Advocate
Working at an under resourced middle school with a predominantly African American population has helped me to understand the social injustices in the educational system that has historically oppressed minority groups. In order for me to provide my students with a socially just education and advocate for their empowerment, I have learned to develop the sociocultural awareness of how critical race theory applies to my student population, and of the challenges that they face in transitioning to middle school without many of the skills that they need to achieve success.
In a study conducted by Wallace and Brand (2012) on critical race theory in education, they asked “is a critical awareness of societal constructions of difference or characterizations of race pivotal to teaching African American students?” (p. 347). They determined through classroom observations and principal and student surveys that teachers who understood that “racism is so ingrained in American culture that it is barely recognizable” and that “racism is an enduring factor of American life” were better able to engage their African American students, increase their self-confidence in academics, and raise their standardized test scores (Delgaldo and Stefancic, 2004, p. 343). Like the teachers in this study, I advocate for my students through my determination to remove any barrier that would interfere with my students’ achievement. I achieve this through my own professional development of reading culturally relevant texts such as Paul Tough’s book “Whatever it Takes” on bridging the income inequality gap by delivering a socially just education to underserved students in Harlem (2009). I am also informed by my own experience of being a part of a marginalized minority group growing up as a multiracial child in China. I incorporate my understanding of critical race theory in my classroom by integrating the lived experiences of my students, their communities, and myself in the curriculum. In studying the Bill of Rights, my students conducted a research assignment in which they investigated if there were cases in which African Americans or other minorities had their rights violated in criminal or civil court cases. Students collaborated in teams to debate what factors contributed to these cases. Students shared their findings with the class and determined that many of these victims were unaware of the rights they had were being violated, a result the students argued, that stemmed from a socially unjust system of education that is undermined by the inequalities outlined in critical race theory, inequalities that they could recognize in their own communities. By acknowledging and making students aware of the legal inequities that pervade their communities, they are better prepared to consciously engage with the curriculum and question the validity of what they are learning. While making the curriculum culturally relevant to my students is an effective way to empower them and motivate them to learn, many of them are still critically challenged by their lack of intrinsic motivation that is often rooted in the obstacles they face in acclimating to the expectations and work habits of middle school. I advocate for the empowerment of my students by guiding them to mature into self-regulated empowered learners. Cleary and Zimmerman (2004) theorized that when students are given fewer choices about “curriculum activities and are given less opportunities to assume personal responsibility, they may develop self-defeating cycles of self-motivational beliefs” (p. 537). In transitioning to middle school, students are expected to have developed independent study habits and methods to balance multiple assignments from multiple teachers, skills that some students are psychologically unprepared for (Clearly and Zimmerman, 2004, p. 539). The self-regulated empowerment program is informed by Bandura’s (1997) social-cognitive theory in that it assumes that “specific contextual or situational variables play a prominent role in student motivation and self-regulation” (p. 540). To mold my students into self-regulated empowered learners, I have to be aware of how my students’ self-motivational beliefs will be determined by the nature of the assignments that they are asked to complete. I have incorporated this awareness by integrating cognitive learning tools that the students are familiar with or want to learn how to use. I used social media in a project where my science students created an awareness campaign in their communities using Twitter and Instagram to promote eco-sensitive practices that would help to improve the water quality of the Santa Monica Bay. For assessments, I have students set goals for themselves and work with them to develop specific steps that they will take in order to reach those goals. For example, prior to a summative social studies exam, I worked with a struggling to set an attainable goal. The student specified that he was aiming for a score of 85% for the exam, we then established a plan he would follow for him to achieve his goal which included studying for three hours over three days, utilizing graphic organizers, flash cards, and practice quizzes. By creating the environment that empowered this student to be a self-regulated learner, he was able to achieve his goal and received an 87% on the assessment. Establishing an environment and providing the support in which students feel empowered to self-regulate their own learning gives them the foundation to achieve success. I am able to advocate for my students to become empowered because I have recognized the sociocultural challenges that they face and together we work together to build an atmosphere that is conducive to their success. |
Artifact I: Black History Month Video
To commemorate Black History Month, my class studied the influence of the Harlem Renaissance and the impact of the era on their African-American culture today. My student analyzed important figures from the Harlem Renaissance and created a video to explain their findings on how they are positively affected today by their achievements. Artifact II: Civil Rights Debate
Eighth grade students studied the role of the Bill of Rights in society. Students debated whether or not the Bill of Rights truly provides equitable rights to all Americans. Students discussed whether all people are truly innocent until proven guilty, whether gun restrictions are socially just, and the moral ethics of media censorship in the modern age. Artifact III: Assessment Study Guide
Every major assessment is preceded by a study guide that is provided to the students several days in advance. The study guides help students to organize their learning materials and focus on specific standards and concepts that were covered in the unit. It provides students with an organized set of ideas that they can use their resources to review independently. |
References
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.
Cleary, T., & Zimmerman, B. (2004). Self-regulation empowerment program: A school-based program to enhance self-regulated and
self-motivated cycles of student learning. Psychology in the Schools, 41 (5), 537-550
Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2004). Critical race theory: An introduction. New York: New York University Press.
Tough, P. (2009). Whatever it takes. Boston: Mariner Books.
Wallace, T., & Brand, B. (2012). Using critical race theory to analyze science teachers culturally responsive practices. Cultural Studies of
Science Education, 7, 341-374.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.
Cleary, T., & Zimmerman, B. (2004). Self-regulation empowerment program: A school-based program to enhance self-regulated and
self-motivated cycles of student learning. Psychology in the Schools, 41 (5), 537-550
Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2004). Critical race theory: An introduction. New York: New York University Press.
Tough, P. (2009). Whatever it takes. Boston: Mariner Books.
Wallace, T., & Brand, B. (2012). Using critical race theory to analyze science teachers culturally responsive practices. Cultural Studies of
Science Education, 7, 341-374.