Cross Cultural Issues in Education: Learning Through Listening
Ethnic Studies Spring Break Field Course
By Kelly A. Martin
The group before
our interviews in Independence. Brainstorming
questions to ask stake holders. Practicing my listening skills, with
a little help from the teddy.
Our group of twenty students, two instructors and one facilitator spent five intensive days interviewing stake holders and discussing issues related to the drop out rate of African American and Latino high school students in Oregon. We were also presented with the challenge developing the course structure and process as we, the students, saw fit. The entire five days of intense learning left everyone feeling loaded with knowledge that we can apply to all aspects of life. The key points that we heard throughout the week were:
1. There is a need to challenge the
dominant Eurocentric social paradigm that encourages individual success
and emphasizes
the division
of people into hierarchies.
2. Racism exists globally, nationally,
and locally.
3. Everyone within society is accountable
for the education of children.
4. The educational system needs to
reflect the ideas and identities of all students within that system.
5. More funding is needed to improve
the quality of our schools and to lower drop our rates of African American
and Latino
students.
6. The climate of the school must
be welcoming to all students.
7. Everyone in the community is responsible
for educating themselves about ethnicity's and cultures.
8. Color blindness denies the experience
of others. Practice acknowledgment and respect of all races.
9. Listening encourages speaking,
and is the most important component of communication.
10. We all must listen, learn and
serve. People equals power; knowledge equals power.
The Oregon school system is in need of vast improvements. Yet, there are successful programs in place that contribute to the continuing education of African American and Latino students. Bilingual programs, which is when the classroom teaches in both Spanish and English, allows students to properly develope their primary language. When a student is encouraged to learn in their first language they are able to make the transition into the second language with a greater ability to decode, absorb context, comprehend and to be creative. This is only one example of the available programs for African American and Latino students in Oregon.
To become a contributing member of your community, Oregon,
the nation and/or the world please continue to educate yourself on educational
systems and racial inequalities. The following links are one way
to get started:
Government Agents and Agencies:
Oregon School Districts:
Oregon Legislators~ www.leg.state.or.us
Portland Public Schools~ www.pps.k12.or.us
Oregon Governor, John Kitzhaber~
www.governor.state.or.us
Salem-Keizer Public Schools~ www.salkeiz.k12.or.us
Department of Education~ www.ore.state.or.us
Independence Unified School District #446~ www.indyschools.com
Federal Government, The White House~
www.whitehouse.gov
Covallis School District 509J~ www.corvallis.k12.or.us
President Elect, George W. Bush
(email)~ president@whitehouse.gov
Vice-President Elect, Dick Cheney
(email)~ vice.president@whitehouse.gov
National Resources:
Oregon Newspapers:
Newtwork on Educattors
on the Americas~ www.teachingforcahnge.org
Portland Oregonian~ www.oregonian.com
National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education~ www.ncbe.gw4.edu
Willamate Weekly~
www.wweek.com
Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs~ www.ed.gov/offices/OBEMLA
Salem Statesman Journal~ news.statesmanjournal.com
Applied Research Center~ www.arc.org/erase
Lew Northwest Publishing, Oregon
Newspapers~ www.mvonline.com/westoregon
National Center for Fair and Open Testing~ www.fairtest.org
State Resources:
Other Important Cites:
Latinos Unidos Siempre, Salem (email)~
mano@open.org
www.rethinkingschools.org
www.childfirstfororegon.org
ourworld.compuserve.com