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Dropping The Ball and Picking It Back Up Again: A Reflection and A Plan
Dropping The Ball and Picking It Back Up Again: A Reflection and A Plan
EDUC275
Shelly Morrell
not meet the needs of many many students, and we therefore must
change it. Schooling in the United States should be an opportunity and
a right to all students living in the country, and the education they
receive should be equitable, as well as quality. Socio-economic
standing, race, or cultural background should not determine the quality
of education a student receives, and for the reason that this goal
seems lofty or ideal is the exact reason why we must strive to attain it.
How does schooling continue the existing order, and how can it
transform the existing order?
Students spend a huge majority of their youth in classrooms, and
the information and content that they absorb while they are there is
vital in indicating what the future generation will know and value. In
other words, what ever is valued in the schooling environment
becomes part of the existing order, and changes made to the
educational environment changes the existing order of future adults.
One very important aspect of this that we studied in class was
discussed in the article by Ian M. Harris titled Types of Peace
Education. Harris asserts that peace education in school combats
the culture of violence that we currently have in the US. Whether or not
one personally believes that it is possible, the idea that education can
change the existing order is a powerful one that we as educators need
to have. Whether it be the culture of violence, the systematic and
civilizational racism described by Schuerich and Young in Coloring
Epistemologies, or prejudice and discrimination in general, educators
should act and teach with the knowledge that what they say and the
environment they create has an impact on the existing order of future
generations.
Being an educator is far from a simple and easy task, and from
what Ive learned in Education 275 Schooling in the US, the task is
much harder than I anticipated, but also that much more important.
Providing all students of any background with the education they
deserve is the first and most important step in changing their lives for
the better. Though fulfilling the purpose of schooling is a daunting task
and the existing order has a long way to go, we as future educators
have the responsibility to strive towards the ideal, and make the most
positive impact that we can on every student. Dropping the ball on
students has happened and will happen, but making the constant
fervent effort to pick that ball back up again and give every student
the education they deserve is the most important thing we can do.
WorkCited
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Gevelinger,M.,&Zimmerman,L.(2002).HowCatholicSchoolsare
CreatingaSafeClimateforGayandLesbianStudents.
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andPeace.
Nieto,S.(1992).AffirmingDiversity:TheSociopoliticalContextof
MulticulturalEducation.NewYork:Longman.
Scheurich,J.,&Young,M.(1997).ColoringEpistemologies:AreOur
ResearchEpistemologiesRaciallyBiased?EducationalResearcher.
Spring,J.(2001).DeculturalizationandtheStruggleforEquality:ABrief
HistoryoftheEducationofDominatedCulturesintheUnitedStates
(3rded.).Boston:McGrawHill.