Guest Blogger: Lizza- COSMETICS AND ADVERTISEMENTS

What Happens to Females Who Buy into Cosmetic

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“Being beautiful is, in American society, the most important role a woman should fulfill.” This concept of women and beauty has been believed for centuries. “Medieval noblewomen swallowed arsenic and dabbed on bats' blood to improve their complexions; 18th-century Americans prized the warm urine of young boys to erase their freckles.”  (How appealing is that?)

Sadly, the above statements are true.  Beauty is considered as essential for women, and women go to great lengths to reach what is viewed by society as the acceptable standard of beauty.  As consumers, females fall victim to marketers’ alluring advertisements. For example, in cosmetic ads, females are portrayed as flawless and confident; their lustrous hair shines and bounces, their faces are blemish and wrinkle free, and their eyelashes extend to their eyebrows.  Therefore, when a person buys the cosmetic products being advertised by these perfect women, they, too, will look perfect after use, right?  Or is it all just a cruel business technique that is used to make money, but diminishes the confidence of females in the process?  

Confidence

Confidence is defined as “a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.”  Through this definition, it becomes apparent that beauty is one of those qualities that individuals have to appreciate about themselves in order to feel fully confident. So in essence, it makes sense why marketers would specifically target females with their cosmetic ads.  They are simply trying to help boost females’ confidence by “showing them” what their magical cosmetic products can do to enhance the females’ physical appearance. This is what they would say (how kind of them!), but, studies have shown quite the opposite effect.

It has been observed that over 40% of females feel self-conscious after viewing an advertisement.  That is close to half the population of females.  Many argue that the other 60% must just be confident enough for it to not take a toll on them, meaning that the 40% already had issues with lack of confidence and insecurity beforehand, so that’s why they feel that way.  However, in actuality, for the other 60% who do not report having feelings of self-consciousness, it has been proven that “advertising’s influence on women is quick, it’s cumulative, and for the most part, it’s subconscious. ”Therefore, females’ confidence is constantly in jeopardy with more than half of them not even recognizing the lack of it in themselves until it is too late.

Fake, but still Real

These statistics can also be likened to the idea that most females these days are aware of the airbrushing aspect of advertisements, but that has obviously not helped with the decrease of confidence females experience when they see these ads. Even though they are aware that the perfection they are seeing is fake, that does not stop them from feeling envious and wondering why they never look that good.

Even I, myself, sit there in jealousy of the Pantene girl’s gorgeous hair and wonder why my ten years of using Pantene has never resulted in such beautiful locks. It’s a normal thing to do. It’s human nature to compare ourselves to others.

False Expectations

I recently had a cousin who saw a commercial for acne cream that supposedly cleared your skin of any blemish within seconds of applying it. Celebrities even testified of its miraculous power in diminishing all marks from their face at an incredible rate, and beautiful girls were shown washing their faces and smiling as they dried them off to find perfectly smooth skin.

 I laughed at my cousin when she said she wanted to buy it and told her that these were all airbrushed people who were saying these things to sell the product to people who would believe it, such as herself, apparently. She responded by telling me that she was aware of that, but she would be grateful for any difference it made in her skin.  

It turned out that this product, in order to get rid of all blemishes, first brought all blemishes to the surface.  Thus, after only one application, my cousin’s acne was ten times worse, making her look like a pepperoni pizza.  When she called me on the phone, crying, her words were “Why did it do this to me, but not to the people on the commercial?  I guess I’m just not as pretty as them!”  

As illustrated in the above story, advertisements create false expectations in females that cause them to question their own beauty. People in the advertising business would try to justify this by saying that they make it known on their advertisements that airbrushing and enhancement techniques were used.  But take a look at the mascara ad below.  Yes, it declares that she is using lash inserts, but look how small and unnoticeable that part is.  Do they really expect this to help females recognize the unrealistic beauty in the ad and stop false expectations from being created?

Poison to the Brain

Experts have explained that the minds of young females are “more malleable and impressionable” than those of older females, so even when they know that advertisements are airbrushed and enhanced, the constant exposure to these ads tells their minds that this is how they should look, and if they don’t, then there is something wrong with them.  It becomes psychologically abusive.

 It’s things like this that directly correlate with lack of confidence in females, and it applies to females of all ages. It’s not always just an issue with lack of confidence either.  For some females, the loss of confidence can lead to more serious issues like eating disorders, depression, and even obsession with want of cosmetic surgeries.  Females are literally suffering because of these cunning cosmetic ads that dance around in their heads and convince them that they are not pretty enough.

Time for a Change

I understand that advertising is a means for making money, but there has to be an alternative that does not end up harming consumers’ confidence, and instead elevates their value and self-worth.  It’s about time to display more honesty in the marketing world so that the customer does not build up unrealistic expectations, only to be disappointed. Right now it’s all just a deceptive game with too many players getting hurt.  Have cosmetic companies and their advertising cohorts really become so wrapped up in the pursuit of money that they don’t care to think about the well-being of their customers?  

"Teacher, let me help you understand me. . . "

Children's needs are very basic.  When it comes down to it, all they really ask for is to be loved, listened to, and cared for.  As children become students, their needs within the classroom are similar to those in their personal lives, but more centered on their school environment. The text gives a clear lay out of what these needs entail.  If a child were able to verbalize these things, it might sound something like this:

Dear Teacher, 

I know I may be small, but there are a few things that I, too, feel that I deserve.  First of all, I need clear affirmations that I am going to be okay while in your classroom.  I want to know that I am safe, and that you will take care of me as you would your own children.  I want to feel that it matters to you if I succeed or fail, and I would hope that you would do all you could to help me along the way.  I want to feel that you believe in me; that you truly see my potential, as well as all my strengths I currently possess.

Another thing that is important to me is feeling wanted and needed.  There are many contributions to the class that I would like to make, I just hope you are willing to listen and allow me to do so.  I would hate to think that whether I am present or not, it really doesn't matter.

Along with that, I desire to have a sense of power.  Not the kind of power that controls others. The power that helps me feel in control of myself and my environment.  There are so many things I am learning on a daily basis.  I want to know that the concepts you are teaching me, the long hours I am spending at school each day and the homework I am completing each night all have a significant purpose and reason in my life.  

Similar to power, I also yearn for an understanding of purpose to this all.  I want to know the "why's" of everything. Once I understand that these things apply to me, I feel more inclined and desire to continue learning.  I am in the process of growing, after all, and want to make sure I am involved in the most valuable and important things to help me be the person I desire to become someday.

Last of all, I want to be challenged.  I do not want to feel that I am doing the exact same things, day after day.  Give me some variety, please.  Give me different angles and perspectives to view a specific concept.  I cannot grow and thrive if I am not given the opportunities to share my abilities, find ways to exercise my strengths, and learn of things I had no idea I could do.  

Teacher, please give me a chance.  I am worth it.

Love, 

Your student

(Ideas and focus based upon chapter 2)

So, what is the point of school, anyway???

This is an all-too-common question that students ask themselves on countless occasions.  Sometimes, on a daily basis.  Why?  Well, the answer speaks for itself.  What child enjoys waking up early of a morning when they could use a few more hours of sleep?  What child would prefer to spend the majority of their day away from their home, family, and all of their special possessions?  And, what child enjoys being told that they have to stay on task, and can only speak when the teacher allows them to do so?  Just as the text offers these examples, it also concludes that the average student is wary of school, the environment, and their teacher, until they reach a point where they feel a sense of belonging, understanding, and finally, a belief that what they are learning in school is applicable to themselves and their lives.

So, how is this done?  That is for the teacher to figure out and put into practice.  Students yearn to be heard, to be loved, and to be treated as valuable individuals.  This is not possible unless the teacher takes it upon themselves to truly know each of their students, and not just their general class as a whole.  

"'Come play with me,"says the teacher.  "Come do what I ask you to do.'  

'I can't,' says the student, 'at least not until you connect with me.  Oh, I'll go through the motions, of course.  But give myself to the adult thing called school?  Not unless you connect with me (pg. 15).'"

Is this too much for students to ask for?  How invested are we, as educators, in our children?  As a future teacher, I plan to make sure I never fail to remind myself daily of the reasons why I have chosen the career path, and what I need to do to make it a successful one.  Yes, the teacher is in charge of steering the ship, but it is up to the students to guide the teacher as to what they desire and need along the journey.

(Ideas and focus based upon chapter 2)

"One Only Understands the Things One Tames."

Have you ever had a pet that knew you personally as it's owner?  An animal so loyal and true to you that it did all it could to please you?  Whether it be rolling over, sitting on command or fetching a stick, it was at your beckon call?  This is similar to how students are to their teachers.  All students? Not necessarily.  There is a catch to it.  The trick to students knowing their teacher's voice, understanding the teacher's expectations of them, and willingly contributing to the learning environment is due greatly to the fact of how the teacher treats, responds to, and connects with them.

In the text, a metaphor is presented in the form of a story.  A fox and Little Prince cross paths, and the fox decides he would like to befriend Little Prince.  This idea is approached by the fox pleading with Little Prince to "tame" him; to help him recognize his footsteps and voice from the many other boys. "The Little Prince is skeptical.  He is very busy, he explains.  He has so many things to do- so many things to understand.  The fox gives a simple reply:  "One only understands the things one tames." Little Prince decides to give the fox a chance, which in turn, ends in a wonderful friendship.

Just as Little Prince and the fox learn to care for and love each other, this can be likened to a teacher and his/her students.  Once connections are made, a form of trust is established between the educator and the children, and their roles in teaching and learning are on desirable paths to success.  The teacher can recognize their students calls for help and understanding, their facial expressions of doubt or comprehension, and their lack of action due to their confusion over a concept ONLY if the teacher offers a generous amount of "time, patience and listening" while learning to "tame their students."  

Just as the text mentions, "In the end, the fox and Little Prince must part ways, of course.  There is great sadness in the parting, but there is happiness born of fulfillment as well.  The two will be joined forever by the small memories they made together- the times they shared."  What a rewarding outcome an educator receives when making beneficial and mutual connections with their students!  As a future teacher, I hope (and expect) to find joy and satisfaction in establishing relationships with the children I am given in my classroom.  Clearly, school is not just about academics.

(Ideas and focus based upon chapter 1)

Differentiation is. . . .

"What is differentiation?" one may ask.  While it is a simple term to define, it is also a detail-oriented concept that requires careful, skillful planning in order to obtain desirable results.  Let me give you an example of what differentiation might look like within a classroom.

Two children, both female and 6 years of age, attend the same school, as well as have the same teacher in the same classroom.  One Tuesday morning, Mrs. Simpson assigns the class to write a short descriptive essay about their favorite animal, as they have been learning about living things. Girl A is excited for this writing assignment and immediately begins, while Girl B becomes frustrated, overwhelmed, and sits with her face in her hands for 5-10 minutes before the teacher notices something is wrong and approaches her.

What just happened here?  Why is Girl A's reaction to the assignment so extremely different from Girl B's reaction?  They both have the same teacher, which concludes that they have received the exact same instruction and teaching strategies as one another.  Could it be that Girl A is a better student than Girl B?  Or maybe Girl B is just lazy, or doesn't like to be told what to do?  Possibly. Before jumping to conclusions, though, let's revisit the scenario to find out:

Mrs. Simpson walks over to Girl B and inquires what is bothering her and why she has not started the assignment yet.  After a minute of hesitation, partially from embarrassment, the young girl explains that she struggles in writing, and has a difficult time coming up with ideas, knowing how to spell the words correctly, etc.  Mrs. Simpson thinks for a moment, and then remembers that Girl B is a wonderful little artist.  So, she asks Girl B if she would like to first draw her favorite animal.  Excitedly, Girl B nods her head in agreement, and quickly gets out her crayons to begin.  It isn't long before Girl B is standing at the teacher's desk, proudly displaying her picture of a rabbit for her teacher to admire.

Any guess as to what changed Girl B's motivation towards the assignment?  If your answer is adjusting the assignment to fit her strengths and abilities, you are correct!  The word Different is within the word Differentiation for a very important reason.  In a school classroom, it is so crucial for a teacher to allow students to learn differently; to treat them differently according to their strengths, their cultures, beliefs, abilities, and desires.  While one child may thrive in the learning environment, and do all that is assigned to him/her quickly and correctly, another child may struggle just to grasp the concept, let alone complete the work at hand.  The same goes with a young student who has recently moved to the U.S. from a foreign country, and knows very little English.  It would be extremely illogical and ignorant of the the teacher to expect the child to do the exact same work as the rest of the children in the classroom when the spoken of child is struggling to communicate. Children need differentiation in the classroom, as each one is unique in their own ways. 

In the text, it states that there are 4 traits that "teachers must often address to ensure effective and efficient teaching.  These traits include:  Readiness  (the student's knowledge, understanding and skill related to a particular sequence of learning), Interest (the topics or pursuits that evoke curiosity and passion in a learner), Learning Profile (how students learn best), and Affect (how students feel about themselves, their work, and the classroom as a whole)." From this list of necessary traits for students, it is important to note that each one is unique and plays an important role by itself.  Therefore, it is the teacher's responsibility to establish ways of incorporating these traits within their classroom at all times. While this may bring about more challenges and extra work for the teacher on his/her end, doesn't it seem worth it to have succeeding, excelling students within the learning environment?!

(Ideas and focus based upon Chapter 1)

Welcome to my Blog!

Greetings, and welcome to my Blog!  I hope you find your time "well spent," as you read upon the different angles and perspectives I, myself, unfold on the topic of Differentiation in the Classroom. I will be basing my posts on the text, "Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom" by Carol Ann Tomlinson. I invite you to also read the text, if you desire to do so, as it will help you to understand the readings I touch upon here. This should be an exciting, interesting and wonderful learning experience for us all! Feel free to comment as you wish along this blogging journey!