Perpetuating the Cycle

It's amazing to me how many issues from the 18th and 19th centuries are becoming issues again today. In most cases nearly if not 200 years later the same ideas of discrimination and inequality are driving the need for reform.

Now more than religious discrimination we are seeing racial, ethnic, gender and socioeconomic bias. With the abolition of busing student's are now confined to their neighborhoods. They never get to learn about other people from other backgrounds with other experiences. That also created segregation without using the word. The city of Cleveland has close to completely segregated itself. So many neighborhoods are all white or all black or all Hispanic or all Jewish. In this day and time it's sad that most people still feel more comfortable living with "their own people."

It can be seen that schools in poorer, more ethnic areas are not given equal supplies or staff. It perpetuates the continuing cycle of distinction between the education received by rich and poor, black and white, Jewish and Protestant. The system historically was designed to make these distinctions and is now creating the same differences 200 years later.

When will we figure out how to stop the cycle that is ruining our society?

Rich and Poor Education

On Tuesday we had our first really intense class discussion about discrimination. Some of us are more touched by the situation for obvious reasons and so are much more emotional.

I find it hard to ignore and in the reading it says that people sometimes act in racist ways without knowing it or even trying consciously to do so. This not only goes for white teachers of black students, but any teacher of any student. There are so many black teachers who have distanced themselves from their past or come from a different background that are having a disconnect with students who already feel undervalued and ignored.

They know that their schools are "poor" to use their words and "broke." They know that students at other schools have more amenities and perhaps receive better instruction. They know that their books are old and there aren't enough for everyone. I taught a class where there was only one social studies book and I had to make copies for everyone and there was no science book. They gave me the standards book and I had to research my lessons accordingly. Ever since then I always make my own work and tests and my students really appreciate it. They don't feel like I'm lazy and all I do is make copies. They see that I work too.

When I was in school, and I received a stellar education we still found ways to feel less than. They took us to a Beachwood school and they had carpet and a pit lounge and pizza hut as a lunch choice everyday. We were just really feeling neglected after that, so I can't imagine how these children feel.

What can we do to eliminate the rich vs. poor education?

Public or Private

I am the parent of an 18 month old son.

I will be an educator of middle school students in a public school setting.

I want to work in a public school, but I don't want to send my son to a public school.

I attended public school all my life.

The schools I attended were honors or major work schools as they were called back then and those are few and far between today.

It is safe to say that the public school education I received was far different from the one in existence today. There were few if any behavior problems in my classes and we were able to learn. We had homework everyday and were responsible for completing it and our parents made us accountable.

I believe that there can be positive public school experiences that rely on excellent teachers being able to overcome the financial, behavioral and political issues that burden public schools before instruction can even be addressed.

I do believe this is possible, but do I want to risk my son's education in the process?

Inspirational Teachers

Yesterday we went around the circle and named our most influential or inspirational teacher. I had many great teachers, but I found it difficult to name one. The first ones that came to my mind were the few that were negative or difficult or not so inspirational. It was so much easier to remember the ones who influenced me negatively. I had a first grade teacher that told me I was lazy and to read a book if my work was done instead of putting my head down when I had a 104 temperature. I had a physics teacher in eleventh grade who told me I couldn't be a civil engineer because I wasn't good at physics, so for years I stayed away from physics and decided not to major in engineering. In college I found that I liked physics and wasn't too bad at it. I had a crazy AP biology teacher who would tell us all week we were correct and then give us F's on tests of the same material. I remember all their names. Some of the good teachers names have left me.
I chose Mr. Fast because he had a lasting affect on my life. He was a wonderful teacher, what I remembered most was how I was able to use my high school math notes for college calculus. I will never forget how well he prepared me for college. I also remember Twillie Johnson who was the first black teacher I had in second grade. She was also a young woman who cared about us and treated us well.
I said all this to say that as future and current educators we have to be aware of the lasting affects we have on our students lives. The negative effects are often more powerful and easier to remember even if they are fewer than the positive.

WebLog 1: Class Survey

1. LaToya Washington, Cleveland, OH, toyawash@gmail.com
2. Toya
3. I am getting a Masters of Education in Middle Child Math and Social Studies
4. I like to paint. I have an 18 month old son who keeps me very busy. I am currently a substitute teacher in Cleveland and have been so for about six years. It is an interesting job.
5. I am always concerned about my grade, so as long as I know that my professor is open and accepting, I won't be afraid to try new things. Other than that I do what I need to do to get a good grade.
6. I think I am a good student. I always try to prepare for class because I want to be able to knowledgeably participate in class discussions although I hate to read so it is often a struggle. I prefer to work alone. I am not a fan of group projects because I don't like to have to rely on others for my grade.
8. I attended Cleveland public school from kindergarten through high school. My experience was very positive although not typical of public education because I was in honors classes and schools from 4th grade on. I had for the most part wonderful teachers and counselors who really cared about us and did everything they could to help us get into college and get all the scholarships we could.
As a substitute teacher I have a few memories that stand out but I'll just talk about one. In my second long term position, my first year subbing, I had a 6-8 special ed class. For some reason a few months in we had to rearrange the classes and most of my students were placed in another class. One of my lowest children's grandfather came to me and begged for his granddaughter to be put back in my class because he felt she was really learning with me and making progress. He even brought samples of the work the other teacher was giving her to show me that she couldn't understand. I felt bad for them, but it made me feel like I really made a difference.
9. Education is challenged by financial problems and federal mandates that require students to pass an unfair test that does not truly measure intelligence or knowledge. Teachers are blamed for student success when in fact there are factors facing students that are totally separate from the school environment. Teachers are not just teachers any more. With the absence of counselors in school and the numerous things that face students outside of school the teachers now have to take on several roles in addition to maintaining the responsibility of successfully educating each student.
11. How many times do we need to post to the blog and respond in order for you to think we have satisfactorily completed this portion of the class?