Literary Luminator:
"Education is a political act...it concerns decisions and actions that bear on who and what and how we teach, and ... in whose interest we teach...it focuses in a central way on questions of power, privilege, and access" (Nieto, 1999, p. 131).
Our curriculum is designed in such a way that the dominant social group in America - white, Anglo Saxon Protestants, of middle class or higher SES - is almost always represented. Traditionally, educators have embraced this curriculum because it is "comfortable" for them. They have found it effective and appropriate because it generally reaches and meets the needs of the white students being targeted as receivers of the knowledge. However, when minority groups are presented with the same curriculum, even by the most talented instructors with modern education in best practice, they are failed because they lack the power, privilege, and access to the same history as their white peers.
"It is quite easy to be on the winning team and not ask how it is that you're winning" (Nieto, 1999, p. 141).
Dan Ruiz reflects on his Puerto Rican heritage is this quote, and illustrates his experiences with white individuals that often fail to recognize their "unearned" privileges and their power in today's society.
"...what is needed is not simply peers who support one another - important as this may be - but also peers who debate, critique, and challenge one another to go beyond their current ideas and practices" (Nieto, 1999, p. 160).
I have noticed that I learn most from colleagues and peers that do not share the same points of view that I possess. I do enjoy sharing ideas, plans, and approaches with like-minded individuals, but I am challenged by the others to consider alternative perspectives. Even when I disagree with their opinions, I can accept that their experiences and frames of reference often position them in such a way that their beliefs and values "make sense" much like mine "make sense" in my world, as a result of my experiences.
Essence:
Teachers need to learn ABOUT and WITH their students.
I too learn more from people who have differences from me. Power and privilege is an interesting concept that addresses the inequality among the school setting. Just because we are supplying students with sufficient resources and engaging curriculum does not mean we are accommodating it for students who carry different backgrounds. Multiculturalism is an attitude, belief and value.
ReplyDelete-Christina
I think that learning from others is an important aspect to being a teacher. When working with others it helps to share ideas and bounce ideas off one another for suggestions or even new ideas as how to appraoch a task, area or study, behavior management etc. I always jump at the opportunity to work with another teacher in order improve upon the teaching ideas and strategies.
ReplyDeleteShawne