By Sunday, 6-15 at noon, please post a blog response to one of these readings. Responses should be 1-2 paragraphs in length and should (1) outline/summarize the point/issue that stood out to you, (2) talk about whether you agree, disagree, or might nuance the point/issue based on your experience or other readings, and (3) provide some follow-up questions for us to consider as a class.
Topics/points/issues you might tackle (but don't need to if other issues stick out):
- how did you understand/experience Nieto and Bode's discussion of institutional vs. individual forms of racism and discrimination?
- how does your experience of racism and discrimination in schools connect with or differ from Nieto and Bode's?
- what kinds of service experiences have your students been involved with and how have they connected with or differed from my critical conceptualization of service learning?
8 comments:
After reading the Racism, Discrimination and Silence section of Chapter Four, I reflected upon the terms “colorblind” and “colormuteness”. I thought about how these terms are used in our society and in my own life. The text informs us that even well-meaning teachers often avoid the topics about race and racism by simply not discussing them in their classrooms. By avoiding the issue altogether they feel they are being a wonderful example and modeling to students that color does not matter. I have said it a million times myself, “it does not matter what you look like on the outside, it is the inside that counts.” Great saying, but it should not end there. Many teachers, including myself, act as though race does not matter in an attempt to not to label people and play it “safe” in today’s society. What an injustice we are doing! The book informs us that avoiding the topic of race and racism causes “educators to replicate the very inequities they say they want to erase.”
After my reflection I am thinking back to past teaching experiences and how I could have handled many things differently in my classroom. Thinking about the future and possibly working in a role next year where I will model lessons for teachers and provide resources across the curriculum, I will continue to search for ways to address diversity in the classroom. I agree with the What You Can Do section from page 74-75. Starting early to discuss human differences and similarities should be a part of the curriculum. I am going to suggest we use Patty Bodes idea where all students and staff members mix paint colors to represent their handprint for the beginning of the school year. Then hang these prints around the school to represent the diversity of each individual in the school. However, it should not stop there! What a great springboard for discussion and understanding individual’s backgrounds this could be! This leads me to wonder about other ideas to promote diversity in the classroom/school. What are other creative ideas/lessons/projects we can use in the classroom to help us discuss race and racism with our children? How can we be sure these activities are not merely “safe or fluff” projects, but actually meaningful plans that will promote diversity among our society?
In Chapter 4, Nieto and Bode make an important distinction between individual racism and institutional racism. Individual racism is a bias that a particular person may have towards a group of people based on their race. Institutional racism is when an entire system is set up to favor one race at the expense of other races. They assert that while individual racism can be hurtful and detrimental on an individual level, institutional racism is much more harmful to groups of people and society as a whole. Nieto and Bode state that the main difference between individual racism and institutional racism is power. For example, as much as an individual who is a racist may want to keep minorities in poverty, he/she could not do that alone.
In reading about these two distinct types of racism, I began to feel the guilt and defensiveness we discussed in class. While there is no doubt in my mind that as an individual, I treat people of all backgrounds equally, I begin to realize that I have probably been perpetuating the institutional racism of our school system. In reading the section Racism, Discrimination, and Silence, I could see myself in their description. Nieto and Bode could easily have been describing me as the “colorblind teacher”. I could not begin to count the number of times I have said the very statements they warn against. In the past I have believed that the best way to overcome racism is to unify everyone by minimizing our differences and focusing on our similarities as people. While I still see some value in this philosophy, I am realizing more and more that ignoring our differences only exacerbates the problem of racism at the institutional level.
What is the best way to deal with racism at the institutional level without being divisive on the individual level?
There were other issues that stood out to me in this chapter. However, I have not had the chance to go back and reread the chapter and look up some information on the Internet. So, I chose another topic out of the chapter that stuck out to me.
One of the issues that stood out to me in this chapter was the discussion of individual vs. institutional forms of racism and discrimination. I took that individual racism and discrimination is when one person has the ability to directly affect another person by saying hurtful words and placing everyone into one category. Even though they are saying these words they do not have the ability to limit the opportunities available to that person or specific group of people. However, institutional racism and discrimination can cause more damage by excluding groups of people and depriving them of opportunities that others may have. I then saw that even though the two are different they are intertwined. Individuals are the backbone of the institution. They are the ones who chose the policies of the institution. If we break down the big institution we would see that it all comes down to the individuals who are ultimately making the decisions for that institution. So, even though some individuals may not have any prejudiced; their part within the institution may cause them to come across that way.
After breaking down the individual vs. the institutional racism and discrimination I feel that I do not agree or disagree with the points made. I agree that the institution can make individuals appear prejudiced. As a teacher we can often fall under these categories since we work in a school. I also disagree with the individual racism. I think that one person has the ability to make a difference whether good or bad. It just depends on how you use your resources. Even though that person can not limit or enable the opportunities of a group they can inspire a new way of thinking and inspire the institution to make a change.
Some questions I have:
1. How does everyone feel about their take on teachers and the expectations of teachers within the school institution?
2. Do you feel your school would fit into this mold?
In chapter 4 I was a little upset when Janet Ward stated that African American males are suspended at a highly disappropriated rate. I had to go back to the class room structure and view my opinions on this. I had a 50% rate in my classoom and the make up of the classes were 80 and 85% respectfully. When when using statistics we must address the makeup of the whole. I will address this again nexxt year. Ms Yearwood addresses "atypical teachers" that seems to stereotype all teachers. It would be more beneficial to compare and contrast
teachers so that we all can find what works. What we can all do is work together. The What You Can Do states that we must start early. Thruth be told learning starts at home and we must try to undo what has already started. By the time a student reaches me I have years of undoing to do in a few months. I really like directly confronting racism and will use this at the begining of the year to help my students work together and through their biases and racial differences.
The case studies were very informative to me. Linda Howard says that we must learn that we are all americans, not black indian,or white. SHe also states that being from a bi racial family has helped and hendered the way she thinks and acts with different groups of people. She states that she "does not always fit in". But that people are just that "people". This is a good view. But how as teachers are we suppose to change the views of students that do not agree with this thought. She and Vanessa both identify with teachers that care. But Vanessa goes on to say that learning has to be fun. We as teacherws are mandated by what we teach in the classroom. Is it always fun? NO, but we have a responsibility to get through it anyway. Can we look for ways to make it fun? YES. Rashaud talks about Administers that do not listen. I truly agree that this is a major problem. We must be able to change and help our students to understand. There is no place for racism or bias in the classroom. I know that when the summer starts I will try to help my students see that we are all alike and try to disfray some of the racial/bias in my classroom. I want to insure that my class is colorblind. I want them to know that they can succeed a person and that I want to help them do this. Thanks to Linda Howard's case study I am aware that this can be done. I am looking for ways to help do this.
Much of my discussion points for Monday obviously came from this reading. On track now! But standing out to me the most is how my experience differs with Nieto's. Obviously Nieto is working and researching in diverse environments. My experiences as a teacher lie within Bullitt Co., which is 99.99% white. Frightening thought. But I see the broad spectrum within Bullitt Co. as well. I've seen students want to rally against the presence of the KKK at our school (oh yeah, that was an interesting experience for me). But I've heard my students make racist remarks in class that I've had to correct. One of the big things I saw identified by Nieto was the use of standardized testing and how this can be institutional racist. In my experience, most teachers hate the standardized test. Nieto points out that these tests tend to label our students and based on that labeling we place the students in tracking systems, regardless of how well the teacher may or may not like the student. This tracking process, of course, follows the student throughout their lives and is nearly impossible to break free of.
The irony being still that teachers don't like the standardized test. So, we try to incorporate lessons about multicultural writers, influencial people, etc. Sometimes, we swing entirely in the opposite direction. A perfect example is the use of the Striving Readers program at BC (Bullitt Central). The books in this series ALL follows black students and their experiences, which is a difficult connection for a group of white students. Some accept it well enough and then a large portion don't want to read it because of the lack of obvious connection the them.
Yet, I do agree that there does need to be some stndard that says "Yes, this student knows the material presented for this course." How do we change the standardized testing so that it is not promoting institutional racism and still provide assessments that can prove ALL students "get" the material?
After reading Chapter 4 the issue of teacher preparation stood out to me as the way to insure that teachers are able and comfortable talking about race in their individual classrooms. I don’t think teachers are prepared to discuss race with their students out of fear of saying something that would be controversial and get them in trouble with parents and administration. I think that administration sets a tone for teachers when it comes to how discrimination and racism are addressed at the school. This is were the institution and the individual collide, as teachers we are seen by the students as the representation of the institution, even if we don’t agree and are critical of the systems in place. Therefore, teacher training needs to be in place for new teachers and PD for current teachers that shows them how to address the discrimination and racism that they confront at schools.
We have this teacher at Highland that confronts racism directly. But in such a way comes off as racist. I think that’s part of the fear of many teachers. That if they open up a discussion of race they will be seen as racist. I really would like to have that discussion with my students. It is really hard with middle school students since everything is just a joke to them, even racial remarks. Sometimes it seems like I could talk until I’m blue in the face and it will just go over their heads. There’s one of my students that likes to put his hood over his head and look Klan like, he doesn’t get it that he’d be unwelcome because his dad is Mexican and his best friend in class is Muslim. Or that black girls that call the Latinas ‘Dirty Mexicans’ doesn’t mean that they’re racist. It’s all a joke to them and I’m still unsure how to get them to see what they are doing is perpetuating the problem. I understand that it needs to be addressed, but what do you say.
How do you have an open discussion and help students understand the systematic problem?
Upon reading chapter 4, I found myself reminiscing about different circumstances that have come up in my life. Using the section on Individual and Institutional Dimensions of Racism and Discrimination as a guide, I have experienced the pain. Being of a different race and living in a different community has caused me to see the assumptions in this world. I grew up in a predominantly Black neighborhood and virtually on the other side was a predominantly White neighborhood. So we pretty much stayed away from each other and did not socialize with one another except in the schools. But then going to school I remember being separated by race, but I did not realize it until I got older. I was in the group known as "other". Growing up I knew I was the minortiy, and I did not like being the minority because I felt like I was the one getting looked at differntly all the time. I went to a school that was predominantly White. It was hard to make friends sometimes- because I did not have too much experience being friends with people of a different race or culture because of where I grew up. My grandfather was White, but I did not grow up to see or meet him. So I had a lack of experience with that side of my family, and I had some rejections of people who I thought were my friends and they were White.
As an adult I have tried to overcome feeling like the minority. But some people will not let you forget it. I remember when I chose to go through a program to get my teaching certification- I had the hardest time trying to get it. I was treated with what I thought to be the most unbelievable racism ever. I had lost a lot of weight from the ordeal, and I lost a lot of sleep. The school I was put in had a principal that used her power to demoralize me as a person. For all the things that my partner-teacher was doing, I was blamed to be doing the same. So I felt like I was put into a category that had nothing to do with me. Therefore, the only reason being was because I was minority. So her power and position caused me to lose my job, and literally she tried to destroy me and tell lies to make me quit teaching--but I did not. Her comments about me to my face and my partner-teacher were discriminating. My question is what can we do as a human race to get away from stereotypes or what can we do to open up people's heart who are closed minded? (I apoligize for being late my computer was acting up and my 1st blog was lost)
Hey folks. I really enjoyed your take on the material, especially your questions, which will drive much of our discussion in the morning. In some cases, taking the time to reflect and write was probably liberating. On the other hand, it may have been disconcerting as well given the two dimensional nature of a blog. Hopefully it was more liberating than disconcerting.
What you have done is provide some necessary critique and questions of the authors along with attempting to take in their advice for you as teachers. This is the heart of organic intellectualism: recognizing our own limited views of the world while maintaining a position of healthy skepticism (and a desire to know more and dig deeper). This sensibility should serve you well as you continue to read provocative perspectives in this course and other material in your life as a professional. Our kids are depending on us to make the best sense of the world we can--to liberate ourselves such that we can help them liberate themselves.
Looking forward to the discussion tomorrow (and the Press Conference at VOA at 10). See you at 8:30.
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