Blog 11

The first piece of this class that will stick with me is Alan Johnston’s, Privilege, Power and Difference. This article will stick with me because of how it describes the separation in our country because of ethnicity, and privilege. This article does a good job connecting certain inequalities with different ethnic groups, and it’s unapologetic about what those with power will think. One specific thing that I will get out of this reading is not to “sugar coat” hard topics. Naming things like sexism and racism is needed for fostering meaningful discussions and addressing the root causes of societal troubles.


The second topic from that will stick with me through my teaching years is from Lisa Delpit’s The Silenced Dialogue. There is multiple parts of this article that will stick with me, like the 5 Aspects of Power and her ideas on “alienation”. But the overarching quote that I’ve chosen is “To provide schooling for everyone’s children that reflects liberal, middle-class values and aspirations is to ensure the maintenance of the status quo, to ensure that power, the culture of power, remains in the hands of those who already have it.” This one quote had so much substance, like the fact that not everyone’s life reflects that and that it’s only to keep those with power in power. 


My last thing I’m going to take out of this class isn’t an article or activity, it would be Joyce Stevos. Joyce was so kind to us and always had stories from her life that she brought into the lessons. Even when some classmates wouldn’t let her finish a thought she handled it with such grace. There were many times that I have gotten worked up in the classroom and she always made me feel valued. That’s the key, making your students feel valued and their ideas feel valued. That is what Joyce has taught me that I’m going to take with me and use I’m my everyday life.


Comments

  1. Dr. Joyce StevosApril 29, 2025 at 4:43 PM

    Thank you for your kind words Ry. Building a caring community takes time and patience and because the mix is different each time, the response is always different. I did not want to share myself with lots of people I did not know, but I did want to build a community that was open and sharing and in doing so, I had to be open and model what that looks like for the class to encourage them to also share and be introspective and reflective. We have to feel safe to do that and it really happened on Monday so it took a whole semester for this group. Thank you for your participation in this class, your caring, and your support. I am richer from having got to know you this semester. My best to you as you move on. JS

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