Week 11 Kozol Chapter 8 and Folder 11

1. “ …a justified suspicion that the promises we hear today of new and even better ways to guarantee successful outcomes in our nation’s segregated and unequal public schools will one day be reviewed with the same sense of disappointment, if not irony.” (192 Kozol)

 

This quote is referencing the specific program talked about in Chapter 8 of Kozol called “Higher Horizons.” It was as the quote says about future programs like this one disappointing when it failed. But what I think is more disappointing is how people have not learned from this program’s failure. When you repeat the same mistakes that is when there is something seriously wrong because there is no reflection or concern with the failure that means or otherwise there would be no repetition. This also tells me that the people who have created this program and create others like it do not really care about the work that it takes to get to a successful outcome. They just want an easy fix. These issues in education do not have an easy fix and to really find a solution we have to stop looking for the easy fix because we are taking just as much energy looking for an easy way out than to just do the hard work it takes to go through the process to make positive affective changes.

2. “Women of color only own a penny for every dollar of wealth of their corresponding men of color of their same race and in comparison to white women, women of color own only a fraction of a penny for every dollar of wealth of white women.” (Chang, Democracy Now)

This reminds me of a discussion from class in the beginning of the semester. People usually will say that as a nation we are not racist because that is a thing of the past. I have a feeling people would have a similar reaction to this information. This is also related to not only race but gender as well. It is tremendously sad that this is still true in our country. How can this be true? Also, how can we move forward with other changes that are important to many people in the country when color and gender are still not considered equal? This is what worries me about people that there will always be people that truly believe stereotypes and then will pass that down to their children. I hate to view this so negatively but currently I wonder what can be done to make more people aware and respectful of all people?

3. “Under Bush there were tax cuts given to upper income and very little benefits to low income families. The gap has widened, low income and working families continue to suffer. So when we think about what needs to happen and corrections that need to be made along the way in this current administration we need to think about rolling back some of those tax credits we need to think about increasing tax credits for low income working families, we really need to figure out how we make it so working class and low income individuals can keep more of their income and invest and invest in their families and their families futures.” (Mason, Democracy Now)

I liked how Nicole Mason was able to talk about this issue of wealth and income in an understandable way. These are logically points that were made. Why can’t people who need the help be able to keep their money, rather than spending it on taxes? Especially when upper class people have been able to pay less. It would make a bigger and better difference if that leeway were given to people who truly need it. Giving a tax break to the wealthy does not do as much good as it would to families that are struggling to provide essential things to their children. People may argue that they should not have to pay more than other people when they have worked to get where they are financially which suggests that people of low income have not worked hard. This argument ties in with another big topic we have discussed in class, which is privilege! People are born with privilege and that is in most cases how they are able to have the opportunity to work for their money and get schooling for that job. Most people who are in unfortunate situations are in them because their family has always been low income and struggling. It is an up hill battle to get out because people of color are not given chances to because they are not treated fairly from the very start. Children as we have read are not getting nearly the same quality education therefore not being able to get the same paying jobs as white privileged people. This is why we need to make up for those unfair situations that we have created and allow an opportunity for families like these to save and make more money. This can be done by created more jobs specifically in areas that are low income that need them the most. Also like Nicole said in the quote, have tax cuts for low-income families.

4. “An honest appraisal of American traditions of schooling reveals that academic skills have long been thought of as a vehicle for the development of character. This was true in colonial days, it was true throughout the nineteenth century and, it was still true the first half of the twentieth century. Schools have always been considered as incubators for acceptable citizens, and citizenship has not always been defined in terms of academic achievement scores.” (172, Noddings)

Why all of a sudden is building character and having morals not something that can be taught in school? I understand that people in this time have quite a bit of different views on a variety of subjects but learning how to be a genuine person in my mind can not really have different opinions of what that is made up of. If this is something that is being debated I’m concerned for future debates about silly little things like how we should teach kids how to tie their shoes. What characteristics of a good person can be debated as not being appropriate to teach in school that schools have taught in the past?  What I can think of that is emphasized in school is being respectful, thoughtful, helpful, and caring to others. These are necessities in my eyes to have a productive safe environment in school. 

Week 10 Anthology 21,22,23 and Folder 10

1. “Technocratic and instrumental rationalities are also at work within the teaching field itself, and they play an increasing role in reducing teacher autonomy with respect to the development and planning of curricula and the judging and implementation of instruction.” (200 Giroux)

One of the reasons that I have wanted to become a teacher is to be able to use my ability to create fun and interesting ways to learn. But with the curriculum that I see in schools today it seems somewhat more unlikely that I can do that because of the emphasis on standardized testing and very specific goals that must be met. The quote explains well how teachers have less independence to create their own lesson plans. This is disappointing because this takes away teacher’s passion and excitement that they have when they have freedom with their curricula.  I especially find this restriction harmful not only to teachers but to the students. These students need all the excitement they can get when learning in a classroom. By having very specific curriculum where the teacher is just simply carrying out someone else’s plans it is far less affective. I don’t understand why this power has been taken away from the classroom teachers This sends out the message that their lessons are not acceptable and their experience has no value. Which I’m sure in a majority of cases teachers are highly qualified and practiced enough to be able to make the proper judgment on how to teach their students certain material.

2. “I have argued that by viewing teachers as intellectuals those persons concerned with education can begin to rethink and reform traditions and conditions that have prevented schools and teachers from assuming their full potential as active, reflective scholars and practitioners.” (202 Giroux)

This quote is a good expression of how important teachers are and how they need to start being viewed that way by others and those who are teachers as well need to view themselves as intellectuals to start making change happen. It’s disappointing that teachers in a sense have to prove themselves to others to be viewed as having important careers. To me it is so obvious that teachers are incredibly important and special people to have taught and inspired so many to do amazing things using the knowledge that they have gained and the passion for learning that enables them to do these great things. Teachers are the people who set the examples and empower students to grow and keep growing in life. These are such outstanding things to be able to be apart of in people’s lives and there are so many people who fail to see it this way. But this quote is challenging teachers to better themselves and continue to be “active, reflective scholars and practitioners.” These are not easy tasks and that is why it is such an important process to endure because in the end it will make you a better teacher.

3. “Mary confessed: ‘I don’t know what critical thinking is’; ‘I have never done it’; ‘I have never learned about it.’” (210 Anthology)

             This quote from the vignette about Mary surprised me.  By the description of her schooling and career experiences it is hard to believe that this quote from her is true. I wonder how this is possible for this person to not have that understanding of what critical thinking when she has been through so much education to become an educator. I have a hope that maybe she is just unfamiliar with the terminology and does actually does demonstrate critical thinking in her life experiences. Either way how has this not been a topic not been involved in any of her experiences? I believe that we talked about this in class that children are not being required or introduced to having their own opinion about things. To me this is laziness because the reason people are not using their critical voices is because they don’t have to, people do it for them; people such as their teachers, news reporters, or authors. I think that people take on other people’s beliefs as their own without questioning or critically analyzing it because it is easy just to agree. In this case it seems as though Mary has done something similar by not having an idea of what it means to think about something critically. I think about how I have become a critical thinker and really to me it means not to trust everything you hear. This may be a narcissist view but that is how people must view things to protect themselves and develop their own views. This is necessary to adapt and grow as a person and as a teacher especially this is important to teach students to do this or else you will have no standards for yourself.  This reminds me very much of Zoe’s speech that we watched when you said, “Don’t believe anything I’m saying.”

4. “ Stan and John epitomize teachers who, for whatever reason, either do not know how to think critically or if they do, cannot act on their analyses. They should not be teachers in our democracy. They model what is the most dangerous threat to our society—the inability to speak in critical voice.”

(212 Anthology)

This quote is incredibly important to me because it is vital for teachers to be able to reflect and look at things critically before they share things with their students. Teachers must see the potential messages that they are sending out to their students and decide if that is something that they intend to instill in their students. Teachers that don’t look at things through these lenses will be creating students who will make the same mistake down the line. This country needs people to question and investigate before they automatically make a decision about how they feel about something. That is why I truly enjoy watching Stephen Colbert and John Steward and their interpretations of what is going on in our society. It gives me another perspective that I can also analyze and see the bias or influence they might have to comment the way they did. I also have an appreciation for the fact that I have been able to be a critical thinker and am being pushed to keep questioning materials that I am exposed to. 

Week 9 Anthology Ch 9+11 Class Folder 9

1. “Again I am concerned not so much that great teachers and their successes are being ignored (which they are), but that the teachers and the qualities and skills that great teachers bring to great teaching are in danger of vanishing, disappearing from both the public eye and from the curriculum of teacher preparation.”

This is a scary thought to have to teacher’s abilities to be creative and innovative disappear in the future. But based on the requirements that are now in place it is very possible that teachers don’t have the time for their lessons that they have created themselves that involves creativity. These type of lessons are what will grab student’s attention and get them excited to learn. The lessons that are focused of the state tests are more difficult to make into something exciting and fun when the outcome to the students is just to get a good score on a test. It will be immensely detrimental if teachers are not able to teach the way that they want to teach or worse off not have the preparation that encourages creative that students yearn for and need.

2. “The teacher cannot think for her students nor can she impose her thought on them. Authentic thinking, thinking that is concerned about reality, does not take place in ivory tower isolation, but only in communication. If it is true that thought has meaning only when generated by action upon the world, the subordination of students to teachers becomes impossible.”

This quote really rang out as I read it. I immediately ran my pen under these lines and stared my paper. Authentic thinking is a goal that teacher need to reach with their students for them to be able to form an unbiased opinion. This happens through communicating with one another and hearing everyone’s thoughts about a subject. Hearing different perspectives is an enlightening thing. The teacher must present different perspectives so children can critically think about things on their own. Students need to do the thinking themselves because us teachers and parents will not be there for them in the future to do the thinking. That is why this is so important as teachers we want to instill in our students to become thinkers and go as far as they can in their thoughts.

3. “Knowledge and ‘distinctive character’ are part of it, but it is also about efficacy, a teacher’s belief that she or he will be successful, because his or her students will be successful. And, to achieve student success, great teachers help move their students via three paths: producing, empowering and connecting”

These three paths are essential for teacher’s to have their students experience true success in their classroom. The collaboration between teacher and student is very important as well. I liked how this quote emphasized these two points. These are two tasks of a teacher I feel like take time and experience to be able to master. Also it takes a great deal of work to get to know your students to be able to find what will be empowering to them as a student. Also a teacher cannot influence connections unless they know their student’s backgrounds. I think about being a teacher in completely new place I have never been and having little understanding of the way of life in that area. I feel like this can have an impact on the teacher’s ability to make connections since their way of life is different. Therefore this takes extra effort and time that is necessary.

4. “The teacher is no longer merely the one-who-reaches, but one who is himself taught in dialogue with the students, who in turn while being taught also teach. They become jointly responsible for a process in which all grow. “ (98 Freire) – Anthology

I really liked this idea of the teacher learning from their students while still being able to have the students increase their knowledge. This changes the norm of having the teacher dictate and rule the classroom. I never liked that teachers are always right and are all knowing. This way of working with students gives them a comfort and confidence that they too can be the teacher. This takes teachers off center stage and gives the students the opportunity to express things that they have learned through different outlets. Also students are able to express their own perspective that they teacher may not have though of. In this case the teacher can learn and then work to build on that student’s perspective and bring them to a higher level of thinking. This all can happen through communication and dialogue. Growth should occur within everyone and this quote highlights that it can happen within a teacher as well from the influence of their students

Week 8 Spring Ch 8 and Folder 8

1. “After the Civil War, female teachers rushed into the South with a mission of creating social equality and political right for freed slaves. However, female teachers were often demeaned and exploited.” (201 Spring)

This is such an oxymoron to me because these women are doing a great thing for the blacks that were enslaved in the past but then they themselves were being discriminated. The good that they were doing even far back to the Civil War was not acknowledged. It is unfortunate that in 2011 the teacher profession is still not respected. I wonder if there is a connection to the fact that a majority of people that are teachers are women? In the civil war times this seemed to be the case. The teaching profession needs to be respected no matter what gender the teacher they all work tremendously hard to bring knowledge and experience to the people. People should be nothing but grateful for their educators overtime for getting them wherever they are today. The issues that have been occurring throughout history is just illogical for what these people are giving each day.

2. “But TFA training has not included many of the strategies that I find most effective. TFA’s test- based and standards-driven orientation stifles creativity, and nowhere in TFA training did anyone present the type of lesson that I taught on World War I.” (Diamond TFA)

This strategy that is described is really disappointing to me that TFA teachers are being taught to go strictly by standards. This is a problem that experienced teachers are facing as well. Teaching to the test is drowning our teachers’ and student’s creativity. I was surprised to read that this is the way they would be trained to teach in a classroom.  The description of this teachers World War I lesson sounded like the teacher was really trying to have the students learn something the other examples that focus on the outcome of a test does not necessarily mean the students are really getting something out of the lesson that is meaningful to them. There lies the problem with strict standards and testing. But we are producing more inexperienced TFA teachers that think they are really doing good for the country when if they are going by their training are not. Hopefully there are more TFA teachers like the one who has wrote this reflection.

3. “A tactic used in virtually every lesson is the provision of an additional teacher who helps those who struggle in a particular subject. But the pupils are all kept in the same classroom, regardless of their ability in that particular subject.”(BBC News Finland schools)

This tactic is very logical I am surprised that most schools that I have visited don’t follow this method of teaching. When I worked with students in 2^nd grade at a school in Hartford there were student that I just didn’t get to spend much time with because they were out of the room for most of the day getting special help with certain subjects. The time period that I mostly visited was during the reading block of time and the class size was dramatically different because of how many students left for tutoring. I feel that this is unfair to those students that have to leave the room the amount of time that is wasted each day that they have to walk through the halls collecting the other students from other classrooms that are also going for extra help probably amounts to a lot of time over the school year. It doesn’t seem to make sense to pull a child out of their classroom for extra help because then they are missing the lessons that their classroom teacher is doing while they are gone. This was an issue for the teacher I was working with she always tried to schedule her lessons for when most of the students were in the room but that was extremely difficult because of the large number of students that left at various times. Over all the Finland method just makes a lot of sense so students still get time with their classroom peers and are able to learn from others.

4. “Despite increasing teacher-certification requirements with No Child Left Behind, teachers’ salaries still lag behind those of other white-collar workers. Why do people become teachers if they pay is low for a job that requires an extensive education and licensing?” (204 Spring)

This quote makes me think of how mistaken so many people are who say that teachers get paid well. Some try to make the argument that teachers are living luxurious lives because they get paid well and don’t work all year round. This is so frustrating to me because of how difficult it is to become a teacher and as the quote says teacher salaries do not match other jobs and other jobs do not have tough requirements to be certified to be able to work there. This quote points out that it takes a special person to be able to be a teacher because you are not getting paid extremely well and it is not just an easy job you can pick up from any time of education. People who become teachers have to be dedicated and love bringing knowledge to people. It is not a job that you can breeze through each day. Teachers have a great responsibility each and every day to bring knowledge to their students and encourage them to keep learning as they progress through life.  

Week 7 Spring Ch 7, Anthology Ch 10,19, 20 Class 7 Folder

“NCLB mandated that 100 percent of students be proficient in reading and math by 2014. Any school not on track to meet this utopian goal—one never reached by any nation in the world—would face a series of sanctions, culminating in the firing of the staff and the closing of the school.” (Obama’s War on Schools, Diane Ravitch)

This is utterly absurd that so many schools are facing these punishments. These standards are so out of line and I am disappointed that this “reform” has not been changed in a positive way when there have been so many negative affects from it. There is no logic behind these procedures. If there are schools not meeting these standards or are not on track to meeting them, why would they not receive the help that they obviously need? From the start of NCLB there was an unfair advantage to schools that have the money and means to getting their students what they need included capable and certified teachers and materials to prepare them for the tests. The schools that were already disadvantaged are not going to be able to reach these scores in these areas because of a new incentive to reach the goals. I’m sure schools across the nation already have the goal to have their students improve and reach goals this money incentive will only help those who are already close to the scores needed because it will give them an extra push. But schools not even close to these goals can not make up for so much lost time for the years and years of bad conditions and no accommodations for students in great need.

“These and other experiences left her increasingly disaffected from the choice and accountability movements. Charter schools, she concluded, were proving to be no better on average than regular schools, but in many cities were bleeding resources from the public system. Testing had become not just a way to measure student learning, but an end in itself.” (Dillion, “Scholars School reform U-Turn Shakes Up Debate”)

 In this quote Diane Ravitch has made the realization that reforms such as NCLB and Race to the Top, Charter School being developed are not solutions to the issues in education in American. She expresses how Charter schools are not even proven to be a more affective school system.  If we do not have supporting evidence for new ideas after they are put in place why would we keep them in place and keep putting much more money into them. When there are other places in need of the financial support? I wish people that have the power to make these decision did not have selfish reasons for their choices. The only reason for important choices should be what is best for the students! This I’m afraid is not up on the list of priorities for these people.

“We need a sense of purpose for our professors, not a timetable. Better that they show us a way to find our own ways that they hand out their own detailed maps of the territory.” Pg 107, Marlowe (Anthology)

            This quote was enlightening to me because I feel like I have been a student in my teacher education classes wanted exact answers to help me as a future teacher. But here I realize that I really don’t and shouldn’t want that. I need to find these answers myself and that is what I am afraid of. I fear being wrong but worst of all I fear being wrong and not knowing that I was wrong. I never want to affect children in a negative way. I always wonder if there was something else I could have done to help the child more than I did. I see reading this chapter by Susan Ohanian that I need to have more confidence and trust in myself, to learn as I experience working with children. If professors or other elementary teachers gave me all of their lesson ideas and plans where would I fit in to those? I need to find my own way of doing things rather than have answers from other people. Making your own decisions as teachers sets up your own philosophy and that is where you can make special connections with children because what you are doing is through your own passions and feelings.

 “ The larger goal of education is to assist people in seeing the world through their own eyes, interpreting and analyzing through their own experiences and thinking, feeling themselves capable of representing, manifesting, or even, if they chose, transforming all that is before them. Education then, is linked to freedom, to the ability to see and also alter, to understand and also reinvent, to know and also to change the world as we find it.” (185, Ayers) – Anthology

This section from Chapter 19 had a beautiful way of describing what education should be all about. It was wonderful to read how important this person believes the student’s freedom is. This is what I think is largely missing in the process of creating standardized tests and state standards. It is disappointing that there are so many teachers that are being limited when they have the ability to provide this assistance and inspiration to their students, but they are not given the time with their students to be able to fully reach this opportunity to have a higher level of thinking. Teachers and schools have requirements such as Race to the Top and NCLB that make them have a focus on testing which is the complete opposite of the goals that this quote describes. What a waste is what I say!  

Week 6 Kozol Chapter 7 Spring 1&6

"You have to do what children do and breathe the air the children breathe. I don't think that there is any other way to find out what the lives that children lead in school are really like." (Kozol 163)

This quote from Kozol describes what is involved in really understanding any group of student's reality. You must spend time with these kids for a long period of time to get a real idea of how the live and what they go through each day. I think that because this quote is truth it gave me the understanding of how there are people that are not willing to do anything for these children and their education. I was able to realize that it is easy for people on the outside who do not do what children do and breathe their air to take away what they need or to not provide what is necessary. These people don't really know what their lives are like and what kind of people the students are because they have not taken the time to do that. They think of numbers and costs but not about what is the right thing to do for people and the children in these schools. Kozol clearly is one of few who are taking to time to see what is going on in schools across America rather than looking at statistics; those are not where the answers are. 

"'I think it's a school that is in deep shit over all...The biggest problem with Fremont is over population. Teachers are pushed so far that they just give up on their students. Others trie to keep up the fight," he wrote, "but they are lossing slowly.'"(Kozol 184)

This quote is from a high school student that wrote to Kozol about the condition of his school. This student along with many others knows exactly what is going on around them. They know that it is not ok to be dealing with the conditions that they are put in. If it is so obvious to the students within these buildings then it must be clear to the adults that work there day in and day out. It is hard to put blame on a particular group because it has become so complicated and other problems seem to cause the next set of problems. For example as the student said the over population puts stress on the teachers which for some is too much and causes them to not be the best teachers they can be anymore. Instead of looking into the stresses that teachers and students are facing the blame by people above gets plopped on the teachers. The hopelessness that you can sense in the quote saddens me. It must be heart breaking to witness this type of environment or worse be stuck in it as a student just trying to learn and reach goals in life.

“Home economics courses taught cooking, household budgeting, sewing and scientific methods of cleaning. The goal was providing housewives with more free time for education and working to improve municipal conditions… A clean and cheerful house, it was believed, would reduce alcoholism because husbands would want to hurry home from work rather than stop at a tavern” (Spring 13)

This quote immediately annoyed me. I understand that these courses were created in the 1900s therefore it was considered progress for women to be receiving education, but I still feel offended that this addition to education was seen as such an improvement for women. This to me is adding to the already degrading view people had of women during this time period. To offer classes to women such as the ones listed is not offering them opportunity to really educate themselves freely. It is simply another way to limit women to their homes but make them more proficient at the only jobs they are aloud to have: serving their husbands. The second part of the quote I just laughed at because of how absurd it is! This is just one example of how women were blamed for problems that could not have possibly been under their complete control. Especially alcoholism! To accuse the wives of not keeping a clean enough house is the cause of their husband’s habit of drinking is outrageous.  I do not feel that these classes should not be offered to women because of course there are people who are genuinely interested in doing these types of activities. The problem I have is how this was the only thing that was offered and that men were not considered to have these interests. These actions that were made early in our country’s history have set us up to have a continuing problem with sexism.  Once something has been established as acceptable at one time it is hard to erase those mistakes when they have been instilled in so many people.

“To achieve these political goals, Fichte recommended teaching patriotic songs, national history, and literature to increase a sense of dedication and patriotism to the government. This combination of socialization and patriotic teachings, he argued, would produce a citizen more willing and able to participate in the army and, consequently, would reduce the cost of national defense.” (Spring 9)

 This quote is an equation for the government to make more money! It is ironic that government officials are pushing the idea of being loyal to your country and patriotism when it all comes down to just making money. That has always and continues to be the main focus that America has rather than the people within the country like they want you to think is their goal. This all seems too tricky to me and that makes me uneasy to trust our country’s actions. So far the issues that we continue to learn about in this class has sucked the faith I have had in our country to make good decisions. The people in power still seem to have dollar signs in their eyes, as did Fichte in this quote. 

Week 5 Kozol 6 Anthology 7&16 Spring 2

“In conclusion, the preceding statistics indicate that the United States income is related to educational attainment but that discriminatory factors in the labor market related to gender negate some of the advantages gained through increased education; equality of opportunity depends on equality of opportunity in the labor market.” (Pg 41 Spring)

            This is unfortunate information that I am embarrassed to admit I didn’t know pay was still such a significant difference between genders. Seeing the updated statistics is sad that it is known to the public that women are getting paid less when they have the same education. It is so discouraging as a female to know that even being equal in education doesn’t mean equal in pay when we get out into the job market. When thinking about why this is true made me think to who could let this go on for as long as it has, I could only think that the people that have the power to make this change happen must not care because it doesn’t affect them directly. Most issues that people face, are because of the people who are aware and in power do not care. People’s main focus is in the wrong place, money, which we learned in American does not equal happiness based on the amount of material things that we all possess and still have high levels of depression.

 “ Children as young as three and a half or four are also given tests and interviews as part of the admissions process for some of these schools, and educated parents coach their children for these interviews and frequently enroll them in expensive pre-test programs which are not provided by the schools themselves but must be purchased privately.” (Kozol 136)

I can’t imagine how difficult it would be for a parent of low income and limited education would be able to put their child through this process to be able to get their child the best education like these parents do that are described in this chapter. The advantage that white affluent parents have is so significant. These parents probably don’t realize that their children right for the get go are up against a much smaller number of students than what should be possible because of the number of parents of Latino and black children that are unaware or unable to afford the steps it takes to get into a private school. Three or four is such a young age to be prepping children for interviews and testing, it seems unnatural at that point in their lives to put that much pressure on them to go to elementary school. I wish these schools put more of an effort to offering their education and opportunity to every child in the area by providing information to strengthen the awareness of parents.

“The early advantages one may have had become irrelevant to most of us once a plateau of high achievement has been reached. The years we may have spent when we were three and four years old in a superb developmental preschool, the strategies our parents may have used to win us entrance to a first -rate elementary school, and all the other preferential opportunities that may have introduced us to the channels in which academic competence has been attained -- all this falls out of view once we arrive in a position in which we can demonstrate to others, and ourselves, that our proficiencies are indisputably superior to those of other students of our age who may not have had these opportunities.” (Kozol 141)

This quote really made me think after reading it, because it says that these children have no idea the advantages that they have received the get where they are. They are under the impression that they are just exceptional children and better than others. This ego that is developed by these parent’s crazy efforts to wiggle their children into these private expensive schools is propelling racism and unawareness of  white privilege  further. Who is to say that if these black and Hispanic children weren’t given all these extras that they could not be successful. I feel like middle class public schools are similar issues at a smaller scale or advantage. What I mean is when students are recognized and placed in different levels of courses that they will stay in for the four years of high school. Those who are in AP courses can easily look down and say they are just more intelligent than those not in their classes, but if the motivation and opportunity was there I think people who be surprised.

“ Children for low income families do not attain so high a level of education as children from rich families. From this standpoint the school reinforces social stratification and contributes to intergenerational immobility.” (Spring 58)

Families that consistently are unable to move past a certain level of education will remain in poverty because of requirements in the job market that they don’t have. This again shows who has the power and who is choosing to keep people of color low from generation to generation. This solidifies that racism will live on because there are people in power that will pass down their beliefs and methods to others. You would think that at least school systems would do what they could to break through these continuing issues but this information says otherwise. Power can really skew people’s minds on what is right and wrong. 

Week 4: Kozol 5, Anthology 5&6, Spring 5, Folder 4

"Bush focused instead on the idea that a college education is not needed for success. He told the largely Mexican American student body that 'we need people to build our buildings...people who do the hard physical work of our society.' it is doubtful that he would even have considered uttering these same words at Beverly Hills High School, a short distance away." (Marlowe 59)

This quote immediately struck me when reading the anthology, because this was our President that ran our country for two terms! With these types of destructive words coming out of his mouth how can that be true? Bush being someone of so much importance, especially for young students that are preparing to enter the real world I am shocked that he would steer these children away from trying to pursue further education. These students at this school deal with poverty and discrimination and low expectations each and every day and for someone that doesn’t know them to immediately make such judgments and put them lower than others is simply unfair. His words should be motivating and inspiring not just another person that doesn’t believe in these children.

“ She found that these pre-service teachers were reluctant to discuss racism or to consider their individual or collective role in perpetuating it.  Because they saw their students primarily as victims of poverty and parental neglect, these student teachers preferred to place themselves in the relationship to their students as protective ‘White Knights.’ This patronizing stance facilitated their denial of racism.” (Marlowe 54)

When reading this quote I was immediately nervous that I would fall into this category being a female pre-service teacher. But then found my confidence to know that if I were in these student teachers shoes I would not respond in this way about the topic of racism. I was surprised that these student teachers being so close to having their own classroom would react in this way. I agreed with the statement that it was patronizing for them to consider themselves “White Knights.” Feeling sorry for these children, does not change anything for them other than make them feel poorly about their situation. Children in these urban school that are provided with very little education deserve much more than pity for their teachers. These soon to be teachers need to be more open to becoming more aware of racism and their privilege when it will be all around them in any school environment.

“ ‘We are giving kids less and calling it more,’  ‘limiting what we teach’ to what ‘we can measure,’ pushing our students ‘ to focus on memorizing information, then regurgitating fact.’ The student’s job, he said should not be only ‘to absorb information, but to make connections, find new patterns, imagine new possibilities…’” (Kozol 131)

This quote being from the former state commissioner of education in New York makes me happy to know that this quote came from someone that can make positive change. His words show that it is recognized that these tests are not providing the students with the learning that they need. These high risks test seem to be the root of a lot of major issues in these urban school systems. Because these students are at such a disadvantage from the very start how can they be expected to get goal scores on these test when they don’t have the same materials and environment that students of suburban school are fortunate to have. The part that Sobol says is missing in these student’s education is the part that is fun and inspirational! Students who don’t have this opportunity to have fun with learning are not going to have much motivation.

“What kind of childhood, it may be asked, are we designing for these children, who already have so little opportunity to play in safety in their neightborhoods… pediatricians and psychiatrists may be disturbed to hear of schools where recess is truncated or abolished in the desperation to carve out a bit more time for drilling children for exams.” (Kozol 120)

This quote gave me the realization of how much these children are losing by not having recess its not just a break to use up that extra energy its for some the only time they have to play safety and on a playground with their friends. I now see what a luxury I had as a child to have so much space and time to play all through my own yard and the neighborhood. These children cannot do that they are forced to stay in doors where it is stuffy and limiting. These children need to have that time and freedom to run and play with one another.

Kozol Chapter 3&4

Quote 1- "... but I found no references to any child's traits of personality or even physical appearance... the uniform activities and the teacher's words controlled my own experience perhaps as much as they controlled and muted the expressiveness of children" (Kozol pg 71)


       Children need to learn from one another and visa versa the teachers need to learn from the students. With this type of authoritarian dictatorship these children true beings are hidden away and lost. Kozol referring to  his notes not including any traits from the students he observed was so surprising to me. Whenever I meet or observe new children I always notice one or two children at least that have bold personalities that stay fresh in my mind. This tells me that these children are being suppressed a great deal which can only result in less meaningful learning. If you are unable to express yourself as a learner how can you reach your potential. And the point of this type of strict structure specifically in schools heavy populated with black and hispanic children is to  keep order and kids out of trouble by providing no opportunity of freedom. To me, type of environment does not promote independence and self learning. Overall, creating zombie robot children and teachers is so harmful stifles their identities and creativeness that people naturally possess and want to exude. 


Quote 2 - "The listing of objectives in a lesson....it isn't the practice in itself, it's the remorselessness with which the practice is applied to almost every little possibility for natural discovery, and pleasure in discovery, the many teachers in these make clear that they dislike." (Kozol pg 76-77)


The requirement to have to prove and specify the exact purpose according to state standards can only be exhausting and redundant and hindering the students experience of learning. It is almost as if musicians or singers had to tell us what chord they are using after each note they sing or play. Wouldn't that completely ruin the beauty of the music being created. Yes! To me, that is no different from teaching. In the cases that Kozol explains these students are being interrupted  by these objectives and jargon that they should not have to understand. Children are children and no harm comes from speaking and using language that is more understandable to them.  This requirement is also draining to the teachers without  the rewards that should come with all the effort that is being put into the preparation for the lessons. 

Quote 3- " So a curriculum that was imposed, in part, to compensate for staffing needs of schools that had a hard time in recruiting teachers ends up by driving out precisely those well-educated men and women whom school systems have worked so hard to attract into these neighborhoods." (Kozol pg 85)

That is so aggravating to read about how the opportunity for significant improvement was wasted. When the school is in such desperate need for help and change it is hard to believe that these teachers were driven out by this curriculum. Of course you can't blame the teachers for leaving such an environment but what the reality is these children do not have that option to leave for something better. People that work with children need to be devoted to the children and their ability to constantly make steps forward for the children they commit to. Not to blame these well-educated teachers that decided to leave, no one's philosophy no matter how different it is, would be to create an environment that these students and teachers live in everyday. 

Quote 4- " Shorn of unattractive language about "robots" who will be producing taxes and not burglarizing homes, the general idea that schools in ghettoized communities must settle for a different set of goals than schools that serve the children in the middle class and upper middle class has been accepted widely." (Kozol pg 98)

Thinking about the amount of school systems that accept and continue to exercise this type of curriculum and the number of teachers that follow through with something that is so clearly racist and unfair adds up to a very large number of people just going by the examples and information that Kozol provides in the book is gross. Then that next step further the even larger number of students that must be involved and affected should be at least raise some kind of commotion against this. But people are silently protesting within their minds but do not make steps to improve or stop it.

Kozol Chapters 1&2

pg 18 Kozol "The Shame of the Nation"
 "Schools that were already deeply segregated 25 or 30 years ago, like most of the schools I visit in the Bronx, are no less segregated now, while thousands of other schools that had  been integrated either voluntarily or by the force of law have since been rapidly resegregating both in  northern districts and in broad expanses of the South."  

Reading this is a big realization for me, that just because there has been what seems like great progress from past events in history, it does not mean that it has been accepted and enforced across the country. It is sad to see this type of information which is why most people are not aware or chose not to acknowledge. I wonder how over this large amount of years that things still remain the same if  not worse. " While thousands of other schools... have since been rapidly resegregating..."  This is beyond nonsensical to me for this to happen in so many schools. How has this been allowed to happen?  When thinking further about the reasoning behind this I see that people of power have to go to great lengths to go against the law and allow for schools that have gone from being diverse to such a large percentage of one race. 




pg 28 Kozol "The Shame of the Nation"
   "I asked her if she truly thought America did not 'have room' for her or other children of her race. 'Think of it this way,' said a sixteen year old girl sitting beside her. " If people in New York woke up one day and learned that we were gone, that we had simply died or left for somewhere else, how would they feel?'  'How do you think they'd feel?' I asked. 'I think they'd be relieved,' this very solemn girl replied."


This one girl expressing this to Kozol after some questioning  makes me think about how many people of color feel similarly but just have not had confidence to speak (with good reason) these feelings to anyone.  When first reading this  honestly my initial thought was that must be an exaggeration but even if it were for anyone to any feelings remotely close to these is incredibly telling. This first thought that I had shows how unaware I am because of the privileges that have being a white female. By feeling like people of New York would be relieved to have children of her race gone tells us that the treatment of this child and many of her peers can not be acceptable and would be seen especially unacceptable to most if this poor treatment was being done to white children. 


pg 41 Kozol "The Shame of The Nation"


" four kindergarten classes and a sixth grade class were packed into a single room that had no windows"


This statement brought me directly into the classrooms that I grew up in and wanted to take back all the complaints that I might have made through my years of public schooling. I distinctly remember the rumors that went around my high school about whether or not we were getting air conditioning the following year or a number of new TVs. The debate of which would be better is sickening to think about now when there are schools that exist and have conditions like these to deal with each day. The number of students that must be in one room has to be an enormous distraction to the learning and productivity that these teachers try to accomplish each day. Just thinking about the teachers in this situation makes me have a small sense of the frustration they must experience. Overtime the teachers in this room inevitably get discouraged resulting in the students lack of motivation. This countless number of added issues that must be ensuing within this one room is simply unfair to the students involved. 




Tim Wise, "Reflections on Racism and Reasonable Suspicion: Immigration, Arizona and Anti-Latino Bias"
"They will have to follow every rule to the letter, for fear of being otherwise legally harassed by cops, even as those of us belonging to the dominant group will be able to nonchalantly go through our days, unconcerned about having to prove our identity just because a piece of our taillight cover was cracked, or because we went a few miles over the speed limit, or because our muffler wasn’t working sufficiently to reduce the noise from our car within legal limits in our communities."


Tim Wise here writes to make people with privilege aware of their privilege which I feel is a constant struggle because it is one thing to know that you are a person who receives different more beneficial treatment than people of other races, genders or sexuality etc. but it is more important to be aware of in what situations does this happen and what do these people have to do differently to overcome these differences. This quote reveals one specific topic where latinos are discriminated against and how hard it is to avoid this and the consequences. This quote is important for readers because it explains not only the privilege that most people have of not worrying about breaking the law essentially but also explains what latinos do have to worry about when they are even in the slightest way breaking the law.