Prism Model:

Overcoming this problem is not as simple as it is as firstly, teacher must make sense of the elements of Prism Model to CLD students learning. If teacher fails to address the real issue, it will be out of focus. It is like the wrong prescription is given for students and it is dangerous. CLD students might have problem in language or linguistic, but immersing them into extensive programs of reading might not be a great help as the main concern for them is lack of motivation to attend the reading classes which is related to sociocultural challenges. He/She might be uncomfortable sitting in that reading class due to the fact that reading activities provided specifically focus on individual rather than group works. A sensitive teacher will provide activities that can fit into his/her students biography.

In order for teacher to use Prism Model in order to suit the need of CLD students, teacher can do focus on the aspect of :

Academic Challenges:

Teacher needs to realize that most of academic and concepts can be transferred to second language from CLD students’ first language. Teacher needs to  techniques that can help to smoothen up this transfer during assessment, for example, providing para professional help or translator. It is important as well teacher knows previous education that students receive as teacher will not water down and make it easy too students. They will not be motivated as it is not challenging enough.

Cognitive Development:

Knowing the preferences on students types of intelligences are important as it will help teacher to provide teaching material or activities that can help them boost best their grasp of understanding of teacher’s lessons. For example, preparing lots of graphics and mind maps for virtual learners.

Language Development:

Knowing the language aspect of students in order to help them transferring L1 knowledge to L2 so that students will be able to learn better. For example, the phonemes or phonetics similarities, cognates and etc. I also realize knowing students level of second language acquisition is important too. For example, if the above students is in preproduction stage in his writing but  intermediate fluency stage in his speaking skills, then the teacher must provide lessons/activities that suit his/her level of development.

Socio and Cultural Processes:

I am thinking using text/ assessment that is related to students sociocultural process can help to enhance learning. If students come from a culture that highly collective society might perform better in assessment that use performance based assessment with peer involvements or play based assessment.

Biopsychosial Approach:

Researching about Biopsychosocial Approach, it mentions that in order to understand patient, it is very important to understand the three aspects of them. Biological,Psychological and social aspects of a patient is interrelated and can lead to the wreckage of the whole beings. In relation to Biopsychosocial Approach towards CLD students, teacher will explore these three aspects  in related to CLD students. For example:

a) Bio :

You notice students of yours always ask questions on whatever you write on whiteboard and it is only him rather than the whole class. You might suspect him having problem with his eyesight. First, you might want to ask him to sit in front to see either his eyesight improve or not. If it does not change, you might ask him to see you and interview him asking for clarification. If it is positive, then you might want him to go for a check up.

Anyway, this process of asking him to go to the treatment  will involve other consideration or probability  such as he might not see a optometrist if he comes from a poor family, or a single parent student that need to divide his/her time/money between studying and meeting other financial needs of his/her families.

b)Psych:

Let us take the same case as above, it will affect his performance in class thinking about his inability to follow lessons as he needs to get his eyes checked and it will cost/trouble his mother to find/get money  for him. He will be stress and put him into anxiety and depression.

c) Socio:

Thinking about the problem above, teacher might want to know further by setting up a committee that can look into the student’s problem in order to gather help. A committee might have a social visit to the students house in order to get more information on questions such as:

-        the depth /seriousness of the problem related to family financial capabilities

-        help/aid that they might receive.

-        Access to private practitioner/doctors.

It means both is used to understand what CLD students inside out, its like investigating in order to understand and help teacher to plan instructional design for CLD students.

Pre Assessment Tool: Mind Map of Self

The main idea of having pre assessment tool is to gather information as much as possible  so that teacher can see below the iceberg. This can be done informally by asking them later to discuss and share whatever that they write/draw with classmates. While individual student presents, teacher will jot down the thoughts that students transfer such as their preferences, background knowledge, level of second language acquisition and etc. This can be used to make connection to students’ biography cards/mind maps.

Students will be put randomly in groups and will be given a piece of paper each, individually. It has a mind map that has few branches asking them to them out, information pertaining to themselves that they are willing to share. They are being told that they can draw pictures, or they can write anything that they like. They are given the ideas that they can add the branches by putting anything else that they like on their own. Later they are going to share this with their classmates.

References:

Herrera,S.G.,&Murry,K.G.,& Cabral,R.M Assessment and Accommodations For Classroom Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Boston, MA, Allyn and Bacon.

Herrera,S.G.,Perez,D.R&Escamilla,K. Teaching Reading to English Language Learners: Differentiatied Literacies. Boston,MA, Allyn and Bacon.

Herrera,S.G & Murry,K.G Mastering ESL and Bilingual Methods: Differentiated Instruction for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse(CLD) Students. Boston,MA,Allyn and Bacon.

Feeling:
• Happy
• Relief
• Confident

Thoughts:
I feel happy after reading these articles about reading approach because I find it suits with many reading comprehension strategies that I read from the textbook. I feel relief thinking that reading approaches are many and not just limited to analytical reading approach or phonic reading approach only. I feel confident to teach readings as I can move on to the approaches that I comfortable with.

Learnings:
Step One: I had assumption that there is only one best approach to teach reading which is bottom up approach. I had assumption that my students will learn best using this approach. I had assumption that I should teach using an approach that I am comfortable with.

Step Two: I was wrong in all of my assumptions. After reading textbooks and articles related to reading approaches now I realize, I was wrong. There are many interesting approaches beside bottom up approach. Reading about prism model and how it relates to students uniqueness put me into realization that again my second assumption is incorrect too. I realize after reading and knowing other types of reading approaches, they are interesting and comprehensive too and should be tried out.

Step Three: For a long time, I believe bottom up approach is the best because I am not familiar with other approaches. It was due to my preferences over any other approaches as it was the first approach that I learnt when I was doing my undergraduate. Before this, I never really care to look into various personalities of my students instead of it, my lessons were very teacher centered. My students consist of various personalities and different types of intelligences, so it is wrong to depend solely on one approach. Before taking this course, I did not really understand how reading process develop in one’s brain, but as I take it this semester, I start to understand the complex process of literacy and reading and that gear my interest to reading and try out the new approaches.

Applications:
Step One: Reading these two articles on CORI help me improve my understanding on reading approaches and how it relates to students biography. I would love to practice it though I am thinking not all elements of Literacy can be related directly to CORI, however I would love to practice CORI to improve and see my students’ motivation on reading as I know motivation is important to increase understanding when students interested to know further about their reading material. The relationship that I can bridge between CORI and my reading from our literacy textbook is that motivation can be increased by taking into consideration CLD Student Biography and making sociocultural connection from it. Not just that, I will focus as well my students academic dimension so that I can pick up suitable material for them.

Step Two: I plan to develop a lesson plan based on CORI, which highly focus on a topic that relates to student focus/ area of interest. I can see the purpose behind it as to develop motivation. It means teacher need to know their students very well as literacy itself is biographical. I can say that if teacher choose reading material that is rooted in their sociocultural background, it will assist process of learning and reading. In order to achieve this, I plan to group them according to their cultural group and have their own freedom to choose their reading materials.

CORI has the elements of Comprehending and Integrating, Communicating to Others and Peer-peer Interaction. I notice that in Chapter 6 of our textbook, it is related to developing students acquisition of metacognitive,cognitive and social affective strategies. The best thing about it is the elements of CORI is related mostly to reading comprehension strategies. For example, I can use CLD Questioning for Clarification or Story Retelling Matrix in CORI elements.

The same information can be used for both functions. For example, you might use final exam scores in assigning your course grades and also use them to make modifications to the course content or to the exam itself for the next term. Or you might use midterm exam scores as part of your course grade, and a student might also use the information to change the way or she studies. If I gave you a copy of a test or a description of a project or paper assignment, you would not be able to tell whether it was a formative or a summative assessment. You would only know that by asking me what I did with the information about student achievement yielded by the assessment. There is evidence that no matter what instructors intend, good students will try to use any information about their achievement in a formative way for their own future (Brookhart, 2001). That is part of distinguishes good learners.”

Feelings:
• Happy
• Excited
• Confident

Thoughts:
I feel happy after reading these journals because it clears up my confusions that I had when reading Chapter 6. I feel excited because while doing RWJ, actually, it is one form of assessment that we learn in class. I feel confident because there are many type of assessments that fall under these two categories to be implemented by me later on.

Learning:
Step One: Prior taking this course, I assumed formative assessment meant formal assessment and that could be associated with standardized examination. I assumed summative assessment means the other way around. My assumption was depended upon the root word of formative which is “format” and “summary”. I assumed it would be very difficult to use formative and summative assessments as their types were very limited. I assumed it was necessary to depend on standardized examinations.

Step Two: When I read the definition of formative and summative assessment, I laugh at myself. I should not assume on anything especially when it comes to rich content words that involve/associate with academic terms and explanations. After reading more from Chapter 6 and the journal, I realize there are so many types of assessments that I can provide to my CLD students and not depending only on standardized examinations. Students will not be able to retain information that is not meaningful to them, especially if it is related to examination for the sake of passing!

Step Three: I was being unaware and not concerned of the changes that happen within education field (especially assessment) which is dynamic and changing. I did not make thorough observation and research on what my students needs when it comes to assessment because I believe whatever exists in my education and degree were enough to be a competent teacher. In fact, it was not! I will read more and updating my knowledge as it is gateway to successful teaching, not just me but for my students as well.

Application:
Step One: After reading this journal and Chapter 6, I feel so happy. I am having epiphany when reading this line from the paragraphs taken that mention, “Whereas some information is more conducive to being used formatively and some is more conducive to being used summatively, it is the use and not the information that makes the distinction.” It gives me a strong feeling that the focus here is to ensure learning happens to students and teacher being able to know that students do learn from the assessment. Not just that, when I read further from this journal, my understanding is so clear when the author mentions the type of assessments that consist of three:

• Assessment Type 1: Paper and pencil assessments include objective item tests that use multiple choices, true or false, matching, and fill in items as well as essay tests. Paper and pencil tests are usually given in on demand settings, as when students sit for an exam.

• Assessment Type 2: Performance assessments use observation and judgment to assess either a process (how the student does something) or a product (student created work). Common performance assessments include term papers, academic or technical projects, oral reports and group demonstrations.

• Assessment Type 3: Oral communication is an often forgotten assessment method. Its most common use in college classrooms is for formative assessment during instruction, when the instructor asks students questions in class.

• Assessment Type 4: Portfolios are systematic collections of students work over time, often with accompanying student reflections. The work can be scored as a set; individual pieces of work in the portfolio can be scored; or the portfolio can be used as information for conferences, written feedback, or other communication between instructor and student.

Step Two: I will ensure to use these 4 types of assessment as I cannot depend on assessment type 1 only that I think focusing on standardized examination. It will not give better understanding on my students’ performances. As teachers, I need to apply these assessments so that their abilities will be demonstrated as a whole. These assessments will help them to show their ability of their cognitive and meta cognitive as well by making sense of what they learn. Importantly, it is a good benchmark on reflecting my teaching performances.

References:
1. Brookhart S.M. 2004 “ Assessment Theory for College Classroom” In Alternative Strategies for Evaluating Student Learning,2005 Jossey-Bass , San Francisco

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“Our nation is moving toward two societies, one

Black, one White-separate and unequal. What

White Americans have never fully understood –

but what the Negro can never forget- is that White

Society is deeply implicated in the ghetto.

White institutions created it, White institutions

maintain it, and white society condones it. White

racism is essentially responsible for the explosive

mixture which has been accumulating in our cities

since the end of World War II”

(National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorder,1968)¹

After reading this book, it is important for me to tell you that I don’t like definition of race itself. What I mean is to put human into race category. It is fine to put animals into their own domains, followed by kingdoms as they have many species and subspecies. Does human have that? Am I from subspecies? Or Is Malay people a subspecies from Melanesian group? Scientifically, we can put animals into subspecies categories as they mate with their own subspecies. As human, are race considered as subspecies? Malays vs. Arabs, Jews vs. Aryan and Black vs. White? Human mate with human and all human are Homo sapiens. There are no subspecies of Homo sapiens. I am not alone in this notion as many scientists (especially biologist) support me that it is wrong to consider/perceive human in category of race as we are all Homo sapiens. Race taxonomic should be avoided as we have the same anatomical features and the things that differ are the color and the size of the features (i.e. tall; color of eyes, hair and skin). Their functionalities never changed. The definition of race is usually defined based on culture, geography, religious, anatomical and etc. So, what makes others more equal than us? I know some people claim they are more equal than us by calling us alien in letters. I perceive them as those who don’t sit for Multicultural Education when they were in universities. This book is about self exploration of our own self even though it talks about Black kids. I manage to make my own reflection and self examination. This book is a reality definition of race, the writer experiences.

I would like to explain further on philosophy of mating differences between human and animals. This is important to put here, as I believe, it will eradicate the superiority feelings that we have upon others. As I explain before, we were born from our parents. That is due to a process that is called sex. We are from sperms and ovaries. Naturally, parents will love their offspring because they are from the seeds of love. Realizing we are all from the same process, I wonder what makes some of us think that they are superior to others. Regardless of race; human’s blood, flesh and even male sperms have the same colors. I wonder rather than we view on our color skins differences, why don’t we view on what is inside our brain and how does our skull looks like? Still, why skin color is the major issue?

I have so many feelings after finishing this book. Before I explain my feelings, I have three related stories. I have kept this for so long and I don’t want to keep silence about it anymore as it will haunt me again and again. It is important for me to tell because the feeling of resentment and angry go together, and luckily, the best way to let them go is by breaking the silence. Thanks to Tatum for convincing me to let go the despair deep down in me. Thank you for making it required reading response to me as it is very valuable. You may share this story to your students, as I believe everybody have a sphere of influence. I will propagate my sphere of influence that racism must be stopped on whatever cost as it is dehumanizing. Your sphere of influence will be your students and others around you. My sphere of influence will be my students, trained teachers and Malaysian government officers when I go back. I believe we are all educators. We will be the social change agents that will commit themselves to create crème de la cream. I will create crème de la crème future teachers. I don’t want my product to be as exactly as Malcolm X teacher, a true culprit character in the book. I don’t want to be associated/related with him/her as I against racism at all cost.

I feel sad when the teacher of Malcolm X told him that the only work suitable for him is to be a carpenter instead of lawyer. The moment the teacher said that, it was a doomsday for him. He reacted negatively, playing truancy and later on involving with gangs. If I were in his position, I’d tend to react the same way as he did. It was a rebellious age and stage. Further more, at that age with the situation that is so unfair and prejudice towards Black, he did not realize that he had enough role models. How could he have it? His worldviews had been suppressed in a systemic racism. I believe as he excelled in his class, the teacher might be his role model. Then, it turned out to be his teacher is the one that broke all his dreams. Malcolm X couldn’t think in a correct way as kid’s world view was very limited. Was there a fair and neutral social worker to guide him? Did the school provide career workshop for “every student” as what we have in KSU nowadays? I don’t think so. He tried to prove that the teacher was wrong in negative ways. He challenged the teacher. Indeed Malcolm X‘s teacher tarnished the image of producer of crème de la crème.

It is very important to have role model. It is a need as it will create a success path on how you are going to achieve by following the role model. It is not just to Black American, it is for everybody. It will create targets to achieve. It is a positive reinforcement within, a strong motivation. How about black youth? Are they lack of role model? They have many role models. The problem is not so many White realize about this. Due to this, they tend to make stereotyping towards blacks. They associate Black negatively. Stereotyping is dangerous to be committed to any groups of people. It is based on distorted points of views. It is a shallow judgment. It is a lethal weapon as it kills hopes we put on problematic teenagers. It is a vicious cycle of racism too. If we still continue putting stereotyping towards particular groups, racism will be alive and fertile. That happens because it will convey from mouth to mouth. When someone in the group that always becoming victims of stereotyping want to apply for a job, he wont be accepted as an employee because the employer has bad/stereotyping world view on that particular race,. I can say this because it happens in my country, in fact in my hometown (from Kelantan), where we don’t like to mingle with others from different states because of our dialect is different. In reality, it is not.

I used to stay in apartment owned by Mc Cullough Development. It is in Osage Street, very near to Manhattan City Park. I chose to stay there because the rent is quite good, the house is half furnished and importantly, it is close to KSU and playground. It will be very helpful for my wife as it is a walking distance to university and good to my son because I can bring him to spend his time there (city park). Most of the renters are undergraduate students, they have parties every weekend. I don’t bother about it as I am a Muslim, and I don’t associate myself with that. It is fine as long as my family is not in trouble. One Sunday morning, I got a notice put it on my door from custodial cleaner not to make mess by letting the cigarette buts or garbage such as beer bottles (parties left over) below the stairs. In fact it was a second notice I received from them. The first one was two weeks prior to this notice. The thing that really pissed me off was I was the only one that received the notice. I went up to see my neighbor’s door, checking if they receive the same notice as me. It turned out; none of our neighbors have the notice on their doors! I was pretty sure we were the only one that received it because they usually wake up late the next day after the late partying. Why must I take the blame for the “crime” I did not do? Never in my life have I smoked or drink or going to a pub as it is not permissible in my religion. Why Jane did not bother to check about it first? Or does she associate me with dirtiness and garbage?

Another incidence was when a policeman came over to my house because he claimed he received a call from our house landline. He said there was a problem in my house. What was the problem then? Am I the problem because I, the Muslim doesn’t drink and have party on weekend? The best thing about it was we don’t even have a landline. We only use hand phones. That makes me wonder up until today. He asked for my identification. I gave him my Visa and my I-94 form. After that, he just left. He left us clueless. Who made a call at the first place? My ex naughty student from Malaysia telling the policeman here that there was a terrorist residing in Apt.4? I believe it would be more dramatic and suspense if the caller told the policeman, the best buddy of Bin Laden was there, preparing another attack to American soil. The third incidence was in the library, I went to complain because they sent me email to ask me to pay USD 5 for late fees of not returning a book. As I remembered, I sent it on time, the same day by putting it inside the drop book box. She asked me when I returned it, and then commenting due to a rainy day. That was okay for me until she uttered, “You are forgiven”. I was perplexed, it happened so fast. Did I do something wrong that I should be forgiven? I don’t think she will say that to me if I’m blonde, tall, speak native English or have greenish eyes. I believe that happened because I don’t look White.

All of these incidents were committed by White. I believe if I talk or file complains about this to them, they will have thousands of excuses to invalidate it as what David did to Victor in The Color of Fear movie. I don’t care about it anymore. I don’t want to leave the feeling unattended as it is dangerous to my being as a whole. That’s why I put it here. You know, I wish I can turn the clock back to give damn good answer as what Victor did. I believe by doing that, I am helping the White actually, by breaking their fear of their own shadows. What I mean by shadow here is the “now” that was built upon the bones of others. That was history, but we must bring the history to learn how not to live based upon the bad of the past.

Can I say the problem happens due to imposing world view to others? I notice that this happen because they tend to be dominant. They believe their culture is dominant. The nature of dominant is they will impose it upon others. For example, as a matter of fact, beauty is defined from their perspectives through the powerful media. They control the media as they control the world economy. For example, if you notice, in many advertisements related to women, most of the women are portrayed as having green eyes, sharp nose, big chest, blonde, slim and thin. This is what I view as exploitation towards women. What a real oppressor, not just the people of color becomes victims, now they address the targets to the whole mass by imposing it through media. What concern me is what about teenage girls that do not have to be the above features. Are they then considered ugly? Perhaps, media and advertisement should focus on what is inside, should be explained and giving examples that what matter most is heart. Thus, I believe Miss Universe should be abolished at all as it is more to sexual progressive exploitation towards women.

They also want to be heard and this is detrimental to any other culture that is reverse to them. They will see it as not important. They will see it as alien.

I learnt from this book that it is wrong to invalidate people feelings. I always do this. This shows I am selfish. My world view is important but this belief is absurd and wrong. I don’t want to be oppressors as this will make them feel hopeless as it shows that we don’t understand them. Sometimes, they don’t want us to understand them, but it is important to listen to their voices within. It shows as well by not listening is the act of ignorant and insensitive of others. I am going to be a teacher, my multiracial students will turn to someone else in order to be heard, someone that can understand their perspective. I don’t want that to happen because my students are my priority. I am thinking about what will happen if they not just turn to someone else but rather completely shut down as what Malcolm X did. As teacher, I need to give them hopes.

We must go against the racism by putting emphasis on certain things. First and foremost, it is important to talk about it, because it will help to break the silence. It is to raise the consciousness so that there will be and can be lead to effective action and social change. Don’t worry about it as it will always have followers for it. Lots of us have fears and we need to fight it. Self exploration of knowing the reasons we have fear is important as it will help us to combat the fear itself. It is important to realize as well that our first fear is ourselves. If we are not prepared to face our own fear, that we are not willing to let go our own racist belief and ego, it will be nowhere. You can put thousands reasons for it but as I realized, keep quiet means we become the silent supporter of racism as it wont stop by that.

It is important as well to celebrate those who stay on our course. We need to make abolitionists name famous so that people will realize that they are not alone. Putting their names high is important as it will be the role model for today generation. There might be strong confrontation on the opposite camp as they will try to submerge our efforts. This should be confronted by letting others know what the stages that they have been through when they were in the battle of racism. As Jones said it will be an antidote and freshen up the feelings of isolation and loneliness face by white people or any other people that is on our course fighting racism.

It is important to challenge not just white but anybody that stays upon the racism road. It is important to tell them how oppress the system is and challenge them not to be on the side of oppressors. Explaining the deep understanding of racism and appreciate the identity struggle of people of color is a way moving forward against the racism. For the torch bearer, they must not be left alone, as they need continuous support to face the sarcasm of daily racist jokes. Those who are against the racism are our ally, so it is very important to keep our networking stronger. We must appreciate the effort they put into breaking the wall of racist socialization.

They feel normal because they see black as a slave even though it ends hundred years ago. It does not exist anymore but if you realize, they can’t run away from the thought of feeling superior over others. They successfully do that by belittling other culture. This happens through color blind perspective that is embedded within them. They deny it as they never unfold their racial identity. It is not needed because they feel they don’t have problem with racism. It was not important to them. They rarely ask or discuss about it as it will be painful to them to admit. Again, what is important is their feeling. What is important is their belief that everybody is the same as them. I bet most of them do not belief racism is a system.

As I try to imagine and think why they think that they are not racist, as they believe it is done by their previous generations. They believe it stops there. But when you have that kind of thought it is wrong because past created you. And you brought together the history. You convey it in form of jokes, either you realize it or not, in your words and you think it is okay, but in fact it is not! Just because your perception think it is true it does not mean it is true and good for others. The best thing is that they never realized that it exists within our daily life as the system itself.

I feel grossed when someone says affirmative action is not needed nowadays. Most of them say it is unfair because they might loose their jobs to minorities. First of all, it is just “might loose” rather than surely loose. They say it like that on the first place, so I believe they have to check back their level of confidence. Secondly, how many percents are they going to loose then? Based on the percentage of Undergraduate Enrollment Fall 2000 at University of Michigan, White is 65.8%, compared to African American 8.4 % and Hispanic 4.7%. What about Native American? ONLY 0.6%.² Among them will say that institutionalized discrimination against African Americans no longer exist so any policy in their favor should not exist, but I would like to put it in this way if we view that the oppression has been gone through for about 300 years, I guess allowing more minorities to be granted affirmative action is nothing. It is peanut. It is used to remedy past discrimination. However, I do believe, affirmative action should be look closely case by case but not by abolishing it in general because it will strengthen the racism that is within the society already.

White believes discrimination has been eradicated. What about the three incidences that happened to me? From a study done by Turner, Fix and Struyk (1991), whites were three times as likely both to advance further in the hiring process and to receive job offers as were Hispanic applicants. From the same research, it is told that 15 % of the white applicants received job offers and only 5 % black applicants did.³

In my point of views too, affirmative action is a peanut compared to repercussions or asking for forgiveness as it involves their pride. Will it be possible seeing White asking for forgiveness? They won’t, as they are very individualistic and dominant. Am I against repercussions and forgiveness? I did not say this is wrong too as I agree with what Germany did by paying billions of dollars to Jews for the crime they committed. Is racism a crime? Yes, it is! Does it make those who purported racism criminals? Yes! If my two questions easily answered yes by you, then I guess what makes it SO DIFFICULT to ask for forgiveness and repercussions? If you refuse to do both, first and foremost, White must admit and put in into ACTIONS that the first thing that needs to be done is to change the stupidity for those who support racism, and at the same time tell and convince them(among racism supporters) that it is a system embedded in our daily life.

A country is not a house; it is not an individual property. I can paint my house to be blue but I can’t impose my country which I shared together to be blue because they have their own preferences as well. I am thankful to God, as He created this world colorful. We appreciate all colors. Why when it comes to skins color, we don’t take heed as the way it is? From this book, I learn not to homogenize everything because it is wrong. We must appreciate the differences as we appreciate the varieties of other living things (animals, plants) surrounding us. Why can’t we do the same thing when it comes to human skins?

I take Tatum advices to prepare my sons to have a positive psychological adjustment by providing intact relationship between families members regardless color skins they have, kids need to be attended integrated schools to avoid color blind perspectives. When it comes to buy a house, it is advisable to be in multiracial neighborhood as it will create more interactions and understandings. Most importantly, I must be willing to talk to my son openly about issues related to identity development as I had no one when I was teenager. I must stop the cycle of racism. This will help him to be able to reflect positively. I think it is important as I don’t want his worldview to be created by nonsense media or advertisements or people that is based upon inequalities. I will be careful as well when I make comments on others physical features as I don’t want it to become objectifying. These steps I believe will teach our eyes NOT to be out powered by prejudice.

References:

1. Norman R. Yetman, “Black Monday:” Brown v. Board of Education and the Significance of Race in American Life. Transaction Publishers Rutgers University,2006.

1. The CQ Researcher: Issues in Race,Ethnicity and Gender( Affirmative Action).pg 13.(Pie chart titled Etnicity at the University of Michigan) CQ Press, 2002.

1. Turner, Margery Fix, and Raymond J. Struyk. Opportunities Denied: Opportunites Dismissed: Discrimination in Hiring. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute 1991.

]]> http://leadhumancapital.com/2008/10/required-reading-response-tatums-book/feed/ 0 http://leadhumancapital.com/2008/10/teaching-hispanic-students-required-reading-response/ http://leadhumancapital.com/2008/10/teaching-hispanic-students-required-reading-response/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:20:51 +0000 admin http://leadhumancapital.com/?p=156 “I don’t care about race. I care about the class ,the children they work with..”Dr. Be Stoney

I believe this is a must to read book before teaching in Hispanic classroom. In my case, I never have any opportunity to know, learn or interact with Hispanic, Latinos or Latinas cultures, so this will provide a pre schematic knowledge on them. I believe it will enrich my perspectives as an educator. As I reflect back to a question asked by Dr Stoney to me by asking me what does it mean to be Malay, so I believe as an educator, I have to put pure and conscious efforts not just to critically checking my beliefs on other cultures but at the same time reform and change erroneous and prejudice beliefs towards everybody especially to students.

Actually it emphasize on preparation to be teacher in diversified classroom. In Malaysia, I don’t have Hispanic students, but the strategy provided here will be good guidelines, on how should I prepare to teach my students whose have different backgrounds and understanding. Furthermore, I am a diamond cutter. Thus, it is my job to dig for them and polish them. The reform must be erupted now and then, and I don’t have to wait. It is in Malaysia’s National Education Philosophy a long time ago. Rigorous action needs to be implemented.

This book is about a belief that through education, teachers will be able to turn the history of diversity and multiculturalism in United States to be a success story. It puts emphasis on teachers. Teachers as agents, selling knowledge and students as clients, receiving education. Our target is to reap benefits from this long term investment. We want to make a successful deal. Education is supposed to be a win win situation deal: towards a betterment of our society. It means every one of us can live effectively and respectfully in a cultural diverse society. Also, the writers challenged their notions and assumptions that teachers are perfectly prepared and happy, ready and caring when it comes to educating their students regardless of their background. After finishing this book, the answers for their assumptions are answered by finding out about guidance and strategies provided. Thanks to the writers because putting me into realization that to reap the benefit of this business deal is a long way to go.

I can say that because I did try to answer Question Number 3 on Beliefs about Hispanic Students in Chapter Two. It was difficult because at the end I realize all my answers for the questions were either wrong, biased and they are based on movies. The only answer that I had a confidence to answer was related to their language that they use a same Spanish language. Even this is proven wrong when I reflect back to the discussion in a classroom when one of our classmates explained to us that Puerto Rican Spanish is different from Mexicans Spanish. The only correct answer I know is Jennifer Lopez is a Latina!! Shame on me…

They have a long history. When I counted back, it started from 1492 and it goes on until today. They have more than 500 years of history. It means their cultures are rich of many elements. It is complete; they went through many patterns of oppressions but yet did not stay static. Dynamically they fought to embrace, tasting the meaning of freedom and equality. It means also, they have similar basic needs as human. Yet I wonder what makes them being perceived as difficult in classrooms? Does it show that when teachers always perceive themselves as bearer of equality and justice yet when realizing that in fact we engage in putting prior negative assumptions about a group of students, this lead us to state of denial? As a result of this we put the blame on the failure of bilingual education, not to our own effort of knowing in and out of our students?

I believe as nations that have long history and enriched with many diverse elements within it, they are indeed unique. I soon realized about it when realizing they came from different places such as Puerto Rico, Mexico, Bolivia, Cuba and etc. I wonder what will happen to me if I address a Puerto Rican as Mexican realizing that they are a part of U.S territory for about 100 years. They are American citizens. This means they have unique status compared to other arrivals. It goes the same with Cuban American that came here running away from communist system. They were well educated mostly asking for political asylum. Their mentality would be different. Indeed I find that diversity is not necessarily between different groups but it can happen within intergroup as well. Enough to say, Mejicanos, Tejanos, Chicanos reflect how diverse and unique they are because those words bring different meaning.¹

The book focus on Hispanic students, it helps you theoretically to create a mental image of how a Hispanic student would look like/be. It starts from demographics data, reflections of our (majority) beliefs about them (in chapter 2), teaching Hispanic students, understanding Hispanic families (in chapter 3). It is complete. I believe this is crucial because the authors actually are trying to tell readers (teachers especially) to know students as a whole. Knowing name, address and grade is as important as understanding and knowing their history and culture. It also helps us by letting us know what to do and to avoid when it comes to practice later on. This notion is obvious when the writers provide Resource Heaven for readers because you can extent your research and knowledge about them by using the books, fictions and research provided inside this chapter.

Other thing that I like about this book is when the authors provide their own experiences into Authors’ Notes. I value their efforts because basically they are providing hands on applications because teaching Hispanic students was an alien concept to me. Further more, this puts facts and theories discussed in this book in an imaginable context thus lead to understanding. Most of them are related to chapters discussed. As an example, Mary Lou Fuller in Chapter 7, which discuss about Hispanic Families gave a good tip to prepare/bring cookies for the students whenever they are being visited at home. This will be identified and celebrated as concerning effort from a teacher to the students by Hispanic parents. Building this bridge will smoothen the process of knowing and understanding them, and as teachers for Hispanic group, it is important for teachers to initiate first the steps.

As I mentioned before, this book will be a strong base of my next plan. It provides frameworks for my future task as an English teacher and at the same time multiculturalists when I go back home. I don’t have any intention to stay firm following exactly as the way it is in Malaysia now. It does not work for unity when the system supports racism. As we build up/contribute to pollution, we too help building up racism if we don’t put an end to it. All of us have shares and that’s why, there must be a strong reform. Furthermore, I realize equality and freedom is the basic human needs, and I will have supporters. “It is important for us teachers, those who understand to put a stop to racism”. I do realize as well, there will be antagonists that will strain upon my way. They might inflict pain upon me but that does not worry me much. I have read how Martin Luther King and El Hajj El Malik Shabazz² were killed; I have seen what Apartheid did to Nelson Mandela. Physically they were incarcerated, but their struggles and souls fly upon to the heart of alive human. No force can stop them.

The writers focus on education to change and up heave the Hispanic community. Education can only work if it is conveyed successfully to the target groups. In order to achieve that, the language barrier must be broken down by improving bilingual education. In bilingual education, we appreciate the culture of our students. Appreciating culture of others and not denying their existence is cores to ensure unity. It is like killing two birds with a stone. Hispanic students wont be lag behind, their identity wont be jeopardized and at the same time they learn other subjects. This idea is very beautiful. When I reflect back of my experiences in Malaysia, I realize among the many reasons Chinese or Indian parents send their kids to Chinese and Tamil vernacular school because they don’t want their offspring to be “Malaynalized”. I remembered when I was 10 years old in Standard Four, most of the stories in our National Language Text books, told about Malay fairytales, Malay warriors, Malay legends, and I did know about Na Zha³ and the flying wheel of fire from comic books instead from “National” text books. I guess no efforts were being made to translate Chinese or Indian fairytales. It is an obvious example of how students’ cultures are not celebrated and welcomed.

I like Chapter 5 the most. This semester I am taking ESL Bilingual Education, as what I am being taught in the subject, it is important to have accurate assessment to ensure academic success. It is interesting to note here that our bilingual students might use two languages at one time but most of the time, there will be only one dominant language within them. It means proficiency is very much dependent on the language that they are familiar with. In order to ensure success for Hispanic students, the assessments made by school personnel must be exact. This is to avoid them to be replaced in a classroom where they can speak English but do not understand most of the lessons because their Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency is not on par with Native American English speakers. This is to ensure they are not left behind or being felt to be left behind because of their language inadequacy. Also, accurate assessment must examine all aspects of students to ensure it is adequate. Among the criteria that need to be taken seriously are Performance based assessments, observation by focusing on language used to interact with peers and not to forget the demographic of the students because it will determine the percentage of English language used. For example, Hispanic students who come from highly populated white area will have better English commands due to more interaction with Native American English speakers.

It is interesting as well when the writers mention that we can’t force them to perform in any language that they use in order to accurately assess them. In fact, teachers must provide opportunities for them to listen, speak, read and write in both languages. Teachers’ job is to listen and observe attentively to ensure accurate assessment. From the careful and accurate observations, then the teacher can determine either his/her students are dominant in Spanish or not, needs to work more on English vocabulary and etc. Most importantly, labeling them as slow, or any derogative remark is out of teaching ethics because it is lethal. It means, as teachers, students’ limited abilities to express themselves should not be a wall for us to not encourage them to use languages that they prefer. What we can do is to always encourage (without putting coercion) so that it will help them to low their affective filter.

There is no unique formula to teach Hispanic Students but there are ways to help us at least to build basic understanding of who they are. This will be the first step towards the success. The ways are closely integrated ranging from families (as their cultures are family and group oriented), economics, communities and cultural background. As teacher, it is wrong to be eccentric and denying the existence of our students culture. The actions will lead to miscommunication, ethnocentric judgments. It will shove away Hispanic students from us. In order to avoid that, teachers need to have concrete knowledge of particular culture in order to develop understanding of particular cultural group. Lacking concrete knowledge of Hispanic culture will lead to misinterpretation and assumptions. As a teacher, I don’t want that to happen because misinterpretation and assumptions are basically the key factor to denying the existence of particular cultural group.

There are factors that propagate the growth of Hispanics’ students learning. Firstly, teacher can provide education that fulfills the needs of them. This can be done by giving them access to opportunities and resources. For example, if they need more time to develop their CALP⁴, it should be taken seriously and granted as this will ensure their academic success. In this case, we must always remember the fact that teachers are nurturers. Secondly, avoiding stereotyping is a must as it can lead to teachers ignoring the fact that Hispanic cultures are rich in diversities. Also, teacher must have teaching strategies that related to the needs of Hispanic students. Among the strategies are:

a) Focusing the lessons on group rather than individual. Teacher must as well create a cooperative atmosphere in the classroom. This is a must for them because they have a strong sense of community. This can be done by having group problem solving, discussion in groups and etc. Due to this matter, it is wrong to punish them in public, this will devalue their pride.

b) Lessons must be highly informal too, ingrained with family-like atmosphere. I believe, eating together (with class members) by everybody participating in bringing food is one of the good methods to develop relationship and knowing each other better.

c) Having Hispanic Family Day or Hispanic Open House at school where Hispanic parents are invited to school. They can come to school for the sake of visiting without worrying about have to meet teachers discussing about their kids performance at school. It is a way to show hospitality of school administration where Hispanic Parents will be invited to have lunch or dinners (Hispanic food are prepared of course) with their kids’ respective teachers. This should be a yearly event where all of school communities anticipate in it. Hopefully this event will be catalysts for them (parent and teachers) to interact more in the future related to students’ achievement and improvement.

d) Teachers or school administration can develop social networking to promote assimilation and diversity. I get this idea from International Buddies program offered by Kansas State University. We can change it into Hispanic Buddies program so that it will give opportunity for Hispanic students in their transition and assimilation process. This program will be free. It is targeted so that it will improve their English skills. It can also provide free tutoring to the Hispanic students. They can meet an hour per week to discuss, do activities together.

Actually I am impressed when reading Fuller’s Author’s Note in page 102 whereby she instructed her preservice teachers to have significant relationship with Hispanic parents. This program managed to change perspective of her preservice white, middle class teachers. From their responses, Hispanic cultures are beautiful because they respect and value the teachers generally and emphasis on cleanliness which is as same as theirs. This is another great strategy to enhance cultural understanding between two different groups.

I believe Jones and Fuller are not just writers but they are practitioners of bilingual education. They put into practice whatever that they believe and write. I notice the theories, methodologies and applications in this book are deep seated and well matched the CEEE Guiding Principles (Center for Equity and Excellence in Education.) Each Hispanic student is unique (due to the fact that they are Culturally and Linguistically Diverse students or CLD), so any instruction should be build on their previous education and thus should not be neglected. They are welcomed, accepted and valued as they way they are. In order to fulfill the notions above, teacher must understand and apply the concepts, theories, research to that appropriate to them to help to learn in and out of classroom setting. It is a must for teachers to create a motivating learning environment and at the same time know and understand the variability of his/her students in learning academic subjects.

I do believe that the writers of this book try to combat negative views such as Hispanic students will be in failure category, left behind, hopelessness of any appropriate educational helps and risk of academic failure. I feel this happen not because of racism that entrenched within us but our failure to provide enough and good training on differential learning strategies and development of Hispanic group. In Malaysia, for those who major in education and plan to be teachers, Multicultural Education is not a core subject, it is just an elective, and thus it is not compulsory. I hope it will be made a compulsory subject for teachers to have it before they go to school teaching students. Hopefully, it will help to improve teachers’ attitudes towards racial and ethnic minorities. This is among the reformation process that I will do if I become a Malaysia Education policy maker one day. Wish me luck!!

As conclusion, both of the writers do a great job to instill cultural awareness in me. I am greatly indebted to them. In fact, their points of view must be and should be frameworks before we embrace Hispanic students.

I would like to end my reflective responses to this book by quoting Sonia Nieto’s statement which is available in page 29, “a constellation of attitudes, behaviors, behaviors, and structures and a mismatch between home and school expectations all work together to produce success or failure.”⁵

References:

1. A CQ Press College Division Publication. (2002) One Name, Many Communities:

Issues In Race, Ethnicity and Gender, Selections from The CW Researcher. CQ Press

174.

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X ( retrieved 10/6/2008)

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nezha_(deity) (retrieved 10/6/2008)

4. Herrera S. G, Murry K.G,.(2005) Mastering ESL and Bilingual Methods. Pearson

Education Inc. 9

5. Nieto,S (1992). Affirming diversity. New York: Longman

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