Journal #3

In chapter 7 of Affirming Diversity, I found Nini’s perspective on being mixed race quite enlightening. She sounds like a remarkably self-confident 15-year old, and yet she still finds trouble fitting in to certain social groups. She even feels that teachers sometimes judge her because she looks non-white. Her parents have taught her to know about her heritage and be proud of it. She has learned a lot about her mother’s black South African roots as well as her father’s Polish American culture; her diverse knowledge could obviously be an asset to any classroom. However, she feels that her teachers don’t cash in on her unique perspective. I think it’s important that teachers both recognize and give credit to the diverse backgrounds from which our students come. Cultural heritage is something that most Americans value, and no American, immigrant or not, should feel that he or she has to hide culture from the mainstream world. Sonia Nieto, author of Affirming Diversity, agrees. She had many enlightening experiences as a Puerto Rican-American visiting family in her home country, but never shared them in school because she felt that they would not be interesting for her teacher and classmates or not appropriate for the school environment (p. 259). However, the opposite is true! A girl sharing a story about a frozen tarantula would be a perfect science conversation for her 5^th grade classroom.

While reading “Unraveling the ‘Model Minority’ Stereotype,” a relatable issue stuck out to me. Stacey Lee writes that many Korean families placed value on “adopting American” (p. 35), encouraging their children to make relationships with, wear the same clothes as, and take up the hobbies of the white students. However, Korean parents also encourage their students to maintain their Korean roots by “supporting Korean connections” (p. 34), which can be done as simply as walking into a store owned by a fellow Korean. I think the dual-identity encouraged by the Korean families is an interesting dynamic. In this school, the Korean students seem to think that they fit in better with white people than other Asians. However, we later find out that most white students can’t tell the difference between Koreans and the rest of the Asian population (p. 35). The Korean students seem to think that they are getting ahead because of their relations with the white population, but is that just a false sense of security based on the adoption of the mainstream culture?

Another point of the book I found interesting was that school administrators “denied the existence of racial tension among Academic students” and believed “interracial relations were good” (p. 96). However, by simply observing the lunch room, Lee can conclude that students obviously separated themselves by race or culture. Furthermore, the “culture of competition” at Academic also caused a lot of racial tension, as the tracking system and elite activities may turn certain ethnic groups against one another. Students began to blame each other when they were unsuccessful, and this obviously causes dislike for and mistrust of other students (and generalization of that dislike for all students of that race). A little competition in school might be good, yes, but this school needs to take a look at its tracking system and activity policy so that it stops shutting students out and starting race wars within the school.

Journal #2

What really stuck out to me while reading Children of Immigration were the horrific images of the violence and intimidation that immigrants must often face in their underfunded urban schools. In one school, the head security guard was known as the local drug dealer (p. 86). In another elementary school, a young girl was raped and murdered, her body discovered on school property (p. 133). These unsafe school environments make students distrust each other and dread interaction with other students. No one is sharing ideas, cultures, and values, because they are too busy trying to survive. However, in some urban and still underfunded schools, charismatic leaders and a safe school environment can lead to true learning and growth. In these schools, students thrive. They are able to appreciate the welcoming environment in America’s schools and focus on getting an education in order to succeed.

On that token, many immigrant parents are aware that an education is the best way to become successful in the United States. However, many parents are uninvolved in their child’s schooling. The reasons for this vary. Parents place trust on teachers and don’t believe it’s their place to become involved with the education system, but additionally, they themselves might not be educated and thus find it difficult to navigate the map of America’s academics. This is where I believe it is the teacher’s duty to reach out to the parents. It is so important that the student have a supportive home environment so that they can get through school. Parents need to know that they don’t necessarily have to be able to help their child write essays on Shakespearean dramas, but they need to encourage their child in academics and create a safe and fostering environment at home so that the student knows education is the most important factor in getting ahead in the United States.

As a teacher, I hope to cash in on the various experiences of my immigrant and culturally diverse students. It’s important for teachers to value what their students do bring into the classroom, rather than become discouraged when a student is academically underdeveloped. I hope to create a culturally responsive teaching environment in which we study the works of diverse authors and relate to the experiences of other ethnicities. I want my students to see the differences between themselves and their neighbors and embrace them. After all, isn’t that what makes America what it is? By creating a safe environment for my students and being a positive role model, I can teach my students content but also get through to them regarding their social responsibilities as citizens. The generation I release upon the world (or into the next grade) will be open, tolerant, and ready to learn.