypes.Some statements I agree with in the article are that Americans do portray Arabs in negative ways like in the movies and cartoons. Also I agree that there isn’t really an Arabic hero for children can look up to; they are portrayed as villains.
-- Edited by ericaaaa3 on Wednesday 3rd of March 2010 06:22:19 PM
I believe the difference between Muslims and Arabs is the fact that being a Muslim is being part of a religion, whereas an Arab is someone from Arabian descent. If I were asked to describe a Muslim or an Arab, my descriptions may be similar; long beards, sandals, robes and marketplaces with salesmen haggling, much like scenes in “The Life of Brian” or “Aladdin.” An Arab may be in the desert, traveling to a far away market place riding a camel, while a Muslim person would be praying toward Allah five times a day. My views are probably skewed because of the television I watch or the music and books I read.
After research, I discovered these two ways of life are not entirely intertwined as I had initially thought. A Muslim is not necessarily an Arab, and an Arab does not have to be a Muslim. I knew there was a difference, but there is more of a difference than I thought. Americans are probably the largest culprit of confusing the two, and this reaction was probably heightened by the terrorist attacks. This mix up is referred to as “Orientalism.” Orientalism is our way of categorizing every that comes from Asia, and does not classify differences in origin, cultural practices, or religion; it just generalizes all Asian people, which is not right. It is almost like saying everyone is America follows the same customs, religions and ways of life.
I feel that my history teacher my freshman year did a fairly decent job covering all cultures of the world, almost splitting in even thirds European, Asian and American history. The problem people may have with “Eurocentric” is the fact that the past is filled with European affiliation with other cultures. If you just cover Asian history, mention of large European influences will eventually come up, so it will appear history books were favoring the Europeans. However, the history book is written by the winner, so most history books will have large parts of European conquest of the world. So, I feel my teacher spent an equal amount of time on all major cultures, but Europeans worked their way into everyone’s history book, one way or another.
I agree with the fact that Arab stereotypes should be squashed, just as Jewish and black stereotypes should be gotten rid of. It is not fair that we as a people should hold what our predecessors believed to be true, and everyone should recalculate our views on “different” people. Everyone’s culture should be viewed with equal open-mindedness, and we should try and stop judging other people’s views if they are different from our own.
__________________
the trick to flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and missing.
The different between Arabs and Muslims are that Arab is a race that comes from a region in the Middle East. While being Muslim is a type of religion that people of all races can practices. Arabs is a generic term for all Middle Eastern people, Muslims or not. A Muslim is a person who lives their life in accordance with laws and traditions of the Islamic faith. What I have learned is that there is truly a big difference between the two. My conception came form either books or for the television.
Yes I do believe that. I think that nothing really should be changed due to the fact that we should learn from all aspects or view of others. But there also should be other views from other cultures as well.
The thing that I agree with would be the first in which there was a program in the school that made students more comfortable to use there Arab language and literature. Because all culture should be accept no matter the problem that are being face in America. but i dont agree with the fact that arab languages are only taught in some school around the U.S. ithnk that every student should have the chance if wanted to to learn about the culture and learn to speak it also.
-- Edited by Nay on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:48:07 AM
i like the fact that you, as well as i, think everyone should have the chance to learn about any culture, language, or religion, but would that be a little of an overload for the history department? maybe they should cut classes like math or gym to fit in all these new cultural classes......
__________________
the trick to flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and missing.
In my opinion, the difference between being an Arab and a Muslim is that being an Arab is your ethnicity or nationality. Being Muslim is a religious decision, anyone can be Muslim if they really wanted to; it’s a way of life one you can choose. You can’t choose to be an Arab.
After researching, I found that those who are Muslim are not necessarily Arabs, and not all Arabs are Muslim. A Muslim is a person whose religion is Islam, while the term Arab refers toethnicity. After examining my answers I learned that a lot of people especially Americans don’t really know the difference and tend to confuse the two groups and start to stereotype. Also that categorization and similar generalizations about Arabs and Muslim groups is referred to as Orientalism.
From my experience during freshmen year I do believe that American textbooks are Eurocentric. I don’t recall learning about Arabic history and their culture. The appropriate way the school system should resolve this issue is to update their textbooks and curriculum so teachers can teach their students more about Arabic history so we can break away from the stereotypes.Some statements I agree with in the article are that Americans do portray Arabs in negative ways like in the movies and cartoons. Also I agree that there isn’t really an Arabic hero for children can look up to; they are portrayed as villains.
-- Edited by ericaaaa3 on Wednesday 3rd of March 2010 06:22:19 PM
...we must have used the same sites to research these two cultures.... anyway, do you think we should just focus on arab culture, all cultures that we as a nation ridicule, or any culture that students are interested in?
__________________
the trick to flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and missing.
There is a very apparent difference between a Muslim and an Arab. Muslims are part of a religion called Islam while Arabs are an ethnicity. I have known many Arab Chrisitians, Druze, and Jews however many assume being Muslim and Arab is one and the same. Arabs usually tend to speak Arabic while the majority of Muslims don't.
Having lived among Muslims and Arabs, after researching, my predictions and train of thought was correct about the differences between the two. My conceptions from Arabs and Muslims come from the decade or so that I lived among them; of course being and Arab and a Muslim also helps when it comes to perception.
Yes, I do not agree that in my freshman year history class, of World History, that the books were Eurocentric. The book highlighted Muslim contributions to geometry, algebra and different sciences and poetry however; the teacher didn’t spend much time talking about them. The book wasn’t very Eurocentric, the teacher was. I read sections about Muslims in the book that the teacher briefly mentioned. He concentrated more on the fighting, the Muslim Empire, and the nomads.
Content inclusion should match the issues of the time. I recognize that there is only so much you can teach within an hour or so, and therefore, the most pressing issues for understanding of the time should be highlighted first. Issues and stereotypes of Arabs, Hispanics, and the Chinese should be highlighted before issues of Europe. That is not to say that European history shouldn’t be covered or explored, but to say that European culture can be pushed back so that more relevant issues can be discussed that seem to have a huge affect on our world and country (“War on Terrorism”, and Hispanic immigration, Chinese influence in the world…etc).
I agree that bilingual programs will help such as the one in Dearborn Michigan because it helps make the students more comfortable and aware of other cultures and their people. However, these programs aren't enough because they can't be implemented across the country. Greater awareness needs to be created by awareness events,etc to hep make people more aware of Arabs and who they are. Knowledge will create peace and understanding. I also agree that stressing the importance of Arab discoveries and innovations will help many students understand and relate to them. If education and knowledge help destroy stereotypes, then we need to bring greater awareness about Arabs and who they are to combat discrimination just as the article states.
-- Edited by Moussa on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:50:09 AM Moussa, looking at your cultural background and coming from the middle east, have you ever faced or encountered some of the challenges that these students faced? have you been pigeonholed or stereotyped?
__________________
the trick to flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and missing.
1.I believe Arabs and Muslims are two distinctly different yet quite similar types of people. I think Arabs to be people who are usually of Middle-Eastern decent who come from countries like Afghanistan and Iran. I usually picture them to be olive skinned and sometimes wearing turbans riding on camels, like in Aladdin! Muslims I view as a group of people united under the religion of Islam. I see them wearing veils and cleaning furiously as it seems they like things to be clean. Often times I do see them as Arabs, however. Through research I’ve leaned that a lot of the ideas that came to my mind about Arabs and Muslims were stereotyped. It’s difficult to look at a blonde hair blue eyed person and realize that they are Muslim. The media and other sources have usually denoted Muslims as Arabs and vice versa. My concept has largely been influenced by the media as well as the comments other people make on the matter.
2.I do agree that American history courses are usually Eurocentric (although they always fail to mention dear Russia). I believe that the school system should expand the curriculum to address this situation. I think chapters covering ancient civilizations should expand beyond Mesopotamia to what was happening in the far east and Australia. Also, I believe it is a necessity to cover events that have taken place in the orient and the middle east as well as the occident. However, I do not think an unbiased approach can be taken due to the subconscious prejudice we all have. I believe it would simply confuse the children. I believe content should match both the underrepresented as well as the current focus. This will provide a background for the current events being taught.
3.I agree that the negative Arab stereotypes should be abolished from school systems as proposed. However, I do not believe that such length should be made to promote the Arab culture. I think it should be taught as a big section all together instead of daily reminders. This is because it would prove unfair to other cultures, and there is no time to incorporate every single culture on a daily basis in learning with finesse.
i agree with your view on having a difficult time to see someone of german descent as a muslim, but that is probably our narrow-mindedness, thanks to american media and television.
__________________
the trick to flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and missing.
1. To me there is a difference between being Arab and Muslim. I see being Muslim as more of a religion people follow in Islam and Arab is like race and heritage. You can come from an arabic background and speak arab. After doing research I can see that I was accurate in describing what the difference between the 2 is. Not all Muslims are Arab and vice versa. I believe my conception of Muslims and Arabs came from television and media and how everyone around me perceives them.
2. Yes I do agree that during freshman year in history class that the textbooks were eurocentric because teachers and the curriculum didn't really focus on the Muslim or Arabic topic. We would for about a week then go onto a new subject. Yes it may be a touchy subject for some but so aren't all the others. The school system should either take it out completely or take more time on it like they do other topics in history because it is clear not everyone knows that there is a difference. We should be able to learn about different cultures and it should be equal in the amount that we are taught.
3. I agree with the statement "It is important for mainstream teachers to consciously rid themselves of negative and ill informed media image of Arabs," because not all are negative people or terrorists. People are just stereotyping and being racist once again. We should think about how it'd feel if we were in their shoes.
There is a very apparent difference between a Muslim and an Arab. Muslims are part of a religion called Islam while Arabs are an ethnicity. I have known many Arab Chrisitians, Druze, and Jews however many assume being Muslim and Arab is one and the same. Arabs usually tend to speak Arabic while the majority of Muslims don't.
Having lived among Muslims and Arabs, after researching, my predictions and train of thought was correct about the differences between the two. My conceptions from Arabs and Muslims come from the decade or so that I lived among them; of course being and Arab and a Muslim also helps when it comes to perception.
Yes, I do not agree that in my freshman year history class, of World History, that the books were Eurocentric. The book highlighted Muslim contributions to geometry, algebra and different sciences and poetry however; the teacher didn’t spend much time talking about them. The book wasn’t very Eurocentric, the teacher was. I read sections about Muslims in the book that the teacher briefly mentioned. He concentrated more on the fighting, the Muslim Empire, and the nomads.
Content inclusion should match the issues of the time. I recognize that there is only so much you can teach within an hour or so, and therefore, the most pressing issues for understanding of the time should be highlighted first. Issues and stereotypes of Arabs, Hispanics, and the Chinese should be highlighted before issues of Europe. That is not to say that European history shouldn’t be covered or explored, but to say that European culture can be pushed back so that more relevant issues can be discussed that seem to have a huge affect on our world and country (“War on Terrorism”, and Hispanic immigration, Chinese influence in the world…etc).
I agree that bilingual programs will help such as the one in Dearborn Michigan because it helps make the students more comfortable and aware of other cultures and their people. However, these programs aren't enough because they can't be implemented across the country. Greater awareness needs to be created by awareness events,etc to hep make people more aware of Arabs and who they are. Knowledge will create peace and understanding. I also agree that stressing the importance of Arab discoveries and innovations will help many students understand and relate to them. If education and knowledge help destroy stereotypes, then we need to bring greater awareness about Arabs and who they are to combat discrimination just as the article states.
-- Edited by Moussa on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:50:09 AM
I agree with everything you have said because you have experienced living with Arabs and Muslims.
The difference between a Muslim and an Arab is that an Arab is an ethnicity and Muslims are people who practice the religion of Islam. Not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims speak Arabic.
Yes, I do agree that American history textbooks are Eurocentric because they never go into complete detail on how other cultures/ethnicities view the world or the situation they’re in. I think that it’s important to teach students about the Middle East because it will give them background information to what’s happening today.
In the section, Classroom Solutions, I do agree that the Arab language should be a language course in American High schools. Students who learn about the Arab culture should be able to have the opportunity to learn the language if they wanted to. Unfortunately, it is only taught at a handful of high schools; I think that this isn’t right and unfair to those students who are interested in learning the language.
-- Edited by BiancaDee925 on Monday 1st of March 2010 05:22:11 PM
I agree the language should be taught as well because there are many kids who would find it an interesting languagre to learn and speak.
1.I believe Arabs and Muslims are two distinctly different yet quite similar types of people. I think Arabs to be people who are usually of Middle-Eastern decent who come from countries like Afghanistan and Iran. I usually picture them to be olive skinned and sometimes wearing turbans riding on camels, like in Aladdin! Muslims I view as a group of people united under the religion of Islam. I see them wearing veils and cleaning furiously as it seems they like things to be clean. Often times I do see them as Arabs, however. Through research I’ve leaned that a lot of the ideas that came to my mind about Arabs and Muslims were stereotyped. It’s difficult to look at a blonde hair blue eyed person and realize that they are Muslim. The media and other sources have usually denoted Muslims as Arabs and vice versa. My concept has largely been influenced by the media as well as the comments other people make on the matter.
2.I do agree that American history courses are usually Eurocentric (although they always fail to mention dear Russia). I believe that the school system should expand the curriculum to address this situation. I think chapters covering ancient civilizations should expand beyond Mesopotamia to what was happening in the far east and Australia. Also, I believe it is a necessity to cover events that have taken place in the orient and the middle east as well as the occident. However, I do not think an unbiased approach can be taken due to the subconscious prejudice we all have. I believe it would simply confuse the children. I believe content should match both the underrepresented as well as the current focus. This will provide a background for the current events being taught.
3.I agree that the negative Arab stereotypes should be abolished from school systems as proposed. However, I do not believe that such length should be made to promote the Arab culture. I think it should be taught as a big section all together instead of daily reminders. This is because it would prove unfair to other cultures, and there is no time to incorporate every single culture on a daily basis in learning with finesse.
Heling I couldn't agree more when you said the media has influenced you about Muslims and Arabs, that's what we are used to seeing and hearing most and usually we tend to believe everything said.
--I think the difference between an Arab and a Muslim is that being Muslim means you follow the Islamic faith, while being an Arab means that you are from a specific region, area, or ethnicities.
--The difference between being an Arab and a Muslim is that being Muslim means you are a member of the religion and can be from anywhere. An Arab is a person who is from or with ancestry from an Arabic speaking country.
--I actually disagree with the statement, I don’t think its the books that are Eurocentric, I think that its the curriculum that tend to be Eurocentric. The books, for the most part, do include units on Middle Eastern events and history, as well as some Asian history, they’re simple chapters that don’t go very deep into it, but most textbooks are vague. I do think curriculums need to go deeper into “world” history and cover more cultures that give a better picture of the world five hundred years ago, because many make it seem as though the European empires were the only groups advancing and making history during the time.
--I agree with much of what is said but I disagree with the ultra promotion of the Arabic language and culture alone. Yes, the culture and language should receive more attention but so should a lot of other cultures and languages, more languages should be offered at more schools. I think that the ‘over’ promotion of solely Arabic culture will cause similar feelings that the portrayal of Arabs has caused.
Moussa wrote: -- Edited by Moussa on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:50:09 AM
You know, now that you mention it, I do agree that it was the teacher who was eurocentric, not the book. :)
yea, I just found that many of the times the book was reletively accurate in it's depiction, its just that the teacher decided what to teach and what not to teach.
of course, this doesn't say there are NO eurocentric books out there.
__________________
Hop outa my beeeed! Turn ma swag on! Take a look in the mirror say wazzup? YEAAAA! GET MONEY!!! OOOOH!!!
Moussa wrote: -- Edited by Moussa on Monday 1st of March 2010 10:50:09 AM Moussa, looking at your cultural background and coming from the middle east, have you ever faced or encountered some of the challenges that these students faced? have you been pigeonholed or stereotyped?
yes I have. I've been stereotyped many many times. Some ways have been in major insults, where the people have put in massive amount of effort to show their dislike for me, while others just lie in subtle jokes and insults.
Its kind of sad.
__________________
Hop outa my beeeed! Turn ma swag on! Take a look in the mirror say wazzup? YEAAAA! GET MONEY!!! OOOOH!!!
Heling I couldn't agree more when you said the media has influenced you about Muslims and Arabs, that's what we are used to seeing and hearing most and usually we tend to believe everything said.
What do you think should be done about this? Bring awareness to media about the stereotypes they promote? or bring awareness to the people using the media?
__________________
Hop outa my beeeed! Turn ma swag on! Take a look in the mirror say wazzup? YEAAAA! GET MONEY!!! OOOOH!!!
--I agree with much of what is said but I disagree with the ultra promotion of the Arabic language and culture alone. Yes, the culture and language should receive more attention but so should a lot of other cultures and languages, more languages should be offered at more schools. I think that the ‘over’ promotion of solely Arabic culture will cause similar feelings that the portrayal of Arabs has caused.
Well then how do you determine which languages/cultures should be taught? wouldn't leaving ONE culture or language out of public education just mean that we are ULTRA promoting every other language?
having said that, teaching Arabic (as well as other relative languages) is so ultra promotionary.
__________________
Hop outa my beeeed! Turn ma swag on! Take a look in the mirror say wazzup? YEAAAA! GET MONEY!!! OOOOH!!!
well arab and musiln what do i think what i think is that to be arab doesnt mean u have to be musilm there are muslim chirstans and all sorts of other religions and arab is anicty and muslim is a relgion
after reserch i found somewhat of the same ideas i have like there are chirstan arabs muslum arabs all sorts
well the basis is true but one has to rember that school isnt the only place of learning u have books tv and the internet and threw people and yes new text books would be good but if u just add more about arabs what about the other etnictys dont they desever learning of well if they were to put more about arab they should put like historical events discovers and how there culture is
i agree that more people have been showing discremation after 911 that is true its not good at all and there shouldnt be any blam towards a race from what a terriost organiation did but i dissagre on put itin every thing like evey class learns alot about it think it should be equlized with other etnictys
well arab and musiln what do i think what i think is that to be arab doesnt mean u have to be musilm there are muslim chirstans and all sorts of other religions and arab is anicty and muslim are followers od islam a relgion
after reserch i found somewhat of the same ideas i have like there are chirstan arabs muslum arabs all sorts
well the basis is true but one has to rember that school isnt the only place of learning u have books tv and the internet and threw people and yes new text books would be good but if u just add more about arabs what about the other etnictys dont they desever learning of well if they were to put more about arab they should put like historical events discovers and how there culture is
i agree that more people have been showing discremation after 911 that is true its not good at all and there shouldnt be any blam towards a race from what a terriost organiation did but i dissagre on put itin every thing like evey class learns alot about it think it should be equlized with other etnictys
I think being Muslim is a religion and Arabs are a race or ethnicity. Muslim people live there life strictly by the laws they are required to, while the Arabs don’t. The two are very different from one another.
Yes, I do believe that in my experience freshmen year, American textbooks on world history are Eurocentric. They never really get into detail and to the point that shows how other cultures view the world. Everyone should know what is happening and if something is changing in the world.
I think having the language taught at our school would be interesting, we would learn so much more about the culture and actually know more or less what is going on. Although it isn’t taught here the thought would be nice
but what about all the other eitnceties should they have equal praise
1. At first, I knew what the differences between Arabs and Muslims were. Muslims was a group of religious people who prays Mecca and believed in Allah also Muslims is a religious similar as Islam. . Arabs is a language-spoken by people who live mostly in the Middle East. This word Arabs turns to Arabic which is a language. Arabs is a type of people. After I read the article and I’ve learned that there are much racism going on after the 9/11 and how it sparks American and the Islam world. Some of the media felt offensive and many Arabs people felt negative when people trying to make movies and it could affect their culture. My ideas of Arabs and Muslim come from media and the history of Middle East. I discovered that people can change their religious and speak in any languages.
2. Yes, I believed in my freshmen world history class talked about European history, that in schools and it shows how students learned their culture in their ancestry and how it started and what have change from it started to today. It should be international showing of their background and it shows what’s happening around the world involved with other religions.
3. I agree with the topic of Classroom Solutions, and the schools throughout America should have Arab culture involved with historical events, or crimes. Like for example, 9/11 was a crime involved in with Arab today. Some schools should have Arabic begin taught in high school, and some students were interested to learning it. There are no negatives involved in my opinion, and I like the facts that if a student want to learn something from other part of the world and their culture.
To this situation, to Joel, we needed to have math department, and learn a little of math and shows how the works have to be done, and the figuring, and if you want to have cultural classes, the teachers should teach students a small role of culture of around the world.
maybe they should cut classes like math or gym to fit in all these new cultural classes......
