Assignment 7/29

Hi all,

Happy weekend!

Here is the list of words we came up with in class:

chance, culture, resiliency, against, the odds, salvation, eye opening, human, hopeful, self-reliance, strength, contrasts, promise, community, brotherhood, pride, power, heartbreak, action, tenacious, hope

As you read each word allow your memory to replay what pieces of the film bring these words to mind for you. A few posts ago the job was consolidation. Today, your charge is connection.

1) Please begin with one or more of the words above and expand on your thoughts including connections you are making to theorists, to privilege, to Delpit, to child development, and to your own understanding of your pedagogy in the classroom.

See you Wed!

Zalika

Delpit's Journey

In the second half of Other Peoples Children, Delpit gives us a few snapshots in time and space in which she is participating in other cultures. During her stay in Alaska she was shown a different perspective of what it looks like for another culture to have to endure a new progressive approach to learning, and how it contradicted their cultural norms. Delpit has to look beyond her great wealth of cumulated knowledge to re-assess her role in relationship to the earth and her surroundings, a very humbling experience. When she visited Denali national park she talks about going to look at this "lifeless, inanimate mountain," she was stopped in her tracks when an older Aleut said to her "When you see the mountain, say "Hello Grandfather." The fact was brought up that this mountain had lived long before and would continue to live on long after. And to approach the mountain with due respect "a respect deserved for all it had seen." This made me immediately think of the Native American culture, and the mere fact that it and our inhabitants (especially in the Northwest) that we need to recognize that the culture and landforms were around long before us and they deserve respect. We are visitors, with a time expiration. That teaching and acknowledging culture is just not enough and to present others cultures as a foreign body is unacceptable. We must pay respect and learn to acknowledge it in the classroom daily.

That small section alone had so much in it to take away, chew on for a while and swallow. A lot of our attention around culture tends to lean towards immigrants (which we all are, or come from) while we sort of push to the side the native cultures we brush over. One of the passages on p.99 struck me, "Doing it was not sufficient; unless it was accompanied by words, it didn't count. How many times do we insist that children talk through some problem they have already solved? We think we are "checking for understanding," but could we merely be helping children to learn to ignore context? At first when I read this I thought to myself, wow this completely contradicts the way we are being taught to evaluate and discuss subjects, and then I went back to being a child, sitting at my desk, solving a math problem and my teacher asking me how I did it, I remember thinking, why? you don't believe that I did it? is it wrong? And it began the vicious cycle of questioning myself, which I tend to do constantly, especially with math to this very day!! Even when I know my answer is right. So on one hand I can relate to the frustration but I can also see how talking through a solution, piece of writing or any other subject could help to cement and idea and even help others to see through different perspectives.

The section really made me aware of knowing my students and how important it is for the individual and the whole class environment. I feel like I could be teaching in all the right ways, but if I have not connected to my students, all the good teaching goes under the carpet and all is lost. I know that in present time in our own class situations I feel like I know all of my professors and have made connections, thus in turn I try to put 110% of my time and effort into being respectful by coming to class, having the readings done and actively participating even when I am tired and feel beat down.

Knapsack thoughts

Peggy White's article, "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" was very insightful about the pervasiveness of unacknowleged, unearned advantages conferred on people with light skin. There were many passages that were thought-provoking. The one I chose to pull out that I agree with is that, "I was taught to see myself as an individual whose moral state depended on her individual moral will" --rather than seeing myself as part of a larger system in which white privilege put me at an advantage. I agree with this quote personally in that this has been my own experience too, but I also chose this quote because this question of the individual vs. the "big systems" seems to keep coming up this week. In Sara's class, my vocab word was "mystification." This occurs when, due to uncritical but commonly held beliefs, people think a problem is caused by their own individual failure (e.g. can't get a good job b/c didn't work hard enough) when in fact it is a larger systemic problem (e.g. our economic system). As teachers, we are both working on a highly individual level and yet also part of a bigger system with some major problems. Part of me would still like to not have to deal with my participation in the bigger systems -- the scale is overwhelming. But White's article forces me to think about where I fit into the system and how, in the case of skin color, I benefit from it without even having realized how much.
The quote I have questions about is, "It seems to me that obliviousness about white advantage...is kept strongly inculturated...so as to maintain the myth of meritocracy...Keeping most people unaware...serves to keep power in the hands of the same groups that have most of it already." I don't entirely disagree, but what I wanted to tease out is the underlying idea that some group of people in power are intentionally keeping the rest of us in the dark about white privilege. There is a little bit of conspiracy theory tone in there. Maybe I'm being too simple or naive but it seems to me it's more an issue of either (1) selfish unawareness - not paying attention if you're the beneficiary and (2) those in power being unapologetically open about their power and desire to keep it--they're not hiding white advantage, they're blatantly wallowing in it.
The "action" quote I chose is, "As we know from watching men, it is an open question whether we will choose to use unearned advantage to weaken hidden systems of advantage, and whether we will use any of our arbitrarily awarded power to try to reconstruct power systems on a broader base. " Here we go back to the relationship between individual action and the larger picture. White talks about men or whites with power giving up some of their power. I think that most of the time, in daily interactions and situations such as the ones described in her list, being aware and "giving up some power" actually does not result in a true loss of power so much as a gain in humanity.

invisible knapsack

Peggy McIntosh's concept of white privilege as an “invisible knapsack” which daily benefits white people who usually unknowingly carry it around is a really powerful metaphor for those who may be reluctant or even downright opposed to admitting white privilege permeates all arenas of social life in our society. As I grapple with “not knowing what I don't know” and realizing that I have internalized many assumptions and stereotyped put forth by mass media, having a concrete list of “provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks” that I take for granted is extremely useful in deconstructing my prejudices. It is a good reminder that while I believe myself to be open-minded and resistant to racist and classist stereotypes, there are always more steps I can take toward becoming more critically conscious.

“Whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal, so that when we work to benefit others, this is seen as work which will allow “them” to be more like “us.”

This quote resonates with me. I cannot help but think about the standard of “Standard English” that Deplit discusses, and how in order to be taken seriously in any academic area, you must write eloquently in Standard English. This is true from science to theory to political writings. I have always accepted this as completely reasonable and now it makes me wonder...not that I think that we should abandon good writing, but that language is an extremely powerful gatekeeper in and of itself, especially to these professional fields.

“...the myth of meritocracy, the myth that democratic choice is equally available to all.”

I do not deny that the playing field is extremely uneven, but I am wary of the fine line between disadvantages and excuses. I wholeheartedly agree that some groups of people have much more access to certain resources and therefore certain academic or professional tracks, but I also think we (especially we liberals) need to be careful about choosing how to cast light on the relativity of merit-based achievements. When we brazenly talk about meritocracy as a total myth, we may potentially offend or alienate several groups: conservatives who may feel attacked to be told their lives are essentially complete lies, and therefore may be even likely to see our point of view; oppressed people who have beaten the odds and are proud of their achievements; poor white people or middle/upper class people of color who have had both obstacles and advantages in life and view their success as genuine; and non-oppressed women and men who have worked hard and maintained open minds and humble attitudes about their successes.

“Keeping most people unaware that freedom of confident action is there for just a small number of people props up those in power, and serves to keep power in the hands of the same groups that have most of it already.”

Substantial changes in the system are likely to come from those who already exercise the power. I believe McIntosh would put me (and herself) in one of these groups who have the power, so it only makes sense to me that not only do I have the ability to influence powers that be and effect change, but the responsibility. I already admit that I possess white privilege, and that I don't know that I don't know, and I think these are two crucial first steps toward working to distribute power and resources more evenly amongst the citizens of our country. I chose teaching because I saw it as the best way for me to serve my community, but I think who I see in “my community” has changed radically since I began this program. My communities are local, national, and global; my community is the human community. As long as I can keep seeing all people as people – people who love and cry and struggle and celebrate just like me – I think I will be able to make some pretty positive ripples.

Peggy McIntosh

My summary of the thesis for this article is when Peggy states, "As a white person, I realized I had been taught about racism as something that puts others at a disadvantage, but had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege, which puts me at an advantage.  While Peggy talks about how racism is seen as putting others at a disadvantage, I have never really thought about connecting these two ideas together.  It seems so obvious after reading the article but the idea was still hard to sink in for me.  I guess it is because personally I have never looked at myself as having such an advantage over others based soley on my race.  I have several friends of color and I have personally never felt that way.  This reading really opened my eyes to the realitites that others my face.  As a person of privilege, I feel like I do want to be accountable and help lesson this privilege.  The question for me is what kinds of situations can I put myself in to do that.

I agree with the statement: "Disapproving of the systems won't be enough to change them.  I was taught to think that racism could end if white individuals changed their attitudes."  Changing racism requires more than just individual attitudes to change.  There is a difference between your attitude about racism and your actions.  The article explains how white skin opens up many doors for us in the U.S.  Some of us may be aware of this privilege and not necessarily ever do anything about it.

I would personally disagree with the statement: "Whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and a average, and also ideal, so that when we work to benefit others, this is seen as work which will allow " them" to be more like "us." I know that when I personally work to benefit others, I don't see it as work which will allow "them" to be more like "us."  Maybe I am just unconscious of this feeling and blind to it.  I know that I need to open my eyes more and become more conscious of this privilege that I possess.

A statement that spurs me into "action" in some way- Privileges that overpower certain groups, number 20. I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children's magazines featuring people of my race.  My mom encountered this situation when she went to look for a black baby doll for my son at the store.  She told me that she was having a hard time finding one.  So when I went to the store I wanted to see what different colors of dolls they had at the store.  I noticed that the majority of them were white.  I may have found a doll that I liked for my son but it was not a black doll.  This makes me want to take action by writing the toy company a letter.  I would want to find out why they don't make more dolls of color.  I would be willing to buy one if they had the doll I was looking for.  It seems that these companies make assumptions about what they think consumers want. 

Cross-Cultural Confusions

Deplit argues that good teaching requires understanding the cultures that exists within the classroom. She uses the metaphor of relating preaching to teaching, as a preacher has his or her own background and agenda and is preaching to a specific audience, where all of the preacher’s work is intended. She also gives examples of how different cultural communication styles are used and it is necessary to understand the cultural context in order to find meaning and to assess accurately.

“Being able to make accurate interpretations requires either sharing communicative or ethnic background, or having enough communicative experience with the other group to make sense of the alternative styles” (p.144)

Though I agree that it necessary to understand different communication styles between cultures and how that difference will influence how something is understood in the classroom, I would also argue that within a classroom, where cultural context is understood, and students feel secure, a new culture is built, specific in which students and the teacher exist. My teaching experience in Korea mirrors this thought. Korean children are expected to respect their elders through actions and ways of speech, this did not occur in my classroom the conventional way expressed throughout Korean society. Hangul, or the Korean language offers a form to speak to someone who is older than you. While this exists in English in slight forms (polite vs. command), there is not an overall rule that exists in other languages, such as the Usted vs the Tu form in Spanish. The fact that English lacks this tool, or affluent speakers can only use the tool, a quality my students did not, communication in the classroom between students and myself was very different from the communication they shared with their Korean teachers. Furthermore, observing my students’ actions inside and outside the classroom, I felt the students felt more at ease to express themselves within my classroom because they didn’t see me existing within the Confucius society that governs them to be more obedient. While I think Deplit’s argument of understanding the culture that exists within each member of the classroom is true, I would further her argument in that children are more adaptable than we think. While they may act or speak in certain ways, they have the ability to adapt to a new culturally inclusive culture that the teacher builds space for within a classroom.

“We all interpret behaviors, information, and situations through our own cultural lenses; these lenses operate involuntarily, below the level of conscious awareness, making it seem that our own view is simply “the way it is.”

I think that Deplit has accurately expressed the recipe of what makes an effective constructivist teacher. By not only expanding what we know, but also understanding the “whats” and “whys” of our knowledge, we can create a platform for all children, no matter what background they may have to be successful. While we read about how a certain race or gender act in the classroom, and how to cater to these groupings of students, it is best to consider the child as a whole, not just by their race or gender.

Both of these quotes make me SO excited to get back into the classroom! I am so anxious to learn about my students, think of creative ways to create an inclusive classroom, and if all goes well, see each of them develop in their own way.

assignment 7/5 QUOTE

Q - what questions do you have?
U - what are you understanding with more clarity?
O - how do your observations in real life connect with this reading?
T - what treasures do you want to make sure you don't forget and
E - what are some "easy" applications for your very own classroom?

Q- How can we help parents get on board with Montessori ideals? Particularly in regards to fostering independence and providing aesthetic environments. I appreciate how she mentions that the classroom can be a respite from a home life that is lacking in these areas. Maria Montessori believed that children should do everything they are capable of, which would include laundry, cleaning, some cooking, etc.
In many schools it may come across to some, as demeaning and pointless to have children cleaning. And it is often illegal for food prepared by the children in the classroom to be eaten. How can we reconcile such issues?
U- Sometimes as a teacher it is easier in the moment to do something for a student rather than taking the time and energy to teach the child to do it themselves. When students take responsibility for activities such as distribution of snacks, preparation of art materials, classroom organization they learn independence and self reliance.
O- Children are more comfortable in, and naturally gravitate toward environments that speak to them, small chairs and desks, books they can reach, flowers to look at, etc.
T- Provide an organized and cheerful environment for the children I teach.
E- Bring in nature. Assign class jobs which rotate. Remember that a new coat of paint, or a nice couch cover can help with aesthetics while keeping costs down. Provide materials that work well. The materials do not have to be the most expensive and top of the line but they do have to work well.

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

I choose Peggy McIntosh’s article, “White Privilege: Unpacking the invisible Knapsack” to dive into for this blogpost. I think the main thesis of this article is that white privilege is oppressive whether one is conscious of it or not. White privilege is not synonymous with prejudice and isn’t defined as an act of meanness but is a system of dominance ruled by unearned privilege.

I can agree with the statement, “I can choose blemish cover or bandages in flesh color and have them more or less match my skin.” I find this statement powerful because I feel like not only are other skin colors not represented but that by naming that color “flesh color” it defines flesh color as white, as if there is only one kind of skin tone. I agreed with many of the points McIntosh makes in this article, but this particular one was one I haven’t thought of before and is quite frankly, offensive.

I disagree with the statement, “I have met very few men who are truly distressed about systemic, unearned male advantage and conferred dominance.” I agree with the point McIntosh makes about men not wanting to give up unearned privilege and power, but I don’t agree that there are very few men in the world who are truly distressed about it. I have had millions of conversations about these gender inequalities with my male friends and I feel that many of them are genuinely distressed and feel quite guilty about male dominance. I suppose it is all in the company you keep or the men you debate this topic with. Recognizing a problem and taking action to change it are two different things, however, and I have not met many people in general (male or women) who are willing to give up power they possess whether it is earned or not.

I am called to action by the statement, “Many, Perhaps most, of our white students in the U.S. think that racism doesn’t affect them because they are not people of color; they do not see whiteness as a racial identity.” I agree with this statement and believe that the more white people can recognize that they are affected by racism regardless of whether they are aware of it or not is key to having productive discussions and progress with issues of racism. At the beginning of the quarter Zalika asked the question, “What does it mean to be white?” I had no idea what to say because quite frankly, I had never really thought about it before. I want to encourage people to look at the world through the lens that regardless of your race, we are all affected by racism just by living on this planet. I believe that when one is connected to a problem they are more interested in resolving it.

Multicultural Education

In this article, Education in a Multicultural Society: Our Future's Greatest Challenge, Delpit discusses... wait for it... multicultural education (groundbreaking... I know...) more in a sense of we as teachers have a lot of learning to do in order to be more effective and understanding.

I agree with Delpit when she tells the story about the teacher Richard, who wrote her after a conference. He asked her for help with their school, which was filled with mainly European-American faculty, because they were having trouble with African-American boys. Her first piece of advice was to hire a staff that matched that more closely reflected the diversity of the student body. Realizing this was not practical for the problem at hand, she told Richard to urge his staff to seek the help of the families in learning more about the children, and how to teach them. Previously, the school had contacted parents about behavioral issues, but the parents did not see these behaviors at home, and didn't understand. The school faculty perceived this as parents not being honest about their student. After Delpit's suggestion, Richard wrote back and informed her that he was having success using her advice, and the school was beginning to solve problems previously thought to be impossible.
I think this really shows that as teachers, we can sometimes make assumptions that hurt the children, even based on "evidence." In this situation, the parents saying "I don't get it, they are fine at home" was evidence to the teachers that they were not being honest about their children's behaviors. Without having a dialogue, it was only an assumption. Allowing the parents of "Other Peoples Children" to help in their education is not only a good idea, it is a crucial element! We must find opportunities to get to know the student in all ways, is there any better than asking the people who raised them?

One statement that I would argue with is something that really caught me off guard. On pages 175-176, Delpit discusses a situation where a parent came into the classroom to celebrate her daughter's birthday. The woman apparently smelled of alcohol, and was running around the room creating a frenzy. Delpit says the woman cared deeply about her child, and to be very clear, I am NOT arguing with her on this point. She continues on to say "despite her possible inappropriateness... She also probably felt the need to bolster her courage a bit with a drink in order to face fifteen four-year-olds and keep them entertained." She comments we must understand that parents care for their kids. I was astounded that Delpit seemed to brush off the fact that the woman smelled of booze, and probably felt like she needed it. If it were a cocktail party FORTY year olds, that would socially acceptable. Not for FOUR year olds.

One aspect that spurs me into action is her discussion of authority styles used by different cultures. As a beginning teacher, I often reverted to trying to make sure all of the kids "liked" me. This attitude leads to major pitfalls, and sometimes even loss of control. I like how Delpit explains that some students need very direct and firm authority, because that is what they respond to. There are also students on the opposite side of the spectrum, who need to be nurtured. This issue all boils down to knowing what your student needs. All of us will be in a new classroom this fall, and I encourage all of you to think about what Delpit is saying before you enter. You are a teacher, and you are an authority figure. This doesn't mean you need to rule with an iron fist, but you do need to be in control. This passage will go into my "treasure chest" to be pulled out in times when I need a reminder!

Unpacking the knapsack...

I think that Peggy McIntosh's article is extremely relevant to our society and I appreciate it and the way it makes me reflect on society and my own privilege whether I realize it or not. I think the main thesis of this article is that white privilege is often something that is not recognized by those who are white, yet it's there and needs to be acknowledged. There are so many errands/chores/things that a white person, like me, can do without realizing the privilege involved. Sometimes we need to step back and reflect.

One thing that I agree with in this article that she mentions is, "Many of our students in the U.S. think that racism doesn't affect them because they are not people of color..." I read this and thought about how I hear people say, "Oh I don't see color" or reference being "color blind" and I think it's problematic. I find myself feeling mixed emotions because it can be seen as not recognizing who a person is and what experiences might have shaped them. It also reminds me about an article I saw after Obama was elected with the title of, "Is Racism Over?"

One thing I disagree with "My schooling gave me no training in seeing myself as an oppressor, as an unfairly advantaged person , or as a participant in a damaged culture." I feel fortunate that through my schooling, I have been exposed to these questions and discussions. I don't like that I can be seen as an oppressor, but through ethnic studies courses as well as women's studies, I feel that I have explored privilege and social justice and I am more open to the sometimes unfortunate truths.

One thing that spurs me to action are issues involving heterosexism. She briefly mentions that heterosexism is one of the interlocking oppressions along with sexism and racism, but I feel that since this is a topic that hits close to home, I try to do what I can. Whether it's something like challenging a person who uses a gay slur or protesting a measure, this is one topic that brings out a different side in me. Sometimes it's hard for me to feel like springing to action in various facets of life because I am not one who enjoys confrontation or conflict.

In the Cross-Cultural Confusions in Teaching assessment chapter in Delpit, she asserts that "one of the most difficult tasks we face as human beings is trying to communicate across our individual differences..." She goes on to give some examples of differences between African American and white styles that differ.

--I like and agree with her metaphor of comparing teachers to preachers. She says "ministers are the only professionals who, like teachers, see their clients in a group. Further, they must not only present subject matter, but must also convince clients to incorporate that subject matter into their lives." (p137) I would also add that many preachers or pastors are seen as shepherds leading a flock. I like that analogy as well for teaching surely we are helping lead our flock of young students in their journeys, both in life and education.

--I would argue with her statement "the Episcopalian style was syntactically bound: the meaning was to be found solely in the words, not in the context, the gestures or rhythm." (p137) Yes, the Episcopal church service is much more structured as compared to the Southern Baptist church service. It's a lot 'drier' on the surface and people certainly won't get washed over with the Spirt or start speaking in tongues. But, that being said, there's a lot more to it that she missed. There are gestures, small though they may be, that are a significant part of the service. There is a litany that is read, and often memorized, but there is deep meaning in it. One can choose to go to this service and go through the motions and leave, or one can see what is being done and see the deep history that is there and see the deep meaning in the words. Something that a visitor would probably not see or know about.

--Delpit states that "Those who are thoughtful and fair-minded have long understood that the traditional National Teachers' Exam is ethnically and culturally discriminatory, contributing to wholesale elimination of people of color from the teaching force." (p 136) I would like to know if there have been any changes or progress in this since this book was written. It's apparent that we need more great teachers of color in the classrooms. With classrooms becoming more and more diverse, our kids need to see role models in their room that look like them. They need to know they can do it, too. I don't know if there is a way to be involved in promoting changes to this, but it seems like this would benefit both teachers and students alike.

Education in a Multicultural Society

In Education in a Multicultural Society: Our Future’s Greatest Challenge Delpit asserts that we must know our students and their cultures well in order to be good and effective teachers in diverse classrooms.

Agree:
I really appreciate how Delpit starts this essay off, by saying “The question is not necessarily how to create the perfect “culturally matched” learning situation for each ethnic group, but rather how to recognize when there is a problem for a particular child and how to seek its cause in the most broadly conceived fashion.” I feel that this statement reflects the need to focus on students within a system that is struggling to meet their needs. It helps answer the question of how do we learn what we need to learn in order to teach in a diverse classroom, we do it by learning from our students.

Argue:
One statement that I struggle don’t quite agree with is “They must also learn about the brilliance the students bring with them ‘in their blood.’” I get the idea behind this, that we as teachers must be able to recognize that brilliance comes from all skin colors but maybe I am too steeped in myths of meritocracy to agree with things being “in our blood.” While I agree with the sentiment I also believe that we should celebrate our students learning and accomplishments because of their individual growth and Learning. We shouldn’t think of our students learning well in spite of their race, but we also shouldn’t think they are learning well because of their race. Delpit addresses this in another section of the same essay, in talking about positive stereotypes made of Asian students, so I’m sure she sees the nuance here, but I feel uncomfortable with talking about ability to learn being “in our blood.”

Action:
A statement that calls me to action is “When teachers do not understand the potential of the students they teach, they will underteach them no matter what the methodology.” When I think about kids being “undertaught” I feel anger. The inequity riles me up, it just feels so unfair. And especially when I think of this inequity being caused by thoughtlessness and bias I am driven to work against it.

I also have a question… In this essay Delpit talks about the harm that teacher education programs do in not preparing their students for working in diverse classrooms. She talks about how hearing stories of failure just backs up ideas of low potential. Obviously, this book has become a major resource for teacher education programs since it was written so my question is: What does Delpit think of current teacher education programs like ours? Has there been an overall change in how teacher education addresses these issues in the time since Delpit wrote?

Teaching the Hard of the Head

In Charles M. Payne's article he talks about how Delpit's book Other People's Children is like an aspirin for a lake of awareness. I thought this was a very well state analogy for this entire book. While Delpit takes a stance that makes us aware of both the systematic issue and the personal issue of racism in the classroom, she also offers area of hope. This book acts as a welcoming wake up call.

One statement I can agree with: "They could not get past the idea that being from Stanford or Yale gave them the right to lead; they could not get hold of the idea that people who hadn't been to high school were, as Lisa Delpit says in Other People's Children, experts in their own lives and had as much to teach as anyone at Yale." This quote reassures me that the people who know best are the students and their families. Regardless of my good intentions, without insight into their personal lives, I can't teach the way that I want or continue to learn from them.

One statement I can argue with: "One of the privileges of being white in this country is that it largely insulates one from critical discussion." I wouldn't say that I disagree with this topic because  that would be untrue.. however, I don't want this sentence, this privilege to scare me, stop me, or be an excuse for me. I'm not sure how to immerse myself whole heartily, and respectfully. To be the teacher I hope to be, this statement can't stop me.

One statement that urges me to act: "They somehow go through $160,000 worth of schooling without learning to think self-reflectively, without learning to think of themselves as part of the problematic." Whether this is referring to Teacher Education programs, or public school, the idea of self-reflection and everyone's impact on the system of education can't be overlooked. This quote makes me want to start the process of self-reflectiveness early that allows students to see themselves in the system - as a part of it, as a controller of it, as a player of it, and as someone who can and will make a difference.


P.s. I love this quote...

"When I use my power in the service of my vision I am less afraid." Audre Lourde 

Peggy McIntosh

In her article she writes about how white people may be aware of the "oppressed" but we often do not identify as the "oppressor" if we view ourselves as unbiased.  As happenstance, we are awarded numerous advantages day to day in our society and we may not ever realize how lucky we are.  She goes on to list many specific advantages one has if they are a member of the dominant (in this case) white culture.

One statement that I would agree with is "The feeling that one belongs within the human circle... should not be seen as a privilege for a few." This statement really made me think about how oblivious I have been to the fact that I am a person who benefits every day strictly because I am white.  I remember a day in class when we were discussing race and someone mentioned the fact that being white meant never having to think about the color of your skin while people of color are forced to be overly aware of theirs. This is a little discouraging to me because it means that I will never fully be able to understand what others go through.

A statement that I would disagree with is "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 which fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser's shop and find someone who can cut my hair."  I do agree with the last statement however I feel that most retail shops, if not a specialized one, carry a multitude of food items, music, etc. Granted there are places where you would have to go to find special items but I think for the most part our "melting pot" is being at least somewhat represented in stores.

A statement that makes me want to take action is "Power from unearned privilege can look like strength when it is in fact permission to escape or to dominate." I believe that becoming aware of power and privilege can be a huge benefit to teaching. Recognizing that I have an advantage over others for something I didn't even choose is an odd feeling. It is one I plan to keep myself aware of.

White Privilege ~ There isn't just one flesh color.

The reading I decided to discuss was White privilege. After reading the article I thought that it was very interesting and familiar to things I’ve read in the past from college. The author talked about white privilege in relation to male privilege and how white people are often unaware of the advantages we have over other races in the United States. This is similar to how men don’t often think about the idea that women shouldn’t walk alone at night whereas they can freely. Another thing the author discussed was that even when people realize who is being oppressed and who is the oppressor, they don’t want to give up their privilege. It’s interesting to note that is the reason why one group has more is because another group has less. You can’t both have more because it’s a balancing scale.

One statement that I really agree with and shocked me was #26 on her list: “I can choose blemish cover or bandages in flesh color and have them more or less match my skin” (McIntosh, 3). I had been going through the list and was thinking I could see the reasoning and that it was mostly true but once I hit the last one I realized how true that really is and what right do white people have to call that peachy color “skin color” which I have been known to think with crayons. It’s a habit because it’s my skin color but that doesn’t mean it’s the skin color.

One that I disagree with is #1: “I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time” (McIntosh, 2). I personally can do that but I was thinking I also live in Oregon, a very white state. There are some areas in the United States where there are a lot of other races and white people are the minority. So I guess what I’m saying is that depending on where you live this could be agreed or disagreed for someone white. I’m not trying to stir anything up by this comment at all I’m just saying in my mind it is less strong than the other privileges listed.

One quote that spurs me to action would be: “Keeping most people unaware that freedom of action is there for just a small number of people props up those in power, and serves to keep power in the hands of the same groups that have most of it already” (McIntosh, 4). The reason why is because I don’t like the idea of things being unfair and that I would rather have things change now and have my future children grow up in a more fair environment where the world is a little less hypocritical and we can truly mean and promote that all men are created equal.

White Privilege - it's unsettling

The text I have chosen to dive into is White Privilege by Peggy McIntosh. In summary, she says in order for someone to gain power, someone else must be relinquishing or losing that power. Although I have always understood and believed there is domination and privilege in society, I have never really thought about the oppressors, only the oppressed. After this reading, I realize as a white middle class person, I am one of the oppressors, even if it is unintentional and inadvertent.

McIntosh stunned me with her list of white privileges. Of course I agree with her list and I agree they are all privileges, but I had never really thought about the number of privileges someone gets just by having a certain skin color, or the opposite: the number of privileges someone is denied because of their skin color. I realize I completely take for granted almost everything she lists including being able to “protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them,” or being able to buy bandaids and makeup “in flesh color and have them more or less match my skin”. It is upsetting to be confronted with the knowledge that some people don’t have these opportunities. Honestly I’ve always known these things in the back of my head, but that’s where the knowledge has been kept - in the back of my head.

One of the statements I disagree with is that obliviousness about white advantage is kept strongly inculturated to maintain the myth that meritocracy is still thriving. I may be naive, but I don’t believe people of our generation are intentionally keeping themselves or their children oblivious to white advantage. I think a lot of people are ignorant because they simply are not aware or exposed to it, not because someone else is doing this intentionally. I feel I have learned so much in the few weeks I have been in LC’s MAT program - things I have never been overtly exposed to before, and now my path will never be the same. What I intend to do with this knowledge is first off educate my own children! I will also continue to educate myself on other cultures and in turn let other cultures educate me. I hope to have a classroom that allows for reciprocal learning of cultures, race, and other divisive issues. I feel I am just scratching the surface.

Making the Invisible Knapsack Visible

Give a quick summary of the thesis of your chosen text so we can be "with you" as we read your reflection.

I chose the Peggy McIntosh article on white privilege. I think the main thesis of this article is encapsulated in the quote at the top of the article; I was taught to see racism only in individual acts f meanness, not in invisible systems conferring dominance on my group.

Please write one statement you can "agree" with and why.

Many, perhaps most, of our white students in the U.S think that racism doesn't affect them because they are not people of color; they do not see "whiteness" as a racial identity.

This quote reminds me of Freire's theory that within an unjust system the oppressors are oppressed right along with those they are oppressing. I think as white people we don't want to admit that we are part of a system of oppression because as compassionate and level headed people, we don't want to associate with such an ugly act as oppression. Freire's says that the oppressors must be willing to rethink their way of life and to examine their own role in the oppression if true liberation of the oppressed is to occur. He says, "Those who authentically commit themselves to the people must re-examine themselves constantly." Even though it can be uncomfortable, even heart wrenching to think of myself as an oppressor, if I want to commit myself to "the people" (all people!) I must be willing to say that I am part of an oppressive culture and then do something about it.

One statement that spurs you to "action" in some way.

Disapproving of the systems won't be enough to change them.

It seems to me that most reasonable people would agree that white privilege is completely unacceptable. But how many times have you heard someone complain that the reason they didn't get into the school they wanted was because of affirmative action? When it comes to giving up some of our power (as whites) I think it's really easy to talk about it, but hard to actually do. It seems a lofty task to change the system of oppression that has occurred since our country's origins. I'm convinced that the first and most important step is to recognize my own participation within that system - without being defensive or combative - but to come at the conversation with an open mind and a vulnerable spirit. I think education is one of the most influential ways (if not the most influential) way to combat the racist system that exists in our society. I hope that throughout my career as an educator, I will have the courage, inspiration, and allies, to help me in my journey.

Assignment 7/27

First of all, I neglected to thank you yesterday for the time and engagement both in class Friday and in blog form. Thank you for going there, making meaning for yourself and "leaning in" to the community you are creating.

Secondly, I know you have felt my tension around time. There is so much to do and a finite amount of time. While attempting to honor your time to verbally process with each other while also offering activities designed to help us think deeper or differently I have not structured time well enough.

In both Friday's class and Wednesday's time we left off with so many questions still to be asked and ideas yet to ponder. Although I do believe we must at times suspend our natural desire for a "concluded" thought or experience, I also recognize that when I go over class time I am asking a lot of each of you without providing a time of closure to release the energy and allow for the shift out of whatever emotional place we have touched. I will do a better job of negotiating our time schedule as we move toward the end of class.

One of the things that differentiate the first half of this course from the second, is the personal nature of equity work. By positioning teachers as agents of society we are inviting a discourse inclusive of critical analysis of that society. What culture are we crafting in our classrooms? What messages are we solidifying or challenging? What kind of citizens are we engaged in creating? What would it take for all students to thrive in the now? What would we need to understand about our history, about our present? What do our student's need to know about their role? What will it take for a diverse society to thrive in the future?

I am not sure of the answers but I know we need to be able to talk about it. REALLY talk about it and wrestle with the contradictions and questions. I have noticed, that when engaged in these conversations people often suspend their inclination to question or "critique" the "traditionally disenfranchised" cultures', ideas, behaviors, or points of view. Well, not exactly suspend the inclination, just not feel comfortable voicing it.

I'm going to suggest that until we do voice our dilemma's regarding these issues, we are engaged in a "romantic" notion of culture and difference that is still not mirroring real relationship. When we are in a respectful personal relationship we do ask when we are confused, because we really want to know! We do argue when we have another experience that conflicts, because we are authentically invested. We listen and stay open because we are honestly engaged. We are not afraid to push back because we genuinely believe in the strength of the person to withstand a little heat. We are respectful and loving and full of admiration but we are not willing to swallow our words, merely to think carefully about how to use them.

That said,

Blog post today: Chose any of the readings due for last class (Delpit chapters or White privilege) and follow the following protocol.

• Give a quick summary of the thesis of your chosen text so we can be "with you" as we read your reflection.
• Please write one statement you can "agree" with and why.
• One statement you would "argue" with and why and
• One statement that spurs you to "action" in some way.

"When I use my power in the service of my vision I am less afraid." Audre Lourde

See you Friday,

P.S. This is a powerful video reminding us why we must educate, not just teach. Watch when you feel strong. http://youtu.be/IT6H00U_p7w

Zalika

"I am from" Activity

Maybe it had something to do with it being the end of a long week. When I began this activity it was difficult for me to move from negative emotions about early life experiences into the positive experiences that have shaped my life which was interesting to me because I feel that I am someone who generally looks to the positive in life. I almost began to write a poem as opposed to “I am from” statements. If I had longer to form my piece I feel that I might have gotten past where I was stuck. When I left class I did feel in touch with my inner child. I also felt vulnerable. On the drive home I couldn’t stop thinking about this activity. What might I have added? Is there a way to reconcile past experiences in order to make them less painful? How will this activity change if I do it more often? Will it become more positive? I appreciated having the opportunity to listen to some of my classmates “I am from” reflections. This helped me to see other ways to approach this activity. This is an activity that I would like to do more often; it was difficult for me to approach this reflection piece in the allotted time and perhaps if it had been a different time and location my piece and my thoughts would have been entirely different.

Reflection on reflecting :)

By just writing, “I am from”, I thought of my hometown and the hardships and strengths of my family. Upon reflecting I felt a rush of emotions of being proud, missing home, and love. Though sadness was not in my thoughts, the overpowering of my emotions would of caused a tear if I decided to share, because of the love I have for my family. Despite the fact that as a cohort we share race, there are so many underlining details that are critical to defining each and one of us, and within that there is power. That power needs to be translated in the classroom, as even though we are studying how primary codes of power, such as race, impacts the classroom, we can dig much more deeper than that. I like how Hinchey refers to this as the kaleidoscope effect, as each person brings his or her codes of power in an unique combination where the end result is each one of us.

language, identity, feeling disequilibrium

Friday's "I am from..." threw me for a loop. I can relate to Emily's term of "coming undone" and also was so appreciative of those who spoke. I wanted to share but my work wasn't finished. But I was very glad to be able to listen. A little later I realized I was in fact pretty much speechless. Something about the exercise really took me back into a part of myself as a child that I hadn't revisited before. Later after class a bunch of my thoughts came tumbling out to some of our cohort who was still there. I was both very thankful to be able to express it and at the same time a bit embarrassed and humbled. I'm not entirely sure why this exercise seemed to rip me open that way at that time. But I did learn a lot from it.

We have done several reflections in other classes about our own school experiences as children, but when we got to the "I am from" writing, it was like time travel: I remembered suddenly what it was LIKE to be me as a child. I remembered there was a sort of dissonance between who I was inside and the institution/structure of school. And there was a dissonance between what I knew about aspects of my family life (like a fish is swimming in water...I lived in it but could not articulate it or conceptualize it as a child) and what was spoken about. (Thanks Sarah for that great insight.) Thinking about this "flashback" on Friday, and my literal feeling of speechlessness around it, I realized that so much of identity is connected to language. It is about words being spoken that ring true; being able to tell your truth; hearing others' stories; having the language to bridge our individual experiences inside of us to what is outside of us.

I was thinking about the toy exercise and my realization that despite our planning once I saw it in action it was not unfolding how I had pictured. I am taking to heart what was said about keeping in mind the most vulnerable person in the classroom. Between this, all the readings about codes of power and domination, my awareness of my position of privilege, and my emotional response to the writing exercise, I've been feeling anxious about my ability to be the kind of teacher I want to be. And yet, I feel resolve building up in me too. I know I must be feeling this disequilibrium in part because I am learning.

Equity: What are we aiming for, in the big picture? Where is the heart of all this? one piece of the answer from Friday was that each child in our classrooms feel safe, feel valued; that children/people have words to express themselves with so the inner world and the outer world can talk to each other. Over the weekend my thoughts about our class swirled around with thoughts of what happened in Norway. It made me feel that in addition to math and literacy and the arts and all...I wish education as a system also would focus on making sure our children learn how to listen, how to speak, how to be communicate with respect and know each other. While I don't expect to see a standard written up for that one anytime soon, it seems crucial.

I Am From...

Class on Friday was a very powerful experience for me.  I enjoyed sharing a bit of myself with the class.  I did realize that it can be hard sharing something so personal but I felt comfortable in the setting we were in.  I think it's important for our students to feel this way as well when sharing about themselves. Students need to feel safe when sharing something so personal.  The silence spoke a great deal of words.  The silence in the room made me feel a great sense of respect from everybody.  I felt like everybody was listening without judging.  When I was thinking of where I was from, I really had to dig deep. This exercise was harder than I expected it to be.  I have had some of the codes growing up and I think that made my life "easier" in a sense. I kept focusing on negative events in my life, but I realized that where I come from is a combination of many things. I feel really fortuante for my life growing up and realize that all of my experiences, good and bad are what make me who I am. 

I am from....

I echo the thanks to those that were willing to share a piece of them with the class. Thank you to everyone else for listening and keeping the room safe for all of us. At the end of a long week when I was tired and trying to stay engaged, this was a difficult exercise for me. I could hear Emily next to me writing the whole time and found myself staring at my paper. Where am I really from? Sure, I had some thoughts down, but nothing I felt like was worth sharing. But two things to that. The first relates to what Jonah said-The point is not how deep it is or if it makes you cry. The point is self reflection. Should we go deeper? Sure. But an archeologist doesn't dig to the bottom all at once. They go layer by layer to see what's on the way. What's on the surface and middle layers are important, too. Whatever we wrote was still about us, and that is something. The other point was for myself. Brendan and Heather both said something that rung true with me. Brendan said something to the effect of sharing all his secrets but hiding his deepest secrets. Heather said she was an open book but a diary under lock and key. Those both felt so true of me as well, and I would guess many of us. It's so hard to share deeply personal things about ourselves. But it's also hard to think about those things a lot of times. There is a lot that I know I am not letting get up to the surface right now. I don't want to deal with it at the moment. It will come out for me, I can't hide from myself forever. But for now I keep some things under lock and key.

Forced Choice Icebreaker

Sarah Maurer & Katie Wich

ED 561 – Child Development

Ice Breaker

July 20^th, 2011

Forced Choice

We chose this an activity that doesn’t put kids on the spot but still allows children to get to know each other. The answers are already chosen for the students so they don’t have to worry about coming up with an answer, and the scenarios are outrageous and therefore a right or wrong answer can’t really be perceived. The teacher should prepare ten outrageous hypothetical situations. You could make it specific to a unit that your working on such as “under the water” questions or you could make the hypothetical situations completely random.

Tell students that we are going to do an exercise where they choose one situation or the other. Let students know that once they choose which situation they prefer they will move to that side of the room.

Divide the room in half.

Say the hypothetical situations, “Would you rather have a bucket stuck on your foot for a year or a bottle stuck on each one of your fingers for a year.”

Give students time to get to the side of the room that they prefer.

Have students share why or how they made their choice. “Just because,” is an acceptable answer.

Some examples that we used:

1. “Would you rather be invisible or have x-ray vision?”

2. “Would you rather live on the ocean floor or on the moon?

3. “Would you rather be stranded in the desert or in Antarctica?”

4. “Would you rather time travel back in time or into the future?”

5. “Would you rather watch a movie or read a book?”

6. “Would you rather be an alien on earth or a human on another planet?”

7. “Would you rather run as fast as a cheetah or fly?”

8. “If you could only eat one thing for a year would you rather eat pizza or macaroni and cheese?”

9. “Would you rather ride on the back of polar bear or in the pouch of a kangaroo?”

10. “Would you rather have blue skin or rainbow hair?”

Have students ask their own questions!

*After we debriefed this activity some ideas came up. First, some people found this activity a little anxiety producing because they were forced to make a choice on the spot, so keep that in mind if you choose to do this with children (however, the point was made that in life you have to make choices and being comfortable making choices is a skill all children need to learn, food for thought). Secondly, when participants talk about why they made their choice there was some “discrediting” of the other choice. Set clear ground rules before the activity so that participants know not to do this (an idea to have participants explain the benefits of the situation they didn’t choose was also brought up which could be a cool experience.) Lastly, as a variation you could use this activity with serious questions if working with adults on a serious topic.

We personally had a great time with this activity and we hope you did too!

I am from reflection

Honestly... I felt very uncomfortable after Friday's class. It was a pretty intense activity that was only allocated a short period of time at the end of class and therefore couldn't really absorb the full impact of the activity. While I didn't share in this activity I have shared parts of my life in other classes that have led to a breakdown when I wasn't expecting it. Knowing, appreciating, and accepting who I am and where I come from isn't always easy. Understanding myself personally and speaking on it publicly are very different, and I feel like I have to do it on my terms. I didn't share on Friday because of that. However, I can appreciate others willingness to share their experiences. Still I felt like we left with a big elephant in the room - I care about my cohort and not being able to have closure to the activity left me feeling a little frustrated. Because of the personal nature of the activity I didn't feel like I could comfort my peers... something that was difficult for me.

Preparing the workshop for Wednesday class has required me to think about my own experiences of Power and Privilege - much like the I am From poem does. This process has allowed me to think about my experiences personally before relating them to teaching, the classroom, and the cohort. I am excited for this workshop and an additional exercise to think about who we are and where we come from. These are not easy subjects to openly talk about and I appreciate everyone's willing to share, and understanding of some of our hesitations and fears. 

It's funny because I had a hard time starting the "I Am From" writing prompt. It took me some time to get out of my head and really think about the things that make me, me. Once I did get to a deeper place, some things came out that I don't often reflect on. I chose to share on Friday not really feeling like it was a big deal - but as soon as I did, something weird happened to me. I felt completely vulnerable and a huge part of me wanted to take my words back. I wasn't sure how what I shared would be taken - like Paige said, maybe these things that are such a fundamental and complex part of who I am would be misunderstood or looked at as trivial. It left me feeling a little exposed and a little raw.

I was really grateful to the listeners in the room and I know that the listening was done with respect and mutuality. Although I have mixed feelings about sharing, I'm glad I did. I think it is important to feel uncomfortable sometimes and to put your trust into those around you. Sometimes it is your turn to speak and sometimes it's your turn to listen. Both are needed in a community and I'm sure that we will all have plenty of opportunities for both this year.