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Subject: Samantha Putman Comments |
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Message no. 1639 |
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Author: Samantha Putman |
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Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 3:53pm |
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Hi Group 4,
I liked your website! It's really well done. From reading your website, I feel that I need to go read your book. For this project, I read a book about Muslim girls in public schools. The book presented a challenge about how to teach minority students. Your book seemed to answer some of the questions I had about how to conduct a classroom and teach minority students. For example, on your main points, you mention that students should voice their perspectives through their own culture. I thought that was an interesting suggestion. I would want my future students to see and interpret information through their own culture's perspective. How did your (group 4) perspective on teaching change after you read this book? I found the group's recommendation to be helpful but I'm curious as to how the book influenced your views on teaching. |
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Message no. 1650 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 8:16pm |
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I can't speak for everyone in the group--But I know that the book made me more aware of the reality of problems and tensions between whites and minorities in regards toeducation. It sort of gave me a better understanding as to what the conflicts between the groups are andwhy they are important. I think as a teacher, it is up to me to be able to utilize teaching strategies thatwill help all of my students as well as recognize when something is not working and to try diverse methods to ensure that they are learning. I think that I have also learned that it is important to build upon the knowledge that my students bring through their languages and cultures. I am human, I know that I will never be the perfect teacher, but through experience and constant self assessment and reflection, I can provide a classroom where all students excell. |
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Message no. 1675 |
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Author: Amber Wiederhold |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 9:30am |
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Hi Samantha, Thanks for the compliments. The book was an eye-opener for me as well in terms of students acknowledging their own cultures and teachers supporting them as they struggle. I like to think that in 2010 we've bypassed much of the racism and stereotypes present in the US in the 1950s, but it is still prevalent in today's schools. As you read in your book, students from other cultures struggle with keeping their culture alive and fitting in to the "mainstream" American culture. The biggest thing I took from this book is to recognize the struggles that students encounter with regard to culture and language. Thanks, Amber |
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Message no. 1768 |
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Author: Kyong Ahlstrom |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 2:10pm |
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Dear Samantha, I agree with Amber and Brianna wrote. The first step is, I believe, that conflict does exist in children from cultures that are not the mainstream US. I also know Delpit stressed the importance of open conversation between parents and teachers, not just in progress reports but in how the process of teaching differs between the cultures. We can learn from our parents who also educate their children at home and see how our teaching style may conflict with their's. Deplit stress that culture is not just what language we speak and what foods we eat but also how our brain processes information. Kat |
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Message no. 1791 |
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Author: Cassie Dubois |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 6:25pm |
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Thanks for your post, Samantha! The book opened my eyes because it challenged me to adopt the perspectives of other diverse learners, which was difficult at times. Ultimately I believe that in order to help students achieve their full potential, a teacher must understand and appreciate the background that each child carries into the classroom. I have also gained an enhanced perception of just how precious culture is. As teachers, we should celebrate and protect the unique cultures of our students. Cassie |
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Message no. 1887 |
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Author: Synthia Davis |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 11:48pm |
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Samantha, Personally, the book was an eye-opener. As I read I realized this book was written some years ago, but some of the issues Delpit discussed still exist in schools today. Just not to the extent that the author mentions. Much that is mentioned in regards to racism has lightened today. I am classified as one of the minorities Delpit mentions in her book; but as a future teacher I now have a better understanding of the conflicts possibly existing between minority students and their teachers. All in all, to me it has been a misunderstanding on how to reach every child. We cannot teach any 2 students the same because they are unique. I have learned that it will be my responsibility to reach all students by incorporating different teaching strategies; while managing a multicultural classroom. Most importantly, I see that every student brings knowledge to the table; and it is not my job to override their culture with my own. As an educator I will need to help them in embracing their culture in their success. Synthia
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Subject: Chinh Cao - Comments |
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Message no. 1641 |
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Author: Chinh Cao |
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Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 4:20pm |
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Good job on your website. It looks great. The topic of this book seems very controversial. Your reflective paper, main points, and reflections provided me with a good background of the information. From the content of the website, it seems that the author places the failure of teaching to diverse students on white teachers. Did the author also account for minority teachers and their role in that failure? How about the reverse argument of minority teachers failing to teach to a white student population? Is it really fair to place failure of diverse students mainly on the failure of teachers? In a recent MPR discussion, there was a similar debate about the failure of ESL programs. Over 60 percent of middle and high school ESL students do not end up passing. First, there is the English barrier which ties in to the understanding of other ideas and concepts such as history and science. Then, there are numerous factors outside of the classroom that a teacher can not account for which may contribute to that effect. Lack of funding, support, and facilities from the school may also contribute. How does the author explain these other factors? ~Chinh
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Message no. 1676 |
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Author: Amber Wiederhold |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 9:37am |
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Chinh, Thanks for your comments. My reaction to the book (particularly as a white future teacher) was exactly what you stated - that the mis-education of minority students is the fault of white teachers. Although this idea frustrated me, the book shed light on the issue of culture in the classroom and how important it is for teachers to respect the cultural backgrounds of their students. While I do not think it is entirely fair to place the blame for the failure if diverse populations on the teacher, I think it is appropriate for teachers to recognize the cultural issues of their students in order to better help them. The book was mostly based on cultural background rather than class. I think that the other factors (socioeconomic status of the students, funding of the schools, etc) are just as important as cultural factors in education and we as teachers need to do our best to help our students as they face the variety of challenges in their lives. thanks, Amber |
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Message no. 1704 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 9:36pm |
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Chinh-- Great comments. I don't think that the author was solely blaming white teachers, she was merely pointing out the reasons why certain methods are ineffective and not successful. Her goal is to help teachers recognize that there are other factors such a class, race, culture and language that can hinder children's learning, so they do not blame it on the child's lack of ability to learn. She admits that there plenty of minority teachers who are not effective teachers as well. These arguments are sort of overshadowed by the immense amount of experiences of racial discrimination and prejudices toward minority teacher, preservice teachers, students and parents she includes in the book. |
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Message no. 1892 |
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Author: Synthia Davis |
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Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010 12:05am |
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Chinh, You have a very good question. That was the issue I had in reading the book. I am one of the minorities she mentions in the book, but in a way it seemed to me that she was blaming “white teachers” for minority and poor students’ failures. The author mentioned minority teachers only in frustration with the education system, or other teachers. But it omitted the role minority teachers may have in that failure. Don’t misunderstand, Delpit does openly discuss the mistakes she has made in teaching which mirrors the same mistakes the mentions the white teachers make in the book; but I felt like the text really missed something. I would have valued reading a white teachers’ perspective. You are right; it would have been nice hearing the reverse argument. To sum up your questions, the author does address other issues; however, I think she is writing from a historical perspective. Yes! These issues still exist in American schools today, but not on the level she wrote about. Her interviews and accounts were taken in the 80s; and some of the teachers she interviewed taught in the 60s. To me the information is a tad bit outdated; but still informational. Thanks for your comment. Synthia
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Subject: Doris- Comments |
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Message no. 1652 |
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Author: Doris Ramirez-Campbell |
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Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 8:53pm |
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Hello All, I was very impressed by your website and found that you gave a good synopsis of your book. Delpit seems like quite the author and educator, I'd be interested to learn more about here educational background and research. Most, if not, all of you expressed the difficulty you had in "swallowing" her strong opinions and comments. How do you all think this affected your overall take on the book? Also I was glad to see in your recommendation that this book offers solutions on how to overcome the challenges of educating culturally diverse children. I thought that Delpit's point about native language retention and academic sucess would be of great use to policymarkers that aim to produce/mainatin culturally relvant programs like bilingual education. Does Delpit mention any of this at all in her book? Thanks for sharing your thoughts; I enjoyed browsing your website! Doris |
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Message no. 1829 |
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Author: Kyong Ahlstrom |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 9:37pm |
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Dear Doris, Delpit does not address policymakers but does write about the native population of Papua New Guinea in their creation of an education system that served their own purpose. The system of the Vilis Tokples Pri-Skul was created with the native population's voice. "The quest is for modernity...and authenticity, simulatenously, for seeing the world, but 'in our own way'". Katherine |
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Subject: Lindsy Starkey comments |
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Message no. 1681 |
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Author: Lindsy Starkey |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:57am |
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Great job on the website! Your RR was really interesting to me because the topic of bilingual education is appealing to me. I am will be working on an ESL add on at the end of the certification process and I think it will be challenging to teach in such a classroom. I think that this class alone has given me lots of knowledge with how to go about teaching a diverse classroom, but I expect to learn even more from experience in the classroom. A friend of mine actually teaches in an ESL setting in Carrollton. She teaches Kindergarten math and science to the students in English and then they switch classes and learn the other subjects in Spanish. She said that it is a "study" that the school is trying to see if the research proves true that the students learn better in their primary language along with English. I will be interested to know if they continue with this method. I agree with your statement that "If teachers do not differentiate instruction, their students will most likely suffer from an educational disparity based on their culture or class." For those like myself who are not yet teachers, this will be one of the most important things that we need to remember when establishing the setting of our classroom. |
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Message no. 1705 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 9:45pm |
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Thanks for your comments. I think that in today's classroom there so many different factors that effect student learning. It seems like the only viable solution to addressing all of them is differentiated instruction. One of the prevailing points of this class seems to be centered on "keeping our minds open." Sometimes our own experiences do not allow for us to comprehend the bigger concept, but teaching is so complex and there is so much more that is involved with the occupation.
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Message no. 1753 |
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Author: Lindsy Starkey |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 11:10am |
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Yes, I can expect to learn much much more as I begin my first year in the profession. Of course, there are some things that I tell myself I will do and will never do, but I know it comes down to the situation and the classroom itself. |
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Subject: Zachary Smith- comments |
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Message no. 1685 |
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Author: Zachary Smith |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:59am |
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Group 4, Wow, this book is controversial, but thank you for being candid and upfront in your assessments. I enjoyed exploring your site, but especially liked the personal reflections section. You guys got me thinking, and so I wanted to present you with a few comments/questions: •As I just mentioned, the “Reflections from Group 4” section was my favorite part of the website. A number of you voiced some concern about the author’s attitudes toward whites. Interestingly, the two reflections that did personally criticize the author in some way were written by minority students. For the minority students in Group 4: Was Delpit’s viewpoint one that you had wished other teachers would have adhered to when you were a student? For Group 4 as a whole: Because there seem to be varying yet equally strong reactions to the book among you, did your group have any trouble in your online chats agreeing on main themes or what content to include in the group reflective report? •In Robert Jensen’s Baltimore Sun article, he states that “in a white supremacist culture, all white people have privilege, whether or not they are overtly racist themselves” (Jensen, 1998). It seems that this is a point Lisa Delpit makes, as well. I would suggest though that America was so tired of the power and privilege of its white leaders that Obama’s black skin color privileged him in his presidential campaign. A platform of change carried by a well-spoken, intelligent black man afforded him a power and influence that may have surprised Delpit and Jensen who wrote their pieces in the mid-1990’s. What do you think? Do you think the white supremacist influence Delpit rebukes has waned a little now, considering that the leader of our country is a black man with a Muslim father? •Peggy McIntosh observes this about white Americans: “I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race” (McIntosh, 1988). Yet, black history month perpetuates this notion of white privilege by saying, “Observe this great inventor, politician, entrepreneur, athlete, etc. And look; he or she is African American.” Would Delpit encourage minority groups to celebrate and highlight their accomplishments until our public schools and educators take responsibility to fairly incorporate all minorities into America’s educational system? Or could focusing on race, even in a positive way, hinder racial progress in America? Thanks for the work, Zach
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Message no. 1706 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 9:57pm |
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Zachary-- Thanks for your comments and questions. In regards to wishing if my teachers had adhered to Delpit's arguments and viewpoints, that is kind of hard to answer. I personally didn't have problems as a minority in school. I was always part of the high achieving students and most of my GT classes and AP classes consisted of minorities. I do think however, that there were probably a lot students who would have benefited from our teachers having Delpit's viewpoint. I did relate to her arguments of how certain "white" progressive methods were seen as weak, imcomprehensible and non-effective, while the "black" tradition methods were respected and praised by African Americans. I think that perhaps white supremacist views have waned a litttle, because there is more of a conscious effort to accept and understand every race. However, having a black president could result in backlash with a resurgence of white supremacist beliefs as well. |
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Message no. 1893 |
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Author: Synthia Davis |
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Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010 12:52am |
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Hello Zachary, Thank you for your comment! This was a controversial book. I am one of the minority students Delpit speaks about in her book; but in answering if her viewpoint was one that I wished other teachers would have adhered to when I was a student, is not a question I can answer. In my schooling years, I did not experience the issues Delpit writes about. I cannot really relate to that aspect. I was in many AP classes; so I am not sure how other students may have felt. That is actually one of the frustrations I had in reading this book. To me, it is outdated. Her information is still useful because the issues she mentions exist in schools today; but not to the extent the author states. Our group did not have any issues with our online chats in agreeing on main themes or the reflective report. Actually, we shared our reaction to the book immediately. I think that as a group we accepted Delpit’s perspective and we understood what the author was trying to convey to her readers. Our personal reflection, or take on the information was similar and different in ways. I can say this with confidently: Delpit wrote honestly for the time in which it was written. But classrooms are more diverse today than ever before. Classrooms’ make-up is different from the classrooms Delpit mentions in writing. The white supremacist views Delpit mentions in her book have tapered off a bit because the society, as a whole, has made an effort to better understand other cultures and races. I am not saying they don’t exist, because many are hidden. For that reason, I think Obama’s presidency will open another can of worms on this issue. In reference to Black History Month, I do think Delpit would encourage all cultural groups to celebrate and highlight their accomplishments until our public schools and educators start to listen and realized that our school system is diverse. I think there will always be an issue of race, even with the progress we have made. When you think you have overcome a situation, there will always be an issue that sets America back a few years to a decade. This is just my opinion though. Personally, the Census form makes me question the progress made. Synthia
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Subject: Mansi Chahal-Sekhon Comments |
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Message no. 1691 |
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Author: Mansi Sekhon |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 1:08pm |
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Great website group 4! It seems that the majority of you all agreed that this book was a challenging yet easy read. This is such a relevant topic for it is so important to be able to be a teacher that can help those/relate to students of any background. A teacher should most definately avoid making any student in feeling inadequate or insecure in any way. "If teachers do not differentiate instruction, their students will most likely suffer from an educational disparity based on their culture or class. Teachers can cause these educational disparities by not offering clear and specific directives, or by not giving students curriculum that is relevant to their lives. " For me, this quote sums it all up. I agree with Ahlstrom, I too, have felt ignored or invisible in the classroom. This is a valid reason in why I also feel I will be able to be a better teacher to those students who are considered a "minority." I personally have not had the chance to have teach in a classroom with students from different backgrounds, have any of you? If so, how were you able maintain a balance within the students and keep every student in feeling secure?
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Message no. 1707 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:02pm |
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Thanks for you comments. Unfortunately I have not been able to teach a classroom of diverse students yet. I hope that when the opportunity arises that I will be up for the challenge. I think that perhaps by providing individual assistance will help me to concentrate and focus on what I can do to help my students learn. Also by providing an atmosphere where my students' opinions and ideas matter and are taken into consideration. |
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Subject: Dana Ricks comments |
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Message no. 1708 |
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Author: Dana Ricks |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:29pm |
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Hello Group 4, Your choice book looked very interesting and the website you collectively created was great! I found the content of your reflective paper very intriguing. Inclusive education is such an important topic for current and future teachers. I really liked reading your personal reflections on Other People’s Children. I saw a continuous complaint of Delpit’s seemingly superfluous commentary about white people’s educational failures. Brianna explains that, “Delpit offers intriguing suggestions and opinions, once you weed through the overload of anti-white teaching methods, dialogue of hatred for white teachers and mind-boggling despair felt by minority teachers, and the infinite examples of inconsideration, patronization, neglect and just plain oppression by white teachers, administrators and professors.” Even with the content basis providing quality ideas, did you all feel that Delpit’s generalizations overwhelmed you or deterred you from the book? Or, were you able to sift through her opinions and glean usefulness from the information? This line was very powerful in Katherine’s reflection: “Being a student of color, I have experienced times when I felt invisible to my teachers and my peers, that for some reason, my culture was a hindrance more than knowledge.” Katherine’s perspective personifies Warren Blumenfeld’s article reference: “When those who have the power to name and to socially construct reality choose not see you or hear you…when someone with the authority of a teacher, say, describes the world and you are not in it, there is a moment of psychic disequilibrium, as if you looked in the mirror and saw nothing” (Rich, 1986, p.199). One way to combat this in classrooms is to recognize and address diversity, and find ways to relate and teach to all students. It seems that the theme of inclusion and integration continue throughout this course. I noticed that your group emphasized the significance of understanding a student’s background and finding ways to teach specifically to them. Your website states: “The focus should not only be on what method (skill-based or progressive)to use in teaching our children but also in understanding the knowledge of the culture each child brings to the classroom.” What are some ideas that could individualize culture in teaching? Also, I was wondering the group’s thoughts on Delpit’s citation of the Native Alaskan community member who supported teaching students in their native language. Do you agree or disagree? What are your thoughts on bilingual education? Thank you! Dana |
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Message no. 1821 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 9:12pm |
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Dana- Thanks for commenting. I think that at times the examples and opinions expressed from her subjects were often overwhelming, and it provides conflicting emotions within the reader. However, I was still able to understand and appreciate her arguments. I think that assessment plays a large role in recognizing and understanding the knowledge that each student brings to the classroom. As far as how to individualize culture in teaching, I have no idea. I think that it would be a challenge, however by taking the time to ask and seek information from minority teachers, we would have a better understanding of what to look for and how to build on it. As research has proven,bilingual education is an exremely effective educational method, and I most definitely agree that it should be utilized for students. It helps to build on the knowledge that students already have, and helps to transfer that knowledge into something new. |
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Message no. 1827 |
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Author: Dana Ricks |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 9:29pm |
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I appreciate you replying back. I would definitely be interested in reading this book. It seems like the whole group benefited from the information. I agree with you about bilingual education.Because it is an extensive process, I think that it is challenging for schools to find ways to appropriately implement this program. But, I agree that it is a positive concept nonetheless. Dana |
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Subject: Michael Williams - Comments |
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Message no. 1713 |
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Author: Michael Williams |
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Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:55pm |
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Great website. I really enjoyed this book. There were some aspects about your reflections that I can agree with. Often I also felt that Delpit presents a narrow view of the educational experience for the economically disadvantaged. They seemed a little selective at times, and rang of things outside of anything I had ever experienced or observed. But then again, I have never really been economically disadvantaged. I think equal access and opportunity is probably a universal truth with regard to ideal education. But with all of the conflict over cultural boundaries, economic disparity, and even just biases and prejudices about how schools should properly run, achieving a truly equitable system seems impossible. The idea that the differences concerning culture and race exist in the relationship between students and the educational construct, rather than educators or other people is very interesting. I have not read much about this aspect of education reform outside of bias inherent in tests and assessment. Have your readings brought about any texts related to this topic? |
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Message no. 1876 |
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Author: Synthia Davis |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 11:15pm |
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Hello Michael, From what I understand, you have read this book as well. In my opinion, Delpit’s narrow view reflected the time this book was written. Although, the points and issues raised are still prevalent in our schools today, I do not believe they are to the extent that was explained. You are right; equal access and opportunities are universal truths that epitomize the ideal education. When it comes down to it, in regards to educating all children, there will never be a consensus on how to achieve equality and it does seem impossible. In reference to your question, can you elaborate a bit more for me? I am not sure what topic you are inquiring about. If any of my group members understand and can answer…feel free to jump right on in. :) Thanks for your comment. Synthia
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Subject: Samantha Putman Comments Part 2 |
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Message no. 1752 |
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Author: Samantha Putman |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 11:06am |
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Hi group 4, Dr. Daza said on the discussion board that we all need to reply once to our own group and then twice to another group in order to hit the target five original responses for this session. I really found your book to be interesting, so here are a few more questions I have in regards to the book: Did the book talk about the certain needs of individual groups? I would like to find a book that would mention the special needs that students from certain cultures would need. For example, the book I read was on Muslim girls. For that group, teachers need to be aware that these students do not want to talk to any males outside of their culture. Does the book mention that certain groups have certain needs that teachers need to be mindful of? Also, what was the most important thing that you learned from the book? For example, if you wanted to pass on one thing you learned from the book to other teachers, what would it be? thank you for answering my questions again! You guys did a great job! |
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Message no. 1810 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 8:04pm |
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Samantha--- I think that most important thing that i learned from the book, is to be aware and considerate of all of my students. Do not judge or make assumptions based on the little information or prejudiced opinions that we have. We have to make an effort to acknowledge that the cultural differences exist and that we don't always have the right answers or methods in regards to dealing with and education "other" people. The thing that I would pass on to other teachers would be to have an open mind. |
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Subject: Scott Imes comments |
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Message no. 1756 |
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Author: Scott Imes |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 11:39am |
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Group 4, I really enjoyed your site. I am wondering how the values of an influential family or families impacts the schools attitude toward education? What should and shouldn't be addressed. Religious concerns in the classroom, etc.? Does the high volume of non-white students in today's classroom effect how teachers address the social belief of different cultures. How sensitive are teachers to the need of special groups like Muslims, special education students, etc.? I look forward to your response. Scott |
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Message no. 1809 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 7:54pm |
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Scott--- I think that the high volume of non-white students should affect how teachers address the social belief of different classroom, but as Delpit indicated in her book, it really doesn't. Most teachers are still not taking into consideration the cultural, linguistic and social factors that effect the dynamics of the classroom. It just be obvious that a responsible teacher is supposed to sensitive to her students, our actions and words also affect the motivations and desires of our students. |
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Subject: Mansi Chahal-Sekhon comments |
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Message no. 1762 |
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Author: Mansi Sekhon |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 12:32pm |
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I really enjoyed reading, from this session, about the teacher who would purposely speak in a heavy accent in order to help those students (the students that spoke English as their second language) feel comfortable and participate in class discussion. This is a great example of a teacher communicating in a positive way with a student. Like you all said, "In order to best serve a diverse classroom, the content should not mediate the teacher-student relationship, but rather the strongest bond should be between the teacher and the student." If there is a strong enough bond between the teacher and all the students then there is no conflict. The issue of cultural conflict could be avoided if a teacher is able to help make his/her students feel comfortable enough to speak up and participate in discussion. This could be beneficial for all the students for they could essentially learn from one another. Of course, I realize this is not an easy task to accomplish, but if there are more teachers who are willing to teach of different cultures and really connect with all their students then I think the benefits would outweigh the negatives. |
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Message no. 1808 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 7:50pm |
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Mansi- I think that you are absolutely right. Students would be more willing to participate and make the effort to learn if they felt comfortable in the classroom. Classroom can be intimidating for English speakers as well, so it is probably ten more uncomfortable for students are not fluent in English. Once teachers break down the barriers of intimidation and fear of humiliation from others, it creates a better learning environment. Students need to know that they are in a "safe" environment and that no one will look down on them because of their capabilities. |
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Subject: Leonard Lastine- Comments |
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Message no. 1782 |
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Author: Leonard Lastine |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 4:59pm |
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Good Job on what appears to be the toughest book of this session. It was interesting to me what a different feel I got reading the quotes and the author’s bio as compared to your group’s personal reflections. The author’s quotes seemed to be very philosophical and positive, while it appears that most of your group had a very different reaction to the text. Race is an extremely sensitive issue and when the voice of the oppressed it finally heard, I guess that it will often sound harsh. I was reminded of the interview with Lance Black and his focus on “agitating” the norms. While people search for equality, I often hear what I perceive to be an anti- white message. This is troubling for me as a white male headed into the teaching profession. Your group did an excellent job of looking at a book that appears to be “agressive” at best and finding both personal and professional connections. At the very least, it seems that each of you had a soul searching, eye opening experience with this book. Thanks
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Message no. 1787 |
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Author: Eunice Harman |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 5:13pm |
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Leonard, Yes, this was an interesting book, yes, soul searching, yes also. I, at times, had a hard time with the “us against them” attitude that was apparent in the text. However, like you said that when individuals feel oppressed and make their voice heard, discard and disequilibrium can be experienced. As a white female that has been in the teaching profession for several years, I that learned over time how to help students reach their potenial, all kinds of students—so don’t get discouraged—we are all learning in this class, taking in knowledge-some new and some review. Harman
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Message no. 1807 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 7:44pm |
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Leonard---Thanks for your comments. I actually really enjoyed the book. After rereading my reflection and reading the comments from our classmates, I feel as though I completely bashed the book, which wasn't my intent. Delpit's arguments were extremely informational and are warranted. She also offers great resolutions that help to achieve progress in the conflict over traditional vs. progressive. However, I think that the reader gets bombarded with a lot of examples of racism, discrimination and unhappiness, that it distracts for her intents and it turns some readers off, especially the ones she is trying to reach. |
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Subject: Michelle Pultorak - Comments |
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Message no. 1790 |
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Author: Michelle Pultorak |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 6:05pm |
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Hi Group 4, Your website gives a great synopsis of your group book. Your book discusses Delpit's strategies for teaching a multicultural classroom. Does Delpit offer examples or strategies from ethnically heterogeneous classrooms or just from ethnically homogeneous ones? The website seemed to posit that Delpit expects teachers to teach based on the cultural background of the child as the best way to enhance learning. Can one person demonstrate understanding of many diverse cultures in order to effectively teach a diverse classroom or would it be easier to have an appropriate representation of teachers that reflect the community in which the school resides? Should it be a combination of both? Thanks for sharing your group insights, Michelle |
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Message no. 1805 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 7:37pm |
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Michelle-- Thanks for you comments. Delpit offers a lot of examples of teachers who are successful at teaching minorities. I think that because her focus is on the "other" most of her examples were predominantly African American and Hispanic, Alaskan Indian, and the children of Papua New Guinnea. In regards to your second question, Delpit advises that teachers should seek information from minority teachers that represent the culture of the students as well as the parents of children, in order to gain the insight needed to address the cultural differences. She also argues for the need of more minority teachers to represent the minority children in the classrooms
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Subject: Amber's comments |
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Message no. 1795 |
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Author: Amber Wiederhold |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 7:04pm |
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Hey group, Great work this session! What did you guys benefit from most this session? What were your expectations versus the reality you experienced when reading "Other People's Children"? It has been a true pleasure working with all of you. Amber |
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Message no. 1802 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 7:28pm |
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Amber--I think this session gave me insight to the reality of classrooms with minority students, and the possible problems that I will run in to regarding developing my own teaching methods and strategies. This was a book that I was interested in from the beginning, and I'm glad that we were able to get the book for our project. I enjoyed the book and the read exceeded my expections. There was a mixture of feelings regarding some of the authors viewpoints , but overall, it made me think and form my own questions. I appreciated the knowledge that i gained from the book. |
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Subject: Brianna's Comments |
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Message no. 1800 |
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Author: Brianna Domino |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 7:23pm |
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Hey Ladies, I think we all did a great job on our group project and I enjoyed working with everyone. What is the most important thing that you will take away from this book? How has this book altered your view of your future classroom? |
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Message no. 1897 |
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Author: Amber Wiederhold |
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Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010 12:53pm |
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Brianna, For me, the most important thing is to recognize the struggles our students may be facing with regard to culture and language and be support of them and their needs. If we are not teaching effectively to all of our students, then what is the point? This book helped me realize that bringing to culture into the classroom is appropriate and, at times, necessary. Thanks! Amber |
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Subject: Jen Tellez Comments |
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Message no. 1830 |
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Author: Jennifer Tellez |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 9:39pm |
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Group four, Thanks for sharing the site. The book sounds interesting and definitely touches on concepts I've seen throughout my education courses. "Teachers should be aware of how these cultures may have shaped their students’ process in learning and seek out methods of integrating these learning processes into their classrooms." We've seen this quite a bit throughout class(es). Students bring with them a rich cultural knowledge and history, and we need to incorporate this culture into new learning experiences for students. “Please Lord, remove the bile I feel for these people so I can sleep tonight” (Delpit, 1995, p. 22). This is a pretty powerful statement. What was the context in which Delpit made this statement? As Cassie said, you can argue with points, but you cannot argue with feelings. Obviously, some thing(s) made Delpit feel this way, and I think it should not be ignored. “All children need parents and care-givers who are not broken down or chronically depressed by the struggle to survive, find and keep jobs, earn enough money to pay the rent and light and heating bills, and have transportation to go to work” (Murray, 2005). In our choice book by Demerath, one female high school student suffered greatly, ultimately dropping out, because her parents divorced, and her dad ended up losing his apartment because of inability to pay. Home life absolutely impacts a child's school life. Teachers can choose to ignore it, or they can choose to pay attention and help as much as possible. Where do you think the "line of responsibility" is drawn for teachers? When does helping become too much? Jen |
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Message no. 1845 |
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Author: Kyong Ahlstrom |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 10:08pm |
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Dear Jen, The quote was in context to the "silenced dialogue" of teachers of color. I believe Delpit was quoting a teacher of color in her frustrations in not being heard by her fellow white colleagues. Delpit wanted to stress the importance of hearing alternative perspectives especially those of black teachers who teach in a multicultural urban school. This encompasses the disconnect that white teachers have with the community they teach in. Katherine |
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Subject: Doris-More comments |
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Message no. 1834 |
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Author: Doris Ramirez-Campbell |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 9:52pm |
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Message no. 1878 |
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Author: Synthia Davis |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 11:24pm |
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Thanks for the comment Doris, I loved these quotes as well. Even though Delpit focused on the teachings of minority and low income children by white teachers, I think she also included some valuable information for any teacher in the classroom. It is really more than just teaching. As educators in the classroom, we must sometimes put our beliefs on hold for the biggerpicture. It is our job to teach the students to succeed in society, without losing their cultural pride in doing so. Delpit really had so many good quotes to choose from. We tried to narrow them down to 2-5, but some were just too good to exclude. Synthia
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Subject: Kat Ahlstrom Comments |
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Message no. 1848 |
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Author: Kyong Ahlstrom |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 10:16pm |
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I believe Delpit's proposition for a solution to educating students from diverse backgrounds is not to define every culture and what works best for them but having teachers understand that culture can be a tool utilized in a diverse classroom to solve problems where they may arise. Katherine |
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Subject: Xinxing Xie's comments |
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Message no. 1850 |
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Author: Xinxing Xie |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 10:23pm |
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Hi, Group 4, I found your website easy reading, especially you listed your main points by asking and answering. It is great! I think the book you chose is mostly related to this course. It is teacher’s responsibility to adjust curriculum and teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students. In U.S., white students are mostly benefited from the school resource and instruction. Minority students are often posed lower expectation from teachers and the whole society. This disparities and injustices would be lighten when teachers begin to care about the culture, community of minority students, and adjust strategies according different cultures. I believe each student has strength or potential strength to academic success. Recognizing the disadvantages that minority students face in school, we, as teachers would educate them more effectively. I think this book is a perfect reading for all teachers. In your second point, you said that the solution is not to replace the students’ culture with the dominant but to integrate it into their own culture. What do you think is the effective way to integrate the dominant culture into their own culture? Especially when their culture is opposite to American values? Thanks for sharing! Xinxing Xie |
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Subject: Christina Melvin - Comments |
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Message no. 1854 |
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Author: Joy Melvin |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 10:32pm |
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Hi Group 4, Nice job on the website! After reading through the website about the book, a sense of uneasiness enters in. I like the concept of learning about other people's cultures, in particular, your students' cultures. It's a necessary and important part of reaching them at their core value. At the same time, I wonder, at what point are we stereotyping students based on their culture. While family background plays a huge influence on each students experiences and understanding of the world, each student is still a unique individual. I wonder at what point we cross the line from learning about the student's culture into stereotyping them by their culture. In previous classes, we have talked a lot about the effects of labeling. How do we know when we are labeling students based on their culture versus learning about their culture for their benefit? Does the book talk about this and how to effectively do this in a classroom without falling victim to racial stereotyping? By treating others differently based on their minority status or family background, even if it's positive, aren't we just perpetuating racial stereotyping? I think it is extremely important to acknowledge students' cultures and to learn about who they are, but I also am not sure to what extent it should be a part of my classroom/student management. Is this too risky to incorporate in the classroom? Please let me know what thoughts you have on this and what the book says about it. Thanks, Christina |
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Message no. 1896 |
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Author: Amber Wiederhold |
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Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010 12:50pm |
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Hi Christina, Thanks for your questions. I see what you mean about labeling and perpetuating stereotypes, but I think Delpit is mainly concerned with teachers being aware of the cultural struggles their students may experience. To me, there is a difference between being aware of something that may affect a student and adding your own label to a student. Delpit talks a lot about the impact that culture has on the way a student learns and participates in the classroom, and even refers to a school in Fairbanks, Alaska where the "parents are frequently called in for conferences. The parents' response to the teacher is usually the same. 'They do what I say; if you just tell them what to do, they'll do it. . . ." (2006, p. 35). She emphasizes a knowledge of culture to avoid other types of labeling, such as problematic behavior, special needs, etc. For me the important thing is that the student and teacher should have a mutual understanding of the expectations of cultures; the student should be aware of the cultural expectation and school and the teacher should be aware of the cultural expectations placed upon students. Thanks, Amber |
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Subject: Sarah Shahsavari comments |
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Message no. 1856 |
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Author: Sarah Shahsavari |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 10:33pm |
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Group 4, Thank you for sharing your wonderful website! It seems that much of what Delpit is arguing is very similar to what we’ve seen in a number of our assigned readings. We see that Delpit stresses the importance of having each educator becoming familiar with the communities their students come from, for it gives them a better idea of the education they bring into the classroom. For instance, in my group’s book, “All American Yemini Girls,” if the Dearborn high school teachers had no idea about their students’ backgrounds, traditions, and cultures, it would provide a big problem. In fact, even though educators have an idea of their students’ backgrounds, they do not fully understand it, causing conflicts in the learning department at times. What Delpit argues is the perfect example of how these conflicts can sometimes be avoided, through learning about each student’s community. Another main point of the Delpit book you guys mention is the idea that Delpit suggests as educators that we should not replace the student’s culture with dominant, but we should attempt to integrate characteristics of the dominant culture into theirs. This topic has often caused much debate, not only as we’ve seen in our reading materials, but also among our classmates on the discussion boards, etc. Some believe this is in fact a necessity, but others believe that there is not way to integrate the dominant culture without implying that the dominant culture is the “right” or more important culture. However, while educators’ intentions are more than likely never the latter (except in certain cases pointed out in some readings), students do at times believe that educators are taking part in the latter. Does Delpit suggest certain ways to avoid this? How do you guys ultimately feel about this main idea? Thanks again for sharing! |
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Message no. 1898 |
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Author: Amber Wiederhold |
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Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010 1:01pm |
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Sarah, Thank you for your comments. I saw a lot of similar fundamental concepts in our book and your group's. Delpit does discuss the culture of power and emphasizes code-switching. She states, "I further believe that to act as if power does not exist is to ensure that the power status quo remains the same. . . . I prefer to be honest with my students. I tell them that their language and cultural style is unique and wonderful but that there is a political power game that is also being played, and if they want to be in on that game there are certain games that they too must play (2006, p. 39-40). I think a very important part of education, particularly in diverse environments, is doing exactly what Delpit suggests: be supportive of students and their home cultures but also emphasize to them why it is necessary to cater to mainstream culture at times. Hope that answers your questions! Amber |
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Subject: Cynthia Thompson - Comments |
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Message no. 1873 |
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Author: Cynthia Thompson |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 11:07pm |
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Group 4, Good job on your website. I enjoyed reading through it. Delpit’s book is one that I thought would be very interesting to read. It is obviously one that incites controversy as well as a barometer for deep soul searching. The reflections of your group covered the gamut from apparent indignation to some level of capitulation. I think most of all it demonstrated your willingness to stretch yourselves to whatever level it required in order to be fair and effective educators. Like most of you, I found myself dealing with the ideals raised by the author, against the stark realities of implementation in a world where the very stakeholders that she highlights as critical, are often times not accessible the parents. I think that the most encouraging thing that came from your group is the acknowledgement that we as educators must ultimately be focused on teaching to the student, not to some line in the dust. I would like to know how you react to the analogy of teaching to a group of children in New Guinea, versus the challenges of culturally binding a group of diverse children in a typical American classroom. Cynthia |
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Message no. 1888 |
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Author: Cassie Dubois |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 11:50pm |
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Cynthia, Thanks for your response! I agree with all of the points you made. In a perfect world, we would be able to communicate with all parents, who would offer encouraging and deeply significant advice in order to best serve their child. It's not a perfect world, so we have to remember that we do what we can, and ultimately we have to look at the student as an individual and assess what approach is going to work best for them. As far as the example she provided of teaching in New Guinea, I thought her research was very interesting and insightful, but not exactly applicable to an American classroom. For any given teacher, a classroom could represent a number of cultures, which all need to be acknowledged with the respect with which they deserve. Additionally, these cultures are different from the cultures of those living in Papua New Guinea. The American classroom's culture is compounded by the abundance of diveristy, which can make it much more difficult to address when teaching. Thanks again for your post :) Cassie |
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Message no. 1901 |
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Author: Cynthia Thompson |
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Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010 2:16pm |
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Cassie, Your comments mirror my thoughts exactly. While the story of New Guinea was interesting, I had difficulty grasping the real applicability to contemporary American classrooms. My impressions of the New Guinea setting would include a group with some similarities in their cultural heritage, while a classroom in our local school might be made up of totally different cultures, races, socioeconomic and religious backgrounds. Obviously, the challenge of effectively ministering to the latter group has far greater challenges. Thanks, Cynthia |
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Message no. 1895 |
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Author: Kyong Ahlstrom |
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Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010 11:31am |
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Dear Cynthia, I believe the research Delpit conducted in Papua New Guinea is applicable to the US education system especially in the context of urban schools. Delpit writes, "Their struggle has great relevance to my present work with African-American parents who push urban school systems to include African and African-American content in the curricula offered to their children." (Delpit, 2006, p. 75) She wished to relate "Afrocentric curriculum" in the context of international perspective. In Teaching to Change the World, Kay Goodloe writes about how she uses cultural language such as Eubonics to build on her students' knowledge. "I am committed to creating a safe environment within my classroom, where my students feel comfortable expressing themselves regardless of the language that they bring with them, be it Ebonics, Splanglish, or other English dialects...to facilitate my students' acquisition of mainstream English, all of their assignments must be written in "standard" English. The majority of the time, I communicate with my students using Standard English, but I feel that it is also necessary to model code switching in the classroom." (Oakes & Lipton, 2007, p. 99). She also adds, "An effective teacher cultivates a classroom in which all student voices are valued." I believe this is the issue Delpit was trying to address with her study in Papua New Guinea. That in urban schools not only do parents of the community should be heard but teachers should never silence the voice of their students. I do not believe Delpit wants teachers to address every culture students in a classroom may come from but to see what is not working and if something doesn't work that a cause may be cultural differences. Teachers should utilize culture as a tool in solving problems in the classroom. Katherine |
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Message no. 1902 |
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Author: Cynthia Thompson |
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Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010 2:32pm |
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Katherine, I take no issue with the main points that I inferred from my review of your website's summarizations of the writer's positions. Quite the contrary, I find significant value in a position that encourages enfranchisement of all. My hope is to be inquisitive enough to learn good techniques to translate the bulk of her ideas into workable solutions to fit the reality of a diverse classroom similar to what we encounter daily. Your comments shed additional light on how some educators are perhaps doing just that. Thank you. Cynthia |
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Subject: Amanda Robertson comments |
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Message no. 1890 |
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Author: Amanda Robertson |
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Date: Friday, March 26, 2010 11:56pm |
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Wow, interesting book. It appears that the author says that introducing diversity into the classroom will bring more sensitivity and self-awareness for the student. I wondered if this setting was common. The author also suggests that assessments need to be based on the individual. That classrooms be authentic and the material to make connections with our world. This sounds to be an alternative way of teaching; something found in charter, academies, or montessori schools. Does this author encourage teachers to be aware or to change our ways in the classroom if we teach at traditional schools? I like the quote that mentions that her current beliefs resemble the belief system that she was raised to know. I like this way of teaching that she suggests and think that the earlier we teach others to be aware and sensitive the more likely they would beunderstanding.
ladies,
It has been a pleasure working with you all on this project--I have been exteremely
overwhelmed this weeked with projects due in each class--I don't know how I got so far
behind with spring break just a week ago. So this is to say thank you your timely
responses to our other classmates and I appreciate each of you taking up my slack.
The book was very interesting, even if I don't agree with all veiws expressed. I think
that we should look at the whole child !!! We need to look at all the factors, the factors
that this session was so heavily entrenched in, to identify what works best for the child.
Again thank you for your hard work and it was a pleasure.
Harman
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