Blog 9: Geography

Successful people come from all areas of the country and the world. Physicists, politicians, educators, etc. have diverse family backgrounds, regardless of where they may be now (such as the majority of high-ranking politicians residing in the Washington, D.C. area). This is not a hidden fact, yet there are still stereotypes associated with different areas of the country or different parts of the world that affect the expectations people have of others. If someone comes into an interview for a high-end job in New York City with a deep Southern accent, he or she will not be received as favorably as if the same person did not have that accent. Coming from the mountains of North Carolina, my parents and teachers taught us to speak without the typical accent in order to prevent the stigma of being uneducated that is associated with the accent. Being from the area, I know that it is not an automatic correlation, but I still have a difficult time hearing an educated person through a deep southern accent because of the associations and experiences. The value of education is lower in the rural areas of the south because it has been lower for generations. New England, on the other hand, was where education in this country began thus it has traditionally been the epicenter of formal education. These traditions carry into the stereotypes that people in all areas of the country tend to hold.

In our classrooms, it is expected that we will have to manage the integration of different races or languages. It seems less foreseeable that we need to consciously maintain relations with students from different regions, but that does not prevent it from being an issue that can hinder the learning experience of some students. Different regions carry with them different cultures and when that is not assumed, such as moving to a different region of the country, students may have trouble understanding why things are done in a new way. While they may appear and sound like they blend in, this may make the problem worse because others assume that they understand already. As teachers, we need to ensure the safety and belongingness of all our students in order to provide the best education possible. Often times, students will misunderstand others' actions because they do not know the local customs. These problems are not difficult to fix, as long as teachers are aware of the situations.

Blog 8: Religion

The majority of people in America at least claim to be Christian, as seen in the chart below. However, this does not mean that the teaching of Christianity should be forced upon the remaining groups. Christian groups often try to argue that we need to keep Christianity in the schools in order to teach children morals, but even Christians should be able to defend their morals apart from faith. People should know basic morals, such as to

respect others and appreciate moderation. A significant aspect of the founding of our country was the establishment of freedom of religion. Historically, ties between the church and state have led to the reputation of the church suffering when the state does questionable things. It hurts the church more than it helps it to even be associated.

It has always interested me that religions or groups within religions change their relationships with one another in light of the environment they are in. For instance, if a group of people consists entirely of Christians of various denominations, members of each denomination identify with each other against those of other denominations. Those same people would unify and identify as one group if a group of Muslims or Jews were brought into the picture. While the unique aspects in religions may seem minute or extreme to other people, they are simply part of the religion to its members. They should be respected as an important part of our students' lives and we need to allow them to celebrate accordingly. Religion is often the most important aspect of a person or family's life, so it is essential that judgment or criticism be removed from the situation entirely. Even things that we may assume are simple questions can come across as critical if presented in the wrong way.

Reflection of Panel: My high school math teacher had a noticeable scar down his calf. Being our only middle-aged teacher, we were accustomed to respecting him and not asking personal questions. As a reward for a class performing well on a quiz, he told them that they could ask him any question they wanted so one student asked how he got the scar on his calf. Mr. Jackson informed the class that the K.K.K. was still very much active when he was growing up and his father and brother were active members. They did not take kindly to his choice as the first white man to marry a black woman in the region. The scar on his calf was from an ax that was thrown at him by a K.K.K. member. It seemed unreal that a bi-racial marriage would have been novel so recently, even in the mountains of North Carolina. It often seems that the white community tries to attribute racism to other factors. Perhaps you did not get that promotion because you're a woman. I'm sure you were pulled over because you were driving so slow, not because you're black. For someone who is not racist, it is easier to assume that the group you are associated with did not mean to act in that manner...until you witness it. Even in multi-cultural Dallas, racism is not gone. Just last year, two friends of mine were in a grocery store when a white man approached the girl, who is white, and began to harass her for being with an Asian guy. They had not experienced this behavior before and were taken back, but it left an impression on the girl. While it is easy in the mainstream to assume that problems are not as bad as minority groups say, we must all be aware of the persecutions those around us endure and strive to end those battles. The following clip is from a T.V. show called 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air'. The two cousins have recently experienced being pulled over and put in jail because they were thought to have stollen the car they were driving because they were black. Will, from Philadelphia, is enraged by the racist act while Carlton, raised in a wealthy neighborhood in California, has a difficult time realizing the reality of discrimination.

Blog 7: Language

Language structures thought and is perhaps the single most identifying factor in a culture. While it is necessary to learn the appropriate language in a community in order to function, holding on to one's native language is an essential way to hold on to one's heritage. Structure and diction in a language largely explain the values and thought processes of its native speakers. In a linguistical study, researchers found that the role of gender in language is not merely a grammatical signifier, but represented the notions associated with different words. German and Spanish were the two languages represented in the study with respect to the words "key" and "bridge". In Spanish, "key" is masculine while it is feminine in German. When speakers of each language were asked to describe a key, the Spanish speakers answered with words like "sharp" and "harsh" while German speakers used words like "shiny" and "smooth". For the word "bridge", the genders were reversed for each language. This time, Spanish speakers described a bridge as "elegant" and similar words while German speakers said "scary", "dangerous", etc. The mindset of people from different cultures varies and thus language structures vary as well. This is largely an argument in opposition of the argument for the installation of a global language. Additionally, it would be impossible to take the 16 different Eskimo words for snow and the 9 different Farsi words for camel (not just different types like male and female, but the word for a pregnant camel is not the same as a baby camel and a snowflake in a blizzard is not the same as a snowflake on the ground) and put them in the opposite culture AND expect the natives to maintain those words. They would simply be lost and cultures would continue to have language evolve in accordance with their needs and values. Though linguists have drawn the conclusion of a common ancestor to all languages, Proto-IndoEuropean, the actual workings of this language remain a mystery.

Ghandi once said that to give people a knowledge of English would be to enslave them. This was in reference to the occupation of the people, not simply to allowing them to learn an additional language, but the sentiment can be applied elsewhere. In classrooms today, teachers must deal with students who may speak Spanish or Ebonics as well as plenty of other languages. While it is necessary that we educate our students in proper English in order to open the doors to their futures in the educational and the professional worlds, it is vital that this is not done at the cost of the native language. Ebonics, while simply a variance of English by appearance, largely has the grammatical structure of native languages from Africa. Ebonics, thus, is the maintaining of the native heritage of African Americans while adapting to the English of their developing culture. Even though many Black students in our classrooms may not be aware of the linguistical roots at hand, they are aware of the fact that this is how they speak with their families and friends. It is not the role of the teacher to eliminate the family and cultural values of students, especially in language, despite the role to educate them in proper English.

One of my roommates from college is bilingual in Spanish and English. She is half Nicaraguan, but her family fled from political persecution and moved to Honduras before she was born. They later moved to Houston, TX where she was raised with Spanish only at home and left to learn English at school in order to avoid learning English improperly or with an accent. While Victoria went to her first day of kindergarten with the words "bathroom", "please", and "thank you" in her vocabulary, she went to college with fluent English to the point that people would ask if she knew Spanish because they didn't know. She has in no way lost any of her hispanic heritage, but because of her professional, competitive English skills, she was able to be the first person in her family to graduate college, as well as go on to graduate school. Her teachers never lowered standards or allowed her to function in Spanish and it is because of those limits that she learned to be a student as competitive as anyone else. As teachers, it is our responsibility to take the students like Victoria who are not being exposed to English in the home (or limited English) and give them the opportunity to be competitive not only among other ELL's, but among the general population.

Blog 6: Book Project

A Thousand Splendid Suns addresses issues of gender inequality in Muslim society and of premarital pregnancy. A young girl is trying to reconcile her experiences and appreciation of her father with the poor treatment her mother continually reminds her of. Opposing stories make it difficult for her to understand the truth in her life and who has really been unfair. It is through occasional visits from her father that she develops the picture of him as a caring, loving man who simply cannot be around. Despite her mother's warnings, she becomes convinced that her father will provide for her in the city. Her mother's explanations of her father casting her out in the countryside when she was found to be pregnant and leaving her to give birth without any assistance are pushed aside as she dreams of her father being the man who was unable to be around rather than choosing not to, until she goes to the city and finds that he has abandoned her. Through the course of her experiences, she gradually comes to realize the role women truly have in her society.

Hosseini demonstrates the role of women, especially in unfortunate circumstances, in a Muslim society through the eyes of a child. The reader comes to learn and understand, as Mariam does for herself, the reality of her surroundings. While the benefit of the doubt has supremacy in the beginning, over time Mariam realizes with the reader that the world is not as she has assumed. A Thousand Splendid Suns is an excellent reminder of the value in religious freedom, gender equality, and general acceptance in a society.

#5: Exceptionality

The term "exceptionality" applies to children with extremely high I.Q.'s and those who are mentally "disabled" in some way. While it seems that these groups are the two ends of the spectrum, it really depends on what spectrum is being considered. The majority of people, and thus the majority of teachers, are in neither of these groups. When instructing students, the spectrum that places these groups of students on the two ends is typically how well students learn from how the teacher presents information. This does not necessarily mean that all students on the lower end are not capable of learning, but that they do not learn from the same way information is presented. A mark of autism is actually having incredible intelligence in a particular area. This could be an academic area such as math or physics (take Albert Einstein, for example) or a topic such as painting or sailboats. Teachers should be aware of these differences in children as to not write off some children as not being able to understand. For instance, if I have a student in my class who is autistic and profoundly fluent in math, if I take the time to use analogies relating to math (which could help all the logical/mathematical intelligent students in the room), I have a much greater chance of helping this child understand the lesson.

With both groups of children, it is important to realize that if you are not in one of the groups, you do not truly understand their perspectives on their surroundings. A significant similarity between these groups is social levels. Considering primarily autistic children in comparison with very high I.Q. children, the social skills are nearly identical--from the irritation to tags on clothing to the feeling of being overwhelmed in a room full of people. Many people assume that talented and gifted children (at the extreme levels) are simply smarter, but they do not realize that these children absorb the world in a very different way. The brain functions at a much higher level and thus they take in a great deal more information. When this happens, they need to stop and process the information in order to not completely shut down. In my experience with one particular student with an I.Q. of 162, the similarities are uncanny. The feeling of being different and misunderstood is a part of life that is extremely hard to overcome, which is more understandable when one realizes that a very small percent of people can truly relate to the way the mind works at that level. It is natural for members of the average group--whether in intelligence, money, etc.--to assume that those in the upper group are simply more privileged and thus do not need any particular behavior. There is a reason that science and education have grouped these two groups together. Teachers need to take the time to understand all their students and how they learn in order to most effectively teach them all. We as people should never assume anything about another individual and their perception of the world.

In the following clip from the T.V. show "The Big Bang Theory", the sensitivity of extremely high I.Q. individuals is demonstrated when Sheldon's couch cushion has been disturbed and he can feel the difference in the cushion.

#4: Gender and Sexual Orientation

A common issue when it comes to the role of gender in the classroom is gender presence in certain fields--such as women in math and science. While gender inequality is not obviously a prevalent issue in America today, severely outnumbered environments can produce such an atmosphere. As Dr. Sally Hicks, a physics professor at the University of Dallas, has explained to female students, gender is certainly still a component when choosing grad schools because not all schools are welcoming to women in the field. Along the same lines, men can receive negative feedback for choosing fields where they are not commonly thought to belong. The difference is that women tend to have to fight to prove that they are capable, that they are smart enough and can handle the jobs men can while men receive negative feedback for choosing fields that seem below them as "women's work". If a man says he wants to be a nurse, people think

, "Why not a doctor?". If a woman says she wants to be a doctor, people think, "Is she smart enough to be my doctor?" While society has come a long way in gender expectations, there are still certain stigmas that must be dealt with.

Homosexuality is a continually changing issue in America. While we have come great lengths since Harvey Milk and there are laws protecting the rights of gays, there are still many societal issues. The degree to which they can be managed is a much more difficult issue-- consider neo-nazis. Most people in America don't argue against gays and lesbians having jobs or civil unions, but when the questions of adoption and marriage arise another debate rises altogether. While it seems to many that gay parents are better than no parents and thus there should not be a prejudice against gays adopting, there are still many who argue that it is not proper for the formation of a child to be raised in such an environment. Even more of an issue is that of gay marriage, as many believe that the sanctity of marriage should be protected and that gays have the rights to civil unions already. These issues are all important to keep in mind in the classroom, to be sensitive to all views and be careful not to ostracize students in any way. As teachers, we may not always know if a child in the room is being raised by two lesbian mothers so it is important to always teach children to be accepting of people with different views.

3: Rich kid, Poor kid

When discussing socioeconomic classes and their influence in the classroom, it is natural to talk about the lower classes. The children from home below the poverty line, the ones who may not eat a meal other than their free lunch at school, the ones who do not have regular access to showers, the ones who have to work under the table to help their families make ends meet. This is understandable given that teachers tend to choose the profession in order to help those less fortunate or help kids attain opportunities they did not think would ever be possible, but avoiding prejudice based on socioeconomic status is not only a matter of how to treat the lower classes. Children from upper class families are not in any way immune to social prejudices, especially in classrooms, and it is equally unfair to make assumptions about the homeless children in one's classroom and upper class children.

Chinn discusses the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which allows homeless children to attend school regardless of circumstances beyond their control. However, in California today, homeless children are turned away from public schools because they do not have proof of vaccinations. This makes sense for the well-being of the majority of the children, but it forces schools like the Mustard Seed School of Sacramento to pick up where the system has fallen short and educate these children. A child should not be deprived of the same educational opportunities afforded by our government to all citizens due to the circumstances of his/her family, but that is the reality of the situation. When such children are able to come into a mainstream classroom, they need to learn lessons they might not get anywhere else-- social skills, morals, hygiene. We should be aware as teachers of the homeless and lower class children when we prepare our students for the world (as some are seeing a much harsher world as a child than we ever have) for they can break the cycle if we do our jobs right.

While avoiding discrimination based off socioeconomic status, it is also important to not judge the children coming from upper class homes. The majority of the population coming from the middle class brings the casting out of all students who do not fit into that category, including the upper class students. It is typically assumed that life is always easy for the rich--if that were the case, the drug overdose rate in Hollywood would not be what it is. It's like another culture only observed through television shows and magazine articles, so people assume that the wealthy always sit in their mansions and spoil their children and buy away all their worries. In reality, the majority of the wealthy non-celebrities in America keep modest appearances. They do not tend to lead extravagant lives and pour money over their children. The majority of them worked a great deal to get to that point, so they want to instill that same work ethic and determination into their children by not giving them every thing they want without working for it. Many times, these children will become aware of the bitterness or prejudice other students may have toward upper class individuals and will try to hide their families' wealth from their peers. Growing up with doctors for parents, the children in my family all tried to play down the fact we had any money as much as possible because being middle class was how to fit in. Other students or teachers would assume that if our parents had money, that meant things were just easier for us. In reality, our parents grew up extremely poor, my mother immigrating from Cuba and being raised on food stamps. Our parents taught us from an early age that nothing matters more than education and hard work; that's how they got where they did and it would be the way we would get where we wanted to be. To say things like the wealthy value their food for its presentation or that legacies are their main possessions is laughable, as well as rather offensive. It is completely out of line to make judgements about anyone's priorities in life or their values based off their class, especially when those judgements are made by outside classes rather than asking the individuals themselves.

In our classrooms, it is important to give all students an environment where they can feel safe and welcome in every way. Whether those students be lower class, upper class, black, Jewish, etc., they should all have a classroom to learn and thrive in. The environment of the classroom starts with the teacher and it is thus vital that the teacher not bring their prior conceptions of any group into the room.