I just gave a small presentation thing with a partner in my African American class. Basically, we had to summarize a chapter from a book we're reading in class. It wasn't a big deal at all...type up a paper with bullet points about the chapter and talk for like five minutes about it to the class. I usually don't mind this sort of thing at all...but in this class it's just a little bit different. The book is titled: "The Assasinataion of the Black Male Image." Not an easy to talk about topic. Since most of the class is made up of African Americans, including Mr. Tillis(my teacher), It feels different to talk about these issues. The chapter we had to present was one of the longer ones and had so much information...some of which I thought would be uncomfortable to talk about(how the African American male is viewed as sex-crazed and lots of other explicit things along those lines). The teacher chose our partners and, strangely enough, I was paired with another white kid named Ben(he plays baseball for Purdue and is a nice kid). I don't even think that was intentional on the teacher's part...I'm pretty sure he picked at random.
So, the presentation went good and I actually enjoyed standing up there to talk. I really like Mr. Tillis...he's a cool guy! Ben typed up the bullet points and when I was reading over it in class I noticed typo errors...annoying! So I mentioned it to my teacher after class. I warned him that there were typos and that it bothered me and he said I could re-type it if I wanted becuase he's that kind of person too. I guess most perfectionists do kinda understand each other...band together perfectionists!
Then while I was looking for Ashton outside of Beering after my class, I saw Mr Tillis walking by and he told me I did a nice job...which was good to hear because I was pretty sure it probably sounded scattered. We talked for a little bit. I'd say I'm getting to know my teacher well. I love teachers...and he's one of the cooler ones I have. I'm pretty sure this class is going to stretch me in some good ways.
4 comments:
Hey Kait,
Sorry that I missed you after class. I actually walked by your building really slowly, hoping you would come out, and thought about calling you too...I do so enjoy our between class walks.:)
But it sounds like you got in some quality time with Mr. Tillis, so maybe it's a good thing I didn't interrupt. hehe.:)
You're the best. Love you!
Oh, and by the way, that girl in the picture is beautiful! I keep going back and staring at her. Somehow though, I don't think we would look quite as cool with gold lips.:)
I'd say our hang out time today made up for yesterday! That was fun...even though my mango didn't taste the best. Yeah- her lips are awesome. So, not gold but maybe silver? I don't know...I'm thinking it really could be a good look for us.
Kaitlin,
I am actually taking a similar class on the graduate level, entitled "African-American Philosophy." I've read several articles talking about how Black men have stereotyped for ages as violent, sex-obsessed, barbaric brutes (which is why a black man could play baseball 65 years before one could run for president), while Black women have often been portrayed as "easy" and either assumed to be maids or prostitutes.
Thankfully, these stereotypes are finally being questioned and the demarcations long held in our country along the lines of white & black are starting to fade on many accounts, but I don't think we realize how we as the racial majority automatically still see the world through a "white" lens at the negation of the other. Perhaps we should talk about this sometime!
- Brock
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