Blog #3

The second case study focused on addressing and transcending cultural conflicts through the case study of Dr. Johnson, a female African American teacher in a white suburban school.  The beginning of her case study emphasizes that race and diversity should be incorporated into a school's curriculum even in a mainly white school setting (Milner, 2010, p. 81).  Intentional conversations about race and diversity are necessary for students to become culturally knowledgeable citizens in our world today.  Research has found that children develop bias by the time they enter kindergarten (Milner, 2010, p. 82).  Because this bias happens so automatically as children are exposed to the values and biases of the people around them, teachers must be intentional about creating a space where those biases are challenged, where different view points are accepted and taught, where students are comfortable sharing, and where students value the diversity of their peers and others they come into contact with.  Dr. Johnson used reflection as an instructional tool in her classroom to create a space for her students to struggle with the topics of cultural conflicts, biases, and diversity (Milner, 2010, p. 83).  Her students began to reflect on things such as socioeconomic status, realities beyond merit, and their position in society in the context of a large social and economic system.  Dr. Johnson claims that students need to gain self-awareness and knowledge before beginning to understand others (Milner, 2010, p. 84).  One way her students do this is through reflection.  Dr. Johnson also encourages this by making lessons culturally relevant, by exposing students to opportunity and challenging them to think about opportunity, and by going beyond teaching Eurocentric literature (Milner, 2010, p. 85).

One thing I found interesting about Dr. Johnson's case study was her beginning approach to teaching.  I think her influence was so strong because she entered the classroom with a culturally relevant and challenging approach from the first day.  She was aware of the importance of culture conversations and reflections because she had experienced those things in her education.  Being an ESL minor, I have also been experiencing those things in my higher education.  Taking classes in which I am forced to challenge my own biases, consider the contexts and backgrounds my students are coming from, have difficult conversations with my peers, and reflect on my journey of transformation has guided me in having a desire to teach as Dr. Johnson teaches.  While these experiences are formative in the philosophy of education I will bring into the classroom someday, I often struggle with how to apply them to lower elementary students.  Most of the conversations and modeling I have participate in has been relevant to middle school or high school curriculum.  I know it is important for lower elementary students to participate in these grand conversations and to begin their journey of transformation the first day they step foot into the classroom, but sometimes the abstract concepts seem difficult.  Regardless, finding ways to address and transcend cultural conflicts in the classroom is essential, and can be done at any age.  Students need to understand the importance of this practice and recognize that their teacher is advocating on their behalf, while striving to push them to think deeply about themselves and the people around them.

Blog #2

The next section of the book focused on the role and relevance of race and relationship.  It included a case study in which a white male teacher was teaching in the context of an urban school.  Mr. Hall, a science teacher, described how he quickly realized that he couldn't teach content until he understood and acknowledged the students to whom he was teaching and the social context they were a part of (Milner, 2010, p. 50).  He focused a large amount of effort on building relationships with each student and connecting to each student in a way appropriate for them.  With some students it was harder than others.  The book describes that one of the hardest things for Mr. Hall was to help his students understand that he was not attacking them personally, but that he was attacking their behavior (Milner, 2010, p. 51).  Often, in his case, students would raise their voice and accuse him of not understanding or being racist.  He noted that when students express their perceptions, they're expressing their realities (Milner, 2010, p. 51).  One of Mr. Hall's strengths was responding to realities of students after gauging their perceptions.  He had to listen to his students and knew that listening was an essential part of building a relationship with them.  Another part of building relationships with his students was finding a way for students to connect with him (Milner, 2010, p. 53).  Mr. Hall found that it was powerful to share personal stories that connected his own life to course content (Milner, 2010, p. 68).

One portion of Mr. Hall's case study that I connected with was the idea of being real with students.  Mr. Hall told students that not every day is sunshine and roses.  He was real about bad days, struggles, and recognizing those things within the classroom context (Milner, 2010, p. 54).  When I think about the adults I have connected with most growing up, I realized that the adults I have trusted and built the closest relationships with are the ones who didn't sugar coat everything, but instead shared their real struggles with me.  They did this in an appropriate way, of course, but regardless, I knew they were genuine.  Our relationship included listening on both ends.  In and outside of school these relationships were the ones I cherished the most and learned the most from.  When I evaluate the relationships I have made with professors in college, it becomes clear that the professors who were real with me were the professors who got to hear about my real feelings, struggles, and hopes.

Regardless of students' struggles, bad days, misbehaviors, and outbursts, Mr. Hall commented that he made sure students knew that every day in his classroom was a new slate (Milner, 2010, p. 63).  This statement immediately reminded me Lamentations 3:22-23 which says, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  In striving to love my students with a Christ-like love, following this example is essential.  Looking past students negative moments and extending grace and mercy to them each day, continuing to strive to see them as God sees them is essential.  When students receive this love, they will certainly recognize its difference in comparison to unforgiving parts of our world.  Being consistent in this value will become a consistent presence of the love of God in the classroom.

Blog #1

The beginning of the book introduces the framework the book portrays throughout. The author introduces the framework saying that race DOES matter (Milner, 2010, p. 14).   Many factors beyond merit shape students' academic and social success.  The author urges teachers to set high expectations for their students as a part of the framework of the text, noting that students generally meet the expectations set for them (Milner, 2010, p. 15).  He also urges educators to consider the implications of social context (Milner, 2010, p. 16).

One of the larger ideas included in the framework of the text is the idea of challenging colorblindness.  Milner writes that when teachers ignore students' racial identities, they are ignoring essential pieces of who students are and treating them as incomplete (p. 16).  Milner directly states that white teachers and students of color have different experiences in and out of the classroom, which creates a gap (p. 19).  Educators must attempt to cross this gap, but in order to do so, they must acknowledge the gap first.  While at first it seems as if it would be virtually impossible for white teachers to successfully teach students of color according to Milner's explanation of this gap, he explicitly states that "it is what teachers know and are willing to learn that matter more than their racial background" (p. 20).  As teachers grow in their own identity, challenging personal biases and striving to create a culturally rich classroom experience, they must keep in mind that for some students, it means something completely different to behave well or "normally" at home than what teachers expect of behavior at school (Milner, 2010, p. 25).  This means that rules and consequences must be explicitly explained and practiced.  Students must be reminded of expectations of often in order to learn this piece of classroom culture, merging it in some way with their own culture.  After extensively discussing these ideas, Milner adds that white students and students who grew up with some degree of wealth also need to be aware of and learn about race, diversity, and multicultural education (p. 40).

This statement was one we focused on in our multicultural education class last fall.  A lot of Milner's ideas and concepts included in the framework of this text sounded familiar to me.  Many of these ideas are ones we wrestled with in our small class, challenging one another to think deeply about our own culture and the implications that has on our future classrooms.  During that class I was forced to analyze my past, talk about my biases, and begin to confront them.  I began to seek my identity as a teacher of multicultural education, and consider what that process of transformation needs to look like.

Ultimately, I think that process began by going back to the basis of what I believe.  I think it starts by considering my Christian worldview and how that fits in to my role as a teacher and an influence in the lives of my students.  Having a background of faith means that I see my students as children of God, made in His image.  It means that I love them regardless of their background, experiences, personalities, and interests.  It means that I engage students in difficult conversations about race, culture, and diversity in the classroom and stay honest with them about my background and transformation.  It means that I am patient when these issues do not play out as planned in my classroom.  It means that I have great hope for each of my students, and great passion for guiding them in growth.

Book Information

 Start Where You Are, But Don't Stay There

This book focuses on a discussion about the opportunity gaps in today's diverse classrooms and how to effectively teach in that context.  It is organized around case studies using teachers of different ethnicities in the contexts of both suburban and urban schools.  It includes general information about teaching in the context of diversity and operates with the framework of both diversity and opportunity gaps.  

I chose this book because of the case study structure.  I learn well by concrete example, and I often think discussions surrounding diversity can easily become vague and abstract.  This book offers these discussions within a more concrete context.  

Milner IV, H. (2010). Start where you are, but don't stay there. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.