The Visit from Jack O'Connell and the Chosen Few:
I really enjoyed the California Finance presentation sponsored by Redlands University because it allowed the people in attendance to grasp a better understanding of what is happening with the state budget. I really liked the what Mr. O'Connell had to say about us remaining focused on the task at hand, which is to educate students.
As for the other participants, I felt some of their views were from an essentialist perspective. One of the superintendents kept referring to making parents the primary solution for student success. I disagree. I happen to think they have a stake, but not more than the educators. His perspective was the typical "blame the victim" mentality. The other superintendent focused solely on numbers, which I thought was very interesting. It was interesting for me because unfortunately, that is one way our students fail. If we detach the names from the numbers, it is easier to make decisions that affect them.
Although, I didn't not like most of the things I heard that night about money not being available for our students, overall, I genuinely think these men have education in the students' best interest.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
See... What had happened was
In my opinion, because American slaves were beaten for reading and writing, the underlying ideology supporting critical literacy has been prevalent in the African American use of language. Critical literacy "involves understanding the ways in which language and literacy are used to accomplish social ends"(Dozier,2006). Freedom from slavery was an ultimate social end. African Americans who were literate were considered a threat because the oppressor knew the knowledge would allow for a liberation. If slaves were capable of learning a language not formally taught for them, it was very possible that they were just as intelligent as their owners, therefore unfairly, subjugated to the slavery system. So, cultural, and critical literacy has always been important to our race and existence in America.
Literacy in our culture has many facets and purposes because of the dual relationship we have with it. Our relationship with literacy has caused us to be respected and envied as well as disrepected. If we master the languge and it many rules, people often ignorantly comment, "Wow, you speak so well." as if we cracked a top secret code. this just kills me sometimes. Yet, our mis-use of language causes us to be disrespected and judged. The envy stems from the rich soulful slang that bears so many meanings which in itself creates another dialect that ostracizes many.
In my family, literacy had many dimensions. It has often been used to "question power relations" (Shor, 1999))My grandmother raised us to listen to what people didn't say. She always told me to pay attention to how people spoke to you and what their responses entailed. Even though most of the time we had pleasant conversations with other people, she often gave me the translation after we left the presence of the person. The purpose behind her translations shaped the way I feel about words, people and life. I am always trying to figure out what is really being said on the news or in the newspaper or in casual conversation. I always serach for the double meaning hidden behind words.
This "conscious" literacy has lent itself well for me to practice critical literacy. In some ways, I use my gift of language to advance my cause to improve upon the lives of others. In other ways, I relish in the beauty of language and the creative evolutionary use of it. For example, in our culture, when someone is about to tell a lie in story format, they often begin with the phrase, "See... what had happened was...." And I just think this type of codeswitching is an amazing abuse and humorous manipulation of an antiquated stale language that was once used to keep us out.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Standards: Who Needs them?
Last year around this time we had the opportunity to administer the State-wide writing prompt to seventh graders at Frisbie Middle School. For me, this was a huge deal because this was my first year as a literacy coach and I had been adamant with teachers about their need to emphasize writing in everything they did in class. Read a book, write a response. Learn a grammar lesson, apply it to writing. Well to my dismay, I had the worst experience in writing ever.
It turns out that we needed more time for some of the students to complete the writing task. Since I am the literacy coach, I was assigned to take a group of students to a room and finish the prompt. Well, after several students leave and an hour goes by and I still have one student left. So, I walked over and asked her how much more time she needed and she began to cry. As I glanced at her paper, I had to do a double take and I grabbed it. This baby had written the typed directions over and over again. She did not speak English and therefore had not been able to write in English either. I was soooooo mad. I was passed furious, I could just scream. How had we allowed this educational torture to happen to this child. What took me so long to get over there and accommodate her needs? I immediately told her in my broken Spanish everything but *&%$# that test! I could not even think! We had mentally tortured her into thinking that the more she wrote the better she would do on the test. Her no-good teacher was just as guilty because she had a Spanish speaking aid that could have explained that to her as well, but did not for whatever reason.
Anyway, this particular incident reminded me so much of the article I read this week by Linda McNeil, entitled Standardization, Defensive Teaching and the Problem of Control. I couldn’t help but agree with Linda because we do so much standardizing we forget to teach these students and we let them sit there for hours taking a stupid test in the name of accountability. In fact, “Standardization undermines academic standards and seriously limits opportunities for student to learn to a high standard.” Very rarely do wee ask the teacher or the student how they feel throughout the process or if they have gained anything? We assume that this antiquated system of shoveling kids through the process of schooling is sufficient because they are the minority students, who need at least these standards to be considered educated.
Most of the time, during this process, segregation becomes the result. Because these marginalized students can’t score proficient on these stupid complex assessments we need to keep helping them by teaching them what they need to pass the test. Heavens no can we focus on a liberating pedagogy, we have to “cover” this and this because “these kids” need it. We legitimize a racialized and commodified assessment in the name of equity that has an adverse affect in the outcome.
Just like that poor baby cried that day because she had to grueled and tortured, shortly after taking her back to class, I cried too! I cried from my soul because I could do nothing at the present time to help her and I was just as guilty as the system that set her up. As humans, we should have better human standards. The students should not be held to these stupid educational systemic standards, yet, we should be accountable for being human!
It turns out that we needed more time for some of the students to complete the writing task. Since I am the literacy coach, I was assigned to take a group of students to a room and finish the prompt. Well, after several students leave and an hour goes by and I still have one student left. So, I walked over and asked her how much more time she needed and she began to cry. As I glanced at her paper, I had to do a double take and I grabbed it. This baby had written the typed directions over and over again. She did not speak English and therefore had not been able to write in English either. I was soooooo mad. I was passed furious, I could just scream. How had we allowed this educational torture to happen to this child. What took me so long to get over there and accommodate her needs? I immediately told her in my broken Spanish everything but *&%$# that test! I could not even think! We had mentally tortured her into thinking that the more she wrote the better she would do on the test. Her no-good teacher was just as guilty because she had a Spanish speaking aid that could have explained that to her as well, but did not for whatever reason.
Anyway, this particular incident reminded me so much of the article I read this week by Linda McNeil, entitled Standardization, Defensive Teaching and the Problem of Control. I couldn’t help but agree with Linda because we do so much standardizing we forget to teach these students and we let them sit there for hours taking a stupid test in the name of accountability. In fact, “Standardization undermines academic standards and seriously limits opportunities for student to learn to a high standard.” Very rarely do wee ask the teacher or the student how they feel throughout the process or if they have gained anything? We assume that this antiquated system of shoveling kids through the process of schooling is sufficient because they are the minority students, who need at least these standards to be considered educated.
Most of the time, during this process, segregation becomes the result. Because these marginalized students can’t score proficient on these stupid complex assessments we need to keep helping them by teaching them what they need to pass the test. Heavens no can we focus on a liberating pedagogy, we have to “cover” this and this because “these kids” need it. We legitimize a racialized and commodified assessment in the name of equity that has an adverse affect in the outcome.
Just like that poor baby cried that day because she had to grueled and tortured, shortly after taking her back to class, I cried too! I cried from my soul because I could do nothing at the present time to help her and I was just as guilty as the system that set her up. As humans, we should have better human standards. The students should not be held to these stupid educational systemic standards, yet, we should be accountable for being human!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Beyond Me!!!!
I must say that I really enjoyed the article “Beyond Methods Fetish” by Lilia Bartolome because this author captures exactly how I feel when people come to one of my workshops. The first question they ask is “Are there handouts available?” Immediately, I think to myself “Hell NO!” I can’t really say this or even further begin to explain the numerous comments that are flushing through head at this time, so I just smile.
I think the big issue, as Bartolome brings up, is the argument itself that addresses the achievement gap of minority marginalized students approach the problem as a technical flaw. Bartolome insists that the solution can be found in the “right teaching methods.” This approach negates any responsibility to the raggedy educational system or to the “fix them” mentality of the teachers. The notion is that once the teacher finds out how “they”aren’t learning, the methodology of teaching just has to be altered and “these kids”(certain cultural and linguistically subordinated students) will magically get it.
Bartolome also emphasizes the fact that many pre-service teachers believe whole-heartedly in the “one-size fits all” approach. Of course the problem with this is the size. As a critical pedagogue, I can’t help but to think, whose size are we using and how do we know it works? Who said so and then further, who are these people who deemed it so, what makes them the experts? The article later describes possible frameworks or models that assist in the thinking or planning of educating marginalized students. Those two “Humanizing Pedagogical” models are Culturally Responsive Instruction and Strategic Thinking.
Bartolome and I could go out for a couple of beers because she hits the nail on the head when she states, “Education can be a process in which teacher and students mutually participate in the intellectually exciting undertaking we call learning. Students can become active subjects of their own learning, instead of passive objects…. teachers must discard deficit views so they can use and build on life experiences and language styles too often viewed and labeled as low class and undesirable.” Go Girl!!! Even though this is based on a critical post modernistic constructive viewpoint, works from Freire and other liberating teachers offer a similar philosophy in that the teacher is a co-learner.
It is beyond me what our educational system is doing to our kids. It is also beyond me that our current educators don’t want to use their brains to get know our children because they’d rather come to a workshop and steal your handouts in hopes of your methods being the magic bullets in their classrooms. It is beyond me that we, as educators, don’t value our craft as an art-form because if we did we would be ashamed of replicating exactly what someone else has done to “fix our problems” with marginalized students. It is just beyond me that our teaching credential programs don’t emphasize the creative potential in classrooms anymore because testing and scores have placed a rubric on our teachers. It is beyond me that one of the largest unions in the nation has not stood up to such racialized and deligimatimized system! It is all BEYOND ME!
I think the big issue, as Bartolome brings up, is the argument itself that addresses the achievement gap of minority marginalized students approach the problem as a technical flaw. Bartolome insists that the solution can be found in the “right teaching methods.” This approach negates any responsibility to the raggedy educational system or to the “fix them” mentality of the teachers. The notion is that once the teacher finds out how “they”aren’t learning, the methodology of teaching just has to be altered and “these kids”(certain cultural and linguistically subordinated students) will magically get it.
Bartolome also emphasizes the fact that many pre-service teachers believe whole-heartedly in the “one-size fits all” approach. Of course the problem with this is the size. As a critical pedagogue, I can’t help but to think, whose size are we using and how do we know it works? Who said so and then further, who are these people who deemed it so, what makes them the experts? The article later describes possible frameworks or models that assist in the thinking or planning of educating marginalized students. Those two “Humanizing Pedagogical” models are Culturally Responsive Instruction and Strategic Thinking.
Bartolome and I could go out for a couple of beers because she hits the nail on the head when she states, “Education can be a process in which teacher and students mutually participate in the intellectually exciting undertaking we call learning. Students can become active subjects of their own learning, instead of passive objects…. teachers must discard deficit views so they can use and build on life experiences and language styles too often viewed and labeled as low class and undesirable.” Go Girl!!! Even though this is based on a critical post modernistic constructive viewpoint, works from Freire and other liberating teachers offer a similar philosophy in that the teacher is a co-learner.
It is beyond me what our educational system is doing to our kids. It is also beyond me that our current educators don’t want to use their brains to get know our children because they’d rather come to a workshop and steal your handouts in hopes of your methods being the magic bullets in their classrooms. It is beyond me that we, as educators, don’t value our craft as an art-form because if we did we would be ashamed of replicating exactly what someone else has done to “fix our problems” with marginalized students. It is just beyond me that our teaching credential programs don’t emphasize the creative potential in classrooms anymore because testing and scores have placed a rubric on our teachers. It is beyond me that one of the largest unions in the nation has not stood up to such racialized and deligimatimized system! It is all BEYOND ME!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
How Can We Help?
Over the last several classes, I have to come to appreciate critical knowledge even more. I have come to see how different viewpoints and experiences have shaped our society and in some cases, my reality. I used to think that feminism had to do with jealous women wanting just ass much as a man. This last class shed new light on what feminism really is all about.
One case I am speaking of in particular is the class session we had feminism and what discussion developed from the presentation. I was blown away by the mysogyny that has been allowed in my life and the media. The fact that we Americans, did nothing to stop or prevent how woman are portrayed on TV is a travesty. American media began depicting women as wholesome nurturing matriarchal figures in the home to loose un-educated naked bedroom entreprenuers slaves to our own lustful needs.
The Femenist movement was not created to reach this goal. From housewife to bedroom whore. The movement was to legitimize the capabilities of a woman not to victimize their being or commodify their sexuality. I was just so disgusted at the message from the clip, I started reflecting on how many videos I have seen that portrayed women in such a way. How many songs have I sang that carried this message?How many songs has my son bopped his head to and my daughter snapped her fingers to that carried this negative message about women?
The innocence and the blessing of being a woman has become tainted by the images seen on TV, therefore making my job as an educational leader more complex. Not only must I educate the chldren to read and write, I must teach them to interpret and critically analyze the images they see or become a consumer of this stifling reality.
One case I am speaking of in particular is the class session we had feminism and what discussion developed from the presentation. I was blown away by the mysogyny that has been allowed in my life and the media. The fact that we Americans, did nothing to stop or prevent how woman are portrayed on TV is a travesty. American media began depicting women as wholesome nurturing matriarchal figures in the home to loose un-educated naked bedroom entreprenuers slaves to our own lustful needs.
The Femenist movement was not created to reach this goal. From housewife to bedroom whore. The movement was to legitimize the capabilities of a woman not to victimize their being or commodify their sexuality. I was just so disgusted at the message from the clip, I started reflecting on how many videos I have seen that portrayed women in such a way. How many songs have I sang that carried this message?How many songs has my son bopped his head to and my daughter snapped her fingers to that carried this negative message about women?
The innocence and the blessing of being a woman has become tainted by the images seen on TV, therefore making my job as an educational leader more complex. Not only must I educate the chldren to read and write, I must teach them to interpret and critically analyze the images they see or become a consumer of this stifling reality.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Perception: The Key to Leadership
Marilyn Monroe or The Wicked Witch of the West? I am not so sure I am more partial to one or the other. Marilyn Monroe was beautiful in the eyes of many but battled an ugly drug addiction that eventually killed her. The Wicked Witch was good natured until several "bad" things happened forcing her to bestow this evil upon others. Both caused others to be influenced by their decisions. Every woman in the early sixties wanted to be like Marilyn and every powerful and accomplished business woman is viewed as a witch. Both had great leadership attributes, however, the perception of the two iconic figures, played a major role in how these women carried themselves.
Of course I know the Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character, but there several character traits of the Witch that are stereotypical of a powerful woman in power. I am also aware of the dual role songbird, super model and actress Marilyn Monroe played on and off the screen, yet her persona and image of womanhood still resonates and identifies many women today. My point in bringing up these two figures is the notion that perception can, and most of the time does, become a reality depending on who is doing the perceiving.
Ron Scapp, author of "Managing to be Different", has explored this social construct as it is reflected in educational leadership. In chapters one and two he is very explicit in describing what happens to a person who takes on a leadership role in the feild of education. Often times, leaders have a certain perception of themselves that does not "gel" with perception of the leadees. He described the experience of a tutor becoming an administrator and all of the turmoil associated with the position. In the new administrator's eyes, they were still the same person, but to others being lead, the administration were viewed as the enemy and even as a traitor. How does this happen?
Well, according to Mr. Scapp all people have either witnessed or participated in this "immobilizing ideology of fatalism". Because people are worried about their reputations or their positions, they say nothing when faced with unethical or controversial issues. This inaction allows the "devisive structures" to remain in academia.
What was the most striking though about the reading is that it gave birth and life to the idea that once a true educational leader finds their own personal pace,space and place they can lead from the heart and be transformative from the inside. In the words of bell hooks, Paulo Freire, and Parker Palmer, this inner struggle for a pedagogy of freedom becomes a liberated effort to transgress and transform in which enhances teaching and learning (Scapp,2006). Inevitable power will be given to the individual who envelopes a resistance to this fatalism. This power,this courage to lead, ignores and dismantles outside perception because the self perception becomes the lifeline. This personal critcal transgression encourages and fosters moving beyond the culture of fear toward a community of hope (Scapp, 2006).
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
I thought it was a Black Thing
Wow!! That is all I can say.. I was sitting in Starbucks the other day studying my lesson and sippin' on a White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks when it hit me. Here's what happened.
Next to me, was a young Hispanic man and his girlfriend studying. We were peacefully doing our thing until two Mexican males walk in. One of them appeared to be a littler older and the other fairly younger. Mind you, the Hispanic male that was sitting next to me hadn't said anything to me all night and nor had I indulged him in conversation either, all of that changed the moment these two walked in.
The older man said something to the Hispanic male in Spanish and they began to have a conversation. Then the pair walked over and ordered their coffee and while they waited, they joined the young man and began to speak to him in Spanish. Now the young Hispanic Guy sitting next to me, begins to grill the younger one about school and him having all of his credits in English. I thought that was interesting, but anyway, the younger guy responded in Spanish lamenting that his counselor had gotten classes mixed up and that he was working on getting things straight. Oh, the two that entered were wet and dirty looking as if they had been playing soccer in the rain. I continued to pretend to do my work and eavesdrop at the same time.
My interest peaked as the two began to leave. They seemed like they were excited and proud to see the young man at Starbucks with his girl and studying and all that, but the young Hispanic man didn't return the joy. He felt the need to stress education and the importance of keeping up with credits and BLAH BLAH ..BLAH.. Now the dynamic irony in this situation was the role reversal. I saw myself in the role of the young Hispanic Male talking about education to his family. I felt as though that was my duty and responsibility. Let others know that I am an expert on education. In return, the same people I claim to help are supposed to respect me for that knowledge.
In actuality, what I saw that night was upsetting because it disappointed and discredited all that I claim to be. Because on the real, these visitors to the coffee shop were happy to see this guy and he acted as if they were lower than him. He didn't even introduce the girlfriend until the two were about to leave. He just spoke of how to accomplish what he has accomplished. I felt so sorry for the guys, I commented out loud my admiration for the diligence and commitment they made to soccer. I asked had they played in the rain and the older man replied "Yes". He said it as if it did not matter what the weather was he would play soccer. I was just amazed by the tenacity. Anyway, my Hispanic self, retorted "You know Mexicans, they gotta have soccer". Disgruntled I commented, " No, It is not just a Mexican thing, my husband, who is Nigerian, plays rain or shine as well." They all smiled and the wet men walked out of Starbucks.
My intent was to show that it was okay to hold on to those cultural values, the young dud was trying to discredit and be proud of them. I also felt it was necessary to comment, as a redemption to all of the family members that just want to talk to me and the only conversation I have to offer them revolves around schooling and how to be a successful student, like me. BORING!!!
The most ironic thing that happened that night was the reading that night was bell hooks and she spoke of this dual role educated minorities play. She mentioned the they have to constantly balance and sacrifice their cultural selves for their educated selves. This includes family games such as soccer and in my case dominoes, food, language and mannerisms. Sometimes, this sacrifice is not even acknowledged or appreciated in the most liberal settings because the materially privileged still control the conversation.
I realized that night, that I too, may be a cultural hypocrite if I don't acknowledge my family for who they are and allow them the discernment to ask me for information. It is not my role to judge them or to just dump information in them, but to accept them and love them because after all I am them.
Furthermore, that night I also learned this issue is not isolated to Blacks, it is cultural thing.
Next to me, was a young Hispanic man and his girlfriend studying. We were peacefully doing our thing until two Mexican males walk in. One of them appeared to be a littler older and the other fairly younger. Mind you, the Hispanic male that was sitting next to me hadn't said anything to me all night and nor had I indulged him in conversation either, all of that changed the moment these two walked in.
The older man said something to the Hispanic male in Spanish and they began to have a conversation. Then the pair walked over and ordered their coffee and while they waited, they joined the young man and began to speak to him in Spanish. Now the young Hispanic Guy sitting next to me, begins to grill the younger one about school and him having all of his credits in English. I thought that was interesting, but anyway, the younger guy responded in Spanish lamenting that his counselor had gotten classes mixed up and that he was working on getting things straight. Oh, the two that entered were wet and dirty looking as if they had been playing soccer in the rain. I continued to pretend to do my work and eavesdrop at the same time.
My interest peaked as the two began to leave. They seemed like they were excited and proud to see the young man at Starbucks with his girl and studying and all that, but the young Hispanic man didn't return the joy. He felt the need to stress education and the importance of keeping up with credits and BLAH BLAH ..BLAH.. Now the dynamic irony in this situation was the role reversal. I saw myself in the role of the young Hispanic Male talking about education to his family. I felt as though that was my duty and responsibility. Let others know that I am an expert on education. In return, the same people I claim to help are supposed to respect me for that knowledge.
In actuality, what I saw that night was upsetting because it disappointed and discredited all that I claim to be. Because on the real, these visitors to the coffee shop were happy to see this guy and he acted as if they were lower than him. He didn't even introduce the girlfriend until the two were about to leave. He just spoke of how to accomplish what he has accomplished. I felt so sorry for the guys, I commented out loud my admiration for the diligence and commitment they made to soccer. I asked had they played in the rain and the older man replied "Yes". He said it as if it did not matter what the weather was he would play soccer. I was just amazed by the tenacity. Anyway, my Hispanic self, retorted "You know Mexicans, they gotta have soccer". Disgruntled I commented, " No, It is not just a Mexican thing, my husband, who is Nigerian, plays rain or shine as well." They all smiled and the wet men walked out of Starbucks.
My intent was to show that it was okay to hold on to those cultural values, the young dud was trying to discredit and be proud of them. I also felt it was necessary to comment, as a redemption to all of the family members that just want to talk to me and the only conversation I have to offer them revolves around schooling and how to be a successful student, like me. BORING!!!
The most ironic thing that happened that night was the reading that night was bell hooks and she spoke of this dual role educated minorities play. She mentioned the they have to constantly balance and sacrifice their cultural selves for their educated selves. This includes family games such as soccer and in my case dominoes, food, language and mannerisms. Sometimes, this sacrifice is not even acknowledged or appreciated in the most liberal settings because the materially privileged still control the conversation.
I realized that night, that I too, may be a cultural hypocrite if I don't acknowledge my family for who they are and allow them the discernment to ask me for information. It is not my role to judge them or to just dump information in them, but to accept them and love them because after all I am them.
Furthermore, that night I also learned this issue is not isolated to Blacks, it is cultural thing.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Get out my row!
Well, in a Black church we have a phrase we use when the preacher is preaching about something that pertains directly to us. We tell him out loud to "Get out of our row!" What this implies is that the pastor is on target with his message and is embarassing us because it seems as though he is talking to us. Typically, the comment is encouraging to all around and it riles him up because his sermon is touching us on a personal level. I had this exact experience when reading bell hooks.
Some time ago, bell hooks wrote an essay entitled "Confronting Class in the Classroom". This essay hit home for me. It was as if she were having a conversation with me about what I was feeling and thinking about. It was as if she was saying, "Ayanna, everything you are feeling is normal." She was conforting me about being estranged in a classroom designed to be inclusive. If she were there with me at that moment I would have given her a high five on several statements she made. I reflected later about it and retorted, "Get out of my row, bell!"
I felt the need to share this in light of the fact that bell and I having similiar life and educational experiences. In her essay, she mentions cases of students, including herself, being silenced during class discussions because their commments would not be accepted , but be judged. Yet, her passion for knowledge forced her to digest the psuedo justice and equity that dangled in front of her and sit in silence and just learn. She and I have learned many lessons and our classroom status from a working and poor family was one of them. The most important lesson was not about the content of the course, but about how to cope and tolerate people's opinions of how they view your standing.
This hunger for epistemology caused her to remain silent and not be calculated, for the class was not about class at all, but class standing in society. Her dialect, comments, mannerisms, and critical approach to discussion would reveal her families economic background. This was not accepted, to talk about classism despite being in the most liberal setting. Even though her setting was often a platform for equity for all humans mainly women, she remained silent, because her contributions to the conversation of her reality would not be accepted. Her contributions rested upon the backs of poor women in her past that beared the double burden of being Black and being a woman.
In many ways, I am bell in our doctoral program. My thoughts and feelings are not welcomed because it isn't the nice or frilly reality many people live with. My life is a reflection of all that went wrong with poor black people, like a news channel, 75% negative and 23% positive and 2% who cares. bell made me accept or at least to ponder about normalized conversation and eccentric comments. because I received confirmatio, that I was not alone, I am able to move on with out despair and dissapointment. I am convinced and calmed from reading her essay that society makes baby steps when it comes to true equity. It not the fault of the class, but a sign of the progress we have made with classim.
I am not dissapointed in my peers because at least they are trying. I am not upset that I can't voice my opinion as openly and as widely as everyone else. I am simply anxious. I am anxious for a moment when we can all openly share without any race or class of people feeling guilty. My favorite quote from her is:
A distinction must be made between shallow emphasis on coming to voice, which wrongly suggests there can be some democratization of voice wherein everyone's words wil be given time and seen as equally valuable....
Some time ago, bell hooks wrote an essay entitled "Confronting Class in the Classroom". This essay hit home for me. It was as if she were having a conversation with me about what I was feeling and thinking about. It was as if she was saying, "Ayanna, everything you are feeling is normal." She was conforting me about being estranged in a classroom designed to be inclusive. If she were there with me at that moment I would have given her a high five on several statements she made. I reflected later about it and retorted, "Get out of my row, bell!"
I felt the need to share this in light of the fact that bell and I having similiar life and educational experiences. In her essay, she mentions cases of students, including herself, being silenced during class discussions because their commments would not be accepted , but be judged. Yet, her passion for knowledge forced her to digest the psuedo justice and equity that dangled in front of her and sit in silence and just learn. She and I have learned many lessons and our classroom status from a working and poor family was one of them. The most important lesson was not about the content of the course, but about how to cope and tolerate people's opinions of how they view your standing.
This hunger for epistemology caused her to remain silent and not be calculated, for the class was not about class at all, but class standing in society. Her dialect, comments, mannerisms, and critical approach to discussion would reveal her families economic background. This was not accepted, to talk about classism despite being in the most liberal setting. Even though her setting was often a platform for equity for all humans mainly women, she remained silent, because her contributions to the conversation of her reality would not be accepted. Her contributions rested upon the backs of poor women in her past that beared the double burden of being Black and being a woman.
In many ways, I am bell in our doctoral program. My thoughts and feelings are not welcomed because it isn't the nice or frilly reality many people live with. My life is a reflection of all that went wrong with poor black people, like a news channel, 75% negative and 23% positive and 2% who cares. bell made me accept or at least to ponder about normalized conversation and eccentric comments. because I received confirmatio, that I was not alone, I am able to move on with out despair and dissapointment. I am convinced and calmed from reading her essay that society makes baby steps when it comes to true equity. It not the fault of the class, but a sign of the progress we have made with classim.
I am not dissapointed in my peers because at least they are trying. I am not upset that I can't voice my opinion as openly and as widely as everyone else. I am simply anxious. I am anxious for a moment when we can all openly share without any race or class of people feeling guilty. My favorite quote from her is:
A distinction must be made between shallow emphasis on coming to voice, which wrongly suggests there can be some democratization of voice wherein everyone's words wil be given time and seen as equally valuable....
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Liberation
Over the past couple of nights I have had the pleasure and sheer delight in reading this weeks reading assignment. This week our chapters focused on the theory Critical Pedagogy and the discourse used to communicate it. My particular interest was stimulated from having some technical high profile terms for a discourse I had already been speaking about. I thought the different perspectives from both McLaren and Freire were closely related.
Some of the discursible words I learned were racialization, dialectical, emancipatory knowledge, social functions of knowledge and ideology. All of these terms add to my discourse of an educational doctoral student as well as a student of this emancipatory concept or what Freire refers to as "logos". In laymen's terms, all of these words acknowledge wisdomor emergence of conscious, as a ongoing lively process that is created and mediated by one's own experience within the world. This gift of knowledge frees man to be confident in his role and relationships outside of his being. Although some my never reach this level of conciousness, the goal of a critical pedagogists is to seek understanding of the "how" and "why" of the social and personal educational process.
Freire touched my heart with his explanation of a critical pedagogist because he spoke of emancipating the oppressed. My personal social and cultural reality confronted oppression on a daily basis, so I was elated to read about similiar "humanization" from someone else. In my gut, I have always felt that freedom in America has always been a facade for capitalism. Our pseudo freedom has always been marketed as equitable and limitless, meanwhile my dehydrated education has never revealed the enchanted path I needed to take to free me from poverty. Who came to the rescue for me? God, my mom and grandma and four teachers. What about the others I grew up with? Did they have an angel of a teacher to "save or free" them from their reality? How have we operated so long with this dormant mortal depository of education?
After reading Mclaren and Freire, it becomes more clear that opressed people don't even know the questions to ask to change the pattern of dominance. The un-information provided has always been enough to survive in the system, but not to thrive above it. McLaren does a wonderful job in his explanation of critical pedagogy to include the issues of race, culture(subordinate or subset) gender, ideology and class. Without considering these factors the hidden curriculum becomes the respected and natural curriculum. I like this line from the reading the most that states, "empowerment as the processof appreciating and loving oneself". Isn't this the true calling of an educator?
Purposeful,
awoman
Some of the discursible words I learned were racialization, dialectical, emancipatory knowledge, social functions of knowledge and ideology. All of these terms add to my discourse of an educational doctoral student as well as a student of this emancipatory concept or what Freire refers to as "logos". In laymen's terms, all of these words acknowledge wisdomor emergence of conscious, as a ongoing lively process that is created and mediated by one's own experience within the world. This gift of knowledge frees man to be confident in his role and relationships outside of his being. Although some my never reach this level of conciousness, the goal of a critical pedagogists is to seek understanding of the "how" and "why" of the social and personal educational process.
Freire touched my heart with his explanation of a critical pedagogist because he spoke of emancipating the oppressed. My personal social and cultural reality confronted oppression on a daily basis, so I was elated to read about similiar "humanization" from someone else. In my gut, I have always felt that freedom in America has always been a facade for capitalism. Our pseudo freedom has always been marketed as equitable and limitless, meanwhile my dehydrated education has never revealed the enchanted path I needed to take to free me from poverty. Who came to the rescue for me? God, my mom and grandma and four teachers. What about the others I grew up with? Did they have an angel of a teacher to "save or free" them from their reality? How have we operated so long with this dormant mortal depository of education?
After reading Mclaren and Freire, it becomes more clear that opressed people don't even know the questions to ask to change the pattern of dominance. The un-information provided has always been enough to survive in the system, but not to thrive above it. McLaren does a wonderful job in his explanation of critical pedagogy to include the issues of race, culture(subordinate or subset) gender, ideology and class. Without considering these factors the hidden curriculum becomes the respected and natural curriculum. I like this line from the reading the most that states, "empowerment as the processof appreciating and loving oneself". Isn't this the true calling of an educator?
Purposeful,
awoman
Sunday, January 25, 2009
"A Part of the World"
Some questions to ponder:
Can man really be active in his own destiny if his provided knowledge is based on sustaining his oppression?
How long does it take a human to realize their God given talents and that relationship to the world?
Can man really be active in his own destiny if his provided knowledge is based on sustaining his oppression?
How long does it take a human to realize their God given talents and that relationship to the world?
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Tonight's Class
In response to tonight's Disney Princess Meta narrative, I have confirmed some preconceived notions about Disney. Walt Disney was one of the most outstanding entrepreneurs in our day in age. He found a way to make money off uninvolved parents. This mastermind created a "Happy" world in which children would be entertained on multiple levels. This newfound creativity capitalized on the vulnerability of women, the masculinity of men, the misinterpretation of folklore and the twisted back alleys of life.
Walt used television and music to capsulate children into enchanted worlds filled with disobedience, violence, racism, hate, hope and possibility. These TV traps captured young audiences and provided pseudo relationships that uncontiously motivated children to become young consumers. This concept was introduced tonight as commodification. I can not blame Walt for embarking on such an opportunity, if given the access, I probably would have taken advantage as well. However, my approach would have been focused on edutainment similiar to Sesame Street using reality as a tool for learning.
Walt's conglomerate success perpetuated an overt call for sexism, racism, classism. Practically all of the -isms I can think of. However, when assessing him as a business man, I can't help but to give him his respect. It is still unheard of to combine real estate, music and dreams to become a billionaire.
Walt used television and music to capsulate children into enchanted worlds filled with disobedience, violence, racism, hate, hope and possibility. These TV traps captured young audiences and provided pseudo relationships that uncontiously motivated children to become young consumers. This concept was introduced tonight as commodification. I can not blame Walt for embarking on such an opportunity, if given the access, I probably would have taken advantage as well. However, my approach would have been focused on edutainment similiar to Sesame Street using reality as a tool for learning.
Walt's conglomerate success perpetuated an overt call for sexism, racism, classism. Practically all of the -isms I can think of. However, when assessing him as a business man, I can't help but to give him his respect. It is still unheard of to combine real estate, music and dreams to become a billionaire.
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