In the Service of What? 

This piece of writing in particular was a bit of a challange because of its density, however I felt that It really pointed out some similar topics that I have experienced while volunteering in the community as well as my current service learning project in FNED 346. I feel that as volunteers in a society that embraces the values of education, it is important that we have the awareness to address the cultural, behavioral and learning differences in classrooms.

It is easy for me to compare my current service learning to other projects I have done in the past, as my roles have been quite similar, but I have been able to see the cultural differences in society based on which schools accommodate which students. Students in classes that I have volunteered in in Lincoln, Rhode Island, are far different than those in the inner city Providence schools. What I feel that the article was trying to point out, was that we should be doing things, no matter what the conditions may be, for the right reasons and for the greatest achievable success with students. It makes no difference the skin color, or cultural differences. It is all about the resources available to students, whether it be their teacher or their construction paper. As an individual participating in a service learning project, I feel that I am the resource that some of my students need in order to be a  better reader, and a better functioning member of the society that they live in. I want them to be able to have the confidence to succeed in an environment where success is not always as achievable as it normally is.

In the Case of Cinderella Ate my Daughter, I feel that I have a good opinion when it comes to being on the outside looking in, as I was never a Disney Princess fan. I was more of a cars, trucks, and Ninja Turtles kind of kid. However my sister did had all the Disney Princesses, so I was exposed at a young age to both the cars and trucks, as well as her dolls and Tiaras. My sister even had a pink canopy bed that had flowing pink fabric. I feel that I am in an unbiased place to express my opinion of what Disney has done to our young culture.

Besides the fact that they are all very photogenic, I was amazed to find that they never look at each other. I scoured google images to find one picture that has at least one of them looking at each other, and i am pretty sure that it is impossible. One thing that Orenstein points out that I agree with, is that the innocence and naivedness that is portrayed through seemingly grown woman, is that, they are going to be waiting for prince charming to find them and sweep them off their feet, but that just isn't going to happen. It is an unrealistic vision that has taken over many young girls, because the princesses are perhaps the most well known role model for young girls. It seems that boys have many different role models, where these handful of seeming dull, and dimwitted girls are all that the female gender has to look up to these days.

I can also relate to this because I have an older sister who I feel has been influenced to a point where she can be handicapped in the relationship world. I see that she has very high standards when it comes to dating, to a point where it is unrealistic that she will find everything on her "checklist." There is no such thing as Prince Charming, and with her role models being these women for so many years, I feel that it has greatly magnified her impression of physical and material attraction, and made her almost overlook what is most important, which is what is on the inside. Thanks Sleeping Beauty.