Today in class, we ended by briefly discussing academic achievement disparities between Black, White, and Hispanic students. In response, genetics and socio-economics were suggested as the response. To briefly cover this point because I failed to in class; arguing genetics is the reason for White academic achievement reflects the views of most White supremacists and cannot be considered credible research. Furthermore, I found it interesting that Asians were excluded from the discussion of genetics and academic achievement; as Asians statistically achieve higher than any other race. When Asian academic achievement was discussed, the conversation focused on the stereotype of "demanding Asian parenting" rather than superior Asian genes (I am also aware no one overtly argued Whites have superior genes, but I believe Joe said genetics were the reason for academic disparities) Furthermore, while socio-economics and parental education does factor into academic achievement, when controlling for economic status, academic achievement disparities between Black and White students still exist (and in this event Asian students still have the highest GPA).
In Roslyn Arlin Mickelson’s article The Attitude-Achievement Paradox Among Black Adolescent, Mickelson argues the academic - achievement disparity attributes to African American students having a lack of faith in the American education system and job market due to past experiences. In essence, Mickelson believes Black students withdraw from their studies because they feel they will not be fairly compensated for academic success.
Scholars such as Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, Theresa Perry, John Ogbu, and Temple's own Molefi Asante and Nathaniel Norment (to name a few), would take Mickelson's research a step further. The aforementioned teachers argue that the absence of African and African American culture and perspective from American society and curricula inherently puts African Americans (and African American students) at a distinct disadvantage. The absence of African culture and perspective from American society "teaches" Black students (and people)from the perspective of the oppressor,who in order to establish their dominance taught Africans (from enslavement on) everything about their culture was inferior to European culture. Until Black students are reflected in curricula, and taught from the Afrocentric world view, academic achievement disparities will exist.
Nevertheless, despite the Eurocentric societal and academic frame that we are forced to operate from, Asians still are the highest academic achievers. To explain this, I cite John Ogbu. In Ogbu's article, "Black Students’ Success: Coping with the ‘Burden of ‘acting White,'" Ogbu explains three classifications of minorities: autonomous (minorities in the numerical sense), immigrants (those who voluntarily moved to America in hopes of improved social status, economic status or political status), and subordinate minorities (those who were involuntarily and permanently incorporated into American society through enslavement or conquest). Using Ogbu's classification, Asian Americans are immigrant minorities. While immigrant minorities are not immune from racism, they do have a different American experience. Consequently, they do not harbor the same doubt in the egalitarian dream America falsely promotes and are less likely to withdraw from their studies due to lack of faith in the American system as subordinate minorities are.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Teenage Culture in a Different Culture
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/opinion/sunday/24schalet.html
This article discusses several issues that can be related to our class discussions. Early on we discussed American teenage culture and the relationship between adults and teenagers and how this relationship often creates certain ideas about acceptable and unacceptable social behaviors as understood and portrayed in the media by Americans. This article contrasts the Dutch view of teenagers and sex with the "typical" American view. The writer portrays American parents as viewing teenagers in a way that reminds me of the negative attributes of teens such as those mentioned by Hine in his article. Schalet writes, "Here [in America], we see teenagers as helpless victims beset by raging hormones and believe parents should protect them from urges they cannot control." This description--by no means uniform--does however illustrate teenagers as immature, and incapable of controlling their "hormones". The writer also adds a view of Dutch parents saying,"The Dutch parents I interviewed regard teenagers, girls and boys, as capable of falling in love, and of reasonably assessing their own readiness for sex." Here, I see the big differences being contrasting views of Dutch and American parents regarding the emotional maturity, responsibility, and autonomy of the teenager to make decisions without parental guidance. What does everyone else think? There's definitely room to extend this issue in to our more recent debate about the various impacts of nurture, namely, parental involvement in adolescent development...
This article discusses several issues that can be related to our class discussions. Early on we discussed American teenage culture and the relationship between adults and teenagers and how this relationship often creates certain ideas about acceptable and unacceptable social behaviors as understood and portrayed in the media by Americans. This article contrasts the Dutch view of teenagers and sex with the "typical" American view. The writer portrays American parents as viewing teenagers in a way that reminds me of the negative attributes of teens such as those mentioned by Hine in his article. Schalet writes, "Here [in America], we see teenagers as helpless victims beset by raging hormones and believe parents should protect them from urges they cannot control." This description--by no means uniform--does however illustrate teenagers as immature, and incapable of controlling their "hormones". The writer also adds a view of Dutch parents saying,"The Dutch parents I interviewed regard teenagers, girls and boys, as capable of falling in love, and of reasonably assessing their own readiness for sex." Here, I see the big differences being contrasting views of Dutch and American parents regarding the emotional maturity, responsibility, and autonomy of the teenager to make decisions without parental guidance. What does everyone else think? There's definitely room to extend this issue in to our more recent debate about the various impacts of nurture, namely, parental involvement in adolescent development...
Monday, January 30, 2012
A Big Scare and Some Things to Ask
Dear All,
Was it just me, or were you perhaps scared out of your mind or at least confused by the previous posts? I thought I was missing classes or something! But no, once I moused over the time it showed the date - last year! So, I am not confused anymore.
Getting back to THIS year's topics, I had but a few questions to puzzle your mind over.
When you were in middle and high school (so long ago, I know), what methods of teaching were most engaging for you? My specific focus would be for those boring history classes. What did your teacher do to make it interesting? Is it the same with all students or does it need to be individualized? And do you have any ideas yourself that might make things less drowsing?
Like this?
An idea I had was to bring in and wear the clothing of the period being taught. It worked well for one class I was tutoring in and I presented on a few of the days. When I graded paperwork later, I found that the students did approx. 25% better on the periods I came in on than the periods done by the teacher.
Okay, post..... NOW! No, now! No, n-no-now! Wait... okay, go ahead. No, wait... NOW!
A new semester and new ideas to discuss
After our conversation in class last week about "cool" and teen marketing, I found myself wondering about the extent to which "cool" governs development for tweens and teens. What makes "cool" so important and can the current trend override a teenager's ability to follow his/her own conscience? Do you have any examples of such influence?
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