Friday, November 30, 2012

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

"I was going through the hardest thing, also the greatest thing, for any human being to do; to accept that  which is already within in, and around you" - El Hajj Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X)

Lily J, Regine, Jeannine and Jianan

Our takeaway:

Read it.
Read it slowly and carefully.

It is not accidental that the life of Malcolm X takes over 450 pages to describe.
It is not accidental that over these 450 pages it tells the stories of three men: Malcolm Little, Malcolm X and El Hajj Malik El Shabazz

Read it and reflect on the emotions that you feel as you read through each chapter of his life. Observe the changes in your perceptions of Malcolm X and the changes he goes through during his lifetime.

This book is about a man's critical literacy and also provides critical literacy about a certain perspective in this historical context.

Questions to ponder: 1) w What is not being said in his autobiography? (consider other takes on his life), 2) What would a modern day Malcolm X look like?, 3) Where would you stand on Malcolm X during that time?

Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Grass Is Greener Where You Water It

In the class session on December 6th, we are going to focus on the positive in schooling and education. And although much is wrong, there is also much, every single day that is affirming and promising. In addition to the assigned reading, let us be the authors of these stories.

Please reply to this thread and share a moment, event, interaction  in education that was positive for you. Perhaps it enlivened you, motivated you, softened you. This entry does not need to be lengthy or formal. Give us an idea of what happened and why it is a source of positivity for you.




The Dreamkeepers Take Away

Hillary, Jessie, Iesha, Ashley and Steven.
Our Donovan brothers and sisters should take away many things from this book.

This book is mainly about "Cultural Relevant Teaching" practice. 
  • These are covered through real-life examples rather than theory.
    • This is a refreshing take on approaching urban education. Too often, as graduate students, we read more about theory then seeing examples of these theories play out in classrooms.
  • Set 90's 
    • May not be as relevant but still has some great take aways.
      • For example, we can still relate to the examples presented in the book around working within the education system rather than working completely against it. (Chapter 7)
  • African American Students
    • But what defines African American?
    • Talks about larger sub-set but does not dive into specific cultures.
    • With no definition, it is harder to apply. 
  • Sometimes tests are not culturally sensitive.
    • These spur conversations around test questions being unfair. 
      • (Not in the book) For example, standardized test that had an essay on first snow day experience when some students are new to the country and have never seen snow. 
  • The book is able to identify problematic aspects of teacher training programs and provides examples relevant connections to our current Pre-Prac experiences.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Final class session reading

Hello Donovans,

I hope this finds you well. I'm looking forward to seeing all of you this Thursday. Before our class session, can you please post to this thread any wishes you have for collective reading for our last session, December 6th. I have set aside the reading that day for your choice. So, as a reminder, are there some pieces of writing, a film, excerpts from your literature circle book that you think would be good for us to read and discuss as a collective?

Post suggestions here.

be well,
leigh.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Teachers as Preachers


For my group reading "Other People's Children" by Lisa Delpit, I was wondering your feelings on her comparison of teachers to preachers. In the chapter "Cross Cultural Confusions" she talks a little bit about how reformers of educational policy have looked towards law, business, and medicine to develop models for improving the training and assessing of teachers, but Delpit argues that teachers resemble preachers more. Like a preacher, each teacher must relate to different cultural constituencies. Preachers must modify the language they use to their audience. For example, a Baptist preacher might use "rhythm, intonation, gesture, emotion, humor use of metaphor, indirect personal messages to individuals, and audience participation." (Delpit, p. 137). On the other hand a Episcopalian minister uses logical structure, little humor and almost all of the meaning is found solely in the words.

Each of these preachers has a different audience, and they express their messages in very different ways. I believe that this is the same for teacher because every teacher has a different cultural group that we need to get a message across to. I think the while the MTELS and teaching assessments are a good way to assess a teachers content knowledge, there is little assessment on how a teacher is presenting the lesson through language. This is important because even if you a a math genius, you still need to find a way for students to become interested and involved in your lesson through the way you deliver it. Jaime Escalante said it the best, "My skills are really to motivate these kids to make them learn, to give them ganas -- the desire to learn." (Delpit, p. 139).

So my question is how should we assess teachers on their ability to linguistically connect with students and motivate them to learn and not just the teachers knowledge of subject matter?

Monday, November 12, 2012

Raised Brow



      To all my people reading, "The New Jim Crow," this week I had several raised brow moments.  As I read chapters 3 and 4, on a few occasions, I cringed when Alexander made her blanket connections to the Jim Crow Era in the South. I understand the similarities. I understand the connections in political and economic disenfranchisement. I agree with her mostly.  I want to agree with her 100%. Yet, a part of me still thinks this comparison is a bit stretched. I don't want to belittle the intentionally disastrous beast that is our prison industrial complex in America, but I also can't help but think of Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," visualize the charred black bodies dangling from trees, and wonder if there is any damage in Alexander's comparison. When I think of Emmet Till, imagine his bloated and unrecognizable face, and then consider the young men behind bars, I hurt. I see that both were/are being destroyed at such as young age, but at the same time, Alexander needs to account for the differences, (Yes, I do understand that violence takes many forms and each one can have the same magnitude).
         In 1892, after Reconstruction and into the Jim Crow Era, Ida B. Wells wrote a piece similar Alexander, "Southern Horrors." Within this writing, she talks about the socially constructed image of black men and how it led to physical violence and lynchings. Still, Ida B. Wells had to flee for her life after she produced this work. There was a price on her head. Alexander writes from a position of increased privilege, yet she does little to address those differences. While there are some comparisons to our current legal system and those of the Jim Crow South, I need Alexander to dig a little deeper.  I'm not saying she's wrong. I won't say that she's wrong. I just think there's something behind that curtain that she should also show. Part of that display should be her own privilege in writing this book.
   Regardless, our prison system is something that everyone should be increasingly concern about.  It is designed to further marginalize and oppressed specific minority groups, and little is being done to counteract its damages. We must somehow devise strategies to dismantle it.  I will support that thesis until I die.
    I guess we'll see how the rest of this book goes.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Of interest to the New Jim Crow and others

Hello Donovans,

This documentary is timely for those reading the New Jim Crow and those who didn't get to this book this time around. It's showing at the Kendall Square Cinema. I'll be there Sunday evening with some friends. Be well.


Friday, November 9, 2012

Case study Questions

Please use this thread to post questions you have about the case study assignment. I'll address them here, so that we can all benefit from each others' approaches and questions.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

"Aliens" and shifting politics of inclusion

Donovans,

As Marina and others deftly pointed out in class this evening, the context of immigration and systemic racism has everything to do with immigration is framed. Check out how Bush I and Reagan discuss how undocumented immigrants in this clip.

In understanding how and why the Mexican American studies program was shut down, we must be able to situate it in a political and historical context and understand it as the same kind of move on other 'enemies,' such as freed slaves in the 1800 and 1900s. Second verse, same as the first.

As I mentioned in class, Sean Arce, former director of Tucson's Mexican American Studies program is here this weekend, speaking about the ongoing legal battle, and giving updates. He is speaking in Boston Saturday. Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/127253247425724/?ref=ts&fref=ts