Walkerteach Geo
47
Media and Classroom Hub for Mr. Walker's Geography Class
Curated by Luke Walker
Follow
Scooped by Luke Walker onto Walkerteach Geo
Scoop.it!

MOVE

3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage...
No comment yet.
Your new post is loading...
Rescooped by Luke Walker from Geography Education
Scoop.it!

NYTimes video: "Skateistan"

NYTimes video: "Skateistan" | Walkerteach Geo | Scoop.it

"Afghan youth have very limited options for sports and recreation. An Australian man is trying to change that."  Issues of ethnicity, class and gender are right on the surface.  Globalization, cultural values and shifting norms make this a good discussion piece.  


Via Seth Dixon
Lisa Fonseca's comment, November 3, 2011 8:26 PM
I think all genders should be given the opportunity to experience and interact within any type of sport. All genders should be given the right to be healthy, get courage, and avoid fear. Watching the two sisters skateboarding is a positive role because those two girls can set the stage for many other females to also try to skateboard, and if a variety of girls begin to do it then it could become a norm rather than this dangerous sport that girls can be apart of. It is upsetting that at the ages nine and ten these girls are enjoying their last years of freedom because once they hit puberty they will be secluded from boys. It was a good idea for the instructor to then create separate skateboarding groups so the females could still be apart of it. Now on the down side I was possibly thinking this project maybe wasn't such a good idea because it led to issues like the brother beating his sister until she had blood running down her leg because she couldn't be around the boys. I know from my perspective I see that as inappropriate behavior but, in Afghan is that a common concern? This project has its pro and cons but overall I think my pros out run the cons. I think all children should be given opportunities no matter gender, culture, or class because if every child is given the opportunity then can become someone and succeed in life.
Derek Ethier's comment, October 18, 2012 1:09 AM
It is important for children to be exposed to recreational activities where they can interact and have fun with their peers. Since Afghani girls have only a short amount of time to do this, it is important that they do while they can. However, this "Skateistan" may have widespread and unintended consequences. Maybe it will take one generation, or maybe it will take twenty, but eventually these traditional gender norms and social roles will begin to disappear. In it's place will likely be one more commonly recognizable to us in the United States.
Matt Mallinson's comment, October 22, 2012 12:02 PM
This is such a great thing for the children of this country. The Australian man who started all of this is brave in my mind for introducing skateboarding to a country that would probably never have tried it, especially with older natives not liking the idea.