Welcome to the course blog! I am truly excited about teaching this course, and I hope that you find it to be an enlightening and enjoyable educational experience. As mentioned in class, we will be confronting some challenging issues, many of which might generate strong intellectual and emotional reactions. This blog serves as a mechanism for everyone to process these responses and to learn through engagement with others. Since none of us is as smart as all of us, we can gain further insights by taking in the ideas of our learning community members. While we may disagree on here, it is essential that we always demonstrate respect and maintain an open mind.
To begin blogging, click on the heading "Blog Topic 1" above. If you scroll down, you can read my instructions and enter your comments in the box. Come back a little while later, click on the same link, and read your colleagues' posts. It would also be great if everyone could at least publish their photo in the "Followers" section on the right-hand side of the page. That way, we can learn each other's names and connect faces with ideas. When you blog each time, be certain to put your real name either as the screen name or in the post (or else we won't know who you are!).
I will post blog topics for most weeks during the term. For each topic, please produce a 2-3 paragraph thoughtful comment that shows your honest reflections and includes some type of contribution to our understanding of the issues at hand. Then, after reading the posts of your classmates, I'd like for you to jump back into the conversation -- either by critically responding to someone else or by adding to your previous post with further insights. Feel free to continue the dialogue if you wish. You will be graded on the value-added nature of your overall posts over the course of the term. Although I am certain that you will get the hang of this blog thing soon, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
TOPIC 1: How do you feel about taking this particular course and addressing issues related to diversity in classrooms and communities? What goals do you have for the class? What suggestions do you have for the instructor? What requests or comments do you have for your classmates? (You are not required to answer all of these questions, but I wanted to produce enough possible angles from which you can approach the topic.)
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I feel as if this course will shed some light on areas in my own life that may be not as open to change as others. It makes me nervous to think that I could be wrong about certain topics, such as religion and sexuality, because I only know a perspective from my own positionality. This topic is undoubtedly important in today's educations system. Being made aware of the situation is the first step to taking initiatives to change the social injustice found in the world. It still does not make it an easy endeavor.
ReplyDeleteEmotions comlicate everything. I hope to set aside some of the frustrations, attachment, and fear associated with many of the topics that we are going to discuss. My goal is to step outside of my own positionality and be able to see things from a fresh perspective. In this way I will be able to be seen as a credible advocate for students who may have fallen victim to social injustice, the system, and the culture in which they live.
Typically the idea of a diversity class automatically puts me on edge. I feel that diversity classes either make you feel bad about yourself or empower you, and very few people come out on the empowering side. In the past, classes that have focused on diversity key on the white race as privledged and "wrong," making me, as a white person, automatically defensive. I feel that at some points, the white, working class, is not seen for what it is and automatically categorized into the wealthy, privledged white group. My dad had to work from the bottom up to achieve what he has today and I feel that those people are disregarded and unrecognized even though they make up the majority of the white class.
ReplyDeleteWith this in mind I hesitated to attend another class that could, again, focus on the same issues. However, after attending the first class I do hope for a different experience. I think that it is important to focus on ideas of inclusion and ways to work with different students rather than just pointing out the facts that they are underprivledged or different or whatever the issue may be. I'm eager to learn about ways to use diversity as an advantage rather than to just recognize it is there. With these ideas comes the need for open minds and acceptance of who each person is and the baggage and ideals that they carry.
An open-mind will be essential. I am excited about the opportunity to learn about new topics that I cannot address with my past experiences. I hope that after taking this class I can better relate to different students and am excited about tearing down some of the biases that I am sure I have.
As I approach this class on diversity, social justice, and specifically their impact on education and classrooms, I feel both apprehensive and excited. I expect to feel uncomfortable and out of place at times while also feeling directly challenged at others. I believe these are good elements that cause real growth and change. I truly would like to learn how to empathize more sincerely with those who maintain a different positionality than myself. Rather than assume my viewpoint is correct and untarnished, I need to grow to realize what someone else perceives and strive to understand it. I think this class will allow me to not only challenge my thoughts about my positionality but also solidify it at the same time. I agree with Elizabeth that sometimes classes like these only accomplish a feeling of failure on the part of accepting a certain positionality. I think it is more appropiate to learn to accept your positionality all the while striving to understand and therefore empathize with those different from yours. I think challenging your positionality leads to new discoveries and growth but trying to be something you're not is not the goal either. You believe something because you believe. Truth either is or is not; it is not mutually exclusive. Without standing for something, you fall for anything I think the old adage goes. Therefore stretching your boundaries by debunking myths and also solidifying identity promote understanding of other perceptions. This understanding is the key to hitting the brake pedal on social injustice.
ReplyDeleteI want to be a Middle School Social Studies Teacher. During my undergraduate education in History, one of my favorite professors said something I will always remember and I think is appropiate to my take on diversity - "Throughout history, people always reach for familiar alternatives." This statement hit me very hard and I believe is one of the reasons I am passionate about history. All of us, when put in the same circumstance, despite our race, class, sexuality, gender may reach for something that is similar. Why? Because we are human. I think this class will underline the necessity to see it in this light and I appreciate that very much. In light of a goal for the class, I need to strive to place worth on cultures that are different than my own even if it seems completely foreign to me and possibly outside of my realm of understanding at this moment in time.
I believe that I have very much to gain from taking this course. Coming from a small town and being a kid who by many people's standards would be considered "american as apple pie", I fear that I have an overly narrow view of the world that will limit my effectiveness as an educator. I fully expect to be pushed out of my comfort zone during the semester, as this class is much different from any I have taken thus far in the MAT program. I hope that I am already an open-minded person, but I do realize that maybe I have certain biases and preconceived notions about different cultural groups that are just flat out wrong. I hope this class is an eye opener and that I am able to gain a more complete understanding of people different from myself.
ReplyDeleteI hope that we can all be civil and open-minded with each other during the semester. I was a bit surprised by how much of a reaction our first class activity caused. The way we word our points and arguements will be key to fostering good and valuable discussion/analysis. I hope and strive to maintain a level head and not let my feelings get in the way of acceptance.
I'm simultaneously excited and anxious about the course. I'm excited for many of the same reasons as others, that I enjoy growing as a person and would like to better myself. I consider myself to be open-minded but it will be interesting to discover what biases I have and which areas I need to grow in that I'm not currently aware.
ReplyDeleteI'm anxious because a lot of activities and instruction associated with the content can be used more to manipulate the emotions of others so they feel what they are possible of feeling instead of to allow them to feel emotions that they actually would feel in a real version of the situation.
My general goal for the class, is for us to be able to learn a lot from each other and each other's experiences. This involves being open-minded, respectful of each other, and for each individual to not be afraid to contribute. Personally, my goal is to learn strategies to positively impact people of differing backgrounds, whether that's how to resolve and prevent discipline issues, how to make anyone feel comfortable in a classroom, or how to best present information.
First of all, I'm very excited about this class, I really enjoyed the first class, especially the intro activity. I thought the Mars example was a great way to bring up some of the major issues and get the discussion going while removing some of the biases we already have towards issues that are a bit more close to home. I'm excited to learn more about education and diversity and how to best incorporate the ideal of validating every student in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteAnd to hijack the conversation a little, I wanted to post links to a couple of the clips from Desperate Housewives. I immediately thought of this episode (which I'd just watched the day of class) and thought it was relevant to our discussion of positionality.
This link will probably be good for a while because it's an official Desperate Housewives sneak peak.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxkGwF35hX4
One of the responses, "White People" is also an interesting video but not an official approved link so I'm not sure if it'll stay up for long. Please do give the clips a look when you have a minute.
Here's a good synopsis of this storyline in the episode on the abc.com website and episode guide (Episode 12 "You Gotta Get a Gimmick") if you're interested.
ReplyDeleteGabrielle is thrilled when Juanita is accepted into the prestigious private school where Susan works. The director says he's happy to have a Mexican student, but we have to laugh when Juanita blurts out, 'I'm Mexican? So we're like those people who sell oranges on the side of the road?" Carlos decides it's time to instill some ethnic pride and votes for Juanita to go to a public school with more Latinos. Gaby doesn't want her going to school with "those people" and Carlos accuses Gabrielle of being ashamed of Mexican. She admits that, because of her upbringing, she equated being Mexican with being poor. "I just don't my kids to ever know I lived like that." As they gaze at a photo of her with her proud papa, Carlos tells her, "Whatever dreams my kids achieve, they should know it started on the shoulders of a strong, proud, Mexican man."
I have to say that the first class was so much fun! I do want everyone to know that I was also exaggerating my position a little bit, so no intention of pointing fingers at all. I actually enjoy getting people riled up, so if I go overboard this semester, please let me know! Debate was my favorite class in high school so I was totally fine with jumping into that hot topic.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw that this was a "Diversity" class, I rolled by eyes and thought great another touchy-feely let's love everyone class. We'll all gather round and sing Kum-bah-yah and it'll make me want to poke my eyes out because I've heard all this stuff before. I do not think this is how it will go now, however, and was quite relieved to find out that the class would be interactive and full of our input.
One goal I have for the class involves learning a little more about how to engage other cultures without demeaning them in the classroom. For example, is a math rap offensive to the kids who listen to rap because it's so dorky or is it seen as fun? I know that most of us white folk are a little bit dorky when it comes to rapping, and my rhymes are lame, but if it really helps some students who like rap, I'm up for trying it!
Something else I want to think about throughout the semester is how I've grown to view other cultures over college/grad school. I came from a small town with a small African American population and a significant Latino population, but when I came to college on the first day in my head I literally said "There are black people everywhere! This is so different!" I liked it, and I think my perceptions of others have changed just by being around more people. I travelled a lot in college and took an ecology course which really opened my eyes to re-thinking poverty, so I would love to discuss those issues further and delve into what I know now and what I still need to know.
In wanting to be a high school teacher, I will be teaching students in the most challenging times of their lives. They’ll be in the process of finding their own identity and evaluating what they want in their future. As an educator it will be my job to help guide them and act as a positive role model as they venture through such a tumultuous time in their lives.
ReplyDeleteAs a future teacher, I strive to one day have a classroom free of prejudices but realize that I will have no control over the prejudices my students will face outside of the classroom. What I will have control over is how my class is run and how my students will be treated within the four walls of my room. I think this class will help me better understand the secret rules of different classes, races, etc. as well as uncover my own biases and prepare me to hold an open-minded and progressive class.
In the past I’ve been made uncomfortable during debates but thus far I’ve really enjoyed hearing everyone’s opinions. I’m truly looking forward to the semester. I think it will definitely push me to be a better teacher.
To harken back to Rachel bringing up "Desperate Housewives" - I believe it is extremely important to define and identify with a certain racial, ethnic, religious, or social background. These are the things that define identity essentially. Pedro Noguera concentrates on this fact of identifying with a certain culture especially during adolescence in the article assigned for this week. I think he makes some excellent points about ways educators can dissipate racism and classism just by the way they group people for projects. I don't like the old adage of "well, we are 'color blind' here" and I think Mr. Noguera would agree, we need to accept our cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, etc. heritage and allow it to be a defining factor while also seeking empathy with those around us.
ReplyDeleteRachael L Comment ...
ReplyDeleteI am excited about taking this course and am looking forward to learning new tactics and ways to make all students feel comfortable in my future classroom. I think it is important to learn about diversity and how this effects the lives in which we live. When I have a classroom I do feel like I will be a bit apprehensive that students will not find me credible if I do not fit into their social, or racial mold per say. I want to be able to help students, and to be able to have an environment in my classroom that foster a sense of community. I do not want my assistance to come off to students like I know everything about them, or that I am "pretending" per say to understand them completely if they are of a different background in some sort of way. I want my understanding to come off as an aura of openness, I do not want my students to think that I have the persona of a know-it-all in anyway. This aspect worries me a bit as I would like to learn the proper and most effective tactics in which to show how open I am while leaving the door open for students to feel like they bring new ideas and new perspectives to the classroom that I am completely open to but might not understand first hand.
What I find amazing about this course is that it really is the foundation for what happens in our school systems. It is a fact, that if students are not comfortable, or do not feel comfortable in their setting than they are not going to be able to perform at their best ability. Before we can be teachers and transfer learning it is so necessary that we create this comfortable environment. I am excited that this class can give the tool-kit and further push the boundaries of my mind and what I view to be open to be even farther. As we talked about in class on Tuesday, I would think most of us believe ourselves to be open BUT unconsciously we most probably have deep rooted assumptions that we are not even aware of. To be honest, I did not get the doctor joke in class right away. I was thinking ... well, the Dad died, maybe the son was adopted, or maybe it was a pair of male partners? I am open person ... but somewhere in my mind I was not thinking doctor could equal female. The other night I quizzed my husband in bed and asked him the joke ... and he got it right away which made me feel a little silly! My point is, I am truly looking forward to pushing my unconscious mind to be as open as I know I am. I can not wait to bring the learnings from this class into not only my future classrooms, but my daily life. Looking forward to your comments!
I am confident that upon completion of ED508 I will have learned a host of effective ways to address issues relating to various forms of diversity in classrooms and communities. Having very recently attended an HBCU as an undergraduate and being exposed to majority educational environments prior to, as a current graduate student at NC State, I recall the ‘culture shock” I experienced in when I transitioned from an inner-city grade and middle school to attend a predominantly White magnet high school. Although I adjusted smoothly, the adverse differences were “night and day,” and I attribute the many challenges that I began to face from that point in my life as indication that the world around was either changing or I was finally “growing up.” As a Black man raised by a single mother with very limited education and financial resources, I often felt that my desire to be successful was compromised by my unfortunate upbringing. Life’s experiences at one time or another have subjected me to racial profiling, unwarranted stereotypes, and other forms of discrimination and prejudice. As a first generation college student very dedicated to inspiring other inner-city Black youth to recognize the importance of science and to not be limited by unfortunate circumstances, I anticipate being a high school biology teacher who is able to make a positive impact on the lives of all who enter my classroom.
ReplyDeleteSince developing an atmosphere of tolerance takes practice and preparedness, it is my hope after completing ED508, I will have a new found respect for diversity in the classroom that will foster my efforts towards being an effective teacher able to create an atmosphere in which all students can engage in active, collaborative learning and substantive discussions. I am convinced that ED508 will enable me to further build my understanding of how social justice intertwines diversity and multiculturalism and how to accept adverse differences in one’s positionality depending on environment and circumstance. Through interactive engagement with my classmates, I look forward to being able to come to terms with being “wrong” about things that I thought I understood but having the maturity to acknowledge, respect, and allow personal growth.
In group exercises and activities in ED508, I look forward to unveiling any possible biases or stereotypes that I may have absorbed, and I would like to be given candid reasons why it is important to treat each student as an individual and respect each student for who he or she is. I hope to become more informed about the history and culture of groups other than my own, and I anticipate being introduced to effective strategies that aim for an inclusive classroom environment that embraces social justice. I am sure that Dr. Greenfield will emphasize the importance of considering different approaches and viewpoints, and that he will give assignments that recognize each of our diverse backgrounds and special interests. For the duration of this class, I request that all fellow classmates be mindful of one another’s feelings and opinions so that we can all get the most out of ED508 as permissible.
I am very impressed with the quality of intellectual discourse as well as personal reflection revealed in these posts so far. In addition, it's great that many of you have taken this opportunity to offer some food for thought/suggestions/requests for me as the instructor. Great start!
ReplyDeleteAs history shows, diversity is an important element that needs to be addressed in every classroom. When I first signed up for this diversity course, I had no idea what to expect. Topics of diversity and social justice are often uncomfortable, and we usually seem to find ways to around these issues by the “love everything” attitude. From the second I walked into the classroom, I knew this was not just going to be another boring note-taking class. The enthusiasm of Dr. Greenfield made me ready and eager to get started. The first activity got heated and very tense but ended up being a great ice-breaker for this class. At first, I was shocked and annoyed because there was a lot of arguing and misunderstanding among the 2 groups. The discussion got aggressive and I was honestly a little confused about the intensity. After everything calmed down, I realized this is the exact class I need to be in. I need to get out of my comfort zone and face certain issues that are going on everyday. The exercise was in fact a perfect learning experience and positive way to start off the class. I think that the reflection period and personal time to write were effective, and that is something that would be good to use in a classroom one day.
ReplyDeleteMy goals for this class are to be open minded so I can get the full benefits of what this class has to offer. As much as I think I don’t have bias, we all do, so I want to be able to change those biases and change the way I think in order to have equality in my classroom. This class is definitely going to be an eye opener, and I think the way Dr. Greenfield approaches each situation is great because we get engaged and we are able to express our opinions. I am excited to move forward and learn the social justice way of thought. As a class, I think if we are all able to express our opinions respectfully and understand that nothing is personal, our discussions could really be effective. I think we can learn a lot from each other. My final goal is to learn ways to teach my future class to be self-expressed and be proud of where they came from, and to know that their backgrounds can impact our future.
Questions and comments to a few on my fellow classmates:
ReplyDeleteRachel – Thanks for the DHW link, l and I agree with your feelings about the Mars activity. Were you as surprised about the take-home message of the exercise as I was? It was, indeed, a fusion of creativity and reality!
Kate Oliver – I enjoyed your post, and I am curious to know some of your personal biases that immediately come to mind?
John Jackson – You said a mouthful about acceptance and not letting your personal opinions get in the way of understanding others’ points of view. It’s not WHAT you say, it’s HOW you say it! Great acknowledgement!
I am very excited about this class and what I think it will bring out of me. I think that as a minority I can get caught up in my own troubles and stumbling blocks and that I become blind to those around me. I hope to find ways to reach out and be effective to those students whose needs I am not yet meeting.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to what this class will reveal about me and my bias. I left the first class really feeling as if this class was going to be just what I needed, not a regurgitation of facts and figures but a real hands on and realistic approach to how to effectively reach students who are often overlooked. I think it will also get me out of my own realm of thinking and see many situations with a fresh set of eyes.
Hmm, a little late to the party, I see. But so long as the buffet and bar are still open I'm staying. :-)
ReplyDeleteI have always enjoyed exploring new ideas and angles on life in general, so I'm very open to the apparent goals of this class, i.e. exploring concepts of diversity and social justice. We all have our personal biases and preconceived notions, and I certainly have mine, despite living, learning and working with diverse populations all my life. Honestly, prior to walking into Dr. Greenfield's class, I was not excited about this class - I feared it might be a heavy, lecture-filled, guilt-tripping class. Instead, it's clearly apparent that it will be an open discussion where everyone can honestly explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences without being castigated.
In terms of what I'd like to get out of this class, well... I never really studied social sciences much in my undergraduate work (and even if I had, that was almost literally a lifetime ago) at this point I'm quite interested in learning more about the formal concepts (i.e. positionality was fascinating) of diversity and social justice. Sometimes just one small idea can spark your brain into seeing the world anew, and I'm always open to such ideas.
Like my classmates, the idea of "positionality" has been swimming around in my mind since Tuesday night, and I found myself looking at the world around me in that context. The terrible earthquake in Haiti immediately made me think about positionality, in terms of how differently individuals living in a safe, relatively affluent place could too easily dismiss the sufferering of fellow human beings who live in truly desperate circumstances.
More specifically, yesterday I was going to Harris Teeters to get a few items, the sun was shining, it was about 50 degrees in Cary, and life was exquisitely good. At the checkout they had some Red Cross donation slips, where you could donate money toward helping Haiti, and I did. The young woman behind the counter smiled, and began telling me that I was only the second customer that day who'd donated. This is not a self pat on the back, and I'm not writing this to impress anyone that I can donate a few bucks - that is hardly a difficult thing to do, afterall. It's very easy to do. What I did was nothing in the scheme of things. But THAT is the point.
Cary is a fairly well-off place, and it was a gorgeous day. The air was clean and crystally sweet. Life was good. But we all knew perfectly well that life wasn't so good in Haiti that day - it was very much the opposite. Why hadn't more people donated a few extra bucks, I wondered, as did the checkout worker. And the answer, at least in part, was positionality. We all see the world through our own lenses, and that can sometimes make it too easy to ignore the world that other people are seeing and experiencing, That doesn't make us evil, but like the Desmond Tutu anecdote about the mouse caught beneath the elephant's foot, doing nothing can contribute to the suffering of others almost as if we were inflicting the pain ourselves.
I believe carrying that sort of mindset into the classroom is essential to best serving students. In my over 20 years of teaching (albeit dance, as opposed to formal school teaching) I've always strived to treat everyone as individuals, and to understand their point of view. I like to think of myself as a very hands-on, proactive teacher who likes to know my students as people, not just as subjects of instruction. I think this class will help me do that in new and beneficial ways, so I can honestly say I'm looking forward to learning more.
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ReplyDeleteA few notes on other people's comments:
ReplyDeleteRACHEL:
You added the link and synposis of that Desperate Housewives episode (thanks Rachel):
"Juanita blurts out, 'I'm Mexican? So we're like those people who sell oranges on the side of the road?"
"She admits that, because of her upbringing, she equated being Mexican with being poor. "I just don't want my kids to ever know I lived like that."
Wow. What a shame. There are aspects of my own life and background I generally don't mention in most social circumstances because I fear how others might percieve them. So I can grok (Heinlein, "Stranger in a Strange Land," for those hwo don't know the reference, it's a great scifi novel) what that character is feeing.
MORGAN:
I agree with your comments. I also rolled my eyes a bit, not so much because I'm against the idea of appreciatinmg diversity, but because I've experienced and worked in diversity my entire life. I'm extremely comfortable working with and socializing with diverse populations. But we don't know, what we don't know, so I'm wide open to learning. As for your comment about enjoying riling people up - LOL! I definitely enjoy role playing and seeing quiet, shy people come out of their shells. So you and I share something there. In my case, I attribute much of it to my performing/theatrical background - what's your excuse? ;-)
REBECCA:
You wrote some beautifuol things, truly. However, while I admire your goal of having "a classroom free of prejudices," I suspect that is impossible. I think prejudice (which I would define as the act of passing judgment based on prior knowledge or assumed knowedge), is a key survival skill.
Most of us are prejudiced against touching fire because someone told us it can hurt us. That's an example of prejudice as a survival skill. So the roots of pejudice are a necessary aspect of our nature. What we can do, is learn new prejudices - ones that are more accurate and beneficial to everyone. Every time we open our eyes, we pass judgment on what we see. We see a black chair, and we decide that it's a chair, and it's painted black.
The point of my ramble - in my humble opinion, I think sometimes too much energy goes into enforcing what we perceive as positive prejudices (i.e. political correctness), and not enough into demonstrating them. Just a thought, but one that I can't fully explore here or I'll go on forever and ever...
One final note: I really enjoyed our first class and it was wondeful to meet my classmates. See you all again Tuesday!
Oh how I hate typos. :-/ Grr. Wish we could edit our previous posts, but all we can do is delete and repost. Bleh.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to be part of an engaging class. Isn’t that the kind of class we all hope to lead? Nobody wants a class that puts them to sleep. This is not the first time I have been in such a class. Raised in the seventies, a student could not avoid classes that urged towards social justice, although they were sometimes disguised in the words ‘values clarification.’ As a teacher in California, I have taken several classes on multiculturalism and diversity training. I was at the time a teacher in a bilingual classroom. I was then and am now an avid proponent of true bilingual education. Over the last twenty years, however, this movement has been abandoned. In North Carolina, I do not think it was ever embraced.
ReplyDeleteAs a current substitute teacher, future language arts teacher, and current parent, this is a particularly interesting time to be taking this class. With the school board proclaiming that they will put an end to what they call busing and proponents call integration, I believe there will be plenty to consider in the class. And I believe there will be plenty from the class to consider as we read the newspaper and watch the news.
I have faced my own bias and demons many times in the past. I have also faced my share of cultural misunderstanding and prejudice. This said, I do know there is always something new to learn about the world and about myself in it. This is one of the many reasons I want to teach language arts to middle school students. Language arts are a way to learn about the world and ourselves at the same time.
I am not sure how to post a comment to a specific entry, but I do have a comment to make to Paul’s innocent comment about Cary. While it is true that we can often make a point about society using a single moment in time, it requires only narrow thinking. There is such a thing as reverse discrimination. Discrimination of any kind is we are trying to dispel in a class of this kind. Cary is often the recipient of numerous, local prejudice. And I would like to speak on our behalf. Yes, I am a Cary resident. In fact I am a Cary Parent. Worse yet I am a Cary MOM! When asked the question in class about positionality, I hesitated because I knew that to many people “Cary Parent” is a bad word. I am always delighted to talk to the younger students in this program for whom this is still a neutral description. To get back to the comment about the lack of donations at the Cary Harris Teeter: Do you know how many people in Cary are collecting donations for Haiti? Over night every school and church and scout troop has set up some sort of aid network. Within hours every cell received a forwarded message to donate through the cell phone. How many ways are you supposed to contribute? While I passed on the opportunity at Harris Teeter, it does not mean I have overlooked the needs in Haiti. No good cause goes unnoticed in this affluent town where everyone does not live in a mansion on a golf course and all of the children do not get brand new cars for sixteenth birthdays. I am confident that the good patrons of Harris Teeter have other ways to send money if they are not already coordinating their own airlift operation. Let’s not try to fix the issue of discrimination and social justice by finger-pointing and scapegoating new demons.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first class in my collegiate career that I feel is actually going to dig deeper than the surface and touch on issues that may make some feel uncomfortable and apprehensive. I'm sure there will be times when I will feel this way as well, and I welcome it. I have lived what many would call a 'sheltered life' but that does not mean that I am close-minded. I am very interested in listening and sharing opinions, and am very excited about the possibility of learning more about others and myself in the process.
ReplyDeleteIn order to be an effective teacher I feel it is important to understand your own positionality and the positionality of those surrounding you, so that you can reach every student in your classroom. My biggest fear is having students who do not feel that I am capable of helping them because of my inability to understand them or where they are coming from. I want to learn how to better equip myself for the classroom, how to be the best teacher I can be, and I believe that embracing diversity is a crucial part of that.
I'll admit that I was a bit leery of a diversity class at first. I was concerned that it could be a "isn't it wonderful that we all have different backgrounds?!?!" deal. And, yeah, I do think it's cool that the United States is a country of remarkably varied people, but that's not enough. I was, frankly, pretty relieved to learn that Professor Greenfield comes from a sociological background and is planning to approach diversity from the perspective of power imbalances and how they effect individuals, members both of in-group and of out-groups.
ReplyDeleteI'll never truly be able to understand what it's like to be anybody other than myself (New York-born and -raised, half Ashkenazi Jew/half American Northern European mutt), but I do think it's absolutely vital (as a human in general, but even more especially as a teacher) to develop a level of empathy with my students and their families. Both of my parents were social workers, so empathy was something of a watchword in my household. My folks worked with a tremendously varied patient base and had to grapple with cultural assumptions and understandings very different from their own. My father in particular, brought a truly scientific eye to the profession. A game I used to play with him while watching sporting events was to quiz him on the nationalities of various athletes on the TV. He was uncannily good at guessing which Latin American country a person came from, based purely on his surname. A good deal of that has rubbed off on me.
I also think that being a history dork has primed me to think in those terms. The experience of a 16th century German peasant is far, far more alien to mine than is the experience of pretty much anybody living in the United States today, no matter how different his or her background is from mine. The mentality necessary to understand how people in the distant past acted and thought is, I think, going to be of great use to me as a teacher. The other benefit of studying history to considering issues to diversity is that it trains one to interrogate bias both in oneself and in those with whom one interacts. Who gets to write the history is not impartial. Why that person writes the history he chooses to write is not impartial. How one reads history is not impartial. The best one can do is try to identify partiality and weigh it when considering accounts as evidence.
I very much look forward to this course because I am somewhat hung up on ethnicity as a topic. I feel like the approach we are taking will be penetrating and incisive, rather than fluffy and mindlessly valorizing. I'm actually pretty excited.
Taking this course brings up a mix of excitement and dread. I am passionate about the issues of inequality, particularly in the classroom, as I see this as a significant avenue to encourage change. However, in my past experiences I have found my own apparent background and the stereotypes associated with them difficult to overcome. Whenever I get frustrated by this, I try to laugh and recognize my own hypocrisy, because, as I basically rail on others for putting their stereotypes on me based on limited knowledge, I know that I do the same. I have spent many years trying to make myself more aware of my own biases but whenever I have tried to bring them up in an effort to work toward resolution, I feel like I make my colleagues and friends uncomfortable. The irony is, while I staunchly believe I would like to address these biases, now that I am facing a forum in which to openly discuss them, I find myself anxious and hesitant. I have found it difficult to have productive conversations about power in the past because it is such an emotional issue -- something my passion for the subject does not help – and dialogue quickly breaks down into shouting and interruption. The opening activity has left me pretty gun shy with regard to sharing more personal thoughts. If that is the level of discourse in a make-believe activity, I have a lot of anxiety about what will happen when it gets “real”. Nevertheless, I am going to try very hard to be open and honest in order to take advantage of the remarkable opportunity we have here.
ReplyDeleteNot surprisingly, my goal in this class is to try to overcome my dread/insecurity/hypocrisy in order to have some productive, if difficult, conversations about diversity, multiculturalism, and social justice. I would really like to be able to move toward action, regardless of my background, amorphous as it may be. (Would I be naïve to hope that we could move toward action because of our backgrounds; taking into account our positionality?) I spent a good deal of my undergraduate studies looking at issues of race, class, and gender in education, and while I feel well-read, I unfortunately don’t know how to practically apply that knowledge directly. I hope to have some better tools with which to handle conversations with students and fellow teachers, but especially with parents, about power. I have botched a few of these conversations in the past, but the ones that frustrate me most are the conversations I was too scared or tired to initiate or engage. I really hope to learn from my classmates and Dr. Greenfield to feel more confident about how best to be an ally for my students (and others) and to be a role model in dealing with difficult issues like these.
I am very interested to see where our discussions lead us in this class, especially after that interesting ice breaking exercise during the first half hour of class…haha. One of the main things that I kept thinking while sitting in class last week was that this class could be very different semester to semester, largely depending on the students that are in it. If there are 30 students in the class, then there are 30 different mixes of background, experiences, beliefs and personalities. To me, the fact that this course can evolve and change shape makes me excited and obviously more likely to take something away from it.
ReplyDeleteThere are sure to be some taboo topics that will arise, and I thought that people held back in the first class, myself included. It is important to note that when we stated our positionality, we used very vague and obvious things. I know I did it. “I’m a white male…” Yup, we can see that. I don’t think anyone withheld from saying “I’m a homosexual male…” because they were embarrassed or deny that fact, or even thought that they would get a negative response, but I think people were apprehensive about letting that stuff out right away. Has anyone ever had Thanksgiving dinner with a friend’s family that they were not super tight with? There are some topics (politics, abortion, money) that are just best not discussed. I think this feeling applies to class Tuesday night, but hopefully in the next few weeks we will be comfortable enough with each other to explore a lot of the topics in a deeper fashion.
The MAT program I am working on is in special education, and I think there exists a great amount of prejudice or bias against these kids. This is something I would like to talk about more in class. With full inclusion becoming more prevalent each year, I think it would be valuable for us all to discuss the impacts of special ed kids in the general ed classroom and how this affects the classroom’s diversity.
A few thoughts:
ReplyDeleteMorgan - A quick reply about the map rap. My sister is a 3rd grade teacher and uses the math cds to teach her studednts. After using them her students instantly memorized them and they continued to sing them all semester. She even caught them reciting the raps on the playground. Now, I'm sure tha this love for the math rap songs depends on the age of children your working with but at a young age they were taken very well.
Paul - I wanted to agree with your opinion "I think sometimes too much energy goes into enforcing what we perceive as positive prejudices (i.e. political correctness), and not enough into demonstrating them" I feel the same way and am happy that you pointed it out.
I have been thinking about positionality a lot since the first class. The school I'm working at is predominately black and hispanic. I was working with a student the other day who had not completed his project and began asking him why it wasn't done, as most of the other students were nearing completion. After talking to him he told me a similar story to the boy in Joaquin's Dilemma. This then made me requestion the idea of positionality in being able to identify with different groups to help them overcome the stereotypes that plague all people. I hope that this class can help open the window to different positionalities in which I cannot yet relate.
I've enjoyed reading a lot of these comments. I think this blog feature for this class is going to be a great tool, as it is easier to sort of "let go" and truly express your opinions without being directly across from someone with a differing opinion. Having used blogs in other classes for the MAT program, I find that going back and re-reading posts helps me better understand other people's points, and that this format will be great for the class.
ReplyDeleteLike Jack, I am curious to see how open people are with these sensitive subjects we will discuss during class time. Great analogy with the Thanksgiving dinner example! And again, both with our blogs and with our in class arguments/points it is not just going to be what we say, but how we say it. If someone is overly aggressive with their point (and I understand emotions weigh heavily on many topics) then others will be less likely to be open the accepting their opinions.
After reading some of these posts, and getting into our assigned readings for this week, I am even more interested in how things are going to unfold. I am certain that this class is going to teach me and many others just how much we don't know.
KATHERINE SMITH:
ReplyDeleteFair enough - good to know there are so many aid efforts going on in Cary.
Followup:
ReplyDeleteAnd you are correct in that it was innocent. My intention was not to badmouth Cary - I live and work here myself. But it was just a moment in real life that made me think about the concept of positionality. But I think you understood that, so we're cool.
JACK wrote:
ReplyDelete"It is important to note that when we stated our positionality, we used very vague and obvious things. I know I did it. “I’m a white male…” Yup, we can see that. I don’t think anyone withheld from saying “I’m a homosexual male…” because they were embarrassed or deny that fact, or even thought that they would get a negative response, but I think people were apprehensive about letting that stuff out right away"
Yes, I thought about that too. It's certainly understandable for people to keep certain cards face down until they know what the game is.
Here's something I personally deal with along these lines.
My background is that of a professional dancer and dance teacher in New York. I now teach for a great dance school here in NC. I can tell you that being a male dancer evokes certain presumptions, and for that reason I'm careful who I tell about what I do. And that's a shame, because I'm good at what I do. I'm sure many (or even most) people have some aspect to their lives, whether big or small, that causes them to feel shy about revealing it to others, because they're uncomfortable with whatever presumptions others might make based on that one bit of personal information.
In my case, the presumption is that I'm gay, and whatever presumptions go along with being gay. Let's be honest - being gay still carries a great deal of social stigma, and this is why so many people remain in the closet, to one degree or another.
So, am I gay? Or am I straight? Or some mixture?
Hmm, I'm not going to say just yet. But I will pose this question, if anyone's game to play along - given my background, given perhaps how I look(?), I wonder what some of you might assume? Feel free to picture me in ballet tights, because I definitely used to wear them when I did ballet, although my specialty is another form of dance.
Also, please consider describing some aspect of your own background (i.e. things that can't be readily identified, like skin color or sex) that you may feel uncomfortable revealing sometimes, because of some internal or external social stigma. I'd be curious to hear some of them.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, Paul, the gay question crossed my mind, but (mostly because of the things I find interesting) it wasn't first or main thing I wondered about. I was trying to peg you as either Italian or Jewish (I was pretty sure you weren't Irish), based on appearance and diction and knowing that you're from Brooklyn. In large part, this was a comforting exercise because I feel a little disoriented in North Carolina, where I felt like I had a pretty good handle on ethnicity in New York and this gave me an opportunity to retreat into a familiar sort of theorizing.
ReplyDeleteI wrote "effect" when I meant "affect." Horrible, just horrible.
ReplyDeleteI’m extremely excited about this course and delving into the issues at hand. These are contentious issues with emotional responses that will be challenging and exist over a wide spectrum. The first day of class already displayed how heated and charged our classroom environment can become, and this was over a hypothetical exercise (albeit with obvious real-life connotations). At this point in the semester, this is the class that I’m most excited to attend every Tuesday night.
ReplyDeleteI think that a class like this is necessary and it must be real. We must confront each other head-on because of what we will all face in the classroom. Remaining oblivious (or turning a blind eye) to cultural differences and diversity can only result in poor performance as an educator. This is daunting and most, if not all, of us will have to move from our comfort zone. I think most of the class would agree?
I have many goals for this class, but my major goal is to become a more understanding person and have the ability and background knowledge to translate that understanding into a classroom environment. I want to know what makes others tick, while also introspectively examining myself. I found the third article we read very intriguing, as it discussed all the privileges being White entail; privileges that white men and women rarely consider. As I read each, I realized that I was guilty of not recognizing many and I hope in the future I can become more cognizant and incorporate it into my daily life and position as an educator.
MICHAEL,
ReplyDeleteI'm half Jewish actually. :-) The rest is a mishmash of ethnicities, including Greek, Polish, Russian, English & yes, a tiny bit of Irish. No Italian, although I get that a lot.
Hi All ... It has been fun reading the posts thus far.
ReplyDeleteLeethanial - Your post caught my eye as I was reading it. I particularly liked the choice of your wording ... as you said that people unconsciously have ABSORBED perceptions etc. I really like the word absorption for this context. I think that the way in which we were raised, perhaps where we were raised, etc does create some unintended perceptions. That is what perhaps makes each one of us so special ... the fact that we are all so different and bring different ideas to discussions etc. What is important is that we are aware of what perceptions and perspectives we have and that we are open to other's opinions and feelings and ready to learn.
From reading through the posts, I sensed a common theme of some possibly anxiety about our class discussions. (I also saw a lot of excitement as well ... which is great!) I too am a little nervous that my personal feelings might get in the way when I try and communicate my opinion on some topic. I tend to take things personally ... so my goal is to set aside any feelings that create the sense of an atmosphere of debate and to remind myself that our lively discussions will push the boundaries in all of us and our beliefs of being open. Again, this blog is a great forum ... I am looking forward to your posts!
So my positionality as a math/science/music person means that I don't really enjoy reading long posts, so I will probably only respond to shorter ones...or ones that contain my name :)
ReplyDeleteLeethaniel - A bias of mine that immediately come to mind is against close minded people (if they have a closed mind, I tend to ignore most things they say or at least take them with a grain of salt) and I suppose I identify them by phrasings (i.e. stating opinions as facts, intolerance against groups of people, refusing to listen to the other side of an argument, etc)
Rodnella - You mentioned about your own troubles blinding you to those around you. How do you feel that, once you've gone through your troubles, you will react to someone else with similar troubles/stumbling blocks? Will it create a new bias towards helping them the same way you needed help? Either way, do you see it as a good thing or bad thing?
Paul - Is it bad that I don't really care one way or the other whether you are gay or straight? I'm probably going to act the same way towards you whichever it is. It's a shame you can't express your passion for dance in fear or how people react.
Shannon said...
ReplyDeleteThis first class was a BIG surprise. It was a lot of fun. I saw that the few people being "belligerant" were plants for the exercise, but I did not understand what was going on until the very end: the assumption that one group gets to tell another group what to do because those are the roles assigned to them by the powers that be. Learning to recognize something so pervasive that you cannot see the trees in the forest.
I want to be able to sit and converse with anyone and not feel uncomfortable, like I'm going to say the wrong thing or even think the wrong thing. I hope this is not too selfish of a goal.
Schools should introduce a class like this, even if for only one day or one hour. I believe students of any background could benefit from an eye-opening class that makes them better citizens. Often children are not given enough credit for their ability to absorb new information and new paradigms.
This is the way that a Diversity Training was meant to be. I am ready to go to the next step of championing Social Justice. I want to know what it means to be a champion of what is good and right.
Perhaps I am the only one, but the thought of a class on diversity was really exciting to me. It is fond memories of such courses dealing with social issures that made me excited to come back to school, even though I worried that coming to a large conservative research and engineering university like NCSU would not offer the types of courses that generate the dynamic and controversial topics that make me excited about being in a classroom. Despite the fact that courses in diversity can get mushy or ugly real quick, I think this will prove to be a class that is unpredictable, challenging, and very rewarding....unlike several of the others I have taken in the MAT program.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I am really looking forward to about this class is that the likelihood is that we're probably not going to get too mushy, hopefully not too ugly, but we are going to get REAL...however, both of the former expectations are a part of real. I was glad to hear Dr. Greenfield call bullshit on people who claim they "don't see color" or "love everyone just the same." This may sound harsh, and it would be nice if this was the world we lived in, but it's not. Learning how to RECOGNIZE differences and APPRECIATE AND VALIDATE them, not take them away and pretend that they don't exist, is something that we are all constantly faced with. This is a challenge I hope to continue to accept and an action I will hopefully perform more fluidly and meaningfully every day.
I thought it was interesting how many of us mentioned that we grew up in small towns with narrow views and undiverse populations. Many of us worry about our own covert prejudices and the possibility of unintentionally offeding someone...especially a student. Someone mentioned the term "reverse discrimination" in an earlier comment; this is an idea that intrigues me very much because I think that I, and it seems several of us in the class, may be inadvertent advocates of this. I know that when I am in a situation where I am a minority, I make a special effort to overcome the sterotype that comes with the perception of my positionality. I am often a harsh judge of my situation(being born white, American, heterosexual female) and have trouble validating it, feeling deserving of it, or even wanting it--I almost feel like I try to establish myself otherwise, just so I can't or won't be judged by my apparent positionality.
In college I was a Women's Studies minor and I was working at an art festival we conjured up featuring genders in non-traditional roles: male nude paintings and sculptures, phalli all over the place(!), we had female rappers and break dancers, and the show was complete with a drag performance! Most people cross dressed and it was a glorious event! I was having a great time seeing all the art, talking with my friends, enjoying being part of an "alternative crowd," thinking how unique and special it was that I was there and a part of this...especially considering my background, which is probably much like the rest of yours. Anyway, I was passing out programs and greeting in the lobby and a man looked at my name, looked me up and down and said something to me about how all-American can you get?! I was offended that I had been stereotyped, that all my other defining characteristics had been wiped away and there I stood, an over-privileged, clueless white girl. I had been acknowledged only for things over which I had no control, something I had been trying to overcome my whole life. We are all victims of circumstance on some level. Minority or majority, we all have stereotypes that classify us, we can either live up to them, to tear them down.
I think this class is going to be great and I believe we all are already richer for what we have experienced in class so far. I look forward to listening to everyone's story, learning their beliefs, values, insecurities, confidences, etc. and using them to inform my own. Here's to a terrific start!
#1, sorry my post is so long! I guess I got enthusiastic reading everyone elses and wanting to respond to the many wonderful and insightful comments. FYI the maximum post is 4,096 characters! : ) whoops!
ReplyDeleteKatherine, I have lived in NC my whole life and been familiar with Cary for a while now, and have never heard of a Cary Parent. I am intrigued. Though I can make my own assumptions, I find it interesting that the stereotype of the Cary Parent stands out against even the Cary stereotype, I would be interested to know what all this attribute entails. I feel like I became a little more aware : )
Paul:
I love that you are comfortable enough to pose the question in people's minds about your own sexuality. I had a professor who did this in college...I think she noticed when people's faces changed when she mentioned her "partner" and then she just went with it, tickling the curiosities of those of us in the room. I always admired her. Vocabulary and connotation vs. denotation is such an interesting and provocative topic. I look forward to getting to know you better and seeing what other provocative topics you bring to the surface! Thanks for your contributions!
If anything, I think I'm going to have the hardest time relating to people from small towns and homogeneous backgrounds. The whole concept of living in a town of ten thousand people, predominantly of European descent, is so alien to my experience that I have a bit of a hard time not assuming a narrow world-view from people raised in that kind of place. Conversely, I might have to fight the impulse to condescendingly overpraise small-towners for their lack of prejudice.
ReplyDeleteKATE OLIVER wrote:
ReplyDelete"Paul - Is it bad that I don't really care one way or the other whether you are gay or straight? I'm probably going to act the same way towards you whichever it is. It's a shame you can't express your passion for dance in fear or how people react."
Thanks for your reply Kate. I especially appreciate your last statement. I agree!
But the thing is, people do make assumptions based on such things, and I think it's interesting to explore our own initial reactions given the class we're taking. So I still wonder, what was your initial reaction? You don't need to actually tell me. And the question isn't really just about me... I'm going to tie this into teaching, which I'll do at the end of this post.
It's easy to say we don't care about each other's differences. But, perhaps we should care, if only to know and understand each other a little better.
My dancer/sexuality question is really just another twist on the Doctor story from the other night. It's very easy to dismiss such questions and claim indifference. And yet, these biases do exist in all of us, and more importantly, their effects on individuals are real. That is the key point in my opinion.
To bring this to a close, I'm not gay. But I'm used to people assuming that I may be when they learn about my work. And that assumption carries all sorts of other baggage and social stigmas, whether I was gay or straight. And before someone says I shouldn't care what people assume about me... consider that I do, because my reality has led me to care. And the same goes for any characteristic that might bring bias or prejudice upon an individiual, whether it be race, sex, sexuality or even something as minor as my own example.
Now I'll connect this to teaching... I know little boys who take dance classes, who wouldn't dare breathe a word of it to anyone at their schools, for fear of being labeled and teased. So before one dismisses my question by saying you don't care one way or the other - consider what else you might dismiss amongst your own students in the future. Their reality will be very real for them, and no matter how fairly or equally you treat them, the biases they face still affect them. And as teachers, we will sometimes need to explore those realities with our students, and in the process, face biases of our own. We will need to care.
To anyone who actually read all that, bless you for your patience. ;-) Good night.
Thanks Alison. :-) Same back at you.
ReplyDeleteMichael, I hear you. It's amazing how complex these things can be sometimes.
First of all, WOW you people like to blog. I'm used to dealing with undergrads who do the bare minimum, so refreshing that you all actually care.
ReplyDeletePaul-
So interested in the male dancer stuff because I totally wrote a note to myself about this as I was reading one of the articles that mentioned how we fuel stereotypes by putting girls in dance and guys in sports. I wrote out to the side, so should we put girls in sports and guys in dance? I was a dancer, softball player, piano player, and a theater junkie, so I have the gammet covered pretty much. Anywhoo I'm a big Dancing with the Stars fan and many of those guys are married to other dancers on the show, so I think it's really helped my stereotype of "all male dancers are gay." I personally think guys learning to dance should be a requirement in our education system, but that's another topic so I'll let that one go for now...
Jack, I also think it will be really great to open up those can of worms types of topics. As for bringing up special ed, that's really interesting. I don't naturally think about that group when I think diversity. Now, I'm pondering if I may have biases towards those kids. I do find it interesting that when we say IEP we forget that academically gifted kids also fall in that category. hmmm will be pondering that...
Elizabeth, thanks for making me feel confident to rap in class! HA!
In response to all the talk about male dancers. I have been in dance classes off and on again most of my life. But mostly I remember the 3 years of dance in high school, a short but intense career, I know. I knew several male dancers. At our school there may be some kids who thought that the male dancers (esp. ballet) might be gay or something but inside the "dance community" that was never an issue. In fact, we knew that they // Positionality //
ReplyDeleteIn response to all the talk about male dancers I have a memory that may be relevant. This is totally a positionality question. I was part of the dance class scene back in high school. We had several die-hard male dancers. And I never thought twice about their sexuality because they were always hitting on the girl dancers, even if they were wearing tights.
One night after a dance concert I was walking back to the locker rooms and overheard some other students talking about one of the male ballet dancers who was a friend of mine. They were making crude and derisive comments about him and I got so mad I just had to set the record straight. I think I lied and said I was his girlfriend even though he was the nerdiest guy I knew. I just couldn't let someone slander my friend, it was my job to insult and correct him because he knew I truly cared about him as a friend.
I was also thinking at the time why it was hurtful to call someone homosexual. I had never thought about it before. After that I couldn't stop thinking about that and other predjudices that didn't make sense. That was the first time I realized that something like "postionality" might exist.
please ignore the typos above :D
ReplyDeleteConcernedCitizen is Shannon by the way.
ReplyDeleteHeys guys...
ReplyDeleteMy TV stays on a the news, and this evening I was hit hard by a statement made by CNN senior political analyst and Harvard professor David Gergen who referred to the legion of people ages 16-30 who seem to be more involved in government, civics, and politics than ever before in history as “The Joshua Generation.”
For those who are unfamiliar with who "Joshua" was, he was a Judeo-Christian figure in the Torah and the Bible. Joshua was a leader chosen by God to lead the children of Israel into The Promised Land—as a successor to Moses. He led the tribes into Canaan's Land and The Land of Milk and Honey. He was Moses’ successor as leader of the Israelites upon his death. The first major part of his book (the Book of Joshua) chronicles how he commanded the subsequent conquest of Canaan's Land. As the Israelites came to the Jordan River, the waters parted, as they did for Moses at the Red Sea. The first major battle was in Jericho, where the walls of Jericho fell under Joshua's leadership. Perhaps most noteworthy, Joshua also divided the conquered Promised Land among the tribes of Israel as God had instructed him to.
Many people, including Gergen, have compared Joshua to President-Elect Barak Obama. They feel that Obama represents a new age, and our saving grace came on the sunset of Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008, when we witnessed the chance that America gave Obama to make history and lead us to the much-needed change that we so desperately need—just like Joshua.
Now, I am not the most religious person, and I am by no means attempting to deify Obama or compare him to a figure so revered by Christians as to blaspheme anyone's faith. However, I cannot help but be awed by the parallels.
Like Joshua, Obama found favor among people of various socioeconomic backgrounds and religious beliefs. And like Joshua, Obama plans to help set his people—Americans—on a path they can truly be a proud one.
Obama promises that a “particularly urgent priority" of his administration will be to pass a second stimulus plan and extend unemployment benefits. This would be extremely beneficial because unemployment has reached an all-time high. Since education has been on a gradual decline, he plans to expand national service programs like AmeriCorps and Peace Corps and create a new Classroom Corps to help teachers in underserved schools. Obama also wants to improve the American technology infrastructure—specifically in the area of global-warming. Research proves that annually the temperature on Earth increases 1°C, which has detrimental effects on the ozone layer. Moreover, it is time that a country as respected as America is able to compete with the technological improvement efforts of other highly respected nations. Perhaps most important, Obama plans to end the war and send our American troops home. Countless lives have been lost due to what many consider a senseless war.
[continued]
ReplyDeleteIn an effort to embrace the change that Obama promises, Americans—particularly Blacks—are faced with the task of actually doing something with the milk and honey we inherited. Blacks have fought tirelessly for more than 50 years in this country to gain civil liberties—like equality and the right to vote. Meanwhile, we seem to have fallen off track and lost our identities along the way. According to the Bible, the children of Israel fell prey to idol worship and false Gods. We have fallen prey to materialism, selfishness, greed, divisiveness, and self-destructive behaviors. We have gone from being freedom fighters in the 50s and 60s to fighting to survive in our own communities against drugs, gangs, AIDS, and other self-inflicted threats.
If we choose to see ourselves as part of “The Joshua Generation” we must promote non-partisan activities and hands-on opportunities for involvement in government and politics today.
Being a part of the Joshua Generation does not mean we now get to party because we elected a Black president. Our work is not done. It means that we now must make real the promises of our ancestors. We must now make good on the hopes and dreams of this country for all Americans.
I encourage you to ask yourself, “What do I stand for, and what is my personal contribution to my country?” I am not telling you to become a politician but be and remain involved, and be the best “you” possible.
We as people of color can look to our country, to the White House, and finally see a shining example of ourselves reflected back at us after 200 years.
I challenge you to let the world look at you and see a president, a first lady, an international figure of hope, progress, and intelligence—not just a source of entertainment, a fashion statement, a good joke, a danceable groove, or a grim statistic. We no longer need the “hood” façade to demand respect. We can rest on our intelligence, wisdom, creativity, and inner-beauty. Pull up your pants, leave the gold in the ground, and the diamonds in the rocks. We no longer need such adornments. It does not have to be "hard out here for a pimp," because you do not have to be a pimp—you never had to.
Let this moment inspire you to be the change you were seeking. Make a vow to be and remain an active member of the Gergen-penned “Joshua Generation.”
The excitement of a Black president can end even before Obama is actually inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2009 or it can sustain itself until we see the next Black president.
If we stop or slow down, we are already defeated. Let us move swiftly ahead with measured intent and wise leadership. I want to see us take wings and soar. If we still are not motivated to do so now, we never will be.
NOTE - Forgive me, I was on a roll (lol)...
I know that, with the exception of only one other student, no one else in the class is Black. However, we can ALL consider ourselves a part of the Joshua Generation, in our quests to become educators of tomorrow's future. I hope you ALL except the challenge!
I think Rachael L brought up a really interesting point about credibility earlier when she wrote "When I have a classroom I do feel like I will be a bit apprehensive that students will not find me credible if I do not fit into their social, or racial mold per say." I think we seek credibility in order to be heard and taken seriously. It is easy to write off what someone is doing or saying if you don't feel they know what they are talking about. This is something I struggle with, assuming I don't have credibility with my audience (I did this on the first day when trying to figure out what part of my positionality to expose).
ReplyDeleteHowever, in my experience, students have been more willing to give me the benefit of the doubt (although maybe I am just taking advantage of the power differential in the classroom. As the teacher, I already have some credibility). Interestingly, I managed to get many good race conversations going in my 8th grade History classes -- but not until I acknowledged my own race and allowed the students to do the same; something I was unwilling to do in a class of adults where I was not in the power seat. Why?
Leethanial, as I read you writing about how Obama unified people, I remembered my own student's reaction to the election. I was teaching in Washington, DC at a very integrated school. However, many of the students came from neighborhoods that were highly segregated and rarely saw people who didn't look like them outside of school. After the election, it came up that many of the Black students thought all white people (including their teachers, all of whom were white) had voted for McCain and that Obama's big feat was in mobilizing the Black community to vote, not unifying people of a variety of backgrounds. From their positionality, they (Black people) were the majority so if they all went out and voted, of course their candidate would win. We (the teachers) learned that in order to break down some of the stereotypes, we needed to play our cards a little less close to the vest. That was a counter intuitive realization to make.
Some thoughts about perspective and positionality. And let me acknowledge that choosing pronouns (us and we vs. them) gave me pause while writing this.
I chuckled when reading Alison's post because so much of it resonated with me. I have had those "all-American girl" experiences and have had nearly identical responses. But, I think it is important to remember (and McIntosh does a great job illustrating this) that as members of the dominant racial group, we have a choice of whether or not to reveal those aspects of our positionality that marginalize us. That is a choice that not everyone has, and simply by having that choice we, as white people, have power...whether we want it or not. I'm hoping we can work toward figuring out what we can do in the classroom with that power to change the paradigm.
ReplyDeleteLeethaniel,
ReplyDeleteSome of the things you said were most poignant. If more people do start to see themselves in a new and better light as you described, that would be a blessing for all of us.
I have little faith in politicians. But if Obama's presidency, and all that it may symbolize, does lead more people toward seeing themselves in a more positive light, then amen. Reach for your dreams, no matter who you are, what you look like, or where you came from - that is, afterall what America's promise should be about.
Stumbled on this op ed in the Boston Globe from last week and felt that it spoke to many issues I suspect we will be discussing in class. It is about the college admissions process.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/01/10/the_college_admissions_scam/
ERIN,
ReplyDeleteThanks, good article.
"Any admissions officer, she said, could tell from your zip code whether you were likely to need aid or not, and students needing aid were much less desirable than those who didn’t need it."
Yeah. Nothing surprising there. Money and class matters. Always have, always will.
But isn't this statement doing just what we are talking about not doing. As a teacher, you know that the kids in your class are not homogeneous, even if they come from the same zip code. Yes, class certainly matter, but statements like that one frustrate me because they are not based on fact. I find it interesting they he used this seriously fluffy piece of support, instead of legitimate statistics (which certainly exist).
ReplyDeleteTo everyone,
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know the estimated death toll in Haiti? I assume it is ion the “hundreds of thousands” but I’m not sure. Such a horrid catastrophe…
ERIN,
ReplyDeleteTrue. But I must give the admissions officer credit for publically admitting how shallow the admissions process can become sometimes. It's unfortunate, but not surprising.
It is certainly a good article to use when we get to the subjects of class, money and privelege.
Also...
KATHERINE SMITH,
If you happen to see this - you were so right about Cary. I heard today about some amazing charity and aid efforts coming from Cary communities toward Haiti. I'm very impressed and humbled.
LEETHANIEL,
ReplyDeleteLast I heard, it was estimated at 150 thousand. I doubt anyone knows for sure yet though.
To think, in a matter of literally seconds, an entire country can be toppled, and so many lives ravaged. It is a reminder of what a gift life is, and how fragile it can be.
What's horrible in my eyes, is that before this catastrophe Haiti was already in great need. It's an incredibly impoverished nation with a pretty horrible history with harsh dictators and overthrows of the government resulting in anarchy(I was interested to learn that Haiti is the only country in the western hemisphere to have had a successful slave revolt). It seems to me that if more developed countries had stepped in when they were just having heavy economic and political issues this whole rescue effort could have been a little more organized and perhaps more lives could have been saved.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Leethaniel's comments: I loved your parallel between Joshua and Obama. I can definitely see their similarities.
I wonder how Obama actually feels about being known as the first black president when he was born and raised by a white mother.It seems to me that he'd identify more with white culture than any other and I'm curious as to how he feels being labeled primarily as black.
I know this may sound silly, but right now in the background I have MTV's 'Jersey Shore' on. This is the first time I've ever seen this show... and I am ridiculously amused and saddened by these people. Is anybody in this class from Jersey or that area? If so, how do you feel about 'Snooks', 'Ronnie', etc. representing that culture? Is it accurate?
In response to Rachel's post, I think the Desperate Housewives clip is an excellent example of bias in the world. The little girl had no idea of her background and where she came from. She had this bias that all Mexicans sell fruit on the side of the street. She knew nothing about her heritage because her parents never taught her. Its a shame that she cant express herself because she has no knowledge of her background.
ReplyDeleteI know this is just a TV show, but I think that this is something that occurs around the world every day. We have the perceptions and bias about everyone who is "different" than us. Whether it be good or bad, we have different thoughts. This is something that I think this class will really help with. I think if we can accept the fact that we might be wrong, then we can really change our perceptions. Its a challenging task, and I am hoping that this class will help us all get rid of our biases.
Wow, I'm amazed at how much the conversation has grown, and impressed at the substance it has taken on. At one point I was a bit worried we were all going to post without really saying much but I quickly changed my mind.
ReplyDeleteErin - I especially liked the article you linked. It scares me to think that your zip code could change your chance at admission. I hadn't realized about how early admission is biased against those dependent on financial aid either. And the SAT certainly is NOT blind to economic status. SAT prep classes and multiple test dates certainly favor those who have money and time to spend.
As I continue to ponder positionality and try keep up with the blog, I was surprised that it didn't even occur to me people would be hesitant to share their thoughts. The positionality that occurred to me immediately and seemed relevant to a discussion of diversity was not one I had to worry about sharing. It was not quite something you could see or assume at first glance, but it wasn't anything surprising. Being a nerd or someone who cares about school might not be "cool" in some environments, but in MAT courses it's more common. It's been interesting to try to think about a positionality that might be something I keep hidden or am not as open to sharing with strangers. After a bit of thought one came to mind I'm guessing will come up in the next few weeks.
I'm definitely glad I've followed blogs enough that I check this daily! Let's keep up the conversations!
Leethaniel - President Obama is certainly an great example of someone having to deal with racial identity issues. My little sister is currently a student at Occidental College where he started, although he transferred to Columbia University before graduation. From an article on the Oxy website "It was at Occidental where he stopped being called “Barry” and became Barack Obama..." Barry has a completely different sound to it doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteTo Rachel - I agree. Barack just has a "ring" to it. I've heard of Occidental but I didn't know Obama went there at all. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe doors to success are certainly OPEN....
Kate-
ReplyDeleteThat is a interesting question! I would hope that I would be able to use my own experiences, hits/misses to help those who I see with similar troubles. But I also know that as humans we can get caught up in the idea of "I did it why can't you" mentality. As a teacher assistant, i see myself falling into those thought patterns with my students. "Why can't you just, Why don't you see...?" But then I do have to stop and tell myself that perhaps they have not been taught to think as I do and I have to step up and do my part to help them.
And Allison, I was wondering the same thing when I read others comments. I came into this class excited period, without apprehension or negative thoughts, because I feel that thinking like that blocks your ability to see anything but the negative expectations that you have.
Leethanial:
ReplyDeleteIt makes me wonder if your parallels of Obama and Joshua stem from positionality. Although it is a very interesting and thought provoking idea, I wonder if you may have a different opinion, along with many of the posts here, if coming from a different perspective entirely.
For example, you wrote about Obama uniting a people and leading them onto "a path they can be truly proud of," much like the Biblical character of Joshua and the Israelites. However, who is to say that the path we are heading toward is good? It is yet to be seen what the Obama administration will actually accomplish. Now, I am hoping the new administration will do great things, spark the nation to great prosperity, and envoke unprecedented social justice, however, I feel as if in my own experienece as an after school care counselor, Obama may have caused the dichotomy of our nation to be greater.
One day during a regular day at the Salvation Army, I was asked who I voted for in the recent election. In an attempt to remain unbiased and non-political, I did not answer the question. I was, however, met with much aggrivation from my 25, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. They ultimately came to the conclusion after a little arguing that I must have voted for McCain because I was white (they actually said this to me). It made me wonder where that idea came from and it made me sad that the democratic election of a free nation had become more about race than a platfom or what is best for the country as a whole.
My point is, people look at the election, just as they do many things in life, from a specific positionality. I am not trying to make a political statement at all. I am just attempting to wrap my own mind around the fact that everyone looks at things differently. Obama could be the hero. But could be also be the villain?
I am really excited about taking this course. I had no idea until working in an alternative to suspension program just how much race issues currently present themselves in the classroom and community. I am fortunate to work alongside a diverse group of people passionate about social justice who are open about their experiences and challenge our students (and myself) to see these issues in terms of inspiring action rather than indifference at worst and passive anger at best.
ReplyDeleteThe first article about Joaquin brings to light some things that, as a middle-class white woman, I have never had to encounter personally but one that is very apparent in the students we serve. Many of them are sooo angry. Many of them are incredibly intelligent but do not live up to their potential. Many of them do not value higher education. And in response to the pressure to make money quickly, many have resorted to illegal methods of obtaining it.
Being a part of the "dominant" group, I never had to form a racial identity. I rarely noticed I was white because I was never in a situation where I was the only one. When Sotomayor was being considered for appointment to the Supreme Court, there was a lot of discussion about her Latina heritage. She even mentioned in her lecture that her experience as a Latina woman would absolutely affect her judgment on cases. As the dominant group, we don't recognize how our own culture affects our judgment. So anything "different" becomes unpredictable, unpredictable becomes suspicious, and suspicious becomes scary.
In conclusion, I suppose what I want to gain from this course is a different perspective. I want to learn how to be inclusive AND celebrate differences. I want to help my kids recognize that their differences are what make us unique and wonderful. Although I understand that that will be difficult during an age where all they want to do is be just like their friends :)
Barry is the name of a 57-year-old Jewish accountant who lives in a nondescript suburb on Long Island. Barack Obama would not be the President of the United States if he had stuck with "Barry."
ReplyDeleteThose "Jersey Shore" chuckleheads are a caricature of a real social type that exists in the northeast, primarily among people of Italian descent. Like any caricature, there is a kernel of truth there, but those dingbats are immensely stupider and more personality disordered than any larger population could be. Of course, that's been MTV's MO for years. If you've watched "The Real World" at all, you know that the producers make a point of casting attractive young people with psychological problems/a propensity to behave in an antisocial fashion, then feed them alcohol so as to create "drama." "Jersey Shore" is the same sorry thing, only choosing to cast within a particular subculture. It's much more an exercise in personal pathology with a New Jersey Italian flavor than anything to do with what New Jersey or the tri-state is about.
Rodnella:
ReplyDeleteI have a tendency to have the same feeling toward students who "can't" do things that seem easy to us. This is one reason I knew I could not teach in the younger grades. I feel that my patience would wear quickly with things that I consider easy like the alphabet, beginning reading and elementary math. I am taking a class about learning disabilities now and one thing I have been reading and that seems to come up is the reality that some kids CAN'T do these things, there are neurological disorders that can prevent certain types of learning. I have always been a huge proponent of ANYone can do ANYthing with enough time, patience, guidance, and effort. This is not always the case though, and this is something I think I will struggle with tremendously as a teacher, perhaps as a parent: that there will inevitably be some things that I cannot help a child do. We just watched a video in this class discussing the way we talk to LD students and the ways we react to their inabilities. It was a huge reality check in seeing the ways it becomes easy to treat students who can't do. It requires an abundance of patience and empathy on many levels, remembering that we have things we struggle with, analyzing the way we explain a concept that is totally foreign to our students (would I be able to comprehend with the given directions?), etc. It is good to hear that this is a concern of yours, it means that you care, that you want to improve and that is a quality of a good teacher.
Rachel:
I too have been thinking of all the different positionalities that I occupy and have thought of a thousand that could have better described myself the other night. Isn't it amazing that we all have such a plethora to choose from that we even have several that could easily apply to a given context?--and the ones that we want to claim are ones that we have earned ourselves, not ones we inherited, yet those we inherited tend to be the ones by which we are most often identified.
From the "Unpacking the Invisible Backpack" article, one of the items drawn out of the sack was that "my accomplishments are never set out as a credit to my race," as was "I am never asked to speak for the entirety of my race." These two stood out particularly to me because this is something we do as a society so often. Anything I produce could perhaps be categorized as produced by a female, but other than that, my positionality is unaccounted for. Why does our society feel the need to single everyone out by a single aspect of their humanity? i have heard writers before say that they want to be recognized as a great author, not a great Latino Homosexual author. To be arranged in subsets seems to disqualify, on some level, the achievements of people of any "non-standard" positionality. --I feel like I can't stop using that word now!!!!
This also goes along with the Obama conversation. I feel like everyone forgets that he is biracial and I too wonder how he feels about being labeled the first black President. I know he he is proud of his heritage, but could that be something that he wishes got less recognition than the accomplishments he has hard won regardless of his race? I think we (the public, the media, social groups, advocacy groups and so on) have projected so much of our own agendas upon his it is hard to see where ours stop and his begins. I don't think it is fair to see Obama as the pinnacle of separation or unity among races in America. Nothing exists now that didn't before he was president. Racial dichotomies are not new now that we have a "black president." African Americans in this country have never had the opportnity to wonder if a president was put in power by people of their race or of another. There was no question about it, white presidents have by and large always been put in power by white people and the social constructs that support our current system.
I have enjoyed reading all of these comments regarding the Jersey shore, particularly because I find it interesting how many Italian-Americans have responded negatively to the show. The Italian Anti Defamation League called to have it pulled off the air because they were so outraged (much like they were when the Sopranos was at its height of popularity) and MTV responded by saying, essentially, "uhmm, it's reality tv, we aren't making these people do or say anything." Is that racist? I don't know, I'm just asking.
ReplyDeleteAnd in response to Candice's question of whether Obama is the hero...I think that for now, he is; he got a lot of people excited and hopeful again, and got a lot of young people interested and involved in politics who otherwise may not be. Last year was either a wonderful or awful time to take over as President. I also think that more influential in his upbringing than his being black or white was the he was raised in HAWAII, a state that has its own unique culture, traditions, values, language, and is separated from the rest of the US by thousands of miles.
Everything I hear right now seems to relate to the topics we are discussing. This morning I heard this story about Black characters in theater and immediately was interested in hearing what you all thought of it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122716559
It reminded me of a conversation I had with a Black co-worker many years ago about how there were so few mainstream movies that show African-Americans in normative roles. As a result, she had decided not to go to movies unless they had a Black character in a normative role. She found she could never go to the movies. When she and I had this conversation, she had relaxed her requirements so that she would only go to movies that had a Black main character. She still rarely could go to movies that met this simple requirement, because they were so rarely made. That conversation was a huge eye opener that helped me come along with a lot of what McIntosh writes about in her article. I think about that conversation almost every time I go to the movies now.
This is great to see how involved everyone is so far, and this is just our first blog post! The wide array of topics covered already is awesome. 70-plus posts and counting.
ReplyDeleteErin, the NPR bit you posted actually reminded me of something that happened in a high school play when I was in the 11th grade. The spring play that year was "West Side Story", and the main male character (Tony) was played by an African American and the leading female character (Maria) was played by a white student who I believe was a senior. At some point in the play there is a scene where Tony and Maria share a kiss.... the reaction in the audience on opening night was interesting. For the most part, people were caught up in the story and thought nothing of it. There were some who gave each other uncomfortable looks and shuffled in their seats as and after it happened. If Tony had been played by a white student, I'm sure the reaction would have been different. I'd be willing to bet that if this play had taken place in a different city, that wasn't 80% white, the reaction would have been more ho-hum with nothing thought of it. But the student who played Tony was by far the best actor in our class, and he deserved the role. I'm glad my school chose him, but in other schools you have to wonder how many talented black students are overlooked for white (and perhaps less talented) student actors.
African Americans are definitely under and mis-represented in cinema. If you ask someone who isn't black to name three African American actors and actresses who aren't Denzel Washington, Will Smith, or Halle Berry, I'd be willing to bet that most people couldn't do it.
What I think is notable is how many black actors and actresses first became notable in the music recording industry before transitioning into movies, which are far more lucrative. Ice Cube, Ice-T, Queen Latifah, Will Smith himself, all started out as musicians. Hell, even Method Man and Redman. It's as though they needed to prove themselves in a field of endeavor in which black people are expected to excel before they were able to transfer that success to acting.
ReplyDeleteCandice said:
ReplyDelete"My point is, people look at the election, just as they do many things in life, from a specific positionality."
I agree. Politics in general are just one of many examples of how our individual positionality reflects our opionions.
Jack said:
"And in response to Candice's question of whether Obama is the hero...I think that for now, he is; he got a lot of people excited and hopeful again, and got a lot of young people interested and involved in politics who otherwise may not be."
I agree with this as well. President Obama did create a sense of hope in a lot of people and still is. However, again we have the issue of positionality. Depending on where you are coming from, you may not have felt a sense of hope from Obama at all. There are a lot of people out there that were not excited about his election to office. Now I'm not trying to make a political statement here either, I'm simply going back to what Candice stated earlier that how we define him as the hero or villian all comes back to positionality.
I'm rather uncomfortable with the Obama as symbol and transformative figure rhetoric. In some ways, I think it distracts and detracts from where the focus should be, which is actually governing.
ReplyDeleteIt's possible that this is an artifact of white skin privilege, though, that I don't experience the symbolic impact of Obama's election as in some way transformative. I think it's more likely, however, that I have a rather cynical, utilitarian, and depersonalized engagement with politics.
I have really appreciated people's willingness to try to keep the discussion on topic. I have interpreted the "I'm not trying to make a political statement" to be in this vein...keeping us focused on the message about positionality and not politics. But I wonder, at what point do we own our positionality and understand that the things we say and do are not neutral; they reflect our positionality? Does that question make sense? Would it be problematic if these statements were intended to be political?
ReplyDeleteI guess my question ultimately gets at the issue of intent. I readily acknowledge that Candice's statement about her intent definitely helped me stay focused on what she was trying to say (instead of what I was trying to read)...but is the statement less political because she said it? I am keeping with the political example not to rag on Candice or Ally (to the contrary, like I said, their comments helped me stay focused on the issue of positionality and not be sidetracked by politics) but because I think it will be less emotional than changing the context to be about race or gender.
For the record, I think the Obama as hero/villian dichotomy has been an excellent one and readily illustrates the idea of positionality. Thanks for raising it.
lol at the Jersey Shore comments, that show is ridiculous and I cannot believe that we get engrossed in their lives and allow these people to become celebrities. It's disgusting.
ReplyDeleteMichael, I usually agree with most of what you say (on this blog and in general) but the notion that Obama is not a transformative figure, I don't agree with at all. Yes he is a politician, and one who has dissapointed me and many others. I never adhered to this theory that he was going to makeover the nation overnight (although Rush Limbaugh would argue otherwise).
That being said, his ethnicity, heritage, and background is distinctly American. He is the culmination of what is great about our country and I'm very proud that he was elected. I view it as a "mind-set" change among the American public rather than a true political shift (I think its too early to label). President Bush did some good things and bad things, but the general perception and American conciousness shifted when we elected Obama (first over Hillary, then McCain). It was a referendum on the previous 8 years, and a war that had become extremely unpopular. I disagree with the surge in Afghanistan, and I think President Obama is not keeping some of his promises rlated to that, but that is for another discussion.
The problem with our political system is that its filled with boneheads and good ole boys and public who declare allegiance to one party and rarely have the courage to waver from it. As a democrat, I view the recent comments made by Harry Reid as more demoralizing than what Trent Lott got in trouble several years ago. I think that is an intriguing study on race relations, and how both have been portrayed by the media.
I was very apprehensive signing up for this class, knowing that I would be the oldest member and coming from a generation whose mantra was don’t trust anybody over thirty. I am looking for a second career in teaching. Missing the first class did not help but last night I was able to find others like me (dogs). The discussions we had were great, free flowing and seemly without judgment. Positionality is key in understanding where people are coming from and essential in teaching. Coming from a corporate background I hope to bring a perspective from the business world. I hope to reflect on how I was taught or not taught to see my position in the world
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to post this article that a friend of mine sent to me in the last week or so. I hadn't fully read it, but after last night's discussion about curriculum, I did and do deem it worthy of all our attention. The debate is on in Texas about what should be included in the high school history curriculum....and wow, is it scary! Excuse the politcal slant, but it is almost necessary to highlight the absurdity of the situation. There are also lots of great hypertext links within the story. Bon Appetit!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.texastribune.org/stories/2010/jan/12/hijacking-history/?RE
p.s. the youtube video embedded on the page is definitely worth watching!
ReplyDelete