“This chapter will make visible students’ experiences at home- private struggles that students too often carry alone, unspoken and unknown in the school-house”(page 13)
When I have to stand in my long commute train, I tell my self that reading a book is too complicated, so I just use this excuse to think and check social media. In my case, that means Facebook. It’s an excuse to have a quick update on news from home, usually family and politics oriented (I compensate the anger of the second with the joy of the first). This morning an article shared by a former colleague really stood out, because of its connection to the idea of the first chapter from the book “It’s not About Grit”, titled “Unlivable Conditions”. The article was a great translation of the speech given by Chimmamanda Ngozi Adichie at the Fráncfort Book Fair, published under the title “El silencio es un lujo que no podemos darnos” (Silence is a luxury we cannot afford). Continue reading Shout out to Chimmamanda Ngozi Adichie
Category Archives: Blurring the In-School Ouf-of-School Line
MVP8 How to get rid of poverty in a real life? What is the key?
For this week we read the book It’s Not About Grit. In the first two chapters, it talks about poverty and some examples to show poverty in African American and Latino families. Poverty, a critical issue that exists in every single country. From my perspective, poverty is not only referring to the impoverished neighborhoods and suffering from daily life, but I think it also can refer to poor grades, instances of aggression, and other social problems, like selling drugs. There is an example of a 14 years old boy sells drugs. He was unaware that he was selling drugs. He just thought he was watching the mailbox and giving out little brown bags. He just follows what other people in a certain environment(prison). Many people do that, and he wants to have a sense of feeling of belonging. I think he must do something wrong then got catch and stayed in jail. The jail is the place that he is supposed to rethink and regret. However, the entire environment does not allow him to do that. In order to survive, he needs to know how to integrate into the prison circle and how to get along with people in the prison. I am wondering what can the prison really educate people? When a crime or similar problems happen, is the jail the better place to go? And how can people really get rid of poverty? My answer is education. When people are educated, they know how to find a better job and feed themselves well, they know how to behave well. Through education, we can decrease the unemployment rate.
Physics Reinforcing the Status Quo
“In short, physics has traditionally been a discipline that reinforces the “second-class status” of low-income and minority youth in schools.(Basu 2007)”
In theory, education is supposed to provide at least comparable opportunities to all students, but each week we read a text about how that isn’t true at all. The education system seems like it’s built to do the opposite, in fact. Last week we read about how some students, whose test scores don’t measure up, are placed in classes where they’re discouraged from thinking critically, and making their own decisions. Continue reading Physics Reinforcing the Status Quo
My Destiny Does Not Await at Mickey D’s
Although she did not say that her explicit intention was to change social perception of Black, minority youth, it is clear that she understood some of these stereotypes and that her beliefs and actions were in direct contrast. (Basu, 2008, p. 274)
First of all, BRAVO! I admire the 5 students mentioned throughout the article, not only do they beat the odds, but they know they are, and they want to influence other classmates to do the same. As adults and teachers, we know the stereotypes that exist, we talk about them in our courses, and we grew up finding out about them through jokes or media. But I think sometimes we forget to ask ourselves “Do our students know these stereotypes exist?” Well, yes, they do! Some students may feel that how they’re graded or treated is based on the stereotypes that they associate themselves with. But, just because they know the stereotype about their race, class, or economy doesn’t mean they stand by it, they try to “contrast” them through there “actions.” This article is so empowering, and I love how Darlene flat out says that she thinks white people believe that Blacks are destined to work at Mickey D’s, and for that, Blacks don’t deserve charity, or “funding” as she said. I’d love to read more about critical agency in a different classroom setting, it’s a concept I’ve never heard of, but it’s amazing how it’s defined in different ways by different authors. My takeaway from this article is that it’s possible to motivate learning in students by allowing them to challenge the norms that exist at school by exploring them in order to influence a change in these stereotypes.
MVP #8
“A young person’s goals are often considered agents only if they include large-scale activism, for example, petitioning an elected representative regarding nuclear waste disposal or cleaning up a section of the Hudson River. However, I propose that agency can also be more personal, focused on one’s own life and immediate community.” (Basu, 254)
This passage stood out to me because of the various definitions and interpretations of the word “agency”. I agree with the interpretation that agency is personal, and that a person must use their own power within themselves in order to be able to help other people. I view acquiring agency as taking control of the smaller or simpler things in life, such as walking, reading or writing. Multiple members of my family lost their agency when they lost their ability to walk. They had to depend on family members for their activities of daily living such as grocery shopping and driving. Agency is intellectual or physical power, and part of an educator’s job is to help empower their students, thus giving them agency.