ESOL Mini Conference Notes

My Notes from the Conference to Share:

Panel Discussion presented by- Beatriz Uribe, Eunsook Lee, Lan Schlect, Yisu Brasel, Vesna Vujinovic

Students from Bosnia- school bell can remind students of war sounds/emotions
Use your HEART when instructing

Students who speak Spanish are Hispanic
Students from Latin countries are Latinos therefore, Latinos are Hispanics, but not all Hispanics are Latinos
"They're all Mexicans." Be careful; many differences among our Spanish speakers (bad words- may be a bad word in one country and not in another)
Different accents
Use of Formal vs Informal You
s, c, z-th sounds  doesn't mean that students have a lisp!
Many reasons for immigration-not all are poor! Parents can be lawyers, doctors, teachers highly educated
Find out- Where is the family from? Are they educated? What kind of support is available at home?
Sometimes parents have a 2nd grade education- Be Sensitive!
What obstacles do you face with students?
Send homework that the child can do alone.
Be aware of immigration issues- Deportation causes fear in families
Parents may have low education in technology- send paper copies home
Make workshops/training for parents on technology
Don't use siblings for translations= get a school or county translator!!
Don't assume that when a parent nods their head that means they understand
Diversity goes beyond their PHLOTE (Primary Home Language Other than English)
There is a huge increase in transitional students (students who leave and come back)

Korea- 5,000 years of history; almost all Koreans in the US are from South Korea
Struggles include: American school systems/activities such as spirit wear, relay for life, field day, Valentines Day
Helpful for parents to preview upcoming events and expectations
Lot of pressure to study-a lot of competition, so it is the norm to send children to school for extra help (to get ahead!) Korean School on Saturday is common
Teachers are seen as authority figures, parents are not always used to approaching teachers
Korean students do not have middle names; be sure to address students by their whole name such as Eun Sook not just Eun (which means clear/shiny silver) it would be like saying Clear
Do not write students' name in red ink- this means blood
Do not use the internet translation services-severely changes the grammatical structure
Be careful when writing in cursive-can be hard to understand
Eye contact seen as disrespectful
Normal to use the middle finger to point
Age of independence is older than in the US
Common for females to hold hands with females; males to hold hands with males
Teachers should initiate conversations with parents
Use both hands to hand papers back to students

Chinese- notes home and school functions can be confusing
Chinese language- millions of dialects, but all understand Mandarin (official language), doesn't use verb tenses normal to hear or read from a student "I yesterday go to movie." ending sounds "I read a lot of book."
No distinction between gender (He/She/It)= all the same in speaking
Teachers need to explicitly teach prepositions

Vietnamese- "Asian" does not equal a language or a culture of people; it is a continent
There are more differences than similarities with "Asians"

 

Notes from Bridging the Divide between GCPS culture and the Cultures of EL Students and families- Elizabeth Webb

Support   Lead   Inspire

How can you be "world class" if you are not globally competent?

Culture is: beliefs, cutoms of a particular society, group, place or time; has it own beliefs, ways of life, art; formed from humans @ a particular place, time, circumstances
They way buildings are formed and food is made- depends on the raw materials available and how humans discover how to live together
The Earth came to be and was formed with people all from different cultures
A way of thinking, behaving or work that exists in a place or organization
Artistic activities (music, theater, painting)
How we care for ourselves as physical beings may be the most important part of our culture.

What chacterizies American culture?  - democracy - equality - freedom to say, write, act   - inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Cultures are on a continuum just like people
Think about the Olympic Opening Ceremonies  Individuality vs. Group
London- individual   Beijing- group

What characterizes GCPS culture?
-Teaching & Learning - World Class - Gwinnett is Great - Success Lives Here - Accountability- Data- Assessment -Diversity - CONINUIOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT- reducing gaps in minority and poor students- Achievement of each individual student - supports and interventions - parent involvement

What might EL parents experience or have experienced?
Schooling as a privilege - may involve fees
Not universally available
Students must adapt to school environment who do not achieve relegated to lesser track
High stakes exams determine long term economic success or failure
parent questions may be viewed as disrespectful

Culture vs. Linguistics

Multiculture - Intercultural - Bilingual - Globally Competent- Plurilingual - Monolingual - Culturally Responsive

WE ARE ALL ON THE SPECTURM OF ENGLISH LEARNERS!!! WE ARE JUST IN DIFFERNET PLACES ON THE SPECTRUM.

Plurilingual- Learning language for specific purposes. Take a risk! It expresses warmth and outreach to speak in another language to our students and families

Characteristics to Cultivate  = Curiosity and Empathy  
Jeremy Rifkin on Empathy "We are soft wired to experience another's plight as if we are experiencing it ourselves."
We all desire socibility, attachment, affection and have a drive to belong.
Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/jeremy_rifkin_on_the_empathic_civilization.html

Saturday 9/29/2012 at ISC

Reflection 2 from Chapter 3 is due TODAY!

Agenda:

Report to the ISC Grayson Room by 8:25am

 Saturday September 29, 2012

Panel Discussion with GCPS Translators 8:30-10:00

Breakout Sessions -Attend the sessions of your choice

session 1 at 10:10
session 2 at 10:55

Cohort Meetings (and working lunch 12:00-12:30)

12:30-3:30 Computer Labs. We will meet in the Galileo Lab.

Week 7 Learning Styles

October 2, 2012 

REFLECTION 3 from the conference is DUE TODAY!

Remember: By th October 9th at 4:30pm, your name should appear on the blog a minimum of 2 times to receive full credit for attending our elluminate session.

1. Read Chapter 4.

2. You must choose 1 question to answer thoroughly and thoughtfully (minimum of 200 words)by 8:00 pm on Oct 2nd. Please choose 1 of the questions from pages 153-155 from Developing Multicultural Educators. Please write the number and question so others can refer if they choose to respond to your answers/comments.

3. You must then respond to 1 other post with comments, questions, or any other meaningful conversation by the beginning of class on October 9th at 4:30pm.

Suggestions: Keep it related to your work with your ELs! Let's let these conversations be meaningful to you and your students. 

USE THE REST OF CLASSTIME TO WORK ON YOUR CASE STUDIES AND REFLECTION 4.

BOTH ARE DUE NEXT WEEK!

Please post below this blog entry where it says comment next to my name.  

I completely agree that sexism and racism are like viruses tearing apart the fabric of our nation. When we allow divisions between individuals based on gender or race, we are undermining the many factors that we have in common, like patriotism and pride. As educators, we must continuously encourage unity and a sense of "togetherness." Without expereriencing events like September 11th to unite us all, how will our students ever be open to working together toward a common goal in the future? We must put aside our prejudices and focus on what unties us, not divides us.

Question 5:  Racism, Sexism, and Socioeconomic Status

Both racism and sexism are human ideologies that are ingrained on the notion that one race or as in the case of sexism; one gender is superior to another.  The inherent cause of racism and sexism is based on the human need for approval or need for power.  This need is exacerbated in time of economic struggle or down turn.  The only difference one may cite between racism and sexism is that while sexism is more prevalent between the opposite genders, racism has no boundary.  It involves male, female, and children.  Racism and sexism are like cancer that can eat up the fabric of a society.  When individuals are allowed to have equal opportunity to aspire to their highest potential in life there will be more productivity and peace within the society.

Question 7          The theories of the Formation of Prejudice

For a person to appreciate the long term impact of prejudice, he or she must understand the meaning of the word.  Prejudice is an individual’s ways of making a value judgment either for positive or negative on a person, an object or an event before understanding the person or the things.  The formation of prejudice has been based on certain theories as follows:

·         Racial and cultural Difference Theory: this is based on the concept that people have fear and dislike for people who are physically and racially different from them

·         Economic competition theory; antagonism that results from competing for jobs or other economic benefits

·         Traumatic Experience theory; bad experience suffered from a member of another group

·         Frustration –Aggression theory; based on frustration that might arise when an individual could not meet real or perceived need

·         Social Control theory; based on people being forced to adhere to tradition and norms of the society

The impact of prejudice is that it affects an individual’s interrelationship with others.  Even for educators, teacher student relationship can be affected either for good or for bad.  I strongly believe that a societal prejudice starts with individual prejudice.  Most of our life believes start from individual bases and once it reaches general acceptance becomes a part of our tradition or norm.    I also believe that prejudice based on Social Control Theory will have the longest negative impact on society and the group within that society.  The simple fact is that it is a widely accepted concept which could be imbibed into tradition or norm and societies defend their tradition.  On the other hand, the other theories are mostly based on external and transient stressors like trauma in a person’s life, economic down turn and unfounded belief.  Once these stressors are removed, the prejudice most of the time will become a past issue. However, when it is based on Social Control Theory, the impact will linger for a long time because it has been ingrained into the tradition or norm and is widely accepted.

Question #4

                Institutional racism has had a tremendous impact on America’s minority population since the Europeans first set foot on American soil. It’s really difficult to compare the struggles of whites under institutional racism with the struggle that minorities have had to endure under institutional racism because there is really very little to compare. Whites have enjoyed many of the privileges that minority leaders throughout history have fought tooth and nail to receive. Rather than compare, I simply want to share how I feel institutional racism has had a negative effect that has on the people it largely favors.

Institutional racism has negatively impacted some whites, primarily poor whites that come from working class backgrounds or live in rural areas, by placing unrealistic expectations on them and by marginalizing the challenges many of them face. Many of these whites are born with similar disadvantages as minority citizens—poor education and housing, limited access to opportunities, etc.  On a more personal level, sometimes I feel that there is an unwanted pressure on me—that because I’m white, I ‘m expected to act or think a certain way, or that things should come easy for me. I don’t feel that way, but at the same time I do understand that my skin color has allowed me to not be denied certain opportunities that others from other ethnicities have been denied.

Chapter 2

Question 7. Theories of the Formation of Prejudice.  

Reflect on the long-term impact of each of the theories of prejudice formation presented in the chapter.

·         Racial and Cultural Difference Theory- When students fear cultures different from their own, they will avoid interaction with diverse people, leading to a narrower view of the world.

·         Economic Competition Theory- When society hold prejudice against others because they provide competition for jobs and public services, stereotypes and prejudices are formed as minorities are scapegoated for the majority’s ills.

·         Traumatic Experience Theory- When a person forms a prejudice as a result of a primary or secondary experience, they may always associate that negative experience with the entire out-group and never get to know individuals for who they are. This theory also results in prejudices being passed down from generation to generation as parents share secondary experiences with children.

·         Frustration-Aggression Theory- When individuals become frustrated with their inability to satisfy real or perceived needs, aggression is directed at other groups. This can result in people always blaming others for their mistakes or shortcomings.

·         Social Control Theory- This theory emphasizes the influence critical interactions of person, family, community, and social instructions have on the formation of individual prejudices. Media has a huge impact on the prejudices individuals hold. In the long run, if the media does not take this power with responsibility, the values and moral composition of our country may decline.

Does the prejudice that is formed as a result of one of the theories last longer than the others?

                I believe that prejudices formed as a result of the traumatic experience theory would have a more lasting impact on individuals. When one supports his/her prejudice with an experience, others are more likely to develop similar prejudices, resulting in lasting impacts on personal and societal norms.

Do the prejudices that form on the individual level eventually become instilled at the societal level? Or vice versa?

                I feel that prejudices formed at the societal level eventually become instilled at the societal level. With the innate desire to “fit in,” many accept, embrace and spread the beliefs of the society that surrounds them. This leads to prejudices being instilled into individual identities.

Which of the theories of prejudice formation do you believe has the longest negative impact on society and the groups within society, and why?

                I believe that the traumatic experience theory has the longest negative impact on society as human interaction only serves to spread its reach. As generations pass down experiences and beliefs, prejudices are instilled in newer generations.

6) Connecting Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Racism

The mission here is to select at least 5 of the statements from pages 58-60 and reflect on them using the four prompts.  To aid reading, I was overly complete in my notation.

Statement 1: The city manager of a town in Florida was fired after he revealed that he was going to have surgery to be able to live as a transgender person.

A) Are there any stereotypes involved in the statement or in society that might have led the person to make the statement or take part in the action described?
There are several stereotypes in society that encouraged and enabled a group of people to take part in such a stereotype-based decision.  There is the notion that people who have gender identity disorder are crazy or unbalanced and therefore unable to manage an important job.  Sometimes people think they are protecting a person which GID by not exposing him or her to the public through a public position, a defense often used for isolating transgender people or keeping them behind the scenes.  Far more than anything else present here is the stereotype that people who would be willing to go through such a procedure are just way too weird and embarrassing to work with and explain to others. 

B) Can you determine which of the five theories of prejudice formation listed in this chapter may have led the person to make the statement or take the action?
While the racial and cultural difference theory could slightly be applied here, this event is probably far more a result of the social control theory of the formation of prejudice.  This person did not fit into the gender norms dictated by the smaller community, and an effort was made to remove that person from authority.

C) Is the statement influenced by individual or institutional racism?
There is always a sort of institutional prejudice that goes with discriminating against transgender people.  It is present in our gender-regulated restrooms, our gender-defined clothing shops and departments, our gender-specific public documents, and our gender-centered rules on marriage.  However, there have been other cases of transgender people serving as both public and political leaders in the last couple of decades.  When individuals are willing to work to overcome fear and misunderstanding, the effects of institutional racism can be diminished.  What I mean here is that although the group acted by institutionalized fear, each individual in the group had a choice to vote his or her conscience. 

D) Which views and practices in society make up the institutional racism within the statement or action?Our society puts a strong value on adhering to gender roles. You’re either a girl or a boy, with no gray area allowed.  While there has been some change in the freedom some people may feel in expressing gender nonconformity, there are also elements of both sexism and homophobia from our society woven into the feeling and actions against transgender people that cause people to confuse or mistakenly connect those prejudiced. 

Statement 2: As of 2007, 70% of the hazardous waste facilities in the United States are located in communities with “disproportionately high” percentages of people of color.

A) Are there any stereotypes involved in the statement or in society that might have led the person to make the statement or take part in the action described?
A stereotype I hear and see far too often, even in my own school, is that “colored folks don’t care about their communities”.  Another famous statement is, ‘If they don’t like living next to a dump, they can always move.”  These things are most often said by people who don’t live near dumps or in these communities. I imagine it is an easier fight to attack a place where most residents are not acquainted with all the members of the city council than it is to attack the neighborhood with more established power.

B) Can you determine which of the five theories of prejudice formation listed in this chapter may have led the person to make the statement or take the action?
While it was somewhat difficult to choose one here, I think I can make a case for the economic competition theory as the root.  The owners of the companies involved with these waste facilities know there is only so much land left in America for our hazards.  Rather than ruin their own neighborhoods and school areas, they would rather find a place that will affect them less.  In the competition for land safety, these owners need a win for their own backyard.

C) Is the statement influenced by individual or institutional racism?
Considering that this sort of thing has been going on for quite some time and that it remains relatively easy to continue, this statement is more institutional than individual racism, but once again, there is always an element of an individual making the decision to dump.

D) Which views and practices in society make up the institutional racism within the statement or action?
In earlier America, folks who were not white lived on the poor side of town, in lesser quality homes with lesser quality sewage and garbage facilities, on “the other side of the tracks”. These housing differences were not made out of preference by the poor or colored folks; it was a kind of geographical segregation, slightly similar to the one Ponce de Leon Avenue has historically provided for Atlanta. It is not a far reach I think to continue to dump on “the other side of the tracks” even if we are increasing the lethality of what we are dumping.

Statement 3: A security guard for a Los Angeles store routinely follows around Latinos as they shop in the store.

A) Are there any stereotypes involved in the statement or in society that might have led the person to make the statement or take part in the action described?Whenever a security guard makes a decision to target based on race, he or she has usually mentally worked out this equation: Latinos are poor + Poor people steal => Latino people steal.  Here we easily could substitute “teenager” “Black” or “elderly” or “homeless”.  There is also huge error in the “Poor people steal” stereotype.  

B) Can you determine which of the five theories of prejudice formation listed in this chapter may have led the person to make the statement or take the action?
I am having trouble finding an exact fit for this particular situation.  I could guess that the security guard has had previous issues that might lead to a traumatic experience theory; I could also surmise that the security guard is angry about shoplifting in the store and has worked out a frustration-aggression theory.  There is still room for the other 3 theories to be related to this situation.  I would probably want to ask the security guard before making that assumption.

C) Is the statement influenced by individual or institutional racism?
Unless this security guard has been directed by his or her supervisors to target Latino shoppers, I would guess this one occurrence is more based on individual racism enabled by institutions.

D) Which views and practices in society make up the institutional racism within the statement or action?There is a pervasive view in our society that poor people steal.  There is also some amount of anger and frustration that store owners feel about theft that leads them to look for what they think are the “likely suspects”.  Already maligned groups make easier scapegoats. 

Statement 4: As of 2007, women were paid $0.77 for every $1.00 that men were paid for their jobs.
A) Are there any stereotypes involved in the statement or in society that might have led the person to make the statement or take part in the action described?
There is still a belief in this nation that women do not need to make as much money as men because they have no families to support or are never primary income earners.  That idea enables the continuation of the practice, but sometimes at its heart is a sexism-based fear that women will not be as reliable or competent at a job as men and will have to take more time off because of their “caregiver” duties.

B) Can you determine which of the five theories of prejudice formation listed in this chapter may have led the person to make the statement or take the action?As women began to enter the work force in droves in the previous century, I might have been able to support the social control theory as the reason for deliberately underpaying women, and if competition were that cutthroat between the sexes for jobs, I would look to economic competition theory, but at this time in history, I would say that the racial and cultural difference theory is the most prevalent factor in denying equal pay for equal work.  There are people who do not believe that men and women do equal work, which further enables the theory to grow more prejudice.

C) Is the statement influenced by individual or institutional racism?Because this is a statement of economic averages rather than an individual incident, this is more an example of the influence of institutional sexism. Still, it takes a culture of individuals to overturn an institutional wrong, so society alone cannot fix this one.

D) Which views and practices in society make up the institutional racism within the statement or action?Here is a partial list of views in society that enable the institutional sexism prevalent here: Women are weaker than men.  They are not as smart as men.  They do not work as hard as men.  They will take too much time off work for their babies and children.  They are not interested in a career; they just need a supplemental income. Women do not perform as well at the same work tasks as men do. 

Statement 5: A sign in a motel window in the 1980s stated, “No dogs or Indians allowed.”

A) Are there any stereotypes involved in the statement or in society that might have led the person to make the statement or take part in the action described?
When I first saw this statement, I needed to research it to see if “Indians” referred to people from India or Native Americans.  The event mentioned here was one referring to Native Americans.  Considering how our nation has struggled over the last 300+ years in understanding and treating the original tribes of this land, it is no surprise to hear that someone has equated a tribesperson with an animal.  From being described as lazy to cheaters to savages, there is probably not one mean thing that has not been said about the Native Americans in writing or verbally since we arrived in Plymouth Rock. 

B) Can you determine which of the five theories of prejudice formation listed in this chapter may have led the person to make the statement or take the action?
At its mildest, this is an example of racial and cultural difference theory at work in the development of prejudice, but I see a great deal of hatred when one equivocates dogs and humans in terms of being unwelcome, I see more frustration-aggression theory than anything else when we so boldly deny things like access to lodging. 

C) Is the statement influenced by individual or institutional racism?Considering the time period (1980’s) that this sign was displayed, I would say that this was a case of the influence of individual racism possibly enabled by an institutional prejudice in the community.

D) Which views and practices in society make up the institutional racism within the statement or action?
The notion that certain races are not as clean as other races is one not so far away from us historically, as evidenced by the still-architecturally-reminiscent rest areas on I-75 in southern Georgia that once held signs saying Whites Only.  That other identical restroom that is sometimes closed for cleaning used to be the ones labeled Color. We used to regularly have ambulances that refused to pick up non-white patients as well as Whites-Only lodging. To see people of another race as a lesser species is not new to our society; it merely seems that we change the race’s identity every few decades.

Melanie D. Rosen

Chapter 2

Question 8. Meaning and Effetcs of Claims to Be Color-Blind. Some teachers claim to be “color-blind” in the classroom. Describe what this statement means. How can this belief by the teacher result in the further disenfranchising of students of color?

                While many educators aim to give quality instruction to all students regardless of race or ethnicity, few actually do so by being “color-blind.” Hesitancy to incorporate culture and the appreciation of diversity into the curriculum can not only result in less student engagement but can also fail to build a bridge between students and what they are learning. As an educator, I strive to customize my students’ learning to fit their unique makeup. If I want every student to learn, I have to help students want to participate and learn before I can help them understand what they’re learning. How can I get Hispanic students to connect with the math if every word problem includes a girl named Sarah and a boy named John? It is my ultimate goal to help every student understand what I’m teaching, So, what better way to help them “get it” than to give them opportunities to personally connect with the material?

Students need to feel like the culture from which their unique fabric was woven is valuable and useful. If the teacher does not make culture a part of student learning, by default, it is left out, meaning the opportunity to help students personally connect with the curriculum decreases greatly as nothing they learn about in that “color-blind” classroom relates to who they are, what they value, or sadly, what they feel they can do. When student feel they can be successful at what they are learning, they are more inclined to be more motivated and engaged in the classroom as they learn. By using aspects of culture to enhance instruction, teachers are creating positive connections between each student’s values, beliefs, skills, interests and the content each student learns. When teachers refuse to address diversity or incorporate culture into instruction or student interactions, they are failing to celebrate the unique attributes each student brings to the classroom, which only serves to further marginalize minorities.

3. Recognizing Institutional Racism.

The following events took place over the Labor Day Weekend at Lake Burton:

8:30 am – call a marina to confirm location of rental boat pickup; leave message

9:05 am – marina owner calls back, explaining that his hours are 9-5 and confirming location of rental boat pick up

9:30 am – drive to boat location, meet marina owner, drive car back to rented house while others drive boat across lake to rented house

9:45 am – stop at locally owned and operated gas station to buy a few supplies

10:00 am – attempt 20 minute run in hilly lakeside property neighborhood, finish walking

11:00 am – load family plus two Egyptian teenagers into boat, circumnavigate lake looking at lake houses, drop anchor to swim, eat lunch on the boat, drive back to rented house still looking (really more like gawking) at lakeside properties

3:00 pm – look up value of lakeside properties on Zillow (iphone app)

5:00 pm – explain to Egyptian teenagers why the bag of BBQ chips that will accompany dinner is so big

5:30 pm – grill hotdogs (all beef)

6:00 pm – eat said hotdogs

7:00 pm – play “two truths and a lie” with family and Egyptian guests

9:00 pm – go separate ways to read, converse

10:00 pm – bedtime

I chose to log this day for the assignment for several reasons.  For one thing, each and every person (except for our two Egyptian guests) I saw at Lake Burton was white.  This was not a fact I even realized until later when reflecting for this assignment, which reveals just how little I ever think about race in a community of other Whites.  Secondly, there seemed to be a stark difference in the socio-economic level of the local people who lived and worked in Tiger, GA and that of the Lake Burton property owners. An empty lot on the lake is listed at $600,000, and a very basic house built in the 1950s is on the market for $2.1 million.  Meanwhile, the clerk at the gas station was wearing basic, faded coveralls, and the local customers (who were all addressed by name and with a personal question by the clerk) pulled up to the station in older cars and used food stamps to make purchases.  It struck me as unjust that those who seemed most closely tied to the region might not be same people benefitting the most from its beauty.  Later that evening, we enjoyed a conversation about the differing entry prices for nationals and foreigners to Egypt's museums and historical sites.  Some thought this price difference was fair; Egyptians should have easier access to locations that celebrate their own history.  Others thought this policy was racist, that it operated based on the assumption that foreigners are wealthy and should be taken advantage of.  And my role in all of this?  Well, as someone whose family was able to rent one of these houses, even for a few days, I must again acknowledge (and come to grips with guilt over) the unfair advantages that being part of a dominant group can bring.

9. Impacts of Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Racism in Your Own Life.

As I read this chapter, I remembered an activity I completed as a student in my Master of Arts in Teaching program at Emory.  We were asked to describe our identities using six terms, similarly to the way we were asked to define ourselves in our first class session.  Our professor asked us to notice whether or not we had included our race.   I was astonished, and then embarrassed, to realize that I had not listed my race as a primary element of my identity.  I was humbled to realize that as a member of a dominant group, had never been pushed to closely identify with my own race, or to think of my own race as anything other than “normal.”  My Whiteness had never caused any problems for me or marked me as different from the majority of my peers. 

Since that time, I have been challenged to recognize the ways that my race, and other parts of my identity that match with dominant groups, has provided subtle privileges. I resonated with McIntosh’s (1996) list of advantages that a White heterosexual person will probably be granted.  Coming to grips with unearned privilege is difficult; I would prefer to believe that everything I have experienced and accomplished is the direct result of a combination my hard work, determination, and natural abilities.  However, I have to acknowledge the role that others’ positive stereotypes about some of the categories I fit into have helped me along the way. 

Question # 8

                Teachers that strive to treat all of their students fairly regardless of race or gender often call themselves “colorblind.” I feel like I am the exact opposite even though I still strive to treat everyone fairly. I see all of the “colors”, I love all of the diversity, and embrace students for the individuals that they are. As teachers, we want to make sure that everyone gets the same equal opportunity, and those that label themselves colorblind often take pride in this ideal. I feel there can be a danger, however, in not recognizing the cultural differences that students bring with them into the classroom. Sometimes the idea of treating everyone fairly assumes that everyone has had the same fair chance at life up until they walk into your classroom. We know that isn’t true though, and that each of our students brings a unique background story with them. To ignore the diversity of students in your classroom in favor of ensuring everyone receives the same instruction can be limiting for students.

                When a teacher does not recognize the diversity within student learning and instead favors an approach they see as fair because the expectations are equal for all students, they often fail at reaching all of their students. This is largely because there are so many learning styles, and as we learned in chapter one of Noel’s book, culture can have a tremendous impact on a student’s learning style. If a teacher decides to ignore a student’s cultural or ethnic background, they could be missing out on the key elements that can help an EL student bridge the gap to success. On a grand scale, this can lead to the disenfranchising of minority students and EL students because it marginalizes their culture and can make them feel that their culture—what they have known all of their life—is inferior to another. The attitude of colorblindness can also lead to ignoring the strengths that students from other cultures bring with them into the classroom.

Chapter 2 Stereotyping, Predujice, and Racism

Question 6 and 9: These two questions are related and I answer both at the same time.

6. Connecting  Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Racism

9. Impacts of Stereotyping, prejudice, and racism on your own life.

I never thought about the definition of stereotype, prejudice and racism in the way that I do today. These three concepts can completely detrimental to those who do not truly know the meaning of them.

Stereotyping is a cognitive (mental) concept of perceiving others. In other words is the way in which certain groups of people use to differentiate them from others.  Let me give you an example:  (be honest in your answer) think about the first time you heard about the fact that my first languages Spanish, what was the first thought that comes to your mind? Probably the first thought that comes to your mind was that I come from Mexico. This happens because for most US American people every person who speaks Spanish comes from Mexico.

On the other hand prejudice is the attitudinal part of our perceptions, how do we feel about other people. How do I feel about Spanish people? How do I behave with Spanish people? My attitude with them reflects if I have prejudice or not.

Last but not least racism is the belief that one race is superior to another (Noel, J. p. 61). English is better than Spanish, Americans are better that Hispanics. Also Hispanics from Europe are better that Hispanics from central and South America.

These are examples of simples things Hispanics like me has to pass through every day here in US. This is the way that most of our students feels. Please think about it…

2) Attributions of Characteristics within Stereotyping

While I could easily come up with more stereotypes to discuss in this forum, these are the five upon which I will concentrate:

1.      Poor people are just lazy

2.      Homosexual men are effeminate

3.      Women are more caring than men

4.      Blondes are stupid

5.      Men are better at using technology

The differing stereotypes here all tend to rely on the attribution of dispositional characteristics, at least in the sense that they are both stable and consistent in how they are portrayed in our media culture if nowhere else.  I can say that the first two on this list are usually considered to be under the control of the individual, but I also know a sense among people persists that the final three on the list “just are the way they are” and not something to be changed or overcome. (“Men are just born with a natural ability to use technology.” or “She’s blonde; she can’t help it.”) Misinformation still dangerously lingers, even if the burden of the stereotype does not rely on the stereotyped to eradicate it, but list items 3-5 do allow for more nondispositional characterization than items 1 and 2.

Considering the division above between the first two items and the final three, I would say that there is in fact a differing in treatment of groups depending upon whether those characteristics fall into the dispositional or nondispositional category.  In fact, we have seen both hate crimes as well as legislation within our nation targeting punishment of the first two groups for their perceived features, but I have yet to see the anti-blonde amendment or the rule at our school that says only men should take Computer Science.  Socially, we more often have a “that’s the way it is” attitude toward the nondispositional category and don’t seek to actively change or punish that side.  Either way, stereotyping remains a lose-lose situation.

Melanie Dawn Rosen = (MeDaRo)

2.  Attributions of Characteristics within Stereotyping- 
The definition of stereotyping is to reduce somebody to a oversimplified category.  By habit this is something that I have done in the past before I actually get to know the person or group of persons.  The following are a list of stereotypes that I have had in the past.
The majority of young african american males are lazy.  This is based on personal experience and stories that I hear from other people.  I feel that young males attribute to this stereotype because of the unemployment rate and the job performance of this particular group. I see examples as I observe them in fast food restaurants or grocery stores where they are employed. This summer it was very hard for my young african american son to get a job  due to this stereotype.
The majority Asian students are gifted in Mathematics and Science.  This is based on my exposure to students at Lilburn Middle.  The majority of the students excel in the classwork and test better than their american born counterparts.  Some are students who are ELL learners and they barely speak in class but still out perform their classmates.  A lot of Asian population students are in gifted classes.
The majority of muslim nationalist are terrorist.  The information that is displayed on the news channels and newspapers depict a lot of negative references about Muslims.  When you read about world events there is always something horrific happening in the Middle Eastern Countries.  Also the treatment that Muslims receive at the Airport or other security stops displays that they can not be trusted in the United States.
The majority of Hispanic day workers are illegal immigrants. A Day Laborer is a popular job opportunity for anyone interested in earning cash for doing manual labor.  However it is also a way for people to get paid under the table.  In Gwinnett county men are usually picked up from gas stations or other established points to be recruited for work assingments.  As you are driving by observing this, the first thought that comes to mind is that they may be Mexicans sending money home to their families.  Most of the Day Laborers do not speak English and take whatever job is given to them.  Legal immigrants are able to get jobs in the regular job force so they would not have to stand on the corner to obtain a job for the week.
All Catholic Priest are pedophiles.  In the past there have been a lot of court cases of adults who have accused a clergy man from the church of abusing them as a child.  It is well known that Catholic Preist are not able to be married and that they may lead a lonely existence.   However as a Catholic myself, I know that extensive background checks are done on all volunteers who work with children so that they can not be harmed in any way.
Based on personal experiences and how information is presented in the Media, stereotypes are developed.  As a teacher I try to develop my own opinions about the people I work with and my students.

Examples of Subtractive Schooling
I started teaching at Lilburn Middle School in 2002.  At the time Lilburn had over 2400 students and was one of the largest middle schools in Gwinnett.  We had a lot of international students as well as international teachers.  We had programs that represented the different cultures at our school.  Examples include Hispanic History Month, Asian History Month, and Black History Month.  During the month that each culture was represented students would read information about the culture and it represatations during annoucements.  We also had programs at Meadowcreek where the students were able to perform and do dances that represented their culture.  This has slowly faded away and I think this is an example of Subtractive Schooling.  I know that we have to focus on teaching and learning first but I think that this is something we could incorporate back into our School.

Question #5  Compare racism and sexism.  How are they different and similar?  How does socio-economic status affect racism and what are the long-term effects of these practices?


Racism and sexism share a characteristic that makes them similar.  The characteristic is superiority.  Whether men/women feel superior to one another, or one race feel superior to another, the feeling one is superior to another is the common thread.  Racism differs from sexism in that regardless of sex the inferior feelings towards another race resides within the individual.  A racist person still values a person of the opposite sex that is the same race as superior to any member of a race that is not their own.  The socio-economic status affects racism and sexism similarly.  A person of low-socioeconomic standing lacks the power to truly change the life of someone they consider inferior.  This also holds true for sexism.  For example, a co-worker that is racist or sexist can't really adversely affect a person's career without the help of a higher socio-economic entity within the same organization.  The book clearly states, Individual Racism + Power = Institutuional Racism.  When racism or sexism permeates a person of power then institutional racism is allowed to exist and to flourish.  The long-term effect of institutional racism and sexism, considered to be the most harmful to our society, is that it influences all aspects of our lives.  The institutional racism becomes the norm for the society and is taught from generation to generation and becomes part of the fabric of society. 

Question #3  Recognizing Institutional Racism.  Log a day in your life and record what you do.  Determine who owns the businesses, who controls what is produced, how much money the average worker makes, and so on.


Event
Drove to play golf on a Saturday morning.  Listened to sports talk radio from 8:45-9:05

Who Influenced the Event
The host was a white male.  The talk consisted of college football, major league baseball, and other various sports stories.  The average sports talk radio host salary is $84,000.

Event
I played 18 holes of golf at Trophy Club Alpharetta.  The club is owned by American Golf Corporation.  It's a publicly held company and all of the officers are white males.  Their salary ranges from $125,000 to $425,000.

Who Influenced the Event
The pro shop staff included both men and women.  They were all caucasian. 

Event
I ate lunch at the club grill after the round.  The workers there were both male and female.  It included mainly caucasian and one African-American worker.  They make miniumum wage plus tips.

Event
Drove home and listened to my ipod.

Who influenced the Event
Apple is the most valuable company in the world currently.  They have employees of all persuasions with offices all over the world.  The music itself that I listen to was composed by both male and female artists that included caucasian and African-American artists.

Event
Watched television shows that were recorded during the week. 

Who Influenced the Event
The actors were both male and female.  Caucasians made up the majority of the characters.  There were some African-American actors as well but not in as prominent roles as their caucasian counterparts.  Actor salaries vary greatly.  The white female lead in one show makes $200,000 per episode, which is more than any other female actor on the show.  Her male counterpart also makes $200,000 per show.

Ch. 2: Question 4 (Effects of Institutional Racism)

Racism exists not only within a group of individuals but also within a society. The combination of individual racism and the power makes the institutional racism. Institutional racism is dominating in the society and penetrating through all aspects of life. It exists everywhere such as educational system, legal system, and economic system.

Institutional racism has bad influences on minorities. However, it is also harmful to White people. If you take the educational system as an example, teachers have high expectations for all the White students, both academically and behaviorally. Also in schools, White students are treated differently compared to students of other races. In schools where the Whites are minorities, they feel insecure, and they are separated from students of other races.

People have misconceptions like, “All White people are racists.” This misunderstanding leads the minority groups to develop hatred towards whites. Even if a White is a good human being, the society trained him to feel superiority, fear and separated from African American people and other minority groups.

People also make bad assumptions like, “Whites only get promoted in businesses because they are Caucasians,” but actually it is because they are highly qualified. Any constructive feedback given by the managing person of Caucasian origin could be misunderstood as being biased due to racism by people of other races.

Based on my observations, for White people, it takes a long time to build relationships with other racial groups because people think that Whites are racists, and they don’t want to mingle with people of other races even when they really want to.

Ch. 2 : Question # 2 ( five Stereotypes)

Stereotyping is the way of describing people and trying to understand the world.  Based on my personal experiences, I would like to talk about five stereotypes.

1.      All Asians are good at math.

2.      Girls are only concerned about their physical appearance.

3.      All African Americans are good at sports.

4.      All men are strong.

5.      Girls are not as smart as boys.

I don’t think that every stereotype relies on attributions of dispositional characteristics. However, some of the characteristics of stereotypes are consistently displayed over time. The dispositional and non-dispositional characteristics of stereotypes have negative effects on both individuals and groups of people. They can affect one’s own perception of his/her own culture, race, or sex. The stereotypes make people perform poorer in certain situations.  Stereotyping is not only hurtful, but also untrue.

Stereotypes cause people make incorrect assumptions based on their perceptions of individuals and groups of people. These assumptions can lead to negative effects such as teachers constantly putting pressure on Asian kids for academic success in math; that would not encourage them to succeed but rather reduce their self-esteem.  The wrong assumptions about a girl’s performance in school can lead to a girl getting frustrated and will ultimately lower her performance level in academics.  Finally, the stereotyping causes people to make misconceptions and misjudgments about specific individuals and groups of people.

Ch. 2: Question 8 ("Color-Blind")

 The statement “color-blind” refer to  accepting different people for who they are and not their race .  Many teachers say that they are color blind because they do not discriminate when teaching students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.  We all know that being fair and treating our student with respect is a major part of being a teacher, but sometimes, and without knowing it, teachers make distinctions on race or culture.  An example is putting students in groups according to their race.  Not all Black students work well in groups, not all Latino students are second language learners, and not all Asian American students are high achievers.  While there may be central tendencies within groups, teachers must avoid creating stereotypical profiles of students that may do more harm than good.  Instead, teachers should develop individual profiles of students. 

 Another example is the mistake that can be made by teachers of color is assuming that being a member of the same racial or ethnic group as one’s students automatically gives one a unique ability to connect to or effectively teach students of color.  They are different ways in which race, ethnicity, culture, language, and social class are manifested in young people’s lives are constantly in flux and constantly changing according to their socioeconomic status.  Therefore, it is important to for all teachers to understand that while there may be experiences that allow teachers of different races to relate to certain realities of their students, this is not necessarily a given.  It is something you have to work on daily.

Ch. 2 Question 5 (Racism vs. Sexism)

Racism and sexism are forms of discrimination that are very similar.  The only real difference is that sexism is based on gender while racism is based on color.  As discussed in Chapter 2, the similarities far outweigh the differences.  In general, people are socialized that it’s acceptable to be a little sexist, but it’s not to be a little racist.  You must understand they are both unacceptable forms of behavior and should be treated with equal importance. 

 A controversial issue in our society is why women are paid less for the same work or work of equal value than their male counterparts.  This is one an example socioeconomic effects of sexism.  In addition, women are routinely passed over when it comes to promotions. The higher the position, the less likely a woman – even one as qualified as or more qualified than her male counterparts will get the position.   Shockingly, for ethnic minority, the problem is far worse.  Companies continue to pay their minority workers less despite the passage of the Equal Pay Act in 1963, and a variety of legislation prohibiting employment discrimination and despite the increase of upper level education status.  With the burden of poverty, child care responsibilities, and other struggles in their lives, the gap of lower income is significantly wider.

Is it too hard for companies to be fair?  Pay according to experience and education, not race or sex.  Apparently it is because the battle for equal pay still continues.