Today I was listening to the news on the radio and found something difficult to say how I feel about it. Basically, Jim Jones is a well known rapper in the hiphop community. He was scheduled to have a performance and promote HIV/AIDS awareness in Jersey City. Mayor Jerramiah Healy cancelled the performance and talk due to the rapper's lyric content. He said that they promoted violence against women, cops, and promoted guns & drug trafficking. Most people view this person as a role model... so I'm trying to understand what the best way to handle the situation is. I'm just a little confused. For the full article click the link below...
http://www.nj.com/hudsoncountynow/index.ssf/2008/06/jersey_city_cancels_rap_concer.html
Friday, June 13, 2008
Last Thoughts...
Reflection:
I didn’t really have any expectations. The only time I actually did have expectations was when I first looked at the syllabus. I found out that we had to go visit urban schools. That fleshed out they stereotypes that I had seen in the media. I knew that they were stereotypes, but I could not help myself to visualize these depictions in my expectations. When I went to the schools my expectations were redefined into completely positive ones. I was hoping to learn more about the at risk schools. I know that the schools we visited were the better ones, but it would have been better for me personally to see the other schools and what is working to get across to these students.
The main thing that I learned and can say I can use is that regardless to urban or suburban students… they all have potential to learn and become successful. I also learned that the urban pedagogy is something that should be universalized in any area and not just concentrated in the urban sector. I also learned how to utilize technology in my future classroom. I never have the chance nor did I know how to create a blog and a webpage. I think that both of these technologies should be implemented in the class room.
The biggest challenge of the course was trying to fully understand the struggle that these children face everyday. It is one thing say that these students have it rough, but to really understand it is something difficult to do. The other thing I had trouble with and still do is all the politics that exists in the urban school district. It seems that these schools priority is everything, but the students. I know that these politician and share holders have their best interest in mind, but in the end it seems to always sell the students short.
My greatest accomplishment in the class was being able to create my own blog and webpage. The reason why I am proud of this accomplishment is because I am a huge advocate of using technology in the classroom. This was something that I didn’t know how to do or use properly… so now I can say that I know how to utilize this technology.
The best thing I can tell future teachers who are looking into the urban districts is try to have an open mind. I had preconceived notions about the typical urban school and because I have an open mind I was able to reject that false reality and instilled a new one in its place. This does not limit itself to the perception of these students, but also in any other teacher situation that may occur in the classroom. Everyone is unique and as a future teacher in any district it is important to keep an open and fluid mind with your students. Some situations are out of your understanding, but it is your job to try to understand the students’ situation. Another thing that I can suggest is build a strong relationship with everyone in and out of school. That means the students parents, the other teachers, principal, and etc. I feel it is important to keep a strong relationship with these people and other because it will only strengthen you education and pedagogy.
At first I did not want to teacher in an urban school setting, but now I feel that I can do it. Still, I feel not quite ready, but who ever is? Teaching is a learning process that should never end. Just like students learn from the teacher… the teacher should also learn from his or her students to make their education even stronger. Finally, what I will bring to the classroom is all I’ve learned from this class and others. That is to remain fluid enough to understand other people’s needs, but not too fluid that you will break in half. After all, our job is to teach. We are teachers, but we must also be facilators of knowledge.
Course Feedback:
The most helpful thing I thought was actually visiting the schools and also researching for the website. I found so many useful websites and organizations that help urban schools and strengthen the community around them. Another important and useful thing I thought was beneficial for urban schools was the literature you made us read and the discussions that followed based on the readings.
I really didn’t have that many complaints about the structure of the course. The only thing that was difficult was making it to the schools during the visiting week. I’m not sure if it would have been better during a fall or spring semester. Still, other than that I think we spent all our short allotted time in the right aspects of the course.
Yeah, the PDK did suck a little. Personally, I liked all the other readings. What I would like to see and it’s not just in this course, but other courses as well. We all talk about the child, the student, the learner and so one, but it’s usually someone else but the student. Meaning that I would like to read some first hand accounts of what children actually think about teachers, school, life and etc. I just think that is my personal interest and I haven’t really come across any form of literature that actually addresses the students’ voice without the interjection of someone outside their circle or community.
I thought all your teaching techniques were very useful. I definitely loved the culture collage project. I felt that should have been moved up earlier so we can get to know each other better… some sort of icebreaker that you can mold into a deeper assignment which I thought worked great (P.S. I’m going to use this in my class). The one thing I liked about your teacher was that… you weren’t some bland teacher. You actually had a name and a personality about you, which I’m hoping will resonate in my teaching as well.
I didn’t really have any expectations. The only time I actually did have expectations was when I first looked at the syllabus. I found out that we had to go visit urban schools. That fleshed out they stereotypes that I had seen in the media. I knew that they were stereotypes, but I could not help myself to visualize these depictions in my expectations. When I went to the schools my expectations were redefined into completely positive ones. I was hoping to learn more about the at risk schools. I know that the schools we visited were the better ones, but it would have been better for me personally to see the other schools and what is working to get across to these students.
The main thing that I learned and can say I can use is that regardless to urban or suburban students… they all have potential to learn and become successful. I also learned that the urban pedagogy is something that should be universalized in any area and not just concentrated in the urban sector. I also learned how to utilize technology in my future classroom. I never have the chance nor did I know how to create a blog and a webpage. I think that both of these technologies should be implemented in the class room.
The biggest challenge of the course was trying to fully understand the struggle that these children face everyday. It is one thing say that these students have it rough, but to really understand it is something difficult to do. The other thing I had trouble with and still do is all the politics that exists in the urban school district. It seems that these schools priority is everything, but the students. I know that these politician and share holders have their best interest in mind, but in the end it seems to always sell the students short.
My greatest accomplishment in the class was being able to create my own blog and webpage. The reason why I am proud of this accomplishment is because I am a huge advocate of using technology in the classroom. This was something that I didn’t know how to do or use properly… so now I can say that I know how to utilize this technology.
The best thing I can tell future teachers who are looking into the urban districts is try to have an open mind. I had preconceived notions about the typical urban school and because I have an open mind I was able to reject that false reality and instilled a new one in its place. This does not limit itself to the perception of these students, but also in any other teacher situation that may occur in the classroom. Everyone is unique and as a future teacher in any district it is important to keep an open and fluid mind with your students. Some situations are out of your understanding, but it is your job to try to understand the students’ situation. Another thing that I can suggest is build a strong relationship with everyone in and out of school. That means the students parents, the other teachers, principal, and etc. I feel it is important to keep a strong relationship with these people and other because it will only strengthen you education and pedagogy.
At first I did not want to teacher in an urban school setting, but now I feel that I can do it. Still, I feel not quite ready, but who ever is? Teaching is a learning process that should never end. Just like students learn from the teacher… the teacher should also learn from his or her students to make their education even stronger. Finally, what I will bring to the classroom is all I’ve learned from this class and others. That is to remain fluid enough to understand other people’s needs, but not too fluid that you will break in half. After all, our job is to teach. We are teachers, but we must also be facilators of knowledge.
Course Feedback:
The most helpful thing I thought was actually visiting the schools and also researching for the website. I found so many useful websites and organizations that help urban schools and strengthen the community around them. Another important and useful thing I thought was beneficial for urban schools was the literature you made us read and the discussions that followed based on the readings.
I really didn’t have that many complaints about the structure of the course. The only thing that was difficult was making it to the schools during the visiting week. I’m not sure if it would have been better during a fall or spring semester. Still, other than that I think we spent all our short allotted time in the right aspects of the course.
Yeah, the PDK did suck a little. Personally, I liked all the other readings. What I would like to see and it’s not just in this course, but other courses as well. We all talk about the child, the student, the learner and so one, but it’s usually someone else but the student. Meaning that I would like to read some first hand accounts of what children actually think about teachers, school, life and etc. I just think that is my personal interest and I haven’t really come across any form of literature that actually addresses the students’ voice without the interjection of someone outside their circle or community.
I thought all your teaching techniques were very useful. I definitely loved the culture collage project. I felt that should have been moved up earlier so we can get to know each other better… some sort of icebreaker that you can mold into a deeper assignment which I thought worked great (P.S. I’m going to use this in my class). The one thing I liked about your teacher was that… you weren’t some bland teacher. You actually had a name and a personality about you, which I’m hoping will resonate in my teaching as well.
Too Hungry to Think...
Many families today have problems making ends meet. Ever since our economy has taken a big hit other families such as middle class family have found it hard to provide for their loved ones. Everything is going up in our economy and trying to meet the most basic of needs has become a grueling task. I did some research and found a website with a food bank locator. The website is http://www.secondharvest.org/. It is user friendly. All you have to do is type in your zip code or enter your state. This organization helps feed those in need. The reason why I decided to write about this is because many students come to school without breakfast and in certain instances they haven had anything all weekend. So, that means that Monday morning can be very difficult for the student and teacher. It doesn’t mean that the student doesn’t want to learn… he or she is simply hungry. If the simplest of needs i.e. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are not met than the student will not be able to properly learn the lesson. This will make the teacher’s job difficult. I just wanted to make people aware of the problem some families face and to show that there are organizations that will help these families.
Please Check In...
This post was inspired by another post I had read. The blogger was talking about the poverty that most children face outside of school. It really made me think how much we depersonalize ourselves in the classroom. It seems that we are expected to check in all our problems at the door before we enter the classroom. This of course is not limited simply to the students, but also the teachers. Don’t get me wrong. It is ideal for the teacher and student to leave their family and personal issues at the door so that they can focus on their school work, but sometimes that is not as easy as it seems. I’ve gone through a lot and I’m sure everyone else has too. Even right now as you read this you can name a number of things that has impacted your life in a great way and at the same time made it difficult for you to focus in school. You can’t simply turn off the switch and forget about things. It is rather difficult. I think what we should do as future teachers is become aware that many of our students will have issues that we may have had or problems that are foreign to us. After we become aware of these issues… most likely founded on a good relationship between student and teacher… the teacher can channel their emotions into a more positive outlet that will not only help the student cope with the issue, but also learn something about themselves. Let’s not leave our problems at the door, but let us use our experiences to foster our learning.
Monday, June 9, 2008
My first day in a local Public School…
As my friends and I started to drive into the urban area we knew we were going into a new environment. Things were definitely different from other schools that I have had a chance to visit, but nothing completely new for me.
I was trying to gauge what is the difference between the urban school teacher and suburban school teacher. From what I gathered from my interaction with the schools’ teachers in the urban school was that there wasn't that much difference. Both urban and suburban have the same ideology or definition of what a good teacher is. The only difference I felt was the parents’ lack of involvement. I understand that that is a huge issue within these schools, but I feel that that can happen even in the suburbs. My parents were never involved because they didn’t understand the language. The same could be said for most of my friends within my circle in suburban school. The parents were too busy to attend back to school night because they worked long hours and had business trips. Granted, this is just a small amount of kids that I knew from the entire school and cannot reflect the entire suburban school system. I think I’m beginning to understand what they mean by… the parents don’t get involved. What they meant is that this isn’t an isolated figure, but most of the school demonstrates the lack of parent involvement.
The other thing that I noticed was some of the programs that they had implemented for the students. One of which helped teach the children the various drugs that are out there and how they affect you and others around you. The children who are in this program are referred to by there teacher, parents, or other students. The reason why they are in this program is not because they are doing drugs, rather one of their family members has a serious problem with a narcotic and the child is exposed to this behavior.
My short interaction with the kids demonstrated that they are learning a lot about how bad drugs are to themselves, family, friends, and society through gruesome pictures of deteriorating organs. Still, I found no difference in drug use in the family from suburban and urban schools. In my previous post, the numbers were identical.
The other main difference I thought was the notion of gang affiliation in these schools. Our guide for the day told us that each year they have a police officer come in the school to talk about gangs and how detrimental they are to everyone. They would show pictures of the negative affects of being in a gang and tell the children how bad it is to become a gang member. Still, the one thing that came out from this experience is that these children have a different experience that most privileged suburban students take for granted. It seems that across the board inner city schools have problems that can exist in suburban schools, but are more prevalent in urban schools. Still, all these children are capable of being the best students that they can be with the right outlet and safe space away from the inner city environment that they are surround with.
I was trying to gauge what is the difference between the urban school teacher and suburban school teacher. From what I gathered from my interaction with the schools’ teachers in the urban school was that there wasn't that much difference. Both urban and suburban have the same ideology or definition of what a good teacher is. The only difference I felt was the parents’ lack of involvement. I understand that that is a huge issue within these schools, but I feel that that can happen even in the suburbs. My parents were never involved because they didn’t understand the language. The same could be said for most of my friends within my circle in suburban school. The parents were too busy to attend back to school night because they worked long hours and had business trips. Granted, this is just a small amount of kids that I knew from the entire school and cannot reflect the entire suburban school system. I think I’m beginning to understand what they mean by… the parents don’t get involved. What they meant is that this isn’t an isolated figure, but most of the school demonstrates the lack of parent involvement.
The other thing that I noticed was some of the programs that they had implemented for the students. One of which helped teach the children the various drugs that are out there and how they affect you and others around you. The children who are in this program are referred to by there teacher, parents, or other students. The reason why they are in this program is not because they are doing drugs, rather one of their family members has a serious problem with a narcotic and the child is exposed to this behavior.
My short interaction with the kids demonstrated that they are learning a lot about how bad drugs are to themselves, family, friends, and society through gruesome pictures of deteriorating organs. Still, I found no difference in drug use in the family from suburban and urban schools. In my previous post, the numbers were identical.
The other main difference I thought was the notion of gang affiliation in these schools. Our guide for the day told us that each year they have a police officer come in the school to talk about gangs and how detrimental they are to everyone. They would show pictures of the negative affects of being in a gang and tell the children how bad it is to become a gang member. Still, the one thing that came out from this experience is that these children have a different experience that most privileged suburban students take for granted. It seems that across the board inner city schools have problems that can exist in suburban schools, but are more prevalent in urban schools. Still, all these children are capable of being the best students that they can be with the right outlet and safe space away from the inner city environment that they are surround with.
La nostra Cultura...
Growing up with illiterate parents has helped me value the teaching profession that I had experienced at an early age and throughout my entire life. My parents both came from different social strata; my mother came from a slightly more privileged background in Sicily and was able to complete fifth grade. On the other hand, my father came from a struggling farming family where he had to drop out of school in third grade in order to assist his family. These social hardships made learning difficult for my mother and father, because working was more important than education.
We came to America when I was five years old. As I went to school I would learn how to write letters, words, sentences, and eventually speak and write proper English. When I would come home, I would sit with my mother and father showing and teaching them how to pronounce each word I had learned earlier that day.
As time went on, I began to realize that I wanted to become a teacher. The reason why I wanted to teach was because I noticed I was not only teaching, but I also was learning from my parents’ mistakes. When my mother and father struggled to grasp the pronunciation of a word, I did not take their confused eyes as a sign of their failure to understand, but rather as an indication that I needed to refine my ways of teaching them in order for them to comprehend a particular word.
My culture and up bringing has been centered on the idea that family comes first. It is because of this central ideology that I transferred from my undergrad work at Pennsylvania State University to be closer with my parents. It wasn’t because I missed them… it had more to do with their struggling literacy. In other words, they were having a difficult time to pay the bills without me. So, I moved closer.
I believe that each person has a different upbringing and therefore a different culture. It is important to address this issue in the classroom. Students should realize that each person is different in different ways, but at the same time we are similarly different. In other words, there are some commonalities that we all share. Most students would not know about my culture unless there is some sort of assignment that fleshes out each person’s individuality. The important thing to do in the classroom is have an assignment that allows the student to describe their culture and uniqueness to the entire class. The assignment would teach the students that we are not that different from each other. What this ultimately does in the classroom is create a better learning environment where students will feel comfortable enough to speak their minds without fear of being judged.
We all come from different backgrounds, speak different languages, and worship different religions. If the classroom is able to create an environment where the class can discuss these differences openly then, the class will begin to see that there are many similarities in the differences that we all share. Till this day my parents’ English isn’t perfect, but it has improved greatly. I never gave up on my parents. It is because of them that I realize that teaching is a continuous process, both for the teacher and student and my patience and love for them has made me dedicated to this profession.
We came to America when I was five years old. As I went to school I would learn how to write letters, words, sentences, and eventually speak and write proper English. When I would come home, I would sit with my mother and father showing and teaching them how to pronounce each word I had learned earlier that day.
As time went on, I began to realize that I wanted to become a teacher. The reason why I wanted to teach was because I noticed I was not only teaching, but I also was learning from my parents’ mistakes. When my mother and father struggled to grasp the pronunciation of a word, I did not take their confused eyes as a sign of their failure to understand, but rather as an indication that I needed to refine my ways of teaching them in order for them to comprehend a particular word.
My culture and up bringing has been centered on the idea that family comes first. It is because of this central ideology that I transferred from my undergrad work at Pennsylvania State University to be closer with my parents. It wasn’t because I missed them… it had more to do with their struggling literacy. In other words, they were having a difficult time to pay the bills without me. So, I moved closer.
I believe that each person has a different upbringing and therefore a different culture. It is important to address this issue in the classroom. Students should realize that each person is different in different ways, but at the same time we are similarly different. In other words, there are some commonalities that we all share. Most students would not know about my culture unless there is some sort of assignment that fleshes out each person’s individuality. The important thing to do in the classroom is have an assignment that allows the student to describe their culture and uniqueness to the entire class. The assignment would teach the students that we are not that different from each other. What this ultimately does in the classroom is create a better learning environment where students will feel comfortable enough to speak their minds without fear of being judged.
We all come from different backgrounds, speak different languages, and worship different religions. If the classroom is able to create an environment where the class can discuss these differences openly then, the class will begin to see that there are many similarities in the differences that we all share. Till this day my parents’ English isn’t perfect, but it has improved greatly. I never gave up on my parents. It is because of them that I realize that teaching is a continuous process, both for the teacher and student and my patience and love for them has made me dedicated to this profession.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
A common Misconception....
The media has portrayed the urban youth environment as a hostile and unruly place to have your children attend. This classic image has been repeated and parodied in such movies as Dangerous Minds and High School High. It is only a matter of time that this fear will be instilled in our lives and become a hegemonic belief in our pedagological pursuit. It seems that the only refuge from these sexed drugged violent teenagers can be found in a suburbia sanctuary… after all the kids would never do such things as the urban youths.
A long study conducted by Jay P. Greene and Greg Foster called, “Sex, Drugs, and Delinquency in Urban and Suburban Public Schools” yield a result that contradicts the common belief that we have about suburban and urban schools. The following list of results show that urban schools and suburban are more or less identical to one another despite the belief that urban schools are portrayed and are believed to be the worst of the two.
This report finds that:
• Urban and suburban high schools are virtually identical in terms of widespread sexual activity. Two thirds of all suburban and urban 12th graders have had sex; 43% of suburban 12th graders and 39% of urban 12th graders have had sex with a person with whom they did not have a romantic relationship.
• Pregnancy rates are high in both suburban and urban schools, although they are higher in urban schools; 14% of suburban 12th grade girls and 20% of urban 12th grade girls have been pregnant.
• Over 60% of suburban 12th graders have tried cigarette smoking, compared to 54% of urban 12th graders; 37% of suburban 12th graders have smoked at least once a day for at least 30 days, compared to 30% of urban 12th graders.
• Alcohol use followed a similar pattern; 74% of suburban 12th graders and 71% of urban 12th graders have tried alcohol more than two or three times; 63% of suburban 12th graders and 57% of urban 12th graders drink without family members present; 22% of suburban 12th graders and 16% of urban 12th graders have driven while drunk.
• About four out of ten 12th graders in both urban and suburban schools have used illegal drugs; 20% of suburban 12th graders and 13% of urban 12th graders have driven while high on drugs.
• Urban and suburban students are about equally likely to engage in other delinquent behaviors such as fighting and stealing.
*Results taking from Jay P. Greene’s and Greg Foster’s 2004 study published in Education Working Paper*
The results given by this study shows that there is little if any difference from the urban and suburban school environment. I remember in my suburban high school, there were many students doing drugs, stole, and did other deviant behavior. I just don’t understand why, if the percentages are so closely linked to one another… then why is one environment preferred over the other? Has media influenced us to the point that we have accepted it as a cultural truth? The urban schools are bad and suburban schools are good? Still, one thing that is important to take into account is the test being conducted. I might be buying into this common belief… but there still might be some sort of reality to it. Imagine having complete strangers going into either school. The students will be hesitant to answer truthfully. This will have skewed the results completely. Regardless, on the surface we are all different. With a little digging… we can see that our differences matter similarly.
A long study conducted by Jay P. Greene and Greg Foster called, “Sex, Drugs, and Delinquency in Urban and Suburban Public Schools” yield a result that contradicts the common belief that we have about suburban and urban schools. The following list of results show that urban schools and suburban are more or less identical to one another despite the belief that urban schools are portrayed and are believed to be the worst of the two.
This report finds that:
• Urban and suburban high schools are virtually identical in terms of widespread sexual activity. Two thirds of all suburban and urban 12th graders have had sex; 43% of suburban 12th graders and 39% of urban 12th graders have had sex with a person with whom they did not have a romantic relationship.
• Pregnancy rates are high in both suburban and urban schools, although they are higher in urban schools; 14% of suburban 12th grade girls and 20% of urban 12th grade girls have been pregnant.
• Over 60% of suburban 12th graders have tried cigarette smoking, compared to 54% of urban 12th graders; 37% of suburban 12th graders have smoked at least once a day for at least 30 days, compared to 30% of urban 12th graders.
• Alcohol use followed a similar pattern; 74% of suburban 12th graders and 71% of urban 12th graders have tried alcohol more than two or three times; 63% of suburban 12th graders and 57% of urban 12th graders drink without family members present; 22% of suburban 12th graders and 16% of urban 12th graders have driven while drunk.
• About four out of ten 12th graders in both urban and suburban schools have used illegal drugs; 20% of suburban 12th graders and 13% of urban 12th graders have driven while high on drugs.
• Urban and suburban students are about equally likely to engage in other delinquent behaviors such as fighting and stealing.
*Results taking from Jay P. Greene’s and Greg Foster’s 2004 study published in Education Working Paper*
The results given by this study shows that there is little if any difference from the urban and suburban school environment. I remember in my suburban high school, there were many students doing drugs, stole, and did other deviant behavior. I just don’t understand why, if the percentages are so closely linked to one another… then why is one environment preferred over the other? Has media influenced us to the point that we have accepted it as a cultural truth? The urban schools are bad and suburban schools are good? Still, one thing that is important to take into account is the test being conducted. I might be buying into this common belief… but there still might be some sort of reality to it. Imagine having complete strangers going into either school. The students will be hesitant to answer truthfully. This will have skewed the results completely. Regardless, on the surface we are all different. With a little digging… we can see that our differences matter similarly.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Assumptions snoitpmussA
Throughout my life I have seen and heard many stereotypes about urban schools and students on television, radio, and discussions. Sadly, they have been more negative than positive. The only positive element that came out from these mediums was the notion that these students can be turned into successful students with a little bit of help from an outsider. In Robert C. Bulman’s piece, Teachers in the Hood: Hollywood’s Middle-Class Fantasy, describes the classroom as being “filled with socially troubled and low-achieving students” (p. 254). The only way their lives can be improved is “by the singular efforts of a new teacher or principal” (p.254).
Over and over again this particular film genre has helped snow-balled these generalizations into factual beliefs about the urban school. It is this medium that has piloted discussions and assumptions about these students. The discussions I have had with other teachers have only affirmed these negative qualities about these schools. At first I didn’t want to buy into the hype that these students are seen as “beasts” of the concrete jungle, but at some point I found myself believing what I was seeing and hearing (p.259).
What I bought into was at an unconscious level. Meaning that I never really thought why I didn’t want to teach inner-city students. I just felt that it was something that I didn’t want to do or see myself doing. I rather just teacher suburban kids… they would be easier. If the situation would come across where I had to teach in an urban area I was mentally prepared to whip these kids into shape. After all, I have been preparing for this situation my whole life with the help of the unbiased portrayals of the urban youth on the silver screen. I am only able to express these feelings because I have become more aware of why I was thinking the way I was. My actions have been affected by the negative depiction of these inner-city schools from the movies I have watched… and of course this was at a subconscious level. What this means is that many teachers today will also be biased at some level. Not all, but some will.
The conscious awaking I have been experiencing for the urban youth has made me really question the inner-city schools and the beliefs that many people have about them. The reality is that many of these schools have larger issues besides the common misconceptions about their character as an ideal student. One of these issues is the work environment. Most of these schools have a lack of resources which would make fostering the student’s education an arduous task to achieve. I feel that this would definitely change my teaching and learning styles. I would have to become more resourceful and think of alternative ways to do best with what I have or am lacking within the classroom.
Most people might see this as a step backwards, but I would have to argue with that belief. Imagine yourself in a school where you have the utopia of all classroom environments. How would this benefit your pedagogy? The ideal view might be counterintuitive for someone who wants to become a professional teacher. There will never be any room for growth. Yes, you will be able to become more creative with your assignments in an ideal classroom by using all the various technology and tools at your disposal, but that doesn’t mean that you will become a better teacher intrinsically. I would have to say in an urban school it would help me as a future teacher become more creative with the little that I would have in a classroom because I would really have to become creative with myself as a teacher because I would not have the luxury to be creative by using technology.
What I hope to become is a teacher that is constantly improving my teaching and knowledge about my students. I think that is the central quality that a professional teacher should live by. To remain constant shows no growth or change. A teacher should go through various developments of the self and learn to learn from the students and not so much believe that you are only the giver of knowledge in the classroom. Still, the only question I have left about the inner-city common belief is… is there any truth in what we see on television? I know these are all stark generalization about this particular youth. Still, I have always believed that there are always truths in lies. They might not necessarily be whole truths, but definitely there has to be some truth to that we see. If that is the case, how can we change are already formed schema about these children and focus at the bigger picture… to actually teach and not worry so much about instilling our beliefs of what a ideal student should act, think, and say. After all, in certain schools deviant behavior is fostered into what people call creative or expressionism. In inner-city schools the same deviant behavior is just deviant and needs to be regulated and changed. How can we change this ideology that most people have?
Over and over again this particular film genre has helped snow-balled these generalizations into factual beliefs about the urban school. It is this medium that has piloted discussions and assumptions about these students. The discussions I have had with other teachers have only affirmed these negative qualities about these schools. At first I didn’t want to buy into the hype that these students are seen as “beasts” of the concrete jungle, but at some point I found myself believing what I was seeing and hearing (p.259).
What I bought into was at an unconscious level. Meaning that I never really thought why I didn’t want to teach inner-city students. I just felt that it was something that I didn’t want to do or see myself doing. I rather just teacher suburban kids… they would be easier. If the situation would come across where I had to teach in an urban area I was mentally prepared to whip these kids into shape. After all, I have been preparing for this situation my whole life with the help of the unbiased portrayals of the urban youth on the silver screen. I am only able to express these feelings because I have become more aware of why I was thinking the way I was. My actions have been affected by the negative depiction of these inner-city schools from the movies I have watched… and of course this was at a subconscious level. What this means is that many teachers today will also be biased at some level. Not all, but some will.
The conscious awaking I have been experiencing for the urban youth has made me really question the inner-city schools and the beliefs that many people have about them. The reality is that many of these schools have larger issues besides the common misconceptions about their character as an ideal student. One of these issues is the work environment. Most of these schools have a lack of resources which would make fostering the student’s education an arduous task to achieve. I feel that this would definitely change my teaching and learning styles. I would have to become more resourceful and think of alternative ways to do best with what I have or am lacking within the classroom.
Most people might see this as a step backwards, but I would have to argue with that belief. Imagine yourself in a school where you have the utopia of all classroom environments. How would this benefit your pedagogy? The ideal view might be counterintuitive for someone who wants to become a professional teacher. There will never be any room for growth. Yes, you will be able to become more creative with your assignments in an ideal classroom by using all the various technology and tools at your disposal, but that doesn’t mean that you will become a better teacher intrinsically. I would have to say in an urban school it would help me as a future teacher become more creative with the little that I would have in a classroom because I would really have to become creative with myself as a teacher because I would not have the luxury to be creative by using technology.
What I hope to become is a teacher that is constantly improving my teaching and knowledge about my students. I think that is the central quality that a professional teacher should live by. To remain constant shows no growth or change. A teacher should go through various developments of the self and learn to learn from the students and not so much believe that you are only the giver of knowledge in the classroom. Still, the only question I have left about the inner-city common belief is… is there any truth in what we see on television? I know these are all stark generalization about this particular youth. Still, I have always believed that there are always truths in lies. They might not necessarily be whole truths, but definitely there has to be some truth to that we see. If that is the case, how can we change are already formed schema about these children and focus at the bigger picture… to actually teach and not worry so much about instilling our beliefs of what a ideal student should act, think, and say. After all, in certain schools deviant behavior is fostered into what people call creative or expressionism. In inner-city schools the same deviant behavior is just deviant and needs to be regulated and changed. How can we change this ideology that most people have?
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Critique of... Perceptions of Violence: The Views of Teachers Who Left Urban School
There is a problem that both students and teachers face each day in Urban Schools. The dilemma that always surfaces is the threat of violence. The article interviews many of the teachers that worked in Urban Schools to better understand why the teachers left in the first place. The consensus was that they left because they were scared of the violence that existed in the school. Also, in some instances the reason why the left was because there was a lack of supplies that were needed to help facilitate the learning process.
The conclusion that can be drawn from this article is that these teachers have a preconceived notion about how inner schools and students act and think. They are more or less prone to violence. It is because of these perceptions that teachers automatically look for and expect that sort of reaction from the students and their environment. It seems that because of the media many of the students feel obligated to achieve this self prescribed prophecy and the teachers are looking for it.
I don’t like to believe that the media has that much of a hold on our thoughts and perceptions of a particular group of community. To a certain extent I do believe that we are all greatly influenced by the media, but I want to give people the benefit of the doubt that they are more independently driven instead of media influenced. If we do believe that people are influenced by the media than that expectation is all that we look for. Therefore, our pedagogy will be greatly damaged… especially in an Urban School where our perceptions are all negative.
In one of our previous articles, we discussed that most of the media’s depiction of urban students are all negative and in order for social order and obedience to take place a lone teacher must whip these students into shape. Like I said earlier, I don’t want to believe that we are influenced by media. What I can say is that the media works in some strange ways and the ideologies that it projects are imbedded in our subconscious. So, we might not even notice that he have negative perceptions about a particular group, but because of that our pedagogy and interactions will be greatly influenced.
The conclusion that can be drawn from this article is that these teachers have a preconceived notion about how inner schools and students act and think. They are more or less prone to violence. It is because of these perceptions that teachers automatically look for and expect that sort of reaction from the students and their environment. It seems that because of the media many of the students feel obligated to achieve this self prescribed prophecy and the teachers are looking for it.
I don’t like to believe that the media has that much of a hold on our thoughts and perceptions of a particular group of community. To a certain extent I do believe that we are all greatly influenced by the media, but I want to give people the benefit of the doubt that they are more independently driven instead of media influenced. If we do believe that people are influenced by the media than that expectation is all that we look for. Therefore, our pedagogy will be greatly damaged… especially in an Urban School where our perceptions are all negative.
In one of our previous articles, we discussed that most of the media’s depiction of urban students are all negative and in order for social order and obedience to take place a lone teacher must whip these students into shape. Like I said earlier, I don’t want to believe that we are influenced by media. What I can say is that the media works in some strange ways and the ideologies that it projects are imbedded in our subconscious. So, we might not even notice that he have negative perceptions about a particular group, but because of that our pedagogy and interactions will be greatly influenced.
Research Material...
Ellsasser Ward, Christopher. “Teaching Educational Philosophy: A Response to the
of First-Year Urban Teacher.” Education and Urban Society Volume 40
Number 4: May 2008 476-493.
The article discusses the problem that urban schools face with first year teachers. That is to say that many of the teachers are in the urban setting momentarily. What this means is… the teachers tend to go to the “better schools for better students.” This reinforces the idea that these students are not ideal students to teach. What most teachers do is transfer to other schools that are viewed as ideal and less problematic.
Godley, Amanda & Minnici, Angela. “Critical Language Pedagogy in an Urban High
School English Class.” Urban Education Volume 43 Number 3: May 2008
319-346.
The article explores the notion that the urban student has a different vernacular than other school settings. Both Amanda Godley and Angela Minnici have conducted a study that examines African American 10th grade English class through class discussion, interviews, and pre and post questionnaires. The study yielded a better understanding of what they call “code switching” through their urban vernacular and dominant ideologies with a deep metacognitive understanding.
Alberg, Marty; McDonald, Aaron; McSparrin-Gallagher, Brenda; Ross, Steven.
“Achievement and Climate Outcomes for the Knowledge is Power Program in an
Inner-City Middle School.” Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk.
Volume 12 Number 2: 2007 137-165
The writers of this article focused their efforts on the idea that Knowledge is Power and created a program around this belief. Based on this idea, they created a new curriculum that would raise academic achievement in an inner-city school. Some of the main changes were that they extended the school day and year, create more access to teachers and materials after school, and increase family and school connections. The surveys and examination are trying to prove that a better environment will yield better students.
Lal, Dhyan & Li, Xin. “An inner-city school mentor: a narrative inquiry of the life
Experiences of ‘Daddy’.” Mentoring & Tutoring. Volume 14 Number 3:
August 2006 317-335.
Dhyan and Xin conducted a two-year ethnographic observation of an inner-city high school in Los Angeles where their main focus was on the principal of the school. Most of the study and research was conducted through interviews. Their conclusion was that the principal played an important role in the lives of the at-risk students. The principal was so passionate about his students that he embodied a ‘Daddy’ figure in and out of the school. This of course helped the students’ achievement expectations.
of First-Year Urban Teacher.” Education and Urban Society Volume 40
Number 4: May 2008 476-493.
The article discusses the problem that urban schools face with first year teachers. That is to say that many of the teachers are in the urban setting momentarily. What this means is… the teachers tend to go to the “better schools for better students.” This reinforces the idea that these students are not ideal students to teach. What most teachers do is transfer to other schools that are viewed as ideal and less problematic.
Godley, Amanda & Minnici, Angela. “Critical Language Pedagogy in an Urban High
School English Class.” Urban Education Volume 43 Number 3: May 2008
319-346.
The article explores the notion that the urban student has a different vernacular than other school settings. Both Amanda Godley and Angela Minnici have conducted a study that examines African American 10th grade English class through class discussion, interviews, and pre and post questionnaires. The study yielded a better understanding of what they call “code switching” through their urban vernacular and dominant ideologies with a deep metacognitive understanding.
Alberg, Marty; McDonald, Aaron; McSparrin-Gallagher, Brenda; Ross, Steven.
“Achievement and Climate Outcomes for the Knowledge is Power Program in an
Inner-City Middle School.” Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk.
Volume 12 Number 2: 2007 137-165
The writers of this article focused their efforts on the idea that Knowledge is Power and created a program around this belief. Based on this idea, they created a new curriculum that would raise academic achievement in an inner-city school. Some of the main changes were that they extended the school day and year, create more access to teachers and materials after school, and increase family and school connections. The surveys and examination are trying to prove that a better environment will yield better students.
Lal, Dhyan & Li, Xin. “An inner-city school mentor: a narrative inquiry of the life
Experiences of ‘Daddy’.” Mentoring & Tutoring. Volume 14 Number 3:
August 2006 317-335.
Dhyan and Xin conducted a two-year ethnographic observation of an inner-city high school in Los Angeles where their main focus was on the principal of the school. Most of the study and research was conducted through interviews. Their conclusion was that the principal played an important role in the lives of the at-risk students. The principal was so passionate about his students that he embodied a ‘Daddy’ figure in and out of the school. This of course helped the students’ achievement expectations.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Memorial Day... What is it and what has it become?
Today, we are supposed to celebrate Memorial Day. What does this mean? It means that we should take some time out to acknowledge the fallen soldiers past and present. The only thing is… we don’t. We have turned this national holiday into another beer fest and an excuse to drink and go down the shore. I must admit that I have fallen victim to this commercialized holiday. I didn’t go to the shore, but I did end up at some pubs for a drink or two.
I have to be honest. I didn’t really take time out to think about the fallen soldiers until now. Writing this blog is making me think about what Memorial Day is and should be. I do feel bad for all the soldiers, but at the same time I question why do we have to go to war in the first place. I just think it’s weird that we must go to war in order for peace to happen. Still, I strongly feel that we should think about the soldiers past and present and really question why they died. These questions should also be a part of a class discussion because I feel that students as well as many Americans forgot what this holiday was all about. We need to revive, rethink, and discuss this commercialized holiday along with many of the other holidays throughout the year.
I have to be honest. I didn’t really take time out to think about the fallen soldiers until now. Writing this blog is making me think about what Memorial Day is and should be. I do feel bad for all the soldiers, but at the same time I question why do we have to go to war in the first place. I just think it’s weird that we must go to war in order for peace to happen. Still, I strongly feel that we should think about the soldiers past and present and really question why they died. These questions should also be a part of a class discussion because I feel that students as well as many Americans forgot what this holiday was all about. We need to revive, rethink, and discuss this commercialized holiday along with many of the other holidays throughout the year.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Capitalism... or a great way to predict your future?
The reason why I decided to post this video in my blog is because I feel it is important to question why we take standardized tests in the first place. I remember feeling the fear that the teachers and other students placed on me and on these tests. You have to do well. If you don’t, well you won’t get into a good college. If you don’t get into a good college then you can get a job. If you don’t get a good job, then you can’t make money. If you don’t make money, you won’t meet a girl. Basically, your whole life is determined by this one test. To be quite honest, it was nerve wracking.
Still, I’m trying to find why these tests? I feel that companies are making so much money off the study aides that they provide for the students. Just like in the video, there are even podcasts that you can listen to on your Ipod. The tests have snowballed into a multimillion dollar money making company that has become the standard for everyone. Not only do I hate the idea of people paying more money into Education, but I don’t like the idea that they already have this cookie cutter form that we must all try to fit in order to become so-called successful. Education to me has become conformity.
The same can be said about what kids do outside and inside of classroom sphere. Take graffiti for example. The students enjoy tagging stalls and walls all over town. Just like in the video the institutions see this as an opportunity to take what the students enjoy and put it in an institutional setting… let the students decorate the walls of the school with their graffiti or let’s use podcasts to sell our learning materials. It this education or a way of making money and forcing kids to conform to some norm?
Capitalistic Life imitating Art?
Robert Bulman argues that Hollywood presents a preconceived notion that urban students are wild animals. In order for these students to become active members of society they must adopt middle class ideologies in order to become successful. In other words, the urban student must accept and follow the so-called Middle Class notion of the American dream… the true hegemonic belief that our society believes in.
The preservation of the dominant ideals can be justified by what Chomsky calls belief formation. Here each culture… in this case the white middle class dominant culture tries to justify their actions as a way of preserving and satisfying the given ideals. Belief formation is usually if not always used in a fear tactic against the subculture’s ideals and way of living. They try to instill the notion of fear by saying that if you do not conform to these ideals or way of life… then you will not become successful. Because one of the hegemonic beliefs is that happiness is rooted in money and the idea that we must buy the biggest and fastest car. If we have money then we will be happy. After all… this is the American dream. What it really is… is a capitalistic ideal that benefit the fat cats of our society and the middle class has also bought into this belief.
The preservation of the dominant ideals can be justified by what Chomsky calls belief formation. Here each culture… in this case the white middle class dominant culture tries to justify their actions as a way of preserving and satisfying the given ideals. Belief formation is usually if not always used in a fear tactic against the subculture’s ideals and way of living. They try to instill the notion of fear by saying that if you do not conform to these ideals or way of life… then you will not become successful. Because one of the hegemonic beliefs is that happiness is rooted in money and the idea that we must buy the biggest and fastest car. If we have money then we will be happy. After all… this is the American dream. What it really is… is a capitalistic ideal that benefit the fat cats of our society and the middle class has also bought into this belief.
Systemic Beliefs...
Conformity is the foundation of many schools today. The way the school functions is that the school creates a binary sphere. In this right and wrong environment conformity towards the right way of doing things is the only possibility for the student’s progress. This is what Joel Springer calls, “prostitute of powers.” “The ultimate power, [Illich] believes, is the school’s effect on one’s self-concept; that is, education teaches individuals about their own personal abilities and character traits. People learn to think of themselves as stupid or bright, as being worthy or as being failures” (29). That is to say, students do not have a choice to venture in the grey area of a black and white sphere. In my opinion, they become products of the system which forces them to conform into a functioning society.
The prostitute of powers all seems a terrible outcome of the schooling system. When I looked back at my past experiences through the school system, I recall one particular incident where I got in trouble. We were all coloring in a coloring book and I kept going out of the lines. The teacher kept yelling at me about it…saying that that isn’t the right way of doing things. Looking back on it…do all artist color in the lines? Why can they have artistic freedom and I must conform to the school ideology and demands of right and wrong? Why could I not have that power to color the way I thought was fit? I still don’t understand the answer to this.
The prostitute of powers all seems a terrible outcome of the schooling system. When I looked back at my past experiences through the school system, I recall one particular incident where I got in trouble. We were all coloring in a coloring book and I kept going out of the lines. The teacher kept yelling at me about it…saying that that isn’t the right way of doing things. Looking back on it…do all artist color in the lines? Why can they have artistic freedom and I must conform to the school ideology and demands of right and wrong? Why could I not have that power to color the way I thought was fit? I still don’t understand the answer to this.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
A.E.I.O.U. and sometimes Why?
I felt that the Annenberg article presents some vital changes that our current curriculum needs to address. The way our current school system is structured is by creating beings that passively engage within the school's material. What students are accustomed to do is perform for the teacher just so that they can make the grade. The article stresses the importance of democracy and agency for all students.
What first comes to mind when reading this article is Paulo Freire's work on the Banking concept. He describes the relationship between the teacher and student as the following:
The relationship that is being between the student and teacher is one of power. The teachers are the givers of knowledge and the students can be seen as receptacles of that given information:
What first comes to mind when reading this article is Paulo Freire's work on the Banking concept. He describes the relationship between the teacher and student as the following:
"A careful analysis of the teacher-student relationship at any level inside or outside the school, reveals its fundamentally narrative character This relationship involves a narrating Subject (the teacher) and patient, listening objects (the students). The contents, whether values or empirical dimensions of reality, tend in the process of being narrated to become lifeless and petrified. Education is suffering from narration sickness" (Chapter 2).In other words, our current pedagogy is set up so that students become docile individuals without any notion of agency to create change for themselves or community. The way the current school system is set up is that passivity and obedience is always being rewarded. Our students are becoming gears in the machine.
The relationship that is being between the student and teacher is one of power. The teachers are the givers of knowledge and the students can be seen as receptacles of that given information:
"Narration (with the teacher as narrator) leads the students to memorize mechanically the narrated content. Worse yet, it turns them into “containers,” into “receptacles” to be “filled” by the teacher. The more completely she fills the receptacles, the better a teacher she is. The more meekly the receptacles permit themselves to be filled, the better students they are" (Chapter 2).
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