Neoliberalism

Neoliberalism is a term that I was wholly unaware of; I had no idea what it meant or what it possibly meant in the context of U.S. society. Interestingly, like the culture of power, neoliberalism gives a name to what happens and is happening in American society. Neoliberalism, according to Pauline Lipman (2008) in her work “Education Policy, Race, and Neoliberal Urbanism”, is “… an ensemble of economic and social policies that promote the primacy of the market and individual self-interest….” In other words, in our capitalistic thought, the only way to solve societal problems (i.e. economic, public spheres, schools, anything) runs along the idea of either increasing or decreasing government control in order to solve problems. Furthermore, to the detriment of public schools, using market logic to find a solution to every problem including the problems with public schools.

A prime example of this market logic is the NCLB (No Child Left Behind) Act, according to NCLB if a school is failing standardized testing they lose government funding as a punishment to do better next time otherwise they will have to close the school. Let’s think about this, why is this ridiculous logic for improving learning in American schools? Schools get funds from the community in which they are serving, thus if it is a poor community then the school will be poor as well and will not have the money to give students access to full educational opportunities – which is not the schools nor anyone else’s in the community’s fault. Wealthier neighborhoods, which in turn have wealthier schools, are able to afford the resources needed to successfully prepare for the standardized exams; thus they pass and are rewarded with government funding. Resources are very important and they include; teachers, computers, staff, facility maintenance, new texts and books, a library, among others and because the poorer schools do not have access to these resources their students perform poorly on the exams.

This is a vicious cycle that continues to increase the gap between the poor and wealthy. Because the people in poor communities continue to get substandard educations forcing them into compliant minimum wage labor jobs, while wealthier communities thrive in the “knowledge is power” age acquiring high paying knowledge-based jobs. Students in the poor communities essentially are unable to compete with students from wealthier communities. Interestingly, mainly minorities and poor White people make up the poor communities further increasing the achievement gap – something the NCLB was enacted to eliminate. It is imperative to remember that there are many other ways to solve societal problem, not just the binary of market logic. I find myself that when I reflect on this idea of “other solutions” it is really hard and that I am so stuck in the “market logic” and I had no idea. I know that NCLB doesn’t work and is making the situation worse but what are the other solutions and what, as teachers, can we do about it.

Epistemological diversity

Epistemology or theory of knowledge is a branch of philosophy that deals with the scope and nature of knowledge. However, people and populations of people hold varying beliefs about what constitutes the theory of knowledge; this is called epistemological diversity. For example the Indigenous educational system and their epistemological beliefs are different from U.S. schooling. Indigenous societies have traditionally practiced forms of “informal” education; however, “informal” doesn’t make the education any less as functional or important. It just means that their education isn’t confined to institutionalized places and times, which makes it more fully encompassing and connected. The epistemology of indigenous societies is eloquently explained in the book To Remain an Indian by K. Lomawaima and T. McCarty (which will the text that I draw my understandings about indigenous education from in the rest of this blog). They discuss the history on indigenous schooling including colonial education and its harmful impact on the education of indigenous children.

In traditional indigenous educational systems the teachers are the parents, elders and the relatives; there isn’t a classroom in a building with a teacher with written exams and other “formal” assessments. Students are educated on being physically strong, being good mothers and fathers, being leaders, and being doctors; they are taught how to “pass” survival, which is higher stake then the SAT exam. Students are also taught based on age, level of knowledge and according to clan and rank; importantly is the practice of teaching according to the student’s level of knowledge. Unfortunately, in the institutionalization of the educational system in the U.S. students are being confined to a one-dimensional education and they aren’t being taught according to their levels of knowledge but instead to the defined level of knowledge that they should be at. This, again, corresponds to epistemological diversity because the educational system in the U.S. believes that students all learn in a certain set of ways not in multiple ways, while indigenous educational systems believe that students learn in various complex and multidimensional ways which is reflected in their “informal” style of schooling.

How will understanding epistemological diversity better improve my teaching philosophies? I think that understanding and recognizing that there is epistemological diversity is important in effectively teaching a diversity student population. In the sciences, mu content area, it will be important for me to remember although students need to pass the high stakes exam they need to learn as well. Further, “formal” education isn’t the only way that people learn; students have high quality learning experiences all the time not just confined to the classroom. This kind of education needs to be incorporated into the classroom experience, for example, in science education field trips and hands-on learning activities are important in students being able to fully assimilate the information and to be able to incorporate the new knowledge into their lives.

Critical Literacy

What is critical literacy and why is it so important for students’ futures to proficiently be taught critical literacy? According to Ernest Morrell et al. in the book Critical Literacy and Urban Youth the acquisition of the dominant critical literacies is pertinent for economic, social and political success. Importantly, Morrell et al. states that critical literacy education leads students towards engaged citizenship and personal empowerment. Critical literacy to me, as a future educator, is being literate in multiple literacies and in the dominant literacies. Being literate in the dominate literacies give these people the potential to shape language and thus meaning, consequently, the meaning of language are constructed within social and political texts.

The question is, what does this all mean to educators? As a future educator, I need to teach my students critical literacy; literacies that will empower them to be active learners and participants in their communities and in American society. Ultimately, learning critical literacy will give students the tools to apply their skills and knowledge so to influence societal change. For instance, in Critical Literacy and Urban Youth by Morrell et al. he had founded a summer seminar program called the Futures Project for underprivileged students in which they learned critical literacies. These students cooperated with teachers on projects pertaining to the sociology of education and the critical methods of educational research. Through these projects they learned critical theory, social theory, cultural studies, educational sociology, legal history, and qualitative research methodology. Ultimately they at the end of the project the students brought forth their findings to university faculty, community activists, delegates, media personnel, and elected officials. Notably, the topics for these projects focused on education and educational reform for the equal access to academic achievement for underprivileged groups. This all ties into what Robert Moses (Radical Equations: Civil Rights from Mississippi to the Algebra Project, see blog: Teaching Science to ALL Students) was arguing about, that underprivileged groups have been denied access to the critical literacies that will foster their economic, political, and social success.

As a future science teacher, I will incorporate critical literacies in science into my teaching. From Morrell at al. in Critical Literacy and Urban Youth, I will incorporate research projects that involve critical inquiry and group work. Importantly, the projects need to impact students’ lives in relation to community involvement and activism.

Teaching Science to ALL Students

The issue with this is that the educational system that is in place hasn’t changed fast enough to accommodate for the change in the economy and the job market. The system still “weeds out” students from the math and sciences, which are now pertinent to economic success in the new economy of computers. This “weeding out” occurs not only at the secondary level but at the post-secondary level as well, seems even more so from my experience. However, the challenge for me as a future science teacher at the secondary level is that I have to adequately prepare all students for college level science so that they have the learning tools critical to preventing them from being eliminated from the math and science pool.

Interestingly in the book by Robert Moses, Radical Equations: Civil Rights from Mississippi to the Algebra Project, he compares the acquisition of math literacies for minority groups to the Civil Rights movement in Mississippi. The correlation is that the fight for the right to vote and to have political power is similar to the now fight for the right of minority groups to be taught math and science. Moses argues that being taught math and science literacy is and should be as important as being taught reading and writing literacies, because of the need for “knowledge workers” in postmodern society. In being denied math and science literacies minority groups lose access to economic and political power.

Importantly, in order to be successful in the movement toward prioritizing the teaching of math and science literacies at the same level as reading and writing literacies students and communities need to be involved; they need to find a voice and be empowered to speak for themselves, as African Americans had in the Civil Rights movement (Moses). Science, which is intimately related to math, has historically been denied to minority groups. Traditionally, students with parents who are doctors they too will be doctors, same is true with scientists, chemists, physicists and so on. This tradition needs to be challenged and it begins in the classroom, with the teacher; as a future science teacher I will need to prepare all students to be successful in the sciences that I teach.

English Language Learners

It’s is obvious that there are many complex literacies that students need to navigate through in their daily lives. Additionally, English language learners deal with an even more challenging and complex array of literacies. This is also obvious, not only do these students have to learn a second language they also have to deal with the literacy challenges of their native language; in which they may or may not be proficient in. Ideally, English language learners become proficient in both their native/home language and their second language; however, this is not always the case.

In “Becoming Literate in a Second Language: Connecting Home, Community, and School Literacy Practices” by Mari Haneda, the problems with the school system regarding the education of English language learners is discussed. For instance, a Chinese English language learner was placed lower track classes in which he was only learning basic reading and writing skills, however, he was practicing complex literacies through the internet by creating his own website. Through the website he was engaged in multiple and complex literacy practices with people all over the world. The issue is that the educational system had labeled him and tracked him, keeping him from the opportunity to practice critical literacy – which he decided to get elsewhere.

There are many problems with the current educational system, particularly the practice of tracking students, tracking can have and has had deleterious effects on English language learners. As a future educator, it is important to remember that all students can learn and are capable of practicing complex literacies. Furthermore, bringing in their native literacies and culture into the classroom is a valuable teaching tool for all students.

English Language Learners

It’s is obvious that there are many complex literacies that students need to navigate through in their daily lives. Additionally, English language learners deal with an even more challenging and complex array of literacies. This is also obvious, not only do these students have to learn a second language they also have to deal with the literacy challenges of their native language; in which they may or may not be proficient in. Ideally, English language learners become proficient in both their native/home language and their second language; however, this is not always the case.

In “Becoming Literate in a Second Language: Connecting Home, Community, and School Literacy Practices” by Mari Haneda, the problems with the school system regarding the education of English language learners is discussed. For instance, a Chinese English language learner was placed lower track classes in which he was only learning basic reading and writing skills, however, he was practicing complex literacies through the internet by creating his own website. Through the website he was engaged in multiple and complex literacy practices with people all over the world. The issue is that the educational system had labeled him and tracked him, keeping him from the opportunity to practice critical literacy – which he decided to get elsewhere.

There are many problems with the current educational system, particularly the practice of tracking students, tracking can have and has had deleterious effects on English language learners. As a future educator, it is important to remember that all students can learn and are capable of practicing complex literacies. Furthermore, bringing in their native literacies and culture into the classroom is a valuable teaching tool for all students.

Gender and Literacy

I perceive gender to be a continuum and that it is unique to the individual. Gender “norms” are socially and culturally constructed within a given society. The gender dichotomy which exists in the United States is a false construction of gender when you reflect on and think about it. Think about your own experiences, how do you feel your “gender” is? Did you fit the gender dichotomy? Further, it is very intriguing to bring literacies and the construction of literacies into the mix because I didn’t think of gender and literacy as being related. However, it is clear to see the relationship between the two, simply because a person’s gender construction and how they view their gender and others gender is intimately related to the types of literature that they have been exposed to.

Literature can cause both the acquisition and reinforcement of the gender dichotomy and it can also encourage and facilitated critical thought about socially constructed gender issues. Which is critical to remember as a teacher, literature has a profound impact on the gender development of children; for example, in “What they Don’t Learn in Schools” by Jabari Mahir in the chapter “Negotiating Gender Through Academic Literacy Practices” by Amanda Godley, two female students who had lived in other countries were case studies about how literature influenced their views on genders practices in the United States. At first one student described how she was “free” in the United States to wear makeup and dress provocatively unlike in her native country. However, after reading “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison the students had begun to reflect on, particularly one of the students in the case study, about how being “free” in the United States is really not being “free” at all. How women in the United States are enslaved by the ideals of beauty, the standard that a women will be more successful if she projects the culturally constructed ideals of beauty. This is an example of literature influencing critical thought and reflection on the issues of gender and its social construct.

However, this is not always the case, as in the same text by Jabari Mahir in the chapter “Practicing for Romance: Adolescent Girls Read the Romance Novels” by Jane Stanely, Stanely poignantly discusses to problems with girls reading romance novels. At first the thought is that “it’s better than reading nothing”, but is it really. No, these girls are reading these books essentially to try and understand male behaviors and how to be “good” girlfriends; however, these books have false information and greatly reinforce the gender dichotomy as right, when it is not. Furthermore they do not promote critical thinking skills or a reading challenge for these girls. As an educator, it is important to think why, why do girls read these books? In the chapter, it was pointed out that literature in schools centered on male characters mainly because the teachers thought that the male students will not be engaged if the reading is about a female character. But, what about the female students, do they matter? Or is it that only if you fit the feminine ideal of beauty as a female is the only way that you will be successful. It’s sad but true and as a female teacher I will always be mindful about the appropriate and correct ideas about gender and the affects that gender in literacy has on all of my students.