Bias ...

What is my bias?  I am probably struggling with this assignment like everyone else.  When I struggle an assignment around a word I go looking for definition as starting point.  I went to dictionary.com and this is the definition I got a particular tendency or inclination, esp. one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice.  Merriam- Webster online dictionary gave this definition an inclination of temperament or outlook especially a personal and sometime unreasoned judgment - prejudice.  So what does this mean, I have to look hard at myself and examine my beliefs to see what my prejudices are.  I think two of biggest biases are around race and poverty, but I can only pick one. 

What is my bias? and Where does it come from? – I think I’m bias towards people of a specific ethnic background, especially African Americans and Mexicans.  It is not the color of their skin that is problem.  Growing up, there were only a few African Americans in my classes.  It is the type of interaction I have had them, especially the African American women seem to have a block of their shoulders and an attitude.  During my interactions with them even when I tried to talk to them a calmly and all the seemed in return was to get attitude and negativity.  Most of the images on television and the media represent them as criminals and look at who is mostly represented in our prison population along with Mexicans/Latinos.  I took the opportunity to learn more about their struggle for equal rights during the major civil rights period of our country during an internship at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN.

What does this mean for me as a teacher and creating an equitable learning environment? – I agree with the statement some of my reading say about being color blind.  They say “there is no way to be color blind, but treat all your students with respect because they are human beings.”  This means I need to be aware of how I am treating and looking at my students.  I need to learn about other ethnic backgrounds and bring what I have learned into the classroom, but be open to inviting everyone into the discussion.  But I also want to open this discussion up to learning about those from ethnic backgrounds they may not have exposure to on a daily bases like the Asian American experience. 

In addition, when I was looking for the definition bias I ran across this website Teaching Tolerance – A Project of the Southern Poverty Law center http://www.tolerance.org/activity/test-yourself-hidden-bias.  The site analyzed different definitions associated with bias and how we learn it.

Changing Education Paradigms- Can it happen?

Ken Robinson’s video offered an interesting perspective on the different paradigms that exist in our educational system.  He critically has addressed many of the issues that surround our our world education system.  One definition of a paradigm is an example serving a model, pattern.  Our educational system is filled with many different paradigms. These patterns have been around for ages and may or not changed have throughout the years.  I think some of structure that our educational system was once based doesn’t apply today.   I don’t think those who were around during the period the Enlightenment and the industrial revolution would imagine how the world has changed since then and see how those ideals don’t work in today’s society.  Today all countries are trying to compete in being the top in math and science.  Those subjects are important, but being creative and acting on that creativity is important to being a lifelong student.  

I found what he said about the modern epidemic of ADHD and kids today are over medicated to be very critical about our current practices in how we treat children who don’t behave the way we think that students should behave in the classroom.  I have not been a classroom in long time, so I don’t know true that statement is.  But I believe the statement he said about children being are too over stimulated by the things that have access to and it has taken killed off some of their creativity.  The only gaming system my family had was gameboy.  We only had only that was shared between me and my sisters, which I think was a great idea because it taught us to share and for us to use our imagination to entertain ourselves, rather than being entertained by outside sources interactive. If we were traveling to the mountains, my dad would make us turn off the different electronic devise that we had on us, in the hope that we would take in the beauty of the environment that we are in.  I like what Sir Robinson said about the rise in standardized testing with the rise in ADHD diagnoses.  If students have been medicated to settle down then teacher can get them to sit in fill in the bubbles rather than be a distraction to the rest of the students who are taking the test.  If a student is claim he less likely to be a distraction to the rest of the class most days.   

What does this mean for me as a teacher? 
I have not been a school classroom, since I graduated from high school so I know that have changed in the classroom since then.  In this day in age of schooling, it is important to know about ADHD and how to work with your students who have it in the classroom.  There are many things in our current educational system that do work and many things that don’t work.  It is our job with work within the system to do the best we can to help our students.   It is also my responsibility to research ways that I can help those students who have been diagnosed with ADHD.  Patients is also important.