Connections on Collier, Rodriguez, and Delpit

In "Aria," Richard Rodrigues reflects on his experience as a second-language learner, Spanish being his first language, and English his second. It was a somewhat liberating, somewhat traumatic acquisition. While he gained confidence in American society, he lost confidence and a sense of comfort and closeness at home. He feels as if he had to sacrifice one identity for another.

Lisa Delpit notes in her essay, "The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children," that a "teacher cannot be the only expert in the classroom. To deny students their own expert knowledge is to disempower them." Delpit also conjectures that cultural diversity is important, it should be valued, and "each cultural group should have the right to maintain its own language style."

Virginia Collier says in her essay, "Teaching Multilingual Children," that a teacher must have a "true appreciation of the different linguistic and cultural values that students bring to the classroom," and she lists several guidelines for teachers of non-native English speakers to follow. Among them, number 2 recommends not correcting "so-called 'deficiencies' of . . . students," and number three directs not to "teach a second language in any way that challenges or seeks to eliminate the first language." She elaborates in guideline number 4 that a teacher must affirm native languages while teaching the second by having the class analyze and appreciate the differences and variety between languages and dialects. Guideline number 5 discusses code-switching, alternating between two languages, and the importance of it. She says, "code-switching by students should be accepted, and not penalized." They are recognizing and utilizing the strengths of both languages. Delpit says, in a similar sentiment, "I . . . do not believe that we should teach students to passively adopt an alternate code. They must be encouraged to understand the value of the code they already possess as well as to understand the power realities in this country . . . tell them that their language is unique and wonderful but that there is a political power game that is also being played." Both women seem to agree that in teaching multicultural classrooms, one must honor and embrace all of the different cultures while providing the necessary tools for students to thrive in standardized society. It is unacceptable for teachers to allow one culture to dominate and squash out the others.

Because the nuns teaching Rodriguez violated many of the guidelines and sentiments represented above, he feels he has lost much of his native identity, and was deprived of a rich family life. His experience is truly tragic, and I agree with the sentiments of Collier and Delpit. It is every teachers responsibility to make sure their students feel fully valued and appreciated, to ensure that experiences like Rodriguez's are few and far between, or better yet, eliminated altogether.

A website my aunt referred me to also stresses the importance of appreciating, celebrating, and managing differences, for all kinds of learners. I think it would be beneficial to discuss in class how some of the above strategies can translate to better success for other types of learners, not just second-language learners.

Response to Jonathan Kozol's "Amazing Grace" (Hyperlinks)

In "Amazing Grace," Jonathan Kozol shocks his reader with a brutally and shockingly honest view of poverty conditions in America. He focuses on the South Bronx, where an astonishingly high number of crack and heroine addicts satisfy their "needs" in the local park while their children play on the jungle gym; every child knows someone who either died of AIDS or is dying of it; in the winter it is so cold people go to bed hoping not to freeze to death in the night; children are frequently victims of homicide; illegal waste is dumped, and it is common for children to be depressed and anxiety ridden. It is difficult to read these things  and believe that they are occurring in America and not some other, third world country. It is difficult to read these things and not feel somewhat appalled, infuriated even. How could we, America, allow this? Surely there is something that can be done about it!

This was my reaction, and then . . . I think of dessert, yes! Dessert:

The things that we could do with just six Oreos, I believe, could at least lessen the severity of many of the issues Jonathan Kozol discusses in his essay.

For example, drugs are often seen, by people who are depressed, as a way to cope; they get high to stop the pain. If better health care can be provided for children, including mental health care and drug awareness, depression could be alleviated, and a child's risk for becoming an addict could be significantly reduced. Better health care could also be used to raise awareness on AIDS prevention. Some of that extra cookie, could be used to provide better, heated, insulated housing for poverty stricken communities, and I'm sure many more positive changes could be made with the help of a few billion extra dollars.

The pentagon is obese, hogging all the cookies, and everything else is being underfed. The pentagon can give up 6 out of 50 cookies for all the others to share. In fact, I daresay it could give up more. In conclusion, I would like to pose a question to the leaders of this "great nation:" WHERE'S YOUR COMMON SENSE?

Introductions

Hi, I'm Nessa!

Welcome to my blog!

First, let me say that I am an individual passionate about personal growth. I have a genuine love of learning and I continuously study and practice mindfulness. That I have the ability to choose my train of thought, and purposely direct my way of perceiving the world around me, has and continues to be the most liberating wisdom I could ever possess. I carry it with me at all times as it is a valuable tool in the most ultimate pursuit of all human beings: the pursuit of happiness.

It is my third year attending Rhode Island College for Secondary Education/English. I love it here. RIC, to me, is like the best kind of literary character; it's special because it's not extraordinary, because it's not without imperfections, because it functions under limitations. The experience I can have here is far more valuable to me than one I could have at an Ivy League school.

I have learned from some great professors here, and have great professors this semester. I have interesting classes, and the advantage of learning in a small classroom setting. RIC also understands and appreciates the working class student.

I have the highest confidence that RIC will help me achieve my dream of becoming an exceptional educator.

When I'm not pursuing this dream, I enjoy reading, listening to music: mainly jazz, folk, and classical, and spending time with loved ones. One of my more unusual hobbies is interior decorating.