The Tipping Point - reflection, day #2

I have been reading the Tipping Point as part of the Action Research class. I really enjoy reading books like these; trial and error meets statistics and studies on various topics.

I have so many things to highlight as interesting...

(p.100) - connects to the Johnson book, Everything Bad is Good For You, in mentioning that critics are against all forms of television as it creates a "zombie affect" in humans... whereas Sesame Street and Blue's Clues attempted (and succeeded) to change that stereotype. What I didn't know about Sesame Street was the reason it was first brought to life: to allow children in areas where poverty and poor family involvement was at an alltime high... to become educated.
One of the Blue's Clues masterminds is quoted in saying, "TV is a great medium for education. But people up until now haven't explored the potential of it. They've been using it in a rote way. I believe we can turn that around."(p.111)

(p.102) "They (children) watch what they understand and turn away when they're confused" ---isn't that true of adults too!?!? I think so!

(p.118) "Sesame Street followed Piaget in that preschool-aged children can't follow a narrative." --and on the contrary, when it is understandable and interactive, children sure can!

(p.126) Did you guys know that Blue's Clues airs Monday-Friday the exact same episode? (maybe it is just because I don't have TV or children that I am so far out of the loop... but I find it fascinating that there is resounding success in the show. One reason the book mentions is because children do get a sense of pride and honor in knowing what is coming --basically not feeling stupid and lacking knowledge... and because they can learn and see more everytime they watch it... much like I see, as Johnson pointed out in Everything Bad is Good For You, when I watch Seinfeld over and over again... it never gets old and I see/learn more everytime)

(p.142) In discussing the issue of Goetz and the 4 boys on the dirty subway... "The graffiti was symbolic of the collapse of the system." The "broken windows" theory was certainly interesting. I couldn't agree more with the idea that context and environment greatly affect behavior. Who knows that Goetz would have fired at those boys if it weren't for the environment he was in.

in relation...

(p.146) "Minor seemingly insignificant quality of life crimes were the tipping points for violent crimes" -- cleaning up the environment, one cigarette butt, one line of graffiti, one piece of trash, can likely dramatically affect the feelings and moods of the people within the environment.

(p.151) "The Power of Context says you don't have to solve the big problems to solve crime. You can prevent crimes just by scrubbing off graffiti and arresting fare-beaters..."
(much like my above reflection, starting from the small items and working up changes the environment and the "context"... creating a tipping point and thus reducing crimes on a larger scale)

Can this also be true for our students? If we were to take pride in our jobs as educators, clean up our classrooms/schools (speaking higher volumes for "ghetto" areas) and treat our students like they are privileged members of society, would this not change their views of the drudgery of schooling alltogether? Just a thought. I know that I certainly feel better about myself and more valued when I am in the presence of cleanliness, ambitious and positive people.

My final reflection for the reading today (I'll finish the book tomorrow... promise!) is from (p.163). The author talks about how people's moods and the way others view them is highly based on the context in which they meet. He mentions that because he enjoys dinner parties and has lots of them, that his friends who attend his dinner parties view him as a great, social, polite, happy person. Whereas, their view is not across the board. They don't see him in traffic, on dirty subways, or at the DMV. If they did, their view of him might not be the same as it is when he is at dinner parties. Hence, different people have different views of the person we "are." Rarely do our friends see us in all areas of our lives, otherwise we would be considered many things...

I know for me, some people view me as:

polite, respectful, encouraging -- at school
frustrated, angry, short fused -- at VirtCamp (okay... just kidding... I really am not!)
fun, energetic, adventurous -- on the weekends

But really, you only see those sides of people when you are with them during all of those times. Some people only see me at school... so to them, I am polite, respectful, encouraging... etc. You get the picture.

Hope you're all enjoying the book. :)