As the song “Accidental Racist” proves, ignorance about
persistent racism and inequality in this country is widespread. As Renee noted
on the blog, many white people seem to cling to a wholly untrue belief that
slavery ended hundreds of years ago, and do not recognize the microagressions
and overt racist acts that continue to persist. As educators, how can we have
more authentic discussions about the history of racism, and the ways in which it
persists, in schools?
In Youth Held at the
Border, Patel writes about the “reciprocal commitment” between a teacher
and a student, which fueled the student’s effort in class despite the many
difficulties he encountered. In terms of getting students to feel engaged,
comfortable at school, and enable their success, this is about as good as it
can get. However, is it possible for a teacher to develop this sort of
commitment with more than a few students at a time? If so, based on the chapter
and your own experiences, how can teachers create this? The chapter also noted
a theme that we have discussed in class many times: the problems that can arise
when teachers have little understanding of their students’ backgrounds. What
can school leaders do to help lessen this problem?
GROUP 1 DISCUSSION: Diversity and Social Justice
ReplyDeleteToward a New Vision: Race, Class, and Gender as Categories of Analysis and Connection by Patricia Hill Collins
This article resonated multiple topics we have spoken about through this semester. It asks questions like, “How can you hope to assess my character without knowing the details of the circumstances I face?” and also “ how have they [family] passed on their benefits of their whiteness to you” (p.461)?
It is questions like these that make me wonder, what experiences are my students going to bring to our classroom that I will have never experienced and how can I find the empathy needed?
PHC also urges us all to examine the positions we are in now and examine where we have come from. What privileges have you brought with you to this classroom at Boston College and what privileges have you or will you examine by the time you enter a classroom of your own? Are there benefits in accessing your own privilege?
Will empathy help us to be greater “culture workers”?
(I guess I have no idea how to post directly on this blog?)