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| H/T Breakthrough Providence |
I’m really pleased that some folks are continuing the conversation we had on Tuesday on their blogs. It’s an important conversation that is too often swept under the rug. As you might have guessed, I believe that the way teachers are well, teaching, is being affected by the fact that Central Falls has a high Latino population. In this post, I hope to convince y’all that is the case.
I am not saying that (white) teachers are intentionally trying to undermine the success of students of color, but I am saying they are doing it. I personally feel that the way we construct racism in America makes it almost impossible for people to admit when they have been, well, racist. But let’s be honest, a person’s ethnicity can and does influence what we think about how intelligent they are, what their families are like, and how we think they will treat us. No one is colorblind. Myself included! We’re not going to become more culturally responsive teachers by ignoring that fact. Don’t try to tell me that the only reason multiple women in our class were told to carry mace was because CF is economically depressed.
Mountains of research show that "teachers attribute ethnic students' lack of achievement to the students themselves, their parents, and communities” and not to their own abilities as a teacher (Irving 2003). Essentially, this means that compared with white students, when students of color don’t do their reading, or perform poorly on a test, teachers are much more likely to think, Well, they must have parents who don’t care, or Well, the challenges of this community are just so tough, instead of Hm...what do I need to change about my teaching practices? (Landsman 2004, Tettegah 1996, Ziechner 92). (See those citations? I’m not making this up, I swear!). When we catch ourselves doing this, we need to admit it and figure out ways to change our practices. That's part of what it means to be a reflective practitioner, right?
Students in one St. Paul, Minnesota, high school talked about a teacher who asked the white kids in an advanced placement class the tough questions but turned to the few black or Latino students when she had an easy question that "anyone could answer." When confronted with this situation, the teacher was stunned. She realized it was true and admitted, "I just assumed you didn't know the answers, and I didn't want to embarrass you." (Landsman 2004)
I love this example for two reasons. One, a teacher admits to a mistake she was making, specifically a bigoted mistake. That is hard to do! Two, her intentions were good: she didn't want to embarrass her students. As a person trying to have these difficult conversations about race, I need to remember that a teachers behavior comes from a place of trying to do what is best for their student. We all want student success, right? But let's please remember that race and ethnicity matters. And if you don’t believe me, take a look at the rest of this WONDERFUL photo set by Breakthrough Providence posted on Thursday. I can’t help but think students have heard these comments from peers and adults.
I love this example for two reasons. One, a teacher admits to a mistake she was making, specifically a bigoted mistake. That is hard to do! Two, her intentions were good: she didn't want to embarrass her students. As a person trying to have these difficult conversations about race, I need to remember that a teachers behavior comes from a place of trying to do what is best for their student. We all want student success, right? But let's please remember that race and ethnicity matters. And if you don’t believe me, take a look at the rest of this WONDERFUL photo set by Breakthrough Providence posted on Thursday. I can’t help but think students have heard these comments from peers and adults.
Please leave me lots of comments or questions, I would LOVE to engage in a dialogue with all of you about this! I know we are all just trying to be the best teachers we can be!!
References
"Breakthrough Providence Anti-Bullying Photo Campaigns." Anti-Bullying Photo Campaigns | Facebook. Breakthrough Providence, 10 Apr. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
Brundun, Jenny. "Teachers Undo Personal Bias to Help Students of Color Engage." Colorado Public Radio. N.p., 5 Feb. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
Irvine, J. J. (2003). A Proposal for Change. Educating Teachers for Diversity: Seeing with a Cultural Eye. (70-86). New York: Teachers College.
Landsman, Julie. "Confronting the Racism of Low Expectations." Educational Leadership 62.3 (2001): 28-32. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. <http://ipsdweb.ipsd.org/uploads/PDAC/Confronting_the_Racism_of_Low_Expectations.pdf>.
Tettegah, Sharon. "The Racial Consciousness Attitudes of White Prospective Teachers and Their Perceptions of the Teachability of Students from Different Racial/Ethnic Backgrounds: Findings from a California Study." The Journal of Negro Education 65.2 (1996): 151. Print.
Zeichner, Kenneth. "Educating Teachers for Cultural Divsersity." National Center for Research on Teacher Learning (1992): n. pag. Web.
Thank you for talking about a topic that most of us are worried to discuss. Its difficult to word our thoughts without being labeled as racist or against a cultural group of students. The photo set that you provided was an eye opener and I was able to understand the fact that we often lower our standards based on stereotypes and pre-concieved notions. As many people brought up this week, our thoughts are clouded by the negatives rather than the positives. The news and other forms of media are constantly broadcasting shootings and crimes in Providence, but we hardly hear about positive things. This is not because there is nothing positive in the city of Providence, but because the media doesn't take these stories or because these stories are never shared. No one broadcasted the CF MLK day presentation that we watched!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading Jess! I agree that the media really influences our perceptions. And then our perceptions influence how we interact with people and the stories we remember and tell to others.
DeleteI also really appreciate that you say, "Its difficult to word our thoughts without being labeled as racist or against a cultural group of students." Yes. In many places there is the fear that by mentioning race in any way someone will think you're being racist. Because of this, its important to have conversations about difficult topics in safe spaces (like 407! I love feeling really comfortable with all y'all!) so that we are better prepared to have them in less receptive spaces.
I think your point/idea about telling different stories is a great strategy. Paying attention to strengths and assets is so important!
Colleen, I think your post this week was very interesting. I agree that as teachers what we say to our students will have a large effect on them. I particularly liked the quote about the teacher of the AP class. I think everyone has some bias or prejudice that we may or may not realize that we have. In my Special ed class we had a section that was on how the brain works. The brain wants to categorize and label things. Putting them into groups and categories. This is why there are racial and cultural bias, as teachers we need to be super aware of our own biases and learn to fight against the brain's need to categorize and label people and things. We need to be super aware of not only what we say but how we say it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Elizabeth! I loved that quote, too. People who are open about their mistakes and who are still trying to learn are vital to schools and the education system. I thought it was really brave of her to admit she was asking the students of color less challenging questions.
DeleteOur brain's deeeffinately love to make groups and categories. I think it's really interesting to think about where this is helpful and where this harmful. We we make groups in classrooms, we are constantly told they should be fluid and that we should always be evaluating them. I wonder if we can have the categories in our brains be this flexible?
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ReplyDeleteHey Colleen, You don't need to try to convince me; I think race is definitely a major part of it. I looked back over my blog post and wondered why I didn't mention race once. I came to the sad and cynical conclusion that I just take for granted that the education system is institutionally racist, so of course many teachers don't see the problem with their language and attitudes. I think it also suggests a major failure in some teacher education programs, where it is important that teachers, especially white teachers who dominate the field of education, recognize their privilege and the dangers in "othering" their students.
ReplyDelete*snaps* I think it's awesome we're pretty much on the same page. One of my concerns as a teacher, is that I won't be able to have affective conversations with colleagues who don't see the problem with their language and attitudes. I guess I'm trying to practice them in spaces that feel safe, like 407. But it's hard.
DeleteI also would love it if more of teacher training involved confronting privilege, especially white privilege, as well the structural inequity of America's education system. I think the politics of education are not centered enough.
In lieu of that, I am trying to have conversations with folks and bring up issues I see. To call on Gandhi, to be the change I want to see in the world! haha. I really appreciated your comments in class the other day about placing ourselves as members of the communities where we teach, and seeing the students as 'our' students. I think those are important habits of mine I want to practice.
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