We Can't Teach What We Don't Know

We Can't Teach What We Don't Know
White Teachers in Multiracial Schools

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Noelle

Chapter 8

Creative Connector

“There is a personal renewal and hope to be found in the possibility of change and the opportunity to believe and act in new ways.” (p. 139)

I feel that this quote means so much it can be viewed in many ways, not only in multicultural education. Another view is inclusive education, which yes does include multicultural education, but not just that. We as inclusive teachers can find “renewal and hope” in the “change and opportunities” that we give all of our students. We need to remember that we are teachers to all students that every student is an individual, not just those who are academically or physically challenged, those higher achievers, or just the kids that fall in the “normal” category. We can make a difference in the lives of our students no matter where they come from, their background, their race, their ethnicity, etc.

The next reflection I’d like to make is chapter 8 discussion question 2: “For People of Color and White people, what do we need from each other if we are to create spaces of trust and effective collaboration in the service of our students?”

I feel that schools these days are striving to answer this question , they are finding the “trust” that has been gone for so long because of our countries history, it is still so easy for both Whites and Colors to blame and pull the “race card” but it is getting better. Our nation has become very excepting of people of all races, ethnicity, cultures etc, we as a society just need to become more excepting of each other and try to erase/diminish stereotypes, but that is Gary Howard’s place “of vision, healing, and positive change”. For me it isn’t hard to think about collaborating, but for others it may, it’s hard to help people get to a comfortable place of trust and collaboration, and I feel that the way that this book and Gary Howard goes about it towards “White Teachers” is wrong and it makes upset how he views and stereotype people himself!

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