"Privilege, Power and Difference" by Johnson

Johnson argues that the structure of societies are not set in and stone and that they need to reshape their ways of viewing change and oppression in order to deter the patterns of “exclusion, rejection, privilege, harassment, discrimination, and violence.” He believes that not only is speaking the words is necessary; people must be courageous and be willing to step outside their comfort zone in order to implement change. Johnson stresses the fact that while one person might not be able to make a large impact, one person may act as a catalyst, instigating others to follow his or her passive, non-discriminatory ways.

Passages of interest

· Johnson notes, “…we have to be willing to travels without knowing where we’re going.” He tries to reassure the reader that although sometimes walking blindly, not quite sure of one’s path or direction might be scary and intimidation, we have to have faith that we are doing what is right. We have to be able to counter the established system, not necessarily breaking it, but questioning, and ultimately weakening it. · Johnson states, “When we dare ask core questions about who we are and how the world works, things happen that we can’t forsee. But they don’t happen unless we move, if only in our minds.” Here Johnson is explaining how true change will come about if people expand their way of thinking and viewing the world. We need to move to change.· He states, “Social systems are also fluid…Because a system happens only as people participate in it, it cant help being a dynamic process of creation and re-creation from one moment to the next.” He is describing how despite the popular notion that is it fruitless to try to change a society’s ideals, societies, just like people, are subject to change. They shift based on the current and that current is influenced by the will of the people.

Comments

I thought Johnson’s article to be truly inspirational and empowering and called for action to be taken against the oppression of inferior social groups to the ‘culture of power.’ Johnson engaged me and showed me that by changing little aspects of my life such as not laughing at a homosexual joke can be a good step in the right direction as to squelching privilege. The article was a smooth read and highly enjoyable because of the writing style and the messages that he defined throughout.

"Citizenship in School: Reconceptualizing Down Snydrome" by Kliewer

Kliewer argues that students with down syndrome should be given the equal opportunity of learning the same way that students without down syndrome do. They should be integrated in the same classrooms as non-disabled students, provided with the same learning materials, they should be given the chance to learn in a mainstream learning environment. By providing these opportunities to students with disabilities every student would be able to grow, develop, and learn from one another.

Passages of interest

• "It's not like they come here to be labeled, or to believe the label. We're all here, kids, teachers, parents, whoever, it's all about us working together."
• "If you came into the room and were told there was a retarded child in the class, I don't think you'd pick Lee out. The kids agree that he's as capable as they are. Intellectually the same."
• "Culture of segregation surrounding people with disabilities actually teaches underdevelopment of thinking through the isolation of children from socially valued opportunities...Altering the culture of disability requires that a child be recognized as an active learner, a thinker, and a problem solver."

Comments

First off I want to say I like the story about Issac in this piece. The fact that the teacher took the initiative to find a way to conform the student with a disability within the classroom setting with a lesson plan that let ALL the students actively learn was a major role there. Not only that, but the fact that she recognized Issac as a human child, not a disabled child and let him learn on a level that showed he was grasping the lessons being taught.

I related this article to when we read Johnson and related to SCWAAMP...he said that able bodied individuals were privileged while those with disabilities were silenced. Incorporating the children into the classroom will not only allow them to achieve greater academically then if they were in a special education classroom, but it will also give the other children the chance to look at the others with disabilities as one of them and not a special education child. I believe getting support from the community and being accepted into that community is a wonderful thing.

"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work" by Anyon

Anyon discusses the differences in the school curriculum of fifth graders between working class, middle class, affluent professional, and executive elite schools. The differences between them based on the same subjects studied within each school, the schoolwork, and the interactions between teacher and student. Anyon's hidden curriculum is that students are being taught the skills and their levels of education that they would need to possess to enter into society.....to keep the same social class and jobs as their parents....otherwise predetermined career opportunities.

Passage of interest

• "Simple punctuation is all they'll ever use."

Okay this is disturbing...how can you be a teacher and make this type of comment?? Where's the passion in teaching?? There is no constructive communication between teachers and students....and no creativity....I really cannot believe that this type of teaching exists. Instead of giving the students a quality education, it sounds more like a glorified baby sitting job. The teachers decide everything, the students have no idea when the next period begins or ends...what's the deal with the clocks?? Why no clocks??

• "I want to make sure you understand what you are doing - so you get it right."

The middle class school lets the students figure out for themselves the right answers and communication between teacher and student is constructive. I can see that there is more emphasis on choice and making their own decisions than that of the working class schools. This to me is a better learning environment..."doing well is important because there are thought to be other likely rewards: a good job or college." Why can't the working class students have the same benefits as the middle class?? Each student deserves the best education possible...and teachers who want to teach, not slackers....

• "Then I have something else for you to do that's really fun."

Okay why can't everyone have fun?? Without fun and creativity we can lose our students and the drop out rate will continue to rise...we don't want to turn them away from school...I feel that helping students connect to each other and the classroom teaching style will help them learn better. It's all about opportunities.....every student should have the same opportunities no matter what their social class is......

Comments/questions

I believe the system needs work...students in low income areas deserve the same as honor students. They deserve not to have teachers who are overwhelmed. They deserve enriching extracurricular options and should be able to have all of this throughout their education. Most of all, they deserve a chance.....which by the way has been denied because the country has already written their destinies in stone. America would be a much better place if our education system was equitable and our racial and social class issues would not be soooo tense.....isnt' that reason enough???

"One More River to Cross" by Charles Lawrence

Lawrence argues that "the Brown decision fostered a way of thinking about segregation that has allowed both the judiciary and society at large to deny the reality of race in America, that the recognition of that reality is critical to the framing of any meaningful remedy-judicial or political - and that Brown may ultimately be labeled a success only insofar as we are able to make it stand for what it should have stood for in 1954."

Passage of interest

• "the Supreme Court's reasoning in striking down an interdistrict desegregation order in Detroit was flawed in that it misunderstood the true nature of the institution of segregation", and the "failure to recognize and articulate the true nature of racial segregation was more the product of an intentional, knowledgeable decision than the result of any inability to comprehend."

This is what we discussed in class, without recognizing and speaking the words, things will just continue on without any changes. It reminds me of the "bandaid on the broken leg" that you use in class....the court did not acknowledge the true "nature" of segregation; not because they were not able to understand it but the way they chose to admit to it. Segregation means the
policy or practice of separating people of different races, classes, or ethnic groups, as in schools, housing, and public or commercial facilities, especially as a form of discrimination.

• "Segregation's only purpose is to label or define blacks as inferior and thus exclude them from full and equal participation in society."

I believe this entire article orbits around this statement. The concept of segregation is to keep blacks in this state of inadequacy making it really hard to ascend to a higher level and really to remain in a lower level. The true nature of the institution of segregation is what Charles Lawrence argues about in this article in relation to Brown vs. court decisions.

• "Segregation is organic and self-perpetuating. Once established it will not be eliminated by mere removal of public sanction but must be affirmatively destroyed."

"organic and self-perpetuation"...to me these terms describe the institution. It brings a visual pic to mind; a large tree with deep roots that when you try to remove it, it becomes very difficult. "Self-perpetuation"...according to the dictionary is, having the power to renew or perpetuate oneself or itself for an indefinite length of time. I also think that it is something that is rooted within people's nature at a very early stage if they are able to unlearn it and at the point of unlearning, the nature of segregation does not have to mean that anything will be done about it. Affirmatively destroy?? How can that be done??

Comments/questions

I believe Lawrence is viewing Brown as a bandaid that was placed on a really bad broken leg. Lawrence believes that the society needs to work to normalize the connections between whites and black in the effort to guarantee desegregation and anti-discrimination. Still today the problem remains.....how can we affirmatively destroy??? Any suggestions???

"Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community" by Dennis Carlson

Carlson argues that public schools in a democratic society need to have teachers educate students to have tolerance for homosexuals as they do for heterosexuals, and this is a fundamental step in accepting race, gender, and sexual preferences. In other words, educate on the issues rather than silence them.

Passage of interest

• While public schools have long been viewed by progressive educators as embryonic communities that should engage young people in building a democratic community of mutual support and respect, gay people have for the most part been made absent, invisible, and silent within this community and at the same time represented as the deviant and pathological "Other". (233)

To me this clearly states there is a definite silence and lack of knowlege towards gay students in the system, and that homosexuals are being seen as totally morally wrong.....

• Public schools in particular have often promoted such "normalizing" conceptualizations of community that are based on defining a cultural center or "norm" and positioning class, gender, race, and sexual Others at the margins." (234)

The arguement here is that the teachers are forced to educate an impossible image of the "norm" to students. What happens if a child is not considered to be "normal"??? Do we let them drop by the wayside and forget about it?? For instance, what if that child were to be homosexual and then this way of teaching makes him feel like he doesn't belong and uncapable of being like everyone else....I've seen it too many times growing up....kids slip through the cracks just barely getting through their daily lives....

• "These abuses get tolerated because gay teachers and students operate in an environment where they feel afraid to stand up for themselves, and because any discussion of gay people continues to be absent in the curriculum so that homophobia is not interrogated" (239).

This case in point shows that this type of homophobia is somewhat accepted because gay teachers and students are fearfull to protect themselves. I was not brought up to make fun at anyone or tease anyone because of race, gender, color, or sexual orientation....It is morally and humanlly wrong....we are all human, we all have a heart, we all breath the same air....its important to remember that we all have feelings too....

Comments/questions

At times I found myself re-reading this article over and over....it was more intense than the other articles we have read. I did however like the fact that Carlson uses specific examples of ignorance toward homosexuals...like pop culture...here homosexuality is on the whole "invisible". I do agree with Carlson when he states that all sexual preferences should be equally accepted and by the same token, not one particular preference should be classified more "normal" than the other.

"Teaching Multilingual Children" by Virginia Collier

Collier argues that there is a unique set of educational and cultural issues that must be addressed when teaching multilingual children but that if done with care, and properly handled multilingual children can succeed in the classroom.

Passage of interest

• The key is the true appreciation of the different linguistic and cultural values that students bring into the classroom.

I truly believe this statement....Collier understands how teaching a second language can be beneficial to both student and teacher. We learn new things everyday, even adults...so why not incorportate the many cultural differences our students have into our every day life??? We must learn to "appreciate" the different languages and values of each student.

• The critical distinction to maintain is between how children acquire the capacity to converse casually in a second language, and how they learn to become proficient students using second language. These are two entirely different processes.
• Teachers are responsible for facilitating academic language development. Academic language does not come to kids automatically, just because they are in a dominant English-speaking locale.

These two statements are just the icing on the cake. Collier lists seven guidelines to support her arguement...with the best supporting evidence to back them. Collier's approach to me seemed real matter of fact and very clear. I thought it was very interesting that one point she mentions that it is easier for language learners to have short simpler sentences, and in fact this in deed was exactly the sort of text used in her article. I believe that she wrote this peice with ELL students in mind; if they were to come across this peice of writing, it would be straightforward for them.

"Aria" by Richard Rodriguez

Richard Rodriguez's essay shows the reader a part of his life that few people have experienced. He points out the childhood struggles he had trying to adopt the English language. Rodriguez believes by speaking English he will fit better in society. During this time Rodriguez gives up on his native language of Spanish, both at home and school, to become a better English speaking student.

Passage of interest

• We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed. No longer so close; no longer bound tight by the pleasing and troubling knowledge of our public separateness. Neither my brother nor sister rushed home after school anymore. Nor did I.

As a child Rodriguez found comfort at home speaking Spanish; the family surrounded him with this comfort and love which was conveyed by using the Spanish language. In attempts to become a better student, he gives up on his native language, it becomes a forbidden language at home which leads him to feel a sense of isolation with his parents. A "new silence" has been born and Rodriguez feels the strain. Teaching ESL to students is wonderful, but to give up their native language is totally wrong. Let their culture live on with them...we must embrace those students with a second language, encouraging them to learn but not to forget where it is they came from.

• I also needed my teachers to keep my attention from straying in class by calling out, Rich-heard - their English voices slowly prying loose my ties to my other name, its three notes, Ri-car-do.

To me it seems the names have two different meanings. Richard was a scared boy who needed to find his place in the Americanized world. How was he to fit in society when all he spoke was Spanish? Ricardo was a boy who came from a loving home, who was comfortable with speaking Spanish to his parents. But Richard soon took over and pushed Ricardo out, he was learning that his family life was changing because of his need to learn English. Why can't children be bilingual? Who are we to tell them to stop using their language at home? In today's society being bilingual is very marketable....employers will pay extra $$ for those who speak two languages.....I wish I had the opportunity to learn Spanish in high school, I envy those who can..

No one culture is better than any other....I do think that Rodriguez could have kept part of his culture and still become Americanized. I think the main point of this essay was that Rodriguez feels it is necessary for people living in a culture that is not native to them to conform to that particular culture. I feel Rodriguez's writing was really well written....would you agree???

School Context Assignment

May 22, 2008, as I approach Emma G. Whiteknact Elementary School, many different thoughts go through my mind. I stare at the surrounding area and notice the appearance of the building. It looks very welcoming set away from the busy streets. The landscaping is simple but very pleasing to the eye; an assortment of flowers arranged in rows with great colors. I watch some children playing outside in the courtyard before the last bell rings and the memories just flutter through my mind. I had a strong feeling to go play in the courtyard with them. The boys were yelling and running around, while the girls were playing jump rope.
Once I entered the building I noticed that the walls were decorated with art work done by the students and by the office door was the word PRIDE in enormous letters. Each letter represents a different word, P stands for perseverance, R stands for respect, I for integrity, D is for discipline, and E stands for excellence. I walked into the office and got my instructions from the secretary. She was very nice and helpful. I found my way to the room, sweating bullets; I felt nervous but excited as I entered the room. I introduced myself to the teacher and she in turn introduced me to her class as Mrs. Dyl. The children gave me quick glances, as if to ask “What is she doing here?” The classroom is very lively and I noticed how every inch of the walls were covered in some type of pictures, artwork, posters and quotes. There are plants in the windowsills. The room has a very homey atmosphere to it. The floor was covered with an area rug that had a rocking chair on it; it reminded me of my grandmother’s reading room. It is a fairly small classroom and everything is scrunched together. The desks are put together in rows across the room with the teacher’s desk towards the middle-front, so she can see everyone. I noticed the teacher had an assortment of paper butterflies hanging from the ceiling; it looks like they were made by the students.
The teacher is creating a comfortable and child friendly atmosphere for the students. The students feel secure in this environment. On one of the walls the teacher has decorated it with the PRIDE logo; this is the Whiteknact’s mission, to instill PRIDE among the students. Another reason why I believe this to be a comfortable and secure environment is the way the teacher delivers her teaching across to the students. She has a calm easy to listen to voice, no yelling or screaming, calm and relaxed.
The curriculum is very much on the go, always switching onto a new subject. I notice that the students begin their day with chapter books. They break into groups, usually 4 or 5 students, and each student is assigned a page to read out loud. If a student cannot sound out a word then one of his/her classmates can help. After the story is over, the teacher passes out a handout. The handout is done in class and must be done alone, group work is not allowed. The student must summarize the book from the beginning to the end, list the characters and finally draw a picture. I enjoy this part of the day; just being able to see how they interpret the story is a riot. Imagine 20 students with at least 6 different versions of the same story. Amazing how a child’s mind works. I like the idea of the group interaction and that everyone has a chance to read a page from the book. What I don’t like is the fact that they are not allowed to work with their group to complete the handout. I think the handout can sometimes be used by the teacher as “busy work”, as pointed out in one of our lectures.
The pedagogy that the teacher follows is very structured. The teacher has a schedule set for each day, for example, Monday is Physical Education, Tuesday is Physical Education, Wednesday is Art, Thursday is Music, and Friday is Library. The teacher goes further and breaks it down by time. There is free time that the teacher uses to teach them sign language. The students gather on the rug and the teacher begins to sing while signing. I was totally impressed that these second graders knew how to sign. I was told the reason for the sign is to first, help out one of the students who is hearing impaired and second, to learn a new language. Wow, what a great idea. Not only is she celebrating this new language, she is not isolating the student that is hearing impaired. The community of students has come together to their PRIDE.
I have several informal interactions in the classroom. My first day I was ready to leave and 3 girls came up to me and gave me a hug. To me that was okay, I don’t mind a hug. Another time was in recess when a group of boys were picking on another student and I intervened; that student hugged me and thanked me. To me there is nothing better in this world than seeing a smile on a child’s face. I’m not sure if I should have intervened but I felt like their actions were uncalled for. I’m still learning myself so I hope that this will be a lesson learned for everyone.
The demographics according to the SALT Survey are as follows: more than 57% of the students receive free lunch, 50% of the students have an ethnic background, 16% of the students require ESL and 15% are in IEP Programs. This is definitely in accordance with the neighborhood, for example, I have been in the same house for 22 years and 80% of my neighbors do not speak English, it is either Portuguese or Cape Verdean. I also noticed that half of the students in my class eat their breakfast at school. I wonder why? Do the parents have to work early or is it an issue of not being able to provide them with breakfast? I’m sure this is an issue with all the schools in Rhode Island. A question for my peers, are you finding this to be the case at your schools? I would love to know what others think about this. The SALT Survey is sent home every year but I really do not think the information is accurate. How many parents actually fill the form out and how many understand the questions being asked?
Lisa Delpit would probably agree with the pedagogy of this classroom. The teachers and the textbooks are there to help educate the children and to ensure that every student gets a proper education. “My charge here is not to determine the best instructional methodology; I believe that the actual practice of good teachers of all colors typically incorporates a range of pedagogical orientation.” The approach Delpit talks about is the difference between “skill” and “process”. I believe that we must empower students; we need to encourage them to show them that they matter as individuals, no matter what culture or color they are. But in the same breath, we don’t want them to feel they must lose their culture to be successful. We don’t want to turn students away from school, which can happen if they think they don’t have power.

"White Privilege" by McIntosh / "Data Show Racial Bias" by Muwakkil

Muwakkil's argument is that a person of color will have a much harder time in life than that of a white person. I am a true believer of this...I was one of 5 manager's at Dicks Sporting Goods..I was in charge of interviewing and hiring sales associates for the store. I personally gave everyone the same interview..the questions and time were always consistant. However, in my absence, one of my co-workers decided to turn the system around and what I mean by that was he hired only white females....not African American or Spanish ones....he was a totaly racist. I was appauled by this and confronted the District Manager, needless to say he was terminated by the end of the month. Muwakkil states "But a number of recent studies say that overt racial discrimination is still easy to find - if you know where to look. I truly believe that if you look for something to go wrong, you will find something wrong.

"The study found that applicants with white-sounding names were 50 percent more likely to get called for an initial interview than applicants with black-sounding ones." What do I think about this statement??? I have to agree with him on this, though I hate to think this is still the case in 2008. Everyone should have equal opportunity, isn't that the American way?? Land of opportunity....or did we forget about that. It shouldn't be about a black or white sounding names, it should be about the individual....their skills they bring to an employer. My brother's name is Wadiha, which in English means William....he never uses his Arabic name for the sake of being looked at funny. I consider him to be of white privilege...scwaamp.

"Where blacks were jailed for selling or using drugs at 57 times the rate of whites. The report also found that blacks comprise 90 percent of the inmates imprisoned for drugs." Okay well this study only focuses on Illinois....what about the rest of the country?? If a predominantly white neighborhood had a huge crime rate than the whites would be held accountable for the rise. Only surveying black neighborhoods doesn't give us the whole picture....crime doesn't come in colors, it happens to everyone, black, white or hispanic. These types of studies do not make clear that racial biases persist. I believe that racism exists....how can we as individuals make it stop??



"White Privilege"

Peggy McIntosh argues that "whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege." The invisible knapsack is just that...we cannot see what is not in clear sight....

The article pointed out a lot of things that I don't think about often. For example, take quote 20 "I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children's magazines featuring people of my race." Why is that..could it be because our society from the start has been predominatly white and Christian? I noticed my daughter's teen magazines and I must say that every person in that magazine was white....are there no black child actors or recording artists....is the publisher discriminating against the other ethnic cultures???

Quote 9 "I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods that fit my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser's shop and find someone who can deal with my hair." It is true, you will find all these things that are available for your race because unfortunately that is who is buying the merchandise. I do admit that there is an unfair representation of whites in the media and merchandise....but the bottom line is the company wants to profit from the sales and to them this is the best way to do it. While the problem should be solved, the company is only looking out for itself and it's investors.

Quote 2 "If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area that I can afford and in which I would want to live." I think many white people cannot afford to buy a house in an area they would like to live....they would have to buy where they can afford it. I believe that it is not related to race as much as it is more of a financial issue. On the other side of the coin, many non white people can afford now buying housing where white people cannot not.

"White Privileges" are applied to some situations, but in my opinion, we cannot consider them being true for everyone. To look at the issue of racism from this point of view and the assigned privileges of different groups is something we need to stop and think about....all races have some privileges and rights that others don't have and vice versa. A more positive atmosphere will be created if people stop thinking about "white privileges" and start treating everyone equally.

"Amazing Grace" by Jonathan Kozol

Kozol wrote this book for the purpose of telling the stories he encountered by the children who lived in the run down neighborhoods of New York City. His goal was to inform the reader that the slums do exist and the children who live there did not deserve to be there. The question "why should their childhood by different from others across the country?" needs to be reviewed by by everyone....

Passage of interest:

• A person who works in a real job at a place like Chemical Bank, she tells me, is a rare exception in the neighborhood. "Almost no one here has jobs like that. Some are too sick. They live on SSI."

I cannot believe we call America the "Land of Opportunity"...it seems like the opposite in these ghettos. There seems to be very little opportunity for the people living there. No chance for employment outside the ghetto, or being accepted outside it. It is very unfortunate for these people, this was there home, a place that you are not supposed to leave, and when they did they were looked at by others with disgust. I knew that such places existed but really had no clue on how they functioned or what the living conditions where actually like. It sickens me to think that children are being brought up in such conditions.....

• Alice Washington lives on a street called Boston Road, close to East Tremont Avenue, about two miles to the north of St. Ann's Church. Visibly fragile as a consequence of having AIDS and highly susceptible to chest infections, she lives with her son, who is a high school senior, in a first-floor apartment with three steel locks on the door.

I am truly amazed by people like Alice who live day to day in awful conditions....but yet press on for the sake of her son, hoping that one day everything will be alright and she will find her happiness. As a parent of a high school senior, I can see where Alice wants to raise him "right" and teach him to live morally within a place that is surrounded by terrible things. It is not easy for her to open up to Kozol...she tells him everything about the ghetto and what day to day life is all about for her and her son. I see Alice as a role model for those who live in the ghetto...she is a fighter, sacrificing her well being for the sake of others....determination.

• In 1991, 84 people, more than half of whom were 21 or younger, were murdered in the precinct. A year later, ten people were shot dead on a street called Beckman Avenue, where many of the children I have come to know reside. On Valentine's Day of 1993, three more children and three adults were shot dead on the living room floor of an apartment six blocks from the run down park that serves the area.

The extremely high rates of children's deaths in this ghetto is disgusting....so many young children getting killed, whether it was accidental, a shooting that went wrong, or because of the unhealthy conditions they were living in and the crappy treatments that were available in the area's hospitals. As a parent or better yet...as a human being this is totally DISGUSTING....I cannot imagine myself, my children or anyone living in such horrible conditions....

Questions/Comments/Points To Share:

After reading this, I actually wanted to cry....this is unacceptable in today's society....how can we as human beings let this happen??? This should not be allowed to continue, the people living in these ghettos should not be segregated or discriminated against; they should be treated just like everyone else. How can one help?? Send a check to charity?? No matter what it is that we can do, the truth is that it exists.....and I truly believe as moral people we need to decide how we can help.