Fair and Equal are different

This week's readings have been an eye opener for myself because I would have never thought the Sameness is not necessarily fairness. Coming from a immigrant family, I came into school with my culture and language. Coming into this education system, I did not see teachers who were teaching me anything about my culture other than oppression. We often seem to forget that we need to see students different than each other. We cannot simply teach each student the same because each student has a unique way in learning something. I looked into the web and came across this definition on fairness as the "quality of treating people equally or in a way that is right or reasonable."

After reading this week articles and chapters, I cannot see sameness as fairness. There is no way two people are the same and therefore schools should not be teaching students the same and expect students to succeed the same as well. We all come from different backgrounds and go through different experiences. As a undergrad, one of my Black Studies professor said that we all are diverse learners in the sense that some of us learn visually, physically, or mathematically. Doctor Kaba is a passionate professor at SUNY New Paltz and he really has unique ideas in which he teaches his students. If you want to listen what he has to say about diversity and learners simply click this link:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/illuminated-one/2011/06/16/dr-kaba-hiawatha-kamene-dr-booker-t-coleman

How can We tell if students are really learning!?

"After all these years of common schooling, we still have no real way of knowing if students are learning." This quote has me thinking that how do we know this? Do essays, multiple choice questions prove that students have learned? There are two arguments to this question. One, there are tests such as math and history that can definitely determine a right or wrong answer. On the other hand, there are tests that are specifically made for critical thinking.

Teachers are pressured to have their students to pass these "state tests." In the event that these students are unsuccessful in such tests, teachers are scrutinized to a level in which they are questioned of their pedagogy. Teachers have to remove themselves from such "banking" classroom methods and become much more involved with the students learning process. Although the banking method may provide order within the classroom and achieve the process of exchanging "important academic information" it does not satisfy the involvement of the learning process between students and teachers. I remember how dreadful school was when I was younger. My teachers sat in front of the class and just wanted us to read out loud and take notes. It was the same process every single year. I remember one teacher in high school who completely did his own thing and we still learned. I took a philosophy course in high school. The teacher based my grades on our participation in the classroom. I thought this was an excellent way of determining our grade because it made sure we were reading and understanding what we were reading by our responds in the classroom. He barely gave tests and essays, but when he did, they were effective in our preparation of the English regents.

Standardized tests need to be innovated. As time progresses, we need to understand that so are the students. The future lies within our young population. Although they need to understand about the basics within the classrooms, we need to prepare these students for the future. Determining a students' grasp of knowledge can no longer come from a letter grade or percentage. We need to develop innovative methods to determine if students are really learning and not just craming for the next exam!

Democracy vs. Neoliberalism

Although the Democracy and Neoliberalism may be similar, there is a vast difference between them. Neoliberalism is basically turning free public services turn into private services. Neoliberalism serves a better fit to those of the middle and upper class. The economy for companies serve best for Neoliberalism. Those who have money can afford this better service while those who are poor will not get the same quality. Naomi Klein provides a great argument on Democracy vs. Neoliberalism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfpr0DCQ-dA&feature=related

Language Diversity

The amount of languages that is spoken in this Earth is remarkable. As humans, we have developed ways in which we communicate to on another. Language is mastered by humans by as we see in the world today, it takes time to master one particular language. As humans we need to understand that not everyone knows the same language and even if we did know the same language, there still would be different aspects within the "one language."

It is a complexed issue in the diversity of languages because there are so many. Second languages can be extremely difficult to grasp because we might relate certain words or pronouncations back to our native language. My mother does it all the time in which she tries to speak in English but she cannot communicate it fully in English and combines words that are in Spanish to get her message across.

There are many concepts in which deal with the complexity of literacy such as trilingualism, the primitive language myth, bi-culturalism, and multiple literacies. One of the concepts was designed by Judith Baker, in which she introduces the concept of trilingualism, which is a English teaching approach that focuses on the idea of students mastering three different forms of the English language. The three forms are language spoken at home, language spoken in a professional setting, and formal language . This concept is used to help students master the mechanical difference between these three forms of English.

An appreciation for diversity needs to take place in order for literacy instruction become effective. If we have a free, unbiased approach to different languages, literacy instruction will become successful in achieving its primary goal.