Based on my history and sociocultural characteristics, I entered this classroom completely biased as to what high school should be like. I came from an upper middle class high school, where getting prepared for college was the main goal, and it’s scandalous if you didn’t continue on to a 4 year school, or at least community college. On the other hand at Providence West High School, college was a dream many kids don’t even think is an option for them. A lot of the students were in awe of me just for being a college student. It was shocking, and upsetting, to see that so many of the students had written off school already after getting it in their heads that college was an unattainable feat for them. I guess, coming from where I do, I just assumed pretty much everyone goes on to some sort of higher education after high school.
A challenge I definitely would face, being a teacher in this classroom, would be my lack of experience in diversity. I come from a predominately white area, whereas this classroom was predominately Hispanic and African American. I would as a teacher, and did as a tutor, struggle to connect with the students when it comes to culture and experiences. For example, I was helping a student, Tracy, figure out what to write her memoir on. So I started naming things that I would write mine on, a family vacation, a trip with a friend’s family, the trouble me and my friends got into when I was younger, and other things like that. Tracy looked at me like I was crazy. She told me she’s never been on a vacation, with her family or a friend’s family, and that she wasn’t allowed to go out with out a parent when she was younger. That definitely shows a huge difference in what I knew growing up, and what she knew growing up.
On the other hand an advantage I would have, is having grown up in a better neighborhood, and having gone to college. Hopefully, I could use that to inspire the kids to work hard and make them realize college is an option for them. I would want to use my history and experience to show them what they could have if they do well in school, if they learn the proper way to speak and write, and just focus. Many of these kids haven’t stopped trying because they are lazy, they’ve stopped trying because they think they don’t have options. If I could show them that they do, that they could amount to more then they expect, then my history and sociocultural characteristics have been put to good use.
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Ellen,
ReplyDeleteMany minority students feel uncomfortable with the traditional education system. They do not like the curriculum, process, or rules set out for them in class. Traditional education teaches them about past events, countries and societies, they will never see and mathematical and science knowledge that they will never use. Their dreams are limited, because many live in areas of the city, where education is not important, what is important, is getting a job and making money, to help support their family. Many do not have family incomes that can support a child going to college and some students have parents or a parent that did not attend college themselves. So, I can see why the students you observed at your school placement were so negative and felt like their options in life were limited.
If sociocultural changes can take place in our inner city schools, and with our teachers, students will then begin to feel better about themselves and their futures. Diversity is a challenge for our society, schools and teachers, but if we want to create a society in the future that is more sensitive and responsive to minority cultures, we need to begin to make changes. Theorist Ira Shor, argues that schools need to be defended as an important public service that educates students to be critical citizens who can think, challenge, take risks, and believe that their actions will make a difference in a larger society (Shor p.16). However, it must be all students including minority students and if schools demonstrate an awareness and respond to their distinctiveness, only then can we help students and their futures.
-Amanda L.
Hi Ellen,
ReplyDeleteYou've "unpacked" the possible influence of your biases, analyzing both their potential advantages and disadvantages. Such an exercise is an essential step in your journey toward becoming a culturally competent teacher.
Kudos,
Dr. August