| No, they need to speak proper English if they are to be taken seriously and not perceived as being poorly educated or ineducable. |
It's not that simple. You seem to think it is, but you clearly have had people in your life that were able to model and teach you standard english. That is not always the case for everyone. |
Seriously? We're to believe AA youths live their entire lives in a bubble, cut off from all media? I don't think so. It's more about choices and positive/negative reinforcement in the community. |
I agree - I think they can learn it. It involves changing a habit, not learning a new, difficult skill. but won't happen if kids don't think it's cool and don't get reinforcement at home or school. |
Exactly. If the people they are closest to (family, friends, even teachers) are not speaking standard english, then yes, it is about negative reinforcement in the community (which is usually the case). As far as media is concerned, do you think young AA youth are taking in the same things you are? Chances are that the media they are taking in is reflective of their experience, hence more negative reinforcement. It is not enough to simply say that it is a wrong way to speak. Some don't know the right way and if they do many of their strongest influences are not setting that example. It must be taught that: A) it is relevant, and B) there are ways to bridge the gap and learn how to express themselves in standard english. |
| True dat, the black kids at McKinley are thriving better with their white principal better than the black kids are at Wilson. Is it a fluke? |
So I am a teacher in DCPS . I am white and a majority of my students are black. Do you really assume from that information that I don't have my students best interest at heart? Do you really think I am in the role of oppressor here? My lonh hours, patience, caring and love for them is a figment of my imagination? Am I actually hurting these students because of the color of my skin? |
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Continued question: my white kids have numerous black teachers. Should I not believe those teachers really care about my kids? Does this phenomenon work the same way in the other direction? Or are black teachers and administartors more evolved in how they teach regard children of other races?
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Historically, black people have had to be in a position of care for their white counterparts, even to the detriment of our own families in many cases. The whole phenomenon of a white nanny working for a black family if relatively new. So, I would argue that, no it does not work in the other direction.I would not say that black teachers are more evolved, just that the evolution took place much sooner for black people. |
That was a historical reference mentioned to point out where we have come from in regards to education in this country. If you truly take to heart that the experiences and realities of your students are valid and really work to meet them where they are, in addition to helping them to see themselves in the material you are teaching you are indeed doing them a greater service than you could possibly know. Validate who the are, even if you know that there is room for improvement. This will go a long way. Good luck with your school year. My sense is that you will be just fine, as will your students. |
| Read-- Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria by Tatum |
That presupposes an awful lot about race and capacity to care in either direction. |
+1 |
Historically that has not been the case for anyone in my lifetime. Blacks are not in any special, particular or unique position of care of white counterparts in my child's generation, have never been at any time in my generation, never were in my parent's generation, nor in my grandparents' generation - and the same is likely to be true of most people I know - most never had nannies or outside help. Most of the country, most people outside of places like DC do not have nannies or other outside help - and even going back in history that was true. Only the wealthy had household help, only the wealthy had slaves. The vast majority of people in America, 150 years ago, 200 years ago, 250 years ago - didn't. |
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Why read the book?
-1 |