In the reading "The academic and Social value of Ethnic Studies" it states, "In other words, racial and ethnic minorities are added consistently in a ‘contribu-tions’ fashion to the predominantly Euro-American narrative of textbooks. Scholarship by and about African Americans, Latino/as, Native Americans, and Asian Americans continues not to be used to frame academic content" (2). Ive never really payed much attention about how growing up I've had to learn about Euro-American history, but not my own history. Still till this day I have little knowledge about where I come from because I've been mostly tested on Euro-American studies. In the "Short History of Public Schooling" it shows how the old schooling system was educating students to be educated in a military enforced way to prepare them to be ready to work when adults. It truly shows how the American way of education doesn't give much freedom for students to learn what they truly need and want to learn or to use their voice in order to make a change. In the "Precious Knowledge" video I found it very interesting and alarming how much the schooling system is against making a change to be able to give kids a better understanding of how the real world is. The ethnics class helped students be more engaged and open minded about their own culture and how to work to become an advocate for their generation to help the world become a better place. It’s truly sad to see white people win in arguements that would help shape our society for the better for their own selfish reasons to save their American way in education. Ive had an instance when one of my teachers didn’t allow for their students to speak spanish because they didn’t understand, and we couldn’t do anything about it because they were the adult. Another way of how my culture was being shut down just because the teacher didn’t understand me. I hope one day the education system changes because so much rallies and students speaking up about caring about their education, yet it is still ignored.
I forgot to post my question...How did others feel about precious knowledge and how our education system doesn't want us to learn about different cultures?
ReplyDeleteAnd how as future teachers can we change that?
ReplyDeleteThe movie really opened my eyes to the system and how limiting it can be. We watched those students fight for that course! Both inside the courtroom and out and were still dismissed and misunderstood. Watching the film had me outraged but as an educator, I wouldn't have done anything different with or for those students. Their teachers established a healthy and comforting relationship with the students and gave them the space to be raw and honest about their history and how to overcome it. It infuriated me that members of the committee compared it to the Mexican Cartel. However, one quote stood out to me and it was when Mr. Acosta stated to 'Read the word as well as the world.' To me, it meant sometimes, we cannot go based on what the history books tell us and limit ourselves to their version of our history but the experiences we have and what we see as well.
ReplyDeleteI had a great time reading what you wrote.
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