Learning and Culture - Assignment Example

Learning and Culture Order No. 242183 No. of pages: 13 Premium 6530 Minorities in any community are a threatened species. They find it difficult to weave themselves into the social fabric and hence always experience its rough edges. This particular group of people is essentially vulnerable and exposed to social exclusion. People coming from different countries and settling down in a particular country or territory always come across some discrimination and segregation especially in the arena of education. A good example of this would be new immigrants who face problems of integration as well as feel threatened or anxious when they have to mix with other people and compete with them on the same level both in education as well as other social activities. Generally people are of the view that the minorities are in no way superior to them and hence are in no position to obtain the same level of education and social grounding because they are considered as coming from a poor cultural background. These minorities also face the risk of being discriminated or excluded from other social activities such as good education, employment and other social activities in which the majority take part which is vital for any individual to live in dignity and harmony. Therefore, integration of such minority groups poses a problem because inclusion into these activities in the bigger picture seems to be a rather difficult task because of their different cultural backgrounds. Study 1 In the promotion of educational success for the youth in the minority sector, a peer review study was conducted in a high school in California. Several primary factors were analyzed of migrant youth in the high school aged group to gauge their academic achievement. As of July 2002, there were 819,000 migrant children nationwide. Fine, M., Weis, L., & Powell, L. C. (1997). This group of children suffered the worst disadvantage due to the culmination of so many factors like poverty, poor health and nutrition and a high rate of absenteeism. In a national study on school completion rates, it was estimated that only about half received a high school diploma (State University of New York [SUNY] Oneonta Migrant Programs, 1987; Vamos, 1992). When comparing the students of different schools it was found that 77% of migrant students of Hillside High School (HHS) completed their 12th grade in 1998; another 8% remained in school pursuing a GED. Gibson, M. A. (1998) in comparison to 39% of non- migrant Mexican students who graduated on schedule. In the Appleton Unified School District, there were two public schools – one was HHS whose students were mostly white, middle – to upper- middle class, while those students from Appleton belonged to the Mexican or Mexican working class whose economy was based to a large extent on agriculture. The students going to school from here faced severe hardships both at home as well as while going to school. Where as the students of Hillside High, had an easier life and also a convenient bus to go to school. Results Many of the parents of the children from the working class community had studied little and spoke poor English and hence could not assist their children in their studies. Even their poor economic condition and other hardships impacted on the student’s education. In addition to this, the earning of the migrant laborer was only 9,000 which he received only during the agricultural season which was just five months. Hence these people lived mostly in poverty and could not afford to be educated. Some of them were forced to leave school during the off season. A follow up of these students was conducted by the researching team in 2002 and continued from the 9th to 12th grades making use of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Some of the methods used were observations, surveys, and personal interviews of both the staff as well as the students. By the tie the students went to HHS they were academically not fit for the class. While White students and teachers might have regretted the social divisions and tensions that existed between student groups, few had any real comprehension of the lives of the migrant students outside of school or the deep sense of exclusion they experienced in school (Gibson & Bejínez, 2002). Hence they feel a deep insecurity on the school premises and feel intimidated at all times. To remedy the situation of the migrating students In HHS, the Migration Education Program (MEP) was introduced with great results due to the academic support they extend and gives then a sense of strength and belonging. In such cases, educational programs must themselves be structured in ways that provide these in-school connections and support (Stanton-Salazar, Vasquez, & Mehan, 2000). Some of their programs are academic guidance for high school graduation, after school tutoring and also summer school classes. Activities with the MSA (Mexican Student Association) makes them feel confident and builds a sense of belonging. Through their participation in MSA, students came to associate being Mexican with leadership and academic achievement (Gibson, Bejínez, Hidalgo, & Rolón, in press). Study 2 In a peer review study on the curriculum and educational system in Korea, it brought to light that the curriculum is handed down or prescribed by educational law and so are all the educational material and textbooks used for the purpose. In March 2000, the curriculum had been revised with the sole idea of diversifying and decentralizing the curriculum. (The School Curriculum of the Republic of Korea, 2004) The aim of the study was to bridge the cross- cultural gap between the different minority sections of the society. As Noah (1973) appropriately indicated, a cross-cultural study allows individuals not only to explore various values and norms within each country, but also helps individuals appreciate the cultural differences and to increase understanding among countries on the basis of the observed knowledge. Educators are also considered to be dispensers of knowledge and molders of character for students (Siu, 1992; Strom, Griswold, & Slaughter, 1981). However, researchers are of the notion that support and engagement of the parent in the educational process is one of the primary contributors which is responsible for good academic achievement. South Korean educators are recognizing the deficiency of a rigid system culminating in a difficult examination for college entrance.” (p.22) The present scenario is such because the high competitive exams is very closely related to the job opportunities available which makes it even more difficult for these minorities to make a success of themselves. Results However, Wollam (1992) cited a significant change from the regular pattern from the selection from the Presidential Commission on Education Reform’s Korean Education Reform toward the 21st Century. Due to the overall enthusiasm by the parents, education has been overemphasized and a college degree was considered not only prestigious but also an “indicator of character and personality [or success itself].” Wollam (1992) It is this enthusiasm that has set the stage for national development. .… It rather becomes a liability, when it encourages a blind pursuit of education irrespective of one’s aptitude and interest or even possibly burnout. (p. 24) Study 3 Modern society lays great emphasis on education or what may be termed as intellectual capital, the possession of which is assiduously pursued by all classes of society. A good education is generally considered to be the bedrock on which an individual builds his social, economic and family life and so, all modern democracies try to guarantee a minimum education to their citizens, irrespective of caste, colour and nationality. Inspite of the avowed aim of governments to desist from any preferential treatment, minorities often suffer due to their culture and environment. Minorities lag behind in education because of the inadequacies of their background and home environment as well as their lack of socialization in the early stages of development. (Ramey & Suarez, 1985 pg.45, Journal of Negro Education, Vol. 59, No.1.1990) Students from any minority community begin with the distinct disadvantage of receiving less informal education at home and when they join the academic institution, they are already a few steps behind those children who were well equipped with the language of instruction in their informal home education. With time, this gap grows wider, and eventually a permanent gap exists between these two sets of students. The new methods of learning and teaching, especially the “bilingual education”, instead of being a facilitator of language learning, deprives minorities of full access to the national language. The other culprits who stand in the way of effective learning are the new system of “whole language” teaching which has pushed effective reading skills into a psycholinguistic guessing game. Integrated math, which lays emphasis on discovering Math, sacrifices the much needed computational skills and accurate calculation that are important everyday skills. Bond is of the view that lower socioeconomic status is also an impediment in education. The cultural and linguistic differences between the homes and school environments are other reasons why children from minorities find it difficult to master the content and style of learning which can aid them in educational pursuits. (Philips, 1976) Results Schools nowadays lay great emphasis on “progressivism”, and the “naturalistic” method of teaching and learning, much in the same way that a child learns to speak his mother tongue. This creates difficulties for the minorities, who find the school environment oppressive and not able to help them sufficiently in acquiring the skills needed to grapple with the society that lies outside their threshold. Another great myth that is a stumbling block in the quest for minorities in schools is the notion that knowledge seeking skills are more valuable than knowledge itself. Schools are promoting the concept of “accessing skills” by making use of the idea of problem solving using meta-cognitive skills. The idea of “critical thinking” which has gained many ardent followers makes a complete break between knowledge and thinking. Proponents of this theory fail to perceive that knowledge about a subject will lead a student to apply his analytical skills to understand and make inferences, and since minorities are not well-equipped with the knowledge inputs, they fail to apply higher degrees of data in solving their problems. Another area of improvement is “Progressivism”, which rejects the traditional methods of learning, and makes use of the more conventional ones i.e., teacher directed learning, drilling, individual study and memorization have been a bane for minorities, since, the teachers role has become that of a facilitator, and the “sage on the stage gives way to the guide on the side”. Minorities need a strong character to inspire them and when the facilitators are found lacking in these inspirational fronts, the education of the student belonging to a minority suffers a setback. Study 4 Underachievement among Gifted Minority Students: Problems and Promises. ERIC Digest E544. There has been a trend towards the under representation of minority students in gifted education programs, in varying degrees between 30% to 70% with an average of 50% underachievers (Ross et al 1993). Inclusion of such students is imperative but their achievements and under-achievements and the causes underlying these need to be examined. While defining the term underachievement, we need to understand the term gifted as well as the various methods adopted to measure this giftedness. Giftedness usually rests on the teacher’s perception of a student and an intelligence test score (Coleman, Gallagher, & Foster, 1994), and under achievement may be defined as the discrepancy between ability and performance. According to Ford this can be measured using different criteria and instruments, but most schools rely on psychometric tests, but minority students tend to fare poorly in standardized tests. Schools may go in for qualitative subjective analysis where teachers opinion on a students performance is the yard stick for judgment. In this report we shall examine the various social and family related reasons that lead to underachievement in minorities. Social and psychological Factors: Minority students are often caught between the pressures of affiliation to their social groups which views achievement as "acting white" or "selling out" (Fordham, 1988). Ford, Harris, and Schuerger (1993) have put emphasis on the need for minority students to first ascertain their feelings about their racial identities, since very often low self esteem, along with low academic and social skills impedes achievements in the school environment. A minority with low levels of self esteem is especially vulnerable to peer pressure and is prone to under achieve. Another factor which hinders capabilities is the tendency to put in minimum effort since minority students feel they are discriminated against by the majority group. The ingrained feeling of being treated unjustly leads them to put in less effort and ability (Ford, 1996; Fordham, 1988) than their right potential. Some of the other factors leading to underachievement among minorities is that their peer group is often outside the school or gifted program. They take part in little or no extracurricular activities and their social exchanges are often with delinquents or students with poor academic orientation. Family-Related Factors Very often minority students are found to be underachievers due to their stressful home environment as well as the low education level of their parents. In families with a single parent, the level of parental supervision is diminished and often the socioeconomic status is well below normal. The impact of a more conducive home environment, in relation to its achievement levels, have been well documented by Clark (1983). The study revealed that minority students who had assertive parents who kept track of their children’s school progress tended to be high achievers. Parents with a high degree of optimism and realistic expectations along with a belief in achievement ideology set positive examples for their off spring. VanTassel-Baska (1989) in a study of 15 low socioeconomic status (SES) gifted students and the role of family, concluded that Black parents who were hyperaware of childrens accomplishments and watchful as well as promoted the self-competence and independence of children helped their children to achieve their targets. Results Since underachievement among gifted minority students robs them of a chance to improve their social and economic status it is important to help them to achieve their best. This can be done by interventions on the part of educational institutions through helping students in studying, organization, taking tests and time management while family can chip in as partners in the educational process. Schools also need to provide supportive, intrinsic and remedial strategies which include molding the teaching process to the special needs of such students, being aware of their areas of interest and most important of all, imbuing them with a sense of self esteem and self- worth. Study 5 ARTICLE: RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES IN THE AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: A DREAM FOREVER DEFERRED AUTHOR – FLOYD D. WEATHERSPOON In the field of education achievement gap refers to the low scores attained by minority students when compared to their non -minority counterparts. The causes for achievement gap are generally related to either the students socio-economic status, cultural environment, and family background or are impacted by other school factors. When we look into the reasons as to why African American students fare poorly in school, many reasons may be cited, but chief among them is their disproportionate expulsion and suspension, segregating them into special education and sports coaches who often focus more on the sporting capability rather than the academic ability. The lack of desire to provide African American students with good quality education makes them ripe targets for being picked up by anti-social elements, who play on their insecurities and low self esteem of these vulnerable youth who soon turn to a life of drugs and crime. Inspite of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Brown case there is still inequality in the academic arena and more often than not African American students are dumped in the “sports curriculum” which counsels Black students to take up less challenging courses so that in the event of not scoring good averages, they are not disqualified from sports. This process of initiation in to sports starts very often at the kindergarten level to the detriment of the student’s primary education. Even at the college level they are not actively encouraged to join school clubs and organizations. The institutionalized racism that is inherent in institutions of higher learning has lead to the busing of African American students into those institutions which have a tradition of hostility and very often the hostility is couched in hidden policies and practices. Evidence that African American students have a different pace and style of learning and motivation, it clashes with the traditional style of teaching and learning in most schools. There is thus an urgent need to change the method of instruction since data also supports the fact that the dropout rates, low test scores, special education classes, lack of placement in advanced education classes testify to their negative growth curve. While the graduation rate for white students in 1998 was 78% and that of African American students was 56%. Another concern is that rarely do African American students become class valedictorians and their scholastic achievement is not duly recognized. The dropout rates for African American students is also higher than that for whites and this can be attributed to a lack of motivation among the community which still may perceive itself as a victim of skewed policies (Benson, Kirsten F 20000). Also race and gender stereotyping which tends to see them as members of gangs leads to greater chances of expulsion. The discrimination against African American students is still rampant and the cry of “segregation now, segregation forever, still echoes in the hallowed portals of learning and rings true for most minority students. Results The primary factor that must be put to rest in this case is discrimination and segregation. All students should be treated on an equal level without any discrimination. Steps to boost the confidence of the minorities through counseling and other programs should be undertaken both at the school and college level and also by the government. REFERENCES Academic rights: when public education fails, minorities with few http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n17_v49/ai_19751432/pg_2?tag=artBody;col1 Clark, R. (1983). Family life and school achievement. Why poor Black children succeed and fail. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Coleman, M. R., Gallagher, J. J., & Foster, A. (1994). Updated report of State policies related to the identification of gifted students. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gifted Education Policy Studies Program. Ford, D. Y. (1993). Black students achievement orientation as a function of perceived family achievement orientation and demographic variables. Journal of Negro Education. 62(1), 47-66. Ford, D. Y. (1995). A study of achievement and underachievement among gifted, potentially gifted and regular education of black students. Storrs, CT: The University of Connecticut, National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. Ford, D. Y. (1996).Reversing underachievement among the gifted Black students, reversing underachievement among gifted Black students: Promising practices and programs. New York: Teachers College Press. Ford, D. Y., Harris III, J. J., & Schuerger, J. M. (1993). Racial identity development among gifted Black students: Counseling issues and concerns. Journal of counseling and development. 71(4), 409-417. Fordham, S. (1988). Racelessness as a strategy in Black students school success: Pragmatic strategy or pyrrhic victory? Harvard Educational review. 58(1), 54-84. Good, T. L. (1981). Teacher expectations and student perceptions: A decade of research. Educational leadership. 38(5), 415-421. Gibson, M. A. (1998). Promoting academic success among immigrant students: Is acculturation the issue? Educational Policy, 12(6), 615-633. Gibson, M. A., & Bejínez, L. F. (2002). Dropout prevention: How migrant education supports Mexican youth. Journal of Latinos and Education, 1(3), 155-175. Gibson, M., Bejínez, L., Hidalgo, N., & Rolón, C. (in press). Belonging and school participation: Lessons from a Migrant student club. In M. A. Gibson, P. Gándara, & J. P. Koyama (Eds.), Peers, schools, and the achievement of U.S. Mexican youth. New York: Teachers College Press. *Improving Graduation Outcomes for Migrant Students. www.ericdigests.org/2004-1/outcomes.htm Racial Justice and Equity for African- American Males… http://users.law.capital.edu/fweatherspoon/Publications/racialjusticeandequity.pdf Ross, P. et.al. (1993). NATIONAL EXCELLENCE: A CASE FOR DEVELOPING AMERICAS TALENT. Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Programs for the Improvement of Practice Stanton-Salazar, R. D., Vasquez, O. A., & Mehan, H. (2000). Re-engineering academic success through institutional support. In S. T. Gregory (Ed.), The academic achievement of minority students: Perspectives, practices, and prescriptions (pp. 213-305). Lanham, MD: University Press of America, Inc. *Underachievement among Gifted Minority Students: Problems and ... http://www.ericdigests.org/1998-1/gifted.htm VanTassel-Baska, J. (1989). The role of the family in the success of disadvantaged gifted learners. Journal for the education of the gifted 13(1), 22-36. Vamos, Inc. (1992). National migrant student graduation rate formula. Prepared for the National Program for Secondary Credit Exchange and Accrual. Geneseo, NY: BOCES Geneseo Migrant Center. Read More