Week 6 Blog

 The Silenced Dialogue By: Lisa Delpit

https://www.youngedprofessionals.org/yep-dc-recess-blog/closing-the-achievement-gap-by-granting-students-access-to-the-culture-of-power

In “The Silenced Dialogue,” Lisa Delpit explains that schools operate within a “culture of power,” meaning they follow the rules, language, and values of the dominant culture — mainly white, middle-class norms. Students who are not raised within that culture must be explicitly taught how it works in order to succeed academically and socially. When looking at Precious Knowledge, directed by Ari Luis Palos, you can clearly see this connection. In the Mexican American Studies (MAS) program, students were taught their history, culture, and heritage from a perspective that is often left out of traditional curriculum. This helped them think critically and view education differently. The school system represents the culture of power, and the MAS program challenged whose knowledge is considered “valid.” Because it questioned dominant narratives and empowered students of color, those in power felt threatened and ultimately shut the program down.

I thought this was a good TED talk about privilege and culture of power.

Here’s a question that we all probably asked ourselves:

Who gets to decide what knowledge is “valid” in schools, and how does that connect to the shutdown of the MAS program in Precious Knowledge?

Week 5 Blog Reflection

 

The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies

After reading this week’s article by Sleeter, I really took a second to reflect about how curriculum shapes how students view racism and American history. One thing that jumped out was how their school books a lot of the time show racism as something that happened in the past instead of a current or ongoing issue, even so connected to current systems of power. When racism is covered up inside a much bigger story of American “progress” student’s think that race relations naturally improve over time. This only alters the real story that progress has been uneven and met with criticism.

The reading shows us why ethnic studies is not about adding diversity but changing the whole view of it. I think back to when I was in school and how tailored the curriculum and studies were. What if we stopped and branched off each topic and looked at it from a different lens or view. I think this would open a whole new line of discussion and engage all students.

One thing that we can look deeper into is that Sleeter talks about black and white students interpreting history differently. So when students personal experiences don’t match what they are being taught, what would their thoughts be on what’s really the truth?

This a great TED talk about the importance and impact of why ethnic studies are important

https://youtu.be/XvvMgujD4i8

Week 4 Blog

 

Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit Oriented Schools to Asset Based Models: Why Leaders Need to Promote an Asset Orientation in our Schools

This week’s reading offered a fresh perspective compared to the last two weeks with Anyon and Khan’s discussions on broken school models. First, there are deficit-oriented school models, which focus on what students lack, such as cultural or socioeconomic differences. This approach often places blame on the student or individual. In contrast, the asset-based model emphasizes what the student brings to the table. Rather than focusing on what is missing, it builds on the strengths and contributions of each student.

In my opinion, leaders should support the asset-based model because it fosters a more trusting and engaging environment. By focusing on strengths, leaders can empower students and staff, creating opportunities for growth and success. Below is an article I found about strength-based learning that highlights this approach.

https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/new-focus-strength-based-learning

I got this question from this article and thought this would be a good question to post for everyone to respond to.

What can teachers do to help highlight student assets and not their deficits? In other words, what can teachers do to help create that mindset for themselves when they look at students and what can they do to help students develop the same view?

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-focusing-on-what-our-students-are-doing-instead-of-what-theyre-not/2019/12

What Counts As Educational Policy?

 

While reading “What ‘Counts’ as Educational Policy? Notes Toward a New Paradigm,” I realized that I previously viewed educational policy in a much narrower way. When I thought about education policy, I mainly considered standardized testing, curriculum and learning goals, school sports offerings, administrative leadership, and how school funding is allocated. I did not fully consider how many factors outside of the school system influence student learning and success.

Anyon points out that educational policy extends far beyond what happens inside schools. She argues that factors such as housing, poverty, and job markets should also be considered educational policies because they directly affect students’ opportunities to learn. Schools cannot fix internal problems without addressing external social and economic conditions. Many challenges faced by students stem from their communities and home environments. For example, a student who does not have a safe place to live or who comes to school hungry is far less likely to perform well on a standardized test. While testing is part of educational policy, the social and economic conditions affecting students are often ignored.

This idea is supported by the quote, “Policies that affect employment, housing, and family income must be considered educational policies because they shape students’ opportunities to learn.”

When comparing Anyon’s perspective to Sal Khan’s “The Broken Model,” the two authors locate the problem in different places. Khan argues that the issue lies inside schools, particularly in a system that allows students to advance without mastering content. Anyon, however, suggests that educational failure is largely shaped by forces outside of schools. Together, these readings suggest that education is broken in multiple ways and that meaningful reform must address both school structures and broader social and economic inequalities.

https://www.nhcc.edu/life-nhcc/student-publications/northern-light/northern-light-2022-publications/failing-education

After reading this article, which I found to be a good read, I realized that it didn’t mention anything about what Aynon was talking about. It’s really eye-opening.