The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies: A Research Review by Christine E.Sleeter

 The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies: A Research Review by Christine E.Sleeter

Connection:

This article describes research studies in which diverse groups of people think about their education and what the school curriculum teaches. Students of minority groups, especially Chicanos, feel that their history is not taught at a sufficient level. Ethnic studies programs allow students to learn about Hispanic heritage during the school day. Chicano students feel like this program is what makes them want to go to school. It is important to them and they are engaged in the class and the conversation about their history. 

I am connecting this text to the video we watched in class titled Precious Knowledge. The video shows the same idea of students going to school and enjoying and engaging in their Ethnic Studies class. The video also shows government officials passing laws banning Ethnic Studies Programs. The people wanting to make a law banning this program are white people from the Board of Education who believe that this program instills anti-Americanism in students in the program.  The Ethnic Studies Program in Tucson Arizona was soon shut down after the law was passed.

There's an important quote from the text that says "By the time they reach high school, students of color are not only aware of a Euro-American bias in curriculum, but they can describe it in some detail, and view it a contribute to their disengagement” (p4.) The lack of ethnic education allows for disengagement in school for Chicano students as well as BIPOC. Students are more likely to want to learn about something they are interested in. For these students, this is their life and what they know. They experience their culture at home so when there is an opportunity for them to learn about it in school, this subject becomes the one that they are most excited and interested in learning about. It is a shame that laws have been passed to ban the most important class for these students, the class that makes them actually want to go to school and learn.

Reflection: What is a way that you think this issue could be solved?

https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2021/09/research-finds-sustained-impact-ethnic-studies-class

The Four "I"s of Oppression

 The Four "I"s of Oppression from Training Resources for the Environmental Community 

The Four I's of Oppression with Luna Malbroux (Video)

Connection:

In this article, we learned about the four I's of oppression: idealogical, internalized, interpersonal, and institutional. Idealogical oppression perpetuates across time and space. It deals with something called biologism, interpreting the value of human life from a strictly biological viewpoint, like looking at gender or race and making assumptions strictly based on them. Internalized oppression is an inner self feeling. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who feel like they need to do extraordinary things to feel valued experience internalized oppression. The same goes for those who feel like they're not good enough for things that they are completely capable of. Interpersonal Oppression is a way of oppression that is expressed between individuals or groups both intentionally and accidentally. Institutional oppresion is the way that oppression perpetuates socially through policies, laws, and social practices.

The video explains the four I's in simpler terms. Ideological oppression deals with stereotypes against race, gender, ability, etc. Interpersonal oppression is being treated differently because of some aspect of who we are; this includes exclusion and microagressions. Institutional oppression deals with how oppression happens through laws and policies. Internalized oppression is feeling the difference in oneself. People feel that there is a dominant narrative that needs to be followed which then falls into societal norms. Someone who experiences internalized oppression might say "I'm less than because of who I am."

This article reminded me of the first article we read in this class: "Privilege, Power, and Difference" by Allan Johnson. One quote from this article stood out to me and made me think about Allan Johnson's article: "Oppression impacts everyone; those who perpetuate oppression and experience privilege, and those who are targeted and oppressed" (p4.) Oppression is a societal issue, so even if someone isn't feeling personally oppressed, they are still effected by it. From this, I relate to Johnson's ideas and where he talks about how everyone needs to understand societal issues and become more knowledgable about them. The same message is clear in both pieces: we need to work as a team to end (or at least improve) societal issues. 

Reflection: Did you find any other similarities between these two articles?

The Reality of Oppression in America

Delpit "The Silenced Dialogue"

 Delpit "The Silenced Dialogue"

Quotes: 

Quote 1: “Many black teachers are more likely to say: ‘put those scissors on that shelf” (when most white teachers would say) “Is this where the scissors belong? (p34.)

The author is comparing how white and black teachers speak to their students. The author writes that black teachers will say things straight out and very directly, while white teachers will be softer and tend to ask rhetorical questions. This is a difference in oral style. Different people speak differently depending on where they're from, similar to an accent. The author indicates that oral styles can be difficult for black students and continues the conversation in the next quote.

Quote 2: “Black children expect an authority figure to act with authority." (p35.)

Since black students commonly hear demands from their parents, they expect their teachers to make demands as well, since they are also an authority figure. However, the issue comes when a white teacher asks questions like, "Would you like to sit down now?" (p36) and expects one clear answer, but the black student hears two options. Because of the student's home life, they are hearing this as a non-rhetorical question, one that they can choose if they want to sit down now or not; Due to the oral style in different races, white teachers tend to ask rhetorical questions, but black students aren't raised from rhetorical questions by their parents, so they don't understand that when the teacher asks these kinds of questions that it is a demand rather than a choice.

Quote 3: “Black parents, teachers of color, and members of poor communities must be allowed to participate fully in the discussion of what kind of instruction is in their childrens best interest.” (p45.)

Delpit starts the chapter by telling a few stories where black people say that they are listened to, but not heard. Towards the end, she includes this quote as a way to send out her message of inclusive education. It doesn't make sense how black people don't get a say in the way black children are taught. Black people should be the ones who are the most heard out for what they have to say for black children's education. The author wants this to be known and wants others to support this idea.

Reflection: Have you ever noticed a teacher having a different oral style than your own?

Gender, Race, and Speech Style Stereotypes

            

"Privilege, Power, and Difference" by Allan Johnson

Argument:

The author's main argument in this text is acknowledging and changing how we think about differences in society. He says "My purpose in this book is to articulate that understanding in ways that are clear and compelling and, above all, useful" (vii.) The author wants everyone to be able to understand societal differences in new ways to be able to create change. The author also states "The purpose is to change how we think so that we can change how we act, and by changing how we participate in the world, become part of the complex dynamic through which the world itself will change" (viii.) The author is again saying that we need to find a new way of thinking, a new way of thinking in which we will be able to find the root of the problem. We all need to take accountability for all of these societal issues on gender, race, social class, sexual orientation, etc, no matter what our standpoint is. Everyone is responsible for change. 

People are close-minded, but we need everyone to be open-minded and take responsibility for what is going on in this world.

The author wants to bring awareness to what is going on. The way that this will be done is by acknowledging that everyone is part of the issue, no matter race, gender, social class, sexual orientation, etc. Even if one is not affected by these societal issues, they are still part of the problem. They are part of the problem in the sense that the issue exists. If the people who weren't experiencing these issues didn't exist, there would be no one to be different against. Meaning, if there weren't any white, straight, rich, men, then there would be no problem for black, gay, poor, women. There would be nothing to compare the people with these issues to, therefore there being no fight/ indifference.

Overall, the author's main argument/ point is to get everyone to acknowledge these societal issues and create change no matter where they stand.

Reflection: Question for class: Why do people have different opinions about societal issues?

Racism Is Everyone's Problem

All About Me

 Welcome to my blog page! My name is Delaney and I am 20 years old. I am a sophomore at Rhode Island College studying Art Education. I am hoping to teach elementary art once I finish my degree. I enjoy dancing, reading, learning, working with children, and making art. I work as a camp counselor during the summer and as a teacher's assistant at an art studio during the school year. 

Enjoy my blog! -Delaney