Reflection on Literacy with Attitude

    

      This book talks about many things, but for me, this book made me think about how we don't give students enough credit. In the book, he explains how different schools, depending on the economic class of their students, have different dominant themes. For the working-class school, the dominant theme was resistance; for the middle-class school, it was a possibility; for the affluent, it was individualism and humanity; and for the elite, it was excellence. What I noticed is that each theme reflected how students were viewed. The students in the working class were taught to obey. The content they learn is reduced in order for it to be easier for them. One teacher even calls them lazy. The message these students are receiving is that they are wild, that they need to be managed rather than taught, and that they are not capable of learning due to this. 

     The middle class is taught that if they follow the status quo, there is a chance they can be successful. They get content that typically has one right answer, and students are taught to follow directions, though they were allowed some choice in the matter. The message these students received is that they can succeed by following the rules. For the affluent class, those students were taught to create, share, and develop their opinions. The message they received was that their voice matters, and they create the world they want to see. Lastly, the elite were taught self-discipline and push to be the best. They were given the toughest work for their classes and expected to be responsible. The message these students received was that they were above others and should be prepared to handle the responsibilities that came with it. 

     Before the students entered the building, there was already a story made for them. If you went to a working-class school, you automatically need more discipline and help. If you went to an elite school, there was already an expectation that you would be the best and brightest. This is a shame because it doesn't give students the chance to show what they are capable of. For students in working-class schools, this looks like being deemed as a "tough" child to work with or being deemed incapable of challenging work. For elite schools, it puts unnecessary pressure on students and deems students who can't keep up as dumb. This book demonstrates just how important it is to come into a classroom with an open mind. It also emphasizes the importance of having fair expectations for your students. If you are giving students lower work, they will notice and internalize the idea they are not capable of learning and doing hard things. However, if we push students (not to the extreme of elite schools because I believe that can be equally harmful), they will see that they are capable and intelligent. The school you go to shouldn't determine if you will leave education with self-assurance or not. All students deserve to know that they are capable and that their voice matters and has power.