Double Entry Journal Entry # 3 (Own the word)

Below is my "Own the Word" for Cultural Deficit

 

Reference:

Bolima, D. (n.d.). Contexts for understanding: educational learning theories. Retrieved from http://staff.washington.edu/saki/strategies/101/new_page_5.htm

Double Entry Journal # 2 ("As Soon As She Opened Her Mouth")

Quote:

"Jenny and Donny belonged to a social underclass. They were members of a cultural group referred to as "urban Appalachian." "Poor Whites" from the mountains or hills, "hillbillies," "white trash." Donny's failure to learn was not considered worth of attention, and Jenny's inability to get herself heard was intimately related to this fact" (Purcell-Gates, 2002)

"First and most obvious, teachers and schools must accept, believe, and act upon the belief that children of poverty are learners, have been learning since birth, and are ready to learn at anytime, and will learn."  (Purcell-Gates, 2002)

Reaction:

After reading this article I felt remorse and outrage at Donny's teacher, school, and principal. The total lack of any kind of compassion or willingness to help Donny learn was unbelievable. I feel  that the underlying problem in Donny's case stems from stereotyping learners as well as the lack of understanding that poverty plays in our education system and the barriers it presents. If we as educators believe that students are unable to achieve academic success based on economic status, then we are in essence not breaking the cycle of poverty. If we have low expectations of students based on their backgrounds, then we are saying their is nothing to gain, and yet in reality all is lost. An educators goal should be to overcome any and all obstacles in order to help both students and parents to achieve success.I wholeheartedly agree that all children are willing to learn and can learn, regardless, of race, social-class, or any other barrier. 

Reference: 
Purcell-Gates, V. (2002). “...As soon as she opened her mouth!” In L. Delpit & J.K. Dowdy (Eds.), The skin that we speak: An anthology of essays on language, culture and power.

Related Source:
Educational leadership is an online article that discusses the The Myth of the Culture of Poverty. The article begins with a classroom story. Then the goes into discussing and disputing the certain myths or stereotypes that people hold about individuals who are from low socioeconomic backgrounds.The articles highlights the culture of class-ism and ways to prevent it from happening. Click here to read the article. 

Gorski, P. (2008, April). The myth of the culture of poverty. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr08/vol65/num07/The-Myth-of-the-Culture-of-Poverty.aspx 

Lady Bird Johnson, former U.S. first lady

"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."

Double Entry Journal #1

Quote: 

"As the mountains were denuded, the industrialists portrayed the families they were robbing as ''backward people'' and themselves as the prophets of progress. The missionaries who often accepted large donations from the industrialists exaggerated the ''otherness'' of these strange people."(O'brien, May 10, 2003).

 Reaction:

According to an article posted in the New York Times, writer John O'brien believes that over industrialization of the land and the need for progress from outsiders has attributed to the over exaggeration and negative portrayal of Appalachian people. I chose this quote because I have witnessed and experienced first hand how Appalachian people are often seen as strange or "backwoods". I feel that Appalachian people don't fit into the norms of society because we do not conform to modernized ways of living. I firmly believe that we are a strong and self-reliant people who are determined to live by rooted traditions. We live off the land, do a little picking, and most importantly we go a country mile to help a friend or neighbor.

Reference:

O'brien, J. (2003, May 10). Tall tales of appalachia. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/10/opinion/tall-tales-of-appalachia.html

Related Resources:

"The People of Appalachia" is a web based article that depicts two photographs, one of an Appalachian man, and one of the resources that people are so readily to exploit.The article depicts an Appalachian tragedy, a continuing story of a wanton exploitation of their people, their place, and their resources. Below is one of the pictures contained in the article. To read and view the article click here.

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