Parent Engagement

      I found this week's readings to be very informative and motivating.  I hope to work in an urban school and therefore much of what these articles are discussing is highly relevant.  I think it is unfortunate that many schools have a narrow view of what parent involvement means, and I can definitely see how this view is skewed toward the middle class.  No wonder why parents in these areas have mistrust of the system.
     It seems imperative for teachers to be informed about the variety of parent involvement possible, as the article by Susan Auerbach suggests.  Even though a parent is not visible in the school, does not mean that the parent is uninterested or unsupportive.  For example, those parents may work more to help their child go to a better school or may give them less responsibilities at home so there is more time for schoolwork.  I think it is very important for teachers and school administrators to keep this in mind.
     I wonder if the parents who may be supportive at home might be more visible in the school or more able to be advocates if there were more community based organizations assisting the process, such as in the article "Beyond the Bake Sale." I really like the programs described in this article, and wonder why more urban schools are not implementing these models.  I found it frustrating to hear that schools might be hesitant to empower parents to be advocates in their children's education.  It seems as though helping these families improve their lives as a whole will not only help those children's lives, but will also improve the quality of life for generations to come.  It seems imperative for teachers to advocate for the availability of these types of supports for parents.  
     While interning in a guidance department at a high school, I worked with a student who was a child of recent Chinese immigrants.  While I am sure that her parents were supportive of her education, she had very little assistance with being able to apply to college.  Guidance counselors (or teachers) just do not have the time to help students like her with college applications in the intense manner that this student needed.  I'm guessing that in her situation, just like for many others, it was a combination of language barriers and lack of understanding of the American education system that impeded her college application process.  This is just another example of how necessary and valuable it is for schools to gain parents' trust and help them become more knowledgeable about the educational system so that they can be more of an advocate in their children's education.

Blog Four: Sexual Orientation

I was particularly interested in the article that discussed lesbian and gay adolescents because I have personal experience with this process. I became more consciously aware of my sexual orientation as a sophomore in high school.  This was an extremely hard process, especially considering that I knew that my parents, as conservative Protestants, were whole-heartedly against a gay lifestyle.  In fact, my sister (who is eighteen years older than me) had come out a few years before, when I was not yet conscious of my own sexuality.  I watched their struggle with her coming out.  They had the pastor come over and counsel us as a family...they read books...and unfortunately, they also made some snide remarks about her relationship choices behind her back.  Then there's me a few years later.  Let me tell you, those memories stick.  Especially, the snide remarks.

In Dennis Anderson's article he states, "Whatever the experiences that lead to the growing personal awareness of their homosexuality, most gay and lesbian adolescents can vividly recall a period of intense anxiety when they first realized that they suddenly belonged to a group of people that is often vehemently despised."  (p.339) From my own experience, this experience of knowing that you belong to a group that many other people don't like (or at the very least are uncomfortable with) is incredibly challenging to cope with and leads to being silenced.  Being silenced is an extremely subtle yet damaging form of discrimination.  Here's an example that I have encountered several times in my life.  As a feminine lesbian, many people assume based on my appearance that I am straight.  This might lead someone, for the sake of being friendly, to ask if I have a boyfriend.  While I know that this is merely intended to be friendly, I can tell you that it immediately shuts me down.  I will simply answer with "no," and leave it at that.  From then on, any occassion where relationships come up with that person, I immediately become uncomfortable.  On the other hand, when a person asks me if I have a boyfriend or girlfriend, or if I am in a relationship, I am more inclined to answer in an upfront manner.  It seems small perhaps, but it is important to never assume, based on someone's appearance or any other factor that you know what their sexual orientation is. 

Here's a different example of another challenge I have encountered.  Let's say my girlfriend of seven years and I go to a family function.  For the sake of example, I'll say it's her family's function (although it happens all the time.)  If there are outside people there, I will get introduced as "Kelly's friend."  The family members are well aware that our relationship is not merely a friendship, yet out of their discomfort, that is how I am referred.  Awkward! If we were in a heterosexual relationship, this would never happen.  I think this is another example of feeling silenced.  Calling me "Kelly's friend," is like saying, "I'm uncomfortable with your relationship." 

This article also discussed that homosexual adolescents make one of three choices in dealing with newly acknowledged feelings: try to change them, continue to hide them, or accept them.  While I never tried to change my feelings, I did hide them for as long as possible.  I hid them the longest from my family because I knew they would be the most difficult people to come out to.  Hiding your sexual orientation is an extremely stressful experience.  You become petrified that someone is going to find out and it feels like it would be completely intolerable for that to happen.  For awhile, I had convinced myself that I was never going to come out and I would just pretend to live a heterosexual life.  It wasn't until I met my current girlfriend that my views on that began to change.  I realized that I needed to do what made me happy and forget what everyone else thinks.  Accepting one's sexual orientation is definitely a process that people become more comfortable with over time.  In high school, I was just barely conscious of my sexual orientation, and definitely wouldn't be comfortable with it fully for many more years. 

Freud, Gilligan, and Kimmel

     Oh, Freud.  I had forgotten how incredibly sexist his Oedipal Complex theory was...to think that he really believed that women were less psychologically developed than men literally because we lack certain genitalia!  I think it's important to not completely dismiss all of his work, because he did have some interesting and useful ideas.  The most extreme sexist theories definitely get the most attention and are the most mind blowing.  I also had forgotten how other psychological theories, built off of some of Freud's ideas, were also based around very sexist views.  The sexism in Freud's views are more obvious, while the sexism in Erickson and Kohlberg seem more subtle.  I think sexism (and the other -isms) are most often subtle, and that's when they are the most harmful. 
      I definitely agree with Carol Gilligan's ideas in "In a Different Voice" that women base most of their decisions with their relationships in mind.  I run a Women's Group weekly at the program where I work.  Often, we have open discussion groups, where the women can discuss any issues with which they are currently struggling.  Invariably, the conversation always centers around relationships - with significant others, friends, parents, siblings, or their children.  You could predict it like clockwork.  However, I can not tell you what the Men's Group talks about.  Who's to say that it's not very similar?  I agree without a doubt that overall men and women are very different in how they perceive life, how they approach problems and conflict, and what their priorities are.  I become hesitant to generalize to all women or all men.  It seems that a viewpoint that explicitly states "women do this and men do that" can still marginalize the men and women who do not fit either description.  
     As a woman, I found the article "Masculinity as Homophobia" by Michael Kimmel as quite interesting.  He states, "I have argued that homophobia, men's fear of other men, is the animating condition of the dominant definition of masculinity in America, that the reigning definition of masculinity is a defensive effort to prevent being emasculated."  Defining homophobia as "men's fear of other men" is interesting, and I see his point, however it seems limited in describing the full impact of homophobia.  Furthermore, I found it fascinating when he discusses the "paradox" in men's lives...how they "virtually have all the power, and yet do not feel powerful." I think he means that because of the pressure to fit a certain "masculine" stereotype, men may feel trapped into fitting a mold versus having the freedom to just be who they want.  Throughout this article, I couldn't help wondering what men reading this might think - what they agreed with, and what they found extreme.

Reflection on Children of Immigration

    I was interested to read about the experiences of children of immigrants in Suarez-Orozco's Children of Immigrants.   One of the first points that stood out to me was the initial optimism and energy that many immigrants experience, particularly related to schooling and education.  The authors discussed how many immigrants see education in America as one of the major benefits for immigrating in the first place.  They are even likely to describe American schools that leave something to be desired in our minds, as wonderful in comparison to what their own city or country may have had.  This energy is something that needs to be used to motivate and liven up the classroom.  If harnessed in the right direction, this excitement about education could be infectious for other students.  

    On the other hand, I found it profoundly sad to think about how these children, who are at first filled with optimism and excitement about school, are quickly discouraged by factors such as poverty, racial segregation, racism, or lack of resources.  Another disturbing factor in this equation is the teachers themselves.  Suarez-Orozco refers to a superintendent in one of the largest districts in the country describing his biggest problem as convincing teachers and principals that immigrant and racial minority children are "teachable." (p. 127)  How can anyone expect a student to be taught, when the person who is supposed to be doing the teaching thinks they are "unteachable?"   It's impossible.   This is good reminder that we can never predict someone's potential, no matter what.  

     Another interesting discussion point in this book related to whether or not bilingual education really threatens American mainstream culture.  This is a fear that I have heard echoed in many different people over the years.  I'm not even exactly sure what people mean by stating this fear  What aspects of our culture might be "threatened" by people being educated in their own language while they strengthen skills in a new language?  It seems that this fear simply stems from people being afraid of what they don't know or understand.  Furthermore, I've found that people are most ignorant and rude when they have no personal context.  In other words, people who are most likely to express negative views of immigration, likely do not know anyone or have ever heard any personal stories from people who struggle to "make it" in a new place.  Without ever hearing someone's personal story, it is difficult for some people to empathize.  

     In the epilogue of this book, the author's state, 

    "A renowned historian once said that the history of the United States is fundamentally 

the history of immigration.  Throughout history, U.S. citizens have ambivalently

 welcomed newcomers.  The fear then, as now, focused on whether the immigrants 

would contribute to the American project.  The gift of hindsight demonstrates just 

how essential immigration has been to the making and remaking of America.  

Welcoming and supporting new generations of immigrants to the United States will

ensure that this vital legacy continues." (p. 161)

It seems to me that it is vital to remember that our country has always been made up of immigrants, and this blending of people from different places is at the heart of what it means to be the United States.  

Teaching Diverse Populations: Introduction and Reflection

Hello all,

I am Christina and just started this Masters of Education program at UMASS Lowell.  My journey to teaching has evolved over time.  I graduated in 2005 with an undergraduate degree in biology and a minor in psychology from Houghton College (a small college in western New York.)  From there, I entered a Masters in Counseling program at Lesley University.  This program is unique in that when I graduated, I was not only qualified to do mental health counseling, but also had (have) a license for grades 5-12 guidance counseling.  I had to do two internships there, and one of them was at the Haverhill High School Guidance Department.  When I graduated from Lesley, I desperately tried to find a job as a guidance counselor, but nothing panned out for me.  I ended up accepting a job in the mental health side of my degree - at a psychiatric day treatment program for adults with chronic mental illness.  Even though I absolutely loved working in a school, I was content enough to work with this population, since chronic mental illness was another area of interest for me.  Every day I run 4 psychiatric and psychoeducation groups and have a caseload of 16 clients.  Even though I am a counselor currently, there are many aspects of my job that are like teaching, and it is these aspects that have been a part of my journey toward UMASS Lowell.  I have been reminded of how exciting it is to help people see their life and the world in new ways.  It is immensely rewarding to explain something to someone in a way that, finally, they can make sense of it. 

In my graduate studies at Lesley, we had the "counseling version" of this class, which was called "Power, Privilege, and Oppression."  I am looking forward to expanding what I learned in that class with what I will come to learn in Teaching Diverse Populations.  One of the most valuable things I learned in PPO at Lesley is to let the client (or perhaps, student?) be the expert in their experience.  Yes, it is very important to be informed about social issues, the impact of the "isms," and challenge your own preconceived notions about different groups of people. However at the end of the day, I believe it's the individual person who should be telling you who they are, both ethnically and otherwise.  This is comforting news because you don't have to feel as though you have to learn everything about every racial or ethnic group. 

The article in this week's readings that had the biggest emotional impact on me is MIntosh's "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack." In fact, I have the vague feeling that I may have read this piece before at Lesley.  In any case, this article is a reminder that in order to be multiculturally competent, a person can not ignore the factors that give them privilege.  To be multiculturally competent and have white privilege gives me immense responsibility.  It's easy to have a sense of guilt that I have these "unearned" privileges and they help me more easily navigate the world in ways that I may not even have considered.  For example, as McIntosh describes, walking into a classroom at graduate school and not having to worry about whether or not I will stand out as different.  Acknoweldging this unearned white privilege is difficult, but there is no denying it's presence.  I hope that as I transition to educator, I can continue to work on using this power for positive influence in my future school. 

Futhermore, I hope to be a "Type III" teacher as described by Hollins in "Ethnic and Racial Identity and Teaching."  I want to have enough "cultural knowledge to understand the relationship between the students' home culture and how they learn in school." (Hollins, pg. 190)  I also want all students to feel "comfortable and supported" (Hollins, pg. 191) in my classroom.  My concern is that this will be hard to maintain as I become settled into my classroom and school.  As a mental health counselor in my fourth year, I understand what it means to become "desensitized" and "burnt out."  This is something I attempt to fight against every day, and yet there are days when people get to me.  In this position, I am becoming desensitized to certain diagnoses, not racial groups, but the effect is the same.  It's so easy to generalize about particular groups of people and miss the individual person, particularly when you lose your idealistic new graduate energy. From this experience, I know that it will take effort to not become desensitized or burnt out as a teacher as well.