Invisible Wall Research Paper

In Tucson, Arizona ethnic studies classes caused controversy over what kinds of classes should be allowed in Tucson’s public schools. The Latino population of students was greatly being effected by only a 50% graduation rate. The ethnic studies curriculum was created to engage students with a history from a different cultural viewpoint than what was usually taught in public high school. From the outside of the classroom the opposing forces against ethnic studies believed that the hidden curriculum within the classes was detrimental to students. This was because it was teaching anti-American beliefs along with creating students who would act with rebellious beliefs and racism. From inside the classroom the teachers and students look to their curriculum and insist that their curriculum was more about having courage to examine history, create understanding and respect for one another and one’s self. They believed in looking at problems that the world was facing and not just accepting them but also trying to make a change for the better. The problematic readings were grounded in the courses use of the "Pedagogy of the Oppressed” with ideals that are based in teachings like Marxism.

Before I can delve into my students’ racial and cultural backgrounds, I must first look at my own. I am a white American, born and raised in Minnesota. My ancestors moved to America from France and Norway; however, in my family, our traditions are more Norwegian than French. For example, every Christmas we make lefse and krumkake, two traditional Norwegian foods, as a family. Growing up in Minnesota I have seen many fellow students and teachers who come from similar backgrounds, meaning of European decent. It was not until college that I met people from various locations around the world who have very different cultural backgrounds. It is my belief, that in order for me to be the best teacher I can be, that I need to be open to difference and willing to expand my horizons.

Schools systematically subjugate minority and black students when a school’s enrollment contains a huge racial majority. If students have no exposure to persons of different ethnicities, cultures, races, and religions, then these students will experience culture shock when they confront “other” people. Even in our class, we talk about black and minority students as another group, one that differs from “us.” We think about the inequalities in school systems as problems we need to fix, not as problems that have influenced our thinking and affect us as prospective teachers. For example, a white graduate student with

By the droves, these students, as a result of teacher expectations, are disengaging from their own education to carry out the self-fulfilling prophecy of mediocrity. The fact that 83% of educators are White, middle class women creates another layer of disconnect for Latino students who are unable to positively identify with successful role models who share their background (Gandara, 2000). Unable to see themselves reflected in the degree-earning demographics and having few encounters with educators who are adequately trained to understand their plight, Latino youth are simply rendered impotent to affect change, thus completing their assent into hopelessness.

Behind The Bedroom Wall, by Laura E. Williams, is the book that will make you rethink what freedom really is. This book takes place in 1939 with the 13-year-old German girl named Korinna Rehme who is an active member of the local Jungmadel which is a place where children had to learn about Adolf Hitler. Korinna Rehme believes that Hitler is a good man; she listens to him speak about the “Jewish Problem”, and she even has a picture of him in her living room. Korrina agreed with Hitler when he said that the Jews, along with other races, were making Germany weaker. Along with the idea that Jews were making Germany frail, Hitler also states Jews were the reason they lost WWI. Because of this, Korrina believes that she is a loyal German, well, until she finds a Jewish family living in a small, enclosed room in her bedroom wall. Historical events like mistreatment of Jews, Hitler’s reign, and hiding Jewish people are all featured in Behind the Bedroom Wall which makes this novel historically accurate.

In “Our Wall”, the author, Charles Bowden gives a detailed account of the conflict associated with the wall along the United States-Mexico border. The author makes his points through interviews with many different people along both sides of the border along with historical events and facts. Bowden is a very credible source, with years of experience working in the area and creates a very thorough account of the issue. The author seems to take a stance against the wall, but he does point out the other side of the argument and things that could be good about it. I wish the author would have made his viewpoints more clear because they are a little bit hard to pick up on. Another item I think was missing from the

Research has been conducted and the study showed that, "Latino students perceived that teachers' actions escalated disciplinary problems and believed that administrators used unfair and discriminatory practices"(90). Educators will never be able to teach students if the students perceive them as being racist. The degree to which education for cultural diversity is realized depends on the teacher's attitudes, knowledge, and behavior. They make the mistake of mismatching their own life experiences and professional training. Le Roux realizes that an increasing diverse school population encounters a mostly middle-class teaching force that is inadequately prepared to manage the reality of diversity in schools, and that is due to lack of knowledge of diversity (46). He also states that some teachers make the mistake of generalizing about particular ethnic groups and cultural groups, as a result of being exposed during training to information about culture; that is very dangerous in itself. Educators also focus mostly on general characteristics of a group instead in a single individual, and this is wrong because each individual is unique and should not be generalized by culture (Le Roux 46).

As discussed by Jabari Mahiri, African American culture and discussions about African American youth cannot be eliminated when trying to help educate black students. In detail, two African-American teachers who taught in the same high school had two different outcomes with their students. The reason there were two different results between the teachers was because one teacher decided to introduced and exposed the students to familiar faces that they can relate to and African American issues. In addition, Quassan Castro Writer, Activist, Columnist, Poet, Educator and Culture Critic suggested some tips and strategies to teach African American students because he noticed that there is staggering amount of African American students dropping out of high school and not attending college. Specifically, Castro mentioned that main three tips all Educators Must Know About Educating African American and Latino Students is 1) Connect with Parents. “Establish a positive connection with parents from the first day of class. A phone call to report good news is as equally vital to the success of your student as informing parents when children are struggling” (Castro). 2) Cultural Images. “Due to the overexposure to white identities in media, African American and Latino students need to see images of themselves where they are not portrayed as inferior or subordinate to white culture.” (Castro). 3) Value of Education and Real Life. “Express the value of education. Explain the varying levels of educational possibilities one can attain. Do not assume your students know how many high school credits they need to graduate. Do not assume your students knows what a bachelors, masters or doctorate program consists of” (Castro). These particular sources link the issue of African American students not having a high rate of academic achievement because

Race, ethnicity, religion, class, sexual orientation, ability, and gender have all impacted my life in ways beyond my total comprehension. However, I can begin to identify some of the notable interactions and effects and discuss the ways in which they might present themselves in my teaching practices. I am a White, European American, Christian, and heterosexual female without a medically ascribed disability. I can say that ultimately (and unfortunately) my cultural and physical identity is considered normative within the United States and has placed me on a path of privilege and power. Throughout my life, though, I have been fortunate to encounter other cultural groups in very meaningful ways. My international, religious, and family experiences have shaped my worldview most notably.

The topic of discussion for this essay is a story written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman called "The Yellow wallpaper. Firstly, several pieces of evidence within the text prove that the genre of the story is irony, in accordance with Frye 's "theory of myths". This essay shows exactly how those instances exemplify the genre of irony. Additionally, from a deconstructive point of view, there is a central binary of constraint and freedom. The examples from the text show both evidence of constraints within the story as well as freedom. Thus, proving this to be the central binary of this piece of literature. Finally, these two aspects can be used to show the similarities between this text and the short story "How to Become a Writer" by Lorie Moore.

Although I have made many positive changes these last few years, there is always room for growth. I found this apparent, as I have witnessed outstanding role models through the university. There is simply no ending point or “final” destination, when it comes to growing and working on your own faults. Therefore, I hope to take what I have learned from my past and college, and be able to continue to find ways of dealing with diversity in a professional manner. Knowing this, it is both exciting and frightening experience, especially knowing the many situations that are to come. However, I hope that I can take each encounter, and be able to learn to become the best role model a teacher can be for each student. I hope that each student, no matter their background, can feel as if they are welcome and accepted into the classroom. I also believe that the university has made tremendous strides to make this possible, especially assigning us classes that directly deal with diversity. In opportunities of mentoring, volunteering, and observations, I have been able to experience early on what it means to be a role model, in a diverse setting. The topic of diversity and this method of currere are extremely important, not only for myself, but also the students of the future. To understand diversity, you have to understand yourself. It is not a simple

The first step for me to become a culturally responsive teacher is to learn not to judge others. Working with students from diverse backgrounds requires us to question our reactions to families and students. We need to stop judging different as “abnormal” and embrace what the differences can teach us (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011). Embracing the differences

In order to establish an effective role in high school student lives, teachers must create a positive environment in the classroom, engage the students with a variety of materials, and provide different variations of learning techniques that will accommodate the needs of every student (Bellanca & Brandt, 2010). While also, displaying the personality of a culturally competent teacher that is able to effectively incorporate diversity in her curriculum. On the other hand, some teachers lack the ability to influence their students, and cultivate a positive learning environment. These teachers typically do not incorporate theorist ideas and techniques for creating a meaningful classroom environment (Flinders & Thornton, 2013). For that reason, students lose interest

The three things that have made the biggest impact on and have influenced my life that shaped me into the person I am today are family background, experiences from my school year, and religious beliefs. Our culture provides a lens through which we view the world and interpret our everyday experiences. In order to know who I am today, I must look at who you’ve been. Many educators around the country are interested in developing a multicultural approach in their teaching. They find themselves in classrooms with 25 children of varying racial and cultural backgrounds, and are looking for ways to connect what they do in the classroom to the cultures represented by their students. Before we can begin to understand others, however, we need to understand ourselves and what we bring to our interactions with others.

          In the poem, “The Mending Wall” Frost creates a lot of ambiguity in order to leave the poem open for interpretation. Frost’s description of every detail in this poem is very interesting, it leaves the reader to decide for themselves what deductions they are to be making of the poem. To begin with, Frost makes literal implications about what the two men are doing. For instance, they are physically putting the stones back, one by one. Their commitment and constant drive shows how persistent these men seem about keeping the wall intact. On the other hand, there are inferences that something deeper is occurring.