The Black Youth Male

The media projects "an ensemble of images of black youth as not childlike." They're projection of young black males as someone capable of "commiting serious crimes" and the "demonization" of them as a group. These extreme acts are publicized as the "norm" and not as the acts of the small minority of black males. I feel that these publicized acts are used as an excuse by the popular majority to not improve upon the urban education system. People look upon these few acts of radical behavior/crime and think "why should they even attempt to educate "these people." Although in reality, I feel that the radical behavior of the few is in reaction to the societal issue that popular society "White America" rejects the minority economically and socially. When you make it impossible to be heard and feel helpless, than some feel the need to make themselves heard through radical behavior. The literature also refers to the characterization of the black male youth as an animal and lower than human. I think this can be seen throughout histoyy with the larger concept that it is easy to humilate, oppress, and forget a group people if they are seen as less than human. The concept of "dehumanization."

Militarism of Urban and Poor Education

"While Ph. Ds are being hired to teach wealthy youth, Troops to Teachers is preparing retired military personnel on a "fast track" for certification in education adminstration, to provide leadership and structure in at risk schools." The major agrument is the culture of the privledge within schools that advocates choice while in at risk schools it is the culture of miltiarism. This argument is central but I feel that it goes further than just this. Education is suppose to be the great equalizer but in reality it is a reflection of our society with rigrid class, gender, and racial structure. Children are not giving the same chances in schools that other more wealthy districts are and in a public service such as education this is not acceptable.
Also, I agree that urban schools tend to be more militray than surburban. At my placement the students are not allowed to talk at lunch and have to face forward. Classes are very structured. However, it seems that most students like the structure because it comes with explanation to why it is being given. They do not just yell at students for no reason.

Dual Nature of Middle School students

In my reading for my project I read that middle schoolers are in a transitional phase from concrete to abstract thought and that they are very curious about the world now around them. As good teachers we should support this by enacting a methods that promote such thought patterns. However, I also read that students at this age need a lot of structure in the form of directions on what to do and how to it. To me this presented an issue of how to teach an abstract but yet structured lesson. The best explanation I came up with was that students need an abstract theme with a structured lesson plan to achieve the goals or perhaps and abstract lesson plan with a structured theme. I would defiantly lean towards the one with an abstract theme though. I think that students at this age are more engaged with the ideas they are learning are tangible and not concrete under a very guided structured environment.