Course Themes
- Single Story
- White Privilege
- Patriarchy
- Identity (who you are? Relation to others?)
- Oppression (How does this link to poverty?)
- Laws ( de jure/ De facto)
- Race & Racism (Race Relations)
- Natural Rights Doctrine
- Equity vs. Equality
- African Diaspora (Black World Identity)
- Haven and Freedom
- Rebellion against Injustice (protest Action)
- Colorism
- Institutional Racism
A big thank you for a great welcome to GAMP this year. The discussions we've had in this space have taught me much not only about each of you as people and students, but also about the type of community that exists at GAMP. The family is real...and diverse and doesn't always agree but has the bravery and offers a security that allows for open, critical dialogue. Race isn't easy to talk about and a critical mass of your opened not only your minds, but also your hearts to engaging with "Historical Thinking" as it relates to the evolution of Race and Racism in American History.
You must should consider how you are changed or impacted by your learning--that's how you make sure your learning matters. Let's use this space to consider this year in African American history. We have engaged in some difficult conversations and have confronted one of the most complex social interactions in American History: Race Relations. What did you expect this class to be at the beginning of the year? How did that expectation compare to this year's journey? Can you do anything with this knowledge? Did it make you you ask any new questions about the world around you?
This is our last blog. Make it personal. Make it REFLECTIVE.
57 comments:
In the beginning of the year, I expected this class to be really boring and similar to every other history class I have had. However, it was not like I expected. This class was actually very interesting and I learned a lot. I liked how we did not just do tons of book work and tests. We focused more on how we felt about what we were learning and its importance. Not only did we discuss how things impacted what we were learning about, but also how it impacts us today. In past history classes, we have not talked about how what we learn influences us now. I liked how Mr. Jobs showed us information on things going on today and we were able to relate it to what we learn. We could also relate what we were learning to other classes, which was interesting. Another thing I enjoyed about this class was that it was more like a big discussion. It was not just us sitting there while the teacher taught, we could actually get involved. I think this class prepared me to have classroom discussions in the future and it showed us how to accept other's opinions and solve disagreements. Getting to talk about the information and what we thought made this class better than I expected it to be.
I also liked how this class covered a lot of information over the school year. There were a bunch of different topics and questions that we addressed, so it didn't feel like we spent the whole year learning the same thing. I feel like I learned a lot not just about African American History, but about American History in general. I think I can do a lot with the knowledge I gained from this course, and can use it in the future. This course showed me how everything we learn relates to current events somehow. It made me think about how history impacts and influences the world around me, and I think that was an important lesson to learn.
When I first came into this class, I felt like I was going to be boring. I felt like this class was just going to be another dull, slow, monotonous class that I wasn't going to take anything away from. I was never a big history person (just never caught my interest), and I thought this year was going to be no different.
However, I can say that, while there were some slow moments that were boring, I definitely had a better time than I thought I would have. I think we learned about a lot of fascinating topics. Some of the highlights included the videos "Who is Black in America," "White Student Union" and the discussion we had about the "racist" Cherrios commercial. History was never my favorite subject but this year was a good year in History class. I also liked the diversity of the topics that we discussed. At one point, we discussed what "womanizing" is and I found it to be very intriguing to see how the media is portraying women.
So when I found out that i was going to be in African American History i thought that i was gonna feel bad about myself because i was white and that people would look at me bad because i'm white even though my ancestors were Irish and were not slave owners. I just thought this would be a class that would make me feel like a terrible person but i was wrong. The year was very fun and taught me a lot about history from a different viewpoint. Also i feel if i hadn't taken this course then i would have never learned about our past in America from the good and the bad. My expectations were very wrong and i feel that i am a better person having gone through this course then not doing it. I can now use this knowledge to avoid segregation and racism and use the lessons of writing to fight back against oppression and unfairness. I think that this made me ask about why people still refuse to accept fairness and all races as equals. Also this course made me want to ask if racism will still be around when our generation come to the adult world. Also only knowing you for one year as a teacher and leaving your class is a little sad. I will miss you as a teacher Mr. Jobs and thanks for a great year!
I was changed/impacted by the learning that was done in Mr. Job's African American History class greatly. In the beginning of the year, I expected this class to be based solely on slavery and just like any other history class I've ever had. Opposite of my expectations, I soon saw that this class was much more than that. Although we spent a good amount of time speaking and learning about slavery, we went into so many other things that I had not known about before. Instead of just learning through the textbook or worksheets, we got to actually discuss a lot of things which was so helpful. We also got to watch a lot of informative and inspiring videos. I really liked that aspect of class (and was not expecting it) because I felt like I was really learning, instead of just memorizing information for a test like we do for a lot of classes. Blogging was also something that I had not expected, but really enjoyed because it gave us the chance to see each other's thoughts and ideas on things and respond freely. This class really opened my eyes to racism in a way that I had not understood or seen before. By going in depth and talking about things, I began to ask new questions about the world around me. I became aware of different things and I started to wonder about them, which I hadn't done before. I can do so much with the knowledge I gained this year, as can all of my classmates. Now when we go out into the world we will be able to see past ourselves and be cautious of other people's feelings and identities. That is a great gift.
At the start of this school year I didn't really know what to expect. As a student I didn't really enjoy history as a school subject and quite frankly I found it boring. So naturally I thought your class was going to be boring as well, but I told myself I would give this years history class a chance because you were a new teacher. Let me just take this time to say your class wasn't anywhere near as boring as I thought It was going to be, I actually looked forward to history this year and there were several things about you as a teacher that kept me interested in this class. One thing I really enjoyed was the class blogs. At first I thought it was going to be a total failure but the more blogs we did the more I liked doing them. I really enjoyed reading what my other classmates wrote and feeding off of their ideas. I also really enjoyed how you gave the students a chance to teach each other and voice their opinions instead of you just lecturing us for an entire period. Another thing that I thought was awesome was your lenience with due dates. I really appreciate how you took our busy schedules into consideration and extended the time to ensure we could get the work done. Most teachers just give a date and don't care about other events, projects, or assignments, due on that day from other subjects. Another thing I enjoyed was you showed us very mature content and treated us like young adults instead of covering up all the dark moments just because we aren't 18. I really felt like a college student in your class and in all seriousness I forgot this was your first year here at G.A.M.P.
My expectation for African American history was really nothing too exciting. I'd never really liked history (I'll be honest, still not too fond of it)and I expected it to be like every other history class: here's a list of dates and names and events, memorize them. But once I had my first class with Mr. Jobs, I could tell it was going to be different.
While we did learn the necessary who-what-where-when type of stuff, why also learned the why, how, and how it's important and related to our world today, especially in terms of social action. I enjoy that a lot because I've always wanted to be involve in social action, to make changes for the greater good.
This class also triggered a lot of thought and dialogue in our class, and I learned a lot about my peers this way. It gave me lots of food for thought, and made me question things in a good way.
To conclude, while I don't necessarily enjoy history, I enjoyed this course.
At the beginning of the school year, when I stepped foot into your class, I didn't know what to expect. As a student, taking history as a class was never amusing to me. It always appeared boring and as important as the subject is, I never really took it serious until this year. Taking African American History has impacted/changed my learning. As in any history class, I was taught mainly through the textbook, and handed worksheets to study, but this class helped me a lot. Instead of rushing through the chapters and courses that needed to be taught, you made sure the information was understandable and comfortable for the entire class and we never moved on until each individual had a clear understanding of what was being taught. By having open discussions, this allowed me to better understand whatever information was being given to us. The documentaries and videos that were shown in class were mostly interesting, as I was not expecting. Taking down information from the video was helpful. Also with the class discussions, the class setting felt comfortable.I enjoyed blogging which was also not expected. I had never blogged before this year and I enjoyed it because we were able to share things that maybe someone didn't get to share in class. Taking this class this year really opened my eyes about racism. I gained much knowledge this year and hopefully I can take it with me in my future years as I finish high school and move onto college.
In the beginning of the year I thought this class was just going to be very boring. I thought we were only going to discuss basic slavery in America and talk a whole lot about Martin Luther King Jr. But as I think back, that was a stereotype made by me about that class because that is not the only thing African American History is about. I was really hesitant about this course because I thought it would be really awkward. As the year went on I became more comfortable and now I’m completely fine with talking about the subject of race and racism. Hearing the opinions of my classmates was interesting because in this class it was the most opinions I heard than in any other class. Starting our course learning in Africa and then move into America because we got to know where the actual history of Africans started; like the different tribes such as the Djene. I learned a lot about the people and factors that contributed to African American history like Bayard Rustin. ( I’m not just saying that because I really did learn a lot) I feel a lot more educated pertaining to a broad range of topics brunt up this year; especially the idea of eugenics. As I leave this year I can say that I honestly had a lot added to my knowledge as a student, person, and African American.
At the beginning of the year, I did not know what to expect. Mr. Jobs was a new teacher, and I had no prior knowledge of his teaching styles and etc. It was a bit intimidating entering his classroom into, what was essentially, the "unknown", at least for me. However, the one thing I did know was that I was excited. I was excited to have a different history teacher for at least one year, and excited to experience something different. I liked how we did not focus entirely on the textbook. Straying away from typical classroom norms, we talked about how we felt about certain topics, and how they impacted us. That is another thing, Mr. Jobs made connections to things that impacts us on a daily basis. For example, a previous comment talked about the Cheerios commercial with an interracial family and the controversy around it. I remember the day we talked about it and how we listened to a woman voice her opinions regarding the commercial on a radio show. I remember thinking, "Wow. This lady is an idiot." I couldn't believe the ridiculous things coming out of her mouth, for example, she stated that black people have their own cereal, and white people have their own cereal. It just blew me away that it is 2014, and we still have these types of people. I agree with Gianna, I feel like this class has made me more comfortable and prepared to have classroom discussions in the future, and to hear people's ideas, though they might differ from mine, and to be accepting of them.
With this knowledge, I feel more educated and comfortable with the information learned this year. I feel that if someone were to ask me questions about, say, slavery, then I would feel confident in answering and talking about it. A couple weeks ago, I was talking to a friend of mine about 12 Years A Slave, as she recently watched it. She lives in another state that does not require African American history as a course, so she is less knowledgeable in this area. She talked about how slavery was awful and asked why it had to happen, and I could actually answer that question. It felt good to educate her about slavery from what I learned in our class. This class has definitely opened another side of thinking for me, and adds more detail to this chapter of American History as I learn it. So thanks for a wonderful year, Mr. Jobs!
I expected this class to be just reading from the textbook, memorizing dates, and being kind of boring. I was wrong. This class involved much more discussion and reflection than I had anticipated. I'm glad that I was wrong. I thought this class was really interesting. While I don't think I was ignorant prior to this class, I definitely feel more sensitive to racial issues. There are things I notice that I hadn't before, especially in the media. I think that I will take what I have learned and share it with the people around me, maybe make them more sensitive to race, too. I also thought that this class would be solely about African Americans, but we discussed other issues like the patriarchy, as well. We also discussed education and its importance, and I do feel educated after this class. What I learned developed me into (I hope) a better person.
When I first found out that we would be taking African American History I had thought to myself, "oh no, this is gonna be a drama filled year!" I thought this because a lot of people believe that when talking about African American History you have to be very careful and that it can be a very touchy subject. Then when we went through the course I found out I was kinda wrong. Our class was very mature about takimg in all information during the course. I definatley feel that we had a great year. I learned so much and made a lot of connections to the modern day.
In the beginning of the year I expected this course to be very text book based.I also though that this course would be uncomfortable for us students of the African American race. I thought that we would learn about African american history and its growth over time.When we did our first blog I was a bit confused but i began to enjoy the idea of blogging about classroom activities. I think doing blogs allows us to share our thoughts outside the classroom where we have more time to think and say exactly what we want. I think it would be very nice if we did many other blogs in other classes.My expectation of this class was a bit different than what I thought. This class was to help us learn about African American History but I think it also gave us a great opportunity to learn about ourselves. This class aloud us to learn how to listen to each other and how to respond to each other in a respectful way. At many times we talked about touchy subjects that we all had different opinions about but most of the time we remembered to respect one another with everyone's different opinions. I think this class prepared us of what a college course may be like and it aloud us to voice our opinion as individuals. One thing that I learned from this class was how we could learn in so many different ways. This class provided many different activities for us to learn and experience different topics and ideas.One of my most favorite topics that we talked about was equity vs equality. I enjoyed this idea of comparison and this also is an example of us relation African american history to our world. In our class we had students of many different races and backgrounds.I wondered what this class would have been like if we engaged with kids from other schools where the environments are a bit different from gamp's.gamp's. Thanks Mr Jobs for opening our minds to new experiences and opportunities for our future.
In the beginning of the year I expected this course to be very text book based.I also though that this course would be uncomfortable for us students of the African American race. I thought that we would learn about African american history and its growth over time.When we did our first blog I was a bit confused but i began to enjoy the idea of blogging about classroom activities. I think doing blogs allows us to share our thoughts outside the classroom where we have more time to think and say exactly what we want. I think it would be very nice if we did many other blogs in other classes.My expectation of this class was a bit different than what I thought. This class was to help us learn about African American History but I think it also gave us a great opportunity to learn about ourselves. This class aloud us to learn how to listen to each other and how to respond to each other in a respectful way. At many times we talked about touchy subjects that we all had different opinions about but most of the time we remembered to respect one another with everyone's different opinions. I think this class prepared us of what a college course may be like and it aloud us to voice our opinion as individuals. One thing that I learned from this class was how we could learn in so many different ways. This class provided many different activities for us to learn and experience different topics and ideas.One of my most favorite topics that we talked about was equity vs equality. I enjoyed this idea of comparison and this also is an example of us relation African american history to our world. In our class we had students of many different races and backgrounds.I wondered what this class would have been like if we engaged with kids from other schools where the environments are a bit different from gamp's.gamp's. Thanks Mr Jobs for opening our minds to new experiences and opportunities for our future.
In the beginning of the year, I expected to learn a lot about slavery. Though slavery was a big part of African American history, we also discussed many other events, events that I would have never of guessed even existed. I expected some parts of this class to be awkward and uncomfortable but our class handled these discussions very maturely. I liked how rather than just us learning from textbooks and getting tests on each chapter that we watched videos showing us specific events that happened. The videos made it easier to understand. The videos also made us feel the intensity more. It’s one thing to just read about a terrible event but to actually see it with your eyes made it really click for us. I really enjoyed watching “The Great Debaters” it demonstrated a lot of views and events happening in that time period. I didn’t expect the deep discussions our class would have. Never in any other history class have we analyzed how we felt about the events in history. I liked how we didn’t move on to a new topic until everyone had complete understanding. The thumbs up and thumbs down gestures showed where the class as a whole was in understanding certain topics. I liked that we didn’t just learn history but also current events that was relevant to the class. This knowledge I have learned made me analyze roles in society more thoroughly. This knowledge also made me feel more aware of racial issues in the past. Some of the events that happened because of racist views have really shocked me. This class has been really unexpected and has taught me a lot.
In the beginning of the year, I didn't know what to expect from this class. I was already on edge about getting a new teacher and it didn't know how I would adjust my working habits to fit his or her style of teaching. But, all of the anxiety went away after a few weeks. Of course, I was used to reading out of textbooks, taking lots of "helpful" notes but, in past history classes there were very few opportunities for students to voice their own opinion and I wasn't sure if the cycle of rote memorization would continue. But this year's class annihilated most, if not all, of my preconceived notions about this class. The blogs addressed the issue of not having enough time in class to bring up opinions and claims in a manageable way. The chapter notes were very concise and focused on the key terms and guided reading questions that helped me commit more meaningful content to memory. The presentations made (by either the students or the teacher) summarized everything into a neat package and made the class more interesting through, videos, music, illustrations and audio clips. But, most importantly, the fact that we, as students, were not only expected but ENTRUSTED to do our part in learning, was the best thing. Never have a seen a class with a teacher so flexible, (not as a push-over, but as a reasonable person with compassion) and never have I seen a teacher so thirsty for students' feedback. NEVER.
Now, if you asked me what I planned to do with all this new knowledge, I'd tell you that I intend on using the study methods, group conversations, student-teacher relations and ways of thinking that I learned, in other classes and even in a future career. But, I'd also tell you that my learning is FAR from over. There are so many questions that I still have about, not only African American history, but how it related to the rest of the world. But, the one thing that I am most certain about is that I am SO GRATEFUL to have been in this class. Even if it's only for one year. (This year's freshmen are SO lucky.) (Mr. Jobs, thank you for bringing a breath of fresh air to GAMP because really needed it.)
Honestly, I expected this class to be a boring class at the beginning of the year. I assumed it would be a typical history course where you just read and copied definitions. It was definitely not what I expected.
This expectation compares to this year's journey in many ways. My expectation of this class is the total opposite of what it actually is. One thing that I really appreciate from learning in this class is the way we express ourselves and how freely we can talk but with a reason. It's almost like a debate when we as a class are having a conversation. All the things we learn in class really correlates to the assignment Mr. Jobs gives us. I really like that the assignments connect to what we're learning, therefore making it more easier to learn.
With the knowledge that I learned, I can look at life better and see what makes America truly America. With this knowledge I can somehow see and experience things that I learned into real life.
This knowledge makes me question if history will repeat itself. It makes me question if the America now has changed or is the same in a way. Overall this course has really opened up my eyes to the world. Thank you.
As a student, I was never extremely interested or intrigued in learning history. I always labeled history class as memorizing dates and events. Similar to most of my classmates, when I showed up for this history course in the beginning of the year, I expected a boring class that was a series of doing textbook work and memorizing. However after this year, I have come to realize that it is much more than that.
All of the different projects throughout the year including blogs, group assignments, document analysis, group discussions, etc. have been extremely helpful and a very effective way of learning. This course has showed me that it is not all about grades and studying and work. It is how you comprehend and take in all of the information that really matters the most. This course has made me really appreciate history and help me to understand my studies in a new way. Mr. Jobs has given us insight on things that surround us constantly. He was extremely flexible and understanding. As a teacher, he really cared about his students and took the time to focus on what was best for us, as both a class and individuals.
One thing that intrigued me most was the way Mr. Jobs approached the course and the feeling inside of the classroom. Either way, I think the way the course was taught was very effective and relatable for every student in some way or another. Mr. Jobs found a way to teach the class while appeal to us as individuals which I greatly appreciated. I think one thing that each student can take away from this history course was the importance of discussion that came with it. Everyone has personal views and feelings towards different situations and topics. This class welcomed any and all of the different views that we all have. This course was accepting and tolerant. This class was forward and allowed us as individuals to voice our opinions without hesitation. It encouraged us to relate and compare everyday conflicts and ideas with the past. If this class has been anything, it has been an exceptional learning experience.
At the beginning of the year, I thought this history class was going to consist of textbook studies concluding with big exams. I didn't think this class was going to become a personal reflective open conversation between every student within each class. Every conversation or topic we looked at involved the textbook somehow, however those topics reflected situations and ways of life within our society. I enjoyed this class because of how affective it came out to be. The conversations were deep and personal especially when they involved race and identity. I learned several different things about how America used to be which changed my views on this perfect country in which I thought we lived in. We have made innocent people suffer because of their race and we still continue to do so. Back then and even now, people look at themselves with disgust because they aren't the media's definition of beautiful. Because of this course, I was able to go home to my family and inform them on things they have never heard of before and the benefit of telling them these topics was the interest they had upon their eyes. I learned a term such as "lynching" which I knew the definition of although I never heard the word before. Different stories of lynching made me feel empty when we discussed the history of it. All I ever heard of people hanging was suicide and the Holocaust. But the white dominant group of America hung Blacks because they were BLACK not because they did something wrong. Blacks had to dodge every life-threatening obstacle to survive during the early 1900s and previous years. Its sickening how the people who were hung were describes as "strange fruit". Because of videos and reflective conversations I will never be able to forget about this era. I will never forget about how there are different forms of slavery within our society today. In Jersey, so close to Philly, there was a man who abducted numerous amounts of girl and made them trafficking sex slaves for a profit of his own. This class has enabled me to understand why people interact with each other the way they do, especially when different races are involved. I will definitely be using this course to help me become more understanding and mature about the differences of people. Any other class couldn't have made an impact on me as a person than this one. Thank you!
WOW what a great year we had. At the begging of the year I had no clue what to expect. Not only was I learning a difficult I had a new teacher.But after a year of taking African American history it opened up my mind and changed my views on many things, like I look at everything differently and think about a lot of things deeper then I would of. We weren't doing a bunch of book work but we were historically thinking about previous events and having meaningful group discussions. Also, we didn't just talk about the history we discussed about how it impacted our lives.
Not only did I learn about African American history, I learned life long skills.I really enjoyed how sometimes we would do weather checks to explain how we were feeling that day. Not only that but you also, showed me how to feel the good and bad energy in a room.
I would like to thank you for a great year and for preparing me for college. BRING IT ON COLLEGE!
To be honest, this class was the most interesting and most helpful class I have took this whole year. When first hearing we were going to take “African American History” in 10th grade I wasn’t really looking forward to it and I didn't find any interest in it. But it was not how I expected it too be. It was awesome, and I learned so much. What i found awesome was, there wasn’t alot of “Read textbook page 27” come in with notes, but rather “Lets do a blog” or “Lets discuss” which was very good way to get our attention. What we were learning was more about feeling it because of how deep and the importance of it towards our world, it feels like all of our discussions we were actually into what we were learning. One of the things that I found most interesting was “Blacks in America” and the 10th grade trip we took to go see “12 years a slave”. As much as I would love to sit hear and tell you all that i have learned (I would be going on for days and days) I just want to give recommendation to Mr. Jobs and his hard work and commitment he has brought to our class and im sure every other class this entire year. Im hoping this class has made me a better person because I sure know it educated me alot. Thankyou Mr. Jobs.
In the beginning of the year , I really had no idea what to expect from an "African American " class. Because we have different diversities in our class, I did not know how people would react to this new subject that we were about to be introduced to. But I did like this class. I thought that we would just use textbooks and use the information from the textbook,but we did not.Conversions drove the class, whether if it was opinions, something we read, or in general class discussions.I also liked that information we learned in class we are able to relate to today. I believe this class was a preparation for the upcoming future classroom discussions. I think the knowledge that I gained from this course is that I can use this information in the future. Everything that I learned in this class I can take into account and use it. Because nobody can take knowledge from you.This history impacts the world around me. I think it is an important course to learn.Thank you very much Mr. Jobs, I am so thankful for you sharing your knowledge to me and the class.
Well I will be honest in saying I definetly wasn't looking foreward to this class at the beginning of the year. I was expecting to have the same African American History lessons I've had all throughout my education. You know the basic lessons on Martin Luther King and the civil rights activism that occured during that time. This class was completely different. My view on African American History was drastically changed this year. The way we learned through class disscusion and made connections to society made this class much more interesting. This new look on race relations and how it is something worth studying in modern society made this class so much better for me. This turned something I had no interest in, to something I actually found interesting. The way we learned in this class brought up a lot of questions that need to be asked. Learning race identity applies to everyone and it overall was much better than any sort of history class I have experienced. Thank you, it was a very interesting year and I learned quite a bit.
thinking of african american history seems boring but when i was in this class its seems as a new door had open and i've learned many things that i never know. i enjoyed this class so much, i liked how it wasn't only talking factor movies but also how we felt about it and some sensitive topics. learning through out the soph year made me think broader and be open minded with a lot of things. i felt like it was fun learning because we didn't only do textbooks but different things. i learned so many new and different information i didn't know before and now i can use it also for future reference. it was a great year and thanks for your hard work and for making it fun for us all.
In the beginning of the year when I found out that we were going to have a new history teacher I was very nervous. When I first walked in I thought I'm not going to learn anything this year, it's not going to be interesting at all. But as the lessons went on I found it more interesting because of what we were learning and the methods of how it was taught. In any other history class it was always, here's a textbook and a worksheet then a test, it was never really taught. In this history class I found the blogs helpful because my classmates and I could all compare our opinions and relate to what we think about what our topic was. Also, what I thought was helpful was the videos because I actually learned and stayed focus and wanted to pay attention. During this whole year of teaching and learning new things it gave me a better view on how racism really was and still is. One term that I learned that I've heard before but didn't have the best idea of what it was, is "lynching". I remember learning about that in 8th grade while learning about the Holocaust too. I was so interested in the word "lynching" because the fact that black people were lynched because they were "black". Lastly, I feel like this is the only class that made an actual impact on my life and made me look at things different from then and now. Thank you!
In the beginning of the year I was not interested in learning about African American history because I felt like the class was going to be boring, just like any other history class I have taken in the past. Not only did I think the class was going to be boring, I felt like slavery and the beating of African Americans would be the topic of conversation every day. I was not looking forward to the everyday readings in the textbooks, and rushing through chapters/lessons just because we have too. I am usually the worst at history because I have trouble comprehending and remembering the material due to lack of interest.
This year has really changed my opinion not only African American history, but the history class itself. I have come to the conclusion that the result of knowledge students receive from history is not determined from the material that is being taught, but the teacher of the class. My teacher has teaching techniques that are very different from any other history teacher I’ve had. Throughout this year, we’ve learned about the most important factors of African American history, but we focused a lot on the emotions that people had, which had caused certain events to occur. Focusing more on the sociology of major events in African American history made the class have a better understanding and connection with what we were learning. My favorite thing about this class is that my teacher always asks us what we think about any racial event we are talking about. I personally feel like this helps the class participate more when we can share our own input. Other teachers normally force you to remember and understand all the dates on which certain events occurred, who lead an event and every other fact that would not make the least bit of impact on any of our lives. Having an African American history class with my teacher help my classmates and I realize many things that we didn’t before, and have a different perspective on a lot of the things we see today. Never have I ever had a teacher who actually took the time out to make sure that the class had a solid understanding of the material and make sure we actually got something out of this course.
I am very disappointed that Mr. Jobs will no longer be my history teacher because I know that I will most likely learn absolutely nothing during the next two years and will have zero interest in learning more about history. History will just go back to reading the textbooks and taking notes, learning most of the material on our own. I honestly wish more history teachers helped us have more interest history as much as they do, just like Mr. Jobs does. He will forever be my favorite teacher, and I will always have a high level of respect for him because of his efforts to expand our knowledge of African American history. He’s literally the greatest teacher I’ve ever had.
When I first found out that we were going to take African American History with a new teacher to our school, it made me really nervous. I was never really good at history and it had always seemed to bore me. This year, you totally gave me a different perspective on history and specifically African American History. Most of the time walking into the classroom with a current event on the board, you made me realize that history is in the making as we speak and sometimes we just forget because we are taught that history is in the past. But when you provide us with current events, it makes me want to make a change in history. This year, we've gone through a lot of information. You taught us about history in a different way that was easy to comprehend and maintain. I really like how you taught us through power points and videos, instead of textbooks. Your main focus was not to test us on our knowledge of the information given, but more to provide us with useful information. The I.D. test was something I never experienced before. The ID test made us go back into the information we were given and decide and guess on our own what terms WE thought were important and impactful. I really liked how you listened to our ideas and did not judge and tell us we were wrong as a teacher, but allowed our peers to correct us or give their input. The blogs were also something different. You did not force us to say certain things, but you gave us a direction for our conversation with questions. What really struck me in the beginning of the year was when you said we had to write an essay for history. The only essay I ever had to write was for English, so it took me as a surprise but it was not bad at all.
Mr. Jobs, your class had such an impact on me. It made me see the ugliness of people, personality wise. I think your class has made me a better person, and I'm sure it has had the same affect with my peers. I'm also positive that you will have an impact on your future students as well.
In the beginning of the African American History course, I did not know what to expect or what was there to discuss other than the struggles If blacks and slavery. However, with the course ending, I gained so much more knowledge about a wide variety of things from oppression to color bravery. I had previous knowledge about these topics but your class enhanced my thoughts and perspective on blacks in society in both the past and present. At first, I expected the class to be interesting and some what uncomfortable to talk about at times but throughout the year it helped the class let out their feelings on the struggle of blacks in America. My expectation compared to the year journey because it enhanced everyone's knowledge not but test every week but mini assessments such as blogs which will let everyone reflect on how they feel about a specific topic. I can do a lot with this knowledge I now can go through life being color brave and having freedom thanks for the fight many African Americans put up to make the world equal amongst any race or gender such as Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, W.E.B. Dubois, Booker T. Washington, Bayard Rustin, and many more. This course did make me ask questions about the world around me and these are three important questions. Why do we have to discriminate based on race, gender, creed, or sexual orientation? My second question is what gave blacks the power to fight for their rights knowing that they were putting their life and people on the line? Finally, why do African Americans discriminate amongst each other up in today's modern era. This course really taught me a lot going into being an upperclassman and I will strongly recommend this course to anyone.
When school started in September I really had no clue what to expect. I was very nervous to start all over again with a new teacher because I got use to the way ms Hennessy thought and I enjoyed her as a teacher and I loved her class. I knew that you were new and I would have to get use to a new history teacher because I had Ms. Hennessy the year before. Even though you were new and we had to get use to a new teacher, you also has to get use to us s new students and the school and I felt like you did a great job, because I know that it's hard to start somewhere new and not know anyone and kids can be mean.I also had no clue what to expect with learning about African American history since I never took it before and i just thought that it was gonna be boring. But as the weeks and months went on I grew to enjoy and like the class. I enjoyed the trips we took and I liked how we didn't get too many essays, projects or tests. In most history classes or classes in general you just read out of a textbook and get worksheets and take a test on it and move on but your class was very different and it was nice. I liked how we talk in groups and with the whole class. Another thing I really enjoyed was how you were always there for someone and how you were so open with your students and always tried to put them first, that's a hard trait to find in someone.
Thank you for a great year and for teaching us about African American History!
In the beginning of the year, I expected this class to be long and boring. I figured it would be like other history classes. Yes, I'm not always engaged in the conversation, or what's really happening but this class has taught me so much I did not know. I liked how we would always watch documentaries on peoples lives. Also, I liked how we always had a discussion. We were always free of opinion and were able to speak our minds whenever. This class helped me realize how history has an impact on my life. Thank you for a wonderful year Mr. Jobs and for teaching me things I did not know!
When I first found out that we were taking an African American History Class I was not thrilled to say the least. I expected this class to be like an other history class, and being that I'm not African American I thought I would have no interest in it. Well I was wrong. First, I want to start off by saying I enjoyed how this class was not test heavy, and didn't rely lonely on our text books.One thing that differed from past history classes I was in was that we related to other classes such as English while reading To Kill a Mocking Bird, and A Raisin in the Sun. I enjoyed the connections we made in and out of class, such as going to see 12 Years a Slave.
I will be the first to admit that I was not always engaged in the class or in group discussion, however I think the class was a good college prep for me. Like I said I expected this class to be about slavery and slavery only, but I was wrong. Now, yes, we did spend a lot of our time talking about slavery, but other races were talked about such as Hispanics, and Caucasians. Creeds such as Judaism were discussed, and that really opened my eyes to a lot. I'll admit this class wasn't always my favorite at times and I could have been more open minded about a few thing, but in the end I am glad this course was exposed to me. It taught me how to deal with sensitive material, and how to deal with others feelings, and I think that is an important lesson to learn.
In the beginning of this year, I didn't know what to expect. I thought that this class was going to be interesting, because I was looking forward to african American History. I expected a lot to come out of this class, and just was very interesting. Unlike my peers, I came in to African American History with a positive attitude. It's a class that I looked forward to, and a class that was interesting.
I felt as though being in an african American History class with only a few African American students that it was going to be awkward. I Felt as though no one would be interested. And I felt like everybody wouldn't really take it serious.
This Class was interesting, and I learned a lot of new things that I didn't know before. Being an African American I found this class really interesting, and I wish I would gotten more out of it. I feel like its just soooo much moreto learn.
When I found out that for my 10th grade year I had to take African American History I was kind of taken back because I was unsure what the topics were going to be. I mean obviously it going to be a class about Slavery and stuff like that, but I wasn't exactly sure how it was going to benefit me. However, being in Mr. Jobs class has really opened my eyes to the situations and concepts that haven taken place in the past and even some that continue to take place. It wasn't just an African American History class it was a Life Class that dealt with very touchy and sensitive topics. Something I really liked about this year was all of the videos we watched and all of the hands on activities we did. This year was SO beneficial not only academically but also in the sense of being able to talk to the class about my feelings about being open to other peoples opinions. Over all I am very satisfied about what I learned and will take what I learned into the real world with me when I move into the college, thanks to all of the "college prep" we practiced in class.
At the beginning of the year, I expected this class to be like the other history class I had before. Boring and uninteresting subject. But this class was actually helped me a lot in many ways. It is not just like other class where we just open our books and just answer the questions. I actually learned something that is useful for my life. I know that there are times where I just not interested in the subject but there are times where I am really interested and want to know more. It makes me realize how racism is really a bad thing. And if you say just a small racist thing, it can affect so many people's feelings and emotions. We also watched so many inspiring videos in class. I realized that this class is not just another boring uninteresting class but it can help me to prepare for the future that I will face. We have a lot of discussion and most of them are some sensitive topics. Before, i don't think I could talk about those sensitive things to people. But now I think I can open up to people. I think this class make me be a better person. Because it made me realize how mean people are and what things they can do to others. Thank you Mr. Jobs!
In the beginning.( ). That how I felt about taking an African American history class; literally nothing.History has always been one of my worst subject because I could never get into it,cause it was repetitive, and in my opinion boring,so coming into your class that was my expectation. But throughout the year I found that your approach to history was different and refreshing and got me to actually think about the work, while making connection to life as I know it.This class has also brought up some topics that I probably never would cared about if it wasn't brought up like color-ism. Even though I was very aware of color-ism I never really affected me and it really fascinated that people thought that way and how it affected many .Personally I never though it matter cause think that way is idiotic. Another thing this how racism still has a heavy hold over people today , for example the boys on the wrestling who hung a doll of a black man and didn't get punished is any way shocked me. Like I knew that there are still many racist people out their especially in the older generation and that can some of the younger people to be racist too,but never thought it could become that open and allowed with a school setting.
Last thing I going to talk about is Mr.Jobs.As a new incoming teacher I had no idea what to expect from him,but he went above my expectation and help make history easier for me by introducing historical thinking which made it easier for me pick out and use information if found in a constructive ways.Also allowed topics in class to be discuss as a class and sort out work,plan,projects,and problems as a group. So I have to say thank you and this was a great school year
In the beginning of the year, I was pretty sure this class was going to be boring. I was not looking forward to another year with textbook work and hard tests. I never liked history, and I never did well in it. But this year it was different. I loved the way you taught us Mr. Jobs! The class discussions taught us so much more than a textbook. You understand other people and their opinions. I also liked the flipped classroom! Watching all of the information videos taught me a lot too! You also not only taught us about African American History but you informed us what was going in on the world today. I liked learning about the current events. I also liked taking the I.D tests, I feel as though teachers understand kids much better when they explain their answers. The group projects were also fun, It made brains link together. Your essays taught me a lot too. I know understand how to write a conclusion much faster and easier than thinking. I remember you telling us that a conclusion is like pretending the reader did not read the rest of your essay. That is how I remember now! Thank you for teaching me so much information that I will carry throughout the rest of my life. You were truly an amazing teacher. We were able to relate to you, and talk to you. I will truly miss you next year! Thank you for an amazing year Mr. Jobs!
In the beginning of the year I didn't think that I was going to like this class. I felt as if it was going to be another year of history which I do not like that much. The course itself I didn't think we were going to look at race and things that relate in today's society. I thought it was strictly going to focus on Africa today and Africa hundreds of years ago. I'm glad it wasn't like that at all. We barely had tests and book work because we were constantly engaged in to a lecture or a reflection of what is happening today. The blogs itself really helped me see other peoples opinions and help create my own. It was a more engaging way of doing homework and bringing everyone's ideas together. Compared to what I expected this year was so easy and so much fun. We went through some tough times with race but I think everyone handled it extremely maturely because it could have gotten bad really quick. In past years we didn't really reflect on what we learned. Usually we would learn something, take a test and move on. We didn't do that this year. We had a chance to digest everything we learned and more forward with it. The next lecture was always some how tied in to what we previously learned. Seeing things that compared to today's society and giving us stories that could elate to us personally or as a whole class also helped me understand the information better. Also the essential questions. In the beginning of the year I thought it was so pointless and it didn't make much sense to me. Once the year went on it actually helped me a lot. It allowed me to tie all the information in that I just learned and bring it together to answer a general question. Also it helped me foreshadow what each lecture may be about. In the beginning of the year also we watched a lot of films. I remember saying to myself that it was going to be a long year because history films always bore me. I think Mr. Jobs did a really good job in finding some interesting videos that I actually learned from. Everything that Mr. Jobs did this year I didn't really expect at all but i'm glad he did because it most definitely prepared me for my future and other courses I may take.
With the knowledge that I received this year I think I can do something with it. We didn't just cover things about African American History, we also looked at race, image, equality and things in today's society. We were able to you the information that related to society and go out and use it in the real world. I'm more aware of what goes on around me and different actions that are always taken place. I think with this information I can educate others and try to help improve society. Also be more cautious of who is around us and what they believe their identity may be, not what people look at them. I don't really have any final questions except a few general ones. I would just like to thank Mr. Jobs for changing my view on history and taking a different perspective on a lot of new things. Also thank you for making this year better than expected and allowing me to loom for so many opportunities in my future.
This year was a great one. I learned a lot about African American history that I never knew existed. Going into this class I did not that think that I was going to learn a lot but that quickly changed. I learned that in some cases whites had it just as bad as black did. Also I think in some instances I could relate to being a black male. I loved this course so very much. What it also did was broaden my thinking about how things become or how they are. Critical thinking was also a major concept of this class because it will help us prepare and better ourselves for higher grades. Thank you Mr. Jobs for teaching us Af Am history I loved this year and I hope next year I can relate what I learned this year and use it well. Thank Yyou
Prior to taking African American History, I was under the impression that it was going to be the same old boring history stuff. THANK GOD it wasn't at all! I loved the way the class was taught, and I am so happy that the class of 2016 was your first class at GAMP. It was definitely a new experience learning orally. I really thought this class would be awkward, but Mr. Jobs helped to break us all out of our shells and become comfortable discussing sensitive topics. One thing I really liked that was different were the blogs. It was nice to see what other people were thinking racial issues outside of the classroom. Additionally, I liked be able to make connections from this class to books we read in english class. Example- The struggle to find identity and Benetha from A Raisin In the Sun. After taking this class, I have learned that most stereotypes are not true even though people judge others by them. I realized that racism still occurs in our world today, and it makes me sick to my stomach. This class made me question a lot about society and its true values. I love the way things turned out, and all of the thoughts and conversations I was able to take in throughout the year. I will be able to carry on this new way of thinking for the rest of my life. Thank you for giving me a wonderful experience and a great year!
In the beginning of the year, I've had very low expectations of this class. I at first thought, "Why just solely African Americans? Yeah, slavery happened, and then segregation, and then MLK, and that's about it, right? Nothing I've never heard before in my life." Not to mention, before this class I've been taught history as a detailed timeline of events, and perhaps a video or two slightly elaborating on what happened in the year 17xx or 19xx. I've at first disliked history because of how it was taught all my life, and found it pointless rote memorization of years and events to pass tests and get grades, and both that and the stigma of how simple African American History seemed gave me a bleak outlook of how this year will turn out.
However, as I've progressed, I've thoroughly enjoyed it. History was taught in a completely different manner than I was used to, and it was more mentally engaging. There were less of the rote memorization of years and events, and more exploring in depth of the sociology behind those events, and I absolutely love it. Instead of learning when and what happened during a specific year, we talk about the darkness and real ugliness in racial hierarchies, the paradoxical mindset of racist communities and how it leads to hate groups like the KKK, and how all of this impacts both individuals and a whole race of people; that, to me is far more relatable to how times are like today than knowing a boiled-down fact that something called "reconstruction" started in 1865 and ended in 1877 due to some document whose name I remembered solely to pass a test I'll never think about the rest of my life. And that's the real point of history, in my opinion: to learn of our dark, ugly past and mistakes and relate it so that we build a brighter future.
I've learned that things like white privelege, social constructs, racial tension, and eugenics, even, still exist to this very day, and that it's extremely important that young people like us can walk away from a course having their eyes open to these types of things present in our modern-day society. I can say I'm more than happy that I was able to take this course this year; I've walked away with learning more than I can imagine I would.
I expected that we would learn a lot of the same things that I learned in Middle School about Martin Luther and all of the other black activists over the years.
But as time went on we learned not just about black people but about how white people react to the world as well. White people were brutal animals to the African race and it goes back farther than slavery. It goes back to the 13th through the 16th century. Africans were used as property and they were used to take out the frustrations of white people. The more they did it the more they got addicted to how they treated the African people.
Africans were used by capitalists. The economies of the colonies were built around the slave system and the slave ships which were incredibly brutal and spread disease.
I know that black people who have to live with how they are attacked socially by other races because of their skin color which will makes things a lot harder for the in the future in economics. I know that making it in the world will be easier for me because my nationality is still acceptable in this country. What Mellody Hudson said was true in order for our future become strong we first have to be respectful to other cultures no matter what the cause is. This is not an easy battle you have destroy your comfort zone and start to embrace other races around you.
I will tell you right now this is a problem that I have dealt with a lot. I’m telling you right now I am an Italian American and that has made some problems on both sides. When I’m around groups of people they know I’m Italian because of my appearance. I feel that the stereo types that are on my nationality are put on me sometimes. Those stereo types are I have a big mouth, I cook really well, I’m not smart and I’m associated with gangsters. I always thought and knew that I was not represented with the stereo types that are put on me. Now the second part to this problem is I live around a lot of Italians and they treat me a in a completely different way. When I’m around Italians they don’t respect me for who I am and it sometimes makes me wonder which side am I supposed to take, Italian or non-Italian. So for a while I thought the day must come when no matter if I’m Italian or not I should be seen as more than the world’s viewpoint. I could understand how some black people feel about this problem too.
When we began this course in September, I was hesitant. It was a course I was going into, for once, mostly blind, with a new teacher. So, I was a unsure of how he taught and how we would interact as a class. I am not generally a fan of history; so, naturally, I anticipated that I wouldn't be very interested, and, due to that uninterested attitude, I assumed the class would be a struggle for me. I thought it would be another hour everyday of reading articles and writing essays that I would forget about in a week and stop caring about as soon as they stopped affecting my grades. That was definitely not the case.
I think, I got more from this history course than I have in a while. I learned things in the course that seemed relevant to my everyday life and made a greater impact on me. It made me think and put me in a perspective that made me more conscious of the world around me and the effect race has in shaping a person's life and identity. I believe that our first lesson had the strongest impact. Occasionally, it comes to my mind, and I think about the idea of a "Single Story." Before you even met someone, you've already formed an opinion about them, and that can lead a situation in a lot of different directions.
The fact that Mr. Jobs interacted with the other teachers to co-ordinate their lesson plans amazed me as well, and it helped me to keep up with other classes as well when he did this. It shaped the idea of prejudice in my mind, and I took it with me into my life, noticing more events going on in my life. Discussing present topics in the class helped me to see everything that I either chose to ignore or was blind to in my everyday life. The course helped me see people in a clearer light, and, in all honesty, I think it has seriously helped the way I see situations. It changed my views on people and their situations, and I'd like to think that my eyes have been opened wider to, frankly society as a whole, life.
Thank you.
I've always wanted to strengthen the background to my race and this course has helped open my eyes to something that was locked behind closed doors, for protection purposes, from the world that, then, I wasn't quite ready for. I have always been interested in the upbringing of the freedom of blacks.A good thing about the class this year is the chance to hear how other people were taking in what was given to them (No matter how few participated). Going around, hearing a person's train of thought, makes us (me especially) try to see where they're coming from and how they think. We could bump ideas but in the end we were, most of the time, each correct.This class has definitely prepared me for my upcoming college years and I really hope Ms. Hennesy will incorporate some of this type of learning in her teachings. Being shown how poeple like me, who are black or even female, were treated and looked at as a society. The change that had to occur over the years GMH (Gave Me Hope) that the whole debacle with Gay Rights is going to be a big thing and I am proud to support it because I've learned to fight for the cause I think is right and to support the hell out of it!!
And I thank you Mr. Jobs for opening my eyes and taking my learning to a whole new level! You'll be one of the teachers I'll be proud to have a chance to have been taught by and for that I am eternally grateful.
When I first came into the classroom, I expected it to be like most history classes, doing the normal routine of book work and notes then taking a test on what we remember. History was never really my favorite subject at all as it was usually read this, remember it, take a test, then never use that information again. I was pretty surprised at how this class was, as instead of focusing on the textbook, we focused more on the feelings of what we learned and the interpretations it has. It was definitely unlike any other history class I have had in past years, and it was very interesting, especially with the class blogs. Instead of the class dragging on with people not wanting to participate, people actually wanted to participate in this class. It was more interactive and personal than I expected it to be. Another thing was that a lot of what we learned was connected to things happening today, and I think it helped us retain the memory moreso than cramming and reading. I felt like I actually got something from history class this time, and not just facts. I did not just learn about racism, but I understood what the people during those times felt. Connecting the past with the present does make you kind of question it more, and wonder what changed and what hasn't.
I did not know what to expect once I entered this class of African American History. To be honest, I was not very excited about this class, only because I am not a big fan of history classes, never was. But the way that your class functions, Mr. Jobs, I think I’ve had the most enjoyable experience for a history class that I’ve ever had. The countless involvement of the students and teacher made for several flowing conversations where it seemed like all we were doing was talking to each other. But we were learning. I learned in a way I never learned before. I naturally picked up on things from constant conversation, videos, and visuals. It was not a sit down and read about history class that I’m used to, and I appreciate so much that it’s not. When it came down to business, we learned from the book. But it was very rarely and very optional a lot of the time. The interaction between classmates on group discussions, projects, assignments etc. was an experience that I hope to have in the future, but I do not expect from any teacher unless their name is Mr. Jobs. The only bit of excitement at the beginning of the year from this class was from the fact that we had a new teacher and I didn’t know what to expect. Now when I come in the same excitement is still there, but not because it’s a new teacher, because it’s a GOOD teacher. There aren’t a lot of good teachers that I have to learn from, but you Mr. Jobs are one of the good ones. I thank you for the year, and wish you luck in the future.
I had lots of ideas about our future generation video called "the Way Kids See it" Most children that age don't know about world hunger or pollution. Some children at the age of five are still learning their numbers, while these courageous children are thinking about how to make the world a better place and know the world for what it somewhat is. There is lots of hope for our future, and I greatly believe this. Our future generation provides hope and a better world. I feel as though our world will still, and always have violence occurring everywhere. In my opinion, You can not stop this. With this, our generation should be greatly impacted by this. Some people think that children's imaginations are much more wild then ours, but we can be the ones to make everything actually work, and make their inventions come true.
This year has been quite interesting. Many things that have been taught in this African American History class has truly been quite interesting. From viewing Africa as a dark continent to viewing African Americans as an essential compenent to the development of our country, there were endless things to learn about.
I enjoyed being able to fully express my thoughts in class without having many restraints. This class was definitely on a more personal level than other history classes that I have taken in the past. I'm glad that we didn't focus too much on textbook work and instead focused more on digesting the information to fully understand the themes and topics that we learn about. This class was also much more impactful on our lives more so than our previous history classes. Although we all knew that hatred came from prejudice, we were more exposed to the fact that the hatred can live on and that we shouldn't ignore it in today's society if we don't want a repeat of the past. Mr. Jobs, thank you for this experience.
In the beginning of the year, I expected to learn from African American class to have some disturbing aspects from different things that we learned, and there was. But taking this class did make me look at the world a lot more different, to make me think about putting myself in other peoples mind set and think about what they have to go through. I learned a lot of history on how slavery all originated also, which I did not knew for sure. I'm really happy that I learned a lot of history from this class. I
when we first had this class i thought that i would understand anything , but when we got in to it was easy and not that hard as i thought it would be. i enjoyed being able to fully express my thoughts in class without having many restraints. this class was also much more impactful on our lives more then to fully understand the themes and topics that we learn about.
In the beginning of the year I thought this class was going to be a lot of pointless information that wouldn't resonate with me. Boy was I wrong! I loved the energy I felt when I walked in everyday. It was a very calming environment. This class has taught me a number of things. It taught me to think outside the box and go beyond the visual aspect. It also taught me not to judge people and to accept their opinions on topics to see how they fit in with my own. Something I thought was interesting were the Ted talks. This class inspired me to listen to them more often. This class was also different because we got to relate the content to our own life and to modern day events. Overall I had a lot of fun and it was very engaging. I think the group discussions really helped!
In the beginning of the year I didn't really know what to expect from this class. Also I didn't know what to expect from a new teacher. I thought it was going to be a lot of pointless information that i wasn't going to understand and stuff that i wasn't going to care about because I didn't really ilke history to begin with. However, throughout the year learned a lot from this class and it was actually very interesting. I think the way way did things like homework's, glassworks, and projects were smart and a good way to pull together the students and make them work together and learn new things. This class helped me in many ways. It also heaped me open up with my thoughts, when we did blogs I thought like I can really express what I really felt. This year changed my view on things a lot. Mostly history because I really liked it. It was a great year for me and I'm actually sad its over.
In the beginning of the year, I was nervous. I learned only a few weeks before the school year started that we were having a new teacher. My friend told me the new teacher was nice, but I didn't know if he would be a good one. Thankfully, after a few classes, I could completely say that the new African American History teacher was THE BEST! I even rambled on to my parents about the new class, exclaiming that I was excited for what was to come. And Mr. Jobs- You didn't let me down. Our classes were never boring, always filled with interesting facts, videos,and news. I never knew how bad it was in certain places- Like with the stop and frisk problems. (one of our first lessons.)
The year zoomed by- Suddenly we were completing our final project! Going into this project, I felt really confident and secure about what I wrote. This class really taught me a lot about racism, in the world in the past and now. I was never really taught anything about racism- No more than a couple short parts in past classes. And it wasn't so focused on how bad white people were; it was also about how strong the African Americans were. If I could pick it, I would take another class of this, so I could continue to learn more.
I will really miss this class, and you Mr. Jobs. Thank you for coming to G.A.M.P. and teaching us this year. I hope you stay for awhile longer.
I have never expected to enjoy history so much this year after learning the way I always wanted to learn, by discussion. I never had a teacher that gave us discussion topic and let us be. Classes for me are usually boring especially history.
but the reason I find it boring is because the lack of conversation. It's hard to find a teacher that treats his students with a respect of interest. I have had many conversations about life and i'm always comfortable talking to Mr. Jobs about anything. I wish we had more time with him. I am very grateful for what Mr. Jobs discussed with us. With the tension flying around this year Mr. Jobs still found away to settle things down. Thanks to Mr. Jobs i am glad to say I enjoyed learning.
At the beginning of the year I was expecting this class to be very cut and dry. We would learn fact based information and that would be all. I thought that all that could be derived from this course could be taught by a high school text book, but I was severely wrong. In this course we addressed difficult subjects like equality vs. equity and eugenics. We never half heartily touched on any subject, they were all discussed in depth.
The biggest thing I took away from this course was a greater racial awareness. I am starting to look at things in my world and see more than what is on the surface.
At the start of this year, I came into this course very excited. I honestly had never been more excited about and interested in a subject than I was about African American History. However, now that I have gone through and finished this course, I realized that I was excited for all of the wrong reasons. The real reason that I was excited about taking Afr Am is that we were simply going to glorify black people for an entire year. In other history courses that I have taken, we touched on African American history but had never dived into it. I was overjoyed that we would have a whole year dedicated to black people. But, now that I have finished this course, I realize that that is only a small part of what African American history is truly about. It is really about relationships and differences and about the place of African Americans in the growth and development of the world. Taking this course truly exceeded my expectations. I have never been so engrossed in a subject in my entire career as a student. And, I think that this is mostly due to who taught it. Mr. Jobs, you have been the most amazing teacher I have ever had. You have captured my attention in every single class (which is difficult to do). I think that I have learned more from you this year than I have from any other teacher at GAMP. This course has made me look at the world around me with a whole new perspective. It has really opened my eyes to the role of equity (fairness) and equality (sameness) in the world around me. I really hope that all the information that we have learned this year will be useful to me as I finish school and through out my life. Thank you, Mr. Jobs, for coming to GAMP and helping us to see the world in a different light.
At the beginning of the year I was expecting this class to be very cut and dry. We would learn fact based information and that would be all. I thought that all that could be derived from this course could be taught by a high school text book, but I was severely wrong. In this course we addressed difficult subjects like equality vs. equity and eugenics. We never half heartily touched on any subject, they were all discussed in depth.
The biggest thing I took away from this course was a greater racial awareness. I am starting to look at things in my world and see more than what is on the surface. When I watch a movie I am noticing the roles of blacks in that film. I am noticing things like the absence of blacks in college brochures and other forms of media. One very relevant example to me is in video games. There seem to be no black characters that are stereotypical heroes in video games. What I mean is that blacks can be heroes in video games, rarely, but are always anti heroes. In the Walking Dead video games the main hero is a black man, but he is also a criminal. This has greatly heightened my awareness of the issue of race in our society.
At the beginning of the school year, I thought I was ready for anything. However, there was no way for me to predict what I would experience in the next ten months. Your style of teaching was different from anything I've ever experienced. Most history teachers are slow speaking, boring, by the book teachers that simply assign sections in the book to read and memorize. I hate this type of teaching because at the end of the year, none of the information seems to have any importance to me. They seem to just be grades on a piece of paper from the past. But your class was different! You asked important questions that allowed us to think for ourselves and do our own types of researches. You gave us a blog to communicate even when doing assignments at home. You gave us interesting topics that are currently relevant in society. Overall, you gave us the ability to think for ourselves and this allowed for us to make connections to what we were learning. You allowed us to answer questions we could never answer on our own. In your class we were allowed to be completely honest, and I think that this was a very effective way to get the whole class involved. I think that if more teachers taught with your methods, the class would become closer as a whole because people can be themselves. This allows us to make positive bonds instead of bonds made by things like disliking the same teacher. I could go on and on about why your class was one of my favorites and honestly one of the most interesting, but to sum up I just want to say...thank you for the amazing year!
In the beginning of the year I expected to pass the course with flying colors because I took this course in my 9th grade year. However, it wasn’t as easy as I expected, the way that we learned about African American history was completely different. In 9th grade we didn’t have text books and couldn’t use internet or even really interact with each other to prevent any altercations. Coming to GAMP really impacted my life seeing how much freedom I can have to explore my ideas and key points of learning. Taking African American course impacted me widely because you gave us the opportunity to stress our opinions. Although, I hated doing the chapter sections it did help me at the end of the day with test. My favorite text/quiz you could ever give us which I never seen a teacher do is the identity test, giving us a list of words and let us choose which key terms we wanted to use really helps because the words you didn’t choose you would realize you need to study and the show how much information we knew on the ones we did. Being in African American class with no only African Americans was one of the most difficult things to do honestly. However, you’ve always made everyone feel safe on any topic we touched on. Our class room discussions and listening to each other’s criticism also helped our class room evolvable. With the information I’ve learned really impacted my life from Atlantic slave trade to now I’ve noticed how much more important my history is. Taking this class also taught me about patience. Patience was extremely needed especially being in a diverse classroom. Although we’ve had an accident with a racism comment, you’ve helped me realize the true definition of inequity and equality. I wasn’t expecting to have as much fun and laugher as I did in your class. I thought you were going to be a dull mean teacher who only cared about grades more than the education taught. Of course none of it was true; you have been one of the most exciting teachers I’ve had. Moreover, taking your music is rebellion class also helped me grow in exploring the evolution of music through African Americans. I’ve also learned how much cool you are and how you aren’t afraid to express yourself and really know how to have fun. I really appreciate everything we’ve done in both African American History and Music is Rebellion I know both classes are going to help me in the future.
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