Kristen and Allie's Articles

Kirsten

The results from the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (Paths) curriculum and self-emotional learning (S.E.L) provide evidence that children who are privileged of being taught emotional literacy and emotional control benefit in far greater ways than those who are not. Early childhood is an important perspective that I think would be very helpful for Kirsten to consider. As the article suggests, coping with an array of emotions at a young age is incredibly stressful and can induce high levels of anxiety during emotional instances. Learning to manage anxiety is just the beginning. The effectiveness of "emotional training" goes beyond that of human interaction. The positive habits that are formed from this kind of training effect the wellness of an individual as a student and learner. Neurologist, Richard Davidson, suggests that emotional training conditions the prefrontal cortex in a way that will enhance a individuals ability to control impulsive reactions, to apply abstract reasoning, and create long-term goals. It is important for Kirsten to note the observation made by one teacher at Leataata Floyd elementary school. The observation and conclusion the teacher had made was that after implementing the S.E.L program her students were taking responsibility for their emotional outbursts and intrinsically taking control of them rather than projecting that control onto somebody else. This kind of training is definitely a privilege,  because those who do not receive S.E.L may suffer long-term effects of anxiety and uncertainty of how to manage their emotions-- much like myself. 

Allie 

The Buzzfeed post and "Gender as Constrained Choice" section Johnson and Repta's Sex and Gender article tie together Allie's themes of gender binaries and emotional literacy. Written by Luke Bailey, the Buzzfeed article titled "27 Gendered Products That Prove Masculinity Is Incredibly Fragile" highlights the many ways masculinity is marketed and emphasized. Some of my favorites were the chap stick for men,  cotton swabs, and sun screen. Johnson and Repta outline the logistics of this marketing approach, and highlight the reasons why it is expected that men take different approaches to their health and grooming needs than women. The roles of women and men are constructed and reinforced by marketing standards. For example, it is expected for women to care more about their physical appearance and personal comfort; so when a man wants to care for something like his lips then it  must be discreetly "taken care of" (i.e. Flat chap stick for men). These expectations also feed into the livelihoods of women, and as outlined by Johnson and Repta, "Viewing gender as a constrained choice therefore involves addressing the health restrictions that occur at many levels (individual, family, community, society) and acknowledging that healthy “choices” are limited by these over- arching and intersecting constraints." (22) These constraints are the result of an infrastructure that informs individuals to make certain choices based on their gender. For women, this constraint could be exemplified by motherhood. A social presumption is that women should be caregivers, but this expectation places the livelihood of the woman after the wellness of her family. The ripple effect from not taking care of oneself effects their health and self preservation. By marketing "mens cotton swabs" as a "tool" to "detail", and "build", and marketing "women's cotton swabs" as a "beauty tool" is one major example of how the public is constrained to making choices based on their gender.