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?