Case Study SUMMATIVE ASSIGNMENT

Now that we have practised writing opinion paragraphs, it's time to do it for real, for marks!

Here is the assignment. It is due next Friday, February 27th.

Good Luck!


GLS assignment – Blogging or Journal Entry
Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion

Choose one of the attached case studies and consider the following questions:

1) What is the key equity problem? Why is this a problem (i.e., what assumptions are being made?).

2) What is the impact of the discrimination on the different people involved?


3) What can someone do or say in this situation to challenge the equity issue:
a) At an individual level?
b) At the school level?

4) Where could someone go for help?

5) Are there ways this incident could be prevented? If so, how?


Assignment

Using the answers to the above questions, create a series of paragraph answering the question, “In your opinion, what was the main character trait lacking or present in this case study? What was the main equity issue, and why is this an issue?” In your closing paragraph, suggest a positive outcome for the case study.

Submissions should be around one page long.

You will be marked on the attached checklist (distributed today in class).

Blog or journals are due February 27, 2009

Case Studies

1) Ahmed has recently been diagnosed with dyslexia and a mild intellectual disability. Up until now, he has been doing poorly on assignments. It takes Ahmed longer to work on things, and sometimes he needs things explained to him a few times. You notice that Ahmed isn’t always allowed the time he needs to work on assignments by your teacher, even though he has this ability issue. One of your friends says, “He’s just a retard. I don’t ever want to work with him in groups. Stupid retard.” You feel you should do something about this situation, but what?

2) You have recently started dating someone of a different race or religion than yourself. Most of your friends are of a similar cultural background as yours. You’ve noticed that some of your friends’ attitudes have been changing toward you since you began dating. One friend said you “sold out.” Another just doesn’t call you as frequently. You are feeling sad and angry about their behaviour, but aren’t really sure what to do next.

3) You are a young woman who has always wanted to be a doctor and have worked hard toward your goal. So far, your hard work has paid off and you are doing well in school. During your appointment with a guidance counselor, he tells you that he thinks another career would be a better option because it doesn’t require as much work and may be cheaper. He goes on to say that, although there are some scholarships for your ethnic community, they are really hard to get and you need to have very good marks. He remarks that medicine is “a tough field for women.” He asks if your parents know you want to be a doctor. You feel extremely offended because you feel the counselor was making judgments about your abilities based on your gender and ethnicity.

4) You are on a field trip with your class and friends to the ROM. A classmate has been making fun of another student on the bus because he is listening to music that your friend has deemed “faggy.” Your friend calls him a “bitch” and “pussy,” and everyone laughs. Later on, this same student sees two women walking across the street and yells “dykes!” at them. The teacher has not noticed either of these incidents. You are embarrassed and feel you must do something.

5) You are a female student sitting in class near the end of the period, discussing the upcoming semi-formal. One of the girls you usually sit with is unusually quiet as you and your friends discuss what you will be wearing and where you will go out for some food before the event gets started. When asked if she would like to go shopping with you this weekend for a dress, she replies, “no”, and walks away, looking uncomfortable. Another girl says, “of course she isn’t going, she’s poor. Her clothes are so welfare. Plus, tickets are pretty expensive.” This situation seems wrong. What can you do?