Kristen Billings
What a social pickle that Lisa is in. She wants her child to feel accepted and stay at the new school she has just enrolled in but if she acquires this new language then she won’t be socially accepted in the business world when she grows up, or in any social group other than the Ebonics speaking population. How did we as a country, as a population of people, as a nation get like this? The story about the computer specialist was eye opening. I think that it has more to do with skin color than language. The barrier of segregation had just been blown apart and I believe people still wanted to find reasons not to believe that people with a different color of skin were as smart, worthy, talented, or knowledge as the majority, which was and still is the majority. Have we taken leaps since then? Has it changed? I don’t know for sure. I think maybe we have over corrected in some ways because you hear of so many lawsuits where people and being charged for being racist and some take advantage of that. Then we are left with a justice system that doesn’t want to be racist, doesn’t want to be known for segregating anything, and so small claims where it probably wasn’t racism get blown out of proportion. I think we may have over corrected in that area a little. It is such a sensitive area that we tend to have thin lines between what is right and what is wrong. If I had to make a choice of whether or not we are still a racist nation, I believe that I would say yes to a certain extent. I think a lot of people are racist without even knowing that they are. I have a personal example with that. Living in the south where many people are still brought up to think that all black people are bad or mean has brought many challenges to a current relationship. My fiancé has made comments to me that edge on the line of racist when he is speaking about people who are black. So if I had to choose then yes, I believe we are still a racist country where we put the emphasis on proper etiquette and too many times lose sight of the real person. We can’t see the forest because there are too many trees. I agree with Lisa on this subject wholeheartedly. Her last few sentences really sum it up, “We must respect them, so that they feel connected to us. Then, and only then, might they be willing to adopt our language form as one to be added to their own.”
Making sure that these students are respected is most definitely the key. If they feel comfortable in their own language then they will feel comfortable in any new language they learn. Not only will they feel comfortable but they will understand that being bilingual, trilingual, or just that knowing many different languages is a great skill to have, and it is not a necessity but their own choice to learn it and use it when they want to. If we as a country could understand that everyone knows the three languages Judith Baker talks about then maybe that could put it into perspective. I know as a teacher I speak differently when I am talking to a parent, colleague, or principal from the way I speak at home, and even different from the way that I write a paper for a class. This is so easy to understand and manipulate when you role play and break it all down like Judith does. If I am ever in that situation teaching (95% of the students where I teach are Caucasian) then I will most definitely use the approach Judith uses. And even now I could probably use it because I teach in a county where the dialect is not exactly proper English. They and I speak with a Southern Appalachian dialect, otherwise known as “redneck” or “hickish” speech. But I don’t know if I would go so far as to say that it is its own language. I’m not sure about that.
I think that the Billings article was a testament that you have to keep going and not just let the student fail. When you have a student or several students like that it should encourage you to work that much harder because there are many teachers out there who only do the bare minimum and they are happy with that. Some see something difficult and mark it off their list by saying things like “nobody could teach that kid.” Too many times have I heard “I give up” from a teacher and I have only been teaching for 2 years. I believe that when the going gets tough the tough need to get going. We have to be strong and make these children interested in what they are learning. We have to know what they will feed off of. We need to take them ALL into consideration when creating lesson plans. We focus all too often on the majority of the class and what they want and end up leaving the minorities out.
Comments (3)
Kristen, I can't help but, unfortunately, agree with your last point. If I am completely honest with myself, I know that I do not think of every student when planning activities and lessons for my class. It is so extremely difficult to take into consideration every single students' needs because, in a classroom like mine, there is such a wide range of different students. I mean, I have students from single parent homes, two parent homes, I even have one student with two mothers. I have students at poverty level and students in middle class. Students whose parents are in jail, some who work in law enforcement, some who are other teachers. You name it, my class has it. I completely agree with you that a teacher should never NEVER give up on their students. Regardless of how tough it is, you keep trying and finding new ways to connect with your students.
Posted by Allison Reese | May 30, 2007 8:37 PM
Posted on May 30, 2007 20:37
Kristen,
You are right in saying that we are "in a pickle."
Perhaps this conversation is larger than the issue of instructional methods; perhaps this conversation is about human nature and the fear of change, the fear of the "unknown" and the fear of losing control. If we are able to look at other individuals (our students, their parents, other educators) with totally open and accepting eyes, perhaps our classrooms and our schools will become havens of acceptance and encouragement for all types of learning, students learning from teachers, parents learning, and teachers learning from their students.Yes, we all are racist to a certain extent. If we claim that and attempt to move beyond that, perhaps we can reject the threat/fear of "losing power" or losing control. Isn't that part of the issue with "acceptable" and "unacceptable" language? Isn't it the old story of those "in power" anxious to maintain the status quo? Perhaps the classroom, in its diversity, could be the point of conversion.
Betsy Baldwin
Posted by Betsy Baldwin | May 30, 2007 9:24 PM
Posted on May 30, 2007 21:24
Kristen,
We are placed in social pickles where we have to decide what is best. Lisa was lucky that Maya knew how to "code switch". I think it would be great if more children could have this technique. Teaching them how to do this is the tricky part though. You are right that racism is a sensitive area. I definately think that the computer specialist's scenario of not being told she was not fit for the job because her language was not Standard English, is a type of racism. Whether or not skin color was a factor as well, I couldn't say since the views of the ones in charge or not wanting her were not verbalized. I agree with you that racism is still present in our nation and you bring out an excellent point that some people are racist without even knowing it.
You are so right that students must feel they are respected. If they don't feel comfortable, then the job of teaching them becomes much harder. As Delpit stated learning takes place when students are free of stress. I like you, talk differently when speaking to parents, colleagues, or the principal.
You made a fantastic point when you said that teachers should work harder when they have student challenges like the one in the Billings article. I agree that we should focus on every student and not leave any out. The statement, "I give up" says to me what was told to us in the book that teachers are grating these students "permission to fail".
I enjoyed reading your post!
Linda Younts
Posted by Linda Younts | May 31, 2007 4:29 PM
Posted on May 31, 2007 16:29