"Educational inequality takes many guises and results in differential outcomes for students," (Nieto, 1999, p. 45). -- Regardless of whether or not words or actions of inequality are intended, they have a major impact on students in our schools. Generally, the types of inequality encountered relate directly to race, ethnicity, gender, and SES.
"Students resist schooling in sundry ways...," (Nieto, 1999, p. 43). -- Some students who have experienced inequality in school simply choose NOT to learn what is being presented to them, regardless of the appropriateness or quality of information and instruction. These students enter in a power struggle with teachers and administrators, as a result of their feelings and/or experiences with inequality.
"...the role of teachers' attitudes and behaviors toward students of different backgrounds can be significant," (Nieto, 1999, p. 42). -- My student teaching supervisor/mentor/undergraduate senior seminar professor always told us: "Your students are only going to be as successful as you believe they will be." He told us that the relationships we make or break with students are equally, if not more, important that the content and skills we teach. Students that have been "broken down" by the school system time and again will fail because they have been offered no reason to succeed.
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ESSENCE: "Power and privilege ... are at the heart of inequality" (Nieto, 1999, p. 46).
I found the idea that some students to resist or choose not to learn was very interesting. In the past, I have noticed students that refused to do work or refused to listen but I never thought that they could have been in a power struggle with the teacher or administrator.
ReplyDeleteShawne
The students that do not choose to learn, remind me of the part of the book where Sonia had mentioned resistance to education. Students who resist the act of learning may be shielding themselves from the feelings of alienation because they are not socially accepted. This may be avoided if the teacher develops a strong trusting community within the classroom and is sensitive to various cultural backgrounds.
ReplyDelete- Chrissy
I agree, also I feel it is important to gain the trust of the parents who have been wronged by the generations before us and do not trust the system. This seems to be where the underlying issue comes from in some cases, conflicting ideas of the parents and teacher.
ReplyDelete