I was both sad and happy with the epilogue. Mrs. Starr really has learned a lot by having someone from the outside stepping in to observe her class. When Mrs. Starr "spoke to other educators and found that they had experienced the same difficulties when working with language-minority children (p. 125)" she took the important first step and found out what problems were out there and how other teachers dealt with the problem. Conversation with fellow teaching professionals is key in my eyes to developing new ideas and new educational tactics. Peley and Raji should have had a wraparound program to help them and their families deal with the problem of being a language minority and culturally different. Much of what Mrs. Starr is attempting, like discussing other cultures, sending notes home and forming the steering committee, will help provide the base for these programs.
I am a little upset though by the reaction of some of the teachers when it comes to these programs. I understand how difficult it must be for teachers in older grades to have parents who have never gone through all these new ideas and processes, but to just totally give up? The older teachers could take small steps, like just talking about another culture or making some kind reasearch project to open the children's minds. Does anyone else think that this problem maybe because of the close mindedness of the other teachers or maybe fear?
Dominick, I hope it's not a racist fear...if it's a fear, I hope it's one of change and losing our American Melting Pot ways and not one of accepting the world and country we live in looks and is different. Closed mindedness is a possibility but I want to HOPE that time and effort is the main problem. Teachers get paid to do their job and for some that is enough. And then there are teachers who are willing to take more time from their day and go the extra mile and work in a time period where they are not paid....to try out some small steps toward teaching kids about a broader picture of the world. But it's a hard question to answer when some may be biased or just unwilling to change things. At least the question can be asked...at least we can think to ourselves...what kind of teacher would I be? You asked a great question!!
ReplyDeleteOf course it is fear, fear of change. Fear that what we have come to known as being "American" no longer holds true and that we might become outdated representations of what was. Fear that things will change too quickly for us all to keep up. Obviously, I have these fears too. But America has always been a place of change and now with technology and globalization, these changes do seem to be happening more rapidly. I personally believe that the melting pot has never changed and will never change, but what is being melted inside the pot has never stopped changing and will never stop changing. And somehow, this assuages my fears. It prepares me for the duty as a teachers, and as an American, to embrace change.
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