Reflections on Session #5 (10/15)

[Anonymous]

I enjoyed the discussion on Marco Polo: Did he or didn't he? I guess I never doubted whether or not Marco Polo had made it to China, and the five points that were mentioned really made me stop and think. I think it's even more important as teachers to share this information with out students. I always encourage my students to not just accept information as is; but to investigate, inquire, and evaluate the accuracy of theories. This would be a perfect example to use to teach students that it is OK to doubt historical accounts that have long been accepted.

[Anonymous]

It will be interesting to see what, if any, are the effects of Governor Romney's promise to designate China as a "currency manipulator on his first day in office" and thus impose tariffs that could trigger a trade war. I think that this would instantly hurt our relations with China who, apparently, has an ever-increasing appetite for American goods. If we truly want cooperation with China over increasing tensions in North Korea in Iran, does this promise of "getting tough" make any sense, or is it just political testosterone?

[Anonymous]

I found the topic of Chinese exploration fascinating. In history class we teach about the Age of Exploration and in most cases it seemed to be for monetary gain. It seems that the Chinese were just trying to find information. Maybe this is why they were one of the most advanced countries of that time.

[Anonymous]

I see that several people commented on the Marco Polo piece and thought I would chime in. It's funny how I find myself having discussions at the dinner table or at the salon about the things I've learned thus far in this seminar. The first thing that popped into my mind when hearing about he various accounts of MP is bias. When teaching 8th grade history, I reminded my students to constantly read history books or articles with a critical eye. The story told is always someone trying to get his or her point of view across to the readers. The missing information from MP's account is from a foreigner's perspective, and it's only natural for explorers to return with tall tales of the orient. I'd like to know what other historians think about this topic.

[Anonymous]

It was sad to begin the class with the story of the 14 year old girl who was shot by the Taliban for promoting education for women. It discourages me to think that our existence still has elements of ignorance and strong hatred. The recent news coverage is encouraging in the fact that she is recovering and showing signs of getting healthy. Additionally, the people in Pakistan are standing up and denouncing the practices of the Taliban for such a heinous and cowardly display of extremist thought.

I think we can draw some parallels to the cultural revolution of China's past . How will Pakistan, and the Middle east be affected in the near future? In an age of quick information, will China's martyrs and protesters also unite the populace and change policy? I'm sure the changes will come, but slowly and painfully for those most directly affected.

[Anonymous]

I found, again, the view of women and the women's role to ve ry discouraging. I am with SLieu. I also found the ideas about birth control and enouragaing/discouraging the birth of children made me very thankful for all of my freedom.

[Anonymous]

I listened with interest to a discussion referrencing a certain presidential candidate as promising "to get tough with China" and his description of China being "the whipping boy" in many political battles. I had never thought of that before, but I imagine it could easily be misconstrued that China should be largely responsible for our (the U.S.) financial woes. It is becoming ever-more critical to examine these complexities and our interdependence on one another.

[Anonymous]

I found it interesting that the Jesuit Matteo Ricci arrived in China between 1552- 1610. Many other Jesuits came during this time as well. Jesuits' came to China to try to convert from the people from the top down. Their first goal was to convert the emperor. How did they get close to the emperor? Technology, the Jesuits had good Geometry and Astronomy and decent cartography. The emperor wanted this because he could predict things- eclipses, etc… The emperor looked more like he can commune with Heaven when he had the Jesuits' knowledge of Astronomy. The Jesuits had better technology than the Muslims. The emperor picked the Jesuits over the Muslims because of their technology. I enjoyed this part of the lecture.

[Anonymous]

It was interesting to me that there is a growing lack of females in China and it was very surprising to learn that there are remote places where a woman would share herself with two husbands. As a counselor, I been exposed to some of the "only son" or "little prince" behaviors in some of our male students when they arrive from East Asian countries. This can present difficulty for the teacher in the classroom and also for the student with regard to adjustment.

[Anonymous]

I am adding a comment about #6 here because I didn't see a thread for the session yet. I know I would just forget if I didn't write it now. Anyway, I really found last night's session interesting, especially when reviewing how the Qings were able to rule China for over 270 years. If I were to apply the concept of successful ruling of a conquered land into elementary curriculum, I would use it to explore the relationship between the Spaniards and the Native Americans or even slavery in the U.S. The students would be required to compare and contrast the strategies and methods of the conqueror/ dominant party to that of the Manchus. They can do the same comparing/contrasting American history of slavery with that of the Mongols. I think it's a great way to help students see that the need for power and control extends beyond history and that it's a common practice in the world. To take this a step further, the students in need of a challenge can explore the reasons why the Qing Dynasty finally ended and brainstorm solutions to safeguard against their demise. Of course, this would all be done in a very engaging and interactive manner This lesson would require lots of critical thinking/ problem-solving...Sounds familiar? Yea, 21st century skills.

[Anonymous]

I found the concept of gender specific abortion hard to swallow. In the Chinese culture, I understand the importance of having a boy to carry on the family name, but I find it hard to digest that families would go so far as to abort a baby just because they didn't get the gender they want. It just seems very extreme. In our culture, I'm so used to people being excited about the baby they are having, regardless if it's a boy or a girl. Even if there's disappointment in not getting the gender they want, the general though (that I'm aware of) is, "We'll try again!" I also think it's interesting how Koreans are so set on having just 1 boy or 1 girl that they'll go to the extreme to abort the baby if it's the wrong gender. The whole concept seems so... nonchalant over there.

[Anonymous]

Hi nfong!
I too was very disturbed by the "Missing Girl Story". I find it so upsetting that some of the Eastern Asian cultures are so casual about controlling the gender of their offspring. The thought of using sex selection like they are going shopping for a particular item, is very difficult to fathom. I hope with the declining of the population of women, somehow the bias against women will fade. ?

[Anonymous]

I was also very surprised to learn how common abortion appears to be in China and Korea. I wonder why their point of view on the issue is so different? At first I thought it was the fact that America is predominantly Christian, but then someone mentioned that Korea has a large Christian population. If it's not religion, then what is it?

[Anonymous]

I found it very interesting that people doubted Marco Polo's adventures. His book was very helpful in starting The Age of Exploration to my understanding. I taught my fifth graders about his journey for five years. I would hate to think that I mislead them. Although, it does seem odd that there is not more significant evidence of his existence in China. Even if the story of Marco Polo is not true, I am glad that The Age of Exploration started.

[Anonymous]

Though a sad piece of news, I was glad class opened by mentioning this tragic incident because I had shared it with my class earlier in the day. On the other hand, those Marco Polo's adventures were so interesting!

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