Are you ready for Chapter 5 and Social Constructivism? This is a heavy topic and a great one to dialogue with your colleagues. I'll be looking forward to reading your comments.
We are working with a group of students. They are a group of people within the school society. The students speak a different language than that of their educators. Even if they speak English, most use terms such as IDK (I don’t know) to answer questions. The educational level of the teacher can hinder students understanding and gaining the necessary knowledge, if the vocabulary is not taught on their level. There are students who speak languages other than English within the classroom too, this just throws another challenge into the mix. Chapter 4 begins with a quotation from John Comenius, “We are all citizens of one world; we are all of one blood. To hate someone because he is born in another country, because he speaks a different language or because he takes a different view on a subject is a great folly.” This sounds to me like social constructivism. The entire chapter focused on xenophobia and the fear of other cultures is the precursor to promoting Americanization, harsh immigration laws, violence towards immigrants and erroneous ideas that “they are taking our jobs”. This chapter is hard to digest. It seems like fear creates ideals such as Nativism. Why do we have to be afraid of people from different areas of the world? If we really take time and think about it, it’s ridiculous. All of our ancestors probably stem from the same region of the world before Pangaea and have moved here from other countries over time. The United States and many other nations have people living there and moving in from other countries all of the time. If this didn’t happen, none of us would be here. Nativism is silly to me but is it embedded into some areas of our culture? The myths of this chapter I have heard in jokes from my friends and from my family (i.e. they need to stay in their country, they are stealing our jobs…). Is this ignorance ingrained? Most people are selfish and they are going to be afraid of others taking what they think they deserve or have earned. I am selfish. I want an opportunity to have a secure job, health insurance, and a home. I had access to a great education. When waves of new immigrants come, there are new fears. These new fears create xenophobia, which leads to social change. This could involve new laws or even prejudice and violence. When a new surge of people come from a country other than the USA, there is a resurgence of Nativism. First it was with the Native Americans and we invaded their land! Then it was with African Americans, followed by Chinese, then Japanese, then Mexicans, then Puerto Ricans, then Cubans, and other groups. According to this book, it seemed like immigration was reformed every few years with a new surge of a people group. It seems like this is never going to end. However if we can learn to value others, value other cultures and be a role model in the classroom, we can combat negative attitudes and prejudices in the future. I need to not be selfish, I need to share. I am happy that people are coming here from other countries, to escape from the life they are living. I have to think if I was born in a different situation, I might be doing the same thing. If I move, I have a reason for relocating. People that are coming here have a reason for being here and a reason that they left their home behind, probably in the hopes that they will build a better life for themselves in the USA.
When thinking of social constructivism and cultural awareness as educators it is all included in what we need to do as teachers. A teacher can be educated, but not familiar with the language and terms of the particular subject area, not only do we fail as educators, but our students fail too. We are working with a culture of students who come from various backgrounds. I believe that it is a group of young people that are trying to find their place in society. Most students and teachers speak English, but there are a few that speak other languages at home or with their peers. There are also students who speak English, but have grown up in a technological age where it is acceptable to use acronyms and shorten words so they don’t understand how to write a complete sentence when answering questions they would rather say IDK (I don’t know) or OMG (oh my gosh) than writing a full sentence. Some of the ideas in Chapter 4 really stop and make me say hmmm. Most of us come from backgrounds of people that emigrated from Europe to the US. So why do we have Nativism when a good percentage of our ancestors aren’t even from here originally? Many people believe that instead of fighting wars and world hunger we should take care of the US first instead of sticking our noses into other countries business, but are mad when people from other countries want to immigrate here not only to better themselves, but to better the US as well. There were times when I was younger that I thought that I should have special privileges because I have/had a lot of family members that fought in wars past. My cousin didn’t get to come back from Vietnam, so should I be mad at Vietnam or should I be mad at the US? It is something that I think about often when I didn’t get to meet this person whom I was told was a great man that cared about his country and his family. Whiteman took the Native Americans land first, but when others come to this country we get mad? It seems to be a never-ending cycle and immigration laws have been reformed every time that a new ethnic group comes to the US. When I was a kid we moved to Illinois because there was a better job opportunity for my dad. It is ok for American people to re-locate for better opportunities, but when immigrants want the same for their families; it seems as if the US throws a big fit. If they want to better their lives and opportunities for their families, why can’t we let them? US D 259 recruited teachers from the Philippines to teach here. They offered them a 3yr contract, but haven’t provided sufficient training for them to adjust to the culture of the United States. Many of them left their homes, families, and jobs. When their contracts are up at the end of the school year, they may go back to no jobs. How is this fair? I feel like they gave up everything to help the United States improve their education, but what are we giving them in return? Until the US changes their views on culture diversity and provide some support for other cultures, out nation is no better than we started by taking away land from the Native Americans.
sorry I did not post.. I have had trouble logging in to post here.
Becky.. good points made. I have no idea why we are a world of haters. Why is it so wrong to be from different areas. Just this week our principal came to talk to us about a parent that was racist and complaining because kids were speaking "mexican". Good grief, why in the world does she feel superior to others? What a disservice she is doing to her daughter.
Leasa.. I am so glad you brought up the texting language and students not writing in complete sentences. Also, I have thought it unfair how the teachers from the Philippines have been treated. They were not brought in to be successful as so many of them are now gone.
Are you ready for Chapter 5 and Social Constructivism? This is a heavy topic and a great one to dialogue with your colleagues. I'll be looking forward to reading your comments.
ReplyDeleteWe are working with a group of students. They are a group of people within the school society. The students speak a different language than that of their educators. Even if they speak English, most use terms such as IDK (I don’t know) to answer questions. The educational level of the teacher can hinder students understanding and gaining the necessary knowledge, if the vocabulary is not taught on their level. There are students who speak languages other than English within the classroom too, this just throws another challenge into the mix.
ReplyDeleteChapter 4 begins with a quotation from John Comenius, “We are all citizens of one world; we are all of one blood. To hate someone because he is born in another country, because he speaks a different language or because he takes a different view on a subject is a great folly.” This sounds to me like social constructivism. The entire chapter focused on xenophobia and the fear of other cultures is the precursor to promoting Americanization, harsh immigration laws, violence towards immigrants and erroneous ideas that “they are taking our jobs”.
This chapter is hard to digest. It seems like fear creates ideals such as Nativism. Why do we have to be afraid of people from different areas of the world? If we really take time and think about it, it’s ridiculous. All of our ancestors probably stem from the same region of the world before Pangaea and have moved here from other countries over time. The United States and many other nations have people living there and moving in from other countries all of the time. If this didn’t happen, none of us would be here. Nativism is silly to me but is it embedded into some areas of our culture? The myths of this chapter I have heard in jokes from my friends and from my family (i.e. they need to stay in their country, they are stealing our jobs…). Is this ignorance ingrained?
Most people are selfish and they are going to be afraid of others taking what they think they deserve or have earned. I am selfish. I want an opportunity to have a secure job, health insurance, and a home. I had access to a great education. When waves of new immigrants come, there are new fears. These new fears create xenophobia, which leads to social change. This could involve new laws or even prejudice and violence. When a new surge of people come from a country other than the USA, there is a resurgence of Nativism. First it was with the Native Americans and we invaded their land! Then it was with African Americans, followed by Chinese, then Japanese, then Mexicans, then Puerto Ricans, then Cubans, and other groups. According to this book, it seemed like immigration was reformed every few years with a new surge of a people group. It seems like this is never going to end. However if we can learn to value others, value other cultures and be a role model in the classroom, we can combat negative attitudes and prejudices in the future. I need to not be selfish, I need to share. I am happy that people are coming here from other countries, to escape from the life they are living. I have to think if I was born in a different situation, I might be doing the same thing. If I move, I have a reason for relocating. People that are coming here have a reason for being here and a reason that they left their home behind, probably in the hopes that they will build a better life for themselves in the USA.
When thinking of social constructivism and cultural awareness as educators it is all included in what we need to do as teachers. A teacher can be educated, but not familiar with the language and terms of the particular subject area, not only do we fail as educators, but our students fail too.
ReplyDeleteWe are working with a culture of students who come from various backgrounds. I believe that it is a group of young people that are trying to find their place in society. Most students and teachers speak English, but there are a few that speak other languages at home or with their peers. There are also students who speak English, but have grown up in a technological age where it is acceptable to use acronyms and shorten words so they don’t understand how to write a complete sentence when answering questions they would rather say IDK (I don’t know) or OMG (oh my gosh) than writing a full sentence.
Some of the ideas in Chapter 4 really stop and make me say hmmm. Most of us come from backgrounds of people that emigrated from Europe to the US. So why do we have Nativism when a good percentage of our ancestors aren’t even from here originally? Many people believe that instead of fighting wars and world hunger we should take care of the US first instead of sticking our noses into other countries business, but are mad when people from other countries want to immigrate here not only to better themselves, but to better the US as well.
There were times when I was younger that I thought that I should have special privileges because I have/had a lot of family members that fought in wars past. My cousin didn’t get to come back from Vietnam, so should I be mad at Vietnam or should I be mad at the US? It is something that I think about often when I didn’t get to meet this person whom I was told was a great man that cared about his country and his family.
Whiteman took the Native Americans land first, but when others come to this country we get mad? It seems to be a never-ending cycle and immigration laws have been reformed every time that a new ethnic group comes to the US. When I was a kid we moved to Illinois because there was a better job opportunity for my dad. It is ok for American people to re-locate for better opportunities, but when immigrants want the same for their families; it seems as if the US throws a big fit. If they want to better their lives and opportunities for their families, why can’t we let them?
US D 259 recruited teachers from the Philippines to teach here. They offered them a 3yr contract, but haven’t provided sufficient training for them to adjust to the culture of the United States. Many of them left their homes, families, and jobs. When their contracts are up at the end of the school year, they may go back to no jobs. How is this fair? I feel like they gave up everything to help the United States improve their education, but what are we giving them in return?
Until the US changes their views on culture diversity and provide some support for other cultures, out nation is no better than we started by taking away land from the Native Americans.
sorry I did not post.. I have had trouble logging in to post here.
ReplyDeleteBecky.. good points made. I have no idea why we are a world of haters. Why is it so wrong to be from different areas. Just this week our principal came to talk to us about a parent that was racist and complaining because kids were speaking "mexican". Good grief, why in the world does she feel superior to others? What a disservice she is doing to her daughter.
Leasa.. I am so glad you brought up the texting language and students not writing in complete sentences. Also, I have thought it unfair how the teachers from the Philippines have been treated. They were not brought in to be successful as so many of them are now gone.