Friday, April 5, 2013
"The World According to Sesame Street" Reflection
Use your notes to construct a 3-2-1 reflection on the documentary. Describe 3 points from the film that reinforce and/or expand on concepts that we've addressed in class. List 2 new ideas that you learned from the film. Identify 1 point that you would like to learn more about OR a question that was raised by the documentary.
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3 things that reinforced what I've already learned:
ReplyDelete- They brought up the fact that war affects everyone: both children and adults.
- People were educating children by using Sesame Street. This shows how technology can benefit or detriment the world.
- Nelson Mandela wanted to help his people with HIV/AIDS
2 new ideas:
- I learned about the war in Kosovo between the Albanians and Serbians.
- NATO bombed Kosovo to stop the ongoing war between the Albanians and Serbians.
Question:
- Is it easier for children to get HIV/AIDS? In other words, are the chances of getting HIV/AIDS higher for children than adults?
3 Reinforced Points:
ReplyDelete1. There is a difference between conflicting countries and their cultures. They tend to be less tolerant with each other, not because of personal hatred, but rather national hatred that has turned personal.
2. Children are not born with hatred in their blood. Children are taught to hate.
3. Language differences, although a a barrier, was somewhat easily overcome by a board of Sesame Street members.
2 New Ideas:
1.An HIV positive muppet, although controversial, provides support for children that are HIV positive as well
2. Each culture had its own character that tied in aspects of the country, for instance, a friendly tiger featured in countries that serve as home to tigers.
1 Question:
Are adults and parents always welcome to this kind of Western influence? If they want to choose their child to discriminate, won't their will overpower that of Sesame Street?
-Difficult life in poor nations. Children must work and there is poverty throughout the entire nation.
ReplyDelete-Discrimination. Discrimination is common in poor nations such as South Africa. The United States also showed discrimination by criticizing the integration of HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
-HIV/AIDS in South Africa. We learned how common the AIDS epidemic is in South Africa, and the toll it's taken on the nation.
-Conflict between Kosovars. I learned from watching the video about the conflict between Albanian Kosovars and Serbian Kosovars. One group would would never meet or talk to someone of the other group.
-Human rights abuses against Kosovars. I learned from watching the video that Kosovars were deprived of their rights by the Serbs. NATO bombed them to stop the conflict. They have also been caring for the Kosovars afterwards by protecting them.
-I would like to learn more about the culture in Bangladesh. It was discussed that the tiger is their national animal, but I want to know more about life there.
Three points that reinforce concepts from class
ReplyDelete1. There is tension between groups of people, even after the war has ended
2. Nelson Mandela wants to help his people with AIDs
3. The people being controlled revolted peacefully until the others became violent with them.
Two new ideas
1. NATO had to stay in Kosovo to keep peace between Serbians and Albanians.
2. The AIDs portion of Sesame Street in South Africa got a poor reception in America.
One idea to learn more about
1. I would like to learn more about exactly what the characters on Sesame Street do or say that conveys the positive messages.
During this documentary, I knew that the media affected all portions of a persons life. For example, Sesame street uses their way of media to positively affect the lives of children by trying to promote tolerance and the rights to education and much more. It relates to our class, because we have analyzed how the media has affected the lives and opinions of all people. Another thing we learned in our studies was the importance of intermingling. Without intermingling, two people or ethnic groups may be separated forever, for arbitrary reasons. We have analyzed what happens when two groups don't communicate, and it usually result sin an ethnic clash, or genocide. Sesame Street is trying to say that cooperation and getting along is a key portion in everyones life. The third thing we analyzed throughout the course, is the idea of ethnocentrism. Throughout the video, the Serbians and Albanians were talking about why they wouldn't like to meet each other, and it;s mainly because of the ethnocentric means that one should always be better than the other. Sesame Street is trying to promote tolerance the fact of unity. Although people can be different it's always important to try to get along. Two new ideas I learned, were directly tied to the controversy of each topic. I had no idea that the Americans would be so blatantly rude when Sesame touched on the subject of HIV AIDS. It's something that those children see everyday, and could potentially go through. It's important that they understand what's going on. Another new thing I learned as well, is that most places are still fighting for equality. For example, in the Bangladesh episode, the women in charge said they are trying to empower their young women, and get them the equality they deserve. One point that I would like to learn more about is the genocide against the Serbians and Albanians.
ReplyDeleteThree things that apply to concepts:
ReplyDelete1. Sesame Street applies to globalization as it generates shows in different nations and helps bring technology and ideas from other nations around the world.
2. Also, in all of the meetings featured in the documentary, the groups discussed in English, a secondary language in many nations.
3. Globalization can work as a strong influence, as Sesame Street, originally a United States program, works to provide children with the education needed to make the world more peaceful.
Two new Ideas
1. One of the most important new ideas I noticed was the idea that teaching children proper ideas will help to limit discrimination in the future, so Sesame Street can help solve large issues.
2. Furthermore, I learned that the key to producing television such as Sesame Street that will not receive major backlash is working with members of that nation, not just deciding what those people need.
One question
1. One of my main questions was in regards to the Serbians and Kosovans, and why there is so much discrimination and intolerance in these nations. Also, How does Sesame Street determine these issues?
Reinforce/Expansion:
ReplyDelete1. This video shows how technology teaches and highly influences children and people.
2.This also shows how cultures intertwine, such as the American culture who started Sesame Street, and the South African culture one who incorporated their own traditions into the show.
3. This show also addresses problems throughout the world, and tries to use social media to aid the problem.
New things learned:
1. That everyone in South Africa is considered HIV positive till tested.
2. I also learned that Sesame Street tries to promote tolerance, and tries to give every child the right to read and literacy.
Questions:
1. How else can this show promote tolerance into other countries?
Reinforced Ideas
ReplyDelete1. The video reinforces what we learned about poverty and how different societies lived compared to ours.
2. The genocide of Kosovo relates to the many genocides we learned like the Armenian genocide.
3.Nelson Mandela wants to reach out to the people in Africa to help with the growing disease of HIV/AIDS
New Ideas
1. I learned how Americans reacted towards the HIV positive character on the South African Sesame Street show. They were relating towards the children who are positive and how they shouldn't be afraid to have the disease and try to have a normal life.
2. The Kosovo genocide
Question or Point
1. I'd like to learn more about the Kosovo genocide and how the ALbanians and the Serbians still are having a constant feud
Three points that reinforce class concepts:
ReplyDelete1. Children are taught who their enemies are in war-like situations.
2. Genocides cause hatred between groups that affect the adults and the kids.
3. The TV production started in the United States and was expanded, this shows westernization and the increased spread of communication through advanced technology.
Two new ideas that I learned:
1. HIV Aids was actually addressed on the African production of the show. It was not, however, in the US because of controversy.
2. The puppets and characters are different in the different locations so that they can represent the country (Bangladesh has a tiger- their animal), the problems in the country, the culture, and the feelings that are often expressed.
I would like to learn more about the effects of the show for the children in specific areas. For example, the video made me wonder if Sesame Street in Kosovo will teach the Albanian children and Serbian children against hatred. Maybe they would interact in the education system in the future or actually learn how the other side lives.
Reinforce/Expansion:
ReplyDelete1. The film displays how globalization is affecting the world through the works of Sesame Street. When Sesame Street expands its works it brings along its many characteristics that are then displayed in the co-productions around the world.
2. In our class, we demonstrate the equality of all people. Sesame Street does the same with how it creates race neutral characters and characters with disease.
3. In our class, we study the problems that are occurring in in countries around the world. In Sesame Street co-productions like the one in South Africa, they attempt to tech their children of the problems that they may very well grow up with.
Learned:
1. I learned through this video that children are the real victims of their parents' hatred towards one another like the Kosovar Serbs and Albanians.
2. I learned that co-productions of Sesame Street attempt to add in their country's own culture into the show so that it better reflects a child's way of life there.
Question:
1. Why is the incorporation of reality in TV shows such a controversy?
After watching the film, three aspects from World Cultures that were built upon were globalization and the spreading of cultures, and how the difference in both perspective and cultural values and alter education.
ReplyDelete- Sesame Street's goal of trying to unify different countries and teach tolerance paralleled the points in World Cultures when parts of other cultures have shown up in different areas.
-The differences in cultural values, specifically in the Albanian versus Serbian points of view, altered the format of Kosovo's Sesame Street and produced problems in the production of the show.
-In South Africa, the HIV and AIDS education part of Sesame Street was accepted, but in America, the perspective, at least at first, was almost shunned by certain people, due to their views.
Two new pieces of information taught by the documentary were the goals of tolerance, and a global education.
-Serbs and Albanians did not willingly wish to learn about each others' cultures, but the Sesame program tried to educate children more on the conflict between the two groups, to try and alleviate the problem.
-The Sesame program also attempted to teach both children and parents certain values in order to perpetuate more tolerant and educated generations.
Lastly, I was curious about what finer steps where needed to be taken in meetings with other country representatives to clear certain educational teachings.
Three points that were made in the video that have also been adressed in class are when the video discussed how children are not given the opportunity to learn how to read and write which leads to the countries low literacy rates since there is little funding for education in developing countries such as Kosovo. Also, the video corresponds with class when we were discussing how countries in Africa are having difficulty modernizing due to HIV/AID's epidemic that is killing millions of people each year in developing countries such as South Africa. Lastly, the video addressed the fact that children of the current generation are not given the opportunity to literally be kids and have fun due to war, poverty, and epidemics.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I learned from this video was that South Africa created an HIV positive muppet in order to attempt to create better and closer interactions and relationships with the children who have been affected be HIV. Another thing that I learned from this video is that the Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbians have a great dislike towards one another which has lead to wars and even genocide.
One thing that I would like to learn more about is the history of Kosovo and how Albanians and Serbians have interacted over their history.
In class, we constantly discuss the globalization the world is experiencing today. This is the main point of the entire documentary considering Sesame Street has now spread from merely an American TV show to a global phenomenon. Also, in class we often discuss the numerous ethnic clashes experienced by multiple different societies. The clash between the Albanians and Serbians shown in this video is an excellent demonstration. These are two ethnic groups that are against each other in all aspects and will not be associated with each other whatsoever. Even the members of the Sesame Street team from Albania and Serbia had disagreements. They refused to advertise the show together and put both translations on the street sign. In addition, we often discuss in class the problems with modernization in South Africa. The main point we always discuss is the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This movie elaborated on this extensively. It discussed the new muppet created who possesses the disease and the initiative the Sesame Street team has taken.
ReplyDeleteOne new thing I learned while viewing this film was that UNICEF is a huge collaborator with the global Sesame Street project. They are helping the team spread Sesame Street throughout the world. Also, I learned about the issue in Kosovo and how it is now under the jurisdiction of the United Nations and under protection of NATO. I also was never aware of the HIV/AIDS muppet created specifically for South Africa. I really love this idea and found it fascinating to hear the rebellion of the press.
One question I had about the documentary was if anyone was against the global Sesame Street initiative. It seems the Sesame Street administrators tried hard to reach out to underdeveloped countries. Are there any religious or ethnic revolts against the teachings of the show? I would assume and Islamic groups would find it un-idealistic and against their beliefs and values.
Concepts we've addressed:
ReplyDelete1. In Africa, HIV/AIDS is a major issue. In fact, it is so common in Africa that it is assumed you DO have it until it's proven that you don't.
2. We also covered genocide and how to recognize the causes and effects of genocide. The video covered the genocide in Kosovo, and discussed ways that Sesame Street could encourage kids to learn how to read and get an education.
3. Lastly, we briefly covered the effects of children on society, and how globalization is bringing us closer together. The video discussed how the Serbians and the Albanians don't get along, and the children don't like each other without even knowing why.
Two new ideas:
1. In class we learned how tough it is in struggling countries, but we didn't learn exactly how tough kids have it. This video opened my eyes to the concept of a group of kids having to be encouraged to play.
2. Another new concept was changing a lifestyle in a country by targeting the children instead of adults.
What I would like to learn:
I would like to learn more about the causes and effects of the genocide in Kosovo.
The world according to Sesame Street Video further reinforced my understanding of what I have already learned in Honors World Cultures by proving the interconnectedness of our universe. Sesame Street is not only an American television program but it also reaches out to other countries as diverse as Bangladesh and South Africa. However, the program customizes its characters and plot to fit accordingly with the customs and cultures of that specific country. In addition, ethnocentrism was present in the video when the producers interviewed a Serbian girl and she refused to acquire any knowledge of what life is like for Albanian kids like her. Instead she despised them even though she could point out and differences between them other than their ethnicity. Furthermore, oppression of Kosovo's rights and freedoms were also addressed in the documentary. Another new idea addressed in the video was the impact of an issue in South Africa, such as AIDS, and Sesames Streets desire to educate children dealing with this issue and create a character with AIDS. However, the United States viewed that integration as being negative. One question that I have is how Sesame Street is able to completely customize their program to fit a country without offending its inhabitants.
ReplyDelete