Discussion Questions by

harrhann1 — 2023-11-26 17:51:36 UTC

On page 127 Love says that “Research has shown that teacher preparation programs have been largely ineffective in preparing white teachers to teach diverse student populations”. Throughout your education do you think it has prepared you to teach diverse student populations? How/why do you think embracing and understanding theory can help to fill the teacher education gap?

harrhann1 — 2023-11-26 17:52:09 UTC

On page 148 Love says “The struggle for educational freedom does not somehow vanish when you apply theory, but your barriers are no longer hiding in plain sight” How do you think understanding theory can help explain what we see and help us to teach diverse populations of students?

On page 133 love says, "I hope by now we all know that Columbus did not discover America, and Indigenous people were killed, tortured, and spirit-murdered for their land. How can we as future educators, incorporate our own way to bring in different cultures into teaching our students important history and holidays? Should we just stick to the curriculum and and traditional stories we have heard for years?

vincenla1 — 2023-11-26 21:25:18 UTC

On page 161 Love states "School officials will put everything before a students' actual mental health, not understanding that test scores cannot and will not until students are healing from trauma and/or mattering to themselves and their community". How can we as educators help with these situations if administrators are not? What about teachers mental health?

vincenla1 — 2023-11-26 23:46:20 UTC

Love quotes Wendy Kohli on page 159 "The times require us to have the courage to be dangerous, at the same time recognizing that there are differential dangers. Not all teachers are at equal risk; much depends on how you are positioned on your identity(ies), on your particular situation". What does this quote mean to you?

vincenla1 — 2023-11-26 23:47:05 UTC

"While is is almost too much for any one person to take, educators must digest these realities and more." page 125

vincenla1 — 2023-11-27 03:05:03 UTC

"Culture is not as biological as we think. It is a group's knowledge production process that occurs as they understand and respond to their reality and create ways of being to survive or thrive in their everyday lives." Page 128

vincenla1 — 2023-11-27 03:09:53 UTC

"Too often, future educators and those teaching in the field conclude that dark children and their families are solely responsible for their life conditions." page 131

vincenla1 — 2023-11-27 03:11:53 UTC

"Teachers need to have the backstory of the community and why change is so hard because of patterns of injustice reproduced by established systems and structures of inequality." page 132

vincenla1 — 2023-11-27 03:14:24 UTC

"Theory explains what we can see; it can take the Whiteness glasses from our eyes." page 148

vincenla1 — 2023-11-27 03:15:55 UTC

"For schools to be well, educators need to be well." page 161

vincenla1 — 2023-11-27 03:17:11 UTC

"There is only one choice: become an abolitionist parent, teacher, doctor, sanitation worker, lawyer, CEO, accountant, community activist, small business owner, scientist, engineer, and human." page 162

vincenla1 — 2023-11-27 03:19:20 UTC

harrhann1 — 2023-11-27 22:09:32 UTC

Which one of these quotes stick out to you and why?

2023-11-27 23:26:34 UTC

P1. In my educational career I think I am better prepared compared to others, working in title one schools.

P2. Learned through experiences in placements. Teacher prep ineffective based on theory and pedagogy learning.

milleaj12 — 2023-11-27 23:28:48 UTC

We felt like GV tries to incorporate theories and diversity in our classes but we just learning about isn't enough and we need actual experience. Just like Love said we only take two classes dedicated to learning about diverse student populations. We thought that the real learning was in our student teaching where we are required to be in a diverse placement.

Understanding theory can help clear up misconceptions and also give broad idea but it's a lot more complicated in a school.

Question 1

2023-11-27 23:28:51 UTC

We feel like our first hand experience prepared us more than any class could/did. Get told what not to do but are not given any solutions or alternatives. I knowing the history and theory allow you to have the right mindset and knowledge so you don't act dumb.

wilszach1 — 2023-11-27 23:30:25 UTC

Yes, we believe our advanced courses and placements prepared us well to teach in diverse settings. While we know we still have plenty of room to grow, we feel that GVSU has prepared better than some of our options.

2023-11-27 23:30:52 UTC

In my personal experience at GV, I feel like I have been taught theory regarding teaching diverse groups at the highest extent possible. True learning in this area would require actually working with these populations of students and experiencing it in an authentic setting.

2023-11-27 23:54:45 UTC

P1. Understanding theory can help explain teaching to diverse populations through exploring different perspectives with how outcomes might differ when given a basis of understanding of different approaches to problem solving.

P2. When you know better you do better. Knowing theory allows you to problem solve through new lenses from personal and learned experiences.

Question 2

2023-11-27 23:55:20 UTC

To "know" theory is not enough. One must know how to apply it, what it looks like, when it is not effective, and how to make modifications to it.

milleaj12 — 2023-11-27 23:56:10 UTC

Learning about theories allows us to see the issues but we still have to work towards bettering ourselves as teachers. Knows the theories gives us tools to go off of but we still have to identify our own biases and try to overcome them to help teach diverse populations.

2023-11-27 23:56:26 UTC

It helps us categorize certain things we see and have a better understanding of why certain things may be happening. It is always helpful to know more about something because it helps you react in an appropriate way and apply an appropriate response. Knowledge and awareness are power, whereas ignorance is oppression. In order to teach diverse populations, we must put in the effort to broaden our knowledge.

user_68e159cbe648435d83f91930d2d12085_61768_1 — 2023-11-27 23:58:17 UTC

I think by understanding theory you don't banish your preconceived notions but you have awareness of your preconceived notions about students and their different backgrounds.

2023-11-28 00:00:53 UTC

P1. Reading books written by and from the indigenous perspective. Talking about the origins of what nationally recognized holidays are, what is the truth of it, how it changes over time, how we can recognize and be more respectful of cultures moving forward. https://keepunumuk.com/rethinking-thanksgiving/

P2. We need to teach different perspectives from all POVs involved in history. Also incorporating current events into where these groups of people are today can help students draw connections in their own experiences.

milleaj12 — 2023-11-28 00:22:28 UTC

I think it's important to talk about all cultures and even if you have kids who don't celebrate it but talking about how some people celebrate it. We should teach holidays in association to history but we need to do it in a way that's not offensive since people don't always agree or celebrate the same thing. But this could be another learning opportunity to be accepting of other people.

wilszach1 — 2023-11-28 00:22:48 UTC

Use resources from the perspectives of the you are studying. Even though curriculum has been updated to reflect modern discoveries, it still comes from white historians that focus on how things affected whites. Without using the lens of those directly involved and affected, students will never truly understand history and its impact.

Question 3

2023-11-28 00:22:58 UTC

It is important to question whose culture curriculum is coming from. Culture can easily be incorporated through discussion if it can't always be a focal point of a lesson. Stories change over time so how we tell them should change too. We should also celebrate commonalities.

2023-11-28 00:23:50 UTC

I think that it's important to consider the popular and "mainstream" holidays, such as Christmas, and realize that not all students celebrate the same holidays and customs. It seems like second nature to celebrate and decorate classrooms with things that MOST students relate to, but what about the students that do not? Different cultures and customs can be included in simple ways, such as music played during class, or learning different sports from other cultures.