Reflection 2 - Montgomery

Reflection 2 - Montgomery

Review       

            This chapter discusses many different concepts that are difficult to even comprehend.  Stereotyping occurs when people try to take a massive amount of information and put them into more manageable parts.  This leads people into grouping others without first getting to know them (Noel, p. 45).  If certain features stand out to us, and they become important, it is called salience.  We then imagine everyone in that group will share that trait. Race, gender, and what people wear are more noticeable, and therefore, are what we will notice. People often use shortcuts to put people into categories they can remember. This is called heuristic thinking (Noel, p. 46). If we put people into categories to remember them, it keeps us from having to learn more about each person we meet.

             When people gain their sense of pride from the group they associate with or want to be a part of, it is called social identity theory.  The out-crowd is seen as having negative attributes while the in-crowd is seen as having positive attributes (Noel, p. 47). The allocating of positive and negative elements is the focus of the attributional theory. The two different elements are dispositional and nondispositional. Dispositional elements are seen as under the control of the person in all setting and during all times.  For example, if a student performs badly during a band concert, it is because he/she did not practice enough. Nondispositional elements are seen as out of the person's control. Outside conditions are thought to cause the behavior. So if a student performs badly during a recital, it is due to a lack of sleep or the piano was not tuned properly. We tend to think behaviors of our in-group only applies to one member, while the behavior of the out-group applies to everyone in the group (Noel, pp. 47-48).

            Prejudice is how we feel about a person. Stereotyping is how we view people, either negatively or positively.  There are five theories of how prejudices possibly form. First, prejudging people because they are a different race or have a different background is called racial and cultural difference theory. Children notice color when they see it, but do not judge people because of their color. Next, a prejudice due to competition for economic rewards and jobs is called economic competition theory. Third, if prejudices form against a particular group due to a distressing encounter it is called traumatic experience theory. For example, all men are bad because one hurt your family member. Fourth, the frustration aggression theory causes prejudices toward another group when a person does not satisfy your factual or alleged needs.  This type person wants to penalize anyone who does not follow the rules. The last theory is the social control theory which believe society has had a result on the person. In this theory our family, social contacts, community, and personal interactions are critical. People who have an optimistic, strong identity have a better chance of not developing or continuing prejudices (Noel, pp. 51-57).

            A person who believes his race is better than another is considered to be racist. There were six characteristics mentioned in this chapter that could contribute to racism and people joining hate groups.  Of these characteristics, the need to belong and self-hatred seem to be the two that would have the highest risk. People who are in racist groups usually have low self-esteem. Institutional racism happens when a person who is racist has power. For example, a bank manager who will not loan money to the Jewish because he thinks the loan will not be repaid (Noel, pp. 61-63).

 

Reflect

            As teachers, we have to be careful not to fall into the self-fulfilling prophecy described in our text (Noel, p. 71).  Students achieve at levels we expect, for the most part.  So teachers should not look at a student's IQ or other test scores and not push him/her to go beyond those levels. In fact, some students do not test well. This does not mean they did not necessarily know the material.  I used to have such test anxiety that I could not eat, sleep, or perform well just because tests were so scary to me. A student might be great at math, but totally freeze on a test while being asked to use multiplication to solve a problem. Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) has taken steps to decrease the gap between low-income students and higher income students.  The Broad Prize awarded to GCPS in 2010 proved the achievement gap has been lowered  (GCPS).

             Thirty years ago there were more people who were prejudiced, and showed racism.  Some areas of the country may not have understood how anyone different from them could be as good of a person. If they grew up with only one race, they might have been afraid of what they did not know. Today, most people who live in urban areas really do not show racism, stereotyping, and prejudices toward others. However, teachers must be careful not to make stereotypical statements.  For example, teachers may say Asian students should perform higher than any other nationality. There are so many races in cities now that people are used to those who are different from them. It does not matter to my children if their friend's background is different. We should celebrate differences in people. However, we should make sure all students are treated fairly. Listening to what children say is the best way to know what they are dealing with, and how to help them if they are in need.

             I am sure there are some people who still do not live near groups different from them. This would be a marginal amount of people who might show prejudice, stereotypes, and racism. I have never understood racism. Why does anyone think their race is better than another race. Every person has different strengths, weaknesses, and ideas. Each person should be judged on their own merit, not by their race.

 Refine

            When teaching, we need to make sure all students are challenged. They should have differentiated learning. This means learning is changed to meet the needs of every student. Teachers need to have a variety of teaching techniques to meet every need in the classroom. This means, if a student does not succeed with one technique, try another one.  Just because one technique worked today, does not mean it will work tomorrow.

            Teachers need to make every effort to make sure students are not discriminated against. We must look at the needs of each student. Of course, kids do not need to be too sensitive, either. If children are too sensitive, they will have a tough time getting along with their classmates. Children often tell their feelings out loud or write them in stories. I always make every effort to bring out the best in each student.  Children will be encouraged to write about their background. They could then share their experiences with the class as they become more comfortable with their classmates. A student could share with one student, two, and so on as they become more at ease speaking in front of others. Everyone would be assured they were doing their best.

            Four square is a visual organizer I would like to use in my classroom (Gould, no date). This strategy seems like a good one to use for writing.  Anything that makes writing easier for a child is a bonus.

            My hope for every person is that we will not put people into categories to remember them. Everyone is special enough to warrant getting to know them. It does not matter how old someone is, what race they are, or if they are male or female. Each individual should be given the opportunity to tell about themselves in a positive way. This will make our world a much better place.

 

                                                            References

Gould, J. S., & Gould, E. J. (No date given).  Four Square Writing Method, Teaching and Learning     Company, Carthage, IL.

Gwinnett County Public Schools (2012, Sept. 15). Retrieved from             https://www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us.

Noel, J. (2008). Developing Multicultural Educators (2nd edition).

The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 2010. Web. 30 August 2012. How to cite sources             in APA style.