Blog Post #6 02/26/2024 Reflection and Argument

REFLECTION

    I'd like to reflect and also argue on some of the things I read and watched. After looking at Kohns chart, I agree with most of it but some of the things on the "Possible Reasons To Worry" side, I have some disagreements. For example, I believe yes, a teacher should be respectful and genuine towards their students but also there comes a time when you need to be controlling or rather be in control especially when a class is out of focus. There are many perspectives to look at this from being if you are an elementary teacher or secondary teacher, while not too different, the difference could be eight year olds and eighteen year olds, that there lies a difference. You want to be warm and genuine to both groups but it's a different kind of controlling and stern tone you want to use. Also the part about emphasis on thoughtful exploration as to emphasis on facts and right answers. Again I agree that students should be allowed to be open minded and let their mind explore but it is still important to know whats right and whats wrong, and I feel a good educator can incorporate both of those aspects into one. Also why should we be worried about textbooks, and worksheets? Again you can incorporate both aspects of having a colorful and interactive classroom while using textbooks and worksheets. In my APUSH class Junior year of High School, we mainly worked out of textbooks and worksheets. Was it boring? Yes but it was effective and as we had to do that boring work, we also always had open class discussions on what we read where the teacher would take a step back and leave the discussion only to us and let us generate our own arguments and discussion points while only chiming in when necessary. In this same class where textbooks and worksheets were the primary source of education, we also had interactive projects that were always fun to make and that's just coming from me, the entire class enjoyed participating in these projects and it made learning from the textbooks more fun. It isn't the textbooks but the educator and what they do with those textbooks and how they incorporate them into the lesson.  

  In the classroom I am in with Inspiring Minds, it is a first-grade classroom so very much different than an APUSH class in high school, is very vibrant and filled with color. For kids at that age, it is appropriate for this to happen and is more of an interactive classroom rather than a textbook based classroom. The student's artwork is displayed across the room with their desks in squared sections for better communication. In my APUSH class, the desks were single and in rows and columns. That did not stop us from frequently collaborating. The way your classroom is depends on the age you are teaching and what is appropriate. There is no right and there is no wrong in how your class should be set up (in most cases) but it is how you execute it. Try different things, see what your student's like, it is good to have feedback. 

I have provided an article from Yale Universitys center for teaching and learning on classroom arrangement. Seating Arrangements Yale University

Blog Post #4 Connections

 CONNECTIONS

   After reading Sleeter, through the first couple of pages, I instantly was reminded of the four I's of oppression specifically Institutionalized oppression. Sleeter talks about how minority groups are perceived in textbooks using African Americans as an example and them usually being tied to slavery and immigration is used as a historical period. We know this is not the case and I think it is tied to institutionalized oppression because the true voices of history from minority groups in America are being silenced by white people who create the textbooks and ultimately, school curriculums. This all goes along with critical race theory and there being a lack of crucial parts of history being left out of most curriculums in schools across the nation. Sleeter includes on page four "Black middle school students interviewed by Ford and Harris (2000) all expressed a desire to learn more about Black people in school." The students want to know more about their own culture while in school but instead are blocked of important historical events. From my own experiences in my school system, I was fortunate enough to have a 7th-grade history teacher who was also my half-brother's uncle who was African American teach us a lot of African American history, especially during February. During this time, I was shocked to find out so much history I did not know about and I am very grateful to have him as a teacher because he did not shy away from educating us on black history and he was very passionate about teaching it as well. Something else I'm realizing from that time was how appropriate he was about it as well, we were 12-13 years old and I believe that is not the right time to learn about the dark sides of history and he knew that so instead of teaching us about events such as the Tulsa Massacre (which I later learned about as a Junior in High School) he taught and told us stories of prominent black historical figures and how their stories impacted our nation's history and thinking back on it now, I really appreciate that. It depends demographically on where you are in the country right now where you'll be taught this side of history or you won't. Another example, being from Rhode Island, I learned a lot about black history and other events that would fall under the CRT category. My roommate from New Hampshire did not learn as much as me about these certain topics. He is well aware of it now but as we are both history majors, we speak about what we learned in grade school and the differences are very interesting. I want to leave with a question being, where do you come from and did you learn anything about CRT? If so, how much?

The link provided shows how some states in the US view CRT. 

AP News on CRT

Blog Post #3 02/03/2024 Quotes and Analysis

 Ideological oppression stems from value systems that enable dehumanization, exploitation, or harm of individuals of some minority groups. Ideological oppression can have cultural or historical roots passed down from generations in ones family. “Biologism–interpreting the value of human life from a strictly biological viewpoint.” Biologism basically shapes how one is accepting of people with chronic illness’ and non-binary gender identities. These oppressive thoughts and ideologies can manifest ones mind at an interpersonal, individual and social levels through acts of violence which highlights the widespread and harmful impact on these ingrained belief systems. 

   Interalized oppression involves individuals internalizing their own societal beliefs that in return, create false feelings of supremacy or deficiency, particularly to those outside their own social group typically white people. In white dominated societies where the percentage of minority groups are slim, the minority manifests to achieve validation from these white dominated groups and this can also lead on to self doubt in oneself. Furthermore, these feelings can lead white people to be unjustly suspicious of these people in the minority trying to get the approval of the dominate group and questions their professional capabilities. “In white dominant societies, internalized oppression often expresses itself for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color through a strong drive to over-achieve in order to feel valued, or in self-doubt” The impacts of these feelings of doubt and the manifestation of destiny can lead to anxiety, depression, and self hatred and these people can turn into someone they know they are not and it’s all just to impress a group that may not even acknowledge them. 

   Interpersonal oppression is the manifestation of interalized oppression between individuals or groups, both intentionally and unintentionally. This oppression ranges from thoughtless, impulsive comments to acts of violence, similar to Ideological oppression. What this does is normalize these biased behaviors and violence when expressed among groups with the same bias and beliefs. This type of oppression is identifiable and immediate, making their targets feeling attacked, diminished, and dehumanized which puts them in some cases, in jeopardy of their own life and fear their safety. These feelings can also happen within their own group with interalized values and beliefs. Members of the dominant group may feel threatened and have feelings of fear, it is not a form of oppression without institutional power that enforces harm which differentiates it from systemic justice. 

   Institutional oppression involves the conservation of oppression through policies, laws, and social practices. An example of this is college entrance exams. “Among many colleges of requiring a minimum college entrance exam score from successful candidates; numerous studies have demonstrated that scores do not predict academic success and at best reflect class privilege.” These entrance exams impact low income families or minority families who have limited access to resources and job opportunities. This form of oppression is well active at the organizational and governmental levels as well that leads to high staff turnovers, culturalized censure, internment camps, and war, illustrating its widespread social impact. 

 For my closing thoughts I leave a question: How can society effectively address and dismantle systems of oppression to ensure sustained progress, creating a culture that actively works to eliminate discrimination, inequality, and bias until they are completely eradicated? I have provided a link that extends my thoughts. Click Here