WEEK 5 Blog Entry

What They Don't Learn in School-

I stand by Ferdman in his argument that cultural valuation equates to a child’s inclination to put a higher value on the learning experience, which consequently leads to higher levels of literacy acquisition.

Ferdman goes to argue that a school’s or teacher’s inability to access the student’s mind and guide them on both an academic and intellectual journey to success is because of their failed attempt to effectively bridge the contrasting home and school cultures of urban youth. I know that when I was younger, if the lesson was somehow related to my life, it just stuck more. Ferdman brings up quite an interesting argument regarding inequities in education that I have never thought about, cultures and cultural values of students actually play a big part in a child’s experience at school. It is implied by Ferdman that students who are members of ethnic minority groups may not have an equal shot at educational achievement because they are disadvantaged by their own ethnicity. Not because the lesson plan or the teacher may be engaging in racist acts, but because the majority ethnic group creates a sort of academic culture and climate that may not always be inclusive or conducive to their learning. Ferdman argues that this is a lack of consideration and in my opinion, I have to agree. In a way, this coincides with the idea that instruction should be given in that student’s native tongue, if a teacher or school makes the effort to in a way customize teaching and gear it towards that particular student or group of students, academic material would be better received and consequently, students’ retention of academic and educational material would also go up.

It’s not enough to address and make accommodations for the majority, the minority also has the ability to contribute to the whole, educators and proponents of academia need to work harder to level out the playing field and create a climate of inclusiveness and equality in schools, not just in areas regarding access to resources, but equally important, cultural equality as well. Material should be the same, but it is the techniques that we go about teaching that material that needs special attention.