Today in class our group had an awesome discussion about the chapter "What Should Teachers Do?" The chapter was very interesting - it really exposed the issue of "Standard English" and how the dialect that students speak that enhances their personality and their culture (otherwise known as Ebonics). It's important to realize that language is a comfort zone - the way you speak at home is typically ingrained as "normal" to younger children. When they are confronted with a reason to change and to forget who they are (so to speak), students face a decision. There are students who will refuse to change and become deviant as a result. And there are others who want to conform and start to resent who they are and hate their culture.
Our group had a great representation of that repressed feeling: although not all of us necessarily speak in dialect deemed as “Ebonics” we all felt that we have had to hold back a part of us in order to fit in, whether it be with peers, job interviews, in classes we’ve taken, and in our every day lives. Stephen brought his grades as his prop, proving that he is nearly a 4.0 student, yet he is unsure if he will be able to land a job after he is done earning his license and degree. What was interesting is that our entire group empathized with Stephen in our own different ways. We feel as if we must hide who we are in certain situations to gain entry into this world we are about to be in (or already are!). It’s frustrating to see that we are feeling this pressure to conform underneath it all.
The article was an excellent way to expose this issue of Ebonics and how it truly can be detrimental to students when teachers handle it the wrong way. It can cause students to curl up and never want to participate or develop a hatred for school. We all have our own unique way of being an individual – it is crucial to keep that individuality alive in our future students!
This really is a fascinating topic. My personal belief is that there is nothing wrong doing what's comfortable for you in a familiar environment. However, it is extremely valuable to know how to present yourself in a certain way when necessary - and this goes for more than just language.
ReplyDeleteFor example, I hate wearing ties. I will avoid it at all costs, even when it is borderline inappropriate to not be wearing one. But I know I have to wear a suit to a job interview. It's uncomfortable and I feel like I'm not myself, but it's expected. I just have to deal with it.
As teachers we just have to know the right way to explain that to kids. Correcting someone's pronunciation of word because its "incorrect" doesn't convey the right message.
Perhaps if a teacher strongly believes students need to work on their "proper" English - and this can go for those who speak ebonics, or those who just struggle with English in general - they could set aside certain times in class when they can speak however they want, and times when they should act based on certain expectations. Perhaps that would send the message that there is nothing wrong with how they're speaking, but there are times in life when you're expected to speak/act in a more formal way.
I find it so interesting, and so sad, that we still deal with this kind of discrimination. How many history teachers have told us that the point of learning history is "so we don't repeat our mistakes"? Didn't we learn from Hitler? Didn't we learn from MLK? The fact that we had this discussion in class today shows that we, in fact, have not learned from History.
ReplyDeleteChrissy
Kennan, I really enjoyed your group's presentation on the chapter concerning the debate over Ebonics. Although it was hard to watch the teacher scold the student over his language, the message was powerful. The scenario you shared occurs more often than we think in classrooms today. As teachers, we have to make sure that we are providing culturally responsive instruction to our students.
ReplyDeleteKennan, our class discussion regarding Ebonics was very powerful. Our classroom example, showed me how important it is not to let “standard English” override our students identity. Our students are finding who are they are as individuals and it is our job as educators to allow them to grow with sensitivity.
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