Chapter 9: Children and Poverty

    14 million children living in poverty, 56% of marriages ending in divorce, 900,000 teenage girls pregnant each year ( that does not even take into account the adults who are not ready to fully care for a child), 1 million children homeless;  The statistics in the United States regarding poverty, divorce, unwanted pregnancy and homelessness make the goal of being a highly competent teacher seem more important than ever.  I am up for it, but my goodness, I wish there was a way to make a change to the culture that is the root cause of the poverty.
      I am certain I will spend a good amount of time trying to better understand the root causes and factors involved in poverty.  I know that education is the way to this goal.  Maybe someday I, along with a team of other thoughtful individuals, will develop a system, a guidebook, something that can help people get commited to their education,  their families and to their future.  Our future, as human beings who wish to truly enjoy this amazing world we have been given.

Thank you for doing your part.  I promise to do my best to do mine.

Chapter 8:Human Geography

     The study of Human Geography is not only fascinating, it is essential to growing into a highly competent educator.  Each persons identity is closely linked to the place in which they grew up. A persons identity will certainly effect the way they learn.
     While it would be near impossible for an educator to be familiar with every unique culture in the world,  it is important to learn about each of the cultures of our various students as we encounter them in class.  Not only will it be fun to learn about the different cultures, but I believe it would be appreciated by the students.  I have heard it said that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. I believe it would make for a very enjoyable teaching experience to make this learning about the various cultures of our students and their families a standard practice.

Assigned: How can we effectively address globalization issues in our classroom?

     After watching the youtube video on the negative effects of globalization in class, I realized the key to making positive change in the world is awareness.  I believe most people in the world want to do what is good for the people who live here and the planet we live on.  There is so much information for and against thinking globally, it can make your head spin.  I will definitely be doing more research in this area.
     For now, I think everyone can agree truly helping people who are in need, wherever we find them, is a worthy venture.  As for helping our students to become aware and involved, I would first start locally.  I would arrange for groups of my students, as they were able, to help out with some local organizations who help people in need.  For example, The Society of St. Andrews organizes groups to pick leftover fruit and vegetables from trees and fields which are not being harvested or have already had the main portion removed.  The Mustard Seed, Coalition for the Homeless and Second Harvest are also great organizations who would be happy to help groups of our students get involved.
     Once the young people have had the experience of helping people locally, some will be ready for grander adventures helping people around the world. The key is to make the children aware of the reality by inspiring them to get  involved locally.  Then you could have them do a short writing assignment or an oral presentation on their experience.  Next you could show them a video on need around the world. Finally, you could have them complete a project on how to get involved globally.  This could include finding out where there is a need for food or education?  What organizations are currently or planning on working with that community? What are the costs involved?  Even if they currently don't have the time or funds available to go, they will be aware of where the need is and how you get involved globally.

"Radio"

Assigned: Watch and give thoughts on the movie "Radio"

     I had seen the movie "Radio" when it first came out several years ago.  I remembered that it was quite moving and extremely well done.  It was well acted and I liked the way the director used the sun and the political news of the day to show the passage of time.
     Watching "Radio" again, from a future educators perspective, truly enhanced its meaning for me.  I now understand the options of "mainstreaming" versus an isolated class setting or even the one time option of letting the young person "spend his life, wanderin' around all by himself, wandering the streets."
     I appreciated the way the coach approached Radio slowly; getting him to understand in simple ways, like having the assistant coach bring him a water bottle, sharing a burger with him, giving him a ride home and eventually finding a way Radio could help out with the team.
     At one point he has Radio, Mr.Kennedy is his real name, attending school.  Mr. Kennedy goes from having no speech to doing the morning announcements at L.C. Hanna High School and sitting in standard classrooms. He  receives an honorary degree from the high school and continues working with the school in an assistant coach/team and crowd motivator and was still doing so at the time the movie was made.
     This is when you find out, if you did not know already, that this is a true story.  Mr. Kennedy is 50 years old and still working at L.C. Hanna High School.  What  a difference was made in this man's life by a teacher who decided it was the right thing to do to get this young man involved; a teacher who chose not to assume that Mr. Kennedy would not be able to contribute to this world because of his mental limitations. A teacher, who knew instinctively, that it was "never a mistake to care for someone."

Chapter 6: Continued (please read the other Chapter 6 post first, then this one.)

Proposition 227, passed in June 1998, by a 61 to 39 vote, effectively ended bilingual education programs in the state of California.  These programs were replaced with an English immersion program.

I will admit I do not have enough information that I would feel confident casting a vote ( after all 61 out of the 39 congress persons who did cast a vote, in a state that leans democrat,voted in favor of the proposition), however here is my opinion:

     Full immersion, while it can be effective in helping a person learn the local language, is not something I am for when it comes to the education of children and adolescents in schools.  I believe it is better to think of the big picture.
     This includes first helping the new student to feel more comfortable in their new surroundings.  A student who is helped to acclimate to the school first, will blossom with their own unique personality and gift once they feel safe and a little more familiar in their new environment.  For instance, knowing a few people they can sit with at lunch and having a fellow student, who speaks their native language, walk them from class to class and introduce them to a friendly person in each of their classes, as well as to the teacher.  Taking a few extra days to help the student feel comfortable will pave the way for better academic success.  This system would have the added benefit of developing a sense of community and developing the character of the students chosen to help the new student develop friends.

Chapter 6: Language

What does this say: ghoti?

No, not gotee, it says fish.  At least that is what it would say if you use English phonics. Let me show you:
What does t-o-u-g-h spell?  That's right, tough.  So the "gh" makes the f sound.
What does w-o-m-e-n spell?  That's right, women. So the "o" makes an i (as in ish) sound.
What does n-a-t-i-o-n spell?That's right, nation.So "ti" makes the sh sound.

So, g-h-o-t-i says fish. Right?  Wrong.

This was the reply I got when I asked Mr. Braverman, the TESOL teacher I observed (who speaks several languages), if English was easier or more difficult than other languages to learn.  I have shared it with many people since.

Language is an essential part of any society.  It is the verbal and non-verbal ways people communicate in a community, culture or country.

For this blog, I was asked to give my opinion on California Proposition 227. Briefly,

Chapter 4 Gender Issues in Schools

Assigned:
1.  How should we address sexuality in middle schools (puberty age)?
       I believe it is important to have a program which consistently teaches sixth through eighth graders human sexuality issues.  Initially, this program would cover from a biological perspective, topics such as the changes young people go through hormonally.  It would, by seventh grade cover issues of human sexuality.
      The program should be taught each year in the form of a health class.  This serves two purposes: 1. It will ensure that every student is exposed to this important information; 2.  It will become less tabu as the students become more familiar with the terms and topics in a school setting.
      Some topics could be taught every year.  I would say the purpose behind sex as being reproduction might be a good thing to point out every year.  I say this because often times society, through movies, television and  advertising, show sexuality as something that is recreational.  While this is not untrue in todays world, sex can often lead to pregnancy.  This should not be a surprise to anyone, after all that is its biological function.  By seventh grade, topics such as safe sex should be covered. I would love to believe that an abstinence program could be successful (I will do some research on Elaine Bennett's program over my Fall break), at the same time, 900,000 teenagers become pregnant every year,so the topic must be covered.
        The program should also include information about how these early hormonal changes may make a person think, at an early age, they could be homosexual. I believe some people are born as homosexuals and some become confused by experiences they have during their formative years.  I think it would be a good idea to develop a way to convey this effectively, without passing judgement on whether it is good or bad to be either heterosexual or homosexual.  I just would hate for a young person to miss out on the opportunity to have a family because of a misunderstanding of their adolescence.
        As a side note, whether they are born with that inclination or not, by the time they are an adult, if that is how they are comfortable, I believe we should be supportive of their right to make choices for themselves.

2.What role do media, church, and shopping centers play in Gender Socialization?
        I don't know which came first, the media or our desire to sit on the couch and be controlled by them, but the media certainly has an influence on most of our lives.  From footbal on Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays to weekly situational comedies, to the advertising in between, if one's not careful, these things could certainly take up enough of one's time to have a big effect on one's role in their family and opinions of how the world is.

        I have heard it said that the church promotes women submitting to their husbands; however, it has been my experience, in the current state of society, this has changed in many church communities.  The institution may preach from the pulpit that men should be the spiritual head of the household, and I believe that would be ideal, at the same time, I see something very different in my experience with faithful women.
       Almost all of the women I know work and almost every single women I know, even if they don't work, is the leader when it comes to arranging volunteer work, going to mass, and nurturing the community around her and her family.  I don't think it is the church that assigns men and women their roles.  It seems to me we have instinctive characteristics which can't be denied.  I don't mean to say that we are all prone to exactly the same roles according to gender.  Of course there are exceptions and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  Be yourself, I always say.  At the same time, in my experience men and women, more often than not, tend to have distinct differences in their tendencies.

       As for shopping centers, it is the advertising in the windows that certainly puts forth the image they think is ideal.  This certainly effects what people, including the teens who explore the malls to pass the time and socialize, see as the ideal man, woman, or teen. As a parent, I have learned it is best to limit my daughter's exposure to the mall.

3.  What is sexism?  How can we address it in the classroom?
       Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on sex. One way to address sexism is to first make children aware of what it is.  Then, have the children complete a project where each of them finds a man or woman in society, either one they know or one they find through research, that has a job which they thought was typically one done by the opposite gender.  Another way to address sexism would be to have the students bring in an article, relating to sexism or how someone has overcome it, and give a brief oral or written summary of the piece to the class.  This project was inspired by an interesting article  I was reading the other day.  It contained interviews of the 18 women who were Prime Minister or President of their country.  It was fascinating.

4.  How should sexual orientation be addressed in public schools?  Private schools?
       I need to do more research on this subject, however, I do believe it should be addressed.  In public school they could certainly address it in the health class I proposed above.  I think it is important to share the different factors that have been shown to cause this variation in a persons sexual orientation.  While being mindful not to offend a person who feels it is their natural state to be oriented toward the same sex, I would want the instructor to address issues of sexual experimentation at a young age as being, possibly, just that experimentation, not necessarily their permanent preference.  At the same time, being very clear that human nature is an interesting and complex issue and one should be thoughtful in their process of becoming their true self.

      In some private schools parents are paying to have their religious beliefs promoted.  In this case, I would expect them to address it in a somewhat different way. They could share their particular perspective, I would hope in a way that is respectful of any child having questions about their sexual orientation, and then still address the possible reasons a person may feel they are homosexual.

 
    

    
      
    

Chapter 7 Religion.

Assigned: Should prayer be allowed in school?

   Spoken prayer in school, even if it were decided that it was constitutional, would be impractical. There are so many different faiths and sets of beliefs that, even if a survey was done to decide which prayers would be desired, there would not be enough time to satisfy each child's request.  Also, it would be very confusing to young children to hear so many prayers they had never heard each and every day.
     I prefer a minute or two of silence for each student to "silently contemplate their desires for the day ahead." If they wish to pray at this time, which could be immediately after the morning announcements, they can do so.  If prayer is important to a child and their family, they could set aside time before school to pray.  If prayer is supremely important to a family, and they wish for this to be supported in school, they can choose a faith based school.  There are often scholarships for families who find this cost prohibitive.
     I like the idea of learning about each of the classmates faiths and family traditions.  This could certainly include sharing a special prayer.  Learning about different religions and different cultures is an important part of a student's education.  At the same time, I believe that the appearance of favoring one over another must be avoided above all.

Chapter 5: Exceptionallity (assigned questions)

1.  While it is my understanding that Autism is not insurable, students with autism should certainly be covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(pg. 171).  This entitles students with autism to programs suitable for their education and an IEP, or Individual Education Plan.

2.  I am for the taxpayers taking on the burden to provide the best possible education to all students with exceptionallities.  Not only is it the humane thing to do, but in the long term, society is better off if the funding is there to best educate these individuals.

3. The federal government should be concerned in that they will  need to make cuts to superfluous spending so as to fully fund this program (as the law requires).  Educational programs should not take a back seat to the arts or even scientific research.  Again, the funding will give these individuals the best chance to become productive, tax paying adults.

4.  Yes.  The federal government should be forced to meet its financial obligations under IDEA.

Chapter 3 Class and Socioeconomic Status

     It is true, certainly in the United States, that one can move from one class to another through education and hard  work.  Of course, obtaining the level of education needed may be more difficult for one person than another, but it can be done.  Where there is a will, there is a way.
     As educators, we can assist each of our students in developing the will necessary to learn and achieve their goals.  The first step is providing a comfortable and interesting learning environment for our students.  This can get our students engaged and give us the opportunity to discover the student's interests and dreams. 
     The next step is to help the student decide on a plan of action to achieve their current dream.  This dream may change from year to year and that's okay.  The important thing is that the student has a high goal and is constantly aware of why they are trying to master the current skills.  We want to make the skills relevant to their dream, even as their dream changes.
    Another important key is to help the parents understand the importance of their role in encouraging their child's dream, as well as their skill development in school.  Even a parent who is overworked and too tired to help with homework can help the child achieve simply by letting the child know they care about the child's progress.
     As teachers we can help encourage this parent involvement by making the initial contact with the parent,  finding out the preferrred method of communication, and if there is anything about their situation or their child that the parent would like us to better understand.
     With teachers who make the learning relevant to the student's current goal, which can be developed in a class exercise at the beginning of the year, the student can become aware of how important education is to a better life.  This and even a little parent involvement can encourage young people to do the hard work to achieve their life goals. 
     If this kind of approach is implemented at an early age, the student can continue the process throughout their education.  Constantly assessing where they want to be someday, what skills they need to get there and remind themselves of the reward they will get for their efforts now.  They can improve their place in life by giving thought to what they might want someday and what it takes  to get there, then doing the hard work to make it happen

Chapter 2 Ethnicity and Race

     It is human nature to want to feel comfortable.  Naturally, people who share the same culture will often gravitate to one another.  People associate with people they like.  People like people with whom they can converse easily.  People can most easily converse with people who have common interests and, yes, speaking the same language helps, as well.  While racism and ethnocentrism do exist, simply having a majority of one's associations with people of the same ethnic group should not imply that one does not like other ethnic groups.  It should not imply that one does not respect other ethnic groups.   This is just the reality of relationships in society, certainly adult society.   After all, it is human nature, not just American nature, to want to feel comfortable.

     While adult society often maintains a certain amount of seperation, over time integration has increased (Chapter 2, pg. 57, ethnic identity). As educators we have a unique opportunity, being in a school environment, to continue this trend.  We have the opportunity to encourage interactions among students who, otherwise, may socialize within their comfort zone.  Improvements in the students' interactions will lead to new friendships.  New friendships will present avenues to improve not only the school community, but possibly increase the interactions of the students' parents and grandparents, as well.  This would in turn improve the interactions in the community at large.

     As a future educator, I am keenly aware of the importance of improving the quality of the interactions between the students.  This can be done by seeing our cultural, ethnic, and religious differences as an opportunity to learn something new.  Not to change our minds about what we believe, but to expand our knowledge and understanding of the wonderfully diverse world around us.  The key principle being mutual respect and appreciation for our different ideologies.

     This mutual respect and appreciation for our differences, while also recognizing our shared culture, is one of the key factors in promoting a healthy society.  That is why, as educators, it is our responsibility to develop fair and appropriate practices which will increase multicultural interaction and understanding, while at the same time assisting students to overcome their propensity to stay within their comfort zone.   

Welcome (Chapter 1/EDF 2085/Connell)

  Welcome to my blog on multicultural education.  I have titled it Diverse Opinions on Diversity because there so many factors effecting each student's educational success. It is difficult (challenging) to have a single definitive opinion on many diverse issues.
  My goal is to consider these factors and share some ideas with the ultimate goal of arriving at the best practice. 
  I am utilizing the book "Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society" to aid me in my considerations and will notate the chapter, page and key word reference. Feel free to comment. All feedback is greatly appreciated.

* * * * *

    When our country was in its infancy, the dominant culture was based on Anglo Saxon or Western European tradition (Chapter 1, p.23, dominant culture). This continued for over three centuries. In fact even today it is still the dominant culture.

 While our government was founded in a spirit of man's right to fairness and freedom, we became more consistent as we increased our understanding of freedom and individulaity. As the population grew more diverse, the need for developing a deeper respect for one another's differences became apparent. Through debate, turmoil and even civil war great strides were made. The United States has grown into one of the freest and most diverse societies in the world.