Crouch,+Calyanne

My name is Calyanne Crouch (Caly for short) and I teach 3rd-5th grade general music at the American School of Tegucigalpa, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. This is my third year at AST, though I previously was a substitute in the state of Illinois, where I am originally from, and was a music department assistant teacher at All Saints College, in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. This is my second year of my Master's of Multidisciplinary Studies from BSU; my undergrad degree and teaching certification is from the University of Iowa. Scrolling through the individual pages I saw that a former Iowa classmate of mine, Kyle Pape, took this course, proving just how small the world of international teaching is!

I live in Tegucigalpa, Honduras with my boyfriend and our mestiza Golden Retriever, Stella. In our free time we like to travel and take in as much of the varied beauty of Honduras and the surrounding countries as possible!



Assignment #1

While I sincerely hope that this course will give guidance on how to prevent conflict in schools, I am realistic that while differing situations of conflict may come and go, the presence of conflict will be consistent. The basics of identifying a conflict and the parties involved will be a great starting point, but I am hoping to learn how conflicts evolve over time and the actions that will either escalate them or de-escalate them. While many conflict themes are common, as international educators I think we need to be especially sensitive to the unique cultural needs of our student populations. An area that I believe would be key to resolving conflicts would be the participation of all stakeholders. Without a community's effort, history may be doomed to repeat itself as frequent student and/or teacher turnover can cause a lack of consistency.

Topics I would like to discuss in this course:
 * Community involvement in the de-escalation of conflict
 * Culturally sensitive conversation techniques
 * How minor problems can escalate into major conflict
 * Appropriate media measures during and after conflict
 * Group reflection after conflict

Assignment #2

As someone who is very sensitive to the prevalence and portrayals of negativity, hatred, and violence in the media, I came very close to suggesting a different film to discuss. However, I am very glad that I watched //American History X// as so much of the content felt so incredible timely even though the film is almost twenty years old. Many of the flashback speeches we see from Derek's days before and during his leadership position in the Disciples of Christ could be heard today in certain political rallies. At one point Danny criticizes Hilary Rodham Clinton. The scene discussing the Rodney King police brutality incident is a conversation that is incredibly contemporary with the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Both Derek and Danny have many influences on their lives that could be argued of as nature or nurture, yet sometimes these influences could be described as active or passive and these influences could evolve over time.

The Vinyard parents are both nature and nurture to Derek and Danny. They have obviously contributed their DNA, but we also see their belief systems imparted onto both of the boys, though it did surprise me how little the role of Doris Vinyard was explored. At first we assume that their father, who both Derek and Danny looked up to, was a selfless, loving man. It isn’t until more than midway through the movie that we find out that he is the one to plant seeds of hatred into his children’s brains. The father is guilty of many microaggressions such as the promotion of white literature over authors of color, criticism of affirmative action, and use of derogatory terms.

In the form of educators as nurturers we see both Dr. Sweeney and Mr. Murray, interestingly both were minority targets of white power groups. Ms. Murray was a unique influence in that not only was he a teacher who had given up on Danny, but he had attempted to court Doris Vinyard, sending Derek into a rage. One could argue that his resistance but lack of follow through would make him more of an influence of nature that nurture. Dr. Sweeney, on the other hand, was an educator with a knack to naturally nurture. When Derek was his student, he was one to provoke thoughts to open minds. Sweeney continued to encourage Derek through his time in prison after his rape. This was an excellent example of knowing the power of nurture can have a trickle down effect.

The biggest influence, first a natural influence through his presence near the beach, then as a nurturing figure, was Cameron. He was able to hone in on Derek’s skills and insecurities to make him the hateful leader that he was. He then used his power over Derek to influence Danny, then eventually was able to do the same to Danny as he had previously done to Derek. One could argue that it was Cameron’s ability to nurture the hate in insecure youth that brought the Disciples of Christ to the forefront of the white power movement and thus create the conflict between gangs in the first place.

Eventually Derek, once shown the error of his ways in prison, is able to nurture Danny out of his mindset, but not before it was too late. I think this movie is the perfect example of how nurturing young minds can be used for good, as in the case of Dr. Sweeney, or could be used for evil, as in the case of Cameron. Yes, these people were the products of their environments, but the active participants in the environments held sway over what characteristics the nurtured in our main characters.

Assignment #3

A. Remembering the film we just watched describe what the elements of a peaceable community or peaceable school might be.
 * ======What would a peaceable school or community look like?======
 * ======I think one of the most important elements in a peaceable school is the involvement of all community members or stakeholders. When all voices are heard and are important, all people feel welcome. The visual look of the school would indicate that this happens, with attractive design and visible signage of directions, resources, and highlights of all stakeholders. An equally important part of a school where all feel welcome is school upkeep, cleanliness, and maintenance. A school feels welcoming when everything functions properly and pride is taken in the campus.======
 * ======What elements of communication would be included?======
 * ======Communication through signage would be an important first step for visitors to the school, and should be followed with warm, friendly conversation, whether it be from students, parents, teachers, administrators, or support staff. A fantastic element of a modern peaceable school would be communication through a variety of electronic and social media methods, whether it be a classroom google site or the athletics department Instagram.======
 * ======What would be tolerated and what would not be tolerated?======
 * ======In a peaceable school, differences in lifestyle, opinion, culture, etc would not only be tolerated but encouraged as points of open discussion. We must, however, be incredibly careful facilitators of these discussions. We must not tolerate ridicule, threats, bullying, violence, etc. It is our job as educators to carefully monitor tone and intention in conversations as discussing controversial topics can offend some, and offense can lead to hate speech very quickly.======
 * ======What would the rules be?======
 * ======My personal rule for life, which in a properly peaceable school would also apply, is that as long as no one is hurting anyone, physically or emotionally, I am ok with it. My classroom rules are a bit more specific, where I ask my students to always be respectful, be responsible, and to be problem solvers.======
 * ======Would would the expectations be?======
 * ======The main expectation in a peaceable school would be to be a proactive participant. Students should anticipate any issues and work to resolve them before the come up. This applies to learning new concepts, turning in work, collaborating with classmates, and many other areas.======
 * ======What would the responsibilities be?======
 * ======In an ideal peaceable school, students would be responsible for all aspects of their education. That means each student would be equally responsible for each others’ academic and emotional well being, including that of their teachers, administrators, support staff, and parents.======

B. Do a web search for Oscar Arias

 * [] (This excellent website is mostly in Spanish)
 * []

D. Journal Entry #3 on your web page.

 * ======Describe how if Hank (your professor) came to your classroom or community he would observe the elements of a peaceable community.======
 * ======What evidence would he see?======
 * ======How will you promote peace in your community?======

=
While we all hope that an outside observer would see our classrooms as peaceable, I believe that the peaceability of my classroom is apparent through the student collaboration that takes place. To set the foundation of our class, all students work together to create a set of rules, expectations, and guidelines to follow throughout the school year. All voices feel welcome by sharing one-on-one with other classmates before bringing the ideas to the general class. Each class also works together to create their own performance assessments for the skills learned in music class. Once the class is set up and underway, each student must fully participate in order to make a full ensemble for the songs that we learn. Students have the opportunity to play instruments individually and thus the whole class learns that it is necessary not only to rely on one another, but to trust that each person will do their job. Peace promoted in the music classroom through positive modeling and through frequent discussion of musical choices, be it our own or that of professional musicians and composers. We also practice peaceable language in these discussions, stating facts and using person first wording to ensure positive intent at all times.======

=
As a school community, I think you would see a different picture now, in October of 2016, then when my friend and former colleague Ara Gallo described it in May of 2015. The school has taken many steps on the path to peaceability, including creating a 1st-12th house system in which the students work in mixed age level groups to bond with each other and help the greater community. The school is also addressing a serious bullying issue with new policies and a student run anti-bullying task force. While neither of these new programs have 100% buy-in from the students or teachers, they are important steps towards peaceability for a school that has struggled in the past.======

Assignment #4


 * Violence Perception Quiz: **

1. The rate of serious violent crime (Homicide, Rape, Robbery & Aggravated Assault) in the United States for the last 30 years has been fairly constant.  T1 F 4

2. Even though the population of the U.S. has increased from 200 to 300 million, fewer people are arrested for violent crimes in the United States now than 30 years ago. T 3 or  F 2

3. Proportionately fewer violent crimes are solved today than 30 years ago. T 3 or  F 2

4. The United States is in a period of extreme violence. T 1 or  F 4

5. The homicide rate in the western world has been steadily decreasing. T 3 or F 2

**Journal Assignment:** Do an individual reflection on what you thought, what you learned and be sure to comment on the following specific points. (250 + or -)

1. Why do you think the rate of homicide violence has gone down in the last 800 years?

2. Did you over or underestimate violence in the United States?

3. What did your 4 subject colleagues think about violence in general?

4. Why?

5. What did you think about this lesson.

If we look at the development of modern governance systems, it is obvious why the homicide rate has gone down. As laws have been created, governments set in place, and educational slowly spread to the general populace homicide has gone down because the people have gradually realized it is wrong and that it has the potential to be punished. The effect of the printing press and the media, I believe, has had a huge impact both on the rate of violence and its perception. The ability of news to spread originally helped lower the rate in my opinion. I do not think that it has much of an effect on the rate of violence in current times, but it definitely created a perception of increased violence based on negativity and fear mongering practiced. As someone who actively seeks out unbiased news sources and tries to avoid negative media as much as possible, this quiz proved that I had a relatively accurate view on violence in America. My perception subjects had an interesting split on their views that can be easily split along age lines. The subjects that were age 28 and 33 had a fairly realistic and analytical view of violence in the United States while the quiz subjects that were 62 and 63 had a more distorted view. I think this is because the younger subjects have been exposed to many different sources and must be able to think critically to decide fact from sensationalism; growing up with the internet has made them cautious of instantly believing anything that they read. I believe that while the older subjects were probably more likely to receive their information from traditional news sources, they have had less experience with media literacy which may affect their views. This activity was eye opening in the age divide, though I do wonder if the results would be replicable or were unique to those subjects. It would be interesting to compare these results with choice of news source, or, with the current situation, political beliefs.


 * Enhanced Interrogation Techniques **

As suggested on another classmate’s page, I have watched the following videos as an alternative to the broken url in the assignment description.

[|__Vanity Fair - Christopher Hitchens Gets Waterboarded__]

[|__BBC News Interviews CIA Legal Council that Authorized Enhanced Interrogation Techniques__]

While watching the demonstration of waterboarding, I can definitely see why the CIA deemed it effective to draw information out of alleged terrorists. It would seem to be incredibly effective on any person who had the answers to the questions that they were asking. As pointed out in the video, the problem is occurs when the individual subjected to waterboarding doesn’t have the information. In my opinion, it is at this point that it becomes torture. If it is not possible to know if the subject actually has the information desired, I believe that the CIA should have erred on the side of caution and not used these techniques. However, as highlighted in the BBC interview with John Rizzo, I also agree that it is a better choice to try to withdraw information from known terrorist to inform strategic choices than to use drone strikes to kill the suspected terrorist outright.

Above all else, I believe in basic human rights. One of the best things about the United States is our constant strive for basic rights for all humans, and I think that these rights should be applied to all people. If a mass murdering U.S. citizen has the right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment in prison, I see no reason why the same right should not be given to suspected terrorists in Guantanamo Bay. Some may say that those suspected of terrorism should not be treated so softly, however I believe that if we universally show more kindness, compassion, and respect to all people the world can be a better place.

Assignment #5


 * Describe a time when you saw someone's brain get "Hijacked" by their Amygdala.**


 * Then, write a brief (250 word+ or -) report describing what you observed or experienced.**

This topic is very interesting, because I believe that I experienced my brain being “hijacked” by my Amygdala about a month ago. On a five day weekend last month, I decided to take advantage of the proximity of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and get my certification to scuba dive. All of the theoretical knowledge and the practical knowledge of the using the scuba gear out of the water went absolutely fantastically. However, as soon as I needed to do the first task of sitting on at the bottom of six feet of water and breathing with a regulator, my brain went into panic mode. Even though I knew perfectly well that I would be absolutely fine, I felt like I was gasping for air and going to drown. My panic attack became so intense that I could not stay down in the water, had to come up for air, became unable to swim with the gear, and needed assistance to leave the confined water training area. After almost an hour out of the water I was ready to try again, and while I had fantastic trainers and even literal hand-holding, I was only able to marginally perform the most basic skills without the onset of panic and anxiety. I was able to try for a third and final time later that day, but the experience was a repeat of earlier and as soon as I went down in the water panic would set in. I was never able to feel comfortable breathing with a regulator or being more than six feet under the water, and it was deemed unsafe for me to continue with the certification.


 * Your Assignment: After watching this video is to share it with at least one other human being.**


 * A whole class would be better.**


 * Then, write a brief (250 word+ or -) report describing what you observed or experienced.**

What I found most interesting while observing others watch this video was not just that their body position or posture changed, but with that change came an increase in attention. I observed another educator and my non-teaching boyfriend watch this video. I found it extremely interesting that the educator who watched, and was likely aware of the power of body language, only made minuscule adjustments, such as sitting up straighter. My boyfriend, who was unfamiliar with concepts and works in a field that does not require being in front of people, made huge changes in his body position. He gradually went from sitting with collapsed shoulders and hand on his lap, to stretching out with one arm draped over the side of the couch and the other on my shoulders.

I found the power posing exercises from the video to be of particular interest. I have heard of them before, but never sought out to practice them as I have never felt them to be necessary. However, in this current time of political stress, combined with being a music teacher preparing for holiday concerts, I have begun incorporating them into my daily routine. So far the effects have been temporary but definitely felt. I do also use purposely inward body language at times with my students, to draw them into personal discussions. I notice that this has more of an effect on those students who also display inward body language.

I am also curious as to the religious power of body language. While some religions encourage prayer in an inward body position, such as on your knees, others encourage prayer with hands outstretched and arms raised. I wonder how intentional this is regarding the power of body language.

Assignment #6

“An active disagreement between people with opposing opinions or principles” or “Fighting between two or more groups of people or countries.” I think the most important part of this definition is that the disagreement is active, because it implies the possibility of an alternative to conflict while maintaining the opposing beliefs.

“The process by which two or more parties engaged in a disagreement, dispute, or debate reach an agreement resolving it.” It does not surprise me that no dictionaries have defined conflict resolution. A near synonym would be reconciliation, but it does not imply the larger beliefs of conflict resolution. To me, conflict resolution is combination of collaboration and negotiation.
 * Conflict Resolution - Study.com Definition: **

I think our current president-elect would be a prime candidate to examine for a “hijacked brain.” Mr. Trump has made many statements that are at the very least not politically correct in the past. When the press has brought these incidents up, his reactions have almost always been emotional in nature, either by avoiding the question and changing the topic, or by refuting the statement and verbally attacking the interviewer or subject in question. We have not yet seen how this will be resolved, though I assume a very large and creative public relations team will be involved.
 * Analyze one conflict that you have observed or participated in in terms of a "Hijacked Brain". This would be a conflict that started and escalated because of an emotional engagement. **


 * Describe what happened in the conflict above or the one you observed. Who was involved in the conflict, and how the emotional engagement of the Amygdala were all working to hinder the conflict? Question: Do the involvement of emotions and the Amygdala always hinder conflict resolution? Post your reflection, observations and comments on your wiki page. This is Journal Entry #6 A. **

Wow, what a court transcript to read! The conflict was between Judge Bryant Durham and the defendant Mr. Denver Allen, though the deputy sheriff and the court reporter were also present and minorly involved. While the judge started out with the best intentions, it was clear that Mr. Allen’s goal was to set off the amygdala to hijack the judge’s brain and that he was ultimately successful. What is unclear is when and how the amygdala of Mr. Allen was hijacked, and/or if it was caused by insanity. The constant explicit accusations and interrupting started to unlock the judge’s emotions, and by the time that Mr. Allen made threats against the judge’s family, he had completely lost his composure. For me personally, I think that the involvement of the amygdala would hinder amicable resolution of conflicts. Conflicts could definitely still be resolved with great emotional involvement, but it is much less likely to be respectful. However, there are many times that the amygdala could be quite useful in conflict resolution. The amygdala can help us form “gut feelings” about situations. When calmly attempted conflict resolution does not yield the desired results, perhaps because the conflict seems downplayed, involving the amygdala could assist by lending a feeling of passion to the conversation.

Growing up with a father who was a construction worker, I heard my fair share of foul language from a young age but also witnessed first hand how it can relieve stress. When something would not go my father’s way or he would hurt himself, he would let out a creative string of swear words and let it go, continuing unaffected. I have to admit that I have picked up this controversial habit. I found the prevalence maps very interesting, as the words that show up most in the Chicago area were absolutely the ones that my father favored. I also found it interesting that women who were in sororities had a tendency to swear more, as I was in a sorority and have been documented to swear more often. Although it is a few years old, I love the title of this article from Elite Daily, and that it is formatted as a list. __ [|Science F*cking Confirms It: 11 Reasons Cursing is Good for the Soul] __
 * Finally, post a reflection, observations and comments on your wiki page. This is Journal Entry #6 B. **

Assignment #7
When Derek is released from prison in American History X, he shows his appreciation of Lamont’s workplace friendship with a broken-up “I” message. He first states his feelings with “I have a funny feeling” and then the cause is mentioned with “the only reason I’m getting out of here alive is you.” He does not give an initial action statement of their friendship because it is implied. Lamont, acting as another rational adult feels empowered by the recognition of his effort.


 * Personal “I” Messages and Reactions **

1.Felipe, when you distract your classmates in music, They struggle to pay attention, And that makes me feel frustrated as a teacher.

I used this negative “I” message with a very intelligent student who struggles with behavior in my class. It did improve his behavior for the next day’s class period and has helped him make his behavior less distracting to other students. We are still working on having Felipe pay attention in general, though.

2.Michael, when you raise your hand quietly, I can see that you are doing your best to show respect, And I feel proud of your improved self-control.

I used this positive message with an attention seeking student who has been working on raising his hand and not calling out answers. This has encouraged him to keep up the good work and led to more critical think time for his classmates.

3.Arturo, when you come to bed early with me, We have more time to connect, And that makes me feel loved.

I used this positive “I” message in my personal life with my boyfriend. Communication is key in any relationship, and reflecting on positive aspects is a great way to strengthen bonds. Sharing this message with Arturo helped him see just how important that time is to me.

= (For Gigi) Your assignment is two final "I Messages" One corrective and one positive! =

Gigi, when you come to my house to borrow things when I am not home, it ignores the standards of consent, and I feel violated.

Gigi, when you ask if I am available or if you can borrow things, It shows respect for my opinion, And I feel our friendship grow.

Assignment #8
B: Follow these 3 links about Bullying and read the articles that you find there. [|__How to Cultivate a Bully Free Community__] [|__Resources to fight bullying at your school__] [|__What Neuroscience reveals about bullying by educators__] After reading these articles write a journal entry of about 250 words about what you learned and how you might use this information in your school.

Like all schools, our school is trying to combat bullying. However, one aspect that makes our specifically unique is that as a one of the only upper echelon private schools without a religious affiliation, we have to actively combat a reputation as a school lacking in virtue. To help us combat this, we have begun integrating our character education program into all classes and we have developed a cross-grade level house system built upon competitions and initiatives. Recently I was asked to become a co-coordinator of this house system in elementary school and I can see many of the ways to combat bullying as fitting really nicely into the house system. During this forty minute a week time, it would be ideal to practice compassionate communicate with structured opportunities to practice compassionate communication, creating “I” messages, and other mindfulness and empathy exercises such as yoga, meditation, etc. Of course it will be necessary to balance this with competitions, fun activities, and helpful acts. [|__This edutopia article__] has a few excellent suggestions on how to turn empathy into action, which is one of our goals in the house system.

Assignment #9

=

 * In a short 200 word (+-) tell if you agree or disagree with your Personality Profile from the test you took. **======

=

 * Are you a People Person, a Practical Manager, a Learned Expert, or a Creative Problem Solver? Comment on your wiki page. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">This is Journal Entry #9. **======

As suggested, I also gave the personality profile test to my boyfriend and it has been very interesting to compare our results! While we both came out fairly balanced with scores ranging from 19 to 30 points, the similarities and differences have surprised us! We both are learned experts in our most solid category, which makes sense as mutual mental stimulation is something we both crave in a relationship. Certain parts of the description - the argument for its own sake from him, and the sarcasm for me - hit very close to home! We also had similarly strong results as people persons, which we expected from our social lives but did not realize had an impact on our shared love of performing music. Where we differed greatly was in the areas of creative problem solving and practical manager, and I have to say that I do not 100% agree with the results. My second strongest category and my partner’s lowest was that of a creative problem solver, which on one hand I can see as I am always searching for the most effective solution to a problem. However, I see myself as much more of a practical manager, which was my lowest category and my partner’s highest, as I am constantly driven by deadlines and to-do lists. Perhaps I see these as incorrect results because of the nature of our careers; I assume that I am a practical manager because as an educator I am required to be one and likewise I assume my partner is more of a creative problem solver because he has to fix complex computer systems for a living.

Assignment #10

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__ [] - Here is the link to the full movie October Sky on YouTube__

>
 * 1) ** The role of nurture by the families of the two main characters, Derrick and Homer. **

One could argue that the family structure and style of parenting that effect each of the main characters’ lives is reminiscent of the time and location in which they are set. Homer’s family, set in 1957 rural West Virginia has two strong parent figures actively involved in his life during the entire film. Derek’s family, set in 1998 urban Los Angeles, loses it’s father very early on and the mother becomes decreasingly active in his life over time. In Homer’s family, his father makes all the decisions, including those of his children’s future, and expects them to be followed. In Derek’s family, teenage Derek attempts to take the decision making reigns after his father’s death but is ill prepared to do so. The essential conflicts stem directly from the control from father figures in both films - Homer’s from too much control, and Derek from too little.

>
 * 1) ** The role of the mother in the development of each of the two main characters Derrick and Homer. **

I do believe that had they been given the same circumstances, both Elsie Hickman and Doris Vineyard would have been equally nurturing mothers to their sons. Elsie Hickman encourages her son to pursue his love of rocketry, but ultimately submits to the will of her husband, John. In the flashbacks, we see that Doris Vineyard seems to be a loving and nurturing mother to her children while her husband, Dennis, was still alive. Later, through her short lived relationship with Murray, we are able to infer that she did not share in the racist microaggressions that characterized her late husband. Those microaggressions took hold in Derek, who, once exposed to the local white supremacist, took them to a completely new level. As Derek asserted himself as head of the household, his mother Doris loses her ability to guide him and though she does not entirely submit and agree to his will, she does give up her will to nurture him, and it appears much of her life heads downhill.

>
 * 1) ** The role of the teacher Murray in Derrick’s life and the role of Miss Reilly in Homer’s life. **

For Derek, Murray was not his teacher personally, though he did attempt to date his mother. Having recently lost his father, Derek of course is not emotionally prepared for this and ends up in an argument filled with racist rhetoric over the dinner table. Knowing that Murray is Jewish, conflict erupts and Derek gets his way as Murray stops seeing his mother.

Comparing Murray’s relationship with Derek’s brother Danny, who was actually his student, proves much more of a point. While we never see their classroom interactions, the film opens with Murray in the principal’s office because Danny has written his human rights struggle essay on the book Mein Kampf. Murray explains to Principal Sweeney that he can not deal with Danny any longer and would like him expelled. While I believe that Murray had every right to do so, it is also an example of giving up on the student. Principal Sweeney steps in to teach the course in his stead as he has not completely given up on Danny.

In October Sky, Miss Riley shows us the opposite model. She is consistently encouraging and advocating for Homer and the rest of the rocket boys. She provides augmentative literature for their interests, visits Homer’s home, and even advocates for Homer’s re-enrollment in the school once he has dropped out to work in the mines.

>
 * 1) ** The role of the two principals in the lives of Derrick and Homer. **

Contrary to the roles of Mr. Murray and Miss Riley, Principal Turner in October Sky is a source of conflict whereas Principal Sweeney in American History X is a source of resolution. It is principal Sweeney who initiates change in Derek while he is in jail, providing him reading materials, advocating for his parole, and keeping him informed of his family, especially the dangerous path that younger brother Danny is heading down. Principal Turner, on the other hand, does not encourage learning and change in his students. Most likely, similar to Homer’s father, he see’s his students as future miners and homemakers. He views their experimentation with rockets as dangerous and constantly stands in the way of their progress until the end of the film, where he does aid them in their trip to the national science fair.

>
 * 1) ** The role of the community in the lives of Derrick and Homer. **

The role of community, just as the role of nurture before it, could be argued as a product of time and place. While Homer was originally seen as an outcast for his high intelligence in his small, all white, rural 1950s West Virginia community, he was eventually supported and was able to spark enthusiasm in the town. Derek, hailing from a very racially diverse and divided 1990s Los Angeles, has trouble being accepted by a group after his father dies. Eventually he is not only accepted but flourishes as a leader in the white supremacy community known as the Disciples of Christ. Cameron Alexander knows the cultural climate of his city and preys upon those who are unable to fit in elsewhere. During his jail sentence, and with the help of Principal Sweeney, Derek changes his views and later informs his former community that he will no longer be involved with them. This does not go incredibly well for him and was most likely a source of future ongoing conflict. In a much less threatening environment, Homer does try his best to fit in with the mining community, taking his father’s place in the mine while he recovers from an accident. When Homer’s father recovers, Homer is able to leave the mining company to finish high school with some teasing but without major harm. Homer’s success inspires the mining town, who rally behind his success. Homer has changed their minds about science and academic pursuit; the same cannot be said for Derek and his community, who stay rooted in their racist ways.