After reading the articles for this week, I feel as though there are far too many people who need to step back and evaluate the stereotypes that we carry around with us. In many cases, they are overly generalized and when we use them as teachers, we are causing untold amounts of damage to our students.
When reading through the politics of caring article, I found it horrible that the teacher Mr. Johnson actively said that many of his students are going to be dropouts, that they were immature, and generally knocking them down in every way possible. It is probably the worst kind of attack that a teacher can do to their students. Teachers are speaking from a position of power, and it is being abused when you talk down to students like that, who have no direct recourse to challenge what you are saying. Not only that, but doing so creates an incredibly negative atmosphere that is just not conducive to learning.
In the hardcore article, I was equally disgusted by the details of a police officer that was completely disrespectful to a kid due to his held stereotypes. Even when the kid attempted to apologize (when he had done nothing wrong) the officer continued to be disrespectful of him.
I hope that I can recognize instances where I fall into some of these patterns (we all do from time to time) so that I can correct them before they are as damaging to individuals as these two examples are.
Those two examples were disturbing to me also. Both demonstrate kids receiving undeserved negative comments about themselves and their behavior which will affect their lives and their outlook - about adults, themselves, their potential. It is so wrong on so many levels, and it bothers me because these are the kinds of acts that can kill a kid's pride and self-esteem and make him or her head in the wrong direction. What right does anyone have doing that to another human being?
ReplyDeleteHi Matt,
ReplyDeleteBoth scenarios, as you point out, are repellant. What I found particularly disturbing was that it seemed to "go beyond" "a bad day," mood, etc., for the teacher or officer. Rather, it seems the result of "adult identities" as formed by habit (or more).
Instead of thinking these kids are "going to drop out anyway," why not "frame" one's outlook that one has, in his/her class, the next Einstein, the next Mozart, the next Hemingway, Baldwin, Walker, or Marquez? After all, that may very well be the case.
One cannot help but wonder "Why did Mr. Johnson go into teaching?"
Completely agree with you, Matt. As teachers, we need to be role models for our students and always encourage them to do their best. Even if you do hold stereotypes for certain kids, you cannot bring that into the classroom. We need to create a positive learning environment for our students to learn in. If we suspect that our kids our going to drop out of school and we don't try to help them, then those kids have no chance of success. We're not trying to simply guide kids through the educational system; we're trying to constantly push them to do their best so that they'll be successful later in life. It's so unfortunate that some teachers don't share that same mindset.
ReplyDelete