Ramirez 1

Hernan Ramirez
SBS 402
Rebeca Bales
4/12/2018

Annotations

Fried, S. , & Sosland, B. (2011).Banishing Bullying Behavior : Transforming the Culture

of Peer Abuse. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education.

Suellen Fried and Blanche Sosland wrote based from personal experiences an

extraordinary book that can be best used as a guidance book to learn and understand

the issues of bullying. In this book the authors bring to live the real issues that children

have to face today outside and inside school. As they provide many examples of how

bullying starts, they explained a cycle of how bullying affects individuals. This cycle

consists of pain, range, and revenge. It all begins with the pain of bullying, then it turns

into range when individuals cannot longer deal with the bullying issues, and it ends with

revenge against the person committing the bullying actions. Bullying issues can also

lead to a similar cycle but in this case the cycle consists of pain, depression, and suicide.

Fried and Sosland will inspire educators and everyone in a community to work together

in order make an effort to end with the cycle of pain, range, and revenge; and with the

cycle of pain, depression, and suicide.

In my opinion, I believe Banishing Bullying Behavior is an excellent book that will

help everyone working with students to avoid bullying incidents. This book is valuable to

learn how to end bullying and to turn our schools into bullying free places so that

children will be save at their learning sites. I consider this book as a great source for

those who are trying to understand the real issues of bullying.

 Ramirez 2

Shariff, S. (2008). Cyber-bullying: Issues and Solutions for the School, the Classroom
and the Home. London: Routledge.

In this book, Shaheen Shariff introduces to readers (audience) the main issues of

this battle against cyber bullying. This book provides guidelines for parents, schools, and

other influential educators to understand the consequences from bullying. The focus of

this book is to create importance to the main conflicts that students, schools, and

parents face from cyber bullying. Since the internet has become part of our new

generations, their relationships and learning has become less physical interactive. "As

more teens join Facebook, this social networking web site has run into problems relating

to high school and middle school students posting anti-authority cyber-expression about

teachers and school officials" (Shaheen 37). In this expression, the author shows how

students and teachers are targets of bullying. Through social networks, our new

generations express their way to think or the way the feel by posting and publishing

their actual moods. In this book the author clearly indicates who are the main targets of

cyber bullying. She explains that women are the main victims of bullying because men

tent to use their masculinity to avoid bullying actions. This book touches a full definition

of what bullying is, as well as the difference between bullying and teasing, and the

characteristics of cyber-bullying.

In my opinion, I think that this book has everything to understand the

characteristics of cyber-bullying. I believe that this book would be the best way to go if

someone wants to join to the battle to end or reduce bullying in schools as well as at our
 Ramirez 3

own homes. Parents and teachers would be benefited from this book because they are

the authority for students and they can take actions to solve any issues of bullying.

McQuade, S. , Colt, J. , & Meyer, N. (2009). Cyber Bullying: Protecting Kids and Adults
from Online Bullies. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Publishers

In this book, Cyber Bullying: Protecting Kids and Adults from Online Bullies the authors

Colt, McQuade, and Meyer addressed bullying from the technological perspective and

cultural evolution which is bringing changes in individuals thinking and behaving. The

authors addressed the ways in which electronic devices such as computers and

cellphones and other devices that require internet have changed youth attitudes. In this

book the authors explain the ways in which bullying is constantly increasing online by

using information devises (IT). They explain the process in which bullying in young adults

is more common because they have grown up accustomed to interact with other people

online. They wrote this book based on extensive original interviews and survey research.

They authors separated this book into eight chapters. On the first chapter they define

what cyber bullying is. According to them, cyber bullying occurs when a person uses IT

devices to embarrass, harass, intimidate, threaten, or otherwise cause harm to

individuals targeted for such abuse (2). They provided excellent examples to understand

cyber bullying. In this book they discussed important points about cyber bullying such

as: the characteristics and causes of bullying among individuals and groups, the

technological means and methods, the legal issues of what can be done about it, advices

for students and other victims from cyber bullying of all ages, and others.
 Ramirez 4

Personally, I enjoyed this book because it has great examples that help to visualized

common cyber bullying actions that we see or experience on our daily basis. From this

book I learned that we can be bullies or victims without even noticing. For example we

can become bullies if we like a humiliating picture that someone post on Facebook and

that picture is from someone else. From this book I also learned that IT devices are the

key tool to start cyber bullying because it is much easier be in contact with other

individuals, therefore it is easier to spread words, and pictures that might embarrass

other individuals.

Roberts, W. (2006). Bullying from Both Sides: Strategic Interventions for Working with
Bullies & Victims. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.

In this book, Bullying from both sides, Walter B. Roberts provides excellent

points to understand bullying. Nowadays bullying is much more complex than what it

seems. As a result, teachers and other educators cannot longer rely on the traditional

methods to end with the bullying cycle. In this book, educators can find reliable sources

to work directly with the bullies and the victims to find a solution to break into the

bullying cycle. Roberts divides this book into two parts. In part one, The Reality of

Bullying, Bullies, and Victims he offers concrete information to understand the

characteristics of the victims and the aggressors from the bullying cycle. The author

provides the definitions of what bullying and Teasing is. He also describes and explains

the characteristics of the victims and the bullies. In part two, Effective Interaction

Strategies for Bullies and Victims: Parents and School as Partners, Roberts provides a list

of different strategies to prevent bullying issues such as: safeguard the victim, engage
 Ramirez 5

the victim and bully in constructive and supportive interactions. In the second part

Roberts also suggests teachers and administrators to determine when and how to

contact parents of the victims and bullies, and provide counseling for immediate and

long-term support.

Personally, I think this book is really inspiring. When I read this book I felt the

anger of the author towards bullying. I agree with him in the point when he mentions

that everyone has this right to have a safe place to study. I liked when he mentions that

everyone has the right to not worry for their safety instead of their schoolwork. I

strongly i agree with the author on having bullying free schools because students

deserve a safe place to learn. Also i believe it’s true that everyone wants a safety place

to learn but not everyone takes time to actually try to change that

Seidman, Steven, Part I, "The Rise of the Classical Tradition (Pgs. 5-55)." Contested

Knowledge: Social Theory Today, Fourth Edition (USA: Blackwell Publishing, 2008).

The first part from the book Contested Knowledge: Social Theory Today written

by Siedman Steven is about amazing thinkers that have different points of view in

society. Auguste Comte from France, Karl Marx from Germany, Emile Durkheim from

France, and Max Weber from Germany had great ideas on society and human behavior.

For example Comte thought of society as an organic while welded together by shared

religious and moral beliefs. Religion and moral beliefs were the main points where the

thinkers focused the most. Each one of them had a different explication but they

discussed over similar points. Durkheim was the one the capture most of my attention
 Ramirez 6

by pointing out that as humans, individualism is one of the few beliefs we have in

common. He says that individualism is our religion. Each one of these thinkers had great

ideas on society and their vision of society and modernity has moved the world.

In my opinion I agree with the entire individual mentioned in part l of the book

because all the ideas they pointed out connected to me right away. Emile Durkheim was

the one the captured my attention because what he said it is true. As human we all may

have different ideas and different beliefs, but as humans we all shared individualism

because at some point in life we have to be individual for once. Another point that

captured my attention is when she mentioned that the economy depends upon

motivated workers and families depend on the economy to provide jobs that way

everyone survives.

Kronick, R. F., & Hargis, C. H. (1990). Ch. 9. Migrants and seasonal farm workers.

Dropouts: who drops out and why—and the recommended action (pp. 111-

134). Springfield, Ill., U.S.A.: C.C. Thomas.

Robert F. Kronick and Charles H. Hargis in “Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers”

describe the struggles and experiences of migrant workers in school. They explain how

Coles (1967) also reported that migrant youth tended not to go to school because they

felt that teachers had a negative image of them and did not respect what they knew

(Kronick & Hargis, 1990). Kronick and Hargis (1990) mention that the inability to display

basic skills, combined with poverty and/or minority group membership, is the deadly

combination that leads to dropping out among migrant children. In addition, Kronick
 Ramirez 7

and Hargis (1990) describe how the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) was

established in 1966 to help migrant and seasonal farm worker children stay in school.

This chapter helped me understand the situation of many migrant students

during the past years. By reading this chapter, I realize that even though there have

been efforts made to help migrant students stay in school, the problem of drop outs still

exist. I also notice that the experiences of migrant and seasonal farm workers/students

are still similar to those of migrant and seasonal workers/students from the past.

Seidman, Steven, Part I, "The Rise of the Classical Tradition (Pgs. 5-55)." Contested
Knowledge: Social Theory Today, Fourth Edition (USA: Blackwell Publishing, 2008).
The first part from the book Contested Knowledge: Social Theory Today written

by Siedman Steven is about amazing thinkers that have different points of view in

society. Auguste Comte from France, Karl Marx from Germany, Emile Durkheim from

France, and Max Weber from Germany had great ideas on society and human behavior.

For example Comte thought of society as an organic while welded together by shared

religious and moral beliefs. Religion and moral beliefs were the main points where the

thinkers focused the most. Each one of them had a different explication but they

discussed over similar points. Durkheim was the one the capture most of my attention

by pointing out that as humans, individualism is one of the few beliefs we have in

common. He says that individualism is our religion. Each one of these thinkers had great

ideas on society and their vision of society and modernity has moved the world.

In my opinion I agree with the entire individual mentioned in part l of the book

because all the ideas they pointed out connected to me right away. Emile Durkheim was

the one the captured my attention because what he said it is true. As human we all may
 Ramirez 8

have different ideas and different beliefs, but as humans we all shared individualism

because at some point in life we have to be individual for once. Another point that

captured my attention is when she mentioned that the economy depends upon

motivated workers and families depend on the economy to provide jobs that way

everyone survives.

Seidman, Steven, Part II, "Rethinking the Classical Tradition: American Sociology (Pgs.
61-108)." Contested Knowledge: Social Theory Today, Fourth Edition (USA:
Blackwell Publishing, 2008).

The second part from the book Contested Knowledge by Steven Seidman

consists of similar ideas from the thinkers on part one of the book. In the second

part, the American thinkers take in consideration the ideas of individualism in

society from the European Thinkers. Berger and Luckmann believed that social

reality was not a product of natural law or impersonal social forces but was

constructed by real active individual. In other hand, Collins viewed social life as

made up of the actions and interactions of individuals. Meanwhile Parsons kept

his argument that this nation was a model of a free democratic society, and if

thinkers like Berger and Collins were more cautious they still described a modern

world that is good and that can be made better. In much of American social

thinking, society is never completely in control of humankind’s destiny; the

individual is in the end the creator of his or her own fate.

My opinion on the second part I agree that we live in a good world but I

strongly agree we can make it be better. It all depends of individual because

 Ramirez 9

everyone has the right to follow their own paths. In addition I also believe that

society has never been completely in control of individuals because everyone

chooses to create and generate what they believe it will be better for them. So I

believe that individuals make society, society does not make individuals.

Seidman, Steven, Part III, "Rethinking the Classical Tradition: European Theory (Pgs.
113-136)." Contested Knowledge: Social Theory Today, Fourth Edition (USA:
Blackwell Publishing, 2008).

The third part of the book Contested Knowledge: Social Theory Today, 4 th Edition

written by Steven Seidman consists of a mix of ideas and points of view to explain the

difference between American and European thinkers. Like in the previous parts of the

book, Marx is an important part with his great ideas that influenced both American and

European thinkers to study the human behaviors. For example Jürgen Habermas

developed an original theory of social knowledge, social evolution, language and social

actions. He believed that social knowledge should contribute to human freedom. In fact,

Habermas was the only theorist that took the challenge of thinking through the meaning

of social science as deliberately and logically. In addition to social knowledge, Stuart Hall

argues that messages from mass media and popular cultures had shaped our behavior.

He says that people interpret messages based on their gender, social class, education,

religion, and so forth. Anthony Giddens also had a similar argument on social

knowledge, he says that the ideas we read from sociologists and economists influence

us to think and act based on those ideas. All these ideas came from European thinkers
 Ramirez 10

which mean that they approach social thinking in much broader terms than is typical of

Americans.

I personally agree with all the ideas mentioned above. I strongly agree with the

ideas and arguments of Hall. I like the idea of hall because I feel I have a connection with

it. He says that our behavior is influence with mass media or culture messages and it is

true because individuals act the way they feel they will fit in their category. For example

individuals from a lower class are discriminated for eating at an expensive restaurant.

People will treat them poorly because of their looks. So to avoid those problems most

people decided to go to places where they will be well treated.

Seidman, Steven, Part V, "Revision and Revolts: Identity Politics and Theory (Pgs. 199-
261)." Contested Knowledge: Social Theory Today, Fourth Edition (USA: Blackwell
Publishing, 2008).
On part five of the book Contested Knowledge, Seidman talks about different

types of social issues that at some point affects our own people. Feminism is one of the

major issues he focuses the most. Feminism not only affects women, but it also affects

men. According to Seidman, society believes that women should stay home and raise

their children and sacrifice their personal interests for the sake of their husbands; and

men should go out and work to bring money to the house. Seidman mentions that in

most societies “men have power over women… in the United States men occupy the

highest positions of power in the economic, political, military, educational, and cultural

institutions”. (Seidman 202). Robert W. Connell talks about masculinity, “If women are

seen as weak, passive, and emotional, then men are supposed to be strong, aggressive

and rational”. (Seidman 217). According to Connell, all men should be strong and

aggressive to demonstrate or gain power over women.

 Ramirez 11

I personally believe that feminism nowadays does not exist anymore or at least

has changed so much. As well all know, in today’s society men and women have equal

rights. The times when men had all the power and women were too busy with their

households and raising their children are close enough to disappear. There are some

places around the world where women are still affected by feminism. In our society,

feminism seems to be far away. Nowadays there are a decent percentage of women

with a college degree. This means that the power between men and women is balanced

in favor for each other. Nowadays there are two people (husband and wife) bringing

money to the house to maintain the house to be in a good shape. In the other hand, one

issue that seems not to go away is masculinity. As Robert W. Connell mentioned,

women are most likely to be weak and sentimental and men are strong and aggressive.

One of the things I have seen and experience is that when a men cries other men calls

them “you’re a women”, or “men don’t cry”; for women they say “you’re a men” if they

have short hair. All of those assumptions had been around for many years and seem to

stay for a long time because new generations are raised with the same ideas.

Seidman, Steven, Part VI, "Revisions and Revolts: Theories of World Order (p 265-
302)." Contested Knowledge: Social Theory Today, Fourth Edition (USA: Blackwell
Publishing, 2008).
In part VI of the book “Contested to Knowledge” Seidman talks about the

capitalism and how has it become an issue for some countries. “The capitalist core

exercises economic, political, and military dominance in the world systems. Peripheral

nations, which have weak economies and governments, are controlled by core nations.”

(Siedman 277). According to Immanuel Wallerstein, he says that countries with weaker
 Ramirez 12

economic status are most likely to be controlled by other countries with a stronger

economy. Wellerstein focuses in the economy from other countries and he assumes

that the world seems to be affected by these issues of weak economies. As it may be

harmful for some economies, for others seems to be helpful to gain power over other

economies. Manuel Castells also follows the same case as Wellerstein; they both argue

that as capitalism goes global, it affects other economies. It affects our society in

general because the things that happen in one place take place all around the world.

Based on capitalism going global it would be harmful for our local communities because

local jobs would be shut down.

In my opinion I believe that globalization can be helpful for us as individual, but it

would also affect us. As globalization increases in our areas it helps us individually

because we would have more foreign businesses close to us. Many brands and

companies would be reachable for us. The way that globalization would affect our local

economy is that many local businesses would be shut down and less money would go in

into our local economy. An example that globalization would benefit us is that we can

have the brands we want without going out of our communities.

Tagg, J. (2003). The Learners. The Learning Paradigm College (pp. 40-47). Bolton, MA:
Anker Publishing Company.
John Tagg explains how students struggle in their education and how they see or

not see the importance of an education. Tagg describes how most students recognize

the value of the school but don’t recognize the value of learning while in school. He

mentions how students believe in the benefits from getting a degree or diploma but
 Ramirez 13

they don’t believe in the benefits associated with learning or doing well in class. John

Tagg also explains how students try hard in schools not because they are interested in

the material but because they want to get good grades in order to get into college.

Further, Tagg describes that when students get into college, they are in it for the money

and believe that the benefit of a college education is increasing their earnings. In

addition, he mentions how most students who leave high school and enter college take

with them attitudes and beliefs about schooling and their interaction with educational

institutions that tend to keep them away from learning rather than to prepare them for

college. Not only John Tagg describes the struggles of the students, but he also

explained that a fundamental challenge that colleges face is to change the way students

think about the school setting, about academic work and about their own relationship

to academic institutions.

John Tagg’s article is very interesting and important. I found this article very

interesting and important because it gives us a sense of how to understand the learning

process of students and how they struggle in their education. The first step in order to

fix a problem is to understand it and this article gives us a sense of the problem so we

can do something in order to fix it or change it. I found really interesting the ideas that

John Tagg described about changing the way students think about school or education

and I agree with him that what is important is the knowledge and not the diploma which

after all is just a piece of paper. I really liked how Tagg explained that college students

go to college mainly to increase their earnings and this is the case for many students
 Ramirez 14

who don’t realize of the importance of changing or doing something to improve our

society.

Tagg, J. (2003). Seft-Theories and Academic Motivation. The Learning Paradigm

College (pp. 48-61). Bolton, MA: Anker Pub. Co..

The article “Self-Theories and Academic Motivation” written by John Tagg

explains the importance of the different types of learning theories. The first

point in the article, he compares the performance and the learning goals of the

students. He says that performance goals seem to aim at a short-term period

and learning goals usually take a longer-term. Another important point he

explains is about Entity and Incremental theories. According to Tagg, entity

theory is about students’ view that either you get the idea or you don’t, and in

incremental theory they will try again and consider strategies for change.

Another important point he makes is about self-theories as information filters.

According to Tagg for some students is better to get a grade than to get the

material. For some students it does not matter what grade they get but the

information they obtained out of it. One more important point he makes in this

chapter is self-theories and the American culture. This point is important

because he explains that children who believe that their high ability is sufficient

to ensure success find little reason to work hard and those children who believe

that they have low ability to success also have little reason to work hard because
 Ramirez 15

they get disappointed of themselves. All of the points that John Tagg made on

this article at some point they connect to each other.

In my opinion on this article I agree with all the points that John Tagg

made because I have been really close to those points especially on the last point

he made about students who believe they have success enough and they don’t

want to work hard anymore because they feel comfortable for the level they

already have. I also want to comment on the self-theories as information filters

point. For me this is one of the strongest points he made on this article because

it is true how students prefer to get a grade and not the material given. In many

cases some students get a good grade but they don’t get the material or vice

versa.

Nevins, J., & Peluso, N. L. (2008). "Contesting Flexibility: Networks of Place, Gender,
and Class in Vietnamese Workers' Resistance,". Taking Southeast Asia to market:
commodities, nature, and people in the neoliberal age(pp. 56-72). Ithaca: Cornell
University Press.
The article “Contesting Flexibility” written by Angie Tran gives a solid view

example of workers who travel from one place to another to find a better living style. As

some people from really poor areas travel long distance to find a job, other individuals

take advantage of people who are looking for a job because they know they will take it

for a miserable wage. In many cases the labor they do is really dangerous and should be

done for a higher wage. Labor abuse seems to never have an end. Dr. Tran points in the

article that big factories will hire hundreds of workers during the season labor and only

few of them will be hired under the conditions of a contract. For those workers working
 Ramirez 16

without a contract they have no rights to unemployment or other benefits. Even if they

pass one year of probation they will not get a contract so they can be fired at the

factory’s convenience. Another thing Dr. Tran points in the article and that captured my

attention was when she said that workers do not complain for the conditions they work

on because they are fearful to lose their jobs. It is ridiculous how those workers have to

deal with the poor conditions at their jobs because they need the money to survive and

to support their family. The main idea from this article connects all the points she

explained throughout the article, but labor abuse is the main point. Dr. Tran explains

oppressions from gender and from class and both relate to labor abuse.

Personally I can totally connect myself to this article because in a way I have

been affected by labor abuse. Working in the fields picking berries is not the best

experience but because of my economic situation I had limited options. In my opinion I

believe that labor abuse would never go away. As Dr. Tran mentions in the article that

Viennese people travel from north to south to find a better job I relate this to migrant

workers here in the United States because there are many people who came here to

find a job to save money so they can send to their families from their native country.

This would never end because factories will keep hiring people who need jobs and who

will work for low wages.

Schultz, Emily A., Lavenda, Robert H.

2012 Culture and Individuals: In Cultural Anthropology: A Perspective on the
Human Condition, eighth edition. Emily Schultz, Robert Lavenda, eds. Pp. 117-
141. New York: Oxford University Press.
 Ramirez 17

The way individuals behave is based on their culture, chapter 6 which is about

culture and individuals gives a clear explanation of individuals behaves. According to this

chapter, anthropologists have been testing the learning by individuals from different

cultures. Their main points about individuals learning are that we as human being tent to

follow what we believe is right and wrong based on our own culture. They say that our

emotions and thoughts are not just something we have because they are culturally

constructed of our state of mind and cultural interpretations. For these reasons it is

difficult for us humans to translate the language of emotions from one culture to another.

They mention that individuals must learn to adapt their standards consider appropriate to

their perspective cultures. Anthropologists believe that children learn their behaviors

depending on the kind of experiences they receive by other individuals within the same

culture.

Based on this chapter, I personally find connections to some of the points

mentioned by the anthropologist in particular where they talk about that we behave based

on what we believe is right and wrong. I personally know when I might offend someone

from my culture or vice versa. For example if I show the middle finger to someone from my

culture I know for fact that they will react in an aggressive way and individuals from

outside my culture might interpret it in a another way.

Schultz, Emily A., Lavenda, Robert H.

2012 How do we make meaning?: In Cultural Anthropology: A Perspective on
the Human Condition, eighth edition. Emily Schultz, Robert Lavenda, eds. Pp.
145-170. New York: Oxford University Press.

The importance of crating rules and adapting them into our cultures is an aspect
that has to be accepted by an entire society. This chapter explains the importance about
 Ramirez 18

play, art, myths and others into cultures. In this chapter Play is not only described as a form
of game but it is also refers as a way to transmit and interpret the language, the way we
think and also the way we do things. All these forms of “play” can be viewed differently
from one culture to another. In cultures Art and Myths also play the same role as Play.
Music is an example to describe the importance of Art into cultures because there are
individuals in different cultures that listen music from other cultures and they don’t even
know the meaning and they create a different meaning to adopt into their particular
culture. Therefore we as human demonstrate that we are shaped by stories we once heard
from our antecedents. For example, based on stories we tent to create what is good and
bad for us. If people from the past years had a meaning towards something we continue
with the same concept but sometimes we modified it to make it adequate for our culture.
For example sports were modified to make them fit into today’s society because back then
the losers from any sport had to pay with their lives and it was acceptable in their society.
Now we don’t see that happening with sports in our society or generation.
I personally have a specific connection in this chapter. Since I play sports it was
easy to find a connection with modifying sports. If the rule of sacrificing the loser from
every sport was still in use I probably wouldn’t play sports, but since they made new rules I
know that in order to continue playing I have to follow the rules as indicated. I know that
by playing sports I am interacting with other people which indicates that sports are a form
of play, art, and myth because it allows me to communicate with others and also helps me
to continue with older traditions.
Schultz, Emily A., Lavenda, Robert H.
2012 Why do people get married and have families: In Cultural Anthropology:
A Perspective on the Human Condition, eighth edition. Emily Schultz, Robert
Lavenda, eds. Pp. 287-319. New York: Oxford University Press.

This chapter explains marriage from different culture’s perspective. A social

process that changes the status of men and women is known as marriage; marriage also

stipulates the degree of sexual access of the married partners may have to each other,
 Ramirez 19

and it also establishes the legitimacy of children born to the wife. Marriage is not only

between one man and one woman; according to this chapter in some cultures is it legal

for women and men to be married to two or more partners. Another important point

about marriage is that when a man and a woman get married the husband’s family

takes any good as a form of compensation to the wife’s family for her loss of productive

and reproductive capacities. This chapter also indicates that some cultures prefer to

reproduce within family members to their blood would not be spread. In the opposite

side, there are cultures that don’t allow reproducing with members of their own family

so they have to find someone from another region not related to them. Divorce is

another important point mentioned in this chapter. Most societies permit marriages to

end by divorce. Some causes to divorce are that adultery, childlessness, cruelty and

others are committed during marriage. In very few societies this is impossible because

they cannot end marriage until death.

I personally relate to the compensation for the wife’s family because that is a

tradition in my culture. For example if someone decides to get marry today, the next

day the husband’s family has to talk to the wife’s family to let them know that their

daughter is at their house with their son and as a form of compensation they need to

take some good; also in my culture men and women are allow to be married to only one

individual.

Mandela, N. (1994). Long walk to freedom: the autobiography of Nelson Mandela (pp.

1-638). Boston: Little, Brown.

 Ramirez 20

This book is about the autobiography of Nelson Mandela. He was born in July 8,

1918 and his father gave him the name of Rolihlahla which means, “Trouble maker”

(Mandela, 1994). His first day of school, his teacher changed his name and named him

Nelson. After his father died, a wealthy man named Jongintoba Dalindyebo, became

Nelson’s guardian and ensured his future education. He attended to Wesleyan College

and to the University of Fort Hare and he was expelled because he was supporting

boycotts against the university policies and he also refused to accept a position in the

Student Representative Council. Mandela moved to Johannesburg where he

experienced the system of Apartheid, a discriminatory system for which he sacrificed

himself in order to destroy and eliminate the system. He joined the African National

Congress as an activist and formed the Youth League of the ANC (Mandela, 1994). At

age of 46, he was sentenced to life prison because he was convicted of sabotage and

treason. Mandela was released from prison in 1990 after being incarcerated for 27

years. In 1993 things started to change for him because he received a Nobel Peace Prize

and a year later Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa.

In this autobiography, Mandela mentions the lifestyle he had as he was growing up.

He explains that “It was in the fields that I learned how to knock birds out of the sky

with a slingshot, to gather wild honey and fruits and edible roots, to drink warm, sweet

milk straight from the udder of a cow, to swim in the clear, cold streams, and to catch

fish with twine and sharpened bits of wire” (Mandela 9). From this example I find a

connection with myself because when I was a kid I did the same things that Mandela

mentioned in the previous example. I came from a small village from Michoacán Mexico
 Ramirez 21

and I also used to knock birds or lizards with slingshot, catch fishes, swim in a canal and

duty lakes, and drink warm milk straight from the udder of the cows. In additions,

Mandela explains how the education he received was a British education and people

believe that it was a superior education than in other places. From the experiences

Mandela shared in this book, I understand how my experience in the United States is

different because I also came to a foreign country where everything was different. Even

though it seemed the same everything was different from where I came. The customs,

education, and language were new for me in this country. This example helped me

understand how Mandela might have felt in his country where everything was new for

him as well.

Zinn, H., Arnove, A. (2009). Voices of a people’s history of the United States (Second

Ed., pp. 1-669). New York, NY. Seven Stories Press.

In the book Voices of a people’s history of the United States second edition,

Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove provide examples of the history of the United States

during war time. The authors develop a description of confronts and wars that the US

has been involved in. They divided each of the events in separated chapter. In each

chapter they describe in details the most memorable events in the US history. The

authors started with the arrived of Christopher Columbus in America which is important

in the US history. In addition, they also mentioned the defense of Bartolome de Las

Casas for the Indians in 1550. Furthermore, the authors give a sense of the first slaves in

the United States. They mentioned the conflicts during the first slaves and how many

civilians were against it. Zinn and Arnove also mentioned how the revolution of the
 Ramirez 22

1760s was prepared during the war between England and France. They mentioned the

big debt that the war left and that was the reason why the Stamp Act started. This was

with the intention to collect money in order to pay for the damage after war of France

and England. Moreover, Zinn and Arnove also describe how the early women’s

movement initiated along with Maria Stewart. The women movement started because

women were consider inferior than men therefore black and white women gather

together in order to fight for the women rights. Another important historic even

mentioned in this books is when the Indians were removed from the Mississippi

territory. Even though some Indians resisted the Indian Removal, most of them were

killed or pushed westward. They describe memorable wars like the one against Mexico

in the 1840s, the civil war, world war I and II along with others. Zinn and Arvone also

talked about the many strikes and boycotts including Cesar Chavez with los braceros.

Not excluding the segregations also known as racism against African Americans the

authors described them as well. Over all this book remarks in details the most

memorable events in the United States history.

I personally enjoyed this book because the authors provided a whole bunch of

events from the US history in one piece. It was easier to ready all these historic events in

one piece then been looking for other materials that would only describe one event.

What I enjoyed the most was the section where they explained the war against Mexico

for the rights of the states such as: California, Utah, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Colorado,

New Mexico, and Wyoming. This part was of my interest because I Mexican and I

thought that was interesting.

 Ramirez 23

Sirkin, R. M. (1995). Statistics for the social sciences (3rd ed., pp. 1-610). Thousand

Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.

In the book Statistics for the social sciences third edition, Mark Sirkin defines and

provides examples of Statistics that are used in Social Sciences. He talks about the

scientific method and he defines step by step to test a hypothesis and the types of

correlation/relation if it is positive or negative. Sirkin describes the level measurements

and which include qualitative and quantitative data, and the forms of nominal, ordinal,

and interval levels of data. He also explains the different ways of measuring the mean,

medium, and mode as well as the dispersion; range, mean deviation, variance and

standard deviation. Furthermore, Sirkin provides good examples of how we can learn

how to construct and interpret contingency when working with social problems.

Moreover, the author explains the level of significance which compares sample means

with hypothesis of one-tailed or two-tailed tests. Sirkin also explains probability

distributions and one-sample z and t tests using the central limit theory and the t table

provided in the book. He gives example of how and when we can use the two-sample t

test when choosing from independent and dependent samples. Sirkin also describes

how the one-way and two-way analysis of variance also known as ANOVA is used in real

world problems. In this book Sirkin also includes and provides examples to learn about

the Chi-Square. He provides good examples about statistics that are used in social

sciences.
 Ramirez 24

This book was really helpful and interesting for me because I learned so much

about the statistical concepts that are required in social sciences. After reading this

book, I practiced some of the concepts and I feel more confident on working with the

Chi-Square, and comparing means at different levels of significance. The examples that

Sirkin provided about the contingency tables were really clear, it really helped me

understand this concept. Over all this was a great book, I really recommend it to

students especially to those in the computer science fields.

Flores, L. J. (1996). Children of La Frontera. Clearing on Rural Education and

Small Schools (p.1-350). Charleston, West Virginia. Appalachia
Educational Laboratory.

In this book, Dr. Judith LeBlanc Flores collaborated with Eugene E. Garcia to

put together the perspectives of multiple authors where each one of them has

responded about the Mexican American’s socioeconomic status. All the authors’

points of view has help individuals to understand the historic and current context of

relations between Mexico and the United States and definitely, they have provided

valuable background data on the Mexican school system. Some authors narrate

stories about personal experiences of going beyond what has been considered

accepted classrooms practice to make things better for students from different

traditions. Other authors describe the binational educational and health programs

already in existence, while others help individuals understand the effectiveness of

different programs in the classrooms and minority/poor families in Mexico, and

others migrant and immigrant adults and children share their personal experiences

and their dreams for the future. Dr. Garcia in her foreword indicates that most of the
 Ramirez 25

Mexican American students are no the students that teachers are expected to teach,

however they are the students who will one day help shape our society.

In my opinion, based on my own experiences as Mexican American student I

believe that many educators in the United States minimize us because the majority

of us that migrated from Mexico arrived here without speaking English. In most

cases these educator put non-English speakers on a side during their lectures

because they cannot stop other English speakers from learning. Although there are

English learning programs in school, non-English speaking students do not get the

same education as the English Speakers.